love, serve, teach: 2 letters for home this week! :)

Dear Family,
Hello from Arizona! :) I just wanted to share a letter & a scripture with you.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved." John 3:16-17

I love this scripture. God did not send us into this life to fail! He provided a Savior, His beloved son, so that we could succeed in this life and return to live with Him! I know as we live the gospel of Jesus Christ by having faith and believing him Him, repenting and making changes in our lives to live in closer harmony with His teachings, being baptized, receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end, we can return to live with God again. We can have the Spirit with us always as we keep our baptismal covenants and keep our faith strong. <3 I'm so grateful for Jesus Christ because it means I can live with my Heavenly Father and my family - you guys- forever. I love you all SO MUCH.

Huge hugs from your Sister missionary in AZ!!

Love, Sister Whitney Morris. <3 <3 <3

Dear Mommy, Dad, Isaac, Hannah, Jacob, Adam, & Peter,,

Thanks so much for the letters!!! I got two letters this week and they were sooo awesome!!! I love that you used coloring pages for stationary haha :D And everyone's letters were just so awesome. They make me laugh, smile, and feel so happy and excited every time I get them! And that picture of the bird was the ugliest thing I've ever seen in my life!! Hahaha.

Thanks so much for remembering me & our investigators in your prayers! That's soo sweet about Adam and Peter. (: It makes me really really good that you guys do that every day. I remember that whenever we have a slightly discouraging moment. (:

I can't believe how freezing VA sounds!! Holy cow! I am glad I'm here haha... although that is so cool you were able to think about the blessings of having a beautiful farm home and just everything. That was really neat. (: Attitude truly does make the biggest difference!! I have seen that SO STRONGLY as a missionary! And humming hymns, praying, and just looking at the beauty of nature and the funny/sweet moments in life truly make all the difference. So that's awesome. (:

That's so fun you all went to DC for Shannon's birthday!! She is the sweetest girl, I like her alot. It's so weird to think of Isaac in a relationship (: Hahaha.... weirdo (; But really, he's the best. Your all the best. In his letter he wrote "Who told you I kissed Shannon??? #somebodysgonnagetabuttwhooping!" Hahaha, it made me laugh!

So this week has been really great!! Some of the happiest days, actually. It's so nice getting settled in an area and with a companion. It's funny, after a while we start picking up things we both do - like how I make those little "hm" noises all the time? I "hm" to myself, and don't even realize it, because I'm thinking something so interesting? Well, she was laughing that I do that, and now she's started to do it haha. The other day we were at a family's house teaching them and they told us we looked like Daphne and Velma.... that was pretty funny too, haha. We have some really fun times!

We've had some really awesome moments this week. Our Bishop has this list he gives us of people who are on the records but they've never met, or who are less active, or could just use uplifting strength and support. We've been working on that, and have actually found some really cool people to teach! One of them is named I. He just moved here from San Francisco, and he is so cool! Probably one of the kindest people I've ever met. We taught him about prophets, and asked him what his religious background was, and he basically taught us about the apostasy - how he believes the Bible is true, but that through so many translations people changed it, etc. It was amazing! We had an awesome lesson with him, and the Spirit was also so strong, especially when we taught him about prophets. It was really cool.

We're also teaching a young man named T. He is amazing! He grew up Baptist, and just moved here from New Jersey. He was recently in an oil fire that happened in his kitchen. Luckily just his hand was hurt, but he's been having a hard time finding a job. We've been meeting with him and last week we had the greatest lesson about the Restoration. The Spirit was so strong, especially as we bore our testimonies about Joseph Smith. We've started doing a new thing - when we teach about the First Vision, we recite Joseph Smith's account (I saw a pillar of light, etc.) And the Spirit ALWAYS comes in that moment. Throughout the time I've been here, that is always the time I've felt the Spirit most strongly in lessons, in general. It's incredible. But we recite his account, and then we pause at the end to let it sink in. And then we ask the investigator, we asked T, "T, do you believe this could happen?". This question helps them internalize it and think about if they believed it could happen, and every time they've answered "Yes", and then we testify that we know it happened. The Spirit is always so strong in those moments. It's so amazing. I love being a part of this work!!

J. has been doing okay. He recently started working on his Master's degree, so he's been working full time, then comes home, eats dinner, spends an hour with his wife, and then does homework until almost midnight... it's crazyyyyy. So we haven't had a chance to have a full lesson with him in a while. :/ But he is always really open for us to come over whenever, even if it's just for 15 minutes or so. He's such a nice, and extremely intelligent, man. I have faith that he'll eventually come to the point of baptism, and being converted. I just think it will take him longer than usual, which is okay. We're just patient and keep trying to share messages with him that will strengthen his faith and help him.

We're giving talks this Sunday, which I'm nervous for!! But it will be a good experience, for the ward too. Our ward is amazing! We got a new ward mission leader, and they take us out to eat for dinner every Saturday. That has been so fun (: I absolutely love them! They are so fun to be around, and have such strong faith in the gospel. Our ward is wonderful!

I've been doing really great as well. The mission is humbling (: That's for sure. But it's so incredible. It is such a privilege to be here. I love it!! Even the hard times.

Anyways. Before I end, I just wanted to share how grateful I am to be here. I love Maricopa. I love Sister R, she's such a great companion! She is so patient with me and is such a good example, I've learned so much from her. I hope to be able to lead lessons like she does someday, haha. I just wanted to share also that I love Jesus Christ. I love His gospel. I love His teachings, and His example. I just know He's there. I know God listens to and hears my prayers. I have felt Him strengthen and comfort me, and give me peace. I have also felt His Spirit guide me, and give me words to say, when I didn't know what to speak.

Studying the scriptures and preach my gospel every day has been an incredible experience. Some of the times I've felt closest to Heavenly Father are in personal study, and then in companionship study when Sis R and I share what we've learned and discuss the things we've read about. It's incredible!! I think in my family scripture study someday I might try and just read a few verses from the Book of Mormon, and then discuss them. Or somehow have the family talk about a principle of the gospel. It invites the Spirit so strongly, it changes it from just words to being a living, vibrant blessing in their lives. The gospel is amazing. (:

Well, I've rambled forever haha! One more thing, the member we live with, Sis A, made the most delicious cranberry/walnut bread!!! I couldn't help but think how yummy that would be at home, with the walnuts you've cracked and harvested from our own backyard. (: So you should try and make some haha, although maybe it would hinder the low carb diet thing... maybe around Christmas. (:

Love you all!! Thanks so much for the support and love. It means so much to me! Thanks so much for praying for the people we've been teaching as well. I know that helps so much and blesses our work<3

Love you!! (:

love,

Sister Whitney Morris

P.S. Did you get my letter for Dexter?? Wasn't sure if I had his current address, ha. Thanks! (:

We got frozen yogurt!!! :)