December 30, 2014

Dun Dun Dun Dah!!!! I spent Christmas in North Pole Alaska! Not many people can say that! It was a whoopin' -47 degrees that day, but I survived. It was so great to skype the family and see everyone. 

So we have been meeting with this lady Nina that is 47 and her husband is 24. Well Nina is a less active member and he husband is a non member. We went over for a lesson and a Christmas miracle happened. Mike started asking all of these questions and we sat and taught him for like an hour and half. He said that at the end of the end of the lesson that life just makes so much more sense now. He told us he wants to start learning more. It was amazing to follow the spirit and teach him exactly what he needed to hear. Oh man was it the best!!!!!!! 

Christmas eve was just spent caroling to everyone we could possibly think of. I could not hardly sleep that night because I was SO excited to skype everyone the next day. Christmas day we just hopped around to different homes and visited people. It was fun to see different people's Christmas traditions! I think everyone tried to feed us huge meals. I ate more on Christmas than I did Thanksgiving. It was SO nice to skype. Oh my gosh it was the best. It went by way too fast. Thanks for all of the packages. I felt very very loved. I could not ask for better family and friends. 

Cold struck this week. For three days straight it flucuated between -40 and -49. Man oh man things just don't work right in that weather. We have to stay inside if it is -35 degrees or colder. The only that we can go out is if we have appts. It was a pretty slow week. All I wanted to do was get out and work, but I had to sit inside and study the scriptures and try to set up some appointments. So in this weather if we are in someone's house for more than 30 minutes and we try to start our car it will not start at ALL unless the car is plugged in! It's the weirdest thing. Sad thing about this weather is that our heater in our apartment in broken, so the three days we were stuck inside it was like 45 degrees in our apartment. Lets just say blankets were my best friends. 

Our car now has a bra. Yep that's what they call these devices you have to put on the outside of your car so air flow doesn't go through your engine. It basically looks like a huge piece of tin foil just above the front bumper. It is so funny! Anything to keep our car from freezing right? 

I got a snow skirt from a member. It is pretty frumpy, but man does it keep you warm. It's basically like a wrap around blanket. You put it on over your skirt and take it off when you get into members homes. I am grateful for people making us cool things! 

Everyone should study the Christlike attributes in Preach my Gospel. Man they will change your life. Study one attribute for 3 days and try to apply that to your life as much as you can. It will help you know the savior so much more! 

The lessons were good this week! I love helping others come closer to our Savior! Bring in the new year with a bang! I love you all so much :) 

oh one last thing! WE got our first referral! A girl in our wards boyfriend wants to start taking the lessons! Our first lesson with him is on Wednesday! YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY! 

Look for the miracles in our life! They are totally there :) Love to all! 

Sister Morrison

December 23, 2014

WARNING: Right now.... call the missionaries in the ward you live in and invite them over to share a message with you on Christmas. You don't want the wandering around looking for people to see on Christmas or Christmas Eve. I am going to have to do that and it's not going to be fun. Invite them over right now. Pick up the phone. You can do it people. Just ask them to share a Mormon message on Christmas. They need somewhere to go. Trust me. Just invite them. You can do it!

I AM A SURVIVOR!!!!!!! Guys.. I made it through the shortest day of the year! Thank the heavens we are finally gaining light. I could not be more excited. I know it sounds lame, but not seeing the sun for about the last three weeks is kind of draining. The darkness really gets to you. In Alaska no one has addresses on their homes. It's LAME! You can imagine how funny it is for Sister Hewitt to drive around looking for houses in the pitch black. We just end up laughing and knocking on peoples doors trying to find the right house. I am soooo happy the light is coming back :) yay!!!! light. light. light. light.

Okay.....for the food this week. I was blessed with the opportunity to be fed Salmon three times this week!!!! Holy cow it was delicious. My comp hates fish, so I usually just eat her serving. It's the best. Nothing like eating freshly caught salmon. It's divine. Ready for the crazy thing I ate this week. BUFFALO. Guys. I ate an actually buffalo. It was actually pretty good! Nothing like a good ole' buffalo burger haha.

This week Sister Hewitt and I were asked to start helping out another near by ward when we aren't busy. We have spent a couple of hours a day helping out. It has made our days go by way faster. I am super grateful for it!

This week Sister Hewitt and I planned so great caroling activities for the ward. We decided to have the ward members right down their non member friends that we could carol to. They all did and we planned three caroling events. One was Tuesday night for the ward council. That was success. One was Saturday night for the relief society and elder quorum. That was a fail. Only three people showed up, but you know what we got sing to a ton of people. Hopefully my voice didn't scare them off. Last night we caroled with the youth. Just about 30 youth showed up. I think all but 3 didn't come. It was a HUGE success. The youth got to feel a little bit of what missionary work is like. Hopefully it will start inspiring them to bring their friends. I loved planning and organizing. You know me. Right up my alley. It was the best.

Okay...I know I mentioned sign tracting last week. We actually have not been able to do that yet. Sister Hewitt and I have been caroling tracting. Yes. You read that right. Just my comp and I sing at peoples doors. I just about die of embarrassment at every house. At the end of two songs we hand them a pass along card and say, "If you know of anyone that is in need of the light of Christ this Christmas season give us a call". Usually people are dying laughing at the end or  are super appreciative. I hope we can get some investigators our of it.

As far as lessons this week it was a pretty boring. Nothing really big happened. Just meeting with the same people and really strengthening the less actives. Thank goodness for this Christmas season though. It is a good excuse to get into peoples doors. Remember the Christmas season and real reason for it! If you don't then that is sad. Try and look for ways that you can bring the light of Christ to those people this Christmas Season. I love you all!

Sister Morrison.

Oh... this morning a guy in our ward took us on base and let us fly simulator fighter helicopters. Oh man it was a blast!!!!!!!!!!! I love you all! Keep up the good work!

December 16, 2014

Well! Hello from the Good ole' North Pole where not much happened this week sadly. My companion and I are kind of struggling right now. We have seen everyone on the ward a good four times that is. We visit the active members pumping them up about sharing the gospel and visit the less actives a lot too, but you can only go over to people's houses so often. 

We saw an awesome miracle with Kim this week. The man that hasn't been to church in 20 years that felt prompted to go back. We called him like 4 times to remind him about church. Each time he said...we'll see. Well guess what guys?! HE SHOWED UP!!!!! I never new sacrament meeting could be so stressful haha. I feel like I am constantly looking and praying and hoping people will show up. It's actually kind of funny for people in ward to watch my companion when people walk we are waiting for walk in. It's the best. 

Due to the lack of people to see my companion are going to start tracting this week. We are going to get creative. Our mission presidents wife told us that we need to make mini posters for tracting. Everyone has two doors here. They have a normal one and then a storm glass door. When people answer we are going to have a giant scroll that they can read behind the glass door. It's going to say. We know it's cold, so don't open your door. We are just out spreading the spirit of Christmas. Do you know anyone that could use the light of Christ this Christmas season? ...It's going to be the best. It's a little intimidating, but I am actually excited to see how it goes.  

We are still being spoiled with gifts from the ward. The days are getting darker and darker. It's pretty lame and kind of messes with you. The sun never rises above the trees and it's kind of light around 11am and pitch black by 3pm. 

So we have been volunteering at an ice park and this man we do service for, or the owner Keith. Keith is a kind of rough and tough guy, but super nice. He decided to call our families and tell them to look at us on the web cam at the park. We smiled and waved to our families. It was the best. After he hung up the phone with Dad he just looked at us and started balling. It was truly a miracle. We were able to talk to him about Christ. We asked him if we could teach him. He kind of ignored our question, but the spirit was so strong. SO THANKS DAD! Christ is totally preparing people for us to teach. 

We had zone meeting this week. My comp and I were asked to train on sanctifying our selves so that we could be dedicated to the work. Oh man it was awesome. We testified and taught. There wasn't a dry eye in the room. I love being able to teach and know that what I am saying is what the Holy Ghost is prompting me to say. We had interviews with our mission president this weekend. He gave sister Hewitt and I some ideas about what we can do to help the ward. He really helped us. We are going to start helping with another ward too. We are going to teach so single sisters in the Badger Road ward. I'm pumped! 

So there is a man in our ward that has some blue dots on his hand. We asked them what they were. He said that when he was 11 he gave himself a tattoo. It was so funny! He has two dots for a snake bite, because what 11 year doesn't want a snake bite tattoo? He also has the letter W. for Walt. This guy is a rock solid member. It was just super funny to hear the story. I figured you would like to hear it too! 

Pray for miracles! Man o man do we need them! We are trying soooooooo hard! Share the gospel with your friends. You can do it! 

REMEMBER THE REASON FOR THE SEASON! 

December 9, 2013

Hi family. 

     What a slow slow slow week. Sadly we only got 10 lessons. It was because everyone went out of town for Thanksgiving and it was transfer week. Monday and Tuesday we didn't even have time to teach a lesson because of mission training and p-day. It was kinda lame, but it is always good to learn how to be a better missionary. 

One of the ladies I talked about last week that came to church and hasn't been in years invited Sister Hewitt and I over to her house to watch some Time Out for Women talks. She broke down crying about how grateful she is for us and how we are pushing her to come back to church! I love missionary work. She is making great improvements! It was awesome. She came again to church this week. The next goal is to get her husband to church. 

This week we had two dinners with families that invited non-members over for dinner. People in the ward are finally starting to act on the motivation to do missionary work. Oh man it is awesome! Hopefully, things will start picking up here pretty soon. 

Here is an update on the people that we have taught or want to teach. Connie: Well, this little old women pretty much just wants us to serve her and not commit to the church. We weren't able to meet with her this past week, but hopefully we can commit her to coming to church this week. The State Trooper: Still hasn't been home which is totally lame. Hopefully, something will happen here this week. Zach: The members he is friends with don't want to pressure him into anything, so they won't give us his phone number and won't let us meet with him unless he asks. It is totally lame! The Newly Weds Sarah and Dan: We didn't teach them a lesson this week, but we ran into them at a members home and talked to them for like 20 minutes. Sister Hewitt and I plan on teaching them this week. 

I know it's a whole bunch of hopefully's with people, but I really hope that we can start teaching people. I am half way through my training and have only taught the first two lessons! It's a little nerve racking, but I know the Lord has a plan for everything. I just hope my next companion will be understanding when I am not very good at teaching. Good news though! I am almost done with Alma in the Book of Mormon. I calculated it out and I should finish it on Christmas Eve! How exciting right? 

Thanksgiving was crazy! My comp and I pretty much just party hopped to different people's thanksgivings. We stopped by 8 people's homes and miracle of all miracles I was actually hungry at the end of the night. We all remember Thanksgiving two years ago in Tahoe. Since then I have hated everything about Thanksgiving dinner from turkey to pie to mash potatoes. We were able to slip into people's homes without eating anything except one! Somehow we got entered into a pie eating contest! It was sick. I took second place! Wooohooo. It was fun seeing different people's traditions for Thanksgiving. Not going to lie. I did get a little home sick, but no need to worry I'll see ya'll in 23 days via video!!!!!!! 

Okay.. BREAKING NEWS! I met the real Santa in the real North Pole. We were doing service at an ice sculpting competition right outside his house. He came wandering out in his overalls and someone was like, I think that is Santa. Low and behold it was!!!!!! His family has been Santa since 1937. Family. I MET SANTA! We did like 8 hours of service this week for that place. My companion and I ended up helping the actual Santa for most of it because he liked us so much. Do you realize what that means? I WAS AN ELF FOR SANTA CLAUS IN THE NORTH POLE! Who can actually say that? It turns out he lives in our ward boundaries and we found out where he did. Sister Hewitt and I are totally baptizing Santa. It's going to happen. 

Sister Hewitt and I have become really good friends with some people in a local taco shop. I speak Spanish to them and they love it! Today we are going to ask them if they want us to teach them! Every time we go in there they always give us free food! It's the best. We will see what happens! 

So we had some miracles here this week. We had our ward Christmas party on Saturday. Sister Hewitt and I went around reminding people about the party. Two of the tree houses we stopped at were miracles. One family hasn't been to church in years and actually showed up the party! The other people were sick and said if it hadn't been for us stopping by at that moment there would have been no food at the party. We were able to take the food for them. It's really fun to see the results of following the spirit. 

Sister Hewitt and I really liked to get people pumped about sharing the gospel not only with the ward, but with other missionaries. We now do this thing called miracle calls every night. We call all the missionaries in the zone and ask them what miracles they saw that day. It is fun to hear about all of miracles happening here is Fairbanks and North Pole. It gets people looking and trying to have miracles daily. It is making the zone super unified. We love it! 

Have a warm week everyone! 

p.s. Did you know is cold climates you have to plug your car in so it doesn't freeze. It's the weirdest thing! 

p.s.s. Did you know you have to water pianos in dry climates? Look it up. It's weird. 

p.s.s.s. If you think it's cold you have no idea. It hasn't warmed up to above -26 this whole dang week. 

November 25, 2013

Hi Friends! 

What a week it has been! I think I say that every week, but seriously every week is so different. No day is the same. Some days drag on and some days are gone within in a blink of an eye! 

It has been so cold here! The coldest it got was -42. In case you are wondering, yes... It totally hurts to breathe. Once you go out into that weather you can't stop coughing because it is such a shock to your lungs. I had a little scare this week with the weather. We were shoveling snow off this women's drive way in -36 and all of the sudden I look down and my hair wasgray. Yes solid gray. I was like OH man... I didn't know I was under this much stress. I need to go to the store right now and buy some hair dye. How did this all of the sudden happen? My mind was going CRAZY! It was a stressful second until I realized my hair had just completely frosted over in the matter of minutes.

Just about every time we drive I feel like I am on the Indiana Jones ride a Disneyland. The roads are super bumpy, we drive a jeep and it gets dark here by four o'clock. When our lights shine on these dark, deserted forest roads I totally feel like a snake is about to pop out on me and a giant boulder will fall right in front of my face! Every time we drive on this road my comp and I start singing Indiana Jones theme song at the top of our lungs. 

I had to eat some pretty weird food this week. Of course the two people's houses that we were at didn't have a dog I could feed under the table. You all know my fear of cheese. Well this lady made us goat cheese. Yes, I said goat cheese stuffed rolls. I legitimately thought I was going to puke. Hardest thing I have ever had to eat. I also had to eat peanut butter pork noodles. Yep family. Remember when mom made that? Well, it wasn't much better. 

There is a lady in our ward that has had a really troubled life. It took her 8 years to stop drinking and smoking once she was baptized and she finally has been clean for a year! My companion and I made her this giant banner and brought it to her house. We are seriously so proud of her. She has killed quite a few brain cells, but is just the nicest lady!!! 

We had an awesome district meeting this week. The spirit was just so strong. Everyone testified of Jesus Christ and how grateful we are to be members of the church. It really pumped us up to start sharing the gospel more. We just want others to have the joy that we experience. 

Everyone knows my fear of cats. Well my companion is highly allergic to them and for some reason every cat thinks she is a cat whisperer and tries to come up to her. Every time that happens I have to pick up the cat and throw it off of her. It pretty much me so much anxiety. Oh how I HATE cats. I will never ever own one! 

So my companion and I made a goal for 40 lessons this week! We only made it 33, but that is a 600% increase from what this area was getting before. It was a definite miracle! 

Okay... So Sister Hewitt and I have been visiting all of these people that havn't been to church in years and guess what?! FOUR I repeat FOUR of them came to church on Sunday. Oh my gosh I about fell over and died! Two hadn't been to church in 20 years. One hadnt been in two years and then other hadn't been in a couple of months. We asked one of the ladies how she felt at church. She started to cry and said, "It feels like I have come home". Oh my goodness was that powerful. The bishop thanked us for our efforts and told us that there are many miracles taking place because of our efforts, but really it's the Lord blessing this area. North Pole is the best! 

I did two things I thought I would never ever do yesterday. My companion and I had to speak in church. We talked all about how we are grateful for missionary work. I basically gave my farewell talk. It was very spiritual! Hopefully, it got the ward more excited to share the gospel. Okay...on to the things I never thought I would do. When I stood up to start talking I completely forgot my name. I said, "Good morning brothers and sisters! My name is Sister Hewitt" Can you believe I forgot my own name? So embarrassing. The whole ward has been teasing since! So funny! I also sang in the ward choir. They forced me. Those poor people that heard my terrible voice. Hopefully they learned their lesson to not ask me to sing again. 

More good news... A family brought a newly married couple to church. He hasn't been active since he was a young boy and his wife is a non-member. We talked to them a church a little bit. Well, later that night we went over to the families house that invited them to church to teach a recent convert a lesson and that couple was there! They asked us to teach them the first lesson. Oh my gosh it was sooooo cool!!! I am grateful for miracles. The Lord really does bless you if you are obedient. 

Sadly, the trooper and his wife were not home the few times we knocked on their door, but I have no worries. We will be able to teach them. I just know it! 

Happy Almost Turkey Day! My comp and I are signed up for 4 dinners. I might die. Wish me luck that survive the day! Count your many blessings. 

Love to all! Keep looking for opportunities to share the gospel this season. I know you can do it! 

Sister Morrison