Pictures

Sorry I didn't get many good pictures we only can take pictures on P-day and I was at the immigration office all day finishing up my visa stuff

1. Elder Price and I

2. Elder Matthews at breakfast today

3. Half of our district, we'll get a better picture next week

Finally P-day!

Hola everyone!! What a crazy week and a half! My first day was not the greatest but ever since then its been a blast. Just about everything that could go wrong did but it all worked out. First when we landed in Mexico on one of my bags never arrived so we filed a report then had to leave so I only had half the stuff I needed then we get to the CCM and there is no power so we have no orientation so I had no clue what was going on. I went to mi casa to find my companion and he never shows up! On top of all that I have the usual homesickness but next day I was assigned a new companion and my suitcase arrives at the airport, but since I didn't have a companion the first day I still had no clue who or where my district was but everything's going great now, the CCM is so beautiful and peaceful compared to the bustling city outside and My companion is an awesome genius, Elder Matthews He's going to Billing Montana spanish speaking haha interesting. He got a 35 on the ACT first try with out studying! We get along really well with the rest of our district too. There's not much free time here but I'm enjoying the busy learning schedule and I'm amazed how much Spanish they have been able to stuff in me. Almost everyday we teach members who act like investigators and I can almost always understand when someone speaks in spanish and I know plenty of words to answer I just need to work on my grammar to be able to piece them together better. Its funny every time Elder Matthews and I teach a lesson I have him start off cause when the investigator starts talking he gets so lost cause he studied french for two years and this is his first time with spanish so he always mixes them up in his head, Its alright though more practice for me haha.

We were in the study area contacting fake investigators a few days ago and one of the teaching supervisors came up to us made us memorize juan 14:6 Jesus le dijo: Yo soy el camino y la verdad y la vida. Nadie viene al padre sino por mi. He then explained how as representatives of Jesus Christ we are acting as his hands, and therfore we are the way the truth and the life for all those people out there searching for truth in Veracruz and Montana. It gave me a new perspective that helps me want to be more obedient and diligent so I can do everything I can to help those people.

Also interesting fact he says the soil is so fertile in veracruz if you eat a peach and throw the pit on the ground the next day it will already be starting to grow.

I love you all and love hearing from everyone keep emailing!

Hola!

Thats a cool story but no I didnt go to the temple yet I will get to twice though. Today I was at the immigration office finishing visa stuff that was super long like six hours but cool to be in the city streets. it was a 1.5 hour drive each was too so I got to see so much of the city. Thats all I've done today after breakfast. We missed lunch too so i'm really hungry but dinner is in an hour or so. I will have to do laundry during gym time tomorrow too I guess. Thank you so much for the pumpkins and thats a really helpful little trinket. Too bad about the laptop its replaceable though. I'm really enjoying the ccm right now but I can't wait to get out in the city streets again it was interesting. Love ya mom!!

On Fri, Oct 26, 2018 at 7:24 AM Amy Torgersen <amytorgersen@gmail.com> wrote:

Dear Elder Russell,

Hello hello! How are you? I can imagine you have stories! Have you been to the temple? We’ve  been wanting to hear all about your week. 

A high counselor spoke with his wife in Sacrament meeting.  They told how they used to be inactive or what you’d call a wild child. But the missionaries came and their lives changed forever. She told about when her sister was going through chemo and they’d sit together through it for 12 hours at a time and talk about everything but not about the church. She thought her sister wouldn’t want to. Then one day a baseball team visited the hospital and a player sat with both of them to talk. He asked the sick sister about church and she listened and after that this sister wanted to talk about the gospel. She ended up too sick to be baptized before she died. The lady giving the talk said she had a dream about her sister who had died. In the dream they were facing each other holding hands and her sister was so happy and told her everything was okay. Near the end of the dream she told her sister that had died, “I don’t want you to leave me.” Her sister said, “I never have.” I loved that! She said we always have someone on the other side to help us. Angels aren’t strangers. 

Trevor dug up all the potatoes that grew in the garden and it filled a tall red mesh potato bag. He was happy about that. This morning Elizabeth gets to be student of the month and Dad and I are going to the assembly. It’s a surprise for her.  Katie is working with her math teacher to bring her math grade up for regents. Kevin is making his dresser drawers. Tristan is working two temple shifts in a row today. 10 hours straight! I feel bad I knocked over Elizabeth’s water on the table and it got underneath his laptop and now it might be ruined. It’s in the shop at BYU they will try to fix it. He has money to buy another if it comes to that. I still feel bad. It worked fine until the next morning. McKaylas laptop was on the table too. But it was ok.  It was crazy it happened so fast and we’ll probably never have cups of water near them again. Weaknesses become strengths! 

Everyone is doing well and it’s fun hearing them remember you in their prayers. It’s been a good week. Tell us about you. You feel like you’re getting trained...to be in Gods army? :)

Love you! Mom

Reeses Pumpkins

Hello Torgersen, Thank you for shopping with us. We have received your order. We'll send a confirmation after your items ship. MTC Mexico Care Package Emiliano Zaptata 18 Benito Juarez 07250 DF, DF MEXICO Order: R946443866  |  Date: 10-24-2018 Shipping Address Russell Torgersen MTC Mexico 07230 Mexico City, DF MEXICO 801-830-7288 Shipping Method MTC free delivery Order Summary Halloween Reeses Pumpkin SKU: Hpm $10.99 × 3 $32.97 Subtotal: $32.97 Shipping (MTC free delivery): $0.00 Order Total: $32.97 Selected payment method: PayPal Express If you need any assistance with your order, please email us at customersmtcmexicocarepackage@gmail.com or call us at +5215521046767 ReplyForward

Hello I get to write again surprise!

Our maestro hermano cruz decided to let us write for a few minutes again today since we dont have a pday for another week. I do get to do laundry today though. Every sunday all the missionaries have to prepare a talk in spanish for sacrament meeting because they randomly call on multiple people so everyone has to be prepared but I've styill had no time to even think about it we work until we sleep and sleep until we work. This morning I taught an interested person with elder Matthews it was just our teacher pretending but we taught him about prayer and taught him how to pray I'm amzed how much spanish ive learned already even though its still not that much and I cant speak it like a native. our teacher in the afternoon is hermana casteñeda she is really energetic and super funny. It gets better everyday but its still hard. The hardest thought is its only been like four days but it feels like a year and I have to be away two real years. It will go fast though we´re having a fun time here. we for an hour each day before lunch we use this BYU program called TALL to learn more spanish by ourselves. You should look it up and see if you can get it dad its a lot like rosetta stone. I have to go now. I love you Bye!!! Ill write next friday and try to send some pictures. I{ve only taken four so far because were only allowed to on our pday
Elder Torgersen

Globe

Elder Russell Torgersen,

Here’s a picture to share with your friends. I remember when you were set apart as a missionary, the word “Global” was used, "during your mission you will be blessed to see how the church will grow all over the world." We are so happy to have you as part of that! Be the best missionary you can be. I’ll remember I have a tag too. 

I hope you traveled well and I’m excited for you to meet your district and the adult leaders called to preside over you. Keep smiling. 
Elizabeth came right home this morning and already wrote you a letter. With real words she says. She keeps saying she is so sad but knows it’s right. I pray all is well for you.  There are 3 companies that deliver to the Mexico MTC. Tell your buddies too!
The first company has an SD card reader that has a USB for emailing pictures easier.  Tristan needed one while at the MTC here. I can order it. 
mtcmexicocarepackage.com
missionarypresents.com/store/c1/Productos_presentados.html
missionarypackagemx.com
Teach someone about those LEGO hand statues nearby, “Everything is awesome!”

Love ya! Mom

Haha yes Ive seen the lego hands and buff statue and told about them. Its been crazy so far. First my blue bag never came out at the airport but it got checked in coming off the plane so we filed a report and everything and had to sit at the airport for forever so all the missionaries I knew except another sister who also lost a bag had already gone to the mtc. Then by the time I got to the mtc that afternoon the power was out so we got no orientation or anything so Im still trying to figure everything out. Then my companion never showed up so I was in a trio with elder johnson and elder ferderber I really like them but just now at 12 I got assigned another guy whos companion also didnt show up hes going to montana and the other two are going to tampico. I dont know him yet but Im glad im still in the casa 20 with the other two elders. Ive basically had no free time yet untill now to email my Pday should be tomorrow unless they change it nothing has been set in stone for me yet cause everything keeps having problems so I havent even met my real district yet but its all good im about to right now, and i get to meet more people this way. Mexico city is really interesting you can see the slums creeping up the hills all around us. I think ill go to the temple a lot because wyatt told me he hasnt even had a normal pday yet since they go to the temple every time. and I was just told my bags should probably get here to the mtc tonight around five or six after cena. Theres so much spanish and other things to learn it will be very fun I have fun roommates. And sorry I dont know how to use apostrophes or anything yet I dont have time to figure it out. I love you mom tell everyone I love them! Ill write you more tomorrow