Saying Goodbye To 2022!

Hello Everyone,

I hope each of you had a Merry Christmas and enjoyed time with your friends and family. Christmas here in the mission field was good and I am grateful for the birth and life of our Savior Jesus Christ.

The weather this past week has turned very cold and snowy. We had snow enter under the front door of our apartment. Great times.

I was able to call and video chat with my parents and sister yesterday on Christmas. I opened my gifts from them and other extended family as we talked. Thank you to everyone who sent me something, I really appreciate it. I also opened a box from my parents home ward filled with handwritten note cards from the Relief Society sisters, Young Men, Young Women, and Primary children. I was very touched by their effort to write to me and send treats and a gift along with the cards. I read every card and they made me smile.

I continue to train Elder Shaw. Things are going well and we are getting along great. We are making sure to have a little fun with all of the training efforts. The back up driving vest prank came to a roaring halt so I'm fresh out of ideas.

We spent most of the week outside of training doing FB work. Our mission is one of the top leading missions to find and get referrals off of Facebook.

Our investigator Lori was not baptized on Christmas Eve. I've shared the very long story why with my parents but I'll briefly share that Lori's daughter was not on board with her mother being baptized and stopped it from happening. This past week we visited and continued to teach Lori and she was now reading the Doctrine and Covenants and Pearl of Great Price. She loved what she was reading and was able to share with us what touched her. When we finally had the reality check that this baptism was not going to happen I was pretty bummed to say the least and needed time to process the news. Once we were back home I spent time in prayer and will share that following my long prayer I know that I taught Lori what she needs to be baptized. I know that the Lord has provided a way for those that want to be baptized to be baptized, and that one day her baptism will happen--even if it is after she has passed away. I know Lori wants to be baptized. I know Lori would be baptized if she could make it happen. As missionaries we can only do so much. Our Branch is also pretty bummed out that she wasn't able to be baptized. I feel the comforting of the Spirit in the situation.

The same day (Friday-Christmas Eve Eve) that we got word that Lori would not be baptized we received an online referral. I immediately responded to the referral and the woman immediately responded back to me. Within hours we were at the apartment of the Gray family--husband, wife and three children. Althea Gray told us she clicked on a prayer app online and gave her information to be contacted by Church missionaries. She said their family needed prayers and comfort because of the situation they found themselves in. Her husband John had just lost his job and money was running out. There was no Christmas for the kids and their food supply was almost gone. We shared a message on the introduction of the Book of Mormon and Bible (both of which they had not heard of or read). We testified of who Jesus Christ is and his mission. John and Althea really were touched with the messages we shared. We left with a follow up appointment for the next day--Christmas Eve. On Christmas Eve we went to their apartment again and brought a member from the Farr West Stake who teaches lessons with missionaries. We taught the family the Restored Gospel and the Spirit was palpable. Heavenly Father definitely knew of this family's circumstance. As heart broken as this family feels we know they also felt good about the messages and lessons we were sharing. We taught the First Vision lesson and asked if they had been baptized which they had not. When we told them that Jesus Christ was baptized by John the Baptist, Aletha asked why Jesus needed to be baptized. I turned to 2 Nephi Chapter 31 and read why Jesus Christ needed to be baptized. Once our lesson was over both John and Aletha said they "want to be baptized". We tentatively set their baptisms for Saturday, January 7th. Once we returned home Elder Shaw and I felt a tug to make a little Christmas happen for their family. Since we couldn't shop we went to our pantry and pulled everything off all of the shelves. There was more food than we realized in the pantry. We checked for expiration dates and then found a cardboard box and filled it with food. On Christmas morning we got up and ready for Sacrament Meeting. The pipes froze in the Warrensburg building again so we had Zoom Church. We arrived at the Gray's apartment and knocked. When the parents opened the door and saw us standing there (me with my Santa hat) with a box of food they were so grateful. We asked if they wanted to watch the Zoom Sacrament Meeting with us and they were excited to watch. So we stayed at their home and we all watched Church online. Within a few days we meet this family, teach several lessons and they have a Church attendance being met.

As devastating as Lori's situation is, I truly felt the true Spirit of Christmas this year. Miracles have increased 10 fold and God is real. There are no coincidences. This experience is the highlight of my mission so far. These experiences have been tender mercies straight from heaven. This Christmas I truly have had the vision to see people as God sees them, as His children. I am so grateful to serve the Lord right now as a full time missionary. I love being a missionary at Christmastime. I feel God's love overflowing even more than I ever have.

Tonight we are back at the Gray's home teaching another lesson, The Plan of Salvation. I look forward to continuing to teach this good family who need prayers and blessings in their lives right now.

As we finish off this final week in December and close another year, I look forward to 2023 and all that awaits me and my family. I am grateful for my good parents who continue to support and show unconditional love for me. I hope all of you are doing well and are looking forward to a wonderful new year.

Elder Mortensen

Pictures this week:

Zone Conference Christmas table

Christmas packages for Elder Shaw and I

Me looking at one of my packages--lol

Warrensburg Zone Conference crew

Tag picture on our Christmas tree

Our Christmas tree

Me and Elder Shaw delivering our box of Christmas food

Elder Shaw and I ready to serve

Brother Acosta and me at lunch this past week

My family and I after church back in our Christmas PJ's for a family picture