I'm also going to include some pictures that Nathanael has shared with us over the last few weeks.
Hello!!!!!!!!!!!!
It's so good to hear from you guys!!!!!! I loved reading your emails this week. Thanks so much as always. A couple things right away--
Dad, it must feel good to have been released, I guess. I bet you miss it though. Your office looks SO GOOD now! I'm happy for you. I'm sorry you've been more stressed than usual. I've been a little more stressed than usual this week, I think because I'm adjusting to the office lifestyle which is totally different from what I'm used to. Hang in there. I'm happy that you got to meet Tad Williams. Is it the first time you met him? I remember that you really liked his books. I bet that was a super fun experience.
Mom, I'm glad the surgery went well. Hope you're feeling good. I CAN'T BELIEVE another primary program is coming again. It literally seems like you were just telling me in your letters about the last one. I bet it's gonna be so awesome. Congrats on your new job, I'm excited for you to start, and it sounds like where you're gonna work is super rad. You are lucky. I'm jealous that you are together with your family down there. I miss you all. By the way, I loved that photo you took in that giant chair at Cornbelly's. It's exactly like that photo we took there several years ago, if you remember that. Sorry that you're not gonna have a fall, but enjoy the cool weather. It's been over 100 degrees here the last few days and we're in spring still. Brazil!
Sorry, but I forgot my camera and so I can't send any pictures to you. I feel bad about that. I will ASAP though. This week what have I been doing? I have answered the phone about 100 times, I've made like 200 phone calls, I've filled out forms, I've printed stuff, sent emails, and ran around. It's been pretty exciting. The week passed pretty slowly but fast at the same time. It's a lot of adjustment, but I'm loving my new calling. I hope I can stay here for a long time. I'm in the Lord's hands though. Papa said something in his email that I really liked, that God's putting me where He's putting me to help me become more like Him. That's the ultimate goal I guess, and that made me feel really good and put things into perspective. Sometimes I wonder why God wanted me here and I've been thinking about that and praying about it and yesterday I had a strong impression to let the "why" go and focus on where I've been called to serve. I think that's a good idea. There are so many service opportunities here (it seems like I've never had so many opportunities to serve!), which is just simply a blessing. It's wonderful.
I'm a little nervous about next week, because Elder Vogl (my companion and current executive secretary, who's training me) is gonna leave and I'll be here more or less on my own. However there is a senior couple here who knows how to do a lot of this stuff as well and they'll be able to help me out. I'm nervous but not too worried. It'll be fine.
You guys know that I loved my last area, but that I didn't always feel like I was handling all my trials in the best way and that I worried a lot about what God thought of my actions. Well I was reading an article yesterday from an old Ensign by President Eyring that talks about enduring well, and in it it says something about how in our trials we have to look to Christ, and I thought back on my experiences in Matão. If I did one thing I turned to God, I prayed like crazy, and tried as hard as I could to do what's right. I felt the Spirit confirm to me that God was proud of my efforts, even if I didn't necessarily always get it right, because I never forgot the most important thing which was that I turned to Him during that and allowed Him to help me. That was really comforting to me.
Missions are full of great experiences! It's not like I thought it would be, but my mission has forever changed my life. My testimony, which was real to me before my mission, has blessedly become stronger and vivid. I've drawn closer and closer to God, and I've had countless opportunities to feel Him giving me counsel and strength. I'm not the same person that I was when I left. In other words, it's been a priceless and life-changing experience. I feel so grateful for that. I know that this truly is my mission and that God knows what I needed and need.
Yeah! Can't wait to talk to you guys. By the way, I had a dream that you guys came and visited me here on my mission. It was really awesome, but don't do that please because I'll get trunky haha. Love you guys.
Elder Sederholm