The Day I've Been Dreading....

Transfers.

Yep. The day has come. I AM BEING TRANSFERRED OUT OF TAMPA 4. 

:( It doesn't feel real. I am packing up everything I have and moving on Wednesday. I don't know where I am going. I don't know who my new companion will be. I won't be here for my investigators' baptisms. It is very sad. 

On the other hand, I know that this is the Lord's work and that wherever he puts me is where I need to be. There are certain people I need to find in different places. I have been extremely fortunate to stay here as long as I have- 7 months, over 1/3 of my mission! I have no reason to complain honestly. Its just hard because my family, the Gerovacs, are all getting baptized next month and I have been there from the beginning- we tracted into them. I love them and they love me, they call us their angel daughters. haha Every time we pray they ask God to not send me away. So its really hard. :( I hope I will be able to come back for their baptism on Sept 27th. They are one of the reasons I was sent to Tampa, I know it. Chris, the dad, didn't believe in God when we met them. Now he not only believes in him, but he knows that He is a big part of his life and now desires intensely to be baptized. It has been truly amazing. I will miss them. 

I guess there's suppose to be a tropical depression named Erica coming to Tampa today. Hopefully I don't get flooded. :) 

Sister Packer and I were on fire this week. We met our "Standard of Excellence" for our mission, we taught 20 lessons!!!!! Super busy. Just the way I like it. I am happiest when I am being productive and working hard to bring people to Christ. Its funny how right when you are starting to get the hang of things with your companion and seeing the blessings of your work that God decides to switch things up. But hey, "there's no growth in a comfort zone, and no comfort in a growth zone"! (You've got that right). I have experienced this firsthand. If you think about it, life is all about change. The church is all about change. If we were the same all the time, there would be no reason for us to be here. We are here to be tested, to gain experience, to choose between right and wrong. We have consequences for everything. I can tell you that yes, change is hard. But in the end, we are happier when we are changing and especially after we have changed. 

Next week I'll be in a new area. I am guessing Venice or Lakeland but I have no idea really. So I will send my new address on Monday. 

One of my favorite "Mormon Messages" is called "Mountains to Climb". If you know of anyone who is struggling, I'd invite you to show them this video. We showed it to an investigator, Shannon, who has gone through some pretty terrible things in her life and recently. She cried when she watched it and expressed to us her desire to change, be happy, and even to be baptized. It is a powerful video that shows we all have mountains to climb in life- death of a child, being paralyzed, not knowing how you will pay the bills, etc. but we can always turn to God and ask for help. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. Don't give up. 

Well, this was a long one. I forgot my journal or I'd write more about my lessons. I am so grateful to be here in Tampa, Florida. I love it. Thank you for all your support.

Love, 

Sister Morgan

Our group at the Orlando Temple!

TEMPLE!!!!

Sorry, I don't have time to write much because its been a crazy week. I will be writing again on Monday. I don't have pictures today, but I will Monday.

Today I woke up at 4:30am.
Left at 5:15am.
Arrived at the Orlando Temple at 7:30ish! 

I was able to spend the day at the Lord's house today. 

What is a temple or what happens there you ask? A temple is a place that members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints go to seek inspiration and continued guidance from God, as well as make promises or covenants to God that will help us follow him more closely and return to live with him again. It is a place that we take questions that we have prayed about and we enter to feel the spirit and seek counsel from the Lord. It is also a place where we can be sealed with our families for time and all eternity. It is not "till death do us part" when you are married in the temple. A temple is the place where Heaven and Earth meet, where we can feel peace and joy. I am so grateful I was able to go today. Someday I will be married in a temple of the Lord and be sealed to my spouse for eternity. If you have more questions about temples, visit: mormon.org. :)

Like I said, not much time. I am grateful to know that my nephew, William Thomas Mathews was bornon Tuesday! I will see him in 11 months :) I love my family. I am especially thankful for parents who raised me right and did all they could to provide for us. 

I know that God lives and that He loves us. It is a commandment that we pray to him everyday. As we do so we will feel closer to him and strengthen that relationship. Avoid vain repetitions in prayers, tell him what you are really feeling because guess what? He already knows! There is nothing to hide. Trust in him with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding! :) 

Sorry, that's it for this week! Love ya!

Love,
Sister Morgan

P.S. Getting an adjustment at a chiropractor is the best thing ever. Especially when you wear a heavy side bag all day, everyday as you walk multiple miles a day.... just a suggestion :)

August 17th ...

Dear family,

Let's see...

Monday- We had a great day. It was zone development day so we went up to the stake center and basically played games and built trust within the zone. We played ultimate Frisbee but it was SO hot and humid that we could only play like 30 mins. before having to go into AC... We also played Book of Mormon charades which was fun. We acted out a story and then they had to guess the chapter it was from. We also got to watch The Saratov Approach!!!!!!!! It was so good!!!! I think I was one of the only ones that hadn't seen it yet. Mom-don't watch it or you might make me come home. haha 

Tuesday- Walked. Tracted. Walked some more. Taught a lesson. Biked. Had another lesson. Basically my day. 

Wednesday- Taught Dennis a lesson. He is coming along great, wants to be baptized in September! He has been coming to church and knows that the church is true. It has been a slow process (been teaching him since March) but everyone goes at their own pace. He's been keeping his commitments. 

I love Tampa 4th ward. It is the best. I don't ever want to leave (knock on wood) and I just love the bishop and my ward mission leader and just all the families. :)

Thursday- was crazy. I got SOAKED. We were biking along, minding our own business, when a huge thunder cloud came out of nowhere and soaked us on our bikes. We tried to take cover but leaning up against someone's garage with our umbrellas but the lady who lived there kicked us away. We were walking through rivers on the roads halfway to our knees! It was scary with the lightning being very close and cold and wet. We had an appt. right afterwards too that we had to go to. There weren't any stores around for us to run to so we found a house with a nice big covered porch, knocked on the door, and asked them if we could stand under it. It was embarrassing but safer. The things I do for the Lord... :)

Friday- We tracted, had a little

bit of success. Had a lesson with Chris again, not sure if I've said anything about him, he is the father in a family we found. They are all on vacation except him so we haven't been bringing members over with us and teaching because he has no religious background. It has been cool to see him starting to gain faith in God and Jesus Christ by reading the Book of Mormon. He even came to church yesterday and stayed the whole time! :)

Saturday- We taught an investigator, Anneliese, the Plan of Salvation. I am grateful to know that God has a plan for us and that we can return to live with him through Jesus Christ. It was stormy that night so we came in a little early and wrote out some lesson plans. 

Sunday- Happy Anniversary, Brad and Jessica! I had a great day at church, my favorite time of the week, and then tracted and had a dinner at someone's home! Stroganoff, yum! :) I am grateful to be on a mission here in Tampa. I know it is where I am suppose to be. Everything else can wait while I serve the Lord for 18 months. 

Love you all,

Sister Morgan

 Bathroom selfie... didn't take any pics this week.

 A door we knocked on...thought it was weird so I took a pic. Those are dried leaves stringed across the front.

We had a zone development day. Us 4 wore our shirts from the Ray's game :)

Florida!!!

Hello,

This week was pretty good! Some random things:

On Monday Tampa flooded. Luckily, not my apartment but basically all of Town N Country was under water so that was fun. It was p-day so we just didn't go anywhere and that evening we went store contacting at the mall!

We set 3 baptism dates this week! It was because we were obedient to Preach My Gospel, asking people to be baptized first lesson and setting a date no later than the second lesson. We are really working hard and trying our best everyday. We made a goal of knocking on 40 doors a day! Its been harder with the sun coming out again and making everything feel like a sauna, but the Lord sees our efforts. 

Shout out to Adina, Brad and my mom for sending me letters this week!!!! Its like Christmas when I get those :)

We were attacked a few times this week with some pretty awful comments from people. One black guy told us that God is black and doesn't love us because we are white and that we put them in slavery... it just wasn't very nice and shook Sister Packer up quite a bit. Stuff like that doesn't bother me because I know God loves everyone no matter what race or gender. And because I know some people are just very misinformed... Oh well. We aren't the judge, thank goodness!

One day we walked 7 miles. My feet hurt.

We have been offering a lot of prayers with people lately. Everyone is going through something. I must say that I hate it when people say "no, everything is going good right now, I don't need anything" when we ask to pray with them. Um HELLO, you need to pray BECAUSE everything is going good! Say a prayer of thanks! I compare this with a parent and a child. What parent wants a child just always asking for things all the time- they only come to you for money. Wouldn't it make a parent so happy if a child came up just to say thank you? Thanks for being a good mom or dad? Our Heavenly Father is the same way. He wants his children to come to him for help but also to say thank you for helping me. Just some thoughts.

We have had some great lessons this week and hope to have even more next week. 

That is about it. A lot of tracting- saying prayers with people, some lessons scattered here and there. Today we have a zone development day which should be fun! I love Tampa 4th ward, it is the best. The people here are amazing! I love my bishop, and my ward mission leader is finally coming back after being gone all summer! 

Sorry, no pictures this week but one! This is us with Aaron and Erica!!!! She is due next month. 

Love,

Sister Morgan

August!

Wow! It is August already!

It has been weird weather here in Tampa. Rain...all day...like Oregon! There has actually been flooding the past few days, luckily not us though. But with all this rain, I am grateful. It's not 100 degrees and 100 percent humidity so I am counting those blessings!

Well, sad to say, my new addiction is peanut butter....is it good for you? I think I went through a 16 oz jar in a week...whoops!

Update on my investigators Aaron and Erica:

Satan is the worst. He has been keeping us from meeting, been making their lives really hard. But we met with them on Saturday and they only have like 2 lessons left! We reset their date to August 23rd, hopefully the baby won't come too soon! They need to get married so we are waiting on paperwork and such. I love them so much! They are so ready for baptism!!!! 

We met a cute family that we had two lessons with but sadly they left for Costa Rica for 3 weeks :(

Happy Anniversary, mom and dad! 31 years strong!

Sundays are my favorite day of the week. Love your Sundays!!!

Sorry, not an exciting week. Just trying to find things to do with all the rain here. Maybe there will be a hurricane? That would be awesome! ;)

I am glad I can be out here. I love Tampa 4, I don't want to leave! (knock on wood, I'll prob get transferred now). Missions are hard but everything I am learning here is for my future. I want to be a great mom someday and I am learning how to best teach my future family right now. I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is truly the Lord's church, restored on the Earth again. I know that Joseph Smith was called as a prophet and that Thomas S Monson is our prophet today. I am grateful for modern revelation that guides us today to make the right choices to live with God again. I know my family can be together forever because we were sealed in a temple of God. I love and miss my family, but I know that if I could see them everyday this wouldn't be so much of a sacrifice. I love God and my Savior Jesus Christ. I know that when we are obedient and keep his commandments, he blesses us.

I love you all, 

     Sister Morgan

Interesting mascot...

My zone ... aren't they great!