Sister Brianne Mortensen: I Know The Lord Will Continue To Help and Strengthen Them As They Continue To Have Faith In Him

ALI!!! happy birthday! hope you had a WONDERFUL day :). I was thinking and praying for you even more than usual :) you're 16! getting so old. holy moly :). you're gonna be a junior this year diba? wow! and jax you'll be a freshman now! ahhh that's so fun :). Good luck with school this year, and enjoy the rest of your summer!

josh is in the mtc now! I can't wait to hear from him as well :) and now TWO kids only at home! Wow :)

Yesterday Tatay D-- came to church for the FIRST TIME in SOOO long!! He's less active, and we've been visiting him for a long time now. At first when we started visiting him he gave all these excuses why he couldn't come to church. He had to garden, no money for transportation, couldn't walk kay it's far and he have to stop and rest but he's too shy to, it's only a little sin to not go to church, you can just ask forgiveness. and others :). But he finally realized i guess how important it is to come to church! he came with his granddaughter too who's also less active :). We visit quite a few older nanays and tatays, like him, that are in their 70's and 80's and I LOVE it SO much :). they are SO wonderful! :)

So turns out i actually am learning a new language here.....sign language! There's a less active man named R-- that we have visited a couple times now and he's deaf, so we teach him by sign language :). And also his wife helps translate for us.

Today i also wanted to give you an update on Brother O-- and his family. He's the IBD that told us last week to stop visiting him and his family because he was giving up. On friday, we saw sister and asked if we could come by that night... and she said that'd be fine :). So we did, and brother was home as well :). at first as we started sharing, he was very shy and wouldn't look up at us.... but as we continued, he started talking to us and was more comfortable :). They said that they were just having SOO many trails and problems right now and had gotten a little frustrated. But they said that they know they can do it, kay the Lord will help them. they know this is the true church and they just need to continue :). We shared from mosiah 24 about the people of alma. How they had trials too, so that they could stand as a witness of God and KNOW that He helps his people in times of need. And all of their problems are for their benefit as well :). So Brother O-- and his family can KNOW without a doubt that the Lord will bless and strengthen them through any of their trials. Brother O-- said he definitely wants us to continue to visit him, and he definitely wants to be baptized :). I can't even begin to tell you how happy me and sister geraldez were after that lesson! After the last time...we walked away crying. but this time was smiling and SO happy for them :). I know the Lord will continue to help and strengthen them as they continue to have faith in Him!

Its been another wonderful week :). Can you believe it's AUGUST already! that's crazy :). Next is the ber months, which means it's christmas season here :). Time flys! Next monday is transfers.... but i'll probably stay, and we're hoping sister geraldez does too :). I'll let you know! but until then, hope you have a great week and stay safe and happy always :)

LOVE YOU!!

Sister Mortensen