I love his smile :)

MONDAY APRIL 10TH

well today was actually a lot of fun:) we usually go to email at Kip-Magrath (a school) but since it is Easter Holiday they were closed, so we went to the Chapel and emailed there... but the chapel only has two laptops. My companion and I went 1st because its our chapel hahaha.. then we went outside and played basketball while we waited. our church has a sketchy hoop in the parking lot so that was actually super convienient:)

then we went to FHE with sis Sandra, she is super nice, her husband passed away like 7 yrs ago and her daughter is preparing for mission:) but whats nice about her is that shell sew up missionaries clothes for FREE, and she makes some super good food:)

Then we went to our regular FHE at the Reises. it was awesome WE WATCHED MOANA!!!!!  It was super good:)) Disney should do a ZULU themed movie next! Hahahha.. itd probably be super racist though hahaha the closest theyre probably ever gonna get is the Lion King! hahaha

Thursday

MAN MY FEET HURT. WEVE BEEN WORKING SO HARD THESE LAST COUPLE WEEKS! but guess what! on sunday I  get to baptise and 8 year old girl named Elihle Ncgobo (shes adorable) and a 12 year old boy named Mtobisi.. I didnt know this but hes actually one of Illovos Investigators, we go and play soccer on saturday mornings and Weve been on the same team most of the time! Hes a super nice kid! hahaha

Easter Sunday (3 baptisms)

Hey guys today is Easter soooo.... HAPPY EASTER!!!! hahaha this week has been pretty hectic! Im so tired right now its not even funny! haha If I hadnt had to give a talk in church today I probably wouldve fallen asleep! but my talk went pretty well. A lot of people said I did really well, which means it actually was good.. or it wasnt and theyre just being nice to me! hahaha 

but it was super cool I had the opportunity to Baptize Mtobisi Mvubu who actually lives in Illovo and Elihle Mgcobo whos 8 years old and ABSOLUTELY ADORABLE!!!

Elder Schraedel also got to Baptize Leroy (the guy we married) It was a super exciting Day! It was elder Schraedels first time physically baptising somebody! SO hes been in a great mood today:)) hahaha

Then After Church we went to a few members homes. Including Leroys home to celibrate his two twin kids to celibrate their Birthday:)) theyre super cute!:)

This week was great! Im excited for the next one to come:)) haha Lovin my area, missin' my family.

Thanks to all that read my emails! It means a lot! let me know how you guys are doing:))) 

keep it up and ~CTR~

Elder Merritt:)

Just a little side note he wrote to his dad...

My area used to be one of the worst in the mission.. (used to be referred to as the "Wart of the mission").. but the people seem to be ready  at this point... A general authority told our mission President that the church will explode here in Africa bigger than it did in Salt lake city in the past.

I love my mission so so much. Max would do super good here as well! its so much fun, so beautiful, and I see miracles everyday as I continue to be obedient... That being said, it is also one of the most exhausting, painful, and just the hardest things I have ever done in my life.

but I love it!

Zone Conference, Fast Sunday, and Conference

Monday April 3rd

well today, like I said in my last Email, we went into Durban to play baseball, Eat food, and play a bunch other games it was a really fun Pday!

but later tonight we went to the Reises for family home evening:) it was fun but they told us that South Africas government is about to get super bad.... well it already is, but its about to get super Duper bad! You know how they have 1st world countries(solid gov. - America), 2nd world (communist - North Korea), and 3rd world countries (country kinda stink but they at least have a basic Gov.) .... well south africa used to be 3rd world but it just got Demoted to "Junk State"which really sucks for them....... but for myself as an American the Rand is about to drop hard core; making everything super cheep to buy stuff... 

well,at least thats what they told us.... I dont know if its all true but thats what they said soooo.....

Tuesday

well were getting ready to go help Brother Steven paint his new fish shop! were gonna do that this afternoon and then visit a bunch of our investigators.. :)

Wednesday April 5th

well today was Zone Conference, its kinda like ZTM but mission president comes and its super long. it lasted all day, 9:00a-5:00p. but I mean I learned a lot! we did this 40 days of fasting thing where 1 district fasts for 1 day, then the next day they can eat but another district fasts that day, and on and on for 40 days:) we all fasted for similar things but one of the main ones was finding people... and throughout the last couple weeks we had a few people just SHOW UP to church. I didn't know their name, Ive never seen them before in my life. But they knew us, theyd seen us walking around town... and throughout the mission other areas have had the same thing happen to them... about 56 people Just SHOWING UP at church! so thats super cool:)

 

It was also nice getting to talk to all of our zone again!

but the best part was the treats they went out and got for us! the senior couple went out and got  KRISPY CREAM! but during Zone conference I turned around and a monkey snuck in the door and ate THREE doughnuts! lucky monkey got more than I did!

Thursday April 6th

well today we went on exchanges with the Zone Leaders. Sithole went to do Baptismal interviews in Toti and I went to Umlazi BB section with Elder hoopes. we had a lot of fun! hahaha we had a ton of appointments, we got fed 3 times, and yeah! other than the fact that I had to eat a big old plate of Kidneys, beet root, and soggy samp. it was not easy to eat, but I finished it hahaha! 

but yeah, Elder Hoopes is super cool!! hes from Idaho and hey were both gonna go to BYUI for the 1st two years so thats super cool:) 

But I have definitley been sheltered here in Toti. Toti has too many old people, and too many white people that feed normal food, and I always feel safe here, and Im not learning Zulu, and Ive had two WHITE companions. 

Umlazi is very interesting...... last week two taxi drivers got in a huge fight(very common), but one of them shot the other guy in the head in broad daylight... super sketchy but it gets even worse, he cut the dudes head off too..... sooo..... that sucks.

Friday April 7th

well today there was a bunch of riots apparently.. I didn't get to see any of them cause our mission president said not to got to certain areas... but I heard they also did a bunch of piece marches as well... in cape town they made a Human Chain of people that were holding hands! apparently it was HUGE!!!!!! google it!

either way, the people here are super ticked off at their president and their Supper corrupt Government! and they just got demoted to Junk state so that got them all riled up! but hey now I can say I served my mission in a 3rd world country and a Junk state! haha

and tonight we had a Ward dance! it was so much fun! Our ward isn't as big as the one back home but we still had about twenty five people and they had free food and we played Limbo and stuff! it was a lot of fun... But elder Schraedel did the worm on the ground he broke our phone screen.... smooth...

Sunday

well last week brother Mickelsons passed away... I had been taking him the sacrament for the last six months so that was really sad.... but sister Mickelson brought me his cufflinks.. they had the Initials "MM"so he wanted me to have them I guess:) it was really sweet of them:) RIP... 

did I ell you guys that my friend elder droubay (went to the MTC together, and went to Los Angeles with me to get my visa stamped..) well he was in that car accident in Johannesburg in December.. apparently he had a lot of nightmares and stuff so he couldn't sleep for the next couple weeks on mission..so he had to go home.. I hope he comes back out:(

Anyways, today was fast Sunday so we went to the reises to break our fast.. it was pretty darn good! and next week we should a few baptisms! Im super excited, except I have to give a talk on Easter, so that blows.

And it has to be a long one too!

pray for me! hahaha

I love you guys:) keep up the good work! Ill see ya in like a year and a half now! (that sounds a lot nicer than two years!)

The latest from South Africa

Monday March 28th

well today we went into Durban and visited the doctors office... elder Ruben has Mumps... Elder Vaughn has a ingrown toenail... and elder Schraedel has an Eye infection... so they all got their medicine and should be good to go!

Tuesday

Well Elder Vaughn and Ruben are good but Elder Schraedel is allergic to his medication... so  he has hives.... were gonna go alllll the way back into Durban to see the doctor again tomorrow..:/ poor guy.

still teaching, finding, teaching some more, and doing service projects all. the. time.

Wednesday

well we had a Zone Training Meeting today so we got to hang out with all of our zone again:) 

we went to Durban for Schraedel. he should be good to go now!  hahaha

then later tonight we ate TWO dinner appointments! brother and sister Greig invited us over for dinner to calibrate her finally being confirmed a member of the church after SEVEN YEARS of investigating, multiple sets of missionaries and hundreds of lessons. Then after that we went to the Cebekhulu's for our weekly dinner appointment. the feed us SOOOO much food. I think these people are making me fat.

.....but I Love Them.

Thursday-Saturday

Lots of hard work, soccer, and heat.

Sunday

well our ward áttempted'to watch General Conference... but when people showed up the wifi couldn't keep up and we couldn't watch it. so the bishop told everyone to go home...... not a lot of people were not too happy about that.... but I guess they're gonna do it next week instead after they predownload it.. 

but later that night we went to the reises and watched the final part of General Conference:) and they fed us...... but their food didn't sit well with elder Schraedel. he started puking in their house.... then we left. and he threw up multiple times in the car... and about five more times that night. 

he was a mess. 

Monday April 3rd

but now hes betterish.....

we went into Durban...again... for a zone activity. guess what we did.. .we played BASEBALL! and yes. Im still as terrible at baseball as I was when I left. but our team won. and afterward we went back to the mission HOME and they fed us soooooo much ice cream!!! it was pretty flippin'delicious!  I wasnt feelin too hot after that... it was A LOT of ice cream! hahaha they also gave us lunch and we played basketball and played catch with a rugby ball so that was awesome! I mostly hung out with Elder Huntington(Utah, and was in the MTC with me), Takau (tonga), and elder moore and a few others! but yeah! it was super cool! and A LOT OF FUN! but sorry I didnt email you guys sooner.

were all at the chappel sharing 1 laptop... and Im last to email.. cause Im a nice guy I guess... hahaha

but it was a great week, Learned a lot, worked a lot, served a lot, and had a lot of fun. 

I love you guys! CTR- ELDER MERRITT!

Monday March 18th - March 26th i think...

Well sorry I guys, this week just flew by!!!! weve been teaching and visiting lots of people and I just kinda forgot to write you guys... lets see what happened this week...

well Elder Vaughn got his new companion. hes an Indian guy from Fiji! his name is Elder Ruben. he is pretty cool. he likes playing soccer, eating curry and rice, he reads a lot and right now im pretty sure he has mumps.... so on monday were gonna take him to the doctor. 

Oh and My companion, elder Schraedel has a really nasty infected eyeball.. sooo yeah.. its super gross and Im pretty sure hes gonna need an eye patch.. which will be pretty funny.. hahaha oh and elder Vaughn is going to the doctor as well, because of Another ingrown toenail and apparently hes been falling asleep randomly throughout the day! so he needs to see the doctor as well........ I guess Im the only healthy one in the group *knocks on wood*

so yeah I guess in my free time when we get back to the boarding and in the morning Ive mostly just practiced my Ukulele and unpacked my bags... cause I thought I was gonna leave... but Ive learned a few songs:)) Elder Schraedel is super good at piano and Guitar and basically every other instrument.. so hes showed me some stuff and taught me a lot! haha

but Amanzimtoti just keeps getting better:) were planning another baptismal service on April 16th! Im super excited for these guys! we just keep getting more and more referrals and teaching more nd more people! haha today a kid literally walked up to me, said he was Mhlengi's friends,that hes been going to seminary with him these last few months, and that he wants to be baptized in April. I was like `well its nice to meet you too.. what's your name? haha

hmmm what else? Oh I figured out how to make my own ties! so i made my first Zulu ties! ive had quite a few compliments on it and I think Im gonna wear it to our Zone Conference:)

Sunday

today we got invited to lunch with brother stolp, hes super old and not feeling well.. my companions and I have been taking him the sacrament every week since I got here.. He lives RIGHT next to the beach! so he has a SUPER Nice view! and since He doesn't leave his apartment very often and hes lived their for so long he can name Every. singe. ship that passes! 

so yeah.... this week we visited members, taught investigators, found a few more people to teach, and did everything else missionaries do! lovin my mission, and missing my families:)

~CTR~

Elder Merritt