April 21, 2014

Dear Family,
 WOW what an awesome email!!!! Reading about Peter and Adam being able to be sealed too brought tears to my eyes (: I am so, so happy to hear that. It's amazing to see our family get all of the blessings of the temple together. I am so proud of you and love you guys :) That made me so happy!

That lamb cake was hilarious...! And disturbing, haha. Glad you guys had fun with that. I also liked the easter egg warnings... that was funny :) The choir performance sounds beautiful! I love the Messiah. That is amazing :)

It's not quite as bad here as God's Army, haha, and I think it gets a worse rep then it actually is. But it is definitely a completely different culture. I do feel like I'm in a foreign country sometimes. Everything is in Spanish! The music, cartoons, restaurants, billboards, what you hear on the street... But I love it! I really wish I spoke Spanish better, sometimes we talk with people and can't get anywhere because we don't speak Spanish. But it is really awesome serving here. It's great... especially the food and horchata... yum (: 

Well, this week has been amazing!! So much has happened. I'll share some of the highlights, because there is too much to write. :)

So we are teaching this new family, L, and D,! We received their referral from church headquarters, and we went to visit them, and L, told us a bit of his story. He works as a doc assistant, and all of the doctors he works with are LDS. Growing up his family was in many different religions, and he hated it, because it was so confusing, and he didn't fully believe any of them. Now, as he and D. have started their family and have young children, he is looking for a religion for them. He knows they need God in their life, to help them, and especially help his kids become better people, and he wants his family to be united in whatever way of worship they choose. We talked with him, and he said that his doctor friends have been such good examples to him. Sometimes they'll be doing surgery, and will be talking about random things, and suddenly one of them will say something profound and spiritual, and that impressed him so much! So one day he asked his friend, how do I get involved in your church? His friend told him that he could send over missionaries, and L. said great! About a week later, L. asked if he had sent them yet, and his friend said no, but that he would. So then L. went to Mexico for a bit, and he said he was so scared that he had missed us coming by. So when we came by and got in contact with him, he was so relieved! 

It is so amazing to see how he has been prepared for us to share the gospel with him. He told us that he already felt something different with us then he had learning about other churches, and we told him that that was the Holy Ghost. We explained to him how the Holy Ghost is like a messenger from God, that testifies of truth and guides us. He said that that made so much sense!  And that he had felt it sometimes in his life, but that he had never known what to call that feeling. But he said that that was the feeling he was looking for, to have it always. It was just the most amazing first lesson. I mean... wow! This week we are going to go back and teach him and his wife, and his children - the whole family. I am so, so, SO excited!! :) It is such a blessing!!

We are also teaching a young woman named K. who referred herself on mormon.org. Her boyfriend is LDS, and he's shared alot with her, and she's been to church with him, but funny enough she said she felt more comfortable learning from people she didn't know very well.... so she requested the missionaries :) Haha, she is so cool! I'm so impressed with her because she has such a sincere desire to learn, and to know. Our first lesson with her we invited her to pray, and the next time we came she told us how it went, and she even told us that after she prayed she sat for a few minutes to focus on how she felt, like we had invited her to. She took that time, and she wrote down the feelings she felt. It was so neat :) She is progressing super well! She is thinking of maybe marrying her boyfriend I think, and she knows that being unified in religion is so important in marriage. So she is taking that in consideration. She is worried though, because her family are all kind of different religions, and sometimes they make fun or make little digs at mormons, and she feels like she may become an outcast/weird one in her family if she gets baptized. It's hard, I can't imagine being in her situation! But she knows she does have a wonderful family, and that they would love and support her no matter what. So I have faith just that as she prays and finds those answers for herself, those worries will kind of become less important, if that makes sense. They will probably still be there, but she'll know it's true. She is amazing. Do you have any advice or thoughts on how we could help her? We pray, and talk with her, and she is just amazing. I'm so grateful we can teach her!

Other then that, this week has been fantastic! We've been teaching tons and tons of lessons, and lots of them with members, which is exciting. The ward here is incredible, they do so much to serve us and their people. We have one lady, the one who reminds me of Farmor, who is probably in her late 60s. Her name is Sister F. She served a mission when she was young, and she comes out with us every Sunday! She has a bit of trouble walking, so we both walk arm in arm with her, and I always turn the ignition in her car for her too. But she always has such a sunny attitude and wants to come out and help share the gospel! She is so fun too, she makes funny jokes and she is just the best!! I love the members!! :) 

We have had some funny moments this week.

In correlation, we gathered together for our meeting with the ward missionaries and the elders we share the ward with. Sooo, we are getting the chairs situated, because they were placed pretty awkwardly. So Sister D. was moving the chairs around, and I decide to go ahead and sit down. So I pick a chair, go to sit in it, and Sister D. pulls the chair right out from under me!! I fell straight on the floor, and my stuff went everywhere. Hahaha, it was so funny, we were all laughing. It was hilarious :D 

There is also this girl named L. that is getting baptized next week! She's 9, and she's been inviting her friends at school to her baptism. We were teaching her, and she told us the funniest story :) 

This is how her conversation with her little friend at school went:

L: "So are you Catholic or Christian?"

Her friend: "I'm Mexican"

L. "Well.... were you put in a birdbath when you were a baby?"

Her friend "Yeah!"

L. "Oh, okay, your Catholic!"

Hahaha, isn't that funny?? Kids say the funniest things, it made me laugh :) 

One more funny story, so there is this 13 yr old boy we are kind of teaching. He is baptized, and he's inviting his friends to meet with us and talk with us. He's the only one who speaks English, the rest of his family - including his grandma who is the cutest grandma I have ever seen!! - speaks Spanish. So after talking with him one day, his grandma came to us, and chattered away to us in Spanish. We found out that she wanted to introduce us to her neighbors! We said awesome! So we walked with her over to her neighbor's house, and the whole time she chattered away in Spanish. She was wearing this brightly colored striped sweater that looked like a rainbow candy cane, flower print pants, tie dye crocs, a huge cute sunhat, and very large glamorous sunglasses. We just walked with her, listening to what she was telling us in Spanish, she's all happy and smiling while she's talking with us... haha it was so fun :) She is amazing! I can only understand the jist of what she's saying, but we just absolutely love her and love listening to her. None of her neighbors were too interested, but it was so awesome that she took us over to introduce us to them. It was a fun scenario (: Missions are the best. 

We also had a baptism this past week, which was incredible. His name is P., and he's been taught for a while. After he was baptized, he shared his testimony, and it was so powerful. He's come from such a hard background, and his LDS friends have made all the difference - and have been basically his family, and his support - during his life. Tears streamed down his face, and he told us that that was the first time he had cried in about 30 years, and the most he had ever cried in his life. The Spirit was so strong,  it was so powerful. It was a beautiful baptism.

There is so much to tell you, but time is out! Guys, I LOVE Phoenix. I think this is going to be one of my favorite areas. Sister D. is AMAZING. We make an awesome teaching/inviting team. She is so fun, and is such a powerful teacher, and we have so many good times together. She's a good example to me, and I like to think in some way I'm a good example to her too. It's going to be an awesome transfer :) So many stories and experiences to share... and no time! Someday when I get home, we'll sit on the couch and talk, and I can tell you so many things that I didn't have time to write! And I'll hear about what happened while I'm away.

I love you guys. I am so grateful for all of you, for my wonderful family! You mean everything to me. I know that loving Heavenly Father and loving your neighbor, and your family, are what it's all about. That is where true happiness and peace is found, no matter what your circumstances are in life - wealthy or poor, rural or urban, whatever. It all comes down to your relationship with God and with those around you! That's where the most beautiful, life fulfilling treasures are. (: I love my Savior. Have you guys watched the video Because of Him? Please do. My testimony of Christ has grown so much, just in these past weeks. I would love to write more, but my times almost up... so next time. :) 

Love you guys! 

love, Sister Whitney Morris

Oh, and I did have a favor to ask - A new journal... I'm almost done with mine already, yikes! A nice one from deseret book is what I would love, but their like twenty bucks, so if that's too much don't worry about it, I can buy one here. :) Thanks! Love you guys!

 

Today at 2:55 PM

Phoenix! Maryvale is the best!

 

 

 

We matched to host at the Easter pageant (: and we got to watch it this week! It was amazing!

 

 

 

Also I ran into Lindsey Brewer at the pageant!!!! Funny huh??? It was so awesome seeing her!!! We were so happy! :D

 

And Si in our car :D

Pictures of Jz's baptism and P's baptism.
(:

 

 

 

Letter home April 14, 2014

 

 

 

 

 

Dear Family,

 

 

WOW!!! Congratulations on the sealing letter!! Oh my goodness, I can imagine - or can't - just the feelings you all had as you received that in the mail. I am so excited, beyond what words can say (: I am so grateful everything is slowly closing the loose ends of all the hard times we've had. That is so exciting. I can't wait to hear more about it (: You'll have to keep me updated for how things with the family go as well.
Our family is so awesome (: I also loved Adam's prayer moment, that was sooo sweet. And that's so funny you brought the lamb to the beach! I was sorry to hear about the poor baby lamb, but I know it's in a better place... that sounds like such a fun trip (: Have fun at the beach!

 

As for me, this week has been so sad, and also amazing. We said goodbye to so many people I love so dearly, all of the people we could... we couldn't see everyone, but we could see the ones we probably spent the most time with. Leaving Maricopa was really sad, but we saw some incredible miracles the night before we left. 

The first miracle was our lesson with T.! Sis R. and I went in prepared to say goodbye, and make plans with their member family to take them to other churches so they could prepare to be baptized. Well, before the lesson started, it came up that we were leaving, and it was soo sad. T. started crying, Sis R. started crying, and I felt like crying inside.... But we told them that we would be there when they got baptized. L. then told us that they had news to tell us... Their dad had both given them the go ahead to be baptized!!!! It was the most amazing moment of my life, and that's when I started crying. We set a date for May 3rd, and it was probably one of the happiest moments of my life... And will be until the day that they are baptized (: it was so incredible. I am so grateful to be a part of their lives, and that Heavenly Father was able to lead us to them and help them receive those blessings they wanted to much. It was incredible.

After that lesson, we went to try and visit R. one last time. She is the woman who we found and taught under pretty miraculous circumstances, but we haven't seen her because she has been in Phoenix for the past 2 weeks helping her daughter, and she broke her phone so we couldn't contact her at all. Well, we knocked on the door, and she answered!!! She immediately was so happy to see us, and wanted us to come back the next day to teach her, and begin preparing for baptism again. We were able to get a phone number that the missionaries could contact her at and immediately set up an appt for the new missionaries to come visit her. I was so happy to see her, and we were able to get a picture with her too, which I was so grateful for. I am never going to forget her, or T. and his family, or the wonderful ward in Maricopa. I learned so much. That experience changed me for good, especially being Sis. R's companion. She is so obedient and so spiritual, and was such a source of strength and comfort to me. I miss her too! But the feelings of gratitude outweigh the sadness of leaving them, and I know I will see them again. I love the people of Maricopa.

Well, with that experience, I could hardly wait to see where I was getting transferred to. It's so funny, the Lord sent me to Sis R's old area, roommates with her old companion!  I am SO excited to be in Phoenix. We are in Maryvale, which is basically the inner city, ghetto for lack of a nicer word, part of Phoenix. It is SO different! I feel like I'm in a foreign country. There are 16 spanish missionaries in our zone, and only 4 or 6 english. Crazy huh? But I absolutely love it!!! We have talked with so many people on the street, and they are so much more willing to talk with us and hear what we have to share, I think because they are more humble. We have had some incredible experiences. My new companion is Sister D, and she is so fun!! She is very smart, but is so down to earth and jokes around alot. She is an incredible teacher also. She's only been out 3ish months, and I've been out almost 5 now (crazy!!!) but I feel like she has been out for years already. I am so excited to be serving with her!

There is so much amazing potential in this area! My first weekend here we had a baptism, of a girl my age named J. She is so funny! She comes from such difficult circumstances... The missionaries started teaching her in January,  but at first she wasn't really interested at all. Then her mom passed away a few weeks later, and then she turned to the gospel, and has since made so many changes in her life. She is incredible. She jokes around so much, and uses all this gangster lingo that Sis D understands, but I have no clue what she means at all, haha... but then she has moments where she shares her testimony, or how the gospel has changed her life, and has changed how she views herself and her future. Those times of her opening up and sharing those experiences with us have changed my life, and have  been some of the most powerful moments of my mission. Anyways, she got baptized this past week, and it was amazing! We also had a stake BBQ, and that was a great experience. The ward here is amazing! They face so many challenges, and carry so many burdens that I have never even been exposed to before. But they carry them strongly, and are so diligent and are so energetic in the ways that they serve the ward. They are truly incredible examples to me.  We take so much for granted. I think that is something this area is definitely going to teach me. It's opening my eyes to alot of things, and it is just so humbling.

 

It's kind of a bit hard transitioning too. I miss Sister R, because she was so obedient, clean and tidy, fun, and just accepting. We were so much alike, it was almost scary! Sister D is INCREDIBLE, and I love her. We live with the sister training leaders, and they are also amazing. Their really awesome missionaries and are super funny. But it's just so different. They joke around a ton, and I'm more on the reserved, serious side (sometimes...) and so it's just going to take some adjusting. It's a bit lonely when you don't feel understood. (: BUT I know I am not here for me, I am here to work and to serve! And I know it's always hard at first in times of change, so over time it will be great I'm sure. But that is what I'm going to do, love and work and serve! Even if other people think I'm a weirdo  because I don't understand gangster lingo yet, haha. By the end of this transfer I will be pro at understanding it (: I am going to love this ward, love this area, love my companion, and love my zone. There is truly so much good in all of them, that I am determined to seek out and focus on so completely that all the negative things just disappear. I know I'm going to love it here! It will be the best transfer ever. We have another baptism this week, and another baptism next weekend, so that is exciting! The work is really moving along here quite quickly. I am so excited to be here. There is also tons of super cool graffiti everywhere, and lots and lots of unique people. I wish I could tell you all about it (: 

 

 

But just know how much I love the gospel. During this time, I've turned to my Savior, and my testimony has grown so much of His Atonement. I have seen how following him changes lives that before would seem dark and hopeless, and He changes it into lives filled with light, and truth, and hope. It touches my heart and humbles me. I know that this gospel is true. 

 

Gosh, I wish I could tell you everything, but that will have to do for today. 

 

I got the GPs and Easter package. Thank you so much!!! I loved the letters, especially how Peter spelled out "hashtag missionary swag". Those are the highlight of my day, and I put some of them up on my wall to remind me of you guys and to make me smile (:

 

Love you all!! Have fun at the beach, and pray for us!! (: Also good luck reading PMG, let me know how it goes!!

 

love, Sister Whitney Morris

Sis D and I, and cool graffiti in Phoenix!!

 

 

 





Sis R and I with T, L, and C



 

Me with R!



 

And the A's, our members we lived with. I love them!! 

Sis D and I being hosts at the Mesa temple for the pageant :) It's like the Hill Cumorah pageant, for Easter We also get to help out with the Easter pageant!!! We get to be hosts, and talk with the hundreds and hundreds of people who come. It is so fun :D I'll write more about it later!

 

 

 





Letter home April 7th 2014

   

Dear Family,

 

Thank you so much for the emails! I'm so glad things are going so well at home. I love you, and I love hearing from you. You make my day every P day (: Your examples and testimonies are ones I think of often, and strengthen me and inspire me. Thank you! (:

 

Wasn't General Conference incredible?? I loved it as well. That is so awesome that E. was able to watch it! I am so excited to hear that he's going to read from the Book of Mormon (: That book is going to change his life! That is so exciting!

 

I also saw Isaac's facebook status, and I could like it on fb because it was a beautiful testimony, centered on Christ, so I did (:  That made my whole day (: He is so amazing. Each and every one of the kids is so amazing! I'm so proud of each and every one of you guys. (: Isn't it amazing the difference it makes in your life, and in you, of feeling the Spirit and just having that faith alive in your heart? It's the best feeling ever!! And I know it transforms us into way better people than we could ever be by ourselves. I am so grateful for Heavenly Father and His plan so that we can have this happiness and peace from the gospel, and even more to look forward to in the future. (:

 

That's great about 'some of your sister's! I thought of them, and also of our family, especially during the Woman's Conference. I'm so grateful that through the Atonement of Christ, families who have had challenges and discord can be fully healed. I hope, and just know, that as we each follow Christ we'll be able to have that blessing completely someday. I believe it and hope for it, and look forward to it. (:

 

That's SOOO exciting about the sealing papers!!! Wow! That's so sad they got lost in the mail, but so exciting that they will actually go through now! Gosh, I wish I could be there, but that's okay. Palmyra is going to be so beautiful, and inside the temple being sealed as a family for forever... it makes me so happy that I can't express it. (: You better send me so many pictures, and a beautiful letter all about it! Every single detail! (:

That's great you saw Captn America too! Surprisingly, I am feeling perfectly fine not seeing it (: Amazing huh? Haha, being a missionary is the best! Even better than watching Captain America (;

 

Well, this past week has been great!! I just found out I'm getting transferred... literally. Usually they call the night before and tell you, so Sis R. and I were sitting anxiously before bedtime for the call... and no call came. So, we figured we weren't getting transferred! Then this morning, we went to pick up the other sisters, and on the drive there Sister S. asked "So, are you guys ready to be transferred?"

 

WHAT??? Haha, turns out both of us are leaving! It was crazy. I am so excited, but also so sad. Maricopa has been AMAZING. I love the people here. I love the ward! They are so wonderful. <3 I love T. and L. and each of the people we're teaching... I'm going to miss them so much. And I'm going to miss Sister R! She is so funny. We are SO alike, it's almost scary. We finish each other's sentences all the time, and have so much fun together, and also have so many spiritual experiences. She has been such a wonderful example, friend, and inspiration to me. I love her!! So it's sad we won't be together anymore. However, we have both decided we are going to marry rich husbands when we get home, and travel to Mexico, Virginia, and Brazil... which, funny enough, I REALLY want to do now. I love the Spanish language and culture. So we will have many more adventures in the future. (:

But, as of Wednesday, we will be leaving Maricopa :( It has been the best adventure of my life these past few months. I will truly miss it!

 

Let's see, except for that news... this week has been awesome. I have just felt so happy. Tuesday was fun, we went to a sketchy restaurant named "Pollo Loco" for lunch. It was there that I tried my first... octopus quesidilla!!! Yum!! Okay, not so yummy haha, I would not eat it again. But it was fun.

 

We met a man this week, and Sis R. taught him in Spanish. It was really neat. He's going through a divorce and having a really hard time, but we were able to share the gospel with him - well, she was, and I could smile and support 100% everything she was saying - and we made an appt. with him to have a lesson, to pass him over to the Spanish elders. That was really neat.

We also had a wonderful lesson with T. and L. and C. They are SO AMAZING. I wish you could meet them! They are so fun, and have just such pure spirits. They both want to be baptized!!!!!!!!! And they are going to visit a few other churches this week and next week so they can be! Sadly we won't be here... but we're going to get permission to come down when they get baptized. That will be the happiest day of my life!!! I cannot wait. I just love them, and love their faith, and I am going to miss them!!

 

We had alot of service projects this week. We helped one member start packing up to move. She lived in Brazil for almost ten years, and she gave us some t shirts in portuguese. Way cool! We also helped A. make tamales. That was so fun. She's such a hard worker, getting her GED and working so hard to help her family. She also said she wants to start coming to church. (: So exciting!!!

 

We also met a coptic Christian egyptian man on the street. That was really cool! He wasn't too interested in learning about the restored gospel, but he told us a bit about the trials they've faced as being Christians in Egypt, which were crazy. He also spoke to us in the
language they speak, which is copic? a mix of Hebrew and a Greek language... that was really cool. I'm always surprised what a diversity there is of people living here in AZ. I love it. (:

It has been an awesome, awesome week. Also, of course, Conference was amazing. We watched one session with T. and the D. family (his best friend's family) and that was so fun! We had hot dogs beforehand. The talks were amazing. My favorites were probably Elder Holland, Elder Uchtdorf's, and Pres. Monson's, of course... as well as the one about the truck needing the wood to obtain traction, and how we need heavy loads sometimes to gain spiritual traction.

I loved Elder Holland's because what he said was so true. But something major I learned from that talk was always being bold in our testimonies and teaching true doctrine. Especially in being loving, and courteous, but defending our beliefs, and never condoning sin. That can be scary to do sometimes. But they need to hear it. I also loved Pres. Uchtdorf's, about being grateful, and having a grateful heart. I also loved the one about needing loads for spiritual traction. I loved this, because a trial in my mission which sounds very silly, is waking up early every day. You never have a day to sleep in, haha. So, silly enough, this is a load that I feel. But I loved his talk because I know those loads are necessary to help us move forward spiritually. Waking up early every day has mainly just helped me feel the blessing of being obedient. I never sleep in a minute past 6:30, not ever. I guess some of the blessings are having time to work out, and being alert during studies. But most of all, it's helped me have confidence and become a more consecrated missionary, because I am being exactly obedient in that rule. So, that's a small thing. That talk applied to many other aspects of my life as well. But that was a neat thing I learned.

 

Yeah, it was an awesome week. I love this gospel. I LOVE being a missionary!! It is the best thing EVER. Honestly. I would sacrifice everything all over again, to come serve.

 

I am so excited your going to be studying Preach My Gospel!!! Seriously, I want ALL of you to! And tell me what you learn from it. Please! :) That would be so awesome to hear that every week. Preach My Gospel is one of the best books, and has so many incredible teachings and guidelines for each of us. One thing that has helped me is not feeling like I have to do it... go ahead and find parts that sound interesting to you, and read those first. That will help you get more into it :) When you force yourself to go from beginning to end and get bored, you just lose motivation to do it. Unless you feel inspired to go from beginning to end... whatever your heart desires. But I can PROMISE each member of our family, that as you read Preach My Gospel, you will feel the missionary spirit! Your testimonies will grow. And you will become a greater servant and disciple of Jesus Christ, to help all of God's children return to Him. It's the greatest work ever, and you can be a part of it!!!! :) It's so exciting!!

 

Well, I've written a novel, but just a few funny moments this week:

 

- I was helping a less active move her couch, and her chihuahua BIT ME IN THE LEG. I'm serious. It didn't hurt too bad, hardly at all, but it was crazy... hahaha.

 

- Sis R. and I were talking about license plates (the things you talk about while walking finding people every day...) and I told her how mine used to be Eagle76. She said "wow, that's cool! It sounds like a secret code name!" The conversation escalated, and we began trying to figure out a secret code name for her. I said "Hm... how about something cool, like... Falcon99...."

She turned and looked at me, and said thoughtfully, "How about something more like... Hello Kitty?"

Hahaha, it made me laugh. She's so funny (: She loves everything pink, with bows and sparkles and hello kitty, even though she hates cats. It just made me laugh.

 

Well, love you guys! It's been an awesome week. Next week I'll get to tell you all about my new area... crazy!!

 

Love you!! (:

 

love,

Sister Whitney Morris

 

  

Hillbilly teeth... you cover your teeth in pink starbursts for gums, then make yellow teeth. We were laughing hysterically. I would highly recommend it if your in the need of a silly  moment or a good laugh (:   haha, they make me laugh (:

 

A family we taught in our ward. They brought out a surprise bday cake and sang happy birthday for me (: They are such a fun family! I love their kids we're teaching too!

 

 

A sidewalk chalk drawing a girl in our ward wrote. It says I love the sister missionaries (:

 

 

Us with our district leader who is going home today! Returning with honor!

 

 

Our zone!!

 

 

Some more photos with girls in our ward who we LOVE and hillbilly teeth (:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Dear Family,

 

THANK YOU FOR THE BIRTHDAY PACKAGE!!!!!!!!!!!!! :) That made my whole day. I could barely wait to open it, and I opened it the morning of my birthday... it was awesome to start the day off with letters from you all, and all those fun little gifts (: The Duck Dynasty guy (Si?) Made me laugh so hard. And the soaps smell soo good!! And thank you for sending the (essential) oil too. I've been using it every night, and it smells so good. It's only been a few days so we'll see how it works still (: Thanks so much for everything! 

That's so awesome about Jacob's testimony! He is so strong. I saw Hannah's fb post the other day, it just popped up on the newsfeed, how she asked why reading was important or something, and Jacob said because we need to be able to read the scriptures. That made my whole day (: I am so proud of all of the kids, and their strong testimonies and examples. They are so amazing, each and every one of them. I love you all so much. And just a heads up, thinking about you guys sometimes helps me have the strength to keep going and keep working. Thanks for being there to inspire and strengthen me. :) 

 

That's so exciting about Jacob Ingham's decision, and Isaac's!! Wow! You will have to tell me how his experience goes. I am so excited for him. That will be incredible. :) I remember seeing the previews for God's Not Dead, that sounds like such a good movie. I also heard how bad the Noah movie was... ugh. I read a verse this morning in Mormon, where he talked about he has been surrounded by wickedness and abominations ever since he could remember. I couldn't help but think that's exactly how children are being raised in these days. We're surrounded by so much... trash. I'm so grateful for the gospel and Jesus Christ. Pretty crazy! A bit depressing though, so moving on...

 

Woops, sorry the video was upside down!! Hahaha, that's too bad. I took it on my ipad, so I'll try and remember which way is up next time. :)

Thank you for sending the pics of the violinist! I love her music, that is so neat you guys are listening to her. I can't wait to watch that video when I get home :) I'll add it to the list! And the Orson Scott Card quote was awesome!! Loved it!

   

Well, my week has been so, so busy! Even busier then usual, which is saying something. We had exchanges this week, so I led the area, with an AMAZING sister, Sister S. She's the one that talked with me on FB before I left on my mission :) We ended up in the same zone! How funny is that? So we were companions for a day, and that was so fun! She is so cute, and we had some awesome lessons, including one with T. That was probably one of our best lessons yet with him. We just read Alma 32 together, pausing at different parts to talk about it and apply it and answer his questions, and it was so, so powerful. His older sister C. was also there, and she had some AMAZING insights that I learned from! The best lessons are when the Spirit is there so strongly, and both us and the investigators learn from each other and from the Spirit. That's how that lesson was. It was awesome. :) We are going to try and take him to another church sometime... haha so that he can be baptized. :) Transfers are next Wednesday, so I'm not sure if we'll still be here or not :( But if I'm still here, or if Sis R. is still here, we are definitely going to take him to one! The Bishop even gave us some suggestions of those who are a bit friendlier to Mormon missionaries coming and joining one Sunday. (: Haha. 

 

So exchanges went great. I used to get SO NERVOUS leading an area, and I still am a bit. But only a teensy bit now, not nearly as nervous as I was before. So that's really comforting, if I end up getting called to train or anything I know I'll be able to do it. (: 

 

My birthday was awesome. My zone surprised me during weekly planning by coming in with a ton of cupcakes and birthday cake and singing happy birthday to me, so that was really fun! Their such an awesome zone. Maricopa is the best!! Sis R. and I got frozen yogurt for dinner too, which was really yummy. (: 

 

Not too much else has happened.... Sis R. had a meeting in Tempe the day after exchanges, so I spent a day in the other sister's area with them. That was fun! They are so funny. We spent most of the day giving service to different members/part member families in the ward. I got SO sunburned. They also caught a pet scorpion named Ted... he was probably about an inch long. Sadly he died in the water bottle :( I was going to pack him up and send him to Isaac, but he smelled a bit gross, haha. 

 

We also had our first dust storm!! Apparently here they call it a "haboob". It was pretty exciting! Very windy, and dusty. I sent some pictures that some other people took. Pretty crazy! 

 

We had a great day yesterday! Church was amazing, they had a missionary couple from the addiction recovery program speak to us, and it was so powerful. They have an amazing program, and a book that they want every family in the stake to have, that just educates families on different addictions, and how to help loved ones who are dealing with them. I think it's definitely a good thing to look into, because sadly pretty much every family these days is impacted somehow by it. And if not our families, then definitely a friend or someone we know. 

 

After church we went down south with a member and her daughter, and that was so fun! We visited a man named M. who lives in the middle of the desert, in a little tin trailer. He was really cool, and very talkative and friendly, but he's come across alot of skewed info about the church. It was the first lesson where someone has really brought up anti stuff with us... but it went okay, and especially the member was awesome. And we just bore our testimonies, letting him know that we believed and knew these things are true, and just avoided contention or arguing. It was interesting. We tried this other family, and as we drove in the neighborhood the member just kept getting more and more nervous... she told us to never ever go there alone. It's this little community in the middle of the desert, and I guess it's filled with drugs, and violence. Luckily we were all safe and sound and we were totally fine. (: It was pretty crazy though. I felt like I was driving through an old western. 

 

Well, I don't know too much else to say. Things are going really well. (: We found a momma cat in the backyard that had kittens, brand new, just a few days old, and they are so cute! We also saw a baby cow this week, so that was really fun. (: 

There is also this delicious recipe I want you guys to try! We had it in a members house a while ago, and for my birthday she gave me a whole bag of the things we needed to make it :D I was so excited!!

Basically, you take these fried sugar chips that they make in Mexican culture - I'm not sure what their called. Their just fried chips coated in sugar. But you take one, put a scoop of vanilla ice cream on it, and top it off with strawberry/banana salsa (a mix of strawberries, bananas, and sugar) or just strawberry jelly. It's the most delicious thing I've ever tasted!!!  You guys would love it. When I get home, we'll have to have a night where I cook you all this delicious Arizonian food I get to eat. It's so good. :D 

 

Well, I love you all. I am SO excited for General Conference too. Wasn't Women's Conference amazing? I've also been reading Jesus the Christ, and have been absolutely loving it. I learn so much every day in studies, and also from the Book of Mormon. Almost done! :)

 

Well, next week we'll know if I'm getting transferred or not... crazy! Time goes so fast.

 

Love you guys. I'm so glad you are all doing well. Did you get my letters? :)

 

love,

 

Sister Whitney Morris



Some other random pictures... more roping, the elders roping each other, and Ted. And Sis Larsen and I on my birthday. (:

 

 

 

 

A pretty picture of sisters. I can't tell you how many times we do that exact same thing every day.

 

The baby cow. :)

 

 

 

 

And Sister Stott and I! She is so fun! And is a powerful teacher.

 

The haboob in Maricopa this week. Crazy, huh?