This is going WAY too fast!

Well, another week has come and gone! This is going WAY too fast!

This week has been pretty good. We went out to La Sal, a branch that is way out in the middle of nowhere, and we met some new people and taught a couple lessons and set a new baptismal date! There is a 9 year old girl who is dying to be baptized, but her guardian wants to make sure that she really understand every thing that she is committing to before she is baptized. So her date is for March 16. And we aren't sure either of us will be here. President is planning to whitewash this area with elders this coming transfer, which is on the 12. So we will see. It would be cool to be here, but I know that wherever I go will be good.

 Not too much has happened this week. It's been a little slow, but good. And I haven't eaten lunch yet, so I may be a little distracted and it may reflect in this letter. 

It's been FREEZING cold here! We got some good winds and snow storms the last couple of days! It's enough to make you cold just looking outside. But, then, after the storm passes and you wake up in the morning and you look out the window and the sun is shining and you think to yourself, "oh good, it will be warmer to day!" and then you walk outside and the deception of the sun is very real! It's kinda crazy.

 Well, I'm not sure what else has been going on. We have just had lots of meetings and teaching classes and stuff. We help teach mission prep every Sunday, so that's kinda fun. A lot of these seniors have mission calls. One is going to Roseville, CA. So we play investigators and answer questions about what a normal day is like and our schedule and rules and what companionship's are like and stuff. It's a lot of fun. Some of them are more prepared than others, but it's fun to watch them all learn and grow! It's such an exciting time, right before you leave, and these young men are just ready to go. I wish elders were here to teach them though. I feel that sisters missions and elders missions are very similar, but yet, very different.

But, anyways, I am doing good! Meeting lots of new people everyday!

Thanks for everything!

Sister Anderson  Feb 25

Well, it's another beautiful week here in the neighbor hood!

 It sounds like you are all doing good! Our week has been good! Monticello is freezing cold and covered in mud. That about sums up my week. I'll have to take a picture of my boots and send it to you next week. They used to look halfway decent.

Mom sent us a Valentine and said to take a picture! Silly~

 We got flowers and a package or pink pancakes and a box of chocolates and then we both got a package from both our families! So we were pretty spoiled! We actually forgot it was valentines day! We got to a ward correlation meeting with Brother Redd and they asked us how our valentines was and we just looked at each other and said, "that's why no one was home!" we totally forgot, the Redds just laughed at us.

 Well, this week we went out to LaSal, another branch to give another talk. I spoke about the Anti-Nephi-Lehi's and Ammon's mission to them and their conversion and how other Lamanties were converted at that battle where they all just knelt down and prayed. It was kinda neat, because I was standing up there and as I was speaking I was learning things too. The Lord promised me before I left that the scriptures would be opened up to me in a whole new way, and they definitely have been throughout my mission. And it has been such a great blessing.  It's okay to be confident in those gifts, because I know they come from the Lord and not from me. I know I can do nothing of myself.

Lately I have been pondering often on the story of Peter walking on water. Peter said, "if it is you Lord bid me to come out on the water." And the Lord did. And then it says, that AFTER Peter stepped out that the winds and the waves started. How often do we start out on our journey full of faith and we see a little bumpy patch coming and we get distracted and lose our concentration of faith. But, as soon as Peter lost his concentration of faith, the Lord stretched for his had. How cool is that? The Lord knew the winds would come and the waves would swell, but He still bid Peter to come. He knew Peter would be okay, and when Peter didn't think Peter would be okay, when he began to doubt, the Lord was right there to pick him back up and help him through the storm. How neat is that? And then it goes on to say that as soon as they were back in the boat the winds and waves cased. How interesting is it that the winds and the waves were there when Peter began to exercise his faith, is that not much like our own lives? it wasn't until AFTER the trial of his faith that Peter was returned to dry, safe ground, he received a witness. How miraculous is that? But, not only was he probably pretty sure at this point that he could walk on water again if the Lord asked him, I'm sure he was also full of a perfect knowledge that the Lord would never leave his side, and never let him drown, but would stay by his side and pick him back up.

Isn't that something that we can learn and take from our own storms and trials? We can start and end with the same faith, even if things get a little rocky in the middle.

 I know the Lord lives, I know he is there for me. I know he is there to lift us when we get distracted. When our concentration of faith isn't as strong as it could be. I know that He loves us and will walk with us through all the storms of life. and I know that I can do what the Lord would have me do!

 I am doing good. rumor has it that our area is going to be whitewashed this next transfer and they will put elders here in Monticello, so it's kinda interesting working for 3 weeks knowing that we are leaving. I'm not sure where I'll go after this, but I knew I wouldn't stay in one place too long for the rest of my mission. But, that's okay, I am planting seeds of faith :) Oh we have the opportunity to drive a brand new Toyota Tacoma around for a couple weeks while our Colorado is in the shop, so that's kinda fun! The elders in our district are pretty jealous.

 Oh, so our District Leader is Elder Miller. Well, at zone conference 2 months ago I met Elder Miller, he was sitting in front of us. And I was sitting with Sister Kidd and we were laughing and joking and Elder Miller turns around and says something, and so I was begin a smart alack and said something to the effect of, "you don't know me" I was completely joking, and we were all laughing, but I figured I should apologize to him when I found out that he was going to be my district leaders so he didn't think I was super ridiculous or something, he didn't even remember it.

I love you all! Thanks so much for everything!

Sister Anderson  Feb 18

Well, Monticello is FREEZING! It snows a lot, which is good for this little farming community, but not always so plesant for these little missionaries!

 My new companion is Sister Ward, and she is really nice. She has been out for about 9 months-ish. She is from Troutdale, OR. She is a writer and love CSI stuff. She tells me stories, like books she's read and stuff, so it's kinda fun.

 We cover the whole stake here in Monticello. 4 wards in Monticello and 3 branches that are 30-90 minutes away. So it's kinda a big area. But we heard on Sunday that next transfer they are putting elders here in Monticello. And they are going to put the sisters in the branch of Eastland/Dove Creek. Right now that branch is part of our area. So most likely I will be opening up that area. Which would be cool, but who knows really. Everyone here is LDS and knows who the missionaries are, and for the most part everyone actually likes us. Haha. We teach a majority of less actives. Which isn't unusual for missionary work, but the less actives know quite a bit about the Gospel and are willing to hear the message we share. Most less active I have taught in the past have not really known anything about the Gospel, so it was like teaching an investigator. Or if they did know much about the Gospel they didn't want to hear the message we had to share. So it's been a little different. But awesome.

 The first or second night I was here we went to this older couple's house for dinner. And they were SO NICE! They were constantly smiling and all this stuff, and we walked out and I turned to Sister Ward, and I said, "Is that normal?" hahaha it is! I forget that I'm in Utah! It's good though, I really enjoy this area. I especially love all the branches. I love the small little farming communities.

 We spoke in Eastland yesterday, and I spoke about the story of Jonah and how it relates to missionary work. How sometimes we don't want to do what the Lord asks, we don't want to go to Ninevah, but when we do, we are blessed, and miracles happen! Sister ward spoke about how to be a missionary. Everyone loved our talks, but it was definitely the Lord, because we didn't have anytime to prepare our talks at all!

 I am doing good, and really enjoying my time here. I love being so close to the temple and seeing it everyday! It brings a special spirit into my life, and I am constantly thinking and pondering on it, and the significance it has in my life. I am so grateful for the temple.

 It's kinda weird being outside of Farmington. The only time I have been out of the Farmington zone besides now was when I was in Gallup. so for 10 of the 15 months I have been out I have been close to the mission office and tons of missionaries and President and everything. So it's weird being so far away from everything. The closest missionaries are sisters and they are in Blanding which is 20-30 minutes away. And because it's snowing, I'm not sure what we are going to do for p-days haha. Today the sisters are coming in and we are making potato tacos for lunch.

anways, there is a lot of beautiful things to see here in Monticello, but I'm not sure we will because of the weather and lack of miles.

Sister Anderson  Feb 11