Letter from Elder Morrison

hey family. i almost didnt get to talk to you today. since it's MLK jr. day, the libraries are closed, but a member here has been kind enough to let us use her computer. today was pretty fun. i got to go ice skating!!!! i was so excited. the young women went today, and we live with the young womens president. she told us about it and it happened to land on pday, so i asked if we could go too. the sister missionaries also came from Arnold. it was really fun, even though the outside edge of my left skate was dull. it worked out fine. it was really funny when one of the rink guards decided they wanted to flirt with the sister missionary. i just skated by her and i think it kinda intimidated him and he left. i was really missing my own skates, with my own sharpening job. i am just really happy that i got to for the first time in almost 2 years.
this week we started what is called the purification process. what you do is fast one day for a list of things that the Lord wants you to change. during your fast you write these things down, and then make a covenant with the Lord to do a 40 day fast from the things on the list. we fasted yesterday, and started today. some of these things, i've never wanted to do more in my life. satan will try to work on you hardcore if you start something like this. hopefully i can become a more spiritually driven missionary so that i can find people, and be able to bring them the spirit.
well, on wednesday, i'll have exactly 4 months left. i'm pretty excited to come home and see everyone and see the changes that have been made in everything.
this last week we had a really sweet lesson. there is a girl named danielle who i talked to creesh about. she's the one who has learning disablilties. she's seventeen and has always appeared like she doesnt want to do anything with the church. we had been having lessons at her house, and her mom is a recent convert. danielle was only taking the lessons because her mom wanted her to. we decided to try a different approach. we decided to try a different location, a different atmosphere. we went to her friend's house, who the parents are in the branch presidency and young womens presidency, and we had dinner there and taught about faith and prayer. it was really spiritual, and she even said the closing prayer! this was amazing for her, as it's always been a struggle to get her to pray. this went so well, and she learned and accepted things so well, that we've made it a weekly appointment for dinner and a lesson. we're sooooooo excited for her and her progress. the missionaries have been working with her for well over 7 months (that's how long goudie has been here) and you know its really good when goudie comments things like 'that's the the best lesson weve had with her' and 'shes really progressing now'.
to answer your questions, the clothes were too small for both reasons. my teeth are fine until i get home. they're still kinda sensitive, but not near as bad as before. my knees are doing fine. i got an appointment at a dr. office. they cant get me in until march 6th, so i'm going to do some calling around to see if i can get a sooner one. and i did get the card in the package. i'm going to try not to spend it, because i know it wasnt for me. it was for you guys.
well, i guess that's about all this week. i hope everyone is doing well, and i hope that you know i love you.
Elder Morrison

Letter from Elder Morrison

hey family!
i did have a good birthday yesterday. in the morning, we were wondering what to do, being p-day and all. we called the sisters who are really close to our area and asked what they were doing. elder goudie also told them it was my birthday, so they sang to me over the phone and then proceeded to call a bunch of people in the zone and set up some volleyball in the morning, we went to lunch at applebee's, and then went bowling. it was a lot of fun.
after bowling, we went to kohl's to do some shopping for elder goudie and then went to dinner with the Higinbotham family. (ty, that's erica's family). they took us to pasta house, which is kinda like old spaghetti factory. it was really good. we just kinda flew by the seat of our pants yesterday. so much that we didnt get everything done we needed to, including email. someone proposed ice skating, and i would have gone had it not been for elder goudie having really really bad knees. he said we could go, but i wanted to include everyone. bowling was a ton of fun though, especially with
2 tongans and and a sister from trinidad and tobago. sister stokes (who we live with) also made me some cinnamon rolls for my birthday that are really good.
this morning we got a call from the sisters at 6:30. one of the sisters is pretty sick, so we gave her a blessing. good thing we were up and going on time today!
i got an email from ashlie smith and she is getting married now. she got engaged on new years. sounds like she is really happy and excited, and i'll even be home for the wedding, which will be nice. also, in case you didnt know, becca claassen got married a couple weeks ago.
as for the clothing situation, i've remembered that 'big and tall' stores should be called 'big OR tall' stores. i found a pair of jeans that fit well, but no dress pants in black, like i need. i dont know where else to shop, but i'll just have to keep looking. i havent been able to get an appt with a doctor here. the doctor i was referred to isnt accepting new patients. maybe i'll just have to go to the hospital and see if they have a physician i can see.
i'm glad the picture frame got there unbroken. i tried to pad it as best as i could. that was my black friday shopping.
mom, as for your talk you have to give, you should see if the library has the dvd 'between heaven and earth'. that might help you out.
i dont know that i really want anything else for my birthday, except my hoodie and my cookies. anything else is up to you.
i'm glad to hear the travel home was good. too bad about the water heater.
the stokes were gone for about 2 weeks, and they turned the heat down in the house to save energy. the house was about 60 degrees the whole time. it was so dang cold. i slept in long pants and a sweatshirt, and in the morning i'd still be freezing. now it seems like the house is extremely warm because we grew accustomed to the cold.
this weekend we are having a baptism. there is a lady who had her records removed from the church, and now after many years has finally come back.
she's a great lady.
well, i guess that's about it. keep on keepin' on. love you!
Elder Morrison

Merry BSU!

The only thing that could have been better than receiving all this BSU stuff would have been having a picture of Kevin & Wendy buying it! They probably sent all the kids to the car so they wouldn't see them.

Thanks Tolmans! What a wonderful time!