January 27, 2014

....Hello Hanford!!!!

After 6 transfers....9 months....half my mission here in Los Banos, it's time to pack the bags and move down south to Hanford.  My new companion will be Sister Allred.  I don't know who she is at all, so I'm nervous but I think I've had my fair share of hard companions, so no matter what I think I will make it 6 weeks since I've done it before.  Hopefully!!!!!  Ha ha..

We've had a good week this week.  Kind of bummed though because we have a possibility of 5 baptisms this next month.  Derek Laguna will be baptized this weekend (he's 10 but hasn't been baptized due to phobia of water, but has been working on it and his parents are quickly doing it this weekend while family is in town to celebrate their Grandpa's 75th Bday).  Then on Saturday we got a new investigator; Zonjia.  She's on of the members neices and took the discussions before but moved, and is now back in town and wants to be baptized.  We set a date for the 15th of Feb.  THEN!  There's a new family in town that has been coming to church the last couple Sundays.  Well apparently the kids aren't baptized but have been raised in the church.  So yesterday the Grandma said the kids want to be baptized.  So there's another 2.  Fingers are still crossed for Lupita.  And then I told you I believe that we can't find the records for one of the boys in the ward and might have to re-baptize him.  All of this excitement happens when I leave.  Oh well.  Hopefully we'll have some excitement in Hanford.  Don't know much about the area other than it has yummy ice cream.  Hanford I guess is known for their ice cream factory.  Mmmmm...  Down side though, the water smells like rotten eggs and not good for you to drink.  Yay for perfume and bottled water.  I can not wait till I can have a nice cup of water from the tap.  I'm getting tired of drinking bottled and/or filtered water.  And from what I hear, my ward in Hanford will be English.  Sounds like the Elders cover the Spanish.  It's one ward though so I'll still have to use a little Spanish.

Your princess tea party looks like it was fun!  I'm jealous!  Can we have one when I get back?!  What all did you do for it?!  Any games or yummy snacks?!  And I hope Jeff and Packer had a good Birthday then.  Sure looks like it!  You getting excited for your Birthday mom?!  We celebrated Sister Wilhelm's birthday yesterday too.  We went to the Horans for dinner and open presents.  She's now 21 so the theme was her being legal.  So we had a lot of Root "beer" and champagne.  We even played a drinking game where you spin the bottle and have to drink the shot and guess what drink it was.  They had some pretty nasty stuff.  Straight Lemon juice, root beer mixed with milk, mango juice, water and apple cider mixed, etc.  We had some good laughs.  Then we went to the park to have a silly string war.  Ohh and I rode their goat!  Ha ha..

This week was very jumbled and spent running around trying to cope with 2 wards.  We did a lot of splits trying to fit everything in.  Saturday we had a ward movie night.  We watched Ephraim's Rescue.  Have you guys seen it?  I thought it was good, but I think I prefer 17 Miracles.  I liked how they intertwined though.

Well I hope all is well for you all.  Things here are on the up hill.  Thank you for all your prayers.  Thank you Kimberly for your email.  I loved it!  Is that your real hair color now?!  And thank you Michelle for all the pictures and update on all the Birthdays!  I love you all and miss you everyday.  Couple more months!!!  Crazy that a year has already gone.  Take care and tell everyone I say hi and send my loves.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

- hermana Sorensen

January 20, 2014

Sorry my time is a bit short today.  I am currently in a trio.  Sister Hammer was emergency transferred out (got too attached to the Horan family).  So her companion is now with us and we are covering both wards.  So we only have 2 computers to email from since the Holiday.  But I just wanted to let you know I love you and appreciate all the love you show me.  Thank you for the words of encouragement and support in my decisions here.  Transfers are coming up so we will see what happens.  Really nervous.  I would hate to leave, but I'll do whatever.  I just want to be happy from here on out in my mission.  The Lord knows best though what I need.  

The Forman's said I don't have to pay them for the camera.  Bro Forman had a lot of things fixed on his mission by the members that he never had to pay for, which he was grateful for, and so he's just paying it back.  Such a nice family.  I just can't wait to introduce you to all of them someday!  PS: I kind of committed a Disneyland trip with the Horan's.  Ha ha..  They have a year pass this year and want me to join them.  What is our family schedule this summer?  Just let me know the plans for summer/fall time.

Yes California is having a really bad drought.  We are all told to fast and pray for rain.  This Fast Sunday coming up will be the day the whole stake and more are told to do that.  Feel free to join us and for your area as well!  We need the water!

That's awful to hear about the neighbors.  Where abouts did they live?  How are the Brown's doing?  I've been thinking a lot about them and continue to pray for them and Joel at this time.

Well briefly, this week we had Zone Conference.  We talked a lot about Spiritual Gifts.  I felt very happy and energized for this new year and to finish my mission strong.  I have a list of 21 gifts I have so far.  Only need to do 79 more to hit Amanda's goal of 100.  Ha ha..  But it's cool finding gifts you don't really think are gifts but are.  I'm excited to see what else I have been blessed with and need to grow.  Also, at the Zone Conference I did meet with a gentleman from Family Services.  So he's going to help me overcome some things and help me get back on track.  I'm anxious to see what he can do.

Sadly no new reports to report on this week.  Combining the wards again has been a challenge but we're getting it figured out and trying to get things done equally.  

I love you all and hope you have a good day and week.  What did you do for the long weekend?  Thank you again for everything.  Hope all is well for all you siblings.  Haven't heard in a while from some of you. (hint hint)  Mark and Sabrina, you still alive?!  You'll have to send me pics of the new house and life there.  Kimberly and Laura, you'll have to write me some letters or send me pictures to put up or just laugh at. :)  A lot of people are talking about cat videos and I couldn't help but think of you 2 probably sitting at the computer watching them. 

LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

- hermana Sorensen

January 13, 2014 - One Year Mark!

Can you believe a year ago this week I was packing my bags and saying my last goodbyes?!  It doesn't seem like that long ago but does.  It surely has been a journey and life changing experience.  I have done a lot of reflecting these past coupe weeks and I think I'm the one gaining the most out of this.  I guess that's one of the reasons in being sent out.  I'm nervous but excited to see what these last couple months bring.  I think I've learned more about myself and what I need in life then I would have back at home.  I know these things are preparing me for the future.

I'm glad to hear Grandpa is doing alright.  I have been thinking of him a lot lately and yes I will write him a letter soon.  Please tell him I love him so much and have a giant hug waiting for him!!!!  Can't wait to visit with him and play games.

I got a really sweet letter from Amanda that has been helping me remember my potential.

Sister Odor and I with the Horans at Yosemite

So you have probably been wondering why I haven't sent any pictures yet of Christmas or my last trip at Yosemite.  WELL!  While we were there at Yosemite, just as we were leaving the park, we all wanted to take one last photo by the Yosemite National Park sign.  Sis Hammer took one for me and as she was handing me my camera back, it dropped right on a rock and broke the lense.  I was calm and figured it was just jammed.  But of coarse I was freaking out inside with knowing Christmas Eve is the next day and Christmas, etc. and I have NO CAMERA to take pictures of all of this with!!!!!  The Horan's had an old camera they have been letting me borrow.  Well I took it over to the Forman's in the ward to see if he could fix it.  Yesterday at church he handed me a bag of camera pieces and said "Here's your camera!" and left it at that for a while.  I thanked him for trying.  He then smirked and turned the camera on and showed me he fixed it!  HOORAY!!!!!!!!!!!  So I now have a working camera again and can start taking more pictures!!!! :)

Sister Odor and I with the Horan family

Not a whole lot has happened since Friday's letter.  I am sad though because Angelina DeHerrera (the one back in August I believe that we baptized) is under foster care right now.  Her whole family is.  The Dad has been in and out of jail lately and missed his probation so is now back in.  They tested the mom for drugs and came out positive.  So CPS took the kids away.  They have 6 or 7 kids from the ages of 18-1 yrs old.  Super sad!  A lot of the members are trying to see if they can open their doors for them and to try to keep the kids together as closely as they can.  So we will see. :(  We have been seeing and hearing a lot of situations where kids being taken away from families.  One of our newest investigator (Breanna) is a foster child right now.  Her mom is in jail.  Destiny, her foster mom is another investigator.  We met Breanna at church.  She is 10 yrs old.  She had her friend Jaylnn come with here so we visited both of them there and then set a return appointment.  When we visited them last week Jaylnn wasn't able to come so we just visited with Breanna.  However, Destiny was talking to us when we first got there and mentioned how she just wants Breanna to have God in her life so she knows what ever happens to her, she always has someone there to hear her and be with her.  We told her that's great and then what we go about doing.  She looked surprised and was like "I've always been curious what the mormons believe.  Do you mind if I sit in and listen too?"  Of coarse not!!!!  We taught them the Restoration and Destiny was very into it.  Breanna is hard to get to with all her walls she has up to strangers.  But she listened and sat there so we were happy with that.  So that's 2 of our new investigators, and hopefully Jaylnn will come next time.  Also teaching an older gentleman named Henry.  He's a veteran and was telling us a lot about the wars he's been in.  He is very haunted by his past and so we talked to him a lot about the Atonement and the Plan of Salvation.  He cried a lot with us and it was just a very sweet time with him.  Lupita and Hannah have been slipping.  Lupita still hasn't asked her dad if she can get baptized.  And I think I mentioned it before, the mom says Hannah is too young.  So.. we have a couple that we hopefully can have baptisms for but we're just at a hold up right now.

Well, my time is short.  I love you all!!!!!!!!!!!  4 1/2 more months to go, 142 more days, 40,000 plus hours or something.  Thank you for the suggestions and advice.  But mostly thank you for all the love.  I do know you are all there for me.  I appreciate it.  Let me know if there is anything I can do for you all and again if there is anything you want me to get you here.

Take care!!!!!

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

- hermana Sorensen

ps. I was talking to Vern Hixson yesterday dad at dinner and he was very shocked to hear you used to be a farm boy!  (we were talking about gardening or something)  :)  It made me laugh. Especially seeing his face when I told him you're a dentist now.  Silly family. I'm so glad you got to meet them!

January 10, 2014

Wow, 22 emails and 1 1/2 hours to respond.  Won't be able to get to them all right away, but know that I read everyone of them and was so touched at all the love and strength each one brought to me just now.  Thank you thank you thank you!!!!!

Grandma's funeral sounds like it was wonderful.  I was at the Horan's all day Monday after emailing and they gave me lots of hugs and loves which I definitely needed.  Thank you Amanda for the quick response on how the funeral went.  I couldn't wait to hear about it so that was very helpful to get a run down of it and especially see a few of the pictures.  They made me cry.  I LOVED the kisses on the casket.  Michelle mentioned Grandpa was a little hesitiant about that, but I too agree that Grandma wouldn't want it any other way.  It was a great sign and always will be now of our deep love for sweet Grandma Carter.  Thank you for putting a kiss for me.  I can't wait to hear and see more of the services.  All in time though.  I'm just getting back to things and getting a hang of things.  Tuesday the Chowchilla sisters drove up and gave me a hug and we talked for a bit.  The Horan's of coarse have been a huge help this whole time.  I received a blessing from our Stake President Sunday.  Sister Odor has been very loving and helpful to me especially.  She has let me have my moments alone and moments to take a breather and just cry. 

We went to the temple yesterday and I kept thinking to myself that Grandma too is on the other side of the veil like the people we are doing these ordinances for.  She is a missionary like me teaching others about the Gospel.  This life is nothing.  She is where she spent her whole life working for.  She accomplished her test here on this Earth and is a step ahead of all of us.  Sure it's painful being separated and not having her here physically with us still, but this time for us will end too and we will see her again and rejoice and give each other kiss marks on the cheeks!

This week we got a lot of new investigators!  Don't have much time to write about them but hopefully they will progress and that they will accept the Gospel in their lives.  I'll share more about them next email.  PS sorry this letter is late.  Since we had the temple we swapped preparation days and things just went weird and so we are just emailing now.

I love you all and continue to pray for each and every one of you that you will be watched over and blessed at this time.  Thank you for everything and know that I am going to do my best to do what I can here the rest of my mission to make Grandma proud and our Heavenly Father.

LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

- Hermana Sorensen

December 30, 2013

My heart is so full of emotions.  I just received the call late last night as I was headed off to bed.  President talked to Sis Odor first and then lastly me.  He told me he was calling regarding grandma and that she has passed away.  I knew it was coming yet you still can't even prepare your self for something like that.  It was a very hard and long night.  This morning I felt it was unreal and all a bad dream.  It's especially hard being away because it just feels like everything will be just fine in 6 months.  I have to keep reminding myself that this is it.  I had a feeling it was time though.  The 26th I had a rough morning and wanted to be home.  I had exchanges that day and was able to cry and let things out to my sister trainer leader.  She was my sister for the day.  Things the rest of the week got better but I was still feeling really homesick and just depressed.  Last night we were at a members home and she asked us each to take home something that was in her room.  My eyes went straight to a lighthouse.  I told her it reminds me of my grandma.  Little did I know I'd get a phone call that same night telling me she is gone.

I was so SO happy to see all of you Christmas!!!!  I couldn't stop smiling afterwards.  Seeing you all made things so much easier.  I hate just the phone call like Mothers day.  That made me really homesick afterwards.  But this time I was just so happy.  You all are so beautiful and I can't wait to hug each and every one of you.  After calling you, we headed over to the Schofield's.  It was fun but too laid back for me.  My one Christmas here and I want to use all the time to the fullest and sitting down was not working for me!  I wanted to play a game or watch a movie!  We had a fancy lunch with them.  Then there son in Peru called home so we felt a little awkward there still just sitting around not having anything to do.  So we left and headed back to the Horan's.  I played pirates with Jimmy the whole night until we had to eat.  The whole dinner time he kept staring at me and my pirate sword smiling and waiting for me to "kill" him.  But I told him "I will kill you after you eat your potatoes".  Everyone laughed.  :)  He ended up afterwards stealing my sword, stabbing me, and then stabbing himself.  So we both laid dead on the floor until it was time to watch a movie.  We watched Monsters University!  SO CUTE!!!!!!  I thought it was funny.  Made me kind of depressed though because that's how I've been feeling lately...where do I fit in?  But it was good.  We then went home and watched Wreck it Ralph with Sister Vogel.  Sister Odor loves her movies and wanted to watch as much as we could on this day that we're allowed.  So that was my Christmas.  Thank you all for the gifts and money.  I felt very loved.  

I love you all and hope you all find peace and comfort too.  This is a hard time for all of us and I know it will be very different from here on out.  I send my loves to Grandpa.  I wish I was there to hug you and give you a kiss.  I can't even comprehend your pain at this time.  Mom, you are my everything and I don't even know what I would do if I lost you.  I know you miss your mom and that it hurt you to see her in so much pain and unable to do anything.  I want you to know how much I love you and wish I could be there to comfort you at this time.  My biggest and tenderest hugs and tears to you mom.

I know Grandma loves me and wants me to keep working hard.  And I will.  I pray she watches over me now and helps me the rest of my time here and on.  She was an incredible lady and will be sorely missed.

xoxoxoxoxoxox

-hermana Sorensen

Happy New Years too!

December 24, 2013 Christmas Eve!

Hello everyone!  So I will be talking with you all tomorrow so I won't write too much. :) President is letting us do Skype this year WITH the video feature!!!!

Sorry I was not able to email yesterday.  I was up once again in Yosemite!  It was a lot colder this round obviously with some snow on the ground.  Still not a lot but it was nippy.  It's nice going up in that I'm learning more of what areas are worth seeing and not, so when we come out I will know which ones to show all of you to get the best sight seeing.  Yesterday we saw a lot of what I saw the very first time I went up. (more of the falls).  There wasn't many since the rain fall has been little.  So when we come we will have to come once the snow has melted in the summer time.  We all got a little car sick this round so we did a lot of stops here and there to take a breather and walk around.  My legs are so sore right now after the hiking we did.  Ha ha..  But it was pretty.

This past week was very boring because.....I was sick.  I came down with a head cold and was out for a couple days.  So we did lots of sleeping and staying inside so we could get feeling better for Christmas.  The Horan's have been so sweet to us in letting us come over there to relax and so Amie can nurse us back to health.  I'm feeling better now.  The good fresh and crisp air yesterday helped the sinuses.  Just got a little dry cough and sore calves now.  :)  

So last Monday, I had I think the most sweetest and most powerful blessings so far on my mission and even in my life.  I was just having a rough time with everything and finding my purpose here at this time.  We had FHE at the Horan's so afterwards I ask Jim if he could give me a blessing.  I felt bad for just throwing it on him and not giving him much of a heads up.  But the blessing he gave me left us all in tears and has changed us all.  It was very sacred and Jim still talks about it.  He even gave his talk about it this last Sunday (not mentioning names and stuff but about the Atonement and Christ and we all knew what he was talking about.)  In my blessing though I was told over and over again that the Lord loves me and is very aware of my heart right now.  I have gifts and talents to share with these people.  My biggest gift is speaking to the souls of God's children.  I have touched many hearts without knowing it and will continue to do so.  I was comforted to know that the Lord is proud of me for being here at this time.  I was then told to which I will never look at the Atonement the same; I was told that Christ suffered and died for me and would gladly and honorably do it again just for me.  I am an elect woman and have a great calling in this world.  He has spared my life to be here.  I was told that the Lord personally kneels down with me each time I kneel in prayer.  He is with me.  Many more beautiful and sacred things were shared.  I wish so badly we wrote it down or recorded it.  I did have Jim and Amie write their feelings afterwards and I wrote mine down as well.  What a powerful blessing and a comfort to know how much I am loved by him and all of you.  I don't deserve this love but am so grateful for it all and having you all here in my life to bless me and help me along my way.  I wish I could explain more of last Monday and even wish more of that you were here to experience that sweet spirit.  I know this prayer is for all though.  Christ came into this world for ALL of us and suffered everything and died just for us.  He knows us each by name and saw us in his eyes as we went through all of that.  He loves us SO deeply.  More than we can even understand. Literally!  He was born to be our Savior.  He knew what he had to do and what his purpose in life was.  To save us all!  How great it is to have this knowledge that he is our King, our deliverer, our example, our light, our friend, our advocate, our Lord.  I know he would go through all of the pains and torment he suffered the first time again for any one of us.  The worth of souls (or of just one soul) is great in the sight of God.  I was privileged to experience and witness a particle of his love for me this last week in the blessing.  The Priesthood is real and it amazes me how little I tell people about myself or how little they even know about me and yet they always say something that I know is from God because there is no way they would know that other wise.  Dad, Mark, Jeff, and Solomon, please continue to honor and sustain your high calling of holding this power.  Always be ready and in tune to give blessings at any time, especially when a cute little Sister Missionary or Elder comes to your house and asks you to give her/him a blessing.  They trust you enough and chose you to be God's mouth piece.  I want ALL of you to receive a blessing before the new year.  Dad, have Mark or Jeff give you one.  Solomon, if you are with your father this holiday season, have him give you one.  If not, go to your Bishop or ward friend you love and have them give you one.  I know the Lord loves each and everyone of us.  Listen to your purpose here and His deep love he has for just you!  That's my invitation to all of you.

Well like I said not much happened this week other than getting over a cold.  I hope you all are feeling better and getting over your individual colds as well.  Thank you for the Christmas packages and presents.  I hope you enjoy yours as well.  Haven't been home in a year so hopefully you don't already own it.  If so, I have the recite still but I'm sure you can find someone else to give it to or one of the siblings will take it!

I love you all and can't wait to hear from you tomorrow!!!!!!!  It sounds like the Horan's have Skype and will let us use it.  The other sisters are doing their calls around 4:00-5:00 and so they said we can do ours around 11:00-12:00.  

LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

- hermana Sorensen

December 16, 2013

Thank you all for your love and prayers for me.  I have definitely needed them this week.  Lots of tears and days where I just can't get going but yet do.  I know I'm suppose to be here and pray things will get better and that I can finish well.

This week we had our Christmas Conference.  President talked a lot about the historical nativity.  He explained a lot of the customs and traditions back when Christ was born and all the meanings.  It was very interesting because he's been there plenty of times and so he told us a lot of stories and experiences of when he was there in Bethlehem and Jerusalem.  I wish I could explain everything in detail to you but it's hard over email and I'm sure a lot of it you already have heard of but it was all new and insightful to me.  He talked about how Mary and Joseph were probably in their teens (13-17) when this was going on, the actual date of when Christ was born, more facts about the star, the manager, etc.  His birth was incredible and meek.  I'm so grateful for Jesus Christ and this time we have to remember him and his ministry here on Earth.  I love reading about the need we have for him and the excitement we had waiting for his arrival.  We were there on that glorious day over 2000 years ago at his birth rejoicing and praising Him!  Now we are here, hopefully having that same excitement about Him in the knowledge we have that He lives and is coming again.  Our whole existence and purpose here in this life is because of Him and for us to become like Him so we too can live with our Heavenly Father.  He is our guide and knows the terrains better than we can imagine.  Are we listening to his directions and following him? I hope so.

Well this last week has been a huge turning point for the Alvarado-Calixtro family!!!!  The WHOLE family came to church yesterday!!!!!!  We sent someone to just pick up the girls but she came back to the church and said they weren't there.  A couple minutes later, they all walk in to the chapel.  Carlos the dad looked extremely tired (he goes to work at 1 in the morning over in San Jose and sleeps in his car while he is there ((so he doesn't get much sleep)) and stays there till the weekends and comes back home and tries to catch up on his sleep before he heads back).  The girls on Friday were able to go with the ward over to the Oakland temple in San Francisco to see the lights.  They just LOVED it.  We visited them Saturday night and Hannah showed us all her pictures she took and told us all about it.  She was just beaming!  Carlos and Betty said "the girls really love your church!" and that they are happy as parents to see the girls excitement and love for the church.  I think this is what helped the parents in coming to church in that they are curious why the girls love it so much!  What was really cute, when Hannah came to church the 1st time the other week, I went with her to primary.  We learned the Nativity song.  Well the primary kids went up and sang it in sacrament yesterday.  Hannah walked over to me and whispered "do I have to go up there?".  I told her "They are singing the song that we learned in primary last time you were here.  So if you want to go up there and sing, you can, but you don't have to."  I thought she would just go sit down, but nope, she walked up there and sang with the kids!!!!  I couldn't stop smiling.  I looked over at Betty and Carlos and they were confussed but impressed that she went up and actually knew the song for only coming once!  Ha ha.. The parents let Lupita, Hannah, and little Jesus stay for the rest of the meetings.  So I went with Jesus to Sunbeams while Hna Odor went with Lupita to her Sunday school class and Hannah was brave enough to go to her own class by herself and not with Hna Odor and Lupita.  It was so exciting having them all there.  Hannah went with us last night to our Stake Christmas concert and the girls are going with us Tuesday to Fresno for the leaving missionaries fireside.  I'm so happy they are getting involved in all these youth activities and enjoying them.  Now we just need to get the parents involved more.  This was pretty much the highlight of the week.  It would have been even better if President gave us the approval of going with the ward to the Oakland temple. Ha ha..  We definitely have to go next year or at least in the future!  I hear it is just beautiful!

This week begins the new transfer but like I said Hna Odor and I will be staying together here in Los Banos still.  I got your package at the Christmas Conference.  Thank you!  Is there anything in it that I need to open before Christmas or are they all for Christmas day?  Just want to make sure.  I'm struggling finding you all a Christmas gift so you might get them after.  They will be a New Years gift.  Ha ha..  Hopefully you got my Christmas ornament by now though.  If not, keep an eye out for it in the mail.  Hopefully it looks good. :/

Tell Grandma I love her and that I bought peanuts like she told me!  I hope she can find the strength to pull through a little longer.  Please keep me posted though and again know you are allowed to call the mission office if you need to get a hold of me.  I can't wait to hear you all next week though.  Honestly I'm nervous but can't wait to hear your sweet voices.  Again, I only get 40 minutes so be sure to think of questions or have stories ready so we can save as much time as we can!!!!!  Anything you want me to start thinking of or stories to share?  What time is best to call?  Actually I think you call me like last time, but when is best for everyone?  Let me know so I can plan for it.  I am not sure what my day will be like so as of right now any time is good.  Probably more in the afternoon in case we have a meeting in the morning and so you can all open your presents.

I love you all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Take care!!!!!!!!!

- hermana Sorensen