June 30, 2014

Family,

   Its official im training a new missionary and i am the youngest trainer in this transfer. my new comp is Elder Odama from Uganda and is about 25 years old. Its tough training he isnt super bright and doesnt understand me too well but im trying to be patient and love him. but it has been a long week to say the least. Saturday was interesting because during studies my comp told me he didnt know Christ appeared in the Book of Mormon, so for the next hour instead of training i did my best to help him understand i busted out the movie The Testaments, we watched the last 20 min of it when Christ comes and also had him read in 3 Nephi 11 at the end he said he understood and that it makes sense. Im trying to help him realize how important that experience it thats what sets us apart as a church and religion and set the Book of Mormon apart from every other book! And sense i got my package this week i gave him two of the dvd's that came in it since i had already gotten them from the mission office but hopefully i'll train him good im trying my hardest and trying to do my best but its like having a little kid around its stressful and exhausting, he cant understand me too well and it gets pretty depressing but it is what it is and i got another 11 weeks to do all i can. Although this past week was long and frustrating we had some pretty good lessons. Thursday we met a lady named Thabile Maseko at a less actives house and we arranged to go visit her on saturdayso when we went by one Saturday we showed lots of lots and care and they were so happy to visit with us. My comp invited them to be baptized but he said it quietly and no one knew what he said so i got his back and we set them up on a b-date they are an amazing family and the ended up coming to church and being some of the first people there it was an awesome experience to see. but anyways Friday and Saturday nights get pretty crazy in these African Townships most people are drinking and its pretty funny sometimes when guys that can barely walk come and try to yell at us with my past comps we just die laughing cause they just yell and call us satanist and other dumb stuff but its sad to see how addiction to some drink and mess people up both friday and saturday night 2 drunks had gotten hit by cars one we saw and i look right in the guys eyes as he was laying on the ground being tended to by doctors idk if you made it or not but the look of his eyes rolled back with blood all over hit me pretty good and is sad that people give in to Satan and those temptations and for those guys that got hit they probably went out for a good time and then not knowing whats going on they life was changed forever. Anyways im thankful for the Word of wisdom and how it blesses us and hopefully these next few weeks we can help others with it as well! Saturday was also a good day because The Herrington's (the senior couple here) took three members from our branch up to Jo. Berg to the temple and they all had a great experience and since i gave the Herringtons a little money they got me 2 scripture cases, one elephant and one zebra they are sweet and you'll see in the pics. i love you all a ton! email me and keep me posted some weeks i have no idea whats going on back home but love you all! have a great week!

Love,

ELDER SORENSON

Last pic with Aman'galia outside our apartment with Elder Childs our ZL,   

package

my new comp Elder Odama 

my new comp Elder Odama and my sweet zebra case

Odama Me then the branch pres son.

June 23, 2014

Fam Bam,

Wow, crazy long yet fast week. So last week i mentioned a few things, like Stembiso, who we took care of and also about president. This week we have improved and have really seen a change in the guys im around, cause now we are leaving at 10 in the morning and get back at 9 and only stop for a PB&J for lunch.  In District meeting on Wed i did what i could to continue working towards consecration of missionaries. i used a talk by Elder Holland that mom sent me a while back to teach a little bit more. the talk is " the miracle of a mission" and i wrote on the board a question for everyone to think about since some were slacking and other loosing motivation. i wrote " Why did you come on a mission?" and i taught for a while and told them to remember why they came out there and the reason why they left there homes and families and all that and it seemed to really help. But because we worked harder and longer this week we were saw some great things. One lesson for example it was the first lesson and it was power the guy is like 22 his name is Xolani and after the lessonhe was like i want to join this church i know this is whats right! it was awesome. and also sacrament meeting attendance went from 81 to 105 in a week after it hasnt got above 85 the 4 weeks i have been here. its nice seeing the fruits of your labors! Also have had some fun seeing a little of the World Cup which is nice, the more im in africa the more im starting to like soccer. Also we bought some cupcakes for Sezwe a very very funny kid that was turning 4(son of a less active and brother to Andile, the boy baptized last week) And so its been good too not just all stress! but anyways i wanna share something small that i thought of the other morning since i wake up at like 5;45 to workout and no one else is awake on time or till like 8 i have time to think. As i was thinking one morning i just started randoming thinking about My Hand which a hand is a pretty cool thing to use for an analogy so anyways your hand when its cold outside  its the first thing to get cold also when you are nervous its the first thing to either get sweaty or cold. Hands are sensitive. When you get a small cut on your finger it kills but if you get the same cut on your arm or leg you dont even notice it. but if you put a glove on you can protect your hand and even monitor the temp but it makes the hand less sensitive. Same with our spirits and bodies our spirits are like our hand they are sensitive but are placed inside our bodies. just like a hand in a glove the longer we wear the glove the more capable we become to feel things so we must train ourselves, our testimony and our knowledge so that our spirits can be more sensitive and so that we can feel the influence of the Holy Ghost better and more. but also theres some many examples of hands. Two are the laying on of Hands and how Christ was pierced through his hands. but for most of us we do most things with our hands there for we must do most things according to the spirit. anyways thats my little note for today i though it was pretty cool since all that came to me in a matter of seconds early one morning. But now for the Big News.. so this past week the transfer ended and my comp is being transfered tomorrow and i will be training a new missionary for the next 3 months. So pretty anxious and hopefully i can train him very good! i dont quite know who he is yet but i'll let all of you know soon! i love you all so much and thanks for all the love and support! keep it coming! i love you!

LOVE,

ELDER SORENSON

Got the serious face on like the Africans.

Sezwe's birthday cupcakes.  Sezwe is the little one and Andile is in the back.

Stembiso with me and my comp

Goodbye to Aman'Galia

June 16, 2014

Family, Another week down. Not the best of weeks at the beginning but ended good. my comp has really gotten stubborn but i'm just continuing loving and serving him. This past Saturday we, us missionaries, put on a branch activity. We decided it'll be a movie night and that we'd BBQ for everyone, so once reserving funds from the branch president we went out and bought about 200 pieces of chicken and some other things to make some sides! but the activity turned out to be pretty successful in bringing some less actives, not as many as we hoped but it was still good. we watched the movie "Frozen" and everyone enjoyed and had a good time. I gave a short Spiritual Thought about it and talked about Christ's true love for us and how it can save us from anything. i love disney movies you can always relate a bunch of gospel principles to everyone of their movies. Also Saturday President Zackrison and Sister Z came for interviews so i got a 2nd interview this transfer which was great! President and i are on the same page and we think the same views about this area. it was great seeing them again. They also gave a great fireside Saturday night about member missionary work and the gathering of Israel. Sister Z said something that really stuck to me! she was talking about how the only difference between members and missionaries is missionaries wear a name tag that sets them apart as servants of Jesus Christ, but then she asked " What name tag are you wearing?" and that stuck cause as members we are all recongized as something whether lawyer, doctor, or farmer but how many of us are recongized as good people or servants of Christ? but anyways you all have a week to think about it till i read your comments if there are any. But President just shines with the spirit its crazy but i also loved what he talked about as well and he quoted a scripture Alma 5:33 which reads: Behold, he sendth an invitation unto all men, for the arms of mercy are extended towards them, and he saith: Repent, and i will receive you. but it was a pretty good saturday. Then came sunday we had church and also a baptism of a 14 year old boy named Andile who walks 2 hours to church every sunday, the kid is amazing and super smart. but after the baptism we went to a Less actives named Stembiso and his wife said she wanted to talk to us privately but we told her we would have to another time and i guess Stembiso beat her last night and she ran away with their child sad story but i'll follow up with all that this coming week. But while at Stembiso's President Zackrison called and wanted to come with us to a few lessons. At first i was nervous but it turned out to be amazing he can just go into any home and just get to the point of helping people feel the sport he brings. The strong spirit he carries but those Harvard Grad lawyer skills make him a very powerful teacher. i learned so much from my few short hours with him and i cant explain all the things that were said or done in an email but maybe one day i can share with you all since i do good writing in the journal. But the week atleast ended well! Last week of the transfer has now started so we'll see what happens. keep me posted on life and how everyone is doing! i love you all. LOVE, ELDER SORENSON Unplanned Service digging post holes in my whites just like helping dad with signs The 200 dumbsticks of chicken grilling serving station me in action Serving that Pop and chicken Long story will have to save this one for another year and a half Andile all ready for the Bap Me-Andile-Elder Aman'Galia just before the baptism.

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 

Filled the Bap form for Andile a 13 year old boy who walks 2 hours to church by himself
 every week cause his family is less active

 my bed room that get to 40 degrees F at night haha,

 My district with elder summers (left to right- Mills,me, Summers, Ng'ambi, Aman'galia)

Me and my companion

Having fun while we have some service,

On the way to the zone activity,

Newcastle Zone at Blood River, 

At the big circle of wagons all made from cast iron 28,000 dollars a wagon

 , The cannon locked and loaded

June 2nd 2014

The Family,

Long week. So first things first im glad everyone is going good back at home. Ben i know has probably had a tough week with his wisdom teeth but if that was tough for him he would've had a rough month going to the old guy i went to! Anyways im in a new place with a new comp but still trying to do all i can. Tuesday was a rough day had a 4 hour bus ride and then still went to the area for like 6 hours but it was good. This place, Madadeni, is pretty chill and very flat but its nice. it reminds me of Willcox or a place like that its not little ghetto shacks any more. Its been a change forsure with weather and all but most of all from my last area to here. My last area as we all know was walking and i worked hard there but here its driving and things are so much slower i honestly dont even feel like im working very hard but i dont have a choice cause i dont know the area yet! My comp is actually really cool guy and im loving my time with him we sometimes dont talk much but i continually pray to figure things out that interest him. he very stubborn as most african missionaries are but we teach very well together and i just have to continue exercising patience and love! He has a pretty cool story though and when you look at things through other peoples eyes you understand why they do certain things. For example he is from kenya and joined the church about 2 and a half years ago and has spent one year of that on mission so thats something i really gain respect for him over! but to be a leader you first must gain the trust, love and respect of those around you and my mission president has really seen me doing that so i think i'll probably be training in 3 weeks when the new transfer starts so its all going pretty good. just gotta get a nice warm jacket cause its like africas october right now and im already freezing. but if possible send me a few church movies like 17 miracles, Work and the glory, things like that cause i havent been able to sleep much here but it'll improve thats just mission you gotta always be exhausted or you are doing something wrong. i have really come to love reading tho which is nice cause i always havent liked it at all. i dont think i have finished a book in my entire life unless it was Dr. Suess but i read a 200 pg book in like 4 hours so its nice and the knowledge continues to grow! But anyways i love you all so much. looking forward to hearing from all of you next week and make sure to keep me updated! i love you

Love,

ELDER SORENSON

Service with the new comp chopping down trees and standing on sharp fences

              Elder Summers the AP in his last transfer

Me and Oleg (a member from Berea Ward) and chipeta

                                       Madadeni Chapel

                         My new legit American bead tie

May 26th 2014

Fam Bam,

Another week down. Pretty long one in my opinion but anyways last monday night i threw up like 3 times and then tuesday and wed i was sick and dizzy and just light headed so Wed i decide i should just take it off cause working i wasnt going to get better so i slept all day and just did some thinking and took a Z-pack for meds. but as i thought i was thinking about when i should be coming home and about baseball. We all know i have been struggling with making you that decision whether come back before school so i can get my freshman year of baseball or loose out and come back after 2 years. its tough and i have been quite stubborn with it, several times through out my mission i have gotten confirmation to stay the full two years but its been tough to grasp it. But Thursday we had interviews with President Zackrison and i opened up about everything on my mind. He is truly an inspired man but as he thought about it he said its a hard choice i have to make and while he was thinking he got some revelation of a quote that was perfect for me... "Let us here observe, that a religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never has power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation; For, from the first existence of man, the faith necessary unto the enjoyment of life and salvation never could be obtained without the sacrifice of all earthly things. it was through this sacrifie, and this only, that God has ordained that men should enjoy eternal life; And it is through the medium of the sacrifice of all earthly things that men do actually know that they are doing the things that are well pleasing in the sight of God. When a man has offered in sacrifice all that he has for the Truth's sake, not even withholding his life,and believing before god that he has been called to make this sacrifice because he seeks to do his will he does know, most assuredly, that God does and will accept his sacrifice and offering, and that he has not, nor will not seek his face in vain. under these circumstances, then, he can obtain the faith necessary for him to lay hold on Eternal Life" (Joseph Smith, Lectures on Faith 6:7). So this was perfect for me but doesnt mean im giving up baseball. i will play three years if possible and take it from there. but the Lord knows how big of a sacrifice this is for me and my mission president promised me that the blessing for sacrificing this will be so great! and i know that i'll be a better ball player by giving up that first year! no one be disappointed i love you all and i have decided that this is the best thing for me to do! its going to be tough but i can.. i will do it! but in other news im being transfered to a new place called Madedeni its up in Newcastle and i leave tomorrow its a 4 hour drive so not too excited but im excited to get a new comp... Elder Aman'galia from somewhere in africa so its cool! but Sunday we had a confirmation of Nthando the only person that got baptized while i was here. Anyways i love you all so so much!

Love,

ELDER SORENSON

                                 Package from home

                                      Elder Chigede and I

                  Goofy with my homeboy Elder Allen

                                         Berea Chapel

          Nthando the only baptism from Mayville for me

Chipeta and I with Syril a Ex pro soccer player here in South Africa

                                                 Mayville

                                             Mayville and I

                  One of the many hills i have been walking

May 19th 2014

Fam Bam,

Wow it was a slow and very long week. My Comp wanted to get transfered cause he is sick of walking so he has really showed he isnt happy but this up coming week they might transfer him and i'll get someone new but we might not stay in this area. but some crazy news we got from our mission president today, Szawiland is no longer part of our mission. the gave it and the 14 missionaries and the senior couple to the Mozambique Mission cause i guess since jake left they need to bring in 16 missionaries to make up for it! haha but thats crazy news. but next week i could be leaving this area or atleast getting a new comp. so its exciting but will be a long week until my current comp is gone. not much to share really so i'll just share a cool talk from church. the lady did amazing! so she talked about Eagles and why in the bible and stuff people are compared to eagles. Anyways First an Eagle Flies the highest because the higher it flies the better it sees i applied this as we have high standards or we can see the bigger picture we are able to see whats most important and be able to see the temptations of satan better. Second, the eagle nests high in the mountains whichs is like the temple we need to set our sights on the temple. Third, they take time and make sure they build a beautiful strong comfortable nest in the mountains with their own feathers for warmth and comfort, which is like building our homes and making them an place of love and peace built on the principles of the gospel. Forth, eagle lays one egg per seasons so they care for they baby with their lives and they see is as an individual, we must care for childern tons and one by one salvation comes and even the sacrament comes one by one with broken and unique pieces cause everyone is different. Fifth the chick is fed the very best of every kill and we need to feed our families with the gospel or the very best that we have. Sixth, as the chick is ready to fly and leave he is scared and doesnt want to so little by little day by day the mama makes it a little more uncomfortable and takes the nest apart which trains the chicks core muscles and talons cause he has to hold on and balance and for this sometimes we have to be chastened by the Lord so we can hasten the work or even our progress. Lastly when the baby tries to fly he looses alttitude but the parents will fly down and catch the chick on their back and then the fly high with it there then they dump him off and the continues till the baby flies well. but this applies in so many ways but we need to help others as they fall or even allow people to help us when we get to close to the world. but theres another story with the eagle beut i wont share it now. but i hope everyone is doing great i hope things will get better for me out here very soon! i love you all so much!

LOVE,

ELDER SORENSON