"Sometimes God brings us to the lows of lows, so that he can lift us higher."

Sept 16, 2013

HEY YA'LL!

Yes, I am becoming a hillbilly. I never thought the day would come, but here it is. Am I terrified that I now speak with a southern twang and use words like "ya'll" and say things like, "Let me alone!"? Yes. Do I care? No. I fit in here. haha! I know that I say this every single week....but I cannot believe another week has gone by! It always seems like I get to Friday and go, "Wait....wasn't it just Monday?" oh, the joys of being a missionary.

Well friends, let me tell you something. Missions are hard. I don't just mean yard work for 4 hours hard, or even an 8 hour shift at the hospital hard. I mean HARD. Everyday my alarm goes off, and I swear I just crawled into bed. I fall into the car after every stop we make, and I pray that I make it to the next day, and somehow I always do. These first few weeks in the mission have been some of the hardest times in my life. I have had a sinus infection, a REALLY bad case of poison Ivy/Sumac (see picture below), and back issues.... my Mission President has started to call me "Sister Job". hahaha He's the greatest. The stress had gotten to me on Friday, and I was ready to jump on a plane back to Utah. BUT miracles happen my friends. I testify that they do.

After a mental breakdown on Friday, our Sister training leaders called to inform us that we were going to be going on exchanges the next day for 48 hours. If you don't know what an exchange is, it is when two companionship switch one companion for another for 48 hours.  I went out to Martinsburg, WV and served with Sister Swisher! She is amazing!! I love her to death. I had already known quite a bit about her because I stalked her blog...yeah I know I am a major creeper.....she got over it. haha ;) But really we taught 9 lessons in 1 day!!! Can you believe that?! Well you should because it really happened. At one of the houses a woman stopped me in mid-sentence and said, "Sister Morris, how do you know that what you are telling me is true?" WOWIE. Talk about a good question! I thought for a second, and replied with something like this: "Sister S, I know that this gospel is true. I feel it every second of everyday." I proceeded to tell her of the "adventures" I have gone through out here, and finished with, "I know that my Heavenly Father would never put me through all of this if there wasn't a purpose for me out here. I know that he's there, and I know that he cares."

She looked at me for a very long time. I was scared of the silence....LITERALLY SCARED. ( We all know how well I do with silence....thanks Mom.) But the spirit told me to wait, just wait. So I did what I was told, and I waited. As tears filled her eyes and rolled down her cheek she said to me with a strong yet gentle voice, "You will do more good than you will ever know. Satan has drug you through all he can to get you to quit, because you will change lives. Not just one or two, but lives. Those people you help will find the truth again through you, and there is nothing more terrifying to him than that." Man, did that hit my soul like a ton of bricks. Heavenly Father knew what I needed. He knew what would shake me and say, "Don't give up my child."

Joseph Smith said, "Sometimes God brings us to the lows of lows, so that he can lift us higher." How true is that statement? I hope that someday I can thank my Heavenly Father for the trials he has given me. Not exactly for the poison ivy.....or the back spasms. haha. But for the chance to get dragged so low that the only way to be lifted up off the ground was through him. Everyone, this is the true gospel of Jesus Christ. We have a Savior who loves us more than we will ever know. We have a Father that wants nothing more than to hold us in his arms again, and to look at us and say, "Welcome Home."

I love you all and wish many blessings and love to every single one of you! Thank you for all your emails and letters, please be patient with me as I try to write all of you throughout the week!

I LOVE YOU ALL!!!

Sister Morris

Favorite Quote: Used in letter 

"Sometimes God brings us to the lows of lows, so that he can lift us higher."  - Joseph Smith

Favorite Moment:

Sister Swisher singing to the CD:

*Sister Morris turns off the music*

Sister Morris: "Sister Swisher....do you hear that sound? It's like a dying whale...."

Sister Swisher: "I don't hear anything..."

Sister Morris: "Here, let's turn on the music and see if we can hear it again."

Sister Swisher: "AH!! I hate you!! You're fired!"

Here's a picture of some of the poison ivy I got, this is my arm but it is all over....they now think it might be poison sumac because of how large my sores are. This picture seriously doesn't do it justice as this is after 4 days of being on steroids.

We are also now being referred to as the "LDS Girls". Pretty much one of the funniest notes we have gotten so far.

I am so glad that through all the trials she had these past two weeks, she has not lost her sense of humor!! She told us that she even has sores on her face. She is a trooper!!

If you would like to write Sister Morris, her address is

Sister Madison Morris

54B West Main Street

Hancock, MD 21750

Thank you to all who have written and brightened her days. Her emails brighten ours. We are so grateful, may the Lord bless you for your efforts!!

Momma Morris