Tranfers!

So big news for this week is that I am being transferred to Ganado. Not too far away. I don't know my address yet, but I will next week. I am forwarding my mail so if you send something I will still get it in Ganado. I am companions with Elder Halamen from Magnolia, Texas. I know him from teen camp and such, but he is right out of training which is pretty scary. Not sure how that will go.

Funny story of the week! The new truck we got was broken when we got it and was leaking trany fluid, so we didn't drive all week. I was sick on Tuesday anyways, so we only got two lessons this week. Pretty good lessons though. SO since we didn't have a truck, we decided to walk to our housing compound. To get there we had to hop a 12 foot fence. So I hopped it and cut my hand a little, then Elder Hirschi tried hopping over, but decided that he couldn't so we walked for awhile to find a lower place.

As we were walking he said, "Dude! We gotta go home."

I was like "Why?"

"Bro - look at your pants!" My pants were ripped from belt to my knee. They were my Calvin Kleins. Pretty sad about that.

So pretty fun week but not a whole lot happened.

I watched Ephraim's Rescue for the first time!

Elder Sorensen

Gilbert AZ Temple Dedication

Elder Sorensen was able to attend the dedication of the Gilbert Arizona Temple on Sunday, March 2. There is a limited email connection, so we haven't received any of Elder Sorensen's pics, but we'll post them when we get them! Below is a link where you can see some pictures and video of the day from the Mormon Newsroom.

http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/church-dedicates-142nd-temple

The local ABC network aired a special in January on what happens inside LDS temples. Here's a link for you to check it out:

http://www.abc15.com/news/region-southeast-valley/gilbert/gilbert-mormon-temple-what-happens-inside-lds-temple

Week 9 - Off-road in a suit

So this week has been a fun one. It rained a few days ago and when it rains here, it floods because the ground is so hard and dry - and keep in mind there are no roads!! So we went mudding on Saturday basically. We got stuck in about a foot of water. I have some pics. The truck sank about 8'' in the mud. I had to get out in my suit and push the truck and put the tracks under the tires, which did nothing. It was freezing and I was soaked in my suit!!! We would have been there forever if a member didn't stop by in his monster truck thingy. haha. He pulled us out then we went home dried off and went back out! So this all happened on March 1. The first is usually a bad day because everyone goes to Chinley to pick up their welfare checks then use them to get wasted. And the Navajos hate rain. If it sprinkles or even gets cloudy they are sick. So Saturday and Sunday we had zero lessons and only 3 contacts. But on Sunday we pushed some people out of the mud, then we almost got stuck again. We have done a lot of service lately. I love the mud. I need a Jeep when I get home so I can go mudding.

On a more spiritual note... We were going to go see Robert, the perma-drunk, so that we could say we weren't coming by anymore. It was really hard to do. On the way to his house I almost cried because I felt so bad that we had to stop seeing him. We love him, but he can't remember anything because he is still wasted and messed up in the brain even though he stopped drinking 3 months ago. So we sat down in his house with him and his hundreds of black cats; he asked what we would be teaching, Elder Petersen and I looked at each other, and said a silent prayer. We both were sad about what was going to happen. We started to talk then the Spirit said, ''No way Jose, you aren't dropping him! We are going to ask him to be baptized!" So we went with it. Didn't drop him and now he is getting baptized!! Thanks Spirit :) We got in the truck and we were like ''whaaat??" Felt like a minion from Despicable Me. haha

So two white mormons are tracting in Arizona on an Indian reservation and find 3 Filipinos..... haha

Week 8 - Mutton

Zone conference was one of the best days ever. It was really good. My zone leaders are awesome. We talked about extending commitments and being bold in dropping people. We talked about not fluffing anything up with people - say "This is why we are here. This is what you need to do and if you can't handle that we will find someone who will."

I am feeling good. I had mutton for the first time. I had it 3 times on Sunday. First in a soup, then like noodles then just a straight up sheep on the table. Mutton is sheep/goat intestines by the way.

So it has been a weird week. Some days we set the world on fire; other days nothing happens. We had a day with one lesson, then a day with 7 and 9 door contacts and 2 new investigators, then a day with 0's across the board, then another 6 lesson day then another 0 lesson day. It's like a weird version of the pride cycle!! No consistency. I had a fun experience with a drunk guy who couldn't find his Grama and asked me to pray for his truck to come back.

We shop at the gas station (haha) or Bash's where all the drunks hang out.

I will try to write letters. But don't be mad if I don't. It is really hard to find the time but I will try!! Tell everyone I love them and cuddle Dixee for me.

Oh and tell work Andy he should get baptized! Tell everyone in seminary "Hi" and I actually miss seminary. haha. So yeah. Glad the family is participating in missionary work! Remember Pres. Alleman said we have to do this together!! I am proud of all of the family.