Óla!
So, once again I will be starting my email like this: Wow, I´m tired, haha just getting that out of the way.
We had a week that was not EXCELLENTE but had some good parts!
We started teaching a guy named Maicon, He is 23 years old, very intelligent, and interestingly.. blind. We invited him to be baptized and he accepted to prepare himself for baptism and to learn more. He came to church on Sunday and really liked it a lot. He lives really close to a recent convert named Carol so he went with her and she has been there to answer questions for him and everything. We are working on getting a copy of The Book of Mormon ( or O Livro de Mórmon) in audio or brail for him. We found one in brail, but it was english, why? I don´t know. He is way nice and pays attention to EVERYTHING, he told me it is easy to pick me out because of my accent, I am the gringo haha. But my accent is getting better, there is some people who haven´t believed me when I said I was north american, they think I am from Santa Catarina or something like that. Anyways he went to church fasting and has a lot of curiosity to know more, and we have lots of hopes for me, please keep him in your prayers, we hope for him to be baptized at the end of this month.
We are also teaching a lady named Silvana, her son is already a member of the church and she is very interested, wants to be baptzed, but is just having some problems giving up her smokes. We are making goals and helping her with that, we even thought of using this as a way to find people to teach, offer classes about how to quit smoking, you would be suprised at how much of that we do as missionaries. She is way funny, we and another member gave her a blessing this last week, and she lives way close to the relief society president that helps her a lot.
Also, on Friday all of our lights went out, (Elder Alencar was taking a shower and it went cold on him hehe) we passed the weekend just using candles because we couldn´t get an electrition... electrician... how do you spell that? In portuguese it´s eletricista. Anyways he was only able to come today, so we have power again.
We have been receiving a lot of member referals lately, almost too many for us to keep up with, but President Castro has really been stressing that we work with members and priesthood leaders, we managed to meet some of these referals and a few are GOLDEN, we just need to start teaching them now. We were going to have a family night yesterday with a couple in the ward and another young couple, but at the last minute they had to cancel.. bummer. Please pray for us to have success with this, and that these people with be able to meet with us and open to The Gospel.
We have been walking ALOT, our area is like a giant bowl, and we live in the middle, but anywhere else we want to go is up up up. It is good though. We also had interviews with the rest of the zone this last Friday, President Castro talked with Elder Alencar and I at the end to talk about our zone and what we could do. Again, already love that man. It seems weird to think he has only been here three weeks.
We used the frisbee today, playing soccer, and frisbee etc. It was way fun, just WAY too many people.
OH!!! I learned how to solve a rubiks cube this week too!
In closing, I have been thinking a lot about the concept of gossip this week. It really isn´t necessary. I don´t know if it is a hymn or just a song, but it was sung at General Conference, titled. ´Let us all speak kind words to each other´ I would add, to and about each other. Let us see others as The Savior sees us and speak kindly to others. Just something I have been thinking about recently. All of my love!
Elder David F. Morgan
Monday, July 16, 2012
Sem Assunto
Óla!
So, once again I will be starting my email like this: Wow, I´m tired, haha just getting that out of the way.
We had a week that was not EXCELLENTE but had some good parts!
We started teaching a guy named Maicon, He is 23 years old, very intelligent, and interestingly.. blind. We invited him to be baptized and he accepted to prepare himself for baptism and to learn more. He came to church on Sunday and really liked it a lot. He lives really close to a recent convert named Carol so he went with her and she has been there to answer questions for him and everything. We are working on getting a copy of The Book of Mormon ( or O Livro de Mórmon) in audio or brail for him. We found one in brail, but it was english, why? I don´t know. He is way nice and pays attention to EVERYTHING, he told me it is easy to pick me out because of my accent, I am the gringo haha. But my accent is getting better, there is some people who haven´t believed me when I said I was north american, they think I am from Santa Catarina or something like that. Anyways he went to church fasting and has a lot of curiosity to know more, and we have lots of hopes for me, please keep him in your prayers, we hope for him to be baptized at the end of this month.
We are also teaching a lady named Silvana, her son is already a member of the church and she is very interested, wants to be baptzed, but is just having some problems giving up her smokes. We are making goals and helping her with that, we even thought of using this as a way to find people to teach, offer classes about how to quit smoking, you would be suprised at how much of that we do as missionaries. She is way funny, we and another member gave her a blessing this last week, and she lives way close to the relief society president that helps her a lot.
Also, on Friday all of our lights went out, (Elder Alencar was taking a shower and it went cold on him hehe) we passed the weekend just using candles because we couldn´t get an electrition... electrician... how do you spell that? In portuguese it´s eletricista. Anyways he was only able to come today, so we have power again.
We have been receiving a lot of member referals lately, almost too many for us to keep up with, but President Castro has really been stressing that we work with members and priesthood leaders, we managed to meet some of these referals and a few are GOLDEN, we just need to start teaching them now. We were going to have a family night yesterday with a couple in the ward and another young couple, but at the last minute they had to cancel.. bummer. Please pray for us to have success with this, and that these people with be able to meet with us and open to The Gospel.
We have been walking ALOT, our area is like a giant bowl, and we live in the middle, but anywhere else we want to go is up up up. It is good though. We also had interviews with the rest of the zone this last Friday, President Castro talked with Elder Alencar and I at the end to talk about our zone and what we could do. Again, already love that man. It seems weird to think he has only been here three weeks.
We used the frisbee today, playing soccer, and frisbee etc. It was way fun, just WAY too many people.
OH!!! I learned how to solve a rubiks cube this week too!
In closing, I have been thinking a lot about the concept of gossip this week. It really isn´t necessary. I don´t know if it is a hymn or just a song, but it was sung at General Conference, titled. ´Let us all speak kind words to each other´ I would add, to and about each other. Let us see others as The Savior sees us and speak kindly to others. Just something I have been thinking about recently. All of my love!
Elder David F. Morgan
So, once again I will be starting my email like this: Wow, I´m tired, haha just getting that out of the way.
We had a week that was not EXCELLENTE but had some good parts!
We started teaching a guy named Maicon, He is 23 years old, very intelligent, and interestingly.. blind. We invited him to be baptized and he accepted to prepare himself for baptism and to learn more. He came to church on Sunday and really liked it a lot. He lives really close to a recent convert named Carol so he went with her and she has been there to answer questions for him and everything. We are working on getting a copy of The Book of Mormon ( or O Livro de Mórmon) in audio or brail for him. We found one in brail, but it was english, why? I don´t know. He is way nice and pays attention to EVERYTHING, he told me it is easy to pick me out because of my accent, I am the gringo haha. But my accent is getting better, there is some people who haven´t believed me when I said I was north american, they think I am from Santa Catarina or something like that. Anyways he went to church fasting and has a lot of curiosity to know more, and we have lots of hopes for me, please keep him in your prayers, we hope for him to be baptized at the end of this month.
We are also teaching a lady named Silvana, her son is already a member of the church and she is very interested, wants to be baptzed, but is just having some problems giving up her smokes. We are making goals and helping her with that, we even thought of using this as a way to find people to teach, offer classes about how to quit smoking, you would be suprised at how much of that we do as missionaries. She is way funny, we and another member gave her a blessing this last week, and she lives way close to the relief society president that helps her a lot.
Also, on Friday all of our lights went out, (Elder Alencar was taking a shower and it went cold on him hehe) we passed the weekend just using candles because we couldn´t get an electrition... electrician... how do you spell that? In portuguese it´s eletricista. Anyways he was only able to come today, so we have power again.
We have been receiving a lot of member referals lately, almost too many for us to keep up with, but President Castro has really been stressing that we work with members and priesthood leaders, we managed to meet some of these referals and a few are GOLDEN, we just need to start teaching them now. We were going to have a family night yesterday with a couple in the ward and another young couple, but at the last minute they had to cancel.. bummer. Please pray for us to have success with this, and that these people with be able to meet with us and open to The Gospel.
We have been walking ALOT, our area is like a giant bowl, and we live in the middle, but anywhere else we want to go is up up up. It is good though. We also had interviews with the rest of the zone this last Friday, President Castro talked with Elder Alencar and I at the end to talk about our zone and what we could do. Again, already love that man. It seems weird to think he has only been here three weeks.
We used the frisbee today, playing soccer, and frisbee etc. It was way fun, just WAY too many people.
OH!!! I learned how to solve a rubiks cube this week too!
In closing, I have been thinking a lot about the concept of gossip this week. It really isn´t necessary. I don´t know if it is a hymn or just a song, but it was sung at General Conference, titled. ´Let us all speak kind words to each other´ I would add, to and about each other. Let us see others as The Savior sees us and speak kindly to others. Just something I have been thinking about recently. All of my love!
Elder David F. Morgan
Monday, July 9, 2012
A fast one
Óla
So this is going to be VERY quick.
We had Zone Leaders Council on Tuesday. 4 1/2 hours of training and then interviews. BTWS our new President, President Castro is... AWESOME! Already love him to death. We talked about working with the members and we practiced asking and following up with referals. My interview was really good.
Cool Experience!:
When we were in the mission office a lady came in, she told us she was looking to find out more about the church and about the missionaries. Why we do what we do. No better time to show up, or place to go. Mission Leadership and a new mission President, we started sharing experiences with her and explaining things for her.
It was really neat, she told us that she wanted to know more because she said ´sometimes people are downright rude to you guys, and it doesnt faze you, you just keep smiling and talk to more people´ she couldn´t understand it and she talked about the warmth she feels when she talks with the missionaries etc. We told her about The Spirit, and we do this only for love of God and our brothers and sisters. She accepted us meeting with her (lives in the assitants area) and in weekly report today, Elder Tolentino (assitant) told me she went to church, and wants to be baptized! Miracles Happen!
Our goal as a mission this month is 100 people baptized, and we are really working hard to help people make until baptism and continued activity in the church. We are doing this by working really closely w/ the members and priesthood leaders of the church. I am really praying for this miracle in the ´whole entire´ mission. haha
We also had Zone Conference on Tuesday. We met Sister Castro (from Urugay) her accent is really a mix of Spanish and Portuguese but we understand everything she says. They also have 3 kids with them here. The whole family is really great.
We had a tiring week, I hope to see lots of fruit from this work and training.
Thats all I have time for.
I love you, and thank you for your thoughts and prayers on my behalf.
Elder D. F. Morgan
So this is going to be VERY quick.
We had Zone Leaders Council on Tuesday. 4 1/2 hours of training and then interviews. BTWS our new President, President Castro is... AWESOME! Already love him to death. We talked about working with the members and we practiced asking and following up with referals. My interview was really good.
Cool Experience!:
When we were in the mission office a lady came in, she told us she was looking to find out more about the church and about the missionaries. Why we do what we do. No better time to show up, or place to go. Mission Leadership and a new mission President, we started sharing experiences with her and explaining things for her.
It was really neat, she told us that she wanted to know more because she said ´sometimes people are downright rude to you guys, and it doesnt faze you, you just keep smiling and talk to more people´ she couldn´t understand it and she talked about the warmth she feels when she talks with the missionaries etc. We told her about The Spirit, and we do this only for love of God and our brothers and sisters. She accepted us meeting with her (lives in the assitants area) and in weekly report today, Elder Tolentino (assitant) told me she went to church, and wants to be baptized! Miracles Happen!
Our goal as a mission this month is 100 people baptized, and we are really working hard to help people make until baptism and continued activity in the church. We are doing this by working really closely w/ the members and priesthood leaders of the church. I am really praying for this miracle in the ´whole entire´ mission. haha
We also had Zone Conference on Tuesday. We met Sister Castro (from Urugay) her accent is really a mix of Spanish and Portuguese but we understand everything she says. They also have 3 kids with them here. The whole family is really great.
We had a tiring week, I hope to see lots of fruit from this work and training.
Thats all I have time for.
I love you, and thank you for your thoughts and prayers on my behalf.
Elder D. F. Morgan
Monday, July 2, 2012
new transfer, area, and president
Wow, I just lost what was quite a sizable email, and all of my attempts to recover it have been futile. Prepare yourselves for the revised version cause I am too lazy to write it out again, I have been cleaning ALL day.
Óla!
So yup, I got transfered. I am in Medianeira ( Zone Porto Alegre) w/ my new companion Elder Alencar from Fortaleza, Ceará (up north... which is still south for you ha. ) He is way cool, I already like him. I would say he is excited or upbeat.. but I think he passes either one of those two words... maybe hyper-active would be more accurate. He plays guitar and sings though, so that it fun ha. So far, really like him. I miss Elder Amaral soooo much though, I love him a lot, I was really looking forward to another transfer with him. (Still slightly upset about being transfered, but trying to mantain a submissive humility in compliance w/ The Lords´will :P ) It was really hard to say good bye to everyone in Agronomia though, I will miss them a lot, I can although already see some of The Lords´ wisdom in transfering me.
By the way, advice for future missionaries. When you are transfered. PLEASE leave the apartment at least semi-clean for the next guy. All I am going to say about that.
Sad news: President and Sister Swenson left for home on Saturday.. :(
Happy news: President and Sister Castro and family showed up on Saturday. (still haven´t met them)
We have zone council tomorrow followed by interviews w/ all the ZL´s tomorrow so we will know who they are finally , plus on Wednesday we have zone conference, again followed by interviews. We will be leaving last becaue we live the closest, so anybody who has to transfer will be interviewed and leave first. It might be a long two days, I am really excited though.
By the way, my English has gotten way better, SO much easier to switch back and forth now.
Sounds like you are having a bumper crop of fruit back home, I love telling people the variaties of fruit in our yard, things like raspberries and blackberries and cherries are rare and expensive here. But we run a little short on guava and mango in the states, and also, bananas are WAY better here.
We have a few investgators here already and they are progressing well, but our teaching pool is really small, we are working on doing some activities to excite the ward a bit and work with member referals. ( I challenge ALL of you who read this to think of somebody that you could refer the missionaries to pass this referal to them, or better, talk with your friend and invite them, and then invite the missionaries, helps SOOO much, or if you would like to hear the missionaries, talk to you closest LDS friend and they can help you out.)
So that is the more or less resumed email, that still turned out to be a good length really. I love you all, hope all is well. Thank you for all your prayers on my behalf.
Elder David F Morgan
Óla!
So yup, I got transfered. I am in Medianeira ( Zone Porto Alegre) w/ my new companion Elder Alencar from Fortaleza, Ceará (up north... which is still south for you ha. ) He is way cool, I already like him. I would say he is excited or upbeat.. but I think he passes either one of those two words... maybe hyper-active would be more accurate. He plays guitar and sings though, so that it fun ha. So far, really like him. I miss Elder Amaral soooo much though, I love him a lot, I was really looking forward to another transfer with him. (Still slightly upset about being transfered, but trying to mantain a submissive humility in compliance w/ The Lords´will :P ) It was really hard to say good bye to everyone in Agronomia though, I will miss them a lot, I can although already see some of The Lords´ wisdom in transfering me.
By the way, advice for future missionaries. When you are transfered. PLEASE leave the apartment at least semi-clean for the next guy. All I am going to say about that.
Sad news: President and Sister Swenson left for home on Saturday.. :(
Happy news: President and Sister Castro and family showed up on Saturday. (still haven´t met them)
We have zone council tomorrow followed by interviews w/ all the ZL´s tomorrow so we will know who they are finally , plus on Wednesday we have zone conference, again followed by interviews. We will be leaving last becaue we live the closest, so anybody who has to transfer will be interviewed and leave first. It might be a long two days, I am really excited though.
By the way, my English has gotten way better, SO much easier to switch back and forth now.
Sounds like you are having a bumper crop of fruit back home, I love telling people the variaties of fruit in our yard, things like raspberries and blackberries and cherries are rare and expensive here. But we run a little short on guava and mango in the states, and also, bananas are WAY better here.
We have a few investgators here already and they are progressing well, but our teaching pool is really small, we are working on doing some activities to excite the ward a bit and work with member referals. ( I challenge ALL of you who read this to think of somebody that you could refer the missionaries to pass this referal to them, or better, talk with your friend and invite them, and then invite the missionaries, helps SOOO much, or if you would like to hear the missionaries, talk to you closest LDS friend and they can help you out.)
So that is the more or less resumed email, that still turned out to be a good length really. I love you all, hope all is well. Thank you for all your prayers on my behalf.
Elder David F Morgan
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Activity! Divisions! and....ya...Transfers...
Óla!
Well, to be honest, I am completely revolted at the moment. I got transfered. But more on that later.
Well, we have been trying to do something new and different around here, to try and have some different results and not get stuck in the same routine, there are many ways to find people to teach and to share the gospel.
This week we turned the cultural hall into.... The Sacred Grove. (would you believe that in the rush of the moment I forgot to take a picture... AHHH!!!!) but it was way cool, except that we didn´t have the results that we wanted (we told the members they had to invite a friend or less active member of the church, they didn´t listen) It was way cool though, we gave a part to each member to read a bit of the first lesson and then Bishop Eduardo explained about Joseph Smith and The First Vision while I was giving a little piano in the background. We had a choir too and basically it was a different way of presenting it, for a full explanation, wait another ten months until I get home. AH ten months?!?!?! WHAT?!?! way too fast.
We didn´t get to teach much because we were preparing for this activity and banking on having a lot of referals and new investigators, didn´t happen, so Elder Amaral and I went on splits with some young men in the ward for the last two days to try and find lots of new people, we did alright. Me and Nathan found a really great couple last night that are REALLY interested and way great. I hope Elder Amaral and Elder Arnow have lots of success with them. With that said. I got transfered.
So I wasn´t really worried about trasnfers, and every time that I stay really traquil about transfers, I get transfered, so I knew that I was going. I am really bummed. This last month and a half with Elder Amaral went by soooo fast and it seems like yesterday that I got here. Time as a missionary is going by way fast. I can´t even express how sad I am to be leaving, I want to stay soo bad. I love the ward and the people here a bunch. It seems like everywhere I go that my love just explodes, and I know I will love the people in Medianeira (new area) just as much too, but it is really hard to say good bye here too, especially on such short notice, I know I won´t get to say goodbye to everyone. Wow, I am really excited to show you all my pictures of the people here and tell you all about them, they are so wonderful. Wish you could all get to know them.
We are also in the middle of an adventure, because we had to have a medical consult for Elder Amaral today, he has something under his arm, that I won´t even guess how to say in english, that they probably have to cut him. So we are transfering, doing minor sugery, and also our zone got enveloped by another zone here in the mission so now they have lots of other missionaries to take care of. My new zone is going to be pretty small, so it should be pretty nice, I think just 10 other missionaries or something like that. not the twenty that Elder Amaral is going to stay with. It seems a little cruel, Elder Amaral is so great and I was so excited to be with him and I am already getting transfered. Anyways, enough about that. Pretty much love him and this place, that´s all I gotta say about that.
It sounded really fun with the whole family together, I liked the picture everybody is really looking good, I don´t know why you did a picture of mine to chop up and put in there haha, I am the only ugly one in the picture. (something about Brasil, they are a lot more blunt, but not blunt, there are just less words to decribe things, so you call people ugly, or fat, or poor. it is kind of funny, you can´t really beat around the bush)
But in the other words, the picture was lovely, I will send you a better picture that gets my good side ha so you can photo shop me in from now on.
Okay, gonna run. Love ya
Seu Filho, Irmão, e Amigo
Elder David F Morgan
Well, to be honest, I am completely revolted at the moment. I got transfered. But more on that later.
Well, we have been trying to do something new and different around here, to try and have some different results and not get stuck in the same routine, there are many ways to find people to teach and to share the gospel.
This week we turned the cultural hall into.... The Sacred Grove. (would you believe that in the rush of the moment I forgot to take a picture... AHHH!!!!) but it was way cool, except that we didn´t have the results that we wanted (we told the members they had to invite a friend or less active member of the church, they didn´t listen) It was way cool though, we gave a part to each member to read a bit of the first lesson and then Bishop Eduardo explained about Joseph Smith and The First Vision while I was giving a little piano in the background. We had a choir too and basically it was a different way of presenting it, for a full explanation, wait another ten months until I get home. AH ten months?!?!?! WHAT?!?! way too fast.
We didn´t get to teach much because we were preparing for this activity and banking on having a lot of referals and new investigators, didn´t happen, so Elder Amaral and I went on splits with some young men in the ward for the last two days to try and find lots of new people, we did alright. Me and Nathan found a really great couple last night that are REALLY interested and way great. I hope Elder Amaral and Elder Arnow have lots of success with them. With that said. I got transfered.
So I wasn´t really worried about trasnfers, and every time that I stay really traquil about transfers, I get transfered, so I knew that I was going. I am really bummed. This last month and a half with Elder Amaral went by soooo fast and it seems like yesterday that I got here. Time as a missionary is going by way fast. I can´t even express how sad I am to be leaving, I want to stay soo bad. I love the ward and the people here a bunch. It seems like everywhere I go that my love just explodes, and I know I will love the people in Medianeira (new area) just as much too, but it is really hard to say good bye here too, especially on such short notice, I know I won´t get to say goodbye to everyone. Wow, I am really excited to show you all my pictures of the people here and tell you all about them, they are so wonderful. Wish you could all get to know them.
We are also in the middle of an adventure, because we had to have a medical consult for Elder Amaral today, he has something under his arm, that I won´t even guess how to say in english, that they probably have to cut him. So we are transfering, doing minor sugery, and also our zone got enveloped by another zone here in the mission so now they have lots of other missionaries to take care of. My new zone is going to be pretty small, so it should be pretty nice, I think just 10 other missionaries or something like that. not the twenty that Elder Amaral is going to stay with. It seems a little cruel, Elder Amaral is so great and I was so excited to be with him and I am already getting transfered. Anyways, enough about that. Pretty much love him and this place, that´s all I gotta say about that.
It sounded really fun with the whole family together, I liked the picture everybody is really looking good, I don´t know why you did a picture of mine to chop up and put in there haha, I am the only ugly one in the picture. (something about Brasil, they are a lot more blunt, but not blunt, there are just less words to decribe things, so you call people ugly, or fat, or poor. it is kind of funny, you can´t really beat around the bush)
But in the other words, the picture was lovely, I will send you a better picture that gets my good side ha so you can photo shop me in from now on.
Okay, gonna run. Love ya
Seu Filho, Irmão, e Amigo
Elder David F Morgan
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Ói!
Truthfully I don´t really believe that I am already writing to you again, this was a pretty fast week. Can I just mention again that I can´t believe Shaun is graduated and there are no more Morgans in the Medford public school system?! Wow, now that I think about it, this week seemed pretty long...
On Tuesday we had our last zone conference with President and Sister Swenson before they leave. It was actually pretty normal but helped a lot, we talked about establishing goals and then making plans to fufill those goals. We ought to have goals and plans in our lived to acheive our full potenical. I like something that President said. ´We must set goals, and THEN make plans, if we don´t do it in that order we aren´t leaving space for faith, and for miracles´ I have found that to be true.
We also sang ´We´ll bring the World His Truth´ for them and a poem that a sister wrote, I was going to play piano, ha but I ended up conducting. It was touching and just nice, trying to show them how much we really do love them. They are so great, I can harldy believe that in two weeks we will have another mission president. SOOOO weird.
I finished reading and marking The Book of Mormon this week. a challenge that Sister Swenson gave to us FOREVER ago (when I was still in Pelotas) It was a very rewarding experience and helped me to gain a greater love for the written word of The Lord, and I learned that I don´t know as much as I thought I did. ( a common missionary experience) I really know that Book was inspired of God, was preserved for our time, and that through learning and applying it´s teachings we will come closer to our Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ and will find more peace and direction in this life. It really does answer the questions of our souls.
We worked really hard this week, it wasn´t perfect, but we really put in a lot of effort, tried to meet our goals and help as many people and invite as many people as we could. I really felt good, just that great feeling inside that confirms that what I am doing is right, that feeling made me thirst after it more, I just really wanted to be good, to do the right thing, and I felt content.
We found a couple to teach. Tiago and Daiana. They are quiet, but listen and are really learning what we teach them and we taught them about how families can be together forever if we make certain covenants with God through His authority, we can be sealed together forever. Their marraige and family and be perpetuated even after this life. They became much more interested and are progressing well, but then left this weekend and so they weren´t at church with us.
We also ate lunch with Christiane this week, she is so happy after having been baptized, it is great to see how The Gospel makes such a difference in peoples lives. Her husband, Paulo is a member of the church too, but never goes, it has been a long time, but is starting to open up a little more too and listens to the lessons and talks with us. I hope we can get them both going to church together.
Oh, I braved it and let Elder Amaral cut my hair today too, I didn´t want to cut it super short with my clipper and didn´t want to go pay so I just handed him the siccors and comb and he went to work, it actually didn´t turn out bad, I was pleased and he was just tickled with himself.
That´s all for now. Just a thought I have been having. The Gospel is all about truth, light, honesty. Anything that we feel like we would be ashamed of or have to hide, probably not something worth our time, but we should be true and honest. It is kind of hard to put this thought down in an email. But let all of our works be clear and full of truth, we will feel better and more comfortable with ourselves.
Hope that makes sense. I love you all.
Sinceramente
Élder David F. Morgan
Truthfully I don´t really believe that I am already writing to you again, this was a pretty fast week. Can I just mention again that I can´t believe Shaun is graduated and there are no more Morgans in the Medford public school system?! Wow, now that I think about it, this week seemed pretty long...
On Tuesday we had our last zone conference with President and Sister Swenson before they leave. It was actually pretty normal but helped a lot, we talked about establishing goals and then making plans to fufill those goals. We ought to have goals and plans in our lived to acheive our full potenical. I like something that President said. ´We must set goals, and THEN make plans, if we don´t do it in that order we aren´t leaving space for faith, and for miracles´ I have found that to be true.
We also sang ´We´ll bring the World His Truth´ for them and a poem that a sister wrote, I was going to play piano, ha but I ended up conducting. It was touching and just nice, trying to show them how much we really do love them. They are so great, I can harldy believe that in two weeks we will have another mission president. SOOOO weird.
I finished reading and marking The Book of Mormon this week. a challenge that Sister Swenson gave to us FOREVER ago (when I was still in Pelotas) It was a very rewarding experience and helped me to gain a greater love for the written word of The Lord, and I learned that I don´t know as much as I thought I did. ( a common missionary experience) I really know that Book was inspired of God, was preserved for our time, and that through learning and applying it´s teachings we will come closer to our Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ and will find more peace and direction in this life. It really does answer the questions of our souls.
We worked really hard this week, it wasn´t perfect, but we really put in a lot of effort, tried to meet our goals and help as many people and invite as many people as we could. I really felt good, just that great feeling inside that confirms that what I am doing is right, that feeling made me thirst after it more, I just really wanted to be good, to do the right thing, and I felt content.
We found a couple to teach. Tiago and Daiana. They are quiet, but listen and are really learning what we teach them and we taught them about how families can be together forever if we make certain covenants with God through His authority, we can be sealed together forever. Their marraige and family and be perpetuated even after this life. They became much more interested and are progressing well, but then left this weekend and so they weren´t at church with us.
We also ate lunch with Christiane this week, she is so happy after having been baptized, it is great to see how The Gospel makes such a difference in peoples lives. Her husband, Paulo is a member of the church too, but never goes, it has been a long time, but is starting to open up a little more too and listens to the lessons and talks with us. I hope we can get them both going to church together.
Oh, I braved it and let Elder Amaral cut my hair today too, I didn´t want to cut it super short with my clipper and didn´t want to go pay so I just handed him the siccors and comb and he went to work, it actually didn´t turn out bad, I was pleased and he was just tickled with himself.
That´s all for now. Just a thought I have been having. The Gospel is all about truth, light, honesty. Anything that we feel like we would be ashamed of or have to hide, probably not something worth our time, but we should be true and honest. It is kind of hard to put this thought down in an email. But let all of our works be clear and full of truth, we will feel better and more comfortable with ourselves.
Hope that makes sense. I love you all.
Sinceramente
Élder David F. Morgan
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Temple Dedication of Manaus
Óla
I know you all must be very busy with so much family being in town, I hope Grandma´s funeral was very nice, I hardly think it is possible to condense all the wonderfulness of Grandma´s life into such a short period of time, but I am sure that the dedication of her life touched many hearts. I hope you are all well and that you are enjoying the time together to remember the things that are of real importance.
We had a fairly good, but also trying week here. I love Elder Amaral lots and he makes it much easier to get through the current trials we are facing in our area, cause at least we are always laughing together. We are having a hard time finding new people to teach and just do the over all missionary work. Conceição is still progressing well, she REALLY wants to be baptized so very bad, but is still having trouble getting out of the Sunday work. Please don´t forget to pray for her. We are really wanting to get out of whatever rut we seem to be in at the moment, it is a combination of a lot of things, I can tell that The Lord´s hand is in all things, and that He is blessing us a lot, and helping us to get back on top of everything again.
It finally got cold here, like gloves, and beanie and scarf cold. Then it warmed up again, should have a pretty hot week, but I got a friendly reminder that winter is on its´ way. During these two cold weeks, our shower head and heater both were broken. BRRRRR but a really great brother came over and he fixed them for us. He also gave me a new pair of shoes/boots, I still wear mine, but these new ones will be really good for when it starts raining (mostly because mine are unlined, there aren´t giant holes in them)
Very cool from this week was that yesterday, another temple was dedicated here in Brasil. The Brasil Manaus temple. Manaus is in the northernmost state of Brasil, while I am in the state furthest south. So, other side of the country that is huge, but still cool. The temple sits right on the bank of the Rio Negro of... that´s right, The Amazon. ´The Man´ came to dedicate the temple, and the dedication ceremony was really touching and it brought back many memories of when the Medford Temple was dedicated and when dad was working on the temple in Washington. President Faust was mentioned, he served here in the south, and loved the people of Brasil. I will always remember ´helping´ to put the corner stone mortor in, and that dad mentioned I should write a letter thanking him, then to my great suprise I got a letter back! I had a fun time sharing that with the other missionaries here. What a blessing to have yet another temple, here in Brasil, and in the world! All that we do as missionaries is directed to the blessings of the temple, and all the blessings of the temple point to Christ, the Plan of Happiness, and sealing our families togethr throughout all eternity. I am so grateful for the blessings of temples. This is what comforts me being so far away during this time in our family, I hope you can all remember the purpose of the temple and the Plan of Happiness.
That´s it for this week. I love you.
Elder David F Morgan
I know you all must be very busy with so much family being in town, I hope Grandma´s funeral was very nice, I hardly think it is possible to condense all the wonderfulness of Grandma´s life into such a short period of time, but I am sure that the dedication of her life touched many hearts. I hope you are all well and that you are enjoying the time together to remember the things that are of real importance.
We had a fairly good, but also trying week here. I love Elder Amaral lots and he makes it much easier to get through the current trials we are facing in our area, cause at least we are always laughing together. We are having a hard time finding new people to teach and just do the over all missionary work. Conceição is still progressing well, she REALLY wants to be baptized so very bad, but is still having trouble getting out of the Sunday work. Please don´t forget to pray for her. We are really wanting to get out of whatever rut we seem to be in at the moment, it is a combination of a lot of things, I can tell that The Lord´s hand is in all things, and that He is blessing us a lot, and helping us to get back on top of everything again.
It finally got cold here, like gloves, and beanie and scarf cold. Then it warmed up again, should have a pretty hot week, but I got a friendly reminder that winter is on its´ way. During these two cold weeks, our shower head and heater both were broken. BRRRRR but a really great brother came over and he fixed them for us. He also gave me a new pair of shoes/boots, I still wear mine, but these new ones will be really good for when it starts raining (mostly because mine are unlined, there aren´t giant holes in them)
Very cool from this week was that yesterday, another temple was dedicated here in Brasil. The Brasil Manaus temple. Manaus is in the northernmost state of Brasil, while I am in the state furthest south. So, other side of the country that is huge, but still cool. The temple sits right on the bank of the Rio Negro of... that´s right, The Amazon. ´The Man´ came to dedicate the temple, and the dedication ceremony was really touching and it brought back many memories of when the Medford Temple was dedicated and when dad was working on the temple in Washington. President Faust was mentioned, he served here in the south, and loved the people of Brasil. I will always remember ´helping´ to put the corner stone mortor in, and that dad mentioned I should write a letter thanking him, then to my great suprise I got a letter back! I had a fun time sharing that with the other missionaries here. What a blessing to have yet another temple, here in Brasil, and in the world! All that we do as missionaries is directed to the blessings of the temple, and all the blessings of the temple point to Christ, the Plan of Happiness, and sealing our families togethr throughout all eternity. I am so grateful for the blessings of temples. This is what comforts me being so far away during this time in our family, I hope you can all remember the purpose of the temple and the Plan of Happiness.
That´s it for this week. I love you.
Elder David F Morgan
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