November 15, 2010

Dear Mom, Dad, and Kids,

So first off. I'm Training again. Elder Wilde is going to Mannheim and I'll be getting another Golden fresh from the States. I'm still Zone Leader with Elder Gunnell which I'm happy about. I am pretty sure that I will stay here in Dortmund until I go home. Funny story, I told Elder Wilde this morning when I'm going home and he was going crazy. He thought that I was going home a couple months later and so it was a shock for him. I'm going to do the same with this next companion and not tell him when I go home because he might be with me until I do go home.

I went on two splits last week that both were pretty good. The first split was in Paderborn with Elder Gardner's Golden, Elder Rampton and it was fun to be there again. Elder Rampton is a good missionary. The other split was in Siegen with Elder Elison. He goes home on Thursday.

I love my mission so much. There is just sweet people that you meet everyday that need my help and I love doing my best to help them on that path.

This last week we got another new referral from that less active member that we had helped. This referral is also from Brazil and she is great. They both came to church and want to keep coming. I hope that they keep this excitement going and progress more in the Gospel. We will be setting a baptismal date with Sandra, the new investigator, on Tuesday. She has never been baptized before and really wants to. She said that she met with the missionaries a long time ago in Brazil and that she also went to church there a couple of times. It's crazy how those missionaries that may have taught her will probably never know that she is investigating the Gospel and that she is progressing. I wonder how many people I've talked with who later met with the missionaries.

I'm excited to go down to Frankfurt again. I will go down tomorrow evening and stay the night there. We will have a trainers meeting with President and Sister Ninow and the Assistants. Wednesday morning we will find out who our new companions are and then back we will go to Dortmund. By the way next week we will be doing Pday on Tuesday probably because Elder Gunnell and I will be in Frankfurt for a Zone Leader Meeting. I love being able to serve others, missionaries and non-members especially.

Well we have some sweet miracles going down here in Dortmund and it's wonderful. If you could pray for Sandra, Tobias, Sister Wrobel (Vrobel), and Joserio that would be great. Maybe have the family pick someone they can pray for. I would really appreciate that alot. Thanks for being such a great family. I am thankful that you have the desire to do missionary work and help others learn to know the Gospel. It's a wonderful feeling to share it with those that accept it. I will be sending a Christmas Package in the next two weeks but I'll let you know when I send it. The Christmas Markets open up this weekend and so next week I'll be finishing up Christmas. I love you all so much and thank you for your love and support. The gospel is amazing and it brings so much joy into our lives. Hope you have a wonderful week this week. Let me know what your plans are for Thanksgiving. We will be eating with the Youngs (senior couple). We might try to organize a Turkey bowl as well. The work is going well.

"No Regrets"

Love,
Elder Merrill