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!

Hey everyone!
Well Im still in Esmeraldas, I got a new companion though. Elder Flores from Lima Peru. He only has 1 exchange in the mission. His first companion was Elder Monson, he was up in Tulcan while I was there. So it was pretty funny when he told me who his trainer was. We are doing good here. Hes a good kid. He is a little demanding though. He just says what he wants to do and expects we do it. Oh well though. Theres something for me to learn from everyone. I was feeling a little ill again earlier this week but im doing alot better. Just a little stomache ache. Everyone down here is in pannic mode with the pig virus going around. The last I heard there are 7 cases in ecuador, 6 in Guyaquil down south, and 1 in Quito. So we´ll just have to see how that all turns out. Sounds like everything is going well back home. Grass is green and all is well. And little Cole got to come home! Wahoo! I have been keeping him and little Caleb in my prayers. I sure hope things get better with little Caleb. We didnt do anything for p-day today, just went into town and baught a couple of things for cleaning in the house. I got my haircut again..... oh boy. They arent very skilled hair-stylists down here. Nothing new is going on as far as I know here. Im doing good and enjoying it. So everyone just be careful and let me know on all the little stories or thoughts you have.
Thank you all for everything!
Elder Morris

Hey family!
This week was a good week. Yesterday I got really discouraged though. Only one investigator came to church yesterday, which may have been a good thing, a couple of the talks yesterday were a little ´iffy´on church doctrine. So anyways I was pretty disscouraged and just bummed. But we ended up having a couple of GREAT lessons last evening with a couple of families. It was just the spiritual pick-me-up I was needing. Today for lunch we paid a member lady to make a BIG meal of shrimp and such for us. Its the last day of the exchange so it was like a goodbye lunch for us. The four of us elders there filled up real good. It was the best lunch Ive had since I got to Ecuador. We have to meet up at the chapel at five and they will tell us who goes and who stays. I think I will stay another exchange or two here, but you never know.
I love this sector im in. Im used to the heat and all. I just really enjoy it here. Theres lots of work. This last week was my best week of the mission so far as for how many lessons we taught. We taught 36 lessons, Jared and Zach would probably be able to tell better than the rest of the family if that is good or not. But as a comparison, when I was in Quito, we were only teaching on average 10 lessons a week. My spanish has progressed alot since I got here to Esmeraldas. With all of the lessons I get to talk more and it has really helped me out. Im even picking up on the accent and slang they use here!
I dont know what more to say. Sadly we didnt go to the beach today. It was just a slow day for us, clean the house really. But I hope everyone is doing well. Thank you all for the letters! Im glad to hear little Cole MATTHEW is doing well! Hes got extra strength because of that name hes got! I love you all and youre always in my prayers!
Elder Morris

hey everyone! Well I don't feel like i have much to say since i just talked to you all yesterday. It was good to hear from everyone. Laura and Chance, Rachel, i still love you, hopefully you´ll be around for my call at Christmas time. I got the pictures from Jared of my new little nephew! I showed all the other elders here with me, I'm pretty proud of the little guy. I really don't know what to say though, I'm out of ideas. I guess just be grateful for all we have back home. For the wonderful family that we have. I sure do miss all of you and love you all very much. Thank you for everything. I will be sure to get a good juicy letter written next week!
Elder Matthew MorrisSo i forgot to send the pictures of the baptism with the letter this morning but here they are. this baptism was last Saturday. my companion baptised David, and I baptised Kevin. David was our first new investigator when we got here to esmeraldas, 1 month and one day after the first lesson he was baptised! Kevin's another story, his dad is a less active member, there are no other members in the family. the parents aren't married yet, but we are planning on them getting married and baptising the mother and the two daughters. The main goal for this family is that they can make it to the temple to be sealed together. after the baptismal service we were eating a little treat and Kevin went over to David´s mom and started teaching her about the word of wisdom! afterwards he told his dad how bad he wants to be a missionary. it was a great day and hopefully we will see the fruits of how the non-members felt the spirit at the baptism. Elder Morris

Hello everyone!

Wow that week went by quickly. This week was alot better week for us here. Im sorry to hear that it was such a rough week back home. Jared and Krysten you are surely in my prayers, especially the little guy thats on his way. I hope that everything works out well. The same goes for Laura and Chance as they are preparing for their little one. Always remember to put your faith in our Heavenly Father. As for me, I should give the update, Im parasite free, and loving life! Dad told me I need to drink bottled water and be more careful. Just so you all know, I always have a bottle of water with me, I drink about 3 a day. I figure I got the parasite from a lunch with one of the ward members. Thats usualy the only time I drink something that isnt bottled. But no worries, Im being careful with what I eat and drink.

Over the last week we had some pretty good rain storms come through here. Friday evening we were going to contact a reference that we received, throughout the whole afternoon there was alot of lightning and thunder but no rain. So we got to this little house down a little dirt road into what looks like the jungle. As we walked towards the house we hear a zzzzzz sound of electricity, in the corner of my eye I saw an electrical current go into the palm trees next to us, them a big white flash lit up EVERYTHING and then came the loudest thunder crash I have EVER heard! I dont think at the time we realized how serious the situation was, we just said oh wow I wasnt expecting that, then went inside the house. After the lesson I decided that the lightning bolt was sent by Satan and he was aiming right at us, because this family that we taught is amazing. Its an older couple that has 4 kids together, they are not married, but told us that if thats what God expects of His children, they will do it. The ´husband´ was an alcoholic for alot of years but has decided he needs to change his life and get things in order. That desire is what keeps almost all of the investigators from progressing. He is willing to do what it takes. The parents cant read very well, so we are helping them with that. That is a problem we have ran into here lately, most of the people here in Emseraldas never learned to read, so in raising their childeren, there is another generation that doent know how to read. Its sad to see, but at the same time its an amazing sight. To see people change their lives just by listening to what the Bokk of Mormon says as we read it to them. I have learned alot lately about humility and love for others. I just love it here in Esmeraldas. Its amazing how fast my attitude changed for this sector. Just look back at my letter when I got exchanged here! I am really enjoying it here, the work is GREAT, my spanish is improving, and I guess going to the beach and relaxing every monday is pretty nice too!

One question, whats going on with this virus? One of the news programs down here said there have been numerous cases in the US,a few being in one of the Carolinas, and a few in Idaho! The only time I hear or see anything is if one of the members has it on at lunch appointments, so Im pretty in the dark about it all. Fill me in a bit if you could. On that note, I hope everyone has a food storage back home, looks like President Hinckley knew what he was talking about the last few years. We here in the mission are told to have at least a 6 day storage in our appartment. Even we have them! But I hope all is well with everyone back home. Enjoy the pictures.

Love you all and take care!

Elder Morris