March 10, 2014

Family,

Funny story about Coach Boban.  Like we have talked about before, work hard all the time and people won’t ever forget you. Be a man now, or as Boban would say, be a man, not a mouse! BE A CHAMPION!!!  I still can’t believe he did that ha ha I feel famous.

It’s a different kind of work out here, and for me it’s much harder.  I can pound the asphalt or run up any mountain all day long, no sweat.  But there is a different aspect to missionary work that is much harder, but also much more rewarding. If I do things right, I will leave a legacy of hard work and obedience for people in Scotland to remember me by. Dad used to say, "Whenever you do work, make sure you leave your name on it, and do it well".  Good point Dad.

Oh yeah! I forgot to tell you didn't I? While I was in Dublin, Ireland, I made pumpkin chocolate chip cookies for the guys and myself, and they were the bomb.  Seriously you’d all be proud, they were that good. The best part, after they were done, I didn't go around and give em all away to the neighbors! We kept em and they were good. I’ll send you pics I took of them next week.

Thanks for the Advice on doing service; we could definitely be doing more of it here, thank you. It is a great way to soften people’s hearts. Just look at the way Ammon soften the heart of King Lamoni by offering to serve him. Saved his life, the king even wanted Ammon to take his daughter to wife.

I’m healthy, little chub that wasn't there 1 year ago but I’m still stacked and jacked. ;)

A couple members have been taking care of us, but feeding us too much, while I’ve been here.  They are the nicest people ever; they just give us way too much food. The ……. ( who are recently re activated after 40 years of less activity, and just last week went to the Preston Temple to be sealed! they are gold) feed us a lot here and there, but …….is a really nice single lady who gives us 5 course meals every Sunday... I’m dying every Sunday night, but its good food.

My feet are doing well now, there have been a couple days in the last week where we have just walked miles and miles and those are foot killers, but they get better after a day or two of normal distance work. The shoes I have should last at least another 8 months, if not the whole year.

I am better at smiling now, that should be at least one change you notice.  It started out by me not wanting to look upset or angry while walking around, I wanted to give the public the impression we were always happy ( which is true but I just didn't smile) so I forced a more mild face and after a couple months it stuck.)

 Almost 20 years old. I had something of a moment of silence while I thought about that. Life is so short.  I’m smiling thinking about the Basketball season, basketball was always a very fun game for me because I really enjoyed it and I wasn't bad at it either. I remember sprinting down the court every Saturday morning and jumping high above the wee lads on my team to get the rebounds, what a fun time.  We won a lot too, remember Wes? Remember his half court shot that one game? I still can’t believe that happened.  3 seconds left, I threw it into him from under the hoop on the opposite side, he caught it nearly at the half court line and threw it up...... swish! Good times. Really good times.

Interesting concept, Faith and Belief.  I always think of this way: no one has a better testimony or more infallible belief in God than Satan and his followers; after all they have no veil to cover their eyes or cloud their remembrance. Faith is action, Faith is faith, you have to pursue to slightest hope, normally without any factual evidence, to establish faith.  And then as we know faith and knowledge are far distant but the bridge is crossed only by our own works. Hope for truth can be sown into our souls by the testimony of others combined with the spirit, but faith and knowledge can only be found by mighty study, prayer and sacrifice.  This is why it’s so hard to find, but the journey has gotten easier, for myself at least, as I’ve gotten further down the road towards a perfect knowledge. This seems to be the case because of the blessings and light that this knowledge brings; line upon line, precept upon precept, and this is the way of the Lord.

 Well Family, I love you. I’m doing great and happy to be serving a mission. Humility is not learned easily, but I’m much more of what the Lord wants me to be now, than I ever was. Thanks to you guys, my faith was sufficient.

 Mom, Thanks for all the things you have sacrificed and will yet sacrifice for our family; if ever person could have such a mother as you, every child would be brought up in the strength of righteousness because of your love for dad and others.

Your son,

Elder Merrill