"Missionary work....the hardest thing I've ever loved to do"

Dear family and friends,

 

    As the people in Australia would say, "How ya goin mate?" I hope all is well in the great land of the United States of America. Wow just being here I'm more and more grateful to live in America. I mean don't get me wrong, Australia is a great place but they are really behind in the times. We are so blessed for all that we have.

  

      This week has been a great week. I don't remember if I talked about our new investigator named Michelle. The work is slowly picking back up and I'm so excited for those things that are coming. Michelle is our newest investigator and she is progressing so well. She is a single mother of 3 kids and she is the sweetest lady. She already acts like a mormon mother. She is a very smart woman and so willing to learn more about the gospel. She unfortunately works a lot though so we aren't able to see her much, just once a week. But it is a work in progress and she also works on Sundays so she hasn't been able to come to church...yet that is. We are really going to strive to get her to come because we know that once she does she will have a stronger desire to learn more and get closer and closer towards baptism.

 

    This week in our Zone Meeting the Zone Leaders asked me to give a portion of the training. They also asked a few other missionaries. It was a great opportunity and I learned so much from the preparation of it. I wouldn't say I did as well as I wanted to but the spirit was present and very strong and that is all that matters. The Holy Ghost is the true teacher anyways, he is the only one that can carry the message into the hearts of men (2 Nephi 33:1-2).

 

   This week I read a talk given by Elder Bednar several years ago and it truly changed my perspective of the Tree of Life story. In his talk he focuses on the difference between clinging to the iron rod and continually holding fast to the iron rod. If you read in 1 Nephi 8 you realize that there are three groups. The first group doesn't hold or even use the iron rod as a guide and they strive to just stay on the path and they lose their way once they hit the mist of darkness. The second group clings to the iron rod but once the people at the great and spacious building see them partake of the fruit they feel ashamed and fall away. But the third group continually holds fast to the iron rod. They have hard times but they continually strive to hold fast and seek the word of God. That really strengthened my testimony of the importance of continually striving to keep the commandments and do the small and simple things each and every day. The things of the world can be so tempting at times but as we remind ourselves each day and read our scriptures and say our prayers. That is when we are more fully able to resist the temptations of the world and become more like our Savior, Jesus Christ. I encourage all of you to read 1 Nephi 8 this week. It has been a great strength to me and has really helped me this week.

   I've also been thinking a lot about conversion this week. I have reflected a lot about all of the many spiritual experiences that I have had throughout my life. It is amazing how much those experiences have been a source of strength for me while I've been serving my mission. Many times I have thought about experiences that have come to mind in a lesson and they have been a source of strength for all those that we are teaching. I'm so very blessed for the many things I have learned and continue to learn in my life. I think back to the story of the Ten Virgins and how 5 of them were prepared with oil in their lamps and 5 of them were not prepared. But they couldn't share their oil with others because if you apply it to our life today, that oil in their lamp came drop by drop through experiences that they had in their life.  It was their oil of conversion compiled by experiences that strengthened their testimony of the truthfulness of this restored gospel. We can't give away our experiences, they have to have their own experiences that help them to truly know for themselves of the truthfulness of the gospel. I would like all of you to reflect upon all those experiences in your life that have made you the person you are today. How have those experiences blessed your life and how have you obtained your personal testimony of this gospel?

 

  Sorry this is so long but I have learned so much this week and I wanted to share it with all of you. I would encourage all of you to read the talk entitled, "The Fourth Missionary" by President Lawrence E. Corbridge (June 22, 2002). It is an incredible talk that has really helped me and given me much strength. Let me know what you think about it.

 

I love you all and thanks for all your love and support. Have a wonderful week!

 

  Love,

       Sister Heidi Sorensen

Teresa is a polish lady that we are helping. She is a recent convert and she is the sweetest lady. She calls us her grand-kids. We walked with her to the shopping center last week because she was afraid to go by herself.

 Stake Sports day. We had so much fun!

 Sister Saipele is the best. Her and her family are moving soon unfortunately. So no more sunday dinner with the Saipele's. I guess we will have to find another family to go to on sundays. We are going to miss them so much!

Lunch with the wonderful sisters in my zone