January 30, 2017

Mark Owen Vickers	3:15 PM (4 hours ago)
to me, bcc: me

Hi Everyone!

Another great week here in Spring Texas. 

Just as I am writing this email a young woman texted our phone who used to meet with missionaries here in Texas but has since relocated to another state. She wanted to meet with missionaries again but was unsure of how to do so. We were able to help put her in touch with missionaries in her area. Small miracles! 

We have been having a lot of success recently working with the members in this ward. I've seen from my experience that when we work with the members rather than independent of them that the work moves forward much better. I know that the personal witness of these members is truly what helps those learning more about this gospel really grow. We are working with a woman by the name of Kay. She is so sweet and has about the most real intent that I have seen. She was not able to attend church with us this last week however we have good hopes for her in the coming weeks. 

I am going to work this week on personal honesty. I don't consider myself to be a particularly dishonest person by any means. My focus will be on understanding when I am being honest with myself, when I am being honest with others, and honest with my relationship with my Father in Heaven. I'll let you know how it goes this week and what I learn. 

Serving as a missionary has been the great pleasure of my life. I am so grateful for the opportunity to share these truths of the gospel. Something I have realized through serving is that these beliefs that we hold so dear are not just good slogans or good things to live by; they truly affect change in our lives for the better as we study them out and apply them to our various circumstances.

I love you all. I love the work. I love my Savior. 

All the best,

Mark Owen Vickers	3:45 PM (4 hours ago)
to me

Yeah! It's going to be really great. We have what is called MLC or Missionary Leadership Council tomorrow where we will decide as a mission leadership how to specifically implement the changes. It should mean more time on Preparation Days to communicate you guys! Also getting the normal p-day tasks done. I'll have more next week on the changes for sure.

Texas Houston Mission

 

Sunday, January 29, 2017

Impressions from the Worldwide Missionary Broadcast

To the Missionaries of the Great Texas Houston Mission,

We were so happy to see you this week as we watched the training broadcast. We are so grateful to be led by prophets, seers and revelators. We sustain them with all our hearts! We hope you have had an opportunity to review the notes you took. If you haven't please take the time to do so and share those impressions with your companion and zone this next district meeting. Here are a couple of thoughts that we have had:

Doctrine of Christ as it applies to us in our current roles as missionaries:

     1. We demonstrate faith as we: are obedient, study the scriptures and PMG, make goals and plans and find

     2. We repent by always being willing to make the changes necessary to qualify for the powers of heaven. These corrections may come by the Holy Ghost, but also make come through our leaders (D&C 1:38).

     3. We are "baptized" and renewed every time we worthily partake of the emblems of the Sacrament each week.

     4. We are able to endure to the end by remaining worthy so that the Gift of the Holy Ghost can tell us those things we should do to find, teach and baptize those the Lord has prepared to receive the blessings in store for the faithful.

Doctrine of Christ as it applies to the way we progress investigators:

     1. We give them an opportunity to exercise faith by accepting the commitments we extend to them.

     2. They have opportunities to repent by keeping those commitments (PMG ch 11)

     3. We give them an opportunity to be baptized AFTER they have had the opportunity to repent sufficiently. DON'T SKIP ANY STEPS!!

     4. We help them endure to the end by making sure we they are continually taught the good word of God, are able to participate in temple ordinances both for themselves and for their kindred dead and then help "strengthen the church" (PMG p.10)

Elder Oaks stated that, "If we do things in the proper order, the invitation to be baptized with be both persuasive and powerful." We add our testimonies to those we heard on Wednesday. This is Christ's church. He leads it through Prophets and Apostles and it is our great privilege to serve with them in assisting the Lord in hastening His work!

Love,

President and Sister Mortensen