12/26/16 Christmas y Skype

Hola Todos,

This last week was my first and only Christmas week in my mission. I feel truly blessed to be able to share next Christmas with all of you back home. This week as well I hit my exact one year mark as a missionary and another Elder from my group is in my district so we are going to burn our shirts together:) Skype was amazing and I loved sharing my testimony and feeling the spirit with my familiy.

I dont have much to say except that I know that this is the true church. Christ loves us and Families are eternal. Thats the rock of my testimony today. Familes help us in everything. I love mine and everyone has one. We can know and feel the truth of all things through scripture and prayer. I know it works I have felt it. Les Quiero:) 

Elder Saunders

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See it. Feel it. Trust it.

12/19/16 Ya viene La Navidad!!!

Hola todos,

One more week has flown by and we are closing in on Christmas. This last week was tough but we pushed through. Malvina was able to come to church again, and we found a new investigator named Claudia(yes i want to baptized Claudia, to say that I baptized ClaudiO y ClaudiA). Haha my companion and I are getting along great and we are excited after all this time to meet each others families. Not to be trunky but to be trunky we get to skype in one week!! 

With Chirstmas coming in only six days I have been thinking a lot about our Savior and of course His birth. For me it is crazy to think that even our Savior Jesus Chirst was a baby. Helpless, needing all the love and nurture of His mother. I invite you ponder and think about Him and what He did for all of us. I know He suffered and died for us. He knows us. He knows you. He knows me. I have felt His love throughout my life and during my mission. He changes us and knows what we need to grow and become more like Him. Have patience with yourself. We are not perfect, and we should not expect us to be. Take the time to put goals and work towards them with faith to become more like our Savior, Jesus Christ who was born in a humble manger. I know He lives, I KNOW He wants you to come to Him this Christmas time. Les Quiero y Feliz Navidad!!! 

Con amor,

Elder Saunders

--

See it. Feel it. Trust it.

12/12/16 A week for the Books

Hola Todos,

Another week is in the books and we are one more week closer to Christmas. I have always been excited for Christmas and the mission doesnt take that away. This week we worked liked crazy. After having a few weeks of feeling down and sick we had a lot to "fix" or "restart" in the area. My companion is doing a lot better with his shyness and talked a lot this week. He has this spirit or power when he talks. People listen to him and it helped us a lot this week. 

My highlights were seeing my companion change and start talking more, seeing Malvina (Claudio´s wife) at church, and Pablo is progressing a lot. 

Claudio if you remember is our convert from about two months ago. Our stake hard a Christmas devotional and he was asked to say the opening prayer. He accepted. I wasnt able to go because we had a lesson but he called me right after the meeting and told me how wonderful it was. He was filled with the spirit and there is not much more I could ever want. However he told me when he was up on the pulpit and about to pray, the only thing he wanted to see or the only thing he lacked was his FAMILY. So that is what im going to do. Im going to have to get his family theye. We are on a good start to that and Malvina went and liked church yesterday. Seeing his family at church almost made me cry. Those tears didnt fall but they sure did try. 

Now a whole bunch of random stuff. We almost saw a sheep killing. I practice chipping in my pension with ping pong balls. I ate way to much pizza this week. Our bathroom leaks water but its kinda fun;) christmas music is the new thing. I live in a pension with three other gringos and we have a lot of fun. We are going to baptize!!!

I know this church is true. When you testify it brings you up. The spirit works on people and its been working on me. I it true. All of it. There is no doubt in my mind that its true! I know that the scriptures bring power. The Book of Mormon was written for us and attracts people to it. I have witnessed that first hand this week. Read from it and feel the love of Christ. Share it and feel the love grow. I promise it will work because I have seen that in my own life! Yo se que Jesucristo vive, el nos ama y le ama muchísimo. Les Quiero:)

Con Amor,

Elder Saunders  

--

See it. Feel it. Trust it.

12/5/16 Vamos a Ganar:)

Hola mis amigos,

It seems that December has come upon us and with that I would like to wish yall a Merry little Christmas. Haha a little to soon, but what ya going to do when you love christmas. Down here in the Patagonia its warmer doing Christmas so that is something different, but we will be okay. Also I have been listening to Christmas music, and would like to invite yall to do the same. Oh and sidenote my best bud from the MTC is now in my district and we will pass a year together:)) Vamos Elder Febbo!

Alright this last week began with a few terrible days. I havent been doing too hot and struggling with headaches, homesickness, and just being done with mission live. At some points I was asking myself if the church was even true. I let Satan trick me into thinking I should go home because well, Im dying right?? NOOOOO when you are dying dont give up!! I almost did and I know it would have destroyed my life. 

Now that remember that prayer is real. It works and if you want an answer go and pray. Dont leave your knees until you KNOW exactly what the answer is. God will give you an answer BUT forget the answer you want;) This was a challenge my mission President gave me. It works I did it. 

Going back to Christmas, how is Lighing the World going? Down here we say, ilumina el mundo! kinda cooler I know;) The missionaries should have cards that they give to people. Go and ask for a few and give them away. I promise you at least one will contact the missionaries. We have miracles with this card!! Also as yall know do the cute little activities even though they seem y mas o menos!;) 

I know the church is true. I know i need to be a missionay. Without these two years my life could never be the same. I know blessings go to my family as I serve. Its the promise all missionaries get. I know Christ lives, and was born in the flesh. He is our perfect example and has paid for my sins. I know it and thats why I am here. I have felt his love and will continue to feel it. I know Satan is attacking, and why? Because we as in all of us as a Church TOGETHER will and are doing damage to the adversary. They are scared and are attacking hard. Prepare and fight back. Read your scriptures and pray everyday. Take the sacrament and if you cant get worthy NOW. Humble yourselves and forgive all others. Dont let Satan trick you because it will just make everything worse! I know it just happend to me. Trust in the Savior and our Heavenly Father and all the things They have fiven us and that YOU KNOW are true. Go to the temple! Remember the I love you and appreciate all everyone of you have taught me. Les Quiero y Jesucristo les ama!!! 

Con todo el amor que tengo,

Elder Saunders

 -- 

See it. Feel it. Trust it.

11/28/16 Keep a Going;)

Hola todos,

Well I dont have much to say this week. My week was full of fun times in the office helping out with the chores of the secrataties of the misión. However I was able to confirm the sisters baptism and he asked me to do it so that felt nice.

Iife isnt easy. I found that out this last week. I know that hard times pass. We have to choose what we are going to do when these times come. They will come that is why we are here. As in why we are here in this world. We must learn why for ourselves. I know that as we try our hardest to keep the commandments God will bless us and we will feel better.

This week I thought a lot about just why I am here. I think I have felt that I am here because well I know its true. All of it! God lives and His son paid for my sins and yours. He knows how you feel and how I feel in every momento of our lives. I have a testimony of these things because i have felt them.

I hope that yall are doing well and that yall are enjoying the christmas season. Take a look at the web page of the church and watch the Light the World video. Its amazing. Les Quiero.

Elder Saunders

-- 

See it. Feel it. Trust it.

11/21/16 Hola Todos

Hola Todos,

Well this week was interesting. I went to my first argentine doctors appointment, and we took out blood. If you know me I dont like needles and my district leader was making fun of me the whole time, but hey I didnt die just almost passed out;) Being all sick we were not able to work a lot but I had a lot of time to think.

I have thought a lot about the Atonement. Why we have it, why we sin, why I sin. I feel that its neccesary and the when we sin we can learn from it. Thinking about this brought me to well think more. Have I really learned from my mistakes? Ask yourself that and take it to the lord. I know that He will help you better yourself through Him.

I know that when life is hard you have to put more strength into pushing forward. I guess thats all I have today. I love you all and thank you for the support. Les Quiero:)

Elder Saunders

--

See it. Feel it. Trust it.

11/14/16 Double Your Faith and Move Ahead:)

Hola Todos,

I hope that all is going well in your lives and that you have all been able to find some down time to read the Book of Mormon. As I mentioned last week I finished the Book of Mormon again. The beautiful feeling of the holy ghost once again testified to me the truthfulness of the book. I am grateful to be a missionary and feel the spirit so often. Sometimes I forget how important it is to calm down and just try to feel the love that Christ has offered us.

This week was one that I hope I never have to relive. Yes we had some wonderful times but I was sick all week and continue to battle something I never have felt before. I hopefully will be able to find out what is going on tomorrow when I go to the doctor again for a few tests.

So with the sickness I spent a lot of my time in the pension tired and sleeping. The nice thing was I got to read and listen to pretty music a lot, but I prefer teaching and talking with people.

I would say the highlight of the week was just seeing Claudio continue to grow in the church. He is an example of faith and determination. We are working on talking to his wife more and she said that she would come to church this next Sunday so pray for her she needs it. 

Okay so I have recieved a few questions and will answer them now...

Yes I have a warm shower. We get lunch everyday but pdays from the ward. The faith they have is huge because there are 10 missionaries in my ward right now. I do have a warm shower its beautiful. we have been able to buy more fruit and such so thats nice. we make breakfast every day and have mastered the omlet technique;) yes we eat a lot so dont worry about starvation. when we make lunch or dinner its something with noodles and sauce because its cheap and easy!!:)and we eat out sometimes but not often because we are not made of money;) 

Well I believe thats all i got for this week, but I know Im here for a reason. I know things I teach everyday are true and thats why I teach them. Just as I know 2 plus 2 is 4 I know God lives and His son Jesus Christ suffered for me and knows how I feel right now. I know He knows how you feel and as you plead for help He will give it to you. Double your faith and move ahead as good ole Bishop Price always told me. I know it works! Les Quiero:) 

Con Amor,

Elder Saunders

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See it. Feel it. Trust it.