February 23, 2015

Dear Mom,

The Lord truly knows us and loves us.  

This week was a long and weird one. Not a ton of progress in the area but definite progress personally.  After a long week of working with the investigators we have, we have 3 who will be getting baptized next week! Paolo (who has not smoked in two weeks), Osaheni, and Osasu.  It's going to be an awesome day on Friday because the Hermanas have 2 baptisms as well!!  It's going to be awesome!!  I had the chance to do their interviews and it was an extremely incredible experience. It took a lot to make sure my mind was completely focused, the spirit was completely there and that basically my mind was one with the Lords but it was an incredible experience as the Spirit testified to me of their readiness.  Incredible experience!!! 

We also had Elder Dyches of the Seventy come for the mission tour.  Amazing experience!!  I learned a ton and have a lot of goals of what I want to do to get better.  Extremely powerful day!

Well for the spiritual thought I wanted to share this thought really quick.  Do we know how to recognize the spirit and do we realize what a  powerful tool this constant companion is?  The Spirit is the connection between us and the ennabling power of the atonement.  We have an access to a power that is beyond anything we can understand.  Are we worthy of it in every moment? are we seeking its help? and how do we go about seeking the help of the Spirit?  The biggest thing I have learned this week about accessing the power of the Spirit is through prayer.  As we make an effort to truly converse with our Father in Heaven and build a relationship with him we are then able to have a greater ability to access the Spirit.  So my invitation this week is to analyze your prayers and your ability to feel the spirit.  I'd like to hear next week from all of you about your experiences!!

         This is at the talent show this week with Isaac, a recent convert, in his African King clothing. 

          (He wasn't a king but he still has the royal clothing) super cool!! 

February 16, 2015

Wow! another amazing week back home!!  Makes me really happy!  

Well, Paolo smoked at the beginning of this week so this puts us back to square one.  He hasn't smoked since and we have to re-interview him to be baptized on the 28th.  Keep him in your prayers!!  He has a strong testimony and is so grateful for how the gospel is blessing him.  He just needs to drop smoking.  It was a sad week for that reason but we will continue working with him. 

Osasu is still doing really well.  Still reading and coming to church.  He is just chugging along to baptism. 

Osaheni is the funniest man I have ever met.  He calls us his white boys and is just amazing.  He is loving the lessons.  We went over the 10 commandments and he told us, "I feel like we are going over things, I want you to teach me about what I need to do after baptism."  He's super ready and is doing great!! 

We have been teaching Mercy (the one whose mother died) and we challenged her to baptism but things went crazy during the lesson and there were a ton of distractions and it was hard to discuss things so we challenged her to pray about it but we haven't heard from her since.  But, we will be able to meet again, I'm not worried about it! 

We met with a Nigerian man last night named Sunny.  He is awesome!!!  It was our first lesson with him and we taught him lesson 1.  He was studying to be a Catholic priest but isn't anymore.  He is super cool and is really excited to read and pray about the Book of Mormon.  Super awesome new investigator. 

That's been a huge struggle for us - finding new investigators.  Every time we have a lesson set it fails us or something comes up.  We have only started teaching 2 new investigators this entire transfer.   It's been rough but we are working hard! 

Yeah my comp only has 2 weeks left!  It's crazy.  He is freaking out but working hard till the end.  He's a great companion!! This transfer has flown by though.  Crazy!! 

Well this has been an incredible week of studying!!!!  I have studied obedience and sacrifice.  The greatest thing I have realized is this: these past few months through my trials I have been asked to sacrifice things.  To give up my will for His will and now I am here, still imperfect, and therefore still having things to sacrifice.  I went into this week looking for what I could sacrifice, and I was looking for big things.  Here's what I learned though; In ancient times under Mosaic law the Lord required a sacrifice of the firstlings of the flock, then things changed as the law was fulfilled.  In 3 Nephi 9:19-20 the Lord states that the sacrifice they will offer is a broken heart and a contrite spirit.  That which we offer at baptism and thereafter as we partake of the sacrament.  Our level of living the law of sacrifice is found in our attitude as we partake of the sacrament as we approach it with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, preparing to give up the sins and mistakes of the last week.  That is what we have been asked to sacrifice.  It was a super cool connection and it made the sacrament a really good experience this last week!  Have an amazing week!!!!  Love you all!!!! 

Love,

Elder Jarrett Anderson

 

¡hurah por israel!

February 9, 2015

Dear Mom,

So great to hear week after week that all is well at home.  As well, things are amazing here in Torrejón!   It was a rough week but a week filled with learning.  We have been working hard and been trying so hard to find new people to teach but every single lesson we have set with potential new investigators this entire transfer has failed us.  Not a single one has shown up, or been the right address, or anything and it was getting extremely tough.  Hard to keep spirits high and to continue working hard. But!  We did it and the blessings came.  We got our first new investigator of the transfer yesterday!! It was a miracle! and an amazing lesson.  I was so grateful to be able to teach a lesson one to somebody.  It was relieving and the spirit was very powerful.  I'm excited to meet with him!!  Osaheni is still doing good and so is Osasu.  Still going strong and loving it.  Osaheni once again laughed as we challenged him to live a commandment and said, "Don't worry, I already live it." (my absolute favorite response to inviting someone to live the commandments)  

Paolo hasn't smoked since the last time he did (wow that was redundant.)  I mean like a couple weeks ago.  He had his interview this past Friday and he PASSED!!!  wooh!!!!  We knew he was ready so we weren't really worried but he is dropping the smoking and I think as he receives the spirit he will be able to drop it for forever.  He will be baptized this Saturday.  He is an amazing man and even sang in the ward choir at stake conference yesterday!!  

The coolest thing is being back in the Madrid East Stake (the same stake as B4) and so stake conference was super cool hearing the same stake presidency as last time speak again.  I feel like the Madrid East Stake is my home stake since I've spent about 7 months of my mission in it so far.  Just move my membership records on over!!!  Also Elder Mendoza (area seventy) spoke.  Incredible experience.  My testimony of the functions of the priesthood leaders and the organization of the church has really grown as I have been able to see how they speak to the needs of the members here.  It's amazing how the Lord's system of church government is flawless and perfect.  There is no doubt this church is true.  

I really loved something Elder Mendoza spoke about.  In part of his talk he talked about how the spirit will give us the words in the exact moment that we need them.  He told a story about how he was visiting some people he didn't know and the spirit told him to open his mouth and he did and told a very personal story and it helped the family.  As I listened to him tell us this story I was contemplating on how the Lord uses every single one of us in His work, and all our talents, abilities, and experiences.  He will use our experiences for our personal instruction and then will use us and our experiences to teach others.  I realized how true that is.  As I have been through the things I have been through the Lord is now using my testimony of the atonement to bring others to the Savior's feet.  So remember that!  The Lord will use all of us and our stories to bring others to the Lord.  He uses all of us!!!  I love you all!!  Have an amazing week!!!  Love you!!!

Elder Jarrett Anderson

¡Hurah por Israel!

(In his letter to his Dad this week)

Oh, something I forgot to say in the letter to mom was this; at stake conference I  had the chance to see a ton of people from B4 and it was like being home.  What a tender mercy that was getting to hug Jaime and the bishop and talk to everyone again.  It all started when a little kid from the B4 primary came running up to say hi to me afterwards.  It was a huge blessing!!!  I didn't get to see Miguel or Silvia because they left before I could see them but they were there and are doing great!!!  I just wrote him cause a missionary who's in B4 said Miguel wants to hear from me.  Super amazing guy and I am praying with all my heart they get sealed in October!!!!  It would be incredible!!!  I'm so excited to read the Elder Holland talk!!!!  Such a blessing to be tutored by living witnesses and mouthpieces of the Lord.  This church is amazing!!!  Thanks for everything dad.  I love you!!!

Elder Jarrett Anderson

¡Hurah por Isreal!

February 2, 2015

The District!!! My comp is the one making the crazy scary face hahaha

Well it was another great week!!!  I have grown to love contacting.  Oh man, I used to be scared to do it but it has grown to become my absolute favorite part of missionary work.  As the Lord says in Doctrine & Covenants it is our job to 1. raise our voice at all times and 2. preach repentence.  I have been working on developing charity big time these past few months and I feel this deep need to bear witness of the Savior in every moment.  I love preaching repentence and restoration in the street.  It's something that held me back from truly being a consecrated missionary before.  I held back because of my fears but now I LOVE street contacting so much.  All the amazing people we get to meet and try to give them this happiness.  Man, I could go on about how much I love it, for days.  Haha.

Paolo is doing okay.  He had a rough week.  He smoked last Thursday but is determined to quit and drop it for forever.  He is still good to go for the 14th if he can help him completely drop it.  Hopefully his interview will be this week.  He has such strong desires and just wants to be happy and he is slowly but surely finding it as he is coming closer to Christ.  I love that man!!  I wish you guys could meet him.

Osaheni is doing great.  We taught him lesson three and he loved it.  We invited him to come see the baptism that there was on Saturday and he said, "No, I want mine to be a surprise.  I don't want to know how it is until it's my turn".  hahaha! Super funny.  He's really excited for baptism.

We are also teaching an evangelical couple from Venezuela who speak English.  They are extremely "we are saved by grace".  We taught the Plan of Salvation and made them hold their questions until the end cause they always ask so many questions it gets off topic.  So we taught it and she was like well I know "I'm not gonna try and say I did my part and now I can receive mercy on judgement day, I'm gonna throw my hands up and say "Jesus, save me!!!" and I'll be saved."  So we have been studying grace a ton this past week and how we can help them understand what the gospel and grace and everything truly means.  It's been a great testimony builder for me and my understanding of the gospel in connection with the plan of salvation has grown immensly.  So I'm excited to continue teaching them.  They have so much potential!!  Super great people.  Their names are Eddi and Marja.

We are also teaching a lady from Nigeria whose name is Mercy.  She lost her mother about 3 or 4 weeks ago and is struggling a lot.  We had an extremely powerful lesson with her last night.  We gave her a blessing and talked about how much her Father in Heaven loves her.  Powerful lesson!!!

I am so happy to be here.  This is the greatest place on Earth.  Spain is amazing.  I love these people and I feel like this is home.  I love this work and i just love life!!!  I have just left what was the biggest trial of my life.  A Coruña was an amazing place to lay a foundation and learn to be a missionary.  B4 turned me into a man and B9 turned my life over to the Lord. The day I got to B9 I never thought it would be the area that would change my life for forever but it happened.  As trial after trial after trial came I never thought it would end but I never thought the blessings of it would come either. Consecration was the blessing and the blessings are now coming for living in a consecrated way. Because consecration is the law of the temple and as you live the law of the temple the full blessings of the temple are given.  I testify of the power of that law. Consecration is the only true way to live.  I learned that in B9 and am trying to perfect it here in Torrejon.  So give your lives and hearts to the Lord. You'll know you are getting there as your prayers change from "I want this, please bless this to happen", to "Father, I know that my will isn't yours. Let your will be done."  I've experienced it and it is liberating.  I know this work is His.  It's a long personal story I will tell when I get home but I have turned my heart over to the Lord and I have been so blessed for it.  I love you all!!!  So glad to hear all is going well back home!!!  Thanks for everything mom!!  I love you!!!!

¡Os quiero!

Elder Anderson

¡hurah por isreal!