Week 97

Hello everyone,

Happy Mother’s Day, or happy late Mother's Day.  It’s always great to talk to the fam.
This week we had some other churches missionary’s contact us.  Let’s just say they did not know what they were talking about. We finished them real quick and then gave them our message. They said they would call (they won’t). This week we have been working on teaching more and progressing our people. It’s going good. Sorry for the short email.
Have a great week, all is well

Elder Marcusen
PS: I found girl scout cookies :-)

Week 96

Hello everyone,

Well, this week we got some big news. First, my flight plans came!!!!! But the bigger and better news is that on the 24th of May we will have a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostle meet with us. It is officially unknown who, but it will most likely be Christofferson which is awesome!!!!!!

This week we had the 4 confirmations for our baptisms last week. This was the first time as a missionary that I have been asked to do the confirmation.  Most of the time it is a member of the bishopric. We also had exchanges with the AP’s. We got to sleep with AC and it was too cold for me to sleep. I woke up in the middle of the night with my nose, ears and toes just freezing. My blanket did nothing to help me. This week we also did a lot of contacting, which even though the sun is hot and the days are long we have turned it into a game and so it’s fun.

Until next week,
Elder Marcusen

Week 95

Hello everyone,

Well, this week was great.  We had 4 baptisms.  Today we went to the Auburn Botanical gardens.  This week, the computer stinks, so next week I will write a better email. To make up for it I’ve attached some pictures.

Elder Marcusen

Week 94

Hello Everyone,

Due to the flooding last Sunday, on Tuesday our hole district's came to help one of our investigators clean out all the mud from their house.  It took a solid 4 hours, but we did it.  We saved them days of work. It truly was amazing to be able to serve in more ways than just teaching. Later in the week we decided to contact this big house which actually went well. We will return this week to teach. In the middle of another lesson the two funniest drunk guys came up and they gave us all a great laugh. This week we also got this amazing stir-fry beef and potatoes dinner, which was heavenly.
I hope you all enjoyed your Easter.  All we did was watch conference and after we ate cow kidney which is actually really good.

Have a great week,
Elder Marcusen

Week 92-93

Hello everyone,

Thank you all for the birthday wishes, this year was truly one to remember! As the leaders of the mission we all moved our p-days to Tuesday. We had a bonding day. We cooked steaks on the grill then played games. In Ghana it’s a thing to soak the person on their birthday. So, well, they got a hose and soaked me! In the evening, we had a devotional and then pizza and ice cream in a waffle cone. They brought out one with a candle in it and sang happy birthday to me.

A couple days later I got food poisoning, probably from an investigators food they fed us. It was bad but only lasted a day and a half.

Sunday night it rained really hard and it flooded bad in places.  One of our investigators houses is under 3 feet of water. This coming Sunday we will get to watch conference. We also had four baptismal interviews pass so in two weeks we will have 4 baptisms.

Have a great week,
Elder Marcusen

Week 91

Hello Everyone,

Well, the best April fools joke was pulled on mom! I got President Keyes to send an email that my mission was extended 6 months.

This week we walked 66 miles because our bikes were broken. Rejoyce was confirmed on Sunday. This week we were finally able to get some new people to teach. Some of them are really sweet, but others are running away. So it’s fun. Sorry for the short email.

The scripture I would like to share is Mosiah 2:17 And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God. 

What an amazing scripture, when we serve others we are in the service of God. What better thing is there to do for 2 years full time, and then for the rest of our lives.

Have a great week,
Elder Marcusen

Week 90

Hello everyone
This week was a great week.  We had some great teaching appointments, but most of our days are spent finding. We are in a richer  area and so it’s harder to find people to teach, but we keep searching. We did have a baptism this week, Sister Rejoyce. It is such an amazing thing to have happen when you have been teaching and the person you teach keeps their commitments and truly comes unto Christ. This week we also had an amazing zone conference. President Keyes said, “if for some reason missions were shortened, do you feel that you have done enough work? If not start now because you don’t know if it will be the end and at the end you can say you gave your all.”  It was an interesting thought. What if it all ended? Would I be glad of the work I did?  I definitely would. 

3 Nephi 11:21 And the Lord said unto him: I give unto you power that ye shall baptize this people when I am again ascended into heaven.
22 And again the Lord called others, and said unto them likewise; and he gave unto them power to baptize. And he said unto them: On this wise shall ye baptize; and there shall be no disputations among you.
23 Verily I say unto you, that whoso repenteth of his sins through your words, and desireth to be baptized in my name, on this wise shall ye baptize them—Behold, ye shall go down and stand in the water, and in my name shall ye baptize them.
24 And now behold, these are the words which ye shall say, calling them by name, saying:
25 Having authority given me of Jesus Christ, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
26 And then shall ye immerse them in the water, and come forth again out of the water 

This scripture I love because this is Christ teaching us how we are to be baptized.
Have a great week

Love,
Elder Marcusen