Week 52

I almost forgot! Today sister Dubon and I got ice cream cones and they
were so delish. This was on our way to get our very much needed
haircuts.
Love ya!

Week 51

My appreciation for members who are involved in missionary work has sky rocketed so much this week and let me tell you why. so on wednesday, sister dubon and i had to report on our exchange super fast to president and we needed wifi to do it. so we swung by the church cause it was close. as we were driving to the church we were talking about who would be a good family to really be assigned to the L___ family to have them as they continue to investigate and get baptized in the church. well low and behold as we enter the church this cute mom with these three blonde boys walk by us. we say hi and walk past and she turns around and says, "sisters, are you in the spanish branch?" we said yes and then she said, "are you teaching the L_______ family?" we said yes again and she went on to tell us that her son is best friends with J_____, the 7 year old. *back story* j_____ tells us a new story about the two of them every time we come over. but we had no idea that he is from a mormon family!* she told us that she served her mission in sweden (her children are fluent in swedish) and that she would be more than willing to be the fellowshipping family for the L______. she said her husband speaks spanish because he served spanish speaking. we planned a bbq at their home and it was so amazing. everyone got along so well. J_____ was jumping up and down saying that it was his first play date ever hahah its amazing how mindful the lord is of us that we literally ran into the perfect fellowshipping family. (oh and to top it all off, they live 3 streets from them) we would have never figured that out if it wasn't for running into Sister Nilsson at church!

The greatest testimony this week is how amazing the spirit is! this week it guided us to 2 less actives that we haven't been able to contact our entire 3 months here in this area. its so cool because sister dubon and i will both feel like we need to go somewhere its almost weird. like she will say something and i will be like no way i was just going to say that or vice versa. its so clear that this is the work of the Lord. I never get tired of have this random bursts of love for people i hardly know, and i never tire of telling them how much the Savior loves them.

so sunday was so eventful because.... THE L______ FAMILY GOT BAPTIZED :) for real it was so awesome. We love that family so so much. the night before, the mom mentioned that she didn't have any shoes so we swung by on our way home and i gave her a pair of wedges to keep and as soon as she put them on to see if they fit, her son grabbed her and they started dancing the night away. it was the cutest/funniest thing. sister dubon and i are still talking about it to this day hahah it made me want to dance (temptations... i miss dancing!) the most amazing thing as well is that maria's uncle happens to be a member to the church who was suuuuper less active. like when you looked him up on the phone it said do not contact. well of course, we contacted him and he CAME TO CHURCH THAT VERY SUNDAY! he then bore his testimony during the baptismal service and it was so sincere. sister dubon and i were waiting with towels on the side of the font for m____ and j______ and as soon as we went in the dressing room with them m_____ said, "I feel like my soul has been cleaned" it is such a testimony that through sacred ordinances, the power of godliness is manifest. as we were sitting waiting for c_____ to come out, m____ whispered, "the next person to get baptized will be my husband" we are so excited to teach him. we will we teaching him tonight! he works all the time, but they are looking for a different job. he has seen a difference in his family and wants in on the gospel. we are excited to go with M_____ and C______ to do baptisms for the dead in the temple :)

Love you all!

Hermana Mortensen

Familia L______ with hermano robles (m_____ uncle who was super less active who came back!!)

Us with family L______ and hermano morales :)

Week 50

this week was so awesome! (i may or may not say that every week) for real though. as soon as i sit down to write, all the tribulations of the week seem to totally be erased from my mind and only the good things remain. seriously, tender mercies.

so my dearest el salvadorian family is progressing wonderfully. For real. the kids went up at church during fast and testimony meeting to bear their testimonies.. WHAT? they sound too good to be true right? Its so cute because the mom, said that they were looking for a house because they have to move in 3 months and they found a really good apartment in denville that they might have to move to, but then she said, but no worries, we are going to keep looking because we don't wanna move away from you sisters or from the church. ahhh it was so cute. you should have seen their faces when we told them that denville was still in our area and the area of the branch. so darling. the daughter (pictured) is 10 and i love the girl as if she were my own little sister. every time she prays she says, "please bless my sisters" ahhh shes so darling. she wants a selfie. its so funny because her name is jen  so we call her J-Lo or Jenny from the Block. hahah we love them all so much. also, we got the boy scouts involved with the son and he will be going to the boy scout camp this month :) The mom, was telling us about a few miracles that had happened to her the very day that we visited her. she said that she only had 20 dollars. nothing else. and she needed gas to drive home from having done her grocery shopping. she said she prayed to her heavenly father and said that she had faith that with the very little money she had, he could do the rest and fill up her car. ive never met anyone that has faith like her. with the small amount she had, the car filled with gas. she said she was amazed. i felt the spirit so strong and i knew what she was saying was true. the first thing that came to my mind were the words of Mormon "have miracles ceased? NAY!" she said she also went shopping so she could by her daughter a dress and her sons white shirts and ties for church. she said she prayed before she left so that she could find a good deal and buy what she wanted with the little she had. she promised god that her desire was so her children could dress well to be in his house and that they would always forever do all they could so that they will always be at church on sunday. and what do you know? she found amazing deals and showed us the white shirts and ties and the dress. I got teary eyed when i saw the clothes! i felt this strong impression that these young sons will be serving missions one day and their first white shirt a ties was a direct result of the faith of an obedient mother. Mothers have such a powerful impact on generations that follow them. so awesome. they will be getting baptized next sunday :)

Another miracle. C____ GOT BAPTIZED!! so there was drama behind this. our ward mission leader... forgot? he went to nyc for the day... so that was awesome. sister dubon and went to the chapel to fill up the font when we realized we didnt even know how to do it and their were so many valves that we were scared of a gas explosion. by the time we got it to work we had to go into the showers and fill up buckets full of water and dump it into the font for the sake of time. (which is why we look so beat in the picture at the baptism) also, we set up all the chairs, make and printed programs AND made the light refreshments because everyone has about 20 things to do on a saturday. but it all came together. it was a beautiful service. very small but reverant. the best part is that ISDEIVER BAPTIZED HER! our recent convert baptized his wife! it was so beautiful. its amazing to see the progress of people's conversion right before your eyes. she got the holy ghost o

A_______ is progressing super well (the guy i jumped in front of in the street). he is coming to church and reading the book of mormon like a champ. when he came came to church, he had his book of mormon and bible in this like lunch box thing it was so cute! he when we visited him on friday, there was a bbq and we eat with him and his amigos and he bought us these giant watermelons full of mexican fruit. sandia with chili pepper. it took be right back to a year ago when i was in the Mexico CCM. i got two!! one for each of us... way. too. much. food. 

Love you all so much! keep the prayers coming.
Hermana Mortensen

Week 49

hello hello!!

so much to say and so little time. literally we have so much work to do here in this new part of the area we got doubled into its unreal and the absolute best! seriously. we are running from appt to appt and finding prepared people left and right. we also are seeing less actives that we have never seen at church our past 3 months here coming to church after just one visit! we are involving the ward and making the steps necessary so they can come back and get the priesthood and get callings! 

its hard to narrow down a few good moments so i will leave it to numbers. we had 5 investigadores at church and we have 7 on date. june is gonna lookin up :) we are so excited. Something that is cool about the mission is being able to rub shoulders with missionaries who are such spiritual giants. since we are in morristown, we have to exchange often when missionaries are sick and about to go home. So we had a sister from Brasil stay with us for 2 days. she served in the spanish program and she is such a work horse. i want her for a comp one day. she would tell us how they did missionary work in brasil and its was amazing to see how different the missions are world wide. we have the same purpose, but its quite different there. she said she baptized many without knocking a single door... what? hahah but anyway, she has dealt with major health (knee) probs for years and she still just works through it. she wants more than anything to complete her 18 months. i could tell when she would walk up stairs she would hold back tears but not once complained. she wouldnt even lip. she didnt want to impede the work by limping. (i love brasilians, she is so tough) it made me so grateful for the heath i have and for it permiting me to serve. i learned so much with her as we taught together and she told us about the tecniques they use in brasil. (she served there for 5 months, had surgery and then come the nj) I am praying she comes right back here. 

We had a mission leader council where we were talking about changing the mindset of the mission. we set a baptismal goal for the months of june and people stared talking about how you have to do A. B. and C. in order to get a baptism and how people dont baptize for X and Y and the whole time something was bothering me. as i was looking around the room and saw the one of the very best elders in the mission (who happens to be my zone leader) who hasnt baptized his whole mission and goes home in one transfer. I mean seriously, you feel the spirit so strong when he speaks and walks into the room and you can just tell he works so hard by looking at his shoes! president posed the question, "what would Christ say to us if he were here as we discuss the new goal for baptisms this month" one elder raised his hand and said that Christ would tell us that we need to change our work ethic and went on to expound. okay folks. the hairs on my neck raised up. it was an electric, spirit yelling me my head "NO! Christ would not say that. Raise your hand sister mortensen and speak up" I normally dont speak too much at these. so i raised my hand and said that I think that Christ would simply remind us that he in the one in charge in this work. He is the Lord of the vineyard and we are his servants working along side him. when his disciples returned to fishing after he had ascended to His father, did he come back to tell them to change their work ethic?? NO WAY! He came back and asked his beloved disciple Peter if he truly loved him three times. I think Christ would ask us if we truly love him and are willing to trust him. If we trust him, than we know that HE knows what it will take for us to grow closer to him and come to know him. Baptisms will happen because its his work. but at the end of the day, he knows his elect and we are here to find them. as i was talking, i felt so overcome by the spirit and it was confirmed to me that Christ would say that.  President stood up right after that and tearfully thanked me for what i said and powerfully closed the meeting with many promised blessings of what is to come in this mission. 

Now a year ago, I couldn't have told you what he would say. But the greatest blessing and one that i will always treasure is coming to know my Savior. I truly love Him.

love you all!

Hermana Mortensen