Week of June 29, 2014

This past week was the most successful week i've had since I've been in Gull Lake. It wasn't anything huge, but we finally started to see blessings. I know that it was a direct result of our hard work, and patience.

We had an exchange on Tuesday which was pretty fun. I went with my district leader. I miss being the DL's comp. But it was a fun exchange. I took him to Gull Lake, and we did some service to the community and had a dinner appointment with the Parsons. We got permission from our zone leaders to watch a movie called the Saratov approach. It's about two missionaries in Russia that get kidnapped in 1998. It's pretty great and tells an amazing story on the power of prayer. 

I told you about Ann last week. We were able to bring some members out from Swift current and sit down and teach her about the restoration. It was pretty good. The members weren't the best, but they were willing. The spirit was so strong at the end of the lesson. Every time that I feel that spirit testify through me, it always confirms my testimony that the Book of mormon is true. 

Friday was a very funny day. First, there's a lot of birds in Gull Lake. So we're headed to the library to teach a lesson. Right as I got out of the car, I felt something hit my head and shoulder. I looked down, and it was bird poop. Sick! I turned to Elder Blackburn and told him, we both laughed really hard, got back in the car and drove back to our place, so I could get cleaned up. We're still laughing about it. Some people would call that good luck I suppose.  

There's a part member family that we've been trying to work with since the area opened. Paul, the husband is a member, but Wendy his wife is not. We do service for them a lot by cleaning out the movie theatre they own. We were able to meet them that way. We were pretty shocked because all the records say they're rude, but they're so nice, and they love us. On Saturday, they invited us over for supper. We were able to get to know them more and share a spiritual thought and learn about their concerns and find out why they're less-active. It was truly amazing. 

Other than that, that is my week. I'm loving Gull Lake. I get my transfer call on Friday, so I'm excited for that. I'll probably stay though.

Thank you guys for everything. 

Elder Jake Sorenson 

Week of June 23, 2014

This week was probably one of the fastest of my whole mission! Can't believe it's been almost 10 months since I left home, but time is just getting faster and faster. I'm loving Canada, and the sun is up for almost 22 hours a day! crazy. Super bummed to miss out this week on my bro's wedding, but Congratulations to my brother Matt, and his new wife Shelby. I'm super happy for you guys, now all my brothers are married..... No pressure hey?

Let's get down to my week, because let's be honest, that's the whole reason you read my email anyway.... It actually went really well, We had a ton of rain! we're in what's known as Saskatchewan's rainy season. Super fancy, I know. But I haven't seen Canada over 30*C. which is about 92*f, and that was only one day, usually it's around 22*c which is room temperature and it's been really nice. Tuesday we took a long drive to Regina for Zone conference. It was a lot of fun, and our mission president actually got mad for once. It was glorious. He rebuked the "piles" in the mission that slacked off and weren't taking care of either their apartments, or weren't waking up on time. I just spent the whole time enjoying it because I was just happy that I was an obedient missionary and I wasn't called to repentance. It was a great meeting though. Learned lots about how to teach better to the family level. 

After the conference we got the new windsheild wiper arm we needed for our car and headed back to Gull Lake. After we got to Swift Current it started to rain. Hard. It was bad enough that our District leader asked us to spend the night in Swift, and drive back to Gull lake in the morning. Yay for 2 full days out of my area.... 

On monday we had a potential named Ann get back from vacation. She went on a bus tour of all of Canada. On Wednesday she invited us to sing with her church's chior. We did, and it was a lot of fun, but I didn't like their hymns. Mainly because they're wrong, but the tune was just not spiritually uplifting at all. But on Friday we had lunch with her, helped her with some service, and taught her a little about our church. This next week she accepted to take the lessons with a member, Super excited for her. 

Saturday and Sunday were spent in swift surrent. We went to a kite festival and volunteered. It was an international event with kites from around the world. It was pretty neat. Untill it rained on Saturday. Sunday was better. I'll send some pictures. I got pretty sunburnt from it. So that's pretty much my week. It went by quick! as is this transfer!

Love you guys and thanks for everything.

Elder Jake Sorenson  

Week of June 15, 2014

Man, these weeks keep getting better and better. I'm loving Gull Lake, and it's the place to be. It rained a lot this last week and we taught a couple of lessons so that was great! We're starting to get the work moving in Gull Lake and that's what I like to see.

On Tuesday we had a neat experience. We helped the town clean out an old Shoe shop that had not been opened for a little over 30 years. It was in business since 1943-1978. We took the boards down and spent most of the time looking at all the old stuff that was left behind, hut then we organized most of the place, threw away some trash, and we're going back next week to turn it into a tourist building. It was truly unique. 

Wednesday was interesting. We drove into Swift current for a district meeting, and it was great. I got to meet our new zone leader, Elder Kyler Messenger from Pleasant Grove. I don't know him from back home, but he's a great missionary. After District meeting we went and visited a less-active member in the hospital who has no legs. He was on dialysis and suddenly had to go to the bathroom. He asked us if we would help, and elder Blackburn and I just looked at each other, and just tried not to laugh, but luckily all we had to do is push him to the bathroom and he had it from there.

Friday was also pretty great. We drove out to a town called Shounovan which is 30 min south of Gull Lake. only and hour from the boarder =P But we taught some investigators out there who are devote catholic. They had a lot of questions and it almost turned into a bible bash, but luckily we were able to teach them about the plan of salvation and he understood it, but had some varying opinions. On the drive back to gull lake, It rained really hard. Gull Lake is actually in tornado Alley, so we get some crazy storms. But it rained hard enough that it broke our wind shield wipers! it was funny. One fell off, and I went to pick it up, and before I was able to, a truck ran it over and broke it in half! So we ordered a new part from Regina, hopefully to be picked up tomorrow.

On Saturday, we went to a native Pow Wow, and we showed up and the announcer said "it's not a pow wow without the mormons!" We started laughing and he said again "Remember the good 'ol days when we could have more than one wife?" It was halarious. 

Sunday was a pretty great day. We had the assistants come into church in Swift Current, and one of them used to serve here, so he was happy to be back. After church we talked with the AP's about our area, and then went to a supper appointment with them. We went to the Parsons' and it was great. they fed us good food, and sister parsons' texted my mom during it. It was pretty funny. 

That was my week in a nut shell. I'll send some photos too. There's a video about my mission on the Facebook. It's really good. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10204192382076854 Check it out! 

Love you guys! Thanks for everything you do.

-Elder Jake Sorenson

Week of June 8, 2014

The time's a flyin'. But it's oh so good. So currently, like I said I'm out in a little punk town called Gull Lake, Saskatchewan. We can almost double the population just driving into town. For those of you that have asked me questions about the area, let me clear them up. So our ward boundaries are pretty big. Not quite as big as they were in Prince Albert. But basically my companion and I work not only in Gull Lake, but we also work in Swift current where the branch is. It's rough getting there sometimes, and having contact with the missionaries there because it's half an hour away. Also, we work in the little towns that surround Gull lake. And the nearest town is an other half an hour away from Gull Lake. Our main purpose in Gull Lake is to reach out to the less-actives that live so far out of town that it's hard for the branch to reach out to them. So needless to say, Elder Blackburn and I do a lot of travelling. I love it. We get to see the beautiful country side that makes up the rolling hills of Saskatchewan, close to the Alberta Boarder.

So to get to what we did this week, we were actually quite busy. I love being busy. Elder Blackburn and I both hit our 9 month mark on Wednesday! Time's a flyin'. But also now that we're on Facebook, it seems to be working out quite well! I was able to teach someone I met up in Prince Albert over Facebook, and we taught her the restoration. It was great! She asked a lot of good questions. Hopefully she'll go somewhere.

One thing that the town really likes doing, is putting us to work! We stopped by our town office, and had a great chat with our mayor, and his secretaries. We were finally able to have a gospel related conversation with them. It was great! And they also asked us to do some landscaping for some trees around town. So we did that all Friday, and some on Saturday as well.

One thing about Gull Lake is everyone plays either baseball or softball. We got asked to play softball with a bunch of 30 year olds on friday nights. It was a blast! Hopefully I'll get better at playing because I'm not very good, and then with softball, we can start teaching all of them and increase the YSA in the branch. 

This leads me to Sunday. Which is also my complaint. Driving into Swift current for church is great, but I feel that the members don't really care for us because we're tossed out in Gull Lake. Makes it hard to make friendships. I got to play the piano in sacrament meeting which was good, but then I taught elders quorum and they all treated it like a joke. Made me a little frustrated, but what could I do? Just trying not to be discouraged or anything. This last week I was between missing home, or really missing Prince Albert. I was missing Prince Albert more than Home. there's still a piece of my heart there! haha, but that's my little venting session to you all. 

Looking optimistic about the coming weeks! Thank you for all that you do.

-Elder Sorenson

P.S. this is how small Gull Lake is

Week of June 1, 2014

Crazy week. It all basically started off when everyone wanted to see me to say goodbye. It's nice that they wanted to see me, but where were you two weeks ago?! but anyways, it was nice. Monday and tuesday I basically spent trying to see everyone to say goodbye, and teach them a final lesson before I left. I also had to find time to pack. And It turns out that spending 6 months in PA, I collected a lot of junk. So that was fun.

On Monday we drove up north a bit and Visited a less active. It was raining all day, but the drive was beautiful! I loved it. Once it was warm there, everything turned green. super green. And it was pretty. Tuesday was the busiest day. We had non stop appointments with people and everyone wanted to feed me. No wonder I've gained weight haha. But Luckily we made it through the day and I took tons of pictures, and Actually got packed. On wedensday morning we packed up, and I went and visited someone on the res real quick for breakfast and then we were gone, and I cried leaving Prince Albert. It was no bueno. 

The drive Wednesday was amazing. Comprising Wednesday and Thursday, I got to see all the big cities in Saskatchewan, which most missionaries don't get to do in a single transfer. I was able to drive through Prince Albert, Saskatoon, Regina, Moose Jaw, and Swift Current. It was fun. We spent the night in Regina where we got to attend the temple. It was truly unique because we did a session with all missionaries. Lots of fun, and then I got my new comp, and the next day we drove to Gull Lake. 

Gull Lake is great. It's TINY! it's a town of about 900 people. We have church in Swift Current which is half an hour away, and we do tons of service. Gull lake was opened 6 months ago for Missionaries, and they haven't taught a whole lot, but Everyone loves us and knows who we are. I hope that we can turn it around because I feel like this is my transfer to prove myself to President Thomas. My Companion's Name Is elder Blackburn. He's great. He's from Vernal, and him and I know eachother well. We Served in the same district for 3 months in Winnipeg, So we just hit it right off the bat.

One last note-worthy thing. This last sunday we had stake conference. All of Canada did. The reason being was because Henry B. Eyring was broadcasting from salt lake to all of Canada. It was fantastic. He spoke with Elder Holland, and Elder Perkins from the 70, and Also Sister Burton of the RS. They spoke a lot on the Atonement, as did our stake president. They spoke on the need of cleaning the inner selves, and being able to utilize the atonement.

That's me this week! Really excited for this next transfer! Love you guys and thanks for your prayers and support!

Elder Jake Sorenson