Little progress can be made by merely attempting to repress what is evil; our great hope lies in developing what is good. -Calvin Coolidge-

So Amy and Grayson got baptized this Saturday! :) It was really amazing to be able to be there with them!  As we were sitting there, I was thinking about how we had first found them on a car fast Saturday (every Saturday we give up the car to sanctify ourselves), the Reidheads (senior couple) were going to go finding with us.  So we went to the park first and found the elders there.  They had been there almost all day with no luck.  So instead, we picked them up and took them with us.  Then we found an apartment complex to knock on and we all split up.  We didn’t find many people home, or if they were home, they were not interested.  We got to our last door and a cute little boy answered.  When his mom came to the door, we asked her the survey questions (Elder Reidhead had written a survey he wanted us to try out) and asked if we could come back.  Her response, "yes of course" kind of shocked us...She then proceeded to set up a next appointment for us.  After, we walked away trying to figure out what had just happened...  Anyway, she was just amazing to teach because everything just made sense to her.  She also flew through the Book of Mormon. They were truly prepared by our Father in Heaven! On Sunday (confirmation day) we greeted everyone at the doors like usual, and then the meeting started and they were not there!!  We texted her but no response!  We did announcements, hymn, and prayer, and they still we not there!  Brother Peirce, after looking around, then announced the Haderlie's baby blessing.  During that prayer, I had a talk with Heavenly Father.  I knew that she was on her way, but I also knew that she has a hard time getting out of the house with Gavin (7) and Grayson (11).  So I asked that when the baby blessing was over, I would be able to turn around and see them.  The prayer ended, I turned around, and there they were.  It reminded me of many prophets in the Book of Mormon.  They have faith that something will happen, and then God makes it happen and your faith turns into a sure knowledge.  He does answer prayers and His timing is perfect.

I got a new companion on Tuesday!  Her name is Sister Loosle (pronounced Loose Lee) and she is from Austin Texas.  And she is really fast on a bike!  (either that or I am really slow...not sure which...)

So funny story: President Craven forgot about us!!  Everyone who is getting transferred has to drive to charlotte and then President announces where everyone is going and who their companion is.  So President started closing the meeting (which I did not realize...I can be a little slow sometimes!)  When all of the sudden, a Sister stands up and says, "President Craven!  Where am I going?" Yep.  He totally forgot about us!  Sad day!

Also this week, we were driving along when all of the sudden, Sister Loosle started freaking out-there was a wasp right next to her in the car!  So we turned off the main road and stopped right there.  She opened the car door and was poking at it with an umbrella and I turned on the Hazards, just in case.  Then all of a sudden, this lady, who had parked her car at the stop sign behind us (going the other direction--onto the main road), came up with a napkin, while talking on her phone, grabbed it, and stepped on it!  It was the most random thing ever!  But I just thought that was so sweet of a random stranger to save us :) Anyway, I hope all yawls are having a great day!

Sister A. Morris

"Coming unto Christ means walking away from the world. And walking away from the world means choosing holiness and purity over worldliness and impurity. Our Father wants us back, and He wants us back clean." Sheri Dew

So Sister Perea is getting transferred tomorrow! :(  Seriously though, she has been here in Summerfield for forever!  10 months is more than half the mission!  So I will be getting a new companion on Tuesday.  So funny moment of the week: So we were role—playing at district meeting and I was pretending to be an employee at Subway.  And Elder Felger said, "wow.  There are a lot of choices!  It kind of reminds me of how many churches there are here.  Have you ever wondered why there are so many churches?"  Hehe.  I just about died laughing! :) Anyway, Sister Perea had to give a talk on Sunday since she was leaving, and then we got like a bazillion offers to feed us.  So we ended up getting lunch at 3:30 (with a cherry whipped cream dessert) then we got peanut butter brownies at Sister Abdelhaq's, dinner with the Laytons at 5:00 (with strawberry shortcake for dessert), then we had another dessert with Sister Gonzales and her fiancé (she dished up enormous portions for us!  It was pound cake, with strawberries, marshmallows, and Ice cream)!  So we pretty much had to be rolled home! Also amusing: So Gavin and Amy came to church (Grayson was in Minnesota with a friend) and Gavin has the hardest time sitting still!  But I felt like I had a Mary Poppins bag!  First he needed a tissue, then he needed something to do, then he wanted something to eat.  When I passed some fruit snacks down the row and he goes, "Mom!  How did she know these are my favorite??"  hehe.  He is hilarious!  But we are super excited for Amy and Grayson's baptism on Saturday!

I hope all yawls have a fantastic week!

Sister Morris

Only the Savior lived a perfect life, but even He learned and grew in mortal experience.

     So this week, Faith and Eddie showed up at church.  For Faith, it was the first time in 33 years!  I don't know if she will keep coming or anything because she still insists that she is catholic, but it was great to have her at church and I think that she enjoyed it.

Sister Perea and I also taught Gospel Principles since the Walls are out of town.  So we got to teach about baptism.  Cute little Evelyn Lindsay was in our class with her dad and she talked about how excited she is to be baptized in February.  Their family is so cute! They also had us over for dinner and popcorn.  (And they know how to make stove popcorn!  Yummy!)  The girls were singing us songs like "I am a child of God," "Baptism," "He sent His Son," etc.  They had a play microphone and were singing their hearts out! Also, I got a ton of new clothes this week!  We went over to Sister Collin's house and before we left, she asked if we need any clothes. And then preceded to give us an entire garbage bag of clothes she no longer fits into!  So my closet just doubled!  Yeah for amazing ward members!

     Also, Sister Perea is really tense this week because she is pretty sure she will be transferred (she has been here in Summerfield for her entire mission-10 months) but we will not find out until Saturday... So I might be getting a new companion next Tuesday...Hopefully not, but God knows where we need to be.

Hope you all are having a great week!

Love,

Sister A. Morris

cute fluffy dog--heavier than i thought...

wow had to take a picture where there was a small spot of no trees!

it is beautiful here :-D

garfields' siblings....

"The scriptures are doors with immense truths behind them, divine insights of major proportions; there is an eternal curriculum--things God would have all men and women upon the face of the earth learn for their happiness." Neil A. Maxwell

So this week, we (all the missionaries in our stake) decided that for the Fourth of July, we would go to downtown Greensborro and set up tables.  So we made cardboard flags and signs that said "what do you stand for?"   You and Stand had red glitter on them, and I was helping with those signs...And i really have no idea how i got soo much glitter everywhere!  It was all over my legs and on my face and arms and in my hair....yep.  i am just talented like that.   Sister Perea and I also made a poster with the Book of Mormon on one side and a Mormon.org card on the other side.  It was really fun!  For the faces, we cut up some old Ensigns we had laying around our appartment. I, however, did not cut one of them up (October 2011) because it was a special issue on the Book of Mormon.  I have loved reading it and it has really powerful articles in there.  But one thing I have noticed is how often it talks about reading the Book of Mormon.  I have noticed as well that those who are less-active don't read the scriptures!  They don't have the power that the Book of Mormon could give them!  For example, a less-active just moved in with one of our members and she has never read the Book of Mormon even though she has been a member all her life!  So with Elder Bednar, President Monson, President Hinckley, President Woodruff, and all the others in here, I encourage anyone who has not read the Book of Mormon to read it!  It will change your life! Anyway, we talked to tons of people about the Book of Mormon!  Because they would write what they stand for and we would be like, "well, we stand for Jesus Christ.  And this book will help you______ (learn more about Him, come closer to your family, etc).  Most were really nice, but we definitely got some unusual people... Like a Muslim guy came up and talked to the elders, and when he was done, his parents were chewing him out for forever for talking with us!  And they knew a lot of bad words...It was really awkward and a lot of people didn't want to stop because they were screaming pretty near us... And another guy was convinced Satan was near... Oh well, our mission found lots of new investigators!

And the weather was really nice because we got a cold front from the hurricane.  That was really good because the other missionaries were not prepared.  No one but me wore sunblock (they all got sunburned) and no one brought water, but me (so they all drank mine), and no one but me brought snacks (so they all ate mine).  All I could think was wow.  My dad has really taught me to be prepared.  Guess no one else has such an amazing dad.

Also this week, we were at the Lawrence's home and as we were leaving, Sister Lawrence gave us some brownies.  So I’m chowing down as we walk out when I see a frog hop and land right next to and partly onto Sister Perea's shoe.  So I am trying to swallow the brownie and tell her there is a frog when it jumps into the house!   So I finally managed to swallow and I tell Sister Lawrence, "there is a frog inside your house."  And then people inside start screaming, and Sister Lawrence freaks out and runs away screaming with Sister Perea (apparently Sister Lawrence is afraid of them too).  Then inside we hear brother lawrence, "get the broom!  Get the broom!  No.  Not that broom!"  So he managed to sweep it outside and it landed in Sister Lawrence's bag.  Yep.  I thought I was going to die laughing!

Anyway, Hope Ya’ll had a great Fourth of July!

I love you!

Sister A. Morris

poster we made

other side

Lawrence family