So this last week has been an alright week. The days seem to just drag on forever but thats okay things will get better. We had a baptism last week that I forgot to mention and another one planned for this Sunday! It is a bit hard to get to know my new area just because it is new and freaking massive. But I just have to be patient and give it time like everything else. So Elder McGrath just hit his year mark in April and has been in Buru Buru (my new area) for 5 transfers. He is from West Jordan and is super cool! We get along well and its kinda funny. I swear ive seen him before because he worked at the Murray Ice Rink and I probably saw him when I went to the hockey games because he worked during some of there games haha! What a small world it is! Not much for the week to say or add as things are still hard obviously. But today we went on Safari! Elder Harrott, his companion Elder Ochieng,Elder McGrath, Elder and Sister Pehrson, and Elder and Sister Petersen and I. I forgot to bring the cable that goes to my new camera so no pictures this week but ive got some super cool ones for next week! Thanks for the emails and all the love and support I can really feel it and am so thankful for all of it. I love you all and hope you have a fantastic mothers day. I am a bit excited to Skype home but it'll be super hard with the current circumstances. But it will be good. If you have a mother make sure to call her, go see her,or give her the biggest hug and tell her how much you love her and appreciate her. You never know when it will be the last hug. Love, Elder Merz

Happy Birthday to my amazing Sister. I am so thankful for her example, love, support and for all the help throughout the years especially right now. I am so blessed to have her as a sister and she gets the nice discount of me fixing her car for Cafe Rio so you could say shes special haha! Shes only got a few more short weeks on her mission and I cant until one day we will be able to sit around a campfire and share our mission stories with each other. I love her so much and am forever grateful for her and hope she has an amazing birthday! So I moved again back to Nairobi. I am in Buru Buru somewhere safe and nice. But things still arent going to nice as now I have the flu sooo its still gotta go down before it goes up. But I am just putting one foot in front of the other and just trying to get through each day. I have read some more emails and am thankful still for all the love and support I can really feel it and I am forever thankful for the friends and family that I have. They truly are the best. I hope that you guys have a great week and are safe. Love going out to my family and friends, Elder Merz

So long story short I have decided to try to stay out. This is what I feel is the best for my family and for me. I am in Mombasa now and still struggling with everything, plus even more stuff added on top. The two biggest things are the home invasion and the biggest one of all is the loss of my poor mother. I have read a few email that I have gotten from family and friends and thank you all from the bottom of my heart. I can not at this time read all of them as just reading the few that I have read it has made me cry. But thank you all for the love and support for me, my sister, and My Family in general. For everyone who has helped in anyway possible and who will continue to help, you are blessed and will receive the highest of blessing for yourselves. I am eternally grateful for all of the amazing and irreplaceable family and friends that I have. I don't have the strength or the words to say much as of now. But my prayers and hearts go out to all of you. My very soul is torn, broken and in the deepest state of despair and pain for what has happened. I am again blessed with all the love and support though. Thank you to those who have and will continue to help and take care of my family while I am not able to be there for them in person at this moment. I dont like words to be honest. The words "I love you" are about the strongest words you can say to someone who you truly care about with your all, your everything, your soul. But to me those 3 small words, those 8 letters put together do not do enough. Do not do justice for what we are trying to express or show. You can never truly express your feelings as words do not work satisfactory enough. If I had the words for the love I have for all of you and including those who don't get my emails but have given, and shown there support and love to me and my family, i love you all from the very deepest of my soul. There are people out there who are praying for all of us right now and we will never know. But everyone just remember how much I love you and am eternally indebted for all that you have done. Prayers continually going out to my Sister in the Netherlands, my wonderful Father, my incredible Brother and to all of my extended family and those others who are affected by this tragedy. All of my tenderness, affection, infatuation, yearning and love, Elder Merz

Not sure where to start, or how to begin. This will be a short email as might the rest of my emails for a while. This has been the worst week of my life so far. At 1:30 am on Wednesday (So Tuesday sleeping night). 3 guys literally broke down our door and shattered it into pieces. They murdered someone just before and then they held machetes to us and told us they were going to kill us. While the other 2 robbed us. They took a lot of stuff including my camera so no pictures for a while. The Pehrsons and Elder Card and I were emergency transferred to Nairobi. A lot more with that story but that doesn't matter. Sunday was the day my life will change forever. It was Easter as we all know and its the time to celebrate and remember the Resurrection of Christ. On Sunday I was told from my mission President (President Msane). That my dear mother who I love with all my soul has passed on. Yeah about the worst news you could get as a missionary. I am torn beyond measure and not sure how I am going to handle this. I honestly dont know if I can. My life feels ruined and will be changed forever. I love you with all of my soul Mom. No one will ever be able to replace you or do what you have done for me. Words do not exist in any language the love I have for you and how much you will be missed. Thank you to those who have emailed me about that. I have not read them yet because I am scared to. But one day I will. Thank you for all the love, support, and prayers. I ask you to continue with them please as I am not sure how this unfillable whole in my heart and soul will be filled. Christ will have to carry me this next week and for longer I am sure. Because I cannot take even 1 more step, can not even think about taking one. My love from the very bottom of my heart goes out to all of my extended family, family friends, and any one who got the opportunity to meet one of Gods angels, my mother. I especially give all my heart to my Sister, Brother, and specially to my Father. That's all. Not more to say about that. I am empty. I am hurt. I am torn. I love you forever Mom. Her funeral will be Saturday at noon at my chapel. Friends who can make it, please do to show your love from me. She loved all of my friends so much and I know she would love your support. Email my Father for more information. All the love my heart has left to give, Elder Merz

Sorry for not emailing yesterday I got all my clothes tailored so I don't look like a child anymore with massive clothes! So we didn't have time to email yesterday so here I am today! This week has been a good week here in Kenya. On last Monday we get invited to one of the best members house for her birthday party as well as an integrated Family Home Evening. I shared Alma 60:21 which says "Or do ye suppose that the Lord will still deliver us, while we sit upon our thrones and do not make use of the means which the Lord has provided for us?" and connected it with D&C 50:24 which says " That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day." I love these scriptures because we need to do as it says. We need to make means for what the lord has provided for us as well as when we have light we need to keep using that light or else we will not get more. This last week we also had exchanges with Elder Tucker, my very good friend from Bountiful and who is just super cool and one of my best friends in the mission! We got bounced like all day but we keep on pushing forward and looking for people to talk with and share this amazing message with. We also went to Moi University again and we got some referrals from our investigator as well as on the hour long Matatu ride back we had some fun....so Elder Card and I were sitting in front and I was talking and joking around with the driver. So after like 5 minutes we pull into this tiny town and he hops out to go get a drink or something and another gets in just to watch the car. I jokingly say "Twende" which means lets go. SO this guy starts to drive away and I am like WOOOW dude i was just kidding don't actually jack this guys car!! Then on the ride back we were singing simple songs like the wheels on the bus and then we sang the primary song popcorn popping and then I sang a solo of a hymn and then we got everyone to sing a few songs like happy birthday and silent night and then we also sang some more Christmas songs as well as the "aint no mountain high enough" song from Remember the Titans haha everyone was laughing and having the best time ever! I will never forget that! So we watched Conference this weekend and I absolutely loved it! I loved many of the talks and I will share some quotes from my favourite talks from 2 of my favourite apostles. The first is from Jeffery R. Holland when he talked on Saturday. "Jesus listening can hear the songs we cannot sing." "Stand as close as humanely possible to the Saviour." "It is by divine design that all the voices in Gods choir are not all the same." "Come as you are, but don't plan to stay as you are." I also loved Dieter F. Uchtdorfs talk and here are a few things he said that I love. "Fear does not change our hearts." "God did not give us the spirit of fear but of power and love." "Dont be paralyzed by fear because something might happen." "If we walk up right in God all things will work for the benefit of us." We also had a baptism on Sunday of Sister Scola. She is from Upperhill Nairobi and is going to school here. She attended the church in Upperhill for about a year but never really took the lessons or got baptized. So the last month we have been teaching her and I got to baptize her! I feel so close to heaven when I am at a baptism and especially when I am in the waters! It was such a great experience and I am so blessed to have been asked to baptize! Lastly we got some transfer news. So Elder Thomas is recovering well and is going to Mombasa so I am staying another transfer here with Elder Card! Not much news but yeah that's what is going on! I hope you all have a great week and are safe and I pray for all of you! Much love from the wonderful country of Kenya! ❤ Love, Elder Merz

So this week has been a very different week in the mission. So last Monday we were playing football and where we were playing wasn't the nicest place to play. There was like 50 spectators and a bunch of them were drunk which was kinda funny but is also wasn't. This one super drunk guy was betting his super old flip-flop for the winner, we were laughing so hard!! So we were playing and someone kicked the ball the Elder Thomas and he got it and stepped weird off the ball and long story short he might have torn a ligament in his ankle. So Tuesday we were with the Pehrsons all day at the hospital and he got an X-ray that didn't look too good for his ankle and we got lunch at the hospital hotel(cafe) which was verrrry good. So after lunch we met with the surgeon and he said it doesn't look good and he might need surgery. His exact words were "Give it 6-8 weeks and it might be healed." notice the MIGHT. The surgeon was super nice and cool. He is an Indian and has been a doctor in Russia, India and Kenya! He asked us about what we do as missionaries and even though we believe different stuff he was very respectful and glad to hear that some young kids are doing something good with their time. He was awesome!! So then on Wednesday we just hung out at the flat, he was icing and elevating. Then some Elders from Kisumu came and stayed with us. One of them is Elder Mortezazadeh. He and I talked about Real Estate a lot because that is what his dad does and that is what I want to go into so it was very cool. Him, his companion Elder Jack and us two just hung out and laughed a lot. Then on Thursday Sister Msane surprised visited us and she was super impressed by how clean our flat is and even told everyone the next day at Zone Conference! She also talked with us and talked to Elder Thomas about his ankle. Sister Msane is the best and is even an retired doctor in South Africa. So she takes care of us well. So on Friday morning President and Sister Msane picked us up in the Boma In mini-van and took us all the the chapel for Zone Conference. It was a super good zone conference and we talked about how we can get more referrals, new investigators as well as get more help from the members. I look forward to implementing the things I learned this next week and use what works here. So some more news. Elder Thomas flew out from here to Nairobi to get another X-ray and MRI so I got a new companion. His name is Elder Card! He is from Cardston, Canada. Hahaha yes Corynn Elder Card! He is super cool and we get along very well already. Its kinda funny because we are both tall, strong, and both played running back in football! I will continue to find out more about him and tell more next week about him but yeah so he is my new companion here since Elder Thomas had to go to Nairobi. I will let you guys know of the news as well of him once I find out more. So lastly is the BIG news! For those of you who didn't see Conference I am with you....yeah because of the time difference we are seeing it this next week. But Elder Thomas got to watch it live with the office couples in Nairobi and THEY ANNOUNCED A TEMPLE FOR NAIROBI KENYA!!!!! He called me immediately and within an hour like all the members and missionaries knew! This is a blessing beyond the description of words. This well bless SOOO many people and not just here in Kenya! In Tanzania, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Uganda etc. Before everyone from here would have to travel to Joberg to go to the temple but now one is being built here!!! This is a blessing from heaven and I am beyond happy to have that news! That is what the people here needed. It will bring the less-actives back, make the members even stronger, as well as give our investigators and recent converts something to look forward to, to continue to grow closer to our Father in Heaven! Words have not been invented for the joy and the blessing this is to me and everyone who this has touched. I slightly feel like my missionary work here so far has helped that temple come here and that the work I will continue to do will just make that even more. I am so thankful for this church and for the blessings and answered prayers that come from living and following Heavenly Father. All my love and joy until next week, Elder Merz

This week has been crazy! Last Monday I got THE NICEST haircut in the world I think! They shaved my hair up nice in like a lazy boy type chair and then they shampooed my hair for like 20 minutes giving me a nice head massage AND THEN I got a shoulder, neck and back massage! All for the price of a haircut!! It was sooo relaxing and nice and the place is like super sweet inside as well!! So one of our investigators named Senior he is doing very well! We met him at Kipchoge stadium where a bunch of Olympic runners have ran and we teach him there which is super cool! He love the gospel and the church and is progressing well. We as well as he can already see the changes he has! He is super nice as well! Just an overall great investigator! This week we also went to Kapsoya to see an investigator at work and a school right by her work got out and so a tooon of kids came and we were speaking to them in Swahili for like 15 minutes just joking and laughing with them, it was super cool! So let me tell you about something I will never forget. So we were walking home and this super nice Range Rover passed us and then turned on his hazards and was blocking the road. So as we walked by I went up to him and starting asking him what was wrong and he told me and then I like helped him find out what was wrong with the car. He was going to Boma Inn right on our street and after helping him for like 45 minutes he welcomed us to Boma and got us a Soda and we talked with him for like 30 minutes and it was just the coolest thing ever! There is much more to that story but I don't feel like typing it all haha! We went to this University called Moi University to see one of our investigators which was super cool and then on the way back I could have sworn I was in Utah. The road had lots of bumps and pot holes and it was right before sunset and they were playing new normal music and I was in the front seat and it felt like I was at home cruising with my friends! It was the best!! We also went to Kipchoge later in the week and got to watch them do running events! Some there will most likely be Olympians so that was like suuuuuuper cool!!!! We watched the steeple chase and in that they have to jump over some water and a few guys didn't know that and they fell into the water and it was like deeeep. Or they would slip or trip over the bar thingy and EVERYONE was dying laughing it was kinda sad...buuut super super funny!!! On yesterday we got invited to a members who fed us, it was super good. It was Ugali, scumawiki and turns out cow intestines....yeah she didn't tell us until afterwards but I would have it again! It was super good! But got me thinking later last night....so an intestine is going through my intestine...how does that work...still didn't figure it out but that's okay! Shout out to my cousin Cassidy who comes home from her mission this next week! I still remember when she left and it seems like just a few short weeks ago! So Congrats to her on completing her mission! She is such a great example and influence to me! It is so cool to have 5 missionaries out from my family at the same time! In 4 different countries on 4 different continents! Brazil, California, Belgium/Netherlands, Michigan and Kenya/Tanzania! That is so cool and I am excited to one day share all our stories together! Love you all and hope you have a great week! Thanks for the love and emails and some of you are slacking on the emails! Haha love you all! Love, Elder Merz