San Juan del Sur!

This last Wednesday we got to celebrate the incredible year that we had in 2015. And we did it by going to Playa Gigante, close to San Juan del Sur :)

So Monday we didn´t really have P Day, just some time to write the families. Which is actually pretty tough. No one sees the importance of P Day until they lose it, hahahaha. P Day really helps to get the energies back, so we were trying hard just to get through and conquer Monday. And Tuesday was about the same! Everyone was struggling, but we were able to have a couple good days, elder Medrano and I. Then came Wednesday morning!

So we had to leave the house at about 3:30 in the morning and take a 3 hour bus to Managua. In Managua, we stopped at a chapel to get a little breakfast, then took another 3 hour bus ride down to Playa Gigante! On the way there, we got to pass through the outskirts of Rivas and take a little rest right on the outside of my area in Rivas! I miss that place so much. When we stopped, basically the whole mission was there. Elder Copeland came up to me and said, ¨this is where is at all started.¨ Hahaha it´s true, we have a lot of good memories there! Got to talk a little there to Cope and Elder Hanson, which was fun. I am so grateful for those guys, they have become some of my best friends! Then we got to the Beach! President had rented out a little area to all get together and eat. It was a cool place! And the whole mission was there. Lots of people to catch up with. At the place, they had put up a banner of 2158 baptisms, with the names of every single one of the people that got baptized. SUPER FREAKING COOL. Lots of people talk about how numbers don´t matter, but behind every number is a soul. 

We had a sweet BBQ, hamburgers, hot dogs, chips, gatorade, all the good stuff! Then we had ice cream and brownies. It was super fun to catch up with all of my good mission friends and all of my sons that I have had in the mission. After food, we changed into ropa P Day and played some games on the beach! It was really hot and the sand was really deep so the playing wasn´t all that fun, but it was great to be on the beach! And to take some dope beach pics hahaha. 

Elders Hanson, Merrill and Copeland at Playa Gigante

After that we changed back into our mission clothes and President Russell talked to us for a little. He gave us all some super cool temple recommend covers! There is one problem... I have no idea where my temple recommend is.... oops. That is what happens when there is no temple in the country. I will get one soon though! Then Pres put the new goal for this year.... 2600 baps! Gonna require a lot of work, but I know the missionaries can do it :) we finished up, left, almost got lost on the way back, and got home at about midnight. It was a really long day, but a lot of fun! 

Elder Collado's family.  Elder Collado was Sam's trainer (Father) and he goes home to Costa Rica this week!
 

Elder Hanson and Elder Merrill

Really that is about it for this week. Had another good week at church with 7 investigators. Pray for Jon Edward and Jose! Oh yeah I learned something important in Priesthood yesterday. The majority of us are active members, but there is a big difference between being active.... and being active in the Work. I can go to church every week, take the Sacrament, keep the major commandments, pay my tithing, but if I am not doing something for the Work of the Lord, then what am I doing? To do this, I have to do my Home and Visiting Teaching. I have to visit Less Actives and animate them, I have to look for people who would want to listen to the Gospel and prepare them to receive it, I have to do Temple work. We need to all be better at this. Let us ask ourselves, ¨Am I being active in the Work, as opposed to just being active?¨ As we see what we can improve and have the humility to change them, the Lord will bless us and help us in the process. 

I love you all so much! Good luck Annie this week in Region! 

Love,

Elder Merrill

We also got this news today from Sam...

My release date has been changed due to the change in time spent at the MTC for all new missionaries. I will now come home on June 2nd.