Week 84

Dear Parents, 

We hope you are doing well.  First and foremost we want to thank you for the blessing of serving with your amazing sons and daughters.  We are blessed with amazing missionaries and we are so grateful.

The purpose of this email is to bring you up to date on available information regarding the Perú, Arequipa mission.  We had a conference call with our area presidency today and here is the official word.  As most of you know, the missionary department is preparing to send all missionaries to their home countries to either be reassigned and continue serving as a full time missionary or be released, depending on timing and individual circumstances.  How does this affect our mission?  In order to send missionaries home, we need to have 1. church approval, 2. government approval and 3. transportation.  As of today, March 22, 2020 we have church approval.  On March 15, the President of Peru declared a mandatory 15 day quarantine of all persons residing in Peru.  The mandatory quarantine includes the closing of the borders, so there are no domestic or international flights in or out of Peru.  The announced quarantine ends on March 30.  At that time, all of the emergency measures will end; unless extended or modified.  We presume that at the end of the quarantine period, the Peruvian government will assess the progress of the coronavirus in Peru and then decide on next steps.  Whether to end, extend or otherwise modify the quarantine.  At this point there is much speculation of the government's next steps, but at this stage there has not been any official decrees so we will wait to see how we go forward with the remaining 2 steps to get the missionaries home and don’t anticipate anyone being able to return before March 31.  In the meantime, we are doing what we can to facilitate the missionaries returning to their home country.  For those from the United States, this includes registering each person with the U.S. Embassy in Lima, which we have done.  For those of you in other countries, if you are aware of anything your government is doing to facilitate the return home, please let us know.  

We love our missionaries!  We will go forward with faith knowing the Lord will watch over these amazing missionaries.  We have tried to stay in contact everyday with the missionaries during this quarantine. The mandatory quarantine requires that everyone is to stay at home, except for essential services, including those in the grocery, medical, pharmaceutical and banking industry.  Those activities remain open, and residents are permitted to leave their homes to go shopping for food, medicines, banking or medical care.  The reports we are receiving around the mission is that stores are being stocked, and restocked, so food and necessities are available.   As a further precaution, we have funded, and instructed the missionaries to purchase and have on hand a 14 day supply of water, medicine and food in case of emergency (frankly, this is more in case of a natural disaster, such as an earthquake).  So, everyone seems to be doing fine, maybe a little bored but definitely being blessed!  

In the meantime, we continue to be an obedient mission, obeying the laws of the land where we serve.  Supporting the government's efforts to stem the tide of the coronavirus.   We are working hard from our homes to reach out to investigators, recent converts, and members, and doing what we can while we patiently wait for the time when we may more fully return to our callings of inviting all to come unto Christ.

Thank you for your love, support and prayers.

Presidente and Hermana Marsh

Week 83

Normal week, not much happened just the same old.

We have two fechas for this Saturday so that should be cool. Hopefully it all works out, there's also these 2 kids whose parents want us to baptize them so that'll probs happen the week after.

Besides that nothing really.

the diet is going well, I lost a total of 11 pounds in the last 3 weeks so that's pretty good lol. I'm still fat though...give me another 6 weeks and I'll be fine lmao.

Here's the pics from the beach, they're not very cool. The beach is called Boca del Rio (only say that cause I know Trish wants to know)

Peace

elder mortenson

Week 82

Chill week. nothing new really haha just the same old stuff. Another week down is all.

Today we went to the beach against my will cause I was literally on the beach for 7 months, but ya it was boring. Wasted my pday is all lolol. I also don't have any pics rn.

10 week countdown starts today! so that's sick!

I have been running almost every day and dieting super hard.  I have already lost like at least 7 pounds. My suit pants FINALLY almost fit again lol. They used to be so fetching tight I could hardly button them, but now they are normal pants basically so I know I've made a good amount of progress hahaha. Hopefully, Blake is still on his diet???

Happy Marzo

Peace

elder mortenson

Week 80

Normal week basically

The couple we were teaching got married on Friday so that's cool. I say "were" cause I am no longer teaching them hahah. They are probs gonna get baptized this Saturday so I am counting it as my baptisms cause I taught them everything lol.

We had changes today and I just got sent even more south (didn't know it was possible) to another ward and stake here in Tacna. I'm now like a 45 min drive from Chile. My old area is like a 15 min drive away and my new comp is Elder Salinas, he's from Saratoga Springs. He has 16 months in the mish. I am pretty disappointed and surprised I got taken out of my last area. The area was cool and my comp was sick. But ya what can ya do? 

Not much else has happened. Got some more pics though lol

Peace

elder mortenson

Week 79

chill week.

Nothing new really. We had zone conference on Friday which was chill. First time in a while I didn't have to travel hours to get to it so that's dope.

The couple we are teaching gets married this Friday so that is cool. Hopefully they can get baptized on Saturday.

Today we played paintball which was sick. I only have a couple pics rn cause they haven't sent me the rest yet so I'll send them next week probs.

But ya anyways that's about it hahaha.

Peace

elder mortenson

Week 78

Chill week haha

Not a ton happened as per the usual for the most part

We are teaching a couple that has a date to get married on the 14th so it will be sick if they actually do get married. 

Today we went to this place thinking it was gonna be cool cause everyone said it had cool petroglyphs and stuff. We went and it didn't really have anything. It had petroglyphs but not that many hahaha and it had a rope bridge. That's about it.  I took some boring pics.

That's about it hahaha

Peace

elder mortenson

The last pic is with a burnt dog lmao

Week77

Chill week. A couple of things actually happened lol

On Friday we baptized a guy with one leg. Well, actually his brother-in-law did. He only had to dunk him twice hahaha. But ya it was chill.

Saturday I hit 18 months, so that's sick. I burned a pair of pants to celebrate. It was lit.

Besides that nothing else really happened hahahahaha. but ya here are pics

Peace

elder mortenson

Week 76

Normal week, as always not much happened lol. 

New Year's arrived, it's finally 2020 hahhaha lol. I watched the fireworks here. I'll try to send the pics I have next week.

Changes were today and surprisingly my comp got changed which sucks for him lol he got sent over to Moquegua lol it's so fetching hot there. My new comp is Elder Espinoza from Lima., my first Peruvian comp lol. He just barely hit 10 months

It's weird to think that this year I come home. Just a few more months no mas.

We have 2 baptismal dates for this month in like 2 weeks.

that's pretty much it haha

peace

elder mortenson

Week 75

normal week. nothing really happened as usual lol.

I had entrevistas with Pres. Marsh on Thursday. He told me he will prob leave me in this area for 2 more changes so that means I might get to go to Arequipa to end my mission hahaha lol. I can't think of anything else that happened.

I hit 17 months this week, which is sick.

Wednesday is Christmas. Gonna be chill.

Oh ya today bought some Ray Bans for 3 dollars in the cachina which is sick.

I'm sure Jacob's Spanish is better than mine. But with 17 months I'm finally confident saying that my Spanish is better than Bryce's (plus he's been home for a year and a half) lol so ya that's sweet. Give me 3 more months and I'll be confident enough to say my Spanish is as good as Jacob's lol

Besides that ya nothing else. It's fetching hot here. 

Sorry mom, I haven't taken any more pics lol

peace

elder mortenson

Week 74

decent week lol. actually have something to write about.

Everything was normal up until Friday when we went to Arequipa. 7 hours. The bus played Frozen 2, Angry Birds 2 and Wreck it Ralph 2. so ya not great movies lol.  we got to Arequipa at like 7:30. After we dropped our stuff off at the hotel we headed to the centro to go eat. On the way we were walking and we had to cross the street. so we go to cross and there was a car parked right there on the side and I went to walk right in front of it and I stepped right in front of the tire, then the idiot in the car decided to go for some reason and he drove right up on my right foot. It was super weird cause all the sudden I couldn't move hahaha Then I realized a car was on my foot. It just felt like a fat dude standing on my foot, but ya all the elders freaked out lolol. then I slapped the hood of the car and told the guy to back up and he did. lol so ya that was lit! We went to McDonald's to eat. I hadn't eaten McDonald's in 15 months and it was so amazing. We ran into like 20 other elders there so it was lit lol.

Saturday we went to the meeting. it was crazy there with all of the missionaries in the whole mish. But ya the prophet didn't actually come. He got sick apparently. Elder Soares came instead.  He speaks Spanish pretty well. grammatically its aight but his accent is perfect. But ya we took some pics and everything but I don't have them. I have to wait until I get them sent to me. I assume some of them should be on the blog or something cause some church photographers came and took pics of us with Elder Soares but idk

Afterwords we had like 2 hours before the bus left so a bunch of us headed to one of the big malls to go eat. we went to TGI Fridays where we ran into a couple from Arizona that was living there that are members. After we ordered the wife came over to our table and said they were going to pay for our meal lol. Then as soon as she left we all ordered dessert as well hahahha lol. It was amazing I got a bacon cheeseburger and it had legit meat and bacon it was so amazing!!! So good! Then after, we went to Papa Johns and I picked up 2 pizzas to take back to Tacna.

the ride back was even longer cause they didn't play any movies.

but ya that was my Arequipa experience lol

Nothing else happened lol

peace

elder mortenson

Week 73

chill week. just trying to get familiarized (is that how you say that?) with the area and the new investigators and members. This is probs the biggest area I've had. Tacna is definitely the biggest city I've been in by a long shot. super weird.

My comp is chill, likes to talk a lot in the lessons which can be annoying. he also doesn't and/or can't pronounce the spanish "R" which is weird. I thought it was just a Bolivian thing cause none of them pronounce the spanish R but apparently in his city as well hahha. he completes a year this Thursday which will be chill.

There are 2 zones here in Tacna. one of the zls is from my group and me and him are the oldest in our zone (not sure about the other cause idk who is in it) so that's sick. super weird being the oldest but also cool

this Griday we are gonna travel to Arequipa and stay the night cause Saturday morning we have a meeting with Pres. Nelson with the entire mission. The bus ride is around 7 hours so that sucks way bad. but that will be pretty crazy with all 160+ missionaries there. I'm not sure where we are all gonna sleep cause everyone from Tacna, Ilo and Moquegua is traveling to Arequipa on Friday and we are like 58 missionaries or something hahaha. and no I don't think we are going to the temple, just gonna meet in one of the stake centers there.

Thanks for the package btw hahha, the shoes are sick and ya they fit. lol its a good thing Trish put "for Brock's comp" on the other package or I would've taken it lol. 

Also they are making a Pizza Hut here which is a miracle. I should still be here when it opens which will be sick.

Apparently this change is only gonna be 5 weeks. That's just what I've heard. I haven't heard anything official but that's what everyone is saying so ya this change should go by pretty fast with Christmas and everything.

no new pics. maybe next week lol

peace

elder mortenson

Week 72

last week was chill. same as all the others hahaha.

so i finally got moved out of Ilo. I've been transferred to Tacna. the weather here is basically just like Ilo except there isn't an ocean. The bus ride here was only like 2 1/2 hours so not too bad. Last night had a big fam ham and said goodbye to all the converts and cool members. Then we stayed up till like 3 packing and getting everything organized cause they transferred both of us. Naturally my comp went to Arequipa, where I have yet to serve. so ya didn't get much sleep at all last night so I'm pretty freakin tired. my new comp is Elder Aslan. He's from Argentina so that's chill. He has 3 changes less than me. I was really hoping to not get put with another American so I can keep speaking Spanish so ya its chill.

6 months left here in Peru. I'm thinking this could be my last area if I stay here for 4 changes like I did in Ilo. I really wouldn't mind cause I don't wanna pack my suitcases again cause its the freaking worst. and if I do end here I can load up on amazingly cheap legit stuff from la cachina (basically just a massive market full of stuff from the US that never got sold and is sold here for like 98% off lol. but ya. its weird to finally have 6 months left after so much time here haha.

anyways ya not much else.

peace

elder mortenson

Week 71

I basically only write these emails for the subjects cause there isn't really anything to write about hahaha.

Normal week. Nothing happened. Saturday the stake went to Arequipa to tour the temple.

We found out that on the 14th the entire mission is going to Arequipa for a meeting with pres Neosporin  which is cool. But no we don't get to stay overnight and go to the temple dedication. That will be broadcasted to each stake center.

Besides that ya nothing else

Still haven't downloaded the pics lol

Peace 

Elder mortenson

Week 70

So ya chill week. We were able to baptize the 3 kids on Saturday even though everything didn't go according to plan. The ward was supposed to prepare everything but they didn't prepare anything so we had to delay it by 2 hours for their incompetence.

I'll try and remember to transfer over the pics this week from it

Nothing else really happened besides that. Kinda gotta hurry this email cause I forgot to write it lolol. 

In other news, today is the big 16. We're getting close-ish now lol

Anyways ya peace hahaha

Elder mortenson

Week 69

Normal week. Nothing really happened lol and I forgot to write until right now and it's late haha

We had interviews last Tuesday and them went to tacna on Thursday. Had to wake up super early. The conference was tiring but it was cool to see a lot of my causas.

Nothing else happened in the week. This week we are probs gonna baptize the 3 kids of the Venezuelan couple cause they won't be getting married for a while haha. 

But ya that's it.

Peace

Elder mortenson

Week 68

Not really anything cool happened this week. Super normal. 

We are still trying to get the Venezuelan couple to get married. Pres contacted the mission pres in Venezuela to see if we could get one of the documents that they need so we are waiting for an answer.

We also got news that we will NOT be participating nor going to the temple open house. All missionaries outside of Arequipa won't go. But all of the sister missionaries in the entire mission are invited

This week we have to go down to Tacna for like a quadruple zone conference.

But ya nothing really happened. 

Peace

Elder mortenson

Week 67

Super normal week besides the fact that I hit 15 months lol.

Umm let's see. So we had changes today and I'm staying here for my 4th change with the same companion haha so that's cool. I don't mind. So I definitely thought I was gonna leave so Saturday I took all my converts out to eat which was cool. They were all super sad but then we got changes and ya I'm staying so it's chill.

Umm ya I can't think of anything else that happened. Hahaha. There's a super cool chick we are teaching that will prob get baptized this week or the next. We will see.

That's literally it though haha

Peace

Elder mortenson

Week 65

This email is coming in a little late lol. But ya

Little different this week. Tuesday one of the secretaries called and said that Wednesday me and the 2 other elders from my group here in ilo had to go to arequipa for migraciones. So we went lol. Like a 4 hour bus ride. They didn't put any movies on which was sad. We got there at night and stayed with some zone leaders there which also happened to be from my group. So it was pretty sick that night with 5 of us. We ordered pizza hut. First real pizza I had in over a year.....then in the morning w ate the leftover pizza for breakfast. Then we went to migraciones. I ended up having to wait in line twice cause they spelled my name wrong. Them after, we were gonna go to Chili's but it was closed cause it was only 11 in the morning. The only thing open was pizza hut in the mall lol so we got it for lunch and ate it on the way back. Then we got back to ilo in the afternoon. Also we had a family home evening that might and we ate pizza. So I had 4 consecutive meals of pizza. Although I was completely fine with all the ones with pizza hut.

Man I described that a lot. But ya not a ton else besides conference. We watched it in English which was nice. It's funny here basically everyone only watched the Sunday morning session and no other one. But ya that was my 3rd conference of the Mish. Only one more...

Still don't have the pics, but we did find a thing so that my comp can download them. So hopefully next week

Peace

Elder mortenson

Week 63

So ya decent week. We were able to baptize this 21 y.o. guy on Saturday which was cool. And sorry I can't send the pics rn cause we took them all on my comps camera and he doesn't have a cable to connect it to the computer lol. He also has the other pics from my bday. So as soon as we can find a cord for it I will get the pics.

Other than that not much else happened. Just a normal week.

Went to KFC today and got these chicken wrap thing w bacon and it was actually way good. Surprisingly.

But ya besides that not really anything. Pretty boring email lol. I'll try to get the pics by next week.

Peace

Elder mortenson

Week 60

Lol ya so I've forgotten to write for a couple weeks hahaha whoops. But ya not a lot has happened honestly.

We have some good people we are teaching. 2 of them are progressing really well so we will probs put fechas with them this week. Also we had changes last week and I stayed here in ilo again for my 3rd change. Which I'm completely fine with cause the weather here is perfect right now hahaha.

Also my birthday was super sick. I technically had 2 party's which was sick. Got my face shoved in cake twice. Last week I sent pics from the first party but I still don't have the pics from the second one. I will try to get them to send them next week. Besides those I have no other pics.

Umm ya what else. Oh ya we went to KFC today which was sick. First American fast food I've had in 11 months. But it wasn't quite as good as it is in the US

Ummm can't think of anything else. But ya everything is good here. Complete 14 months this week. and it's Laura's bday tambien so happy birthday hahaha.

Anyways

Peace

Elder mortenson