Testify of the truths that you DO know

Dear family and friends,

    It has been another incredible week this week. I've loved it and I've learned so much. That is my favorite part, I'm constantly learning and growing each and every day. This week I have seen the hand of the Lord continually leading us and guiding us in this work. Here are a few of the tender mercies that happened this week...

•     On Monday we were sitting in the mall eating lunch when this Vietnamese woman came and sat by us. She constantly was looking at our badge so of course we turned to her and started to talk to her and get to know her. She shared an incredible story with us...she said that about 20 years ago she lived in the Philippines as a younger girl and she said that she was in a concentration camp? We weren't quite sure what the conditions were with that camp. She mentioned that missionaries just like us would come and teach them English and would teach them of Jesus Christ. Melody was her name and she said that she grew to love those missionaries and they really helped her. Well she lost contact and it wasn't until she saw us that day that all those memories came flooding back to her mind. She then invited us to come to her house sometime. She unfortunately isn't in our area but we passed it to the sisters in that area. It was a big testimony builder of the power of ever planting seeds and no effort is ever wasted. It may even take 20 plus years to prepare someone to receive the restored gospel.
• On Wednesday I had the wonderful privilege of going back to my first area, GREEN VALLEY! I have been looking forward to this for the longest time and it was such a great experience. That day the relief society just so happened to put together a lunch and it was great to be able to go and see all the relief society women there. It was so great to catch up with them. I was also able to catch up with Anikka, my recent convert. She's been struggling lately and so we went and picked her up and took her with us for the day and we taught her along the way. I think she really needed that boost. It was perfect timing. The sister there have been struggling to find new investigators so we parked the car and just walked the whole day. It was so great! We didn't let a single person pass us by without talking to them, it was great. We were able to find 2 new investigators and find a heap of new potentials for the green Valley area. It was amazing!
• On Friday we had a lot of appointments to start the day off, but they all cancelled on us. Every single one of us. But we went forward anyway and just prayed constantly to know where we needed to go next. There was one tender mercy after another. One great experience that we had was this our two older ladies that we visit at the nursing home. We went to visit Dawn and Faye that day. And that particular day they were dying to have a Hamburger. They haven't had one in the longest time so we ran and bought them a hamburger. You should have seen their faces. They were so excited to have one and they ate it so fast. It made our day to see them and to do a little service for them to brighten up their day.
• Just this past week the Tongan sister passed us a referral for a less-active that they met on the street. No one knew about this woman named Sister Allen. We were able to visit with her and she has mentioned that she hasn't been to church in many many years but she wants to come back now. She is so eager to learn, she wants us to come and re-teach her all the lessons again because she has forgotten so much. She would like to work towards the temple and just get back on track. It was so cool to be able to meet her and now be able to bring her back to Christ.

   I have learned so much this week but one main principle that I've learned this week is the importance of testifying and sharing your testimony. We had an appointment with one of our investigators and I began to feel very inadequate because he knows the bible really well and I don't. But we had our ward mission leader with us, thank goodness and he was able to testify but he was testifying more of the importance of the restoration and all of the basics. Peter, our investigators had many questions and things he didn't like about the Book of Mormon. But one thing that I learned is that we don't have to know everything. All we have to know is the basics of the restoration and the plan of salvation. And as we testify of the truth, the holy Ghost will testify of the truth, if only the investigator has an open heart. I know that this is the Lord's work and he will help us to know what to say right at the right time and I've seen that time and time again. Don't be afraid to open your mouth because this is the best message that you can share to anyone and we are on the Lord's side. I know without a doubt that He will be by our side to help us.

I love you all very much, thanks for all your love and support.

Love always,

    Sister Sorensen

Going back to Green Valley

 Dawn and Faye and their hamburgers

All of us serving in the Liverpool 1st ward.

Faith To See Miracles

Dear Family and Friends,

    

Wow I love being a missionary! I know I say that every week pretty much but it is so true. I'm so blessed to be able to serve at this time and I know that this is exactly where I need to be at this time. Its been another great week here in Liverpool. Sister Parr and I are continually striving to get to know more members and more people in this area. It always takes time to get to know people and to see what the area needs but things are going so well.

   This week thanks to Sister Jordin Giles email last week gave me a boost in my faith to see miracles and I saw such a big difference. I noticed that we were lacking some faith. This week I had the opportunity to go on exchanges with a Sister from Tonga named Sister Taufa. She is such a sweetheart. For that day we set some good goals for the day and we were both so ready to see some miracles and to go out and find some people to teach. 

      We had some great experiences! One experience I'd like to share was when we decided to go walking for part of the day to find some people. We were walking towards this home for a potential investigator when I suddenly felt like we were going the wrong way and that we needed to turn around and go the other way. So we turned around and when we turned around we noticed this girl that was walking a little bit behind us. Yes...someone to talk to we thought! We introduced ourselves and started to talk to her. We then ended up sharing with her pretty much the whole Restoration. She said that she would love to meet again. We set up an appointment with her. I knew that the Lord had answered our prayers and because of our faith we were able to see miracles and to meet Nikki.

We had another miracle this week. On friday Sister Parr and I had an appointment at the Liverpool Library with this new investigator. Well we waited there and waited there and realized he wasn't coming. So then we started looking at the people around us whom we could talk to. We went over and talked to this african guy. It was so cool to talk to him. We ended up teaching him the whole restoration as well. He is so ready to learn more and willing to listen. I knew that we weren't there for Peter that day but we were there so that we could meet Dave.

There are so many more stories that I could share but I just know that this is the Lord's church here upon the earth. He definitely knows what he's doing and will guide us to where we need to go. We just have to have the faith. I know that as we pray for miracles and constantly expect them and exercise our faith that the Lord will put people in our paths. I'm grateful for this gospel and I know with all my heart that it is true. The gospel of Jesus Christ can change lives and will shape us to become more like our Savior, Jesus Christ...He is the way.

I hope you all have a wonderful week. 

Love always,

    Sister Sorensen

We went bowling with these sister last week. It was so much fun! 

A pic of me and my wonderful Soa, she's the best!

Trusting in the Lord is key!‏

Dear family and friends,

   It has been a great week here in Liverpool. I think we are now starting to get the hang of this area and starting to get to know the people in this area more and more. There is still so much work to be done but we are excited that we get to be apart of this work and building the Liverpool area. We have seen so many tender mercies this week. Here are a few of them:

• On Wednesday I was on exchanges with a sister from Germany named Sister Ziegner. It was a bit stressful because I have to be the example and I really don't know this area so it was a challenge. We didn't really have too many set appointments either so I was putting down a bunch of random names that I was finding in the area book. And I also was trying to get some members to come with us and in the midst of all this panic. There was a sweet member that called us and asked if we needed her to help fellowship for the day. It was an answer to my prayer! We were able to go out with her for the morning and it was a great experience. We got to meet some more people and also be able to meet a lot of potential investigators. I love members that are proactive and help us!
• On Saturday we had a great day! We had Sister Deo (the member that came out with us on Wednesday). We wanted someone to come out with us to visit the Tuipulotu family that we've been working with a lot. I knew that Nari would need some friends and I felt very strongly that Sister Deo needed to come to that lesson. It turned out that Sister Deo knew Nari and has been trying to for years to get her to come back to church and since then had lost contact. So it was great to re-unite them and it was good to have her there to help with the boys. We set Donelle (oldest 14 year old boy) and his brother Leo (8 year old) up with a baptismal date. They said yes! I love the desire that all of these boys have to learn the gospel. They don't know hardly anything but they love it so much. I know that they don't really understand baptism yet but they want to follow Jesus Christ and Nari wants them to be baptized as well. We are so excited!
• After visiting with Nari and the boys we went to contact this referral that Nari gave us. She lived just around the corner so we walked. The woman's name was Ruth and she was on the phone when she answered the door but she was willing for us to come back. On our way back to our car we saw this woman out in her yard. We all said hello and kept walking but after we passed her I felt the need to turn around and talk to her more. It turns out that all 3 of us had that feeling. She was a very kind woman, she was a religious woman herself and really liked seeing young people out sharing the gospel. We began to share with her a little bit of our unique message. While we were talking I felt like we needed to give her a Book of Mormon. So we testified of the Book of Mormon and she was eager to read it and find out more about it. We are going back this week to share more with her!
• On Sunday we thought we would just leave Nari and the boys alone and test them to see if they could come on there own without us pushing them to come. And sure enough they came! It helped us to see the great desire all of them have to come and to learn. It is such a blessing to be working with this wonderful family. We love them so much!

    There are so many wonderful things that are happening here and I can't wait to see what else is in store for this transfer. I've learned a lot about trusting in the Lord this week. He really knows what He is doing and we have no need to worry as long as we rely on Him and do His will. Sister Parr and I don't know this area but the Lord does and He can guide us to know what it is we need to do now. I have see him guiding us this week in what needs to be done now in this area. I'm so grateful to be here and to be able to be serving at this time. I learn so much each and every day. This gospel is so true! I know that there are countless blessings that come our way when we are keeping God's commandments and doing all that we can. I'm also so grateful for  the atonement and the knowledge that I know that I can be forgiven. Yes we will make mistakes, I do way too much but I know that I can be better. We need to constantly be re-evaluating ourselves and looking for those weaknesses so that we can be stronger and more like Christ.

       The Lord has given us so many tools and things that we can use to learn of Him and to become better. God is all powerful and can do all things. We just have to trust in God in all things. One scripture that stuck out to me this week was when I was reading in Mormon 1:2 it talks about Mormon only being 10 years old and the wonderful faith that he had. One attribute that stuck out to me that it mentions that he was "quick to observe." I thought about that phrase quick to observe this week and I've been striving to apply it into my life. Are you quick to observe the commandments and the promptings that you receive from God? When the spirit guides you to do something, do you do it? I know that I have a lot to work on when it comes to that aspect but as I've focused on that this week I've seen so many tender mercies as I just followed and ACTED as soon as I got the prompting. Remember faith without works in dead (James 2).

    My COMMITMENT for you this week is to evaluate yourself and see if you are "quick to observe" like Mormon. I can promise you that as you strive to more fully listen and follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost that you will have many miracles. Your life will be blessed tremendously and you will be an effective instrument in the Lords hands in bringing forth His gospel.

Thanks for all your love and support!

Love always,

    Sister Sorensen

This is the Tuipulotu boys! They are our favorites! Donelle, Leo, Beni, and Simi. Simi is the little guy, he is the cutest boy ever!

Tuipulotu Family Miracle‏

Dear family and friends!

   Another great week has come and gone in the mission field. I just wish that time would slow down a little bit but we do what we can. This week has been a bit of a challenge as Sister Parr and I have been trying to get to know this new area and discern the needs of the people in this area. It has been great to get to know so many new people, this is a great area. It is still so weird to be back in Liverpool but I know that I'm here for a reason. It has been good to start fresh in a new area, new companion, new everything. It has been great to look back and see just how far I've come and the things that I've learned to get me to this point. I know that the Lord knows us each individually and knows where we need to be. It has been great to see how all of my past experiences are now helping me in this new area to know what to do and how to deal with different situations.

   TUIPULOTU MIRACLE:

     This week we had a huge miracle! The Lord is so good to us and definitely guides this work! Just this week we got a referral from the elders for this less-active. So we went to visit them on friday night. When we knocked on the door this man answered and he looked at us and said, "missionaries?" He then said he'd be back. Following that his wife came out, she was so happy to see us. We began to talk to her and get to know her more. We came to find out that she hasn't been to church in over 15 years. She also has 5 boys that have never been to church or anything. She expressed how much she wants to come back to church and she feels like its time for her boys to learn of the gospel too. Her oldest boy is 14, then she has a 8yr, 7yr, 4yr, and 10 month old.She was in tears as we talked about the Atonement of Jesus Christ and how it is not too late to come back and that Christ's arms are wide open and ready for us to come to Him.

  

     We set up an appointment with her and her boys the following day (Saturday). Her boys are so cute and so ready to learn! We started from the very basics. We taught them about our loving Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. They never really knew about any of that. We taught them the song, "I am a child of God" and they loved singing that one. We then taught them how to pray, we went around the room as each one of them said their own prayer. You should have seen those boys eyes light up as they came to know that they had a loving Heavenly Father that they could talk to and that could help them with anything. We then invited them to  come to church the next day. All the boys were so excited to come! Nari, the mother expressed the concern that they didn't have any clothes and didn't want her boys to be judged for their appearance. We expressed how it doesn't matter what you wear but as long as you go. But regardless we were scrambling to find some clothes for the following day so the boys could come. 

    

    Sunday morning we stopped by their house to walk with them to church with some clothes for them to wear. Nari wasn't sure she wanted to come but we were able to help her realize the importance of letting her boys have that experience as well as herself. We left her to get ready and we went to church. Church was starting and they had still not arrived. So Sister Parr and I left sacrament and walked to their house to get them. They were all ready to go just needed an extra push to get them there. We walked with them to church and they had a great experience there. The boys were so happy and loved primary and loved young men's. Nari was in tears the whole day, I know that she felt the spirit strong that day. What a miracle!

   I know that the Lord prepared Nari at this particular time, she is so ready to come back to church and to get her whole family to know of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I'm so grateful for this gospel and all the blessings that come from living the gospel. I'm so excited to be a missionary at this time and to be able to witness miracles like the one we had with Nari and her family. I know that as we do all that we can and strive to be obedient in all things that the Lord will be able to use us as effective tools in His hands in bringing the gospel of Jesus Christ to His children. After sharing this miracle, do you have anyone that comes to your mind that you could share the gospel  with? I encourage you that if you have to ACT upon that thought. It may seem scary to share the gospel to someone that you know or especially someone that you don't know. But I can promise you that by sharing the gospel you are giving someone the greatest gift you could ever give someone. So my commitment to you is to pray for a missionary experience, pray for someone that you could share the gospel with. And if you don't know what to say, Pray! Our Heavenly Father will give you the words to say, he has promised us that. I know that this is the Lord's restored church on the Earth today. He loves us so much and is always there for us.

I hope you all have a great week. I would also love to hear your miracles so feel free to share them with me. It always uplifts me and helps me to keep going.

Love always,

    Sister Sorensen

Here are some of the photos we took at the trunk of treat activity. 

My new companion, Sister Parr (far left)! Sister Bretzing was also with us for the first couple days as she was waiting for her new trainee. I lived with Sister Bretzing for the first 6 months of my mission so it was fun to be with her again for a little bit.

These girls are some of the ysa in the Green Valley Ward. I was able to see them this week, they are all working towards their missions now. :)

I wasn't able to send some of the pics from Sister Tito and I's last exchange together. We went to this beautiful place called Narooma with some sisters named Sister Hoeft and Sister Rushing. We had so much fun there...except for the time that we got attacked by seagulls at dinner.

Narooma

This was at the Halloween party before I left Belconnen. Jennifer just got baptised yesterday in Belconnen ward, she is awesome! 

Our investigator named Felicity who is getting baptised this next week. I'm going to miss that girl, she is so strong and so willing to follow our Saviour Jesus Christ. We were both in tears as we had to leave but I know that we will see each other again. 

BACK TO LIVERPOOL!‏

Dear family and friends,

 

   This past week has been an incredible week, once again. I've loved being able to serve in the Belconnen Ward! But unfortuntely my time has come to an end in that ward. I have now been transferred back to Liverpool (which was my first Stake) but now I'm just serving in a different ward. I'm serving in the Liverpool 1st ward. My new companion is Sister Parr. She is awesome! She is from Auckland, New Zealand (another Maori). I'm so excited to be with her and to be serving in Liverpool again. We are shot gunned so we both don't know anything about this area but the great thing about that is that we have the spirit to guide us and to help us in this work. I'm so grateful for the knowledge that we are not alone. We "can do all things through Christ which strenghtheneth me(philippians 4:13)." I know that I couldn't do this work, the Lord's work on my own. I know that this will be a another great experience for me and that the Lord has sent me to this new area for a reason. I'm so ready to go out and apply those wonderful things that I've learned in my last area and to help the people here.

 

There were so many tender mercies that happened this past week. Here are a few:

 

• We confirmed the baptismal date with our young 14 year old African investigator. She is cleared for baptism on this coming sunday. We are so happy for her. Unfortuntely I won't be there but Sister Tito will be there to help her.
• We also have a baptismal date with Felicity for the 15th of November! She is so keen for that date and is working towards it. She is awesome!
• Dat ( a new buddhist investigator) came to church! He is the first buddhist that I've met who is so open minded. He is so ready to hear the gospel and it was so great to be able to share with him the truthfulness and the fulness of the gospel.

I wish I had more time to give you more of an update but I want you to know that I know that this is the Lord's church. It is the only one that holds the fulness of truth and you can find true happiness and joy by living His gospel. I have gained a strong testimony on obedience. I know that as we are obedient we will recieve blessings and as we are exactly obedient we will see miracles. I have seen that so much on my mission and I know that I'm the happiest when I doing what God wants me to do. I LOVE this gospel and I know that it can change lives. I know that our savior loves us so much and is there for us. He knows what we are going through and all He wants us to do is turn to Him.

 

Have a wonderful week!

 

Love always,

     Sister Sorensen