Do I Live the Gospel Mundanely or Passionately?

Well hey there!  
Its so good to hear from all of you!  I love reading your letters!  Tommy, I would appreciate hearing more from you.  I'm your big sister and need to know what's going on in your life!  Dad, thanks for sending me those articles about BYU football!  I loved them and will be cheering in my heart this Saturday!  I can't believe that I'll be in the same state as the big game.  It seems like I'm as far away as possible from it.  Also, thanks for the booklet.  I've only read a little bit so far but I really like it.  Thanks for the package!  I sure love getting mail and packages!  It just warms my heart every time I see them.  

To answer your question Mom, we are moving a week from today.  So if you send something in the next few days to my current address I'll get it.

That is amazing that Elder Ballard spoke in the 4th ward!  What an amazing opportunity to have.  

That's great that you got to do baptisms on the first day of the temple being open!  I LOVE the temple and think about it every day.  I wish people could just realize how important the temple is.  I'm so excited for there to be a temple in my mission next year!  I crave the temple.


This week has been great!  I've learned and grown a lot.  Sometimes I feel like the mission is the refiners fire.  We are tried as much as we can withstand but afterwards we can see how much we've grown in a short amount of time
Our investigators are doing well.  Unfortunately they don't seem to care about keeping commitments at all.  They can't progress if they don't keep them.  I'm praying to find new ways to try to get people to be motivated to keep commitments.  If anyone has any ideas please let me know.  One of our investigators is named David.  He is 71 and has known about the Church since he was a child.  Oh, he is the one that lives outside of the auto shop.  Well, he is finally getting baptized!  He's keeping his commitments!  When I saw him at church yesterday I almost started to cry.  You have no idea how hard it is to get people to church around here.  Its just not a priority to most people.  I'm trying to change that.  With the Lord it is possible.  Everything is possible with the Lord.

So here in El Paso there are tons of ice cream vans.  Like you hear them all day every day.  I was thinking about it... Ice cream vans are such an odd idea.  They play creepy music (here the vans are all really old and out of tune) and try to lure children to them by giving them sweets.  Isn't that something we are taught to always stay away from?  It's an odd concept in my opinion.
I've also been thinking a lot about the way we all live our lives.  

My boss, Janice wrote me this week and reminded me of a great quote we have in the office.  It says something like "Do I live the Gospel mundanely or passionately?" This is a good question.  I want to live it passionately.  I think often we get into a routine.  The Gospel and its teachings become comfortable to us and just the way we live our lives.  It's important to have Christ's name written on our hearts.  To give Him everything that we've got.  I'm trying to find ways to do this better.  I think that as we live the characteristics in Preach My Gospel chapter 6 we can become more passionate about the Gospel.  I'm currently working on charity.  I think that when I have more charity I will be able to live the Gospel better.


Well, I sure love you all!  Have a great week!  To all of my BYU chums good luck with the first week of school!  Gooo Cougars!  The Church is so true!
Love, Hermana Anderson
(Last week Melissa her companions and two other Hermana's in the area went to the zoo on there P-day. The middle photo is of Hermana Anderson and her companion, the last photo is all 4 Hermana's at the zoo)

A Really Hard Busy Week

Well this week was a pretty good week. It was also a really hard week. This week we have been really really busy.

On Tuesday we had our annual Mission Tour (mission conference) where Elder Snow of the presidency of the seventy came and spoke to us for three hours. He was a really motivational guy and got us all really fired up to go out and do a better job at finding and teaching our investigators. He also talked about sacrifices and how we all need to make more sacrifices in our mission. And that serving a mission is not the sacrifice. So hopefully that the missionaries in our mission will all make more sacrifices (including me) and that our mission will be able to see continued and more success.

On Friday we had the baptism on Davide Biondo. Davide is 22 and is actually from Italy. He was being taught by the missionaries in Italy but is engaged to a girl in one of our wards and wanted his future father-in-law to baptize him so he flew out to Utah and we taught him the rest of the discussions and he got baptized on Friday evening. The baptism was a really neat experience because it was all done in Italian the whole baptism service. So I had no idea what was going on there at all, but the spirit was there really strong so I knew that what was going on was right and that heavenly father was well pleased.

We also picked up two new investigators on Saturday. Patricia Hall and her 9 year old son Taylan. They are a really cool family Patricia also has a 7 year old son William who has autism so it is really fun to go over there to that house and try to teach lessons sometimes. But they are on date for baptism for September 19th.

I came upon this quote from Michael Jordan this week that I really really like. It is a quote that is so true. There are always going to be times in our life that things aren't going to go as we plan. Things aren't going to work out perfectly like we want them to. But the great thing is that we learn from all of our experiences and as Michael Jordan puts it he fails to succeed.
So here is the quote from Michael Jordan: "I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed."

I love all of you and thank all of you for all that you do! I hope to hear from you soon!

Have a great week!

Love,
Elder Reed Anderson

This week has been amazing!

(Hermana Anderson with Elders from her MTC District.)

Hey there!  It's so good to hear from all of you!  I miss you all lots.  Thank you for your letters and the package, they mean so so much to me.  

Wow, the temple dedication sounds amazing!  You have no idea how lucky you all are to have temples close by.  The temple truly is the house of the Lord.  When I'm in the temple I feel Him and His love for me so strongly.  It is such an amazing place of peace, strength, love, comfort, joy, contentment, learning, and so much more.  I always try to remember the temple because I can't go.  

They said that hopefully the Gilla Valley Temple will be done in the spring and that we might be able to have zone conference there one time.  I sure hope so!  

I think sometimes people forget how important the temple is.  Not only is it redeeming the dead (which is so important) but it is also building us up.  I don't know how people survive daily life without the temple.  The temple helps me keep things in perspective.  I would just like to invite everyone to think about their temple attendance and see if there is anyway that it can improve.  I know that as we attend the temple we receive so many blessings that we need.  I promise that as you attend the temple  you will feel an added measure of the Lord's presence in your life.  I just love the temple so much and miss it lots.

This week has been amazing!  I've been praying to find the elect and for the elect to find us.  Well, this week we had 2 amazing referrals!  Both were Mexican, middle aged women.  One had ordered a Libro de Mormon and the other a DVD.  Well both committed to be baptized on the 19th!  It was amazing to see them understand and feel the truth.  By the end of both lessons both women said prayers full of tears thanking our Heavenly Father for the truth and for my companion and I bringing it.  It was amazing.  

It is always an amazing and beautiful experience to be able to testify of truth and feel the power of God run through your body.  Those kind of experiences always humble me.  They remind me that we are weak but with the Lord all things are possible.  It teaches me that the Lord is aware of each of us and all of our situations.  He wants to help each of us, we just need to let Him.  We need to be still and know that He is God.  He knows what is best for us.  I know that if we allow Him, He can change us into the people that He wants us to be.  This isn't easy or always comfortable but it is good and right.

I love you all and am so so grateful for you in my life!  I have the best family and friends in the world.  There is absolutely no doubt about it.  Have a great week!  I pray for you every day.  Live each day to the fullest knowing tomorrow will take care of itself.  The Church is true!

Love, Hermana Anderson

EVERYTHING WILL WORK OUT

(This is one of my favorite pictures that Elder Anderson has sent home)

This week truly has been a great week! We were able to get a lot done this week and able to see our hard work start to pay off.

On Saturday we had the baptism of Paul Macknight, Paul is a 35 year old guy whose wife has been a member sense she was 10 but has been less active pretty much her whole life until the last three months. When she decided to go back to church he decided to go with her. He then decided to start taking the missionary discussions to find out what it was all about. We gave him a baptism date and he accepted. That date came and went and there was no baptism. He just was not ready yet. But we gave him the date of August 22 about two weeks ago and he felt really good about it and he prayed about it and said yes he would do it. So he got baptized. Paul has been one of my favorite people I have taught on my mission. And also one of the most sincere people I have taught. He was doing it for himself, not for his wife or for his friends but for himself.

Yesterday we had the great opportunity of going to the temple dedication. I absolutely loved it! The spirit was so strong there. It made me think about how good/bad my temple attendance is and made me want to improve my temple attendance. And I also hope that all of you will do so.

I came across a quote this week that I believe is a very true and a very important quote that I would like to share with all of you.

"It isn't as bad as you sometimes think it is. It all works out. Don't worry. I say that to myself every morning. It will all work out. Put your trust in God, and move forward with faith and confidence in the future. The Lord will not forsake us. He will not forsake us. If we will put our trust in Him, if we will pray to Him, if we will live worthy of His blessings, He will hear our prayers." -President Hinckley-

That quote is so true. Everything will work out. If we put our trust in the Lord and pray to him, everything will work out. I have found this out and found this to be true many times in my life, but especially on my mission. A mission is hard work! Somedays are a lot harder then others and I find myself saying 2 prayers or somedays I find myself saying 10 prayers. But everyday I find that the Lord does hear my prayers and will work things out.

I love all of you and pray for all of you everyday! Have a great week!

Love, Elder Anderson

New Companion

Well this week was a pretty good week. Elder Davies was transferred to Taylorsville and I got a new companion. His name is Elder Orchard and he is from Richmond Kentucky. He has been out for a year and a half now and is a really hard working missionary! We have gotten more work done in the last week then Elder Davies and I got done in the 6 weeks we were together.

On Saturday we had two baptisms. First in the morning we had the baptism of Heydon Kaddas, she is a 19 year old girl who has been attending church sense she was 11. She has wanted to get baptized for years but her parents would not let her. But now that she is an adult she can make her own decisions so she got baptized. She was an awesome girl to teach. She pretty much taught herself! The first lesson we had with her, she had a quad sitting on her lap and we were like, "is that yours" and she said yeah I just got done reading it. And sure enough she has read the whole thing, Old Testament, New Testament, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price. She was a golden investigator if I have ever seen one!

We then had the baptism of Kayla Lytle in the evening. She is a 14 year old girl and has been going to church for 6 months now. We were trying to wait and see if we could baptize her and dad together but Dad is just taking a lot longer then we want so we decided to just get Kayla baptized because she was more then ready. That was a really good baptism as well and I think that it really might have given Dad the jump start to get himself in order and to quit smoking so that he can get baptized as well. So that was a great Saturday to be able to have two baptisms for sure!

Yesterday, Elder Orchard and I spoke in the Eastridge 8th ward. It was a really neat experience. When I stood up to speak I had no idea what I was going to speak about. But words just came to me and I told the story about my brain surgery and about what happened when I went to New York and pretty much how I got to where I am now and why I am serving in Sandy when I am from Bluffdale (everyone laughed when I told them I was from Bluffdale) But I told them how I have never been more happy in my life then I have been the last 7 months of my life. Missionary work is so important! And how we can all be happy and we can all feel the joy's of missionary work in our daily lives. There were so many people that were crying by the end of my talk and I was just not quite sure why. After sacrament meeting I cannot tell you how many people stopped me and told me how powerful it was and how great of a missionary I was. That really gave me such a boost and such a motivation to go out and be even a better missionary! I know that heavenly father is on my side and is helping me every day! This is such a great work, and I cannot come down!

I love all of you and pray for you daily!
Love Elder Anderson

Next time you see me I will not be the same size.

Hola mi familia!  

Its so great to hear from all of you!  It sounds like you are all doing awesome!  
Thats what I like to hear!  It sounds like you've all been quite busy this summer!  So have I!  I can't believe that summer is winding up.  It's crazy.  And oh my goodness, football season is here!  When is the big opening game?  Even though I'll be in the same state it seems like forever away from the game.  

So I'm doing really great.  When I focus on the work I am so happy.  Whenever I feel down I have to remind myself of the words of President Hinckley's father to just forget myself and go to work.  I know that these words are true.  When I'm working I don't care about what I'm missing at home but when I'm not giving this everything I've got I can get a little down.

As my subject says, I will not be the same size when I come home.  Mexican ladies really know how to cook.  I LOVE their food.  There is a slight problem though... they dish up your plates and always give TONS of food.  I'm serious!  After bite 100 you just want to throw up but you have to keep eating because it is offensive not to eat it all and then have seconds.  I'll be honest, I've gotten pretty good at the hiding food in the napkin thing.  I really love the food but its just too much at one time.  I hope to learn how to make the food and make it for you all when I get home.  So I plead to you that when you have missionaries over please let them dish up their own plates.

There have been a few language mix ups on my part so far.  I accidentally told an old woman from Mexico that I would attend her church.  Also, in PEC I accidentally told everyone that I am related to Elder Andersen of the 12.  When I don't know what people are saying I just say "si, si."  Saying this has gotten me into these 2 situations and I'm sure many more that I'm not aware of.

Something else you should know about El Paso is that EVERYONE has dogs.  I'm not just talking about a couple.  No, I have been in homes with 20.  I'm not joking.  Dogs rule people's lives here.  I'm trying to be better about being friendly with them.

So I think that we have a bit of a trust issue with the branch.  I've decided that the only way that they will trust us with their friends is if I'm their friend first.  So I've been trying hard to be everyone's friend.  I think that it's working.  I hope so at least.

Some amazing things have happened this past week.  On tuesday a man called us and said that he talked to the missionaries a year and a half ago and that he wants to be baptized!  Its a miracle.  President Walker has told us to have the faith to pray for people to find us.  So I had been praying since I got here for this to happen.  I have faith that with the Lord anything is possible.  So Noah calling us was an answer to my prayers and faith.  This story reminds me that even though I get doors slammed in my face tons of times everyday at least I'm planting a seed.

I'm always amazed with the charity and love of the people here.  It is really humbling when people who have nothing offer everything to you.  I've had meals in homes that are just cinderblock and a piece of wood separating rooms.  This lady who has leukemia had us over for dinner last night.  Because of her illness she doesn't have energy so she had been preparing our meal all week.  These things are inspiring to me.  If people can make huge sacrifices for me I can make sacrifices for them.

Well, I sure love you all.  The Church is definitely true!  Have a great day!

Love, Hermana Anderson

ps Renee and Brandon, Happy Anniversary!

We're definitely not in Kansas anymore...

Hey there!  

It was so so so so good to read all of your emails!  I really needed them.  

I'm currently in a community college writing you.  I didn't realize how dependent I was on letters until this week and here I am surrounded by all of these people almost crying.  I need letters!  Please send them during the week through the mail.  So I would just send letters to the mission office if I were you.  It's ok to send it to our apt (it's an apt complex) but we feel like we need to move so I don't know where that move will be to yet.  If you send it to the mission office they will just forward it to me.  

I'm currently serving in El Paso and boy, I will tell you what, things sure are different here.  I think I've been sheltered my whole life.  There are about 3 groups of people I serve.  First, I serve in an English ward.  These people are either army families (El Paso is a lot like Irac apparently) and old people that you would find in Emery.  We serve in a Spanish branch as well.  I can't understand a word that is said but I'm confidant that one day I'll be able to.  With the Lord I can do ALL things.  So this group of people are of course the Mexicans.  They are really sweet people and I feel very much at home with them even though I don't understand them.  I think its because I was called as a Spanish sister.  With this group of people I hug them and we do a little kiss the cheek thing on every meeting (even the first meeting).  They are very nice people.  The other group of people is the black people.  You bet they have attitude.  They are the kindest people but I would never want to get on their bad side.  I find that my culture changes with each group I associate with.  When with Mexican's I do the hug/kiss thing.  With the Blacks I'm a praise the Lord, amen, hallelujah kind.  I have actually said these things when talking to people.  Its funny because I do this all without even thinking about it.  It's just natural.  Its funny how it works.  Its amazing to see the differences here.  There is very little grass, all of the houses (on one side) have bars around all of the windows, etc.  But than on one side there are big nice houses (this is a small part of our area).  

The poor people are so humble and nice.  Every night we have a dinner appt.  Everything I've eaten has been so good.  Even though people have nothing they feed you so much.  I've found that at every house we drink koolaid.  I think that that is kind of funny.  

This one man that we are teaching doesn't have a home.  He lives behind a car shop in an old car.  So we were teaching him the other day and he has a couch back there that we were sitting on and he was sitting on a bucket.  It started to rain and so we pulled out his covering for us-a long piece of cardboard.  It was quite humbling.  

I think that my body is used to 100 degrees because when it is anything less than that I just think that it is so pleasant.  Our area isn't super successful right now (i think it is based on disobedience) so I'm working hard to change that.  I promised my teachers, leaders, myself, and the Lord that I would be obedient and I'm not going to give up on that promise.  The Lord is with us here.  We have some big goals for the week but I'm confidant that with the Lord they are possible to accomplish.  I just trust and rely on the Lord and let Him take care of everything.  Oh, my companion is great.  She is from Georgia and is majoring in music teaching at BYU(she reminds me a lot of Crystalyn).  She has only been here for 4 1/2 months so she doesn't really know spanish either.  I know that if we study hard and do what the Lord asks He will fill our words.  I'm glad to hear that Reed is doing so well and that so are all of you.  I miss you all so much.  Please write me!  Mom, I'm glad to here about your new commitment to service.  I know that as we serve we are able to fulfill the missionary purpose to invite others to come unto Christ.  
Tell Kathy that I'm praying for her and hope she is ok.  Well, I sure love all of you.  Have a great day!

Love, Hermana Anderson

Today and Always!

Well first of all I am really sorry to all of you for not writing at all last week! We had a really busy p-day last Monday which involved a big pig roast. It was lots and lots of fun! We started it at about 7:00 am with killing the pigs and then gutting them and by 6:00 pm everyone was eating. It was a lot of work, but from what everybody said it seemed to be well worth it. The only bad part about it is that I did not get to eat any of the pig's because of my procedure I had done on Tuesday morning. But that's alright I got to help other people enjoy it! We did two pigs. We did one 250 lb. pig that we cooked in the ground, and then we did a 40 lb. pig that we roasted on a spit over the fire. It was lots of fun though! When I get home from my mission we will do one in our back yard I am pretty sure that I could do it on my own now! So the last two weeks have been really tough but I have also grown and learned a lot!
Last week we picked up this new investigator that kind of just fell into our laps which was awesome! She is a 19 year old girl who actually lives in Riverton like five minutes away from our house, but her parents are both Greek Orthodox(?) But her parents are very against her joining the church but her best friend lives in our area so she comes to church with her and is going to get baptized in this area. During the first lesson we noticed that she was holding a quad and so we asked her if that quad was hers? And she said yeah it is mine I just finished reading it. And we were like, the whole thing? And yes she has read the whole quad Old testament, New testament, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price, and then she just finished the Book of Mormon for the second time. She has wanted to get baptized sense she was 14 but her parents would never let her. So she is getting baptized this Saturday!

We will have two baptisms this saturday Haeden the 19 year old girl. And then a 14 year old girl named Kayla. It should be a good week! We also have transfers on Wednesday so we will see what happens.

So this week it was really cool it was almost like a light bulb went off in my head and all of a sudden some things just clicked! You know serving here so close to home has always been really hard on me, but I found out this week it really shouldn't! It does not matter one bit where you serve it is definitely how you serve. In D&C 79:1 where it says "....from place to place, and from city to city, in the power of the ordination wherewith he has been ordained, proclaiming glad tidings of great joy, even the everlasting gospel." That is what I am doing as a missionary. I am proclaiming glad tidings of great joy!  I have never been so happy in my life as I have been in the last 6 months. I am making people's lives so much better by INVITING OTHERS TO COME UNTO CHRIST BY HELPING THEM RECEIVE THE RESTORED GOSPEL THROUGH FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST AND HIS ATONEMENT, REPENTANCE, BAPTISM, RECEIVING THE HOLY GHOST, AND ENDURING TO THE END! This work that I am doing is so important!

I look back at the time's that I told myself that I was going to be done with my mission and then many of you would tell me that I need to make my own decision but that I need to make sure I make the right decision. I am so thankful for the example that all of you have been to me in helping me stay on my mission! It is the best decision I have ever made! I really want all of you to be able to feel this joy and the excitement that I feel on a daily basis while serving my mission! And you all can by doing missionary work on your own! There is always somebody that each and everyone of us know that is ready to hear the restored gospel. The message of the restoration is so important and us bearing our testimony's to our friends, family members, neighbors, or co-workers could help the work progress so much! In Alma 6:6 it says "Nevertheless the children of God were commanded that they should gather themselves together oft, and join in fasting and mighty prayer in behalf of the welfare of the souls of those who knew not God." We all need to join in fasting and in mighty prayer in behalf of those who know not God. If we do this and all do our part of missionary work the work will be able to progress and there will be a lot more work going on!

I really like this quote from Elder Bednar in conference, it was during a priesthood session so it is centered towards the priesthood holders but this works for all of us and all of us should do this:
"My beloved brethren,(and sisters) you and I, today and always, are to bless all peoples in all the nations of the earth. You and I, today and always, are to bear witness of Jesus Christ and declare the message of the Restoration. You and I, today and always, are to invite all to receive the ordinances of salvation. Proclaiming the gospel is not a part-time priesthood obligation. It is not simply an activity in which we engage for a limited time or an assignment we must complete as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Rather, missionary work is a manifestation of our spiritual identity and heritage. We were foreordained in the pre-mortal existence and born into mortality to fulfill the covenant and promise God made to Abraham. We are here upon the earth at this time to magnify the priesthood and to preach the gospel. That is who we are, and that is why we are here—today and always."

Today and Always! We are all to proclaim glad tidings of great joy, even the everlasting gospel! Let us all go forward in faith and Proclaim the gospel, Today and Always!

I am thankful for all that you do for me and all the prayers that come in my behalf. Thank you for everything. Have a great week!

Love,
Elder Anderson

Hermana Anderson Sounds GREAT!

We had the privilege of talking with Hermana Anderson this morning on the telephone. She was at the airport prior to her departing to Tucson, Arizona.

She wanted to add 1 more thing to her list of what she has learned while at the MTC. Regardless of circumstances we can choose to be happy no matter what! Happiness is a choice.

She is so happy and confident that she is about her Father's work. She apologized for not being able to write everyone, but wanted us to relay the message that she loves and appreciates each of you.

She sent a package home yesterday with a few items that she won't need as well as PICTURES! I will post photos as soon as I get them.

What I've Learned At The MTC

Hey fam!

It is always so good to hear from you! So I'm just sending out one email to everyone. Sorry I can't write everyone individually. Thanks for the packages. My district LOVES them. I told the district that when we all get back they can come to our house for dinner. They're all really excited.

So I thought that I would just do a quick run through of what I've learned here at the MTC since I'm leaving tomorrow.

1. To trust in the Lord always. I always remember that scripture "be still and know that I am God." This is one of my motto's. I know that there is a reason for everything. There is a reason I'm in my companionship, district, and branch. I know that with the Lord I can do ALL things. I have absolutely zero doubt in this. I have confidence in the Lord.

2. To love everyone no matter the circumstances. Serving the Lord has taught me to really love. I think it is because He loves completely. I've learned to love everyone. Its funny, when I meet somone (ps we got 3 new hermanas this week) I feel such a great love for them, who they are, and what they can become. It is amazing and such a great blessing.

3. The importance of obedience. I always knew that obedience was important but I have such a testimony in it. When I am completely obedient the Lord is with me and I certainly need it always. I want to be the most obedient missionary. Rules aren't restricting, rather, they are are liberating.

4. The beauty of the atonement. It covers every single person. Through the atonement we can all feel peace, clean, love, strength, etc. I always knew this but it has become more clear and amazing.

5. Regardless of circumstances we can choose to be happy no matter what! Happiness is a choice.

So yeah, those are just a few of the things I've learned. I'm so excited to talk to you all tomorrow. I'm not quite sure what time I'll call. It will be sometime between 6:30-8:30 but I really have no idea. Sorry. I'm also calling Reed first so it probably be closer to 7:30 or 8. Thanks for all of the news going on. That is sad about that shooting. Also, I'm really excited Loni is moving to Tucson. Hopefully I'll see her sometime. Well, I love you all. Have a great day!

Love,
Hermana Anderson