Dear Brother and Sister Mouritsen,
This is Sister Keddington, one of your son's teachers at the MTC. Your son is a FANTASTIC missionary! He is one of the best teachers I have ever taught here at the MTC. You should be very proud. He will work miracles in Arizona because he has great faith, he is humble, and he works very, very hard. That tells a lot about you as parents. You have taught him well. I wish you all the best!
Sister Shannon Keddington
Monday, May 31, 2010
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Week #2 at the MTC: "I shook the hand of an Apostle!"
Hello family!
This week went very well. The district is literally all best friends. Elder Halligan (from Tooele) and I have already discussed getting together after our missions and hanging out and what not. The rest of the district wants to be able to have mission reunions and come together and tell stories. Its so much dang fun. On Monday night we had to say goodbye to the older district and it is so weird how you can become such good friends with people, when you've only known them for less than two weeks. I seriously feel like I've known those elders just as long as some of my best friends back home. Elder Ballantyne (from St. George), Elder Hymas (Idaho Falls), Elder Tidwell (from Layton, who also knows Carly Raitt) are just three of a few others that all exchanged addresses so that we can stay in contact during the mission as well as after. They stayed in our room till after midnight just talking and saying our goodbyes. It was kinda sad!
I want to share an experience I had regarding obedience. The first couple days of the mission we were informed of all the rules that you are supposed to follow while serving. One of them was no bracelets or chewing gum. Not chewing gum was easy but I really didn't want to take off my "Brotherhood" bracelet. I left it on for the first couple days of the mission and I just remember feeling terribly homesick and as if I didn't want to participate in any of the lessons. That Thursday night I removed the bracelet and placed it on my desk where I could always see it. About a week went by and I had noticed that during that span of time my attitude and feelings were all positive! So, one night when we were sitting in our room, I noticed the bracelet sitting there on my desk. I grabbed it and immediately put it back on. The next day was one of the worst days of the mission. My attitude was negative and there was no reason for it and I couldn't figure out why I was feeling that way! I remember it being one of the longest days yet and when I returned to the Residence Hall that night, I looked at my wrist and thought, "No way." I removed the bracelet and set it back on my desk. It wasn't five minutes when someone came in and asked me if I wanted to come down to their room and hang out or go get some food at the vending machines. My attitude took a 180 degree turn and became positive, that fast. I could only smile as I told myself just how important it is to be obedient. You may think this to be coincidence, but I've learned to believe otherwise.
Our 2nd T.A. (Teaching Appointment) went well. He said he wanted to learn more before being baptized. After hearing this, something told me to bear my testimony on the importance of the book of mormon. I shared the experience I had with mom when she asked me to read Alma 29. The Spirit was there and so amazing! I got emotional while telling the story and afterwards we recommitted him to baptism and he said yes.
May 23rd new zone leaders were called and I was called to be District Leader. Elder Halligan and Choules were called to be the Zone Leaders. Its awesome cause in reality its as if we are all just one big companionship working together. I love the district and they make it so easy to be district leader.
Last night (May 25th) Elder D. Todd Christofferson and his wife came and spoke to us. It was so awesome when he entered the room and the entire place stood up for him and went silent. He said some things that really stuck out to me: "Apostles can't to it (spread the Gosple to the world) alone...Would you join us.. in this apostalic calling and be our companions? We are so thrilled when you accept." I thought it was so awesome that he said join and companions. He could have just as easily said servant or something to that effect. Later he said that he is confident in me to teach with power, and bear testimony with persuasiveness. How could I let an apostle of the Lord down? Not possible. After the meeting, some of us went outside and were waiting to see if we could see him drive past us. Oh, he just walked over to our group of missionaries standing there and shook every one of our hands. It was amazing and I wouldn't doubt it if I never got the opportunity again! He just held my hand in his and said, "It's so nice to meet and see you Elder Mouritsen." I think I peed a little and couldn't get any words out... :) haha. It was way cool though.
My travel itinerary is here and I fly out June 1st at 9:52am and get there at 10:30am. haha. I will be able to call you that morning but I'm not exactly sure the time! So just be expecting it.
I love you all so much!
Elder Mouritsen
This week went very well. The district is literally all best friends. Elder Halligan (from Tooele) and I have already discussed getting together after our missions and hanging out and what not. The rest of the district wants to be able to have mission reunions and come together and tell stories. Its so much dang fun. On Monday night we had to say goodbye to the older district and it is so weird how you can become such good friends with people, when you've only known them for less than two weeks. I seriously feel like I've known those elders just as long as some of my best friends back home. Elder Ballantyne (from St. George), Elder Hymas (Idaho Falls), Elder Tidwell (from Layton, who also knows Carly Raitt) are just three of a few others that all exchanged addresses so that we can stay in contact during the mission as well as after. They stayed in our room till after midnight just talking and saying our goodbyes. It was kinda sad!
I want to share an experience I had regarding obedience. The first couple days of the mission we were informed of all the rules that you are supposed to follow while serving. One of them was no bracelets or chewing gum. Not chewing gum was easy but I really didn't want to take off my "Brotherhood" bracelet. I left it on for the first couple days of the mission and I just remember feeling terribly homesick and as if I didn't want to participate in any of the lessons. That Thursday night I removed the bracelet and placed it on my desk where I could always see it. About a week went by and I had noticed that during that span of time my attitude and feelings were all positive! So, one night when we were sitting in our room, I noticed the bracelet sitting there on my desk. I grabbed it and immediately put it back on. The next day was one of the worst days of the mission. My attitude was negative and there was no reason for it and I couldn't figure out why I was feeling that way! I remember it being one of the longest days yet and when I returned to the Residence Hall that night, I looked at my wrist and thought, "No way." I removed the bracelet and set it back on my desk. It wasn't five minutes when someone came in and asked me if I wanted to come down to their room and hang out or go get some food at the vending machines. My attitude took a 180 degree turn and became positive, that fast. I could only smile as I told myself just how important it is to be obedient. You may think this to be coincidence, but I've learned to believe otherwise.
Our 2nd T.A. (Teaching Appointment) went well. He said he wanted to learn more before being baptized. After hearing this, something told me to bear my testimony on the importance of the book of mormon. I shared the experience I had with mom when she asked me to read Alma 29. The Spirit was there and so amazing! I got emotional while telling the story and afterwards we recommitted him to baptism and he said yes.
May 23rd new zone leaders were called and I was called to be District Leader. Elder Halligan and Choules were called to be the Zone Leaders. Its awesome cause in reality its as if we are all just one big companionship working together. I love the district and they make it so easy to be district leader.
Last night (May 25th) Elder D. Todd Christofferson and his wife came and spoke to us. It was so awesome when he entered the room and the entire place stood up for him and went silent. He said some things that really stuck out to me: "Apostles can't to it (spread the Gosple to the world) alone...Would you join us.. in this apostalic calling and be our companions? We are so thrilled when you accept." I thought it was so awesome that he said join and companions. He could have just as easily said servant or something to that effect. Later he said that he is confident in me to teach with power, and bear testimony with persuasiveness. How could I let an apostle of the Lord down? Not possible. After the meeting, some of us went outside and were waiting to see if we could see him drive past us. Oh, he just walked over to our group of missionaries standing there and shook every one of our hands. It was amazing and I wouldn't doubt it if I never got the opportunity again! He just held my hand in his and said, "It's so nice to meet and see you Elder Mouritsen." I think I peed a little and couldn't get any words out... :) haha. It was way cool though.
My travel itinerary is here and I fly out June 1st at 9:52am and get there at 10:30am. haha. I will be able to call you that morning but I'm not exactly sure the time! So just be expecting it.
I love you all so much!
Elder Mouritsen
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Week #1 at the MTC
Hello Family!
Well I'm going to start from the beginning. Wow! You cannot believe how much that letter where you all said little snippets meant to me. You are seriously so inspired because my mindset totally changed after reading your letters.
We are so exceptionally busy 100% of the time. Literally, I don't think I've worked this hard in all my high school years combined. Its quite overwhelming and makes me grateful that I'm not here for 9-12 weeks like some of my friends have been. Elder Smith is a good guy and we work extremely well together. He is also serving in Phoenix but so is my ENTIRE district which is pretty rare I guess. My district is awesome. At the three day mark it w
as as if we were already best friends. We pray, sing, study, eat, bear testimony, cry, joke, listen, teach, laugh, learn, and tell stories non-stop together. I call us the Elderhood. On Thursday night we had an amazing experience. Earlier that day we had been challenged by our zone leaders (who are amazing and love our district) to exercise our Priesthood, and be prepared for any situation that may arise where we would need to use it. So Thursday night, I asked for a blessing because of the tough time I was having with not being at home and had some bizarre feelings of homesickness. Elder Smith gave me a much needed, very comforting blessing. After that, Elder's Choules and Halligan (district leader) gave each other blessings and then Elder Smith asked me for one. The spirit was so thick it was amazing! My roommates are so great!
Saturday I finally understood what I'm here to teach and how I'm supposed to teach it. The entire Gospel is centered around the Atonement and that is what the teaching should be centered around. We signed up for a T.E.C (Teaching Evaluation Counselor) session which is where we and Elder Smith were taught about the importance of the Atonement. This counselor was unbelievable and it was the first time we had a one-on-one lesson. I finally understood that the gospel is what we are inviting others to come to and have faith in Jesus Christ and His atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. This is also known as our Purpose as missionaries: To invite all to come unto those things. It gives the restoration a whole new meaning and understanding about how, when, where, and why the gospel was restored.
Sunday is fun day. We had breakfast, studied, went to Priesthood meeting, District meeting (I volunteered to speak about the atonement because that’s what the meeting topic was), then we went to lunch, then sacrament meeting where the Branch President randomly chose me to give a talk on prayer while he was giving announcements from the pulpit. Luckily I had one prepared because they told us that there may be a chance that we would be speaking. All the elders said they loved it! I told the story that I used in my farewell talk about when dad and I were up in the hills running and I messed up my ankle.
Tuesday was our first T.A. (Teaching Appointment). This is where we are given an investigator, and we have to teach them the entire first lesson and they do not break character (meaning they act like they know nothing about the church or the gospel, they play the perfect part of an investigator). One word... Ownage. Elder Smith and I worked well and I committed her to reading the entire Book of Mormon, praying, and if she comes to find it to be true, she said she would be baptized! haha. It went really well for our first lesson
Today, we went to the temple, which was awesome. Did an endowment session, service in the laundry room (which by the way Mom it looks like a space station with how many and how massive the washers and dryers are), then ate lunch up there and now I'm writing letters.
P-Day is sweet! I hope you are all doing awesome and I want you to know that I love you all so much! The church is true and that’s a fact. Thanks so much for everything! Bailee and Leah you guys need to write sometime haha. Letters are like GOLD! Hope all is going well and please stay safe and don't hurt yourselves. That is my biggest fear while I'm gone. That I won't be there if anything happens or to protect you girls from whatever high school or jr high may bring! Keep reading (as a family or however!) haha
Love you guys so much,
Elder Mouritsen
Quote of the Week:
“This is the beginning of a new day. God has given this day to use as I will. I can waste it – or use it for good, but what I do today is important, because I am exchanging a day of my life for it! When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever, leaving in its place something that I have traded for it. I want it to be gain, and not loss; good and not evil; success, and not failure, in order that I shall not regret the price that I have paid for it.”
By Dr. Hartsell Wilson
Well I'm going to start from the beginning. Wow! You cannot believe how much that letter where you all said little snippets meant to me. You are seriously so inspired because my mindset totally changed after reading your letters.
We are so exceptionally busy 100% of the time. Literally, I don't think I've worked this hard in all my high school years combined. Its quite overwhelming and makes me grateful that I'm not here for 9-12 weeks like some of my friends have been. Elder Smith is a good guy and we work extremely well together. He is also serving in Phoenix but so is my ENTIRE district which is pretty rare I guess. My district is awesome. At the three day mark it w
as as if we were already best friends. We pray, sing, study, eat, bear testimony, cry, joke, listen, teach, laugh, learn, and tell stories non-stop together. I call us the Elderhood. On Thursday night we had an amazing experience. Earlier that day we had been challenged by our zone leaders (who are amazing and love our district) to exercise our Priesthood, and be prepared for any situation that may arise where we would need to use it. So Thursday night, I asked for a blessing because of the tough time I was having with not being at home and had some bizarre feelings of homesickness. Elder Smith gave me a much needed, very comforting blessing. After that, Elder's Choules and Halligan (district leader) gave each other blessings and then Elder Smith asked me for one. The spirit was so thick it was amazing! My roommates are so great!Saturday I finally understood what I'm here to teach and how I'm supposed to teach it. The entire Gospel is centered around the Atonement and that is what the teaching should be centered around. We signed up for a T.E.C (Teaching Evaluation Counselor) session which is where we and Elder Smith were taught about the importance of the Atonement. This counselor was unbelievable and it was the first time we had a one-on-one lesson. I finally understood that the gospel is what we are inviting others to come to and have faith in Jesus Christ and His atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. This is also known as our Purpose as missionaries: To invite all to come unto those things. It gives the restoration a whole new meaning and understanding about how, when, where, and why the gospel was restored.
Sunday is fun day. We had breakfast, studied, went to Priesthood meeting, District meeting (I volunteered to speak about the atonement because that’s what the meeting topic was), then we went to lunch, then sacrament meeting where the Branch President randomly chose me to give a talk on prayer while he was giving announcements from the pulpit. Luckily I had one prepared because they told us that there may be a chance that we would be speaking. All the elders said they loved it! I told the story that I used in my farewell talk about when dad and I were up in the hills running and I messed up my ankle.
Tuesday was our first T.A. (Teaching Appointment). This is where we are given an investigator, and we have to teach them the entire first lesson and they do not break character (meaning they act like they know nothing about the church or the gospel, they play the perfect part of an investigator). One word... Ownage. Elder Smith and I worked well and I committed her to reading the entire Book of Mormon, praying, and if she comes to find it to be true, she said she would be baptized! haha. It went really well for our first lesson
Today, we went to the temple, which was awesome. Did an endowment session, service in the laundry room (which by the way Mom it looks like a space station with how many and how massive the washers and dryers are), then ate lunch up there and now I'm writing letters.
P-Day is sweet! I hope you are all doing awesome and I want you to know that I love you all so much! The church is true and that’s a fact. Thanks so much for everything! Bailee and Leah you guys need to write sometime haha. Letters are like GOLD! Hope all is going well and please stay safe and don't hurt yourselves. That is my biggest fear while I'm gone. That I won't be there if anything happens or to protect you girls from whatever high school or jr high may bring! Keep reading (as a family or however!) haha
Love you guys so much,
Elder Mouritsen
Quote of the Week:
“This is the beginning of a new day. God has given this day to use as I will. I can waste it – or use it for good, but what I do today is important, because I am exchanging a day of my life for it! When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever, leaving in its place something that I have traded for it. I want it to be gain, and not loss; good and not evil; success, and not failure, in order that I shall not regret the price that I have paid for it.”
By Dr. Hartsell Wilson
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
The Beginning
Hello family:
I have arrived safely and have already been uplifted greatly. My MTC box # is 205. I love you all so much and appreciate all your support. My companion is Elder Smith from Pine, Colorado and he's an awesome guy we get along really well. Today went like this: literally ran from the curb to get my picture, packets, paper work, MTC card, and all other information, went to my dorm, got the bottom bunk, then went to class for about 2 and a half hours. We then ate dinner which was not the most splendid of meals, but it definitely filled me up. Then two hours of class time which i'll tell you about later but they are kicking me off the computer. I love you guys so much and miss you tons! Hope all went well today... I bet Madi has already moved in to my room.
Elder Colton Matthew Mouritsen
MTC Mailbox # 205
AZ-PHX 0601
2005 N 900 E
Provo, UT 84604-1793
Love you tons.
Elder Mouritsen
I have arrived safely and have already been uplifted greatly. My MTC box # is 205. I love you all so much and appreciate all your support. My companion is Elder Smith from Pine, Colorado and he's an awesome guy we get along really well. Today went like this: literally ran from the curb to get my picture, packets, paper work, MTC card, and all other information, went to my dorm, got the bottom bunk, then went to class for about 2 and a half hours. We then ate dinner which was not the most splendid of meals, but it definitely filled me up. Then two hours of class time which i'll tell you about later but they are kicking me off the computer. I love you guys so much and miss you tons! Hope all went well today... I bet Madi has already moved in to my room.
Elder Colton Matthew Mouritsen
MTC Mailbox # 205
AZ-PHX 0601
2005 N 900 E
Provo, UT 84604-1793
Love you tons.
Elder Mouritsen
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Sacrament Meeting Program
Hidden Valley Ward
Sacrament Service
April 25, 2010
Conducting: Bishop Jeffory Taylor
Ward Chorister: Jean Cheney
Ward Organist: Kris Olsen
Opening Hymn: #259 “Hope of Israel”
Invocation: Erica Cook
Ward Business
Sacrament Hymn: #193 “I Stand All Amazed”
Speaker: Colton Mouritsen
Vocal Solo: Jeffory Taylor
“A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief”
Accompanist: Madison Mouritsen
Speaker: Andrew Frasure
Closing Hymn: #136 “I Know That My Redeemer Lives”
Benediction: Andrea Geisler
Sacrament Service
April 25, 2010
Conducting: Bishop Jeffory Taylor
Ward Chorister: Jean Cheney
Ward Organist: Kris Olsen
Opening Hymn: #259 “Hope of Israel”
Invocation: Erica Cook
Ward Business
Sacrament Hymn: #193 “I Stand All Amazed”
Speaker: Colton Mouritsen
Vocal Solo: Jeffory Taylor
“A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief”
Accompanist: Madison Mouritsen
Speaker: Andrew Frasure
Closing Hymn: #136 “I Know That My Redeemer Lives”
Benediction: Andrea Geisler
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