The accounting for the last 2 weeks is as follows... So 2 weeks ago the work was going well. (It still is) But during that week we got 13 new investigators and 10 new investigators! Our days are getting so jam packed with people we need to see and meet! Recent Converts, Less-actives, Members, and of course our investigators!! Every Sunday we meet with this investigator. And last week he introduced us to his entire family...and they are alllll interested and super great learners and just the best! The Lord truly does provide people and is preparing people to receive the restored gospel and all of the blessings associated with it. We have had 2 great lessons with them. The first about the Restoration and the second about the Book of Mormon and a part of the Plan of Salvation. They have been such spirit filled lessons and 2 of them know for sure the church is true and that Joseph Smith was a true prophet and want to be baptized! So we are working with the rest of them so they can receive that same confirmation! 😃😃 its one of the best joys in the mission field! So for our weekly District meetings we have to cross on a ferry from an island back to the mainland. It is kinda fun, makes me miss being out on the lake....buuut it is interesting and we have seen some MASSIVE ships at the port! 😮 We also have an awesome investigator named Wachira. He is a guy we contacted but lives right by the church and works right by it as well. He is a barber but has the nicest dreads and is suuuuch an awesome guy! I love him and he is also understanding the gospel super well. The gospel truly is simple, and what a blessing that truly is. No need to make it complex or hard, that's why the gospel is for everyone who accepts to follow it. Even an 8 year old can understand and choose to follow Christ or not. He has a 6 year old daughter and he came to church and reallly loved it and says he will come every Sunday! He is such a great guy! Giving off them Positive Vibes. For our Thanksgiving it was verrrry nice....a bit spoiled we are actually...so there is a family in our branch named the Fairbournes. They are from Utah but have lived here for about 5 years. They invited all the Mombasa missionaries over and really spoiled us. They have a nice house that over looks the ocean and another family from Highland Utah was there visiting. We had turkey, stuffing, yams, green string beans, jello with RASPBERRIES!!!, gravy, mashed potatoes, and probably more haha! It was sooooo good! But after just 1 plate i felt as though i was about to die...but they ALSO had pies....pumpkin, banana cream, and a few others. They dont compare to your pies though Grandma Nelson 😉. That family from Utah also came with a 44 pound of candy and sodas (Dr. pepper and A&W Root Beer) for us....ahh it was the best! And Sister Fairbourne also let all of us missionaries send a quick video home so check that out on my facebook and sorry for the not so good quality...she just pulled me outside and told me to say something to my family at home so it was just a spur of the moment...lost for words...but it was the absolute best!! We also went to the Bamba water factory and played a few of the workers in Volleyball....lost both games buuuut next time it is ours! 😂 then on our way home this clapped out Evo 10 passed us! Oiih it was nice.... Anyways there is a million things i am ever grateful for. No amount of words could say them all becuase i cant even remember them all at one sitting. But a few things i am grateful for is first for the gospel. Without the Gospel i would be lost. But i know who i am and have recieved so much happiness and joy from God. I might not be the best of his children but i am trying to make him happy of me. I am also thankful for my family. They have all given me love and support that nothing on earth could repay them. We have shared uncountable memories, laughs and experiences that i will never forget. It is something really special when you can truly love your family with all your soul and know they have your back. I have such a unique and special family and without even 1 of them things would be different. I am eternally grateful that I can be with them forever. I am also thankful for my friends. For the good quality friends i have. For the person they have helped me to become and for all of the memories and fun times we have and will yet to have. As weird as it may sound I am thankful for those people who may not have liked my presence so much or might have been mean to me in some way. They have also taught me a lesson and even though we might not be friends or on the same page, i still hope they had a great Thanksgiving and that they will have a great Christmas. Everyone deserves love and to be happy, even those people who curse you. Just laugh it off, smile and move forward with those people who have your 6. I am also thankful for all of my church teachers and leaders I have had growing up. You might think I have forgotten about you or you didnt even know you had an impact on my life but for each one I can share a memory and spiritual lesson you taught me. I love each and every one of you and hope to keep in touch throughout they years. I am thankful for so many more things. Streetch your arms out as far as you can and then times that by Buzz Lightyear. .....get it? Infinity and beyond haha!! 🌌 Go check out mormon.org or #LightTheWorld to start spreading the message of love for Christmas. Also go read Alma 22 and just go slow and look at the great spiritual experiences there. Thats all folks... Lots of love, Elder Merz

Hey Clan! What an absolutely busy week! On Tuesday morning we left Kitale on a bus to Nairobi, Elder Mayekiso and I. It was a fun 8 1/2 hour bus ride! We then met up with Elder Sibanda at the EasyCoach station in Nairobi and waited there for an hour for our ride. We got picked up and got to travel through town at night to the mission home. We met our trainee's and the other missionaries it was nice. I also was super duper lucky to be able to see Elder Lotuleilei 1 last time before he went home! He flew that night at Midnight and from what i am told received a nice warm welcome from you guys! My mission son is named Elde Tshangu. He is from the DRC Congo and speaks actually pretty good english! I am still having to help him but it is good! He is so awesome! I also got to be with and say goodbye to Elder and Sister Torrie. They are the best and the entire mission including myself will deeply miss them! But we got to meet with new couples the Sutherlands. We are excited to work with them! :) We then took a train for 5 1/2 hours to Mombasa. We got picked up and taken to our flat and we are splitting an area and opening some parts of the new area as well. We are with Elder Call and Elder Mathemara they are both obviously the best! :) We were able to get 5 new investigators this week as well as 3 member referrals in just the 3 short days we had to work last week! :) We contacted on the beach last night and had some GREAT success! We met Trudy form Atlanta Georgia and this girl Winnie from Nairobi! I love contacting people and hopefully sparking some excitement in them! :) All is well here and I love it here! Thanks so much for the prayers and I am returning them back to you guys! I also wish all the best for my Grandpa and his surgery that he had! All my love and support is with you Grandpa! Stay strong! Lots of love, Elder C. Merz

So there is lots to say for the few weeks that have gone away. So i will brielfy say some things that have happened but not add to much detail to the ones that are long ago. So we were locked down again for elections pt. 2. This time the Kisumu Elders and the Busia Elders came and stayed with us. Good thing our house is pretty big and we have enough little mattresses! The Elders that came are Elder Rasmussen, Elder Odhiambo, Elder Covarubbias, Elder Sibanda, Elder Fraga, and Elder Sunu. We had a total of 5 different countries in our flat lol. We all had a ton of fun and all got along which is great. We also went and spent fancy.....getting an ironing board.... So Happy Late Halloween to you all. For elections lockdown we just chilled, studied, laughed, played, and of course ate. We had to be careful not to become abstemious though. It was so awesome though! I really got to know each one of them more and get more friends. And the ones i was already friends with we just got closer! I would like to just share some of my favorite memories from about a year ago. Right before i left. The first would be going on a cruise with Luis on State and then going to IHop and having some nice pancakes together. Going to Frightmares with Will, Kerri, and Hope. Going up to Brighton and Guardsman Pass with Will and Lex Bett and hiking around and playing in the snow. Those were great times! Now for the things i miss about the season. So enjoy it for me. I miss the nice cool evenings. The days getting shorter. The leaves changing and falling on the ground. Being able to see your breath. Getting all dressed up in hoodies and pants. The Halloween party and Grandma Freds. Miss all the Halloween decorations. Helping Grandpa Fred pick up all of the leaves with the help of my awesome brother, cousins, aunts and uncles. Going on a nice fall evening walk. High school football and snuggling up close to the people next to you to stay warm. Driving into the towering Rockies to see the fall colors and go on some majestic hikes. Starting to use the car heater. Pumpkin patches. Corn Mazes. Haunted Houses. Frightmares at Lagoon. Carving pumpkins and seeing them line the doorsteps of houses. The Halloween smells. Halloween parties and candy. Seeing all the little kids out trick-or-treating and reminiscing on those great days. All the nice fall dates. Fires in the back yards, at Tims and in the Mountains. I sincerely miss all the Halloween decorations and the spirit of Halloween and the Fall. Now for some quick news. So i have been in Kitale for only 6 weeks. But i am now leaving. I am being transferred to Bamburi branch in Mombasa. I am also training a new missionary from DRC Congo....yeah wasent expecting that...so wish me luck. Ill need your prayers im super nervous about this but in the end everything will be alright! Love you all and thanks for the support and prayers for Kenya Love, Elder Merz

So i literally have like 5 minutes to just send an email. I am safe. The Kisumu Elders and the Busia Elders are staying with us so its a party of 8 at our house. Umm yeah. Lots to say but no time so i will just have a massively long one next time. Hope you all enjoyed Halloween yesterday. One of my most absolute favourite holidays! We are safe and good as of now. But things are crazy here in Kenya so if you want to see what the news of it all is, just google it. The church is true. Joseph Smith truly was a prophet called from God and restored back the church that was lost after Christ and the Apostles were killed. I know the gospel will bless the lives of anyone who accepts it and follows it. Choosing to serve the Lord and come out on a mission has been one of the best decisions i have made that will benefit my life now and forever. Everyone whether you are a member or not. Whether you read my emails at all. Just pray. Everyone can pray no matter what they believe, and I can promise that by doing that you will be blessed by the Lord. Lots of love until next time, Elder C. Merz