January 27, 2014

The Fam, So another week down but for some reason time flew by but it feels like forever since last Monday. It was a really tough week for me personally but the missionary work is all going good. we got another 5 Baptismal Dates for the 16th of Feb which is great to see progression in so many people. Finding people out here is extremely difficult cause we are just little white boys going through teaching all these black people. we rely heavily on the members to introduce us to people to teach and so far its worked very well. we also have to work hard with reactivation but that's almost everywhere in the church. but lets talk alittle about the past week. last Monday after emailing my comp wasn't feeling to good. when we got back to our house he vomited a little blood which wasn't good so we decided to take him to the hospital so we went and ended up being there for about 7 hours and right as we got called back a guy came in on the ambulance so all the doctors rushed to help him and at the same time I walked out to tell the other elders what was going on and I saw the Doctors doing cpr on the guy. we were informed a little bit later that the guy pasted away. it really opened my eyes on how precious life is, when a guy that went to work one morning and ended up dying that afternoon it was a weird experience. my Comp ended up being dehydrated so no biggie there. Tuesday Moorhouse Got transfer which sucks cause I lost one of my best friends out here, but with loss I gained a package from The Whites with some many goodies its was Amazing! Wed. we had a zone meeting and they were talking about stats and it was so annoying I finally couldn't take it and told them that this is so stupid and that these stats and plans they have a garbage. these aren't Stats these are People and then we went into an hour long discussion and everyone agreed with me that I was right. Thursday was a very hard day for me and I didn't know if I was going to last much longer out here I didn't feel worthy. then I realized its just satan using the past to make me want to go home! As I taught lessons I reassured myself through the spirit that everything will be okay! that's pretty much the week. I hope I don't have to live this week again!! LOVE Elder Sorenson Pictures this week are a package from the Whites, A Hospital trip, a monkey, the duck dynasty brothers, the garden after a few weeks, some member girls that introduced us to friends that now have Baptism Dates.

 

January 20, 2014

Fam Bam For the most part it was a pretty great week! Last Tuesday Elder Frishnect, the piano major, left and we got at new zone leader. Also, a new comp for Elder Moorhouse, whose comp also got transferred. Also, last Tuesday, we had to go get new mattresses for the boarding we just moved back into, so me and Elder Sakurada rode in the back of the truck for about 30 min holding all of them. It was pretty fun. This weeks missionary work consisted of 3 straight days of tracting. In the 8 weeks I have been hear I haven't tracted or knocked on one door until this week but we knocked a ton this week we tracted for about 5 hours each of the 3 days and covered probably about 15 miles total. we met some great people that we hope will build the teaching pool. out here we really focus on reactivation because so many members just stop showing up to things but that is going pretty goo once you have someone out here that knows how to talk to people. when I got here we only had about a constant 45 people coming to church and now we are up to 70 for the past 3 weeks. its awesome seeing the fruit of your labor! Friday night me and sakurada made about 150 no-bake cookies and we decided to sneakout about 9:30 since our comps went to bed at like 9 and we didn't wanna just sit around so we went over to the other boarding to see moorhouse and give him some cookies. he told us that he was getting emergency transfer this up coming Tuesday because our mission is getting 7 guys that don't have visa to another country. it sucks! my twin is leaving me and the kid are exactly alike! im gonna miss him. but saturaday morning was soccer once again im starting to get okay at it since we play it a lot. Also Saturday we had to go clean out the baptismal font since there was like a 8 inch layer of who knows what at the bottom. Saturday night we also stopped by one of the kids house to see who he wanted to baptize him and he said me! I was over joyed and blessed! sunday was the baptism first was sezwe the 9 year old boy who was baptized by our branch pres, then Sphiwe who I baptized! it was such an amazing experience! the toughest part was the full name tho haha it was good fun tho I got it on the first try! but that was pretty much the week! Sounds like the party animal is getting a little excited to be coming home! that's awesome that he is almost done! I love you big bro. but I miss you all so much and cant wait to see you again! I love you LOVE ELDER SORENSON

Me and Frisnecht before he got transfered.



Soccer Saturday

The Crew.

The Mattress Trip

No Bake Cookies!

Tracting

Me and my boy Sphiwe.

I love my package and Si shirt!

My first baptism.

Sezwe is left, Me, Sphiwe right

January 13, 2014

Fam Bam First Transfer down! it went by pretty fast for the most part. this past week elder sakurada got a new comp. he's from South Africa and is pretty cool but its also a awkward transfer cause really only the people that are coming from the mtc and that are going home got transferred last week and then this week is more transfers. its pretty out of wack out here in Africa but things for the most part are going good! my comp and I have 2 baptisms scheduled for next sunday and then we are also teaching about 5 more who will be baptized most likely in the next 3 weeks. among those 5 are three boys. Vuzi (16), Sakile (15) and Stew (11) they are great kids and we found them through soccer. its really fun teaching them and seeing their growth from lesson to lessons. this week we also saw a huge dead cobra in the road so I asked the members how often they see snakes and they said they see black mombas and cobras all the time. so that didn't comfort me too much when I have to walk through the bush to get to some houses. but it atleast makes things exciting! Africa is just so different the people just burn their trash and tires all the time and the air just seems so crappy here but its all good its only for a few years. Also this week we had to clean one of the boardings and paint it so the elders staying there came and stayed in my boarding for the past 3 days and its pretty fun and legit cause Moorhouse is there and we just talk about stuff and we are pretty much the same person. its nice having someone like that around who gets what you are talking about. so that is pretty much the week! I love you all and miss you a ton! Love, Elder Sorenson

Saturday's Soccer Service

Trash Can Fire

The Usual Cows in the Road

Elder Sorenson Driving Stick Shift in South Africa

Four Foot Long Dead Cobra (gross!)

Walking through the Jungle to the Beach to play Soccer

January 6, 2014

Long Week! This past week felt like it was never going to end. Tuesday was new years eve and we weren't gonna go out to the area cause there were so many drunks so we were just sitting at our house and I was like lets just go out to the area and figure out what to do when we get there. the other elders out here are ridiculous NO work ethic... but we got to the area and me sat down next to a guy and ended up teaching a really good 30 min lesson. after it was starting to get crazy so we just headed to a members house and I wanted to go to the beach cause I have been here for 6 weeks and haven't been to the beach and its in my area and like a mile from where I am everyday. so I ask the member boys to show us the way. we had to walk through the jungle it was sweet but the path keep getting smaller and smaller and then it just opened up to the beach it was sweet. then later that night we were with member and watching them light fireworks off. other than that nothing really happened this week we did go back to the beach on Saturday this moorhouse and played some soccer it was fun with him but I got a little sunburned which is lame. Sunday was fast sunday and it was great we had 61 people there instead of the usual 40 and also about 8 investigators. most of the ones getting baptized next week didn't come so we'll probably have to push back their baptismal dates. but the one that did come is Sezwe he's 8 and its just a ball of energy but he came to church with a bad stiff neck so me and elders rogers gave him a bless and when we went to visit with him later that day he was getting better. we taught him the last lesson and since we are a group of 3 missionaries and Elder Sakurada is district leader he was able to interview sezwe for BAP. so we have for sure one baptism next week its legit because Sezwe was one that I started with from the First lesson he's a great kid and super smart. but that was pretty much the week. this week is tranfers but im not going anywhere so it doesn't really matter. I miss you all so much and I hope you all have a Great week! I love you Love Elder Sorenson

Mission Year 2014

Fireworks

Touching the Indian Ocean



The jungle



Heading to the Beach

The Indian Ocean and the Sun

December 30, 2013

Family, The week was pretty crazy. This week skyping and calling home was great. I'm glad I didn't have to sit on my roof for it, like Jake. haha, but anyway, it was a good week. We had a lunch appointment on Christmas day and the family made turkey and ham and potato salad, I felt like I was back home. It was one of the best meals I've had out here. The family also gave us the little poppers like Aunt Susan always brings for the Christmas party. It was great fun for sure! Anyways, nothing too big this week. everyone is out of town and there are a ton of drunks. I told dad on the phone that when we were driving to a members on Christmas eve us missionaries counted something like 86 drunks within 2 miles of this dirt road! It's pretty funny until they start talking to you cause who knows what they'll do! but when we are driving I feel like im playing some video game as we dodge all the drunks its ridiculous and this week will be even worse with new years the senior couple doesn't want us going out cause it gets sketchy but we'll see what happens. I've been with 2 other elders the past week. my comp elder rogers and elder sakurada because sakurada's comp is being sent home. Sakurada is so funny tho so its been nice having him around! but anyway Happy New Year and even better Happy Birthday Jordan, mom or Ash you'll have to tell him cause I don't have his email. but have fun at Hole in the Rock it'll practically seem like I'm there with grandma getting my back and bragging about me throwing the rock! I love you all so much have a great week! Happy New Year!! Love Elder Sorenson


Christmas with Elder Moorhouse




Elders Dickerson, Sakurada, and me with poppers!




Late Christmas party with Noma and Zama.




Lauren's Christmas package finally came.



December 23, 2013

December 23, 2013 Family!! So this past week went by slow it seems like! Probably one of the slower weeks I've had and one of the tougher. I'll be honest, Christmas here is lame. It's HOT and humid and if people celebrate they either leave town or are way to drunk to talk to. Seriously when we are driving down the road I feel like we're playing a video game trying to dodge all the drunks that are in the road stubbling and yelling. but most of our investigators are out of town for holidays and wont return till like the 10th of jan. but last Tuesday we had a crazy thing happen. we were just drving down this dirt road when I hear this loud bang and the passenger window right next to me is shattered I thought we got shot at first so I was just checking myself for any bullet holes but I was clear. what we think happened is a little kid chuck a rock at it. but anyways nothing to big this week. Friday I got mail! Yay! got my Christmas package from mom and dad and I regifted most of it along with some other ties. I also got letters from Mom, Lauren, Bro lesuar, the ostlers and sister amann. Thank you so much for all that! Saturday we went to Durban for the Christmas Party with about 100 missionaries that are on the coast! we had probably the best meal i'll have for the next two years, roast, chicken, enchiladas, rice, just everything it was good. but me and my zone sang in front of the other 100 people. I have sung more this past month than I have in my entire life. but after I met up with 2 guys from my mtc group, one African and the other was Sieverts. I miss that kid. he's having a rough time and its sad seeing it I wish I could help him and the others in my group that are also struggling but I cant just gotta pray and email them and let them know things will get better, even though I don't know if they will or not since I haven't been out long either. but in Durban we stopped by Victoria Street Market. that place is wild. its like a Chinatown in New York or San Fran but with no Asians and a ton more people. I was able to buy a couple cool things to send back home that hopefully will be there when I get back haha. but anyways heard it was a long week at home too keep loving and trying to be happy and doing whats right. Jake's got 7 weeks left and I got about 97 so yay! but I love you all so much!!! LOVE, Elder Sorenson

Christmas gifts with Gogo Nkwanazi and Sakile

Shattered Window

Christmas package from Mom and Dad

Action Shot

December 16, 2013

December 16, 2013 Fam Bam, So wow this week was pretty crazy. When I got here there was only one person with a baptism date and after this week we were able to get 4 other commitments for baptism on Jan 12. I hope they all with follow through! its insane loving someone you barely know the spirit really helps in that I can tell. Ben work hard in sem and church, I know everyone says that but it helps the more you know when you come out the easier your mission will be. high school and being popular means nothing when you're surrounded by a drama geek and black people all day! Ask Jake he knows like I've had to learn. my one piece of advice to you is to love those people that aren't as cool as you at school. talk to them and be nice to them, most of the time they are better people than the popular kids and athetes. but ya anyway this week went by quick but the days are so slow. it was a rough week though. I was able to try sugar cane for the first time though haha its different but its pretty cool. it reminded me of eating sunflower seeds haha dad you should send me some seeds haha! Africa is tough though. but I know I got help that I cant explain. Saturday we went up to Kosi Bay and visited the saints up there. we spent the night in a lodge that was for like honeymoons it was pretty sweet. sunday we went to church there. the church is in a back room of a hardware store one of the members owns it was so hot there I was sweating the whole time and beside the 4 missionaries that were there only 9 other members showed up it was a lot different but it was nice. the best part of the trip though was the drive home, we got to go through this huge game park and it was legit. I saw a ton of animals and got pics too so i'll send those and you all can see what I saw haha. but todays p-day and is also some African holiday so the internet shop was closed but the owner is amazing she came in and opened it just for us missionaries. shes the best. Anyway I got some Big News just now that we will be able to Skype (if it works) on Christmas Eve about 5:30 my time which is about 8;30 in the morning back in AZ. so i'll call if it doesn't work. I cant wait to hear some familiar voices. I love you all so much and cant wait to see you all again! LOVE, Elder Sorenson

Chopping Sugar Cane

Elder Sorenson and the Nzama kids

Church at Kosi