12.16.09

Hey Family!

How is everyone doing? Elder Swan and I had a great week with some amazing things starting to happen. The bad part of the week was that Dora and Darius weren't able to get baptized due to some complications and now they are going out of town for two weeks and so we will have to baptize them in January. We were bummed out and the baptism didn't even need to be delayed but some things were said and it was too late when we found out it wasn't true. It's a sob story, really, but I'm over it because of the great week we had.

We finally got this family to come to church that we have been working on and they just happen to love it! They called us after church, crying, and basically bore testimony to us and said they are coming back every Sunday! It was the Christmas program and so it was a really amazing sacrament. The music was crazy amazing, it's like I was at the met, really.

We also had two part member families there who have solid baptismal dates. They just baptized a really amazing Haitian family a few months ago and now we are working with some of the uncles. Nesly, the most solid one, said to his brother, Uncle Toto, last night, "Hey! You need to get baptized. In fact, I'm getting baptized in a few weeks. Why wait? You should be baptized with me!" It was great. Lol

We taught this cool guy who does a lot of voice for companies like Nickelodeon and ABC. He had read the whole Book of Mormon and had some crazy questions for us like the New Jerusalem. He has a crazy work schedule and can't come to church right now but maybe next year.

Elder Swan and I have been doing really well together. We both like to take charge and since I'm trying to learn the ropes here, I've had to humble myself and learn from him. Which is good of course, it just feels weird to be out of the Bronx and not know everything about everything. He is a really good missionary and has only 6 weeks less than me. He has been ZL for quite some time and so he knows a lot. I'm sure I can teach him a thing or two still, but for now I'm just learning a lot! I'm really trying to learn how to lead and get people to follow me. There is a lot of room for me to grow so I will keep stretching!

So I will be here for at least the next 7 weeks which is just fine by me. We are having a giant Christmas party on the 25 in which the whole mission is getting together and have a devotional. It should be a fun Christmas and hopefully we can have some more miracles happening. Christmas is really the best time of the year, especially to be a missionary. I don't think we will do anything crazy. I am looking forward to talking with you all this Christmas, is there a time I can't call? It will probably be in the evening some time. I haven't received any packages as of yet but I know for sure the bigger one you sent first is in the mission office I just forgot to get it last week. We also had the ward Christmas party last week but not very many non- members came. Dora and Darius came and had a good time.

Well family I love you all and hope you have a great week! Enjoy this time of year and don't busy your self too much. I am praying for all of you and thank you for your prayers

Elder Sorensen