Being busy is not an indicator of success; remember that.
Cool thing #1: Tito is continuing to progress. He told us when we visited him that he was reading from doctrine and covenants and he explained to us what he learned from the section he had read and it was clear it made sense to him! He said that he feels the spirit and that his days are going better. He was interviewed for the priesthood and really enjoyed his interview with the Branch President. Tito said he is a really nice guy and helpful and he likes him a lot! That was a good thing to hear cause it means he has started off on the right foot with president and will go to him when he needs to in the future without hesitation. Tito has a great understanding of the need for repentance and that it’s something we all need to do all the time, and that's why we have church and the gospel. After his interview he told us how he was going to have responsibilities to pass the sacrament and how he needed to look nice for it (so president is gonna buy him a nice shirt) he then told us "that means that I've really got to be here every Sunday then!" and we said, "yeah!"
Cool thing #2: Ben almost accepted a baptismal invitation. He is kind of committed to finding out if what we are teaching him is true. (Which really is a big step up) the spirit is in the lessons a lot more than before and he understands a lot better. It’s nice to have Ira there to help teach. Ben has come to church twice. He was supposed to come yesterday but Ira said he wouldn't come cause he was sleeping. Lame.
Cool thing #3: I kinda got to be an office elder again on Friday. The Lees and the Scotts are going home (senior missionary couples) so we packed up all there furniture and put it in a truck and went to Ridgewood in Brooklyn and put it in a church basement. It took all morning (I thought it was going to take a lot longer) but we were finished by 12! we got back to our area by 1 and were done eating a huge buffet, courtesy of Elder Scott and Elder Lee, and got home by 3. It was a nice switch up from what we have been doing. I'll miss both senior couples. :( they were really great. I didn't say goodbye to the Scotts cause I’m just not down with goodbyes any more. I'm more of a "quit acting like this is the last time we'll see each other" kind of guy. If I don't see them in this life (which for some reason just doesn't sound like the case) I’ll see them in the next one. No need to get all sappy and then shake hands (cause we're missionaries) instead of hugging... or what-naught.
Cool thing #4: Jose and Marta Santos and the newest members of the branch. Their home has a different feeling in it now (i went on a mini exchange to go teach them with Elder Sanford last night cause of complications). Jose is a different guy and much more humble and accepting and willing to learn. He told us after he was baptized he felt like a blind man who could now see more because he wasn't looking with his eyes but listening and feeling with his heart. Cool! Ha-ha. Then last night he told me that after he received the gift of the Holy Ghost he has been full of the spirit (as he should be). He said everything is lighter and he feels like a child, "protected". So we discussed how he keeps that feeling is by taking the sacrament every week and making sure that he keeps true to the covenants described in the sacrament prayers. I showed him where they were in the Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants. Anyway, much more than I can explain, it was all the spirit. Basically we were both edified. :)
Brother Mills our Coordinator is finally back from vacation.
We have been working a lot on getting the wards and branches involved in our work and also us as missionaries working around our members (working smart). So that’s been cool, but there is a lot more to do before it really becomes our culture. Mostly I think some of us older missionaries just have to die for it to take hold completely. The work really is a big rough stone rolling and growing. It’s pretty cool. It gets better and better and more and more efficient.
Anyways, please pray that I will have the desire to work out in the morning, cause I hate it...
There was more I wanted to say but it left me. Sorry.
--
-Elder Samuel Austin Morris
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Monday, March 28, 2011
Happy Paint Satrick’s Day
Well... This week was one of those weeks that has seven days.
We spent almost all week preparing for and inviting people to our branch activity: Movie Night!!! We were feeling really good about it! We ran into snag after snag that resisted the whole thing. We were able to invite tons of people in person with flyer's/invitations, and we got at least 20 commits and everyone seemed really excited about it all. Well the day of, Friday, we pretty much spent from after District Meeting until 7 preparing. We had problem after problem in setting up. Broken projectors and dvd players and no sound coming forth etc... Well we finally got it all strait. It looked great! The whole place was all set up nicely and The Testaments title screen was being projected largely on the wall of the Assembly room. Well... Not counting the missionaries 7 people showed up. :(
Don't you hate that.....
Well, It wasn't a total waste because the senior couple Elder and Sister Lee had never seen it, and it gave Bro Hatch something to do and allowed us to get to know him better (plus he sympathized with us and now seems to be a supporter in our work) and Sister Catron and her Daughter came. Sister Catron hasn't been to church in a long time because of work scheduling issues and from our knowledge her daughter is unbaptized. Well, we were able to get an appointment with her for tomorrow and the Mansuettos (my favorite members) were able to fellowship her because they are old friends. Elder woodland knows her from an exchange and was able to say, "Hey!!! Sister Catron! How are you?!?" that seemed to be nice for her because I think she feels like no one knows who she is any more. Besides that Axel and Jeff came (19 and 23 year olds in the branch that currently don't have a lot to do). So that was great cause you know what they say, "an idle mind is the devils work shop".
We felt bad though because we worked so hard and the Lees got us refreshments for it and a projector and dinner (cause we missed dinner cause we were busy trying to get everything working) and the Mansuettos brought a bunch of Soda. We popped a bunch of pop-corn... but at least all that got eaten.
No one came to church really not even Tito, we aren't sure why. We feel bad cause we taught him about baptisms for the dead and he got confused and worried, so we wanted him to come so we could talk more about that at church. Well, we did have investigators go to the YSA branch however. Ben went and brought his friend Matt. We will be seeing them tonight. Ben still likes to preach to us, but is starting to understand what we are all about and what we really have. He is going to church and reading the things we tell him to, so he is progressing. :)
So we have had a new elder in the pad this week. His name is Elder Sanford. You can tell he's right out of the MTC. Ha-ha. That's not bad, it’s just funny how everyone comes into the mission field the same way; the same attitude and expectations. It really is a boot camp. Anyway, Elder Sanford is from Las Vegas and had a semester at BYU before he came out on his mission (living the Mormon dream). He is a nice guy, and I can tell he is starting to get used to being here now. He has a girl friend back at home and when he found out that I used to he asked how long into the mission I was when it ended. When I told him he said, "Oh, ok, so I've still got some time." Ha-ha. It was pretty funny. He has pretty good timing. He doesn't really say things that are supper witty, just simple, but he says them at the right time. He's a nice guy. Anyway, I'm sure he'll be a great missionary. Hopefully elder woodland can help him with his Spanish though. Ha-ha. Jk, his is better than mine (at least vocab). :)
I hope I didn't scare him to much with my craziness I hope it just helps him feel like he can have fun and work hard. Ha-ha. He didn't laugh at anything I did or said for like the first 4 or 5 days! Ha-ha.
OK I must now depart from this writing for I lack any more to say. Yet, I will not leave you without my own testimony of the truth. The lord has his holy an eternal purpose and we are the whole point of that purpose. He work and his glory is to bring to pass our immortality and eternal life. His joy is our progression and our success. He weeps when we weep. His heart drops when we fail. He is our loving Father. Understanding our relationship to him will deepen our relationship with him. We will become more sincere prayers and we will understand his will. We will no longer question him when bad things happen to us or the ones we love, we will not blame him for our sorrow but praise him for all that is good in our lives. We will praise him and love him even more for his perfect parenting skills. He loves me and you more than anything we could fathom. I can't say that I know really anything perfectly because I am human and I am week and I don't understand all things, but I can testify to you that he does not abandon you and that he does not cause anything negative in your life. God is perfect and therefore he does not do anything that would cause him to be a liar. What is good comes from the father; if God lead us into temptation he would cease to be God. He Promises that as we discover and apply his will that we will not have room enough to receive his blessings. Our trials are a part of mortality and come from either natural events that come from the physical body or world around us or from the decisions of others or from Satan and his followers. We can be thankful for the hard things because without resistance we would lose our strength.
That’s about it. Love,
-Elder Samuel Austin Morris
We spent almost all week preparing for and inviting people to our branch activity: Movie Night!!! We were feeling really good about it! We ran into snag after snag that resisted the whole thing. We were able to invite tons of people in person with flyer's/invitations, and we got at least 20 commits and everyone seemed really excited about it all. Well the day of, Friday, we pretty much spent from after District Meeting until 7 preparing. We had problem after problem in setting up. Broken projectors and dvd players and no sound coming forth etc... Well we finally got it all strait. It looked great! The whole place was all set up nicely and The Testaments title screen was being projected largely on the wall of the Assembly room. Well... Not counting the missionaries 7 people showed up. :(
Don't you hate that.....
Well, It wasn't a total waste because the senior couple Elder and Sister Lee had never seen it, and it gave Bro Hatch something to do and allowed us to get to know him better (plus he sympathized with us and now seems to be a supporter in our work) and Sister Catron and her Daughter came. Sister Catron hasn't been to church in a long time because of work scheduling issues and from our knowledge her daughter is unbaptized. Well, we were able to get an appointment with her for tomorrow and the Mansuettos (my favorite members) were able to fellowship her because they are old friends. Elder woodland knows her from an exchange and was able to say, "Hey!!! Sister Catron! How are you?!?" that seemed to be nice for her because I think she feels like no one knows who she is any more. Besides that Axel and Jeff came (19 and 23 year olds in the branch that currently don't have a lot to do). So that was great cause you know what they say, "an idle mind is the devils work shop".
We felt bad though because we worked so hard and the Lees got us refreshments for it and a projector and dinner (cause we missed dinner cause we were busy trying to get everything working) and the Mansuettos brought a bunch of Soda. We popped a bunch of pop-corn... but at least all that got eaten.
No one came to church really not even Tito, we aren't sure why. We feel bad cause we taught him about baptisms for the dead and he got confused and worried, so we wanted him to come so we could talk more about that at church. Well, we did have investigators go to the YSA branch however. Ben went and brought his friend Matt. We will be seeing them tonight. Ben still likes to preach to us, but is starting to understand what we are all about and what we really have. He is going to church and reading the things we tell him to, so he is progressing. :)
So we have had a new elder in the pad this week. His name is Elder Sanford. You can tell he's right out of the MTC. Ha-ha. That's not bad, it’s just funny how everyone comes into the mission field the same way; the same attitude and expectations. It really is a boot camp. Anyway, Elder Sanford is from Las Vegas and had a semester at BYU before he came out on his mission (living the Mormon dream). He is a nice guy, and I can tell he is starting to get used to being here now. He has a girl friend back at home and when he found out that I used to he asked how long into the mission I was when it ended. When I told him he said, "Oh, ok, so I've still got some time." Ha-ha. It was pretty funny. He has pretty good timing. He doesn't really say things that are supper witty, just simple, but he says them at the right time. He's a nice guy. Anyway, I'm sure he'll be a great missionary. Hopefully elder woodland can help him with his Spanish though. Ha-ha. Jk, his is better than mine (at least vocab). :)
I hope I didn't scare him to much with my craziness I hope it just helps him feel like he can have fun and work hard. Ha-ha. He didn't laugh at anything I did or said for like the first 4 or 5 days! Ha-ha.
OK I must now depart from this writing for I lack any more to say. Yet, I will not leave you without my own testimony of the truth. The lord has his holy an eternal purpose and we are the whole point of that purpose. He work and his glory is to bring to pass our immortality and eternal life. His joy is our progression and our success. He weeps when we weep. His heart drops when we fail. He is our loving Father. Understanding our relationship to him will deepen our relationship with him. We will become more sincere prayers and we will understand his will. We will no longer question him when bad things happen to us or the ones we love, we will not blame him for our sorrow but praise him for all that is good in our lives. We will praise him and love him even more for his perfect parenting skills. He loves me and you more than anything we could fathom. I can't say that I know really anything perfectly because I am human and I am week and I don't understand all things, but I can testify to you that he does not abandon you and that he does not cause anything negative in your life. God is perfect and therefore he does not do anything that would cause him to be a liar. What is good comes from the father; if God lead us into temptation he would cease to be God. He Promises that as we discover and apply his will that we will not have room enough to receive his blessings. Our trials are a part of mortality and come from either natural events that come from the physical body or world around us or from the decisions of others or from Satan and his followers. We can be thankful for the hard things because without resistance we would lose our strength.
That’s about it. Love,
-Elder Samuel Austin Morris
Monday, March 14, 2011
6 of 2
Well my second transfer in Huntington has now come to an end. It looks like I’ll be here for another 6 weeks. That leaves me with 12 weeks after that until the end.... :S
My prediction is that I leave Huntington after this next 6 weeks and then end my mission somewhere else (hopefully the city) for my last 12 weeks. Elder woodland thinks I’ll just finish here though and probably end by training.
Btw, elder Clement is leaving us... :( we are all very sad. President told us though that he wont be going to far away, so maybe he'll still be in the zone. Elder Clement is getting replaced by a Greenie. So Woodland will be training. That means we will have a new missionary in the pad. I want him to remember me for the rest of his life... ha-ha... so I’m going to do crazy things to him.... nothing bad, don't worry about that. :) Ha-ha. I'll let you know how it goes.
Tito is still strong! He is doing really well and still coming to church on his own. He remembers all the doctrines we teach him and is starting to ask some pretty deep questions all on his own. Its really cool cause he says his mind is more clear than it has been in a really long time. Also, he is defending his beliefs where ever he goes he seems to tell us every time we see him about how he was challenged by someone or asked a moral or religious question. The best part is that when we ask him what he told them, he always gives the right answer! Ha-ha. then I ask, "have you been studying" or "when did you learn that" and he either responds, "I learned it from you guys" or "I learned it at church" or "I read it in a book somewhere" Ha-ha
We had 4 investigators at Church! Woot! A former named Kai brought her sister to Church and said they would come back next week too! I explained how the meetings go before church started cause they were the first ones there. Most people showed up last minute, probably because of Day light savings time. Then I explained what the sacrament was in response they said to themselves but loud enough that I heard, "oh Ii'm not baptized" and a little later I asked where they normally go to church and they told me they weren't raised any particular way and that they haven't been to a church in a really long time. Kai wanted to stay for class but her sister Lakeema didn't. But like I said, they'll be back next week. I think that they will come to church every week if we just remind them on Saturday.
The other two at church attended the YSA branch in Plainview, but because they are our investigators they count on our numbers. Ben Scott attended the whole of all 3 meetings and stayed for munch and mingle. He wants us to come over 2 to 3 times a week to teach him all we know. We made it clear to him this is not bible study. The other who came was a guy named Scott who lives in our area and is a friend of Ira Greenbay (just like Ben)... so Ira is not only a drumming machine but a great member missionary! Woot, way to go Ira. Well I’ll let you know how their progress is later! :)
Other than that I can't really remember what happened this week; just a lot of looking people up and trying to conserve our miles... ha-ha. Well, that’s all.
--
-Elder Samuel Austin Morris
My prediction is that I leave Huntington after this next 6 weeks and then end my mission somewhere else (hopefully the city) for my last 12 weeks. Elder woodland thinks I’ll just finish here though and probably end by training.
Btw, elder Clement is leaving us... :( we are all very sad. President told us though that he wont be going to far away, so maybe he'll still be in the zone. Elder Clement is getting replaced by a Greenie. So Woodland will be training. That means we will have a new missionary in the pad. I want him to remember me for the rest of his life... ha-ha... so I’m going to do crazy things to him.... nothing bad, don't worry about that. :) Ha-ha. I'll let you know how it goes.
Tito is still strong! He is doing really well and still coming to church on his own. He remembers all the doctrines we teach him and is starting to ask some pretty deep questions all on his own. Its really cool cause he says his mind is more clear than it has been in a really long time. Also, he is defending his beliefs where ever he goes he seems to tell us every time we see him about how he was challenged by someone or asked a moral or religious question. The best part is that when we ask him what he told them, he always gives the right answer! Ha-ha. then I ask, "have you been studying" or "when did you learn that" and he either responds, "I learned it from you guys" or "I learned it at church" or "I read it in a book somewhere" Ha-ha
We had 4 investigators at Church! Woot! A former named Kai brought her sister to Church and said they would come back next week too! I explained how the meetings go before church started cause they were the first ones there. Most people showed up last minute, probably because of Day light savings time. Then I explained what the sacrament was in response they said to themselves but loud enough that I heard, "oh Ii'm not baptized" and a little later I asked where they normally go to church and they told me they weren't raised any particular way and that they haven't been to a church in a really long time. Kai wanted to stay for class but her sister Lakeema didn't. But like I said, they'll be back next week. I think that they will come to church every week if we just remind them on Saturday.
The other two at church attended the YSA branch in Plainview, but because they are our investigators they count on our numbers. Ben Scott attended the whole of all 3 meetings and stayed for munch and mingle. He wants us to come over 2 to 3 times a week to teach him all we know. We made it clear to him this is not bible study. The other who came was a guy named Scott who lives in our area and is a friend of Ira Greenbay (just like Ben)... so Ira is not only a drumming machine but a great member missionary! Woot, way to go Ira. Well I’ll let you know how their progress is later! :)
Other than that I can't really remember what happened this week; just a lot of looking people up and trying to conserve our miles... ha-ha. Well, that’s all.
--
-Elder Samuel Austin Morris
Monday, March 7, 2011
March
So I thought that all the Showers were supposed to be in April... but we are getting March Showers. So instead of March wind brings April showers which brings may flowers... it must be March showers brings April flowers followed by... may.... Birds! or something like that. I'm expecting a lot of birds..... in may.....
Anyway.
Saturday was amazing. We were visited by Neal L. Anderson from the quorum of the 12 Apostles. :) It was nice. Refreshing is what I would call it. Definitely not what I was expected. I was thinking it would be more like what elder Pearson was just shorter, nope, just really pleasant. We shook his hand and also Bishop Edgely and Elder Razband. It felt good. My testimony was strengthened in two ways by subtle reminders of the following facts: 1. they truly are called of God and 2. They really are regular guys. You could see their light and feel the warmth from the spirit, but it wasn't a flood of spirit that knocked you over, just really pleasant. It shows me that it really is possible to follow all the commandments and still be a human. That Imperfect people that have weaknesses can be obedient. I also learned a really cool thing from what Elder Anderson said in response to the question "why can't [we do everything right that we know we should and want to do so] the spirit [can] be stronger in me?" (Its self explanatory I think), "Be patient. It’s not something the Lord expects us to know all about when we are 20. What would we do the rest of our lives?" He then explained that even President Monson learns something new each day.
We also had a great combined stake conference yesterday with Bishop Edgely. At both the mission and stake conference he shared cool stories about being a missionary here back when it was the eastern states mission. :) Like I said it was just refreshing to hear stories and get encouraged rather than loaded up with a bunch of doctrine that makes you feel like you are a slacker (call to repentance). To everything there is a season. There's a time and a place for both of those things and I'm glad this time it was easy to swallow.
Tito is still doing great. He understands that even when he makes mistakes he needs to keep at it and continue to come to church and read scriptures and pray. That is the key. He and I both are learning that this church is for sinners. That this gospel is one of improvement and progression; that's the point of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and I'm glad cause I am nowhere near perfect, but I know I can get there one day because of our Savior. Jose is learning this too. He loved Stake conference. The Spanish Elders say that his only hang up now is a testimony of our current prophet. I know it will work out for him and Marta.
Thank you Miller family for your package! I loved it. I don't know how you knew but the tie you gave me was the perfect width and it looks really nice too. The pens are great quality and everyone loves treats and letters! thank you so much! I am so grateful for your support and prayers and love! :)
OK I'm gonna split!
Elder Samuel Austin Morris
Anyway.
Saturday was amazing. We were visited by Neal L. Anderson from the quorum of the 12 Apostles. :) It was nice. Refreshing is what I would call it. Definitely not what I was expected. I was thinking it would be more like what elder Pearson was just shorter, nope, just really pleasant. We shook his hand and also Bishop Edgely and Elder Razband. It felt good. My testimony was strengthened in two ways by subtle reminders of the following facts: 1. they truly are called of God and 2. They really are regular guys. You could see their light and feel the warmth from the spirit, but it wasn't a flood of spirit that knocked you over, just really pleasant. It shows me that it really is possible to follow all the commandments and still be a human. That Imperfect people that have weaknesses can be obedient. I also learned a really cool thing from what Elder Anderson said in response to the question "why can't [we do everything right that we know we should and want to do so] the spirit [can] be stronger in me?" (Its self explanatory I think), "Be patient. It’s not something the Lord expects us to know all about when we are 20. What would we do the rest of our lives?" He then explained that even President Monson learns something new each day.
We also had a great combined stake conference yesterday with Bishop Edgely. At both the mission and stake conference he shared cool stories about being a missionary here back when it was the eastern states mission. :) Like I said it was just refreshing to hear stories and get encouraged rather than loaded up with a bunch of doctrine that makes you feel like you are a slacker (call to repentance). To everything there is a season. There's a time and a place for both of those things and I'm glad this time it was easy to swallow.
Tito is still doing great. He understands that even when he makes mistakes he needs to keep at it and continue to come to church and read scriptures and pray. That is the key. He and I both are learning that this church is for sinners. That this gospel is one of improvement and progression; that's the point of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and I'm glad cause I am nowhere near perfect, but I know I can get there one day because of our Savior. Jose is learning this too. He loved Stake conference. The Spanish Elders say that his only hang up now is a testimony of our current prophet. I know it will work out for him and Marta.
Thank you Miller family for your package! I loved it. I don't know how you knew but the tie you gave me was the perfect width and it looks really nice too. The pens are great quality and everyone loves treats and letters! thank you so much! I am so grateful for your support and prayers and love! :)
OK I'm gonna split!
Elder Samuel Austin Morris
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