A week in the hospital and a trip to the three frontiers

September 29, 2014

I know that my letters are really empty and dry as of late, I would like to say that it's really hard to find something new to say every single week, especially when the days blur, the things I do feel all the same every single day, and there really isn't a lot to say. it's not that I have lots of people to write, I just don't have anything to write.

The news this week is that my companion was in the hospital for 4 days. The story?

Well he started getting all swollen in the face Monday, and it was bad enough that we went to the hospital, where they prescribed him a horrible medicine that didn't have any effect. The next day he started vomiting too, and we were going to go on a 9 hour trip to Londrina from here. At that point they told him that he would not be able to go because of his sickness, and we went to the hospital, and they interned him. There we stayed while the rest went to the conference. It was a little sad for me.

The next few days were dull, full of nothing, and no food (they were charging 5 dollars for a really crappy bowl of soup, seeing as I didn't have money, I didn't buy it.). I was lucky because I made some bread the day before that sustained me for 2 days.

On Thursday I was able to get out and do a division with Elder Rizzo (new elder from Argentina that replaced Elder Zabala) and did some work.

Friday Elder Helms got out of the hospital and we were able to do some work, but nobody went to church. it was a really lame week with all of that.

Today was a bit better, we went to the 3 frontiers, where Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay meet. That was kind of cool, we did a bit of shopping there, I bought this really weird instrument (Elder Zabala thought it was a weird buy) called a berimbau. It's used to play music for capaueira.

Sorry that I really don't have much to say right now, its almost a little bit easier to tell you all in just a couple of weeks. Don't worry I keep a lot of pictures.

Miss you all.

Elder Anderson

A smile goes a long way and goodbye Elder Zabala.

September 22, 2014

Did you feel any angels stepping in and helping you this week?

This week they were there, but I didn't recognize it this week. maybe once, there are times that I help someone without even knowing that I'm doing it. For example, I like to joke a lot, and I didn't know what was going on, but I made one of my sisters laugh when she was sad, even though I didn't know anything was wrong. that was something that was significant yesterday, being inspired to know what to say or do.

Did you find some new people to teach?

More or less, we are teaching in a really poor government home area.

What was most significant thing you did for yourself this week?
Not sure

What was the most significant thing you did for someone else this week.

See above

What do you find helps keep a smile on your face throughout the day?

I won't lie, sometimes the fact that I am almost home makes me smile, and others makes me really nervous. it just depends on the day.

Well this week Elder Zabala was transferred to Porto Meira, the other side of the city, so we will see each other a little less. It was great working with him. It's been 9 months together with him :P

Other than that, we baptized this week, a teenager with the age of 17, that has been going to church for 3 months now. We were able to teach him and baptize him on Thursday :)

Miracles!

Elder Anderson

My clothes are becoming celetialized.

September 15, 2014

What are three things you love about your area and why.

Its diverse, there's a bit of everything, the people are receptive and the food is awesome!

Did you have any breakthroughs with investigators this week?

We have an investigator going to church for 3 months now. He finally accepted baptism and will be baptized on Thursday! :) his name is L, he is the boyfriend of the bishops daughter.

How are your clothes holding up?

Well, I was able to whitify my clothes a bit, and all of my pants have holes in someplace, and have this strong odor emitting from them... my sock have all been celestialized with holes, they seem to go missing, so I had to buy a few pairs a few weeks ago. I'm gonna throw away all of my shirts and pants and underware before I come home. I need to get new everything. It's getting bad :P

Though I still have shoes that work. That's a good thing.

Any funny or spiritual stories you have to relate this week?

Not really, but I I felt that I had a testimony really strong of the atonement this week.

Are you working on any specific goals this week?

I'm establishing my goals for how I want to transition off of my mission. Trunky :P

This week was great, I got to see a sister that I met in the MTC that lives here in foz, we had interviews, we now have a baptism on Thursday, and everything seems to be working out! After this week though I don't know what I will do, we have to find some new people to teach and to baptize, or we won't be able to follow through with more baptisms.

That's about all that happened, I am now down to 9 weeks, and getting trunky.

Elder Anderson

Starting to think about home.

September 8, 2014

How goes the Lord's work this week?

It goes well, though we had a bit of a stop this week.

Are you getting along any better with the ward council?

mmmm

Is your companion a hard worker?
Yeah, He's awesome!

How much do you think you are walking in this area?

No idea at all.

What is your favorite P-day activity (besides sleep).

Drink terere.

What type of foods do you miss the most from home? 

Mexican food! Tacos!

How often to you have to cook for yourselves in this area?

Pretty often, every other day.

What would you suggest we do to help a family that is on the verge of inactivity?

Invite them to your house for family home evening. Do something, the best way to transmit a message of love is to do something. Barbecue!

Wow, the time just flies. I'm on the verge of going home, more or less and I start to think more and more about home. its a really sad thought sometimes, but also a really cool thought.

But, I have to say this is one of the most meaningful things I have ever done in my life, or will do. I have changed my attitude so much because I have been here. Though sometimes I feel more impatient then I was before.

Elder Anderson

My district.

September 1, 2014

How are things in Brazil this week?

Awesome!

Do you have Elders and Sisters in your district?

Eight including me. 4 sisters, 4 elders, 4 Americans (though Elder Martinez has Hispanic parents and speaks Spanish as well), 2 Argentinians, and 2 Brazilians

How many Brazilian companions have you had on your mission?

None still.

Is that unusual?

Very.

Do you know what your release date is yet?

I will be home by the day 19 of November, if not the night of 18.

Any idea when you will find out?

Not really, the last transfer.

In what ways were you spiritually impacted this week?

Well, we had a baptism of 3 people, a whole family! that was really spiritually uplifting.

Also, one thing that I learned today that was really interesting was how to run a ward council meeting and how not to run one.

The meeting was disorganized and was a bunch of ranting about the missionary work. I will say that this is one of the most succesfull areas that I have passed, but the members were complaining. I didn't understand.

Afterwords me and the other missionaries were making comments about the meeting, and we noted a few things.

1st an organization like this needs sub organization. for example all of the organizations make the plans and go to the bishop in this meeting to seek authorization rather than ideas or bash on the work of another organization. rather than so burn, propose an alternative to build up. before you burn, seek to understand the situation.

What steps are you taking to make sure you finish your mission with as much enthusiasm as you started. This is the time that endure to the end - well comes in to play.

Don't worry, I'm just as excited as ever :P BRING ON THE BAPTISMS! PEGA FOGO PEGA!

Elder Anderson

What a typical day is like.

August 25, 2014

Our schedule is: 

Get up at 6:29 (some days it's really hard to wake up from the prayer after, that's why I set an alarm).

The thing that helps me stay awake and motivated to do exercises is if I make my bed, if not, it's all downhill.

Then we leave after 10:30 a.m.

We come back 9-9:30 at night.

Sleep 10:30 p.m. every night.

That's basically our schedule, we wake up, work and sleep. If I get home and go into a coma for the first week, I hope you understand why :P

Well the other news, I'm with Elder Helms one more time, here in Itaipu A, Elder Zabala will be here still, and I'm still the District leader here. I get 2 new missionaries here, one in Medianeira, and one in our own home, Elder Morocho will leave, and will come Elder Martinez! (another American! We're gonna all speak Spanish! Yay!)

Anyway, that's all I've got to say, not a really eventful week.

Miss you all! write soon!

Elder Anderson

About the falls and wild monkeys.

August 18, 2014

How were the falls?

Beautifull. At first it wasn't so cool, at least didn't look stunning because we were really far away from the first falls. Then we started walking around them, the water falls go on for a couple of kilometers, that's what really amazed me. But the best párt, we went down in the middle of a few of them, the biggest of them all. WOW! that's all I have to say! I got some great pictures!

Did you have fun? Was it amazing?

Yes and yes.

Did you get moved and your old place cleaned up?

Almost, we have a few things to get inside the house still, but we are getting there.

Who is in your new apartment?

Elder Zabala, Morocho, Helms and me.

How are you getting on with your companion?

Yes!

Who has been your favorite elder to work with during your mission?

E. Christensen

How far away from the mission home are you?

9 hours

Who were you able to teach this week?

L! He is a guy that we talked to on the street last week, and we were able to teach him this week! He is a really good guy, 19 years old and will be baptized on Sunday! it's really nice to meet elect like him!

That's about the sum of our week, just one more funny story:

So we were walking along and decided to take a shortcut to one of our investigators. it cuts through this grove of trees, but something that we found out really fast, the place has WILD MONKEYS!!!!! Biggest discovery ever, wild monkeys exist still! and they live in the city. I've never seen a monkey in the wild, and most missionaries haven't either. It's really awesome!

That's about it, but I love you all! 94!

Elder Anderson