You might be in Fiji if a long walk on the beach is how you get somewhere not a romantic getaway...

Bula Vina'a!

Well this week went by quick. Probably because I emailed last Wednesday thus cutting my email period short by one day. Still, time moves by fast either way. I can't believe that I've already had my first week with Elder Golson, but I also can't believe that I've only known him for a week...if that makes sense. I'm not sure what I've already said about Elder Golson, but I'll say a bit more since we were a bit rushed last week. He's awesome. The best part of being with him is that he is always fired up and ready to go. WE constantly encourage each other to do better and have fun while we are doing it. We've been having slow work in Qeleni the past few months, so it's been hard to work out of the rut, but Elder Golson showed up and said that we can just forget about what every says. Qeleni isn't a slow hard area, we just need to work harder. Feeling his energy I told him a wise saying from a wise man "It's not hard, it just requires effort." Taking this to heart we got out and worked talking to everyone we found and the work is starting to get a footing again. It's not quite up to the missionary ideal of a "good area" but give us a break, we've only been at it for a week.

      That's just an overview of what's been happening out here, not I guess I ought to go into a bit more detail. We've just been going around trying to meet everyone. The actual village Qeleni had been mostly untouched until now, so we pulled up our sleeves (figuratively since we only wear short sleeves) and went to work talking to people. In the process we looked for service. A lot of people were making sasa-s which are traditional Fijian brooms made out of coconut tree leaves. You have to cut the stalk of the leaf down. Then pull the individual leaves off, and then shave the leaf part off with a knife leaving only the stick-like bendy piece that holds up the leaf. Then you bundle those together and tah dah! you have a broom. Since everyone was making those we quickly learned how and started to help. It was fun, becoming more cultured by the day.

     We've been looking for every opportunity that we can to do service. We had service set up with one of our investigators to go up to his farm and help him out up there. But he decided to go diving instead that day. We ended up going up with another man, who is also the uncle of half our recent converts (one family) and helping him. True to Fijian nature he didn't really want us to help him too terribly much. Just told us to rest and do small things. We took the time to get to know our recent converts really well. It was really fun to hike up into the mountains of Taveuni though. We got to see the beautiful interior of Fiji. I'd say that is even more stunning than the beaches and the oceans, but hey, I'm an Oregonian.

     We had a lot of work this week trying our best to keep our promise to turn this area around. One thing we planned on was hiking up to the interior village we have in our stewardship called Bainikarasi. However, as we started to go, on a day that was much too hot, my shoe broke and we were unable to make the hike. I think the Lord knew that it was too hot and that there were other things we needed to do down here. We ended up just going to Qeleni and seeing a bunch of people there getting some great return appointments and service done. No matter what we do, the work of the Lord continues unhindered by our limitations. God always prepares a way.

     Part of our attempt to build up the area involved a missionary meeting with our branch presidency. We decided the best thing to do to move the work forward is to involve the members (no duh). Because of this we are working with a paper called the Member-Missionary Promise. This spiritually prepares the members to receive revelation on who we can go see and share the gospel with. I'm excited about this new plan and if you've never heard of it or haven't done it yet, I'd suggest you ask the missionaries if they've heard of it and why they aren't doing it. It keeps the missionaries and the members closer as the strive to work together to build up the kingdom of God.

       Okay, I'm almost done. The last thing I wanted to do was share, not about an experience, but my thoughts because of it. The first idea I want to connect with the sharing is something that President Wilson said. He said only the truly righteous don't come to church. I looked at him funny and asked why. He said, because sinners go to church to get a remission of their sins and repent. Obviously if you aren't going it means you don't need a remission of your sins, so you must be especially righteous. I want to warn everyone to never be too righteous to come to church. It isn't worth it. Sometimes problems occur and people get offended. They leave the church because of a person. Nothing someone else said or did, or is saying and doing, is worth leaving the church. If you are thinking "If only they weren't there I would go to church." That is wrong. The Christ like thing to do is forgive them and attend church. By not coming the only person you are hurting is yourself and no one else. Especially not the person you are mad at. At the last day it will be much worse for you then the person that did wrong or said wrong because they are still coming to church. When the day of judgement comes it will be them that enter into the rest of the Lord, a repentant sinner, and you that shall be told  get thee hence o thou worker of iniquity. Because the House of the Lord is the house of sinners and publicans and Samaritans and those that are not accepted and the downhearted. Don't allow the sin of pride to pull you away from his hallowed house.

    Enough preaching, I just needed to share that final thought. I have gained a huge testimony of the importance of church attendance, and that is about the dumbest reason to not attend church. I love all of you and wish you could be experience the great joys that I get to experience out here. All my afflictions on the mission become but a small moment as they are quickly swallowed up the the joys of the next moment. Thank you for your support and prayer.

Elder Morgan

You Might Be in Fiji if....you can't tell the difference between a poorly kept paved road and a well kept dirt road

Bula Vinaka na Noqu Ma'avusue

First off, Ma'avusue is Vosavara (the dialect in my area) for family. I thought it looked cool. Second, and the most important reason for this email is that I have made history. I was the first missionary in Raki2 (that means Raki squared or Rakiraki) history to take a hot shower in the Raki2 flat. I managed to gerry-rig the the hot shower heater with pipe, coat hanger, a hole in the wall, and a metal bar too; now we have hot water. Also, because there is no plug in the bathroom, the cord goes out the door and into the bed room across the way, but that's okay. Man that was so exciting. I actually look forward to showering now.

    Just a word to the wise, if you send me a package and it is time sensitive, send it way in advance. The mail system here is terrible. The church doesn't use it. The package arrives in Fiji, sits in an office for a while, eventually gets magically approved and then sent to the mission home where it sits until someone comes out towards my area that they can send the package with. Give it lots of time.

    We had service this week and everything fell through, it was kind of sad. Instead, I swept our entire flat and I have a testimony that missionaries are disgusting. That's all I will say about that. Also, I'm turning into dad, I clean things when they need to be cleaned just because it needs to be cleaned and living in a pig stye is nasty. That's a good thing though. After sweeping the house we had more time so we went upstairs to the church and started to clean. You know it has been a while if you have to clean the cleaning supplies before you can clean the building. Judging by the state of that mop bucket, I'd say that it hasn't been used since it was bought when the building was made. Mopping the church reminded me of my Wendy's days. I'm so happy I'm not working there right now. My heart goes out to all the poor fast food workers.

     A few funny stories before the more serious. First of all, we were studying the other day when we heard the bleating of a goat right outside. Somehow, this poor creature had wondered into our yard (which is fence and gated). I grabbed a broom and played goat round-up. The video my companion took is quite comical I must say. Oh memories created on the mission. Speaking of memories. Just yesterday we were out proselyting but had a dinner appointment in the middle. We went to the appointment to find the gate locked and the sister who is to feed us praying on the other side of the gate. As we approached she told us she didn't have the key and had been praying for a way to open the gate. Since nothing came to mind she decided that, instead of letting us starve, she would hand the food to us over the gate. She also handed us an ibe (traditional Fiji mat) to sit on. There is something surreal about eating fish (the best fish I've ever tasted mind you) on a grass based mat in Fiji by the side of a dirt road. (see picture I sent)  Final funny story, I must say I'm grateful my faith is strong. If not, my branch's singing might have sent me home. Of the twenty or so members that show up to church regularly, only three I'd guess (us the missionaries included) can carry a tune. It is so bad sometimes that I want to keel over and die. So if your faith is weak, so go to Rakiraki branch, they might drive it from you.

     I have another interesting story, Fiji is so interesting its hard not to have interesting stories. In Fiji, we are told specifically not to proselyte to Muslims, unless they specifically invite us. We were given a referral to go give a blessing to a sick Muslim. We went and asked if we could give him a blessing, he was more than willing. After the blessing his mother and him both asked when we were coming back. Not even Christian Fijians do that. I'm excited to see where this goes. You know, I never expected my first blessing on my mission to be to a Muslim.

     This week has been an up and down kind of week. What seemed like success, what seemed like defeat, what turned to the opposite and what turned to the same. We found many people to teach, of which I'm very excited, but we lost some too. I wrote about Veniana, my first investigator found, last week. She moved to Suva a few days ago so I don't know what will happen to her. I hope she receives the missionaries there. And her son, Laisiasa also moved, but he moved to Lautoka, closer, but still out of our area. They were both such good investigators I'm saddened to see them leave. I hope we were able to plant a seed in their life of the gospel of Jesus Christ to make them desire it where ever they go. Our other disappointment is that we road out to Navalau One (if you remember from last letter, very far away) and managed to teach no one because everyone was at the funeral of the Chief that just died that day, probably smacking grog, unfortunately.

     In more exciting news, one of our recent converts changed houses and when looking for her (because there aren't really street addresses here, you just ask around) we met a family whose mother used to be a member until she got married and was forced to change to her husband's religion of Catholicism (a tradition in Fiji after marriage). I'm not sure if she will ever come back, though she claims to still hold the faith, but there are no boundaries on the children joining the church and I think they would be great additions to our branch. As a matter of fact, one of this woman's children is one of our recent converts, so I know they are a willing family. The funny part is that we didn't know they were related when we asked them where our other recent convert lived. The Lord leads you to those he prepares.

     We also started meeting with Veniana's daughter, who has met with missionaries before, and her sister-in-law's cousin thing I think. Even without missionary encouragement she has nearly read the entire Book of Mormon and wants to be baptized. We just need to make sure she's ready. Hopefully we can get her husband to start listening to the lessons as well. That's the biggest problem in Fiji, the wives are willing, but the husbands are not. Such is the case with a long time investigator Sister Ana who just can't join the church (or come to church) because he husband won't let her or the kids go. I pray for their hearts to be softened.

     Our most progressing investigator besides the one with a baptismal date rapidly approaching, is Vuli (another relation to Veniana that I don't understand fully). He knows the church is true and we invited him to come to church. He didn't come. When we talked to him about it he said "I woke up this morning and I thought, I want to go to church, Then I realized I don't know where it is." We never told him where the church building is. DONG! McFly! Anybody home? Think McFly, think! Now that he has directions, hopefully he'll come.

     I love seeing the eyes of understanding come to these people. Fijians are simple people, and sometimes it is hard for them to understand complex ideas because their language causes everything to be simplified. However, when they know it, they know it, and they will not let go. I've seen that fire start to kindle within these people and I love helping them start it. Especially the doctrine of Christ. If we but have faith in Him, repent of our sins to come to Him, are baptized and cleansed in his name, receive the Holy Ghost as our guide, and keep pushing forward or endure to the end, it is possible for us to receive "all that the Father hath." When they know that, their face brightens and hope kindles within them. I just want to share that message with all that will hear me. I know that this is the doctrine of Christ and by following it we can return to live with our Heavenly Father. I hope you all know that as well. I love you all,

Elder Morgan

Na Noqu Kai Rakiraki

Bula Vinaka!

Wow it feels like forever and a day since I last emailed, and the circumstances then were much cushier I assure you. I guess I should tell you first about the subject of my email and move on from there. After two an a half days of waiting around the mission home we finally got assigned to our first area. This area will be "where I am from" for the rest of my mission. I was assigned to the north west side of Viti Levu (the big island) to a koro called Rakiraki. When at the MTC my teachers told me that almost nobody went to biking areas in Fiji, none of them did, lo and behold, my first area is one of the few biking areas in Fiji. You may be wondering, how do you bike in a skirt with two flaps in the front? Good question, the answer is pin and pray. It makes for some quite interesting rides.

       My trainer is name Elder Hishibashi. He's been in Fiji for nearly a year now and he's great. He knows a lot about the people and the culture which I've had to learn fast. I've learned plenty from him, but not everything yet. He's from Hawaii, so at least he speaks English, but I'm really trying to speak Fijian as much as I can. I've learned something, learning a language is hard. I think I've said that before, but I mean REALLY hard. My goodness. The people are kind though and patient, and most of them know some English so they can help me out if I simply must ask how to say a word.

      Let's see, it has been a rough first week and I am sore and morning always comes too fast. But I do enjoy watching the gospel touch lives. In my area we can choose between two kinds of pain, at least for the newbies, that is the pain of riding a bike for a really long time, or the pain of sitting cross legged in a house teaching a lesson a lot. After a few hours you are just in pain regardless of what you are doing so it doesn't really matter anyway.

     I think my mission is exactly opposite to David's, and I think that for one main reason. David came home after wearing shoes everywhere he went, even inside. In Fiji, wearing shoes inside is rude and wearing shoes outside is optional, which is perfect for me. The lives of the people are very humble. As a matter of fact, the lives of the missionaries are rather humble. I'm blessed with a rather large flat, but it is barely a step up from what a normal Fijian lives in. The difference is hard floors, electricity in every room and a water filter. The reason our flat is so nice is that we live underneath the church building. That's great because I don't have to worry about being late for church...ever. I do like the way Fijians live though. They don't rush to anything. They just live on Fiji time, which is an euphemism for nothing happens quickly here, so don't worry.

      My area is huge and we don't even cover half of it. To get to our farthest extent takes an hour on bike and the bus system is too unreliable to take out there. Speaking of which, that is how I spent my Saturday, riding my bike way out in the boonies, and then stopping at houses on the way back. The farthest village we visit is called Navalou 1. It is called that because the second farthest village is called Navalou 2. Don't ask me why, I don't know it just is.

      I have a pretty cool story to tell. We went to my first lesson (after two had fallen through) and offered to teach a man named Laisiasa. He's great, his only hold up is he needs to come to church, but that's another story. When we sat down to teach him his mother (at least I think she is his mom, relations are REALLY confusing in Fiji) decided to sit down with us. Because Laisiasa had already received all the lessons we just decided to leave a spiritual thought and Elder Hishibashi decided to talk about the spirit world. When that led to baptism for the dead and the scripture in 1 Corinthians 15:29, the mother, Veniana, began to cry. She had lost two children that she had been told were gone forever. When we testified that baptism for the dead could reclaim them if they accept in gospel in the spirit world, she exclaimed that the Holy Ghost was testifying to her that it was true. She told us that she always rejected us teaching her before because she believed that our church was of the devil, but Laisiasa convinced her to stay and when she felt the Holy Ghost testify to her she knew that the Holy Ghost wouldn't testify of a church that was of the devil. I have taught her everyday since I arrived in Rakiraki.

       The rest of my time I've spend riding up and down dusty, rocky hills teaching as many as we can. It's hard to contact here though. People will let you in because that is polite, but not because they truly want to hear your message. Instead we are focusing on our investigators and hoping we get referrals. The other problem is that Rakiraki is a Methodist village. 

    The Methodist Church here is weird. The people go to church and the talatala (preacher) screams at them in a microphone for an hour and then they go home. It's not even testifying or trying to bring people closer to Christ, it's like a screaming contest with only one contender.

     Speaking of church being weird, it's hard to get anything done at church when your branch is so small, and we have a unit we have to visit on Sundays so we must take a bus to the unit after the branch meeting to be there for church. Anyway, 10 o clock hit and the branch president hadn't shown up because the bridge from Rakiraki to where I live (not in Rakiraki because it's a Methodist village) is broken and the bus didn't come by and it's a long walk. Bad excuse, but whatever. The Relief Society president started class, of which I understood nothing or nearly nothing, after that the ward clerk started Sunday school, of which I also understood nothing. Finally, we had sacrament meeting with the ward clerk presiding (I think he's also a councelor, but I don't know). I blessed the sacrament in Fijian and Elder Hishibashi passed it. When that was over we zipped over to Nakorokula for our unit meeting to do the sacrament again. Elder Hishibashi forgot the bread so they had breadfruit instead (close enough, right?).

     I know I'm not in America anymore for two reasons besides the fact that everyone here speaks Fijian or Hindi. First, the showers are cold. We have a small electric heater, but we have yet to mount it on the shower because of a few issues, I intend to work on that. You may think that cold showers would feel nice in Fiji, but this is winter here, and yes it is sweltering during the day, but in the morning and at night it is only pleasant. And with windows that are always wide open and the wind blowing, your shower is cold. Secondly, I saw two women just whip it out and start breast feeding on Sunday. That was loads of fun and I could only think that Grandpa's story about Jolly Lot just giggling when he saw that.

     I apologize I forgot my camera and will not be sending pictures this week, but I'll try for next week. I'm not sure how well that will work in this crummy internet cafe, but we'll see. Oh, I'm sure I have other things to say, but I want to say this last thing and then close, unless I remember something else. I've said before that they have different dialects in Fiji. Some are harder than others, but we only learned one. When I got here my companion said the people will love me if I speak in their dialect. I have trouble enough with normal Fijian, but I've been trying sometimes. Basically it involves dropping all T's and changing some words. It isn't too hard, but it was quite the awaking to hear, "I'm glad you know Fijian, now change it." Life's hard, then you die, right? I only say that because the second half of the phrase to me is then life is easy. David said that my biggest problem would be having to eat too much. With how much riding I'm doing, there is no way, and we don't exactly have dinner appointments, we just wait to be invited, so if a hurricane comes and blows me away, don't be surprised.

     A mission is hard, don't let anybody tell you otherwise. However, for some reason, when it's over, everyone wants to go again. I had an epiphany. A mission is like giving birth. It is REALLY hard when you do it (I don't even know how hard) but for some reason you bring it on yourself again by choice. I'm at the beginning of the labor (pun intended) and I'm not yet seeing why I would want to do this again, but I also know that I'm going to want to. I can't wait for that day to come, and I will strive to find it. I've just about used up my time, I know this gospel is true and I'm excited to be sharing it, no matter how painful it is to my behind on a bike and my hips when cross legged. It's worth it and God gives liberally to those that give to Him. I only ask for your prayers on my behalf to give me strength. Thanks for prayers you have given me already, I've needed them. I know for myself that Christ is my Savior, I invite you to learn to same for yourself by study, prayer, testifying, and striving to have the Holy Ghost testify to you that it is true. I love you all if you took the time to actually read this long email :). Stay strong in the faith.

                           Elder Morgan

I made it

Bula Vinaka

 

Hey, I don't have a lot of time so this emial won't be long. Thursday night was great, we had fireworks and watched 17 Miracles, a fantastic movie. Friday was a blur of getting ready to leave. Saturday was a long day of waiting, but I talked to you then. Sunday disappeared in an airplane ride and the international date line and I'm here now, safe and sound. I've already bought my Sulu, pictures to come soon hopefully. Good stuff. Well, I've got to go, and not much else has happened thus far. Fiji is gorgeous! I'll try and take as many pictures as I can. I love you all!

 

Elder Morgan

the first pictures sent home

 Elder Morgan pointing to Fiji

Elder Morgan and his zone

It's the final countdown

Bula Vinaka!

    Well everyone, this is my final MTC email. It's hard to believe I've been here for five weeks and will be leaving in two days. Now I have to remember what happened this week. It's all a blur of MTC stuff. A lot of class, a lot of lessons, and a lot of teaching. I don't know where to begin. I guess I start with a funny story and go from there. I had my first major language flub, at least as far as I know, and my teachers were laughing SUPER hard. In Fijian cici (theethee) is to run. And if you want to say I'm running, or I'm running forever, you say Au cici tu. When I tried to say that I said Au ci tu. This may not sound too bad to an American, but to a Fijian, leaving off the last ci is hilarious. because the word ci means to quickly expel air... from your rear. If that went over your heard, perhaps you are more spiritual than I am. I don't know why all my funny stories involve that, maybe I'm just too base for missionary work. Oh well.

     Apparently, according to my friend Juliene Ames (yes I'm calling you out) I can be seen in the broadcast around minute 31, I don't know that for a fact, but you can look if you'd like. Or you can think that I keep bringing this up and I need to stop and just not look. It's up to you.

     As you all know, today is the Fourth of July. I was so saddened that I would have to miss the Forth of July, but I came anyway. Well, the Lord blesses the faithful. Tonight, we all get to watch the Stadium of FIRE! that's the firework show from the BYU stadium. If you don't know, I LOVE fireworks. It's so nice of them to celebrate my last P day here with fireworks, isn't it?

     I guess I ought to write some words of encouragement before leaving. Our speaker on Tuesday was Mathew Richardson. He told about the stone tablet in the MTC lobby. This MTC inspired DavidO Mckay (later prophet of the church if you don't know) to become a diligent missionary. At the top it said "What Ere Thou Art, Act Well Thy Part." Below it was a square with nine smaller squares. the squares had the numbers 2 through 10. I wish I could draw it, because no matter which way you go, up, down or diagnal hitting 3 squares they equal 18. So basically, if any of the numbers changed, then the perfect square wouldn't work. It was pretty cool. He said we are all part of the missionary work and if we try to be something that we aren't, then we will ruin the triangle. (triangle in reference to Elder Richardson's talk) So just be yourself, because the Lord gave it to you and you should like what the Lord gave you. I hope all works in your favor, and if you are faithful, I know that it will. Next time I write, FIJI BABY! I can't wait to tell everyone about how amazing it is. I love you all!

          Elder Morgan

I Know Where I Am

Bula Vinaka!

    So remember how you were supposed to see me in the choir and the silly camera man didn't show a close up of me? Yeah, oh well. I'm right behind some Elder's big head in one of the shots, but that doesn't help you. When I get back, I'll point out where I was in the choir from the big group shots. I'm easy to identify because I'm near the stairs, next to one of maybe 5 dark skinned individuals in all the MTC choir, and I'm twice his height (or so it seems) so I'll point myself out some day. It was still great to sings in the choir. Also, another flub, the excitement was to sing for the prophet, and funnily enough, he wasn't there, just a video. The choir missionaries acted like six year olds to get a good seat or to be in the best position to see the prophet, and he didn't show up. I just laughed at them for being so childish.

    On the other hand, I have much more confirmed official news. I have my flight plan! I leave July 6th and land
on July 8th. For those who think it's a 48 hour flight, it is only ten, but we fly over the international day line and skip the 7th entirely. That'll be a weird feeling. I'm down to a week and couple days, then I'm out of here. Having the travel plans makes it so real. On that note, I will be in the Los Angelos airport from 4 PM to 11:30 PM, so whenever in that time period (that is the same as Oregon remember) I will be free to call home. Let me know when best works for the family because I will have nothing else to do besides read for that entire time.

     Something else exciting happened, though less so than the others. We got another teacher, or at least he came back. He was in Fiji on an internship for the last little bit. So he is fresh back and we know that his Fijian is spot on. He told us that, if we serve in the English wards (Wards with both Fijian and Indo-Fijians) it is important to learn at least some Hindi. To give us a jump start he taught us everything he knew, which didn't take long, about Hindi. (I hope people got what I was referencing, if not, my Father should be able to clarify). It was kind of a fun language to speak. It's a pidgin language of Hindi-Fijian-English everything is rather discombobulated. How are you doing is Kaise (Kai-say) and the proper response is Right hain (Right hay). Yes they stole the word Right from English. Speaking of stealing words, I knew that no word in Fijian ended in a consonant. It is basically impossible in their tongue. I realized this week that the very first word my teachers taught me isn't actually a Fijian word, but a stolen one. For awesome, cool, you good?, and all other uses of that nature they use the word "set." Set as in ready, set, go. It's just funny to me that of all the words to steal they liked the word set and decided to keep it.

     Last thing because I have no clue what else to say, now that I know a fair amount of Fijian, it's begun; I am translating songs into Fijian. I was inspired by my teaching bursting out into Meri ko Kila (Mary did you know?) last week. Of course, I have to choose the most ridiculous songs to start with, so I'm translating Do You Hear the People Sing? from Les Mis. I hope it'll be good. Oh, last last thing. Yesterday I hosted new missionaries to show them where to go and what not. It was crazy. 890 new missionaries arrived. The work is hastening on. God loves His children so he is filling the Earth with His gospel. If you don't know God loves you, get down on your knees and pray to know. He always delivers.

     Lots of Love,

               Elder Morgan

Another Day Another Dollar

Bula Vinaka!

 

     This week has been quite the week I don't know where to start. I guess I should start with the big news and then work my way down from there. As I'm sure everyone has heard, there is going to be a HUGE world wide broadcast on missionary work (if you haven't heard, you have now) that the prophet and the apostles are all going to be at. Also, it is in the Marriott Center. And the Marriott Center is a hop skip and a jump from the MTC. If you think you know where I'm going with this, you're wrong. The first presidency has asked for a choir of 2200 people, half of which are missionaries, and I get to be in it! I'm not sure how good my seats will be, but I get to sing to the prophet (along with 2199 other people of course). If you haven't made the connection yet, this is a world wide broadcast, and when the choir sings, along with a slide show and video clip, they will cut back to the choir, so look for me when the choir is singing! (As a side note, I wanted to wear the family tie, but they don't want anything beyond thin strips and small dots or a plain tie for this broadcast so that no one stands out, sorry).

     Not I have to think back to the rest of my week. It's hard to write at the MTC because most of the days are pretty uniform and the same. We get up, we eat, we practice language, usually have gym, and then we eat more, study more, eat again, study more, and then go to bed. We have three "progressing Investigators" right now that we are teaching. Namely our teachers are pretending to be people that they taught while on a mission. It's really good for us though, they used to do only TRC once a week, and that was all the teaching you did. Now we teach everyday but P day and Sunday, including TRC on Saturday, though TRC is about teaching investigators, it's teaching returned missionaries to help out language skill and what not. It's a good program.

     On Tuesday we had a devotional with Elder Robert Gay, funny name, great speaker. Earlier that day, Brother Agilosi (his really name is Engel but the Fijians called him Agilosi, which means Angel) told us a story of a Fijian couple he taught out in the Bush so far that is took three hours to drive there  from the nearest city, and there was no electricity. He taught once and the man had a dream that night. In his dream two figures in white robes appeared and told him that in the palagi (Polynesian version of "cracka") gives him a Book and tells him it is the word of God, that it is and he should listen to his words. Well, Brother Agilosi, not knowing this gave the man the Book of Mormon and the man knew it was true. Elder Gay told an even more amazing story of a man in Ghana that had a vision of missionaries coming to Ghana YEARS ago and started teaching the people in preparation. In his vision he saw his dead brother who told him that he would know they were the missionaries he was searching for if they sang the song "Come Come Ye Saints," he also vividly saw Elder Gay. When the missionaries first arrived, and sang Come Come Ye Saints, nearly one thousand people had already been prepared by this man and were baptized a week later. Another confirmation came to this man when Elder Gay later served there as a mission president. Finally, I'm reminded of Brother Pennington's story of being impressed that he would teach a man he knew before. After hanging around the American Embassy for a while, he was transfered without meeting anyone he "knew before." In his new area he was teaching a doctrine class and he stopped, looked at the man on the front row, said "You are the man I knew before, and I'm going to baptize you." The man, in tears, replied, "I know."  I've heard many stories like this, but about six or so in the last week. It impressed me so strongly that there is someone in Fiji that I am being sent to teach personally that the Lord has prepared for me to be a vessel in their conversion. Those stories are amazing, and I hope I can come back with one equally as amazing. Though I don't know if I will, I pray I can find that person I need to teach through my obedience to the commandments of the Lord.

     I tried to send a few pictures, I think you got two, but the other two disappeared, so if you didn't get them, let me know. They were of my district and a LOT of missionaries walking from the Marriott Center. I don't have too much time, and other Elders here are getting antsy. Since I don't have a whole lot more to say I don't think I will. I have heard that I am in your prayers, especially that I will learn the language. I'm not even close to being perfect, but I know that I have learned this language WAY faster than I should have. Please continue to keep me in you prayers. I want to learn the language so fast I wish I could sit down and study constantly. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. That has been my mantra from the past few days, I think it applies to pretty much everything I do. Thanks for your support once again. I love you all!

~Elder Morgan

First Week

Bula Vinaka Na Noqu Matavulvale!

First off, so David doesn't think I'm teeling you off, the top part translates into HELLO my family (just try figuring that out as I continue the rest of my email). This week has been such a whirl wind of activity I scarcely know where to begin. I must first say they wasted no time getting us to work. The first thing I did after grabbing all the packets they had for me and putting my stuff in my room (not unpacking, just throwing it in) was learn some Fijian. We learned greetings and simple questions the first day. Sadly, I'm still not very good at those, but I can do the more advanced things...which is weird. The Lord works in strange and mysterious ways.

I guess what everyone really wants to know is about my companionship and "home life" first, and then the rest later. My companion, Elder Moantewa (Mohn-tey-wa) is native to the large island grouping of Kiribati. It's hard to really explain where it is because it's very spread out, but look on a map, it's hard to miss. He's hard to communicate with because his English is broken, my Kiribus is nonexistant, and we are both lousy at Fijian. Mostly, if he can't express an idea in English, he uses hand motions to make me understand. I'm getting pretty good at being his urim and thummim (for you non Mormons, it's used for translation) for the rest of the missionaries. He's great, been a member his whole life, but was going wayward. His girlfriend turned him around and sent him on a mission. I'm grateful to that faithful girl. I also have Elder Tafuna'i and Elder Peery in my room/district. They are both American, though one of them is half Samoan/ Rotuman (I'll let you guess which one). They hail from Utah and Idaho respectively. They are great guys. Elder Tafuna'i was called as the district leader, my first indication that this is the work of the Lord, he's been keeping us on track so well I know it was right. Elder Peery is quieter, but loads of fun when he speaks. We all get a long so well it's crazy we've only been here a week. The two sisters in my district are Sister Trammel and Sister Crowell, they are from California and Hawaii respectively. They are loads of fun as well, sometimes we all have so much fun that we get sidetracked, but we're trying to lick the problem. It's hard when you are all such good friends.

The great thing about coming to the MTC now is to see that the work of the Lord is truly moving forward. 8 months ago, the Fijian district had three people. Now, we have two six person districts. The other district is just as fantastic as my own, we sit together at lunch because we like each other so much. In that district there is Elder Moka and Elder Wall, E Motuliki and E Tenney (I call him Tini- he's a pretty big guy) and Sister Wright and Sister Tauhivaajhoiahwefhjahsd;jfhiwoe (her last name is about that long and I have yet to learn how to say it or spell it, we just call her sister T). So, I have a confession to make and a great story to tell. Despite what my family thinks, I dated two girls in college, you met the second. :D Anyway, you'll have two years to get over that. The funny thing is that Elder Tenney, one of my favorites, dated that same girl in high school. We've had a lot of fun making jokes about that as I'm sure anyone that knows me would know.

ANYWAY, I don't know where to start besides that. The week has been such a blur and I didn't bring my journal with me to compare notes. I guess the first really cool thing was on Sunday for the missionary conference. The rest of the days were just average learning Fijian, writing a lesson (in Fijian), giving a lesson (in Fijian), hard stuff, but hey, that's missionary work. Speaking of which, we've been allowed notes in our lessons thus far, not anymore. After a week in they cut you off and expect you to give a lesson, if not in your on the spot words, then from memory. It's going to be tough, but I'm keeping a positive attitude. Right, missionary conference. A missionary conference happens once a month on fast Sunday, basically a stake conference type meeting (sorry, revelatory experience) in which the members of the MTC presidency speak. It was quite inspirational, and I have a thought to share about one of the talks. Sister Nally, the MTC president's wife, spoke on the power of the Priesthood and how it is truly God's power on the Earth. She spoke of John the Baptist restoring the priesthood to the earth to Joseph Smith when he appeared to Joseph. It was then that it occurred to me that you need a body to lay on hands and give the priesthood. John was killed by beheading before Christ was crucified, which was quite sad at the time, but when Christ was resurrected, the saints who were already dead were ressurected as well. Therefore, in order for John the Baptist to have a body to be able to confer the priesthood upon Joseph Smith, he had to be resurrected, and that could only occur if he died before Jesus was resurrected. It was a testimony to me that God's works cannot be frustrated. No matter how hard we trying to fight against Him, it all ends up for his good and his glory. I have another brief testimony to give, this concerning the language. I've been here for seven days, roughly, six of which I spent trying to learn Fijian. The very thought that I can teach a twenty minute or so lesson, in my own words more or less, in that language is a miracle. I never really understood the gift of tongues, nor did I ever think I would because I thought it was only when someone got up and spoke funky words and only one person in the room understood because it was needed for that person alone or something like that. I'm here to tell you that the gift of tongues has blessed this simple 19 year old boy from Medford Oregon to be able to teach another in a different language in a matter of six days.

On Sunday night we had a fireside in which a man names Ted Gibbons "spoke." I put that in quotes for a reason you will see soon. Basically, he got up an recited a story to us, but it felt so natural that I had to remind myself that the person he was portraying was indeed dead and had been for some time. He told the Joseph Smith story through the eyes of Willard Richards, one of the three men with Joseph Smith when he was martyrd. This man did not get a a single hole in his clothes, and only a scratch on his cheek while two lay dead and one severely wounded. His witness, through the eyes of another that, as he said at the end, "I don't think Joseph Smith is a prophet of God anymore...I know it," struck me with so much force, I knew it was true. He told of many prophecies of Joseph Smith, and that they all came true. That was such a great testimony to me that I'm doing the right thing out here.

I know I'm giving an overload of stories of speakers, but those have been my favorite parts thus far. Elder Tad R Callister came and spoke to us about what he called the blueprint of the church. He said that when Christ came to the earth he left a blueprint for how he wanted the church to operate. This blueprint is called the New Testament. He compared this to his own home. Since he designed his own home, no other home in the world matches that blueprint perfectly. Some homes come close, others not so much, but no other except that one. This is like Christ church, everything from the foundation of apostles, prophets, seventy authorities; to ordinances of blessing of babies, baptism by immession when older, and baptism for the dead since baptism is essential to get into heaven; to teachings of the nature of God and Jesus Christ, and the knowledge that they have bodies of flesh and bone because Christ, when he was ressurected, had a body and would never die again, death being the separation of body and spirit; and lastly the fruits of the people which discusses happiness and healthiness and good works. This all finally reaches a pinnacle of revelation directing Christ's church, which is a direct link to heaven. What is great about this talk is everything he said had a scripture in the New Testament to back it up. Basically, he showed how one can logically know the church must be Christ's church restored on the earth. I'll have to show it to everyone in two years because it was amazing and I think you all need to see it, if I remember. I have it all written out in my journal thankfuly.

I don't have much more time to write, so I guess I should close now. I'm doing well, and enjoying it. I'm working hard and obeying the rules. I have other emails that I need my emails sent to, but I forgot to bring them. Mother, I'm sorry your computer is on the frits. I hope all is well at home, but not in Zion. Let the process of becoming a Zion people begin with you. I know from being here that man doesn't qualify for the work of Christ, Christ qualifies the man for the work (I made that up myself).

Elder Morgan

P.S. give my Fiji mailing address to Brother Minor

Ulitima Semana

For the who knows how many´th time... I don´t remember anything that happened this last week. Just gimme a sec to think. 

WHOA! Elder Barros just told me what we did last week on P-day and it seemed like FOREVER ago, I thought that we had skipped our p day last week. 

This week we were getting ready for zone council and trying to prepare for transfer. It is the first week this transfer that we didn´t travel. I am an emotional wreck, but not really because I can´t convince myself no matter how hard I try that I am not going to be a full-time missionary next week. I should have taken Krista advice and bought the things I wanted to take home with me along the way, which I kind of did, but not too many. I always put it off for another thing cause we didn´t have time, and nothing has changed. I don´t think I will be bringing too many things with me, sorry if your gifts are really lame... I am not good at buying things for other people, I especially apologize in advane to my sisters who are even harder to buy for. 

I love zone council, it is always one of the most uplifting moments of the week. I don´t particularly enjoy giving training, I feel like I am ruining what should and could be a very uplifting spiritual experience, but with Elder Barros helping me out, by some miracle, it turns out alright. OH! just remembered something that we did! 

Like I have previously mentioned, I was feeling down for passing so much time in the office and not being able to plan effectively because there was always something to do, and I feel like our area was suffering a lot, also I feel like maybe I was losing important missionary habits. It is SUCH a blessing to be able to go on exchanges with other missionaries. We called Elder Capistrano and Elder Cox from a near by zone and arranged an exchange with them for wednesday and thursday. Usually we do this with the intent to train and to help the area, and to also learn. I confess that they were purely selfish motives of wanting to get out and just get some work done and have a normal missionary life again :p. I also felt like we helped out a bit, and I love Elder Capistrano a lot, I will miss him. We taught a few lessons and contacted a lot of people, and I gave them a few ideas about how to help the area. Working side by side with those that we lead is so important, it is how The Savior lead. 

I think that this email is my large plates of Nephi, just a summary, the small plates email might come later. 

We have a great blessing in the Brasil Porto Alegre South mission, his name is President Castro. I have noticed that President Castro has a way of saying that he loves us, without actually saying it, which he does too, but he does his best to show it, through actions. He asked the area presidency if he could have permission to have all of the missionaries who are leaving the field participate in a course of Self Sufficience in their last week of service to prepare them for "the real world." It is a program from the employment center of the church, I don´t remember how it is called in english. We learned about how we can do well in an interview and practiced. It was REALLY useful actually and I enjoyed it a lot.

 Before I came to the office, I had planned on asking if I could NOT participate in my last week, because I thought it would be a downer to finish my last week in a class and not out in the field. But when I heard President Castro explaning to us here, why we do this class the last week. For him, this is his present that he gives to all these missionaries, he asked for special permission to be able to do this, I felt overwhelmed and I couldn´t find it in me to say no. Plus, it was going to be in the morning so we wouldn´t be using work time during the day which helped me feel better about it. It was tuesday, wednesday and thursday morning. 

Hey I´m gonna finish this up later, we are going to lunch. Loves. BRB

Conferencia de Zona. Golias

Óla! 

Wow, what a week. 

We passed this last week just preparing for zone conference. I have the feeling that I already talked about this, but since I didn´t find it in my emails, I will write about it again. So President Castro worked for the church educational system before being called as a Mission President. He is a great professor, and he always, uses object lessons and visual aids. Usually they are quite simple and we can help him out with that. This time he called us into his office and we were discussing zone conference he mentioned that he would like to train about David and Goliath and overcoming the Goliaths in our lives and missions. He asked us if we could manage to make... a life sized Goliath. Just to make things clear. Goliath had about 9.45 feet of height. WOW! 

 We assured him that we could do it (WHAT?!) and then I jokingly asked him if he would like us to get a sling as well, which he responded that yes, he would like to have a sling. Unfortunetaly we didn´t get the sling, but Goliath turned out AWESOME! We were running from here to there during the conference and I didin´t take a picture with me and Goliath (but don´t worry, I will) but I have a picture of him and Pres. Castro (who is way short) by his side that I will attatch. But everybody really liked it and were taking picture with him, I think it will be something that they will remember. 

We held conference Tuesday with 3 zones, Wednesday with 3 zones, and Thursday with 4 others. It was way special really. I am learning to give much better training and to feel more comfortable in front of the missionaries. We trained about working with the members to find people to teach and evaluating our planning. One thing that I will for sure be taking home with me is the principles of setting goals and planning. I remember in High School they gave us a planner to keep track of everything and I thought that was about the most ridiculous thing ever. Now, I see how ridiculous I was not to use it. Planning is so important to really reach our full potential and to accomplish the things we want to in this life. 

The missionaries who are in their last zone conference always bear their testimonies, and that included me this time. I had a really rare privilege to be able to bear my testimony three times, for which I am grateful. The most powerful and for me emotional conference was the last, with the zones from the countryside, which includes Pelotas. Where I served half of my time as a missionary. During the testimonys, Elder Ewer, who is a spiritual Giant, bore his testimony with a lot of conviction and love, and it really invited The Spirit, for which I am grateful because I bore my testimony next. I don´t have the adequate words to express what I feel. I don´t really find it necessary to try and to repeat what was said either. But during this conference I had some really sacred experiences. I love these missionaries so much, and I am grateful to have also felt their love. 

It was hard to say goodbye. They are my friends, I was in a city that I love. I wanted one more chance to go out and teach them. I love being a missionary so much. 

I know that God lives and Jesus Christ is His son. He atoned for our sins. During this Easter week, I hope we can remember Him.  

All of my love to you.

Elder David F Morgan

Indiginado! Mas muito abencoado!

Óla! 

Well, we got news this last week that the rules for missionários were changed and that we can now recieve and send emails to friends, family, church leaders, etc. Ha, just about two years too late for me hahaha. No biggy. I now have and hour and half for email on p day. So this will be useful for... three weeks. Still not trunky. 

Wow, I think the thing that is most common in my emails is my memory crisis, I think I say this every week. I don´t remember anything that happened on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday off the top of my head. I just consulted my companion, and he helped me to remember what we did. Again, way too much time here in the office, it is cool, but kind of a drag when you want to be out there on the street. My last transfer was fine. But this transfer it seems like every week we have a Conference, or Zone Council, or transfers, or training, or something that we need to prepare for, and my limited computer skills doesn´t help me to do any of this quickly either. Not complaining, it is just sometimes hard to adjust, and I feel a little bummed, feeling like the end of my full time missionary service will be a little less proseliting and a lot more training and planning, which is also important. The worst part is that you lose the habit of certain things in the work. Even my sleep schedule is getting messed up, because sometimes we are getting up early to travel, other times we are getting home at midnight from that same trip. I think that changing my routine stresses me out a bit. Luckily Elder Barros is really patient with me and has a good spirit. 

I have officialy gone to all the zones in our mission now. On Thursday we went and travelled to Bagé, which is the western extreme of our mission. I had never served there before, but we went on exchanges with the zone leaders there. It is a beautiful place. We passed the time in the car trying to get ready for Conference next week, and also preparing for the final week of the next group of missionaries leaving. I used to get car sick when I was younger ( I am sure everyone remembers :p) but when I got older it passed. I think looking at papers etc, and planning during the trip gave me a weak stomache, I started to feel car sick. It was kind of embarassing. I bought something for the way back, and it knocked me over with drowsiness. I am sure that in this state I made a few comments about our training that had nothing to do with the subject at hand, and I also had to call someone and I slurled my portuguese so bad talking to the poor man on the other end.

Thank you for all of yours prayers to help us to find people to teach. It helped. Please continue! After a day trying to plan and get ready we decided to set out at night and at least try to get something done out in our area. We went to an appointment, but the man wasn´t home, there was a entering into the apartment and asked who we were looking for. Turns out it was her brother and he had commented something about our visit with her. He She invited us up, and we taught her, here boyfriend, and her mom. I remember praying that morning, just pleading really with The Lord that He would bless us with somebody to teach that day, to just let is into one home to teach a lesson. He hears and answers prayers. It was a really quick visit and we are going to go back on Tuesday. Please pray that they will be there and we can keep teaching them.  Marcio, and Renata are their names. 

We also taught the family members of a member of our ward. Mauro Tupinambá. He got called recently to be a Mission President in São Paulo! His brothers and sister are not active members in the church and their spouses and children aren´t members of the church. He invited them all over and us to be able to share a message. It was really very special, I could tell that his sister was feeling The spirit, and we are going to try to visit them again in this week. The area presidency also asked him to invite over the missionaries from his ward to have us teach him all of the missionary lessons as if he were an investigator. So we will probably be doing that over the next few weeks. He is really great, his wife Rossana is real sweet as well. 

We estabilshed a day of special baptisam reunions in the whole mission. Every stake in the mission is holding a stake baptismal service today, and all of the missionaries worked really hard to find someone and help them to be baptized on this day. Sadly, we didn´t manage to find someone, I really wanted to also contribute to this really special day... I really hope we can find some more people and the time to get out there and look for them. I would really love to have the experience of baptizing again before my mission is over, but if The Lord doesn´t see fit that that happens, I would at least like to leave a good teaching pool for Elder Barros and his companion. Please keep the people in our area in your prayers. 

Okay. I think that is about it. When I write on Saturdays I start reflecting and thinking, and it freaks me out/ gets me choked up a bit, and a lot nastolgic, so I am going to go. 

Just a little thought. I have learned to seek spiritual experiences everyday, through daily study of the scriptures. I would like to encourage everyone to set aside time EVERY day to not only read, but study the scriptures. They are so special and gives us a comprehension about why we are here and gives us an eternal perspective and to see things as they really are. 

All of my love to you. 

Elder David F Morgan

sickness :( Travels

Óla! 

I hope everyone is doing good. My English is pretty good today because Elder Barros has been expressing his desire to learn English and so I am "trying" to speak with him in English, the other Brazilian in our house, Elder Gomes already speaks English so we will probably make a rule at home to just speak English, gonna be super weird. 

Sunday we had a quite pleasing Sacrament Meeting and the day was good. We didn´t have too much success in finding new people that we are DESPERETLY needing (plesae pray very very very much for this aspect of our work)  but we taught Jair e Luciane again which was a referral from one of members of the ward. They are really enjoying learning about the church and understand very well. I don´t remember if I already told this story so.. Jair was going to do a surgery and João, the brother in our ward, suggested that he could send the missionaries to his home to give him a blessing. He accepted and so we went and gave him a preisthood blessing of health before his surery, this led to the question of what is the preisthood and we taught him the first lesson, his wife Luciane showed up at the end, and now we are teaching the two. He is going to start work again this week and so maybe we will only be able to teach them on the weekends which will be rough, but I am sure it will work out alright. 

We got robbed at the bus stop on Sunday night, that was fun. At least it was for a good reason, we needed to divide the money that we recieved, but we couldn´t split it evenly, and we both wanted that the other stayed with the bigger half, ha so when I went to go hand him the money he didn´t accept it, and I didn´t accept it in return. That was our fatal mistake :P Waving money around in down town Porto Alegre, not such a good idea. Luckily we were left with enough to get back home still. Just to show hom pure my companion is. I was playing the scene over and over again just feeling like an idiot right? My companion suggested that we pray for him... ;p 

I have had a cough for the last week or so and Sunday night when we got home I broke into a fever. Sister Castro thought I might have an infection so I went the hosptial for myself for the first time in almost two years on monday. Woohoo! It was all full and we spent the whole day there, it would have been fine if my fever wasn´t making me feel really super cold and the air condition wasn´t on. No infection, just a virus. My stomache still hasn´t recovered though. Not the funnest missionary experience. Elder Barros was great during all of this. 

Am I four or five hours ahead of you guys right now? I can´t remember. 

I am feeling starved of a good scripture study, I could just sit down and study for hours I feel like, we are been just on the go these last few days or I was sick and we haven´t managed to study too much,  but we have had a few good Gopsel conversations. 

We went to Pelotas on Thursday morning, President went to do interviews with the missionaries and we went with him to be able to go on exchanges with the zone leaders there. I passed the day with Elder Ewer!! Man, I love that missionary, he is a good friend and I like him lots. We taught a few lessons, and it was nice to just be together agan. I saw a few people from the ward too, and the ward is full of life. What a good feeling. I participated in the Executive Committee meeting of the ward and they were talking about the importance of the youth and they were particularly worried about a few and I felt really touched and grateful for dedicated leaders who work hard and sacrifice themselves for the growth of the youth. 

We left Pelotas at about 8 last night and we came staggering into our house I think at about midnight (before my mission that wouldn´t seem late at ALL) poor President Castro had to drive the whole way, he must been crazy sleepy. He told us that we could sleep in a little longer this morning to make up for the lost sleep. But my body is like a machine now and at 6;30 I was awake. I made the conscious decision to stay in bed to try and get rest because I knew I would need it, but I couldn´t fall back asleep, I couldn´t believe how lazy I felt being in bed past 7.Reminded me of Proverbs 6:9: "How long wilt thou sleep , O sluggard?" (in portuguese  the word sluggard is subsituted for lazy :p) Bascially the experience of sleeping in a bit wasn´t as grand as one might imagine. 

Everyone is trying to make me trunkie :p they shall not succeed. In my mind I know I am going home soon, but my heart hasn´t quite gotten the message yet. But I was thinking about experiences that I would be able to share when I go home if somebody asks, and I do have neat, and funny stories, but I honestly was reminded (and I talked with Elder Barros about this) about the story that Elder Ballard told in a General Conference of the young merchant who sold everything and went to California in search of gold and his fortune expecting to find gold nuggest the size of his fist. After a certain time of searching and searching, he had come up with nothing convinced there was no gold. Ready to quite, he met an old prospector who told him that there was gold there and you just needed to know where to look and showed him a rock filled with many tiny flecks of gold. The young man then replied that those flecks were hardly worth his time and that he wanted nuggests like the old prospector had. He then opened up his pouch for the merchant to show that it had been filled, with the careful accumulation of thousands of tiny gold flecks that had brought him quite a fortune. What I mean to say is, I think I was expecting nuggets when I came on a mission, giant and impressive spritual experiences. But honestly I don´t remember too many, nothing that you ever would read in a church magazine, or like Grandpa tells, even some of dads mission stories that I remember. Just lots of tiny gold flecks of experience accumulated of two years that for me were really valuable and helped me to be converted and to just come to know The Savior just a little bit better and to understand the influence of His spirit. I´m grateful for my little flecks of gold, the nuggets can come when they come. 

Gotta go. All of my love

Elder David F Morgan

Another week flown by, Got my sea legs on this week too

Okay, to make sure that I don´t run out of time I will write firstly my weekly letter home. 

Once again, i have struggled to remember what actually happened this week. On Monday we finished up getting ready for Zone Council, our training, receiving the missionaries who would be travelling etc. 

We trained about how to be a better teacher and improving specific teaching techniques (how on earth do you spell that?!) I won´t lie, one thing I have never liked about being a zone leader and even more now as an Assistant is giving training. Going out on splits with the missionaries I like, we get work done, and I don´t feel like an idiot. I honestly don´t have fear of public speaking, I just feel like what I am saying is really dry. I guess I should focus more on trying to edify than to entertain, but really, I don´t like it. I like Elder Barros a lot, but we make a plan to follow for our training and he doesn´t follow that plan AT ALL :p. He is much to spiritual for that, he ends up sharing experiences and talking about the scriptures. We have to follow a pretty strict training prossess called EDPAR, which is: Explain, Demonstrate, Practice, Avaliate, Re-practice. Haha, he doesn´t manage to follow that too well, so I have to keep on my toes and bring him back in, or be ready to follow whatever inspiration he might be receiving. Zone Council was always really edifying, and then I got called here and now I don´t dig on it too much :p

Wednesday we honestly had some things to do, but we couldn´t take being in the office anymore, we got outside and got to the real work we were called to do. We didn´t have too much sucess that day, but it was nice to invite people to come unto Christ again. 

On Thursday we went to Rio Grande. I had never gone there yet, and it was a 5 hour trip. It was just us two and President Castro this time. President Castro deligates a lot and is really interested in what our opinion is. I remember when he got here and I called him about a question that two missionaries had asked me. His first response was "Well what do you think Elder?" I honestly didn´t know because nobody had ever asked me that before. I am trying to work more on not brining problems but solutions to the table. "President, we have this and this and this as a dificulty, but we could do this and that and this, to fix it." It is much more helpful that way and it seems less that you are whining and more about helping. 

Rio Grande was awesome, it was like being in Brookings, the smell of the ocean and fish :) President was doing interviews and we went on splits with two missionaries. Elder Wang and Elder Carvalho. It was great. we taught a few lessons, and I always like being with new missionaries. I relearned the importance of treating people like agents and not objects and also to teach simply so that the message can be understood instead of just covering the material. 

OH! also! there is a missionary from Rio Grande that was (or is) living with Grant in São Paulo, haha it was cool, I saw his picture on the ward announcements! Cool huh? small world. Grant will drink Chimarrão with me when we are both home. 

Well, I had to try out my sea legs too, because there is a branch that you have to travel by boat to get to in Rio Grande and President wanted to go visit on Friday morning to know what it was like there and to meet the ward mission leader that is really great there. It was just a half hour ride there and back, but it was fun to be out on the sea and to have a different experience. 

I really wish you could all get to know President Castro, cause he is amazing. On the trip home there was a part where it was a little quiet, everybody was deep in thought and I had made a list of questions I had for him haha ( you have to take the chance while you still have it) and some of my questions were about life-after-mission, and I didn´t really want to think about that that yet. But when we were in the car he suddenly said that he had the impression that he needed to ask us if we had any questions or would like council about things like college, or work, or marriage for after the mission and that it was alright because we were near the end of our missions and that he knew we were responsible and could keep that locked up until afterwards. It was a really neat experience to see that The Lord inspires people to answer our prayers and I learned a lot. 

We are kind of in a jam to find people to teach again here and I would really like to have some good success before I leave and to leave a good teaching pool for Elder Barros and his next companion. We really need a miracle to find and baptize in these next few weeks. 

I am really glad to be with Elder Barros, it is different, but he is really commited and so it is nice to be able to push together in the work, sometimes I feel like I need to do better in keeping up with him actually, really dedicated. 

We visited a family that Elder Barros taught when he first started his mission today, ate lunch with them, they are way special. Loved it. 

Well I am gonna go now. All of my love

Elder David F Morgan

Forgiveness and Transfers, you'll be best friends someday, GET ME OUT OF HERE!!

Óla!!! 

My title is just to help me not forget some of the things I wanted to write about. 

First of all, mom and dad, you are both forgiven for not having written me this last week. Your only chastising is that you have to pass through the shame of me having announced in this email that you both forgot. But I love you and I am glad that you pased that time serving other people. 

Okay, so we had transfers this last tuesday. It is a great time to be a missionary in Porto Alegre, and any other part of the world, with the announcement that the missionary age has been reduced, so many great young men and women are coming to serve The Lord full time as missionaries. This last week we received a group of 22 missionaries! only 3 left the field and we opened 10 new areas on our mission, another zone and we will open another in Pelotas on the next transfer!! Woohoo! I really wish I could stick around here to see it happen... but enough of that thought! 

I love going and picking up the new missionaries at the airport, one of my favorite things. Elder Barros (my new companion) showed up here on Monday, we spent most of the day getting ready for the huge transfer, after 22 new missionaries need 22 trainers, and we train the trainers. Elder Barros is one of the most Christ -like people I have ever met, he is also a little awkward and weird at times as well, but he has a real special spirit and the desire to follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost and is commiteed to following those impressions. Elder Singelo was a great companion, a lot of fire, but Elder Barros is calm, reserved and very thoughtful, it is interesting being companion of the two. I had the chance to go on exchanges with Elder Barros near the begining of the last transfer and I really enjoyed it and felt great with him. When it came time for us to give our suggestions to President Castro about the transfers, I put his name of the list to be my new companion ( it is weird being able to do that) clearly that I don't decide the transfers, it is The Lord who does that, but I felt really right putting his name there, and look what happened. 

So ya, transfer. We picked up the new missionaries at the airport. First rule of transfers, everything goes exactly the oppposite of what was planned. The flight delayed, we made mistakes in the tickets for the missionaries traveling by bus, our training ran over time, we had to switch what restaurant we would take them to at the last minute, and everyting else you can imagine. BUT, as incredible as it seems, it all came together and everything worked out! Miracles DO happen. 

Training with Elder Barros is fun, but you make a plan, and he doesn´t follow it AT ALL! haha, so it is ALL just going with the flow, but I feel like it was alright, we have zone council next week and we will see what happens, we were planning a bit of our training for that today. 

I forgot to mention a funny story. We travelled to Pelotas last weeks, or the week before, I don´t remember, we were with the whole Castro family. He has two sons, Gabriel who is 12 and Lucas who is 8. Ha, no matter who you are son of, boys will be boys and at some moment during the trip  they started in with a mild... discussion, it was quickly finished, it didn´t last really long, but at some moment I remember commenting afterwards that someday they would be best friends, and that they don´t believe me, because my parents used to say the same thing to me about my brothers and I didnt believe them, but now, my best friends truly are my brother and sisters. Funny how that works out right? Okay my time is up. Love you a lot

Also, we are staying here in the office WAYYYYY too much lately, so many things to do, I want to get outside! 

Loves. 

Elder Morgan

Ola!

Óla!

Okay, gotta get started.

I had an interesting week. I just don´t remember it (SUPRISE!) but I will try to go through what I can piece out as being part of this week and worth writing about.

 

Monday we always start off calling the zone leaders in the mission for, what I think is called Weekly Call in Report in English. We follow up on the progress of the zone, see what the challenges are and what is going well, for us to be able to help them, and also to be able to pass on for President Castro what is happening in the mission. Honestly I had an experience of inner conflict and trying to get my heart in the right place this week during this process of calling. One week I call for the leaders here in Porto Alegre, and the next week I rotate and call the zones outside of the capital, including Pelotas.

 

When i called Pelotas, they are having a great success there, and The Lord is blessing them very very much. Including in the area where I passed in Princesa Isabel. When I got there the zone was really in a jam and The Lord helped us out a lot and the missionaries really got to work and things were picking up, but it was hard. In the end we helped the zone out a lot, but now the work is exploding! The Lord is showering out blessings. Sadly instead of being happy, I complained in my heart (suggestion, thou shalt not whine) wondering why when I had worked SO hard there and for quite some time, that when I was there, we hadn´t received such blessings, and that when I leave, without breaking a sweat there is a load of blessings for the new missionaries. I felt jelous, hurt, selfish, and like The Lord had let me down, and also I let thougths in that, it was my fault, that all of this could have happened all along if I had been better. Sure you can say things about being in The Lord´s time or The Lord´s will, or that I helped prepare and plant seeds etc. But honestly, that doesn´t help too much. To make what could be a very detailed report, shorter I will get to the point. I prayed for help and that The Lord would help me be happy for such good things happening in a place that I love and with people I love, but usually, He just gives us the means, He doesnt just hand us what we want. The Spirit helped me to grasp one thought about what I had learned with all of time there. Cool, that a missionary will get to an area and already have something waiting for him there but what will he learn with that? I learned to be diligent, to work hard, and even though something doesn´t go right all at once, to keep pushing on. I learned to take a lot of no´s, and to react to dissappointments by still being happy and positive. I had the time to work with a lot of great missionaries and to learn with them, especially my companions, I learned to be a better leader, and The Lord made it clear that, it is HE who allows us to be blessed, that I have the privilege to serve, I am the one gaining here, I´m not paying some great favor to God here, He is giving me the blessing and privilege to serve Him, and that we missionaries, are just the tools, it doesn´t matter how good I am, it is He who does the converting. If the Lord was going to use His best tools, he could call on any number of angels to do what he needs, and would do a much better job than any of us, what a blessing to serve The Lord, and He gives us great blessings in return for our service.

 The Lord is looking at the big picture, and knows what I will need in the years ahead in my life, and sometimes he witholds what we want at the moment to give us what we really need, or transfers our blessings to another person we love who is needing it. I hope I did okay summing it up, and passing on more or less the really important lesson, if not, ask me more about it later someday.

 

Tuesday we were going to travel to Bagé (way far away) but we ended up not going because President Castro needed to work on the transfers for next week, but on Wednesday we went to Pelotas to go on exchanges with another companionship there. It was fun and neat traveling with the whole Castro Family ha, they went to Jaguarão on the  frontier with Urugay, and we stayed in Pelotas. I worked with Elder Martin that day. We had a great experience together, it was a sweet day, but we taught a lot, he was able to ask a lot of questions ( he has five weeks in the mission field) but we spoke in 

Portuguese the whole time so he is already speaking very well and teaches way good. I was really impressed, and I feel jealous of how much time he has left to be a full time missionary. I love going on exchanges, we have a goal to do two every week. We do a lot of training, and practices, and we talk a lot with the other missionaries, but nothing substitutes working along side someone to show what you are trying to teach, and to learn with them.

Thursday night, President Castro showed us the transfers for next week before he went to São Paulo for a mission Presidents Conference. At nine thirty he read an email that he needed to bring daily planers for last transfer of a few zone leaders and also stories from the mission about members inviting people to come and see how the church is. So we got home and called all over the place looking for these true stories and also trying to find planners for him to take the next morning, so he rewarded us with letting us see the transfer early :)

I also went on exchanges with Elder de Almeida yesterday! It was actually a really long kind of crumby day that nothing happened, but I liked just being with him again. There was a crazy girl following us around though, it was nuts, she keeps showing up everywhere

Today, we and the secretaries. Elder Gomes and Elder Demars went to The Temple. It was nice to go again, I feel like it was really fast though. I really enjoyed it but I feel like I could have prepared a little bit better to go. I love being there though. The Temple is  lot like going on a mission. Sometimes we go on a mission but don´t let the mission experience enter into us, I have similar feelings about The Temple, but also it doesn´t come all at once, you need to go a lot.

 

Today Helena is going to be baptized! She is so special and really converted, a person of very simple but profound faith. I will try and send the pictures of her baptism.

It was neat the Sevanir invited her and that they will be going to church together, one strengthening the other. It is the best way for sometime to remain active in The Gospel, two entering in together.

 

Wow, this is kind of turning into a long email. I actually had more to say too, ha. I had a really good study last week and I really wanted to share a little bit. Anyways, I love you all so very much. Honestly I am not TOO anxious to see ya haha but I love you lots. Ha I already know who my next companion is. Another from Rio de Janeiro, way spiritual, it will be good. 

LOVES

Elder David F Morgan