It's CHRISTMAS TIME....again!

Mother I got your package!!! it is incredible i think I'm on the 5 day of Christmas already and it is just getting better and better. My companion especially enjoyed the hazelnut spread. I told him he would have to sing the song with me if he wanted more ahaha. oh and you will be happy to know that yesterday we had a baptism and I brought the jolly ranchers and talked about how the gospel is joy and that we should share it with our friends and neighbors- i think everyone got at least one candy everyone loved it and thank you for it. All the people who were baptised yesterday were references from members and it was great to see some of the families of these young boys come to the baptism and enjoy the atmosphere and spirit. Most of the young boys who were baptized have parents that aren't involved in the greatest things, but the gospel helps us with all problems. I was able to baptize Ender a 13 year old boy who was baptized with his two younger brothers, it was my first time entering the water and it was interesting because the first time I met this young man I felt a bit of a connection with him- like I knew i would baptize him. The baptisms were performed mostly by members who helped with the teaching and friendshipping. It is great to see member missionary work. The really tall guy in the picture Garyson, baptized his friend Lucas and today we played basketball with him and another friend we are working with. I'm excited to work with the families of these recent converts- i have lots of hope.

So this Erico guy is going to arrive in at the St.George Temple on the third of February at like 5:30 or 6:00 pm your time. He will just be passing by, but tell me where you want to meet him and if it is possible and he will bring a flash drive of pictures and stuff for you guys, but he said he can't take anything back with him.  I'm thinking the visitors center would be a good place to meet? He speaks English really well and everything just let me know if you guys will be there waiting for him. He flies into Las vegas and will go straight to St.George on his way to salt Lake. He will travel with his wife and won't have a phone. So let me know. I already have a flash drive for you guys. 

Dad had a question about the area and my companion. So the area is huge. it has the city and a bunch of chacaras or farms on the outer parts it is really beautiful and we have done some serious walking and some times we will catch a ride along a dusty road, one time we got in the back of this old man's tractor thing that moved slower than we were walking. 

  My companion loves to work. He like I said was inactive and it really was a miracle that he went on a mission. Only his mother had faith that he would go. He had the same disease as Nolan I think and he said that out of the 43 kids that got this illness the same year as him he was the only one who survived.

I'm so thankful to have this opportunity to serve and learn. I had a great experience today reading a talk by Elder Packer, the reason of our hope?, and reading my Patriarchal blessing. I was reminded of the importance of humility, service, and always keeping close to the lord- I feel the presence of the Spirit is absolutely essential in our lives- we have to adjust our own masks first to be able to serve others as Christ would- thinking of conference. 

Mom thank you for your letter, sorry to hear about the sickness. Austin keep ballin, be smart, confident, and take it to the hoop man! Can't wait to hear if the child will be a boy or Girl! 

Love you All, 

Elder Anderson

Time...time...

Oh my dearest family please forgive me, but my time is gone and, because we had technical difficulties here today and I was trying to get some pictures ready for you because a member of my ward Erico and his wife are going to visit Utah next week and they said I could give something to them for you guys so I got some photos ready. I will pass your number to them dad, but I think it is actually 2 weeks from now so I can get you more details, but they will pass the st. George temple and you guys can meet them there. 

Mother the package is in the office and I asked them to bring it tomorrow- again. But thank you soo much for you letter and the scriptures you shared, you are quite impressive. 

Dad sorry about your toe, that is unfortunate, but maybe it will let you stop and think a bit too, so it isn't all bad right. 

Today we missionaries went to a waterfall that was sooooo awesome i atached one with me and another missionary. I felt like i really was in the jungle because I was. 

My companion and i have a bunch of baptisms marked for this sunday mandy of them are young, but we are working with the members and the ward is really great.

I am super happy and supper sorry this letter is soo short, but we have to help people prepare for baptism. I love you and will write better next time

Please send some type of contact for Alex Peterson for me, my companion has almost 25 years because he was inactive before the mission, but returned and left to serve God it is incredible. 

with Love

Elder Anderson

Transferred

Hello my dearest ones, I am glad to hear from you- basketball is going well, scouts, painting, fellow shipping, everything, how wonderful. 

I am also very well, this past week was  wonderful, yesterday my companion and I were able  to bring some wonderful people to  church with the help of the members. Yesterday I discovered I would be transferred and was able to here some wonderful things from the family of the bishop and the family of the high priest group leader. It is so gratifying to see them so excited and the members making plans and serving the ward and getting excited about home teaching and fulfilling their callings and really sharing the gospel- the Bishop is a great example of this. That ward is going to grow soo much and will be the source of much service and joy. 

Last week we had a family home evening with a family and watched "Together Forever" The Husband of a member expressed afterwards his desire to be baptized and be sealed with His family forever- what power and spirit I felt in this statement. However at the end, and I knowing the the mother in law had recently separated from her husband after a life time of raising their children in the church, struggled through tears to say the prayer. Afterwards I asked her if she would accept a blessing of comfort and blessed her with power and authority. I feel the power of the priesthood so strongly on the mission because I love these people so much and I know that plan that God has for each of them. Yesterday we ate lunch with this family after church and received many references from this faithful woman. 

I'm so excited to meet new members here and work with the Bishop and everyone, it will be a great experience, oh and I can't express the love I feel for my fellow missionaries and I finally feel like I'm beginning to express it well. like the Prophet quoted Shakespeare, He who is not demonstrate love- doesn't love at all. 

Sorry it is a little sort. my companion is from Rio Grande do Sul Gauchu- likes to eat meat and stuff has 24 years, he is legal. Vamos LAAAA! he says we have a bunch of baptisms already marked, so that is awesome. 

Te Amo

Elder Anderson

New shoes new shoes, la la la...

Hello my dear ones. Well that wilderness has blossomed and the desert is becoming a fruitful field. This week my companion and I marked two more dates for baptism the both of which are people we found while we were looking for someone else- funny how the Lord works that way. One is a youth of 15 years and His family whom we are going to work with as well and the other is a man of 50 or so "with a wife and a dog and family"- name that song hahahaha. We are planning a training with the word to motivate the members get involved in missionary work, one reason being that my companion and I are seeing the our investigator aren't attending church partially we feel because they don't have a friendly ward member to encourage them to go and that sort of thing, but the ward is really improving and what a blessing it is for me to see and Bishop the Shepard of the ward taking care of the lord's dear ones- he is really quite exited to get to work. 

Transfers are this weekend. I have 3 transfers here 4 and a half months it is quite likely that I will be transferred, but Elder Mattos was here 6 months so who knows, either way I am happy, especially because Santo Antônio do Descoberto vais ser mudado a Santo Antônio do Batismo! Oh transfers also means that I will receive my package! Hurrah! good news. 

This week really felt like an adventure for me. My companion and I went to other locations in our area found awesome people, worked with future missionaries of our ward, teaching families, making plans, having fun, sharing stories, singing- we for missionaries sing a lot here for the members and stuff we also joke around a lot in the house which we will probably be moving out of soon- it is really small. 

We are seeing a lot of less actives returning to church. It wonderful, one of them lent a football to my companion and I and invited us to his house for pizza latter in the week. Today I taught my companion how to play football a bit and some the words. . . down, set, hike. He is soooo funny- loves to say phrases in English. . . You making fun of me!? He is a great companion. So is Elder Schinigoski man that guy is a go getter, sometimes it gets a little tense with differing ideas, and that is were Elder Brown comes in he is humble as pie, he keeps everyone sane in Spain really a good example for me- maybe we'll be roommates at Byu after his parents have a house there I might be able to stay in with him and others- could be cool. 

Well dad thanks for the letter, Sister Earl- she needs to read the Book of Mormon everyday and pray to know if it is true and if Joseph Smith was a prophet of God- the spiritual problems will help the physical ones. We were created in the Spirit first- that should be our first priority and our health will improve and really it turns out to be a two edged sword. Like the Book of Mormon and the Bible. 

I freaked out when I heard about Austin Blocking people and stuff that big behemoth however you spell it. HAPPY BIRTHDAY meu querido! I'm writing you a letter today because last week I was unable. I still love you, but 15 years man congrats! More responsibility, more priesthood power, fulfill your calling as a teacher, be happy and smiley like always. Love you man, film some basketball of you playing so I can watch it later.

Okay so my time is up, but could you do me a favor check up on Zach Lewis and tell him that Elder Anderson had a dream about him and wants him to go to church and receive the blessings of God and the priesthood that can give him power. I am a fan of his and am worried for his welfare.

Love you all, and to all a good night

Elder Anderson

By the way glad to hear about Gramps and Grammy keep rockin and rollin you too and thanks for creating my parents!