3.28.2016

My final week in paradise

This week has been so amazing, but also pretty hard for me. We got the

temple square sister, Sister O'Reilly on Wednesday afternoon, so we

have been in a trio for the past week. It's weird and a little hard to

end a transfer with the person that is replacing you right beside you.

I wouldn't recommend it to anyone, but that's just the way things had

to be.

Saturday morning I got a leadership call from President Johnson. I am

going too be an STL which means that I now get to go on a lot of

transfers, and I know am part of the MLC. Honestly, I just feel like a

normal missionary who still has no idea what I am doing. Oh well, I

guess I will figure it out and fake it till I make it! 

I am being transferred to Lock Haven which is on the other side of the

mission, in a little branch that could fit my current Ward boundaries

in it about five times. I am terrified. It definitely will be a big

change from what I am used to. The craziest part is who my companion

is going to be. I a, back with Sister Durfee! I was not expecting that

at all, but it will be good. I will get to redeem myself and be the

companion that she deserves to have. I'm relieved that there's at

least one familiar thing where I am going. Plus, it will sure look

pretty during the spring! 

Saying my goodbyes to everyone here has been really hard. I honestly

can say that I hated Pennsylvania when I got here, but because of the

people that I met I have come to love this place. People here are so

loving and kind, and it will be hard for me to leave so many great

people whom I have formed great relationships with. Thank goodness for

modern technology because now I can email them and them after my

mission! 

The Relief Society broadcast was awesome! E and S came which

was really cool, and there was a dinner before hand so they had some

time to socialize with the ladies in the Ward. It's so cool to see

them interact with the members, and see how far they have come. The

broadcast itself was also really good. The main takeaway that I got

from it was that I need to go out and serve everyone with love, and

love is "when you make room in your heart for someone." Hopefully I

will be able to go out and serve the people of Lock Haven with that

kind of love! 

I don't know if many of you remember me talking about A, but he is

a former investigator who dropped us right before Christmas. Well, we

saw him walking down the street about a week ago and had a really

pleasant experience. Since then I've really wanted to officially say

goodbye to him, and thankfully on Wednesday I got the chance to! We

instantly just started talking and laughing with no awkward tension or

anything, it was great! We also asked to show him the Easter video,

and he loved it because just like the Christmas video, it was all

about Christ. When we told him about the website he got super excited

because he loved it during Christmas time. I even saw the Book of

Mormon on his table! This to me was like Christmas because even though

he didn't want to learn more about the church a few months ago, he has

no hard feelings and still recognizes the church as a force for good.

We invited him to come to church and although he didn't come I am

hopeful that the sisters will get a chance to see him next week. 

So you all remember H right? The one who just walked into church

a week ago and what like "hey teach me!" Well, she is in the elder's

area so they get to teach her, but she came to Book of Mormon class on

Tuesday and afterwards, the four of us missionaries got to teach the

Restoration together which was such an awesome experience. She was

asking questions the whole time, and really just soaking it all in.

She kept saying how it made sense and cleared up things that she

learned growing up in a Methodist church. It was a little different

having four missionaries teach together, but I personally think we did

a great job at following the spirit. At the end of the lesson Elder

Masina invited her to be baptized and she said yes without any

hesitation! Dude, that never happens!!! She was so excited, and now

she is getting baptized on May 7! 

Last week we saw a less active, K P, and that was a crazy

lucky thing. We decided to try again this week and this time she

opened the door and invited us in where we got to meet the whole

family! It was so great and we really got to build a good relationship

with them. It was so good that her husband invited us over for dinner

the following night. We went over again and had a great dinner and

this time they even let us share a spiritual thought. When we

committed them to reading their scriptures as a family each night

their kids were super excited. I was so happy to see this miracle and

the change of heart that has happened with the Pearson family.

Hopefully they are back on the road to coming to church!

We also got to teach J why we celebrate Easter. She didn't know

what it really was because she "studied with the witnesses" before and

they don't celebrate holidays. It was cool to teach her about why we

celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the importance of his

life. As I've reflected this past Easter I can't get my favorite

scripture out of my head: D&C 76:22-24. Christ lives and we will all

live again, and through Christ, we can all live with our father in

heaven again.

 We had ten less actives at church yesterday. I guess people really do

understand the importance of Easter, and make a special point to get

to church. It was great because it mainly consisted of people we have

been working with, and people who Bishop has wanted us to see, but we

haven't been able to contact them. It sure was a great day at church,

and the icing on the cake was the organist. He went all out for the

closing song and I felt like we were in a Cathedral listening to a man

go a little cray cray on the organ. I can guarantee that everyone was

awake and energetic during that song!

We had Easter dinner at the H's home with the M family, and

it was so much fun! Those families are both amazing, and have done so

much for us missionaries. We got to hide the eggs for the Easter egg

hunt which was fun, they had a big backyard so I felt like I was

running around like a crazy chicken dropping eggs as I went. When the

kids started their hunt it was as if they were searching for eggs

containing $100 bills. They were out for the kill, and there was no

mercy shown. All the adults were up on the patio cracking up.

Sister Morrison

Group Selfie in Pittsburgh S/O to 7-11

Judy at her scripture study desk!

Sister Kwasney had never had a shamrock shake from McDonald's

so we got one to celebrate St. Patrick's Day!

Just playing a little after the service project. Balance is not out forte. haha

Milkshakes with D! I have never met anyone who loves them as much as her!

After our lesson with H! She is golden!

I got my farewell hug from Brother McCauley! They were the kindest

couple and would have us over for dinner whenever we didn't have a

meal. We always ended with a game of SkipBo, my favorite!

The M Clan! I got super clos to S, J, and L while I was here. I am going

to miss them and their funny stories.

R selfie! They are one the highlights for me in this area. This family

is "all in"!

Easter dinner group photo! These families sure treat the missionaries well.