Elder Alex Sorenson: Durban, South Africa Mission: July 21, 2014

The Family,

Another week has just gone past and it was pretty quick. my comp is still struggling but he is starting to settle in and not be as nervous. but wow there was alot of stuff that happened this past week with zone conference,a sweet package, drama in the branch and also some great lessons. We had an amazing lesson with a Sister named Jabu who is an investigator in a part member family and is about 30 years old! she is awesome and we had a very powerful lesson with her about 3 Nephi 11, since missionaries have taught her everything in the past we decided to just take it from there to help her get a testimony of the Book of Mormon. its a tricky situation with her cause she gone to another church since birth and she said that her family would disown her if she join another church. She told us thats all thats keeping her from joining but that she knows our message and church are true. I bore testimony and shared some experiences with her and i told her that its a very tough decision but joining the church is a way of life not just another church it seemed to hit home and after i asked my comp why he didnt add much in the lesson and he said " You were speaking and in the few weeks we have spent together i have never seen you speak with that power" so that was a good feeling to see that even if my testimony didnt touch the investigator it touched my comp Elder Odama. but anyways lots going on in this branch but i'll explain more when i get home. but yesterday we had Zone conference with President and Sister Zackrison and also Elder Hamilton of the 2nd Quorum of the 70's was there. It was powerful and Elder Hamilton being a General Authority knows a ton of stuff it was nice. he started by talking about some doctrine like how we get exalted and how we are helping people become exalted and not just join the church and also about how God came about and all that which was nice cause i have been trying to teach that to my comp over the past few weeks but he didnt believe me! but Elder Hamilton proved it and taught some other great gospel principles pretaining to Preach My Gospel. it was an all around great Zone Conference. Before it even started i was invited to join the leadership meeting with the Hamiltons, Zackrisons, Zone Leaders and the District leader and there Elder Hamilton gave a great example that i loved. Since Elder Bednar is incharge of Africa Elder Hamilton works very closely with him and he said that one day Him and Elder Bednar were talking about the other brothern in the 12 and Elder Bednar told him " everyone thinks President Packer is strict or mean but if i was going to be judged by any one man here on earth i would pick Boyd because he is the kindest man i have ever met" and that just shows to be a great leader we must be kind and loving and much look out for those we are incharge over. He also taught about Long-Suffering and how it literally means to "suffer a long time" and that sometimes we jsut need to bite our tongue and then in hard times bite a little harder and just suffer it was a great lesson for me for sure. He also remembered Jake and how he told him that i was serving in Africa as well. anyways it was a great week and alot of stuff happened but too much to put in an email. like my studies of Alma 42 and the doctrine and teaching in that chapter. Anyways i love you all and keep me posted on how everything is going!

Love,

ELDER SORENSON