transferred back to the Little Rock Spanish North District. I was sad
to leave Monticello but I'm really glad that I came back to a place I
have already been so I already know the members. It was crazy -
they transferred all 3 of us Spanish missionaries out of the area and
put 3 English Elders there. They are turning the area back to English.
We were all a little sad with the transfer news, but I am so grateful for
my time spent serving there. I was so blessed to be able to serve with
my friend, Elder Toomer, for a transfer.
My last week in Monticello was really good. We had an amazing lesson
with some members at an investigator's house. We began teaching them
about five weeks ago. During the lesson the wife said she had really been
reading the Book of Mormon and was already in 3 Nephi 26. Our jaws hit
the floor. So amazing! We were super sad to leave them because they are
golden, but I know the new Elders serving there will take good care of them.
My new companion here in Little Rock is Elder Anderson. He is Elder Giles'
greenie he trained - so in mission terms - I am his Grandpa. It’s gonna be
great! He is from Colorado but his family is moving to Richmond this week -
isn't that crazy? Maybe you could be meet his family sometime. He says
the area here is doing well but our investigators are low. So our plan is to
work hard and change that soon!
Elder Marriner Kaden Merrill
LDS Missionaries
7820 West Capitol Avenue Apt. 613
Little Rock, AR 72205
I received your first Christmas package last week and it was amazing! Thank
you so much! Everything was awesome and the ring fits perfectly. I definitely
was not expecting it until Christmas - big surprise to me! Our Christmas Zone
Conference is in a few weeks and I'm pretty pumped to see everyone. I can’t
wait to talk to you on Christmas Day! It will be so great! We are going to try to
put together a Christmas card again so hopefully we get that done soon.
Thanks again for everything! Love you guys!
Love Elder Merrill
Elder Toomer and Elder Merrill
Elder Merrill & Elder Toomer received the exact same mission call the same day.
They were able to meet each other before they left for the ALRM.
Elder Toomer is a cousin of Elder Merrill's mom's friend Jennie.
Meeting for the 1st time at Bear Lake
July 8, 2016
Meeting for the 2nd time at the SLC Airport
Mexico MTC bound - July 19, 2016
Missionaries in Training at the Mexico CCM
August 20, 2016
Ready to serve in the ALRM
August 29, 2016
Keith, Elder Toomer, Elder Merrill & Elder Padilla
This is our friend Keith from Monticello.
He took the photo below.
We were super sad to say goodbye to him.
He posted the following on his Facebook page
which was then shared by a local Monticello mom.
"Since following my heart to leave the traditional work platform and walk my own daily path, I have encountered many unexpected blessings in life. One of these blessings has been meeting and visiting with this crew. What started as a weekly visit at the BBQ Shack, has turned into an enjoyable friendship. I won't lie, I've always wondered what "the guys walking around town in ties and name tags" were about; and to be even more honest, as a 30-year member of the United Methodist Church, I was kind of hesitant to approach them. I thought they may be "different" from me, and that frightened me a little. However, the more we began to visit with each other, the more I realized that regardless of any denominational differences existing between our belief systems...there were two major things that we had in common: A desire to help those around us, and a genuine love for Jesus Christ. If it wasn't obvious to me before, it is obvious now...those two characteristics are the tie that should bind all men and women together in love and friendship. As my blessings continue, I was honored to take this picture today. A picture of The Elders and The Sisters. A picture of The Missionaries. A picture of my friends." -Keith (Monticello, AR)
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