The third week....

Wow - Thanksgiving really put me behing schedule! This is the email from week 3 (ending 2 Dec 08). Week 4 will be up by Friday! Enjoy...and please comment. I am sending the comments to Elder Sorensen in email form so he knows what y'all have to say about his adventures.

New Key:
Elder Sorensen
Mom
Kaycee
Gavin
Comments/Guest


WEEKLY UPDATE

Hey Everyone,
Well another week down. The Mumbai blasts still kinda have everyone on high alert but we have been told not to worry. The "kg count" is still on. I have lost 4kg since being in India. That's alomst 9 pounds. I'm sitting at about 222lbs. It's funny because I can tell all the locals that I'm going on a diet. They usually get a good laugh. Yesterday we met a really cool new investigator. He came to the other elders in the branch and told them "I've heard about your church. I was taught the lessons a while back. and I have a Mormon book. when can I be taught? I'm really loving your church and all the good things that come from it." We met him and kinda figured out what he knew about the Book of Mormon. He knew quite a bit. We explained to him that we worship Christ and Heavenly Father not Joseph Smith. He was like "that's what I thought." He's so prepared. We are hoping to set him before Christmas transfers. If all goes well we will have 6 people baptized around Christmas time. Tonight we are setting Rajini. He told me that I'm his favorite missionary. It was cool. He said that he would take baptism if I took baptism. I'm pretty sure I was baptized already. I told him that, he kinda pondered it for a while. We met with him Monday night and we are committing him tonight (Wednesday). He kinda mentioned that he wants me to baptize him. which would be freaking amazing. I'm so excited for him. Other than that nothing too big has happened. Peter and his family kinda dropped us so we haven't met with them in a while. We found another really good family. When we met the son didn't believe in God. T was talking to his friends. By the time I left he said that us finding him was a sign from God and he is meeting with us Sunday and his friend is meeting with us tonight. Well that's all. I am picking up some Teligu. I still sound like a gringo, but it's fun. I love y'all. Thanks for the prayers.
Elder Sorensen

CURRENT INVESTIGATORS: Rajini, Radjshakar, Anoj, Madhu, Sagar and Vanisha, Dilip and Laxomi, Monoj, Jesu Ratnum Family,and Nagaraj

A few explanations...The country is not necessarily on high alert, but "kinda nervous." Logan explained baptism a little more to Rajini by showing him his Priesthood Line of Authority. Peter is the father of the 8 member Roman Catholic family they met the first day.

Music and Rules...
Have you sent my Ipod yet? No one here has any good music.

What kind of music do they have?

Some places have American music - we just listened to Colbie Calliat - but mostly Teligu music. It's ok but I don't know what they are saying.

Why are you listening to American music? I thought you weren't supposed to. You did so well on the way to the MTC. How would you rate yourself on following the rules?

There have been maybe 3 days that I was late getting up, or late to studies and those days i knew it. The music is on at all the places Americans go. They know its what we like. It's all good. I'm not really listening. It's not really music i like anyways.

Your rating on following the rules???

Probably 9. I know there are some I don't know and I break my English because they can't understand if you don't.

Is breaking English a rule? like saying so big?

I think it means speaking English and Teligu together, but somethings could work in America and some wouldn't.

Illness...
Logan has been sick off on and throughout the time that he has been in India. Part of the problem is adjusting to the food, but also the water. Logan doesn't drink it all the time, but when he does, he's getting sick. The usual is a stomach ache and fever, but he doesn't let that stop him from doing the Lord's work. He said that being sick is a pretty frequent thing, but staying home isn't. He had a sweet moment with Rajini when he was sick though...

On Saturday night I was sick so we slept for 30 minutes before meeting him. We met him 30 minutes after waking up. He noticed I didn't look well. "Brother, you're looking very dull." I tried to get him to not worry about it. Snday he brought me chocolates and some warm milk,which is actually really good. Go boil some milk and put a good amount of sugar in it.

PMG....
Elder Sorensen talks about PMG all the time now. (PMG = Preach My Gospel) He is telling anyone and everyone who will or won't listen that studying PMG will help and it tells you how to be a great missionary. While in the MTC, I sent him a mini copy of PMG to use. He says that all the other Elders are jealous and that he likes having 2 copies to study from because he can pass one along to the next Elder Sorensen.

Moving...
Elder T and Elder S have yet to move to the new flat. They did go shopping for a couple things for the flat though - a stove, fridge, washer, cups, and utensils. Logan doesn't mind that they haven't moved because he likes the other guys in the flat. Logan is excited for the new flat because it's nice or as he put it his current flat "on steroids."

Thanksgiving Dinner...
It was delicious, not the same, but not India. So I was super happy about that.

Logan explained that they're not allowed to purchase large meals like that, so they all gave their money to the senior couple who paid at the hotel. Interesting. We don't quite understand it, but he was excited to have some good food.

Mail...

Have you gotten any snail mail yet? If so from who?

Nope. None yet. u? I sent some yesterday and last Monday.

Can we send stuff directly to your flat? Some wardies want to send you a package...

Send it through the mission office. The 6 packages thing is a bluff. I can get 6 for the rest of the year. It's year ending, not my mission year ending.

Teaching....

So tell me what it's like to teach. Do you usually follow the same pattern?

It is very intimidating. We hardly ever follow the same pattern. The only pattern we follow is the outline, but we always use different scriptures or teach different points in a principle. It's so much fun though. You feel so good afterwards.

I so wish I could be a fly on the wall to see how wonderful you are doing. It sounds like you are learning alot.

Lessons are a lot of explaining and re-explaining. We usually go over a few things and you can tell really fast if they understand or not. T does a lot of talking in most and I do about 40% in those. The others that I lead are more 50-50 and kinda random, but I'm getting there. Study PMG lesson one. I pretty much do that - thats what it's like.

No one we teach has more than one room. Most are about the size of the living room - the one with the tv - and we sit on the floor sometimes. Rajini has one room. It's the size of mine and the school room minus the closets and a few feet. His bed is a metal frame. He sleeps on newspaper and has a blanket for a pillow. That's what we see all the time. One family we visit has 2 rooms, and some have comfy beds, but only some.

Sunday...
Each week I feel less green. Our BP (Branch President) is amazing. He always says "Elder Sorson, what do you think? How is it done back home?" He helps me a lot and the EQP is actually trying to be better, so I try too. We had a nice conversation - he's a really smart guy. Church was good. Class was fun. Rajini was having fun. It was so funny. Rajini kept getting T and I to read and he loves to participate, so he just has fun.

A 14 year old boy or Sister Kasper plays the piano. This kid is pretty good too and they have an organ nicer than the one at home. The building is really new.

Food...
Are you thinking of making wild chicken and rice? I don't use as much curry as they do there in mine.

I want to make chicken. There are a million places here to buy chickens, but I want to catch one with razor sharp talons.

Some food advice:

• Don't drink excessive caffeine - especially energy drinks. They cause osteoporosis and the dehydration. (Name the movie....Gator-ade)
• Go for low cost items like an appetizer instead of an entree when eating at places like Friday's.
• You can also go for the kids menu.
• Share something with Elder T. If there's something you both want it makes it cheaper and you get to enjoy 2 things!
• Don't order dessert - it's just sugar and sugar won't give you sustained energy..."no nutrients" (movie?).
• Go and have a salad or something.

I don't have too much coke, and everything kinda comes out easier but not like runny. You know. I have some food at the flat. I found some Ramen thats from China, so it's not Indianized. It has no dosa or masala, which are weird and not delicious to the taste.

Bathroom...

What is the potty situation like these days?

Yesterday I had to go so bad and our driver wouldn't stop and when I finally could go there were about of beggers asking me for money. I thought seeing me Pee would be enough.

Beggars ask you for money when you are peeing?

They ask for money whenever, especially when we pee because I can't run away. They pull and scratch and everything.

They pull and scratch while you are peeing? Do you really think peeing in public is modest? Can't you go somewhere private? i'm sorry you have to go in the street and beggars harass you. I would imagine that is very hard to see people so destitute.

Man I wish I could help them. It's horrible but there are no places to go. They have one public restroom in our area and it's at Kennedy's house - the "thing" behind his house.

Gavin's thoughts...
Daddy & I were watching a movie yesterday. It was about a football player that was 5 foot flat. He wanted to play for Notre Dame but everyone told him he couldn't. It's one of the best teams in the NCAA. It reminded me of how people said to you that is was going to be really hard to go to India. That you are wasting your time. It made me cry at the end of the day because I thought of you and how you were like that football player Rudy.
Love ya, Gavin (Impulse)

If anyone tells you that I'm wasting my time you ask them why? Then tell them it's for the Lord and we are sharing a message about how God loves everyone not just the [people] in America. It's ok buddy. Thank you tons.

Mission Plaque...
We asked Logan what scripture he wanted for his mission plaque...the response was greatness!

Romans 1:16. or the one about the Lamanites fighting like dragons - cause thats what we do here. If you can find that one use it.

Fighting like dragons? That doesn't sound very missionary like!

Yes it does. We fight for our lives, don't tell mom. We fight with the spirit - even though the dragon there means Satan.

How do you fight for your lives? Is there street fights? Fun!

Is this KC or mom? Then I'll tell. lol.

It's Kaycee. I type fast so we're tag teaming the email lines. Mom went to the bathroom.

Ok. There are people ALL around who try and get us outta the country. They are haters. They always tell us we aren't welcome and try and steal our passports and stuff like that. Sometimes they threaten us, but they never get away with it. Crossing the traffic here is insane.

So do you carry your passport on you? (It's your papers) Do you need something to wear under your shirt to keep stuff safe? I'm guessing that is part of the reason they don't send the scrawny Elders there.

I carry a copy, not the passport. That's bad. All my stuff is safe. It can't be stolen unless i'm beaten down. Don't worry. T and I are big boys. We are safe, but Pres told us if we do get into a confrontation, we need to be hit first, then we swing and run like crazy.

Pictures...

I didn't really take any new pics this week, but T and I are hoping to make Christmas cards today and send them out. We have been trying to get pics in front of the church forever!! We can't have our cameras while we prosy that's why you dont have too many pics, but I will find a way.

Questions...

Is Elder T teaching you how to be a good trainer? Will you get new missionaries after Christmas? What are the names of the other missionaries in your flat? Were you able to meet with the Pres last week? What did y'all talk about?

kinda. yes, 6, not as big as our batch. Siyyadri-Tuscano,Ward-Evans.
Yes we met, and we didn't really get to talk much because he had meetings.

What does kinda mean? I'm guessing Elder Siyyadri is a native?

I'm just learning from example. Siyyadri is from Radj, the poorest place in the mission.

Does that mean Siyyadri is poor? How does he pay for his mission? Did he have to go the MTC in the States? How does he afford Friday's?

We usually pay for what he can't. He's good with his money. He had to pay 20,000/- before he came out. Natives have to finish their degree before they leave and they go to the Phillipines MTC. I think his family is a little better well off, so I think he has some money.

Uncle Chris Says...
KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK! GEAUX LOGAN!

He also said that it's amazing how cool and comfortable you look over there in India. He is way proud of you and glad that you're doing well and safe! That was his comment on the blog this week.

Sweet. Tell him thanks and I love him. I had a few letters with him and the fam at the MTC. Tell him I try to look natural even though I stick out like a sore thumb.

Do you stick out like a sore thumb because you're white or because you're "Fat?" How's Bob? Have you taught him any lessons this week?

Bob has been "too busy" and I stick out because I'm white and I'm tall. Very few people here are tall. There are a lot of people who look like Faruk. They have rice bellies.

Fun Stories of the week...
I'm getting way good at Table Tennis because we play a lot. We give church tours and they always want to play table tennis. If they get a point they can ask a question. If we get a point they have to do something, like committment or read, something like that. There's a pretty sweet table upstairs at the church and rajini loves to play, but he always tries to get us to. It's super fun and I'm way good now. Rajini likes it.

I found out last night that if 3 or more cars go the wrong way it's legal here. They all crossed over traffic last night and they were just going and our lane was just going around them. It is so weird here.

Something interesting I saw was a ritual. When a girl has her first menstual cycle they get all the people together and pour goats milk all over her. I saw it in passing...but it was still weird.

We saw a TON of monkeys the other day. T was a little nervous. I thought they were cute. We havent been bat watching because we have been working out at night too - trying to get "so much big" T actually is taller than me, but a little pudgier and "so much big" is Indian for bigger. It's just how they speak and I am getting that way. T had a bad experience (before with the monkeys). He lost some bananas and got chased. I tried to catch a monkey the other day. He ran to another bigger one so I stopped.

running "lol" count = 123