April 21, 2014

Fam Bam, Pretty Fast week even though we didnt have much success. are teaching pool isnt very big so we have been tracting and finding alot. My whole mission i havent been a fan of tracting at all until this week. i have been praying for a desire for finding and i felt this week i got my answer. for two days i felt inspired to go to so many houses and most of them turned out to be successful, and the ones that werent we were still able to plant a seed for future missionaries or members. but Last monday was pretty legit. after emailing we went to the Durban Botanical Gardens which was pretty fun (not my idea) but still enjoyed it. but after that was the good part. We headed to Moses Mabeda Stadium which is the big Soccer stadium that was built for the world cup and the have a ride thing that takes you to the top but its pretty expensive, lo and behold i was able to convince the security guard to let us all go up for free it was sweet also got his number for other missionaries. tuesday it rained and since i walk i got soaked but we made the best of it my companion was great and just marched along with the work as we got rained on. We gave a blessing that night it was powerful. it was for Gogo Sitoly cause she have a bad swollen foot. Later in the week we had a powerful lesson with an investigator Michael and his wife. they are having family and relationship issues but my companion had a great idea to have all of us kneel down and pray at the end of the lesson so as each of us prayed the spirit was very strong and even the wife started to sob it was a great experience. Sunday (easter) we had Exchanges and i was with Elder Chigede. we had a powerful day and many powerful things that happened that i cant fit in an email. but Last night as we exchanged back my comp Elder Chipeta told me that our best investigator is no longer able to be baptized. his name is Topelo and is 18 he wants to be bap. and go on a mission really bad but he parents are supportive at all so we will have to gain the trust of the parents and maybe the Spirit will even convert them. But this week Prayer was important. No Matter what Pray every morning and evening and i dont have to tell you the blessing you will see them! Quotes of my Week: "Satan always goes after the talented ones" "Excuses are easy to find; they spring up as readily and plentifully as weeds by the wayside" -James E. Talmage (Jesus The Christ,p.431) "If your complaining about life you are only thinking about yourself" "Forget yourself in the service of others" - President Gordon B. Hinkley "For Blessings some come Now, some come Later and some don't come till Heaven, but for those who have faith and believe in Christ they come." -Jeffery R. Holland I love you all so much! and thank you for the continued love and support!! LOVE, Elder Alex Sorenson

April 14, 2014

Fam Bam, Extremely fast week it seems like! The new area is tough and quite a workout, walking miles on miles everyday, but I enjoy it and find happiness and a smile in the smallest of things. The work and comp life isn't any easier but as I have patience and love I get through just about anything. Nothing too exciting out here this week though. Thursday we had a Zone meeting and they talked about becoming fully consecrated missionaries. I took it to heart and felt that I could do better in some places of my mission and focus more on the work, so I can see miracles instead of just success. But got some tough news today that one of my really good friends had taken his life back at home. It was tough and hard to bare but i know that the Lord loves him and that his work will be done in the temple! I will miss him alot and love him dearly! A mission is difficult and it's hard being away from home when things happen but its always something. Satan does all he can to bring us down no matter whether its a hurt toe, bad companion, or a tragedy. The Lord knows and will help us through anything. We are never alone even in the toughest of times. So many times in the scriptures we see people at the lowest of lows and then Christ or the Lord tells them they aren't alone. Like Joseph Smith in jail, when he feels that God has forsaken him and the saints but then the Lord tells him if they endure it well they will triumph over all their foes. I love this work and I'm excited to be in african pioneering this great land. My companion is amazing and has taught me so much and I'm excited to continue to work with him and learn! i love you all so much! Stay Strong and Endure To The End! Love, Elder Sorenson

Letter from Lauren

April 7, 2014

Fam Bam, Tough week not gonna lie. So this week was transfers, i got sent down in to durban town which i was excited about so i get there and im staying in these apartments just outside of the big city and i thought it was gonna be these nice houses which it is except this township just outside the city and yupp you guessed it thats where i am. its Exteremly hilly and just little shacks or house that were built by the government. nut walking its the greatest here its one of the toughest areas in the mission, im walking up or down on 45 degree angles all day long. but on the upside i'll be dropping weight and gonna have some calves and buns of steel. Lets get real the transfer i have to move is the toughest. so i come to the new area and the day i arrive i get the flu and an ingrown toe nail so ya you can imagine walking those hills not being able to use your nose or walk vey well. but went to the doctor for my toe and kinda got it fixed but it was infected and all so its purple and sore still. but my new comp is elder Chipeta and he isnt Mr. Positive but im just trying to just go with the flow for the most part and be humble and love him. but anyways idk how many pics i'll be sending here its not the safest place and my comp doesnt wanna take pics for me cause "im just an american that wants to show my family how crappy africa is" but whatever i dont care. just trying to be happy in the tough times. saturday we went to a funeral and it was like 5 hours long and i didnt understand one word. but church was great its nice being in a ward again and having it all in english. im serving in the farthest stake away from AZ, pretty crazy. im missing the temple alot these days i just wants some Peace and somewhere to feel loved! but i love you all so much! hope you all have a great week! LOVE Elder SORENSON

The view from my boarding, rocking my Dodgers shirt.

Monkey

Me and the monkeys.

Me and Elder Bryan

Mayville

March 31, 2014

Fam Bam, Wow one of the fastest weeks of mission so far. my comp and I finally clicked but its lame cause it was our last week together I bought him a big dinner since He's taught me so much. its been a struggle with this guy I wont lie but its really humbled me and I have learned a ton from him. but wow was it a good week. I had some really good lessons with people and I worked my butt off till the end even though im leaving this area. on of the best lessons was with a less active girl named Senzy shes like 25 we went there to meet with her dad whose a less active as well but use to be the branch pres. anyways this girl Senzy is awesome it was my first time meeting her so we just talked with her for like 20 min and after we invited her to come with us to a lesson later in the week and she said no I tried talking to her about it and while I was talking I was reminded of a scripture, which I know was a prompting, so I took it and ran with it. I shared a scripture in Luke 5:3 and it talks about how Christ entered in the Simons ship and told him to cast of from the land so Christ can teach the people. and I thought about this verse for like 20 min in studies and I applied it to her by saying that we are the ship and that Christ enters into us and asks us to thrust away from shore. for a ship that on the shore or docked is steady its in its comfort zone but as a ship goes into open waters waves and winds and knock it around, so I told her as we thrust away from our comfort zone and let Christ and the spirit work with us then we are able to be taught so many lessons. we had a power lesson with her. but everything else was sad saying bye wasn't fun but a few of our dinner appointments threw parties for me which was fun! Another cool thing that I just remembered was we tracted this house and this guy who I think was drunk came I looked me right in the eyes and said "I've seen your face before, your the son of God' and I was like wow I hope I shine like that since I do represent Christ! Anyways we did have two more Baptisms yesterday which was awesome! they were Sibahle(16) and Anele(11) it was great! but now for the big news... Im being transferred to a place called Mayville which is down in Durban and is legit town town its gonna be crazy! also its a walking/biking area. my new comp is Elder Chipeta from Zambia, so yay another African... but I hear this guy is pretty cool so we'll see. but I hope everyone is doing great! I love you all and hope you have a great week! LOVE, ELDER SORENSON

package from home

 Rainy day Ngwelezane

Ngwelezane Houses

Nzama Family

Mlondo Family

 Brother Steve

Buthelezi Dinner Party for me

Baptism

box from America

The Boys

The best senior couple -  The Jaegers

March 24, 2014

Family, Wow so looks like the Fam had a good fun week on the cruise. its funny seeing the Pics and ben is bigger that jake. Looks like jake is officially the Little Brother. just kidding. anyways looks like i'll have to be rocking a 6 pack when I get back so we can be triplets. or I can just not get a 6 pack and keep all the good looks I don't wanna be at an advantage. But anyways what a week... at first it was going smooth then me and my comp argued a little cause he has this speaker system the he blares loud and I turn it off when he's out of the room or when im praying and so he flipped, It was close to going over board but I keep my cool. 1 more week and I better be out of here! I cant wait to find out where im going on Saturday. idk when i'll be emailing next but i'll let you all know as soon as possible. my comp is a joke but I am learning a ton! he loves tracting and I haven't done much of that before he came. my way was way more productive, members help a lot more than knocking on a door. but we switch off on driving everyday and it is hilarious watching him drive stick ha the truck isn't gonna last much longer with him in the drivers seat but anyways we were driving down this dirt road and he looks at a girls and waves while driving and ended up running into the car infront of us it was a joke I just sat in the car for the first five min and watched the guys scream at him then I got out and got everything calm we had to wait for the zone leaders to come so I chatted with this guy for like 30 and ended up doing work I got him a Book of Mormon and all that jazz but he was super interested and happy after talking but then we went to the police station for an hour it was just all a funny experience. A scripture that I loved this week tho was Alma 26:12, i'll leave it to you all to find out what it says. but for the most part im just waiting for Saturdays transfer news but im still working hard to the end. I love you all a ton!! Stay Happy and Smile in the tough times nothing makes a hard time better than a smile! I love you! Love, Elder Sorenson

 My favorite little kids KK and Tulane

 Ma Mthalane who has a daughter in St.George and the only lady that travels to the states.

 Sakhile

Buthelezi Family that feeds us each Thursday! Amazing Fam

Sphiwe, my first baptism and Ayanda

March 17, 2014

FAM BAM! Tough week but im just staying positive! so this past week I went on exchanges with the zone leader, Elder Davenport, he's a legit nerd but he's cool and a very very good zone leader. then Thursday I went on another exchange with Elder Wesonga from Uganda he's a cool kid but has been through so much! I look up to him a lot for all he has gone through. he was put in the military at 17 and then his girlfriend was murdered while he was out on mission! pretty crazy things out here in Africa these days. but missionary work is going okay! my comp doesn't seem like a big fan of me but im learning a lot he is very good in the bible which helps with the bible bashers but its going okay for the most part we got 4 baptisms coming up at the end of the month and a lot more that will come after I get transferred which is lame for me cause I wont see the results of all the hard work but im so happy for them! I've learned that if you love someone and show them you love and care about them they will do anything and tell you anything! for me Love and support are my most powerful tools out here! But lets get to something exciting.. So Tuesday Elder Davenport and I tracted into this house and the lady started crying saying she hates her fiancé and that he beats her and all this stuff so we did what we could to comfort her but Saturday night we are at a FHE/Bday at the Nzama's which is like 100 yards from this house and we hear two gunshots, which it isn't rare to hear cause of all the crazy people out here, but we later found out that the husband was drunk and probably beating his girlfriend and she got the gun and had shot himin the leg. Pretty crazy stuff haha gotta stay on my toes. but things are good I haven't felt in danger at all out here! things just make life exciting! Anyways the Bday party was for Sondile whose a great member that helps us teach a lot so I bought him a cake and gave him some candy and a ball and he was so excited! I will miss these people a lot out here when im transferred but that's not for 2 more weeks but i'll keep you all posted on where im going and who im with! I love you all so much! Family I hope you are all having fun on the cruise and being Happy! I love you all! LOVE, ELDER SORENSON

Me Davenport and Sondile on exchanges

Elder Klingler

Elder Wesonga

The boys I gave the catapults to

The boys I gave the catapults to

Bubble gum/games/Goodtimes

Bananas

Bananas!

BANANAS!!

Avacados

 Birthday Party for Sondile

Service - FREE Car Wash

March 10, 2014

FAM BAM, Wow crazy to think of how far I have come in a week. Last week I was in the lowest of lows and now im as good as I have been. it was still a tough week with the work but I was able to talk with my Mission President on wed. and he helped me out a ton I talked with him for about 45 min about a lot of stuff and it helped me just drop everything and look for the best when it comes to those tough times. I learned though that I can only find happiness when im looking for it. but since President takes about 30 min for each interview I was there from 11 in the morning till 11 at night but it was good I talked with Sis. Zackrison for a few hours and then one of the AP's named Elder Summer and besides Moorhouse he is the only normal guy I have met out here! but he told me that at the end of this transfer for I would be for sure getting transferred out of this area so hurray for that but I will miss these people a lot. he also told me that he had heard about me and during scholarships down before I even came out here which was cool. Also this past Thursday I was on exchanges with Elder Klinger and it was fun having an American to talk to but we had a powerful lesson with a young guy named Nkanyiso. We went there thinking we would just share the Restoration with him and his sister but that all changed when we talked with him. He told that his mother had pasted away and when he shared that the spirit was so strong and I felt inspired to change the game plan from the Restoration to the plan of Salvation it was so powerful. Saturday I went on exchanges with Elder Wesonga and we rode bikes and it was the most physical activity I have had since being out which is a joke. but Tomorrow I have exchanges with the zone leaders but atleast its another American! so it'll be fun! its just easier teaching with a friend instead of a guy that doesn't talk to you. but it was a great week and im so much happier now and in about 2 weeks i'll know where im gonna be headed so i'll keep you all posted. Family have fun on the cruise with Jake its crazy that he's been home about a month now and that I have been the only Sorenson in African for a month! Wow time is flying! I love you all and I can feel all the much needed love and support. Love, ELDER SORENSON



 Last pics with the graden I planted my first week out.



Biking in esikiwini



Me and my comp,

Elder Sserunkuma and Muzi a member



Teaching!