Requests for the 1 year celebration box

Ok, it's time for some serious catching up on the blog! Here is a fun letter and email exchange from February 11, 2013:

Hey there.  How are you?  Things are good here. Sorry to hear that Kyle is a little sick. I´ve been having a small case of allergies; sneezing and stuffy nose, but nothing severe. It´s been a good p-day, we got ice cream and we´ve been relaxing in the house. Wow it’s hot!  Swimming would be so awesome. That´s one of the first things on my to-do list when I get home. Which is in about a year! Can you believe it? The mission has gone by so freaking fast, I don´t know what the last year of the mission will be like, but every elder tells me that it´s even faster.  I can believe that. I hope that it doesn´t go by too fast though, I enjoy the mission.

     I am glad that dad has some new work, but that stinks that you guys can´t see him anymore. At least for a little while. I hope that he has fun with this work, or, has fun traveling to these different areas. Everybody in South Carolina told me that North Carolina is where all the nice people are and that South Carolina is where all the mean people are. But people were nice enough to us in South Carolina, so there you go.

      Is there a possibility of us moving? If so, I´m a little nervous. I want to come back to our house, and I want things to be familiar. I always said I was afraid that when I´d come back, things would be really different and that worries me if we´ll be in a new house or another state. Well, more or less I want to still see all my friends, that´s what I want when I get back. But whatever happens, happens I guess.

     Oh, here´s just some things that I´d like, for my 1-year box, if it´s possible:
-doritos.     

-reeces pieces (you know, the peanut butter and chocolate candies.)

-m&m´s

-twix (don´t worry, they didn´t melt in the last package.)

-skittles

-duct tape.

-axe paste hair gel

             If you have any questions about these, let me know. You can send me anything more if you want, but these are the things that would be awesome. Thanks for always writing me and sending me love and support! I always love hearing from you guys and I hope that we´ll be together soon! Have a fun week! Tell everyone I said hello!
 

Elder Merrill and I were able to have an email exchange again before he ran out of time:

Mom: Hi son! I was just walking upstairs and saw your letter appear! WOOHOO! Ice cream sounds fun! Sure love you!

Elder Merrill: Yeah, it´s a little hot, but that´s fine. The mission has been one long summer for me, but I´m fine with that. I´m used to the heat really. LOL, at least Sparky is the same. We´re 4 missionaries in our house here, and Elder Gonzalez is good. We don´t really have dinner. Just lunch. It sounds funny, but with a large lunch, we don´t really need dinner. We have a building about the size of our building back home, but there are about 12 people who come. We´ll work on making that bigger.

Mom: Oh cool, I didn't realize there were 4 of you elders there. Yeah, I can see how a late and large lunch makes dinner not really necessary.  Just a snack if you need it I guess. Wow, you have a big church building then, that's cool. I LOVE that you want to fill it up! How is that  young man you wrote us about a few weeks ago, is he still coming to learn about the gospel? No news yet on when they will start the groundbreaking on the Tucson temple, that can take up to a year so we will see. Oh, it looks like it is raining outside now.

Elder Merrill: Nope, they don´t have anything besides Oreos. I like something called Milneseas, it´s a kind of flat chicken with breadcrumbs. When you fry it in oil, it´s a bit like a chicken nugget. Alfajors (a cookie.) are a pretty good treat. They have the same things here though, there´s not much variety.

Mom: The chicken thing sounds good! Yeah, I was telling Sis Bahr yesterday about you will have 2 summers, 1 winter and another summer on your mission, which she was like HUH? How did he do that?  Travel the right way and it's possible, lol. 

Elder Merrill: Yeah, things are hot and we don´t have much variety in the food but I really do enjoy the mission. I always love hearing about home. It´s raining now? We´re in a time when it´s going to rain a lot here. I´ll be sure to wear a coat. Yeah, he´s getting close, we think we can baptize him this Saturday. This is a crazy mission with 3 summers and a winter, but they tell me it gets pretty cold here. I´m gonna go now, but I sure love you and the family I´ll be here for one last good bye E-mail.

Mom: I sure love talking with you and I'm so glad to hear how you are doing. I love Mondays!!!! lol.  I hope you have a great week and that you and your companion are able to share your testimonies and your service. Stay safe and healthy, stay strong and remember to pray always. LOVE  YOU SO MUCH SON!!!!!!!!!!!!   You are so precious to us :) oxoxxo bye son. Love mom

Elder Merrill: love you too. -Elder Ethan Merrill