I guess he thinks we just sit around all week waiting to hear from him... okay, we do!!

Heyyyyyyyyyyy family!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So first and foremost, I need to tell everyone about how sorry I am about how lame my letter was last week. As soon as I left the Cyber I felt really bad about it all week, because I know that I can do better! You guys wait all week for the opportunity to hear about my experiences, and then I send that. Hahahahah sorry. That won't happen again :)

So my week...... hmmmm it absolutely flew by! Super super fast! When you're running around doing things, time tends to go by pretty fast. On Monday night I stayed with another missionary in our District because we were both really sick! I had a really bad fever and hardly slept. And since that day.... I've still been pretty sick! Not like feel super bad, just some stomach pains and I'm now pretty sure that I have my first parasite!! Nice and fun :) lots of pooping..... I've lost about 10-15 pounds this week! So that's great hahahah. On Tuesday I had to run around to Nandaime, which is about 40 minutes away in a bus.... a bus that is always full that I have to stand up in. Then on Thursday I had to go back out to Managua to go to the dentist! In less than a month I get my real tooth put in and I'm done with this retainer :) but a lot more buses! For about 50 minutes I was crouched over sideways, which sucks. But of course it's because we're giving the seats to ladies so it's not too bad :)

On Saturday we had a baptism! His name is Norberto. He's super cool, just needed a bunch of help and motivation. But when he finally got confirmed on Sunday morning.... a huge relief was lifted off my shoulders because he almost didn't. Hopefully today the pictures will send! 

Elders Niblett, Arevalo, and Merrill and Norberto

 Last night I learned such a great quote from a member. We were talking about missionary work and she said; "how cool that we're members of the church. How cool that we have all that we do. What about them outside that don't?" This literally is the most important work in the entire world, and we need to share it with all! And I'm so unbelievably grateful that I have this wonderful opportunity :) 

Quick facts about my companions. Elder Niblett is from Idaho! His birthday is May 14th, and we got baptized and went through the temple for the very first time on the exact same days! Freaking crazy! Also Elder Arevalo, my second son. He is awesome! He's from El Salvador! Really quite and needs some help, but he's got a good nourishing system :) Well that's about it! Love you all and I thank you all for your support! I'm also so excited for all my amazing girl friends that are entering into the Army of Helaman! This is the greatest work in the entire world!

Elder Merrill

Elders Merrill and Arevalo

Yep this is all we got!!

Here are some good pictures that I'll send. Not a whole lot going on down here, just a lot of responsibility and tiredness! I love this great opportunity to be here in this great area :) The District that I'm in charge of consists of 12 missionaries, a lot! So it's lots of fun and a lot of work! Hmm what else... oh yeah I basically speak Spanish now :) I know this isn't much, I just have to go with another missionary because he's really sick and so I don't have time! Love you all!

Elder Merrill

and no pictures either!!

I had a good time reading everyone's reply to Elder Merrill's letter this week.  I thought I would share them with you for your reading enjoyment!

I LOVE SAMMY!  You wait a whole week and poof.  We can hope for next week Jenny :) He is so busy I bet each day is a blur and he just passes out at night.  It's Groundhog Day! I love ya friend!
Marci Redding

Wow! What a great letter,,,,,and I loved the pictures, haha. Let that boy take a nap, for crying out loud. Gotta love that elder.

Martha Porter

oh mercy...he's just LOST IN THE WORK I guess!!  Next week he will probably write pages and pages ;) xoxoxo

Kristen Jowers

And it's just enough! ;)

Anne Lloyd

:*(
Bret Wheadon

Interesting week...

What an interesting week it has been! First to hear about everything that is happening back home, crazy stuff! It is so weird to think about watching (or now playing in) a Utah State game without Coach Morrill ever again. Even if he's never been my coach, I have learned so much from him and he has done so much for Utah State. I will forever be grateful to him and the other coaches for giving me the opportunity. 

And hey would you look at that.... some crazy stuff has happened here too! I had changes! Which makes me kinda sad because I left about 7 or 8 sure baptisms in my area. But I was ready. So now I'm in Rivas. Rivas is about 2 and a half hours away from Managua and it's a lot like Granada, my first area. Kind of a tourist place, super hot, but super calm and chill! I'm in the Zone Jinotepe. On Wednesday we were in Jinotepe and there it's......... cold. Like I was cold all night. I want to be there so bad. But oh well that doesn't matter! 

So what's the deal.... oh yeah I'm now a District Leader and I'm training another new missionary! The whole District Leader thing doesn't mean a whole lot, just more responsibility, more work and a lot less sleep! I'm so unbelievably tired right now. These last 4 days I've worked in my area about 3 hours, and I've walked more than I ever have in my entire life searching for a new house for a companionship, doing baptism interviews, and lots more stuff! Oh and hey, the power went out in all of Nicaragua so I had to walk and pick up some sisters late at night in the dark! Anyways, my new companions are Elder Niblett and Elder Arevalo. Niblett is from Idaho and has a change less than me in the mission. He's really nice and knows the area so all's good there! Elder Arevalo, my second son, is a lil guy from El Salvador. He's a little quiet and timid (unlike my first son), so this is a great opportunity to help him grow. It's gonna be a lot of fun!

I'm sorry but I'm completely out of time, so there's not much more I can write. But I love ya all. Thank you so much for the love and prayers. I know that it helps me more than you know! 

Love,

Elder Merrill

I'M IN LOVE WITH NICARAGUA!

Uh so this week was such a great week. And I'm gonna be honest... right now my mind is absolutely blank. I can't remember what happened! Oh yeah we had another baptism! And we brought 13 investigators to church! Wahoo! And I sweated, was rejected, laughed at, and everything in between. But as my parents can tell ya'll from when we skyped.... I'M IN LOVE WITH NICARAGUA. I love this place and I love these people, and this is what I'm going to talk a little bit about today :)

At the MultiZone on the 26th of December, President Russell talked about how this place is a blessed land. And I could not agree more. When people talk about mission calls and all that stuff, they talk about how we get sent to places where the people need us. And yes that is partially true. But I also firmly believe that we get sent to these places because it's the best place for us to be. Some people might think, "ah Nicaragua.... super poor and hot. That's not that cool." and they are so wrong. I am so unbelievably blessed to be here in Nicaragua. So blessed. The mission had like 1720 baptisms this year. This last week, two people got their answer about Joseph Smith in about three days. There are people in other parts of the world who will search and pray for years just to get an answer. And this doesn't mean that we're the best missionaries, just that the Lord has prepared these people to receive the Gospel. And they may have their issues, but these people want to follow Christ. And for that very reason, I love each and every one of them with all of my heart. I really am in the best mission in the entire world :)

Well not a whole lot of information for today hahahah sorry. With changes this week, there should be some new info next week, although hopefully not as much as the last time that we had changes hahahahaha. I love you all and I am so grateful for the love and support. God be with you til we meet again :)

Love,

Elder Merrill

P.S I played a little more basketball today! I'm not too bad ;)

Don't worry I didn't forget..... HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY EXAMPLE AND HERO, JONATHAN WHITTLE MERRILL, THIS SUNDAY. THE BIG 50! HALFWAY THERE! AND TO THE BROTHER THAT I'VE ALWAYS BEEN WAITING FOR ON SATURDAY! LOVE YOU GUYS!