Elder Alex Sorenson: Durban, South Africa Mission: June 9, 2014

Fam Bam,

Wow what a great and fast week! its amazing how time flies when you are enjoying life! but this week a lot has happened and I don't know howq im going to be able to fit it all in one email. but anyways I've eaten Cow intestines and gave a talk and all kinds of stuff but we'll start with the talk! SO we get to church and the Branch President was already stressed cause the day before they had their temple trip and on of the taxi/ vans got in a wreck so it was crazy. so he didn't want people coming up and having church be a disaster too so he needed 3 speakers with 5 min left of church but didn't ask us. He asked another guy, but that guy, Baba Mashego cam to us and said elders the branch president needs our help will you join with me and help by giving talks we accepted the assignment and as I sat on the stand I tried hard and prayed harder to figure out what I was going to speak about. I thought maybe I'd just share about the Eagles but I wasn't sure until I got my answer to my prayer in Baba Mashego's talk he mentioned a scripture with an eagle so I took it and ran with it Baba spoke for about 20 min then I spoke from memory for about 10 and my comp got out of speaking but I am so thankful the spirit guided me cause I guess when the crowd is crying and everyone appreciates what you have done its good! but yeah Suunday was really good and My comp is so chill and we do awesome together. Also through out the week I said a few things I thought I should send in the email... so first one we had a lesson with a 17 year old less active kid and I told him " when I was back home I would always think to myself if I except to do that wrong thing or fall into peer pressure I'm gonna be walking home with satan, even tho Christ will still be walking behind me watching over me I wont be walking with him but when I say no and I leave the bad situation no matter what happens or what people say i'll be walking home with Christ by my side" even though I had never thought of that until I was prompted by the spirit in that lesson after prayers of what to say it hit home with the kid and he cam to church the next day. The highlight of the week forsure was our last appointment sunday. It was a FHE with the Gumbi family. the Mom is less active but her three kids are very active and strong. the Mom is the daughter to Baba Mashego the former branch pres and the guy I spoke with in church. but we went there and discussed Chapter 8 of 1st Nephi with them since it was a lesson we didn't really plan for, but the Spirit truly guided us once again because we applied it perfectly and everyone had tears in their eyes and bore testimonies out of random at the end and the Mom really opened up. we tied in that the tree of life most likely had very deep roots and the great and spacious building was in the are and had no foundation. but after the mom spoke I told her that " Ma as you spoke I was thinking that you are just a tree in the winter you have deep roots but since its winter you have lost your leaves of the gospel. You know no matter how long winter seems to be and the tree or our testimonies seem to be bare spring with come and we'll be able to blossom once again! Let this lesson be your spring." I continued on reassuring her how much we love her family and her and with tears in her eyes she responded "Elder thank you so much this is what I needed you are both the best missionaries!" the Spirit of that lesson was the strongest I have ever had in a lesson in the past 7 months! its amazing the things that happen when you can teach well with a comp that cares about you and that you care for. but after the lesson we played shrads and my comp almost killed all of us from laughter I got a video i'll show when I get home. Also I got a letter from Mom with a Bednar talk that I could explain too but i'll save it for another day. today tho we had our Zone activity it was lame. we drove an hour and a half to a old battle ground I got some pics and also on the way we saw some giraffes it was cool! anyways nothing much else for now! continue to keep me updated and send me the love! I LOVE YOU ALL!

"Your Happiness depends more on the principles you chose to follow then on the external circumstances of your life" (Gerald Causse, Liahona, June 2014)

Love,

ELDER SORENSON