9/25/17 General Conference Is Coming!!

Hola Todos,

This last week went by sooo fast. A lof changes are coming into the our Zone and we are starting to make a lot of changes in ourselves as missionaries. We recieved transfers and my companion Elder Aviles and I are staying together. Two of my best buds from one of my areas are going to be in my district and Elder Febbo is staying in my district. The Lord has blessed me to be around the people I love as I finish my mission. With only three more months to go I have relized the importance of using my time wisely to complete the goals I have in my mission. As I mentioned last week Presidente Salerno has helped me see and start to reach my potential as a missionary, member of the church, future father and husband, and person in general.

Juan is the MVP from this last week. We had a three hour lesson with him talking about everything and everything. He thinks all of the crazy rules we have as missionaries are really funny. I looked at me like I was crazy when I told him that we have to be in the pension at 10 oclock every night. On a more spiritual note he said he wants to be baptized but in a little while. He wants to make sure he is truly repented to make the convenant of baptism. Amazing and beautiful stuff. Juan also calls himself Juan the Smith, because he said he is just like Joseph Smith who looked for what church was the church of Christ. He love the Restoration and is progressing like crazy.

At church we had our Branch Conference. During Sunday School the District Presidency got us five references. They also asked Juan in front of everyone during the class, what he had heard about the church before he came the first time. It was sooo funny to hear his answers and the mean things he said about the church without feeling embarrased or scared. He is sooo funny and calls me "his gringo" haha.

The church is true. What more can I say? Love it and live it. Share it and teach it. Listen and improve everyday and you will see how amazing repentence feels. How Christ can mold, and change the bad things into good things in your life. He loves you so much that He will break you down until you are ready to make the change He wants to and needs you to make. Be humble enough to do it and you will see the blessings flow into your life. I promise you that its true. I know it is. I have seen the changes in my life and in others. I know Christ lives and reveals His truth through prophets.

This week is General Conference. WATCH IT, LISTEN TO IT, AND LEARN FROM IT. Take your doubts to the source of revelation in this modern day. Have the faith to listen to our living day prophet. I know Thomas S. Monson is the prophet today and WILL teach us what our Saviour needs of us in these next six months of our lives. Les Quiero Mucho:)

Elder Saunders del fin del mundo!!:))))

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See it. Feel it. Trust it.

9/18/17 He Loves You:)

Hola Todos,

This week was amazing. We had a lot of days of being able to listen and learn from our loving mission president, Presidente Salerno and his wife Hermana Salerno. They love us and I was able to feel their love and more importantly Christs love for me this week. Sometimes even us missionaries need to recieve help.

After all of our amazing conferences with President and Hermana Salerno we began teaching to have an amazing Sunday with a lot of investigators at church. After a million phone calls, lessons, and small door invites. Juan came to church. He came last week as well and is loving the FEELING he has at church. Jeanette and Julio came as well. They are waiting for divorce papers from the last marriage of Jeanette and then they we get married and baptized. Sunday was a day of missionary talks. Two missionaries are going home this week and the branch had someone return from his mission. The spirit was there and I know Juan, Julio, and Jeanette felt it. I was able to give my testimony on the Atonement of Christ during Sacrament as well. Something I am beginning to treasure.

I was also able to have an interview with President Salerno. In my interview we talked about my future. We planned my last three months here together and I am excited. There is a lot to do and I am happy to be able to help in the work of the Lord. President shared his love with me and when he started to pray to end the interview I lost it and just started crying my little eyes out. I look at him and just hugged him. He has had to put up with me for the last 15 months. I really love him.

If there is anything I want to tell each and every one of you, it is that I know that Christ lives. He loves us. Now think about that. Christ loves you. He knows you. He suffered individually for you, and knows all that you feel, felt, and will feel. Sometimes its hard to let His love into our lives. We think all is lost and that we should just give up. Dont ever do it. Never! Why? Because through His Atonement we can be cleansed and made clean and worthy. We can feel the peace, love, joy, happiness, and excitement of knowing we are worthy to do our Fathers will as Christ did. I know that this is His church. Jesus has one church and he runs it. He is the head of the church and through prophets we are instructed on what He, Christ needs us to do. Read the scriptures, and learn from the prophets. Read the talks from General Conference and learn from the prophets. Pray for help, and act of the feelings you recieve. The faith we have doenst do us any good until we ACT. Until we do something with the believes and knowledge we have. Go to church, renew your covenants. Go to the temple and feel the blessings of working in the house of the Lord. Feel His presence. Love your Father in Heaven and you will feel His love. I know its true, all of it. I feel it. I try to live it and when I mess up, I keep trying. Lets try to together. Thats all He asks from us. We arent perfect, and its okay that way!

Les Quiero Mucho!:)

Elder Saunders del fin del mundo:))

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See it. Feel it. Trust it.

9/11/17 Miracles and Prayer

Dear Friends and Family,

This last week was pretty good. We continued working hard and using the tools that our leaders have taught us. Elder Aviles is amazing. He is really good teacher and helps a tone in our lessons. Jorge is still fighting hard to find work and its still really hard to find him. He has a goal to get baptized soon but we will see if he still wants to complete it. We have faith that he is feeling something. Time to have patience and give him his agency.

The miracle of the week was Juan and Maria. Alright we get to church and start waiting and waiting and then one of the members comes up and gives you the best hug and tells you that his friend is coming to church. Juan and Maria came and they have four kids. The kids stayed home cause they were sleeping but we will get them to church next week. The work really is a lot easier when... Members find for the full time missionaries! Go and share the gospel with your friends.

I want to share my testimony about prayer. This week wasnt easy for me. I have been pretty sick and down on myself. We are not perfect but I like to try to be and when I fail I sometimes dwell on the past for a long time. I have been soo stressed out that I have made myself sick again. I prayed the other night and it was after talking to one of my best friends in the mission Elder Febbo. I was hurting and he knew. He simply told me to take it to our Heavenly Father. So I did. When I prayed at first didnt feel a dfference. As I continued I starting to feel the spirit. Remember you can pray at all times and in all places. Whenever you need to, and He will listen! Its simple but powerful. Thats what I love about the gosple sometimes. I know its true. I know it, even though sometimes it doesnt seem like it is. Doubt you doubts before you doubt you Faith. Les Quiero mucho.

p.s. Story time... yesterday Mariano our baptism from a few weeks ago gave his first talk. We must have taught prayer a little to well because when he got up to the pulpit to speak he said, "To start I would like to share a prayer with yall." hahahaha okay so he just dips right on in to the prayer and starts talking about mexico and florida with the earthquakes and huricanes. He blesses the mexicans and his friends in florida. It was kinda awkward but funny at the same time because Mariano is a funny guy... So he finishes his prayer and gives a solid talk and spoke for almost 20 minutes. Never forget to pray when your nervous! HAHA we love Mariano:)


Con Amor,

Elder Saunders
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See it. Feel it. Trust it.

9/4/17 Hola Todos

Hola Todos,

This week went by crazy fast. We had a lot of little adventures and enjoyed the variety of the week. The week began in a trio because our District Leaders companion had to travel to the mission office to do legal work and was gone for two days. It was a nice change and we worked in the main part of town in Rio Gallegos in their area. Knocking doors in a new place brings a little spice into the mission sometimes. We found a few solid families and more than anything had fun being with three missionaries instead of two.

Then we spent Thursday until the end of the week here in San Benito. Our main focus has been on Jorge. He is an older man and his wife is a member. She was baptized two years ago and is a rock solid member. She was catholic so she has a few funny habits in praying the and in the culture of the Church. Every week she brings Jorge saying that he needs to find God. haha I love it and its what we are trying to do. They dont have lot of money and are struggling to find work. They always just tell us that it doesnt matter and that they are old and will die soon. Very sad, and we are working with them to have a happier attitude towards everything. If all goes well Jorge will be baptized in two weeks. He said he wants to, but doesnt know how to make it there. So thats why we are here to show him how!

I have been still thinking a lot about temples and how important they are. Keep putting goals to go and remember why you go. I know that as we are worthy to go to the temple and USE our temple recommend we will recieve blessings in all aspects of our lives. I know that the Book of Mormon is true. If you want a happier family, marriage, or life... READ IT! Read it together, read it out loud, read it alone. Do whatever you have to do to open the book and read from its pages. You WILL see the difference it makes it you life. I am slacked on my reading so lets step it up this week! I know we can do it!

We used our bikes this weekend and took them to the Zone Leaders pension so that we can get them tuned up. I enjoy riding a bike and it makes me feel like a movie missionary. haha Well I love you all and hope that you can feel our Father in Heaven`s love for you. For He loves you more than you can imagine!:)

Con Amor,

Elder Saunders del fin del mundo:))

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See it. Feel it. Trust it.