Elder Anderson is HOME!

 We welcomed home Elder Anderson is Tuesday and we are so happy to have him back!!! He served a great mission and has many stories to tell for it. Here are some pictures from his happy homecoming!!! 

Final Pictures!

July 9

 So this week was pretty sweet! We went to the temple on the 5th. I

 love the Temple so much. The spirit is so strong within those walls. I

 plan on going there a lot when I return home. It is my favorite place

 to go in the whole world. This last time I had a really cool exprience

 as I was praying in the celestial room. I love the scriptures so much.

 They answers my prayers. I read D&C 18 in the celestial room and a ton

 of the verses really rang true to me. I love the temple so much.

 Oh Corinna our recent convert made me a super cool Navajo belt. Like a

 tribe belt it is awesome. I wish I would have taken a picture with it

 on so I could show you. I'll send you my photo card with a picture of

 it on there. It is awesome. I plan on wearing to my homecoming talk

 and on the airplane. hahaha. I love my recent converts so much. I will

 do anything for them. I can't wait to see some of the people that I

 have helped enter the waters of baptism go to the Temple.

 Cool story so we were tracting the World(apt complex that has every

 race in it) We tracted into a Burmese lady and her family. She was

 super nice and invited us in. we shared a short message about how

 families can be together forever and then said a prayer with her. We

 told her we could get a copy of the Book of Mormon in Burmese and she

 got super happy. So we hope to get the copy soon so we can go back and

 give it to her. I love how the Gospel is world wide.

 We also got some new inv. this week! A member referral, she referred

 her Mom and sisiter who live in the same house. So we went over and

 met with them and shared a short message about Christ. The member

 Daughter said that the Dad wouldn't be very interested, she was wrong

 the father loved the message we shared and was excited to hear

 more. They also came to church last sunday. We have a lesson with them

 on tuesday, so we plan to set up a baptism date for July! I'm way

 excited for this family. The non member Daughter has the funniest

 little girl ever! She is 7 years old but acts like she is 12. It is so

 cute. So yeah we are working hard to find new people. 

  It is so Hot here! Check out the photo!

 So how's the cockroaches? Seen any or any other wildlife?

 We didnt have to mess wiht any this week! Thank goodness! haha

  Any baptism dates? Camille, Geegina, Bleys neighbors?

 We have Jessie and Georgeanna prepared for baptims in JUly. we hope

 set more though soon!

 How does this area compare to Prescott? More investigators? More Meals?

 There are a ton more people down here. The work is very different. we

 don't get as many member referrals down here. Most of the inv. we get

 are off our own efforts.

 Are you getting in shape riding your bike in 110 degrees? You better

 keep it up because Dad rides like 200 miles a week.

 Yeah iT is super Hot down here! I dont know why people live here.

 Today it is 113 and the smae tomorrow. It is crazy!

 So Jeff Grigg went to Provo last week and loved it and now is

 definitely going there after his mission, so maybe you can be

 roommates for a couple of years.

 It's going to be 4 years total until you see him again. So weird!

 I'll prob be married by the time Jeff comes home hahah If not we will

 def. room together!

 I LOVE you a ton and thank you so much for everything! You are the BEst!

 Love,

 Elder Anderson

June 11

How are you?

I'm doing great! I love my area so much and all the people in it. We run into crazy people everyday and broken up familieas and it makes me so grateful for what I have and the awesome family that supports me. This week was super funnnn! So we had 2 leadership meetings back to back weds and thurs. 7 hours long! Yes they were killer. But the best part about them was Prescott came down for the 2 days and guess where nelson stayed? Yes he stayed with us for the 2 days! It was so much fun. Just like old times. We went on splits so it was me and Nelson together. I love that guy so much. He loved wokring in the ghetto and we tracted the roughest part of our area. It was super funnn. He met his first hooker and crazy person yelling at the sky. It was great. I cant wait to see him after the mission. Being with him for those 2 days was like working with my best friend. It was awesome!  So that was like the highlite of the week. we also got some new investigators and we have a Baptism on the 15th! Joshue is gettign baptized! Its going to be Sweet.

Oh somwething I learned this week, well I kinda already knew but it didnt actually come to me till yesterday when I heard it again. So when the great apostasy happened the Catholic shurch staarted in 280 AD first off how did they get there authority if there was a 280 year gap from when the authority was on the earth. So the cathlic church is false. Now if the cathlic church is false wouldnt that mean any church that branches off of it be false as well? Yes. That is why there was such a great need for the restoration. All these reformers and leaders prepared the restoration to happen. Man I love the gospel and what the spirit teaches me. So when I heard that and studied it more. It just all made sense you me. I know that the church is true!

It sounds like you are in more of the ghetto now. Did you get some furniture? Do you have a bed?

Yeah we have beds. Not to much Furniture. we are looking for a couch still. we'll findone soon though.

Why did you have to move out of the Tieman's?

Cause of the bed bugs.

How's Shella doing?

We werent able to meet with her this week. She was always busy. we aer planning to teach her on tuesday so hopefully it will work out. She is such an awesome lady!

Any other new investigators?

Well we set more baptism dates this week. We have 6 right now for june. Andrea the mother and her 2 kids Kyliegh and brandon. They are super cool. Elder Mason set the date and taught the lesson while In  the meetings. HE is a aweosme missionary. So they are planning on getting baptized on the 30th of June. Brandon is a super smart little 10 year old. He said he would read the Book of Moromon and he has. Way cool kid.

Crystal who is a super cool lady! She is a little crazy. But very smart and has soime wild ideas. we were teaching her and she was talking about how she wants to grow adn how she has a purpsoe here on earth. The spirit then told me to have her read Alma 32;28. Show I Pulled out my Books and openned to the page and had her read it. As she was reading tears started to go down her cheek. She finished and Said " that verse is talking to me, Sorry I dont cry but for some reason this just hit me" IT was so cool to see the spirit just work. My mission president said the strongs tools we have are: 1. our testimonies 2. The scriptures. So use them and use them often. I love the scriptures so much!

Tell chad to look up Colossians 3: 20 that is in the NT. I thought of him and I as I read it. You might like it to mom haha.  Also check out on youtube Missionary work and the Atonement. It is a super good video and brought all the leadership in the mission to tears.

there were a couple other funny stories like th Drunk Navajo that tried to steal Masons bike. Good stuff. But I dont have anymore time. I love you so much!

Pictures!

Because today is Mothers day we get the opportunity to talk him!!! Only a little over four months til we see him again!!!

April 30, 2012

How are you? Do you need any short sleeved shirts?
This week was pretty wild. I got bed bugs hahah. Yup they are feeding
on my blodd every night ha. It is pretty wild and scary. I guess the
missionary before me brought them into the house, so they did a super
deep clean but didnt get all the bugs out. So I'm currently the host
or dinner for my little friends. I have bites all over my arms and
legs, its great. Well while we are on the subject of bed bugs. We
helped someone move on saturday. They lived in a very poor apt complex
it's called 3333 the hood. Anyways as we were taking apart the bed, a
bed bug clawed on to my hand it freaked me out. So we looked under the
bed and there was like 100's of them. So I refused to touch the bed
haha. Then in the same move we were moving a table like there dinner
table and a cockroach clawed out of one of the cracks and I hate
cockroaches they freak me out. I'm just a little girl when it comes to
cockroaches and bedbugs, even though I'm getting eaten alive haha.
It's all about the exprience though. This week was super good in the
missionary work area. We had a baptism YES Maria got baptized I'll
send you a picture. Her baptism was Great! We found a couple new
investigators. Hopefully we will start teaching this black family that
we found tracting. I love tracting here, we run into so many cool
people and they are all humble.
We had a pretty cool exprience tracting. So the zone leaders went on
exchanges with us fro like 3 hrs to tract in our area and what not. We
went out and I forgot my bike lock and we didnt have a phone or keys.
So we got into the church and dropped our bikes off there, then
proceded to got tracting. We were tracting on butler and I wasn't
really feeling that street. So we stopped and said a prayer, we asked
where heavenly father wanted us to be. I then opened my planner and
saw the street that we needed to go to. So we went there and the first
door we knocked on was a mexican family that spoke perfect english.
The Husband Junior was covered in tatoos, they had 2 kids and really
needed a prayer. So we had a prayer with them and they invited us back
to teach them this week. They are also neighbors of a member.Because
Junior had a ton tatoos and looked way rough the neighbor wouldn't
really talk to him. You can't assume people will not be interested in
the gospel just because of there outer apperence. I hate it when
members of the chruch judge and assume. I learned a very good lesson
that day on not judging and assuming. I promised in my prayer that I
would work my hardest not to assume that the people we talk to or see,
will not be interested in the gospel. So we talk to everyone we see. I
love it! The blessings come so fast when you just work hard and stick
your mind to the work. I love it.
We found a couple new people from just talking to everyone in the
street. Marilyn and her son Preston who is 8. they came to a church
tour with us. They both loved the church and we are going to start
teaching them. She has tatoos all down her arms and she was really
worried about being judged at church. I could say that no would say
anything cause the members love to judge for some reason. We are all
children of our father in heaven. I dont it just really bothers me how
judemental the members are. We have some really cool people we are
teaching though. I love it here so much!

Sounds like your area is one that all Missionary Mom's love. Ha Ha
How are your investigators? Any new ones?
They are doing great. I kinda told you about them in the beginning of
my letter. We are starting to teach more part member families and a
lady from Croasia I dont know how to spell the country. She is
European and way cool.
How's Maria, Corina and Bryan? Sounds like they are pretty golden!!!
Maria is so solid. Her baptism was awesome. She has such an awesome
spirit about her andis such a hard worker. Maria is truly one of the
elect. She was Preapred by our father in heaven and sent to us. I love
her a ton. Her smile after the baptism was Priceless. I love there
reaction after baptism.
Corinna and her Daughter Georgianna are getting baptized on the 19th
of may! I'm, so excited for them. They both came to church this past
sunday. I love them.
Bryan is set to get baptized on the 12th of May. He is such a great
guy and feels the spirit so much more in his life now. He said that he
was a lot happier now. His wife and can see the dufference as well. He
has made a lot of changes.

I got the nicest letter from the Denee Heeter. I sent it to you. Can't
get any better than that!!!
I didnt get the letter. She is so awesome. We went out to dinner with them.

What else is happening? When's next transfer? Is your companion doing
well?  Are they going to have you be a Trainer in the same area?
I will most likey be training in this area after this transfer. It
ends on the 15th of may.

My computer is acting up and I have to go to an appointment. I will
write more when I get back. You have been sending your emails latter,
so maybe I can get a few more words in.

Do you need anything? Air conditioner? HA HA
hahh I'm good so far. the heat is coming early though!
I'm still waitng fro my letter from Dad
I love you so much!

April 22, 2012

.So this week was really fun! I Love my new area it is so awesome and

there are so many different races here. We are teaching acouple

Africans like Straight up african, They barely speak english so it is

a little hard to understand them but they are way cool. We are also

teaching a black man from Japan hah HE is super cool has well. We meet

a lot of people from off the street. I love talking to complete

strangers on the street. Just talking to them letting them know that

there father in heaven loves them and just being real with them is the

best. There are so many missionaries that go into robot mode when

really if you want to teach a lot of people just share your

personality. It's the best way. So yeah this week was awesome! I  had

the most spiritual lesson of my life as well, I'll tell you more about

it later on in the email.

.

How are things going with Elder Harlin?

Harline and I get along pretty well. We are both pretty laid back and

not really that opinionated. I really just try my hardest to be an

example to him and have fun with the work. He is doing great! He is  a

spiritual gaint, he just cant seem to talk that well with people. I

love him.

Great to hear about Blake and Maria? Everything going as planned?

BLAKE GOT BAPTIZED!!!!!! It was so much fun. The advisery really

worked hard on him his last couple days. He got really mad at his best

friend and cussed him out and said that he didn't want to get baptized

any more. That was thursday night. We went over there friday after

school and talked to him, he said that he was just mad and said it out

of anger. So he agreed to still get baptized. His friend came when we

were there and I talked to both of them and they said there sorries.

Now they are still best friends. So the baptism, I love baptisms and I

got to wear a jumpsuit:) The feeling after baptizing someone is un

describable. Blake was so happy after his baptism. He got up a bore

his testimony on how happy he was and how he felt it was so awesome.

He is going to make a great missionary some day.

Maria is Great! He is getting baptized this week. She is really one of

the most hard working ladies I know. She has such a spirit about her.

Her Accent is way cool to. She got interviewed on saturday and passed.

I'm way excited for this baptism it is going to be great.

How about Corinna and Bryan?

Corinna is awesome. Hr Daughter moved in with her and we taught them

both the first lesson. They are palnning on getting baptized in late

May. That was way exciting! I lvoe teaching Navajos theya re just so

humble and submissive.

Bryan, We had the coolest and most spiritual lesson ever with Bryan.

So a little back round on Bryan He hated God for so long anf wanted

nothing to do with him up in till about 3 months ago. So we started

the lessona dn asked him how his reading is and what not. The membre

we brought with us is a convert, so Bryan asked him why he joined the

church. So it turned out that the member has a very similar story to

Byrans. Bryan told us some of his concerns and started to cry. We then

had him read in D&C 18 where is talks about the worth of souls in

great in the sight of god. We talked about that for a little bit. Then

Harline felt prompted to read Alma 36 17-21, we had Bryan read it

Right in the middle of verse 17 he started to cry more, then cont. to

cry through out the verses. After he was done reading he said " Im

done fighting God, I'm Done" She said he felt so much pain as he read

those verses all the walls he put up broke down. HE left to the

bathroom and I'm pretty sure he was praying. we then talked about

repentance and read in Enos he cried again, Now this isn't a guy that

cries all the time, he a tough man. He then said that he would come to

church, He hasn't been in a church for ever, cause of his hatred. He

Did come by the way. Bryan said that he would do anything thing and

said that he was done fighting. So I invited him to be baptized, He

said YES (crying), then I extended a date for may 12th he said YES. It

was such an awesome lesson and I learned so much from it. I love how

th spirit just works in side of people. The Spirit truly did touch the

heart of Bryan, so mucht hat it broke down every wall that he had up

against God. He knew it to. I love this Gospel so much!

That is so cool that you saw the Heeter's at Stake Conf. I can't wait

to meet them!

So your really close to your 2nd area? Have you seen anyone else from

there?

I still write the Brown family an email every once in awhile. I see

Brother Crouse at transfer meetings as well.

What else happened this week?

I got to carry a dead body, Pretty crazy huh. We carried it into the

church for a funeral, then we put it down and they openned it up, that

was a little wierd.

Harline got his bike stolen out of the church building. Pretty wild,

they didn;t take my bike though. That was tough cause that was right

after our lesson with Bryan, talk about opposition in all things.

oh  missionary in our zone ran into a parked car and broke his bike,

He is way funny and Chubby, Elder Stott.

Do you need anything?

Not right now, I'm doing good. It was a 105 yesterday already!

How are your shoes holding up?

GOOD! they have some holes but Im going to run them into  the ground.

Did you ever get some workout shoes? Are you playing a lot of Bball?

not yet Im going to look for some today. Yeah we play alot of bball

Did you get your Easter package?

yes thank you so much!

I love you a ton!

love,

Elder Anderson