Miracles Only Happen When We Show Our Faith and Act

Hey I've got some pictures for yáll. Uaí Só! That is a common phrase in the state of Minas Gerais. I think it is kinda funny. Man this week was a good one. We married Edgar and Cleonice and she and the kids where baptized Saturday. My companion was sooo excited and soooo nervous and soooo happy. He is such a great guy and it was very special for the both of us. I was able to baptize Sheliton and Maria Clara the 13 year old boy and the 9 year old girl. I was soo happy to get into the water again, I felt the spirit very strongly during the ordinance and also during the testimony of Edgar who really is like Aminidab in the book of Helaman if you want to the look that story up. When Nefi and Lei are preaching and then imprisoned and that angels appeared to while they were in the prison and there was one "less active" that called all the people to see what was happening. Yah that is kinda like Edgar. He was going to go on a mission, but with 17 years he moved to Paracatu and told a bunch a people about the church, but because in the time 2003 the church wasn't there he fell away for a time until he found out the church was in Paracatu. Today some of the church leaders in Paracatu are friends and neighbors whom he had told about the church. SUPER COOL, GOD IS GOOD

Well I hope you are all well and that you are witnessing miracles in your lives. I've learned as a missionary that miracles only happen when we show our faith and act. God is not dead, nor have angels stopped to minister upon the earth. Do not sleep through the Restoration. This is the most exciting period of time before the coming of the Savior. Our personal desires to serve and help others in the path of the Gospel will help us become prepared for that special day of His Coming!

LOVE YOU ALL

Ya so unless you here otherwise let's plan on Saturday for the Skyping, because Sunday I will be traveling. If not lets do next week? let me know otherwise. 

2pm your time work for you guys, let me know otherwise, I'll get back to you guys

TCHAU

Miracles and learning to do the Brazilian Fight-Dance

Well folks it is great to hear from you all. Glad to hear about the newly GRADS! Way to GO! and way to be beautiful as well! Loved the pictures dad! BEST OF LUCK TO YOU!!!

Well this week was full of adventure, but where do I begin okay let us start at the begining. 

So on the first day of the week I got do something a bit different on p-day which was training capoiera with Augusto! Capoiera is a brazilian cultural fight-dance. I'll send pictures later because the computer is a bit wack. The next day my companion and I found ourselves at the police department again and yes we were able to help figure some last minute details with the truck that was stolen from the family we are helping and I tell you what when I saw that them drive up in that truck the next evening I lept for joy and clapped my hands and maybe let out a yell or two. We even got a ride home that ride- trust me doesn't happen to much.  . . "and walked and walked and walked. #pioneerchildren#primarysongs#mylife 

The next day we visited Alessandro the brother of a recent convert who happens to know the guy who owns the truck Edgar and they were work partners back in the day when Alessandro still had his leg and they worked in an insurance company. So cool to hear them talk about old times together and all the crazy stuff they had done #thisisbrazil#crazystuff ,but even cooler is to hear Edgar share his powerful testimony with his friend and them to have us invite Alessandro to be baptized and him accept! I love the Spirit that helps us do things that we know we should. 

We were stopped by a drunk lady this week in the street and ended up visiting her the next day and helped her go to church. We are now teaching her family and I tell you what there is nothing better than helping other families have eternal ones. I LOVE THE GOSPEL! IT IS SOOOOOO TRUE AND IS THE ONLY WAY FOR US TO GET BACK TO OUR HEAVENLY HOME. . . 

Anyway I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior and that through him and only him I may return to the presence of God with my eternal family. I know God lives and that He loves us. This is His Church that restored to the earth so that our families may receive the blessings of baptism, confirmation and other special temple blessings that seal us to our Heavenly Father. 

I LOVE MY MISSION!

I LOVE YOU ALL

ÈLDER ANDERSON

And God Sent a Lawyer....

Woah that is really deep was a just wrote on the title of these email. . . you know if you think about it really. . . anyway, but that doesn't have anything to do with why I wrote it the reason why I wrote that is because I have got a neeeeeeew companion! Yup I'm training a new missionary, what an opportunity!. And I'm telling you this guy is a rock star actually he is a lawyer and he celebrated his 26 birthday last Saturday! We totally suprised him with a little party, but what is even more cool is that he is friends with the other "Gaúcha" or "southerner" from Rio Grande do Sul and they ended up in the same place, they are both converts to the church and were both super excited. Way cool. 

This week arrived in our área on tuesday at 10:30 and went to the work the next day and didn't stop. My companion and I were able to help a family with some issues they were having with a car that was stolen from them when we arrived in their home and spoke with them about faith and how the Lord would prepare a way for them. During the visit a friend called the father of the family and said we would lend a big portion of money that was needed for the family to obtain the car which had been impounded. We all felt the spirit in this moment and I felt like a shock of electicity to my nervous system as God showed his hand because of the faith of this familiy. We had fasted that the Lord would hlep us know how to help this family in their dire need and God heard our prayers.  My companion and I found out on Sunday that this same man after having resolved the problem with the car suffered in the hospital with the kidney stone the size of a bean 7 milimeters. He said after arriving home he was in such pain and his young son of 13 years called his 3 brothers and sisters together to pray for their father. The next morning he was cured and at church with his family and even helped us visit other members that afternoon. I know that God does miracles and works according to our faith. My companion and I were able to see many miracles this week and I'm sure there will be many more to come as we work in the lord's marvilous work! 

LOVE YOU ALL

ÈLDER ANDERSON

Eternal Families

Hello my Dear ones, 

"ON THIS DAY OF JOY AND GLADNESS!" WE CELEBRATE THE BIRTH OF OUR DEARLY BELOVED CLARISSA JANE LEWIS!!!!!!!!!! HEY GIVE IT UP I MEAN HEY GIVE IT UP FOR CLARISSA JANE LEWIS ANDERSON!!!!!!!!! THE NEWEST MOTHER IN THE ANDERSON GANG. 

Alright shout out officially made. . . love ya Claris´ happy year to you and yours and your other lil´one

Well this week was a dandy one. Full of action packed . . . well wait not exactly, but we certainly had an exciting start and finish of the week. On Monday my companion and I visited a family whom God placed in our path who is going to help the group grow a bunch. The Father is a less active maybe I've told you about him, but they recently moved in the city and the family is just golden His wife is wonderful and the kids are super excited to be part of the kingdom of GOD on the Earth. Yesterday I was able to pick them up with a member to watch conference, kind of a last minute deal, but it ended up working great!!! While watching conference I realized that although the youths seemed to me well behaved and quite, they patience was beginning to wear. I remembered when we would watch conference when I was younger and sometimes we would draw or play games and I thought well let me get my "handy dandy notebook" and get these kids drawing. I asked the two boys 13 and 7 to draw a picture of their family as it was hot on the subject of the session and after they finished they showed their mom. At the bottom of the drawing I wrote "Construindo uma Família Eterna" which is our family slogan in Portuguese. "Building an Eternal Family". I feel so privileged to be able to help this family in pursuit of an eternal family and all the other families here in Paracatu. I took my pictures of our family and showed them to the members and could say "This is my eternal family." I'm so happy to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and to be able to have an eternal family. I love the prophet and I'm thankful for the wonderful counsels I received in this wonderful world wide conference. All I need now is the Priesthood session. RISE UP O MEN OF GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!!

Any way, I'm going to stick around in Paracatu this transfer, but my beach body boarding brazilian bro is going to peace out and sounds like I may be training another new guy. 

I'm super excited to be here I love you all and hope you the best this week and the rest of your "Tomorrows" that they may be full of hope, love, and charity. Service is the means of true joy. 

TCHAU!

élder anderson

Baptism Fever and Only one Misspelled Word...is the Missionary Trunky?

Okay I think that makes things sound like I'm a bit trunky, but the truth is that I'm super excited for another transfer and hope to stay here in Paracatu to baptize a bunch more people! 

Saturday our district had a few baptisms the five of which i was able to interview! I love interviewing it is sooo great, very spiritual. The Sisters baptized a family who they found this transfer who stopped smoking, drinking beer and coffee and got married so they could be baptized . . . 

just a quick side note, it is amazing how everyone just loves to run to the hospital here in Brazil, whatever happens just go to the hospital. We ran a Sister just now, but it seems like I have had to do that a billion times and like it was nothing out of the ordinary. I would like to quote a phrase from Mr. Hansen my History teacher from High School. "When you have someone do for you what you can do for yourself- you are on the path to self-destruction." Hallelujah thanks for that wonderful insight Mr. Hansen. It seems like a bit of a cultural difference, the healthcare system is different. . 

anyway where were we. . . oh yes so this family is super cool and I am so blessed to see the Gospel help these people change for the better- incredible. Oh and Eron showed up at his confirmation on Sunday looking good with my old shirt and tie that I gave him- awesome family #templebound. 

Oh so conference we here in Paracatu are going to watch next week because internet connections here not to good. However I was able to watch the last session on Sunday and was very pleased to here the words of èlder Hale about revelation and following spiritual guidance, the words of èlder Gong about forgivness and some other good stuff/ opposition, èlder Hollands words about Heavenly Father's love for us were also very comforting. It was a wonderful and spiritually motivating experience. 

This week a man stopped me in the street and said, "Hey do have a Book of Mormon for me I lost mine like 10 years ago." Turns out he is a member and showed up at church on Sunday with His girlfriend/wife and we are going to visit them and their four children tonight. He seems like a swell guy and will certainly help the group grow into a branch soon enough. 

I'm starting to realize that all the oportunites I have here on the mission are helping me become a more worthy and prepared preisthood holder, teacher and future father. It is difficult, but it is worth it and it is God's will for me. 

LOVE YOU ALLLLLLLLL

Èlder Anderson

A Burro named Hayden...July 22nd! Sorry Clark and Amber...Dog Pile on Elder Hayden!

"Please! Don't! SPARE MEEEEEE!" 

Name that movie. Keep in mind the idea as well because I am sooooo sorry that I put the wrong date down in my last email. In Portuguese we call this "Burro" ya like something a donkey would do. Ya,but hey let's look on the bright side. JULY 22 is a bit earlier right? Anyway it is still a while from now, but i will see you all in a month or two on mother's day speaking of which, Mothers are certainly a blessing our lives and I'm so happy to have a mother who is sooo patient and loving with her children ever since I can remember and when I don't I just look at the picture of her holding me when I was a little baby whispering in my ear, ya you the picture the really big one in her room . . . ya anyway we all know who is the favorite child. hahahahahahahahhaqhahahahahahahahaha "jokes, jokes". shout out to the parkster one of his phrases from when I saw him like 4 years ago. How is BYU IDAHO?

Anyway where was I oh yes mothers and the love I have for mother and the importance of respecting our mothers and treating them well. Well I think it well that we recall on the recent references of the prophets and apostles in General Conference and recognize the words of God from Apostles such as Elder Holland, Elder Bednar, and others. I remember when I was in the MTC in São Paulo and when Èlder Holland told me specifically that I should thank my mother for encouraging me to learn the piano- how did he know that? Who knows, but i do know that without my dear mother I wouldn't be on the mission today and wouldn't have acquired half of the abilities of gifts I have received in my short period of life if it wasn't for my mother. I know Mother's day is still a ways away, but I would hope that all of us could take some time to thank our mothers this week. 

Time is up I have to go. 

I love you all, I'm going to work really hard this week and I will pray for all of you

Élder Anderson

June 22nd! And....no Misspelled Words in this Letter! AAAHHHH...Mom's in SHOCK!!

Hello my dear ones, 

So I've got some news. This weekend President Lundgren came to visit are small group in Paracatu and shared some info with me. . . I will no longer be coming home. . . . on the 5th of August. . . neither the 6th. . . but I will be coming home the the 22nd of June. . . Okay so I drew that out a bit, but I thought it make things I bit more exciting. Also I know that Clark will be going to work out in the east and maybe I'll be able to see him before he goes? Don't know, but just a heads up for you all. . . 

So Paracatwo, because my companion and I were able to help Flavia and Ana Paula be baptized by someone with priesthood authority this weekend. It was super great and yes that man is using my white baptisimal cothing and yes he is a foot shorter than I am and yes it was a bit funny #groupprobs#fewbaptisimalsuits

We were able to bring a record of 63 people to the special meeting with President Lundgren this weekend and by may we hope to advance the group to become a branch. HOW EXCITING! It is such a special experience to be able to help the church here in Paracatu and I know that I will never forget my experience here. 

English class starts this Saturday. Yes, again, but this time I've got a feeling it will get going for real, the members seem really excited and it should bring some people to the church. It is so wonderful to see the gospel bless the lives of families and individuals. I know that this Gospel is true and that Jesus is our Savior. Joseph Smith is a prophet of God. We are lead by living prophets today. 

A member donated a keyboard to the church this week and we were able to prepare a specail musical number with the small primary. It was super fun to be able to help the kids out and the recent converts and families who participated. I am so thankful for the opportunity to serve a mission- get ready Austin- your next! 

This is God's marvelous work, I feel so blessed that God lets me be participate. 

I love you all, 

Élder Anderson