Are you freaking out? I'm freaking out.

FAMILY!!!!

Ah man, I cannot wait to see you all in 4 DAYS!!! Are you freaking out? I'm freaking out. 

That's so cool that we have someone being taught at our house! Do you understand anything they say in any of his lessons? Haha I like how I'm asking you questions like you're going to be able to reply before I see you. 

I'm so glad Delores is coming! Hopefully Lynette can come too! Yeah go ahead and tell Sister Webb, just in case she can come. 

Yesterday was pretty hard. I cried a little bit. I just feel so grateful for this opportunity I've had to serve. The church is true! The gospel has been restored through a prophet and we have a living prophet today. And I'm so grateful I was able to tell the people of the Philippines and help them understand the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. And it's not over! I know there will be lots of opportunities to serve for the rest of my life and I'm so excited! 

I can't wait to see you all! I love you so, so much!!!

Sister Morris

PS would you mind bringing a jacket to the airport? I don't have one and I'm afraid I might freeze. :)

I don't even know what to say! This is just a crazy, crazy time.

Pamilya ko!!!

Ah man! I don't even know what to say! This is just a crazy, crazy time. We had interviews with President Barrientos yesterday so our P-day is today. This week has been completely crazy! Last Tuesday President called and said I was going to Manila again. So I got on a plane with the rest of the missionaries going home and we spent two days in Manila doing fingerprinting/visa stuff. And guess what!!!!! I got to go to the temple!!!!!! It was so amazing! 17 months is a REALLY long time to not get to go to the temple. And to make it even crazier, we ran into my branch president and some youth from Gonzaga while we were there. They were on their annual temple trip. What are the chances?! So we talked with them, they gave us food (because they're from Gonzaga and that's what Gonzaga people do), and we got to say goodbye. I didn't think I was going to see anyone from Gonzaga again because it's 8 hours away and I won't be able to go back and visit before I leave. It was such a blessing! Speaking of blessings, I also got to go to Wendy's! I got fries and a frosty! Not as exciting as the temple, but still pretty exciting. 

We have a baptism on the 22nd (well...I technically won't be here...) but she's the cutest thing ever. She's the cousin of our recent convert. Her brother and other cousin are also getting baptized. It's super fun to teach them because they're all so smart and ready to learn. We gave them all CTR rings the other night and now they call themselves the CTR club. Haha it's cute.

Sister Perla is preparing to be baptized on December 6th. She finally got to watch the Restoration video last night and she loved it. We have lunch at her house tomorrow. I'm gonna miss her. 

I got a letter from the Rosales family (our recent converts from Sto Domingo) yesterday! They said they are enduring to the end! They're the best. They said Brother Richie hasn't been baptized yet, but he is still listening to the missionaries. Let's keep praying for him!

Thank you so much for sending that email that you sent to Clint. I might have cried a little bit. Last week I was feeling nervous and (although excited) a little scared about coming home. Just like you said, the adjustments are going to be a little challenging. But you know what? A couple days ago my nervousness went away and I just got really excited about coming home and starting this next chapter of my life. Fasting obviously works! That's amazing! I really am just excited to start this next adventure especially with all the knowledge I've gained and experiences I've had serving as a missionary. Thank you so much for being such a great support to me. I am SO lucky.  

Tell dad I love him and can't wait to see him either! Tell him I'm gonna make him sing Carpenters songs to me for like the whole month of December to make up for the past 18 months!

Well I love you all so much! Next week my email should be on time :)

Sister Morris

PS How old is Gracie? She's starting to look just like Kami! Does Kami have braces?!

I am Queen of the Gypsies

All of their cold beverages were just the hot beverages with ice in it. Haha thought it was humorous.

Ran into some old friends from the MTC.

Manila temple!

It's so pretty!!!

They have a cool underground tunnel at the temple

 

 

Lots of teaching, learning, spiders, etc. The usual

Pamilya ko!!!

It has been another week! Lots of teaching, learning, spiders, etc. The usual. We've started teaching Perla's sister, Vilma! She's awesome! She has been reading The Book of Mormon and she understands everything we teach her really well! And Perla has been an awesome fellowshipper! She  knows all the right things to say and bears her testimony like she's a member. She's the best. Hopefully we can get the rest of their family more interested as well. 

We got to attend the Philippines Area Broadcast last night where Elder Oaks just laid out every concern the church members have here in the Philippines and told them exactly how to fix everything. It was so inspired! Everything he said was spot on! I hope we can help them to understand and apply his counsel in the coming weeks. 

At the broadcast we got to see a bunch of other missionaries including the sisters who are serving in Gonzaga right now! They gave me an update on how everyone's doing out there. They said Brother Furagganan's little brother got baptized! And Brother Furagganan blesses the Sacrament all the time now! I wish I could see that. I miss them all so much! 

I have a request! Can you send me a picture of me with the whole family? I guess they need one for a project they're doing in the office. That one we took the day before I left is good. Thank you!

I love you so, so much and can't wait to see you soon! Haha tell Elder Lopez to take his time! I can't speak enough comprehensible English to take more than like 15 minutes! Haha

Well that's all for this week! Love y'alls so, so much! 

Sister Morris

This is the palengke where we get our food :) It's usually crazy and busy but we went in the late afternoon this time and there was only one stand open so I took the opportunity to take some pictures. The palengke is just a bunch of these little stands side by side that all sell basically the same things and you go through and find the best/cheapest stuff. It's actually pretty intense business, especially with a Filipina companion. Haha

The Philippines :)

This is Nanay Felicidad. She's the wife of our recent convert branch mission leader. She's an investigator and we love her so, so much. Took a picture with her before church yesterday :)

Letter to Parents of Departing Missionary

PHILIPPINES LAOAG MISSION
Brgy. 50 Buttong, Airport Avenue
Junction Tangid Road, Laoag City 2900
Ilocos Norte, Philippines

31 October 2014

Dear Brother and Sister Morris,

Sister Barrientos and I wanted to thank you for sending us such a wonderful missionary to serve with us here in the Laoag Mission. We cannot begin to tell you how much we love Sister Morris and how proud we are of her and all she has achieved. Watching her grow in testimony, especially of the Atonement, and develop her personal attributes has been a real joy to us.

She will complete her mission and fly from Laoag to Manila on Nov 19th. The flight leaves at 1:55pm and arrives in Manila at 2:55pm. She will stay at manila for a night and will continue her travel the next day Nov 20th. Her next flight will be Manila to Tokyo, then Tokyo to Los Angeles, and then her last flight will be from Los Angeles to Phoenix and will arrive there at 12:20pm, terminal 3.

Please organize with your Stake President/ Mission President a suitable time for your daughter to be interviewed and released (this should be as soon as practical after arrival).

She is and outstanding and talented young Woman. She has been a real credit to you and has honoured your name. She has been an exemplary and impressive missionary who was made a real contribution to the mission and her faithful and effective work has blessed countless lives, including Sister Barrientos’ and mine. She has such a big heart and love for others, which is combined with a sweet spirit and powerful testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She has distinguished herself as being trustworthy, hard-working and obedient and has faithfully fulfilled various responsibilities within the mission organization including that of a senior companion, a trainer of a new missionary, and a Sister training Leader.

She has been loved and respected by members, investigators and missionaries alike and we return her to you with a grateful heart. We shall remember her always with the deepest love and affection.

Kindest Regards,

Julius Jonah F. Barrientos

Mission President

Sister Alsado is teaching me how to cook! (sort of) Haha don't expect anything great!

Pamilya ko!

Oh my goodness I am so sorry for last week! That was rough. I had a bunch to say too! The work is going really well. It's challenging but we're seeing miracles everyday. It's good because I've noticed the harder you have to work, the more you love the people you're serving. We're starting to get some progressing investigators. Our most progressing is Sister Jennifer. She is the cousin of one of our recent converts. Sister Rico and I first met her while we were reteaching our recent convert the lessons and when we invited her to learn she just kind of smiled politely and you could tell she wasn't really interested. But then something happened and our recent convert brought her to a baptism, then to a branch activity, then to church, and it just progressed from there. Now she reads the Book of Mormon everyday and she started a study journal without us even asking her to. We're visiting her almost everyday and she is scheduled to be baptized on the 15th along with her brother and cousin the elders are teaching. :) It's so amazing to see the changes that the gospel has brought to their lives in such a short time. It's so happy because now our recent convert who used to have to come to church all by herself has a bunch of family support. 

Our next most progressing investigator is Sister Perla. Like I told you last week, she finally has a baptismal date! She's getting closer and closer every day and the members are gaining interest in helping fellowship her. Please keep praying for her!

Brother Melchor is doing awesome! He came to church yesterday even though his wife was sick and couldn't make it. The branch president told us in MCM that Brother Melchor leaned over to him at church and asked when he was getting baptized. And he's getting rid of the word of wisdom problems! Slowly but surely!

This week we had the elders give a priesthood blessing to one of our less actives who doesn't come to church because he's weak and always sick. Then when we went back to teach a couple days later him and his wife (who is not a member) said that he's getting better and they were just so grateful for the blessing. The priesthood is real (in case you didn't know)! 

I got the letters from the stake relief society and from the young women! Tell them thank you so much!!! Those letters were awesome. :)

President Barrientos asked me to check with you if my endorsement is done. Could you just check and tell me real quick if it's done? He said he thinks it is but he's not sure. Speaking of which, tomorrow is the registration day, right?! Are you ready?! I'll be praying super hard for you! I'm sure it'll all be good. By the way, thanks for being so amazing and on top of things. Some people don't have the luxury of an awesome mom and brother who take care of things for them. I'm seriously so grateful!

Sister Alsado is teaching me how to cook! (sort of) Haha don't expect anything great! Do we have a wok? Cuz...everything they cook here is cooked in a wok...

Do you remember the picture we submitted for my mission papers? Could you email it to me? They changed my picture to my hideous visa picture and I want to change it back but I have to send them the original one again. Thanks.

So we went to Manila this week for fingerprinting! It was #totescray! There were so many people! And so many foreigners! I kept thinking I saw dad every time I saw a middle aged white guy in a Hawaiian shirt. Haha and there were a lot of them. 

Hey, I have a random question. Where is the record of the lost tribes they talk about in 2 Nephi 29:12-13? I feel like I knew this before but I forgot. 

I love you all so much!!! I can't wait to see you soon! 

Love you so much!
Sister Morris

Manila is insane. This is a guy selling stuff to the people stuck in traffic.

I was just trying to take a picture of the jeepney and I got this awesome picture of a guy jumping off the jeepney in the middle of traffic. Yeah, this is normal.

This nice old man just riding his old people scooter down the mountain.

Sister Alsado and I getting artsy.

Flew to Manila this week!

Dear family,

OH.MY.GOODNESS. I am SO sorry. Technically this wasn't my fault haha but I'm still sorry. So I had to fly to Manila yesterday to do some fingerprinting stuff for my visa and I just got back to Laoag about an hour ago. I was supposed to get to email yesterday but our flight ended up being delayed so there was no time. But I love you so much that I got permission from President to get on today for 10 minutes just to let you know that I am alive, I love you so ridiculously much, and I had a lot to tell you this week but alas there is no time! I am SO sorry!!! Next week will be super good and full of stories and pictures to make up for this. Just no that I love you and miss you and am so, so, so excited to see you in a few. I hope you have another fantastic week and I will prepare stories and interesting things for next week. :) 

Love you so much, 

Sister Morris

PS Perla has a baptismal date! :) November 29th! I won't be here but hey the point is she's gettin' baptized!!!!

Sister Alsado is the best!

Pamilya ko!

I'm so jealous of your new baby and Lolo time! I can't wait to meet little Levi. 

Yay for getting the piano tuned!!!! I'm way excited for the Christmas singing around the piano. 

Sister Alsado is the best! And guess what? She used to be a cook! Like that was her job! So I'm trying my best to learn how to cook some Filipino food! Hopefully I can get good at it soon. Sister Alsado is hilarious. We have a lot of fun. She's also a really good teacher so I'm learning lots from her. She's also SUPER tiny (she makes me seem tall) haha so that's been fun. 

Thank you so much for fasting for Brother Melchor. He's doing alright. I'll keep you updated. 

Hahaha tell Nathan he does not want a fish head. I asked some of the missionaries who left this last transfer and they said it was cheaper to just pay for extra baggage. I also plan on giving away all my clothes and all the things I won't need at home. 

How ridiculously good was Conference?! All the talks were so, so good! How cool was it that they got to give their talks in their native language? My favorite was Elder Klebingat's talk. It was so inspiring. Sister Perla came to the first session on Sunday! She loved it and is now seriously considering baptism. She's gonna take some time but she has felt the Spirit and she's getting there slowly but surely. 

Tell Chandler and Lokealani happy birthday for me! 

Love you all!
Sister Morris

The picture I attached is me, Sister Alsado, little Sister April, and Sister Barandoc (a member from Laoag 4. She was pregnant when I was assigned there and now their baby is 9 months old. Crazy.) Sorry it's blurry, my camera was cold and the lens fogged up.