HOLA
HOLA!! This week was pretty awesome. We got all the cambios/transfers done and
worked pretty hard and nearly froze to death, but it was a great week. :)
So
last lunes/Monday we had to send off all the elders from outside cities into
Cochabamba. It kept us busy and took up most of Pday. After all that my new
comp (Elder Vernon) got all his stuff unpacked in our house.
Martes/Tuesday
we got up and studied pretty well. In the afternoon, we didn’t have a single
cita/appointment scheduled because we were planning to do the cambios (because that’s
when we normally do them, Tuesdays in the afternoon). Well, we still left and
looked for people to visit and actually had several really good visits. Ahh ya,
also that morning I was able to study a bit in Alma 42 and learned a lot about
how God is perfect and just but at the same time He can be merciful with us,
and it’s only through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I love how clearly and
perfectly the Book of Mormon teaches us and shows us how much we really need
Christ.
Miércoles/Wednesday
we had a sweet day. We visited with Celia in the morning, and she doesn’t quite
feel ready to get baptized but she is ready to prepare for the 17 of August. We
also visited with Melvin, and he said his parents won’t let him get baptized
until he is 18 so that kind of stinks, but he still wants to learn with us and
keep going to the church. In the afternoon we visited several people and found
a few new investigators and really good contacts. We also found a few less
active members that we haven’t been able to visit with in several weeks. We
also had a super awesome visit with the Ala family. We really just got to know
them and their beliefs a lots better, and it really helped us understand how we
can help them. I have realized that the gospel of Jesus Christ is perfect and
can help everyone. Our biggest job as missionaries, I feel, is to understand
how the gospel works for each person and how it personally helps them. It’s
super cool to try to see people how Christ does and try to see and show them
how Christ can help them. Miércoles we also studied the talk “The Atonement of
Jesus Christ” by Tad R. Callister in our companionship study. It is an awesome
talk, and I learned lots more about the Atonement of Christ and how justice and
mercy are both completed and given. I really liked the gravity and parachute
analogy.
Jueves/Thursday
we were super busy. We had a really good visit with Hna Susana and read Alma 7
with her. (We were planning to share that with her and also that’s where she
was in her reading--that was super, super cool. God knows what He is doing.)
Later we had to go down to the house in the area that they closed here in
Potosi. (Now we are only 6 companionships). We had to go clean up the house a
little bit and talk with the owner. Hopefully, missionaries will be back there
next cambio. Then we had to go to the new terminal and buy tickets for all the
missionaries that would be traveling to other cities. Then we had to go to the
ex-terminal and pick up all the guys that had come from Cochabamba and get
everybody sent off to where they need to go. Elder Vergara (one of my past
comps) was one of those elders, so we spent a little bit talking while we
waited for their bus. It was pretty fun talking with him. We ended up getting
home kind of late since several buses were late.
Viernes/Friday
we had district meetings in the morning. It was fun to get to know the new
elders here. Something kind of crazy: everybody here has less than a year in
the mission... except me. I still feel super new and young but everybody here
thinks I’m old. Hahhaha. It’s sweet though because we all work super hard and
good. All the guys also want to go to Uyuni (only 2 other guys have been before),
so we will be going to Uyuni, for my 4th time hahahha. goll dang. Once was
enough for me. Oh well. In the afternoon we did a few zone stuff and then had a
few good visits. We had a super good visit with Edwin and his family. Edwin
served his mission in California and speaks perfect English. Anyways we talked
about his family (who most of them aren’t members), and he explained lots of
crazy things that have happened between his family and the church. It was kind
of sad to hear and see the results of hard feelings that never have healed. It
made me think we all make mistakes, however we should always think about how
our actions effect other people around us. I have learned that I really should
do better about thinking and focusing on the people around me instead of
myself.
Sábado/Saturday
we had a fun awesome day. We had a few good service opportunities and a good
visit with the Magne family. Then we helped Hna Quispe take a bunch of food to
the Chiriwayrita activity. Sooo like every year the stake does a dance activity
and each ward prepares a traditional dance, and then they all present their
dance. So last year I went to the one here, but I didn’t really know anybody or
speak much Spanish. Now, a year later, I’m still in the same place, but now I
know a TON of people in the stake (from Cerro Rico and from San Clemente and
Betanzos and those in stake callings), so it was super-duper fun to just go
visit each ward (except Betanzos didn’t come which made me super sad.) :( It
was super fun though to see San Clemente and be able to talk better with the
people.
Domingo/Sunday
we had an awesome day. Church was great as always. In the afternoon we found a
few new investigator, visited the guys in jail and had a Family Home Evening
with the Quispe family and later with the bishop and his family. This week went
super-fast. It also got super colder. It was getting warmer, but then it got
way colder and they say it’s going to snow again soon. Dang. It’s pretty darn
cold. Today we played futsal and have kind of just taking it easy. My comp and
I get along good, and we are both trying to be obedient and help each other be
better missionaries. This cambio/transfer is going to be awesome.
Les
amo!!
Elder Sorensen
Mom Note: No pictures, again. Sigh. This boy!