May 26, 2014

Family,

It was really great to see you all a couple weeks ago, you all look healthy and happy and I hope that's the way things really are. I love you all so much and feel so blessed to have a faithful family full of Latter-day Saints back home.  Preaching the Gospel has given me so much direction and happiness in the short time I’ve been here, that my perspective on many things has changed and I have thankfully allowed many of these necessary changes to happen.  I’m far from where I need to be, but I’m least on that road.

Yes speaking of my predicting my call, I have found it so interesting on my mission and I have become more and more familiar with the prompting of the Spirit that most often those prompting come to us without us even knowing! We simply think, "Hmm I’ll go this way" or "hey where does that one guy live? Ok, let’s go there" and we, with utter obliviousness, follow the seemingly random impressions of our "own thoughts". My desire to come to Scotland for me was simply something I wanted to do, to prophecy of a specific mission call doesn't really do anybody any good, but God's mercy and love was manifest in the fact in I actually was inspired. Almost all the time, I never even realize I was impressed upon by the spirit until after something happens, then afterwards I make a remark like "inspired". If we pay attention to our good thoughts and act on them, good things happen, how can that not be God? It is God. 

I will share an experience with you that we had yesterday.  We have recently made some goals revolving around finding new investigators, as were short on people to teach at the moment, and set out to place 6 books of Mormon in a day. We prayed and left the flat with 6 books in hand. At first we drove to a very dodgy bit, known as stab city(don’t tell mom) and chapped in some of the Gypsy flats,  then later we then drove to another street in a bit of a nicer area and chapped there. On the last door of the last street (as things normally happen on the last door) a guy opened the door, kindly rejecting our approach and just as he was closing the door, his daughter probably 16 moved past him and began asking questions.  Traditionally catholic, of course, she had a decent belief and an impressive knowledge and competence.  Her name was ….., and over the next hour or so she just asked question after question about the restored gospel, really great intelligent questions, and we were able to answer them all in what I felt was very successful teaching rhetoric. She eagerly accepted a Book of Mormon and the invitation to read and have us back around. This was just one of several great experiences we had this day. We passed out 5 books, good enough for me. 

Prayers work, goals work, people are being prepared to be taught the truth. 

I am loving my new assignment so far and my companion and I are getting along great, he is a hilarious guy and we laugh and work (at the same time usually) pretty much all day. Thank you all for your prayers in my behalf.

Love you all.  I will be in Belfast for a meeting on Thursday. 

Elder Merrill