62 weeks -had a feeling something was going on at home

******this is the missionary board in our Ward building I sent him pictures of this week 

He loved it******* now for his letter:

First off, that Missionary Board is awesome!!!

Okay, now on to the rest =) 

Yes, Sierra told me about Grandpa, and grandma Shirley has been emailing me too. I truly believe that we can know when something is going on in our families. I have been missing home like crazy this week. I don't know why, but it was more than in my whole mission. I have been praying for you all and just hoping that all was well. I am sad that I can't be with the family and grandpa before he goes, but know that I was called here at this exact time with all things in consideration from Heavenly Father. I feel sad that I won't see him again here in this life, but look forward to going to the temple for him and then seeing him again after my own time here =) We are going to see the member of the 70 speak to us tomorrow morning and I will ask a blessing from President Castro. 

Our week was really slow! But we had some adventures of course! Apprarently, we aren't supposed to go to the river haha. At least not without asking President Castro. I didn't know that until Friday nightwhen one of the Assistents to the President (APs) called me. He called me at about 11:30pm which is not normal since we go to bed at 10:30 every night. He is a good friend of mine in the mission and just said that President knew that we went to the river and was going to call me. I said okay and have been waiting ever since. However, he hasn't called, so he either forgot, was testing me, or will talk to me tomorrow. I've now learned that rule and am going to keep it haha. 

We had a member of our stake presidency come and speak to us yesterday and he did great! I really enjoyed his talk because it applied perfectly to my current ward! He told us that there are many forms of apostast in the world and that apostasy is anything that would be said falsely or against the Church or its members. He said that that means that we all play a part in apostasy when we are talking bad about our brothers and sisters. It doesn't matter what they are doing or not doing in their callings, it only matters what you are doing in yours. I thought it was perfect! Whose place is it to judge who is working or who isn't? The Person who called you to that position, that's Who. 

We also had a bunch of investigators in church! It was great! One of them, Antonio, has a date to be baptized next Sundayafter church! He has such a strong desire to get baptized and to do the right thing =) The adversary is really fighting against him though. His girlfriend, who is also the mother of his 1 month-old daughter, does not want to live the law of chastity. She is already baptized in the Church, but hasn't been going for many years. Antonio wants to do everything the Lord wants, including marriage in the temple, but she doesn't. She has something against the Church that we can't figure out. He ended up calling us at about 11:30 on Saturday night and telling us about a fight he had gotten into with her. He told us he had wanted to hit her, but didn't and that he then had wanted to drink, but didn't because he knew that isn't what Heavenly Father wants and he wants to do what Heavenly Father wants. We thanked him for his faith and then said a very long prayer over the phone. We asked if we could do anything for him, and he said just to stop by the next day. We agreed, and asked him to say a prayer that very night too. He told us the next day that he was much better and that he had gone to his room, got down on his knees, and prayed harder than he ever had before. It was just an amazing story =) We are going to visit him every day this week, please keep him in your prayers.

I don't have too much else from the week. I'm praying for you all and love you all! Thank you for your prayers, they are the reason I can keep doing what I'm doing =) 

Love always,

Elder Sanderson

Mom, I'll make sure to get a picture to you next week. What kind of idea did you have with "as brazil as possible" because if you want, I might be able to climb a tree or something =)

********i told him I needed a selfie of him this week for our Christmas cards******. :)