Sister Brianne Mortensen: The Savior Isn't At the Top Encouraging Us To Come Up To Him. He Already Walked To The Bottom and Is Right There Next To Us

Hello familyy!!

Life in Lehi sounds like its pretty great! It's fun to hear what all you guys are doing. That is so cool that you got to see the temple dedication! I really have missed going to the temple. The cebu temple is pretty close, but we don't get to go. My week has been great! We are teaching an investigator named A-- who's 13 years old. We went by to visit him tuesday night, and he wasn't home, but his mom took us back to see their neighbors. We sat down with them and a--'s mom and started talking to them about their day, and I was totally lost. I was trying SO hard to understand and talk to them, but I just couldn't. Luckily, they were pretty talkative, and sis Kalua-santiago could mostly understand, so it was alright. After a little while we sang a hymn and said a prayer, and started teaching the lesson. And...I could mostly understand! I was even able to help teach part of the lesson, and they seemed to be really interested. We were pretty excited, walking home after that! We definitely were not expecting to teach a new family, but it had gone well! This is the Lord's work :).

I'll see if I can answer all of your questions:). We speak in church about every other month, so not this week :). There is about 85 people every week at church, and a pretty even mix of ages. No balut yet! Haha I want to try it, we just havent got around to it yet sadly :). We haven't had any very weird food yet. Just rice ALL the time and meat. And i had my first fresh coconut today!! Haha I didn't think I liked coconut, but it was really good! Since our area is big we walk some but also ride a lot of habol-habols (motorcycles with extended seats and a shade thingie over it. Haha i'll take a picture for next week.) and tricycles, which are bikes with a cart attached. Hmm we live on the main road right across from a shell gas station, if that helps haha. The church is a little back from the main road. We teach a couple of recent converts, but mostly less actives and investigators right now. I am starting to understand more!! I'm still lost a lot, but it's getting better haha. I can understand pretty well when non-native speakers talk, but I'm still getting used to the way native speakers pronounce everything. And Lindsey is just too nice, as you all know :). I'm really not that good! My companion is the best!! I really have lucked out so far, for real. She is pretty outgoing, so thats good for me, and is SO FUN to be with. She is a super good missionary, I'm learning a lot from her. Our district is just us and a set of elders.

This morning we hiked with our zone to Isang Lupi! It's a hill that is bald on top, with just one coconut tree. It was really hot, and I definitely like hiking in the dry utah air more than this humid stuff, but it was still so cool. At the top, we all shared a little about ourselves and why we are here on a mission. That's one of my favorite things to hear from missionaries, is the reason they are serving. It amazes me every time. These people have been prepared by the Lord for this, and I'm grateful to be in a zone with them and learning from them. We also talked about how the difficult hike can relate to the atonement. The Savior isn't at the top encouraging us to come up to Him. He already walked to the bottom, and is right there next to us. He's there to help us every step of the way, every time we slip, every time we are discouraged. We just need to ask! He's right there, I know it. I have felt his help many times while I've been out here and at the mtc as well. This is hard, but we can rely on Him, and do whatever we are called to do. I need to be better at recognizing His help, and the tender mercies in my life. Because when I stop and think about it, there are SO many.

Well. I have my memory card AND the converter, but the computers don't work today! So sorry. Haha. One of these weeks it'll work out. I love you guys SO MUCH and am praying for you! I am so blessed to be serving in this area and am so happy :). I'll talk to you next week!

Love, sis Mortensen

The pictures below are from Bri's mission companion. Thanks for sharing!