July 8

Hello family!

 

This week was.. Interesting but good! Let's see.. So we taught Mandy and Jen a couple more times and they were doing great! They said they were coming to church and all that and then Friday we went to visit them and neither of them were home.. We texted and called them and got nothing.. And they didn't come to church :( Super disappointing, but we tried. During one of our lessons, Jen said that she was grateful for us and that she can see the light that I have and can see how happy I am. That made me SO happy. It was such a great compliment that meant so much. All my hard work is at least paying off somehow! We are hopefully meeting with them more this week so we'll see what happens with that! However, it was very cool because since we didn't see Mandy, we had a bunch of time so we went to this less active family's home and they have a 19 yr old son, and a 14 yr old daughter that aren't members. So since Mandy cancelled, we were able to visit the son, Dakota. At the end of the lesson he committed to being baptized at the end of the month! That was super exciting and he is so ready to be baptized. It's crazy how the Lord works but it was definitely very cool.

 

This week Sister Pack was sick for a few days. We think it was from the heat of the weekend and that she got heat stroke or something.. But that meant Sister Nelson and I went out on our own! It was fun to try to do things on our own and see what we have learned so far. We did pretty well :) I haven't told you yet, but our ward is half Chinese, so the Chinese speaking elders (also the Zone Leaders) told Sister Pack to go to one of the Chinese members homes and they would give her Chinese medicine to get better. It actually did work but it gave her weird bruises all over her neck and back.. It was super weird.

 

For the 4th of July we had to be in by 6:00 which was kinda nice! Our zone all met at the church so they knew everyone was okay. We just messed around and we got to watch 17 Miracles! Sounds dumb but for a missionary that was GOLD. Of course we bawled through the whole thing.. I was seriously a mess, but it was such a great reminder of what the pioneers did for us. I can't even imagine doing what they did. Overall the 4th was a good day :)

 

The members always feed us every night so we always get a cooked dinner which is good... Sometimes. Since half our ward is Chinese, we get Chinese dinners a lot. I love Chinese food, don't get me wrong, but remember how I hate dumplings? Guess what we had this week :) 3 HEAPING plates of dumplings. And of course we can't be rude so I ate them.. Gagged them down basically. Oh and to top it all off, we had egg soup with fish in it, that STILL HAD THEIR HEADS ON. It was disgusting. I seriously just had to make it go down my throat. It was awful! But I'm grateful that we have home cooked meals every night... :) (I'm doing everything I can to be as positive as I can.. It's a lot harder than you think...)

 

My first fast Sunday was this week! I love fast Sundays but they are a lot different as a missionary. We actually had to fast for 2 meals like we're supposed to! Hahaha I don't know if I have ever done that before and it was very hard! However the hour that we get for lunch everyday turns into an hour to take a nap on fast Sunday! It was so great! I honestly think the hardest thing about my mission so far is waking up at 6:30 haha. That and the heat are the only things that have been hard for me so I consider that a blessing!

 

Probably the highlight of my week (this week we had hardly any success with anyone) was our geography class that we have every day with Sister Pack! Oh my gosh I laugh so hard everyday. I was telling them about that episode of Ellen where she asked what country Paris was in and no one knew.. So we asked Sister Pack and she didn't know! So that led to crying from laughing so hard.. Then to more questions, where countries are, what the continents are (she didn't know any of this) what continent these countries are on.. All that. It's hilarious. I don't know why she doesn't know any of it but it's the best part of our day. It's so funny!

We also like to play jokes on each other, especially when we're in the shower haha so when Sister Pack was showering one day we took all her clothes out of her closet and the ones she took in the bathroom with her and we hid them :) It took her all day to find everything :) Then when I was in the shower one day I got out and my desk was in the bathroom hahaha we have a good time with each other :) Oh Sister Pack also got some CD's from her family.. so we listen to remakes of primary songs like the snowman song, the eensy weensy spider.. We think it's hilarious. I almost hate myself because I like it so much.. That's what I've turned into hahaha.

 

Like I said this week we had basically zero success. No one would listen to us or really give us a chance, including our investigators. We made the most out of what we could though and we still had a good week. I am loving what I get to do everyday. I love being a missionary. I know that this is where I am supposed to be and what I'm supposed to be doing. I have been so blessed to be here and to be a part of this work! My companions are some of my best friends already. Sister Nelson and I are like twins. We have so much in common and I love her. I love Sister Pack too. I have been so blessed! Don't ever say that I'm in a threesome (I made that mistake once) Just say I'm in a trio :)

I have been studying D&C a lot and my testimony of Joseph Smith has grown a lot in the last week. I have such respect for that man and for what he did for us. I am so grateful to have the Book of Mormon and to know that it is inspired revelation for our days. I know that it will make you happier by reading it and by following what it says. I love the personal study time I get each morning. That's what gets me out of bed :) I love you all and miss you a lot but I know that you will be blessed because I am here saving people's lives! :) I pray for you all specifically every night! Stay safe and have a great week at trek!

 

Love love love you!

 

Sister Anderson :)

 

p.s. Luke, Liza, and Phebe - I am writing you all letters back so look for them in the mail! Thanks for writing me!! :)