I love the pictures! What the heck glasses are you wearing dad? haha! And the stories, phenomenal. Mom, I really enjoy your letters and the updates and encouragement it gives me! I would absolutely love something from you though. I just want a letter that is all about you. Whatever you feel to write about, experiences, childhood, raising children, life in general, happy times, bad times, just whatever! I just want it to be all about you. I would love that :). That goes for everyone though! Girls, dad. Don't be afraid to include pictures of us as well!
This week has been great. It's felt like it's absolutely flown by but at the same time it feels like it's been forever since I last emailed you guys. (I think I say that every week). On Thursday we were on exchanges with Elder Otto and Elder Henrie. Elder Otto came to our area with me and Cichy went to their area. We needed to schedule Stevie's baptism with the High Councilman over missionary work for six o'clock at the stake center so we called him up and he told us that there was already a baptism scheduled at the time.. Dang! I was so frazzled. I immediately began calling around seeing if it would be ok to reschedule or do it at a different building but everything just wasn't working out. Stevie's wife who almost caused him to not be baptized was working till five so it couldn't be earlier, the elder's quorum had already sent out an email saying it was 6 o'clock at the stake center, and there was no way we were going to make Stevie wait until the week after. He's just too dang excited. It all got worked out though. We moved it to another stake center and were able to keep it at the same time. I'm telling you this because I thought it was going to ruin my entire day spent with the district leader because the entire morning was spent making phone calls. Afterwards, we just went out tracting and tried to make the hectic feelings leave. The very first door we knocked on was a black woman named Annie from Liberia. We began talking to her and she didn't speak English very well. I mentioned we were missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and she just kinda squinted and looked confused. Then, with her broken english she asked, "Which church are you from?" "We're LDS," I said. "The Mormons." She perked up and said, "The Mormons?! I've been waiting for you guys! I have a friend in North Carolina who is Mormon and wanted me to join your religion after I moved to Phoenix! Come on in!" At this time I felt just how powerful your prayers are and I know that doors are opened for missionaries every time a sincere, heart felt prayer is said. We chatted with her for a while and it was tough to talk because of the language barrier but we ended up teaching the first discussion and she accepted a Book of Mormon. I told her that we could probably get her a book in her native language but she said, "No! I want to learn it in English." Sounded good to me! I was amazed at how the Lord leads us to those who he has prepared.
We tracted for a good hour and a half after that having many good conversations with people but nothing like the visit with Annie. We then went home for lunch and were just sitting down on the couch for a bit when I got a call on the cell phone. I happened to be on the other line so the caller left a message. She said her name was Sister Paisley Brinkerhoff, a member in the ward, and that she has two step daughters who have taken the missionary lessons twice, been coming to church for almost five years, and are now wanting to be baptized. Uhhhh.. Ummm... WHAT? Gotta be kidding me? I called her back immediately and she told me the story, 12 year old Alicia, and 14 year old Alyssa want to be baptized. I told her we would just probably need to meet with her and the daughters and then if they could pass a baptismal interview, they'd be good to go. That night at 6:30 we met them (just Alicia and her mom, Alyssa is going to wait a few more weeks) at the chuch and just chatted about a few things, got to know them, and then since we just happened to be on exchanges, Elder Otto (district leader) interviewed Alicia right then. She passed and we scheduled her baptism for August 21st. Things have been exploding lately. Just recently there have been 11 people who have expressed interest in being baptized not including the 3 who have dates. Last transfer we were wondering where our teaching pool was going to go because those who we had been teaching, were about to be baptized. I have a firm testimony that the time of the harvest of souls is here. No more planting seeds. The Lord is going to come soon and He's preparing all who will accept the message. It's been amazing to me to see tangible evidence of that coming to pass. Lives are changed by this message.
One example of a life being changed: Brother Stevie Thom. His baptism was unbelieveable. We heard some great talks on baptism and the Holy Ghost and then it was time for the ordinance. Everyone moved into the room with the font and as we did, tears began to fill Stevie's eyes. His wife began to sob as well. The Spirit was thick and nobody could deny it. He and Brother Mineer entered the water, tears streaming down his face. The prayer was said and his old life was laid down, never to be known again. As he came back up, born again with a clean slate, he wrapped his arms around big Brother Mineer and they just held each other, both sobbing, for about 15-20 seconds. I don't think there was a dry eye in the room. President Morris, a member of the mission presidency, was there comforting Stevie's wife who was crying uncontrollably. I too had a hard time keeping back the tears, as usual. Me and Cichy then gave our little intermediate message while they were getting dressed, and then Stevie bore his own powerful testimony. Nobody wanted to leave as the meeting ended and we all just hung around and chatted. The bummer thing is, Stevie happens to live in a totally different Stake and despite the fact that he would probably continue coming to our ward because that is where all his fellowship is, we were told he had to be confirmed in the other ward. He's so solid. I can see him pulling 4-5 hour Sundays, first coming to our ward at 9:00 and then going to his own ward at 11:00. What a stud! The man who we thought had a demon, now replaced with one of the greatest gifts of all, the Holy Ghost. He told us his conversion story after all this was done:
He said that a day or so after our first meeting with him, the meeting where we thought he had a demon, he was up working on a job near the new temple site in Phoenix. The street he happened to be parked on was Lehi Street. Coincidence? I think not. He had a few minutes so he opened up to a random spot in the Book of Mormon. The random spot happened to be the story of Korihor. As he read, he likened the story to himself and said that he could find no real differences between himself and Korihor. That scared him. He read what eventually happened to Korihor because of the route he was taking and Stevie was in no position to allow that to happen to himself. He called us later and said he was going to begin taking things on sure faith. We were thrilled of course haha cause we were so scared after our first meeting with him. In his testimony at his baptism, he said that before all of this, he was Korihor, he was a liar, and because he was a liar, he knew truth when he said it and he knew truth when he read it. The Book of Mormon speaks nothing but truth and he knew it. A little more than 3 weeks after that experience from reading Korihor, he was baptized.
I recently finished the Book of Mormon and took Moroni's promise. Yes, I know that it is true. And I challenge all who have either read it dozens of times or never finished it at all, to read it, to pray about it, and to recognize the feelings from it. Know that the feeling is enough. It is the fulness of the everlasting gospel of Jesus Christ.
I hope all is going well with you guys! I can't wait to hear about the first week at school for everyone. How exciting. School has already started down here for most everyone. I think it started like the first week in August for some kids. Poor guys. haha Make sure you tell the Kings thanks so much for taking us out to lunch! They took us on Cichy's birthday and it was awesome. It's so great to see them! I don't know if Melynda sent you the picture but if not, text her and tell her to.
I love ya'll so much. Talk to you soon. Transfers are next week and I'm feeling a big change in our district for some reason.
Love,
Elder Mouritsen
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