Hi

Hey all,

I was planning on giving you guys an epic update of the new area and comp and everything but the time slipped away from me today...

Regardless, I love my new area!! The city is epic. Its a smaller, colonial-ish city, and super chilly! I rock a sweater or longsleeve white shirt every day...which gives me a chance to spice up my outfit (haha...after 15 months with a white shirt and black pants!)

My comp is great. He is excited to go home in 5 weeks, but is also determined to finish strong. We worked super hard and were able to have 5 super solid new friends come to church. One of them is going to New York next week for a make-up academy...she is gonna bring me back some US goods! Down!

The zone is doing great. I talk to Elder Anderson daily and spend a lot of time with him. Has been sweet chatting about mission experiences/reminissing about the MTC. He is beasting it up.

Next week we head to Quito for Mission Leadership Conference...will be sweet to see some homies. Gonna try to run into Elder Going (my papa) who goes home at the end of this change. TIME FLIES. 

Love you all.

Elder Sorensen

South SIDE

Well, changes came......Just went from the hottest zone in the mission to the coldest!!! I got changed from Santo Domingo to Riobamba. Riobamba is the most south part of the mission, and its sooooo chilly/fresh/sweet! I love it, even though I have been here like 2 hours. Took an epic 6 hour bus ride down here alone, it was weird/relaxing being alone for the first time in a long time...haha. My new comp is Elder R, from Ecuador! He finishes the mission in 6 weeks....so we are about to FINISH WITH A BANG! I´ll be working down here as a zone leader over a zone of 18, 10 elders and 8 sisters...WITH MY BOY ELDER A!!! He is down here as one of the district leaders so we are about to spend tons of time together and ball out!!! (Elder A was my MTC comp and havent really seen him since then....EPIC!). My new comp is DOPE and we have the best house in the whole mission. Its huge. We have 3 couches. A table with chairs. 6 desks. 4 beds. A handful of rooms. A MICROWAVE....a few huge white boards.....SO STOKED! And a sweet home-gym....which just got a 70 pound add-on (yes, i hauled 70lbs of weights on that bus ride...haha).

New comp

As far as leaving Santo Domingo....it was tough but I have never had a tough time with good byes because I always know I am gonna see these people again. Los Laureles was one of my favorite wards and I grew soooo close to some families. About 8 people cried last night....but I then cracked a joke to snap them outta it! ;) I got faith I´ll see them all again...in a few months of in a few years....its all the same!

We had a great week of Ward Conference in Santo Domingo. Some sweet activities finished off with a converts conference I ran on Saturday focused on TEMPLES and then a great Ward Conf on Sunday with some baller talks and musical numbers. 

Elder H, homie from BYU, was just here in Riobamba (in a different branch) and is now heading to Santo Domingo....we barely missed each other...dangit! 

Super stoked to be hear in the frio and get to work another area of this amazing country. Really excited to help build up our branch and turn it into a ward!!! (Without goals we go nowhere...haha ;))

Love you all.

ES

........AND A HAPPPPPPPPPPY HAPPPPPPPPY BIRTHDAY SHOUT OUT TO MY BEAUTIFUL/AMAZING SISTER KATIE ROSE!!!! Today is her birthday and I am so glad she was born. She is easily the most genuine person I know and is SMART AS crud....she is so caring and is slowly changing the world 1 person at a time. Thanks for being the best sister every, KK! Hug feet?

Alive...

Hey all. I am alive. And happy. Difficulties...always, but just looking at what I can learn from each situation/experience.

Changes next week. Hoping to say put in Santo Domingo.....will let you all know.

Stoked for our Ward Conference and weeks worth of activities. Gonna give a sweet fireside on Saturday about temples and family history accompanied by some sweet videos.... Whattup Gpa S. <3

Love you all! Praying for you all daily.

Elder

pic.... PONDERIZE DUDE.

An Ode

jk.

Wassup all!

First off, gotta give a shout out to the main man B. My bro goes BIG. So happy for you and so excited to have a new sister! (Sup Amanda...thanks for telling me btw, Brian still hasnt holla´d since Christmas). Welcome to the fam...good luck. ;) LES QUIERO!

We had a solid week down here talking walking serving teaching eating and repeating. Word.

Conference was amazing. Although it was sad to see 3 wonderful men/servants of God pass away in these past 6 months, I got SUCH a strong/clear confirmation that Elder Rasband, Stevenson, and Renlund have been called by God and are EXACTLY who we need to help lead His church. Elder Rasband is rock solid. Elder Renlund is old school, wise, and a powerhouse. And Elder Stevenson is a humble, simple, pure, loving, and POWERFUL man who reminds me soooo much of my dad and his father. So excited for them. I also loved the talks by Elder Holland and President Nelson about women/mothers. I am so grateful for all the amazing women I have in my life. Thanks for everything. :) I also loved Elder Bednar´s talk, such great lessons from great men who have passed on. And lastly, gotta love the Prophet. Some were worried about his health, but I simply saw a seasoned veteran/man of God testifying of the things he KNOWS to be true. Give him a break, it´s exhausting work--ask me! Here are some thoughts/notes that especailly stood out to me. (I have promised thoughts on the past 2 conferences and never got around to it...hope this makes up!)

• Are we making out discipleship too complicated? - Pres Uchtdorf SatAM
• What lack I yet? - Elder Lawrence SatAM
• Life is not easy, nor was it meant to be. - Elder Cook SatAM
• No love comes closer to Christ´s than the love of a mother. - Elder Holland Sat PM
• In any moment of tempation, bear thy Savior, and thy mother. - E Holland SatPM
• Alma 5:26 ´´can you feel it now?´´ - Elder Martino SatPM
• Remember who you are. - Elder Anderson Priesthood (sup, M and D ;))
• Do we practice what we preach? - Pres Uchtdorf Priesthood
• Story about a deacon taking the sacrament to an old lady in retirment home...shout out of Scott Brown. - Pres Eyring Priesthood
• 6 ways to be an example: word, conversation, Spirit, faith, charity, and purity. - Pres Monson SunAM
• We will be different. - Pres Monson Priesthood
• ´´I will serve the Lord and I will serve you (Pres Monson) with all my heart might mind and strenth´´ . Elder Rasband Sun AM
• DC1: proclaimed by the weak. - Elder Stevenson
• ´´With all my heart I want to be a follower of Jesus Christ´´ - Elder Renlund
• Importance of women... ´´are you done crying? get up and go to work!´´ - Pres Nelson
• True disciples tesitify of the Lord when it is not convenient to do so. - Elder Schwitzer SunAM
• Acting on the Holy Ghost, stories of his dad/MASSIVE love/respect for him. - Pres Eyring (followed by an EPIC hymn ´´The Spirit of God´´.
• ´´PONDERIZE!´´ Epic. Started today! - Elder Durrant SunPM
• ´´Powerful lesson of a lifetime, from a man I love.´´ - Elder Bednar 

If you didnt get a chance to watch.....LETS GOOOO!! https://www.lds.org/general-conference/?lang=eng

Love you all. And miss you all. Especially the homies...stay #fat.
Elder.