Monday, January 4, 2016

NEW YEARS

Monday, January 4, 2016

This week was very interesting. The city felt like something from the apocalypse where there are only dogs in the road that want to bite you and not a single living human soul!! haha We visited the same two people every single day because everyone else fell off the face of the planet it felt like!

We were able to go to Brother Aissa´s funeral and we sang hymns that talk about the hope in the Savior and how much he loves us. It was all very emotional because all of us felt like he was actually there comforting his wife and that he is no longer in pain but resting from the pain and sins and hardships of the mortal world. It was truly a remarkable experience...

We wanted to wake up to see the fireworks but the tiredness won and we slept right through until 6:30 like normal... :0 Oh well! There is always next year!

Other than that we have been eating and studying a lot because we couldn't even go out on new years day because of all the drunk men in the streets that like to talk to sister missionaries...

I do however have a spiritual thought that I loved reading from Randall L Ridd. He says, "The most important 'why' behind everything you do is that you love the Lord and recognize His perfect love for you." I LOVE THAT! I LOVE THE LORD! I hope that we can all allow the Lord to change us so that we can change our lives and those of others that we love.

I love the mission and hope and pray that everyday the Lord shows me His love. And he does!!

love you all
Sister Anderson

And now the pictures!!

All the missionaries in São José do Rio Preto

More food from Lusia :)

Sexy sister feet...........

Division with Sister Camila!

Divisions with Sister Muniz!

I found the weird fruit my mom likes!!!!!

NEW YEARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Stir fry!!!!!!!


FELIZ NATAL!

Monday, December 28, 2015

CHRISTMAS IS LOVE IN ACTION. EVERY TIME WE LOVE, EVERY TIME WE GIVE, ITS CHRISTMAS! -Dale Evans

My hair on Christmas morning haha

I wanted this dog for Christmas but....

Me and the Anderfam!

Got it yesterday after 2 months...but i got it!

Our decoration corner :) thanks mom!

The Role of Christ

Monday, December 21, 2015

(If you don't speak Portuguese I apologize in advance and hope that google translating works :) )

Alfa
Advogado
Caminho
Bom Pastor
Consolador
Cordeiro
Emanuel
Esposo
Filho de Homem
Ungido
Senhor
Redentor
Salvador
ômega
Jeová
Libertador
Luz
Primogênito
Mediador
Supremo
Água viva
Senhor dos Senhores
Rei dos Reis
Profeta
Professor
Vida
O Exemplo
Santo de Israel
Cabeça da Igreja
Autor
Aperfeiçoador
Juiz
Amado
Escolhido
O Pão
A Rocha
A Palavra
Mestre
Príncipe
Graça
Sangue
Maravilhoso
Mensageiro dos Convênios
O primeiro
O princípio
O Último
O Fim
Criador
Sacrifício
Messias
Ser Supremo
Vidente
Infinito
Grandioso
Preservador

These are just a few of the things that Jesus Christ is for me personally, every moment of every day. I LOVE Christmas and can't help but connect it to my feelings of the atonement and crucifixion during Easter. Because he was born He could die and atone for me and my sins and weaknesses and and sickness and pain. I love a scripture in Psalms 27:1 that says "The Lord is my Light and my Salvation; whom shall i fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" A scripture from The Book of Mormon testifies confirming this "..there is none other name given under Heaven save it be this Jesus Christ...whereby man can be saved." (2 Nephi 25:20)  I know these things to be true and I know that through Christ, with Him by my side and in my heart, I am able to do do more and be more than I ever could alone. Neill F. Marriott asks us this: "Can we love Jesus Christ and His way more than we love ourselves and our own agenda?"

I accept Christ's invite to come unto him daily and I allow Him to be everything in my life. Without Him I can't and frankly wouldn't want to do anything. Who is the Savior to you during this Christmas season? What miracles does He work in your life?

I love Christmas and love my family and am grateful to have been taught the ways of the Lord as I grew up. I fear no evil for the Lord is my light! He was born and then died for ME AND YOU. Give Him thanks.

With much love
com muito amor
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
Sister Anderson

Sister Rodrigues whom I love dearly!

rainnnnnnnnnnnnnnn

Sister Araújo's Birthday!!!

My favorite part of our apartment :)



Friendship

Monday, December 14, 2015

We had a special Sunday in our ward this week (which by the way was the very first ward here in São José do Rio Preto) that was a big event that we made sure that EVERYONE that has seen the church before or attended or is a member that hasn't gone for a while or are being taught were at church on this Sunday.  A Sister who is a professional photographer took pictures for all the families as a present that they'll be able to keep and put up in there home to remember of the importance that the family has in our lives! We took pictures with the other two sisters we live with :)

We had special lessons and one the teacher talked about centering our lives in Christ. She showed a video of a woman that plans her time and daily life by waking up, praying, writing a list of the things she has to do throughout the day, reading her scriptures to seek inspiration, and then going out and serving the people that she comes into contact with as she does all the things on her list. I thought about how effective this really is and how grateful I am for the rigid missionary life that helps us learn to be focused on the people we teach 100% of the time. I have found that it is almost always through people that I feel the love of my Heavenly Father and know that He knows me and cares about me. I loved this quote:

"The compassion of Chrsit-like friends deeply touches and changes our lives... in this church, prayers for help are often answered by the Lord through the simple daily service of caring brothers and sisters. In the goodness of genuine friends I have seen the reflected mercy of the Lord himself."
-Joseph B Wirthlin

I can testify to that statement as I've received letters and packages from so many I love back home and food and love and support from the extended family I have found in my service here in Brasil. I know that all people in our lives are there for one reason or another. I've been so blessed to have a wonderful family, friends, leaders, companions, and mentors to help lead and comfort and guide me throughout my life. But on top of all that, these people help me to be a stronger more faithful disciple of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

We had transfers today but I stayed in my area!! This is the first time in my mission that I'll stay more than 3 months in one place! haha I'm with Sister Araújo on her last transfer and we are so excited to spend Christmas together!! It'll be way fun!!

Thank you all my "family"...(i say that because i feel like all of you are)
com amor
Sister Anderson

WAFFLESSSSSSSS

CHRISTMAS!

MORE CHRISTMAS!

Gifts from fellow Americans :)

transferssssssss

HE is our Hope and our Cure

Monday, December 7, 2015

This week we were visiting a couple that was baptized this year and brother Aissa is really sick. He has cancer all over his body and huge tumors that grow and spread rapidly. He got released form a hospital in another city and the next day we went to visit them and all I could think about is that part in Mosiah 18 that talks about the covenants we make at baptism to mourn with those that mourn and comfort those that stand in need of comfort and how real that promise is as I serve as a missionary for the Savior himself. When we saw the physical condition and pain and agony when we got there, we immediately called Brother Irving who lives close by and in 5 minutes he was responding to the call and arrived to give him and sister Domi a blessing. We entered the tiny room where we was twisted on the bed in pain. I could see all the bones in his body and the shallow breaths he took as he tried not to move to much. Sister Doni just keep crying and saying "he has turned himself to the Lord" Brother Irving anointed and blessed him with a beautiful blessing. When I opened my tear-filled eyes I couldn't help but weep when I looked to the small night stand by the bed with the scriptures open and a picture of the Savoir on top of the open pages. I wept and hugged and kissed sister Doni and promised her that the Lord was by her side in her time of need and that his servants are sent to comfort and guide the weary and broken hearted. I felt so close to my Savior and knew that what I said wasn't a lie and that God stands by us, but often through other people...

On Sunday we got together a ward choir and put on Santa Claus hats and in the afternoon sun went to her house. As she opened the door and then the gate stood dumbstruck she heard and saw 30 latter-day saints singing Christmas hymns and announcing the birth and life and love of Jesus at Christmas. It was truly touching to see men and women and children and young adults one by one hugging and offering there support to this divine sister who is in a moment of suffering and need.

I absolutely LOVE the Christmas season. I love the HOPE that it lights in peoples lives and hearts and I love seeing how it changes and makes people better.  That same day we went to a large local hospital close to the church and sang various hymns and songs about the Christ child and Christmas as patients left there rooms to come and see and smile and take pictures. It's truly magical--the power that music about our Savior gives to people who have little or have already lost all their hope. HE is our hope.

Love you all!
Sister Anderson

Sushi!!!!! 

"Pão de Mel" with Lusia

Thanksgiving!!

Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Its not a holiday that they have here in Brasil (obviously), but I made an effort and made a small portioned Thanksgiving dinner for my companion and the other two sisters in our apartment. It was yummy but nothing like in the states :)

IM SO GRATEFUL FOR EVERYTHING!

  • I'm so grateful to be a missionary
  • For my family
  • For the friendships I have planted and nurtured
  • For my Mission president and his wife
  • To be in Brasil!
  • To walk to run and sing in the rain
  • Ice cream and Açaí
  • The prophet Thomas S. Monson
  • Inspired music
  • Wonderful people in the church in every ward that I serve in
  • MY SAVIOR

I'm so grateful to have this short time to get to know him and to learn to understand His unending love and compassion for me. I'm grateful for my trials because I become that much closer to Jesus Christ and I learn how to love people and places and situations just as He did and still does. He lives!
He was born. He worked miracles, taught, cured and blessed. He suffered and died for my sins and for yours and then, he was resurrected! He rose from the grave so that we too can overcome the physical and spiritual death. I love Him. I love His love for me because it is perfect and never dies just as He will never die. I thank my Father in Heaven for this perfect gift that we most remember during this Christmas time. I thank my Heavenly Father not only in prayer but in "good works" like it talks about in the scriptures. The best way to show our love and gratitude is really to love all of Gods children, especially when its not easy. I can say that I love to love :)

Yesterday was my last of 7 conferences with all the missionaries in our mission and as i stood and bore my testimony and testified of Gods love I felt his love for me so powerfully. He is not only my Savior and Redeemer but my friend. He changes me and helps me when i can't help myself. I'm so grateful for this Christmas Season and hope that we can all reflect and express our gratitude to Him who saves us through our service to others.

Mosiah 2:17
When ye are in the service of your fellow beings, ye are only in the service of your God!!!

Live with Gratitude in your hearts!

até mas
com amor
Sister Anderson

Josiane´s cute puppy Freddy!

Learning to sew with Lusia! We had to read the instruction manual :)
p.s. pray for her to go to church!!

Sister Anderson and Sister Andersen

Miracles are real!

Monday, November 23, 2015

I'm so grateful for all the walking and rejection and sun an sweat because this week we found Josiane!! She is what we call "a golden investigator" because its like God already taught her everything she needs to know and has prepared her to to come into contact with the church at this time! I love her so much because she literally glows with the light of Christ and she was SO EXCITED to meet us and learn about the restoration... I cried with my companion, happy tears of course, after the lesson we had with her on Saturday. Then on Sunday she went to church! No one goes to church when we invite them! God is truly a God of miracles who loves us and blesses us according to our faith and diligence and patience with His timing. I've learned how to rely 100% percent on the Lord and his timing and His love and His power. I can honestly say I'm grateful for everything that I see and am a part of every single day because I know that God is working miracles in my life and in the lives of others!! Pray for her that she can receive answers to her prayers! I pray that God can do the same for all of us!! Ahhh she is wonderful and I know through her that God loves me.

Have an awesome Thanksgiving an awesome week!! I love my life and I love my mission and I love my Heavenly Father and my Savior Jesus Christ!

Até mais
Sister Anderson

Ssiter Araújo made me Brigadeiro when I was a little sad :)

Birigui with the Sisters!

It rained A LOT

14 MONTHS ON THE MISH

WE DECORATED A CHRISTMAS TREE!!!

You know who its for :)
Love you Mom! Happy Birthday
 HAPPY BIRTHDAY
 FELIZ ANIVERSÁRIO!!!!!