1.11.2016

(no subject)

I am continually amazed as to how serious people here in Pittsburgh are when it comes to sports. The attitude and energy of the city revolves around whether or not the Pirates, Penguins, and most importantly, the Steelers win or loose. Thankfully, not only the Steelers got into the playoffs, but they also won Saturday night so everyone has been super friendly and happy walking down the streets. Thankfully, it will continue this upcoming week because of their close win! All the missionaries joke because die hard fan to us means that if the Steelers loose, the number of lessons that we teach the upcoming week also dies hard.

We had interviews with our mission president this past week, and one of the questions that he asked us was what our two goals for 2016 are. Well, here are mine: 

     1. Pass out 150 Book of Mormons; eventually this goal is going to get tough when I get to the more rural areas of Pennsylvania, but it's making me take advantage of living in the city and talking to everyone I see.

     2. Love Pennsylvania and develop a more positive attitude; I've been trying to adapt and love Pennsylvania, but honestly I know that I can do a much better job of trying to enjoy this place. I feel like once I love where I am at, then it will be easier for me to love those who I come in contact with everyday. Plus, I want to completely kick my old habit of being a pessimist in the butt, so people will see me as always happy and someone they want to be around.

We were able to pick up a few new investigators this past week. One of them was J's neighbor, T. He said that he sees us walking around all the time and would be interested in us coming back to teach him a little more about Jesus Christ. Hopefully he will start progressing! It was really a miracle how we met him. We were waiting for a member to show up to our lesson with J. Sadly, our member forgot, but it was totally worked out great because if we never waited for him then we wouldn't have been outside to meet T.

We were outside of a member's house who hoards things helping her move stuff to the side of the street for trash day. I was trying to get a bag out of a basket to throw it away when this nasty water came spilling out all over my feet. Not only was it gross and semi-moldy, it was freezing! I definitely learned how important it is to keep your feet warm and dry during the winter! Helping out was totally worth it though because Sister T said that she feels that she is now ready to go to the temple and do the work for her ancestors! That is something that we have been working on for a long time so it was exciting to see her progress.

Sadly, the R's and J didn't come to church yesterday. I was so excited to have E pass the sacrament, and J hasn't been in two weeks for random reasons. Agency is totally a double sided sword. It's great when people choose to do the right thing, but when they don't make the right choices, or don't make church a priority it totally kills you. I have to keep reminding myself that they are still really new to the church and that they are still adjusting from a lifestyle that they no longer have. Sometimes it just takes time to get used to all the new things that they took on when they chose to be baptized. 

We helped at a Primary activity this past weekend that was based around reading our scriptures. The four of us missionaries made a little iron rod simulation. We had an iron rod made out of dental floss, and told all the kids to not let go, no matter how tempting. We had the lights turned off in the room, with little flashlights to make it dark, and then we were on the side of the rod tempting them to let go and come play with Nerf guns, balls, and candy. It was cool to see how some kids didn't let go and were fixed on staying on the rod, and how some let go right away. The part that got me the most was when one girl was playing with the guns with me and her older sister came back trying to get her to grab onto the rod again. That really put my mission into perspective. I am on the rod, and want others who have let got to grab onto the rod again so they can make it to the tree of life: eternal life.  

So Sydney Crosby, a Penguin's player, lives in our area. A couple months ago I met some guys who knew where he lived and told us which house it was. I was totally excited to tract to that house and try and teach an NHL hockey player. Well, we told the elders about where Crosby lives, and while they were in that area teaching a lesson they knocked on the door and got a potential investigator. They totally poached our area and took away our opportunity to knock on the door!! We were a little upset about that, but if they end up teaching the lady who answered the door then they will have to hand her over to us since that's our teaching area. I guess there could be something good that came out of that.

We were at a member's home and had to catch a bus in nine minutes and it was a good half mile away. Knowing me and buses, I am super paranoid about missing them. We sprinted to the stop and thankfully made it with three minutes to spare. That's when Sister Kwasney voiced how she had to really use the bathroom. Well, we were right next to the highway, but there was a little stair case that lead to a street down below. Next thing I know Sister Kwasney was peeing on the stairs! I got a pretty good laugh about that, and I'm glad to know that my companion is a little crazy. We get along really well which is nice.

Saturday we had dinner at the R's and they invited some of their really good friends from the ward. It was like a big party! It was so fun to be with them and see them really feel loved and welcomed in the ward. Brother K and D have really been great at making them feel loved, giving them rides to church, and making sure that they are alright. It has seriously been a blessing to us missionaries! 

Sister Morrison

Our Saturday night gang: The R's, Brother K, D, J, and the missionaries. Oh and Brother K's dog Brigham who he strategically named so he could be a missionary more often.

We meet with Brother Kr's every week. He is probably one of the most die hard Pittsburgh fans that I have ever met. He gave us some Penguin's beanies so we could "look more local." I guess people can point us out because we don't say Pixburgh, Stillers, or yinz. Or maybe it's the fact that we have nametags on our chest haha

Me and Kwasney. It's funny because everyone gets her name mixed up. Some of the best ones that I have heard are Sister Kwanzaa, Kwanzi, or Kwase. I get a hoot out of it!