Hello again my wonderful friends and family! I can't believe another week just went by - time is flying! I hit my 17 month mark this week as a missionary, and today I begin my last transfer in the CEM. It is wild to think I will be home in 6 weeks. I am so full of gratitude for this experience and am ready to take on this last stretch. Sister Crowe and I are staying together and will continue covering our 3 areas. We were also just were made the page admins for our Facebook page we run as missionaries.
Traditional January weather finally began this past week as temperatures dropped into the negatives. It has been quite chilly, but even despite the cold we still got out for some walks. We are still helping our friend with walking her dogs, and it has honestly been amazing to be able to help her. She has expressed how grateful she is for our goodness and compassion towards her. We actually gave her a Book of Mormon this week and she has been reading it! What a miracle! We were blessed to teach lots of lessons this week that kept us quite busy, and for that we are very grateful! Our members and investigators are just too good, and I feel blessed to be here serving and spending time with them! We were also still able to participate in our services all weekend. For supper one night a member brought us spaghetti, but gave it a fancy name so that was fun. We planned an entire 40 minute training to present to one our of wards only to realize the meeting isn't happening for a couple more weeks....but hey at least we are prepared now! We joined with the young women class this week, and yesterday taught our ward Gospel Principles class to help some people that just needed some extra love in the ward. The spirit during the class was so strong. We also had a good district council as our last week together before transfers. I am beyond grateful for the sweet tender moments God allows to be so good! God's love, miracles and mercy can always be found in between the lines of life.
My thoughts this week revolved around the unique and individual love of our loving Heavenly Father. He truly knows each of us individually and uniquely - to the point that He knows exactly when we need certain things, and how we need them even when we don't expect them. Sometimes I let myself get too wrapped up in my inability to understand or comprehend things, and then I remind myself to just trust and have faith. It can be so easy to get wrapped up in a lot of unnecessary thinking traps. Being able to continually ponder and think upon the eternal truths of God's love for me as His daughter helps keep me grounded. All throughout this week, little things just kept surfacing to remind me of God's unique love for me. The speaker in one of our wards yesterday touched on receiving personal revelation and how it comes to each of us in individual, unique ways. Sometimes it can be so personal that we miss it. Or maybe we miss it because we are worried about how others are receiving it - this person heard an audible voice - this person had a dream - this person - this person - it can go on and on. We are not here to compare and compete. We are here to be complete with one another, and with Jesus Christ. God knows what each person needs and when they need it. We need to continually humble ourselves and be grateful for the revelation we DO receive. God truly is in the details. I know He is always looking out for each of us even when we get distracted along the way. Some thoughts I loved from the Sunday school lesson we taught revolved around being God's children, the reason for our earthly progression, and going through the veil. A point that struck me was that the veil is there for the purpose of not remembering so we could learn and understand the power of choice and faith in our lives. The lesson stated, "A veil covers our memories of our pre-mortal life, but our Father in Heaven knows who we are and what we did before we came here. He has chosen the time and place for each of us to be born so we can learn the lessons we personally need and do the most good with our individual talents and personalities.........we learned that all of us would have trials in our lives: sickness, disappointment, pain, sorrow, and death. But we understood that these would be given to us for our experience and our good. If we allowed them to, these trials would purify us rather than defeat us. They would teach us to have endurance, patience, and charity"
It is a beautiful thing to know that God has a perfect plan that WILL help us receive the fullness of joy. He is the perfect guide to our life's journey. He has provided us with a Savior, Jesus Christ, and His grace to carry us through. I have gained a profound testimony of these things, and will forever be grateful for my knowledge of Heavenly Father and His plan. I know that what I go through, no matter how hard, it will give me experience and will be for my good. The same applies to all of us individually. You are so loved and so uniquely cared for. Tie a knot and hang on! ;)
I love and miss you all! Have the most amazing week full of goodness!
Always remember to smile!
Love, Sister Merrill
Yummy Cake Pops!
It's getting cold in Canada!
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