5/26/2015: Back in Jamaica :)

Good afternoon :)

Man this week has been an insane one and definitely not like any other week I  have had on the mission... haha...

So Monday, Sister Lewis and I flew out from Nassau. At one point in the airport, we were talking to this guy and the conversation started out really well and then it just went downhill.... so I don't know what religion he was cause he wouldn't tell us but he started pulling out scriptures and getting heated and rude and yelling at us about how we should not be teaching with our hair uncovered and how we should not be teaching at all because we are women. And that we should just shave our hair off because we are speaking. Jeez man.... As he was walking away he said, 'Stop lying to my people!' That was a great going- away-from-Nassau present....

The AP's picked us up from the airport and we met the STL's in Kingston and went teaching with them for the night. Then Tuesday we drove to Spanishtown for the trainers' meeting in the morning and then we went teaching the rest of the night. It was a good day. I have been pretty nervous about what is going to happen this transfer though and woke up kind of sick Wednesday morning. But it eventually went away when we got to the transfer meeting so that was good. 

Transfers was awesome! My new companion/daughter is Sister Robinson. :) She is fantastic! She's from Junction and is 19 years old. I'm only a year older than she is but it just made me feel so old especially in the mission old. All my companions have been older than me and older than me in the mission, except for when I trained Sister Garrett. Man....

Well we drove with the Zone Leaders back to our area. They are serving in Hopeton which is just north of Mandeville in Manchester. I also found out that I will be the only STL in Mandeville. We'll see how this goes.

Well white washing is interesting.... when we got back to our area on Wednesday it was about 7 at night. Sister Lewis helped us by telling us who we could go visit. So we called them and then walked out to get taxi a ways down the road. They were a nice family and we had a great lesson with them. They are some recent converts and a newly reactivated father. 

Thursday we went and did Service at a member's house in Mandeville as a district. We helped to clean up her yard and weed and such. It was good and the rest of the day Sister Robinson and I walked and walked and walked and taxied and walked and talked to a lot of people and tried to find the people that the past sisters were teaching. The sisters before us were actually Sister Mashabela and her trainee sister Frey (my sister) and we also have the STL area because we are supposed to have a car. Hopefully we'll get it on Tuesday. The sisters hit a gate haha. We had called a guy named Dixon who apparently had a baptismal date for June 6th and we tried and walked so much to try to find this guy. At one point we called him and he said that he was walking home now from work and we were like sweet us too. and we asked where he was and he told us and apparently we had passed him on the road and we even said hi to him but he didn't want to talk to us and he said on the phone that he was looking for Sister Mashabela and Frey haha! We talked to him! So we have been trying to meet up with him since but.... It hasn't worked out. Hopefully soon... 

It has been raining about every day here as well. Friday we got drenched. At one second it was sprinkling and the next we looked like we had just jumped into the ocean! We were soaked for the rest of the day. It was nice to be able to take off our wet clothes that night haha. 

Sunday was a good day. We got to meet the members and get to know them a little bit. President Brown was there as well because it was District Conference. We also met one of our investigators named Demarce, who is amazing! He was living in Florida and being taught by the sisters there and moved back here this month. He lives with his mom who is really skeptical of the church but she came to church yesterday for the first time! She thought it was a very interesting church....... She doesn't want Demarce to be a member and Demarce still lives with her. He's 24. So he's having a hard time getting consent to be baptized. We are praying that she will let it happen and eventually she will want to learn more as well. We had a lesson with Demarce after church and tried to get her to join us but she wouldn't... Demarce is so ready though! The way he talks, it just sounds like he is already a member! I can't wait for him to enter the waters of baptism! 

Monday we walked and walked again and had a lesson with a guy named Sean. (See-on is how it is pronounced.) It was really cool. We helped him to understand more about Heavenly Father and what his purpose is here on earth. He has been going through a really rough time. We gave him a plan of salvation tract and he said he would read it and come to church. He mentioned that he just needs a reason to come to church. He wants to devote his life to God. The Spirit was so strong! 

Yesterday was Labor Day so we are having our preparation day today. I hope you all have a great week this week. I am exited to see what is in store for us. Mandeville is awesome! It's cold though compared to everywhere else!

I just love missionary work! I love you all! Be strong. Know where you stand.

Love,

Sister Mouritsen

Final Pictures from Nassau (including one with Sylvia, a new convert).

Washing a member's car

Sylvia, a new convert

5/18/2015: Transfer Calls!

Good afternoon!

I don't have much time. My flight leaves today... It would seem that my time is up in Nassau.... I have been called to serve back in Jamaica in Mandeville as one of the main Sister Training Leaders (STL's) :) No more District Leader... haha.... And no more ocean either.... I've been blessed with the ocean for my whole mission! The other STL is Sister Lewis who was my companion in Cayman after Sister Mashabela. But, the catch is that we won't be companions which is new... She is training a new missionary and so am I. Oh, and my new trainee and I will be white washing our area in Mandeville. Oh jeez.... Wish me luck. I love you all! You'll get more details next week. Sorry! They scheduled our flights today because I need to be to the trainers' meeting tomorrow. Alright! Have a great week! Sorry this is so quick and short... have a great week!

Love,

Sister Mouritsen

Here's an image of Leah's areas so far. 

5/11/2015: Mother's Day!

Good Afternoon :)

Happy Mother's Day once again Mom! I love you! It's crazy that a year ago I was at home in Cayman talking to you on Mother's day... Whoa. It was great to Skype you all yesterday! Last one! Haha! Not funny.... That means I go home before Christmas...........................................................

We had a great lesson with Yvonne this week. We talked about the Restoration with her and the Spirit was strong! She told us about how she had had a dream about how some missionaries came to her and wanted to talk to her and had invited her to church. And then that next day she was over at Islande, her friend's house, when we came by. So she accepted for us to come teach her more about the church. It was a really cool thing. She also was able to come to church yesterday with Islande! They were late but they still made it just after the Sacrament. 

Funny story, the branch STILL get's Sister Lewis and me mixed up. So Sister Lewis and Nelson gave talks yesterday in church and after sacrament I got SO many compliments on how good my talk was! Yes I was honored. :) No I did not take the credit for it no matter how much I wanted to. hahaha. It was funny though. 

The biggest news is that Augustin is getting baptized on Saturday! We are so excited for him! He had his interview last Saturday on Skype with the Zone Leaders and Brother Saint-Natus was there to translate the things he didn't understand. He is just so ready. I can remember the day when Sister Judd and I were driving and we saw him walking in the hot sun, so we stopped and rolled down the windows and just started talking to him and gave him a restoration tract and went on our way. It's so amazing to see where he has come from. He has totally just lit up. The Atonement of Jesus Christ is a blessing for everyone but it's our job to accept it and use it or not. And it's not just for times of repenting but the enabling and enobling powers of the Atonement are there as well. I definitely have  learned a lot about my Savior Jesus Christ. I've never trusted him so much in my life. I'm just a small insignificant person in the big scheme of things and yet, he and my Heavenly Father still care. They know what I am capable of and they know my potential. I hope someday I'll be able to achieve what they know I can. I'd be lost without knowledge like this and the fact that everything will work out for the better. This is the most important thing we will ever pursue in this life. So why would we let anything get in the way of that? If there is something in the way of that... haha... Well you better get your priorities straight. ;) 

We had a cool experience this week with a member. Sister Saint-Gilles. She called and said she was having a hard time lately and just feeling disconnected with everything that was going on and wondered if we would stop by. Well it was our dinner time coincidentally but not haha so we rushed over there to see her. We talked with her and felt as though we should share a good pick-me-up scripture from D&C 121 and 122 when Joseph Smith is in Liberty jail going through a rough time and the Saints are suffering out there. I love the words that the Lord tells him in 121:7-9. I'm sure they were comforting to him and can be comforting to us as well when we are struggling. Then in 122 when he's talking about all the things he may have to go through, he should know that these things will give him experience and are for his good and that he does not need to fear what man can do, for God would be with him forever and ever. This really touched Sister Saint-Gilles. She began to cry as we shared it with her and said that it was exactly what she needed to hear. We then told her about a story in the Book of Mormon that she could read on her own time that would help her as well in Mosiah 23 and 24 when their burdens were lifted as they continued to follow the Lord. I just love the way the scriptures touch us today even though they were written so long ago. They are so true! We receive so many answers from them! Jeremiah 29:13. Pray. And then go read and find answers through the scriptures. ;)

I also had a cool experience as I was reading in D&C 105:9-10, 12, 14. I would invite you to read it and ponder it yourself. My favorite part is when the Lord says, 'I will fight your battles.' That's been really comforting for me lately. :) But we also need to be like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego in Daniel 3:17-18. They completely are subject to the Lord's will and trust in Him completely. Would you say, 'But if not', if you were in this situation? haha. Would I? Oh man... 

We also had a great lesson with Bencita on Sunday. Her husband John joined in on the lesson and we talked about the Restoration. They were having questions as to why we need to be baptized again. It really helped to clear up some things and President and Sister Ferdinand were able to testify of the Book of Mormon and how they know that it is true. Man it was fantastic. I'm hoping and praying that John specifically will read the Book of Mormon and pray to know if it is true. They would see so many blessings for their family and I just want them to receive those so badly! 

Well that's a little of my week, I hope you all have a great week as well! Keep your head up and keep smiling. We have a lot to smile about and be grateful for. I love you all! Be safe. CTR. Return with Honor. haha. :) D-accord. Mwen Fini. Mwen Renmen ou.

Love,

Sister Mouritsen

5/4/2015: Se me deja?............... :/

Good afternoon :)

So exactly 6 months from tomorrow.... I will be on a plane leaving home...  Oh... I've already done that 3 times..... Ya know how they say you leave a piece of your heart when you leave, I dunno how there are any more pieces left but crumbs! haha! For true though....

I hope you all had a great week. :) I know I did of course. It rained some this week which was nice. Like Cayman, this island just floods when rain comes haha. But it was nice to have a cool down from all of the heat lately.

This week Sister Nelson and I decided to have a scripture a day. (To keep the devil away... ;) haha..) We started last Saturday and we would switch off every day choosing one. It's great. :)

Saturday: Psalms 118:24

Sunday: Alma 13:24

Monday: Psalms 46:10

Tuesday: D&C 43:16

Wednesday: Psalms 15:13

Thursday: Isaiah 41:13

Friday: D&C 66:36

Saturday: Isaiah 55:8-9

Sunday: 2 Nephi 4:28

Today: 1 Nephi 13:37 

We had a great lesson with a couple this week. Mickey and Eisha. Mickey used to live in Florida and says he is ready to make some good changes in his life. We had a really awesome lesson with them about our purpose as missionaries. The spirit was really strong and they even came to church yesterday! We are going to see them tonight to share the Restoration with them and I can't wait! 

We also met Yvonne and were able to have a lesson with her at her house. We met her while we were meeting with Islande. Yvonne and Islande are best friends. Yvonne is so sweet. Islande had been telling her about how we were meeting with her and that this is a good church and so she wanted to know for herself. She is Haitian too so she speaks a lot of Kreyole like Islande so we need a translator but... That's nothing new. haha. I am really excited to get to see her again. We had a fantastic purpose lesson with her as well. She really opened up to us about her life and what she wants in life. I'm really excited to see her again as well! She is prepared!

Augustine is doing well as well. His baptism is going to be on the 16th of May. :) We are excited for him. We've been able to have some really spiritual lessons with him and he can't wait to be baptized. So we are definitely looking forward to that. 

Bencita is doing really well too. She wasn't able to come to church yesterday though because she was sick from this off and on weather. We were able to teach her about the Plan of Salvation and she had some really good questions about it. She was saying how it just makes more sense to her that there is more to life than just Heaven and Hell. We are still praying that her family will have a desire to join her as well. If not now, sometime in the future. 

Well, thanks for the emails. I hope you all have a great week this week! Can't wait to Skype on Sunday! I'll be Skyping around 4 my time. So I think that is... 2 your time... In Utah at least? Haha.... I dunno. Ask Google. ;) 

I Love you all!

By the way Happy Birthday last Friday Colt! And congratulations! I love you!

Later.

Love,

Sister Mouritsen