March 22, 2014 // MTC

I think the biggest struggle with these weekly emails is knowing just what to say with the time given. 

So maybe I'll just shoot some highlights and hope you all feel bit of what I've experienced this lovely week in the MTC:

 - We finally got our first culture class on Mozambique! The Irmao that came in had served from 2010 - 2012 and told us everything he could in two hours. The kick was he said everything in Portuguese... but I was able to understand most of it! He showed us a video of a wedding he had gone to, and everyone in it was doing a rad tribal dance and chanting in their own dialects. It was the sweetest thing. After the wedding video, he showed us pictures of some of the service he had done. The people of Mozambique work HARD. They are always at work, and it's heavy manual labor. It was cool watching some videos of them farm. Super efficient. 

- In around three weeks I've gone from just knowing the word "Legal" (cool in portuguese. The Brazilian kind too, so we can't even use it in Mozambique) to being able to teach Gospel lessons without any notes. It doesn't even seem reasonable (Probably because it isn't), but hey, through Deus all things are possible.  I'm still pretty sore at speaking, but my understanding allows me to hold a conversation with simple responses from my end. It really is a beautiful language.

- I absolutely love my district ( the group of kids I go to class with, most of us are serving the same mission ). I think Pai Celestial really knew just who we needed to be around for these weeks we trained for our mission. I love each and every one of these Elders.

- Meu companheiro and I just got called to be Zone Leaders. We're in charge of our district as well as any other districts that come into our Zone. I think it's mainly because Elder Adams is the most righteous human I've ever come into contact with. We actually call him Ned Flanders but I don't think he gets the reference because I don't think he was allowed to watch the Simpsons. 

Anyway, I'm loving it here. Especially as of late, since I feel like we're finally hitting our groove. 

I hope everyone is okay! Nosso Pai Celestial ama todas pessoas! 

-Elder Mortimer

P.S. - Use Dear Elder.com and send me riddles.

P.P.S. -  I love riddles.

March 15, 2014 // MTC

Oi! Como esta irma?

And todo mundo too, I guess.

Whattta week man. The Portuguese is plodding along. I gained four pounds in a week and a half of eating here. The chocolate milk station is infinite, as is my craving for it. I ran into this lady I knew from Centerville  during lunch - but it was tough addressing each other because we only knew each others first names and didn't want to admit that we didn't know our last names so we we're just on an "Elder" and "Sister" basis. But anyway, for the land of Clovis I already bumped into Elder Scandalin (BRET LOOK UP HOW TO SPELL THAT NAME SO I DON'T DESTROY THE PRIDE OF THE SAMOAN PEOPLE) (*editor's note: he slaughtered that name so badly that Facebook couldn't even recognize a portion of it. Therefore, destroyed pride. Sorry buddo.*) in the cafeteria. It was the first time I had seen him without the whole human of hair on his head but he pulled off the missionary cut well. Good for him.

Time doesn't flow right in the MTC. It's kinda annoying because everyone thinks it's so deep when they describe it as "The days feel like weeks and the weeks feel like days." But it is an apt description. I suppose since we're working sixteen hour days it's all melting together in our heads.

To alleviate the time obstacle, I've been trying to keep each day fresh for our district. 

Namely I hid under Elder Van Leuven's bed and scared the poop out of him. 

Anyway, I feel really blessed to be here. It's weird testifying through email about these kinds of things, but I want you guys to know that this whole experience has already been so uplifting and special. The ground we're walking on is concentrated, and the Espirito Santos is muito powerful. There is something sacred about addressing Pai Celestial and Jesus Cristo in another language. The prayers in Portuguese have a special feeling to them, with their simplicity and whatnot. They also feel a little more earnest because you have to really think about what you're saying. I might even prefer praying in Portuguese.

We work so hard here. I've never been so exhausted in my life - but I've also never been so satisfied. I hope everyone is alright.

Also I couldn't figure out how to upload my own photos so I chose the next best thing. 

Alright,

Elder Mortimer.

March 8th, 2014 // MTC

Tuda Bem! Tuda Bem! 

Holy

Cow.

The MTC is something else. In terms of effort on my part, this is the hardest thing I've ever had to do. You literally arrive, throw your bags in your room, and get right down to it. I guess it feels so stressful since they just changed the missionary age and cut the time we have to learn the language by a couple weeks. Think about condensing your week college schedule into a day. Gaah. 

But hey, I love my branch. (The group of elders who arrived the day I did and are speaking PoooRTUguESE with me.) There's only six of us and five of the six are going to MoOOOzAMBIQUE. So that's pretty rad. We're a pretty eclectic group. I'm companions with Elder Adams. If you want a vague idea of what he is like just think of Chase Amerjan and that vague idea will be 100% accurate. He also went to school with Shaylee Milne in Roy, Utah, so that's a pretty strange connection. Another Elder in our branch, henceforth known as Elder T because absolutely no one can get his name right, is from Hawaii. He had never been off the island until he reported for his mission. Going from an isolated island to continental United States then straight to third world Africa? Dude is in for an adventure. 

The Gift of Tongues is real. I've learned more Portuguese in three days here than I have with two years of French in school. Como? The Spirit, man. To put this into perspective, I've been here for about three days now and I've already taught a lesson to an investigator. At this point I'm much better at understanding it than speaking it, but I can spin a sentence or two in response to what's being spoken. It's just so crazy man. I can't imagine where we're all going to be in six weeks time. 

Anyway, my companion and I are real sharp so we figured daylight savings was today and ended up severely limiting our sleep time. Out of email time, hope all is well with you all. Love you and praying for you guys.

- Elder Mortimer.

 

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Psstttt..

 

  Hey! This is Bret, Morgan's sister. I will be updating this blog every week with his new emails, pictures, news, etc.

 

You can subscribe by entering your email in the space below his picture to the right.

 

Also, hopefully this blog will be a bit more visually appealing at some point.. buuut midterms and such are cramping my creativity. Alas, it will be done soon enough. Have hope.

 

Prayers for my brother are much appreciated as he continues to learn the language and missionary ways. Thank you for all of your support, it means a lot to our family.

 

If you want to email him or write him, his information can be found on this nifty flag created in Paint (PAINT WIZARD 4 EVER):

 

 

 

Thanks again!

 

  Bret Mortimer