Week 38

Fairly good week this week. A lot of good things have been happening. Funny story of the week is that we had a multizone service project in Chaclacayo on Saturday, Chaclacayo is in the middle of nowhere. But they wanted us to go around and tell people that the municipality was lowering their debts or something along those lines but we can't do that as missionaries for some reason, so pretty much we wasted like 4 hours that morning.

We had a baptism! Aracely, the granddaughter of Santos who was baptized not too long ago got baptized.  The font water was freezing and she didn't get part of her hand under the water so they had to retry like 4 times and she was in tears because she thought she was going to drown in the cold water. Santos, her grandpa got to baptize her which was really cool! 

We went to my companion's 6 week training on Tuesday. It was so boring but the best thing of probably the whole mission happened...WE GOT BURRITOS!!! They were legit too! They had to go all the way to the Lima South mission to get them and they were bomb. Elder Hidalgo, who is from my group, snuck me an extra one so I enjoyed that with some of the Cholula Sauce that you guys sent me. I wish they cooked Mexican food here, how I miss it!

We had zone conference on Thursday. It was pretty good, they talked about the gift of discernment and how necessary it is in the work that we do. They talked about the story of Solomon and how he asked, instead of riches or anything else, for wisdom so that he could know how to judge his people. It was a pretty cool relation to us. We also filled out information sheets to tell a little bit about ourselves to give to the new mission president, Pres. Amato when he arrives in June. 

I went on divisions with Elder Hunt on Friday and some pretty crazy stuff happened. Don't be worried because we were fine, but we almost got robbed! It was pretty crazy. We were walking across Javier Prado which is a super busy street and there was this shady dude waiting under the light pole "on the phone" and he got down from the curb right as we passed him. We both felt something weird so we spun around to face him with our backs to the traffic and he looked like he was taken by surprise and he was like "Oh, you guys are the Mormons." and then we were like "Yeah" and walked across the street and just as Elder Hunt was mentioning how shady he was we heard this chick yell and the dude and his friend ran away with her cellphone. You know, I think we were being warned by the Spirit on that one. 

But anyway, it was a pretty good week and the work is going super well. We have been trying to be super obedient and the baptisms have just been falling into place. Three members came to church and told us that either their sister or daughter or son hasn't been baptized a member of the church but wants to receive the missionaries and wants to be baptized so we will see how that goes. Things are going well, I'm fine. SkyBison out. 

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Much Love,

Elder Mortenson

Week 37

Yo so this week was just like the last 20 hahah..sorry I am running out of things to tell you guys every week. I feel like I don't have that many experiences in a week. So I am training Elder Ponce. He is from Ecuador. He looks like Mason Tye just a little bigger. It's been a pretty cool experience so far having the future of his mission in my hands and all. I think I am more accustomed to being here in the ghetto than he is because he tells me that Ecuador is pretty nice. It's cool to be able to teach him everything. He especially wants to learn English so that is cool as well. 

We are going to have a baptism next week. It's the granddaughter of one of our converts here, Santos. I think he is going to baptize her. We also should have another baptism next week with this golden investigator we found named Edwin. He is honestly the coolest dude I have ever met. But ya that's how things are going here in the area. Should have a fairly strong harvest this transfer. 

Today was zone preparation day and we went and made district team flags and did an amazing race kinda thing. it was pretty chill I guess and then we ate chicken and rice and fries just like ever other fetching day of my life but it's pretty good I guess. We got haircuts this morning and they were below average as always. 

The good news is that I get to go to the Stake center in La Molina this week and they will feed us again with really good food because Elder Ponce has his 1 week training so that is pretty hype. They gave us lasagna at the last training when we picked him up. HAHAHA I remember the first week in the field being the longest week of my entire life so I can't imagine how he is doing. On the bright side, technically today I have 9 months in the mission if we are counting from my release date. 

It will be good to talk to you guys here in like a month. I hope Trish (this is how he refers to his mother) has been brushing up on that Spanish otherwise she is gonna get wrecked. I was setting my goals for this transfer and one of them is to finish reading the Book of Mormon in Spanish. I'm in Jacob right now and Gordon B Hinkley's promise is that if you read it in the language you are learning you will be able to speak. The language isn't a problem anymore but i figure better late than never and I am looking to master the language now. 

That is pretty much all I have. I hope I have better stuff to tell you guys next week. Thanks for the support and the emails. 

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Much Love,

Elder Mortenson

Week 36

So this week has gone fairly well. We had a few activities this week that were fun. On Friday night we had a movie night and watched "Meet the Mormons" and that was fun. We had a couple of investigators come. I got pretty trunky watching the part about the Navy football coach but its chill only a little while longer. We also had a "noche blanca" in the stake center where they baptized 9 people from our zone! It was cool and one of our brand new investigators said she could come so I hope she progresses. 

I'm staying here in Los Portales which I'm hyped about. I'm gonna be training a brand new elder this transfer named Elder Ponce idk where he is from but we will see how it goes. Elder Hunt is staying as well so we get another transfer to hang out. Our comps both go to San Luis. My comp's area is right across the street from San Borja (the richer area) haha he is gonna suffer. 

Today we ordered some pizza and chilled and cleaned our room and went to the "mall". Haha I bought a dope "Nike" duffle bag. They can literally make anything you want here and make it look just like it was made by Nike or whatever name brand and they sell it for dirt cheap. 

We did some service for this guy in our ward this week, it was pretty cool I guess.... he was super-hyped about us coming to help him out and whatnot and acted like we were gonna do something super big but we just ended up sweeping off his sidewalk for like 20 minutes and then leaving and by the next day the wind and cars blew the dust and garbage back up on it, I suppose the small act of service is what counts. 

I was reading a talk by Elder Bednar called "Clean Hands and a Pure Heart" this week and discussing with Elder Hunt the difference between the two and looking at how Elder Bednar analyzes it. In Psalms 24:3-4 we read about clean hands and a pure heart and he talks about how we can repent and be clean and wash our garments in the blood of our Savior, but to enter into the kingdom of God we also must have a pure heart meaning that we must, like the people of King Benjamin, have no desire to sin. We can just avoid sin but more than that we must lose any desire to commit sin through doing good works and service to others. 

 I am excited to be able to train a brand new elder and be an example to him and teach him everything about being a missionary. It will be super hard and tiring but I know I will learn a lot. They say that being a trainer is one of the most important responsibilities in the mission so it will be fun. 

Elder Beach and Elder Chau went back to Chosica on Thursday. I think the water problems are clearing up there and it should be good for them to get back to their area. But anyway that's about it, Thanks for everything! 

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Much Love,

Elder Mortenson

Week 35

On Mon, Apr 3, 2017 at 4:38 PM, Bryce Cameron Mortenson <bryce.mortenson@myldsmail.net> wrote:

So i just thought the title of this email was clever because it's a real thing. I am slowly forgetting how to speak English and it is weird. Some of the new elders come in and use slang and things that I either haven't heard of or have forgotten and I probably sound pretty unintelligent when I speak now but oh well. My pronunciation with everything has changed as well so it will take a while to get it back after the two years haha. I also thought it was cool because Valeri Cordon talked about it in General conference and it was a really good talk on how we can keep the language of the gospel in our families. 

This week was chill. Its always nice to have a 3 day pday haha because with priesthood session we do nothing on Saturday and we only proselyte at night on Sunday and Monday so it's been good. It truly is a blessing to be able to listen to the prophet that is literally called of God and receives revelation from him for our day right now as well as the apostles. Honestly I don't remember a ton of what each individual said but I downloaded the majority and am going to listen to them again. I noticed a few themes among the messages such as light, families, BoM, discipleship, and the Godhead, along with the scripture John 3:16 that was quoted more than once. Ill get back to you next week on the favorite talks. The good news is we got a few of our investigators to conference...could've been more though. 

Sometimes I get kinda frustrated with myself and with people. Yes, obviously living the gospel comes with sacrifices but when people turn us down they really don't understand the happiness and peace that they are turning down. I mean literally the prophet spoke to us and his apostles and i tried my best to help them understand that but people just don't get it.... sometimes I just think to myself how I was so blessed to have been born into an eternal family and have been raised knowing who I was and what God´s plan is for me...but anyway that's just like my main frustration. I like the quote Brett shared with me it, it says: "Whether the harvest is meager or plentiful, its God´s harvest either way."

So nothing much really happened this week. we are probably gonna leave a bunch of investigators that aren't progressing. This next week is the last week of the transfer and we are planning to do a movie night and watch "Meet the Mormons" and try to get people to come. I have to go to the 12 week training of my comp in La Molina. President Boswell is winding down... President Amato will be arriving soon enough. 

Pretty cool that I hit the 1/3 mark in the mish. I'm almost to the Fall here, when I hit that turning point. Anyway I am doing fine, just focusing on the work. The language isn't a problem anymore and i feel like I've got a pretty fair handle on the teaching and... I can almost see the downhill side. But anyway, hope you guys have fun in Cancun and eat some serious burritos and spicy food for me because that stuff is the bomb! 

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Much Love,

Elder Mortenson

Week 34

Here are some pics, a tool bathroom mirror pic before the baptism and everyone at the baptism. I will send more they just take forever to download here. And also just a reminder about conference this weekend. It really is our opportunity to receive personal revelation because the people that speak literally are speaking as if the Savior himself were there. I know I used to overlook general conference but I think I understand a little better now. I think the best way to prepare is to come with a few questions about what is going on right now in your lives and listen carefully for the spirit to tell you the answers. We get to watch it in English so that will be great!

 

So this week was a good week. We baptized Noemi and Sonia! Elder Hunt got to baptize Sonia and I got to baptize Noemi. It was a super good experience to see them both finally go through with their decision. They had some real doubts beforehand and we really had to work them through it and help them to see the goal up ahead, they have been through some really ugly things but now their lives have completely changed and they have found what they were looking for, how great is the gospel!?!

For pday today we went and got our haircuts, Elder Beach went for it today and just told the lady to give him a #2 razor on the whole thing because he was so sick of the heat and his thick curly hair so now he looks like he is about to enter the army or something. We went to the stake center and played capture the flag with socks filled with flour to throw at each other and then ate pizza and watched "Megamind" so that was chill. 

We had a multizone conference this week and that was pretty good. We had to give 3 minute talks on a favorite line of a hymn, I chose "Families can be Together Forever". They talked to us a lot about tactics on how to get into houses and whatnot and they brought up some really good ideas that I think I will use. I got to this area and we only proselyted in the mountains for some reason and I asked my comp why that was and he said that it was because his last comp didn't like to proselyte in the richer area (our area is actually pretty rich in parts) So I made him go with me and we contacted and contacted because it's like honestly right next to the church and we have had a lot of success there so far. 

We had to go to the Center of Lima again because my comp has tons of problems renewing his DNI so we took an hour trip and 25 sols in and spent 5 minutes and he was done and then took an hour trip and 25 sols out hahaha. But anyway, nothing much else exciting happened this week, we do about the same thing everyday so sorry if I don't have any cool stories. I think I have officially forgotten what the first world is like because sometimes I just forget that I am even in Peru.

I cant believe I'm about to hit a third of the way through the mission, holy cow it doesn't seem like it. Haha I think about the things that I thought I knew at home and what I know now and there is a huge difference. I was reflecting a lot on how I was at home and my expectations for the mission and I kinda laughed. One good thing that I did realize is that I am really good at making people laugh and the fact that I am speaking a different language hasn't changed that... But anyway I truly have learned the truth and importance of many things in my life. But really, I remember talking to President Walker and having him explain to me who created the world because I didn't know....sometimes I wish I would've taken more advantage of the opportunities I had to learn at home like in seminary, but what is done is done. Anyway if I had time to tell you all of the things I have learned so far I still don't think I could write them all. Lets just say I have changed a ton. Its been pretty cool so far... 

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Much Love,

Elder Mortenson

Week 33

(Cutting bushes with a rusty machete.)

This week has I have just been worn out, I guess it's from the hard work.  But anyway, there have been tons of mud slides and floods that have gone down in Chosica and parts of Campoy, like houses have been swept away by the river and whatnot so they are taking missionaries out of those areas for a while. We received another companionship in our room because it is pretty huge. It is Elder Chau who I met in Santa Anita and Elder Beach, a new missionary. They are pretty dope, so it's fun. As for the houses and people that are being affected we really don't know that much. The river knocked down a bridge where they bring in tons of stuff like fruit and whatnot so the prices have gone up for the time being, but as for us we are totally fine. We are just trying to work hard.

Not a ton of stuff has happened this week. We found 18 new investigators though so that was pretty sweet. Haha There is section in our area that is actually pretty affluent that my companion has never contacted in....idk he says his last trainer didn't like to go there for some reason, but we have had a ton of success there!

We found a family of 5 that are super interested. The dad is most interested of all which is kinda weird because it usually isn't like that and so we invited them to a baptism yesterday, hopefully they come to church on Sunday.

We blessed this member's house because she really wanted us to. We have heard of some weird stuff happening with priesthood ordinances like where the priesthood holders won't actually touch the person's head.  

It was Elder Hunt's birthday this week on St. Patrick's Day so his parents sent him a package which he shared with us!  We haven't had water for about a week now, it goes on in the morning for like an hour maybe. (Probably due to the swollen rivers)  We have been showering out of a bucket that we fill-up so I mean it's better than nothing! The elders that arrived in our room were stuck in their room for 4 days before the water receded enough to where they could get out of the area and they hadn't showered in those 4 days. 

I am doing fine, its kinda crazy in a room with 6 and there isn't a ton of space but it's chill. The work is going really well for us right now. I just hope that those we have with dates will be baptized in the coming month as we are planning for. It's kinda hard always having to be the example to my comp. I found out I need to be stricter with him, sometimes I just let things go but we really need to learn. If he doesn't learn now idk when he will. But anyway thanks for the emails, Peace. 

 

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Much Love,

Elder Mortenson

Week 32

So this week was pretty sic. On Tuesday I got to take a visit to Zack"s mish (Lima Central)because I had to go and get my DNI at migrations and it's in the center of Lima. It is super cool over there, all of the buildings are super old structures and whatnot. I spent the whole morning from like 8 to 12 there just waiting for them to take my picture and fingerprints but at least I can now officially say that I am an official Peruvian! 

On Wednesday I went on divisions with Elder Macias our zone leader from Tegucigalpa, Honduras. He is super dope and taught me tons of new stuff about how to run things in the mish and just about life in general. 

On Thursday we went and did service for one of our investigators. She had us chop all of these branches down from above the wall outside of her house. It wasn't pleasant since it was 100000 degrees and i got soooo dirty, idk if you will be able to see it in the picture. But it was cool because I got to use a machete and just swing hardcore at some fetching plants. Also on Thursday we were going to interview one of the investigators that was gonna get baptized on Saturday but she has literally disappeared. We don't know what happened, she isn't at home, her sister doesn't know where she is and she doesn't answer her phone so I hope she turns up at some point. 

On Friday we had interviews again with president Boswell. He is a super inspiring guy. I talked to him about how I can not focus so much on the weaknesses I have, but rather strengthen the strengths I have and use them to help teach the gospel. I am still trying to figure out what those strengths are but I am doing pretty well I think. One thing I have found out is that I am a pretty dang funny person....even in Spanish lol. 

On Saturday Santos got baptized! It was pretty cool. He is a super good guy, and although he has some pretty harsh economic problems, he is super strong in his faith and so happy to be able to change his life for the better. He also received the priesthood on Sunday so that was cool to see! 

Yesterday was the average Sunday. The ward here is super good and cool and helps us out a lot. We had two of our new investigators come to church and they seemed to like it even though the little brother can be pretty hard to get to at times. 

 idk what happened but I accidentally got tons of grease on one of my shirts and my favorite tie so that stinks. I think I'll just save the shirt to burn when I hit a year...

Today we went to the chapel and played basketball in the hot sun. It was super fun, I sure miss playing ball at the SARC and the ARC with Brett and other homies. We kinda just chilled and talked about cool spiritual experiences and how you all are so lucky because tomorrow is taco tuesday at Cafe Rio, I sure miss it! But anyway, I am still doing great just working away trying to figure out who I am and what I can contribute. Scripture of the week Matt 24:25. How many times have I said that the church is true? 

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Much Love,

Elder Mortenson