nate morris west indies mission

August 9, 2010

Good Afternoon!

This past week has been pretty great. I'm happy so that's always good. I'm pretty dang sure I'm going to Barbados next week. So expect some gorgeous beach within the month!

This morning/last night was crazy. The AP's, President and Sister Gamiette, and Elder and Sister Coleman of the 1st Quorum of the 70 were flying in last night at 8:30. We were picking them up. We get a call saying that the plane was delayed. So we waited at the office until 1:30. Their plane finally got here and so we picked them up. Now, remember I learned how to drive stick 3 months ago. And the bus I'm driving is a huge Toyota Hiace. Feel like I'm driving a school bus. The clutch is really sensitive so it's a bit jumpy if you're not perfect in every shift. Well President said to me as we were leaving the airport, "drive smoothly Elder Morris". Haha i just said, "President, I am doing my best." I was so dang nervous. Not every day you drive around a general authority.

We had a really cool experience Saturday. We went by a part member family/less actives in the morning. The wife's husband, Clyde, was the only one home. In his past he was a spiritual baptist (shouter baptist). He left the faith and his family met the missionaries a few years ago. They were all baptized but him. Usually he never talks to us, never listens, etc. We just started talking with him. Trying to figure out what he really needed and wanted in his life. And we asked if we could sit down and share a message with him. We sat down and started teaching him about the gospel and baptism and things like that, because he did want to change and he does want to know the truth. He was very open in the lesson. He told us all of the things that have kept him from the faith and we committed him to begin searching again. We asked if we could come over regularly and help him prepare for baptism, help him find the truth. He agreed and we invited him to pray right then and there. We all knelt down on the floor and he said a prayer. It was great. He asked for help and guidance to know if it's the truth or not, and for the motivation to change. The spirit was present and it felt great. We told his wife about the experience at church the next day. She was floored! She was shocked that he actually willingly listened and had a lesson with us. She looked like she was going to fall over she was so surprised. She was so happy. I thought it was such a great thing! Even if he doesn't progress towards baptism, because he has a long ways to go, he will get there, and he is progressing. It was great to be a part of that. Who knows what would have happened if we just left when we saw it was just him there.

Our investigators really haven't been progressing too much lately. We found a lot of new people though this week. We had fun. We took a member kid, Cameron, out with us on Friday night. We just were calling into houses and we taught 3 lessons, and found 5 new people. It was a fun night. One of the guys we taught seems cool. It's funny, you can get a lot of new investigators here, but quality ones are far and in between. Taught a cool guy named Brandon on Sunday with Brother Phillips though. He wants to know the truth. He's a single parent and has 5 kids. He said he is going to come visit the church this upcoming Sunday. Even though we were in the office again this week a lot, we got a lot done out in the field and I was way happy. Never had a bad day, really. I'm happy.

Things are great here though. I'm gonna miss Trinidad but I'm excited to get out and see the rest of the mission. I am glad things are going well at home. Sounds like the kids are quite a handful, a fun handful at least. haha.

I love ya!

Elder Morris