June 16, 2014

No, I'm actually really enjoying my mission right now. It seems like every day I realize how much I really have to work on and how much improving I really need to do, but I've got a lot of time left for that. I still can't believe that I've nearly been out for 14 months now.

Thank you guys so much for everything I got for my birthday. You really made it a special day for me! This week was really uneventful; it was pretty stressful because of the lack of missionary work we were able to do. Our two main investigators have been dropped. One decided he wasn't interested and the other one moved away, so that really sucked. We did a lot of service this week and it's also been really hot this week, so I got REALLY sun burned haha I've got a really funny tan line now. It didn't peel, so it's starting to turn into a tan haha. We've started visiting the Chilean family in our ward and are hoping to make a connection with the Spanish speaking community as Elder Olivos is fluent in it. Hopefully that works out! Other than that it's all been moving in to the new flat!

I think that's about it! I love you guys so much!! Have a great week!!

Elder Sorensen

June 23, 2014

I still can't believe all of this is happening, the new baby, everyone from home getting married... life is just happening without me. Coming home is going to feel like I fell asleep and woke up 2 years later.

This week has been alright, our finding has been nearly completely ineffective so this coming week we are going to shake things up and see what we can get out of it. We've got such an amazing branch and I really want to see it grow and let the members experience some of the fruits of their labors. As of today we are 100% moved in to the new flat, everything is set up, all of the furniture is assembled and we no longer have to spend any extra time in the flat!!! I'm honestly struggling to think of things to tell you haha this week was really boring, just a lot of finding really. We've been doing a lot of service for members. One of the families we've been helping out a lot is the D. family. Their father was just in a really bad bike accident while on holiday in Spain. He's been in hospital for about 6 weeks now, so it would really help if you could pray for him. I'm really sorry that this letter is so short this week, but there's really not a lot to talk about. Did dad get his father’s day letter? I wrote one for grandpa as well. Today is district Pday! We’re playing games and stuff in the chapel and just hanging out. I'll try to take more pictures and videos. I honestly think that's about it!! 14 months out in a week! How crazy is that?

Love you guys so much!!

Elder Sorensen

June 30, 2014

Well, next harvest I'll be there to help! How is grandpa doing? I want to write him another letter. How is grandma doing? I'll keep Cindi in my prayers, how is she doing? how are the boys? Anything new in their lives? I suppose I should just email them myself.

I will take plenty of pictures and videos for you today :) they'll probably go up later though! I'm getting my glasses ordered tomorrow!!! is it weird to be excited for that? It's just so new and different haha I'm excited to see in high definition!! do you think I'm going to look totally different with glasses on? People aren't going to recognize me when I come home haha last week was pretty eventful; the whole week was basically a trial of faith. Finding day after finding day with a few service opportunities mixed in, but then right at the end of the week, we went finding out in a place called Badsey before a dinner appointment and made 4 or 5 appointments for the next week! That's not all that happened.... but the story of this week is one for another time and place. It's really too much for me to write down on paper, so just remind me when I'm back home to tell you the story of week number whatever I'm on. :) Spiritual thought for this week!!!!!

I am really loving my studies and lately I've been focusing on the gospel according to mark. JST mark 4:25 "for he that receiveth, to him shall be given; but he that continueth not to receive, from him shall be taken even that which he hath" It's fairly simple, when we receive things that heavenly father gives us, whether it be callings, challenges, gifts, blessing or otherwise, with a willing heart and an open mind, he can give us more blessings. When we continually choose not to receive the things he gives us, our blessings are going to be taken away. I like to relate this to mission life. Heavenly Father has given us a little white book of revelation on how to be the most effective missionaries we can be. If we don't follow that revelation that he has already given us, how can we expect to receive more revelation? We have to first receive what he has already given by being obedient if we want to receive specific revelation on how to best work in the areas where we are.

I love you guys so much!!!

Love you!

Elder Sorensen

Another Year Older!

June 9, 2014

It’s so weird that life is going on without me back home! Can you believe that I'll be home in 10 months!! This will be my last birthday on my mission. And Christmas will be my last Skype! That’s super crazy. It was a really crap week this week. We didn't have any time to do missionary work. The whole week was spent cleaning and packing for our move.

President said that our flat had to be in pristine condition when we moved out so that the church could keep the deposit from when they got the flat. So the whole week was spent manicuring and scrubbing the flat down, repairing damages and trying to salvage what was left of it. Then to top it all off I was sick on Saturday and Sunday (Don't worry, I still made it to church and taught priesthood). I got the trousers, but I'm going to have to have them tailored haha they don't fit properly at all. Rob (a member in the branch) says that he knows a lady that will do it for cheap, so hopefully that will work out, I'll let you know! If you could, make people write me some letters! Hopefully we are making the move into the new flat today, but we're not sure. I'll let you know. At latest we'll be there on Wednesday.

That's about all I have to talk about! Love you guys!!

Elder Sorensen

June 16, 2014

I'm actually really enjoying my mission right now. It seems like every day I realize how much I really have to work on and how much improving I really need to do, but I've got a lot of time left for that. I still can't believe that I've nearly been out for 14 months now.

I've got a letter for dad for father’s day that I'm sending today. I'll write one to grandpa as well. That's so awesome about your studies!! Do you find yourself being more knowledgeable in church? I love my studies.

Thank you guys so much for everything I got for my birthday. You really made it a special day for me!

This week was really uneventful; it was pretty stressful because of the lack of missionary work we were able to do. Our two main investigators have been dropped. One decided he wasn't interested and the other one moved away, so that really sucked. We did a lot of service this week and it's also been really hot this week, so I got REALLY sun burned haha I've got a really funny tan line now. It didn't peel, so it's starting to turn into a tan haha we've started visiting the Chilean family in our ward and are hoping to make a connection with the Spanish speaking community as Elder Olivos is fluent in it. Hopefully that works out! Other than that it's all been moving in to the new flat!

I think that's about it! I love you guys so much!! Have a great week!!

Elder Sorensen

Great Companion!

May 20, 2014

Hey sorry, we didn't have time to email yesterday, I don't have a whole lot more time today either haha I can tell you that Elder Gull has been transferred to Nuneaton and I'm getting Elder Olivos. I'm so excited because I know Elder Olivos and he is such an awesome and humble guy. He’s from Peru, but he grew up in London. I'm stoked. He’s only been out for 5 transfers so I'll be senior companion finally haha

I now weigh 195 pounds! It’s really weird this is the first time I've been under 200 in a looong time. I was thinking... I would like to have voice lessons when I get back. I don't know how much it costs though. I think BYU has them where you can take them as a course. It would be cool to do some in the summer that I'm back though. I really am trying to find time to write everyone, but it is difficult. I’m sure you'll be there for Cindi, I really don't have time to write her right now, but I'll try to next week.

This last week went really well. We had an experience while GQing in the park actually. We were talking to everyone and we stopped a guy in a blue jacket who seemed to be having some issues walking normally. After talking to him a bit we realized that he had some speech issues as well, but he seemed receptive enough and we made a return appointment with him. We really didn’t expect much to come of it, but when we met with him we found out that he has dementia and Parkinson’s and his wife is quite interested in the church! So that was pretty cool. We also had someone move into our area who was about to get baptized in Hereford so we should be able to baptize home within a couple of weeks!

I don’t have any more time, but I love you guys!!

Elder Sorensen

May 26, 2014

I'm with Elder Olivos now and he is completely awesome. We just clicked as soon as we met each other. I'm having an awesome time with him. I'll send you some videos and stuff tomorrow. The library is closed today because of bank holiday and we won't be able to do it today, but I'll get it done tomorrow.

Psalm 46:10 "be still and know that I am god"

If you are doing all you can to follow Heavenly Father’s guidance, repenting quickly and trying to follow the commandments to the best of your ability, then there should be no reason for you to stress about anything. God loves you more than you could ever imagine and if you are willing to follow his counsel you cannot fail. God is perfect and all-knowing, he can do anything. He is completely aware of your situation and the stress that you are going through. All you need to do is to remember him and remember that the only thing you can really control is your own actions. God is in control of everything else. When you have those moments of stress or anxiety I want you to say a silent prayer in your head and remember that you are doing your best to follow Him and that he will take care of everything else. Jesus Christ suffered for all of our pains and afflictions, even the one you are going through right now. Because of that, God can lift that burden from your shoulders as long as you put your trust in him and ask him to help you. I am really loving my mission right now! But I really can't wait to get the heck out of the flat that we're in right now. We just started teaching this totally awesome guy called T. He does some close up crazy magic, I'll try to video some next time we teach him.

Love you guys so Much!!!

Elder Sorensen

June 2, 2014

This week was pretty awesome! Elder Olivos and I get on really well! I'm really loving my mission right now. It makes it so much easier to go finding when you're doing with someone that you actually like. We've got a few really solid investigators right now and we'll hopefully have one of them on a date the next time we see him. So pray for T. that he will be ready to set a baptismal date next time we go see him. We've had some craziness as well because we are moving over to the new flat on the 6th of June. We’ve got to sort out the old flat, figure out which of the furniture in there is ours and tell the office what we need for the new flat, sort out the meter readings and loads of other annoying stuff. Not to mention the fact that we're going on exchanges tomorrow! haha I want everyone to know that right now, I am the happiest I've ever been in my entire life. I love my mission with all of my heart and the joy I receive for serving Heavenly Father is so much more than I could ever have asked for. I know that god lives and this is his church. We cannot fail unless we fail to act. I love you guys with all my heart!

Elder Sorensen

Missionary Life

April 28, 2014

Yeah I'm in the same stake; I'm actually even in the same district, so I'll be able to go there on exchange. Again I'm sorry I had to use so much lately, we're just having to travel so much and reimbursements are taking ages! Just wait til you get to 3rd at 4th Nephi. Hands down best books in the book (The Book of Mormon). No temple trips and probably not. President tried to get permission for one during Christmas time but the first presidency said no. Harry potter stuff over here is way expensive just like everything else here. And I'm nowhere near the castle, but I'm right next to Gloucester chapel which is where they filmed all of the shots for the great hall! Okay, yeah I'm writing grandma and grandpa today so hopefully I can finish and send that soon.

This week was pretty cool, Monday was a bank holiday so the library was closed and we had to go to a member’s house to email. That took up most of our Pday. Nothing super exciting happened until Thursday. We used to have a set of sisters in this ward, but when I moved in they were demolished leaving there area unworked, so we took that over. Their area is a little village called Tewkesbury and so Thursday we went out there and worked the check out of their area book. We got 2 new investigators out of it! That was pretty awesome. And the on the weekend we had stake conference and that's where I saw the Nolan’s. Anyways. Keep reading your scriptures and saying prayers together every night!! I love you guys!! Also, I kind of want to get a guitar for my birthday... think about it?

Love you!

Elder Sorensen

May 5, 2014

I know what you mean about reading the scriptures! It is so crazy the difference that it really makes in your life! Don’t worry about me finding a wife mom haha I've got at least another year to think about that. Sorry about the short letters! There’s just not a whole lot to talk about anymore! I'm still on a mission, still just being a missionary! I haven't bought the suit yet, I'll probably get it either next week or the week after... Don't worry about the guitar haha umm I kind of already found one... don't get mad. It was just a good deal so... happy birthday to me? I know it's pretty crazy that I've been out for a year already. I go home in pretty much 11 months that is weirding me out right now. looks like I've got a few letters that I need to write... story of my life! haha I'm so bad about writing people I feel so bad that I still haven't written grandma and grandpa. Elder Gull is really cool. He's a good guy. Evesham is awesome I really like the branch and the area is nice. I'm feeling pretty good, I haven't got any new pictures this week because I forgot my camera cord, but I should have some next week. I haven't written most people lately, but it's because I haven't got loads of time and it takes ages to write people, I'll try to write them, Andy doesn't email me back so I've stopped emailing him. tell them all hello and I miss them loads!!

This week has been pretty good; we've had a lot of appointments and a lot of people flogging as well, so not a lot of actual lessons. We did have a chance to go and teach a couple of people out in Tewksbury, P and J. P went well and he was supposed to be coming to church yesterday, but didn't end up making it. and we actually got to teach J a bit in an old Baptist chapel from the 1500's or1700's or some crap like that. it was way old. She's awesome and genuinely interested. other than that it's been a lot of finding and having fun with elder gull. I'll try to take more pictures and videos for you guys. I've been doing a diet and workout program for a while now and I'm actually starting to get into pretty good shape! 12 months to sexy starts now! haha I need to be ready to find a wife when I get back haha I am really enjoying my mission right now. I hope I get to stay in this area for a while. I love you guys! hope you have an awesome week! so we'll be on at around 6pm my time so 10am your time for skyping! I'll check tomorrow to see if that’s okay with you, if not let me know. If it is, still let me know!

Love you!

Elder Sorensen

Brighter Days!

April 21, 2014

That’s okay! I got loads of Easter stuff from my new ward! Haha and Elder Gull and I are starting a diet today anyway so pray for us with that! Yeah I got the new card and sent the old one with the suits back to you. Thank you for that stuff! Don’t bother sending me the conference ensign, I can get it for free from the mission office and it's not worth paying more for the shipping eight. If you send them by surface mail it should be much cheaper, don't worry about how long it takes to get to me.

I love hearing about your spiritual experiences haha I love especially hearing about how you were humbled in the temple that's been like everyday since I've been here haha Heavenly Father definitely knows how to humble people.

Elder Jackson is very serious about doing the pizza oven. I really want to do it, it's something that we could do small time and if it takes off we could take it bigger. And the starting cost is relatively low as far as businesses go. Plus we could make you guy’s delicious brick oven pizza whenever you want!

My new companion is awesome! Elder Gull and I get along really well. Today we'll take some pictures and hopefully post them on Dropbox tomorrow since today is a bank holiday and we can't. Easter was awesome! We had a dinner appointment at a member’s house and played some games with them. It was really fun. Hopefully I can get them to send me some of the videos they took and I'll forward them to you. Haha This week wasn't too eventful. We just spent all day Tuesday packing and all day Thursday unpacking and cleaning out the flat. We emptied six bin liners of rubbish out of that place. Our downstairs neighbor is a complete nightmare. He’s this old drunk guy who has nothing better to do than complain. He's told off missionaries for peeing directly into the toilet instead of on the side because it keeps him up at night. He’s yelled at us twice so far for speaking in regular voices instead of whispering and walking around the flat past 9 o clock. We've told president and he's looking for a new flat for us, I don't know how long it will take him to get us one though. We also taught and had to drop our crazy investigator called C. He really really likes us and wants us to keep seeing him, but we just can't get a point across to him when we go, he keeps interrupting us with the Lord’s Prayer and will literally stop us in the middle of a sentence to show us something on his Sky TV that he's recorded. He is a very interesting person, but he's just not willing to change.

Not really a whole lot else to talk about, I had my suit trousers for one of my suits completely split, so I'm going to need a new suit soon. I can probably get one for about £70 from Slaters. Possibly for a birthday present? I'm turning 20 in a month! Haha do you feel old??

Love you guys so much!! Elder Sorensen

Move to Evesham!

April 15, 2014

I've been transferred to Evesham! that is in the same district as Worcester! I'll be serving with Elder Gull who is an awesome guy from my group it's going to be awesome! I'm sending back those suits today and I'm not sure how much it's going to cost. I'll also be buying some vacuum bags for packing just to let you know!

Love you!

Elder Sorensen

April 14, 2014

We are finding out what happens tonight. I know that at least one of us is leaving, president told me in the emergency interview we had with him. He talked to me about my parents and how awesome they are and about what I'm going through. He shared a story about how he bought his son a new lawn mower and had him mow the lawn as a lesson in life and he told me that next transfer he's getting me a "brand new john deer" for a companion. So It should be good! You should know that I'm in good hands with president Rasmussen, anytime I'm feeling stressed or overwhelmed, he never minds talking to me on the phone and he doesn't hesitate to tell me to come in to the mission office for an interview. He told me as well that he can't wait to meet you guys because you are obviously amazing parents to have raised me like this (his words).

This week has been very stressful, but luckily I had a couple of exchanges with the zone leaders and our district leader to break it up. These past twelve weeks have been a huge struggle for me and I'm assuming that I've grown a lot because of it. I'll share with you something that Marcus just sent to me. he said, "not gonna lie,that sounds rough. I think people here are a lot nicer. I love my mission, and I have loved every one of my companions, of course they have all been very different, but it definitely isn't stress free. It is interesting to see what the mission does to us. We are given so many opportunities to change and become better; truly trials and blessings become one in the same as we fix our eyes upon Christ and exercise faith in his atonement. Stress is a big part of missionary life. I told that to Aubryann a few weeks ago and I often explain it to fellow missionaries in trainings. Jacob the prophet said that because of faith and a great anxiety he was able to receive the spirit of prophecy and work mighty miracles among his people. I love the term "great anxiety". In French the term is "vif desir" which best translates to "quickened desire." So, we can know that when we feel stress as missionaries (if it is a stress for the work and not a panicked, worldly stress) then this stress simply comes from our quickened desire to spread the word of God. Ammon and his brothers could not bear the thought that one soul should perish in hell. It filled them with horror. It's like Papa Toolson always used to tell me, you should be a little nervous before a race, because its important. If you don't feel any nerves, that means you don’t care; if you feel too nervous, you are probably letting fear get a hold on you and you need to recheck your faith and confidence level. it is the same principle with stress. Above all, we can know that all or our afflictions can be followed up in Christ. Through the purifying and enabling powers of his atonement, we can be made clean and made strong, and become someone different."

It's true. It's sometimes not a horrible thing to be stressed as long as it is managed and not tooo stressed. I think stress is a sign of hard work. I need to figure something out for my trousers. I've gone through about 8 pairs of trousers now because the crotch keeps getting blown out for some reason. I think it's because of my big legs and they rub together when I walk. It's annoying. I need to find something like some Carhart trousers that will last me a while. The only problem is that I can't have them shipped here, so could I have them shipped to you and have you send them by surface mail(the cheapest slowest way, it never takes as long as they say it will) to me?

I think that's it for now! I'll work on sending the suits back with the card and hopefully you'll get it soon!

Love you guys!

Elder Sorensen

April 7, 2014

Yeah conference was pretty awesome. I thought it was cool what David A Bednar said about how Christ’s actual birthday was on April 6th. Hopefully I'll be able to get my hands on the conference ensign.

As far as going with this lady to ask for permission to be baptized. Make sure you have the spirit with you when you go. The holy ghost is the one who knows exactly what this guy needs to hear. Just do everything you can to love this woman and love the guy who she is asking. Just tell them how much you have loved being a member of this church and how much it has been a blessing to your family. as long as you fallow the spirit everything will be fine.

I am very tired. and I am very stressed out. I won't sugar coat it. Life kinda sucks right now haha, but sometimes life sucks! That doesn't mean that God loves us any less and that doesn't mean he's any less conscious of our sufferings. He wants us to go through hard times to prepare us for worse times, to make us stronger, and to make the good times taste much sweeter. Hopefully the interview with president will help me out, I'm going to ask him to give me a blessing as well. I prayed for about an hour and a half last night and that made me feel better. Just got a call from president and he says we'll be going to talk to him at 4. that should be good. I'm looking forward to it. unfortunately I don't have any pictures for you this week, but hopefully next week I'll have some for you! Today I'll take some pictures of district Pday. Heavenly Father loves us. Jesus Christ has never and will never give up on us so we can't give up on him.

I love you guys! haha George is huge! darn cat.

Elder Sorensen

Short Note

March 24, 2014

Transfers are on the 16th of April. Don't you worry I'll be home to dirty up the house again soon. We watcha few of the general conference sessions live, but the rest we just watch at awkward times over the weekend. There's only a few hours difference between the sessions and we don't get to watch the Sunday afternoon session, so it would be nice if you told me anything important that happens during it haha it's so crazy that my year mark is so soon and it’s only a few weeks until the Mother’s Day Skype. It’s completely insane how fast time is going right now. Next Monday is the day we usually get called if we are training and then the next Monday is the day we find out where everyone is going. I'm starting to care less and less about what happens at transfers. It really doesn't matter who I'm with, missionary work is missionary work no matter who you're with. There's not really anything exciting that happened last week. I've got a picture for you! We were on our way to a DA and saw this awesome view so I stopped and took pictures! I'm just trying to stay motivated and keep pushing forward despite the seeming lack of progress. We only had one RCLA last week and that was it. The hardest part is that we ARE working, we're not just wasting out, but I guess the Lord is just trying our faith while he prepares people. We've got zone P-day today so I'll have to end this here.

Love you guys so much!

Elder Sorensen