Happy Thanksgiving Dad :)

This week was about as mission as it gets. And I'm going to explain it to ya'll! First off... bad news.... I'M GETTING FAT. Ah I'm starting to get a belly just like Dad! We just eat sooooooooo much crap here, like so much. So it's really hard to eat healthy and we don't have the materials to get a whole lot of exercise. But I refuse to get too fat :)

Alright I got some dang good experiences from this week. First off, Elias. He is a guy that we found our first day here in this area. He is honestly one of the nicest guys I know! But like most Nicaraguans, kinda hard to work with and kinda hard for him to keep commitments. With the two weeks out of the field, it was really hard because he hadn't gone to church! When Elder Castro and I got back into the field, we decided that we'd try one more time with him. And by some miracle, he went to church! That week we decided we needed to teach him about the Word of Wisdom, but he had SOOOO MANY QUESTIONS about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. And he's got daughters who are always asking questions, so it was really hard to teach him about that stuff. It came to the 15th of November, and I said "If he wants to get baptized on the 29th we have to teach him about smoking". We knew it was not a great chance that he'd be able to quit like that, but we had to at least try! That night we taught him a little about Joseph Smith and then talked about smoking. He only smoked like 2 or 3 a night but said it was an addiction. AND HE QUIT JUST LIKE THAT. And then the next night we put a baptismal date for him for the 29th and his daughter for the 6th of December. It really was so cool! But that's not even the miracle.

So on Wednesday we decided we probably needed to teach him about coffee. And here we go with the whole mission thing. We went and taught him, and he basically told us that it wasn't going to happen. He knows we're men of God and understands that it come from God, but he just told us that it's been a tradition for his whole life and it'd be just too hard. I was heartbroken. Wednesday was one of the toughest nights of my life. From the first step I took outside of his house, I was in a fast for him. I fasted and prayed all day. I went back the next night with Elder Naisbitt and... he had completely and 100% changed. Literally a complete flip of attitude. That night he told us that he doesn't even want to drink coffee, just that it was hard to resist from all his peers at work. That day he drank four little cups, and he hasn't drunk since. Now we're planning on all 4 people of that family to get baptized. I can't even describe what happened. I am so grateful for the Lord and that blessing. Elias should get baptized this week!

But... I'm on a mission, so of course there are those downs also. Friday we had a super, super powerful lesson with a lady that wants to get baptized but wants to wait til January til her kids come. And that just doesn't happen in this mission :) we didn't have a plan going into the lesson, but we literally just completely followed the Spirit. And by the end, she was crying, I was crying, my companion was crying, we all were! Super cool. And Saturday.... we were scheduled to have three baptisms. Wismar who I didn't even know because he was completely from the APs, Mayling who is super cool, and Brian, the kid that we found by a miracle! Wismar got baptized in the afternoon. We went to pick up Brian, and he wasn't there. He hid from us all night. We later found out that it was because he drank coffee on Friday, but I can honestly say Saturday was the hardest, worst day of my entire life. I have developed an absolute love for these people and a desire to help them enter into the kingdom of heaven. All night I was thinking "because of my lack of obedience and hard work, someone isn't going to be able to open up the doors to the kingdom of heaven today." Yeah it sucked. I am still heartbroken for him, but we're gonna work to get it done! I have been so humbled here. I have realized so many weaknesses, and am starting to put every ounce of who I am to the Lord, because he is my only hope here.

Other than that, everything it great! Ya'll already know how grateful I am for each and every one of you guys. Seriously thank you so much for everything! And Happy Thanksgiving!

Love,

Elder Merrill

another lame, short email...

Umm... here we are, back into the normal missionary life :) so here comes another lame, short email! These last few weeks have been going by really slow, but now I'm back into the thick of things and this week was super super fast! I'll give ya all some quick updates :)

In answer to my moms question about the Spanish.... it's going great! I can basically say whatever I need to say (in bad Spanish obviously), and understand the majority. There are still plenty of times where I think... what the heck did you just say?, but it's not really too big of a concern anymore :) just pluggin along! 

This week... hmm... what did we do this week? Oh yeah, preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the only way to salvation! Lots of fun :) honestly there weren't a lot of memories, but this is something pretty dang cool. Although it's super hard, we get rejected, yelled at, hated, it's hot, and I still don't know Spanish, there really is nothing better than this work. It is truly an honor to be in the service of the Lord, seriously preaching the only way to salvation! I know without a doubt in my mind that this is the church of Jesus Christ on the earth. The only one. And we have to take the steps necessary to receive our salvation. What I love about this church and what separates us from the rest, is that this is a church of action! If we're not acting, we're not growing and we're not showing our faith! So go listen to Alex Boye and Carmen Rasmussen's song-can't remember what it's called exactly, and do something! Do something good today! Take action to strengthen your faith and others', whatever it may be! When we act, we are blessed. It's that simple. 

I know that the basis of this work is the Spirit. I've seen it so much already in my mission. It's guided me to the people that need the Gospel, and comforted me when I really need it. I work every day to obtain it more. The glory of this Gospel, is that we can feel the Spirit WHENEVER WE WANT. WE JUST HAVE TO GO FIND IT.

I love this Gospel, I love my Savior, and I love you all. Thank you immensely for the examples and the love that you've given me. Que Dios les bendiga!

Love,

Elder Merrill

I haven't been jumped this week!

Here we go! (Thinking of Mario right now I'm not sure why). Hahahaha officialy another great week down in the mission field! Livin the dream in Nicaragua! This was my first full week with my "son" Elder Castro, and man we threw some fire! Hahahah here are some updates :)

We made the decision that we are going to be exactly obedient. And that is what we tried to do the best we could. And would you look at that.... we got some dang good blessings out of it :) Monday we went looking for a guy named Anner, who's had times in the church but has basically been lost. At about 8:30 at night, we went back to his house one last time, and he was there! He told us that for awhile he never felt ready to get baptized, but now he wants to get it done as quickly as possible, and we're hoping for this month :)

Wednesday we were walking around contacting, life every single day, and I saw a little side street and thought "hmm that might be good to contact". We went back there a little later, contacted some 16 year old boy who's BEEN GOING TO CHURCH FOR LIKE HALF A YEAR BUT THE MISSIONARIES HAVE NEVER TALKED TO HIM AND HE WANTS TO GET BAPTIZED. So he should get baptized this week or next week :) we also found some other new really good investigators this week. Just gotta be obedient and trust in the Lord! 

My Son, Elder Castro, is great! He loves to work, loves to contact, and loves to talk! And for someone that doesn't have a huge interest in talking like me, it works out perfectly :) We work well together, but above all we're working hard and being super obedient. Sometimes that's all you can ask for :)

Other than that, not a whole lot is going on here :) other than I haven't been jumped this week! Although it's been close a couple times :) I love the members here in Managua, and I love being a missionary por La Iglesia de Jesucristo de los Santos de los Ultimos Dias :)

Love you all,

Elder Merrill

 

These two pictures were taken on his last day in Granada

Reppin' the #5

Elders Merrill, Collado and Hartley and a family in Granada

These pictures are from transfers

Elder Castro (new companion), Elder Collado (former companion and trainer) and Elder Merrill (pre-dental probs!)

Elders Bennet and Jimenez, good friends from last area (Granada)

He's back!!!

Hola familia y amigos. Crap I´m sorry I´m really horrible with the whole picture thing. I promise that I took pictures and I brought my memory card to send them, but this place that I´m at will only take USB cords and I didn´t bring that... next week I promise! Hahahah sorry!

Ok this is going to be relatively short, but I had my surgery on Friday! They took out two teeth completely, put in two metal posts, and the implants! I was in the dentist chair for about two and a half hours... let´s just say it wasn´t the most pain free day of my life :) 

Hahahaha yeah so Friday afternoon, with a huge mouth and quite a bit of pain, I spent the whole day at the house of the Beals, the senior couple. It was a really long day hahaha. I spent the night at the house of the Secretaries and APs, then Saturday I rejoined my companion and we got right to work! Another thing that I love about the Lord. Do His will and He will provide. I've hardly felt any pain during these three days!

To be able to work with my companion Elder Castro again is truly a blessing (I promise I'll send pics next week sorry). He is such a good kid and such a hard worker. We have decided that we are just going to be as obedient as we can and work as hard as we can, with a lot of prayer in between! Not a whole lot to say because it was only a few days! Oh but I couldn't eat again until today... we ate McDonalds and it was glorious :)

Ahhhhhh something else I forgot.... I have a retainer! Hahahahah They couldn't put the implant in, so right now my top tooth is part of a retainer that I can take out at any second! Super weird but super fun. Once again I will send a bunch of pics next week!

I'm so grateful for my Savior and for this wonderful opportunity I have to be here in Nicaragua. Amo ser misionero. Lo amo, lo vivo, y me encanta. Love you all :)

Elder Merrill

We would like to thank all of our dear friends and family for your love, prayers and fasting these last 2 weeks.  We feel so blessed!!  President and Hermana Russell were so good to keep us updated and they took such great care of Sam.  We will forever be grateful for all that they did for our quiet Elder Merrill ;)

 

Back to liquids...

Email sent yesterday

Brother and Sister Merrill,

Elder Merrill finished his dental procedures this morning around 10am.  All the specialists were there and took great care of him.  President went into the procedure room several times to check on Elder Merrill.

After it was completed, Elder Merrill walked out into the waiting room and didn't even have a chance to sit down when I took this photo of him for you.  

Of course, his mouth was still numb. I asked him how it was and our Elder of few words honestly replied: "Rough".  He is a brave soldier.  I told him that the worst was over: two extractions, two posts placed., and two temporary teeth in place.

Elder Merrill wanted to go back to the mission office and enter Baptism Records, but President and I told him no.  His orders for today were to sleep. We told him the office work will be there for him tomorrow. 

(He is currently sleeping, so he is obedient!)  Elder Merrill is one elder with a great work ethic.  Thank you for teaching him the importance of work.

Now we wait for his mouth to heal. Elder Merrill is back on his Ensure and Special K drinks for about three days and then slowly adding back softer foods. I told him that tonight I would bring him some fruit and we can try to blend up a smoothie.   In about three months he returns to the specialist for placement of his two new permanent teeth.  This followup visit will not carry with it any pain. If there are any problems before then, we will resolve them.  

Should you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us. 

Best Regard,

Hermana Peggy Russell

Nicaragua Managua Sur