Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Ready for Cold Weather?

All decked out in warm clothes and safe 
biking gear! I hope he can stay warm.


11-23-15 4 MONTHS (Thunder Bay, ON Canada)

WEEKLY EMAIL

Hello Everyone!! Another week has gone by. They just go faster and faster as I go haha! This week was super awesome, we went to Duluth for a Zone Training with President Forbes.

Tuesday: We did our weekly visit with a recent convert Brian Finlayson. He is super cool! I really love him a lot he is so nice to us missionaries. He brings us groceries like everyday and drops them off on our front porch! Man, what a guy he is. Then we drove like 40 minutes outside of town to see a less active member with one of the other members in the ward. We found her house, we did not teach her but it was really good to see her again, because she has not been to church since like the first few weeks I was here. After that we went out to eat with a soon to be missionary named Greg Mulzer. He is super cool! He will be serving in the Anaheim California Mission. He leaves December 30th, super stoked for him!

Wednesday: We did our Mormon.org time at the library to start off the day, then we taught a less active, Bro Helps. Then at about 6:00 that night we drove down to Duluth. I drove the whole way (4 Hours) it was raining and it was hard to see, but we got there safely. 

Thursday: It was Zone P day, it was a really awesome day. I got to see my MTC companion so that was exciting. What we did for the activities was we played Hungry Hungry Hippos human style. Haha it is hard to explain but it was really fun! Then we went bowling and shopping. The Duluth mall is so sick and I love going there. At the Zone Leaders apartment building they have a Sauna. I had never been in one, so we all went in there. It was soooooo hot! I have never sweat like that before, but it was pretty cool. Hahaha!

Friday: We had Zone Training with President Forbes. We talked a lot about having back up plans always. I really hate planning, but it was really good to get a good training on it. We talked about the new Christmas Initiative " A Savior is Born " Video. It is super good, I encourage you to go look at it on LDS.org. Then we drove home and went to bed pretty much, we were super tired. Lots of Elders that I have gotten to know very well are leaving.. It makes me really sad. Really they were such good examples to me and I look up to them a lot.

Saturday: We had lots of plans going into the day, but were not able to accomplish a lot of them. We did lots of paper work and really organized our area book. Then a member brought us some Pizza it was really good. Then we had companionship inventory, hahah that is always interesting. 

Sunday: We went to church, then we ate at Bishop's house. That is always fun, hahah the bishops wife is so funny!! Then we taught a lesson to a guy named Kashuik, it went really well, we taught the ten commandments, he said that he will be able to make it to church this Sunday so that makes me really happy! 

I have been out 4 months now, that is honestly crazy hahah! But I am doing pretty good, I am much more comfortable teaching. I am improving everyday. We are still doing Insanity so that is good! I see improvements each day! I have some good pictures for the week :)

1) Elder Foggin, Elder Lianga, and me like 2 months ago but I never knew about this photo until we were in Duluth this week.




2) The Duluth Zone and Zone Training.





Love,
Elder Anderson

Monday, November 16, 2015

11-16-15 Insanity (Thunder Bay, Canada)

Hello Everyone, I hope everyone is doing well! I am very sore right now haha.. We started Insanity this week and man it is killing me.  But I am glad that I am working out! It will pay off hopefully! 

Monday: I met a family here in the ward The Moore's and they have been here in for a long time. So I asked them if they knew my Great Grandparents who served as missionaries here and it turned out that they did so that was really awesome to talk about that!

Tuesday: I went on Exchanges with Elder Long and it was really good. We taught 4 lessons. I learn a lot on exchanges! It was really fun! Since he is the District Leader we had an interview after the day was  over! Elder Long told me about how he has learned that serving a mission is really preparing us for marriage and how to deal with one another hahah!

Wednesday: We had District meeting. It was really good! I felt the spirit very strongly. We are teaching lots of less actives right now, so we stopped by a few of those people. Then the Young Men's asked all four of us to talk about why we came on a mission and bare testimony to them. It was really cool! The spirit was definitely there. 

Thursday: We cleaned the house super super good. Then since it snowed here for the first time we set up the Christmas tree in our house and our Christmas table cloth. It was really fun! I am very excited for the Christmas season.

Friday: We cleaned up our study room. It was nice! Then we shoveled a members driveway. Ate at a members home and then we went knocking doors and we met some really cool people that we will go see again. We played basketball and it was really fun! I always love doing that!

Saturday: We helped Bro Jones move stuff around in his garage. Then we had a lesson with a guy named Don. It was really cool, because right when we got to his house he told us that the only reason he is letting us in is because he respects what we do and knows that people are rude to us haha. But at the end of the lesson he told us he would read and pray about the Book of Mormon. So that was really cool! The spirit can really touch anyone!

Sunday: We went to church, then we went to a members home to confirm family home evening for tonight. They were playing Mario Kart Double Dash. So that was hard to see, I miss that game so much hahah!! 

Anyway, I am doing good! The days are very slow but the weeks are flying by. I love you all! Have the best week! Thanks for all the emails and pictures. 

Painting a members home




Love,
Elder Anderson

Monday, November 9, 2015

11-09-15 O CANADA (Thunder Bay, Canada)

Hello Everyone!! Another week down. It is going quite fast and slow at the same time. Hahah! This week we did quite a bit.


Tuesday: We had some Mormon.org time and did some finding, but then later I realized that I had something wrong with me (If I explained it any deeper than that you guys would be grossed out) So anyway, I called the mission office to see what they thought I should do. They told me that I needed to go to the Clinic in Virginia, Virginia Minnesota that is haha. Which was like a 5 hour drive. The reason I had to go there was something about Insurance not covering here in Canada. So I had to go back down to the US.

Wednesday: Then we drove all day. I ended up being fine. But man a 10 hour drive was not very fun. I guess getting to know Elder Adamson was pretty fun.

Thursday: We did some service at the Shelter House here in town. It is always fun to go there and help prepare a meal. Then we went knocking on doors. We are trying to find much more people to teach. I am not a fan of knocking doors, but that might be how we are going to see miracles. I try and have the best attitude I can knocking on every door.

Friday: We helped a less active put up his christmas tree. So that was fun! He is very lonely and does not do much. I really feel bad for him! Then we ate at a members house, they are super cool! I really enjoy member meals. Then we played basketball with the ward. That is always fun. Elder Bettridge is a baller so that is fun to guard eachother and compete.


Saturday: We did lots and lots more knocking doors. We found some new people to teach though! So that is good! I am excited to teach them. I am getting less and less nervous while teaching people so that is good.

Sunday: We went to church and it was a missionary sacrament meeting. Elder Long and Elder Adamson spoke. Then we sang the children's hymn " I'm Trying to be like Jesus" none of us are good at singing so that was
pretty entertaining. At least that is what the members said. They also sang " Oh Canada" For remembrance day here. Other than Elder Long none of us knew it. So all the members were laughing at us haha. Then we ate at the Bishops house. He is cool! Then we went back to knocking doors again. So it really feels like all I am doing is knocking on
doors. But we will see miracles as we do so in faith.

All the emails are amazing thank you! Remember to keep sending pictures. I love pictures! I miss everyone, but I am right where I am supposed to be.

Kakabeka Falls just outside Thunder Bay ( The only cool thing to see here )






Love,
Elder Anderson ❤😘

Monday, November 2, 2015

11-02-15 New Companion (Thunder Bay, Canada)

Hello Everyone!! This week was awesome! Me and Elder Adamson got to work as soon as he got here. He is really cool! He is from Riverton, UT and Elder Bettridge is from Cedar City, UT. They are both really cool and I am excited to work with them.

Tuesday: Me and Elder Long worked very hard on finding and we were pretty successful. We taught 3 Restorations and invited 2 to be baptized. But too bad those people we taught all are in the North area not the South area where I am.. :( Its okay though!

Wednesday: It was pouring rain and we did not have the car and the wind was blowing really hard so we decided to walk instead of bike. It was miserable. That night we taught 3 less active members and those all went well. Then at 11:30 that night the new Elders showed up, we helped them unpack and get all there stuff ready, so that was a very late night.

Thursday: Me and Elder Adamson were riding our bikes and since I am taking over the Area I know it and he does not at all. It was kinda weird being like the boss haha. But we were riding and I was ahead of him and all of the sudden I turn around and he is not there anymore, so I ride back and he is helping someone take there couch in there house. I thought that was so cool! I learned that I need to be looking for more service opportunities. Then that night we played basketball at the college with Bobby one of our investigators. It was really fun! We got a new investigator that we are teaching tonight from that night.

Friday:We planned like all day.. I do not like planning at all! But it is so essential in being effective missionaries! We still are not even done.

Saturday: Bro Jones in our ward asked if we would do some service with him at his friends house chopping and stacking wood. We did that for 6 hours and that was actually really fun, we are probably going to finish Saturday and maybe try to teach the family that we are helping. It was also Halloween! ( Yes they celebrate it in Canada ) We went out to eat with a less active member that we are working with. We ate at Mr. Stir Fry.

Sunday: We had church which was good. It is weird being the Oldest missionary here in Thunder Bay. Like all the members know me the best and that is just strange to me! We did a lot of finding and man recently I have just been physically beat we ride our bikes so much up and down hills and against the wind. But I mean it is fun sometimes, just hard.

Today: We watched Saratov Approach with a member, that was really good. I love that movie! We were going to go to the mall and get a few things but it is getting almost time to start working again.

I am doing well. I am getting used to being a missionary. I miss home a lot! But I am not thinking about it as much, so that is good. Elder Adamson is great! I am excited to be his companion. I love you all!
Thanks for all the emails, I love them so much.

Love,
Elder Anderson