MORGAN'S LAST LETTER AS A FULL-TIME MISISONARY

Dearest family,

I'm not at all sure what to say...

I just want you all to know that I love being a missionary! I have learned so many things and my testimony has grown all the stronger. I know the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is Christ's church and the precepts, commandments, and doctrines it espouses will bring happiness and peace into our lives like nothing else in the world. I know that families can be together forever and that the temple is the house of God. I know that God brings about His purposes by small and simple means and that He can make of us something oh so much greater than we can. I know that the love God has for each of His children is great, too great for us to comprehend fully, but I have felt His love for me and I can feel the love He has for others too. I know, I know that Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the light and that through Him we can return to live with God again. I know that the plan God has for us is tailor-made for us and that the people we meet and the experiences we have are for a reason, even if they are hard sometimes. I have loved being an instrument in His hands for the last 18 months.

Today I read the first letter you ever gave me, Mom. You handed it to me at the Austin airport and I read it for the first time on the plane, where I just bawled. Well, I read it again and had the same exact reaction. Gesh. Who knew I would ever be so sentimental?! Anyway, I just can't believe how much has happened between that letter and now. It feels like a lifetime ago! And yet not at the same time. I had no idea what my mission would be like, I didn't even have the right language for goodness sakes! It has turned out better than I could have ever imagined and I am just full of gratitude that I got to be a part of this mission. I love you all so much. Thank you for all the letters/emails you've sent!

I'll see you on Thursday! I'll be the one with the tag :)

Love,

Sister Daniels

Dear family,

Things are going great here! We saw quite a bit of miracles! We saw our investigator, Hattie, this week. She is the sweetest! We were walking down the street one day and she opened her door and asked us to come in and teach her. It turns out she used to  meet with the missionaries years ago and when she saw us walking down the street she remembered the feelings she had and thought God had given her a sign of sorts. So cool! She is really humble and has such a strong desire to learn.she even takes notes during the lessons!
Last monday, Sister Smith took us to downtown Greenville. It was so much fun! We just went exploring in an art gallery and checked out their waterfall park. Don't worry I got a lot of pictures!
We had a zone meeting this week and I was just overwhelmed with gratitude that I got to be a part of this and that I have been able to serve with all these wonderful sisters and elders! I feel such a comraderie with them. I'm going to miss that. I'm going to miss that a lot.
I love you all dearly! I'm sorry this email is so short. It was typed on a tablet :)
Love,
Sis D

Morgan sent us her last handwritten letter and it had trunks all over it!  I think she wants to travel or she is excited to come home.  In her letter she said that " I just want you to know that I love being a missionary.  It wasn't always easy and I think I underestimated just how much of a sacrifice it was .  It is hard getting wedding announcements and graduation announcements because it feels like everyone is progressing in life faster than me and I haven't moved.  But then I think of the past 18 months and memories/images fly through my mind and I relive those 18 months in a moment.  I think of the battles won, the tears I've shed, the love I've gained, the friendships I found, the personal discoveries, and the God I've served.  Who knew so much could happen in a year and a half.  I am so grateful that serving a mission was part of God's plan for me.  I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day Saints is God's church and that keeping the commandments of God will lead to a happy life here and eternal life in the world to come.  I know through prophets and the Holy Ghost that I am a daughter of God and there is a glorious plan for all.

(I think she looks absolutely radiant!)

Dear family,

 

Happy New Years!!!!! This week we were on "lock down" New Year's Eve, so we had to be home by 7. It was really nice, because it gave Sister Law and I time to reflect on the past year and make some goals for the next one! Looking back on 2014, I can't believe how much has happened. I won't bore you with my reveries, but I'll tell you all about them when I get home! I really love New Years. It's my thrid favorite "holiday", only beat my Christmas and Easter (for fairly obvious reasons). I love the idea that we can have a completely new start, a new slate. We can make out of 2015 anything we want it to be and I am really excited for the potential that it holds!

 

Well, things are going good here in Simpsonville! Catelyn, our recent convert, is doing really good. She's reading the Book of Mormon every day and sharing the gospel with all of her friends. We've started teaching her the new member lessons, so we taught her the Plan of Salvation this week. She basically taught the whole thing herself. Her comprehension is just crazy. She's pretty concerned about the final destination of her parents and family and is working with them, so we hope we can start to teach the lessons soon!

 

This week we had an exchange with the Greenwood sisters. Sister Johnson came to Simpsonville to be with me and we saw so many miracles! She is an incredible missionary and works really hard! We talked to everyone we saw and tried to make every contact really count. I admire her a lot. She didn't want to go on a mission for the longest time because she is dyslexic and feels uncomfortable reading in front of others, but she overcame that reservation and has become a missionary powerhouse! The more exchanges I go on the more impressed I am with the sisters here. They each have a story and they each have their own weaknesses and strengths. It is amazing to watch the Lord take inexperienced youth and make them into bold, powerful missionaries. It's amazing to see Him do it with me.

 

I love you all so much! I hope you have a great week. Feel free to write handwritten letters, if you feel prompted :) I really enjoy them!

Love,

 Sis D