Saying Thanks

This week was really good. I’m not sure if I mentioned last week but we met with a Physics teacher from Harvard. We aren’t meeting with him regularly, but he said he wanted to meet once for a crash course of what we teach. He is a nice guy and it was really interesting to talk to him. He would be talking about some crazy-smart, off topic subject and Elder Gamblin and I would try and keep up and somehow manage to get back on topic. I think we held our own and the meeting turned out to be beneficial for both sides.

Remember that broccoli that made me sick, we left it out on the counter and then eventually realized it was there but at that point it was way to late and it made our kitchen smell like an outhouse. I have had some major broccoli issues lately.

This week was crazy. For one thing, we lost our phone. We had to juggle all over our appointments and hope and pray they would all work out. Most of them did. Some of them didn’t. I felt really stupid explaining to everyone at church that the friendly, reliable, missionaries did not call back because they had lost their phone somewhere in the city of Helsinki. But it was not a big deal and we found it today.

This week we also had Elder Texiera talk with us. He is a 70 and is a really good guy. I learned some really great things that will really help me become a more effective missionary. Our Mission President also talked and it is always good to hear from him. There was a point when he was saying his final words and he simply said: I love you. And I usually feel weird when certain people say that, but when he said it there was an awesome powerful feeling in the room. He is really cool.

The baptism was Saturday. She didn’t care who baptized or confirmed as long as it was either me or Gamblin. So, I baptized her on Saturday and Elder Gamblin confirmed her on Sunday. It was a really low key baptism and really awesome. Nailia is Russian and is a single mother raising her daughter, but it does not phase her at all. She is completely independent. She has been really fun to teach and get to know. Her strong female attitude reminds me of the females in my family. She is also really funny and we got along really great. There was a really great moment at the baptism. I had just gotten out of the font and was alone in the bathroom. I was praying and saying thanks for Nailia and for the baptism going smoothly. I felt amazingly peaceful, thankful and close to God.

I am having some really great experiences out here. I am thankful for the gospel. It is important to realize the blessings it has given us, because so often times they are taken for granted. There are little things that can be criticized about this and that in the church, but if we look at the big picture, everyone needs the gospel.

Love you all. TTYL.

V. Merkley