First Pictures in the West Indies

If you want to see Nate on his first two days in Trinidad go to westindiesmission.blogspot.com. It is so fun to see him as a new missionary!

June 21, 2009

Hello!

Last letter from the MTC! Some news: Elder Prince was running up some stairs and slipped and really hurt his knee. He went and got an MRI scan but the doctor won’t look at the results until Monday. So . . . that means Elder Prince won’t be flying with us. He’ll probably be held back a couple of weeks. This happens too often here! The district before us that used the same classroom/teachers was held back 2-3 weeks due to swine flu. Then 2 of those elders were held back another week or two. They’re going to Hawaii and have been here for 6 weeks on their 3 week MTC stay! I’m lucky that isn’t happening with me.

I’ve been packing up some of my stuff today and it is sad to be leaving. I’m going to miss my district - all awesome guys. About pictures, I got the message to send pictures too late. It takes 3-5 days to get them back for me to send them. When I get to the West Indies, I’ll put them all up on photobucket for you to use my first P-day.

To answer some questions: I was able to go to the Provo Temple Wednesday (P-day), and it was an amazing experience. I have been praying for another witness of the truth of the Gospel and such to just rejuvenate my testimony and I got it! I said a prayer in the temple and the Spirit really hit me strongly. I felt deep within my heart God’s love and the Spirit’s witness.

You guys sound super busy: many times going to the cabin, dance performances, etc. I was sorry to hear about Kira’s injury.

By the way Mom, germs die between 2-8 hours after contact. So, I didn’t give your pig sickness!J Check out Luke 15:15. We gave this scripture to the security people that brought us food. Ya know it was hard missing a week of the MTC but I caught up so we’re good.J Thank you for sending those things overnight! I saw the postage. Not cheap! Maybe next time don’t send the Gatorade overnight. It was tasty but maybe not worth 8 bucks of postage extra. Haha! I love you! I thought it was funny. Also thanks for the face medicine and address book. It was nice of you to gather all those addresses. Thank you so much. The rain has been awesome! I haven’t seen very much of it due to being cooped up studying all day but I have noticed more than normal. I wish I had Mom with me to help pack but I have to rely on my own skills! Better get used to that. This is all going so fast. A week from now I will be preaching the Gospel to real people! I’m nervous but prepared! It took hard work but I really have changed while I’ve been here.

I wanted to tell ya about something else I’ve been doing in the MTC. The RC (Referral Center) is where all the calls from pass-along card, TV commercials, etc. come. We send out free items, dvd’s, Books of Mormon, Bibles, etc. Then we follow up to see if they received them and if they liked it. We then offer another item and the missionaries to deliver it. If we get the missionaries to contact them and deliver the item, we count it as a referral. So, I am on the phone (with real people!) testifying and teaching about what I know to help them want the missionaries. It is scary! In my 2 visits, 1 hour each, I got 3 referrals. I felt pretty good!

Well, next time you’ll be hearing from me is when I’m in the West Indies. I love this gospel I’m learning and teaching. It can bless lives. Christ is waiting at the door for us to let him in. I am helping people know that He loves us and let them open that door for themselves. I have learned more about the restoration, for that is our unique message and truth we share with the world. I know what I’m doing is inspired of God and I am doing His work. I love you all very much!

Love,
Elder Nate Morris

June 17, 2009

Mom and Dad,

I love getting letters from you guys! It is a lot harder than I thought to keep track of letters and only be able to write back on Wednesdays. Here is my travel itinerary:

Delta Flight #1586 LV:SLC 7:00 a.m. 22 June
AR:ATL 12:48 p.m. 22 June
Delta Flight #387 LV:ATL 2:55 p.m. 22 June
AR: PO (Port of Spain) 7:46 p.m. 22 June

I’ll try to call before around 6:15 a.m. or so. If not, I’ll call in between flights. Probably in that case, I’ll call both work and home.

Okay! Some details of life here – Normal Schedule: (Changes around everyday. Tuesday = Devotional)

6:30 a.m. wake up, shower, get dressed.
7:00 a.m. Class
8:15 a.m. Breakfast
8:45 a.m. Class
1:00 p.m. Lunch
1:45 p.m. Personal Study
2:45 p.m. Companion Study
3:45 p.m. Missionary Directed Time (MDT)
6:00 p.m. Dinner
6:45 p.m. Class
9:00 p.m. Planning
9:30 p.m. Personal Time
10:15 p.m. Quiet Time
10:30 p.m. Lights Out

Our teachers are Brother Vallett and Sister Clark. Brother Vallett is awesome, lives with his parents in Murray, on 4799 S. Bayport, or something, near Hunter’s Woods. We learn various things; teaching skills like asking questions, listening, scriptures, etc. We also learn about how to teach with the Spirit - basically just anything and everything in Preach My Gospel. What a great tool that is! I’ve already marked mine up! For companion study the other day, just an example, we read through Ammon’s missionary story; Ammon’s story teaching King Lamoni’s father. We looked for things that they did that we could do to become more effective. We do things like that.
For personal study I like to read The Book of Mormon for 30 minutes, then work on part of a lesson like the Atonement and become more acquainted with it so I can teach it better.

The food is decent. Usually there’s something good. There are like 4 choices. Fridays it’s pizza (Papa John’s!) alternating with teriyaki stix. Not too shabby!

The stuff you sent was awesome. I love the backpack and photo album. I never got the face medication and there was a big hole in the package. Maybe you could report it? It was big enough for me to fit my hand through and take stuff. Maybe someone decided to just punch a hole through. It was through the outer packaging as well. BTW, I sent those thank you notes. Sounds like you guys had fun at the cabin, both times! About email. As for right now it is just family, immediate I think. But you can forward emails to me. By the way Mom, Elder Tanner Carr is going to Norway on his mission and left this week! It was fun to hang out with him here. He is a great guy. I’ve seen everyone here! Elder Mohlman, Elder Schneider, Elder Matt Fairbrother, Elder Nelson, of course, Elder Tyler Johnson, Elder Nathan Hankins from Junior High and High School. It has been fun to see friendly faces all around.

I am working extremely hard here and I have a good attitude. I love the work so far because I know it is for a good reason. Well, I better wrap up. I am going to the temple soon! I love you so much! I am grateful for your prayers while I was sick, even if I was better by the second day. I love you!

Elder Nathan Morris

Hey everyone!

I wasn't able to email last week due to QUARANTINE! What an interesting experience that was. Most of the time I spent was sleeping, reading theBook of Mormon, and studying Preach my Gospel. It was extremely hard to focus when I was surrounded by sick Elders that just felt like joking around the whole time instead of buckling down and getting some work done. I outlined all of Lesson 2 during my 5 days there. Not as much as I would have liked to get done but I actually came out ahead of my district. It was a tough 5 days. I couldn't receive packages but I got notices of 3 packages from my district so I wasn't able to open them until the following monday, which was... 2 days ago! Thank you so much for your packages sent Mom & Dad! I got the backpack and all the stuff inside. Thanks for the picture album as well! Ya know it's pretty cool, we get a 40 percent discount of mostly everythingin the MTC bookstore. So Like i got this water purifier water bottle for the mission which'll be good for clean water, usually 50 bucks. got it for like 33. I appreciate the get well package as well! I couldn't get it until after I was already better but it's been fun to have and was a nice gesture. I appreciate your fasting as well. You didn't have to but I felt much better all around knowing that. Your prayers work you guys! For some reason it won't let me use the enter button so I'll have to just do it in one big paragraph now. You guys are asking for some details so here they are! So what we do each week is this. On Mondays we have TRC appointments. (Teaching Resource Center).Volunteers come in and are fake investigators. We teach them a 40 minute lesson, go out and think about what we taught and what we didn't do well, then do a 10 minute follow up with them. We taught the first lesson on Monday and it went really well! Ya know the spirit works in different ways all the time. Last week Elder Bednar came and spoke to us in a Devotional. I was in quarantine but they broadcasted it to our tv that we had. He talked about the question "How do I know if it's the spirit or just me? " His answer? "Don't worry about it." He used many examples on how the spirit doesn't manifest itself as the spirit most of the time. He told some interesting stories about how he just did something for some weird reason then later found out how important that decision was and that it was the spirit. We don't always know when the spirit is telling us to do things. He said as long as we are diligent and working hard at our calling, the Lord will guide our footsteps and the Spirit will be with us always directing our thoughts and our hearts.It was an absolutely phenomenal talk. Like really? The talks and devotionals here are so much more meaningful it feels like. I dunno what it is. Well yes I do. We are missionaries of the church of JESUS CHRIST and we are his messengers! The spirit is so strong here all of the time. Well in our TRC appointment monday i felt that. I didn'tknow why but i started talking about more of the first lesson, and Ifelt that the investigator actually needed to hear a testimony of the restoration. So I did talk about that! We testified of the restoration and this 19 year old kid started to cry. It was a great experience and we felt that even though this was a volunteer, that he did actually need to hear that and the spirit was guiding our words.

It worked! (The enter bar) Well more about the MTC. We get one hour a day each of Personal study and companion study. Classes most days with teachers about 4 hours each teacher. 45 minutes for lunch and dinner,30 for breakfast. My district is AWESOME. We all are great friends now.

I am loving it here at the MTC. My testimony is growing tremendouslyand I am working my butt off! People CAN'T come into the MTC expecting a few classes and learning a bit. You learn TONS and work extremely hard.We are always so tired after classes.

I loved your stories about the cabin and all that stuff. You guys are working almost as hard as me!

BTW: My flight leaves SLC monday morning at 7 AM. I have to report to the travel desk at 4 in the morning with everything ready to go. I am excited and scared!! We transfer in Atlanta and will get to Trinidad atabout 7:30 at night Eastern Time. I am sad i missed 5 days here for I feel like i could have used 2 extra TRC appointments to help me get better at teaching.

Letters home have been tough. I was able to write every day in quarantine but it takes longer to get home than expected. Also I can only write on P-Days which are wednesdays and this is my last one...

I can't finish up all I wanted to say so I'll send a letter home withsome more details of life at the MTC. I will write it after I end this email talk.

I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH. I can't wait to serve the Lord. Keep it real!

-Elder Nathan Morris

June 9, 2009

Dad -

Thanks for writing so soon! Thanks for your kind words. It sure was an amazing experience last Tuesday night getting set apart. It was very hard to say good-bye to you guys Wednesday. It all was happening too fast. They actually were going to start this curb-side drop off in September. That was a nice poem in your letter. I have set my soul towards Christ. I know if I work hard I'll be blessed.

Dad, I've gotten the flu! I didn't want to worry you guys but I thought you should know. I'm being kept in quarantine, which is just a floor of residencies set off from the public. They deliver meals, mail, anything we need. I should be out Saturday. I'm allowed to write whenever I want, so please write back when you get this! I need your support. I really don't feel that sick, only a headache, but I had a fever the last couple of days. They stopped testing for Swine flu because it's so expensive and 90% of those positive for flu are positive for Swine flu, so I probably have it. It's rather annoying because I don't feel that sick! Yet I'm surrounded by people that are a lot sicker then me.

I saw that you went and saw UP! I loved that movie. I'm glad Amy took you guys. I forgot to mention that in Mom's letter so tell her I'm happy you guys went! Again don't worry about me, I'll be fine. This way I get to study all day. Ha ha. I love you Dad and miss you lots!

Elder Morris

June 9, 2009

Mom -

Life has been pretty crazy at the MTC! So many schedules, lots of work. The food is pretty decent, not to shabby. Yes it has been hard to not hug or shake hands with all the friends I see. Like I said in my last letter, I see them everywhere! About my mission scripture, I chose John 15:15-16. I forgot to tell the bishop before I left. Mom, I love your temple goal. Keep me updated. I miss you mom, I love you so much. I'm not homesick, but I do and will miss you very much. You asked about restrictions on the flu, so I'll tell you some stuff about it. Supposedly there have been over 50 cases of Swine flu. They keep them...on one floor...for 5 days while taking Tami flu - kind of like prision. Ha, ha, not really! Well Sunday night I felt really sick, fever, chills, cough, etc. I got my temp checked and it was 102. They took me to Insta-care, and the test came out negative. Got checked again yesterday, and negative again. Just now I was tested and it came out positive, so lucky me, I'm in quarantine. That's why I'm writing! I usually can only do it Wednesday's cause that's my P-day. So please write back, don't worry, I feel fine but they're making me stay. It's not all that bad. Lots of study time! But again, I love you mom. I wasn't gonna tell you, but I thought ya should know. I love you!

Nate (Elder Morris)

P.S. Don't worry!

First Letter

June 3, 2009

Morris Family!

Had my first day today. What a crazy experience. So many lines, mass confusion, but everywhere I turn there is friendly faces. Saw Elder (Ryan) Nelson a few times, Elder (Tobin) Prince is my roommate, but not my companion which is too bad. My companion is Elder Beeson and he's from Seattle. He was made the district leader actually so I get to go help him collect mail and other things. Looking at the schedule, I will be BUSY these next few days/weeks. Hours and hours of classes. Oh, good news, Elder Tanner Carr from High school and Jr. High is our zone leader...Also FYI I wasn't the only person with problems keeping the weight (of my luggage) down to 44 lbs! I miss you guys, but this experience is crazy. I'll be too busy to do much other than work. Thank you so much for everything you did to help me get ready. I love you all and miss you lots! Sorry I don't have time to write more. Love you, Elder Morris

It's Official!

Elder Nathan Morris entered the MTC today! He is an official missionary as of last night and we are so proud of him. (They just started the new rules at the MTC, where you drop them off in the parking lot and say goodbye. They started this because of the Swine Flu and Influenza A that are going around there, but it is supposed to be like this from now on.) Mom, Dad and Amy dropped him off and we all will miss him tons. Good Luck Nate. We love you!

Last Hurrah and Mission Farewell

Fun with friends before the big mission sendoff!

Rolling down the hill in a big tube - What could be more fun!

Party at Nate's house the night before the farewell - mud volleyball and everything - what a night!

Nate and his two friends, Taylor and Ryan, all spoke together at this mega missionary farewell on Sunday. What an awesome meeting:) Don't they look missionary - esck!

Not so much here. This is Matt, Ryan, Nate, Mark, Taylor, and Nate D. All friends and all going on missions in the next little while. What a group:)