The Sisters

The Sisters

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Libbi: Was it really just one week....

And so begins the first epistle of Sister Sorensen now the only Sister Sorensen (that is in my family)....

Wow...Sarah you are home? yeah weird. Sounds like a party everyday at home these days. I´m glad everyone's doing well. Wow, OK this week was quite a week transfers, new comp, comp arrived, comp struggled, comp went home, I´m in trio now, Sister Aires heard about the death of yet another member of her family. Her grandpa passed away from cancer that they found out about last month. She has really been put through the ringer with her bother´s deaths just 2 months ago. She amazes me with her resilience.
 And now I will explain,
 Sister Ceseña (my comp that went home today) had already been having struggles since she arrived on her mission. So, she had already decided to head home before she became my companion...a mission is a stressful thing. But, I was happy to work with her this week and get to know her for the awesome person that she is. I hope I was able to show her that a mission is wonderful and hopefully at least show how my mission has made me into what I am today....I love my mission...this week only fortified my love. I feel like I had a chance to really sell missionary service to a buyer....missions are REALLY AWESOME! If you're thinking about one...you need to talk to your Heavenly Father...but just come. It will make you stronger, happier, deeper, everything, because a mission really is everything.  A mini-life all wrapped up into one huge concentrated spiritual experience. EVERYONE THAT CAN SHOULD! - doctrine of Sister Libbi Sorensen
 OK, we push on in our area. It will be a bit different because now we are working in 2 huge areas and teaching in 3 which makes it all a little different. I will adjust. Nothing that I can´t handle. But I am blessed. I feel your prayers..they help me not only physically but spiritually...with endurance.
 I love this work. I know it's worth it and changes people....while changing me too. The power of the spirit is amazing. I don´t have much more to say. Be good. Say your prayers, read your scriptures, do what you know is right and TRUST IN THE LORD! (with all your heart might mind and strength). He is the one that know! I trust Him. He is perfect and I´m not....I am so glad He is patient with me.
 I love you all, be good, ctr
 com, amor,
Sister Sorensen (the only) 

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Sarah Cate: I can't believe it's my final Monday!

Well family, friends, companions, AND FELLOW TEXICANS!!!

HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY BENNY!! I CAN NOT WAIT TO WISH YOU A HAPPY BIRTHDAY WHEN I SEE YOU! WE'LL HAVE TO HAVE CUPCAKES BECAUSE I LOVE THEM AND WE CAN HAVE SOME CARROT STICKS FOR YOU...because I don't know what you love but you are a healthy person so I figured carrot sticks might work? Whatevs. We'll sort it all out when I get back! I LOVE Y'ALL SOOOOO VERY MUCH! Y'ALL ROCK!  Happy birthday Uncle!!! hope it is just a lovely one! I will give y'all a big BIRTHDAY HUG!!! YAHHHHOOOOOOO HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY!
WE ARE ALL ENLISTED TILL THE CONFLICT IS OVER. HAPPY ARE WE. HAPPY ARE WE! Yes I want to sing this...and then I want to cry because its so true. Conflict is never over so I have nothing but happiness. I am right now in a public Library surrounded by several companionships of missionaries in my Zone. I can not believe how young we are. We are so young.....except for me. All the missionaries remind me that I'm old.  :P  But I don't care. I love being young. I love being able to explore and joke around and yet have perspective. I have realized the importance of perspective. Oh how the Lord makes personal adventures.
 I know I must go on and on I shall go but not without a tantrum or two! On my mission, I have become a firm believer in tantrums. Sometimes in life, we need to give ourselves a break and just throw ourselves on our beds or floors or on our friends and just cry and be frustrated. The act of tantruming is not bad, it's the wallowing in the tantrum that gets sticky. Everyone can have a good tantrum BUT they must be expected to pick themselves back up and move on. It gets too lonely and boring sitting on the ground after a while watching life pass you by. You need to allow the Lord to help you get back up on your feet. Man, I wish I took my own advice sometimes :) Just kidding. I am working on it.
 It's amazing the Perspective the Lord has allowed me to see while being on my mission. I literally see his hand doing what my Patriarchal Blessing says of "guiding me and directing" me. He knows how I work. He knows I'm going to throw a tantrum but he has promised us that he will not leave us comfortless. He will support us even in the loneliest of times. He is the master captain of our immortal souls. He will lead us to calmer waters...usually meaning that we may have to go through some storms and sketchy seas to get there.
 I wish y'all could have been in Texas with me through the last year and a half but there is grand design in this missionary work. We are all young pups when we go out and we think we know a thing or two and then  WHACK!!! you get hit upside the head real quick. Usually it's not God that does the hitting upside the head but our own stupidity that leads us straight on into a pole. Silly us. :) hahaha OH man, one of my current companions, Sister Humphries has a saying that has really struck me. She told me about how she was asking God to not allow herself to get in her own way. Well that is an elementary thought but I guess I've just been seeing it more and more as I've been thinking about it. God allows us to trip over ourselves several times but he is always there picking us back up. 
 This past week was another blessing. Some sisters called us from Encino Park and asked if we could do exchanges with them. I got to go along with one of my other companions, Sister Mattson to Encino Park and see Mama Billie and connect with some of the people that I haven't seen in a while. I was in shock because I could see the hand of the Lord in this work once again. There were several people that we were working with (less active and potential people). Though I did not baptize or bring back these people to activity, I saw the effect of my visits on their lives. One man was baptized because of these efforts. Another Less active family has come back into full activity. The father was a meth addict and the wife, a return missionary. They had a son that was never blessed. The husband and I immediately hit it off and we worked with them and the bishop. He is completely clean now and has the priesthood and next month, he is planning on blessing their son. God is so good. 
 My heart is so sad but it has been made light. I know it is because of y'all's prayers. I truly can't wait to see y'all. I AM GOING TO BE WEIRD OK! I AM ONE WEIRD DUCK BUT I LOVE MYSELF SO BE PLEASE PATIENT WITH ME. I am an awkward sister missionary. I only love the Gospel. I am working on loving things of a secular nature.....yeah right lets be honest I CAN'T WAIT TO HEAR MUSIC AGAIN!!!! My violin playing is terrible so please don't ask me to play a concert in the next week or so unless you want to hear a squeaky hymn. I am not perfect. I have learned a lot but please know that I love you even when I am weird....and maybe a little tubby. but just more of me to love. :) Don't worry, I have talked to God about it and he is going to help me. 
 Life is so good. I love y'all. oh so very much. I love y'all. God is a God of miracles. He will help us. Daddy, I love you. Don't go toward any bright lights till after I see you on Wednesday...OK? :) ....keep Bailey away from them too. Life after the mission....ready or not...HERE I COME!!! 
  Because this is my final e-mail as a missionary, I am going to go crazy with my personal insights and rants and whatever comes to my mind. Y'all enjoy it.
Love,
Sister Texican

Libbi: Creepers everywhere...

haha OK...here we go. (liked the title today?...me too.)
I decided that I´m tired of men staring at me on the street..this week I was getting on the bus and a man on the other side of the bus station was getting on another bus...sat by the window and then began to frantically wave at me until I saw him and he just smiled creepily back....cool right? NOT... OK this week...
 This week was tough as it always is at the end of the transfer...everyone was nervous about what would happen and where we would all end up....with more nerves the work becomes difficult and the focus is hard to maintain. I hear there are problems with literal nerves in my house and that also didn´t help my focus this week. I found myself reflecting a lot on my sister and what she is feeling. wow...I can´t even imagine but I know that a part of my heart leaves the mission this week also...just like when she left on her mission...weird that we are always doing the same thing at the same time and when we aren´t, I feel more alone than usual ahah but as you know I´m never really alone and I´m so very lucky for the time that I have.
 This week I celebrated 14 months on my mission. Wow...the time really does fly by...I´m blessed with 4 more months of life. The life that I love. I get a nervous ball in my stomach when I think of real life...but whatever. I trust the Lord.
 We were running behind all of our options and they all seem to be falling through. But with the transfer comes a new start. I will be companion to Sister Seseno (she is American...my first American comp.) I will be helping to finish up her training because she just finished her first transfer on the mission. I will stay here in Jardim Imá. I  am living with Sister Morais and Sister Aires who are now companions and I´m really stoked for this transfer.
 This week we also had the best, most successful activity that I have every planned on my mission. Sad to say but it's true. It was an activity for the youth and we had a luau (is that how you spell it) that Hawaiian party thing. We played music after the spiritual thought and ate fruit outside.  It was cool....lots of the youth ACTUALLY CAME! YEAH! We are feeling more united with the ward and excited to keep working here.
 Yeah for now that´s all I have to report. I´m sure I will have a lot more next week. I will meet my companion tomorrow after her lovely 12 hour bus ride and then the routine begins again.
 I´m learning how to follow the spirit with more diligence. I am still learning how...it is a process. But I reflected this week on the words of Elder Bednar when he came to our mission he said something like..if you have the desire to do something good...don´t stop to think if it is the spirit or yourself just do it and you will know after. We need to constantly do good things and we will receive the confirmation from the spirit that it is the will of the Lord.
 Be good...I pray for you. Know that I love you always for eternity. thanks for being part of my life.
 Com amor,
Sister Sorensen (not the one coming home this week.)

ps I read the book missionary miracles....read it this week and loved it...I have had many similar experiences on the mission....cool that the work is the same wherever you go and refines us in the way that we need. The Lord knows everything! Isn´t it great! 

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Sarah Cate: I am running out of Mondays...

Hello Family and Y'all,
 I don't really know what to write. Life has slowed down a bit. I am still in San Antonio, in the converse area. It's pointless to give y'all the address because I'll be home faster than..well than I would like to be. I am truly trying to keep things positive. I needed to be in this last area. I needed to be in the companionship I am in right now. I am truly blessed to have the best mission in the world. 
 I have found myself deep in thought a lot this past week and assume I will be in the next coming week. I have been asked to give a training all by my lonesome this week at a zone meeting. It's only a fifteen minute deal but I guess this is just one more prep for real life and being on my own. 
 I am glad y'all had a great 4th of July. I love July in Texas because everything is so much bigger than it needs to be. I do appreciate the pride people have for our country here. Particularly in this area. We are right by Ft. Sam Houston army base and so I think we get an added measure of patriotism. We have a very young history as a country but a very rich history. It's rich because it was directed by God. The Lord has been in on it from the very beginning. I am very excited to sit at my father's feet when I get home and learn all about the things I should have before my mission. I can not wait to read all of his books about history. It's impossible to know the future but you can understand a lot by knowing where you came from. Family history is very important and it is something that I am looking forward to getting into. Literally it is what ties us to our family. I want to know my family. I want to know our church history. I want to understand more history. 
 I have resolved to become an educator. I am going to teach. I have been telling people that I would love to open up a fine arts pre-school. Austin would love it. I want to, however, find a way to help our education system. I want to find a way to bridge the gap between learning in the classroom and learning at home. Parents need to become more involved and active in their kid's lives. I hope to help make that change. I don't know how yet but I feel very passionate about making a change.
 I have been in a dream like state. I keep thinking that President will allow me to stay. I have a very strong hope in my heart. There have been many times this past week where missionaries have called me, literally from around the mission, asking me for advice and comfort. It has been a blessing for me to know that I have helped in some way. I know that I may not have baptized a nation but I have helped the people I have met. I have made some of my very dearest friends here in Texas. I want so badly to continue on like this but I know and trust God. He knows what is best. He won't let me fall. I cannot forget that. 
 I love y'all so much. Please pray that I can sleep. Other than that, I am golden. I am so blessed. Thanks y'all for being my friends. Life is good. 

Hna. Sorensen 

Libbi: I like thinking that I´m in the middle...

Hi everyone...
Mom...you are an inspired woman and mother. I love you. What you wrote this week made me cry good tears...thanks for that. It was what I needed to hear.  I push on....
 This week...wow a lot happened this week. It seems like a tons in contrast to the normal routine where we do pretty much the same thing everyday. It started out with Zone Conference on Tuesday which was great. We met our new mission president. Pres. Reber and his wife. I already love them. They are great. I translated a little bit for Sister Reber and I remembered a lot about how I felt at my first zone conference when I heard her Portuguese and how she wanted so badly to get to know everyone but couldn´t quite get the words out and understand. But she will learn fast, she seems like a really determined person. I feel like I already have known them for a really long time. President talked about faith and how we can have more faith and practice our faith. He spoke about how his mission changed him and how almost everything that he has done in his life was based on his activity in the church thanks to his mission. I know that missions are powerful things that can really change people. I feel that I have already learned a lot with our new President.
 It was fun to speak in English a bit, and to feel equally comfortable in Portuguese. This is a sign of progress. That was Tuesday. Then wed. we helped out with a community project in the 4th grade class of a sister in our ward. I played my violin and answered tons of the fourth graders questions. It was very fun and made me think a lot about the pre-school and how my life prepared me for my mission and my mission continues to prepare me for life. That same day my comp. taught a class about make-up for the young women. We pushed to find new people to teach this week and Lidiane (was a reference from another Elder) came to Church this week. I´m excited for her progress. she says that she believes the Book of Mormon is true and really liked church. I hope that we will have more spiritual experiences with her this up-coming week. Last night we also were able to have a family night with our Bishop´s family as we work with one of his sons to come back to church.
 I had a great interview with my President Reber on Saturday and I loved chatting with Sister Reber. We talked about endurance and how to fortify our spirits. He is an inspired man. I received that testimony very strongly this week.
 I also was able to play my violin for ward conference and the other sisters (Sister Chatwin and Sister Morais) had a baptism yesterday of a girl named Stefani that I helped to teach. It was fun and I also got to play my violin for the baptism.
 I am blessed. I can´t complain. Sometimes its tough. but the truth stays the same.
Be good. know that I love you and keep fortifying the kingdom of God on the earth. That´s what I´m going to do this week :)
 com amor,
Sister Sorensen (the other one that´s not coming home in a few days)

My first zone conference with President and Sister Reber 
 at mutual this week my comp. gave tips about make-up and she did my make-up to show examples....this is the most make-up I have had on my face without preforming in a play
We went to an animal reserve and rescue last week on p-day...me and and monkey :)

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Sarah Cate: Her return home is almost here....

Hermana Sarah Cate Sorensen will return from her missionary service in the Texas, San Antonio Mission on Wednesday, July 18th.  She will give a report the following Sunday (July22nd) at our ward.  The chapel is located at 1005 South 2000 East, Salt Lake City, UT.  It is set to commence at 12:50pm.  Y'all come!

Sarah Cate: Off to Converse

Alright family and Y'all,
 I am going to try to type as fast as my little fingers will go because I have soooo much to tell y'all and zero time to do it. Alright so after I e-mailed y'all last week, I had a fantastic p-day with the zone. It all came to a screeching halt when President called with details on when Sister Heeder was going home. She was told that Wednesday she would be flying out. That was totally fine with me but then President wanted to talk to me. He told me that I have been a real trooper for going through everything with her and so HE ASKED ME WHERE I WANTED TO SERVE! He said "now I don't normally do this but I would hate for you to end your mission with such a difficult time." I was just blown away. My mind was racing and I just threw out any old place I could think of. Of course I told him I would love to speak Spanish again and he could send me to the boarder. I also told him that I would love to go back to one of my old areas. Well he said he wasn't sure what he was going to do but I needed to pack my bags and be all moved out by Wednesday as well. That shocked me.  I all of a sudden realized that I had to say good bye to everyone! I had to say good bye to everything I had just worked so stinkin hard for. I broke down. I just was done. For the next two days it was truly a blurr. It was so frustrating because we had no time and all I wanted to do was cry and sleep. I couldn't sleep at night time. It was a mess. I felt like I needed to tell President to send me to Sister Heeders' old area. I didn't know why but I told him that. He asked me why but the next thing I knew, I was being sent there. It's called Converse and its down in San Antonio. President told me that I would be here for a week and then I would probably go somewhere else. Well it's all in the Lord's hands because when I got to Converse, I was an answer to the sister's prayers. They have been having some rough times. I just love them so much. It's been crazy. A sister in the mission, her father passed away and I was going to replace her down in Uvalde which is by the boarder but she decided to not go to the funeral. So instead, President had us all go to the temple!!!!!!!!!! I got to go and do a session in the temple!!!! IT was amazing to say the least! One of my current companions trained the sister whose father passed away. It has been so crazy.
 So now I am in a new area and I am not sure if I am staying or going. This ward here is very dysfunctional. I would direct all of your letters and things to the mission office for now because I know not where I will be. I wish I could tell you more but I don't know more of the details.
  A huge tender mercy that I have been blessed with is that the Elder in my first area, Elder Nygaard (we were both trained together in Del Rio) is now my District leader. He has been so kind to me. I just really appreciate the lord sending me people who care.
 I guess this is just more prep for home because I have no home right now. Amazing things are happening right now in Mt. Bonnell and I am sad I am missing them but I know the Lord has his reasons for everything. I love my current companions. Sister Humphries and Sister Mattson. --Sister Deleon--I think of you all the time and I just laugh because I remember our exchange when you were comps with Sister Humphries. good times gooooood times! hahaha
 Well I love y'all tons. Just send it all to the mission home

404 E. Ramsey Rd. Ste. 105
San Antonio, TX. 78216

Love y'all

Texican.

Libbi: Wow...the times they are a changin..

Well, the mission continues. We heard our last conference (via cell phone) of President Oliveira. Now starts the presidency of President Reber. I´m excited to meet him tomorrow in our Zone Conference. It Should be a great and spiritual meeting.
Before anything else...CONGRATS DAVID MATHEW ON YOUR MISSION CALL TO PARIS FRANCE!!!!!! I am beyond excited for you and everything. Don´t worry we will have a great little get together in 2014 when we see each other again! The time really will fly for you. It has flown for me here in the past year or so.
Thanks to Susu and Gus for you constant and faithful letter writing. I also got a letter from Aunt Marilee and I just want to thank everyone that prays for me. I feel you prayers. They help me everyday!
We continue to work in Jardim Imá with the members and non-member to fortify the Lord´s Kingdom in this part of the world. We found some new people that we are teaching this week. Roberta is a young girl that has relatives that are members of the church.  She is what we call an eternal investigator´ but we are working to prepare her to be baptized and to truly seek a response in prayer about the Restoration and decision to be baptized. Gerson and Erick are both having serious opposition in their lives that is keeping them from coming to church. Please pray for them. We continue the work here and this week we have a ton to look forward to. We will have zone conference tomorrow, I will play my violin at a cultural display for the community, Ward conference, and my comp is also going to help out with an activity for the young women about modeling. Should be a fun week.
I have observed lots of people deal with difficult trials in their lives this time that I have been in this ward. My companion, members, and investigators. They have lost family, suffered from sickness, watched loved ones make bad choices, and much much more. I am learning to `mourn with those that mourn, comfort those that stand in need of comfort...` I feel stronger for this and a new capacity to love and have compassion for others!
I am happy. I am healthy. I am serving the Lord and trying to with all my heart might mind and strength. It is a challenge at times. My flesh is weak. I trust in Him and know that only  though Him I can be made whole. I need him along with all of us.  Honor his sacrifice with all that you do. Be good. CTR. I love you all dearly.

com amor,
Sister Libbi Sorensen