No Email

For those of you who keep up on this, Morgan didn't send us an email this week. Sadness.

@*%!, the Mormons Found Me

Dear family,

What a week. It poured rain this week and by shoes dyed my feet black and they were numb so they looked dead. It was pretty gross. When we first got out to knock it was pouring and Sis Schwarze didn't have an umbrella. She was soaked in 2 minutes. I told her we had to go get her an umbrella so we took care of that and then it stopped raining 20 minutes later. When we were driving to the store though it was coming down so hard we could barely see.

I got to see a fireside by Julie B Beck. It was amazing.

Someone called the cops on us. We knocked on this door and we hear this woman swear on the other side and then ask, "Who is it?" We told her and she said, "@*%! GO AWAY." So we apologized and we left. Four houses down the road she came out and started yelling at us. "Who do you think you are knocking on people's doors at 8:00 at night? I was asleep! “We told her again who we are and apologized again and walked away. As we were walking up to the next house Sis Schwarze said, "She is mad. She’s going to call the cops." I said, "So, we're not doing anything wrong." Sure enough, at 8:40 we were knocking on a door and a cop car pulled up. He informed us that we could not solicit after 9:00 and we said, “Well, it's not after 9:00 and we're not solicitors.” We showed him our ministerial certificates and went on our way...home because we have to be in by 9:00. I have now joined the ranks of missionaries who have had the cops called on them. :)

I finally told Sister Schwarze that I just don't like her in comp inventory and she said she doesn't like me either. She called my snooty, so that was interesting.

We went to find a member who just moved into the ward. When she finished telling us that she didn't want to be a member, she said she was not going to have her records removed, and shut the door we heard her call to her husband, "@*%!, the Mormons found me." That was kind of entertaining.

Why is everyone getting hurt? Tell grandma I love her and she's such a good example to me. I hope she heals quickly. I also hope Brent is getting over that ridiculous infection. How many people can say they got a $10,000 infection from a rug burn? That’s so crazy.

Well, I hope you are all having a fantastic week and that I get to hear more from you soon. Love you all.

Love,

     Hermana Heeder (aka Morgantheawesome)

It's Called a Cruel Irony, Kronk

Family and friends,

What a week. This has been the hardest, longest, most stressful and tiring week of my mission, and it has been so good!

Sister Schwarze and I got dropped left and right and we're to the point where we have 0 progressing investigators. I was sick for three days and didn't sleep for two. Sister Schwarze and I had a three day long companionship inventory which resulted in a lot of tears, but we were able to figure some stuff out. We've been trying really hard to find some new Potentials, but between bathroom time and tears (from both of us) it was hard. I am happy to say, though, that the sun did come up every day and I'm still smiling and alive. So now I'll tell you about the cruel irony of this week.

This story is one that I hope only people with food allergies can relate to:

 I hate spaghetti. I have not eaten spaghetti in something like 8 years because I hate it so much. On Tuesday night we went to our dinner appointment and my insides groaned as I saw the spaghetti sitting on the stove. Ugh. I ate it because I didn't want to be impolite, but I did not enjoy it at all. 24 hours later I enjoyed it even less. I won't go into too much detail as this is a bit of a sensitive subject, but I will say we were visiting members a lot more than usual on Wednesday and Thursday. I did not sleep Wednesday night and I did not sleep at all on Thursday because...(I just shake my head even thinking about this) Thursday night we got to our dinner appointment and guess what they were serving. Spaghetti. I was just like," are you kidding me?" I didn't have the heart to tell them I wouldn't eat it because I told them I didn't have any food allergies. I spent the night in the bathroom. :| yeah... so  after I didn't sleep for two days, I didn't eat for two days because my stomach hurt so much and by the time today came... I am so exhausted.

Ok, I'm tired of reliving my week. It was rough. Let’s get on to happier stuff.

It's Valentine's Day! I love Valentine’s Day (haha. Get it) I don't even really know why I love Valentine ’s Day because I've never had a reason to celebrate it. I mean, the traditional view of Valentine’s Day is...well, you know. But that has never been something I've done and I don't know if it is something I will ever do, but I love giving out cheesy cards and making hart shaped sugar cookies and eating pink mashed potatoes so the 14th of February is basically awesome. This 14th of February I get to interrupt all of those traditional Valentine's activities and knock doors for hours and hours. woohoo! Happy Heart-Shaped-Cookies-And-Pink-Mashed-Potatoes Day! Also, Happy birthday yesterday, Abraham Lincoln. Yes, I celebrate Abraham Lincoln's birthday every year.

Curtis is still going strong. He's trying to share the gospel with his family and he participates like crazy in church. I just love him so much!

I have lost almost 15 pounds since I left on my mission (4 months ago). I've been drinking protein drinks like crazy because they're supposed to help you gain weight, right? Well, it's not working and I'm a little worried for my health. I kind of look like I'm anorexic- which is not attractive. Please leave comments and suggestions in the wherever to help my get fat.

I had another meeting with President this week because I'm so needy (sorry about that) and he gave me some good advice. Mom and Dad, thank you for the fantastic letter. I really loved it and needed to hear some words of support from someone so thanks. (p.s. sending it special got it here in the same amount of time just so you know for future reference.) I got it Saturday evening and sometime earlier that day I turned to Sister Schwarze and said, "I've been crying for two days. I'm tired of it and I'm done. Let's go knock." and I stopped crying and we went and knocked and I've been good ever since. However, that letter was just like a rainbow at the end of the week so, yeah. Thank you so much.

 I love you all. I hope you have the most wonderful week of your life and that you all make Mormon.org profiles.

Sincerely,

Sister Heeder


p.s. Amy!!! Congratulations!!! Elder Jacobson from my MTC district is in Columbus, OH and I just love him. Tell him hello from me if you ever see him. I'm so stinking excited for you. You are going to love your mission so much. 


Sister Morgan Heeder
8355 Crestway Dr apt 731
Converse, TX 78109

Put a Shirt on Bro. McGee!

Dear Family,

I would like to begin today's email with a story that can only be truly told in person. However, I will do my best because it is just so funny you all need to at least hear about it.

We had a member with us on Saturday morning, Sis Theilbar from Inkom, Idaho, and were headed to a lesson. When we got there April, the wife was not feeling well. She has several health issues so we stood out on the porch in the cold for 30 minutes talking to Husband Chuck who didn't let us in because April was down and out. Sister Theilbar, being from Inkom, had claimed that she would not need a jacket. Little did she know we would be out in the cold for half an hour talking to a man with severe PTSD and who acts like a 16-year-old boy.

So finally we left and decided to run past the McGee's (a less active, part member family) to remind them to come to church in the morning. We got to the corner before their house and Lucy and Bro. McGee come outside. (Lucy works nights and he was...seeing her off.) Bro. McGee was not wearing a shirt and his pants were super low. (There was some crackage going on.) So we're at the stop sign and Sis Schwarze says, "What do we do? Do we go talk to them?" We kind of just sat there for a minute before I said, "Yeah. Let's go."

We pull up in front of their next-door neighbors house and Sis Theilbar makes a comment about "temptation" to which we both made a face and said no. So we're about to say the prayer when Lucy and Bro. McGee start making out in the driveway with us right there! Then Sis Theilbar gives us a play-by-play of what's happening as Sis Schwarze and I both cover our eyes and try to pray!

She said, "Oh, he's just giving her a little chocolate. Nothing wrong with that."

Sis Theilbar! They're living in sin!!!

Finally we got to pray and got out of the car just as Lucy pulled out. I wanted to tell Sis Schwarze to "just drive" so badly, but we had a job to do. The McGees have to come to church. 

We got out of the car and Bro McGee immediately tried to cover up. He said, "Sorry you had to see that. I wasn't expecting there to be ladies present. Let me go put a shirt on," and he left us out in the cold so he could put on a shirt. We finally got in, talked to him, and he said he would come to church. Of course, the abbreviation LA doesn't really stand for 'less active.' It really means ‘Lies A Lot.’

He walked us out to the car, and as we were getting ready to go one of his sons yelled out the window, "Dad, Cason just called you a big fat lady." It was the straw that broke the camel's back. Sis Schwarze and I both busted up laughing and tried to get ourselves under control as Bro McGee said, "Hey! What did I tell you about tattling?!" When the car doors shut I thought I would wet myself I was laughing so hard.

Speaking of wetting myself, we met two people this week that we've been trying to get a hold of because I had to go to the bathroom. I have a gift. What can I say? Ok maybe I shouldn't be telling people that my super power is needing to go to the bathroom every two hours but it has come in handy. Don't judge me.

So I hope you all enjoyed that story. Sorry you weren't able to see my facial expressions, but I'm sure those of you who know me better can imagine them. :)

My week:

On Monday we went to the Marcado and it was so fun. I bought a sombrero. I'm going to have to wear it home on the plane, but decided it is worth it bacause Dad might disown me if I serve a mission in Texas and don't come home with a sombrero.

...

I don't remember any specifics about the rest of the week at the moment but things are going well.

A couple of the elders gave me a blessing yesterday which was really good. I've been having a hard time with different things for the past 7 weeks or so if you haven't noticed, but I'm feeling pretty good today. I'm going strong. Hopefully the work will start coming along. Our only progressing investigator got baptized so we don't have anyone right now.

I love you all. Have a fantastic week. I will see you next Monday.

DFTBMA

Love,

    Morgan, The coolest girl you know just because I said so. :)

A week of mustached men I don't have time to tell you about

Dear Family,

Hopefully for the only time ever, I was glad to not have any investigators at church on Sunday. Jordan is baptized and confirmed now- so he doesn't count any more. Sacrament meeting and Sunday school were so spiritual, but during the third hour the bishop presented the ward mission plan and everything went down hill. People were practically shouting about how they did not want to follow the plan because they were not a part of making it. One man said, there is a great and spacious building on the other side of town that is the largest church in San Antonio. I was expecting him to say we should avoid being like that church, but he said the opposite! He said, the reason they have such high activity is because they put on a show so we should do the same> OH MY GOSH!!! I can't believe he said that. I wanted to cry the whole way through the meeting. Moral of the story: support your bishop and throw your weight behind the ward mission plan. Never behave in a way that will make the missionaries glad they did not have an investigator at church.

Other than that small incident yesterday the week has been pretty good. Jordan is Baptized and Confirmed!!! All is well. I am not getting transferred.

I went on splits to Encino Park and it was fantastic. I hope Sister Jespersen and I get to be companions someday. I also got to see the Footes* and it was almost like I got to get a hug from my mom. It was so good!!! I hope I get transferred there some time.

Anna! I predict with my super magical skills as THE PREDICTOR that you will go to...SWEEDEN! Just kidding. Dad already told me. I'm so excited for you!!! I'm also way excited to get all your letters.

We're going to the marcado today and have to meet up with the elders soon so I have to go but I love you all.

Love,

Morgan

        DFTBMA

*The Footes are old college friends of my parents.

From All of Me to You- Wait... What?

Happy, happy birthday

From all of me to you

I wish it was my birthday

So I could party too! HEY!

Happy, happy birthday

May all your dreams come true.

Since I'm a missionary,

Hope this email song will do.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANNA!!!

Dear Family,

How is everyone? I like how you all emailed me right after I emailed you last week and then sent me letters telling me you had emailed me. Haha. It made me laugh. I did appreciate the letters though. I always love hearing from you. This week has been crazy and I can't believe it's Monday again already. Transfers are in 10 days. Holy cow! How did that happen?

We dropped the Sandwich girls and my weekly opportunity to speak Spanish along with them. They told us they don't want to get baptized, so we said we wouldn't come over any more and they were ok with that; so the Primary is in charge of them now. I don't know if they believed us that we wouldn't come back.

Good news: I had a realization this week that made me very happy. My "maybe if I step in front of a bus I'll break my leg and have to go home early" stage has passed. Yay! Do you remember when Kiera (our cousin who served a mission) wrote home about that? It obviously made quite an impression on me since I'm quoting her now, and I'm happy to announce that I did not jump in front of any busses. :)

The hardest part about being a missionary for me right now is Thursday's weekly planning because we never get out of the apartment before 4:00. ugh. It’s pretty much awful. That’s 10 hours of studying and planning in case you were wondering. I hate it so much, but it has to be done. Basically, study time is the bane of my existence because I am easily...distracted. I'll just say it's hard for me to focus sometimes. I really need to get better at that because studying is important when you're a missionary.

We met a man named Frank this week who told us we were blasphemers, so that was fun. He started quoting the Bible and a bunch of ancient records, and all the stuff he quoted was correct; he just did not completely understanding what he was saying. The Spirit was so strong when Sis Schwarze and I talked to him about the Restored Church. And I think the Holy Ghost ultimate punched him in the face about 10 times, but he was not listening. (For those of you who do not know what an ultimate punch is it involves jumping in the air while making a kicking motion and punching someone in the face. Now you know. There will be a test, so don't forget it.)

We also knocked into this woman named Mrs. Smith and she was convinced I was 12 years old. I told her I was 21, and she laughed and said, “Don’t tell anyone else that or they won't believe you." She was really funny and really nice and really black. We’re probably going to go back next week and try to get in to teach her a lesson. Jessica, yes, I'm on the East side of San Antonio so there are a lot of black people. Welcome to Texas, where the Bible Belt meets Mexico with a few Cajuns mixed in. (Yes Cajun. A woman in the ward fed us alligator this week. yum)

Jordan is getting baptized this week! Finally! He has been having a hard time with his family recently because they are just not interested in being a part of his life. So he's all alone a lot of the time. Luckily the ward has taken him in really well and he has made some really good friends. I wish he had been baptized yesterday, but we still have to make it through the next 5 days.

(side note: Liz Huskinson, I would like to write you a letter so please let me know the best address to reach you at.  Other friends, I wouldn't mind having your addresses either if you want to send them to me.)

Ok, well I'm out of time, but this is actually quite a good letter this week. (Jessica, tell me how many hits I’ve been getting. do I get comments?) I love you all.

DFTBMA

Don't Forget To Be "Morgan" Awesome

    (Thanks for that one Anna)

Love,

    Morgan, The Super Awesome Girl You All Wish You Knew As Well As I Do

Peace

Come to Church, Anna Right

Hey Family!

So it has occurred to me, based on the last few letters I've received, that I've been an incredible pessimist and forgotten to tell you all the fantastic things that are going on in Converse. I love Converse. Things are going really well. Jordan's baptism is finally coming together. I don't know that I've actually told you about Jordan, but he is fantastic. He's 50, retired air force, and blind. He’s super independent and lives alone, but can't drive. It has been super challenging arranging for people to give him a ride to church, but the ward is starting to catch on that they are about to have their first baptism in over a year. And they are getting excited to see him there. Yay!

We've also started going back into a part of our area that missionaries haven't been to in several months due to...stuff. Anyway, we were there for like 2 hours and taught a lesson and set up 3 return appointments and didn't even have to knock on any doors. :)

We've also been teaching quite a few lessons to people we hope will begin to progress soon. This last week we've been focusing on reactivating a few less active members, and they all came to church yesterday!!! Anna Right was the Relief Society president. When she was released she got offended, stopped going to church, and took the rest of her family with her. We tried to visit them earlier in the week, and her husband told us she wasn't feeling well and sent us away. We went back a few days later and he was about to send us away when I said, "Can I ask you a favor? Can I use your restroom?" He kind of sighed and then let us in. Score! I want in to the bathroom and just sat there for forever. I wanted to make sure Sister Schwarze got nice and comfortable before I came out. They also had a copy of Gorden B. Hinckley's book Stand A Little Taller sitting in the bathroom. I flipped it open to the page about keeping the Sabbath day holy. Then I wedged it between the towels a little bit so it would stay open. Oh I'm so clever. I came out and Sis Schwarze was sitting on the couch, so I hurried and sat by her before Brother Right could send us on our way. We talked with him for another 20 or 30 minutes, invited him to Jordan's baptism, and told him we need him at church. Anna Right never came out while we were there, but imagine my surprise when they were two rows in front of us in Sacrament Meeting on Sunday. Brother Bloxham was also at church (which was good because I was ready to go into his house and start yelling at him about how he's breaking his temple covenants which probably wouldn't have gone over well).

We also found this less active family who joined the church 3 1/2 years ago and have been inactive for the past 3 years. They’re military, so when they moved to Converse they stopped going to church. Sad. So we've invited the Mortons along to both lessons we've had with the Pipers. and the Mortons have been absolutely fantastic in fellowshipping them. The Sis Piper asked to get Sunday off in two weeks so they can come to church! I pray every day that happens. When we mentioned this family in Ward Council no one had ever heard of them. Can you believe that?

I had an interview with President Jones yesterday and that was fantastic. He is so amazing. When we finished we went and got Sis Schwarze; then President shakes our hands and says, "Oh I'll give you a hug" and hugged both of us! Then he said "Don’t tell anyone." Who am I going to tell? He's the mission president. Well, I guess I just told all of you. Oops. Don’t  tell.

We also had a two day training this week (Wed and Thurs) and it was so good. I just kept thinking, "Oh, that's how you do it." Of course, I've been thinking that every day since October 19, but this was like a concentrated dose. We went through all the missionary fundamentals which I was trained with in the MTC, but a lot of us out here have never really been exposed to them because we're new. I also got to talk to a lot of other missionaries which was fun. It was all of the Zone leaders, district leaders, and all the sisters in the San Antonio area. The sisters got to come because we're special. :) *ting. 

Mom and Dad I hope you liked that card I sent you. I thought it was fantastic which is why I forwarded it to you. Santa Clause wearing Texas get up and riding a chili through the sky. what could be better? 
Well, unfortunately I'm out of time, but I hope this letter helps you all see how fantastic Converse is and how well I'm doing. I love you all and hope to hear more from you soon.
Can you all believe I've been gone for 3 months? That’s so crazy!
ok, well I really have to go, but I love you!!!

Love,
   Morgan, That Super Cool Girl You All Know


Yay for a good email! We also got some pictures from Morgan this week.