Buenos Dias Everyone!

Buenos Dias everyone!

This first week has been pretty crazy.  We got to the Centro de Capacitatión Misional Mexico (That’s what they call the MTC in Spanish) at about 5 pm.  We didn’t do much the first day, we got all of our schedules and books, then went to a devotional, then we went to our houses and unpacked.  It’s almost fall her so it really hasn’t been that hot.  I am staying in a house with 4 other missionaries. My companions name is Elder Barron and he is from Thatcher, Arizona.  The other companionship in our house is Elder Hatfield and Elder Torgerson.  We have all become really good friends this past week.  Me and Ellis are in the same district so we get to hang out all day long.  It has been so nice having him down here with me see as he is the only familiar face that I see in the whole MTC.  If you haven’t figured it out my P-day is Wednesday.  This past week was pretty crazy.  It was pretty tough the first couple days but throughout the week it got easier and easier as time went by.  Pretty much all we do is go around classes all day and have various study hours.  The Spanish language has come a lot easier than I thought it was going to.  The third day here we had to start teaching our first practice investigator only using Spanish.  From the time we first got here all the leaders have been telling us to seek out the gift of tongues, and I know that when we went to teach that day I was definitely blessed by it.  We don’t do much else besides sit in class all day.  On Sunday we don’t have any classes which is nice, but church is definitely a little different.  It’s all in Spanish and they tell everyone the topic of speaking a few days before.  Then in sacrament meeting the person conducting stands up at the beginning and calls out the 5 speakers for that day right there.  We only have to give five minute talks so that makes it a little better.  This first P-day they are taking us to the temple!  I am so pumped to go and see it.  I think we only get to go twice while we are here so I am definitely looking forward to going today!  My testimony has grown so much just this past week and already I feel so much closer to my Heavenly Father.   There is no doubt that this gospel is true and I can’t wait to go out and preach it.  I miss all of you guys so much! It’s been kind of hard sometimes.  Another missionary told me about this website called missionarypackagemx.com.  The way he said it works is you put my email, and possibly my address in which I will post on the bottom, in and send your email to that website and the post office here will print it off and put it in my box like it’s a letter.  I think it would be so awesome to get a few letters throughout the week from you guys!  I hope you can figure out how to use it.  We are only allowed to take pics on P-day so I took some this morning.  Well that’s all I have right now so I will give you an update next P-day!

Much love, Elder Merrill

Your missionaries mailing address is:

Elder Merrill

August 30, district 8-d

Carretera Tenayuca-Chalmita #828

Colonia Zona Escolar, Gustavo A. Madero

07230 Mexico, Distrito Federal

Mexico

If you send a letter by mail it will take at least 3 weeks to arrive, that’s if it ever does arrive

Elder Merrill at the CCM

And he's off....

WE LOVE ELDER MERRILL

July 19th was finally here.  Elder Merrill was set-apart as a missionary the night before.  It was a very special experience for our family.  After he was set-apart we finished packing and tried to sleep.  We got up about 5:00am and left our home in Logan to head to the SLC airport about 5:45am.  On our way to the airport there was an amazing surprise for Elder Merrill.  This could be seen on a bridge over the I-15 freeway just before North Ogden.  His friends Brian, Emma and Saranie got up even earlier than us to put up this display.  We pulled over to the side of the road to get out for a moment and let a teary-eyed Kaden wave to his friends once again. 

Arriving at the Salt Lake City Airport about 7:30am

The Merrill Kids

Good thing Elder Merrill had 3 suitcases - one for each brother

Right before check-in - Let's do this!

He can't believe this day is finally here

Patiently waiting while we talk and talk and talk

Proud parents of Elder Merrill

We got to hang out with Kaden for an hour or so before he went through security. 

We were surrounded by missionaries.  Some coming from the Provo MTC to catch flights

and a big group of missionaries headed to the Mexico MTC with Kaden. 

It was so awesome to be there with all of them and feel of their amazing spirit. 

There were over 40 missionaries on that flight to Mexico. 

There were very little tears shed this day - and a lot of excitement! 

Sydnee is really going to miss him

ok - there were a few tears. 

Elder Merrill & Elder Ellis Toomer

Elder Toomer is my friend Jennie Johnson's cousin.  He is from Cokeville, WY and

received the exact same mission call as Kaden.  We were able to meet Ellis at Bear Lake

a couple weeks prior to their mission departure day.  I think each of them were so grateful

for the blessing of a familiar face this day.  They will both be amazing missionaries. 

Off to learn & serve

See ya in 2 Elder Merrill

Missionaries headed to the Mexico MTC

As we were getting ready to leave the airport I received a text message from an

unknown number.  I opened the message and found this picture.  Thank you to

whoever sent this to us that day - probably a lucky person who was on this flight

full of missionaries.  So excited for all of them and the amazing adventure the

Lord has in store for each of these missionaries. 

Mission Farewell

Elder Merrill gave a great talk.  His topic was Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel.  So many people came to hear him speak.  His triplet brothers, Nathan, Zack and Josh, sang a primary missionary medley that was really awesome.  After the meeting we had a luncheon at Mountain View Park.  So blessed that so many family and friends came to share this special day with Kaden. 

The cute Merrill kids

Sydnee, Zackary, Kaden, Nathan, Josh

Sydnee and Kaden

The handsome Merrill boys

Zack, Kaden, Nathan, & Josh

The 3 Marriners (again)

Marriner David, Marriner Kaden, & Marriner Shaw

Grandma Kate & Grandpa Dave Merrill

Grandpa Clare & Grandma Cathy Leishman

Great-Grandma Rae Leishman

The Pullins Family

Madalyn, Aunt Lori, Gabrielle, Kimball, Victoria, Uncle Brandt, Jonah & Noah

Cousins Konnor Andersen (recently returned missionary from the Seoul, South Korea Mission)

& Bailey Reber Williams

Best Friend Brian Klaassen (called to serve in the Honolulu, HI mission)

Friends Brian Klaassen, Emma Merriam & Saranie Brown

LP1st Ward Best Friends

James Conger (called to serve in the Vanuatu, New Caledonia Mission)

& Jacob Huppi

Friends: Brian, James, Jacob, Kaden, Saranie, Rachel & Katelyn

The Merrill Family

We are all so excited for Kaden to become a missionary for the

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. 

We know his big smile and big spirit will bless many lives. 

Temple Endowment

June 10, 2016

Receiving his Temple endowment in the Logan LDS Temple

-The 3 Marriners-

Marriner David - Marriner Kaden - Marriner Shaw

All descendants of the first Logan Temple President and Apostle

Marriner Wood Merrill 

Grandpa David and Grandma Kate Merrill

Grandpa Clare and Grandma Cathy Leishman

Great-Grandma Rae Leishman

We Love You Kaden!

Mission Call

Elder Marriner Kaden Merrill

Kaden was so excited to receive his mission call. 

It came in the mail on April 29th.

Dear Elder Merrill,

You are hereby called to serve as a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  You are assigned to labor in the Arkansas Little Rock Mission.  It is anticipated that you will serve for a period of 24 months.  You should report to the Mexico Missionary Training Center on

Tuesday July 19, 2016.  You will prepare to preach the gospel in the Spanish language.