Merlin is a native of Idaho Falls, Idaho, having grown up on his parent’s farm with three brothers and three sisters. He attended Ricks College (now BYU-Idaho) in Rexburg, Idaho and then was called to fulfill a two year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the East Central States Mission, headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky.
After the completion of his mission, he met and married Therel Andrus. She completed her “mrs degree” and helped Merlin graduate from Ricks College and then Utah State University in Logan. While at USU, both Therel and Merlin completed the requirements to graduate from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Institute of Religion. Merlin also completed the requirements for employment with the Seminaries and Institutes of Religion and was hired to teach Seminary for the Church, with his first assignment in Blackfoot, Idaho.
He later taught Seminary at Bonneville High School Seminary, then accepted an assignment to supervise Early Morning and Home Study Seminary in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Of his 36 years with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Seminary and Institute, 26 of those years were spent teaching in Rigby, Idaho.
After his retirement, he and his wife, served as missionaries for the Church in the Canary Islands supervising and administering the Seminary and Institute of Religion program in those beautiful islands.
Merlin is currently interested in writing, family history, and online marketing.
Merlin and Therel are the parents of two married sons and have six grandchildren and four great grandchildren.