Writing to you from....

Well the last two weeks were absolutely amazing.  An incredible way to finish off my time in Barrio 4.  I have been transferred to Barrio 9 (which is in the southwest of Madrid) and my new companions name is Elder Overson.  He is from Oregon! but lived in Mexico.  He is a stud and I am super pumped to work with him.  This will also be the first time I'm the older one in the companionship.  He has 6 months in the mission and well I'm at 11.. woah.. yesterday was a weird day thinking I came out 11 months ago.. the time flies but I'm loving it. 

I'll send some pics today!!  I saw that you went to Wales and i was like what!? haha but that makes more sense.. hahaha 

Wow!! I've been through Pontevedra and all over Galicia. Thats so cool!!  You'll have to tell me what areas Spence served in. 

Well this week was probably the greatest week of my entire mission.  Well, this weekend specifically.  Miguel's interview was successful Monday night and we worked with him all week to completely prepare him.  We planned the baptism for 6 on Saturday only to receive the news that "El Clasico" was going to start at that time. (The Clasico is the Real Madrid/Barcelona game).   We were freaking out cause the game is in our area and well, it's the biggest game of the year. So we didn't know if anyone would show up.  Miguel said no matter how much he loves futbol, God is first and so we went forward with the baptism and it was full!!!  Tons of people came and it was incredible!!  The Spirit was so strong and it was one of the most incredible experiences ever.  It's been amazing because when I first got to the ward he was the last person I ever thought would get baptized. like ever.  They were going to get divorced.  She said she never wanted to even see him again. like it was over. but with faith and the hand of the Lord, he came unto Christ. and they are planning on getting sealed next October!!!  Amazing.  and I am so blessed to have been a part of it.

The other reason it was such a great weekend was because of transfers.  I got to say goodbye to everybody. Not because I'm saying goodbye, because that was hard. extremely hard.  But I was able to hear of their love for me and I was able to express my love to them.  I knew I had done well in this ward but I wasn't sure.  But being able to hear from people how much I blessed their lives and the ward really helped me to know I did what the Lord asked me to do.  I gave it my all.  It was incredible for me.  So hard to say goodbye.  Yet such a blessing that I was able to see how much this ward has grown, and changed and the work is just taking off.  And it was all faith, hope, and hard work.  Miracles do happen and that's all I want you to know is God lives, and He is still working miracles in the lives of His children as long as we have the faith in Him.  All it takes is faith.  B4 was the greatest thing that ever happened to me.  I may not have been the greatest thing to ever happen to B4, but I gave it my all.  I gave it everything and although I'm leaving behind some of my greatest friends on earth. I was able to leave behind something else, testimony and lives changed.  And that's all the Lord asked me to do. Amazing week.  I love you all and hope you have another amazing week this week!!! 

Love,

Elder Anderson

Elder Anderson and the Primary kids in B4

Castle in Segovia

Roman Aqueduct in Segovia

Miguel and Silvia

Elder Anderson, Miguel, Silvia and Elder McFarland

October 20, 2014

Well it was a great week!!!!  We were in Segovia today for p-day!!!  The town with the Roman aqueduct and the big castle so we don't have a ton of time to e-mail but it was an amazing p-day! :)  Thank your for your emails and the updates on everything going on at home.  Even though this week I can't reply to everything thank you!!!  I'm glad everything is going well  (well besides the water).  You are always in my prayers and I hope all of you have another amazing week!! 

This week was incredibe!!!  We worked a ton with Miguel. like every day.  We finished the lessons with him and finished them off with having a lesson about the law of chastity and eternal marriage in the Bishop's house.  The spirit was extremely powerful.  A couple days later we were planning for the week and we were planning for his baptism and we went through the baptismal requisites.  We realized he hadn't really repented or humbled himself and so we had a lesson with him the next night about humility and recognizing we have sinned and basically called him to repentance.  It was so powerful and he has agreed to fully repent before his baptismal interview tonight.  He has been incredible and the lessons we have had have been so powerful.  So if all goes well tonight he will be baptized on Saturday!!:)

The other miracle this week has been the Spaniard jovenes. (the Spanish teenagers) we were on an intercambio and Elder McFarland and the other elder were contacting a guy and then after a group of Spaniard teenagers said "hey come over here!" and they went over expecting to get mocked and laughed at but they explained part of the message and what they were doing and received all of their numbers.  We had a lesson with 2 of them a few days later and the main girl who called them over had marked her restoration pamphlet and had a bunch of questions about things and so we taught them lesson 1 and we asked what it would mean for them if a prophet had been called again and one of them said "It would mean God hasn't left us alone.  He still loves us.  There is hope."  It was INCREDIBLE.  We also taught them lesson 2 and they are LOVING it!!!  We are super super excited about them.  So I'm out of time but this week was incredible.  Transfers are this Saturday and I've been in B4 for 4 transfers so we will see what happens. I love you all so much and hope you have an amazing week!!!!:)  Love you all.

Elder Anderson

Ebola letter

10/9/2014



Dear Parents of Missionaries serving in the Spain, Madrid Mission,



I am aware of the recent diagnosis of the Ebola virus in a nurse’s aid in Alcorcón, a suburb of Madrid. I have been following the news closely and am aware of the quarantine of several others who may have been exposed. I have been in close contact with the Europe Area Presidency and the Church Missionary Department. There is no need at this time to consider moving missionaries out of the area. We will inform you immediately of any changes.



Sister Jackson and I love serving with your missionary!



Warm Regards,

President Scott T. Jackson

 

Spain, Madrid Mission

Hello Family!!!

Seeing you at conference was SO COOL!!!  I can't get over how awesome that was!!  Oh man, me and Elder Cahoon have been having a blast seeing each other every Wednesday and at Conference and at Stake Conference this weekend and at the temple this Wednesday and were going to Sol as a district today.  So we see each other a ton!!  haha:)  It's so sweet!!! 

This week was a good one. A long one but a good one.  Elder McFarland and I have put a huge focus on goal setting as we are working hard on the plans and achieving goals side of it.  We have truly seen the benefits of setting goals with faith, making plans, and then fulfilling them.  The Lord has really been able to bless us because although we do not have very many investigators, we are taking care of the ones we have very well and have been working on having members in every single lesson with them, and the blessings have been incredible. 

Speaking of plans... Miguel, well, we don't really have to make plans for him.  He is what we call here in Spain "un investigador de oro" (a golden investigator).  The answer is yes, he does set up his own member present lessons multiple days in advance, and confirms them before we can. He has been so excited to learn about the gospel, and is truly committed to live it.  We have been teaching the commandments and every time we teach him a one, he says I will live this because I know this right.  He is dropping his wine drinking with his family, and is doing everything he can to live everything we teach him.  He is incredible.  We still want him to have a conviction of Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon, but little by little as he lives the commandments his answer will come by the blessings he receives.  Yesterday he came to Stake Conference and he loved it.  He also stayed after and took down all the chairs.  Yeah, he is already a member basically.  It is almost a sure thing he will be baptized the 25th. 

Cristian is struggling to meet with us.  He wants to change but is scared of fast change.  I do not think he will be baptized this month, which is sad because chances are I am getting transfered the 27th.  This is the 5th week of my 4th transfer here so I'm probably gone.  But!!  He will continue to progress little by little. 

Jaime, that man is the most incredible man of all time.  He is from the Canary Islands and he is constantly there to help us. We have lessons all the time in his house and he is willing to come with us whenever we need someone.  He is the nicest man I have ever met and he is going to go straight to the Celestial Kingdom.  He is someone who is willing to do anything for this work. 

We have also been working a lot with the JAS and having them come with us, because they will be going on missions soon. We went contacting last night with Marvin.  He's getting active again and was scared to death to contact but after last night he left with a determination to conquer his fear of contacting.  It's so much fun working with the future missionaries. 

So spiritual thought:  I saw this awesome scripture this morning.  Moroni 10:6.  It is directly after the promise of how to know if the Book of Mormon is true.  And I love it.  Whatever thing is good comes from Christ and testifies of him.  As we go throughout our daily lives do we keep our baptismal covenant to "always remember him"?  Always means in every moment.  So look for the little things.  The good things that testify of Christ. 

This week was awesome!!  and this next week will be even better!!  Thanks for everything.  Love you all!!!  Have an amazing week :) 

Love,

Elder Anderson

I SAW YOU!!!

Dear Mom,

I SAW YOU!!!! Twice!!!!!:)  It was so cool to be able to see you!!!  The choir was AMAZING as well!!  So cool to be able to say my mom was singing!!  And Janzen as well!!  I wasn't expecting to see him and then all of the sudden he popped up!! haha! so cool:)  Well, we went to Temple Square to watch it "Pavones" as it's called here.  (Pavones is the metro stop)  The sacrament meeting hall is in Spanish and a couple extra rooms for when that fills up and then they have it upstairs in English for the missionaries and the tourists.  So we watched it in English until they announced the first guy who was going to speak in Spanish so me and Elder McFarland ran downstairs and watched him speak in Spanish 'cause we wanted to hear him actually speak.  It was so cool!!!!!  The "señor yo te seguiré"  It was the one from the session you sang at!!!  So you were listening to exactly what I was listening to.  It was super cool to see him speak in Spanish!!!  This conference was incredible!!!!  My favorite talk was probably President Monson's in the Sunday morning session.  After being out here for almost a year preaching the message that there are prophets on the earth today, I was able to sit back and listen to the man of whom I have been preaching is a prophet.  We always talk as missionaries about how a prophet's main responsibility is to testify of Christ and that is exactly what he did.  He truly is a Prophet of the Lord and I am so grateful to be a part of the Lord's true church. The weather is different here. But I'm liking it.  It's chilly but then gets hot some days, but from what I've heard it just gets really cold all of the sudden.  There is only really a winter and a summer here.

We went to Sol again last week with a bunch of missionaries!!  We are trying to figure out other cool places to go.  We did see the Real Madrid Stadium the other day.  That was also pretty exciting!  We are also back to drinking the piso water:) haha:) 

Our investigators are doing really good.  Miguel and Cristian both have fechas!!!  for the 25th of october!!!!:)  Cristian is a little iffy and we will continually work with him but with Miguel it is basically a for sure thing.  He is doing incredible and had an amazing experience at conference.  He is reading, praying, and just loving things.  They are looking for a new house together and are talking about starting a family.  I cannot begin to describe with words how amazing this experience with them has been. I have been a part of the change of someone's life and it means everything to me that the Lord has blessed me with this opportunity.  I also went on an intercambio with Elder Cahoon again!!!!:)  Man that was so much fun and just the coolest thing ever!!  He is a stud and is the nicest kid on earth.  We had so much fun together!! 

It was an amazing week.  As always.  Despite my feeling bad about myself and not knowing if I'm enough.  I love this work and will give my everything to it and I always will.  Thanks for your support back home.  I love you all so much!!!  Thanks for everything mom.  I love you!!!!

love,

Elder Anderson