November 9 - #callnoah . . . Cuz there's going to be a FLOOD!!!

Well hi there, everyone!!!!!!!!!!

We receive constant updates about how we're doing with the monthly goal from our Zone Leaders and from President Packard. And yes, we use hashtags. :D #callnoah is one of the popular ones, hence the subject title.

Speaking of updates on our goal, do you want to hear about it???? We have. . . well. . . last I heard, we have 12 baptisms done this month, but yesterday was Sunday, so I'm sure there's more now. And we have 127 baptisms still set for the rest of the month. Can you believe it???? It's amazing! We have set even MORE dates! These next two weekends are really going to be big ones! We're working so hard over here, and it's definitely going to happen. We're going to go over our goal. I can't wait!

We had a big part in the success this week, too! Last Monday night, Sister Fernando and I had the opportunity to go to President Haight's home to teach an investigator named Wilmur for Family Home Evening. President Haight is the second councilor in the mission presidency, and he is such an incredible man. He's of the same mold as President Packard. He has mastered charity to the point that when he just looks at you, you can feel the pure love that Christ, and he, has for you. I've talked about him before. He's the one that gave CC the most incredible blessing I've ever heard after her baptismal interview. That whole family is amazing.

Wilmur, who we were able to teach, isn't really in our area. He's in the Revere Spanish ward, but President Haight found him and he's commonly fellow-shipped in his home, so we have permission to teach him now and then, joined with the Revere Spanish Sisters). He's young and awesome. He has been investigating for a few months, but he was always hesitant about the subject of baptism. He wanted to feel ready. Sister Fernando and I had been praying for ways we could contribute more to this monthly goal, and we decided he needed to be extended another baptismal date. . . for November. After this incredible lesson on the gospel of Jesus Christ, after reading 2 Nephi 31 with him and the Spirit being so incredibly strong, President Haight explained the blessings of baptism and invited him to be baptized November 22nd. Without hesitation, and with tears in his eyes, he said yes. It was so beautiful! We're teaching him the last couple lessons (with the Revere Spanish Sisters) and doing everything in our power to help him be ready for this wonderful day! We're so excited! And now he knows that the adversary is going to do everything in his power to stop this baptism from happening, and he's braced against whatever opposition comes his way. I'm so happy!!!!!!!!!!

In other amazing news, Susan got baptized! Wahoo! She was married on Tuesday, baptized on Friday, and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and received the Holy Ghost on Sunday! She did it! And we're so proud of her. She has a wonderful spirit. She was so nervous, but I've rarely seen anyone as ready as she was for this amazing step. So many of the missionaries in our zone showed up too, to bring THEIR investigators with baptismal dates, and other missionaries that taught her came, and the Portable visitor's Center Sisters came, and her family came. . . it was just a hit. It was also one of the more elaborate baptisms I've ever seen. For instance, have you ever seen a wedding cake at a baptism?? But that's just Belmont. :)

Hahaha, Sister Fernando and I do service at this Indian home. An older brother and sister live there. They're so sweet and funny and have the cutest Indian accent! We were raking their leaves this week and crammed as many as we could into the trash can, but it required some extra pressure, so Sister Fernando sat in it. Picture attached. It was very funny. :) Also, Sister Fernando is obsessed with doughnuts. She dragged me to a doughnut shop and ended up buying one of every kind they had. It was crazy!

I had the most amazing blessing of my life this week. Except for my Patriarchal Blessing, of course. But it was so incredible. Powerful, special, eye-opening, and full of hope. President Haight gave one to both Sister Fernando and I, and we truly understood that the Lord was speaking directly to us. It was an amazing experience.

Also, Muzzie sent my birthday and Christmas presents early, which is so great and completely like her. :D I thought I'd enclose the picture!

Thanks for everything!!!! I love you all so so so so so so so so so so so much!

Love,
Sister Merkley
MBM Missionary

November 3 - Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven!

Good morning, everyone! And what a beautiful November morning it is!

It's been an incredible week. So incredible. I hope I can explain it well enough to portray the kind of empowerment we felt from the Lord.

On Thursday, we had a visit from Elder Larry R. Lawrence. This man, if you're interested: https://www.lds.org/church/leader/larry-r-lawrence?lang=eng We had been preparing to see him for a long time, and we were so excited for what this wonderful man and his wife had to say!


Sister Lawrence spoke to us first. I want to grow up to be like her! She is amazing! She taught us some good, solid doctrine about the literal gathering of Israel, fore-ordination, and being the elect that I had never fully understood before. She brought the Spirit and opened our eyes to a number of beautiful truths!


After that was the most significant part of our week. Let me explain: 110 people in our mission have committed to be baptized in the month of November. That's unheard of. It's amazing! But the thing is, a large number of our dates that are usually set are not retained, because the adversary is working hard against us in this work. President and Sister Packard stood up together, along with all of the missionaries in leadership positions. They had all counseled together, with Elder and Sister Lawrence, and discussed what we could do to really retain the baptismal dates that we set. They told us that together, after much prayer and seeking for revelation, they decided to set a goal to retain at least 70 dates in the month of November. The highest we have ever gotten in one month is 59.

Our mission has never been a mission of numbers because it's really the people that matter, and numbers have the potential to distract from that. But every single one of us felt the Spirit in that room as they told us of this goal. The number represents 70 very real people with hopes and dreams and fears that could open the gate to their personal salvation this month. So altogether, we made a commitment that we would do whatever it took to make it happen. Every single missionary is making a personal sacrifice--committing themselves more than they have ever committed before, in an effort to bring the blessings of heaven into this goal. We all also committed to pray for this goal in every single one of our prayers, personal and public, until December 1st. We're praying for every single one of these people by name many times, and we're fasting as a mission.

This is one of the most exciting things that have happened to me on my mission! I've never felt more consecrated or had as much desire for a righteous goal! And I know--I know--we can do it. In fact, I don't want to limit the Lord to 70. That's the minimum we are aiming for, and we're ready to do whatever it takes! The entire mission is on fire, doing everything they can to live the higher law, be exactly obedient, and love the work!

I'm telling you all of this not only because I want you to know what's so important to me at this time, but to solicit your faith and prayers in behalf of these amazing investigators here in New England. We can't do this alone! We need the members here, we need you! We're not waiting on the Lord--He's waiting on us!

All of this was confirmed to us as Elder Lawrence stood up and testified. He was there when the goal was set, and he knows we can do it. He told us of a time he was in Russia as a mission president, and the mission set a goal to DOUBLE the number of baptisms from the previous year. They, too, sacrificed, prayed, fasted, and worked harder than ever to bring the blessings of the Lord into their mission. And they succeeded.

If you can't tell, we're excited. :) :) :) :) :) Thanks for reading all of that. This is going to happen!

And guess what? SUSAN is one of those amazing investigators getting baptized this month. I love her! I actually passed her off to Belmont from Weston six months ago! How crazy is that? She absolutely loves the gospel, and she's ready to make this covenant with Christ. In fact she's getting married TOMORROW in order to be ready for her baptism on FRIDAY! Please please keep her in your prayers!

That's the most important news. :) Oh yeah, there was Halloween, too. So we had a fantastic lunch with our zone, and Sister Fernando and I were in charge of the Fear Factor! We had them eat slugs and octopus and such. Don't worry, all fake. All edible. But pretty convincing. :) Sister Fernando is a natural. Then we had to be in early.

We also had Stake Conference and a marvelous fireside by Beauty Redefined-- twins with an awesome message for the world! You should look them up!

One last thing before I check out. Sister Lawrence so loves our goal that she wrote a song to the tune of I Stand All Amazed for us. :) :) :) It's basically the best.

I pray for the goal that the Lord has revealed to me.
I know in my heart that it will be reality.
I’ll work and I’ll show that I’m ready to sacrifice,
For blessings will come if I’m willing to pay the price.

Chorus:
It will be heavenly
When we reach seventy
Oh what a memory!
It will be heavenly—heavenly to me.

Thanks again for EVERYTHING! I love you all so much! Miracles are happening here in the MBM!

Love,
Sister Merkley
MBM Missionary