This week was pretty good. On Wednesday I had a split with Elder Hewitt one of our zone leaders. It was a pretty good split. I learned that my German is absolutely terrible. I have been working really hard on my sentence structure and making pretty solid. I pray every morning for help to be able to speak clearly and correctly, and then at night I thank my Heavenly Father for the MIRACLES he has shown unto me. It is amazing to see the gift of tongues in action. I know that i am blessed beyond belief.
Thursday we taught a pretty sweet lesson to Daniel Roßberg. We taught about the priesthood authority and he now realizes that he wasn't baptized by the correct authority. The spirit was strong and he was able to feel it. We told him to pray about the feelings he has had and to ask for a confirmation that baptism is the correct thing to do. In our next appointment we will be trying to set a date for July 18! I am excited. Please pray for him to accept this. I am hoping that we can help him accomplish this covenant.
Friday we had an appointment with a member who is 35 and single. He lives with his Dad and step-mother and is very overweight. He is pretty much addicted to the computer. Apparantly that's all he does. He is very active though. We have it set up that we go on a little walk with him and teach him a lesson. We are doing this to help him get out of the house and because his step-mother is not a member. We hopefully want her to see that we are good young men and that she will eventually listen to our message. This last time she talked to us for a little while which was an improvement from last time.
We do a lot of doors here in this area but we don't get in on new investigators very often. Hopefully this week we can recieve some new investigators. So I have a funny story. This week we were walking towards the bus haltestelle (Bus Stop) and the bus passed us. We still had close to a quarter mile before we would get to the stop. We had an appointment so we needed to catch this bus. We started sprinting and I mean sprinting. Anyways, here in Germany there are no stop signs. There are only yield signs. Well we were running next to this main street and then this car pulled out of a side street in front of us. I thought it was going to stop for us but it didn't. Anyways, I had to jump out into the main road so it didn't hit me but I didn't even stop running or look back. It was way crazy and a funny story. Oh we caught the bus too.
On Saturday we had another ausstellung (street preach) and it was pretty good. It's sadning to see people not happy with their life and it is only because they don't have the gospel. I look at my life and see how happy it makes me and how much hope it brings to life. I am grateful for the examples I have had in my life and want to thank all of them.
Elder Sessions is getting transfered and he will be my new zone leader. There are only like 10 zone leaders in the mission and he is one of them. He will be a good leader. I hope that I will be able to develop the traits he has to make me a better and more effective missionary. I am getting Elder Brown. He was in my Karlsruhe district which is pretty crazy. He is only going into his 5th cycle and me my 3rd. We might be one of the youngest companionships in the mission. I hope we can have success together. Oh ya and this Elder Brown, while he was in high school he worked at this lab and he developed a "cure" for cancer. He owns 17% of the copyright. He says it is still getting fined tuned because only like 1/3 people it works with. He is a very intelligent young man.
Well love you all and wish you all the best this week. Feel free to send me more pictures of the farm, family, and other stuff. I love seeing pictures. you can send them in emails. Love you all and pray for you every night.
"No Regrets"
Love
Elder Merrill
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Sunday, June 28, 2009
June 23, 2009
I spent the week at girl's camp and so I'm just getting around to posting. Thank you to those who have taken the time to write Kyle. I know he really appreciates the encouragement and receiving letters in his mailbox. --Lisa
Hello Mom, Dad, Family, and friends,
This last week was probably and hopefully the hardest week I will ever have (as far as lessons and teaching goes). We were only able to teach one lesson and that was with one of our investigators. I feel blessed though because near the end of the week I realized how lucky I was to even have that lesson. In this lesson we tried to commit them to baptism but the one who is really progressing and wants to learn said that she needed to pray about it. I felt good about her answer but her mother and younger sister said the same thing because they wanted out of the question. Going away from that appointment I felt kind of sour about the whole situation because I wasn't able to get an actual date set. We will have an appointment with her again this week and I really hope that we will be able to get a firm date set. She is ready. She studies everything we ask her to and when I say study I mean study. She writes things down that she finds enlightening and when we follow up with her she teaches us about the chapter and it really is amazing. I would ask you to please pray for her that we will be able to set a date with her. Her name is Alex Orzinski. I really hope that you are able to do this and hope that it helps bring hope to you also by helping me plead with the Lord for the sake of total strangers. I love this work. It is truly amazing. I hope you are still able to pray for Daniel Roßberg also. He was gone all last week so we weren't able to meet with him at all. We have an appointment with him on Thursday and we are going to try to commit him to baptism. This work is moving forward faster than you think. My german is getting better but it is still weak sauce. I have a split tomorrow with Elder Hewitt one of my zone leaders and I am really looking forward to it. I have so much still to learn. Just yesterday I had a pretty cool experience with listening to the Holy Ghost. We were knocking doors but no one was answering. Elder Sessions wanted to leave but I really felt that we needed to stay. Near the end of our time we had planned to be there we knocked on this old man's door. We were able to teach him a part of the second lesson and even though he didn't allow us to come back he was still able to feel the spirit and I feel that we were able to explain and enlighten him more about our Heavenly Father's love for us. Well this week should be a ton better and I'm looking forward to it. Transfer calls are this week but pretty sure I'm safe. I'm not totally sure about Elder Sessions but I will be happy if we stay together. Thanks for your love and support. It's crazy how time flies. Love you all and pray for you everyday. Thank you for your prayers and wish you all the best this week.
"No Regrets"
Love
Elder Merrill
Hello Mom, Dad, Family, and friends,
This last week was probably and hopefully the hardest week I will ever have (as far as lessons and teaching goes). We were only able to teach one lesson and that was with one of our investigators. I feel blessed though because near the end of the week I realized how lucky I was to even have that lesson. In this lesson we tried to commit them to baptism but the one who is really progressing and wants to learn said that she needed to pray about it. I felt good about her answer but her mother and younger sister said the same thing because they wanted out of the question. Going away from that appointment I felt kind of sour about the whole situation because I wasn't able to get an actual date set. We will have an appointment with her again this week and I really hope that we will be able to get a firm date set. She is ready. She studies everything we ask her to and when I say study I mean study. She writes things down that she finds enlightening and when we follow up with her she teaches us about the chapter and it really is amazing. I would ask you to please pray for her that we will be able to set a date with her. Her name is Alex Orzinski. I really hope that you are able to do this and hope that it helps bring hope to you also by helping me plead with the Lord for the sake of total strangers. I love this work. It is truly amazing. I hope you are still able to pray for Daniel Roßberg also. He was gone all last week so we weren't able to meet with him at all. We have an appointment with him on Thursday and we are going to try to commit him to baptism. This work is moving forward faster than you think. My german is getting better but it is still weak sauce. I have a split tomorrow with Elder Hewitt one of my zone leaders and I am really looking forward to it. I have so much still to learn. Just yesterday I had a pretty cool experience with listening to the Holy Ghost. We were knocking doors but no one was answering. Elder Sessions wanted to leave but I really felt that we needed to stay. Near the end of our time we had planned to be there we knocked on this old man's door. We were able to teach him a part of the second lesson and even though he didn't allow us to come back he was still able to feel the spirit and I feel that we were able to explain and enlighten him more about our Heavenly Father's love for us. Well this week should be a ton better and I'm looking forward to it. Transfer calls are this week but pretty sure I'm safe. I'm not totally sure about Elder Sessions but I will be happy if we stay together. Thanks for your love and support. It's crazy how time flies. Love you all and pray for you everyday. Thank you for your prayers and wish you all the best this week.
"No Regrets"
Love
Elder Merrill
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
HAPPY B-DAY PAPPA,
Hey thanks so much for your letter this week. Well that story about Kory made me laugh like none other. I was actually thinking about that a couple weeks ago and how we have never had the four wheeler or motorcycles get put into the ditch. Hopefully, you can laugh about it now. Wow, so this past week our main investigator Daniel went out of town for a whole week which was really too bad. We wanted to set a baptismal date with him but obviously we weren't able to. But we found this family of 3 girls and a single mother and they are pretty sweet. There is one of the daughters that is 20, a "sweet spirit", and GOLDEN. I am pretty sure we are going to try to commit her to baptism. I am so amazed at how fast she is progressing and keeping her commitments. It's so sweet to see them progress. What else happened this week? Not too sure. I have seen how lives have been altered because they don't marry within the church. There are several members in our branch (all men) who their spouses don't come to church because either they don't believe in Christ or don't want anything to do with organized religion. It's really sad. Great men but they could be so much happier if they would have married in the church. Well this last week we had interviews with president and I felt kind of bad for him he seemed to be really stressed out. My interview lasted 5 minutes while the struggling companionships took at least 2 hours for each. Sometimes I feel bad for him. Well I have a couple pictures I'll send in an e-mail but other than that... how does it feel to be 43 (I think)? Well take care and thanks for the email.
"No Regrets"
Love,
Elder Merrill
Dear Mom,
Thanks for the letter. Sounds like you and Dad are perfecting Settlers without me. That's good. This week has been kind of rewarding. I would read Dad's letter and put that on the blog because unfortunately I don't want to write things twice. We are working together and having fun. It's been raining here the past couple of days but hopefully it looks like it's done. So I'll be sending some pictures and the ones of the forest--that's how we get from city to city on our bikes. There are little paved ways through the forest which is pretty sweet. Germany is treating me pretty well and I am working hard and doing the best I can. Thanks for your letters every week and tell everyone I say hi. Oh ya, by the way I got a letter from Becca A. the other week and then one from Kortneigh and one from Uncle Ben this week. It's nice to get letters from friends and family. Tell them thanks. I will write them back but you can tell them I appreciate it.
"No Regrets"
Love
Elder Merrill
p.s. Remember that coin I got from that guy in Costco, well this last week I lost it either in a random house, in the church, in a members home, or on the side of the street. It really stinks. I wanted to be able to have that when I go home because not only is it a good reminder but I could give a good lesson with only that coin. STINK
Hey thanks so much for your letter this week. Well that story about Kory made me laugh like none other. I was actually thinking about that a couple weeks ago and how we have never had the four wheeler or motorcycles get put into the ditch. Hopefully, you can laugh about it now. Wow, so this past week our main investigator Daniel went out of town for a whole week which was really too bad. We wanted to set a baptismal date with him but obviously we weren't able to. But we found this family of 3 girls and a single mother and they are pretty sweet. There is one of the daughters that is 20, a "sweet spirit", and GOLDEN. I am pretty sure we are going to try to commit her to baptism. I am so amazed at how fast she is progressing and keeping her commitments. It's so sweet to see them progress. What else happened this week? Not too sure. I have seen how lives have been altered because they don't marry within the church. There are several members in our branch (all men) who their spouses don't come to church because either they don't believe in Christ or don't want anything to do with organized religion. It's really sad. Great men but they could be so much happier if they would have married in the church. Well this last week we had interviews with president and I felt kind of bad for him he seemed to be really stressed out. My interview lasted 5 minutes while the struggling companionships took at least 2 hours for each. Sometimes I feel bad for him. Well I have a couple pictures I'll send in an e-mail but other than that... how does it feel to be 43 (I think)? Well take care and thanks for the email.
"No Regrets"
Love,
Elder Merrill
Dear Mom,
Thanks for the letter. Sounds like you and Dad are perfecting Settlers without me. That's good. This week has been kind of rewarding. I would read Dad's letter and put that on the blog because unfortunately I don't want to write things twice. We are working together and having fun. It's been raining here the past couple of days but hopefully it looks like it's done. So I'll be sending some pictures and the ones of the forest--that's how we get from city to city on our bikes. There are little paved ways through the forest which is pretty sweet. Germany is treating me pretty well and I am working hard and doing the best I can. Thanks for your letters every week and tell everyone I say hi. Oh ya, by the way I got a letter from Becca A. the other week and then one from Kortneigh and one from Uncle Ben this week. It's nice to get letters from friends and family. Tell them thanks. I will write them back but you can tell them I appreciate it.
"No Regrets"
Love
Elder Merrill
p.s. Remember that coin I got from that guy in Costco, well this last week I lost it either in a random house, in the church, in a members home, or on the side of the street. It really stinks. I wanted to be able to have that when I go home because not only is it a good reminder but I could give a good lesson with only that coin. STINK
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
June 9, 2009
Hello Mom,
Sorry this weeks letter is going to be pretty lame. I dont have too much time but I was able to go to the Temple this morning and thats why your not getting it at the usual time. It was so awesome. I wanted to do the session in English because I was afraid I wouldnt be able to understand as much as I wanted to and so I got the headsets. Well, after a little while it was way annoying because I could understand it but there was a little difference in the timing so i just took the headsets off. It was an awesome session. It was so relaxing and I felt just an overwhelming peace after all was said and done. I could of stayed there the whole day. Pretty awesome experience. Very pretty temple. Simple but pretty.
This last week your prayers have helped. We were able to have a lot of lessons just on the street but unfortunately all of our appointments fell out. Pretty upsetting. Tonight we have an appointment with Daniel and hopefully we can get another appointment with him later this week. If we do we will commit him to Baptism. Pretty exciting.
I've really been thinking lately about what I can do myself to be a better missionary and serve the Lord better. I am really focussing on staying positive no matter what happens and it really helps with a fun companion. Well, thanks for your pictures and I pray for you so much. I want you to know that I love you more than you could know. The mission is such a blessing and I really can see how it changes lives if you serve correctly. "In the service of the Lord, it is not where, but how you serve"-J. Reuben Clark Jr. I like that quote. It really doesnt matter where but it sure does matter how. I am working my hardest to show the Lord my gratitude for what he has blessed me with and given me but I won't ever be able to catch up because he continues to send blessings to me.
Thank you for the Box. I really wasnt expecting it at all. All is safely gathered in. Thanks for the PP's (perfect push-ups) They are sweet. The MB's (muddy buddies) weren't stale at all and were way good. Thanks for the the sweet Birthday Present. (1/2 birthday since his birthday is on Christmas Eve).
Love you all and wish you the best this week.
"No Regrets"
Love Elder Merrill
p.s. Thanks for the pictures
Sorry this weeks letter is going to be pretty lame. I dont have too much time but I was able to go to the Temple this morning and thats why your not getting it at the usual time. It was so awesome. I wanted to do the session in English because I was afraid I wouldnt be able to understand as much as I wanted to and so I got the headsets. Well, after a little while it was way annoying because I could understand it but there was a little difference in the timing so i just took the headsets off. It was an awesome session. It was so relaxing and I felt just an overwhelming peace after all was said and done. I could of stayed there the whole day. Pretty awesome experience. Very pretty temple. Simple but pretty.
This last week your prayers have helped. We were able to have a lot of lessons just on the street but unfortunately all of our appointments fell out. Pretty upsetting. Tonight we have an appointment with Daniel and hopefully we can get another appointment with him later this week. If we do we will commit him to Baptism. Pretty exciting.
I've really been thinking lately about what I can do myself to be a better missionary and serve the Lord better. I am really focussing on staying positive no matter what happens and it really helps with a fun companion. Well, thanks for your pictures and I pray for you so much. I want you to know that I love you more than you could know. The mission is such a blessing and I really can see how it changes lives if you serve correctly. "In the service of the Lord, it is not where, but how you serve"-J. Reuben Clark Jr. I like that quote. It really doesnt matter where but it sure does matter how. I am working my hardest to show the Lord my gratitude for what he has blessed me with and given me but I won't ever be able to catch up because he continues to send blessings to me.
Thank you for the Box. I really wasnt expecting it at all. All is safely gathered in. Thanks for the PP's (perfect push-ups) They are sweet. The MB's (muddy buddies) weren't stale at all and were way good. Thanks for the the sweet Birthday Present. (1/2 birthday since his birthday is on Christmas Eve).
Love you all and wish you the best this week.
"No Regrets"
Love Elder Merrill
p.s. Thanks for the pictures
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Your German Elder
Dear Family,
Mom first of all I have to tell you thank you so much for writing me every week. Really it's quite tough out here. The mission is character building. We had zone conference yesterday and it was way awesome. I learned some way good stuff. I believe President Ninow said that the rest of your life will show how you worked as a missionary. That is true. I can look at people in the ward, family and friends and I can tell that they were good missionaries because of how they live their life now. That's how I know that Dad was a good missionary.
Things are going way good with Elder Sessions and me. He has been out 1 year. We have fun together everyday. There are things everyday that I learn that I could do better. I really am trying my hardest and striving to have a love for everyone I talk to. Would you this week pray for me that I will be able to have a brotherly love for everyone I talk to whether it be on the street, baun, or in a lesson. This is something that I really think that makes or breaks the investigators progress. I want to be working as hard as I can and to share this loving message with everyone.
Things are going well for Elder Sessions and I here in Langen. We are both happy and working hard together. We have a couple of real solid investigators. The other day Elder Sessions felt impressed to go by on an old investigator. He wasnt home so we decided to klingel the building. We were let in by an old man and he seemed interested. We weren't able to get a return appointment but he said to call him whenever we wanted. Tonight we will do just that and get another appointment. I really always find it amazing how the Lord works. He will impress us to do something that will lead to others who are ready for the message of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.
This last week I was on a split with Elder Künzli and we were contacting on the street but first I took my belongings to the apartment. Upon reaching the apartment we saw a younger man who was sitting on a rock waiting for someone. Well I felt like I should talk with him but my fears got to me and I passed up the oppurtunity. Later that same day we were contacting and a younger man was walking somewhat close to us and I had the same feeling to talk to him. I did this time. I didn't remember the face but he remembered us. It was really quite awesome. We taught him the whole first lesson there on the street and the Spirit was there. He said that he really believed that this could be true. I found it awesome. I said a prayer that night to ask for forgiveness for not acting on the promptings of the Holy Ghost but I also thanked him for giving me another chance and that Elder künzli and I were able to teach with the Holy Ghost.
This week we hope to meet with an investigator and talk to him about prayer and commit him to pray to God and not Jesus Christ. We would also really like to extend a baptismal commitment and set a date. He really is progressing well and I believe he is one of the elect that are ready.
Yesterday we were coming home from zone conference and there were probably 15 missionaries on a crowded baun. They were all mingling amongst themselves and so I decided that somebody needed to set an example so I sat next to this black guy and started to talk with him. We aren't allowed to prosylite on public transportation but once they ask the question "what are you doing in Germany" it's free game baby. That's what happened. I talked to him for an hour and taught him the 1st lesson and invited him to visit our church and meet with the elders. He was sceptical but I was able to get his number and hopefully he will meet with the missionaries in his area. Right after I started to talk to him, other missionaries saw it and began to do the same. The moral of the story is not to boast of myself but to not be afraid to be different. We are different, us members of the church.
"No Regrets"
Love,
Elder Merrill
p.s. I knew Andrew was going to be a Zone Leader soon. Before you know it he will be an Assistant. I only pray that I can be like him as a missionary. He is a great example for me and I know that he is living and being an awesome missionary. There are still so many things I have to change to be like him.
Mom first of all I have to tell you thank you so much for writing me every week. Really it's quite tough out here. The mission is character building. We had zone conference yesterday and it was way awesome. I learned some way good stuff. I believe President Ninow said that the rest of your life will show how you worked as a missionary. That is true. I can look at people in the ward, family and friends and I can tell that they were good missionaries because of how they live their life now. That's how I know that Dad was a good missionary.
Things are going way good with Elder Sessions and me. He has been out 1 year. We have fun together everyday. There are things everyday that I learn that I could do better. I really am trying my hardest and striving to have a love for everyone I talk to. Would you this week pray for me that I will be able to have a brotherly love for everyone I talk to whether it be on the street, baun, or in a lesson. This is something that I really think that makes or breaks the investigators progress. I want to be working as hard as I can and to share this loving message with everyone.
Things are going well for Elder Sessions and I here in Langen. We are both happy and working hard together. We have a couple of real solid investigators. The other day Elder Sessions felt impressed to go by on an old investigator. He wasnt home so we decided to klingel the building. We were let in by an old man and he seemed interested. We weren't able to get a return appointment but he said to call him whenever we wanted. Tonight we will do just that and get another appointment. I really always find it amazing how the Lord works. He will impress us to do something that will lead to others who are ready for the message of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.
This last week I was on a split with Elder Künzli and we were contacting on the street but first I took my belongings to the apartment. Upon reaching the apartment we saw a younger man who was sitting on a rock waiting for someone. Well I felt like I should talk with him but my fears got to me and I passed up the oppurtunity. Later that same day we were contacting and a younger man was walking somewhat close to us and I had the same feeling to talk to him. I did this time. I didn't remember the face but he remembered us. It was really quite awesome. We taught him the whole first lesson there on the street and the Spirit was there. He said that he really believed that this could be true. I found it awesome. I said a prayer that night to ask for forgiveness for not acting on the promptings of the Holy Ghost but I also thanked him for giving me another chance and that Elder künzli and I were able to teach with the Holy Ghost.
This week we hope to meet with an investigator and talk to him about prayer and commit him to pray to God and not Jesus Christ. We would also really like to extend a baptismal commitment and set a date. He really is progressing well and I believe he is one of the elect that are ready.
Yesterday we were coming home from zone conference and there were probably 15 missionaries on a crowded baun. They were all mingling amongst themselves and so I decided that somebody needed to set an example so I sat next to this black guy and started to talk with him. We aren't allowed to prosylite on public transportation but once they ask the question "what are you doing in Germany" it's free game baby. That's what happened. I talked to him for an hour and taught him the 1st lesson and invited him to visit our church and meet with the elders. He was sceptical but I was able to get his number and hopefully he will meet with the missionaries in his area. Right after I started to talk to him, other missionaries saw it and began to do the same. The moral of the story is not to boast of myself but to not be afraid to be different. We are different, us members of the church.
"No Regrets"
Love,
Elder Merrill
p.s. I knew Andrew was going to be a Zone Leader soon. Before you know it he will be an Assistant. I only pray that I can be like him as a missionary. He is a great example for me and I know that he is living and being an awesome missionary. There are still so many things I have to change to be like him.
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