Happy Birthday Elder Rivas

April 16, 2012


Hello family,


This was a better week. Thanks for all your prayers. I know they helped. I think I have put on about 15 to 20 pounds of bulk. I work out every morning and yes, my legs and my butt are getting a lot bigger. My legs are starting to look more like dads but not quite. I still need to do a lot of calf raises before I get to that status. I am still taking Prednisone. I have been taking it for about 25 days now. I have been taking 8 pills a day for 3 days and now I am taking 6 pills for 3 days. The rash is starting to look better but if it doesn't fully go away this time I am going to go to an allergist. I don't take all those vitamins in the picture every day. I only take vitamin C and that is about it. I just thought it was funny how many vitamins and pills I have accumulated.


None of the recent Midwest tornadoes affected us but I heard about them a little in church. It has been really nice here. It is probably about 80 degrees today.


It was Elder Rivas' birthday this week. It was on Saturday so the Kenley's made us breakfast and had the other elders come too. It was a fun time and I really think Elder Rivas enjoyed it because he said this is the first time that he has ever had his birthday celebrated, which is sad but I was glad we could make it a special day for him. For dinner that night we went to Marks house (remember Mark?). He isn't a member and doesn't want to change his life but he likes us and so he had us over to celebrate Elder Rivas' birthday. It was very nice. They had made BBQ chicken and this amazing steak with asparagus and salad. Afterward, Mark brought out a chocolate cake and little Hagen Dazs ice creams for everyone. He bought sparkling cider special for us while he and his roommates drank their wine. It was very fun and Elder Rivas said it was his favorite most memorable birthday he has ever had.


This week was a lot better than last week. We have lost Jakie but the Lord has blessed us with a new family. They are named Kim and Kevin. They are so fun! They are foster parents for three kids and are a happy normal loving couple that is married and not just living together. Kim is Catholic but doesn't like a lot of things that the Catholic Church does. Kevin has never really been religious because he has always worked on Sundays but they are both interested in the LDS church and love us. They are amazed that we offered to help paint their house for free. Kim is trying to hook me up with her niece for after my mission but her niece is not Mormon and doesn't plan to be. Kim calls us her boys and is always happy when we go over or call her. It is a very different experience to teach her and Kevin than any other investigator. They are a normal intelligent family that understands why we are there and what we talk about, something I haven't experienced yet. I know that the gospel can bless their family!


This week I became a marriage counselor for Brett and Brittany who aren't even married they just live together. Mostly, Elder Rivas and I would sit there and listen to what was going on. I think they just needed to get their feelings out. She was having problems with the way that he was disciplining her children and he feels she needs to be stricter with her kids. In the end I gave them the Family Proclamation to the World and expressed my testimony of families and how the most important thing is to have love in the home to make it a place where your kids want to be.


This week in ward council I voiced my thoughts and opinions of the ward and that they need to put more effort in fellowshipping new members. I think they took it well and it opened their eyes to the root of the problem they are having.


I love you family and pray for you every day!!


Love Elder Tanner Mouritsen