Okay, this computer could be the slowest yet! I mean even the third
world has to realize how horribly slow this thing is crawling! So for
that this letter will again probably leave you a little lacking. But
I'll see what I can do.
So things are great. The work moves on. We are in a little bit of a
panic to throw some baptisms together for September. Sorry I suck at
writing. An investigator family adopted us! We go to their house like every day
to eat during lunch and are always driving us to appointments. They
work on Sundays, but really want to obey the commandments. I love them
so much. They are called Carlos and Carmen.
Also learned how to make tortillas by hand this week! It's lots of fun.
Elder Morris.
You know your all awesome right?
Sunday, April 10, 2011
American Marketing August 30, 2010
So things are going probably too good here in Siquatepeque. It rains
every single day and sometimes it gets super windy, so you just hold
your umbrella straight out in front of you so that you can at least
protect your face and torso, because the rain here tends to fall side
ways. However it keeps things interesting. Before shining my shoes I
just need like a rag and a brush, but it is just so so so muddy here
so now I need like a car wash every day just to get my shoes some what
presentable. Also one pair just slides me all over the place. Like on
Saturday less then an hour before our baptisms I just got laid
out on the road cause some rocks went out from under me. My comp said
it looked like I should have broke my arm, but I just got some cuts
and hurt pride. So I´m trying to not wear those shoes anymore.
However being here is like a vacation. I call it "Gringolandia."
There are lots of white people, and tons of American stores. On
Monday last week I went into reverse culture shock when we went to one
store called the Carrol. I felt like I was in Disneyland! They had
Fruity Pebbles! and Cream Cheese! I honestly couldn't believe it
when I was looking and Cream Cheese! Windex, Pine sol and peanut
butter! They had it all. Even Dinner Rolls! Before I came out of the
culture shock I had already spent 800 Limprias of my personal money.
For that I beg forgiveness but I was powerless before the American
Marketing Onslaught.
Also did you know I have a washing machine! and a dryer! I have been
washing all my clothes by hand, with out constant running water for 10
months now. I used it the first time like last Wednesday because I was
literally scared to use. Like now it was some how taboo. I
literally forgot how to use it, and i just got up the guts to do
it, and an hour latter pulled out clean clothes from "the magic white
shaking box" it was to good to be true. However the reverse
culture shock is basically coming to a close. I have a peanut butter
and jelly sandwich every day now and it tastes better then anything I
have probably ever eaten.
As far as being a missionary go things are awesome. We baptized two men this week. One has been trying to get baptized for two years! But couldn't because there were all sorts of problems with his wives papers to get married. They already
have plans to go to the temple next year and we are working to help get them
excited about missionary work and getting some callings in the church.
The other person we baptized is named Mario. We went to his house for
the first time Friday last week and we baptized him Saturday. 8 days!
that's called a miracle. He had already been receiving the missionaries
for like two months when he lived in Miami, so we just taught him all
the lesson. The basic testimony was already there and very strong. Talk
about mercy. Also for our zone we beat a goal of 15 and got 17. A
miracle considering the past two months were 6 and 4. We also already
have people that are progressing very strongly right now so we are
hoping for even better results this month.
Oh and this is the Month of Honduran Independence.
So i am running out of time. But things are going great here. The city
is special cause there are lots of families. There aren't very many
moms and dads together here in Honduras and so I am happy to be working amongst
families. I carry a picture of the family and show it every time that I
meet a family for the first time. I miss the family lots, but I do feel good to be giving other families here the same blessings that I have with mine.
I love you all more then anything,
Elder Morris
every single day and sometimes it gets super windy, so you just hold
your umbrella straight out in front of you so that you can at least
protect your face and torso, because the rain here tends to fall side
ways. However it keeps things interesting. Before shining my shoes I
just need like a rag and a brush, but it is just so so so muddy here
so now I need like a car wash every day just to get my shoes some what
presentable. Also one pair just slides me all over the place. Like on
Saturday less then an hour before our baptisms I just got laid
out on the road cause some rocks went out from under me. My comp said
it looked like I should have broke my arm, but I just got some cuts
and hurt pride. So I´m trying to not wear those shoes anymore.
However being here is like a vacation. I call it "Gringolandia."
There are lots of white people, and tons of American stores. On
Monday last week I went into reverse culture shock when we went to one
store called the Carrol. I felt like I was in Disneyland! They had
Fruity Pebbles! and Cream Cheese! I honestly couldn't believe it
when I was looking and Cream Cheese! Windex, Pine sol and peanut
butter! They had it all. Even Dinner Rolls! Before I came out of the
culture shock I had already spent 800 Limprias of my personal money.
For that I beg forgiveness but I was powerless before the American
Marketing Onslaught.
Also did you know I have a washing machine! and a dryer! I have been
washing all my clothes by hand, with out constant running water for 10
months now. I used it the first time like last Wednesday because I was
literally scared to use. Like now it was some how taboo. I
literally forgot how to use it, and i just got up the guts to do
it, and an hour latter pulled out clean clothes from "the magic white
shaking box" it was to good to be true. However the reverse
culture shock is basically coming to a close. I have a peanut butter
and jelly sandwich every day now and it tastes better then anything I
have probably ever eaten.
As far as being a missionary go things are awesome. We baptized two men this week. One has been trying to get baptized for two years! But couldn't because there were all sorts of problems with his wives papers to get married. They already
have plans to go to the temple next year and we are working to help get them
excited about missionary work and getting some callings in the church.
The other person we baptized is named Mario. We went to his house for
the first time Friday last week and we baptized him Saturday. 8 days!
that's called a miracle. He had already been receiving the missionaries
for like two months when he lived in Miami, so we just taught him all
the lesson. The basic testimony was already there and very strong. Talk
about mercy. Also for our zone we beat a goal of 15 and got 17. A
miracle considering the past two months were 6 and 4. We also already
have people that are progressing very strongly right now so we are
hoping for even better results this month.
Oh and this is the Month of Honduran Independence.
So i am running out of time. But things are going great here. The city
is special cause there are lots of families. There aren't very many
moms and dads together here in Honduras and so I am happy to be working amongst
families. I carry a picture of the family and show it every time that I
meet a family for the first time. I miss the family lots, but I do feel good to be giving other families here the same blessings that I have with mine.
I love you all more then anything,
Elder Morris
Como Se Dice One Year August 23, 2010
So here I am. Things are going super amazing here. Like the day I got
here the miracles just came raining down. We found 20 new
people to teach (all families) in 4 days, and put 3 dates for
people to get baptized. My companion is from Panama, and is
basically an amazing missionary and person. He is kind of really
hard with people though. Really strict and does it how it is
kind of attitude. However we make a perfect team, because his social
skills aren't like amazing and that's where I kind of dominate here. He is
really hard with the people, but then I come sweeping in after with a hug of
love and spirit. We make the perfect call to repentance love team. It's
really amazing. Our lessons right now are probably the best ones I have
had in my mission. He is also kind of really new in the mission so I am
shocked at how amazing he is. However we're way happy to be together
and we both feel we have a chance to work some real miracles here.
His name is Elder Singh, (pronounced sing like in English) and he
reminds me a lot of Dad. He was baptized at 18 after the girl he liked
introduced him to the church and made the quick decision to serve a
mission. The only problem we have right now is that we don't understand
each other. When ever I talk he says "huh" every time. Then I repeat it
slower and with better Spanish and he says "huh" again. Then I try it
in English and I get another "huh" so I just change the subject or say
never mind. Frustrating, but I forgive him cause he is amazing.
My area is something I haven't experienced in 10 months. That is COLD.
It's so weird but it actually gets cold here. Crazy right? It
rains every single day after 5 o´clock (oh and by rain I do not mean
like fun "lets go play in the rain!" St. George rain. Its like "run
for cover, cause my new umbrella cant take this" kinda rain.) it's
always muddy and I bought a new super umbrella to try and attempt
to stay dry and be saved from the intense sudden down pours. However it
always makes things really entertaining.
Computers out in the boonies of Honduras run off more wishes and dreams and a little bit of faith then electricity and hard drives. To say the least, really slow. Its like torture. like watching the "downloading bar" is like when you have to pee so bad but someone else gets in the bathroom first and you just have to stand out side
suffering like you never knew suffering existed. Like suffering so bad that you start thinking if there is an empty bottle in the house. And with that last inappropriate note I am out!
Elder Morris
PS 1YEAR! and yes, super fast... well in all. However at times faster
then others.
here the miracles just came raining down. We found 20 new
people to teach (all families) in 4 days, and put 3 dates for
people to get baptized. My companion is from Panama, and is
basically an amazing missionary and person. He is kind of really
hard with people though. Really strict and does it how it is
kind of attitude. However we make a perfect team, because his social
skills aren't like amazing and that's where I kind of dominate here. He is
really hard with the people, but then I come sweeping in after with a hug of
love and spirit. We make the perfect call to repentance love team. It's
really amazing. Our lessons right now are probably the best ones I have
had in my mission. He is also kind of really new in the mission so I am
shocked at how amazing he is. However we're way happy to be together
and we both feel we have a chance to work some real miracles here.
His name is Elder Singh, (pronounced sing like in English) and he
reminds me a lot of Dad. He was baptized at 18 after the girl he liked
introduced him to the church and made the quick decision to serve a
mission. The only problem we have right now is that we don't understand
each other. When ever I talk he says "huh" every time. Then I repeat it
slower and with better Spanish and he says "huh" again. Then I try it
in English and I get another "huh" so I just change the subject or say
never mind. Frustrating, but I forgive him cause he is amazing.
My area is something I haven't experienced in 10 months. That is COLD.
It's so weird but it actually gets cold here. Crazy right? It
rains every single day after 5 o´clock (oh and by rain I do not mean
like fun "lets go play in the rain!" St. George rain. Its like "run
for cover, cause my new umbrella cant take this" kinda rain.) it's
always muddy and I bought a new super umbrella to try and attempt
to stay dry and be saved from the intense sudden down pours. However it
always makes things really entertaining.
Computers out in the boonies of Honduras run off more wishes and dreams and a little bit of faith then electricity and hard drives. To say the least, really slow. Its like torture. like watching the "downloading bar" is like when you have to pee so bad but someone else gets in the bathroom first and you just have to stand out side
suffering like you never knew suffering existed. Like suffering so bad that you start thinking if there is an empty bottle in the house. And with that last inappropriate note I am out!
Elder Morris
PS 1YEAR! and yes, super fast... well in all. However at times faster
then others.
Rivers of Mud August 16 ,2010
So look a typhoon of rain landed on us Sunday in the afternoon. I have been really sick this week. like I fell to the ground on Thursday after I picked some thing up and I have had just life changing diarrhea (I now have so many funny like bolting to the bathroom stories!) anyways so my window was open. So after the rain, I came home and my bed was soaked!!!! Soaked like horrible wet, and I was just wetter and sicker then ever.
So this morning I went to help some one in our ward whose house fell over from all the rain, and the river went through it. It broke my heart to see this poor family but they had such a positive get her done attitude. We all just jumped in and helped. I nearly cried when I started to clean their cabinets. Something about muddy dishes and pans just get to me. Then we went back and just started hauling water to the river. It was so much fun and like always, It feels so good to serve. Con Amor, Elder Morris
So this morning I went to help some one in our ward whose house fell over from all the rain, and the river went through it. It broke my heart to see this poor family but they had such a positive get her done attitude. We all just jumped in and helped. I nearly cried when I started to clean their cabinets. Something about muddy dishes and pans just get to me. Then we went back and just started hauling water to the river. It was so much fun and like always, It feels so good to serve. Con Amor, Elder Morris
Some Words on Humility August 9, 2010
Anyways, so everything is going well here. I got my butt kicked pretty hard on humility here. Speaking of such I am reminded of something a very wise elder once said, "Never pray for humility! I don't care how prideful you feel!" -Elder Jaden Blake
Anyways so my companion was really down lately and I kept trying to help and always be nice and helpful and encouraging and all that, and one night he just blew up! I had always just been asking him what is wrong and he just kept putting up excuses and jazz and saying his family, or this thing, or that. However when it all came down to it... it was me. That was pretty crappy... Thought I was being all helpful and he just unloaded a bunch of like not even that important things on me. I just got sad cause all that time he was just holding up things and making himself mad for no reason. In the end it all ended well cause I was humbled and willing to just explain what happened or change little things. Turns out it's always better to just say it, no matter how insignificant.
Hey weird request. i am not sure if you pray for my safety, but if you haven't been or aren't doing it a lot, I could use some security. My area is having a sudden out burst of gang violence and killings so if you could just send up some prays for some guidance and protection I would really appreciate it.
Anyways so my companion was really down lately and I kept trying to help and always be nice and helpful and encouraging and all that, and one night he just blew up! I had always just been asking him what is wrong and he just kept putting up excuses and jazz and saying his family, or this thing, or that. However when it all came down to it... it was me. That was pretty crappy... Thought I was being all helpful and he just unloaded a bunch of like not even that important things on me. I just got sad cause all that time he was just holding up things and making himself mad for no reason. In the end it all ended well cause I was humbled and willing to just explain what happened or change little things. Turns out it's always better to just say it, no matter how insignificant.
Hey weird request. i am not sure if you pray for my safety, but if you haven't been or aren't doing it a lot, I could use some security. My area is having a sudden out burst of gang violence and killings so if you could just send up some prays for some guidance and protection I would really appreciate it.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
The Church is true in the 3rd world. August 2, 2010
So I was in fast and testimony meeting yesterday and it was probably the most spiritual of my life. So testimonies here are so precious. There so simple, eloquent, and beautiful. They don't tell stories here. They just get up and tell a sweet experience or just say what they believe and sit down. First Sonia talked about how grateful she was the missionaries knocked on her door the week before she started chemo therapy. Then another brother talked about how he was dieing from obesity, and prayed to God for the help he needed when the missionaries came to him. Five years later 150 pounds less. The next a mother crying of how proud she is that her 8 year old son who was about to get baptized had his own personal testimony and the gospel.
When I first got here I remember the awkwardly dressed congregations, and unfilled presidencies in all the quorums and two priest in the whole ward, and no elders quorums and tons of things. I remember saying "the Church is so much less true here."
As I choked back tears in the sacrament meeting as people got up with less then 6 months knowing the true Church and crying about how much it changed there lives I received a great change. "The Church is so much more true here. And that's because this whole country needs it." I know the gospel blesses people, families, lives and countries more then anything else, and I am so glad to be here helping people, The Church is true... and I dare say perhaps a little more here in the 3rd world.
Thanks. Love Elder Morris
When I first got here I remember the awkwardly dressed congregations, and unfilled presidencies in all the quorums and two priest in the whole ward, and no elders quorums and tons of things. I remember saying "the Church is so much less true here."
As I choked back tears in the sacrament meeting as people got up with less then 6 months knowing the true Church and crying about how much it changed there lives I received a great change. "The Church is so much more true here. And that's because this whole country needs it." I know the gospel blesses people, families, lives and countries more then anything else, and I am so glad to be here helping people, The Church is true... and I dare say perhaps a little more here in the 3rd world.
Thanks. Love Elder Morris
Very Third World Lately July 26, 2010
So things in Honduras have been... well... very third world lately. My mission credit card wasn't working so I went broke (now it works so we are better) I think I am getting sick, The current mosquito carried dengae virus is now an official epidemic, and on Sunday morning some one was shot and killed in the street. It is very normal in Honduras, but usually it is not less than a block from my house in front of my favorite area pastry store. So that was kinda of sketchy...
However besides that I had a great week. My companion had to go to a bunch of training meetings, so I got to go in a triple with two other elders. They were having paper work problems so we just went all over the place the whole week traveling and joking. To finish it all off Friday I got to go to a wedding in a little tourist town like two hours a way in a car. A Mini-van! I can't remember the last time I got in a mini-van. So I just got to play like the whole week and didn't even have to feel guilty about it!!! So awesome.
Oh, so I heard we are getting hit with some tropical storms, so yesterday I was walking back to the house to eat dinner with my companion when all of the sudden we just see a gigantic cloud come tumbling over the mountains and begin to swallow Teguc whole! We take off running for the house. It was just a giant white wall of water. We got to the house in time to escape what was the sky literally falling. Roads to rivers in like 3 minutes. It was crazy, and they said more like that is coming... vamos a ver.
I am trying so hard to change myself, and become better. I am finally seeing some real progress and I am grateful for that. I am praying for a real change of heart and I hope one day to achieve that dream. I am so grateful to my Heavenly Father for this chance to find myself, and find out who I need to be. I do feel bad sometimes cause I didn't come to the mission prepared very well at all, and I am not that good at being a missionary, but I am trying and I know my Heavenly Father loves and is patient with me. My hope is is that yesterday in church some one was talking about how sometimes when we change we are the last ones to realize or see our own change. I just hope that's true.
Amen, Elder Morris
However besides that I had a great week. My companion had to go to a bunch of training meetings, so I got to go in a triple with two other elders. They were having paper work problems so we just went all over the place the whole week traveling and joking. To finish it all off Friday I got to go to a wedding in a little tourist town like two hours a way in a car. A Mini-van! I can't remember the last time I got in a mini-van. So I just got to play like the whole week and didn't even have to feel guilty about it!!! So awesome.
Oh, so I heard we are getting hit with some tropical storms, so yesterday I was walking back to the house to eat dinner with my companion when all of the sudden we just see a gigantic cloud come tumbling over the mountains and begin to swallow Teguc whole! We take off running for the house. It was just a giant white wall of water. We got to the house in time to escape what was the sky literally falling. Roads to rivers in like 3 minutes. It was crazy, and they said more like that is coming... vamos a ver.
I am trying so hard to change myself, and become better. I am finally seeing some real progress and I am grateful for that. I am praying for a real change of heart and I hope one day to achieve that dream. I am so grateful to my Heavenly Father for this chance to find myself, and find out who I need to be. I do feel bad sometimes cause I didn't come to the mission prepared very well at all, and I am not that good at being a missionary, but I am trying and I know my Heavenly Father loves and is patient with me. My hope is is that yesterday in church some one was talking about how sometimes when we change we are the last ones to realize or see our own change. I just hope that's true.
Amen, Elder Morris
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