I HAVE A DREAM MY FRIENDZZZZ

Hi,

I'm so sorry that Martin Luther King Day got in the way of emailing (the library was closed) but everyone raise a glass and say I HAVE A DREAMMMMMMMMMM! Hahaha I did that with the bishop's daughters at dinner last night and we were laughing because I'm a funny fun friend.

I'm really tired because Sister Weight is here on an exchange so obviously we stayed up all night giggling and catching up. Don't worry we still got up at 6:30. Love me hate me love me hate me.

Last week's visit to the science museum was SO MUCH FUN! We learned all about the history of Oak Ridge and the atomic bomb. Yesterday we had a really fun p day because we went to Farragut and played sports with like 20 other missionaries. And we ate burgers and helped the Elders pick out new ties (but we do that every freaking p day because they are ALL obsessed with ties baha).

At zone training meeting Sister Gotchy and I had to give a training on companionship unity. It was so great and unified.
We made this acronym: SPIT--
Same purpose
Positive relationship

follow the spirIT

President Irion loved it, so at least I did something right. Sister Irion also alerted us that breaking the dress code (Elders wearing patterned socks) is the first sign of rebellion.... hahahahahhaahahahahahahahahahahaha ROLLING ON THE FLOOR LAUGHING.


So remember that non-member that bore her testimony in sacrament meeting that I told you about? Well we're having our first lesson with her in a few hours. It's gonna be great.

That's all folks.


Love,


Me
PS here's a picture in celebration of MLK jr. Day

That's Wazzup!!! January 6, 2014

Greetings Earthlings!

So yesterday was a miracle in it's self. A bunch of less actives came to church AND a non member BORE HER TESTIMONY. Holy cow it was awesome. We are going to teach her after her boyfriend leaves on his mission because she wants to take the discussions for herself, not her boyfriend. His farewell is next week. Kewl.

I have a new companion, her name is Sister Gotchy! She is from Layton. She is the most innocent person I know. She also hates biking. Welcome to the kingdom of heaven whut whut!!! Also the brakes on my bike are broken...hahahaha I have no idea what to do, that's just what happens when your bike gets ran over by a car and then your companion involuntarily bails! Let's just say I have double the fun riding down hills now!

Okay so at transfers, this Elder gets up and says he's from Salt Lake. I'm starring at him. Holy freak I know this kid from somewhere, but where? WHAT THE HECK COUSIN THOMAS FOWLER!! He's a visa waiter!! Isn't that nuts? I talked to him after the meeting and oh gosh that was so cool! He's in athens in a bike area. Woot.

Anyways I'm about out of time! Love all of you! Write me! I haven't gotten any letters since LAST YEAR!!!!!!!!!! I'm not being dramatic man!

xoxoxoxoxo


Sister Merrell

PS here is a pic of me and Elder Fowler and the other is me and my best friends out here on the mish: Sister Weight, my old district leader Elder Parkinson, Maria and Wiley Valez the most awesome members ever!

Agency Whomps

Heyyyyyyyyyyo.

What's up everybody? So I forgot my planner and that's when I outline what I'm going to share. So this is going to be all over the place. FYI. Maybe... Who knows maybe I have skillzzzzzz.


So if you haven't remembered, I'm on a mission in Tennessee where everyone already has their set ways with religion and are pretty stubborn to change. Okay not everyone but you get the point. So we had been teaching this lady and she said she was going to get baptized as a Christmas present to herself. Well time went on and she stopped progressing for some reason. I had ZERO desire to drop this lady and her daughters, I have seen the potential in them since day one out her in Tennessee! But she told us she didn't want to progress... so we told her we couldn't come teach her anymore. Her daughter asked if they could still go to the celestial kingdom if they weren't baptized... Welp... there's still time for baptism! I just hope they come around eventually... some way, some how. Agency whomps.

We have been trying to find members with unbaptized children over the age of 9 to teach, and we saw a family last night from the list! They fed us dinner and we taught the restoration! I don't know what their commitment level is, but I had to talk pokemon for like 30 minutes with their son so they'd let us teach them and we could be on their good side. Hopefully my pokemon expertise continues to help us!

Welp we ate at this cool restaurant with the zone leaders and our district leader and his comp. It's called riverside grill and it's so awesome! It has an amazing view too! That was cool. Also we went running this morning and made the Elders come.. Okay Elder Brown wanted to come we had to make Elder Hagans. So great. We are going to a science museum with a ward member after this so that'll be fun.

That's all I could come up with! I hope y'all are being good. Pray for me, my companion and I have to give a training at zone meeting this week (BARF)... Hopefully no one throws any rotten fruit. Everyone be good and remember to love me! I LOVE YOUUUUUUUUUUU

xoxoxoxoxo

Sister Merrell

Goodbye to my Precious Trainer

Dec 30 at 2:18 PM

Hi!

So Christmas was good! Maxine gave me a Cinderella Barbie doll... Because that's what she calls me. So many people gave us treats. So many treats. The best gift I got though was Mucinex because I was/am sick. The day after Christmas I had a fever and had to stay home. I missed district meeting and I was super bummed out. Oh well, I still have a cough but I'M FINE.

On Saturday night Sister Weight and I got a text telling us that one of us would be in leadership and on the conference call. She thought I would be training but I knew I wasn't because President told me not this transfer (but eventually) because there is only one sister coming and she's a Spanish speaker. I KNEW it was going to be Sister Weight becoming the next sister training leader... AND I WAS RIGHT!!! Bahahaha so she is leaving me for sure and is going to be cooking with the big dawgs. Crazy. Also our district leader, Elder Parkinson, is getting transferred too... and he is a zone leader now. Also my friend Elder Russo is leaving. I've made some tight friends here in my district and I am sad to see them leave. Hopefully the new people are fun. I'm feeling pretty anxious for transfers. Mainly because Elder Parkinson and Sister Weight have been here in Oak Ridge in our ward for a long time and know the area.. and now I'm the "seasoned veteran". So I have to know who everyone is and where they live and all that jazz! Ahhhh! Hopefully I know enough. I'm so nervous! We'll see how it goes!

So Sister Weight just hadn't had enough health problems so she decided to get a nasty rash ALL OVER HER BODY!! It's so gross and she itches. It's because she's allergic to penicillin and she got put on an antibiotic when she went to the dentist for her tooth pain to kill the infection. Poor girl. The mission nurse acted like she didn't even care when we called. So I had to get all dramatic about it and trick Sister Weight into going to a member's house so we could text pictures of the rash to the nurse lady so she could figure out how bad it was for herself! So now she is on steroids and it's starting to go away.

Last night we finally went and visited the guy who hit Sister Weight with his car, Blake. Guess who our newest investigator is? Blake! I'm not sure how serious he is about it though, it may be out of pure obligation. But I do believe that we were brought into his life for a reason. I think he is ready but we'll see!

I had a really good chat with my zone leader about agency the other day. Sometimes we find people who have been prepared, and who are ready, but they still choose not to listen! It's hard, it's frustrating. But as I have studied many times in preach my gospel, my success as a missionary isn't measured by other people's choices. It's measured by MY efforts. Anyways that's how I don't get discouraged because sometimes people to tell us to come back and then they just don't answer the door, give us the wrong address, put a sign on the door saying go away, put a lock on their fence, yell at us, slam the door in our face, etc. etc. And I just laugh about that stuff now hahaha because what else can you do? I'm doing all I can, so I laugh. Sorry... not sorry.

Anyways thank you all for your Christmas love! You're the best!!!

xoxoxoxoxox

Sister Merrell