Service, Transfers, And A Broken Wrist

Hey Everyone,

Transfers were this past week and our trio dropped back to a companionship. Elder Paul and I remain here in the Concordia Branch.

No, I didn't break my wrist, but here's the story. Today, Elder Paul and I went to the senior center to play pickleball as we usually do on Monday mornings. Today, at the end of the last game an older senior lady tripped and fell and broke her wrist. I called 911 and then got her a chair to sit down on. Then I splinted her arm with a pickleball paddle while we waited for the ambulance. Her name is Marilyn and she could use prayers as she heals. We will follow up this week and check on her. It was a sad way to finish off our game. 

We had three different service projects we did this week. I really enjoy being outside working and serving others. This has been one of the greatest parts of my mission. Our first day of service was for a guy who is married to a less active member. He asked that we help him get his yard ready for winter. We worked clearing out his garden, trimmed and cleaned around all of the bushes and trees and hauled some items he couldn't lift. 

Another service day we spent hauling hay bales. We had to carry the bales up a hill and I took one in each hand and trudged up and down the hill over and over. We also moved the hay bales from the holding area to the barns. 

A sister in the ward asked that we clear out her garden and pull up the remaining vegetables. We found turnips, tomatoes, and carrots when we were clearing things out. 

We continue to teach the same people, including Dewey. But, we did have the opportunity to teach the first lesson to a lady in a nursing home in Lexington. She is the fiance of a member of our branch. Elder Paul and I along with a counselor in the branch presidency and another member of the branch went to visit this older member. Once there he asked that I give him a priesthood blessing. Following the blessing his fiance walked into the room. This member tells her that I had just given him a priesthood blessing and then goes on to tell her about priesthood authority and what a blessing was. She asked me to give her a priesthood blessing and so I did. Afterward we talked with her and found out she has been learning about the gospel from her fiance. She has a Book of Mormon and has read the entire thing. She told us she loves the Book of Mormon even more than the Bible because she can understand it better. She is a golden investigator but we need to make sure of a few things before we continue to teach her. The spirit was very strong that evening. The two members that came with us for the visit shared their testimony and I appreciate them so much. Go out visiting with your missionaries, it helps us out. 

Our mission will be part of the Giving Machines in Kansas City again this year. Unfortunately, my zone is too far away for us to serve this year, but I am grateful I was able to help last year. 

Our Sunday night devotional was from Bishop Freestone, who is a YSA Bishop in the area. He shared a great message and I have felt lifted this week by the good things I've heard and felt. 

Today for P-Day we played golf inside the church. A bag of golf clubs and golf balls were left in the basement of our apartment and we talked to our district and they all agreed to church golf today. We set up courses around the building and opened all of the classroom doors. 

This transfer President made some changes and we are an all Elder district. I really enjoy all Elder districts because we can play church golf.

After going without meals for a while from the members things have been picking up lately, and we have 3 Thanksgiving invites. One is with our Zone, then a branch family and another branch family who do not serve turkey on Thanksgiving and want us to experience what they eat. 

The Morgan's (family in the branch) have two pit bulls. The stories I could tell you about Buddy and Missy, those two are trouble makers. And, other dogs I get to hang out with as we visit branch families. 

Before our trio ended, Elder Waterlyn and I decided to play a prank on Elder Paul. During exchanges while Elder Paul was away, we were with Elder Lewis out walking and I stepped on a ball shaped item and tons of fuzzy seeds exploded from it. It was crazy to see the amount of fuzz come from a small ball. Well, we decided to take a handful and tell Elder Paul that I had ordered some exotic fruit from Indonesia and that he should try it. It took him a few days, but one morning he bites right into the ball and his mouth is filled with fuzzy seeds. We all had a good laugh and Elder Paul took it well.

In my dad's email to me yesterday he shared a story the Utah Layton mission president shared at a fireside he attended. Here's the story: 

Luna, a particularly curious sheep, was found on her ranch in Washington sporting a swollen head and neck. 

Once she was penned up and examined, the shepherds found what appeared to be a snake bite mark in the center of the swelling. It looked like two small, missing tufts of skin that were about an inch apart. 

It wasn't too big of a mental leap to conclude that the sheep had been bitten by a Western Diamondback. It was rattlesnake country after all. 

Luna appeared to be unconcerned, and the shepherds were not worried either. 

Why's that? 

Because in the United States the only approved anti-venom for pit viper (rattlesnake, copperhead, and water moccasin) snakebites is based on a purified product made in sheep known as CroFab. It was initially approved by the FDA in October 2000. 

In other words, the rattlesnake's bite was not a concern because of the kind of blood that flows through the sheep. Anti-venom is MADE from sheep's blood.

Luna swelled up for a couple of days but her own blood negated the effects of the venom.

Did you catch that?

The blood of the lamb destroyed the venom of the serpent. 

I know that our Savior lives and is our Redeemer. I know that Heavenly Father loves us all. 

Elder Mortensen

Pictures and Videos:

Me 

District lunch

Transfer pictures