Transfers - February 23, 2015

So. News.

We got transfer calls on Thursday, and I'm getting transferred! I'm going to Pocatello West I. So, half of the Pocatello West stake. I'm so stoked! Seriously, everyone tells me that Pocatello is like, a gross place, but I am ridiculously excited to go there. And apparently, according to a sister in my zone who served in that area, PWI has part of the reservation in that area. And it's a walking area. So, I'm excited. We leave on wednesday.

SWarren is also getting transferred. So, our area is getting whitewashed. We've been getting things ready all week and scrambling to get everything ready for the whitewash. It's kind of sad that the area I've spent six months building is getting whitewashed, but good sisters are coming in. So, we just have to get everything sorted out and it's been crazy. Yeah. This week has been fun. 

Hmm. What else? 

Umm, we had a stake music fireside last night that our district sang in. We sang "If the Savior stood Beside Me." It went pretty well.

Basically I just have transfers on my mind. It's going to be fun going to the new area, but it will be sad to leave the people. I can't believe I've spent almost six months here. A third of my mission is done and that's just crazy.

So, I've been reading a lot about charity and serving others this week. That's basically what will save us in life. We can do all the right things, make all the right choices, but unless we have charity and love other people, we can't live with God again. It says in the scriptures that those who are found with charity in the last day, it will be well with them. I've been working on that a lot this week. It's hard..but it makes you so more happy. We are naturally happier when we serve other people than when we think about ourselves and are selfish and stuff like that. That's what I've noticed. I wasn't a very charitable person before my mission, but I really want to change. I've been working on it a lot the past few weeks. I'm happier, I'm more excited to be a missionary, etc. My life is just better when I'm not focused on myself.

So, yeah. I'm excited to see what happens this week. I'm so sad to leave SWarren though. She has become my best friend in 12 weeks. I love that kid. She's helped me grow so much in so many ways. Seriously. I'm going to miss that kid.

Anyway, have a good week! Love you!

Morgan

Hey mom! I'm doing pretty well. Just getting things done and ready for wednesday.

Roz says that the sisters come over a lot. that is fun! 

I spoke in church today too! But it was fast sunday here so we always have to bear testimony on fastsunday. I'm just really, really looking forward to a week where I don't have to speak in church.

You're subbing at the high school? Fun! I didn't think you could stay away for long...haha. I'm glad you'll be able to do that! It sounds like fun.

Oooooh. The doctrine of Christ is my FAVORITE THING. Lesson 2 in PMG (Preach my Gospel) is my favorite lesson to teach. It's simple, but incredibly powerful. Enduring to the end, the last part of the gospel of Jesus Christ, is the hardest part. But, it's worth it the most. It's where we gain the most blessings and we become most like God, so that when we see him at the judgement bar, we will be like him and we will recognize Him in ourselves. Everything we grow to be, is because of Christ. That's why I love teaching about Him and His gospel so much. When we become like God, it is because of Christ. Without the atonement, we wouldn't be able to be like him and fulfill our potential on earth at all. The reason we're here is to gain our salvation, and we can only do that through Christ. Man. Good stuff. It's interesting to see how much more important this stuff is to me. Like i've always known it was important. But, I know that living the Gospel is the single most important thing to do in life. It's the only way to live with God forever. 

Yeah. Good stuff. I've had a really good past three months with SWarren. I am going to miss that kid like crazy. Seriously, I've never met someone that has helped me to grow so fast in such a short amount of time. I've never gotten so close to someone in such a short amount of time. I am forever grateful to have been companions with her. We want to room together at BYU when we get back, so that's fun.

Anyway, hope you have a good week!

Brooklyn and Dayleen - Morgan saying goodbye to friends!

Mya and Leyla - More of Morgan's friends!

The Rigby Zone Pre-transfer

Ok, so here's a story. I was in a car with the sisters that took our old car. We switched with them. Sister Whalen goes, "Oh, do you want your teeth back?" I was confused. And then she pulled out THESE. THEY WERE IN OUR CAR FOR 5.5 MONTHS AND I HAD NO IDEA. SO GROSS. Ask mike what teeth they are. They aren't mine, that's for sure. Probably some gross elder's teeth. Ew. So nasty.

This week. For real this time. - February 16, 2015

We received an email from Morgan that said, "Miracles  things  missionary." and that was it.  45 minutes later we got the real letter!!


So that last email wasn't really my weekly email. SWarren just thinks she's funny. But she is, so that's ok.

We had a lot of really cool things happen this week. So, two weeks ago, we found a new investigator to work with. She's 10 years old and she really wants to be baptized. So, we went to see her yesterday, and her mom answered and said they were busy and to just come back in two weeks (because this girl is only home every other weekend). So, we walked away, slightly dejected..and as soon as we got to our car, we looked back, and she was literally running after us saying, "Wait! Come back! Don't you want to talk about Jesus?" Coolest thing ever. Seriously. That was so cool. We taught her outside for a few minutes then. It was such a cool experience though. No one runs after us for good things.

Last night we were at Johanna and Kaiden's house and Kaiden was showing me his Legos. I showed him the lego shark that I had, so that's how that came up. When we were leaving, he gave me like, all of these legos! He wouldn't take them back. I tried to. I even tried leaving them. But, that was so nice. Seriously. Those kids are some of my favorite people.

Just a reminder, I love mail and emails. Just...yeah. In case you wanted to know.

I really enjoyed this valentines day. I spent an hour washing someone's dishes. That was nice. Serving people is my favorite thing, so I enjoyed doing that. 

I'm not very long winded on emails. So...sorry about that. I usually run out of things to say by now. But I'm really enjoying being out here. SWarren and I have talked this week about making the most of our missions. We've talked a lot this week. A lot. I'm not used to talking so much to people and communicating. So, that's good. I'm learning how to be a more quality person. Because I don't think I was a very Christlike, quality person before my mission. And now I'm working on changing. It's hard, but it's what I needed to do. I wouldn't have been completely happy if I hadn't have gone on my mission. Because, I'm realizing what the most important thing in life is, and what's going to make me truly and completely happy. Yeah. Stuff like that. My mission is saving my life, and I'm so grateful for that.

Have a good week! Remember, I love mail and emails!

Love, Morgan

An Addendum:  So, my birthday is coming up in a few weeks. And I thought I'd send you some things that I desire. Just so you have an idea of things. I would love some socks. I have four pairs of socks and that is just not enough. But seriously, socks. I need some o' those!

This was in a text I received last night!!

Morgan is driving off into the sunset.

Double Whammy - February 2 & 9, 2015

Anyone who feels inclined to write, her address is listed to the right on this blog!!

Hi!

A lot of things happened this week. Which is good.

Yvonne got baptized this weekend! It was such a good service and experience. There were like, over 40 people there. Some were her family, and a lot were from her ward. Which is awesome. Convert baptisms should have a ton of people there. But, after she got out of the font after being baptized, her mom told us that all she could say was "Wow, mom. Wow. Just...wow." So cool. I love Yvonne. She was so prepared and ready.

Teaching Yvonne

Did I ever tell you about Aaron? So, we have another investigator getting baptized this weekend. His name is Aaron, and he's 9 years old.  The bishop called us up, asked if we could teach Aaron (because he's technically a convert - a convert baptism is a baptism of someone over the age of 8) and help him get ready for that. So we did just that. And now he's getting baptized this Saturday. We literally did nothing to find him, and God gave this to us. It's amazing what can happen when we're working hard, being obedient, and trying to find people. We're definitely blessed.

Here's a funny story from this week. So on Thursday, we had interviews with mission president. I also woke up and I was super nauseous. My companion made me eat oatmeal, even though I didn't want to. So, we were sitting in the training the APs were giving, and all the sudden, I look at my companion, and I said I needed to leave. So I walk quickly out to the foyer of the church building we're in, grab a trash can, and go outside so everyone inside doesn't hear/see me. Well. At the same time, the other district in my zone drives up, just in time to see me empty the contents of my stomach into the trash can. It's actually pretty funny now. During the moment, not so much. I stayed in bed for like, a day and a half because I still felt horrible. It's over now, so that's good.

So, I love my companion. SWarren and I are pretty much best friends. She is literally one of my favorite people on planet earth. When I was sick, she got me saltines. When I'm running late in the mornings, she'll make me an egg or make my bed. Seriously, I've learned so much about charity and loving people from her, and I am so grateful to have SWarren as my companion. We tell stories all the time. Like when we're driving, one of us will give the other a story topic and we tell stories. We have fun.

We have another busy week coming up. It's good to be busy. I love my mission, it's changing me every day. It's hard, but I wouldn't have learned the things I'm learning without being here. Preach My Gospel says that our attitude towards our mission experience is a direct reflection of our feelings towards Christ and Heavenly Father. The mission isn't always going to be super easy and easy to love doing, but when I remind myself of this (how our attitude reflects our love for God), things just work and I'm happier.

Anyway.Have a good week! Love you!
morgan

Things that matter - Morgan has tiny hands

February 9, 2015

Hey! We had another successful week here. It was busy, it went fast, and we did a lot of good. 

Our investigator Aaron was baptized this past Saturday.  After his grandpa was baptized, I don't think there was a dry eye in the room. It was so amazing. But, Aaron was so so so so excited. He kept jumping up and down before he got into the font. We were able to teach him everything in a two week span, which is pretty difficult, but we did it. He was so much fun to teach and to see get baptized. 

Here's a story from last week I forgot to tell. So, last Sunday, we went with our recent converts Johanna and Kaiden to church. They went alone (without anyone but us) so they were kind of nervous. Someone usually always goes with them. So, we decided to go. Oh man. That was the most fun I've ever had at church. SWarren and I felt like an actual family with trying to get them to whisper, to sit still, to not tickle each other, etc. But, it was so much fun. Kaiden brought a notebook and he started drawing a picture of Jesus as soon as he sat down. After sacrament meeting, all these people came up to them and invited them to primary and to take them to their classes and everything. They were both super excited, and they said that they weren't nervous anymore. But really, it was so much fun. 

We were teaching them this week as well, and halfway through our lesson, they decided they wanted to be the missionaries. So, they took our tags, our scriptures, and, most importantly, our planners and started teaching us. For some reason, kids love our planners. But, it was the cutest thing ever. That was definitely the best lesson I've ever taught on my mission. I absolutely loved it.

Another funny story from this week - we were teaching a family about prayer. And we usued this analogy (I can't remember how it had to do with prayer), and we said, "Imagine that you know that everyone in America is going to be kidnapped by Canadians." And then the 12 year old that was there asked us, "What are those?" I laughed really hard at that.

So, I've been learning a lot about joy. And real happiness. And what causes that. And I've realized, that real joy, actual lasting happiness, comes from living and experiencing the gospel. In 2 Nephi 2:25 it states that "Adam fell that men might be; and men are that they might have joy." In all honestly, I've really only ever experienced real happiness while I've been on my mission, and that's because I'm trying to live and experience the gospel. Happiness doesn't come from just doing whatever you want, despite the consequences. Happiness comes from being free to choose to follow God. It's cool to see.

Anyway, have a good week!

Morgan

Rozz told me she would be gone nest January-April. Which makes me sad because she won't be there when I get home! :( Oh well, Ukraine sounds like fun!

The pictures of Licky look sooooo so so so cute! He is a cute kitty. I miss him. How is patz?

I got the package, thanks! Also, if you ever feel so inclined, you may send me floss. Floss is apparently quite the hot commodity in Idaho because it's super expensive. $4!!!!! 

I spoke twice in church yesterday. Once in the Milo Ward and again in Yellowstone ward. So much speaking. It is not my favorite. Teaching is more fun because you can actually interact with your audience. With speaking you have to be worried about so many different things. Like, if the people fall asleep or not. Or if they pay attention or not. Or if your skirt got caught in your tights. That happened a few weeks ago. At least it wasn't on the side where the bishopric could see. Only SWarren saw. 

I like serving people. I'm a lot happier when I'm serving my companion. I've noticed that a lot over the past few weeks. I get grumpy when I'm selfish and turning inward, but I'm happy when I'm trying to not be selfish and turning outward. There's a reason Christ was the happiest person that ever lived, he never once did something only for himself. 

Anyway, have a good week!