It was a good week

November 5, 2012

Dear MOM, DAD, & GRANDMA,
Yes that's fine if Ryan and Misty bless Daniel that same day. Might as well kill two birds with one stone. What day is that?

Jesus is doing so well! He set a baptismal date for the 1st of December, he came to church yesterday and brought his sister and cousin, he came to the Mission President's Fireside last night, he's been praying, and he read in the Book of Mormon and told us he loved 2 Nephi 4:19... he didn't remember the exact reference but he remembered it was 19 and that it talked about "my heart groanth", he also said he just keep reading beyond what we had asked him to and that he just wanted to keep finding treasures. He's so solid! And the ward is taking him in and helping him with rides or whatever he needs. He tells us every time we meet that he's so grateful and really appreciates that we take the time to come. We remind him that he's worth it and that Heavenly Father knew he was prepared. Jesus was the first person that I "found" on my mission that we taught and he wanted more and then wanted to get baptized, meaning everyone else come looking for the missionaries though a member and already knew they wanted to get baptized(that just shows you how important member missionary work is). In all reality though we didn't find him Heavenly Father put us at his door step. I'm so grateful for the chance I got to teach him and that it happened when it did.

Robert is... not so good... we're not too sure all that is going on but he couldn't come to church and then he didn't come to the fireside either after he said he would. We know it's stuff at home but we don't know what and there isn't anything we can do other than pray, so thank you for prayers on his behalf he'll need them for a while yet...

We also got a new investigator yesterday but he seems kind of flaky and he's meet with missionaries before and was flaky then so we'll see.

Cool miracle this week. We've been going to members home and doing Family Mission Plans to help members do more missionary work in normal and natural ways. Basically they list people they want to help come closer to Christ and then is has ideas of what they can do like bring them cookies or invite them to FHE, things like that. It's not to get more referrals for us but to help the members prepare people so maybe they will be ready sometime down the road. One family we had done it with had listed all the non-members on their street and was working on ideas of things they could do, well Sister Booth (no relation... I think) called us and said that she felt prompted to go by her neighbor (a part member family) and invite her daughter to primary. She followed it and when she did the neighbor said that her and her husband had been talking about coming to church but were waiting for an invitation... SO COOL!!! ALWAYS FOLLOW PROMPTINGS!!!! We are working on starting to teach her, we met them and they said we could come by soon.

MIRACLES, BLESSINGS, & TENDER MERCIES!!!!

So I guess I should have called it a blessed week!

Well that's all. Halloween was fun, hope yours was too!

Miss you much, Love you more!

Love Sister Anderson

 

"Look our for our friend Jesus"

October 30, 2012

 Dear MOM, DAD, and GRANDMA,

HaPpY HaLLoWeEn!!!

We have a new investigator, his name is Jesus (he's Hispanic, but if you don't know that it totally seems like we are talking about Christ), he's 20 and we found him when we went to contact a street contact that said we could come back and pray with her. She wasn't home but Jesus let us in and we talked with him a little, shared a scripture about the Atonement, and invited him to church. He ended up not being able to come but he said he would next week and that he might bring a friend. There was a YSA dance/party last night and our WML went over to pick him up, it ended up being too late and by the time they would have gotten there the dance would have been over but they invited him to a party on Wednesday and he was excited to go. Jared (our Ward Mission Leader) said it was a good first contact and that he really appreciated the fact that they stopped by. At first I wasn't too sure how teaching Jesus was going to work out but it's looking like he is very prepared. The work is moving forward in the YSA ward, they have several potentials and we're working hard to help them find people. This is my third YSA ward on my mission and I think it's because I love YSA wards. A sister asked me a while ago how you get work in YSA wards and I told her you just love them, meaning I have no idea how we get work in those ward other than the fact that I love to serve in them and I feel like Heavenly Father gives us work (sometimes later rather than sooner) just because we love them!

Robert is doing good, we contacted him finally and we were able to talk to his parents. Basically it will be awhile until he can get baptized because they want him to figure other things in his life out and they want him to take it all in. I can't blame them they just want to make sure he is committed.

We had a lot of little miracles this week, like random lessons with people we didn't intend on seeing and such. One of those was with Lu she's from Russia and was baptized when she was adopted 9ish years ago but is on and off active. She had just the week before decided she needed to be more diligent at reading and praying, and has started to work on getting Sundays off so she can go to the YSA ward and not just the family ward she's been going to. And then we showed up at her door. She came to church on Sunday and the dance last night. Heavenly Father is so aware of us all!

That's it for this week. My companions are awesome as always and the work is SLOWLY moving forward. Miss you much Love you more!

Love Sister Anderson

Pictures:
The 3 Amiga's
My little baby! 

 

Fiery Dart of The Adversary

October 22, 2012

Dear MOM, DAD, and GRANDMA,

We ate with the YSA ward this week and it was a blast. Eating with members really helps with getting to know them.  The first apartment we ate at had several returned sister missionaries and one said when she was on her mission and there was a "Babylonian  distraction" her companion would tell her "FDA divert your eyes!" FDA stands for Fiery Dart of the Advisory. Since we've started working more in the YSA ward I've been feeling like there is work just around the corner and on Sunday our Ward Mission Leader told us he had 2 possible investigators, one of which had come to church several times and no one had made the connection he wasn't a member. BLESSINGS!!! OUR YSA Ward Mission Leader is so diligent, he fed us this week and invited several people to come. There ended up being there 2 non-members (not from our area but that's okay) and a less-active. We used a bunch of Mormon Messages and it was pretty good. Those have the spirit so strong, I love them!

We got to do service this week. We helped a member clean her house and you know me I love to clean. Unfortunately there really isn't much to tell but I'll do my best to have more to tell next week.

The church is true, the book is blue, and Moroni is ALWAYS on the ball! Miss you much, Love you more!

Love Sister Anderson

One of "those" weeks

October 15, 2012

Dear MOM and DAD,

This was one of "those week..." you know the kind I don't really like to talk about... it's kind of sad. We found a new investigator but then found out later she told one of her Mormon friends that life was hard for her because she was Mormon and she needed to throw away her Book of Mormon. All this after we had a really good lesson with her and she committed find out if this was the answer to her prayers...

Robert won't be getting baptized this week either... his parents didn't know he was planning on that date. They are supportive and don't mind he's looking into it but they don't want him to rush in head long first and then back out later and I guess he has a habit of doing that... I'm grateful his parents want him to not do this halfheartedly but really sad he wasn't upfront with us about his parents wishes. I'm also glad my companions are in tune to the Spirit and felt we should go talk to his parents... because that whole thing could have been bad had we not talked to them yesterday.

Other than that sad news we had a lot of meetings and study this week. There is an extra hour of study for new missionaries so we have very little time in our area with all the things we have. This coming week it's less than 15 proselyting hours, but it is good to be busy... right?

In hopes of reviving this weeks email I've decided to send pictures, ENJOY

Happy Halloween... enough said (At the end of the day I rub my eyes during prayer and this is the result...)

 

 

 

 

more Happy Halloween complements of Sister Shurtz mom

 

Sister Hamsteads 1st morning with us (Greenie breakfast)

Hear no evil, See no evil, Speak no evil

 In the words of MOM.."Stuff and more Stuff"

 October 9, 2012

Dear MOM, DAD, and GRANDMA,

Grandma's going to get in the pool... I thought she was scared of water... GO GRANDMA!!! So what did you think of the big announcement in conference? Pretty crazy... but I really want Kember to go on a mission, I told her to pray about it. But she also may not need a mission because she's amazing on her own (meaning she is growing spiritually with out a kick in the pants... lol)

Our lesson on Sunday was... okay... we probably will be dropping Drew. His mom doesn't really like the idea and he's not putting in very much effort (probably because he doesn't want to offend his mom). He might put more into it if dad was more committed to returning but that time for church change a few weeks back and he keep missing it because he's sleeping in. So if he doesn't read this week we will have to trust the Lord will help him when the time is best. He is a great kid, but it's hard when mom and dad disagree (they are divorced as well)

Robert is doing so good. We watched Joseph Smith Prophet of the Restoration last night and he cried. He is so in tune with the spirit. We also taught the Law of Chasity and when we committed him to live it he said that would be the easiest thing in the world. I asked him if he thought about serving a mission and he said he was going to! SO AWESOME! He also in the last week has read from 2 Nephi to Helaman... He is a tender mercy, miracle, and a blessing all in one. Sometimes it's hard to get lessons because of stuff at home and the fact we have to go through his friend to contact him, because his phone is CRAZY, but every time we have a lesson it is so good and we are reminded how prepared he his.

Sister Hamstead is AMAZING!!! She's our little greenie. We both feel like she's training us because she is so prepared. Trio are usually pretty difficult but so far we are doing great and we all get along really well. This last week has been full of meetings and lessons so it's been pretty crazy but it's always better when your busy. 

How is everyone's reading? We should be on page 84 by the end of today... That's it for today!

Miss you much, Love you more!

Love Sister Anderson

 

Transfer news...training

October 1, 2012

Dear MOM and DAD,

So this last week I was reading in Mosiah 2 and in verse 3 something stood out to me. I know it was the Spirit because it never really had an impact before. The chapter is referring to General Conference (of course) and the beginning is all about how they prepared. In verse 3 it talks about offering sacrifice and I thought about what we offer as a sacrifice now "a broken heart and a contrite spirit" and my thought was "Do I prepare for conference with a broken heart and contrite spirit, prepared to receive what the Prophet will say, and am I humble enough to do what he will ask me to do?" just some food for thought. They also turned their tent doors to the temple (preparing to listen to the prophets voice). Are our doors (the activities in our homes) turning to temple? It was a really sweet "tender mercy" to learn that this last week.

Don't forget about the Book of Mormon challenge. It starts on the 3rd of October, 14 pages a day to finish the Book of Mormon in a transfer. I know I've said it before but I would love it if my whole family did it with me. I know it seem like it would take too much time, but you can read 14 pages in an hour and an hour isn't too much to give to the Lord, who in return will bless you more than you ever gave. Right? =D

Well as the subject line states we got transfer news and Sister Shurtz and I are staying together, we are also training, so we'll be in a trio. This will be an adventure. We are also moving because the members we live with don't have enough room. (That's another thing I tell you more about)

We haven't seen Robert this week meaning his baptism will have to be moved to the 20th of October. He's been grounded all week and then was at his grandparent for the weekend. Pray we can contact him this week.

We that's all she wrote! I Love you all!

Miss you much, Love you more!

Love Sister Anderson

P.S. I would love to hear about what you all are receiving as you read the Book of Mormon.

        And tell Grandma I love and miss her too

YOU'RE AWESOME!!!

September 24,2012

Dear MOM and DAD,

I LOVE all the missionary work you are doing! It makes me even more proud to call you my mom and dad! You'll have to let me know how it all goes and you know you can give me his phone # and I can call him at the Visitors' Center or have one of the other Sisters call. But defiantly pray about it.  Funny you should say USU because Sister Beckstrand was saying I should go there (her reasoning was different) but I've also been thinking that lately. My only struggle would be being SO far away from my babies... I feel like I've missed so much of their lives already! But you know me I'll go where the Lord wants me to and it's probably time for me to work on my living my life... I just love our family so much! And it wouldn't be that long because it's only an endorsement. Anywho... I'll get to my week.

So on Saturday we had ELDER DAVID A BEDNAR come to our mission!!!! It was SOOOOOO good and we all got to shake his hand! I can't even tell you how awesome it was to have him speak to us for THREE hours!!! I know he's called of God and he has the Spirit so strong, it just makes me want to be better. He talked a lot about treating people as Agents who act not Objects to be acted upon and how that affects our missionary work. Also about realizing it's the Spirit that will take the message into the hearts of those we teach not us . We were given two talks about a month ago and asked to read and know them, and that was what our meeting mostly consisted of. Him asking what we learned for the talks and then expounding on them. They were Seek Learning by Faith http://www.lds.org/liahona/2007/09/seek-learning-by-faith?lang=eng&query="seek+learning+by+faith" and Ask in Faith http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2008/04/ask-in-faith?lang=eng&query="ask+in+faith"  My invitation to you is to read them because I really couldn't expound on his words and I really can't describe how awesome it was!

We started teaching Robert, YAY! And he is awesome, I've never met a 16 year old that is so in tune. We had a lesson yesterday with the bishop and his friend form the other ward was there. We taught the Gospel of Jesus Christ and I know the Spirit taught because I had a desire to apply the Doctrine of Christ in my life more. But after, we were trying to set up other times to meet this week and his friend had other things in his ward that were planned, the best part was Robert told him i think this is more important right now! Funny thing about all of this, when we first meet him I kept thinking he look like someone I know and during one of our lessons it dawned on me... he looks like Josh... my ex-boyfriend... Sister Shurtz and I laughed for some time after I told her. But it's such a blessing to get to teach him, I'm grateful!

That's all I got for this week! Miss you much, Love you more!!! 

P.S. Forgot to mention that Saddie, my YSA investigator for my old area, got baptized, I couldn't remember if I mentioned that, but she comes into the VC every so often and is excited to see me and that makes me happy!

Also my Ward Mission Leader from the Gable (YSA) Ward (my first YSA) came in yesterday to have me sign a card for Christina, because today was her year mark of being baptized. She was less-active but has been coming back! YAY! Then I also realized my first convert was baptized over a year ago! It's crazy how that all works.

Love ya!

Love, Sister Anderson

 

Dropping and Miracles!

September 17, 2012

 Dear MOM and DAD,

Yes I got the package! Thank you so much! I love giving away daddy's toys. And I'd been craving popcorn, so that was perfect. Sister Shurtz says thank you for the toys. I gave her two.

Well I'm pretty sure all our investigators are dropped, in the process of dropping, or dropped us. Every member present lesson we had scheduled this week, fell through... But we had a miracle last night. The other sisters in our stake called us to tell us they had an investigator with a date for us! He's 15 and owns a quad and has been reading it for years. He's been going to church for the last 3-4 weeks and they had one lesson with him and set a baptismal date for the 13th of October, and he's in our area, so we'll start teaching him now. His name is Robert, by the by. BLESSING!!!

Today was zone activity and we played Lazer tag, I've never played Lazer tag before so that was fun.

I'm jealous that Conference is coming up. You know how I LOVE conference.

Sorry I'm a little distracted by other things and I still want to email Kember. So I'm gonna finish. I love you!

Miss you much, love you more!

Love Sister Anderson


RAIN

September 11, 2012

Dear MOM and DAD,

I haven't got my meds yet but I haven't been to the Visitors' Center yet today, so I'm hoping it will show up today. I also wanted to request some more toys if you're sending a package, because I'm out and being in a new area I need to have some to give to new people! c=

It's been raining a ton this week and that has been a blessing. We came to the conclusion that it's time for us to drop those who aren't progressing so the Lord can send those who are. Sister Shurtz was struggling with it for a a awhile because she cares so much for the people she's been teaching and she doesn't want them to fall though the cracks, but she told me the Lord comforted her that they would be taking care of and that we would see success if we had the faith to find the elect. 

This week has been a week full of the Spirit.  I can't even begin to tell you how many times I felt prompted or lead by the Spirit this week, and It feels so good after when you know it was the Spirit and you followed it because you knew it was, instead of seeing after "Oh yeah, that was the Spirit!" Don't get me wrong I'm grateful for those moments, because those happen all the time. But it's a blessing to know before hand that it was the spirit guiding you.

Sorry I don't have a ton to write today. But know I'm working hard and missing you all very much!

Love you all,

Love Sister Anderson

Well...

September 4, 2012

 

Dear MOM & DAD,

So our investigators... we have quit a few but I still don't know all of them and I'm not to sure how solid they all are but we do have one who all he needs to do is set a date. His wife is a member returning to activity and the sisters have been trying to get over there for months and just 2 months ago they did. He believes it and know it to be true but still won't set a date, he had one prior but it fell though and hasn't set one since. David is awesome and you'd thin he was a member already, we just need to get him wet now. 

We also found a new investigator this last week named AJ, he teaches ballroom and just recently moved to Mesa. He lived in Texas right down the street from a Temple and he says he's always open to "talking religion" so we have a lesson for tomorrow and we're excited to see where that goes. 

I feel bad because my whole mission I've been in areas where the work is pretty slow and then I came here and there is more work here than in my other areas (at least there was) so I was pretty excited, but my first week the activity of the area decreased ALOT and Sister Shurtz thinks it's her fault... which is not true, but I feel bad because I don't quit know how to life her spirits because this is very much what I'm use to and she's use to success to this is not up to par for her. I just pray she will not let the advisory get her down and make her think it is her fault. The people we teach have a choice and if they chose otherwise they are not prepared yet and the Lord will give us someone who is. 

So our investigators... we have quit a few but I still don't know all of them and I'm not to sure how solid they all are but we do have one who all he needs to do is set a date. His wife is a member returning to activity and the sisters have been trying to get over there for months and just 2 months ago they did. He believes it and know it to be true but still won't set a date, he had one prior but it fell though and hasn't set one since. David is awesome and you'd think he was a member already, we just need to get him wet now. 

We also found a new investigator this last week named AJ, he teaches ballroom and just recently moved to Mesa. He lived in Texas right down the street from a Temple and he says he's always open to "talking religion" so we have a lesson for tomorrow and we're excited to see where that goes. 

I feel bad because my whole mission I've been in areas where the work is pretty slow and then I came here and there is more work here than in all my other areas (at least there was) so I was pretty excited, but my first week the activity of the area decreased ALOT and Sister Shurtz thinks it's her fault... which is not true, but I feel bad because I don't quit know how to lift her spirits because this is very much what I'm use to and she's use to success so this is not up to par for her. I just pray she will not let the advisory get her down and make her think it is her fault. The people we teach have a choice and if they chose otherwise they are not prepared yet and the Lord will give us someone who is. 

From my last area Sadee is getting baptized this weekend, they are still figuring out her ward but for now they are baptizing her into the ward she's in and then transferring her over to her right ward. I got to see her on Sunday at the Mission Presidents Fireside, she gave me a big hug and told me how much she missed me and how bummed she was when she learned I had been transferred, that made me feel good to know I was missed. Now I just need to find someone to take to her baptism so I can go. I think we're going to try and get David and his family there. Cheryl the lady we found right before I left came into the Visitor's Center with Sister K and I don't think she even recognized me... oh well the work moves forward, thank goodness! 

Sister K and I sang at the MP Fireside. We sang "If the Savior stood beside me" we had also sang that our last Sunday as companions. I tell you angels were singing with us both times because we were so nervous that there is no way it should have sounded good... but it did and a lot of people complemented us on it, both times. We were also told we blended well which I love to hear because it's better to blend than to stick out, when it comes to singing that is. 

I hope daddy is doing okay, while he's down for a bit I think that would be a GREAT time to write me some letters... he's only got a short while left that he can write me... Honestly I just miss hearing from my papa! 

That's it for this week! I love you all! 

Miss you much, Love you more! 

Love Sister Anderson