Week 3

Thank you so much to everyone who has written me this week, it was a pretty busy day, writing all the letters, and getting new companions and what not.. but anyways I received letter's from kaitlin clark, ashley smith, stefani, DeVan, Marissa Sainsburry, Mitch & Nikki (the browns!) Jason Johnson, Jordan Riley, Abby Simmons, and Sarah Madsen.. letters have been written and on the way! And of course Mom and Dad.. your even going to get a letter this week, just because I don't have much time with this email.

Okay so to start off, my old Companions, Elder Neilson and Elder Bjork along with the two sisters in there district left monday morning at 6. This past week has been hard especially since I was able to be present seeing the teachers give them presentations about the Netherlands that they reserve for the last week.. the country is amazing the stories coming out of there is amazing, and I really just can't wait to go. I did see them off, I woke myself up at 5:30 and dropped them off at the travel office where we took pics and man hugged and what not.. yeah I know special ;) so when I send you the letter you'll be able to see a whole bunch of pictures.. Maybe you can post the best ones on the blog or something.. I dunno, but yeah.. so the gym also opened up for the first time on thursday? I dunno something like that, and I was able to play basketball with the elders leaving one time. Pretty interesting expirience.. Three elders who left on monday were on a team (at the MTC it can only be 3v3) and I was waiting to play like everyone else.. well they wouldn't switch up the teams, so it was those three elders (who were semi decent.. knew how to play) against me, my companion elder neilson (never played before.. soccer nut) and this elder named Elder Gouph who is mentally challenged.. so not the fairest of teams, but I didn't mind it was all in the spirit of fun anyways.. first few points however the other team scored were back door cuts to the elder that Elder Gouph was supposed to be guarding.. it was cheap in other words, and when we were on offense, they stuffed and kept stealing the ball from Elder Gouph.. absolutely ticked me off, couldn't believe that they were doing that.. you know its an unspoken rule that you mellow out especially with someone with difficulties, and these elders were exploiting that all to win and feel cool about themselves... well, because of lack of time, I'll just say a fire lit up in me, and it was like I never stopped playing basketball.. I didn't miss a shot from that point on, and I returned the favor to those elders and kept stealing the ball from them.. We won that game and the next game, and the game after that. With both my companion and Elder Gouph both scoring.. It was a great moment.. because the kicker is the next day while I was playing basketball.. I played exactly how I should've been playing.. rusty.. couldn't hit a shot, out of breath all that.. but I really believe honestly that the spirit helped us with those games, to help elder gouph, and to humble those elders.. that's what I thought.. and maybe I'm just overanalyzing it.. but still a pretty cool story nevertheless..

So had some pretty interesting days... had some issues with my "teaching partner" that we had to work out.. but things are doing okay now.. it's good she has some companions again, her new companion is a sister from sweeden who is serving in denmark.. having that european friend will help her out a lot.. I'm doing great, really making a lot of new friends, and actually before I came here, met my new rooming buddies.. don't know anything about them.. just took there picture while they were coming in, so they prolly think I'm a nut, but it's all good, I'll keep you posted =)

So one more cool expirience I'll share before my time runs out,

I got my first calling.. it's not a district leader, or a zone leader or any of those traditional ones you might think of.. I was called to be the music coordinator... yeah... I know.. I was shocked, my responsibilities are I get to pick the songs each week for sacrament meeting, and find a chorister and what not.. crazy huh.. never been musically talented in my life, never been in choir or anything and now I have a music calling.. it's actually really cool, because for the longest time all summer, I've just been thinking how powerful music can be, how much I feel the spirit when I listen to certain songs.. songs such as "praise to the man", "a poor wayfaring man of grief" and what not.. that's why I wanted to pick my songs for my farewell because I wanted to hear certain ones, and talk about the power and testimony that these songs give.. well anyways fast and testimony meeting was this last sunday, and as I was sitting there, I had this sudden impression to go bear my testiomony.. not about the normal things but about the testimony i've been building about hymns.. and how there a testimony to us.. I've felt that feeling before, and I haven't acted on it before.. but as I was sitting there, I decided why not.. I mean I never gave my testimony in my home ward I never felt comfortable doing it.. but I did it.. and as I was up there, words filled my mouth and I gave the testimony that was in my heart about hymns.. it was amazing.. when I was done and I sat down, I had such an amazing feeling of peace.. it wasn't because I bore my testimony I believe, it was because I followed the prompting of the spirit.. and that's what was so cool and amazing and memorable to me.. time is really running down and I'm typing crazy fast, but just wanted to share that with you.. hope it made sense, hope it all made sense!!!!!

Ik hou van jullie!

Tot ziens!!

Elder Joseph V. Mohrman