Monday, April 9, 2018

I'm headed to Batesville!

Hey guys!  Guess what?!  I’m headed to Batesville!  It’s an English Branch 
with Spanish missionaries serving in it right now. My companion will be Elder 
Pickering - It should be good.  I was thinking about it and my trainer ended his 
mission there - I thought that was funny.  Batesville is right next to Jonesboro 
so I should get to do exchanges there.  I'm excited to serve with Elder Pickering 
again.  We were in the same district in Memphis.  Elder Anderson is headed to 
Searcy - right next door -  so I should still see him from time to time.  Transfers 
are always exciting but packing is the worst.  It’s nice we get to do it on P-day 
now instead of Sunday night.  It's crazy to think I'm headed to my last area. I'm 
pretty sure I will stay there for my last 2 transfers.  President Hansen told me he 
wants me to train a Greenie in Batesville for my last transfer.  That will definitely 
keep me focused until the end of my mission.  Today we have been really busy
running errands and getting all of our packing done.   

It was a good last week of the transfer.  Tuesday we did an awesome service 
project.  We went and helped out at a food bank kind of in the ghetto. They give 
out food to the homeless every Tuesday.  I really enjoyed talking to the people 
and handing out a bunch of food.  They were so grateful for the food and I was 
grateful for the service opportunity.  We then taught our English class that night 
which went really well.    

Wednesday Elder Whitesides and I went on splits for the day.  His companion 
and Elder Anderson went to a meeting.  We had a fun day together.  He loves 
baseball like me so we basically relived all our glory days while we were out 
serving.  Him and his companion -  Elder Dawson - have lived right next to us 
for the last three transfers so we have gotten pretty close with them.  He's from 
St. George so hopefully we can get together and hang out after we get home.  

Thursday I got to go on an exchange with Elder Gonzalez.  It was awesome!  
It’s hard to believe that he is headed home this week.  It will be so sad to see 
him go.  I am so glad I was able to serve around him for his last two transfers.  
We held his "funeral" this week.


Saturday was a really busy day.  We went and helped a member of the mission 
presidency with some service at his storage unit.  Then we went to an activity 
the branch put on.  We went and played a bunch of games with all the primary 
kids. It was fun.  We also had our interviews with President Hansen that day. 
My interview went really well.  To be honest it has taken some getting used to 
how President Hansen runs the mission.  He is a great guy with a great big 
testimony and he has really taught me a lot.  

Sunday we went and sang in another musical tribute in Jacksonville.  It was fun 
to see everyone again.  I’m so excited that I get the opportunity to to sing in the 
next five performances.  I was pretty lucky to get chosen to sing in all of them. 
On the 22nd we will be singing in Memphis.  I am so excited that I will get to see 
some of the members there again!




Lately I have been reading in the Doctrine and Covenants.  I started when I had 
138 days left so I could read a section everyday and finish it when I go home. 
There is some awesome stuff in there!  Today I read section 52 which talks about 
"sending the elders forth two by two to preach the gospel."  It is definitely a huge 
blessing in my life to be here in the ALRM sharing the gospel with the companions 
I have had.  I have been able to witness the spirit touch people's lives as we as 
missionaries testify of the message we share.  I sure love this work and this gospel!  
I also love you guys!  Have a great week! 

Love Elder Merrill



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