He Went And Turned On The Light Just Hoping That We Would Come Talk To Him

Hey!!!!  

Its good to hear from you!!! This week was so cool!  One of the coolest miracles happened this week!  It was 8:50 pm and we didn't know what to do. All of our plans didn't work out and we were stuck. Elder Tirado just said, well we will walk up the road for a little. We ended up seeing a guy turn on the light on his porch and sit on a couch, so we decided to go talk to him. After talking to him a little more we found that he really wanted to change his life around and get on the right path. Earlier that day his mom told him he needs to be in a church. She said she doesnt care if its catholic just to find a church. He said that day he was just hoping someone would come and help him know what church. That night we found him, he was sitting on his porch in the dark and saw us walking down the other side of the road. He went and turned on the light just hoping that we would come talk to him. It was amazing to see how the Lord got us there at just the right moment. The Lord has a funny way of doing it and sometimes its hard to have the faith to know that success will come as we keep our faith, but it always works out in the end. We went back another day and had a great lesson with him. He had a lot of little questions like what do Mormons have to wear, and where do we have to work and about tattoos and things like that. A bunch of things that wouldn't matter if he wasn't wanting to be baptized. He has such a sincere desire to do this for himself and his 6 year old daughter. At the end of the lesson we asked him if he would pray. He told us no its alright you guys can. We taught him how to pray, bore testimony that it doesn't matter what is said in the prayer, God always wants to hear from him. He decided to pray and the spirit came sooo strong! After the prayer he just looked at us and couldn't stop smiling. He said that he was feeling something that just felt so good. It was good to bare testimony of the spirit and that he will continue to feel that, and for his baptism he will feel it even more. also that he should be excited for that day and he was! As we walked away it was one of those times where you just want to cheer!  He has a goal to be baptized on the May 21. It was the coolest thing!!

We did teach that family that come to church twice this week. His name is M-- and the wife's name is L-- and the mom is M--! They are so cool! They have a lot of good questions that made us have to really think. We have had some lessons with member that just go kinda crazy, and not a lot is taught. its just M-- and the member going back and forth. So we decided even though its better to be with members usually that we were going to go without one this time. We had a good lesson about the Restoration. They really are committed to start the Book of Mormon and try to find if it is true. They weren't able to make it to church this week though. 

One of the funniest things this week was during the branch party that we had Saturday. We ate and after the Branch played soccer with a big exercise ball in the gym. We couldn't play with the members as missionaries but it was so funny to watch. There aren't a lot of youth so it was all the adults playing. Up to a 60 year old lady and down to a 12 year old kid. was fun watching the ball take out the little kid. the old lady is the funniest old lady i have ever met. The President got into it and ended up accidentally, kinda, throwing the little kid to get the ball. The president lost his ring so we blamed in on karma and throwing P--, the kid, at the ball.

Ya me and elder Tirado Are getting along really good. We speak mostly in english but we are talking to a lot of people in spanish so for sure a lot of spanish through the days. The spanish is coming a lot better and better everyday. Its really hard to stay motivated on learning the language completely sometimes. Its one of the most mentally hard things i have ever done that is for sure. but its coming really good.

The week back at home sounded pretty full! it sounded like a lot of fun for the whole family though. Its good to hear that soccer is still being played at the house. to bad Lehi isnt doing to good. Thats sad. But it had its good years. Looks like a lot of parties! thats always fun though.  i hope that everything continues to go great for you all! i love you all and hope you have a great week!

Elder Mortensen

ps thanks for the quote i got the chills when i read it, it was awesome.

This was taken at church its not all of them but a lot, but its the Branch!! The white people are the president and me! 

The World Got A Lot Smaller This Week

Hello!!! 

yes this was a great week!! its weird to get moved but it is always a good thing. I am serving down in a small town called Walla Walla.  its a little bigger than any of the areas i have been in though. We cover Walla Walla and college place in spanish. The world got a lot smaller this week. I was talking to a lady in the mission office, they just got here. Their names are the Riries, i dont know if that is how you spell it. But they recognized the name. They said they are related somewhere back in our lines. At church there was an elder that i thought i knew and he played soccer for Lone peak, so i hope he dosent have any sour feelings about us beating them. There was also sister Ellis' niece that kinda knew me, and there was another lady. She was in joseph! she met Grandma and Grandpa and we are related somewhere back also. They had a picture of them all. it was a weird time at church. There is a lot of Hispanics but there are all kinda spread out everywhere. The branch has around 40 people coming to it. so its a little bigger than Prosser. There is farming around it but we are in mostly in the city. Because we are spanish missionaries we are in a car. The spanish areas are usually to big for walking. Also i dont think that there are even any bikes in the mission now. Being a district leader has been good. I kinda feel like the mom of the district. If anything happens in the district that is different or weird, they have to let me know and a lot of time get permission. Its different for me that is for sure. I also collect all their numbers and lead meetings. Its not a ton different but it is a lot more responsibility. It will be good for me. The area is doing good. There isn't too many investigators but just a lot of potentials. Our work is to go through those and see what ones are really interested.  There was a less active man that brought his nonmember family to church last week because they didnt like the one they were at and didnt feel it was where they should be. they opened the phone book and our church was there. They took that as a sign and they came to church!! we have been over there and had a few lessons. They are awesome!! they came to church again! They have a ton of potential!! the dad is going to be a really strong leader in them coming to this church. not a lot has happened here yet. One funny thing is the first day we were here Elder Tirado mowed and i tilled a garden in our slacks!! only as a missionary!! its great! Elder Tirado is from Tennessee! so his english is good. it gets a little confusing because we speaks a lot of spanish. we are going to get along really good and get a lot of work done here. 

Thanks for the update about lehi!! it sounds like everything has been a lot of fun! I hope that everything continues to go good. have fun with soccer and your new callings and lack of callings and everything else!!

I love you all!! 

Elder Mortensen

Elder Mortensen with the E-- Family

Elder Mortensen and Elder Harward with the Group Leader and His Family

Elder Mortensen and Elder Harward having their last dinner in Prosser with the
ward mission leaders family and T--, a recently baptized member.  

Four Missionaries Serving in Prosser

Elder Tirado (new companion) and Elder Mortensen

We Don't Have Too Many Investigators, Just A Few Awesome Ones!

Hello everyone!!  

The missionary work this week was great!! We weren't able to teach too many lessons because Spanish work is hard around this time of year, but we still do get the chance. We actually found a guy named N-- again. We found him at least a month ago. We had some pretty good lessons and he wanted us to come back, but he was so busy we could never find him home. But we found him again this week! We had another pretty good lesson with him. He still wants us to come back. Its hard with some to really know if they are interested in changing or if they like to hear it, or just count it as their church for the week so they dont have to go Sunday. But either way it was good to find him home again. We have taught the E--'s a few more times. It was really cool, the last lesson that we had all the kids were running around outside so it was a lesson with just us and the parents. We felt like we should share the Restoration Video with them. When we watch that it is always good. They loved that video!! We had a good conversation afterward with them. They wanted to keep the video so they could show their kids. We haven't been able to be back in between that, but it will be awesome! They are really doing good. We invited the O-- family, they are members, to go and visit them or just get to know them. So this Sunday they had them over for dinner! the Sister missionaries were there also and they said that it went really good. Hermana O-- was sharing her conversion and also her testimony about the gospel. It really could of not been much better for them. The Sister Missionaries said that their families really felt comfortable together so that will help them in both of their conversions. They are our main investigators that are working towards baptism. We dont have too many investigators, just a few awesome ones!

One thing that we did this week and whenever we do this it leaves a big impression on me. It really is just talking to everyone and trying to get to the point of sharing the gospel. Its still not an easy thing and i dont think it really ever will be. But it is something that we have to do. When ever we do it lots of the time they talk even if they arent interested in the message. It leaves a good image and people know that we are just nice normalish people! this week, yesterday actually, something just clicked. We were about to get into our car but there was a car across the street that someone was getting out of. We were about half way and said hey hows it going. Then he was just like, no, i am not interested and i dont want to talk about it. The thing i realized is how hard is it to do that. sometimes we are rejected so fast but you get use to it. but just how trying all the time shows our faith and when it dosnt work out, nothing is wasted. It took maybe like 5 extra seconds. It just one of those things that is pretty easy to not do, but as you do it, you just feel better and everything works out better some how.

This week we invited the E--'s to church and they said they would come. We only expected them for Sacrament meeting because of their First Communion commitments. We were standing in the front hall by the doors. We were both kinda shocked and super excited when we saw them walking in! They came to all three hours! and they all really liked it. All the kids went to primary and they were comfortable there so that was good. The sacrament meeting was the most full i have ever seen in that Spanish group. We couldnt have fit too many more people in there. It was full! We had The E--'s and the sisters had 4 investigators.  it was soo cool. It is a great last week here in Prosser!

Haha ya we havent got transfer calls but we have a little bit of an "in" on these. usually i would say we are lucky, but maybe not this time. President Ware calls in the morning to call people to leadership and training before anyone else knows what is going to happen. I was saying my prayer to start personal study when the phone in my pocket rang. I really was just like, oh crap. So when i answered and he asked for Elder Harward i was feeling good, until he asked for me. Elder harward is staying here to be the district leader getting a missionary that has been here for 3 months. I am moving down to Walla Walla with an elder that has been out 3 months who just finished getting trained and i got called as a district leader there...   So i dont ask for many things but please send some prayers down here for my new district to be able to put up with me! and that i will be able to accomplish all that i need to in this calling. it will be good but hard for sure. President Ware was just like, well you are going to be speaking like a native! and make sure you teach him English!  so i dont know how much my new companion speaks in english, but this will be an adventure!  Down to another corner of the mission. i have been in 3 of the 4 corners now.

I am glad spring break was great! i loved that hiking trip and all of that. It looks really fun! I hope you all will continue to do great and have a great week!!!

I love you all!

Elder Mortensen

Ps sorry no pictures this week but there will be next week for sure!!  sorry mom

There Were So Many Answers In So Many Talks

Hello!!! 

It was a great week!!  Conference was for sure the highlight of it. It was such an amazing experience. Its also nice because its one of the few rest days you get as a missionary. I went into conference with the question of how i can help others strengthen their faith to rely more on God. There were so many answers in so many different talks.  One of the biggest answers was in Elder Bednars talk. When he said it i was just like, wow. it was Exactly some of the things i was looking for. He was talking about being baptized, receiving the gift of the holy ghost, and partaking of the sacrament worthily. He taught that we will always be able to receive a remission of our sins. He said that this will strengthen our faith. He talked about King Benjamin and how the people felt as if they were nothing, seeing themselves of less worth then any part of the earth. As they received a remission of their sins, they had so much joy and only wanted to do good. It teaches that as the spirit comes, even after we know we arent much without the help of the lord, we can know that we are forgiven and the lord is there to help.  It was a answer to that prayer. One of my favorite talks was President Utchdorf's in the Priesthood session! He talked a lot about things that i was always thought of and even more while on a mission. He taught about charity and pride. He says that "the enemy of charity is pride. pride is the defining characteristic of sin, and charity is the pure love of Christ. Charity never faileth, and pride always faileth"  It was one of my favorite talks. I love the idea of charity. its hard to always have but it is something that we all need to always be working towards.  i also thought that Elder Hollands was really good too. Just how the spirit that we have felt can carry with us. There are many things we have learned that we want to do better. But just take it one at a time. It was funny. At dinner that night this family is crazy and we call them the Zoo, but they are funny. They showed us a meme of elder Holland. It was just a picture of him It said something like, I dont always give the best talk, oh wait, yes i do! we got a good laugh. i am sure you will see it eventually if you haven't.

We weren't able to have any of our investigators come to conference. The E-- family was going to come but the mom was sick. We have a lot of hope for them still. They are doing good still. They are even sharing what we have shared with them. They gave us a referral that wants us to come and talk with them too! so that was awesome to hear. We watched conference at the church. it was the missionaries and a high councilor at all the sessions other then the last one a family came. It was funny. in between  session Saturday the Sisters brought us pizza and salad and some other little things so we just ate there and had a good time. The next day we said we would feed them. so we got together all we could. We had chicken, salad and potatoes! it was great. some members also gave us doughnuts. We tried to find something to marinate the chicken with so after trying a few things we finally found something that tasted good. Between vinegar a bunch of random spices. The sisters even said that it was really good! so that was kinda lucky. It was a fun week.

We did teach the E--'s again. They are still reading and ask really good questions. We can tell they still want this. They are moving kinda slow, but thats how some people need to. other than that we didnt have to much going on this week. We do a lot of walking around and knocking doors, but the spanish work is still slow. But we do all we can so thats really all that matters. It was a good week. It makes it better to walk around when it is like 80.

everything back at home looks fun! especially April Fools day! We didnt do anything because, well we kinda forgot about it for half the day, thats just how it happens i guess. But it was still a good day! i hope you all loved conference and were able to learn a lot and will continue to learn a lot. i love you all!!

Elder Mortensen

This was us trying to fix up the chicken Saturday night. 

The best preparation day activity. There is at a members house. 
His yard is a 9 hole golf course!  Its a ton of fun!

He Said...No Matter What You Do, Go Work Hard And Just Be Yourself

Hello!!! 

This was a great Easter week! it was pretty normal. Lots of walking around and knocking doors and trying to talk to everyone. We didn't see a lot of success this week in all of that, but we don't always do it to have success. Sometimes its just to show the faith that you have. and use the time you don't have anything to do, the most effective as you can. In a missionary Broadcast they shared that its the members work to find and ours is to teach. but when we don't have people to teach, we get to find. These last few weeks all the members haven't had time to help us out. They are all working and on top of that Hermano Sanchez, the group leader, just bought a house and is repairing it. he hasn't been to a lesson or correlation or any meeting other that church with us in like 6 weeks. So the work is hard now, but that is never been a problem.

Easter sunday was great! It would have been even better if i didnt have to talk again! but it went alright. We texted the E-- family inviting them to church again but we didn't get a text back. It was a little into the meeting we were sitting up at the sacrament table and they walked in!! It was crazy, my stomach dropped! We were so happy and we both had the biggest smiles on our faces. The other missionaries told us they could just tell that we were happy they came. It was the best thing of the whole week. When a Family comes to church, especially a Hispanic family, you know that they are really interested and really want this. Most Hispanics only go to the Catholic church on Christmas and Easter. So we will have to see if they will come next week. We went to a lesson after that day and they said that they loved church! The mom and the daughter said that they wanted to be baptized! They set a date in July! that was terrible. its usually like 3 ish weeks. They thought that they had to read the whole Book of Mormon before they are baptized. When we cleared that up they said then it would for sure move up. WE are so excited for them and all the steps forward they are making.

This week we were walking around Mabton and there was a Mexican family out having a party. It was their day off so of course they were drinking. We stopped and talked for a little. They invited us in and wanted to feed us some carne esada. So we ate that. Haha they really wanted us to take a beer and get drunk with them but we decided on a soda. It was funny. They guy that was cooking was drunk and just singing as loud to the music that was playing. It was a crazy time. It was a lot of fun though. We had a pretty good conversation about the restoration with one of the older daughters though. She lives in Yakima and wanted the Restoration pamphlet. We hope that missionaries find her up there.

Planting kinda always goes on. We had a lesson with a family that lives on the hill, with all the farms. So its like a 30 minute drive up. We were talking about all the planting time and everything like that. Its pretty complex. but there is always something being planted or harvested, its just right now is the big push to get it started so its really busy. We do text scriptures and thoughts to our investigators some times. We do what we can.

8 months, thanks for reminding me. Its been great. One of the biggest things that i have learned is actually from the advice Brayden gave me before i came out. When i asked him i was ready for something that would just help right away and i would be blown away. but when he said it i was just like, ok i will try. He said, no matter what you do, go work hard and just be yourself. i was thinking well of course i am going to be myself, how would i not?   But i have seen a lot of missionaries and me at times, change and become kinda like a robot in a way. They are different people when they are sharing the gospel, even to how they speak and how their voice sounds. The way it all works best, is you have to show your personality and people have to see we are normal people and we love the things we share. I have grown so much from making this gospel a part of me, then sharing what i know because i love it. It was hard but it has been the biggest affect on my mission. So thanks Brayden for your advice! even if it seemed not like a lot of advice when i first heard it. It has changed me and my mission.

We are watching conference in the church here in Prosser. I dont know if it will be English or Spanish, so that will be fun.

Life back in Utah sounds fun! Easter is always a great time and even better with snow i am sure! Its been in the 60s so i kinda feel bad for you all. but at least you get that sun at times and you can have fun while it is there. I see the Easter Bunny got lazy and just put a bag of candy rapped in a bucket! but i guess it works. We got a bunch of candy and a cheese cake from The family we ate with for Easter. I love cheese cake! Its funny to see that Ali Brianne and Jaxsen are all the same height!

Thanks for the letter! i love you all! have a great week!

Elder Mortensen

Ps sorry no pictures. i dont have my cord for my camera. But thanks mom for your testimony. it always strengthens mine. I probably wouldn't be out here if it wasn't for you. i love you especially mom!!

We Are Just Praying For A Miracle

Hello!!!!   

How are all of you doing!!  I am doing great! This was for sure another great week. We are doing a lot of walking around and knocking doors. Well, we always do but especially now! It is planting season so all the Hispanics are working around 15 hour days, 6 days a week. The only time that its worse for the Spanish workers is harvest season. Also their day off is their party and drinking day! its crazy how many parties are going on on the weekends. We found some good referrals for the English elders. They get a lot of referrals from us and the sisters because we dont do any English work. Its unusual for at the end of a week to have 1 maybe 2 referrals not contacted, but they have 16 now!  

We had a few lessons with the E-- family. They are still excited about it and they read a little and prayed but they didnt come to church! The problem is the 9 year old girl is almost done with her first communion in the catholic church, which is a long possess i guess, but she doesnt want to do that. She wants to come to our church! The mom and the member dad also want to come. But they have had what they call Godfathers to plan everything for them and buy dresses and all that, and they dont want to back out on him. They said because its so close they dont want to look bad if they back out. so that is the problem that we are facing with them. Their meeting they have to be to starts are 11:15 so right in the middle of our meetings. We are just praying for a miracle. i dont know what that miracle is, but we are praying for it. We are still going over often because they love the message that we have to share. They fed us this food thats called Mole. its this chocolate sauce with a ton of spices in it and it was on eggs. spicy chocolate sauce on eggs, probably the weirdest and worst thing that i have eaten here. I tried to get in down with Fanta, but spicy Fanta dosnt taste very good either. That was fun. They had some fruit after so that was good. We are excited for them.

We are still teaching E-- and M--. They work a lot and she also goes to school so its hard to find time. But this week we found E-- home. they haven't been reading the Book of Mormon so we started that with him. He said he liked it so far and we hope that that will get him started into reading it more.   We did do service this week! 7 hours of it. There is this lady, she is a little crazy at least with her methods. We have helped her move like everything in her house and her 4 storage sheds about every week i have been here. I think i have moved everything about 3 times. We helped her set up a yard sale. We dont know how much money she made yet but she sold a lot of things. I also mowed her lawn. it was weird doing that again. One of the members has a friend that is getting too old that its hard for him to do a lot of his yard work, so we also went and did that for him. We fixed up his yard and garden. It was good. we are going back for both of them this week. It was a great week. not to busy, but it happens.

It sounds like a great time already starting the wedding planning!! Also you better make sure that that life size cut out is is taller then dad and Brayden because it has to be accurate. also i am still growing! i dont know if its up or out, but its still happening. everything else sounds like a lot of fun. But have a great week! i love you all!!

Elder Mortensen

Ps!!!

 i hope i fooled you. sorry i dont have pictures for this week. but thanks for that quote. i really like that one

It Was Powerful

Hello!!!!!!  

i am not dead dont worry!! This week we got another chance to go to the Temple!! So Preparation day is today!! The temple this morning was great! the session was at 8 so at least i didnt have to get up any earlier. Elder Harward got up a little earlier at 5:45 to get the showers going. I love the temple here. its smaller but still feels just the same. Well one of the best things of this week was M-- got baptized!! the other elders got here at the right time. All they had to do was come teach the last 2 lessons and plan the baptism. It worked good because we taught him almost everything they just had to do the work to plan it! just like T--'s. He got out of the font and was just so happy! he grabbed the closest person when he got out and gave him a hug. His suit got a little wet, but thats alright. His confirmation was great. He had a lot of his soon to be father and brothers in law there. We also had interviews with President Ware this week. We had to come up early and the interviews were going late so we were at the church for like 4 hours watching things on LDS.org with the other missionaries. The interview was great. We talked a lot about accessing the power of the Atonement. President told me that that is what i need to be doing more and more because that is going to be how i become the person the Lord needs me to be. He just told i am doing great. 

Just to answer your questions, well we usually dont get bashed  very often. There is a lot of people that disagree and a lot of missionaries would bring it to that point, but you can usually stay away from it. The Spanish group party was awesome! We ate. they did a little church tour and i got to know everyone. it was at the same time as M--'s baptism so we weren't at the party the whole time but we still got the food! The E-- Family came!! they loved it!! it was great to get them to the church. They got to know some of the members, so that makes it even better so now we can bring members with us to the lessons with it not being weird for them.  They said that they were going to come to church. But they didnt!! we went over for another lesson that Sunday, and they just forgot to move their clocks an hour!! so that was lame but they have a lot desire. They were going to come to the baptism that happened yesterday, Tuesday, but they didnt so we went over with Hermana Sanchez. We had a really good lesson. it was about how the lord can strengthen us! that is what she really needed i know that for sure. Hermana had her crying! in a good way. it was powerful. also yes!! everyone works in the fields! probably around 90% of the Hispanics we talk to work in the field. They have soooo many workers and soooo many fields!

It was a great week! it went by way to fast! it sounds like everything back at home has been really fun! its good to see that you are all staying busy and doing the things you want. Especially a good week fro Brayden. That is all exciting. also yes i am keeping in contact with a bunch of people still.

Thanks for the letter and especially the quote!! i love you all a ton!!

PS.   yes i do have pictures!!

Our District at the Temple

M--'s Baptism