GRATEFUL FOR THE PRIESTHOOD

Sorry for not emailing last week! Between working on BYU stuff ( talk
about TRUNKY) and other things that happened, I had no time. So Lots
to catch up on!

First off, we threw a party for our branch! An investigator
volunteered to cook Peruvian food for everyone with the help of our
Peruvian missionary leader and all we had to do was invite everyone! A
bunch of branch members came and even 10 nonmembers! Successsssss. My
favorite moment was when an investigator gave his friend a tour of the
church, including the baptismal fount. We didn't even tell him to!
This investigator even came to church yesterday for the first time in
months! Miraclesssssz.

And then we were going to have a baptism this week but it fell through
BUT we were able to set one with an incredible investigator for next
month. We read 3 Nephi 11 with her and she just understood everything
so deeply. She knew The Lord was inviting her to baptism. This is the
woman whose family in Columbia gave us her information after they got
baptized if you guys remember. The only problem is that she works
Sunday mornings. We promised her though that if she had faith and if
we united in prayers and fasting, that God would provide the way for
her to be able to come to church and that she would be able to be
baptized on the 24th of November. I know God can do anything and I
know shes going to be baptized.

So I'm so grateful for these miracles! But yes, these two weeks have
also had their challenges. I knew they were coming--life has been just
TOO good lately! First I got hit with an awful cold/fever that lasted
forever but I'm perfect now thanks to my angel companion. She rubbed
my feet every night with essential oils and pretty much did everything
since every time I opened my mouth I got a coughing attack haha. And
then we went through a really hard situation involving a
misunderstanding with some people we were teaching. We were so
spiritually low and tried to everything we could to get out of it but
nothing was working. We even talked to our Mission President about it
and those moments we spent together with him in an office were so
precious to me. I felt like I was in the room with the Savior. We
cried together and the love I felt from God was so tangible. I love
President Andersen so much, he is an amazing servant of the Lord and I
know he was called of God. But the real healing came when we had
District Meeting. After the meeting, our District leader who had no
idea what had happened came up to us and pretty much just asked us if
we wanted a blessing. Of course we said yes and he called his comp and
two other Elders from our District to give us a blessing. So we each
got a blessing, surrounded by four amazing servants of the Lord. I
felt the Spirit so strong, I thought my heart would burst and all I
could think was how grateful I am for The Priesthood. Something Ive
realized on my mission is that the priesthood is everything. The
Restoration wouldn't be complete, without it. We would not be able to
receive the saving ordinances of baptism without it. We wouldn't be
able to partake of the Sacrament. Neither would we be able to be
spiritually edified and healed throughout priesthood blessings. I am
so grateful for my dad, my brother, my friends, my leaders, and
especially these four Elders Who are all worthy priesthood holders. I
respect and sustain them in ever way.

So why did I share this story? I hope it didn't come across as a "wa
wa wa the mission is so hard-feel bad for me" kind of way because
those aren't my intentions. I just want to share this testimony I have
of the power of the priesthood, everything has changed for us because
of it. We are healed and have been working harder and wiser as ever. I
know God is mindful of me and I am so grateful for Hermana Swenson.
President Andersen frankly told me we were put together for a reason
and thats no surprise to me. Shes an amazing example--my rock and
simply an angel from heaven. I love her so much! This experience has
strengthened us and has been a changing point for me in my mission.
I'm so imperfect but I'm working every day to be better. I'm just so
glad for repentance and I feel indebted to my Savior who has made it
possible for me to change poco a poco every day!

And to end on a lighter note: my second favorite moment of the week
was when we were waiting for an investigator to finish talking to a
client in his store so we could share our lesson. Hermana Swenson got
tired so she sat down on a bag of rice and then this random guy saw
her and brought her a chair. So here is my companion, chilling in the
middle of a store full of customers, reading her Book of Mormon!
Picture included. Haha I love her so much.

And I love you all! Heavenly Father is mindful of each and everyone
one of you! And of your challenges. And he will help you look at them
as ways to build your testimony and grow stronger in the faith! Have a
week super GUAY.

HURRAH FOR ISRAEL!

Love,
Hermana Morrow

No sé que debo poner aqui....odio esto‏

This week has been pretty great! We´ve had a lot of miracles and tender mercies that we owe to The Lord.

This week was focused on our fellow African friends. We didn´t even plan it out that way, but Heavenly Father has guided us to meet and teach so many people from Mali, Senegal, Angola, Morocco, and Burkina Faso! I think the majority of our investigators currently are African as of now, actually haha. The biggest obstacle with them though are that the majority of them are Muslim. So we literally start from zero and help them to gain a testimony of Jesus Christ, that He is more than just a prophet--that He is our Savior and Redeemer. And we have had some of the best, genuine discussions with some of these friends than I have had in my entire mission! If they listen to us at all, its because they have real intent and because they really truly want to know what if the path they are following is the right one. It just shows me that the gospel truly is spreading and growing, ALL over the world. it doesn´t matter what country you are from or what religious background you have, the gospel of Jesus Christ is and forever will be for EVERY SINGLE ONE of God´s children. The field is white and ready to harvest, people! 

For example, one of our African friends has already converted to Christianity and is now searching which Christian church is right. We´ve been teaching him for two weeks now and he tried to drop us earlier this week over the phone but we had an emergency lesson with him (I pretty much begged him over the phone not to drop us until we talked first. Felt like I was getting dumped honestly, I think he even used the "hey its not, you--its me line" haha!) and we just shared our testimonies that this is what he was looking for and that he could know it for himself. He took the invitation and even came to church yesterday. MIRACLE! We´re going to find out today what he thought about it so, fingers crossed!

Another really sweet African friend we have owns a store and he works there EVERY day which is really frustrating sometimes to have discussions with him. Imagine having to stand and talk to soemone over a counter and stop every time someone comes in to buy something! ARGH! But  he actually came to Gerneral Conference last week and loved it. He told us one day that at first he didn´t want anything from us but that reading from the Book of Mormon and listening to Gerneral Conference has really opened and softened his heart. Soooo....TOMA YA. MIRACLE. He´s from Mali and always gives us awesome references of his Mali brothers that pass through the store. Hahaha we´re even learning a little bit of Bambara (one of the languages from Mali) just enough to contact them Mali people we meet. It´s super cute cuz my comp will just shout out "Alequideme" (sp?) (God bless you) to random Africans we see in the streets to see if they speak Bambara and freak out. Hey, we´ve met a ton of people interested in our message that way...go with what works right?

And can I just say thank you to our investigators? They are just the best. Each of them has taken us in, in their own way. In fact, for four meals in a row we were fed by investigators this week! And three of them were completely unplanned--we just showed up and there was dinner or lunch waiting for us. One sweet lady even took us out for a tostado breakfast! There´s just something about a relationship based on sharing and talking about the Savior,Jesus Christ that bring out the best in everybody, I guess. Hey, I´m not complaining! haha

We even played football with a Peruvian family today for P-day! It was so fun, I felt like I was playing with my family for a moment. They even invited us to eat afterwards at their house and we played Rumikub haha. Dang, I love this family so much. They are the ones who came to General Conference last week and they now regularly come to Ward Family Home Evenings and our english classes. I have wanted so bad to teach a family this past year and here they are! They are taking good care of us and we are doing everything we can to share with them the best thing that their family could ever have. 

 And to close, can I just say that I have fallen in love with General Conference and every single one of the talks this year? (even the ones from the Priesthood Sesh shhhhh ;) I´ve been able to reread all the talks and they have just filled my soul. Oh gosh that sounds so cheesy but I can think of no other way to describe it. And I love being inspired to share specific talks with investigators, less active members, and members. We´ve already had some very spiritual experiences with some of the talks we´ve shared in lessons and I know we´ll keep sharing them until next April. Their words are for all of us and they come directly from our loving Heavenly Father. I love and sustain every single one of our church leaders.

I love you all and wish you the best week ever!

HURRAH FOR ISRAEL!

Love,

Hermana Morrow

 All kinds of obstacles are thrown at us to try and stop us from

                             visiting investigators! 

La Mejor Conferencia General EVAAAAAAA (yay spanglish)‏

Jolín. That´s all I can say. What an INCREDIBLE weekend. I have never felt so spiritually edified or so directly spoken to in my life! I don´t know if it´s because I¨ve matured a little bit in the mission and I finally realize how important and absolutely AMAZING conference is or if it was just a really really good one this year. Probably both. But let me tell you, I have learned so much and the Spirit has spoken directly to me and even in behalf of those who we are teaching. We have a whole list of specific talks that our friends need to hear! 

So this week, this week...I can´t think about anything besides conference! I don´t know what else happened, my life was totally centered around it these past 7 days. We´ve been visiting all the members, less actives, and investigators we could to share a special lesson about prophets and modern-day and personal revelation. We had everyone write down the three biggest questions they have and promised them that if they prayed and pondered over them, and then listened to Conference with an open heart---the Spirit would answer their questions through the words of the modern-day prophets, apostles, and church leaders. And i can tesify of that because mine sure were answered. And I know they will continually be answered as I go back and listen and read the talks over and over again these next 6 months. I invite you all to do the same! 

 Some of my favorite talks were by Elder Holland (shout out to my angel-mother!), "What lack I yet" by Elder Lawrence, and the Ponderize talk by Elder Durrant (who is the father of our very own AP-Elder Durrant´-- here in the mission field! Fun fact.) I LOVED how pretty much all of the talks mentioned something about keeping the Sabbath day holy. I have especially felt this these past couple two weeks. Because my comp was sick the week before and because of Conference this weekend, I haven´t been able to partake of the Sacrament for 3 weeks! I had NO idea what a difference it makes! I have felt like something has been missing all week and not even Conference could fill it. I´m counting down to next Sunday when I be a part of this sacred ordinance and remember my Savior and His sacrifice. It means so much to me and ´m grateful for this experience to help me understand the importance and appreciate the Sacrament. 

And by the way 7 investigators came to Conference! It was truly a miracle. We had the projector set up in our cute chapel and were watching session after session yesterday, and calling everyone we could in-between to invite them. And at the very lst second, a family of three walked in! quick background: we teach the two kids english for an hour  and then we eat lunch with the whole family once a week. I adore them all but it seemed like they were more interested in english than the message we share. But the kids have read the "Book of Mormon for kids" book the entire way through! And they always participate in the lessons we teach after lunch. And they came to Conference! It was a HUGE surprise and tender mercy. The kids are young but were so patient and didn´t fidget for an entire HOUR. But what better way to have them feel the Spirit than through the Prophet and the apostoles and leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints! I sustain and support and pray for each and every one. I know President Monson is a prophet of God! I love him. And I´m gratfeul for the three new witnesses of Christ that we now have. President Packer, Elder Perry, and Elder Scott will be missed but their words and testimonies will live on forever. 

I LOVE YOU ALL! Thank you for everything. For the people you are, for the people you want to become, for your faith in Christ. 

HURRAH FOR ISRAEL!

Love,

Hermana Morrow

My best friend McKenna Young's brother singing in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir

Last session-watched it on P-day with brownies and fruit salad!

My District