Dearest Family and Friends,

This week was sort of slow. By that I mean very slow. It was rough but it's okay because I'm still here and I'm still a missionary! I'm going to cut to the chase this week due to lack of time. I had an experience I would like to share with all you wonderful people.

We were out knocking one afternoon and we came across a lady who had tried attending an LDS church in her youth. She was raised Catholic but wanted nothing to do with that and she thinks it was all junk, as she thinks with all religion. Don't get me wrong, she was extremely nice, she just wasn't too interested in religion. We talked for a few minutes and we testified that our message is for everyone and that she can know for herself that it's true if she has the desire to. She said that she had already tried and declined. We asked if we could do anything else for her and she said no. We left the doorstep and went on to the next. I felt like there was something more we could have done. I kept feeling prompted to go back. Finally after feeling this prompting for a few houses more, I decided we'd go back and talk more to her. We went back and I said we didn't want to bother her but I wanted to ask her a question. I asked her if she had ever tried praying and asking God if he's there. She responded "I did. It didn't work." I tried my best to tell her that I know he's there and listening but it didn't change her mind. We left again and I wondered why I had been so heavily prompted to go back but yet it yielded nothing. I realized from this experience that we are to do many good things of our own free will and others will use their own free will too. I learned that as long as I listened to the spirit the Lord will trust me with more promptings. A lesson that unfortunately I had not learned yet through experience. I've been trying to listen more intently to the spirit and I've already seen so many blessings come from it.

I'm always grateful for the love and support I feel from each and every one of you. I love you all with all my heart and I am so grateful for my friendships with you.

I would feel weird if I didn't say "keep it real" at the end of this so....

Keep it real

Elder Sanderson

Week of November 5th, 2013

Things are going pretty good. We recently had all the ward boundaries in the Huntington Beach Stake get all rearranged and we ended up getting moved from our ward/area into one that 1) neither of us have ever been to before 2) we are sharing with another companionship of Elders and a trio of Sisters and 3) have absolutely no records for so it's been a real trial of faith. It's been tough and the last few days have been the worst days ever. We don't even have enough information on the ward to know who/where the members are. We've been working hard for the last few days and we hope that we'll be able to see some miracles. I'm trying to look at it with optomism but it's a hard thing to deal with. It doesn't help that every missionary I talk to it about says that it's a great learning experience when they have no idea how stressful and frusterating it is. But maybe I just need to be humbled and listen to their advice. On a positive note we got a car so we can drive into our area, seeing as we currently live with members outside of the ward we're serving in now. Hopefully I don't sound too negative because I'm still loving the work and we're still meeting really nice people. I still have high hopes for the area that we're serving in and I'm not too worried about things not turning out well.

In a few weeks we will be having the pleasure of hearing from Elder Alan F. Packer from the 70 here in our mission. I'm so pumped to hear him and I'm also going to be singing in the choir that they're putting together for it. We're going to be singing a really cool arrangment of "Praise to the Man" and "Joseph Smith's First Prayer". It should be a really cool experience.

I'm excited to really get crackin' in this new area, we've only been assigned to it for a few days now so we haven't had much time to work. I think that in time things will improve greatly here. There are tons of miracles just waiting to happen here. I'm looking forward to finding them.

I'm so grateful for all that you do to help and support me. There's absolutely no way I could do what I'm doing without the love and support I feel.

Love,

Elder S.

Hola Familia y Amigos

Como Estan? iEsta semana fue muy bien! 

Fun fact: I ordered a Spanish tag! Now I can trick the Hispanic people here that I speak Spanish and then give them glazed looks when they start to speak to me. 

This past week was pretty good. We had a really cool experience with teaching a guy named Darren. He's a really busy guy but he's also really receptive and he is able to feel the Holy Ghost when it's present. We went over to his house and began to teach him about the Restoration of the Gospel. He was receptive and he even agreed to watch the Restoration video! We are going back this week to speak with him and check up on his progress. It's been really cool to find people like him who are prepared and ready to hear the gospel. It's inspiring to see that the Lord truly does put people in the paths of his prepared servants. I'm so glad to be able to be engaged in such a great work as this. 

I've had some of the best experiences of my life while I've been here in California. I love my mission and I do not doubt at all that this is the best decision I've made and it's probably the best one I'll ever make. The blessings that come from missionary service reach far past just myself. For my service I know that you, my friends and family, are being blessed as well and that's what makes it so great. It does not matter what I get out of being a missionary it's all about what others are able to receive from my service. I can tell you right now if I was doing this for myself, it would be impossible but I'm not. I'm doing this for Heavenly Father's children and I'm doing it for Him. There is no greater work, there is no greater cause, and yet there is no greater reward than that of being in the service of our God.

My friends and family, keep smiling and keep it real.

Elder Sanderson

Week of October 22nd

This week has been great. Elder Roe and I were able to see more success than in the last few weeks. We were able to have one really cool experience in particular. There is a less-active guy named Aaron we're working with who hasn't been to church in I don't even know how long. It's been years for sure. We visited Aaron with some members of the Elder's Quorum presidency when we went on a weekly split with them. Usually Aaron was a nice guy but wasn't too interested in coming back to church. This time, on the other hand, Aaron seemed different. He was not hesitant or defensive when it came to church, in fact this time he brought church attendance up. He said that he wants to come back to church but he doesn't want to go alone and he feels like it's too late and he's already disappointed God. I did my best to tell him that we would love to see him at church and that we would gladly wait for him and go into church with him. Also I tried my best to testify to him from my heart that it is never too late to go back to church and that Heavenly Father will never be disappointed in us if we make mistakes. I told him that Heavenly Father will always welcome his children back into the fold if they are willing.

I'm so glad that I'm able to make a positive impact in people's lives. I think back to all the times that others have impacted me and I can't help but want to do the same for others. I know I'm doing the Lord's work and I know that it needs to be done because there are people who need to hear this gospel. It's up to me to do my best to help them receive it.

I love you all and I'm so grateful to be able to be out here.

Love,

Elder Sanderson

My dear Friends and Family,

I am so grateful for the opportunity that I have to serve the Lord and to bring others to a knowledge of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The calling of being a missionary is such a blessing and along with that call comes a lot of strength to overcome weakness. That being said, a tag is not a requirement for missionary work, a white shirt and tie is not the only uniform that missionaries can have. The call to share the gospel is not only extended to those who leave their homes for 2 years (or 18 months). The call to share the gospel is extended to every one. 

Now, is it the duty of every member to go out and proselyte all day every day? No. Does everyone need to spend all of their time, energy, and talents preaching? No. The Lord expects members of the church to be just that. Members of the church. Just remember that one of the things that we've agreed to is to take upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ.

I love all of you. I've began adopting a short phrase that a friend of mine named Elder Child. It is this: Keep smiling.

My beloved Friends and Family, Keep smiling. :)

Love,

Me.

Dear Family and Friends,

Conference weekend was great! We were blessed to be able to watch 10 hours of Prophets and Apostles!!! There's nothing better than that! We were able to hear so many great and powerful things from inspired men who truly speak the words that Heavenly Father gives them.

I received a fun call on Friday. Just a little background before I tell the story. This Tuesday is transfers. The Wednesday before transfers, the Assistants to the President make phone calls to those who have been selected to serve in leadership positions. I did not receive a call then. Okay, now that you know all that I will continue. I was sitting at my desk after I had finished eating lunch. I saw that Elder Dixon, one of the Assistants, was calling. I was confused but answered. "Hello, this is Elder Sanderson" I said. "Hello Elder Sanderson, this is Elder Dixon. I have a few questions for you." He said back. I was a little hesitant but I said "Okay" and he asked my the first question. He said "Why did the Lamanites knees hurt?" I replied with the obvious answer of "Because of all the Nephites!" We had a nice laugh and then he asked me the second and more important question. He asked me, told me rather, that I had been called to be a District Leader. I was very surprised, because as I said earlier, leadership calls were on Wednesdays and I never had anyone call me. Well, turns out the Assistants forgot to call me on Wednesday to tell me! So the lesson of this story is to be prepared for anything! I've been here for only 6 months now. As much as I would like to say that I am doing a good job here, I still don't know nearly as much as a District Leader should. I guess the Lord thinks that I can handle being a District Leader while training, and only being out for 6 months. If he thinks that, then I guess I have some work to do to get to the place where the Lord wants me to be. The Lord has great expectations and it's our job to do all that we can to meet those expectations. Luckily for us God knows we aren't perfect and only expects us to try our very hardest. For that I am very grateful.

I love all of you. I try my best to do magnify my efforts here in hopes that the Lord will bless my loved ones. I know that he will.

Love,

Elder Sanderson

Hello Friends and Families,

Hope ya'll are keepin it real. It was good to hear from so many of you this past week. For those who did not, I will forgive you. Don't let it happen again.

This past week was pretty nice. We had a good solid week of working hard. We didn't really have any appointment set up but we made the best lemonade that we could have from the lemons that were dealt to us and it was very enjoyable. The phrase "when life gives you lemons, make lemonade" is most likely one of the most used cliches to ever be used. That being said it is perhaps one of the most true. I can think of so many times in my life where I decided to, instead of making lemonade, wonder to myself 'why on earth do I even have these lemons? What could these dang lemons ever do for me?' Thinking like this is just outright silly. We may be able to justify it at the time but when it comes right down to it we can choose. "Wherefore men are free according to the flesh...to choose liberty and eternal life" That's happiness. "or to choose captivity..." Unhappiness. (2 Ne 2:27) We can choose. Some of you may be thinking "You are being unreasonable, how can you just choose to be happy when something bad happens?" That's a difficult question. If I could answer it perfectly then there would be little need for me to have said the things that I have just said. Bad things happen. Of that I am quite aware. The way we choose to respond to trials determines how they play out. 

So on the subject of trials and what to do with them I would like to put my spin on the "lemons" cliche. When life gives you lemons ask for help to make lemonade. Remember that you are not alone. Remember that you have someone on your side. Remember that even if it seems like things are dark that we have someone who has endured more for our sake. The Lord Jesus Christ said, "In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world" (John 17:33) We will have trials and tribulation but we are not alone in them. Alone it is impossible but with the help of our Heavenly Father and his Son Jesus Christ. It is.

I hope that everything is going well and that you all are doing great. I love all of ya'll!

Love

Elder Sanderson