Good Things to Come

Our dear friends, Dick and Sandy Merrill, currently serving back in Madrid sent us their testimony experience that relates with Elder Holland's video. We are grateful that the Merrills have given us permission to post their story here on our blog:

"This video brought back a memory of a similar experience we had back in 1964. I had the same kind of feelings that Elder Holland expressed in this video.

We were returning to Utah after completing pilot training in Del Rio, Texas. It was November, 1964 and somewhere south of Price, Utah our car Fiat ( tinkertoy ) burned up and we were stranded in the middle of nowhere.

 I finally found a country home right on the highway after an extended run and was able to call for a tow truck from Price. He took our car and us on into Price where we were faced with the problem of what to do. Our car needed major repair and we didn't have much time because I was due very soon in Stead AFB near Reno, Nevada for a 3 week survival course in the snowy Sierra Mountains of Nevada and California.

We checked in to a motel and knelt down that night and offered a prayer of thanks and requested advice on how to proceed. We were both impressed with the same thought that we should get a more reliable vehicle. Sandy and our first born were taking this all very well inspite of the fact that she was expecting our second in March.

When I think about some of the things we have been through together, I am reminded of how much I cherish and love her. We found out the next day the block had been cracked and that the tiny engine was pretty well destroyed. So we asked to speak with the Car dealer there, who was a Mr Read and see if we could get anything for our car and use it to trade for another. All I had was govt. ID from the Air Force and an un-expiring Phillips Petroleum credit card and a promise of good faith because of who and what I was. He agreed to sell us a car and we picked a silver Impala Super Sport off the show room floor

 and they prepared it for us and we drove it on to SLC and I went on to Reno for training.

I still don't know why or how we were able to make this deal for the car since Mr. Read didn't even know us. We enjoyed that car very much until I returned from my year in Southeast Asia. I had forgotten about the tender mercies which were extended to us during this event. I hope you will take time to watch the video. You will enjoy it, I'm sure."


Con Mucho Amor, 
Los Merrill in Madrid



We remember the General Conference address ('An High Priest of Good Things to Come’, Ensign, Nov 1999, 36) when Elder Holland first told this story and how it touched our hearts and inspired us then. And now, with this video, the spiritual impact continues, to bless, to encourage, to inspire, to calm and to give hope. Such an amazing, wonderful testimony by an eye witness of the Lord and His goodness!