January 6, 2014 17 weeks

*****note from Tara: he sounds down this week :( not fun to read when you are a mom.  If you read this please include him in your prayers and ask that he be lifted up and that he will be reminded that The Lord has a plan and is mindful of him.  Thanks everyone!!! Also if you have a minute send him a note!  His address is on the right. If you have kiddos have them draw a picture or can be anything!  Even if you don't know him well a simple hello would make his day and I would be forever grateful!!! ******

Sounds like you guys have had a good 2014 so far! I'm doing good as always, but I am ready for Brazil. I'm getting tired of Utah and of the way that visa-waiters are treated. The Lord is definitely in charge of this work, but I am ready for Brazil. I am tired of just waiting and having people ask me every day when I'm going to get my visa. The good news is that 50 missionaries are supposed to be going into my mission in like 2 weeks so hopefully I'm one of them! It's hard being a visa-waiter because we are supposed to be just like everyone else, but that's not how we're treated. My mission President is always telling me that I'm a Salt Lake City Missionary, but then I just get to listen to how visa waiters don't get any of the privileges that the others get. I'm also trying to figure out how missionaries say they love their mission presidents. I don't mean that as in I don't love mine, but I never even talk to him either. How do you love somebody you don't really know?

It is still really cold here and we are always excited when the temperature hits the 30s. We usually say, "Man it's warm today" haha and that's not a good thing! I would suggest that you always just have two missionaries over. The chance that we get to be with other missionaries is few and far between. The chance of the missionaries focusing on you instead of themselves is even smaller when they're all together. I'm glad the one from Mesa is good though! Ask him if he knows a Sister LeSoeur (something like that). She is from Mesa and is serving in this mission. 

New years was fun! We were in at 5, but got to watch "It's a wonderful life", Emperor's new groove, and up! It felt weird to just sit around and do nothing, but it was fun! We were able to tie as many things into the Gospel/missionary work as possible. In the Emperor's New Groove when he walks up to all the other llamas and they just walk away from him after he smiles and waves, I made the comment, "Hey, that's just like when missionaries ask members for referrals!" And then in Up when the dogs tie up the boy and they say, "Scream all you want small mailman, none of your other mailman friends can hear you" Elder Cooper and I now say that anytime we don't get any mail (which is most days haha). 

So yeah, that's life. We should have 3 baptisms next transfer so i had better not get transferred out! Transfers arenext Tuesday so I will let you know Monday where I'm going or if I'm staying. Hopefully it will say, "Elder Sanderson: Brazil"

Love you guys!

Elder Sanderson 

*****I am also sure that he is treated fine :) he just doesn't feel like he belongs there -kind of like the scence from Elf when Buddy is wandering around the city with his head down feeling like he doesn't belong anywhere. :) love that boy and I know The Lord knows him too.****.