Ten things I've learned over the last 21 years!

June 30, 2014

Ten things I've learned in my 21 years on the Earth:

1. theres always just a little more that you can do.

2. Just put in a little elbow grease, and it will work out.

3. There is not such a thing as too much dancing.

4. Make a plan.

5. Make a plan b, c and z as well.

6. Think about others, but make up your own mind.

7. The coolest things are really cheap.

8. A week without exercise makes one weak.

9. Making your bed makes a difference.

10. Don't worry about how your food looks, it all goes to the same place.

Well, I won't say that the week got better, but at least I have some things to share.

1st off, I did 2 divisions, had a great experience and missed my area. When I got back, things were going well for a bit, and now they just all blew out the door. Because of that, we only had 1 person at church this week, and still no baptisms.

2nd, I burned bread, and the house still smells like burnt bread after 4 days...

But the best part, the ex wife of one of our baptisms was baptized this week by some other elders. it was awesome! I did the interview.

About the interview, it went really well, it was inspired, it was something that I really felt the spirit and the desire the woman had to follow Christ. she had a really cool story. Apparently, I already had invited her to church twice, and then she went in a different place. she went 3 times there before the missionaries went to her house. They taught her, she received a response and made the decision to be baptized. now her friend will also be baptized on Friday. it was really cool to talk to her about her daughters!

Anyway, that's about all I have to say, just a few questions that my Mom had about the church we attended last week,

1st I felt welcome, but it was weird, I just don't feel comfortable there. its different than what I am used to.

2nd. I missed the trombone a ton. I almost grabbed one to play it.

Anyway, I have maybe 2 more weeks here, we'll see what happens here.

Miss ya'll!

Elder Anderson

Frustration and the Rubix Cube.

June 23, 2014

Well, this week went a little like this:

Frustration, frustration and happiness.

I don't even know what to say right now, its really annoying. Basically, we brought 3 people to church, and we are moving along really slowly. That's really all I want to say this week.

I guess I will include one funny story. We have a guy that we teach, he sells oranges. (a lot of oranges too). We brought him to church on the condition that we would go to his church. So we went, and found that they sing a lot, they have a live band, and they have a lot of people that go there. The best part, they have a trombonist! (2 actuallly if you count the director) I got to talk to them and meet a guy that plays sax as well, that was really cool. The saxophonist will go to church with us this week!

And, I learned how to do a rubix cube. in 3 minutes.

Elder Anderson

World Cup Week.

June 16, 2014

Are any of the elders you work with fotball (soccer) fans?

Of Argentina yes. we have one brazilian that is a fan of brazil, but the rest are all from argentina and chile.

Will it be difficult to get any work done this week?

Just a bit, during the week no, but on Tuesday this week and Monday next, it will be a bit harder.

Who are you teaching now?

Nobody. we had a bad week, and so that means that we start over and do everything again. We have to find, teach and bring them to church, which is a long, week-long process, and if we do it right, we will come out on top.

Any specific stories this week where you felt the spirit guiding you in your efforts?

of course, but I'm blanking this moment. nothing specific.

I wish that I had more to say, though I have one thing that I liked about this week:

Wednesday we had a training for the leaders, aka, lz, e ld. it was a really cool experience, because i learned a bit more about my job, and how to work a bit better. There was some really spiritual moments there and I really enjoyed it! I hope that I get to go again. the rest of the week was hard for me.

Love you all and I keep you in my prayers!



Elder Anderson

Celestializing My Shoes.

June 9, 2014

How was your week this week? Slow again?

A little, it seemed slow, looked really good at the end, and then ended out ok. but this week is looking better and better. we just have to work a little harder. I'm not sure what's stopping our investigator. He still smokes and drinks coffee, but wants to stop and be baptized.

Do you keep in contact with any of your former converts or companions?

Just converts.

Have you met Elders in the field that you feel you will stay in contact with once you get home.

Yes, tons!

Who do you feel you have impacted the most on your mission?

That I can't say. Of my companions, all, in some way or another, but one elder that made a difference to me was elder Zachary Hoskin, who was one of my zone leaders in Bauru. he went home one year ago and is at byu-i, but he was a really spiritual missionary!

Do you ever get to go to the temple?

Nope

Are there certain mission rules you have a hard time following?

Not really, just a daily basis, sometimes there is an accident that I have where I accidentally break a rule, but it's not a normal occurrence, it's something I strive to do right. Live all the rules, not imaginary rules, but the rules that have been established, and are to be kept all the time. and personal rules I have a few too.

What are some things you could do that would help you focus on the things you are accomplishing throughout the day so you don't get discouraged when things don't work out the way you hoped?

I pray, I fast, I write things down so I don't forget them. There are a ton of things you can do, but I find the thing that helps the most in my mission is the day I get on my knees and start a fast.

This week, we are working with the same three investigators.

We found out that one of the investigators works with dead bodies. Yeah, the ones that they have at schools, hospitals and places like that. Bodies to study and learn.

But, it's weird when he starts talking about how they have to saw parts of the body, open it up. He described how he has to saw the head off. he said at first it was really weird, and now he feels weird cause it feels normal... He wants to get out of there as soon as possible he said.

Though worse still, he teaches little kids P. E. he is so awesome! love this guy, though it's hard to get in touch with him, because he is never home.

Our other investigator is almost ready to baptized, just a little more push, pray for us!

Last bit of news, my 5th pair of shoes gave up the ghost (huge horrific holes and gapping mouthes in my shoes, people kept looking at them like I was crazy), so I decided to go shoe shopping.

I first looked at the shoe store. 50-150 dollars or more for shoes (the equivalent, its in reais here which is 100-300 reais) and I freaked out.

I then looked in the thrift shop, found some good shoes for 25 reais, or about 12 dollars! Lucky day.

A sister in the ward wanted my shoes (a little weird I know) but I gave them to her, and she will bronze them and celestialize them ( she wants to make some sort of memorial of missionaries and how they should work or something). really cool!

Miss you all!

Elder Anderson

New Investigators!

June 2, 2014

Well until now, I have'nt gotten any news on transfers, maybe that means I will stay one more...

This week we are working with 3 people.

One man, we found him a few weeks ago, and he has been struggling to get a testimony, but finally he is starting to react to our lessons. he stopped drinking, alcohol and coffee, and is now starting to think about baptism. He thinks that he has a response, and is now willing to follow it. So we are looking to a baptism this week! Bring It on!

And the other 2 are married, and want to go to the states one day, London, and see the world. They are really cool and liked the church, though thought it was different. maybe they will be interested! we'll talk to them later. So batiza!

Anyway, this week was rather boring, we talked to a few people, did a division with Elder Gomez from Chile (BRASIWWWWWWW) and taught a bit. I think this week is looking to be a good week for us. let's go baby!

Elder Anderson

Great Food this Week!

May 26, 2014
How was your week?

Could have been better, we didn't have anyone at church this week

Sunshine or rain?

More rain than anything.

Happy or sad? Baptisms or no shows?

No shows, we didn't have very much success, and we will keep running behind people to get them to the goal.

Do the people usually treat you petty well?
Depends, its about half half, if we talk to someone in the street, sometimes they are good and others they just blow us off. I guess we do strike fear in the hearts of people.

Best thing you ate this week?

Well, there was a number of things, between a cow roasted, and a lasagna that was awesome and a pudding that was cooked in a wood stove (the lasagna was too) and a spaghetti that had this delicious white sauce, some tea, some terere, some pancakes, fried torta, and a cake. it was a good week on the side of food.

Weirdest thing you saw that you can tell me about?

Brazil. All of it.

Favorite passage of scripture?

Blessed art thou Elder Anderson for the integrity of thine heart...

Inspiration and Success

May 19, 2014

So since the last time I talked to you, my companion and I sat down and did some dirty work. We got down and started talking to people.

What made it different this week? 2 fera (Monday) Elder Rabbit of the saints (Coelho dos Santos) asked me what he could do to accompany people so they didn't fall, and so they went to church.

I thought and thought and here was the revelation I got. We all tried it out.

Before, we would do contacts and talk to the people on Friday or Saturday. If we talked to them Monday, we wouldn't see them for 5 more days at the least.

Now, we talk to them the next day, 2 days after and maybe another 2 days after. In the end it worked out really well, everyone in our district had new people at church, and everyone has someone to baptize this week. It’s a really good week.

Something funny that happened this week, me and my companion ate almost every single night. Here we only get lunch, and every now and then we have a snack for dinner (lunch is their dinner). It seemed as if the lord was blessing us. Every time we stepped in a house they just happened to have cake and food for us. I think the lord likes us or something, we really got to bond to some of the families we taught, and we are hoping to see them accept the gospel here soon.

I'm going to get fat here. So far I haven’t gained, but usually if I gain anything I freak out and eat less.

Oh and first time in a long time I ate chili this week. I love peppers, but here everyone here are wimps. The plus side, the brother that made it for us likes them too.




Elder Anderson