Merry Christmas!
I had a great Christmas here in my new sector in Otavalo. Our Bishop here was kind enough to invite us over to have a big roasted pork dinner with his family. It really made me remember the family dinners back home. With all the little kids running around and the little group of cousins that had to sit at the "little kids table". I felt right at home. I am as happy as I can be and wouldn't rather be anywhere else! I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and have a happy new year's as well. Thank you all for your letters and support. I love you and miss you all, but the next nine months will fly by, so I will see you all soon!
Elder Matthew Morris

The pictures are of my companion, Elder Salas and I.

Hey Family!

Well this week was a long week for us. I have only been in my sector for about 3 hours is all. Monday night we went around and did some visits, then on Tuesday we did divisions with some elders in the zone to check up on them. My comp stayed in our sector with one elder, and I went to the other sector with his companion. Then upon getting to the house Wednesday morning we had to pack up for the Zone Leader Council in Quito. So when we got ready we went to lunch then to the bus station to Quito. Meetings all day Thursday, dinner with President and his wife, then we came back on bus Friday morning. Back here in Otavalo Friday we had a meeting with all our district leaders here in Otavalo, the we had to help with an activity. The activity got over late, the latest bus that comes here to Cotacachi from Otavalo leaves at 7, so we missed the bus and had to stay with some elders in Otavalo, not until this morning did we get back to our house! Sad news about the trip to Quito, I'm not sure when, but at some point someone got into my carry-on bag and stole my digital camera, some sneakers and my basketball shorts. Luckily I had my memory card from the camera in my pocket, so I haven't lost any pictures, but sadly, another camera. President Sloan is doing better. He showed us his X-Ray he got from the surgery, the literally took out half of his right lung. He also showed us the big scar the surgery left in his back. Hes really delicate right now. He while talking frequently looses his breath and has to stop and take some deep breaths. The Apostles and area presidency has ordered him to rest within his own house for another 2 months. So hopefully he will get better soon to be able to serve at full strength.

Today for preparation day we played volleyball in the rain at one of the chapels here. It was a lot of fun. This week on the 25th we planned a Christmas party for the zone. We are going to have a Pizza dinner and a gift exchange as a zone! Then one fun activity we have planned for the zone is for the 2nd we are going to climb Cayambe, a volcano here just outside of Otavalo! On the 30th we have Zone conference here. I'm a bit nervous, I have to direct the meeting and with my companion we have to give a ¨capacitación¨, I honestly don't know how to say it in English, I don't think capacitation is a word in English, its like a training meeting. So that's what is going on here for us in Otavalo.

I hope all is well back home. Keep doing whats right. This week I got a package from Dave and Janalee with florences chocolates.....wow.....thank you! then one from Dad and Jeanne with jerky, Reese's, and garments, and as I was leaving the offices the mail got there and just so happened to be I had ANOTHER package! One from Gramma..... homemade fudge..... I cant explain the joy and excitement that I felt when I saw that tupperware full of heaven!!!! Thank you all for your letter and the goodies that I have gotten! J & K, I will let you know when your package gets here so you wont worry. Thank you for the pictures! Love you all!!!!

Elder Matthew David Morris

ps. this week i get to call home!!

pss. the first picture on here is one of the volcanoes here coming into Otavalo, Taita Imbabura.
the second is of the big catholic church here in the city park in Cotacachi, I took the picture from our apartment balcony! ha ha.

Arrived in Otavalo

Hey family
I just have a few minutes to write here. We are in the sector right now. It is a bus ride of about 25 minutes outside of Otavalo. Its a BEAUTIFUL little city here tucked into the HUGE surrounding mountains and volcanos. I don't know if I´ve ever had such a big sector though, well to be honest, I'm sure I´ve never had such a big sector. The two wards here are Cotacachi and Carabuela. It is one big mountain to the other, and everything there in between and all around. I hope you get the jest of it. We met my bishop when we got to the house. He went to Yellowstone a couple of years ago with his family, so I invited him to the house for his next family trip. Kelly Klingler and Bishop Klingler came here to my ward the summer that I got my call. Kelly has a mission companion here in my ward, Elder Tabi. Talking with my companion he let me know a little about the sector. Every Sunday meeting is spoken in Kichwa (not quichwa). And here in our sector, if we contact any Latins, we have to send the reference to other missionaries, we can only teach indigenous! So I have to start to learn the language here. The majority of the people nowadays speak Spanish as well, but all of the old people only speak their native language. So this is going to be quite an adventure for me, I'm going to hopefully learn a lot. Physically and spiritually this is a tough sector. Next week I will hopefully have some pictures to send home in an e-mail so you can all see what its like here.
Love you all!
Elder Matthew Morris

Exchanged!

Hey Family

Just wanted to get a quick letter home this morning. Yesterday we received changes in the mission. I figured I was going to stay here in my sector, as I only have one change here. Well I got changed! I'm going to be leaving here in about an hour to go to my new sector. I'm going to Otavalo! I have two wards and they are both Indigenous wards in the country. So Sunday meetings will be held not in Spanish, but in Quichwa. So maybe I will be learning my third language down here. I'm a little bit nervous about the change. I'm going as Zone Leader there. I have really loved being district leader these last 5 months, but now I'm feeling a bit nervous. Pray for me. My new companion is Elder Salas from Mexico. Hes a good missionary, he was one of my Zone leaders when I was in Esmeraldas. The other day I was talking to a missionary about how I wanted to get out of Quito, I don't really like big cities. Its gonna be a pretty big change. Otavalo itself is probably comparable with Idaho Falls in size, but I'm outside of the city a ways into the country. So I will be eating some REAL interesting things. The Otavaleños eat a lot of grubs, cui (over sized hamster), every part of the cow that you can think of, and whatever else they can get on a plate. Im not sure if I will get to write more later today. The unique thing about Otavalo is that preparation day is Saturday for the missionaries. So from this week on I will be writing home on Saturdays. So you´ve gotta get emails out on Friday if possible. I have a package in the offices waiting for me, not sure who its from. Friday I have a leadership council here in Quito so I will pick it up then. Well I'm not sure what else to write. My bags are packed, I think my companion and I will go to breakfast right now and then head out to catch a bus! Love you all! Tell Laura Kay that I love her and she is in my prayers. If she has a minute have her write me a letter so I can get one to her.

Elder Matthew David Morris

Hey everyone!
Well this week sure was a rough week. No worries, I´m doing well. It was just one of those weeks where nothing at all worked out and all of the people rejected us. Its alright though, at least I have some funny stories to tell when I get back home. To be honest about it our whole district here had a really rough week. But these are the moments when the weak ones fall or get stronger. I know that the Lord is trying our faith, to see who we are really in this work for. Like it says in Ether 12, the blessings come AFTER the trial of our faith. When we hit the ´walls´in life, we need to keep pushing forward, its a surety the the Lord had the blessings waiting on the other side for us.
Last night was the Christmas devotional by the 1st Presidency. Really good messages, I decided I´m going to go to one of those devotionals when I get back home. Today one of my zone leaders and I went to the mission offices. My companion stayed with the other zone leader which is sick right now. So elder Tripp (Cedar City) and I had a fun morning there at the offices chatting with the missionaries there. We did some brown nosing to a missionary couple there, the Rose´s from Roy Utah, they decided to invite us for dinner this Friday, and make us homemade x-mas candies. We had been telling sister Rose how much we miss the homemade candies back home, especially how much I miss Gramma´s x-mas fudge! So we have dinner plans this week with the Rose´s.
There's a lot of birthdays this month between friends and family. Grandpa´s was yesterday. I like thinking about grandpa every now and then. Him and uncle Brian both. It helps give me a lot of motivation in the tough times. I know that they are both involved in the work where they are as well. Happy birthday this week Jeanne. I hope that all is well back home. Sounds like its been COLD. North winds and bitter cold at night. Wow, I miss that cold weather and snow. But time´ll be up before I know it. I just know I love it here. I couldn't imagine a mission to be any better! Love you all! Thank you for the letters and prayers.
Elder Matthew Morris

P.S. tomorrow I complete 14 months!!

Hey Family! Well thanksgiving was this week! We had a pretty good dinner with the Curtis´here in Quito. We had ham, rolls, stuffing, cheesy potatoes, fruit salad, green salad, and other gringo food and it was just really good! To be honest, it was more like a Sunday night dinner than a real thanksgiving dinner, but it was still GREAT! Today for preparation day we went downtown to see some of the cathedrals, when I was in Quito last spring we went. But we went as a district today so go sight seeing. It was fun. When we got done there we took a bus over by the mission offices and ate at McDonalds!!!!!!!!! I had a classic double with cheese, biggie fries, an orange soda and finished it off with a chocolate sundae. As I was eating my burger I closed my eyes a couple of times and it really felt like I was back at home. No worries, I'm not homesick to say the least, no offence.
One thing I wanted to say before I forget, President Sloan is in really bad condition right now. They let us know last week the he had to get surgery done. He had a type of infection in his lungs that was slowly deteriorating his lungs. So when they caught that they couldn't repair the damage so they had to take out half of one of his lungs. Right now he still has bacterias that they are trying to kill away with medications. They have him in a good hospital here, but he´s still having a rough time. So please keep him and his family in your prayers back home. He has two older kids in the states (both married), one son on a mission in Spain, and two little girls here in Quito with him and his wife. So I imagine its rough on his family as well. To this point he is still going to continue with his calling as Mission President, with the hopes of getting back to work in January. Please remember him in your prayers.
By the sounds of the letters all of the family is doing well back home, I will surely support the family fast for Caleb this week. I'm glad to get letters and hear from you all. The letters I got today were filled with great news for me. Even the little things are always good to hear. In a few letters I have mentioned a couple of things I had thought would be nice for Christmas, but I have sadly forgotten one of the most important things, hickory farms beef stick and sweet n hot mustard! haha.
My companion and I are doing well in our sectors. We have got a few investigators in the sector we are opening and this week at church we had 3 in-active families come to church that we have visited! Tonight we have a family home evening with an older couple that is less active. The wife is bedridden with arthritis, but her husband has started to come back to church again. The first 2 weeks in our ward we had an attendance of about 40-50 people, but this week we were up to about 70! I'm loving it here in this sector, its cold, a big hillside, and the food isn't to my fancy, but I love working here! Thank you all for your love and support! I hope to hear from you all again next week.
Elder Matthew Morris

Hey Family!
Well this week turned out to be a great week for us here. On Sunday we did divisions with the assistants to the president and went to our two wards at the same time! It was great! My companion went to Carapungo where we have been working and we had like 5 investigators come to church! A couple of them were members of a family we had just met Saturday morning and we invited them, and surprisingly they came! So that was great, then I attended in our ward La Bota (the boot)haha, and we surprisingly had 2 investigators there that are sisters of a member. I was there in my ward with one of the assistants and a old missionary couple that work in the offices, in sacrament meeting they asked me to give a talk, mind you they asked me about 30 seconds before announcing it! So I got to give a talk about member missionary work and persistence with the hard hearts! It turned out pretty good. Then Elder Squires (Arizona) told me how before the mission that would have never been possible for any of us to improvise a talk of 10 minutes, let alone in another language. It was just a great day for us. I'm getting used to this new sector of mine. I'm used to the colder nights and the hot sun during the days. The food, well... I still really miss the food from the coast. Basically its like Jared always said about the food in Chile, there´s no flavor. That's about as descriptive as I can get. We so have one mamita for us on Saturdays, her and her family is from Columbia, she cooks really good, but the rest are from here in Quito and cook like they´re from Quito. But the good thing is that I'm loosing a little bit of weight here in Quito, they don't serve as much food as the people on the coast, so I have been able to loose a few pounds here. The dogs here, are just as many as on the coast, but not quite as disease ridden as those of the coast. There the pros and cons of everything here, but I do miss the coast. But this isn't my work anyway is it? If I'm here, its because I need to be here.
Thanksgiving is this week, no worries, I did NOT forget about it. The couple that attended with us on Sunday are the Curtis´, they are from the Provo area, I cant remember exactly where. So they and I have become good friends in the mission and they invited my companion and I to thanksgiving dinner with them at their house. It was a pretty special invitation too! They only invited the Elders from the offices, my companion and I, and another companionship here in Quito. So no worries, I will have a thanksgiving dinner this year.
Today for p-day we went to a mall here in Quito, eat pizza hut and played laser tag. The laser tag was a BLAST! We played for 45 minutes without stop! It was a lot of fun! But basically my team got dominated. We hurried and got back here to the sector to write home, and will soon go back to the house to shower! I hope all is going well back home! I love to hear how cold it is back home! And even more when I hear that it is snowing. Today sitting in the bus coming back to the sector I started to think about the cold weather back home and about hunting season. Then remembered my rifle waiting at home for me....... wow....... haha
I hope you all have a VERY happy thanksgiving this week. I love you all and thank you so much for the letters, pictures, and your loving support. I appreciate every little thing you do.
Elder Matthew David Morris

So here's a couple of pictures. the first two are of my district here.

The third is of president and Hermana Sloan and I after the leaders dinner with them. Almost the exact same picture as the first one I sent home when i first got here eleven and a half months ago! The fourth picture was just a cool sunset here the other day. And the last one is of my favorite family that we contacted in esmeraldas, still haven't gotten married yet but they are getting closer!!! Enjoy family! Elder Morris

Hey Family!
I hope all is going well back home for everyone! Sounds like the weather is getting cold and the days shorter. That is one effect down here that makes the time go by faster for me. There are no seasons, the sun comes up and goes down the time time every day of the year, and its always warm weather. We are supposedly entering winter here in Quito, which just means it rains more than normal, but we haven't got any rain yet. Everyone here thinks that its the end of the world. Latins are really sceptical about stuff like that. But all is well here. President Sloan got really sick this week and has been in the hospital for a few days, they say he has pneumonia and water on his lungs. He should be getting out in the next couple of days. Keep him in your prayers, hes an excellent leader. He has changed this mission around 100% and has helped me to change my life as well.
This Sunday the bishop from our ´forgotten´sector came and picked us up and we went to get to know our sector and chapel. I have never seen such happy faces as those of the members when they got to the church and we were at the doors to welcome them! We´ve got some activities and stuff scheduled to do with the members to help excite them again. Wednesday nights we are going to do divisions with the bishopric to re-activate the less active members. There´s no effort wasted. And as it says in Jacob 5:72, the Lord of the vineyard went and worked with his servants. This is the work of the Lord, I am certain of that. This sector has been quite a change for me, but I know that its the same work where ever I go. Speaking of which, two of my investigators in Esmeraldas got baptised Saturday. I cant explain the joy that one feels upon hearing that phrase. I miss Esmeraldas so much. BUT I'm getting used to the cold weather and flavorless food of Quito again. Hopefully next week I will have some great story about the visits we make in our new sector this week. Love you all. Thank you all so much for your letters! Oh ya, I think I may have mentioned before, my scheduled release date is October 5th next year, but President told me last week that I can extend a month extra if I want....
Love you all!!!
Elder Matthew Morris

Hey Family!
Well this was a pretty good week here in my new sector. I'm getting used to being in the sierra again. It's COLD at night here, sunny and hot in the day, the food is flavorless, the people aren't nice....BUT if I'm not stretching myself, I'm not growing! So I'm excited to be here in this sector. This sector has had a line of some no-so-obedient missionaries so we have got our work cut out for us here. We had stake conference yesterday, EXCELLENT messages! The stake president here is a man who truly understands his calling and magnifies it for the good of others, not for personal gratification! So the messages, hymns, everything about the conference was gratifying! My companion and I in this next week are going to open up a sector that the missionaries haven't worked in for a couple of years. We met the bishop of this ward at the conference and scheduled a day to go with him to meet the members and all. I'm excited for that, I know there's a lot of rumors about his sector, but I know that there are people waiting there and if we just do our part with much prayer we will find them.
It was actually pretty neat how we met the bishop. After the priesthood session Saturday night, we were saying hi to members and such, when two members approached me and asked what sector I am in. I told them my two ward's names and they both got big grins on their faces and introduced themselves as the bishop and one of his counselors in the ward of mine that hasn't had missionaries. They then told me how long it had been since they have had missionaries or even a baptism and said to me after the conference was over they saw me and both knew that my companion and I were those assigned to their ward to renew missionary work there! It was a neat little experience for me.
This week we have zone conference and interviews with the President. Always a spiritual boost!
Congratulations Mary and Greg! I hope all is well for everyone back home! I miss you and love you all, with Thanksgiving and Christmas coming up, one really realizes how great it is to have a family. Don't worry about me out here, I've got my mission family. Follow President Monson's council, do something special for someone else. Love you all!
Elder Matthew Morris

Hey Family!
Well I'm in my new sector. I actually have two sectors here. We are in a valley north of Quito. My companion is Elder Farinango. He is from Otavalo here is Ecuador. That is the city where they are basically pure Lamanite descent, they are all indigenous. So he, keeping with family tradition, has a ponytail! It's pretty cool. It's just weird finding long black hair in the bathroom! ha ha. He's a good missionary. He started his mission a week before me, so we are equals time wise. The sector is not bad here. We are going to have to work ALOT to get the members respect and confidence. They haven't had that good of missionaries here. Our second sector we haven't even gone to yet. My companion in 2 months has only been there once. So we are basically opening it up. We will see how everything turns out here. It's a wealthier sector. Lunch today was hard for me. I felt embarrassed to be eating with such nice plates, in such a nice house and with ice cream and cake for dessert. I miss Esmeraldas, people there were poor, but they are happy with the little they have. Also, the accent here is killing me! It is so funny to hear people talk here. I got so used to the coastal accent that these people just sound weird to me!
Last Sunday was probably one of the best Sundays I have had in the mission. We had a lot of investigators and less-actives come! One after another came through the doors, and every one of them I was more and more surprised. We heard some great testimonies and it was just an all around great day for me! UNTIL we got the transfers, I felt very sad, but this is how the mission is. I'm nervous here in my new sector, but I'm gonna give it my all. These two wards here need some doctoring up. Pray for me! Thank you all for the pictures and letter this week! Mary and Greg, Congratulations, have a great week. I hope to get a couple pictures! Happy holidays to everyone! Love you all!
Elder Matthew David Morris

EXCHANGED!!!

Hey family,
Sorry, but this letter is not going to be a very long one. We are in the bus station right now getting ready to leave. I got the phone call last night, I'm going back to Quito, about 40 minutes north of where I was last time, but still in Quito. 7 months here in Esmereldas....I think I'm going to be shedding a few tears on this bus ride. I will try to get to an internet shop when we arrive at my new sector.
Elder Matthew Morris

Hey Family!
Well this week was not a real busy week, but we had a few great lessons! The best thing to hear as a missionary is "you are like angels! we weren't expecting you to come today, but we sure were hoping for you to come!" Friday we did a little activity in the church and I taught how to make pizza! It turned out pretty well. They burnt the first pizza though, they forgot they had put it in the oven and it came out one black hard disc! Today we have just been doing little things around here. Today Ive gotta fill out a new contract for an apartment, the one we´re in right now is itty bitty and it doesn't have any window, so its basically a little oven here in Esmeraldas. Just a lot of busy work for today is all. Maybe next Monday I will be in a new sector.
One of the pictures that Jared sent me last week was of Dad with a pinehen he got looking for firewood, the first thing I noticed in the picture wasn't dad or the pinehen, but the tail lights of a truck in the lower corner of the picture. Who's driving the Dodge?! and WHY did you wait till I was gone? looks like a pretty truck, I'm guessing its the new work truck, as dad did tell me the gold Chevy gave up the ghost. anywho, thanks for the letters and the pictures. Congratulations Zach on your calling, you´ll do great!
Sorry I don't have much to say this week. I will be waiting for pumpkin pictures and little trick-r-treaters pictures of Caleb, Cole and Hadley!
Love you all! Have a great week!
Elder Morris

Hey Everyone! Sorry I didn't get an email sent yesterday. We went to a little village for preparation day, then when we wanted to come back, there wasn't any bus or canoes! It was a fun day. The village is called Guayacana, the people there are natives and they speak chapalá. There are about 500 people there, some 80 members and a little wood house for the chapel! It was a neat experience. The ward mission leader took us into the jungle to find some waterfalls. We had to wade through some streams climb through jungle and everything! But it was the most paradise-like place Ive ever seen. Sad to say, I brought my digital camera with me without remembering my memory card. A couple of the other missionaries took pictures for me, I hope to get them in the next week or two. So my day was filled with turantulas, waterfalls, iguanas, frogs like you've never seen, rashed legs from ivy-plants, and LOTS of mosquito's!!! It will be a memory of a lifetime. I would like to get to go back someday. The people of the village have no running water, little electricity, no telephone, internet, just the basics. It was so fascinating to me, no video games, movies, nothing, just soccer, volleyball, and fishing! The simplicity of life was more than I have ever really seen. I will try to get some pictures sent as soon as I can.
As of the news from home. WAHOOO!!!! Way to go Mary, I'm really excited for you. It made my eyes tear up when I read your letter. How much better I feel for you and little Caleb! I wish you the very best in all, as you said in your letter, all in the Lord´s time. Dad happy birthday last week! I didn't forget, don't worry. Funny thing actually, on the day of your birthday we went to do a zone service project. We went to a nursing home to sing hymns and tell jokes with the old people! I thought it was pretty coincident, and remembered making those nursing home jokes to you alot. So happy birthday Dad! And yesterday, Happy birthday Jared! Cuando me puse a contar los años, no pude creer que ya tienes 29 años. ¡Te estás pniendo viejito! Gracias por tu carta y el animo que me das. Espero que te vaya bien en Washington con los suegros. Y si, tu hijito está gordito. jeje. Thank you all for the pictures that I got in emails this week. It was a big shocker as well as a relief to see so many letters in my inbox this week. Love you all SO much!
Elder Matthew David Morris

Hey family! How was this week for everyone?! I hope everything went well for everyone. Sounds like the baby blessings turned out well. I didnt get any pictures from anyone though. Oh well. This week was a pretty good week for us here. We had zone conference last wednesday. It was great. Today for preparation day we went and got pictures developed, bought some food and such, then we went and had lunch and have just had a relaxing day. I honestly cant think of any story or anything big that happened this last week. Well, in my interview with President Sloan on tuesday he asked me how long I have been here in Esmeraldas and when I told him I was going on 7 months now he was a little shocked. So he told me I will more than likely get changed when transfers come up again. the first week of november are the transfers, there is a group of 26 missionaries arriving from the MTC, some 18 gringos from provo and another 8 latins from the mtc in columbia! Its crazy for me to now see alot of my friends from the mission who are now going home. I cant beleive how fast the time goes by out here.
Well I'm all outta stories for this week. You are all in my prayers and thoughts. Write back soon! Love you!
Elder Matthew Morris

Here's a few pictures...
1st- the investigators that came to conference, Carlos his wife Anabel, their daughter Veleria and little baby girl Chelsey. 2nd- cute little Valeria!

3rd - the English room for General Conference4th - a REAL LIVE TONKA truck!!!!

WOW! What a great general conference!! Full of spiritual uplifting messages. Something I never noticed so much before my mission is how EVERY one of the talks is applicable to ME, and to MY life! They all were great talks and I cannot wait till we get the Liahona of November. This last week was such a great week for me. We had a good trip to Quito, the DL training meeting was very spiritual, I was able to learn a lot there, dinner with the Sloan´s as always GREAT FOOD! Chicken enchiladas just like mom makes back home! Then we got back from Quito and Thursday was a kinda sad day, my one year mark. I cant believe and don't want to either, that the time has gone by so fast. But then Saturday and yesterday were great days with the general conference. We had an investigator family come to the conference yesterday. The wife is ready to be baptised and have a calling, shes just not married with her husband yet, but he came to the conference yesterday morning, and so we visited them last night and he has had a change of heart! Hes even willing to get married now!!!! I cant describe how happy I felt to see them as a family at the conference. I with one of my other companions contacted this family, and I have seen them progress soo much! From a broken family with a drunk husband, to a family unified and full of love and patience! There's no wonder why the first principles that we teach in the message of the restoration are those of, ¨Our LOVING Heavenly Father¨ and ¨The Gospel message BLESSES Families¨. I cant even describe the happiness and the love and sheer joy I have felt in this last week. I love my mission. I hope you all were able to feel the same spirit this week as you saw or heard General Conference. I would love to hear from you all and how conference was for you.
I am sure glad to hear about the baby blessing coming up! PLEASE take pictures and send them to me by mail to put in my scripture case. Some of the family as complete as will be there. Pictures of Gramma, magnum, the little babies, etc... Thank you all! I love you and miss you. Keep moving forward, you wouldn't realize how many of the members and investigator alike down here CONSTANTLY pray for the families of ´Los Elderes´.
Elder Matthew Morris

Hey everyone!
This week was a good week. We have had some really neat experiences to be honest about it. I don't have time today to tell them though. We only have a few minutes to write. I am going to Quito again today for a leader training meeting. I will be leaving just after lunch and probably get there around 9:30. It's kinda fun to go back to Quito. I don't know if I ever mentioned it while I was there in my last sector, but that house I was in is where all of the traveling missionaries sleep, so every time I have a meeting to go to, I get to go stay in my old sector. I think I will visit a couple of convert families there after the meetings. All and all I'm doing well. Good health, good spirits, I'm just dandy, haha. No really though, I love it here. I'm still in the Esmeraldas, but I figure its cause there are still people waiting for me here. One thing I am extremely excited about is conference this week. DON'T MISS OUT! I hope to receive a letter from each one of you next week giving me a report of which of the sessions was your favorite and which talk impacted you the most. I'm already calling it that Elder Holland is going to give a spiritually packed talk that I'm going to love.
Zach sent me a couple of letters this week with pictures from 8 mile canyon....wow thanks a lot Zach....no, I loved them really! I can't believe how beautiful the mountains and everything are back home. It's a whole different world back home. But no worries, I love being here and being part of this work. Thank you all for your letters and everything. Hope to hear from you next week.
Elder Matthew David Morris

Well, Im STILL here in Esmeraldas. So if I stay here through this whole change, I will have been here for 7 months! Oh well, I will just keep on keeping on! I am excited to still be here for general conference. I hope each and every one of you have made plans so see all of the session, saturday and sunday! Dont say, well I can just read what it said when in comes out in the ensign. You dont feel the same spirit as when you really HEAR the talk being givn. Especially for Laura and Chance, I challenge you to get tickets to at least one of the conferences. Dont let little Hadley be an excuse to not go. Take her with you, she will be fine. Anywho, now that I went off on that tangeant. Im excited to still be here. Today we havent really done anything. We helped the hermanas move into a new house that we found for them last week. Any ya, we are waiting at the bus station right now for the new elders in the zone to get here. My companion is still with me in this sector, so we will just keep working how we have been!
I hope all is going weel back home, hunting season is RIGHT around the corner! Funny story, last week laura sent me a picture with chance holding little hadely while reading a magazine, upon seeing the picture, the magazine imidiately drew my attention and I forgot about the baby girl! I think it was a Eastman´s magazine, there was a picture of a big buck with an article about Colorodo Bucks! So I was studying up a little bit, but there was something obstructing half of the article, then I realized it was little Hadley! Oops... Dont worry, I still brag her up to everyone I see. CUTE little girl! Its a good thing shes got a couple bigger cousins to watch over her. So im kinda short on stories for this week, but I wish you all well. Love you and thank you for your letters and support! Every little lettewr makes a world of difference!
Elder Matthew David Morris

Hey everyone,
I think this week was the first time in the mission that I was glad for monday to get here. We had a good week this week, it just wore me out for some reason. I have been taking ibuprofen just to be able to sleep at night. I have decided that the mission, reason is not something easy. But this is the best time I have have spent in my life. I cannot beleive that im almost half way done. The time has FLOWN by! Its good to hear that Mark and Kyle are doing so well. They really will be home in no time! General conference is just around the corner! WAHOO!! I love general conference now. I assume that next monday I will be in bus going to my new sector. I have been here in Esmeraldas a good time now, and transfers are just around the corner. One of the assistants to the president is from rigby, we actually met at a high school dance before the mission, but anyways, I told him where I would like to get sent, so we will see how it works out for me.
Yesterday was an eventful day for us. I got to give a talk in sacrament meeting AGAIN, only this time they let me know a couple of days in advance. I enjoy giving talks now in fact. But during priesthood meeting, one of the members had a seizure. He used to be a bishop here, one of the most humble and faithful members I have met. About 5 years ago he had a brain anurism and to this day cant talk much at all. Yesterday during the lesson he had basically a seizure. It got everone pretty scared, I was trying to calm them all down, it worked somewhat. So we carried him out of the chappel and waved down a taxi as quick as we could and they took him to the hospital! It really puts into prospective the importance of being prepared. He is married with five little kids. After all of the comotion we also went to the hospital and when we got ther he was awake again with some IVs. He should be back in the house by now. One of those crazy moments that catches you off gaurd eh?!
The good news of this week, we had a baptism. The hermanas also had a baptism, I got to baptise their 3 converts as well as ours. Having as much time as I have here, I have gotten to know the most part of the investigators and members in the other sectors as well. It was a great experience. The pictures im sending home, are 1st- our disctrict here. 2nd- My companion our convert, David, and I. 3rd- The converts from the hermanas. 4th- At the baptism, converts, their family, and us the missionaries! I hope you all anjoy the pictures! I hope all is going well for everyone back home as well. Love you all! Especially those little nephews and neice of mine!!!!!
Elder Matthew David Morris

Hello everyone,
Wow, I am tired. The sun really wears you out quick, thats for sure. I still cant figure out how the time goes by so fast. This last week I turned 20, completed 5 months in esmeraldas, 11 months in the mission, and 12 years since my baptism! And LAURA HAD A BABY!!!!! I still remember her and I chasing each other around the house fighting, then mom and dad making us hug and say sorry after! She used to pinch and scratch! I wont ever forget that, and neither will the scars! haha, I am really excited for her and Chance, I got to see a picture that laura sent me, CUTE little girl. Its gotta be that Morris blood in her. Im really glad that all went well with the new little girl and that shes good and healthy. I hope that little caleb and cole Matthew keep growing up strong and big. They´ll be good little cousins for little Hadly. Now Zach just needs to get on the ball and get married! No just kidding Zach, its alright, as grandpa once said ¨dont worry... you´ve still got time¨ but really zach, chelsey has let me know that her friend likes you alot. I dont know how things are there anymore, its been a while since Chels wrote me about that.
It just wierds me out to see pictures of everyone, and see how much everything has changed since I left, the time has been so short, it feels like everything should have just frozen. Being in a climate of eternal heat makes one really forget about the month, its all the same here. One thing that I do know thats comming up..... hunting season..... that sence is just in the blood. Even the Ecuadorian wind is calling me. But until next season for me. Let the big bucks get bigger for me.
This week on my birthday we just happened to have Ward Counsil, I guess the bishop knew it was my birthday, so after the meeting they had a cake ready for me and they sang happy birthday and all. It was really neat. I didnt take pictures, my batteries were dead, but we got some pictures on my companions camera, I will probably send them home with a dics of pictures soon. It wasnt like the rest of my birthdays, but thats alright, Im just glad to be here. I really just love my mission. I have really fallen in love with this city, the ward that im in, everything here.
I hope that all is well with everyone! Thank you for you letters and support!
Love you all!
Elder Matthew David Morris!

Well another week in the bag. Tomorrow, the 1st of september I hit my 11 month mark. I am experiencing alot of mixed emocions at this point. Alot of fear of what is waiting for me when I get home, happy because of the memories I have hear, fairly happy that in a time no too far away I will get home, but at the same time, sadness because in a time not too far away I will have to go home... The first 11 months has flown by, just the other day I was excited to have 6 months, a day or two before that I was getting off the airplane in some foreign country that smelled wierd! And even a wierder thought, Im going to be 20 years old!!! It is just crazy how fast the time goes by. Everyone is having kids now, Jade got his 2nd kid by the sounds of things. If someone can get ahold of him tell him to write me, or get me his address. I want to hear about it when Laura has her little girl. She better not come on the 3rd, no little neice if mine will be stealing my thunder!!!! She can have the 4th or 5th. Also one cool thought, the 6th this month I will have 12 years since my baptismal date
Today for preparation day we as a district decided to go to a little pueblo that is in my sector. I hadnt ever been there before, but had heard that it was really close. So we set out this morning walking for this pueblo. We ended going for a little treck in the trees for a while, found a river and some old ecuadorian guy taking a bath with his horse tied up. Next we found our way back to the road, walked for what seemed like eternity, by random luck our bishop was comming from the little pueblo with a load of mandarine oranges, so he gave us all a bunch of mandarines, in the excitement of finally having something to eat, I forgot to ask him to give us a ride to the little pueblo. So he left, then my district got all huffy (in a joking matter) that I didnt ask him for a ride! So we set out again in hopes of arriving to the pueblo. We arrived to a river bend that was absolutely gorgeous, so we stopped to take pictures and play uno. After that short break we left with little hopes of arriving at the pueblo. Another eternity later we got to a sign that said welcome to Tabiazo and so we got all excited thinking that we were there. So we kept walking only to realize that we still hadnt arrived, as a car passed by someone waved it down to ask how far we were from the pueblo, in response they started laughing and drove off! Our excitement crashed there.... But I got everyone back on their feet and we continued walking. Another good while later a pickup came down the road, some elders waved in down and jumped in the back, so it took us to Tabiazo. 5 minutes after having gotten into the truck we arrived there! Upon arriving we found out that there were no restaurants at all, so we ate a bunch of little coconut pop-sickle cups and took truck back to our sector! It was a long morning but we had ALOT of fun and surely made some memories that we wont ever forget! And I luckily had my handy little disposable camera with me, so I got lots of pictures! It was like we were in Jurrasic Park, it was alot of fun exploring and everything.
Hope you all enjoyed the experience that I had, I hope that everyone has a great week this week and that everything goes well for Laura and Chance! Love you all, cant wait to hear from you! Jared and Krysten- I got your package in the mail this week, thank you soo much for the pictures and well, all of it! Love you all!
Elder Morris

Some pictures of our baptisms this week...

Hey Family!
This week was a really up-down week! We had to go to Quito for a meeting I had, 8 hours in bus going from sea level to Quito (really really high) in a zig zag form through the mountains. Then I sat in the meeting thursday from 8am till about 6pm. We had dinner with the President and his family, then we had campfire smores at a members house! The campfire part made me miss home a bit, but I enjoyed it. Then the busride home friday took us all afternoon, and when we got back here to Esmeraldas I was SICK! But im doing better now, just that change in elevation and not walking or anything got to my stomache a bit. Saturday we had a couple of baptisms. It was the best baptismal service I have been in. The room was FULL of members and family of the girls that got baptised. Usually only a couple members show up for baptisms, and maybe a couple family members, but this time it was different. It was a great experience! Then after the aptismal service we went to their house and celebrated one of the girls birthday. It was a fun day. They are the only members in their family, now 5 of the family members that attended are investigating the church because of the spirit they felt at the baptism! I just love it here in esmeraldas, I know that my time is comming up soon that I will get tranferred, but I just want to stay here. I decided that I am going to name my first daughter with the middle name Esmeraldas! And nobody is going to talk me out of it! haha. I got a package from dad and Jeanne today. Wahoo!!! Worthers Originals, CTR rign and some razor blades! They sent some pictures of a ride we did at Harriman park the week before I left......wow..... I cannot beleive how beautiful it is backhome. I miss those pine trees and grassy meadows. This may be paradise down here, but we live in a beautiful place! Mom and Mary, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This year is winding down fast! When there arent any seasons, just always hot weather, you dont notice how fast the time goes by. I decided that we are all getting old. Everyone else more than me, but its ok. A big wake-up-call for everyone here, next week im turning 20. I dont know where the time went. Jared´s a dad, Laura is just about to be a mom! I will be excited to get pictures from everyone. I wish mom and mary happy birthdays, im thinking about you both and wont forget your birthdays. I hope everyone else also has a good week this week. Thank you all for your letters and support. You wont ever know how much of a help and support it is to get even the most simple little letters from home.
Love you all. Elder Matthew Morris

Ok, so the first few pictures are of a hotel on the beach, a member family runs it, so we have gone there to eat lunch and to play volleyball and goof off. I asked them today, how much it costs a night, $50 for a room. So Im now certain I will come back here for a trip! They have got some BIG nice swimming pools, and even better, the beach is only a couple minutes walk away! The pictures after that are of our district when we did a service project last week. We cleaned up a members workshop area, shoveling wood shavings into bags and organizing. We filled up 38 sacks of wood dust! And the last pictures, My companion and I, Elder Vasquez.
Enjoy!
Love, Elder Morris

Hey everyone!Well another week in the bag. I really cannot figure out how we are already halfway through august! Is that wierd for anyone else? The time is flying by out here. I still remember intruducing myself to members and then saying something to the effect that im still a newbie, or just have a little time out here, then all of the sudden that stopped, and now my comp introduces himself and the people laugh when he says he only has 3...4...5... days. It makes me realize just how fast the time goes out here. I am going to admit it, getting ready to leave home I was pretty scared! I couldnt see the end of two years, those of you who know how many guns, and other toys I bought before I left, saw how I was. I thought I had to get it all, that my life was comming to an end! Oh well, pretty soon I will be able to use all those pretty things I ´invested´in.
My companion is Elder Vasquez from Trujillo Perú. Hes a really good kid. He has been a member for 5 years, and has a great testimony and love for the Book of Mormon! We had a good first week this week. We are going to Quito again wednesday night for a meeting I have on thursday. Something I now realize, district leader has a lot of busy work to do along with the reagular teaching schedule. Upon arriving to our sector last week we made a few quick visits for my companion to get to know our investigators and ward leaders. One of our investigators here thought that my last companion and I had both got exchanged, because I was in Quito last week and we hadnt visited her for a few days. So upon visiting her, she told us that she felt sad that we were gone, but nothing was going to stop her from attending church on sunday! She isnt married yet, so she cant get baptised, but in the next week or so she will be married with her 'husband'.
I hope that all is going very well for everyone back home. Keep me updated on the little ones, Caleb, Cole, and the one-on-the-way. And I never did hear of Sophie (the donkey) had her baby or not..... Thanks for your love and support! Hope to hear from you soon.
Elder Matthew Morris

Hello! Well we had changes yesterday, I'm STILL here in esmeraldas! My companion got sent to Otavalo! I hope to get to go there in the mission. I got made district leader here, and tomorrow I'm going to Quito in bus to get my new companion, fresh from the MTC! I'm excited to train, it'll be a good learning experience for me. I'm hoping for an elder from Guatemala, but I will see how that goes. I'm really excited that I get to stay here in the sector for a little longer. I'm really enjoying it here. Ive decided that the food is amazing! Once that stomach is used to it and doesn't get sick, its actually quite tasty! We have a baptism this weekend, and the next, and the week later we should have a couple more. We are reaping the fruits of our labors here. Things are finally coming together with some of the investigators, so now my new comp and I will really have to start working at getting new investigators to refill what is called the ´teaching pool´. I am just really excited to still be here in this sector. I'm glad that I will celebrate my birthday with members that I know and am friends with, and maybe my one year mark will be here as well. I just love Ecuador so much. This morning my temporary comp and I went into town and I bought some fabric for some new proselyting pants. We have a member here in the ward that makes suits and everything, so he is going to make me a couple new pairs of pants while I'm in quito! The ones I brought from home are in pretty sad shape. So that's my birthday present for myself. My one year mark I think Ill get a pair of brown shoes, and a couple more ties. I love getting this stuff here, its all cheap.
Loua Loua! Gonna be a mommy! I'm really excited, I tell all of my investigators and the members here about my two little nephews and my little niece-on-the-way! And of course, I keep a picture of magnum in my agenda to show to everyone! I just want you all to know how much I love you all. I have the greatest family in the world, you're all the greatest blessing that I have. I know that this gospel truly blesses families, and strengthens them in these times of confusion, and in a society of very low morals. I'm forever grateful for the things that I have learned, I know I want the best at always applying them, but I'm trying to do better. I truly now realize the importance of the scriptures and the church, all of the morals and values that I have been taught in my life. I wish you all the best and keep you in my prayers. Thank you for your love and great support! Until next week!
Elder Matthew Morris

Hey everyone!
Well this week I completed 10 months out here. I don't know what happened to July, I could have sworn it just started! All of the sudden I looked at my watch and it said the 1st! So today is the third! One month before my birthday. I think that everyone in the family will realize how old we are when baby matty turns 20!!! AHHH!! Where did the time go? The days, weeks, and months just go by quicker and quicker. One funny thought for this week. This will only be funny for those who have seen the Saturday Night Live best of Will Farrel DVD. This week we were walking down the street to an appointment, and as usual there were people sitting in front of their houses blasting their stereos, and as we were walking past one of them, the song made me laugh out loud. It was a latin song, but one of the instruments was a cowbell! Just like in the Blue Oyster Cult song! And they were hitting the cowbell hard in that song. I thought it was really funny.
Next week a group of new missionaries arrive in the mission, so there will probably be alot of changes made. I'm not sure yet if I will stay or go. This week I complete 4 months in Esmeraldas. I have loved it here, and I wouldn't mind staying another 2 months. I still feel really new here in the mission. I have alot of buddies I have made here, that are going home next week. And every time I meet an elder it seems like they all have less time in the mission than me, so that reminds me how fast the time has gone by.
I cant describe how much I love it here in Ecuador. How much I love my mission. I have grown to love the scriptures sooo much! I wish I would have had this love and understanding for the scriptures before the mission, in seminary and all. I have been reading alot of Doctrine and Covenants lately, wow, that book is loaded with good stuff! Every time I read it makes me reflect alot. I am excited to continue to learn and grown spiritually. I hope to take advantage of the rest of my time out here to always do my best. I love you all! Keep doing whats right. I know that our Heavenly Father loves us and is ready to bless us, we just have to do our part! Hope to hear from you all soon.
Elder Matthew Morris

Hey family!
Well this week was a good week. On wednesday morning we did a service project for a widow lady in our ward. We hand mixed and poured a concrete patio in front of her house. There was six of us elders there, i was the only one that knew anything about construction, so basically the other five watched as i did all of the stuff. But i loved it! I didnt want to go home, but we ran out ofcement to mix so we had to stop. I got back to the house with 6 blisters on my right hand and 3 big ones on my left hand, and I about couldnt walk the next day or two, but i loved it! One of our investigators was pregnant and she had her baby saturday night, we are going to go visit her tonight at the hospital. She is an investigator I will NEVER forget! Ever since we contacted her she has amazed me. She is progressing so much, and would probably get baptised tomorrow if we asked her to, the opnly bad thing is, that she is not married. So our goal right now is to get her married with her ´husband´. I will probably send a few photos of the baby in my letter next week. My comp and I are doing good here in Esmeraldas. The other day we were helping out in one of the other sectors with a few companionships. We devided the sector into different sections, then went out to our assigned area and contacted as much as we could, to help that companionship get more references. After about 2 1/2 hours of door after door, my comp asked me if I ever get tired! and that he wanted a bottle of water and to rest a few minutes. It made me laugh, so we took a little rest and then finished up the rest of our assigned area. That is one thing I have felt really good about being here in Esmeraldas, we have been working HARD. from the morning, till night. And I sleep like a ROCK! I love it here. I wouldnt want to be anywhere else! I hope that all is going well back home for everyone! The other day was pioneer day, it made me think about the rodeos back home. That reminds me of a thought i had a couple of weeks ago. Some of the worst smells that there are: horse poop, human BO, beer, cigarette smoke, diesel exhaust. Put them all together and you have one of the funnest memory making experiences, the county fair! Love you all! Hope to hear from you soon!
Elder Morris

Hey Family!
Well another week gone by. It seems like just yesterday I wrote home. The time is flying by. We had a baptism this week. Vicente Cuero, I think I wrote a little about him in my letter last week. He lives in just a little shack, but hes got his heart set on changing his life and following the commandments! I really love it here in Esmeraldas. It will be a sad day for me when I get transfered. We have found some great investigators here. I have had some experiences that make me certain that God is preparing people for us, that He puts us or them in each others paths. I have learned so much here how to learn to love someone, even complete strangers. This is the best training field on earth, for the rest of ones life!
My companion lost his temper a little bit a couple of weeks ago, he told me it was my fault, that im prideful and impatient! Upon thinking about the situation and what was the real cause of the problem, it made me smile really big! It was probably one of the first times that I could honestly say that I hadnt been stubborn, prideful, or impatient in an arguement in all of my life. I remember what I was like before the mission, in arguements I always had fault at least a little, if not alot. But being here in the mission I have wored HARD on not being like that. And Im doing pretty darn good at it! So it just made me smile real big and laugh a bit when my comp told me that! I hope that I can continue to better my patience and love for others.
In the last while, I have also found such a great love for the guidance and the help we get through the scriptures. Especially in the book of mormon! I am getting alot more familiar with my scriptures and I love it! In lessons with memebers as well as investigators, when a question or a problem is brought up, scriptures and stories start running through my mind! I love it here. I love the scriptures! I love spanish! Its such a beautiful, basic language, I hope to continue to get better at my spanish! I guess just to finalize all of this I need to say, "I do not boast in my own strength, nor in my own wisdom; but behold, my joy is full, yea, my heart is brim with joy, and I will rejoice in my God. "Yea, I know that I am anothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things. (Alma 26:11-12)
I hope all is well back home! I love and miss you all. Hope to hear from you all soon! Thank you for your love and support!
Elder Matthew Morris

Hey Family!Sorry im a day late on this letter. This weekend has been busy for us. President Sloan has spent the weekend here in Esmeraldas with his family!They hada weekend on the beach! haha, and so they came to church at my ward sunday (STRESSFUL). I was worried we would have some wierd member give a talk or something but it all turned out well. And also the asistants to the president have been here staying in our itty bitty apartment and doing divisions with us. I got to go and do a few visits with Elder Olaveson, asistant to the president, he is from Rigby! We met at a school dance in high school. It was alot of fun cuz im in what was his first sector. And we got to talk alot about sports and all the fun stuff back home. And yesterday we didnt end up having time to write so here I am today. We had interviews with president Sloan this morning and will have Zone conference here tomorrow! Wahoo! Zone conference is always a big boost.
I have had some great experiences lately. I know its an answer to my prayers for the little hard things that I was passing as well. The past week I have found a HUGE love for the scriptures, and such gratitude for the things I had learned in seminary and sunday school throughout the years. The scripture that says not to think beforehand of what to say, because the word will be given to us in the precise moment, is 100% true! I have not a doubt about it. I cant even explain how the spirit truely forms us and speaks through us to give hope to people. One of the things that I have really learmed is that we need to be always lookingfor ways to feel the love of God in our own lives, and help others to feel it as well. We dont need to just feel the spirit, feel encouraged, but truely feel the Love of God. It is a feeling like no other. I cannot explain it. Every one of you back home, make the goal to at least feel it once a week. I try to find a way top feel it every day here. Do whatever you need to do, pray, fast, read the scriptures, truely ask God for help, courage, and knowledge of his love. I promise you wont end you efforts discouraged.
I thank each and every one of you, my family for always writing me and supporting me, the next best feeling to the Love of God, HAS to be the love of one´s family! It makes me happy and helps my desires here when i hear from home and hear that all is well. And it makes me feel good to know that you are also passing trials, that shows that God trusts you, and wants to strengthen you. I love you all so much and love hearing from you! Thank you.
Elder Morris

Hey Family!
I hope all are doing well. I got a couple photos from Krysten, WOW that new firepit is nice! I cant tell you all how much I miss laying stone! I miss working with my hands, but this has gotta be the next best thing, if not the very best thing to be doing! I hope everyone had a good 4th of July! We had an activity planned to do here, saturday in the morning, but we had to go to Quito on friday for a training meeting I got invited to. So we ended up coming back here to Esmeraldas saturday night. It was a long weekend. Esmeraldas to Quito is a 7 to 8 hour ride in bus on roads that just wind through the mountains up to Quito, and it is going from sea level to about 10,000ft where Quito is. But it was a good meeting, I learned alot. And after the meeting we got to go have dinner with President and his wife at their house. Chicken Alfredo and homemade pizza, and blonde brownies with vanilla ice cream! It was quite possible the closest I have felt to heaven........ It makes me teary eyed just to think about it now! haha, it was a great dinner, that's for sure!
I have just been having some great experiences here. I'm sure grateful for them too! Its what helps me keep plugging on! Dad and Jeanne, I got the package from you the other day! Thank you so much for the photos of the Temple! If anyone is putting anything together to send, load it with photos! I love getting pictures, and it´ll be easier to get them by mail not, my email box is getting about full from all of the big file pictures I've got! haha, oh well.
A quick little story to tell, we have an investigator right now named Vicente. He is 76 years old and from columbia. He doesn't know how to read or write, never learned. He lives in a little 7 ft x 12ft wood shack that has a rusty tin roof. He is the most humble person I have ever known my entire life. He has a few kids, but none of them talk to him. They live in another part of Ecuador but he doesn't know where. But in teaching him I have seen a new happiness and brightness come into his life. He quit smoking and drinking alcohol. And has a baptismal date for july 18th! I'm really excited about it. In the lessons we have to help him out with the prayers like they do in primary (whispering in the ear), but hes doing great! We are also trying to teach him how to read, its a slow process, but we´re getting there. It is a really humbling experience for me. It always makes me realize how blessed I am when I can read and write spanish just fine, and people here never have learned their own language. Always be grateful for what we have back home, we´ve sure got a lot. Seeing some of the pictures of the house and yard back home, it makes me shake my head at myself for not being grateful before for what we have back home. I love you all and thank you so much for the letters and the support! I hope all is well with everyone!
Elder Matthew Morris

Hello!
Well another week has gone by. This week I hit 12 weeks in Esmeraldas, a few missionaries got exchanged but I'm still here. I hope everything is going well for everyone back home. The fourth of July is this weekend! WAHOO! Too bad they don't celebrate it down here. Let me know next week how it goes for everyone. We are actually going to have an activity at the church Saturday morning. A breakfast and then a bunch of games. Hopefully a bunch of people will come. Yesterday was stake conference here. All of the stakes in Ecuador were included. We got to hear some talks from Salk Lake, Elder Packer spoke, a couple members of the 70 and the general primary president. It was really neat. It was transmitted live, just to the stakes in Ecuador. A couple of investigators came and watched, but not as many a we had hoped.
I have a video here and a couple of pictures that I am going to try to send with this letter. The video, well I explain it in the video. The pictures, after stake conference we went to do service for an investigator of another ward, they had these nifty weights on the ground. So we decided to find out who the toughest Elder was. All of the elders in my district are latinos, and not real tough. I won, but I sure am feeling it today. My arms are pretty sore. And upon lowering the bar from the air, it caught on my pen and tore my chest pocket off! oops, but its ok, i know how to sew! Anywho, hopefully these pictures and video send!
Love you all!
Elder Matthew Morris
(**Video did not transmit in the email)

Hey Family!
Well time is flying by! Happy Fathers day to all of the fathers back home. It was an interesting day for us yesterday. EVERYONE in Esmeraldas was drunk. Including a couple of investigators. So we didn't really get anything done. I got offered beer by a couple of people. It was just something new to see. Last Friday I was given the opportunity by the sister missionaries in our district to preform a couple of baptisms from their sector. It was a family of seven, the parents have a baptismal date in July (not married yet) so the 5 kids got baptised on Friday. Elder Betancourth baptised the 3 boys, and I got to baptize the 2 daughters. It was really neat to see that big family there all together. The sister missionaries in our district are Hermana Tax from guatemala, and Hermana Morris from Panama! Don't ask me, I don't know how she got that last name, she is pure latina, and even more weird, both of her parents are Morris´. So I think we´ve gotta do some family searching and figure out how we got our name in Panama. But anyways, that was a great experience. Everything is going well here for me. By the sound of all of the letter, we´ve been getting lots of rain back home! That's good, you´re learning a little bit of what Ecuatorian life is like! I was glad to get so many pictures from home in the letter this week. I liked all of them. Cole Matthew, Caleb and the airplanes, Laura and her big belly!! The picture of Laura and Chance at the zoo with Mary and Caleb caught me off guard, I haven't seen Laura with a belly like that, so it made me look twice! haha, oh well, not too much longer Laura. Dad also told me in the letter from him that they sold grandma´s buick, does she have another car? It was great to get those pictures from home. I couldn't believe how comfy and expensive our couches look! And carpet in the house! That is a luxury that is unknown in Ecuador. And the picture of Dad and Caleb mowing the back lawn! There are no lawnmowers here, there´s not even lawns here at people´s houses. we are truly blessed. Don't ever forget it, I hope that I will always remember it.
Thank you all for the letters and everything!
Love you all, take...luck!

(next email...)
oops....love, Elder Matthew Morris

Hey Family!
Its starting to scare me how fast time is going by! We are already half the way through June! I am just grateful for where I am right now. I wouldn't choose to be anywhere else. There have been some tough days, but like I said last week, I love my mission. All of the ups and downs, forwards and backwards, everything about it. Everyday I learn something new. Yesterday we were visiting with a new member family and a couple of non-members of the family. In the closing prayer the wife who is a member in her prayer, asked the Heavenly Father bless all of the people in the world who are less fortunate and don't have food to eat, or a home to stay in. Now this is a great thing to pray for, but it struck me because of their own living conditions. One of the most humble families Ive met here on my mission. Yet they are one of the happiest families I have met. Also, Dad usually always reminds me in his letters, for me to pray for little Caleb and Cole Matthew. I always do remember you all in my prayers, but something that none of you will see or hear, that I see and I hear, is the prayers of the members and our investigators here. And in their prayers they ask, not just that the missionaries be watched over, but the families of the missionaries be watched over, and protected. It always brings a tear to my eye when I hear it. People who have never met my family, only seen the pictures that I have, and THEY pray for MY family. You are all being prayed for, more than you would imagine. And by the sounds of the letters, the prayers are being answered. Its good to hear that everyone is doing so good, that we are getting lots of rain back home, that dad and the crew are staying busy with work.
I hope that this letter finds everyone well. I love you all and thank you all for everything!
Elder Matthew Morris

Hello Everyone!
This week was a less productive week for us. We had zone conference one day and interviews with president another day. So we were traveling around a bit. It was a fun week though. Today for preparation day we went to the chapel, played ping pong and then some volleyball. Today was a HOT sunny day all day long! We played ping pong in the stage area at the church, with air conditioning on full blast, then to go outside to play volleyball in the sun.... oh it was killer! But we had a lot of fun. Before I forget, Laura Happy birthday last month, I have forgotten to write it every week since, but I promise I didn't forget when it was your birthday! And little Cole Matthew just turned one month old yesterday! WAHOO, hes probably growing in a little bit to those nostrils that Jared gave him, but maybe give him till hes about 14 before he really fits them! Just kidding, I'm sure hes a handsome little guy, with a middle name like that he has to be cute!
So how is everyone doing back home? I heard that the rain hit pretty hard this last week. Gramma was sure excited in her letter to me that everyone is keeping up on her yard work for her. Thank you all, don't you let her go without attention. I miss being able to go up there and mow or weed wack. That is one thing that I really really miss about being at home, is the actual hand labor. I know that I have to go into some type of profession or hobby with hands on labor when I get home. ONLY because missionary work is so spiritually rewarding can I handle it, I know I wont be a salesman that's for sure.
The work here is progressing bit by bit, the problem here in the coastal area of Ecuador is that nobody is married. Of our 10 investigators that are really progressing and keeping commitments, 2 are eligible for baptism, the rest are not living the law of chastity. So its a bit slower here in that since.
One new thing in the mission that President Sloan has changed, before, exchanges were every six weeks, if he wanted to change someone he would do it then, but now there are no longer 6 week changes. He will just call up any day of the week if he wants to change someone. This way it keeps everyone more in check and working hard ALL the time. Before the numbers always would droop off the last week or two of each change because missionaries would say ´well I'm gonna get changed, what does it matter' and just glide the last couple weeks. I personally am really excited for it. So who knows when I will get an exchange. I was in the MTC for my first 2 months, then Tulcan 2 months, then Quito 2 months and now I have just over 2 months in Esmeraldas! So I finally broke my record! I like it here, i wouldn't mind staying longer. But I trust President if he does exchange me. I have learned things in all of my sectors that I wouldn't have learned had I stayed in the sector before!
I'm outta things to say for this week. Thank you all for everything. I'm doing great and loving it here! I love you all and I hope to keep hearing from everyone!
Elder Matthew Morris

Here's a couple pictures.

all of the missionaries is my zone, zona esmeraldas.

My companion, President Sloan and his wife, and me!

And me dominating at ping pong!

¡buen provecho! Elder Morris

Hey Family!
I LOVE MY MISSION! I don't think I could say that enough. We had a good week this last week, and a really good day yesterday! We had some really good lessons and a lot of investigators came to church yesterday. This week we are going to try to get a family married so that they can get baptised in the next 2 or 3 weeks. The investigators are all progressing a lot right now! We were teaching a lesson to a kid the other day, his name is Roy. We were teaching about the plan of salvation and we had him read a scripture in Alma 40, when he had read it we began to explain a little bit, and he stopped us. He then just asked us, what do you feel when you read the scriptures? and we told him that a good feeling comes, its the holy ghost. And he got a BIG smile on his face and told us all of the feelings he felt and that when he even reads just one verse he wants to just keep reading and learn more! It was a great lesson with him. This week we are probably going to put a baptismal date for him.
Last Wednesday we went to a city a couple hours away for a little conference, a general authority came to speak to us. Elder Pino from Venezuela. It was pretty neat, good talks. This week is Zone conference for us again. Tomorrow are our interviews with President Sloan. A couple of new things in the mission; 1- No more going to the beach on preparation days. Not even to go and sit in the sand..... it was a sad day when we got word of that. 2- No more mission-wide changes every 6 weeks. It is not, whatever day of the week, if president decides to change some missionaries he just calls them up and they have to be in the new sectors the next morning! So that's gonna have everyone more on there toes now. I think it´ll be better, I just hope I don't get exchanged. I am used to the hot weather now. I can sleep just fine at night without the fan or anything. I'm just loving it here. Last night I dreamt that Dad came to Ecuador to pick me up and take me home for a 2 week visit with the family. I ran away from him telling him I didn't want to go home yet! That's just how I feel. I love my mission so much! I hope that everyone has a good week this week, that you always for all of the letters of encouragement!
Elder Matthew Morris

OK the pics are 1st, the chapel where we go on Sundays,
2nd me and my comp now Elder Flores at the conference last week,
3rd me and my last comp Elder Tirado walking to an appointment!
Enjoy!