Sunday, January 25, 2015

TRANSFERS....

Monday, January 19, 2015

So here's how it is on the mission: every 6 weeks there are these sometimes wonderful and sometimes sad (and usually both) events called "transfer".  What happens is that you switch companions, switch areas, switch climates (hot for more hot or for a baby bit less hot) and basically everything.  BUT, whats cool is that its a surprise the Friday before the 6 week period ends and then the next Monday you travel and all that fun stuff.  So....we received transfers and I got separated from my Mamãe Sister Kelly :( That made me pretty sad because outside of the MTC she is the only person I've been companions with so far. We started off loving each-other and just grew from there. I have a lot of respect and love for her and I'll sure miss being her companion. The kind of missionary I will ultimately be is because of the things I came with (which was actually very little) and the 12 weeks of training with Sister Kelly. I LOVE HER! BUT, no worries because I'm still in Araçatuba and my new companion will get here this next week, Sister L. Silva.  Both Sister Young and Sister Kelly stayed too!!!! They are the new Sister Training Leaders now which basically means the leadership for all the Sister missionaries within our zone and a few of the surrounding zones. :) Its gonna be great.  I'm actually really excited!!! Everything will be the same, just spicing things up with a new companion!

Highlight of my week: We were in a trio because Sister Sperry (previous companion to Sis Young) finished her mission and is headed home, and when we were doing contacts on the street more than a few people mistook me for a Brazilian... that is such a cool feeling! haha  I only have 4 months on the mission and I'm actually feeling really good about my abilities speaking :) FINALLY!

Anyway...I have wonderful examples here and the best example: my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I know that the only reason I can preach and speak and do this work is because of Him. He is all mighty, all powerful, and all loving!

com amor

Sister Anderson

Sister Young, Anderson, Kelly waiting for the bus!

The Gratitude List

Monday, January 12, 2015

So one of the Sisters that I live with, (I love her, she is wonderful and she is also from Colorado) Sister Sperry, showed me this personal study she did. After she showed me I LOVED IT and adapted it to me and entitled it "The Gratitude List".  So here's the challenge: At the beginning of every month you write 10 of each of the following that you are grateful for:

Physical abilities
Material items
Living people
People that have passed on
Nature things
Things I'm specifically grateful for that day/time in my life
Places
Inventions
Foods
Gospel principles

So yes, I loved this because I KNOW that God loves to bless us but when we are living with Gratitude. I'ts like we are literally touching Heaven and God is there ready to bless us EVEN MORE!

SHOW YOUR GRATITUDE! especially in moments when you feel lost or forgotten by God...
I had a wonderful spiritual experience this week as the four of us Sisters in the Santana Ward here in Araçatuba sang acapella "Nearer My God to Thee" in Portuguese (obviously haha). We went up there and really bore our testimonies to the congregation and I don't know about all of you, but music speaks to me and I could feel the spirit of the Lord so strong in that moment. Listen to good and uplifting music. If you are like me you know the effect music has on you, either good or bad. Listen to and partake of things that open the channel for God to softly whisper promptings to your heart and mind. Live with gratitude!!!

Random thoughts:
- I bought new leather sandals for the rainy season and im VERY excited about using them! :)
- It's a custom here in Brazil to give each-other kisses on the cheek (like men and women or all ages, married or not), sooooooooo this bus driver-that sister Kelly and i have become friends with over our time here pulled a fast one on both of us and kissed us...that was not cool, 1. Because he was so sweaty (and actually it's burning hot outside) and 2. Because we are missionaries!! oh man....
- This lady that I'm like 73 percent positive is not mentally well in the head slapped me the other day right after telling me that I looked like a "fofinha boneca" (pretty little doll) haha, yup that happened!
ADVENTURES OF THE MISSION

lovelove
até mais

Sister Anderson


New leather "rain walking" sandals :)
I love them!!!
And my crushed toes and weird tan lines ayyyy yaaaaa... feet of a missionary :)

The Brazil Bird :) I dont know its real name....haha

I LOVE MONKEYS!!!

CSI Araçatuba!!!

Monday, January 5, 2015

So we got to the chapel Sunday morning before any of the meetings started and the bishopric started to tell us how the building was broken into and they stole TVs and DVD players and tried to pry open other doors...the window they used to break in looked all "crime show" so that was cool but what is so not cool is that the meetinghouse was defiled. I love how beautiful the chapels are and to see them defiled made me really sad....

What also made me really sad is that this week we had a day that was 126 DEGREES.......THATS HOT ENOUGH TO JUST COOK THINGS ON THE GROUND. I don't mean to sound dramatic, but I'm almost positive my organs started to cook! (haha)

So my thoughts for this week: If you're comfortable, you're not progressing. This applies both to me, the missionary, and to any and all investigating the church. Everything I do day by day is 100 percent out side of my comfort zone. EVERYTHING. While this is a sign of progression, it can be stressful and sometimes turn our attitudes to be unhappy.  BUT, then comes the step of prayer!  Because prayers are SO, SO essential for progression! In order to progress and gain a permanent attitude of gratitude we need to pray, but sometimes we don't know how and sometimes we don't know what to ask for. So this is the part where the important ingredient of reading the scriptures to find answers to our questions comes into play.  We are promised in Alma 33:8 that God will be merciful unto all those that cry unto Him. So then comes the action in verse 11; we cry unto Him in our afflictions and find our joy in Him. When to do that is in every activity and in every hour of our lives (Alma 34:17-27). Something I also really love about prayer and about life in general is that it begins in an act of faith and ends with the faithful showing our gratitude to our Heavenly Father for the guidance we receive. (Alma 34:38)

So my thoughts are somewhat jumbled, probably because of how hot it is here and my brain is at a unhealthy temperature, but :) we need to constantly be progressing using our faith to pray to our Heavenly Father and ask for help and express our gratitude to Him. He blesses our lives and he especially is blessing us in the moments that seem the very hardest. Draw near unto Him in prayer and thanksgiving!

I love my Savior and I love the struggle!

Sister Anderson

I'm here!

An outlook from our area. cool stuff

1 YEAR ON THE MISH FOR SISTER KELLY!!!

I LOVE A GOOD HAMMOCK!

CSI Araçatuba

Monday, January 19, 2015

CHRISTMAS GRATITUDE

Monday, December 29, 2014

Monday
It was p-day so all of us (meaning me and the 3 sisters I live with) went into the center of the city to buy each other Christmas presents, and that was actually A LOT of fun. Showing people you appreciate them is so so important to having a strong relationship.

Tuesday
Sister Kelly and I taught this wonderful couple, Regina and Delso, lesson one: The Restoration; which I LOVE teaching. They have been married for over 30 years and are still so in love with each other and respectful and they tease each other. I just love love! Especially here where long term and loyal relationships aren't really common.

Wednesday
VÉSPERA! (Christmas eve) we got invited to a Ceia (feast), and as our message we sang in harmony Silent Night and the Spirit was so strong and there were wonderful unplanned testimonies shared from less active and active members that really strengthened my love for my Savior.

Thursday
CHRISTMAS CHRISTMAS CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!
I AM SO BLESSED TO HAVE THE FAMILY THAT I HAVE BECAUSE THEY ARE JUST SUCH LOVELY PEOPLE!!! We Skyped and laughed and cried (a lot) and talked about Christ and it was perfect...I couldn't have asked for a more rockin fambam that I'll be blessed to have FOREVER! I love knowing that we have eternity together because then 18 months seems really really short :)

Friday
Receiving personal comfort and guidance from the words of prophets through the scriptures and conference talks. When we ask in faith and show our gratitude to our creator, He will 100 percent answer us in His way and in the time we need.

Saturday
We were at our lunch appointment in the last street of the last neighborhood of our area and it was 45 grous (116 degrees F). We called president asking what to do because we were honestly suffering and out of water and far from our house and some members happened to be driving by and gave us a ride after president authorized that we could we return home. If I hadn't already sweated all the liquid from my body I'm positive I would have cried.

Sunday
The teacher in Relief Society said something really profound and simple. She was talking about how not one single soul, child of God, is excluded from the saving power of the atonement. From Adam, the first man, down to the last man to live.  We all qualify to receive the saving power of the atonement in our lives.

This week was a week of humility and a week of constantly having reasons to be grateful for my Father in Heaven. Especially during this holiday season I see people realizing how wonderfully blessed they are and then willingly blessing the lives of others! I LOVE THAT! I love my family and I love being a missionary and having the opportunity to teach about the importance of families and the divinity of God's plan for all His children!

love love

Sister Anderson

bike shoppppppppp :)

CHRISTMAS MORNING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Stockings and the nativity :)



Just a few pictures

Monday, December 22, 2014
(No message this week because we talked on Christmas)

Christmas Zone conference!!!! Our Zone leaders and all our costumes for our skit (haha)

Christmas package!!!!!!!

I had a migraine so i labeled it (haha)

MORE RAIN!!!!! WE LOVE RAIN HERE BECAUSE ITS SOOOOOOO HOT!!!!!