¡Hola!

Bueno, todavia estoy in mi hogar de San Vicente. Creo que voy a jubilarme aquí!

Welp, I'm still in San Vicente. I believe that I am going to retire here!

For another 6 weeks for sure I will be here with my same companion, Elder Prantl from Uruguay. At first I was a little sad, but I realized I was being really selfish. We have been seeing alot of people change and make progress in their lives here as we have worked together. The people and Church here in San Vicente need us to stay for now. It'll be really good.

Something that has amazed me lately is how humble people are. We had an incredible experience with one family in particular. We were finishing teaching about the Book of Mormon and read the last paragraph in the introduction that says:

We invite all men everywhere to read the Book of Mormon, to ponder in their hearts the message it contains, and then to ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ if the book is true. Those who pursue this course and ask in faith will gain a testimony of its truth and divinity by the power of the Holy Ghost. (See Moroni 10:3–5.)

3 Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.

4 And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

5 And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.

Those who gain this divine witness from the Holy Spirit will also come to know by the same power that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world, that Joseph Smith is his revelator and prophet in these last days, and that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord’s kingdom once again established on the earth, preparatory to the second coming of the Messiah.

After reading this aloud, our investigator Laura paused. Took in a deep breath and said....Wow. That is really powerful. It made me stop and think. I take for granted so often the simple truths that the gospel teaches us. This woman, so humble, was awe struck with the idea that God was a loving God. That he knew her personally.

Another quick story that touched my heart. We have a family that has not been to church in many years. They have a son that is mentally disabled named James. For the first time in 7 years, they went again to church. Afterwards we went to have lunch with them. James was sitting there and said to us in his special way, "Elder, today I went to the chapel! I saw so many beautiful people, so many angels!" I think often of how hard it must be to have a disabled child, and I said this to the Mother. Her answer impressed me. She said that having someone so pure and so happy all the time by her side had changed her life. That she would not want her son any other way. That he was perfect. Perhaps she couldn't see angels all the time, but he could. And he tells her all about it. How amazing it would be if we all could be so close to heaven. Whatever you want to call him, the universe, Allah, Jehovah, God, the Great Spirit, whatever you call him, he exists. He loves us. He encircles us about with angels. He is there. He hears our prayers and he answers them. I am so blessed to be where I am doing what I am doing. I turn 9 months old as a missionary on Friday. It is going so fast. It seems like a dream. I wouldn't trade moments like these for anything.

I love you all so much and think of you always,

Elder Anderson

P.S. I ate McDonalds today AGAIN! It was amazing!