September 29, 2014

Oye! Esta carta va a ser solamente en Espanol ok? K bueno. Hahahahah I've tried to do a couple contacts and such in English during my time because there is quite a bit of English people... and it's a struggle. Let's just say that when it comes to the Gospel, I'll stick with the Spanish for now :)

Seriously this week was another great week! The last two weeks have been the two fastest weeks of my life in succession.. although you guys might not think it.. it is flying by! Absolutely flying by! I don't know how my friends do it.. but I'll try to give a day by day report of my week :)

Monday was P Day! We bought food, ate food, slept, played games, and worked at night!

Tuesday was just a normal day. We studied, ate lunch at the familia Ramirez (every day), and worked really hard in the heat all day! It's all such a blur that I honestly can't remember anything that happened hahaha.

Wednesday was the same as Tuesday.

Thursday was the same as Wednesday but we did our weekly planning!

Friday was the same as Thursday but we had Zone Meeting!

Saturday was the same as Friday but actually not because WE HAD A BAPTISM! Maura is her name, the Gospel is her game. And this is nothing short of a miracle. We had no confidence when we first started teaching her because her niece doesn't like the church! But somehow she progressed and got baptized on Saturday! It's sure great to see people take this step in their lives. Without baptism, we CANNOT ENTER INTO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. That is our purpose as missionaries. Get people baptized. Because if not, they have no chance. And obviously this means bringing the Spirit and all that good stuff too :)

Sunday we took five investigators to church! Sundays are the hardest days because we walk the whole country it feels like, but so worth it when someone goes to church. And the rest of the day was just like the rest :)

I actually took some pictures! So the next one will be good don't worry :) although I'm not very detailed, I want you all to know that I am growing and changing, and hopefully through my efforts others are too :) my life here is wake up, serve, and sleep :) love you all so much, and I love my Savior! 

Elder Merrill

Familia Romero, I love them especially the 2 little girls

Hike to the top of the City, I never have sweat marks so this shows how old I am and how HOT it is here!!

September 22, 2014

Hello family and friends. Guess what? I'm alive! Hahahah I really need to plan out what I'm going to say before I get on the keyboard oops. Well this week was another great week down here in Nicaragua! I guess I'll tell ya'll some good things that happened.

Thursday I had my first Multi Zone Conference out in Managua! Ah crap I forgot to take a picture of the picture sorry! But it was so awesome! I got to be in air conditioning for a whole day, eat lots of food, but more important than that learn a lot and feel the Spirit! We started by hearing from Hermana Russell and she is awesome! She doesn't even try with Spanish hahaha President always has to translate to everyone. But I love her! She is one of the most loving people I know in all honesty. And President Russell is awesome too! I learned so much about the importance of repentance and commitments to help with true conversion! Then we got to do some practices, eat some more and have some fun! Naturally I got placed in a game that involves flexibility..... so embarassing.

About the practices.... I guess I should probably tell you a little bit about how we teach down here. We're the highest baptizing mission in the world along with the North mission, so we definitely get our point across. Every first lesson we put a baptismal date. You don't leave until you have a baptismal date. A little weird, sometimes it bothers me, but for the most part it's pretty effective! We give them two dates about 5 or 6 weeks in the future and let them choose hahaha. So yes this mission is all about baptizing. ESTOY AQUI PARA BAUTIZAR Y RETENER.

I work by myself with Elder Hartley quite a bit and we're decently effective, so hopefully that tells ya how my Spanish is going! I'M ALWAYS TIRED. Literally always. And I haven't lost any weight!

I felt the love of my Savior so much this past week, just like every other week! I'm so grateful for this opportunity that I have to serve my Savior and the people here in Nicaragua. It's hard, really hard, but VALE LA PENA! 

I love you all and pray for ya always, thank you for everything!

Elder Merrill

My mission buddy from Idaho Falls, Elder Bennett and a BASKETBALL... flat

September 15, 2014

Well another week has come and gone... and life is still generally the same down here in Nicaragua! 

Tuesday Elder Collado and I went out to Managua for Training with all the missionaries that I came with! It's part of the 12 week process, a conference week 8! I'm almost there! Hahaha.... so anyways, it was great to see all my friends from the CCM and how they have progressed!

As a companionship, we have really kinda been struggling with our numbers. Like bad. And it's not necessarily just because Collado has two newbies with him, but yeah it's been a little bad. On Thursday I worked and slept at the house of Elder Bennett, because Elder Copeland and Regalizo (ZL) had to go out to Managua! Elder Copeland got bit by a spider! Thank goodness I haven't seen a huge one yet. So anyways on Friday I had to work in our area alone with Elder Hartley, and I was determined to be efficient and effective. And we were able to reach all the standards of excellence! Really ya just gotta work hard and trust in the Lord in all you do and He will do the rest! 

As far as safety goes, it's all good down here. We have so much fun with all the drunk guys to be honest! The scariest moment of my mission happened on Saturday. We were sitting in a house teaching and a homosexual walked past, said "con permiso" and gave me the creepiest smile I have ever seen. I don't know if I've ever been that scared in my life. Hahah but other than that all is good!

Once again a relatively short letter. I don't understand how all my friends write these huge long letters with every little detail! It's just hard because everyday is for the most part the same hahahaha. But just know that I am doing great out here! My Spanish is coming along. I plan to be able to completely converse by the end of this Change. Right now I basically can,but it's broken and I don't understand everything! But more important than that, my testimony of the Savior is continuing to grow every single day and I can see it in all the people down here as well. I love the people of Nicaragua, I love the Lord, and I love all you guys!

Love,

Elder Merrill

Our new abuelita (grandma), Julio Cesar (an investigator) and her son, Miguel

September 8, 2014

Dear family and friends,

Well needless to say.... WHAT A WEEK. I'm writing really late and have practically no time to write because we had to change houses today! And why is that? Because I RECEIVED A NEW COMPANION LAST WEEK. His name is Elder Hartley. He's from Boise and he's brand new! Which means Elder Collado is now training two missionaries. There are three groups of missionaries in my zone, and Elder Collado (DL), Elder Martinez (DL) e Elder Regalizo (ZL) are all training two missionaries! It's crazy! So here is my goal for this transfer... Elder Collado should only be training one missionary this change. I've had to completely change my attitude and confidence in the last week, because Elder Hartley is definitely watching me! We've already worked together with only us once, and it went really well! With all this pressure (I love pressure) my Spanish has already taken a huge jump. I'm excited to continue to work hard and help Elder Hartley in his journey! As I'm trying to live mine haha. Also all day today we have been changing houses because our old house was too small. 

Elders Merrill, Collado and Hartley

Oh yeah something else... we had two baptisms this weekend! Yadira progressed so quickly and it's been great! Also Joni, I don't have a picture with him because his baptism was on Sunday and I had to go get investigators but I am so happy for him. He's 15 years old, and he's probably the closest I've felt to an investigator to this point. I love working with people around my age because I can relate so well and love them! 

Yadira

Anyways this is short but our time is short because of all the work today. Gracias a todos por amarme, apoyarme y sus ejemplos! No estaria aqui sin sus ejemplos! Yo se que esta obra es la obra del Senor! Lo se, lo vivo y me encanta. Les amo todo! (Yeah I do know a little Spanish hahah) 

Con amor,

Elder Merrill

We go out in three's but I usually end up doing divisions with a member(Jaime). It's hard and I've definitely had my struggles and I am still a perfectionist but I'm grinding and working hard! I did have a little homesickness with football and school and everything, but I'm trying to put the past behind me and solely focus on the present with an eye to the future!

September 1, 2014

Agosto is already over! Well.... I can honestly say this was the fastest month of my entire life! As I've said over and over, sometimes I feel like this is the fastest thing, and sometimes the slowest thing in the world! But oh well because whether it's fast or slow, it's going!

I guess today I should probably tell you a little bit about where I am right now hahahah. Nicaragua. As you all know, it's extremely poor. Very poor. I'm in Granada which is kind of okay. In the center (where I live), it's actually not bad! But then you get on the outskirts and it's totally what you'd imagine a third world country to be hahaha. It has started to rain almost every day now! 

This picture is from a website trying to sell you on vacationing in Nicaragua!!

The people. Hmmmm hahahahahaha. I could spend years describing the people here! Last week in church I had to sit next to someone who was breast feeding, can't even describe the awkwardness. The people here don't really have a grip on the whole "Moral Standards" thing! People are always drunk. Like always. The thing that bothers me sometimes is that the people don't have hardly any money but spend it all on beer! However, the people that are humble, I truly love with all of my heart. Realmente amo todos los Nicaraguense! The members here are... ah not sure how to describe them. Some of them are awesome! Jaime, our ward mission leader is as good as it gets. He's a 23 year old RM that served in Honduras, and I work with him about once a week when Elder Collado is doing interviews! But there's really not a whole lot of Priesthood here, which is the problem. Our Branch President ordered pizza to the church a couple weeks ago on Sunday. 

Elder Collado and I have been working really hard! We had our most successful week, brought 9 investigators to church finally! We don't have any baptisms this week but should have two next week! This week is the end of my first change in the mission! I have to say goodbye to Elder Macias, who goes home Wednesday. And it's going to be hard. This guy has literally helped me so much with everything. Whether it be Spanish (he's from Cali), homesickness or just being a friend, he has been a huge blessing in my life. I know I was placed in his zone for a reason.

Elder Macias is in the yellow jersey.

Thank you for all the updates! Keep up the good work Braves! Shocker that the Aggies lost hahahah oh well. Congrats to Konnor on a successful mission! Love you all and thank you for everything! Above all, Jesus lives. I know it, I live it, and I love it!

Elder Merrill

Dad:  Did you play basketball?
Elder Merrill:  No, there is just no time.
Dad:  What do you do on Pday?
Elder Merrill:  Eat!!