Monday, September 24, 2012

That's so cool!!  Thanks for sharing that!  2 years wow, I can remember when they announced the Brigham City Temple, and then they picked out the spot for it, then started building it up and they put the barriers around the site and eventually we started to see it rise up!  I even remember the day that they put the angel Moroni upon the top, I was working at that time in Ogden.  IT was windy up there.  :)

The dedication and cultural celebration sounded amazing.

When do you get to go through the temple officially??

Yes one year coming up soon!  I'll have a mini celebration.
My new companion is coming on Wed. straight from Provo,  I don't know who he is until tonight.  He's going to be a Spanish speaking Elder so along with his new missionary training, he'll be doing language study every day and I'll be working with another set of Spanish Elders to help him get that training.  I'll be the new District Leader over 3 companionship's including the Z.L.'s! This will be fun and a good experience.  I'm grateful for the new duties I have.  Wow this is going to be crazy and fun.  Pray that I can be the best trainer ever for this guy and make this his best time ever! 

My time with Elder Hooker was good and we saw and did some great things together!

Yesterday we did have some a couple investigators at church!  IT was awesome.  We met these two ladies who are sweet and enjoying learning.  They are in their 30's ish, and really nice.  We've taught them twice so far and they came yesterday, it's so good.
We're working with some kids too that their parents want us to baptize. Hopefully we can help the whole family feel more comfortable with the gospel and coming to church.  The dad of this family has a 

Handwritten letters are great, I'll write you guys some more too. I'm glad you got the Postcard, it was a good one wasn't it!?

Love ya, God Bless!  You guys rock, and you're awesome. Thanks for all you do.
Elder Ensign

Ephesians 4 is a good chapter. Of course I love the Psalms.  You should check em' out if you have spare time, nice Book of Mormon reading!

September 10, 2012

Peach Days eh, that's fun. I didn't realize it was going on at that time. 

I like the pictures. I might be coming across a camera from a family that we are working with. We have some investigators right now. Some really good people.  I see some progress being made and real steps toward Christ and the Gospel.

This new area is really fun and good. The members are great! 

My companion is from Washington. I forget the exact town. I think Tacoma area.  He is a pretty nice guy.  We are doing pretty well together.

I love you guys! I hope to see some more pictures soon.  Thanks for everything. Things are going well here! we're doing great!

Love, Elder Ensign

September 4, 2012

Wowee!!! What some crazy news you've sent me. hahaha.  That is a lot of cats.... I hope my little stumpy is doing well  

Yesterday, Labor Day, we had dinner with a sweet family named the Flanigans.  They are very nice and cool, good to us missionaries.  They own 3 Labrador dogs that live inside.  It is the funniest thing,  the dogs kinda remind me of cattle haha.  They last night grabbed a laser pointer, and it was hilarious to watch these three pooches chase it non stop altogether.  I wish you could have seen it.

But I hope dad is doing great! and having much fun.  
We're doing good here in Casper. I like being here a lot. 

We're having a good time working with a bunch of less active families and finding new investigators. 

Congrats to Tim Eaton!
Thanks for sending love and writing me so much, I love it.

Congrats to Matt!!

It's very dry here.  I love the warmth! I want it to stay warm all winter long.

The Mission Pres. came down this past weekend and had a meeting and we got interviews. He is a really nice guy,  he reminds me a little bit of Bishop Packer.  Love you, talk to you again soon.
Love Elder Ensign

August 27, 2012

Hey, I'm having a blessed time in Casper. It's really a nice place with many wards and members and it's a fun town.  We are working a lot with the converts of yesterday, the less actives of today.  Hopefully we'll help bring the spirit back into some people's lives and help them to feel welcome at church.  Also we hope and pray to find investigators along with them.  So far we've been blessed to have referrals from ward members and we have some nice people we visit time to time.

Yesterday I was talking with our Ward mission leader about the Uintah's and I brought up Red Castle.  He hike a 75 mile trail, the High Line trail that runs across the high country all over the Uintahs.  It was fun to talk about.

The people are friendly here in Casper....most of the time. hehe. 

Love ya

August 27, 2012 at 11:46 AM

Sanfords pictures

August 27, 2012 at 11:44 AM

a happy day ;) just kidding of course I don't hope my companion gets eaten by a shark :)'

August 27, 2012 at 11:42 AM

lost my camera, these were taken last week by a member

August 27, 2012 at 11:40 AM

Sanford's pictures

August 13, 2012

Hello family,

Wonderful to hear from you.

 

I'm glad that the wedding went well, except the power going out!! Yikes!  hehe.  That sounds pretty interesting. 

I'm heading to Casper Wyoming!!!!  Land of the missionaries and Church members.  It's supposedly one of the best places to serve in the mission!  There are 6 wards in Casper. I'll be serving in the 4th Ward.

 

I'm pretty excited. My new companion will be Elder Hooker.  I hear that he's a good guy.

 

So I cleaned up my bathroom and cleaned up my trailer(where we've lived for my stay here) today and it's ready for the new missionary except I haven't packed yet. I'll be doing that tonight then we leave tomorrow for Bismarck.

 

Yesterday I saw some people and said some goodbye's, then we're going to have some fun today playing basketball and maybe play on an Indian Drum and sing (Pow Wow style) before we visit some other families and people this evening.

 

It's been a blessing to be with these people and live here for this time.  Trials and Tribulations...Yes. But great experiences and good times, great people.  I've seen much and learned much. 

 

This past weekend was the big Pow Wow of the Reservation. The big shindig at the end, kinda the Grand Finale of the Summer Pow Wow's, at least on this reservation.  But it was a great time and a really fun way to end my stay here.  I got to go to three Pow Wow's and we met great people at each one and made friends and were able to let people see us and enjoy our company. 

 

I'm grateful for the Gospel, it's changed my life.  I realize the blessings that come from obedience to it.  Over time, and step by step, more and more people are accepting it and finding the safety and joy that comes with it.   I feel like I did my best here and tried so hard.  I know Heavenly Father is pleased with my efforts and my wants to help people.  I learned much.

 

Love you guys.  If I didn't lose my camera I would send some more pictures. But oh well.  Maybe it'll still turn up, It's been missing for a few weeks.

 

see you later

 

August 6, 2012

I saw the picture of my big cardboard me. It's awesome! I love it.  :) 

Today we went to Theodore Roosevelt Natl Park today for Pday.  It was pretty fun. I caught a lizard and my friend, Elder Edwards sat down on the ground, looked about 6 inches away from his leg, and there was sittin' a cute lil' baby rattler snake!!    That was sorta intense. He slowly and very carefully sat there then pulled away very gently and there was so big problem.  haha wow.

We have transfers at the end of this week, I'm excited, I'm pretty sure I'll be transfered. I hope. 

The past week was a tough one.  A lot of our appts. fell through.  It was weird. The rains came near the end of the week, it was pretty nice but people weren't really home.

We got to spend some days with members who drove us around and assisted in our lessons. IT was great. I've been blessed to meet some wonderful people out here. 

I learned this week that along with the Book of Mormon being the keystone of our religion,  the Doctrine and Covenants is call the Capstone of our religion. I learned that from a talk given by Pres. Ezra T. Benson that he gave in 1987' the conference before I was born.  We had a great Sunday Church service yesterday.  One of the things we discussed was the 2000 Striplings of Helaman, they're obedience, and the special ones they were.  We are like them today!  And we learned the value and power of example and love in the lives of those around us.  Our examples and our love are some of the greatest ways to teach and influence others.  I love that. I love the good examples I see around me in my life. You are such a strength and good example. Thank you.

 

Thanks for everything, I love this life.  I love having good friends and family.

 

Success and good tidings for the wedding and all that!  Love you and ttyl   :)  Give Alison my best!