A visit from Bishop Rosner and family

July 23, 2012

Hello Family,

I am not being transferred this week.  Elder Blake and I are both staying in Lebanon.   It looks like I have to learn even more patience.   I wasn't too happy about transfers because President Topham said that we might be getting a third missionary named Elder Willis which would've been great and he also said that he knew what to do with the Spanish speakers but nothing happened there.   I get very frustrated at times with myself because Spanish has been such a struggle.  It is good for humbling though and I have been using it a lot more here.  Also a lady in the ward is having me write essays and she will correct them every Sunday so that is nice of her.  

The lessons with Rebecca are going well and she is preparing for baptism on the 3rd of August!  We taught her the word of wisdom this week and the law of chastity.  She drinks coffee but has already been resorting to hot chocolate.  She is always happy to see us and is the highlight of the week.   I talked to Elder Rivas this week and he told me that Quin the Kramers foster son wants to be baptized!  It was some of the best news I had heard all week.  When I was there we were just waiting on his custody papers but now they are in and he can get baptized!

We've been trying to get in contact with Jonathan but he had been busy this week so we haven't been to see him again.  I heard that he was reading some of the Book of Mormon according to his sister Haylie who is a member.  She said she caught him snatching her Quad trying to figure out where Alma 32 was.  Eventually Haylie showed him where it was and they read it together.  She said he understood it, which is a good sign:) 

I had a cool lesson with a lady named Ganet who is Puerto Rican this week.  We have been teaching her daughter but when we went by to teach her daughter her daughter wasn't home but Ganet let us in anyway.  She said that her daughter was telling her about the lesson that we shared and so I asked if I could share it will her.  She said yes but before I started explaining the restoration I asked her about her family and quickly found that she had lost her 2nd daughter not too long ago.  I was quickly led by the Holy Ghost and I started telling her that her daughter is in a place called the spirit world where she is able to rest from all her cares.  Ganet suddenly started crying as I explained the plan of salvation and that she would be able to be reunited with her daughter again.  It was really powerful, probably the most powerful lesson that I have ever had in Spanish.  I was glad that I was able to follow the promptings of the Spirit and that she was able to have her heart softened and touched through the Holy Ghost.  

Lebanon is pretty easy to navigate.  The city part is a grid system and there is a main highway that gets you where you want to go.  We are running low on miles so this morning we decided that we were going to take the bus to Hershey.  It was great!  The bus was fun, and it is a great way to talk to people because they can’t run anywhere.  We got off at Hershey Park and walked to the Hershey elders’ apartment.  On our way we walked right by the new roller coaster in Hershey Park called Sky Rush.  It looked awesome but way too much fun for missionaries.    

I heard of the tragedy that happened at the midnight showing of Batman and I think it is pretty horrific but I just hope and pray that those families that lost a loved one will understand that God has a plan for all of us even though we may not understand all things and why they happen.  I often go to Mosiah 4:9 when I hear of tragedies such as this or if someone is wondering about suicide or why a child died.  I know that this is the true and living gospel and with it our lives become more bearable and enjoyable.  

Bishop Rosner came and saw me at my apartment this week!  He and his family had been at the Hershey factory and were passing by Lebanon on their way to Philadelphia.  It was really great to see them and to hear how the ward is doing.  They brought me a 5lb Hershey bar and extra long Twizzlers!  

  

Love you Family! 

Elder Mouritsen


My Apartment - Picture by Bishop Rosner and family