This week went pretty good.  I guess I will start off this with the sadder part of news.  We were supposed to have a baptism yesterday, but our baptismal candidate left last Monday for work in Manila.  He won't be back until June, which means he won't be able to be baptized until July, if he gets baptized.  Elder Trujillo was pretty disappointed about that.  That was going to be his last convert baptized, but now he is not going to see another baptism on his mission.  Although we won't be having another baptism this transfer we still have a lot of receptive investigators and less actives we are teaching.          I met a man this week that is RLDS.  I didn't think that church existed in the Philippines but there exists at least one.  It was a very different conversation because he believed and accepted our basic truths, he just didn't completely understand them.  He isn't from Pozorrubio so I probably won't ever talk to him again but it was very strange.  He is closer to the truth than I normally see, but yet at the same time he is further from finding the truth.  In Preach My Gospel it talks a little bit about culture.  It says to embrace the aspects of culture that support the Gospel and discard those that do not.  Philippines is very family centered.  They are very close to their families.  This is very good.  It seems to me however, that there is very little organization in those families.  It is kind of an anything goes game.  I've begun to notice that through the church, the young parents here who never had good parenting can learn how to raise their families.  Everyone loves the family here, and the church really helps pull the family together.        Yesterday before Sacrament Meeting I was playing prelude music from the children's songbook.  As I was playing a young boy came up behind me and began to sing the song I was playing.  He was joined by a few more shortly afterwards.  As they sang the spirit was so strong.  The little children are very pure and precious.  They are very close to heaven.  It was a great moment for me as I sat and simply listened to the singing of such precious souls.  This week I felt very good about everything we were doing. I feel very good about my skills as a missionary as well.  One of the hardest people we have to teach is a little 9 year old girl.  It is very different when we teach to a child, and in some ways much harder. You really have to make sure everything is simple and cut away anything that isn't necessary.  I am glad for the opportunity to teach children.  I feel that teaching children helps very much to improve the overall teaching skills.  Children you will always teach as a child, but sometimes it is forgotten that even for the adults here the information is so foreign and new that in some ways you must treat them as a child.  If we teach so a child can understand the teaching is more effective for all who are present.   -- Good luck to you all and have a wonderful week,                                                                            Elder Nathaniel J. Merrill

Hello to you all. I had another good week here in the Philippines.  I forgot my camera at the apartment so I won't email pictures this time.  To start off Trixcel Martinez got Baptized this week.  Her Baptism date was set for Saturday, but then on Monday she called and says she wouldn't be there on Saturday.  We of course were saddened but then she asked if she could have her baptism on Tuesday instead.  (which was the next day.)  So we hurried and informed our ward  about changes and arranged to have people come to her baptism.  As it was it went well.  It could have gone a little smoother though.  The person who was supposed to be baptizing her didn't show up, so Elder Trujillo performed the Baptism himself.  It was really great though.  Trixcel was very excited.  Afterwards she kept saying 'Now I'm a finally a member of the church.'  I should also mention that Trixcel was found because of our less active effort.  She was a referral from a less active member.  Anyway we were very excited to see her baptized.  

     This week we also had a wedding.  The wedding was on Saturday so maybe it was good that Trixcel's Baptism was moved, that would be a lot of activities for one Saturday.   Christopher Nasis got married, he is an investigator right now and if all goes well he will be baptized soon.  His new wife is already a member.  At their wedding I was playing the piano, and after I played the Bishop got up and was talking about the program.  The Bishop said there would be four witnesses, he named the first three and then he was kind of stuttering and looking around, then he looks over at me and says 'Elder Merrill will be the last witness.'  So I ended up being the witness for the wedding.  It was an exciting event, especially because we can see the Progress of Christopher as he prepares for his baptism.  We are excited for him.  The wedding was very simple, only about 20 people there, but the Nasis' were happy for their wedding.  A wedding is a huge commitment in the Philippines, especially because the country doesn't recognize divorce of any kind.  The Stake President came up from Urdaneta to perform the wedding and I got to talk to him afterwards.  The Stake President is a really cool guy, he is a really good man.  He also really loves the Church.  He asked me a bunch of questions about Utah and how the Church is over there.  

        This week I went on exchanges again.  I worked in my area with Elder Tiempo.  Elder Tiempo is a Philipino trainee right now.  I know my area fairly well now.  On our exchange it started to rain during one lesson.  While Elder Tiempo was speaking the rain was loud, but bearable, then I started to speak and the rain was so loud that I was yelling and I still wasn't being heard.  Then Elder Tiempo started to speak and the rain subsided.  As I tried to speak again the rain again became overbearingly loud.  It seemed like every time I spoke the rain was loud every time Elder Tiempo spoke it was not loud.  That was the only lesson that it rained though, and the rest of our lessons went really well together.  Elder Tiempo also speaks pretty good English because he worked in a call center before his mission.  If you are wondering, yes, the people that call you over the phone are from other countries.  Elder Tiempo's accent is pretty good, but he says sometimes people would ask if he was from India.  

         There is one recent convert in our ward who has a lot of trees at their house.  They have many different varieties of fruit trees.   Every time I go over there they give me a different fruit to taste.  I have learned that there are many different kinds of Mangoes.  At least one is native to the Philippines but others were introduced later.  There are also many different bananas.  Some are very delicious.  I have also had some very sour kinds of fruit.  There are some that are shaped and colored impossibly  strange.  It is pretty fun though to see all these strange and different foods that don't even exist in America.  It is also fun to be able to eat mangoes and bananas right off of the tree.  

     I am doing great here  right now.  I am excited to teach.  I am glad to be working in this great area.  The work is progressing here in Pozorrubio.  

Good luck to you all and have a wonderful week,
                              

                                             Elder Nathaniel J. Merrill

This week was good, as usual.  We have a baptism later this week.  Her name is Trixcel, and just yesterday her older sister Jenary asked if maybe she could be baptized as well. Trixcel is very prepared for baptism.  She has been being taught for a long time and has been attending church for about 4 months.  She is also very excited about her baptism which I am very glad to see.  She was so nervous/excited yesterday when she met with the zone leader for her interview.  We will also be having one of our investigators , Christoffer, get married this Saturday.  He also has a planned baptismal date of May 5th.  That's what will be happening later this week

The stuff this week is exciting too.  I had to give a talk yesterday.  I gave an alright talk. I did write a talk,but then I ended up just winging it when I got up there.  The disadvantage of winging it is I didn't have my Tagalog scriptures with me, so I would think of scriptures to use, read them in English and then try to translate them.  Difficult to translate scriptural language.  I got made fun of this week at a dinner appointment.  They said I hold my spoon like a pencil. That is apparently wrong. We are working a lot with active members in this ward.  They have a lot of ward missionaries, and are really trying to help.  We find ourselves going to active members and teaching them principles from preach my gospel about how to teach the gospel.  The nice thing about that is that I am getting to know the ward very quickly.  I know many members because we are really trying to incorporate them. 

    Not always quickly enough, this last week we had a companion exchange and I led the area.  I was with a trainee American in my area.  We taught well our lessons were good... until our last lesson.  I couldn't find the last house we were supposed to go to.  I knew sort of where it was but not exactly.  It was near a church of another faith, and they were just getting out of a meeting, and were not very nice.  They wouldn't give us any directions so we just wandered around for a while until it became too late and we should head back.  The next day with Elder Trujillo we went back to that missed appointment.  I now know where the house is.  And all is well. I will also mention that yesterday is the first time she has come to church since I've been here, so despite our missed appointment it was alright.  

     We gave a few blessing this week, one of them particularly eventful.  Elder Dickey and Elder Tiempo, the other missionaries in Pozorrubio, told us someone in our area requested a blessing.  A nonmember showed up to church to ask for a blessing, and then was referred to us.  Elder Trujillo and I went to give this blessing to this nonmember lady.  Her daughter is a member in another country.  It just so happens that her husband is American.  We are going to teach an American.  Suddenly the tides have been turned, it's no longer me who has trouble with the language. but my companion.  It's not me who can't say what he wants to.  It will be very different, a lot more weight will be on me in teaching.  I don't know what will come of this, but I know it will be an interesting experience for me.  This is the first non-missionary American I've met here. Elder Dickey from the other companionship in Pozorrubio told me he his jealous and says when we go on exchanges he wants to come with me.

          Anyway things are going well.  I like it a lot here in my new area.

Good luck to you all and have a wonderful week,
Elder Nathaniel J. Merrill

Elder Merrill Letter

Today I am in Urdaneta City for P-day. We had to go to visit the mission office. Let me just say that Urdaneta is way bigger than Agoo or Pozorrubio. I am in a computer shop in a mall. They have a mall.
This week was good, it went by fast as most weeks do. I am getting to know the people in my new branch, and they are getting to know me. This week we went to a wedding for someone in the branch that was held at the church. We, the missionaries, said that we would try to attend if we had time that day. We ended up being able to attend but we were a little late. When we arrived they said they were waiting for us, and then informed me that I was playing the piano for this event. So with no time of notice I played the piano. That was somewhat exciting. They also later asked me to play for the ward choir when they sing next Sunday. There is another wedding this week. And another wedding the week after that. One of those weddings is for an investigator that wants to be baptized. He wants his wedding and baptism on the same day. That will certainly be a memorable day.
This week we met a lady on the street that was from Agoo. That was fun because I was able to talk to someone from a different place than I was and actually know what I was talking about. I felt like I was able to gain her trust and interest because I knew exactly what she was talking about. We taught her a lesson and she was very receptive. I gave her the names and phone number of the Elders in Agoo. I won't ever see if she progresses, but I do know that we here in Pozorrubio did our part.
This week I went on Exchanges with the Zone Leaders. I worked in an City called Binalonan. That is an area that John Bytheway( probably spelled wrong) opened up years ago. Some of the members there are his converts. I got to work with one of the Zone leaders and he helped me with a lot of things. Another thing about Binalonan, they have a hot shower. I don't know why or how, but they do. That was my first hot shower in months.
One exciting thing this week was a recent convert family went to the Temple to do baptisms for the dead. We taught them about the Temple before they went, then they went, and then we reviewed their experience with them and reemphasized preparing for eternal marriage. It was really exciting to hear them talk about their experience. I am so very happy for them. I am so happy to see people making changes in their lives and also to be a help in their change

Good luck to you all and have a wonderful week,
Elder Nathaniel J. Merrill

Pozorrubio 1st Ward

I got transferred this week. My new area is Pozorrubio 1st ward. Yes, that is a ward not a branch. Pozorrubio is in Urdaneta Zone, BTW. I am also in the Province Pangasinan. If you happen to meet any Filipinos they are more likely to know Pangasinan and then Urdaneta. Agoo is in Agoo zone in La Union province BTW. I probably should have said that when I got transferred there but I honestly didn't know the provinces at all back then. My new companion is Elder Trujillo, he is the district leader. He is a Filipino and he is from Visayas Island in the Philippines. I don't remember the town. He speaks alright English, but we just speak Tagalog all the time. He has been in the mission... 23 months. I am going to kill him, i.e. be his companion when he goes home. My new area is a little bit different from Agoo. For one, it is hotter. I feel a lot hotter now than I ever did in Agoo. Speaking of that I also feel taller. Filipinos are relatively short, but i always had an American next to me. Now without that American I feel huge.

Yesterday was conference. I really enjoyed it. The power went out twice during it though. Most people only attended the Sunday Morning session. We had to go to Urdaneta City to the Stake center to watch it. Two talks I liked were Cheryl Esplin and Richard G. Scott. Sis Esplin talked about parenting and teaching children, but her words easily apply to teaching in general. After all if you can teach a child, you should be able to teach anyone. Elder Scott spoke on personal revelation which of course I need daily. I also liked how Elder Scott mentions his wife in seemingly every talk.

I like my new area, I've already met some great people. We taught one family with a cute little girl. They are recent converts. After the lesson the little girl, who is very talkative told us to stay and eat. My thoughts were to politely decline, but after I did the parents said that if we don't stay for food their child will cry. Needless to say we ate some food. very funny little girl.

Before getting transferred I hoped for the opportunity to be able to play the piano again in my next area. (Actually the Two things I wanted and prayed for was to have a Filipino companion and be able to play the piano.) Well I met the Bishop and he asked if I knew how to play the Piano, I answered yes and thought my opportunity was coming. His next request surprised me. He then asked if I could teach Piano lessons to his daughter. So earlier today, and every Monday following I am now teaching Piano lessons. That is going to be more difficult then just playing in Sacrament. The Bishop said I will leave a legacy in this ward and they will always remember me because I am teaching them to play the Piano. All in all, I like my area, the people here, and my companion. It looks like it will be a good transfer. I will miss Agoo, but I am still excited for Pozorrubio.
Good luck to you all and have a wonderful week,
Elder Nathaniel J. Merrill

Pozorrubio 1st Ward

I got transferred this week. My new area is Pozorrubio 1st ward. Yes, that is a ward not a branch. Pozorrubio is in Urdaneta Zone, BTW. I am also in the Province Pangasinan. If you happen to meet any Filipinos they are more likely to know Pangasinan and then Urdaneta. Agoo is in Agoo zone in La Union province BTW. I probably should have said that when I got transferred there but I honestly didn't know the provinces at all back then. My new companion is Elder Trujillo, he is the district leader. He is a Filipino and he is from Visayas Island in the Philippines. I don't remember the town. He speaks alright English, but we just speak Tagalog all the time. He has been in the mission... 23 months. I am going to kill him, i.e. be his companion when he goes home. My new area is a little bit different from Agoo. For one, it is hotter. I feel a lot hotter now than I ever did in Agoo. Speaking of that I also feel taller. Filipinos are relatively short, but i always had an American next to me. Now without that American I feel huge.

Yesterday was conference. I really enjoyed it. The power went out twice during it though. Most people only attended the Sunday Morning session. We had to go to Urdaneta City to the Stake center to watch it. Two talks I liked were Cheryl Esplin and Richard G. Scott. Sis Esplin talked about parenting and teaching children, but her words easily apply to teaching in general. After all if you can teach a child, you should be able to teach anyone. Elder Scott spoke on personal revelation which of course I need daily. I also liked how Elder Scott mentions his wife in seemingly every talk.

I like my new area, I've already met some great people. We taught one family with a cute little girl. They are recent converts. After the lesson the little girl, who is very talkative told us to stay and eat. My thoughts were to politely decline, but after I did the parents said that if we don't stay for food their child will cry. Needless to say we ate some food. very funny little girl.

Before getting transferred I hoped for the opportunity to be able to play the piano again in my next area. (Actually the Two things I wanted and prayed for was to have a Filipino companion and be able to play the piano.) Well I met the Bishop and he asked if I knew how to play the Piano, I answered yes and thought my opportunity was coming. His next request surprised me. He then asked if I could teach Piano lessons to his daughter. So earlier today, and every Monday following I am now teaching Piano lessons. That is going to be more difficult then just playing in Sacrament. The Bishop said I will leave a legacy in this ward and they will always remember me because I am teaching them to play the Piano. All in all, I like my area, the people here, and my companion. It looks like it will be a good transfer. I will miss Agoo, but I am still excited for Pozorrubio.

Agoo 3

So... I am getting transferred. Our Transfer awareness meeting isn't until Wednesday, so usually I wouldn't know by now, but Elder Fraser is training a new missionary in this area so I know I am not going to be here. We had to go down to Urdaneta last week to the mission home for a train the trainers meeting, President Jensen told us that if you are attending the meeting, either you are training or transferring. It will be good to move on to a new area, but at the same time I shall miss my area here in Agoo. We have a lot of less actives and investigators progressing and coming to church. Actually Yesterday we had an investigator bear her testimony in Sacrament meeting. The last few transfers have been good. We have had a lot of less actives return to church, at this point some are still a little shaky, but some have become firm fully active members. No one has been baptized in Agoo3 in the last 3 transfers, but some people I am teaching will be. We have a baptismal interview for three of our investigators scheduled this week and they should be baptized the week after I leave. Although I won't see their baptism I am thankful that they have come to know this church is true. I am grateful that they have received the Gospel with open hearts.
Because conference is delayed a week here, Yesterday was not conference but fast Sunday. We don't very often have people offer to feed us dinner, and certainly only very rarely would we have two in one day, but Saturday night, after we had begun our fast two families offered to feed us. Oh well. This last Sunday I fasted for an investigator family. Particularly that they would be able to come to church. They had been to church for about one month, but said they probably couldn't come this week. The Father said he had a driving job, he was going to leave Saturday night to drive to Manila and then wouldn't return until after church on Sunday. Well on Sunday he showed up to church, we asked him why, and he told us that his boss called and canceled for that day so he was able to come to church after all. It was very truly and clearly an answer to an earnest fast and prayer. Another good experience last week is that we found a new family to teach. We were simply walking down the street at night, and I thought we should stop at a house that had a light on. We were met at the door by a man we had taught quickly on the street once. He was glad to invite us in and we taught his family. His younger brother was very interested in our message and the family invited us to come back. It was such a miraculous find for us, we feel truly led by the Lord in all we do.
This week we also got to bless the oldest woman in the world... maybe. A less active family we were going to teach this week wasn't home when we came by. We kept going by because they had been receptive and were coming back to church. Eventually we came by when the Father was home and he told us his grandmother was in the hospital. He asked us to come bless her with him. We went to the hospital, (which I will add is not quite the same as the hospitals I've been to in the States) and we blessed his Grandmother. Later when we asked the family how old she was they said she was born in 1904. I have no doubt that she is old, after all her Grandson is 37 and has his own family, but I don't know if I believe 108 years old. Regardless it was a good experience, it also shows that this less active family is beginning to trust us because they asked us to give this blessing.
Anyway it has been another good week in Agoo. I only have 1 more.

Good luck to you all and have a wonderful week,

Elder Nathaniel J. Merrill