Hi all!

In honor of my new companion, Elder Varney, I'm going to be using the "Georgia" font. He's from Georgia. He was serving in the Long Beach Stake already so I knew him a little bit already. He's way cool! Elder McPheeters went to Huntington Beach. Talofai...(Poor him...)

 This week was pretty good. I was a little worried that I wasn't going to be able to plan very well but I feel good about all the things we did. This week was a lot of setting up appointments for the following week. So with that being said, this upcoming week should be pretty full! We are hoping to be able to pick up some new investigators. All of the Zone/District leaders have been challenged by President Tew to find 3 new investigators a week. That's pretty dang difficult to do here. Especially in the ward I'm serving in. Even so I know that when one of the servants of the Lord asks something of us, it's possible. Whether by His own voice or His servant's voice, it's the same assignment. The Lord will provide a way for us. No assignment is too much, to calling is too much, no command is impossible. I know that Lord provides us with the means to accomplish things. If you don't believe me just ask Nephi! None of us are asked to go get plates from a jerk with big armies! Remember that.

I found out that my son Elder Roe is a District Leader now! That means I'll get to see him at all the leadership meetings! Heck yes!

Everything is going super good. The work is all starting to come together now it seems. I'm excited for all the stuff we have set up for this week. I love all of you. Never forget that . Tie a string around your finger if you need to.

Alofa iate outou!

Elder Sanderson

Dear Friends and Family

This week was pretty cool stuff. We had a fun time learning some Tongan from a member who is Tongan but married a Samoan so she comes to our ward. Don't worry I don't think it makes sense either. 

I found out that I, along with a few other missionaries in the mission, got all my money stolen from my mission funds card. -sad face- Luckily they put all the money that was taken off onto my companions card so I can take it out. I also need to take out all the money at the beginning of next month. Dang man. I guess when you live in California eventually you just get large amounts of things stolen...Oh well.

We talked to one of our investigators, Tony, last P-day after playing tennis with him (He's a USTA tennis instructor) and he is super converted! He has a bunch of Bible verses written down that he found that are his proof of the Book of Mormon and a modern day prophet! ? He's got all the classic ones, Isaiah 29; Ezekiel 37; Amos 3; all the good stuff. He's way more converted than you. LOL

This upcoming week should be pretty good. We've got some good lessons planned and we'll find out on Saturday who's going to leave. Transfers are on the 6th and one of us is going to leave. It's going to be fun to find out. I wonder what's going to happen. It's kinda up in the air at this point. Happy Fun-time Surprise Time!

I feel like I love my mission a little more each day. Surprisingly I love the city of Long Beach even more each day too! Even if it is kind of a rough place that has a LOT of problems. It's sort of like that one city in Hercules. Only with Spiritual things...

Anywho I love all of you!

Keeps it real :)

Elder Sanderson

Easter Week

This week was really good. We had a really good lesson with a less-active/part member family. We decided to teach the kids just as much as the investigator since they don't really know two things about the gospel either. It went really well.  The kids were asking questions and we were talking to them about what they remember from church.  I think it really helped out Doug, the investigator who is also their brother-in-law. We also got to pick up a new investigator too! She's really solid but really busy. With this week being spring break, she said she's going to be pretty tied up but she agreed to a return visit another week. We're still going to do our best to contact her at least once a week though. We found out some less than good news from our investigator Tai. She said it's going to take at least 2 months for her divorce to all go through so her and Tony won't be able to be baptized for a while. It's too bad but they're still super solid and they are always talking about how much they love church and how they know it's true. It's awesome. Tai even got up and bore her testimony at a little ward fireside we were having. It was way good.

This week we were lucky and the High Councilman for our ward was speaking so it was in English! Yeah English! It was fun. It happens every once in a blue moon. We also got to go to the temple (pictures included). The LA temple is super cool! It's very large also. it's got at least 3 rooms. Maybe 4. Or more than that. 

We're excited for this week. We got a referral from some English today and we have an appointment set so it should be great. We just need to call some members and get them with us and we'll be all seki a!

I'm loving my time here. Going on a mission is the best decision I've made ever. I'm loving it and I wouldn't trade this experience for anything. It's been work but it's also been really fun. That's how we should feel when we're living the gospel. Especially when engaged in as such a great work as this is. I'm sure all you other missionaries could attest to that.

Well, I hope you all have a good week. I love each of you. If any of you forgot that, then write it down somewhere. Or say it really loud. I've heard that helps you remember things. If it works let me know I've never actually tried it.

Okay, everyone, all together now,

Keep it real. 

Good job.

Love

Elder Sanderson

Last week's letter that didn't get posted on time.

Dear Family and Friends,

That's not actually it. This week was cool. 

I HIT MY YEAR MARK But who's counting. 

The last year has gone by so fast. Almost too fast. It seems like just yesterday I left on a plane to go to a place that I was thoroughly convinced I would never return from. It seems like just yesterday I put on a tie and pretty much haven't taken it off since. It seems like just yesterday I accepted the fact that hugs are a thing of the past. It seems like just yesterday I decided to commit every day to serving the children of God and  I can assure you that I am no less committed to that commission today than I was the moment I decided to serve. I'm so glad for the chance to Lord has given me to serve.

This week was pretty good. We had a lot of success in talking with some less-actives and recent converts that we haven't been able to see in a while. There is one family the Saifaloi family who we got to visit and talk about the people that they are working with and trying to bring to church. They're a really solid family. They were baptized about 6 months ago and they are solid as can be. Sister Saifaloi is in the Relief Society Presidency and a few weeks ago Brother Saifaloi helped out with the blessing of the sacrament. The ward supports them a ton and it's really good to see.

We were finally able to have a lesson with our investigators Tony and Tai at our ward mission leaders house. Having lessons with them is the best because they usually end up sharing their testimonies at the end. All we need is for them to get divorced to the ex-spouses and get them married and they would be perfectly ready for baptism. It's kind of a bummer that it's taking so long but I'm okay with whatever as long as they get baptized.

Remember the Church is true, the Book is blue ,that I love you, and Jesus does too. :)

Love,

Elder Sanderson

Lenei Vaiaso sa Sekia!

This week was super good. We had some bomb lessons. We had two with our investigator Doug. We lost contact with him for a while but for the last few weeks we've been able to have some good lessons with him. Unfortunately we were not able to have his in-laws join us for any of them. They're less-active and they usually join in the lessons. Sometimes Sister Sua'ava (his mother-in law) even helps us by testifying of certain points or sharing experiences. She still has a really solid testimony but hasn't been to church in a while. We're working with her. We also got to visit Tony and Tai and have a lesson with them. It's a LOT easier to have regular contact with them now that they actually live in the Long Beach Mission boundaries. Yay doing things the right way! We had a nice talk with them about conference and they loved it. They went with their fellowshippers on Sunday to both of those sessions. It was way cool to see them there. 

General Conference was great as ever and I feel like I received a lot of instruction specific to me. That's the wonderful thing about conference! Anytime there is inspiration received by the Lord's servants, the entire body of the church is blessed according to their specific needs. How on Earth is such a thing possible? The church as a whole received the same direction but at the same time you receive a specific message to you that is different from me. One of the most mysterious but coolest paradoxes that the gospel creates. 

I tried to make panikeke le poto poto again but it's hard to get them perfectly round. Plus the recipe is hard because the Samoans don't actually measure out anything. It's all kinda spitballed. -_-

I hope you all are doing bomba! Remember:

Keep it real.

Alofa ia te outou!

Elder Sanderson

Dear Friends and Family,

This week was really cool. We found out that our investigators Tony and Tai finally moved in the Long Beach so we can finish up their lessons. They've been trying to move into that complex for a while and it's finally the right time. We are pretty excited to finish up their lessons. Hopefully they can work out their marriage situation soon. When it comes right down to it I'm okay with anything as long as they get baptized but it would be really cool to get to be there for it. It will happen when it happens. I'm not worried at all about them getting baptized some day. It's just a matter of time. 

I got to go to the departure fireside this past Sunday. It was way good! We all crammed into the building by the mission office. I guess one of their traditions is to have all the missionaries go to the front and all sing that song about being as the army of Helaman. I didn't know that. :| It was fun though. even if I only knew the first verse. Most of them did so it's all good! I saw my daddy Elder Wahlen and my son Elder Roe! Seki a! I also saw some past ward members and chatted with them for a quick minute. 

Also I found out I'm going to be staying in the Samoan ward for another transfer! Woo! More fatness here I come! Worth it.

Anywho, Alofa tele ia te outou. You are all wonderful people and don't let anyone tell you differently.

Keep it real,

Elder Sanderson

Dear Friends and Family

This week was fun. We had like 3 or 4 set lessons cancel throughout the week which was a bummer. We did have some spur of the moment lessons though. We had one with Tapu the old lady we found a few weeks ago. We are afraid that she's just talking with us because she lonely. She doesn't seem to be progressing much and she is sort of content with her church even though she know's that there's problems in it. We also had a lesson with a guy named Zane. He has some mental problems and he's in a wheelchair. Before now he's showed little desire but he's really worried about death and stuff like that so we've been talking with him and answering some of his questions. He's starting to show a lot more desire and he's actually keeping his appointments now. We've been trying to meet with Tony and Tai but they're busy. Once they move in to their new place they'll be much less busy.

The Samoan Ward is sick. We had yet another Birthday party this week. It was for a 1 year old. To Samoans 1 and 21 are like the biggest parties of their lives. It's cool stuff. Good food!

I found out not to long ago that I have a weird cyst thing in my wrist right where the wrist and hand meet. I can't remember what they called it but it hurts when I bend my wrist sometimes and I bought a little wrist wrap for when it does hurt. It's been fun. It doesn't bug me too much but it kinda does.

This is what your refrigerator looks like in a Samoan ward. We barely bought any of that...#thuglife.

I hope everything is good with all of you.  I appreciate all of you more than you know. I'm loving my mission soo much! It's the best thing I could have done with my life.  I'm sorry the last few emails have been lame ones. I'll send a better one next week.

Keep it real.

Alofa ia te outou!

Elder Sanderson