More Pics

 "Funeral de Elder Cayata"

Me with my beanie of ARGENTNA!!!!!!

Me in a house behind a house, very common here

Pictures!

Por fin llegó!

Hey all!

Short and sweet of things is that I am doing great and seeing lots of miracles in my life. I am working hard and giving it my all which is exactly what God asks of us! A funny story this week would be that we got chased by two teenagers with a knife this week because we looked too long at them.....that'll describe the area I'm in right now. FUN! It isn't all like that though! There are some pretty parts. I am in Guillon still with Elder Bradshaw. He is a stud and we have a good time and always try and make others laugh.

This last week, yesterday actually was Mother's Day here. It made me think a lot about MY mommy! It is hard being so far away because I am a total Mommy's boy! She raised me right though and that is why I am in Argentina as a missionary right now. It is true that we learn more within the walls of our own home more than any other place. I appreciate so much the upbringing my parents gave me now that It is the only thing I have to rely on besides God!

Some fun pictures and I just want to tell you all that I love you and miss you a bunch! Also since I've not been able to send mail these last few weeks to everyone I failed to wish my Grandpa Larry a HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! Also my Grandpa Russ on the 25th! I love you both so much. Thank you for being such good men and examples in my life. And last but certainly not least is my bestest friend since kindergarten Kat Dao! She is really really old! Feliz Cumple! You are AWESOME!!!!!

I love you all. Thanks for your support,

Elder Anderson

Fotos from Luis Guillon

MORE MORE MORE!!!!!!

Hey All!

Some pictures of Guillon for you! FINALLY! Sorry for not writing these last few weeks! I promise it isn't because I'm lazy! There is just no dang time! Life here in Bs.As. is super super awesome. Me and my companion Elder Bradshaw are working really hard and doing great! Our ward or congregation that we work with is really really great and I really have grown to love them. It is sometimes hard to love people you do not know, but it is something that I am learning to do!

These last few weeks I've been studying and reading a lot about baptism and some scriptures really stuck out to me!

 57 Wherefore teach it unto your children, that all men, everywhere, must repent, or they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God, for no unclean thing can dwell there, or dwell in his presence; for, in the language of Adam, Man of Holiness is his name, and the name of his Only Begotten is the Son of Man, even Jesus Christ, a righteous Judge, who shall come in the meridian of time.

 58 Therefore I give unto you a commandment, to teach these things freely unto your children, saying:

 59 That by reason of transgression cometh the fall, which fall bringeth death, and inasmuch as ye were born into the world by water, and blood, and the spirit, which I have made, and so became of dust a living soul, even so ye must be born again into the kingdom of heaven, of water, and of the Spirit, and be cleansed by blood, even the blood of mine Only Begotten; that ye might be sanctified from all sin, and enjoy the words of eternal life in this world, and eternal life in the world to come, even immortal glory;

 60 For by the water ye keep the commandment; by the Spirit ye are justified, and by the blood ye are sanctified;

It is amazing to me how clear the symbolism here is. It is kind of profound but it is also so clear that a child with a little explaining can understand it. As missionaries, our purpose is to invite others to come unto Christ and his atonement through faith, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the holy spirit and enduring to the end. That all men one day must stand before the bar of God to be judged is the reality. And that God wants us to be prepared is clear. What we do is show the way and invite. We are tour guides to salvation as I like to put it. We are baptized to wash, protect, and cure us. To purify us to be pure even as HE is pure. If there is one lesson I learn over and over again, it is that God loves us a whole lot and wants us to live with him in the same way that he lives, and the only way to do that is to live his gospel. Play by his rules. Many times I hear "I worship God in my own way." But in the end "our way" is not enough. We have to worship in God's way. His way or the highway! :)

I love you all so much! I hope you are doing well and are healthy and happy and following God in HIS way. HIS way in the BEST way.

Love,

Elder Anderson

Por fin! Una carta de verdad! Que trucho que han sido! :)

Hey all!

Another week here in Luis Gillon! I have already been here for three whole weeks! Time really does truly fly! I can't believe it. This week we had a really really funny experience. We were trying to find a family that had requested that we pass for their house. We knocked the door and it turns out that they are not the same family. So my Companion asks the young man if he had ever talked with missionaries before. The guy looked at him confused. Something to know about my companion is that he has a very thick American accent when he speaks Castellano and so most people have a hard time understanding him. My companion asked him again if he had ever talked with missionaries and he replied back, "Do I want to talk to you guys? Well I guess so...I've never talked with you guys before!" My companion and I just stared at him. We had no idea what was going on at that point. He looked at us and said "Well are you gonna come in or what?" We laughed and went in and had a great talk with him and his wife. They are a great couple and are very excited to get to know them and teach them the gospel. Now my companion can never remember his name. He always calls him Sanchez and his name is Ramón. Not even close!!!! :) Makes me laugh. The small things in life like that keep me smiling and keep me going.

I've realized that these last few weeks have been really difficult for me and yet I feel like I am where I need to be doing what I need to be doing. Seeing people change and smile and laugh and have hope because they learn more of the gospel is the most satisfying experience. I've learned that I am most satisfied when I don't think in myself and think in others. That my problems seem very small and that the generally resolve themselves when I do my part and then try to focus on others and lifting them. It is hard to be down on yourself when you are teaching such things as that the family can be forever. That God loves us and knows us, and that he wants us to come unto him to be lifted and changed. He wants the best for us. He really does. It makes me so happy to know and teach that! Shall we not go on in so great a cause?

I am doing well and watching time fly by. Scares me.

Also Happy birthday to Madeline (sorry, a little late) and to My Nana Olivia! I love you both so much! My birthday gift to you is a beso and I'll eat some steak and pasta for you! :)

Love,

Elder Anderson 

Hi!

Hey All!

This week has one word! TEMPLE! The temple of Buenos Aires was rededicated and it was amazing! It is something that you cannot describe. PLUS I don't have time.... :) But I love you all and I'm sure my mom will cut and paste something from the email I sent her! Wink wink nod nod mom!

Love,

Elder Anderson

Part of a letter to his mom:

 

I have thought of all of you soo much this week as I have been so connected with the temple and Rededication. It was a moment for me to recognize that now is a time for me to rededicate myself to the Lord as well. Refocus and really do EVERYTHING I can to be worthy of his blessing and his trust.

Through all the course of events I have had my testimony so strengthened in the thoughts that we are childern of God and that he loves us. That the priesthood is real and has power over ALL things, and that the light overcomes all darkness. That families can be together forever if we do our part and endure to the end. That repentance is real and means not only not doing bad things but replacing them with very good things.

It is an amazing time to be a missionary here in Buenos Aires. I have come to feel like I am one of the people and that I belong here. As scary as I'm sure that is for you to hear! :) I love these people so much and I feel like I am one of them. That they are my people. I don't think I've loved so much for people I don't really know in my entire life. I love them so much!

Friday we were able to listen to President Eyring. All the missionaries in Buenos Aires, over 600 all went to Ramos Mejia in the West Mission and he held a fireside with Elder Ballard and Elder Christofferson. It was amazing and the spirit was so strong there. He said something that made me remember you. He said "Smile! Be happy! God wants you to have joy! On top of that, who will listen to you if you look sad and tired! I promise that if you smile more, you will BE happier!" That is something that I remember you told me a while ago and thought...."interesting that Mom and Elder Eyring recieved the same bit of revelation. Must be true!" It made me SMILE and think of you.

Saturday we spent the day in the Soccor Stadium of a team called Independientes. It is in Avellaneda where I started my mission and was strange to go back. A very cool experience. Once again ALL the missionaries were there and it was fun to see many that I hadn't seen in a long time and see some from the MTC in other missions.

Sunday, yesterday we went to the dedication. I cannot describe the spirit I felt and the LOVE that was so strongly felt. God loves his children! President Eyring said something that made me cry because it was something that I had felt before. He gave his testimony and said, "Your descendents were the people that greated Christ the first time he came to the Americas. Those are they that bathed his feet with their tears and kisses. I see in your eyes that you are the same type of people. That you will be those that will greet him at his second coming." I feel that very often in my interactions with these people. They have a profound love for their Savior. They really come to know him. And when he comes, they will already recognize him and he will recognize them.