10-15-2017
Ummmmm... I think Nacho Libre needs to be the first movie I watch xD It's SO FUNNY! It's weird too, because it's like every missionary I know has seen the movie! Is it just a mormon thing or something?? Hehe, anyways though- I'd be totally fine with sharing a room with Dexter for a while, I'll need to find a place to put up my hammock to sleep in hehe (because I bought a hammock wayyyy back, it's pretty sweet--and I still sleep in it sometimes because I hung it up on the inside of our bunk bed)!

Anyways, it's way funny to hear that you have a sponser now! That's way cool though :D

Woah--congrats to T! I didn't even realize that he's 18 now xD

Anyways, Elder T and I have seen a lot of success this week, especially in finding new people to teach! President told me that he called me to be a District Leader back in the day because I was pretty shy.... I'm happy to report though that since then I have become a LOT more outgoing! Talking to new people doesn't even really phase me that much :D

There was a really awesome experience that I want to say when we met the D family! We were going down this one path with a curve near the end to go back and visit this one OYM that we felt had a lot of potential--so anyway, as we got closer there was a youth who saw us, turned around and headed back to the house.. I was mildly confused so I jokingly told Elder Tobler that there were two possibilities of what that youth would do 1_Tell everyone to hid from the "Mormons" or 2_Everyone would be there waiting for us--- Well, .. we ended up having 15 New Investigators from that ONE experience, everyone was there! I mean it was cousins, siblings, aunts, uncles... it was totally insane! :D They told us that they have never met the Mormon missionaries either, which I thought was just insane- we're going to work especially hard to teach all of them and help them know, feel, and live the Gospel of Jesus Christ! It was such a cool experience :)

Elder T will also likely have his first baptism coming up on November 4th, we feel confident that the Cagioua kids will be baptized on that day :) They're way cool and nice!

I'm SO EXCITED to be able to keep serving for the remaining time I have here in the Philippines Urdaneta Mission :D I've been learning sooooo much from my experiences here in the mission field! 

~Elder Morris

There is but one picture I want to explain- I haven't really mentioned it over the past months, but kids in some areas LOVE to do "Spider Fighting". So the concept is the same as a chicken fight, but the put two spiders on different ends of a stick and have them fight, which is really interesting to watch---so anyways, the kids in one of our areas LOVE spider fights, I asked the kid if his big yellow spider bites... and the kid said it doesn't... so I did what anyone would do, and took that big spider and let it crawl all over my hands... it was freaky but AWESOME! We got a sweet picture :D

10-8-2017

This email was really awesome from you guys- I loved hearing that you were able to go to New York and go on that big run and be able to visit Palmyra! :D The Book of Mormon and the Restoration are AMAZING!!!!

That song that you sent was super good, it was surprising to really read the lyrics and imagine how hard it was for them to preserve the records... JUST FOR US to read when the time comes!

Anyways, truly these are days never to be forgotten! This week was uniquely challenging in its own respects, but was truly an awesome experience! This area has been presenting me with unique challenges and struggles, but it's really a good area and a great place to train a new missionary! We mostly spent this week finding people that we can teach the gospel to and ended the week with a blessing of 27 new people that we can teach! So this week we are going to focus on getting them to the point of progression and helping them get to church! It's a really good and exciting time here in the Urdaneta mission, we're blessed with seeing the hastening of the work and how it effects the lives of those around us! We sadly weren't able to teach R A this week because of her work at a small restaurant, but we hope to contact her this week! We also met a part member family, the C family who have been less active for some 4 years and have family members who have not really listened to the missionaries previously- we expect to see wonderful results this coming Sunday! :)

My companion, Elder T has been doing great! It scares me how fast he's been learning Tagalog and how much he wants to learn and be a good missionary, he's going to do great during his time here in Urdaneta mission! It's really fun to be his companion--he loves to laugh and be happy, which really takes the edge off a long, hot day in the Philippines! He's also WAY good at the guitar and was asked by President D to play at this really big "Musical Fireside" for Bayambang Stake this coming Friday, so that's going to be way fun!

Anyways, we also listened to General Conference this week, and I have to be honest... it was SO WONDERFUL. I was frankly worrying this week about what's going to happen in the future and how it's going to be when I get home...because from talking to Elder Tobler, I feel like the world is really falling into darkness, and in that there seemed to be darkness that creeped into the edges of my hope- But General Conference dispelled ALL fears. It was amazing, I've felt such a flood of light into my soul from General Conference. It was like a deep breath of hope that sunk into my soul, truly those were words of God! Even though we didn't get to hear from our Beloved Prophet or Robert D. Hales...

I'm not afraid of the future anymore, all we have to do is face the light and do what we KNOW to be right. Something that President Monson said and was reminded to me by Hannah in her letter for my Birthday was that "The future is as bright as your faith". It was a wonderful reminder to me :)

Love, A Philippines Urdaneta Missionary,
Elder Morris

See you all in a Month :D

1- A lizard we saw tied up the other day at a members home... they plan on eating it xD

2- My companion, Elder T from Nevada! He's awesome :D :D

10-1-2017

Well, there isn't too much I know to say right now, other than I am currently in the city of San Carlos to work!!! It's so freaky to think that I'm down to the last month before I go home, I don't want to accept how close it is.. so I won't hehe ;) But what I can say is that life isn't a race, I'm still young hehe (unlike you guys ;))... so I feel like I should stay home for a year to help around home and prepare to go to college! As fun as the challenge would be to jump right into college, I don't feel or think it's the right thing for me to do. But that's okay :)

Anyways, it's way bumming to hear the challenge that Dexter has been going through, but at least he's in a situation and place where he can get some help :) I can't wait to see all you guys, haha! 

So anyways, this week has been really good- though it's been a REALLY crazy week, so I'm going to summarize this is some points just so you can get the idea of how it's been!

Monday- I got called by the APs to transfer to SAN CARLOS, my last area--I am opening the area here, because there used to only be 2 missionaries here, now it's four... so we have the assignment to bring the new area to speed!

Tuesday- I transferred and visited the members and recent converts of the San Carlos Elders

Wednesday- I had a full day to get to know the area, I was with Elder R from Quezon City, and Elder T from Kirabati

Thursday- I HAVE A KID... or a trainee named Elder T (Or T, like the chocolate hehehe). He's from Mesquite, Nevada... which I guess it's near Las Vegas! He's way chill and ready to learn! I remember back when I was still a brand new baby missionary as well- it's a pretty interesting challenge since I'm teaching him Tagalog, how to be a missionary, and leading the area after being there for one full day xD It's a challenge, but so much fun! I don't have ANY time to be homesick--we'te having a lot of fun!

Friday and Saturday and Sunday- We worked and visited members and found people to teach! The biggest success being that we met R , a referral we received the DAY we worked in our new area-- Friday Morning! She is super receptive and we feel is ready to receive the gospel! I feel that this first investigator that my companion has taught will also become his first baptism this coming November 4th (If everything falls in place!)

So we're here now, it's so awesome! It's hard, but we're having a blast working here in San Carlos :D

Seeya guys soon(ish), and love you guys so much---I'd say I think about home and you guys a bunch, but I don't ;) I don't have time right now to worry about home!

~Elder Morris

Elder Morris

Philippines Urdaneta Mission

November2015-November2017


9-24-2017

Well, that's a really surprising email to get... it's sad to think what's been happening, but at the same time I'm grateful that there are hospitals and medicines that can be used to help a bit :) Actually Mommy, in regards to that I've been thinking this week about what I'm going to be doing after my mission and with schooling (Just gonna run this idea across so I can know what you guys think)- and I think that I won't just JUMP into college quite yet, but I feel it might be better if I'm home for a year so that I can prepare financially and intellectually--and I want to be able to help :) Is that okay with you guys? Because I remember Whitney and Katherine got home and then went like immediately to school :)P

Anyways, this is going to be a fairly short email for today, there are a lot of things we've got to get done today and a lot on my plate right now! The first and scariest news is that I have officially entered into the final 6 weeks of my time here in the Philippines and will be starting a study program called "MyPlan" this week! So that's going to be exciting!

   The other exciting news is one that is going to unfold this week, so on Thursday I got called by the APs and given the exciting news that "I'm going to have a kid!!!' Not a literal kid, of course hehe... but rather I'm called to train a new missionary in the remaining weeks of my mission! I don't know who he is yet, but it's going to be a super neat adventure! I'll introduce him next week- that also means that I will be transferring areas sometime this week, which is also pretty sad :(

   But it's all okay, I'm happy to see what's going to be happening this week! The happy news is for B and J A, so this previous Saturday they passed their baptismal interview... it's a bummer that I'm not going to be here for their baptism, but it's been a blessing to be a part of helping them prepare! :)

All in all, I'm just happy to be alive and be a missionary!

With Love,

Elder Morris