Hey hey,

That's cool about Colton's thing. There's a lot of people here that are in the design business. I love how much variety in the people there is. It's really crazy. Our ward has a million dentists and oral surgeons it seems like, but there's tons of doctors, and several nuclear physicists. Those are my favorite dinner appointments.

As for the dinner appointments there hasn't really been anything weird at all. All I know is that whatever capers are... I don't like them. You should be proud of me though. I ate a tomato. It was tough. And I threw up when I got to the apartment. But I did it. We've had all kinds of chicken, and the people here seem to love asparagus. It grows wild here. And lots of steak and roast and things. One couple took us out to a place called AJ Spurs, I felt bad because they spent almost 150 bucks on dinner. There's a couple that gets offended if we buy our own milk or cereal so we get all that once a week. I don't have to cook hardly ever. I'm up to 180. So that's 20 pounds I've gained. Although quite a bit is from muscle because we walk like crazy.

Yeah, Elder Finkle, the crazy old guy/vehicle coordinator, is a retired postman so he knows the ins and outs and stuff. If you send it to the mission office, he forwards it with no charge to our apartments. That way we don't have to worry about giving out our address and stuff. Also, if you send packages, the preferred way is priority mail through the post office. He can forward those too. And there's special boxes that have locks and whatnot, so it won't get stolen.

My humor is getting better, or maybe they just understand it now. I'm not sure which is happening. Either way we get along better now and we have lots of fun in the apartment. A lot of fun. Maybe too much fun.. Nah.

That's also cool about the baptisms! I heard about them before I left but forgot about them. That's really awesome!

We have a lady who is set to be baptized on April 16th and confirmed April 17th. I'm stoked for that. So tell Caleb happy birthday.

Oh, random fact, Elder Mortenson and I have the same birthday! Crazy huh? His name is John Mortenson.

Elder Tomlinson should be sending the picture home soon. My camera is still broken so I haven't really taken alot of pictures. OH! There's a couple that are going to utah soon. I'm giving them our address and they are going to stop by y say hi sometime. I'm not sure when though. Sometime in the next two weeks.

Oh, I'm emailing today because weird stuff happened monday and I wasn't able to get to a computer, yesterday was training with President Murri then we had some appointments. We spend an hour a week on Mormon.org so we know what we're referring people to. If you haven't been on there I recommend it! There's lots of cool stuff there.

I might be switching Spanish speaking! I went on exchanges y stuff with the Spanish Elders and I really enjoyed it and could understand what was being said. So I've been reading the El Libro De Mormon. We'll just have to see what President says.

I've been playing the piano a ton. President thinks I can play anything so he just says hey play this so I have to sight read stuff. Which is nice because I'm learning that I'm a better sight reader than I thought.

Umm... I stoked about Jenson! There's an Elder that was in my MTC district from Waldorf Maryland. I don't know if that's in the DC mission or the Baltimore mission. I'm stoked.

There's a scripture in Alma 33. Verse 14. It talks about reading the scriptures y having a testimony of Christ. You can't have one without the other. I also really like Alma chapter 40-42. It talks about the resurrection and what we need to do.

The Atonement is crazy now that I better understand it. I'll send some crazy verses next time (if I remember). But they summarize the Atonement very well and tell us exactly what Jesus does on our behalf.

I know that Christ is our Savior y Redeemer, our Lord y our God. He is the only way to return to our Father in Heaven.
If you can find it I recommend a talk called "Why 1820?" by Hyrum W. Smith. He was the first California Ventura mission president Its dope.

Anyway, I need to go do the work,

Love,
Elder Mortensen

P.S. Dad, make everyone get up and have family scripture study. I like how we read the reference book as well. It makes it so much better to talk about the scriptures instead of just reading straight through them.
Plus it's pretty much a commandment so... yeah.

Week 2 in the field

Family,

That's awesome about Jetta :) at least someone in the family has followed in my footsteps! You should record a tape of the family and stuff. Invite some friends to come talk on it. That would be awesome.

I miss Jetta like crazy. Well, I miss all of you but ya know. I've never really liked kids before. It was weird to love one.

Thanks for the addresses! I can't wait to hear about Jenson's call!

I e-mailed dad my cool story of the week. I'm sure he'll forward the e-mail home for you, but just in case he forgets. I don't really know what to write in these things. What do you want to hear?

Don't worry about the tsunami business here. We were evacuated and put on top of a hill. We had a clear view of the ocean and nothing even happend. The waves weren't even that big... I really wanted to see the pier get smashed.. We dressed up like Moses and pretended to be moving the water. Elder Nielsen pretended to send the wave back to Japan and we laughed.. but then they actually got hit.. So we blame it on Elder Nielsen. W

We have alot of fun in our apartment. Elder Mortenson and I are working on getting along. He doesn't appriciate my sense of humor.. so we're working on that one.

I've got a postcard sent that shows what I get to see on my morning runs. I think you'll be a little jealous.

I had my first exchanges this week. I was out a week and was playing senior campanion. It was tough. It was rough too.. But we got a new investigator so it couldn't have been too bad. I love in and out burger. It's a p-day tradition now. I'll send a picture home of our p-day agenda white board.

Well.. if there's anything you want to know just ask and I'll be happy to answer questions. We get an hour for computer use.. but we have to sneak into hotels because the librarys are closed mondays. anyway..

Love,

Elder Mortensen

Hey!

Things are awesome here still. Going like crazy. We hardly have time for anything. We've been meeting with a pastor who has over 1000 people in his congregation. I'm not sure where it's going to go but it's been good so far. I've heard interesting things about him from the community though. We will see. We've been teaching quite a few people. We have 2 little girls and 1 little boy who are just waiting for their biological mothers permission to get baptized. Susie and Claudia had to move their date, which is fine. There's people every where.

Cool story for the week:

So Elder Perkins and I were just going to check on a LARC (Less Active Recent Convert) and we knocked on their door. The lady in the apartment next door opened her door because she thought we were knocking on her door. So being missionaries we didn't let the opportunity pass by. She said she'd been praying to have something happen because she didn't like her church (J-dub) and she wanted something more. She wanted members that were warm and welcoming and everything. Which is exactly what our ward members are. They are SOO awesome. I love the members here. So we invited her to church.

Unfortunately she got broncitis and couldn't come, but on the phone she made us promise that we would keep in touch. :)

The members have a calendar for dinner appointments. We have dinner with members literally every single night. It's awesome. I had doubts about the people of Cali but not anymore.

Oh! I ran into Elder Tomlinson and we got a picture together and he's sending it to his parents. So be ready for that. Elder Okey and I ran into each other also! He hasn't changed one bit.. except he but on some weight. Funny as ever though.

I can't wait to hear where Jenson is going! I love that guy.

Tell Joey thanks for his letter and ask him if he got the wedding card I sent.

I just love it here. I don't even know what to write.

If you could have Colton get me Shanel and Kayli Robinette's address that would be awesome. I thought I had it but I don't. And i really want to write them.

Things are fantastic.

OH!! I live with the AG ward missionaries. Elder Neilsen and get this... Elder Mortenson.

Love,

Elder Justin Mortensen's Address

Elder Justin G. Mortensen
260 Maple Court Suite 120
Ventura California 93003-3544

He would love some letters from friends and family.

Hey I'm in the mission now! I've been working for two days now. My companions name is Elder Kyle Perkins. He's from Cortez Colorado. He's 23 almost. He played basketball for U of U before he came out here.

He's awesome and we really get along well. We live in an apartment with two other missionaries. We're in a place called Pismo Beace. It's about 20 minutes north of Santa Maria. Its so beautiful here. I wish a could give you a snapshot of the window I'm looking out of.

We've been teaching like crazy actually. We have 5 baptisms lined up, all within the next two weeks! Jasmine, Jaden, and Lilly are sisters.

Their dad is a member and they've been taking lessons with their stepmom. She doesn't seem to interested. She seems to be doing it for her kids mostly.

Claudia Kennedy and Susie Seviour are mother and daughter. Susie was adopted and they've been taking lessons. I haven't met with them yet.

We met with a lady today that pretty much believes the plan of salvation, but instead of being ressurected we come back to earth and are reincarnated. It was a tough conversation. We are considering her a new investigator though.

This place is so crazy. Our apartments are pretty sketchy but the people there know who we are and watch out for us. They always ask why were out after dark and stuff. It's really cool. Um..... I don't know what else to write right now.

The members here are super awesome about dinner. We have dinner EVERY night with members so we don't have to worry about that. We share a car with the other set of Elders but they have it everyday because their area is farther. Sometime I need to get a bike, but not for this area. We walk alot and I love it.

We'll I'll keep you updated and stuff. Monday is my P-day but Elder Perkins didn't get to email monday and neither did I so we stopped really quick.

Got to go do some tracting!

Love you,

Elder Mortensen

California Here I Come!

Monday March 7, 2011

Elder Mortensen called from the Salt Lake Airport as he was waiting for his flight.
He is very excited to get out into the field and serve the people of the California Ventura Mission.

He said he has gained about 14 pounds with all the food that he was able to eat at the MTC. (I hope he will be walking some of that off)

Elder Mortensen, will be sending us his new address as soon as he has it.