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!

Happy New Year to all!!

Wow! Time goes by so freaking fast. These are the last few days in the year 2014. This is literally unbelievable. This Wednesday, I say goodbye to far and away the best year of my entire life. From family, to best friends, to State Championships, to being in the greatest service in the world :) what an amazing time it has been! Now time to move on and make 2015 the best year of my life completely dedicated to the Lord!

This last week was awesome :) Merry Christmas to all! Thursday talking to the family was.... pretty freaking great :) I love you guys and thank you so much for that great opportunity! Also to hear that everyone is doing great and healthy, it was just a great day! Me and my companion worked super hard all week, so it was definitely worth it :) the next day, we had a huge MultiZone conference with about half the mission! And it was so much fun! We had a conference, played games, received gifts, saw pictures of our family (our picture at Liz and Calvin's wedding was easily the best looking), and just had a great time! It was super fun :) the gift we received... peanut butter and jelly! Hahahah freaking sick :)

This last Saturday we had another baptism! His name is Gerald and he's awesome :) he's a little kid but he was super excited to get baptized :) this week we should have two or three more! This week is the last week that Elder Castro and I have in his training. The thing that we are told as we begin someone are two things; be an example and baptize. And I think that hopefully I've done a good enough job :) 

Well not a whole lot to say because I just barely talked with the whole family... but HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL! Let's make the very most of it. And the way we can do it is by serving the Lord :) love you all!

Elder Merrill

Pictures from their multi zone conference on Dec. 26th 

Elder Merrill with the new APs

Elder Benson and Elder Merrill

Merry Christmas!

Sam did not send an email last week.  Between Christmas and a multi zone conference, they were only given enough time to quickly email us and arrange for skyping.  Talking to him on Christmas Day was awesome!  He actually had quite a bit to say :)!  We learned he loves the food!!  That would explain the weight gain... His spanish is improving and he has a fun little spanish accent.  He has yet to see any really large spiders. His apartment is really small but relatively nice.  They drink A LOT of soda!  More weight gain!!  They walk everywhere.  He left his jump rope at the MTC, more weight gain.  He has learned a lot about the atonement and what it means to him. He still doesn't do his own laundry.  They study and plan in the mornings, then eat lunch at a members house, usually rice and some sort of meat and soda, of course.  Then they go to work.  They prefer to work at night when it is cooler.  They are only allowed to baptize one person per mission.  Ward members do the baptizing.  President Russell is very strict but was awesome when Sam was injured.  He motivates the missionaries by encouraging them to be obedient, work hard and baptize!!  Elder Merrill loves Hermana Russell, she reminds him of his mom ;)!  He looks and sounds so happy! 

THE LETTER!!

Well another week down in the books! Obviously I'm necessarily complaining right now, but holy crap this is going by way too fast. The fact that we're already midway through December is absolutely crazy! This mission is flying by! This week was great, but it went by so fast that I hardly remember anything hahahah.

I had my second interview with President Russell this last week! It was great, a whole 7 minute interview. Hahahaha he knows that I'm working hard, being obedient, and baptizing. That's basically all he wants! This last week we had a couple of miracles as far as baptisms go. The yearly goal for the mission was 1800 baptisms. Yes 1800. We're really close, but a little behind. And this week the Bishop brought his nephew to church for like the fourth time, and he's gonna get baptized this week! His name is Alexander. He's like six two, super tall. And a really good baseball player! He's so awesome, and I'm so excited to help him in this lil journey :) the plan for this month was originally two, and now we're hoping for 4 this month :)

Ok that's about it as far as the life here. But super importantly, today is December 15th. Which means the Anniversary of my amazing parents. I can't describe in words the gratitude I have for them, but I'm gonna try anyway :)

I don't have a lot of regrets from before the mission, but this is one of them. That I didn't give my family enough love and attention. I'm pretty sure they knew that I loved them and was grateful for them, but I wish I would've given them more. Something I learned yesterday from the mission is this: in life we pray and we pray and we beg for things, and when we don't get them, we notice. But sometimes, we don't notice when we DO get these blessings, kind of like they were expected. This should never be like that. We as sons and daughters of God need to get better at recognizing the everyday blessings, like somebody going to church or two amazing parents and three amazing sisters. Yeah I felt it, but I didn't truly come to recognize until here in my mission that I was literally placed into the perfect family for me. My mom is an absolute rock of a person. She has been my #1 fan from day one, and has been there to help me every step of the way. I have never seen her example waver. Never once. I promised myself I wouldn't tell the story to my Dad until after the mission, but on July 20th, my Dad changed my life forever. And I will never be the same. My two older sisters are the two hardest working girls I know, with once again, unwavering examples. And my lil besty Annie is such a light to so many people. I could not have grown up in a better home. A home centered on the Rock of our Savior Jesus Christ (Helaman 5:12). And for that I will forever be grateful. Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad :)

Also wanna give a quick shout out to my life long best friend Elder Hanson for finishing up his mission in Brazil this week. As I was reading his final letter home, it brought absolute tears to my eyes seeing how strong he has become and how much he came to love the people. I know that he truly fulfilled his purpose of inviting others to come unto Christ. Love you Colin :) congrats and Go Aggies! 

Well that was kind of personal and off topic, but hopefully we can all come to develop more gratitude for the amazing blessings that we receive every single day. I love you all so much and I'm so grateful for the support :)

Love,

Elder Merrill