Luke's Letter Dated October 28, 2013

So this week has been... Interesting. It started out like any other week. Just normal. Until wednesday. 

I woke up to a little surprise. I woke up to not have a companion. BAD. 

Luckily I lived with other elders so I wasn't alone. But still BAD. I didn't have a companion. We didn't know where he was. REALLY BAD. After half a million phone calls and a really really long talk with the zone leaders. The President decided that I needed to pack up all my things and my companion's things and come to the office. 

As we got looking through my companion's things we found more and more clues about where he would have gone. Somehow he woke up in the middle of the night and packed a suitcase and just left. I don't even know how he did it. 

So I packed all my stuff and went to the office. I stayed in the office for three days. I now understand the phrase bored to death. It was bad. haha. It gave me a lot of time to think though. So that was good. 

We had a bunch of new missionaries coming in, so I was able to talk to them for a little while. That helped keep me sane. 

This weekend I went out with Elder Hazlett. (My comp in SLC) and wow. This mission has changed him. A lot! I love it. He has transformed for the better. Like crazy! I want that kind of transformation in my life. 

I want to have a sacred mission. I want to become a truly converted desciple of Jesus Christ. I want to return with honor. While I was in the apartment of Elder Hazlett I met a lot of missionaries. His apartment is kinda like the hotel for the mission. All the new missionaries and the ones going home stay there. 

I met one that was going home named Elder Morgan from Tennesee. I started talking to him. He seemed like I could trust him, so I told him everything that had happened. He helped me so much. I told him I was nervous for my interview with President. He gave me a hug and said don't you dare be nervous! 

Right before I went in to talk to President today. I saw Elder Morgan and he looked me in the eyes and told me to be an example. To be strong. And to always do what god wants me to. He helped me a ton through a really hard time! 

I talked with President this morning. We talked for a while. In the end he told me that we're just gonna move on and keep working. I love that man. He's awesome! 

I got my new companion today. Elder Hernandez from Columbia. He's a boss! We're in a place called Lujan. It's way different from my last area from what I've seen so far. We're on bikes too! haha. It rocks.

I love you all! 

Have a great week!!!

Elder Morgan

Letter From Luke Dated October 21, 2013

Hey! 

This week has been pretty sweet. Honestly we didn't get to work too much. But it was pretty good still! 

A while back we had to go to the capital (a 3.5 hour trip consisting of two buses, a train, and a taxi kinda thing) to get my companion's toenail looked at. It was ingrown pretty bad. 

Dr. Flinders told us that it's better to wait until it gets either worse or better until we do something. Well... It got worse. So we went back and the doctor took off half of the toenail. 

Now my comp barely can walk . Not so great. So he works as hard and as long as he can. Then he has to stop and take a break. So that's pretty much been our week! My comp has the best attitude about the whole situation ever though. He's an absolute boss!

I'm running out of time on the computer. But one really really cool thing that happened last night we had a lesson with a guy who is in a family where everyone is members except him and his son. They've had missionaries passing by for like 16 years now. And he always said that it's not his time to get baptized, or some other excuse like that. 

Last night we were talking with him and he said ya know? I think it's my time. We started talking about it and set a date for him to to get baptized. Then, at the end of the lesson, we were about to leave with a prayer, and he said that he would say it! He has never ever prayed with the missionaries. He is super prepared. Comes to church almost every Sunday even if his family doesn't come with him. 

Just goes to show that the Lord is preparing people everywhere. We just have to find them.

Love you all!

Elder Morgan 

Luke's Letter Dated October 14, 2013

Wow. These last 8 months have flown by. Looking back it's all gone soo fast! I just hope that the next 16 months are slower than the first 8. 

This week has been really really good We've been working like crazy! One of the days we had planned to go to the edge of our area to contact some former investigators. We went out there, it was a really long walk. We got there and none of them were home or would let us in the door. So we decided to do some tracting in the area. We didn't have much luck. We were just turning on to another street when a guy started hollering at us telling us to come over there. We got over there and he was suuuuper drunk. We got talking to him a little bit, he told us his name was Sergio Lucas and that the missionaries had come to his house before. He told us he was going to come to church on Sunday with us. We talked to him for a minute and told him we'd come back when he was sober. So that's what we did. 

Two days later we came back and talked to him. We taught him about the Restoration of the Gospel and he was so excited! We invited him to be baptized the end of this month, and he said yes. I've never seen anyone so excited about it than him! He's a boss!! He came with us to church and absolutely loved it! He's already given us referrals to a couple of his friends in the area too! He's a capo! 

So I'm loving Argentina.

I always thought i'd miss music on a mission. Especially outside the country cause I thought I wouldn't hear any music in English. But that's not a problem. Argentines like their music. Loud. Most houses have their massive speakers faced out the window blasting music. And a lot of the times that music is from the states. One of those little tender mercies (: 

The dogs down here are crazy. They're everywhere. In like one block it's not unusual to see like 20 dogs sleeping in the street. Not on the sidewalks, not in peoples yards, In the streets. It's kinda funny. Every now and then they'll like follow us too. It's pretty cool. Most of them are pretty nice, they just need a bath. Bad. lol. 

I'm loving it. I'm gaining weight. Not cool. We eat like a ton of pastas. And lunch is like the big meal here, not dinner, so my eating habits are like horrible. I stuff myself at 1, Then am starving at like 9. So I eat cereal. haha. Healthy, I know. 

We're looking forward to a good week! I hope you all have a good week too!!

Love you all!

Elder Luke Morgan


Luke said, "It's too dangerous to carry my camera with me. So I don't have too many pictures"

 Kinda a landscape of the houses there.

 The awesome Oreos they have here! (Despicable me) (: 

My companion and I at an all you can eat pizza place. (I ate 14 pieces) 

Luke's letter dated October 7, 2013

HOLA!!

This week has flown by really quick! We've been working our little tails off! haha. 

We walk a ton here. We walk about 10 to 13 miles a day. Compared to my area back in utah, the area here is huge! 

Back in utah we didn't tract at all. Here we tract quite a bit! My companion and I get home at night pretty much dead... It's really cool though. I love it! 

So In my letter last week I wasn't able to be super specific about things cause i didn`t have too much time. But now I have a little bit more time. So, I'll start with the food. We eat a ton of pastas and meat. I haven't had any steak yet. But i'm looking forward to it! We have bread with like every meal. Bread for Argentines is like tortillas for mexicans. 

The weather is changing here. It's starting to get hot. It's gonna get really really hot. I'm gonna have two summers here! (: .... 

The language isn't too different from the mexican spanish that I learned in Utah. So I don't have too much trouble understanding people. 

The city that I am in is kinda big. in size. It's mostly residential. Mostly dirt streets. The houses are fairly small. It's really a pretty cool place! 

One interesting thing. They don't really have garbage truck service here. So people just burn their trash. There is trash fires like everywhere all the time. Anything in specific you wanna know?? I just like can't think of anything about here to say. haha.

We found a super awesome guy this week. Jose. We found him knocking doors. He opened the door, and after a little persuasion he let us in the house (:  He works construction. And sleeps. That's all he has time to do. The only day he has off is sunday (YESSS!!) He really seemed kinda depressed, lonely and down. But when we started sharing the message of the Restoration of the Gospel, he lit up. It was like a light came on in his eyes. We invited him to be baptized, he said "of course!" Soo cool. Seems like he's been super prepared. I'm so excited for him!

I hope you all have a good week! I love you all!! (:

Elder Morgan

Letter From Luke Dated September 30, 2013 (Luke's Birthday)

Wow. 

Finally here. It's nothing like I expected! This place is so much different than the states. I love it though! 

So I'll start from the beginning. Last week I said goodbyes to my district and everything back in salt lake. Sooo sad. I miss them already! 

I went to the SLC airport on wednesday morning. Got checked in and went on my way through security. (mine were the only bags that weren't overweight.) Met up with Sisters Walker, Bangerter, and Neilsen. They were all in my mtc district. 

We flew into Los Ángeles. I sat by Sisters walker and neilsen. It wasnt too bad! Kinda short. We had a little time in LA. So we made some phone calls. I wanted to call more people. But i figured i better give the time to the sisters. 

We then got back on a plane to fly all the way over to Atlanta. Longer flight this time. It was alright. I was able to sleep a little bit. I sat by the same two sisters. We just talked most of the time. Not too bad! 

We arrived in Atlanta a little late because of a water problem on the plane back in LA. So we ran across the airport to get to our next flight. There was a whole ton of missionaries there. Some visa waiters, some going to the mtc down here. We got on that one and got all situated. Sister Bangerter was sitting with us this time. We all got setteled in and sis bangerter said she had melatonen. (I know i didn't spell that right) so she gave me one. I slept most of the way there! 

It was soo nice! after 9 hours 45 min. We finally got to Argentina! It was soo nice to finally be here. After a pain in the butt process of getting through customs and immigration we finally got to our mission president. He greeted us and we were on our way. we went to the temple, took pictures, then went to the presidents house to eat some lunch, have interviews and be introduced into the mission. Soo good! 

(: We spent the majority of this day in the offices and everything just working on paperwork and all that! Kinda boring. But it's all good! 

We had oreo night. An experience I could spend a whole email on. Crazyness. I'll send pictures next week. 

On friday I got my new companion! Elder Barrenechea from Peru. He doesn't speak hardly any english. But we get along just fine! He's like 5 foot 4. Much shorter than me. It's a little funny to look at us! 

My area is the Marilo ward. The city of moreno.. I think. Or maybe the city or Marilo. Who knows! lol. It's a pretty humble area. Mostly dirt streets. The houses are generally small. I love it though! The people are so nice and loving! It rocks! I'm loving Argentina! And my mission!! (:

So. Mail I can get mail anytime, as much as you all can send. But as far as packages it's recommended that I only get 3-4 a year. Every package I get costs about 20-50 dollars to recieve on top of what you have paid to send it down here. Not too cheap. So they reccomend that I only get a few a year so I still have money to eat and stuff (:

The address for mail and packages is:

La Iglesia de Jesucristo de Los Santos de Los Últimos Días

Elder Morgan

Misión  Buenos Aires Oeste

C.C. 92 

1702 Ciudadela

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Hope to hear from all of you soon!!

Love you!! (:

Elder Morgan

Luke makes it to Argentina Finally 09-26-2013

Here is a letter from President and Sister Carter

September 26, 2013


Dear Brother and Sister Morgan,

We are writing to inform you that your son, Elder Morgan, has arrived safely in the Argentina Buenos Aires West Mission. We have enjoyed becoming acquainted with him and are confident that he will beco- me an effective instrument in the hands of the Lord in sharing the gospel.

We have assigned your son a companion who is an experienced, devoted, and motivated Elder. Missionaries understand that one of the greatest privileges available in the mission is to train a new missionary. This first companion will be a special person in your son’s life and will help him to have a great start to his mission.

We feel that our greatest responsibility is the care and welfare of your son. We want to assure you that we will be in close contact with him. We will be observant of his physical health, happiness and spiritual well-being. We will work closely with him throughout his mission to help him succeed and fulfill his calling as a representative of the Church and as an ambassador of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Please be assured that we will be in contact with you if we ever encounter any concerns that would call for your attention. We see you as a great asset to the success of your son while he is serving in the mission field and will work closely with you if the need arises.

Enclosed is a photograph of your missionary taken with us today. You may want to check in on the mission blog from time to time at buenosaireswest.blogspot.com There you will also find contact information for us on the tab beneath the header.

Thank you for the sacrifices you are making at home to have your missionary in the field. We have seen the Lord bless the families of missionaries who are serving in untold ways.

Appreciatively,
President Douglas B. Carter Hermana Debra Carter 

Luke's last letter from the states dated September 21, 2013

Hello!!!

So I'm going to Argentina in two days. It's crazy to think about it. I honestly thought it wouldn't come! But it's here! I can't wait to get down there!!! (: 

This week has been really really good. First things first. Leida (Lady). We asked her who she wanted to baptize her. She said me. I explained to her that it's better if someone from the branch baptizes her. She was cool with that, and she said she'd get back to us on our next lesson. So we showed up for our next lesson and she asked me to baptize her. I figured it was okay. So I said yes (: I got to perform the baptism on Saturday. She seemed so happy. I asked her how she felt afterwards. She said "New." Best answer I've ever heard! (: Pretty sweet! 

ON Sunday she went up to get confirmed, and the branch president asked her who she would like to confirm her. We had talked about the first counselor doing it before. But she pointed to me and said, "Him." So, then I had to figure out how to do a confirmation.(I've never done one before this moment) I did it, and afterwards I asked another Elder if I had done it right. He said perfect. So I was a little relieved. I felt bad that I did both the baptism and the confirmation. But it was what she wanted. So It's all good! (: 

On Saturday after the baptism My dad and Susan took my companion and I to Tucanos. I always walk outta there in pain. But it's sooo worth it!! (: It was pretty awesome!

I got a package from my mom this week. It was an airplane survival kit. It was pretty sick. My mom kinda rocks. And is hilarious!!!!

Well, I gotta go shopping now. I'm gonna buy all of one box of cereal to last me the day I have left here. Good stuff (:

Love you all!!

Elder Morgan

ps. I get a little trunky every time I see an airplane (: Just sayin