Going strong

Familia!

 

Wow sounds like this week was an exciting week for the family. Also speaking of tax season being over, I think I forgot to thank mom for doing my taxes...thanks mom!! Also today we played some volley ball as a zone and had milk shakes...with Oreos, I was craving Oreos and then we had them...that was fun! So is the family going to Atlanta with my brother when he gets home...what is the girl's camp going to be that the girls are missing out on? 

 

Let´s see so this week we met a really great lady who was wanting to know more and more and fed us once after the lesson and we had a lesson planned with her the next day but she called us and canceled...so hopefully this week we can meet with her again..I have really high hope- I guess faith for her I really think she could be ready for the gospel because she was taking about how she had attended different religions but hadn´t felt the spirit...so I hope we can be the teachers she needs to see how to feel the spirit and know that the gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored. 

 

We also met a menos activa familia who are really great...but didn´t make it to church yesterday...which was sad...Hermana Tovar was super sad Saturday and I was too because we had 3 citas which all fell through...our area is pretty small and it´s hard because we talk to people on the street and they live not in our sector...but we continue to press forward. We decided this week to really focus in finding the less active members...the members of the area are actually really great and have passed by for some people we asked them too. There are two young men in the ward getting ready for missions, one has his mission call to Columbia so he loves to talk about missions and we have asked him to fellowship one of the menos activo young men and his family...so he is helping us out with that.

 

This week we helped a newly baptized little girl with reading the scriptures...we sang a hymn and read a chapter from 1 Nephi...I loved it. There is something about teaching simple lessons and feeling the spirit and seeing people understand and feel the spirit as well.

 

Mom thanks for your email and for asking me the good qualities of Hermana Tovar...because I have been praying to not get annoyed with small things and the Lord is helping me and yes my Spanish is definitely improving. I can understand more and more everyday although I probably still talk like a cave man..I did extend a baptism invitation for my first time this week...I think it was this week and not last. But Hermana Tovar and I had a talk as best we could. It´s hard to express yourself and try not to offend others when you can´t communicate very well..anyway she's very charitable, and friendly, she has taught me how to get more lessons in a day and how to do contacts...we practice contacts every day, she tells me my Spanish is getting better and helps me have confidence and pushes me to talk to people. So she is great in that way

 

This week we also had zone conference, which was really great and the gringo elders told me if I can make it through this transfer all will be well...the first transfer with a gringa they said is always the hardest....so yea that was comforting..I just hope we can continue to work and find people to teach...oh speaking of people to teach we went over to that family we found with a married couple-miembros but they didn´t answer when we went back Sunday they were like where were you...ahh he said he was home all day...I was sad about that but we have another cita scheduled this week...hopefully we can get members with us and it will all go well. Zone conference also announced the change with hermanas and now we have hermanas who are kind of like zone leaders...basically hermanas will be doing splits now...so that´s cool, because there are so many hermanas serving now

 

In Sacrament a family spoke on the importance of living the gospel always. they gave really good talks and expressed the importance to put or trust in the Lord and pray always. Gospel principals was on charity which was a great lesson for me...I remember in Alma-I am not sure which chapter that says basically without charity we are nothing...I have realized I needed to use more charity with Hermana Tovar..This week was definitely better and we are learning to teach in unity. 

 

We had our mission coordination meeting this week and have a lot of activities planned to get members to bring friends and for us to find more people to teach. Dad asked about Francisco...he is actually in the other hermana´s sector...basically our mission has 2 sets of missionaries for ever ward now...so it´s hard. But yes we still get fed...even though the president wants us to eat not in 4 only in companionships...which is best I think, and yes Mom our clothes till get washed by someone in the ward.  

 

Mom asked how my new area is the same and different...well it is about the same in population wise we may a have a bit more people here but this area seems to be way more rich than my last..meaning the houses are bigger. And we have a big hill we walk up and down everyday...I have actually felt it in my calves already 

 

Oh I forgot to tell you on Saturday we went into this house for a lesson and it smelled sooooooooooo bad and there were flies everywhere..It was so hard not to gag...when we left to go to lunch Hermana Tovar was gagging ha-ha poor girl...but yea that was fun. 

 

Anyway I am learning a lot about patience and learning to deal with change and show true love toward everyone in times of struggle...this area is really so nice and so excited and willing to do anything for the missionaries. I am grateful for that and for everything. Thank you all for your prayers and great examples and good attitudes. 

 

oh ps dad I liked your comment about working with menos activities I read a talk this morning on the importance of members and felt the importance as missionaries to strengthen less actives and really find them and show them that we care and they have friends in the church...the talk was from last conference in April...you should find it and read it...it was really inspiring.

 

Mom could you send me Kari's email. That´s all for now...oh I saw a dog get hit and die this week...that was scary and sad....umm yea oh and hopefully I can send pictures this week...ps the center here is sooo much bigger than my last and lots of shopping...good thing me and Hermana Tovar´s birthdays are only a day apart...lots of shopping to be done that p-day :). well lots of love from Chile

 

Hermana Anderson

 

ps yea I hope I get my birthday package around my birthday...at least Mother's day is that weekend and we get to talk. Oh Hermana Hermansen sent me pictures of John´s baptism...they all looked so great!!!