tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57530549427197500572023-11-16T06:15:30.094-08:00Hermana Willis - Provo Utah!Elisabeth Morse http://www.blogger.com/profile/06075243396822337987noreply@blogger.comBlogger59125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5753054942719750057.post-86237996431632531792014-10-05T18:41:00.003-07:002014-10-05T18:41:27.754-07:00Sept 29th: Soooo... transfers...Remember how much I'm in love with this area? A lot?<br /><br />Well... my time here is up. SIX WEEKS. That's all I got. Dang. I know Heavenly Father has His plans and fun ideas for my life, I just am sad that I won't be here anymore. It's literally almost perfect here. I love it. :(<br /><br />SO MY BISHOP ISN'T BISHOP ANYMORE?! Well, I guess he's not my bishop anymore, so that's cool. Whoa. And my dad's all up in the bishopric? Nice. That ward will always be the best ward in all the land.<br /><br />Fun fact: There's an Elder here named Elder Kepo'o. He is the Hawaiian Mormon version of Jheremy. He's so cool. He leaves for Costa Rica today! Just thought you'd like to know that.<br /><br />Confidence booster!: Last Monday a sister told me every time she sees me I look "business chic." I almost hugged her. Another lady told me I have a beautiful complexion after just meeting me? Another sister told me I'm really driven and ambitious, and she thinks I could be the next president of the United States. People picked a good week to compliment the heck out of me.<br /><br />I love that I can read the scriptures and LEARN THINGS and be able to APPLY THEM in life! I was awful at that before. Are you ready for something amazing? This was always one of my favorite war stories because of John Bytheway, but I never realized these parts...<br /><br />Alma 50:3-5, 14 = make your weak things become strong!<br /><br />Wait Elisabeth, don't you mean Ether 12:27?<br />No, I mean Alma 50!<br /><br />Like the Lamanites did, Satan will walk up and think he can get you like he had before. But he's going to be shock-ed and amaz-ed at your spiritual preparations. How great will be his disappointment! :)<br /><br />These war chapters are FILLED with spiritual nuggets of GOLD. Every time I read, I'm just blown away at how much I learn. IT IS SO BRILLIANT. I cannot wait to meet Moroni and Teancum. They're such dang bosses! I'm going to name one of my sons Teancum. Not really. But just imagine:<br />Stranger: Where'd your name come from?<br />My son: Oh, just a book of holy scripture. Teancum was a super boss military leader who totally murdered the bad guys' leader in the night. He also tricked a huge army into attacking them while his other friends took over their city. This is my twin brother, Moroni.<br />Yes.<br /><br />Alma 51:5-6 made me think of the way things were in the US when I "left" (I technically didn't leave, but I left all that political mumbo-jumbo behind). Republicans, liberals, conservative, democrat, independent, non-denominational (hahah). It's all bologna! The question is who considers themselves part of the freemen, and who is part of the kingmen? Alma 50:39 talks about when Pahoran was appointed chief judge and governor, "with an oath and sacred ordinance to judge righteously, and to keep the peace and the freedom of the people, and to grant unto them their sacred privileges to worship the Lord their God,..." What are the two most important thing, ever? God. Our families. The right to raise our families up in God. The right to do so is a sacred privilege. Isn't that beautiful? This doesn't have to do with which political side someone is on, money, ethics, or whatever people claim is most important. It's all about protecting our sacred privilege of worship.<br /><br />I love this school. The bells play hymns.<br /><br />Here's a sneak peak into my way of thinking: take a melatonin to help me sleep. Chase it with a cookie. -_-<br /><br />There's snow on the mountains again!<br /><br />Saturday I walked aaaalll day in the pouring, freezing rain. It was awesome. I loved it.<br /><br />Elder Boren (the stake senior missionary couple) makes these little Minions. He gave me this one last night. I LOVE IT.<br /><br />My knee has been bothering me a little bit, so the nurse put me on a regimen of ibuprofen ALL DAY LONG. Like I'm maxing out on ibuprofen all day. So I've been SUPER nauseated. I decided I'd rather have knee pain than feel super sickly, so I quit that. Haha We'll see how this comes along.<br /><br />Here's my favorite story I heard someone share in sacrament meeting. LEO TOLSTOY! Yay, Russian literature! :)<br /><br />Anyway, I'm going to have to start PACKING? Freaking dang it. Oh well. It was wonderful while it lasted.<br /><br />I LOVE YOU, PROVO! :(<br /><br />Have a lovely week, and LISTEN/WATCH GENERAL CONFERENCE! :)<br /><br />Loves,<br /><br />Hermana WillisElisabeth Morse http://www.blogger.com/profile/06075243396822337987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5753054942719750057.post-41655201426764869232014-10-05T18:38:00.003-07:002014-10-05T18:38:58.701-07:00Sept 22nd: HAPPY WEEK BEFORE THE WEEK OF GENERAL CONFERENCE!I'm a little bit excited... I can't wait!<br /><br />YO. Next Monday we learn what's happening with transfers AND who's going to general conference! We only go once in the mission now (since there are so many missionaries), but I still have this false hope that I'll be going. Totally illogical thinking. Oh well.<br /><br />I apologize, I forgot how to chronological-ize things... This email is a mixed up mumbo jumbo of last week+today.<br /><br />We went to the temple this morning, and it was lovely. I've missed it so much. It's been THREE MONTHS since I last went! Man. I never want to go that long again... But I have to, because the next time we can go is in December... Dang it. My plan's been foiled. But after going from going twice a months to once a quarter, I know I definitely prefer going twice a month. That will be how things are done when I come back. They'll have to kick me out!<br /><br />Bueno... We then walked to Subway across the street from the Creamery on 9th so my companion could grab a bite to eat, where I saw Zac Atherton! My family likely won't know who he is, but he served in the FJM. That was cool. :)<br /><br />FUNNY STORY TIME:<br />So last Monday, we went to this place that's like a higher class Taco Bell. We were seated in a booth behind a couple who appeared to be on their first date. This guy was killing it. It's like he was a PRO at first dates (he's probably not had many second ones...) So among the other really arrogant things he said, trying desperately to make himself look good, he told a touching story. He said someone about puppies or little ducklings (or whatever it was) loving bubbles. He described the intensity of cute like this:<br />"Look, I'm a tough guy. I ride a motorcycle. I usually have a beard. But it even touched my heart! I giggled. I giggled!"<br />Horchata almost came out my nose.<br />It was wonderful. He sure has a way with words.<br /><br />This week has been über slow. Not much to report on. Our teaching pool is diminishing because we baptized our only progressing investigators! Were working on finding. I think some of the former investigators could be promising. :)<br /><br />So we were in a class where we were talking about the temple dedication and what it means. We sang The Spirit of God, and when we sang "the veil o'er the earth is beginning to burst!" my brain just exploded and I started to cry. DUDE. The veil over the earth is beginning to BURST. IS THAT NOT EXCITING? What an cool blessing to be here when the Lord is getting ready to come.<br /><br />So we talked about the Hosanna shout. And now I'm fascinated by the word "hosanna." I always thought it was the same as "hallelujah," as in just a word of praise and adoration. It's Hebrew for "save us" or "deliver us." When we're shouting "hosanna" (whole-souled, given to the full limit of our strength, as we're instructed) we're we're begging The Lord to save us. It's something that's done at the entrance of the Savior. When He entered Jerusalem and the people waved palm branches, when He came to the Americas in 3 Nephi 11, in the premortal life when we were presented the plan (and Christ was presented as our Savior), and President Lorenzo Snow said that's how we will greet Him when He comes again; we shout "Save us!" We're asking Him to come. We're inviting in the Second Coming. Hosanna, indeed.<br /><br />I have something to tell you. It's important, so listen up.<br /><br />Heavenly Father is as real as the Thai food I ate on Friday. I promise you.<br /><br />I was having the worst most awful terrible day, and I was upset to the point of nausea (we also went to a Chinese buffet as a district for lunch. And by Chinese buffet, I mean fried meats in fake Chinese sauces. Not a vegetable in sight that wasn't an old garnish). Needless to say, I wasn't feeling at the top of my game. Later in the day went home to do weekly planning and our dinner appointment texted and asked where she could meet us. She was outside with... Thai food. Now for those of you who don't know, Thai is my very favorite, and these past couple of days I've really wanted Thai food. Heavenly Father is the only one in Provo (and I know He's in Provo, I feel Him everyday :)) who knew that about me. He sent me this little token of His love on a tough day as a reminder that He knows what I'm going through, and He knows me. He knows when I'm upset, and He knew Thai food would make me feel better. It's the little things. :)<br /><br />Saturday we got an email telling us to update our iPads to iOS 8! Do you remember that funny little fact about me? Software updates are like Christmas morning for me! I was so excited.<br /><br />Mom, Alma 46:40 is your new favorite scripture. I miss going to the granary. I miss healthy things. Thanks, Alma. Haha<br /><br />Wednesday morning during studies I was reading Mosiah 8. My brain was just screaming out "I WILL TRANSLATE FOR YOU! ...If I knew the language, and if I could get to you..." I just wanted to jump into the book and help. My companion thinks I'm weird. I just know I have a deep deep love for translations. :)<br /><br />Comparing scriptures in different languages really helps me understand, too. Sunday morning I was reading Alma 48:23 in English, and it says "they were sorry to take up arms against the Lamanites, because they did not delight in the shedding of blood; yea, and this was not all--they were sorry to be the means of sending so many of their brethren out of this world into an eternal world, unprepared to meet their God."<br /><br />I thought "I wonder how "they were sorry" would translate into Spanish." So I looked it up! In Spanish it says "It burdened them to have to take up arms against the Lamanites, because they did not delight in the shedding of blood; yea, and not only that, but it afflicted them to be the means by which so many of their brethren would be sent from this world to an eternal world, without being prepared to present themselves before God."<br /><br />In Portuguese it says it made them sad to take up arms, and they lamented to be forced to be the instruments that would send many of their brethren from this world.<br /><br />Holy cow. Does that not hit you in the heart a little bit more? I'm so glad that direct translation is not possible. Having to dance around differences in languages really helps you to see things in a different way. I love languages, I love inspired translation, and I love the scriptures!<br /><br />In other news, living in my own apartment has turned me into Ben: the MacGyver of the kitchen. Ice cream made from frozen bananas, 3 times (dulce de leche, strawberry, and peach). Baked apple (also with dulce de leche). All sorts of fun experiments with eggs... The kitchen is fun. And it's especially fun as a missionary. You're tired of eating the same things, you only have an hour, and you only have a few ingredients (some of which might have been in the area longer than you and your companion have), and are unable/too poor to go to the store. It's like an adventure everyday.<br /><br />I've been trying to end this email for 20 minutes, and I keep typing up a paragraph about being broke and hungry. I obviously need to go grocery shopping and stop trying to end my email wittily.... So on that note...<br /><br />I LOVE YOU! Enjoy the monumental amount of pictures... I take too many pictures and I talk too much... Dang it.<br /><br />I'm pretty sure I'm forgetting something important, but whatevs.<br /><br />Love you all! :)<br /><br />Hermana WillisElisabeth Morse http://www.blogger.com/profile/06075243396822337987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5753054942719750057.post-66430374349836947452014-10-05T18:36:00.000-07:002014-10-05T18:36:24.070-07:00Sept 15th: Alma 14:9 - Don't be stupidThat's just a little something I learned in scripture study this week. :)<br /><br />So Monday we had one of our final investigator lessons with Addy. We watched President Monson's talk about love being the essence of the gospel. We talked about it, and we asked her if she believed he was a prophet. Her response? With slightly glistening eyes, she looked at us and smiled and said "I have no doubt he's a prophet." BLOWN AWAY. This is the same woman who told had ZERO interest in the gospel 25 days ago... Keep in mind: just because people aren't interested, it doesn't mean they're not prepared or ready. Addy didn't realize she was interested until the spirit told her she needed to be baptized when we invited her. Then everything changed from there. Amazing.<br /><br />A former investigator who had moved out of the area MOVED BACK! Melanie's 18 and from Ecuador. Well, last week SHE MOVED BACK! So we're preparing for September 27 for her baptism. This month has been filled with harvesting. People keep telling us "You're doing an amazing job!" But we're literally just doing our job in checking off lessons. These people are prepared. We also met her friend who wants to get baptized too! But she lived where Melanie used to live, so we're going to talk to the elders in that area and get them to teach her. 'Tis the season to harvest, I suppose!<br /><br />September 10th: the first day I turned on the heat. Let it begin! I had to turn on the heat in order to defrost so I could exercise. Dude. It's going to be cold. It's starting early this year. Pray for me.<br /><br />WEIRDEST THING OF MY LIFE: So when we were teaching Melanie and her friend Tamara on Wednesday, someone knocked on the door. Some guy was asking for someone who lived there. Melanie went back to see if she was there, and he just walked in and shut the door and started talking to us. Melanie came back and said she wasn't home. He saw that we were having a lesson and apologized for interrupting. Then he said "Well, I'll just stay for the lesson!" And walked across the room to move things off the couch so he could sit. Totally weird. Then we went on with the lesson, but I was so baffled at this guy's behavior. He welcomed himself in, and invited himself to stay for the lesson, and moved their things to sit. O.o It turns out, Heavenly Father sent him! I just don't know how... I'm still mind blown at how cool Heavenly Father is. We really wanted a member to be present in that lesson, and he turned out to be able to speak Spanish, and he shared a wonderful testimony of the restoration! ALSO, we learned after the lesson that he speaks Creole. Not French, like the rest of the world, but he speaks Creole. I may or may not have yelled at him out of excitement when he said that. Lesson with, AND he speaks Creole! So he's been an amazing fellowshipper for Stevens AND his brother Pedro, who is working towards baptism with Elder Visconti, an elder from France. This stranger who invited himself into our investigators home was an answer to two prayers, and continues to answer our prayers. I LOVE HELPFUL PEOPLE! :)<br /><br />Friday night dinner: Food truck roundup! It was awesome. There were about 20 food trucks to choose from. I went with this weird hamburger place. One even had mac & cheese in it! The one I got was called "the nasty." Imagine. I don't think before I speak. This was me ordering my hamburger:<br />"I'm gonna do the nasty..."<br />*silence*<br />*notices companion, employee, and dinner host holding back chuckles*<br />*busts up laughing*<br />Please, choose your wording carefully at this truck. They have dangerously named burgers.<br /><br />Oh, then Saturday we had dinner with a Chinese man! Well, and his family. His wife is American, but his kids speak English, Spanish, and Chinese! I was in linguistic heaven. I love the diversity of Provo! Mandarin is SO still on my list of languages. The husband asked if I like spicy food, and of course my eyes lit up and I enthusiastically said yes. He brought out this Chinese hot sauce type thing (it was peanuts and cracked pepper in oil I think). It was really good! Then after dinner he asked if we like trying exotic things, so my whole FACE lit up this time and I again enthusiastically said yes. He brought out fruit from China. I LOVE FRUIT! We had dragon eyes, dried lichi (Lai-chee) (like raisins, but GOOD), and dried dragon eyes. So good. And again... they invited me to come live with them. Hahaha They said "If you plan on coming back, you come stay here!" Hahaha How does one respond to so many invitations to live with them? I think that's the fifth invitation. I could just house hop every couple of months... Hahaha I love it when people like me. It makes me feel wonderful. :)<br /><br />Ok, so Saturday night. Stake conference. The stake center has a big organ with the pipes built into the walls like the tabernacle (but not quite so big). But it still makes a difference! It shook the whole place. It was amazing. I could literally feel the music. Oh, and my talk? Not so amazing. I feel less uncomfortable speaking though! People said they enjoyed it, but I'll never feel like my public speaking is up to where I wish it would be. Oh well! I'll always have something to work on and improve. :)<br /><br />Sunday! We had regional conference broadcast, and we got to go to the Marriott center! We couldn't contact the investigators who were supposed to come. -_- Then we saw a UTPM RM and he asked if we wanted him to go pick them up. He would he late coming, but he said "It's ok, I know how it is." He really wanted to help. ANGEL! He called and told us after he got there and told us they were sleeping and wouldn't be able to make it. Rats.<br /><br />Elder Nelson and Elder Scott spoke. President McCune was down sitting with them, and I so badly wanted to go down and use my mission president as an excuse. First of all, I've never met Elder Scott, and I LOVE HIM. Do that would have been awesome. Second, ever since Elder Nelson came to the FJM (when we got to meet him), I've been wanting to ask him what he meant when he said "You've got a lot of work to do!" to Courtney, Sara, and me. I'm sure he won't remember, but I just want to ask! Hahaha<br /><br />People I saw at the Marriott center: Jarna Knickerbocker! Corbett Williams (Ben!), (the following are UTPM RM's) Prettyman, Olson, and Guzman (<---the one who ran to check on the investigators). So fun. :) I'm still waiting to run into Heather Moss, but it hasn't happened yet. Haha<br /><br />So Lenin! He had an interview with the bishopric so he can come to the Ogden temple re-dedication, and it was awesome! He asked again how long he has to wait to serve a mission. Hahaha I'M SO EXCITED! He's doing awesome.<br /><br />We aren't teaching Stevens anymore, now that Elder Visconti and his companion are in the house. They're doing well though! Their WML still keeps us updated, and they're doing great in their ward! :)<br /><br />Fun fact: food makes me happy. No literally. I don't mean "I enjoy eating food." I mean it literally can effect my mood and happiness.Close to finishing our fast yesterday, I was SO MAD. My companion didn't do anything, but it couldn't talk to her. I was infuriated. Not at any one thing, I was just MAD. Then I started shaking (like hypoglycemia, which I don't have), and she asked if I was ok. She said "If you need to end the fast early we can run home..." I said "Do I *need* to? No. Is it the solution to the problem? Yes..." She was all worried I would pass out, so we went home... Not even 5 minutes after eating, I was laughing and making jokes. Completely different person. My poor companion. She has either no more or two more fast Sundays with me. If she has two.... I need to apologize for my behavior more. Haha I tried to just drink water, but I was still mad as all get out. So back to my original statement. Food makes me happy. Literally. Hahah<br /><br />We've been able to find so many new investigators this week! I'm really excited about them. Lot of potential! One of them is a part member family, and the husband is from Bosnia! He's lived in the United States for awhile, so his English is perfect, but he speaks four languages. I just want to pick his brain!<br /><br />Another one is a former investigator, Blanca. We met her 15 year old son, and he seems interested :) Now we just have to work around her schedule to see her, because she works two jobs. There's also a recent convert boy in the ward who's mother we're trying to teach.<br /><br />From the looks of it, October could be a month of harvesting as well!<br /><br />Ok, so Addy's baptism and I'll be done.<br /><br />So I was cool as a cucumber all day. Normally I get nervous about baptisms, because if something is going to go wrong, it'll be right before or during the baptism. I wasn't wracking my brain for things that were forgotten. This Spanish ward was on top of everything! :) So we get there and I realized we'd forgotten the baptism record. Still though, I maintained cucumber status! Amazing. We got a ride to the apartment and came back. We took pictures, and the baptism went smoothly. Addy was so excited to finally be baptized. I STILL wasn't nervous or anxious when I was told I was giving the talk on the Holy Ghost! Man. I can testify strongly of peace being one of the fruits of the spirit. I've never been so at peace while in a stressful situation in my life. And during the introduction of the first hymn, bishop asked me if I would lead the music, so I hopped up there and stole someone's book. Hahahaha It all went well though. It was amazing. The spirit was so strong. Then we went to their house and had tamales. Yes. The perfect way to end a day.<br /><br />AND the perfect way to end an email!<br /><br />Really. I am actually very sorry this is such a long email. I'M SO LONG WINDED.<br /><br />I love you all loads and bunches! Be good, share your toys, and read your scriptures! :)<br /><br />Hermana WillisElisabeth Morse http://www.blogger.com/profile/06075243396822337987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5753054942719750057.post-78929088864717214032014-10-05T18:34:00.002-07:002014-10-05T18:34:33.607-07:00Sept 8th: Not one, but TWO baptisms this week! HALLELUJAH!FUNNY STORY! Last Monday while walking down the street, two young adult men said to us "Sisters! What's good?" To which I so wittily responded "The gospel!" Their response? "Eeyyy..." Hahahahaha I'm so witty.<br /><br />FUNNIEST, MOST UTAH MOMENT OF THE WHOLE MISSION THUS FAR:<br />In a singles ward a stake high counselor was reading a letter from the stake presidency or something, trying to get people to come to an activity (which isn't hard to do, so I don't know what the extra effort was for), and he choked on his words and giggled a little bit when he said "your... future eternal companion may even be there. Or even the brother, sister, cousin of your future eternal companion..." And he was trying so hard not to laugh when he said it. I was DYING. I was probably the most irreverent missionary they'd ever seen. I was trying so hard not to die laughing. Ayyy, mi madre...<br /><br />BEST THING OF MY LIFE. Ready?<br />Monday night we went to see Lenin. We talked about the Ten Commandments and keeping the sabbath day holy. We talked about it and we went over any questions he had, and talked about working on Sundays, etc. then he said "Ok, did you want to say anything else? I wanted to tell<br />you something..." So we let him take the floor and he shared with us an experience he had with the spirit, and how he felt like after that experience he felt really prepared now for baptism. He started crying, and thanking people. Then he stopped and said "Mainly you though. Without offending anybody, out of all of the people who have helped me, you've been the most important. You were like my little angel. When you got here, everything started clicking together and I understood. Then you invited me to baptism, and I finally felt like I really wanted to" or something like that. WHAT?! I was crying like a baby. This kid is amazing. And he thinks I'M and angel?! HE'S AN ANGEL!<br /><br />BREAKING NEWS!<br />I MADE A FUNNY MISTAKE IN SPANISH! I think it's my first time (of it being funny). So we were getting ready to leave Lenin's, and we were planning some baptism things. So I say to him "Quien quiere que se bautice?" And he looked at me funny and said "Pues, yo me bautizo, no?" I just started busting up laughing, then rephrased it and he said "Ooooooohhhhh..." I still think about it and laugh. "So who do you want to get baptized?" Hahahah<br /><br />Whoa. So now that we talked about something highly spiritual, let me tell you about these tacos I had last week. There's a tiny place hiding behind the big buildings of downtown Provo called Brassas. They even had LENGUA. Mmm. Dad, another hole-in-the-wall place I need to take you to! Family rode trip in April when I need to come back? We can all go to conference! :) OR come pick me up? That could he cool too. Utah in February :) BEAUTIFUL! Your choice. I just need dad to have these tacos...<br /><br />Fun fact: I spelled "mision" in Spanish, and I found two words in there. "Mi Sion." My Zion. Man, that's cool. And it's kind if legit.<br /><br />Now... The moment you've all been waiting for... SATURDAY! Baptism day! I literally almost texted everyone involved and said "Happy baptism day!" I'd been awaiting this day for awhile. I was ready for these kids to make that step, and I was ready to stop worrying about event details. Everything went SWIMMINGLY. Well, for Stevens' baptism (his name is Stevens. That's common the Creole spelling of Steven. The last S is silent). There were a lot more people than I had anticipated, especially since we hadn't had contact with Stevens' ward until half way through the week of his baptism! They were in the process of changing EVERYTHING in that ward, so they didn't have a WML, and the bishopric had literally just changed that week prior. It was insane. But we got it all organized, and it all went very well. I was so relieved! :)<br /><br />Now, Lenin... He's such a trouble maker. Hahahaha We were at the JSB (yes, there's a baptismal font in a BYU building, ON CAMPUS.) waiting for Lenin to show up, and we got a text from his ride/fellowshipper/neighbor/friend saying he was in the shower. This was at 2:40-ish, and the baptism was planned to begin at 3:00. So I was freaking out, and having a minor anxiety attack. Then they finally showed up a little late and we sent them right away to get changed. Haha Little Lenin hugged me twice. Hahaha We may have to explain this hugging thing so he doesn't get offended when I extend my hand as a greeting. Hahaha I didn't freak out though. I was cool as a cucumber. I just appropriate hugged him back. Hahah<br /><br />I gave the talk on baptism, and to be honest... I thought it was kind of cool. I may be a little prideful, pero I thought it was a pretty good talk. Hahaha I'd had a week to prepare a 5 minute talk on a topic I teach frequently, in the language I feel comfortable teaching in. EASY. Everybody and their PURPLE GRANDMA came up to me and told me I was talking so fast, like a native speaker. Maybe I was talking so fast because I was nervous? I wasn't so super nervous though. I was just trying to finish so I could sit down, probably. No matter how comfortable I am speaking in Spanish, public speaking will never be my #1 favorite thing.<br /><br />Tender mercy: Homemade Argentine dulce de leche. Our dinner appointment was with an Argentine family. She brought out this jar of dark something and asked us if we wanted it. She said her dad had made it. HOMEMADE?! Yes. And I have been enjoying it thoroughly.<br /><br />Yo, there's been so many languages in my life this week: Italian, Portuguese, French, Mandarin, Finnish, Swedish, Japanese, German... I was in heaven. Just a fun little snippet for you.<br /><br />Baptisms pt II: Confirmations<br />YES!! So we went to Stevens' confirmation. It was amazing. The ward (mostly newly moved in members and all new leadership) just enveloped him in fellowship. EVERYBODY was talking to him. I'd been worried because I've never known anything about his ward, but I felt so at peace leaving him in the hands of this ward. They're amazing. Actually, the WML's younger brother invited Stevens' brother to church without even realizing that he was his brother, and HE CAME! AND there was a girl who had just come from her mission in PARIS, and she is a BOSS at French, and she translated for his brother (Pedro). He said he wants to learn more, so we're going to start teaching him on Tuesday! :)<br /><br />Then we went to LENIN'S ward. We have been able to be involved with this ward, and I was already in love with this ward. So they do it backwards with RS/Priesthood first, then Sunday school. Because Lenin had to work, so they confirmed him during priesthood. So we were there sitting in the front row of a room filled with no one but men, listening to this BEAUTIFUL confirmation. I was trying not to laugh. I've noticed that's how I express happiness when it gets too big. I end up laughing. But in the prayer was said something about how he can serve a mission if he so chooses to. Afterwards, the bishop asked him to share his testimony. In his testimony he said "Me encantaría servir una misión..." I felt like a proud mom! I've wanted to mention something about serving a mission, but I didn't want to push anything, when he wasn't even a member yet... But I'm glad it came from Heavenly Father and not me. He would make the best missionary.<br /><br />We're going to go to the temple with both Lenin and Stephen sometime late September/early October. I cannot wait. Enserio. I love going to the temple with new members! It's always the BEST.<br /><br />So here's the thing... This weekend is the whole universe's stake conference. Saturday night, guess who's speaking... YO. I'm speaking. I hate speaking in English... We'll see how this works out. It's only 8 minutes, so let's pray I don't take up too much time. I tend to ramble when I'm nervous, which is bad since it's in English. I know more words, so rambling is dangerous! But SUNDAY, we'll be in the Marriott center! I'm super excited about that! :)<br /><br />So Jennafer, our 8 year old investigator, wants to meet the prophet. I so wish I could set that up. I would probably cry my eyes out seeing her talk to the prophet. Come on, were in Utah! There's got to be a way to figure this out. Hahaha<br /><br />Anyway, I'll let you go now. No need to read my million stories. Hahaha<br /><br />Thanks for everything, lovelies! Stay good, play fair, and floss your teeth!<br /><br />Hermana WillisElisabeth Morse http://www.blogger.com/profile/06075243396822337987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5753054942719750057.post-20556222439677248152014-10-05T18:28:00.000-07:002014-10-05T18:28:13.428-07:00Sept 1: HAPPY SEPTEMBER FIRST!!!!!!!!!Happy "get down the Halloween stuff" day! Happy "almost Fall" day!! Enjoy it for me :)<br /><br />Now mira... I know the church is pushing us to use technology and be a people who USE our resources to share the gospel, pero I've lost so much information because of relying on technology... It's a trial of my faith. I was trying to add our area email to my iPad, and I somehow ended up deleting most of my notes on my iPad. DANG IT. Oh well, I still have a few. I have, however, converted to keeping sticky notes. I'M TURNING INTO MOM! :) But I'm checking things off and throwing them away. It feels god to check things off a list and move on. I rather like sticky notes :) Hahah<br /><br />OH COURTNEY... When you said whatever about Jeff, I just thought "Is she assuming that just because I'm in Provo, Jeff is in my area?" So sometime last week while we were looking for a fellowshipper, I thought of that and thought "Hmm... I wonder if he IS in this stake!" So I checked, and YES. He sure is. They were in out of town, so they couldn't come to the lesson with us, but WE'RE HAVING DINNER WITH THEM TONIGHT. I'm so excited. I love this adorable little family.<br /><br />REVELATION: If things go well, most of the investigators we're working with will be able to attend the TEMPLE DEDICATION!<br /><br />In a lesson the other day I brought up prophets and said before I could even think about it I said "De hecho, en un mes va haber la conferencia general de la iglesia, y vamos a poder escuchar del profeta y los apostoles vivientes!" So we're going to make invitations and start handing them out. GET READY PEOPLE, we gonna hear from the PROPHET!<br /><br />Addy has been praying by herself, and READING! I can't believe this is the same woman who showed NO interest whatsoever. I'm blown away.<br /><br />Now, about Lenin. This kid had his baptism interview, and we were all just so super stoked. We showed him a video of the prophet and he said "El habla con mucho poder y autoridad. Habla muy claro. Se siente que hay una rompecabezas y el *psh* pone la ultima pieza." I ALMOST STARTED LAUGHING. When this kid talks about the gospel, I literally almost laugh. That's how happy I am. I smile so big, the next step is laughter, but that's not appropriate in a lesson. Hahaha HE JUST GETS IT. It all just clicks for him. Every time we teach him something, he's on top of it. This kid has been soooo prepared. I CANNOT wait for his baptism. You know why? Because HE CAN'T EITHER. He wants to get baptized so bad. He's like a little ray of light in my life. Such a blessing to know him and be able to witness him receive the gospel. That was probably the cheesiest sentence of my life, pero I'm serious. It's awesome.<br /><br />Wednesday we went on exchanges, and I was in Springville. We went out to dinner with a family, and we went to the City Art Trolley. It looks like a rundown place, but it's BRILLIANT. It's amazing. Dad, I know you love hole-in-the-wall places. If you ever come to Utah, I'll take you. I had a shrimp po'boy and man... I missed the Island when I had that sandwich. It was good. I miss good seafood... Hahaha<br /><br />Let me share something with you... Zone Conferences last from 9am-4pm. Friday we get out of our conference, and our ride home canceled on us, so we were scrambling to find a ride to our appointment AT 4. We did find a ride, and we got to the lesson a little bit late, but we had a good lesson. We did a commandments matching game with the 8 year old investigator we have. She's awesome.<br /><br />Then we forgot we hadn't found a fellowshipper for our 6 o'clock appointment, and we can't teach Stephen alone because there are no women in the home. So we were planning on doing it outside or rescheduling. During dinner, we found out that the husband served in the DR and actually taught a lot of Hatians there. So we asked if we could bother them to accompany us to the lesson and they said yes! So we were sure it was an answer to our prayers, and that long stressful, tiring day would get better from here. Nope. Stephen wasn't able to have us.<br /><br />So I was super stressed and overwhelmed. Zone Conference was amazing, and I had so much I learned and wanted to apply and I started getting discouraged. SO, I asked the ZL's for a blessing, but they called our DL, and neither of us have a car, so that didn't happen. I was feeling ROUGH. So we finished the day with no other lessons, and went home.<br /><br />Saturday however... was an unbelievable day. Let me tell you about it.<br /><br />We went to Spanish Fork for a baptism of Sister Braddy's. Then we had DTM, which was beautiful. We were in charge of a role play (which I normally hate) but it was on having good manners at a dinner appointment, so I was like "Oh heck, I got this." BUt then we found out the ZL's were going to be our dinner hosts... Uh-oh. Elder Palomares is one of our ZL's (he was in the MTC with me), and OF COURSE he would be the wife of the couple. Dang it. So the whole role play was hilarious, and I was doing ok until I started laughing uncontrollably, so much so I started crying. I hadn't laughed that hard in a long time. It was great. Hahaha<br /><br />We saw one of my favorite less active men with a member of his bishopric, and it went well. He's the funniest old man.<br /><br />THEN, we finally found someone to teach Stephen with us. A recently recently returned sister missionary. She was JUST what we'd needed. We'd had canceled appointments with Stephen THREE times this week, and it's because we needed HER to be there. He opened up and is really progressing now. Amazing.<br /><br />Then we had Lenin's baptism interview where he talked about the prophet having the last puzzle piece.<br /><br />When we were walking home, I really couldn't believe we had such a blessed day.<br /><br />FUN FACT: China is warming up to us... Teaching online to people in China was still against the law, BUT if you are a CHinese citizen, YOU CAN! So we have a few Elders from China, and this means they can start teaching people online! I CANNOT BELIEVE IT. I'm so excited!<br /><br />I don't think there's much else to report on... LENIN IS GETTING BAPTIZED THIS WEEK! I'll send pictures. SO excited.<br /><br />I LOVE YOU ALL! Have a lovely September 1st!<br /><br />Hermana WillisElisabeth Morse http://www.blogger.com/profile/06075243396822337987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5753054942719750057.post-8246912321832552882014-10-05T18:24:00.004-07:002014-10-05T18:24:41.169-07:00Aug 25th: I've got peace like a river...GOOD DAY, LOVELIES. I'm going to try and go in chronological order,<br />since SO many things happened this week.<br /><br />Pero first... Can someone find me the quote from David O. McKay, in<br />which he says "if you don't want to do something, do it anyway! It<br />helps build self-control."? I need it, and I can't find it on <a href="http://lds.org/">LDS.org</a>.<br />I've heard everybody and their mother quote him, but I want to see him<br />say it before I go around taking peoples' word for it. I need sources<br />cited!<br /><br />Ok, so last Monday:<br />Monday night at FHE, we finished the lesson, we said a prayer, then I<br />asked if we could all take a picture. Before I could even say porque,<br />half of their faces were white as ghosts. I told them I was leaving on<br />Wednesday and they all went "Ooh noooo, no me digas..." All dramatic<br />and Hispanic like... It was so sad and hilarious at the same time.<br />People were literally sobbing in my arms. That part was not hilarious.<br />I was so sad to go.<br /><br />Wednesday morning my landlady gave me the best gift ever, and it made<br />me CRY. When she was in her twenties, she stitched a picture of a<br />leafless tree with one flower/leaf/a heart (depending on how you look<br />at it). I'd told her I loved it MONTHS ago. I came upstairs to pack<br />some of my food, and she gave it to me in a little gift bag she made.<br />SHE REMEMBERED that I loved it. I don't know how she remembered. It's<br />not like she saw it often, it was downstairs in our basement apartment<br />in a dark corner. She's got a good memory. Man, I cried like a baby.<br />If anyone is looking for a landlady, I highly recommend her. Hahaha<br />She's so cool. I love her. She went in the other room to copy down a<br />recipe for me (I have so many good recipes from her to try when I get<br />home!) and I heard her holler from the other room "I'm gonna miss you<br />so much..." Then I cried a little more.<br /><br />Packing was easier this time around. Thanks Adam, for housing my box<br />of winter clothes! :) I'll let you know when I need them. Hahah<br /><br />Transfers: My companion is Hna Braddy. She's from North Carolina, and<br />KNOWS HARKERS ISLAND! WUT. Yes. I was so excited. We're Provo East<br />Bilingual! That means teaching in English... I guess The Lord really<br />qualifies who He calls, because I usually HATE teaching in English,<br />but it seemed pretty ok even on day one. We also work in the Provo<br />City Center temple booth! It's cool. We answer questions people have<br />if they come in. Also we have an apartment, and I'm in love with it.<br />It's not even a particularly nice apartment. I just love having my own<br />place. And a sink. And a stove/oven. I got there and cleaned the poop<br />out of the kitchen. Haha Really, honestly, truly though, I want to end<br />the mission here. I know I've only been here for like 4 1/2 days, but<br />I love it. The members pray for us BY NAME everyday. Everybody I met<br />came up to me and said "So you're Sister Willis! I got an email from<br />the stake president letting me know there was a change. We've got to<br />be praying for the right people!" From the stake president to the<br />nursery leaders, they all pray for us by name. And they're always<br />saying "Hmm... Who else do I know that you could teach..." It's<br />amazing.<br /><br />I AM SO HAPPY. I love this area. I'm HAPPY! I finally feel like a good<br />missionary. I finally feel like I'm doing an ok job. There's still<br />things I wish I could change or do better, but I finally feel good. I<br />love Provo. So. Much.<br /><br />Day 1: GET THAT KID ON DATE! We went to a lesson with a 17 y/o kid<br />from Ecuador. He wants to get baptized (and I don't know why he wasn't<br />given a baptism date earlier... Haha) So we asked him how he feels<br />about baptism, and he was just like "Well I know I want to do it, and<br />I feel like God is really happy with my decision, blah blah, I'm<br />amazing." Hahaha So we extended a date and he kind of hopped around<br />it, saying he wants to learn more before he gets baptized. I told him<br />it's just a goal; something to work towards. Then this awesome<br />fellowshipper made this analogy that has changed my missionary<br />teaching forever. If you're playing soccer and you don't have a goal,<br />nobody's going to progress in the game, and nothing is going to<br />happen. He just ran along with this analogy, and I was amazed. The<br />Lenin (investigator) was just like "Ok, yeah. September 6th sounds<br />great!"<br />And this, my friends, is why we have fellowshippers...<br /><br />Day 2: We stopped by a chapel (the oldest standing chapel existing in<br />Provo! It's got fireplaces, a balcony in the chapel, and three<br />stories. Adorable) and the new RS president of the Spanish ward came<br />up to us and asked us to come meet this woman who's living with her.<br />She's not a member, but she wanted us to introduce ourselves to her<br />and work magic. We talked to her and set up an appointment. I was<br />really excited to teach her. She didn't seem super interested, but I<br />still felt really good about the appointment though, and I couldn't<br />wait. Her name is Addy.<br /><br />Day 3: We told Lenin he needs permission from his parents to be<br />baptized, and he said "Oh, well I'm going to talk to them tomorrow,<br />I'll ask them then!" He seemed totally chill and confident they'd say<br />yes. He said his mom would probably even be excited for him! What?<br />AMAZING. His fellowshipper said he hadn't heard anything about it yet,<br />but he did go to church on Sunday :) We're meeting with him tonight,<br />so we'll see how it went!<br /><br />Fun fact: getting people to go to church in Provo is easy as PIE. In<br />Orem, we had to go to peoples' homes and walk the 2-3 blocks to the<br />chapel in order to get them there, and even sometimes that didn't<br />work! Everything is golden here... We invited them to go to church,<br />and they just DO IT. It's so cool.<br /><br />Day 4: We taught Addy! Throughout the lesson I felt like the spirit<br />wasn't getting to her. Even when we did the first vision, still<br />nothing. I could feel the spirit, but her eyes looked blank, like she<br />didn't feel anything about these things. Then we invited her to<br />baptism on September 13th.<br /><br />...guess what happened...<br /><br />SHE STARTED CRYING.<br /><br />*I* felt the spirit when invited her to baptism, but I felt like her<br />eyes had been so blank throughout the lesson, there was no way she<br />felt the spirit teller she should get baptized. WRONGO. She started<br />crying and accepted the date! It was AMAZING.<br /><br />Soooo... Yesterday was my 13 month mark. That means 5 months left.<br />This isn't right. Time is going faster! I remember when I came into<br />the mission, Hna Hernandez had 5 months left. When I got Hna Morla she<br />only had 5 months left, too. When they went home I felt like it went<br />so super fast. I can only imagine how much faster it's going to go for<br />me. Yikes!<br /><br />FUNNER FACT: Brian Kershisnik is in my stake! I WANT TO BE HIS BEST<br />FRIEND. He is so cool. I met him before a ward counsel meeting, but<br />didn't tell him I knew who he was. That would be weird. Hahah He's one<br />of my favorite artists. He's even more of a favorite than James C.<br />Christiansen! And I love James C. Christiansen... Bro Kershisnik has<br />got a full beard now, so he's even COOLER. I didn't recognize him at<br />first. There was a bearded statistics professor at FSCJ with a<br />Russian-like last name, and he reminds me of him a lot. He has an "I'm<br />a Mormon" video. <a href="http://mormon.org/Brian">Mormon.org/Brian</a> It's another one of my favorites.<br /><br />Surprise! Wednesday morning, the new missionaries were introducing<br />themselves and there was a sister from Lake City, FL. We had a<br />Spanish missionary meeting the next day where I saw her and freaked<br />out. I said "You're from Lake City, right?" She said yes, and I said<br />"No way, I'm from Jacksonville!" And she said "I know!" Hahaha It<br />turns out, she's a friend of Sydney's and knows Luke! Her name is<br />Emily Duren! What what!! So fun.<br /><br />In our apartment there was an Arabic BoM I found. I added it to my collection :)<br /><br />Jacob, there's a Caribbean restaurant in Nephi owned by a family from<br />Trinidad & Tobago. I didn't go. Our stake missionary couple went<br />though, and they said it was awesome.<br /><br />Friday night when there was a huge storm, some creepy guy called once<br />(when I answered it) and two other times (which I did not answer) from<br />a restricted number. I was freakin out. I called the ZL's and talked<br />to them about what to do and we just decided to turn off our phone and<br />we'd call them in the morning if we had missed calls from the creep.<br />I'm such a scaredy cat. -_-<br /><br />So there's this big project we're going to be doing in Utah missions<br />to test it out. ONLY IN SPANISH! They're <a href="http://mormon.org/">Mormon.org</a> cards with<br />questions of the soul on them. They have a link to<br /><a href="http://mormon.org/preguntas">Mormon.org/preguntas</a>, where they can be lead to a lesson page that<br />goes with the question they had. It's going to be awesome. It starts<br />September 1st. One of the general authorities (I don't remember which)<br />said "If we can't get Spanish missionary work down in Utah, we won't<br />be able to get it in any other part of the world." So we're piloting<br />this program from September to December. It's 1st presidency approved,<br />and is being driven forward by Elder Nelson and Elder Bednar. I'm<br />stoked about it. I think it's going to make the work blow up.<br /><br />So yes. I'm in the best mission on earth, I love the area, and I'm<br />doing well. I'll write you another novel next week. And next week IT<br />WILL BE SEPTEMBER! That means only twenty-something days after THAT<br />until it's OFFICIALLY FALL! Yo. I'm stoked.<br /><br />Happy birthday Ben and Jess! I LOFF YOU!<br /><br />Hermana WillisElisabeth Morse http://www.blogger.com/profile/06075243396822337987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5753054942719750057.post-17113377774606567102014-10-05T18:20:00.001-07:002014-10-05T18:23:28.991-07:00Aug 19th: Transfers - leaving editionTransfers! I. Am. Out. WHAT?! Yes. I'm leaving this area. I've been<br />
here 6 months, and I made someone cry when we told them... Dang it.<br />
I'm pretty bummed, but at the same time excited for change. I really<br />
do like change. It's hard, but it keeps things exciting! We'll see how<br />
I survive... I really really love this area. I'm pretty sure when I<br />
come back to Utah, I'll live here. I'll go to the Spanish Branch! I<br />
love it here.<br />
<br />
So our high counselor over missionary work said something in our stake<br />
mission coordination meeting yesterday, and it was so cool. He said<br />
"Finding is the key to retention." We always say fellow shippers are<br />
the key, but when should fellow shipping start? BEFORE they even start<br />
listening to missionaries. Their encountering the gospel should be<br />
through their future fellowshipper. THAT is how this is supposed to<br />
work.<br />
<br />
Dear mom, I'm getting a motorcycle when I come back... Just a fun<br />
thought to scare you. Love you!<br />
<br />
Breaking News: after years of making green smoothies for too many<br />
people in a huge blender, and struggling to adjust the measurements to<br />
make a one person smoothie, I HAVE DONE IT! And I've been doing<br />
everyday for two weeks! I feel so accomplished. Now I don't have to<br />
make myself so full to the point of throwing up! :)<br />
<br />
Wednesday night, someone my companion taught went to receive their<br />
endowment in the Jordan River Temple, and we got to go! So much fun. I<br />
just keep adding temples to my "Been in there" list. It was awesome.<br />
We did a session in Spanish, and I amazed myself yet again at the end<br />
with my Spanish skills. Thanks dad, for putting Spanish in my life<br />
when I was a young teenager! Haha<br />
<br />
Sometimes I look up the definitions of ingredients on my iPad. I am<br />
disappointed and informed. The. I still buy Takis and ice cream,<br />
because we get transfer calls... Hahaha<br />
<br />
Oh yeah, when I called to check my balance in my checking account<br />
(because I'm out of mission money... Oops!) the woman on the phone<br />
started trying to tell me I could get a loan for a car, and according<br />
to my "credit worthiness" right now the interest rate would be 1.3%!!<br />
What?! Dang, dad. Thanks for being so "credit worthy" for me while I'm<br />
gone! Hahaha<br />
<br />
So we have a investigator family who has a humongous garden, and we<br />
went over one day and they needed to fill TEN boxes with tomatoes. We<br />
cut a bunch of tomatoes, and it was awesome. I love gardens :)<br />
<br />
Thursday we went to Tucano's Brazilian Grill for dinner and it was so<br />
cool. Dad, you'll love it. They said when I come back to live and you<br />
and mom visit me, we'll all go back. Just imagine... They bring<br />
different types of meat TO you. It was in this adorable outdoor mall.<br />
I loved it.<br />
<br />
That same night, we were riding our bikes, and someone yelled "Hey<br />
girl, yo momma let you date?" IT WAS HILARIOUS!<br />
<br />
Kaleb, our assistant WML wants to change his name to Kaleb.<br />
<br />
I love Jesus. My favorite names of Him are Healer, the Great<br />
Physician, and the Prince of Peace. The painting of Jesus at the pool<br />
of Bethesda, and another one of Christ healing a man's sight with mud,<br />
are my two favorite paintings EVER. Just so you know. I really like<br />
Jesus.<br />
<br />
The Purge: stupidest thing of my life. The maker of that movie will<br />
probably not get to go to the celestial kingdom because of it. Stupid<br />
teenagers are bringing violence and stupidity to MY city for 12 hours,<br />
and wouldn't you know it, I'm entering the war chapters in Alma. Alma<br />
27:12 says "Don't be in Jacksonville on August 31st." Alma 28:5 is not<br />
a comforting verse either. I think I'll be fasting that day. Maybe the<br />
day before, too. God is greater than the influence of Satan, so I'm<br />
going to combat his influence.<br />
<br />
Mom, I can practically hear you say "These are signs of the times.<br />
Things are going to get worse before they get better."<br />
<br />
Trying to translate nursery rhymes and children's songs into Spanish<br />
is the most challenging and funniest thing I've ever done.<br />
<br />
We ate dinner with a man who studied Russian and linguistics and<br />
worked in the Air Force. I just wanted to pick his brain apart! I will<br />
learn Russian. He's so cool. I will study and learn Russian. I WILL DO<br />
IT.<br />
<br />
Jim Carey and Jack Black taught me everything I know about facial<br />
expressions. Sometimes my companion laughs herself to tears and asks<br />
me to do it again so she can record me talking. I never do it again<br />
though. Hahaha<br />
<br />
So my very favorite returning member IS BEING A MISSIONARY. Her<br />
stepdad's nephew's daughters have been coming to church and really<br />
love it. So yesterday they got assignments in primary, so we had a<br />
first lesson with them AND THEIR MOM. And it was awesome. I was<br />
talking to one of the girls about their assignment, which was to give<br />
the scripture, and she was telling me how she told her friends she was<br />
becoming Mormon. She's so cute!<br />
<br />
So I'm going to pack, and repack, and then leave. Dang. And write<br />
thank you cards (thanks for sending them in packages, mom!), and cry<br />
with my favorite people. PEACE OUT!<br />
<br />
I hope you're all having a grand old time with my beautiful family!<br />
Tell every one of them that I love them!<br />
<br />
And a huge congratulations to Ryan and Katie! Y'all are adorable.<br />
<br />
I love you all, and hope you're doing lovely!<br />
<br />
Hermana Willis<br />
<br />
P.s. I had a dream I was going back to Eagle Mountain. YESSS!! Haha I<br />
would be a-okay with that!<br />
<br />
P.p.s. Happy birthday to Ben and Jess soon! I LOFF YOUUU!!Elisabeth Morse http://www.blogger.com/profile/06075243396822337987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5753054942719750057.post-15250195754961886212014-10-05T18:18:00.002-07:002014-10-05T18:18:33.381-07:00Aug 11th: Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the LordLONGEST, WORST WEEK EVER. Glad that's over.<br /><br />There are a few of my favorite lines from The Battle Hymn of the Republic. I love that song. Try to find them! :) (It's a challenge because my emails are so darn long!)<br /><br />I've been in a bit of a rut this week, emotionally/mentally. We're Facebook missionaries, so were on Facebook almost daily. I generally try not to look at the things that can be distracting, but with everything going on with Russia and Israel (two desperate events, not meant to be mushed together in the same topic) I found myself so upset over it all the other day. I couldn't tear my eyes from the images of hopeless faces and distraught families. I couldn't stop myself from reading that a father said about his daughter (of probably 8 or 9 years) "She always dreams about the bombs." The looks on the faces of these people were so sincerely heavy and sorrowful. It was painful to look at. Of course, my mind ran away with itself and I concocted a million plans on how I could help these people, and essentially create world peace. (If you just thought of Miss Congeniality, PLEASE give me a high five when next we meet). My mind gets drowned in the unacceptable amount of bad there is in the world, and it can't get around it.<br /><br />But my companion and I have been talking about the second coming a lot these past couple weeks. We do a family home evening with our branch mission leader and families we work with every Monday night, and there are a couple women who have a lot of questions about the second coming. Last week we started a lesson series. Last week we taught about the signs of the second coming. Today we're going to talk about the actual coming of the Savior. When I found myself overwhelmed with the negativity in the world, I remembered that just before the Savior comes, everything is going to get really really bad. It wasn't really a comforting thought, but it did ease my mind a bit. I don't know about you, but I'm ready for it. I would love for this nonsense to be put to an end and live under the rule of the Prince of Peace. I prefer Him to any ruler; whether they be black or white, male or female, Mormon or Muslim. I'd much prefer the Savior.<br /><br />He knows what He's doing, I guess. I still wish there was something I could do to help console the wounded spirits or repair the broken hearts. All I can do right now is pray. That'll have to do, for now.<br /><br />"As he died to make men holy, let us live to make men free,<br />While God is marching on."<br /><br />Now on a lighter note... My Heavenly Father loves me so so SO much. Every single time I have a bad day, He makes it rain. My companion told me "I feel like you control the weather... Stop it!" It was a big big Florida like storm last Monday. Crazy lightnings and everything. I rode my bike through huge puddles and got soaking wet on the way home. It was such a tender mercy.<br /><br />Tuesday though... I couldn't sleep in past 4am. I arose feeling mega nauseated, with a headache. Later in the afternoon someone we're working with had a breakdown and wouldn't talk to us, and almost smoked. Dinner was awkward (with a super Mormon family I thought only existed in Mormon movies). We did have a good short lesson, then we went to do piano lessons with one of the returning members... At 9pm, we walked out of the chapel to get on our bikes and go home, but that wasn't an option. Some hooligan had thieved our bicycles. They were both gone. So we went home and talked to our landlady who said to report it to the police. While we waited for the officer to show up my companion and I were eating ice cream... Then he came and we gave him all the information we could about our bikes. He said he felt confident that they would find them, but we're kind of impatient.<br /><br />Next day, companion and I felt so miserable, we made arepas for breakfast, with pepper jack cheese. There still are some good things in this world.<br /><br />So we walked for two days, miserably. Then I asked one of the members to pick up Ana Morla's bike from AF, and my companion is borrowing the neighbor's bike. We're on bikes again, but my companion is still anxiously awaiting hers. Her bike was nice :(<br /><br /><br />Random story time: There were people speaking a Scandinavian language in Deseret Book. I thought it was Swedish, just because that's the only Scandinavian language I'm somewhat familiar with. It. Was. So. Cool. I need more languages in my life!<br /><br />We're going to the Jordan River temple on Wednesday night. I'm so excited! We'll be doing a session in Spanish again, and I can't wait! :) Doing it in Spanish is always more fun.<br /><br />Sooo... When coming home time rolls around, I'm going to need to save a few dollars fast, because I need to be back by APRIL. A returning member we're working with is going through the temple in April and she asked me to be her escort! So OF COURSE I said yes. I just need to find work for two months sufficient to save enough to fly back... Haha Temp agencies will be my friends, I guess!<br /><br />"Oh, be swift, my soul, to answer him; be jubilant my feet!"<br /><br />Well, I think that's all I've got to report for this week. Next week is transfers, so we'll see what happens. I've been here for 6 months, so I may leave, but you never know! You'll all find out next week when I do.<br /><br />I love you all a bunch, and I hope you're all safe and well. Be good, and don't do anything I wouldn't do! :)<br /><br />P.s. Thanks for those pictures dad! They're great!<br /><br />Hermana WillisElisabeth Morse http://www.blogger.com/profile/06075243396822337987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5753054942719750057.post-29532662536473449462014-10-05T18:16:00.001-07:002014-10-05T18:16:21.223-07:00Aug 4th: Happy August!Good morning beauties!<br /><br />So last Tuesday we went to a sister's house because... well, long story. So while we cannot watch children like babysitting, I DID get to read to these two adorable kids while the mom was doing things around the house. I was reading Book of Mormon stories in Spanish to them. We read TEN chapters. It was awesome. It made me want kids... But THEN...<br /><br />Have you ever heard people say babysitting/nannying is the best birth control? Yeah, it's only true for some people. For me, I just want kids even more after spending time with them. So like taking care of children is a good birth control, serving a mission is great marriage control as well! For some people. Let me explain...<br /><br />I realized that while the mission is surely the very best marriage preparation like they all say, for some of us it's also a great marriage prevention! Remember me? "I'm going to get married and have a billion babies!" Sound familiar? Well people change on the mission, right? Hahaha I still want a billion babies, but living with another person is HARD, and I'm frequently reminded that I've always wanted to live alone with a dog for a time. This isn't anything against my companion or past companions, it's just dang hard living with a person (any person) you didn't grow up with. I could live with my siblings forever and ever, but living with someone ELSE? That's crazy talk. I've never been so sure I don't want to get married in my life (mostly because I've never not wanted to get married). And although I don't want to, I know I'm going to have to. I have to in order to have a billion kids! It's an important prerequisite.<br /><br />So yeah... You don't have to worry about me rushing into anything serious when I get home. I'm going to be in a very committed relationship with my education. School is my boyfriend.<br /><br />Well ANYWAY, that same day (Tuesday) earlier we had sent in our supplies list, and I told my companion to throw a French Book of Mormon in there. I don't know why. In my mind I was just going to go into my collection of BoMs to read, but Heavenly Father had other plans... This will be important later on in my email.<br /><br />So still Tuesday. We were riding our bikes down the street and this car honked at us and turned around to talk to us. It was a young couple and they had just moved in like a week or two ago, and they wanted to give us their information and offer their assistance in whatever way they could. So I was thinking "Ok, they're nice... But we get this practically everyday. Everybody wants to help the missionaries. You know how you can help us? ALL we want is for you to find someone for us to teach. That's how you can help us." So we talk to them a little, and it turns out the wife served in Russia, and the husband is FROM Russia! So I freaked out inside and decided I HAD to say something in Russian before they drove off. So my companion and I were embarrassingly matching, and the wife noticed. She said "You two are so cute with your matching clothes..." So my companion was like "aw thanks, it was an accident" and I just looked at them and said "Spaciba..." as they were driving away. I couldn't see the Russian man's response, but the wife freaked out and yelled something in Russian. I think it might have been something like "NO WAY!" by her voice and facial expression. HELLO, they're so cool. Best thing in the world.<br /><br />Wednesday night after dinner we were riding our bikes towards a lesson we were thinking to have, but we rode right through the church parking lot where we were supposed to go for a ward blitz that we forgot about. #divineintervention So we split up, and I went with an older sister. She was really quiet and it was almost uncomfortable how inexpressive she was. I thought she was mad and didn't want to be there. So we went and contacted some less active families and came back. It turns out everybody else hadn't finished yet and were running way behind, so we sat there and talked. We talked for about an 1 1/2 hours. In that time I learned she was a recent widow (which explains the quietness) and travels with her daughter. We talked about travel, languages, family, the gospel, school, BYU specifically, and everything else under the sun. She started to open up and she SMILED, and she LAUGHED. I was so excited to see expressions! I could tell it had been awhile since she had pleasant company. She even told me "You have a nice way about you."<br /><br />She told me about a trip to France she has planned with her daughter for next year and how she wishes she remembered French from high school. I asked her if she wanted a BoM in French, and she started making excuses as to why she wouldn't be able to read it. I told her about my Spanish learning experience with it, and she opened up to the idea. She was hesitant still, but we kept talking about it. I told her she could also listen to conference talks in French to improve her accent, and to sharpen her ear. She said she might do that too. When my companion finally got back I had told this sister that I had ordered a French Book of Mormon not knowing why, and if she wanted it it was hers. She said she'd like that. She was about to drive away, but she rolled down her window and said "So when you get the Book of Mormon in French, give me a call. And I hope you get into BYU. If you do and you need a place to live, you can come stay with me, I've got a nice guest room." WHOA. I felt like Heavenly Father put me with her because He knew she needed a little boost. She is such a cool lady, and I'm so glad I got to get to know her instead of just having the "grumpy lady" impression. And now I have a friend AND a potential place to stay! Hahaha It was a really cool experience.<br /><br />So my very favorite returning member has been asking me to give her piano lessons. I always told her I could, but she said it was up to me when. So she kept asking me and I kept saying it was up to her, so we never got ANYWHERE. So she said to me "Seriously Sister Willis. Are you ever going to give me piano lessons?" So I was like "Ok, she's serious about this." And we set two appointments to start. We went to the chapel and I taught her some basic beginner theory and we started with just the right hand on a really easy song in the simplified hymns. She picked it up really fast, I was really impressed! I gave her some theory homework (since she can't practice too much because she has no piano). I had a million flashbacks about when I was so grumpy at piano lessons because I didn't understand the importance of theory, and I thought it was hard. THANK YOU Sister Shirley, for making me learn it. I really appreciate it now :)<br />P.s. Piano lessons are so fun. I'm totally doing this later on in life.<br /><br />So this same sister was looking into getting a used piano, and I told her it might need to be tuned. She asked me if I knew how, and I thought to myself "Is it really that hard if you have the tools?" Sooo... There's a TINY chance that I might be learning how to tune a piano... I'm a Jack of all trades!<br /><br />She and her husband just got an apartment this weekend, but it was GROSS. The person before didn't clean it when they left and wasn't very clean while living there, so we came over and NUKED the place. It's so cute now. We bought them a picture of the SLC temple (because that's where they're going to be sealed next June. SO EXCITED!) and gave them a family proclamation and they already have them up on the walls. GAH, so cute.<br /><br />MIRACLE: We had dropped an investigator that we started teaching when I first got here. We assigned the branch missionaries to keep annoying him/inviting him to things. GUESS WHAT. He came to sacrament meeting with his son FOR THE FIRST TIME. I can't tell you how many times we knocked on his door at 8:45 and he was barely waking up, and he told us "Yeah, I'll be there in 20 minutes" and never showed. There was even a day when THREE people passed by his house and he still didn't come. THIS is a testimony to you all that this kind of work really is work for the members. An invitation coming from missionaries can just seem annoying. When it comes from a friend, IT WORKS. BE MEMBER MISSIONARIES. It's the ONLYway to do it.<br /><br />Every time someone asks me about how we found Maria's family (the family who just got baptized) I get to tell them about Hermana Salvador. She was persistent in her invitations to Maria, and after months of seeing no fruit but staying persistent, Maria finally accepted an invitation to an activity. From there, she accepted us missionaries, then later her whole familyaccepted baptism! People always say "Oh yeah, that's the best way to do it!" when I tell them that story. I always respond "No, it's the ONLY way to do it." It will not work if the members aren't a big part of it. It's not members work, and it's not missionaries' work. It's The Lord's work, and at baptism we took upon ourselves His name, making this also OUR work. SO DO IT. You signed up for it.<br /><br />Anyway, Pathways (BYU-Idaho's program) is being introduced to Orem, and we had a big presentation on it for the third hour of church. One of the younger recently reactivated members is going to do it! I'm so excited for him. He had told me once about how he hated school and didn't have plans for college, but this program is so cool! It's perfect for those who need to ease into it, and wouldn't be able to jump in with both feet. INSPIRED PROGRAM!<br /><br />Anyway, I'm going to stop BLABBING and do some grocery shopping. And I just realized that when I send pictures with the iPad, the captions don't come with them, so I'm going to try doing it a little differently. We'll see. Haha<br /><br />I LOVE YOU! Be good lovelies!<br /><br />Hermana WillisElisabeth Morse http://www.blogger.com/profile/06075243396822337987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5753054942719750057.post-77483408002667567632014-07-28T12:35:00.003-07:002014-07-28T12:35:47.630-07:00Update: Pictures!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Just a little conglomeration of all the pictures Elisa has sent over the past couple weeks. Some had captions and some didn't, so just enjoy the visual journey through Hermana Willis' current adventures :)<br />
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<br />Elisabeth Morse http://www.blogger.com/profile/06075243396822337987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5753054942719750057.post-68902693690326801062014-07-28T12:19:00.001-07:002014-07-28T12:19:08.899-07:00Almost AUGUST?!Holy cow, this summer is flying by... pero FAST.<br /><br />DEAR MOM, I can't wait to share a car with you when I get home... ;) hehehe<br /><br />And Tanner is so so so cute. I just miss him so much!<br /><br />Spiritual story time! Friday I had a big "everything makes sense" moment. It all started with thinking about my family...<br /><br />I've been thinking about how much I really really really love being with my family. I sometimes get sad at the thought of our frequent family interactions being "over." I won't be able to go to the movies with all 7 of my siblings and my parents, probably ever again. Or dinner, when we all guess how much the check is. Or when we put salt in Adam's root beer, or when mom throws water on Ben. I won't be able to draw Jack-o-lanterns and vote on facial features with my whole family. My whole entire family might never go camping together again. Who's going to help mom eat all of her Peterbrooke's chocolate on Valentines day and her anniversary? What about Disney World trips? We'll always be siblings, but we won't be fighting over TV remotes, bathrooms, food, etc. We'll always be in contact and see each other, but it's not the same when there's even one missing. You take any one of my siblings out of the equation and it's not the same. I need them all!<br /><br />I know my parents will ALWAYS be my parents, but it still makes me sad knowing that I have to be a big kid now, and I won't always be able to go into dad's room where he's fiercely typing away on his computer to interrupt and ask him about something, or watch Grimm or some other tv show we both love together. Or I won't always be able go into one of the living rooms and find mom surrounded with books and papers and talk to her. I may never again be able to go into mom's room where she is yet again surrounded with books and talk to her on her bed until I fall asleep, like I've always loved doing. Or I can't go to the granary with her like I did as a kid.<br /><br />Although it makes me sad knowing my family is growing apart, I heard this quote about how the greatest joy we can have is joy in our posterity. That's been sticking to my little brain a lot. Does that mean I'm going to love my own family as much as I love my parents and siblings? I would ask someone who now has children, but nobody's childhood, upbringing, or siblings compared to the ones my parents provided me. Will I receive even greater joy from bearing and raising my own children than I have from living and growing up with my parents' family? It's hard to wrap my mind around, since I can't imagine greater joy than my family that I have now. Heavenly Father really knew what he was doing when he made families a part of the plan of salvation.<br /><br />Siblings, will all of you please commit to be in the temple with me when I'm married? PLEASE?!<br /><br />This love I feel for my siblings and parents seems too big for my body... I can't describe it, because there are no words sufficient. However, it isn't even slightly comparable to the love the Savior had and has for us. He literally suffered and died so that we would be able to come back to him. I imagine not having my family around in this life, and what I would do to keep them. That's probably sort of what Jesus Christ felt when He said "Here am I, send Me." I wonder if He felt this desperation, wanting so badly to do it so that He could be assured that we would all have the option of coming home. Sometimes I feel that way when I thinking of seeing my whole family in the temple. A sense of desperation. I know I can't make anybody do anything, but I want to do all I can to make it possible.<br /><br />I feel like one of the things I've gained on the mission is a small small taste of how Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ feel for us. A desperation to be together. Can you imagine how Heavenly Father feels when one of His children decides the things of this world (that don't last) are more important than coming back home? Can you imagine how Christ feels when someone thinks they can't come back, even after all He did? So. Much. Desperation. Holy cow.<br /><br />My companion was asleep when I was writing this. She woke up and I was still typing. She asked what I was writing about, and I told her it was just something I remembered. I said it, then thought about what I said. All of these things and feelings I was REMEMBERING. The veil is only as thick as you make it, people.<br /><br />Now on a worldly note... Did you know we're a classy family?! I never thought we were particularly classy... I always knew my mom was raised by the classiest woman on earth so she's classy, and my dad the corporate business man obviously has class, but I never thought as a whole we were a classy family. Well, last week we ate with a family, and when we left I said to my companion "I just felt like I was with my family. They're so hilarious. I love that family so much..." Blah blah blah. She said something about how they're really nice but they're too classy for her. REALLY? Wow. They really are almost identical to my family, with the outrageous witticisms and sarcasm and everything. WE'RE CLASSY, YOU GUYS! :D<br /><br />Family rant over. Sorry about that, I just really really love you! :)<br /><br />Saturday night we called an investigator because she was moving in with a member, but she said she didn't move in yet because she's sick. So we ran around collecting things to bring to her, and nearly two hours later we brought her some things (all natural, baby!). When we got there she had her Book of Mormon next to her. I asked her if she'd been reading it, and she said she had been when we called. WHOA. Mira, this woman has not kept any commitments yet, UNTIL NOW! Woot woot!<br /><br />We had 20 lesson this week, which is the highest we've had since we've been companions. We were both really excited to see some improvement! :)<br /><br />I made arepas last Monday, and tostones also this week. I'm going to love making random Hispanic countries' food for my family one day. But I'll test them all on you when I get back :)<br /><br />So that race? Yeah nobody had a clue what was going on... So we were supposed to be doing service by helping direct human traffic (oooo, that sounds bad), and see told to wear pros clothes. So we rebelled a little bit (just kidding, we were given permiso) and we walked the race in pros clothes with my favorite Lilly and her mom and daughter. It was awesome. We all set a goal to run it next year. Barz! (Ben, do you know what "Barz" is?)<br /><br />PRESIDENT INTERVIEWS TOMORROW! Shoot, this is the highlight of my LIFE. I love my mission president so much. He's a boss.<br /><br />I love you all a whole whole bunch!<br /><br />Looooove,<br />Hermana WillisElisabeth Morse http://www.blogger.com/profile/06075243396822337987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5753054942719750057.post-42099448631733310452014-07-28T12:17:00.001-07:002014-07-28T12:17:33.793-07:00Happy 1 Year! :)So I reach one year this week. PSYCHO. I probably won't post something cute on Facebook, because I'll likely forget. So here's me recognizing it publicly. Hahah I'm doing the temple to temple 5k on my year mark.<br />SO stoked! :)<br /><br />HELLO I'M SORRY I DIDN'T SEND PICTURES LAST WEEK! I forgot...<br /><br />Last Monday we went to Rancho Market. It's so MEXICAN. I love it.<br /><br />We went to Natural Apothecary and I fell in love with it. So cool!<br /><br />Also, Heavenly Father is SO cool. I was feeling like poooo, and then we got a call from the ZL's and THEY WERE ON EXCHANGES! So Elder Trusty was in the area, who is my BRO. So I promptly asked for a<br />blessing. Y-E-S. So I got a bossly blessing and felt better. Score.<br /><br />We got dumped this week... but we fixed it! There's a returning member who decided it was just too hard, and her family was not doing ok with her returning to the church, so she said thanks for all we've done to<br />help her, but she's going to stop. Then we went and ran errands with her, all the while preaching to her. Then we ate lunch with her and convinced her she was wrong, and now she's progressing again :)<br /><br />So my companion was once companions with my MTC companion. Hna Lopez taught her how to make pupusas. Sooooo my companion taught me how to make pupusas! The first time we did them with the family who got baptized. Then a few days later we made them for an investigator who hadn't made dinner. We invited the recent convert, and she was a PERFECT fellowshipper. It was awesome. They both opened right up and she bore all kinds of testimony. They even had a connection: the recent convert worked with the investigator's son (who is in prison). Anyway, they bonded. It was awesome. Later, I'm going to make arepas. Now I miss my favorite Morevia from SF, and Emma Abzueta. LES QUIERO!<br /><br />Aubergine & Company: GO! It's an adorable restaurant across the street from our area and it's delicious. Mediterranean salad bar, with a juice bar, AND an acai berry bowl bar. Please, if you're ever in Orem,<br />go there.<br /><br />HOLY FREAK, IS DAVID FREY COMING HOME IN TWO MONTHS?! Crazy.<br /><br />Anyway, I love you all!!<br /><br />Loooove,<br />Hermana WillisElisabeth Morse http://www.blogger.com/profile/06075243396822337987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5753054942719750057.post-20390519009266697582014-07-28T11:57:00.000-07:002014-07-28T11:57:03.909-07:00Happy birthday/anniversary!HAPPY ANNIVERSARY MOM AND DAD!<br />HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM AND LUKE!<br /><br />Y'all are the best parents and Luke I've ever had :) :)<br /><br />Dad, thank you for calling me a skinny Spanish/Russian/confused missionary. I appreciate that. It's just... With the way I was standing and turned and the angle and everything, my torso looks elongated... I appreciate the compliment though! :)<br />Speaking of Russian... We're going to the next World Cup in Russia, right?! Hahaha Sorry... Serving with Hispanics I always hear the most up to date information on the World Cup.<br /><br />We went and did service two mornings in a row for a festival at as Scera Park. It was a colonial thing, and mom would have died. So cute!<br /><br />Then I was so tired from working in the sun, I fell asleep in a lesson or two. THAT HAPPENS WAY TOO OFTEN. Can someone tell me how to not be so tired in lessons? Because falling asleep in lessons is really not an ok thing to do. And studies, and sacrament meeting, and principios, and relief society... I have a problem.<br /><br />Once, a kid lied to us so my companion told him liars go to hell. His friend told us we can't say that word because we're teachers at heaven school. So now we substitute it with telestial kingdom. The other day I was talking about something and I said "Aaaalllll of the telestial kingdom broke loose!" Man, it was funny.<br /><br />The parade was so much fun! The entire mission was there, and I got to see my very favorite missionaries. Such a beautiful reunion. Hahah<br /><br />Saw Adam and Morganne, and gave them hugs :) Well, I saw them once but they were too far back in the crowd to see me. Then they ran to another side and I gave them hugs. THEN Adam ran up to me about a block down and took pictures. Hahaha So technically, I saw them three times.<br /><br />Saw Jeff Williams and ALMOST gave him a hug. Hahaha And I realized I was so excited to see Jeff and meet Kara, I DIDNT FLIP OUT OVER THE KIDS! Ay, mi madre... Well, I had almost been lost by the mission, and I didn't want that to happen. Hahah Did he send you the picture? I want to see it!<br /><br />So on Saturday I went back to Eagle Mountain. SO MUCH NOSTALGIA! We had dinner with the Johnsons, then went to the baptism of the man I technically never got to teach. I got to see all of the members, and although I was a newbie missionary and it was a year ago, they all still remembered me :) I sang a so with Hna Córdova (Where love is, there god is also<---in Spanish). We got to see one of the families I love. Do you remember when I was preparing Thasgiving dinner with a family and the man called dad, and we also found out the son served with Adam? Them. I love them. We surprised them. It was awesome :)<br />My temporary companion was Hna Córdova, and while we were with is family, we realized both of our companions had our areas phones. We were off the charts... So crazy. Hahaha<br /><br />The baptism was a man I'd only met once was one of the most spiritual baptisms I've ever been at. I can't count the amount of times we went and knocked on his door. Now he's baptized! So cool.<br /><br />Anyway, I've felt pretty sick this week. Not too well... And this heat is killing me. 6 more weeks of this! Woot woot! Oh, p.s. That's transfer call information! I'm staying here, going on 6 months, and I Hna Wright is staying with me.<br /><br />So I love you all, and hope you had a lovely Independence Day, and anniversary, and birthdays! Enjoy this most eventful month! :D<br /><br />Hermana WillisElisabeth Morse http://www.blogger.com/profile/06075243396822337987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5753054942719750057.post-2631912398129183212014-07-28T11:53:00.000-07:002014-07-28T11:53:03.311-07:00Happy Fourth of July!!!HAPPY AMERICA DAY THIS WEEK! We will be walking in the parade on the 4th, but we can't stop and greet people, so when I see you Adam and Morganne, I'll just wave like a psycho :) Then that night we're watching Frozen. YESSS!! Man, I'm so stoked. 😃 Hahaha<br /><br />A BABY?!? Holy mother of pearl, I'm going to die. Looks like I'm not leaving FL until after a baby is born! I VOTE ANOTHER BOY! Let's name him Hercules!! Jess, thank you for the BEST homecoming gift ever. Due date please? I'm going to buy him a BYU onesie :)<br /><br />Also... HAPPY BIRTHDAY TANNER! Somebody put a birthday video of him on Facebook, prease :) I MISS THAT CHEEKY LITTLE RASCAL!! Sooooooo much.<br /><br />My mission is so international. There's English and Spanish missionaries obviously. Then there's a Portuguese companionship, two Asian companionships (not necessarily Asian missionaries they're just assigned to that work for awhile), and a Poly companionship (again, it's not the missionaries themselves who are Poly, it's the assignment). This is also one of the most versatile missions in the world. We've got people from all over the world! It makes me so full of happy feelings, knowing there are so many languages in my mission.<br /><br />Whenever there's someone around me who speaks a language I don't speak, I have to learn the basics. I now know a few basic phrases in Swedish. Hahaha When I was serving around the German elders, I was polishing up my German. When Elder Sellers was here (he went to Brazil) I was practicing Portuguese words and the accent. Even when I was with Hna Abellan, I was learning some Catalan words. SO FUN! #learnallthelanguages<br /><br />Luke, keep an eye out for an Elder Parker Bingham. He's coming to you, and you're going to train him! We had dinner with his family about 2 weeks ago.<br /><br />Not quite a year in and I'm trashing some of my clothes... :( Looks like a trip to Old Navy for some tshirts! -_- (Code for "I hate spending money.") hahaha<br /><br />Time flies by when you're a missionary whether your having fun or not. But chances are, you are having fun. This was the fastest week of my whole life. The mission is literally a blasted roller coaster. Fast and crazy. I go through just about every emotional extreme at least twice a day. If I have a mood disorder after the mission, I'm sorry. 😔 Hahaha<br /><br />I want to be a mom: birthday party edition. We were helping our ex-WML's wife prepare for her daughter's birthday party. We've been helping her for a long time... But it's so worth it! I just think parties are so fun. Preparing food, creating decorations, etc. I love it. I miss doing that. I love preparing for parties and decorating for events. I would love to have a baby shower sometime soon. Ahem. Jess, will you wait for me to come home to do the baby shower? I get home the first week of February. Or can we do another baby shower when I get back? I just don't want to miss out!! Hahahaha<br /><br />So we got one referral, but we ended up teaching the whole family, and we now have 4 new investigators. One of them is ready for baptism and is half way done with the BoM (they've all had missionaries before), one has serious arthritis and anemia and sometimes can't move, one doesn't want to be ready for baptism yet, and one was just confirmed catholic the day we met her. The first lesson with them was the most powerful lesson I've ever been in though. It was insane how powerful the spirit was. They shared some amazing experiences with us, and everything in their lives is directing them towards baptism and on, they just have to recognize that. Holy smokes.<br /><br />ADAM, you little nugget! I can't believe you signed up to feed the elders! I was so jealous. And the best part is, that was the night we didn't have a dinner. Hahah If the elders had told me, I probably would have made them ask if y'all could feed us too. I probably would have been reprimanded later though, so never mind. Hahaha They said you still haven't gotten silly yet. STOP HOLDING BACK, YOU BUCKET HEAD! Sing them fruit cocktail! Hahaha<br /><br />Anyway, last night my companion and I left the phone downstairs when we were doing numbers, so the DL and ZL's were calling like crazy. Right when we got down stairs the other elders (as seen in the picture with Adam) we're calling. I answered and they told me they were about to come and check on us because nobody could get in contact with us. OOPS!! Hahah I felt so bad. We fixed it all though. Not leaving this phone anywhere! Haha<br /><br />Anywho, I hope you all have a lovely Fourth of July week! God bless America! 😀🇺🇸<br /><br />I love youuuu!!<br /><br />Hermana Willis<br />
Elisabeth Morse http://www.blogger.com/profile/06075243396822337987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5753054942719750057.post-85191979891688722982014-07-28T11:50:00.003-07:002014-07-28T11:50:50.676-07:00"Teach him to deny himself. Teach him to say no." Robert E LeeJust a fun little quote for you. I liked it. You're welcome :)<br /><br />Dear dad, for Father's Day (well on Monday night) I ate a super spicy tamale for you. And guess what! I ate it all with no problem, while these Mexican men all around me were CRYING. Enserio. So we're definitely related, you and I. Hahaha<br /><br />OH, let me tell you the worst moment of this week (exaggeration). We were having a rough afternoon and we rode our bikes by an investigators house. While we were riding by, we saw the J-Dubs leaving their house. But it's ok, we were about to drop him anyway.<br /><br />Remember how Utah is 60x more bipolar than Florida? Cold hard RAIN, and degrees in the 40's IN JUNE. Go home, Utah. You're drunk. Also, please live the word of wisdom from now on.<br /><br />Being a mom: food poisoning edition. Wednesday afternoon, we got a text from the elders telling us they wouldn't be able to come to our meeting with the stake president because they both got food poisoning (the elders who Adam knows who live just a few houses down). I went to my next door neighbor who is also a witch doctor and then my companion and I brought over a grocery bag full of stuff. I felt like a momma of a couple teenage boys. It as awesome. "Take the charcoal capsules. Try eating a LITTLE bit of applesauce or a banana. Sip on that Gatorade I gave you. SLOWLY. Rub the essential oil on your stomach in a clockwise motion. Do you want some peppermint tea? Have you been eating? Are you hydrated? KEEP DRINKING WATER. I don't care if you've been throwing it up for 15 hours. Is there a water bottle right next to you? Are you drinking it? Stop talking, take a sip." Hahahahaha I turned into the crazy protective mother over these boys. Poor kids. Somebody's gotta do it though! And I'm more than glad to. I love being a momma! :) Hahaha<br /><br />STORY TIME: Once upon a time my mission president called during dinner and I flipped out when I saw it after we left. He left a message about how there was a letter, something about Sister Willis working with Henry. I still was confused, and was anxiously waiting his call back. We were in a meeting with our stake president when he called back. I wasn't about to miss it, so I excused myself and answered). President McCune told me he'd received a letter from someone in a stake in Orem. It was from the brother who introduced Henry to us. He was in almost every lesson, and really loves Henry. So he wrote a letter about how highly he thought about Hna Abellan and myself. He said "we are confident in the qualification, testimonies, and training of these two young sisters" and a bunch of stuff like "thanks for keeping such amazing missionaries like these sisters." I had been having the worst day in the world, and that was a cherry on a newly encountered ice cream sundae after walking with a rain cloud over your head for a day. I was crying like a little baby. Thanks Hno Luke for the letter, and thank you President for sharing it with me!<br /><br />I was feeling really unwell Saturday afternoon, so I watched some of my favorite I'm a Mormon videos of international people. Some of my favorites are the Parisian linguist mother of 7 (my #1 favorite), the Italian bee-keeper and architect who never stops smiling, the Persian Britt who teaches her children Farsi, the blind French-Swiss chocolate hunter (this one is one of my very favorites. He's so funny!), the Russian musician, the trilingual (English, Spanish, French) family, the Austrian concert manager, the Frenchman/opera singer, and the American mother who supports 27 orphanages in Bulgaria. Go take a look :) (Oh, and there's this one too! <a href="http://www.mormon.org/cecile">http://www.mormon.org/cecile</a>)<br /><br />When I was watching the one about the opera singer, I closed my eyes and pretended I was watching an opera. I'd never felt so relaxed in the mission. I never realized how much I loved opera. IT'S SO BEAUTIFUL! Go and take a listen for me! :)<br /><br />Saturday after watching the I'm a Mormon videos, I was sitting getting our supplies list ready for our DL, and got a phone call from Hna Córdova. So she got a call from the Eagle Mountain sisters. She said that someone I'd spent 4 1/2 months trying to teach IS GETTING BAPTIZED! He asked the sisters in EM to invite all of the missionaries that ever tried to contact him. Even my ZL who was trained there ALMOST TWO YEARS AGO is invited. He said thank you to all the missionaries who never gave up on him. BOOYAH! That's me!! :)<br /><br />So we have 3 investigators with a baptism date (July 5th). During sacrament meeting when they announced the closing hymn, Maria the mother leaned over to my companion and said "Anoche estabamos leyendo sobre la barra de hierro." WHAT! She's amazing. She went from just listening to us because she enjoyed the company to reading the Book of Mormon and praying with her two sons every night. I love this family so much. They're amazing.<br /><br />So July 5th is going to be a day filled with baptisms! We're hoping another investigator will accept to be baptized that same day. I could potentially see 5 baptisms that day. SO MUCH LOVE!<br /><br />So now that I've ended the email on a spiritual note, let me ruin that. So on July 4th, Sister McCune always approves a movie for us to watch (we can't be out because some elders will surely play with fireworks, which we cannot do). DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE MOVIE IS? Let me tell you... WE ARE WATCHING FROZEN. Holy cow, I'm so stoked. Anyway, I just wanted to leave you on that note. ;)<br /><br />I LOVE YOU ALL! Please be good, and don't lose Jacob's puppy ever again! :)Elisabeth Morse http://www.blogger.com/profile/06075243396822337987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5753054942719750057.post-50320047083726381992014-07-28T11:48:00.002-07:002014-07-28T11:48:41.158-07:00SOUL EXPANDING!Tuesday morning companionship study was interrupted by spiders. Then we spent the rest of comp study exterminated the whole house because companion hates spiders A LOT. So fun. :) hahaha<br /><br />I have a scary story to tell you. Here it goes... I was with Hna Córdova when she hit 9 months, then I hit 9 months. I was with Hna Abellán when she hit 11, and here I am, cumpliendo 11 meses. Now I'm with Hna Wright, and she's got 4 months left. In two more transfers, I'll be there where she is now, with trunky papers in hand... WHERE HAS THE TIME GONE?! Holy smokes. That's the end of my scary story. The end.<br /><br />Luke, you lucky dog. I want a bombilla. I've got the mate, lo que no tengo es una bombilla! Ay, como lo quiero... I've been steeping it like a loose leaf tea, pero it's not the same! QUIERO SER ARGENTINA!<br />Hahah Oh well... I'll never be as Argentine as my brother who's actually IN Argentina.<br /><br />Mom you'd be so proud of me! When my companion got the flu, I remembered oscillococcinum and gave it to my her! YAAAYY! My next door neighbor also has some homeopathic things, and she was willing to go<br />pick up the oscillo for me. She also bought me extra produce because I'm borrowing her juicer. Everybody, please give a round of applause for Kathy, the best next door neighbor. *applauds*<br /><br />Anyway, I filled a humidifier with water and added a little lavender and my companion slept a rock. I was taking care of her like my mommy always took care of me. The best way. With natural remedies! Say hello<br />to the next witch doctor :) After that experience I'm just so excited to have kids of my own. I'm ready to be a mom. I'm ready for sick kids. Bring on the poopy diapers. Bring on the crying. Bring on the puking. BRING ON THE BABIES.<br /><br />Fun fact: I have an obsession with the concepts of "home" and "belonging" and I think it's because of that that I am so extremely moved by the soundtrack of Spirit. It is easily the best movie score and soundtrack I've ever heard. It still makes me cry.<br /><br />Thursday morning, I finished reading a chapter in the Book of Mormon, and as I sat it down I thought in my head "Stop. There's something inthe back of your scriptures that you need to read." Listen to the pronouns. "YOUR scriptures." "YOU need to read." So these thoughts obviously weren't me talking to me, I would have said "I" instead of "you." So without hesitation, I reached back down and looked in the back of my scriptures. In there was a picture I drew in seminary of a "silly ruler of the feast," a list of ideas for a good talk, and "I Am Willis." I knew it wasn't the seminary picture, and the tips for good talks wasn't that interesting, so I read I Am Willis.<br /><br />Let me just say that I love my dad, I love my name, and I love my family.<br /><br />On Saturday someone my companion had taught in her first area was going to the temple to receive their endowment. Sooo we did a session in SPANISH. I was in heaven (ahem... literally). It was so much fun! And the temple worker who helped me in Spanish was an Argentine woman who knows the Krasnoselsky's. Hey, familia mía, conocen una Hermana Riboldi? Es de Rosario, creo. La conocí en un centro de la historia<br />familiar y la pregunté si conocía a la familia Krasnoselsky y me contestó "Por supuesto que sí!" You're all so popular. ;)<br /><br />Last night our dinner appointment couldn't have us over and had to drop the food off at our house, and she was running a little late. Our dinner hour was wasting away, and then my very favorite next door neighbor asked us if we want to come eat with them. We did! And the husband of the family is from Georgia. I could hear my tiny little hint of a southern accent coming out. I was so filled with joy! When he got baptized (he's a convert of a long time) he was baptized in the FJM! :) But where he's from is in the GA Macon mission now. So neat :) Here's a picture of his hat that he showed me... Enjoy :) And as we were leaving he yelled our the door (while wearing his hat) "You can keep your confederate money. The south will rise again!" I almost<br />died.<br /><br />So yesterday we were sitting in our in our stake coordination meeting and Elder Lundahl was sitting next to me. The attention had gone to the stake missionary couple, so I asked him to see his iPad. He handed me his iPad and I whipped open his LDS Tools (because we all have the same password, so that's not a problem. Hahah) then I had a little panic attack because his LDS Tools was in Swedish. But let's be real, I was born to be a linguist, so I was able to navigated through it until I found what I wanted. Once there, I searched for ADAM WILLIS! And guess who is in the stake these elders also cover... My big brudder! So I screen captured his information and airdropped it to myself. Then I told Elder Lundahl take Adam out with them all the time. He was like "Yeah, we will" blah blah. I figured they'd forget about it.<br /><br />THEN about 3 hours later my comp and I were outside our house because our ZL's were picking something up, and because the elders live on the same street as we do they saw us when they were leaving their house.<br />Elder Lundahl says "Hey, I need to show you something" and hands me his iPad. IT WAS A PICTURE OF THEM AND ADAM! I almost flipped lid. Elder Romriell said Adam was really quiet. I looked at him like he was insane and said "Are you telling me jokes right now?" Adam, don't hide your true nature from these elders. Hahaha they said you're going out with them this week! I'm so glad :) Just don't take them home because I'm sure they'll show you where I live. Hahaha I also may have told the Spanish elders in that stake as well (my DL who is from Bunell FL!) that Morganne speaks Spanish, and they should get her to come out<br />with them. DON'T KILL ME MORGANNE, I LOVE YOU :)<br /><br />P.s. With that screen capture, I was able to figure out what his calling was. At first it looked like he was the prince of the Evangelists, but then I realized he's actually the gospel principles teacher! xD I CAN READ SWEDISH!! Seriously though, I believe I was born to learn languages. I just love it.<br /><br />STOP. Scripture time.<br /><br />This morning I started reading Alma 5. Anybody who's ever read the Book of Mormon should understand that I've been dying to get to this chapter. It's one of my very favorites :) So I read verse 9 and my inner poet just leapt for joy.<br /><br />And again I ask, were the bands of death broken, and the chains of hell which encircled them about, were they loosed? I say unto you, Yea, they were loosed, and their souls did expand, and they did sing redeeming love. And I say unto you that they are saved. (Alma 5:9)<br /><br />The part that says their souls did expand just blew my mind. IT'S SO BEAUTIFUL. Without Christ, we're confined and limited. But through Christ, and especially through the Atonement, even our very souls can<br />expand. Through Him we can reach and accomplish such amazing things that as fallen sinners we could never imagine. But with Him, not even death and beat us! And through Christ, WE ARE SAVED. This verse just<br />hit me right between the eyes this morning. "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." That was from memory. I may have quoted it wrong... But it's real! True story. SOUL EXPANDING. Just<br />think about it.<br /><br />I love you all A LOT. I hope you know it! I try not to brag, but whenever people ask me about my family I kind of let myself go on... Hahaha Y'all are really the best in the world.<br /><br />LOVE!<br /><br />Hermana WillisElisabeth Morse http://www.blogger.com/profile/06075243396822337987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5753054942719750057.post-58321926151846353832014-06-15T18:39:00.000-07:002014-06-15T18:39:44.409-07:00HAPPY FATHERS DAY!Lord Bulwer Lytton: ‘What man wants is not talent, it is purpose; not power to achieve, but the will to labor.’ <br />I just like that quote. I hope you enjoyed it like I did. Hahah<br /><br />Happy Father's Day before Father's Day!! Dear dad, YOU'RE THE BEST DAD IN THE WORLD. I could say the best dad I've ever had, pero you're the only dad I've ever had, so that would do you justice... So you're the best in the WORLD. I'd write you another letter, but nothing can match the birthday letter I sent you. That one made ME cry! But anyway, I love you and wish I could give you your glass of orange juice on Father's Day morning, but it's ok. I'll drink some juice on your behalf on Sunday :)<br /><br />Oh! I forgot to tell you dad, I played Dust in the Wind on the guitar at our branch president's house when we had a goodbye asado last week for Hna Abellan. I felt so accomplished... I can't believe I remembered it! And sheesh, my fingers are WEAK.<br /><br />Hypochondriac: Appendicitis edition. I woke up or morning and went running with out WML's daughter and her uncle. Anyway, we ran really hard, and I had a sharp pain where my appendix is later that morning. I had a cramp from running, pero this one stayed ALL DAY. I rested a little bit, took an ibuprofen, and it didn't help. So in my mind, MY APPENDIX WAS ABOUT TO EXPLODE. Obviously. It ended up just being a torn muscle. Hahahahaha Being educated and informed is the worst when you're a hypochondriac.<br /><br />OH HEY, I JUST STARTED ALMA! :) That's just some exciting news for you...<br /><br />On Friday, we were walking down University Pkwy, and someone in this big green 15 seater cheese wagon opened their door and yelled at us "You will never have the priesthood!" I almost died laughing. My companion and I look at the car drive away and we both said "...Ok! Ta bien!" Hahahaha<br /><br />Then that night we were with the branch president and one of his counselors, and we told them that story. We get out of the lesson at 9 and were racing home on the bikes. The branch presidency got to their house and they were changing cars or something, and as we ride by their house, the first counselor yells out of his car "NUNCA van a tener el sacerdocio!!" I almost fell off my bike I was laughing to hard...<br /><br />Oh, and I'm racing a less active in reading the Book of Mormon. She's going to win! :/<br /><br />Once upon a time our ZL's called us and texted us like crazy. Then when we got out of our lesson at almost 9, we read that they texted us about that time telling us to go to some elders' house ASAP and bring the iPads. We were worried. WHAT DID WE DO?! So we got there, and they just had to update our iPads... Anyway, now we have myldsmail on our iPads! And this email is brought to you by a Utah Provo Mission iPad. Shooooot. It's so cool. No more cords and nonsense when trying to send pictures. No mas *boom* and there is it. Luxury. Please, everybody else in other missions, or who have served without iPads (which is<br />most people who have served missions), prease don't resent me... I'm just in the best mission in the world...<br /><br />Anyway, we had some amazing lessons this week, and most of the people I've been working with are FINALLY progressing towards baptism! My new companion is a BOSS. I'm super excited. And people love us a lot, too. One of our investigators called us her angels last night. Yessss!<br /><br />I feel like I'm forgetting something, pero is don't remember. Well, I LOVE YOU ALL!<br /><br />Now for some pictures... 😏<br /><br />Loves and hearts!<br /><br />Hermana Willis<br />
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Elisabeth Morse http://www.blogger.com/profile/06075243396822337987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5753054942719750057.post-6952129592043966922014-06-15T18:16:00.002-07:002014-06-15T18:16:30.825-07:00HAPPY BIRTHDAY KALEB!!!!!!I can't believe I forgot to wish that 14 year old boy a HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! I'm the worst sister in the world. Forgive me. I LOVE YOU, SNUGGLE BUMS!<br /><br />Anyway... so if you didn't know how much I loved my companion Hermana Morla, let this be a warning to you... Half of this email will be dedicated to her, now ANA MORLA, my favorite person in the world who went home this last week. Maaaaaaa :(<br /><br />So let me tell you a story... My favorite Elder Trusty asked me to help out on getting Ana Morla a goodbye gift, and I couldn't have been happier with his idea. Are you ready for this? A du rag... Cocoa butter (which she hates), and hair grease... All wrapped in a KFC bag. She almost died of laughter when she got it. Shoooot I love her. Hahaha She got me a gift too! Why didn't I think of gift giving?! She got me an accordion binder for papers. She had one and I always told her how genius I thought it was... Then she bought me one! She gave it to me with. Sticky note that said "Tina Fey." *dead* I was a mess when she left. Booooooo.<br /><br />I did get to go to the final testimony meeting though. So I got to see her share her testimony for the last time as a missionary, y tu sabe que I was crying like a baby. Then a bunch of sisters and I sang a special musical number "Jesus, Savior, Pilot Me." Talk about a tear jerker! Even Pres. McCune said he was holding back tears. After telling me how amazing he thought the song was, he said "I'm just glad I wasn't speaking after that... My "allergies" would have kicked in." Hahaha<br /><br />Pero bueno... I got to have a mini reunion with Ana and my favorite sisters, and I got to meet Ana's friend Cade. He'd been a "fellowshipper" for some online lessons, but now I know him in real life! Hah It was so so so good though to see her before she left. I reemphasized the fact that I NEED her to come out on splits with me. I miss serving with her. I miss living with her and being able to talk to her all the time. Pero I'll have constant communication with her after the mission, so I won't stress.<br /><br />New companion: American style. She Sister Wright, from Washington state. My very first American!! :) She's a super hard worker and GUESS WHAT!! She's organized (nazi status) so she agrees with me on how to organize things, and clean things, aaaand it's good. It's a good, healthy OCD. It's weird being with an American after 10 months of native speakers, but she's right up there next to native speakers where her spanish is concerned. On. point. And she's really up front, so I'm finally seeing things I really need to improve on. This is going to be a rough transfer, full of progress. Bring it on!<br /><br />Fun fact: I often feel like Scott Pilgrim when I eat bread and oil (my weakness, more so than sugary foods). Literally every time I eat bread I hear Ramona Flowers telling me "Bread makes you fat."<br /><br />Something someone said yesterday really just smacked me right in the butt. "When you stop reading the Book of Mormon, everything falls apart." If you're not currently reading it, vamoooos. Read it. Your life will be better. Dale.<br /><br />Saturday we went to a baptism in Saratoga Springs, and guess who was there... HERMANA MALDONADO! I see her everywhere! Sheesh I love her :)<br /><br />So yesterday in our lessons were amazing. We found a new investigator who's AMAZING. She just absorbs it all, and asks questions and everything. She's even read the Book of Mormon before! And now she's going to read it more, since she knows what it is and what's going on! :) Anyway, we only had 3 lessons yesterday, pero in each lesson, the thought came to me "You're a representative of Jesus Christ... You've got power. USE IT!" So I boldly testified "como representante de Jesucristo, y en el nombre de Él." And now it's a goal of mine to do that every day. I'm only going to have this power and authority once, and I don't want a day to go by without using it and taking advantage of it. It always makes words more powerful when you include Christ and authority and stuff... But yes. I really love that. Using what I've been given while I've got it :)<br /><br />OH HEY, there's this sister in our branch who I love so much, and she was diagnosed with Leukemia. The doctors said she's only got about a year left. Please pray for her family, and her, and her less active husband. Her name is Maria.<br /><br />A couple weeks ago we had a Spanish missionaries conference with elder Don Clark (he's either a 70 or works in the missionary dept.) Anyway, he's the most straight forward (and at times just straight offensive) speaker I've ever heard, and I loved every second of it. It was amazing. I got kicked in the shins a couple times by his words, and it felt great. SHOW ME HOW TO IMPROVE! It was amazing. I got SEVEN pages of notes. Something he kept repeating that punched me in the teeth is "You don't have enough faith!" He yelled that to a cultural hall filled with missionaries. TALK ABOUT BOLD! We don't have faith enough to baptize thousands, to double sacrament meeting attendance, to change lives, etc. these things haven't been happening because we didn't have the faith to do it. We really can preform miracles like in the Book of Mormon when Alma preached and baptized hundreds, ONLY if we have faith. He said we're not doing that because we don't have the faith. Now some people can really take offense to that, but because I was raised with 6 men, I took it with a grain of salt (or however the saying goes). So instead of saying "Aww... He doesn't think I have faith. I guess I don't..." I said "How can I have more faith? How can I strengthen my faith to the point of performing miracles and even beyond?" YESSS. I'm a big kid.<br /><br />Also my brilliant mission president said this little gem:<br /><br />"Conversion has a short shelf life."<br /><br />IT SO DOES! You have to keep praying and asking for a new confirmation of the things you know in order to have a strong testimony of those things. Man, that was great.<br /><br />Anyway, I don't know why I haven't really done this before... Sharing things I've learned? People probably think I'm terribly distracted by reading my emails. HAH! I just keep notes of things that have happened and write a summary of those things on Monday. Now I'm including the more spiritual thingsies in my notes :) BRILLIANT! Hahah<br /><br />Anyhow, I love you all a whole whole lot. Stay fresh!<br /><br />Hermana Willis<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and Ana our NEW WML's daughter. She's my little BFF :)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">WML's other daughter, my OTHER little BFF. I love this little thing!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and Hna Abellan. You know how I do :)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS9qX7LeN2QcjF9nPy1piUC8O614bhczZlsaZ5N6YuiyW8d6dO-vLCn6DiulIuh7LawB-3yrZntAxuvPmRxe-qCPsB-eMAxKSvNQx8w_NN3TDGZe16funZr4HWwm6_c4tHsY7djC7k6ecf/s1600/photo+1+(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS9qX7LeN2QcjF9nPy1piUC8O614bhczZlsaZ5N6YuiyW8d6dO-vLCn6DiulIuh7LawB-3yrZntAxuvPmRxe-qCPsB-eMAxKSvNQx8w_NN3TDGZe16funZr4HWwm6_c4tHsY7djC7k6ecf/s1600/photo+1+(1).JPG" height="320" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is me saying "Hasta luego" to my very best friend in the world! And that's Cade Benson, her friend. Just hopped in the picture to say hello :) Hahaha</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPC3D-op0U56G5_zwmFc1OAw7ifOPKwFOcRr2eUH7nRhzvFLYnFFUdd-kn4qPi2UYqk8SFXz1U4MxT2LQiJ72EDxCcWBwApWQ-y6XCsIfoM-I2KKiiRcQNDceHGftAy8NyIF87xvw5I5cA/s1600/photo+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPC3D-op0U56G5_zwmFc1OAw7ifOPKwFOcRr2eUH7nRhzvFLYnFFUdd-kn4qPi2UYqk8SFXz1U4MxT2LQiJ72EDxCcWBwApWQ-y6XCsIfoM-I2KKiiRcQNDceHGftAy8NyIF87xvw5I5cA/s1600/photo+4.JPG" height="320" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the gift Ana gave to me. I LOVE HER.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIG-SuP8KlKa0AFtnZFIZQMKXBFeVZfGbXQW2O-murvvznKpnDarPCbY2kWdyFREYwXrsOklHRDWsk39YW7u5GQY5J3IiwZ4ec4jBznGUvLqpgTK6onwDcUmRI8E72qV5oEZ1BA54b4zr6/s1600/photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIG-SuP8KlKa0AFtnZFIZQMKXBFeVZfGbXQW2O-murvvznKpnDarPCbY2kWdyFREYwXrsOklHRDWsk39YW7u5GQY5J3IiwZ4ec4jBznGUvLqpgTK6onwDcUmRI8E72qV5oEZ1BA54b4zr6/s1600/photo+1.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Transporting our bikes with some fellowshippers... They almost fell out TWICE :)</td></tr>
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Elisabeth Morse http://www.blogger.com/profile/06075243396822337987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5753054942719750057.post-31218933770126770702014-06-15T17:49:00.001-07:002014-06-15T17:49:44.364-07:00Howdy partner! <--- Somebody said that, and I wanted my granddaddy!!"Nothing destroys the individuality of a man, a woman, or a child as much as the failure to be self-reliant."<br />- President Heber J. Grant<br /><br />Did you know my family is the COOLEST?! I feel like I know everything because of my family. Enserio. And my tomato plant is growing, so that's cool :)<br /><br />Last p-day we had FOUR hours of not running around. Things are amazing when you have a ride to places... Hahaha I did my mending that's been waiting for two months, and got some sun too :) Hahah It was amazing.<br /><br />FUN TIME: Elder Lundahl is from Sweden, and he pretends like he's a Viking (who am I kidding, HE IS a Viking!) and he said "All of my children will be born with a beard, no matter their gender." I almost fell on the floor laughing. It makes me miss Luke. Hahaha<br /><br />On Friday we were walking down the street and there were a group of kids walking from this field trip thing (welcome to Utah, where we walk to field trips) and there were kids for about three blocks waving at us saying "Hi missionaries!!" It was amazing. Hahahaha I felt like a celebrity. xD<br /><br />SHOUT OUT: I love Corey Lawrence! Somebody tell him he's in my prayers, and I hope he and his family are doing well!!<br /><br />"Ooooh, hermana!! El rojo! Te queda pero... WOW!" This is what an older sister in the branch told me on Sunday when I was wearing that red dress I bought in SF. I LOVE WHEN PEOPLE ARE NICE TO ME. Hahahaha<br /><br />"We are all broken, that's how the light gets in."<br />Earnest Hemingway<br /><br />I just loved that quote... ENJOY! :)<br /><br />HAPPY ARGENTINE INDEPENDENCE DAY YESTERDAY!!<br /><br />Hey dad, do you know Parque de Independencia in Rosario? Lynette Keele told me about it, and I have to go one day... Hahaha<br /><br />OH YEAH!! Transfer calls today! I'm staying, Hna Abellan is leaving. We're both SHOCKED. We both thought I was leaving. I was really upset about leaving, BUT IT TURNS OUT I'M NOT!<br /><br />Anyway, I'm excited about the next transfer! I'm going to get really brown, and everybody's going to judge me about how much I sweat, pero TA BIEN porque I am Willis! :)<br /><br />I love you all! You're all the best of the best! Stay real, homies!!<br /><br />Hermana Willis<br /><br />P.s. I say "Ay shidanza" all the time. You can take the girl out of Disney, but you can't take the Disney out of the girl!<br />
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Elisabeth Morse http://www.blogger.com/profile/06075243396822337987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5753054942719750057.post-41767466566890284552014-05-18T11:49:00.000-07:002014-05-18T11:49:18.153-07:00Anything I forgot yesterday?I'm pretty all of the bases were covered yesterday, soooo...<br /><br />That's all! Bye! :)<br /><br />JUST KIDDING!<br /><br />Something I didn't tell y'all yesterday was that my brain was EXPLODING with revelation... Or something like that. When my companion's sister was asked what she's learned the most on the mission, she said the importance of sacrifice.<br /><br />Yo, slapped me right on the tush. With a paint paddle.<br /><br />I realized I HAVEN'T REALLY SACRIFICED ANYTHING. Well, I've sacrificed time and effort, but although my heart and mind are in the work, I really could be more focused. A lot. Don't get me wrong, I ain't no heathen missionary. I'm obedient, but I know I have a lot of improving to do. Shoot.<br /><br />So I was talking to my companion about what her sister said, she said she'd been thinking about it too! So we decided a few things that we have to do better, and we woke up this morning READY to do things better. I didn't realize how much the little things can effect the outcome of everything else. This week we were both distracted lazy (mostly because she was sick) and by the end of the week, we both were overwhelmed with guilt.<br /><br />BUT GUESS WHAT.<br /><br />My call home HELPED!<br /><br />You hear about the missionaries who get trunky after talking to their families, but let me tell you, Y'ALL ARE THE BEST. After talking to you, my sweet darling family, it gave me more motivation to do better. And Courtney, you'd better believe that I started writing in my journal LAST NIGHT again. It's been almost a month. SHOOT. I know I'll regret it if I don't, so I'm getting back into that habit.<br /><br />Also, after dressing up for the first time in A WEEK, I realized I'd let myself go a bit... I stopped caring about how I looked, because I'm not out to attract people. But what I AM out to do is represent Jesus Christ, and I don't think Jesus Christ should be represented by my face without makeup. Think about it. My face. Uh-uh. *shakes head "no* Just a thought...<br /><br />Anyway, I'm SO glad I got to see Ben's family, AND grandmother and granddaddy. I LOVE Y'ALL A BUNCH. And ENSERIO, you all motivate me to be better (although I'm really not heathen status.)<br /><br />This email is short and refreshing... You're welcome! ONLY ONE MORE CALL HOME TO GO?! Holy snot... See you on Christmas!<br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">I LOVE YOU!</span><br /><br />Hermana Willis<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">HI! I'm in Delaware! (Just kidding, I was in SLC. But SHOOT, it felt good to be in a big city!)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is proof that I'm turning into my dad. I went through all of our supplies and made a box of things to send back to the mission office. They get funds to the mission when they send excess materials back to SLC. You KNOW we've only got a box half this size in out apartment, and everything is organized... GoodNESS, it felt to good to get all of that out.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is my succulent plant. The one that I stole, and repented later of. It's in a half of a water bottle, because I don't have money or time to go buy a real pot for it. OH WELL, I'm a missionary, not a horticulturist.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhfeqmL-DKLnDHr6cNUsew1vs27t4A3nlFZEHKsaq0vZsS-_5ptMezuyFrM_bwIWQyd_jHKu_dQHA7biIi_I3E30FVgF6DWQrUWtEET45aV6weLWcFFzYpYNwKsTBVeg6DgQx2MCGih_bk/s1600/photo+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhfeqmL-DKLnDHr6cNUsew1vs27t4A3nlFZEHKsaq0vZsS-_5ptMezuyFrM_bwIWQyd_jHKu_dQHA7biIi_I3E30FVgF6DWQrUWtEET45aV6weLWcFFzYpYNwKsTBVeg6DgQx2MCGih_bk/s1600/photo+4.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is my avocado. We'll see how he does :)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBzy3kiNdhx7pW2V8w4JePx8aPyugcC8elzbpaqoLfQMqSYpYPO0XRstZ_MwGZD0tDs_zJD7pwi2Iyi-l5BszyGXvhmDn-uwacm1m4dyp9z_3c_jbD9x1U6Wccz6C6gWvc6Y1PPzdB-jbN/s1600/photo+5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBzy3kiNdhx7pW2V8w4JePx8aPyugcC8elzbpaqoLfQMqSYpYPO0XRstZ_MwGZD0tDs_zJD7pwi2Iyi-l5BszyGXvhmDn-uwacm1m4dyp9z_3c_jbD9x1U6Wccz6C6gWvc6Y1PPzdB-jbN/s1600/photo+5.JPG" height="320" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">THIS is our Mother's Day dinner! Our dinner had to cancel last minute, but they brought us food. Aaaand we almost ate this whole thing. Dang, that was good.</td></tr>
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Elisabeth Morse http://www.blogger.com/profile/06075243396822337987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5753054942719750057.post-12652141601104699942014-05-04T13:35:00.003-07:002014-05-04T13:35:56.537-07:00HAPPY APRIL 28TH! It's snowing... -_-GUESS WHO'S CUTTING THEIR COMPANION'S HAIR TODAY!!<br /><br />I AM! And I am SO stoked! Her hair is super thick, SUPER LONG, and she wants me to layer it, she wants bangs (which is my favorite thing to do!) and she wants length off. I'm going to go to town!! :) We drove by the Paul Mitchell school here, and I may have drooled a little bit... ANYWAY...<br /><br />Once this week, my companion's mp3 player was playing music, and she doesn't really know what's in there. I was sitting on the couch while we were writing some thank you notes, and then I hear a familiar sound... We were both silent, but I say loudly "OH MY GOSH..." And before she knew it, I hopped off the couch and started singing every word to "Happy Working Song" from Enchanted. HOLY COW, I don't think I've ever been so happy in my life. I immediately thought of Jeff Williams. MAN, I love that kid! New P-day morning song, fo shizzle.<br /><br />OH YEAH, I never mentioned that one time... Two weeks ago, I think. We were at dinner with our RS president, and they had friends over. We walked in, they stood up to shake our hands, and they both looked at me and immediately said "We know your sister!" I looked at them, and the wheels in my heart started turning... These friends were from HOUSTON TEXAS, and Courtney served in their ward in Louetta! WHAT?! So the wife got her iPad and called her daughter on FaceTime to see if she would think I was "Hermana Willia." Well, I am, just not the one she knows. She took a screen capture and said she'd send it to Courtney, but Courtney never said anything, so I don't know if that ever happened. AND, I don't know their names... I forgot. Hahaha Anyway, fun facts :)<br /><br />Mom. You raised a HIPPY FREAK. I can't explain to you how my life has changed since I bought a bottle of olive oil. I haven't had any since I was in Eagle Mountain. LIFE WAS SO HARD IN SPANISH FORK. Hahaha False. I love SF, but I wish I had had oil. My face, my hair, my skin, ERRYTHANG. Life is better when you've got olive oil... Oh, and I've been oil pulling. You said you'd tell me about it, but you never did. So I'm blindly obeying. After the first time though, I did notice that my teeth were whiter. Yeah, my already white teeth EVEN WHITER! BOOYAH BABY!! So if you could remind me why I'm doing that, that would be great. I remember when you had just started researching that, I was fascinated, but I never learned much.<br /><br />In other hippy freak news, one of my favorite families took us to SPROUTS today. You know what that is? That's Orem's version of Whole Foods. I ALMOST EXPLODED OF HAPPY. And I think I may have seen a relative of mine there... One of Ben & Fran's daughters maybe. She looked JUST like MaryAlison, but shorter. Anyway, I felt like I was RIGHT at home. I was looking for some melatonin so I can SLEEP (because I'm having the toughest time sleeping), and my companion was... looking for ibuprofen. I told her they wouldn't have it, and I was suggesting some natural alternatives. WHITE WILLOW BARK, WHAT WHAT!! I started talking to one of the old guys and he was like "Holy smokes lady, you know your stuff!" I just belong with people like that... I bought a little baggy of chia seeds, because let's be real... I NEED THEM. Hahaha I almost bought a basil plant, but I imagined myself traveling at transfers... with a potted plant. But I really want tomatoes and basil with oil and vinegar! (I'm not going to even pretend like I was about to buy fresh mozzarella cheese... Too expensive for a missionary!) Hahaha ;) But everything was beautiful and I loved it. They even put our groceries in paper bags... Oh my heart!<br /><br />OH, so how about Mother's Day! We need to set a time! President told me I could use Google Hangout again, so we can do that. Mom, I wrote you a huge letter that's going to make you cry for days. I hope you enjoy it :) I've had "I often go walking" stuck in my head! There are so many flowers here... I JUST WANT MY PLANTS! Oh, mom... you didn't respond to me. Does that mean yes, my avocado plant is dead? It's ok mom... just own up to it. All I want is honesty... Anyway back to Mother's Day!<br /><br />Remember that one time that the branch asked my companion and me to help them with a musical number for Mother's Day? Well here you go...<br /><br />WE RE-WROTE "LOVE IS SPOKEN HERE!" It's now a song of a husband singing to the mother of his children. Here you go...<br /><br />"Veo a mi esposa hincarse cada dia en mi hogar<br />Escucho sus palabras cuando se inclina a orar<br />Su virtud y su pureza se refleja en su faz<br />Nada a ella se puede comparar<br /><br />A toda hora hay en mi hogar de Dios bendiciones sin cesar<br />Ella la familia guia al bien; ensena siempre a obedecer<br />Y esta claro cuanto aprendemos pues lo hace con amor<br />A menudo siento al salvador donde ella esta, mi amor."<br /><br />Now, just imagine a choir of grown men singing this to a congregation of crying women. IT'S GOING TO BE DARLING!<br /><br />Saturday we spent almost 11 hours at the temple. DID I MENTION THAT I WANT TO BE A TEMPLE WORKER ASAP WHEN I COME HOME? Because it's going to happen. We were in every part. Wandering the halls of everywhere, doing baptisms, confirmations, and all of the big kid stuff. I love it. We had a former less active go to the temple to receive his endowment, then someone my companion taught is getting ready to be sealed, so we did all sorts of things with them. Hey, did you know the cafeteria food is amazing? Or at least in Provo it is... Anyway... WE'RE GOING TO SALT LAKE CITY...<br /><br />What? Yeah. I told y'all about the rule change and stuff, right? Well, the couple getting sealed are getting sealed on May 6thIN SLC! And we get to go. I CANNOT WAIT. Y'all know I love SLC, right? IT'S REAL LIFE, I DO!<br /><br />Oh, and that morning when we were at the Mt. Timp temple, I SAW HNA MALDONADO! I knew she lived in Saratoga, but I never got to see her when I was in Eagle Mountain. It was so nice to see her :)<br /><br />Let me tell you how Heavenly Father takes care of his missionaries... For breakfast every morning I ear plain oatmeal (no sugar, ni nada) with chopped pineapple (fresh). I buy one, chop it all up, and leave it in the refridge. This ONE pineapple lasts me TWO WEEKS exactly. AND it doesn't go bad. THAT is not a normal thing... Heavenly Father preserves my pineapple because I'm a missionary, I just KNOW it!<br /><br />Back to life, back to reality. Last night we had an FHE with a family and some less actives. We watched the full length Restoration movie (or the "Joseph Smith" movie, as I like to call it.) So when it got to Nauvoo, in my head I thought "Holy smokes, I've been there TWICE!" But I realized that having visited there and seen all of it, having even walked down the same streets Joseph Smith might have walked down, would mean NOTHING if I didn't know who he was, or if I didn't believe in what he saw and what he did. It was amazing though. After the movie ended, we were almost late for curfew, but I was able to share quickly that thought I had. That I've seen that temple, I've seen the jail in which Joseph Smith was killed, and I've walked the streets he walked. I told them it's an amazing experience, being able to see all of these things, but none of these experiences compare closely to the confirmation that the Holy Ghost brings, testifying to you that it's true. It was so cool, and really powerful. I just thought I'd share that!<br /><br />I love you aaaallll!! Will somebody please make Jess email me? I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU, COCKATOO HAIR! If you don't email me, I won't go couponing with you when I get home... JUST KIDDING! :)<br /><br />Anyway, love love love!<br /><br />Hermana Willis<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8HxBkJ9VhvOar-3zEjYzoFbmFgQv108TR0vVxGLscWQ7-rv4vL60EjBzRuzvfikbw3A8GXo-iGN75F2quiqlK1UxiXhOLBe-l2ZoRNdOinmOAqPqts4Y_oS8yi4TYtI2blLG3yC39JsMs/s1600/image.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8HxBkJ9VhvOar-3zEjYzoFbmFgQv108TR0vVxGLscWQ7-rv4vL60EjBzRuzvfikbw3A8GXo-iGN75F2quiqlK1UxiXhOLBe-l2ZoRNdOinmOAqPqts4Y_oS8yi4TYtI2blLG3yC39JsMs/s1600/image.jpeg" height="320" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The clouds on the mountain made me think of LotR... I don't know why, they just did. Haha</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEuErpebPUxRenZmXOVYdR5TsSiPjgLLna2nVf3RMCgC8wHrrpyMx1-73JTXAKi4J3szcfPQ-YuZTS9c-aRyOO5xb1mibQHUSIdD527-t3WJeKzoMZNm2tQZAO8YvQrMcHOxl8gW5FaKpi/s1600/photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEuErpebPUxRenZmXOVYdR5TsSiPjgLLna2nVf3RMCgC8wHrrpyMx1-73JTXAKi4J3szcfPQ-YuZTS9c-aRyOO5xb1mibQHUSIdD527-t3WJeKzoMZNm2tQZAO8YvQrMcHOxl8gW5FaKpi/s1600/photo+1.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is cool... I LOVE FAMILY HISTORY!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmTINWjJ3nTvIbOwY8yoYM1ODxcvBQo7vUxVWRJAD-r99uuc9gISaXsgBwee_xoE2Fh9P3ae7AMcw2p2T5AO_H1ujmT81B3fr09EnM1J2v1ZyZmO3TmX-eS_q6B6q1lSxeHMYqWOw79Wxo/s1600/photo+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmTINWjJ3nTvIbOwY8yoYM1ODxcvBQo7vUxVWRJAD-r99uuc9gISaXsgBwee_xoE2Fh9P3ae7AMcw2p2T5AO_H1ujmT81B3fr09EnM1J2v1ZyZmO3TmX-eS_q6B6q1lSxeHMYqWOw79Wxo/s1600/photo+4.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SNOWING. Why?!</td></tr>
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Elisabeth Morse http://www.blogger.com/profile/06075243396822337987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5753054942719750057.post-25831306506461489972014-04-27T16:59:00.002-07:002014-04-27T16:59:47.247-07:00HAPPY EASTER!So here's the thing. I've always loved Easter, and I've always thought I had a good understanding of the resurrection and the meaning of Easter, but whoa. This Easter I've come to understand the atonement, the resurrection, and really REALLY understand and KNOW Jesus Christ. It's CRAZY. I posted something on FB about it. It's amazing. Have y'all seen the Because of Him video? I'm obsessed with it.<br /><br />HEY DAD! YOUR BIRTHDAY IS SOON! HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I was talking to someone about their relationship with their parents, and I was just SO happy because I've almost always agreed with you and mom, and I feel like y'all are literally my best friends. I LOVE YOU!<br /><br />I've come out of the closet recently... I was never really in a closet about it, but I'm accepting the name that comes with the thing... I am... a... TREE HUGGER. I just love this planet so much, so tomorrow... HAPPY EARTH DAAAAAYYY!! Go recycle something for me! (We don't have a recycling bin, and it hurts my heart.) Speaking of living things... Mommy... how's my avocado plant? Is it dead?? :(<br /><br />I've had dreams about washing dishes, recycling, and our new vacuum. WE GOT A NEW VACUUM!! Holy smokes, IT IS AMAZING. Anyway... I'm weird.<br /><br />Here's three things I miss:<br />-Fox news (My landlady watches it every night)<br />-Pinterest (My tree-hugger part of me wants to find eco-friendly ways to do everything I normally do here in the mission, but it'll have to wait another 9 months)<br />-JESSICA WILLIS. So you sure know how to make a person trunky! Hahaha Just kidding, mostly. You posted that little 1D picture on FB and I almost died. I WANT TO GO COUPONING WITH YOU FIRST THING WHEN I GET HOME, YOU HEAR? And baby clothes shopping, and thrifting. Ok? Ok.<br /><br />You know someting cute about Utah? Orem, especially? The "community" activities. So this stake is literally not even as big as our ward boundaries. It's literally not even 6 square blocks. I kind of feel claustrophobic here, but it's ok. I think it's the lack of car, but it's not too bad. Hahah<br /><br />Easter! I endured the two piano pieces I had for our Easter program (WHICH WAS AMAZING), and right when I was in the middle of a sigh of relief, the Elders Quorum president comes up to us, and tells us he wants to do a musical number for Mother's Day... SERIOUSLY? I LOVE being able to play the piano, and I love learning new songs, but if I'm being 100% honest, I DO NOT like to preform. So after the musical program in March, I was so excited to be done with music for a little while. Then we started preparing for Easter, of course. And RIGHT after the Easter program, when I was SURE I was done with music for now, we're starting on something new. I'm going to play the piano, and my companion's going to lead them and organize the musical number. Holy cow, I've never done so much music in my life. I love music, but I think after Mother's Day, I'll be just about burnt out.<br /><br />OH, HECK YEAH! Mother's Day is in THREE WEEKS!! Do you know what that means?! YOU HAVE TO TALK TO MEEEE!! I can't wait.<br /><br />OH YEAH! I never told you about this! A couple weeks ago the mission announced that we are now allowed to go to some other temples out of the mission. If there's a family member receiving a living ordinance, or a recent convert or less active we were working with going to the temple either in Utah or Salt Lake county (or the Manti temple) we can go with them, with permission from President McCune. LOCO CRAZY, RIGHT?! We don't have anybody going to the temple too soon, but whenever we do go to an outside mission temple, I'll take a bunch of pictures :)<br /><br />I'm pretty sure I'm forgetting something, but that's ok. I LOVE YOU ALL, A WHOLE BUNCH.<br /><br />Hna Willis<br /><br />P.s. This "Spring" thing is beautiful. TULIPS EVERYWHERE! Florida should try it sometime :)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLgrAfpgmI1zslvYwja-nVJ5jN0fF912p-CZe4UaYuXMUMn1QLwebZkyCEI1_6yjeFK7M2BYEHidayTVzwssiEPMepc_IjOlKPDKlTr4MJncs6AwKJTSHoAvwCWYfz5rI3KLnxK4jYvoQ2/s1600/IMG_2351%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLgrAfpgmI1zslvYwja-nVJ5jN0fF912p-CZe4UaYuXMUMn1QLwebZkyCEI1_6yjeFK7M2BYEHidayTVzwssiEPMepc_IjOlKPDKlTr4MJncs6AwKJTSHoAvwCWYfz5rI3KLnxK4jYvoQ2/s1600/IMG_2351%5B1%5D.JPG" height="320" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love James C. Christiansen, so when I saw this notebook I was so sad about being broke :( Then my tax return came in! Woot woot! I don't think I'm going to buy it, but I like not feeling poor :)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJnpjobMDbSX9U3m0hnm3bYGw0zYEQqxoyogluAO31f_hyphenhyphen_2GNIT_FIh8bBvrVdYrQZUH_zKVMZUsHnjqEmhnwHzH367TN624CAiLcjXx8RY39hVlDiqKjwzkwe3__UpMdrz4wW2Rp5aB0/s1600/IMG_2352%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJnpjobMDbSX9U3m0hnm3bYGw0zYEQqxoyogluAO31f_hyphenhyphen_2GNIT_FIh8bBvrVdYrQZUH_zKVMZUsHnjqEmhnwHzH367TN624CAiLcjXx8RY39hVlDiqKjwzkwe3__UpMdrz4wW2Rp5aB0/s1600/IMG_2352%5B1%5D.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Still obsessed... </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA4PWoaqGKdIlQwQA_TAP4cmg0b65j2Rl5m91VuyIyzLo1T35-3QIrw711U87mVRuhyUsShsYCeHKzgH9Ba9L-Ln5u4OaKI0DhQK9Y44QSmuO53z8IYuUW0aXkxIS-HQC0O0pK-N3TO10G/s1600/IMG_2404%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA4PWoaqGKdIlQwQA_TAP4cmg0b65j2Rl5m91VuyIyzLo1T35-3QIrw711U87mVRuhyUsShsYCeHKzgH9Ba9L-Ln5u4OaKI0DhQK9Y44QSmuO53z8IYuUW0aXkxIS-HQC0O0pK-N3TO10G/s1600/IMG_2404%5B1%5D.JPG" height="320" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">HAPPY EARTH DAY!! :D</td></tr>
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Elisabeth Morse http://www.blogger.com/profile/06075243396822337987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5753054942719750057.post-7190880596680338062014-04-27T16:48:00.001-07:002014-04-27T16:48:42.440-07:00No transfers, and lots of pictures!Did I ever thank Jacob for the letter I got over a month ago? Because I did appreciate it! Haha<br /><br />So, nobody's getting transferred here! We're both staying. Good thing, because we're carrying half the Easter program for the ward. The struggle of being musically talented.<br /><br />This week it's been SO WARM, but then yesterday it got mega cold and windy... ihateveryone... It's ok, WARMTH IS COMING!<br /><br />SHOUT OUT: Jessica Epperson, Sariah Swartz, Rachel Polley, Nate Livsey, Kylie O, and the rest of Jax institute... I LOVE AND MISS YOU! Y'all's awesome, and I miss your faces in my life.<br /><br />Our RS president is an angel. Saturday morning, we didn't have any clean dishes (we have no sink, so they pile up for a week until we have time to go upstairs and use our landlady's kitchen to wash them), so I didn't eat breakfast. We were biking, and it was warm, so I was fixin to pass out... But then we went to our RS' house, and the first thing she said was "Quieren un liquido?" YES, I WOULD LOVE A SMOOTHIE. She put flax, chia, almonds... I was in weird people food heaven! So I didn't die that day... I love her :)<br /><br />Saturday night, Henry got baptized! He's so coooool! It was an amazing baptism. He's so special. He's a rock solid member now. We were running around like headless chickens though... We had the baptism at 6, then stake conference at 7. HOLY SMOKES.<br /><br />We had stake conference, which was cool. DO YOU KNOW HOW AWESOME PRESIDENT KEELE IS? He gave the boss-est talk in stake conference, and it was awesome. My companion also gave a talk in the Saturday night session, in English <---which was awesome. Then she sang Savior, Redeemer of My Soul while I played the piano, and a stake member played the cello. It would have been amazing if I didn't screw it up... It's ok though. I'm used to that, I always mess up. Nobody noticed though, so it's all good.<br /><br />Not much happened this week... SORRY MY EMAIL IS SO SHORT! This is a weird change... Hahaha<br /><br />I love you aaaallll!!!<br /><br />Hna Willis<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdhWBGbqjnbemzIdgU8xD2Nsym0CVy0ovjL44KGrcNA_nl7wycl8FITZh77LdFuMZigII2prTS6wTV5-ouRkoqvvEW1zQ9Pk2hnLYiNtkq6HWe6Ln28nrVVUC_1V8n4pICJDPA98ypduGj/s1600/DSCN1975%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdhWBGbqjnbemzIdgU8xD2Nsym0CVy0ovjL44KGrcNA_nl7wycl8FITZh77LdFuMZigII2prTS6wTV5-ouRkoqvvEW1zQ9Pk2hnLYiNtkq6HWe6Ln28nrVVUC_1V8n4pICJDPA98ypduGj/s1600/DSCN1975%5B1%5D.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's a picture of the baptism! The tall American man is the one who invited him to hear from the missionaries. HE'S AWESOME. The one with glasses is our WML, the one in the suit is Henry, and the other one is Hno Diaz. They always let us have lessons in their house. I LOVE THEM ALL! Wooot :)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7__fpQMfUc7kUjLW0o9oiQ_dMNVhbW4v9bGfyLknx0CPDiRJJ446LY010VS54mLksB5JXe61raGLJupd7OR0tbdE7bwthbeBTgjsHJHymd5cU5lsIhWXbBUslvx5KEsig4E6m0jMgPs3G/s1600/photo+1+(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7__fpQMfUc7kUjLW0o9oiQ_dMNVhbW4v9bGfyLknx0CPDiRJJ446LY010VS54mLksB5JXe61raGLJupd7OR0tbdE7bwthbeBTgjsHJHymd5cU5lsIhWXbBUslvx5KEsig4E6m0jMgPs3G/s1600/photo+1+(1).JPG" height="287" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Did you know that I'm obsessed with family history? Because I am. I can't wait to blow up on it when I get home.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU_xbvyelAViu6xbnkameLxxyQj9XjEY-MwrISXLSpBwLGPvcYqJx6NkzFxC6GjXjdKt1kPBD2Km0lBwJoEO7GLqwZVJydZTf4UIIpcvYFotu_sobW2Dsbpslv3s_TEMWf9RcnxOYYPJJz/s1600/photo+2+(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU_xbvyelAViu6xbnkameLxxyQj9XjEY-MwrISXLSpBwLGPvcYqJx6NkzFxC6GjXjdKt1kPBD2Km0lBwJoEO7GLqwZVJydZTf4UIIpcvYFotu_sobW2Dsbpslv3s_TEMWf9RcnxOYYPJJz/s1600/photo+2+(1).JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is me and other members of the Diaz family. They're awesome! :)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjALRa5xy2V2qJZ-PYfa0yYZcum7ZOuC-0WHhCGzkT_2y0AtG1LF07aNSxdZA-NLH-eQMNKttzc1eXtWYhMdHnY9S4bgPX2ORaK0MyAVYDSbvB6JzgzylZUGleSIAWU3Ifs2ZCxeWr0spb2/s1600/photo+2+(4).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjALRa5xy2V2qJZ-PYfa0yYZcum7ZOuC-0WHhCGzkT_2y0AtG1LF07aNSxdZA-NLH-eQMNKttzc1eXtWYhMdHnY9S4bgPX2ORaK0MyAVYDSbvB6JzgzylZUGleSIAWU3Ifs2ZCxeWr0spb2/s1600/photo+2+(4).JPG" height="320" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They made big banners for stake conference... WELCOME TO UTAH!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5XjjArt7FTvIKse1gbjq87u3pwqGxrMx3R8CCFC7nKWdbW7ilI2aZ6vc9UGgczVZcaNlbG-EuCANd3cB_f1nkpbOQIXLEVwNviy590OiaY2KhseoSIKndmxLvJCSx4xjL0r8TbNU0Cpu0/s1600/photo+3+(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5XjjArt7FTvIKse1gbjq87u3pwqGxrMx3R8CCFC7nKWdbW7ilI2aZ6vc9UGgczVZcaNlbG-EuCANd3cB_f1nkpbOQIXLEVwNviy590OiaY2KhseoSIKndmxLvJCSx4xjL0r8TbNU0Cpu0/s1600/photo+3+(1).JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So one time, I sat on a lawn chair, and it broke. Then I got this awesome bruise :)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFGhr17apALc3hX2RaHdIrtIV5dQZITPtIDaHUvLz-nhlMgqPdJRSu47PmUY9fj9yFhYBzKYG7XF0DMIlOY2-eyLwAP3lkxrWIGmoAMi8Sk25afCGrllIVLmjD3E2HjZOClVvTnAKRwI0K/s1600/photo+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFGhr17apALc3hX2RaHdIrtIV5dQZITPtIDaHUvLz-nhlMgqPdJRSu47PmUY9fj9yFhYBzKYG7XF0DMIlOY2-eyLwAP3lkxrWIGmoAMi8Sk25afCGrllIVLmjD3E2HjZOClVvTnAKRwI0K/s1600/photo+3.JPG" height="320" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is me with the Diaz/Olivan family. They're amazing! And there seated next to me is Henry. He's awesome!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy-9k3fjYLpSMGBsdhlxNquBID9BwFX65Dap2_QDKzUdI4VfDu6ZT5Xm7eHMkueDtRVHZNoap4S1Wj0FvHlRtFn_PiQsOEpvMo15Toq9MQYELn1eWsK3nMGzz-ctDapgYD2PcDk1g9ekou/s1600/photo+4+(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy-9k3fjYLpSMGBsdhlxNquBID9BwFX65Dap2_QDKzUdI4VfDu6ZT5Xm7eHMkueDtRVHZNoap4S1Wj0FvHlRtFn_PiQsOEpvMo15Toq9MQYELn1eWsK3nMGzz-ctDapgYD2PcDk1g9ekou/s1600/photo+4+(2).JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I still do hair! Ya tu sabes! She was so frustrated with her hair, and just wanted it UP. But her hair is literally super huge. But guess who could do it anyway! I could. Boom.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIanhhTlJES4PjiCcxCyoldMDGdNUOY-wzOwt2KEXF4h34byJnmLsexL8433bO1ZzvQF7G8ODJwPv8mZcQaDGgGTt9WdxQY7GHLNeZ84vQWHkhc1PvsjjnoIx4xIcAIEWuJiFki4URap7G/s1600/photo+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIanhhTlJES4PjiCcxCyoldMDGdNUOY-wzOwt2KEXF4h34byJnmLsexL8433bO1ZzvQF7G8ODJwPv8mZcQaDGgGTt9WdxQY7GHLNeZ84vQWHkhc1PvsjjnoIx4xIcAIEWuJiFki4URap7G/s1600/photo+4.JPG" height="320" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So you know how I love eco-friendly things? (I promise I'm not a closet liberal <--- no offense to liberals though, I'm just not). Well I FOUND THIS AWESOME PEN. Pilot pens are my favorite, and they came out with a pen made of water bottle plastic! Say whaatt?? Yes. It's my favorite pen now.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzdOPAyrJ6Nu-vAt8VKgW8FnaiBXam_qh90sYEwS9etVfWNHDLyMavpo4uDHdh73VHaTSKMKNx4dnhSl0A6M6dDtoagMGzxNtE-wvVb7BnkK1DS2HNjkC2SHpf6Q8cIJOg654oAL1RCaOd/s1600/photo+5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzdOPAyrJ6Nu-vAt8VKgW8FnaiBXam_qh90sYEwS9etVfWNHDLyMavpo4uDHdh73VHaTSKMKNx4dnhSl0A6M6dDtoagMGzxNtE-wvVb7BnkK1DS2HNjkC2SHpf6Q8cIJOg654oAL1RCaOd/s1600/photo+5.JPG" height="320" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of our STL's drew this. She's awesome. She's from Germany. Guess which is me! (Hint: I always have glasses on...)</td></tr>
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Elisabeth Morse http://www.blogger.com/profile/06075243396822337987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5753054942719750057.post-44626512972001501922014-04-09T15:27:00.001-07:002014-04-09T15:27:06.075-07:00Holy canoli!WHAT A WEEK!<br /><br />Let me begin from... the beginning.<br /><br />Monday: I spent almost all of my money on bike things, but I have a basket on my bike! WOOT WOOT! :) Then... WE WENT TO THE KEELE'S FOR DINNER. And not only were the Keele's there, but my Krasno's were there tooo!!! So I FINALLY got to meet Sergio... ahem... Elder Krasnoselsky (<----SAY WHAT?!) He's such a boss. I always knew he'd do great things... Hahah But really, I love them so so so much. I saw them Sunday morning at church for a quick minute but had to run to a meeting, then had dinner with them. It was so good to just talk to them, instead of always being in airports or whatever... I loved it. Saying bye to them wasn't fun, but it was ok, because I'M GOING TO ARGENTINA.<br /><br />Speaking of Argentina... Dad... can we go pick up Luke when he finishes his mission? Because I would love that... a whole lot.<br /><br />We went to an FHE on Monday night with the ward, and they couldn't figure out how to get their iPad to connect to theie Apple tv... Nobody (out of around 30 peopel) knew how to do it... GUESS WHO SAVED THE DAY! I did. Thanks for learning me some technology! :) Also, at that FHE, I slipped going down the stairs and bounced down like 4 or 5 steps. So my butt was sore for awhile. And I think heard my back pop a time or two while I was bouncing down... That could have been a bad thing. Hahaha<br /><br />Anyway, back to business...<br /><br />So that was Monday. No lessons that day. OH WELL, because the next day was...<br /><br />Tuesday: We had every hour blocked up with set lessons! Some of them canceled, pero ta bien. We have a new fellowshipper. He texted us one day and asked if he could come out with us. He's from BRAZIL! Whaaat! So my desire for other languages is kicking in again, and I really want to read my Portuguese Book of Mormon (because I have one), but I'm resisting temptation. MAN, that's hard! Hahaha<br /><br />I cut my hair again on Tuesday... Why did I bring these shears? THEY'RE JUST TEMPTATION!! Well, I have used them to serve other missionaries (I've cut around... 5 sisters' hair), AND my ends are healthy again... MOM: Thank you for giving me your love of learning, and desire to do everything myself. DAD: Thank you for teaching me your "If you want it, go for it" attitude. Otherwise, I never would have taught myself how to cut hair, or do half the things I know how to do. Y'ALL'S THE BOMB! :)<br /><br />Oh, but Tuesday... I woke up and my whole body hurt (which has been pretty normal these past two weeks). I asked my companion for some ibuprofen (because this was like full body aches, and I don't have enough essential oils for that), which she had... but it was weird. It was like a powder you mix into water, and it tasted like mint. Now, I love mint, but that junk was NASTY. Sara, Adam... If I said "Power in the Powder" would you start singing? I hope so. But there was indeed, not power in this powder. -_- That's what I get for trusting in modern medicine, I guess... Haha<br /><br />OH! Wednesday, our branch president (who is dad's twin, but looks like a Mexican Sylvester Stallone) took us to Outback with his family. They changed the menu, so I wasn't sure what to get, so he made me get a steak. AND MY LANTA, WAS IT GOOD. But I'm so glad I was raised with 6 men, because I know how to order a steak! Medium. Mmmmm. Man, oh man, that was some good steak. That family is a miniature version of our family. I LOVE being with them.<br /><br />OH YEAH! And our branch presiden't wife is from COLONIA JUAREZ! What whaaat! She said she knows Todd Romney! Does the name Araceli Vizciano ring a bell?<br /><br />I FOUND MY BOOK OF MUSIC! Just thought I'd let you know... RELIEF!! :D<br /><br />We had interviews with the mission president, and he is like a WIZARD or something. I'd been stressed, but NOBODY could tell. I asked my companion if I looked stressed that day, and she said I appeared happier than normal... So I can fool people! But the second we went into the room for the interview, he said "Sister Willis, you look like there's a lot on your mind." WHOA. So I started crying, and had an awesome interview, and now I feel like a regular human missionary again! Yesss!<br /><br />STORY TIME! President told us this story, and I cannot get over how much I love it.<br />He was finishing up business school at BYU, and he was so ready for it to be over, because he'd been working, schooling, and nothing else non-stop for almost 4 years. He was married, so money was hard, as can be expected... He really just wanted time to relax (that sounds familiar... Hahaha) So he goes into his final examination, which was a 3 hour essay, where they're given case studies, and they just had to work things out... FOR THREE HOURS. So rewind: first day of that class, the professor was teaching about risk taking in business, and told a (true) story of a student as an example. When he was teaching at Harvard. They were getting ready to take this same final. They got their case studies, and they all began to start their final. It was a spring day, just like the one I was in, and the one president was telling us about. One of the girls came down and handed her final in, not even 5 minutes after getting it. The professor looked at her like she was crazy, looked at her paper, and all it said was "It's a beautiful day outside, I think I'll go and enjoy it." She got an A. So back to president's time... He came into the final, having already calculated his grades... If he completely flunked this final, he would still pass with a descent grade, so he decided what he was going to do. Everybody was sitting, slaving over their case studies, and he began to walk down to the professor's desk. He handed in his final, and his professor looked completely bewildered. He looked at my brilliant mission president, looked at his final, and looked back at president and said "What are you doing?" President just looked at him and said "It's a beautiful day outside, I think I'll go and enjoy it." His professor just looked shocked. He told him that nobody has ever actually done that since the first girl. President McCune looked at him, smiled, and said "I guess I'm a risk taker, then." His professor asked what his standing grade in the class was, and he gave him that as his final grade. WHO'S A BOSS? My mission president is. That story just made my day.<br /><br />So just think about that... Jacob, YOU WANT TO BE LIKE HIM. Hahahaha<br /><br />So remember how I mentioned that I bounced down stairs, and my whole body hurts daily? I'm going to the chiropractor! Wohooo!! I'm not dying, My body just hurts, especially my back (don't worry, not serious stuff). President told me to go, but the mission will cover it, so I don't have to worry about that. I can't wait to be able to walk and sleep like a regular person! :D<br /><br />SO LET'S GET DOWN TO THE NITTY GRITTY:<br /><br />General Conference was MIND BLOWING. I've never felt like people were speaking to me so directly in my LIFE. I can't wait to tear those talks up over the next few months :)<br /><br />Some things I wanted to share from my conference experience:<br />-I always feel a little bit of pride when anybody mentions Col. Juarez... I JUST LOVE IT!<br />-I was with another sister because our companions were in SLC, and we were watching a session at their stake missionaries' house (I'll explain what stake missionaries are later). Here are a few highlights from that visit:<br />*They have brown towels on their recliners, JUST LIKE DAD! I loved it.<br />*There was a small garbage can half way under a small table next to the recliner I was sitting in... I imagined dad throwing candy wrappers to the garbage can and missing... Then I wanted chocolate.<br />*The husband did his masters thesis on homeschooling. COOL!<br />*He also spoke Spanish and complimented my Spanish a lot! Yesss!<br />*The wife said she loved my smile... YES! I still got my teef!<br />*And finally... THEY'RE TOTES BEST FRIENDS WITH UNCLE GEORGE AND AUNT LAURA COPELAND. What?! Connections... EVERYWHERE! Hahah<br /><br />-When Pres. Uchtdorf said Sergio's name, I sat there for a second... then almost jumped out of my seat. It was awesome!<br />-Kaleb: DO FAMILY HISTORY! Most of mom's side is really good because of Uncle Daren, and dad's dad's side is good because of those angel islanders, but grandma's isn't so advanced I don't think. Will you get it started for me? Because I want to do family history SO bad! Let me live vicariously through you... :)<br />-I miss guessing accents with dad. I thought Elder Zivic was FRENCH, and Elder Aidukaitis was some eastern European! Man, I'm bad at that game!<br />-Who else saw Jarna Knickerbocker?? I DID! She's so cool.<br /><br />After General Conference, I'm so filled, and so empty... Filled with new things learned, filled with the spirit, filled with gratitude, filled with love, etc... And empty? That's just the sad feeling I get when I realize it's over and I have to wait another 6 months until the next one! :\ IT WAS AMAZING!!! The Sunday morning session hit me like a ton of bricks! It was awesome!<br /><br />SHOUT OUT TO BEN AND JESS! I was thinking about y'all the other day, and I miss youuuuu, shnookumses!!<br /><br />But that's mostly it... I LOVE YOU ALL! Sorry my email is SO LONG!<br /><br />Hermana Willis<br />
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PS: ALSO, I CAN'T BELIEVE I FAILED TO MENTION, WE HAVE A BAPTISM THIS WEEK! I can't wait. This kid was 100% prepared way before we met him. MEMBERS PLAY A REALLY IMPORTANT ROLE IN MISSIONARY WORK. You prepare them, we baptize them. This is how we do iiiitt... Yes, I was singing NSync... :D<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">MY FAMILYYY!!! I am in SUCH a special mission. How many people get to see their extended relatives?! ;)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaxk7W8AaZvITQm_f0wjBcU25C4xkmf7VgcNHQziR3vaeE1grEZ5LXIy3OFs71fZtD4jUtHcRnmWmgiAfsSK2XePviGmvz0MG56cg8jNFGJFfQHqMsUFDnvJ5CWJt203nj_xvn8ZesZqnP/s1600/photo+2+(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaxk7W8AaZvITQm_f0wjBcU25C4xkmf7VgcNHQziR3vaeE1grEZ5LXIy3OFs71fZtD4jUtHcRnmWmgiAfsSK2XePviGmvz0MG56cg8jNFGJFfQHqMsUFDnvJ5CWJt203nj_xvn8ZesZqnP/s1600/photo+2+(1).JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was snowing... BUT TODAY IT'S NICE AND SHINY AND WARM! I thought Florida was bipolar? Sheesh...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_mXyEWmddCnUQ_7KwZGBk_wOldOEjZ7kHmeyJm_8AQ_lM06vfwSrR-13KJ1E1s5YQYF_PH76IhF1q-Bj05PeFQshJLxx2Mfaeon7NzXEl7yIaNUFdKUIkCDleN9TxxT-2yTXEDejvbrNa/s1600/photo+3+(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_mXyEWmddCnUQ_7KwZGBk_wOldOEjZ7kHmeyJm_8AQ_lM06vfwSrR-13KJ1E1s5YQYF_PH76IhF1q-Bj05PeFQshJLxx2Mfaeon7NzXEl7yIaNUFdKUIkCDleN9TxxT-2yTXEDejvbrNa/s1600/photo+3+(2).JPG" height="320" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is my companion's hair. IT'S REALLY LONG. This art work? That's my doing. I'VE STILL GOT IT! :) Hahaha</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5f5enZEt7mmL0ltGU53aaoHMcR9ax_LuYanbHT9m_KrKC7gCnDNpv3YqnlVkQWGND3kz4AbtvKxuofU949LEUNjuatG1kSYrL1ka8LpKpQZ3TWhLn0iIsNGsaeCvvnHBqQwClQSwjzlFI/s1600/photo+4+(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5f5enZEt7mmL0ltGU53aaoHMcR9ax_LuYanbHT9m_KrKC7gCnDNpv3YqnlVkQWGND3kz4AbtvKxuofU949LEUNjuatG1kSYrL1ka8LpKpQZ3TWhLn0iIsNGsaeCvvnHBqQwClQSwjzlFI/s1600/photo+4+(1).JPG" height="320" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is my favorite human on the earth! He served with me in Eagle Mountain for 3 months. We've seen him TWICE this week. Utah is such a weird place to serve! Hahaha So glad I got to see him!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrEt1vLNI7hRqptc8BlUJfCf9s_pYcgJL0qESVOWZBleGxImOqXzmhFcVj7vskkKRcJQ3lEgrIW57B3Adjf8l6ZKKqM_8-niSehwP8zrF30Gx5ebmCbvwLsRAFYXcD4tiwx_TNBQIygjNU/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrEt1vLNI7hRqptc8BlUJfCf9s_pYcgJL0qESVOWZBleGxImOqXzmhFcVj7vskkKRcJQ3lEgrIW57B3Adjf8l6ZKKqM_8-niSehwP8zrF30Gx5ebmCbvwLsRAFYXcD4tiwx_TNBQIygjNU/s1600/photo.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This girl! Sister Briscoe! She's so cool, and we're twins! :) She was homeschooled, and is the youngest girl in a family of 8! She's the one I was with while our companions were in SLC.</td></tr>
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Elisabeth Morse http://www.blogger.com/profile/06075243396822337987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5753054942719750057.post-29852390667788044572014-04-09T15:13:00.001-07:002014-04-09T15:13:51.009-07:00When Cameron was in Egypt land... let my Cameron go.Sorry about that... I just love that so much. Hahaha I have a Lower Lights cd (hipster Mormon music) and they sing the Moses song, but all I hear is Cameron from Ferris Bueller's Day Off. LOVERLY.<br /><br />I had a thought the other day... sometimes being away from home isn't easy... WHEN YOU'RE FROM THE MOST BEAUTIFUL CITY IN THE WORLD. I just appreciate Jacksonville so much now they I'm away. It's so pretty :)<br /><br />You wanna hear about some tender mercies? So here they are. I AM BROKE. Like... I have two dollars in my wallet and 86 cents on my mission card. If anybody tries to rob me, they're going to have an unsuccessful day... But here's the thing.<br />We went to Chuck-a-rama last week: Random guy gave us $20!<br />We went to get groceries on Monday... Random guy paid for our groceries!! His sister is serving in Slovakia. SHOUT OUT TO YOU, SISTER!<br />Members gave us helmets, so we've been able to start using the bikes! :D<br />So although I don't have money, HF keeps providing for me!<br /><br />Thursday we had 8 lessons... I just thought that was interesting. Fun fact...<br /><br />Oh, about those bikes. They were old, but functioning. The man who gave us a referral (and said referral is getting baptized in two weeks) saw our bikes and offered to take us to a pawn shop to get whatever bikes we wanted... You know why? Because he served in Argentina, which means he's CORPORATE! So we went to this pawn shop and picked out some nice bikes, then the manager or whoever worked out a deal with the fellowshipper later, then we went back the next day and picked them up. ONE of the many amazing things about this is that the seat on this "new" bike is MEMORY FOAM, and is SO much bigger than the old bike. So the first few days on the old bikes, my butt was SO sore. Then I got this other one, and it's like sitting on a cloud. It's like it's not even real. I LOVE EVERYTHING!<br /><br />Now let me tell you something sad.<br /><br />I HATE THE WHOLE EARTH. The binder of my sheet music that mom sent me for my birthday... I can't find it. I KNOW it's in Orem, but I don't know where. I must have left it at the church building and somebody moved it. DON'T MOVE THINGS IF THEY'RE NOT YOURS. But also... DON'T LEAVE YOUR THINGS IN CHURCH BUILDINGS... <---- I need to learn that one. Haha But that means that my recital songs from eons ago, and other songs I will never find anywhere else... I WILL NEVER GET BACK. It's like someone went into my life movie and deleted my childhood... Uhhhg. Life is hard.<br /><br />Saturday morning. Let me tell you what happened Saturday morning. My landlady turned on Josh Groban cd and BLASTED it. LOOUUUDDDDD. And downstairs we can hear everything (igual for her, she can hear us from the basement), so mientras I was doing personal study, I was also reliving that year when Courtney, Sara and I woke up at 5:30 every morning and went to the YMCA to work out. We would listen to that cd on the way there. REMEMBERS! :)<br /><br />Oh yeah, once upon a time I saw Flo and Sergio Krasno. I WAS SO EXCITED! We are having dinner with them and the Keele's tonight. I'M SO HAPPY. I love them. I finally met Sergio, so I only have the boys and Vero to meet, and I know the whole family! Well, I haven't met Ma, or any of the in-laws... I'LL JUST HAVE TO GO TO ARGENTINA! :D<br /><br />HOW ABOU THAT WOMEN'S CONFERENCE THOUGH?! I was crying like a baby THE WHOLE TIME. The whole thing was just INCREDIBLE. And 100% TO THE T, exactly what I needed to hear. Man, people are inspired sometimes!<br /><br />We went to the temple on Thursday... Man I love it! I always feel so much better after going to the temple. I hope I always live near a temple.<br /><br />I read "More Than Conquerors through Him That Loved Us" from General Conference of 2011. MIND=BLOWN. Remember how people are inspired? This guy was MEGA inspired. A lot. Home smokes, this talk changed my whole brain. I SUGGEST YOU READ IT. All of you, fellow earthlings. You will be glad you did.<br /><br />I am currently learning 4 songs on the piano because of all of the special musical numbers, Easter, and everything that is happening. Baptism, Stake Conference... TA LOCA, ETA VIDA, I tell you... Sorry. That was my Dominican accent. I miss Hna Morla. Hahahaha But anyway... Here's another shout out to Sister Shirley... I still remember all of that D.C. al coda stuff, which is revealing itself as SUPER useful in life... THANK YOU! :)<br /><br />Pero anyhow, I loff you all. DON'T FORGET TO PRAY AND STUFF!<br /><br />Be good, and remember who you are and what you stand for! :)<br /><br />Hna Willis<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhsnQGPCXMJ0aLk_xT2zaU8Mu5C88s0Zl8mXwKIgo33w3MJ7BafOHpe_yJzBapvudthp7caQSpgX3QuO2Extc5wz52E1jAqgCW-lqjM2XdU4IgT-NIe4BiUjWelDfK-1yk_YbNlwCVh-Ad/s1600/photo+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhsnQGPCXMJ0aLk_xT2zaU8Mu5C88s0Zl8mXwKIgo33w3MJ7BafOHpe_yJzBapvudthp7caQSpgX3QuO2Extc5wz52E1jAqgCW-lqjM2XdU4IgT-NIe4BiUjWelDfK-1yk_YbNlwCVh-Ad/s1600/photo+3.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SPRING! I'm in Cherry Hills, Orem. You know why they call it Cherry Hills?! GUESS!!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3HWl9skEF1CRB1iCSu21CQA9CWws3UM08Cb864mXypwNLCC077C4ixBKjOzQisak2yT-6tGDbRQlqd-tDirPROwhiYeMDm0DMQD9HWkzfQoeldbQOKAYDyQCWKSJHs6dzx7sg8Gl5-Hal/s1600/photo+4+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3HWl9skEF1CRB1iCSu21CQA9CWws3UM08Cb864mXypwNLCC077C4ixBKjOzQisak2yT-6tGDbRQlqd-tDirPROwhiYeMDm0DMQD9HWkzfQoeldbQOKAYDyQCWKSJHs6dzx7sg8Gl5-Hal/s1600/photo+4+%25281%2529.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This seat... YES! Hahah</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPmN135KIQko6kwtRVJM7gnsW3lCODOW_a6BnYb0pOvPjI8djxEW_0z_K51P1U5kirYKTSUqWCgA_Iv4w0O_EKQjk3H5kTcCfL86d6adGXto5BEBUg1NBng6f9o2dKFDD0vGASSV7z5gWv/s1600/photo+4+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPmN135KIQko6kwtRVJM7gnsW3lCODOW_a6BnYb0pOvPjI8djxEW_0z_K51P1U5kirYKTSUqWCgA_Iv4w0O_EKQjk3H5kTcCfL86d6adGXto5BEBUg1NBng6f9o2dKFDD0vGASSV7z5gWv/s1600/photo+4+%25282%2529.JPG" height="320" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">MI FAMILIA! Me and the Krasno's. I LOVE THEM! :D</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZEwBln4doIspQJYkx94LLnhZl4VlEFdOuOuHCKzvaaZnyFbAAn0o0x3e1EUoNNk2LDxu6enqwz-p_b_GVyljFOCqAwpM81PbnI44PUNdTV6PTyYUktz5EaxqdKwRBpM3XsMhp9h6oZ2jX/s1600/photo+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZEwBln4doIspQJYkx94LLnhZl4VlEFdOuOuHCKzvaaZnyFbAAn0o0x3e1EUoNNk2LDxu6enqwz-p_b_GVyljFOCqAwpM81PbnI44PUNdTV6PTyYUktz5EaxqdKwRBpM3XsMhp9h6oZ2jX/s1600/photo+4.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Engaged... UVU... It's funny because it's Utah!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXvitjs4hzfISHsrCy5FXBppWyVUmPPf3CVnS5FjThoP_1JiTg-HjjGykDpC9-M9p4cdGRy6Vk2oPIpxmPCW6NcST7U4kcfkquAVhxyibwC5cUfotQNfHrrYJ9cK0Sj7SvCkK2kZg88zZv/s1600/photo+5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXvitjs4hzfISHsrCy5FXBppWyVUmPPf3CVnS5FjThoP_1JiTg-HjjGykDpC9-M9p4cdGRy6Vk2oPIpxmPCW6NcST7U4kcfkquAVhxyibwC5cUfotQNfHrrYJ9cK0Sj7SvCkK2kZg88zZv/s1600/photo+5.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One time, we were walking in a hail storm. It was pretty cool. (Companion is wearing the helmet because she wanted to... We weren't on bikes, we were really walking. Haha)</td></tr>
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Elisabeth Morse http://www.blogger.com/profile/06075243396822337987noreply@blogger.com0