Happy Birthday to You!

HaPpY, hApPy BiRtHdAy MoThEr dear, happy days will come to you all year! If I had a wish then it would be, a happy, happy birthday to you from me!

Happy Birthday Mom! I hope that you have a great day today, and that you know that you're the greatest mom in the world! I should be getting my packages at transfers on Wednesday. Turns out my comp is going to the capital, and I will be recieving Elder Soto from Guatemala! 

As far as pictures. You're right! I need to send pictures, but my SD adapter broke a while back, and I've just procrastinated buying a new one. So I'll do that, and I'll send you some pictures! Sounds like you guys are pretty busy back home! Here, things are alright. We had to postpone Daniel's baptism.  We're helping him to understand and work through the repentance process, and hopefully his baptism will happen in January. It's been a little difficult here to help people progress to baptism, but we're working hard, and I see a few possibilities this next transfer. 

To answer the water question. Most people have clean water, because everyone knows that you have to buy the "Botellónes" (the big jugs of water) but people out in the far out areas might not have enough money to purchase the botellónes. But yeah, I'm still drinking bottled water. 

As far as skyping, I was thinking maybe 2:00 my time? 11:00 for you guys. I'm so excited!! It'll be so good to see you guys!!! 

Thanks for being the best mom/family ever! I love you alll!

Love, Elder Anderson

December 11, 2017 ~ Week 71

This week was a good one! I can't believe it's over, and I can't believe I'm almost done training, and that I'm almost 20, and that it's almost Christmas, and also it's almost 2018! Crazy stuff! 

The branch might take a little bit longer. I guess that the Stake Presidency is rethinking it, and figuring out the details. So we'll have to wait and see when it actually happens. It's crazy that wards back home have different time schedules! Here it's always 9:00. 

Oh, by the way! I got your letters! Thanks so much for sending me those! It always gives me a little boost to be able to read your words! So thanks! And I'll be looking out for those packages!

We haven't gotten any snow yet here either, and I don't think it's coming. My comp and I have talked about how funny it would be if it did snow, and what everyone's reaction would be. Haha, they wouldn't know WHAT to do! I think everything would just shut down.

Light the world is going pretty well! It's not hard to find people with smart phones, but it IS hard to find people with internet or wifi, so we haven't been able to show the videos to as many people as I'd like, but it's good. I thought that it would've been funny to call you guys on day five. So instead, I called one of our senior missionaries Elder Buhler and told him how much I appreciate him. Lol. Have you guys seen the videos every day? I was pleasantly surprised when the day 2 video was in the DR. Super cool. 

This week we'll finally be having a baptism here in Canastica! We've been teaching a 13 year old named Daniel, and he's gonna get baptized on Saturday! He's a super good kid, and we're excited to get my comp his first baptism in the mission!

We usually have a ward activity every friday. Sometimes they're well organized, sometimes they're not. They're good for bringing investigators to though. 

Anyway, that was my week! We finally got the conferene issue of the Liahona, so I've loved reading the conference talks again. I love Elder Renlunds talk, wich focuses on the oath and the covenant of the priesthood. It's so important for all members of the church to understand the purpose and the power of the priesthood. I am grateful for the blessings of the priesthood in my life, and the access it has given me to the grace of Jesus Christ. 

I love you all, and I hope that you all have the best week ever! And HAPPY BIRTHDAY IN A WEEK MOM!!!!!!!

--

Love, Elder Anderson

December 4, 2017 ~ Week 70

Hey Mom! This week absolutely flew by. It was pretty good though. We found out some bad news. It's gonna take a while for Yireht (Our 8 year old investigator) to get baptized, because her uncle (the only active member in her family) is moving to Santiago next month, in the north of the country. So noone will be left here to take her to church. So we're going to try to work with her mom to see if we can reactivate her, but we'll see...

Also this week, we found out that one of our investigators is moving to the capital. His stepdad is abusive, and so they're planning on moving while he's away. So that's kind of sad. That's something that I've come to be so grateful for. A family that's together, and loving. That's definitely a gift from gospel living. So many families, not just here, but the families of some of my companions are so torn apart. People have 10 children, but its very rare for people to have 4 or more with the same spouse. I'm so grateful for a loving mother and father who teach and provide for their children.

Sorry that my letters are always so short, haha, I just don't really know what to talk about. My weeks are usually about the same without much variation. Things really are great though! I'm super excited to talk to you guys on Christmas! Only 3 more weeks!!! We'll see if I'm in the same area though, because transfers are on the 19th.

I hope that you all have the best week ever though! I love you so much!!!

--

Love, Elder Anderson