6/29/2014: 14 Months..............Nosah!

Hello my wonderful family. :)

First off... Sorry I did not email last week.... my bad... Sister Robinson and I had the opportunity to drive to Kingston again. We took sister Maenetja and Elder Martin and his companion Elder Lewis to Kingston so that they could get TRN's and police records done just in case they go off-island. They are all serving in May Pen so we just drove through, picked them up and headed off. It was a long day and stressful haha. A lot happened and it ended up taking a lot longer than usual. But it was good. We had a great time together figuring things out.

We received our transfer calls this weekend. Actually I had the awesome privilege to give transfer calls. :). It was so cool! So AP Elder Ruesch called me Friday night and told me all that was going to happen and man was it a lot! We had been told earlier that there was going to be some big changes here in Mandeville once again... Which is strange because normally there wouldn't be because all the trainees are here but low and behold.. Jeez um.... So Sister Robinson and I will be staying together which I am stoked about! We knew that would happen haha. But they are splitting our district. So our district used to comprise  the four Hopeton Elders and the 6 Mandeville sisters but... Now they are kicking the Hopeton Elders out and putting in 4 sisters instead and split us into two districts which is so sad... So there is the Hopeton District and Mandeville District. And it will be like off-island was. A sister district leader in each district. Sister Wint is coming back from Nassau. She was the district leader after me, and she will be the district leader in Hopeton. Then Sister Williams will be the district leader for us here in Mandeville. I have still been called to be the STL here in the area, but I have also been called to be the Sister Training Leader Zone Leader now. Haha. Whatcha? That is a first for the mission. I don't think I have ever heard of sister Zone Leader. So we will see how it goes haha! What's next?.... I thought my last transfer call was crazy enough. It's great though. I really love it. Honestly! :) So there are still Zone Leaders but instead of them being in Hopeton, they have been moved to Santa Cruz. It really was a crazy transfer call! I got awakened up by Sister Robinson and the other sisters at 6 am because they wanted to know their transfer calls! hahahaha! Yeah, I waited until 6:30. Is that rude? :) hahaha.

Alright, to the more important things:

This week we had a really awesome experience! So we were out in Asia to see an investigator, referral from a member, named Pauline and when we got there she was sitting with another gentleman, named Mr. Jennings, ya. We began talking to them and got to share the message of the Restoration with him and at the end of the lesson, we committed him to be baptized on August 8th! He said, "alright, if I come to know that these things are true than yes." And then he just started laughing like crazy! And we looked at each other like... What in the world just happened? And he says, "As soon as I saw you guys pull up I was about to get up and run away! Mormons!"  He's met missionaries and been around the church before. He used to live in the States in Las Vegas and has been back about 8  months now. He didn't come to church yesterday though like he said and hasn't been answering his phone so... I dunno what happened. But I'm hoping and praying that we can get back in contact with him. He was so awesome and the Spirit was so strong as we taught him.

Yesterday we had a great lesson with Demarce! He came to church and was able to receive the Priesthood Blessing that he was supposed to get last week. As we talked to him about the blessing he was so funny he said, "Man, it was like Brother Powell knew exactly what to say to me...." Haha. Of course. ;) He said it was a really cool experience and said it helped him to receive some more direction and guidance on what to do. He has really had a stumbling block put in his path that has been hard for him to overcome. So in the lesson we talked about prayer. So simple but it was such a good lesson. We read in Luke 22:42-43 about Christ in the Garden when he says, 'nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done' and then the angel comes to him from heaven and strengthens him. We then read in Moroni 10:3-5 about prayer and asking God. I love the way this section outlines prayer, that when we receive these things, the Book of Mormon, etc, we need to ask God in the name of Christ. Which is so essential. But ask God it the name of Christ if these things are not true, so ask with specific questions. Also you must ask with a sincere heart. You really do want to know. And real intent. Like you intend to act on the answer that you have faith you will receive from Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you by the power of the Holy Ghost. We see here the illustration of the Godhead which I love, how they are all working together just for you to receive this answer. Then the blessing/promise is that by the power of the Holy Ghost we can know the truth of all things. Man was the Spirit strong! We then read another scripture in Jeremiah 29:12-13. That if we pray to him like this with all our hearts, he will hearken to us. It was cool the see the change in Demarce. We then committed him to be baptized and to pray this way about a few dates we extended to him. Man was it powerful. I just love Demarce and I pray that he will be able to recognize the answer.

I have never relied so much on prayer in my entire life. And so much on my Savior Jesus Christ. I know that he lives and loves all of us. And I can't imagine not having a relationship with them. My life has been forever changed from the mission and I will never regret coming out here. The Gospel is true. So go find it out for yourself once more through REAL prayer.

I love you all.

Well I hope that you all have a fantastic week. Sorry again for not emailing last week. Be safe. Be strong. Prepare well.

Love,

Sister Mouritsen