two months down?

!HOLA!

Today marks two months in the mission!! How did that happen!? I know I say this in literally every email...but time flies here in the mission! It was such a good week, and I think that I might be in love...just kidding, relax. But seriously, you guys..NIKO. Our investigator that reminds me of Jake is such a stud! He has so much faith! His family is like...not for the church at all but lucky for us we caught his mom on a good day and she said he could get baptized!! Whoop, there it is! (ten points to anyone that read that in the Fat Amy voice) But he is only 11 and has such a strong testimony and truly loves this gospel! I´ll attach a picture. :) Anyway....so that´s how my week is going. AMAZING! I have learned so much this past week, I sometimes wonder who´s the missionary here because I´m positive that these people are teaching me more than I am teaching them! This week, I feel like the language clicked more or less. I am understanding most things, and can speak fairly well! The gift of tongues is real, I am always able to say what I need to say during lessons.:) More than anything, my knowledge about the gospel is increasing every. single. day..and there is still so much to learn. Always will be! Guess who got put on blast in church on Sunday? Yep..me. haha they were announcing the program and then Hno. Otero said and then we will hear a message from Hna. Sorenson. Uh. K. haha but it went really well. I think! :) I talked about the work here, and my experience as a missionary so far. 

Culture: things I forgot last week, or just encountered this week.

-Uh...the milk here is in bags. 

-the roads are almost all dirt (siiiick for my shoes...just kidding I don´t care)

-people literally drive horses. haha the horses are connected to a giant wooden wagon thing, and the people just stand in there and stear the horses! They´re everywhere..and they just act like it´s normal! 

-THEY DON´T REFRIDGERATE THEIR EGGS!!! HELP. (you win Bradshaw)

Funny: OH MY GOSH. 

-Okay, so this is from last week but it´s so funny that I have to tell you all! Okay, so the kids have uniforms that they all have to wear to school, and the are like these white dress things, with a giant navy bow on the front...well my first time seeing one of these bad boys was on Thanksgiving and I was like ¨Awe, they´re dressed up for Thanksgiving!¨and my comp was like...¨This is Uruguay....not America.¨haha k.

-The elders had a rough week...first of all, they tried to give themselves haircuts..needless to say, they now have buzzed heads. haha it was tragic. Then on sunday they were going to a members house for lunch and they had ALLIGATOR..haha suckas! We got this pasta that probably wasn´t much better..but still, it wasn´t alligator!

-I learned how lead music this week..not by choice. I got volunteered and just wung it. Is ¨wung¨a word? No one seemed to question my ability so I figure I did an alright job!

-Ok, so we don´t have a piano, so we have a cd player for the hymns in church and one of the hymns was sped up (and spanish is already like a million words per minute haaha) I. WAS. CRYING. It was so funny, everyone was trying to stay reverent and sing..but it was so fast. It reminded me of that scene on Superstar when the music gets sped up while they´re dancing..(that reference was for you mom)

Spiritual: 

-Last Tuesday we had THE BEST district meeting ever. We talked about Christs atonement. What an eye opener! I learned so much in that meeting and it would take forever to tell you everything, but some of my favorite notes say:

¨Whenever things get hard in the mission, I need to remember Him and His Atonement. Why would I ever think that this would be easy, when it was never, EVER easy for Him? When I am tried, and tested...I need to remember that I am standing shoulder to shoulder with the greatest life that ever lived!¨ Isn´t that great?! and so true!!! Then during scripture study this morning, I came across this scripture that applies perfectly D&C 84: 88 

¨...I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.¨ From that point on..when ever I am sulking about my so called ¨problems...¨ I will be reminded of Him and His Atonement...and I know it will help me throughout my entire mission, and always! :)

-Our investigators are improving tenfold, and I love them all so much. They are so awesome and ready for the gospel in their lives!!! Seeing the changes that occur in people through living the principals of the gospel, is truly a priviledge! There is no better feeling than getting to witness people experiencing the happiness of the gospel in their OWN lives for the first time! They´re so excited to have found what they didn´t even know they were looking for.

-............DRUMROLLLLLLL. I´m pretty positive I found my REAL grandpa on my dads side...nothing on my real dad yet, but finding my grandpa is a huge step! We were doing a family history activity and the branch presidents wife started screaming and crying and calling my name. So I ran over there and BAM! Besir Gouda is his name. Then the best part? We got approved to go to the temple this Saturday with our branch..So...Edgar (my first friend in the branch) is going to do his baptism and confirmation work. My whole life I´ve been looking for information...so I could do the work for that part of my family and n a d a. I was using the wrong resources..the church has it all! :) I am excited to say the least...I a m s o b l e s s e d.

The Lord is working some pretty big miracles here in Uruguay... I am so blessed to have this opportunity, and I am learning so much. I miss you all back home, but I can´t imagine my life without these people!! Thank you for your emails, and letters. I love hearing from you!! Thank you for your love and prayers, as always, I can feel them from here. :) Two months down, sixteen to go! THAT. IS. CRAZY. Have a great weeeeeeek lovers!

Birthday shoutout to Aunt Danielle, Ciara, Elva Godinez, Gracee Allred, and Alex Allen!! I love you guys!

PS: Someone update me, how was Mykas wedding!? Send pictures! And Paul Walker died!? A little too fast a little too furious? He isn´t waking anywhere......okay I´m done. hahaa just writing what I am sure everyone already put on Twitter. 

xo-Hermana Sorenson

INTRODUCING: Niko! He´s getting baptized on Thursday!!! Please pray for him!! :)