I Thought Alot About What He Said And I Realized That I Had Already Done What He Asked Us To Do---I've Read The Scriptures And Tried To Find Truth. I Know By The Power Of The Holy Ghost, That The Book Of Mormon Is True, And That Joseph Smith Was A Prophet.

Hello everyone!

Thank you for your letter this week! It sounds like life is still exciting back in Lehi! We have had a great week here in Tabor City!

The week started off well with a great district meeting. It makes me really happy to see the great feeling of unity in our district. Everyone participates in the teaching and I think that is what makes it so great! I am really excited for this upcoming district meeting. The topic is "The Role of the Holy Ghost in Conversation." I am going to be teaching about how to teach our investigators to seek learning by faith. I've learned that missionaries must teach by the spirit, but the hearer must also participate a great amount in the lessons to let the Holy Ghost come into his or her heart to confirm what the missionaries are teaching is true.

On the way home from district meeting we did service for a less active member named V-- L--. She has a really big yard and we helped her weed it. She has gone through a lot in her life and has a hard time keeping her faith. Over the last few weeks we have seen her fairly regularly and have helped her around her yard a few times. We hope that our efforts will help her come back to church again. She has been a handful of times since I've been here in Tabor City.

I had a realization the other day after we talked to a man named A--. We were walking around Tabor City and he was out for a run. We tried to talk to him, but he said that he had to finish his run. He did want to talk to us though, and told us to meet him at his home. He then pointed in the direction his house was in and told us to meet him there. We were on foot so we walked to where we thought he was pointing, but we could not find it. We walked and walked, and eventually found it. We had great hopes that he would be an elect investigator, but as we talked to him, we quickly could tell that he was anti-Mormon. He started talking to us and told us that what we believed was not true, that the Book of Mormon was false etc... The same thing that most anti-Mormon's say. He told us that we needed to study the scriptures and really find out what was true, and not just be part of the Mormon church because we grew up in it. We politely conversed with him and invited him to read the Book of Mormon and went on our way. As we were walking I thought a lot about what he said, and I realized that I had already done what he asked us to do. I've read the scriptures, and tried to find truth. I know by the power of the Holy Ghost, that the Book of Mormon is true, and that Joseph Smith was a prophet. I realized that I knew that independently of anyone else, and that I truly believed it. I think that is one of the biggest changes I've seen since I've been out here, I know that all of what I believe is true!

M-- is doing well. She was sick all week so we didn't get to teach her or see her at church. We do know that her reading in the Book of Mormon is going well, and that she is reading it with her daughter every day. She has one 10 year old daughter named K-- who lives with her. She has a few other children, all of them have grown up and moved out.

R-- is doing about the same. He has been extremely busy so we haven't seen him that often lately. We had a few less active members come to church this week! S-- D-- came for the first time in months! She is a 15 year old who we see her and her sister A-- frequently. They are great kids, but struggle with coming to church. We also got a new couple who moved into the branch. They are the S--'s. Sister S-- just recently got baptized and Brother S-- is a recently returning less active member. We are excited to be able to see them.

Thank you for you email again. I really do appreciate your words and prayers. I am confident that this is going to be the best week of my mission. I feel at peace and really optimistic about the upcoming weeks and am excited to see what happens! I love you all so much.

Love Elder Mortensen

 

Brayden with the M-- Family

Brayden with the D-- Family

The Missionaries Cat!