Intrevistas

Happy almost February! How is everyone doing in the frozen tundra back home!? The weather here has been kinda weird, like one day I was sweating every ounce of water I had in my body, and the next day I had on my rain boots and a sweater. A.K.A.-- we never know what we should wear.

            To answer your question about the shoes in the package. . . .I was so excited for interviews on Wednesday because I thought for sure I would get them,  but they didn't arrive. But I would  assume that it is kinda large so... it may take more time.

            How are your investigators progressing? Good! Well,  mas o menos... We are kinda struggling to have investigators PROGRESS.  We have lots of nuevos (new ones) and antiguos (old ones) but no one who is really moving towards baptism which is kinda a bummer. But we had a fast to find some, so I know the Lord will bless us.

            Latest and greatest ward function?  Well, on Saturday we had the baptism of FABRIZIO! Oh my.  it was so special!  It was definitely the biggest miracle and tender mercy of the week.  The whole town came. I can' t even describe the joy that was on that boy's face when he entered the water. He has been waiting two years to be baptized, and he finally did it! I have never had such a special baptism. He gave his testimony at the end and I think that the whole branch was crying.

            Also, we went to one of our investigator's birthday parties. I have NEVER eaten so much in my whole life. I think I ate a whole entire leg of a pig. Holy hanna. I'm still recovering. 

            Interesting cultural/country fact?  Well, fun fact. The Quechi people here, well as far as I know, the women anyway, don't wear underwear. So we are out in the boonies this week when I just see a lady take a squat in the middle of the road and lift her corte skirt and just go.... in the middle of the road. So Mom, maybe you should become Quechi and then all your problems will be solved cuz you can just go wherever!!!

Also I will never be grossed out to use a portapotty again because the bathrooms here are like the old fashioned wooden outhouses. But for reals.

            Also, this week we had interviews with President and Hna. Curtiss and the AP's  so... that was fun to see them and E. Griffiths.  I just mentioned to Hna. Curtiss about my hair loss in interviews and she was VERY concerned--I had to laugh a bit. I was in there extra time because she was trying to track down a cure. She told me she is going to get me something to put in my hair because she doesn't want me to come home bald. WOOT WOOT!  I felt a little bad because she has so many other things to worry about bigger than my hair loss, but that was nice.  But interviews etc. were great, and they really motivated me and I just love those people.  I also had divisions with the STLs. I was in Santa Elena for the day with Hermana Ball. She goes home next week and she is super great and always happy.

            It was a pretty normal week here in Poptun. Changes next week! So we will see what God has in store for me. Love you all!

Hna Sorensen

Happy Halfway

Happpy Monday everybodyyyyyy! 

Burning a skirt to mark our halfway finished day.

I've wanted this Hermanas hair!

We had such a great ward talent night.  My companion and I did a skit, and she was my 'husband'! It was hilarious!
 Funniest thing ever.

Pretty Guatemala -- this is a member's 'yard'.

How re you all doing in the land of America!  This week went by soooo fast, but it was super lovely!

      Biggest. Miracle. Ever.

We have this aaaaancient (been investigating forever) investigator. His name is Fabricio and he is 16. He has been going to church for 2 years, Attends all of the  activities, goes to early morning seminary, visits with the missionaries, and is memorizing the first vision right now for his mission. Needless to say he is an investigator of GOLD. Well, his mother is and Evangelist and does not want to give him permission to be baptized. I feel so bad for the kid. He just cries and has such a desire to do what is right and come unto Christ. It makes me mad at myself for how much I take it for granted. Well lot's of other missionaries have passed through and tried to talk to his mom but she won't budge because she thinks it's to fast. We have been praying and fasting so much, and yesterday we went and brought a member with us. We prayed before for the words to be put in our mouths, and she said YESSSSS!!!! It was so special! We all just cried. The look on Fabricio's face when she asked for the papers to sign was like a million pounds had just been taken off his shoulders. 100% Miracle right there! I'm so excited! He doesn't want to wait two seconds! We are going to have his baptisme on Friday! 

     Also this week we went to visit a referral from one of the Hermanas in the ward. She is the sister of one of the members. She is super nice and knows a lot about the church from her family. We shared the parable in The Book of Mormon, Alma 32, about the seed being planted in your heart and if it is good it will grow and bear fruit. I have always liked this scripture, but I have never realized how it can be applied in all stages of where we are in the gospel. No matter how little or how much we know, we can always grow and know more. I started to think about when we went to the Redwoods and saw those GIANT trees, and the phrase 'spiritual giant' started to make a lot of sense to me. I love how in this gospel there is always so much room to grow and grow, there isn't an end to it. But on the other end of thing we can start to shrivel a little bit. If we aren't watering and nourishing ourselves we are going to fall into personal apostasy and eventually die. I love the phrase by Pres. Monson, 'Doubt your doubt before you doubt your faith.'  If we have the good seed in our heart, hold onto it tight and keep nourishing it. Trust in God and become a giant Redwood Tree. 

        Yesterday we visited a less active who has been struggling a lot. She is going through a divorce and has some pretty bad emotional sickness. We shared the scripture in Alma 7: 11-13... I think.... But it's about the atonement and how Christ has felt exactly what we feel and knows exactly what we are going through. We asked her what she thought and she shared how grateful she is for the Love that Christ has for us. She explained how she has a testimony that Love is pain. When we really love someone we feel sad or pain when they are sad, we feel pain when they hurt us... and we feel this way because of the great love that we have for them. This scripture talks about how Christ suffered 'afflictions of everykind.' Can you imagine the love he has for us! It's a love we cannot even comprehend! The pain he suffered for us is the perfect example of love for us and also for our Father in Heaven. Sometimes this gospel is hard or painful to do, but we need to follow the example of our Savior and do it because of our Love of our Heavenly Father.

       To answer if I am taking care of myself. . . . Yesssssssssss mother. I'm just Healthy and fatty like Wilber from Charlotte's Web. The only reason I mentioned that the food runs out by Monday, is I need to be a better planner!  I know this is the work of the Lord and I love being a missionary. It is the funniest and most spiritual work in the world!

 Looove you allll!

Herma sorensen

Feliz Año Nuevoooooo!!! WOOT WOOT WOOT!

Raise your hand if your mind is blown that 2014 is over? Cuz’ basically I feel like it didn't even happen. But here we are and I am so excited to see what God has in store for me!

Coolest. Story. Ever.  So last Thursday my companion and I left our last visit of the day a little bit late and we were SOOO tired. We get almost back to our house when I realized that I had lost my agenda. Ok, that thing is like the Bible, people.  It has all the numbers, visits, notes, dates, EVERYTHING in it!

We have no choice, we have to retrace our steps to find it. I felt so bad, but my companion is so sweet and wasn't even annoyed with ditsy Hna Sorensen. She understands me. Well, we get all the way back to the house, look inside. Nothing.  gahhhh. I was bugged. So we said a prayer and went back along our way, trusting the Lord will help us find it. Well, we get back to the same spot and still didn't find it. BOooo. So we don't know what we are going to do so decide to just go home. Almost get to our house and this big scary 25 year old man starts to walk towards us. We live by a lot of bars, so usually when this happens in the night, we are scared. So I get all defensive and then he asks us if we had lost a booklet cuz’ he found one. He has my planner!!! It was so cool. Such a miracle. Here are a few things we can learn from this.

1. God has his own timing. Don't let your faith run out. He will provide.

2. Don't judge a book by its cover.

3. Power of prayer. If it's important to you, it's important to God.

Working with the menos-activos is going alright. We are having some family home evenings with them this week and trying to get other members to visit and love them.

Our district meeting was really cool this week because we had a really powerful lesson about the power of fasting. We did one last week and I'm already starting to see the miracles that can come when we truly fast with a  broken heart, pleading with the Lord for help. Fasting=STRENGTH for the soul!

Have I ever told you the oranges are green here? BUttttt they are still called oranges? Why is that?... Also the mosquitos are returning. BOO. We ran every day this week. We have been eating with all the other misisonaries in a member’s house. It's just classic Guatemalan food: tortillas, beans, spaghetti, cream, LOTS OF CHICKEN, uhhhhhh, caldo, rice... etc...

I’ve been thinking of chopping off all my hair short, since it is so dry and ‘weird’ here. Haven’t done it yet. So I've been trying to wash it with shampoo with chili in it. According to all the Latinos that works for dry hair.... it seems to be... I don't know . . . healthy, I still can't decide. Everyone here says NO YOU CANT CUT IT: They have never seen a blondie with curly hair before... the struggle is real. I’ll keep you posted.

10.  Favorite scripture of the week:  So the first part of 4 Nephi is probably one of my favorite parts of the Book of Mormon,  I decided. The last half is very sad. But the first is just so beautiful! Because everyone is so righteous and obedient and there is no contention in the land. Can you imagine living like that for hundreds of years!? It gives me chills to think about. 

Well I hope you all have a happy little week and enjoy keeping your new year’s goals! Remember the love that God has for you!

Loveeeee

Heremana Lex

HAPPY NEW YEARRRRRR!

Well family, although our call was a bit chafa, I was still a very happy lady here in the land of Poptun to talk to all of you! It was the best Christmas gift I could receive!  I hope all of you as well enjoyed your holiday and drank lots of hot chocolate.

After we chatted Hna Guerrero and I went to work and went out to the boonies again with this fun little family. They fed us Ponche and we read a bit from the Book of Mormon with them. We also found one of their neighbors to teach who has a lot of faith her name is Lezbia. SO it was a very happy Christmas!

 Also we went to teach this other family yesterday and a pastor showed up. That is always fun because all they want to do is cause contention and talk about Joseph Smith. Also he got into the fact that America is a bad Country because it is hard to go there and it just felt bad for the poor guy.

We also taught our fecha , Aracely. Hna Guerrero and I have been so excited for her because she had a change of heart and has been changing her life so much! We had so many spiritual lessons with her this week! Her fecha for baptism was on Saturday... weeelllll she didn't come to church yesterday. Dumb ole Satan....So we will see what happens with that lady. We were very sad.

On Saturday we had ward Christmas Dinner and it was DELICIOUS. Also.. the ward choir can not sing but shhhhh...  In about 2 weeks we are organizing a ward talent show...we will be doing the cotton eyed joe WOOT WOOT:

Our Zone Leaders are PILAS (aka reaallll cool.) Their names are E. Orosco (who was my las DL) and E. Cabrerra. They are really spiritual and motivate us to be better. My DL is E. Lopez. Just go talk to Jacob Hola and you about got an idea of who he is. LATINO TWIN. The other sisters I adore in my district.

So one tender mercy this week was Hna. Guerrero and I were praying to be able to find a member to go on visits with us for  the day because we were way behind on our goals for the week for lessons with a member. Well, we were calling, and begging, and feeling bad because it was Christmas Eve in the after noon. Well, we go walking to lunch and one of the Hermanas in the ward stops us on her motorcycle and apologizes becaise her phone is broken but asks us if she can help us. BOOOM MIRACLE. It was just such a litttle tender mercy of the power of prayer and faith.

This week I was studying about how the Book of Mormon and BIble testify of each other and read in Isaiah 29 and 2 Nephi. It is just so cool that these books really work hand in hand! I don't understand how people can believe in the bible, read the Book of Mormon and not know it is true! This gospel just makes sense to me.

Also DyC 12.8 is a real winner. "And no one can assist in this work except he shall be humble and full of love, having faith, hope, and charity, being temperate in all things, whatsoever shall be entrusted to his care."

Well, I know the church is true and I love Christmas! Everyone make a good goal to be a little bit stronger in the gospel this year.

LOVE YOU!

Hna. Sorensen

More fun in Poptun!

Ho ho ho!

 I hope you all had a lovely week before Christmas and you are all preparing for spectacular Navidad this year! Hna. Guerrero and I had quite the interesting week here in Poptun. But we are loving our time and we are only a little excited to talk to you lovely people (not baggy, (homesick) just excited.)  I opened every single thing you sent me on the day I got it.  (Sorry, mom, I didn't do the little daily plan you had!)  I just decided to open it all, get over the homesickness all at once,and then focus the whole month on the work and on our Savior. So my companion and I just opened it all up right there in early December!  And, you know what?  I didn't get homesick opening it!  I just felt happy and so grateful and amazed at my blessings.  It has been fun sharing the chocolate etc. with other missionaries and other things. Re-gifting is a beautiful thing!

Tender Mercy of the week? Well, this week we had Zone Conference in San Benito. I could name a few tender mercies. Number one: We had to wake up at 5 in the morning to get there. I just wanted to sit on the bus and sleep... welllll they put all of Poptun on this bus and we had 4 fat ladies sitting on a 2 seater bench. I was kinda just kneeling on the floor with part of me on the corner. But Heavenly Father loves me and had some people get off the bus before San Benito so I could have a seat of my very OWN! 

Tender Mercy number 2, Let me just describe something to you, when you go to Zone Conferencel they always tell you 3 months before, "Study a doctrinal subject because they are going to pick someone in the EXACT moment who is going to talk so BE PREPARED!" Well, I have had 3 zone conferences and usually they have called the people before and let them know ahead of time. But I studied anyways because that's just what you do. But basically it's just like the Hunger Games. President stands up and announces who is going to talk, Everyone is just dead quiet and thinking, "Please no, Please no." Well,  that man just stands right up takes a gander at all of us 100 missionaries and says, "We will now here a 10 minute talk from Hna. Sorensen." Then everyone just looks at me with big sad eyeballs like 'Pobrecita.... Good luck.' And I'm just in awe and trying to gather all of my bajillion things to take up to talk to all of these missionaries saying a little prayer in my heart. Well, my tender mercy is, Ususally, I'm always super nervous when I talk in front of people, but I didn't feel super nervous. I just kinda gave my talk about prayer and tried to relax. It wasn't as bad as I thought. The only part I was nervous for was when everyone had 10 minutes to ask me questions after... that's not fun. 

Tender Mercy numero 3, People... we watched FROZEN! No big deal I was just the happiest person on the planet!

My favorite investigators right now is this family we found who live clear out in the boonies. Their first language is Queqchi so we have to take it real slow with them. But they are so nice and humble and get so excited whenever we come to visit them! We invited them to church and they were like in awe that we would be so kind to do that!... Well... They didn't come, but like I said we are taking it slow. I love them! Also, fun fact! The grandma is 137 years old!!!! Well... they say she is... but she looks exactly like the witch in Brave so... I kinda believe it...

 This week I learned how to hand wash clothes... that made my back very tired... it's work people. But,  THAT was a fun little cultural moment for me. Everything is dirty.. you just love the dirt and become one with it.. like a caveman...

Mom keeps asking me why I mentioned I get so cold.  I am healthy mother. I'm only cold in the night in my bed... but thank you grandma and grandpa! I bought myself a blanket for Christmas and now I'm super toasty. No, Peten is one of the hottest places in Guatemala right now. It is just humid and I am pyscho. Don't you worry your pretty little mind.

ANNYYYY whooo... I hope you are all enjoying your Christmas cuz I sure am! My eyes are really being opened to how lucky we are. Not only for things temporal, but spiritual also. When I first got here I thought that lots of people wouldn't have stuff for Christmas like gifts or trees and those material things, Well, that is very true, And it makes me sad! But what makes me evern more sad is how 90 percent of the people here really don't understand what Christmas is, and why we celebrate it. Or they just don't choose to focus on that. They don't know who their Savior is and many really aren't interested to know. How lucky are we to know that someone died for us!? I am so grateful for this time to remember an love my Savior!

Have a Merry Christmas and I will talk to you on jueves!

Les Amo!!
Hna. Sorensen

Sorensen

Feliz Navidad!

Murryyyy CHristmas Everybody!

I am so happy that it is officially la Navidad! This is the best time to be preaching the gospel. Right now, more than ever, people are searching for their Savior. I know what we will be seeing a lot of miracles this holiday season. So yesterday we had changes (transfers). I am a jolly little human and am happy to announce we did not have changes. I will be staying here in Poptun with my lovely little Mexican companion to preach the holy word. We were both very happy and did a little dance in our kitchen to some Christmas hymns last night when we found out. So yes... It was a swell week.

Usually we teach about 20 lessons a week.. mas o menos... (more or less). I think that we had 18 this week. We had a few days where Satan was working on the people and our lessons fell through. I am working with some less-active members. Apparently the branch has a whole lot of less actives but we do not know of all of these people because we have failed to get the ward directory. So we are working with about 7 right now. They are all so different and are not assisting (helping us) for so many different reasons. Usually the less actives are a little bit more mean to us than the complete strangers. They know why we are there and what they need to be doing, so I think they feel a little bit uncomfortable when we knock on the door. But we do have lunch with a less active everyday... she fed us chicken feet.....

Tender mercy of the week? Elizabeth Olsen's package to me of peppermint tea and my fam bam's package of candy canes which are now on our ghetto Christmas tree!

We saw lots of miracles this week! I don't remember if I mentioned last week about this family that just showed up to one of our activites. Well, they live clear out in the boonies in the jungle. We went to go find them and we were just about to get lost. I say 'just about' cuz right when I was wondering where we were, this little boy comes walking towards us ' HOllaaa Hermanassss!' And I just thought, “Who is this child and where are his parents?” But it was the son of the family! So he just showed us exactly where they lived! We probably never would have found it with out him! Then our lesson was perfect! We invited them to be baptized and they said they would pray about it but feel like it is something good to do. AHHH more information to come.

Okay, the Christmas package was perfect. I am spoiled. I opened everything at once. I can't explain how grateful I am! It was ADORABLE!  I don't need anything. Just your love and prayers! I will talk to you all on Christmas. Which by the way... no we have no information on  that little phone call.  I know we can only talk for 40 minutes. ...and you guys will probably call me like we did on Mothers Day cuz those little Polo chic elders are clear out in the boonies and that is how it is so the whole mission is equal. So... there is that.

Health-wise, my face is WAY better. I am also way less stressed out. I adore my companion and we get along really well so there is no stress with that. I'm also speaking the language better. I think I m the least stressed out I've ever been in my mission. I'm just enjoying my life singing songs and eating all of the blessed chocolate you sent me. (insert smiley here). You ask me if I'm taking care of myself physically? Yessss... Well.... We are making goals tonight to be healthier this change and run EVERY MORNING: hahahhahha... yeah... we will see how that goes. I should probably drink more water...

Also I would like to give a happy birthday shout out to My most beautiful Grandma in the world Grammy Geri and Also my somewhat decent of a human and brother-in-law revin Devin. Have a jolly day! Also Happy anniversary Mother and Father. Your marriage is a good thing because since you were both married, I was brought into the world. And I am a cool person (please do not include last sentence in blog. People read it and do not understand how hilarious and sarcastic I am. ) LOVVVE YOU ALLLLL!

Hna. Sorensen

(Mom is now deciding to leave that last line in the blog because Lexi is hilarious and sarcastic, and I think people probably know her sense of humor!)

Poptuuuunnnn!

So, first of all I would just like to say I am dying of cold.  Don't worry it's only like 70 degrees here, and I am FREEZING! So when I come home if you could have a blanket ready for me,  that would be dandy. I have no clue what is happening to my body. I'm from Utah for goodness sakes!

This week it rained. LOTS AND LOTS... I love the rain. This equals happy Hna. Sorensen... and a very wet Hna. Sorensen.

So, you asked for an update on our work, specifically on Mishel and if we convinced her that salvation doesn’t come cheap?.  Mishel.... oh Mishel... well,  I just am not quite sure she will be finding her salvation with me and Hna. Guerrero. But we prayed a lot about it and went to her house to teach her one last time to see.  Wanna know what happened?  Her little brother, who is 15, came out and started to listen! And we think he could have potential. So we are leaving Mishel and starting with Epo. God just has a perfect plan and knows why we are in certain places and for what.

Miracles of the week?  So this week we had a ward activity called the Barra de Hierro. On Thursday I was trying to send a text out to a whole bunch of the members to remind them.  Well, I still don't know all the members, so I basically just tried to guess from the names in our phone.  I ended up (cough cough the spirit told me to) sending a message to this family that the Hermanas had taught one year ago. They ended up coming to the activity. Well they also ended up coming to church on Sunday and want to start with the lessons again! I don't know why they weren't baptized before but I also know that that wasn't a accident. I am so excited to get to know them!

Christmas cultural experience and how are the Guatemalan people getting ready? Lots of tacky lights and baby Christmas trees. It is adorable and hilarious. Byt it is so cute, everyone just makes their own little Christmas decorations and people are starting to sing lots of Christmas songs. WOOT WOOT! This week we went to one of our investigators stores (she owns like a 'sugar and spice' store) and helped her decorate a Christmas tree. I am very excited! Oh, and everyone makes tamales... always.

Favorite laughing moment of the week? Oh dear... SO just put this picture in your head. It is Tuesday night and we have correlation. We can't be late so we hurry and finish our lesson. Meanwhile a hurricane decides to blow on into town. If you think I am exaggerating you are wrong; the palm trees were swaying. But we can't be late for correlation. So me and Hna Guerrero just say a little prayer and head on out into the night. Well, the house we were at has a little canal in front with a little pathway, We forgot about this and couldn't see so we go a stumbling into the canal.  KAPOW! Soaking wet. I was dying laughing trying to get Hna. Guerrero to stand up and run and she was just sitting in the canal laughing trying to find her shoe because it fell off. It was really funny. Then we ran to the church and made a puddle during correlation.

Weellll the church is true and life is good.  Peten is pretty and I lived through a hurricane. Everyone share the gospel with a pal this week. We are pretty lucky to have it!

Hna Soresnen

ps, These ghetto computer labs don’t allow me to upload pictures so you will never witness the coolness I am experiencing. LO siento