February 22, 2010



Hello from the Caribbean!



We made it out safely from Carnival. All the missionaries in North Zone went to Curepe’s apartment except us and the assistants so we had some fun just chillin’ at home. On Monday, we went to the office to do some work there and then went to Curepe to have a ping-pong tournament and played the game Signs with 16 people. So much fun. We had a blast. It felt weird just chilling not doing any missionary work but rules are rules. We didn’t hear much music, didn’t see anything bad, which was opposite of what people told us it would be. We figured that it got bad on the main road and in Port of Spain - centers of strength. After Signs we went back to our apartment. It was in the middle of Carnival. We had to cross the main road to get to our apartment and it was just FULL of people holding 2 or more beer bottles and dancing around like they were mad. Lots of crazy costumes like Halloween and stuff too. We got out of there FAST and luckily didn’t see much. Over Carnival we played Monopoly 3 times. Elder Scott, like in Georgetown, Guyana, re-did the chance cards and community chest and made it CRAZY. We had a blast.



This week really was a week to remember. Loved it ALL. Wednesday morning the ZLs picked us up, and the whole zone went to this campground up in the mountains next to Correr River or something like that. There we had a zone study. There was a big log in the river, which was just a slow creek, that half of us sat on and we had our feet in the water up to just below our knees for like 2 and a half hours. We talked about what we wanted out of zone conference and what we were going to do to make it the best one yet. We all decided to fast and pray for it and we had a great talk about the atonement. Two in the zone, Elder Duncan and Sookram are going home so we talked about them and what they’ve done in their missions and it was just a way spiritual experience. Loved it.



Thursday we had Zone Conference. The actual conference lasted from 9-4. Then lunch/dinner at 4. The Zone conference was absolutely phenomenal. I wish I could tell you all the things I learned. A lot of sweet stuff about the plan of salvation and how the Celestial Kingdom is the easiest kingdom to get to because the rest have to suffer for their sins because they didn’t take advantage of the atonement. There was a lot more to it but the Assistants and President Gamiette taught us some amazing stuff. The mission is making great strides lately and things are going to be SWEET.



We find out about transfers this Thursday. Should be interesting. Seven new English speakers are coming so a lot of people think that either me or elder Beeson will train. It’ll be fun to see. I’d love to. Elder Prince is just TEARING IT UP in St. Lucia. I wish I could be there with him. One of the best missionaries in the mission. So great.



This week was a bit of a disappointment with our investigators. None of our progressing investigators made it to church. They have been looking so great. Anthony and Nadia are awesome. Nadia is reading the Book of Mormon, asking questions, but she’s afraid to come to church cause she barely knows how to get around in Trinidad. Anthony couldn’t come so Nadia didn’t come on our own. Nadia is still sweet. Anthony is moving to Port of Spain though which is sad.



I feel so great about the work right now. I’m excited to get going and do what the Lord wants me to do. Inside I feel the Spirit more and more. Things are just sweet right now. I realized this week that we represent Christ in San Juan. Like it hit me harder than ever before. I can only be that representative of him for 15 more months. I love this work.



It sounds like everything is crazy back home. It’s always sad to hear about Grandma but I hope she passes away peacefully, and soon. It’s been very hard on everyone it seems. I wish Uncle Craig had the knowledge that we do that if he does indeed come unto Christ he’ll be able to live with them again. It is so real, the spirit has just told me over and over that it is.



I love you all!

Elder Morris



PS: Yes I talked to Elder Richardson on the phone. We were at Sister Doris and Rita's house, 2 cousins from Guyana, (SWEET MEMBERS) that feed us every Sunday after church. They are so cool! It was fun to talk to him, kinda weird though. Just did for a minute or two though.

February 15, 2010



Hello.

We... have.... new email addresses! So. My new email is nathan.morris@myldsmail.net. Check that. There's a DOT in between my name. Hah. I tried to have it the same but it didn't work.

We're in the office because the AP's were asked by President who is in Grenada with his family on vacation to write the weekly email to the missionaries. Checked my email.

The new email address is done with Gmail which is sweet. Looks exactly like Gmail from home and everything. Sweet.

So with Carnival and everything, we didn't get very many people at church. Anthony and Nadia didn't come, but they still are progressing and doing well, I just don't know what happened. We'll see what happens.

We had a great week but with Carnival and everything it was pretty crazy especially how the bars were full and also the parking lots were full which isn't such a good sign. We had to go in early yesterday and Saturday just a couple hours just cause things started getting pretty crazy.

Sounds like everything is doing fine at home. I didn't get Dad's email. One thing, there's a 3 hour difference and so if Dad sends his email at 9 o clock in the morning your time it gets here for me at 12. Sometimes we email in the mornings like this on P-days.

Can't really write much more than that other than I love ya. I'll write a bit more on Thursday or so when we do 40 days to Zion.

Love,

Elder Morris

February 11, 2010

Hey Everyone-
This week was such a great week. Awesome! There were ups and downs but, in the end it was sweet.

News about Louis. He was supposed to be baptized Saturday, but...he didn't. The interview was Thursday so we went over with the District Leader, Elder Bryan, and Louis was scared out of his mind. We got talking and Louis just wasn't ready yet. We taught a good lesson, helped calm his down then set a date for the next weekend. Well, he was in Port of Spain of Friday and Saturday then Sunday, he didn't come to church. We tried and tried to meet with him. Went to his house. All the lights on, door cracked open, they didn't come to the door. I guess he got freaked out. He should have been baptized a month ago but all this extra time he's had has made him freak out. We're still going to try with him but it's really too bad. The missionaries before failed to set a baptismal date, which is KET. If you're not working towards a date, you're not really working towards anything. He didn't have one before we got here, then we seet one and worked towards it, did everything we could have. We're going to try this week to get him to church.

News about Anthony. Anthony has been progressing GREAT. He is excited, reading the Book of Mormon. He came to church and we went by about 4 later after church and he told us that he's prayed about it, received an answer and is willing to do absolutely anything to prepare for his baptism on the 20th. He's way ready and very excited.

This week was fantastic. We worked extremely hard, relied on the Lord, and we saw the fruits of our efforts. We have 4 people getting ready to be baptized. We have a strong ward, where some of the members get together and teach others. We taught this guy Amos who is friends with a strong member, Jeremy. Amos had been taught the whole restoration by Jeremy when we met him. Way excited to be baptized. Things are going extremely well in San Juan.

Next week for Carnival, everyone in the Trinidad North zone are coming to our apartment. 16 missionaries in one apartment. It is going to be crazy. Good thing I get my own bed. Haha. It'll be way fun though apart from the really loud soca music and dancehall. We'll have to cover the windows. It's said that of the people on the streets, over 90 percent of them are half naked. Not good at all. We'll have a ping pong table, football, and board games to keep us busy from Sunday afternoon to Wednesday Night. It's not too good of a holiday. Sure it would be cool to see one of the craziest holidays in the world but...as a missionary? Not for me.

Thank you so much for your support. I love all you guys. The work is going fantastic and we're having a great time. About writing letters to converts, I think it's a great idea. I'll have a list for you next email home of people you could write a letter or send an email to. They'd love it. Also, next time I email might be Saturday due to the Carnival. I'll find out then let you know when we get on Thursday to do 40 days to Zion.

Hey, question, when is the package supposed to be here? Thanks for sending it btw. I'm excited to get it. And to send you pictures with the memory card reader!

Love ya!

Elder Morris

service for haiti

Sorting clothes for Haiti with Elder Beeson

Zone Conference

Christmas Day haircut by sister Bullock

Christmas 2009 - Service at the Orphanage

Christmas 2009 - Service at the Orphanage

Christmas 2009 - The Nativity

Feb 1, 2010

Hey!

THis week was quite a good one. We are having a baptism on Saturday, that's part of the good news. His name is Louis. He's about 26 years old, awesome guy. Had a bad past, but has a family now and wants to change. He is great. Loves coming to church each week. He has a 2 year old daughter, Renisha, that is hilarious yet very distracting when she sits there and screams at you. Haha.

Elder Beeson and I are having a great time. We're working very hard and it's just fun when you're doing everything you can to serve. He hurt his foot this week so it was a bit harder getting around but we made do. He is an awesome companion.

This week we did a LOT of service. The United Way for Trinidad and Tobago asked the church to send people to help sort food and clothing donations to be sent to Haiti. On P-Day of all days we went for like 4 hours. Then Wednesday we got asked to come back so we did that for another 4 hours. Took a lot of time out of proselytine, butu we did get a lot of work done. It's pretty cool to see that we really do know how to get things done. Who knew, the white boys know how to work!! As opposed to everyone thinking that we're very lazy and don't know how to work. On Friday we went to Curepe to help Elder Duncan and Elder Jones out doing some service and teaching lessons. They overbooked and couldn't change the appointments so me and Elder Duncan went and cleaned up this lady's yard for a few hours.

It was fun, this morning we played basketball at the Arima chapel. We had a way good time. Our team, the Assistants, Elder Beeson and I and Elder Duncan kicked butt. Way fun. I, however, haven't played forever so I wasn't too good. But it was fun anyways. Made a couple good drives. I love sports on P-day. We couldn't do that in South zone because Siparia was way far away from the other areas so we couldn't move to other areas. Elder Clark and Elder Carter call me from time to time and we chat about how Siparia is doing.

It was great to be able to talk to Grandma. She was able to talk for about 10 minutes which I was grateful for. Grandpa said she wanted to sit up to talk to her grandson on a mission. I love Grandma. Don't worry, I'm not worried about her. I am happy she's going in peace and that people are showing her that she is indeed loved very much. She said that she wanted to send me some money to buy a souvenir. I kept telling her not to warry and that I don't need anything but she wouldn't listen. Haha. Grandma is great. I love her a lot.

Ah. Here's something I can tell you about. Carnival!! Sounds nice, doesn't it? Biggest Holiday down here. Honestly, it is pretty much a holiday of sin. The streets get filled with people wearing barely any clothes, dancing to "soca" music and doing very very immoral things. The missionaries get shipped out and we can't go outside for 3 days. It starts on the 14th this month so two weeks from today. We go to Sangre Grande on Sunday then stay until Wednesday. Monday and Tuesday is when the streets are bad. Wednesday everyone goes to the beach to end the holiday with more badness. Sounds like fun right? One of the biggest tourist destinations in the Caribbean. The biggest one in the work is in Rio de Janeiro, Taylor's mission, so pray for him. Haha.

Curepe ward, the one we go to is awesome. There are some great member families that we can work with and it's the ward that President and his family go to. His family is pretty much one of the coolest families I've met. They are so cool haha. We stacked the chairs and Amy, the little 3 year old girl was climbing on the stacks. My back was turned to the stack of chairs talking with Elder Duncan and all of a sudden, she jumped on my back and grabbed onto my neck. Haha it was hilarious. She's crazy. Sister Gamiette got mad at her. Haha.

Well that's pretty much it folks. The mission is going SWEET. I am loving every minute of it. Can't ask for much more. Except packages and letters including lots of candy (including airheads, sour patch kids and watermelons, and Swedish fish.) Anything like unto it is great too! Ties....ties ties ties. My collection is large in stature but I could use a lot more. (Ryan that one is for you.) hahaha. I'm kiddin. This is a long list of demands. Just ideas of stuff you can send. Elder Barton got a package from his parents from dearelder.com and it had these cravers brand cookies with fudge on the bottom. They were absolutely phenomenal. Haha.

I love the Lord, love this mission, love the missionaries, and love my family back at home. I know this gospel is true and I know that as we seek guidance and counsel from the Lord we really can receive it. Just have faith.

Love ya -

Elder Morris

PS: Included is a picture I took in Guyana. I need a card reader for my memory cards so I can send new pictures. I lost my cord. Next package could you send me one? I need a good one that'll work for both XD picture cards and SD cards. Thank you! I love ya.

PPSS: I didn't get emails from Mom or Dad. If you had questions, I won't be able to answer them until next week. :D