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

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