WAS DUSTING OFF THE COBWEBS IN THE INBOX AND FOUND THIS ONE FROM EVEN FURTHER (FARTHER, WAY BACK)...HERE IT IS.  (From 7 28)

Hey guys!!! Ok so it was a pretty good week... we FINALLY set a legitimate baptismal date, the last one we set was kinda sketchy, we didn't even bring it up with Isaac, it was his friend who is a member who did it. But this one, with LLLL mom VVVV, is LEGIT! I'm gonna copy and paste it from my letter to President Ballard

Last week when she came to Church, she signed up to feed us dinner on Wednesday. On Wednesday we went over to her apartment and ate some GOOD Mexican food, authentic enchiladas

, SO GOOD!! Anyways... after that we watched the movie Joseph Smith; Prophet of the Restoration with her, because she had some Joseph Smith doubts and didn't really understand why he is important. So we finished the movie, and asked her to kneel in prayer and ask if what she had seen and learned was true, and if she should continue learning from us. It was the first time I have ever heard her pray vocally, and for her I think it might have been the first attempt she has made in her life, but she said a beautiful prayer. When she finished, neither Elder Sorian nor I said anything. We both just wanted to sit there and let the Spirit work on her. Finally she looked at us and said, "I can't tell you what I'm feeling." We didn't respond for awhile... but eventually I just told her that yes, she could. It took some coaxing,  but after awhile she said that she just felt an overwhelming feeling of peace.

It was in that moment that I knew we needed to walk away from that lesson having invited her to be baptized. I shared some scriptures about how nothing that is good denies God or Christ.... and some more about how Christ invites everybody to come to Him and how He has promised us help and blessings when we follow his teachings. She was crying by that point. Finally after sharing a scripture, I invited her to be baptized. There was a long silence after that. There were a lot of long silences in that lesson. But finally VVVV broke the silence by asking what we wanted her to say. I paused again. After some pondering, I simply looked at her and said, "The Truth," which got her crying all over again. Finally she looked at us and said, "To me that isn't a question. I feel like it is something that I need to do." The date is set for August 23rd and I am very confident that it will go through. Her son, LLLL, went on Trek with the Milwaukie Stake earlier this summer and Tuesday leaves for a Priest Camp, Camp Helaman.

I am praying that that is a good experience for him. Both of them were at Church yesterday.

So... yeah... It was a really good lesson and I am excited!! Ummm.. Mom you asked if I need anything... I am wearing out through my shoes and when it starts raining again my feet are gonna be WET! And I am also running out of stamps... 

Dad you asked me how I feel now that I have been out a year... I feel WEIRD!!!! That year went way fast, this one better slow down a little bit. Elder Soriano is doing good, we had a good conversation on Tuesday night and he told me more about his past, and it changed the way I look at him. 

Ummmm... yeah. I think that's about it. I love you guys!

Editor's Note:  HOLY OOOOOOPS!  I let these pass WAY too long.  His updates have been short, so I guess he is busy.  He looks way awesome happy (howz that for bad grammar, eh?), so I guess he is doing the Lord's work.
Here are the posts.  This week's on top, and then chronologically backwards from then.  Thanks to every one who looks it up.

Editor Dad.

HEY!!!
so First and foremost, we need to solve this little dilemma of you guys saying that Sons of Provo

is not worshipful when really it is sacred music that should be played in the bathrooms of the Temples. If I didn't think it would be ok, then I wouldn't ask for it! PLEASE!!!!!! (see entry a week or so down--the rules for listening to music in the mission field apparently changed.  For those unknowing, Sons of Provo is a spoof documentary about a clueless Boy Band with religious roots trying to make it big.  Let's just say that the music (equally as spoofy) is...well, an acquired taste :)  (They don't play music in the bathrooms of the Temples, just sayin')

So this week was a pretty good week. For the first part of the week I was feeling pretty stressed about being a DL, (District Leader.  He now has responsibility for several other missionaries in the Mission) and we read 1 Nephi 17, and as we read the part where The Lord commanded Nephi to build a boat, and I knew in that moment that Nephi felt overwhelmed as well... but he didn't complain, he just got to work. Tomorrow I have to give my first training in zone meeting and if you guys have any inspirational quotes about having a good attitude, let me know by tomorrow! All I am going to say is that it's kind of cool being district leader with Elder Goff as the other District Leader, he is a hard worker and one of my favorite comps. We went hiking today witha  huge group of elders and it was pretty fun.

We also went to the visitors center yesterday with VVVV, it was GOOD! I am SO excited for her baptism!

Sorry this is short, have a good week guys!

PLEASE SEND ME SONS OF PROVO!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WEEK OF ...THE WEEK BEFORE THIS ONE:)

 

Ok this is the good one and the good stuff!

First of all I will tell you guys about VVVV and how she is doing! It's been a good week with her, although we have had our ups and downs. Last Tuesday she fed us breakfast, and made us some super good eggs/tostadas!

And then on Wednesday we taught her The Word of Wisdom, and that has got to be one of the worst lessons I have ever taught in my life! We didn't prepare for it very well, and it just didn't go as it should have. She really likes tea and wanted medical reasons as to why we can't drink it, and I didn't really know what to tell her. She said she needed more than that if she was going to accept it. We left her with the commitment to pray about it, but after we had left I did NOT feel right about just leaving her with that. An hour later we went back to talk to her and she came out the door crying telling us she hadn't felt the Spirit during that lesson and didn't know what to do. I felt like CRAP

because I knew the way that lesson went was my fault and knew that I had to fix it. We ended up just talking to her about faith and how God wants us to grow it. I couldn't really say exactly what we said or exactly when that lesson started to turn around, but after an hour the Spirit had witnessed to her that the Word of Wisdom was something she needed to live. On Friday she passed her baptismal interview and yesterday we had a lesson with her, and she told us on Sunday she had fasted to be able to receive a new job, and during our lesson yesterday a member of the group called telling her she had a potential job lined up. So things are going GOOD with VVVV.

I also have a funny story... well, kind of, because I figure it's been awhile. So my lower back has been bugging me since last Monday.... movements that flex it, such as sitting up to get out of bed or sitting down, don't feel too great.

why does my back hurt????

Thankfully, there is someone in the English ward I am in who used to be a chiropractor, and on Sunday night we went to see them. And all I have to say is that Chiropractors are freaking magicians!

He popped my back or did whatever you want to call it, and it felt so good it was almost a spiritual experience. Every time he popped something, I  couldn't help but say "ooooohhhhh" or "mmmmmmmmmm"... It felt so good!

Ok and last thing... As of yesterday I am officially a district leader! Why? I don't know, I wasn't expecting it at all and I'm still not sure quite why President Ballard did it... I don't feel like a stereotypical district leader. So I'm working on that one... thoughts? Advice? don't wait til next week to send it, tell me tell me!

I love you guys!

Elder Travis Jorgensen

WEEK BEFORE THAT!...

 

 

So it was kind of a slow week here in Milwaukie as far as lessons go. However, we did have 4 investigators come to Church yesterday, which is the highest this area has had since it's been open. VVVV, our investigator with a baptismal date, hasn't missed a week of church since she started coming, and she is starting to tell people about her baptism on the 23rd. 

We have another 14 year old girl who might be getting close to baptism as well, her name is RRRR and she is the daughter of a recent convert in the area.

Tuesday and Wednesday were kind of rough for me. We had a service project for a potential investigator on Tuesday, we were gonna bring a member with us to a lesson with him on Wednesday, and on Tuesday night we also had a lesson for a potential new investigator set up with a member. In about an hour on Tuesday, things all fell apart... That was REALLY hard for me to handle... I couldn't say exactly why, that's just happened so many times to me in this area where it looks like we could take the week by storm and instead something always rains on our parade. After so long it takes longer and longer to dry off. One thing is for sure, though, this area is teaching me the importance of diligence, of never being complacent.

Elder Soriano is doing good. Yesterday was his birthday and I would say we had a pretty good day.

I am doing well. On Wednesday, after taking Tuesday pretty hard, I ended up reading a scripture in Alma 43:1. The last phrase says, "And Alma, also, himself, could not rest, and he also went forth." In Spanish that translates over to mean that Alma tried to take a break, he tried to take it easy, and he just couldn't. Even after he had just taught all his sons so that they could continue the ministry, even after he had taught amongst the Lamanites for how many years and been rejected countless times, even when he had an excuse to stop working hard, he couldn't do it. I know that that desire came in part from the depth of his personal conversion to the Savior. That is something I fasted for yesterday, to move past a testimony and to be able to come to an undeniable knowledge that the Savior lives and that He loves me. I don't quite feel like I am at that point yet, and I need to be before I go home.

ok, end quote. Have you guys seen the Church's new Mormon Message? I think it's called The Hope of God is Light

or something like that.. it is the BOMB diggity! I freaking love it... Oh mom I got attacked by a dog for the first time in my mission this week... By a feisty lil wiener dog!

 Ok I can't really remember anything else... I love you guys!

Elder Jorgensen

There is a story behind this picture! The story goes a little something like this.. On hump day  (his year mark/anniversay/one year in the Portland Mission) I was asking around for things to do.... I was already planning on burning a shirt,(a missionary tradition that has existed for decades...marks the halfway point of the mission)

but that felt a little too mainstream and I wanted to think outside of the box. I asked some English Elders and they told me there was a camel near by, a real live camel! Some people just own it like a pet. So we drove to said location and... no camel. I was determined to make good use of my time, so we knocked on the people who own the camel's door and had kind of an interesting conversation:

"Do you guys own the camel?"

Yes

Would it be possible for me to take a picture with it (I had no shame!)

Oh, well he isn't here right now. He is in Wilsonville, on vacation with some girl camels, making some baby camels. You're welcome to come back another time though.

.... That is literally how she described it to me. I don't know if it's because her 10 year old daughters were right there with her and she didn't want to use the phrase stud or... what. But they had this wooden camel in their front yard so obviously I had to take advantage of that opportunity. And in the bottom left corner of the pic, there is an animal head. This was legitimately the biggest freaking dog I have ever seen, it looked like a mini bear.

Hey Peeps!

Well... this week was a good week! On Saturday I got to go on an exchange with... my papi Elder Cooper.

It was GREAT. I LOVED it. It was weird being back with him again, it felt like old times, but that companionship is definitely some of the best memories of my mission.

It was a pretty good week this week. We found 9 new investigators (new personal high for a week), AND had THREE investigators in Church yesterday!!!

I haven't had that many people in Church since I was teaching Eric's Family! 2 of them were  FFFF and his mom,YYYY , FFFF is the one who went on Trek... Things are going really well with YYYY. We taught her a 2 hour lesson about the plan of Salvation last night. She felt the Spirit, I could tell. She told us she has seen a change in her life since we started teaching her. I wanted to give her a baptismal date but it didn't quite work out... That's ok. In Church she signed up to feed us dinner on Wednesday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm freaking excited about that, I'm gonna get to eat some good authentic Mexi food, it's been awhile!

ummm.... not much else is happening. Hopefully things get moving and we get some people progressing, that is what we need more than anything else is a couple of baptisms.

Sorry I know I keep sending you guys short ones... but I gotta go!!! I love you!

Elder Travis Jorgensen

 

 

 

 Hey guys!!...

.

This week was slow. To answer your questions... no we don't still have a baptismal date. We are still working with FFFF and his mom... but no baptismal dates thus far:( Ummm... I have a feeling that this week we are going to do a LOT of tracting.

We have quite a few investigators who we can pass by and who sometimes will let us in, but almost no one who really wants to learn or will keep their commitments. And to be frankly honest, I am tired of wasting my time on people who don't care or don't want to try to understand.

 I'm ready to go find the Salazar family of this area... I'm probably going to have to knock every door to find them but I don't care, I really just have been feeling this week like we need to find some new people to teach.

Elder Soriano is doing pretty well.  He kind of in some aspects reminds me of the greenie from the Best Two Years. But that's ok.

Sorry I took so long to get this to you guys... we just played soccer for most of the day and DANG it is hot!! But that's ok, it was fun.

Ok I think that's all, love you guys! Ill write you guys a good one next week hopefully with some cool finding stories!

editor's note!

Sorry folks, we have been on vacation for a while.  I will update Travis' last two weeks of emails, the most recent will be first, the earlier will be later, to keep things chronological.  Thanks for watching his blog.

Editor Dad.

Four Generations

 Week of 30 June 2014

Hey guys!!!

So... It's been a good week. I love mijo.

Our first lesson together was to a drunk white dude, the husband of one of our less actives, and he was going off the whole time about how he misses smoking marijuana and how its good for you and how he has a hard life and... yeah. And Elder Soriano is usually a pretty timid guy, but he opened his mouth and one of the first things he said was, "All I hear is excuses." My jaw kind of dropped in that instant

I was not expecting that much fire AT ALL!!! But hey... it all worked out pretty well.

We have also had some pretty colorful tracting experiences together. Wednesday was our first full pross (proselyting--trying to find people to teach) day and we need some new investigators so we hit the streets and tracted. (knocked on doors) No one really opened up, but those who did left us with some good memories for sure. There was one dude who we had to knock 3 times to get to open up. We heard noise inside and knew someone was in there so I was pretty persistent. Finally the door opened up, and there was a white dude standing in his briefs with his pants around his ankles and a wild look on his face, and he asked us, "Who wants to party?!?" Mijo was kind of stunned so I just spoke what came to my mind, "not us." He said, "Sorry, can't help you then," and slammed the door. Afterwards we heard some good laughter and if I'd had a hat on I would have tipped it to the guy,

if you're gonna reject us, might as well have some fun at it. The next door we knocked this lady opened up and told us she was a less active and that they had company over. She introduced us to her daughter. I asked who the company was. Out of nowhere a 3rd woman popped out and the daughter told us it was her girlfriend... nice. Good times.

Yesterday we had a good lesson with some new investigators. We found them knocking on Friday, the kid's name is UUUU, he is 18 and from Honduras. So yesterday we taught him and he opened up and told us when he was 16-18 he was in prison.. .don't know why yet but when he told us that I had the very strong impression that he is ready for this message.

Because I know you are dying to know mijo is doing pretty good. He's definitely green and kind of clingy... when we went out to eat a couple times he ordered what I ordered, he always stops praying right after I do and he always waits for me to go through a door first... but he is always happy and humble so... sal good.

Aight peeps, gotta go.

Elder Travis Jorgensen

Week of 6 24

I HAVE AN HIJO!!!!!!!!

(meaning he is now training a new missionary, like someone did for him when he first went to Portland).

This weekend waiting for transfer calls was STRESSFUL!!!!!!! How President does them is people who are going to train get their calls first, and then later come the ones for if you are going to move or not. Usually training calls come between 10 and 12. By 11:59 I was about ready to kick a baby... and then 30 minutes later when I had all but pulled my hair out, President Morby called me and asked me if I would train. I was PUMPED!!! Both Warenski and I were also both assuming that I would go out to Sandy to do it too, because this is Elder Warenski's last transfer and it just wouldn't make sense to send him there. So that call came and I was a little disappointed I'm not going to lie. I have had a lot of cool experiences out in Sandy and feel really close to a lot of those families. So I took it pretty hard. Thankfully God gave me an attitude adjustment. After the calls came we went by a member who was one of the first converts in Paraguay. She spent 10 years of her life living in the wilderness because of the persecution she faced for being a member

. And then, her husband went from being active to inactive and abusive. After 10 years of that, she decided she couldn't take it anymore, so she said a prayer asking God to help her in leaving her husband. In the middle of a prayer, an angel appeared to her, put his hand on her shoulder, and said, "He is important to God. You are the only one who can bring him back."

And then left. So she spent another 10 years in an abusive relationship, when finally her husband turned things around only to die shortly thereafter. The Spirit kind of smacked me in the face a little bit during that story. It's not that I don't like Milwaukie, but things in Sandy are honestly just going to take off now that it has its own set, and we don't have a whole lot here. Or I guess we do kind of this area has just kind of gotten old to me. It's lost the "newness" factor. Elder Warenski and I shifted through about 20-30 investigators in our companionship and only got 1 to come to Church and the rest didn't care... So I guess that's one of the reasons God gave me a greenie. I feel pretty honored... no new Spanish Elders have come into the mission since October and there are lots of Elders who still need to train... 2 that are a transfer older than me, all the other 5 of my generation, and 3 in the generation younger. Yesterday 2 Spanish greenies came in and I got one of them. President Morby told us in our trainer's meeting that because he is leaving (on Saturday:( he wanted to leave the mission with the best trainers he could think of. I think he was edited for content but whatever;) However, Elder Warenski and I had an interesting conversation about how big of a role training someone plays in where you get called on your mission. As in sometimes you get called to the mission you do so you can train a greenie there.

I have definitely felt like that in respect to Cooper and Eric... so I am maybe just feeling slightly overwhelmed... just a little. Any advice or stories?? I'm all ears... and you don't have to wait until next monday to do it either if something comes type it up and send me it!!

Luckily something that is taking the stress of is that mijo, Elder Soriano,

is already fluent and native. So he's gonna teach me the language:) AND he's from Arizona, so he broke the streak of white companions I've had from Utah since I got out to the field. As far as how he is... only time will tell. My first impressions of him are that he is a big, giant, innocent teddy bear.

Oh, humble too. He is technically a convert he was baptized at age 9 with his family. But he seems excited to work so that's good. All in all I am excited.

So... randomly, I am getting quite the list of books I want to read when I get home. Like The Lincoln Thesis that I saw in Deseret Book the other day. And The Lost Language of Symbolism. And Lectures on Faith, the Autobiography of Parley P. Pratt, and a lot more. I can't do anything about it out here, because I can't read them so if I bought them I'd just haul them around, but maybe if you see them in stores on sale you could keep me in mind.

Alright I love you guys!! 

Elder Travis Jorgensen

 Peeps!!!

So... it was a good week. Wednesday, our Sandy run day, was FANTASTIC!!! We saw XXXX, the 15 year old Elder Goff and I found tracting, for the first time in months. We knocked their door and his little siblings answered, they told us he was sick. We asked if we could say hi to him anyways. So we did, and showed him the Mormon Message, "Sanctify yourselves" by Elder Holland. The Spirit was really strong as we showed it to him. And then, after we had finished and were just talking for a little bit, his little brother came in. I assume he was about 5 years old. Our conversation went as follows.

"You guys should leave now."

Why?

"Because I don't want you here."

"Oh yeah? Well I'm bigger than you!"

"Well I can punch you in the qqqq!"

He was dead serious too.

I would say of all the ways I have heard of to end a conversation, that is one of the more effective ones. Part of me wanted to tell him I have qqqq of steel so it wouldn't matter, but I decided it would be best not to test it out.

The best part of Wednesday was meeting with Bishop Hoakenson of the Sandy River ward. Lemme splain to you guys so that you can understand how intense of an experience this was. I told you that we met with the Mt Hood Stake President last week right? President Morby suggested that we stop by him just to tell him what we were doing and see if we can do anything for him. He appreciated our visit and said he would talk to President Morby. That was almost 2 weeks ago. We decided that same night that we should pick a Bishop to meet with to try to get some people we could take with us to lessons out there. We randomly picked one Bishop, Bishop Hoakenson, of the Sandy River Ward. He just felt right. So this Wednesday we show up, we were a few minutes early because we got out of our appt with XXXX and figured it would be better to be early than late, so we headed to the Church. This was like the most inspired showing up early that I've had on my mission. The Church was PACKED with people who knew about us and wanted to talk to us.

Apparently within like 3 days President Lewis had sent an email out to his High Councilors and Bishops talking about starting a group. So while we were waiting for Bishop Hoakenson, we talked to a retired bus driver who knew all the nooks and crannies of Sandy, 2 Elders quorum presidents, and the other 2 members of the Stake Presidency. DOPE.

After that we got into the meeting itself, and all I have to say is WOW. Apparently, the Sandy River ward is the one President Lewis wants to start the group out of. We didn't know that when we called. Also, Bishop Hoakenson used to live in Texas, where starting groups out of wards is a very common occurrence. As we started talking he asked us why we thought we were there. We told him and kind of talked about our investigators. Then he told us why he thought we were there. And he said that since he had moved from Texas 10 or 15 years ago, he had wanted to start a group out in Sandy, just had been waiting for the right time. Even if I don't get to go open that area up that experience alone will be worth it. Hints are getting dropped all over the place too. President Lewis sent us an email saying that this transfer (this is the last week of the transfer by the way, so Wes if you're gonna get me a letter, get it in the mail to me in Milwaukie by Wed or wait until next week) President Morby is planning on putting some Spanish Elders out there. President Morby called us one night to check that if Sandy gets opened up the Milwaukie group won't lose any members and that we will still have enough work to do in Milwaukie, which it won't and we will, and at Zone Conference on Friday President was dropping a few hints, he told me to "saddle up Elder" and a couple of other things, and the housing couple has reportedly been out looking for a place for missionaries to live. So, I don't know if I'll get to go out there but I am 95% sure it is happening. I'm kind of excited if you can't tell.

Friday was President's last Zone conference.

It was a pretty somber meeting. Saturday there was this dance festival deal some of the Stakes put on so all day Saturday the whole mission chilled at a high school so that we could sing We are as the armies of Helaman 3 times.

We got to watch a movie, too. The Saratov Approach. Mom, if you haven't watched that movie already... you should probably wait until I get home...:) Just saying.

Not the movie for moms of missionaries to see.   just sayin'

And last but not least, yesterday we had an investigator come to church, a 16 year old named TTTT, and in the middle of Sacrament meeting he decided he wants to get baptized!! So we set a date for July 18th!!

Ok... that's about it... I love you guys!!

 First week of June

Hey guys!!!
Sorry I didn't get to email you yesterday... like I said we went on a
15 mile hike near Mt Hood... I have some WAY GOOD pics to send home
when I have time next week.
This week not a whole lot happened; We got dropped by another one of
our promising youth again... That's kinda starting to frustrate me.
But all is well. God gave man his agency.
I do have a funny story for you guys though. And The main message of
it is I HATE SODA!!!!!!! 


We were in the house of an investigator this
week, finishing up a lesson, and she offered us a drink. The exact
word she used was  "refresco." I thought that just meant refreshment
so I said sure... Elder Warenski looked at me like I was high. And
then she brought us out a glass of soda. It wasn't even that big and
it was mostly flat. I'd asked for it... So I kinda had to drink it...
and I felt like DOG CRAP!!!!!!! the rest of the night!!!!! I felt so
fetching sick I kinda just wanted to lay down and cry.


I can't decide
which feeling is worse between gettind dropped or drinking soda...
nevertheless I can say with confidence that I'd be fine with neither
one ever happening again!!!!!!!!
Ok sorry I know this is short... the only other news is that Elder
Warenski and I are really working hard to get Sandy opened... we met
with the Stake President out there last week and it seems like things
are getting close. And it needs to be its own area, honestly. So keep
your fingers crossed!!! Oh, and I don't know how I never realized this
before, but Elder Warenski REALLY reminds me of Ashton Durrant. So...
yeah..
Love you guys!!!!
Elder Travis Jorgensen.

Hey guys!!

So... it was a pretty good week. Weird that I hit my 10 month mark and it was a year ago that I got my call... that all went by super fast.

However, my 10 month mark was a pretty good day, probably one of my favorites all week. I was on exchanges in Molalla, which is like the Oregon version of Kuna!!

There were cows everywhere, and little dinky homes and backroads and I really just felt like I was back home. Anyways.. to start of the morning my district leader, Elder Bair, wanted to go running! I said sure, we can go running! And then we got going and he wanted to turn around after 3/4 of a mile!! I said, no, let's keep going! So, we ran like 3 miles because I am a sadist:)

He said by the time we got back to their apt, he was blacking out...:) Anyways as the day went on, we had to go out to Oregon City so Elder Bair could do some baptismal interviews... they were for 2 kids whose parents and older brother are less active. While Elder Bair was doing the interviews, I got to talk with the less active older brother, who is 16. We started out playing basketball but he just had a lot of questions so we ended up just talking. It was a good chat, if anything I liked it because I really like talking to youth.

Obviously NOT Travis...

After that we went to our only set appointment of the day, with a couple where the wife was less active, they weren't married, and the husband wasn't baptized. I didn't know them at all and Elder Bair had only taught them as a family once. But the dad has been taking the discussions for awhile, over a year, and he told us he likes the way he feels when missionaries are over. It took Elder Bair and I awhile to get in a rhythm and figure out what to do with the lesson... but after a lot of following the Spirit, and good questions, we committed them to get married so the husband could be baptized. The wife said the closing prayer and the Spirit was so strong she started crying.

That's the first time I have had that happen in a lesson. To top things off, they have a 2 month old daughter who apparently has a heart condition and they wanted us to give her a blessing. So I got to do it and it was powerful. I don't know... trying to describe that lesson doesn't do it justice as to how good it actually was. That is the first lesson where I felt the Spirit really using me as a tool and guiding me in what to say and do versus me saying what I want and hoping the Spirit would testify of it. It was one of the most powerful moments of my mission.

And then the next day, Saturday, we had another powerful lesson. One of Elder Goff's recent converts in the area is named JJJJ, and he has 3 kids, one of them has her own kid already, and the others are teenagers. We've gone on and off teaching the 2 youth... Long story short it is hard to teach them routinely. So Friday we passed by, and saw CCCC, the oldest boy still at home (17) outside, and started talking to him. When we asked him if he had still been reading in The Book of Mormon, he said no, because he didn't believe in God anymore...

Well, that wasn't really what we wanted to hear, so we spent the next hour and then some talking with him about how God exists and how he can find out. It actually went pretty well, we made more progress with him than we thought we would, and by the end he told us he would keep praying until he got an answer.

That was probably the high of the day. The low came when 30 minutes later, another one of our 17 year old investigators named RRRR called us and dropped us. We had an appointment set for that day but he told us we didn't have to come, that he felt like it wasn't for him. I think that's the first time when an investigator that I really got close to and was really close to progressing dropped us... I don't like it too much!

And STILL NO ONE will come to church!!!

I could vent about it but it really wouldn't get me anywhere, it is just hard because so many people are reading and praying but won't come... and it's hard to help them want to be baptized if they won't come to church!

Aight... I think that's it... Love you guys!!

Elder Travis Jorgensen!

First Mucho Mango in 10 months

 what's up peeps!!

Well it was a pretty good week aqui en Milwaukie! Elder Warenski and I are teaching some really cool youth and almost all of them are keeping their commitments! There are 5 of them between the ages of 15 and 17 and this week we had some really good lessons with them.

My birthday was good!! Because I know you are all wondering...

You guys' present was way good !!! I'm not gonna lie recently I have been feeling like I was missing something in my mission... as if something were lacking, a missing piece we shall say. And THEN I got you guys' present, opened it, and saw my weed hoodie

and my track bag. After that... my life made sense. I felt whole and complete.  AND my cleats are super bomb too. I'll let you know when I play in them.

So this Saturday I was probably the fullest I have ever been in my life. We ate SO MUCH with this one English member... let me explain. We started out with a salad. Then the brought out... you guessed it... RIBS!!!! Tender, fall off the bone, RIBS!!!! He cooked 3 racks!!! Elder Warenski and I helped them finish off the first two (eating 7 ribs a piece) but then he told us he had cooked a 3rd and marinated it differently!!! So OF COURSE we had to try those, which put us at 9!! But that's not all!! While we were working on the ribs they brought us out corn on the cob and potato salad!! And then AFTER we had finished all of that, they told us watermelon was for dessert!! I was thinking to myself, "I should be able to handle that. A piece of watermelon. No biggie." WRONG!!! He cut it in half, and then cut a circle sized piece, bigger than a DINNER PLATE, for each of us. FETCH. I can honestly say yesterday I really was not hungry AT ALL!!! But the best part was, in the middle of eating, I started looking at one of their decorations. It looked a lot like a hookah. It was a hookah. It was given to them by their friend who works in narcotics for the Police. So naturally... I had to take advantage of the moment and take a picture!!!

Ummm what else... oh the Lord is definitely aware of our circumstances!!! We had a member by us groceries this week and Elder Warenski and I were super close to running out of money!!!

The last experience I have to share is a powerful prayer. On Friday for District Meeting Elder Warenski and I gave the training and we gave it on prayer and following the Spirit... which is really something we have been trying to work on in this companionship. So for the practice part we just gave everyone part of an Uchtdorf talk on prayer and had them go say a prayer to feel the love of God. And I felt it. It's hard to describe how it happened or why but I definitely know that God loves me and is aware of my situation.

Mom for a scripture reference you guys should read the Book of Enos.

Love yall!! Thanks for the Birthday present, wes that hat is dope! Keep me updated on Lacrosse!!

Elder Travis Jorgensen!