As for the title of this email - this week we sang for a couple in our ward and in return they provided us with supper! If was super fun and definitely not something you do or see everyday! It really made for a fun memory and there was a special spirit there.
This past week I was able to meet a few more of the members in this ward as well as someone the sister missionaries were previously teaching. We also were able to have a couple member family lessons over video chat. I met the Phipps family and we played a game with them called "obedient or not." We also taught a lesson on obedience and why it is important to keep the commandments of God. The kids were so cute and knew exactly what was and wasn't obedient, and even recognized ways they could be obedient and how in doing so brings about rewards and blessings. Then with the Nickles family we played "miracles pictionary." My companion and I would draw miracles that Christ performed and they would guess them. We would then share insights as to what we learned from that miracle and how if applies to our lives and helps us now. Both of these family lessons were way fun and spiritual. We are hoping to continue doing fun messages like this with more families. We were also able to teach a lesson with a woman who had been previously taught. We have been trying to get in contact and set up a time to meet with her for the last 3 weeks! The first meeting we set up didn't happen, but this week we were able to work it out! Yay for miracles! God never ceases to be good! We mostly got to know her and her background and then shared a few insights and just listened lovingly to her. It was so cool to hear her story and get to know her. She was super sweet. We have a lesson set up with her this week and are super excited!
Another miracle from this past week was we received a message Friday night about district conference with our Mission President and our district for the next day! So Saturday we were able to go into the city and have social contact with our district and president and his cute wife! We received a new church training for missionaries about Facebook. We learned different things we were going to be doing with Facebook that other missions have piloted for the last few months. Missionaries are now each assigned to a Facebook page that has been created and with a designated group they will run it. It was so amazing to witness how inspired the whole thing is and to see how it will go into effect in our mission now. It really is such a cool time to be a missionary and begin paving the way for this new online form of missionary work. The whole world is digital now and online learning has become a natural and normal thing. With this we have the opportunity to reach hundreds, if not millions of people through Facebook and the internet! It has been pretty cool to learn effective uses of this technology. Not only will this bless out lives right now, but it will bless us in the future as well. This will also bless members and their efforts in doing missionary work.
My companion and I found random adventures this week to keep ourselves sane. We found lots of different routes to walk. We even discovered a little trail though a bunch of trees - it was like a mini "city forest" and it was beautiful. We also rearranged part of our apartment and planted some plants and drew faces on rocks. We sing a lot and find fun inside and outside! I was also challenged on Facebook to do some fun things so we created posts for those. Overall, we made an effort everyday to laugh and smile. I have thought a lot about the situation we are in right now and how hard it is being inside a lot. This has all reminded me of the simple joys of life. There truly is joy in the ordinary and even just choosing to smile can boost your mood. We are so blessed with so many things! We only need to look for the hand of the Lord in our lives everyday! He is always there blessing us in ways we don't even see. Sometimes due to the blindness of our eyes from our attitude towards different situations we get put in, it can get really stressful and discouraging at times. I was reminded of a quote from Sister Hinckley that says, "The only way to get through life is to laugh your way through it. You either have to laugh or cry. I prefer to laugh. Crying gives me a headache." May we all decide to choose happy! ♡
My studies this week were full of amazing, wonderful, insights - here are a few of them. Earlier this week I came across the scripture in Doctrine and Covenants 123:17, "Therefore, dearly believed brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God and for His arm to be revealed." I love this scripture! What a beautiful reminder to "cheerfully do all things that lie in our power." We need to choose to be happy and stay positive! There are still miracles happening and God is still with us! We just need to keep doing our best and God will do the rest! Our choices and attitude are in our control. People around us and situations don't control that - we merely allow for them to influence us. I studied more on the topic of happiness and came across Psalms 144:15, "happy is that people, that is in such a case; yea, happy is that people, whose God is the Lord." We have so many reasons to be happy - two of the biggest being God and Jesus Christ! I have loved looking for the tender mercies in everyday. God's hand is so prevalent in our lives. He is always helping each of us along the way and cheering us on! He just wants us to be happy, to involve Him, and turn to Him in all things!
I am so grateful for the opportunity I have right now to be a missionary during this unique time. It is such a privilege and I can't wait to see what else the Lord has in store for me. I am so grateful for the rock my Savior has become for me and for the constant guidance and direction from the spirit. I am also grateful for the happiness and peace I feel from this true gospel!
I hope everyone is able to choose happy this week! Choose to see the positive side in hard things. Remember that God is allowing us to learn and grow through these hard times. He wants us to turn to Him always - in trying times or not! Also remember to smile and laugh at the small joyous moments God provides! Love and miss you all!
Love♡Sister Merrill
Sister Poore & Sister Merrill
I LOVE to see the temple!
District Conference
Sister Merrill & Sister Costas
Sister Merrill's bulletin board
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