Angry Eyes - December 22, 2014

Yes, we are bad parents!!!  We were driving all day on Sunday which is our "email" day and didn't email Morgan.  I could have easily dictated an email in the car - heaven knows I had time - but it slipped my mind.  We feel so bad.  Poor baby Morgan...  However, we were definitely thinking of her as we had taken Sister Potatohead to the Mall of America for pictures with her sisters!!  And Sister Potatohead is with us in Detroit for the Christmas Holiday!!

Due to the fact that I received NO EMAILS FROM ANY OF YOU THIS WEEK, I have angry eyes.

Ok, now I'm over it.

We had such a great week! Holy cow. We taught a bunch of lessons, we watched He is The Gift a total of 15 times, and we did a lot of work. It was great.

Here is something fun that happened. I'm pretty sure I can never ever everrrrrr ever eat milk products again. Every time I drink milk or (now) eat ice cream, I get sick. This happened on Friday. I was at dinner, and ate like, two bites of ice cream and I got sick. Good gracious. I was in bed all afternoon on Saturday. But, I decided to go out in the evening, and we ended up teaching three lessons that day! It was awesome. I loved it.

On Sunday, we took one of our recent converts to a music fireside in Rexburg. The missionaries up in Rexburg hosted it. It was soooo so so good. I'm so glad we were able to bring Nick and his two kids with us. Nick is probably one of my favorite people that I've met here.

We got to go to the temple this week! Sister Warren and I went with the Landons, We went to Idaho Falls and had such a good time. 

This email is also kind of short because I forgot my planner at home so I forgot most of the things I had written down to send to you. Sorryyyyyyy. 

Sister Warren is an awesome companion. She's so nice and is always concerned about me. I love her a ton and I'm so grateful we are companions.

Anyway, that's pretty much all I remember...

Talk to you thursday! If you get a random text or call from a 208 number, its the member who's house we're skyping with. So, just be by your phones this week. It will probably be sometime in the afternoon. What's your skype name, just to be sure?
Have a good week!

Morgan, Sister Flores, and Elder Fontes all wearing polka dots

Busiest Week of my Life - December 15, 2014

Seriously. This week was so dang busy, it's not even funny! I was so tired yesterday. I fell asleep during one of the sacrament meetings we went to. Bad, I know. But. I was so sleepy I just couldn't stop it. We taught 20 lessons this week. Good grief.

Anyway.

Sister Warren and I have been tearing it up out here. Seriously. We found 8 new investigators. EIGHT. That is unheard of! I don't even know what we were doing differently, that's the crazy part. Anyway. 

One really cool lesson was with our investigator, Brooklyn. Sister Warren and I were on splits because we had another lesson at that time, so I went to Brooklyn's. Now. I love that kid. She's 11 years old and is the bomb. Her mom is less active, and she's super nice, too. Anyway, I went over there with the ward relief society president, and I started off teaching the restoration. I taught the first 1/2 of it, and then I pulled out a Book of Mormon and started teaching about it. Cool story, I can't even remember what I said about it. But I know I said that it was true, I knew it was true, and that she could learn so much about it. After that, I looked at her mom, and she was crying. Man. That was so amazing. It was a great experience to be able to have.

I got to see Roz this week too! It was so weird though, realizing how much of a bubble I'm in. I literally have no idea what's going on in the real world, it's kind of funny. But it was great to be able to see her and her friends. We went to this little taco/Mexican food place in Rigby. Pretty cool!

I'm playing violin in church next Sunday. And singing. I'm kind of...improving [improvising ?] over a song. They just handed me some music for the song they're singing and said, Can you play this? Hmm...ok. Another lady and I are playing and people have said it sounds really good..even though I'm just kind of improving on the spot. I'm also singing in the other song. I was there during a practice, and noticed all their tenors are 12 year old boys. So I told the choir director that I can sing tenor, too. She got really excited and asked me if I would do so. So, I'll report next week on how that went.

Yes, I did get the Christmas package! It's under our "tree." Haha. At first, we drew a tree on a piece of paper and taped it up, but then a lady we visit often made us a tree out of construction paper and tinsel. It's awesome and I love it.

The Christmas Tree

Anyway. We're keeping busy and teaching a lot. We have solid baptism dates for December, January, and February. All of them are 10 year olds...but. I think It's awesome. 

Splits with Sister Grey

Sister Jedis - with Sister Dearden

Sister Jones' last night

Sisters Dearden and Hancock were transferred out of Morgan's zone...

A little late, but still relevant.

December - December 8, 2014

It's four months until my birthday. Just so you know. 

My week went pretty well! It was interesting. That's for sure. Yeah. 

Anyway.

I hung out with different companionships in Rigby the first part of the week. On Wednesday, we drove up to Rexburg and got my new companion. Sister Warren is from California, has been out 10.5 months, and is a freaking hard worker. Good grief. I'm trying to catch up with her, and it's hard, but I'm learning. 

It isn't. Oh man. I was feeling pretty gross on Friday. My insides wanted to be on my outsides. Oh well. You learn and you grow.I learned that egg nog is bad for me. So remember how I'm allergic to milk? Whenever I drink milk, i feel gross. But, I thought egg nog was fine. 

I also learned this week that priesthood blessings are the best. I was getting stressed out progressively during the week...and then I got a blessing on Saturday, and I felt 100 times better. It was pretty cool! They're great. 

Hmm. We've just hit the ground this week. Literally. We're walking all around neighborhoods trying to find people to teach. Finding isn't my favorite.... but...you can't teach without finding people first. So there's that. 

We had a lesson with our Filipina investigator, Adela. I can't remember if I told you about her. But. She doesn't really speak English, so her daughter translates for her. Holy cow. That lesson was awesome! She knows the church is true, and she looooooves the Book of Mormon. Like, a lot. But, she won't be baptized yet because she doesn't understand the difference between the LDS church and the Catholic church. So, we'll explain that next lesson. She is so awesome. I love Adela so much.

That's pretty much it. I love all of you and I hope you have a good week!

Love, Morgan

Sister Sith

Rigby Zone in da HOUSE!!

Thanksgiving is sooonnnnn!! - November 24, 2014

It is. I'm excited. We have modified p-day so that we can have most of thanksgiving off. It's technically called a service day...but whatevs. I'm excited.

It's so good to hear BYU slaughtered Savannah State. Good grief, that was bad. Good for us, bad for them. Ha.

So! We had a good week. We went on exchanges on tuesday and I had to lead the area with one of the STLs along with me. Good news, I didn't die. Bad news, I almost ran over a dog. Every time I go on exchanges, I almost run over a dog. But, it went well and I feel a lot more confident to when Sister Jones leaves and I'm still here.

Speaking of which, my companion is leaving in a week! Holy cow. I don't want her to. She's been a fantastic companion. We have a really, reeeeeally similar sense of humor. Like, it's ridiculous how similar we are. But, I've learned a ton from her and I'm grateful we were together for the past few months. It's weird, all I know about being a missionary, i know from Sis Jones. It's all good things, though.

Last Monday, we went to an indoor trampoline facility thing. It was super fun, but the next day my back was sore. Sister Jones was sore too, and so were all the other missionaries that went. I don't quite understand because we didn't flop around on our backs....

We get transfer calls this tuesday. Eek. Everyone (meaning my leaders) keeps telling me I should train. I do not want to do that. That would scare the everliving daylights out of me. I'm sure it would also be really beneficial, but i have more fear than I have faith. it's something i need to work on. But, I'm excited to see what's going to be happening the next few weeks. I seriously doubt that I'll be transferred out, but I'm definitely getting a new companion.

This week was just a week full of realizations. I'm starting to realize how short of a time I actually have to be on a mission. Like.....it's basically no time at all. I'm also realizing I need to do more. We work and do a lot of things, but I can always do more. I'm also realizing I'm becoming a missionary. Like...I actually really want to be here. Really. At the beginning of my mission, I did, but I dreaded knocking on doors, time when we didn't have lessons planned, etc. But, i don't anymore. I want to go out and meet people. I seriously love being a missionary. It's one of the best things that could have ever happened to me. Ever. 

Yesterday, i was getting into the car and we were parked on ice, and I slipped and slammed my calf into the car. So, now I have a pretty nice bruise. 

I spoke in church yesterday! i talked about service. I think it went really well. I love service.

Anyway, that's pretty much all that happened this week. have a great week!

Addendum by Jenni Smith, Morgan's mom:

Morgan has asked to get Christmas cards from all of you!!  She would just love to hear from you.  Her address is listed here on the blog - it is the Mission Offices in Pocatello and they forward the mail onto the missionary:

Sister Morgan Smith

Idaho Pocatello Mission

135 S. 7th Ave

Pocatello ID 83201

SNOW. SNOW. SNOW. - November 17, 2014

So, it snowed this week. A. Lot. Holy cow. It got really cold, too. One night while we were driving around, it was -9. Man. I wanted to go somewhere cold..wish granted! It's been fun though. 

I drove in snow for the first time ever this week! I've lived in it before, but I've never driven in it. So that was..new. I go really slow. After zone training on Friday in Rigby, we did donuts in the parking lot so I can get the feel of driving in snow. It didn't really work out (me learning, at least) because I spent most of the time trying to make the car go out of control because it was fun. Don't worry, we were safe..haha. But it was so much fun to spin around! 

 [I will interject at this point that I do not condone her actions and I believe that missionaries should not be doing donuts in the parking lot.  What is wrong with my kids that they do these crazy things when they move away?]

Where are the wool mittens I knit for her??

We had zone conference this week. Elder Martino of the seventy came and taught the entire time. It was an 8 hour conference, and I learned a lot. 

Last Monday, we went laser tagging up in Rexburg. I was really bad at laser tag, because I kept running out into the middle of things and running after people shooting them. I had a pretty high shooting score...haha. Super fun, though. After that, we had a bonfire and roasted hot dogs and smores and sat around talking and laughing. It's fun to be able to do that kind of stuff.

Elder Sitivi has stolen Morgan's hat.  

Morgan wanted everyone to note the girl in the front roasting cauliflower.

Not too much has happened this week, really. A lot of people cancelled because it was snowing. We still have to work....don't cancel! Oh well. One of our investigators did come to church on Sunday! That was awesome, because for the past...2.5 months, he hasn't wanted to. So for him to want to come on his own and for him to stay the entire time, that was a huge breakthrough. We were really excited.

Yesterday, we were eating lunch at one of our bishops house. We were talking, and it turns out he played for BYU the first year LaVell Edwards coached! He showed me the letter of recommendation LaVell wrote for him some years ago. That was awesome. I'm glad to see BYU won yesterday! At least we're bowl eligible this year. So happy about that.

Sister Jones is leaving in 2 weeks! That is seriously sad. I will miss her. I won't have a companion for two days or so, so I'll go to Rigby and tag along with one of the sisters up there. It's crazy to think it's almost transfer time and I'm getting a new companion soon. 

Anyway, that's about it for this week. It was cold and snowy and lovely. :)
Love you!

IT'S SNOWING!!! - November 10, 2014

So, while doing my hair this morning, I heard Sister Andrus talking on the phone to someone about how it was snowing. So I ran out, and it was, indeed, snowing. AWESOME.

Happy birthday, Maddie!!!!!!! It's crazy to think you're 17. Weird.

This week....well. Let me tell you all about it. It was literally the best week of my entire life.

First. I've decided to keep track of how many bananas I've eaten on my mission. It's about 50-55 bananas so far, in case you wanted to know.

We went to the IF temple Visitor's center with the family our (now former) investigator is living with. It was awesome! She absolutely loved it. You'll have to come out to IF sometime and see the visitor's center, it's a great place to take investigators to feel the spirit. Oh man. So great. There is a Christus there, and you can really feel Christ's love when you listen to the recording they have.

Idaho Falls Temple Visitor Center

Our Thanksgiving dinner is set! We are eating with our ward mission leader in one of our wards. I'm excited, because that family is so cool. Sister Jones kept joking that she was going to try to get us to a vegetarian thanksgiving (she's a closet vegetarian, I'm pretty sure), but my fears have been laid to rest. 

So, there's such thing as a stake font filler. I found that out this week. Idaho is full of surprises.

On a sad note, the lady I had my first lesson with, Angela, passed away this week. We were driving by her house and noticed a ton of cars outside. We immediately pulled over, and the bishop was there. She passed about an hour before we got there. Her son that was baptized a few months ago is taking it pretty well. He's still sad, but he knows his mom is in a better place and isn't in pain anymore (she had two inoperable brain tumors and lung cancer). Her other kids aren't doing as well. It's a sad thing, but she isn't in pain anymore. 

Friday, we attended the re-baptism of a member that we've been visiting for a while. I love that family. It was a small service, but the Spirit was still definitely there. They looked so happy! It was great to experience.

Saturday was the best day of my life, not even joking. Alicia was baptized, and it was the most powerful, spiritual experience of my life. She was so ready to accept the gospel in her life. Everyone who came in contact with her (ward mission leader, district leader that interviewed her, bishop, etc) said that she had such a solid testimony. It's...it's hard to explain her story, I'll tell you sometime. And it's hard to describe this experience. I'll have to tell you in person. But, the entire service was amazing. Super spiritual. When she was actually baptized, and came out of the water, she was just sobbing. She wanted this so badly. During the intermission, Sister Jones and I played the "Because of Him" Mormon Message that was going around during Easter. It really hit me how much Christ does love us, and how much he has done for us. I shed a tear! See, I'm not a robot! It was just an amazing, amazing experience and I'm so eternally grateful I got to play a small part in that experience. I think I'm starting to understand how much joy missionary work can bring. I finally get it. A lot of people at the service said it was the most spiritual baptism service they've been to. I'm so grateful that I'm being able to have these experiences.

Alicia's baptism

Other than that, the week went pretty well. Weeks are starting to blend together. It's getting colder. I love it. I love my mission.

Love,

Morgan

And sometimes the elders like to mess with the sisters!!

NOVEMBER - November 4, 2014

Hey!

It's getting nice and cold here. It was 32 this morning. It's the best.

But, this week went pretty well! Last Pday, we went and carved pumpkins with our non-district district (we used to be in their district, but we got switched from Iona to Rigby. Lame). My pumpkin was tiny, so I just carved a smiley face in it. it's so cute and sits on our door to the garage at home.

Morgan's happy pumpkin

On Wednesday, we went to the temple! It was sooooo beautiful. I had such a good time. I love how the Rexburg temple sits on a hill all cool like that. The inside was amazing. It was nice to relax and have a nice, peaceful time at the temple. The couple that took us is a recently reactivated member, they were just sealed last year. They are awesome.

At the Rexburg Temple with Sister Jones and a couple from Ucon.

Morgan and Sister Jones at the Rexburg Temple which is on the same street Rozzie lives on, less than a mile away!!

Halloween was pretty awesome. Our zone got together in Rigby and we were able to watch real people movies and we had a dinner we made. We watched Frozen (even though everyone voted for the Lego Movie!!!! our district leader wasn't happy about that) and Heaven is For Real. We cooked breakfast for dinner and Sister Jones and I made pancakes. It was a really fun night. It was also weird at first because I was like, I'm not supposed to be watching this! But then I remembered that we were allowed to. So that was good.

I'm reading Proverbs right now. At the temple, I flipped open a bible and opened up to that, so I'm reading a lot out of it. It's a really cool book! I'm learning that I need to accept correction and chastisement because it will help me to grow.

We had interviews with President Brinkerhoff this week. He told me I look a lot more confident. I hope he doesn't think I'm confident enough to train this next transfer (train a new missionary straight out of the MTC). But, it was good to meet and talk with him. He said that he can tell that Sister Jones and I get along really well, have a good companionship, and that we're obedient. It's always nice to hear people say that.

So, here in Idaho (and probably Utah), only the stake center has a baptism font. In order to save time and resources and stuff like that, all the 8 year olds have a specified baptism day on Saturday at the beginning of the month. We went to one on Saturday, and I was expecting maybe 3 kids and 40 people there. No. Eight or nine kids were baptized and over 150 people were there. It was crazy. It's such a weird concept, I'm not used to it..but it was pretty cool to see. We taught one of the girls who was getting baptized all the discussions (her parents asked us to) so we were able to see her be baptized.

Yesterday, in testimony meeting, a kid came up and said a normal, 6 or 7 year old testimony, and then said, "I believe in the United States of America and know it is a real country." Ok. 

We're getting ready for our baptism on Saturday! Sister Jones and I are soooooo so so so excited. This girl is so ready and we are so excited for her. This girl definitely has a past, and you can see it. She's got a few tattoos and piercings, but that doesn't matter. All that matters is that I've seen a change in her and I know that she is solid in the gospel. She literally glows when we come over and see her. It's amazing to see the changes in people.

Love you all!