Thanks so much for the emails!! And thank you SO much for working on my college applications and everything! I'm so excited about my decision, and to see where I get accepted. I think I know where the Lord is guiding me, but we'll see what happens. :) It made me so happy and so proud to hear about Dexter!! Wow!!! That is INCREDIBLE about his test!!!! I am so happy and so proud of him! :) And I love what Isaac said too. I'm so proud of Isaac too! It was so weird to see that pic of him, so tall and in front of the classroom conducting the lesson!! I can't believe that's my little brother!! Haha, he is going to be such a fantastic missionary! He is going to be so much more prepared than I was :) I'm so excited for him! So when will Isaac probably be leaving for his mission?? I can't remember, he graduates next spring right? Or is he still graduating early? I'm so excited to hear about what happens!
I loved Adam's presidential comment too, hahaha. That's so awesome Mommy that you can kneel and pray and search for that guidance in developing Christlike attributes. Man, I totally know how that feels. Something that has really impacted me is studying the Christlike attributes chapter, and taking the self survey. We actually did it in a lesson this past week with a couple who want to be baptized, but refuse to be married because of the troubles in their relationship. I love the Christlike attributes because there's never a point we can check it off and say, okay, done with charity! Instead, their principles that we can always apply in new ways and new situations, in every circumstance in our life. As super, duper hard as it is.... I think the greatest thing I've learned on my mission is all my weaknesses haha. I know Dad is going to love this, probably, because man, I was so prideful and self centered growing up. I find that I still am, but my mission has definitely opened my eyes to it, and I want to change and become more selfless, patient, and humble. I'm grateful that the Lord helps us to see our weaknesses, and in time and with Him, our weaknesses can be changed into strengths.
Well, for me it's been a great week! We are still struggling with having our investigators make and keep their commitments. We've had some sad experiences... this morning A texted us, and basically dropped us. :( She said she talked with her grandma, and felt confused, and she didn't want to have contention between her and her husband anymore. It was soooo sad, kind of like a slap in the face. But after we got her text, we had studies, and the chapter I happened to be on in the Book of Mormon was Alma 8. Verses 8-15 really hit me powerfully. It talks about how Alma preached the word of God to the people. It says that Satan had got great hold upon their hearts, and they wouldn't listen to him. They told him his teachings were foolish traditions, and laughed and mocked at him and spit on him. When I read that, I realized it wasn't that bad! Because A still loves what we have taught her, and she treated us kindly and with respect. But it talked about how Alma walked away, being weighed down with much sorrow, wading through much tribulation and anguish of soul, because of the wickedness of the people.... and while he was walking with much sorrow, an angel appeared to him and said "Blessed art thou, Alma; therefore, lift up thy head and rejoice, for thou hast great cause to rejoice; for thou hast been faithful in keeping the commandments of God.." That verse hit me so powerfully, and I just knew that God was happy with me, with us. We are doing our best, we are striving to work hard and be obedient and bring souls unto Him. We have reason to rejoice because we have done our part. So that was a really sad part of our morning, but we still have hope for A someday. Heavenly Father really blessed me in my studies today. I studied the chapter in PMG about recognizing and understanding the Spirit, and it was INCREDIBLE! PMG is such an incredible book. I definitely know it was inspired as it was put together. I'm glad you guys are studying it!
Well C and T are doing great! Neither of their parents will let them meet with missionaries :( But they are hoping the missionaries will bring them both copies of the Book of Mormon. That way they can start reading it. They really, really want to read it. It's incredible! We also found a super cool guy online who lives in Romania! Turns out he lives there, but he works in Virginia in the summers! He commented on the church page asking how he can become a member of the church. We messaged him, and he was SO excited to talk with us! He wants to have a skype lesson, and he sent us all his info so we could send missionaries to visit him asap. It was incredible!! The prepared really are out there, searching for the truth! :)
We've started teaching a lady named S. She's a member's daughter's mother in law (try and figure that one out haha) and she came to dinner and wants to learn about the church. We gave her a pamphlet to read and talked about the gospel. She came to church on Sunday, and said she had had a wonderful week, and she had felt so peaceful and happy since our meeting! We were really really happy about that! :) She's a really cute lady, we're hoping to teach her more!
We had a really crazy week, Sister Stratford is such an incredible person, I have learned so much from her. I am so, so grateful for her. We had a really spiritual experience this morning driving to emailing. an efy youth song came on that basically talks about how we are daughters of God. It says "He loves me the way I am, He's my strength when I stand. He is my King, and my Father, I am His daughter... and when I'm feeling small, wondering if I'll ever have courage to stand tall, He helps me remember, I have so much to offer, I am His daughter." It was so, so powerful listening to that. I just told her, Sister Stratford, this song is for you! And we both just started crying, It was a really powerful moment.
The theme this week has definitely been feeling Christlike love for people. I felt so much love for her in that moment. In a lesson yesterday, we had an incredible, incredible lesson. Oh man. This man was disfellowshipped a long time ago. At first, he started talking and I just thought he was a grumpy older man. He left the church because he was offended, and at first when he was telling us about it I was just thinking how sad it was, and feeling kind of judgemental of him. But the Spirit kind of touched my heart, and my mind, and I felt this love for him, and I saw him that he was probably lost, and we needed to help him. So we listened, and it was sooo incredible. The Spirit directed us in what questions to ask him, and what to share with him, and he ended up telling us his entire story. It was the most heartbreaking story I have ever, ever heard... when he shared with us the reasons why he felt the way he did, why he was And he told us he has rarely told anyone about his situation. I know if the Spirit hadn't prompted me to feel love for him, he probably wouldn't have opened up, and the lesson might have ended up totally different. It is so, so important to never judge. We never know why people do the things they do. Our job is to love them and help them, as the Savior would. It was so humbling. He is going to meet with us and the Bishop later on this week. It was one of the most spiritual lessons of my mission.
That's pretty much all for this week. Sooo many things have happened, we're teaching a lot but nobody is progressing yet. But we'll get there. :) They changed transfers so we find out Tuesday night now if we're getting transferred. So you'll find out next Monday if I'm still in Phoenix or not :) I would be happy staying or going. I love it so, so, sooo much here. I've been here for a while though. So we'll see what happens. I feel like Sister S needs a better companion, ha. Not better, she just needs someone with much greater Christlike love and patience. I'm striving to become more like that for her, and for the Savior, and for myself! But it is definitely taking time, and practice, and lots of failed attempts. But I'm working on it.
We did have some funny moments this week :)
So I went on exchanges with Sister G. She is INCREDIBLE. She moved out when she was 16, finished high school online, and moved to Russia to teach kids english. She was completely alone, and just survived on her own. For a while she was even homeless, just lived on the train. In Russia, at her lowest points, she came to know God's love, and later became active in the church and is serving a mission now. She is incredible. Anyways, we went on exchanges, and we met the funniest lady! She makes earrings from things she finds around the house - including key chains. She bought some key chains in Alabama - the touristy kinds from gas stations - and made earrings out of them, haha. So she has those as earrings... and she was also telling us how she thinks caviar sounds disgusting... but then she said "one time I tried eating wet cat food, and that wasn't too bad. It's apparently made of fish eyes but I couldn't see them or taste them." I was thinking, do you know what you are saying lady?? Hahaha, it was so funny! No way to caviar, but fish eye wet cat food is okay....haha oh man. She was really, really sweet though.
We also had another super humbling experience teaching T, L's alcoholic brother. Every time we see him he describes what being an alcoholic is like, and it was so heartbreaking :( He really wants to quit, but he is really really deep into it.
That's about it for this week. I love being a missionary. I love this gospel so, so much. I truly know that it is true. I know the fullness of the gospel was restored through the prophet Joseph Smith. I know God lives, and that He loves us, and that He sent His Son, Jesus Christ for us. I know these things are true because I feel the power of it every day :) I am so grateful I chose to serve a mission.
I love you guys! Mommy, thanks for the camera advice ha. I would absolutely love one for my birthday, or even just money to help me buy one. I was actually thinking of asking of one for an early bday present, and not getting anything for my bday, because then I don't have to wait until March to take lots of pictures. I have my ipad, but a camera would be better because ipads don't have a flash or anything. Plus it's the Lord's hastening device, so I try to use it only for proselyting. :) So yeah, but either way, I have my journals too, and that will help preserve those memories :)
Well, I love you guys! Also, haha this is kind of funny :) But you know I'm coming home in June, right? My release date I think is June 3rd... it might be around June 5th, but we'll see! But just so you know so I don't end up being like the RM hahaha :D But, with that being said, I can just keep saying I have 6 months left until the end of my mission :) That would probably be a good thing! I am NOT going to get trunky, because I love my mission, and I am going to work hard until the very last day. And then I'll continue being a missionary for the rest of my life. :) Just not set apart, wearing the nametag. Because missionaries really are representatives of Jesus Christ! We are all missionaries, all disciples of Christ, called to serve and help others come unto Christ, and be an example to the world.
This gospel is the best! :D
I love you guys!!!
love,
Sister Whitney Morris
This is M R :) The lady who dropped us a while back. We love her! And still see her on our way to other appts in that complex!
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Us and one of our most favorite members :)
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