Mother's Day Skype video call

It is one of the best days in a missionary's life: one of the two authorized days for calling home and talking to family and friends! Normally the missionary will call home on Mother's Day but Elder Ethan Merrill was able to get permission to call one week later since his dad would be back home then as well. I can't tell you how GREAT Elder Merrill looked and sounded! When we saw that beautiful grin and heard his voice and that joyful laugh again, I must admit, I got a little teary! I think this is one of those times when I realize that the pain of the absence of a family member will make the reunion that much more joyful. We miss our son/brother/friend but we are so happy for this opportunity he has to share the gospel and to have this experience and I know that the time will be over before we know it and he will be back home and it will be as the blink of an eye.

Elder Merrill got to talk with us for about 4 hours on Skype, which was amazing! He told some good stories about being in Argentina, the people, the food, the traveling and such. He told some stories about crazy P-days and we asked him to speak Spanish and WOW! He was really good with that!  We all talked with him as a group and then did individual sessions with him and then finished up as a group again. (The group was Mom & Dad, brothers Stuart & Kyle, sister Jessica and friends James and Jared).  Who would have thought 4 hours could fly by so fast! No one really wanted to say goodbye but how grateful we are for the technology that allowed us to see him in person and to have such a great time talking with him. Only 8 more months until our Christmas call!!!! We love you so much Elder Merrill. May God bless you and the work you do!

            I hope that everything is going well over there! I know we just talked yesterday, but it feels like it´s been a while....it´s super weird! I was super stoked to be able to talk to you all though! James and Jared, what crazy guys, tell them thanks for coming to say hi, it was really awesome of them to show up. I´m not gonna lie, talking to you guys made me think of home a lot, and it´s making me think about home still! Having a P-day right after that was not a good idea. All during the day I couldn´t help but think about home and talking about you guys because there was nothing to do! Well, at least I´m able to work now and keep my mind occupied. Not that thinking of you guys is a bad thing, but too much of a good thing, y´know? 

          I can´t wait to come home and do all the stuff I have planned. It really is crazy to think about, but I only have 9 months left like I said. No more double digits! But, that´s still a long time off I guess. It´s like I said: if I enjoy the mission and I get busy with the work, the time will go fast. 

          Thanks for always writing supportive things to me! Like I always say, letters keep me going, and when you tell me what a good job I do, it gives me a lot of confidence. I know that things are sometimes slow and sometimes fast, but if I can have fun and amazing experiences on the mission, it makes me want to be here. I hope that you guys are having a great time at home too! 

          I´m already enjoying the new area I´m in and I get along well with the other elders here, my companion too. I hope that things go well for you guys too if any new things come along. Tell Kyle that I hope he enjoys graduating and life afterwards. I remember thinking as I got home “what now?” or like, what do I do now? what´s the next step? and for me, it was the mission.

            Well, stay cool and everything back home. I hope that you all have an awesome week ahead of you and just know that I´m praying for you and doing all that I can to be a great missionary! I love you lots! Bye!        

          

                                  -Elder Ethan Merrill