July 9th 2012

Kia ora whanau!

     This week was a more difficult week to keep up with what we've been achieving mostly because we didn't have our bikes.  On Tuesday the zone leaders took Elder Fulthorp's bike in to get it fixed.  Hopefully we'll get it back today.  Other than that we have a marriage on Tuesday, a baptism coming up this weekend, and another baptism the next week.  
     Walking this week slowed things down a lot.  It took up way too much time.  We would go from one appointment to another just to find out they're not home.  We tried to see all the people we knew in between places, but the most we'd get is a return appointment.  
     We were able to see some good progress from our investigators though.  Aukuso finally opened up to us and told us that his concern is that he wants his family (Mum) to support him.  He said he's 18 and can make his own decision, but he still wants to respect his Mum.  We've committed him to have a real good sit down talk with her about what he's doing and how he wants her blessing when he gets baptized.  It shouldn't be a big problem or something that will hold him back, but we're definitely going to do all we can to help him make the right decision to get baptized as soon as possible.  
     On Sunday evening at our last visit we had a new set.  It was Emma that we found about 2 weeks ago.  When we met her she was pregnant and due any day.  And she did.  So after a couple of week she finally back from the hospital and ready to have us come visit.  So we went and had a good talk with her less active partner Jeff and found out that he is ready to get married whenever.  He's following what we asked him to do and gave up drinking, and its now been two days since his last cigarette.  After a little while Emma came in and we asked her how she felt about things, and she said she's ready any time.  So after some talk we set them for marriage and Emma for baptism both on the 21st of July.  They both said yes, and they committed to pray as a couple about it too.  
     I'm excited to see so many people finally making the decision to live the commandments and receive the blessings.  We also saw a recent convert from last year (Elder Killingbeck) go to the temple and get sealed as a family.  Time is sure flying by fast.  Weeks do feel like days, and the days sometimes like weeks.  The nights go by in about 5 minutes and another day starts.  I'm truly blessed to be in a part of the world where the work is moving so fast.  Most areas I hear about a new ward, or a chapel extension, or the stake is going to split.  The people are so good and treat missionaries very well, always making sure we're never hungry, that we have enough blankets, and letting us pretty much be part of their families.  I love the gospel!  Its true, and without it there's no promises.  

Arohanui! 

Sincerely,

Elder Sorensen

July 2nd

Kia ora whanau!

 

     This week had so many things happening. To start off we got a new investigator from a family home evening, then we heard that one of our recent converts ran away from home, then on Friday Deja calls us up and says "can I get baptized tomorrow?", Saturday morning we also hear that one of the memers of rowandale ward passed away as part of a home invasion or something. With all of that we had great success this week.
      After the family home evening we were talking with someone who we thought was a part of the familiy and he said his name was Aukuso, and that he was investigating the church. We asked him if had missionaries coming by, and he said no, and that he's just been coming to church and loves it. He said that at his church he doesn't have a relationship with God, but since he's been coming here he's felt better than he's ever been. So we set him for the 14th of July. He just has to ask his mum. He said that she's already happy that he's going to church anyways, so we're praying and expecting a good answer from him.
      Friday morning just as we were ending weekly planning Deja rang us up and asked if she could get baptized the next day. We said we'd work it out, and everything went through well.
So now we'll be working with Aukuso, Michael, Laeton and Tyrese for this month. So with Deja, that will make 5 for this month. It feels great seeing so many people working towards and being baptized.

 

Deja w/ Dream (nearly 2)

Elder Fulthorp, and yours truly

Arohanui! 

Sincerely,

Elder Sorensen

Travel Itinerary

Arriving at Salt Lake City Airport, Tuesday, September 4th, 2012, 7:41pm

Interesting Fact: Because the time zone change, Elder Sorensen will arrive in SLC 26 minutes later than he departed NZ.

Mon, June 25th 2012

Kia ora!

 

     This week was great.  We had a baptism.  It was a lot of work, but it went through!  We also have a solid new set, and a solid new investigator we're hoping to set tomorrow. 
     Katie was a bit of a struggle to see if she was ready for baptism.  Mostly because she's so shy.  We just kept trying and trying to connect with her and help her to open up, and little by little she did.  I think a big reason was because of her nan.  She really wanted to be a part of every lesson and always know what was going on, and she also couldn't hear very well.  It was a bit of a hinderance, because Katie wouldn't open up when she was around, but I can understand why she wanted to be around.  Well we considered if she was prepared to be baptized this week or if she needed more preparation, but we felt that she was ready this week.  And it all came together well.  We're definitely going to be working with her a lot still, but we're really happy she did get baptized. 
     We also set Deja Masters for marraige and baptism for the 14th July.  Before she was planning on getting married in September.  But we talked about the law of chastity, and that it was important to live it as soon as she can.  She considered how ready she actually was, and we suggested the 14th, and she accepted.  We're pretty blessed because her partner is a less-active elder coming back, and he's been ready for marraige for a while now.  He's also trying to sort himself out so he can baptize Deja.  That would be a huge blessing.
     On Wed. we took a member out to a lesson which fell though.  She took us to her house and we thought to make it a friend share.  When we asked if we could share a message with the family she got her brother and his non member partner, who has been investigating for like 2 years on and off.  We got talking and found out that she loves coming to church, she's ready to be married, and she's pregnant and due any day.  Our next lesson will be talking about their family and how this will bless them and hopefully showing how sooner will be better than later.

 

-A few members from my last area found out where I stay and came and wished me a happy birthday

Arohanui! 

Sincerely,

Elder Sorensen

June 18th

Kia ora koutou kotoa!

 

     So transfers was on thursday, and the result was I shifted, and Elder Lee stayed.  My new companion is Elder Fulthorp from the outskirts of Sydney Australia.  I'll get a picture of us some time, but as you probably know, time is really short during the day. 

     This area is a bit of a change, so I'm still trying to get used to it.  I love that we have 4 set right now, so we've reached the standard.  We just need to keep it and set more.  I've met most of our investigators and they seem pretty good.  And we also shared our training yesterday at church.  It was smooth and spiritual, which is what we were going for.
     The people in this area seem a lot more polar.  Either really keen, or pretty rude.  I'm happy its still the same work though.  One awesome experience was my first night here.  We had a second lesson with an investigator named Bohinya.  We were talking on her doorstep, and I was trying to get to know her.  Elder Fulthorp had told me a little bit about her niece passing away recently, and so when she said that to me I asked her a little bit about it, introduced the plan of salvation, and she said she had a lot of questions that nobody has answered for her in the past.  I promised her answers as she listened to what we shared about it.  She was honest, she had lots of questions, but at the end of the lesson, she told us that we answered a lot of questions that nobody else would.  So we invited her to be baptized, and she accepted!  She's really happy about it too!  She's preparing for the 7th July.
     Then on Sunday we had the combined Relief Society/Priesthood lesson.  I wished I had more time to learn how to work with Elder Fulthorp better, but we did pretty well.  My favorite part was the role play.  We invited Sister Solomon to come role play with us and she did a perfect job.  She even committed to inviting her sister (non member) this week to a family home evening.  It was the role play, but she's really going to do it.  Bishop Turner closed with his testimony and shared how he was going to invite his nieces to hear the gospel.  It turned out really well.
     Funny Story.  Pulling out of our flat Saturday after dinner (sunset) and we went not even 5 meters, and a policeman pulls up and tells us to come over.  He inspects my bike (only a headlight)  and tells me I need to have a headlight/tail light and reflectors.  I thought I was going to have to go buy them, but he goes to the car and gives me a pair of lights (probably around $60) tells me to put it on, and then leaves.  Kinda scary, but I'm happy to have them and use them.

     Ps.  If anyone wants to see where I stay I'm in Manurewa, Rowandale ward, and I stay on Browns road right next to the netball courts.  And yes, I'm still on bikes.

Otara District + mission vision

Pange, E. Lee, me

Pekepo Family (Tepaeru, Arona, Maara, E.Lee, Me, Alisha, Cheyenne)

 

Arohanui! 

Sincerely,

Elder Sorensen

Pps (I got the package, thanks family!!)

June 11th + Transfers

Kia ora!

     Before I forget, transfers are this week.  So I'll let you know what happens next week.  Its pretty fun being the district leader who gets the calls about who's going where.  I think I'll probably get shifted for my last 2 transfers.  I'm thinking maybe down to Gisborne, or Manurewa/Papakura.  Not too much happening this week sadly.  We were supposed to have a baptism, but because Siaosi didn't come to church he doesn't qualify till the 23rd.  

     This week was pretty good.  We started off really good, but things started falling through towards the end of the week.  I feel we're doing a lot better eliminating missionary error, but I know we still have work we can do.  We made progress with pretty much all of our investigators, and got a really keen new investigator.  

     I'd say a few of our biggest concerns are getting our members involved in the teaching process, and our investigators dropping lessons.  We're using a new idea for getting members to lessons.  We made a calendar and had the members sign up on a day they would open their homes for us to bring and teach investigators at their house.  So we're going to see how this goes.  

     We had a keen new investigator this week named Siaosi.  He referred himself through the office wanting to know how to "become Mormon."  He's been to church twice already and has started to quit smoking and drinking.  So we taught him, gave him a plan and set him for baptism on the 16th.  But for some reason he didn't come to church, and so we're going to have to reset him for the 23rd.  

     So thats our plan for this week, getting our investigators to members homes, and having them invite them to 

church and other things.

Eat, drink, and [be merry, for tomorrow we die]

A member brought us roast duck for dinner...not my favourite.

Arohanui! 

Sincerely,

Elder Sorensen

June 4th

Kia ora katoa,

     Not too much happening this week.  so it was a bit disappointing in the end.  I do feel really good about how many member present lesson we had.  Especailly because of the progress it brought to our investigators.  And we hope to carry that through this next week and now on.  Sadly Ana didn't give us the answer we expected, but thanks to brother Traill she was willing to keep learning until she musters up the courage to commit.  

     We did have a great week set up with heaps of appointments with potential investigators.  But for various reasons.  A few of them did remember and gave us a note to apologize which I think shows their commitment level, so we're definitely going to try back this week.

     We also started teaching a new investigator from last week that stays in another area, but his fellowship, and how we found him, is through his family in our ward.  We invited him to be baptized, and he agreed, but because he didn't come to church so he's not set any more.  But he's still keen to prepare.  As soon as he's a solid investigator, we're going to refer him over to Johnstone so that they can resolve his family concern.  

     Other good news is that Fa'apoi finally got confirmed on Sunday after 3 weeks.  Such a relief.  That will also help us achieve our goal of baptizing weekly this month.

looks like a hurricane on a sunny day

Arohanui! 

Sincerely,

Elder Sorensen