January 28, 2013 (Week 24)

January 28, 2013

jajaj que tal amigos! es su favorito elder otra vez! ya lo sè me han extrañado bastante! esta bien.

ok. I'm here. I'm here. well. as for the week, it's been better. I like it here. A little. I'd still love to go to los tuxtlas. I miss my outdoors. right now I'm literally in a place compared to South Salt Lake, with the ocean. It's annoying and the people here are hard. but its weird. We are having fun with the companionship. We come from the same hard working previous life and we like a lot of the same things. The phrase to describe our compañerismo: back when I was a young buck... I did this. No. Listen. Back when I was a young buck... it's pretty comico. We are like 2 old geezers living the glory days. It's just there is no excitement from day to day and things are basically the same. How did you get over that dad? We are working and walking and enjoying the mission, but we miss the high points, as well as the low points. we are just coasting right now, doing busy work. I love the work, and we baptized 2, but then it just feels like back to the same ol work. I feel like there needs to be a season for all things, and I feel like we are in the season of todo tranquilo and to be honest, I'm a little bored. Lessons are great, but we don't have too many times to sit down and don't get in too many doors so we just walk, knock, and set up follow up appointments when the previous follow up appointment fell through! haha but yeah. advice? Scripture cases were way too much. He wanted like 70 dollars for the 2, not including drawings on 'em. No news on carnival, but if they pull us out, they'd put us back in the day before the transfer ends. it'll be interesting. We take taxis to the transfers.

SEND RAISIN PIE RECIPE!!!


 

haha One of our investigators the night before her baptism, Esperanza, (she's amazing. We have to repent every time we go there because we aren't worthy to teach such a progressing and changing person. She makes our lives better.) But yeah. She gave us 4 mini pies each. Jamon, piña, limon, and chocolate. sooooooo goood. Oh my. I love dessert hahahaha. but yeah. I can probably make them over there. But yeah. They were great.

haha I'm glad your little photo of the cockroach scared some kids off. Ill take a photo of our trash can and sink. It's filled with ants. We like to use Axe aerosol and a lighter to roast them all. There have been 3 leeches in the bathroom and ants everywhere. Tell people to shut up and eat there food. When they have to eat chicken that's got maggots or pig feet then they can complain... sheesh! what's this world coming to? haha

I'll have to show you the Libro de Conner when I get home. I had a miracle happen at the gas station that just needs to be told in person to the right crowd.. haha but yeah. It's coming along good. A very prized memory.

Finished the Book of Mormon again. Going through the entire standard works next. Wish me luck with the Old testament. Weird stuff. "and Sampson ripped the young lion apart like he would a kid" hahahah dumb stories.

Really fast. We had two baptisms!!! The ward mission leader, really skinny one, he's been mission leader for 24 years or something. Old and lazy. But he baptized Mercedes, who finally had a break from work this Sunday so we baptized her, and her son and his girlfriend are getting in the water this Saturday! So stoked. Hope it all works out good. Esperanza talked with her son to get forgiveness from being a harsh single mother, but he won't forgive her. She really understands the atonement. She wouldn't get baptized until she got it taken care of. But she did, dropped coffee in 2 seconds, and got baptized by the bishop who is her cousin. Really good service. Glad the two people who can help us out baptized. Maybe it'll get the ward moving! But yeah. I think that's all I've got for today, and I'm out of time. I'll send some photos! cuídense mi familia!

- El Elder Mortensen.

January 21, 2013 (Week 23)

January 21, 2013





Familia Guatzozon. I miss them.

As for the months... it's nuts. The days feel like weeks and the weeks feel like days. I'm already close to 1/4 done with my mission.... wow, it's starting to hit my comp who has 13 months in the mish hard. I'm in the middle of downtown central. So if you see a bunch of boats, or traintracks, or a huge patio with palm trees next to the ocean, go east and that's my area... haha it's pretty sweet to be in centro, but there's this tradition called carnival. It's 14 days and everyone drinks and dresses up all sleazy.. not sure if they will pull us out. I hope not. We are ordering scripture cases in leather from a shop down there... if not we can have a member pick them up. But yeah. Interesting time to be in the Centro. Its a one of a kind area... but anyways. Yeah.



As for packages, I sent mom an email of what I'd love. A huge freaking duffel. I hate air packing my clothes. I can put all the souveneirs and junk I find in the office in the smaller suitcase too. But I have no room for this hammock unless I get that duffel. haha. So send it fast in case I get transfered in 4 weeks. Or 2 if carnival happens and we get pulled out, which is a possiblity.

The hammock is heavenly. It's like sleeping in a big hug all night. Mine is smaller than my comps but mine is like a cocoon. But a north wind came in, and your weather froze us all out. People here are freezing. And I dont have a sweater or blanket. Just a sheet haha but I think the norths are done until May when it's norths from down south that bring up the month of hell. Literally. Tierra Blanca se llama la novia del sol. Missionaries think often about going home in may. Gulp. I want to feel it. Tired of heaaring about it! But yeah.

I got a letter from PJ and Dan. PJ said he wrote me two months ago, but I never got it. I think they might be blocking my account... so tell everyone to buy the right stamp at the post office. It gets here faster. I just got your postcard mom. From December 6. I got it Saturday.. haha the mail here sucks... but yeah. It's more reliable and it's not gonna get blocked. If they don't lose the letter that is. But yeah. I'm waiting to get more USBs and memory chips, then I'll send home a flat rate package home with everything in it and start fresh. Because I literally don't know which card or USB has which. I'm so lost. So I'll leave you to sort them out! We get the Liahona down here so you don't have to send them anymore. Thanks for thinking of me though.

Tell Jack and Tamara thanks! I got their postcard. Tell them to enjoy a nice pie for me.

I want dessert.... I don't get dessert anymore...

 

We had Elder José L. Alonzo come this Friday and talk. The 2nd guy in the first quorom of the 70. He spoke with such power. The pity party that we had for ourselves last Sunday, Monday, and basically the hole we dug for ourselves and trying to get out of because we didn't baptize, or get letters or anything, well, he threw us right out. Spoke for 2 hours of straight power and motivation. Man it was great. I loved it. We were about to turn to red bull to 'fly' out of our hole, but Alonzo did a better job. But don't worry, mom. You'll like some photos on this next card.. :) there isn't Mountain Dew down here!!! CAN YOU BELIEVE IT!!

There was a drunk guy, named Paquiao. after the boxer. One of the teens we were talking to called him over and said PAQUIAO! left left right right uppercut! and this drunk guy was stumbling down the street punching the air and putting his arms up like he was Rocky. He came back and acted like he wanted to fight me hahahaha i didn't know what to do. I can't beat anyone up, let alone a drunk jajaja. it was great. PAQUIAO!!!! jajaja

I'm not in Elder Boyd's area, but I finally got to see him and Elder Smith again at the conference. Man. Elder Smith. that's gonna be a fun year at BYU. Especially since we will be living with 4 Spanish speakers that speak the same dialect. We can say whatever the heck we want.

But as for the weight.. since I finished my 5 kilos of pancake, I haven't put on any weight. Ive actually lost a bit. A ton of muscle. my Pecs are squishy and according to my comp he's working on the spare tire around his waist hahahahahah. but yeah.

Once again, your favorite, and only, missionary is signing off. Don't cry, its only another 8 days until you hear me again. (they count the day you're in as well as the day next week. Hence, 8 instead of 7 Real backwards, and I cant stand it, pero así es) stay thirsty my friends. Thirsty for the knowledge and fountain of gospel truths that is. jajaja hasta el proximó... Élder Mortensen.

 

P.S. The cockroach in my FREAKING FROSTED FLAKES. I was soooo stoked for that second bowl.





That's NOT a cornflake!



January 14, 2013 (Week 22)

January 14, 2013

Well... im in the city. I feel like Elf. we got out of the friendly parts, and into the downtown city. we have the ocean but we can't see it, and the area is full of old retired catholics and protestants who don't want to change. The ward is in the same situation, 45 people at high tide, but we have 2 families, one is awesome but the other is half inactive and the bishop is the head of the family. He texts on the stand. I gave a discourse on missionary work, after his daughter asked me to speak at 9:15 the night before. The bishop didn't even ask. I said yes, thinkiing it would be a good opportunity to introduce myself and say we are here to work with the ward and baptize. They laughed when I pulled out DC 18:15 and 16 because they've heard it a lot. They sure don't listen. They don't give us references, or support us. They are way scattered in the area so it's hard for us to get everywhere, but we do have a date with one of them and then they forget and are gone. It's frustrating. I wish the president would put me in a sweet area for once instead of an area full of pride. The wards down here go through the pride cycle, and we both think that they need lazy missionarys for 6 months until they realize how good they had it. idk. We are really frustrated down here. We get planced (yelled at) every night by a leader for not working... We work harder then 80% of the missionaries. Frustrated. I almost am jealous of Elder Boyd. He is in such a cool area and his ward has 3x as many people and way more families willing to help them.

My comp is Elder Westhoff. A cowboy from the boonies of Escalante, Utah. Moved around a lot, but is a cowboy through and through. We have a great time together and like talking about trucks and engines. We get along really good and have the same mentality. We are learning a lot from each other.  No, I was the only one that moved from my MTC district. The rest stayed and only E. Maughan got a new comp. I guess I'm lucky... but our area is even worse. It's considered one of the hardest and everyone shudders when they hear 5 de Mayo haha. We don't care. We work hard and are united and have some really spiritual lessons, and I think we are going to start baptizing. Nobody's baptized in this area in a few months... He went last cambio [transfer] without a baptism. Going to change that though. If we don't run ourselves into the ground first. We bought hammocks to sleep in so hopefully we get a better nights sleep haha. The apartment is big, no washing machine, but it's still big. Ants are everywhere.

It's getting hot here again, winter break is over, and there's still a strong north wind that closes everyone in their house and blows wind in our face. Kinda sucks, but it's a cool breeze. I wish I could see snow again! quit whinin! 

 

I'd love letters from friends even with the time delay. I'd love letters. but it just sucks to find out from you guys that my best friend -- and probably the reason I was held back from the July 5th Elders group to the MTC, so I could sit back and talk with him and other people -- and not him. That's all I wanted my friends to do was serve a mission since I started getting ready for mine. But I don't really get much outside of you guys. Life goes on, but I'm sure you remember, Dad, a letter from a friend or anyone for that reason is gold. I'm sorry. I'm in kind of a different mood...

Explanation. Last week we went to a lady's house named Mercedes. We went to her house every night 3x a night to try and find her. Found her Saturday night and talked, She wanted to get baptized, so we filled out the form, felt the spirit, and left with the promise that she would be there at 10 tomorrow, but had to go to a rare work thing after that until 8. We said ok, just go to church and we can baptize you that night. We were stoked because we might have had 3 people, a pair of brothers named Alan y Andy that wanted to get baptized. So we went home and fasted that things would go well and that most of the 8 people we had committed to church would be there, that Mercedes would get off work early, and other things. Passed by for 3 families, nobody was awake. Ran to church in suitcoats and waited.. and waited.. and waited. Nobody showed. We got so dissapointed. Especially because of the promise that an apostle made that if you contact over 140 people every week, you'll baptize. We contacted 150 and probably knocked 600. We got spit on by catholics, doors slammed, yelled at, and got into a heated discussion with a protestant lady because she looked me in the eyes and said the Book of Mormon is not from God. Instead of planching her until she cried, I testified of the book, but she cut me off by saying her son is a prophet and receives revelation and she can cast out devils. So yeah, contacted, did our best, fasted, hoped, and prayed a lot, and didn't get much. We didn't do much that Sunday. A drunk yelled at us and told us we didn't know anything about God, and then walked off to buy more beer. We got pretty lost in our thoughts and didn't really have the spirit of teaching with us that day. We tried, but it wasn't there. Came up with the theory that we need to give more glory to God instead of pride in ourselves. Hope we learned our lesson. Because we are tired of the leaders calling every night with plances and pep talks.

Me and Elder Westhoff do have fun though. a lot. We think alike and I'm glad to have a comp like him, even if we don't speak spanish all the time. He's been out for a year. I'm going to write the president a good email, so I'll send some fotos if the computer will let me and sign off. Don't worry.. I'm fine, just frustrated, and learning hard lessons. Pray for me, but dont worry. I can take care of myself in this crazy mission haha :) Nos vemos! Elder Mortensen

January 7, 2013 (Week 21)

January 7, 2013

As for the CAMBIOS [Transfer]... I'm leaving. To an area in the Centro and ocean front about 20 minutes away. cinco de mayo se llama. Yeah.I'm stoked for a change. It'll be realllllllly nice.  I get a gringo too. That'll be different you'll hear more in a week how that goes.

We had a sweet December 31st. They burned an old dummy in front of our house, with fireworks, and fun stuff. So I stayed up till 12 and went and watched. We bought something like 300 pesos worth of fireworks and lit them off at Familia Jaimes house. I'm glad to be leaving. Elder Castañeda found their daughter and they were getting a little close.. I'm glad to have that responsibility off of my head. For January 6th celebration, they eat a round cake looking thing and it has fruit and stuff. Pretty fun.

My comp and I had a jabañero competition at a home. PONGASE HOMBRE came out hard. We had 3 jabañeros and I ate 2. Dang orgullo. pride. He said I'm eating more because he finished the chile. I said "hermana.. tiene mas?" She brought out another and we each took one and ate, then I took 2, then 3, then 4, then 5, then 6 and shoved them in my mouth and chewed them obnoxiously so he could see I chewed them. I won. By far. I beat a Mexican!!!! haha I love the chiles here, but I took some serious pills after. Pepto, Slka Seltzer, Tums, and my stomach didn't forgive me for 2 days. but I won. and that's ALL THAT MATTERS. hahaha



Elder Boyd and Elder Mortensen

Oh yeah, E. Boyd and Fuentes aren't having success, so E. Castañeda went with them to see. That means me and Elder Boyd were together in my area. That was pretty sick. Taught a few lessons, and then slept in my house. That was definitely a good way to end the friendship we've had these 2 cambios!

 

No baptisms. Hector and Susi never came back from the south... but it sounds like Susi has another boyfriend... I don't know. But I was pretty torn up. I hated to know that they weren't going to get baptized. They seemed golden. Who knows. me voy. As for telling people bye... I hate it. The familia León was hard to say bye to. I've really enjoyed that family. 6 boys and the mom that has cancer and always makes this chocolate drink for us she is the nicest lady. The familia Jaime that we spent all of the holidays with, just more families. Brawlio, and I have Angel y Donata, Guazozon, and Uscangas tonight. That's gonna feel like duct tape in my hair getting ripped out faster and faster. I just feel nothing but love for these people. I guess that's what the Title ELDER does to ya but I also think it's a part of actually living with them. You can travel the world, but until you speak their language and just live with them, I don't think you'll ever know them. I feel blessed to be in Mexico. But I'm excited for a change. I need it in my mission.

 

Elder Boyd

I feel bad for Elder Boyd. He's with his comp in the same area for another transfer. He was so excited for a change. but he's stuck. I feel bad. I'm really not sure what to say. Pretty easy week, the time is flying, and the next transfer has month 5 and 6 of my mission. I do miss my friends some and would like to hear from some of them. I'm in Mexico, but I feel even further without any friends' letters. At least my family writes! I'll always love you guys. I don't want to keep rambling so I'll get this one sent off. Adios!

December 31, 2012 (Week 20)

December 31, 2012

[Movie Quote of the Week]
I've got a hangover. Anyone know what that means?
It means your drunk.
No! It means I was drunk.. yesterday!
   -school of rock

hahahaha Mom don't kill me. It has a point. First off, we brought a drunk to church with his wife and family after 3 Alka Seltzers. He sobered up and enjoyed it, but we went back 2 hours later to his house and he was drunk again. Funny guy hahah.

Second. there are plenty of drunks Christmas Eve and even more so tonight. There are parades of people dressing up as men and women and dancing in the street on stilts and straw hats for money. We will see how tonight goes. Elder Castañeda is actually a little scared. He says its pretty dangerous. More drunks than he's ever seen before in his life.

Third. That's how we felt this last week. We got a nice litlte break from daily life Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, but Wednesday waking up sore from moving blocks and we didn't feel like doing anything. We sat around, and nobody studied in our district, come to find out. It was very hard to get motivated and back into the mission groove again.

Fourth, we have been working with Efren when we can find him. A drunk that smokes Marijuana and drinks a ton, and I guess from his mumblings he has hit his son, who is also a huge druggy and curses at us every time we walk by. Efren is really great, but hard to find. Started fasting to overcome his problems without us even mentioning fasting. Really great guy. Wish we could find him.

That's all the reasons I have :) haha other than that, pretty average week. Baptized Sinai this Sunday. She kept pointing at Castañeda to baptize and it hurt a little because I haven't baptized since Donata, but it was alright. She was really annoying to Elder Cast at church so he told her he wasn't going to baptize her, I was. I was cool with that. He said he's been in the water plenty and wanted to give the chance to me. Really good. Sinai said at the service she wanted me to do it and confirmed that she was chill with it and wanted me to do it. Service went off without a hitch, and like my personal motto: First time, every time. Hahah! That's what's up. Good service, then gave some blessings to other families, and worked with inactives a lot. We have revived this ward that's for sure. Something like 7 or 8 families are coming again. Pretty sweet. 


Really?  How could he hate kids? :)

I still hate kids though. They jump on you, and like to steal your stuff and rip backpacks and have no respect for your scriptures and I really want to give them a nice backhand. If I didn't have this nametag... hahaha but yeah. Pretty chill week. Good stuff. Relaxing and working hard. the blisters are back for some reason! and oh, I'm putting on weight... haha pretty good gut now. No me importa! I hate exercising in the mornings. Everyone walks past our house and watches the gringo jumprope and if I go on the roof, this crazy lady with dogs and cats yells at me in who knows what language. She reminds me of the lady from the Simpsons that has tons of cats, mumbles, and throws things. hahahaha well.. I'll send some pictures. Love you all. I'll see ya in may otra vez :) Glad that[Skype]  went off without a hitch too. Nos Vemos!

`THE` Elder Mortensen.

December 24, 2012 (Week 19)

December 24, 2012

Stoked for skype, first off. Emailing un poquito me aburrè... haha I can't wait to just talk normally. Skype at 8 tomorrow. Stay tuned!

I'm glad the family party went well. I missed the family and grandma and grandpa. Not so much on the little kids.Here, they like to go crazy on my clothes and rip backpacks and steal pens and assorted items, and the parents don't do much. So not much has changed. Kids are kids no matter where you are. At least they are more fun than some of the adults we get... hahaha

Angel our convert hitting a pinata at the ward party

As for the crepe eating contest... hold your breath on that title Riley. We have a family we are eating with tonight and their daughter works for a crepe shop. We are eating dinner with them tonight. What a blessing right? I just know El Señor is smiling right now. I picture him and Heavenly Father just smiling whenever they bless us. It's gotta be one of their favorite things to do.

Except for have dinosaurs as pets. I still think they have them.

jaja anyways... cards. I bought a really good camera today. Pretty sweet little deal. About 12x better than my camera.. haha. Takes SD cards.. so that's a problem. I might buy a small one while I'm waiting. If you can get an envelope and put in like 2 usbs and a few SD cards ill use the usbs all my mission and send the really slim SD cards that wont get jacked or noticed to send home every month or so. So yeah. Send those pronto si se puede. gracias! And thanks everyone for the money! It was nice to see a few thousand pesos waiting for me.

 

Well, the comp is basically "dead". Our area is pitiful compared to the other two wards who easily triple us each with members and people. We just can't get any help. I want to leave so bad. I'm praying that they leave him here to "die" in Nuevas esperanzas and send me somewhere out of the port. That's all I want. I want to see the jungle. It's killing me. Elder Smith said he has hiked the Hill Cumorah where the Jaredites fought, and Elder Bixler is baptizing in lakes, and I've got chiveria. an ugly concrete jungle like daybreak. All the same house and apartment buildings, and lots of different colors. haha but yeah. we were going to baptize yesterday, but Elder Castañeda doesn't think shes ready. She's nine. I keep reminding him I had no sort of testimony when I was 8. And brawlio didn't know the difference between God and Jesus Christ because his brain was a rock, and Sinai the 9 year old girl is no different. That's 3 kids if she gets baptized. We work with inactive families a lot, and they always have a kid over 9 that wants to get baptized. They get baptized, and the family comes back. Pretty sweet deal.

Today, we helped move about 7000 blocks of an building that the family that Elder Boyd lives with. They brought us lunch and we sweated our brains out putting these block through a tiny window. good to get sweaty and work hard again. That's for sure. Good pday, saw the whole black market today. Always an interesting experience as a gringo haha love you all.

Anyways, cuidense hasta mañana a las 8. no puedo esperar a verles. les amo, Elder Mortensen

oh i forgot! Red Red Balloon. goes up up up! red balloon goes up up up!

December 17, 2012 (Week 18)

December 17, 2012

Buenas tardes familia!   Yeah the Garcia incident was nuts, but he's gone and it's over. Finally. But yeah. Something about being a Mortensen that just doesn't let me get rolled by that kind of attitude. Mom gave me some good advice.

View of the Apartment

I might go buy a new camera, there are some sweet deals and it sounds like everyone's putting money on my card to buy something nice, so I might do that. There is a 16.1 megapixel with 5 times zoom that's about 6 years ahead of my camera on sale at the mega, but I'll wait for next week. You didn't send a camera right? It's hard to return things here haha. Instead of so many flashdrives, do you think you could help me with a new SD card? I'm sure we just have one floating around at the house. I'd like that. I don't know. This camera has taken a few too many falls and it glitches and blurs the photos. Or maybe its my hands. But I completely blurred a few of the familia Guatzozon at the baptism and I'm very thankful E. Castaneda has them. No idea. Let me know!

No, I didn't give garcia my scripture covers. I was thinking about giving him the one for my bible but he asked about 7000 times and I really didn't want to after that. But yeah. Elder Castaneda has already looked at 30 stores for a shoe shine kit, and the brushes are non existent. That's why its a big no no to touch it haha.

But the Virgin de Guadalupe was pretty weird. People standing at houses and in front of little concrete boxes with a foto and statue and singing and praising with candles. Weird.... but that was all that was. Nobody really knows who the Virgin de Guadalupe is either. Just an angel I guess.  Sounds like we will be eating a lot, and going to breakfast lunch and dinner with people the 24th and 25th. The festivities last until the 6th of January so it's spread out. I'm going to try calling home on the 25th and we are downloading Skype at the members house that Elder Boyd and Fuentes live at because they are rich and have laptops. Get a name and password for me and for you guys and get me the information next time and we will plan out what hour to be on.

As for this week, it's been interesting. I hit the 4 month mark Saturday, which is pretty big. 1/6 done already. The Spanish is still elusive sometimes and it's frustrating, but I can basically say what I want. Working on my accent. I guess I sound like a hick. I don't expect to be perfect after 8 weeks though. Always something to work on. I gave a talk last Sunday about repentance, and I had the scripture of Alma the younger and the torture he felt and the joy he felt after, I read a verse or two then talked for 5 minutes without notes in Spanish!! I was pretty proud of myself. I can definitely see the Lord helping me.

So we went to a leader meeting and I waited with the other junior comps, but when my comp came out he was a little solemn. I asked him what happened, and he said out of 40 comps, only 10 baptisms this week. As punishment, and to focus ourselves, the pres took out the oceanfront, any stores by the ocean, costco, and we can't leave the area or zone without permission. I literally feel like I'm in a outdoor prison. Oh well. Manuel Guatzozon baptized his son Saturday. After, me and my comp cleared out the undraining dirty font with buckets and mops. Awful, but so worth it. Finally baptized. Saw the temple after and that was pretty awesome when we went to a choir in Mocambo right next to the temple. I'll send some fotos.

I don't think he likes the milk on the left!

I've had this very nice lady in our ward sew my hems of my pants and cut 3 inches off my sleeves. I've spent a small fortune, but it's so worth it. I wish she would take more but she only takes 10 pesos for every article. Such a nice Lady. Hna. Marta Pais. As for the spicy stuff, its been a bad week. Saturday, we ate at this lady's house, and she brought some pure jalapeno salsa. Hot stuff. We started off very little, but we were alone and it started to escalate to be a man. MAS MAS MAS!! We ate so much. Saturday we had tacos that his uncle bought, and Sunday we had Chinese from another lady. Stomach hurt Sunday night, and at about 1:00 in the morning, on the dirty floor, about 4 meals left my stomach and into the toilet and my nose. Most awful thing ever. I'm still a little sick, but getting better. That's the adrenaline for the week! haha. Need to go. No time for pics, have more next time.

LOVE YA! Elder Mortensen,