6.23.09

Family!

Hey every one how's life? It was so cool to get hear about Griff's mission call! I am really excited for him. I haven't met too many people from Uruguay but I know they have a really cool accent and drink this tea called Mate. I think it tastes like alfalfa but whatever. And the fact that he is going to the Argentina MTC is sweet. Oh man he is going to have a lot of fun.

I had a really good week as usual with ten with member lessons. That is the most I've ever gotten and it is double standard of excellence. Still struggling getting people to church, but we are really focusing on it and learning a lot about how to teach people.

This past cycle has really past by fast and I can't keep track of time anymore. My companion goes home in a few weeks via car which is actually a funny story.His family wants to take a month long road trip home looking at every church history site, temple and grave yard they can find. The problem is they can't find a twelve passenger van for all of them to come so they are looking at buying a very cheap one that will probably break down on the way. My companion is kind of stressing out about it and I think it is really funny. Well at least he's not looking forward to being done! (Don't get any ideas mom! lol)

We have another baptism this Saturday with Dan**la and some of the other missionary's investigator. Teaching Dan**la may have looked easy because she came to church every Sunday, fed us lots of food and accepted whatever we taught her but it was a huge challenge. She doesn't work because she has a foot problem but because she has such a big heart she is always helping people and never had time to sit down with us. It was a huge challenge being patient enough to adapt to her up in the air schedule and I really had to humble myself to make sure she was ready to be baptized. I had to make sure we weren't going to baptize a less active and so we had to really question her and ourselves. There is the temptation of just wanting another baptism verse really converting someone. But we worked everything out and Elder Smith and I feel very comfortable baptizing her this Saturday and we are very excited.

We also made some really big steps with Mig**l. This whole time he hasn't accepted a baptismal date but last Saturday we went over the Plan with his wife and he accepted a date for the 25 of next month. He said he should know by then if he needs to be baptized and so Elder Smith and I are really praying that he will receive that answer which we know he will by then. He has come to church twice and is really learning a lot.

I also have seen a lot of wonderful things happen with Fa**i and her family. I sat by them at church last Sunday and it made me so happy to see their oldest daughter Ga**lea who is about five, sing the hymns, fold her arms and say amen to every prayer, and go to primary. We are still working with little Sa*d is about three but also have made some
really big steps with him. We think he had a bad experience in primary or just doesn't like being away from mom and dad but he really doesn't like going to primary. Last week I took him away from mom and dad and went to primary with him. I stayed for five minutes and then left and came back at the end of class. He seemed to have a fun time and it was a huge step for him.

Well I am doing super good and still loving the missionary life. I have developed a love for learning that I never thought would come and I hope it doesn't go away. I am really trying to improve my Spanish and my teaching skills. I am working hard and loving every moment of it. Thank you all for your support and everything you have given me. I hope you all have a great week and remember to keep the people of the Bronx in your prayers they sure need it! I love you all and hope you have a great week!

Love
Elder Sorensen

PS. Happy late Father's Day Dad! Card is in the mail. Got to go bye!

Hey family!

It sounds like you are all having a great start to your summer vacation with a little bit of crazy weather. We have had a lot of rain here and some thunderstorms but nothing too crazy. I'm working harder than ever lately and really pushing to improve and get people to church. I've really learned a lot from the older missionaries around me and so I'm trying to apply them and improve. I am also trying to work on my Spanish using any spare time to study.

We had a pretty good week with a lot of miracles. We had eight with member appointments which is really good. We were struggling all week to get new investigators but the Lord blessed us with a few little miracles in order to hit standard of excellence. No one new came to church so we have to work on coming to church. That seems to be the hardest thing to get people to do and so that is what we have to focus the most on. I know if we use our members and the scriptures well we can get them to church. That is another thing I'm really trying to work on, knowing the scriptures. I thought I had a fairly good knowledge of the scriptures before the mission, but I have a lot to learn so I'm really taking advantage on my study time to better know the scriptures.

Dan**la came to church for the fourth time in a row which is great but we are having trouble still finding time to teach her. She really wants to get baptized but we have to be able to teach her everything before. She is still doing well and we are really impressed with her church attendance.

Mig**l also came to church for the second time with his wife, the member and baby girl. The gospel principal's class was a little rough for them but I still think it was a good experience for them. The wife hasn't been to church in a long time and doesn't remember too much but we are also have trouble being able to teach her with Mig**l because she works nights and he works days. He is doing a little better and understanding more, I think it will just take time.

We had a great miracle last Monday which helped me better understand the power of prayer with faith. Last week we taught this Mexican couple who seemed interested but the husband works on Sundays. He expressed that he would go to church if he could but he needs his job. We said a prayer at the end of the lesson that he would be able to find a new job and then we left. Last Monday we found out that a half an hour after we left some one called and offered him a better job that works Monday through Saturday with Sunday off. It was a huge miracle and we helped him see that is the Lord providing a way to come to church. He won't be able to come this week because it's his last week but they are going to come next week.

Yesterday I went on a split with one of my Zone leaders to his area and I really learned a lot and we had an amazing day. We got 7 new investigators and 5 with members in one day! The Lord truly blessed us for working hard that day with some amazing new people. I also learned a lot from how Elder Sanders teaches and I am trying to apply them to my own teaching skills. I need to work on asking better questions and using the scriptures better.

I got the small package you all sent, thank you very much. It sounds like Mandee had a great time at EFY and both girls are having a great summer. If you guys could send a copy of the EFY cd that would be amazing. None of us have the 2009 efy so it would be sweet to have a new cd. I also am excited to hear about Griff's mission call, it doesn't matter where he goes, and he is going to do amazing. Well that's about it for me. I'm really having a great time and learning so much. I expected a lot of blessings from the mission but I never dreamed how much it really is. I am not only setting up for the rest of my life but for after too. I love bringing others into the gospel and it is worth all of the hard work. Thank you all so much for the support and everything you have given me. Keep up the good work and tell Griff to write me as soon as he gets his call. I love you all and hope you have a great week!

Elder Sorensen

6.11.09

Hey, here are some pics from the baptism.

Fa**y and her family and Chri**ian and the Me*ia family!

Family!

Hey family it's been nice to hear from you all and know that you had a great trip to Utah. It sounds like you are all doing so well and loving life. I had a great week with some trials and some blessings. I am trying to see more blessing than trials but I also know that blessings come from trials.

Our focus this week was to work with our members and try to take them out with us more often. We had a goal of 7 member presents and planned well for it but between the members and the investigators we fell really short of our goal. We learned a lot from last week and are trying to plan ahead to have more success.

One of our investigators named Mi**el finally came to church last week and he really loved it. He has been hanging on to his Catholic church for a long time and he still is, but coming to church was a huge step for him. We are really trying to teach him the doctrine of our church so he can see the need to be baptized again. Keeping things simple and clear are really going to help him understand better.

Dan**la, our date for the end of the month has been imposable to get a hold of this week but she still came to church last week. This is her third week in a row coming to church which is great but we still have to help her find time to have us teach her. There is a lot to teach and she isn't leaving us a whole lot of time. Hopefully things will work out and she will be baptized this month or the next.

We are pushing forward as best we can to find new and better investigators. We are really trying to give everything we can to turn our will to His. This is Elder Smith's last cycle so I am doing everything I can to help him see some miracles before he goes home. We are expecting miracles and I know they will come according to our faith.

So it sounds like you are all doing great and I am doing amazing. There is no place I would rather be and I am eager to see some more success. Thank you for all of your support and prayers, the people in the Bronx definitely need them. I love you all and hope you have a great week!

Love Elder Sorensen

PS. Dad, I didn't actually go out with that hair cut! lol
PPS. Happy Birthday Mandee! I can't believe your 16 and still alive. I hope you had a great day and a fun time at EFY. Don't let that spiritual high go away and always remember what you learned. Your big brother loves you a lot and actually thinks of you often. If you ever need my advice on anything you can write any time! Elder Sorensen