Okay so this week has been very interesting I have had some funny experiences some really tough ones and some miracles too!
So first off with the funny. We were knocking some doors in the east part of our area and we walked past this house and I was just like bueno so I knocked it and this man came out. I started talking to him and he was like okay okay I am really busy then he asks me where I am from. So I tell him Canada and he is like oh!! hahaha. Then he is like you know there is a lost city in Canada? I was like oh okay? Where? So he couldnt remember so he walked back to his door a little bit and yelled into the house to his brother (he was old by the way) and said he where is that city in Canada that was lost? His brother was like I dunno why? He was like because there is a chica out here she is beautiful and her hair is the same as the hair on the hair of the corn! HAHAHAHAHHA So Hna. Gutierrez was laughing so hard and I was like okay well thanks? Then we left and we both were laughing so hard! So then at one of our lunch apointments with the Familia Beneges she tells this story and as we left the kids were like Goodbye Hermana Corn! hahahahahaa. I was like oh great this is never going to end! But no its just a joke so ya. So we taught this other investigator named Jema again and she wouldnt accept the Book of Mormon! She would accept the pamphlets but no the Book of Mormon! I was so frustrated because the Book of Mormon is so powerful. It is so important in the process of conversion! But hey we will keep trying. So our investigator Brian his dad Jorje is so hard. He hates religion but says he is catholic but in reality he just hates the people. The way they judge. But for the first time we were teaching him the other night and he was listening. So I was trying to testify to him about something and for some reason I always have a really hard time speaking to him and finally he was like have your comp. translate. So I started speaking in English and Hermana Gutierrez translated for me. Oh my gosh! The spirit was so strong. I felt words come into my mouth in English and Hermana Gutierrez said that after she felt the spirit going through her and becoming more powerful as she was translating! She was like oh my gosh you dont even know! Jorje then said what is my purpose in life? So I was like bueno becuase we had no more time so I told him he needed to prepare for the answer. That God always answers prayers but he needs to prepare himself. He needs to pray and the read the scriptures and to meditate on his question and the things he reads. He said he would and we were seriously just shocked at how the spirit worked on him. He seriously ever other time is soooooo hard!! So that was a blessing! Also Brian had his interview this week and he is ready.....but he smoked the day after and so he wont be baptized this Sunday......so hopefully we can help him to be ready for the next Sunday. Okay for another funny moment. We were teaching this woman and she is like 96 years old! She was seriously HILARIOUS!!! I was laughing so hard!! She was so animated and was like kissing her hands and raising them to the sky. I seriously started laughing while we were teaching but quickly recovered! Oh man I wish you could have seen it! Also we have these things here called Zondas Its like a hot hot wind that comes through here and then in the night it gets really really cold! So it was pretty interesting! We were dying of heat in the afternoon and then freezing cold in the night! hahaha. Kinda reminded me of home. So here is the miracle!! We were walking to this womans house cause we didnt have a lot of time left before we needed to go back to the pench and so on our way we stopped at the church to use the bathroom and then we left and we were walking and we were almost to the house of the familia Perez. This family is part member. The dad is the only member. His wife is catholic but his two kids want to get baptized. His wife has always been like no....and we can never talk to them cause she is never home! So we are walking up and who had just gotten home and was walking to the door!!! Hermana Perez!! We were like no way!!!! So we were talking to her and Hermana Gutierrez felt prompted to ask her about her kids wanting to get baptized and if she had a problem with it! She said.....no.....if they want to!! We were like WHAT!!!!! SOOOOO SWEET!! So we have a Noche de Hogar with them on Saturday and we are really hoping she will feel the spirit strong and maybe have a desire to start investigating herself! I love seeing the miracles of the lord! I love that is was easter this sunday! We had a great meeting with our district and were able to share our testimonies of the Savior. I was able to think and ponder about all of the sweet and sacred experiences I have had with getting to know my savior better! I love this gospel! I love the feeling that fills me up every time I testify of the truthfulness that we have prophets on the earth today!! That the Book of Mormon is true, and most importantly that Christ lives and is our Savior! I love the story of Alma the Younger and he feelings of extreme anguish from feeling his sins and then the other extreme of feeling exquisite Joy through the Atonement. This is our message to the world! Christ lives he came to this earth and died for us that we might one day live again. He established his church long ago so that the people could know how to be saved. We have that same pure gospel here on earth again! It is only through the Gospel of Jesus Chirst that we are truly happy. I know that. Because I have nothing here. I have my clothes my food and my testimony, and I have never been happier in my life. I know that it is because I am helping my Savior and helping others come unto him and taste of that Joy that is Eternal! What greater work is there?
I love you all!
Hermana Anderson

Well this week has been great! The open house of the Atlanta Temple was awesome! It felt so good to be able to see a temple again and walk on the grounds and inside. One of our investigators who we took thats 13 said,"Even the temperature is perfect here!" haha I thought it was funny! It was awesome we were able to have everyone that we invited come to the open house and we all went as a branch! I think their might be a picture on the internet somewhere but I am not sure. I just felt the spirit of peace and happiness as we walked on the grounds and entered the temple and it was amazing to me that the spirit was so strong there and it hadn't even been rededicated yet. It was super busy I think there were over 6000 people going a day. We also have a baptismal date with our investigator, a different one, that came to the temple also and thats for May 3rd so I am really excited! He seems awesome! So Elder Reese and I were asked to speak at church a about a week ago and then I prepared a talk in spanish and everything and when we got to church the branch president was like umm can you talk on the resurrection instead and the atonement because I think he forgot it was Easter Sunday so I was like oh man. I was super nervous and a little scared but I just got up and did my best and shared a few scriptures about the atonement and I talked for about 8 minutes. I was super happy because I just felt the spirit because it was probalby the first time I just was able to speak without shaking and I just did my best to try and speak the best I could. My spanish is getting alot better. We were able to go to a members house after and have dinner with them so it was nice. They had a little easter egg hunt with the kids after. Today we are doing what is called a Carne asada not really sure how to spell it but its like really thin meat thats grilled and you eat it in corn tortillas and yeah its way good. Its hispanic food, so me and Elder Reese are making it for our district since we are the only spanish in our district. Sounds like everything went well at home. It was good to get the pictures although the 8 you sent at the same time were like super small but I could make it out. Things are going good here. I love the work so much and the spirit that comes with the calling. I have never felt closer to the spirit ever before and I honestly dont wanna come home sometimes and lose that mantel. Its crazy that I have only been out for 3 transfers but have been out for 6 months because of the 9 weeks in the MTC. I feel like I have been out for like 17 months or so and my comp has been out for 18 in a week or so. He even says he feels like Ive been out longer. I love the gosepl. I just love finding truths and learning about the spirit and how to be closer. How to give up things to feel closer to it. I dunno. Its cool. Anyways. I love you all and I will talk to you in a 13 days on the phone. Weird...

Hey Fam!

Sounds like everything went awesome with the wedding! I have had a pretty crazy week here! We have been doing tons of service this past week! We helped a member drain his little pond thing in his backyard and fill it up again cuz it was filled with leaves and mud and sick water and just rake a ton of leaves up in his yard! We found 2 toads and a baby toad it was cool. We have a really small investigator pool. We have like 3 people we are teaching and then really trying hard to help strengthen the ward and bring less actives back. We are teaching part-member familys and we are seeing them grow a little more each day and with the temple open house here its really been helping I think! Tomorrow we are going as a branch for FHE and so I am super excited! It feels like its been forever since I have been to or seen a temple. There was a few tornadoes the other day and a ton of lighting and thunder! So crazy down here! But the temple open house has been doing so well! There has been over 6000 people going eachday and its just been so packed! We are really excited for our investigators to go tomorrow with us! Today is Zone P-day so thats why I am emailing a little bit earlier today because we have to drive a little bit to get to where we are meeting today. Things are going super well though, I feel like time is just going by so fast and I love my comp. We are so similar and just have so much fun everyday while we work. I am sorry to hear about Oliver. It sounds like he doesn't have too much time left. I really dont have much else to say this week. It just went by so fast. Iam excited to recieve all the Chocolate! I cant wait! I love ya all!

Elder Anderson

HELLO FROM......SAN JUAN!!!
Yes I am staying in San Juan for another transfer with......Hna. Gutierrez!!! We are both really excited! We both wanted to stay together so this is a blessing. Okay so here is the great news this week!!!!! We have a baptism!!!! Set for this Sunday! Brian! We are so excited! We are going to fast for him on Tuesday and he has his interview on Wednesday! He is so humble and so inoccent. We asked him on Sunday when we went to get him for church who he wanted to baptize him he was supposed to think about it the night before and he thought for a second and looks up at us and says.....the prophet. We were smiling so big and Hermana Gutierrez just was like oh well he is in the states and I dont think he will be able to make it so then Brian was like oh okay then Lucas. He is the Bishops son! After we were laughing so hard because we were just like that is so awesome! He wants the prophet to come and baptize him! Why not?!!! I love it!! So let see this week has been pretty good. We set a bunch of goals for this transfer to have more sucess and we really want to see the fruit of our labour this transfer....I know we can if we keep working hard and have faith. Brian is proof of that. So we have a new Zone leader and he is really by the book and really good. It is going to be interesting to see the difference in the zone this transfer....I know we are going to have more sucess. So Yesterday we went to another area one of the elders areas the whole zone and we went and found news. Our goals was families. We were each supposed to look for a family to teach or at least contact for the elders. So their branch could grow. So Hna. Gutierrez and I split up and went with some members. Needless to say I was a little nervous. I went with a girl that we have had work with us before he name is Mirta. She seriously is great and a 12 yr. old came with us too. So off we went and I was forced to speak Spanish the whole time. I did! I talked with her a lot and I saw how far my Spanish had come and not only that but that I could be a missionary I could lead. I have never lead before and this time I had to and it was a very different feeling having to just have faith that God would help me with my lack of ability. I love seeing the miracles in the mission especially and they are happening. So the Martines family were away this weekend but we are going to get them to church next week. We are going to go and make breakfast with them and then go to church. We are going to try to set fetchas with all of the kids this next week. We really want to see them baptized but they really need to assist again and go to primary and feel the spirit. I know that we can do it. It is going to take a lot of hard work and praying and fasting. So here goes nothing. This week is going to be hard! haha. But hey thats when I learn the most! So I got my hair cut today by a member that lives above us she is a hairdresser......lets just say that I have had better. Its a little...choppy/uneven.....hahahahahaha. So I think I might be learning how to cut my own hair in the mission....who knows.....Oh so last night in the street Hermana Gutierrez and I were walking back to the pench and the savage dog came out of no where and almost bit me on the back of my leg! I screamed and we both jumped around and swung our bags at it and then a car drove by and the dog ran off chasing the car! So we were like quick nows our chance to escape!!! So I almost got bit. Unfortunately I did get besoed by a man last night and this morning actually....dang there goes my streak. So last night we were talking to this man that besoed me and he was like where are you from so I said Canada and then he started speaking English and he was like you speak english and I was like yes. Then I talked to him and bit and as we were leaving a put my hand out to shake it and he just came in and before I knew what was happening I was being besoed.....and then this morning a man we were teaching in the groccery store saw us and I went to say hi and shook his hand and then he pulled me in and besoed me! He only got one though and was like oh dear two days in a row......this is not good!! But hey sometimes you cannot help it they just love kissing here thats for sure! hahahah. Well I can´t think of anything else! Its mothers day soon so I will get to call home. Just remember I only get one hour so you will have to organize yourselves well. I love you all and miss you. 
Hermana Anderson

Okay so this week seriously was a week of miracles! Let me tell ya! I know I say that like everyweek but seriously! So on Tuesday we went to see the familia Martines and we were teaching then and helping them with their English too. Those girls seriously love me and its such a blessing because they are so open to what we are teaching. I know that I am supposed to be here for them right now so that Hna. Gutierrez and I can help them find the truth! So today as we were walking Hermana Gutierrez was like okay I have to tell you. Its so funny sometimes you struggle with finding the words to say in Spanish and then there are times when you speak so well and so clearly! I agree completely. I think its incredible the Lord blesses me in certain moments when he needs me to teach and testify and I am able to speak and teach. The Spririt just fills me and and I speak. I am so blessed and its extremely humbling because I know what its like when I cannot say anything! So we committed the Martines girls to read the Book of Mormon and to pray about the truth. So Wednesday we went back to see them and Jimena the one that just had the birthday was like so I read the Book of Mormon and I liked the story about Kind Benjamin!!! Thats what we committed them to read but she is like the second youngest and she read the whole chapter!!!! She is amazing! We had tons of lessons with memebers lined up today and got stood up for all of them....so sad because the members are so essential in the work!! Both Hna. Gutierrez and I want to stay here together so bad and transfers are today!! We get calls tonight. So we have our zone meeting and they call us and tell us all where we are going....!!!! So nervous and excited at the same time! Okay so I have a really really funny story for you. I swear Satan is trying to kill me and I know thats a terrible thing to say because mom you are probably thinking what?! haha. Okay so we were on our way to one of our investigators house with a member that came out to work with us and Hermana Gutierrez was talking with her on the side walk so I walked to the right around this telephone pole cause there wasnt room. The  sun was really bright and right in my eyes so I couldnt see anything so I was looking at the ground and just thinking and all of a sudden I feel something hit my face really really hard and I looked up and was so confused! I turn around and I walked straight into a CANASTA!! So you may be thinking now what is this Canasta that is trying to take Hermana Andersons life. Well let me tell you. Here in Argetina because of all the dogs that eat the garbage they put their garbage in things call canastas that are above the ground its like a metal basket. Sometimes they are on a metal pole or sometimes they hang from trees or telephone poles. I am dead serious I did not see it at all!! So I was laughing so hard and the side of my nose and a bit of my forehead was all cut up and my comp. was laughing. They were concerned dont worry they arent heartless. But really it was funny!! So we went into the house of our inv. and I cleaned my nose off with some water and then we went out to work! Haha. My nose was a little tender but I know that I was protected and blessed not to break my nose. I was walking pretty fast! So there is a tender mercy! So one of our inv. name Brian is awesome. He has been coming to church but we are taking it slow with him because of his dad. So we went over on Saturday because the bishops daughter was getting baptised and she invited us so we wanted Brian to come see it! We called him and he said yes! So we passed for him and he was just walking in with some semitas (a type of sweet bread) for his dad. He walked into the other room to give it to him and we heard yelling and then Brian ran to his room and we were like uh oh....so like 10 minutes later Brian came out and he was crying and was like sorry....and was like I dont want to live here....my heart just about broke for him!! He is 17!! So we said we would see him in the morning for church so he didnt get in trouble again....sooooo sad...But one miracle we went and saw the familia Martines for a Noche de Hogar (Family Home Evening) and we talked witht he girls and the mom wasnt there. Then she got home and before we left we were talking to her and she was like you know we are catholic but if my girls decide for themselves that they want to get baptized that is their decision!!! WE WERE LIKE ARE YOU SERIOUS!!!!!! So as we were walking home we were so excited!! So we both hope we are here next transfer to get them baptized! Now we had some really high goals this week and we didnt think we were going to meet them because we had two days left and werent really close but we fasted Sunday and knew that if we were obedient and worked hard we would see miracles and we did!  WE MET OUR GOALS!! OH YEAH!! I love it! So yes this week has been great! One thing I was thinking about today was how much I have learned about how we choose how to react to things in our lives. I have learned that even if I am frustrated with the language with the investigators with my companion with a member with myself whatever.....we can choose to be happy or not. The more I decide to be happy and just see the good in everyone and everything. It has made me way more happy and less stressed! Seriously try it!!!!! I love how the Lord is teaching me here and I am learning some great thing for my life after the mission. So wether I stay here in San Juan or not..I know that God will put me where he needs me to be so stay tuned for next weeks big reveal!!! (haha sounds like some stupid T.V. show I know!) 
Oh and I just want to say thanks to my awesome brothers for teaching me how to win board games. We played Settlers of Catan with the Elders today and yes I beat them. Hahahahaha. I dont think they liked that very much....oh well.
Te Queiro!
Hermana Anderson

FAMILY!

Well this week I will write one big email since everyone is home. We just had transfers this week and I got a companion from Idaho Falls! His name is Elder Reese and he is awesome! We have so many of the same interests and I love him! Seriously it is the best ever! I feel like I am getting a relief from my last comp. I learned so much from him though he was a great guy! With my new comp alot of things have changed! We are seeing alot more member involvment and everything just seems to be going so well and I love it! I just feel so stress free and its been the first time I have have really been able to sleep a night through almost for about 6 weeks. I was just so stressed out with my last comp I would wake up anywhere from 5 to 10 times a night and just be wide awake and couldn't sleep! Oh well! Its getting super hot out. The other day it was 90! Besides that its getting super humid and now is nothing to what summer will bring! I might die. Our apartment is 80 degrees cuz the AC is broken!! We die every time we come inside. It doesn't make sense either because outside its like 72 or so and feels way cooler and we open the doors and everything and its still 80 its ridiculous! I am glad to hear everyone is super excited for the wedding and sad to hear about margret and oliver but thats just a part in the plan of salvation and its awesome to be able to have that knowledge and know its only for a short time! Good to hear eveyone is winding down with finals and everything. I really dont know what to write today. I just feel so carefree and feel like nothing really is important! For instance I bought a really nice pair of cleats out here. They were like 55 dollars which is the normal price for shoes here and they were really nice pair. The other day we went and played soccer and I just gave them to a investigator I was like they fit you man they are yours! He was like so happy and couldn't believe it but to me it was just like whatever its just shoes. I had probably only worn them like twice and I loved them but it was just super easy to give them up because I just dont care about that stuff anymore. The mission is seriously so awesome! I feel like I am just lost in time and nothing else matters! Can you already believe I have been gone for what like 5 months! Crazy!!! Anyways I love you all and hope the wedding and everything goes so awesome! I wish so bad I could be there! Thanks for the invitations!

Love

Elder Anderson

Hey Family.

Today this is going to be a bigger email. First and formost I need some contact solution. ASAP if possible. Alrighty letters start off with some rather unpleasent expiernences shall we? The other night my companion and I were in the apartment getting ready for bed and everything and we heard gunshots outside our apartment inside the apartment complex somewhere! Super intense! I think we heard a total or 4 or 5? Maybe a driveby? Who knows but all is well. We called 911 well my companion did and just reported gunshots and then later that night we heard the cop come and asking around about it. Georgia is so ghetto sometimes. Seriously I am just so grateful for where I live. Even the spirit here is just wierd. The South is messed up but I love the people. We had a baptism on Tuesday for Noche de Hogar (FHE) so that was great and then on saturday we had a wedding of two of our investigators! They are getting baptized tomorrow for FHE as well! I am super excited! Its great to see people make changes in their lives and align themselves with God and his Gospel. Conference was absolutely amazing! I loved loved loved it! Unfortunatly I was unable to see conference because we had to help set up for the wedding thing which made me super annoyed but I think we will be able to see a recording of it or somthing. If not I can just wait for the Ensign. I loved Dallin H. Oaks talk on desires and Richard G. Scott's talk about family and his wife Janene. Elder Holland gave an amazing talk as usual to close the Sunday afternoon which was really great! 3 new temples eh!? Manitoba! Colorado and Idaho. Awesome! Also Rome Italy! That is such a big deal because it is Catholics HQ! Recently I have felt that the 2nd coming is going to happen very very soon. I dont know about you but this whole conference re-emphisized self reliance, family, temple ordinances and Law of consecration! President Monson came out and said the prophecy about the temples was fulfilled and also Elder Holland was saying how the angels who will sound trumps in the last days are pretty much the apostles who speak at conference! Plus with all the other termoil in the world about Japan's Tsunami and all that I just feel it is super close!  Anyways things are going good. Everythings awesome with my comp. We had another talk and figured out everything. Apparently my personality is one that hes had alot of bad experiences with so we jsut talked and we concluded he was automatically throwing up a wall and then we just were like good. Everythings going way good now. We have transfers on Wednesday and so I wont know until tonight when we get calls from either Assistants or President. But I'll let you know next week I guess. Also Another thing I just remembered is I was going to give a lesson to an investigator, well more of a less active partmember family. And I was praying about it and as I was thinking about it going to bed I had the lesson form in my head and I wrote everything down and it was st super good. I felt so confident about it and everything then when I went to give it I thought it was good then he just didn't respond (the dad) and was just not interseted and I was thinking I had this revelation for you!! It was super annoying and really frustrating especially since the member who came with us was like honestly that lesson wasn't very good. Overall I came to the conclusion that everyone has their agency to accept things, and also maybe this was just an experience for me that I can now for 100% that I can recieve revelation for my investigators as I seek it. I just need to continue to learn and grow and practice. Anyways. Thats all. That was way to long.

Love ya!

Elder Anderson!

This has been probably the hardest week of the transfer. I know what a great way to start off a letter. I had such a hard time though this week. I had just such a heavy negativness around me. Things were kinda weird with me and my comp. First of all the language is a barrier and sometimes she gets really frustrated with me when I dont understand and sometimes she doesnt listen to me ect. I am sure I am doing the same. I think the Lord is just really trying to teach me patience this week. I have praying to be humbled so I am SURE this is one way in which the Lord is humbling me. Susana this week was in the hospital so we didnt get to see her and she didnt come to conference. We helped our other investigator Brian we made him a little thing to help him quit smoking so I really hope he does I really want him to get baptized. I think there are going to be no baptisms this transfer either. Sad I feel like I have been working hard but in reality its so hard because as a companionship you have to work as a team and because I dont understand everything and because I am the Junior comp. I dont lead out if that makes sense. Its hard to desicribe. But I am excited for the time in the mission that I can litterally just give everything. I am trying to do that now but I have road blocks like spanish and pride and other things that I need to have stripped from me before that can be a reality I think. Wow conference was seriously amazing!!!!! I loved it! I felt like they focused a lot on Love, Service, the importance of covenants, the temple and the spiritual and physical preparation we need to be making. I loved every talk and I dont think I have ever been more excited for conference. I think I was more excited for it than Christmas!! Seriously! Okay so remember the familia Martinez the family my comp. and I helped teach English to? Well Jimena her birthday was this week so me and Hna. Gutierrez went and bought her some cute earings for like 2 pesos and brought them by her house for her fiesta. Oh she loved them. The mom was so sad she was like Hna. Sorry!! We didnt make it to church on Sunday!! Hna. Gutierrez and I were like SWEET!!! So she wants to come that is a huge plus because here people make every excuse in the world why not to go to church its so frustrating. But hey. Transfers are next week and I really want to stay here and so does my comp. We hope we both stay I really want to get these people baptized!! But...patience as ever is the key right.... It was cool I was reading in Mosiah 2 for a lunch apt. and I love the story of King Benjamin and his address to his people. It was like the first ever General Conference. So cool. I am currently reading in Helaman and I dont think I  have ever craved reading the scriptures this much. Its crazy I am just reading and reading when I get a moment. I love the Book of Mormon so much. Please read it and pray for that desire it will change you!! Other than that things in the mission are as lovely as ever. Walking every day meeting awesome people and meeting crazy people and meeting really sad people. This gospel really is for everyone and will change everyones life. It makes me so sad when people dont see that or they dont want to listen or changes even when they know its true!! Ahhhhhhhh. But its okay. Oh one of the talks I loved so much was Elder Oaks on Desire!! I seriously loved them all not even kidding but Elder Oaks especially. I was thinking a lot about desire after that and how much it really does govern our lives. For example. If one desires to loose weight. The desire for food HAS to be less strong than the desire to loose that weight. Even though there are times when we are like oh just one wont hurt or I will start my diet tommorow. Oh whatever other excuse we can make to justify that our desires are not going to hurt us. I feel it is that same with everything in life. For me many days I need to make my desire to teach and help these people bigger than my desire to sleep or to complain or whatever lame excuse I can come up with (dont worry mom I dont ditch the work to sleep it was just an example) I also have figured out thats one important reason why we have companions. They help us to keep control on our desires and help us achieve our goals more. Its the same with marriage I think. They spoke about marriage  a lot in conference. I am glad. Its so true though we are so selfish sometimes and we just want to coast through life doing what we want to do not comitting to people work or the lord. How sad. Marriage is one of the most precious gifts God gives us the opportunity to live with someone you love for all eternity? Elder Scotts talk was perfect proof of that. Look at that love. Thats what I want one day. If I live right and keep myself clean I know I will be blessed. In the Lords timing. Anyways I love you all and thanks again for all the mail. You will never know how much it helps. It lifts my spirits. Helps me feel your love when I am down. Keep your heads up and look for opportunities to serve!!

Te Queiro Mucho!

Hermana Anderson