Baptisms

Here in Nicaragua, we often baptize on Sunday so that we can have the support of the members. We baptize right after the 3 hour block so that they just need to stay for a few more minutes and in that way the members also get to know the recent convert. But sometimes it is a little crazy because they have to wait another whole week to get confirmed. So Alan, the youth that got baptized last week came to church to be confirmed but, he didn't want to get confirmed in front of everyone  so we told him he could get confirmed in Priesthood class. But he didn't stay until priesthood class... So next week. He really is pilas and has changed a lot, just is a little penoso. 

Next week we are going to baptize a cool man named Mario. He is the husband of a less active member. She is so pilas now and her husband is so excited about his baptism. She teaches him so much between our visits. How to be "mormon". Whenever we come back she's always telling us funny stories about how he tells her that she can't be frustrated or upset because she has to be a good example to him of a mormon. He has stopped smoking and stopped drinking cafe. We teach him the lessons in English/Spanish. He's from the Philippines and speaks a little bit more English than Spanish. He's lived in Central America for 16 years but his spanish isn't that great. (Although it's getting better due to reading a chapter of the Book of Mormon in English and Spanish). Miracles do happen. We don't do them. God does. 

Also a lady named Marta is going to get baptized this week. She's really cool, but has really bad arthritis which makes it really hard to do anything. Coming to church is a sacrifice. Someone has to help her come everytime. She's really sweet though and wants to be baptized.

Mahal Kita. (filipino)

les Amo. 

I love you all.

Hermana Merrill

Cleaning the church after a baptism?

Cool for Cool

This week was cool for cool because it was stake conference, but a special stake conference. Elder Ballard,  Elder Oaks along with the general YW President and Elder Martino of the 70 spoke to all the stakes and districts of Central America. COOL! 

Elder Ballard gave a really awesome talk about the atonement. He talked about the need for both justice and mercy, and that how God would cease to exist if he gave mercy to his children and didn't worry about justice. He talked about the absolute need for a Savior. Our jew (Alejandro) who doesn't believe in Christ was there.  I feel like the concept that Alejandro doesn't understand is that we can't make up our wrongs no matter how well we act. He believes that we can, and that if we are obedient, God will be merciful. I don't know how to explain to him any better than Elder Ballard did about the need for an atonement. He goes to church almost every week though. 

Alan, the pilas grandson of a recent convert, got baptized this week! 

He has had a rough childhood. His mom gave him up to be raised by his grandma when he was 5 and he's been into drugs and doesn't have the best of friends. He's really wants to change though and now wants to be a really good kid. He's 15. He wants to go on a mission. He also understands a lot about Christ, the bible, reads the BOM, and the restoration. One time I prayed for longer than he was used to, and ever since then he's tried to pray longer than us. So one time in his prayer he said, "thank thee that Christ established a church, that for a while it wasn't here, and that again it's here on earth and that I've found it."  It was cool. 

Anyways love you family!

Hermana Merrill

Promising Progress in Matagalpa

So this letter will be short because I don't have a lot of time this week due to the schedule moved and the hour earlier (refer to my last letter).

 We had a leaders council in Managua on Tuesday and a multi-zone conference on Wednesday. That left 3 days to work, one of which was when we were on divisiones. I learned a lot, and we worked real hard the other three days. On Sunday Jorge was confirmed, but Yesica didn't get baptized. She still is having a hard time receiving a testimony, but a big blessing for them is that Yesica and Oscar are living together again and have fixed some of their marriage problems. 

Something really cool is happening here in Matagalpa. There is a really good youth and YSA program with lots of youth here in Matagalpa, which you don't see everywhere. An inspired (pilas) hermana that works with the youth started a cool thing. The young single adults and some adults (lots that have gone on missions) are paired up with the young men and young women. The each have  one family of less actives, investigators or recent converts to visit once in the week and then Sunday in the morning they all leave to bring these families to church. The assistance at church has been really awesome!

2 weeks ago it was really really low (it's normally above 100)- 86

1 weeks ago - 120

this week- 143

This week we are going to do visits with one of them every day!

Hermana Merrill

LOVE YOU all lots!

Obedience Blessings

So this week was a little crazy. President Collado did a phone conference with our zone on Wednesday. He said our zone wasn't doing so hot and then challenged us to wake up an hour earlier every day and then gave us some goals to meet. When we meet the goals we will start going to bed at the normal time. Welcome to waking up at 5:30 (= . It was actually good, although making my eyes open at 5:30 was a challenge, an extra hour in the day was very useful! Although one hour doesn't sound like much, I felt like our days and weeks were a lot more productive. Also we found lots of new families to teach. I know this was revelation from our president because this work will always move forward, and this really motivated us and our zone. 

Yesica came to church again this week, and we're praying and hoping she can get baptized this week. She just isn't sure still. 

But anyways that was my week, love you all and suerte a la novia, casi casada!

Hermana Merrill