Hi People!
Being sick on the mission is a super big buzzkill because nothing gets done. Sister Portzline was sick a lot of the week which meant we couldn't do as much as we wanted to. So I don't actually have a ton to report on missionary work unfortunately. We did have a crazy Restoration lesson on Sunday with a new investigator that was crazy just because of how long it went with all this guy's questions, but also crazy in that we found out immigration is on his tail and there's a chance he's getting deported this week. He also can't read or write so he can't read the Book of Mormon until we can find an audio recording. #thestatesidespanishstruggleisreal Other than that, we just did what we could, and planned a lot, and called a whole lot of people. Not the most exciting thing ever, but definitely necessary and helpful going forward. Also, there was a baptism this week that we got to go to and one of our investigators came. It was a miracle! The little girl getting baptized is one of my piano students. When she got confirmed, she just started bawling. She said she was crying because she was so happy. It was the sweetest thing I've ever seen. Also, Juan Pablo got his patriarchal blessing yesterday and is over the moon with elation! I'm so excited to teach him tomorrow and ask him how it went. He texted us after and was SO happy! Also, he was called as the secretary in the elders' quorum yesterday which I was super happy about because it’s taken a while to get him in a calling. Everything is just working out nicely. :)
Being sick on the mission is a super big buzzkill because nothing gets done. Sister Portzline was sick a lot of the week which meant we couldn't do as much as we wanted to. So I don't actually have a ton to report on missionary work unfortunately. We did have a crazy Restoration lesson on Sunday with a new investigator that was crazy just because of how long it went with all this guy's questions, but also crazy in that we found out immigration is on his tail and there's a chance he's getting deported this week. He also can't read or write so he can't read the Book of Mormon until we can find an audio recording. #thestatesidespanishstruggleisreal Other than that, we just did what we could, and planned a lot, and called a whole lot of people. Not the most exciting thing ever, but definitely necessary and helpful going forward. Also, there was a baptism this week that we got to go to and one of our investigators came. It was a miracle! The little girl getting baptized is one of my piano students. When she got confirmed, she just started bawling. She said she was crying because she was so happy. It was the sweetest thing I've ever seen. Also, Juan Pablo got his patriarchal blessing yesterday and is over the moon with elation! I'm so excited to teach him tomorrow and ask him how it went. He texted us after and was SO happy! Also, he was called as the secretary in the elders' quorum yesterday which I was super happy about because it’s taken a while to get him in a calling. Everything is just working out nicely. :)
The coolest thing ever this week though was that we had a mission conference with one of the apostles, Elder Rasband!!! Also, Elder Zwick was there from the Quorum of the Seventy. It was fun to see the whole mission together because I got to see a lot of my friends that I haven't seen in a while. It's crazy how close missionaries get after not even knowing each other that long. The meeting itself though... holy smokes. It was probably one of the most spiritual experiences I've had in my life. I'll spend the rest of the email telling all y'all some of the amazing things he talked about. First, let me just tell you that I know the prophet and the apostles are called of God. You could literally feel the power and authority he holds when he walked into the chapel. One of the first things they did was have each one of us go up and shake his hand, and even though I only talked to him for about 10 seconds, it was so obvious that he loved me and cared about me personally. He's an incredible man!
One of the things that stood out to me the most that he said was when he first stood up to talk. He said, "I don't know why I'm here. This is one of the few weekends in the year we're not on assignment to go do a training or stake conference or anything, so the President of the Twelve just sends us to where he feels we should go for a weekend. And I don't know why I'm here. But I'm excited to find out!" I just thought that was super powerful. Even an apostle didn't know why he was sent here, but he did it anyways because he knew the Lord would work through him in the way He needed to work. That's how missionaries are a lot of the time. We don't know exactly why we're in this mission, or in the areas we're in, or with the people we're with, but we know it's where the Lord needs us right now, so we just press forward and do everything we can so that the Lord can accomplish His work.
One of the things that stood out to me the most that he said was when he first stood up to talk. He said, "I don't know why I'm here. This is one of the few weekends in the year we're not on assignment to go do a training or stake conference or anything, so the President of the Twelve just sends us to where he feels we should go for a weekend. And I don't know why I'm here. But I'm excited to find out!" I just thought that was super powerful. Even an apostle didn't know why he was sent here, but he did it anyways because he knew the Lord would work through him in the way He needed to work. That's how missionaries are a lot of the time. We don't know exactly why we're in this mission, or in the areas we're in, or with the people we're with, but we know it's where the Lord needs us right now, so we just press forward and do everything we can so that the Lord can accomplish His work.
Which kind of brings me to the next cool thing I want to share, which is when Elder Rasband talked about authority and how we're in the areas we're in and with the companions we're with. He drew a funnel on a white board, and at the top wrote President Monson, because he holds all the keys, and he's the one whose name is on our mission calls. Then he wrote the apostles under that, because President Monson gives them the keys to make the assignments to our specific missions. Then under that he wrote President Hansen, because an apostle gave him the keys to direct this mission and assign us to our specific areas. He talked a ton about how for these 18 months/2 years we're in a very concentrated funnel of authority directing our lives, and how this will never happen again. Of course we will never be alone after the mission and we'll always have the Holy Ghost to guide us, but we will have to make our own decisions. Right now, we're in a very special place with a very special calling, so that requires working under "voluntary contract" in the authority of God. That made being a missionary sound super cool. And that's because it is! :) It was intense because he said, "If any of you ever doubt about the area you're in or the companion you're with, you're mocking God, because that's where the assignment came from because He knows better than you." Holy smokes, it was awesome!
The last thing he talked about was my favorite, and it was the power of names. He talked about the name of the Lord, and how so much of what we do is by the power just in the name, like how we say prayers in His name, or perform ordinances in His name. He talked about promising people things in the name of the Lord, which was super powerful, because it means we have to be the real deal or else we're using the name of the Lord in vain. It's crazy that right now we have the power to promise people things and testify of things in the name of Jesus Christ. It's quite humbling. Elder Rasband also talked about the power of using our investigators' names when we talk to them. Like when we're testifying or promising things, we should say, "Wendy, I can promise you that God will hear and answer your prayers..." and stuff like that. He told a few stories about remembering people's names and how much it meant and I realized it's so true. Hearing your own name makes it feel so much more personal and makes you pay a lot more attention. I wish I could quote him better because so much of what he said was just incredible. It was just an amazing lesson on making things more personal and heartfelt and not being afraid to call on the power of the name that is on our tags, which is the name we represent.
Overall, it was amazing. I wish I could accurately describe how I felt and what I learned, but I can't. Sorry. :) I know without a doubt that this is the true Church of Jesus Christ and that it is led by Him whose name we wear, and that He speaks through His prophets and apostles today. I am so humbled and honored to work closely with the apostles to help bring the Gospel to our brothers and sisters. Elder Rasband said, "You all just shook my hand today, and just two days ago, I shook President Monson's hand. That's how close you are to the prophet. Just one handshake. And do you know what he said in that meeting? He wanted to hear where we all had been, and where we were going, and after we reported, he said one thing. He said. 'Brethren-- I want you to tell the missionaries that I love them.'"
I love you all so much! Go have the best week of your lives!
Con amor,
Hermana Sorensen
The last thing he talked about was my favorite, and it was the power of names. He talked about the name of the Lord, and how so much of what we do is by the power just in the name, like how we say prayers in His name, or perform ordinances in His name. He talked about promising people things in the name of the Lord, which was super powerful, because it means we have to be the real deal or else we're using the name of the Lord in vain. It's crazy that right now we have the power to promise people things and testify of things in the name of Jesus Christ. It's quite humbling. Elder Rasband also talked about the power of using our investigators' names when we talk to them. Like when we're testifying or promising things, we should say, "Wendy, I can promise you that God will hear and answer your prayers..." and stuff like that. He told a few stories about remembering people's names and how much it meant and I realized it's so true. Hearing your own name makes it feel so much more personal and makes you pay a lot more attention. I wish I could quote him better because so much of what he said was just incredible. It was just an amazing lesson on making things more personal and heartfelt and not being afraid to call on the power of the name that is on our tags, which is the name we represent.
Overall, it was amazing. I wish I could accurately describe how I felt and what I learned, but I can't. Sorry. :) I know without a doubt that this is the true Church of Jesus Christ and that it is led by Him whose name we wear, and that He speaks through His prophets and apostles today. I am so humbled and honored to work closely with the apostles to help bring the Gospel to our brothers and sisters. Elder Rasband said, "You all just shook my hand today, and just two days ago, I shook President Monson's hand. That's how close you are to the prophet. Just one handshake. And do you know what he said in that meeting? He wanted to hear where we all had been, and where we were going, and after we reported, he said one thing. He said. 'Brethren-- I want you to tell the missionaries that I love them.'"
I love you all so much! Go have the best week of your lives!
Con amor,
Hermana Sorensen