8 months!

Holy freak. 8 months this week! Is that absolutely crazy or not? Now that I'm really thinking about it... this week I finish a third of my mission. I can't believe how fast it goes, but it shows that we need to take advantage of every single minute of it! And so here I am working!

It is seriously so great to hear from everybody every week. Congrats to my lifelong sister Court on getting her call to Russia! And to the Aggies for the big win in The Pit :) for some reason I have been really missing basketball this last week. I have had the strongest desire to just spend 30 minutes in a nice gym with nets and air conditioning (and in a jersey but shhh) to just play. And it also gives me a lot of motivation to work out. Which I freaking forgot to THANK THE PORTERS FOR THAT PACKAGE WITH THE STRENGTH BANDS. IT IS PERFECT AND I LOVE IT. But then I come to realize that my investigators wouldn't win anything from that and then it doesn't really matter anymore :) but also congrats to the Bountiful Drill Team for winning again and the basketball team for winning like always!

This last week was full of its ups and downs. This last Wednesday we had a Multi-Zone Tour of the Mission with Elder Duncan! He is the President of Central America, and I cannot describe how amazing it was. IT WAS AMAZING. I learned so much and my testimony was strengthened as well. A lot. I know without a doubt in my mind that I was called to this mission for a reason. And since the beginning of my mission but even more than ever right now, that President Russell really was called of God. We are called here to teach people about repentance and retain them after baptism! I have such motivation to study the scriptures and have a testimony like my BOM heroes Alma and Ammon and be like Captain Moroni. Because then lives will really be changed!

Surprise... Elder Niblett left! Like not to his house, but he had emergency changes. I know you don't have hardly any pictures and I'm sorry. I took a bunch last week but they all freaking got deleted! But yeah so now it's just my second son, Elder Arevalo and I. And I freaking love this kid. He has grown so much in his time here, and that is my goal! We've got a lot of work to do, but we're working hard and contacting and testifying and that is the most important thing! I love this Gospel more than anything in this world, and I love the short opportunity that I have to share it with others. Love you all, thank you for everything!

Elder Merrill