My Soul Delights In Proverbs

Hey Everyone,

Transfer news...I'm staying here in Lee's Summit and so is Elder Davis. This is not a coincidence. This is a tender mercy. President Ames has ALWAYS moved me after three transfers so I figured the pattern would continue. I feel very blessed to continue finding and teaching in an area that I really love. I'm grateful for the investigators that we are teaching and who have commited to baptism. 

This week was filled with mini miracles. I absolutely believe that true, strict obedience has brought these miracles to our area. When we are given an online referral for a prayer, we work very hard to make sure we are at that address the same day they ask for a prayer with us. This past week we received a prayer referral and Elder Davis and I went to the address. We knocked on the door and heard the dog bark. No one came to the door. We waited about 5 minutes and the dog just barked and no one came. Elder Davis asked if we could go and I couldn't shake the feeling I had that we needed to stay. He said okay and I knocked again. The dog started really barking, and then the door opened up and there stood a woman. We introduced ourselves and told her we had received her request to have a prayer with us. We asked her if she had requested a prayer and she said yes. She seemed happy that we were there but she looked pretty distraught. Throughout my mission I have prayed for "GOLDEN MOMENTS" where things align just right. When you find yourself in the right place at the right time. You share a message that touches the investigator and the spirit is strong. I want to share my GOLDEN MOMENT with you. This gal, named Cutina, shared with us that her father was just murdered and that she is going through a divorce and her heart is heavy. We asked her if we could pray with her and she said yes. I gave the prayer and without going into detail the spirit helped me know what to say. After the prayer she was crying and Elder Davis shared an amazing message about the Resurrection. I had a small Book of Mormon in my hand and opened to Alma 40 and read verses 11 and 12 to her. They say: "Now, concerning the state of the soul between death and the resurrection--Behold, it has been made known unto me by an angel, that the spirits of all men, as soon as they are departed from this mortal body, yea, the spirits of all men, whether they be good or evil, are taken home to that God who gave them life. And then shall it come to pass, that the spirits of those who are righteous are received into a state of happiness, which is called paradise, a state of rest, a state of peace, where they shall rest from all their troubles and from all care, and sorrow." Cutina was crying even harder and she told us they were happy tears. That her father believed in Jesus Christ and that she felt the scriptures I shared were true. She told us of her struggle spiritually and I shared a personal experience with her and told her that I knew Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are there for all of us, and I promised her she could feel more spiritually connected to Jesus Christ too. We shared a message with her about Joseph Smith and placed a Book of Mormon with her. I can't adequately share the peaceful, calm feeling that I had standing on her doorstep testifying of Jesus Christ. The spirit wafted on that doorstep. The scene is forever etched in my mind of this moment in time where we showed up for someone who was distraught and needed a friend and a prayer. We were called upon and we testified of Jesus Christ. We have a follow up appointment with her this week and look forward to teaching CUTINA.

PAT's health was declining rapidly and finally her husband took her to the emergency room. She has received the care she needs and the nutrients she needs. We have visited her at the hospital and she looks so much better and her coloring has been restored. She is following us as we teach her. She is responding like she was prior to her accident. She loves the Lord and the gospel of Jesus Christ. We are relieved that she received help and is doing so much better. She is scheduled to be baptized in September. 

TONY is doing very well in our discussions. He attended ZOOM church because he was out of town. He is progressing and is scheduled to be baptized September 10th. 

CARMILITA and her boyfriend DERON are both elect. We gave them a Chapel tour and learned more about Deron. He has lived a pretty hard life and one day he was standing on his front porch when a guy came up on his porch and they were arguing. The guy shot him point blank in the left hip and he survived. The bullet is still in his hip and he is a walking miracle. He has a lot of questions for us and we are answering them. While on exchanges with Elder Hancock we placed Carmilita on date for baptism on September 21st. Deron is also scheduled to be baptized on the 21st. 

In other news this week, several in our zone are being transferred or "dying" and heading home. We had a zone lunch today and then egged those heading home. 

Had a great exchange with Elder Hancock. He's a great missionary and we had a good day together. 

This past transfer I've worked on exact obedience. I have started reading and studying Preach My Gospel over again with a new desire to learn even more. I've immersed myself in my personal study of the scriptures. I know that the gospel of Jesus Christ changes people. It makes them better, happier and stretches them to see the good in all people. I love the story of the Brother of Jared and the barges. Jared made those 16 stones himself and then brought them to the Lord. The faithfulness of Jared is off the chart. He saw himself as God sees him. We all need to do that. We need to trust the Lord enough that we see ourselves as God sees us. In Proverbs chapter 6 verses 16-19 we learn of the things the Lord hates. It says: "These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren." These are things that the Lord hates that we do. How we live our lives is crucial in our relationship with others and especially our Heavenly Father and His son Jesus Christ. I've committed to working harder and doing better. We are all given a chance to make changes in our lives, little adjustments or huge pathway changes. In doing so we will see the benefits and rewards of being faithful and drawing closer to our Savior. I love the people I am teaching. They are important to me. I pray for them. I think about them. I worry about them. I am their friend. 

Elder Mortensen  

Pictures this week:

Lunch with Andrade Family

District Baptism

Papach and Me at volleyball

Elder Hancock and I on exchanges