Hey Family

Thanks for ALL the dear elders they were awesome.  I love all your quotes, they all go with what I learn that day which is cool as and the one from mum was sweet , also Ataahua’s one!! Ok yes, the story about the devotional! Well I was sitting with my district waiting for the devotional to start. I always look out to see where my sis is and she was on the other side of the hall and I stood up and called her over.

 I asked my companion if I could sit next to her and he was 'algoods'. He was right behind me anyways. We talked and it began. 

The person who was speaking - I forget his name, he was asking people to stand up as he asked different questions. He started off by saying all Spanish speaking people to stand and so forth. Then he said, “If you have a sibling here with you, please stand!!” This is in front of ALL the missionaries in Provo.

I was sitting right next to sissy and we looked at each other and stood up proud to be each others brother and sister.

Family, it was funny - everyone looked at us and went AWWWWWWHHHHHHH! Haha! It was funny. I smiled then sat down.  I should of hugged her to make it even more cheesier but that was a huge memory that I wrote about in my journal. 

Uncle Phil sent me and sis a massive package of goodies!!  I will show you a photo of it. I love Aunty and Uncle, they're so good to me. I’m glad our family is tight with theirs and that I'm tight with Elder Nikora Anderson. All my Uncles and Aunties are just the kindest and best I could wish for. 

Ok - the language. I'm starting to understand my teacher now, like I'm sort of getting it. We have taught about 16 lessons to our investigators now, me and my companion, ALL in Cebuano, and we are doing good. We always pray before going in together for the spirit to bring Cebuano to our memory. It works. Slowly. We were taking LESS notes into the lessons, and the last week we have been taking no notes into the lesson!

I do most of the talking, because my companion is quiet but, every lesson I hand the time over to him randomly without telling him prior to going in, so he can teach and get his confidence up. He’s SUCH a lovely companion. He always wants to do the work. Whenever we wake up I always give him a time limit to what time we have to be at class and all he says is, YES MY COMPANION I'M THERE BESIDE YOU, even though he can hardly speak any English. How much more could I be blessed with such a beautiful companion.  Every night, I challenge myself after I say prayers and before I fall asleep,  I say 'I love you my Kauban'.  He says it back to me and it does really make me happy, I can actually say that to someone my age.  I  don’t think  I could do that before, but I have been doing it and it builds our relationship.

The cafe -  its real rich!! Like RICH all the food is too rich for me. But there are real good meals.  I eat morning breakfast 8:15 then lunch 1:15 then dinner 6 . I usually see my dear sister at dinner, but apparently the elders said she was looking for me at breakfast but I had gone back to my flat.  

I'm putting the weight on Dad and Mum. It's cool that I know I'm finally getting big, but it really doesn't bother me now. I like being skinny, haha. 

We had this class where my district were the examples  and we were learning how the Book of Mormon is important for conversion. We then did a demo on our companions and a thought came to my mind while I was beginning to teach him (my companion was the investigator) about a scripture when I was going out with the missionaries back home, a scripture that they shared with Brook. 1 Nephi chapter 8 talking about Lehi partaking of the fruit which blended exactly with what I was saying as I  introduced my investigator to the Book of Mormon. I new with all my heart that was the Spirit bringing thoughts back into my mind, to my remembrance, and I likened that scripture to the gospel, the fruit to make one happy.  The feeling of feeling the Spirit here everyday is beautiful. I've also gained a great love for the Book of Mormon, I understand it A LOT more, and it comes alive. The images play over and over in my head like I'm right there next to Nephi writing in the plates. It’s cool. I know it’s not me, but the Spirit helping me to understand it:) hahahahah! The Americans don't always get my humour, Dad. Its funny cause the islanders do, and they laugh. An elder drew this picture, haha I mean Pepe could have drew it better,  but its funny because I'm cheeky, it can become bad at times, so I'm trying to be less cheeky  Haha!!! 

I go to the temple today, every P day. Such a beautiful temple the Provo one. Its big, real big and so beautiful. I love p days. I get to communicate with family. Tell Polly and Jem and Te Awa and Janet to write too:) Oh and tell Nephi and Ads  that I miss them and mission prep and I'm grateful for them teaching me, because I am far more prepared than  what I would have been if I didn't go to mission prep. 

Love you

Elder Anderson

P.s I think I'm still getting taller, and I think I may be bigger then Jeremy now - tell him I said that :)

HEY DAD AND MUM :)

So good to here from you and Ataahua:). You would not believe what I have been through this week. I’m going to be writing fast, and not making sense because I only have an hour. I’ll take 30 minutes in the morning and 30 min in the afternoon:)

First, it was so awesome to get my badge. Having the name of Jesus Christ over my heart feels so warm and comforting. I took some photos of me and Sister Anderson getting our badges. K, well first, I was put in a district with two Tongans (one of them knows Janet) one Samoan, one from Micronesia, one from Sri Lanka and two from America, we as a District have gone through so much but I’ll explain it at the end, we are ALL going to TACLOBAN which is so cool!!!.

My companion is full Tongan, Elder Kaufana, he’s a real nice guy and so humble. Who would have thought I would of got an islander? He knows me and I know him, culture wise so we get along quite well. There are A LOT of things we both as a companionship need to improve on!!. Our time skills are so good, well mainly always being on time. I see the blessings of being on time. So we get up on time, get to class on time, way before the rest of our District. He’s a real quiet person who doesn’t talk at all much. My goal is to share and help him with the gift that I have (out there and talkative). So my goal is to help him, by the end of 6 weeks make him be ready for the field!!!

We had companion inventory the other night, and he asked me to help him with his English, because its hard for him to learn Cebuano. So I said, we will wake up 10 minutes early every morning and read a chapter of the B.o.M!! So we have and I learn, he learns and the spirit is with us. Dad and Mum throughout the whole day I feel the spirit the strongest when me and my kauban (companion in Cebuano) kneel down every night and morning and say our prayers!! And also my personal prayers

Dad and Mum, Dallin H. Oaks came and spoke to us yesterday at a Devotional. HOW COOL! He was so powerful, him and his wife. And you sending me that quote just now was cool cause he came!! One thing that Sister Oaks said which stood out to me was, "You Elders and Sisters are not alone, you stand as a banner of Jesus Christ and he will send his angels to help you." WOW, I thought in my mind right then, that is so comforting. Elder Oaks spoke of change , Dad and Mum I feel myself already changing, I see it in myself, I’m not perfect and have things to work on but I see and feel the change. Dad and Mum I constantly feel the spirit here everyday,  every second of the day and my faith has grown so so much, relying on the Lord so much and opening my mind to see the blessings I get from my Langitnong Amahan, (Heavenly Father).

The language is hard, but I’m getting it. My language teacher said, when you find the needs of your investigator the language will come. I see that I as a missionary need to help my investigator gain that bond (his name is Epifano we teach him in Cebuano everyday he is our investigator) with him and the God Head! Gaining that relationship helps their faith get stronger and gets them relying on their faith.

Dad and Mum it’s so crazy cool here. The food is so awesome, MEALS breakfast, lunch and dinner, like meals. Hahaha.  I’m  actually putting weight on hahaha.  I see Sister Anderson almost every single day, but I’m supposedly not allowed to give her a hug, don’t know why. But I love seeing her beautiful smile. She’s so good to me and I regret the way I treated her and the rest of my sisters back sometimes. I was so spoiled and selfish and I can see that now.

I had and have everything, some Elders don’t have anything, they get no letters and I see them cry at night. But I have everything. DAD AND MUM can you write and Dear Elder me everyday because I get that as mail and I love reading it. Please, everyday, even if it’s just a quote or something about home. Because I get it THAT day!! Please.... and tell Ataahua too. I can only respond every Thursday which is my P day!! So yes Dad and Mum every day. I can’t write letters because it takes 3 weeks to get back home which is ridiculous!!!

So yeah only emails for now till I get to Phillippines. I got everything here dad and mum, exactly everything, they gave me 8 white shirts, Nike shoes, jandels, shirts and everything so I’m sussed SO no need to worry Dad and Mum.

The shop is real cheap and I bought a cool watch for 30 bucks, originally 60 but we get 40% off.

So, Dad and Mum, tell Ataahua I couldn’t reply back because I’ve ran out of time and that I’m sorry, but dear elder me everyday because I get them that day, tell her as soon as she gets back from school to send even if its a sentence , NO time for anything Dad and Mum.  Hahaha.  but its good coz time is flying so so fast and I love it. I’m making the most of it!!! Tell Mum and Pep I love them and Jem and Pol and Awa and Jan.!! I need their emails!!  K ... my box number is 206. K, ohh and you were right about being with islanders I love it.

Gihigugma ko nako (I love you).

Elder Anderson