May 12,2014

Family, Wow it was so great to be able to see and talk to everyone its nice to feel of all the love in a place where you dont get much. thats one thing i have really learned to cope with is staying happy with out much love! so thank you again for all you all do for me!! but anyways not much action this week my comp thought he was gonna get transfered so he slacked off alot, but we still were able to extend the Baptismal Commitment to 3 people all with in their 20's and they all excepted im so excited to see people i have felt inspired to knock on their door progressing. What a wonderful experience for sure. Africa is so much different that the states and i didnt realize how use i have gotten to these crazy things until i skyped but it was so nice to get refreshed from home! not much to share this week i shared alot on skype. but its transfers this week me and my comp are the same which he's not to happy with and then also Elder Bryan and Matambala are leaving and im really gonna miss those guys for sure. Elder Matambala is the best Zone Leader i have been around that guy is truly inspired and work his butt off every sec of each day. he has help me come to love contacting people im not as confident as him quite yet since he does give atleast 50 passlong cards and people each day which is crazy i can only get about 5. but you all met that crazy guy! i love you guys a ton and i cant wait for the next 8 months to just fly by so i can talk to you all again! Stay positive and motivated in whatever you do that is the only way to succeed! i love you! LOVE, ELDER SORENSON

May 5, 2014

Fam Bam, Wow its been a crazy fast week! time really flies when you work hard all day everyday. Things were pretty good this week just trying to expand the teaching pool sense there isnt really anyone thats progressing. but Friday was a crazy day we showed up at a lesson with a guy named Osborn. we found him sitting outside talking with all his drunk friends they were wasted its was pretty funny i wont lie but with drunks that can go from the happiest guys to absolutely crazy in 2 sec and thats what happened, one guy was up in my face just asking me all this random crap but i just stayed calm and was laughing and said things to make everyone laugh. when we left my comp was like man that guy was about to smack you with that bottle but we just laughed it off and bonded over it. but other than that nothing really to talk about till i get home! this week tho its mothers day and im excited to be able to call and skype. i'll be skyping about 6pm my time which is about 9 in the morning back in AZ. so im excited for that big time and the day i skype 6 months before was the day i was on the plane all day coming to S.A. crazy stuff 1 quarter down 3 to go! but to keep a little thought of mission in the email i wanted to shared a little story that the Elders Quorum President shared on sunday. he was talking about a Chinese Bamboo plant and how it takes 4 years of water and fertilizer each day to sprout but after those four years of care it sprouts and can grow 6 meters in 6 weeks. he applied it to home teaching but theres so many ways to apply the little parable so to say and i thought it was cool but i love you all so much and cant wait to see and hear from you on sunday. i love you! LOVE, ELDER SORENSON
-Proverbs 17:17
-Philippians 4:13

Also that talk i wrote i emailed it to President Zackrison last week in my weekly update letter and this week in his letter to all the missionaries you put it in so all the missionaries could read it which was pretty cool in my book. Love ya

Zone Conference Talk, TCU Baseball Remix: We serve missions to be apart of something much bigger than ourselves. We join together. We believe in one another and we push each other to reach a level of greatness that can only be reached when we all work as one. Our Quiet Confidence comes from knowing that, while we may just be 19 and 20 year old boys and we may face the Advisary along the way, collectively we will rely on an Extreme work ethic, The Spirit, and sound fundamentals of The Gospel to meet the challenges we all face. We're told in Preach My Gospel to not worry about the things we cant control, its a waste of our time and its a waster of the Lords. The only things we can control when stepping out into the Mission Field are Effort and Attitude. I promise you if you give 100% of both You Will See Results. Resist the temptation to bind to the hype of a good area or a good week or something thats going on at home, it will only serve to distract and move us further from our goal. Keep your blinders on and sharpen your focus. Grasp the importance of now and win This day. Then when the Last Day of mission comes and the last lessons is finally over, only then will we know if we were Consecrated. But know this that a single day or a single lesson does not define a missionary. A True Consecrated Missionary comes forth in the early morning hours, A Determined Force, Full of the Spirit and Humility, but deprived of relaxation, mentally driving his body beyond fatiuge, beyond pain, beyond reason, to the point of exhaustion. How far a missionary is able to consecrate himself and be obedient when no one is watching... Thats the essence of a truly consecrated missionary. So when your home and happen to catch a glimps of a consecrated missionary hitting the wall and pushing through, take pause, look closer, and feel fortunate for what you are witnessing. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. * not sending this to boast of myself but hopefully to motivate missionaries and members alike to put forth that effort to do The Lords work. *

April 28, 2014

Family, Wow what a fast good week! Had some great experiences this week. but it just flew by! And seems like stuff is getting done back at home big bro getting engaged thats some crazy news! but nothing but love, support and encouragement for the love birds! but two months of waiting is pretty quick we'll see if anyone can top that! ;) haha but Congrats! Anyways what a great week! Monday i get a great big envelop from home that was full of so much love and support from so many people and i wanna thank everyone that wrote a letter and also a HUGE thanks to Lauren for always going that extra mile for me! In that letter there was some amazing words but for sure something that was for me was the story of Pushing Against the Rock that was sent by Jon Lovell. i had never heard it before but i knew that it was for me because after studying it and thinking about it prayers and more inspiration came. Things got real tho when the next day(tuesday) at zone conference the AP Elders Summers shared the exact story what an amazing experience! and thank you again for that story. but ya tuesday was zone conference which meant i was around Americans which was awesome. once again Elder Moorhouse and i had a great time catching up and cant wait till pres makes us comps one day. Zone conference was on consecration of ourselves it was power. but funny story as we were taking a break for lunch and Elder came up to me named Elder Bryant from Gilbert and he looked familair but i couldnt put him to anything until he said i know your little brother he knocked out one of my really good friends and then it clicked. i was dying! what a small world it truely is.but Zone conference we were asked to write a talk and i took a TCU motivational thing and changed some of the words to apply it to missionaries i felt inspired to do so, so since i wasnt able to share it at zone conference i'll send that in another email.But General Conference was this weekend and wow was it power it seemed to go by so so fast i learned a ton and loved so many of the talks. but truely this week i found a power scripture in my studies that applied so good to me.... Mosiah 23: 10-11: Nevertheless, after much tribulation, the Lord did hear my prayers and has made me an instrument in his hands in bringing so many of you to the knowledge of His truth. Nevertheless, in this i do not glory, for i am unworthy to glory of myself. It was powerful for me to read those few short verses and i hope it helps one of you as well. but that was pretty much the week. still working hard going out at 11 and coming home at 8:30 whether or not its tracting the whole time or not we are doing our best. I love you all so much! keep me posted! love ya LOVE, ELDER SORENSON

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