Week 342

Good day!

Things are going so well.. The Lord is good and very very real.. Trials and challenges are wonderful, but only when accompanied with the Spirit.. Things make a lot more sense when you have His guidance..

Before getting to the message of the week, I wish to share a brief experience.. Elder Ah Chee and I were at the church for a funeral. When the services were done we walked out side to wait for everyone to leave.. While we were waiting outside this very friendly, short, white older man with glasses walks up to us and starts talking to us.. He tells us about his business, which I'm not even sure what it was, and hands us a card.. It was probably evident that Elder Ah Chee and I didn't know what to think of the guy, and he probably picked up on that.. Then abruptly ended the conversation by walking closer toward me and said, " I'm no queer! Give me a hug!" :D 

His overall personality couldn't help put a smile on my face and I did indeed give him a hug. :D

For some of you that might be funny.. Others not so much and I appologize..

Anyways!

Lesson of the week is one that is so simple, yet means a whole lot more to me.. There are many other moving pieces and contributing factors, but this is one of the lessons that I can pinpoint with my limited ability to communicate.. 

The lesson is that every single thing we are to be developing is like a muscle.. Like waking up in the morning, studying, memorizing scriptures, even going to work, doing homework, anything and everything that requires effort.. For some people it seems like a breeze to do certain things that are otherwise impossible for us.. We often wonder why someone else is so blessed to do things that look like they take no effort, and we ourselves are just dying! The fact of it all is that no one wakes up one day and just has it down.. It is a matter of getting stronger and stronger each day.. It's not that the task gets easier, but our ability to do so is greatly increased. 

This lesson has applied in so many ways and has ultimately led me to have a better understanding of the Atonement.. What a wonderful thing that is to know.. But, like I said, there are so many other moving pieces that are taking place, it would take too long to write them down.. The Lord is revealing great and marvelous things that are molding me into who I need to be..

The work is going great here.. We have 3 families that will hopefully get married soon.. I'm seeing a method for helping people get hitched.. We will see how it goes so they can move on to bigger and better things! Yaya!

I love you all and just hope things are going good! Keep me posted! 

I'm no queer! Give me a hug!
:D

Elder Sandberg

Just Another Day in the Life

Hello lovely people,

It's amazing how all over the place the mission can be.. Someone once told me that the mission is full of the "highest of highs and the lowest of lows". I add my witness to what has been stated. 

I've come to realize that just about all of my emails have been about the change and the growth that occurs while you are out on the mission.. The biggest reason why that is such a big part of my testimony and what I share, is because that is what the Gospel of Jesus Christ is all about- change. 

I hope and pray that I might continue to change..

I love you and I'm grateful to have you a part of my life..

Things are going great here and Elder Ah Chee and I will be here for another transfer together! That's three together, longest companion, and it will be my longest time in an area! 

Funny story- Elder Ah Chee and I went to go drop off a Bible for someone who requested it (they weren't really interested) and in the process we met a new friend! Well, I've met him before and I remember exactly who he was.. When we started talking to him, it was clear to see he was intoxicated. We were just being friendly with him and he asked where we were from. 

I told him where I was from then pointed to my comp and said, "He's from Samoa! He's pretty big! Don't ya think?" 

He looked at him and quickly replied that he didn't think he was that big.. We continued along the conversation and this friend of ours made his way to give Elder Ah Chee a hug.. As he wrapped his arms around him, he started to attempt to pick up my 235.5 lb companion.. 

After what seemed like an extremely awkward amount of time, he stopped, realizing Elder Ah Chee WAS pretty big. My companion remained grounded.. :D Gotta love em 

That is all for now!

Elder Sandberg

A few thoughts on the Atonement

Lately, my understanding of the Atonement has increased dramatically.. The past couple days have been full of revelations and understandings of it's influence in our lives.. I feel as if the Atonement is not something that increases in its effect as time goes.  Rather, I believe the Atonement is continually strengthening us and helping us to grow, and the thing that really does increase, is our understanding of how it is helping us.. It's a matter of learning more fully the impact that such an event has on us, and with that increased vision, comes an increased commitment, strength, desire, hope, and all else that is good.. It's been said that, "the resurrection from death is unconditional because we all chose to keep our first estate. The spiritual redemption from spiritual death, however, is conditional." Or something to that effect. 

What I have learned more deeply recently, just adds more to what I gave my farewell talk about.. The idea that the Atonement is taking place right now in everyone's life. Despite where they are at with the church, their own personal relationship with God, whatever it is. The Atonement is applying in each of our lives, every single day of every single waking moment because of this- The natural man is an enemy to God. Because Adam and Eve partook of the fruit, we are all in a fallen state. Which means, that we are subject to the very appetites, passions, and desires of the flesh. All things that are not good or are seemingly ungodly. Every single sin comes back to the weakness of the flesh. Each time that we have a desire or see an opportunity to choose good over evil, we are experiencing the effects of that marvelous sacrifice for us. Each time that we have an urge to yell at our kids, (your kids or any kids) if you have a moment however brief it might be where you feel to remain calm and to not act on that impulse, you are experiencing the atonement. We of ourselves cannot stop ourselves from the natural crazy person within. Yet, we can choose. We can choose and DO choose because of Him

I hope this all makes sense.. To be honest, this is the first time I have gotten it out into words. AS you could imagine, these words have such a deeper meaning than I could ever fully express.. Not only that, but it has taken so much time to get to this point, there is more that I've been learning about all this but it will come later!

Elder Sandberg