From a Stake President

This is the 3rd post of the day, Tues, so make sure you get to all of them!

We received this email today, I'm so grateful to this Stake President and his wife to think of the families. I inserted the pictures in places where the text supported the picture, this just made me smile!

"Dear Parents of the elder serving in the Maricopa North Stake,

This past Sat. Kathy and I had your sons over for breakfast so that we could get to know the elders serving in our stake. When the other members in the stake presidency heard what we were doing they all wanted to come also. So my good councilors, clerk, and exc. sec. were all there.


We had such a good time visiting and hearing about the missionary work in the stake. I need you to know that I felt like we were on holy ground when 9 elders were all in our house. Knowing that they are giving 2 years to the Lord makes one humble when you are around them. The same day I was able to go to a baptism with Elder Phillips and Guileman. Then a baptism with elder Brumwell, Davenport and Craig. Later that night I was with them at a reception. I know that elder Hoopes and Morgan had a baptism on Thursday that I was not able to attend. I met will all the elders on Sunday morning where they reported all the work they are doing in the stake. I want you to know that they are all great elders, working hard, they look good and act like one that represents the Lord. I love to work with them. Thanks for supporting them and sending them to us. You all have great sons.
President Palmer Maricopa North Stake.

Dear Parents, I just needed to let you know that President Palmer and I had your wonderful sons in our home for breakfast last Sat. morning. What a joy they all are. They are working hard, obeying the rules, and have a wonderful spirit with them. It is fun to see their personalities come out when they are together. We have a son on a mission and it is so fun to hear from members that see them and have him come and eat. Thank you for your wonderful support for your sons. They feel your love and prayers and that helps the work progress. Thank you again for your sacrifice and your sons sacrifice.

Love, Sister Palmer"

I loved the part where Sis. Palmer talked about their personalities and then I added their silly picture! Love, Jenn =)

ps - I got this picture from the Stake Clerk about 15 minutes after I posted so I quick added it. We love that look on Jacob's face and had just talked about it tonight at the dinner table. hehe

Monday's E-mail

We got a great email from Jacob on Monday. Here is most of the letter:

"So I'm here in Arizona, it reminds me of Hawaii a lot because of the smell of sunscreen and all the palm trees. They definitely don't have cactus in Hawaii, it's still pretty cool. Cool as in awesome, not cold. My new companion is Elder Hoopes from Boise. He's been out for 7 1/2 months. He's awesome.

We are staying with a couple named the Hareses. Nicest people in the world! They have a 3 legged dog, she's little and cute. Her hopping around makes her even more cute. I'll try to get a video of her but she's afraid of cameras. I'm using Sister Hareses bike to ride around and on my second day was chased by my first dog! I was so excited! But anyway, P day's are now Monday's. Today we went to Walmart and spent a lot of time there. We looked at bikes and found one thats about $120. But Elder Hoopes called a Bishop that owns a bike shop to see if we can't get me a cheaper one.

I had my first Baptism this week. Debbie Dean. She's a wonderful lady and has a very funny redneck husband. We've made visits to a guy named David who is very strong in the church and wants to set up a baptismal date. There's a guy named Arturo who is very lonely and calls us alot just to talk but he really likes having us over. He likes to play Pokemon cards alot and Elder Hoopes had his mom send us his cards. So if it's not too much trouble do you think you could send me my Pokemon and Yu gi oh cards so we could visit him more and teach him. I'll send them right back once I get transferred.

No life changing experiences yet but I'm keeping my ears open for the Spirit. Thank you for all your love. Looking forward to hearing about your job hunting, dad. I know the Lord will bless you. He blessed me with parents who love the Lord and taught me well in proper worship. Love you all!

Elder Jacob Frank Morgan

Great to see him happy and excited! I think getting chased a dog is hilarious! Love, Jenn =)

Arrival Letter

We received our arrival letter from President Bassett on Saturday, I think I have my scanning problem fixed. It was post marked on the 22nd (Wed) and we received it on the 25th (Sat). That is a good idea how long the mail takes, 4 days. The address we are encouraged to use is the Mission Office address. They will forward the mail, they always know where the missionaries are and an address we may receive on his letters can get out of date and then are delayed longer. This is for packages, too. They can forward packages using USPS, not FedEX or UPS (they have to wait until someone is going to that area for a conference or meeting and could take weeks to deliver). So, if you decide to send him something, use the regular mail.


Here is part of President Bassett's letter:


"Enclosed is a picture of your son on the day of his arrival. We hope that you can see that he will be surrounded by those who will love him.

The Arizona Mesa Mission is a wonderful place to serve as a missionary. We are among strong and supportive members, we have two temples, a visitor's center ad many opportunities to teach the gospel. As you missionary serves diligently the Lord has promised, "And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up. (D&C 84:88)

May the Lord bless you and your family for Elder Morgan's faithful service to the Lord."


He is there officially a week! He is always in our prayers. I noticed he has a new haircut and tie, that must have been one of the MTC purchases. Love, Jenn =)

On to Arizona!

We have had quite a few days. It started yesterday with a letter from Jacob. Parentheses are my additions for explanation.

"So guess who is one of the teachers here, remember Elder Shelton? yep. He's teaching here! Today I went into his class and shared my testimony of having a member present during lessons since I went out with him a lot. I'm going to try and get a picture with him and me. (which he did)

Another one of the teachers is rumored to be one of the 3 Nephites. I know it sounds crazy, but you start to be amazed when he talks. He's really young and got off his mission about 4 years ago. But we set up teaching appointments with him and walk away with our mouths agape. (lol, I had to chuckle and smile...it's a joke)

P-days (Preparation Day - for laundry, cleaning, service, letter writing, personal stuff) are our days to go to the temple. On Sunday, Elder Caywood and I took a whole bunch of pictures of the temple. I'll send copies to you, some of them are pretty awesome."

It was a long letter, and he shared how a member of his branch Presidency met his wife. I have shortened it. They knew each other and couldn't remember where they had met before. They dated a few days before he went out on a submarine for 6 months, then they were married. At the time of their marriage they were told that they knew each other before they came to earth and covenanted that they would be "married for time and all eternity" Jacob says, "Through this story we can all learn a lesson about our eternal purposes and why we are here......Isn't that an awesome story? Anyway, thought you'd like that. Love you!" The story took about 2 1/2 pages to write and the details are cool.



On another note, he was able to get the 4-cousin picture. I hope to see that soon. We are going to get him another memory card for his camera. Then he will mail it to us, and send the cards back and forth.

We also got a call last night from the MTC Referral Center. It was a Sister Missionary going to the Independence Visitor's Center. She was calling for Jacob, as he had given a referral for one of his friends who we have talked with about the church, who has asked some very good questions, talked with Missionaries in our home, etc. So, I gave her the number and we had a nice conversation.

Jacob called us from the airport this morning, bright and early! 6:30, he had been up since 3:30am. It was so good to hear his voice and hear the joy and excitement. We put him on speaker phone and every one got to talk with him and listen. He talked about little tid bits, here and there, not much new stuff. It was just nice to hear his voice. There have been a few snafu's with his bank account, but we hope to get that taken care of and back on track.

Well, now to get his bike taken care of. Another week to get new letters in the right direction. Now, that we are getting him settled with money, we can focus on Mallory graduating and Mike getting a job. Thanks for checking in and being curious. Love, Jenn =)

Unexpected Guest

We got a great email from Jacob this week. Becca got one too and there were some fun things in her letter like the pet-update, info about his companions, one auditioned for American Idol, one is a new convert, the other companionship breaks into song all the time. His favorite time of the day is gym! And he wants her to draw him a picture. Mal is still patiently waiting for her letter.

Hey,
So it's my last week in the MTC. Elder Gilbert and I have been amazed at how fast time flies here. Sunday was Easter and we had our first sacrament meeting on account of General Conference the week before, and it was fantastic. The district that left Tuesday sang the Praise to the Man Song that I love that has the Army Helamen tune in it. I don't have that song on my zune. Do you think you could send it to me on a cd?
On Tuesday, we had our devotional and I was reading moms DearElder letter she sent me. (thanks for using that by the way) We started singing the prelude hymns and in between the first and second hymn the conductor said "Need I remind you that if an Apostle of the Lord walks into a room its appropriate for all to stand." There were whispers of speculation as we sung the last hymn and during the last verse the doors opened and everyone stood as Jeffrey R. Holland walked into the auditorium. He was amazing! His talk was my favorite talk in conference and now he's speaking to me in person! The 2nd counselor in our branch presidency served his mission with him and told stories about him. So this took special meaning to me. I'll send a copy of my notes of his talk to us later.
Running out of time. Love you all. Please stop sending me food. I've gained 10 lbs. while I've been here. I'm still grateful that you think of me...
....56 sec left. Bye
Elder Jacob Frank Morgan

Isn't that awesome! Jeffery R. Holland! He is one of our favorite speakers, too. He was the President of BYU when Mike and I met and got married. Well, he is off to Arizona on Tuesday and we hope all goes well (and Mal gets a letter!) Love, Jenn =)

News from the MTC

Here are a few excerpts from his most recent letter, dated last Monday, April 6. He should have received my little Easter package Friday or Saturday. And get letters today. I'm going to write him on the Dear Elder.com so he will receive it right away. There is a link on the right to that for anyone who is interested.
From Mike's email: "We figured out this DearElder.com, and how it works. It is run from the MTC. You can register and open an account which allows you to compose a letter on the website. They then print out the letter at the MTC and put in the missionaries mailbox. If it is submitted before noon Mountain time, it gets delivered same day. Once the missionary arrives in his mission, you can still use DearElder.com, they just print out your letter and mail it to him/her in the field. While in the MTC it's free, but they charge appropriate postage ($.42 here in the states) once the missionary gets out to his mission, which we would be paying anyway. So it's about convenience, not having to purchase supplies, go to the Post Office, etc...pretty cool, in case you didn't know."

"...My schedule is of course very busy. This was my schedule for today. 7am Referral center, 8:15 breakfast, 8:45 personal study, 9:45 companion study, 10:45 missionary directed time, 1pm lunch, 1:45 pre gym, 2:05 gym, 3pm post gym, 3:30 class time with Brother Morgan, not me, I'm Elder Morgan, 6pm dinner, 6:45 class time with Brother Winder, 9pm planning, 9:40 zone prayer, 10:15 quiet time, 10:30 lights out. Although our zone leaders were leaving tonight with about 10 others so we spent about 20 minutes taking pictures.
That was all just today. Our schedule changes throughout the week. Tomorrow Elder Gilbert and I are going to a teaching appointment in the Teaching Assessment Building. We get to go into this creepy little room with "trained investigators" and teach them the Restoration and there's this tiny little camera in the room that our teachers will be watching us through and evaluating how the investigator is feeling. Elder Gilbert is nervous but I can't wait. Out of our district of Elders, I think Elder Gilbert and I are the most prepared. There are some companionships that haven't even gone through it together.
On Friday we watched a video called the District. It's about a few real live missionaries and their day in the field. That video just made me want to get out there faster.
General Conference was amazing! I've never stayed so attentive before. I took notes like crazy. My favorite talk was Elder Holland's talk on how we can never be alone. I did fall asleep a few times but it was the kind of sleep where you can hear everything but your head can't stay up. Yep, that's the one..."

We are so glad he is happy. The letters don't come soon enough, but I can wait. After 10 hours of Conference, I too, even fell asleep once or twice, but I wasn't in my Sunday clothes. The reference to General Conference is from Elder Jeffery R. Holland's talk last Sunday. He was the President of BYU when I attended and have always loved to listen at his feet. I had hoped to post a video of the talk, but it wont be on the church website for another week. Here is a link to the text, and at the end is a short video the church put together using the last few minutes of the talk. It went well with Easter.

Love to all, and thanks for showing your support for Jacob.
Love, Jenn =)

Jacob's First Letter

We got Jacob's first letter today and we are very excited. I know you all can't wait so here it is:

April 1, 2009 (first day in the MTC)

Dear Mom,

Well, this was probably the longest day of my life. After I walked through that door I probably spent the next 45 min going through hall after hall, getting packet after paper. I got my hepatitus A shot and they gave me a sucker. ;-) When I finally got to my room my companion was already there with his bed made. His name is Elder Gilbert, from Idaho Falls. He helped me bring my luggage up.

We met our room mates, Elder Peis and I can't remember the other elders name but we got to know each other while we unpacked. We then went to the cafeteria for dinner and then came back to our room to prepare for our branch orientation.

When we got there we were told how to act in the mission field: hands out of pockets, buttoning the buttons of our suits, standing when sisters enter the room. I'm sure we'll forget all this when we get to the field because I've never seen our missionaries without their hands in their pockets.

After we were told all of this we went through our schedules while we are here in the MTC. OH! MY! GOSH!! There is so much. I looked at Elder Gilbert and he has the same feelings as me. Our schedule is packed. I knew it was tight but this? You have no idea. Our zone leaders said "If you get through the first 3 days, you'll be fine."

Dad was right. The food is great. I only get 30 min to write an email once a week so I'll try to write everyone.

Elder Jacob Frank Morgan

The MTC!

We started the morning and Jacob was up, dressed and packed before my eyes were even working. He was so excited and ready. He has been such a good sport about us dragging him around the Salt Lake and Utah Valleys, visiting family, college friends and wrapping up loose ends. He was getting tired of, "Are you excited?" and "Where are you going?". I woke up and went into his room at his Aunt's house and gave him a big hug and told him to just indulge me for one more day....he just smiled.

See all the snow we woke up to out the window?

We grabbed him some lunch at the local McDonald's, his choice and it was fun to listen to the kids laugh and joke together.

The MTC is located in Provo, Utah. It is it's own closed campus, with everything they need, laundry, barbershop, bookstore, mail facilities, cafeteria, dry cleaners, gym. There are anywhere between 1,600-2,500 missionaries there at one time. He is also across the street from the Provo Temple and down the street from Brigham Young University, where Mike & I met and started our family.

It is a smooth running machine. They do this every Wednesday.

We pulled in and unloaded at the curb,

while Mike parked the car, we rolled his luggage down the sidewalk, parked it in a long line of luggage and he had to remember the number so he could find it later. Then we walked back to the front where there were lots of missionaries and lots of families. Missionaries in one door and the family/friends through another. We end up in a large lobby and the missionaries turn in their paperwork, immunization information, and they receive their nametag. They gave Jacob a little seam ripper so we could open his pocket for the nametag. Silly us!

Then we are able to mingle, take pictures, smile and cry.
Jacob with a bronze bust of Joseph Smith.

We were able to meet up with President Heaton, he actually found us! He is Mike's Uncle's Wife's Cousin's Husband (get out your genealogy, that would need to be mapped! Morgan's - did I get that right?) and is going to make sure a picture is taken next week when the last of 4 second cousins arrive at the MTC. I am so excited about that. What a heritage and memory. He took this picture of our family.

As you walk down the long hall, it is lined with pictures of missionaries. Large poster-sized, framed pictures of missionaries doing their thing, walking down the street, praying, a really neat one of two shadows on the sidewalk (use your imagination), baptizing in a pond/lake, riding down a tree-lined street, etc. They were all cool and if I had had more time, I would have looked longer.

We then went into a chapel (there are no pictures allowed because it is a chapel) and there in front, where it can not be missed, are 2 bright yellow signs. The one on the right reads: Missionary Exit, the one on the left: Family Exit. Is that not a tear-jerker or what? While we wait for everyone to arrive we watch LDS family commercials, you've seen them: "Isn't it about.....time?" In between, there are interesting facts, like, 2.6 tons of cereal are eaten every month, 52 languages taught, their schedule the rest of the day (getting a companion, orientations, dinner and unpacking), etc. We also learned that there are 16 MTC's around the world, amazing!

After an opening song of "Called To Serve" and prayer, short message by President Clegg and his wife, the moment came. Missionaries to the right, families to the left. As Jacob came down the row and gave each of us a hug, all cried, except for Richy, he was strong (just excited for his new room)! Mike gave his some great advice: Pray like everything depends on the Lord and then work like it all depends on you. He walked through the door, I knew he wouldn't look back, he's way to0 excited and eager to get started. He will be a great missionary.

A quiet walk back to the car, ate lunch at the Cougar-eat at BYU, stopped by the grocery store to put goodies into a box and sent to Jacob. He should receive it tomorrow.

I will try to post as often as we get letters and such. We can email, write, and send care-packages. But, no phone calls, except on Mother's Day and Christmas. This is a new experience for a lot of our family and friends, so if you ever have any questions or comments, please let me know. Love, Jenn =)