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

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

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