Tuesday, December 20, 2016

First Ice Storm in Missouri and hopefully last!

Happy almost Christmas from good ole' Missouri!! 

I cannot believe how fast time goes. It is crazy to me that I have been serving at the Historic Liberty Jail for over 6 months already!!! I have taken like over 2,500 people through the jail and I still feel like I just got here. And Christmas is in like 5 days?! WHAT?! 

But anyways, this week has been so good! No car accidents, so that is always a plus! but we did get a MISSOURI ICE STORM!! I have never seen one of those the past 18 months I have lived here, but I guess I couldn't leave without one! Friday night-Sunday morning were crazy. Friday the roads were so icy that we were driving up the driveway to the jail parking lot and our car just slid straight down and luckily rotated enough where we could just casually drive back out like we meant to do that. lol. The "fleet got grounded" (aka, all the cars in the mission had to be parked) all day Saturday and a little bit of Sunday, so we were stuck inside to do "productive things" all day. We were planning to go down to the VC for a Christmas musical performance they had Saturday night with a member and some of their friends we want to start working with but they canceled it because of the weather AND they even canceled church on Sunday. I have never had church cancelled before. The weather was so weird. Friday was like an icy mist ALL DAY and then, it all froze by night and a thicker layer froze over night and so Saturday, everything was covered in ice. But Sunday was so awesome. President Foley (in the Stake Presidency here in Liberty) invited us over to his house to take the sacrament with his family. We invited the other sisters at the jail to come with us too. It was the best sacrament meeting ever. President Foley turned it into a short testimony meeting after they passed the sacrament and then sister foley did a shortened version of her gospel principles class. It was so awesome. I was just so grateful for the sacrament all morning! Before my mission, totally would have been stoked, or at least fine about church getting canceled if it was that cold so I could stay snuggled up in my bed all day but it was so sad this morning to possibly not take the sacrament. Huge tender mercy going to the Foleys. Also, it was just so powerful to see a family who loved the gospel so much that they truly wanted to keep the sabbath holy in the best way possible. So even church got cancelled, they all got in their Sunday clothes and held a sacrament meeting. I just loved it. 

We also had Zone Conference this week! It was super good as well. I am definitely so over these "lasts" and "departing testimonies" and such but it was so good! They did something new this year for Christmas and after zone conference, we all went to the temple with President and Sister Vest. Being in the celestial room with them was so amazing. 

Service Friday was a success again this week. We went by and helped a few members wrap Christmas presents! It was so awesome to just help uplift them in any way and help wrap presents for all their kids! We also went over to the Russells and helped them make sugar cookies for a Christmas party that they invited a ton of nonmembers to later that night. It was so fun to make cookies with Sister Russell, Kloe and Paige. <3 

We sang at the nativity again last night in the freezing cold and it was just so peaceful! I love Christmas time and just getting to focus on the Savior and what He does for us. I am so grateful for a loving Savior and I am grateful for this time that I have to be a full time representative of Jesus Christ. I will forever cherish the experiences that I have had on my mission but mostly the love that I have been able to feel from Him as I have worked on living His gospel. 

Also, Sunday at President's Devotional, two of my favorite people came into the jail and bore their testimonies! Pauline and Joyce!!!!! It was so amazing to hear their powerful testimonies of the Book of Mormon, especially Joyce. I needed to hear what she said so badly. 

I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas this Sunday and that we are all able to feel the Spirit of who this season is really about. I can't wait to talk to some of the family Sunday as well! 

I love you all!
Sister Morgan

Pictures:
- Some of the sisters after zone conference 
- my fave Sister Dawson and I :)
- sprinkling ice melt Saturday morning because it was impossible to walk anywhere!!
- more snow/ice pictures :) 

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