June 24th-30th

Jun 24, 2019

Today was a good day, we got up, cleaned the room, washed our clothes, I got a smokin hot haircut, then we headed into Lambayeque to play futbol. I had a header, so I was pretty pumped up about that. We did not keep score, but my team had to of won 15-2 at least. I got to see Elder Watson and another Elder from my ccm group again today so that was nice. Sister Balderrama called me and said our desks came in and we needed to pick them up. We went into Chiclayo and got to the offices and then she told us that a delivery truck was going to bring them to us next week... so that was 2 hours and 30 soles well used! Ha-ha but I got to see Elder Huff my companion from the ccm so that made it all worth it! We then came back to Jayanca and taught an amazing family and they were so inviting and learned so well! I have high hopes for him in the future! I love you and good night.

Jun 25, 2019

Today was a good day, we had a weekly planning session and that was not very eventful. We then went out and tried to teach people, but no one was home. So, we talked to new people. Long story short we did not have much success today, but we had one lesson that was extremely important. We had to ask the parents of an investigator with date if she would give permission to baptize her daughter. Well we taught the first lesson and it was weird because the mom was all over the place emotionally, yelling at her kids, to laughing hysterically, all during the lesson. So, I felt quite uncomfortable, but in the end, she said she is fine with her daughter getting baptized. So, I will count the win and go on to tomorrow. I love you and good night.

Jun 26, 2019

Well today was a good day, we headed up to Motupe to having a meeting and that was really good. Elder Flake is my zone leader and he is who we bunked up with in Jean my first day in the mission! He got a kick out of me and all I was doing was describing our investigators. We came back to Jayanca and had some alright lessons. I have been leading the area for a week and a half and my companion has yet to step up to the plate. I’m keeping my patience but I’m also leading the new missionaries in Mochumi, that’s a town about 30 min away and they call me for pointers on travel and stuff like that because after 7 months I’m kind of a pro! Ha-ha well I love you good night

Jun 27, 2019

Well I’m going a little crazy, our investigators are not progressing, and I have been in this tiny town for so long I feel like I have talked to everyone at least 5 times. But it’s all good I will fix this, I do not know how, but I will find a family. I also called the leaders of the zone and they helped me out a ton, Elder Flake read alma 27:29 and it pretty much talked about how alma was in an area for 14 years and he still had success. He taught the people in the streets, in their homes, in their churches, their synagogues, and on top of their hills. He then told me do not go into any church to teach but to just go out and swing away. He ended this speech of motivation with asking me how much I weigh, I told him about 170 (I’m down 40 pounds hashtag Peru weight watchers) and asked how much I benched in high school, I told him 270. He said Elder Merritt you are so incredibly powerful, go out and multiply your talents! And if your companion does not want to work go out and carry him and take control of the situation. So, that’s my plan for tomorrow. I love you and good night!

Jun 28, 2019

Today was a busy day. I contacted everyone I passed by. I left the room and the first woman I passed I looked her in the eyes, and I said hi we are missionaries from the Chu-... and at that point she said never talk to me again. So, I passed by the second it was a similar experience, but I knew it was a trial of my faith. I turned around and there was a nun... so you know what I did. I looked her in the eyes, and I said we are missionaries from the Chur-.... and she cut me off. But only to say that her son wants to get baptized in the church that we represent. She then murmured to herself [and not in my church] insert pouting face emoji! He lives almost in Motupe. I knew my efforts this morning were not wasted and the Lord will give us blessings when we do our best and give everything we have! The blessings today were evident of this, later today after my 27th contact I prayed and told God I was done contacting and ready to teach, our next contact invited us into their home and we taught them a lesson, and the same applied to the next 3! At the end of the night Noelia called and said her mom gave permission for her to get baptized. I gave it my all today and in return I was able to see the blessings directly! I love you good night

Jun 29, 2019

Today was a tad bit disappointing. We went to the house of the man whose mom said he wanted to get baptized in the church. We go on a car ride about 15 minutes out of town to this sketchy alleyway into this shaggy looking house, we sit down to talk to him, and he starts off on his hernia in his crotch. He says its about 1000 soles to pay for the surgery, long story short he was just wanting the church to pay for it. I told him that we cannot help him financially, but we can help him feel the Lords love through this hard time. When I told him no, I then thought he was going to kidnap me because I was in a place no one would ever find me and I’m flashing around this ice on my wrist (my watch) so I invited him to the church, and we got out of there. Later Noelia and Olenka were not home and they need a lot of preparation before their baptisms. To end the night, we had a lesson with Diego, he completes every compromiso we give him! I’ll take the win for today, but my comp is still giving me a lot of opportunities to improve my Christ like attributes. I love you good night

Jun 30, 2019

Today was a big day, we got out of the room early to bring our investigators to church, well we sat down by a few of them and we got a call from the president of elders quorum. He was sniffling and told us to get president Vasquez. So, we left sacrament meeting to go see what was up. I cannot explain all of it due to it being personal matters, but we cried together. We went back to church. After church we walked with Edita the wife of Pdt Vasquez, and we talked about her inactive son and then she cried for a long time too. After that we did not have much success in lessons, we went to members houses and gave blessings of health to them then went to Noelia and Olenka, we taught the law of chastity and she had questions, and lot of them. She then cried because she is having problems in her home. By the end of the day there are more problems than solutions, but in these times and always it’s important to focus on the solutions than the problems. Too many times we sit down and only think how bad something is or how hard it is, this does us no good. I love you so much. good night!