2.27.2017

It's over in a blink of an eye

This week was great!! So many cool things happened! Well actually they are probably lame, but in comparison to our other weeks it was amazing :) The week started out with me going on exchanges one last time, which meant I got to go back to Lock Haven! I don't know how I got so lucky to get the chance to go back to an old area three times #blessed. I got to see a few of my all time favorite people in Pennsylvania, and share my testimony with them one last time. It was a very bittersweet moment for me, but I am grateful that it happened. Through serving in Lock Haven, I learned that no matter how hard the area is, you can still have fun and find the hidden gem people at make the area amazing!

Thankfully the weather was super nice, so lots of people were out again. We had some finding success which meant a few new investigators! Sister Piña even found a family on exchanges! Things are looking up! That was a huge relief because I would've felt terrible having the new sister come into the area with zero work. 

G is back on date to be baptized! I was so happy to see that he still wants to be a part of the church and didn't feel too uncomfortable or awkward after the whole no wedding thing. W is slowly coming along as well, and from what it looks like, G is going to be he one who really influences her to fully come back to church. 

It's been a bittersweet week for me. I had my "funeral" at district meeting, where I also gave my final testimony. Wow, I didn't think I'd cry, but a few tears actually came out. I've secretly been a bit of a wreck this past week. 

Words cannot even begin to describe how I feel about the past year and a half that I've spent in Pennsylvania. It has been absolutely terrible, yet so amazing that it makes every bad day seem better. I've seen people's lives change through the gospel, as well as mine. I've had to rely on my savior more an ever before, and I am so grateful that Christ knows how to succor us in trying times. All I can say is GOD IS GOOD! 

"And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives!...That by him, and through him, and of him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God." D&C 76:22-24

Sister Morrison

Of course I had to go out with a bang when it comes

to burning my dress, so I caught it on fire by breathing

fire onto it!!!! (This is traditional for missionaries at the

end of their missions)

And then I waved it as flag :)

Everyone is sad to see me die expect my comp, she's elated.

The Mullins!! "Everyone dab" haha

Training my greenie right to tan while you plan :)

Hawt face masks

Sister Pina gave me the greatest birthday present ever!!!!

2.20.2017

Sun's out, guns out 💪🏼

Over the past two months I think we've only seen gloomy gray skies, but we finally were able to have two blue skied, warm, sunny days! It has been so wonderful, and I feel alive again! You know what they say: "sun's out, guns out." And for once this actually includes mine thanks for the morning workout routine that has given me the slightest change from a noodle arm to a baby hill of a bicep haha. When we walk around town there are also signs of living people which has been awesome because we were finally able to pick up a new investigator! The sunshine won't last too much longer, but I'm taking every chance I get to soak it all up and talk to the people brave enough to feel the fresh air!

We have a service set up every other week at a nursing home where we go and play games with the residents for an hour. Over the past few visits it has become harder and harder to get them to play with us, and the staff hasn't always been the nicest. This past Saturday we decided that we would go one more time, and then discontinue our service. We walked in happy knowing it was our last time being there, but that changed within a matter of ten minutes. A lady was visiting her mom and we made small talk while helping a resident walk to the game room. After we had settled in our seats the lady came in and said "I am very close with God, and he just spoke to me. He wanted me to tell you that he is so grateful you come here and do your service. Keep it up!" Haha well if that wasn't a sign from God that we should continue then I don't know what would be! Needless to say the Bloomsburg missionaries aren't planning on cancelling that service anytime soon. 

G finally made it to church again! Sadly, W didn't want to come but G put in the effort. He said he really enjoyed it and was grateful he came. It was so nice to see him there again. You can tell that he is genuinely searching for the truth and is so close to grasping it, but isn't quite there yet. Hopefully as he continues to meet with the missionaries, read the Book of Mormon, and come to church he will be able to finally come to know the truth of the gospel for himself! 

We had interviews with President Johnson this past week. I always love having interviews and talking one on one with President. I look up to him soooo much! I know everyone always says their mission president is the best, but they are all liars because mine is! He knows exactly what to say to help you become the best missionary you can be. He corrects with love, compliments sincerely, and makes you feel his genuine care and concern for you. This time is was very bitter sweet because he kept mentioning how I am going home and asking lots of questions about it. 

I've acquired the Morrison trait that is easily seen in my grandpa and my dad: being sentimental. I've always poked fun at them for how sentimental and sappy they get towards things, like family, that mean a lot to them. Well according to Sister Piña, I've started to reminisce and get all sappy about the past eighteen months. I didn't even realize I had started to do it, but I know it's because I've had some amazing times, and seen miracles happen. I'm so grateful for the decision I made to work hard because it sure has paid off! 

The church has put out a program for missionaries in their last transfer called MyPlan. Basically we do an hour a week of watching videos, and answering questions about goals and what we want to do with our lives post mission. It's been pretty helpful to guide what I want / need to do when I get back. But this week was about dating and marriage, and holy cow it was by far my least favorite hour of the program. I forgot how weird I am about those things, so it helped me relearn how awkward Brooke Morrison is. Haha, but don't worry, after MyPlan this week I've mentally prepared myself to scare boys away just like before ;)

Sister Morrison

One of the first goodbyes with Sister D

Duck lips selfie

Probably the most unattractive of our entire district...

except for Sister Johnson, but she always looks great.

We discovered the best ice cream shop in town.

It's dangerously wonderful, so I probably will now be coming

home chubby...

2.13.2017

Yesterday I hit my 18 month mark. Can you believe it? A member figured out I hadn't had scrapple yet, so to celebrate I ate some. If you don't know what scrapple is, it's an eastern PA delicacy, and Wikipedia has a great explanation. But what they fail to mention is that it's gray. I've heard so much about it from other missionaries that I psyched myself out about it before I even put it in my mouth. Me "eating" it was really it hitting my tongue, and me gagging and then spitting it out. Sadly, it rained all day yesterday, so I couldn't burn a dress, but that's on the agenda today :)

We also had our first legit snowfall of winter this past Thursday. We've had a few light dustings before, but this one was an actual dumping. It looked pretty for a good five minutes, but then the reality of shoveling snow sunk in. But, I am actually really grateful we got to serve some members and shovel their driveways because that meant less finding in the cold!! It's warmed up since which means that snow has turned into puddles. I'm to the point where the soles of my shoes have worn so thin that they let water through, so it's been amusing and challenging to try and dodge the wet spots on the ground. But, they only have to last me a little longer, so I can make it! 

We also got a call in the middle of the week from the assistants saying we were getting a new car. So we ended our week by getting a new Subaru Legacy! It's the same one I got in Brookville, and that car is soooo nice! I'm a happy camper to drive a sweet car for the next two weeks :)

Thankfully this week we were able to see two miracles while finding. We got a media referral about a week ago, asking for a Book of Mormon. We had tried her two times with no luck of anyone coming to the door, so on our third and final attempt we finally met L! She was so happy to get the Book of Mormon to start reading it, and told us she would love for us to come back! As we were leaving she gave us hugs and said "Praise the Lord!" 

The same day we also went to try a potential in our area book, when we ran into a lady named S. When we introduced ourselves it was very apparent that she was about to break down and start crying, so we asked her if she was ok. Well, that set off the water works, and as she was bawling she welcomed us in. I guess about an hour before she got some pretty sad news, and so she happily let us pray with her. We told her how God loves her, and she said to us "man, he sure has great timing sending you two here." Heck yeah he does! So hopefully we will get to see L and Sometime this upcoming week! 

Sister Morrison

Sister Pina wanted to match for district meeting,

so we did.

Shoveling snow! I've only had to do it three times

in my entire life haha

We gave a lady named G, a picture of Christ, and

she said it was the best gift ever :)

New car selfie!!

Now for the basic white girl new car selfie haha

2.06.2017

Just to preface, this email is going to make me sound super trunky,

although I'm not. Our week was full of very unsuccessful finding, and

so the only few highlights we have pertain to me going home.

First off, I got my flight information emailed to me Monday, and then

a paper copy of it at Zone Conference on Wednesday. It was honestly a

very surreal moment for me to realize that I'm actually going home. My

whole mission I have felt like I'm never going to leave PA (don't

worry, I love this place now), so seeing evidence that I am going to

leave is weird.

I also attended my last zone conference on Wednesday. It was really

fun to see the five missionaries I knew that hadn't gone home yet, and

I am so grateful for the friendships that I've gained here in PA. I

love my missionary friends!!! During the meeting I also gave my

departing testimony. I always feel the spirit super strong when

missionaries give their departing testimony, so I was expecting to

feel some super power ignite within me that would make people break

down into tears. But in all honesty, it felt weird to be the one

standing in front of my peers testifying of how I came closer to my

Savior over the past eighteen months. It was definitely cool to

reflect and look back at the countless lessons I've learned, and I

felt honored to have the opportunity to share my testimony in front of

people I respect. I'd share my testimony with you right now, but I'm

probably going to share it in my homecoming talk, so you'll have to

wait to hear it :)

But with all this going home talk, I just want to verbally state my

commitment to work hard and finish strong. It makes me sad when people

disregard my last few weeks I'm out here. I'm not gone yet! I'm still

ready to kick butt and see miracles, so get ready for next week

because our limitless hours of finding this upcoming week are going to

be fire!

We had a dinner one night where the father joked about how the Chinese

restaurant by Walmart cooks cats and advertises it as other meats. We

thought it was hilarious because we had a lunch appointment the next

day at that exact Chinese restaurant. So we ate our hearts out at the

buffet, and laughed the whole time at the idea of eating mystery cat

meat. We decided cat tastes pretty good ;)

Sister Morrison

Williamsport peeps:)

Here's an awkward I don't know what to do with my hands

picture since elders and sisters aren't allowed to touch

each other....

Sister Maya and I have our departing testimonies

at zone conference...weird!

I met Elvis this past week.

1.30.2017

Haircuts, butt cheeks, and so many changes!!!

Holy cow, this week we got some pretty big changes that not only affect us, but missionaries worldwide. The first hour and fourth-five minutes of the broadcast were wonderful. We learned how we can become better teachers, and missionaries in general. But then, during the last fifteen minutes they threw lots of stuff at us that made all our heads want to explode! It was crazy, and although I've got to change from what I've done for 17 months, I know it was inspired. The spirit was too strong to deny it. There were significant changes regarding our key indicators and scheduling. 

1. Key Indicators: we used to have nine things that we reported each week. Now there are only four: people baptized and confirmed, investigators at sacrament meeting, investigators with a baptismal date, and new investigators. 

• I am super pumped about this! No longer will we feel crappy about ourselves because the number of lessons we taught during the week were low. We are also given more trust on how we spend our time. They want results, and we are given full reigns on how to accomplish it. I think the best part of this is that we can now really help establish the ward in whatever way the ward would like to use us. It will be more up the ward mission plan to prioritize our efforts. 

1. Scheduling: We have been given a half hour longer to get ready in the morning, nightly planning has been moved to the morning before studies, lunch was cut to a half hour, companionship study can be a half hour to an hour, and we are given another half hour in the evening to do whatever we want (so people can get more sleep if needed). In addition, based on what your mission president feels appropriate he can adjust the time you wake up or go in for the day depending on the culture of where you serve. Oh and I forgot to add, Pday got extended by two hours!

• I love planning in the morning, it's great because you don't feel bad calling people late at night anymore. Plus, if things fall through you can change them before you start studying for things. I love it!
• The half hour lunch is a bit of a struggle for me. I feel like we eat, and then are out and about again with no time to rest. It's ok though, I'll get over it.
• The extra half hour in the morning and night are great, but I don't know what to do! I'm so used to getting ready by 8:00am, that the next half hour I usually just sit around twirling my thumbs. I'm sure over time I'll slow down a bit. Or actually try to look presentable. Nahhh, the days of doing my hair are longggg gone! But, now I'll probably be getting another half hour of sleep which is cool.
• I'm super pumped for two more hours to do whatever on Pday! So family, get ready to email me at 5am now ;) Just kidding, I'm not mean enough to make you do that. 

Sister Piña needed a haircuts pretty bad, but didn't want to pay for one, so she recruited Elder Robertson and I to cut it. I have no idea why she would think that was a good idea considering neither of us have cut girls hair. After about a half hour of doing our best and snipping everywhere it looked awful. Ok, well the front was really bad, the back was not too bad. We tried to tell her that she needed a professional but she refused, and ended up using clippers to fix the front of her hair. Let's just say Sister Piña and I are extreme opposites because I happily paid $20 to have a legit person cut my hair, and have some peace knowing it will turn out well.

We also had a dinner with one of my favorite families here, the J's. They had one of their friends over, and somehow movies got brought up which lead to Sister Jordan saying how one actor was gorgeous. S, her friend, then chimes in saying that Mr. Clean on the new commercial is soooo hot! We all started laughing because he's a cartoon, but she insisted that we pull up the commercial because his butt is so attractive. Next thing I know, she has a cell phone right in front of our noses and we are watching a bald cartoon flex his butt cheeks which cleaning. Sally kept repeating how attractive he was, and all we could do was laugh. Who knew a cleaning commercial could be a highlight of my week?

G and W got back Monday, and we were able to meet with them. Thankfully there are no hard feelings, and we were able to see where they stood. From this point we decided it would be best to start from the beginning and reteach the lessons. G isn't ready for baptism, and we don't want to push it too much. He does want to do an extensive study of the Book of Mormon which is great, but it also sounds like he doesn't realize that no matter how well you study it the first time, you will never learn it all at once. Hopefully he will see that learning the gospel is a lifelong pursuit, and not just a one and done type of thing.

Both Sister Piña and I spoke in sacrament meeting last week (I spoke two weeks ago, and she spoke last week), because a speaker got sick and so we filled in. It was good though because I just shared the most valuable lesson that I've learned on my mission: the enabling power of the atonement is real! Holy cow, it works cause if it didn't, then I would've been home about fifteen months ago. I am so grateful that we are strengthened and supported when we reach out for help from Christ. He really is the best.

These past two months in Berwick have been pretty tough. We've been struggling to find people to teach, numbers are always low, and after a while it just wears on your spirits. Last night was a total answer to prayers. We were having a dinner with a family for the first time and they were wonderful. As we wrapped up our spiritual thought the dad told us "God loves you. You are in the right place, doing the right things, and angels are surrounding you. Thank you so much for the work you are doing." It was such a little thing, but it meant the world for me to hear. I have really been struggling to know why I was doubled into Berwick with Sister Piña because on most days we get as much success as we would if we were inside all day. I still have no idea why I am here, but Brother Chartrand's comment gave me the encouraging boost that I needed to keep chugging along. 

Sister Morrison

We took M finding with us again. At one point

we had a dance party in the middle of an empty street.

This is why Sister Pina should've paid to get a haircut.

Holding baby goats! Before we ate them....

Celebrating Chinese New Year!

1.23.2017

Three words, moose calls, and dead peeps

Oh man, I don't even know where to begin for this week. G and

W are still MIA, so I guess that's all I can report on for them.

Sister Piña is also getting very cultured in the never ending project

to clean up the area book. That's just a fancy way of saying going

through old potential and former investigators to try to find people

to teach. Still not much progress there, but at least we are helping

future missionaries save time by weeding out people who have moved or

are clearly not too happy to see us.

In preparation to see G and W when they come back when school

starts, we have been doing a lot of reflecting and praying to know how

we can best help them move forward. As we discussed the recent lessons

we had with them, we have figured out what tipped the scale and caused

them to runaway. Are you ready? I said the three words during our last

lesson with them...yup, I said "I love you," and that was obviously

frightening to hear it come from such a scary and freaky person as me,

so they bolted. Oh man, I'm in trouble when I get back home and start

dating boys, but hopefully I'll be able to hypnotize them or something

before I say those words for real haha.

A guy named M has recently been reactivated so we don't have

lessons with him anymore. It was a huge bummer because M is one of

a kind, and a little crazy so you always leave his house cracking up.

He was a little bummed too since he didn't get to see us outside of

church so he offered to come teach lessons with us. Sadly, we have no

one to take him to right now, so we figured that we could take him

finding instead! I think this was the funniest hour of finding I've

spent on my mission. We would be walking down the streets and he would

be dancing, and making this moose call that sounds more like a mating

call. You couldn't help but laugh. M really enjoyed it as well, and

he kept telling us that we were doing a fantastic job and that he was

proud of us. So not only did we get entertainment for an hour, but we

also had a personal cheerleader :) He enjoyed himself so much that he

said he'll join us next week.

We did get to teach Sister D again. She has expressed a desire

to start family history work, but claimed that all the temple work had

been done for her family. So we volunteered our very limited knowledge

and helped her find two ancestors who needed work done within a matter

of five minutes. She was so excited, and kept going through her lines

fascinated with where her family was from and what different temples

around the world the ordinances were performed in. After she was

taught enough to help her be self sufficient we left. But the miracle

happened two days later. She called us one night and thanks us because

she's been on familysearch.org for hours since we left and has found

so much information! She was so excited she wanted to call and tell

us. So even though she is nowhere close to coming to church right now,

at least we are helping her ancestors have a fair shot at exaltation!

Sister Morrison

I'm really working hard and pushing through

to the end out here in PA haha

Find with M :)

1.16.2017

Runaway Bride

Ok, so I'm pretty sure you were able to assume from the subject that

the wedding didn't happen. You were right. So Wednesday afternoon we

got a text from W saying that G was freaking out a little. We

went over both Wednesday and Thursday night and basically told them

that they need to pray and ask God if they should get married

Saturday. We expected to get a call Friday morning, but instead we got

a text from W apologizing, and saying how she was up all night

driving, and found herself in Maryland. After texting back and forth a

little we found out that they are staying with Gs grandma in a

Berlin, MD. They also don't seem to have any problems with the church

and more or less had to get away from the stress. So we will see them

in a week when they get back and take it from there. Are you ready for

the funniest part of this? They ran away to the place where "Runaway

Bride" was filmed hahahaha. The ward and everyone involved has been

really good about the short notice cancellation, and thankfully we are

super at peace with the whole thing. So, I guess all is well!

Wednesday morning we got to go to the Philadelphia temple! Sister Piña

and I were also about to take family names that we found while on our

mission. That was really cool, and I felt like I was very helpful and

needed from an ancestor. Going into the temple you could feel the

peace and how you really step out of reality, and enter into the house

of God. It is beautiful, and I was really able to feel the love that

God has for me personally. I was sitting in the Celestial Room and

reflecting over the past 17 months. It has definitely been

challenging, and I don't want to relive some moments, but overall it

truly has been amazing! I came out to PA not wanting to change, and

content where I was, but holy cow I was wrong! I love the new me, and

how much closer of a relationship I have with Christ. I love him.

Other than that, my week has been average. After six weeks I finally

got Sister Piña to order food from Sheetz! It was a proud parent

moment and after she took her first bite she said "You've crested a

monster!" Mission accomplished :) Well, I'm down to the last transfer

of my mission, so here's to the next rocking six weeks!

Family names at the temple!!

We also got to swing by and see the Liberty Bell

S/O to Sister G for buying a wedding cake that smelled

terribly like cheese, then letting us eat it!

 

Lewisburg District

Sister Pina's first real Sheetz experience.