A few questions to and responses from Tanner 03 January 2012
1. How was your trip to Pittsburgh?
The Pittsburgh trip was fine we pretty much drove all day but it was nice we had to leave at around 6:30 in the morning to get to Pittsburgh by 10:00 so i was pretty tired and just slept most of the ride.
2. Who went with you?
It was just Stewart and me. We drove there and then immediately after getting there Stewart drove back to his new place with the office elders while I went and had a training meeting with all the trainers.
3. Did you talk to President Topham and Sister Topham?
Yes, I talked to President Topham for a little bit but he was super busy with all the new trainees that came in. There were 17 new missionaries so there were a lot of people training this transfer.
4. How is Elder Rudd settling in?
I think he is doing well. He really likes missionary work. I think he knows the scriptures pretty well. He has a ton of scriptures memorized. He was one of those kids that would memorize all 100 scripture mastery's in seminary. I don't know anyone that does that.
5. Maybe you can help him to learn some Spanish phrases so that you can continue finding Spanish speaking investigators.
Yes, maybe, but Spanish was already hard to learn and know it is going to be even harder. These last few days of study have been awful. I have no time to study Spanish because it always gets interrupted by other things. It makes me mad because I really want to learn Spanish and work hard at trying to speak it, I just don't have any opportunities. Everyone I talk to all speaks English but I think I am going to start going over to Elder Kenley's and have him help me because he can speak Spanish and he can listen to what I am saying in Spanish and give me feedback. We did have one Spanish lesson this week with our investigator Cathy. Elder Kenley and I taught her the plan of salvation and invited her to church. Unfortunately she never showed up to church.
6. How is your ankle doing?
My ankle is still a little swollen so in physical therapy I haven't been able to do any strengthening exercises which kind of stinks because all I do there is just stretch it out and ice it which kind of feels like a waste. I will probably need to go to more physical therapy than just the five that the mission doctor recommended. I have hardly been able to rest my ankle and let it heal and that is probably why it is still swollen but, I can't help it, we are constantly busy with mission work and you can't do any mission work lying down.
7. How are your investigators and new members doing?
Loannva is doing really great! I took Elder Rudd over to meet her for the first time and he loved her and was pretty jealous that Stewart and I got to find and teach her, because she was a golden investigator and I don't think many missionaries get the experience that we had of finding her on our own, teaching, and baptizing.
Jim struggles constantly. He has no support other than us so he has gone back to some old habits. He does come to church every Sunday though and he participates in the lessons and stuff so that is good. We have started to teach him the new member discussions which have been good and they seem to be helping him. He trimmed up his beard and was wearing his new Sunday clothes President Hurley got him for Christmas. He looked pretty good. I'm not giving up on him.
Our other investigators are doing well. Chester has a baptismal date for the 28th so we just need to get him to come to church three times and for him to quit smoking and then he will be good. We have a new investigator named Philip. He is cool. He was a Mennonite but now he is interested in the LDS church so we are teaching him. He is a farmer and is as strong as on ox. He held a sledge hammer strait out from his body and held it by the end of the handle and slowly let it drop to his nose and then brought it all the way back up 6 times. I don't know if that made any sense but, I couldn't do it and Elder Leavitt couldn't do it either. He has to be way strong.
8. Did you have to be in early on New Years Eve? Did you bang on your pots and pans and make a lot of noise?
Yes, we had to be in at 6:00 which was fine but no we didn't bang on pots and pans.
9. Any news on your apartment?
Yes, we are supposed to be getting a new one with new carpet pretty soon they just have to paint and install new flooring.
If I didn't baptize one person on my mission it would be fine with me because being here on my mission has made my testimony grow more than ever and has converted me in many ways. I am a strong believer in missions, that they can change anybody. I don't care what people say about a mission not being their thing, it can be anybody’s thing and it will change their life forever.
I love you guys very much and missed you during this holiday season but there is no other place I would rather be than on a mission at this time.
Love Elder Mouritsen
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