Stand Tall, Shoulders Back, Smile Big!

Well I would like to start this email with the fact that I was not the first out of me and my companion to say the F word. haha I was teaching her the saying "what in the world" and she relates it to "what the F %&!".  I literally died laughing and told her that was really bad and not to repeat it haha. She said she learned it on FB! hahaha poor girl. It made my day.

me making empanadas while sick 

Well once again Morgs is sick! I've had a super gnarly cold for the  past 5 days but today is the first day I'm starting to feel better, thank goodness because I have been miserable. But while I was sick I had the opportunity to watch the movie about Joseph Smith and the restoration... in Spanish of course. And it just hit me so hard. I look at the things Joseph and his family and all his believers went through for this gospel. Eventually Joseph gave his life so that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints could be restored. I see these things and I look at the things that I've complained about and I'm literally embarrassed. Yes, this is most definitely the hardest thing I've had to do in my life, but it could be SO much harder. It brings me to tears to think about the things people did to Joseph Smith and his family and all the others who believed the gospel is true. I just don't understand how someone could witness everything these people are going through to defend what they KNOW to be the true gospel of Jesus Christ and still not believe. Not to mention the fact that if they simply got on their knees and sincerely asked God if it was true and were willing to receive an answer through the promptings of the spirit there's no way they could deny it. I am so grateful for Joseph Smith and his willingness to teach the people this Gospel. No matter who they were or what kind of awful things they had done to him or anyone else. He still invited them to come unto Christ and to follow his example by repenting and being baptized in Christ's church. That is my new goal. I want to talk to everyone no matter how bad my Spanish is, how scary looking they are, NO MATTER WHAT. Because "the worth of EVERY soul is great in the eyes of God" and God wants all of his children to return to him one day and its through this Gospel that that is possible. I have been called by a prophet of God to do this work, representing the Lord Jesus Christ and that is how I am going to work. Just as the Lord himself would do so.... out of pure love for the children of God.

Okay secondly to my friends, family, and people who have simply known who I was, I owe you all an apology for not being the example of the things I believe in that I should have been. My language was out of hand and there are plenty of things I chose to do that were no where near the standard that I should have upheld, and I apologize for that. In no way am I saying that I am perfect now... because I'm not. But I have felt the blessing of the atonement in my life and the tender mercy and forgiveness of my savior Jesus Christ and my Heavenly Father in my soul. But I felt the need to publicly apologize for my bad example in the past and I hope that just as the Lord "remembers them no more" I hope ya'll can too. Everyone has a past, and everyone is capable of repenting and starting fresh with a bright new clean slate. There are no words to describe my gratitude for that. 

Shout out to my amazing parents. I've been thinking about them alot more than usual lately and the fact that people weren't kidding when they said that serving a mission would bless my family. During those times of hardship here, all I have to think about are the blessings that my family is receiving and there is nothing that can keep me from working my hardest. I'm not going to share details, but since I've entered the CCM there was one thing for each parent that I prayed for more than anything I prayed for. And in my last emails from each of them they both said how those two things had been changing and progressing. I couldn't help but just sit there and ball my eyes out. My heart is so full of joy, happiness and gratitude. In fact, this week I actually shared one of the struggles my mom was having in a lesson with an investigator. And his inactive mom was sitting with us listening to us teach and she expressed how she too after hearing this was going to work harder to change that same thing in her life too. 

Being on  a mission has seriously provided me with the gift and opportunity of a life time. To literally  witness miracles happen before my own eyes. This Gospel is true. I know that with every fiber of my being. If you're reading this and you're not a member of the church I encourage you to get in contact with the missionaries in your area. and at least listen to what they have to say. If you're one of my friends, you know it isn't like me to invite people I know to learn more about the church, but it makes me sick to think that I can talk to complete  strangers about this and want complete strangers to have the best life possible and the FULLNESS of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and all the blessings that come with that and not my own best, closest friends. If anyone needs help getting a hold of missionaries I'm sure my parents would love to help! :) It won't hurt to just listen. I promise. 

TO ALL FRIENDS AND FAMILY= I need addresses!! Please send me your address!!! And just because I can't email you doesn't mean you can't email me!! SEND ME PICTURES! please! They make me happy! 

SHOUT OUT TO DYLAN AND LINDSEY!!! I am going to be an aunt of a beautiful baby GIRL! THANK GOODNESS!!!! I have so many cute outfits planned already!!! I can't wait!

Melanie Sawyer!, of course I remember you! Thank you SO MUCH for your email. It brought me to tears. It's emails like that, that get us missionaries by. Thank you so much, from the bottom of my heart. 

Theresa! Tell me about your life please I NEED UPDATES.

Tye and Haley! Not sure if you got my last email but if you could get that address for me and Haley I need your address and the address of the Michels! And could you text Erin and ask her for hers too please!! Thank you! 

Haley! Moe's wedding is coming up I think... give her my love and tell her I am so happy for her! 

Mom and Dad! Thank you for sending the bag with kandy! I should be getting it tomorrow!!!!!!!!! I can hardly wait!! 

I love you all so much! Thank you for the support! 

The fourth is this week! Don't have too much fun with out me! This is as American as I can get here! I love ya'll

C-r--s and part of his family on Saturday! Our first baptism! I love him so much! Their family is amazing!

me and C-r--s with our CTR rings!

         

me washing my clothes in the sink

   our bad day stash

our study area

our kitchen

My cheer leaders! what keeps me going every morning!! 

our bathroom 

  our super high tech shower

our bedroom

PS - it's cold here. lol cause I'm on the coast, hence why I'm sick. I wasn't prepared for this weather lol but I'm good! Got to use my rain coat for the first time this week! 

El Cambiar

Well I should start by saying I am doing alot better. The love and support I am getting is by far overwhelming. I had so many emails I don't even have time to read them but I'm printing them so if I don't reply I'm sorry just know that you have all helped me so much and I appreciate everything.

I hope all my friends see this. I won't be able to email you anymore. I need to be following the rules exactly so I will only be able to write letters to those who aren't my family until my new mission president comes if he lets us follow the church wide rule. As you can tell I'm very bitter and upset and scared about this rule but I know that if I am exactly obedient I will be blessed. 

My Comp and I

These past few days have been really cool. The first few days sucked as you guys know, but things have looked up so much since then. We had a baptism on Saturday for J----n. We didn't teach him before he was baptised but we now check up on him and will continue to meet with him now that he is baptized.

J----n's baptism

We have OUR first baptism on Saturday, for an 11 year old who's whole family is members but not him and he is ready and wants to be baptised. so we've been teaching him and we are all so excited for Saturday.

We have been teaching a woman named S-n-- who is so sweet. The hard thing about teaching people here is no one is married. So its hard because if they live with there gf or bf or father or mother of their children they can't be baptised until they're married. I just want to have a huge wedding and have all of our investigators get married so their families can be baptised and be sealed together forever... but no one wants to be married. I simply just don't understand that... I'm pretty sure I've wanted to be married since I was like 7. haha But its going to be a challenge we are going to have to overcome because these people can feel the spirit and know we have something they need. And we will find a way for them to have it. Okay back to S-n--... The first time we taught her it was amazing, she said the closing prayer and she just had tears in her eyes. The spirit was so strong. It was amazing. Experiences like this really help me understand why I'm here.

So I ate a fish. Like it still had its head on it and everything when they gave it to me. Don't worry I have pictures. hahahaha 

But Hna. C-rm-n the woman who is like a mommy to us made it for us, and it was actually really good. The first time I've ever enjoyed fish.... plus I prayed before, that God would help me be able to eat this because I hate fish ahhaha the power of prayer is real ;)

Hermana C----n and me

I want you all to know that I know I need to be here. I know that there are people here who need me and that I need. I have already met some. But just like everyone else I am human. I  am weak. And have fallen, I will continue to fall but I KNOW that my Savior will pick me up. just as he has every time in the past. 

I've learned so much being here. I've learned so much about myself. I've learned ALOT about who my true friends are and who will stand by me till the end. That's prolly one of the realizations that has hurt the most, but I know in the long run will be very beneficial to me. There's a scripture that I came across that I feel describes my love for my friends (and family) and their love for me. Its John 15:13 and it says "greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends" I really do love you all so much. More than life itself. So thank you to those who have constantly written me, you all know who you are. CONTINUE to write me. Just because I can't write you doesn't mean you can't write me! I  can print the emails and read them all the time :) I don't have my address on me. But there are two separate addresses, one for letters and one for packages. I'm sure my mom will get them to Dana to post on this blog for ya'll! 

speaking of.... BIG SHOUT OUT to my AMAZING parents for organizing all my emails and all my information for me! I appreciate it SO MUCH! And another BIG SHOUT OUT to Dana for updating and designing this amazing blog! Thank You! It means so much!

Its just like home!

okay well I'm going to leave y'all with my testimony okay?

yo se que este evangelio es la evangelio de JesuCristo y se que Dios es mi padre celestial y me ama mucho. se que Dios conosce me personalmente. se que JesuCristo sentia todas cosas que yo senti y mediante su expiacion yo peudo tener paz en vida vida. yo se que El Libro de Mormon es verdadero y es la palabras de Dios. Este evangelio es la unico cosas que puede traer lo maximo bendiciones es mi vida y en sus vidas. yo estoy muy agradacida para este Evangelio y para mi testionio y para mi relacion con Dios y JesuCristo. En el nombre de JesuCristo, Amen.

I love you all so much. Thank you for the support. 

xoxo

Hna Younce

If any of you love me!!!!! YOU WILL SEND ME PEANUT BUTTER CUPS AND SOMEONE PLEASE SEND ME A TEDDY BEAR.......... I NEED A CUDDLE BUDDY. thank you :) xoxo hna younce

Just in case you guys miss this face... Cause I know I would if I were you

Super Awesome Tan Lines

Bruises on my knees from praying so much... it really works!