July 20-26, 2010: Two Darts get it done!

Hi, How are ya?

Sounds like it was an awesome trip to Bear Lake! Man, the girls just takin' on the legacy, that's awesome! There's nothin' like free falling into a pool of water. Such an adrenaline rush!

This week has been crazy! The longest week by far. There was a training meeting Tuesday-Friday for all the District Leaders, Zone Leaders, and trainers so I was paired up with Elder Henrie this whole week to cover BOTH of our areas. Yes, Elder Henrie, the one I went to High School with. How cool is that?! We became really close and actually had one of the best weeks we've ever had! His area was phenomenal and was blessed with 17 new investigators in one week! SEVENTEEN! That's insane. In our area we got 7 which is a ton and for the first time ever (I'm pretty sure) we got the Standard of Excellence which is: 4 investigators at Sacrament, 7 member present lessons (we got 10!), 20 total lessons taught (we had 32), 10 hours of tracting (we barely got that), and 3 progressing investigators (we have 7). Now this all sounds kind of ridiculous, like people are just another number. But when your mission president is a major business man, and he runs the mission like a business, pretty much all he cares about is numbers. Haha. That way he knows you're out working. With hard work and dedication, the Lord finds time throughout your day where you can do what you never would think would be possible. This week has seemed like the longest ever, but when Elder Henrie and I (he's been out only one transfer more than me) had to cover 2 areas on bikes I never thought we'd be able to get as much done as we did, and it turns out that both of our areas had better weeks than we've ever had in the past.

On Saturday Zach Bonnell was baptized. It was so awesome, he's a little ten year old boy and his family has been less active for about a year. It's not that they were doing anything wrong, they just weren't coming to church and doing the other spiritual necessities. We've been meeting with them for about a month and not only were WE shocked to find out that Zach wanted to be baptized, but his parents were even more shocked! Saturday was his big day and there is nothing more special than seeing a family come so close together. In church yesterday his grandfather confirmed him a member of the church and gave him the gift of the Holy Ghost. I talked to him afterwards and he thanked us for the great meeting Zach's baptism was. I couldn't agree more. We got to talking and he asked where I'm from. I told him Kaysville, Utah and he went on to say he's from Idaho. I told him that my grandparents have a ranch in Southeastern Idaho. He said, "where?" I said, "Montpelier." He says, "NO WAY! I grew up there!" I said, "are you kidding me? Well the ranch is actually in Dingle but we just say Montpelier cause nobody knows where that is." He says, "That's where my ranch is!!" HAHAHAHHAHA oh man are you kidding me?? Another person from Dingle Idaho!??! WOW! His name is Brother Dixon and he says their ranch is like the Hunter Ranch up around those parts so ask grandma and grandpa if they know of it. His wife said there is no better mortician than Leonard Matthews and he thinks he remembers the name Mouritsen. How cool is that!? I told him that we needed to stay in contact so I could come visit him when we head up to Dingle after I'm home. We developed a strong friendship after having such a spiritual experience with the baptism of his grandson and then the common ground with Dingle. He's like, "Oh man, what a neet guy you are!" haha See if grandma and Grandpa can contact him or something!!

So Thursday night we had dinner at the Pectols home and afterwards, a correlation meeting at the church which was about a mile and a half away. As we left their home, we noticed that outside was not the usual hot, dry Phoenix AZ weather. Monsoon SEASON!! The rain came and let loose so much water its not even funny. We had to pedal our bikes down 39th Ave to get to the church and I'm not kidding, either that street is built for run off for flash fooding or something was wrong. The entire road was a river and as we pedaled our shoes were underneath the water. It was awesome! I was jumpin' off the curbs, making a wake, while cars flew past us spraying us with the dirtiest, gross water you'll see. haha We. Were. Drenched. But it was so much fun. I have pictures that I'll send hopefully today... When we got to the church we had to take off our shoes and dump the water out but it didn't do much because of how saturated our clothes were. Luckily the Pectols gave us garbage bags that they cut holes out for the arms and head so that we could protect our ties or else they would've been ruined. After the correlation meeting we had a lesson with Charlotte Hurley which went really well and we were still exceptionally uncomfortable from being soaked but it was all part of the experience.

So in part of the first lesson we teach to people, there is a section called; The Gospel Blesses Families. I've always had a hard time with this section in knowing what to say.. . . 'How.. how does the Gospel bless families?' I ask myself. I think that its different for every circumstance. If I've learned anything from this mission thus far, it's that even though I'm several hundred miles away from you guys, in reality I've never felt so close to you. Before my mission I took for granted exactly what family is and why it is the single most important social unit that Heavenly Father has blessed us with. I definitely do not take you guys for granted anymore and it's so crazy that not even being around you for the past few months has helped me to understand how important family is to everyone, but especially how important you are to me. I cannot say thanks enough and at times I feel that I should apologize for not spending as much time as I possibly could before my mission. The gospel truly blesses families. I know that, because I've never felt so much love as I do now. Studying the gospel, seeing the effects and results of messed up family life from people I've come into contact with, and being reminded of the immense love our Heavenly Father has for everyone, has blessed me with that knowledge.

Thank you.

I hope all is going well and make the most of these emails! haha You only get 93 more! hahaha

I love you all so much. Thanks again for everything.

Elder Mouritsen