Elder Kyle Sorenson - Week of April 24, 2017

Hi Everyone!

This week felt like just a normal week with some really great experiences and great lessons! Right now, my companion and I have so much potential in this sector. We have found so many people that are all ready to hear the gospel message. I know in just a bit of time we will be getting ready for their baptisms!

My companion and I have been through a lot together too, we have laughed, cried, gotten frustrated with each other, but this is the best part...we have LEARNED together and I honestly believe that learning is the only way to grow. Well, I am here to tell you, I have learned and experienced more things and more miracles than I could possibly have imagined! And I only have almost 7 months in my mission!

The biggest thing I have learned so far is that the Book of Mormon is the best book in the world. It literally has every single answer we need in our life to live in an eternal state of happiness, peace, and an eternal state of love for this gospel and doctrine. I have had the opportunity to read the Book of Mormon twice now on my mission, and one of them being in a completely different language. Every time I read, I learn something brand new and inspiring. The greatest part is that I get to share with my companion and the people of Ecuador my testimony of this book every day! This book changes lives and I personally know, without a doubt in my heart, that it is true and it has personally saved my life in more ways than I can imagine.

Thank you all so much for your prayers and support for me because I know that prayer works! Prayers answer all of our questions, we just need to know how to recognize the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). I love this mission and have grown so much. I have grown a lot closer to my Heavenly Father and I am always going to be his "right-hand guy" and do whatever he asks of me! I love you!

Con Amor,
Elder Sorenson

3 Nephi 11 - Coming of Christ

My mom said not to pet dogs or touch things with fur, but this puppy was too cute!!! :-)

My companion posed for this picture because he found out my sister, Morgan, loves bulldogs!! hahaha

Elder Sorenson - Week of April 17, 2017

Hi Everyone!

Well, I have quite a bit to write about this week because I learned so much and absolutely loved it. I learned the importance of patience, humility, virtue, and obedience all in one week. I also realized when I apply those four attributes of Christ to my life, I am able to recognize the blessings and miracles that have not only happened to me on my mission, but to my family back home! The biggest miracle I have seen, personally for myself, is being able to convert and teach people the gospel in a different language! Who would have thought I could actually learn this language?! ? I know…He did.

The biggest miracle and my experience of patience is incredible! We have been teaching a young boy, Jordy, who loves this gospel. His two goals in life is to be a singer and to obey the commandments of the Lord. Also did I mention he is only 10 years old? Jordy understands doctrine more profoundly than some of the adult leaders we have in our ward! We have been teaching him for about two months now and we honestly could have had him baptized in three weeks, but we needed his mother's permission to baptize. He reads two or three chapters in the book of Mormon every night and he wants to start from the beginning and read all the way through! Anyways, we visited him every day to see how he was doing and checking on his mom. She always told us that Jody can be baptized when she receives her own answer from her prayer. She had been saying this same thing for about three weeks or so. We tried pretty much everything, praying with her, reading, having Jordy bear his testimony and the whole nine yards, but she wouldn't budge. Then on Thursday, we went to his house and asked to speak to his mom again, so we talked and my companion got a feeling to share a scripture, he shared 3 Nephi 11:20-40. It explains the way to be baptized and the importance thereof. It happens to say the word baptism 13 times. After he read and shared his testimony, I taught her how to recognize the spirit. (Galatians 5:22-23). It stayed quiet for what seemed like 10 minutes, but probably only 10 seconds. She finally said something, "What time is his baptism?" My companion and I looked at her without hesitation and told her whatever time she wanted it to be at! She gave us permission and so we had the blessing of a baptism yesterday! My companion and I had a huge weight on our shoulders lifted off! I know that only because we showed our patience for his mom and also our faith to the Lord! Just like it says in Ether 12:6, we won't receive answers until AFTER our trials of faith. This experience will be forever in my heart and I will always be grateful for the blessing we received this week of a baptism in the Lord's church!

The other experience I want to share is about virtue! Yesterday we woke up early to try to get everyone to church, but nobody was answering their door or phones. Honestly, my companion and I were both upset and discouraged. We could've just gotten really upset when we were alone and just vented, but we didn't! We then walked into our chapel where we found 8 of our investigators ready for church to start! My companion told me that it was the most investigators that had come to church his entire mission! We were both so happy and I couldn't believe it!

I want to talk about the thing that was super special to me this week! Like I said last week, Elder D. Todd Christofferson came to our mission to speak. I also got asked to be in the choir to sing for him! Anyways, all the missionaries got to go up and shake his hand, but we had strict rules that we couldn't speak to him unless he asked us a question. I was in the first row because I was in the choir, so we did our routine and I smiled and shook his hand, he says to me, "Elder Sorenson, greetings from your mother." I tripped over my heels and said, "What?" He responded, "Your mother is Kim from California, right?” I almost freaked out, but said, "Yes!" I did not know Elder D. Todd Christofferson’s niece was in my home ward in California! The greatest part was that I was the only one, maybe two other missionaries, to be able to talk to him! There are jokes that the elders say - if an apostle talks to someone, they are getting told they need to go home. Ha ha! So a really close elder of mine was in the way back of the room with my companion and didn't recognize that it was me who was talking to him. Elder Bennett turns to my companion and says, "That elder is going home!" Ha ha! It was so cool to hear from Elder Chrisofferson and he knows Spanish so he spoke to us in Spanish. He is such a spiritual and great man. I feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to hear him and especially sing for him!

I apologize for making this email a bit longer than usual, but it was honestly a great week and I'm so excited for the experience yet to come! I love all of you and hope all is well wherever you are! Always remember the Lord loves you and hold to the rod, it is the only way to return to his presence.

Yo se que la iglesia de jesucristo de los santos de los últimos días es la única iglesia verdadera. Se con todo mi corazón que nuestras profeta, Thomas S. Monson y sus apóstoles fueron llamado por dios. Estoy agradecido por los ovaciones, las personas de Ecuador y la oportunidad para ver los milagros en no solamente mi vida pero en el ofros también! Amo esta iglesia y las personas que contiene. Amo el libro de mormón. Amo la biblio. Amo este misión. Yo sé y comparto mi testimonio con ustedes, en el nombre de jesucristo. Amen.Con Amor,

Con Amor,

Elder Sorenson


Faith  +  Hope + Charity and Humility = Kingdom of God
Moroni 10:20-21

Elder Sorenson - April 10, 2016

Hi Everyone! This week went well and I had a lot of great experiences!

BIG NEWS….Elder Todd Christofferson is coming to our mission next Saturday to talk to us and guess what?!? There is going to be a choir and I got asked to sing in it! It is going to be a super fun week!

I guess you could say that my MTC dream came true!! Elder Hirschi and I were companions for 2 whole days! Haha! It is crazy how the Gift of Tongues work; we both were really struggling in the MTC and really didn’t know anything, and then, 6 months later, we taught together and got someone to agree to baptism!!! It was super fun to be with him and be in lessons with that awesome guy!

So, it was my companion’s birthday this week and I wanted to do something fun! Because we literally had 4 dinners for his birthday on his birthday, I celebrated it the day before.  Also, because I am the poor missionary that I am, I didn’t have money to buy him anything but my companion is Hispanic from Texas, so I made him homemade tacos! He was shocked that I could actually cook. Haha! He was super happy, mostly because it wasn’t a pound of rice that we eat every meal we have! I am an Ecuadorian chef! Haha!

Really quickly, I want to talk about our investigator, Jordy. He is 10 years old and understands doctrine better than the 35 year olds that we teach. He get so excited when we come over and he doesn’t ever want us to leave, we would be there for an hour and then start to gather our things and he is like, “Don’t leave, you just got here!” He is also preparing to serve a mission in 8 years. Haha! He is just the sweetest kid. He showed us a pair of black shoes with holes in them that he said he is going to use on his mission with the holes, he doesn’t care! He just is one of a kind and he always tells my companion and I that because of us, he is so much happier, but that isn’t true. It is because of Christ and the blessings we receive from the Gospel that we are happier!

I hope you all have a great week and remember the true meaning of Easter! He Lives!

Love Always,
Elder Sorenson

Matthew 28 - EASTER
Mark 16 - EASTER
Luke 24:36-53 - EASTER

Elder Sorenson - April 3, 2017

Hi Everyone!

General Conference = A Missionaries 2nd Christmas!

Mis queridos hermanos y hermanas .... I feel like saying that only because most of the words the Apostles used during General Conference to greet us don't exist in Spanish, so they translated it to that every time! Haha!

I ended up watching all of Conference in Spanish because the internet wasn't working, but it was great overall!! I learned so much and it was great being able to listen to the Prophet and apostles!

My week went great. One very cool experience I had this week was with a deaf young man. We were street contacting and he came up to us, but with me not knowing he was deaf I tried speaking to him. His friend then informed me that he was deaf! Using the little to no sign language (in English) that I know, I could actually hold a conversation with him! I gave him a pamphlet because he said he could read! He wanted us to come back and so we set up another appointment with him! Just with the little sign language I know, I was still able to communicate with him!

Okay, because we didn't have too many lessons this week, I want to talk about what I learned in General Conference! If any of you watched all of Saturday's sessions, I think you can figure out which one of the talks was my favorite! Elder  Holland's talk and his comparison of our life being in a choir was great! The quote that will be in my heart forever is, "Singing the anthems of eternity, we should stand as close as we can to the Heavenly Father and the Savior because They have a perfect pitch." There is room in the choir for everyone, for all who WISH to be there!"

I loved Conference and we need to always remember that as children of God, we are imperfect people trying to learn a perfect language (the Gospel of Jesus Christ). I hope all of you had the chance to at least listen to one talk and will let it ponder in your hearts! If not, you can find all of them at www.lds.org! Always remember that not all the voices in the choir are the same, but come as you are. Just don't plan to stay as you are.  You must learn how to walk a few steps ahead in to the darkness, and then the light will turn on and go before you!

I love you all so much!

Love Always,
Elder Sorenson

Ether 12:6
Ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.

As you can see, Elder Sorenson is a HUGE fan on the New York Giants! LOL

This picture was messaged to Elder Sorenson's mom. Elder Sorenson insisted she include the picture on this week's blog. Yes, he's been told (hundreds of times) that his face could get stuck like that. ;-) 

This picture was messaged to Elder Sorenson's mom this past week. Elder Sorenson insisted she include the picture on this week's blog. Yes, he's been told (hundreds of times) that his face could get stuck like that. ;-)