Exciting News this week!

So this Monday morning found Elder Merrill's mom and younger brother Kyle at the high school doing registration for the new school year. In the middle of that, we get a text from Dad saying our favorite Elder has got his visa!!!!  Wow, it seemed like registration would NEVER end so we could go home and read his email for this week. But we finally finished, booted up the computer and joyfully read the news: [Since his dad currently works in another town during the week and comes back home on the weekends, Elder Merrill very kindly takes the time to send him a note as well as the family]

Heya dad!  Guess what? I'm going to Argentina! I got my visa and I leave on August 6th! I wrote Mom a letter, so she'll probably show you that. I just wanted to tell you too. I hope that the new job is going good for you. I know that the Lord watches and blesses you all, so don't miss me too much, and we'll see each other soon! love you all! 

 

Dear Mom,  Yep. I got it, MY VISA IS FINALLY HERE. I can't tell you how happy I am to be going to Argentina, I leave on August 6th, so exactly one week from today. I am a little sad because I have to say goodbye to everyone though, but you have to do that everytime you get a transfer anyway, so this is just like a transfer to me. Just to a whole other country is all. I will stay here over the course of this next week and try to get alot of pictures and then I'll send another batch of pictures to you next time I can e-mail.

Needless to say, we are so delighted for Elder Merrill. I found it interesting that in his last few emails, he had talked about not worrying about his visa anymore and just focusing on working where he was, and then presto, the visa finally arrives. Maybe the lesson he needed to learn from his time in South Carolina was achieved and God saw he was ready for the next part of his mission/adventure. Elder Merrill passed on some advice he got about the mailing system over there:

I have something important to tell you.  DON'T SEND ME ANY LETTERS OR PACKAGES.  The problem is, I sent you the wrong address. I sent you my address, where I live, but if you send me anything now, they'll never reach me. There is a mission office address that I need you to write to, but I never sent you that address. Also, people like to go through other people's stuff in the post office down in Argentina. So, I'm going to send you a picture of "la virgin." People don't go through your mail if you have a picture of that on a package. Just a few good tips.

We can tell that Elder Merrill is fairly excited about finally going to his permanent/original mission area:

I can't believe that I'm actually going y'know? It's funny to think that I'm going to a whole different country. I know that I'm going there to focus on the work and all, but it's cool to think about. I can't wait to take some pictures and send them to you.  Things are ging fine otherwise. I am going to get some pictures of the families that I met here, and say goodbye, but until August 6th, I'll just keep on working too.

I hope you guys are doing fine as well. I heard all about the renovations and stuff [at the high school], that sounds pretty neat. Everything seems so old and falling apart over here, it'll be weird to see how everything will look new when I return. Well, I don't have a whole load of time, so I'll let you go for now. I hope you have a good week!

I am just so overwhelmed with gratitude for a son willing to serve as a missionary, to share the gospel that he loves and to be brave enough and willing enough to go to a new land. It will be so different from what he has known, with unfamiliar customs and sights and food and sounds, but he goes with a willing heart and spirit and the love and support of all his friends and family.  He did say that it will probably be a few weeks before we get his next email, but we will wait patiently, pray fervently and rejoice in his adventure. Good luck with the move Elder Merrill, and lots of love to you!!!!

Completing the 1st 'transfer' time period

Well, last week marked Elder Merrill's first 'transfer week'.  Transfers happen every 6 weeks and it is when the missionary will get moved to another area, if they are going to do so.  Missionaries never know how long they will stay in an area and so there is a bit of excitement as transfer day approaches and they wait to see if they are staying or moving. Elder Merrill was waiting for something different though,  to see if his visa had come through yet, but it had not.

Well, as you may have guessed from the title of this e-mail, I didn't get my visa. That's all right though. I try not to let it get to me that I haven't baptized anyone in 2 months, now that I have more time, I'm gonna try a little harder. Greenville is kind of a hard area though. In the time I've been here, the Greenville zone has only baptized 1 person. Spanish really makes it all the more harder, since I have to work with pretty much the same people over and over again, and the branch really is small. I think I'll enjoy Argentina when I go, then I can just walk down a street and talk to people everywhere. Here, I'm really only supposed to work with Spanish-speaking people.

This week Elder Merrill tells us a little bit about his new companion and what they are doing:

     So, yeah, I have a new companion now. His name is Elder Harris. He's a really hardworking one too. I like that though, it gives me an example to follow, so I know how a missionary should work. I feel bad, because he's had a string of disobedient and slightly lazy companions in the past, so I really want to work hard with him. He's used to doing everything by himself though, so it's hard sometimes to say stuff during a lesson. No worries, I'm still getting trained, so I don't mind watching and learning at times.

     I do my best to not think about my visa so much now, I got to the realization that it doesn't matter where I am, it is what I do while I'm there that's important to the Lord.  I do my best to work hard, and we're trying a different method for baptisms with my new companion, so we'll see how it all goes. He's so psyched for baptisms, I really hope that it'll rub off on me a little, because after 2 months without a baptism, I start to feel slightly discouraged. Don't worry though, I don't try any less hard to teach people.  

     I have read the scriptures twice on my mission so far. I am going though it again now with some coloring pencils, marking important subjects and scriptures. I am on 1st Nephi right now, and about halfway through with Nephi building the boat. It's good stuff and I try to look for anything I can apply to myself or investigators. 

 

 Finally Elder Merrill talk a little bit about the weather and his goody box we sent him:

We haven't had too much lightning or a bunch of rain really. Just some overcast clouds. I like that because it keeps the days  nice and cool. I hope that things are staying cool back home for you guys.  I got that box from you guys! thank you so much! I loved getting some of my favorite goodies like jelly beans and Doritos! oh I haven't had those for such a long time! You guys really are the best! I know that you are all behind me and supporting me and that gives me such a feeling of comfort. I love you all!

What a great example this fine young man is for us. We are so grateful for  his attitude and perseverance.  For anyone reading this, keep him in your prayers...and the others missionaries who are also waiting for their visas to go to Argentina. There is a pretty large group of them right now, so let's pray that whatever needs to happen to get their papers cleared will do so soon.