October 2016

Tuesday, December 27, 2016

December 26, 2016

December 26, 2016

Well, I don't really have a whole ton to write today due to the fact that I got to talk to most of you yesterday.  It was great being able to talk with you and hear how things are going and just to relax and enjoy the day,

We spent most of our time these past few days just at member's houses and eating tons of food.  Like tons and tons of food. 

I hope you all had a super Merry Christmas and that you guys all got the things that you wanted, 

I really love being out here in the mission and working.  It is hard, but it is all worth it and tons of fun.

So a little update...we were moving into a new house in our sector, but some things got mixed up and we are living in a small apartment for the next few days until they find us a house.

I love you guys. Take care and have a happy new year!


Elder Anderson

This is a photo, that I took at the Mission Christmas Party!


Christmas Skype

December 25, 2016

It was so good to hear Elder Anderson's voice and see his sweet smile!  He looks well.  He is happy and healthy.  He shines with a light of the Savior and loves the work he is doing.  His Spanish is amazing for only being out 12 weeks.  He is already forgetting words in English.  It was truly a perfect moment to have all my family together on Christmas Day as we spoke to Elder Anderson.  I am proud of him and his efforts to daily serve the Lord with his whole heart, might, mind, and strength.  The ward members in his area are so good to him.  They lift and serve the missionaries and help the work progress.  It is always hard to end that call, but I will cherish it until Mothers Day.




Skype is at 6:00 my time!

December 19, 2016

So to start off, we Skype at 6 my time on Christmas!  Please write down some questions you have for me. Haha! That way we can be more productive! I am so excited to get to talk to you all and share experiences with you! I have tons of questions for all of you, especially Morgan and Heidi!

This past week it has been super, super, super hot! Like really hot.  The hottest it got this past week was 40 c whatever that is in f, but ya we are drinking tons of water and let me tell you, we are just sweating it all out. It is good, it gives us more motivation to get into houses and teach!

So speaking of teaching............. we are lighting this place up! I am so excited!  This is my first area and we are really getting some good investigators. We are literally having people call us and say they read our first pamphlet and want to be baptized!!!!!! How great is that! And not to brag or anything, but in one day I contacted all by myself 2 people that are now new investigators!! We are really starting to do well, especially now cause we are in a trio!!!  That's right, Elder Dumer's companion finished his mission and now he is my comp as well.

So this Saturday we have a baptism planned, it will be great!  We have been working with this guy a long time trying to get him to stop drinking and he has been clean for a while, so I think we are good to go! He just has to get interviewed. Things in my zone have changed up a bit also. My old zone leader is now AP and the new zone leader is way cool.

I am really starting to get a hold of Spanish! I still have a ton to continue to learn, but I am able to talk with people without them knowing how long I have been here, and i really am able to see the gift of tongues working with me.
Here in Abrazo we can really see Heavenly Father's hand working.  There is no way that the fruits we are reaping is just because of our work, it is God working with these people.  We are really working hard and we are trying to be perfectly obedient.  This work is so great!  I am so excited for everything that is happening, and I am so excited to get to talk to you guys on Sunday! I believe that it is around 2 your time.
I hope all is well.  Love you all!
Love Elder Anderson








Sunday, December 18, 2016

Cara us gordo

December 12, 2016

Well my face is getting fat.  Haha that's right, the skinny kid who could never gain weight in his life is getting fat. I am up to 73 kilo whatever that is in pounds, but my face is getting a littler fatter! Not as bad as Morgan's did in his mission, but it is!  We eat tons of bread here and thanks to all that my face is getting fat!

So big news at home! Congrats Morgan and Heidi! I am so happy for you guys! I will try and send a letter for you here soon. I am not going to lie, it is very hard having these exciting things happen while I am gone but, todo es parte de Dios plan para nosotros. Hora Dios plan para mi es una mision en Chile. But I am super excited for you guys!  I can't wait to talk to you all on Christmas about everything!  I want you to make sure that all my family is there, and now that includes Heidi! 

This past week it has rained a bit, but that's all good with me it is a good break from the heat. My week has consisted of pretty much just trying to get people to commit to a date. We have a bunch of baptisms coming up. Not going to lie, I am pretty happy. This area has been dead for a long time and we are lighting it up! 

My Spanish is coming a long. I talk like I am from the hood but, that's all good! 

The other day we had the opportunity to help one of our investigators a bit with making some sopapias we made about 300 of them. Haha ya lots, but it was a great opportunity. I loved being able to cook a little since I just eat what people give me and what can be cooked in a microwave.

So I had this super spiritual experience this past week during one of our lessons with our investigators. She has taught me a ton. I will tell you guys this story on Skype because it is too spiritual to write in an email, but it is really cool. This lady has taught me a ton about myself and the spirit.

It becomes more and more real everyday of the 2 forces at work here, good and evil, and each day Satan is working harder on us. We get yelled at a ton right now. I know it is because the work here is picking up and we have baptisms coming up.

Last week we had a meeting with Elder Texara of the 70 it was super good. This is the second time I have seen him speak.  The other is when we had a meeting with Elder Rasband right before we left the CCM. 

I am really loving the mission and the people. I am starting to get the hang of things and I am really enjoying myself and talking to the people. This is super hard, but it is great! I know the Lord is blessing us in this work. 

I love you all! Keep up the great work! 

Love, Elder Anderson

Cache Valley Boys in Chile

December 7, 2016. 

Well one of the cool things about this week was that we were in the offices for District Meeting and Elder Anderson was there! Good old Andres!  Haha!  Elder Fuller and I were so excited to see him! He is for sure not the same guy he used to be. He was super nice and it was great to talk to him for a minute! We all three have gotten the name Valley Boys. 

So I sent a letter today, be looking for that. It tells a little bit more about the house and stuff with that, but right now we are living in a small house outside of our sector which makes it super hard.  We are in the process of looking for a new house.

My Spanish is doing pretty well for only having 3 weeks under my belt. I can very clearly see the blessings of the gift of tongues working. I am able to talk to people quite a bit without them knowing that I am pretty new here. Although many people try and make fun of me because I am white. People will be talking to me and then stop and say do you understand and then I tell them that I talk Spanish and they get really embarrassed.

So with food, every day we eat at a members house and they fill us to the brim. Out here you pretty much lick your plate clean or they get offended, but I have learned to love the food here. The ward members are amazing! They take such good care of us and really are some of the nicest people ever!

I guess I must be killing my companions.  I don't know if I told you this, but the Thursday right before we left the CCM my comp Elder Hodgson had to get his appendix removed and now my comp Elder Rios might need to get his removed as well. He has been having some other medical problems over the past few weeks with such things as a really bad eye infection.   Haha, I must be a really hard person to be around!

I love you all and can't wait till Christmas to talk to you! I love the mission.  I love Spanish.  I love the people and I love the work even though some days I feel like I am in an oven! 

Love, 

Elder Anderson



Thursday, December 1, 2016

Primero bautismal en la mision

November 28, 2016

Well to start off I had my first baptism.  It was a little kid named E. He is super cool. My comp Elder Rios baptized him. He is such a great kid and has so much potential. He is only 9, so he has his whole life ahead of him.

Miapu is the city I live in.  It is pretty big and we have to take buses to go into town and everything. There are tons of people in this town and lots of other religions. It is a lot of fun to be here in this city and to be with the people. A lot of cool people here that have so much potential.

This last week we went on divisions. In 1 day we got 8 new investigators in one day, so it was a day well spent. We worked our butts off!  Haha, but I learned a ton and on top of that we had some crazy experiences.

Also my package came this past week. Thank you so much for the tree and everything. I haven't opened the ranch dressing yet but it was so great to get it! Thank you!

Yesterday we had a fireside with the stake about the Book of Mormon and how true it is. A guy from BYU came and spoke. He talked about the external and internal reasons of why it is true and how Joseph Smith didn't write it, he translated it. I didn't get to stay for the whole thing because we had to leave, but it was super good. There are so many reasons that don't even have to do with the gospel side of the Book of Mormon that prove that it is true, but still the best way for a person to know of its truth is to read it.

I love you guys and thank you for all your prayers. I missed being with you all over Thanksgiving. I hope it was all good! For my Thanksgiving we ate a few slices of pizza at 10:20 at night.  

I love you all. Take care. Please remember to enjoy everything in life and don't take anything for granted!

Love Elder Anderson

Monday, November 21, 2016

Trabajar in Maipu

November 21, 2016

Well my brain is going crazy right now so sorry if this doesn't make sense! 

My companion's name is Elder Rios. He is from South Chile. Way cool guy. We get along great. He doesn't speak English, but I speak enough Spanish that I can talk to him about stuff. 

My area is in Miapu. It basically a neighborhood. It is pretty great.

So we have some way cool people for our investigators right now. It is so cool to be able to work with them and see them grow in the gospel. One lady we are teaching has cancer and has 3 month to live. It is pretty sad, but hopefully she will get baptized. We have about 5 people we are trying to get baptized right now and out of the 5 two of them are getting baptized this Saturday. Way cool to actually be in the work instead of studying for it. 

So I don't speak true Spanish. Haha! Out here I am learning Chilean. They speak super fast and only say about half of the word. It is great. I am learning fast and people say that I speak good,so that's a plus! 

So out here when people meet each other they give one another a kiss. So of coarse we were in a lesson and some lady walks through the door. I was looking the other way and next thing I know this lady kisses me on the head. After we left the house my comp couldn't stop laughing. Haha you got to learn to stiff arm the people! 

There are a lot of dogs here! They are sick and don't look good. They bark a ton!  I hear dogs barking all day long!

There are also Haitians that live here. I have to learn some Creel to teach them.  They are way cool people and are way humble. I love teaching them. 

I have been yelled at by a lot of people here and called lots of names. Many people don't like white people, but I love the mission. I am doing very well and we are working super hard. My trainer is great. I couldn't ask for a better situation. 

So one of the cool things is that I live with Elder Fuller. At night we talk in English. It's nice to have someone to talk to about things from home.

I love you all. Keep up the good work!

con amor

Elder Anderson


They misspelled my name on my mission picture in the offices.  I am now Jared.





Wednesday, November 9, 2016

Earthquakes and Trump wakes

November 9, 2016

Haha, so the most exciting thing that happened was a 6.4 earthquake. We were eating lunch and it happened. It barely shook my glass of Fanta. Haha! Most people didn't even feel it. The epicenter was about 20 miles away.

So my transfer into the field will be on Tuesday in the morning. I will get on a little bus with about 6 other elders. It will only be about an hour ride. Not really sure what else is going to happen, but I am in for the ride! Also you might not get an email from me for a while because I don't know when my next p day is! So don't worry too much!

The weather here is just like it would be there in June. It's going into summer. It gets hot at night and hard to sleep sometimes, but its all good. It is just kinda weird because I am skipping a season.

I am so grateful for everything that is going on here. This church is so true. I can't wait to get out into the field. There are so many cool and hard experiences waiting for me. 

Everything else with me is going just great. All my stuff is good. Money is good. My card is good. I am really starting to enjoy the adventures that happen each day.

Mom you said you wanted a pic of my tag so here it is!

So we found out Trump is President during p-day. It was on every TV.  I watched it while I was getting a haircut. I guess the whole world cares!

I love you guys! Be safe! Have fun! 

Love, Elder Anderson.






Wednesday, November 2, 2016

Putting miles on the leather

November 2, 2016

Well this past week has been full of emotions, good and bad. Ha ha! It's a super long story, but I am doing well. 

So this past Thursday, we took 2 hours and went out proselyting. It was good. We talked to probably 10 people, but they didn't really want to hear anything. Then we talked to one last lady. In our broken Spanish we gave her the run down on a pass along card and a Book of Mormon and we got her number! So stoked! The other missionaries took it from there and will contact her. She was a super nice mom and was really interested in hearing what we had to say, even though we couldn't really talk in Spanish! The park that we were assigned to go to was about 2 miles away from the mtc, so I did a lot of walking this past week considering that I normally sit in a chair for 16 hours a day.

On Friday they loaded my district and another district and we went to the North Mission and went on splits. The Elder I was assigned with didn't speak any English and was new to the area. We contacted some people, gave 2 lessons. I said a few prayers for people. They really like it when you pray for them and we just talked to a lot of people. No one was super interested or anything, but you could see the love that Christ has for them. It was a way good experience. We walked probably 6 miles and it was super hot. It was a super sketchy place in the city. A lot of homeless people, drunk people, gangs, and stray dogs. Everything has sharpened bars around it, but I wasn't scared, just stoked. It was the coolest thing that I have done here in the CCM. 

So one thing that would be good to send me is some american stamps. They work as international stamps down here.

I am doing well. I am staying healthy. I have gained 15 lbs, but everything is good! I am use to everything now. 

I love you all and thank you for the emails and the pics! Till next week!

Love Elder Anderson




Wednesday, October 26, 2016

Week Three

October 26, 2016

Well to start off I am ready to get out of the CCM.  It's great and all, but I really want to get out into the field. I want to get out and teach, but I know that I kinda need to learn some Spanish!

So a few things I learned about the West Mission. Its got a lot of Haitians. that speak French and Creole. Some missionaries came into the CCM to go to the doctors office that we have here and they are from the West Mission.  They told me about how people are super willing to be baptized, but they struggle with retention.  It looks like I will be learning french. The other missionaries that have been here for 3 weeks longer left today.  We were all super close, life long friends for sure. You don't think that you can get that close to people in 3 weeks, but trust me its possible. One Elder I am going to miss is Elder Mera he is 24 years old from Peru.  His family disowned him for joining the church. His dad also died on Monday so that was hard.

So let me tell you a little about the town and the options here. There are about 10 different malls within walking distance that I can go to on p-day and there is a Liders down the street. Liders is owned by Walmart. I can pretty much get anything that I want, but no pepper or ranch dressing. There are tons of people selling stuff on the streets, but we don't buy from they though. They raise the prices for Americans.

You were asking about what I want for Christmas and I am not really sure.  Probably 1 or 2 more short sleeve shirts as well as socks and ties, but I think just letters and pictures as well as some wristbands. They let us wear those.

The money system down here runs off of pesos and their bills are in mills. One american dollar is worth 662 pesos. everything here is cheaper. I used my card for the first time today. I only spent a few dollars so let me know if it worked!

So what is going on with Russia and America. Some people say it is getting heated. Please keep me updated on that as well as who becomes president.

Spanish is coming a long. It's super hard, but I just need to keep working at it. Last Sunday we had the South Mission President come and give a talk. He and his wife are super cool. I can't wait to meet my Mission President. On Sunday things are super relaxed. We all write talks for church and the CCM President chooses randomly who will give talks, but I love Sundays here. On p-day we have 2 hours to go into town and then we email and go to the temple. It is so great to go to the temple each week. The temple is super small though, but it is very pretty.

So last night we had to sleep on the second floor. They did a bed bug sweep. Yes we all have bed bugs. You get a few little bites every now and then. Haha, but don't worry.  I am fine.

iIlove you all and thank you so much for everything. I love this missionary work. I cant wait to get out in the field. 

With much love. 

Elder Anderson




Sunday, October 23, 2016

I am being blessed, I know it!

October 19, 2016


Well this week has been a rough week, a lot of soul searching and things, but overall I am doing well. The language here is hard,  but I am getting it. I am being blessed, I know it! This week here it has been cold and raining, but it is all good!


I really don't have a whole lot to write! Here in the CCM there isn't much going on so I will tell you about my schedule. First I wake up at 6:30 and get ready. Personal study from 7 to 8 and then after that it is breakfast and exercise, and then we go back and get ready and have language study.


So Spanish is coming. I can get by, it's hard! Haha, but I just got to keep working at it!


Everyone here is pretty cool.  I am super close with my district. This CCM is the second smallest in the world, so we only have 50 people. Transfers for the old people are next week so I will become a grandpa as they say here. Only 30 people are coming in and 13 staying, so we are getting smaller. So the CCM's President’s daughter knows Aunt Rachel. she came and I got to talk to her. She is from Hyde Park.  Cool lady.


This week I really learned the power of prayer and the power of personal revelation. God really wants to bless us and we need to make sure that we are always in a position to allow God to bless us.


Today we went to this huge mall and we went to this store called Liters. it is a Walmart. Haha, still got one of those down here. Then we went and got a hot dog it was pretty good. It is great to go out into the streets and see the people.


Thank you so much for all your help. I love reading your emails. It will take me awhile to get use to this whole thing, cause right now I get too excited to email that I can’t think straight! Let me know of things you guys would like to know about!


Love you all!

Elder Anderson








Construction in Chile



October 12, 2016

So this keyboard is in Spanish and it will take me awhile to get use to it.
I might not be able to do question marks so I will just put huge spaces.

I am sending some letters out next p-day so be watching for those, but as soon as

I left you guys my flight out of Salt Lake was delayed. We waited for about 45 minutes and
then they made us check in our carry on luggage, so I didn’t have anything that I needed or
wanted. I just had my water bottle. So after the first plane ride we landed in Atlanta at about
10 and our next flight left at 10:30.  We landed in terminal a and we had to go to terminal f in
a half hour. We got on the train and made our flight by the skin of our teeth. The plane ride
was super bad. I didn’t sleep the entire time, so I just looked out the window and got to see
when we flew over Cuba and Costa Rica and all that stuff.

When we landed in Chile we got our luggage.  Everything made it good. The one suitcase took
a little bit of a beating but it was good. We were all super tired. There are 9 of us missionaries
from SLC and we met up with more in Atlanta.  I went through customs all good, but when they
scanned my bags they made me get out my shoe polish to make sure it wasn’t honey or
something, then they gave it back so that was good. There were 3 older gentleman who didn’t
speak any english and did not look like they were from the CCM. but they said they were so we
went with them. In my mind I was wondering if we were being trafficked. Haha, but everything
went good. Trash is everywhere in the streets and on the sides of the roads. and the smell of
Chile is like a mix between taco stands and cigarette smoke. So when we got to the CCM they
kept us awake and doing stuff till that night. I was awake for 38 hours!!!! That is crazy!  The Lord
blessed me that day. I never thought I could have ever done that. We got to the CCM and it is
a cool place. There are only about 20 Americans here and about 50 people total here, but
everything is great. My companion is Elder Hogson he is a good guy. We get along good. In
my room it’s me and my companion and 2 Latinos that don't speak any English. The first few
days I didn’t talk to anyone that didn’t speak English because I couldn’t talk to them. After
learning some Spanish we are able to carry on conversations. One cool Elder is named Elder
Rivas. He is from Masaya Nicaragua. You might of heard of that place!! And he knows Morgan!
He said that he has played soccer with him! That is super cool!

My district has 4 elders and 3 sisters. We all get crammed in a super small classroom all day.
They feed us super well here. I know I am gaining weight. I have eaten my weight in rice over
the past week though. But I am having a good time here. I feel like I have been here for a super
long time. The temple here is beautiful and we are going right after I email you guys. The other
Elders and I are very open with each other so we all talk about our girls when we feel home sick
and to know how homesick everyone else is helps, but I promise I am having a good time. I laugh
a ton! Haha but one thing i really miss is Brooke’s food and cooking because all I eat is rice!
It’s okay, I am getting used to it. I really love you all and I am super sorry that this email is like
all over the place, but there was a lot that I had to just spit out.  I love you guys.  Thank you so
much for your example to me. This church is true and I can see God's hands in my life every
day as well as when I pray I can see the love he has for me and his missionaries as well as
the love he has for all of you.

Till next week

Elder Anderson






















I Am Here


October 5, 2016

Hey everyone! I am here in Chile! it is a crazy place, but I am doing well. It was complicated and messed up stuff with the flight.  As of right now I haven't slept in 25 hours, but I am doing great! I love you all and I won't able to write until next week because my p day is on Wednesday. Haha we had a good time running to get to our flight in Atlanta. Chili is a crazy place and it is a lot different than what I thought it would be. Lots of trash everywhere and people running out in the roads.So when I was about to get on the plane in SLC they said we could no longer have our carry on luggage and that it would be sent to Santiago on the house. But for the most part I am loving it so far. All the Elders are way cool and we are super close already. The CCM here is really small, but it is great. I  love you guys so much and thank you for all that you  have done for me.
I love you all so much!!!!!!

Elder Anderson

Send Off

Elder Anderson walked through airport security and to his terminal with a smile on his face and confidence in his steps. It is not easy to say goodbye, but he was happy and ready to serve our Heavenly Father and the people of Chile.






Sunday, October 16, 2016

Called To Serve


Jaren Kay Anderson has been called to serve as a full time missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  In June of 2016 he received his call to serve in the Chile Santiago West Mission with a reporting date of October 5, 2016. He is assigned to speak in the Spanish language and prepare in the Chile Santiago CCM. We will update Elder Anderson's blog periodically to share his mission experiences and hope that it will also be used as a missionary tool.