Turn or Burn

Hey y'all!

I hope your week was peachy. I had such a spiritually satisfying week. I had been praying a lot recently for God to humble me, and humble me he did. My eyes really opened up to some questions I had and I recognized some areas in myself that I can work on. God is great like that, James 1:5. No greater truth than that, I am grateful for my relationship with Him. No single thing on this earth compares to it, I promise you that! 

Now physically, this week was real interesting. I mean every week here is interesting, but so far this one took the cake. 

On Thursday, we were out in Twin City. All day I had felt prompted to talk to everyone I saw. I avoided randomly pulling over and brushed the feeling off. Well about the fourth time I felt that, I drove past two girls sitting on their porch. We turned around and drove back to their house. We parked and as we were walking up we noticed they were no longer there, Sister Blackburn encouraged us to go anyway. As we approach the driveway a car was driving towards us, so we waved. He was turning into the driveway as we began to walk up (those situations are always awkward, but hey no growth in the comfort zone). We walked up and got to talking, turns out we had a lot in common. He grew up in Williamsburg, worked in Richmond, is a twin, and said he served a mission for his church in Chile, Rancagua. It was crazy! We invited him to come to church, and he said he has been looking for a new church! He said he would come the following weekend. Then he offered us some of his Chicken's eggs and then gave me his sunglasses. Haha! He told us to be careful around there, and the following two people said the exact same thing. We took the hint, and drove home. We weren't sure what to do, we had planned our evening there. We prayed for guidance and when we got back into Swainsboro we decided to call the girl we met last weekend at the park.

We had been texting scriptures and thoughts back and fourth all week, and we were excited to see her again! When we called a man answered, and we realized I saved the name with the wrong number. It turned out to be her friend, the man who resembles Jesus (to me). Anyway, we met him at the park and had another great lesson. I'm convinced there is no such thing as coincidences in this life, God is far too detailed to make any mistakes. He is so curious! We invited him to come to church and he invited us to Revival with his church on Saturday night.

So we went! First Revival in the South!! Turn or burn!!! Hence the title, that was the overall message. There was a lot of praising and the people were so welcoming. It was a fun time. He is seriously so awesome, he really wants to learn all he can about Jesus Christ and His gospel. He came to church the next day too!

Another one of our current investigators is having a hard time at work, but finds so much peace in God's message. He really recognizes the spirit and desires to dwell in the peace it brings. He wants to read the whole Book of Mormon, so we highlighted several chapters and verses that capture the central messages to help him start. He recognizes the love we have for him, appreciates our dedication to help him, and is acting on his desire to help himself!

I feel so blessed to have the opportunity to lead others closer to Christ. I intend to do it for the rest of my life, but I'm enjoying the time I have as a missionary to seek those searching. I just love it here! Swainsboro is so great.

On another note, we were tracting yesterday and someone called the police on us. He asked us what we were doing and so we told him were talking about God! He laughed and told us to be careful. He was cool.

We also met a preacher from Florida on that street who wants to read the Book of Mormon, truth will prevail! 

Reflect often on yourself, if you're on the right path then hold on! If you feel like you're not, then you've already made the first step towards getting there! 

1 Corinthians 2:9

"But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him."

I love y'all, every single one of ya! Have a blessed rest of your week.

Sister Morrill

On My Way

 Hey y'all!

I'm emailing early because we're driving to Waynesboro to watch the Solar Eclipse with the rest of our district!

This week was one of those weeks where we met so many awesome people, I love these weeks. I'll tell you about four of them.

With the new schedule change, we have the flexibility to alter our planning to what works with our area and day. I'm thankful for that because my body is still asleep at at 6:30 AM, so sometimes we work out the last 30 min before bed. On Thursday we we did that and went to the park. Sister Blackburn is more of a nature spirit, so she sat by the pond while I ran around it on the track. I was half way finished when I noticed two people ahead of me struggling with a large blue bag. At first I thought it was a body, then a bag of mail, but as I got closer it looked like neither of the two. I asked if they needed help and to my surprise they said "Yes, we need a runner!!". (No one in the South ever agrees to help) So I ran over and the body/bag of mail was actually an instant blow up chair. The chair inflated with quick movement, so they asked me to run down the street with it haha! So I grabbed it by the opening and just started running around trying to fill it up. Yeah that definitely was not happening, but they appreciated my effort. One of the women commented, "Most people your age would have taken out their phone and recorded us while laughing!". That made me laugh, but also sad because we live in a world where people are quicker to point than to reach out their hand. The other woman recognized my name tag and asked me if I am with the Mormon church. She then told me she was in the church about 40 years ago when she lived in Arizona! It's so cool to see how God places people in our path.

On Saturday, Sister Blackburn and I did "Windows of Heaven". We pick a place and set aside a certain amount of time and promise the Lord we will speak with everyone He places in our path. We came across a man eating lunch with his daughter under a pavilion. We walked over and asked how he was doing, and he smiled so big and practically screamed, "Great! I've been saved!". I was under the impression he had been baptized earlier that day because of his reaction, but he said he had been saved 3 years ago! I was amazed, 3 years and he still carried that same light and joy. What a guy! It was so crazy too because he looked just like Jesus. I don't know for sure what Jesus looked like, but he looked like what I imagine Jesus to did. He has a deep testimony of Christ and we started to talk about the Book of Mormon when his friend pulled into the park. She walked over to us and began asking us questions about Mormons and then asked me to share my testimony. She was very touched and pointed out several things that stuck out to her. Then she shared her story and much like her friend, she also had an incredible testimony. She was so interested in learning more and both of them want to read the Book of Mormon! They have so much faith in Jesus Christ because of their past trials in life, but I really loved talking with them because I could physically see how grateful they are for Him. What I love most about their stories is how even after they overcame those challenges, they never lost sight in God. Oh they were so vibrant and knowledgeable, but still so curious! We can never learn enough about God!

Alma 32:16

15 Yea, he that truly humbleth himself, and repenteth of his sins, and endureth to the end, the same shall be blessed—yea, much more blessed than they who are compelled to be humble because of their exceeding poverty.

On a side note, this week was also full of animals. Every day we seemed to have some encounter. Some better than others.

We also had interviews last week and I started driving early! I'll be leading Swainsboro, so I am pumped about that! 

I love y'all, have a safe and blessed week

Sister Morrill

p.s Ill be emailing on Tuesday next week

p.p.s Enjoy the eclipse, protect your eyes!!!

If you're wondering...... The parrot bit me, I mean look at his face

The animal shelter finally re opened!

Can't Have A Rainbow Without Any Rain

Hey y'all

Happy Monday! I hope your week was full of love and acceptance. This week I arguably felt the most rejection I have since being here. Must have been something in the water considering it rained 3 days in a row. But that's okay, Satan can't drown me! We met so many Spanish speaking people this week, they always bring a smile to my face because they make Caroline feel so close to my heart. On Thursday and Friday we were able to do service at East Georgia College. Students moved into their dorms so we got to help out! It was a nice change in pace. The head over the dorms is actually a less active member. We met her and found out she grew up in Hurricane, Utah!! Her and I used to work at the same place too! Small world, and the Gospel makes it smaller. She is awesome though, I'm excited to see her again.

On Friday we met the father of a less active family. The senior couple usually visits less active members, but they had to be somewhere else for the week. I felt grateful for my loud personality, because he is not a fan of the missionaries. He seemed to be fond of it too, because he said if we come back he wont kick us out haha! I'd like to think it was just me, but I know it wasn't. He mentioned the missionaries that had come over the years continuously neglected to engage with him, because he is a Catholic. I personally think they were most likely just afraid of him, but I don't know the full story. What do know is beneath all his anger, was a lot of sorrow. (I think it's safe to say we all communicate sadness differently) Either way, I could feel it for him.  We're all children of God, and deserve to feel and know the value of it! I apologized on behalf of everything he experienced and felt. He and my comp both teared up and the room felt so.... still. The Holy Ghost was working through him that day. 

It's okay to apologize, even when you feel you've done nothing wrong, and especially when you have. Here is to a week full of recognizing how my actions affect others!!

I think we often under consider the impact we have on others, and overlook the difference sincere apology and appreciation can do for a person.

Thankfully the Lord blessed me with a lifetime to get it right! 

On a positive note, over the last three weeks our little branch seems to have more people every week! Our investigator and his wife even came! Great things come over time right? ;)

Isaiah 43:2

"When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee."

Nothing but love and blessin's,

Sister Morrill 

Mmmmmhhmmmmm, yes ma'am

Hey y'all!

This week was transfers and surprise! I am staying! Still have another 6 weeks of training haha, but most people here assume I have been out a while. Either way, Swainsboro aint gettin' rid of me any time soon! There is too much work for me here :)

On Monday I taught family home evening with a part member family. I taught them the principle of faith in Jesus Christ. While I was preparing, I thought about the difference between knowing what He looks like, and knowing who He is. There's kind of a big difference. As we come to know our savior personally, we discover more about Him, ourselves, and how loved we really are. I know He has endured every single struggle, challenge, and affliction that I have and will, therefor I can always turn to Him for strength!

We taught a new investigator this week, and I felt prompted to ask Him if he believes that God and Jesus Christ are two distinct separate beings. Sister Blackburn thought I was crazy because the lesson was going so well, and that is a very strong belief here. But I did it, and he said "No. They are the same person. But I never really did understand that because the Bible refers to Jesus as the son of God and I don't know how He can be the father and the son". We practically watched the idea shift in his head as he answered his own confusion! When we understand that God is our Father in heaven, and Jesus Christ is our elder brother, it allows us to have a closer relationship with each of them. Acknowledging that God knows all of His children, as He created us, and Jesus Christ knows our hearts, as He willingly suffered for us. The Godhead is one in purpose!

Jesus is a child of God, and He dwells in Gods presence. I know that because we are all just like Christ- a child of God- we too may dwell in Gods presence as we strive to be like Jesus Christ, our perfect example! We will never be perfect like Him, but we can die trying right!

Moroni 10:32

32 Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God.

Ive thought a lot about that this week. I am so grateful for my relationship with God and Christ. I love getting to hear about what other people believe and sharing what I know to be true. I find as I listen to what they think, they are more willing to hear what I say. 

Give and take concept I suppose.

Speaking of which, I'm giving all of my love and time to this little town and in return I am really hoping to take away this habit of saying "mmmmhm" after my sentences. Most everyone here makes a very subtle "mmmhm" noise after they say something. One member, who I love to the moon and back, always says "mmmhmm" pauses and then says "yeeees maaaam". My heart get so happy when she does that, it's great.

There really is no one who will ever know you than our Father in heaven and His son. How well do you know them?

I love y'all

Jesus loves y'all

Have a blessed week!

Sister Morrill

1. A house I found that reminds me of the ghost tours my grandpa gave in Williamsburg, Virginia!

2. Pretty ol' Georgia tree

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