Another week in the mission. Over all, I would like you to know that I grew about 10 times closer to Christ in these past few days. This week was quite the struggle, but I know without a doubt that it is all worth it.
The Cook family sent me out a package. Holy incredibly kind. I am forever grateful for the good friends that I have always had and for the parents that knew how to raise them. Anyways, they sent a bunch of yummy cookies and I am loving it because nobody bakes in Ecuador. I finally got a letter from Levi, also. His mom also sent a little note and a couple of pictures of Levi and I in the MTC. Wow my friends are so cool. The Garrabrant`s also got another letter out ad everything just came at the right moment. I was really in need of some encouragement from those I love.
So this past week was quite the bumpy ride. We are still able to teach a lot of lessons, but people`s hearts are very hardened to receive new light and knowledge in their lives. I just want to yell it in their ears until they understand the way the spirit can help them in their lives and teach them what they must do. Not a ton of people have been able or willing to progress in the gospel these past few days, but I know our Heavenly Father still has something in store for us, and I am more than willing to keep searching for that something. There are still people who listen to us and accept the teachings and we will continue to help them through the challenges of their lives through the power of the restored gospel.
I don`t know if I have told you these funny stories yet--the old guys here are pretty crazy sometimes haha. We once invited this guy to be baptized and he responded, "Dios me bautizò" (God baptized me). He was way confused and we did our best to help him out. A different old guy started talking to us about how aliens came and took him away one time and he has these paintings of UFO´s on the walls of his house. The funny thing is that he had already accepted the book of mormon as the word of God and Joseph Smith as His chosen prophet. A different guy started reading a few verses in Matthew and came across the word Raca, which is a name. He read it as Roca--meaning rock in English. Then he started saying that I was a rock and just so strange. Haha, the confusion has really gotten deep in these old guys.
Well, this week a lot of people have been out of town or out on the town--nobody stays home for more than two seconds!!! Mostly because it is the last week of their School Vacations. But we shared a lot of great experiences and I`ll just share a quick one. So it was fast and testimony meeting. First Josè Orellana, who recently has made a ton of changes in his life to be able to come back to church and has gotten married and is super stoked to be sealed to his family in the coming months, bore his testimony. Way powerful. The his wife, Marlene, bore her testimony. She is the sweetest and most sincere little person this world has every seen. Then the Branch President`s wife, Consuelo Llaguno, bore her testimony. Practically the most powerful testimony I have ever heard. The power of the spirit in her heartfelt testimony of Jesus Christ just nailed me. Then to top it all off we sang "I know that my Redeemer lives" at the end. I could not get the words out of my mouth. I absolutely broke down in complete joy and peace and comfort and happiness and every good feeling that there is in this world. After 8 months of just really pushing and pulling and doing everything you can to help someone get baptized, it isn`t way easy to always remember why we do it. Jesus Christ is why. I am his representative and too often we lose track of the importance of our calling. Well I found it again and I am energized for the next year and a half of my life.
Oh how I love my Savior. I love you all back at home and I am overjoyed to know that you are all doing well--including the three new additions.
Keep up the great work
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Monday, March 19, 2012
3/19/2012
Wowwww how is everything going? Glad to hear that everyone is still hanging out and loving life even if they have to go back to school haha. Have the mommies adjusted their lives to the new babies yet?
So this week was just something else. Really so many prayers were answered and I am just so certain that God is watching over me. First off--our angel investigator was baptized. We visited consistently this week, but she continued to be a little unsure about the baptism because of her parents. Her mom is pretty hard core catholic and Jessenia worried about the changes she would make by becoming a member of the LDS church. But we got her into the baptismal interview and I was sitting outside the door so nervous and just praying like crazy. It was a really long interview but she came out of the door just completely quiet and relaxed and I was scared to ask her how it went. So she walked out and I looked at the missionary who gave the interview and he showed me her signature at the bottom of the page. No, I don`t believe you!! Wow I couldn`t fight back the tears I was so excited and shocked. My prayer was answered and all of the efforts really payed off.
So we planned the baptism and everything was just awesome. She has got all of the support in the world with the Relief Society and just incredible how the spirit has touched her heart in just two short months. She is already excited to go to the temple and just learn everything about the gospel. Holy awesome. The only sad thing is that her parents still don`t know about the baptism. She is scared to tell them, but I feel like they will soon see the joy she has found in the gospel and change their minds. I could talk about this one forever and ever but just know that the Lord is leading my efforts and their are people in this world hungry for the gospel.
Yesterday we had an experience that I thought would happen a lot sooner and lot more often in the mission. This guy named William is super awesome. He was way anxious to hear our message and everything. We had given his sister a Book of Mormon and he ended up being more interested than she was. We started talking about what the Book of Mormon and then we assigned him to read 3 Nephi 11 (When Christ visits the Americas). He was all in shock saying, "What? Christ came to the Americas?!!!" Of course he did, we responded. He was so curious and excited to read about it and I was so excited for him. We shall go later today and talk about the chapter and give him a baptismal invitation.
Not to much else going on with other investigators. UMMM so Ana and Diana (the dry members-haha) went to the temple with all the young women on Friday. Of course they couldn`t go in but it got them a ton more interested to get baptized. We haven`t been able to visit them tons because their parents make it hard for them to progress, but they got all mad at us and forced us to go visit again. Finally we were able to talk at least a little bit with their Dad and set up an activity with the whole family. This Thursday we will know if they will be baptized or not. And besides them, Genesis could not make it to her baptismal interview this past friday because she was in Guayaquil, but she also has a lots of hope to be baptized this coming saturday. We shall continue praying for all of them.
I still am here in my area for at least three more weeks. It will be really rough to leave behind this area. We have grown really close to all the members and they support us in so many ways. Wow, I will have to take advantage of the blessings I have here and just hope for the best in the coming weeks and months.
Can you believe I have been out 8 months? Can you believe how long you and Dad have been married? Just a few more days and you got some good 30 years under your belt, right? Haha we are all getting so old, but we got lots of life left in us and I am very excited for all of it. I love you all very much and I am still here praying for all of you.
A little spiritual thought--I don`t know if you guys had the same lesson that we had in Priesthood meeting, but it was about sustaining the Lord`s servants. It had the example of Aaron and Hur supporting the arms of the prophet, Moses, while he held the staff up above the battle that was happening. By simply raising our hands to show our sustaining vote we help the work move forward. The leaders of the church need our support. May we always give it to them. Prepare for the coming conference. Wow it is gonna be awesome. I just know it.
Keep me updated with Brother Flake.
Saturday, March 17, 2012
3-12-2012
Hello family.
Glad to hear los tres pequeños are all doing alright, and I hope Heather can be back to her regular strength. I wish Paige and Kyle wouldn`t be having so much fun without me haha. I love you all very much. Jealous of all the amazing things that are happening right now in your lives. We have it pretty dang good in Centerville, Utah.
This week was pretty incredible. We still have our investigator sent from heaven ready and excited for her baptism this Saturday. She came to Church with her little boy and she just has the sweetest spirit. In the MTC I always dreamed of people like her who really recognized us as representatives of the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. She has found a testimony of Joseph Smith and finds so much peace as she reads the Book of Mormon. She has always had a fear of praying in front of others but she said a prayer the other day and it brought me to tears. She is so incredible and the Lord is so mindful of her and of me at this time. Such a strength to the healing power of the Atonement in our lives.
We don`t have tons of investigators right now but we have lots of opportunities to teach. There was a few weeks where hardly anyone would accept us, except for little kids, but now there are a lot more adults that at least listen to our message before they reject us at the door.
One difficult thing that has been going on in the Branch is that all the young men who are at the age to serve a mission have gone completely less-active. I want to carry them all to the MTC and kick their butts into shape, but that is just not how it works. I am extremely grateful for the encouragement I have received my whole life to serve a mission. Incredible parents and siblings, outstanding leaders, and exemplary friends.
On Tuesday, this guy yelled out, "tell me about Joseph Smith." Turns out that he was a referall with whom the missionaries had talked to the day before. Fernando has completely changed his life around in the past few months leaving behind a drunken past. He knows that God loves him and his humble heart is so ready to hear the gospel. He still has quite a bit to change but the Gospel will help him do so. There are always the bummer people who say they will go to church and never show up, but these past few weeks have been a little different, because people actually show up.
Well that was my week. Keeping up my spirits to work hard and push forward. I love you all very, very much.
Until next time,
Elder Anderson
Glad to hear los tres pequeños are all doing alright, and I hope Heather can be back to her regular strength. I wish Paige and Kyle wouldn`t be having so much fun without me haha. I love you all very much. Jealous of all the amazing things that are happening right now in your lives. We have it pretty dang good in Centerville, Utah.
This week was pretty incredible. We still have our investigator sent from heaven ready and excited for her baptism this Saturday. She came to Church with her little boy and she just has the sweetest spirit. In the MTC I always dreamed of people like her who really recognized us as representatives of the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. She has found a testimony of Joseph Smith and finds so much peace as she reads the Book of Mormon. She has always had a fear of praying in front of others but she said a prayer the other day and it brought me to tears. She is so incredible and the Lord is so mindful of her and of me at this time. Such a strength to the healing power of the Atonement in our lives.
We don`t have tons of investigators right now but we have lots of opportunities to teach. There was a few weeks where hardly anyone would accept us, except for little kids, but now there are a lot more adults that at least listen to our message before they reject us at the door.
One difficult thing that has been going on in the Branch is that all the young men who are at the age to serve a mission have gone completely less-active. I want to carry them all to the MTC and kick their butts into shape, but that is just not how it works. I am extremely grateful for the encouragement I have received my whole life to serve a mission. Incredible parents and siblings, outstanding leaders, and exemplary friends.
On Tuesday, this guy yelled out, "tell me about Joseph Smith." Turns out that he was a referall with whom the missionaries had talked to the day before. Fernando has completely changed his life around in the past few months leaving behind a drunken past. He knows that God loves him and his humble heart is so ready to hear the gospel. He still has quite a bit to change but the Gospel will help him do so. There are always the bummer people who say they will go to church and never show up, but these past few weeks have been a little different, because people actually show up.
Well that was my week. Keeping up my spirits to work hard and push forward. I love you all very, very much.
Until next time,
Elder Anderson
Monday, March 5, 2012
Preston is having a hard time remembering that Tyler and Annie really had a baby boy
Big baby, eh!!! So glad to hear he finally made it out!! How awesome!?? Are all the moms doing alright? Wow, how does my brother Tyler feel to see his little girl. Oh my wow. I am so excited for all of you. I read the talk from Elaine S. Dalton from the last Conference about a father`s love for his daughter. I got all this baby fever and it just makes me feel so thrilled for Tyler to have a little baby. I love you ALLL!!!
This week went really well down here. We got our best investigator back on track, Jessenia. We were really worried but we went over on Tuesday and we used the General Conference talk with the Book of Mormon and the Bible represented by the two dots. It worked really well and it was such a spiritual lesson. She went to church and intends to go the next week and the next week. She has a baptismal date for the 17th of March and all seems to be going well for that. We have other investigators right now, but many are really struggling to progress. However, we met an awesome family this past week and it is one of the first times I have been able to sit myself down and teach a mom, a dad, and their kids. People just do not spend time as a family and it makes it way hard to find families to teach, but we have lots of hope for this one.
We got some good solid rejections this week haha. I think every house in this area has had missionaries knock on their door more than once, and people have really hardened thier hearts. We have other small neighborhoods that we would love to go visit but they are way far away and it is a little hard to get there because they are in the middle of nowhere. But it seems like the middle of nowhere is where we have had success so we shall be heading out very soon.
The new Liahona this month is a lot about the life of Thomas S. Monson. We still don`t have one in the house and it is killing me. I hope you guys all take advantage of the amazing gifts we have as members of the church and read the words of the living prophet.
We had a family night this past week with a family that has a less-active dad. It was all awesome and at the end the mom spoke very boldly and very frankly to her husband. She told him straight up in front of everyone that she wants to be sealed as an eternaly family and be married in the temple, and that he is stopping that from happening haha. It was brutal but necessary and he ended up going to church this past week and they are on their way to go to prepare for the blessings of the temple. So excited for them.
Well, that is my life this past week. Praying for you always and counting my blessing everyday. I have been blessed with the gospel, with a stable family, and with a testimony of the Lord, Jesus Christ. What else could I ask for? Satan would have me discouraged right now, but I cannot let that happen The work moves on and I love to be apart of it.
Have I told you that Zach Davis is in a couple of the DVD´s that we have. Every companionship has Preach My Gospel DVD´s and he is in a couple of them. Haha fun to see someone I know in live action.
Hey is Brother Flake coming soon? and when you told me that I should buy directly from the credit card, were you talking about my card from home or my card on the mission? LET ME KNOW!!!
I love you all and Congratulations Tyler and Annie!!!!
This week went really well down here. We got our best investigator back on track, Jessenia. We were really worried but we went over on Tuesday and we used the General Conference talk with the Book of Mormon and the Bible represented by the two dots. It worked really well and it was such a spiritual lesson. She went to church and intends to go the next week and the next week. She has a baptismal date for the 17th of March and all seems to be going well for that. We have other investigators right now, but many are really struggling to progress. However, we met an awesome family this past week and it is one of the first times I have been able to sit myself down and teach a mom, a dad, and their kids. People just do not spend time as a family and it makes it way hard to find families to teach, but we have lots of hope for this one.
We got some good solid rejections this week haha. I think every house in this area has had missionaries knock on their door more than once, and people have really hardened thier hearts. We have other small neighborhoods that we would love to go visit but they are way far away and it is a little hard to get there because they are in the middle of nowhere. But it seems like the middle of nowhere is where we have had success so we shall be heading out very soon.
The new Liahona this month is a lot about the life of Thomas S. Monson. We still don`t have one in the house and it is killing me. I hope you guys all take advantage of the amazing gifts we have as members of the church and read the words of the living prophet.
We had a family night this past week with a family that has a less-active dad. It was all awesome and at the end the mom spoke very boldly and very frankly to her husband. She told him straight up in front of everyone that she wants to be sealed as an eternaly family and be married in the temple, and that he is stopping that from happening haha. It was brutal but necessary and he ended up going to church this past week and they are on their way to go to prepare for the blessings of the temple. So excited for them.
Well, that is my life this past week. Praying for you always and counting my blessing everyday. I have been blessed with the gospel, with a stable family, and with a testimony of the Lord, Jesus Christ. What else could I ask for? Satan would have me discouraged right now, but I cannot let that happen The work moves on and I love to be apart of it.
Have I told you that Zach Davis is in a couple of the DVD´s that we have. Every companionship has Preach My Gospel DVD´s and he is in a couple of them. Haha fun to see someone I know in live action.
Hey is Brother Flake coming soon? and when you told me that I should buy directly from the credit card, were you talking about my card from home or my card on the mission? LET ME KNOW!!!
I love you all and Congratulations Tyler and Annie!!!!
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