We Are Not Trying To Find Everyone, But The One Who Is Elect

Dear family and friends,

Thank you for your letter! This week was a pretty good week! On Thursday we had a Multi-Zone conference with Elder Paul B. Peiper of the Presiding Seventy. It was an amazing meeting! He talked with us for like 3 hours, teaching us how to be more effective as missionaries. I really learned a lot from him and know that he was being inspired of God because the things he taught us was exactly what our mission needed! I know I received a lot of personal revelation and found many answers to the questions I was asking. I was also able to see my Father Elder Peck and my Son Elder Edman and my grandson Elder Roberts! Elder Edman just started training this last transfer! I got to talk to them for a while at the conference. Elder Roberts graduated from Payson High School in 2007 so he is an older missionary. He said that he knew the Haney's and the Mortensen's, what a small world! I'm sure Elder Edman is doing a great job training, better than I probably did!

Other than that our week was pretty rough. We didn't have the car so we had to bike everywhere, but Elder Balaich's bike has a broken valve so we couldn't bike anywhere. We didn't get so see as many people as we normally do, but we are excited to have a great upcoming week! We have discontinued teaching a few investigators because they were not progressing. Something we learned from the meeting is that we are not trying to find everyone, but THE ONE who is elect. There are many elect people but finding them in a city of 75,000 or more is difficult. We are teaching two of the original three part member families. One of them came to church this week which was really exciting! They got along really well with the ward so hopefully we will see them continue to progress. Trish had treatments all this week so we were unable to meet with her, but from what we know she is still loving the gospel. Collins is still asking really good questions! We always go over things with him that we don't with a lot of investigators. The good thing about him, is that once we explain doctrine to him, he softens his heart and believes. I really hope one day he will be baptized.

I still enjoy being District Leader. I really love having more opportunities to serve the missionaries in the district. We have a great district! We will probably be getting another set of Sisters in our area because there are about 11 in the mission right now. This transfer of February 5 we will be getting 9 new ones, and then 9 the next transfer. We have about 180 missionaries now, but will soon be up to 250 in a few months. I did meet an Elder from Lehi, I don't remember his name, but I know he lived In the same ward as the Tenney's in the North Stake.

Its great to hear about your trip to Vegas! Hopefully everything goes well and you enjoy your time! Hoover Dam was probably one of my favorite things to so so I'm glad y'all got to see it. I think I said it before but the next transfers are February 5. I'm not sure if I will be transferred or not. I will likely have another transfer here.

I hope you have a great week. Thank you for your prayers and support!

 

Love, Elder Mortensen

 

 

This is Virgil. Elder Peck taught him when he was in Greenville

so I took a picture with him when I was on exchange.