So changes are here and as always bitter sweet. I am leaving, and so is my comp. This is bad cause that means the new Elders will need to find all of our investigators, and in places with out street names, house numbers, or sometimes even streets this is incredibly difficult. So in reality it sucks. A lot of people are going to have there chance to accept the gospel delayed which is sad, but I am just praying that God will give them there chance.
I leave to the pueblos to a supposedly amazing comp. So very good news about the comp, however in reality, I like the city. Its crazy, and dangerous, and there is always something about to hit or attack you but I have gotten used to the stress, open sewage, and people. Now I leave Wednesday to drive 4 to 5 hours out of the city to a place called Campamiento. I in my heart secretly wished to not see the pueblos in my mission or at least later in it. However, new places new challenges and new attributes to develop. No rest for the righteous, si? So I am just going to go out there and continue to do my best. I just hope that it wont demand me to be so Christ like as this change has been. Cause being Christ like is super hard sometimes. Whenever my comp is just being so terrible I think "they literally spat on Jesus, and hit him in the streets. I can at least take constant criticism and attitude." But I must say that this change turned out to be quite the Zions Camp for me. I learned so much, and developed so many important attributes and love for the Gospel and faith in the power of prayer. I have had internal experiences with the spirit that I will never forget.
So now I am packing it up, and moving it out to the pueblos. I am pretty terrified. The accents the wards and everything is crazy different. I heard that I will probably be a ward secretary or counselor, bless the sacrament, pass it, and teach Sunday school. So it is definitely going to be different, but I plan to make the most of it.
I don't really know what else to write about... Its been something else this past six weeks, but the end is so close I can taste the banana. I really don't have much else to say. So I am going to miss the 21 de Febrero, but I know God is going to take care of here, and me in my future.
I cant wait to tell you all my crazy pueblo stories next week!!! Adios
Elder Morris
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Como se dice Eternity 1-11-2010
I felt officially very Honduran during a lesson the other day. I was sitting on a flea infested bed, in a terrible house, which smelt like they were hiding dead people. Rats where running out from under beds and sofas during the lesson, and the neighbors next door were blasting nasty Latino rap to the point where at times we were yelling (have you ever tried yelling the first vision?) and the other neighbors were playing with fire works. In all, it was a very Honduras moment.
In the past in lessons like this I tend to freeze up, like hard. Unable to speak and completely frazzled I just do my best to not have a panic attack, or scream and leave, when a rat runs and hits my shoe and runs under the bed I was on. I shocked myself that despite all the distraction and craziness, I did awesome. I had the spirit, the Spanish was there, and we taught a great lesson. I couldn't believe just how much I had improved, and just how far I had come as a missionary.Sure my comp likes to tell me I suck, but its moments like this that I just look inward and think "who in the crap is Scott Morris?" I am not sure when he left. Maybe its when I got out of the car at the MTC, or when I was set apart. Maybe when I got my missionary tag, or when I got off the plane. I may never know exactly when, but I can barely recognize my self after all the growth and change. A mission is truly amazing.
It's super hard, but I am not the child you sent here any more. I got big problems, but I can handle them with Gods help. I love you all and think of you lots, but I know that ever thing is going to be "todos cheque!" (Honduran slang for "all good")
Time is just flying by isn't it? I have already been here like 3 months! and on a mission for going on half a year!!! LOCO!
With all my hope and prayers
Elder Morris
In the past in lessons like this I tend to freeze up, like hard. Unable to speak and completely frazzled I just do my best to not have a panic attack, or scream and leave, when a rat runs and hits my shoe and runs under the bed I was on. I shocked myself that despite all the distraction and craziness, I did awesome. I had the spirit, the Spanish was there, and we taught a great lesson. I couldn't believe just how much I had improved, and just how far I had come as a missionary.Sure my comp likes to tell me I suck, but its moments like this that I just look inward and think "who in the crap is Scott Morris?" I am not sure when he left. Maybe its when I got out of the car at the MTC, or when I was set apart. Maybe when I got my missionary tag, or when I got off the plane. I may never know exactly when, but I can barely recognize my self after all the growth and change. A mission is truly amazing.
It's super hard, but I am not the child you sent here any more. I got big problems, but I can handle them with Gods help. I love you all and think of you lots, but I know that ever thing is going to be "todos cheque!" (Honduran slang for "all good")
Time is just flying by isn't it? I have already been here like 3 months! and on a mission for going on half a year!!! LOCO!
With all my hope and prayers
Elder Morris
Como se dice Grace 1-4-2010
(In Honduras they call those moments when you know God loves you, knows of your existence and is watching out for you Grace Moments)
I did get one grace last night when a lady stopped me in the street and shoved a cell phone into my hand, and asked me to speak in English. She explained that she was baptized in 2005 by an Elder Romney and she wanted to speak to him, but every time she called his dad picked up and couldn´t understand Spanish. I explained to the dad that i was in Honduras, and this lady was desperately trying to find the man that changed her life. Once I said Honduras he said you must want Miles. Once I got Miles on the phone I explained what was happening and when I told him her name his voice just lit up and he was so happy that she had called him. I handed the phone back over. The spirit just flowed in and told me of how I will have this same opportunity for people to remember me 5 years from now and how important I was in helping them change there lives. She has gone in active, but were starting to teach the rest of her non member family and they plan to come to church this week.
This is truly a work of miracles, to say the things that happen to me on a daily bases are just chance would be just crazy.
Adios
Elder Morris
I did get one grace last night when a lady stopped me in the street and shoved a cell phone into my hand, and asked me to speak in English. She explained that she was baptized in 2005 by an Elder Romney and she wanted to speak to him, but every time she called his dad picked up and couldn´t understand Spanish. I explained to the dad that i was in Honduras, and this lady was desperately trying to find the man that changed her life. Once I said Honduras he said you must want Miles. Once I got Miles on the phone I explained what was happening and when I told him her name his voice just lit up and he was so happy that she had called him. I handed the phone back over. The spirit just flowed in and told me of how I will have this same opportunity for people to remember me 5 years from now and how important I was in helping them change there lives. She has gone in active, but were starting to teach the rest of her non member family and they plan to come to church this week.
This is truly a work of miracles, to say the things that happen to me on a daily bases are just chance would be just crazy.
Adios
Elder Morris
Como se dice Worship 12-21-09
I have always believed in the revival type lets go down to the river to pray, kind of attitude and knew it was dominant amongst all kindred tongues and people. However Honduras perhaps has but some new age spin on the idea of worshiping our Lord. Personally I'm not buying it, however if you ever find your self stuck in Honduras and need to go to church, here are some quick little apostate things you can do to make your time of worship more Honduras like
1.Whoever said crosses were an apostate worship of the weapon that killed are Lord is sooo missing out. My first piece of advice is Deck thy self with crosses. Now I know what you might be thinking what if all my cross t'shirts, earrings, bracelets, and pants (no joke pants too) have gigantic images of the bleeding and suffering Lord affixed on the weapon of Satan? Well to this question I answer with what better way to invite the spirit than with images of the dieing Lord! put it on and get over here!
2. Modesty is always in style.... kind of... I mean its like a good idea and all but is it really necessary for church. I mean shouldn't it be fine to have cleavage, short skirts and tank tops abounding in a house of prayer and worship. So put on your "daisy dukes" and go to church.
3. Perhaps you have the question "my child may be the kid from The Omen, is it okay if I bring him to church and let him run free? To this I respond "Why not, he can join the rest of the demonic children running freely about"
4. Conversations during other peoples talks or lessons are not discouraged, but are actually encouraged. but please, don't lower your voice, we would like you to ruin the spirit for everyone else as well!
Oh the many more things I can write, but of one event I must call special attention. The realization of just how apostate Central American church can be all donned on me in one moment. The queen of all harlots of apostasy!
Perhaps she thought that the shiny rhinestone bunny with a bow tie was cute, that her short skirt was her "formal wear" and that her white tank top with the cute little owl on it was "conservative" however it does not matter what she thought. I just held in my laughter with all my might as she strutted into the chapel with a white hooters tank top... this of course went into my journal as one of my many "where am I moments..."
That's cool you saw the swim team and all of them!!! How are they doing* Gosh I am probably so dead to those people!! Scott who? Any ways things are going amazing in Honduras. I am so shocked at what doesn't even phase me anymore. Just the other day I was able to make a contact, and scorn a nasty drunk for touching me all in the same breath with out even getting flustered or losing track of my conversation with the contact. Its moments like that when I feel like a good missionary.
Elder Eslava my new comp is a fabulous teacher with abounding faith in me and my ability. However he strictly believes that when some one does wrong, they need to be punished. He has steps for everything
7 steps how to start a lesson
4 steps how to teach a principal
4 steps how to share a scripture
5 steps how to verify some ones commitments and whether or not they are keeping them
and 4 steps to make an appointment.
However these are subject to change due to the situation. If I mess up on a single step, the second we leave the house he just lays into me. Just says crazy stuff like why cant you remember that, and why do you forget this, what were you thinking? All that jazz. Even when I feel like I do all the steps perfect and teach a really good lesson he will find something new to rail on me for.
Now my feelings on this are mixed. It the end of each day I just want to scream. I feel like the worst missionary in the world, and that I suck at teaching. However due to his incredible ability to be displeased by my efforts, my teaching, and my Spanish are improving super fast. I am shocked at how fast I am learning and growing with him, even if that means taking some hits. I have just decided to accept it because in a round about way it's totally a blessing and helping me become a better missionary.
Well I don't know about you, but I am feeling depressed by my own email, so I guess this is the part for an uplifting I have faith story, so here we go!
(sorry it totally starts depressing, so please endure)
So Saturday I had like a "I want to go home and have Christmas" breakdown just lay there and want to die experience, but I was like "hey tomorrows Sunday, I will have like 15 investigators come to church, and I can just get lost in the work and forget about here and there apostate ugly Christmas." However my faith and hope was answered with trial. We invited scores of our investigator's to church, and many assured us of their coming. They were sincere and some had even come the week before, so I felt them coming was a given. Not one showed up.
So I sat in the new to the gospel people class zoning in and out of the lesson, I was just keeping myself busy being suicidally depressed. I thought about your story mom, and all the starfish. I was just upset cause I sat there at church and didn't have one stupid starfish to even try to throw back in the ocean. I felt worthless and home sick. the night before I prayed for some faith in my works, and I had received none.
The lesson was about family, and my one convert Hermana Sara Del Carmen Vasques was there. This precious lady has grown so dear to my heart. However one thing about her is she never prayed, or bore her testimony in front of people. It was always just a thing of hers. She just has a lot of attitude, and that's probably why I love her so much. Either way she raises her hand and begins to speak. Spanish never sounded so pretty, and I recognized it as a testimony. I decided to stop being so depressed and listen. She proceeded to bear a testimony that only Spanish could make so pretty. She talked of her family, and how the gospel was blessing her life. Suddenly her eyes began to fill with tears, and she started shaking. I couldn't believe. The rock, the practically cold, attitude filled, very distant around groups of people Hermana Sara was crying. Through her tears she continued to speak of her love and gratefulness to her God, for her family and his church.
I had to fight back tears of my own as realized the answer to my prayer. That my work wasn't a waste at all. That the one star fish I helped throw back was growing like none other I had seen before. That through my works one of my sisters was learning and growing and loving the gospel I thought her once seed of a testimony was now growing into a tree a the heights of which might exceed all others in this forest of people.
When life gets hard and we look at the long road up the mountain ahead I believe it is more then okay to take a look back. See where this journey of life has already taken you, the lives you have changed, the things you learned, the people you loved, helped, and those who have loved and helped you. With that strength and power those memories bring it is then time to shout "all is well" and press on. So that's what I have decided to do. Whenever things get hard I am just going to remember her dark Indian skin clothed in white standing in a baptismal font, and her beautiful testimony offered up to God as if no one else was in the room. As if she wasn't even talking to us, but simply letting us overhear the prayer and strength of her heart.
Put your shoulder to the wheel,
Letting you know all is well in Zion
Elder Scott Wayne Morris
1.Whoever said crosses were an apostate worship of the weapon that killed are Lord is sooo missing out. My first piece of advice is Deck thy self with crosses. Now I know what you might be thinking what if all my cross t'shirts, earrings, bracelets, and pants (no joke pants too) have gigantic images of the bleeding and suffering Lord affixed on the weapon of Satan? Well to this question I answer with what better way to invite the spirit than with images of the dieing Lord! put it on and get over here!
2. Modesty is always in style.... kind of... I mean its like a good idea and all but is it really necessary for church. I mean shouldn't it be fine to have cleavage, short skirts and tank tops abounding in a house of prayer and worship. So put on your "daisy dukes" and go to church.
3. Perhaps you have the question "my child may be the kid from The Omen, is it okay if I bring him to church and let him run free? To this I respond "Why not, he can join the rest of the demonic children running freely about"
4. Conversations during other peoples talks or lessons are not discouraged, but are actually encouraged. but please, don't lower your voice, we would like you to ruin the spirit for everyone else as well!
Oh the many more things I can write, but of one event I must call special attention. The realization of just how apostate Central American church can be all donned on me in one moment. The queen of all harlots of apostasy!
Perhaps she thought that the shiny rhinestone bunny with a bow tie was cute, that her short skirt was her "formal wear" and that her white tank top with the cute little owl on it was "conservative" however it does not matter what she thought. I just held in my laughter with all my might as she strutted into the chapel with a white hooters tank top... this of course went into my journal as one of my many "where am I moments..."
That's cool you saw the swim team and all of them!!! How are they doing* Gosh I am probably so dead to those people!! Scott who? Any ways things are going amazing in Honduras. I am so shocked at what doesn't even phase me anymore. Just the other day I was able to make a contact, and scorn a nasty drunk for touching me all in the same breath with out even getting flustered or losing track of my conversation with the contact. Its moments like that when I feel like a good missionary.
Elder Eslava my new comp is a fabulous teacher with abounding faith in me and my ability. However he strictly believes that when some one does wrong, they need to be punished. He has steps for everything
7 steps how to start a lesson
4 steps how to teach a principal
4 steps how to share a scripture
5 steps how to verify some ones commitments and whether or not they are keeping them
and 4 steps to make an appointment.
However these are subject to change due to the situation. If I mess up on a single step, the second we leave the house he just lays into me. Just says crazy stuff like why cant you remember that, and why do you forget this, what were you thinking? All that jazz. Even when I feel like I do all the steps perfect and teach a really good lesson he will find something new to rail on me for.
Now my feelings on this are mixed. It the end of each day I just want to scream. I feel like the worst missionary in the world, and that I suck at teaching. However due to his incredible ability to be displeased by my efforts, my teaching, and my Spanish are improving super fast. I am shocked at how fast I am learning and growing with him, even if that means taking some hits. I have just decided to accept it because in a round about way it's totally a blessing and helping me become a better missionary.
Well I don't know about you, but I am feeling depressed by my own email, so I guess this is the part for an uplifting I have faith story, so here we go!
(sorry it totally starts depressing, so please endure)
So Saturday I had like a "I want to go home and have Christmas" breakdown just lay there and want to die experience, but I was like "hey tomorrows Sunday, I will have like 15 investigators come to church, and I can just get lost in the work and forget about here and there apostate ugly Christmas." However my faith and hope was answered with trial. We invited scores of our investigator's to church, and many assured us of their coming. They were sincere and some had even come the week before, so I felt them coming was a given. Not one showed up.
So I sat in the new to the gospel people class zoning in and out of the lesson, I was just keeping myself busy being suicidally depressed. I thought about your story mom, and all the starfish. I was just upset cause I sat there at church and didn't have one stupid starfish to even try to throw back in the ocean. I felt worthless and home sick. the night before I prayed for some faith in my works, and I had received none.
The lesson was about family, and my one convert Hermana Sara Del Carmen Vasques was there. This precious lady has grown so dear to my heart. However one thing about her is she never prayed, or bore her testimony in front of people. It was always just a thing of hers. She just has a lot of attitude, and that's probably why I love her so much. Either way she raises her hand and begins to speak. Spanish never sounded so pretty, and I recognized it as a testimony. I decided to stop being so depressed and listen. She proceeded to bear a testimony that only Spanish could make so pretty. She talked of her family, and how the gospel was blessing her life. Suddenly her eyes began to fill with tears, and she started shaking. I couldn't believe. The rock, the practically cold, attitude filled, very distant around groups of people Hermana Sara was crying. Through her tears she continued to speak of her love and gratefulness to her God, for her family and his church.
I had to fight back tears of my own as realized the answer to my prayer. That my work wasn't a waste at all. That the one star fish I helped throw back was growing like none other I had seen before. That through my works one of my sisters was learning and growing and loving the gospel I thought her once seed of a testimony was now growing into a tree a the heights of which might exceed all others in this forest of people.
When life gets hard and we look at the long road up the mountain ahead I believe it is more then okay to take a look back. See where this journey of life has already taken you, the lives you have changed, the things you learned, the people you loved, helped, and those who have loved and helped you. With that strength and power those memories bring it is then time to shout "all is well" and press on. So that's what I have decided to do. Whenever things get hard I am just going to remember her dark Indian skin clothed in white standing in a baptismal font, and her beautiful testimony offered up to God as if no one else was in the room. As if she wasn't even talking to us, but simply letting us overhear the prayer and strength of her heart.
Put your shoulder to the wheel,
Letting you know all is well in Zion
Elder Scott Wayne Morris
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