Week 19

Querido La Familia Sanderson,                                                              11/26/2012

Alright so this week I just wanted to take some time and try to answer some of the questions you have sent me in your previous letters. Sorry I don't have them with me so I will probably forget some of them but I will try my best. I love love loved my birthday present haha Elder Magallanes is jealous and uses it all the time. The only problem is...I can't cook haha so I guess I better start learning! The pumpkin pie turned out great! and didn't taste bad at all, a little surprising accomplishment for me.

So Nathan here are the answers to yours. The members here in Laredo mainly feed us rice, beans, and corn tortillas haha every meal! Good thing I love Mexican food. The worst thing is when they feed us menudo which is cow's stomach (Gross). Currently I have several baptisms but hopefully we can start seeing that number grow this coming month. And the funnest thing that I have done on my mission so far was my first baptism on August 19th. The coolest moment of my life! Hopefully that answers some of the questions.

Stacie, sorry to hear about your friend, but I am so happy that you have noticed the need for missionary work and have taken action.  The best thing you can do to try to help your friend is gain a testimony of the Book of Mormon. You see, as members of the church, the depth of our conversion to the Gospel is directly connected to our own personal testimony of the Book of Mormon. The reason your friend always sees the negative and always expects to be let down is because he has not felt the sanctifying power of the atonement.  Every member of this church must at some time have a moment much like Parley P. Pratt when we devour the Book of Mormon because it is the only thing that can satisfy our souls. Not just for 10 min, but hours where nothing else matters, where sleep and food are a burden, and most of all when we are immersed within the Spirit. Your friend needs to see the Book of Mormon as a safe haven as well as a foundation in which he can begin to push off of as he builds his faith or personal relationship with his Savior. Continue to build your own testimony and deepening your conversion so that you might help others who are struggling along the path as well.

Things here are going great in Laredo. We have found some wonderful families and hopefully we can continue to help them progress.  I had sorta an accident though and well...haha my helmet is hurting pretty bad. So I was wondering if maybe I could make a request for Christmas this year. The Walmart ones break a lot so another nice one would be awesome! Preferably black, haha the Sisters like to tease me and call me the "Red Racer" with my old one. Also...haha well my quad has been missing for about 2 weeks now and no sign of it ever coming back.  I had District Leader Training and I accidentally left it at the church and I cannot find it anywhere. So I was also wondering if you could order me one. I want to use my Birthday money on it but they don't have any on LDS.org. I would like to get the blue quad with the flap but the mini one. If its a hassle I can get by with my Spanish scripts if need be.

Thanks for sending your letters in the Mail, could you please continue to send them that way so I can sit down and read them. Thanks for everything and Y'all (ahh i'm starting to say that) are in my prayers!

les amo

Elder Sanderson