Hey Family,

We had a really good week and we worked really hard to achieve our goals. We had three investigators come to church and every single companionship in our zone had people in church. We also had a lot of less active come who haven't come to church in over ten years. Church was pretty good and we also did really well on lessons taught. The mission goal for total lessons taught each week is twenty. That's a really high goal and not most people hit that goal, but last week we got a total of 18 which is the best I've ever done. We didn't do so well on finding new investigators. We really need to focus on talking to everyone in our path and really finding the elect.

M went to DR for a couple of weeks and so she is out of our teaching pool right now. We are teaching this less active and his girl friend right now and last week he really opened up to us. He kind of explained why he hasn't been to church in over ten years and I felt like we made some progress with him. We are still working with them but it might be a while before she feels ready to be baptized.We are also teaching this other young family who came to church. The husband was baptized when he was twelve but never really came back. The wife told us she wants to be baptized and so we are doing everything we can to get her ready. They really liked church and followed along with all of the classes. They have two young kids who liked primary and so it will be really good to raise them in the church. We are teaching a man named Jose who didn't come to church last week but we are still working with him. We got the feeling that he has never prayed in his life and never read to much of anything so it might be a while but he will still progress.

We had mission conference yesterday at the chapel in the temple. It was really good and we got a lot of good trainings on how to be a better missionary. One thing I really liked it just learn the pure doctrine and strengthen your own testimony and others will see the light you radiate. If we all as members really tried to strengthen our testimonies others will see how we are different and the elect will find us. Just as the scriptures say we are a light set upon a hill. We have to strengthen our testimonies and let everyone else see. So many people are seeking for the truth but know not where to find it. We have something that everyone is searching for sometimes they don't know it but everyone is seeking out our Savior's love.

I went on a split with my district leader last week and we had a really good day. We ended up teaching four lessons that day and it went really well. I am improving a lot but I still have many things I wish I could do better. One of my focuses throughout my whole mission is to be a better teacher. I am really trying to be able to teach with the spirit in a powerful setting and be able to teach with simplicity to their understanding. I am doing everything I can to invite to spirit to not only direct my thoughts but the thoughts of those I am teaching.

It sounds like every one is doing really well and still going over board on amount of projects and things to do. One thing that I've really learned is more important than anything you do throughout your day is how you start and end your day. Prayer and scripture study can ether make or break your day and I've seen it many times. Prayer has gotten me through my hardest moments and my knowledge of the scriptures keeps me going. I know that if you all focus on prayer and the scriptures, you will find yourself having a new light in your life.

I love you all and I am praying in your behalf. Please keep the people in New York in your prayers and do everything you can to keep this stone cut out of the mount rolling through out all of the corners of the world. Good luck with the play and happy birthday Savanna!

Elder Sorensen

PS: Send any packages to mission office. I can just buy the pushup things at target they will just be more expensive. If you send any cds just send me a copy of them and keep the originals so they don't get messed up.

PPS. Any news about griff's mission call?