Dear Family!!

AHHH NO TIME!!! It's been a crazy P-Day, a member took us to the Berkley Plantation (dad you're the only one who might have a clue what I'm talking about) and we were there for 5 hours!! including the ride there and back!!  I am doing well! Shotgunning and training is very stressful and very hard... but! I am learning a lot!! Everyday I learn something new! and It really is good to know that I have a loving heavenly father who knows that all of the things that I go through will help me reach my full potential in the long run!! what a blessing!  I'm so grateful for this opportunity to learn!! 

Mom- I am so happy that I got to talk to you! kinda.. through email.. It's awesome!! I was thinking about being warm, and I think that I'm good and warm :) maybe just some gloves.. and also there are these nifty little highlighters called HI-GLIDERs they are really nice and handy!! I love and miss you very much and need a mom hug

Dad-  the plantation had a lot of cool history stuff!! and made me miss you!! and I didn't forget your birthday... I thought I could get a card sent out, then I procrastinated and started to do missionary work and didn't get to it :( but know that on the 11th of October, I was thinking about you!!! and missing you!! 

Tyler! Happy Birthday!!!! I know I missed it I am a terrible Brother!! 14?? that is crazy!!! I have some kids in the ward i'm in that are as old as you.. and it weirds me out!! you guys just keep growin up!  I love you bud, be good and stay outta trouble!! :)

Jessica- Mom told me your at the dentist right now :) good luck being toothless on Halloween :) Just kiddin,  but really good luck with your piano ricitle thing I wish i could be there!! love ya so much!! 

I love you all so very much and hope that you all have a great week and an awesome Halloween!! :)

Elder Sahagun

The James River!!! and me signing the Declaration of independence!!!! 

Family!!! 

 I'm so very sorry that I was not able to get a E-mail sent off last week!! The library that we go to email at was closed because of Columbus day.  But I think that sister Andersen might have told you already so there is no real suspense but.... I'm TRAINING ahhhh!!! crazy!  My companions name is Elder Tirrell (like Ferrel but with a T) he is from Idaho Falls, Idaho!  He just graduated this last year! makes me feel so old!! It's so crazy to think that I graduated a year ago!!  but we are doing great! We got Shotgunned in or whitewashed I don't know what you called it on your mission (probably some weird African word ;) ) but it just means that we are both new to the area and are very much figuring things out.  It has been way hard, my bike is still broken and Elder Tirrell doesn't have a bike yet so we have just been walking around everywhere.  I can honestly say I feel so under qualified to be training right now!! But I know that the Lord doesn't call the qualified, but rather he qualifies the called!!  I have to remind myself that on a daily basis.  It's crazy that you sang that song "Master the Tempest is Raging" cause we sang that song in sacrament meeting last Sunday to!! and I definitely agree, when I listened to the words of that song it brought comfort to my heart and all of the things that I had been stressing about seemed to go away.  Hahaha yeah I had totally forgotten about Sister Andersen, Brother Andersen (her dad) came up to me after church after finding out in priesthood that I was from Cedar City and said, "You should talk to my daughter she served the St. George mission and was in Enoch for 4 and a half months." "I was like oh that's cool.. definitely need to talk to her and ask her about the Sahaguns ":) so I went up to her and said, " So you served in Enoch?" and right when she turned around and saw me she screamed " I KNOW YOU!!! I was in your house!! I was at the stake center when you were set apart!! I've been in your room!!" wait what??... it all clicked and I felt kinda dumb/bad that I didn't remember.  It was crazy!!  We went and had dinner at their house later that week and just talked about Enoch it was kinda nice!! and I remember everything like the back of my hand!! It sounds like there are a lot of new converts/ families in our ward!! So great!!  

         

           So I'm in Gayton, Virginia now!  Which is pretty much Richmond... so everyone just calls it Richmond haha but it is so great!! the ward is way awesome!! They are way pumped to help out the missionaries!! It is crazy to think that I have been out for 8 months!!! The time really has gone by pretty quick! and I have learned so much in the past 8 months! Probably ONE of the most valuable things that I've have leareded so far is that change is a blessing from father in heaven!! Yeah kinda sounds crazy, and if you would of told me that 2 maybe even 3 weeks ago, I would have said,"Blasphame!!" but I have learned just how great change is and how it helps us Incrementally become more like our Father in Heaven!! What a blessing!!

Dad! got the camera! works better than the last one!! hahah I loved the quote from emporers new groove!

Tyler- Cedar is where I got my pr!! stay out of trouble!!! 

Jessica!! I'm writing your letter as soon as I get home today!! 

I love you all so very much and miss you like crazy!!! but the church is TRUE!!! and there are people in Virginia who don't know that yet :) Have a great week!! 

Love, Elder Sahagun

 

p.s. I would have sent some pics but my camera is not turning on,  I'll send some next week!

Dear Family, 

I absolutely love conference.  I honestly didn't like conference before I came out on a mission, besides the fact that I got to stay in my PJ's all day, but it has really just hit me out here how blessed we are to be able to hear form our Incredible Prophet and apostles.  I loved both of President Uchtdorf's talks!!

 I always love how simple he makes the gospel and how sincere he is.  I also love Hollands talk.  We watched conference at the Stake Center with all of the missionaries in our zone.  Some from one of the Spanish wards fed us after every session!!! it was awesome!!  It was just an Awesome 2 days.  

Also,  I hope that all of the packages and letters you sent get here soon...  Because I'm leaving again.  Yeah I know where I am leaving just not where I'm going or who i'll be with.  I'll know by tommorrow all of those things.  and I'll know my address by Thursday.  So I will let you guys know by next monday what my new address is.  I still just love being a missionary.  The work was a little slow this week.!  but I am WAY Pumped to go do work in another part of Virginia,  I am going to miss this ward and the people I have been teaching here.  But I know that the Lord needs me elsewhere.  I love you all so very much and I can't wait to hear the big news!! I love you all so very much!! and hope that you guys have a fantastic week!!  

Love,  Elder Sahagun

Dear Family,

     Can I just be honest with all of you? Let's just get real here for a second.  I have a pounding headache, I cannot feel my legs, my stomach is upset with me, and I have freak blisters on my feet, BUT This is the happiest and most fulfilling time of my life!! I absolutely love serving the lord. Finding his lost sheep and bringing them all back to the fold!! Finding the weak and feeble of testimony and building them up!!  It is the hardest, most exciting, most disappointing, most fun, most challenging, most fulfilling thing that I have ever done in my life, and it doesn't really make sense but that's how it is.  A mission is truly all of those things I said and more, all wrapped into two short years.  I cannot wait for you (Tyler and Jessica) to serve missions so that you can see what I mean.  It is the most exhilarating trail of faith and testimony!! SO PREPARE NOW!!!  It will creep up on you faster than you know it. In the short 7 months that I have been out my testimony has been tried and tested, built up and broken down, strengthened and fortified and It's incredible to feel and see that spiritual growth. 

    

     So sad story this week.  So basically, dropped stacks so I could fix my bike and the night after I got it back it broke.  It was actually kinda funny.  I was riding on down the street peddling my little heart out and all of the sudden and all of the sudden my hips swing out to the side, I was like "what?" then I looked back and realized that my seat had broken off!!! Something just snapped and It fell right off.  It's just a great thing thought I love bike issues. :\ 

Mother Dear:  You asked some questions and I got some answers :) What's your favorite approach to use with people at the door or on the street? My Favorite approach that I use is this. (Knock Knock Knock) "Hello?" "Hi I'm Elder Sahagun" Reach out to shake their hand.. "and we have been called to represent Christ, to bring you the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ which has been restored to the earth by a modern day prophet,  I know that the things that we teach you, and the principles that we share with you can bless your life.  I know that what we share is true."  and if they don't invite us in i say, " is there a time when we could share this message with you and your family?" and if they still turn it down then I testify of all of the blessings that they are missing out on :) . Also, what is your favorite lesson or discussion to teach? My favorite lesson would probably be the Plan of Salvation, especially when we focus on the atonement!!  What's the hardest one to teach? Hmmmm the hardest one to teach is all of them! When you are teaching someone with a hard heart.  I love you and miss you sooo Much!!! 

Dad:  I don't know how you put up with all of my ridiculousness growing up.  When I am talking to people and they are just being stubborn I think... Huh so this is what it's like on the other side!  haha I love you and miss you so much and hope all is going well in the classroom!

Tyler: Hey Little bro? maybe take a picture with mom when you aren't standing on a step ladder so I can see how tall you really are? ;) just jokes love ya like crazy buddy! hope to hear from ya soon!!

Jessica:  I heard your little talk thing!! and I just cried.. you sound soo grown up!! it's crazy!! I got your letter with the awesome key chain totally rep'n it :) Love ya and miss you soo much!! :)

I love you all and hope you have an awesome week!! 

Love, 

Elder Sahagun

Dearest Mother dear and family, 

              Holy cow!  What a week of missionary work it has been!  I love it!! It's the best.  Probably the most awesome thing this week was being able to baptize two people!  Robert and Paula MacLeod,  He is the guy with the blog haha :)  It has just been way cool to see how the gospel has changed their lives!  In Elder quorum this last Sunday we were combined with the High Priests, or as Brother MacLeod calls it Geezer Class, and they asked Robert to say the prayer so the lesson ended and he stood up and said, "before I do this, I'd just like to say a few words"  and then he just bore the most awesome testimony of how much the gospel has changed his life and how much love and support he felt from the missionaries and the ward all along the way.  It was just a good feeling, knowing that if I would have chose to stay home or not to serve a mission, He might of never found the peace and the joy that he has now.  It was just good to know that the things that I am doing and the time and effort that I am putting into serving the lord are paying off in the best way.  This is the most fulfilling work that I've done in my life and it's so good to see the Gospel of Jesus Christ change someone for the better.  Life is good as a missionary. 

Another cool thing that happened this week,  We were out tracting and we saw this older lady pulling weeds, and since i just love to pull weeds i asked her if we could offer her any help, and she said in what I thought was broken Spanglish " Oh no I fine thank you very much".  So thinking that this woman might speak spanish i said, " oh habla espanol?" she looked really confused for a second, and then said, "oh no, I  from Viet Nam..."  Whoops... we got talking a little and she told us that she new what we were doing and that she respected that we would go around and talk to people about Jesus.  Then she said in the best English that she could muster something I will never forget.  she said, " It's a very good thing, but...... Very, Very, dangerous. People can be very mean and want to harm you or....."  then she looked right at me and said, "but you'd die for Christ, right?" I immediately replied, "Of course"

It was something that I had really never asked myself before, but right when she asked me the question I knew the answer.  I really has stuck with me all week, What would I do for Christ?  and all I can think to do right now is to serve him with all of my heart, might, mind and strength.   I love this gospel I know it is true, and I am so blessed to be able to share it with the people of Woodbridge, VA.  I love you all so very much and hope you have a fantastic week.

Love, 

Elder Sahagun

The MacLeods Baptism!!!!!!! :)

Dear Mom, and dad, and sour patch kids,

I am sooo happy... and it makes no sense.  Cause i'm like exhausted all the time.  But it's okay because I'm in Virginia serving the Lord and representing Christ!! Soo it's all good.

It is really awesome to hear from you guys, and I feel bad because sometimes when I write you guys emails I feel like it makes no sense because my brain is just scrambled.  Being on bike is awesome  But biking up hills all day and waking up at 6:30 every morning is not something that i did back home..  but life goes on.

Exciting stuff going on this week though!! We are having a double baptism this next Saturday!!!  The MacLeods are getting baptized!!  I can honestly say that when I first met these people that I would of never thought that they would be baptized!! kinda crazy and awesome... like missionary work.  I have seen Sister Moon! I think that she is still down in Chesterfield Area where I was before.

So some bad news... I tried that Zoom thing Dad and it didn't work so my camera is still broken... do i need to send it home? can I get it fixed out here? I am going through Picture taking withdraws.

To answer one of your questions, Yes,  We bike rain, shine, sleet, heat, basically all the time.  and I guess you could say that our member kinda give us rides not that often only when we go on splits... So that is cool.  The area that I am in is pretty diverse and a lot more crowded that my last area! I love it, There are a lot of africans down here and i love teaching them!  My companion is kind of a dork.. but we get along just fine.

I'm sorry that this is so short.. I'm just really Exhausted..   But i love you all A lot!! and can't wait to do more missionary work!!! WOOT!

Love Elder Sahagun 

Dear Mother Dear,

It is so good to hear from you every week, it really is a blessing and I can't imagine how much harder it would be to be out here without hearing from mamma goose :) 

    So this month of September is a pretty exciting one!! because we've got 3 super solid baptisms lined up!!  It has been crazy, I've been working so hard and it's really nice to finally see the fruits of my labors!  Even though it really isn't all about baptizing.  It is still really nice to have them, I'm sure you know what I'm talking about :)  The work here is about to explode!! and I am really starting to love missionary work!!  I never though that I would be able to say that but I have really been doing good these past few weeks!  I'm still on bike.. and I LOVE IT!! I go to bed so tired, and my legs are never not soar, but I get to talk to everyone I see!! and meet people that I would not be able to meet in a car! :)  I hope that I can stay on a bike my whole mission, cause it is pretty legit.  Sometimes when we roll through the hood people think we're cops ahaha either that or little black girls yell at us and say " HI NERDS!" haha It's hilarious. Don't worry though, even though I'm in the hood, the Lord protects his missionaries!! just like the lord protected Ammon from Lamoni's father! I think that that's the story I'm thinking about. I am also very close with our next door neighbor..  We met him like a month ago.  He used to live in Detroit, He was in a gang and sold drugs and did a lot of bad stuff and wants to turn his life around.  The last time we met with him we had bishop with us and he looked at bishop and said " and this brotha" grabbing my shoulder, "this brotha is special, I love this brotha.  He always comes up and checks on me and say's" I'm only 19 so let me tell ya like this" and if I EVER see anyone messing with my brotha.." I will strike, with a vengence.... I'm looking out for them.."  I love him to death!! so don't worry about anything like that! 

    Mom thoughout my life, my faith has been in different stages, strong, more commonly weak.  I never realized how lucky i was to have parents who set such a good example of faith for me.  I have met some disfunctional families out here in Virginia, and I thank god every night that I could be born of goodly parents that love the Lord.  While I'm teaching lessons or talking to people on the street, I'll find myself saying things that you or Dad always taught me.  I realized that I have been taught and I understand the Lords Atoning sacrifice because of the wonderful parents the lord has given me.  I love you guys so much and miss ya like crazy.  But I know my purpose and I'm fulfilling it. so it makes every second worth it!!

Dad- I love your awesome Lord of the rings quotes!! they inspire me, and sometimes make me cry... I also haven't gotten to try that camera zoom thing.. hope it works... Love ya so much!

Jessica!!  I hope that school is going well! Love life and giggle :) I can't wait to hear back from ya 

Tyler.. Bro!  I hope that you got my letter! and i hope you haven't driven Mrs. Dowse completely crazy!! :) can't wait to hear back!

I hope you all have a great week!! Love ya most!! F.S.T.H.W.!!!!!!!

Love,

Elder Nick Sahagun