Here to stay

The transfers came and went and I am pleased to say that I am staying in the wonderful land of Matagalpa. I already have in total about 7 months here, and I am really pumped to stay here. Not to say that it is all roses, we have a lot of work to do, my companionship was the only companionship to not have changes in all the zone, and for a very wise reason. Some missionaries don't love Matagalpa as much as I do I guess. Elder Smith is staying with me to run a muck in Matagalpa for at least 6 more weeks.

Elder Ward, one of my best friends on the mission, got sent out to die (he will go home from there) in Managua, it was bittersweet to see him leave. Bitter because we only had 2 weeks living in the same house, not that we didn't take full advantage of those 2 weeks, we had a lot of fun! But it is pretty sweet because Elder Deere is coming to live with us, he was my foster child in Leon. He worked with Elder Rush and I for a week in Leon and he is super cool, he is becoming a quite excellent missionary. And so I am pumped for that, because last change was my most favorite change of my mission, which is really cool because the one before that one is now my second favorite, so needless to say the mission just gets better and better every week. Every day I love leaving the house just hoping and waiting to find one of the elect of God to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Other news is this Saturday I got to meet another Apostle, Elder Quentin L Cook. He came to speak to the two missions in Nicaragua, and that was an intensely spiritual experience, his testimony was quite powerful and simple as well as was his message. In fact at first I was shocked at how simple his message was, but it was exactly what we needed to hear and apply to our work here in Nicaragua. In his remarks he spoke of commitments and using commitments to guide people to repentance. Very simple and true things. He shared a fun fact that him and Elder Holland were companions in the mission. I came to that conference with him with some questions and one by one they were all answered, quite directly I might add. I wanted to learn how to develop unshakable faith that is much firmer and steadfast, and the answer was clear. Keep it simple. Read, pray, fast, have the spirit with you always and you can't go wrong.

I loved my interview with him, the Apostles really can see your very soul,  and no matter what you cannot walk away sad from meeting one of them. All the missionaries walked away from shaking his hand smiling. You can feel the pure love of Christ through them, it is a delight meeting them, shaking their hand and looking into their eyes, and through a smile say "Elder Cook it's an honor to meet you."

I love this Church and the opportunities within it to draw so close to the Savoir and to truly come to know him. I know he lives and directs this church personally, I have no doubt of this. This is His work, and I am so privileged to be a part of it!

Love you all
Love, Elder Morrison