Germany, Thailand, Africa & a NUN!

Wow, sounds like you all are doing great!  I'm so glad!  We moved into our new apartment it was freezing, we had to layer to keep warm.

Yet again, we had an amazing week!  The Lord is blessing us more than I could have ever imagined. 

We picked up quite a few new investigators and are really seeing the Lord's hands in our lives and in His work in this part of the vineyard.  It is amazing how He prepares people for His Gospel.  Every day my testimony is strengthened so much.  We set super high goals for the week and the Lord blessed us so much! 

So this week our new investigators are from about every place and walk of life.  Among them is a person from Germany, one from Thailand, 2 from Africa, and a nun!  Crazy huh?  So I'll give a little background on all of them and some of the others.  

On Monday night we went to the home of Angela (the lady who was Lutheran but wants to change), well when we got there she had her 2 sons there because she wanted them to get baptized as well.  Now we're just working on her husband who wants nothing to do with religion.  We just need to get the husband on board.  I'm so excited for them because each day they make one step closer to going to the temple and becoming sealed one day.  

The next day we taught Patrick and Crescencia from Africa.  They're super nice but we don't know how receptive right now.  On Tuesday night we were talking to the Bishops daughter and she said that her friend, Nat, wanted to learn more about the Gospel and be baptized.  He's a foreign exchange student from Thailand and is Buddhist.  So we went and talked to him and he is awesome!  One of his biggest concerns is that when he goes back to Thailand there won’t be any temples close by.  Yesterday he asked us if it would be ok if he served a mission one day too!  Crazy huh?  He's going to talk to his dad and see if he can be baptized because he's only 16.  It was amazing because as we taught him about Christ, a new light came into his eyes.  He couldn't stop smiling.  He wanted us to teach him yesterday after Sacrament Mtg.  When he came up to us he brought another foreign exchange student with him.  Her name is Hazel and she's from Germany.  Well, at the beginning of the lesson she was atheist but not anymore.  She was asking great questions and is just like a sponge soaking up everything.  It is awesome!  It is not by chance that they both ended up here in St. David with great families.
 
And the nun... I never really had met a nun before coming to St. David.  There is a monastery here and one of the 2 nuns asked for us to come visit her awhile back.  We've become friends and whatnot.  Well, awhile back we asked her to read 3 Nephi 11.  When we went by this week she hadn't read it so we decided to just read it then and there with her.  She LOVED it!  She thought that it was beautiful and kept wanting to read more and more.  While we were there we read 3 chapters and she skimmed the next 15 or so.  She kept saying things like, "this is just like my Mother's Bible."  She later went on to tell us that the Bible has been translated so many times it's lost some of the beauty.  A nun said this!  We're excited to go and talk more with her.  Everyone here in town loves her.  I realized that I had a lot of misconceptions about nuns because all of my information came from the movie Sister Act. 

As for our other investigators they're doing good.  We're so excited for General Conference and know that we'll be so blessed when we are able to hear the Prophet's voice. 

I've thought a lot about this coming weekend.  We're so lucky to have the truth, to have a Prophet.  Also I'm so excited for Easter.  Christ is risen and we have the opportunity to share this message with everyone!  What a blessing! 

Well, I hope that you all have a great conference and Easter.  This is definitely the Church of Jesus Christ and definitely is true!  Have a great week!

Love, Hermana Anderson

This Week Was AMAZING!

Hola! 

So this week was AMAZING!  We had so many great experiences and really saw the hand of the Lord here in St. David.  We truly had many miracles this week.  FYI I now know how to build brick walls, tile floors, and clean stables.  We're really focusing on serving and we're receiving so many blessings from it. 

This week we had zone conference.  I LOVE zone conferences!  Our leaders are so inspired and there is always such a special spirit at them.  Sister Walker asked Sister MacKay and I to sing a song at it.  We picked a Sally DeFord song about the temple that is really simple and pretty.  Well, the few days leading up to the conference our allergies really started to act up and we had really raspy voices but we trusted that the Lord would provide.  Even up until the time it was to sing our voices were raspy but we got up and could do it just fine.  Afterward, President came and talked to us.  He was crying and told us that it was perfect because even though we couldn't be at the temple it felt like we were there.  He said it was the clost  So it was a really special experience. 

At zone conferences different wards always provide lunch and the sisters always sit with President and Sister Walker.  Well, it was only us and the Gila Valley sisters so we all got to talk quite a bit and President informed us that we'll be going to the Gila for the temple open house!  We're so excited!  Plus, he's bringing in all of the sisters in the mission so it's going to be like a huge reunion/party!  We'll be there for the open house, cultural celebration, and dedication!  We may even get to meet the Prophet!!!  They're expecting around 150 thousand be there and that we'll teach a couple thousand first lessons!  Cool huh!  This is the experience of a life time.  The open house begins on our birthday.  It's the best birthday present ever because we'll be at the temple and all of the sisters that I love will be there! 

When I left El Paso it was pretty sad because I thought that I wouldn't see some of those sisters again but I will now!  A member of the 70 will be coming out to train us and we're all so excited!  Another part that I'm so excited about is that we will still get to keep our areas!  We'll be spending a lot of time on the phones with investigators and members.  Hopefully since the Gila Valley isn't super far away we'll be able to come back a few times.  The elders in the area next to ours will probably just take over teaching our investigators for a bit.  Oh man, I'm so excited!  We're going to work it out so that we'll be the ones to teach our investigators when they come get tours.  Its funny because Salt Lake asked for only sister missionaries.  They said that if they couldn't have sisters they didn't want any of the elders.  They would just go without missionaries.  So we have a lot to do in the next month in our area to get it prepared for this. 

This week a member took us out and told us about every person that lives in her area.  Because of this, we've seen miracles!  So far we've visited 4.  One isn't interested.  One said that he thinks that the Gospel will heal his broken heart.  Another said that she's very lonely and that she thinks that we have the cure and wants to be baptized on April 17th.  Another opened her door and the first thing she said was "I'm Lutheran, and no one can change me."  Well come April 17th she won't be Lutheran anymore!  By the end of the lesson she was crying and wanted to join the church!  When we got out of the lesson with the last one we had a message on our phone from a member.  He said that he has some friends that need the Gospel and that he's been waiting for the right missionaries and now they're here!  He even went and set up an appointment with them!  They're from Africa and he was in the Olympics awhile back for running.  Cool huh?  We're teaching them tomorrow!  We're super excited! 

Also, we've been teaching this man who's fiancee is a member of the church.  He was always kind of a rough man but last year he became really sick and humbled by the Lord.  He's now ready for the Gospel.  He's in a wheel chair and can't really do a whole lot but we've promised him that if he follows this path he will be completely healed.  As of right now he's getting baptized on April 10th.  We're super excited because today Ruth and Paul are going to go get their marriage license so that they are one step closer to Paul getting baptized.  His major concern right now is that her mersa (that stuff Reed had) has come back and he doesn't want to spread it when he gets baptized.  Please pray for him that he'll be well enough to be baptized on the 10th.  

So yeah, that's where we're at here in St David.  We received about 20 referrals in the past few days that need to be contacted and baptized so we're expecting to see miracles.  The Lord is truly blessing us here and I'm so thankful to be here.  We're praying that we'll be able to find the elect and see them baptized. 

Thanks for all that you all do for me.  I'm so blessed.  The Church is definitely true and we're so lucky to know it!  

Love, 
Hermana Anderson 

Tucson, AZ Is The Best Mission In The World

Well hey there!  How's everyone doing?  I'm sorry to hear that BYU didn't do too hot in the tournament and that the fans were crazy.  I'm definitely not a fan of that city. 

That's so cool that Jordan got his call to this mission!  This definitely is the best mission in the world and definitely the perfect mission for me!  Oh man, I love it so much.  I remember when I first came out how I was just not happy and so I took President Hinckley's fathers advice and just went to work.  It's made a huge difference.  I've never been happier and just want to serve forever.  This has been the best thing that I've ever done.  I just love it! 

This week we worked so hard.  I love that Sister Mackay has such a great work ethic.  We have so much fun together.  The elders were teaching a few people hear before they left and we've found that they just aren't willing to progress so we've had to drop them and pretty much start from scratch.  We've found that the only way to really find people in this area is through members.  We can't go tract or anything so we're really focusing on the members and we know that their friends will come along. 

Most of the referrals haven't yielded much results yet but I'm sure that we will continue to see miracles.  I'm excited for this week because we have a lot of service projects lined up with members and inactives.  The members said that they would invite nonmembers too so we're excited!  We really feel like serving the members is the key. 

I love our bishops!  I'm not sure if I told you but we're currently living with one of the Bishops and his family.  It is awesome because a few nights a week we get to talk to him and get his advice and what not.  I love it!  Missionary work is so important to all of the Bishops also!  They've called great ward mission leaders and ward missionaries to help us out. 

Last night we started going on splits.  Every night but Mondays the wards have the responsibility to find people to go on splits with us and people for us to visit.  We're going to get so much work done!  Yesterday was a busy day for us because we spoke in one Sacrament Meeting.  Sister Mackay taught the first lesson and I spoke about the blessings that come from the Restoration.  I made a list of the blessings that first popped into my mind and it's huge.  Some of the things I thought of were:  the Book of Mormon, temples, emptiness that we may have is filled, peace, direction, guidance, purpose, authority, we can come to know Christ in a very real sense, our families are blessed, lives are saved, basic plain and precious truths are back, we know the Plan of Salvation, etc, etc.  Just think about all of the blessings that have come to your lives from the Restoration.  They're huge!  There is no end to the list.  It really is amazing.  I hope that our talks helped people to get even more excited about the work.  We'll see what happens! 

We also got to teach Sunday School to the 16-18 year olds in a different ward.  It was way fun.  The other ward asked us to do Sharing Time in Primary but that overlapped with the other wards Sacrament Mtg so maybe we'll be able to this week.  So as you can see, we're staying busy and we wouldn't have it any other way.  I love being busy.  Please pray that we'll be able to find the elect and bring them unto Christ. 

One of my favorite scriptures is 3 Nephi 11:14.  It says "Arise and come forth unto me, that ye may thrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may feel feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet, that ye many know that I am the God of Israel, and God of the whole earth, and have been slain for the sins of the world."  Because of the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ we can do this in a very real sense.  We are so blessed because every week we have the opportunity to partake of the Sacrament.  That's huge!  I love this scripture because it gives us things to do.  We need to physically arise and come forth unto Him.  We can do this in many ways.  Some ways may be to have a more meaningful study of the scriptures, to pray with more faith, to serve with more heart.  There are so many ways to arise and come unto Him.  I know that as we do so He will come unto us as well.  It's not like we have to do it all on our own.  He's there to help us.  Isn't that amazing? 

On a different note, in Relief Society yesterday a sister said something that really stuck out to me, she said that this earth isn't just a testing grounds but its also a sanctuary.  It's so true.  Heavenly Father created this beautiful earth for us because He loves us.  I thought that it was a really cool idea. 

Well, I love you all and hope that you have a fantastic week!  The Church is definitely true! 

Love, Hermana Anderson

I'm In The Best Area In The World!

Hey there! 

So you're right, I was transferred again.  I had a lot of mixed feelings about this transfer and was kind of surprised about what happened.  As you know, we just barely started having a lot of success in my last area.  Things were really picking up there and we were really blessed.

(Picture Taken Transfer Morning)

Well Monday night the Assistants called and said "Sister Andersen the older, we have a transfer for you to Anthony."  I was sad because she would be leaving, but happy to be staying and then they said "can we speak to Sister Anderson the younger?"  I was thinking that they would be telling me about my new companion.  Nope.  They said, "We have a transfer for you as well, you'll be going to St. David, AZ with Sister Mackay" (Ashley's friend).  So that was about all of the info that we got. 

Wednesday we rode a van over here and found out that we were reopening an area that got shut down probably 6 months ago because the work wasn't progressing.  The members weren't involved and the missionaries weren't the most obedient so it got shut down.  Well, they put us back in!  We're the first sister missionaries here in over 10 years and it is AMAZING!  We have 3 English wards that we cover here.  Our area is St. David and... Tombstone!  On a side note we went to Tombstone on Saturday and it is one of the oddest places I've ever been to in my life but I sure love it.  Anyway, I don't know if they've ever had Spanish missionaries here.  We talked to President on Friday and he said that he's asked every ward to make a list of every person that speaks Spanish in the area.  Some people think it's racial profiling but they've never had a chance to really learn about the Gospel.  We're teaching everyone though.  He also mentioned that one of the issues is that there are tons of border patrol people in this town and they're worried that it will cause a conflict if we bring Mexicans.  But President told the leaders of this area and us that everyone just needs to have an increase in faith.  Amen! 

(Hermana Anderson and companion singing and dancing in rain when Melissa realized she really did know Spanish!)

So this is a super small town that founded by one of the men who carried the pioneers across the Sweet Water River and also by the Mormon Battalion.  There is a ton of Church history here.  60-70% of the people here are members of the Church.  They have zero stop lights in town and one school K-12.  I guess on Wednesday kids were making announcements at school that we were coming.  They announced it in church on Sunday so everyone knew.  Oh man, it is crazy because we are like celebrities.  Every where we go people stop us and tell us how thankful they are for us and that we are answers to the prayers of the saints here. 

When we pulled up to where we're living, one of the Bishops was outside waiting for us.  Yesterday in church member after member got up and bore their testimonies and committed over the pulpit to give us referrals.  In 4 days we received 23 member referrals.  That's more than I have gotten my whole mission up to this point.  One man who was a former mission president got up and bore his testimony about how members are critical.  People call us and ask us to come to their homes to teach their friends.  We've heard so many prayers where people asked that they would be worthy to have missionaries in their town again.  I think that it's the other way around, we need to be worthy to have this area. 

Sister Mackay and I are trying to be the most obedient, hard working missionaries in the Church to be worthy of all of this.  The Lord has truly blessed us and this area.  I don't know why we were so lucky to be here but we are blessed more than I could ever ever imagine.  This is all like a dream.  It's true that when one door closes another one opens.  I just can't get over all of this. 

Oh, I forgot to mention that we had 2 baptisms on Saturday as well.  Can you believe this?  I can't!  Anyway, as you can see I'm so excited!  I'm in the best area in the world!  I have the best companion ever!  Sister Mackay loves to work hard, just like me!  We have really high goals set for this transfer and with the help of the Lord we will be able to achieve them.  We are blessed so much and I'm so thankful.  This is just amazing.  It really is a dream. 

(Melissa made her own Strawberry Pie for Valentines.)


Oh, I forgot to tell you... most of the Elders in our zone have never served with sisters and it is so funny.  oh man, I just love it here! 

Thank you for all of your prayers!  Please pray for us to find the Latinos, for the faith of the members here, and for us to help families become united and ultimately be sealed in the temple!  We are focusing on Latinos and families here and I know that as we continue to work hard and work with the members we will see miracles!  Have a fantastic week!  The Church is definitely true!  Stay true to the Lord!

Love, Hermana Anderson

I Can't Believe Wednesday Is My Half Way Point

Hola everyone! 

How's it going?  Things are going great over here! 
Ok, I just can't believe that Wednesday is my half way point.  In some ways it seems like just yesterday that I got dropped off at the curb of the MTC but in other ways it seems like a life time ago.  I've had so many amazing experiences in these past 9 months that I wouldn't trade for anything.  I've really been blessed so much.  It is amazing.  I love serving the Lord!  This is the happiest I have ever been! 

This week has been great!  We've really had some miracles this week!  We have been led by the Spirit to find some elect people!  On Wednesday we felt prompted to go to an area that neither of us had even known it existed.  So we went to this area and apparently it is brand new because there are only 10 house on it.  It was super windy and there were tumbleweeds and dust blowing all around us. It was crazy, we really thought that we would blow over but 10 houses isn't that many so we decided to knock them all. At the second house we met a teenager who told us to come back later and talk to his mom, Ana Laura.  We did and it was awesome!  We shared the first vision with her and asked to pray.  She said that she didn't need to pray because she knew that it was true!  Awesome huh?  She wouldn't accept a date but maybe this week she will.  At house number 10, the very last house, this man opened the door and then went and got his wife.  She invited us in and informed us that she used to go to church every week in San Antonio the missionaries were teaching her and she loved it.  Well, she moved away and lost contact with the church until Wednesday!  She's super busy but asked us to come back because she really wants to talk to us!  I'm way excited!  I feel really good about her. 

We also picked up an amazing investigator the week before last, her name is Gabby.  I don't think that I told you all about her.  She's been thinking a lot about the church because her sister joined last year and she works with lots of members.  So she decided that she was ready to learn more and her coworker gave us her information.  The week before last she said that she wasn't ready to step foot into a church yet but this week was different.  We gave her a tour of the church and she LOVED it!  The spirit was so strong when we were in the chapel.  She has so many questions and just wants to learn more!  In her own words she's "thirsty" to learn more!  It reminds me of the scriptures about "hungering and thirsting after righteousness."  Those scriptures completely explain what she's like.  It's beautiful to me.  Seriously, one of the most beautiful things in the world to me is when people are thirsty for the truth and they just want to learn more and more.  It is amazing.  She really testifies to me that Heavenly Father is preparing people for us.  She is just amazing.  She's a single mom and has a 7 year old daughter who will turn 8 in July I think.  When we asked her daughter how she felt about what we're teaching them she said "thankful."  When we were at the church she said that she didn't want to leave and she just wanted to hang out with us forever.  I love it when people feel like that!  

Yesterday was stake conference, it was awesome!  The Stake President, President Anderson, talked about the olympics and how if the athletes turn around or stop they lose.  He compared it to us, if we turn around we often fall behind.  It's so true.  We have to stay focused on what's in front of us, the finish line, Jesus Christ.  If we do so we will be safe and we will win.  
Stake Conference was awesome, we had 4 investigators at Stake Conference!  Amazing!  It was amazing to see.  I love it when people come to church. 
This week I've decided to try to read the Book of Mormon all of the way through before Easter and to highlight every time it mentions our Savior.  It's amazing how often it mentions Him.  It really is another Testament of Jesus Christ.  I love the Book of Mormon and I know that it is the word of God.  It really brings us closer to our Savior.  I just love it!  

Well, I hope that you all have a fantastic week!  I love you lots!  The Church is DEFINITELY True!  Don't forget it!  Stay true!  

Love Hermana Anderson

ps This week is transfers.  Apparently there are "big changes" in store for the whole mission so it may be a good idea just to send everything to the mission office.  

BYE!!