No Time, But Here’s an Announcement That is Important

First off, thank you to those who listened and sent me your plans and questions as I requested.

You all get gold stars.

The rest of you are getting coal for Christmas and need to check out this page on the LDS website:https://www.lds.org/church/news/how-are-you-preparing-for-general-conference?cid=HP_FR_9-25-2015_dPTH_fGC_xLIDyL2-1_&lang=eng

And, also … an important announcement….

I have decided that for my last month I need to only communicate with my family. No friends, no boyfriend, or anyone else. If you would like to keep sending me things please go ahead, but I will be reading and answering them when I get home. This will give me more time to focus on what is happening here and on my calling for the four weeks that I have left (eek!).

I love you all and hope you have a wonderful conference weekend!

Love,

Hermana Anderson

So Many Things

I have so many things to tell you all, and several weeks of "highlights" to catch up on, but I feel that it would be better to tell you only a few.

Last week I began my very last transfer. I received as my companion Hna Gonzalez, from the State of Mexico. She's a big sweetheart and just finished her training. BUT … President Munive received revelation that we should have special transfers, so after only five days together she left for Navajoa and I received a new companion – Hna Hernandez from Veracruz. While it was incredibly hard to say goodbye to Hna Gonzalez, even after a short time, the Lord prepared me for the change, telling me it would happen but without my realizing it until it actually happened. I can now relate better to the 12 Apostles, who couldn't understand the words of Christ until they had been fulfilled.

The other thing that I want to tell you is about what we are doing to help our ward get ready for general conference. Hna Hernandez and I are sharing the talk by Elder Hales from the October 2013 conference about, well … about General Conference, (found here:https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/10/general-conference-strengthening-faith-and-testimony?lang=eng) as well as the words found in Mosiah 2:1-9 and 3 Nephi 17:3. Afterwards we will have them prayerfully answer the following questions, both personally and as a family:

-What questions do I have that I want answered this conference?

-What do I want to learn this conference?

-What am I doing to get ready spiritually for conference?

Ok, now that you know that, what you need to do is … do it for yourself, and your family. Yep. You have homework.

And I expect everyone reading this to write me back by Monday to tell me what you are doing to get ready and at least one thing you want to learn/have answered.

I expect a very full inbox.

I personally am going to finish studying last conference and reread and restudy all the messages from the First Presidency from the other three conference issues that I have. I am looking for an answer and/or more guidance on what I should study after I finish my mission.

I love you all, and I testify that as we spiritually prepare to learn we receive so much more out of our church meetings, scripture study, and spiritual experiences.

Can't wait to read your emails :)

With much love,

Hermana Anderson

Temple Trip!

Hello, friends,

I only have a few minutes, but the most important thing that I have to tell you is this:

My "temple trip" wasn't technically a temple trip. I got to see through satellite broadcast the re-dedication of the Mexico City temple. After being closed for renovations the temple is finally open again.

Between the cultural event on Saturday and the re-dedication service on Sunday I felt and thought a few things.

1) I am so blessed to be serving here in Mexico. The Lord has great things planned for this nation, and the Lamanites truly are blossoming like a rose in the desert.

2) I am grateful for temples and priesthood ordinances. They are proof that God loves us, and wants us to live with him again.

3) Heavenly Father loves me, has blessed me greatly, and has many wonderful things in store for me.

I have neither time nor words to fully explain everything that I felt and learned in those two days, but the Lord has once again blessed me beyond measure in the moments I need it most. 

I love you all. Have a wonderful week.

Yours in Christ,

Hna Anderson.

P.S. Need a Family Home Evening idea? Check out this video about the temple and have a family discussion. You'll be glad you did.

http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/mexico-city-temple-opens-to-the-public?cid=HP_WE_8-12-2015_dPAD_fMNWS_xLIDyL2-3_ 

Viva Mexico!

¡Hola!

Lots to say and little time, so let’s get started!

It's September! That means that it is now one of the biggest party months in Mexico. And there is red and green and white everywhere, but it's not Christmas. Viva México.

Also, this is my newest hair clip, since I won't have space to bring a real sombrero home with me:

-A mission first happened this week. Someone asked us if we were Jews. Nope, but we're happy to explain what we are!

-Fun things to do while sweating at midday:

Take paint off of a house! While walking along we saw a woman working at it, so we went to go help her. Have I mentioned I really like giving service? Even if the dust gets stuck all over my sweaty arms.

-I dunno what is happening here in Gusave but I am finding many of these here in the streets:

Yep, that's a tarantula. Thank heavens, though, that I have yet to see a living one.

-In gospel principles this week, while singing the opening hymn, I gave a solo. Good thing I don't get much stage fright!

-Speaking of singing … while eating with a sister this week we talked about how I sing and she asked if I was in choir before. But turns out I didn’t understand her question very well, because when I said yes, she said, "You were in the Mormon Tabernacle choir!" It was a bummer to tell her no.

I've run out of time to tell you everything else, but know that I love you and things go well!

Have a great week!!

Hna Anderson

Sorry ... No Post Again This Week ...

Haha, tricked ya! I am writing this week. Aren't I sneaky.

Last week:

-Good missionary skills: Eating and/or drinking whatever the people give you, whether you like it or not. This week a sister made us a very healthy drink, made from a carrot, a peeled lemon, half an apple, and some kind of leafy green plant. Turns out if you mix that all together it tastes like … leaves! Yay, leafy goodness.

-As a missionary I dream about different things. Like finding my scripture marking pencil that I lost a few weeks ago. I just really want it back, okay?

-Illustration of the cultural differences in our companionship: 

 My companion bought the fish on the left. I bought the Fish on the right.

-So, good news! (Sophia, you will be especially excited to hear this.) Elvis does in fact live! We contacted him the other day in the street. I dunno if he can still sing, but we found him!

This week:

-Well, there is good news and bad news; which do you want first?

Good news? Ok. 

I'm not sick!!

The bad news: I was.

Tuesday I got a fever and chills so we went to see a sister who is a doctor. Wednesday I went for blood and urine tests (sorry, that's gross and probably TMI) and it turns out I had an infection. But Mexican meds are awesome, so I'm all good now! I'm still taking an antibiotic, but that's OK considering that I started out taking this many pills:

There's one for my fever, stomach pain, infection, as well as my Claritin and a vitamin so that the mosquitos don't bite me so much, because I do not have time to get dengue.

-We went to eat with a couple this week and I showed them the picture of my family that I carry with me. I have short hair in the picture, and while commenting on how very different I look now, the brother laughed and said, "This was when the hermana was emo."

-Here in Sinaloa and Sonora, vibrant colors are very common. So often group photos like this:

-Hna Patraca and I figured out how to beat the heat. Just get your hair wet various times throughout the day. We look like we just got out of the shower, but my head isn’t burning so I don't even care.

And there went August! I can't believe it. I now have only two more months left as a missionary (what the crazy, when did this happen?) So naturally I am panicking. Just kidding. Ish. But I do feel exceedingly grateful that I have this chance to be here. And that I have two whole months to keep at it.

Love you all!

Hna Anderson

I Dunno What to Call This One … Potato.

Hello!

My final week in Obregon:

-On night while knocking on the door of a recent convert his neighbor was outside playing the guitar and singing. I tried to ignore it, because really it was like a romantic movie scene, which I do not have time for, but then I realized that he was playing and singing "I Did it My Way." Then I wanted to go give him a high five. I didn't, but I considered it.

-I was a bit dehydrated that week (only the beginning symptoms, and I'm fine now, so no worries) so I called the mission president's wife and she told me what medicines to take, as well as foods that I should eat and ones that were prohibited until I got better, which was pretty much everything delicious. On that list was "anything with dairy" and I all of the sudden understood what Brain Regan meant when he said "and no more happiness." Then when we went shopping, I went to the juice aisle with the juice people (and my companion) and watched the people in the dairy aisle with their party hats. (If you don't understand what I am saying, go look up Brian Regan on YouTube and watch his clips until you do.)

-Things I like about being an adult:

  

 I can eat chicken nuggets with my yogurt and pears if I want to, and no one can tell me no >:)

-I bought myself a hand fan. It is the best 22 pesos I have ever spent.

Also, it was really hard to say goodbye to friends here in Obregon (the first time I actually cried about transfers). I had to say goodbye to one of my besties, Hna Brown. We're cholas together. That is a very special bond. Also, she's from Baytown, TX, which was part of Ben's mission, so extra cool points there.

There were more sad goodbyes, like with my former companion Hermana Hernández, but I don't wanna talk about that, because it's sad.

This week in Guasave:

-I can't escape it: I am once again the English teacher. Funny story – I don’t know how to teach English. So I just make it up.

-After writing last week we bought ice cream cones and then got to work. We went to set up an appointment with someone and it turns out that they work in a gym so that's where we had to go to set it up. Guess who felt like a fatty eating ice cream while others were working on the elliptical.

-This has been another week of big spiders – I found one one night on the back area/patio and another one last night in the house. I took pictures but they are yicky so I won't send them. You’re welcome.

-While flipping through an old conference issue of the Liahona, I found this:

Guess who now wants to do family history more than ever (for those of you that don't know, my mom's maiden name is Wickman).

Other random notes: It's hot again. It rained today. I like spicy food. I successfully have avoided eating cow stomach three times this week. I pretty much want to read everything I can get my hands on. 

That's all for now.

Love you all!!

Hna Anderson

Greetings From Gusave

Well, once again I have little time. 

I am now back in Sinaloa and in the most remote zone in the mission. And it’s a really small zone of only nine companionships. Really different than being in Obregon, where there were more than 15 in my last zone alone. So pretty much I only know what happens in my district and that's it. Guess I'll just have to be extra focused or something. :P

Here is less hot! It's still really hot when the sun is out, but when it rained on a few days this week it didn’t feel a sauna! Now the sun is back and it's ridiculously hot again, but I got a lovely welcome nonetheless.

Speaking of rain … rain on dirt streets makes mud. So after getting dolled up yesterday for church (gotta make a good first impression in the ward, of course) we went to stop by and visit some investigators, and while trying to find some wet earth instead of mud, I stepped wrong and right into wet mud … and almost lost my shoe. My companion, who was wearing rain boots, just laughed at me. I borrowed the investigator’s hose to clean my shoes off before we went to church.

My companion and a Young Single Adult girl in the ward have figured out what I really am: A hippie. Here, being a hippie means that you are chill and don't worry a lot. It has nothing to do with weed or tree hugging. Cultural differences are fun like that.

OK, next week I promise I will catch up on what happened the last week in Obregon.

Love you all!

Hna Anderson