Sunday, January 3, 2016

Merry Christmas / Testimony from Argentina

https://www.facebook.com/angie.merrell/videos/10207204253417127/

Rains and Floods

Colter Merrell
12/14/15

So this week was crazy! tons of stuff went down, so wednesday it started to rain at about 3 in the afternoon and well from then on it didn't stop at all. We began by helping out a neighbor who was a bit down hill from the rain so we began to try and bucket water out of her house and with a squeegee broom so we got to it. Haha. But after some losing battle we got the hang of it with building a barricade and other things so it worked out in the end. We headed back to our pension after taking the tie, and the socks off. We walked into our pension and found 2 or so inches of water..so while you are home getting snow..mine is just a bit more melted. We decided that our problem wasn't that big of a deal for the moment and we hit the streets looking for anyone in need,  helping all neighbors and people we could. After a hour or so of the water fight we headed back to our pension with the other elders of our area and began fighting to regain the home territory. At first it was a losing battle but with time we were getting it under control.. I ended up using my towel that I bought the day before because someone stole my other one..and well yah..long day..lots of water haha..But other than that we learned about transfers today and there won't be any until the 29th so we can have Christmas in the areas that we have been in. So that will b e nice.

Love tons

Not much here,

From: Colter Merrell <colter.merrell@myldsmail.net>
Date: December 1, 2015 at 3:47:15 PM MST
To: angie merrell <angie_merrell@hotmail.com>

Update wise will be a sad week. I don't really have anything to update you with. I left my planner at home today and forgot to bring it. I note down all the cool experiences and such as they happen so i'm not to sure really what happened the past week. They all just seem to blend together...Yah..So sorry about this.

Some things that i do remember are that we had to travel to Cuidad Del Este again for a Multi Zone Conference. We traveled Sunday night, stayed the night there Monday and Tuesday. The reunion was Tuesday. We had a great reunion and then had to leave back to the busses to get home. Home being 4 hours away. We ended up missing our bus staying another night there and then playing Uno at 7 in the morning in basically what was a freeway there.. One of the most terrifying and craziest displays of driving I have ever seen took place that day. Caught the bus and got back on Wednesday. I don't really remember anything else that happened this week...I wasn't able to write yesterday cause the internet was out and right now I am in the church writing you.

Love you tons. Can't wait to see you for Christmas!
Elder Merrell

Bikes and Guns

From: Colter Merrell <colter.merrell@myldsmail.net>
Date: November 16, 2015 at 12:44:20 PM MST

Subject: Bikes and Guns

So this week was interesting! To start things off we started the week with consejo so were were all over the place traveling again. Luckily we don't have anything planned the next week so we will finally be able to hit the grind stone hard.

Leaders council was fun. We did a lot of talking, ate some hamburgers and were able to help out and get a plan set up for the month about what we are going to do as a mission. Me and my companion had a 20 minute talk, or discussion set apart where we talked about this and how it depends on where you are and who your with and then you can plan on how you will spend your time.

Saturday we had divisions. I went to a place called Katuate, which in spanish or guanani, I don't remember, means "Possibly"--- haha so that was fun. During divisions we went to a place called white water, or well in spanish agua blanca, and its a 15km bike ride there and back.. My bottom can still remember the ride. And its a 90 percent dirt road haha. but it was worth it we had some sweet lessons and then riding back in the dark was fun too.

On Sunday, (election day here) we are walking around late at night and the polls closed and someone won an election. There are fireworks and everything all around. wimpy stuff, small mortars and such. but one guy takes the cake.We are walking along and hear a ¨bang bang bang¨ and we think ¨of fireworks close by¨ and so we keep walking when we come up to a small group of obviuosly drunk guys,one with a pistol in his hand. In the other hand dual weilding a beer can and a cellphone talking into it. Pointing the pistol at the ground, no more than 6 feet between us, pulls the trigger ¨bang bang bang¨ my heart drops. And we just keep walking....