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

May 28th

Kia ora Whanau!! 

     This last week was pretty good weather-wise.  Only a couple of really cold mornings.  On Wednesday Elder Lee and I could see our breath in the flat.  Too bad NZ doesn't have central heating.  Stayed pretty dry this week for the most part too.  

     This past week was a really good week.  Full of faith and success to follow.  We had a commitment from the zone leaders to pray with faith before and after every lesson, even if it fell through.  Because we did that we had a miracle this week.  We also got some good news from an investigator named Ana.  And a second miracle is that the zone leaders had some spare parts, so I was able to fix my bike to preserve my safety.  

     On Wednesday  we had a miracle.  We were working on one of the lists we got from the clerk.  We were trying to find men who have not served missions.  We went by a house, and no one answered the door.  We were about to leave when we heard something from the garage, so we decided to knock.  He said he'd come to the door.  Found he's a members brother staying with them because he'd just lost his job in Wellington.  To cut a long story short, we found out that he was baptized in 1975, but his family wouldn't let him get confirmed.  So we set him for that weekend.  Sadly something came up where he had to go take care of a sick brother for the weekend, and we couldn't find a way to  have him come to be baptized, but he's still just as keen.  So we'll reset him for this weekend.

     We also had some good news from our investigator named Ana.  We asked inspired questions in a conversational way, and found out that her real concern isn't that she hasn't got an answer, but that she was scared to change religions.  So we committed her to pray and ask for the confidence to follow what the Lord wanted for her (or something to that effect).  And we stopped by Thursday to follow up, but she said she'll tell us what happened on Monday (today).  So we feel good that she got her answer and that we'll set her for baptism tonight.  

      A couple of funny stories.  One day we had a random german shepherd follow us around for like 2 hours.  Also fixed my bike so I have front brakes again.

Arohanui! 

Sincerely,

Elder Sorensen

Tamaki, Manurewa/Papakura, Panmure/Waterview Zone Conference Photo

Dear Elders and Sisters,

What a blessing it has been to attend Zone Conference with you and a General Authority.  Elder and Sister Hamula taught many great and important truths that, if acted upon, will bless each and every one of us and the great NZAM.  Among the many great insights was his illustration on the four aspects of Faith.  As we learn and understand the (1) Doctrine---really study and ponder the eternal truths of the great Plan of Salvation, our (2) Hope in the Saviour increases.  As our Hope develops we are more prone to (3) Act on those things that will strengthen and develop our(4) Personal Witness of the very Doctrine we are seeking to understand.  As we continue on this Faith cycle—our Hope changes to Confidence, then to Assurance and over time—line upon line----we no longer Hope but are Certain in that thing we were initially seeking answers to.

This Faith cycle is a ‘Pearl of Great Price’ and if understood will guide you throughout your mission and beyond.  There will be no desire to be disobedient, there will be no home sickness or lack of urgency for the work.  On the contrary, your eye will be single to the glory of God and His great work to bring to pass the Immortality and Eternal Life of Man.  Our prayer is that each of you will “ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, if these things are true”…but remember… “ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ”….

We were also taught from a wonderful role play that we are the Physicians (doctors) and our role is to find the concern of the soul and prescribe the right Medicine (doctrine).  To prescribe the right medicine, we need to know what is available.  In other words—we have a responsibility as servants of the Lord to know the will and mind of the Lord.  We find this out by daily study.  We cannot afford to sleep in, miss our personal and companionship study if those who are ‘sick’ are relying on us to deliver the ‘medicine’ to heal their souls.  Elders and Sisters, we invite each of you to study from PMG and the scriptures daily and then ACT (that means being up every morning at 6:30am, and being ready-dressed in your proselyting clothes—for your study commencing 8:00am).  Ask questions of your companion, role play together and if you have not been using time wisely—then repent and move forward—and commence studying the Gospel like you have never studied before—Will you do it?

We were also reminded about self motivation—How we can be the best missionary we can every day of the mission.  Elder Hamula used Hebrews chpt 11 and chpt 12: 1-3.  He then reminded us in all that we do—keep our eye fixed on Jesus Christ.  If we do that we will never lose our motivation.

We want to close this email by referring to Numbers 13:17-21 and 25-33, then Chpt 14:1-9,22-24.  You will remember Elder Hamula sharing this experience with us.  In verse 33 we read… “and there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight”. 

In other words—if we think we are grasshoppers then those we associate with will think we are grasshoppers—and eat us up!!.  How does that apply to us Elders and Sisters?  If we think we cannot achieve 167 souls saved each month---then we won’t.  If we think our investigators won’t commit to baptism or come to Church, then they won’t.  We need to BELIEVE!!!!------do you Believe Elders and Sisters…???  We can do this, we have the Lord on our side.

With all this in mind we reminder each of you how we can take this the great NZAM to the next level..It will be by doing the following:

1.      Focus on Finding in all that you do..Find more people to teach---use the members, Ward Clerks (MLS reports like:  prospective Elders, 9 year old or older unbaptised, part-member families);

2.      Commit more often and earlier.  In other words----Act, then allow the Spirit to do the rest.  The invitation is to commit our investigators to baptism in the 1^st lesson and if not the first at least by the second.

---Remember what you all said to Elder Hamula?   It Shall Be Done!

Elders and Sisters, we know that as you commit to the two invitations above, the Lord will bless you with power and in a real way be even like Nephi of old who was made “mighty in word and in deed, in faith and in works” (see Helaman 10:5).  We love you and want you to know how proud we are of all that you are doing.  Keep up the great work, love each other, serve each other.  Love the members and help ‘establish’ the great cause of Zion here in the land of New Zealand.  May the Lord bless you all and keep you safe, happy, obedient and busy doing His work, is our prayer.

Love

President and Sister Lekias