Be diligent and heed the word of the Lord

hey there everyone!  I can't believe that another Monday is here.  Time goes by so quickly when you're working hard!  Thanks everyone for the letters this week!  I love mail so much! 

This week has been really good!  We taught quite a bit and saw miracles!  Thursday was really neat because Elder Paul V. Johnson on the 70 and his wife here for a mission tour.  They were so nice!  Before it even started they took the time to meet us all.  They had 2 conferences, one for the Tucson side of the mission and one for the other.  I always love being with huge groups of missionaries.  It's always so neat and the spirit is always so strong.
 

Elder Johnson taught us about the importance of being diligent and "heeding" the word of the Lord.  He talked about how we can have a super powerful lesson but that that wont do anything until our investigators act.  If we don't act, we're not going to get anywhere.  None of us can progress in the Gospel without acting. 

We've really seen that here.  I can't remember if I told you last week, if I did please forgive me.  Well, our investigator Sondra just didn't seem to want to progress.  She would never "heed" the word but we just have felt like we couldn't drop her.  Well, about a week and a half ago we decided that we needed to do all that we could to help her read the Book of Mormon.  So every day we would go over there and read with her.  Well, things are really starting to change.  There is a new light in her life and she is now reading it on her own and has gotten her sons to join her.  I know that that Book of Mormon is the word of God and that it truly does save lives.  She was struggling with a lot of issues but it seems like since she's started making reading more of a priority those issues seem smaller.  Sometimes when we get to her trailer she's out smoking and we've really come to know that there is no point in sharing the Gospel when that is going on.  It's amazing because as she's smoking we never know what to say to her but when she's done, our mouths are filled and we're able to have great lessons.  It's too bad that everyone doesn't see the way we do.  Sometimes I just want to shake people because the truth is so apparent but they can't see it.  They're not "heeding" to the word.  

During the lunch break of the zone conference we were eating and having a pleasant time and then the assistants came and told me and Sister Aquino that Elder Johnson wanted to meet with us individually. 
Well, needless to say, we got a little bit nervous.  It turns out that we picked a few missionaries that he wanted to have interviews with and we were some of them.  It was really neat to be able to have a one on one conversation with a member of the 70.  Pretty much he wanted to get to know me.  One question that he asked me was how I felt about serving a mission.  For a few seconds I just stared at him.  I have no idea how to put into words how I feel about being a missionary.  I started to cry and shared with him how it has changed me.  I'll always be grateful for what serving a mission has done for me.  I don't even know how to express it but to say that it has made me better.  It's made me know who I am and be confidant in that.  I've come to trust more and to love more.  It's amazing how being gone and serving the Lord for a few months can do so much to someone.  I'm so thankful.  I'm so glad that I'm here in the heat rather than in a classroom.

Well, we saw some great miracles yesterday!  2 investigators, 2 less-active families, and 2 less-active sisters that we've been working with came to church!  Woo!  Ben, one of our investigators is 11 years old.  Well, he decided that he was going to come to church no matter what.  His family is a part-member family and very very less-active.  Yesterday morning came around and none of them wanted to come to church.  Instead of using that as an excuse, Ben got up and ready and rode his bike to church by himself.  He was even there a half hour early.  He is such a good example.  We have to do the right things even if they are hard.  Roy (10 years old) came along with his mom.  He had his baptismal interview yesterday and is going to get baptized on Saturday!  Woo!  I'm so excited!  I love working with part-member families because I'm helping them become closer to becoming eternal families.  Eternal families is what it's all about.  The whole reason that we're here on the earth to be tried and tested so that we can live with our families forever. 

Yesterday in church I also got to teach Gospel Principals.  The lesson was on obedience.  Part of the lesson talks about being obedient even though things seem meaningless or small.  It reminded me of Elder Bednar's talk last October about how the small things make the biggest difference.  He talks about how testimonies are grown one scripture study, one prayer, and one family night at a time.  Those things all seem pretty minor and small but when you add them up they become big things and make all of the difference in the world.       
A few days ago we met these 13 year old alter boys from the Catholic church.  They were so nice and really want to know that truth and live it.  Well, we taught them the first lesson.  After sharing the first vision we of course asked how they felt.  I really liked their answer.  They said that they felt "free."  It reminds me of the scripture that says that the truth will make us free.  People often are worried about accepting the Gospel because they say that there are too many "restrictions" but this really isn't the case.  The Gospel liberates us.  It makes us free.  It brings light, joy, and meaning into our lives.  We all desperately need to Gospel!  It is definitely true.  

Well, I hope that you all have a great week!  Look to God and Live!
Love, Sister Anderson 
 
FYI ~ Melissa will be released December 18th and will be speaking in Sacrament Meeting December 19th at 10:50 A.M.

Do some good in the world today!

Hey everyone! Sounds like you're all doing great! Thanks so much for the emails and letters in the mail! I love hearing from home. I'm sorry to hear about our cougars. Hopefully they'll be able to pick things up this week.

So this week has been really really good! We taught a lot! It was amazing, I don't think that I've taught that many lessons since I was in El Paso. It was so much fun! I love teaching the Gospel. Every time I teach and have the opportunity to bear my testimony I feel so much stronger and happier. It is amazing how the Lord blesses us for doing the things that we should be doing. From Tuesday night to Thursday morning I had an exchange with Sister Howard. She came up here to San Manuel with me and we had so much fun together! She and I teach really well together. She's been training (for the 3rd transfer in a row) and kind of needed a break so she came on up. Also, our companions don't talk much in the lessons so we thought that it would be good for them to be together and be forced to talk. I think that it did them a lot of good and us a lot of good. Sister Howard goes home in 2 weeks so it was good for her to come up and refocus for her last few weeks. While on that exchange we made it a goal to talk to everyone we saw and it was so fun to do that. We even pulled over the truck a few times to talk to people. I love talking to everyone. Sometimes it's kind of awkward but that's ok because every time I talk to someone I know that Heavenly Father is happy with me.

(Last week I had over 27 bites on my right ankle and foot)

Sister Rust and I had a really neat experience on Saturday. We were out and about and I felt really prompted that we needed to visit a sister that came to our Gospel Principals class on Sunday. So we immediately we went to her home. She invited us in to talk for a bit. Well, after about 20 mins of us talking to her she said, "I have a 10 year old son who isn't baptized. Do you think that he should be baptized?" Of course! He must be baptized! So Roy, her son, comes out and she asked him if he wanted to be baptized. He asked us what that meant so we taught him what it meant to be baptized. He then said, "can I be baptized on October 9th?" Seriously?!?! So cool! We told him that we would be happy to oblige with that. It was amazing how it all happened. What a miracle! When we follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost miracles happen. It was amazing also because the 9th was the day that we had been setting baptisms for and he just picked that date out of the air. It was incredible. He and his mom came to church again yesterday so that was really neat. We're excited because not only will Roy be baptized but his mom will be reactivated. I have a dream of the primary being full in this ward (right now there are about 5 kids that go) and we're well on our way to that. We're also working with the Parry family. Just like with Roy's family, we wont only be baptizing kids, we'll be reactivating a family.



Last night we had dinner with this wonderful elderly couple. After dinner, the sister took us to show us where her friend lives. She didn't have any intention of getting out and talking but Bobbi, the friend, saw us and came out to talk. Well, in the middle of their conversation the friend said, "My husband and I have been talking and we think that it's about time that we get baptized..." Crazy cool! I was smiling so big but trying not to look too goofy. The member invited them and us over for dinner and a lesson on Wednesday. We're way excited! The member said that Bobbi has said this before and not to get our hopes up yet. We're choosing to believe that this will be the time that Bobbi and Jon really go through with this desire. I'm so excited to be a part of it!


So yeah, that was kind of this week in a nut shell. Lately I've been listening to General Conference talks from last October and I really love Sister Dibb's and President Monson's from the Sunday morning session. President Monson talks about doing good and serving others. At the end of his talk, he quoted the song "Have I done any Good in the World Today." I LOVE this song! I think that it is one of my new favorites. I love the words!
"Have I done any good in the world today? Have I helped anyone in need? Have I cheered up the sad? Or made someone feel glad? If not I have failed in deed. Then wake up! And do something good..." Read the words to the song. They're powerful. Everyday I think about this song and ask myself if I've done any good in the world today. It's made me really think. I love how it says to wake up. I feel like so many times, we're just going through our routines and forget what is really important. Lets all wake up and do some good in the world today and everyday!

I love you all and hope that you have a great day! The Gospel is definitely true! Do good and be happy!

Love, Sister Anderson

Hey!

(we heart attacked a sister who had her knee replaced)

Hey everyone!  I'm happy to hear that our cougars were victorious! 

I realized this weekend that I've come a far way.  Last year at this time I was dying to know how the football team was doing.  There were members who would even call me and let me know if the cougars won or not.  Well, I'm happy to report that this year it hasn't really even phased me.  Of course I wore blue and white to show my support, but I didn't even feel a twinge of wanting to be there.  What a difference a year makes.  Of course, things will be back to normal again next season. 

So this week has been really great.  Sister Rust and I saw a lot of miracles.  About 2 weeks ago we were out looking for this less-active man and found this 15 year old girl named Rycca.  She said that we could come back and talk to her. Well, it turns out that her grandma who she lives with is a member of the church!  I love part-member families! So we started teaching Rycca.  She is an awesome girl who is super busy.  It's so funny because her friends aren't interested in changing religions, but they sit in on all of the appointments to hear what we have to say. 

On Tuesday we taught the first lesson (the Restoration) and really focused every part of it on baptism.  At the end we shared in 2nd Nephi where it talks about Christ being baptized and that in order to follow Him we too must be baptized.  Well that kind of hit Rycca.  Her friends were like "I've been baptized!" and she sheepishly said that she hadn't. We informed her that that was ok because it is our job to help people come unto Christ through making covenants like baptism.  We invited her to be baptized and without hesitation she accepted!  Woohoo!  We're so excited about Rycca.  The only issue is that she's so busy and it is hard to see her every day but we're working. 

We also started to teach these 2 boys this week.  Their names are Hunter and Benjamin and they're 8 and 11.  Their parents are members of the Church and the boys have been wanting to go to church.  It's amazing, they're spiritually super mature for their ages.  They've really been prepared.  Well, we talked with their dad and set up an appointment to teach the boys.  We got to the appointment and the 2 boys came out and both said, "I want to be baptized!"  What a miracle!  And the dad is super supportive of it.  We gave them both Books of Mormon and every day when we go over we are amazed about how much they've read. They truly want to learn everything.  They're like sponges just soaking everything in.  Unfortunately their mom is also less-active and lives in a different town so they wont be able to come to church with us every Sunday, but one of the great members here is friends with her so we're going talk to her about the situation. 

I love working with members and part-member families. 

In PMG there is a a quote from President Hinckley that says that so many of us see missionary work as simply tracting but all involved know that there is a better way and that is through the members.  I tract when other plans fall through, but I agree with President Hinckley, there are so many better and more effective ways to do missionary work.
   
As I was reading the Book of Mormon this morning I came across something that I thought was really interesting. It is 1st Nephi 15.  Well at this point, Nephi had just come down from the mountain after learning the interpretation of his father's vision of the tree of life.  He comes down and everyone is all upset because they don't understand the vision.  Nephi asks his brothers if they asked the Lord for the meaning of it all and they said that they hadn't (too bad, ask and ye shall find...).  So Nephi began to explain it all to his brothers. Well in verse 24 speaking of the iron rod it says, "And I said unto them that it was the word of God; and whoso would hearken unto the word of God, and would hold fast unto it, they would never perish; neither could the temptations and the fiery darts of the adversary overpower them unto blindness, to lead them away to destruction."  What a great promise!  If we hold fast and cling to the word of God we'll be safe and Satan wont be able to get us.  It reminds me of Helaman 5:12.  As we hold on to the word of God we are building on our Rock, Christ.  This is why daily scripture study is so important.  It's not just a nice thing to do, it's something that we need to do! 

He said that he exhorted his brothers with "all the energies of my soul, and with all the faculty which I possessed, that they would give heed to the word of God and remember to keep his commandments always in all things (vs 25)".  It made me think about if I do that.  Do I exhort everyone with all that I have to study the word of God, to feast upon the Book of Mormon?  I mean, we're talking about salvation here. So I think that I finally am starting to understand why our leaders keep saying that the Book of Mormon is salvation in our hands. 

Elder Holland says that if people don't read the Book of Mormon we need to be "devastated" and read with them.  But in PMG it says that if people fall back into old habits we need to be understanding and help them get back onto the right path.  I wondered about this and have realized that this is because the Book of Mormon helps us to overcome those old habits, to overcome the "natural man." 

Elder Ballard said, "In a world ever more dangerous... the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ has the nourishing power to heal starving spirits of the world."  What an amazing promise!  The world is full of starving souls and we have what will give them nourishment. 

I love the Book of Mormon!  And I have one more quote about it.  This is from President Hinckley.  "Each time we encourage others to read the Book of Mormon we do them a favor.  If they read it prayerfully and with a sincere desire to know the truth, they will know by the power of the Holy Ghost that the book is true.  From that knowledge there will flow the conviction of the truth of many other things. for if the Book of Mormon is true, then God lives.  If the Book of Mormon is true then Jesus is verily our Redeemer, the Savior of the world.  The great purpose of it's preservation in coming forth according to it's own statement is to the convincing of the Jew and gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the eternal God, manifesting himself unto all nations. If the Book of Mormon is true, Joseph Smith was a prophet of God... for he was the instrument in the hands of God in bringing to light this testimony of the divinity of our Lord.  If the Book of Mormon is true then the Church is true... for the same authority by which this sacred record came to light is present and manifest among us today."  He also promised that if we read the book, "There will come into your hearts an added measure of the Spirit of the Lord. There will come a strength and resolution to walk in obedience to his commandments and there will come a stronger testimony of the living reality of the Son of God."  Wow!  What great promises! 

So what is stopping us from reading, studying, and loving this book? 

I'm doing you all a "favor" today and I'm encouraging you all to feast upon the words of Christ.  I promise you that as you do so you will be changed and you will see miracles in your lives.  Prophets don't lie.  

I hope that you're all doing wonderfully and made it down to the end of this long letter. 

Remember that true happiness only comes from Christ. He is the only way.  Accept Him into your lives and feast upon His words.  I love you all lots!  

Love, Sister Anderson