The Witness Comes After The Trial Of Your Faith

Hello Everyone, 

I've had a great week and have seen the hand of God in our work. We spent a very busy and long P-day with our Zone at Top Golf, a museum, lunch at a 50's Diner. Great to spend the day with amazing missionaries.

We found out this week that we have a crack in the bottom of our tub where we shower. We've noticed water seeping up from the wood flooring in the bathroom and Elder Chavez pulled a mat back from the tub floor and found a crack. We've waited patiently for maintenance to seal or repair the crack. They haven't done anything yet so we've had to shower at other Elders apartments that are 20 minutes one way...such a hassle. 

Transfers are this week...Elder Chavez is leaving and I'm staying. We are sad to part so soon but I am super happy to be staying in Lees Summit and the Longview Lake Ward. 

PAT is amazing and such an elect investigator. She reads and studies the Book of Mormon. She asks great spiritual and gospel related questions. She feels the spirit. She is on track to be baptized. Saturday we took her to a baptism being held in our district so she could understand what happens and experience someone else being baptized. From the moment she stepped into the building she instantly felt the spirit and she didn't stop feeling it the entire time. She shed tears of joy witnessing someone else be baptized. She loved every second of it. I was helping her out to her car (with Elder Chavez nearby) and she said, "Elder, what was that child of God song that we sang?" I told her it's called I AM A CHILD OF GOD. She says, "Elder, I want that song at my baptism too." Then, she stops and turns to me and says, "Elder Mortensen, I want you to baptize me." Yes, the answer is YES!!! What an amazing day! We meet with Pat at least twice a week and she will be baptized June 16th. 

Friday night we had volleyball at the park this week. Our investigator backed out at the last minute and so we decided to walk the park and invite people to play with us. We met a young man named JOHN and invited him. He said he might stop by, and once we started playing volleyball he did show up. He came over to me and asked me who I was and what I was doing with my name tag. I answered his questions and he started asking me why I would spend two years doing what I'm doing and I told him that I know the Gospel of Jesus Christ is true and that Restoration is true. He asked me several more questions and asked for our phone number. The next day he called us and we set up a time to teach him. What a great experience!

We were able to dedicate two of the sisters' apartments in our zone this week.

We shoveled gravel with a set of sister missionaries at a ward member's home in their area. 

We continue to be fed by the ward members! And by friends in other wards--see my ribs picture! yum!

This week we had a scary driving incident. We were in a one-way roundabout when all of a sudden a car appeared in our lane...going the wrong direction! Elder Chavez did some incredible life saving maneuvers and got us out of the way. We were stunned and shocked and the lady just kept driving the wrong way on a one way road. So, incredibly scary but we were safe and watched over. 

This week I've really pondered consecration and exact obedience. The importance of doing those two things in addition to all of the other rules we follow as missionaries can bring great blessings. I've seen those blessings this week. I've seen that the witness comes after the trial of your faith. God works miracles. Our friend JOHN from the park loved Ether 12:27 that was shared after volleyball. He pondered that scripture and thought about it and then picked up his phone and called us.  

Elder Mortensen