August 15, 2011

So this week went really good. The weather here reminds me a lot like home. I swear it is like the same.
Our zone meeting was so awesome. Seriously it was the coolest thing ever. I can't believe we actually thought of it. Anyways this is the lay out of the zone meeting.

So at the base of the mountain we had a talk on attitude and how it is important that we keep a good attitude on our missions and towards others. Then we started the hike up Thumb Butte. It was sweet. Then half way up we had a talk on Urgency and elder Kelley said that one. He did a really good job. Kelley is crazy and a really good missionary he knows how to work hard. Then we cont. up the mountain. towards the top we had an other talk on Diligence, then we cont and had another talk on humility elder Nuttall gave that one he is the most humble missionary out here and he is super smart. Then near the top we had another talk on trials and the spirit was just so strong the whole way up. Oh something I forget to add all the missionaries had to pick a rock at the bottom and carry it with them. So when we got to the top some of the missionaries went to the very top and I took a little rock climbing, so we broke the rules but I had to go to the very top, you know me... All or nothing. Anyways so after we went to the very top. Elder Juchau talked about the rocks that we all carried up and how those are our trials and burdens. Then we made a Shrine like a rock tower with them all and it showed our hard work and not to give up cause the end results are beautiful. Then I gave a talk on Our PRESCOTT ZONE PURPOSE it is so sweet. We have like our own little rap that we say now. So I just pumped up the missionaries to serve harder and love everyone. Then I gave a talk about how to have a better attitude and have FUN with the work. Cause if your not having fun your going to get depressed. So have fun and BAPTIZE. It was pretty sweet. Then we had a testimony meeting, it was so spiritual. The spirit was so strong coming from these great missionaries. Seriously it brought tears to my eyes. Then we all went off and studied and prayed at the top. I received an answer to my prayers as I studied and prayed up there. The spirit was just so strong. And I know why I'm out here. After that we hiked down and took pictures. It was AWESOME!

We went on a lot of exchanges this week. We're now going out with every missionary in the zone. So that's fun, we get know our missionaries a little better. They are 24 hr exchanges. I got to go out with the new missionary in our Zone Elder Estes. He is awesome. I love that guy we got along very well and I helped him out a lot cause I struggled at the beginning and now he is going through the same thing. So that was nice to help him out.

I also got to go out with Elder Pugsley in Paulden, we taught a really good lesson that day as well with Jacob Ford their investigator we got him to put all his cigs and chew in a brown bag and wrote Coffin on it. Then we buried it in his back yard. It was awesome.

Brother Beavers Baptism went really awesome. He is just going to be such a good member. After the baptism he gave a 30 min testimony and talked about how he is going to build up church. He's Awesome.

This morning we got to play racquet ball it was way fun, so tell Dad I'm going to beat him when i get home hah.

I love you,

Elder Trent Anderson

August 8, 2011

So this week has been really good. I have learned a lot from our new mission president. We have a couple different rules now. OUR MUSIC RULE CHANGED. Were allowed to listen to anything spiritual and uplifting. So that's pretty sweet. We made a member burn us efy 2011 and I love it. Best CD ever. wow that's weird that I'm all exctied over efy and church music. My life has changed a lot. Oh well I love it. Anyways we also got rid of a couple other rules and Our mission president just wants us to have more trust in him. I really hope the missionaries take it the same way the Zone leaders took this news. Cause its not in effect for the rest of the mission till the 17th. So we get to listen to all the good music before every one less. So that's pretty sweet. So President Taylor is a whole lot different then Pres. Beck. Like opposites cause President Taylor is all about the trust and he is very emotional and loving. Which I really like about him.

So this week has just been pretty crazy. As zone leaders we go to a ton of meetings and they take up so much time. By the way i just signed a rock that is going to be going into the phoenix north temple. So I'll have a little piece of the temple. So I'm way happy about that. I can't wait to come back and go through that temple. Your welcome to come with me I guess haha.

So there's been some cool spiritual experiences that have happened this week. As we plan out our day we like to open the windows of Heaven and set a time and place where we will be and we know that the lord will prepare some one there. But the key is we must stay obedient and worthy to receive the blessings. So we had a time picked out and a place and I knew that we were going to find a family to teach. So we got to that place and we said a prayer, then we walked out and there was a black guy and his family that just pulled up during our prayer and we talked to him and it turns out he was being taught down in the valley. When he moved up here he lost tract of the church and we found him through faith and obedience. It was just a great testimony builder and I'm so happy for that moment.

Our new missionaries are awesome. I love the missionaries here. I went on exchanges with Elder Giles one of our new missionaries in the area and we just had so much in common. He also has a pretty cute sister that he told me I could write. Anyways we had some really good and spiritual lessons that day. We met with Albert Black and the spirit was there for sure he even pointed it out. He just needs to read the Book Of Mormon and I know that he will be baptized. Soon! 

I got the chance to do another Baptism Interview. I got to Interview brother Beavers and he is like legendary. He's been taking the lessons for 6 years and now is going to be baptized on the 13th. I'm so happy for him.  He told me to show Dad this  www.gbsi-step.com its the new building tech. He's a really nice guy and has a patent on that company. We had a really good time during the interview and he is so ready for baptism. 

Korik is doing really well.  He is still set for the 3rd of September to be baptized.
I seriously can't wait for him to receive the blessing of baptism. It's going to help him out so much. I just love this gospel so much. 

We have ZONE MEETING this weds. And were hiking Thumb Butte it's a sweet mountain you can look it up online, it is going to be so awesome. At the top were going to do like what we use to do at June lake on Sunday where we split apart and write a letter and testimony, but its going to be to your companion. I'm way excited.

Anyways life is good as a missionary. The members here are so awesome. The Doyles are taking us to bowling and chillies they feed us so well. I love that family. 

I love you so much and thank you for everything.

Elder Trenton

pictures!!!

He really isn't that big...I promise. 

 Trent's old mission president. 

June. 27

So how was your second week in Prescott?

So Prescott is a beautiful area. And I haven't been taking that many pictures, so I'll prob take a lot this week and send the sd card. But i love it here.
So we had our last zone conference with president and sisiter Beck. It was pretty sad. It was pretty much all about moving on and loving the the new Mission president. "don't stop working hard just because I'm leaving" So it was really good. My favorite part about it was that I didn't have to practice teach. I got to watch and correct other missionaries, so that was really fun. And all the missionaries got to hug Sister and president Beck. I cant believe that he leaves soon. Its going to be pretty sad, but president Taylor is going to do really good.

I also got to go on exchanges with the AP's and Drive the truck from the Valley to Prescott and you better believe we hit a 100 mph haha. With the AP there. It was pretty sweet. It was my first time driving in 9 months crazy stuff. but i got to drive all day and the next day. So I got to know the area a lot better. Elder Brase (AP) he is the best teacher in the mission right now. So i learned a lot from him and we had some very spiritual lessons. I love that guy.

We do a lot of reactivating in Prescott, so we have a family that we are working with right now the Pearsalls and they are so funny and nice. They have a daughter that's 16 and she has not been baptized, but it's going to be hard to work with her cause she's a trouble maker. Oh well. They are an awesome family.
We also do a lot of service up here. Like helping old people move and what not.
Yesterday I got the sickest pants ever they are like totally old school brown and tight with bell bottoms. I love them haha. Old people are so nice and they always kiss me on the cheek. It's kinda weird. haha

Funny story:
So we have a member in our ward and his name is Jason Downer he is so funny. So he took us out to Red Lobster and after the meal he made us sing YO HO a pirates life for me hah It was great. And everyone was looking at us funny. Good stuff.

Oh on Sunday we went to the Church of Christ it was pretty interesting. We went cause that's where one of our investigators go. The people there were really nice, but I never felt the spirit and I asked my self where did these people get their Authority?
This week has been really good.

Does your zone cover all of Prescott or just the 2 wards?

We cover 2 wards and also the whole zone which is Prescott and Prescott valley. All together there are 2 stakes and 15 different wards. So its pretty fun.

How is your zone? Are you being well received? Are the sister's warming up to you?

Yeah I'm starting to gain the trust of the missionaries in the Zone. but the zone is doing really bad with work and baptisms, we are in a pit.
How are the wards?

The wards here are doing great and the people here are so nice I love it.

I get to work with the stake presidents so that's funn. We do Stake cordinations and I love how the church works and we are in the center of it.

Investigators? 

We are working up a teaching pool right now. So right now we are just knocking on a lot of doors and what not. But were teaching a family right now and they are awesome. Hughes Family. There are 3 of them Ruth Josh and Sara. So hopefully they will get baptized soon. We had a really spiritual meeting with them the other day.

Your comp sounds like a great guy! What nationality is he?

French and yes he's a good guy.

Do you live in an apartment or house? Any other roomies?

We live in a members home, but there really old and it's just us.

Do you really drive a truck?

Yeah we don't mess around. It's a Colorado Chevy z71. So its nice, 2010 too. I like it and we'll take pictures by it.

When is Dad going to by the new F150, so I can buy it off him when I get home?

Well everything is going great and I love it here. Thank you for sending me pictures. I look forward to seeing them. I love you and tell Chad not mess around with girls or I'm going to beat him up when I get home.Ha Ha
Thank you and I really don't need anything right now. 
Dad looks likes he is losing alot of weight what the heck. I'll prob weigh more then him when I get home. 
Love you!
Elder Anderson

June. 20

So how's your new area?

So my new area is pretty sweet and yes it is a lot cooler. I miss my last area a ton though. I just have to put it behind me cause it just causes stress and depression. I'm doing really good now. Prescott has a lot of really nice people. My first Sunday was really good and the people here want to feed us like kings. We have had double dinners ever since I've been here and a bunch of steaks. So its pretty nice. So I'm eating well. I think I actually lost weight from being stressed out, cause I wasn't eating, but its all good now.
Well in Prescott I serve in the Copper Basin Ward and Bradshaw Ward they are sweet. My first day we went truck tracting. Its when we get in our car and then get out and knock a door and get back in and drive to the next house and knock and so forth. Its sweet. All the house we tract in Copper Basin are like ranches. So we go off roading in our truck, its pretty sweet. I cant wait for monsoon season so we can get stuck in mud and what not. Oh we also got chased by 3 German Shepherds it was way scary. We were walking up to a house and all the sudden we see 3 huge dogs barking and running at us so we sprint back to the truck and Juchau jumps into the back and I went around to open to door and go in and he didn't open it and I saw a dog come around the car so I jumped into the bed haha. But the owner came out and got the dogs. Then we talked to him and He had a Book of Mormon and was already reading it. So we talked to him about that, but he said he likes to chase women and drink beer to much so he wont come to church. really nice guy though.
Was any of your district transferred with you?

Nope, i was the only one that got transferred in my district.
How's your ward?

We cover 2 wards and they are pretty awesome. The missionaries before me were really good guys, so it's a hard path to follow, but I'm trying my hardest. I asked the Bishops if I can bare my testimony this up coming Sunday so people will know who I am. The people are really nice.
Any investigators yet?

Not yet the area is pretty dead right now but were working hard to bring it back to life. We have 2 potential baptisms coming up were just waiting for the court case to pass so the biological mom will let her kids get baptized. So that should be fun I think it's suppose to happen soon. But other then that we don't really have that many progressing investigators.
What are the demographics like? Senior citizens? Families? Kids?

There are a lot of old people up here, nothing like sun city but there are quiet a few. Prescott is mostly white and there are some really wealthy people here as well. A lot of the members here are doctors and what not. So everyone is pretty well off. There are a lot of kids. Its kinda like our ward back at home sorta. Copper basin is. So everyone is really nice and they feed us a ton. They all love elder Juchau too.
How many missionaries are in your zone?

There are 16 missionaries in my zone, so it's not to big. There are 2 district leaders and they are pretty sweet missionaries. We have some weirdos in my zone too, but there all pretty funny.
Tell me all about it!!

My Companion Elder Juchau is a really nice guy we get along well. He has the same ear problem as Ryan our cousin, but he can't hear at all out of his left ear so i have to speak up a lot with him. But he's really nice and he's from Washington. No IDAHO companions anymore.

You need to send me a updated pictures of the family. Everyone is saying Chad is so different now and I hear all my friends are still coming over to swim and what not that's pretty funny.

Well I love you and thank you for everything.
Elder Trent Anderson

June.13

How was your week?

Well this week was going really good till this morning when I got a call from President Beck telling me I'm going to be a ZONE LEADER, what the heck! I don't know how I'm going to do it and I'm super nervous. My favorite scripture for this past week was 1Nephi 3:7 which tells us the lord will prepare a way for us. So that helps me out a little bit. But I'm still a little stressed. I love my mission though and it will never just be a smooth road. I swear right when i get into the motion Heavenly Father throws crazy stuff at me, but oh well. I can do it I think.
Well this past week was awesome. We had 2 baptisms and I'm truly learning how to live my purpose. I love to share my testimony with others and see how the spirit touches them. At the baptism we as missionaries get to do a presentation and we share the 1st lesson. It is awesome and I always cry when i talk about how the gospel blesses families cause it has truly blessed ours. I also always cry when I say something the 1st vision, cause Joseph Smith is the MAN and he went through so much so that we can find true happiness in our life. I just love this gospel and I have seen a change in my life since I've been out. I watch other missionaries mess around and flirt with girls and I just think to myself how do they even get to that point? I swear when I was set apart all my games with the women were left at home. I hate talking to girls if were not talking about religion. Its really weird. but this week is really good and I'm going to miss brother Crouse a ton, he did a lot for us and took us to sonic every Tuesday. I love that man. I hate leaving areas it's always so sad cause I grow to love the people here. Like Sam and Hope I hope i can come back for their baptism. I love them.
Baptisms ?
Julian's Sister and Edward. Those baptisms were so awesome.
First, emalyn she is awesome. The spirit was so strong during that baptism. Cause her brother baptized her. I can't even describe how strong it was and after the baptism the mom got up and bore her testimony and thanked God for sending us here to help her kids, right when she said that I knew I was meant to be there and not some cool mission out where ever. I Know Heavenly father sent me to Poeria Az to help that family come unto to Christ. After her testimony Julian got up a bore his it was so good.  He talked about how we would play ball with him and would talk about the church a little and the time I gave him the BOM with my testimony in it. He also thanked us and everyone else. Then his sister Emalyn bore her testimony it was so good. I'm so glad that I had the chance to teach them and help them understand the gospel. I honestly think if everyone would just read the Bom they would be converted. People just don't understand how important the Gospel is and it just makes me sad. I cry myself to sleep sometimes cause I just feel selfish if I don't work hard cause I'm keeping all the blessings to myself and I want to share them with everyone. But that baptism was GREAT.

Eddies was really good as well. We only had to teach him for 2 weeks and he got baptized. Talk about a solid investigator. He loves the church and has such a strong testimony. He's a 19 year old boy and I hope he goes on a mission. But he might get married before that. It would be so hard to convert at age 19 cause its a different culture being Mormon. It's not easy to be in the true church. Christ said "I never said it would be easy, but it will be worth it." I know through all the sacrifices we go through our live's are blessed. I love this church.
Investigators?

We have gotten some new investigators His name is Sheldon a 17 yr old Black kid he is awesome and has been through a lot in his life. He has tear drop tattoos so that's pretty sick. I'm sad I won't get the chance to watch him get baptized. He's awesome.

Brittany Perkins wrote me a letter yesterday and told me how I have changed her life and how happy she is now. I read it last night and started crying as I read it cause she left her testimony as well.
I love the change that this gospel has on people. I wish I knew of the power of the spirit when I was home so I could have helped out my friends. I feel so different now. It's a indescribable feeling that I feel. I have so much Love for everyone. It truly kills me to think of my friends back at home that don't have this happiness in their lives. They have the worldly happiness, which I think is alright but there is nothing like having the spirit with you always and having that happiness. I love it and I want everyone else to feel it. So when I got that letter it made me feel so good inside to know that I helped Brittany feel that happiness.
Transfers?

I don't know where I'm going yet, but I'm a Zone leader now.

Thank you so much for everything I love you

Elder Trent Anderson

June. 6

So this week went really good. We had a quiet a few lessons and I had a really good exchanges with one of the elders in my District. We are also living our purpose by talking to everyone. Like seriously it is so weird to think a year ago I would never go up to some one and just talk to them, unless it was a cute girl. But now we talk to everyone about the gospel. It is so awesome. I love just talking to crazy people on the street cause people just open up to us. It must be because we are representatives of the Lord Jesus Christ. I love talking to everyone and I have a strong testimony of it. Everyone deserves to feel the happiness that I feel in my life. It would just be selfish not to share the gospel. But this week was really good and I feel that i draw closer to our Savior everyday. This is definitely the best decision I have ever made. There is seriously no other place I would rather be. One guy that we were sorta bashing with said "So there is no other place you want to be right now?" and I said "No I love helping others strengthen their faith." and he was like speechless and said wow you have some serious dedication. We ended up giving him a BOM so hopefully he will read it and find true happiness. One of my favorite questions to ask people is "do you believe you can be happier?" And they always say Yes. I love it and then I'll share how they can be happier. Its great.

How are your other investigators doing?

Our Investigators are doing great. Sam and Hope are still on to get baptized on the 13th of July. So we are super pumped for that. I love that family and I can not say that enough. Sam is truly the man and he has been through some crazy stuff in his life time. I'm so glad that he has found the gospel and keeping to his commitments that he has made with us and the Lord. There gonna stop smoking and drinking on the 13th of June, so that way they will be clean for a month. They are making big changes in their lives for the better. I love it.

Sister Baldonaldo is doing really good. I didn't get to go to the lesson, cause I was on exchanges but it went really good and the spirit was there. Brother Crouse told me hah. But she is starting to break in a little and answering our questions so that is good, hopefully she will be baptized soon.

Emalyn is doing great. She has her interview tonight so that is exciting. I know that she will pass. This is going to be one of the coolest baptism of my mission so far, cause Jullian is going to be baptizing her. That is so cool, he just got the priesthood yesterday and now is going to exercise that priesthood and baptized his sister this Saturday. I'm so excited for that. And the whole family are going to bare their testimonies. The mom was baptized like a year ago and Jullian was baptized 2 weeks ago and now Emalyn. So AWESOME. I just love this gospel.

We also have Eddie and he going to be getting baptized this weekend as well. But he doesn't live in our ward so he is going to be getting baptized in that ward. but we still get to go cause he wants us to say the prayers. So that baptism should be really good as well. I'm excited for that. He is a really smart kid and he definitely feels the spirit.

We have a a lot more investigators, but there not really progressing and hopefully they will have baptism dates soon.

How's the big family doing? It must be really hard  to teach them, but you have always had a lot of patience. I'm sure they will catch the spirit soon!

They are doing great. It's just there super shy and don't talk much when they come church. So we are praying for them a lot that the spirit will touch them and they will know that this gospel is true. Cause they love coming to church.

Any cool events happen this week?

Well my exchange with Elder Hubbard. He is a really good missionary. And we caught Scorpions it was way sweet. Then we burned them and they killed each other cause the fire made them go crazy. But our exchange went really well. He told me after that our exchange will change his mission and the way he contacts people, because its all about loving everyone we teach and that is what I taught him.

How's your comp and roommate's?

They are doing great. And I love them hahahahaha

Have you heard about who's getting transferred? I hope they keep you as a dl and trainer, but Pres Beck might want to know you better before he leaves and move you. Good luck!

Well you will know about the transfer news next week. I really hope I stay here and train again. Being zone leader will be really stressful.

Thank you

I love you and thanks for all the support and prayers.
Elder Anderson