Getting St. David Back Into The Missionary Swing

Congratulations Reed and Jenn!  

Ok, wow well this week has been really great.  We've been working hard to get the town back into the missionary swing of things.  Before we left each of the wards committed to find us 5 people ready to be taught by the time that we got back.  Well, one of the wards pulled through.  We're really excited because this ward has been the ward that had been struggling the most in the missionary department, but the bishop decided that it was up to him to find people and he did! (Hazel, our investigator from Germany got to shake President Eyring and Elder Holland's hand at the Temple Celebration! She was way excited about that.)

St. David has really had some huge blessings as a result of the the temple open house.  I guess that tons of people that hadn't been to church in years have come back and this includes a lot of part member families!  Last Sunday a family showed up to church that no one knew.  Their names are the Kirkwoods.  Sister Kirkwood is a member of the Church but has been inactive for about 10 yrs.  Her husband and 14 yr old son have not been baptized.  Some of their neighbors that they didn't even really know invited this family to the open house.  As they walked through the temple, the spirit testified to them that that was where they were supposed to be.  As they sat in the Sealing Room they knew that they needed to become an eternal family so when they got home they looked up who was their bishop and gave him a call.  That night Bishop Jones and his wife walked over to their house and got to know them.  The next day they went to church and have met with Bishop Jones a few times since then.  He told us about them and so we stopped by their home.  They were so excited to see us and had us over for dinner and a lesson on Saturday.  They are so cool!  Both Ian (the dad) and Conner (the son) accepted dates to be baptized on June 19th!  We're all so excited! (With our investigator Nat) 

Yesterday was the temple dedication as you know.  It was so neat!  Our temple here has been such a great blessing and it will only continue to bless this area.  In the dedication Elder Holland talked about how the temple is a place of forgiveness and healing.  It's true!  Everything we do in the temple points to the atonement and being purified.  I just love the temple and am so thankful for the blessings that come from it.  We are so blessed to have temples. 

Because there wasn't church yesterday, we had a special fireside about temple for our investigators.  It was really neat to be able to teach and testify about temples.  As I was preparing for it I thought a lot about what temples are.  They're so much more than beautiful buildings, they're the house of the Lord.  They are a demonstration of Heavenly Father's love for us and also a demonstration of our love towards Him.  For me, the temples are a refuge from life's storms.  They're houses of faith, peace, comfort, learning, and so much more.  I just love them! 

We've had another miracle this week, our investigator Terry has quite smoking!  His doctors told him never to do it because he would have a nervous break down, but he knew that the Lord would provide a way.  He's been blessed with so much strength and now doesn't even have the desire to smoke!  I know that as we trust in the Lord, He does provide a way for us to accomplish the things that He's commanded us to do.  Well, I hope that you're all doing wonderful.  I love you all so much!  Have a great week!  The Church is definitely true! 
Love,
Hermana Anderson

P.S. I'm super nervous about transfer calls tonight!
(In Tombstone with a Bison)

Exciting News!!

We are so HAPPY that Reed and Jennifer have chosen August 17, 2010 to be married for Eternity in the Salt Lake Temple.

Back To St. David All Safe And Sound

Well hey there! 

We made it back to St. David this morning all safe and sound.  Dad you were right, it was bitter sweet leaving.  I can't think of a better thing to do than to have a temple open house right before our mission splits.  FYI transfers are next week and it is this transfer that will determine everything.  We'll see where I end up because there is a sister in El Paso going home next week and so there will be an open spot there.  I don't know what will happen but I'm just praying that I'll be able to accept whatever happens with excitement.  (My companions in the field)

Ok, so the open house is over.  I was thinking about it and this past month that we've had in the valley has probably been one of the best months of my life.  I saw so many miracles and was blessed more than I could have ever imagined.  The temple truly is the house of our Lord. 

It was wonderful to be with all of the sisters.  Really, it was so much fun!  We saw a lot of miracles this week.  On Thursday Sister Mackay and I saw a huge one.  To preface it, I have a quick story.  Well Sister Mackay and I have been having a friendly competition/tournament with Sister Cope and Sister Cosgrove.  Among the events in this tournament were volleyball and badminton.  Well Thursday morning while running backwards to hit the birdy, Sister Mackay slipped on some rocks and sprained her ankle really bad.  It was huge and bruised and just nasty.  We both knew that even though it hurt way bad she still needed to go to the temple and we would see miracles for her faith.  Usually when we're at the temple we do video rooms but since she couldn't really walk, we stayed in the cultural hall to answer questions and to just talk to people. 

Well I was walking around and this woman named Linda approached me.  She wanted to know if she could go on another tour because she was "looking for something."  I said sure and then she proceeded to tell me about her life.  She's been through a lot of hard hard things.  Well, we had been talking to her for awhile and this man from the temple committee approached us.  He told her that her friend had just told him about her and he wanted to talk to her.  He asked me to go get my companion because we were going to teach Linda.  So we went to an empty room in the church and he shared with her some personal feelings and he said, "now Linda, you came here today looking for an answer.  You've received it and need to follow it.  Please share with the sisters the experience that you had in the the temple."  She proceeded to tell us that while in the sealing room she could see everything behind her in the mirrors but the mirror in front of her was just like a normal mirror and that it stopped with her.  The man left and we talked to her.  Pretty much we listened to her and then we taught the first lesson.  Apparently she is a former investigator but hasn't been meeting with the missionaries in the past few years because her husband wouldn't allow her to anymore.  She is currently going through a divorce and is coming back to church.  Linda's friend drove her to the temple (it took 5 hrs) because she knew that she was get direction in her life.  While teaching her, the spirit was so strong and I don't think that Sister Mackay and I have ever been so bold with a person.  At the end of it, she said "On Sunday I'm going to talk to the Bishop so that I can get baptized!"  Yes!  She then asked us to go with her through the temple again.  We found 2 tour guides to take Linda, her friend, and the 2 of us through the temple.  While in the temple the Spirit was even stronger.  The best part was while we were in the celestial room and sealing room.  We asked the ushers to give us a bit of time alone in the Celestial Room so that she could pray and receive an answer.  It was really neat to be able to be in that room with just the 6 of us.  After a few minutes in there, we went to the sealing room where our tour guides bore powerful powerful witness of the reality of the Gospel.  Linda took the time to look in the mirrors again and this time it didn't just end with her.  It went on and on and on for eternity.  What a miracle!  Something that I thought was interesting though, is that Linda didn't see the miracle until she showed her faith.  It reminds me so much of Ether 12 and Moroni 7 when it talks about how we receive the miracles after the trials of our faith.  It is true for both Linda and for Sister Mackay and I.  If she hadn't have hurt herself and shown the Lord her faith and dedication, we wouldn't have had this experience.    

Another really cool thing happened this week.  The monastery from St. David came up. (Our Nun, Sister Corrin)  It really was an interesting experience.  Each person that came up got what they wanted from their trip.  Those that wanted to have more understanding got it.  Those that wanted to find faults didn't have a good experience.  It's pretty much like all of life, whatever we put into it we get.  Overall it was a really neat and positive experience to have them come up and to see what we believe in and find commonality in our faiths.  (Paul and Ruth, Paul is our investigator.)   

On Saturday night, the couple that we've worked with the most at the temple took us sisters on the last tour of the open house.  They decided to give the tour different then the other tours that they had given.  In each room, they bore testimony.  It was so powerful and really was something that I'll never forget.  None of us sisters wanted to leave the celestial room.  The power of the temple is so real. (We all worked together in with the Temple Open House.)
  

Like I said, my time at the open house really did change my life.  I know have a stronger conviction to attend the temple as much as possible so that I can have the blessings that come from the temple.  Also, so that I can help others receive those blessings.  The Plan of Happiness and our lives would have no purpose without the temple and the covenants we make in them.  I just love the temple so much.  This temple has become my temple and I can't wait to go through and do sessions in it.  I'm so excited for the day that I can go into the temple with my investigators and recent converts and to be with them as they make sacred promises with our Heavenly Father.  My job doesn't end as soon as our investigators walk out of the baptismal font.  It's much deeper than that.  I need to see them all at the temple and doing what they can to keep going and enduring to the end.  The temple really is what brings me the most happiness and joy and I'm so thankful for the covenants that I've made there. 

The Church is definitely true and it is up to us to share the truth and joy with everyone!  Have a great week!  I love you all! 

Love, Hermana Anderson 

Happy Late Mother's Day To Everyone

Hello again from Thatcher, AZ! 
(Mother's Day On The Farm)
Happy late Mother's Day to everyone!  It was so fun to talk to the fam on Sunday!  

Things are continuing to go really well here at the temple.  I love the temple and the opportunity that I've had for the past few weeks to work here.  Like I've said before, there is something amazing about being able to greet people before and after their tours.  In most of the people there is a dramatic change in their countenances.  It really is amazing!  I love it!  Often people come in and when we welcome them they seem a bit skeptical and distant, but afterwards it is really different.  They are open and friendly and really happy.  Isn't it amazing that the temple can do that even before it has been dedicated?  It's powerful.  There is no doubt that it is the house of the Lord.  Every time I walk through it I can feel the Spirit so strongly and it testifies to me of the truthfulness of the Gospel.  I love this temple!  It really feels like my temple!  I can't wait to finally be able to do sessions in the temple again. 


We had quite a few miracles in the temple this week.  First, there is a girl from St. David named Valerie who came up.  Valerie is 12 and is a foster child in the home of one of the member families in St. David.  I don't know where her father is but about a year ago her mom died.  Growing up she was taught that our Church was evil and that she needed to stay away from it.  Needless to say, she hasn't been interested at all in the church.  Despite her age she is really smart and mature; she's been forced to grow up quickly.  Well last week she came up with the Young Women and just LOVED the temple!  She couldn't stop smiling and talking about how she felt something special that she couldn't quite describe while she was in the temple.  She came up again a few days later with her host family and loved it!  She had a list of questions about the temple that we were able to answer.  It was way cool.  At some point in the conversation we asked her if she would like us to go to her house and teach her when we get back and she said that she would really like that!  This is huge because she didn't want to talk to us at all before! 

Another miracle involves a lady named Edith.  Edith lives behind some members and seems quite lost.  So the wonderful members brought her up to the temple and after her tour they approached us and she asked us to teach her!  Also, one day Sister Mackay and I were standing in the cultural hall and these 2 women came running to us.  In their hands were lists of questions that they had had from the temple.  They came a second time to learn more and to get answers.  It was so cool to be able to answer their questions and hear them say things like "yeah, that makes so much sense."  I loved it!  Yay!  Miracles! 

I'm pretty sure that I've talked about this before but I've noticed that the best days here and the days that we see the most miracles are the days that I pray the hardest.  There is a direct correlation between miracles and prayers.  I love the Bible Dictionary definition of prayer.  At one part it says, "The object of prayer is not to change the will of God, but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is already willing to grant, but that are made conditional on our asking for them.  Blessings require some work or effort on our part before we can obtain them.  Prayer is a form of work, and is an appointed means for obtaining the highest of all blessings."  Isn't that amazing?  As we really pray to our Heavenly Father and seek to have communication with Him we see miracles.  Not only do we see miracles for ourselves, but we also see them for others. 
Something that I've noticed since we've been here is that once people come to the temple they come again and again because they love the way that they feel when they're in it.  It's such a beautiful place, but the most beautiful thing is the spirit that is in there.  It is so amazing being able to serve here.  I love it here! 

This week is going to be crazy because it's the last week of the open house but I know that we'll see so many miracles.  It really will be so much fun!  I'm way excited!  I'm also way excited to go back to St. David.  I just love it there.  Everyone there is so nice!  Last week Terry's (our investigator) barn thing blew down.  Well we talked to him yesterday and he said that members of the ward were going over yesterday to fix it all up.  The members are really taking care of our investigators.  It's so cool to see the ward members involved in the missionary effort.  Something I've noticed is that the ward that has the most success (the San Pedro Ward) is the ward where the members are the most involved.  They all love missionary work so much because they understand the fact that we are all brothers and sisters and need to look out for each other.  It is so cool.  It's made me decide to be the best missionary/fellowshiper ever when I go home because it makes all of the difference. 

Well, I sure love you all!  I hope that you have a great week and that you will all be able to see the Lord's hands in your lives.  I know that as you look for them you will see them. 

I always try to remember the Children of Israel and that as they looked, they lived.  Look to Christ and live!  He is the ONLY way.  He is the truth and the light.  Seek Him and you will find Him and be blessed forever.  The Gospel is definitely true!

Love, Hermana Anderson

Baptisim Isn't The End, Rather It's The Beginning

Hey there everyone! 

Thanks for all of your wonderful letters and emails!  I love receiving them!  Sorry that I haven't been very good at responding to them, things are super busy here and writing is at the bottom of my priority list.  Sorry.  Please know that even if I don't respond to all of your letters, I'm so thankful for them and that I am thinking about you. 

This week was another amazing week!  We were blessed with many miracles here at the temple.  Everyday my testimony is strengthened in the fact that the temple really is the House of the Lord.  There is so much peace and joy that comes from the temple.  I love it! 

One of the highlights of the week and actually of my mission was on Wednesday night.  The youth from the San Pedro ward in St. David came up and it was amazing!  Among them were our investigators Jesse, Nat, and Hazel.  It was so so so cool!  I loved it!  The expressions on their faces were priceless as we walked through the temple.  They were so happy and in awe.  They really knew that they were walking on sacred ground.  It was beautiful! 

As we were walking through, I thought a lot about the video that we watch before going into the temple.  In it, Elder Holland says something to the effect of "Heaven wouldn't be heaven without my family."  That is definitely true but I was also thinking that heaven wouldn't be heaven without my investigators.  The experiences of being able to walk through the Lord's house with our investigators and afterwards talking about their goals of going into the temple again is priceless.  It has really put things into perspective for me.  We all know that baptism isn't the end, rather it is the beginning.  These experiences here have really solidified that truth to me.  Everyone needs the blessings of the temple and it is our job to make sure that they have the chance. 

After we walked through the temple with the youth we all went to the reception room to eat cookies and talk.  My companions and I split up so that we could talk to as many kids as possible.  I was sitting at a table with some of the youth and I noticed that there was a kid that I didn't know so I started to talk to him.  He proceeded to tell me that he almost got baptized last year but at the last minute his grandma said he couldn't be and so he was waiting until he turned 18.  I asked when that would be and he said May 13th!  I said something like "well Matt, now is the time" and it was so cool because all of the kids at the table were so excited and agreed!  So when we get back to St. David we'll teach him and get him baptized so that he can come back to the temple and receive those blessings that he needs! 

Also on Wednesday, the De La Cruz family came to the temple.  They're the inactive family that we've been working closely with and they just came to church for the first time in 5 or 6 years!  It was so cool to see them there.  Afterwords we went to speak with the family.  Hermano De La Cruz was just crying because he recognized the blessings that he's been missing out on the past few years.  He's committed to changing and coming back to the temple!   There are so many wonderful blessings that are coming from the open house! 

On Saturday we had a tender mercy.  We found out that Jesse would be coming to the temple again that day so we raced to the temple but we thought that we had missed him.  Sister Mackay and I were pretty bummed because we wanted to see him one last time before his baptism.  Well he showed up about 8 hrs after we expected him!  We didn't miss him and got to see him one last time before the baptism!  It was cool because we were able to help calm his nerves.  So yesterday Jesse, his mom Angela, and his brother Dillon were all baptized!!!!!!  We're so so happy! 

The ward really has rallied around them and helped them to make this transition.  Afterwards we were talking to lots of people on the phone about it and they said that it was amazing.  So many people came!  All but 5 pews in the chapel were full of people that attended that baptismal service!  So cool!  Apparently lots of people took pictures so we're really excited to see them.  I just love this family and am so happy for them.  It doesn't matter if we were there or not, it just mattered that they were able to make that covenant with our Heavenly Father.  After they were baptized we were talking to Angela on the phone and she said that we need to plan a date for her to go to the temple a year from now.  She said that the only excuse for Sister Mackay and I not going is if we're in labor which will definitely not be the case.  I love how she has a vision of how baptism is not the end.  Sometime this week she will also be bringing up some of her nonmember friends to go to the open house!   This family is amazing! 

Yesterday we also had another amazing experience.  President planned a special Sacrament Meeting for us sisters.  We've all been pretty warn out and this was just the boost we needed.  We started out by having questions answered.  After that we sang a hymn and he and the man over the open house blessed and passed the sacrament to us.  We were then able to have a testimony meeting which really boosted all of us.  We all were able to bear our testimonies and get the strength from the spirit and each other that we all have desperately needed.  It was amazing!  Oh, speaking of testimonies... on Thursday at zone conference President called 2 elders and myself up to bear our testimonies.  He said now we would like to hear testimonies from "Elder..., Elder... (I can't remember who), and Sister Anderson - the younger."  Some things never die.  It was a great experience to be able to bear pure testimony from my heart of what I know is true. 

Well, I hope that you all have a great week!  Thanks for all of your love, support, letters, and prayers!  I love you all!  The Church is definitely true! 

Love, Hermana Anderson -  the younger
ps I'll talk to you on Sunday!