Monday, February 16, 2015

10 meses hoy!

Happy Valentines day!

Actually that was 2 days ago but Happy day anyways because there should always be a reason to be happy.

I had a loveeeelllyyy, very long weekm  here in Sta Elena/Coban because I didn't actually get home until Tuesday night from that blessed place. But all is good and I love it here! We are starting to get to know our area more and getting into the swing of teaching together.
 What is your favorite scripture lesson this week?

 Welllllll this week we were able to place a lot of Books of Mormon which was so great. One thing we realized was how the Book of Mormon literally is the key to everything it can help everyone. Or in the words of Hna  Faught, ´´The Book of Mormon can solve all problems... except world hunger... unless you eat the pages."  So on that note,  we made the decision to apply that lovely book to more of our investigators. But for reals, it was so fun to hear about people's problems and then explain the Book of Mormon to them and see how excited they were to read it. We found one lady for the first time, and she asked us where she could find one. I was the happiest little lady in the world to pull one out of my backpack. I felt like Santa Clause on Christmas. 

During my beautiful studies of studying all the references for each verse of the Book of Mormon this week,  I learned many things. But one thing I am learning from it that is interesting to me is how perfect the timing is for everything. I am learning what was going on at the same time in Jerusalem when Nephi was in the wilderness. I never had thought about it before.

Funniest moment of the week. . or hardest laughter?  Well,  it would be easier for me to tell you when we are not laughing because we laugh quite a lot. But.... I think that the funniest one this week happened on Thursday. We found this way cute lady to go and teach and it was our first lesson with her. She had this giant dog and I was trying to be friends with it and show the Hna we  were normal human beings. Well, we started the lesson and we were explaining all about our message when all of the sudden that giant dog started to get a little bit friendly with my leg. It was so awkward. So I just kinda kicked him away,  and started dying laughing and so did Hna Faught annnnnddd... it was funny. So she put the dog out after that... 

 Everything is lovely! I love it here! The people are so nice and we are all working hard. I love being with Hna Faught because she is way motivated to whip everyone into shape.... also me. Because she makes me go running every morning.and, as I mentioned last week, she runs like a gazelle. And I run like a turtle. So it is funny.

Our house has 3 rooms. The closet room with a little tiny bathroom, our kitchen/bedroom/study room, then we have the clean the dishes room, with a little bathroom and shower. So we both have our own shower and toilet which is nice, but it is very small. But I like it! Is it like the place in Los Campos?  I do not see too many cockroaches but we sure see a lot of mosquitoes!  


Love you all! Have a good week!

Sunday, February 15, 2015

Aloha!

ALLOOOOHHHAAAA!

Hello family! How are you all doing? It sounds like everyone is having a lovely February and continuing onward in life sooo... keep on keepin' on lovelies.

I had a very wonderful and insane psycho week. I am currently writing you in Coban. We woke up at 2.30 to come here for consilio tomorrow. aka ...When the ZL's and STL's all talk about how we can make the mission a mission of champions and after we have a giant feast. I know you are all wondering so I will just tell you, Yes, I am excited. Apparently it is super spiritual and fun and lovely. (Besides the 2.30 fact but, sacrifices brings blessings yes?)

Did you get your shoes etc. package yet? YESSSSS! They were happily waiting for me on the bus at 2.30 a. .m.  The Bus was not to happy with my shouts of joy, but then after, they were happy cuz' I shared my candy with them. I am so nice. But I also got all the shirts and beeeeeautiful slippers and candy and thanksgiving letters and also a probably 3 month old chocolate chip cookie, we all split it and ate it together. I will say thank you from my own mouth and also all of the other people on the bus. GRACIAS. My shoes had big fat holes in them.

 My new companion, Hermana Faught,  is kinda like my BFF Brittney Merrill, but also very different. I love her. She really pushes me and works SUPER SUPER hard. I have been praying my whole mission to be able to be a better teacher, and she is already helping me a lot. Champ that lady. We laugh a lot and go running everyday. AKA she runs like a freaking gazelle ahead of me and I just mozy my way behind like I did in cross country like a little turtle. But I like turtles... and running. Also we run around the lake in Sta. Elena. SO PRETTY.

I LOVE Santa Elena! The members in this branch are so amazingly helpful! Yesterday the sisters asked us when they could do visits this week. I thought I was dreaming. It was just so beautiful. But right now we are just finding new investigators, trying to get to know the area, find the other investigators of the other Hnas and all of the Less actives and Recent converts. We get home SO tired but...a poco a poco.

We didn't do any divisions this week.  We needed to get to know our area. But I will be doing 2 a week from this day forward so.... that'll be interesting.  My new 'title' Sister Trainer really just means that you just go on divisions to make sure that the sisters are enjoying their lives and being obedient. HAha basically it's just a ZL but girl version.  We go out on  divisions and take care of the sisters and report back to President and work to help correct problems.

 Funny story. We get in a psycho lesson with this man who stars fighting with Hna Faught about prophets and The Book of Mormon and all of that fun stuff. He only believes strictly in the Bible. But that lady just laid the truth down and then to bring back in she asked us all how we all felt when we read the Bible, and after we related that we also feel happy when we read the Book of Mormon and that is the only way you can know if something is true. (That was very condensed but my time is running short. Lo siento)

 Awkward Gringa moments.... Hna Faught and I saw a Mariachi Band walking in the street. We  got so excited and asked them to sing a song for us. Then after we gave them folletos (brochures) and chatted a bit about the gospel and left.... Well apparently their music is not just a hobby. It is their living and we were supposed to pay them and we did not know that. So, basically we are thieves and we feel bad...So if we see them again we will pay them but we were laughing/felt really bad. This is what happens with two girls from the US.

Also I cut my hair today! WOOT WOOT. It is like tot the bottom of my neck. I look 5. I don't care. It is healthy and I am happy. No, I do not have a picture.

I love you all and have a super duper weekkkkkk!

Hna. Sorensen

Monday, February 2, 2015

Ch ch ch changes


El bautismo de Arecela!
Happpyy Monday!

            Welllll... .. the news is. . .  I did get quite the surprise yesterday! I will not only be changing areas,but changing companions as well.  I am currently writing to you in my new area of Santa Elena, Peten! It's about 2 hours from Poptun, and here, yes, it is VERY hot. My new companion, Hermana Faught.  She will be coming tomorrow really late from Coban. So, tomorrow I will be with another sister who is waiting for her companion from Coban. Hermana Faught is my first gringa companion so it will be different!  I hope my Spanish still progresses! Haha. But we will be cleaning the area here, AGAIN. Holy hanna, every area I have gone to I have cleaned, but It's fun! I have heard only good things about my branch, the members, the area and my new companion. I am very excited for the new adventures and miracles that God has prepared for me this change!

            So this week Hna. Guerrero and I were in a lesson teaching the restoration when all of a sudden,  I finished my part and looked at her to finish.  Her eyes got all big and she just tipped right on over onto the floor. Her skirt fell all up to her head and she was dying laughing. I almost started crying, I was laughing so hard. It was probably good cuz' I think the investigators were falling asleep and we all had a pretty good laugh. I don't really know how it happened but she just kind of tipped over annnnnnd... it was funny.

             So I am LOVING my scripture study lately! I finished the Book of Mormon in Spanish last week (woot woot woot).  I am starting over again and trying to study it in a different way. This time I am really searching deep and reading every single reference with every verse!  It seriously is the best thing ever! It takes forever, and after one whole week I have only gotten to the second chapter in 1st Nephi, but I am learning a lot about Lehi and how perfect the plan of God is.  Also more than ever, the amazing example of Nephi. I love that guy. I can't wait to meet him in heaven.

            Alsooooo this week I got to the atonement and crucifixion in Jesus the Christ. It seriously breaks my heart! But all I can think of the describe my feelings is the hymn 'I stand all Amazed.' That hymn describes so perfectly how I feel for my Savior. I seriously can't even comprehend the LOVE he has for us. I'm so grateful for my knowledge of Him and what he did for me.

            My favorite experience in sharing the gospel is to see people change their lives. Last night we visited a recent convert. Before in his life, he drank a lot and his life was really twisted and dark. It was SO fun to come and visit him! He was waiting for us, reading the Liahona.  He already had out his Hymn book and his little notebook where he takes notes during lessons. We had a fast for him yesterday that he can keep being sober and say faithful in the gospel. He just told us how he felt so much peace to know he could repent and take the sacrament and sometimes he feels tempted or frustrated or sad. But then he prays and feels so much love from our Heavenly Father. I love to see how this gospel really does change lives!

            Truth. . a new truth I've learned. . .  So this week I was studying about the atonement under the Plan of Salvation section of Preach My Gospel. What I focused on is the perfect balance that we have between Justice and Mercy because of the atonement. The atonement is so central in the plan because without it, we would all be so lost! We couldn't accomplish anything in this life!

Well I love you all and hope you all enjoyed your superbowl sunday!  Also happy happy birthday to my lovely sister Mckenzie. You are already one quarter of a century old.... So proud of you. 

Xoxooxoxo

Hna. Sorensen
They braided my hair... this is what happened after. . . 

Adios mi companera. . . .


All of us missionaries from Rama Poptun!