Friday, December 27, 2013

December 23, 2013 (Week 71)

December 23, 2013

[I told Conner about the family crepe eating contest...] Wow. Crepes. Man, I've been out here that long? Freak... and who is the hippy that ate 13? I saw Brad, Shay, Blake, Kristy, and Riley and some bum off the street [Garrett]. That's nice you let him eat. I guess he was pretty famished to eat so much.
 
This week we had the ward Christmas party. It was pretty chill. Nothing too exciting. We brought like 12 investigators to the party, none came to church. COOL.... That was a letdown, haha.
 
As for the gays [Utah's marriage law deemed unconstitutional]. Read the bible. I'll stay down here in Mexico until the Lord comes. Nobody even cares about getting married by the government, haha.
 
Well.... this week. Pretty tranquilo... not too much. My converts make up a fourth of the ward now. That was pretty funny to see at the ward party.
 
We have been working like dogs. My blood pressure is pretty unstable. High and low. Freaking headaches, haha. I wish you would all send me Mountain Dew. The withdrawals are so bad I cry in my dreams when I find a box, hahaha. Oh well. Still gotta work and work and work. That's the mission. I guess Jake is going home in less than 6 months. What's up with that? Me and Elder Boyd are pretty down to stick it out. I feel like I'll get all caught up in a week or so anyways.
 
Everyone loved the sunflower seeds at the activity today. The whole zone was asking me for 'em, haha.
 
Nothing much else. I love you all. See you Wednesday. Cool beans.
 
Adios Americanos. Que tengan una Feliz Navidad y prospero año 2014. 
 
De Ciudad Mendoza, Veracruz Mexico...

 
Elder Mortensen

Saturday, December 21, 2013

December 16, 2013 (Week 70)

December 16, 2013

I swear the Relief Society teamed up to give us vegetables and beef in hot water and chicken in slimy gravy every single day this month. It's destroying me! haha.
 
Anyways, Deynni se bautizó [was baptized]. That was pretty cool. Still doesn't top last week, but she sure was converted. It was cool to see her change. She never had a single question for us!! Pretty cool. I love the Plan of Salvation question I made up... Hermana... are you prepared to meet God in this very moment? 99/100 times they say no and the Spirit tells them they need baptism, and they always say baptism and repentance. Read the scriptures Garrett and Riley.  I doubt it will ever click WHY the Book of Mormon has the fullness of the gospel until the mission but it will! It's crazy. Just read and study. Alma 34. Read that as a family. I love it in Spanish.
 
 
As for the weekly apostasy, the Catholics are straight crazy. The 12th of Diciembre is the Dia de la Virgen de Guadalupe and boy are they nuts up here. From the 1st to the 12th, fireworks all night, parades, images, singing happy birthday to the virgin, motorcycles.. I've got nothin against the Catholics in the states but they sure are pretty crazy down here in Veracruz. As Maria (my convert) says: a whole bunch of fireworks and parades for the virgin and I bet not a single little firework for Jesus! haahaha. Man, it sure was difficult to sleep with parades at 2 in the morning outside of the house hahaha.
 
The time is going by so fast. Its 10:30 at night before we blink. I feel bad for Elder Cerna. He just started, haha. It's going by faster than I want it to. The days are over before we know it. Not a whole lot is happening. Just praying really hard and finding faith to keep working.
 
I love you all. Gotta go. nos vemos [see you later]!
 
Elder Mortensen

Friday, December 13, 2013

December 9, 2013 (Week 69)

 
December 9, 2013

Just read Alma 26 for me this week, and you'll be able to feel a small portion of what I'm feeling. Better yet, you'll read what I'm feeling.
 
David was a man that I contacted while waiting for a bus. I just knew by the way he looked at me I had to contact him. We did, he turned out to be gold. He is already in 2 nefi 20 in 3 weeks. He loves it. Giving us referencias every day of his family. Speaking of which, he brought his wife and two daughters to church, he says they got really excited about baptism and wanted to do it too. Called the President, he said yep, so.... he got baptized with his two daughters, Marisol, y Estrella Rubi.
 
Alicia is a woman de 25 años that works for a member. She had talked to misioneros before but was a strong catolica and said absolutely no to baptism, but we started up the lessons, taught her with the spirit, and now she's one of the stronger converts I have been blessed with. We are telling her she's going on a mission. She doesn't deny it, and brought 2 friends to church with her haha... She shared her testimony after baptism, and man was it strong.
 
Ruben, got baptized. I don't even know how to describe the feeling of being in the water... it's incredible.
 
Went to the temple and loved it. The new video is incredible. It makes me want to watch it in English though. the Spanish voices don't have the same attitude.

Everything is going really, really well down here. Elder Cerna is progressing fast, and loving the mission. I hope he's proud to call me his "papa" unlike my situation with my papa.... I've got news about Castañeda... just know I've had a weird mission, that's all. The Christmas devotional was great. I loved Nelson's talk. It was great. A 70 came to our stake and planched the members a good one for their lazy work. Us missionaries got off scott-free haha. He comes back in January to talk to the misioneros. I won't get too excited yet... haha.
 
I've got lots of stories for you all, just no time. Let's see how many I can get out on skype. Love you all.
 
Elder Mortensen


December 2, 2013 (Week 68)

December 2, 2013

Hola familia!

Well... we went on another hike today. Another 8 hours, haha. I'm not gonna tell you all what happened or send home fotos of the hole in my arm haha.... That's a story for when I get home hahaha. But it was superrrrr sweet. We went bounding off and I found me another river to wade in haha. Really beautiful country.
 
As for la obra misonal [missionary work], Maria and Rosalia are so converted they cry like mom every time the Spirit is present. It's amazing. I'm so happy for them, and they are really happy too. Ruben has never been better and his interview is Wednesday. David is going to get baptized too, and Alicia. WHAT A WEEKEND THIS SHALL BE!!! 
 
I can't wait to see you all this month. This weekend we are going to the temple so I'll let you all know how that goes.
 
I did get one package. It got "searched" for drugs, soooo... I already know what you guys gave me for Christmas. hahaha freaking tools opened all the gifts... hahah. Send a list of what is in the two packages... Gracias.
 
We got kicked out of the house by our crazy owner, but we moved to the next house, and it was super super small... so, we called the troops, said sorry for coming from Mexico City, but we don't want it. We are gonna get rid of our stuff and go back home... The owner repented and kept the rent normally like it is for another 6 months. freak... What a mess! Slept at 2 last night... tired as gale right now hahah....
 
Love you all, wish I had more time