On January 27, 2011 Eric Merkley was diagnosed with osteosarcoma. An aggressive cancer that we hope and the doctors to this point seem confident that is contained to one spot on his leg. Prognosis is good. Treatments and recovery will be long and painful.

Monday, January 14, 2013

A little overwhelmed


In today's email from Eric, he definitely sounded overwhelmed.  Here is the news of his new assignment.

So one thing that I have come to realize is that the lord really loves to push me to me limit. Looking back in the past few years I have been pushed to my limit with the chemo, physically, when I was almost ready to give up. Now that I am on my mission he is pushing me spirituality and I am really finding out my true testimony.  I truly am finding out who I really am as a person. So I have physically and spiritually taken care of and I am now working on them all and they say that a mission is all mental right?!  No need to worry the lord has found a way to push me to my limit. This past week I had my interview with President Lewis.  He talked with me about the usual things and such.  Then he delivered the news how I will be pushed mentally.  It went a lot like this: "Elder Merkley, I have really been impressed with the missionary that you have become in the short amount of time, and the lord is also. I have been praying and fasting for you and the lord has told me that you are to be assigned to labor with the Mienh people. The lord needs you to learn the Mienh language in order to serve the people. In this time you are to continue your studies in the Lao and Thai languages as well.  Are you willing to accept this call?" My heart dropped and I took a deep breath and accepted.   He continued “Elder Merkley the lord needs you to do this for his children and he needs the spiritual gifts that you have, with the Lord’s help you will learn all 3 of the language assignments you have been called to do. I promise you that."

 Just when I thought that things could not get any crazier, they did and now the wave of responsibility on my shoulders to carry out the mienh work. In a matter of seconds, I went from being 1 of 6 in the world to being 1 of 2 in the world. This will be lot to take on.

Just a little back ground on the Mienh people, they are from Laos and spend all of their time up in the mountains farming rice. There is no connection between the Lao and Thai language.   The Mienh people are the equivalent to the American Indian in the US but in Laos. And I have been called to speak this language. The gift of tongues is real.

I could feel his anxiety as I read his email.   While he was in the MTC he was told in to be prepared to be asked to learn Mienh.  Which he thought would be way down the road, if the call was even issued.  So this did not come as a surprise to me, but I have so much confidence in him to learn the language.

Every time I speak to the mission nurse, she tells me that there is something special about Elder Merkley, which of course I love hearing and it brings a smile to my face.  Like I have said in the past, I do not know what Heavenly Father has planned for Eric, but it will be fun to watch…. Even if it is from afar.

1 comment:

  1. Such a special kid, I feel it every time you post. Ps, thanks for the beautiful necklace and kind words. I love it. I want to send thankyou notes but havent one it yet.

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