27 Apr 10

All right, we had an ok week. Our TTI's were low but our lessons were great. We're running low on miles though. We're only given 1000 miles for the month and we have practically used them all up. We can only go about 20 miles a day now till Friday. We've already spent a few days on bikes so we'll be using them over the next couple days..... in Phoenix!! (I saw that it was going to be 93 today in Mesa, 70's the rest of the week, with storms on the weekend)

 

I gave a talk in Sacrament Meeting on Sunday (my 5th one on my mission.) and it was great. It was about Preach My Gospel and the missionary work in the Ward. We are the only companionship in the Zone that covers more then one Ward. And they both need help with missionary work. This past month has been scarce on dinners but next month looks like it's filled up nicely. The member support varries between wards.

 

My interview with President Bassett was yesterday. It was probubly one of the best interviews I've had. He helped me figure out what to say to people when they say "we don't need another book (Book of Mormon)" His coucel was great. I love that man. He is deffanently going somewere.

 

I had to help Elder Johnson out with a purchase last week so when my account gets unlocked and you see a few dollers missing, don't worry 'cuse he's paying me back.

 

Thats all I have for you this week. TTI

 

Jacob

20 April 10

....the Phoenix Zone (where Jacob is currently serving) is actually made up of more Spanish companionships then English. We see the Spanish missionaries all the time. The Culture of the mission is great and it's always great to see other missionaries at the same apartment complex ministering to the Spanish people. It definitely strengthens me during my hard times. (There is a young man in our ward that was just called to Jacob's Mission, speaking Spanish. Just before Jacob left, we had boundary changes and mix-ups all over the Stake, so he is not familiar with the family. He would totally recognize them though, he's not connecting the dots!)

 

I'm pretty sure I'm staying in the Arizona Mesa mission. Only the Winslow and Holbrook Stakes are going to the New Mexico mission and I'm in the Phoenix East Stake and it's most likely that I will stay here.

 

We had a pretty awesome lesson yesterday with 2 of our investigators. They had broken the news to us that they plan on being married May 1st. Which is great (we hadn't even taught the law of Chastity yet) and we moved on to teach the Plan of Salvation. At the end I felt prompted to tack a mormon.org card which has the Salt Lake Temple on it and teach eternal marriage. So I did. Afterward, Aaron, the husband asked us, "How do we do that? We want to do that. We want to be married in the Temple" We told them that it's not impossible and everyone can be married in the Temple. We have to prepare ourselves to enter the Temple because it is the House of God. And we need to be Baptised by proper authority. They said "I don't care if I need to be baptized again we will do what ever we can to be married there! " Why can't we all be like Aaron and Evett? Where we try and do our best to be together with the ones we love? Why is it so hard? Because it was hard for Him.

 

We went to the Temple this morning and had a great session and thought a lot about Aaron and Evett as I was there..........."

 

TTI

 

Yacoob

I thought for the last part of his Mission, I would add the Spiritual Thought that Mike puts into his letter to Jacob, they are always good. Love, Jenn =)

We know that opposition will be for our experience in the end, for all of us, if we can stay focused here and now. In the words of Lloyd Newell of Music and the Spoken Word, “…who among us has not faced a challenge or difficulty with some uncertainty or misgiving? Are we strong enough, wise enough, brave enough to carry on? It’s been said that old age is not for the weak, but neither is it for the young or the middle aged. Whatever you face right now, remember that you have faced other problems and made it past them, gone through trials before and come out stronger on the other side. You’ve learned and grown and now you have the wisdom that comes of experience…and what you’ve witnessed your whole life is courage and strength and faith, and none of it was acquired in a day, a month or a year. It comes little by little, over time…”

04 Apr 10

Earthquake? I have no idea what you're talking about. (This is what happens when he doesn't watch the news. We had other friends in Mesa who felt the earthquake in Baja, so when we asked Jacob in his letter, this was his response) 

Well, I hope Tyler realizes that each of us are missionaries no matter if we serve for 2 years or not. The Lord still loves him and Tyler obviously has a desire to serve, so like the Lord has promised he is called to the work. (One of his friends came home from the MTC) 

I loved the package. Thank you everyone who sent a picture. It was SWEET! The first thing I said after viewing all the pictures was. "HOLY CRAP!! MY FAMILY IS HUGE!!!!" Seriously! Your all enormous! Becca is... pretty? I can't believe I just called my own sister pretty. And Richy is like a Kenyan in China!!!

So why does Brianna have such a long engagement? How did they meet? Who is he? Where is he from? You can't just do this to me! (His cousin got engaged. I thought she had sent him the info, but I guess not. I will fill him in) 

So the Easter Pageant was this last week .I missed it last year 'cuse I was in the MTC but I got to see it this year. As missionaries we got to "work it", meaning we got to go around the audience and ask people if they would like to learn more. We just talked to another guy this morning who saw the Easter Pageant (play on Christ's last week) and he was very touched by it though he couldn't be sealed with his wife who is a member, after she died. We told him there's a process so that everyone is invited to attend the Temple, you just have to make certain promises (baptism). He was very interested and wanted to learn more.

 And guess who I ran into at the Pageant? .....................................................Hillary Lake (Jenna Demars' daughter, they were in high school together, she was his senior prom date)! Yup. We got our picture taken together. I was talking to this guy and all of a sudden Sister Lake comes up and smiles at me and say's "Hi, Elder Morgan (without looking at my name tag)" I stared at her for a second, recognizing her from somewhere but couldn't remember where. And then I remembered. " ...say hello to Hillary" and she pointed behind me and she came walking down the sidewalk and we were both speechless. Wierdest/ Best story of my mission next to Tesha. 

Speaking of General Conference, talk about calling down the powers of Heaven! It was amazing. Was General Conference this awesome before I came on my mission or is it just because it's the Last Days? I don't have my notes on me to talk about specifics but I love those men. I've decided that my favorite speaker is President Uchtdorf. He is my favorite.  

Then after that we had Zone Conference on Monday. Great stuff. President Bassett is going to be anoucned in the next conference as a new General Authority, he's so awesome. (That is not quite how it works, just shows how much Jacob admires his Mission President)

 TTI

 Elder Morgan