Weeks Go By

Here we find ourselves in the end of June. Missionary work here in El Cerrito has been going great. I am learning a lot from my companion, Elder Bingham. He is progressing quite a bit. As I learn more about him and his background, I learn more about myself and developing Christlike attributes, such as patience, humility, etc. I love the mission.

We have a family of investigators who we could baptize, but the parents need to get married, and the dad went to like southern Argentina to work for a couple of months. So for now, we are focusing on the kids, Paulo and Lucia, who are 19 and 14. We put a baptismal date for the 16th of July, and so far it´s looking like it will happen. Last night we taught a bunch of the commandments to them. Paulo came to church yesterday too.

So on Wednesday we took a colectivo up to Mendoza for the second training meeting for the new missionaries. That was pretty great. Elder Bingham and another new missionary had to stay up in Mendoza to finish up their legal work, while Elder Nielsen and I headed back down to San Rafael. Elder Lybbert (an old comp of mine) and his son stayed in our pench that night, because they got transfered unexpectedly to Malargue, which is three more hours south of San Rafael. So that was pretty fun, being with Lybbert for the bus ride and that night.

Me and Elder Nielsen went out to work Friday morning, and we knocked this house, and out of all the houses in the entire area, it just so happened to be a house of people who had just moved, and had been investigating the church for about a year, and then kinda got offended in whatever ward they were in... and I think that´s why they didn´t get baptized. So yeah haha we could like hurry and baptize them, they actually came to church in our neighboring ward the other day... we shall see. It was awesome.

So Elder Bingham came back on Friday, and we planned next week. Then we got lunch. Elder Bingham bought a soccer ball and was juggling it in the pench by himself, so during the siesta we went outside and played together for a little bit. We had a goal to juggle it 20 times in a row together, and it was way hard, but eventually we did it... it was a surprisingly good comp thing to do because we are very different people and have had a few rough times. So we were way pumped with that, and left to work with the spirit was strong. We were walking along later that day and we saw a guy, probably about 20, sitting by his house smoking, and he yelled and asked if I had one of those cross necklaces that catholics wear, and I said no, but then we went to talk to him more. I asked him, do you believe in Jesus? and he said yeah, of course. Then we asked him, well why? He didn´t know how to answer, and then let us in, and we taught him and his family about the restoration. It was awesome.

Another miracle happened yesterday. We were walking, and all of the sudden this lady, whom we had talked with before, whistled to us, so we went over there. She told us she needed help with her English homework. So we entered and helped her and her husband, and then taught a lesson afterwards. These new investigators completely came from my companion, because we saw the husband shoveling some gravel the other day and my companion offered to help, but he didn´t accept it. And then his wife said `My husband said you guys are always looking to help people... and I need help with this´. So that was awesome as well.

So the work is going awesome. But now I´ve been thinking about another thing, the passing of my Grandfather, Richard Davis. Such a great man and inspiration to us all. I didn´t really have a great relationship with him before my mission, but as his health went down, he wrote me, and we built a great relationship in a short amount of time through emails. I know that the plan of salvation is real and that he is in a better place, without sufferings and pain. I love the gospel and the chance we have to live again in peace.

For now that´s all. Thanks for all the letters, love, and support. The mission is awesome. I don´t want it to end. Sadly, one day it will. Have a great week, the church is true!!!

Love,

Elder Anderson

 

Friday Morning



Me when the lady at the kiosko asks if she can give me my change in cough drops not pesos.

 

Transfer 7 in the books

Well yesterday we got transfer calls and I am staying with my son Elder Bingham here in El Cerrito. Should be great. We have a family of investigators who want to get baptized, but they need to get married first. The problem is that the dad is going away for like 3 months so they won´t be able to get baptized for a while... haha oh well.

This week we had intercambios with the Zone Leaders, I went with Elder Perkins, who has become a dear friend of mine, we did an intercambio up in san juan a while ago. He finishes the mission at the end of this transfer, so his time is winding down. Elder moody, in my district, finished his mission yesterday. Shoutout to that awesome group of missionaries who finished up yesterday, I really look up to you guys. 

So one thing that has really been on my mind lately is the temple.... We went over to the Bishop´s house last night, and talked about missionary work, the united states, stuff like that. Bishop´s wife lived in Sandy for a few years, and knows the mormon life up in the states, and we had a great discussion on the difference between Argentina and The USA, and how we have SO MUCH more access to things, being specific the temple. They have to save a ton of money to go to the temple once a year, if that, once every couple of years. Whereas we have a temple literally down the street.... If you aren´t taking advantage of that.... dang. Just a thought. Go to the temple. 

I really enjoy my package... thanks to all who helped get it here, it´s really a great blessing..... I am so happy with it. I´ve already eaten a lot of the candy haha. It´s way awesome.

Today we have a ward activity, we´re gonna have some hot chocolate and play sports. Should be pretty good, because it´s P day, so we can play sports with the members. I´m pretty pumped. I hit 11 months the other day so we celebrated with some Ice cream. Time is flying!!!!!

Trying to think of other stuff... I think that´s all!! Everyone have a fantastic week and choose the right!!!

love,

Elder Anderson

 

With Luis and his wife. This guy is awesome. Took the time to come down here and bring my package




new sweater, tie, haircut, with the selfie shot setting. yeah. you guys are awesome.



so awesome!!

 

Another week in El Cerrito

Alright, this week was pretty awesome. We´ve been working pretty hard and learning lots. Ï cannot believe that we are in June. How time passes.... I´ll be home in a little more than a year.... wow.

 

We had intercambios with Elder Moody and Elder Sears this week. We went way hard on talking to people and knocking doors. We found an old man whose wife died reciently named Luciano. He´s really cool, and I see great potential in him. We also have quite a bit of cool future investigators we will be following up on this week. The mission has been doing way great lately. We always have a goal of 50 baptisms each month, and we already have 25 this month! It´s awesome.

 

On Thursday we had Zone Conference. It was definitely one of my favorites. President Goates shared with us a ton of new ways to find investigators and stuff the mission is going to start putting in practice to advance the work. One of the things I really liked was his example of ´Echar la Red´ (cast the net). Just as Jesus told the apostles to cast the net again even though there weren´t fish, President told us we should continue to knock doors, talk with people, even though the first time there may not have been ´fish´. We did just that and have found some people.. it´s cool. Zone Conference is always way awesome.

So something that also happened this week... We had lunch with a family and we saw a little bit of the new Avengers movie.. they had it playing (I think they may have illegally downloaded it but whatever). I was like wow.... I really have been gone a long time...spiderman is now in the avengers.. haha.

I´ve continued my study on Christlike attributes, I have been working on patience. There´s some scriptures in Mosiah 24 I really like, that talks about bearing burdens with patience. You should check it out. Just being in a prayerful mindset and thinking about what Christ would do has really made a difference in me, just trying to be humble and patient. It´s fantastic.

I can´t think of anything else to say... Really quickly HUGE SHOUTOUT to Russ for taking the time to get that package here.. I´ll be getting it in a couple of hours from Luis, a man from Mendoza who also works for the church education system. He´s taking the time to drive down to San Rafael to deliver it.. awesome. Thank you!!

Have a good week! The church is true!

love,
Elder Anderson

Crazy Week

Well this week was way fast and way busy. We had so many meetings, interviews, and other stuff so it was a mess. But fun, nonetheless.

Elder Sivertsen is in Alvear, a city right by San Rafael, and has been staying at our pench a little because he has to be in San Rafael. So that´s been pretty fun, we´ve known each other for almost a year. crazy.

This week Elder Bingham had to go up to Mendoza to do trámites (legal work) so I stayed with Elder Nielsen, also from my group. That was pretty great, showed how much we´ve grown as people and missionaries. We can speak Spanish haha.

This week I also did my first baptismal interview, some Elders in my district had a baptism. It was actually a great experience. Their investigator was way ready and it was pretty easy haha. But yeah that was fun. We went to the baptism the next day.

As far as El Cerrito goes, it´s been difficult to find new investigators and get people to progress. We work a lot, but it´s been pretty difficult lately. Especially with the cold haha. But we keep working, all is well and will work out. My son is doing good, just trying to understand people hahaha.

Today we had a pretty solid p day... we went to La Valle Grande which has some awesome hiking and scenery. I took quite a bit of pictures, they are coming. Also shoutout to Elders Lybbert and Healey for hitting a year this week. Solid.

I cannot believe we are in June..... where has the time gone!!!! I´ll be home in around a year... that´s very difficult to believe. It just makes me want to make the most of every day... cause you only get a certain amount of time as a missionary and I don´t like how fast it´s going!!

That´s pretty much it!! Have a great week and do something awesome! love you all!

love, Elder Anderson

On top of the dam

At lavalle grande

the squad, holding pesos haha

a tunnel



went to church like this, it was way cold.