Scripture

"Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever."
Alma 26:12


Email: megan.mouritsen@myldsmail.net

Leah's Mission Timeline

Leah's Mission Timeline

Monday, January 26, 2015

1/26/2015: God is Mindful of Each of Us

Good morning!

Man, what to say about this week? If I could describe it in one word definitions: 

Unproductive
Frustrating
Helpless
Humbling
.....
and many others.

I don't know where to start. 

I guess I had been feeling these pains since last summer in Cayman definitely and in Ochi but it wasn't as bad in Ochi. I look back now and it really was a miracle that I made it all 4 1/2 months in Jamaica with lesser pain. I thank my Heavenly Father so much for that! 

Well since being in Nassau I have gotten to meet some great people! I haven't gotten to spend as much time as I would have liked with them but.. things happen. I could tell the longer I had been here that I was getting more, and more pain. It felt like my tail bone, which felt like a knife, was trying to poke through my skin. haha. This sounds ridiculous and I would joke around with the other sisters that I was growing a tail! Because that's what it felt like! And then Sister Judd said, "you're turning into a tad pole!" But I said, 'Mmmm.. I think I'd RATHER be a tad pole because they lose their tails!' haha! We had a lot of good laughs but it never took away the pain completely.For the past few nights I hadn't been sleeping and I would wake up and go boil water to put my washrag in so that I could put it on my tailbone but it would only stay hot for about 3 minutes and then I would have to get up and go do it again. Man! Walking, sitting, lying down, it all hurt! 

On Tuesday we went to a doctor to get it checked out and she just told me that I needed to buy a doughnut pillow (that looks like a cheerio. ugh. ugly humiliating thing) and then get some pills. She said that whether it was broken, bruised or fractured it would make no sense to X-Ray it because you can't do anything about it. I was livid. And I had to buy a stupid pillow that feels like i'm sitting on 2 by 4s. haha. I could barely move that day. Sister Judd is a saint as well. On Tuesday she boiled, and boiled, and boiled water until she filled the tub about 2 inches so that I could sit in it to release the pain. Man that was the best thing ever. I sat in there until the water was cold and then gone because we don't have a way to close the drain so we used a wash rag. It was the best. 

Then Wednesday came and I woke up with more pain than I could possibly bear. More pain than I'd had my entire mission. Anyway Wednesday I woke up and was just in tears again because of the pain and I think I was just so fed up with everything. So we drove to the ER and that's when they put me on a table and shoved some needles in me to stop the pain and I had never felt so good in my entire life. I could lie down! The doctor told me that I had to get surgery and I was scheduled for it around 1 o'clock. One of the members came and gave me a blessing right before I went in though. I was terrified. It really calmed me down.

They wheeled me into the operating room which scared me half to death! It was like a movie with the big lights and everyone has masks on and they were sticking me with needles that felt like they were putting shards of glass into me and then I was out...

The next thing I remember is waking up and having a man trying to put another needle into the top of my hand and saying it wasn't working. Apparently the one in my forearm stopped working. Eventually they were able to get one into the top of my right hand. Ridiculous. I guess I was talking to a lady named Cyndy and trying to get her to go to the temple because she said she had been to Utah. I don't recollect that though. haha! It was funny. 

Finally my sisters came in and I was taken to my room where they held me over night and I was finally able to go home the next day. I felt like a queen in there! There were menus for food and tv, which i didn't watch, and everything else! It was a WAY nicer hospital than in Ochi. I can't even tell you enough how blessed I was to come here at this time. 

Since Thursday I have been on 'house arrest'. I had a follow-up with the doctor on Friday and he made me wait and sit in that chair for 3 hours saying he was just upstairs doing something. ugh! Patience is a virtue. 
Then I also got to come out on Sunday for sacrament meeting but i had to take my doughnut, which was humiliating. 

So that pretty much sums up my week. I am just so blessed to have been able to be watched over so closely by my Heavenly Father. He is mindful of each one of us. I read a talk this morning called Forget Me Not. That really helped me to understand this even more. It's by Uchtdorf. But I love this Gospel more than anything and I can't wait to get back to work! Hopefully tomorrow. We'll see what they say. I love you all! Thanks for everything!

Love,

Sister Mouritsen
We made Raspberry duff but....they forgot to tell us that sugar is an ingredient.....haha.

  At the hospital.

 And my medications..... 

 Boredom at it's finest. Check it out. Rev 13. 


Monday, January 19, 2015

1/19/15: Another plane.....haha

Hi my beautiful family!

So yes, Nassau is amazing and it has been cool to see some of these people again and actually get to serve them and know them better! And to get to see more of the island! I love it here! 

Someone asked me how many planes I have been on and I think, if I remember right, this plane was my 11th. I think. How ridiculous is that?! I'm pro at flying, not so much at packing. haha. Did i say that in my last email? I me nuh no. haha. And i'm still not finished either. 

Goodbyes are always hard. I hate saying goodbye to the people that I love. But we went to transfer meeting on Wednesday and President Brown has definitely made some changes to the mission that are going to be happening. I know they will help and that they are inspired. It'll help us to be more balanced missionaries and to find much more success. After all, this is the Lord's work and he knows best. Always. 

Wednesday after transfers I actually went to Portmore with Sister Oman because I was waiting on my flight which was on Thursday and her companion, Sister Llewellyn, who is in Cayman, wasn't coming until Saturday and she needed a companion haha. And they just took the car away from the Portmore sisters and gave it to the sisters who are opening a new area in Montego Bay. So we walked the whole evening and I have never been eaten by so many mosquitoes in my entire life!! I don't want to serve in Portmore because of that! And Portmore is just a lot hotter than Ochi. I thought I was in the desert. Ochi is green and luscious. Then the next morning the APs and some other elders came and picked us up and we drove to the airport in Kingston where they dropped off Sister Wint and I, and Elder Lafayette who is going to Freeport, and we flew to Nassau. There the sisters picked us up and we got to work!

My new companion is Sister Judd and she is amazing! We are SO alike it's crazy! I'm excited to work with her here in Nassau. She has been in Nassau for about 6 months now and she actually served in Ochi where she got trained right before she came! It's fun getting to talk about Ochi together. We have a lot in common though and we are gonna have a great time! I have already met SO many new and amazing people! The Bahamian accent is almost like the Caymanian accent so it freaks me out every time. And then there are a lot of Haitians here. Their accents are great too. The Creole is awesome! It's a break off of french. 

You asked what my duties as a District Leader/STL (Sister Training Leader) are. Well, first of all I teach District Meeting every Wednesday. I take numbers from the sisters and give them to the Elder's in Freeport, and I report to President Brown what's going on out here. That's about it. It's awesome. I'm definitely getting used to it. haha. I never saw this one coming...

On Saturday we saw an investigator whose name is Kevin. Man he is fantastic! He told us that he is positive now that he wants to be baptized! That day he even had some Jehovah's Witnesses come up to him and want to teach him and he said, 'you know what, i'm studying with the Latter-Day Saints and i'm going to get baptized. So I'm not interested.' He's awesome! We had a great lesson planned for him as well all about baptism, the holy ghost and enduring to the end.  The Spirit was so strong and I can't wait for him to start this next part of his life! This is the most important path anyone will ever pursue in this life. He loves the Gospel! I already love him so much and I just met him! He wasn't able to come to church on Sunday though. We were sad about that.... Next week!
[
Well that's pretty much my week. It's good to finally be unpacked and settled into this place and ready to get the work done! 

Thanks for the emails! I love you all! I'll get pictures to you next week. Sorry! I love you again! Have a safe and blessed week!

Love,

Sister Mouritsen

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

1/12/15: Transfers! On to Nassau, Bahamas!

Hello! Oh wait... Hi! Wah Gwan?

Sister Garrett and I had some great experiences this week! I love missionary work. I can't say it enough.

On Tuesday night at the church we had our first Bible Study/Book of Mormon class that we are starting. While we were sitting and discussing, Sister Garrett leaned over to me and pointed at the door and we saw a dark face looking through the window. As soon as we got up and looked back at the door they were gone. So we went to go open it and invite them in. As we walked out, there was no one in sight. Anywhere. And the way to get out you have to walk past a beeping thing that announces someone coming or going and we didn't hear it. It's loud. We looked around for about 5 minutes and found nothing. Then we heard someone coming from the bathroom so we walked over there and a man walked by. I walked over to him and said, 'hey were you the one poking your head in the window?' he said no, with a confused look. Then I proceeded to ask his name and if he wanted to come with us to our Bible class. At first he was apprehensive and kind of rude and just putting us off and saying that he had to go quickly to catch a taxi to get home. Eventually he started to be more curious about it the more we talked to him and he said, 'okay, can I just come for a few minutes to see what it's like?' 'Heck yes!' haha! So we went in and at first he was just standing at the back for about 5 minutes and then he sat down and then he started putting in his comments! After the class we got his number and invited him to church and to learn more about the Gospel! It was such a cool experience!! His name is Collin. :) So sister Garrett and I decided she saw an angel in the window was drawing us out of the church to go find this elect being even though he didn't know he was elect. :) ha!

On Thursday we had our institute class taught by Elder Hardy. We had an appointment fall through right before so we decided to walk around the church area and talk to people. On our way back to the church a guy who was smoking called out to us and asked what we were doing. We talked to him, gave him a Restoration tract and invited him to Institute. He said his name was Dogarthy and he said he wants to change his life and go to a church. Then we went to the church and a random number called us. So we answered and he said his name was Dogarthy and that he had just talked to some church sisters and they gave him a tract with a number on the back and he couldn't remember where the church was at for institute. haha! WHAT?! We told him it was us and where it was at. Institute was fantastic and Elder Hardy talked a lot about baptism because we were in Section 20 of the Doctrine and Covenants. At the end we talked to him and he is in the Elder's area... But as he left I shook his hand and he said, 'Man, I just want to get dipped!' It was awesome!

Lenny was supposed to have his baptismal interview with President Brown on Friday morning but he never showed up even though he said he was 10 minutes away. We haven't been able to get a hold of him since. We think he got cold feet. :( I hope I will be able to see him again before I leave though. He is amazing!

In Cayman, I don't know if you remember me talking about Tyrone and how his two girls came to visit. Well, I finally got their number and we were able to go find them and see them! We had a fantastic lesson about the Restoration and their mom sat in as well and they committed to be baptized! They are amazing! The daughter's names are Tianna and Tuanna, and then Arlene. I wish I could see them again! 

Saturday we also received our transfer calls and I am leaving Ocho Rios, actually I am not just leaving Ochi but Jamaica! I have been called to serve in Nassau, Bahamas! Yay! I'm excited but sad to leave the Rock. I have also been called to be the District Leader in Nassau. I'm scared about that one but we will see how it goes.

Yesterday was my last Sunday. Sad.... We went over to some member's house, the Francis' family, for home evening. We had a great time getting to watch Legacy and then, to my surprise, I go floured! Unexpectedly! And not just a little flour, it was the whole bag! It was my going away present haha! Apparently they do it to every missionary who leaves but sister Walker got away without it. It was fantastic! It just turned into a war! I'm stilll crying flour out of my eyes and digging it out of my ears and every where else you can imagine! It was a fantastic night! The tradition is flouring for people going away or coming home and birthdays. Definitely keeping that tradition when I get home. Watch out. ;) Show. No. Mercy. haha!

Well I hope you all have a good week! I will be flying out once again on Thursday. This is my 10th plane ride in almost 9 months. haha. Yah.... Well I love you all! Have a safe and blessed week!

Love your Caymanian, Jamaican, and soon to be Bahamian sister missionary,

Sister Mouritsen :)












Monday, January 5, 2015

1/5/2015: Happy New Year & Crystal's Baptism

Hi Family,

Well I hope you all had a great New Years while I was sleeping haha! New Years is definitely not as big as Christmas Eve here but still lots of partying and everything else you can imagine.... :) The holidays are just so fun! I'm so sad that it was my only one here... :(

This week was kind of slow because of the holiday but still a great one of course! 

We had a really AMAZING! experience. So the Elders called us one morning saying that they had a referral for us. Her name is Janet, she is an older lady, the #1 cook of 2012, and she just randomly called them. So we got the number, gave her a ring and set up an appointment to meet her at the church in Ochi. We waited at the church for about a half hour and then she finally got there. We started talking and asking how she had heard about the Church and how she had gotten the number. She said that she was watching tv and there was a program from theChurch that came on. Her family life at home has not been good and has been getting worse so she would call all kinds of people from different churches to come to her house and to pray that her house would lose the satanic spirit that she was feeling. She loves getting prayer. She hadn't ever heard of our Church until she watched that program. So she asked us if we would come with her to pray for her house right then. (it's about a 45 minute drive and surprisingly we had our next appointments cancel on us). We were like... uhhh... and thought about it for a second and it felt like a good thing to do. Then she proceeds to tell us that we don't have to drive because she chartered a taxi to take us all the way out there and back. haha. That was a little iffy because taxi's have an AWFUL reputation for driving fast, carelessly, and insanely... But we went anyway. The whole way there she just kept saying that she wanted her grandson Paul to join our church. We could tell he wasn't interested though. We drove, and, drove, and drove up, up, up in the bush, squished in the back seat of this puny taxi with Janet's grandson Paul until we stopped at the top of a hill. We then got out and walked a ways into the bush where we came to a little crowded house full of ganja smoking people and all. There wasn't the best spirit present. But Janet is the sweetest lady you'll ever meet! And she loves to entertain. She even bought us grapes! I haven't had grapes my entire mission! hahaha. Anyway, we talked a little bit to her and asked her if she went to a church, which she does in Kingston. Then we felt like we needed to teach the Restoration even though we didn't have much time at all. As we taught, the Spirit was so strong! Stronger than anything I have felt. Everything just made sense to her. We even committed her to be baptized and she said yes. And then we said a prayer in her house, and then the taxi took us back to Ochi. 

On Sunday she walked in to the church with her Book of Mormon and it was so good to see her! She said that she was going to come with her grandson who didn't end up coming. It was a really cool meeting! I LOVE fast and testimony meeting! Sister Barbagee got up and bore her testimony about how randomly this program came on TV about the Church and she and her husband were glued to it and then she testified about how the Book of Mormon was true and this Church is true. Janet leaned over to me when she was finished and said, 'Can I go testify?' I was like, 'OF COURSE!' haha. So she walked up there and told us about how she watched that same program and felt the need to call the number at the end of it. She told us how she has been to many, many churches but they all just seemed fake. Then she continued to tell us how she new that this Church is true and the Book of Mormon is true, that she had already began to read it and that she couldn't wait to become a member! Oh my. It was one of the sweetest experiences I have ever had. She is an amazing woman and already loves the gospel more than anything. :) This gospel is true!

On Saturday Crystal got BAPTIZED! Earlier that week the Hardy's told us that the people in charge of the place they live at said that they couldn't use the pool anymore for baptisms because it is too public....ugh. The Hardy's told us it's because of all the Pentecostals on the board... Honestly. That didn't stop us though. We ended up doing it up in Lime Hall in the bush at a river where Crystal lives. Her dad Wayne was able to baptize her and it was his first time! He was scared but did amazing! He got baptized a little over a year ago. The Elders also had a baptism for a guy named Leonard who is married to a less-active member and she and her kids came! It was a fantastic day. Wow. It really just testifies to me even more that this gospel is so true! That is why I am out here to help people make these steps of not just getting baptized but making all the other covenants we make in the temple.   

I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY.

I hope you all have a great week. Keep smiling and sharing the gospel. The time soon come when he comes again. :) I love you all!

Love,

Sister Mouritsen


Baptismal font. :) yeah mon.