LOL. So the Library I am at right now is the Longwood public library. Ha-ha.
Ok, well here I am back out on Lon Guylan (long Island). I am in a place called Terryville. its in Suffolk county, so I am way out now. The place we live is in the middle of the forest! Ha-ha. It’s crazy how many trees there are. There are a lot of bugs and there are actually things like dirt and rocks... it’s weird. I still act like I’m in the city but I’m definitely not! One example, stopping when the light changes and being able to turn right on a red is a weird adjustment. Ha-ha.
My new companion is named Elder Benjamin B. Kiser. He is from Toole, Ut. (I forgot how to spell 2-ill-uh) He was supposed to go to Greece on his mission but his visa was denied so now he is here for good. he was in the MTC for 3 months! Ha-ha. So even though He hits his 6 month mark soon he is only on his 3rd transfer. :D ha-ha. It’s cool cause he can speak Greek! Neat right! he has taught me a bit of it too. In a way I’m his step pops but... he was with Elder Edwards for the last 2 weeks because Elder Teixiera his last comp when home a little early (cause his visa had expired, and his parents picked him up). If you remember Elder Edwards was the Elder I midnighted from ENY last transfer. All those trips to Terryville and all along I had no Idea that I would be living there. Ha-ha. I came here like 5 or 6 times. Ha-ha. Elder Kiser is of German heritage and looks it. He has quite the George Washington Profile but his eyes look like all the pictures you see of Germans and. He is a lot like me. We immediately got along and are already friends. He quotes Salad fingers and rejected cartoons and talks in different voices and says crazy random things and bottles up all his anger just like me! He loves movies and film (and knows more than I do) he is super funny and fun but obedient and hard working. He is exactly what I was hoping for. He has one down side though, kind of like elder Lim, he won’t let me buy stuff for him, and he insists on paying me back if I do. Oh well. I’ll have to find a different way to serve him.
Ok, a little about the area. We have an amazing pool right now, but we have some struggles finding. So things are great now but once these people are baptized or dropped we won't have a great pool. But right now it's fantastic. We had a baptism yesterday. His name is Wayne Duncan. He is solid. I look forward to teach him the lessons again now that he is a member. He had some struggles with smoking and coffee so we are praying hard he can resist temptation until he gets the gift of the Holy Ghost next week; and after too. :)
We also teach a family called the Claros'. They are fantastic. We taught them as a family for the first time my first or second night. The dad and the oldest son (who in the past have not been as open) were more open. The oldest son Fransisco said the closing prayer and it was obvious that the lesson had gotten to him. He said one of the most sincere and heartfelt prayers i have ever heard and it made elder Kiser cry. The spirit was really strong. When he finished the prayer he said "I really felt something just then. I haven’t felt that before." and we told him that was the spirit and then he told us that he wanted to be baptized. So Kiser said ok but you have to come to church. so he said he would. The two younger kids have dates for September and he will be baptized with them. The Goal now is to help the dad join the rest of the family (the mom is already a member).
If you remember last transfer how Elder Vargas and Saeyang were going to hand over their investigator Harold to us but then he moved out to long Island? Well you guessed it I am now the missionary who covers where he moved into. So I guess its fate. We taught him the other day and he had not heard about all the things we were telling him about the plan of salvation. So I was inspired to have us kneel down and have him pray. he did. He prayed about how he was nervous and how he wanted to know if this was true and if the church was true. Then he paused for a long while and his tone changed. After that he basically bore his testimony to God that what we told him was true and that the church was true. After that Kiser invited him to be baptized in September. His reply was "can't I be baptized in August!?" so we said yes. Ha-ha. Unfortunately he jewked us this morning and didn't make it to church earlier because he had to pick up a friend from the airport unexpectedly. So we will have to push his baptism. He is way cool though. He is a film student and he was excited to hear about our interest in film as well. He was excited Mom and Rach and Hilly were all movie makers too (or have been).
I don't have much time but I'll say a few more words. I'm back to Library computers and Laundromats... I’s weird but fine; also I am driving a small car now... that’s odd after being in a van in the city. Um, I live with 2 other companionships, so there are 6 of us total. I live with Elder Ledbetter again! I’m so excited I love him. He is our Zone leader along with an Elder Eaton. The other companionship is elder Edwards and elder Mitchell.
I am out of time sorry. But I am happy and well, even though a spider was in my bed last night. Ha-ha. Gross. :(
-Elder Samuel Austin Morris
Monday, August 23, 2010
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Nunnigan Lumpurton
Druid Nope Artsy Lefty cow burp in the left part noggin forensic lump sum. Burm ton flop sip kill force rope-burn. Def cat lips not for leaf man. Gift John still bar gun fresh pump bum. Murphy Texas french cleft click door rumple fern possy.
Liken felt ingrown jail seven refuge camper youth. Kleptomaniac? nine happy sellouts. pen for a yen tour vex zeal sad. You man may mope more money meanwhile.
I don't know what to type. Ha-ha. So I just wrote random words.
Good news. The reason we couldn't get a hold of Vishnu was because he was in the hospital. So the next office elder and McFarlane will go see him Friday (that's when I set the appointment) I will be in another place by then.
I'm gonna miss people in Rego, Like Brother Noel and Yoshi Sato and Mark Shelton. I'm sad I never got to jam with the bishop (he plays guitar and bass).
Dilshad jewked us this week and never answered our phone calls.... I hope she is OK. We were planning on telling her to not sneak around to do this conversion process but to talk to her husband about it and to tell him that she felt that to be closer to God she wants to become Christian. So hopefully the office elders will tell me what happens with that story.
I wish I knew where I was going. I really don't understand why it has to be so secretive; but, whateves.
I love New York. I love the work. I hate my weaknesses, but I love that it keeps me close to the lord striving to do better. I can't wait to be a regular missionary again, but I'm also very scared. I've got a lot of plans and goals for what to do this next transfer. Wish me luck. Thanks for all your prayers. Its always great to hear that you all pray for me and put my name in the temple.
Well, I'm really excited to pick up the greenies and sleep over with them at the mission home. I'm really glad that is the last thing you do as an office elder. Its the best part of being an office elder. It will definitely help motivate and excite me.
Umm, my hair looks really good right now, I'm surprised that I don't have people all over me about it
Remember, I'm the President of the United States... Always,
-Elder Samuel Austin Morris
Liken felt ingrown jail seven refuge camper youth. Kleptomaniac? nine happy sellouts. pen for a yen tour vex zeal sad. You man may mope more money meanwhile.
I don't know what to type. Ha-ha. So I just wrote random words.
Good news. The reason we couldn't get a hold of Vishnu was because he was in the hospital. So the next office elder and McFarlane will go see him Friday (that's when I set the appointment) I will be in another place by then.
I'm gonna miss people in Rego, Like Brother Noel and Yoshi Sato and Mark Shelton. I'm sad I never got to jam with the bishop (he plays guitar and bass).
Dilshad jewked us this week and never answered our phone calls.... I hope she is OK. We were planning on telling her to not sneak around to do this conversion process but to talk to her husband about it and to tell him that she felt that to be closer to God she wants to become Christian. So hopefully the office elders will tell me what happens with that story.
I wish I knew where I was going. I really don't understand why it has to be so secretive; but, whateves.
I love New York. I love the work. I hate my weaknesses, but I love that it keeps me close to the lord striving to do better. I can't wait to be a regular missionary again, but I'm also very scared. I've got a lot of plans and goals for what to do this next transfer. Wish me luck. Thanks for all your prayers. Its always great to hear that you all pray for me and put my name in the temple.
Well, I'm really excited to pick up the greenies and sleep over with them at the mission home. I'm really glad that is the last thing you do as an office elder. Its the best part of being an office elder. It will definitely help motivate and excite me.
Umm, my hair looks really good right now, I'm surprised that I don't have people all over me about it
Remember, I'm the President of the United States... Always,
-Elder Samuel Austin Morris
Monday, August 9, 2010
All Things Must Come to an End
Well, I finished week 5 of my second transfer as an office elder and we were able to end it with 2 new investigators and 6 lessons. That's really great for us. :) we even contacted 4 referrals.
Cool story:
We had worked all day in the office and because of the nature of the day didn't end up going out because we helped the APs with one of their projects giving us only 1/2 an hour before we had to be home. Well, I was thinking to myself, "lets just go home a half an hour early" (I know slothful right!?) well as I was thinking this McFarlane said, "lets go fearless some people before we go in" I made some noises that said "I don't really want to but OK". I put on my back pack and got a great feeling, Suddenly I was excited to do what is right and then let the consequence follow (hymn reference). Well we went out and I saw a lady on the other side of the street preparing to cross the street. The spirit filled me with a motivation beyond any natural motivation that I normally posses to chase her down and ask an inspired question! Well, I caught up to her half way through the cross walk got her attention and opened my mouth. The question that came out was "Do you ever wonder what God expects of you?". To my should-be-non-existent astonishment she blurted with raised eye brows "YES!". We then walked her home saying only what things we felt we were supposed to and most importantly listening. She asked us the question that basically said why do I have so many trials? you would think God would see that I am doing my best and doing many great and worthy things and give me a break and some blessings! I remembered Our Savior, "Well, Jesus Christ was perfect and lived all of Gods laws and he had more trials than anyone else plus all of our trials." She had a light bulb turn on and she responded in a way to good to be true, "So what your telling me is that God sent us here to Earth to experience trials so that we could learn from them and grow closer to him?", "... ummm... yes! Ha-ha" it went on in this manner and every time we would answer a question she would respond with a summary explanation and then we would teach a more in depth yet still concise version of the principal. Well eventually she asked us why there were so many religions and we explained it to her and then told her that we represented the true church led by Christ with his legitimate authority. She then told us she used to meet with missionaries and that she was so happy she listened to the spirit because God told her to walk a way home she usually doesn't, and McFarlane was inspired to go out and I was inspired to talk to her. This is the lords work. Well we came for our return appointment the following day and there she was, waiting outside for us! then for our next appointment where we met her at the church she was waiting for us at the church gate! here is the tough part. She is Muslim and is afraid if she converts her husband who is a devout and strict Muslim she will be kicked out of the house or worse. :S She has been to church enough times she could be baptized this Sunday. She was dropped before because the ward and missionaries didn't want her to be killed or homeless or without family for joining. She asked me what she thought I should do and I told her to do what she felt was right and what the spirit whispered for her to do and then trust in and have faith in God and Christ for things to work out in a way that is best for her. Her name is Dilshad. She is Indian.
Um this week I had an awesome exchange with Elder Swain (who came out with me) because it was on the one year mark of being in New York.
Well the Adolphsons left back to alpine this week. I was sad though cause they didn't say goodbye to me.
A man gave me a tract that said that God is actually a woman, Aris to be exact and that it is actually a good thing to have discord and disorder and confusion in the world. Also it said that every man woman and child on the planet is a Pope. So there is a little cut out card that says "The holder of this card is an official POPE and should be treated with all respect. Right and Good." or something like that. It was funny.
This morning we had breakfast with John Gadd. It was great as usual. He was sad that I would soon be leaving. Also a punk girl saw me as we were walking back toward the subway and said, "AW-W-W! Your suspenders are SO SEXY!".
Yes, my office elder-ship will soon come to a close. I am so thankful it will end with a greenie pick up to pick me up. Then I shall once again preach full time. I'm a little scared to readjust to the old calling/assignment. I have no Idea where I'll go, but I sure will miss Elder Swain and Aldridge the fun opportunities to sing and the ability to drive anywhere in the mission whenever I need to.
This week I also took an elder to the air port to pick up his parents and family. That was an odd thing to wittiness; seeing an Elder see his mom again for the first time in 2 years is a weird thing when you are still a missionary. Anyway, his dad is a member of the 70 so he came to pick up his son and then was invited to speak to the leadership of the mission. We were allowed to be in the meeting because we were apart of the musical number. It was really good (the fireside and our music. haha).
Today we went to a modern Art museum called PS1. it used to be a public school and is now a gallery. Ha-ha-ha-ha. it was really odd. We had lots of fun and i'm glad I went but we all concluded that much modern art is.... well just an excuse to not learn art conventions. There was some really great stuff there. There was some really weird stuff to that left you feeling yucky. ha. One cool one was video feed of places in NY during 2001 and 2010 side by side. Its really crazy the difference in not only the buildings but the patriotism! It seems many have forgotten 9/11. The title of the piece was great "lost tribes, and promised lands". There was another video piece that made me laugh hysterically and really creeped me out at the same time. It was paper cut out cars covering the torsos of guys' legs wearing women's high heals that were too small and therefore taped to stay on. They were walking around in a rocky waste land and going up lattes and stuff. The sound was amplified so every movement was heard. the funniest part was when the car crouched down and pulled out packaging tape and picked up plastic googly eyes on the grown and then wadded it up in a ball and put it in its purse. I haven't laughed so hard in a while! anyway.
Well to bring things to a close I will say that every part of our life is orchestrated. I love it. I am so glad I chose this life. I know I am learning the things I need to for my eternal progression. Satan is trying harder to destroy me then he ever has before but God is also sustaining me more than I have ever felt before. Often the thing I fear the most or what I would have least likely guessed happening to me is what I experience and it stretches me and helps me to grow. It hurts, But I like it. (that sounds creepy! Ha ha). I know that my Savior Lives and loves me and atoned for me. I know that this test is more fair than we suspect, so don't give in to Satan's trap of comparison. I often fall into that trap, but I'm learning to avoid it. I love the gospel. It rocks.
love,
--
-Elder Samuel Austin Morris
Cool story:
We had worked all day in the office and because of the nature of the day didn't end up going out because we helped the APs with one of their projects giving us only 1/2 an hour before we had to be home. Well, I was thinking to myself, "lets just go home a half an hour early" (I know slothful right!?) well as I was thinking this McFarlane said, "lets go fearless some people before we go in" I made some noises that said "I don't really want to but OK". I put on my back pack and got a great feeling, Suddenly I was excited to do what is right and then let the consequence follow (hymn reference). Well we went out and I saw a lady on the other side of the street preparing to cross the street. The spirit filled me with a motivation beyond any natural motivation that I normally posses to chase her down and ask an inspired question! Well, I caught up to her half way through the cross walk got her attention and opened my mouth. The question that came out was "Do you ever wonder what God expects of you?". To my should-be-non-existent astonishment she blurted with raised eye brows "YES!". We then walked her home saying only what things we felt we were supposed to and most importantly listening. She asked us the question that basically said why do I have so many trials? you would think God would see that I am doing my best and doing many great and worthy things and give me a break and some blessings! I remembered Our Savior, "Well, Jesus Christ was perfect and lived all of Gods laws and he had more trials than anyone else plus all of our trials." She had a light bulb turn on and she responded in a way to good to be true, "So what your telling me is that God sent us here to Earth to experience trials so that we could learn from them and grow closer to him?", "... ummm... yes! Ha-ha" it went on in this manner and every time we would answer a question she would respond with a summary explanation and then we would teach a more in depth yet still concise version of the principal. Well eventually she asked us why there were so many religions and we explained it to her and then told her that we represented the true church led by Christ with his legitimate authority. She then told us she used to meet with missionaries and that she was so happy she listened to the spirit because God told her to walk a way home she usually doesn't, and McFarlane was inspired to go out and I was inspired to talk to her. This is the lords work. Well we came for our return appointment the following day and there she was, waiting outside for us! then for our next appointment where we met her at the church she was waiting for us at the church gate! here is the tough part. She is Muslim and is afraid if she converts her husband who is a devout and strict Muslim she will be kicked out of the house or worse. :S She has been to church enough times she could be baptized this Sunday. She was dropped before because the ward and missionaries didn't want her to be killed or homeless or without family for joining. She asked me what she thought I should do and I told her to do what she felt was right and what the spirit whispered for her to do and then trust in and have faith in God and Christ for things to work out in a way that is best for her. Her name is Dilshad. She is Indian.
Um this week I had an awesome exchange with Elder Swain (who came out with me) because it was on the one year mark of being in New York.
Well the Adolphsons left back to alpine this week. I was sad though cause they didn't say goodbye to me.
A man gave me a tract that said that God is actually a woman, Aris to be exact and that it is actually a good thing to have discord and disorder and confusion in the world. Also it said that every man woman and child on the planet is a Pope. So there is a little cut out card that says "The holder of this card is an official POPE and should be treated with all respect. Right and Good." or something like that. It was funny.
This morning we had breakfast with John Gadd. It was great as usual. He was sad that I would soon be leaving. Also a punk girl saw me as we were walking back toward the subway and said, "AW-W-W! Your suspenders are SO SEXY!".
Yes, my office elder-ship will soon come to a close. I am so thankful it will end with a greenie pick up to pick me up. Then I shall once again preach full time. I'm a little scared to readjust to the old calling/assignment. I have no Idea where I'll go, but I sure will miss Elder Swain and Aldridge the fun opportunities to sing and the ability to drive anywhere in the mission whenever I need to.
This week I also took an elder to the air port to pick up his parents and family. That was an odd thing to wittiness; seeing an Elder see his mom again for the first time in 2 years is a weird thing when you are still a missionary. Anyway, his dad is a member of the 70 so he came to pick up his son and then was invited to speak to the leadership of the mission. We were allowed to be in the meeting because we were apart of the musical number. It was really good (the fireside and our music. haha).
Today we went to a modern Art museum called PS1. it used to be a public school and is now a gallery. Ha-ha-ha-ha. it was really odd. We had lots of fun and i'm glad I went but we all concluded that much modern art is.... well just an excuse to not learn art conventions. There was some really great stuff there. There was some really weird stuff to that left you feeling yucky. ha. One cool one was video feed of places in NY during 2001 and 2010 side by side. Its really crazy the difference in not only the buildings but the patriotism! It seems many have forgotten 9/11. The title of the piece was great "lost tribes, and promised lands". There was another video piece that made me laugh hysterically and really creeped me out at the same time. It was paper cut out cars covering the torsos of guys' legs wearing women's high heals that were too small and therefore taped to stay on. They were walking around in a rocky waste land and going up lattes and stuff. The sound was amplified so every movement was heard. the funniest part was when the car crouched down and pulled out packaging tape and picked up plastic googly eyes on the grown and then wadded it up in a ball and put it in its purse. I haven't laughed so hard in a while! anyway.
Well to bring things to a close I will say that every part of our life is orchestrated. I love it. I am so glad I chose this life. I know I am learning the things I need to for my eternal progression. Satan is trying harder to destroy me then he ever has before but God is also sustaining me more than I have ever felt before. Often the thing I fear the most or what I would have least likely guessed happening to me is what I experience and it stretches me and helps me to grow. It hurts, But I like it. (that sounds creepy! Ha ha). I know that my Savior Lives and loves me and atoned for me. I know that this test is more fair than we suspect, so don't give in to Satan's trap of comparison. I often fall into that trap, but I'm learning to avoid it. I love the gospel. It rocks.
love,
--
-Elder Samuel Austin Morris
Monday, August 2, 2010
UMM....title
OK well. I don't have much to say. Most of what I did is not interesting to any of you. Ha-ha. but here are some highlights.
1. I took an anti-biotic this week and it only kinda worked. Ha-ha.
2. We had presidents interviews and he told me I have permission to say "its after 5, I can't help you I'm sorry" to anyone or anything that is office duty related if its during our proselyting time. So we will be doing more of that.
3. My companion told me that One of my Major character flaws is that in crucial times I can be too nice....
4. We had exchanges, I was with elder Aldridge. We got lost once. Every where we went no one was home. it was hot as well.
5. We got a new investigator with a baptismal date because he was over the border and couldn't be taught by the other elders any more.. but then he said he is going to move into that area, so we gave him back.
6. I cleaned up and organized many media referrals this week.
7. I got a hair cut this morning.
8. I bore my testimony yesterday.
9. The Ap's had a baptism. It was nice. I led the music.
10. We helped the Adolphson's with car stuff and they fed us.
11. we tried some new finding Ideas that didn't work very well.
12. We got a return appointment with a guy who loves the Book of Mormon and already knows its true!....for two weeks from now.
13. I threw up at a members house (but they don't know) because I over-ate.... Why don't people understand that I'm not gonna gain any wait by eating? it just doesn't work for me. If i am gonna gain wait I'll have to have a personal trainer bulk me up with muscle.
14. we moved a new senior couple into their house and got extra stuff from the sisters in Midwood.
15. I discovered that i can eat Habinero Hot sauce no problem. I also discovered that large burritos give me stomach aches.
here is my testimony
I Know my redeemer lives. We truly do have the fullness of the gospel! We have the true way back to our heavenly father. Bad things happen but through the grace of our lord Jesus Christ we can be forgiven of our sins, have our pains removed, our weaknesses strengthened, we can exercise the priesthood and do miracles and saving ordinances. The longer I live the more I realize how absurd it would be to live without the blessings of the gospel and the church that has it in its fullness; Our church.
Things will work out- trust in the lord, follow the spirit. :)
--
-Elder Samuel Austin Morris
1. I took an anti-biotic this week and it only kinda worked. Ha-ha.
2. We had presidents interviews and he told me I have permission to say "its after 5, I can't help you I'm sorry" to anyone or anything that is office duty related if its during our proselyting time. So we will be doing more of that.
3. My companion told me that One of my Major character flaws is that in crucial times I can be too nice....
4. We had exchanges, I was with elder Aldridge. We got lost once. Every where we went no one was home. it was hot as well.
5. We got a new investigator with a baptismal date because he was over the border and couldn't be taught by the other elders any more.. but then he said he is going to move into that area, so we gave him back.
6. I cleaned up and organized many media referrals this week.
7. I got a hair cut this morning.
8. I bore my testimony yesterday.
9. The Ap's had a baptism. It was nice. I led the music.
10. We helped the Adolphson's with car stuff and they fed us.
11. we tried some new finding Ideas that didn't work very well.
12. We got a return appointment with a guy who loves the Book of Mormon and already knows its true!....for two weeks from now.
13. I threw up at a members house (but they don't know) because I over-ate.... Why don't people understand that I'm not gonna gain any wait by eating? it just doesn't work for me. If i am gonna gain wait I'll have to have a personal trainer bulk me up with muscle.
14. we moved a new senior couple into their house and got extra stuff from the sisters in Midwood.
15. I discovered that i can eat Habinero Hot sauce no problem. I also discovered that large burritos give me stomach aches.
here is my testimony
I Know my redeemer lives. We truly do have the fullness of the gospel! We have the true way back to our heavenly father. Bad things happen but through the grace of our lord Jesus Christ we can be forgiven of our sins, have our pains removed, our weaknesses strengthened, we can exercise the priesthood and do miracles and saving ordinances. The longer I live the more I realize how absurd it would be to live without the blessings of the gospel and the church that has it in its fullness; Our church.
Things will work out- trust in the lord, follow the spirit. :)
--
-Elder Samuel Austin Morris
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