Jingle Bells, Batman Smellz, Merry Christmas Y'all

Hi!


We are finally back to normal and having fun again. Last night was really cool. We went to the First Methodist Church Christmas choral concert and they had stringed and brass instruments as accompaniment and narrators that read verses from the bible. The people there were all so friendly! Some people there recognized us as missionaries and told us they were from Idaho Falls. They had great things to say about their experiences with our church (even thought he ref-ed church basketball.... crazy right? hahaha).


 After reflecting about my experience at the Methodist church I started thinking about how so many other churches have so many great things about them. While I was listening to their music, I could feel the spirit. It was weird for me to think about that I could feel the spirit in a different church. That triggered thoughts of my admiration towards Joseph Smith. He felt the spirit in the other churches he attended. He saw the goodness of those churches BUT he realized that something was missing! He had to be SO spiritually sensitive to realize that. Being a missionary in the south is hard, because people mostly have religion already which is so good, but there is something more! This experience really helped me realize the importance of teaching when you find. To not ask for permission to teach, but to immediately begin and to find some relation in the conversation to the restoration. It will be there!

Being away from home for Christmas is definitely not an easy thing to do; but, I am so happy to be here in Tennessee! The people here aren't just ward members, less-actives, investigators and other missionaries; they are my friends! I am so happy that I am surrounded by friends this Christmas and that we get to help people remember the reason for the season, Jesus Christ! I just got on a semi colon kick ;;;;; They're kewl. I hope that everyone has a wonderful Christmas! Let me just leave with the lyrics to my favorite Christmas song, In the Bleak Mid Winter:

What can I give him,

poor as I am?

If I were a shepherd,

I would bring a lamb.

If I were a wiseman,

I would do my part.

What can I give him?
Give my heart!

I hope we can all find a way this Christmas to give our heart a little bit more to Jesus Christ!
Xoxoxoxoxoxox

Sister Merrell

PS here are some pictures of the thugz in my life. Maxine's typical thug life and Sister Weight's thug life with her tooth ache--also results from last weeks dental appointment are that she has to get a root canal! Poor girl, a broken arm and a root canal! :(

And then... BAM she got hit by a car....

Hi it's me.

So I thought the highlight of this week was going to be that I held our investigator's pet rats and it was disgusting… but then all the drama happened!

 

Thursday night we are riding to an appointment, we were riding single file, on the right side of the road, and wearing reflective vests! A jeep turns the corner and starts heading towards us. AND THEN BAM SISTER WEIGHT GETS HIT BY A CAR!!!!! She falls on to the ground and I run over. She tells me she is okay but her arm hurts. I tell her not to move and I call president, no answer. Bishop, no answer. Elder Parkinson…"SISTER WEIGHT GOT HIT BY A CAR!!" And then he zooms on over. Great district leader.

 

I think I should start a new paragraph so this is the new paragraph. Anyways, the Elders helped John (the idiot driver who was probably texting) change his popped tire, and then they take us to the hospital. Long night. And the results are… my fun friend broke her arm!

So that was great. She's on loratab. Even better. And then on top of it all, the next day she gets a horrible tooth ache! So then she was a mess and crying a lot. So I took her to a member's house (the awesome Valdezs) and I get a sister in a trio on the other side of Oak Ridge to be my fun friend for the day. Then I dropped the phone in a puddle and had a melt down. That was fun. Hahahahaha I was just so stressed. But then I felt better! Don't think I'm a weirdo, it's what humans do. Then we put the phone in a bag of rice for a few hours and IT WORKED… Yeah Heavenly Father loves me. It's fine.

Well then I went and got her and she was still a wreck, emotionally and physically. We didn't sleep at all that night. But then it was Sunday so I made her go to church and that made her feel a little better. Then President called us and told us we could come sleep over at the mission home and go to a christmas musical devotional that evening with them. So we did that. And that was fun because my best friend forevs Sister Hamilton was there and that turned my week right around! 

 

Today whomps because it consists of going to doctor appointments ALL FREAKIN DAY. Three (3) of them! One was in Farragut so that's why I'm at the mission office right now. Yeah  so I need to work on patience it has been brought up a couple of times…. Hahahaha. Anyways so I got on this precious lil' macbook. And then President decided we needed to chat so we did that. Gosh I love that man, he made me feel like a million bucks! He told me I'm a great missionary! He also gave me a spoiler alert that I will be staying in my area but getting a new companion. And we will be back on bikes! I miss my bike. I'm the driver now in our car. Bahahaha everyone tells me I have skillzzzz.

Anyways, this week is going to be a whole lot better! I can't wait! And we have the zone conference christmas party so that's going to be tizight! And we have a bunch of appointments with new investigators. What better gift can we give for Christmas than to fetchin' baptize! Bahaha that was about to get all sappy about how the best gift is the gospel but everyone knows I'm not that girl. But the gospel is kewl.

I love everyone! Can't wait to talk to some of you on Christmas! Feel inclined to show up at the Merrell house and bring my mom some chocolate orange sticks for me because she loves them. And then maybe she'll let you talk to me but I doubt it. Ha. Stay in skool kidz!

Xoxoxoxoxoxo

Sister Merrell

The Shortest Email Eva

Hey Y'all!

So this week was really fun! We got to be in a Christmas parade in Wartburg with the youth! They made a float that had mormon.org on it and we passed out mormon.org bracelets. It was so fun! I love our ward members!

Also, we got 11 new investigators!!!!!!!!!!! We have really been blessed because of our renewed faith to find!

I will write a better email next week! Thank you for the love and support!

Xoxo

Sister Merrell

PS Oh hey it's my doppleganger Elizabeth Smart hahahahaha NOT!

They Call Me Zerahemna

Hey Y'all

It's me Sister Andrea Kate Merrell!!!

My Thanksgiving was good. We had like 4 meals so that was rough eating like a bird at everyone, but don't worry I'm okay. At the church there was a turkey wrapped in bacon... These southerners... They really are something.

Well let's get to the point. Want to know why they call me Zerahemna? Well first check out Alma 44... done? K cool. My companion scalped me. Yup! We were walking home from our dinner appointment and I some how ended up in a playful headlock. My hair got caught on the button of her jacket... AND THEN I GOT SCALPED! Don't worry I saved the hair in a plastic baggy and showed ward members, missionaries, really anyone interested. I had a photo shoot with it too. She's sorry though! hahahaha SORRY SHE GOT CAUGHT!!!

Anyways, sorry I'm crazy, whatever. Let's talk about missionary stuff now. We have one baptism date for this guy we're teaching named Terry! The only bummer is that it's January 1st... which I thought was fine until we told the District Leader and he said it's too far away blah blah blah and then the Zone Leaders  that too. It is too far away! We know that! But he is stubborn and has to quit smoking. Elder Parkinson and Elder Hagans came with us last night to see him and they gave him a blessing to help him. So hopefully he has the faith!

Anyways that's all I got. Smell ya later homiez!

xoxoxoxoxox

Sister Merrell

A Little Bit About Love

Hey Ya Fanz,


So the power just went out for half an hour in the middle of emailing... so that was fun... and frustrating. So my thoughts are really scattered right now so just a warning.

We went to visit Diana, a lady who is paralyzed and lives in an assisted living center. She had to go to the hospital and was on a respirator the day she was supposed to get her patriarchal blessing. We were so sad. And we were so scared she wasn't going to make it. BUT she recovered and was back at the assisted living place within the week. She's getting her blessing on Tuesday! We are so excited and honored that she has invited us to be a part of that. Anyways when we went to visit her we had to wear surgical masks, gowns, gloves, shoe covers, the whole 9 yards. It was kinda fun.

This week I learned a lot about love:

We were eating lunch at a member's house, grilled cheese sandwiches. And I found a HUGE hair in mine. And I continued to eat the entire sandwich. You know you love someone if you eat their entire hairy grilled cheese and don't even say a word.

We went to visit my great black  less-active friend Leon! He insisted that I smelt his hand. So I did it. And I almost died. Then he told me he had just been gutting pig intestines. You know you love someone when you don't throw up all over them.

We go visit a few people who live at this place called Callahan towers. It's for disabled people whether mentally or physically. It REEKS so bad in there. We have to hold our breath every time we are in the elevator. Yesterday we went to go visit some less active people there and we found ourselves wanting to stay longer because we enjoyed visiting them (this was surprising because normally we don't chat and we get right to the lesson so we can get in and out). You know you love someone is you want to stay longer at their house even though when you're sitting on their couch there are bugs crawling all around.

Last but not least. We had invited 6 investigators to come to church. They all said they'd be there. The meeting was starting and we kept glancing towards the door. Finally they started passing the sacrament and we realized they weren't coming. I wanted to just cry. I felt so discouraged and saddened. You know you love someone when you just want them to understand that obtaining eternal life is the most important thing. It disappoints you so much when they don't see that and when they don't keep commitments.


I whispered to Sister Weight and asked her what does someone read when they've really done all they could and people basically reject them. Alma 8. OH YEAH! It made me feel so much better. Alma was rejected but Heavenly Father told him to go back to the people and to try again. He was blessed for it. So this week is another week to try again! But it's thanksgiving so everyone told us they're going to be out of town... so that's cool. Hahahaha. Whatever we'll find a way!

Anyways. Everyone have a happy thanksgiving!

xoxoxoxoxoxoXoXOOxxxOOxxoOxXxXXXoooxoxoxo

Sister Merrell

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First Dates, Homelessness, and a Big Pile of Leaves

Hey Fanz,

I love being a missionary. There I said it. And I'll never take it back!!! This week has just been jam packed with miracles!

So anyways, first item of business. Sister Valdez was playing in a football field sized pile of leaves with her kids (okay maybe a slight exaggeration in size but at the same time not really) and she lost her keys in it! So she called us to go help her! We all got there (the zone leaders came with) and Elder Schouten said a prayer! And guess what?? WE FOUND THEM. All because we asked in faith. So great. But honestly as a missionary I never fear when I lose stuff... except when I lost my planner yesterday and almost died. NBD (no big deal--your welcome dad).

We have really been picking up the pace here in Oak Ridge. We had a training on planning so we decided to take that to heart. Weekly planning ended up being 4 hours... hahaha but we DID SO MUCH! We made individualized goals for every investigator for every day of the week and figured out how we could achieve those goals and be accountable! I've seen a change in Sister Weight and I. We are working harder than we ever have before! We have been revamped and we are actually trying to get members at every lesson! We are encouraging people to set baptism dates and helping them realize that they are ready! We are just going to keep working harder and harder! There is always room for improvement!

Our investigator, Maria, told me that I'm pushy. DANG RIGHT I'M PUSHY BECAUSE I KNOW HOW BAPTISM AND RECEIVING THE GIFT OF THE HOLY GHOST ARE THE BEST BLESSINGS AND ARE THE BEGINNING OF OUR JOURNEY TOWARDS EXALTATION. K sorry I just get excited. But I just thought that was so funny. I think a better word for pushy was unceasingly encouraging...bahahhaa.

So I read the Book of Mormon every day (duh) and I always wonder how the crap did I not understand it as well as I do now (the storyline, the doctrine, all that jazz). Want to know the secret? Pray before you read! Yeah that's actually no secret but it's something I had never done. I get so excited to study the Book of Mormon every morning! It's so kewl! Like this morning I read about how Zeniff spied on the Lamanites! IT WAS SO INTENSE! Also I have tender moments when I realize Heavenly Father wants me to learn the lessons that the prophets did during these times. He helps me see exactly how I can apply what I learn. I am obsessed with the Book of Mormon and I want everyone to read it!!

Also I wanted to share a precious moment with Sister Weight when we hit rock bottom..... We were on bikes and we were hungry for dinner and had no meal appointment and we had no time to go home to eat. So we stopped at a grocery store and bought lunchables and ate them on the ground outside. Lowest of the low. That's what being a hobo is like kind of I think. Bahahahahaha and Sister Weight kept saluting people with her pizza lunchable (I've taught her so well).  We love riding our bikes in the rain.

Elder Arnold and Elder Schouten are getting transferred. So like bye to them. BUT I GET TO STAY IN OAK RIDGE WITH SISTER WEIGHT FOR CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm so excited!!! We took this last and final picture of our district, I look fat in the one that has everyone so here's the one where everyone looks dumb and I look kinda cute and Elder Parkinson and Elder Russo aren't even in it hahaha.

OKAY HERE IS THE LAST AND BEST THING! So Maxine (the lady we live with) had a date! His name is Tommy and they talk on the phone every night and he came all the way from Detroit for dinner! And we got to eat with them and it was so awkward!! So I wanted to remember how I 3rd wheeled with Sister Weight on the most awkward date of my life... so we took this amazing picture! Bahahahaha so awkward. Also I asked her the next day if they kissed... and she said yes... on the cheek. Hahahaha old people lovin'. So great.

Well that's it.Thanx 4 all da fan mail this week! Keep it up!!! I love you all!!!

xoxoxoxoxox

Sister Merrell

Coincidences??? I think NOT!!!

Hey Humanz,

So this week was interesting...

We ate pizza at the friendship bell with all the Elders in our district. The friendship bell is a bell that the Japanese gave to the people here in Oak Ridge that made the atomic bomb.. or something.. I didn't read the plaque because I was too busy stuffing pizza in my face before the Elders ate it all. And then I played some basketball to burn off all the pizza I ate (don't you even worry mom!) and let's just say I'm a baller and leave it at that.

We had zone conference... and they called on me to give a talk about the area book. And I almost died. But I'm still living so that's good...

The primary program was yesterday so that was perfection, but what else can you expect from that?

We raked a TON of leaves. And I loved it.

Some cool stuff happened too...

We were on our bikes and I had to go to the bathroom wayyyyyyyyyyyyy bad so we stopped at the grocery store and on our way out we bumped into one of our investigators who was having a hard time. Her son is in prison and his parole hearing is coming up and it looks pretty bleak. So anyways we helped her load up her groceries and talked to her a little bit. That definitely wasn't a coincidence.


Also we were contacting a referral and they told us they weren't interested. But the little girls over at their house playing with their kids said their mom would want us to come over so we went and BAM we got 3 new investigators. Definitely not a coincidence!!!

Well that's all for now. Here's a pic of me and my beautiful leaves and a tribute to America from my favorite humanz I get to share a car with..(Sister Weight, Elder Arnold, and Elder Parkinson)

xoxoxoxoxox


Sister Merrell