Definitely sent from God

Hey guys!  I can't believe another week has gone by.  Time 

never seems to slow down.  This week was pretty good and we 

were blessed with some really cool experiences.  On Wednesday 

we were tracking in an apartment complex.  We went and sat down 

on a bench and started talking to a couple Guatemalans.  After a 

minute another guy named Guillermo (which is Spanish for William)

walked up and just sat down and started talking to us.  It was kind 

of weird at first but we soon realized he knew some stuff about the 

church and missionaries and had come to us for help.  We got to 

talking and the thought came to my mind, "man I really wish I had 

a restoration pamphlet right now."  I had grabbed a new Bible and 

Book of Mormon out of the closet that morning and hadn't put a 

pamphlet in them.  Just then the wind blew open my own personal

Bible and there was a restoration pamphlet inside!  It was so crazy.  

So I pulled the pamphlet out and started teaching the restoration 

very simply.  He said it all made sense and invited us to come teach 

him the next day.  It had been lightly sprinkling rain as we were talking.  

When we got up to leave we turned and saw a huge double rainbow.  

Guillermo then said, "that is definitely sent from God."  It was such 

a super cool moment.   The next day we had our lesson with him and 

it was awesome - the spirit was so strong.  We are going to teach him 

again this week.  His apartment was awkward to be in because of some 

questionable posters on the walls.  We seriously just stared at his face 

the whole time we were teaching him because we couldn't really look 

anywhere else.  The worst part was we brought a member with us to 

the lesson.  Good times! 

We have started up a soccer night here every Saturday night.  It has 

been really fun!  We have quite a few investigators come play with us

each week.  It has been a great way for these investigators to meet 

some of the members.  This week I scored on a header so I felt pretty 

cool!  I figured dad would be proud.  

Today is going to be a more relaxed P-day.  We might go to the Pink 

Palace museum and then just hang out with Elder Anaya and Elder 

Sotomarino.  

I am so grateful for the experiences God has blessed me with this past 

week - and every week.  An important lesson I have learned out here in 

the mission field is to always try to look for the good.  I am convinced it 

would be pretty easy to become depressed if you didn't.  Learning how 

to live in those tiny moments of success you have each and every day 

has been amazing.  I've had a couple companions ask me how I am 

always so positive when people tell us "no" all day long.  I tell them it's 

because I've played baseball my whole life.  In baseball failing is winning.  

I really have used a lot of the things out here serving that I learned from 

the game of baseball.  It has been way cool to see how much it all applies

to the mission.  To life.  I found a really cool quote the other day that said, 

"smooth seas do not make skillful sailors."  Always remember that our trials 

are given to us to make us stronger.  I feel I have definitely grown up out 

here.  Missionary work is not easy.  It is work.  It is the most rewarding work 

I have ever done and I love it!  And I love you guys! 

Love Elder Merrill 

Elder Merrill "Ten feet off of Beale"

Elder Merrill on Beale Street

MEMPHIS SPANISH DISTRICT

District photos at district meeting

Beginning in the front:

Elder Anaya

Elder Sotomarino

Elder Smalley

Hermana Keller

Hermana Petty

Elder Merrill