Just want to start off and appologize for the scare I might have given everyone about how I have been holding up while here at the MTC. It really was just an odd series of unfortunate events that all of that happened in one day. Getting sick, having the nightmares, and just getting used to a new scenario can be one that can be hard for anyone to take in. I'm grateful it happened though. Because everyday I wake up, I feel grateful to have my health and my peace of mind. It's good to know that the first day here wasn't going to set the tone for the rest of my time. I would have done it, but it would have been difficult. But things are going great now and I don't have any complaints.
Story time!!!
So just a funny random thing. We were sitting in one of our classes being instructed on the Restoration of the Gospel, and out of nowhere a bird flies up and smacks our classroom window! IT cam out of nowhere. The poor thing! HAha what's even better, is that it happened again not even twenty minutes later! I told my companion that it wouldn't be funny to hold up a cookie inside the classroom for the birds to see, but he couldn't resist. Totally kidding! but seriously.. Birds, hitting the window?!
Everyday is jam packed full of study and more study. At this point you start to see those who are taking this experience seriously, and those who just want to goof off. I think there is a good balance to be had because after sitting and learning about the Gospel for 14 hours a day, I think some goofing time is well deserved :) The teachers here are amazing. They are granting us lots of opportunities to grow and apply the principles we are teaching in different scenarios. The food is honestly not that great. It's edible, but not even in the least bit filling or nutritional. Oh! For those of you who haven't seen this, I apologize, but the apples here are as stubborn as can be! There has never been an apple that I haven't been able to just rip apart with my bare hands. For some reason the apples are way to stubborn, and dirty to get a good grip to tear them apart. I get them eventually but not as easily as a normal apple.
My district is absolutely amazing! They all posses qualities and characteristics that I admire and hope to obtain for myself. It's starting to hit me more and more that the same Brayden I was 5 years ago is gone. You have all told me this so many times, but it is now hitting me with the manifestations of the abilities I have gained to get this far. Really hope to continue to refine myself and those around me as the mission goes a long. Most of the people in my district are from the U.S. but Sister P ( dont ask me to spell the rest of it) is from NEw Zealand! The MTC has been quite a bit of a culture shock for her and has been missing home quite a bit. We've all been reaching out to her and doing what we can to uplift her. It wasn't until Saturday that she was able to make a little more headway. It's truly amazing how the Lord can use us as instruments in his hands to do his work. The ones who are great at doing the Lord's work, are that way because they know best how to give their will over to him. With this sister, one of the fellow Elders asked if she wanted a blessing. She said yes. I'm still not sure why, but this Elder and a couple others all looked at me and said I should show them how it was done. Still have no idea where that came from. But I continued to give her a blessing, and as you can already tell she has a hard name to spell, so you could imagine it is pretty hard to pronounce. I'm pretty sure I butchered it pretty bad, but the Lord definitely accepted it for her. The blessing continued and the spirit was so strong. It was overpowering to feel the words coming out of my mouth as someone else's. When we left the room, it was as clear as the day. The Lord is using each of us to commence on a work that is far greater than our comprehension.
Learning a lot here at the MTC. Starting to see how their is a knowledge an understanding of the Gospel, and then there is a complete change of heart to that knowledge and understanding received. You can tell a lot of Elders and Sisters came here pretty confident because of the knowledge they had growing up. They felt comfortable telling people these lessons because they grew up with it their entire lives! I pray for these Elders and Sisters every night. Because we teach people, not lessons. We guide and counsel people with the teachings we've received so they can make it through life. There is nothing greater than seeing someone who knows the Gospel is true, and seeing someone who lives it as well. My challenge to each of you, is to find something you feel you have a pretty good knowledge of. Something you've read about, something you've seen, something you've been taught, and really go find out for yourself why it even matters. Find for yourself the emotion and reasoning for such a thing in your life. Go and find for yourself the meaning that this principle has, and how it is going to effect you NOW.
I love each and everyone of you so much and I'm sorry if there are certain people I have forgotten. I don't have everyone's emails right now so if you can spread the word for people to send me a simple message so I have your contact info that would be great!
Hope this was what you were all looking for in my weekly email, if not message me a simple statement or question and let me know what I can include!!!
Love,
Elder Brayden James Sandberg
