Home for Christmas

I am so thankful that no matter where I'm at in the world there is always a place to call home. These past two weeks were much needed. I was able to catch up with friends and family, sleep in (I had forgotten what that felt like) and even just sit around and plain old do nothing, but do you want to know what I loved the most about the whole break? Well, the night before Christmas Eve I started getting sick, and it didn't just end after 24 hours. One week later and I'm still fighting it, but do you know who was there with me every step of it, telling me to take more medicine, and to go to bed, and go get in another hot shower to "cook it out of me?" My mom. Man, do I love that women and for some reason it's almost harder to say good bye this time around than the first time I left. I'm so grateful I was home to have my mom take care of me. I do not welcome the day I get sick in New York. I also appreciate home because I don't have to filter ANYTHING! I'm kind of nervous to go back to New York because I'm a little sensitive to all of the language. Sure, everyone says, "you'll get used to it," but I honestly don't want to. I'm growing up so much. There are so many things to learn and I'm at the very beginning... [a very good place to start~Sound of Music] haha, I know, I'm a nerd but hey, it happens to the best of us, right? I honestly am so excited to find out what God has in store for me. As much as I'm enjoying New York, it is such a trial of my faith, but it's almost easy to stay strong. The hard part is sharing my strength with others. I get so tired of all the questions and missionary experiences. There was one day I had 4 in less than one hour! A word to the wise, if you've been praying for missionary experiences and they haven't really come, don't worry, He keeps a tally and will be sure to give you every last one of them. Being a missionary is so hard! I LOVE MISSIONARIES! Thank goodness for their service because little people like me sometimes need backup. Moving back out of Utah has been humbling. I don't know anything! (Yes mom, and all those parents out there reading this, I said it) I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING! You think you know quite a bit when you move out, but you really don't, not about the church, cooking, time management, and the endless list of everything you have to do by yourself. I mean, I'm still asking my mom for laundry sorting help, and I even did my laundry for the last year of high school! Laugh all you want parents, but don't think your kids won't be saying the same things as I am now, because it will be even worse! I'm not going to lie, compared to a normal teenager, I was easy. Sure, I had my moody moments, or weeks, but hey, who doesn't? And yes, I got mouthy with my mom a few times here and there, which ended about as fast as you can say "smack." But other than those minor things I think I was pretty good.  Needless to say I love being home. Please write me an email or a Facebook message, even if it's only to say hi. I'd love to keep in contact with as many people as possible. And on the plus side reading mail and writing people back will keep me out of trouble... nah! haha just kidding:) Goodbye Utah, See you in 6 months!

Love you all!

Morgan 

PS Pray for me

Foreign American

One of my classes, called Vocal & Speech Production, teaches how to speak in the American Standard dialect. Coming here I did not expect to come across a whole new way of writing things, but here it is... the american language that looks foreign:)

Head, Shoulders, Knees, & "Look, I can touch my toes!"

Every day, during the week, the school provides a morning warm up starting at 8am, the only problem being every morning class starts at either 8 or 8:30. So instead of whining about it, I decided to do my own warm ups at 6am every morning. That's right 6 AM! By the end of the week I'm exhausted, but it makes me feel so much better. For all of you who have never done yoga, you should, and be sure to stick with it for at least a couple of weeks.

One of my main goals this semester is to become more flexible and yoga has definitely made all the difference. In just 4 weeks, for the first time ever, I can touch my toes and the ground and not feel like I'm going to break in the process. It's kind of lame that I took pictures of myself stretch, but hey, I'm proud of myself dang it!

A Day in The Life



I live half a block straight a head. I'm so close to everything!



The north view of the picture above

Conan O'Brien's blimp
 oh and ps, I passed him on the street walking home from institute on Wednesday:)

The mini farmers market across the street from the temple

Lincoln Square steps (the lights all say "welcome" in various languages)

First Christmas lights I've seen

NYC takes all kinds!

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

This museum is extraordinary! After going to it I called my mom a told her it was up there with Wicked on the "coolest things I've ever seen list. If you're ever in NY you absolutely have to go and be sure to leave at least 3 hours open for it. It's HUGE!

~:P

THE MANSION? I can't remember what the exhibit was called:/

(A couple of kids from my orientation group)

ARMOR & WEAPONY

my favorite exhibit:)

EGYPT

Church of St. Paul the Apostle

All the incoming students were welcomed to AMDA in the Church of St. Paul the Apostle (for no particular reason except space). As ytou can see, it was gorgeous! I could never go to church in a place like this because I'd never pay attention. Too many beautiful distractions.

NYC Day 1: Less Than Perfect

Today was... interesting. You'd think your first day in NYC would be absolutely fabulous, which it was, but for different reasons than I expected. I woke up at 4:15am to catch my 5:45 flight to the big apple. On my layover flight to Denver were 3 friendly people on their way Maryland for business meetings. I think they were mainly friendly because they had had a little too much to drink the night before, but I was thankful for their company. Then came the long flight to the Newark Airport in New Jersey. My seat assignment was in the very, very back of the plane, right in front of the bathrooms. I had been warned prior to my flight to do whatever possible to not get this seat, but there I was stuck in the back with people bumping into me every time I tried to sneak in a couple of minutes to stare at the insides of my eyelids. Before liftoff I had already become friends with the flight attendant through the means of teasing. What can I say... some things never change. The flight attendant took very good care of me; I felt like I was first class, but better! He even gave me free food! While waiting to get off the plane, the first class flight attendant came to the back of the plane to get her carry on.

We struck up some conversation and she asked me the regulars, "What brings you to NY?" being the main one, which when I told her led to the question of how old I was, which then threw her into 'mom mode.' She practically took my hand through the next hour of hell, so to speak. She called me her plane daughter when familiar faces would ask who I was. At baggage claim we waited, and waited, and waited for my luggage to come, but it didn't. How in the world could they have managed to lose my luggage between

flights? The flight attendant helped me figure out where it was, made sure that it would be to me by the next morning and then put me in a taxi. I am so thankful for the flight attendant and the other people I met along the way. They were all my guardian angels! Oh the tender mercies! So there I was in my first taxi, obviously nervous for the unknown, and decided to strike up conversation with the cab driver. I think it was obvious to him that I was new to the city and within a couple minutes I had him talking about his three daughters and his fatherly wisdom. I asked him what advice he'd give me if I were one of his daughters and his response is as follows with the explanations for each:

Number 1: Don't drink. My niece went to school and got a wild streak in her and has been throwing up every morning for the last 2 months. I just don't understand how a person is willing to spend such a large portion of their life in front of the toilet. She's throwing away her dreams.

Number 2: Don't smoke. It costs too much money.

Number 3: Don't party, it's not worth it.

Number 4: Work hard and you'll get where you want to go

Smart man. Thank you Mike for your 15 minutes of friendship, although we'll never meet again, I will keep and follow your words of wisdom forever. I had made it, and all in one piece might I add! The down side, I had no bedding and no luggage and I had got to school a day earlier than all the other students so I was super stressed out. Thank goodness for my aunt’s friend Genelle Wells who let me stay with her and her husband. Above you can see the view from where I stayed my first night in NYC. In luxury! Plus, the next morning she took me to my class registration and took me to buy bedding and get my room all set up. She was a God send. He must really love me, something I can't deny. These people came out of nowhere and I am forever thankful for them. God is good!