The Spirit was doing all the teaching.

April 22, 2013

Dear Family, 

I am doing well this week.  It has been a little hectic with some different things that have gone on but it has made the week go by really fast.  I can't believe that this month is almost over.  I was so happy to get your package especially after I found out what was in it.  At first I didn't know what your written letter meant by ‘congratulations’ because it didn't say anything about a scholarship so then I got out the papers and immediately I yelled out "I got the scholarship!" I feel that it is a huge blessing.  Elder Adams said if I was to go to Snow College it would almost be a full ride scholarship.  I will sign and send the papers back as soon as possible.   

On Tuesday this week we had a lesson with one of our new investigators.  His name is Rick.  We were supposed to meet with him and his wife Loretta on Monday night but when we went over to see them no one answered.  We tried calling them with no answer.  I left a message and we both left the house feeling pretty down that they would stand us up like that, especially after having such a great lesson with them the last time we went.  Anyway, after being on a mission for a while you learn to deal with rejection so we got over it pretty quickly.  Tuesday night some of our plans had fallen through so we decided to go over again and see if Rick was home.  When we got there we saw that his door was open. Good sign.  When we got up to the door he was sitting in his chair and told us to come in.  We entered and we both sat in our normal places.  He told us that his wife was at work and that she had to work last night too.  He also told us that he had some fireman training last night and that was why no one was home.  We had not planned on doing a lesson but Rick told us that he had been thinking about all the things that we taught him last time especially the idea that God, Christ, and the Holy Ghost are all separate beings.  He said he feels that is true.  He then started talking about the feelings that he has had since we started teaching him.  At this point he got real emotional and tried to explain the feelings that he has had.  He explained to us the feelings of the Spirit.  He knows what we testify of is true and he is mad at his pastor for teaching false things to him.  It was a very spiritual visit.  We hardly spoke in our visit but we didn't have to because the Spirit was doing all the teaching. 

On Wednesday we had our Book of Mormon class. I taught about the body of the Church.  There was good participation but the best part was that Jesi was there and she brought a friend named Kaitlyn.  This surprised me because Jesi and another friend had been in a car accident the previous Friday where the car was totaled and both of them were rushed to the hospital.  After hearing the story it is a blessing that they are both still alive and have only minor injuries.  Jesi had been released from the hospital on Tuesday.  I was able to talk to her and Kaitlyn after the class and Jesi told me that she doesn’t have a place to live so she is homeless again but, on the plus side, Kaitlyn wants to take the lessons. 

Not much happened on Thursday but we did get to teach Kaitlyn for the first time.  We taught her at the library and found out some information about her.  She is only 15 and she comes from a broken family.  Both her parents are successful but they are divorced and neither one of them are good parents.  Her mom doesn't show her any love and lets her do whatever she wants and her dad is abusive.  She spends a lot of time out on the streets, anywhere except her house.  We taught her that Heavenly Father loves her.  We also asked her what she wants her family to be like when she has one for herself.  We talked about families and at the end we asked her to be baptized if she found that it was true and she said yes. 

Friday we had zone leader training.  It was alright but went a little long and the role plays weren't taken as seriously as they should've been.  It was nice seeing the Kenley's one last time before they make their journey back home to South Jordan where you get to meet them face to face.  When we got back from Chambersburg we had another lesson with Kaitlyn and Jesi where we taught about the restoration.  Kaitlyn had read the whole restoration pamphlet the night before so she knew a lot of the material already.  We just tried to bring it to life for her.  We ended by giving her a Book of Mormon and she said she would see how fast she could read it.  Hopefully she takes it seriously.  Either the Book of Mormon is true or it's not and if it is true then it means that Jesus is the savior of the world, Joseph Smith was a prophet, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the only true church on the earth today.  Without the Book of Mormon we have no religion.  I love testifying about the truth of the Book of Mormon. 

After our lesson we went home and waited for Papa Johns to deliver a Pizza that a member has ordered for us.  As soon as we got the pizza we ran over to Al's to have pizza with him.  It was nice visiting with Al.  He needs all the company he can get.  After dinner we helped him clean up his house.  I cleaned the dishes and Elder Adams cleaned up his painting area.  Al is a starving artist. 

Sunday we had church and ended up getting a living situation worked out for Jesi with one of the families in the ward.  We also had another lesson with Rick and his wife Loretta and watched the Joseph Smith video.  They both felt the Spirit and said they would read the Book of Mormon. 

I love you family!!

Elder Mouritsen