October 20, 2009

Dear Mom,

Hey! I can't believe how fast time goes by. OK, so where to start. Well, I hope Katie didn't cry when she got her ear's pierced. I want to see some pictures. I bet she looks very cute. I was just looking at that picture and I can't believe how much Korbin and Kory have grown. It's amazing. It has been nine months though. Korbin looks like he's got his zits starting to come on. Gotta love 'em. :) Well, I really don't mind about my clothes anymore. I will probably send a box of clothes home that I never use anymore. I don't know when I'll do it so don't be expecting anything.

So I got a letter from Elder Waddoups this week. It was really good to hear from him. It really made my day. He seems to be doing really good. He says it's hard to speak Spanish when the majority is speaking English around you. I'm thankful that I'm surrounded with German. There are so many things I am thankful for. At the end of the day it's sometimes hard to speak in English because I only speak in German outside of the apartment. I have been super blessed with the language. I still have so much more to learn but I know that the Lord is helping me.

Well it's cold now. It's down in the low 40's high 30's now so we have to wear our suits. I'm pretty sure that my suits will be able to last me through the winter. The one that I had before the mission is starting to wear down but it still looks good. Luckily, if I have to, suits are really cheap over here.

That's way crazy that Rachel is rooming with Sara. I haven't heard from Lisa for about 3 months. Well I'm glad Dad is going fishing. The only thing I really miss is working on the farm. My companion things I'm crazy and sometimes makes fun of me but I love it.

It's been a pretty good week. At Zone Conference Sister Ninow talked to us about the gifts promised to obedient faithful missionaries. She gave us 15 scriptures from the Doctrine and Covenants that promised faithful missionaries special blessings. My favorite one I think is in Section 100. I think it's something like verse 7 or so when it is promised that ye shall say what I will put into your minds. It's amazing how much the Lord helps me. I owe so much to him for helping me on the mission. I serve as well as I can everyday. I go to bed at night and I think about each one of our investigators and usually I can't think about each one of them before I am out. I fall asleep in about 2-3 minutes. It's great.

We had an appointment with Br. Phong, our Buddhist Investigator, everything went very well. We had called him a couple days before to see if he was reading. He said that he had read a little bit and that he had a question as to why God destroyed Jerusalem. We prepared to answer his question and then to watch the Restoration video with him. As we began the lesson he said that he had read and that he was in 2 Nephi. He had read over 90 pages in less than a week. We were way excited. We answered his question as best we could and the member present was able to help us explain better as to why God would let that happen. As we watched the Restoration, I was praying that he would be able to learn something from it. During the film, Joseph Smith said that he was trying to find out which church was true. Br. Phong then said, "That's what I'm trying to do too". He told us at the end of the lesson that as soon as he feels that this church is true he will join immediately. I left that appointment with a very thankful heart. I am thankful that the Lord is letting me share my testimony to those that are searching for it. It has been a blessing for me to work through the Spirit of God in helping others come closer to Christ. My testimony grows everyday and I'm grateful for the many blessing that the Lord gives me.

Thank you so much for your love and support. You can tell the to girls that I am still waiting for their letters. :) Love you all and wish you all the best this week. You are always in my prayers.

"No Regrets"

Love
Elder Merrill