Morris Miracles

Ryan has had the amazing opportunity to serve in the rural town of Morris.  On the outside it may seem like a tiny unassuming town in the farmlands of Minnesota but it turned out to be a place of incredible growth and opportunities.

Ryan was sent there to help with a brand new Spanish Branch that met in a room in the city offices.  His first week there, 9 people attended the branch, and that included the missionaries.  There was work to be done.  This tiny branch provided Ryan with experiences of leadership, music conducting, spontaneous talks and lessons, adult responsibilities and the opportunity to share his years of experience in the church with those that had less.

He cooked for the the whole branch for General Conference.  He made sugar cookies and delivered them to everyone and invited them to give a plate to someone they were thinking about.  He started a weekly soccer game for the community.  He reached out by social media and local print to invite people to learn more about Christ.

He and his companion, Elder Pugh, got out into the community and served in so many capacities.  He helped people move and organize, played with the animals in the local animal shelter, supported local events, helped in the local food pantries, built shelves and other things and even became celebrities at the local thrift stores.  The missionaries became known as hardworking, honest, reliable and upstanding young men.  Someone even interviewed them for an article in the local newspaper.  They became friends and advocates for the Spanish community within Morris. It was incredible to see the outreach they accomplished.

Things were going strong.  They had some promising investigators that were attending church.  The attendance had grown at the highest to 27 people.  Miracles were happening all around them.  And Ryan was happy, thriving and losing him self in the work and his love for the people.  And, as typical, when you have learned your lesson and accomplished your purpose, it is time to move on.

Ryan received a surprising notice that he was being transferred.  He was sad.  We were sad.  The Branch was sad.  It was hard to understand.  And yet this was the perfect opportunity to trust in the Lord and his plan for Ryan.  Who knows why it was time for him to leave but we will look forward to finding out why.

But in the meantime, I will forever be grateful to the town of Morris and the joy we felt to have Ryan serve in that little piece of Heaven.

Ryan's Mom

PS  Ryan had many stories of working in the various thrift stores and the employees loved them.  The missionaries also benefited from various cast off items from the store.  I have included pictures of a Christmas tree that they built using pieces of various items.  The following week they were able to decorate it with stuff that was being discarded that week.  This also included various apartment decorations.  And, in the end, they gave him a $25 gift certificate to the store that he was able to spend before he left.  He purchased all of his Christmas presents and boy are we looking forward to opening the treasures he so carefully selected.