Halfway Gone, Halfway There!

Dear family and friends,

Yep. Its true. This Wednesday marks my 9 month mark of being a missionary!!!! Isn't that crazy?

Let me tell you- it was super slow at first but the last transfer went by in the blink of an eye! Sometimes I am really happy about it but then other times I kind of freak out to myself and wonder if I've changed enough. There were so many things I wanted to do and be by my halfway mark and I don't know if I've accomplished everything that I wanted to. But I still have a lot of time left and I am determined to come back changed! :) 

I am still in St. Pete (thank goodness) and my new companion is..... SISTER JUDKINS!!!! She is so adorable. She was trained by Sister Sackley and Sister Sutton, who both came out with me. I already loved her before (I think I sent a picture of us home from the Rays game at the end of July). She is from Spanish Fork, UT and has been out 7 months. We are having lots of fun together and are obedient in talking to everyone we see. We are determined to help build up the St. Petersburg ward! 

I am so grateful for my calling as a representative of Christ. I know that He is my Savior and that He loves all of His children. He died for us so that we can overcome our imperfections and return to live with Heavenly Father again. 

I love you all and I am so happy to be out here in Florida! It is going to go by faster than I think! I know the Lord has perfect timing and a perfect plan for us. He will help you to change and reach your potential if you let him. 

Love,

Sister Morgan

Pics:

 Sister Vanderhoff and I one last time!

 I had to kill Sister Vanderhoff, but its okay because God's got her back! 

(What a terrible phrase to describe being the last companion at the end of the mission!)

 Went to the sponge docks in Palm Harbor when I was staying with Sis Capt and Brown

until Sister Judkins came!

Sister Judkins and I :) 

One Last Week

Dear family and friends,

This week was so bittersweet. I was lucky enough to spend every waking moment with my wonderful companion, Sister Vanderhoff. I love her so much. But it was also the last week I was able to spend every waking minute with her. :(  We have become best friends, and I know that God sent me here to meet her so that I could find a friend for life. I will miss her. But, she's not getting rid of me for forever. ;)

We were out with the people all week but sadly all the people were in their cars.... we tried seeing a few potentials but nothing really panned out. A lot of walking. I tell you, I am going to have those awful sister-missionary calves when I come home! Yikes. But it is good to be exercising all the time, when you improve your physical well-being its easier to improve your spiritual well-being. I have come to know this is true on my mission. 

We currently have two dates set, one is 11 and one is 12. Shaderika and Laquasha. I think Brad will like these names. We have only met with them twice and its hard to get in contact with them because its through their mom and she doesn't get back to us much so we will see how it goes. They are very cute and excited to read the Book of Mormon. 

I am sorry I am not very good at writing of specific experiences. I have the worst memory, I can't even remember what I ate for breakfast! There are always many miracles throughout the week. One of my favorite parts of being a missionary is praying with people. It is amazing to hear someone pray for the first time in their life. They are so sincere and really say what is in their heart. It makes me want to have more faith and more REAL prayers with Heavenly Father. He loves us and wants us to communicate with him. He answers prayers. Its never in the way I expect him to- I wish he would just tell me everything I want to know right when I am praying- but he expects us to act and to exercise our faith. Faith without works is dead. James 2:26. 

I feel like something big is coming- maybe this transfer is going to make me work super hard, and build my faith more. I am excited though because I know every trial is just strengthening me and helping me reach my potential. Its not easy to say that while I am going through the trial of course, but I know whatever it is is preparing me to be a better wife and mother and daughter and sister and aunt and granddaugher and niece...the list could go on! Next week is my halfway mark- can you believe that?!?!? So I have many goals set and needed to be set. I don't want any regrets at the end of my mission. I am grateful to be here and have this opportunity to serve the Lord. 

Love you all, 

Sister Morgan

 District

 Me

 Storm Chaser Vehicle

Lunch with the Smith's (missionary couple in Gulfport) 

 A HUGE smoker!

 We ate at a cute little southern place called "Urban Comfort". We had Hushpuppies and fried green tomatoes!!!! I had a comfort burger that was carmelized onions and melted gouda cheese. Sooooo good! Sister Van wanted some good southern cooking before she went home and I am glad she did! :)

A random tree with like 5 parrots! 

6 mins to write

Sorry family, I have about 6 mins to write this week's email! 

Fun week, watched general conference at the church and am so grateful to know that we have a living prophet and 12 apostles today! I invited everyone to go back and read the talks on lds.org when they come out! :) 

I am so lucky to have a great family and friends who support me. I have now learned how important it is to put God first, then my family and friends, then the world. We get so caught up in the little things that sometimes we neglect the big things. Remember the Savior and what he put first- it definitely wasn't the things of the world. I know that if we study the life of the Savior and the paths that he walked, we can learn quite a bit on how we should live now. My hope is for us all to be lights, and to dispel the darkness around us. Be a good example. Treat others right. Love everyone. Ask yourself "what area of my life do I need to strengthen so I can then go strengthen others?" Remember your goal is exaltation and that discipleship is the journey. 

I am sad that this week is my last week with Sister Vanderhoff before she goes back to Utah. I love her and am extremely lucky to have been her companion twice. She is going to be such a light to her family and friends! 

-- Sister Morgan

 Us!

 We did a service project last Saturday where we painted the inside of a school in Gulfport. It was a blast, I love service!

Funny!

The Happiest Day of My Life!

Dear family and friends,

Wow, yesterday was the best day ever. We were able to drive up to Tampa 4 for the Gerovac's baptism. I was asked to say the opening prayer which was not a good idea because by the end of the opening hymn I was crying. Not sure if they understood my prayer. :) It was a beautiful day. I love them so much. Sad to leave but happy that they could start their new lives! Paola wants to adopt me, says she'll give me Christian's room (the baby). haha I know that I was sent to this mission to find them. 

I've been out over 8 months now. Its been slow and fast at the same time. I think I have grown a lot, at least I have in the knowledge of the Gospel of Jesus Christ for sure. I am grateful to be here. Its definitely tough sometimes, especially now that I am just in the finding stage. We knock a lot of doors, trying to find people prepared by the Lord to receive His message. I know that this church is true and that we can find so much peace and joy in our families when they are centered around Jesus Christ. 

We had the "first session of general conference for women" or something like that. I think it changes every year... anyways, it was fantastic! I really enjoyed all the talks. You can watch them at lds.org if you missed them or are interested. It is a meeting where all the speakers pray and ask Heavenly Father what they need to tell the women of the world today to help them personally. To strengthen our faith and hope and love. Its truly a blessing to be able to hear from the leaders of the church every year, twice a year. 

I'm sorry I don't have much time this week. I love you all. I know that I am where I am suppose to be right now. I need to be better at sharing my testimony with others. Its not easy for me to share with people how I feel, its something that takes a lot of trust. But I trust in my Heavenly Father. I know that His message is true. So my confidence is in Him, not myself. I love my Father in Heaven. I encourage everyone to share what they know to be true with others. Don't hide your faith. Do something today to show God that you love Him more than the things of the world. He loves us so much. We need to show that love to those around us. 1 John 4:7-9. 

Love,

Sister Morgan

The Gerovac family at their baptism! September 27, 2015  Such a sweet, happy day! :)

Sister Packer and Sister Morgan with the Gerovac family.

Ba...ba...ba...BAPTISM!!!!!

Dear Family,

Yes, its true! I had my first baptism!!!!

When I got to St. Pete about 3 weeks ago, there was an investigator named Peggy who was a referral from a member in the spanish branch. Sister Vanderhoff and Sister Rowland (who is now home) taught her the Restoration and the Book of Mormon and invited her to be baptized. I said we needed to meet with her everyday if she really wanted to be baptized in 3 weeks. So we did. Taught her everyday and she was accepting everything and keeping her commitments and loving every new thing we taught. She was so prepared by the Lord. She is just a doll, so cute, late 50s or early 60s I think. Has had an extremely hard life- no family and some other issues. But her commitment to follow Jesus Christ was incredible. The ward supported her and had a good show-up at her baptism. St. Pete's first baptism since May. I love her so much and can't wait until she can go to the temple!!!! 

And guess what else? My family, the Gerovac's are being baptized on Sunday! I received permission to go to it and I think I am saying the opening prayer. I love them and are so happy that they are making this huge decision in their life. Its amazing. I get little updates from Sister Packer on how they are doing and I email Paola every week. :) 

So this week has been stressful and great at the same time. You want their baptism to be perfect and make sure that they are prepared as well. I am so grateful to be a missionary here in Florida. This is the true church of Jesus Christ. Everything just makes sense. If it doesn't to you, then you haven't been studying the Book of Mormon, praying everyday to know its true, and haven't been going to church. If you put your effort in, the Lord promises he will tell you by his holy spirit that it is true. I love my Savior and I am trying to be more like him. It will take a very long time, but just like everything else in the church it takes consistent effort and endurance. 

This next week is going to be a lot of tracting and personal contacting. Sister Vanderhoff only has 3 weeks left and then leaves me. :( We are going to continue to work hard and find those who are lost and looking for the missing puzzle piece in their lives. I know that piece is the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

I love you all, 

Sister Morgan

 My first Cuban sandwich and a very yummy empanada.

Peggy, Sister Vanderhoff, and I

Us with Peggy's program!!!

Sunday Surprise! This picture was sent to mom by a woman visiting Florida on a business trip. 

Peggy, Sister Vanderhoff and I at the end of Relief Society.  A fun surprise for MOM!

St. Pete!

Hello family,

What an amazing week! 

We have an investigator named Peggy who is golden and is getting baptized this Saturday!!!!!!!!!!! We have been meeting with her everyday and she is so amazing. Every lesson she understands and asks great questions and just wants to follow Christ. We taught the word of wisdom- she has smoked for 5 years and drank coffee for 45 years and she quit both cold turkey. She said when its hard, she just prays. It is so cool. She is the sweetest thing, in her 60s, and just so prepared. She was a referral from a member and the sisters taught her restoration and Book of Mormon before I came. I have never prayed for someone so hard in my life, we are really trying to teach her everything before her interviewtomorrow. 

St. Pete is a lot of walking. I walk everywhere so I am excited for it to cool down soon. Very humid. So many more drunk people though which is scary when we are walking home at night, but the Lord protects us. 

Sounds like the family reunion went well except everyone getting sick! I'd love to see some pictures. 

As far as I know, my family the Gerovacs are still getting baptized on the 27th. I hope to be able to attend. :) I got an email from Brooke saying she is engaged!! I am so excited for her! I also got a letter from Adina, I am blessed to have her as a good friend from back home. 

Hopefully the fires in WA and OR are going down...that's not good! The one summer I am gone it is hot there. hhaha figures. 

I love serving with Sister Vanderhoff again, we are going to be good friends for a long time. I am sad that I only have a month left with her. :( It will be hard to depart. This is a great area with potential. 

I am grateful to be here on my mission. I know that this church is true and because of this, I want to share it with others. Sometimes people look at us and think we are crazy- those crazy Mormon. So crazy- I mean they actually live what they believe? They try to be Christ-like by serving others, going to church, and being self-reliant? That's crazy. ;) I am grateful to live in a country with religious freedom. We are so lucky. We have so much. I have met people here that literally live from paycheck to paycheck (or food stamps to food stamps) and we will go in their home and they will offer us everything they have, feed us, give us things. It is humbling. There are a lot of things I need to change, and I am glad I have this opportunity. 

Well, this is long enough! :) 

Love, 

Sister Morgan

 The "new" companionship pic on transfer day!

 A giant avacado!

The Tropicana stadium, home of the tampa bay rays. Fun fact: its actually located in St. Pete, not Tampa.

 Sister Vanderhoff and I got matching Tampa Bay Buccaneers pjs. They are wonderful. 

Our matching Tampa Bay Buccaneers pjs! Crazy! :)

 

Study time!

I'm with WHO again?!

Yes, the facebook pictures are accurate! I am with sister Vanderhoff again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am serving in St. Pete (Petersburg) and loving it. She is actually going home at the end of this transfer so not only are we serving again together but I am killing (not literally) my trainer!! Its going to be a rough last week of our transfer but it is definitely exciting to serve together and see how much we have changed since last  time. We are definitely going to be good friends for the rest of our lives. 

So St. Pete- its a little different from Tampa. More rain I think. We walk EVERYWHERE, even to the church on Sunday because its only a 45min walk. But lets just say that my feet are killing me and my shoulders are from my bag. Its pretty hot here again, will be for the rest of this month. Its a lot more sketchy over here though....there are some neighborhoods we avoid completely. The ward members are great, love the missionaries. The member list is like 4 times as big as Tampa 4 but only like 60 come to church. There is much more less-active and part-member families to work with here. Hopefully I can help to change some lives here. 

Its been a long week. I am grateful for the experiences I have had though. I really love Florida and am grateful to be here even though its hard. Its hard to go from 7 dates set in Tampa for and a packed week with lessons to St. Pete with one date set and not many lessons. But I know I can help build up the Lord's kingdom over here in St. Pete. I laughed when I was driving here because I remembered years back when my dad and I were driving up to Orlando from my Aunt Margaret's and we passed the sign for St. Petersburg. I remembered thinking "that's in Russia, not Florida"! And then dad explained to me that it is a different city. I think that Lord has a sense of humor because little did I know then that I would be here over 10 years later serving a mission. :) 

Well, I love you all and am excited to see how this first full week in St. Pete goes. My family, the Gerovacs are doing great still and I think president will  let me go to their baptism on Sept 27th. Paola emailed me and said she misses me, I love them so much! I am so blessed to have met them. I hope I can find another great prepared family here! :)

My new address is:

5714 Calais Lane St. Petersburg, Fl 33714

Please send me letters to this address now :)

Love,

Sister Morgan

 My investigator:  Anneliese

My investigator:  Dennis

 Bishop Hodges

 Gerovacs

  Shannon

I am with Sister Vanderhoff again!!!