Sunday, August 17, 2014

August 11, 2014 (Week 104)

August 11, 2014

Stayin alive... Stayin alive... oh oh oh oh Stayin aliveeeeeeeeeeeeeeee..... - Elder Mortensen

Well now. This week has been something crazy. This Friday we got permission to put a stand in the main park here, and the other Elderes called us, they had to baptized that day because the hermana was about to give birth. For some reason Elder Winsor was chosen to baptize. That was funny. She actually ended up giving birth before the baptism. hahaha not true, but she was just about ready to pop. But, she got baptized. She's had a hard pregnancy though...

Our baptism was something of a miracle, after a serious trial of our faith that's for sure. Elvia really like coffee, and last week her boss told her to take a week off and go to her rancho, where they drink coffee more than water. we sent her off with a prayer, fasting, and with anything possible, cards with scriptures on it, a blessing, and articles from the liahona. We tried to do everything. She doesn't have a phone, so we didn't hear anything from her for more than a week. It was stressful to be honest. We were fasting and praying and hoping, and it really was blind faith because everything was just telling me, just give up. You know she has already dranked coffee (dranked drunked drakin haha no sé.) She was supposed to get home Saturday at like 3, She didn't get home. We went to the church for the activity - the activity failed horribly. The ward mission leader didn't do anything, and the ward didn't do anything, And really, thanks to the sweet blessings of God, only 2 investigators came. I wished that none would have come. It was a complete failure, but just then, at 7 o'clock, here comes Elvia running into the church though the gate. ELVIA!!! Woo! We talked for a bit, she didn't drink a single drop of coffee :) 
We had her interview, and she passed, but the only thing was, she was given a job where she had to work Sundays. Same family, other job. she was already committed to work Sunday, but could get an hour off, and she was gonna go talk to her boss. She promised she wouldn't work another Sunday if she got baptized. That's sweet. so, at 9:46 pm she was baptized so she could get confirmed on Sunday. Really a cool blessing. The only baptism I haven't been able to prepare the week before, haha. But she knew why she was gonna get baptized, and she wanted to do it right then. That type of faith was actually really cool. She has been really cool to teach, because we had to teach to her needs perfectly so the spirit would be there. It was a lot of listening really carefully, and a lot of teaching with examples and a lot of faith and patience.

We have basically everything ready to get Adelaida and Luis married and they are ready to get married, just that really sadly, she drank a small cup of coffee on Sunday. That basically means I'll be able to get them married, but I won't be here for their baptism. I'm pretty sad, but it's alright. I'm gonna do my part and get them married so they will be ready for their baptism in 3 weeks... It's been cool to see their faith grow as well. We have been selling pies and and cakes and stuff to earn them money for their wedding. It's alright, we will have more time to teach them really well now. To teach them and make sure they are converted. But the cool story about them is that Adelaida was sad that her wedding wasn't gonna be the wedding she wanted with her whole family and the white dress and everything. I had no clue what to say, but then the thought (spiritual impression) came to mind to pull out the foto of the familia guzman at the temple after their wedding and was able to tell her that the wedding this weekend isn't even really that important. The one they are going to have in a year will be important. She really liked that, and it was a cool spiritual moment. But nevertheless, for some reason, a dumb cup of coffee set them back 3 weeks more...

Oh well. I'm happy. Just hope we can get them married this weekend, and that's enough. I'll see their baptism foto in 3 weeks I suppose. Just hoping for one last baptism... 

Well. This is the last week. I can't believe already 104 weeks have gone by... I can't believe my mission is already over. But I'm really not too sad. All I need to stay happy is just having another calling. That's really what I need. I wish the members could figure that out. God's work is missionary work. If God is happy, what do we have to do to be happy? Serve Him. That's all he asks. I really am gonna miss the mission. It's really changed my life forever.. but I'l

l have time to tell all of this to you soon...

Love you all,

Elder Mortensen

August 4, 2014 (Week 103)

Well, first things first, FELICIDADES A LOS NUEVOS PADRES!!! Brad y Shay [Congratulations on new parents, Brad and Shay], I hope the best for you two, and hope and pray that little Bronson grows well and strong. So happy for you both.

On to the next business, this week has been rough. Not gonna lie. Every investigator that we seem to find stop progressing in 2 days. We put dates with people then her brother-in-law says, "oh, she's already a member! She just doesn't remember"... or "I'm moving far away", or "my sister got in a car wreck and is in a coma and I'm going to Veracruz".. stuff like that. Also, Aracely got in a fight with her lazy daughter and had to take off to a pueblito about 35 minutes away, and it's not in our area. I'm sad. but she´ll at least be able to cook over there... We also taught her 1 nefi 8, and she knows really well she's gotta endure to the end!

But, we also had success. We did manage to meet one new guy, a friend of Jose Luis (by the way, Jose Luis is bien poderoso! [mighty fine] Wow. We taught him 1 nefi 8 and 2 hours later calls with 3 references. haha.) But this guy is pretty insecure, but came to church and loved it. And members wonder why we need them to get involved in the missionary work... Let's see... Aracely, Jose Luis, Elvia... what a difference it makes when a member is present in the lessons. But on the scary side, Elvia was suddenly given a week of vacations, before she gets baptized this weekend, but the scary part is that she is gonna be in her house not for 2 days, but for 7, and they drink more coffee than water, but we sent her off good and prepared, and we are all fasting and praying she holds strong. She doesn't have a number, so we aren't gonna hear from her for a week. Talk about trial of your faith!!! Man, but just before she went she left saying she wants the member that has been helping her to baptize her. I love that familia. They are so cool. But she knows she's gonna get baptized and she knows she can't drink or we postpone the fecha [date]!!!

Another cool thing that has happened this week, Los padres de Kiany [The parents of Kiany] started to get excited to get baptized. But they aren't married, so we came up with a plan, instead of us paying for the wedding, we just got the ward to do a order of pies and cookies, (she knows how to make desserts) and he (Luis) is gonna do some extra jobs. So now they are both committed!!! And they have to work for their baptism! That's the best part. They say they don't have money to drink coffee or beer hahahaha, But I see in their eyes that they have seen the light, and have felt the spirit, and even though they haven't said anything, I know they have a testimony. Luis now refuses work on Sundays so he can take Kiani to church, and Adelaida is happy that her husband is more happy. It's been cool to see them. We also taught them 1 nefi 8, and asked, what group do you want to be in? 1,2, or 3. well 3 no? That's good. But you are in group 1 right now, and they didn't get saved haha. Oh so I gotta take hold of the iron rod? Exactly! They understood. That's always fun!

We are going to draw really big the plan of salvation on a huge sheet of paper and put it up in the park. It's about the best idea Elder Winsor's had in his life and I give him all the credit. I've had him go pray a few times to ask for help to be happy. Sometimes he gets dis-animated, but with this idea he's now seeing he has good ideas and can participate. He's grown a lot. He still freaks out a little when the Internet doesn't load fast enough though haha. This time doesn't count right?? right??? haha. It's cool. He loves his family. Mondays sure are his joy. It's been fun having him as a compañero. He told me about the 4 normal personality types, and how one has 2, and the other has the other 2 haha. It's been a fun few months though. We get along really well. I still ask him why he does things like where sweatpants and a shirt to bed when its hotter than Hades every once in a while hahah... He just pauses, looks at me, and says: "Well I don't know!" then proceeds to change into basketball shorts.. It's funny.

I've been studying and teaching 1 nefi 8 a lot. It's my second favorite chapter besides Alma 32, but then again, it's the same thing. They are talking about the same tree. I'll have to teach that one to you guys when I get back. I'll see if I can do it in English, haha.

Also, I was studying in Jacob 5. It talks about in 20 how God works long and hard so his trees give fruit. Makes me think, aren't we trees too? In Juan [John] 15 Jesus talks about how God will clean the fruit of the vine so it gives more... also in Mateo [Matthew] 24 it talks about the talents and how much God invests in us... the question is... Are we giving the fruit God has cleaned us to be? After all of his conversion, have we grown the way God wanted us to grow? or is he going to say: Why hasn't this tree given forth good fruit? After all I have done... 

I've started my libro de mormon [Book of Mormon] again, and I've now realized I've studied and got plenty enough for investigators, and I've started to apply it to myself. Man. There are some good scriptures and some great lessons from the prophets if we really try to apply them to ourselves. May we all do so, and may we always be found working in the vineyard of the Lord, so that when he comes, we will be found innocent and rejoice with our King.

Elder Mortensen

July 28, 2014 (Week 102)

Juily 28, 2014

Querida familia,
Como estan? les amo mucho, y me da muchisima flojera escribir ahora! nos vemos!
[Dear family, 
How are you? I love them a lot, and I'm too lazy to write very many now! see you!]

Querida familia,
no es cierto. pues, me da flojera, pero ya que. [
Dear Family, it's not true, I'm not lazy]

So this week went pretty well. Lots of stressing out and trying to process information like a computer haha. Organizing contacts, old investigadores, inactive members, and a whole bunch of other datos [data]. Woo. But, it turned out alright. We have had some success this week. Had a really really cool baptism with Jose Luis. He's been wanting to get baptized for like 6 years, but did some things in Cancun that didn't let him, but 6 years later, he was fully repented, and was able to get baptized. It was really cool, you could tell he just longed to be a member. He accepts everything and loves it. I'll be seeing him in the celestial kingdom. His friend, the same in the foto gave us the reference, and its been cool to get to know him too. Miguel Angel is his name. 

We had a few really cool nights with Heliberto and his unsure wife Marisol., noches de hogar [Family Home Evening], and everything. It was spiritual. Saturday night we passed by just to make sure they were gonna come, and standing outside by the tienda [store] they have, I bore testimony of the Book of Mormon, and told her my testimony was true, but then told her something I've never really said: That it's true or I've lied to them, to the world and blasphemed before God.the spirit was really strong. Unfortunately, Heliberto went to go repair a few machines Sunday morning and they didn't come. I was super sad. That's the thing about Mexico, they work 7 days a week. it's hard to find the people who will keep their commitments... Still love 'em, still hoping and praying and fasting that they will get a testimony. I could care less about 5 weeks. If they have a testimony they are going under el 17/8/2014 haha. Don't care one bit. I can see and discern WHEN someone has a testimony or not.

Aracely went to the temple. She loved it. She's seen a TON of blessings in her life after accepting the gospel. It's been really cool. I love seeing her happy.

Elvia is going strong without cafe. (coffee) They drink it like water in the little pueblitos. More than water actually. she's been fighting. Really shy girl but its been fun to teach her with the family next door. She's been coming to church and loves it. The 9th shes got a [baptismal] date! She's our last date we have that's set. People always say they are gonna come but they never do. Oh well, everyone is free to chose for themselves. Dan sent an email out about how in his mission they just go into houses and bless the house and family. Says it's working. We might give that a shot. I think they've kind of forgotten that down here. Everything is technique and how you do this and how you do that and short lessons and lots of em and ask for references and a whole bunch of stuff that we just forgot about blessing their lives... maybe if I get the chance to be a mission president I'll put that in play. It's a good strategy. We focus too much on other things we forget about the spirit and blessing the lives of people.

Elder Winsor is still frightened of contacting and stresses more than dad about money, but he's progressing. We have fun a lot. I'm glad to be his compañero. It's been a good time. Quite the last little mountain to climb, haha!

Love you all. Can't think of anything else, so I'm just gonna watch bible videos on lds.org. Nos vemos [See you] haha

Elder Mortensen