Elder Josh Mortensen: Before You Ask For More, Remember The Blessings That You Have Already Received

hey family,

thanks a lot for the email. this is always the best part of the day. i am glad you were able to finally get the missionary bear. i didnt know when that was going to happen for sure. most of the people in my district are from utah, most of the people in the mtc are from utah. but there is a sister from california that was at byu for a year or two and the other two sisters are from utah one went to byu the other utah state. there are two elders from arizona and one from alabama. another from georgia but lived in utah for the last two years and one is from wisconsin. my companion is from bountiful. there are 9 out of the 11 missionaries going to kennewick. the other two are going different places in california. oh and i dont know if you heard but a few weeks ago my mission got split. i think we are just still the washington kennewick mission and i think that other one is yakama or something like that.

my spanish is coming along a lot better. this week we had elder D. todd christofferson come and talk to us. it was super cool for all of us to be with him in such a small devotional like that. the thing that stood out to me the most about what he said that helped me with spanish is, he said before you ask for more, remember the blessings that you have already received. i was thinking of the part of when i got set apart by the stake president. he said that soon enough i will be able to pray and bear testimony in spanish. i just had that in my head through out the week. i realized that i can do a lot of the spanish that has to do with the gospel. i can bear testimony always without really any problems. i can also pray good enough that it makes sense. the conjunctions arent always right but i have had those prayers answered so i know they are understood. later that day after the special devotional we went to trc. this is where we meet with members usuallly. we get to know them and try to teach to their needs. it went really well. at the end they share a little with us and answer some questions on a paper on how we did. she told me that even though my spanish isnt all the way here, she said i have a big spirit about me. she said that is what is important and that i am a great missionary. that made my day tons better just knowing that as long as i have the spirit with me i dont really have to worry about anything else. i still have to work hard, study and plan and all of that but i know that i am just fine. that was a real answer to my prayers.

ya i have talked to kaylie a little. she seems to be doing really good. i got the letter and the card, thanks for doing that. i used the card today to see if it will work and it did. so it should be good for the flight to washington. ya i said bye to jordan sunday night. it was actually pretty hard. its great we are all on missions though. it just weird not having him in the mtc for the last week. but that last day i got to talk to him for a bit so that was good. something he mentioned was, this is like when the sons of mosiah were traveling out of the land and eventually got to a point they had to split. it is cool to know we are all serving the lord though.

thats awesome to hear that so many people got calls. missions really are just the best thing ever. but i cant think of anyone i want to know about and dont know, but thanks.

home sounds like a lot of fun. good job jax on scoring a goal in your game. its good to hear ali is taking up the teasing while i am not home. what would life be without that? glad to hear you had a good week mom getting older. brayden being in school is good though. to bad hes not on a mission like me though. but both are good i guess. i am glad to hear all about brianne. if i can be as good as her as a missionary i will be so lucky and super well off.

but thanks for that quote. it is what i have been thinking alot about this week. (Note from mom. Here is the quote: He is the Comforter (John 14:26). As the soothing voice of a loving parent can quiet a crying child, the whisperings of the Spirit can calm your fears, hush the nagging worries of your life, and comfort you when you grieve. The Holy Ghost can fill you “with hope and perfect love” and “teach you the peaceable things of the kingdom.”) i know that it is true. with the spirit, i have learned that it is more willing to teach you when you are willing to be taught. just rely on the spirit. it is so important. the spirit is how anything good comes on this earth. i know that to be true. we learned that the grace of god comes by the spirit. that was an answer to my prayers. we talk more about the forgiving part of the atonement and not the enabling power. elder christofferson taught me that. i felt it was said because the lord just needed to tell me. i have even a stronger testimony of the leaders of this church. i know they are amazing men because of christ and they are called of god.

a quote from earlier is "every man eventually is backed up to the wall of faith, and there he must make his stand." we all have those times. i have had more than one in my life. but please put up your best fight. when you cant do it alone i promise christ will always be there to help if you just ask.

this is my last p day here! i will probably be able to call from san fransisco. that is like at 9:40 i dont know for sure. i will call moms cell for that. so thats california time so i dont know when that is for sure at home. but its been good to be here. i will have to write more from kennewick next week.

Love you all and thanks for the support and prayers.

Elder Mortensen