Tender Mercies

Hey ya'll.

This week has been crazy busy with transfers and everything. Im still in the Shallowford Ward, which I'm so happy about, because I love it. The members are stellar. And we are seeing so much success. I have a new companion! Her name is Sister Holmgren, she is from North Ogden, Utah and fresh out of the MTC. But you wouldn't even guess it. She's doing so well. Already contacting on the door step and bearing a strong testimony in lessons. I love her (': so proud.

We tracted a lot this week. We had a ton of lessons Monday and Tuesday because very one wanted to say goodbye to sister Barben, but then nobody wanted us to come back until the next week. So tracting it is! We were having absolutely no success at finding anyone who was interested in our message. Three whole days of nothing. The zone leaders called us up last night to ask us a question and to see how we were doing and told us that they were able to find a couple new investigators this week. They gave us some advice to just be bold....thank you. Cause we weren't already doing that. But I got a little prideful and determined that we were going to find one new investigator. We worked so hard, praying with all our might that we would find someone. About half an hour before we had to go in for the night and report our numbers we had an impression to go to Arlene's home. Sister Barben and I had taught them the first lesson many weeks ago but they didn't seem interested and we never got in with them again. But we stopped in on them anyway and they invited us right in! Arlene told us she had been thinking about us a lot lately and wants us to start teaching her grandchildren! She made a return appointment and BAM. 3 new investigators! We were so happy that we said not one, but TWO grateful prayers. It was definitely a miracle.

Right after that, we stopped in on a less active that we have trying to get in with since I've gotten here 3 months ago, but she has never been home. But she was home!! And wants us to come back tonight to visit with her. BLESSINGS. God is good.

I absolutely love it here. It's starting to cool off, thankfully. And hopefully the bugs will start to go away. Yuck. But there are tender mercies each and every day. Our Heavenly Father is so mindful of us and is willing to bless us if we only work hard and are obedient. (: I hope everyone has a great week. Look for the tender mercies in your life!!

Love, Sister Merritt

Our last night, all four of us with Jeanne and a birthday celebration for Elder Perez and Sister Barben. (:

It's A Girl!!!

Hey Ya'll,

I swear the weeks just go by faster and faster. But I have a surprise! I'm getting a baby missionary!! Yep. She'll probably be amazing. I'm excited, but definitely need your prayers because I have no idea what to do. Haha (:

This week sister Barben and I have had many adventures. Beginning with floating lanterns & giant spiders (shown below) and ending with tear stained cheeks.

Monday night Chelsea, our recent convert, had signed up to feed us dinner. She also wanted to do a family home evening lesson with us for a personal progress project before she left for the University of Georgia. We had a picnic on the huge church lawn, and talked about all the memories we have all had together. She had an amazing lesson prepared and we ended with sending floating lanterns up in the sky. It was the most perfect night. The last time we would all be together for awhile...

But.. We were able to get three new investigators this week!. Two of them coming from searching down a less active.

It was actually a miracle because the less actives two daughters have such high standards and they feel alone when they tell their friends they don't do anything like party or drink. We told them about the young women's program and earlier morning seminary and mutuel and things like that which they were so excited about. Right after our lesson with them we met a member at a restaurant for dinner. She told us how she was the seminary teacher for the 15 year olds (one of their ages) and she would love to come to our next lesson. She's a very missionary minded woman. All of a sudden our waitress came up to us and asked us a lot of questions about our church, which is surprising. Turns out her husband is a less active we've been trying for months to get in with. (: little miracles. Just goes to show how much the lords hand is in our lives.

I can't wait for the adventures that are awaiting this week.

I hope ya'll have an amazing week! Love ya'll.

Love, Sister Merritt

Sweet Pork Overload....

Hello.

This week has flown by. I don't even know what has happened to be honest. We have been so extremely blessed with lessons. Everyone we have stopped in on has let us in and we have been able to teach and share messages. Our investigators are progressing, but especially our dear Spanish investigator Biri. When we went over this week to talk with her, one of her family friends was over there too. Very nice and is able to speak both English and Spanish so he was able to translate for us. He told us he had been reading the Book of Mormon as well and we were able to answer a few of his questions. He then told us that he was really confused about what church to join, he's been a Jew, a Baptist, a Methodist, etc. Biri than spoke up and said, "Joseph Smith was confused too, until he prayed and received an answer." :') so proud.

When we went over to teach Jeanne this week she told us that she wanted to stop smoking and that the Elders have been praying for her to stop (we have too) as she puts a cigarette in her mouth. As she goes to light it, the lighter won't work. She tries multiple times. Still won't work. Tries a Different lighter...won't work. Haha it just goes to show that Heavenly Father answers prayers in mysterious ways and He has a sense of humor. ... She didn't think it was funny.

It's been a good week. The members here for some reason have loved making pulled pork this week and giving us all the left overs. Let's just say we won't be going hungry anytime soon. Our fridge is FILLED with sweet pork.

It's still humid and hot here. Gotta love it. But-- I don't have to love the bugs. We were able to have Sisters P-day today and we all went bowling. So here is a picture. And one of Biri, and the Zone. 

Love ya'll and hope you have a fabulous week. <3

Sister Merritt

But if not.....

Hey ya'll.

This week has been so wonderful. Definitely has been filled with blessings and miracles both big and small. The Shallowford area is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. 

 So this past Tuesday we stopped by Sister Mower and shared the restoration with her son Riley. We answered any questions he had and left him with a reading assignment in the Book of Mormon! Sister Mower even said she would read the Book of Mormon with him!! We invited him to church and he said he wanted to come. Sister Mower said she would come to church with him since he is only 11! They weren't able to come this past week because they were out of town. But plan on coming this week! It was amazing to see sister Mowers willingness to start being more involved to help her son. We also asked Sister Mower to share her conversion story with Riley. It was neat to see a little bit of her faith be rekindled once again! 

The other day we stopped in on a less active who wasn't home. So we asked the neighbors about them and then Decided to keep going down the street. Once we finished the street we had a feeling to go to the next street over. The first door we knocked on, this 16 year old girl answered. We started talking to her about the Book of Mormon and her grandmother from inside told us to come inside. We had just interrupted family bible study. But they were willing to listen to us. We were able to teach Arlene, her two granddaughters, and her niece the first lessons and we asked them if they would like a Book of Mormon. Arlene did not want one, she was content with her bible and nothing else could add to that. But both her granddaughters wanted one and as soon as we gave each of them a copy and committed them to read and pray about it. Arlene said "I might read a little bit too, since these books will be lying around the house." We were invited to come back every week before bible study to teach them more. (: 

As I've been studying faith this week I was reading in Daniel about Shadrach, Meshack, and Abednego. And how they would not worship the idol King Nebuchadnezzar commanded them to worship. When the King told them if they would not worship it he would throw them into the fiery furnace I love their response: 

" If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us out of thine hand, o King. 

But if not, be it known unto thee, o King, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up" 

I love how they had faith Heavenly Father would deliver them out of the Kings hand, but if not, they still had faith in Him and knew it was part of Gods plan. 

I found a talk called "but if not.." And I would encourage everyone to read it. But I love one part in particular..

"Our God will deliver us from ridicule and persecution, but if not. … Our God will deliver us from sickness and disease, but if not … . He will deliver us from loneliness, depression, or fear, but if not. … Our God will deliver us from threats, accusations, and insecurity, but if not. … He will deliver us from death or impairment of loved ones, but if not, … we will trust in the Lord.

  Our God will see that we receive justice and fairness, but if not. … He will make sure that we are loved and recognized, but if not. … We will receive a perfect companion and righteous and obedient children, but if not, … we will have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, knowing that if we do all we can do, we will, in His time and in His way, be delivered and receive all that He has." 

I hope we all strive to have faith like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Have the best week ya'll. 

Love, Sister Merritt