Megan's Letter 6/27/16

"Haaave you met Ted?"

Y'all, this week there was a miracle! And his name is Ted. (:

After we got done emailing last Pday, Sister Moline and I decided to get some frozen yogurt. We were talking to the cashier about our mission trips when all the sudden this guy in the store shouted: "Wait y'all are Mormons!? Tell me about the spirit world!"

We assumed the typical bash, but he genuinely wanted to know! He said that he wanted to be baptized for his aunt so that she could be saved. We told him he would have to be baptized before he could be baptized for her, and he was all for it! He explained that he has been taught by the Elders in Montgomery, Alabama and that he had just lost contact with them! Since then we have had three lessons, he came to church yesterday, and he even took us out to eat one night. He is GOLDEN. Nothing short of a miracle.

 

 

​On Tuesday we had the opportunity to go to the temple, and say goodbye to President and Sister Hanks. I can't tell you how much of an impact they've had on me.

 

 

After that the week plummeted a bit and we lost 3 of our 5 progressing investigators... Two of which were Solomge and Rudlof, who I still love with all my heart!

 

That was a bummer! But I know the Lord is just making room for us to teach people who are really ready for the message we carry. (: I often find peace in one of my favorite verses! Alma 26: 27 says: "Now when our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn‍ back, behold, the Lord comforted‍ us, and said: Go amongst thy brethren, the Lamanites, and bear with patience‍ thine afflictions, and I will give unto you success."

So we buckled up and started tracting! And you know what? We always find something funny when we tract.

I love this work and I love the gospel! I hope y'all have an amazing week.

And don't forget... ROLL TIDE. (:

 

 

-Sister Megan Merrill

Megan's Letter 6/20/16

Holy cow I can't believe I'm already on my 5th transfer!

I LOVE SISTER MOLINE. This girl is hilarious and so much fun! We have been working hard and laughing hard these last few days. She is from Plano, Texas (Home of the Dr. Pepper head quarters) and she is the youngest of 5 kids. I adore her, if you can't tell. (:

 

 

 

Sister Hintze is training, which makes me a GRANDMA.

 

In other news we had some fun tracting this week (:

IT IS GETTING SO HOT OUTSIDE.

Solomge and Rudolf came to church for the first time yesterday! Solomge absolutely loved it and made friends instantly. I'm not sure how Rudolf felt about it, but we will find out when we see them on Friday!

We have an amazing guy we are teaching named Rick who is on date for July 9th! His wife has been a member just under a year and has been such an amazing missionary to him. We have been teaching him a good minute and we are so excited to see him make this step!

​Hope everyone had an amazing Father's Day! Anyone that knows me well knows that my dad is my very best friend, and the best dad I could ask for. He was sporting an Alabama Tie at church on Sunday.  I LOVE HIM SO MUCH.

 

 

I love y'all and I hope you have the best week!

-Sister Merrill

 

Megan's Letter 6/13/16

This week was great! We had MLC on Tuesday and Zone Training on Friday! Sister Layton and I got to train on Patience- which is what Sister Hanks trained on at MLC. I loved it so much! Patience is HARD to gain, I am far from done working on it. (:

One of my favorite scriptures on patience is Alma 34:41, which says:

"But that ye have patience, and bear with those afflictions, with a firm hope that ye shall one day rest from all your afflictions."

In other news, the Elders gave us some cookies with an interesting twist. They found this guy tracting and decided they would like to scare the crap out of me.. It worked.

 

 

 

Yesterday we met an amazing girl named Jasmine! We went to go see this family we met at Wal-Mart, and then started knocking the neighboring doors. Next thing we know this adorable 18 year old girl with a huge smile on her face invited us in! At the end of the lesson, we asked if she had any questions. She said: "Just one: Where can I get one of those books!?" We started laughing and handed her the Book of Mormon. She was so touched that we would give it to her for free! I'm excited to see her again.

Transfer calls came on Saturday! I will be getting Sister Moline, who is actually a Spanish speaking missionary. I'm really excited to meet her, I hear she is a lot of fun. (: Also, Happy Birthday to my cute Mama today! I love her so so much. Well that's all for this week! I hope y'all have a good one and remember how much I love you!

-Sister Merrill

 

Megan's Letter: 6/6/16

This last weekend was incredible! We were so blessed to be able to hear from Elder David A. Bednar for Stake Conference on Saturday and Sunday. I took so many notes but I will try to share just a few things I learned!

On Saturday at the Adult Session Elder Bednar addressed fear.

D&C 6:36 says: "Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not."

He expressed to us that fear is spiritual paralysis, and reminded us that we can do ALL things through Christ.

He also talked a lot about being an AGENT, not an OBJECT. An agent is someone who acts, an object is simply acted upon. We can choose how we act in any situation. For example: no one can offend you, but you can choose to be offended! I loved this concept.

At the Sunday Session of Stake Conference Elder Bednar spoke to all those visiting who are not of our faith. He taught about the cleansing power of Baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost. He explained that this initial cleansing is preparatory for a total transformation! As we continue to repent (change) and seek to do God's will instead of our own, we become new creatures in Christ!

I am so grateful for the things I learned this weekend! The gospel is living, and we will always be led by living prophets, seers, and revelators.

We were finally able to see Solomge and Rudolf again last night! They have been busy and out of town, so we weren't able to see them for a good minute. We had a great lesson with them where we answered some questions they had about the reading we left them with! Solomge loved Mosiah 18:30 about the "waters of Mormon". I told her that I have Alabama drawn on that verse because this is where I have come to know the Savior! All credit goes to Sister Patten for teaching me that. (:
 

 

 

 

Solomge had previously told us that she ADORES the name Mormon, and she doesn't know why! I told her that the Egyptian meaning for Mormon translates to "more good". When we were leaving yesterday she said: "Mormon means more good, and Mormon people means more happy!"

This gospel truly does make me happier than I can put into words. I'm so grateful to be sharing something that has brought me and others so much joy! I hope that y'all can see the blessings that come from living the gospel this week. Have a blessed one. (:

-Sister Merrill
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Megan's Letter 5/31/16

Hope everyone had an amazing Memorial Day! I know we did. (: We set up a stand in the park with all the missionaries in Tuscaloosa and talked to people about how Christ visited the Americas! It was so much fun. (:

This amazing guy we've been teaching, named Bruce, was baptized yesterday! We have been trying so hard to find someone to baptize this month for Miracle May, and to be honest I was a little doubtful! But we exercised faith and the Lord provided. (: Bruce is in the Army so Memorial Day was perfect for his baptism! He bore a sweet testimony of the gospel and his hopes to be a spiritual giant and example for his kids. He is incredible!

We also passed through Eutaw on our way to an exchange! Yes, that's right, Eutaw. Pronounced "Utah"! This little town is the reason I always have to clarify that I'm from Utah- the state. (:

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​Also, Sister Layton went running through the forest to catch me a firefly! Let me just tell you, they are amazing. Sadly she got scraped up in the process!

Last but most definitely not least, Elder Bednar will be at our Stake Conference this weekend! I'm so grateful for this opportunity to hear from an Apostle of the Lord. In preparation for him, we were asked to read from his most recent conference talk about always retaining a remission of our sins! I loved this quote:

"We are imperfect human beings striving to live in mortality according to Heavenly Father's perfect plan of eternal progression. The requirements of His plan are glorious, merciful, and rigorous. We may at times be filled with determination and at other times feel totally inadequate. We may wonder if we spiritually can ever fulfill the commandment to stand spotless before Him at the last day... Although none of us can achieve perfection in this life, we can become increasingly worthy and spotless as we are cleansed by the blood of the Lamb."
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I will let you know what I learn from him next week!(: I hope everything is going well for all y'all. Remember that I love you!

-Sister Merrill

 

Megan's Letter 5/23/16

I'm feeling pretty lazy today so this will be short (: Sorry y'all!

 

 

Two exchanges this week!(: One with Sister Rogers and one with Sister Cullimore!

 

 

​Also there is this crazy rope playground at the public park by our apartment, so we went for morning exercises!(:

​And there was a gorgeous full moon this week!

Our investigator Bruce showed up to church yesterday! He just got back from military camp on Saturday so we didn't think he was going to make it. After church we had a great lesson with him and set a baptismal date for the 31st! Our mission has a goal to have every companionship baptize this month. It's called "Miracle May", and we have definitely been seeing miracles. (:

I'm grateful for the joy that the gospel brings and the miracles we see when we exercise our faith! I hope y'all have an amazing week.

-Sister Merrill

Megan's Letter 5/16/16

This week was super busy and a lot of fun!

First off we had Mission Leadership Council on Tuesday! We had several trainings from President Hanks, who never disappoints. I learned a lot! And then we had to prepare those same trainings and present them in front of our Zone on Friday! I was super nervous, but I think it went well for the most part.

 

I love Sister Chavez
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After the meeting I was able to go on a short exchange with Hermana Mitchell in Hoover! It was a lot of fun. We went tracting in a trailer park and I just smiled and nodded while she taught people (: The Spanish missionaries may be in Alabama, but it seems like a whole other mission!

Yesterday Sister Layton and I had an incredible experience!

We were out tracting in this nicer neighborhood and we weren't having any luck!

*not surprising*

So we decided we should probably go somewhere else, when Sister Layton said she felt like we should go a few more doors! The next door we knocked was this sweet couple that immediately invited us in! Solonge is the wife, she is from Brazil. Rudolf is the husband, he is from Germany! It was so great to talk to them. They have been travelling back and forth for years. They finally decided to stay in Tuscaloosa, and felt the need to be closer with Jesus, and then we knocked on the door! I told her how we almost left, and she started crying and thanked us for not giving up. They accepted the Book of Mormon whole heartedly and we are seeing them tomorrow!

Solonge loves the trees! She always has. I loved to hear her talk about how much she admires something so simple. I made her this painting and added a scripture from the Book of Mormon. (:

 

Alma 32:41

"But if ye will nourish the word, yea, nourish the tree as it beginneth to grow, by your faith with great diligence, and with patience, looking forward to the fruit thereof, it shall take root; and behold it shall be a tree springing up‍ unto everlasting life."

I am so grateful to be here! I love the people more than I can express. I hope everyone has a good week! I love y'all so much.

-Sister Merrill

There was some confusion with my new address, so here it is:

900 Hargrove Rd. Apt #190

Tuscaloosa, AL 35401