Two weeks 'til training is over!

Hello,

It has been an eventful couple weeks here in the hot desert of Crownpoint, New Mexico. Well, it hasn't been hot, but it has been really nice weather the past couple days. The stars out here are by far my favorite part of the landscape. Still to this day, every time I look up, I can feel the spirit so peacefully. I've realized that before I truly knew what the spirit was, I felt it when I would go camping and look up at the stars. There would always be a swelling within my heart that told me the future was going to be bright. 

Today, I saw a rabbit get skinned and gutted for the first time. Last night Elder Martin and I were driving along the dirt roads in the middle of nowhere, and there were two little bunnies sitting on the road. We were going about 45 miles per hour and they looked like rocks from a distance, but nope. They were definitely living animals probably talking about how it was mating season, and then BOOM! Off to bunny heaven one of them goes! I've never hit anything in a car before, I can now cross that off my bucket list! We picked it up, threw it into the back of the truck, and fed it to the dogs!

On a more serious note, this particular email goes out to my family- Mom, Liv, Brian, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, Grandpa's, Grandma, and everything in between. The experience I am about to describe has been a difficult one and has opened my eyes to the responsibility and opportunity I have had amongst those whom I love most on this planet. 

While being out here on the mission we meet lot's of people who are all in very different circumstance. They all are very diverse in their lifestyles, upbringings, and points of view with the world. Everyday My companion and I are continually trying to bring them to the one thing that will apply to their life no matter what. 

Elder Martin and I had the opportunity to be led to a man who was going through some very difficult trials. Through the guidance of the Lord, we were able to do some things that softened the heart of this man. In the process of his heart being softened, he was able to receive the teachings of the Gospel, and to gain a deeper relationship with his Heavenly Father and Savior. Being a part of this is one of the surest ways to develop a deep love for someone. Serving him and helping him has been an honor. He had progressed and moved along really nicely as to being able to see the light and truth that has been revealed.

Due to a recent experience, past feelings and emotions brought back a whole new side that my companion and I had not yet seen. It was just another appointment where we were going to teach, and soon found out the change of heart he had received. It was a hardened one. It was one that I felt completely powerless to help and guide with the spirit. We left there feeling very saddened by everything that took place, but we had hope that a little time would help him along his way. 

One week, two weeks, three weeks pass by and each week we stop by to see how he is doing. Each time someone else comes to the door and says he is busy. Last Friday, we remained intelligent and went to see him once more. As we knocked, and the door was answered, there he was- our brother, a son of God, one whom we have come to love and appreciate very much. But it was not the same man we have come to love. Something had replaced that light and had a very deep hold on his countenance. He told us he no longer wanted to meet with us and that he would call us if he needed anything. It wasn't just the words that were so devastating, but the feeling and emotion behind them. Elder Martin and I left there with absolutely no words to say. 

This life and experience in this life is a full out war. It is only until you are at the forefronts of batttle that you see the enemy working against you and what you stand for. It is only in the face of evil that you recognize and feel the power of goodness and light at your back. Each and everyday we are fighting to gain some territory and ground within the hearts of the children of God. Each day we are losing ground and our dear brothers and sisters are falling into despair. There is and never will be a time that we are not responsible for building the Lord's kingdom upon the earth. 

The reason that this email is for my family is because I urge and plead with each of you to gain that ground within your heart. To gain for yourself a knowledge and testimony of the Savior and his restored truth upon the earth. Some of you may very well be doing a good job at such a task, and I am truly grateful to hear of your progress towards such a cause. But I feel weighed down at this time because I know there are some who are having a hard time in life because of such a battle. Families are the absolute greatest blessing we can receive while upon the earth. I feel bad because my first responsibility in serving and teaching should be those with whom I have been tied to in this life. I've been slacking, and I hope that this experience can be of some use to each of you whom I love so very much. 

I just close in sharing that I know without a doubt that this work I have commenced on is the Lord's work upon the earth. No matter where you are at along the path, fight to gain that territory of good and truth. Help those who stand in need, and continually strive to have a relationship with Him. 

I love you all so very much, and hope I don't sound like a lunatic!!

With much love

Elder Brayden Sandberg

A letter to Anika Ferguson

The mission is absolutely insane.  I am having a complete blast down here and I'm learning several new things every day.  Time on the mission is like a car - you could be flying down the highway one minute and the next be stopped at a stoplight.  It has been flying by for the most part though.

Things have been pretty amazing down here.  I haven't sent out a mass email, so only a few people know what is going on.  I'm really hoping to focus on the people here and eventually I'll take a little bit more time to respond to everyone.  There are lots of people who need help down here.  

One of the people is Brother P.  He is an investigator that's been going through some tough stuff.  He has lost 3 family members all within 6 months of each other this year.  He's the youngest of 8, and all of his brothers and sisters despise him because of how he's doing.  he has a house of his own, married, has kids, and overall a good head on his shoulders.  His siblings are struggling and are pretty envious of Orson, so he feels the weight of it pretty heavily.  When his dad died, Orson had to pay all expenses and pick up the debt his siblings had racked up.  Because of this, he wasn't able to provide a Christmas for his kids. Was barely able to provide a tree.

As Brother P was telling us all of this you could tell he didn't normally talk to others like this.  He was the kind of guy to push people away and not let anyone in.  He let us in and we shared our testimonies with him that he needed to pray.  It had been a while since he prayed, so it was going to be difficult.

We left him with a commitment to pray and as we were leaving, he asked if we had any coloring books or something that we could give the kids for Christmas.  We told him we would look around.  Keep in mind though, this man was not the type to ask for stuff, and the first few interactions he had lots of questions and doubts.

My companion and I left there and decided to go to the store that night.  We picked up some toys for his little boy and girl, wrapped them at our house, grabbed a lot of the candy that was sent to us for Christmas, and headed back to his house.  We pulled up and I jumped out with the stuff.  My companion was waiting a ways down the road for me to run to.  I went up to the door and set up the teddy bears so they were holding the gifts and candy.  I knocked pretty hard and booked it as fast as I could.  Jumped in the truck, drove around the block, and checked to make sure they got it.

Elder Martin and I had scheduled an appointment exactly one week later to meet with Orson. When we saw him again, his family was there and they were all getting ready to leave.  I soon could sense that Brother P was giving off a very different  vibe this time around.  He truly had been humbled.

After I knocked on the door, Brother P explained to us he looked out the window and could see me running (Dang). With me banging pretty loud, his wife was worried and he immediately looked out and saw me.  He then saw what was on the front porch and told the kids to answer the door.  Both of them were excited and were looking up at the sky exclaiming with joy "thank you, Santa!"

Brother P was hit pretty hard by this simple gesture and immediately fell on his knees to offer up a long awaited prayer.  In his prayer he asked that his family could more fully come together. and after six days, they were all together eating, the night we arrived.  

When we were at his house the first time, there was a bookshelf full of alcohol, there was a sense of heaviness, and questions that were in abundance.  The second time we were there - the alcohol was gone; the spirit of peace was present, and a heart that had been truly humbled was ready to receive the word of God without any question.

The Lord works in mysterious ways and is truly guiding this work.  I'm so grateful to be out here and to be an instrument in His hands.

Love,  Elder Sandberg

A Letter To President Batt

The following is a weekly update to Brayden's Mission President. He hasn't had time to write newsletters lately so he forwarded this on to me:

President Batt,

It has been another eventful and exciting week here in Crownpoint! Last Thursday we had our scripture study class. We normally get about three to four people who show up. It goes pretty well each time, but last Thursday we had nineteen people show up. It was an extremely powerful and spiritual experience for myself and all those who were present. There was a moment where it reminded me of when I first had my own personal conversion experience. The spirit that was there reminded me of the feeling I had when I first knew the church was true. The feeling has been the driving force behind me sharing the gospel with others. It was an amazing opportunity to see that I was helping others have that same experience. 

For the past couple weeks I have gotten a lot better about waking up and getting into the routine of missionary life. I have been waking up right on the dot and getting into the workout to start my day. The days are still pretty exhausting and more often than not, I'm pretty tired from everything. But everything is continuing to look up for the progress of my body.

This past Sunday, where you and Sister Batt attended, was a tough one because of the families that haven't been showing up. Elder Martin and I have been working so hard to help these people see the importance of church attendance and partaking of the sacrament, but they just aren't seeing it. It has been a little emotionally trying to see these people that I love and care about missing out on the absolute greatest thing on the planet that can bless their lives. Truly this is probably how Heavenly Father has felt with mine own personal progress. Kinda funny how that works. 

The refiners fire is a very real thing and I can feel it in bits and pieces every single day. The baptism of fire of the Holy Ghost is a very vital and important part of the path to discipleship. The only really hard part is deciphering between the challenges of the Lord vs the challenges I put on myself. It's hard to distinguish between the Lord guiding me, and myself just getting down. Either way though, I know in whom I put my trust and complete confidence. This path is one that I will never stop striving to follow. The joys and happiness of the fullness of the gospel are far too immense to walk away from. I'm so grateful for my knowledge and testimony that all these things are to be for my benefit and good. It's this kind of knowledge that continues to carry me through even the hardest of times.