September 16, 2013

 

Family,

Hey everyone, this week was very interesting due to moves call.  I’m staying in Oban with Elder Urbieta.  I’ve been called as District Leader, and I’m excited for this new calling and challenge.  I’m looking forward to the lessons I will learn while serving the people in my district.  This Thursday, were driving to Edinburgh for a leadership meeting, and then driving back the same day. That’s 7 hours of driving in a day,.... but it’s so beautiful in this country that I don't really even care.  Real quick, the toothbrush you sent me is amazing; it definitely was worth sending, so thanks a bunch.  I thought sending chicken in a biscuit and a toothbrush were contradictory but oh well, I love em both.   It’s much harder to work and teach here than it was in the south, people are less open, a little more cheeky and frankly uninterested.  But the Lord is preparing people to receive his message and all we have to do is be obedient and valiant and we will find them.  Pray for us to find those people please.  They are here.

It’s getting colder and colder here, but a good friend of mine just got called to the Shetland Islands, which is much colder and windier, just in time for winter wind. So I’m not complaining.

Love you guys and hope everyone has an amazing week, I’m working on a letter for you all, I’m just very busy and my hands are cold all the time so it’s not the fastest way.  Thanks for all your prayers; I miss you guys very much.  Mom, I read through the part in the book of Mormon about stripling warriors the other day, and was impressed about their gratitude to their mothers for raising them right.  So I want to say thanks and I love you, for being an amazing mom, and raising me to love God and serve others.   I miss you loads.

Take care, with love,

Elder Merrill

Sep 9, 2013

Stone Circle
 

Dad,

Those were some interesting stories; a mission is just such an interesting life.  Such an adventure, as you know, you get to meet so many interesting people and witness miracles.  Best job ever, I hope to go on multiple missions throughout my life.  Thanks for your testimony about Joseph Smith, he was a great man, and he does get more ridicule and lies than does any man that ever lived.  But I know he did more for the salvation of man than any man who ever lived, save Jesus Christ only.  I miss my parents, can’t wait to speak with you all again on Christmas! Looking forward to that greatly.  I love you dad, have a great week.  Even though I gave much resistance, you taught me great work ethic, so I thank you for that.  I will try my best to pass it on to my kids some day.  Love=Time.  You taught me that.

Thanks for writing,

Elder Merrill

Another Email: 

First of all, Jones moving? That’s crazy.  It actually sounds impossible; the world will never be the same.   I would have been much less shocked if you would have told me dad started watching the Simpsons, well not really.  He was always a good example of things that he liked and didn't like. 

 

Note to Sydnee:
You’re the best, have a great week, how’s your book of Mormon reading coming along?  It’s hard to stay on top of it.  Even on a mission.  Try your best; it really is a great book.  The only way to get blessings from it is to liken it, or relate it to ourselves.  Read, PONDER, and pray.  And the windows of heaven will be opened unto you.  I love you so much, take care and be safe.  Surround yourself with good people, and you have nothing to worry about at all. 

Elder Merrill

 

 

 



Oldest Stone Circle in UK, 2700 BC
 

 

August 27, 2013

Hey Everyone,

We have some new investigators, and that is going very well.  The people we are teaching are very prepared and we feel the spirit in abundance when we teach them.  It’s still beautiful up here and we have the coolest area in the world by far.  I miss the color red, that’s weird to say, but nothing here is red.  Or brown, except brown sauce.   We hiked in Glencoe and to the lost valley last P-day, with my favorite recent convert, Gordon.  Gordon was just baptized in Pollok, south of Glasgow, 3 months ago. He is a very nice and funny guy, and loves to hike so we spend some good times together.  He fed us 3 times this week, and he lives just a mile or so away from castle stalker.  Just a few miles north of Gordon’s home in port appin, is a place called Ballachullish.  Try pronouncing that!

What can be said about my wee siblings, their amazing.   Mom and you must be proud to have such great kids; it comes at a price doesn’t it?  I love you guys and miss you very much.  Thanks for the prayers.

Thanks for the cobbler you’re so kind...cheeky.  Ha-ha I do miss your cooking.  However, I’ve become a fair cooker myself.  I don’t know if it’s anything you would consider culinary arts, but it’s good.  My favorite thing to do is, throw eggs, tuna, bacon, and Chinese noodles into a frying pan with reggae reggae sauce and spices for fajitas, and put it all in a tortilla wrap.  It’s amazing.

BTW, Scotland has turned me into a musician.  I now play guitar fluently.  I sing a wee bit more too, just a wee bit don’t get your hopes up about me becoming Zach Efron. 

I love you so much, have a great week.  Take care, thanks for everything you do for me, and for your example of faith.  The church is true.

Elder Merrill

 

McCraigs Tower in Oban
 

Hey Dad,
First of all, what crazy story, how weird it would be to experience that sort of thing. Nephi 4:6 is one of my favorite, if not my favorite scriptures.   We are led by the spirit all the time, daily, and sometimes we don't even know it.  We experienced a miracle this week.  It proved to us that God is preparing people here in Oban for us to teach.  We walked into Tesco grocery store, I believe it was last Wednesday, and while walking down an aisle, a woman reached out and touched my arm.  I turned and said hello.  She seemed extremely excited, told us she had been looking for us and asked for a Book of Mormon.  Elder Urbieta gave her one, and we talked for a minute, told her when church was and she said she would come.  I felt like I should invite her to be baptized, so right there in the middle of a Tesco store, she committed herself to baptism on the 31 of August.  Her name is Tracey and she loved church.  She's so happy and her smile is so contagious, I believe she is 38.  She is a lovely woman.

Thanks for everything you do for me, I miss you and can’t wait to see you in 18.5 months.  Wow time flies. Oban is beautiful, next Monday were hiking into the Lost Valley in Glencoe with a Recent Convert.  Looking forward to that, if you look through the Scotland picture book we have, it’s bound to be full of photos of my area.  Anyways,  love you dad, have a great week and God Bless.

Elder Merrill

Hello Mum,

Good morning, how are you? I miss you and Dad dearly, and I think about you all often.  I feel your prayers and want you to know your support and love is what got me here, and what keeps me here.   I have such a great family, it’s the best blessing I could have asked for. 

It is strange not having a temple nearby, I could very well never see a temple in Britain. Oh well, I do get temple hungry sometimes, especially when we talk about it.  I’m so happy you and Dad go often and I can’t wait to go again. 

In church yesterday we had an amazing lesson with our new investigator who is set for a date on the 31 of August (for the story on this, read dad's email).  It was so strong and so touching, one of the best first discussions I’ve ever been a part of in my mission. 

A great story to tell happened on the street last night, we stopped a woman who was very kind and we spoke about faith and God for a couple of minutes.  At the end of the discussion, I asked her if we could pray with her and for her.  She agreed, and I gave a prayer.   It was a very simple prayer, but when I finished and looked up at her she was crying and told us no one had ever prayed for her like that before.  It was a great experience to touch someone  we had just met off the street with the spirit.  Thanks for the info on Angela, she's great and I miss her as well as everyone from my old area.  I forgot to tell you last week, but before I left, a non member family I had come very close to through teaching and simple visits had wished me farewell and actually bought me some good uplifting Christian music.  It was a great gift, and I felt fulfilled building bridges and relationships with such great people, the name of this family is the Jordans, from Stranraer. 

Love you Mum, have a good week.

Elder Merrill

Now in the past I’ve had plenty of Haggis and Black Pudding, of which Haggis I love and Black Pudding is mostly too salty.  The other day an investigator named Andrew fed us lunch, and we had amazing sausage and chips, along with great haggis, and the best black pudding I’ve ever tasted.  It’s called Stornoway Black Pudding, and it was delicious.  That's my food log for the week.  oh and the fish and chips here are top notch.

Elder Merrill

PS. We are going hiking near the Connel bridge today, then it is back to work till the work is done.  thanks, and love ya,

Your son

 

Sunset in Stranraer

 

Dear Family,

Good morning from the Highlands.  Oban is incredible, and so beautiful.  It is the most beautiful wee town in the world.  It’s amazing up here.  This is the Scotland I dreamed of coming to before my mission.  You will see castles on every corner, standing stone circles everywhere and island after island.  My zone leader advised me to buy a satellite navigator, so I did so, and I’m glad  because navigating here would be so difficult.  Even with the guidance of satellites, we still managed to take an accidental detour, but after a while, we were grateful we did.  On the way to Oban from Glasgow, which is now my Zone headquarters, we passed up into the Highlands, and the whole scenery changed.  Beautiful rolling hills turned into towering mountains and mighty glens.  This place is like nothing else on the Earth.  We went through Glencoe, Rannoch Moor, and along Lochs of Leven, Linnhe, and many more.  This is God's country.  Oban itself is a tiny seaside town, with tons of yachts, islands and wildlife about.  The isle of Kerrera is right off the bay, and it is a pretty cool view.  My companion is Elder Stuart Urbieta.  He is from Ohio and no he doesn’t speak spanish or even have an accent.  He is a boxer and fitness fellow, as well as a future Marine.  And yes, we get along just great.  We will help each other grow as we work on the task at hand in Oban.  The Branch here is the smallest in the UK, with 8 or 9 at church on a good day.  We meet around a table in a high school, but although we are small, church lasted almost 4 hours comfortably, due to how enthusiastic everybody is about the lesson, it just went on and on and it was great.  We do lots and lots of finding, including talking with people on the street and chapping.  Its hard work, but whitewashing always is.  Missionaries haven’t been in the Highlands for 15 years, (mom ignore this next part and have dad read it to himself ha-ha).  I heard from a member, Missionaries were taken out back then because of violence against them and their flat being raided.  Great stuff ha-ha but we are not worried in the slightest, so don’t fret.  Could just be a story, but I wouldn’t doubt it.  Seriously mom, don’t worry. 

I love it here, we are expecting miracles, and we’re obedient as can be so the Lord will bless us.  Tomorrow we drive down to Glasgow for Zone meeting, I’m excited for this drive but it’s over 100 miles and 2 hours.  We are as happy as can be in Oban, and are enthusiastically working to ensure the prepared are met and are invited to come unto Christ.  This is Oban’s time, and I feel so blessed to be leading such an important area.  

 I love you all and miss you every day, I’ll send some photos.  Take care and pray always. Do it!

Elder Merrill 

Oh yea, Angela should get baptized this Saturday.  Pray for her! 

Also, I met Steven (Elder Mckechnie) in Taynuilt the other day.  Great guy, really small world.
My new address is:  36B Soroba Road,  Oban, Argyll  PA34 4HY. 

 



You can see Ireland if you look really hard!
 

 Dear Family,

Good morning from Stranraer.  We got our phone call last night.  I have been reassigned to whitewash a completely new area as Senior companion.  The area is called Oban, a beautiful bay side town in the West Highlands. This is going to be a very challenging responsibility, but I anticipate the next few months with excitement.  I know only that "there are a few members there", so I’m fairly blind as of this moment.  If the Lord trusts me enough to open Oban, then I don't need to worry about my ability to accomplish what is being asked.  Nephi 3:7   Opening Stranraer gave me the experience I need to feel more confident.  Perhaps I will whitewash my whole mission. I’ll miss Stranraer and the people here greatly, but I’ve made some great connections and I’ll be back to see them before too long. 

Angela and I.

I went on exchange in Ayr on Tuesday with the new Elder Crittenden from Coleville, Utah. We taught six lessons in 6 hours.  Not bad eh?  Already 5 months have gone by since I've left home, that feels a little weird to say. 

 

Good to hear my friends back home still remember me, tell them all I said How ere yae?

Thanks for everything, have a great day.  I love you, thanks for writing today, I miss you all.

Elder Merrill

Stone Circle in Machars
 

Beautiful Day in Galloway Scotland!

July 22, 2013

Good morning Utah.  It’s a great day in Galloway, the sun is shining and it’s P-day. 

 

Lighthouse in Galloway (Southern Tip of Scotland)

 

Moves call is the 3rd of August and I’ll probably get moved from Stranraer.  I’m ready to move, I feel that I’ve done my part here.  I will miss everyone obviously but if I stay any longer I will feel like I’ve outstayed my prime, if that makes sense.  

 

Golfing in Scotland on Pday!

 

(Kurt works with a  man that had a nightmare about Tanner getting in a bad fight.  He couldn’t sleep that night…. He isn’t a member but Kurt reassured him he is okay!  This reply came from Tanner a couple of days later.)

Carlos's dream made me laugh.  But that's kind of weird, I’ll stay alert.  This Sunday could have been bad, we have an excommunicated member who lives here and torments our less actives and investigators, former IRA.  He was threatening members and Angela that he was going to show up at church this last Sunday and call everyone out and yell and rant.  So when I was told this, I thought something could break out, I just told the members not to worry because as long as I was there he wasn't getting past the front door.  But, he never showed.   I haven't been in any quarrels or fights.  I love Carlos, tell him I’m okay, and to take care.  It’s been a good and interesting week.  Angela came to church, and loved it again. She’s basically a member now, which is really good to see.  Hopefully the branch will always remember me for bringing someone into the church, that's all I can ask.  She has been approached by an angry excommunicated member 3 times last week, bashing her, me and the church.  He is starting his own church and is trying to get people to come to it, so because I’m bringing people back to the LDS faith, I’m a problem for him.  He's threatened my people and my church and even me indirectly but he’s not a real concern to me.  Just a dog with a big bark.  Even though this guy told Angela 3 times bad things about the church (for instance that we don't like her, we want her money, baptism is a 3 minute immersion, and then a whole other bunch of cursing and carrying on) she knows none of its true and that the church is true.  He tried to tell her I was bashing her behind her back, she said to him that she knew me and I would never do that, and told him to leave.  He departed with weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth.  Ha-ha he’s Satan. 

I’m so jealous of you and Evans adventures, that sounds like a blast.  The biking experience sounds killer.  Reminds me of several times when I’ve run into situations that were too difficult for my capabilities, but no way out.  Those are the times where you learn your limits, I’m glad you’re still alive. Hooyah.

Dad, your lesson in high priest group sounds fantastic, I gave a lesson this last Sunday in priesthood, called: With God, all things are possible.  It sounds a lot like your lesson, it went very well, we had a strong spirit there and afterwards the branch president came up to me and told me I was a great teacher.  Thanks President Mckechnie.  So that was good, after that I taught Angela about the Gospel of Christ and the repentance process.  That was also great and spiritual.  Altogether it was a great day.  After church, we drove to new Luce to visit a less active, and then on to Glenluce then Castle Kennedy, all wee villages off Stranraer.

Pray always. I love you all!

Adios.
Elder Merrill

Newton Stewart Church
 

New Companion

Drummore

Hey Family,

Elder Park and I are getting along great.  He's a funny, tall guy from West Jordan.  Likes basketball, and he has lost almost 50 pounds since he has been on his mission.  He's great to work with and teach with, so that is all good. Your prayers are felt, so thank you very much, you are in my prayers.  He has been on his mission for 15 months, has served in Inverness, Edinburgh, Livingston and Morningside (both by Edinburgh).  So he has now seen a lot of Scotland.  Cool news!  This next moves, there opening up several new areas, president told me they’re opening the Orkney islands, the outer Hebrides, and even the Shetland islands, way way up by the Netherlands.  Maybe I’ll go there... that would be great. 

I hear things here and there about tennis and golf, but not enough to really know what’s going on, so thanks for the update.  It really is an unreal place to live in, so beautiful and occasionally mind blowing scenery.   I love it.  Evan is just full of talents; it doesn’t surprise me that he's a good golfer. The kids got game.  Good to hear that Austin is now a zone leader!  It tells me he's hardworking and obedient.  Good for him. 

The work here in Stranraer is going very well! Just this last Sunday, Angela came to church for the third time, loved it, and expressed a desire to start paying tithing even though she isn’t a member yet.  She has given up alcohol, tea, coffee, and hasn’t smoked a cigarette since Friday!  How amazing is she?  It’s been amazing to see her through her journey to become a follower of Christ.  I was able to have the blessing of finding her, teaching her everything, and if I’m lucky baptizing her.  She is ready for baptism, but is living with her fiancé.  I’m hoping and praying things will work out so she can be baptized very soon, but as things appear now, it will be around November(because of legal issues, she cannot be married sooner, so either wait, or have her fiancé move out. I vote the latter option) long after I’ve left Stranraer.  She is so willing to sacrifice the world, give up her old ways, and is so prepared that I cannot even take credit for teaching her.  Maybe you guys can email her – it’s up to you.

I love Angela and the people of Stranraer with all my heart and I know I was sent here to find and teach Angela, and she knows it too.  I told her about the section of my patriarchal blessing, where it describes my mission, and how I will find the people I was sent to find.  I told her I believe she is one of those people.  It was a very spiritual lesson that was a blessing to be a part of. 

I miss our long drives, when we could talk and laugh and listen to outdated music.  Have a great week.  Thank you for everything.

Elder Merrill

Sydnee,

I love to look at the pictures of you in my wee book, I have to fight some of my missionary friends to keep them, but they’re great.  Your smile is so contagious.  Thanks for being such a good influence for good to me.  The good example of a righteous young woman is more powerful and effective than most everything else.  So thanks, your Brothers proud.

I love you.

Elder Merrill

Evan my favorite little man,

I love you, and hope everything is going fantastic in your life.  You’re a great example to your friends, remember that everyone is always looking up to you, I probably will too when I’m home. How tall are you?   I love you and miss you.  Keep up the good work.  Like a boss. I think about you a lot Evan; you’ll be a great missionary.  Be good to mum and dad.   

Love ya.

Elder Merrill

The Toblerones are huge here!

 

 

July 8, 2013

Dear Family,

Elder Park and I showed up to the Coronation Day Center, where we have church, early at about 10am.  When we got there, Bro Mcrobb welcomed us then told us we were both speaking in sacrament.  So we had a couple investigators, less actives, a gospel principles lesson to cover, and now between me and my comp we had to take up the entire speakers section of sacrament meeting.  I can honestly say I gave a good talk about the Restoration, Faith, and the Holy Ghost.  It was a great spiritual few minutes.  Elder Parks talk was excellent and well done for the little preparation time that we had.  A mission is an interesting thing.

 This branch and the people here have really become my home and I feel a part of a big family here, so it’s all great and I love it in Stranraer.

Got some interesting news.  We are moving out of our flat.  We are currently looking for a new place to live in Stranraer.  Our mission president and his wife deemed our flat uninhabitable due to dampness, beetle infestations and drunken and suicidal neighbors.   So just await the new address, not sure how long this move is going to take or how much longer I’m going to be in the current flat.  Most likely another few days in this place, and another week or more till we are in a new place. I’ll let y'all know.  

Have a great week I love all of you very much, I miss and think of you all the time.  ~The picture book of our family that you gave me in my birthday package is a huge blessing and I look at it and reflect on it daily.  Give the kids a hug for me.  I love you!

Elder Merrill

My Zone
 

Preach my Gospel

             "My preach my gospel.  Slayed.  I squeeze water out of this thing."

**This makes us so happy to see how much he is enjoying learning about sharing the Gospel.

Jun 30, 2013

Dear Family,

I’m doing very well, and as you know from my emails the work is keeping me very busy.

Moves week was very interesting.  Me and E Tinsley traveled up to  Ayr on the Tuesday and on Wednesday morning he left for Edinburgh.  Around 9:00am I took Elder Johnson to the bus station to begin his trip down to Glendalkin in Dublin.  After he left,  and we barely caught his bus, I was alone!  Don’t worry, the Zone leaders had previously informed me that this was to be the case.  From there I drove to the Ayr flat alone, and stayed there for awhile until Elder Park showed up.  We then drove home.  Elder Park can’t drive so I’m the DD.  Thanks for the package.  The contents were just what I wanted.  Several folk have brought up the Trewartha’s.  It was very nice of them to help us out with the package.  The chicken in a biscuit didn’t last long.  I’ve gained one stone. Whatever!

My diet and exercise here stinks.  It’s just very difficult to be good.  Needless I don’t feel too healthy, at least not like I was before.  It’s the huge lack of exercise and also we have a car.  To every blessing, a curse.  I love you all.  Have a great week.  Thanks for being a great family.  I miss you guys and I’ll speak with you soon enough!

Elder Merrill

Mom,

Try cooking a Samoan:
Top ramen noodles
2 eggs
White bread
Delicious!  We eat these a lot.  I make a Killer Samoan!

July 1, 2013

The Chapel in Stranraer
 

  Dear Family,

Finally, P-Day. The hottest it’s been while I’ve been in Stranraer is around 71 F and I was burning up.  In Cork, Ireland last week it was around 85, which is bliming hot for these islands. This last week has had a lot of rain, but from what I’ve heard this next week should be fairly dry and warm.  I think because I’ve adapted to the climate here, Utah weather would probably kill me.   Everyone here talks about Utah as a vacation area and those who have been loved it.  My appreciation for where we live has definitely grown since I’ve left.   I’ve been out just over 3 months, seems like a long time but it’s gone by fast.  Some days are longer than others. My new comp is Elder Park; he's a nice 6 foot 4 guy from West Jordan, UT.  Fairly mellow kid and we get along great. All he’s been able to talk about since he got here is how small and old the flat is, it really is crap ha-ha but I don’t mind it, we aren’t ever in it anyways.  He came from Edinburgh, and he has served in Inverness, and all the way up in the Isle of Skye.  Lucky.

We had a very solid investigator at church yesterday, and after talking with some members for a while she expressed desire to be baptized in the sea.  Her name is Angela McCleary and we have been teaching her for around 4 weeks. She likes me a lot and calls me her dude.  She wants me to baptize her; we have a great relationship. She is more a friend than an investigator, and get this... her maiden name is Patton.  She’s great, she’s working on giving up smoking, and yesterday when church was over she said she hadn’t had coffee or smoked that whole day. She’s a relatively heavy smoker, so this is great. She is living with her fiancé, and they’re not due to get married until November, so that’s my only concern, but she is really solid and has been fellowshipped greatly by the branch here.  She received a very strong witness one day, while we were reading from the book of Mormon.  I remember the exact words I was reading when the spirit testified to her about it, I was reading in Moroni 10:3-5, a fairly widely known and used scripture.  I had read the words, “to know if these things are not true", and right then she told me the spirit filled her heart and she knew it was true.  I invited her to be baptized and she accepted. She will hopefully be baptized on the 14 of July.  She and I will hopefully stay in touch throughout my life. 

Hope this story can enlighten your day; I’ll send a picture of Angela and me.

Were also still teaching Martin, our Czech friend.  He's doing very well, and his life is really being blessed.  He missed church yesterday, but we've ordered him a Book of Mormon and all the lesson pamphlets in Czech, and hopefully that will help him progress much better.  

I hope all is well at home and I love you all very much. Enjoy the rest of your week and I look forward to hearing from you next Monday.

Elder Merrill

 

Martin, our Czech friend
 

Jun 24, 2013

Furthest South person in all of Scotland!

Mom,

My assignment for this moves is to Stranraer with an Elder Park, who’s been out 1 year 3 months.  6 more weeks here, it’s what I wanted, I love it here.  I love you and miss you.  What a blessing this job thing is huh?  Congratulations! This is a big deal; you’re just so good, I’m proud of you.  How cool is that, I’m smiling.   Every ones coming up to me saying, do you know the Trewartha’s? They were talking about you in Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Dundee, everywhere.  Great people. Thanks to them for being great.  I love you so much, how great it’s been to hear about the blessings God has given us.  I may attend BYU, thanks for paying that ticket, right? Ha-ha Keep it up mom, I love you.

Elder Merrill

 

 

The Rock of the mull of Galloway

 

Funny things from our Mothers Day phone call!

Mothers Day call!

He looked great and was so happy to see us.  A couple of funny things..

We asked him if he was singing in sacrament? (not something he loved before)  and he said, “of course, if I didn’t that would be 1/18^th of us not singing and that makes a difference!”

Who is your new hairstylist since your mom isn’t there?  he said,“It’s me!  Do you like it?  I cut it a little short and got a little bald spot but it is growing back and I think it looks pretty good!”

How is your bed?  He said, “That is a funny story.  We had to set everything up and my bed was so uncomfortable but I just chalked it off to bad beds on a mission.  (his bed at home is pretty awesome – we spoiled him) He said he told his companion his back was killing him but his companion would just say…they are the exact same!  Finally, Tanner jokingly fell down onto E. Tinsley bed during the day and said wow your bed is seriously so much better than mine!  Elder Tinsley tried Tanners and said, “Ouch that hurts.”  They took off the bedding and realized that Tanner had put the coil sides up and was sleeping with coils in his back!  So funny we couldn’t stop laughing.  Oh the things you learn on your own!

 

I wrote this poem in the MTC!

Dear Family,

I wrote this in the MTC.

By word and by sword
with God at their side
young men walk the Earth
where darkness presides.

By trial and error
they share what they know
with all eagles above
and all creatures below.

So as day by day
they raised up their heads
they looked round about
and the darkness had fled.

The dark was replaced
and though it gave fight
the men with black name tags
destroyed it with light.

By Elder Tanner Merrill


Every Elder in my District had me write it in their Journals.  Thought you'd all like it.  I hope everything is well with you all.  I love you.  You are in my thoughts and prayers, everyone of you.

Elder Merrill

Letter to his Sister!

Letter to his sister with good advise: 

Sydnee,

Life is good and the work is hard but I’m getting along.  It’s a blast serving a mission and I love it, such an interesting life.  It’s so good to hear your doing well and that you are making good decisions, nothing makes me happier than to see my sister still waxing strong in her faith.  The priesthood can be as much a blessing to you, just as it is to me or dad, seek out the righteous and lovely things in life and you’ll find it.  You get what you go for. Remember that.   I love you and miss you so much, rely on the spirit to guide you.  Listen, always listen.  Love you so much!