We’re GROUNDED!

Hey Everyone,

The fleet of cars in our Zone is currently GROUNDED right now! We had a great amazing snowstorm that grounded all of our vehicles. Not the best way to start off a very busy P-Day! We hope to have the go ahead in a few hours to use our cars to get our weekly shopping done.

It's been a very busy week and I have a new companion, Elder Barney. He's from Las Vegas, Nevada and he also ran cross country and track. I never competed against him but it's been nice to get to know him. He is one transfer behind me as far as the length of time he's been out. We are working well together and look forward to our time together.

Transfer day was amazing and it's fun to get together with most of the mission and see friends and former companions and catch up with them. Elder Montoya, my trainer, is now here in the boonies and is in my District so that will be fun seeing him more often. Several Elder's completed their missions and went home and one of them is a POLY and so the POLY sisters and Elders did a dance for him at Transfers which was amazing.

Elder Hancock and I did a good apartment cleaning this past week before he was transferred. We cleared out closets and got rid of old junk and stuff left behind from previous Elders. Our apartment is in great order and we will work to keep it this way.

We spent a lot of time in the car (as we usually do) traveling to the far reaching distances of our area finding and teaching and sharing messages this week. One thing that's difficult when things are so spread out is when we plan our week to see several people and if they aren't home or cancel on us it is usually another week before we can get back out to see them. Sometimes timing is important and we struggle that another week goes by. This happened a few times this week and is a little frustrating for us as we'd love to make connections with those we are teaching.

This week JORDAN wasn't home when we stopped by, we will continue to try to make contact with her. MAGDELENA and CHEYENNE continue to ask a lot of great questions. We have taught most of the Restoration lesson to them. They are now on track to be taught all of the lessons. SHAUNTEA didn't attend church yesterday, but we will swing by the B&B and touch base with her this week. JOHN is struggling with denominations in general but we were able to meet with him and Brother Howard joined us. We were able to teach him so we will see how things go. JEANINE is doing very well. Her leg continues to heal. She is working on cleaning up around her home. We now have a place to sit down when we go to teach her. More and more things are getting removed from the home so these are all good signs. She is still on target for a May 9th baptism. We met MARY this week tracting and taught on her doorstep. Casey is a referral and when we stopped by he wasn't home, we will try again.

The local B&B that we've done a little work at will open on March 15th. The local diner is moving into the B&B and once that is up and running it's back to TACO TUESDAY for the missionares! We can't wait!

This week I studied a talk called, "Cast Not Away Therefore Your Confidence" by Elder Holland. He gave the address at BYU in 1999. If you get a chance, look up this talk and read it through. Many great messages and thoughts that can be applied in our lives. Some of the takeaways that I learned was that the Lord is always on our side and will strengthen us, build our confidence and give us a boost of motivation whenever we need it. There is a section about The Spirit of Revelation and Elder Hollands says in Doctrine & Covenants 8 the Lord reveals how Revelation can be received. "I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart." Elder Holland says that he loves that combination of both mind and heart.

Elder Mortensen

Pictures this week:

Me and my new comp Elder Barney

Elder Hancock made Shake Shack burgers for us, our last dinner together

Me and Elder Hancock

Me, Elders Barney, Bleak, George and Prince

Zone Council

Me and a members dog

Me, Ramone (a member), Elder Montoya

Me, Elder Hancock and Elder Thompson

POLY missionaries dancing

Me, Elder Shipp (went home this transfer)