In Sickness & In Health

Hello Family and Friends!!!

How was your week? I can't believe that February is almost over. Time is just flying by now. tomorrow I hit my 9 month mark in the mission. Half way?!?! I can't believe it! I thought the mission was going to go on forever and now I will be starting the downward spiral to going home. I have hit the point in my mission where I just want to keep serving! At least I still have 9 more months. :) That is actually a pretty long time!

This week was a lot better and worse than last week. I think every week just needs to have ups and downs. It has been good because we were able to see a LOT of people this week! We had lessons with families that we hadn't been able to see in a while and we have seen so many miracles. It amazes me how powerful the Priesthood is and how powerful the Holy Ghost is. This week we had a Priesthood blessing and the effects were amazing. We are able to feel the Spirit so much stronger here in our area. Another amazing miracle was that we were about to go and visit an investigator that we hadn't been able to see in a while. However, as soon as we got to the door we both had an overwhelming feeling that we needed to leave immediately. So, we both turned around and walked back into the car. As we were about to drive away we saw that her husband was there with someone else. It was scary but we know that the Lord protects us when we listen to Him. That is the main part! We have to LISTEN!!!! (Obviously act on what He tells us. :))

The Bad part about this week is that we were both really sick! It started with Hermana Jepperson. She was feeling wonderful after exercising, and told me so, and then 20 minutes later she threw up and was sick for the rest of the day. Then, the next day I was feeling really sick until Friday when I finally threw up. We don't know what we were sick with but we just know that it is finally gone! Throwing up as a missionary really isn't fun. Fortunately we just took care of each other and did the best and most that we could do.

Mom, you are going to be so proud of me! I played the piano in Relief Society! Yesterday was just Missionary Sunday. For real. I said the opening prayer in Sacrament meeting and one of the elders said the closing. Hermana Jepperson led the music while the other elder played the piano. then we taught Relief Society, I played the piano, and Hermana Jepperson led the music. I guess I am finally using those 6 years of piano lessons! It went pretty well. I just need to learn more hymns. :) 

Missionary work is amazing. I have never felt so much saddness for the world, but so much joy in knowing that I am doing what the Lord needs me to do. The Lord needs people on His side to help Him in His work. We already know who is going to win in the end... but what side are you going to fight for while you are here on the Earth? That will make all of the difference.

I love you all so much! I hope you are doing well. I am so grateful for everything that you do for me!!! 

Love always,

Hermana Morey

Birthday Week!

Hello dear family and friends!

How are you all doing?

This week was pretty wonderful! Thank you all so much for what you did for me for my birthday. It really meant a lot!

This week was a little harder than we had anticipated. We had the whole week FULL of appointments and every single one of them fell through. If that wasn't sad enough, we both got sick. :) Plus, we tried to visit some former investigators and either none of them opened the door even though they were home or they were super mean to us. We just had to laugh. We got home every day just exhausted and frustrated. However, because we are both happy people we were able to just laugh it off and still enjoy working together. 

This week we did 9 hours of service! On Wednesdays we volunteer at the library to do things that they need help with. This week we cut hearts for 2 hours. My finger still tingles when I touch it! On Thursdays we volunteer at the Braille institute. We help people who are blind or who barely can see anything make art. It is such a wonderful opportunity. Then this Friday we volunteered at the Palm Springs bike race. We signed people in for the race. We saw such a wide variety of people! A lot of people were doing the 100 mile bike race. they were super intense! It was a lot of fun though. Even though we sat in the sun for 3 of the 4 hours. :) As we were leaving a man called out "SISTERS!" then he hurried over and gave us $20 for dinner. I thought things like that only happened in Utah! It was such a blessing and I am so grateful for that man. 

On Saturday we had Zone conference and that was really good. It was such a fun spiritual experience. President and Sister Van Cott are such amazing examples. They have such strong testimonies and do so much for all 180 of us. Also, I finished Jesus the Christ!! It was such a wonderful book that I am going to try and do it again. :) Wish me luck!

I hope you all know how much I love being a missionary. The work is always hard but it is so worth it. I would rather be here showing the Lord that I am on his side then letting Satan get any wrong ideas. The church is true and I hope you all know that. I know that Heavenly Father loves us. He is the leader of this church! I know that! It is such an amazing blessing to be a part of this church.  

Palm Desert!

This week has been crazy!!!! 

On Tuesday I said all of my Goodbyes to friends and such and my ward was not very happy to be losing the sister missionaries. That was pretty funny but sad at the same time. We just don't have enough Spanish sisters to fill it up! However, it was nice to be able to say goodbye.

Then on Wednesday I went and met Hermana Jepperson and we drove an hour into the desert and arrived. It looks so different here! Everything is just palm trees, sand, and shrubs. However, It is really pretty at the same time. Just really hot! I can't believe that. It is only February!

I really like my companion. We get along really well and we are working so hard to find people to teach and to help our little brach. Our branch is the best! It is really small but we have the best leaders. Granted, it also has a lot of it's own problems... but it is fun. They have problems like, the teacher doesn't show up to teach gospel principles so we ended up teaching last minute. However, I am so excited to work here. The people have been so nice to me and when they pray they ask that I will be able to feel at home and feel that I have a family here even while my family is far away. I love them so much!!!

I am sorry but I don't have a lot of time. I hope you all know that I love you so much!!! thank you for the Birthday Wishes! It is going to be a good day. 

Love always,
Hermana Morey

Transfers!

Hello!!! Happy February!

Goodness, I can't believe it is actually February! That just means that time is FLYING by!!!! This week was super busy and had some crazy ups and downs. 

To start with, teaching seminary was so stinking hard!!! They had some really... interesting kids, and because it was so early nobody really participated. We got up at 4:30 and got to work. We were so stinking tired. However, at least I can say that it was a good experience. I have so much more respect for seminary teachers. The next day we got up at 5:30 because it was Hermana Lozano's departing Temple trip. I went to Rialto and worked with Sister Lewis. it was really fun and their area is super nice! Fortunately the next day we got to get up and normal times. :)

Other than that.. the only news I have to say... is TRANSFERS!!! So, I was told that I would be training. There wasn't a shadow of a doubt! So this week when we said goodbye to families they were all super happy that I was staying. I was mentally and spiritually preparing to train. I felt so peaceful and ready. This morning while we were doing studies we got a call from the Zone Leaders saying... Sister Morey you are getting transfered to San Jacinto with Hermana Jepperson. WHAT?!?!?! I wish someone had taken a picture of our faces because we were in shock. I am not going to lie that I am really sad about this. I am in love with my area and felt like I could spend the rest of my mission here. I also am very sad because I have made such wonderful friends here. Plus, I was going to be celebrating my birthday with hermana Rodriguez who has the same birthday. :) However, I know that the Lord is putting me where he needs me. Right now I don't know why. I don't know why they are taking sisters out of our ward. I don't know why I am not supposed to train... but I am working hard on putting my trust in the Lord and what HE knows is best for me. Not what I think I know is best for me. So.. this week will be full of changes. Please pray for me! I will certainly pray for you. :) 

I love you all so very much. I hope you have a wonderful week!!!

Love always, from the last time in Colton California,

Hermana Morey

Early Morning Seminary

Hello Friends and Family!!!

The weeks just seem to always been flying by! I feel like I just emailed home yesterday. :) That is good and weird at the same time!

This week was pretty good and very interesting. We started the week off with quite a few investigators that throughout the week we either had to stop teaching because they weren't progressing or other reasons. One of these other reasons happened on Thursday. We had just weekly planned and we felt like we had a breakthrough for our investigators Marina and Martin. We felt exactly how to help them progress and we were so excited! 15 minutes before their lesson they had a family member call to tell us that they never wanted us to come back because they weren't interested in our message. Bam! That was so sad!!!  We sat there for a moment just in completely shock. How could someone not want this? Especially when they were doing so well?! It was sad but I know that we just need to find people who are ready to put their trust and faith in our Savior. I just wish people understood the consequences. 

Tomorrow we are teaching Seminary for our ward. We have to get up at 4:30 to be there on time. Woot! I am so grateful that we had seminary during the day at school. I never realized what the church was like in other states. The youth go through so much and they aren't just surrounded by other members like I was. They are so strong though. I really admire them and am excited to teach them tomorrow!

It is Hermana Lozano's last week so we will be working very hard. I hope you all know how much I love the Lord. I also love this work with all of my heart. I know that for the most part it is just Hard. Just hard. However, I feel like I have changed so much. I understand so much more than I ever thought I would. The mission is the refining fire and I am just becoming stronger and better because of it. I am so grateful for this opportunity to serve! 

I love you all so much! I hope you have a wonderful week. Thank you for all of your love, support, and prayers! 

Love always,
Hermana Morey

Baptism Miracle

Hello friends and family!!!

This week has been just a crazy week! I can't even believe that it is finally over. I feel like so many things happened!

To start out, our baptism with Ilse. We got a call on Tuesday morning saying that she had talked to her mom to invite her to the baptism and her mom felt that it was WAY too soon to be getting baptized and Ilse felt like she agreed. Man, it felt like we had been dumped. It was so hard! We got on our knees and prayed to see what the Lord needed us to do. Then on Wednesday we fasted to know what to do. On Thursday we had a lesson with her and wow. It was the most amazing, spiritual, wonderful, etc, lesson I have ever been in in my whole entire life! It honestly felt like Heavenly Father was standing in the room guiding the lesson. It went nothing like what we had planned but it addressed every single one of her needs and feelings. It turns out she didn't feel any support. She still didn't know anyone in the ward and her family wasn't supporting her in this decision. We talked to her a lot about that and through the spirit she was able to feel like that baptism is what she really needs to do. On Saturday afternoon she got baptized. Her parents didn't come but one of her sisters came to support her. Her niece even said that she wants to get baptized as well! It was a spiritual baptism and I could not have been a happier missionary at that time. Also, Her mom came to church on Sunday to be there when she got the gift of the Holy Ghost. MIRACLE! She loved it and she might come back... wow. The Lord knows what He is doing! 

On Friday we had interviews with President Van Cott and it was a great experience as well! He helped me understand a lot more about sealings. Also, we talked about the Book of Mormon and different ways to read it so that we can get different things out of it. It was so cool! It left me ready to get back to work!

Yesterday for P-day we played basketball with the young women in the ward and the other Spanish sisters in our stake. It was a blast and then Elise and Zoram took us to the circus. It was so cool!!! It was such a fun p-day and the circus was also cool because it is a family. The family has been doing the circus for over 40 years so they made it family friends, perfect for missionaries!

Other than that, I hope you all know that this church is true. I have such a strong testimony of the work that I am doing. I hope that you can all feel the love of our savior in your lives. I also challenge you to read and pray about the Book of Mormon. Even if you already have, do it again! It never hurts to reconfirm that testimony! I love you all so much!!!

Hermana Morey

Finally Got to Cafe Rio!

Hey guys! I really don't feel like writing a big weekly email this week because I would rather spend time responding to the emails that you have sent me. :) I will just share a little bit though.

Our mission came out with the new goals for this year and that is 900 Baptisms! They feel like it is reasonable and if every companionship has 3 baptisms every 4 months we will make it! When they said the goal I didn't feel overwhelmed, I felt inspired. I am going to work my hardest this year so that we can bring these people a knowledge of their savior! 

I got to go to Cafe Rio this week! We had to switch our car for a red one for a couple days, I felt so cool!, and when we switched back we stopped by on our way home. It was so much fun!

I went on splits with a member named Gabby. She is 19 almost 20 and preparing to go on a mission. It was a lot of fun and even though she was shy I can tell that she will be a great missionary. 

I am feeling so much better from my cold! It is a miracle! I got Hermana Lozano sick.. oops. And spent a couple days taking care of her. Now we are both healthy and back to working very hard! 

Ilse is getting baptized on Saturday!!!!!!! WOOOTTT!!!!! She is so ready and I am so excited for her. She was the most golden investigator ever!

I hope you all had wonderful weeks! I will talk to you next week!

Love

Hermana Morey