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, April 29, 2013

Lao New Year


Hello,

This past week was a good week with a couple of great experiences along the way. We had our interviews with President Lewis and Sister Lewis so talking with them was really nice and very refreshing. I also got to go the Lao temple and go to the LAO NEW YEAR festivities! It was so much fun with a lot of crazy Lao people running around. As missionaries we are not allowed to take pictures on holy sites so I did not get any pictures, just know that it was great. For the Lao New Year, to sum it all up, it is just like a really big water fight. haha A lot of water balloons and water guns around. Me, being the puma, that I am did not get hit once, :) which is really amazing considering all the water that is going around. Of course because all the people were Lao, they were all drunk; which was kind of funny. They were also so amazed of the two whites guys who spoke Lao. Word spread quickly and we had a crowd coming to us to come speak Lao as well as taking pictures with the white guys who speak Lao :) ya gotta love them.

I also had the opportunity to do Mormon helping hands on Saturday with the stake; it was so much fun and a lot of work.  Our job this year was to put in new wood chips into 3 parks lots.  This was done with shovels and my back was so sore the next day, as well as today.

All and all it was an amazing week with a lot of miracles. I Love the work of the lord!



  This is the picture of the missionaries working hard.
 

I asked him if he was referring to Puma, the cat.  His response was "
"pssh, yeah I'm quick and nimble like a ninja! What What !!!! haha"  Glad to hear he is still my very humbled kid!  :)
 



Sunday, April 14, 2013

Laotian and Meihn

In Eric's email, he sent 2 digital files with him speaking Laotian and another one in Meihn.  I was so excited to put these files on the blog so you can hear him, but it would not allow me to.... Does anyone know how to put verbal messages on blogs.  It is pretty cool to hear him speak. 
Laotian is very choppy and at first I thought it was the Meihn since he is still learning Meihn, but that is the way Laotian sounds and Meihn is smooth and actually a beautiful sounding language.
Hopefully I can figure it out and post it. 

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Favorite moment


One thing that I have been really looking for this week is the things that we have in our lives that are really miraculous. My favorite moment of the week was when we were over at a house with a family that we have been working really close with and they have a four year old boy named Calvin. He loves to say the prayer as we leave. We finished the lesson and the mother said the prayer and Calvin was very upset and started to cry. He wanted to pray so badly but did not have to chance to. I walked over to him and kneeled beside him. As he was crying I asked him if he would help me pray and that I needed his help, he wiped his face and instructed me to fold my arms and bow my head. He led me in the prayer with him saying the words and me repeating to words back out loud. The spirit that came from this little boy’s prayer was so powerful and it was one of my favorite moments in my mission thus far. The Lord truly does want us to be as little children.
This email, was definitely a warm and fuzzy moment.  I could picture Eric kneeling by this little guy and praying with him.  I am sure when he left, that little boy was flying high being able to help a missionary say a prayer.

Eric had the opportunity to spend some time with the mission president visiting some people that Eric and his companion has been working with.  He enjoyed that time and said he learned a lot.  All is well in Sacramento California.