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