(These were forwarded from Cameron by his companion, Elder Bradshaw on October 29, 2012...I have no idea what the reference to spiders is all about! -Mark)
Sunday, December 16, 2012
Sweet and Short.....just linke my favorite asian people. :)
(December 10, 2012)
Hi all. Really short and sweet this week. First off I want to wish my Grandpa Tom a Happy Birthday. Grandpa I look up to you alot. You are one of my greatest examples.
Some things I realized this week I take for granted:
Hi all. Really short and sweet this week. First off I want to wish my Grandpa Tom a Happy Birthday. Grandpa I look up to you alot. You are one of my greatest examples.
Some things I realized this week I take for granted:
- Running water....we haven't had any for 9 days.
- Showering....thanks to not having running water.
- Umbrellas and rain Jackets that work. I actually have both but it has rained so hard lately and for so long.
- Credit cards that work without having to put in your social security number. Here it is called your DNI and I can-t remember my Argentine DNI so I have to just take out cash at the ATM. Lame.
- Barbeque sauce....I am sick of meat with absolutely no seasoning or sauce.
- Fruits and Veggies.....hard to come by and VERY expensive.
- Trains and buses that always run.
- Having a car and not having to use trains and buses.
- People smiling and having all their teeth...very rare here.
Overall a good week. We are working hard and echando las ganas. So things are looking up. Looking forward to talking with my family on Christmas. It is the best gift ever.
Love you all,
Elder Anderson
Navidad
(December 3, 2012)
Hola!
Entramos en Diciembre!!!! Que alivio, ¿no? Llegamos por fin!!! Hope you are all enjoying cold weather and turtle necks and mittens and scarfs. Here I am sitting, feeling sticky from humidity and wiping sweat out of my eyes! Just kidding. It isn't that bad. It is hot though and hot+Christmas I don't think will ever work out in my brain. It just doesn't feel like the Holidays without snow, cold, and pneumonia to accompany them!
This past week was spent with my Companion Elder Bradshaw and also with a Brazilero that was waiting for his new companion. It was a strange experience but fun and good for learning Portugese! Who knows, maybe I'll come back speaking Portugese and Guadani too! One thing is certain though, my English spelling and grammar is going down the tubes! I want to apologize to all those that taught me how to speak read and write and say that at least part of your efforts were in vane. Terribly sorry!
We've been working hard and having a lot of fun lately. We had a conference from a seventy or general authority of the church this last week! His name is Elder Di Giovani and was excellent! He dropped the cane on us and chastised us for not writing in our journals. No worries though! I've already filled 7 and am working on number 8! Ya'll will have a lot to read when I get back. Not sure how exciting it will be!
In thinking of how we can prepare for Christmas I've begun to think of how others prepared for Christmas in the Holy Scriptures. The kings, shepherds, Mary and Joseph, and even the angels. But seeing as it would be rather hard to buy camels, sheep, find an inn with no space, or be anything like an angel, I continued searching for an application to me. I was reading in the Book of Mormon of the Prophesies of the Birth of Christ by a prophet named Samuel the Lamanite and how he said we could prepare for Christ's coming. In Helaman 14 it says:
1 And now it came to pass that Samuel, the Lamanite, did prophesy a great many more things which cannot be written.
2 And behold, he said unto them: Behold, I give unto you a sign; for five years more cometh, and behold, then cometh the Son of God to redeem all those who shall believe on his name.
3 And behold, this will I give unto you for a sign at the time of his coming; for behold, there shall be great lights in heaven, insomuch that in the night before he cometh there shall be no darkness, insomuch that it shall appear unto man as if it was day.
4 Therefore, there shall be one day and a night and a day, as if it were one day and there were no night; and this shall be unto you for a sign; for ye shall know of the rising of the sun and also of its setting; therefore they shall know of a surety that there shall be two days and a night; nevertheless the night shall not be darkened; and it shall be the night before he is born.
5 And behold, there shall a new star arise, such an one as ye never have beheld; and this also shall be a sign unto you.
6 And behold this is not all, there shall be many signs and wonders in heaven.
7 And it shall come to pass that ye shall all be amazed, and wonder, insomuch that ye shall fall to the earth.
8 And it shall come to pass that whosoever shall believe on the Son of God, the same shall have everlasting life.
9 And behold, thus hath the Lord commanded me, by his angel, that I should come and tell this thing unto you; yea, he hath commanded that I should prophesy these things unto you; yea, he hath said unto me: Cry unto this people, repent and prepare the way of the Lord.
It is interesting to me that the way to prepare the coming of the Lord was to repent. To change one's self. Many ask, "What can I give to Christ this season?" It is a good question seeing as, after all, it is HIS birthday we are celebrating. The answer is simple. He already has EVERYTHING minus one small thing, and that is our free will. The only thing we can give to him, is our decisions, our love, and renewed commitment to more closely follow Him. He lives, He loves us, and He is the reason for this season. So think for yourselves. "What can I give Him?" Think of your "favorite sin" or habit most difficult to forsake and gift that to Him this year. Give it up. He's already paid the price for it and now all he asks of us is to give it up. To be more happy and be more like Him. I know as we do so, we will see his hand in our lives and grow to truly understand how much we mean to Him.
I love you all and am thinking of you EVEN MORE in this Christmas season. If you are expecting a package from Argentina though, forget about it, because it costs 350 pesos to send a kilo and I only live off of 800 pesos a month. Sorry. You'll have to wait one more year....I am too poor! I pray for you though!!!! :)
Love,
Elder Anderson
Hola!
Entramos en Diciembre!!!! Que alivio, ¿no? Llegamos por fin!!! Hope you are all enjoying cold weather and turtle necks and mittens and scarfs. Here I am sitting, feeling sticky from humidity and wiping sweat out of my eyes! Just kidding. It isn't that bad. It is hot though and hot+Christmas I don't think will ever work out in my brain. It just doesn't feel like the Holidays without snow, cold, and pneumonia to accompany them!
This past week was spent with my Companion Elder Bradshaw and also with a Brazilero that was waiting for his new companion. It was a strange experience but fun and good for learning Portugese! Who knows, maybe I'll come back speaking Portugese and Guadani too! One thing is certain though, my English spelling and grammar is going down the tubes! I want to apologize to all those that taught me how to speak read and write and say that at least part of your efforts were in vane. Terribly sorry!
We've been working hard and having a lot of fun lately. We had a conference from a seventy or general authority of the church this last week! His name is Elder Di Giovani and was excellent! He dropped the cane on us and chastised us for not writing in our journals. No worries though! I've already filled 7 and am working on number 8! Ya'll will have a lot to read when I get back. Not sure how exciting it will be!
In thinking of how we can prepare for Christmas I've begun to think of how others prepared for Christmas in the Holy Scriptures. The kings, shepherds, Mary and Joseph, and even the angels. But seeing as it would be rather hard to buy camels, sheep, find an inn with no space, or be anything like an angel, I continued searching for an application to me. I was reading in the Book of Mormon of the Prophesies of the Birth of Christ by a prophet named Samuel the Lamanite and how he said we could prepare for Christ's coming. In Helaman 14 it says:
1 And now it came to pass that Samuel, the Lamanite, did prophesy a great many more things which cannot be written.
2 And behold, he said unto them: Behold, I give unto you a sign; for five years more cometh, and behold, then cometh the Son of God to redeem all those who shall believe on his name.
3 And behold, this will I give unto you for a sign at the time of his coming; for behold, there shall be great lights in heaven, insomuch that in the night before he cometh there shall be no darkness, insomuch that it shall appear unto man as if it was day.
4 Therefore, there shall be one day and a night and a day, as if it were one day and there were no night; and this shall be unto you for a sign; for ye shall know of the rising of the sun and also of its setting; therefore they shall know of a surety that there shall be two days and a night; nevertheless the night shall not be darkened; and it shall be the night before he is born.
5 And behold, there shall a new star arise, such an one as ye never have beheld; and this also shall be a sign unto you.
6 And behold this is not all, there shall be many signs and wonders in heaven.
7 And it shall come to pass that ye shall all be amazed, and wonder, insomuch that ye shall fall to the earth.
8 And it shall come to pass that whosoever shall believe on the Son of God, the same shall have everlasting life.
9 And behold, thus hath the Lord commanded me, by his angel, that I should come and tell this thing unto you; yea, he hath commanded that I should prophesy these things unto you; yea, he hath said unto me: Cry unto this people, repent and prepare the way of the Lord.
It is interesting to me that the way to prepare the coming of the Lord was to repent. To change one's self. Many ask, "What can I give to Christ this season?" It is a good question seeing as, after all, it is HIS birthday we are celebrating. The answer is simple. He already has EVERYTHING minus one small thing, and that is our free will. The only thing we can give to him, is our decisions, our love, and renewed commitment to more closely follow Him. He lives, He loves us, and He is the reason for this season. So think for yourselves. "What can I give Him?" Think of your "favorite sin" or habit most difficult to forsake and gift that to Him this year. Give it up. He's already paid the price for it and now all he asks of us is to give it up. To be more happy and be more like Him. I know as we do so, we will see his hand in our lives and grow to truly understand how much we mean to Him.
I love you all and am thinking of you EVEN MORE in this Christmas season. If you are expecting a package from Argentina though, forget about it, because it costs 350 pesos to send a kilo and I only live off of 800 pesos a month. Sorry. You'll have to wait one more year....I am too poor! I pray for you though!!!! :)
Love,
Elder Anderson
Short and Sweet....sorry
(November 26, 2012)
Hi all!
So the news of this week would be that I received ANOTHER companion and didn't loose one! That is right! I am now the leader of a tripod! Super crazy and funny. My new comp is Named De Oliviera from Brazil and my good ol comp Bradshaw from UTAH. We are doing great and working hard and just "raining train" on Luis Guillon (for you old timers that means something like "tearing it up").
I am yet again sniffly and sick though. That would be the bummer. Probably because I've been crying in my bed at night so much....just kidding!!!! Doing good but one day really hot and the next rainy and cold in killing me. I am not feeling 100% but "fake it till you make it."
The biggest news for taday is that my MOM IS HAVING A BIRTHDAY!!!!! Happy Birthday Mommy! I miss you a lot Mom!!!! Don't worry though, I'm still gonna send that letter I have written!Other than that everything is regular and AWESOME!!!!
I love you all and miss you a ton!
Love,
Elder Anderson
Hi all!
So the news of this week would be that I received ANOTHER companion and didn't loose one! That is right! I am now the leader of a tripod! Super crazy and funny. My new comp is Named De Oliviera from Brazil and my good ol comp Bradshaw from UTAH. We are doing great and working hard and just "raining train" on Luis Guillon (for you old timers that means something like "tearing it up").
I am yet again sniffly and sick though. That would be the bummer. Probably because I've been crying in my bed at night so much....just kidding!!!! Doing good but one day really hot and the next rainy and cold in killing me. I am not feeling 100% but "fake it till you make it."
The biggest news for taday is that my MOM IS HAVING A BIRTHDAY!!!!! Happy Birthday Mommy! I miss you a lot Mom!!!! Don't worry though, I'm still gonna send that letter I have written!Other than that everything is regular and AWESOME!!!!
I love you all and miss you a ton!
Love,
Elder Anderson
My simple life.
(November 19, 2012)
Hey all!
Hey all!
Really short this week. Not a whole lot of time! But I want you all to know that I am still rocking and rolling and doing my best. It is strange to be moving into December and the end of the year. It has come so fast. I am entering into the last little bit of my time here. It is very strange to me. Although what we as missionaries do every day seems very routine, it never ceases to amaze me how different every day is. I have such different experiences and see such different things every single day even though in essence I am doing the same thing. I have come to realize that where I am is never coincidence. It always stems from a direct decision to do GOOD things or to not.
I have realized how beautiful can be having nothing materially and that at the end of the day, the lives you've touched and the improvements you've made in yourself are the only things that matter.
I believe God is very attune to our wants and needs and gives us what we need to progress. Sometimes that is a mountain to climb. I heard a quote the other day that said "He that deals justly with God, God deals justly with Him." It is very true. The more we align our wants and desires with the wants and desires of God for us, the more we recognize his hand in our lives. God is there, he is good, he loves us, and he knows you.
I love ya,
Elder Anderson
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