As Missionaries We Ask: ARE YOU WILLING?

Hey Everyone,

First of all, Happy Belated Father's Day to the father's who read this. I hope you had a great day with your families. I had the opportunity to talk with my dad who is one of the greatest father's I know. I am grateful for the wise counsel both he and my mom give me, especially as I serve my mission. 

Unfortunately, I received the sad news from my parents that on Wednesday my grandma Mortensen passed away. I'm grateful for the legacy she has left behind and that opportunity we have to cherish the memories we've made with her. This week has been difficult and hard to be so far away. 

This past week we had exchanges and it's always great to stir things up in the middle of the week. My companion, Elder Stevens, is our District Leader so he needs to have an exchange with all Elders in our District every transfer which makes life super busy at times. 

Good news this week is we placed another gal on book for Baptism. TANILLE is scheduled to be baptized on Saturday, July 2nd. As we taught her the spirit was present and we asked her to be baptized and she said yes. PAT also came to church this week. She is still in rehab but was able to sit in a wheelchair and a member of the ward picked her up and brought her to church. She parked her wheelchair next to us in the pew and absolutely loved sacrament meeting. We then went to Sunday School and she loved that also, making several comments and enjoying the lesson. PAT is still on the book for baptism. We taught several lessons this week and also had to drop a few investigators. 

In Mosiah chapter 18, verses 8 & 9 we read: "And it came to pass that he said unto them: Behold, here are the waters of Mormon and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another's burdens, that they may be light; Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life."

As full time proselyting missionaries we have the opportunity to be the voice for Jesus Christ and INVITE those to come unto him and into the waters of baptism. We ask those we teach ARE YOU WILLING? They have the opportunity to say yes or no. How grateful I am this week that we had another investigator say YES they are WILLING to be BAPTIZED! These scriptures help us understand and learn the importance of being baptized and then we are reminded we have responsibilities after baptism to help others and be there for them. 

I'm grateful for the covenants I've made with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and know the comfort and peace I feel in difficult times comes directly from being obedient and keeping my covenants.

Elder Mortensen

Picture this week:

My Mortensen grandparents in front of the Swiss Temple

My Mortensen grandparents and Aunt Lori with me and my parents the day I received my endowments at the Bountiful, UT temple

With my parents on our Father's Day video call 

With Elder Hancock on exchanges--he's the greatest!