The Assembled

On a scale one to ten... I've been really lame about keeping a record of the proceedings in my days. I hate that I just used that language to describe this dilemma. All my jokes are either semi-mission inappropriate or pure Mormon cheesiness (like that thing I did up there). I'm working on changing both of those real quick.


I'm sorry for not giving my heart into the letters lately. It's hard. Once I got out of the habit of writing in my journal for so long my desire to pick it back up has diminished. I feel like I did when I was on family vacations growing up. Lindsay, Mom and Kenna Koo would always want to stop and take pictures when I just wanted to have fun and enjoy the moment. I didn't want to have to take time to capture the images for the future or take time to ponder. I just lived. Now I feel the same way... which is bad. I think it's a sign of a couple things and I don't know why I'm still talking about this instead of writing about my week like I halfway intended to. Procrastination is why. Regardless, I think that my current mindset and habits show that 1. I'm having fun. (good) 2. I'm becoming more careless. (bad) 3. I'm not being responsible or sensitive to others feelings or the future. (bad bad) So... I apologize. I just need to mean it now and do something about it. I commit to writing in my journal every day this week to all of you! Ah why did I do that.................. ah man. Ok I'll do it. Maybe. No I will. Definitely. Possibly. Probably not. No. No way. I change my mind. I don't want to do it. Just kidding. I"ll do it. Maybe.


Let me start by telling you our poorly thought out philosophy that we're acting under right about now. Maybe it will give a little context and reason behind what I'll tell you about... maybe not.I don't know. Just so you know, I don't claim this to be the most well thought out, time proven, Apostolic witnessed plan. It's just an experiment. Basically, to put it eloquently, we're trying anything and everything to blow up this dang area. I'm trying all sorts of different conversation style (all guiding to the PMG lessons don't worry) and we're going to all sorts of places to meet the people that might be prepared to hear the Good Word. We're having a good ole time doing it too. It seems to be working too. We found nine new investigators the past couple days.


I'll tell you a couple stories. (Don't get your hopes up)


We talked to a guy who is a strong Christian and knows a lot about our church. When we talked to him he was carrying some basketball shoes so we said we should play ball sometime. We got his number and he ended up texting us later and invited us to a christian study group later that night. We were like...hey... why not. We're trying anything (within the rules, sweet Mother. Don't you be worryin' about me now) We ended up going to an event called 242 which is in reference to Acts 2:42. Apparently it's just a scripture they really like. Yeah... ha never mind.. So the guy who taught was very charismatic. He spoke like it was like a poetry slam or something. Whole lot of that false doctrine though. For some reason I was kind of surprised. It was basically like reading Alma 1 and he was Nehor. He's cool though cause at the end we met him and were just joking around and making friends with everyone. I didn't think it would be a good move to preach anything in that setting. I wouldn't have taken that well if I were in there shoes. We just primed the pump. The next day on campus we had some people come up to us from that little meeting. It was cool because then it became a good opportunity to share some good ole restored truths. Looky there.


We were walking around campus one night and were talking to each other about how we wish someone would invite us to CCF (Campus Christian Fellowship) because that's where a lot of our investigators go to church so we needed an "in" on that community. As we were walking along the yellow brick road (they have one of those on campus) one of our investigators walked by and invited us to go to CCF ha. It's a Friday night service. So we were like... yep... and off we went to the Christian service with hundreds of college kids. This service was way different than the 242. No false doctrine taught. None. It was beautiful actually... and they taught out of the same bible. I won't go off on what that implies because I'm too lazy right now. Just know that the Book of Mormon is necessary scripture. Man I love that book. It's a good one. I should memorize it someday. Probably won't though. Anyways, we ended up knowing like 20 or more people at this service so we didn't even really feel out of place other than the whole name tag thing. There's a girl who used to be taught by the missionaries about a year ago who was impressed that we came and wants to start meeting again. Good stuff.


A couple months ago I came here on an exchange and talked with a guy who said we should stop by sometime. So when I was transferred here we.. you know... stopped by. He lives with a bunch of interns for CCF. It's called "the home." It's a sick place.(Sick means awesome for the older generation that might not understand) They invited us back to have dinner with them all and so we had some good french toasties with them this week. We had a nice gospel conversation with them after. Cool experience. Not too much has come from that yet because they're pretty set in their ways but we made some good friendships.


Yesterday we stopped by a guy who the sisters talked to a while back. He invited us in and started talking about how much he's loved the Book of Mormon. He's just sat down and said, "I love how it says we need to ponder it in our hearts to find out from God if it's really true." We just smiled. We didn't even really have to teach. We just guided the knowledge he already had into the first lesson and he answered his own questions from it. He'll be baptized soon. He's a prepared soul. Good man.





P.S. Here are some Pictures with a description hopefully in the right order.

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I hope this picture makes you feel weird...

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That's just how we do things in the comp

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She makes me wear suits and take pictures sometimes

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Ladies and Gentleman, Sister P in the house!

Trip on the Road

There was a lot that happened this week. A lot of good things. A lot of painful things... but not too painful. Just momentary. I guess I'll start with transfer day. I woke up and could tell that it was going to be "one of those days."

We picked up the new missionaries from the airport and gave something of an "inspirational welcome...". The time came when we handed out the transfer slips to the zone leaders and then it was set. I was heading to Bellingham as a ZL. I had a new companion and area and that was my new duty and role in the mission. President was interviewing the new missionaries in his office and opened the door as I walked by to leave on my road trip. I said, "Well I'm about to leave, President." We hugged and shed a few tears until a new missionary walked in without knocking ha.

I went outside and sat on one of the new bikes in the parking lot and talked to Elder Draper about everything. I miss him. Sister Bonham came out and also shared a tearful goodbye.

It's like another world here in Bellingham. I walk into my new home, and Sister P., the nicest lady in the world greets us. Every morning we come back from the gym and she has a protein shake smoothie there waiting for us. My first night I told her I hadn't done my laundry because I didn't have a p-day the day before. So I put them in and I wake up and all my clothes are folded and she is sewing the holes in my clothes ha. She is an angel.

The day after transfers we had zone meeting. It was nice to teach zone meeting again. This zone is really young. I think we're going to push them. Really push them and help them feel loved and accountable. That's our goal. There is so much potential up here. I want to know how we can sustain progress. We have days that are the highest in the mission for the zone. Then it decreases another day. We're praying about how we can maintain consistency. As for our area, Elder Pectol and I just walk around campus all day and talk with people like they're friends and find new investigators left and right. It's the best. Before I left the office we made a district meeting outline and had everyone in the mission track their contacts during the day. A contact is defined by: teaching a principle to and leave an invitation to a non member. Elder Pectol and I had 51 one day outside of teaching appointments and everything else. It's been so nice to get out and work again. I feel really happy. A lot less stressed.

So we showed up at church yesterday and found out there was a non member there. So we go over and talk with him and he said he's taking institute, been to church before, and already had the lessons. Umm... so we just talked to him about his band and stuff ha. He'll be baptized soon.

Saturday morning we had like twenty minutes to spare before a meeting with our ward mission leader so we just went to the college and contacted for a bit. There were two girls who were going to breakfast that we started talking to and ended up meeting an hour later in the library. The day before there was a girl walking to class that I talked to and was able tot each her the first lesson and get a return appointment right there. Stuff like that happens all day here ha. It's crazy. Maybe it was just a good week. I don't know.

I was on a mini exchange with some other elders and we just went tracting around their area. My goal is to always find a new investigator on every exchange we go on. It can happen. Expect miracles and they happen. I've seen it. On like our fifth door a guy opens the door and gives a us a mean stank face. Ha so sassy. I asked him his name and he was like, "Pshh what's yo name son!?" We talked for a bit and he let us in. We talked for like 40 minutes and was able to teach him. It was a funny lesson. At one point he said, "Da**it, Merrill! You know you got black in you right!?" I was like, "You right. You right." Before we left we were talking about what he should wear to church and he was like, "Merrill, you know we brotha's got to look good a church!" He came to church yesterday.

Some day the clock will end and I won't get to do this any more. I want to enjoy these moments while they last. Workin hard. Playin hard. It's life up here in the B-ham. I miss you guys. I love you.

Breaking the wall,

Elder Trent Jay Merrill

On to the next one

I feel like I've learned a couple of things about where exhaustion comes from. This may seem like a list of complaints for the week... and maybe it is... but I enjoyed them all kind of.

Monday: P-day. At least on paper. We were in meetings most of the day to figure out the zone splits and apartment openings. More fun than Vegas. Later in the night I went with the Snohomish zone leaders to do a little thrashing of my nostalgia. Exchanges, playa. I want a better name for exchanges than exchanges.

Tuesday: Snohomish exchange... (or whatever name is better sounding than exchanges that I can't think of.) I felt nice to be back in my old area again. It was like taking a whiff of a familiar smell that you can't quite put your finger on. Except this time I could put my finger on it, because Snohomish smells like.... Sulfur. I haven't been back to work on an exchange since I've left. The zone leaders there are both pretty young and motivated. They are four packing with one visa waiter who is going to Brazil. We started off the day with a lesson with one of their potential investigators. The spirit was strong and she accepted the invitation to be baptized at the end.

We made a goal to talk with as many people as we could throughout the day. It's hard to be able to know how to make those contacts a non awkward situation. Because... it's an awkward situation. We ended up finding a lot of people who are prepared to accept Christ's gospel. When we had five minutes left before they were going to take me back to the office they stopped by a less active's house who I knew to say hi. I had a feeling that we shouldn't stop by but that we should try to see one more potential instead. So I asked if that would be ok and they were cool with it... I felt like a tool doing it but like... the spirit, man. Listen to the spirit. So we went to visit the potential but they weren't home. On the way out of the apartment complex there was a lady on the phone who waved and so we went over to talk to her. She was pretty nice and would talk to us about anything. She was on the phone with her mom and after we talked for a bit she said that we should come and teach her and her family at any time and her mom, who lives a couple hours away, asked if missionaries could come visit her too. They asked for a prayer and then we left. We had a whole day of people like that. Two of them are YSA's that me and my comp will start teaching.


Wednesday: The grind. We were in the office preparing for meetings that were the next day and then had teaching appointments to fill the time that we didn't have. We drove to the airport to drop off and Elder which took up a good three hours. The good thing is that Elder Draper gets in these "Adventure moods" where he just kind of wants to be chased by zombie's or something. So we both kind of got in that mood and it was way stormy and it perfect. There is a bathroom on the lower level of the airport by the baggage claim that is probably my all time favorite bathroom. So we made sure we hit that up. It's the little things that keep us going. While we were walking out to our truck there was a good jazz song playing and we it felt like we just robbed the place or something. Walking out with swag. It was nuts. I think we're just out of it. President came back from his interviews around 10pm and we stayed working on transfers till 2:00am then Elder Draper and I had to prep for our training the next day of MLC. I fell asleep around 4:30-5:00am. Woke up at 6:30 to do it again.

Thursday: Woke up early to set up for the all day MLC meeting. We instructed on "Teach when you find, find when you teach."-PMG I think it went pretty ok. Elder Draper and I were both pretty tired so we're not exactly sure how it went. The zone leaders in Everett texted us later that day and said, "Hey we tried what you trained us on today and met a guy on the street who became a new investigator and wants his family to be taught too." That's always good to hear. Preach My Gospel really knows what it's talking about. We just talked to the zone leaders about what it takes to get a new investigator. What it takes to have a lesson. Then what makes it difficult to have that happen while we're contacting people on the street. So we made a list of all the situations that make it hard to teach someone a lesson while contacting. Like they're walking away from you. In a large group of people etc. We discussed ideas of how we could still teach them and testify. We had them role play their hardest situations and we came up with good ways to help together. It was good. I didn't feel as tired as I did loopy. We didn't have to stay up that night as late to prep for the two meetings we had the next day. Love that. We just had a little prep for it and went to sleep a little after midnight.

Friday: Had two meetings. New missionary training and Trainer training. I took the zone leaders on a break out and went over their responsibilities and assignments and whatever else. Elder Draper took the district leaders. I think it went well they had good questions. For the trainers meeting later in the day we just went over their role and how to be effective in training (which I've never done so I just share experiences of being on the other end of training ha.) That night we went to pick up bikes and order some more in Snohomish for all the new sisters coming in tomorrow. Gray Friday.

Saturday: Conference. It was good to somewhat relax and be able to watch the men of God speaking to us. It was like Christmas. After one of the talks President Bonham texted me and said, "He was talking to you, Elder Merrill!" It was nice of him to think of me. I love that man. I wish I could have focused more on conference I felt pretty out of it. I still felt uplifted and had some good notes to take away. It seemed like this conference had a different feel than all the other ones I've seen. There was like this sense of urgency. Like... I don't know. It was very bold and pressing. I loved it. It just seemed different. I want to study it more to find out why it seemed that way to me.

Sunday: Conference... well kind of. We watched the first session at President's and ate some scones and joked around. We worked on transfers for a bit then missed the second half of conference while driving to the airport to drop off visa waiters. Then we split and drove all the way to the north of our mission in our own cars to pick up the missionaries that were going home the next day. We took them all to Presidents and then had dinner and testimony meeting. It was beautiful. These are like my best friend missionaries that are leaving. My heroes when I was first in the mission. My leaders. My brothers. It was a hard night. After the meeting we dropped them off at our apartment while we went back to the office to do numbers and look at transfers. We got back around around midnight and stayed up till after 2am talking with all our dear friends who we took to the airport early this morning.

Monday (today): Drove to the airport. Said good bye. Used my favorite bathroom again. Called out transfers to the mission. Tonight we'll be up pretty late prepping for tomorrow's transfers too. This is where men are made. The mission, folks. Changin' lives.

I feel like I'm almost ready to exhale for the first time in a long time... Maybe I'll miss being here in the office... I just don't know when. From my perspective right now all I want to do is get out and be a missionary again. Not that I haven't been... well... I dont' know. I've felt more like a business man the past four or five months. Which is ok but I'd rather save that for when I'm home. I'm going to the holy land to be a zone leader again... Belligham YSA. I'll cover the University ward where I found Katy a couple months ago. She's back in that ward and I can't wait. I think this is what they call a dream come true. The only bad part is that I feel really bad for Elder Draper. Poor guy. He's exhausted. President said he felt like I needed to be in Bellingham for the zone split. There's been a lot of problems up there. I don't really understand it all. He definitely has an unorthodox way of doing things with transfers... things that have never been done before. I trust him. Pray for my hero, Elder Draper: A.K.A Superman.

I think being here I've learned a lot of things. One: stress. It happens. I've dealt with it poorly and successfully. I think I like dealing with is successfully better. I feel like I could have done a lot more here to have fulfilled my assignment to it's highest potential. I also feel that way about being a zone leader and a district leader so I feel pretty grateful that I get to be a zone leader again to do it differently than I did before. I'm going to learn from my failures. I have plenty to choose from. I believe that it is ok to fail. I believe that it's ok because I've done a lot of it and sometimes learn some good things from it. I don't remember which talk it was but he talked something about that. President Uchtdorf? Probably... my brain is quite gone. Anyways, I love you and God. Always.

Elder Trent Jay Merrill