12/17/2012          “An Emotional Week”

Hola Familia,

Hey, so guess what?  I stayed and will finish in San Luis Potosí Mexico...I’ve got two weeks to kick some butt. Satan’s butt…ha ha…

Well, this week I learned a lot of things. Honestly, we had an emocional(emotional) week. My comp and I had kind of had a huge fight over something stupid and we both explained everything and we felt a ton better. We both ended up in tears. I don’t cry a lot...almost never but, the spirit that you feel when you know you are doing what is right and that Dios is with you it’s a feeling that you can’t explain. Honestly, what I have learned is a lot of humility. I have learned that the only way to have exito(success) is to work with the Lord, not just only with your comp. After we had worked everything out, we had a ton of success. We taught 4 lesson had 6 new investigators and yea we had 4 in the capilla(chapel). Things are coming along really well. I have seen a change in us as comps and we are working hard until the end. But, we should be having 5 bautimos(baptisms) this weekend.  We will see how everything goes. We have a lot of work to get done and a lot of stuff to do. Also we are going to have a obra teatral(A Play). It’s going to be hilarious. When you have time look at, 100 mexicanos dijeron(Mexicans said). It’s hilarious and we are going to do it Christmas style and missionary style. I’ll send you pictures. I can’t get trunky. I am going to finish how I started. Working hard and not looking back. Pero me gustaría compartir lo que yo sé, y sé que el señor vive. Que él dirige está iglesia y que él quiere que seamos felices, pero no solamente por está vida, pero para siempre. cuando caemos y no sabemos que hacer, que busquemos al Señor en todas las cosas y las bendiciones vendrán sobre nosotros que las mas necesitamos. Les amo mucho y me emociono cuando pienso acerca de ustedes y el gozo que tendremos juntos cuando nos veamos. Cuidense y les hablo en la semana. (In English… But, I would like to share what I know, and I know that the Lord lives. He leads this Church and that he wants us to be happy, but not just for this life, but forever. When we fall and do not know what to do, We need to seek the Lord in all things and then blessings will come upon us that we need to do more. I love you very much and I get excited when I think about you and the joy that we will have together when we meet again. Take care and I will speak to you this week.

Tu hijo Elder Anderson

P.s I will talk to you guys this week. I will Probably call this Friday. Love youJ

12/10/2012        “Not enough time in the day”

Dear Family,

It’s sunny here. I am thinking it’s like 65 degrees. I am feeling great. I am buying a lot of granola and stuff like that to keep me from getting sick. . I am not that small, I still weigh 205 lbs. ....ha ha..  Mikey is excited and I keep in touch with him a lot. 

 Yes, mom you are right, we do not knock doors at all. But, it’s working really well. We are having a lot of success. They have done this to also involve the members more.

My comp is doing much better and my ear is much better. Don’t worry mom. Thanks for asking.

I got your Santa pictures… My comp busted out laughing. It was pretty funny… Dad as Santa… I am eating a ton!!! Its Christmas time for that same reason we eat a ton. Ha ha… I am not getting trunkie I am fine, so no worries there. But hey mom bad news bears, I have to head out we lost the internet for a bit and we have to go now, so I will send you some pictures from my week and write you a big letter next week. Sale? I promise I will make up for it but, we have to be at the church at 5.

Here is a picture of a cake they made for my comp and I for our birthdays. It was soooo good and very filling…

 I think I want train and to go into business with sports medicine…That’s my thoughts for now.

I am going to organize the call home but, I will know in one week how we are going to do the calls.  Love you all have a great week. I should be making the call next week to let you all know when. Here are some more pictures. Enjoy!

Have a great week.

Tu hijo Elder Anderson

12/3/2012       “Lifting up one another”

Dear Family,

Ok well, to answer your questions, yes, we have a ton of referrals and we will have a bautismo(baptism) this week or next week. It all depends… It’s because this week is going to be crazy. Also with the little girl you asked about, we will be seeing her this week so, I will take a picture for you. We are going to Leon tomorrow because we have a meeting with the President.  

Yes, I think I will be in Leon  the 1st of Enero(January),  It will be fun.

  This week hasn't been so exciting. It has been so busy here.

I got sick this week as well and it wasn't so much fun.  I am a lot better now. But honestly, we are working hard. Right now the zone has been having some problemas(problems) with the missionaries. They are all down and it’s been hard to help them. This week we have been helping them out and lifting up their spirits.  We have been seeing the work turn around. I have seen a lot of things. I have been thinking a lot, not because I have been doing bad things, but I remember when Connor and I were at EFY. I listened to a teacher and he said; we can’t play with Satan because, if we play a tiny bit with him, we are going to fail. I know that Satan is real. I have seen his effects on individuals. I know that he wants us to fail.  We are not to play his game. If we start we are going to lose. So, we are going by that example, that of the EFY teacher. We are working hard as a disciple of Cristo (Christ). I have been thinking about the things I want to better and it’s my plan and my goal to keep bettering myself and helping my father that loves me so much to do his work. I know it’s true and I can’t deny it. I love the mission and I am never going to regret it. Know that I am here working hard and being strong.

 I love you all and I hope you have a great week.

tu hijo

Elder Anderson

11/19/2012    “A week of sadness" 

   How are you momma?

I know you’re good but, kind of sad. About GG, Honestly something told me Saturday that she was not in this world anymore. I know she is working with me. I know she is here. I feel it. It’s an awesome feeling to know that we are all sealed together as a family for all time and eternity and that we will all be able to see her again someday.
This week has been a week of learning. I felt the love of my savior with the death of my GG. Honestly I have felt her close to my heart. I know she is watching me and hoping for the best. All of this makes me want to be better. I know it’s hard at times... 
I love you momma. Stay strong.

tu hijo

Elder Anderson

------------------------------------------------------------------------


11/26/2012       "Still Learning"
  
   This week has been another week of learning and I’ll admit the mission hasn't always been a joy ride. The mission is hard but, I thought before I left that it wasn't going to be that worth wild. Boy, was I wrong!!! It’s totally worth it! It has changed my life forever… I am not the best missionary that there has been. I have to be better in every aspect of my life to reach my potencial(potential). I know I can but, only with the help del Señor (of the Lord). I have learned to be more humble. Pride is sooo stupid. I have broken the chains that had me hooked in my pride and I am trying to be better. I have learned so much and I am going to keep working hard.

 This week we had thanksgiving in Mexico. here is the picture of the Turkey we devoured.. The hermana(sisters) made your Oreo dessert  and now, everyone wants it...you are famous in Mexico!! Ha ha. I ate sooo much it was siiiiick( unbelievable). 

  My ear thing has gotten a lot better; it doesn't hurt anymore at all. I will have another visit with the doc this week so, I will let you know how that goes. The doctor did say that it was from the pressure of having my eardrum swollen. But, know that I am doing well.

My companion has problems with his knees so, we had to take some radiografias(x-rays) of his knee.  We will see how that goes as well.  I know I don’t have a ton of new information. There is good things happening here in Mexico…

 I love you all and keep working hard. I am almost home. I love you

tu hijo

Elder Anderson

11/14/2012        "Exciting News".....
    It's hard to believe it's almost been 2 years... 
   A letter from Elder Anderson's President.
Good day, this is the flight itinerary for Elder Anderson, We beg you can confirm of received and that you will be there to receive him when he gets home. For questions or doubts, I'm at your service.

     Elder Pérez

   Executive Secretary

Misión México León

Elder Anderson will come home.. Thursday Jan 3rd. 2013

 11/12/2012       “Hard and Sad Week”…

                

Dear Family,

   Yes, I did receive the bad news that "G.G." is in the hospital and that she has had a stroke.  . It hurts. She is strong though. It makes me want to be better. I don’t know why, but I just feel that I need to keep fighting if she’s fighting.

Momma says;

I know it makes you put things into perspective. What really is important and again, it is always family and living righteous.

Chad say;

 Yes, I have learned in the mission, it doesn't matter what we do, as long as we have the family close, it means we are doing something right. And then… with living right, we have to do it. There isn't any other choice, if we want to be with our Heavenly Father and be blessed.

Momma says;

 Yes, you are right. We are doing something right, to be able to have a family and to be sealed to each other forever. What a blessing!

I hope things start to look better for "G.G.". I am selfish but, I want her to stay here for a little bit longer. She is the best! I just don't know what Heavenly Father has in store for her…

Chad says;

I wish I could be there with her. But like you said, Dios(God) knows better than we do so, he’s the one that controls everything and knows why.

Momma says;

After I am finished writing to you, I am headed up to Mercy Hospital. I will give her a kiss from you if you would like.

Chad say;

I would like that a lot!

Momma says;

Done deal! I will talk to her about you and then I will give her a big kiss from you. She will like that a lot. I have decided today when I get into her room I am going to sing to her and just talk to her as if she were awake. I feel she can hear me and felt prompted to do so last night.

Chad says;

Pray before you do it. Then you will know what to say to her.

Momma says;

 “I am, a very blessed mom”…

Chad says;

I am too momma, to have such a wonderful mom and dad that have helped me through a lot. I am not the perfect son. I have a lot to work on, but I am going to try as hard as I can to be someone better. To be the person that God expects me to be. I just want to keep working hard and being better than I am. I have taken so much for granted and I haven’t appreciated anything. Now, that I am in the mission, I can see what I need to do and I am trying to be better.  I know that the Lord expects a ton from me and I need to be prepared.

 I love you momma. I am very happy with everything I have and what I have done, but I just have to keep pushing until the end of my life. I think that’s what I have gained in the mission field the most.

   Well, this week went really really fast. In the blink of an eye it was Saturday.  Martes(Tuesday) we had a lesson and then we had to wash our clothes. After that we went to eat then went back to pick up our clothes, pack and then we were off to Leon which is 3 hours away from us. We got to Leon went and ate and then went to bed… (A very long day…) The next morning we had a big junta(board) and it lasted for about 5 hours. We ate a ton of food. But, I have been having some pains in my ear and head so, I talked to a hermana(Sister) and she told me to go to the doctors. I went to the doctors and the doctor said; that I have blood in my ear...my eardrum popped. Don’t worry I got medicine and it’s a ton better.  We went home a 3 hour drive that night and had to capacite (train) the next morning for 4 more hours and then we planned and ate.

We have been working with a lot of refernecias(references), Because they told us that we cannot knock doors or contact people on the streets so, we have been working with puras referencias (pure references).  We have found a lot people but, also some pretty crazy people. Ha ha But, it comes with the work after that we prepared for a baptism and everything went against us. The water did not fill all the way up....and my comp and I had to go into the water to help the hermano(brother) baptize his family because, he has problemas(problems) with his back. It was pretty awesome. It also was weird and cold but awesome. We confirmed them Sunday and everything went smoothly. But today we just played fut(football), washed clothes and now we are writing our families.  That was my week. Hope you enjoyed my exciting week menu… ha ha

 I am great I am working hard. I will keep "GG" in my prayers and in my heart. I love you all and hope you have a great week J

Love Ya…

tu hijo

Elder Anderson

11/5/2012              "A Very Cool Week"......

Hey mom,

 How is everything going? Well this has been a very cool week. This week in church we had 10 people in church!!! I have learned sooo much about life. When we put the things we can’t do in the hands of the Lord we are truly blessed in everything we could possibly imagine. We fasted on Sunday to be able to have a lot of people in church and boooom it all came into play. We actually visited a family sabado en la noche (Saturday night) and we got there and we were talking and the dad showed up. He is a member but, really inactive. The rest of his family are no son miembros(non members). We were talking and teaching more about el libro de mormon(book of Mormon) and he started crying hard. He had been drinking the whole week and he was just going to get home drop his stuff and go drink more when he saw us. He wants to change…  All his family went to church. He handed me this box of cigar’s and told me to chuck them in the trash somewhere other than his house, it was awesome mom. I felt the spirit so strong and knew that he was changing ever so little but it was happening. But this week we have been working with the 120 referencias(referrals) that we got from the ward. It’s been cool to work with member en vez de(instead of ) knocking doors.
 We have been having a lot of success with this. Tell Connor to not to be scared. Everything will work out for the best and he will see the blessing that come from serving a   mission. I have     become a lot better, a lot more humble. Not to say I don’t have more room to improve but, I have come to know myself and more importantly my savior, and what he did for me. Every day I like to think about it. It moves me forward when I say I can’t do it. He shows me that I can.

:) I love you all and hope you all have a great week. Know that I am great and can’t wait to see you all.

 I love you

tu hijo

Elder Anderson

                                                                                                                        These guys both finished their missions. They have been really good friends:)

10/29/2012            “Things Are Good”

I am great mom. How are you?

Things are good. The dad of the family we have been teaching got baptized this week.  His wife and daughter will be baptized in 2 weeks.  I took a ton of pictures and I will pass them to you.

I liked the package a ton, thanks for sending me all that stuff and the little girl clothes you sent well, the mom cried when she saw the clothes. So mom you did well :) You’re the best!

Ok momma,

 This week was full of meetings. We had a ton of meetings all this week and honestly we really never had time to really do anything in our area. We did have however un bautismo(baptism). The bautismo(baptism) was rough. The water ran out in the church and so I baptized him kneeling and he laid down. It was a lot easier but you can see that Satan’s is always going to be working hard so that los hijos de Dios (Gods children) don’t progress. But my comp and I have grown a lot together we had a very good experience yesterday. Sometimes 

He doesn’t know how to express 

himself and as a missionary you have to be able to do that because as comps we can’t tell how you feel if you don’t communicate it.  But, he told me that he feels really alone. That his parents really don’t write him and that even Pres sometimes doesn’t write him .He doesn’t have a ton of time in the mission so he doesn’t feel very prepared. He cried. That hit me so much and I felt bad that I wasn’t there for him. So we have grown a lot closer because we are communicating and learning how to be more humble and help each other en vez de(instead of) judge one another. The bautismo (baptisms) was a person that had a ton of problems with alcohol and everything but he was a person escogida(chosen). He helped us learn more about our own selves. I really can’t write a ton because not much more has happened this week then what I just said. News in all of the missions in Mexico is we can’t knock doors to contact people anymore. The work is going to come from the members. We got 120 refernecias (referrals) this week.... We have a lot of work to do.

I have to go Momma…Busy,busy,busy…

 I love you all and hope you all have a great week :)

Mom before I leave I just want to let you know that I have changed a lot. I don’t worry about the things that 1) I can’t control and 2) that really aren’t that important. I am not worried at all and I know that you all support me. I love you all have a great week.

 Love you Momma.

I hope you feel better :)

Tu hijo

Elder Anderson 

     10/22/2012                        “SAD DAY”…..

Dear Family and Friends,

My week went good and bad.  A hermana died this week but, I learned so much from it. Sounds weird but, it’s true.  She died of stomach cancer and she was a sister form the church. I learned that the family is everything and that we need to treasure it. Also, that life goes by so fast that we need to take advantage of every oportunidad (opportunity) that we have and that we need to keep working hard and live like it’s the last day of our lives. I learned that the spirit helps us in every way and that he puts words in our mouths. We gave a blessing to the sister that died 2 weeks before and I couldn't say that she was going to be healed; something wouldn't let me say it. But, that she was going to be received in heaven. It was weird but, I learned that Dios knows more.

 I am great still working hard.

I love you mom.

Have a great week and say hi to the family for me.

tu hijo

Elder Anderson

10/15/2012        “Starling News”

Hi Momma,                

I AM GREAT! How are you???  We are going to have 3

bautismos the 27^th of Oct. It’s going to be awesome. They are from the same family.  

To answer some of your questions…Well one. I want to play in the New Year’s bowl with the ward, if they are still doing that. And two the plan is to study and train and work. There isn't anything else,… Oh and date ha ha. I believe the New Years Bowl is the first Saturday of the month.

 Casey seems to be learning very early what we do in the house. (Football) Oh yeah!

I have a sad story. One of my converts from Aguascalientes has cancer. His name is Juan. It is really sad. He is such a nice guy…The news just startled me.

I haven’t received anything on my flight out yet mom but, as soon as I find out, you will be the first to know.

I have not yet received your package; I should be getting it soon. I got all the pictures you sent. I will write you a big one right now with pictures.

 Mexico sky.......

Momma,

Here is the big letter I promised....... 

This week has been really, really great. We have been working hard and I have been learning a lot about myself still and things that I have to be better at in the mission. You never stop learning. There is always something that you can make better or something that you can do better. But it’s been an awesome week. My comp and I have been really working hard and we found a family sooooo cool. The husband went looking for us because, the people who gave us his directions wrote it down wrong.  We have had very cool lessons with him and his family. This Sunday they all went to church and we went to their house just to pass by for them and they were all outside waiting for us....Something that rarely ever happens. It was awesome. But, it’s been a very cool week. Other than that, that about everything that has happened. I have been learning that I have to be obedient in every aspect to be able to recibr (receive) promptings and blessings. Not to say, I haven’t been recibing(receiving) them but, to recibir(receive) more I want to be the best I can be. I know I can only do that through Cristo(Christ) and his example that he has set. But also with the blow of finding out that my covert has cancer I thought about how fast life is really. We really never learn how to take advantage of every moment and every second of life that we have. I think we grow to expect it when we don’t realize that Dios(God) gives us life to keep working hard and to keep learning. My life will never ever be the same because of this mission. I look at things a lot different and with a different perspective(perspective).  But it’s an awesome experience.  I am ready and happy to see you all and to start to put in practice the things that I have learned here.  We went with the President De Estaca and ate HUGE

 hamburguesas(hamburgers). It was awesome!!

  I had to show you the Spaghetti O's you sent...Yummy!!! haha.

Tell Connor that he’s a stud and to keep working hard. He’s got to help me get back into shape. Ha ha.  Connor....Get ready for a big butt kicking in video games. ha ha ha ha. I love you buddy. Have a great week to all and I love you all.

FAMILIES ARE FOREVER...

Thanks for everything and for that same reason I am very grateful that I have the family I have. Have a great week!

Tu hijo

Elder Anderson 

 10/8/12                 “What a Conference”

Dear Family and Friends...

   

Conference, Wow!

I feel so honored to be a missionary. Honestly, sometimes it’s hard to think that I should be anything else. But, I am glad that the Lord wants us to go even younger to be able to keep us out of trouble and to more importantly grow closer to him and serve him.

 Mom, I did get the package and I loved everything in it.  It did remind me of “The Good Old Times, ”Spaghetti O’s, Curly Soup, Chocolate, and even a Norman High Tigers T-Shirt. Thanks so much!

Here is the big letter and I need to start taking more pictures. I will try to do that this week.

   It was a pretty good week. I think; the week of conference can never be a bad week.  Right now, we are teaching 5 families...yea a ton of kids and people. It’s awesome but, the work is kind of slow. I think with a new comp it starts out kind of slow but then it picks up.   We teach with power and love and the people notice that but, getting them to get to church, is a challenge. That’s the only thing that’s not in our favor. But, we are planning to accomplish that. The life in the mish isn’t something that changes. After a while it’s just the same thing. You never get bored because, there is always something you must do. Between helping someone or going to the cita(appointment) or helping misioneros(missionaries) it’s all about applying what you learn and being humblñe(humble) to learn more. I think that’s the lesson. I think Elder Holland’s talk was awesome. Honestly, he had already given a talk very similar to all of the misioneros(missionaries) here in Mexico but, he changed it or the spirit did and made it more powerful this time ….         This week we had a very cool experience. We went to a cita(appointment) and talked to one of the families that we have and after the lesson they told us thanks but, no thanks to be short….  after we both shared our testimonios the spirit was sooooo strong. They decided to have another cita(appointment) this sabado(Sunday) so, we will see how it all turns out. It was awesome that through testimonis we can change lives.

 My companion has taught me a ton. How to be more humble, how to love and care more about the little things.  I fell a ton better. I had a bad stomach virus. A lot of us had it. There were about 5 misioneros(missionaries) with the same sickness in the same town. But, it’s all good now. I will let you know about all the plane stuff when it gets here it hasn't gotten here so when it does I will let you know.

I hope you have a great day and week. Thanks for all the pictures. I loved them all and can’t wait to be able to be with you all soon.

I love you

Tu hijo

Elder Anderson

10/1/12    “A Crazy Baptism But, Wonderful”.

Dear Family,

I am doing really well, just way tired. We played basketball and fut. So, I am worn out. We had some bautismos.  Things are a lot better with my new companion. He is really cool and even though he only has 8 months out he has taught me a lot of stuff. Tell Connor to keep at it.  Tell him to do things that people don’t do. We were talking about that today and we said: We need to be extraordinary we have to do extraordinary things. Connor is amazing and I know he can do more.

Everyone around here can’t stop touching my hair. They think it is cool. Ha ha 

 So, I took a picture of what they did to my hair..

The mish...

This week was the first week of the changes with my new companion, Elder Tlatelpa. I thought that it was going to be a little harder with him but, He really loves to learn and he helps me with what he can. He is really cool and keeps reminding me that we have to keep doing better and better things to have more and more success. But I had to learn really quick how to teach him everything. I had to learn by myself. But, now I have someone that wants to learn and he asks me a ton of questions. It’s awesome. I love it!  This week was a week of hard work. I got sick with a bug that hit the whole mission but, I went to the Doctor and I was healed in one day.... Also they have some strong pills here. Ha ha. I feel a ton better after that we found 10 new people to teach. It was really awesome because, all we did was work hard instead of fighting like my other comp did. He just complained and complained but now I have a companion with a lot more of humlidad(humility).  It has been awesome.  We had 2 bautismos(baptisms). Their parents had asked us to teach them so, we did and they got baptized. It was so hard the girl did not want to get bautizada. She just froze in the pila and didn’t want to bend her legs so, after 10 minutes of talking it over and telling her that I would come get in the water (because her dad was baptizing her.) Her dad grabbed her and boom in the water. haha It was  so weird but, I guess she had done this once before. But this time it worked. It’s a milagro(miracle) that she got bautizada(baptized).  I know its short, but there isn’t much more to my life than you already know. I hope you have a great week. Tell Connor to keep his head up and to keep praying and working hard. Also he better be reading the Libro de Mormon.You know its soooo cool. Ha ha. Have a great week ,I love you all….

Tu hijo
Elder Anderson

9/24/12                    “A New Companion”….

Hey Momma,

HEEEEY! I love the pictures you sent me.  Connor looks like a beast.  I got a new companion and his name is Elder Tlatelpa ....ya , don’t even try saying it. Ha ha . My companion is from Puebla and he is sick not health wise sick but sick as in Great! We are going to do a lot of good things together. He is a brand new zone leader and so, I am going to train him!!! Yes, I did get dads letter, it was an awesome letter and it helped me a ton to stay focus and to keep working hard.

 President said: that its all good. No worries with the change of plans.  I will keep looking for the package.  I haven’t received it yet. I go to Leon next week so, I should find it there.  I am great, mom. I have a ton of pictures to send you. These are the pictures from actividades and other things. We had a noche mexicana so, we got all dressed up and while we were there we took some pictures. Hope you like them.

I need two favors. Can you send me a  recipe of your cake made with ice cream sandwiches? haha and maybe some baby clothing for a girl,she is 4 years old...

It’s been so cold here.

 My new companion is so awesome.It’s a lot better when   your companion is a hard worker and he actually wants to work en vez de(instead of) telling me to work.   I will keep snapping pictures for you, Momma. I will send you a picture of my new companion next week. I am sorry momma but, I don’t have a lot of time because, of the changes. Could I write you a huge letter next week?

Thanks momma. I will for sure have one ready for you. I love you all so much and thank you for the support. Have a great week .

Tu hijo

Elder Anderson