12-23-2014

Dear family,

I love you! And merry Christmas! Just a heads up, I literally have about 15 minutes to email today because we have MLC at 2. :( I'm sorry! But I wrote a super long email in the car drive this morning, so there's my update. Sorry about the spelling errors, autocorrect is obnoxious :) Thanks for the emails!! I will probably respond personally more in hand written letters tomorrow when we're home for Christmas Eve. Just know I will be skyping Utah family around 10:30 or 11 az time, and Virginia around 11 or 11:30 am, AZ time so I'm not sure what that is VA time.. We only get 20 minutes :( 40, but we have to split it with households. Sorry! I love you! Thank you sooo much for the wonderful packages and gifts! And most importantly thank you for being such an incredible family. I love you all :)

Just as a quick reply - I'm grateful the court case seemed to go well. I'm proud of you! I'm so happy you enjoyed the package! Hopefully nothing broke :) That is AMAZING about K!!!! Wow!!! Christmas sounded so fun, that's so funny Randi is working at Shaffers! Haha, hilarious! And awesome! The baptism sounded amazing... I think it's funny what you said about the water being so low! Haha you'll see why later! :) That's such an awesome week! Sorry this email reply is so short!

Love you guys!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! 😊

Wow, it has been the most amazing week! So many miracles have happened, and it has gone so fast. I can't believe how time is flying by! Thank you sooo much for the packages and letters. I'm so excited to open them Christmas morning. And most importantly I am so grateful for my wonderful, wonderful family. I couldn't have asked for a better one to be born in. I love you guys, so much. You and the Savior are the greatest gifts I've ever been given, and are of more worth to me then anything else. I love you!

This week has been awesome! Wow! Where do I even begin?? We've had so many amazing lessons and miracles. I love the people here, and we have been working hard to testify and talk with everyone we come in contact with - whether it be on ge street, or the person were trying isn't home so we talk with their family. It feels so good to be a missionary! When you work hard, that is truly when your the happiest! I love it so much! Probably the greatest moments this week have been teaching M. After our incredible lesson last week where they said they want to really find out if this is the truth, our lessons have taken on a different feel. We gave her finding faith in Christ and she LOVED it! She had questions about joseph smith so we started just reading the joseph smith pamphlet with her, and it's been really powerful. She has so many good questions and she's opened up so much. And she came to church for the first time Sunday!! WOOHOO!!! It is the best feeling ever, when your sitting in sacrament and you feel a tap on your shoulder, and you turn around and its this incredible person who you love, coming for the first time! It was such an awesome day!! She loved it. I love their family. I really, really hope they grow to find their own testimonies and accept baptism. :) We'll see what happens! 

We had S and R baptism and it was so wonderful!! And crazy! Haha, things never go smoothly, no matter how much you prepare :) We set up the room, got things ready, and then sis St forgot her cardigan... So we had to run back home real quick. On the way back we heard sirens, and then a funeral procession cop car stopped traffic to let the funeral procession go by. It was the most interesting crowd! First was probably fifteen or twenty fancy, decked out vintage gangster cars - the kind Napolean dynamites cousins have in that movie, complete with hydrolics. One was like 5 feet off he ground on the left side and like 3 feet on the other side! It was so funny! And there were all these gangster looking people inside, just chilling inside the cars. So there was that huge fancy crowd. Next followed about twenty or thirty decked out motorcycle guys, on their fancy neon lit up motorcycles. The fanciest I've ever seen! And then followed this endless stream of cars with very, very interesting people on the inside haha. It was so funny! We were joking that a major gangster or "godfather" had his funeral that day. Only in Phoenix! So we finally got to the church, filled up the font, and everybody started coming. The program was so nice. The Spirit was so strong, the speakers were wonderful, and sister S and I sang beautiful savior again. Then S and Ray were baptized :) They were so happy and so excited! The biggest smiles I have ever seen! It was so sad, we filled up the font... We thought since the water was so close to the drain, it would be deep enough... Well... It was about up to their knees! Haha, that was so embarrassing! So bro H, our ward mission leader, had to basically have them laying straight back in the water to baptize them. But somehow it worked! R they had to baptize twice, because the first time he kind of panicked and put his hands up. But when he came up the second time, he had the biggest, brightest smile on his face I have ever seen. Afterwards they shared their simple, sweet testimonies, and it was so powerful! R's was my favorite. He just said that ever since he started coming, he knows he feels Jesus Christ here, and he feels the Spirit when he reads the scriptures. He can't read, when he and S read together she reads and he repeats after her. It is the sweetest, most incredible thing. And he talked about how he feels the spirit when they read. It was so powerful! I have loved teaching them, it has been such an honor. I love S and R! And they are so happy and excited to be baptized! 

The next day, Sunday, was wonderful. Probably the best Sunday ever :) S and R were confirmed, which was so powerful. They are so, so happy. In the morning, M came to church! Then in the afternoon, in the other ward, T came to church!! The mainstream Christian lady we've been teaching. She loved it, especially Sunday school. It's amazing how both of the lessons were perfect for them and their needs. So church was awesome, we had dinner with a wonderful family - the members are AMAZING here - and then we went to the mission presidents fireside! That was so amazing! A recent convert/less active, the lady whose been taking care of her aunt... Well, her aunt passed away :( so she'll be moving to Georgia soon. But she came, along with sister K, an amazing recent convert. It was just wonderful! The Spirit was so strong, and all the missionaries in the mission were there! Then Monday was e Christmas conference. That was.... Incredible. I love being a missionary so, so, so much. We started off with such a powerful testimony from pres T. The entire mission gets together, eats breakfast, and then is just with each other having spiritual moments and doing fun things all day for Christmas.

After that we split up into two groups and my group, the first group,
went to a beautiful Native American/cowboy art museum in gilbert. It
was sooo amazing! They had bronze sculptures, oil paintings and pencil
sketches, woven baskets, and many sculptures of their... I'm not sure
what their called. Their basically little statues of their dancers, in
their costumes and masks, representing skinwalkers? That's what sister
r told me what they were. But they were really cool! They also
had beautiful turquoise Native American jewelry. It's one of the
greatest collections in the world of southwestern art, and it's owned
by a member! It was so cool! It was also fun walking and talking with
other missionaries :)

After that we came back and had lunch. It was wonderful! I love being
with the other missionaries. I look up to them all so much! After that
we had an AWESOME presentation!! Pres T was talking to the area 70
and they had asked him how well the missionaries knew him. He said
well.... Not too well. Just all the instruction he gives us, powerful
testimony, and correction he gives us. Well, he was told to have us
get to know him and sister T, and J and K, T, not just
President T. So they spent an hour just telling us about their
lives, experiences they've had, their courtship, and president Ts
incredible mission story. Oh my goodness, it is so, so incredible. I
wish I could tell you all.  I love President and Sister T.
I'm so grateful they took the time to let us get to know them.

It was the most amazing day. After that we had a powerful testimony
meeting. I bore my testimony, the first time I've done that with the
whole mission. It was so, so powerful to hear the testimonies and feel
the Spirit. After that we had an amazing dinner, and then the mission
family home evening where we had tons and tons of musical numbers and
scripture shared. It was so wonderful! I was so, so happy. Sister
S and I want Beautiful Savior, of course :) first the melody,
then me alto part, then her the descant. And our zone sang the twelve
weeks of training! It was so fun!! We had such a great time, haha.
Somebody filmed it so hopefully I'll be able to show you someday :)

This morning we got to go to the temple as a mission. It was the most
beautiful experience. I learned so much, and I felt Heavenly Fathers
love so strongly. I'm so grateful for the Savior and what He did for
us. It was wonderful sitting with all the missionaries in the
celestial room. We got to all give Pres and Sis T hugs. It was so
awesome.

I love being a missionary!! This afternoon we have MLC, and it sounds
like it's going to be really cool - they told us to wear service
clothes and come with coats and blankets. It's actually getting cold!
We're really excited! I think I forgot to tell you how transfers
panned out. Sister S and I are obviously still companions :)
but my new sister training leader comp is sister raynor!! My companion
from the MTC!! We were super excited! It's going to be a great
transfer.

Well, I love you guys. I'm sorry time was so short today. I'll make it
up with handwritten letters tomorrow :) love you!! And I love this
gospel. I know without a doubt it is true, and that this is the Lords
work.

Merry Christmas :)

Love,

Sister Whitney Morris

12-14-2014

Dear Family,

It was so fun to hear about everything going on at home! That's SO COOL Jacob is going to Phoenix!!! WOOOHOOOOO!!!! Not as good as Tempe mission, but hey, I guess Phoenix needs one too ;) Haha, his area could literally be across the street from mine right now. I'm so excited for him!! Arizona is the best place to serve! He is going to LOVE it and be a fantastic missionary!! That's so crazy so many missionaries in our ward go to Arizona, haha! 

Things are going good with the Adopt a Soldier! He even has emailed me back! He seems like a good guy, just like one or two sentence emails though, which is normal for a twenty year old guy haha. So it's all good. Mommy, it was fun to hear about you going out with the elders and sisters! It's so fun, the people you meet when you go out with missionaries. :) There are lots of interesting people... this world is truly a diverse place. But the Savior loves all of them, and I'm so grateful we can share the gospel with them.Or do our best to, anyways. :)  That's so funny about the crayon lip gloss! Haha, the kids would choose copper and green.... that's so funny! :) I loved hearing about the news story too. I'm glad you kept that! That will be interesting to watch one day. I've actually thought about that a bit recently, and shared how God protected us and blessed us. It was an experience that I think really changed our lives and helped my testimony develop.  I hope the thing goes well today! I'll be praying for you! I can't belive the Hobbit is out already.... so weird!!! Time is going too fast! I hope you guys have an awesome Christmas! I sent a fun package to ya'll today, I had so much fun putting it together so I hope you like it :)  I'll let you know about Skype next week!

Well, as for me, I have great news! I'm staying in South Phoenix!! WOOHOO!! I am so happy, and so grateful! And Sister S and I are staying together. :) As far as I know, I'll still be an STL, unless Pres T calls later today. So nothing too much is changing! I am so grateful, because I absolutely love this area. I love both the wards we serve in. I know the Lord called me to serve in this area at this time, because the people I've met have truly changed my life, and have changed me. I love it here so much. I'm so grateful I get to stay for Christmas and another 6 weeks :)  It is flying by!

This week was so awesome. We went to the Christmas temple lights with S and R, and it was such a great experience. The lights are STUNNING. So, so gorgeous! The palm trees, the fountains, the cactuses and orange trees, and the Christmas lights just covering everything... it is so beautiful! Pictures don't do it justice at all! And there was such a sweet spirit there. S and R are so excited to be baptized! It was so cute, we went to pick them up to see the lights, and S and her daughter P had bought Santa hats, so they wore those to the lights haha, and they also brought green glow sticks :) It was so cute! They were so excited! It's been amazing to see how much happiness has come into their lives. They are so, so, so quiet. Yet they absolutely love coming to church, and love the gospel - even though I don't know how much their understanding yet. But in their hearts they want to follow  Jesus Christ, and they feel happy because of the changes their making. It is just so humbling and so sweet to see. I really, really love them and their little family.

We had a fun district meeting! Elder J, our DL, is so awesome! He's the happiest, most cheerful missionary I've ever met. Our district is just a set of elders and us, so a zone leader always sits in with us too, and it's just so fun! We are having a mission Christmas conference this year, next Monday so I'm not sure how that will affect emailing. But we are doing a zone musical number called the 12 weeks of training. This is how it goes :)

On the first week of training my trainer said to me, invite them to come unto Christ!

On the second day of Christmas my trainer said to me, feel the Holy Ghost, and invite them to come unto Christ!

On the third week of training my trainer said to me, don't break your ipad, feel the Holy Ghost, and invite them to come unto Christ!

On the fourth week of training my trainer said to me, talk to everyone, don't break your ipad, feel the Holy Ghost, and invite them to come unto Christ!

On the fifth week of training, my trainer said to me, ALWAYS LOCK YOUR BIKE! Talk to everyone, don't break your ipad, feel the Holy Ghost, and invite them to come unto Christ!

On the sixth week of training, my trainer said to me, patience with tiwi (tiwi is the little green box in our car that manages our driving.. if we go too fast, it yells "Check your speed!" or "Aggressive driving" or "Check your seatbelt", ect. It can be a bit obnoxious haha), always lock your bike! Talk to everyone, don't break your ipad, feel the Holy Ghost, and invite them to come unto Christ.

On the seventh week of training my trainer said to me, update referrals, patience with tiwi, ect....

On the eight week of training, my trainer said to me, keep cleaning facebook, update referrals, ect

On the ninth week of training, my trainer said to me, don't flirt with sisters, keep cleaning facebook, ect

On the tenth week of training my trainer said to me, don't flirt with elders, don't flirt with sisters, keep cleaning facebook, ect

On the eleventh week of training my trainer said to me, guess all the transfers (aka transfer predictions - just a funny thing missionaries do), don't flirt with elders, don't flirt with sisters, ect

On the twelfth week of training my trainer said to me, always be a greenie, guess all the transfers, ect.

It's super funny! We made little actions to go along with it, and our whole zone - so 18 missionaries - are doing it. It's super fun :) We'll have to record it and send it home. 

We've had some really humbling experiences this week... this area is truly humbling me. We've started teaching a lady named M, who is in the saddest, saddest circumstances. She lives in a house with a ton of other people, and she literally lives in the living room, her mattress is just on the ground. We started teaching her, she was a referral, and she was really sick, cuddled on her mattress with her little dog. It was one of the saddest things I've ever seen :( Her doctor has had her on pain meds for a long time, and she's become addicted to them. She really wants to become free from that addiction, but it is so heartbreaking, because just being there with her it just seemed she was in bondage, from her addiction and also poverty. It was so, so heartbreaking and humbling. But we had an amazing lesson with her, she truly wants to change so badly. She wants the Savior, she wants to be free and to be forgiven. It was an experience that truly changed me. I love these people so much. They go through many, many trials that I can't even imagine experiencing. Yet the Savior loves them, and sends us to help them. One of my favorite scriptures that has stood out to me this week is Luke 4:18, where Christ says "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor, he hath sent me to heal the broken hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised." I love this scripture, because the Lord has sent us to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent us to help Him heal the broken hearted, through His Atonement and through Christlike love and service. He has sent us to preach deliverance to the captives, to those held bondage by sin or by addictions, or just by bad habits. He has sent us to help the spiritually blind recover their sight. I know only Christ can help these people become free and become healed. I know it because He has healed and helped me. It is the most powerful, humbling experience of my life to feel the love of the Savior for these people, and to stand in His place to help them - as weak sometimes as our efforts are, He makes it enough. It is just the most incredible experience. We have met many people with heartbreaking stories this week. I could tell you so many stories, I won't because I don't have time. But we are so, so blessed in our lives. We don't even know how much we have. I am so grateful to have grown up with the gospel, in a loving family, without alcohol or drugs. I'm so grateful to feel the Savior's love each day. It is the most humbling, sweet experience of my life.

We had so many amazing miracles this week!! We started teaching one lady who is SO prepared. We knocked three times, and were in the car about to leave, when she opened the door and invited us in! We ended up having a powerful lesson about the Restoration. The Spirit truly guided the lesson, and she got it! We taught the Restoration and the Apostasy, and she asked "So what this means is... well, what about all the other churches?" And Sis S bore this incredible testimony of how we are there to add to truths she already has and treasures. It was so powerful! And the member we had with us was perfect! It was such an awesome lesson, and we're going back Tuesday! 

We also had the sweetest experience. The old man, Bro W, who went tracting - this week he took us out to meet more of the families we met. We were walking down the street around 7:30, it was dark and there were lots of Cmas lights, and we saw a lady putting up lights. We paused, and I could tell he was deciding whether to talk to her or not, and then he said let's go talk with her! So we did! Turned out she only speaks Spanish, but we had an awesome street lesson!! Her daughter came out to translate, we shared HE Is The Gift in Spanish, and talked with her a bit about Christ and the Mesa Cmas lights. We had such a sweet conversation, there was such a good feeling around her home! And she said she would like missionaries to come back! We prayed with them, and I said a very, very simple prayer in Spanish :) And then we left! It was such a sweet experience! Their a wonderful family, and Bro W is an INCREDIBLE missionary. He's like 75, and he still does family history and missionary work all day. He just loves it! He is so amazing! He reminds me a bit of Papa. It was so cool! After that I thanked him, and said Bro W, your the best! He got this humble look on his face, and said, I strive to be, so I can live with my Father in Heaven again someday. It was the sweetest moment. I simply love Bro W, and being a missionary!

We had another incredible miracle yesterday! So we were going to go the Christmas lights with another investigator, but that fell through last minute. So instead we

went to visit M and D, the family who just moved here from Chicago to get away from gang violence there. We've been seeing the greatest changes in them! As we've taught them, their attitude has been this is very interesting and good, but we're happy with our church. But we like learning more. Well, last night, we had a breakthrough. :) It was incredible. We started by reading the BOM, and it was kind of a normal spiritual lesson. Then D came in, and started asking us questions. He told us he feels so conflicted. They have concerns about the priesthood ban, but he started by telling us how good he felt at the Christmas party. He was just watching everyone, and he noticed nobody was staring at him because he was different, everyone was so kind and reached out to say hi to them. He felt so happy and warm there. He talked about how everytime we come, M is so happy afterwards, and so jolly, and there is just the most peaceful, happy feeling. Then he talked about how he has those worries, and he's worried if they join another church, that they will lose family and friends who don't understand. He shared all of these concerns with us, and M did as well, and they completely opened up. It was incredible! We just listened, and we ended up testifying.. I honestly can't remember much about what we said. It was just such a powerful experience. They asked if we had trials, because we are so happy all the time, and we shared how we definitely do :) But the gospel enables us to have happiness and peace even through them. It was cool, we felt really inspired, after he asked that.... we talked about how the church has members from every culture, every socioeconomic background in the world, and is so diverse! But sometimes it's hard to see. But the church has made these videos called "I'm A Mormon" to help people see into the lives of the members and see who we really are. We shared one called something like I'm a ping pong player, and make my mother proud, and I'm a Mormon. It's about a young African American man in the south who used to be homeless, who joined the church, and how his friends used to make fun of him because the "white boy" missionaries would come over. But he shared his testimony of how he recieved his answer from God. It was such a powerful video!! They loved it, and it really spoke to them, and I think helped them realize that this church truly embraces everybody, no matter what culture or face or past. The gospel is for everyone. It was so, so powerful! And at the end, D and M both said, I really want to find this out. I just want the truth. I think I might have found it. I want to learn more and go to church and take this seriously. It was soooooo powerful!!! And it was such a miracle, because it would have never happened if we had gone to the Cmas lights!!! Gosh, it was the most incredible experience! I really wish you could see and feel what I see and feel, because it is just so incredible. I love this little family so, so much. I hope they get baptized someday, because I know it would bless their family so much! They are so incredible! I just love them! It was such an amazing experience!!! The Spirit truly does guide us in this work.

Gosh, I love being a missionary. I love it so, so, so much. I love the people here. Sometimes I think of them and all they go through, but how much the Savior loves them and how good they are, and it just brings me to tears. I love the people. :) I love the Spirit. I love feeling the Spirit guide us, and strengthen us, and help bring about miracles in people's lives. I love the Savior. I know this Church is The Church of Jesus Christ, restored to the earth today. I know Joseph Smith was a prophet. I know God hears and answers prayers. :) We have had so many amazing experiences, but I am out of time. Someday I would love to tell you more, and I'll write it all in my journal so I can :) I love you guys! 

I hope you have an amazing Christmas. Thank you so much for your examples! I love you! :)

Can't wait to hear from you next week!

love

Sister Whitney Morris

Christmas lights, lights on palm trees, us and S and R and sister D - an awesome recent convert, and a cool rainbow

 

 

12-8-2014

Dear Family,

Jacob's birthday looked so cozy! By the way, Jacob - HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! You have a letter coming.... soon... haha just a heads up :) The party looked so fun! I loved the minecraft quilt, and Isaac's sock monkey hat! Adam and Peter look so cute and so happy. I'm glad you guys all had fun :) That was such a bummer to hear about Dexter's car accident, and the hard time he's having! I totally know that feeling, when everything seems to be going wrong.... It's always so hard, but it sounds like he has a good attitude. Life really is like a wheel, sometimes everything goes wrong, but you can know that things will always come around and become good again. Trade my tiburon for the mustang... your kidding, right?! Haha that is an awesome trade!! Holy cow, I can't believe Dad is considering that!!! Hahaha it will probably take me a few days to get used to driving that car, I'll be too scared ;) But I'm super excited too! Thanks so much!! You guys are seriously the best parents ever. I am just grateful to know I'll have a working set of wheels when I get home, let alone a shiny cherry red mustang. That is just super cool. Thanks! :)  I hope the hearing goes well. I'll keep you guys in my prayers. <3 I'm glad Dexter is moving in with Sister T! She is awesome! I bet they'll actually have a lot of fun. And I'm so glad he gets to keep his cute puppy! And that's really awesome he'll be back in the kg branch! It sounds like those rough times are maybe a blessing in disguise :)

I'm so happy for our family :) I loved your insights about how the merciful will obtain mercy, and how love has the power to overcome. I definitely know that's true. It's incredible to see that happen to heal our family, little bit at a time. :)

That's so awesome Hannah is trying out for the theatre!! That will be so fun! I'll pray that she finds a friend too. The greatest and truest friends really are in our family! And when we find outside friends that feel like family... that's an incredible feeling too, that feels like a rare treasure. Some people seem to have a natural knack to find friends like that. For others, it seems a little harder. And it's okay. It just makes those friends all the more valuable when you do find them, eventually. Something that has always helped me when I feel lonely is reaching out to people who are lonely too, or who may be on the outskirts. I remember in college, I used to talk with this almost homeless man in downtown Fredericksburg, who was so sweet. He told me about how he used to paint houses, and plays the guitar every day. There's no better way to not feel lonely anymore then to go out and serve someone!  I'm excited to see how she gets to be involved! 

I loved your experience with the priesthood blessing too. We definitely are so hard on ourselves. You are being too hard on yourself ;) You're the most incredible Mom! Years and years of making sure we had family scripture study, family home evenings, active church attendance, even with sometimes irritable teenagers and probably having to initiate it by yourself in the beginning. I'm guessing? :) I know Dad definitely helps initiate it now! But still, you are incredible, Mommy! Don't even worry about being the super missionary, super spiritual, super mom, because believe me you, you already are. :) I know so, and my companions and Elder W. all agree too, that you guys are ALL a super missionary family too. Which is amazing! I'm so happy that that priesthood blessing answered your prayers and helped you remember that. :)

That's so funny you guys watched Jericho!! And that Dad got emotional!! Hahaha, that just makes me laugh! Good memories... :) 

Well, as for me, this week has been awesome! Happy official 1 year mark!! Isn't that wild? :) Time goes so quickly! It's been a fantastic week. We have seen so many miracles! On Monday - last P day - one of our favorite members, Sister S, drove us and the elders to a store called mercado Mexicana (pronounced mercado mehicana) on a Native American reservation named Guadalupe near Tempe. It was so fun!! We also stopped at a cool looking Catholic Church. I bought these really beautiful blankets and some cool presents to send home to ya'll for Christmas. I hope you like them, and that they don't break in the mail :)

We had a super amazing zone conference this week. The APs and President trained more on the "man down" theme we've been talking about all transfer. It was so powerful. I can't remember if I wrote home about this, but there is an elder in our mission (actually, who I was in the MTC with) who was deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan. He has the most incredible story. Growing up he had a rough young adulthood, he said he was good at burning bridges. So he left home at 15, enlisted in the army at 17. He ended up in Iraq, needing guidance in his life. Well, it turned out that his commander (? I think that's the correct leadership term?) was LDS. He ended up teaching him about the gospel, and Elder H got baptized! What's SUPER cool is that because they were in Iraq, Elder M. Russell Ballard gave him his baptismal interview! There are no churches or missions there, so the apostles are the presiding priesthood authority. So an apostle gave him his  baptismal interview, and he didn't even know it at the time haha. That was really amazing... Especially that Elder Ballard came into a war zone, just for the one young soldier who wanted to be baptized. He came to help save the one. That was really cool :) The saddest part of the story is that the last thing his commander told him was he made him promise that he would seriously consider serving a mission. A short while later his commander, who baptized him, was killed in a helicopter crash. Elder H ended up being severely wounded by roadside bombs, and a building falling on him after it exploded. His fellow soldiers got him to safety. But he returned to the states to be in a hospital for 9 months. He broke literally every bone in his body, including all of his ribs - ouch! And now he is serving his mission, here! He sometimes uses a cane because of his injuries, but he works so hard and is an awesome, awesome elder. One of the most powerful things he shared was his testimony of the Holy Ghost. He said he remembered, like the other converts in the room, what life was like without the gift of the Holy Ghost, and he said living without it is hell. It was really powerful the way he said it, because he wasn't saying it in a bad way, he was completely sincere and so grateful to have it in his life. It was so powerful. So that was an incredible meeting. President T later shared more of his testimony about that, and he said we each have the gift of the Holy Ghost, even if we think we don't feel it. But he said if that gift were ever withdrawn, we would feel and know it clearly and immediately. It was a really powerful testimony. I am so grateful for the Holy Ghost. I truly can feel it with me all the time, just that simple light and peace. I love it. I love this gospel :)

We had the most amazing new investigator this week!! So there is the cutest old man in our Ward who LOVES missionary work. When the phoenix temple open house was happening, he literally tracted his entire street to hand out invites to all his neighbors. So he had one neighbor whose grandpa just died, and he invited her to meet with us and they set up an apt! So we went by Friday night with the member, and had the most amazing lesson!! We taught her the Restoration, and it was literally such an amazing lesson. It was really cozy with her Christmas lights, few distractions, and her heart was so open. She got so emotional when she talked about how God has answered her prayers. We taught her about prophets and joseph smith, and she just kept saying "it's true". The Spirit was so strong! It was amazing, and such a miracle. We are going to teach her again next Friday!

We had a fun Ward Christmas party. S and R are doing great, and are getting baptized December 20th. They are so happy and excited. :) We also had a great lesson with M and D, from Chicago. M loves meeting with us but says she's happy with her church, but her heart is softening a lot I think! She's reading the Book of Mormon, and as long as she keeps doing that, she'll feel it. D, however, is doing amazing. He kind of stays away during lessons, I think because we're sister missionaries, not elders. But he walked in and told us that he had to tell us something. Apparently a lot of things have been going wrong lately - they got a flat tire, they've fallen behind on rent because of M's surgery, and his work randomly charged him with a $1000 ticket. He said normally he would feel so stressed out about it, but instead he just felt this peace. And then he said miracles have literally happened, where last minute things have worked out. He said he thinks it's because God is blessing them because we've been coming to visit, representing the church and Jesus Christ. It has softened his heart a TON and he's taken greater interest in the gospel. It has been amazing to see! So that has been a huge miracle this week!

Overall it's been an awesome week. We are so busy, with tons and tons of work to do. There have been some pretty crazy moments too. So we tried L, the kid from Mexico, the other day and he wasn't home. But I was standing next to their fence, and a monstrous German shepherd ran straight towards me and snapped and literally almost bit my face off. It. Was. So. Terrifying. All I saw was a bunch of teeth right by my face. He was like 5 feet tall on his back legs! If I had been one inch closer, I would probably have scarred my face forever. It was so scary!! Heavenly Father was definitely watching out for me there. We've also had so many cool experiences just talking with people on the street. I love street contacting around Christmas time, because the conversations seem to come more easily. It is so fun, and we've met a lot of really amazing people :) What is surprising and frustrating though, is how stubborn some people are. We met a man this week who said he doesn't go to church because he believes things were lost and changed in the Bible. We asked him more questions, and then started teaching and testifying of the Book of Mormon... And he wouldn't even read it! Because he asked how it was translated. We told him by the power of God. He said good answer, and seemed to like it, but he wouldn't accept our invitation and challenge to read it :( It's so sad when people hang themselves up on the strangest things, and won't even try it out. That happens so often! It's always sad, but we always just trust that we planted a seed, and someday they will be more open.

I don't know too much else to say, except that it's been a great week! I love my mission. Tonight we're going to go see the Christmas lights at the Mesa temple with S and R. I'm so excited! You guys should go see the ones in Washington DC :) The Christmas devotional was so beautiful yesterday! We watched it with Lori and her neighbor R, and it was just so cozy. At the end L wanted to sing Silent Night with them, so we sang all three verses together - us, her and R, the elders, and the O's. It was so sweet :) I just love Christmas, and I love the people here.

Well, there's a cool Christmas package coming your way! Which reminds me, we are allowed to Skype for Christmas calls again!!! Wooohoo!! Can we set a day and time that would work for you guys? Also, transfers are next Thursday, so when you send the Christmas package... maybe could you wait to send it until you get my email next Monday? That way I can let you know if I'm getting transferred or not. Actually, either way, maybe go ahead and send it to the mission home... unless you send it like today haha. Or unless I email next Monday that I'm staying in the same area. Which I really hope I am! I love it here. I love South Phoenix, and I love Sister S. I really hope we both stay! 

Well, I love you guys! And could you say a little prayer for me this week, that I'll be able to develop greater patience? It's something I'm really trying to work on. Any advice or things that have helped you?

Love you all!!! :) Have a wonderful, wonderful week!

con mucho amor, (with much love),

Sister Whitney Morris

PS . If I've learned anything on my mission, I have learned to be bold, and kind and loving, but just saying the truth plainly and simply. And also kindly, with charity. So, it'll be okay.

Love you guys!

yes... that is a Christmas tree, stuck in the top of a stop sign.... #onlyinphoenix

 

 

a cute little nativity scene I bought at the store, and one of the skulls :) I couldn't resist myself haha. This culture is such a huge part of Arizona, of my mission, and I absolutely love it.

 

 

And cool blankets from Mexico :) and a little bag :) haha. I literally have saved all my souvenier money and cash for this store. It's a legend in our mission. It was so fun. I didn't take pics of your presents, so you'll see those when they come. :) 

 

 

Sorry to spend so much time writing about material things... It really isn't that big of a deal. It was just fun, because they're such a huge part of the culture. I love it!

And a view of a phoenix neighborhood!

 

 

Christmas pictures I love!

 

 

Christmas pics, and the Mesa temple lights we get to see tonight :)

 

PS loved your #weareneverbroken. :) I love that song. <3

12-4-2014

Dear Family,

 

I can't believe you saw Les Mis on BROADWAY!!!! WOW!!!! I am SO jealous!!! Hahaha, I bet Hannah was in dreamland. That is incredible!! It looked so, so fun, with the hotel and the energy of the city, and seeing the play... that is amazing. :) I'm so glad you had so much fun! We are going to HAVE to do that someday!! And holy cow, you guys did look gorgeous. :)  I loved seeing the pictures, it looked like an amazing trip. That is so awesome! :) We are definitely going to have to do that someday!

Mommy, I loved your advice about your dating and future marriage are only as bright as your faith, haha! Not going to lie, I think my faith could be built up more in that. It's funny, I realized the other day - my whole entire life, I've had so many fears about marriage, probably because of what our family went through. I never, ever want to go through a divorce. Anyways, I've had these fears kind of cripple me, or make me so afraid of the future. It's really cool, because on my mission, Pres. T has talked a lot about how the things we go through and do now will prepare us for our marriages. One thing I love about our mission is having ipads. We've learned to have transparency in our messages with our companions, and our companions know everything that we're doing online. We've learned how to protect ourselves and our companions from bad situations that could happen. That really hit me, and then I realized that on my mission, God has been blessing me to learn about tools that can prevent my fears from happening! He's been giving me tools to prepare for that marriage I want someday, and I didn't even know it! So that realization has really helped me have more faith in having a happy eternal marriage someday. I cannot tell you how much my view of marriage and romance has changed since I've come on my mission!  I have learned SO much about marriage, and I know it's going to help me, when I come home in the far off future (I keep telling myself. Don't say otherwise haha) I'm so grateful Heavenly Father sent me to a mission that is preparing me for those specific fears and concerns I had about being married someday :) It's been amazing.

Anyhow, sorry for that tangent! Thanksgiving looked fun at Cracker Barrel! Peter is soo cute, and I loved Isaac's sock monkey baby haha. We had an awesome week! And a fantastic Thanksgiving!! The work is going really well. We have a plethora (I never thought I would use that word, haha) of people to teach. S and R are doing wonderful! We're having a hard time nailing down a date for their baptism, because the church building is scheduled for lots of Christmas parties :( But hopefully their going to be baptized next weekend! L is doing awesome!! She loves to come out with us on visits now, she just wants to share the gospel with everyone! We're going to get her and A and some of our other recent converts started with family history soon. 

We had a really fun Thanksgiving! We spent the day writing letters, and all the sisters in our house painted our front windows with window paint!! It looks so good!! We did the "He Is the Gift" (Have you seen that video yet?? It's amazing!) and I painted a little nativity scene, and we painted #ShareTheGift and christmas.mormon.org. Do you guys get the Ensign? If not, I'll send you home some pass along cards to give away!! It is an incredible initiative the church is doing! They even bought all the front page advertising on youtube Dec 7th and that video will be the front screen on the homepage all day. It's amazing! We are hoping for lots and lots of people being able to see it, and wanting to learn more!

Anyways, Thanksgiving was really nice! We painted our front window, and then we had lunch with Sister S. She is so amazing! She feeds us this delicious, incredible lunch every Tuesday. She's returning to activity, and she has a special needs daughter whose around 40 who is so cute! Her name is J, and she is just so funny. She always tries to eat our food off our plate, haha. We have so much fun eating with them every week. But she had us and the elders over for Thanksgiving, and it was a lot of fun! But the best part was.... Thanksgiving night.... we were allowed to watch a Disney movie!!! Woooohooo!! So we got to watch Frozen! I LOVED it!! It was seriously so weird, it's been over a year since I watched a movie! Let alone a Disney movie! We had so much fun, we watched it as a zone, with hot chocolate and all in our pjs. (Elders on one side, sisters on the other, don't worry!) It was so awesome! At first I was a little worried, because she seemed a little feminist and the guy seemed wimpy in the beginning... but it ended off with him and her both being strong, and the wimpy guy was the evil guy. So it was a great movie, I loved it! And we just had a lot of fun being with our zone.

After Thanksgiving we went on exchanges! We saw sooo many miracles. Sister C and Sister B are both incredible missionaries. They've been huge examples to me my whole mission, and Sister C used to be my sister training leader. I told Sister S that going on exchanges with them was like giving a general authority a temple recommend interview, haha. They are just amazing. But they've been having a really hard time, because they've been working soooo hard, but have no really solid people to teach. Just finding all day.. which is tough! But it was amazing, because they told me how discouraged they felt and what a hard time they were having. Then, the day began, I stayed in Sister B's area with her, and Sister C came into our area with Sister S. And we saw so many miracles in their area!! People opened doors who never had before, and wanted to set up weekly appointments! We even found one family, whose mom is a less active member. She has a nonmember husband and nonmember teenage kids, and she opened the door and told us she wanted us to come teach their family, because she wants them all to go to church again!! Sister B was SO happy and so excited! It was awesome to see her discouragement change into happiness :) It was truly an answer to their prayers. So that was an awesome moment! I love how the Lord blesses us so greatly when we put in our effort. Eventually the blessings always come :) So that was an awesome exchange. 

Then we had Sunday, and that was a crazy day... haha. We spoke in sacrament meeting with the elders, and that was awesome! Sister S and I were also asked to sing Beautiful Savior again, so we did that too. It was a wonderful Sunday! The Spirit was soo strong. I talked about the Atonement, and how our love for Christ is directly connected with our desire to share the gospel. It was such a powerful topic. Because my love and gratitude for the gospel has changed on my mission. When I first came out, I came because I knew it was what God wanted me to do. But I've stayed, because I love Christ. I love His gospel. I know it's the most precious gift we've been given, and my gratitude to Him is what makes me want to share it. How can I help but share something so wonderful, that can help with any problem or challenge we face? People need it! We need to share it with them! The hymn "Because I have Been Given Much" describes my feelings perfectly about the opportunity of serving a mission. I love being a missionary, and I love this gospel!

We're really excited for this week, because we are going to be showing the He Is The Gift video to everyone! We are SO excited about it, and we'll be talking with everyone we see about what they love about Christmas, and making them excited to see the video  (the fact that it's on youtube is super cool).... and we'll be testifying of how the sweet, sweet spirit of Christmas can be with us throughout the rest of the year, if we discover and embrace the gift each day of our lives :) And our purpose as missionaries is to help them do that! Our message can help them feel the Spirit more in their lives, always. So it is just the coolest time to be a missionary! I am so excited! And I hope all of you can stop and think and pray about someone you can help feel the love of Christ this Christmas. 

Well, I love you guys! Thanks so much for everything. I love my companion! She is seriously the most patient, cheerful person I have ever met. I love her to death. And I just love being a missionary!! :)

Hope you all have an awesome week!

con mucho amor,

Sister Whitney Morris

P.S. Thanks so much for working on the applications!!! I appreciate it so much! And I feel I have decided to go to Virginia for school. I just love it too much there. :) And my dating/marriage will only be as bright as my faith haha... so I believe that Virginia is where God is leading me right now, and that means He has a plan for everything. So I'll trust in Him, follow the Spirit, and just choose that's where I'm going to go! And by golly, I'm going to love it, and share the gospel with everyone at GMU! Wooohoo! Haha.

Love you guys! :) Thanks SO MUCH for everything you do!

love, me!

Our zone on thanksgiving... sad it turned out so blurry :(

our painted window

 

 

me wearing a sombrero :) also not the best pic, but it's one we have in our house that all the missionaries sign who lived there!

 

 

Also! Just real quick, our mission pres just asked us to ask our families to not send us any unapproved books, music, clothing anything. I think you guys will be good, just basically no books because I have all the approved reading material already :) Thanks guys! Anything you want from AZ?  Love you!