Week 41

I pretty much told you on Mother's Day the cool stuff that happened this week but to occupy my internet time I will tell you again. 

I feel like we didn't get to do a ton of this stuff this week because of interviews and baptisms. We had the interview for baptism Friday and it took like all day, and then we had to go clean the baptismal font and fill it up and whatnot which took like 2 hours on Saturday, then we held the baptism and then talked to you on Sunday, so it was a pretty busy weekend. I'll send you the pictures of Frida at her baptism. It's her daughter in the pic and we don't really know what she is doing so just ignore her haha. Sorry if they are bad quality pics I still haven't even looked at them. I will send you better ones next week if they are blurry. 

Today we went to the temple in the morning. It is always so nice to go to the temple and walk away with the spirit of the temple and be reminded of the plan and where everything fits in to that plan. To help prepare myself to go the temple I read the pamphlet that they gave me to prepare to go to the temple for the first time which was given to us in the Missionary Training Center. The stuff I found in that was pretty interesting after having gone a couple times because before going I didn't pay attention to anything it said hahaha. I'd invite you guys to think about the last time you went to the temple and how you are doing with the covenants you made. When do you plan on going back? Elder Hunt and I were talking about some cool stats about the temple work and how many people actually do temple work out of all of the people living on the earth. It's just an assumption but out of like 16,000,000 members of the church 10,000,000 are active lets say and 5,000,000 are the age of being able to go to the temple. Of those 5,000,000 like 3,000,000 are worthy and of the 3,000,000 half of them go somewhat regularly; Just assumptions. But that comes out to like 2.14% of the population of the church which does temple work, which isn't very many.   Think how many people there are who have lived on the earth that need to have temple work performed for them, more than we can imagine. I see now why temple work is such a big push in the church right now.

Anyway, we should baptize Flor this Saturday so that is cool. On Thursday we are planning on going to the temple with all of our converts to do baptisms for the dead so that is cool. We will see how this week goes, I hope I can leave the area better than I found it because I feel like I will probably be transferred. I will let you guys know next Monday if I'm bouncing or not. 

But happy mother's day mom. I thought of a scripture for you, Alma 56:46-48. I didn't ever really appreciate you reading us like one verse of the Book of Mormon in the mornings while we rushed to school or sending us a spiritual text/thought during the day or asking me what I was learning in seminary because I didn't know at the time what you were trying to do. But, Like the stripling warriors, I don't doubt now that you knew. I appreciate the example that you set for Brock and me and I now know for myself that although we might be face to face with an army like Antipus´s army of thousands, and although the odds are against us, if we will not doubt and we will have faith, God will support us through our trials, afflictions, and enemies. Love you. 

Thanks to all of you. I can't imagine what it would be like to not have your support while out here. I sure am appreciative of your help. I am so grateful for the opportunity I have to learn everyday. Haha Sometimes I think of the mission like the Hyperbolic Time chamber in Dragon Ball Z. Its like 10 years worth of experience and learning packed into 2 years. If you don't understand that analogy ask Brock or Brett. 

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Much Love,

Elder Mortenson