Another week "in the wonder that is Memphis!"

Hey guys!  Wow, this week was...yes...long...interesting.  This week was 
bike week so it was full of adventures.  We no longer have a car full-time.  
On Tuesday, Elder Smalley popped his bike tire and we had to walk a 
ways back to our apartment.  When got back to our apartment we called 
a member to give us a ride to our appointment.  He ended up taking an
hour to get to our apartment so not a lot got done that day.  Then - on 
Wednesday I popped my bike tire so we had to once again walk back to 
our apartment.  Luckily it was towards the end of the day and we decided
to just stay in for the night.  Then on Thursday and Friday Elder Smalley 
was sick with food poisoning so we couldn't leave the apartment.  I almost 
went insane!   As a missionary you can only do so much.  Needless to say 
those were 2 very l-o-n-g days.  But Saturday was a good day.  We were 
finally able to get out of the apartment that afternoon and visit with a recent 
convert.  That evening we had dinner with the 1st counselor in the Branch.  
Saturday dinner is always fun at his house because all of the English Elders 
in the area come too so there is usually 3 sets of companions there.  

Yesterday was a good fast Sunday.  I was able to translate the meeting.  I 

have really started to enjoy translating now.  Elder Smalley and I wore our 

cowboy boots to church and the first counselor wore his as well - So of 

course we had to take a picture!  It was pretty funny.

I love hearing about everything going on back home.  Sometimes I want to 

be there but then I think - Nope - I get the honor to live another day in the 

wonder that is Memphis.  I don't think I will ever get bored of this city.  There 

is always a new adventure.  

We don't really have any plans for the 4th yet.  We are hoping a member will 

invite us over for some festivities or something.  Today we are having a zone 

P-day.  We are going to paint shirts for our mission zone civil war.  We are

having a battle, or a civil war so to say, between us and another zone for 

independence.  Basically how it will work is that for the rest of the transfer we 

will get challenges from our zone leaders everyday.  We will be awarded points

based on completing the challenges they give us.  For example - a challenge 

could be talk to everyone you see wearing headphones, and stuff like that.  It

should be pretty fun.  After we make shirts we are going to head to the Nike 

clearance store hoping to catch some awesome deals!  

I truly love and miss you all but being a missionary is the best!  

I hope you have an awesome week!

Love Elder Merrill

Elder Merrill, Branch 1st Counselor, Elder Smalley

wearing their cowboy boots to church!  

Elder Merrill by a Buddha statue