"HUMONGOUS NEWS!"

Hey there!!!!

Thanks everyone, for emailing me! It means a lot. :) :) I miss you all soooooo much!
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Yeah. BIG news this week. BIG BIG NEWS. And no, I'm not getting transferred. Sister Slater isn't either. We're staying here, together. Interested yet? ;) Wait for it, I'm taking things in order.

First of all, we had interviews with President! That happens every other transfer. I already had respect for him, but it shot up. He is AMAZING. I want to be like him when I grow up!!!! Anyway, he helped me a lot. :) :) And we had a training session while others were having their interviews about getting referrals from INVESTIGATORS. I'm pumped!!!

We had a lesson with Kevin this week!!!! Remember him? The man who walked into the church asking for a Book of Mormon? Yeah, it's a little intimidating teaching him. I don't fill awkward silences naturally. :P BUT it went really well! We taught him the first half of the Plan of Salvation!!! He has been reading Mormonism for Dummies. Hahaha, can you believe that?? :D I was worried at first, but then he said one of the co-authors is LDS. :) It has kept him interested, at any rate.

This Friday was the big day of transfer announcements!!! The zone got together for a full morning of more training, and then over our lunch we all got the "T-texts". Elder Fish is leaving, to about as far away as you can get! He was a great missionary to work closely with. Everyone was freaking out about all the changes. Sister Slater and I thought we were off the hook. .

Saturday we had an amazing amazing amazing Women's Conference! The Stake Relief Society did a SUPERB job! I was soooo impressed! And a little bummed we really didn't get to participate. We were helping with Registration and set up and the beautiful lunch. :) But while in the midst of these crazy things to do, Sister Packard caught us and told us the crazy news.This is going to be difficult to explain. . . Okay, apparently a sister in another area is going home for surgery, last second. Here's the thing: Sister Slater and I cover Weston 1st Ward (with one set of Elders), two other sisters cover Weston 2nd Ward (with another set of Elders). President Packard is taking one of the sisters OUT of Weston 2nd Ward and putting her with the lonely sister whose companion is flying home soon. And Sister Slater and I are getting the OTHER Weston 2nd Sister as our THIRD companion. . . AND combining both Wards for us to cover. AHHHHH!!!! On top of suddenly getting a trio and and DOUBLING the amount of work to do, we're moving in with that Sister so our location will be more central to both wards. MOVING. 3-way-companionship. ANOTHER WARD TO COVER. Oh, and one more thing: We're in President Packard's ward now, too, and just around the corner from him. So we'll be helping out at the Mission Home a lot.

Crazy, huh? In fact I had a bit of a stress attack about it yesterday. Ha. I'm fine! I just was thinking about how many people and places I couldn't keep straight with ONE ward. But we can do it! There's three of us! We'll be in out new place by Wednesday! And I love the third sister we're getting. Her name is Sister Hollein. She's so sweet and super motivated. Isn't it strange that I had a trio in the MTC and and now here, in my second transfer? Apparently Heavenly Father was training me. This is really unheard of. Trios are rare. I just hope we can balance the lessons, keep everyone straight, stay under the mile limit for the car, and all be best friends as we share the gospel!

One last thing: Kevin came to church and brought his daughter!!!! YAY!!!!! But Dawn dumped us. :P :( That was really sad, actually. Out of the blue. We think Satan attacked with his Anti-Mormon junk. . . :( :( :(

Anyway, the work goes on! So many people to share the light of Christ with!!!! I'll tell you how crazy things are next week!

Love and miss you all! Remember who you are and what you stand for!

<3,

Sister Merkley
MBM Missionary