"Technology is supposed to be our servant, not our masters."

Hello Family and Friends!!! Happy Monday!!!

This week was actually a really good week even though it felt eternal! I am not sure why but we got a ton of things done. So, to start out, last Tuesday we had a Zone Meeting and our APs were there to tell us that we have an Hermana Conference this Wednesday. What that means is that all of the Spanish Sisters in our mission, yep all 19 of us, will be going up to Highland for a 4 hour conference. We have all been trying to figure out what we will be talking about and we can't figure it out. I am pretty sure they are just going to talk about how almost all of the Spanish Elders are going home so we need to take charge. For some reason our mission isn't getting man;y new missionaries. We used to have 280 missionaries but at the end of this transfer we will only have 145. That isn't very many! Also, there are less Spanish missionaries so we will have bigger areas and more work to do. That will make things a little harder but the Lord is always doing what He knows is the best. I trust Him and know that whatever happens will be what I need to do!

On Wednesday we had a lesson with an investigator family named the Chavez. They are a family of 5 and the mom and 3 kids all want to get baptized but are waiting for their husband. He has some REALLY strange ideas... and he knows the Bible really well. He believes that he has the priesthood and the Holy Ghost because he prayed and he asked for it. We tried to explain the Priesthood using the Bible but then he went off on how the Apostles couldn't heal that one man because they didn't have enough Faith and how they did have the Priesthood. We were really frustrated so we just ended with a prayer and tried to get out of there. He asked us to wait for a moment and then found a scripture in the bible and turned to us and said that we don't have the authority to teach because it says in the Bible that if a woman wants to say something she has to go through her husband. Probably not the best thing that you could say to sister missionaries. Hna Chavez's eyes went wide and she shushed her husband and looked terrified. We just looked at him and then said that we needed to go and left. What are we supposed to do in a moment like that? We didn't want to get mad at him, but we didn't have time to explain that we do have authority. We are praying for him.

On the plus side! Saturday we had decided to go and visit a bunch of less actives in our newer area. We planned it all out and then with 10 minutes left in comp study I had a feeling to look at the Elder's notes from that area. I kid you not, EVERY single person that we had signed up to see had moved. So we decided to go an visit members in that area. We made plans and left only to realize that it was the ward temple trip and everyone was gone. We couldn't believe it. Nobody was home! We had a feeling that we just needed to keep working. If we did, everything would work out. We didn't see anyone until about 6:30 and that lesson went well. After that we got a call from a less active asking us to stop by at 8:20. We had no idea why but we went. It turns out her boyfriends daughter Arlet, she is 8, wants to get baptized! She has been coming to church for a couple weeks and wants to follow God. She is super smart and learns really quickly! She wants to be baptized on the 7th and got permission from her parents. It was such an amazing blessing from Enduring to the End. They even gave us Cheesecake. 

The Lord is here in this work!! Next week we have our Mission Conference for iPads and we are studying how to use them effectively. It is amazing what they have figured out! They are training us so that when we get home, we will be able to use technology efficiently and not waste time with it. The phrase that I loved was "technology is supposed to be our servant, not our masters." I am excited for the work to progress!!

I love you all so much! I can't thank you enough for everything that you do for me. Please let me know if I can do anything for you! I hope you have an amazing week!!!!!

Love always,

Hermana Morey

P.S. Happy 18th birthday Bethany!!!!!! You are an adult!!! I hope you have an amazing birthday!!!!!!

Focusing on Miracles

Dear Family and Friends, Hello!

I hope that you are all doing well and that you had a wonderful Mother's Day. It was so extremely wonderful to be able to see a lot of you yesterday. It was fun to be able to see you all in one place for the first time since Sariah left on her mission! One thing that amazes me is the family. I have always understood and appreciated family but there is something different on a mission. You learn more than in any other way possible how important and wonderful families are. I am also grateful because I have an amazing family! Thank you for all being on last night even if it was super late for some of you. :) 

This week I would just like to focus a little bit on miracles. A lot of times we think that miracles are things that happen that usually aren't possible. That is not true! They can be simple, small, and fun things that happen right when you need it. There are some miracles that I have seen this past week...

1. When we go to visit the Beltran family, the Garcia family, and the Quinteros family, we get a little worried about how we are going to get in because they all live in gated communities that are really hard to get in! However, this week, every single time we tried to go visit them, someone always went in before us to let us in and out. Every. Single. Time. That is a miracle and a blessing! 

2. This week nobody signed up to feed us. We were a little worried about it but we knew that everything would work out. Plus, we didn't have a lot of time to buy food on Monday, however, we were extremely blessed and we didn't eat dinner at home once this week. Not even once. Also, there was so much extra food that we had lunch as well. God always provides for his Missionaries.

3. Our investigators are changing their lives. Those who had been fighting are now getting along better and progressing together. They accept the gospel and are keeping commitments. 

4. Hermano Munoz has been inactive since his son was killed a year ago. However, after a very powerful lesson on forgiveness he said that he wants to start paying his tithing again and come back to church.

The Lord really is leading the missionary work around the work. These may not seem like big things, but they were huge to us! We are so grateful for all of your prayers and support. I have needed and appreciate every single one of them. I hope you all know that I know that this church is true. There is no way that it isn't! Whenever we feel like it isn't... usually that is because we aren't wanting to work for it. As Elder Holland Said "missionary work isn't easy because Salvation is not a cheap experience."

I love you all and hope you have a great week!!!!

Hermana Morey

P.S. Happy birthday Hailey!!!!!! I meant to sing to you yesterday but I totally forgot! I hope you have a wonderful day! Enjoy Portugal!!!

P.P.S Happy birthday Megan!!!!! I hope you have an amazing day as well!!!

Proof that a mission doesn't change who you are deep down

"Just Wait..."

Hello!!! How are you all doing this week?!

Can you believe that is is already May?! Where is the time going? This week was actually a pretty good week. We always seemed to be busy and we had a couple great lessons. We started working in our new area on Saturday and that was a little rough because nobody was home.... for some reason nobody is home during the weekends. That makes it a little harder. Also, this week was HOT! Okay not terrible but it was staying around 105 every day. To me that is hot! Everyone just keeps saying "just wait." I am so tired of the phrase! When I was in Logan for school and I was cold everyone would say Just wait! Now that I am here they still say it. :) That is okay, My missionary tan lines are getting pretty defined, I now how permanent white socks on my feet and a white watch on my wrist. :) 

This week we had a really good lesson with Salvador and Andrea. They have been going through some pretty hard times which made them put religion aside. We had a kind of "come to Jesus" meeting and they committed to come to church. They ended up coming, FINALLY, and they were going to leave after the first hour but the Sunday school teacher talked them into staying for the second hour. it was perfect. Andrea told us that our prayers are working and that things are getting better. Prayers are so powerful!!! 

With Felicia and Max... we realized that Max didn't quite understand that there is only 1 true church. He thought that each person had the church that was right for them. We had an amazing spiritual lesson where he was able to tell us that he Knows that this church is true. They accepted a baptismal date for next year. (He is on parole so he can't get baptized sooner than that without first presidency approval) we will work on that but they are doing well!!

Also... HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY MOM!!!!! It feels so weird to be writing this so early when it isn't until Sunday but I hope you know how much I love you. :) Thank you so much for all of the support and love that you have shown me not only while I have been gone but always. :) You are the most amazing mother in the whole world and I hope you know that you are my hero and I just want to be more like you and to make you proud. Thank you so much for everything that you do for me. You will always have me to count on!!! I am so excited to call home on Sunday and to talk to you. :) 

I hope you all have an amazing week this week!! Thank you so much for your prayers in my behalf!!!!

Love,

Hermana Morey

Angels on the Doorstep

Hello Family and Friends!!!!

This week has flown by but I also feel like so many things have happened!!! To start off with some of the fun things... on Saturday it was an Elder's birthday and most people forgot about it... so we bought him pizza and took it to their apartment, which is right by ours, and then after we dropped it off we walked home... only to realize that we had ALL forgotten our keys. We went back to the Elders to ask for help and they gave us a card to pop the door open... I am usually really good at that... but our apartment is SUPER safe!!! We couldn't get in for the life of us! It was 9:45pm and the office didn't open until 10am on Sunday. Soon the other Elders came over and all did everything that they could to get us inside. After 30 minutes we got a window open and a sister through the window to let us in. It was a lot of fun and we were all grateful to have made it inside so that we didn't have to sleep outside. Also, Saturday was the Mormon Helping Hands and we went to a boys and girls club in Coachella.... to scrub sweat off the gym walls. Haha doesn't sound glamorous but we made it fun. 

This week we have seen so much more progress than we have in the past 2 transfers! We were able to work very very hard and see a lot of people. We also had great lessons with Felicia and Max. Max just got out of jail and is a golden investigator. He didn't know that Heavenly Father was a human being. After that everything just made sense and he wanted to share the gospel with everyone!!! Isn't that amazing? All of the worldly things we want to keep all for ourselves. However, when we find the truth of the restored gospel we just want to share it!! They both came to church this week and we are just struggling to get the married so they can get baptized. They don't want to get married for 1 year to see if everything will work out... even though they have 4 kids. I have a strong feeling that things will change. 

With Salvador and Andrea and Emmanuel.... they kind of just dropped. Whenever we go over we have amazing lessons and you feel like they finally change... and then they text you before church and say they won't make it, and aren't there for your appointment. I am not sure what is happening with them but I can feel that Salvador and Emmanuel want it! Andrea is a less active who is struggling with past mistakes. I wonder if that has something to do with it. We are praying hard to know what to do for them.

For transfers Hna Yeager and I will both be staying here. However, instead of 6 missionaries in our ward we will only have 4. That means we are taking the Elder's old area and doubling the size of our area. I am nervous about that. I don't do well with new things. However, we will be adding 10 new investigators! We will be working so very hard. Also, this past week we contacted a referral and she is perfect. She signed a birthday card for the English Elders and they said we should visit. She said that we looked like angels on her doorstep and begged us to come back and teach her. She had a daughter die at the age of 22 and felt that we were here to help her find her again. It. Was. A. Miracle. How can we not say that there is nobody who wants to hear the message?! I am tired of people in my ward saying that when people like Maria are out there!!

I love my mission. It is so incredibly hard. I have never done anything this hard in my life. However, it. Is. Worth. IT. Every moment! We get to come and help people change their lives and be happy! I am so grateful for that.

I hope you have an amazing week. Thank you so much for all that you do for me!  You are always in my prayers. 

Love always,

Hermana Morey

Clarissa's Spirit Animal

This was in the process of being made when she had to leave Bolivia. Now she has it!

Apparently this cat, Marley, has adopted the sisters.

We are all just sinners trying to be better.

Hello my dear family and friends! How are you all doing?!

This week has been a lot better. I am not quite sure why, but things FINALLY seem to be picking up!! We have been able to see more people, set up appointments, do service, and so much more!!!

This week we were able to do several things of service which helped a lot. The first one was we helped the English sisters sand drawers for a lady in their ward. We all were in charge of one drawer and it took forever but it was a lot of fun! The member who we did service for has a son who served his mission in Riverton and West Jordan which I thought was cool! After that she gave us some of her famous home-made ice cream with strawberry sauce on it. It was divine! I loved it. The second serve that we did was helping set up for the Relief Society dinner that we had on Friday. It looked beautiful and it was a really fun night for all who got to go.

This week we did our weekly planning with the Sister Training Leaders. A couple weeks ago they did their planning with President and even though it is a harder way to plan it works a lot better! They taught us how to do it and we are already seeing an amazing difference in our area. It just involves planning every little detail, days, making higher goals, and making it fun! They showed us so many ways to make missionary work fun but effective. As we did that we don't have as many awkward time gaps and always seem to have a million things to do. I can't even believe how quickly this week flew by! 

We are working a lot with trying to get Salvador and Emmanuel ready for baptism. Salvador is Emmanuel's dad and Emmanuel is 14 years old. They both love everything we are teaching but they just don't come to church! We are going to be working very hard with that. It is such an amazing experience to watch the gospel help people change their lives. It is a slow process but the light and happiness that we get to see from them makes every hard moment worth it. 

This mission is the hardest and most rewarding thing that I have ever done. It is rewarding because of the things that I have seen change in other people and in myself as well. We are all just sinners trying to be better. I am so far from perfect but I know that as long as I am doing my best that everything will be okay. I a so grateful for my Savior who has helped me every step of the way.

I am also grateful for you and all that you do for me. I am constantly amazed at all that you do for me. Please know how much I love you and know that you are always in my prayers. 

Love always,

Hermana Morey

Coachella

Happy April everyone!!!!

I can't believe it is almost halfway through April! Time right now is going really slowly but quickly as well. I don't even know what to think about it.

To start off, have you heard of Coachella Festival? Apparently it is one of the biggest Music festivals in the nation.... and it is less than a block away from my apartment. It has been crazy here! Apparently Justin Beber, Katy Perry, Drake, Niki Manaj, and a ton of other people are just walking around down here on the weekends. There are a TON of people down here for the festival. We just have to be careful because people are drinking a lot and then they feel okay to drive. We can even hear the music from our apartment. It has been really weird to here these songs again.

This week I went on Exchanges with Sister Jones! I was a little worried at first but I went to her area and it was the best exchnge that I have had on my mission. She taught me so much about how to create a full and busy day out of nothing, how to work with members that don't want to help, how to be happy while doing missionary work, and so much more. I really needed it more than I had thought I did! She is such a good missionary and it was weird to be in an English area. I don't think you understand how different Spanish and English wards are! 

Our little area is still struggling. We are trying so hard to find people to teach and have lessons with people but we are struggling. The area has so much potential but we haven't been able to get it to work yet. We are working so hard and I am super tired. Even though our numbers aren't the highest we know that we are doing our best and don't feel guilty which is how you know it counts. 

Funny story: our mission president had the idea that when we take birthday cards to members that we should get them signed by their neighbors! "If they aren't willing to sign a birthday card they aren't ready to receive the restored gospel." that is so true!!!! We had a lot of people just say no. However, the people who said yes were people who you could tell would love to hear our message. We had several birthdays this past week so we took around the birthday cards and we got answers like..." I would prefer not to.", "I don't even know them", "Yeah, no" and so much more. We were SO frustrated. I even remember thinking, Jesus would sign a birthday card... and I just realized that the world isn't as friendly as it used to be. We just need to work on being friendly to everyone! That is after all, what Jesus WOULD do. :) 

I love you all so very much. I hope you are doing well! Thank you so much for all that you do for us. We pray for all of you daily. The Lord is aware of all of our needs and will bless us as we are faithful.

Love always,

Hermana Morey

The Lord is Mindful

Buenos Dias mi familia!! Como estan?

This past week flew by! I can't believe it is Monday again. This week we worked so hard even though our numbers didn't quite show it. I got to go to the doctor for the final time! He says that everything should be okay with my toe now. :) I was so happy to hear that! He is giving me medicine to help with the infection that required me getting my blood drawn but I am okay now. :) Now all I have to worry about is the occasional nightmare where I am told that I need to go home again! 

Conference this past weekend was such a blessing to us. Conference is like the Super-bowl for missionaries. We look forward to it and enjoy every moment. We went to the Stake center and were able to watch all four sessions there. This year was the first time that I had thought and prayed about questions and it was amazing to me how each and every question was answered. They weren't answered in the way that I had hoped or even wanted but they were answers all the same. It amazes me how mindful Heavenly Father is of me. A miracle that I would like to share with you involves one of those questions. I had prayed to Heavenly Father that I would be able to feel His love and know that He is aware of me and that answer didn't come by any of the speakers but by someone who showed up to the final session of conference. Right before the last session started two girls walked in and one of them walked right up to me and said "do you remember me?" She looked really familiar but I couldn't remember where I had met her. Her name is Hermana Brown and she served with my in Cochabamba Bolivia and lives in the stake where I am serving. She had heard about me and was able to find my blog and saw that I had been having a bad week so she decided to go to the Stake Center for Conference to cheer me up a little bit. To me, this was one of the biggest miracles that I have seen in my mission. I felt the love that the Savior has for me so strongly yesterday afternoon and I knew that He sent her to find me. To her it may not have been a big deal, but it was an answer to one of my prayers.

How was your Easter? It was such a blessing to have conference on Easter and to have that Spiritual Boost! Yesterday nobody had signed up to feed us dinner or set appointments with us so we made Easter cards and took them to several members and Investigators. It was such a beautiful evening and it was fun to stop by and help other people feel that the Savior was aware of them. I know that He loves each and every one of us and that He is aware of every single one of our needs. He will be there for us no matter what happens. Just like Elder Holland said, He will never let us fall if we let Him help us. 

I am so grateful for this gospel and for the opportunity that we had to sustain President Monson and all of the general Authorities yesterday. The church is true and the work will continue forward no matter what. It is just for us to decide whose side we are on!

I love you all so very much!!! thank you so much for all of your prayers in my behalf. I cna feel them strengthening me daily.

Love always,

Hermana Morey

Cartoon Clarissa!