Ring out the old, ring in the new... hey that's repentance!!!! =D

Dear MOM and DAD,

I LOVE our family soooo much! It was the best getting to talk to everyone! And guess what I didn't cry when I got off, I went and helped Sister Vance finish getting ready for dinner. I was a little worried that I didn't cry but as I was thinking about it and I came to the conclusion that, I didn't cry or get homesick because in a way I'm always "homesick" meaning I love and will always want home but since being on my mission I've learned (for the most part) to put that aside and focus on the task at hand, and because of that practice I did good on Sunday.

On Christmas Eve we ate with the Senior Couple Missionaries in one of our wards, the Phippins, they were really sweet to feed us and that morning we had a Prep meeting where some of the Sisters preformed cultural dances.  We have a lot of diversity at the VC so it was fun to watch. 

The pictures are Elder and Sister White (the VC director) and me, Sister Holliday and me, Sister Parker (she came out with me), Sister Holliday, and me. And the luminaries were from Christmas Eve, the whole neighborhood puts them out and lights them, we drove around a couple minutes and saw them all before we came home. 

This year didn't really feel much like Christmas, for several reasons: no snow, no family, no traditions, and as missionaries we do missionary work all the time and we were at the VC so it was like another day... except on Christmas Day we got 80 Top Boxes (people who accept to have the missionaries to their home), 40 was a record high two days before.... and we got 80! I couldn't think of a better birthday present for Christ. =D

We had our second lesson with Misty this week. It was really good, she doesn't have a lot of religious background other than what people have told her about their religion, so it's fun to see when things click for her. We asked if she had prayed to know if the Book of Mormon and Church were true she said she had and felt like she had received half  an answer but because she had only really half prayed about it... which is really good she recognizes that if she wants a full answer she need to pray sincerely. She said she would this week. We have a lesson with her tomorrow, so we'll she how she did. 

Kayla had a rough week... her less-active boy-friend, who is in jail broke up with her and that just threw everything off, but in the long run it's good because now she has to decide why she's doing it, if it was for him or for her. I think she'll be okay but it will take some work on her part. She could use some extra prayers right now.

One cool thing the spirit taught me this week was that he talks to me a lot more than I thought. For the longest time I wasn't sure how the Holy Ghost communicated with me and just in the last few weeks I've realized that the little random, good thoughts I have are him telling me something and since I've started giving him credit I'm seeing more and more of the Holy Ghost in my life. I bet he's glad I figured that out... it just took me 24 years! Haha

Which makes me even more grateful I was raised in a home where that was just natural everyday stuff. I think part of the reason it took me so long was because I had always had it, not that I'm anything special but I was taught and raised in a loving, Christ centered home! Thank you mom and dad, you're the best parents I could have!

Oh and let the Mace's know I will be at the VC both nights from 6 to 10. And did you get my priority envelope with your Christmas present in it? That's it for now.   Thank everyone who sent me a Christmas card I was really grateful for them thinking of me!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!

Miss you Much, Love you More 

3 Nephi13:34

Love Sister Anderson

Twas' the Week Before Christmas... Really?

Dear MOM and DAD,
12:30 will be great, I'll be at the Vance home. Brother Vance said he was going to call you yesterday so that you could get all the kinks worked out, because I only have 40 mins to talk and I don't want to be trying to figure anything out and wasting time.

This week hasn't been too exciting, we've been at the Visitors' Center a lot (which I love) and I'm finally starting to feel tired and I LOVE that too!!!! Everyone says that Christmas Lights is hard and you get warn out and tired, but I haven't experienced it yet, till this week. I love it because I know that I'm working if I'm dead at the end of the day.

A couple days ago we were taking some sisters home, which caused me to think. At some point I will move out of the house I've been in and it will be hard because it's change... but then the Spirit gently reminded me... "Sister Anderson, I know that change is hard for you, so I called you to the Visitors' Center, so you would always have a constant!" How cool? Even if I go full field again (after this transfer) I will still get to come back to the VC, Heavenly Father knew that always having the VC would help with whatever changes happen outside of the VC. Tender mercy

The Wu's "dropped" us, it wasn't a don't ever come back, more of a we'll call you when we aren't so busy... very sad day, but people have their agency for a reason.

The miracle/answered prayer lesson is with Misty last week.  She is finally an investigator and we have a lesson this week with her. The area is a little slow so we are praying for miracles which means repentance and more obedience! 

SOOOOO excited to see you all this week!!! Can you belive Christmas is 6 days away? 

Miss you much, Love you More!!!

Love Sister Anderson 

Double decked bus with beer by the temple, kind of ironic

Me on my birthday (it rained all day)

Angel Tree Baby stuff

 

 

 

 Grandma and Mom sent money for Sister Anderson's Birthday so she and Sister Stephens could do an Angel Tree Child.  This is one of Sister Anderson's  favorite traditions.

A Santa that reminded me of dad

Santa that reminded me of mom

12 days of Christmas from Family

Dec 12th

I just got the package, it's beautiful. I love you all more than words can express!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love Sister Anderson

Transfer News (Dec 12th)

Dear MOM and DAD,

So I have another transfer half full field. Which isn't so bad, I still get 3 weeks at the VC which is better that 6 full field weeks. Lots of excitement at the Visitors' Center we have a sister from Pakistani and a sister from Mongolia coming this week, who have been in the MTC for 3+ months waiting for their visas. Sister Stephens and I are still companions, so I get another transfer of driving all the time.

More exciting news we get to Skype this year for Christmas, so you'll need to get a Video Skipe account. I was thinking 8 am would be best that way we could still both make it to church. Let me know what would work best for you.

The other day I was talking to another sister about asking Heavenly Father for things even if they are little things, because he loves us and wants to bless us as long as we are willing to make it His will. As we were talking I was thinking "Heavenly Father I really want to go to Olive Garden for my birthday, but we aren't suppose to ask if we can leave our area to go eat, so I know that if it's okay with you you'll provide a way so I can go." Two hours later I got a text saying that we were going to Olive Garden for the Departure/Birthday Dinner... answered prayer!  The next day I decided to try it again when my shower was cold so I ask for some warm water and guess what he gave it to me.  I also asked if we could have a lesson with a girl we had been trying to contact and when we got to her house to just drop by she said she was going to call us that day and then we showed up, so we had a lesson. It was pretty cool to see all these answers to prayer.

So I don't know if Kristy told you but Sally came down and I missed her because I was sick, but I am feeling much better now. And I did get the package with the cards. Thank you!!! I love you all so much!

Miss you much, love you more!!!!

Love Sister Anderson

Christmas Picture

On the 5th of December we did not get an email from Karmin.  On the 9th (a Friday) we got this picture.  She had emailed but we don't know where it went or why we just got the picture.  Anyway here it is.

Sister Anderson in front of the Mesa Arizona Temple with the Christmas Lights.

MERRY CHRISTMAS everyone from Sister Anderson

Back at the Visitors Center

Dear MOM and DAD,

Looks like Thanksgiving was good.  I did get the package and it was awesome thank you.  I'll have to take a picture of the pillow case on my bed, I put it on as soon as I got home. Kelsha didn't tell me about her arm, but you did and Ry did a bit.

I made mashed potatoes for the family we ate with and they LOVED them (not to brag but I kind of expected it... lol). I hope someone enjoyed the skin on the turkey for me.  The turkey we had wasn't as brown on top as I like so I didn't get any this year. Sister Phelps got to see my OCD cleaning side on Thanksgiving and when we came back for pie a few days later. She just laughed!

I am SOOOOOOO glad to be back at the Visitors' Center.   I'm grateful for all the miracles we got to see as full field missionaries but I belong at the Visitors' Center. It has been CRAZY, over 4000 people a night to see the Christmas Lights, and we get to be with a Spanish speaking sister so I've gotten to  know some new sisters. It's been the best!!!!!!  Elder White gave us a blessing before we started at the Visitors' Center and as VC sisters.  In the blessing  he included our families, saying that you would have special and unusual blessings and opportunities this holiday season, so keep your eyes open.   I want to hear about them. c:

So Kayla and Cody were arrested this week for previous charges... Cody is still in jail and Kayla is on probation... but she still wants to get baptized, even if it's next year and she hasn't smoked in 5 full days. We are so proud of her and she is so prepared, she will just need a lot of prayers this coming year. We now know she has a sincere desire because it may be over a year before she can be baptized, but she's determined.   She says she's also been happier and even though she's been dealing with alot she has been claim. (The gospel is the best!!!!!) It now gives me a reason to come back to Arizona.

The Wu's are doing good, we have a lesson scheduled at the Bishop's home (finally) this week.  We still are working on getting them to church but Jay has promised he'd get work off on the 11th (because my B-day is the day after) and come.  He's also being deployed in March so we're thinking he'll be baptized in February, fingers crossed!   They are still amazing and I can't wait till they realize how much the gospel will bless their lives.

Well that's it for now. Remember the Reason for the Season!

Miss you much, Love you more!

Alma 26:12 (My new favorite scripture)

Love Sister Anderson

Sister Stephens and Sister Anderson

I love the Wu's!!!

Dear MOM and DAD,

 

VERY IMPORTANT!!! Some of the Post Offices in the Valley are not forwarding mail, so when they get it at the Mission Office and forward it on the Post Office is returning it to sender. As far as I know they haven't done that with any of mine but to avoid future problems please inform everyone to send my mail to:

Sister Karmin Anderson

525 E. Main St

Mesa, AZ. 85203

That's the Visitors' Center address and I will always be able to get my mail there. 

 

We had 2 lessons with the Wu's this last week. They are solid! We tried to get them to accept a baptism date but they all felt they needed some more time and they wanted to pray about it. We think that is not a bad thing, and we are so excited to they are seriously considering it instead of just doing it. That makes the strong converts. They will totally get baptized this year for sure! The ward is amazing and has just jumped on inviting them to activities and making them feel welcome. Brandon (the son) told us in our last lesson that he knows the Book of Mormon is true.  He followed it up about 5 min. later with telling us he was going to be baptized by the Jehovah's Witness (he was kidding of course, but it made my heart stop for a min.).  They are an amazing family and I can see  It's really neat to watch.  We went to the Visitors' Center and it was then that Mai and Brandon really started to consider this for themselves and not just for Jay.  I LOVE THE VISITORS' CENTER, can't beat the spirit that is there.  We have an Enrichment activity and dinner tomorrow that Mai is going to.  Her biggest concern is that because her family is all Roman Catholic that they will disown her.  We promised her that the gospel blesses families, we may not ever see it but by her being baptized it will bless her family.  Which I was wondering, Mom, if you could write her a letter about how you got married without any of your family in the temple and how following Christ has blessed your extended family and our family. I feel like she could relate. I know how much the gospel has blessed our family and I know it started because of the decision you made to be married in the temple. Did I mention that they are always feeding us... Sister Stephens and I haven't been feeling 100 percent these last couple days and when we went over there to schedule a lesson this next week, as we were leaving they said to come over anytime and they would make us soup. I love that family so much!

 

We are going to the Phelps for Thanksgiving. The wife has been active and through the temple. The husband  has been active for awhile now but has never been to the temple.  The bishop extended a calling to him and he accepted, and we are teaching them the member lessons as well. I'm excited to see them(especially him) grow and then go to the temple and be sealed. They invited us to Thanksgiving and we even get to help them prepare (I told her I  would make the mashed potatoes and gravy).   I'm excited. Make sure you take pictures of Thanksgiving at home for me.

 

We got to do a bunch of service this week and it was awesome. We helped make invites to Enrichment and then we helped scrap paint off a house in prep for the new paint. They wanted to surprise their mother before she came home.

 

Well I guess that's all for now. How is your neighbor coming along with the missionaries?  How's Paula doing? (Will you tell her she can email me back?)

Alma 7:23-24

 

Miss you much, Love you more!!!!

Love Sister Anderson

Not the best week

Dear Mom and Dad,

This last week has not been the best. Just getting use to a new companion and style of missionary work (full field). I miss the VC a lot, which makes me very grateful that I'm only away for 3 weeks. We taught the Wu's about the Restoration and Jay seems really interested in converting, not to sure about the rest of the family but hopefully as they feel the truthfulness of the message they will come around.

Jill is another investigator we've been teaching, she's a former, but I think she just likes the company and to talk about religion. She says she's prayed about it many times and still feels that all religions are "God's church" we plan on teaching her but not regularly, hopefully God will soften her heart.  She did come to church this week, so that was exciting.

Tony is now to the point he wants to meet the bishop, a step in the right direction for sure. He'll get there, we just need to be patient.

It got down to 55 degrees this last week and it's been raining for the last two days, talk about a change in weather 85 to 55 in one day is crazy! 

Glad that thing are well on the home front! Miss you much, Love you more! (I really do love you sooooo much)

I'll be sending a letter this week too.

Love Sister Anderson

Transfer News

Dear MOM and DAD,

Well transfer news is in drum roll... I'm staying in my area but going FULL-FIELD for the first 3 weeks, then my full-field companion is going VC for the last 3 weeks. Her name is Sister Stephens, I don't know anything about her other than she is narcoleptic, so I get to drive all the time! But that also means no bikes again... I really wanted to be on bikes :c oh well maybe next transfer.

 

We started teaching an Asian family, the Wu's, who are AMAZING.  During our lesson this week we went over and they had made us dumplings and pot stickers for lunch and then we left with a couple bags of Asian snacks. It was really nice of them, and Jay, the dad, has had so many good examples of the church in his life and that is why he interested now. So an added miracle to this fun story, Jay had met some missionaries at a friends house and told them they could send missionaries to his house, a week later we showed up but not because we had been sent. He said it must be a sign and that he doesn't believe in coincidence. YAY!!!! For miracles!!!

 

We spoke in church yesterday and I got to use dad's testimonies, because it was on using the Book of Mormon in conversion, so thank you again dad!

 

THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU!!!! THANK YOU!!! For all the packages! It was probably the best week ever! Just got your email, LOVED the pictures, looks like you had a ton of fun. We got to go to a neighborhood carnival and that was really fun!

 

I'm kind of distracted so my email isn't very long. I love you all! HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

 

Love Sister Anderson

 

 

Dropped

Dear MOM and DAD,

Well its official we dropped Isabel, she canceled yet again on us and when we asked her if she wanted us to come teach her still she didn't respond... She was so ready, but we think that she decided that she received the answers to her prayers and that she didn't need to learn more. We think this because that is what happened to her sister who was taught last year.  Her family was so prepared too... well I guess they aren't fully prepared if they don't use their agency to accept it.

 

We've been teaching and in-active man named Tony, he was baptized about 8 years ago and went in-active just over a year after his baptism. He has great respect for the church and refers everyone to it if they are looking for a church.  He has some concerns that we are now working through . Our first lesson with him was really cool because through the lesson you could see his continence change and by the end he wanted to resolve his concerns. I was so proud of Sister Everette, she was bold and loving and because of her following the Spirit his heart was touched.

 

There is also another in-active man that we've been, slowly but surely, working with.  His name is Gary. If you knew where he was when we first met him you would be amazed at how far we've come. We don't have formal lessons with him and for 2 transfers we never really talked about gospel things, we'd just see him on the street and talk with him. Then last week we read some scriptures to him and ended with a prayer. Through all this we found out that he never really had a testimony, so he may be stubborn but you know me I'm probably just as, if not more stubborn than most people. So we're an interesting pair but I think that Lord knew what he was doing when he sent me to Gary!

 

So even though this transfer has been a bit of a downer when it comes to work, I feel like I've been growing so much because I have an amazing companion. She has taught me so much about being humble and loving and happy, and as I work to be more like her and pray to receive help (Because Heaven knows I can't do it alone) I'm finding that I am more happy and loving and humble. Just the last week I've been in some really good moods and nothing has really changed other than lots of prayers to know how to be a happier person. 

 

I'm glad everyone is doing well (except grandma, who I told to take it easy... yes that was an I told you so Grandma) I love you all.

Miss you much, Love you more.

Mosiah 4:10 "See that ye do them!"

 

Love, Sister Anderson

 

Sister Everett and Sister Anderson

 

 

Just another day in Paradise

MOM and DAD,

Well it's not quite Paradise yet, the temperature went back up to 105 degrees this last week, but they say that's the last of it. They've started putting up the Christmas light on the trees. It does not feel like the Christmas season is just over a month away (I guess I'm still waiting for fall to come).

Well Isabel is not getting baptized this week, we've only seen her once the the last 2.5 weeks and we don't have a lesson with her till the 20th. She is so prepared but now life is getting in the way, it makes me sad, but in the process of trying to catch her at home we have been able to talk to her Husband and her older children and we now have high hopes for the whole family. Which has been an answer to our prayer to know how we can get the family involved and realize it's not just for Isabel.

Jihad didn't come to church this week, so we've decided that we'll leave it at that... he has the knowledge to continue if he wants to but for now he's not ready for the change.  So Sunday was not a good day, none of the recent converts I've taught came to church... One of which was Alex who was going to receive the Priesthood... that worries me. I'm finding it really hard when I get to see people find the gospel and accept it, then give in to the advisory...  I cried.

Even though Sunday day was not the best Heavenly Father blessed us with a really neat miracle that evening. So Saturday we were hitting all the town homes because we had a list of potentials a mile long for that complex, as we were we found that most of the people did not still live there, so it really turned into tracting (It was nice to have a reason to be knocking on their door and then get the chance to tell them why we were looking for those people, it's makes it alot less awkward). We knocked on one door and a man answered we ask if he was the person we were looking for of course he wasn't but he did invite us in to have pizza with his family, we had already eaten but asked if we could come back the next day. So Sunday evening we head over there not knowing quite what to expect... most people don't just invite you into their home unless they're members, Brandon answered the door (this is Jay's son) and invited us in, well to shorten this already long story Jay wasn't home but Brandon wanted to learn more and his dad and step mom were totally okay with it. We had  a really good lesson and set up an appointment for Wednesday. His step mom actually said she was glad we came by because he had just moved in and was taking online classes so he didn't have any friends and the youth program for the church was just what he needed. We have the Deacon's quorum president going over tonight to invite him to mutual. 

So last week was hot and rough but this week is cooling down and we have a bunch of lessons planned. It's going to be a good week!

I Love you both! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!! for the package. 

Miss you much, love you more!

Mosiah 3:19

Love Sister Anderson

P.S. Brittany Long (old roommate and one of my BF's) got her mission call to Toyko Japan!!!  Congrats Brittany!!!

Sister Everette

Slow Week

Dear MOM and DAD,

 

Happy Birthday Daddy!!! I hope you got my card.

This week has been pretty slow as far as missionaries go... All of our lessons with Isabel fell through and she made plans on Sunday so she didn't come to church either. We did get to talk to her husband for about 15 min on Saturday and invite him to learn with his wife he said probably and that he would talk to Isabel about it. Fingers crossed!!!

 

We've mostly been trying to contact referrals and formers and inviting them... no real luck so far. We did get to do some service this week. I've never been so excited to do yard work... yes I was excited to do yard work and it was AWESOME. The temperature has been around 80-85 degrees all week and the day we served it was about 75 degrees, it was beautiful and we got a potential investigator from it. We had borrowed the neighbors lawn mower and so we mowed her lawn as well, she has a non-member son-in-law whom we started to talk to and asked if we could come back and teach him, he said yes. We have yet to set up a time but we are excited. It has been a huge testimony builder of service as a tool for finding people, and I've gained a huge love of service being on my mission.

 

Probably the most exciting thing to happen to us this week was TTI-ing a drunk woman, so here's the story.  We were headed to contact a referral and my companion saw a woman hunched over sitting by a wall, and because my companion has a very tender heart, we went to see if we could cheer her up. As we were talking to her a man from the half-way house we were in front of came out and asked if we could take her to a detox hospital. We can only have missionaries in the car, so that was a no go but we said we'd find someone to give her a ride. She not wanting us to call anyone and get her in trouble (the police) started walking away so we, not wanting her to get hurt went with her. About 1 mile and 45 min later, we determined to call President Ellsworth because we still hadn't been able to contact anyone. His advice was to call 911, so we did and waited for them to show up. After they showed up we found out they had already dealt with her once that day and that they had tried to take her home but she wouldn't go. As we headed back to our car Sister Everette exclaimed alright no more drunks and homeless people, you pick who we talk to from now on. ( A little back story, I always give her a hard time for talking to all the homeless and drunk people on the street, I know I should be more like her, she truly does love people as the Lord loves them) We had a good laugh and had to go home to change because Sister Everette smell like alcohol from Amy (that was her name) hugging her so much... Funny night!!!

 

Well not much else to tell, other than I REALLY REALLY REALLY want your conversion story mom!!!

 

Miss you much, Love you more!

Jacob 7:25

 

Love Sister Anderson

How Exciting

Dear MOM and DAD

I don't think this will be very long because my mind is still swimming on finding out I'm an aunt for the 7th time.... That is so EXCITING and it's even cooler that she had him in Fillmore. He is a doll, I'm really sad I can't be there to hold him!

 

Evan got baptized this last week. It was a really neat baptism too. He was a bit nervous before but after he was dunked he said "Is that it?" so funny! He will be confirmed this next Sunday because of conference. Now the goal is to get Kate to the temple and Patrick (Evan's dad) to take the lessons.

 

Isabel is still on tract to be baptized. She came to the Sunday morning session of Conference with us and it was just what she needed. She had so many prayers answered through the talks. She really is the most amazing person, we just have to ask inspired questions and then she talks herself though them and the spirit testifies and then she knows it's true. We are really excited for her, and I'm really excited that Sister Everette gets to be a part of this miracle her last transfer. That's an answer to my prayers.

 

Yesterday we started teaching a really cool guy. His name is Jihad he's a black Muslim that grew up in Idaho. He studies religion and wants to learn more about "Mormons" but he also said he was doing some soul searching. I know as he reads the Book of Mormon he will find the answers he is looking for, then all he has to do is take action. (That's the hard part for most people) He is really respectful of the Book of Mormon and really respects Mormons. It will be fun to teach him.

 

Well that's all for now. I love you both so much. Hope you enjoyed conference, I missed the whole family all weekend. The new grandbaby it beautiful.

 

Miss you much, Love you more!!!    1 Cor. 1:27

 

Love Sister Anderson

 

Sister Everette, Sister Dyer, Evan, Sister Anderson, Kate

Evan, Sister Anderson

Evan, sister Anderson, Evan's little sister

 

What A Week!

Dear MOM and DAD,

What an amazing week!!!! First THANK YOU for the package!!! I LOVED all the wood toys, and everyone I give one to love them too.

 

My new companion is AMAZING!!!! We've seen so many miracles just this week, it's set a good tone for the rest of the transfer. She is so positive and happy all the time, I find it very infectious and I'm loving the missionary I am as her companion. She is such a good example of humility and kindness towards everyone, she never says a negative word about anyone. My goal this transfer is to be more like her! 

 

Well as you know Christina was going to be baptized this week, the day of her baptism came and we got a call from Brad saying she was gone. Her family said she had run away and they didn't know where she was... talk about panic attack!!! So after our VC shift we went over to her house and got more info from her mom. Apparently the night before her abusive ex-boyfriend had shown up and she got in the car with him and they hadn't seen her since. But they had just got a call from her saying she was okay but that she needed to work some things out with him before she came home. Her mom said she wasn't planning on getting baptized this night.  She still wanted to get baptized, it probably just wasn't going to happen tonight. After talking with her mom some more about it being the advisory that was causing all the chaos we told her to tell Christina that she was still getting baptized that night and that the font would be full and ready for her so she better be there at 7 (of course this was all in a very loving way c: ). As we left we called Brad and told him we were going to show God as much faith as we could by filling the font and making sure we did everything in our power to make the baptism happen, he then told us he would go over when he got back into town and feel the situation out. Well to shorten an already long story, Brad called an hour later and said he had Christina and they were on their way... HAPPY DAY!!!!! What a neat blessing to express all the faith we had and working to our fullest extent and then letting God make what He wanted to happen, happen. 

 

Another miracle was at the Visitors' Center, Sister Vause had given me a name of a non member friend she had been thinking about ever since she had called Doug, to call and invite to learn about the gospel. I was very nervous that I would mess it up and that I would disappoint her, but she assured me that she had faith that what ever happened was what the Lord wanted to happen. Well it just so happens that the Lord knew he was ready because when I called he accepted missionaries!!!! It was really cool to be on both ends of giving a name and having them confirm and receiving a name and having them confirm. 

 

So in Sister Everette's last area none of the investigators had been progressing. She had expressed to me she was a curse because nothing had been happening in her area. So I've been praying that during her last transfer, we would see miracles and that it would be her best transfer ever. I really wanted her to see that she was an amazing missionary and that God will bless her with miracles. So one answer to my prayer was Isabel. We were out contacting referrals one night and saw them talking on their front porch, so we started talking to them. We found out she had been praying to be happier and when we walked up she said she felt peace coming from us and that she knew we were the answer to her prayers. We (mostly Sister Everette, because this was someone God knew she could touch) taught the restoration and committed her to baptism for the 22nd of next month.  She said that she would because you don't ask God for something and then not listen when he sends it!!!! All this within an hour, how awesome is that??? We had another lesson with her yesterday and she is bring her family to the Visitors' Center to watch General Conference on Saturday!! It really has been an amazing week and I have such gratitude for Heaven Father.

 

Speaking of General Conference, I think this will be the first big holiday that I'll be sad I'm missing at home. I love Conference so much and I love our family so much and they will all be together (except maybe Kristy... when is she due?).  Give everyone my love!!!!

 

Miss you much, LOVE you more!!!!

D&C 18:38

 

 

Love Sister Anderson

 

 

 

Sister Anderson and the Birch family

Sister Anderson on P Day

Sister Dyer, Sister Anderson at Mission Office

 

Christina and Elder? Christina's Baptism

Sister Anderson, Christina, Sister Dyer

 

Transfer News

Dear MOM and DAD,

Kember's a "stick" driver now? WOW, does she just love it, you don't know what you are missing until you start driving a manual then you understand. So who has my car?

So transfer news... Well Sister Dyer is going to another stake in East Mesa with Sister Parker (she's a sister that came out with me and she's AWESOME) they will have lots of fun, I'm staying in my area but it's been switched a bit. I still have the two family wards Harmony and Emerald Acres but they gave the YSA ward to the full-time elders because singles wards have so much work that they need as much attention as possible, and I got another family ward, Solomon. I'm really sad to give up the YSA ward because we have been working so hard to build it up and we have so many strong investigators in that ward, but the Lord knows what's best and I just have to have faith that the elders are what Gable needs right now.

An interesting side story about one of our investigator in that ward; JD is an investigator that we got this last week and he has been progressing so much but in the last couple of days I found out that "I'm a distraction" for him... weird, that right there is one reason he needs elders (even though he doesn't want them). Most of our investigators in the Gable ward are men in their 20's with Law of Chasity problems... ya, we aren't the best missionaries for them. But we are really excited to see them all progress to baptism with their new elders. And the ward will be so one top of things.

So with all the changes in the stakes we thought that they would split the areas so that we were in one stake... I guess not, as of Wednesday I'll be in two different stakes CRAZY!!! But Sister Everett (my new companion) and I are so excited to just put our shoulder to the wheel and explode our areas with work!!!

Speaking of my new companion... Sister Everett is from Connecticut and is on her last transfer, so I'll be "killing" her, but she is AMAZING!!! I'm super stoked to work with her! Sister Dyer and I had our struggles and what not but we both grew so much and now it's time for a change. I really don't think I can tell you how excited I am to get Sister Everett, we are going to ROCK her last transfer!!!!! 

Me, Nicci, and Sister Dyer

So Nicci got baptized this last week and that was fun, she hasn't seem to excited about getting baptized, more apathetic than anything but the day she got baptized you could tell that she was excited and was ready. We are still going to teach her after to keep her strong in the church, but she's a great

little girl and this will bless her life so much.

Me and Nicci

 Christina is having her baptismal interview today with President Ellsworth and she's scheduled to be "dunked" on Saturday, so that will be a good weekend, and next week is Evan's baptism. Last week his mom called us and said that he was ready and excited to get baptized and that their family will be in Arizona on the 29th. We are so excited for him. Four baptisms in a month... CRAZY, but I guess it makes up for the first 3 months of my mission. President Ellsworth wants each companionship to be baptizing once a month, that is actually another reason we work so closely with the members.

Alex is still doing great, that was a bitter sweet good bye yesterday because he said that no one could replace us because we where his missionaries. But he will do good with the elders. We were so proud because he made a comment in Sunday School, he never does that!

We had our mission tour this week. Elder Jung Choi of the seventy and his wife came and spoke to us and it was a really neat experience.

Well that's all for now, glad everything is good at home! I love you all so much!!!

Miss you much, Love you more!!!!

Alma 48:17 Let us all be as Moroni!!!!!!

Love Sister Anderson

Me, Sister Mickelson (a awesome member missionary), and Sister Dyer

Pioneer Zone, zone soccer in the mornings

Miracles Left and Right

Dear MOM and DAD,

What a week!!!! There's lots on my mind so I hope i can express it all.... Here we go!

 

The weather has been amazing, it hasn't gotten above 100 degrees in almost a week and it's about 85 in the mornings. It makes me even more excited about the winters here (I think I will still miss snow though, there are places here you can buy snowballs.... really?)

 

I don't know if you've heard anything about the mormon.org media blitz but it's going to be so cool! The church has selected areas in the country to play 30 second, back to back, prime time, "I'm a Mormon" commericals on ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, etc. from October to March. There will also be ads on facebook, twitter, YouTube, billboards, and buses. The greater Phoenix area has been chosen to participate. We were told that 50% of LDS Adults and 100% of LDS Youth WILL be asked about why all the mormon media. It is such a great opportunity to do missionary work, that is one of the reasons they are doing it. The three reasons for the media blitz are 1) To dispel myths 2) Merge "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints" (who people have a very positive view of) and "Mormons" (who people think is a cult) together 3) To Invite. So the question is do you have your mormon.org profile up yet? It's amazing how our mission president has been making changes and encouraging us to work with members and all of it has applied with the mormon.org stuff before we even knew  it was happening. It just increases my testimony of our Mission President and how inspired he is.

 

Last week we had a sister come on exchanges with us. Sister Hoyt is AMAZING!!! We went on splits and we got to be companions, she is headed home this transfer so she is super experienced and we had a lot of fun and success that night. After one of our lessons she said that she felt like we had been teaching together forever because we had such good teaching unity. That was a confidence booster!!!

 

So I have one none member friend (Doug) and I've been avoiding giving him as a referral because I was writing him and I didn't want to push him. Well this last week Sister Dyer challenged me to refer him and that he would accept and I would see miracles... so I did (mom that is why Sister Vause called, isn't she AMAZING?) and he accepted missionaries! I'm so excited for him to see how wonderful the gospel is and to see how it can improve his life. That was my biggest miracle this week, it was so neat to hear about the conversation Sister Vause and Doug had and how much the Spirit was involved in the whole thing.

 

Another miracle was that Christina's brother Ray told us he wants to take the lessons and get baptized!!!! Ray reminds me of Alex in that he has had a pretty sorted past but is now trying to correct his life and turn to Christ, he can't get baptized till March but he is so ready and would this week if he could! 

 

Alex is doing great he's just working toward getting the priesthood and is being a missionary himself. He brought a non-member to church with him last week. Christina is also doing well, she's slowing coming to Christ and is trying to do the things that will bring her there. She is set to get baptized next Saturday on the 24th. Evan's baptism has been moved back because we haven't seen him enough to plan his baptism, but after he saw Alex get baptized he decided it wasn't that scary and that he was okay with getting baptized.  Nicci is getting baptized this week and we are very excited for her! She's still a 9 year old girl and acts it sometimes but we know that the Holy Ghost will be such a blessing in her life and help her improve.

 

So our stake got dissolved and combined with two other stakes, so we now have wards in two different stakes. That is going to make transfers next week really interesting... we have no idea what they will do because both the stakes only had elders so our wards may just go to them, but we still don't know. Our sad little singles ward just got bigger because of all the change so that is exciting!!! It is kind of bitter-sweet because our area is exploding with work and I don't want to leave it but I'm also very ready for a change. I know that what ever happens is the Lords will and is what is best for all concerned.

 

The church IS true and we DO have a loving Heavenly Father who sent His only begotten son to suffer and die that we might live! How blessed are we! I love you both very much!

Miss you much, Love you more!!!! Ether 12:27 

 

Sister Anderson

(Check out this video, I cried!!!)

http://lds.org/media-library/video/mormon-messages-for-youth?lang=eng&query=dayton's+legs#2011-03-004-daytons-legs

 

This is an amazing story.  It is too bad that these types of stories can't be Headliners instead of what we get as head lines.  Colleen

 

Baptism

This is Sister Anderson's post of Sept 6.  We got busy with the Arts Festival and other things and then the internet went down for 3 days.  I will probably be posting again today or tomorrow.  MOM

 

Dear MOM and DAD,

Well most of this last week I've had a nasty head/chest cold but it has been a pretty good week otherwise.

 

The MOST exciting news of the week was Alex's baptism. It was such a neat day and I even felt mostly okay for the morning during the service. He had so much support there, there were three different wards represented. Sister Dyer and I have been to several baptisms that she had helped teach, but it was really cool to see his progression and be involved in his conversion.  The next day he received the holy ghost and it was really good! Satan has been working on him so hard, the day before his baptism he got kicked out of his halfway house (conflict of interest) and he told us later that the police had found his missing aunt's body the morning he received the holy ghost. We had a lesson with him the next day and you could just see the light of Christ in his eyes, he really has changed so much and he can see how it has benefited his life. He had gone to his dad's house on Sunday night (in the "slums") and said he was so grateful that he wasn't at that place in his life anymore.

 

Christina is such an interesting puzzle, she is changing but not.... it's really weird, but she actually may be moving to Denver because they are struggling financially so we may not get to teach her anymore. Which is really sad because just the beginning of this week she had set a baptismal date. 

 

We have 4 investigators and all 4 have baptismal dates in September. Alex of course got baptized on the 3rd and Evan's is still the 17th, but now so is Christina's (if she stays) and Nicci's. That's 3 baptisms on the same day!!!!! Nicci is a 9 year old that just hasn't been baptized yet ("unbaptized member"). We've been working on her mother for a few weeks so it was really exciting when she called us and asked us to teach Nicci the lessons.

 

So as I mentioned before I've been sick for a few days, it started off as just a chest cold but progressed pretty fast to my head.  Sister White (the visitors' center Director's wife) took me to their house during one of our VC shifts and let me sleep on their couch. It was such a blessing (we had a ton of appointments that evening that we couldn't miss). I'm almost positive that my mission experience is nothing like the norm because of the Visitors' Center.

 

As you can see in one of my pictures I got my hair cut, it really needed it and now it doesn't take me as long to fix. The Other two are from Alex's baptism; Me, Alex, and Sister Dyer and Me and Emma Birch, she's like a littler sister and she's such a doll.

 

A kid came into the VC the other day needing tweezers... he was from Germany with his exchange family checking out the temple. He had never seen a cactus so he decided to touch one... yeah he knows now to never touch a cactus. It was really funny, I felt bad for him though.  He spoke 4 languages and when he goes home I bet he'll convert. The mom and I talked for a bit about introducing him to the church and she said he really like it (the government won't let them convert on exchange programs). 2 Nephi 5:27

 

Miss you much, Love you more!!!

Love Sister Anderson

 

Hair Cut Yeah!

Sis. Dyer, Alex, Sis. Anderson  Alex's Baptism!!!

 

 

 

Emma Birch  Sis. Anderson loves little sisters.

 

missionary letter

This may not be very long today. Not because I'm not okay but more because it's only been 5 days since my last email and I was hit in the head with a soccer ball this morning so my head still hurts...

Well Alex is still doing great! He has his baptism interview on Tuesday and we are pretty confident he will pass with flying colors. Evan is still a bit leery about getting baptized but we are going to have a lesson where the ward mission leader practices  baptizing with him so he won't be as scared anymore. The Visitor Center is great I'm growing and getting more comfortable with phones (just watch as soon as I have the hang of it President will send me full field...lol)

Lots of cool little miracles have happen this week, as usual,  but looking back I see more of how I've changed. I'm not as homesick anymore, the heat doesn't really bother me anymore, and I'm coming closer to my Savior. All are very good things. I'm learning more and more that what people think of me does not matter, if I am making the Savior my best friend then I'm doing what I should and that is all I need. I'm so grateful for our family I love you all so much. I was talking to a recent convert yesterday and I showed him a picture of our family and he said just what everyone says, that I have a very good looking/pretty/beautiful family. But he followed it with they have a neat spirit about them, and it clicked, our family is centered on Jesus Christ and that is why all your children are good and why people tell me how beautiful my family is. We have the light of Christ! Thank you Mom and Dad for teaching us to love our Savior and center our lives around Him!

Well sorry again for it being so short but I'm really tired... Hope you get feeling better Mom, I pray for you always. Make sure you are taking it easy!!! How is school going for Dad?  Miss you much, Love you more!!!  1 Nephi 21:15-16

Love Sister Anderson 

Missionary Letter

Dear MOM and DAD

Well it's been a long but good week. It started off kind of rough but worked itself out.

 

VC Blessings- A couple came in last week and asked for a "Mormon Bible" so I gave them a Book of Mormon and then took them on a tour. They were so excited to learn more about the church and to meet with the missionaries (we call those top boxes, people who accept our offer to send missionaries to their home). It's really cool to see people who are prepared and want the blessing of the Gospel compared to those who we have to "convince" or those who get offended because we are offering them something amazing. These are the people who make a mission such a great thing. I also had several people accept missionaries over the phone and they are also the people who are ready to have the Gospel in their lives.

 

Alex (Investigator)- Alex is doing so good. We did have to push his baptism back to next week (Sept. 3) because he has to be off of smoking for 2 full weeks before he can be baptized. But he is still going strong and is progressing in the gospel and is stoked about his baptism. I always have the underlying fear that he will give in to temptation or will stop doing all the good things he's been doing to keep him strong. But he always proves me wrong. GO ALEX!!! The Lord has truly prepared him for the Gospel and has helped inspire us to keep him strong. We felt like we should have RJ fellowship him and it was the best decision we have made, they get along so well and RJ is a great influence on Alex. It also helps RJ keep that missionary fire and focus as he prepares to serve himself. Alex has been coming to church and reading his scriptures and praying without much encouragement from us and the ward has done a great job taking him in.

 

Christina (Investigator)- Christina is another investigator that is so prepared but her family is in the way of her fully committing. She feels the spirit when we have lessons and she is seeing the blessings of the Gospel already in her life, but her mother asked her not to get baptized... we told her that Heavenly Father would help her get through any trial if she made that commitment, but she has to make the decision, so we told her to pray and see what God wanted her to do (we all know the answer), now we just pray she will act on it. She is such an amazing girl with such a strong spirit. She has been through so much and it has brought her to the point that she is ready to receive the blessing God has for her, she just needs to reach out and take it. We pray for her a lot. She is coming to church and reading her scriptures, and the ward is so welcoming.

 

The YSA ward is really surprising us, all the amazingness that is happening in that ward is because we have the best Ward Mission Leader EVER!!!! Brad had been home for about a year and still has the missionary fire. We love Brad and it truly is because of him we have all this work in the ward.

 

Evan (Investigator)- Evan is doing good, they are still coming to church and the baptismal date is still on, so we'll just keep teaching him and getting him excited for his baptism.

 

Other- Well I met Elder Tremebling (picture), he worked with Kember before he came out. It was so fun to see someone who had seen Kember more recently than I had. 

 

Elder Tremebling and Me

We had a little drama here this last week. Sister Dyer had an anxiety attack and was struggling to breath, so I called Sister Ellsworth and she walked me through what needed to be done (my mom gene kicked in, of course) she was okay after we got her relaxed.   I learned that I need to manage my stress to stay healthy though.

 

I love you both more than words can say and pray for you always!!! Miss you much, love you more!!

Alma 56: 47-48 (My favorite)

 

Sister Anderson

Me and a Muffin

 

 

 

 

Sister Dyer, Sami, Sister Anderson, Robbi

 Robbie is a convert of a year who just baptized Sami a week ago. They have been coming in and watching all the movies at the VC and have gotten to know all the Sisters really well. We love them!!!

 

Whirlwind

Dear Mom and Dad,

This week has been such a whirl-wind of emotions and experiences that I couldn't even think of a title for the e-mail.

The most exciting news is that we now have 2 investigators with baptismal dates. 

The first is Evan (I've been spelling his name wrong the whole time... oops) his mom informed us that she had asked Evan's dad if he was okay with Evan getting baptized and he was so yesterday we invited him to be baptized. He was a bit hesitant because he was afraid of going under water backwards but still accepted the invitation, we think he won't be as scared once he sees someone get baptized. It was really cool to see his mom help us talk to him about being baptized. She has changed so much since we started teaching her, we can tell she is getting the Spirit back in her life and her countenance is changing. Jade, her 4 year old, told us yesterday that she was going to get married in the temple. They had had a lesson on it in primary, she was also really excited about getting baptized when she turns 8. That whole family has come so far and I'm so glad i got to be a part of it.

The second is Alex. Alex was the investigator that the Elders gave us. He is amazing, he's about my age but has been though so much. His mother is a recent convert and he asked her to hook him up with the missionaries. I can't even really express how amazing Alex is he has been drug free for over 60 days and stopped smoking the moment the Elders told him he should. He's reading and praying and that is when you know that they have a true desire, is when they do the little essentials. He's got a plan for his life and is working his hardest to get his son back. He's such an inspiration of a disciple of Jesus Christ.

I had the privilege of being a instrument in Heavenly Father's hand in rekindling a girl's, about my age, desire to go on a mission. It is so neat to think because of me the Spirit could remind her of that desire. It was fun to see her have her own "smack in the face" I recall God doing the same to me.

So even though I HATE making phone calls I've been working on being more diligent at it and this last week the I got to see a lady that was so ready for the missionaries accept them. And the man who referred her was so happy that I had followed the spirit he called in with another referral and specifically asked for me. I felt so honored!!!

That is so cool you got to hear from Sister Vance, we love that family SOOOO much. They have such an amazing spirit in their home. Brother Vance has Parkinson's and went in for surgery yesterday to get some probes put in his brain, we've been praying for him. It was defiantly a tender mercy for us to meet them.

I GET TO DRIVE again, I got approved to drive the car, it was alittle scary at first but I only hit one curb the first day! I missed driving so much. Speaking of driving am I correct in thinking Kember has learned to drive my car? If so that is awesome!!! Ryan said she lock the keys in my car and I only assume it's because she was driving it. Maybe now she understand how much fun a manual is.

Sister Dyer and I are working hard on still finding our balance as companions, our teaching is getting better and better, but we have a long way to go.

Pictures:

Me- Duh...

The car wash- we get our car washed every week and it always reminds me of the movie Catrinia, Catrinia (with Whoopi Goldberg) so I took a picture.

Me and the Vance's- that is the family I told you about, it was our last member lesson so it was kind of sad.

Me and a Lighthouse- Just for you mom!!!

My Zone from my 1st transfer- It was a really good zone!

Well I best be headed. Miss you MUCH, Love you MORE!!!

Love, Sister Anderson