10/30/17 La Santa Cena

Hola todos,

Elder Aviles and I are pushing along. I love this kid. He has really helped these last eleven weeks and if he leaves this transfer I am going to be really sad. He more than likely will because he has six months here in our area and we have already had two together. Its going to be a really sad goodbye.

The weather is waming up and I have to use less coats and people open their doors now. We are seeing more and more success and the area is progressing. Franco´s dad came to church!!!! Huge progress considering that last week he said no to us about his son´s baptism. He came because we had our primary presentation. I hope he felt the same Spirit I did.

All of our other investigators still have to get married besides Jorge. He is doing better. When I first got here he almost got baptized but the week before his wife and him lost their jobs. He said that it was because God was punishing him. This week when we were on splits my companion came in clutch with another missionary and put another baptismal date! He is more ready and has more faith. Trials lift us. Jorge learned from going through it.

This weeks stand out was my experience taking the sacrament. I was praying, thinking, and pondering about my mission. All the good, all the bad, and started to pray for forgiveness. For the first time in awhile I felt the Spirit really really strong. I started to tear up, and felt so much love from our Father in Heaven and Savior Jesus Christ. When we commit sin or make mistakes we are spiritually dirty. When we are baptized we are cleansed through Christ Atonement and our faith to repent and continue to try. God loves and is smart. He gave us the Sacrament every week to be able to be cleansed, renew special promises with Him, and continue to progress in our journey to return to His presence. I invtie you all to think more about why you take the Sacrament. I know and promise you that your Sunday experience at church will change, you will feel the Spirit, and you will be HAPPIER. Who doesnt want to be happy? Haha Les Quiero mucho:))

Elder Saunders

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See it. Feel it. Trust it.

10/23/17 Patience Is A Virtue

Hola,

Wow the time is flying by and we are coming up on the end of the transfer. Its crazy how fast time goes by in the mission field. Even though some days are really long.. haha! This week was different one. Almost the entire District was in Comodoro(where the mission office is) for medical help. So my week was filled with splits. I spent the week in three different areas trying to help the work not fall apart. Didnt work as well as I wanted but we had success in each area in different parts of the work.

For a few days I spent my time teaching a new missionary about personal hygiene. For the first four months of his mission he didnt shower everyday, never really washed his clothes, and had trouble taking control. His two companions he has had complained but never did anything to fix it and so we had a few chats and he has already started to smell better. Good for everyone. I had a few moments where I thought I was going to kill him, but patience is a vitue even though I dont have much.

Juan is doing well, still has to get married. His girlfriend doesnt want much with the Church, for now, but is starting to see the change in Juan. Jeanette and Julio are still in Chile. Its still a waiting game with them. Franco is so amazing. We had a lesson with his dad, and ask for permission for the baptism. Dad said no... so we have to wait, but then Franco showed he really cares and started reading the Book of Mormon after lunch for the past few days. I called his dad again to see what he thinks and he almost said yes. I could feel the spirit through the phone call work on him. In the end he didnt say yes or no, and asked me to call him today at Six! The Holy Ghost works miracles!

This week I learned a lot about patience with others and with myself. Im not perfect and it sucks... haha. We need to remember that its okay too not be perfect, and take the steps to change. Sometimes other people try us, if its with bad habits, or something big they have done to us. Forgive, forget, and love them. Judge them as Christ would! Now think about that! How does Christ judge you? Love your family and people around you, and I promise you that you will be happier.

I finished the Book of Mormon in Spanish this week, well this morning. Its true. I know it. I feel it. I invite you to read it. If you are already reading, I invite you to read just a little everyday, each day this week. I promise you blessings in where you need it this week. I know our Father in Heaven loves us. I know Christ lives and suffered for us. Go to Him and watch Him mold and change you. Les Quiero mucho.

Elder Saunders del fin del mundo:)

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See it. Feel it. Trust it.

10/16/17 HE loves you:)

Hola,

Another week has come and gone here in San Benito. We are working hard and seeing miracles. I was able to learn a lot in our Conference with President Salerno, and feel the Spirit as we taught throughout the week. Our conference with President was different from all of the conferences I have been in. We went in Pday clothes and had "Boot Camp"! We did a obstacle race and related it to the problems, and obstacles we have as missionaries here in our zone. It was weird to see President in normal clothes haha!

We are starting to see a little progress in the marriage game. Jeanette and Julio are in Chile for the week, and hopefully Jeanettes divorce papers from her last marriage are there and we can start planning their wedding. Juan wants his girlfriend to start to listen to us and hopefully we can start teaching the whole family.

One of our members that give us lunch is letting us teach their grandson! His name is Franco and is ten years old. His mom is inactive and dad is a nonmember. Franco is a goalie for his soccer team, and loves it. He plays on team that is going to Buenos Aires in a few weeks for a tournament. The Book of Mormon stands out to him. Cool to see even a ten year old can see and feel the power that book has. If we get the permission of his parents he will be baptized in two weeks!:)

This week I gave a baptismal interview to one of the Sisters investigators. His name is Gonzalo. We had an amazing chat. He changed my look on the Atonement. For the better of course. I gained a testimony on why we have the Atonement. Of course I knew and understood before, but the Spirit I felt and love we felt together speaking of WHY Christ did it, Why we have to keep trying, Why its never over, Why no matter what happens before, or after baptism we can be cleansed from those sins. Do we have to be perfect? Never! Does Heavenly Father want us to? Yes, but does He know we wont? Of course and thats why He sent His son. They dont care what you have done, where you are in your repentence process, or if you arent sure if they exist. Go to them! Feel their love they have for you! Try! Change! Never give up! Its not worth it to let the adversary win for a short while, win they wont win the end.

I know this is Chirsts church. The Book of Mormon is powerful. Read it. Love it, and pray about its words and teachings. I know they are true and can bless YOUR LIFE. Whos life? Yours! So read it and I promise you that God your Heavenly Father will send His love!:) Les Quiero!:)

Elder Saunders del fin del mundo:)


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See it. Feel it. Trust it.

10/9/17 Personal Revelation!

Hola Todos,

My week was okay, sometimes you have to have alright weeks to see the good in the good ones. I spent a lot of time trying to find a few answers to a few questions I had. Good news I found them and it came through reading the Book of Mormon. What an amazing blessing we have to be able to reciever personal revelation.

The highlight of the week was doing an Open House for one of the churches in the zone. I had the opurtunity to wear my baptismal clothes and teach baptism and the holy ghost as people came through the church. It was amazing to see the Spirit work in their hearts as we taught about the first covenant we make with our Father in Heaven. We had some down time waiting for people to come through and Elder Oviatt (one of my mission buddies) and I talked it up. Shared stories, made plans for our missions and lives, and in a whole I was able to clear my head and get focused in for my last few months here in the mission.

Our investigators are still doing good. They all need to get married besides two so we hope we can help Jorge and Franco make it to their baptisms soon. Just being able to work, and teach is something I am grateful for. My whole mission I have taken it for granted and with just a few months left I want to be able to enjoy it!

Well I know this is the true church. We can read the scriptures and pray to our loving Father in Heaven to recieve answers. I know they come. Christs Atonement is real. Use it! Never give up. Get worthy or stay worthy! Love you kids, and you kids love your parents. Remember that families are forever! I know its true, and no matter what we have done in our lives, Christ can clean us through our actions and desires to repent. We dont have to be perfect, and so dont expect perfection from others or yourself. As we TRY together as a family, if its a ward family or a family, or as friends we recieve the blessings of the gospel. Les Quiero Mucho!:)

Elder Saunders del fin del mundo:))

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See it. Feel it. Trust it.

10/2/17 Les Quiero:)

Hola Todos,

How was your weekend watching general conference? If you didnt get the chance to watch it, go and watch, read, or listen to it this week. We were able to watch every session and in English. Even though I have almost two years here I still love English. A few things I loved from conference was the center on our Savior Jesus Christ. Hearing as we center our lives on Him, made me make a few goals to really center my life on the Savior. Now what does that really mean? I feel like it means something different for each one of us. I invite you to make a goal and put one more thing into your life that helps you center it on Christ. As Uchtdorf said, "Your life will get BETTER." Dont we all want that?

Elder Aviles and I are working well together. We found a lot of new people this week and found out that one of our investigators is having a baby this week! Its going to be kinda crazy for her, but we are hoping that it will help her boyfriend want to get married. Her name is Anabela. She is only 19 and this will be her 2nd kid. She wants to change her life. She told us that she wants to get baptized, but knows she cant till she is married. Time to play cupid and help those crazies get married. Juan is doing well but wasnt able to come to conference because of work.... sad but life here in San Benito. He told us that he has good news for us this week... I hope its news that he proposed to his girlfriend and is getting married! haha thats the growing problem in San Benito, no one is married. Jorge came to conference and it was a nice miracle after not seeing him the whole week! Jorge is sooo close to baptism, and we hope he felt something in conference. I saw him smile as he was leaving the church. First time I have seen the man smile. The spirit brings joy!

I know that  this is the church of our Savior Jesus Christ. He established this same church when He was on this Earth before. Through Joseph Smith, our Father in Heaven and Jesus Christ restored this same church. Because of this we know that all the things we need for a church are here today. Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon through the power of God. Read it. Pray to know if its true. I promise you that you will recieve an answer. I know its true and from God. We can learn from its pages, and apply the principles into our lives. Thats how we change. Thats how we repent. When we try to change, when we try to do whats right, when we put all we can put into doing what we know we should, Christ makes up the rest. The truth is He already has. We just have to do our part. Do it. I promise you blessings, happiness, and everlasting joy! For I know its true. Les Quiero mucho!!

Elder Saunders del fin del mundo:)
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See it. Feel it. Trust it.