Sister Sorensen Orlando Florida Mission

I want to stay here all my life.

Hello

All is well down here by the beach.

This week actually went by pretty fast, I'll give you some highlights.

First off, we had dinner with the Bishop this week. His wife looks like you mom, I adore her. Being around her feels like a little piece of home. I sent you pics but they live in a condo on the beach and it's the best view ever.

This is the view from the Bishop's house!

Bishop is awesome. He is a convert and he was less active for a number of years so he just gets it. And he's new so he's so ready to work hard.
One of our new investigators, B. Dropped us this week, yeah it was unfortunate but we kinda dodged the bullet on that one. He said it wouldn't be a good idea for us to meet because he already knew he was going to try to hit on us and his fiancé is the "jealous type." I don't know if that constitutes her as jealous and more just.. human. But okay Bronson.

We also got to go feed the homeless again, we did that most of Saturday. We had a new couple move into the Ward, her husband is not a member and doesn't speak much English but she said he loves to serve so we invited him to come end he loved it!

I almost like this dog as much
as Ollie....almost.

All the homeless people there are so nice to us, it's such a special experience. Expect this one guy in line, saw that our name tags said "Jesus Christ" and then started going off about aliens and what not... thankfully the line kept moving. But then when we left he comes and whispers to me to google some guy and I'll know the "truth." Hahaha.

A great highlight of the week was we had a dinner with these recent converts, a mom and a daughter, they are older and have stopped coming because they have issues with the temple. At first our lesson got pretty heated with them talking about their concerns and how we can't possibly understand where they were coming from. And I felt frustrated. But very clearly the spirit spoke to me and said "Meet them where they are." So I stopped and we said okay look, you don't need to worry about going to the temple or doing baptisms for the dead, just start with what your comfortable with. (They haven't even seen the temple) so we said, "Just drive out there (to the temple) and walk around the grounds. That's it, just start at point A and get comfortable with it." And the whole lesson turned around. It was amazing! They were so grateful! They said "We haven't had sisters since the ones who baptized us that have understood us like you."
I realized something so important, these are people with fears. Yes there are steps, but everyone is different. Some people need to be pushed, some people need to just be loved and encouraged. But everyone's situation can't be handled the same. Christ would minster to us based on our individual needs. I was just so grateful that I felt like In that moment I was able to wholeheartedly follow the spirit.

They always say, you will be able to know your people's concerns and what they are thinking, and sometimes I'm like okay no I can't read their mind. But one of the sisters said to me "I had a bunch of questions in my head, and how strange as you talked you answered every one of them." And it was so beautiful to see the evidence of me just being a vessel for the message.

I like my home it's pretty cute.

I don't know how to explain myself really.

BUT I do wish I could explain how HUGE this grasshopper was.

Letting Our Light Shine

Wowza what a week!

First off, no surprise here but I'm staying in Daytona! With my comp. I'm super excited about that because I love Daytona and we have found so many cool people this week.

Thanks Mom!

Found My Favorite Sign

On Tuesday we went to the H.U.M. And I scrubbed on my hands and knees a homeless shower. Scrubbed.. okay? But it was so gross and no one deserves that.

Later that day we found a guy who basically already believes in the plan of Salvation. He was like "I believe that God wants us all back, so there must be a place for all of us but what we would really want is to be with God." And my face, ha-ha I couldn't hold in my excitement.

Later in the week we went to a member’s house, she is blind so we cleaned her apartment for her and she had me clean her shower too ha-ha. She is so sweet, she just sat on her bed and asked me tons of questions. She doesn't nearly ever has company so she just loved having us over.

Got to see my girl Sister McCullough

And Sister Peterson!

Being Artsy with Sister Brady

Wednesday, a couple missionaries from the mission got to go to a special training meeting with an Area 70 and another guy from the mission department.

The meeting was amazing it seriously changed my life. I loved mostly how he said, "stop being pushy elders and sisters." And I was like yes, yes, yes. Because I really feel like it’s something that needs to be said. I've gone for so long feeling like I need to chase people down the street or I'm a bad missionary. But he said "Greet everyone, talk with those who want to talk." I just felt this strong desire to be better and doing this work with the Lords love. I need to love them and do this work out of genuine love for those in this area. After the meeting the area 70 was like "I've given you all a lot of information I don't ever give this much information."

Then, the next day we had to go to the mission office to get something in our car fixed and President told us that after the meeting he went out with the area 70, and while they were at dinner, they called Elder Bednar and made us Facebook missionaries. FACEBOOK. So. Yeah.

Tech savvy Missionaries

Another cool experience. We found this guy looking for a Bible referral and he was golden. He is the cousin of the Bible referral and he's like "Ya know I've always wondered why we don't have a modern day prophet, it would make sense." and he loveeddddd the idea of the Book of Mormon. So cool!

We went to a YSA FHE for the first time as well. So …..

Also we had beach P-Day this morning! So we finished the Book of Mormon in the transfer and we read the last chapter on the beach it was amazing.

Climbed the Lighthouse last P-Day

Lighthouse stairs

Yes I know I'm obsessed with taking Polaroids. It's fine.

This P-Day Beach Day!

Don't get in the Water

Polaroid Poses

I love the Book of Mormon, I love my mission. I love the opportunity to change.

Have a good week.

Bye Now

Why Hello Family

It's been pretty chaotic lately, let me try to explain.

SO as you know, I spent the first 4 transfers of my mission in Lake Crescent. Then I got transferred to Daytona North, to be in a trio. 3 Weeks into the transfer - stake boundaries change - We move up North to the Palm Coast Ward - then surprise Sister Peterson gets Emergency transferred. Which meant last week we had to get up at 3:30 so I could drive Sister Peterson to the mission office, we got there and dropped off her stuff and President said, "Sister Sorensen, go home and go back to bed." And I said, "Sure President, you don't have to tell me twice."

Anywho, so we whitewashed Palm Coast this week. But. Wait there's more..

We're doing weekly Planning on Friday and ….get a call from the Zone Leaders. We end up talking with them for about 2 hours, because they were saying basically the change isn't working, because a bunch of different factors; 1. Our new church building was 45 min away. 2. We’re far away from most active members. 3. The ZL have too much work for just them two in the Ward. 4. There's a ton of widowed sisters they can't really see, etc. So - end result, We go to Daytona South, they go to Daytona North. Because they are in a safer area at the end from another Ward and we just cut it so we don't go into the projects. Haha.

Basically what is happening is for the last 2 weeks of the transfer, our zone leaders and we are just going to do a double whitewash to better help the areas.

So Saturday, we packed everything up and switched apartments. No complaints, our new apartment has wifi and 2 bathrooms and a lady downstairs who we call grandma and she makes us cookies. SO IT’S BEEN A LIL CRAZY.

When you move into the Elders apartment and the whole living room is exercise equipment.

Our area switch. We started in A-went to B for a week and now we're in C. hahahaha

Our last apartment had a load of candy in it. So naturally I left it there. The Zone leaders called us that night and come back to bring us more dishes and cups. We were just talking to them at the door and Elder Jensen says, "What's in the closet behind you?" And drops the whole basket of candy and they run as fast as they can to the car! Also, we have a lazyboy in our room. (Elders)

Okay now for the week. Palm Coast! Man, I felt so accomplished this week. It was so good and we worked so so hard. There's not really any work in that area because missionaries have not really touched it. So we just did a lot, a lot, a lot of finding. All day, every day.

And boy did it feel good, no it was not easy and I pretty much fell into my bed each night straight up exhausted but that felt so good.

We found some really cool potential people for the new Elders to teach there and we met a ton of less actives. J was a really cool one - she's been less active for about 5 years and it's cause her life is a hectic mess. Missionaries hadn't come by to see them in a long time, so we got to see her twice this week, and she said she wants us to come weekly to help her and her kids.

Brother K was another. We were walking up to his house and his neighbor was outside so I went to talk to him, I asked if he still knew of the man that lived there and he's says, “Sure I do!” So he came and knocked on this less actives door with us😂

Brother K comes to the door and is says, "You know these are missionaries from my church right?” The guy (Dennis) just goes, "Well of course I know they are Mormons, you always know when it's a Mormon, no one else looks like that."

He also said his sister is a Mormon.. but she's crazy. I said, "Oh" and he's says, "No she's just crazy, she was crazy when she was a Baptist she was crazy when she was a Jew, she's just crazy" Haha.

Also I met someone who went to BYU with Shannon! She was in law school with her.

I think there were many reasons why we needed to be there for only a week, even if it was just that God needed me to know something. I learned what it meant to really be here for the right reasons. I learned how much I love God. Because I was thought “Hey even if you just want me to knock doors all day long and get rejected I'll do it, I can do that.” I'll go where you want me to go.

Also GOOD NEWS! We got the A. family back! Technically they are in the Elders area, but we're going to teach them. The daughter is the recent convert that got baptized when we got here and her parents are probably the most solid people I've seen they are just so willing to be baptized.

We have been reading the Book of Mormon in a transfer and I've loved it. Alma 5. Alma 5 people, I could never had said it better myself.

One thing that stood out to me so much this week was Alma 5:37

"A shepherd hath called after you, and is still calling after you."

The spirit pierced my heart with that one. He is currently calling after you, no matter what state you are in. That means if you are far away from him, or I believe even when you are close. He still is calling after you. Can you feel so now?

I've just been thinking so much this past week or 4 weeks.. about Weaknesses.

It's interesting, and I've just now realized this. At the beginning of this transfer I got a blessing, like I always do. And two things he said stood out to me "I bless you to become strong in the areas you feel weak" and he warned "Be mindful of all mission rules"

Honestly at first I was (wrongfully) slightly offended. I didn't feel all that weak and I've never had a problem following mission rules.

Now, in hindsight I see. After all that has happened these past few weeks I see there are and were areas where I'm weak. And that's okay. That's great! Great that I know that, if you don't know where you are weak you don't know what to change, and you become complacent thinking your maker is done making you into what you need to be.

As long as I'm aware of the weaknesses, my heart is open to change. I am not a finished product. Ether 12

With the mission rules I've seen that I was given that council more to help others maybe more than myself.. but if I'm not aware of the mission rules I can't help others to be obedient. If I'm not obedient myself I can't expect them to be. Just because it's not something I've struggled with, doesn't mean I'm the same as every one else. And I've learned to be sensitive to that, and I've gone to my Heavenly Father tirelessly for help.

I know this message we share is true. Because trust me, I wouldn't be here if it wasn't.

We have the message that the power that created the universe exists on the earth with men who converse with God. No. One. Else. Can say that. How cool.

My companion really wanted to catch a butterfly

I live in a beautiful place

Love you. See ya soon;)

The Trio

All is Well

Utter Chaos I tell ya.

As I mentioned last week, our stake has done a whole boundary change. Because we split the Ward with the elders, we have the north part, with the change however we lost more than two-thirds of our area. And they couldn't move us down any further because the bottom of our area is already pretty unsafe, and we couldn't move anymore into the elders area because it would be really unsafe.

So there's the premise.

Tuesday, we got dropped by one of our investigators. It was pretty sad, but it happens and I figure god just must have somewhere else he needs us to be. And then Sister Stevenson had a root canal later that day- rough I know.

I got to go on exchanges with Sister Brady on Wednesday! It was wonderful. We had lessons all day long. We went to a less actives house and helped her do dishes, her poor dog was so covered in flees that he was dark brown, and he's suppose to be white. He was scratching himself so much and it hurt my heart. So I scratched him with a stick. The night before, Sister Brady left her keys with her companion. So we had to drive back and meet half way to get them, then in the midst of forgetting we forgot to text in. And around 10:45 we hear pounding on the door, and it's our Zone leaders, checking of course to make sure we are alive.

Exchanges with FAV Sister Brady! Would ya just look at that sunset. Wow. Florida

We were just copying the Elder's pose.

On Thursday we had Zone conference! So I got to see Sister Bromley! And it was wonderful!

Zone Conference with Sister Bromley and Sister Brady. Blessed.

I love Zone conference. I really needed my cup filled. Afterwards we met with our Zone to figure out what our new areas would be. The Zone leaders still didn't know what to do with us Daytona sisters, so met later that night and they told us we are going to be serving in the palm Coast Ward. So we live outside our own area. Also because of that change that means we lose everyone we are working with. So we now have to find all new people. All is well.

Then... (sorry this is all super depressing) President calls us on Saturday and tells us Sister Peterson is getting emergency transferred to Lake Reams. That was really hard. I felt so close to her.

Together for 2 week but now we're
best friends for eternity so whatever, right?

And...we broke some plates out of Frustration

Sorensen, Stevenson, Peterson & L.O.
& thrift store Daytona Beach hat.

Sister Sorensen when she was really excited
to pull down some Spanish Moss

Let's just say, I know God had a plan but sometimes it just isn't so clear. I know good things are in store! And above all I know. That this gospel is true, I'm thankful for hard experiences. I've felt closer to my savior that ever before.

My testimony of the Book of Mormon has grown 10x this week.

Here's the truth, it is either true, or it's the biggest lie on the planet. And without a shadow of a doubt in my heart, I know that the Book of Mormon is true, I know it comes from a Heavenly Father, who loves and cares for us and has created us to have joy.

I wish you could feel how much I know this is true.

1 Nephi 3:7

“And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.”

All week this scripture has played in my head. I know that god wouldn't ask me to do anything, if he didn't already have the way provided, if he didn't already have the outcome in mind.

Keep the commandments. Keep the commandments. And God will provide a way, that's the promise. It’s simple, not always easy but always sure. The Book of Mormon proves, Joseph Smith is a prophet, the Lord’s kingdom is on the earth, there IS a god, he does love us, he still reaches out to us; there are commandments to keep and lessons to learn. And the Savior is real, it's much more than just a story in a book. Love you.