He Has Been Able To See Answers Come and Miracles Happen

HELLO!!!! 

Its great to hear from you all!  It looks like you all had a great week! a lot of crazy things happening! Its pretty cool to think that jaxsen is almost a professional Mountain bike rider! its too bad that his first race didnt go too great, but its super awesome what ended up happening! Its for sure a lot different than anything else i did when i was younger. But Good Job Jaxsen! the cabin always looks fun. And the trees changing colors! Its starting to get colder pretty fast this year. Like right now its 60 degrees and raining. it feels a lot better then it did before i guess. 

To answer the Book of questions i got in this email... no its actually not a problem. But, the week was of course great. We worked really hard. Luckily i am to the point that i am never very tired, just when i wake up. when i wake up sometimes its pretty tough. Elder Corral is working into it a little. I dont think he fell asleep in any studies this week. but yes this last week there was a lot less people in the branch. So its still hard to try to get to know everyone because everyone keeps changing. But we are working on it. FHE was great! we played dodge ball and it was so great i can still feel it in my shoulder! I think it is proof that i having done anything with it for a very long time other then carry a little blue book everywhere. I was sore for a few days and now it just feels weird. We didnt go yesterday though. it was in Kennewick and we dont get to go to those ones. But yes we only teach 18 to 30 year olds that arent married and dont have a child older then 5. So most people we talk to arent in those boundaries, so we get sent a lot of referrals. But we cover all of Pasco and 2 full Zones, so we also get a lot of referrals. But we did have a lesson with M--. He came to one of the baptisms of the sister missionaries and he loved it! he said that it wasnt how he expected it. after we had a lesson with one of the members there with us. M-- is a very calm easy going guy. This member is an accountant and not slow or to easy going, but one of the greatest tender mercies that i saw this week was from this lesson. As we taught we felt to just ask him some questions. i guess we asked the right ones. He opened up completely and we were able to see what he needs help with and also that he is praying and reading often. He has been able to see answers come and miracles happen. In just the little things that go good for him he has gained the faith that it is all from God and comes because he is trying to do what is right. One of the big things that he is worried about is finding a job. he was been out of work for a month. This member got super excited and sat up and was just like M--, i can fix up your resume and i can get you a job somewhere. He told M-- that he would come over to his house, today actually, and help him with all of that. It was so great to see how happy and relieved M-- was. we tried many different members and lots couldnt help. This member was able to and ended up being the exact kind of person that was needed for this lesson. It was so great!

This week we did a lot of finding. We are trying to do a lot of member work, its hard with so many of them leaving and coming, but it is the only way that this work will be effective, especially in YSA. There is this other girl named C--. She just got home from a vacation in Mexico. Before that she came to church many time and had a few lessons with the sisters before us. She had to work Sunday so she wasnt able to come this week. but we are excited to get to teach her. There is this other Girl also named L--! She is so cool too! she was taught by the same sisters for a little and she really likes it. She is a little crazy, just has a lot of energy so there is never a dull moment when we are talking to her. We werent able to get in contact with her by the phone this week and we were curious what was happening. We stopped by Sunday night to see if she was home. She was really excited to see us then got not excited. She thought it was her dad. he was bringing her some coke. She said " i am Mexican and i cant eat my tacos without some soda, sorry" She was still excited it was when she realized it was us. Her phone service got cut. She has to wait until she gets paid so she can pay her phone bill again. so we didnt have a lesson with her this week, but she really wants to learn. this week is just great! it has been another great week to be a missionary!

i love you all!!

Elder Mortensen

He Has Seen So Many Prayers Be Answered And Knows That It Only Comes Because Of His Faith In Trying To Follow God

Hello! 

This was for sure another great week! There are a lot of miracles that have been happening here in this area. This last couple of weeks President White is really trying to get us all refocused on talking to everyone about baptism. Also to invite everyone on the first lesson to be baptized and when the spirit tells us even on the streets. The new focus on baptism has been great. We have received some great referrals from other missionaries that are also working on teaching towards baptism. We received two referrals that had baptismal dates extended and accepted. One of those referrals names is An--. She just moved in to one of the homes of a recent convert in the Zone Leaders area. She has had a really hard life. especially the last year or so. She has been between here and Seattle pretty much homeless and got caught up on some drugs. The recent convert, Ar--, she was baptized like 2 months ago, was super,excited and quickly had her talk to the Elders in her ward. She eventually came to us as a referral and is really prepared! she came to church this Sunday but left after Sacrament meeting. This week she tried to visit her mom that lives in Prosser but she keeps making excuses so she hasn't seen her in a really long time. So she was a little stressed so she went home. she said that she would really like to come next week again though. She was also really excited when we told her about FHE. Another referral was G--. The first time that we went to find him we talked to his grandpa and he told us to come by the next day. So we did. We found G-- outside and he invited us in. We ended up having like the whole family in with us. There was him, his mom, his grandma, his sister, his little brother, and even one of his friends! and to answer your question about spanish, this lesson was in spanish. All the members in the branch speak english but lots also speak Spanish. Most of them are second generation and they all learn english over here. but as we just started into the lesson, Elder Corral got a funny look on his face and looked out the window. We heard a knock, and the other missionaries walked in! G--'s mom was sent to them as a referral and were coming to look for her. so the 4 of us sat on this little couch and taught an awesome lesson. ( I dont know if you remember that this happened to us in Walla Walla with our Zone Leaders, But one of them was elder Young. this time he was the one that walked in on us! Him and his trainee! It was pretty funny)  G-- is also really prepared. He was searching on the internet to research churches and what he liked. he came across the Joseph Smith story. He loved it! he Taught us the lesson! we didnt even bring it up. His friend that was there he was also interested. His name is A--. they were planning on coming to church but weren't able to this week. We are going to go look for them tomorrow.   So miracles are just happening all the time.

One thing that was pretty cool for me was we were at a dinner, surprisingly we get fed most days by the members, but before one of the members asked if i could share a spiritual message. We usually dont share one at the end and just talk about missionary work during the dinner, but they asked so we did. The first scripture that came to my head was Moroni 10:32. telling us to come unto Christ and be perfected in him. It wasnt even anything that i thought about but as i was talking it came really clear to me. Of how we can become more like Christ. The goal of Christ is to bring everyone to live back with heavenly Father. He did everything in perfect love. I was able to understand and help them understand more of the importance of missionary work. how when we share any part of the gospel to anyone with love, we are becoming more like Christ and becoming more perfect. We wont be perfect in this life but we all have more chances to share our belief to someone that donst believe or needs some help strengthening the things that they believe. Its an easy way to know if we are really working to become more like Christ. I hope it makes sense. I think that it made sense when i shared it and i was able to feel the spirit very strong as it was happening. It was cool to see how the spirit really will give us the things to say in the very minute we need to say them.

One last thing!!  also M-- is doing so great!! He has seen so many prayers be answered and knows that it only comes because of his faith in trying to follow God. After church yesterday we had a lesson with him. We were finishing up some of the commandments that he needs to know before he is baptized. We felt the spirit guide us in our conversation and the things we taught about. We were able to teach those certain commandments and more of repentance and what it means to be baptized. We were very happy when he understood what being baptized means. He said that he has come a really long way and he is going to never go back. We can see the Atonement working in him.  In the short 3 weeks we have been here and around him, we can see a for sure difference in the person he is. A lot of his friends are noticing also and he has been talking to them that it is only because of the Mormon Church. He is excited to keep sharing it with his family and friends. He is doing great and still preparing to be baptized!!!

Thanks for the update on all that is going on down there!! its good to hear that there is a little bit of a routine in your lives again!! Thats one thing i have pretty well figured out, a routine! I hope that it was a great week and that this next week will be great also!! i love you all!!

Elder Mortensen

When The Missionaries Came By She Said That She Could See A Difference In Him

Hello! 

life in Pasco is great!! even though we are in an english area, we see mostly Spanish people. It still blows my mind to think that some how there are a majority of Hispanics here. I dont know how, but that is how it is. Elder Corral is still doing great! the new missionary fire has kinda died down, but he is still working hard and doing really good. It happens to every missionary. You know when we are working hard when he fell asleep in two different companionship studies as we were talking! Haha it was really funny. Especially when he woke back up and was trying to convince me that he didnt fall asleep! but when he couldnt repeat anything back to me that i said in the last little bit, it helped him realize he had. We had a good lesson with M--! he is still doing good. He came to church again also. The only bad thing is that his good friend from the branch is leaving on a mission in less then two weeks! That is kinda what is happening in the branch. This Sunday there was about 130 that came. But in the next 2ish weeks it is going to go to around 50 after everyone goes to school. So we still dont really get the chance to get used to it for a little bit more because it is going to still change a lot. We were able to get some good work done this week though. We were able to do a little with the members but not a ton. We dont know who is going to be staying and who is not. We have been working a lot from the area book. There was an old investigator that the missionaries were visiting before us. We went to look for him. But the first time he wasnt home. We talked to his mom. She said that she would really like us to come and find him. He is going through a really hard time and when the missionaries came by she said that she could see a difference in him. The Gospel always seems to do that to people. We went back and found him and we had a great lesson. He is separated from his girlfriend and his son. He also went into a coma for a week after an overdose. He feels that God is giving him another chance. He said that he wants to change because he has felt the difference in his life when he does and when he dosnt have the gospel in his life. He accepted a baptismal date for the 24h of September! He was supposed to come to the church. We had a member to pick him up but he ended up not being there. So we will have to see what happened when we get a chance to find him again. We hope that he still wants it because we know that he was able to feel the spirit as we were talking with him the first time. We also found another investigator from the last elders. He name is L--! she is one of the nicest people i have ever met! she is so cool! We havent been able to have a lesson but she is planning to come to FHE tonight. We are excited for that.  

Its really cool. In YSA work, it seems there are the people who are really serious in learning and then the ones that arent at all. so there is not really an in between.  so every one we go back to are really serious in finding something more in their life. The work is doing very good here. We are excited for this week because its going to just keep picking up!

It sounds like a crazy week back at home! everything seems to be starting back up! no more just relaxing and hanging around! But its exciting to hear all that is happening! Its good to hear that ali got a job! and that jaxsen is doing great at mountain biking! i dont think that i need anything specific to come in a package, but thanks for thinking about me! i hope you all have a great week! i love you all!

Elder Mortensen

Elder Mortensen and Elder Corral.  

You can just see the joy in his face! It's the greatest!

"Elder, There Is Sunshine In My Soul Today!"

Hello! 

this week was a weird one! it of course started out with a very long day of packing and saying good bye to everyone. We get the whole day Tuesday to do that. We were also able to get a little bit of work in. But because we are both moving we have to write down all the information about the area. Its also sisters that moved in so we had to get it sister clean. But Wednesday i picked up my new missionary! he is doing great! his name is Elder Corral. He is from Chihuahua Mexico! He grew up in one of the Mormon colonies and also went to a Mormon school. The school prepared him very well to be out here on a mission. It also taught him English! He took a year of just English. then the next years of high school were all in English. So he doesn't have a problem at all speaking English. He is a super funny Elder. I have never seen anyone so happy as he was when we walked into Walmart and there was a Hispanic food isle and he found his Jalapeno peepers and Valentina hot sauce. He turned and looked at me and just said "Elder, there is sunshine in my soul today!" We are having a great time. He is teaching me a lot actually! i hope that i am teaching him but i am not so sure about it.  We live in some really really nice apartments. They are called the Crossings at Chapel Hill. It just sounds fancy. We live with another set of elders. One of the elders there i lived with in Prosser also. he is also training. So its really fun. This week was Stake conference. It was really good, but it was kinda a bummer because we didn't get to go and meet anyone in the YSA Branch! but luckily we were able to go to FHE and get to know them. We also gave the spiritual thought about enduring to the end. We led a conversation about Grace and how we receive it. it went really good. we hope that the Branch was more able to trust us as missionaries afterwards. We talked to the Zone leaders because they used to be in this area before us. they told us there is times that we  might feel like we are going to be "hanging out" but that with the YSA ward that you have to have really good relationships with each of them before the work gets going. So in a way we "hangout" like at FHE. that is kinda how it was. Just making sure that we get a chance to talk to many of the different members and get to know them. So it is really weird. We have a investigator named M--. he is going to be baptized the day after he gets off parole. So October 1st! We had a lesson with him and he is awesome. He has really changed his life. He is doing really good and loves coming to do things with the Branch.  The Branch loves him too. but i still cant wait for the day, i hope it comes, that i feel like i know what i am doing in this area. Right now we are just going for it. One of the Zone leaders said that we will always feel like we wont know what we are doing. So I guess we will see how it works out. Our area is massive. it covers all of Pasco! 2 zones and like at least 10 wards. It is the biggest area in the mission. So its kinda crazy! but great!

Its great to hear all the fun things that you were all able to do this week in Yellowstone/Jackson! Its good that i am not the only one having a great time. Have fun getting back into school too! Thanks for all the pictures! its great to see all your beautiful faces and Jaxsen! I hope that this week will also we a lot of fun. It wont be like the last but it will still be great. i love you all!

Elder Mortensen

Temple Trip - Elder Mortensen and Elder Corral

I am getting doubled in to a new area. its going to be YSA. I am going to be speaking English and I will be training a new missionary! I am super excited!

Hi family,

This week is crazy!!! well at least right now!  We just got transfer calls!!! Well in the mission with 10 missionaries going and 21 coming. there is 5 companion ships that arent changed.   soooo...   we are doubling out! But we are both going to the same zone in North Pasco!  my life kinda got turned upside down this transfer. Sunday after church we got a call from president, so that is always the most intense part of the transfers. so i knew i was moving early! today we received the rest of the calls to hear that everyone is moving pretty much. 4 missionaries from this zone are moving up to north Pasco, so i will know some people. One of the elders in my MTC district will also be our Zone leader. I am getting doubled in to a new area. its going to be YSA.  I am going English and i will be training a new missionary! i am super excited! its going to be crazy and we will have to try to figure out how to do all this new stuff but i am so excited! you have no idea! its sad to leave here but it has to be done. 

this week was a crazy one.  It was for sure a week of trial showing us we really have to rely on the Lord. As we went out through out the week doing a lot of finding, we worked hard and did what we could, but nothing came out of it. We talked to many people and shared the message of the restoration with many of them. But we were not able to find those people ready to receive us or the message that we bring. It caused me to think a lot of what are we not doing or what can we do more. We would nightly plan effectively then work hard the next day to make it happen. But we couldnt do anything! It was a very humbling week. I learned the importance of making sure that that we involve the Lord in every thing that we do. It was something that i feel i needed. Now what there is to do is go out in more faith and go where the Lord needs us to go. For this next transfer i am excited to get a chance to help a new missionary start to become who he needs to be. It will help me and teach me many things. 

We werent able to see E-- and P--. they were very busy and we could never seem to find them home. One of the best things this week was when we went to find M--. I dont know if it is Hispanic culture or if they are just cooler then us or something. But we drove up and they were out side waiting for the Ice cream truck that drove into their trailer park. All the Hispanics by things from those all the time! and its not just the kids. The parents and the grandparents go out. so they bought us some mexican ice cream and we went and had a good lesson. M-- loves helping people and he wants to come out and teach and share with us. for him its easier than finding time to read and pray. He has an amazing desire to share. we hope that this will be one thing that will help him keep progressing. i dont even know what i can say more for the week. Tons of little miracles happened and it was a great week. But the only thing that comes to my mind is transfers!!! its crazy

It looks like you all had a great time this week! And yellow stone? really? you go when i am like 2 and then again when i am on a mission? i will make it there some day, well maybe. Its crazy to think that school is starting up again. Is jaxsen going to the highschool? Or just Ali? is Jerry coaching there? That is exciting. going to a new school will be great. everything else in the week sounded like a ton of fun too. You have to get it all in before school starts back up! i say this always kinda, but i do hope you all have a great week! I love you all!

Elder Mortensen

This is the crazy grew that we ate with Sunday! The conversation was mostly about 

the weird things that they ate, mostly bugs, when they lived in mexico. it was great. 

It Was Cool To See That As I Was Teaching I Could Feel The Spirit Working With Me And Guiding My Words

Hello!!!   

I dont even know where to start. This week was crazy! this week we didnt have a normal day. and by normal i mean leaving the apartment after lunch and just doing missionary work, not going to meetings or anything. Monday, well Monday is Monday and preparation day and that is always the weird days! Tuesday we had planned some service to go and help the Humane Society with a few of the things that they needed. Its been fun there. some of the sisters go there on another day also. We were talking to one of the ladies that works there. She kinda knew that we are Mormons but she thought that the sisters were nuns...  so we got a pretty good laugh out of that! Wednesday we had Exchanges with the Zone leaders! I was with an elder that was with me all of my time in Hermiston and all the time here also, so i have gotten to know him pretty good. So that was a great exchange and i was able to learn a lot. I learned about talking to everyone. We are doing good, but this elder talks to everyone! if there is a person that walks around a corner we will run up there, stopping before they see us running of course, so we can talk to them. It was great! we talked to so many people. We also put a bigger focus on working in the area book. It holds all of the records of past investigators and the things they were taught and why they were stopped teaching. At times it is hard to look through and find some one we need to visit, but when its done with a prayer in your heart and listening to the spirit, you will find people to teach. On the exchange we pulled two names out. Both miracles. the first one was someone for us that wants to learn. They were too busy to keep meeting with the missionaries but now have a little bit of time. So we will be going back to teach them. the other one they ended not living there still. But there was a non member that comes to church most weeks and the elders didnt know where he lived and didnt have a change to talk to him in church yet. ( this is english in the Zone Leaders area) and he is the one that lives there. He said that he has wanted to actually join the church just didnt know how or who to ask. Those elders will continue to go back and will teach him so he can be baptized. It was a really cool day. Thursday we had MLC (mission leadership council) usually its just the Assistants, zone leader and sister training leaders. But this time the district leaders went also. We received a lot of training to be a more effective leader to the missionaries in our stewardship. We also learned how to more effectively do a Baptismal interview. So i will be excited when i get the change to do that. that meeting was in the tri cities so now we are in trouble with miles. Friday we had ZLC ( zone leadership council) to prepare for Zone council tomorrow. That was good. Then Saturday we had Zone council. that was great! it was on new ways to effectively find. That we need to be using all of the methods that we are given if we want to be effective. I gave a training on using the Area book. so i was glad i had an experience with it earlier that week. Sunday was church and elder Tirados Birthday and today is Monday again! Crazy week!!! it went way to fast! so that is a little look into my life. 

this week we had a lesson with E-- and P--! the couple Hno Zavala brought us to. It was a great lesson! It started off a little dull and rote. But we were able to recognize that and asked some inspired questions and it changed the whole spirit of the lesson. We were able to see some of the needs they had and truly teach to those. It was a lesson that when we walk away you just want to cheer! so you do just a little. It was cool to see that as i was teaching i could feel the spirit working with me and guiding my words. I was able to teach with more power then usual. It was a great experience and i am glad that i was worthy to have the spirit work with me. Because without it, it would not have worked. They committed to reading the book of Mormon and praying about it. We are going over tonight again, so we are excited for that.  This was an amazing week. it really was.

Its good to hear that back at home things were still great! Lots of fun things still going on! Its good to hear that Ali and Jaxsen both got home safe with some great experiences to help them grow to become better people. We all need those! Thanks for the letter again! and the quote! families are the best! even if your are born into a crazy one and you seem to be the only normal one in it. but i guess i can live with it! have a great week! i love you all!

Elder Mortensen

We also had this onion!  Walla Walla is famous for their sweet onions.  They are super good. You can eat them like apples.  We couldn't tell if it was a sweet or not.  So i tried it. S adly it wasn't.  But after an apple, some chocolate ,and brushing my teeth, the taste was mostly gone!

It is One Of Those Times Where You Just Know That Its Christs Charity Coming Through You That Makes The Feelings There So Strong

Hello!!! 

It looks like it was a crazy week back at home!! again! i guess that is just how life is. Its good to hear that Ali is gone (shes on a 17 day humanitarian trip to Mexico) and also that Jaxsen is too now (he is at EFY).  No, not really. But i am sure that it is very weird! Its good to see and hear that Ali is having a great time! it looks like a ton of fun and sounds like they are getting a lot of work done. I know that the poverty over there is probably much worse, but i do get a feel of how it is. to see many people with nothing. To see most people that we talk to so tired because they go to work at 3 in the morning trying to get away from the heat. But still working in the fields in the hot sun to earn almost no money. But they are the greatest of people. There are many of them that are prepared to learn and accept Christ. The cabin trip sounds like a ton of fun! everyone is getting some good work in. It is way exciting to hear where grandma and grandpa are going on there mission (Thailand, Bangkok)! that is so exciting! How long is their mission? oh and you know me abut the whole quilt color. i am still bad at making decisions like this, but we will say blue. Because why not. 

This week was a week full of finding! Especially because the last week we forgot that our miles got cut, they took 200 of them, so we didnt have miles to drive anywhere. So the car stayed home other than to church and a few other little things. so we did a lot of waking and i guess a lot of sweating. There was a few days it was over 100. But we were able to talk to a bunch of people as we were out and about this week! We were able to find E-- this week! We had a really good lesson. We have tried to teach his parents,  in the past, but they are never home. One time we went to look for them and and found E--, their son. this is the man that his friend was recently killed and that brought a lot of questions to his mind. We were able to answer his questions and teach him how we know all these things. That it is because the Church and the Gospel was restored to the earth again after the death of Christ. He was really interested and committed to read the Book of Mormon to know if it is true. We could see that it really is something that he wants to learn and have in his life. He has almost no knowledge of who Christ is. he Prays to Saint Jude. So we had a few things to teach him but he accepted it all. He even prayed, to God, at the end after we taught him how.  He was going to come to church this week but got busy. He said that he is going to ask his boss for the day off so he can come next week. We are very excited for him.

last week we talked to this guy that had a few too many beers. he told us it looked like we were flying. We passed by that street another day and he was falling over and was in really bad shape. We had a lesson with him Saturday morning. We felt we should go try to find him even though we wernt really able to see any potential from before. But he really wants to change. he said that its been something he wants to drop out off his life and be able to have a good relationship with his family. He told us that he is very grateful for us to come over. When we talk to him he says it gives him more strength to not drink. He can hardly read but he said he would try to read a pamphlet of the restoration. The spirit was super strong as we were there. It is one of those times where  you just know that its Christs charity coming though you that makes the feelings there so strong. It was an amazing time and we hope that we will be able to keep going over and bringing the spirit so the spirit can help him. 

This week was a great one. There were many little miracles. Even down to walking the whole day and sweating, i have to lose weight some how!! i hope that you all have a very great week this week! i will be excited to hear from you next week! also thanks for the package!! it gave me a big laugh! i dont know what i am going to do with everything that is cut in half, but i will figure it out some how! I can only imagine that you all had a great time putting that together. Just thinking that you are the funniest people! But thanks for the package! it was great! i love you all!

Elder Mortensen

Elder Mortensen and Elder Tiardo