We Were Truly Blessed To Have Found These People And Have Them To Teach.

Hello Everyone!! 

yes 7 months has gone by way to fast. Its still weird to think that it has been that long. It feels like missionaries never go home. You see so many come it but you dont really get to see them go home. but ive got years for that to happen! But ya a mission has been hard but its been so great and rewarding that to me the hard things really dont matter. Its been great and is going to continue to get better and better and i learn and grow more.  But YES! this transfer was crazy! Elder Harward and I are both together!! but we kinda got doubled in then doubled out. We are still here is prosser, same apartment and everything. Another set of elders were brought in to do all of the English work in the Prosser and Rattle Snake Mountain wards!! The lord wants the Spanish group to grow into a branch. It went from two companionships being there and doing some work, to two sets of missionaries to only the Spanish group! The new english elders are splitting time between both wards. The group is getting a lot of focus. To hear that Elder Harward and I are staying together was great but going to only Spanish work was a shock. It was sad to know that all but one of our investigators are getting passed off, but it made me think of how the lord really needs the Spanish work here to get going. We gave 2 Golden investigators to the new elders. T-- is all but taught and she has an interview set and a baptism planned for Saturday!! its cool that we are still around even though she isnt our investigator right now. M-- is the other. So the elders are teaching him. We are going to the next lesson with him tomorrow to help him get to know the new elders. Then he will be passed off to them. We did the same thing with T-- to finish teaching her all that she needed to know. It was at least good to leave the area better than we found it. We were talking about having the faith that there were people here that are ready to accept this gospel. We knew there was a family and we were praying for that. We were kinda joking but we were saying its going to be two parents two daughters and a son. Later that day while knocking doors we got let in and had a great lesson. The father was a less active that we didn't know about. He was married, had two daughters, and a son. We were so surprised that it happened that we found this family so fast. Later that night while contacting former investigators. This lady let us in the house. She sat us down with her family. There was her, her husband, two daughters, and a son! it was crazy. With all of the change to just Spanish. this week we were able to find four awesome investigators. Some how all in the same day! We were truly blessed to have found these people and have them to teach. I for sure know that this area change is inspired of God. We are already starting to see the effects of the change.

With this new area we are going to be doing a lot of speaking Spanish! This last week I have put a extra focus on sincerely praying for the gift of tongues to be with me. That day we found those two families, the Spanish was so clear in my head. I didnt have much of a problem understanding it. The hardest part has been to get the talking part to make sense. One thing i told myself i was going to do was just put all my faith into it and just talk. It went soooo well! both those families told both of us that we have really good Spanish.So its at least coming slowly!! That was a great day, especially for improving my Spanish. Actually today elder Harward asked me where i learned to use the word "haber". well i didnt know i ever used it. But he was like ya, you used it a few times in the lessons yesterday! i know more than ever that the gift of tongues is real! because some how they understood me.

One of the funniest things this week happened when we were knocking doors out a little more in the country. a old lady answered and said that she didnt really want to learn, she went to another church. So we asked her if we could help her with her weeding. She said she didnt want us to get dirty. But we said we would do it so we did that. there was a big pile where she had pruned part of her rose bushes. We asked if we could help her pick those up also. she said well we dont need to because she already feels guilty. but She was like ya that would be alright. i have 60 that i will have to cut another time. we picked lots of it up but we had to run to a lesson with T--. We told her that we would be right back after. Well we came back after and found about 10 more piles of rose bushes! she went and cut them all down when we were gone!! We came back, talked to her and she said ya i cut a few more down. all the roses hurt to pick up. It was funny because i dont know how guilty she felt! but it was good because it was something that she couldnt do herself. She said come back anytime! i dont want to talk about Christianity, but come back just to talk you are always welcome and sent us off with some canned fruit. Its funny to see we make friends with everyone, even the old ladies. Its was just a great week.

Its good to hear that everything back at home is going good. sorry i dont ever have much to say about it, but i really do like hearing it all. It is good to see that my fat head is still floating around the house! i hope that everything continues to go good for all of you. i love you and miss you all a bunch.

Elder Mortensen

PS that is a cool quote from brother Adams. I am doing good at writing in my journal but i just hope i dont have the times i have to go read it again. i am hoping i can just go back because i want to and still be happy. But both will work when i need them.

The new elders that came in to do all the English work are living with us just for a week or two. Our apartment is soo small. at least for the 4 of us. They sleep on air mattresses in the living room and study on the little kitchen table.  you kinda get a feel from the picture of how small it is. Elder Hutches has been home from the mission 3 times with sickness from Argentina but he is back and came to Prosser again training! He was here just before us. but its been great. But this is what happens when you all get along to well. Elder harward was tieing his shoe and go a little bit of a surprise! it was funny. we have a great time here.

Elder Harward (on bottom) and Elder Hutches (on top)