Helping Each Other Home

Hola Familia!

So this week we had interviews with Presidente and Hermana Curtiss.   Hellena, I love those folks!  They really helped me to get a perspective on things and realize that this is my time to learn ALL I can about the evangelio.  (gospel)  Presidente challenged me to read EVERYTHING, even in personal study, in Spanish. It has been interesting, I don't fit in as many things in my little hour, but I can see my Spanish improving.

This week I read an AMAZING article called ' The Gift of the Holy Ghost Glorifying Christ.'  It is SO good. Everyone go read it. The part that I liked the most is it talks about how sometimes we so foolishly wish for times in our lives to be over with, ignoring the possibilities and opportunities to grow and learn. God has a plan for all of us. We are here to be perfected and become LIKE HIM; what a great blessing! We can't become even close to how perfect he is without the rough times. How lucky are we to have trials so we can be one step closer to our goal!?

Another thing that I've been noticing as I read the scriptures is if we really want something, we need to pray with 'ALL THE ENERGY OF OUR SOUL' for it.   It says that so many times in the scriptures-- to TRULY ask, with ALL your heart.  I've been thinking about how I don't quite know how to do that.  Like how do you really know if you are praying with all your heart, might, mind and strength?  But, it's something I want to learn, so I've really been focusing on my prayers. Prayers are so powerful and I can really see the difference when I pour out my heart with REAL INTENTION to my Father in Heaven.

A tender mercy from our Heavenly Father that I have seen this week has been with one of our investigators.  She is making a lot of changes in her life and learning about the miracle of FORGIVENESS and REPENTENCE. It has been so special to see her grow and rely more on the amazing atonement of our Savior, not only changing and becoming clean through Him, but also knowing that He understands her--how she feels and thinks, and what she needs to do to be closer to Him.

The thing I am most grateful for this week is . . oh my, I am so grateful for prayer this week! And I’m so grateful for my scriptures. I am really starting to get that HUNGER. My study time is never enough!  I just want to study and learn and eat everything up. Studying and prayer go together. I have never prayed so much in my life. I have also never felt so close to my Father in Heaven.

I am serving with some great missionaries.   The most amazing missionaries to me are the ones who are super humble.   Like I said, we had our interviews with President and also the assistants.   One of the assistants, Elder Suiter, is this huge football player man. HE is SO humble.   Even just watching him kneel down to pray, you can see and feel it.  He literally bows himself before the Lord.  Everything he says, he just waits and sits awhile until something comes to him. Everything he does is dependent on God. I want to be more like that.

But I did find something I miss about America. CARPET!   No one has carpet here--just dirt,  tile and/or wood floors, folks.

Today we went pacayando and I got some chilero skirts and a dress. Sonbrilla next!

Also, we only spoke in Spanish this week! I think Hna. Munoz reading dad’s letter made her realize that this is important for me to do! I’ve still got a long way to go to speak fluently, but everyday I’m closer to my goal!

I love you all and pray for you every night! The truth is that I really am starting to fall in love with this place; but my heart is just torn between missing my family a lot and serving my Lord. I am grateful for this opportunity to help my other brothers and sisters here in Guatemala back home to our Father in Heaven. 

Love,

Hermana Sorensen.

A bug bite. . .I'm still alive.