General Conference was so awesome!

Hey guys!  General Conference was so awesome!  We watched all
5 sessions at the church, and most of them in Spanish.  It was really
cool to be able to understand all the messages in Spanish.  I am also
excited to go back and watch/read them all again in English.  There
were some really awesome talks!  I remember that before the mission
I really didn't like conference all that much but now I love it!  I really
loved Joaquin E. Costa's and Elder Rasband's talks.  Even though Elder
Costa directed his talk toward investigators, I think it is so important for
each of us as members to know because we all become converted to the
gospel in the same way.  One of the most important things I have learned
out here is that the most important convert I am going to bring into the
gospel is myself.  It has been an amazing experience to be able to grow
in the gospel along with the people I am teaching.

When President Wakolo was called as a General Authority Seventy we
all kinda freaked out.  It was so awesome!  Funny story - in the President's
weekly email last week he said that he was going to give his counselors
each a week to be the mission president and experience all that it entails. 
Turns out he just had to go to Utah for General Conference.  We all thought
it was pretty funny. 

Things are going good with Elder Santiago.  He is district leader
right now.  I really enjoyed being the district leader and I look
forward to being one again.  Little Rock is still awesome. I love
the city but sometimes the work here can be hard.  Everyone that
we ask the question "do you know where any Hispanics live?" they
just tell us to go to the other area in our district so that can really be
frustrating sometimes.  All in all, this area of my mission has taught
me that growth really does come in times of trial. 

This last week we were on walk week and it is beginning to get
hot again.  I'm gonna die in the summer!   But all was well.  We
had a lesson with a former investigator who is the husband of a
less active and we set a baptismal date with him.  It was awesome!
It's the first baptismal date that has been set in this area for at least
2 transfers.  We are hoping to turn things around here and so far
things are looking good.  We also picked up a couple other promising
investigators so we are pretty happy about that.  It really is great when
you have people to teach.

We are having a pretty chill P-day today.  Just kinda hanging out
at the church!  Thanks for everything.  Love you guys!

Love Elder Merrill

Elder Merrill with President Wakolo and his wife

when he arrived in the Arkansas Little Rock Mission.