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.

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
 

May 12, 2014 (Week 91)

May 12, 2014

Man... I'm full. La princesita was soooo big hahah.

I think I ate about 1.3 out of 1.6 kilos. That's a good chunk of meat, bacon, cheese, and grease. hahaha. They wouldn't let me use water, and the burger was super hot. Man. That sucks. Everyone in the whole restaurant was watching. But boy, I sure gave it my best shot. They put on a few songs to cheer me on. Normally it was soft music, like a restaurant grill house, but then they put on:

 

Eye of the Tiger

Final Countdown

Rocky Theme Song.

 

Haha. It was so funny. I don't know if it was a sin to listen to the songs but they sure motivated me to finish as much as I could and not give up! The whole restaurant was laughing. Not too often you get a white guy eating a Princesita singing along to Eye of the Tiger while shoving bite after bite in his mouth. hahahahaha.

 

Anyway, yeah it was fun talking to you all. I was in a funk last night and this morning. It wasn't you guys, but man. home was the last thing I wanted to think about after 21 months. It's getting harder and harder, and going faster and faster, and this is the moment when you slow down or speed up. and seeing home just about put me over. It took a few hours to refocus. but, other than that, it was fun. I'm still focused. Not gonna die! I'm gonna get translated haha.

 

Well, just one spiritual thought, for 20 months here I've been kind of reluctant to admit I've been a member all my life, because I've always felt that they are just gonna say "you've never known anything else", "you're the same", "your parents brainwashed ya", etc. But when we were teaching an investigadora, Gladys, she's pretty poor and has 2 little kids. She asked me if I was member all my life, and I thought about it. The spirit told me something: "of course you have, and aren't you glad?" Your great great grandfather wasn't a member, and he joined the church (it was him right? I actually am not quite sure. I imagine it was him, but I could be wrong), and came over here, and thanks to one family member, I've now been born with all the blessings. Many generations have been and will be blessed for one man. It was like President Eyerings talk. But yeah. I told her to read the book so that she could find the truth, and bless her future generations and not listen to her mom, who wants her to stay in the Catholic faith...

 

But yeah, we haven't had a whole lot of time to work in the area. Lots of stuff to do, and now we gotta find a baptism for this weekend! bautizar cada semana [baptize every week]!

 

Love you all, have a great week, study charity. Report back to me! It's a great topic, and one of VERY high importance if we are to be saved...

 

Love, 

 

Elder Mortensen

May 5, 2014 (Week 90)

May 5, 2014

WELLLL...

 

This week sure went by fast. no me diga. [don't tell me]

 

We ended up going back with Arcelia and guess what? True to the blessing I pronounced, she left in exactly a week, and her doctor is stunned. We taught her the first lesson, God, prophets, Church of Jesus Christ and his ministry, the apostasy, and the restoration of the gospel, and with it, the authority and priesthood, up to the Book of Mormon. I bore testimony of Joseph Smith and how the priesthood has been restored and she whispered: "I do too." We paused and I said.. "How do you know?" and she realized what God had done and how he had done it. Talk about miracles. Wow. Her family is shocked. She couldn't come to church this week because they took out her staples Saturday, but she will be full ready to come with the family this weekend. YES. So happy.

 

We are also teaching a woman called Aracely. She has one kid of 3, and when we taught the restoration she got excited too and told us she was gonna come to church. She came and was super happy when she left the baptism. Her son loved playing around, and she really liked it. We just gotta get her married.

 

That's right, another miracle baptism. Belen, like I told you the last week, was a referral of another member, our Lider Misional [Ward Mission Leader]. She and her mom started having a lot of struggles, with her mom, (ex Mormon, now Jehovas Witness) who just jumped right into Satans hands to be a thorn and a stumbling stone, (it's funny how much people hate the church after they get baptized. The worst enemies of the church are ex-members, just goes to show the scriptures are true, but ay ay de aquellos [those], 2 nefi 31:14. Better for them to not have me known. or something like that.) But just as their faith was tried, they held on hoping and came to church. I had the privilege to baptize her. It was super cool. For being inactive for so many years and for never letting misioneros or members in her house, she sure let us in with arms wide open. I guess the Lord has his ways and his times, and this weekend was definitely hers. Another little blessing, her school got changed, precisely this week, from Saturday and Sunday, to Tuesday and Friday. She's gonna be able to go to church every week now. I don't think they are gonna go inactive any time soon. Wow. So amazing. felt great to get in the water again, I'll tell you that much. I might have 29 children, just to baptize 29 more times hahahahahaha.

Ana is a 12 year old girl, niece of a recent convert with cancer. He wasn't able to go for 2 weeks, so he didn't take her. We went Friday, and gave him another blessing, and he got miraculously cured of the stomach problems and what not he had going on extra that didn't let him go to church, and he brought Ana, and he said, we are tired of waiting for her dad to call, (waiting for about a month or two for him to call to give permission so she could get baptized, hes military and doesn't really care about her anyways. he hardly stays in contact) so they came and said, I'm gonna sign, she's getting baptized this weekend. WOOOO! Our prayers and fasts were answered. The assistants talked to her in church, so they thought they were gonna steal her from us, (they hardly work, I don't know for laziness or if they REALLY have sooo much to do in the offices) but we said.. "umm... no. She's our investigator. Find your own! tristes [sad] asistentes jaja.... but we are gonna have that happen this week. I'm so happy. We are starting to see that grace combined with the faith, really does make miracles. Just gotta stay humble or I wont have any access to his grace or help. I'm stoked. Ive got a goal for baptisms before i come home. I sure hope I reach it. I've gotta find those people waiting.

 

We have met a few people that just open up so easily. "I'm 29, I've got nothing to do with my life", "I can't finish school or stay in a job", "I've sinned", "Christ doesn't love me", "I'm scared of God", "I don't think I can be forgiven", "I started drinking", "I don't even know why", and yeah. Me and Elder Shearer were like... umm... Plan of Salvation I think would work for him.... haha.

 

It's been a great, but a busy week. I hardly have time to sit down. Even my dreams are about investigators and Paul and Peter in Acts and what not. My brain is straight fried but I love it.

 

Until next week, Captain America signs off.

 

Elder Mortensen

And mom, I sure do love you, I won't be there to make you breakfast, but know I love you and I can't wait to see you Sunday :)

April 28, 2014 (Week 89)

April 28, 2014

Well, I don't have a quote, but I've got good news. Apparently I didn't get too fat because all the kids in a neighborhood call me Captain America, hahahaha. I'm famous in a few colonias. That's the good news.

 

The bad news, some dumb member called President Treviño and said we were bummin' around in the local malls... (just like that chismosa [gossiper] in Austin's church! "Quick come police! They are gonna rob and burn down the church! Send the whole squad! They are two boys playing basketball but super suspicious!!!)" People sure do love to twist the truth and spread the gossip to the new area 70. Buddyin up! Anyways, even though the assistants said it was alright to go to the super market chedruai, (it's situated like a walmart or a target next to a mall) President isn't happy. I'm not sure what he heard, but he's not too happy we went to a mall (even though we didn't even enter the thing). I wish someone would have told us... I hate it when things like this happen... stupid gossip. 

 

But this week we saw miracles. It was so cool. We had 3 great lessons just filled with the Holy Ghost Monday (strangely enough after drinking two Mountain Dews...) haha. But we had 2 lessons with investigators that just seemed to lurch forward in their progress. Then I gave a blessing to a woman that came to church and loved it. She was going in for surgery, pretty complicated, so we gave her a blessing super powerful, and God heard, and answered. The doctors didn't have to do half the things they thought, and she was the first patient this doctor has ever seen that hasn't needed a blood transplant. She is recuperating about 2 or 3 times faster than thought too. God has not ceased his miracles. We might go visit her this week. The whole family was in the blessing and everyone wants to go to church and get baptized... I'll keep ya posted. What great faith. she felt the spirit super strong Sunday and said it was even stronger during the blessing. She felt a warmth spread through her whole body...

 

Jueves [Thursday] we ate with a woman, and her husband was watching soccer. He told us he isn't a member and hasn't gotten baptized because he's a state policeman and goes away for a month at a time, and wants to get baptized when he retires. We explained the Holy Ghost, and how sometimes different jobs require us to be away from home, and he said alright, I'll ask God. We went back the next day, and he said "yeah, I feel pretty good about it. I'll go to church, and next week, yeah, I'll get baptized." His son just barely turned 16 and got ordained to be a priest this weekend! Talk about timing!!! He gets baptized on the 3rd, confirmed the 4th, then leaves on the 5th.

 

The sisters had a baptism. After the baptism we watched the The Bible video from the church (the new poderosos [powerful] of the Life of Jesus) with the font doors open, and I bore my testimony to the group after the video, super powerful, and then after I sat down, a family of 4, (the mom is member, her two daughters and son in law aren't) called me over and whispered "my daughter wants to know if she can gets baptized this weekend"... I said of course!!! The lord gave us 2 baptisms when we had nothing. Everything we can do with God. I love it.

 

I want you all to study Grace this week. How Grace helps us. I studied it, and really, it has a whole lot more to do with our daily life than we think...

Motorcycles with tortillas and coolers driving through
your local neighborhood to deliver them hot and recently made!

 

Love you all, Elder Mortensen