Sloppy Joe, slop sloppy Joe!!!

April 2, 2012

Dear family,

It sounds like you had a long drive to California but it sounds like you had a good time. Sometimes I miss road trips like that because it was just time to think and to sleep. I did a lot of thinking on all our road trips and now I don't get the chance. I would kill to have a 12 hour car ride to take a nap, haha.

You stayed at the Hampton Inn near Whitney’s house? What? We don't stay at Hampton Inn’s. We only stay in Marriot’s. Remember?! The pulled pork sandwiches you had after baby Georgia’s blessing reminds me that I ate Sloppy Joes five times this week. We had Sloppy Joes on Tuesday with the Kenley’s for specialized training then that night we went to dinner at the bishops’ house and had Sloppy Joes. She gave us leftovers so the next day for lunch we had Sloppy Joes. That night we ate at one of our members houses and had Sloppy Joes again. The next day, Elder Rivas and I and Elders Ika and Crandell went and helped this family move out of their house (organized hording that is what you call this lady). Anyway, once we got done moving at least a hundred boxes of toys and a collection of Pampered Chef from their old house to their new house, we went back the old house and had SLOPPY JOES for the fifth time!!!! I called it too, as we were walking from the car into her house I said, "I bet they feed us Sloppy Joes" and they did, haha.

I still have the rash on my face as it has been for almost two months now. It was getting better and then we went to an investigators house which is pretty gross. The chairs are covered with a rug of cat hair (I am going to take a picture of it for you guys because it is nasty). After we had taught a lesson my eye started to flare up again so I now know it is his house that is causing this. Sister Kenley said we will have to start teaching him outside and he will have to be naked because whatever is in his house has to be on his clothes too. That would be an awkward lesson.,haha.

We got all moved in to our new apartment this week and it is so much better! It is bright in the apartment now. I can actually see my companions face now where before I only heard a voice. The paint is nice. Everything is white and we got a new chandelier with five lights instead of one dim light. We got rid of a bunch of crap so there is more room and it feels nice. Overall the new apartment makes life better.

Elder Rivas is doing great. He always wants to be working or doing something and I feel like I am learning more from him than he is from me. We are still working on the fundamentals of teaching and of missionary work so he is learning a lot too and it is a good recap for me. Elder Leavitt was transferred which is sad but Elder Ika is still here which is really good because I like him a lot and he and I can talk about anything together. Elder Ika has a new companion named Elder Crandell or as we like to call him Elder Crandaddy. He is cool he has been out for 21 months.

This week was the best.  We had lots of success with some of our investigators and it was conference weekend which made it really nice.

Things are great with Jakie! She came to the church with us yesterday to watch the first session of conference. She didn't really know what conference was about and had never really watched it but she came and she listened. The first talk was by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf about forgiving others. As I sat listening to the talk I looked over and saw that Jakie was crying. She leaned over to me and told me that she hadn't talked to her sister for 3 weeks because of some kind of grudge that they had been holding against each other. As Pres. Uchtdorf was still talking Jakie wrote up a nice text message to her sister telling her sorry for whatever she had done. This event really struck me. The talk that Pres. Uchtdorf gave was for everyone but at that moment Jakie felt it was specifically for her. I am sure many people felt that way during the conference, I know I did. The spirit of the prophet and apostles softens hearts and changes lives. I am so grateful for a prophet that leads us and guides us through this evil and confused world. I know that the prophet has been called of God to lead us in these latter days and I know that what he said in this last conference is scripture and we need to follow that guidance.

As we were watching conference I leaned over and asked Jakie when her son was coming to town. She said he was probably coming in May. Then I said that it would be great if your son could baptize you when he comes. She kind of laughed and then asked if he could do that. I said “Yes, as long as he has the priesthood, which he does, he can baptize you”. She said “Wow. Ya, I would really like my son to do that when the time comes”. So who knows when that time will be but she does want to be baptized.

I had a really cool experience this conference and a question answered. On Friday night after dinner we went to go get Thomas’ signature for his baptismal record. We didn't have an appointment but luckily they were home. Thomas’ father doesn't like people from the church to pop in but he let us in. We both acted very casual and I said we just wanted to get his signature. He let us in and had us sit down. I was surprised. Then Thomas’ father and I started talking as Elder Rivas and Thomas’ mother talked. I asked the father why he had started coming back to church. He told me that it was just for his kids. He wanted his kids to be baptized and serve missions. He has been less active for some time but has recently started coming back for his children to be baptized. He then told me that after 15 years he was going to become less active again. I was stunned, I asked why and he told me his reasons, mainly because he thinks church is boring and doesn't get anything out of it. To sum it up he believes in the gospel but not the church. I thought how is this possible? Going to church and renewing your baptismal covenants is part of the gospel. This man had served a mission and knew what he was doing was not right but he justified it as much as he could.

I felt like the conversation went well and I learned a lot about Thomas’ father and the mindset of less active people and reasons why members go less active but I felt that I had not been firm in the convincing power of the Holy Ghost and in telling him that church was necessary for your salvation. I didn't give him any motivation or desire to become active or to remain active. After we left I thought about this more than anything else. It was weighing on my mind immensely. I knelt down Friday night and asked my Heavenly Father what I should do to help this man and what I should have said to him. The next day was General Conference Saturday and a specific focus of conference was less active members! Elder Donald L. Hallstorm answered my question and told me what I needed to say and do the next time that I am faced with this situation. This was amazing to me. Just as Jakie felt the talk on forgiving others was for her, I felt this talk was specifically for me and many other talks that spoke of less active members. This conference strengthened my testimony more than I could have ever imagined. It is not just by coincidence that this happened but God knows us and He knows what we are going through and He knows what questions we have. Just like He answered my question He will answer yours if you allow Him. Pray to Him with a sincere heart and an open heart and ask Him the question that has been weighing on your mind and He will provide an answer to you. I know this church is true and that there is nothing else on earth like it. We are a select few and we should be proud of it! Bear your testimony on your chest and never be afraid to share it! The power of God is real and more powerful than anything else in this world. Put your trust in Him and you can do all things! This is my testimony to you this day and I do this in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.

Love, Elder Mouritsen

PS. Watch the bible stories on Mormon.org. The videos on the atonement and crucifixion are very powerful.