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!

February 26, 2015

Well to answer questions:  1) The sword cost like 70 to ship home but they do that special for missionaries at that store with that sword.  2) I have not received the letters yet.  I will at the mission tour in February, or if we have Zone Conference. 

Well this week was AMAZING!!!  I was pretty nervous the first couple of days preparing for the district meeting but in the end it went amazingly well.  It was incredible.  We talked about John 10:14 and how the Lord knows us and how we can come to know him through our obedience (using 1 John 2:3) and it was powerful.  I asked one of the hermanas to speak on how she has come to know that Christ knows her.  She spoke about how she wasn't able to go on a mission for whatever reason until she was 25 and she never understood why but now after contemplating it she has come to realize that because of everyone she has come in contact with at this time and with the friend she was able to help become a member before her mission, the Lord knows her and her needs perfectly.  She said it was an answer to her prayers to be able to speak on that and she now knows why it took so long.  It was amazing and very powerful.  I'm very excited to lead this district.  They are all incredible missionaries.  There are 6 of us.  Me and Elder Malan.  Elder Voss (4-5 months in the mission, from Ohio, and super proud the Buckeyes won the state championship and he just finished getting trained by Elder Smith, my old companion!) and Elder Vallejos (from Peru but has lived in Spain since he was 5.  He's a convert of three years and has an amazing story. Incredible missionary. Just a machine.)  Hermana Palomino (originally from Ecuador but lived here in Spain as well.  This is her last transfer in the mission.  Super great missionary as well. Hermana Santiago (from Texas. she's super cool and has the same time as Elder Voss).  I love this place and my district!!! Elder Malan is hilarious.  Just the funniest guy ever.  He is a very hard worker and a great missionary.  He is not trunkee at all.  He jokes about it but he's doing amazing.  It's going to be a great transfer with him.  He's from Draper and went to Jordan High school!  He sang in madrigals and wrestled so we get along extremely well! 

The area is beautiful.  Very clean.  It's exactly how those pictures make it look, I assume.  But the crazy thing is this place is Africa. Let me explain, there are just a lot of Africans, like half the ward.  From Nigeria,  Equatorial Guinea,  Ghana.  The majority are from Nigeria.  It's amazing.  The greatest people ever.  So humble and receptive to the gospel.  We have 3 people on baptismal date right now.  First, Paolo from Venezuela (he has Italian parents though).  He is dropping smoking and has had some crazy family situations in past with his ex-wife but he is so happy to have found the gospel.  We are helping him find peace and consolation and healing through the atonement.  It's amazing.  He is so happy and will give you the biggest hug when he sees you.  He's an amazing guy!  We also have Osasu from Nigeria.  Super humble and is passing through some tough trials but is getting happier as he has found the gospel.  He told us this is what he wants.  He wants to get baptized and he knows it because he's prayed about it.  Super cool.  The last is Osaheni from Nigeria.  Super humble but cool guy.  He loves meeting with us and coming to church.  He said if it wasn't what he wanted he wouldn't come.  He is doing awesome!!!

Last thing, I had my first baptismal interview this week!!!  I was super nervous.  Not going to lie.  I was nervous the day before but I woke up the next day feeling very confident and ready.  As I went in the spirit was so strong.  As she began to answer questions and I inquired as to her readiness and her level of repentance I felt the hand of the Lord there and I felt the spirit speak through me and guide me through it.  One of the most spiritual experiences I have ever had. 

I am so grateful the Lord answered your prayers with that letter.  I don't have much time.  We got haircuts that took forever so I have no time.  I will not be able to write Dad but tell him I read his letter and I love him.  Thank you for everything!!!  I love you all!!!!  Thanks for everything!!!!! 

Love,

Elder Jarrett Anderson

¡hurah por israel!

Transfers - January 19, 2015

Well I am now writing to you from....

Torrejon!

It's a pueblo on the outside of Madrid.  To the east of the city.  It's a beautiful place (from what I've seen in the 15 minutes I've been here)  I am super excited!!!!  My new companions name is Elder Malan.  I don't know if I ever talked about him before but we served in A Coruña together for a transfer. (obviously not companions but we got to know each other really well!) and now here I am, going to be his last companion (he goes home at the end of this transfer).  I am super excited to be with him!  He is an incredible missionary and I've heard amazing things about this area.  I will also be serving as district leader here in Torrejon.  I'm kinda nervous 'cause I don't know what I'm doing haha but it will be exciting.  I forgot my planner in my bags in the piso so I am going to try and remember some things about the week but it's been kind of a blur.

With leaving, it's always a blur of emotions and everything just becomes so surreal and weird.  It's always amazing to look around and see the work you have done.  When the Savior went to the spirit world He saw all those who had waited patiently believing on His name and had lived the gospel in their lives with the hope the Savior would fulfill His mission and when he came we read in D&C 138 of the joy and praise that was sung to His name.  He saw (as it says in Mosiah 3 and Isaiah 53 "will see his seed") all those He had saved and to whom He had brought that hope.  He was able to see a portion of that there in the spirit world.  I caught a glimpse of what that must have been like yesterday.  As I sat in the back of the chapple,  I looked forward and saw Daniel and Melvi.  Daniel, who I had found and brought back and to Melvi had taught all the lessons.  Anxiously awaiting the day of her baptism.  I saw Joaquin and his girlfriend and son and their whole family there.  I saw Jaime whom I had helped finish teach and baptize.  I saw Andrea, the sister of Jose Luis who had come to church for the first time in about 10 years.  And I saw Luis and Ines who were baptized Saturday and who received the Holy Ghost yesterday.  With all the things that happened in this area.  With all the hard times.  With all the difficulties.  With all the heartache, pain, loneliness, and tears.  On my last day, I was able to look out over the congregation and see not my seed, but His seed.  His sheep who I had helped guide to or to return to the flock.  As his representative it meant so much to me to be able to see that.  See "His seed" and I felt good about the work I had done.  I did everything I was supposed to there.  The work was finished.  It was an incredible experience yesterday in sacrament meeting to see that.

Luis and Ines were baptized saturday!!!  It was an incredible baptismal service.  The spirit was present and they had an amazing experience. I baptized Ines and I always love to see their face as they come up out of the water.  Being clean and perfect.  Luis bore a powerful testimony about how he knows this is the true church and how the Book of Mormon has changed his life.  It was powerful.  I confirmed Luis yesterday in sacrament meeting and that was powerful as well.  Very tender experience as I left B9.

I will be sending pictures but I'm glad to hear it was a good week back home!!!  Thanks for the updates!!  Keep sending them!!  I love you all!!  Hurrah, Hurrah for Israel!!!

Love,

Elder Jarrett Anderson

Jaime and Elder Anderson

E. Anderson, Luis, Ines, E. Gorge, E. Anderson

Baptism Day - January 17, 2015 

E. Gorge, Luis, Ines, E. Anderson, E. Anderson

The Law Firm

   They called us "The Law Firm" Anderson, Anderson & Gorge. (the ZL's saw us running to an appointment once and they later said, "We saw you guys running today and we thought oh! there goes the law firm!"  hahaha it was so funny!  These guys were incredible companions.  Amazing guys.  Hard workers.  I learned so much from them!!  I'm so grateful for the 3 weeks I had with them. 

Week 6 - Transfer Week - January 12, 2015

Elder Anderson and Joseph

Wow.  What a week it was at home!!  My prayers are continually answered and there is lots more to be praying for.  I'm glad all is going well with all of the siblings!  Thanks for keeping me updated on them:) 

I hope all goes well with Dad's surgery.  He seems kind of nervous for it but I know all will go well:)

Well this week was a really good week!!!  Another week of being beyond busy.  There has been no time to even sit and think about anything else. We have been working so hard and it was a very fruitful week! 

So the highlights of the week!  Joseph, a man from Ghana, Africa.  We have been teaching him and he has come to church two weeks in a row now.  He doesn't speak much Spanish but he really enjoys it.  He at some times has trouble understanding the doctrine but he is coming along.  He has a baptismal date for the 28th of February.  Just an adorable innocent man from Africa.  Elder Anderson (my comp) was falling asleep during a lesson with him cause he was super tired and he closed his eyes for just a second and Joseph all of the sudden said, "Are you sleeping?" hahaha!  Super funny.  Just totally called him out on it! 

Second, Luis and Ines  are good to go for the 17th!!!  They will be getting baptized this Saturday, given they pass their interview (Thursday) so expect baptismal pictures next week! 

Third, Daniel and Melbi.  They were thinking about moving out so that she could get baptized but after prayer and looking at their financial situation they have decided they cannot financially do it.  It was very sad to get that news.  They are looking to try and get married the end of this year. (I'll probably be home before it all works out and she's baptized.) super sad, but it will be an incredible day the day I get the news she gets baptized.  He is an amazing man and she is amazing as well.  I am just glad I got to be there to see the miracle of him return to the church.  The Lord will watch over them though. 

Alberto and Rosi, our evangelical investigators, came to church last week and they said it was different then theirs. (I figured they would say that).  He said it was more peaceful and calm and I testified that it was the spirit testifying to him of the truthfulness of this church.  He continues to have A LOT of doubts about the Book of Mormon but little by little he is getting there.  He doesn't seem to have true intent yet.  But he is, little by little, gaining it. 

Last night we went on splits and I went and taught the Young Single Adult family home evening.  I taught them about the introduction of the Book of Mormon.  It was going good and the purpose was to know how to share it with others but none of them had really had any experiences with finding out the book was true.  Maybe two.  So it turned into "converting ourselves" and the desire to share that will come as we know these things are true.  It was a powerful meeting.  The spirit was strong and I could feel it working in them.  It was an incredible meeting. 

We also got invited over to a members home last week to give the husband a blessing. It turned into us finding out they had been doing a family fast because both the parents were sick (the husband pretty bad) and we gave them all blessings and we are now working on reactivating the father.  The families name is the Carrasco Family.  He was the ward mission leader couple years back but has since become inactive but we taught a powerful lesson 3 with them.  We compared the joy they felt on their day of sealing to the happiness they will have when living the gospel.  It was so powerful!!!  I'm excited to work with them.  They are a good family. 

Well Kings Day.  They believe that the 3 Kings come and give the presents on this day. (on the 6th they open their Christmas presents) everything closes down on the 5th in the afternoon and they have big parades that night and then everything is closed the next day.  It's kind of like Christmas Eve and Christmas in the U.S. here.  It's pretty cool!! 

Well for the spiritual thought this week!!  There is a scripture that talks about how "jesus went about doing good".  Now, I found another scripture that described what the father of lies goes about doing.  Read it and think about "where do i stand"?  Do I follow the example of Christ and go about doing good, serving and lifting others?  Or do I go about doing what satan does?  Do I watch my words, actions and thoughts in every moment?  and the last How can i improve? because there is always room for improvement.  Follow his example!  Do as he did and we will be blessed.  I promise you that. The Scripture is Helaman 16:22.

Hope this week is amazing for you guys!!!!  Can't wait to continue hearing about all your adventures!!!  Love you all!!! Thanks for everything!!!

Love,

Elder Jarrett Anderson

¡Hurah por Israel!

¡Feliz Año Nuevo! por la segunda vez

Wow.  I cannot believe it's 2015 either.  I just finished up the whole year that I will be on a mission.  All of 2014 was spent in the mission and this is it.  Just another thing that gives me the drive to work my absolute hardest every single day.  I'm so glad the vacations have been so great!!!  It sounds like everything is going amazing back home and that makes me happy! It really hasn't been too terribly cold here in Madrid.  It's cold but I've been pretty pleased with the weather.  Not too bad! 

This week with the comps has been amazing.  I´ll tell you about it later.  Yes, I moved into their piso. For now we don't use [my piso] for anything.  We will see what happens at transfers.  What we have done is just teaching everyone.  All of their investigators and we've just added all of my investigators.  It's been great!  but extremely busy.  We are constantly running from appointment to appointment or doing splits with members to be able to get to everything.  It has been an AMAZING week!!! 

Happy Kings Day!!!!  1 more day and santa comes.  Well, the Three Kings come.  They don't really have Papa Noel here. They do, but only kind of.  They focus on Three Kings Day and they believe the three kings deliver the presents. 

kind weird!  But we will see how tommorow is. 

P-days.. hmm... last week we moved me in.  haha and then we took Elder Anderson my companion to the lake in our area. He'd never been there and this week we played futbol with a ton of other missionaries.  Super fun!!  we will see what we end up doing next week.  I'm not sure on the game or the fight yet.  Maybe a fight this summer.  I don't know we shall see. We would go to museums like the Prado and stuff but everything is closed on Mondays here.  Like all the tourist places, so we can't go to them.  Kinda a bummer!

Well this week was incredible!!!  Elder's Anderson and Gorge are amazing companions and I have loved every second of it.  Working every second of every single day and it's been great.  So rewarding spiritually.  Two amazing lessons that happened this week. 

1)  We had a lesson with Daniel and Melbi.  The law of chastity lesson.  They talked about how they have been setting goals to live it and to get married this year.  We then told them that they could move out and if they did that, didn't live together, she could get baptized.  They are so excited and are praying about it and I think they're going to do it.  PRAY YOUR HEARTS OUT FOR THEM!!!!!  We will find out this week!!!!

2)  Luis and Ines had a doubt about tithing and wanted to move their baptism back to March.  We had a lesson with them yesterday and we were on splits.  We had a member with me and Elder Anderson and the member said "I know what you are going through!  I've lived it!  I promise if you pay the Lord will provide."  We testified and promised blessings and read scriptures and the spirit wrought a mighty change in them and they are going to be baptized next week on the 17th.  It was one of the most powerful lessons I've ever been apart of.  So cool!!!!

(This turned into my spiritual thought. Read this for Family Home Evening!!)  THIS PARAGRAPH:  Thanks for all the love and support.  I cannot thank you enough.  Sometimes I wonder why the Lord tries us and why it gets so hard.  I have been through some tough things in life and wonder why?  Why me?  What did I do to deserve this.  But it is always in hindsight that I learn what the true purpose of it was.  I don't yet understand why the Lord put me through this one specifically but I do know it was His will.  He gave it to me to learn, to grow, and to become stronger.  Sometimes in the midst of the hard things I've gone through I remember the mormon message about the currant bush.  The "How could you do this to me?", and I remember the wise words that Dad told me at the beginning of my mission.  "You are the clay in the potters hand, let Him mold you."  I have what I want, and sometimes I want to be a shade tree and not the currant bush the Lord sees me becoming and has planned for me.  And He then gives me things to cut me down and turn me into that currant bush I am meant to be. It hurts to get cut and pruned while it's happening.  The molding process is not easy but the end result is a beautiful pot and the bush the Lord wants.  And looking back, I promise each one of us will say "Thank you for loving me enough to cut me down, for loving me enough to hurt me."  Because of what we have seen ourselves become.  So look for that.  Look for ways you have been cut and shaped and molded and remember in the midst of trials that the end result is beautiful.  I never thought the mission would be this trial filled but I know the end result is the man He wants me to be. 

Have an amazing week!!!!  Thanks for everything!!!!!!

Love, 

Elder Jarrett Anderson