Joseph Christian Sorensen ~ Index
Isaac Sorensen immigrated to America for the Church, and came west with the pioneers. Father's mother was a gracious lady and devoted wife and mother. Father Sorensen was one of eleven children. Their home was just west (one block) of T. Kay Sorensen's. Father received schooling through the 8th grade at Mendon public school. His father being a farmer, found him hoeing corn at the age of six.
At sixteen years he began singing solos in all functions (his father discouraged the singing of popular songs). He was very active in the priesthood. At eighteen years the Hyrum Stake president heard him sing "That is Love" and he was appointed Sunday school chorister. Served in that capacity for eighteen years. He played the baritone in two bands.
Received his endowments and departed for a mission at twenty years. Traveled in summers without purse or script. First experiences were in Chicago, where he said he brought some strays into the Church. At Council Bluffs, Iowa, he was appointed chorister of the Iowa conference by the mission president, German E. Ellsworth. This man was the greatest preacher father ever heard. He sought God's help very early when asked to approach a Josephite congregation. One faith promoting incident came during tracting. No food available for three days. A Catholic lady had prepared a large meal and remembered it was their fast day so prayed someone be sent to eat it. The elders appeared and were fed and lodged by this lady. Father was one of them.
After serving a full time mission the president wrote Isaac Sorensen for permission to keep father a while longer. This was granted and he spent three months clearing up the true authority of our church for the Josephites. The mission president said father was a natural born missionary. Father returned from his mission broke. Was given the job of mutual president in Mendon and did farming work.
In 1910, one year later, he married (Alice E. Ladle) and began work with a section crew on the railroad in Cornish, Utah. Later he journeyed to Bannock, Idaho, with four horses and a lumber wagon to homestead land. The government took the land and father returned to Mendon and operated his brother Henry's ranch, while Henry C. served a mission. Moved into their present home in 1914. Built a barn, milked cows, owned ten head of horses, (loved horses) farmed and acquired land from the old Church co-op farm and Mendon (pasture) bottoms.
Five children graced their home. Hard work was their lot and they enjoyed family cooperation in so doing. Father and mother loved home and spent a good share of time here. Father held many civic and church positions, some of which are: mayor of Mendon, also councilman; served in the bishopric, twenty years as choir leader; eighteen years on the High Council; eighteen years over Hyrum stake elders quorum; secretary of the mutual in Mendon; ward teacher; teacher of Mendon elders class; teacher special interest group in the mutual for twenty years; teacher of adult class in Sunday school for twenty-four years.
Andrew Sorensen and Alfred Gardner have been his great friends and confidents whom he has admired. He reads all the time- mostly church books. Loves farming. Many seek his counsel regarding church matters. Serious operation in late 1960 followed by blood clots greatly weakened father and on January 18th, 1961 he succumbed to a heart attach, outside on the back porch of his home.