Rollercoaster...

The mission is a rollercoaster... (= Just when you think you are handling everything just fine, God hands you another challenge.  This week was a lot better than last week for my companion, she seemed a lot better, a little happier although she still cries a lot, It´s just not  at crisis level. 

We´re teaching an Hermano whose name is Fransisco. He`s the dad of our bishop and he is so funny. He has problems drinking. But he wants to change his life and get baptized. He is hopefully going to get baptized at the end of this week. He almost went this whole past week without drinking! Before he drank every day. I wish you guys could meet him. He`s like a grandpa. And is so ready to change.

Love you guys so much!!

Hermana Merrill

PS  Please don`t worry about our safety. It's safe here, and we always have the protection from God.

Chinandega Craziness

Well this week was quite a week. My companions name is Hermana Wilkins. She's from Texas, she's really awesome, speaks Spanish so well, teaches from her heart and is really funny. She's also having a really hard time adjusting.

 First of all, it wasn't the best warm welcome because  we are re-opening up the area and I had no idea where we were going. There were elders there before so they couldn't show us around the area since we're not allowed to be in 2 and 2. So it was up to us to find all the recent converts, investigators and members. The other craziness that happened this week is that initially our area was La Florida 2, but when we got there and met our bishop he was really upset that they put us in that area because he thought it was more dangerous and there were less members. So he called our mission president and got permission for us to change areas. So we packed our bags and changed houses. Then some member took us around to get to know about 20 member's houses (ask me if I know their names and directions (= .... ) Hi this is... Hi this is... Hi this is... That was our first crazy day. 

Then the second day I had to go to a leaders meeting in Leon and we were supposed to leave our companions in our area, So, I left her with a member and I left for Leon. Turns out that while we were gone our bathroom flooded 2X and my comp just started crying, poor girl. She's cried almost everyday since she's got here. The next day we did divisions. That was actually a better day for her because she went to a different area with an awesome girl in our zone that actually knew her area and had cool investigators. She's also terrified of our area because all of the people we meet tell us that we shouldn't be here that it's dangerous. In general the people here in Nicaragua say that because they are a very cautious people, but I feel like even more here. We've started having members visit with us everywhere especially at night time so she feels safer, because she has panic attacks. She also misses her family soo much.

I just wish I could help her feel better. She really could bless the people here in Nicaragua so much, she has so much natural talent for this work.

It was kind of a stressful week but we also definitely saw lots of miracles. We were able to bring some really cool people to church including this guy whose name in Fransisco. He seemed really really stubborn at first, he's the husband of a member. All of the family had given up on him as far as him converting. But he went to church and accepted to be baptized!! miracles!!! 

Love you all!!

(Weird... today we saw the family of an Elder that's finishing the mission, they came and picked him up from his mission... It felt so weird to see him with his parents) It was cool though!

Hermana Merrill

Final Transfer...Chinandega here I come

This week we saw so many miracles!

First we had 4 baptisms!!! 

Oralis- She's so awesome and was so excited to get baptized! She got married Saturday night, and baptized Sunday after church along with the rest. Although, she did give us a scare that she wasn't going to show up because of an emergency that happened in the Morning.

Maria Louisa-  She's the sweetest little girl ever and was so excited to get baptized. This week her dad went to church as well and loved it! 

Yader and Jose!!!

Jose is our champion. From the beginning he said that he wanted to get baptized and that he wasn't going to go to the catholic church. But every time that we came Yader would say yes and then no. Depending on his mood. He's a clown. (= But in the end he decided to get baptized too!

AAANNNNDDDD........................

I have transfers... )=

I have absolutely loved my time with Hermana Morales. And I've absolutely loved LEON!

This is my last transfer. I'll be serving in Chinandega (a place of miracles, but even hotter than Leon). and I'll be training a newbie as well as continuing as a Sister Training leader for the girls in Chinandega. I'm a little nervous. I know that God will help me, but I haven't trained for so long and have been so long with sisters that have been such a strength for me that this will be an interesting adventure. From the name of the girl, I think she's from the states as well. CRAZY!!!

Love you all so much!

Hermana Merrill