Season 9 Episode 2: Medicine Lake with Elder Long

Hi Family and Friends,

These past two weeks have been crazy. I left Red Wing two weeks ago and it was really sad. I love that place with all my heart! It's amazing how much you come to love the people that you serve. I have been transferred to an Area that covers bits of all these cities, Crystal, New Hope, Brooklyn Park and probably more. I am a zone leader with an Elder I served with in my first area of Thunder Bay Elder Long. He is from Alberta Canada. We have lots of fun together. I have loved being here so far! We have 11 companionship's in the zone and we also have 7 new missionaries. Which is the most in the mission. I have gotten to know them all a little bit in the short time that I have been here. Okay, now I will tell you a little bit about my week:

Monday: We had zone p day. We played Frisbee and Kickball for hours. It was very fun! It was just extremely hot outside. We also decided on our new Zone Focus for the transfer, which is Active Member Lessons/ Member Present lessons. So pretty much just working with the members to find new people to teach. I think that it will work very well in this zone and we will all work hard to accomplish this goal.

Tuesday: We had a district meeting with the Crystal district. We talked a lot about change. Change in ourselves, and change in our investigators. I was very uplifted by that! Then I went on exchanges with Elder Roberts. He is the district leader who also served in red wing. So we talked about a lot of the people there and it was really fun! Crystals area is downtown Minneapolis so that was fun. There was a lot of cops around to say the least. Something interesting that happened while we were on exchanges was we pulled up to a stop light and this guy was entering the intersection from our left and he was going like 55 MPH and he tried to make a turn right and smashed the pole you press to cross the road and it came flying in the air and smashed our car.. The dude just drives off as fast as he could so we couldn't get his license plate. But we get out of the car to see what happened. We didn't even have one dent on the car. It hit out bike rack. It could have gone right through our windshield if we were just a second or two later. SO our car was fine. But the car next to us got the side of her car smashed. So we stayed as witnesses of the accident. It was insane! We had a good amount of lessons and it was a very fun exchange! I got to see the Vikings new stadium which is freaking cool. I will send pictures once I download them off my camera. We also saw Target Field and Target Center. Downtown Minneapolis is super cool!!

Wednesday: We had another district meeting but to save miles we just went to the church and face-timed into the meeting. Then we mowed a members lawn and it was so hot and humid that day. This whole week was insane. We were on bikes this whole week too!! Later in the evening we played basketball at the church, a bunch of guys from Minneapolis came and a former Utah State basketball player was on my team. He was such a baller! 

Thursday: We had a 3rd district meeting but we just face timed in to save miles. Then we had a bunch of accounting calls. Then we did stuff on the computer about miles for the zone. Later in the evening we were biking around stopping by a bunch of people and no one was home. So just as we were leaving an apartment building this lady stopped us and told us that she had just moved here from Liberia and is a member of the church. We gave her the address to the church and she was so excited to come. It's crazy how the Lord puts us places for a reason. We might not have talked to anyone the whole night, but that was a huge success finding her.

Friday: We did zone service at FMSC (Feed my starving children) That was super fun. Then we did our weekly planning which was actually good. Then found this guy on a bench and taught him briefly and he wants us to come back. It was so sick! Then right after that we had a lesson with Bro Quay. Little did we know he was going to have a non member in the home. So Bro Quay taught the restoration to her with such power and conviction. It was amazing! I love that man! 

Saturday: It was raining very hard.. So we didn't do much! We made some phone calls earlier in the day. Then at night it was good weather. Our WML bro Gruber told us he would drive us around to see people so that was really nice. We drove by that man who we talked to the day before who is always on the bench. and guess what? He was reading the Book of Mormon. It was so amazing! We were so excited about that!! 

Sunday: We had a great service. A recently returned mission president and his wife spoke in our Ward. It was amazing! The spirit was so strong as they talked about their mission. Later we got a call from that lady that we had seen on Thursday that just moved here from Liberia. She told us she has two friends who want to be baptized. How amazing is that? We were so excited to hear that! We are meeting with them on Tuesday :)

Elder Long and I decided that every week we are going to make a video telling about a miracle that we saw this week and we can share it through ICloud on the Photos app. So if you want to be on the list for that let me know sometime this week and I will put you on there. I love being a missionary. I cant believe I hit my year mark this week! Time flies so fast. I hope you all are doing well! Love you all!!

Love, Elder Anderson

Season 9 Episode 1: Transfer to Medicine Lake, Anoka Zone with Elder Long

Hi Everyone, 

We have no time today to email. We have Zone P day and we have had to do a bunch of stuff this morning. This week was so crazy. We have 7 new missionaries in the zone, the most in the mission. They are all great, I am excited to get to know them! I am sorry that this is not a long email. I will update you on everything next week, love you all!

-Elder Anderson

Transfer Day July 13, 2016 p/c Sister Cupkie

Season 8 Episode 6

Hello Family and Friends,

We find out transfers today. I got a call this morning from the AP he told me I am going to be a Zone Leader in the Anoka Zone. That makes me very sad to leave this wonderful area in Red Wing. I am going to miss it a lot!! Worst part of the mission is saying goodbye to so many people.. I know that the Lord needs me in my new area though!

Monday:  Well this was like the best day ever!! I love the 4th of July!! But what was even better was I got to go to the Twins game. What was the cool part though, members from my home Ward in Spanish Fork the Johnson's came and picked us up in Red Wing and took us to the game. It was such a cool experience. I am very grateful that they took the time to do that! I will send lots of pictures from the game. Then that night we went to the Fickles house for dinner and fireworks. It truly was a great day! I loved it!

Tuesday: It was a slow day, since we weren't able to do laundry or grocery shopping the day before, we did that. I got some new pants from JC Penny. Then we had dinner at the Voigts.. That was pretty much our day. It was long..

Wednesday: We helped out a non member clean up their yard. There was a huge wind and rain storm. Like 60 MPH winds. It was insane. so like all the streets had trees that had fallen down on them. Then we had a lesson with our investigator Kevin Buck. He just can't give up smoking.. it's sad. Then we went out with a member named Bro Burdick and he took us to see some less actives in the area. We were able to get in with two of them and share messages. It was great!

Thursday: We cleaned the apartment in the morning because it was quite messy. It's crazy how you can honestly feel the spirit more when you are in a clean place. Then we did a lot of phone calls and stop by's. We were not able to see a lot of people, but it was still good. Then we had a lesson that night with a new investigator we have that we found through a member. It was awesome. Elder Kershaw and Matt (the investigator) were talking about fishing and hunting for like 45 minutes hahah they connected very well. Then we taught him the restoration and he said that it really makes sense to him and that he believes in it!

Friday: We did our weekly planning. It actually wasn't boring! It went well!!  We then mowed the Dunlaps lawn. Then we helped someone move the rest of the night. It was a less active family. But from what I heard from the members of the Ward. They abuse the elders quorum by thinking that they are an actual moving company and never coming to church or saying thank you. I think that's sad! So we were helping them for a couple of hours and they were honestly not very nice. Kinda sad to see that! Oh well, I guess it's good that we were able to help out!!

Saturday: We went to sister caulkins neighbor in the morning and helped them move some really heavy things. Then we went to sister caulkins and helped her prepare for a reception or something. Then we went to Lake City and we met with a family that just got there names removed from the church. I think it's because they read Anti Mormon stuff. Makes us sad.

Sunday: Awesome church service. We had Elder Stacey from the quorum of the Seventy at our Ward. Which is cool because my first week in the mission field he was at my Ward in Thunder Bay. He was a very good speaker and brought the spirit. We had two investigators at church which made me super excited! Then we had a lesson with one of the investigators that was there at church. We were teaching the Plan of Salvation and we were talking about the resurrection and he had a really hard time with that. It was honestly hard to teach him after that! But hopefully things will go well in the future.

I am leaving Red Wing on Wednesday. It makes me very sad! I have gained a stronger testimony from serving here in Red Wing. I have come to understand that service is an amazing way of touching people's hearts. Just like in the Book of Mormon when Ammon served King Lamoni and showed him he cared about him. I have been able to do that as I
have been here. I love people very much here! I have seen many miracles. I have gained a stronger testimony of our savior Jesus Christ. That he actually does live today and he truly guides this church. I am grateful for the opportunity to have been here. It's a see ya later not a goodbye forever. I will come back here after the mission to visit people. I love my mission and am grateful for everything that has happened so far! Thanks for your prayers and support. I love y'all!!

Love, Elder Anderson

4th of July Twins Game

On the 4th of July, Scott and Kaye Johnson of our ward were in Minnesota and asked if they could take Elder Anderson and Elder Kershaw to the Twins game vs. the Oakland A's. Taylor got permission from President Forbes and they arranged to go with the Johnsons and their family. It was so exciting for all of us at home to know that Taylor would be spending the day with people that we know and love. We are so grateful to Scott and Kaye for their generosity and willingness to pick them up and take them with their family to the game. We can't wait to hear about it next week in Taylor's email.

This was taken when they first picked the Elders up at their apartment in Red Wing:

Kaye sent me this text with the following pictures: "Wow, we just had the best day! He is doing wonderful! Looks great as always. He bought him a new hat and smiled the whole day:) He loves all of you and misses you and Spanish Fork. I think we got him caught up on everyone in our ward and town. Pictures to follow! We are so glad we got to do this. We had a wonderful 4th of July!!"

Needless to say we were very excited to receive that text. I admit I did cry quite a bit. It was so wonderful to know that someone I know was with our boy today. I know that Taylor will never forget this experience and neither will Steve or I. It was a wonderful day!

Scott and Kaye with Elder Anderson at the game:

 The Elders with the Johnson's son, Jens, and grandkids:

Watching the game:

Having pizza for lunch right before the game: Taylor looks so great!

We love the Johnsons so much! They are wonderful people and we are lucky to call them our friends.

Season 8 Episode 5

Hello Everyone,

        Happy 4th of July!! I love this day! It is a wonderful holiday. This week was another good one and I am excited to tell you about it.

Monday: We helped someone move out of one house into a different housefrom 9:00-6:00 that night. It was a long day. Elder Kershaw and I were the only men there that could actually lift anything. So we were lifting a bunch a stuff. To say the least, we were exhausted after that day. Something amazing came out of that though! We are teaching someone we met from helping that day!

Tuesday: We did our grocery shopping in the morning because we had no time the day before, then we helped the Hamblin's out with some of there yard work. We were still tired from the day before. Then later that day, the Eagan Elders came to blitz our area. I went with Elder Badders for his last exchange of his mission. I swear all the missionaries I have served around all are either home or are going home very soon. We taught this Jewish guy that we found. It was an interesting conversation. He wants us to come back though! It was a good exchange with Elder Badders.

Wednesday: In the morning the 4 of us ran up one of the Bluffs here in Red Wing. It was definitely a hard workout. It was awesome though! Beautiful view. Then we did service at connecting connections. Then we had a lesson with a former investigator Kevin Buck. He has an addiction to smoking. He wants to get baptized but can't give up cigarettes. We gave him a blessing! He will give it up. I know he will! Then later that night, Bro Voigt took us out to see some people. We had an appointment with Dusty Hartin. He is a man we met from Monday's big move. He is super solid. He told us he is going to read the entire Book of Mormon. He is going to pray about it and be a church this Sunday. It was a great lesson.

Thursday: In the morning we got our haircuts from Michelle Dunlap. She is a potential investigator. Then we did some yard work for them! Then we went home for lunch and did a lot of phone calls and planning to set up some things for the week. Then David Dunlap took us out and bought us 18 holes of golf. It was such a good time! The course we golfed at is called Mississippi National. It was a beautiful course. I have a couple videos of golfing that I will send. It was a great time!

Friday: We mowed the Dunlaps lawn. Then we did our weekly planning session. Then all our lessons fell through.. We went and had a lesson with bro Edwards. But instead of us teaching him, he taught us. Long story.. Then after that we were heading home and our downstairs neighbor talked to us for like an hour about the gospel. It was a great discussion.

Saturday: We went to an investigators house that Elder Kershaw and Elder McClain found when they were on exchanges earlier in the week. They are super into guns and showed us everything he had and even shot some targets to show us. It was cool! He bought us super expensive steak and grilled em up. It was so good! The whole family is interested in the gospel. We are going back there sometime this week. Then we stopped by a members home and talked to them for a while. They had a relative over that is an atheist. He was a little bit uncomfortable seeing us there and it was interesting..

Sunday: We had an awesome Church service. We had 4 non members show up. Dusty our new investigator came to all 3 hours of church. It was wonderful! He liked it! Then one of the recently returning less active families brought 3 non members with them. They stayed for all 3 hours as well! We are going to teach these guys. It was so sick! Heather Jensen didn't show up.. She just cancels time after time.. It gets quite frustrating!! Bro Stanich from the Lake Marion Ward (My last area) came to church in Red Wing as well. Man he loves me! Hahah I love him a lot too! He is such a good guy! He always tells me I could be his son. It's cool to see how much we have connected with each other and that he really wants to see me like all the time. Later that night, we had a lesson with Dusty, we talked about church and how he liked it. Also, we talked about the restoration again. It was a great lesson. He is coming next week as well! Next week we have Elder Stacey of the Seventy coming to our ward in Red Wing. That'll be cool!

The reason I am emailing so early in the day is I am going to the twins game today with the Johnson's from my home Ward. We are leaving to go to the game in like an hour. This will be such a cool experience to see someone I know from home!! :) I am very grateful that they are coming out here! I will send lots of pictures next week! What's better than the 4th of July and a baseball game? Nothing. I am so pumped! Anyway, have a great 4th everyone. I love you all!!!

Love, Elder Anderson