3rd Week of Transfer 3

Hello all,

It has been a roller coaster of emotions this week and I am absolutely drained. Any of you ever hear or know about the feeling? Yupp, this week it has hit harder than ever before. It's in moments such as these that we are refined and strengthened if we allow it too. It is our choice to allow it to break and destroy us, or to make something beautiful. 

Out here in the Crownpoint New Mexico Branch we have had a lot of success this past week. The successes have not been measurable by the numbers that we are expected to give each week- baptisms, confirmations, total lessons, member lessons, etc. etc. The success that I have felt this week has come purely from service and time given to those who are in need. Tuesday, we went to go see a man by the name of Brother Martinez. Brother Martinez has become a good friend who has been less active and is doing an amazing job at giving himself to the Lord and coming back to the fold. When we stopped by he was standing on his porch talking to us and letting us know that no one else was home. With the heightened perspective that he was given, he was able to see his sheep pen about a hundred yards away. He suddenly ran down the stairs and started running toward the sheep. We naturally started to run behind him and see what was wrong. When we got close enough to really see what was going on, we saw two of his sheep lying dead on the ground. After getting closer to seeing the full pen for the sheep, we could see four dogs tearing at the last sheep. This poor sheep was hanging on by a thread and these dogs were relentlessly tearing at this defenseless animal. 

I'll save the details and not horrify each of you with the details of the scene, but it is sufficient to say it was a difficult thing to see. After chasing the dogs away and making a few phone calls, Winston looked at us and asked us if we would help him clean the animals up. It was an anticipated request, because butchering sheep by yourself can be a difficult task, let alone three of them, so we decided to help. It was a very neat experience learning what needed to be done to take a live animal out in the yard to food on a plate. I can now say I know how to butcher a sheep and a rabbit. We ended up spending the rest of the day helping Brother Martinez with all of this and it was a very rewarding experience.

The next big thing this week was a baptism that the other Elders had in our area. Her name is Sister Lee, and she has been very diligent in her efforts to learn of the Lord. Baptisms are a big event and opportunity for those we are teaching and helping to be baptized. After helping them set up and get everything ready for the baptism, we ended up having one of the greatest turn outs for the baptism. THe room we were in was almost full and if any more would have come, we would have had to find a bigger room! It was a wonderful feeling to see so many of the people we were teaching there and the spirit that attended us was a very special and unique one.

Friday was another service packed day! It started off with hearing about a member who was in the hospital and was undergoing surgery. We immediately sped over to the hospital to go and see if there was anything we could do for them, and then found out they were at a hospital in Gallup, almost an hour away. While we were there though, we found some other members whose baby was in the hospital suffering RSV ( not sure if that is the proper name). We stopped and visited with them for a little while, gave a blessing to the baby, and then asked if there was anything we could do for this sister who was here with her baby. She said that her kids hadn't had any hot bread for a while, and her husband had only been making hamburger helper for them. After hearing about this I volunteered making some tortillas for them. So when we were done talking with her, we found another person there we knew who had their daughter suffering from the same thing. Did our thing and helped out with them as well, gave a blessing, and then left after asking if there was anything we could do. On our way out the door to go make some tortillas, we were stopped by Dorothy, who has been like a mother to me out here, and asked if we could grab her some bottled waters. So we zoomed back to the house, threw together some tortillas, grabbed some waters, then dropped them off and went to our next appointment. 

Our entire week has consisted of small occurrences such as this, and all though we haven't really gotten the greatest of "numbers" we are doing exactly as the Lord would have us do- to feed his sheep. (also to feed the people sheep) 

 With all this and more going on out here in the field, there is always more that is heaped up on the load. After hearing some devastating news back home, I have finally broken down and let it all out. I've been holding in for quite some time everything that has happened with my sweet sweet grandmother and my dear uncle Brad. For some reason, this news was the breaking point and I have not cried like this for quite some time. This mission already has been the means of doing so much good and bringing so much change into my life. It is times like this where I recgonize and see that the Lord has a greater plan and purpose for each and everyone of us. You could very well look at this situation and allow it to break you, but given the testimony and witness that I have received through already much trial and tribulation, everything now is but another opportunity to trust in Him and lose myself. 

I know without a doubt that my Savior Jesus Christ lives. He gave his life so that I might be able to live again after this life, as well as feel alive again after much spiritual anguish. His sacrifice is one that does not only benefit us when we die. It is a never ending process while on this earth that we are able to learn, grow, and develop. If this were not so, I would not be here. I would not be the person I am today. Each of you who know the boy I once was, and see me for who I am today, can know for yourselves that it is only through His grace and mercy towards me that has brought me this far. My strength alone would have took me even further down the path of destruction. If you do not have a testimony of this gospel, of this church, the priesthood, and of our Savior Jesus Christ, I ask you to look at me and see what He has done. It is only through such a powerful being that I could have come this far. The Atonement is real, and it will forever be available to those who have faith, repent, are baptized, receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, and endure to the end. This is my testimony and witness of this work.

Elder Sandberg

End of Tansfer 1

Brothers and Sisters,

Aunts and Uncles,

Mom and Girlfriend,

Friends and all else,

I am not dead. I am definitely alive and well here in the Crownpoint, New Mexico Branch. Things are going really well all around. The work is moving at a swift rate and Elder Martin and I are finding more people than we know what to do with. The only struggle is moving them along to progress towards lasting conversion and "real growth". I pray every day that these amazing people can find for themselves the value in having a testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It answers so many questions and eases so many different pains. He is continually calling out to each of them by name and wants to help them. Please pray that they have a desire to come closer to Him.

As for myself and who I am progressing along to be, each and everyday I am becoming more and more aware of my weaknesses and shortcomings. It is becoming very present that I fall short of the work that is to be done out here. With these feelings and awareness, I am seeing the influence of the Lord more fully in my life. I truly could not do any of this without Him. It is absolutely amazing to see who He is shaping me to be. I could never fully explain the process that He goes through to shape, stretch, and mold me, while at the same time making up the difference of my weaknesses.

Keeping this short and sweet, we had a baptism last week, that was a member baptism. The family has been pretty active for the last year. The son just recently decided he wanted to be baptized, he's 9 years old, and it was an absolute honor to be a part of. At the baptism was the Branch President and his wife, the family- two little girls, the son, and mom/dad,and then my companion and I. It was a very powerful and spiritual experience. The gospel has affected this family so deeply and you can see the blessing it has been to them. The happiness and joy that they were able to experience was a sight that I will treasure forever.

I invite each of you to look at your life and see what it is that makes you happy. Really think about and ponder what brings you the greatest amount of joy. Then try and see for yourself how that happiness is connected to God and His plan for you. If you can't make the connection, maybe reconsider what true happiness is.

I love you all very much and hope all is well.

Elder Sandberg

Week 2!

It has been an adventurous week here in the Farmington New Mexico Mission. For those of you who wish to know the area a little bit better where I'm at- I am in Crownpoint New Mexico, and I live in the trailer behind the church on church road. The people here are of the Navajo Tribe, and most of them are of a Traditional belief when it comes to religion. For those of you who don't know what those beliefs or rituals consist of, look it up :) Everywhere I go there are what's called "Res Dogs", short for reservation. Just about every house out here has anywhere from 1-7 dogs. Not exaggerating. They all like to bark up a storm and look like they're tough, but for some reason if you just reach down like you're grabbing a rock or something, they run the other way. It's actually quite hilarious! The kids down here are all adorable and are a blast. Elder Martin and I have had a good time playing basketball with some of the kids down here, and has led to us teaching some families because they remember playing ball with us! The people are very very humble and I clearly have a lot to learn from them.

Miracle for the week was with a family of 4 children. They live in the housing for NTU. Two boys and two girls. The parents have been on date to be baptized for quite some time now. When we go and visit, the two little girls are normally jumping all over my companion and I while the tv is up pretty loud to keep them distracted. (doesn't really keep them distracted) The miracle was was Elder Martin and I were going to give a lesson about the Restoration of the Gospel and the importance of the Priesthood in all of that coming about. It's kind of hard to really have an impactful lesson when all of these things are going on. So Elder Martin prayed before hand that the tv would be turned off and that the kids would be reverent. Within 10 minutes of us being in there, the mom told the kids to go to bed and asked her husband to turn the tv off. It doesn't sound that big, but it was detrimental to giving this lesson we had prepared. The Spirit is a very quiet voice that can only be heard when you pay close attention. In life we tend to get caught up with all the things of the world and it can be hard to hear those subtle promptings that we are to receive. Having the tv turned off and the kids go to bed, was absolutely needed for the Spirit to testify of our message. 

Miracles happen everyday and it is a wondrous opportunity to be an instrument in the Lord's hands. Things that might not seem so big to me, are making the world of a difference to those around me. Each day I can see more and more that the Lord is preparing individuals, and already has, to receive his truth from us knuckleheaded missionaries.

The absolute greatest part about the mission is being able to be with people. This is the absolute greatest work that any man could commence on because it's being led by God. The Lord's Kingdom is being established on the earth at a very fast rate, and more each day His children are starting to see the difference between what the world would have us do and what he would have us do. This work is more than just trying to get someone to come to church. This is so much more than us trying to baptize people, or read books, or simply meet with us. This is HIs way established on the earth for us to find the absolute greatest amount of happiness and peace. It's not just the right thing to do, but it is the most intelligent thing to do. If there is a God and if he does have a truth that he has established, what greater reason do we have in life than to find what he would have us do? There is no greater reason. Because when all is said and done, wither we acknowledge Him or not, He is there.  He is continually reaching out to each of us to help and guide us along the path. Take His hand and He will take care of you....

Love you all so much!!!

Elder Sandberg