Hey there family o mine,
So to get this out of the way quick: I've been transferred again! Going back to Bountiful but in a different area.
whew..glad i got that off my chest. I was getting really nervous that I would serve in one area for more than 6 weeks =p
This week was an amazing week! I can't even describe it all in words, but I'm gonna try.
Monday was definitely a rough day. I just couldn't quite understand why I was still here, why I move around so much, and what Heavenly Father needs me to do to get to Brazil. I was feeling frustrated, discouraged, and kind of alone. I went about the rest of the day just like any other day and made sure to keep that from effecting my work. Tuesday, we had a Zone Conference in Bountiful that I'd really been looking forward to! We had the opportunity to hear from 8 stake presidents during the conference and it was awesome!
One of the Stake Presidents has been called to serve as a mission president in Brazil. He told us that, and I immediately began to think of Brazil. Shortly after, President Hansen stood up and decided to tell us that after looking at our faces and praying a lot, he knew where many of us were going to get transferred to. I just wanted to be in an area for more than 6 weeks. Is that too much to ask? (apparently it is, since i got transferred haha)
As I was thinking that, I had a memory from a very long time ago pop into my head. When we were on Pioneer Trek back in 2010, Sister Strasburg told me that I was a Renaissance Man. She said that meant that I'm pretty good at anything I do, even if I'm not perfect in any of them. She said it a lot nicer than it sounds. That thought popped into my head, and the Holy Ghost just about made my heart catch fire. I realized that I can still be a good missionary even if I serve in many areas or if I don't go to Brazil just yet. My mindset before had been, "man it would be nice to be in one area for like 6 months, then I'd be such a good missionary!" But that's not what it takes for me to be an instrument in the Lord's Hands.
I felt so much peace and love from my Heavenly Father that words can never describe, but I could feel His arms around me as I sat there in that Zone Conference. I knew in my heart that I am going to give Him everything I've got no matter where I go. I didn't care about transfers and I don't care when I get to Brazil. In time, I'll get there, but in the Lord's time, not mine and I'm okay with that. So, when I got transferred, it didn't bother me at all! I can't wait for Bountiful because it's where the Lord needs me to find His sheep!
Keeping along with that, the next time you see Sister Bonnett or Sister Utzinger, give them a hug for me. The same day I got yours and Haylee's letters, I got letters from them. They were exactly what I needed to read in order to top off such an amazing experience.
The rest of the week has been pretty uneventful compared to that!
Tell everyone I said hello and that I will write you with my new address ASAP!
Love,
Elder Sanderson
Second email:
Haha i probably forgot the best news!
Heavenly Father saw how well I accepted His love and support and how willing I now am to follow His plan for me. After the Zone Conference, I received a call from the Mission Office! They said that my application is now officially finalized and that I can probably expect to be in Brazil by February 8th!!!!!!
*******Tara here: WOW Brazil!!!!! can you believe he forgot to tell us that in the first email?? Lol well sort of Joe sent him an email and he replied to him first and told him he was going. I am glad he remembered to send it to me too! Lol :) **************
Here are some pictures he sent:
at the family history center
The Salt Lake Temple
They are at Leatherby's -an amazing ice cream place- and they had to eat two sundae's to earn their crowns :)
His favorite water glass :)
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