4/28/2014..Dare to make it known!!

Overall, this past week has been so incredible. :) We got to have fantastic dinners with great members, teach some  wonderful lessons and of course, see miracles. :) One particularly cool experience was we had a lesson planned with a woman named Lora and we were on our way over there with a member of the ward and as we were driving up, she cancelled BUT! Right after that, we went and contacted someone on that same street that we had meaning to contact for quite a while but we had just never gotten around to it. So, we were able to enter the home and meet them! AND, we found a new person to teach!  He is from California and hasn't had a lot of experience with the church but his wife is a member and their son is as well! So far, we have talked to them about the Book of Mormon and a LOT about the Restoration of the Gospel! We have an appointment with them tomorrow too!

 Man..... Heavenly Father definitely is there for us. :) Not just with missionary work though! No matter where we are, HE IS THERE! He watches over us and if we are willing to listen to the spirit, He will direct our paths for good and lead us to miracles and beautiful things every single day. :) I know that without a shadow of a doubt. :)

 Other than that, Elder Bertoch and I are getting in the best shape ever!!! We have a juicer! Yes! A Juicer! We got it from the sisters and it is our new favorite thing! We have juiced broccoli, carrots, apples and
all sorts of awesome stuff and today, we went to Winco and got lots more awesome stuff! Adding to that, I've been trying to do really well on my workouts in the morning, pushups, jumping rope, ab exercises and of course, curls. ;) It has been wonderful and I feel SO SO SO good!

 Being a missionary is the absolute best! :) I hope that everything is going so well at home and life is just throwing around lemons! 


Quote of the week: "Dare to be a Mormon, Dare to stand alone, Dare to have a purpose firm, DARE TO MAKE IT KNOWN!" President Thomas S. Monson That quote gives me chills! Dare to make it known Brothers and Sisters! Know it, Live it, LOVE IT!

4/21/2014.. A Walk with Christ

The Walk with Christ was SO AMAZING! It was held at a stake center close to our area and the WHOLE church building was converted into individual scenes and times from the Savior's life and ministry. SO BEAUTIFUL.

4/21/2014.. Easter Thoughts

Just to let you guys know, our Easter was SO incredible. :) It was so wonderful to always have that incredible Easter message be on the fore front of our minds. :) I know without a shadow of a doubt, that our Savior DOES live, he cares for us SO much. He lives, HE LIVES WHO ONCE WAS DEAD! :) Please take the opportunity to share that information with those around you. :) This message is precious and needs to be told!  Elder Merkley

Miracle Time: So, we were in an appointment with one of our investigators and we got a call from on our WMLs. Elder Bertoch answers, talks to him, sits down and I can tell he is very very excited. So, we say a closing prayer and then he tells me that a man, Brother Guthry talked to our WML, Brother Henrickson, today and told him, "My whole family got baptized a couple years ago, I've been to church and had two missionary lessons and I think I wanna be baptized." ..................................................... WOW!!!!!!! He told us this and we were DUMFOUNDED! We are going to contact him tonight and see if he can be baptized in April. Needless to say, we are so so so excited. SOOOOO excited. :)

Funny Story: So, we were walking down a street and Elder Bertoch was telling me about how he doesn't understand why Young Woman find missionaries attractive. He told me that we are like celibate monks, just because we can't talk to woman really, flirt with them or do anything, they find us attractive. SO, to more fully prove his point, he asks me, "Elder, do you find nuns attractive?" AND to be funny, I tell him, YES! And then he says, "Well dang it! That just ruined my whole argument!" Hahaha! It was hilarious! ;)

 
Overall, this week has been SO incredible. :) Lots of ups and lots of downs but the Lord came through, as He always does.
Have a fantastic week everyone! I love you guys! :)

4/14/2014..Still a kid!!

 We just got a new box of Books of Mormon in and while I was studying language, Elder Berotch made a giant Book of Mormon!

 OUR ZONE!!

They told us to make ourselves comfortable to eat dinner and this was
the table we picked!

4/14/2014..Missionaries got game!!

I got to play basketball with three guys outside of a taco truck on a hoop with no backboard!! So, explanation: outside out apartments, these guys often get together and play some ball. They are high school age and are awesome. So, we asked them if we could play with them one afternoon and they let us and it was AWESOME! It was so much fun and we got to be pretty good friends with them!  Also, we won the game! Whoo! Missionaries got game! Whoo! We are DEFINITELY gonna play with them again and start teaching and sharing messages with them!

Also, we had a straight up miracle come upon us!!! So..... we were finishing up some planning and we had a lesson that night with a wonderful woman that I actually had not taught yet. So..... we were deciding whether or not to invite her to be baptized and what we should teach. We weren't completely sure but we decided that we would bring up baptism and kinda get a feel for where she was and work from there BUT we decided we would teach about the Restoration of the Gospel. :) So, we got a ride up to their house from her husband and got in there, started a great conversation with her and then she was off to the races. She told US that she was ready to take the discussions, learn more and take the NEXT STEP. Our mouths almost dropped open with amazement. She said the words, "I've test driven and now I'm ready to buy." WOW! So, we taught the Restoration, committed her to read the Book of Mormon with her and we are going to try and set a baptismal date with her this next week. The crazy thing is she is going to have her baby in like 10 days! She is having a c-section! It will be their second so they are very excited! Overall, it was such an incredible experience and wow...... what a miracle! Also, we had Zone Training and Interviews with our Mission President and his wife this past week!  It was so gosh darn fun! I have learned a lot this past week about trusting in the Lord and the importance of doing the small things that much BETTER. I know that I will never succeed as a missionary without Heavenly Father's help. :)

4/7/2014..Matching Ties and a great zone leader

 Elder Duano! He is one of my Zone Leaders! We got to go on an exchange and it was a LIFECHANGING day. Oh man, just an absolutely wonderful experience! :)

Good ol Matching Tie P-Days with Elder Bertoch! Whoo!!

4/7/2014...Bryce's Testimony

The highlight of my week was easily my exchange with Elder Duano and Conference.

 Elder Duano is one of my fantastic Zone Leaders and this past Wednesday we went on an exchange and had the BEST time. I was able to learn SO much! I especially learned a lot about the principle of obedience. Obedience is a key part of our Heavenly Father's plan. As we exercise obedience and strive to do the small things well, even when it seems insignificant and of little or no importance, we will find a greater connection with our Father in Heaven. I know that our Heavenly Father rejoices in our obedience because it is only through obedience that we can return to live with our Father in Heaven and our Glorious Savior. The bible instructs us that "faith without works is dead". It is my invitation that we all exercise OBEDIENT faith. That our works are shine with obedience and as we feel the happiness that comes there from, the Lord will work miracles through us. Read the Book of Mormon, pray, go to church, rinse and repeat. Revelation, comfort, peace and forgiveness of sins comes from these simple activities. The experience of a lifetime is available to us everyday as we are obedient. :) 

Also, Conference was SOOOO incredible! I want to reference and speak briefly about Elder Craig W. Zwick's talk and emphasis one point. Are we fluent in the language of love? Do our words administer grace to the hearer? As we live our lives in such a way that our care and concern for others shines through, we will be as the bible states "a light [to] the world." What the world needs right now is more love. As we love unselfishly and without expectation of personal gain, we will allow others to come to know their PERSONAL savior through us. :) 

I know with all my heart that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is alive and well upon the earth. As we exercise faith, repent and endure to the end, we will find great happiness now and in the hereafter. Joseph Smith WAS A PROPHET OF THE LORD. I know that to be true. As we read the Book of Mormon and feel its shining influence and heavenly affect, we will come to know that to be true each and every day of our lives. God lives,Jesus Christ is His son and our redeemer and the Holy Ghost is real. It's my testimony that they are three individual and distinct beings, in perfect positions to help us grow and someday  return to live in the highest kingdom of Heaven. I love you all so much and hope and pray for your success in every phase of your lives. :) God be with you til we meet again!

3/31/2014..SMILES as always

 Zone Service Project!!

 Elder Bertoch and I!

Part of Yellowstone is in our mission! Get it?! Yellow Stone??? Haha!

3/31/2014..Short but sweet

Things are going SO good. My new Companion is SO awesome! His name is Elder Bertoch. He is from Southern California, loves Zelda and other videos games, draws a lot, knows the scriptures like the back of his hand and is super chill and hilarious. He came to the field so prepared! It's incredible! 

These last 5 days in the Pocatello North Stake have been incredible! We were able to set two baptismal dates with two wonderful individuals! Scott Huff, is SUPER smart! He is a former Navy Seal and will definitely get baptized.  The date is set for April 26th and if it happens on that day, it will DEFINITELY be a miracle from Heavenly Father. Please pray for them! Also, I was wondering, can you please make sure that his name, SCOTT HUFF, gets on the Temple Prayer roles for the Spokane, Columbia River and Seattle temples?? If you could call that in I would be SO very appreciative. :) Or maybe even Chicago too! :) We really are going to need a miracle here Mom and I would love it if you could do that. :)

 Also, we have started teaching a wonderful woman by the name of Lora (not sure what her last name is) BUT we have been able to teach the Restoration to her and read 3 Nephi 17. Man... it has been incredible! Elder Bertoch and I have been unified and have LOVED teaching her! Her baptismal date is for April 26th as well! Please pray for her if you get the chance! :) 

 Overall though, I love this new area SO much! :) Being a District Leader has been SO much fun too! I have loved the feeling of responsibility and being aware of everybody. It's AWESOME! :) PS- We are actually in an apartment so it is just the two of us! It's great! A little different than the last 5 months buts good! ;) Also, we are walking a TON but it is also great. Time to lose some weight! ;)