Monday, May 7, 2012

Elder Braidon Sanders

 Wk.#17

On Mon, May 7, 2012 at 2:39 PM, Braidon Sanders <braidon.sanders@myldsmail.net> wrote:

Mom and Dad,
 this last week has been one of the hardest, even though i had one of the greatest experiences of my life that is so sacred to me it is something i wont share on a whim, after that it was like satan decided to throw a train at me, i am doing my best but it is very hard, i hope everyone is ok there, i know its dads way of saying obey the rules, i am trying my best and while i am having hard time, my missionary experience is a great one, i would not trade these few months for anything, and my bump comes at the end of next transfer, its really flown by fast, i love it out here, during my prayers i get the feeling that anything could happen, but i have already made up my mind that no matter what i will be a missionary my entire life, i am a different person, its been the best learning experience of my life, (i sent a letter home and in dylans part of it the experience that i had, i felt prompted to share it with him and i want you guys to read it as well) i know that what i am going through, will make me strong enough for whatever the lord has planned for me. i know that you love me and i was so afraid you would be upset with me, i have the greatest of parents and chose the worst of paths, not because of anything you did, but because of the choices i made, i am working as hard as i can, and being as exactly obedient as possible, and i know the lord is there for me.
let me tell a little more about my new area, we live with member, the Hess's they are awesome, they feed us all the time, so i am saving money for once, or trying to, but they are feeding us oober healthy, they even eat meat sparingly..... and you know me, i like my meat, 'sigh, but im living just fine without lots of it i guess its better, anyway, i found out that i really love rubar pie, she makes it all the time and i am just addicted to it....they are really awesome people, everynight we have a spiritual thought, and he is our ward mission leader so it is really easy to get member help, we drive a lot though, every sunday we drive with the transport van and pick up members who live to far to afford to drive and we are up and out by 7:50 and then make it to church at 9:50, and then it ends at 2 so we are back home by 4, but every fast sunday they have a linger longer, everyone brings food  and we break fast at the same time, so were usually back by 5:30 those sundays, its a good ward though, the area is just ready to explode, we are working as hard as we can to get it there. speaking of exploding please....PLEASE......send me short sleaves, its already in the 90's and with 90% humidity IM DYING im losing weight by just standing there in the heat, 0_0 if you love me send me short sleeves......oh and you have to tell dad i found heaven on earth....its called.....BACON JERKEY....ya its bacon, thats cut real thick and made into jerkey, oh could you also send me a copy of Joseph and the technicolor dream coat, its approved music, oh some other songs i want you to look up for me and send me when you FINALLY figure out how, is " I can only Imagine" by Mercy Me,  "Modern Day Samson" by Nashville Tritbute to Joseph Smith, (check that out by the way its awesome) i am doing really good, and loving the mission life, i cant tell you how much i love you guys, and please check on chylie for me, lately ive really been worried about her for some reason, anyway, oh and stetson only has a small letter in the letter i sent home but i am getting him a card for his birthday so tell him not to feel to bad, and let jaxon know ill write him a longer letter tomorrow, also Shauni and Shaylie  and Kenzie have mail coming, because two elders saw thier pictures and wanted to write them.....just wondering if they are ever going to write me or not ya know not like we grew up together or nothin, anyway, hope this letter was a god one its twice the normal length, love you guys and miss you,
love Elder Sanders

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Elder Braidon Sanders

Dear mom and dad,
   well we just found out that They are shutting Seward down for a little bit, so we are closing it, Elder Smith is headed to Kanesville, which  is in Omaha, and I am going to a small town called Logan, in Iowa, population 1500...Seward has 6000.....its going to be awesome, though, i have been really struggling, but really turned a new corner this last week after interviews with Pres. Kunz, im doing a lot better, i am kinda starting to play a piano, i can play midnight sinata like the first two cords. lol not much but its fun,  and ya i got the cd's i like them, and if you could send the jericho road one that would be awesome.....i''m sad that i will miss Stetson's baptism, and i cried when i heard he was sad i won't be there, but I am soooooo proud of him for wanting to be baptized, and remind him that daddy is the one who taught and baptized me as well....so he can be even better than i was because he has such a great teacher,  im glad dylan and jake are ok......i knew dylan would eventually ROUND the corner and have a ROLLING experience that just sends him FLYING....lol lmao haha........sorry i really am glad he is doing good, lol oh my bro. (Elder Wallace) he gave me his sisters address and told me to write her so :D......yes dad she told me she got you a glock........'sigh'.....i am having gun withdrawls, i smelled gun oil the other day and almost started crying.........i knew dylan would love driving my truck, but if he breaks it he owes me a new one, i LOVE that thing........im glad they all had fun at prom, it sounds like everything went well thats good....you guys should tell Brandyn and Ben to write me becuase i wrote them and they havent returned my letters.....i hope my letter made it to ben...i didnt know the area code so i used Hurricanes and figured they would just be like what an idiot, and forward it for me...so ya :D, tell him to write me.....hmmm what else, oh stuff i could use.....ya that $60 lasted most of the transfer thanks, buts its gone and im giong to a new area where i dont know if they are going to have ANY food, and im out of money so i might be using some E-Cash, not sure though, ill find out tomorrow.....and no that wasnt me that did the girlie scream, it came from no where.....so ya.....oh...ya we are DEFFINATELY coming back to Nebraska, i went to Lincoln and they took me to this place called M&N's (look it up on facebook) its owned by a member and he feeds the missionaries for free.....he has the BEST Italian beef and Pastrami sandwhich ive EVER had in my life, .... its SO GOOD......so thats the second reason i need to bring you guys back to nebraska!!! lol can you tell that i found the E-motes  lol, hmmmm i dont know what else WAIT......there is a new thing out there selling in walmart called ....wait for it........BACON JERKEY  ya B-A-C-O-N  J-E-R-K-E-Y they are all sold out here but i found it...a member told us about it 0_0  anyway.....im doing good, loving the mission, hoping to hear from you guys soon......
love Elder Sanders

Monday, April 16, 2012

Elder Braidon Sanders

April 16,2012

Dear mom and dad, and family...
i have not yet received the package but it should be here soon, it turns out transfered are not until NEXT week they are every six weeks, I am doing much better, the lesson i am learning is that i need to change the way i think, not to dwell on the past but to "keep and eye single to the glory of god", and that patience is required, and that is the part i have a hard time with is the patience part, lol, anyway, we have been feeling like the area is going to shut down, its a great area but its just not prepared for the word yet, and we have been having a real hard time finding people, we tract....a LOT...but i love it, I LOVE President Kunz, he has helped me so much, and always knows what to say, its going to be sad without him around, but i know that the new mission President will be just as good, he get here next month, I am glad that Jaxon is taking his duties as Deacons Quorum Pres, seriously, its a big job but he is the one to do it I have full faith in him,
.oh ya, um don't freak out, but this last weekend there was a HUGE storm, we were on tornado watch, even President Kunz called and told us he wanted us carrying 72 hour kits with us, lol, i (being the scout that i am) was prepared for the second coming, my pack was more like a 108 hour kit lol but there were 2 tornadoes spotted 5 miles to the north of us, and 1 spotted 5 miles to the west of us, lol and it rained HARD like it was almost a wall of water, i didnt know that was possible....lol....but i survived, I did have an anxiety attack though, i was really freaking out ! but im good, now. lol Pres. Kunz in his phone call even told all the missionaries "not to try to outrun a tornado and do not go outside and try to take pictures" lol ya, i was laughing pretty hard cause i would probably do just that. other than that not much more to report,
i hope jaxon got his birthday card in time, ITS THE COOLEST....not much more to report on, im doing really good, loving the mission, cant wait to see where this next transfer puts me, new people? new adventures? i dont know, but Seward is the most.....Interesting area.....every missionary knows if you go to Seward you can expect the craziest of experiences, and i have...i was born here, and yes we do the thing where Your trainer is your father and his trainer is your grandfather etc. my grandfather got sent home do to health reasons, so i wont be able to meet him, and elder smith thinks im going to be a dad soon so....ya but i dont know, im good with what ever the lord wants me to do.....and if only you could see my notes...i am learning so much stuff its crazy to think about....i am currently filling up a book of mormon and when im done im sending it home, so i can have it when im off my mission, not much more to report, I hope eveyone is doing ok and i can't wait to here from you guys and get that package :D.
.btw how are the aunts and uncles, because its april and i havent gotten a single ASSIGNED, package, i thought i was being so clever and yet they still forget, :D its ok i love them anyway.----

here is a list of things that could help,
a cook book ( im running out of things i can cook by memory)

spiritual Cd's (alex boye, MOTAB, vocal point, Jaricho road, ) please send me some music
im dyeing here,




Love
Elder Sanders

Monday, April 9, 2012

Elder Braidon Sanders

Dear mom and dad,
We are finally all better, and going back to work, I am really struggling though.The kid we had set for baptism isnt getting baptized anymore, a few years ago he had a drowning accident and now has a couple problems from it but is a really smart kid, he just doesnt want to let anyone down. He knows its true, and knows Joseph smith is a prophet, but a minister friend of his convinced him not to be mormon, no real reason, but thats not why Im struggling, Im struggling because he got out of school for easter break and we saw him at a members house on saturday, and come to find out he hadnt eaten since thurs. i know the gospel will bless his life so much, but i cant help him, as a missionary there is only so much i can do...and its killing me.....i have really been wrestling with the lord for help this week.....we had a great session in church yesterday, i have really learned to appreciate the atonement, i never truly understood before......other than that i am doing fine, i need to send the card back soon i keep forgetting.......oh ya my belt is destroyed,I guess its not made to be worn like i wear it.....oh and fun story of the week, we were helping a member move a deep freeze out of a truck and one of our investigators, Jake he is my size but buff, ya he jumped in to the truck and his foot clipped me in the high notes, elder smith said he could here the hit from the front of the truck ( we were in back) said he heard a Thud and looks over and saw me on all fours.....needles to say my stomach and gut have been hurting for the past few days so ........ya other than that not much more to report.
love you guys,
miss ya
elder sanders

Monday, April 2, 2012

Elder Braidon Sanders



Dear mom and Dad, April 2, 2012
Yes there is a wallmart but they dont have white shirts, instead they have husker hoodies lol, i know i need to budget my money and i have been, this last month was just a really wierd one and we dont know where the money went, and the card money i had to buy some stuff to get the bike up to mission standard, but we should be good a couple of members commanded us to take food, so we have more than both our budgets could have gotten combined, so we are good on money for a while this will put us ahead becuase the money rolls over each month, so im not worried,
We had to reschedule his baptism because of conference which he came to, but he has asked me to baptize him. :D a video diary would be pretty cool, doubt i would remember to do it though, i make videos every now and again anyway so..ya.....i was sick again this last week, fever hit 100.5 which is really high for me, i never get fevers, so ya it was fun, we were helping a member out with a nonmember last monday and then got a call at midnight saying that the nonmember was now in the hospital with Influenza A, and we were exposed, so ya fun stuff, luckily you were right in forcing me to get the flu shot before i left, Sis. Kunz said it kept the flu from getting really bad, dont worry about money, the lord will provide, i have faith that we will be alright, dont freak out about putting money on the card , i dont want you guys to be more stressed than need be, just remember the talk about all the sacrifices of missionaries including my time and my association with you guys, Sacrifices bring blessings, so i know everything will work out, but also remember he said to hand write letters, lol anyway, i am aware that jaxons birthday is coming up soon, so he will be getting something from me for his birthday present, soon, also if anyone else has a birthday please send me a list each month of birthdays in that month and i will try to write them, hmmm ya my chaffing is done i got a new seat that isnt has hard as a rock....and i have grown to love Gold Bond........
.i cant believe its been almost four months 0_0 its crazy, and i think its awesome i learned a ton from conference about being a husband after my mission, the spirit was teaching me what i needed to know for afterwards, i didnt realize i was going to learn stuff like that as well......the pictures you sent on the card were nice.....Stetson is getting Tall.....and Jaxon is looking very buff and starting to slim down, oh has chylie gotten a letter yet....lol there is a young man here (member) i set her up with a pen pal :D he is just like us ....OOBER DORKY......but so are all of us so :D ya......i havent heard from anyone is a while how are all of you doing??? oh and yes XLT Dri lux round neck please make sure they are Tall or my butt shows lol...... ya me and elder smith only have 3 more weeks together and then its exchanges my training is done and he said he will probably get transferred, so ......ya sad sad... .....mothers day is coming up and i am told that we are aloud to SKYPE home so ya i will email you the details when i get them but just so you know its coming up soon! ..... Ya and dad those two talks you slept through you should watch online, their important, i really loved the ones talking about priesthood responsibility and how we loose the priesthood power by doing nothing.....so yes let us RISE up and be Men!!! for shall we not go forth in so great a cause....oh and dd you guys go to the priesthood sessions??? -_- i hope you did they were really great talks, and have you talked to dylan and jaxon about the aaronic priesthood yet??? anyway......i love you mom...and i love you dad......i miss everyone, and as soon as they write me ill write them back......
.....man i dont know what else i can say other than the work is progressing, im becoming a man.....a mighty work Has come forth among the children of men, and i am trying to figure out how to use a sickle, and i cant wait until the lord extends his hand to me and says " come let us walk together",

love, your missionary son.

Monday, March 19, 2012

Elder Braidon Sanders

Dear mom,
well elder smith is still not 100% so thurs-sunday we did ....NOTHING ive been going crazy every things pretty good just feeling kinda weird, im not getting sick its more.....i dont know....just weird, i didnt realize how much i love missionary work till i couldnt do it.....good luck dylan and chylie.....the area is still going good, and elder smith became the District leader he could be it for 1 transfer or a year, lol anyway, we had to reset our one baptism for the 31st he missed church but came yesterday, so he is reset, and doing good, im sorry i dont have much more to report unless you want an in depth report on my stratagies i used in Risk because thats all we did, and i just about have the testaments memorized so, ya i bought a bike.... found a really nice one i like on sale, its a really good one too, i like it, so .......ya.....how is everyone doing there? i hope your all good, love you guys, miss ya....

Elder Sanders
__________________________
On Mon, Mar 19, 2012 at 10:50 AM, Chai Sanders <rvpchai@yahoo.com> wrote:

You know that I forward your letter to everyone..? well, one little tiny letter??? at least you could make something up. like how you have now converted the deer head in your apartment since thats the only teaching you have been able to do while E. Smith has been sick.. or something... lol
love mom
_______________________________
On Mon, Mar 19, 2012 at 10:54 AM, Braidon Sanders <braidon.sanders@myldsmail.net> wrote:

fine....it was such a spiritual experience both me and him were crying, the spirit was so strong, finally he responded to us.....yes ill be baptized, we were so happy, he only had one concern, how could he be baptized if he was missing a body....we then realized we were stuck in the apartment but the deer head on the wall was converted...We have to go now, I love you all and miss you....

Elder Sanders

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Elder Braidon Sanders

On Wed, Mar 14, 2012 at 11:22 AM, Braidon Sanders braidon.sanders@myldsmail.net> wrote:
>
> Dear Mom,the reason i didnt write monday was because this week is exchanges, so Pday is on Wednesday, so im writing now, my garment top size is extra large tall..so XLT, the bottoms were XL and 2XL, i am out of stamps and have a ton of people to write, i got dads letter and dylan's letter the other day as well as a letter from, The Barlows, ......hmm ya its getting warmer its already between 70 and 80 with 70% humidity, so its warm they say its a really early spring, no complaints on my end though, but nebraska is weird, its all sunny with a slight breeze one day the next its overcast and foggy, so :P we met a really cool pasture for the St. Johns Lutheran church, which is a HUGE church in this part and he told us to come by the church and have a discussion with him sometime, lol apparently he loves religious discussions, so ya, if we convert him, (unlikely but possible) then we could convert his whole congregation, that's over 600
> people, lol maybe thats what im meant to do......"Prez Kunz i need more missionaries in Seward, We've been baptizing for 6 hours and were not even half way done, please my arms are killing me, !! " lol ya im kinda hyper today, we have been walking like ALL week, we have probably gone more than 15 miles, this week, AND we drove to a small town that is nothing but dirt roads to get to it, and the map we had we didnt realize it didnt cover that area so we were lost for like 20 min, both going there and coming back, so ya that was fun....elder Smith is sick, and he just so happened to inform me that when he gets really sick he gets grounded for up to 3 weeks, and last time that happened, the elder he was with, his name was elder Wallace, well he is WAY hyper, and crazy and he broke down by the 2nd week do to boredom he said he sat there staring at the wall ALL day the last week and almost called prez Kunz thinking he had broken his companion........I WILL
> DIE, if he is that sick..........anyway, everything in Seward is really good, im healthy happy......oh and the list for the care packages is as follows.
>
> January: Tracy, February: Mom, March: Chad, April: Jackie :May: Karrie, June: Kelly, July:Melanie, August: Cousins :), September: Grandpa, October:extra or if you forgot your month, November:extra or if you forgot your month, December: extra or if you forgot your month.( Aunt Mickie sent one with me to the MTC.... I didnt forget her. But if she wants to take one of the extra months...... :)
>
> hmmm what else, i cant think of anything.....oh can you put some more money on my card (if you can...if you can't dont worry about it) there are just some things i could use, turns out im allowed a tote to help put personal stuff in like souvanirs, so i need to get one, and so i can get souvenirs/b-day presents for the kids, i dont want to go below 300 just in case i need to get a bike and im at 314 or something like that.we had some stuff pop up where i had to go to a different area for a bit, and had to buy dinner and lunch a couple of times like 5 times so this month i have 30 dollars left for food, luckily Gma S sent me $40 so im good, it was a life saver and yes im going to write her,:D anyway, oh i need you to put money on for a new belt, this one......doesnt fit anymore....and....i already put 2 more holes in it...and my pants are kinda loose...... :D
>
>
> i put some awesome pics on the card, and i want to you put some in the fair and send me the money i win....there is one with a train track in it...ya its a 1st placer.....anyway :D
> i am also following up on who made a mormon.org account if you didnt im about to singe your eyebrows a little with my chastisement.........when you were baptized you promised to take upon yourself the name of Christ, and as such you have promised to share your testimony with the world, not just promised, COVENANTED, when you dont, your aren't fulfilling your end of the deal, which is the easiest part, not only should we be doing are best to serve others, but its been asked of us BY THE PROPHET, to make a Mormon.org account, and if you have, I'm disappointed in you but more importantly the lord is disappointed in you, but it doesn't mean your being bad it means
> your not being the best you can which is what I want for you and what the lord wants for you.....so as a representative for Jesus Christ, i ask on his behalf, Will you Make a Mormon.org account ??
>
> :D whew glad thats over, unless you dont in which case you'll be hearing from me again....
>
> hey one more thing P-day will be on mondays always except every 6th week
> then they will be on Wednesday due to transfers ill try to let you know
> the week before so you dont freak out, AND ill be on this monday, i
> sent a lot of letters so tell them that if i dont reply to anyone for a
> week thats why.....and please let everyone who wrote me know that i will
> try to reply to everyone hand written letters BUT i dont have a lot of
> time, i already wrote like 12 letters today, so i will do my best, to at
> least reply to the family in general, but that individual letters will
> (eventually) be sent, when i have a p-day with nothing to do, so
> .......ya thanks, and love ya lots, oh and.....some things ive been
> missing/ craving, jerky( and that california beach jerkey you sent me
> was really wierd..) swiss cake rolls, .......and I have decided that i
> am going to be playing the cello again after my mission, i really miss
> it.......also can you please get a couple of things out of my truck and
> put them in my container, such as...my 2011 tassel....my tigers sun
> visor, and whatever else is in the truck that is mine, and please please
> please please, dont let chylie wreck my truck..... i want it when i get back, love you :D
>

Monday, March 5, 2012

Elder Braidon Sanders

Wow i have so much to say, so much has happened i dont even know where to start, Tuesday, there was an ice storm warning AND a Tornado watch, one of our baptism dates, did some bad stuff and got arrested and we had to drop him, its really heart breaking when you can see someone struggling and they dont want your help anymore, and I think this has been one of the hardest weeks of my life, i was talking with elder smith and having a discussion, he mentioned something to me and i started thinking really hard about it.....i could feel the true weight of all of my sins, and i felt alone, as soon as i felt this way i called president Kunz and told him what i was feeling and what i was remembering and he is such an amazing man, he said that whats happening is that because im coming closer to Christ I am remembering all the things that i used to not consider sins, that are sins, and i want to get them out he said its the atonement truly in work and that its was going to be really hard for a few days, he said he commends me on going strait to him instead of trying to bear it alone, and that he has no doubts about not only my worthyness but that he is expecting great things from me, my heart was rejoicing but that was just the beginning, thursday- sunday were truly the hardest week of my life, because i had to endure it without the help of my family and friends, elder smith was there for me and gave me a blessing but other than that he couldnt really do much for me, I Truly know what Alma was talking about when he says his heart was ripped out and reorganized by the lord and put by in, and i can testify that IT HURTS, i have been rebuilt of the lord, reborn, but what i had to go through I do not wish on my greatest enemy, what they dont tell you is that while the lord is rebuilding you Satan is also hitting you in any way you can, everything ive ever done was thrust upon me, I WAS in then gall of bitterness, I know a little what its like to have your soul racked with torment, i felt truly alone.....while this was going on, i had to go on a special split because elder smith was called to a special training meeting, and i met an elder brown, he is really sick and is probably going home which is really sad but he told me two things 1. that the best Remedy for yourself is to serve others. and 2 "i want to serve the people and pray for inspiration for them until i physically can't" he helped me see that what i was going through was to help others.....when elder smith got back (friday night) he said that something he learned was that We can all have an Alma the younger experience, we simply have to kneel down and say Heavenly father im not getting up until i get a 100% sure sign that i have been forgiven of all my sins, so i did that, and its true, when you no longer have the strength to continue onward and no longer can fight, KNEEL, i thought i had a testimony of the atonement before, but as i prayed to know if i was forgiven, and sat there, i was looking for that big BOOM from the spirit, finally the spirit told me to pay attention to how i felt, and i finally noticed that my soul, my mind and my heart were completely still, and peaceful, i wasn't tormented, i wasnt doubting, i was so happy, this last sunday as i partook of the sacrament i could feel the lording telling me to get back to work, and never doubt again............the second part my letter i want to challenge everyone, we get on mormon.org once a week and i dont see ANY of my family with profiles, if we have been baptised and we have taken upon us the name of Christ then we have promised to do missionary work and a mormon.org profile is a good start i not only challenge ALL of my family and friends but i challenge the WARD to make, update, and fill there mormon.org profiles so that the world may here there testimonies...


Monday, February 27, 2012

Elder Braidon Sanders

Week # 7

lol i got bit by a dog, ok a puppie, it bit through my fingernail, luckily it didnt bleed underneath so its just pretty bruised, lol its crazy im sorry that i wasnt able to be on at 11, we usually try to be on between 10-12 AND im an hour ahead of you guys remember? wow im glad dylan is really stepping up i did my best to be a good big brother i failed a lot of the time, hearing that i finally did something that inspired him to step up really makes me feel better, i have a good bit of things in the mail headed your way, the pin, some applications, some letters, so i hope they get to you ok :),
oh i want you guys to go to mormon.org and watch a couple videos as a family they are really incredible, and dont go with the attitude that "were already mormon why are we watching this" remember even if were already part of the church as soon as we think we know enough is when satan gets us, we can always learn more, go to mormon.org up in the top click, mormon.tv, and then go to "Gordan B. Hinkley-Lessons i learned as a boy", "Flecks of Gold", New Years Eve-Look not behind you" (please have dylan pay attention to that one), and "hope you know ive been having a hard time", they are all so awesome, oh and can you please burn me some more music im dying listening to the same stuff, get me some cello, oh like the piano guys the cello dude he is awesome, and can you look up this mormon singer his name is Alex Boye and burn some of his stuff he is supposed to be really good, thanks :) and tell dylan that i was out in the mission field after his birthday, so :D ill find something, cheap, but something :D anyway, ill be writing you guys more later so i gtg love you and see you

Friday, February 24, 2012

Elder Braidon Sanders

I thought I would share a letter to Grandma Sanders...


Dear Grandma Sanders,
how are you doing? Im loving my mission it truly is the best two years, i love every second of it. i made steak salad for a family of the ward last week it went reallly well, i made it just right, the ward here is very nice, they feed us are very friendly, its really cool how strong the spirit stays with missionaries, oh and when i was in the mtc, before I went out into the field, one of my companions said that he woke up and there was a guy standing at the foot of my bed watching me as i slept, he didnt get a bad feeling from him, more of like he was checking to make sure im ok, i have a super strong feeling that it was grandpa sanders making sure im ok, i feel really strongly that he is watching of his eldest grandson, missionaries are given guardian angels, and believe mine is grandpa. i love you and miss you grandma, hope to hear from you soon.
love
elder braidon sanders

Monday, February 13, 2012

Dear mom,
its really insane here, first of all yes send it to the martha street address, because then if i get transferred ill still get all my mail, second we live in the apartments above all the businesses, i havent gotten a letter in 2 weeks so im feeling a little forgotten FYI, but there has been so much going on that im fine, ill start off from last monday.....our apartment has a freezer in that freezer there was a deer the deer's been in there about a year, and lo and behold the freezer has been unplugged for about a year, so our apartment didnt smell good, well FINALLY the landlord came and got it out which made our apartment smell so bad we couldnt stay there, so we stayed at the home of one of the mission presidency's they are awesome BTW. he then bleached the freezer and it smells good again. next in just this one week I was able to get 2 people set for baptism, and we have taught some amazing lessons, the area when i first got here was doing 49% of the mission standard yesterday we reported 71% so me and Elder Smith are really working hard and bringing the area up, I believe its because we are relying on the lord to help us, I love it here so much, i bought a Huskers Hat lol, i think that is awesome that moses said he misses me ill have to write him a letter. i hope everything is going good at home seeing how its been two weeks since i got a letter, i dont know how everyone is doing so i prepared a small statement that should help.

" I write this Epistle to the family of the faithful missionary in who'm letters have been in short supply, have ye forgotten the smiling face of your brother so easily that you so not remember the promises made of letters plentiful, have ye already forsaken your dear brother and plan on keeping him in the gall of bitterness, are you not your brothers keeper, and should not ye remember to write, in hopes of keeping his spirit alive with the pleasant images of home, or will you harden your hearts and deny that which is wanted, oh ye stiffnecked, cease this drought of no letterness, and send letters in great supply for your brother, your friend loves you and forgives your tresspass against him, but if ye will not soften your hearts, and write then will the blessings of picture stop, then will the individual letters of love cease to be and you shall be cut off from the presence of thy brother, oh ye fair ones how could ye have departed from the ways of writing letters, oh ye fair ones how could ye have forgotten your brother, oh ye fair brothers and sisters fathers and mothers, oh ye fair cousins and uncles and aunts, how could ye have so easily forgotten, my soul is rent with anguish because of the forgetfulness of my family, but behold I am gone away and long for caring words, of remembrance, and i close my epistle saying, cease this idlness, cast off the temptations of worldly desires and write your brother/cousin, and repent and write unto him who loves you, i close my epistle Amen."
-Elder Braidon Sanders

anyway i've been doing really good, meeting some amazing people and having an awesome time, oh by the way the ring fits perfectly, so thanks for that, and in the branch there is a brother Leavitt so i think were related, he was telling me where his Leavitts come from and its the same as ours so,,,Small world huh, besides that im continuing to work hard, and hope that i hear from you guys soon i miss you and pray for you everyday, i send my love,
Elder Sanders

Monday, February 6, 2012

February 6th

Dear Mom & fam.
WOW so much has happened since i got here just so you know mondays are my pdays, and first off the address to the mission home has changed and thats where you will send all my letters to and packages and the packages will take a little while to get to me because they cant always send someone out to where i am....i cant remember the address exactly so ill put it on the envolopes im sending home, did you get my sd card? the first day when we got off the plane they checked us into a hotel and then took us to do so orientation training, the next day we saw some awsome sights such as a memorial to the poineers there are pics on the card the faces are so lifelike its insane, the next one was the winter quarters visitor center it was very cool, then we got to see the winter quarters temple, and the grave yard, and walk around it, we then went over the a place dedicated to the mormon battalion,  and its right next to where pres. brigham young gave his talk where everyone knew he would be the next prophet, AND where he was ordained the next prophet, Pres. Kunz and his wife are amazing you can feel the love they have for us, AND she is an amazing cook.  Wednesday night we had a testimony meeting the spirit was litterally pliable it was amazing......oh also a couple hours before the testimony meeting, they took us out to go prosolyting for the first time and a baptise yelled at me to go burn...."im a baptist go burn"....it was sad, i prayed for him, anyway after the testimony meeting we were given our assignments my area is the Lincoln zone Seward mission, so im in a little town called Seward, according to my companion it is one of the hardest areas in the mission...which is what i asked heavenly father for, i didnt want an easy area to start off i wanted to work, and i am ......so they drove us out to our areas on thursday morning, i met my training companion Elder timothy smith, elder smith is amazing he is from north carolina, and plays the french horn, he is awesome were are already on the same wavelength, there are times that we will pray to know what to do or say and we both get the same answer, or were teaching and we'll say what the other is thinking its almost scarry but so amazing, we ran into a calvinist with the wierdest ideas but and got a return appointment so we read with him and had a great discussion, niether party wanted to start bashing there was no contention and it was an amazing experience, the spirit was there and he agreed to pray about it....we also have a ward family that are converts that basically are the missionarie parents areound here they are incredible, and whenever we go over there they ALWAYS have someone for us to teach because they have so many pseudo kids and adopted kids (all older) in fact i have started to build a very strong relationship with one of there real kids, i cant tell you his name i dont think so well call him Brent, Brent has already been baptised but fell away because of hard times and bad situations we had a very powerful talk with him where he was crying and the spirit was so strong, we met him friday, and i couldnt get him out of my head i just knew i had to go talk with him, so i told elder smith saturday, we ran out of other appointments and i was like we should go see Brent, he was like ya, so we did, turns out he needed us, he really wants to serve a mission, and the spirit kept filling our mouths, he is on the right path again and we see him a good bit.


by the way the name of the family is Chattfields, and the mothers name is sonya....i told her she should say hi to you on facebook. on sunday there was litterally 20 people there and they are one of the strongest, they are awesome almost everytime we go there they try to feed us.  there is another family here that we have a strong relation with they are the Wunderlicks sis. wunderlick gave us groceries ( its something i guess they do a bit) and a Good bit of meat their grandparents buy a whole cow every year and get it cut up, so they get half and they dont like meat to much, we had a steak last night ( i cooked) the quality of the meat was AMAZING honestly ive never had that good of quality without spending like $20 and it was a big steak, my cooking is just top knotch :D


i miss everyone but am losing myself in the work......by the way we had a huge snow storm him friday, so my second day.....i ended up buying some boots, and we woke up to 5 1/2 inches of snow cars got grounded so half of saturday was filled with shoveling peoples driveways, i really enjoyed it, the spirit of service is unexplainable, our apartment is ok we just rearranged it yesterday because of SUPERBOWL we couldnt get anyone so we prayed and felt like we should go clean out the area book, well we found two old ones and found over 30 potential investigators so it was awesome, we rearranged and cleaned the apartment after that we have to keep blankets up to keep the center room where are beds are warm, no insulation, the kitchen stays warm when we cook so when we eat its pretty warm and im warm at night that blankets amazing, the wierdest thing is that it used to be a taxidermists place so there are deer heads on the walls a bear rug on the wall and a REAL deer head IN THE FREEZER its SO COOL,


i feel my love for the people here growing everyday, and i am going to keep in touch with the chattfields and Brent after my mission there amazing, oh the wunderlicks have a son named matthew and he comes out with us all the time he is reallly cool as well...


anyway I am doing very well, i miss all of you, and just so you know i havent gotten a letter from anyone for....i dont know a week....did you forget about me?? thanks for the package i got it, the shirts a life saver, and ..........please let dad know........THEY HAVE POPEYES CHICKEN AND IM GOING TO RECORD MYSELF EATING IT ONE OF THESE TIMES MUAHAHAHAHA......anyway i love and miss you guys, i feel your prays, and i pray for you, and if this letter isnt long enough, pray harder and send more treats. :D



Love, Elder Braidon Sanders


Friday, January 27, 2012

Poor Braidon,
He has been so sick for almost a week. He has been learning about the power of priesthood blessings tho. And he has been learning that he can take care of himself even when he is sick, with out being pampered by mom.

After being sick for so long, he broke a blood vessel in his nose. He bled for over an hour, and about a full cup worth... So, he got to visit the insticare...
Braidon is having a great time at the MTC.. He is learning a lot. He will fly out to Omaha on January 31... any one wanting to write to him, his address at the Omaha mission home is

Elder Braidon Sanders
Ne-Omaha Mission
11903 Arbor St. Ste203
Omaha, Nebraska
68144-2998

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

January 25

Dear (insert name),
I am doing fine, i was pretty sick for this last week, and then broke a blood vessel in my nose and bleed for and hour and a half (new personal record by the way)
and went to the instacare, but im feeling and doing much better now, i leave for Nebraska this up coming tuesday the 31st, im really excited, but I am wondering why Januarys care package hasnt arrived yet ?? JK i dont really care, besides all the other elders in my dorm would eat it all, i have made some amazing friends here that i will hopefully keep in touch with the rest of my life and even if i dont i will remember them, i hope everyone is doing good, and i miss all of you, thanks for all the support and if you see any of my siblings please poke them in the fore head and tell them its from me.

Sincerely,
Elder Braidon Sanders

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

January 18




January 18

well as for the kids writing tell everyone to go to DearElder.com and write me it will be mailed to me and i can read those ANYTIME, they have to type in 191 and my name, i got a letter from freya and it was really awesome that i actually got mail to read during the week so please have everyone write me you can email me as many times as you want i can only read it on p-days thought, my companion is from west haven, utah, and elder prosence has a prosthetic leg he is really funny i love all of my companions and was blessed with them they lift us up, i sent you another letter that has pics and a letter for all the kids, ii heard freya came and over and talked with you and dad?? what did you talk about, dont drive this one away please i really like her, the MTC is SOO amazing we heard from Elder Kevin R. Evans of the seventy this last tuesday, and is was a really great talk, i cried last Sunday during the Sunday Devotional i knew this gospel was true before coming but how can anyone deny it when you feel the spirit that powerfully, im learning a lot and i bought an awesome shirt its says, " Like Peter....Like a Rock" and it shows a super buff dude fishing....lol i love it, i have an awsome Zone and awesome teachers, its wierd but im starting to understand what they mean when they say love people with a christ like love, i love the people im teaching here and my heart breaks when i think about if i cant help them find what they are looking for which is the gospel, i love you mom and dad so much, and i wrote both of you a letter i love letters more than sitting here at a computer typing, which ill still do but the thought that you guys personally held the letter makes it more important to me, its really wierd im in p-day clothes and i feel like i used to feel in sunday clothes, everyone here is awesome and i just found out that Fred Devanture is in my Zone, i went to high school with him and he just got in today, the other missionaries are saying that my district is a now a veteran district because we've been here a week, i got to do a endowment session it was really good, my candy has not run out but we did find out i can fit 31 pieces of gum in my mouth however elder Nielson beat me by 3, also, ya i have everything i need, and ITS SNOWING ive been surviving up till now but as soon as i started laundry it started snowing, :P, man the first full day or two here i was REALLY sick but then asked to get a blessing from Zone leader and felt great the next day, i think its the food, its really great but gives me the bottom roars. lol oh and i dont know what else i can write, the time seems to be flying now, i work out everyday so i hope im losing weight besides being a little sore im feeling great, feeling the spirit and feeling loved, i challenged all of the kids to read the book of mormon so follow up with them please, how are my dogs doing???? oh and in this latest later is a picture of one of the elders in my dorm who wanted one of the cousins to write him i wrote on the back which ones and the address told him if he gets a letter then they said ok if not what evs... and all the elders in my dorm want to SUBMIT there pics to try and get one of the cousins to write them, ill describe them so you can tell who is who, elder Palco has sqare glasses, elder benson  is blond and shorter and kinda thinning hair on top... elder hollingsworth looks thirty, elder neilson is kinda my size with a baby face and elder Prosence has a prostetic leg and is the shortest of us, so let them see that picture and write me and ill give the elder of there choice there address.....im doing really well so ya im kinda running out of time and my laundry whites are almost done, lol did you just reread that last sentence,,,YESS im doing laundry lol well i love you i love dad i cant wait to here from you again, and did you put money on my card i might need it....and when do i get my care package also i dont need that much jerkey anymore, just send me anything, mostly letters, miss all of you and love you guys tons, but i have to go.........ITS TIME TO BE A LIGHT!


-love your son
Elder Sanders