Dearest family!
Thank you for all your key learnings from General Conference! Dad, I too had a hard time keeping back the tears while thinking that you were in Montpelier watching the exact thing that I was in Phoenix. It hit me while we were all singing the congregational hymn. Also, Saturday morning before the first session, there was a song that kept going through my head. This Time, by Waylon Jennings. I can't even remember the lyrics and I don't know what caused me to remember it but the line "this time will be the last time...this time should be anything like the other times, this time will be the last time" kept coming to my mind. (I don't even know if those are the correct lyrics but those are the words I made up in my head haha). I can't believe that the mission has flown by as quickly as it has. October is my favorite month of the year! You are back home huntin', watchin' the Yanks', girls are dancin', (by that I mean the twins are going to homecoming :/), goin' to corn mazes, haunted houses, and General Conference! There can't be a better time of year! Unless that same time of year were spent teachin', preachin', baptizin', and seein' miracles right before my eyes. "This time will be the last time" continues to haunt me as I say goodbye to the last time I'll see an October. general conference, etc. It's impossible to comprehend. To me, things are the same back home. I even feel like I am the same person. But when I hear things like Uncle Trevor saying that Jessica is looking to move into her own apartment, that is crazy! "You've all changed!!" haha for the better...
Anyway, I absolutely loved the talk by Elder Holland. I also went back and listened to the talk by President Uchtdorf from the Women's conference. That one was amazing as well! I loved how blunt Holland was. I've been waiting for him to throw down on us Priesthood holders. I like how he started by saying, "I'm going to be speaking rather candidly tonight brethren..." The other missionaries and I around all looked at each other and at the same time went, "OHHHHHH!!!!" haha. I also love how chill President Monson is. The first thing he said when he got up to the pulpit on Saturday was, "Hello!" We laughed pretty hard. Can you believe there is going to be a temple in Star Valley, Wyoming!!?? Elder Kennington was at the session when he announced that. He said he about fell off the balcony. And another temple in Provo?! Crazy! It seemed like a topic of the conference was to endure trials because we are definitely going to face them in this life. I think it was a perfect topic. I just wish that every person, member and non member would have watched the entire thing. So many times as we come across people they talk about how there is no way that they can believe that God would allow such hardships and trials to happen to such good people. I just think that often times we don't recognize just how much His hand is in our lives. That is one thing that I can bet that we are going to be surprised about when we have a perfect knowledge of our lives once we return to Him. He knows we go through these certain trials because we are strong enough to make it through and will come out stronger in the end. In every circumstance, I strive to tell myself that something good is going to come from it. Whether it's an untimely sickness, death, loss of job, loss of possession, etc., something good will come. Whether it be a strengthened testimony or something that takes place on the other side that we don't have the mind power to comprehend, something good comes. I thought it was crazy how different Elder Hales looked. I shook that man's hand one year ago! It seems his mortal body is just that, mortal. But his testimony and spirit, immortal. He is a powerful man. He also has extremely soft hands. Dad I too liked the talk by Elder Callister. I wish all the investigators would watch that talk. The concerns of "I think every church is good, there isn't just one that's true" or "All we need is the bible" or "All we have to do is believe in Christ and we will be saved" would all be resolved. Over all I think it was a phenomenal conference.
We taught Nick again about the Plan of Salvation this week. We knew that this one was going to be a tough one for him because of the passing of his dad about five years ago. As we taught, the spirit once again was extremely strong. The Plan of Salvation is my absolute favorite thing to teach. I love it because of the intense focus on families. I can't stop bearing testimony about the fact that I love my family so much and am so grateful for the opportunity to live with them forever. We talked about the creation, pre-existence, earth life, spirit world, and life after death. After a lengthy discussion, Nick looked at us and said, "Wow, you know every doubt that I had at one point has now been eliminated. You guys fixed em' all." It was amazing. I forgot to mention that two days prior to our lesson, we were at our ward FHE activity. During the opening exercises, Nick stood up and said that he has an announcement to make. He told everyone that he is planning on being baptized on October 22nd. Immediately, the entire ward started cheering and clapping upon his announcement. I looked over at Nick with a smile on my face and noticed a few tears slide down his cheek. He is an amazing man.
This week we also started teaching Oscar. He is extremely shy, loves hunting, fishing, and the Book of Mormon. He likes us to come over on a daily basis to help him understand what he reads. Last week he prayed right in the middle of one of our lessons and received his answer that it is true. He is planning on being baptized on October 29th. Hopefully as we go over the commandments he needs to follow this week that he won't have any major concerns and he will be good to go.
Thank you for all your key learnings from General Conference! Dad, I too had a hard time keeping back the tears while thinking that you were in Montpelier watching the exact thing that I was in Phoenix. It hit me while we were all singing the congregational hymn. Also, Saturday morning before the first session, there was a song that kept going through my head. This Time, by Waylon Jennings. I can't even remember the lyrics and I don't know what caused me to remember it but the line "this time will be the last time...this time should be anything like the other times, this time will be the last time" kept coming to my mind. (I don't even know if those are the correct lyrics but those are the words I made up in my head haha). I can't believe that the mission has flown by as quickly as it has. October is my favorite month of the year! You are back home huntin', watchin' the Yanks', girls are dancin', (by that I mean the twins are going to homecoming :/), goin' to corn mazes, haunted houses, and General Conference! There can't be a better time of year! Unless that same time of year were spent teachin', preachin', baptizin', and seein' miracles right before my eyes. "This time will be the last time" continues to haunt me as I say goodbye to the last time I'll see an October. general conference, etc. It's impossible to comprehend. To me, things are the same back home. I even feel like I am the same person. But when I hear things like Uncle Trevor saying that Jessica is looking to move into her own apartment, that is crazy! "You've all changed!!" haha for the better...
Anyway, I absolutely loved the talk by Elder Holland. I also went back and listened to the talk by President Uchtdorf from the Women's conference. That one was amazing as well! I loved how blunt Holland was. I've been waiting for him to throw down on us Priesthood holders. I like how he started by saying, "I'm going to be speaking rather candidly tonight brethren..." The other missionaries and I around all looked at each other and at the same time went, "OHHHHHH!!!!" haha. I also love how chill President Monson is. The first thing he said when he got up to the pulpit on Saturday was, "Hello!" We laughed pretty hard. Can you believe there is going to be a temple in Star Valley, Wyoming!!?? Elder Kennington was at the session when he announced that. He said he about fell off the balcony. And another temple in Provo?! Crazy! It seemed like a topic of the conference was to endure trials because we are definitely going to face them in this life. I think it was a perfect topic. I just wish that every person, member and non member would have watched the entire thing. So many times as we come across people they talk about how there is no way that they can believe that God would allow such hardships and trials to happen to such good people. I just think that often times we don't recognize just how much His hand is in our lives. That is one thing that I can bet that we are going to be surprised about when we have a perfect knowledge of our lives once we return to Him. He knows we go through these certain trials because we are strong enough to make it through and will come out stronger in the end. In every circumstance, I strive to tell myself that something good is going to come from it. Whether it's an untimely sickness, death, loss of job, loss of possession, etc., something good will come. Whether it be a strengthened testimony or something that takes place on the other side that we don't have the mind power to comprehend, something good comes. I thought it was crazy how different Elder Hales looked. I shook that man's hand one year ago! It seems his mortal body is just that, mortal. But his testimony and spirit, immortal. He is a powerful man. He also has extremely soft hands. Dad I too liked the talk by Elder Callister. I wish all the investigators would watch that talk. The concerns of "I think every church is good, there isn't just one that's true" or "All we need is the bible" or "All we have to do is believe in Christ and we will be saved" would all be resolved. Over all I think it was a phenomenal conference.
We taught Nick again about the Plan of Salvation this week. We knew that this one was going to be a tough one for him because of the passing of his dad about five years ago. As we taught, the spirit once again was extremely strong. The Plan of Salvation is my absolute favorite thing to teach. I love it because of the intense focus on families. I can't stop bearing testimony about the fact that I love my family so much and am so grateful for the opportunity to live with them forever. We talked about the creation, pre-existence, earth life, spirit world, and life after death. After a lengthy discussion, Nick looked at us and said, "Wow, you know every doubt that I had at one point has now been eliminated. You guys fixed em' all." It was amazing. I forgot to mention that two days prior to our lesson, we were at our ward FHE activity. During the opening exercises, Nick stood up and said that he has an announcement to make. He told everyone that he is planning on being baptized on October 22nd. Immediately, the entire ward started cheering and clapping upon his announcement. I looked over at Nick with a smile on my face and noticed a few tears slide down his cheek. He is an amazing man.
This week we also started teaching Oscar. He is extremely shy, loves hunting, fishing, and the Book of Mormon. He likes us to come over on a daily basis to help him understand what he reads. Last week he prayed right in the middle of one of our lessons and received his answer that it is true. He is planning on being baptized on October 29th. Hopefully as we go over the commandments he needs to follow this week that he won't have any major concerns and he will be good to go.
Zone Leader Council
Mormon.org activity
Phoenix North Zone
Car inspections.Interviews with the President this week were great. President Taylor is extremely personable with every single missionary. In my discussion with him I told him of my desire to stay in this zone at the least until Christmas. His response: "I will tell you what my mission president told me; 'I am willing to take suggestions, but I will then just turn around and throw them in the trash.'" haha Hopefully the inspiration he receives from the Lord doesn't go against my desires haha I can see it happening though, I think I'm going to be out of the Phoenix North stake for the first time in... well ever. haha
Elder Cichy goes home next transfer. I can't even believe that! He's got less than two weeks left! When he was training me, he was a little over 7 months out! Here's when the next transfers will be just so you know. October 19th, November 29th, January 10th, February 21st, April 3rd, May 15th.
I love you all! Thanks so much for everything you do! By the way, the doctor told me on Wednesday that I can't go running. Little does he know, I ran 3 miles that very morning... Oooooooppsss. Feel great though. Just need to get my strength back. There has been some major atrophy. Oh, and I haven't seen Justin or Melynda in a while! The chiropractor I go to is President Cathcart from the stake that they attend and apparently he went to the lake with Justin and Justin told him to say hi to me, so he did.
Love you!
Elder C. Matthew Mouritsen
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