Week 4 - Clear Creek Texas

Well... I am finally in Texas and wow... it is hotter and flatter than you could ever imagine. I made a goal in the MTC that on my first day I would have someone commit to baptism and even though it was a lofty goal, I had this quote in mind "my faith, His power". I had enough faith that I was able to accomplish that goal and welp... I did it with God’s power! We went tracting the very first day after flying in, and we met a man who’s grandma had just died. We taught about the plan of salvation and eternal families and he ate up the words we shared. It was so awesome. We asked if he would be rebaptized (he had been baptized as a baby) and have all the blessings from that and he said he would. We got his number and name and have an appointment this week. I hope that he will have that opportunity to be baptized.

 

 

I’m assigned to a small town outside Denton called Clear Creek. Ummm, we live in the loft of a barn hahaha. It’s been a different experience. The number of spiders I have found climbing on the walls in our room is kinda ummm insane ahha. We live with probably 15 horses and it smells like horse poop consistently through the day haha. We live on a street with 7 houses total and no one else is near us in a mile radius. We are were in the middle of nowhere surrounded by just absolute mansions which is absolutely insane and awesome.

 

 

One of the houses on that street is our bishops and he is a bodybuilder haha. He lets us come over every morning around 5:45am in the morning and lift so there’s still hope for weight to come on me haha. The very first morning we woke up at 5:45 and I kid you not, we ran 6 miles and I swear it was only because I was so sleepy that I didn't even realize what was happening. But that has been a good start to every morning.

 

 

The very first day with my new trainers was a crazy day haha! Their names are Elder Benson and Elder Layton. The first lesson we had was outside, brutal hot and brutally humid. The folks we were teaching just smoked in our faces and I was just coughing so much through my nose. And to make a long story short, their dog ended up biting me on my Achilles at the end of the lesson and the other elders laughed while the dog chased me to the car. Wow ya it hurt! Bit me right on the tendon!

 

 

We do tons of service. We have helped feed the homeless in a food kitchen, helped move a family, worked on a farm, and it has been cool to see the gratitude for the things that they are given and what people are grateful for. I love it here and am so blessed to see that.

 

 

Welp! Since we live in a barn, we, ummm, have a lot of animals by us right which brings other critters too. One morning I woke when Elder Layton was screaming at me, “Mortensen get in here!” I get up half asleep and he tells me to come into the kitchen slowly and yep, there’s a mouse just sitting on our counter. Still trying to wake up, I grabbed a cup and plate and then Elder Layton forced the mouse to come towards me so I could grab. Instead that mouse went around the sink and hopped in the toaster! Ummmm ya, my reflexes were too fast and I dropped the lever on the toaster and the thing started to heat up hahaha.... Kidding! We didn't do that, but I wish haha. I put the plate over the top of the toaster and ended up flipping the toaster upside down into a bag to shake the mouse out. It almost escaped and Elder Layton tried to keep it in the bag. He might have squished it too hard and it died… but… the toaster ain’t gonna be used no more – THAT’S for sure!

 

 

But after all of that, the experiences and everything I've gone through so far has been so awesome and I am so grateful for the opportunity to see how the gospel can bless the lives of so many people. My knowledge of the gospel of Jesus Christ is such a blessing in my life and I cannot wait to continue to share the gospel with everyone!! Love y'all... kidding I don't say that yet and probably won’t but you never know. Maybe I will!

 

 

Till next week, Elder Morty outa here! BTW, we have 3 Elder Mortensen’s in our mission so I am nicknamed Morty #3.

 

 

PICTURES:

- My new front yard with the horses. I will try and get a better picture next week. 

- My favorite meal is Costa Vida. So glad Costa came to Texas with me. 

- Sack breakfast my bishop gave to me on my first day.

- All the new missionaries in the Fort Worth mission.

- This is a cute lil'bunny. They are all over in Texas.

-President Chapman and Sister Chapman