Tuesday, June 10, 2014

June 9, 2014 (Week 95)

June 9, 2014

Well, I'm going to Oaxaca, Tuxtepec to die.

I got a call last night, my services are no longer needed as zone leader, I've got to now make a new kid into the next ZL or AP. The mission really needs leaders, and there aren't any, so Presidente trusts me to help this kid be a leader. I feel pretty honored really. It's cool to think that. Two elders are coming today to the mission, and like President said in my interview, it's probable that I train. Well, here's to the next Entrenador [Coach] Elder Mortensen. I'm sad, but at the same time happy. Now I can focus on my area, and my hijo [junior], and I don't have to worry about the entire zone. I think it'll be a great way to end the mission. Everyone in the zone was sad when I told them. I guess that's how you know if you were a good leader or not, if your zone is gonna miss you after. I still don't know who he is, I'm going in special changes to Tuxtepec with him tomorrow in the morning. Pretty stoked, but I'm going in white wash, which means I have no idea what's going on, and my comp (likely an American) will not have a clue. At least I can speak Spanish, haha. but it should be a lot of fun. And the ex-AP that got called to train baptized like 8 weeks straight. I'm hoping the Lord's got the same thing in mind for me, haha.
 
But, we might have blown that trust. the APs now are pretty angry all the time, and just called because we wanted to go out to eat some hamburgers like half the zone, and another elder "ratted" on us, and now the APs are angry because we didn't ask permission, and now we have to explain ourselves to presidente. Man. Garrett and Riley, don't be like them please! They make life miserable. I love the mission, but arrogant leaders are just too much sometimes... Just be obediente, but chill. Don't freak out over little things haha.
 
Well.... we didn't baptize. Fernando didn't have a strong testimony of the Book of Mormon, so we weren't going to baptize him. Not like he wanted to. They are gonna work hard with him to get that testimony. He is just missing a little bit of confidence that God has already answered him...
 
We got super super wet this Friday and Saturday. To be honest, it was crazy. I guess a cyclone hit Veracruz and boy did it rain for hours and hours and hours. Our feet still aren't dry! haha.
 
Well, I'm gonna bounce. Cuidense [Take care] eh! 

Elder Mortensen.

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

June 2, 2014 (Week 94)

June 2, 2014

[Dad's B-day this week] I'd sing you the Happy Birthday song estilo mexicano [Mexican-style], but it's super dumb haha. it doesn't make sense. Basta con FELIZ CUMPLEAÑOS VIEJITO!!!! hahaha (happy birthday old man ;) )

That's crazy. you've already completed close to two años. [years] man.... me too. weird how time goes no?

Well apologies for last week's email/P-day. It was horrible. One weird member from Elder Shearers rama [area] in Los Tuxtlas showed up at 8:30 without a peso in his pocket and was excited to be with us ALLL day. I wasn't to say the least. I was looking forward to a chill last day with Elder Shearer, not being a third wheel. Also, the Internet where we were was filthy and the spirit left, which made me angry, without the spirit to keep me calm, and my camera chip broke, and I lost all my fotos, (Aracley took my camera to Centro, and bought me a new chip and backed everything up. So she saved 9 gigs of unbacked-up fotos... She's a saint. I love her.) and then I had to pay 150 pesos for this kids bus ticket to San Andres because he just HAD to see Elder Shearer one last time... a little desperate to see another man. Like shearer said,"it'd be cool if it was the love of his life, but it's just me. hahaha..." We ate with Aracely that day, and then in the night we got permission to go out to the Boulevard of Veracruz by the ocean with a rich member to eat the best Italian food in the nicest restaurant... man was that great food!! (by the way, he's in Utah right now, and brought a few things home for you guys. So when he calls or something, answer haha. He's got gifts! Santa from Mexico! Send me fotos next week and I'll tell you who it's for.)
 
Shearer left, and I stayed, Elder Gonzalez. He's a cool cat. We laugh a lot haha. We have been working hard, but to baptize we have got to keep pushing the limits and working harder and harder. Time is running out. We also had interviews with president (my last) and I asked him what he thought of me. He said, you've changed a lot Elder Mortensen. You've made big changes, you didn't start like this. I agreed and he told me for the changes I've made I am where I am, and the leadership I hold is because he trusts me. Those are great words to hear. He gave me a blessing at the end and gave me some pretty neat promises. That's something I'll never forget. 
 
This Sunday was super spiritual. I love playing the piano. Too bad I can't play it much. Man, funny how things like that slap ya in the face. But I played this Sunday. How great is the hymn "Where Can I Turn For Peace". If that doesn't bring the spirit, it's time to repent haha. Because it started off the whole day. Sacrament was good, then in Gospel Principles, when the ward mission leader asked various people how they knew the Book of Mormon was true they all looked at me and said because he came over and told me, and when he talks to me, I just feel something different. Man. if that doesn't make you feel good. Just to know that you are doing just one thing right in life. To know you are helping some of your brothers and sisters come towards the light... It was a great class. Then we did an activity in priesthood counting all the time used in the week, and after everything they could think of, the time of lazy hours was 21. Tithing? 2 hours. Then I shared the scripture, not everyone that tells me "Lord, Lord will enter into the kingdom of my father" and explained that we have to have that love for our brothers and God to give our tithing to find treasures in heaven. Then I had pure revelation and the spirit talked through me and told the priesthood. "You think those treasures are gold? No. Gold means nothing to God. Treasures in heaven are standing in front of the judgment seat of God with neighbors and friends. Clean from sin, and them looking at you and saying: 'thank you for your two hours'" It was super powerful. How much I treasure moments like it. It really is true. We all know people that don't have what we have. They could even be inactives. But their souls are precious to God. We are His treasures, and we can share in His wealth, but we have to "store up" those treasures, by working hard in His vineyard TODAY. 
It was a good Sunday. A great week. Lots of problems in the Zone, but we are faithful and full of hope and are going to work harder every day. Time really is running out. Gotta work harder. It's the last time the Lord will work in His vineyard...
 
ELDER MORTENSEN Loves you all. 

May 26, 2014 (Week 93)

May 26, 2014

Hey family.

Well. Aracely got baptized! That was really cool. She's a straight convert. We went to her wedding a ways a way, and we got there, she got married, and then Saturday she got baptized. It was a good weekend. This stupid computer doesn't work so I cant send home any fotos. well... That's about it.
 
Elder Gonzalez de la Republica Dominicana [from the Dominican Republic] is my next comp. He was with me in Los tuxtlas. He goes home in agosto [August] too. We will see if we end up dying together haha... 


Elder Mortensen

May 19, 2014 (Week 92)

May 19, 2014

27 years of the same compañero. [Mom & Dad's 27th Anniversary] You guys should talk to your Presidente de Mision about that. I'm not sure that's normal... normally its like 2 or 3 changes max... but 27 years!

Felicidades [Congratulations] eh! That's cool. I'm glad you guys have learned how to live together. You're an example for me. Well, mom, thanks for so much patience. I like having dad around hahaha.
 
La Princesita was super good. I'm ready for round 2. I guess only one other person has ever done it.... I'd like to just go back to eat it normally. That'd be fun. It really was a good hamburger... and you'd think I would have learned my lesson, but on divisions we passed by a taco place before going home, and bought a kilo of carne al pastor before catching the bus home hahaha. That's too good with a cold Mountain Dew..
Tacos al pastor + MTN DEW = un Elder Mortensen muyyyy feliz [one veryyyy happy Elder Mortensen]. Like the penguins say in Madagascar (instead of smile and wave, edicion español) = Gorditos y bonitos muchachos... gorditos y bonitos... [Thick and pretty, boys] that's how I felt haha.
 
This week we didn't baptize. Geez. That's a bummer. Oh well. Gotta keep havin faith. We have been workin with a few people. And oh yeah, I did a contact, the lady let us in, and turns out her daughter in law is the daughter of Jose Luis y Blanca of Los Tuxtlas!! She lives here with her husband. We had a good laugh, but I told her after the prayer: "You know, I was thinkin, God hasn't given up on your family. He wants you and your family baptized, and He's sent me here to remind you!" It was so cool. A few other people, and we have been teaching this guy on his bus haha. That's fun. A new experience.

This week was norte [Tropical Flow], and the pollen was just floating EVERYWHERE. And as it turns out, I'm allergic. I was almost dead, and then to make things better, we did 6 interviews with a family right next to a huge swamp of these plants. I'm not even sure they understood me between SNIFF SNIFF ACHOO SNIFF bautismo [baptism]? SNIFF listo[ready]? SNIFF. hahah. It was an experience.

We did have something cool happen this week. This lady with a camera on her door told us she was busy, and to leave something in the little mail box on the door. We left 5 pamphlets and an invitacion to our English class hahaha. She asked for it!

I was studying in Hebrews 10-13 yesterday and boy was my understanding lit up! My oh my! I studied for 5 hours 3 chapters. WHY we have to suffer, what's its purpose, what happens if we don't, and the point of suffering with our faith, hope, and charity. I invite you all to study it. But I'll tell you like the JST says, without afflictions, they couldn't have been made perfect... so, that's why Paul was so stoked to suffer! He welcomed suffering! Because he knew that if he suffered, he was made a little more perfect! And like the scripture says, with suffering, we receive a greater weight of glory in the heavens. Is that a cool subject to study or what!? I wish I could talk over Skype every week and give a class haha... But nope. But study it! It's great!

We had a great class in priesthood. A stake guy came and talked with energy about how Captain Moroni was a man of God, and how he became that man of God. He invited us to study all the attributes of Moroni that made him that man... and how that goes hand in hand with 3 nefi 13, and how God wants us to leave all. That's how you become that man. Not worrying about your own life!

It's been a great week, but its time to go, I'm still not too fat, after all, we didn't have time to buy food Monday cause I was too busy eating la Princesita, so we kinda suffered this week, oh well. More glory for me! hahaha a little more perfect! Wait, that's why the mission is the school of the Gods, because when you aren't thinkin about yourself, you start changing. Huh. The gospel is just a big ol' puzzle hahah. Everything is related. God is smart ... I can't wait to understand and learn from Him again. Love you all!

Elder Mortensen