Week 101 - July 10, 2017

From: Jordan Mark Merrill <merrill.j@myldsmail.net>
Sent: Monday, July 10, 2017 1:03 AM
To: Lauri Merrill
Subject:

How many days left??? Not really sure? ;) Ahhhh, well I remember last week I said that I was going to write a better, more heart-felt letter this week, and I was lazy because of the thing we did earlier that day.  And now here I am again sitting, and just like last week, pretty dang exhausted. We visited a waterfall spring somewhere in the mountains and it took some effort, so now I’m here again and I want to keep my promise that I said last week about writing a better letter this week, so here we go. :) 

The past few weeks have been really busy here in Sorsogon due to the city wide fiesta.  But this last week it has all died down and everyone is back to their normal lives. So along with that, we also have had a better jump in our work. People have time now, so that gives us a better chance to look for new investigators. This week we hit 10 and some of them really do seem promising. But as we all know, as of this point, any new investigator we find I won’t be here to see the baptism.  But that’s all good with me because I trust the next sets of missionaries to carry on the work. Speaking of baptisms, we have one (my last in the mission) this upcoming Saturday and we’re all excited for it. She’s been a great girl and very willing to accept the Gospel in her life. One day she'll go on and do great things. Our most recent converts are also still going strong and now there in the hands of the members. I’d also like to give a big shout-out to Ailen for passing her exam and being called as a new primary teacher. Good luck!!! :) I have really grown a testimony about the Lords timing in all things. A lot of the miracles I’ve seen so far from the mission has been the Lord leading people to us. This last week, we had two YSA aged teens approach us and ask about what we have. One of them said she has been looking for what’s called "Bible study" or in our perspective "Sharing".  We said, well you have found the right people. Then the thing is, she lives in a boarding house so we can’t teach her there.  But we were able to share the first lesson in the chapel and she loves it. She blended right in with the members and made lots of friends quick. She has a big religion background and is still searching.  So now I’m super excited for what’s going to happen in the next few months of her life and we'll just do what needs to be done. So let us not forget that it’s all on Gods will, and not ours. We can act in our agency but the timing is all up to the Lord. We just need to be humble and know that fact. 

So as for me personally, I have been taking a lot more pictures of course, and have been trying to record simple things that I know I’m going to miss. It’s just a weird feeling? I feel like I’ve been here for 900 years and this is all I know.  But then sometimes reality punches me in the face. But it's normal. And another thing I’m sure a lot of people are not going to be too happy about is the fact of how little I have learned to cook here. I think I have the mentality that the foods that can be cooked here, can’t be cooked the same way back in US. But there are simple things so maybe I’ll try to get some tips, but just make sure you forgive me. :) 

Sometimes I have weird dreams where I’m home and I see missionaries walking and I don’t know what to say. Just a weird fact for ya'll. Not sure if that’s how it’s going to be but we'll see. 

Well I seem to have met my quota for this email and I’m going to take it to a stop. I think I have 2 more times to email after this but the second Monday I’m guessing not?? We'll see.  Love you all. :) Don’t be too excite for me ha-ha!!

**Elder Merrill**

I just woke up with this one day??