11/08/10

Sunday Morning I got a phone call from President telling me of my transfer to St. Vincent. I've only been here 3 months. I am going to miss it here so much. I have really loved serving in Barbados. I've really grown to love the people here. The country itself is just gorgeous. I really would love to come back here. Even just for a short vacation.

I'm going to Calliaqua, St. Vincent. I"ll have a car and my companion will be Elder Welch. He goes home very soon. I hear he is a very hard worker so I know next transfer we'll be able to get a lot of things done. I really was pretty disappointed to get that transfer call. Oh well. After a lot of prayer I know it's what is best for me. This is truly where the Lord needs me. I felt it and know it.

Sherneal wasn't baptized this past week. She's super ready and 100 percent converted though. She is one of the coolest converts I've taught. Knows without doubt that this is the true restored gospel. Her testimony really has strengthened mine. She just was given one more week by President for some other reasons.

This past week was actually really, really good. We worked our butts off and got a ton done. Gloria and her whole family came to church this past weekend which was awesome to see. They are way cool. Church really was great yesterday. A lot of less actives and investigators we'd been working with came. Black Rock will have a few baptisms coming up that's for sure. It was pretty random. We met lady from Canada who served a mission in France. She had been praying for help because she didn't know where anything was where she had a room for the night and she saw us walk by. "Elders!" We turned and she was way cool. Came to church Sunday with her non-member aunt who we're now teaching and wants to be baptized. I love the West Indies.

Dad to answer some of your questions.

I do have a tan. It's the best it'll ever get. I only put sunscreen on my nose. that' sthe only part that burns now. The rest is just a mild tan. Which is the reason you don't see it very well.

There isn't too many bugs here in Barbados. Mosquitos a bit but nothing bad at all. Guyana there's tons, trinidad there's a lot but here it's fine. Lots of little lizards, a bird loves to come into our apartment and steal the bread. That's about it.

Playing the piano. A member here knows how to play. I play sometimes for district meetings but that's basically it. I get to practice a lot because we have a keyboard in the apartment which is pretty awesome.

We did well w/ith our money this transfer. I do however need to buy some things today. Other than that it's been fine.


I dunno that's pretty much it for me. I hope things are going well for you all. I love you and miss you.

Elder Morris

New address!!!

PO BOX 601
Kingstown, St. Vincent
West Indies

Hurricane Pictures!

11/01/10

I don't know if you get news of the West Indies in your neck of the woods but we had Tropical Storm pass through Barbados on Saturday. It was almost classified as a hurricane but it is now as it heads towards Jamaica. It hit Barbados then St. Lucia and St. Vincent, then went all the way up. Saturday I woke up at 6:30 like always but noticed it was windy outside. Hmmm... that's not good. It was way strong. Power went out around 9 in the morning and several large trees around us were blown down. We could see someone's roof was completely torn off. We were on the phone with many of the missionaries throughout the day. There was a curfew in place all day so no one was allowed outside. The strong winds and rains lasted until around 1 or 2 and it was just off and on the rest of the day. The Zone leaders apartment still doesn't have power haha. We were pretty lucky in black rock. It didn't get hit too hard but the eastern part of the island there were tons of floods and houses being washed away. One of our investigators, Theresa lost her home. All the members are okay, nothing too damaging but some lost part of their roof and their fences and stuff like that. We were safe, we just stayed inside and read Ensign articles all day. I caught up on my journal, took a nap, etc. We're lucky it wasn't a hurricane when it hit us or else it would have been a lot worse! It kinda hurt our week pretty bad. Due to a lot of the members having trouble with their houses they didn't have church yesterday but we got approval and all the missionaries met up and took the sacrament at the Sisters' apartment with the Boman's (senior couple here). The rest of the day yesterday was lame, everybody was shopping, fixing their houses, and nobody wanted our help. Everybody was too preoccupied. Sad event hitting the west indies. No fatalities, just a lot of damaged houses.

Friday we had the coolest lesson with Sherneal. She had been having doubts about a lot of things about the church, mostly baptisms for the dead and the kingdoms of glory. On Wednesday she had come to institute and she said that everything taught was just for her. She got home in tears just thinking about all the things she had been taught and wrote in her journal which she read to us on Friday, "Today I decided I would not have anymore doubts concerning the church. I have decided to join the faith and put all doubts behind. I know it's the right thing to do and I know this is the truth." She said the next day after she wrote that she felt peace and love inside all throughout the day. We invited her to be baptized next Sunday and she accepted one-time (quickly). She is way excited to be baptized and she knows it is the truth. One of the coolest lessons/experiences i've had.

Bazil was interviewed and wasn't ready for baptism yet. He hasn't received a testimony yet and so we'll continue to help. We've tried almost everything we can do but we'll keep trying.

Wednesday I went on tradeoffs with Elder Thomas and we had a blast. He's the funniest guy. We taught our investigator Everett and he asked us "so what do I have to do to get baptized? How long does it take? When's the soonest I can be baptized?" We told him and gave him a baptismal date which he accepted. It was a cool lesson haha i love being asked those questions. We met with him later in the week and he wasn't as cool. He just talked the entire time. Asking us if he understood what he was telling us. I said "Everett, I assure you. We understand everything you are telling us." He replied "You sure? You better be sure to understand what I am saying. You know the gospel, when you preach it, you better be sure to apply the things you teach. You youngsters don't really understand." I wasn't very happy. I bit my tongue and just stayed quiet. I am not usually a fan when people despise your youth. They don't think that we actually know what we're talking about. I know what it's like to repent. I know what it's like to change my life. I know what the power of the atonement feels like. Nothing anybody says can change my mind for I know these things and have felt them. Everett is still doing alright, he's reading the book of mormon but he doesn't really let us teach him anything. He just complains about how hard life is. We try to help and really teach him things he needs but he won't let us. I guess we'll keep trying.

Funny thing. On tradeoffs we passed a house that had a big sign with red paint saying "NO JEHOVAH WITNESSES." We laughed pretty hard and called into the house. They didn't come outside. 5 minutes later we were teaching somebody down the street and the lady said "You're not Jehovah Witnesses are you?" We said no and she said "Thank goodness, I just can't stand them!" It was pretty funny..

Transfers are next Wednesday. I find out where I'm going on thursday so I'll let you know next week. Who knows where i'll be. Probably still here in Black Rock. I wouldn't mind. I love it here. It's been fun. I'd love to serve in a couple more countries though. I have 3 flags under my belt right now which is pretty cool but it'd be fun to go other places. I gotta email President but it sounds like everyone had fun for halloween. Nobody really celebrates it here. Some do and it's getting more popular. They only started celebrating it 2 years ago here. We saw some decorations in a hallmark store here but that's it. Happy Halloween! I love ya all.

--

Elder Nathan Morris

Apartment 6 Eagle Towers

Washington Avenue
Black Rock, St. Michael
Barbados, West Indies

10/25/10

ZONE CONFERENCE

Was great! It's always fun to see a lot of your past companions and friends at zone conferences. Missionaries from Grenada and St. Vincent flew in for the conference. I got to talk a lot with Elder Carter and Elder Jones, got to meet some new people I never had met before. It was a blast. Of course that wasn't the highlight. President Gamiette taught us all about "Holiness". what it means and how to achieve it. How we are building temples within ourselves and with the people around us. It was a great conference. We learned a lot, practiced a lot of teaching skills, etc. In one role play I was teaching with Elder Howe. We were teaching Sister Gamiette. At one point in the role play Elder Howe was testifying of the Savior. The spirit was way strong, even in this simple practice teaching experience and Sister Gamiette started to cry. She's like "this is the first time this has ever happened in a zone conference!" President joked about it with us after and said we're gonna get it for making his wife cry. They are way cool though. I love President and Sister Gamiette. They're gems.

My interview was pretty great. He talked a lot about the changes he's seeing taking place with me and with the other missionaries and he told me how proud he was of all the changes. I wish interviews happened more often cause every 3 months? That means i only have 2 left? Not counting time or anything it's just too bad i won't get many more interviews/zone conferences. I really pray/hope that i'll be able to serve with Elder Prince. It'd be the coolest thing ever. Going home after having served together in the Caribbean. That would be the best.

This week was really good. Because of conference we didn't have as much time to get all the things done we needed to. But we worked our bottom's off. Bazil has a baptism date for this upcoming sunday. He is doing a ton better and at church he was beginning to participate in the lessons. It was pretty great to see. We've started workign with a less active/part member family who are awesome. Sister White and her daughters. Way fun family. They are really going to work on coming back into full activity and one of the daughters is 12 and hasn't been baptized so it'll be fun to keep completing the family. We had a lot of fun this week. Sherneal however didn't come to church.. She said she couldn't catch a bus.

I don't really know what else to report on. I had a dream Wednesday night that Mom was with me in Barbados and she looked at me and said "it's going to rain tomorrow". It rained a lot the next afternoon. Haha it was kinda cool. I've had some crazy dreams on my mission and it's been fun to write them down. I've written like 90 of them. Call me crazy. Actually my name's Elder Morris and I like the way I am.. :D

Well enjoy the week, hopefully we baptize this week. Bazil is doing better but i'm not sure if he's ready for baptism. The interview will tell the tale i guess. He needs the church so much in his life. He's had it rough. I'll send pictures next week :)

Much Love,

Elder Morris