Sick Again....

Dear MOM and DAD,

Well another week has gone by and I'm sick... go figure, the weather starts to warm up and my body freaks out. That will be number 4 time getting sick since I've been in Arizona.  I'm probably just not learning what I need to so the Lord tries to teach me again. 

We had a baptism this weekend, it went well and Lloyd's family is a huge support for him so he should be okay. 

We had a really good Lesson with Serina and her kids this week, they accepted a baptismal date for the 14th of April. YAY!! Serina was still a bit iffy about the date because she says that she knows "jack-Mormons" and she doesn't want to become one so she wants to be as ready as she can. But then the next day we got a text from her "sisters I wanted to thank you for for all your love and support, I want to get baptized the same time as my kids on the 14th, is that possible?"... HECK YES IT IS!!!! That's not what we said but we were that excited. Now the trick is teaching them everything they need to know before then. She works a lot and we will be busy almost every night with the Easter Pageant, but the Lord will provide a way if we are doing all we can. They are an amazing family and I feel so blessed to get to teach them. 

We were heart attacking maniacs this week (as you can see by the pictures). First we heart attacked Lloyd and his family and then we got a really sweet message from his mom later that night saying that was just what they needed at the end of an awful day. I love being a tool in the Lord's hands! Then the next day we heart attacked some less-active families, one of which NEVER answers the door, needless to say we weren't too worried about getting caught... think again, Bro Sherwood totally caught us... but it was a miracle because we set a appointment even if I feel yucky. 

I don't think I've told you much about the other Sisters we live with. Sister Orton from Utah and Sister Parker from Utah. They are awesome and I love having them around. They are CRAZY and it's funny to watch them, though I don't know where they get all their energy from... especially at the end of the day.

The Easter Pageant starts this week and I'm SOOO excited. We were leaving the VC 2 nights ago and they were practicing and even during the practice the Spirit was so strong. The Visitors' Center closes during the performance so we can go watch it if we want to, I'll get to see it 7 times if I want. 

There is probably more that happened this week but I really can't remember much (my head is in a fog). I love you all very much and I'm going to miss you more so this coming weekend! HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Ryan this week (hope you got my card), I'm glad you found a new job mom you'll have to tell me how you like it and when you get a new calling. You know it's bound to come. 

One thing we've been praying for as a district is for the members to find investigators so that we can teach, or for us to find investigators  through the members. Your prayers would be wonderful (for that and my health).

Miss you much, Love you more! 

Love Sister Anderson

P.S. I don't mind getting e-mails from my sisters... =D

Sister Dashjav, Lloyd, Sister Anderson

I spilled water on my scriptures and they dried wrinkled so I was ironing them to make them flat again, they're good as new now... lol

Lloyd's Family

A week of Miracles

Dear MOM and DAD,

I don't remember if I told you about the Cinderella program they do at the Visitors' Center, but the last time I saw it, what a got most out of it was when we have hard times it is because the Lord is giving us a chance to increase our faith and make us worthy of the blessings coming our way. Well last week was AWFUL, I didn't know what I was suppose to be doing in my new area I didn't know anyone and I was missing the VC (of course)... well the end of  the week was full of miracles. Now I wish I had been better at enduring though the trial... but that is why we have repentance right? 

First we were able to have two lessons with a recently converted family that has gone less active and hasn't let anyone in since. But for some reason they opened the door to us, even though Sister Dashjav and Sister Burton (her previous companion) had tried several time before, and the dad actually opened up quit a bit yesterday and we had a really good lesson. 

So for about the last 6 months I've been praying to teach someone that actually wanted to learn and keep commitments (any RM's know what I'm talking about).  For  most people it's like pulling teeth to get them to read the Book of Mormon or come to church. I know that the Lord has prepared people and I have been wanting to teach someone like that for a while now, well the Lord answers prayers. We received a referral this last week from our Zone Leaders. A member had contacted them and said she had a friend that wanted to meet with the missionaries. So over we head (to her house that is) but no one was home, so we left a note and our number. GUESS WHAT??? She called back less than an hour later!!!! We scheduled a lesson for the next day. Her name is Serina and she has a thirteen year old named Keanna and a eleven year old named Micheal. She had know Mormons her whole life, she works with them and has been the recipient of much kindness from them. She loves that the  church has some much unity and family feel and that the people she's known have brought her to want to be a part of it all. (Members are better missionaries than we missionaries could ever be, even if it's just loving our non-member friends and neighbors because eventually their hearts are softened) We had an amazing lesson and then she came to church yesterday! We believe that she will set a baptismal date this week. What a blessing! 

Then, on top of our huge miracle this week, we received a referral last night from some Elders in our District. A couple came to their ward yesterday, but it turned out that they are in our area. We have a lesson with them tonight! We're SO excited!!!! 

It has been raining quit a bit this weekend, it rained all day yesterday, and now it's pretty chilly (that is chilly for Arizona) but I love it. I'd rather wear a jacket than sweat a ton any day. We also got snow on the mountain yesterday... crazy huh?

The orange trees are in blossom right now too. We live right in the middle of several orange grooves and they smell so good. Nothing like the actual oranges but still very good and I love rolling down our windows in the car and just breathing it all in. 

I'm surviving full-field... (just kidding, we are receiving so many blessings because of it) I do miss the VC but Easter Pageant is coming fast and then we will back at the VC every night because President Ellsworth wants all the Sisters to proselyte (no Elders) during the pageant. So that will be fun. 

Miss you much, Love you more.

Love Sister Anderson

 

Sister Anderson and Sister Dashjav

Snow in the mountains near Mesa

 

Change is Change

March 12 , 2012 email.

Dear MOM, DAD, and GRANDMA,

Well it's been a crazy week. I feel like a greenie again, not knowing anyone or anything about the area. Sister Dashjav is awesome and such an example to me.  We have one investigator with a baptismal date for the 24th of this month. His parents just got baptized last month and after they got baptized he decided he wanted to as well so we're teaching him. His name is Lloyd and he's 17. When I first met him I noticed that he had earrings, so in our second lesson we asked him about it and then counseled him to take them out because prophets have said that young men shouldn't have earrings. He was totally cool with it and said "They're just earrings." Then the next day at church he had them out. I'm glad it wasn't as big a deal as I thought it would be.

We don't have that many miles for our car so we're going to be biking while it's still cool outside. I do love to bike.

I guess that's it for now. Didn't get an email this week.

Miss you much, Love you more.

Love Sister Anderson

Transfer news... and lots of other fun stuff!

Dear MOM, DAD, and GRANDMA,

Last Monday Sister Parker and I were riding to the Visitors' Center for our shift, we both had headaches, I was still getting over my cold and Sister Parker was getting a new one and the wind was blowing like CRAZY.  My thoughts included; this SUCKS (sorry mom...) can't we walk or get a ride? Why do we have to ride in the wind? My head hurts! And so forth. Sister Parker (who is such a great example to me) was thinking; I have a headache, I'm getting sick, and the wind is blowing, but we will get to the VC and we will be happy, Satan you can't get me down! Just as she had finished this sentence in her head... she ran into a car... yup that did just happen, but all is well. Satan may have gotten her down physically but he couldn't touch her spiritually!  She got right up and we proceeded to the VC (don't worry she had minor injuries).  As we headed on our way again she asked "Why do the weird things happen to me?" I responded "Because Sister if it had happened to me I would have stayed on the ground, that would have been the straw that broke the camels back today." What an example of enduring and being cheerful in all things. She was able to dust herself off and we both had a great laugh after (and for many days later). Come to find out she now has walking pneumonia ... I think she got the cold from me.

The new Visitors' Center Director's wife, Sister Beckstrand, has a blog about the VC with pictures and everything that she is doing for the sisters families http://beckstrandbeat.blogspot.com/ enjoy!
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Transfer News... drum roll..... I'm leaving my greenie area! After almost 9 months they are kicking me out. I'm headed to Citrus Heights which is north/east mesa and my companion will be Sister Dashmaa Dashjav from Mongolia we will be full-field for 3 weeks, VC for 2 weeks (the Easter Pageant, SOOOOO excited) and then full-field for the last week. I'm really sad to be leaving Sister Parker, we got along so well and laughed all the time, but I'm super excited to be going to Sister Dashjav she is an amazing sister (she knows 5 languages and is super talented) and I'm excited for a new area. I will miss all the people I've come to know and love!

Had a miracle this week. As you know we've dropped all our investigators.  Well, we've been teaching a man that is working on coming back to church and he has a daughter that is not baptized yet. We had heard that he wasn't ready for her to be taught so we were just teaching them both (but for him). We called them a few days ago and asked if he wanted us to teach her so she could be baptized. His response "I thought that's what we were doing..." We had an investigator and we didn't even know it. Even though I won't get to keep teaching her I'll probably get to go to her baptism. She is a sweetheart and she loves to have us come by. Tender mercies all over the place.

We got to go to the stake Women's Conference "Filled with Joy", it was so good! Just another experience in which I think, "People don't get this anywhere else".  We had tried to get some formers to go but none showed up... they don't even know what they missed... The Lord truly has blessed me and I get to share it, not many people can say that!

Sister Parker and I have now officially been to "Outer Darkness"(out of the mission, specifically that other side of the 60 )... not on purpose though. We went to a fireside that the VC sisters were singing at and on the way home our driver got lost... it was fun for us and we got pictures.

"Outer Darkness"

Oh no!!! We are IN outer darkness!

Eating a Ned's Crazy Sub (one of the few places to eat in my current area)

More Ned's

And more Ned's

My watch tan line... isn't it sweet.

The Four Musketeers/Ninja Turtles (we all came out together)

Again

 By the by, I love getting pictures of all of you!!!!! (Hint, Hint)
Miss you much, Love you More!!!
Love Sister Anderson

Week in Pictures

Dear MOM, DAD, and GRANDMA,

Well not too much has happened this week, other than officially dropping
everyone we were teaching (official basically means we aren't going to try
and contact them any more because they didn't come to church or they
cancelled on us again...) and we had a bunch of lessons with less-active
members of the church (that in it's self was a miracle). We had our zone
activity today so I'm warn out (we hiked Camelback and made pizza). So I'll
make up for the lame e-mail next week but this week is a week in pictures
type of email.

I did have an awesome faith building experience. I was still sick for most
of the week so I got a blessing from my district and zone leaders. It was
so cool when they laid their hands on my head the priesthood filled the
room and you could just fill the power of God. Nothing miraculous happened
but it was a feeling I will never forget and a image I will always
remember. What a blessing to be a member of God's true church! People don't
get to experience things like that and I get to experience it all the time.
I KNOW that this is God's church restored to the earth, there isn't
anything much better than that!

Miss you much, Love you more!!!!
Love Sister Anderson

P.S. Daddy you were right, Olive Garden is my favorite and I'm glad you
remembered. I'm sad I missed your fun weekend. The first time it was Dad,
Ryan, and Me and look what it's has become! I love our family!!!

Riding our bikes as usual

Getting ready for the Easter Pageant

We ate lunch outside on temple grounds one day this week it
was wonderful!

My amazing companion and I

This was a picture I took on "hump day"(1/2 way), meaning I have less days here than days I've been here. It's kind of a silly picture.

Pounding the pavement!

Made it to the top (again)! I don't plan on doing that
again... but that is what Sister Parker said the last time we went and she
did it again...

Pioneer Zone February 2012 (all but 4)

Pioneer Zone real personality... =D

Our zone hiked Camelback at 6 this morning, this is a better idea of "what" Camelback is.

Sister Parker and I made our own pizza today, one of the
Elders said ours look professional!