8/24/2015: Choose to be an instrument

Good afternoon my family! :)

It has just been a crazy, insane week! 

With the tripanionship we are combining all three of our areas. So we had to figure out which days we would go where and incorporate drive time because my area in some places is about an hour away and there has just been running, running, running. And it's great! I just love it! 

We just switched houses this morning with the Elders as well because their house was actually in Sister Bogle's area, which is now all of ours. So that took a few hours but it was good. It'll be better for us now and more productive because we will actually be living in our area. I thought I wasn't going to have to pack my suitcase until November haha! That changed. At least this time I didn't have to pack for weight to fly out somewhere else. 

On Tuesday we had Zone Conference and man it was awesome! Elder and Sister Martinez came for the mission tour. He's in the area presidency. I learned so much once again. President Brown talked to us a lot about our teaching skills and how we can improve. He talked about not teaching really from just mind to mind but from heart to heart. Which requires us to have our own spiritual experiences that we can then bear more powerful testimony and have it carried to their hearts by the Spirit. Elder Martinez talked about how we can help to improve the Branch with things like Branch council. He talked about the vital signs in a branch. Man it was just so helpful! I really left that Conference feeling uplifted and motivated even more! This work is just so exciting and I'm so blessed to get to be a part of it as a missionary. It really is the greatest thing I have ever done in my life so far. 

We had an awesome experience with Kelly this week on Thursday! She is one of the investigators that Sister Schwendiman was teaching. Still is but now it's us haha. She owns a little bar in Sunset and that is where we teach her. haha. The environment is actually pretty good because we go during the day and not many people are there at that time. There's just beer and stuff on the shelves haha.... She loves the Book of Mormon though and she came to church on Sunday. She said she loved church as well and felt really welcome. We shared with her about faith and repentance and we read in Alma 36 about Alma the Younger and his experience. As we talked about it the Spirit was just so strong! We talked about how Christ's hand is always outstretched and waiting for us to take hold, and about forgiveness and all that. She began to cry and we hugged her and she just said that she was so happy to know the true doctrine of repentance. We could see the hope in her and her faith building. Tears once again haha. But it was an awesome experience. The next time we went was on Saturday and there were several drunk men there........... Very drunk men. Just the stench of the breath from the liquor was making me sick haha..... Needless to say... I got a lot of proposals for marriage again. Haha. But we left quickly. It was just not an environment that we could teach in at all and they were not going to be leaving any time soon. 

We met with a man named Calvin who came to church the past two weeks, though he was late yesterday, on Thursday as well. He was asking SUCH good questions as well! Things like, 'What was the Book of Mormon written on in order to keep it pure?' etc. And other things pertaining to the Plan of Salvation. And then at the end of the lesson after we talked about the beginning of the plan of salvation from pre-earth the earthly life he told us about an experience he had. So he was out in the bush trying to shoot a bird and this bird seemed to be hiding behind a tree branch and he would peer around the branch and as soon as he saw that Calvin was going to shoot him he would hide back behind. And this happened several times until the bird suddenly stopped and wasn't there anymore.... And then all of the sudden there was a lady who was behind Calvin and walked to the front of him and she told him something, I don't remember, and then she walked back around him but disappeared..... interesting.... And then he went on to tell us that he believes that God is good and evil..... Oh man. It started off well. We have another appointment with him. He is a very intelligent man but has some interesting ideas for sure. I love the guy. :)

We had a great lesson with a less-active this week. Her name is Sister Foster. We taught her the Restoration and we had planned on watching the video but we forgot it at home.... So we taught it to her without the video and wanted to focus on the Priesthood and the importance of it. Jeez was that lesson powerful! The Spirit was just leading it so well. I don't know if it could have been as powerful if we showed the movie because of the questions she was asking. They were just inspired and she really came to understand the Priesthood and how it was restored back to the earth. Wow it was just amazing to see the Spirit working through her and us as well. 

Well, that's about how the week went. It was great! I'm excited to see what the Lord has in store for us this week and who he has in mind for us to meet. This Gospel is true. Christ truly does lead it and is at the head. And he is mindful of each and every single one of us. I have never been so sure about my purpose and what and how I want to live my life and the kind of daughter of God I want to be. I love my Heavenly Father and my Brother Jesus Christ more than anything. Without Christ, I wouldn't be able to live with Him, my Heavenly Father or my family again. The Atonement is real. 

I love you all.

Love,

Sister Mouritsen

   

8/17/2015: 2 more transfers left.... cha....‏

Good afternoon family :)

Yes this week was transfers once again... It was hard too. I miss Sister Robinson so much! We really grew so close to each other. Like really!!

Tuesday was our last proselyting day together..... We had an awesome experience too! So we had planned to meet with a less-active, Audrey, who I'm pretty sure I have talked about already. Man I love her. We had planned to begin reading in the Book of Mormon with her because she wanted us to and to help her read because she isn't the greatest reader. But as we were planning during companionship study I felt like we should choose a more specific chapter than 1 Nephi 1. Sister Robinson said that she had read a chapter the other day, 3 Nephi 17, that she thought would be good. So we agreed and we got to Audrey's shop to read the chapter with her. After we read the chapter it was quiet. And then she spoke with tear-filled eyes and said, 'How did you know that I needed this chapter?' She's been going through hard times with one of her sons being in the hospital and other things going on in her family and this scripture really just spoke to her and the Spirit was just SO strong! Oh man! It really strengthened her testimony and Sister Robinson’s and my testimony as well! Even the member, Sister Ranger, who was there with us. It was just cool to see how the Spirit works. Audrey had said that she prayed this morning with all of her heart that the Lord would help her in her situation by some way. She really needed comfort and then we just showed up. ;) It was just a really sweet experience. 

On Wednesday we drove to Spanish Town for transfers. So bitter sweet.... So many missionaries that I have grown to love and get to be around went home. Like Sister Mashabela my trainer. Man. That was hard to let her go. But life must go on. I remember talking about when this would happen with her when she was training me over a year ago and now look... it's already here! Cha man....

Coming home it was Sister Schwendiman and I and Elder England and his Trainee in the car. They are white washing and they are awesome! It's cool to have Elder's around again.

Sorry for the short email this week. It was a crazy, insane week. You have no idea.... But I hope that all is well. Keep on keepin' on and be strong. I love you all so much! 

Love,

Sister Mouritsen

Sister Robinson going to Nassau in my former area!

Sister Smith going to Turks! 

Elder Ruesch who just went home.

8/10/2015: Three Months left exactly...

Well once again we had a great week! Man it was awesome. I never get tired of doing the work. :) No matter how much rejection we receive a day haha. It makes the sweet moments just that much sweeter. 

On Tuesday, I had the opportunity to take Sister Smith to Kingston. She needed to get police records and passport photos done. It was great to spend time together and drive there. Man she's awesome. Did I tell you she went to Syracuse High? She knows some people from Davis and I did from Syracuse as well. But man is she an amazing missionary. You would never know that she was in training still. On our way back home from Kingston, Sister Robinson and Schwendiman were way up in Lancaster still so we went and saw a less active at her shop. Her name is Audrey. Oh my was it a good lesson too. We talked about the Book of Mormon and got to read in the introduction with her. Holy cow. The spirit was just so strong man! She began to cry as we were testifying about it and she would keep turning away to go check her non-burned or even close to burning fried chicken haha! And then at one point she says to us, '...You know you’re convincing me right?' No man. We are just here to teach and create an environment where the Spirit can be there to testify and convince you. He is the one to testify of truth to our hearts. This work is impossible without him! Literally impossible. She still loves her 7th day church though and they just started a month long crusade right next door to her shop... I'm praying so hard that she will come back to our church again. I love that lady. I know she will. It'll just take time.

I had the opportunity to go on trade-offs again this week. Except this week I didn't initiate it. Sister Williams the District Leader did. So she went with Sister Robinson in our area and I went with Sister Bogle in their area. We had a great day too! We had a lesson with a strong atheist which was interesting but still went well. And then we had a lesson with a guy named Keeno who is awesome! He was actually being taught by missionaries when he was 9! And he loved the church. He was so young though haha. But he had so many great questions. I can't wait to see where he goes. 

We had a fantastic lesson with a less-active named Ricardo this week. He is actually President Brown's brother. He is the sweetest guy! We read it the Book of Mormon in Alma 32 about faith. We read from versus 28-43. He just lit up too! We helped him to understand that faith is an action. We need to SHOW our faith. He was talking about how he wants to be better and come back and all and the Spirit was just so strong! I can't wait to see the action he'll take next. :) 

We had a really cool experience on Saturday. Before our meeting with President Haughton we had some time and so we were just driving from our last appointment and I felt like we should turn off onto a road. So I did. And we drove and drove and then Sister Robinson said, 'let's go find Andrea.' A less-active. We heard she lived in the area but didn't know where. We eventually stopped and asked a man if he knew Andrea and he said, 'Keep Drive!' haha. So we did and as we were passing a house, we saw an older man and woman sitting on the veranda. So we stopped and were like, that looks like Brother McLean! Who is a strong member but his wife has been sick and hasn't been able to come and we haven't been able to visit them. So we went up the yard and talked to them and eventually we found out that Andrea lives with them!! But she wasn't there at the moment. But it was a really cool experience working with the Spirit! Oh man! And to see it working with both of us! 

On Saturday I had the opportunity to give out transfer calls. Oh man. So Sister Scwendiman and I are going to be STL's together here in Mandeville. :) Sister Robinson is going to Nassau. And she's actually going to be in MY area! I'm so excited for her! Sister Smith is going to Turks and Caicos. So lots of changes happening but it is so exciting. I've been thinking a lot about change and how it can be so hard. I've never really been one to deal with change so well. But that is what helps to bring us out of our comfort zones. Because we all know that there is no growing in a comfort zone and no comfort in a growing zone. 

Well, I love you all. I hope you have a great week. Be safe. Be good. Be worthy of the Spirit and you'll never go astray. 

Love,

Sister Mouritsen

8/3/2015: I can't believe that it's August...

 Good Afternoon family. :)

Well it was another successful week in my life as a missionary. I truly just can't get enough of this life. :) Did I already say I'm not coming home? oh.... sorry to break the news. :) haha.

This week was so awesome though. We got to have Zone Meeting in Mandeville once again. Our Zone Leaders are awesome and so inspired. We talked a lot about how we can improve in our personal and companion studies and also how we can help the church experience to be more spiritual for those coming. Not just investigators but members as well. We got a lot of good insights and it was awesome. The Zone Leaders asked if I would talk about a Christlike attribute for Zone Conference for a little while and after much prayer I felt like I should talk about Hope. It went really well I think. If it didn't help anybody that would be a lie because I know it helped me. Hope really is such a deep topic. All of the Christlike attributes are. The spirit was strong during the whole meeting though and I know that my testimony was strengthened a lot.

After Zone Meeting I had the opportunity to go on trade-offs with sister Frey in May Pen. My sister in the mission. Man she's great and so powerful! It was an honor to get to spend a day with her. :) I had a funny experience. So Wednesday night we went and visited a man who just got reactivated. He used to be Rasta and he had just gotten the priesthood on Sunday and he was just beaming and so excited! It was awesome! His name is Rupert. Well we were talking and he was telling us about how a few weeks ago some of the sister missionaries in Mandeville had called him asking if they could see him and then told him that they couldn't once they found out that he lived in May Pen. Well.. Low and behold... those two sisters were Sister Robinson and me haha. When we had just gotten into the area we were calling numbers in the phone and he was one of them. He seemed so nice on the phone when I had talked to him and we were bummed out that he lived in May Pen not Mandeville! haha. So it was an honor to get to meet Rupert in person. hahaha!

Then on Thursday we were having a lesson with a lady named Jackie in her shop.  She owns a car wash. Well there was a man and another woman there and we invited them to join in on the lesson with us. The man, Marlon, offered the opening prayer and we began talking. Once he found out that we were Mormons, he said, 'OH man. My brother is a Mormon!...' We were like WHAT? Who's your brother?? Turns out his brother is Demarce Rose. Our solid investigator who pretty much is already a member. hahaha. It was so crazy! So when I told Demarce about it at church he was like, 'oh no. you met Marlon?' haha. Apparently he's atheist... makes a lot of sense now. That lesson was.... interesting....

Sister Robinson's mother got married on Saturday and we got the permission to go! It was so awesome. We just drove to Junction which is only about a 45 minute drive across the way. She looked so beautiful and it was cute to get to see Sister Robinson hug her mother. I don't think I would be able to handle being only 45 minutes away from my family. Sister Robinson is a soldier man.

We are going to be receiving transfer calls this weekend as well. We'll see what happens! :)

Something that has been on my mind a lot lately is the Savior. Of course He's always on my mind but just the fact of what he did for us. The Atonement is such a deep thing. Honestly I don't think that I will ever fully come to understand it completely... But we had DLC before Zone Conference this past Wednesday and Elder Ozment, one of our Zone Leaders, was talking about the Atonement and he mentioned something that President Brown had said to him. It's so simple but so true. President Brown said, 'The only way for you to truly come to understand the Atonement is not by reading about it in the Bible (or the Book of Mormon) but by experiencing it. Wow I know that I have experienced the Atonement but continuous experiences are what will deepen my understanding. The Atonement is one of the most important events that has ever taken place. So why wouldn't we use it. We literally receive divine help and who doesn't want that? I love my Savior Jesus Christ. He is my friend. I know that He lives. 'He is Risen!' The three most profound words ever spoken. :)

This work is true and it is a marvelous work. I am proud to get to be a part of it.

I love you all. Be safe, be good. Know where you stand.

Love,

Sister Mouritsen