Well we had a really good week this week! Elder Gilliland and I started working a lot better together and it is amazing what will happen when there is unity in a companionship. When we started working better together we were able to get the work going a lot better in our area and we were able to pick up 7 new investigators in our area just in the last week. We were able to pick up five new investigators on Wednesday. Shelby Anderson and her four children. They are all really excited to get baptized, they all know that it is the right thing to do and know that it is something they need to do we just hope and pray that Shelby's ex-husband and the children's father doesn't get to them. (He is a non-denominational Christian preacher) somethin' or another. This last week I also realized how much I have a testimony of the power of prayer and the power of priesthood in my life. With the different health challenges I have had in my life and the stories I can tell about the brain tumor and such it can help strengthen other people's testimony's as well.
I know that this work that I am doing here in the Salt Lake City South mission is a great work and that it is very important! I know that it is a work that Heavenly Father wants me to do and that Satan does not want me to do. My new favorite scripture that I turn to almost every day is D&C 10:5 "Pray always, that you may come off conqueror; yea, that you may conquer Satan, and that you may escape the hands of the servants of Satan that do uphold his work."
This scripture is so true. Satan and his angels are always out there trying to stop the work from progressing, but if we constantly pray and have a prayer in our hearts then we can come of conqueror and we can keep the work moving forward.
I hope that all of you are doing missionary work in your own lives! And that you pray for missionary opportunity's to happen in your lives daily.
I love all of you and pray for you daily!
I can't wait to hear from you all and hope to get letter's in the mail from you soon!
Love,
Elder Anderson
Monday, June 29, 2009
Hey There
Hey there! I'm emailing earlier than usual this week because we are cleaning the temple later. How are you all doing? What's going on in the outside world? Thanks so much for all of the letters and packages, I really love them! Oh mom, an elder in my district's mom decided not to send him his gym shoes. I was wondering if you can go buy some with some of my money. He'll pay me back. His limit is $40 and he wears size 12. Let me know if that is possible through dear elder. Thanks.
So this week has been an awesome week! My companion Hermana Lee has had lots of questions lately. Weird questions. One time she mentioned that she would love to see an apostle. I knew that if she saw one that she would know that Heavenly Father loves her. So I thought about that a lot. Well, last week Hermana Kang lost her temple recommend. Our branch president told us that we needed to go to the front desk to get it signed by the mtc president on Thursday. So we went and right in front of the doors was Elder Parry and Elder Bednar and their wives. They stopped us and we talked to them for awhile. Its amazing how normal they are. They're real people. From this experience I realized that when we live our lives right Heavenly Father answers the righteous desires of our hearts. It was amazing. On Friday we had our devotional. Elder Holland spoke. It was AMAZING!!!! He talked about how we are doing the work of angels. I know that this is true. Every day I can feel angels bear me up and help me do what I need to do. I love it. He also told us that it is important to have a "divine companionship." That means that the Holy Ghost is always our companion. It is divine because we have a member of the Godhead as our companion. I think that that is beautiful. I was in the choir and we sang "Joseph Smith's First Prayer." There was no denying that Joseph saw God the Father and His son Jesus Christ. It is so true. Everything I do is based on that fact. If it wasn't true I would be wasting my time.
So I've realized something this week. I am no longer just my easy going old self. I've developed quite a bit of a red personality. Its funny to me because I was never really like this before. I when the Lord calls you he qualifies you as well. I was talking to my branch president about it and he told me that he has always seen me as a leader and that he knows that that is what I'm supposed to do. I have a lot to work on. I need more charity. Every week we pick a Christ like quality found in chapter 6 of Preach My Gospel to work on. That is the quality I need most right now and have been working on it for quite some time. Like I said, I had an interview with my Branch President. I love him and his wife. They are like my parents here.
Oh, we got 3 new roommates this week! They are all American! When we found out that we were getting new roommates my companions weren't very happy. I told them that we had 2 options. Our options were to be happy and excited or to be miserable. I asked them which one they would rather have and they told me the first. I think thats how it is with everything in life. Its all in our attitude. One of them is actually really good friends with Mykel. So that is cool. We all get along really well.
Well, I don't have much time today. Will you forward this to Suzy and Dad? I forgot their emails and don't have time to write them individually. This email is for everyone. Thanks Suzy and Dad for your letters. Dad, I told the elders how hot it is in AZ and they are scared to death (2 are from Alaska and are already dying of heat here). Well I love you all! I hope that you have a great week. Thanks for praying for me! I need your prayers! Bye!
Love, Hermana Anderson
So this week has been an awesome week! My companion Hermana Lee has had lots of questions lately. Weird questions. One time she mentioned that she would love to see an apostle. I knew that if she saw one that she would know that Heavenly Father loves her. So I thought about that a lot. Well, last week Hermana Kang lost her temple recommend. Our branch president told us that we needed to go to the front desk to get it signed by the mtc president on Thursday. So we went and right in front of the doors was Elder Parry and Elder Bednar and their wives. They stopped us and we talked to them for awhile. Its amazing how normal they are. They're real people. From this experience I realized that when we live our lives right Heavenly Father answers the righteous desires of our hearts. It was amazing. On Friday we had our devotional. Elder Holland spoke. It was AMAZING!!!! He talked about how we are doing the work of angels. I know that this is true. Every day I can feel angels bear me up and help me do what I need to do. I love it. He also told us that it is important to have a "divine companionship." That means that the Holy Ghost is always our companion. It is divine because we have a member of the Godhead as our companion. I think that that is beautiful. I was in the choir and we sang "Joseph Smith's First Prayer." There was no denying that Joseph saw God the Father and His son Jesus Christ. It is so true. Everything I do is based on that fact. If it wasn't true I would be wasting my time.
So I've realized something this week. I am no longer just my easy going old self. I've developed quite a bit of a red personality. Its funny to me because I was never really like this before. I when the Lord calls you he qualifies you as well. I was talking to my branch president about it and he told me that he has always seen me as a leader and that he knows that that is what I'm supposed to do. I have a lot to work on. I need more charity. Every week we pick a Christ like quality found in chapter 6 of Preach My Gospel to work on. That is the quality I need most right now and have been working on it for quite some time. Like I said, I had an interview with my Branch President. I love him and his wife. They are like my parents here.
Oh, we got 3 new roommates this week! They are all American! When we found out that we were getting new roommates my companions weren't very happy. I told them that we had 2 options. Our options were to be happy and excited or to be miserable. I asked them which one they would rather have and they told me the first. I think thats how it is with everything in life. Its all in our attitude. One of them is actually really good friends with Mykel. So that is cool. We all get along really well.
Well, I don't have much time today. Will you forward this to Suzy and Dad? I forgot their emails and don't have time to write them individually. This email is for everyone. Thanks Suzy and Dad for your letters. Dad, I told the elders how hot it is in AZ and they are scared to death (2 are from Alaska and are already dying of heat here). Well I love you all! I hope that you have a great week. Thanks for praying for me! I need your prayers! Bye!
Love, Hermana Anderson
Monday, June 22, 2009
Hola
Oh my goodness! The Swine flu is taking over! We all knew that Reed would get it. Lets just be honest. Tell everyone that I hope that they get well soon! The MTCs problem with swine flu is getting much better. Last week there were over 50 people in quarantine and now there are less than 10. Its a miracle. I've been really good about not touching anyone (except I did hug my branch presidents wife last week). I love my branch presidency and their wives. Almost every night one of the wives comes and hangs out with us in our rooms before we go to bed. I'm really close to two of them. Its so nice to have English speaking women around! 
So like I said at the beginning of last week I was wondering if I was happy. So I was praying about it and it was answered during the Devotional. One speaker (Bishop Edgleys wife) said that happiness is 1. a sense of joy from belonging and being loved 2. a sense of confidence 3. a sense of purpose 4. a sense of gratitude 5. a sense of satisfaction from serving and doing hard things 6. a sense of freedom. I realized that I am a very happy person and that i was looking for pleasure not happiness. So this week has been really great! the language is starting to come and I'm so so thankful. Its tough but if the Lord called me to do it I can. So in class we spotlight someone everyday. 
Well Hermana Lee highlighted me last week. Usually people just get up and say things that just come to mind of the spot. Not her, she pulled out a paper. She had been taking notes on me without me even knowing it. So funny. Here is the list 1. she loves candies and chocolate 2. she is healthy 3. she plays basketball during gym sometimes 4. she loves ice cream 5. her mom is very gorgeous... (long pause) because she sends us packages 6. her sister is domestic (that's a tough word for them but we're working on it). Funny list huh. This week our teaching abilities have improved a ton. I love it! So here is what a day is like: 5:50 wake up. 6- exercise (it is just open for sisters). Sister Lindley has become my personal trainer and her run and lift weights. You would never believe it but i LOVE running now. 6:30 get ready. 7 breakfast. 7:30-11:30 class or personal or comp study. 11:30 lunch. 12:15 class or personal or comp study. 4:30 dinner (really early). 5:15 class or personal or comp study. 9:30 get ready for bed. 10:30 lights out. We also play sand volleyball most days for gym time and that time just changes everyday. I've seen Elder Lloyd a few times. He's doing great. So there are no new sisters coming any time soon. Hopefully one day. I'm sorry about the crafts specialists. Thats tough. Whats new with everyone? What did you do for Fathers Day? I'm glad dad liked the card! Why hasn't he written me yet? Just curious. I've been here for like 3 weeks now. So I really love it here. Its real tough but real good. I'm learning so so much. My testimony is strengthened so much every day. OH! This week is mission presidents week so its going to be amazing! The first presidency and lots of the apostles will be here! There is going to be a big devotional on Friday that I'm way excited about! Well I better go. I love you all! Have a great week! The church is true!Love, Hermana Anderson
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