"He has been mindful of me in this strange land"

Well, the mission is practically over for me.  The last year and a half has been the most incredible experience ever. On Wednesday I was able to go to the temple here one last time.  We finished the session and as I sat in the Celestial room I thought about all I have learned throughout the mission, all the people I've met, all the spiritual experiences I've had, everything that's happened in the last year and a half, and I am just so grateful. I don't know how to describe how I feel.  All I can say is that I love my Savior, and I love this gospel. I've learned a ton on the mission, but more than anything I've seen just how much God loves us.  One of my favorite scriptures is Alma 26:36-37

"Now if this is boasting, even so will I boast; for this is my life and my light, my joy and salvation, and my redemption from everlasting wo.  Yea, blessed is the name of my God....who has been mindful of us, wanderers in a strange land.
Now my brethren, we see that God is mindful of every people, whatsoever land they may be in, yea, he numbereth his people, and his bowels of mercy are over all the earth. Now this is my joy, and my great thanksgiving, you and I will give thanks unto my God forever, Amen."

I know God knows me.  He has been mindful of me in this strange land and I know He is mindful of each of His children.  He has given me the challenges and experiences created specifically for me, to help me overcome my weaknesses and become more like the person that God wants me to be, more like my Savior Jesus Christ.  Throughout the mission I've had to depend on my Heavenly Father and Christ completely to be able to achieve what is expected of us as missionaries, and I have come to know them.  Christ really did suffer and atone for us.  They love us, they understand us and they want to help us.  I have felt God speak to His children through me and my companion. He has put the words in my mouth to tell them He loves them, that He misses them, and how they can be together again.  There is no greater feeling than to be used by God to help His children.

It is the greatest  blessing to be able to participate in the work of the Lord. I love my mission.  I love this country, these people, and I love this gospel.  This church is where we find the pure and perfect gospel of Jesus Christ.  It is amazing, it changes lives, it brings joy.  This gospel is everything to me, it is true.  I am so so so happy.

"But behold, the Lord hath redeemed my soul from hell; I have beheld his glory, and I am encircled about eternally in the arms of his love" (2 Nephi 1:15)

It's hard to put all of this into words, but we will have time for me to talk about it more pretty soon. I love you all!!!!!

💗Hermana Sorenson

"I'm just so happy, so so so happy"

Hey family,

So this is the second to last time im writing home. So weird. So luckly im staying here in aldea my last week in trio with Solis and Orozco, shes from california. itll be super fun. and we have to baptize marina this week. Shes become like my second mom here. She went to an apostolica church before and believed that wearing pants and dying hair and wearing makeup was a sin, but she is totally converted to this gospel now, she even wears a little bit of makeup, shes so sweet. She went to stake conference on sunday and she came out and said this is the church that God has prepared. it was so cool. She knows its all true, she goes to church every sunday and every mutual even though shes tired from work, shes so great. im so excited for her baptism, pray for her a lot!!! I have come to love these people so much. and there is no better feeling than to tell someone you love about this gospel that can bring them so much joy and comfort in the hardest of times. i love this gospel so much. i promise my next letter will be super good hahah, but now i dont even know what to say, i am just so happy. so so so happy :) i love you all so much. 

Hermana Sorenson

 Some older pictures

"Day of the Dead"

Hi family

This week was good, wednesday was day of the dead and we went to the cemetary to contact families and talk about the plan of salvation. we talked to more than 100 people. the graves here are like little houses and they decorate them like super crazy. then on friday we had a zone meeting with president spjut and i had to give my last testimony. so weird. 2 more weeks. i dont know what to write anymore... uhmmm were trying to help Marina get baptized the 12 of november, but she wants to wait until december, but i want to see her baptism!!! shes the sweetest lady, shes angels mom, she was super evangelica before, but she loves the church and she goes to every activity. So pray for her to be baptized the 12th!!  All is well here the missions awesome, i want to see you guys already and tell you all my stories a lot easier. love you guys!!!

Hermana Sorenson

"Life is hard, but it doesn't have to be sad."

Hey family.

This week was awesome!!! Jose was baptized. It was a super miracle. Weve known him for just like 3 or 4 weeks and he has been super great since the beginning, he was always ready for church before we got to his house and he went to the mutuals by himself. hes super great. Its amazing to meet these people who are so humble and so willing to submit themselves to the will of God. I want to be more like them. These recent converts are incredible. So im super happy. I love it here, Aldea is my favorite area. I dont even know what to say anymore. I just love this gospel, its so true. If we willingly obey, we will be happy and blessed. Life is hard, but it doesnt have to be sad. Christ already suffered for our saddness so we dont have have to suffer it. Trust in God and follow Christ, and all will work out. Missionary work is the mot fullfilling thing ever. I love it, and i love all you sooooo much!!!!

Hermana Sorenson

"I love pupusas, I will miss them so much"

HI!

This week has been great. We had been teaching daniel for a while and he accepted a baptismal date and everything and then started drinking again. he was a bolo before but had quit but started again and we couldnt find him in his house for like a week and a half so we were super sad, but this week he went to mutual accepted another baptismal date and came to church, he has a lot of changes to make but hes willing to do it. so were super excited for him. One investigator Angel passed his interview yesterday and will be baptized on saturday!!!! were super excited. These people are pure escogidos its super awesome to see them progress and go to church and theyre super animated about the gospel. Its so true, i love this gospel more than anything else!! This sunday we are going to have a conference with Elder Oaks in San Salvador its going to be super good. Its in the national stadium thing and all the members are going and we have to bring a ton of investigators and everything. so pray that a lot of people will come. Also my companion is awesome i love her. All is great here. I love the mission, i love these people, i love el salvador, i love pupusas, i will miss them so much. And i love you guys!!!!

 Zone Conferences.  Pictures from Sister Spjut on Facebook.

"Something else so crazy happened..."

Hi family

This week was super good. My new comp, Hermana Solis is super great. Shes an awesome teacher and super sweet and friendly with everyone. We get along super well and she helps me out a lot. Last night we had a super awesome lesson. We were talking to this man outside his house and he was telling us about how he used to do a lot of drugs and how sometimes he feels like he should just kill himself. He feels empty and like he has nothing to live for and he asked me, do you feel like this church has filled you? I felt the spirit so strong and i told him yes, i do feel like this gospel has completely filled me, with joy and happiness and peace. It has helped me with every trial and challenge in my life, i know it is true. and if we let it, this gospel will fill us and change us and bring us more peace than we have ever felt. I am so grateful for this gospel. It has changed my life and ive seen it change the lives of others. Its so awesome! As the lesson was ending something else so crazy happened that ill tell you after the mission hahaha. But God is definitely protecting us and watching out for us and putting people in our paths that need to feel His love. I love the mission. I love you guys!!!!

Hermana Sorenson

"We can be happy no matter..."

This week was super great. The conference was awesome. My favorite was Elder Uchtdorf talk. This gospel really is marvelous. We have so much knowledge and understanding. How much God loves us and knows us. How Christ died for each and everyone of us. How we can find happiness in this life and in the next. Its amazing. Why arent we happy all of time? why dont we talk about the gospel with everyone? its incredible this gospel, but sometimes we get used to it and we dont appreciate it as we should. We forget what we felt in the moment when we knew this gospel is true. We need to remember the spirit we have felt in the church and keep feeling it, or we will forget and lose our way. Remember!!! Also my comp has changes and Hermana Solis will be my companion, shes from peru and i think she has like 9 months. Im excited for the changes. I learned a lot in these 2 changes here. And i loved being with Hermana Vissoni, but the new one will be great. I love this gospel. After the conference we left and heard all the other church preaching and singing, and i felt so grateful for this church. Nothing compares to the spirit we can feel in this gospel. It is so true. This church is lead by Jesus Christ. I hope you all know that and that you appreciate and love this gospel. Live it and you will be happy!!! We can be happy in any situation. I have definitely learned that during the mission. We can be happy no matter who we are with or what we are going through, thanks to our Savior Jesus Christ. I love you all!!!!!

Hermana Sorenson