Rough Week

This week was pretty rough. No one was home, or wanted to listen to us...But that just made me appreciate the little daily tender mercies that much more. It rained...a lot. Oh, and I ate my first chicken foot (hopefully my last, but I doubt that). But I`ve decided you can smother just about anything in enough salsa and it`s not all that bad. Also, I`m pretty sure our house is invested with scorpians but it`s okay cause today we killed 3 scorpians, full on bleached the entire house, and covered the place in scorpian killer/ repelant stuff. So ALL IS WELL IN MEXICO! 

I think one of the hardest parts of the mission for me is when we have to let investigators go. It`s just so sad cause I know how much the Gospel can bless them, but they have their agency and we have to respect that. We had to say goodbye to 3 of our investigators this week, but I keep praying for them that one day they`ll recognize what their missing in their lives. And the good news is we have 6 new investigators from this week! 3 of them even already committed to baptism! It`s amazing to see how the Spirit can touch their hearts, even in the first lesson, to feel these things are true and they need to follow the example of our Savior in baptism. There`s definitely a lot of opposition in this work, but the work of the Lord is moving forward in Moroleòn.

During one of our lessons this week, I asked our investigator how she has felt the blessings of the Gospel in her life. She shared with us that before we started teaching her, she had little to no work and was struggling to provide for her family. We had promised her in the very first lesson (without knowing much about her situation) that if she would do the things we asked her and strive to grow Spiritually, God would bless her with all her needs temporally. Sure enough, ever since that first lesson, she has had plenty of work and has seen miracles in her home as all their temporal needs have been met. The Lord is so aware of each of us personally and wants to bless us. All we need to do is follow Him and He will bless us in ways we cannot even imagine. 

I love you all so much! La Iglesia es verdadera!

Te Amo!

Hermana Anderson

(P.S. sorry I don`t have any pictures from this week....that`s what happens when my camera doesn`t work)

Teaching and Traveling

This week I spent more than 20 hours on buses... so it`s a good thing the bus is a great place to share the Gospel! We taught quite a few lessons on our travels to Guadalajara, Morelia, Yuriria and back. We had intercambios (pretty sure they`re called exchanges in English) so I got to spend the day with Hermana Mones in Morelia. It was quite the adventure because half way through the day we had a nice little huricane come through. It was raining and hailing so hard that no one could hear our knocks on the doors, so we camped out in this little concrete car-port for a solid 45 minutes while I thought the world was going to end. We spent the rest of the day teaching a couple lessons and helping people clean out their flooded houses. And then we came home that night to find a solid 3 inches on the floor of our entire house. Needless to say, I`ll never forget my first exchanges.

We also had a super cool experience this week when we went to teach two of our investigators, a mom and her 9 year old daughter, Emma and Fer. When we showed up to teach, Cristina, another one of our investigators, who we met through street contacting was there. They`re apparently related somehow and convientently we had the same lesson planned for all of them. We taught them about the Restoration and then at the end we asked them if they would be baptized. Cristina, without hestitating exclamed YES, and that gave Emma and Fer the reassurance they needed to know this was the right thing to do. It`s interesting how the Lord puts certain people in certain places to move His work forward. 

Yesterday we went to Guadalajara, spent the night there, and then this morning we had a meeting with all the new missionaries. It was incredible to hear all the experiences we`ve had in just these past 6 weeks out in the field. This is truly the Lord`s work and we see miracles everyday.

I invite all of you this week to pray about someone you could potentially share the Gospel with, a friend, a coworker, a neighbor, whomever, and then invite them to a dinner with the missionaries, a family home evening, or to attend church with you. This work and these miracles aren`t for missionaries alone, and I know you will be blessed as you strive to share the Gospel with those around you. 

I know this Gospel is true, I know it with my whole heart. The Lord hears and answers prayers. In fact, this week as we were walking home, we had a little extra time and I told my companion we needed to find the Marios (a couple with the names Maria and Mario). She said it would be super hard to find them considering they`re always out at night and we`re kind of in a big city. I said a specific prayer right their that we would find them in 5 minutes as we walked in front of the park under the archways. Sure enough, 5 minutes later, there they were and we were able to share a short spiritual thought with them. God is aware of everyone of His children, including you.

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

Te Amo, Hermana Anderson

The Tres Amigas reunited once again.-- 12 Semanas Junta, Guadalajara, 18 de Mayo

Hermana Mortensen and I...I can`t expalin how happy we were to see each other!

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