Called to "Serve"

Given the fact that Merritt is a small town and "everybody knows everybody," some of the best opportunities to teach people came through acts of service. Brent had many opportunities to use his "muscles" (or lack there of) and help out a number of people in the community.

Brent and Elder Stevenson (Poland) building a shed for some Members of the Merritt Ward...or at least standing on it :)

Brent and Elder Kirby helping a kid move a box spring from the second story down to the truck. As Brent put it, "We helped move this kid but had some "fun"...and threw this box spring off the 2nd story so we didn't have to carry it, ha ha!!!" Brent's face tells it all...

Willy's "Catch of the Day"

Brent and "catching fish" haven't always been on the "same page," especially the last couple years leading up to his mission. It's a running joke in our house that Brent's ability to catch fish was cursed years ago when we took him to an outdoor expo, and one of the volunteer's tried to "help" Brent catch fish out of the "anyone should be able to catch a fish" fishing pool that was set up, but somehow he was unsuccessful. Although he has had a few successful fishing trips since that time, the last few months, maybe even years, leading up to his mission were not kind to Willy in the way of actually catching even a single fish. So it was only fitting that Brent would be called to Canada, and be able to try and get past that fishing "curse" in a place known for it's natural beauty and fantastic hunting and fishing spots. As you can see from the pics he did get the opportunity to get out and fish and actually caught something, although this one isn't exactly one to write home about, but for Brent this one weighed more than anything he's snagged in a long time: Brent and Elder Kirby getting a few last casts in as the sun goes down...

I'm sure a little kid caught this for Brent and helped him grab onto it, but he said these make for a great feast

Willy "Americanizes" the Canucks

Candice sent Brent ingredients to make an "American Cake" during the 4th of July, and so of course Brent used it as a chance to make his fellow Canadians salute America. He sent some photos of thier "American Cake" feast and wrote: "The American cake Candice sent me, made the Canadians salute :)"

Brent eating his"American Cake" with the McConnells (Brent and his companion lived in the McConnell's basement, and he really grew to love this family. He said this family was "...a highlight of Merritt for sure!!"

Willy the "Merritt Cowboy"

Brent was transferred to Merritt in May and these were a few of his words he sent home after finding out he was being transferred:

“…today is great, I am getting transferred :) at first I was mad because I asked president to let me stay one more transfer to do some more work, but he had other things in mind and I like them. So I am going to a small town up north called Merritt. I will take a good bus ride on Thursday morning with elder Kirby, my MTC comp, we'll be in the same district but like an hour and a half a part. I hear good things about where I'm going, all twenty members love missionaries, but the missionary work is a little slow so I'm going in. They do not have a chapel, so they meet in a small meeting house. I'm excited and they are starting to prepare for a chapel so I'm hoping to do work on that. My comp is from Poland, just learning English, and he has only been out one transfer...so I guess you could say I get to follow up train but I hate that term, so we are both veterans now. I haven't met him yet but I'll let you know more when I get there, but I am excited and ready for a change. Things are all good…”

The first few letters Brent wrote from Merritt revealed the frustrations of a young Elder learning to adjust to a new area, different companion, and the usual changes and emotions that come with every transfer. It took a few weeks for Brent to warm up to the little town of Merritt and its people, but once he did he really enjoyed the work in this town, even though at times he had to learn how to control his "temper" and the virtue of patience.

In order to fit in amongst the citizens of Merritt, the missionaries were allowed to wear Cowboy hats anytime they wanted to. Who knew that a cowboy hat would be something Brent would need to bring with him as part of his missionary attire??? Since he obviously hadn't brought a cowboy hat with him, one of the members took the missionaries shopping and allowed them to pick out a nice cowboy hat to wear as part of the missionary wardrobe. The majority of the pictures Brent sent from Merritt included a cowboy hat, regardless of whether he was out proselyting or just hanging out on P-day. Brent was able to meet a lot of great people, and one person he was able to work with and be a part of the conversion was a young man named Tyrone. Brent grew to love the people in Merritt, and from his letters home I could tell he developed a special friendship with Tyrone, and his conversion really meant a lot him. I know it was hard for him to leave Merritt when he was transferred, primarily because of the friendship he had built with Tryone, and just wanting to be there to help be apart of strengthening his testimony. Here are a few photos of Willy's time in Merritt:

Brent and Elder Stevenson (Poland) at the building where they hold church meetings

Willy and Elder Stephenson (Idaho Falls) taking the Coutry Music town of Merritt by "storm"...

Willy and Stephenson teaching, as Brent put it, "The Sermon on the Mount"

Brent and Jim Fountain strummin' on the guitars...

Willy in deep thought as he peers over Nicola Lake towards Merritt wondering where all those doors are that are "supposed" to "open" when he "knocks"...

Moving on to Merritt BC, Canada

In the middle of May 2008, Brent was transferred to the small town of Merritt, a city in the Nicola Valley of the south-central Interior of BC, Canada. It is located where the Nicola and Coldwater rivers merge, and is the first major community you run into when traveling along the Coquihalla Highway. Once known as Forksdale, the community adopted its current name in 1906 in honor of mining engineer and railway promoter William Hamilton Merritt. The city is approximately 9 sqaure miles large with a population of around 8,000 people. Merritt hosts a yearly "Merritt Mountain Music Festival" that draws more than 120,000 people every July. The Festival, combined with the development of the Merritt Walk of Stars - a display of bronzed handprints of Mountainfest artists placed around the community - and other tourism development activities have been used to solidy the city's branding as the "Country Music Capital of Canada." Below are some photos of some Murals of the famous Country Music Stars that have attended the Festival in Merritt along with some historic buildings in Merritt:

Tim McGraw Mural

Alan Jackson Mural

Walk of Stars Stage

Historic Cold Water Hotel in Downtown Merritt

Merritt in the Winter

Life in Langley

Brent arrived in Langley about the second week in January of 2008, and served there until May 2008. Just about every missionary goes through a "culture shock" stage and since Langley was Brent's first area, he went through a lot of ups and downs in this area. There was the usual homesickness he had to fight through, and then the adjustments every missionary goes through while learning the meaning of "sacrifice" and what it really means to be on the Lord's errand 24/7. His first few letters home from Canada I'm sure were hard for our Mom to read knowing her "little" boy was struggling, but Brent grew a lot during these first few months.

Being from Hooper and having spent many years on the farm with his Grandpa and brothers, one thing Brent didn't need to learn on his mission was how to get "down and dirty" to do a little farm work. Fortunately for him he had several opportunities his first few months to perform acts of service while helping people on on their farms. One particular P-day Brent and a few other missionaries were helping out with some farm chores, and they were daring one another to ride one of the bulls. Well of course Brent as usual never backs down from a dare/bet, and so he decided he would "show them how it's done" and jumped on for ride. I'm sure it was quite the site, and fortunately he didn't get hurt. Willy enjoyed his short time in Langley, and here are a few photos from his time in Langley:

Brent and Wade Cardno (Willy and his comp lived in the Cardno's basement) "Working on the Farm" Brent on the Loader and the Cardno's in the background

Elders- Hall, Curtis, Wilson, & Kirby loading a truck that was supposedly heading to Trinidad & Tobego, where Bubba is serving. What's a group of photos without Willy "trying" to flex :)

Jeff Hughes, Brent and Elder Kirby, and little Tanner (Brent says this is the place they "hold the sheep") Kaya, Elder Wilson, & Zach (The two primary kids Brent taught, and the Easter basket Candice sent him with his "Easter" tie)

First Stop...Langley BC, Canada

Brent's introduction to life in Canada came in the Township of Langley BC, Canada. The Township of Langley is located in the lower mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is bounded on the west by the City of Surrey, on the north by the Fraser River, on the east by the City of Abbotsford, and on the south by the Canada-U.S. boundary. It comprises 122 square miles and is home to just over 100,000 people.
The Township of Langley was one of the first municipalities in the province to be incorporated - on April 26, 1873. It has its roots in Fort Langley which is the birthplace of British Columbia and has grown from a farming and fishing community dependent on the Fraser River for transportation and livelihood to one of the fastest growing municipalities in the Lower Mainland. In 1827, the Hudson's Bay Company established the first Fort Langley at Derby Reach on the Fraser River. There on November 19, 1858, Sir James Douglas read the proclamation creating the colony of British Columbia.
The picture of the "Coat of Arms", granted to the Township of Langley in 1998, embodies components of key players - the Hudson's Bay Company & the Aboriginal people - whose historic roles have made Langley's history unique.

So there is quick background of the first place Willy called "Home" in Canada. Pictures of Willy in Langley still to come.