I`m running out of subject lines

Where do I even start? This week has been absolutely fantastic. Well, besides the scorpion I found in my shoe, but the good news is I found it BEFORE I put my shoe on so all is well. I`ve had many amazing experiences this week and talking to my family was of course a plus. After talking to my family yesterday I had one cool experience I want to share.

So yesterday morning as we were walking out the door, I felt prompted to leave behind my umbrella. I know this sounds a little strange, but I`m learning to follow the Spirit without question, so I left my umbrella. Later that day, as we were walking, it started to rain. At this point I was seriously doubting this impression and in reality I just wanted to go home cause no one wanted to listed to us. We went to one family`s house that we`d tried to contact before, but they had always been too busy-- and as we stood on their doorstep, they gave us this same excuse. As soon as we turned around to walk away, God opened the heavens and it was like a giant bucket of water suddenly fell from the sky. It was then the mother opened the door again and called out to me asking if I had an umbrella. When I told her no, she quickly welcomed us into her home. All 7 members of their family joined us...mainly to find out why their was this strange, white, American girl in their home, and after we had introduced ourselves we asked if we could share a message. Being Mother`s Day, we sang Families Can Be Together Forever and taught about how the Gospel blesses families and God`s Plan for us and our families. About halfway through the lesson, the mother broke down in tears and explained to us the loss of her oldest daughter just over a year ago. She had been having a particularly hard time that day being Mother`s Day and all, and our message had been an answer to her prayers. We bore powerful testimony of the Plan of Salvation, Eternal Families, and God`s love for us. I was amazed to find in that moment as I opened my mouth, the Spirit told me exactly what to say, in perfect Spanish too! And all because God told me to leave behind my umbrella that day. (And if you were wondering, it didn`t rain at all the rest of the day)

Yep, God works in mysterious ways and I`m just so grateful to be a part of this work. Always trust in God. This Gospel is so so true and I know it with my whole heart.

I love you all, I feel your prayers everyday.

Con mucho amor y felicidades,

Hermana Anderson

Steinar and Hermana Anderson

Mother's Day 2015

And the Rain Came Tumbling Down

Guess what? I`ve been out two months today! Crazy, huh? 

This week was a bit of a roller coaster...weather wise as well as work wise. It rained like crazy. Walking in the street was like trying to walk upstream the Mississippi River. Okay, maybe not that bad, but it was still quite the experience. And then half an hour later it was sunny skies and 80 degree weather again. And it was like this everyday. What.

Also, we didn`t have hot water this week. That was a little rough. But hey, it reminded me of the times Mom would make us wash off with the hose in the backyard, or when we`d go camping in the motor-home and I was the last one to shower...yep, those were the days. But really, I never realized what a blessing hot water is.

We had Zone Conference, which was great, but our baptism fell through because she was unable to attend church the last two weeks and we haven`t been able to teach all the lessons. But soon, we will have a baptism soon, I know it. There was one day this week when every single one of our lessons fell through. I was a little discouraged that day. But I guess it was a trial of our faith because the next day all of our plans and lessons worked out perfectly and we found a bunch of new investigators. That day Luis even committed to baptism in June!

I love this work so much. I love these people with all my heart and I can see how the Lord has prepared many of them to hear the Gospel at this time. I`m beginning to see why the Lord sent me here specifically. There`s people I relate to on a special level, there`s people with experiences similar to mine, these people and places and experiences are all part of the Lord`s plan for me. I couldn`t be happier. I know this Church is true. I love seeing the effects this gospel has on people`s lives, the light that comes into their lives. I know this is where I`m supposed to be, and thus I`ll continue to labor diligently in the work of the Lord.

Jacob 1:7  

I love you all!! Thank you for your support and prayers.

Love,

Hermana Anderson

Zone Conference, May 2015

Miracles in Mèxico Week 2

Has it really already been another week?! I`m finally starting to know my way around, and people are starting to recognize me as that new American missionary that doesn`t really know Spanish but is always smiling (someone told that to my companion this week...little did he know, I could understand him). Haha I love this work and it is truly guided by The Lord. 

Did I tell you about our new investigador that`s our other investigator`s son? Well during our lesson about the Plan of Salvation, he got really frustrated and juts walked out on us...that was a little awkward and we didn`t really know what to do, BUT we called him that night and he let us come over the next day. That lesson the next day was the most amazing thing I have every experienced. We taught about the Atonement and I didn`t even have to think about the Spanish as I shared with him my own personal conversion process and how I have come to know Jesus Christ as my Savior and Redeemer. Since then, I have seen the light of Christ increase in him, and I can`t wait to see his continued progress.

Sooooo yesterday we went tracting FOREVER. And we were having no success. We had doors slammed in our faces, people tell us we were of the devil, and it was just kind of discouraging. But as we were walking, I felt pro.
mpted to stop and look at our list of references/contacts. As we evaluated our list, I noticed one name we had overlooked before. Gloria. It just so happened we were standing at the crossroad of the street she lives on and the one we had been walking along. We went and visited her. We were able to get to know her and taught her how to pray. I believe the Lord has prepared her and guided us to her. She excitedly invited us to visit her again this week.

I absolutely love love love Mèxico. Sure it`s hard, and I`m still adjusting to all the little cultural differences, but I wouldn`t change this experience for anything. 

I love you all so much! Thank you for your love, support, and prayers.

Hermana Anderson

My lovely Moroleòn and one of the 3 doors to our apartment..

A picture of my apartment just so mom doesn`t stress about where I`m living and think I`m living in a cardboard box.

Here`s a semenalmente selfie of me and my wonderful comp.

Cause I think it`s pretty.

Moroleòn

Español es muy dificil

Ahhhhhh I'm so excited to be writing and reading English!! Don`t get me wrong, I love Spanish, it`s just really hard when I've only been learning it for 7 weeks now and I have absolutely no other option than to speak it. But that`s why we have the gift of tongues. Okay, I want to share some of my experiences from this week. The mission is truly full of miracles and here`s a few of my own.

On day one, we traveled on a whole bunch of buses and waited in a whole bunch of stations to get here to Moroleòn. Toward the end of our 8 hour journey, I was feeling a bit discouraged. I felt my Spanish would never be adequate enough and that I would never be able to really make a difference in anyone`s life. I said a little prayer asking God to help me feel capable to do this work. Just then, two 70 year old Americans sat next to me. And yes, they spoke English. They were from New York, the man a composer performing concerts here in Mexico. They were Jewish and a joy to talk to. We had a whole lesson on the Plan of Salvation and then at the end my companion asked if we could sing As I Have Loved You...the only hymn she knows in English. We sang, and the sweet old woman cried. They didn't accept our message at that moment, but they felt the Spirit and we all came a little closer to Christ. Once they left, I was reading the scriptures and read Alma 26:27. I know this is where I`m supossed to be and the Lord will help me through it all.

Day two we taught a lesson to Hermana C. We taught about our purpose here on Earth. Toward the end, I felt prompted to invite her to baptism. Suddenly my Spanish was near perfect as I asked her to be baptized and shared with her my feelings about my baptism day. She will be baptized May 2. 

This week we were having a hard time meeting our goals for new investigadors. I said a very specific prayer that though Hermana T (one of our investigadors) we would find a new investigador. Our next lesson with Hermana T, her son and her son`s friend happened to be home. They listened to our lesson and agreed to let us teach them more. Hermana T and her son even came to church yesterday! 

This place is amazing. It`s a little frustrating sometimes when I have so much to say and can`t, but I`m learning, and my companion is very patient. My companion was a little shocked today when I told her I`d never used a washboard before... and that I didn`t bring clothespins with me. It`s definitely been a new experience learing how to wash clothes, disinfect my food with bleach, filter water, kiss strangers on the cheek, and lock and unlock three doors everytime we go in and out of the apartment...but I LOVE IT AND I LOVE YOU!

D&C 15:6
This work brings me so much joy.

Con mucho amor,
Hermana Anderson

President Luis F. Camarillo
Sister Alma Estudillo Camarillo

​Here`s a blurry selfie of me washing my clothes

The view from our roof a.k.a where we hang all our clothes on a clothesline.

New Adventures in Guadalajara

I made it to Guadalajara! It´s beautiful here!! My companion is Hermana Hernandez and she knows less English than I do Spanish so I should be fluent in no time! I shared a pass along card in the airport today and was able to teach nearly an entire lesson on the Plan of Salvation and eternal families while waiting in line to weigh our luggage! We also ran into a member from the 70. I just love love love this gospel, and while I´m sure this first week is going to be hard, I'm so grateful to be here in the service of my Lord. I LOVE YOU ALL!!
Until next week,
Hermana Anderson

Me, Hermana Hernandez, and our giant plant

Hermana Mortensen and I in the Mèxico City Aeropuerto

¡Adios CCM!

Exciting news...We got our flight plans today!! I´ll be leaving the CCM at 4 am Monday morning. I´m so excited!! My Spanish isn´t quite ready, but I sure am. There´s a bunch of Latinas in our casa going to the Guadalajara East Mission and then there´s one hermana from Guadalajara, so it´s been fun trying to talk to them and figure out what it´s like in real world Mexico. I´ll be sad to be leaving my district and companion, but at least some of us are in the same mission and will probably see eachother around. Crazy how close you get to someone when you´re with eachother litterally every second of every day for six weeks.

Soooo conference was AMAZING! Every single one of my questions were answered. What a unique opportunity it was to spend general conference here in the CCM where we got to focus every second of those two days on the messages and words of our Prophet and Apostles. When we weren´t watching conference we were dicussing our insights, reading the scriptures they mentioned, and studying past conference messages. While I missed the Easter Egg hunts, dinner, candy, and festivities, I could not have asked for a better way to spend Easter, focused on our Savior and what he did for us. 

My favorite talks included L. Tom Perry´s message on family, Elder Holland´s talk on the Atonement, and Elder Neil L. Andersen´s talk that mentioned missionary work. I feel like so much of conference was focused on family and it got me thinking of not only how grateful I am for my family, but how grateful I am for this opportunity I have to go out and teach families that they truly can be together forever. We live in a culture of temporary, but God´s plan, His message, His work and His glory, is one of eternity. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is unique in that we have the eternal perspective of the restored gospel. I was so happy to hear the 3 temples announced to be built in Haiti, Thailand, and Ivory Coast.  Temples are how families become forever. Temples are vital to this work, to the building up of His kingdom. Never ever take the temple for granted. 

These past 6 weeks have been an amazing experience. I have felt the Spirit in a whole new way. I have learned so many new things and I cannot wait to continue this experience in Guadalajara. I´m happier than I´ve ever been, and I know this is exactly where I´m supossed to be.

Thank you for all your support and love! 

Mucho Amor,

Hermana Kirsten Anderson

P.S. The first picture is of Hermana Ashley Haws, Elder Truman Davidson and I. They were in my ward at BYU during Fall Semester.

And the second one is just the list of everyone leaving the CCM this next week....the CCM is basically going to be empty next week. 

That´s all.

Hola, April 2, 2015

¡Hola! So after a month here at the CCM, we have to keep things interesting somehow. This week, our topics of conversation and most thrilling moments included a key in a tree, a monster spider, and the sad ending to the life of a bird. Also, we went to the Mexico City temple visitor´s center today. That was pretty rad.

Story number one:

Elder Jarrett was throwing his key high into the air to see just how high he could throw it without dropping it. We were walking under one of the palm trees and Hermana Mortensen warned: "Don´t throw your key or it will get stuck in the tree". And that´s exactly what happened. We finally got it out after 30 minutes of throwing rocks into the tree. I then made an entire children´s book about the incident entitled, "The Key to Obedience". Pretty sure that book is worthy of publishing. And then the next day Elder Jarrett broke the key. We no longer trust him to keep the mailbox key.

Story number two:

We were getting ready for bed. I opened the door to put some stuff in the hallway closet and this massive spider crawled across my foot. I screamed, backed into the wall and thus accidentally turned off the lights. This set the other girls screaming, thinking we had a serial killer in our room. Once they understood it was just a spider, they all screamed louder and climbed on top of the chairs and bunk beds. Luckily, Hermana Hale was brave enough to hunt down the giant spider and kill it. That´s all.

Story number three:

The CCM is basically a bird sanctuary, and none of the birds are afraid of us. Unfortunately, this proved fatal for one friendly bird. We were walking and Hermana Hale suddenly screamed. I turned around to see the victim of Hermana Hale´s foot. One of the elders apparently buried it for us. 

As you can see from story two and three, Hermana Hale is a cold-hearted murderer. Just kidding. She´s honestly one of the sweetest people I´ve ever met. 

Last one:

Today we left the Happiest Prison on Earth to visit the TEMPLE! I cannot tell you how much I miss the temple. The Mexico City Temple is under renovation, so we were only able to go through the vistor´s center, but it was still amazing. They showed us this video on families and how the gospel and the temple blesses families...needless to say, I was a mess through the entire thing. AND THEN they made me and my companion stand in front of everyone and teach a short lesson on families...in Spanish. It´s really a good thing the gift of tongues is real. But honestly, I´m so grateful for the temple. It blesses not only our families here on Earth, but our ancestors who have passed on before, as well as those to come. Please, please, please do not take the temple for granted. 

While in the Visitor´s Center, we watched the Church´s Easter video. If you have not seen it, go watch it right now. I testify that He truly is here, He lives, and we must find Him. I´m so grateful for this Easter season and the opportunity we have to reflect on all that the Savior has done for us. He has overcome our sins and physical death. He knows us perfectly. He loves us unconditionally. We also have the amazing opportunity this Easter weekend to listen to CONFERENCE! We are so blessed to have a living prophet that is the literal mouthpiece of the Lord. As we prepare to listen to our living prophet and apostles, I would encourage all of you to write down a few questions you might have, pray to recognize and receive an answer, and then diligently watch and listen to the words of the prophet and apostles. I promise you will receive an answer. 

Have a wonderful week! 

Yours truly,

Hermana Kirsten Anderson

If you want...there´s the dearelder.com thing where you can send me letter things... and that would maybe make our mail time a little more exciting. The only person in our district that gets letters is Elder Tams...that one missionary we first met in the parking garage when you were dropping me off?  haha 

So here´s a picture of us in the post office to guilt trip you into sending us letters ;)