If you love the Come Follow Me section of the Latter Day Light newsletter, you’ll love Kelly Merrill! Kelly has a way of making the restored gospel of Jesus Christ feel both accessible and deeply personal, helping us all learn and grow.

He is the creator of GospelStudy.us, a treasure trove of gospel insights, and runs the largest Latter-day Saint Ministering Facebook group. His impressive body of work includes 18 gospel-centered books and over a thousand articles, each one written to help others better understand and follow the teachings of the Savior.

During Latter Day Light’s relaunch of the newsletter, Kelly stepped in as interim editor, making sure it found its way back to you. He is a gospel powerhouse and one of the kindest individuals you’ll meet, and we are blessed to have him as part of this effort.

Get To Know You Survey

As we spotlight our volunteers, we’ve provided them with a list of questions to choose from and answer. Our hope is that this gives you a glimpse into the hearts and minds of these remarkable individuals and helps you understand why they are such a treasured part of the Latter Day Light family. Learn about the rest of our team.

What is one interesting fact about your childhood? 

My father was in the Air Force. When I was seven, he was transferred to the Philippines. I am one of the few people my age to go all the way across the Pacific in a propeller plane. There were four of them! 

What’s your favorite book of all time (besides the scriptures)? 

Anything written by Charles Dickens. When I read his work, I start to talk like him. Come to think of it, I do the same with Shakespeare. I am a simple person and am easily influenced. 

Do you prefer the mountains, the beach, or the desert? What? 

I’m conflicted between the mountains and the beach. I love to hug a good palm tree, but there is little in this life that can compare with the sound of water flowing in the mountains or the sound of wind through the pines. 

What is one gospel principle you are passionate about? 

I am in love with the plan of salvation. It encompasses everything the gospel has to offer. There is no end to what I can learn about God’s plan for our salvation. 

Who is your favorite prophet from this dispensation, and why? 

Joseph Smith. His willingness and effort to always be obedient and to do his best at whatever the Lord assigned him to do resonates with me. I look up to his example. 

How do you study the scriptures? Any tips for others? 

When I read, I sometimes “trip” over a statement or the use of a word. I can’t move on until I have figured out why that one thing is holding me up. When I read the scriptures I am secretly looking for understanding that I don’t have at the moment. I think this is what causes me to trip over certain ideas or phrases. Only when I have figured out why I have come to a stop can I move on. It leaves me feeling fulfilled. 

How do you incorporate the gospel into your daily life? 

The gospel lifestyle is the life I try to lead. I am aware of how my behavior might be misread by those around me all the time, so I try to be kind, patient, tolerant, and forgiving in everything I do. It is not always easy. 

Is there anything else you want to share with our readers? 

My writing is me asking my own questions and then trying to work them out on paper. What you get when you read one of my articles is this process in action. It’s not perfect, but someday I will be able to show my posterity what I have written and tell them that this body of work represents my understanding of God’s plan for our happiness. I can’t honestly think of anything I would rather give them than my testimony. So far, I have written more than one thousand articles over eleven years. This has become my mission in life.