Trick or TREAT

Happy Halloween y'all!

Only treats for me, because we had transfer calls on Saturday and I am staying in Swainsboro! I love this little town, and the wonderful people living in it!

This week we had zone conference in Macon with Elder Klebingat, one of the Seventy. He converted to the church when he was 17 and living in Germany. His faith is so inspiring because it is rooted in Jesus Christ and His doctrine. I love it, place your faith where it counts!

Matthew 7:24-25

"Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock."

Being out on my mission has provided so many opportunities for me to understand the scriptures. I'm just so grateful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ, I have developed such a clear understanding on how powerful faith can be. We are nothing without it.

On Thursday we went tracking and I love finding new people! It's a beautiful feeling to talk to everyone about His gospel. I tend to insert us in the most awkward situations, but there is nothing not awkward about being a missionary. So I choose to enjoy them and put myself in as many as I can. I only have 14 months left to be here and do this! I also find that the most spiritual experiences come from them.

We knocked on a door and a man answered. He looked at me and asked why I didn't join his church because he wanted me on "his team". So I asked him what his church believes and he told us. His beliefs were no different than ours. I told him how grateful I am for the missionaries who taught me. It was never about joining their church. They just wanted to help me strengthen my relationship with Christ and the best way to do that is to read the Book of Mormon! So that is what I am out here doing. I think he respected me a lot for that. He told me to come back again, but without intentions of discussing religion. Haha, he was funny.

One of the families we are teaching wants to come closer to Christ together, so yesterday we introduced Family Home Evening and we shared the Restoration movie with them. I was struggling to explain the first lesson and overwhelmed. Their son came over to me and showed me his coloring of Joseph Smith and he wanted me to keep it. I am so grateful he did that because I realized my focus was on myself. When I redirected my attention to their family, I could see the father was seeking council on a personal matter. I suggested we turn to Mosiah 4 and read it together. We stopped throughout our reading to discuss the verses and he asked if our thoughts can be sin. That was when I felt the spirit strongest and invited him to read the last verse in the chapter.

Mosiah 4:30

"But this much I can tell you, that if ye do not watch yourselves, and your thoughts, and your words, and your deeds, and observe the commandments of God, and continue in the faith of what ye have heard concerning the coming of our Lord, even unto the end of your lives, ye must perish. And now, O man, remember, and perish not."

Anything good in this life, requires hard work. It is not easy, but you know what they say... easy come, easy go. I'm playing for keeps!

I love y'all! Be safe tonight!

Sister Morrill

Words of Wisdom

Hey y'all!

Yesterday was crazy cool! We promised heavenly Father that if he would help us attain the goals we set, we would commit ourselves to fulfill the promises we made. Bargaining at it's finest! Haha just kidding, He always makes up the difference when we are striving to follow Him. He is more than willing to help us when we ask! Just in one day we started teaching 2 new families and two of our progressing investigators are on the straight and narrow! God is so cool!

This week one of our progressing investigators invited us to a pancake dinner with the community. We had seen him earlier that morning, and he told us his preacher had invited him to lunch. He was surprised because he hadn't seen him in a while, so he was curious what it would be about. We missed him at church, but he texted us saying he watched 3 great talks on BYU TV! We asked him what he took away from them and he said, "The thought of how God wants his church to follow a design, be organized by God's plan, the need for Apostles, Priesthood Power and Authority, and that marriage is for eternity". How cool is that! Heavenly Father hears our prayers, and wants to help us understand. Our investigator told us he received a very physical and clear "yes" to a question he had prayed about. 

The following day we had an investigator of a part family tell us she wants us to start teaching her. She feels she is drawing closer to God and changing for the better as she learns. We taught her the Restoration and she was so excited when we got to Joseph Smith! As she learns, she clarifies by restating the lesson from her understanding. She is all around awesome, and really just wants to strengthen herself through Jesus Christ. 

On Sunday we taught their family about God's commandments and why we keep them. We know that before we came here we either chose to follow Satan or heavenly Father. Those with a body chose Him! We continue to choose Him when we keep His commandments. When we sin, we become slaves to Satan. Since none of us are perfect, we've all been down that path to some degree or another. One thing always leads to the next and we find ourselves stuck trying to convince our brains we are content with who we are. Fortunately, there is no life so shattered or heart too broken to jump back on the path! Heavenly Father gives us commandments because he knows the way to obtain eternal happiness. As we follow Satan, we are bound to him. When we follow heavenly Father, He is bound to us!

D&C 82:10

"I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise."

We committed their family to follow the Word of Wisdom for a week and pray for something specific in return. The best way to understand and to gain a testimony is to have faith and actually do it!

God is seriously so cool, I just love Him! We're so privileged to always have His love and to know how we can become like Him. He really does love each of us so much. The Book of Mormon is the greatest gift I have ever been given. Through reading and praying about it, I gained a relationship with our heavenly Father and developed a true understanding of who Jesus Christ is and the purpose of the atoning sacrifice He gave for us. If there is anything in this world you can do for yourself, strengthen your knowledge of the Gospel and read the Book of Mormon. I promise you it can change your life :)

Moroni 10:3-5

"Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts. And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things."

I love y'all! Enjoy the last minute costume finding!

Sister Morrill

Repent Ye Repent Ye

Hey y'all! 

The Christmas music has arrived, so we can start identifying the grinches early! I choose to assume that is what is happening considering we recieved 3 referrals in a week. But even Cindy Lou Who needs Jesus Christ, so when someone gets referred.. so do their neighbors and anyone else in plain sight!

In effort to save our miles, we walked to a part members home for a lesson on repentance. On our way, we saw a man sitting in front of a dumpster. We walked over to talk to him, but he was more interested in the ashes falling from his cigarette to the ground. After a few minutes he began to open up to us. He told us about the mistakes he made and that his wife and children left him. H e said he knew he shouldnt be smoking, which opened up the door for me so I asked him why he was. He said he didnt know what else to do. I know that no worldly pleasure compares to Christs ability to mend a broken heart and contrite spirit. So in that moment I felt prompted to ask him for his cigarette.. not quite something I wanted to do, but if it be wisdom in God! When I did, I was suprised because after he reached out to hand it to me he then gave me his lighter and the rest of the pack! In return we gave him a copy of the Book of Mormon and promised him that if he reads it, it will bless his life and help him change. Only through the power of Christ can we truly change who we are and become who we want to be. He thanked us and told us he would turn to God.

We're all on the same team, playing the same game. When someone falls down, we have to help them get back up! 

Alma 26:27

"And I have been supported under trials and troubles of every kind, yea, and in all manner of afflictions; yea, God has delivered me from prison, and from bonds, and from death; yea, and I do put my trust in him, and he will still deliver me"

Repentance is a beautiful change, and it should be treated as such! It ain't our place to judge, God hates the sin, but loves the sinner! Always be willing to help lift those around you!

Keep on keepin on,

Have a blessed week!

Sister Morrill

P.s This week I learned how to change a flat tire on demand!

A Priceless Gift

Hey y'all!

Hope the week was peachy. We tried "donut peaches" this week and wow. Regular peaches will never be the same. 

I did a lot of listening this week. I focused my week on implementing inspired questions into my conversations and teaching. There is a big difference between asking questions with an answer already in mind and sincere curiousity. People are much more willing to open up, when we express interest and love. We had some cool lessons this week! I noticed the more questions we ask, the more questions those we teach will ask!

I mentioned how I wanted to teach visually, so I bought a sketchbook and went to town! I love it because it keeps me on track with teaching simply. 

We received a referral from someone who wanted a Bible and was curious about the Book of Mormon. We delivered the Bible to her and she absolutely did not think she wanted to hear about the Book of Mormon. We asked if we could share a scripture in the Bible with her that actually talks about the Book of Mormon. Ezekiel 37: 16-22 talks about the stick of Judah (Bible) and the stick of Joseph (Book of Mormon). We know that the Book of Mormon is the writings of the prophets in the ancient Americas and Lehi is a descendant from the tribe of Joseph (12 tribes of Israel). Together they complete the Gospel of Jesus Christ! He knows us perfectly, it's us who need to better understand Him. Coolest thing, her attitude completely changed and she got up and took the Book of Mormon! She asked us how we know what the scriptures mean, so we told her to ask God! He is our ultimate source of truth!

He doesn't want us to be confused and He will help us. He provided us with all the necessary tools to learn for ourselves. Truth is here! We feel more peace and joy as we come to know for ourselves. All we have to do is study, pray, and keep His commandments! 

Two common threads I noticed throughout the week were:

1. People said they don't have money to give us or to buy the Book of Mormon.

2. We were asked if we went to school to be missionaries.

We don't accept nor ask for money. Honestly, I wouldn't even know what to charge. The word of God is priceless and a gift! 

The qualification to be a disciple of Jesus Christ is to have a testimony of Him. No amount of schooling can give you that, testimonies come from our heart! 

Mosiah 4:12

"And behold, I say unto you that if ye do this ye shall always rejoice, and be filled with the love of God, and always retain a remission of your sins; and ye shall grow in the knowledge of the glory of him that created you, or in the knowledge of that which is just and true."

I love y'all! Have a blessed week!

Sister Morrill