Leaving San Clemente

10/20/14 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KATIE AND SCOTTY AND DANNYBOY KIMBALL AND CAPN MORGAN!!!

Well... 

On P day we went on a car ride again for 3 hours and a bit more.  We played some soccer and whatnot.  Then we went home

We then went to all of the people that we had planned for the next 2 days and nobody was home.  I love vacations when I’m not a missionary. 

We went to the house of an investigador and we gave a pretty good lesson with her and we asked her to pray and while she was praying she started saying all of these words that I had no clue what they meant, like so different I felt like she was talking a different language.

After when we were at the pension Elder Racchumi and I were talking and I asked him "Hey...uh... did you understand the prayer at all...?" and he just told me "nope..."

 I’m happy I’m not the only one.

We went to the family Garcia with Carlos and Noelia. We watched a movie and ate some cake.

I realized that the next week was Transfers so we started saying bye to everyone and when I wasn’t crying I was thinking "Man when the heck did I get so cold?"  

We said good bye to the families and the members who we were teaching, to pictures with the dogs and I even have one with a kid standing on my hand and grinding it into a pink mist on the ground.  

Later we went to a friend named Victor. He reminds me a lot of Grandpa Doug and was a sailor his whole life so we just went around traveling with his wife and son.... (Hmm.... food for thought, right?)  Anyways I told him and when I was talking to him water started coming out of my face like water comes from a spring. It was so dang sad to leave after knowing him for 6 months.  I cried another time with Hermana Susana and Roberto.

Being in San Clemente for the last 6 months was such a great time.  It was a time for me to get to know so many people in a little town.  We would say hi to half the town by name. It was so great to know the people and serve them. It made me so bummed to leave but it’s what the big man wants.

We went to the house of an investigador who was in a war and saw some crazy stuff and now has some PTSD.  Since hearing what has happened with him it makes me never want to hear about war again.  I was thinking about the scripture Matthew 22:37-39.  The world would be a better place if we loved one another more than we loved money.  If we could do that we wouldn’t have the sadness that comes with fighting.  I’m trying to get better at controlling my mouth and my mind.  It’s our thoughts that lead to actions.  I invite you all to look for the good things in every single person and not focus on the bad parts.  It will help your day improve.  I have noticed that.

Love you and have a great week,

Elder Merkley