August 2, 2011

Hey,

So alot has happened in this last week. I have named it,"The week from you-know-where". Elder Partner did something with his last companion that got him in enough trouble to bo transferred missions. So he's now serving in the Seattle Washington Mission. So that went down. I got put in another tripanionship with the Moorpark Elder's. So my new companions are Elder Marquez and Elder Jensen. Elder Marquez is from Maryland and Elder Jensen is from Pleasant Grove. Elder jensen and I know alot of the same people. So that's cool to talk about people.

Long story short, I've been covering 4 wards. It's been super tough trying to balance all the meetings. The Moorpark 1st ward and the T.O. 2nd ward meet at the same time(9 a.m.) in two different buildings. Then the Moorpark 2nd ward meets where the T.O. 2nd ward met and the T.O. 1st ward meets in a building 15 minutes away. And those two start at 12:30. So it's really hectic trying to get to all the meetings we have to be to plus balancing the dinner calendars and the other things. The good part is we have more work now. We don't have to focus on finding so much because out workloads got added together. So that's really nice.

We had a baptism last saturday and I had the oppotunity to baptize him. He's an ex-firefighter. He had an accident with a fire and went into a coma for 2 months. He had a frontal labotomy and woke up from the coma, but he came out a different person. So he's started his own company that took off way fast. So I got to baptized a multi-millionaire :) He's pretty cool. He's moving soon though. So we won't get to see him anymore.

That's been my crazy week.

Yeah, I was honest about you and dad. I've learned alot about how much you two have actually don't for me in the last few months. It's weird how much a mission opens your eyes to how things really are. It's quite an adjustment. I'm still working on adjusting to everything new. Its crazy. I have a lot to talk about when I get home. There's going to be some good conversations. Elder Perkins was amazing. I wish I would've understood how great he was when we were companions. I would've worked alot harder. He was everything a missionary should be. Bold but not overbearing. Full of charity. A great work ethic. Crazy. He taught me a lot.

I'm not sure what happened to Amanda Mayo's letter. The address is still the same. Elder Finkle wouldn't have sent it to A.G. He stops sending mail a few days before transfers. If she sends it again it should get to me. BUT... Our mission office is moving sometime soon. So my address is going to change. I'll let you know what it is when the move happens. I'm not entirely sure when it's happening.

What were Joe and Kaila doing in Arizona? Was it there family vacation or something? Andrew James is a pretty good name. Not like it matters what I think haha. I'm not entirely sure how I feel about sharing my bday. It would be cool. But at the same time not so much. I don't know. I guess I couldn't tell you till it actually happens. I'll bet that was hard for Joe to give  up Copper. And how does Copper feel about it?

Yeah Colton is kinda crazy. I hope he does well. Let me know how everything goes and all that jazz.

Yes Mrs Lyon is the one that I didn't get along with. She's the one who said I had a slight social issue.

Shelia Aardema's cousin is probably in his 50's or something. I'm not sure. But he's got a 20 something year old daughter and all that jazz. He lives here in Santa Rosa. Where do Skip and Tina live? I think the town name is Castaic. I don't know if that's technically in our mission. It would be cool to see them or something.

Welll, I'll let you know how things are next week. We're working hard and having fun. :) 6 companions in less than 6 months. I'm going to set a record or something. Leave it to me to do everything the hard way :)

Love you

Elder J. Garth Mortensen

July 25th, 2011

Howdy howdy howdy,

Things are awesome here. Just as good as ever. It was a tough week last week. We had a few trips to Ventura that couldn't be avoided so it was hard to get work done. Blah. Elder Partner knows the Book of Mormon almost as well as the Bible. He has a semiphotographic memory so he memorizes things really really fast. Its kinda crazy.

That stinks about the computer crashing. Hopefully it gets fixed soon.

I figured that you were in the Uintas when I didn't get an email. I knew it was about that time. It was weird missing it. I knew I was missing it but I didn't really miss it. I didn't really miss sleeping in the tent because the air here is just a clean as mountain air, and I've been sleeping on the floor alot because my back has been giving me problems. I didn't miss fishing because I can do that on P-day at the lake. And I definitely didn't miss the weather because its about the same here. So the only thing missing is dutch oven food (which I had last month from a member) and family. I was wondering when Jetta would start warming up to dogs. If I remember right she was terrified before I left. Is copper living at grandmas with them? Or is he still at home?

Girls camp sounded like a lot of fun. I've always wanted to go but for some reason I never could... I still haven't figured it out. I figured that you would have way more than enough food. It always happens :) I'm sure you just pulled out the camping bible and used that as a reference. That would make it easier I'm sure. And you better be careful mom... You could be IN that new presidency! haha.

200 miles. That's a long way. How many legs does he have? And how long are they? How many people are on the team? That's crazy. I've seen people out here with ragnar stickers. They always seem surprised when I know what ragnar is. It's fun surprising people. I love being a nerd because I can talk with people on almost any subject. It makes befriending people easier.

Speaking of meeting people out here.. Remember Sheila Aardema? However you spell it.. Well I met her cousin! Eric Yakey is his name. It was way cool to take about it and stuff. And guess who else I met our here?! Mrs. Lyon.... Of all the people I could have met in California it had to be Mrs. Lyon. She even reminded me of how good a student I was. "You were such a good student, you must be an outstanding missionary!" It was so hard not to laugh. I told Elder Partner all about our fun english classes together. I'm surprised she's still on this side of the veil.

That's wierd that school is starting up again. That's two years I've been out of school now. Weird. Coltons a senior and Calebs a freshman. Colton and I could overlap our missions depending on when he gets called. That would be weird too. His Bday was while you were camping too. Tell him happy bday for me.

The new area is tough because its filled with SUPER rich people. Disgustingly wealthy people. You can almost smell the pride in the air. But nevertheless Elder Partner and I have a baptism on saturday! We're stoked. And this week we're are going to ask one of our investigators to be baptized. This kid is 16 and he comes to church by himself. He's even been trying to get his family to come. Soooo he's pretty much a member. He even has his own scripture case and all that fun stuff. Hopefully he'll be baptized soon.

I totally forgot about President and Sister Murri's thing. Tell me how it goes. It will be interesting to hear what he talks about. Elder Perkins will probably be there. you'll meet alot of people that have kids in the mission.

It's good to be out here. I'm having fun and the time is flying! 6 months almost. It seems like yesterday I was in highschool. Crazy. It's only getting faster. Especially if I go to Bakersfield.

Anyway. I love you guys. Have fun and be safe and all that mushy stuff. When do you speak in sacrament meeting about me? The only reason I remember that is because some lady talked about her son yesterday in church.

Love you,

Elder J. Garth Mortensen

July 12th, 2011

Hey dad!

It was great to hear from you. Yeah.. I don't think mom will ever not stress about something like that. I'm sure she's having fun now that it's happening and all that jazz. I've been missing funeral potatoes like crazy though. No one makes them out here. It's wierd. I guess it really is just a "mormon thing."

That's pretty intense about the whole server thing. I think we've learned the same lesson over the last few days. There was a lady that we've been teaching and I had been thinking about her alot. I couldn't figure out what we should talk about next and I'd been stressing all week about it. (I know, me? stressed?.. wierd) Anyway.. I'd been stressing and the Spirit told me probably 50 times to just go see her then. I kept thinking that was a stupid idea because it was 8:30 and she and/or her housemates would be drunk. By the time I decided to listen she had left her house for the weekend. We had missed her by ten or so minutes. So who knows what Heavenly Father had in store for her and I missed it. Hopefully, someone else will take the initiative..

The tearfully thanking is something I've been striving for lately. In the scriptures it talks about the Prophets weeping for their people because they just won't listen. In the Bible Dictionary it says that we are all prophets in the sense that we have a testimony of Jesus Christ (BD prophet). The people in Pismo Beach just wouldn't listen to us. So I've been wondering how I get to the point of weeping for them. I've been thinking I have a lack of charity, but I'm still pondering.

Oh by the way... Transfers were today. I'm not in Pismo Beach anymore. I'm in Thousand Oaks. My companion is Elder Samuel Partner. He's way cool. He was raised southern baptist. He's got a brother that's Islamic, one that's Pagan, a sister that's Jehovah's Witness, a sister that's something I don't remember, and a brother that's atheist because he's gay. We've been getting along very well already. I'm going to love this transfer I think. Last transfer was kind of tough.,.

I also know that this church is true. I know that Joseph Smith was called of God to restore this gospel in this the last dispensation. If you haven't pondered the magnitude of what Brother Joseph did, I urge you to. I have a testimony of the power of the Book of Mormon. I know the blessings that it can and does bring into my life and the lifes of others. I know that I am here doing the Lord's work among his children in the California Ventura Mission. I know that my elder brother Jesus Christ is my Jesus. He is my Saviour and Redeemer. He is the Son of God. And I know that He lives.

I love you too dad. It's wierd how much I have come to appreciate how much you and mom have actually taught me. I've been very blessed to have you as parents. You are very special people. Thank you.

Love,

Elder J. Garth Mortensen