Hey Bobby

I figure that mission life is like a bobble head, at first its way sweet looking, but if you don’t keep pushing it, it transforms itself into a normal statue. Ya gotta stir it up.
We had a pretty good week. One of the highlights was that we had an investigator in church! It’s a long story but with the Family Erika (Mom) Erik (16) Aranza (12) Grecia (9) Job (4) we have been working with them a lot. Aranza came with us Wednesday to mutual and we were hoping that she was going to excite her whole family. Well the young women were practicing for their new beginnings program and they included aranza. So she got way exited for church. Well Sunday comes around and she calls us crying cuz they didn’t pass for her to go to church... so we went to pick her up in a taxi... but ya know how girls are she let her emotions get to her and shut herself in her room :) But her little sister wanted to come so Grecia came and had a wonderful time. Erika told us she wants to have the whole family go this Sunday... so were very excited for that.
As far as Rafael goes... he has his baptismal date for the fourth of March. It’s doable but this last week they had a little argument and there can’t be support and spiritual progression when there is contention. So that work went on hold for this week.
We have been contacting like crazy and were able to testify of our work in our zone conference. It went super well and we are focusing a lot on family history. My companion gave a talk and he did a good job for such little time we had to plan. President Walker said that family history will be a great way to keep the converts in the church with their family history and doing vicarious work in the temple.
My companion is a great guy. He’s serious so sometimes I have to laugh alone. He does although imitate Dale on King of the Hill saying "Gosh dangit bobby" super well, But I think heavenly father has a sense of humor too cause there is a way to enjoy the journey and do the work. Elder Muñoz has two younger brothers and a younger sister and has a very cultural background. His parents are from Mexico and Uruguay and met in Colorado in a church dance.... oh church dances :) This week in our companionship inventory he asked me in tears to not joke about Lilly because he can’t imagine his life without her... and I took that opportunity to commit him to not write his girlfriend the last month of our three months together. I’m super stoked for him to accomplish :) I figure missionaries can be as hard as investigators to crack :)
I’m lovin life and really sorry that I can’t send a picture of him today cause we just got done ripping down the rotted cardboard of a recent converts roof and didn’t take my camera. I’ll be sure to send you one next week.
Sometimes you just need a person who understands you, and as a missionary I’ve been trying to figure out how to understand the people, understand why they do, or don’t do what they do. It’s been a crazy journey and I’m exited for it to keep on keepin on. "Life’s not a statue, push the bobble head once in a while” With love

Had a berry good Valentines

Hi.

This week was pretty basic. Our solid investigator is still doing well but she left for Sweden for a couple weeks (And she is going to talk to her sons about the church and about her wanting to be baptized.) So, if you could pray for *her it would be great. (*The laws in Finland are weird so we aren’t supposed to write their names but I’m sure if you just say "Elder Merkley’s solid investigator," it will be understood what you mean.)

We had a pretty funny teach with a buff African who has a lot of tattoos and has been in prison a couple of times. Before my mission, this would have made me a little nervous, but with all the Africans I have met, I feel absolutely at home with them and knew that he was as harmless as a kitten. I love the foreigners from Africa. They are very humble and usually love talking with the missionaries. He told us his life story and he had had quite an interesting life. He had been in prison and deported a few times and just all sorts of wild stuff. We walked out having not really taught anything, but it felt good to just listen to him because that is what he seemed to need right then. I love all the random situations you get into as a missionary.

It really hasn’t been that cold lately. This week was actually a little warmer and im starting to think the worst is over. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still pretty dang cold, but much more manageable.

We wrote the Valentines to all of the missionaries. I just used the typical lame-o phrases like "Wood you be my valentine" (and drew a stick with a smiley face) and " Bee mine" (and I drew a dog.... just kidding, a bee) Haha it was pretty fun to think of all the cheesy lines.

That’s about it. Thanks for all the love. I love you all. Have a "berry" good Valentines.... (actual line used in one of the Valentines)

Vanhin Merkley

Bikes don't pedal when it's cold

Hi.

This week was colder than last week. I thought -20 C was unbearable, but when it got up to -30 C (about -20 F) It felt like the other weeks were almost warm. It was so cold that I actually had my snot freeze into hanging icicle like in the movies. It is definitely an extra challenge because we have to schedule everything so that we are not outside for to long. Also the bikes don’t pedal as well when it’s that cold. And also, people aren’t very open to talk when the last thing they want to do is stay any longer out in the cold. But, it is an adventure and pretty sweet to experience. I have not seen the Northern lights yet, but the clouds in Finland are really pretty. I don’t know what it is but they seem to move really fast and its usually dark and quite outside which really sets a sweet mood. We are staying warm, the gear I brought is holding up pretty well. I’m hoping I can get a few winter pictures to sent home because it is really pretty and also after a big bike ride it is crazy to see what we look like. No exaggeration in saying it looks straight out of the movies with frost everywhere, on the hat, scarf, hood, and even on the eyelashes. It is pretty dang cold.

This week we had a Zone Conference in Oulu. It is on the West side of Finland and is a really cool city. We took a car ride (with other missionaries) there and trained back. Combined it was about 14 hours of traveling, but it’s not bad because we just study and rest. The Conference was really good, President Rawlings talked about praying always and that is sort of the big push in the mission right now. I learned some good stuff. It was fun to see all the other missionaries. The mission is so funny because there are all types of personalities and when everyone gets together there are some interesting dynamics. I almost feel like I am back in high school sometimes but they are all really cool and its always a good time.

Me and my companion have a funny idea of writing valentines cards to everyone in the mission. Haha it will be a lot of work for our P-day but I’m thinking it will be pretty funny and worth it.

That’s about it. Things are very cold, but going good here. It is really good to hear from you all, thanks for everything. I heart you all.

Love ya, Vanhin Merkley

For Missionary's Sake - Go To Church!

Elder Muñoz and I were super stoked for the happy holy hard week of work we finished Saturday night. We were sure Rafael was going to go to church, had some crazy powerful lessons with him and his wife. We had a family that committed to go and all her kids were crazy exited and committed to help their mom so that everyone could be ready for church!!!!!!!!! It was crazy sweet and we felt good with all the other people we had invited and had agreed. And even with all the prayers and fasting........ Long story short no one came. :) That’s when you just gotta smile... take a step back... of course laugh and make a few appropriate jokes... and get even more exited for the next week of even more dedication :) and KEEP SMILING face written everywhere in the house. I'll promise to write more next week. Take care I love you--
Elder Shaun Rhodes

Slice Open the Snow Camel

Hi.

This week has been really cold. Its the kind of cold that really smacks ya right in the face right when you go outside. We were biking from a recent convert’s house that lives really far and I almost thought we weren’t going to make it. I kept thinking about the part in Star Wars when Han slices open the snow camel and puts Luke inside to stay warm... I could have really went for a nice warm snow camel to snuggle up inside of. It’s different than Utah in that it is not only super cold at night but instead its super cold all the time. And in winter its always cloudy and so I realized this that I hadn’t seen the sun for a long time but then on our way to church I saw it. I was really great to see the sun again, and really weird because even with the sun the air was still freezing.

Our gold investigator is still doing great. She came to church again and is reading and praying. We are really excited. This last Sunday I gave a talk about the Holy Ghost and I had to write it all out in Finnish because I didn’t want to freeze and forget simple words. I had my companion (who is younger in the mission than me but knows the grammar like a whip KWA-CHEE (whip sound)) go through and correct some stuff. The talk went pretty well and was understandable, but after our investigator said she could correct it even more for if I ever wanted to give it again. And I saw her correcting just the first page and there were A LOT of corrections. Haha. So, in other words, I was humbled.

We are still doing a lot of finding and things are a bit slow still. But I’m having a great time. My companion is cool and the area is sweet. I wish I hadn’t ruined my camera battery because the winter time is really pretty. When it gets super cold the trees get frosty white, it is somehow different than in Utah, but it is really pretty.

All is going well here. The mission is a good life.

Thanks for all you guys do. I love and miss you all. Keep being cool.

Vanhin Merkley

Buenos Dias todos,

So we got changes yesterday and I will be staying here in the Hacienda while my companion Elder Wittwer will be going to an area like 15 minutes away from here haha. I will be district leader and will train a new missionary fresh from the sea (mtc).The weather has been absolutely perfect lately with clouds over all the mountains. It rained a bit also. I will be gettin a new comp I'm still not sure if he is from the states or from down here, but I am really excited no matter what. The week was good, I have yet to find my camera, but an elder let me borrow his for the week, but I think I will buy one today. On Tuesday we did divisions, and I got to go with the Elder that trained me when I first got to Mexico, Elder Lopez. It was a good experience and I learned a lot from him. The investigators are going well, but there is one problem. They are splitting our area in 2 so I will now be in La Hacienda 1, and I will be losing the investigadors that are progressing. Its kind of a bummer, but I know its inspired and will be for the best. We ate lots of tacos this week and had tomales for breakfast on Thursday with a really awesome hermana. We are going to be moving houses soon and we will be 4 Elders living together for the whole change. It will be interesting, but exciting. I think I have turned a little OCD on my mission, I like to be really organized and clean, and the houses here are the complete oppostie. So Im deciding whether to battle against the culture or tranquilize the OCD haha.
This week I had a sure answer to a prayer. I had a question on my mind for a while, and woke up one day and knew the answer. It was really wild and an experience that I have never had before. I want to invite you all to read your patriarchal blessings and pay attention to the promises... and the conditions upon which those blessings can be obtained. I was overwhelmed by the promises in mine this week and also a little overwhelmed in what I need to do in order to receive them. But at the same time I felt a lot of excitement to do my best to acheive it.I love you all, you help me more than you know. Hasta la otra- Elder Millet

Why bad stuff happens to good people...

I had a great past week, one of my favorite things that we did was with the Sepulveda Tovar family. We have been helping this family for a long time; the brother is seventeen and has a lot of doubts with serving a mission. The daughter is married and has two daughters. And the mom is kind of inactive and isn’t really supporting her family in their spiritual growth. We have been passing with Rafael, the spouse of the daughter... who isn’t a member. Even though he’s been asking us to continue coming and helping him and his family... he’s had the problem... no help to his wife with not assisting church. The family knows it’s true and they want all the blessings of the gospel without the commitment. Well we made a family home evening appointment and answered one of their biggest questions... Why do bad things happen to good people? It’s pretty natural here cause bad stuff happens to good people and the bad people get away with some good stuff :) that sentence makes me laugh. Well the mom went to church and it made me super happy... and there they answered the question of why good stuff happens to bad people... and I got off with the easy question... and it all is solved with a few scriptures.

1. 1 Nephi 11 16-17 It doesn’t matter what happens in life... we don’t understand the meaning of all things... and we can’t pretend like we’re going to in this life but we know god loves us. And that changes our questions from "why does god chastise me (even though that’s politically incorrect)" to "What can I learn from what I’m going through in this life."

2. We might have trials but we shouldn’t let them define us like Alma and amulek... one of the most horrible scenes in the book of Mormon watching them burn women and children.

3. that Jesus Christ understands us through the atonement Alma 7 11&12 and that he wants us to use our free will to choose his course... and that if we live right... we will return to the presence of our Heavenly Father and all knowledge will be restored unto us. I loved the topic... it’s a hit with all the stuff going on in Mexico and I was able to bear my testimony of our savior Jesus Christ. I know he lives and loves us... That just as a father or mother would cry to watch their babies dying... that spiritual death is even more important... its eternal,,, and that it is possible that our Savior cries being holy from eternities to eternity Moses 7 29-33.

We were able to feel the spirit more... talk about our decisions to serve missions and testify to the son Misael in front of his brother in law Rafael that isn’t member... the feelings one receives on the mission. The happiness to see someone offer their humble prayer and come to feel of the truth... of Baptism and the saving ordinance that it is and the thanks that the people return to you for having chosen to serve a mission. I’m grateful for this area... for all of the people and more especialmente for my savior... for my mother that loves me so much to have scheduled the interviews with the bishop and the stake president to help me leave on the mish.

My companion is learning a lot and I am learning with him. Hna walker called us up and challenged us to do 20 contacts daily in the street and we are going to bear testimony in our zone meeting.. It has made us super energized and stoked to contact our whole area. By the end of this year ... I will have contacted... or have helped more than 4,000 people know of the true and restored gospel...