Getting Autographs!

 Things have been pretty crazy... Lot's of testimony builders.. Elder Corbridge, of the 70, came and spoke to us.. He wrote one of my favorite talks called, "the Fourth Missionary". That talk set the course of my mission before I came and it was awesome to meet him.. It's kinda tacky, but I got him to sign my copy that I had brought out :D

Elder Quentin L Cook is coming the 30th of April! And our whole mission is going to be there! I'm so excited, it will be a blast..

Transfers aren't until the 23rd!  

Elder Sandberg 

Can I Smoke Here?

Hello,

You might be wondering about the subject line so I will just start there.. The Carnival came to town! Whooo! With this being the reservation and occurrences like that, it's like Christmas I swear.. The other elders and myself went there to go check it out and while we were walking amuck, a man walked up to me and asked, "are you the owner here?" Probably supposing that because I'm dressed up and everything..

I responded, "No! We are missionaries! We teach about Jesus Christ." 

He looked a little confused and said, "Can I smoke here? I was looking around and didn't see anyone else smoking so I was seeing if it was alright.." He clearly didn't get what I was saying.. Oh well..

"Nope! You can't smoke here.. Or any where near hear... Sorry" :D

Saving one life at a time :D 

This was an extremely eventfully unproductive week! We did not get a ton of missionary work done in our own area, but there was a lot of work done with those within the zone, and ministerative work that doesn't normally get tracked.. Which is completely fine with me because the long term impact will be of far greater value than anything else.. 

Started the week off with an awesome Zone Conference! Elder Ah Chee and I have once again dominated with having the cleanest truck.. I might not be the cleanest person in the world, but you can sure bet that if there is a competition that I will work my butt off for it. :D That's probably the reason we spent an entire P day cleaning... Yup...

Then after Zone Conference one of the elders asked me to give him a blessing.. He's someone I've known for quite a while and it was honestly just an honor that he reached out to me and asked for my help... Had the opportunity to give a blessing that neither he or I will forget..

It was then after this that I went on a surprise exchange with no overnight clothes! Yaya for stinking with no showers! :D After the exchange I came back into one of the more civilized parts and had a DLC (District Leadership Council) It was a powerful experience where we had a commitment to do a comp inventory with one another.. I love our zone and I love those serving in leadership positions.. They are beautiful individuals..

Then the next day went on another surprise exchange. Mainly because a certain elder forgot his notebook in Chinle, about 3 hrs away, over 2 months ago. We had just received the notebook and decided that a certain elder would need that notebook for conference to take notes! So away we went to Monument Valley! The elders out there stay in a fifth wheel so Elder Ah Chee and I stayed the night on the floor with the little miceys that they have had! No sleep! Wahoo! Over 1 hr and 45 min away! It just happened that we had the perfect amount of miles to get there to finish the month off.. It was inspired! 

Then General Conference! Holy Cow! Spiritual smack down. I've found that the best way to get a lot out of General Conference, or really any meeting in general, is to come with questions prayerfully prepared.. Doing so invites the windows of heaven to pour out upon your heart and show you another world.. Every single question I wrote down was answered.. What a marvelous blessing! PLUS I stayed awake the whole time! That was an accomplishment in my book..

If any of you haven't listened to it, or seen all of it, I would challenge you to take the time to do so and have those questions in mind.. I've already written a ton and still need to write my mom! Whoops! Here are some pictures.. I will get better at taking them... 

Love you all!

Elder Sandberg

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

I'm Still Alive!

I love the mission.. Every single day, whether it be tough or easy, I love it..

Lot's has been happening.. Lot's of little things that I really need to get better at writing down and remembering..

On Sunday we had some guy come up in the middle of sacrament meeting and was bowing himself down in front of the pulpit. Not sure what he was doing, but it was interesting!

Had a great birthday! Turned 21 and I'm just ready to take on the world!

We have a baptism this Saturday for these 3 kids we've been working with for a while..

Couple people have fallen off the map, but we will find them!

Gone on LOTS of exchanges to different areas. I've barely been in my own area for the past 2 weeks. Had a drunk guy wish that he had an AK so he could line up all the people who wronged them, and just yeah...

Went to a Hopi dance on Saturday! Can't take pictures, but if you look up Hopi Cachinas (not sure if that is how it's spelled) something should come up! It was great.. There are some Cachinas that will come up and hump you, others will cut your hair, whip you, and others give you gifts! You just have to know who to look out for :D

Got lot's of people in the works for baptism, but rarely if ever do we have things go smoothly when it comes to making the biggest and greatest decision of your life.

Spiritual message would have to be from a talk about a Catholic Priest who became a Mormon. Towards the end of his talk he said, "friendship is the greatest means to share the gospel". This phrase when I read it, brought a great power and feeling into my heart.. I think I've lost a little of that fire to just talk to everybody. For whatever reasons I've done that, I have a renewed dedication to talk to everyone, regardless of how it turns out..

Figured I would say hello! I am okay and things are going great! Thank you all for the support and love you have given me..

Elder Brayden James Sandberg

Week Full of Miracles!

Hello all! I will keep this as brief as I possibly can. Mainly because I am pretty exhausted right now.. I have been more tired than I ever have for a longer period of time than ever before experienced! I think that means I'm doing something right!

First miracle was a referral that we contacted that came from church headquarters that actually had no name at all as to whom referred them.. We met with a woman on Monday and it's been hit and miss to actually get in with her, but upon finally meeting with her, we discovered some pretty spectacular things.. 

About three weeks ago, this sister was praying and just crying to the Lord for help with the situation she was in. Literally as soon as she said amen, a certain Elder Sandberg was on the other end asking if we could come over! We tried setting up an appointment and it just continued to fall through. So this sister just said a prayer and said, "Lord, if they are supposed to come, just please bring them to me." Later that day, we felt inspired to go by and visit with her! Miracle! 

Next miracle was probably a younger couple we are working with. The father is a member who is recently returning, and the mother is an investigator who had a powerful experience receiving a blessing from us and our bishop while she was in the hospital about two and a half months ago.. Ever since we have gone over there, she has just been eating everything up.. I look up to her and love her very deeply because of her willingness to take the gospel into her life and just give everything else up. She is the definition of Golden. 

She's normally a little bit more reserved, but we extended a challenge to be teaching us the next time we come by. Teachers tend to get a little bit more out of the teaching than the students, so that's why we invited her to do so! When she started, and used the scriptures and everything else, it was just super powerful.. It was amazing especially with the little amount of time that she has met with us. She has such a pure testimony and it was marvelous to see that manifestation through that lesson. 

Another miracle, I could keep going for a while, was when Elder Ah Chee and I were going around knocking doors hoping to contact referrals.. We weren't having much luck and so we decided to head back to the truck to try a different area.. Right as we were about to get to the truck, a young man comes out of his house and just starts talking to us. HE approaches us and starts talking to see how we are doing.. It was funny because he just kept asking, "how are you doing?" We kept answering and eventually it got to a point that he just said for us to come inside his house. He's only 17 years old, and yet we later found out that when he saw us, he felt something inside of him telling him to talk to us. We found that out last night when we asked him why he decided to start talking to us! He has two little brothers and a sister with a mother who are all not yet members.. I hope and pray that their hearts will continue to be prepared and softened to receive the gospel. We are meeting with them again tonight! Pray it goes well!

Last thing because this is getting longer than I thought it would. There are TONS more miracles but the last story is kinda funny for me, probably scary for my mom :D 

My comp and I were on some business for our bishop and were going to contact some of the members in the ward. We rolled up to one of the members and as we got out, I was taking the lead to talk to this member. I could see as I was walking up that there were two individuals, whom I did not know, talking on the front porch. When I got close enough to talk to them and not have it be weird, I could hear one of the individuals who was clearly not of this residence, cussing out the one who I was sure did. He was a shorter man with a hipster hair cut, baggy shirt, all black, and clearly doped up on something.. He wasn't yelling but I could hear him repetitively using the choice F word. 

After taking this all in and standing there, he turns around and points at me and says, "&%*4 you!" I almost laughed, but didn't.. He continued to harrass who ever this guy was, and it was apparent that he didn't want anything to do with this guy.. It sounded like it was about a girl or something, I don't know! After standing there for a while I just interupted and said,"Hey! We are here to see Brother ........" 

The plastered guy turns around and starts walking towards me. He lifts up his fist as if he were about to do something, and I just gave him a look that apparently had the effect to make him back down and turn around! After turning around, he continued to say some great elaborate words of intellect, and walked off. 

It was a great experience because through out it all, I felt as cool as a cucumber! Honestly, I didn't feel like the dude was a threat whatsoever. If things really came down to it, my comp, who is a 230 lb Samoan who knows nothing but brawling, could have very well ended badly for that man.. Luckily, it didn't! 

The work is real, the Spirit is present, and NOTHING will prevent this work from going forward.. No, not even a drunk man. 

Love you all! Have a great week! 

Elder Sandberg