Every Member a Missionary - June 26, 2013

Buna Ziua!

Well, this week went much better than last. I was kind of expecting it to be like that just because that''s what everyone told me. I''m understanding a lot more, but can still barely put sentances together unless I think about it for a long time. But from what I've heard, I could barely put sentances together in 2nd grade, and look at me now! And this time I have the Spirit! So I have faith that I will learn it enough to say at least a couple sentences before I leave.

Yesterday we got "new investigators" to teach. Elder Crane and I accidentally gave a 55 minute lesson to our first investigator. We're trying to get off using notes when we teach and it helps a lot to actually get to know the people we're teaching instead of just reading something that we're not sure what it means. Unfortunately for me, that means it takes much, much longer to say what I want to because it takes me forever to put it together in my head. The other lesson we gave was a door approach. Actually that lesson went really well, although we need to ask more questions. We tend to talk too much because we're so focused on saying the right thing that we don't engage the investigator as much as we should. Also, sometimes I'm just worried I won't understand them.

Yeah, so I'm trying to learn how to ask good questions that will help us teach with the spirit and help the investigator learn for themselves and gain a testimony. Unfortunately, I did not inherit Dad's asking questions gene because I hardly ever have questions at all. Therefore, it's hard for me to think about what questions the investigator might have and it's hard for me to put together questions that are open ended and will help the investigator the most. But that's why I'm still in the MTC! To learn how to teach better.

Some awesome things that I accomplished this week is that I memorized "Our Purpose" in Romanian and I also memorized D&C 88:33 in Romanian! I also spoke in Romanian all morning one day this week...I really need to speak my language more than I do...that would probably help a lot.

I absolutely love the Romanian Elders! They are amazing people! And they're extremely funny which is really nice to have when you get really discouraged. They always find something to laugh about. Yeah, some of them are a little immature, I mean what do you expect? Some of them just got out of high school, but that definitely makes it interesting. Like the other day we were on TALL (it's like a program that helps you speak better) and two of the Elders were pretending they were pilots because apparently the headsets look like those pilots use. Our teacher came in and was like "maybe you should just practice words instead of phrases." It was pretty funny, but you probobly would've needed to be there. Anyways, I have a good time with them. They're all great!

My companions and I still absolutely love the sharing shelf and the give-away boxes! I got a robe and a Jesus The Christ book from them! 

And we got to go to the temple again! But this was our last time because they're closing the temple for cleaning or something for a while. Which is extremely lame.

I hope everyone got to watch the world-wide broadcast on Sunday! I really enjoyed it! I was in the choir, but I was standing in the middle of the girls, so even if the videos weren't playing while the sisters were singing, you probably wouldnt've seen me. But that's ok! I really was there! I promise!

 But I also thought the message was extremely important. Although Elder Holland did address that full-time missionaries could now use the internet for contacting, I really don't think that was the full purpose of why they had the broadcast. They had it so they could address ALL the missionaries, specifically the members of the church. The members can't be afraid to share the gospel with their friends. That's where missionaries get their best investigators. It's also extremely important for members to go with members to discussions. They are the connection between the respresentatives of the church who have been called of God and the investigator. Seriously, members help others in their conversion process. They bear another testimony of the church and of Jesus Christ. It's not just the missionaries job. So, I encourage everyone who reads this to pray about who they can invite to learn more about the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

So that's really all I want to say about the broadcast, but I guess I will say that I think it's a good idea that missionaries can use more technology since it will be much easier for them to get in touch with their investigators and the members. I also think it's a good idea that they're opening church buildings for tours, although I really hope I don't get stuck giving tours...although it would probably ok, I just really don't want to get stuck doing that. I'm not even sure Romania has real church buildings since most of their congregations are branches.

some really important things I learned this week was to trust the Lord. I mean, I always knew that was important, but that's something I focused most on. For example, not being afraid to try to get off reading notes while teaching and being patient with myself and really believing Heavenly Father will help me learn the language. I also realized that studying the scriptures is way more important than studying the language. Even when you study the language, you should be studying the Gospel and learn to help you teach the investigator. The first week I was so focused on learning the language that I was getting frustrated! This week I focused first on the investigator and the Gospel and then the languange. Everything went to much smoother. And I felt like the Lord was guiding me to what I needed to say more. So for all you missionaries trying to learn a language, remember that. The Lord comes first, then the investigator, then the language. I've been trying to read a chapter out of my Romanian Book of Mormon each day out loud to help with my pronunciation and understanding and that helps a lot too. Heavenly Father blesses His missionaries.

There is so much more that I want to say! But I really don't have tons of time, so I'll just write one more story.

On Sunday, My companions and another sister companionship going to Italy had an awesome scripture sharing study where everyone would pick a couple of their favorite scriptures and share it with each other and tell why they liked it. Here are some of the scriptures we used:

D&C 6 (specifically 10-11, but the whole thing is good)

Moroni 8:2

Abraham 3:25

D&C 101:78

3 Nephi 5:13

Moroni 7:45-48

Moroni 7:33

Yeah, you should read them. They're good =)

I love you all! Thanks for the letters from Marshall, Melanie, Mom, Dad, Sister Roberts, Uncle Mark, Aunt Robin, and Alyssa! Don't be afraid to send more! I love to get them!

Oh and don't buy any of the dearelder cookies to send to me. Although I am very grateful for the cookies mom sent, there were 12 cookies in there and they all have about 440 calories in them...so I'm not too sure what to do with them because I don't want to eat them all. Plus they give us cookies, brownies, cake, ice cream and such all the time and it's really hard not to eat the. So yeah...don't send me cookies =) Thanks so much, though!

 

Love,

Sora Merrill 

Riding Solo

June 19, 2013

It's Wednesday! And that means lots of new missionaries and my pday!

I hope that no one is freaking out because I haven't gotten to write yet, but I am definitely alive and well.

So, it's been a pretty crazy week, but nothing really that I wasn't expecting...well most of it. When you go to the MTC the first thing you do is go get your name tag. I got mine, they put it on me and explained to me that I was a solo sister! Soon after I found out that meant I was the only sister in my district. So that was kind of unexpected and kind of difficult to get used to, but honestly now I wouldn't have it any other way.

Because I'm a solo sister I have companions who are going to Italy. they are Sister Carter and Sister Smart! I absolutely love them to death! They're always super happy and we laugh a lot! During class I just stay with the Elders. There's only three of them in my class, but then there's another district of another 4 Elders. They're all super fun and I get along with them really well. They're all short though, well at least all the Elders in my class are =). I'm the tallest one! haha that seems to happen to me often, though. But they all have amazing testimonies and I really enjoy discussing the Gospel with them. They have an amazing love for people. It's truly inspirind for me.

So, the first day in class my teachers only spoke Romanian...actually, everyday they only speak Romanian. It can get very frustrating when you don't understand, but they're usually pretty good at acting out what they're trying to get across. One of my teachers, Fratele Sandberg (Fratele=Brother), has the most amazing hair I have ever seen...haha that's  not very important, I just thought I would mention it. Romanian is such a beautiful language. Well, at least I really like it. It doesn't sound as good coming out of my mouth as it does others, but hopefully I will soon get better at speaking.

This week I've learned so much about patience! Mostly being patient with myself. I kept having to remind myself that as long as I'm diligent and try my best and pray a lot that Heavenly Father will bless me! I know that there is obviously some reason that I have been called to Romania at this time. I mean, it could've been easy for the First Presidency to let me wait 6 weeks and have me leave then so I could have another sister going to Romania with me, but they didn't. They called me to leave on June 12. I know there is some reason for that. Maybe it's so that I could have Sister Smart and Sister Carter as companions, or maybe it's because I'm just supposed to be in class with a whole bunch of Elders. I'm not really sure why. But I know I am supposed to be here now. That's why when why I didn't write to the Presidency to give me a later date to report. I know that you're not only sent to where you need to be, but you're sent when you're supposed to go.

Anyways, moving foreward. When we have our pratice teaching I teach with one of the Elders in my class since I don't have a Sister with me. I teach with Elder Crane. He is an amazing person and really listens to the spirit. We teach a fake investigator named Cristian...well sort of.Since we can't really speak very much we use a whole bunch of simple phrases and then try our best to respond to his questions. Before our last lesson we taught, I was praying so hard that I would just understand somethings during the whole lesson. I am having a pretty hard time understanding anything so I've been getting frustrated a lot, so I was just praying so hard that I would understand at least one thing. we were teaching about repentance and baptism. Elder Crane was teaching the part on repentance and Cristian kept asking how we could obtain a remission of our sins. And as hard as Elder Crane tried Cristian just kept asking, "Cum?"--"why?" and then it just popped in my head! I knew how to answer it! so I did! I said, "Prin Botez, Demneseu ne promite iertarea pacatelor." "Through baptism, God promises us a remission of our sins!" And that's pretty much all I said through the rest of the lesson...haha. But Heavenly Father answered my prayer! and because I followed the spirit we were able to commit him to being baptized! It was amazing! Heavenly Father answers your prayers! I mean, I always knew that, but now I know it even more!

So, other stuff going on. You know that huge missionary broadcast thing the First Presidency is doing on the 23rd? Well, I'm going to be in it! My companions and I got into the choir, so look for me! It's going to be awesome! All the first presidency and quorem of the twelve are going to be here! So I might run into some of them...well...maybe. I'm not sure. I'll be in my classroom most of the time.

I've seen quite a few people I know here! I've saw Ashley Nelson, Daniel Poaletti, Jake Lewis, Zander White, Marlee (sorry I forgot her last name), John Akagi, Kyle Hakes, Julissa Wilcox, and probably a couple more people I'm forgetting about. Most of those people are from my BYU ward. It's so great to get to see all of them preparing to go on missions! I love it!

My companions and I have an obsession with the sharing shelf in our hall. It's pretty much just a shelf that people leave their unwanted food on when they leave for their missions. The sharing shelf actually supplied my dinner the other day because I wasn't going to be able to go to dinner because I had to teach and then right after go to devotional because I was singing in the choir. So my companions brought me these really good raspberry sticky bun things they found from the sharing shelf! They were great! and I haven't gotten sick yet, so I'm pretty sure they were safe to eat =).

On to a more spiritual note. Today in my personal study I was reading in Alma 26:27 (26 is pretty much my favorite chapter ever, so if you need something to read...read that). It 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 Lamenites, and bear with patience thine afflictions, and I will give unto you success."

That scripture touched my heart. I have seriosuly had probably one of the hardest weeks of my life. I'm not complaining, I absolutely love the MTC. But being here has shown me so many of my weaknesses. I've learned that when it comes to other people, I'm a super patient person, but when it comes to myself, I'm probably the most impatient person I have ever met! I just want to be able to say whatever I want in Romanian right now! But obviously, that's not going to happen for a while. But I know that the Lord comforts those who stand in need of comfort. he strengthens our weaknesses. If we are patient and do our best, He will give unto us success.

Another scripture I found today was Alma 28:14. This scripture pretty much just reminded me of why I'm here and why so many people have responded to the call to serve:

"And thus we see the great call of diligence of men to labor in the vineyards of the Lord; and thus we see the great reason of sorrow, and also of rejoicing--sorrow because of death and destruction among men, and joy because of the light of Christ unto life."

Christ is the light of the world. He is the reason we can have joy in this life. He is the center of the plan of happiness! I know it! When we repent and come unto Him, He gives us joy and fills our hearts. I know I'm going to have hard times on my mission. Most of those hard times will be caused because people won't want to listen to the message we have to share. It's seriously the saddest thing in the world! The message we share is love and happiness through Jesus Christ and His Gospel!

There's another scripture I read that touched my heart, but I don't have much time left, so I'll just tell you it and you can read it for yourself =). It's alma 29:6-9. Read it! It's good!

Thank you all for your support. I was hoping more people would send me dearelder letters. They're the best because when you're having a bad day, sometimes a letter from family and friends just cheers you up! and if you don't know what to say, just tell me about what's happening in your life! Or tell me a scipture you really liked! Or just whatever comes to mind!  

Well, I hope everyone's doing well! letters and dearelders really are the best way to contact me. I don't have much time to email. Thanks again for all of your support! I love you all!

Pa pa!

Love,

Sora Merrill  

How to Write to Me!

If you would like to send me letters on my mission, there are a couple of ways to do so.

Handwritten or Packages
Please send all handwritten letters and packages to the address below. Note that the address will change in 6 weeks when I leave for Romania.

Sister Melissa Merrill
JUL23 ROM-MLD
2009 N 900 E Unit 114
Provo UT 84602

Dearelder.com 
If you would like to send letters that will get to me quickly and that you don't have to pay for, use dearelder.com. I think you have to create an account, but after you do go to "Write a Letter" at the top and follow the instructions. When you get to the part where you fill out the missionaries information, my unit number is 114. That's mostly all you need besides my name.

Email
Although I am allowed to email friends now, I cannot guarantee that I will. From what I hear, you really don't get that much time on the computer, which I understand completely. So, if you email me, don't expect to get an email right back. I might write you a handwritten letter instead. If you do email me and you want a response, please include your address.

My email is melissa.merrill@myldsmail.net

I would love to hear from you all! I can't wait to share my experiences with you! Thank you for the years of support I have received!

The Start

It took me a while to decide to start a blog for my mission. What finally made me do it is the fact that perhaps someone would be affected by something I say and may decide to strive to change and become a better person. I know I am not the most amazing writer in the world and if anyone gets anything out of my poorly structured posts I will be overjoyed! My hope is that through my experiences that I share here(through the help of my mom), I may be able to touch the heart of those struggling in their trials, that the Lord will give them an answer through me. I am nothing, but an instrument in His loving hands.

When President Monson announced the age change to when and Elder or Sister could report to serve a mission in the October 2012 General Conference, I was initially shocked. As he said that young women could now serve at 19 that only thoughts that ran through my head were, "I can go on my mission next year! I need to go on a mission!" I knew that serving a mission was something Heavenly Father not only wanted me to do, but needed me to do. It's also something I knew that I needed to do.

Unfortunately, I was not able to leave on my birthday like many of my friends did. As many of you that read this blog probably know, I high jump for BYU and therefore needed to finish out the season before I could report. However, I always knew that I was going to serve a mission when I was done with this year of track and with school. As I began work on my papers, the desire to serve grew. Again, I received a strong feeling that serving a mission was what I needed to do. I finished my papers at the beginning of April.

Two weeks later I had my call in my hands. I could not wait to open the white envelope and read where I would be serving the next 18 months of my life. I read the words written by the First Presidency of the church:

Dear Sister Merrill:
You are hereby called to serve as a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. You are assigned to labor in the Romania/Moldova Mission. 

I couldn't believe it! I mean, I kind of felt I was going to go somewhere in Europe, but Romania! No way! I honestly kind of forgot it existed...( here's some pics of Romania)


The most shocking thing was that I was leaving June 12! That was practically 2 months before what I thought my availability date was, but due to a miscommunication (probably my fault), my stake president told the First Presidency that I wanted to leave as soon as possible! Although I was kind of panicking at first because of all the things I wouldn't be able to do, I soon calmed down and realized that there must be a reason that the miscommunication occurred.

So now I'm here. A little more than a day before I get on an airplane to fly to Salt Lake to enter the Missionary Training Center in Provo, I sit at my parents computer and share the feelings I'm having. Honestly, I can't wait to get out of here. Not that I don't like being here, but just that I want to be there. I can't wait to get out and serve.

Throughout today I was pondering the scripture Alma 17:2-3. It reads:
"Now these sons of Mosiah were with Alma at the time the angel first appeared unto him; therefore Alma did rejoice exceedingly to see his brethren; and what added more to his joy, they were still his brethren in the Lord; yea, and they had waxed strong in the knowledge of the truth; for they were men of a sound understanding and they had searched the scriptures diligently, that they might know the word of God. 
But this was not all; they had given themselves to much prayer, and fasting; therefore they had the spirit of prophecy, and the spirit of revelation, and when they taught, they taught with power and authority of God."
I couldn't help, as I read this scripture, to think of all the people I know who have chosen to serve missions, especially my roommates from this last year at BYU. I know I haven't even begun my mission, and they have a little time before they begin theirs, but I couldn't help but wonder what it will be like when we have all returned. I feel like this is what it will be like. We won't only be happy to see each other again, but we will also rejoice to see that we have grown and have experience what it is like to fully consecrate ourselves to our Heavenly Father who we all love eternally. Although I am excited about going and serving, and I know it will be extremely hard for me to return, I can't wait for that day where I get to see how much my dear friends have grown in the gospel and in their testimonies.

I also thought of my friends staying behind. I completely understand why may young women I know have decided not to serve a mission; that is simply not what the Lord has in mind for them. They have a different path. However, I know that we can have the same experience I will have with my roommates and other friends who have chosen to serve missions. A mission doesn't guarantee you a testimony for life. What does is faith, study, prayer, making and keeping sacred covenants, repenting, forgiving, and enduring to the end. I know that anyone can do this. Missionaries, to be successful, are required to do this. However, I have met many people who have been diligent in doing these things. Because of their diligence, they have been blessed with strong testimonies of their Savior, and of His gospel. I know that as my friends stay behind, they're not really getting left behind. They can continue to grow as the many young people who have decided to serve. As they grow, they can also have the joy felt between Alma and the sons of Mosiah.

This scripture also reminds me of the importance of friendship and family. As we continue in this life, we need to help those around us to endure to the end, especially those who are struggling in their testimonies. All of us need to become instruments in the hands of the Lord and be the angels the people around us so desperately need. I know I have not always been the best friend or support I sometimes needed to be. That is one of my weaknesses I have been striving to improve. However, that does not mean that I don't have a testimony that it needs to be done. Sometimes I think of all the members of the church who have fallen away or have become inactive because of the simple things I didn't do. I think of my friends who aren't LDS who I could have shared the gospel with, but failed to do so.

I know that as we study the scriptures, pray, and fast we can obtain the spirit of prophecy and teach with the power and authority of God! Trust the Lord. He will tell you the words you need to say. He will literally fill your mouth with words. I know this is true. Stay faithful, trust, be believing, and do not fear. Love the Lord, love His children. As we progress down the path to eternal life and as we help those around us to do the same, we will be filled with joy! I know this to be true.

I would like to finish my post with the scripture I decided to put on my plaque. Alma 26:15-16

"Yea, they were encircled about with everlasting darkness and destruction; but behold, he has brought them into his everlasting light, yeas, into everlasting salvation; and they are encircled about with the matchless bounty of his love, yea, and we have been instruments in his hands of doing this great and marvelous work.
Therefore, let us glory, yea, we will glory in the Lord; yea, we will rejoice, for our joy is full; yea, we will praise our God forever. Behold, who can glory too much in the Lord? Yea, who can say too much of his great power, and of his mercy, and of his long-suffering towards the children of men? Behold, I say unto you, I cannot say the smallest part which I feel."

I know the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has the fullness of the gospel. I know that Joseph Smith was a true prophet of God, that he saw the Father and the Son in the Sacred Grove and that he restored the gospel of Jesus Christ in it's fullness on this earth. I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God, the truest book of the earth today, and that by abiding by the teaching found there we can come closer to Christ. I know President Monson is the prophet on the earth at this time. I know he was called of God. I know Christ atoned for our sins and that through Him we can become clean. I know Christ lives. I know we will be resurrected as He was resurrected, for He overcame death. We will stand in the presence of our Father again at the judgment seat. I know that families can be together for time and for all eternity through covenants made with the Lord in His holy temples. I know that these covenants are some of the greatest blessings given to man. I know I need to serve a mission. Heavenly Father needs servants. You don't have to be perfect, the only thing our Father has to work with is imperfect people. Humble yourselves, become worthy to serve. "If ye have desires to serve God ye are called to the work" (D&C 4:3).