Hello from Steamboat, Arizona!

After zone conference in Gallup Wed. Members
took Elders Sandberg and Brown out for dinner!

If you have been wondering where I have been and why I have not emailed, it is probably for a reason that even I myself am unsure of..

For those of you who don't know, I am now serving in Steamboat Arizona.. This will be my last area, and I plan on doing all I can to give my all for this last stretch..

Still love the mission and all is well!

Elder Sandberg

Steamboat, Arizona...

I am now in a place called Steamboat... It's the deepest I've ever been on the rez.. It's quite well known for break ins, shootings, and people going missing.. It should be great :D The only thing that has got me down is just the fact that we don't have any food... Food is great... I feel like a pioneer right now.. Just waiting for some kind of caravan to come in with food :D

My comp is awesome! I actually knew him while I was in Shiprock! We were in the same district and we got a long super well.. We still do! We've just been tearing it up making it happen... The prayers, along with a blessing I received, and all else are making it super easy to focus.. Last transfer was harder than this one has been.. It honestly doesn't feel like I'm \coming home! It probably won't happen for another year or two! Go figure! :D

Guess my mom sent a package with a ton of food to Shiprock, but such package was never received.. Never knew it would happen in Shiprock, but the rez is quite well known for having mail go missing...

THe closest grocery store is a gas station, but it's SUPER expensive.. Aside from that, there is a Bash's a hour away that we hardly get to... I'm basically out of money because of the food I bought in Shiprock...

We don't have a gym, obviously, and the last thing that I want to happen is to come home as skinny as when I left!

Also, pray with me that we can have at least one baptism before I head home! We have high goals with a couple potentials.. It would be crazy to make happen with the church requirments this mission has, but we believe it would be epic to white wash an area and have a baptism within a transfer.. It can be done! We had a prayer the other night that asked for this very thing, if it be according to His will, and not ours, and the Spirit hit like a freight train! We are going to do our best and get out and work! Regardless of food :D

PO Box 681
Ganado Arizona, 86505



Love ya!

Elder Sandberg



A note about Steamboat, AZ
 Steamboat has a total area of 2.4 square miles, all land.
The population was 284 at the 2010 census
The racial makeup of Steamboat in 2000 was 97.42% Native American, 0.00% White, 0.43% from other races, and 2.15% from two or more races. 2.15% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 56 households out of which 55.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.0% were married couples living together, 32.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 10.7% were non-families. 10.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 4.16 and the average family size was 4.50.


The median income for a household in Steamboat was $9,276, and the median income for a family was $9,276. Males had a median income of $0 versus $0 for females. The per capita income was $3,767. About 83.0% of families and 75.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 84.7% of those under the age of 18 and none of those 65 or over.

I will soak up every moment I can, because I will never get it again..

Things are going GREAT out here in Shiprock! 

Just a quick summary of this week-

Did service for the library here in town where we went through loads of books to see if they were any good or not with our sister from Shri Lanka.. She is amazing!

Replaced a water heater and once again enacted my skills of acting like I knew what I was doing.. In the process, I got soaked because of a lack of drainage...

Had the fair come to town and it was insane.. It sufficeth me to say that there are now even more guaranteed blessings in heaven due to things said... It was hard to go though with conference and how much time that took up..

Powerful lessons are occurring everyday with myself and those I am called to serve.

Although it might appear I am ready to see you all again, if I'm being completely honest, I would be okay to stay here... I love the mission so much and it means the world.. The only thing that excites me about going home, is the fact that I know that is what the Lord is commanding me to do.. He does not want me to get caught up in the mission and live here forever... He has far greater things in store and I am eager to do His will.. 

I will soak up every moment I can, because I will never get it again.. 

"I know that which the Lord hath commanded me, and I glory in it.."

With love,

Elder Brayden James Sandberg

Cat with mustache... Yup...

Cat with moustache.  :)

Doing service... got all wet from a water heater.

Wrapping things up...

November 27th will be the day I give my homecoming talk in Bountiful Utah...

With love and dedication to the work,

Elder Sandberg

Service with a smile in Shiprock!

Saturday we helped clean up the yard for a woman in Shiprock. She is from Sri Lanka! She made us some wonderful food afterwards and took some fun pictures to send home. She is so sweet! She is a gem in the rough... I don't know how in the world it is possible to come into contact with someone like that all the way out here... 

Things have been so great lately.. I'm still growing a ton, but I've learned to learn.. It's an interesting concept, but I love it... Right now, I am on a schedule of waking up at 5 in the morning so that I can get an extra hour and a half of studies... I have LOVED it so much... I'm studying more than I ever have in my entire life. It's amazing to see how I can still have the desire to study even after that long... That didn't exist before!

Another cool thing is how much the path in front of me is starting to take shape... I'm really doing my best to give my all to the work, but time and time again, there are little tidbits of information that help me understand what I need to do upon returning home!

I love the mission....

Thanks for everything!

Elder Sandberg

Clowning around Sandberg style!

Waptism!

What a beautiful and powerful week it has been! This week has been full of nothing but the highs and lows of a roller coaster..

To start off we had the opportunity to see Brother McDonald and his wife get married on Saturday. After their wedding, we had the opportunity to help Brother McDonald and his daughter to enter the waters of baptism to become clean and qualify for the companionship of the Holy Ghost! I don't know why, but I feel that the most spiritually enlightening experience, was when the marriage occurred.. Some have said it is because I'm trunky for such a thing, but I think it is more so because of the fact these two individuals were showing an immense amount of faith with taking that step and making that change.. It was absolutely HUGE! I am so grateful they tied the knot, and I know their six kids are as well.. I have grown to love this family so very much and I am so grateful for them..

Lesson from this week can be found in 2 Nephi 4:20-21

"My God hath been my support; he hath led me through mine afflictions in the wilderness; and he hath preseverved me upon the waters of the great deep.
He hath filled me with his love, even unto the consuming of my flesh."

I have learned through my studies, that the principle of "flesh" as contained in the scriptures, typically relates to the natural man or the weaknesses of mortality. ​​
SO, for those of you who are looking for a greater change and a greater influence of God in your life to overcome your shortcomings, sins, weaknesses, and all else, do what's necessary to feel God's love more fully for you in your life..

Love the mission! It's the best! 

Elder Brayden James Sandberg

Bringing the SandAhCheeberg storm!

Beautiful people!

Since coming into this area, there has been ALL kinds of ups and downs. Everything from not knowing where we are, where people are, what we're doing, and everything in between.. Five weeks later, our groove is starting to be found and the area is on fire... Miracles happen everyday, but this week has been full of some bigger ones.. 

First, there is a family that we have been working with that the elders taught before we got here, and from the very first moment we met them, we just loved them.. The plan for the family was that the daughter would get baptized the weekend we got here.. She is only 9 years old, and upon evaluating the situation, we made a different decision.. The family has met with the missionaries for a while, and the kids have all got baptized at different points, BUT the father and mother have remained unmarried.. With that being the case the father, who is not a member, was unable to get baptized. 

So, instead of following the plan that was set up, we had different plans.. The plan was that we would do our best to help them understand that the Lord's kingdom is a family affair... Long story short, the parents have a marriage license, a baptismal date, and a deep desire to follow the Lord.. WAhoo!

Next miracle is deeply connected, or at least I think, with the family history work I have been doing.. With the very limited time we have on the mission, I have found at least 10 names to take to the temple! On Thursday, I was finding connections like crazy and felt really good about everything! As soon as we are done, we go to an appointment with the intention to teach this sister who is working on going to the temple, and in the process, we start teaching her son and daughter in law.. They are absolutely amazing! They are actually an answer to a prayer I had about wanting to teach someone who hasn't been taught by missionaries in the past.. They actually remind me of a couple in Tuba City.. So, they have been easy to love because of that connection.. The husband is super buff if that gives anyone a hint for who it might be.. Obviously you might not know if you're not from TUba! 

I love you all! The work is going great.. I'm doing my best to stay focused and work my tail off.. I love the mission so much and wouldn't trade it for anything in the entire world... Thank you for making it all it has been...  

Elder Sandberg