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