My Dad Is Going Crazy...And Now I Am!

In case you haven't noticed, my dad is turning a bit hippie...I can't even figure out why. Ha ha. He got tie dye door beads with a Greatful Dead bear on it...I don't know what i am going to do. He is always playing this hill billy music. He cant stop talking about "Hot Buttered Rum" and is always playing it on his computer just loud enough to keep the kids up at night and for mom to get a headache. haha. Now he has gone one step further. He just got a set of sheets tie dyed and a couple of pillow cases. I told him that it looked like he ate a butt load of skittles and threw up everywhere. I'm sure that he will take a picture for everyone and put it on the blog. Oh i almost forgot! I walked into my dad's bathroom and somethin' came over me. It wasn't the smell i was expecting. He lights incense while he takes showers. I just had to ask him if we needed to have a man-to-man talk about the effects of drugs and that I didn't like the fact that it smelled like he smoked doobies in the bathroom. Ha ha. I just thought that I would let everyone know what im living with. Ha ha. He is a pretty good guy but just a bit embarrassing when all the friends come over. He doesn't know that I'm posting this and I bet that he will delete it as soon as he finds out. He will prolly change his password and never let me on the computer again but oh well. A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do. hope y'all have a nice day,


Tyler J. Morrison


P.S. I would really like it if you would maybe call my dad and tell him not to get angry with me and make my pre-arrange because of this. Ha ha

Elder Anderson

Mackenzie sent this picture of Alex on p-day. He was the goalie in a roller hockey game.

Letter from Elder Morrison

well i finally got the library card thing figured out and now all i have to do is pick it up next week at a certain branch. i'd be slightly upset if i got transferred (not likely, but it happens) now that i got it figured out at the end of the transfer. i cant believe transfers are coming up again in a week and a half. the morning was spent just relaxing, because the ones with the car went to frontenac (about 20 min, look it up on a map) to play basketball. right now we have about an hour and a half before jeanne picks us up and we still have to do shopping! well, things are still just plugging along here. not much happening. we have only 1 progressing investigator, so that's kinda hard. in my president's interview the other day though, he told me to hang in there because "sooner or later we're gonna get you in an area where you'll have to run to keep up with the amount of teaching to be done". i'm pretty excited for that. i think maybe the reason we arent teaching much is so i can be more prepared for that time by studying. we're getting up at 6 in the morning to exercise. Elder Durham runs 2 miles and i bike it. dad, are you still working out? hockey season's coming up!thanks for the package. thanks for all those things. they were good. i was pretty surprised to see the wedding announcement. that guy doesnt know what he's getting in to. yes he does look like a deer in the headlights. i try to explain to my companion that he doesnt even know, and he asks me why. i told him that she's nuts. he asked how and i told him he just had to know her. that's pretty much all you can say, right? i'm gonna have a couple boxes coming your way. i picked up a sega dreamcast for free, so i'll send that home and then i have a few games and stuff to send home too. i just dont know when i'll be able to get to the post office. i hope you're all doing well. nothing else to report really. just so you know i can rarely do pictures in this area, so sorry about that. i'll try to send a couple from jeanne's.i love you all,Elder Morrison

What A Hottie!

Tonight we all sat around the computer and looked at our "Christmas 2004" photo album. This picture came up and reminded me that I married out of my league!

A View From The Stage

Hot Buttered Rum posted a picture they took from the stage during the concert Spencer & I attended. We are the two that don't fit in. We're just old and in the way.

Anyway here is a "where's waldo" picture for you.

Mt. Rainier

Since September is the best time to go camping, our family took advantage of the great weather and went to Mt. Rainier. It did take a bit of arm twisting to get Deb to come along, but the excitement of the kids won her over.

Creesh cooked breakfast Saturday morning, Deb took her crocheting project and worked on that for a while and later in the day we all went for a hike.

It still amazes me after all these years of camping at Ohanapecosh, how big the trees are and how beautiful the "old growth forest" really is.

So now we are home, all is well, all is well.

Weekly Letter from Mackenzie

so i'm having a really difficult time with this library. the card they send to me wont go through the mail, so i have to have some mail sent to my current address. so, from now on, just send everything to:
Elder Mackenzie Morrison
12 San Miguel Dr. Apt. B
St. Charles, MO 63303
that way nothing gets messed up. well, not much happened here this week other than losing our best investigator. the 15 year old had to drop us because her parents got ahold of some Anti and wont let her meet with us anymore. she still has the BoM though, and she's going to keep reading. sorry this is gonna be short, but i'm using Elder Garn's card right now, so i dont have much time at all. hope you're all doing well. i look forward to letters.
love you,
Elder Morrison

River City Roots Festival

Another "Top Ten Experience"...
Musically, I feel very blessed. Not in my musical talents (because I have
none) but in my musical appreciation and the musical experiences I have been able to have with my family and close friends. It was difficult to attend a music festival without Mackenzie being part of it, but I felt like his "musical appreciation spirit" was there.
This weekend, Spencer Grigg and I made our way to Missoula, Montana (about a
6 hour drive from Moses Lake) to attend the River City Roots Music Festival.
The main attraction and headliner was a wonderful bluegrass band called Hot Buttered Rum.
Friday and Saturday other band performed including some of my new favorites of the festival, "The Mammals" and "Broken Valley Road Show". However, for me, Hot Buttered Rum lived up to my expectations on Sunday night. The stage was setup on Main Street and about 2500 of our closest friends gathered around for the gig. Spencer and I were front and center wearing our tie dye shirts and sporting the laid back attitude required to attend the show. I was enjoying the music of the concert when a transient standing next to me said "well old hippie... what do you think of the next generation?" I looked around and became very aware that the age of the average concert goer was about 20 years old. I leaned over and let Spencer know of my newly acquired information. He in turn quoted Jerry Garcia and said... "We're just Old and In The Way".
It is now Tuesday, I'm home, back to work, and the weekend seems at times just a distant memory. However in looking at Hot Buttered Rum's website, I found a picture they posted of the show that brought back some memories.
http://www.hotbutteredrum.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2296
&Itemid=45
As a matter of journalizing, and specifically for my recollection, I am including a copy of their set list:
Pay Your Dues (The Woes And The Lows), Amanda Lynn, Idaho Pines, Always Be The Moon, In These Parts, Blue Night*, Right Between Your Eyes, Rebecca, Brokedown, Backrooms Of My Mind, Spider, New Speedway Boogie, Jackmormon Mother, Summertime Gal, Firefly, Swing & Sway, Sweet Honey Fountain
Encore: Birds And The Bees, Don't Think Twice, It's All Right
* w/ Grace Decker (The Broken Valley Roadshow) on fiddle.

Hot Buttered Rum

This morning Spencer made breakfast here in front of our KOA cabin. His well known "Breakfast Burritos" hit the spot. As of tonight, we have completed the Hot Buttered Rum concert adventure..... Amazing would be an understatement. (More on that later). Tomorrow we head home.

Made It To Missoula

We have arrived! Spencer and I drove for about 6 hours late this afternoon and made our new home for the weekend at the KOA Cabin, where we will crash here shortly since it's nearly 11pm and I'm tired from driving.

Letter From Elder Morrison

alright, so the address i'm at now is12 San Miguel Apt. BSt. Charles, MO 63303if it's letters though, just send it to the mission office. they'll forward it, and it will just be easier to keep track of mail that way. that address is745 Craig Rd. Ste 306Creve Coeur, MO 63......look it up. you should have it anyways. so my companion is from West Wendover, NV. he's just one of those people that dont show much emotion and doesnt smile much. he hears from people all the time that they dont like him, that he's not good enough, and whatnot. so it makes it difficult to be motivated as a companionship. in fact just yesterday one of the members wrote a letter to Elder Durham and said that she was concerned about him, and that kindof makes him upset. mom, i'm glad you know me so well that you called my first area chesterville......its chesterFIELD. and St. Pete's is about a half hour or so northwestish from chesterfield. you probably could look it up on a map, if you wanted to. today i got to see cousin anderson. we went over to his area and played some roller hockey. unfortunately, their skates werent workin out for me, so i played some goalie on foot. our team won like 20-8. the teams werent very fair though, i'll admit. so that was fun.zone conference is tomorrow, so that should be a good time. as far as investigators go, we've got an unmarried couple w/ 3 kids (who have both been in trouble with the law before) that live in our apartment complex. they're slowly progressing, but we'll see how they do in keeping their commitments and by doing that, progress. we also have another investigator. her name is Kayla, and she's my main focus right now. she's progressing well. we're up through the Atonement in lesson 2 ( you can look up where that is in Preach my Gospel, Ch. 3). when we taught about the atonement, she started to cry, which was very hard for her. in her family life and such, she has to have a hard outer shell and act like things dont affect her. but really, she's a sweet girl who has a soft and repentant heart. she just needs to realize that. she does have some issues to overcome before baptism, (drinking, smoking, immorality?, drugs?) and we dont know all the specifics, but i think she'll overcome those when she gains a stronger testimony. well, you'll probably be getting a package from me here pretty soon, as i'm going to get a Sega Dreamcast for free from one of the missionaries who got it for free and doesnt want it. also i might hit up slackers for some cheap gamegear games. the bike is still kicking my butt, but i'm doing better. it doesnt help that this place has TONS of hills, and quite a few BIG hills. just for imagery, take inglewood, double it, and then put that back to back so it's like going down twice the size of inglewood, and then up it, and then do it again.
if you're really dying to send me stuff, i can make a suggestion. cd's are great. if you can find the 2007 EFY cd and make a copy, i'd love you for it. also like disney with the good songs from like Mulan and Hercules and stuff. we got to have dinner with Jeanne's sister again and Jeanne and her husband came and picked us up in St. Peters. that was really nice to see her again. she says she loves hearing from you. dad, i'd appreciate it if you still had that mitt romney email talking about laymans terms as well as lemuels, i'd like you to send it to me. also if you get any good ones from finley or something, that would be cool. well, i'm about out of things to tell you. i hope you're all doing well. remember to read your scriptures (as a family too) and to say your prayers. i appreciate all the prayers in my behalf. i love you all, and miss being home with you all. Love you, Elder Morrison

3 MORE DAYS UNTIL HOT BUTTERED RUM !

http://www.hotbutteredrum.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2255

or

www.hotbutteredrum.net

Kenzie Jr.

Creesh started band this week and has chosen the alto sax as her instrument. She received her book on Friday and has learned 3 notes so far. Mackenzie... eat your heart out!

6 DAYS UNTIL HOT BUTTERED RUM !

I'm just so excited I can't help but count down the days.

Grateful Dead Stitchery

Deb stitched me a BEAUTIFUL grateful dead wall hanging this week. I just mounted it on black art foam... I am sooooo proud. I know it's wrong to be prideful but the heck with it.

On another note... notice i'm wearing a blue and orange tie. Even though BSU lost to Washington yesterday, I will continue to fly the colors high!

She Said Yes!!

As a followup from Tyler's ask Jen to the dance thing.... She said yes.
Last night she (Jen) brought over a box of goldfish crackers with a note saying "go fish". On the inside, mixed in with gummy worms and goldfish were 3 letters spelling "YES".
It's a date!

Weekly Letter from Mackenzie

ok, so i really hate the computers in this county library. things are really limited, so i cant even see the pictures you sent. on top of that, i cant even look at 2 windows at the same time because it doesnt have the toolbar at the bottom. how retarded! but i guess i'll just have to answer your questions as best as i can from memory.
first, that creesha better NOT be using the silver sax. that's just how that's gonna be.
as to your actual questions, i'm in the st. peters area, but actually live in st. charles. i dont know my zip code and neither does Elder Durham, so just send stuff to the mission office. Elder Andersen is still in the Field of Chester, and he will be there (if he gets transferred next transfer) for 6 months. that's a long time in Chesterfield. so i'm full time bike here, and its kicking my butt. Me and elder Durham are getting along.......ok..... he's just really easily discouraged from rejection and stuff. he only has 4 months left, and so he's real focused on that. all i hear is about his 4 months and how i have 20. Cousin Anderson is still in Warrenton, so he didnt get transferred. we're actually gonna go up there next p-day and play some roller hockey. i dont think that the ice skating is gonna happen today, or even this transfer. Elder Durham is kindof a 'my way or the highway' type. i have a pic of him i just took in the library here. so i guess i'm gonna need a pic of ty and jen. are you 2 an item there ty? and i dont know who this person is that dylan is going out wih. are Ty morrow and kaelin jones still dating? that is probably the funniest thing i have heard from you guys, minus the doo-rag pics of dad. you know, i might just have to see the pics from my gmail account. i have everything forwarded to that account anyways. maybe i'll try that.
i'm glad jeanne has been talking with you. she is pretty upset that i got transferred. she has given me 2 cards since i left. and actually they were when we went to her sister's for dinner. that was really nice, minus the 3 mile ride to the other missionaries's apartment. for the past few days we've been walking about 3 miles between 10 and noon doing some street contacting, and then ride a good 4-6 in the rest of the day. yesterday it rained and so sucked pretty bad. wasnt too happy about that. i've gotten a few other cd's since chesterfield. i picked up a mo-tab cd (something about battle hymn) and a christmas one from mo-tab, and a beethoven cd set. there's a place by our apartment that is a used cd and game store. they have all sorts of stuff for game gear and stuff so i might be sending a package home with games and stuff in it. they're only a buck a piece.
well this is pretty long, i hope there's enough detail in there for you. actually i have to tell you about our investigators. we've been teaching a couple of 15 year old girls. they're doing well, and are keeping their commitments. hopefully they'll be baptized. one has a problem with smoking (yes, at 15. welcome to missouri) and so that will be an obstacle but she can overcome it if she becomes converted.
ok, that's all i have for this week. remember to pray, read, and show up.
Elder Morrison
i cant find it but if i said i'd have a pic of Elder Durham, i lied, cuz these computers are retarded so i wont be able to attach any pics. sorry.

Elder Piper stopped by to see us this week. He was up here to go through the temple with a friend from Wenatchee. It was nice to see him!

Getting Ready for Homecoming!

Tyler took a bowl full of fish and a sign he made with hand cut out letters to Jen's house to ask her out to homecoming.

Pig Out !

We spent the weekend in Spokane at "Pig Out In The Park" an event where 75 different bands played and a place to sample several different types of food. It was a great time and now we have to get back to the grind. We also purchased some tie-dyed clothes -- Creesh is very proud of her new multi colored pajamas.

We just had the missionaries over for dinner and had a good visit.

Speaking of missionaries, we just received an email from Jeannie Trulove, a new member of the church that Mackenzie helped teach.

As of last week, Mackenzie got transferred, and below is a copy of the letter we received:

Hi Debbie: I spoke with Elder Morrison (Mackenzie) I don’t know if I spelled his name right? I talked with him Monday night. He is not in my sister’s ward, but they share the same church. How incredible is that? The great thing is that my sister had her elders over for dinner Friday night, and invited Mackenzie and his partner, Elder Durham as well. We had a great time. I really miss Mackenzie. He is so humble and appreciative and laughs at almost everything. I think he misses Chesterfield. He mentioned my husband Ron and how he cooked such great B-B-Q. Ron told me a couple of days ago, he missed Mackenzie, too.
He is actually in a pretty good area. It’s safe and has a lot of young families. If he needs anything, he knows I will be there. And now, he has my sister, too. It has to be so tough on these guys. I know it’s a great privilege to serve and he has really become very dedicated. I don’t know how you do it. He is not even my son, and I worry terribly. He loves his family so much. He talks constantly about Moses Lake. I hope we can visit some time.
My husband is still having a hard time adjusting to my converting. I don’t know that he ever will accept it. I am trying to be strong, and I hope he doesn’t make me choose. I hope all is well with you, Craig and your family. I just wanted to touch base and let you know that Mackenzie is doing well. He sure loves his family. I will continue to keep in touch and make sure he is okay. I am going to send him cards once in awhile that will hopefully make him laugh. Please don’t hesitate to call or E-mail me if you need me to do anything. Having two sons myself, I admire you for encouraging Mackenzie and supporting him on this incredible mission.
I will keep in touch.. Jeanne J