Well Hey! I'm excited to see your mormon.org profile(s) soon! President Beck has felt inspired that each of the missionaries should create their own now. I'll be pondering what to put on mine, and also what picture to use. If you could send me those good pictures that Mike took that would be great!
Transfer news came today. After we got done talking to President Beck about our weekly numbers, he asked if he could speak to each of us privately. He spoke to Kennington first and told him that he was going to be transferred, training a new missionary, and flushing a new area (meaning going in as two brand new missionaries to that area). Then he spoke to me and told me I would be the new Senior Zone Leader in the Phoenix North Zone. I'm going to need that leadership/motivational material asap! It'll be great though. I'm excited about the missionary work part in the YSA but the whole zone leader responsibility kinda scares me. Still feel extremely inadequate and unprepared. I'm sure thankful for the Eliases in my life. Man, I have much to be thankful for. Total, there will be five new missionaries coming into our zone. Elder Nelson is still in my old area and his companion is going back home to Tremonton tomorrow. I told him to look out for the Jensen family and to tell them I love them. His name is Elder Douglas Deakin.
Yes this past week has been freezing. Luckily I've had the truck to take shelter from it and it has a great heater :). But, on Friday we had some misbehavior to correct, which always digs a hole in my heart. So, I was on exchanges in the Cactus View ward with a brand new missionary. It's especially sad when the disobedience is coming from a missionary who is a trainer, when all the trainee wants to do is be obedient. He told me EVERYTHING. The behavior was corrected to the extent that we know and the trainer feels that he has repented, which is great. The trainee is a little stud who has definitely fought his way to be on his mission and does all that he can to be exactly obedient and follow what the Lord would have him do. Needless to say, that day on exchanges was pretty dang cold. I put on my sweater, gloves, and suit jacket and tried to stay in the sunlight but it was still pretty chilly! Nothin’ to complain about though. No need for a coat, it shouldn't get cold anymore! Knock on wood...
Last Tuesday we had Zone Leader Council. We returned and reported on our numbers for the month of January and set new goals for the month of February. Hopefully February will be a good one for baptisms in our stake. We already had three this past weekend! The focus of the meeting was "Finding the Lord's Elect." Many scriptures were used including D&C 61:3 which talks about how moving too swiftly along the waters is not needful because there are many along the sides that are perishing in unbelief. It all comes back to having the Lord as our guide and letting him place us in situations and circumstances where we can find His elect.
One of our investigators, Ken Law, has been struggling badly with smoking. He wanted to be baptized on February 12th though and he was determined to get there. Saturday night we went with the ward to the temple. Many did endowments, others did baptisms, and then a group went to the visitor center and watched the Joseph Smith movie and walked around. Ken came with us. He is an extremely shy, small words, tell you how it is, kind of guy. He's pretty blunt with us when he doesn't think he can feel the spirit and what not. He said he enjoyed it though and then as we were leaving he asked us if he would still be able to be interviewed the following day for his baptism. We were shocked! Of course you can! haha He then asked us if he could get a Priesthood blessing to help him with the cravings. This was a huge step. When we got to church the next day he got all nervous and didn't want to have a blessing anymore but we did have the interview, and he passed! During fast and testimony meeting it was so cool to see the inspired members get up and bear their testimonies specifically about the power of priesthood blessings. It was a meeting definitely meant for Ken. Following our "Break the Fast" meal, he asked us if we could give him a blessing. We did and it was awesome. He is planning the entire program and personally asking each person to participate. What a stud! Oh and one other thing, he has eyes tattooed on the back of his head.
That is an awesome insight about what an Elias is. I never really heard of that. Only that a man named Elias restored the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery. Other than that I had no idea! That's awesome though. Thanks so much for the insight. (The “insight” Colt is referring to was sent to him in the weekly letter last week: “You said, 'God places people and experiences in our path (opportunities to succeed) to help us along the way.' SO TRUE!!!! Today in Gospel Doctrine we talked about John the Baptist. He is considered an Elias. Elias in the Bible Dictionary is referred to as a preparer and a restorer. He prepared the way for the Savior, who was the restorer. If Elias is a preparer, who are our own personal Eliases? Who was placed in our lives to prepare us for the Savior? Now, beyond those Eliases in our lives, are we taking advantage of that preparation to hopefully be an Elias in someone else’s life? Think back on your time in Phoenix so far. How many people would look to you as their own Elias? You prepared the way for them to then be restored by the Savior. It’s truly amazing to think about. But what if missionaries in your zone squandered the opportunity for success or the opportunity to be an Elias? As a ZL, are you in a position to be their Elias?”)
As to the girls athletics. I'll continue to pray that all will go well! Tell them I love them and just to "Come what may and love it!" Don't be nervous, be confident, but not cocky. But most of all...just have fun! If it's not fun anymore what reason do you have to be out there! Don't let criticism get you down. That's one thing I've been terrible at. I hate when people try to fix what I do when I've felt that it's right for me. I gotta be better at taking criticism.
Well other than that this week has been pretty slow, even though it went by fast. These next couple transfers could be pretty nuts! I'm excited to see who my new companion will be! Still very nervous though.
Know that I love you very much! Thanks for everything that you have done for me and continue to do for me.
Love,
Elder Mouritsen
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