Boodle Fight!!

May 25, 2015

Hello!!

This past week was so fun and we started it out right with a great big boodle fight with everyone in our zone! A boodle fight is where you take palm tree leaves, lay them on a table, then you pile rice on it, and then on top of that you put heaps of food- chicken, pork, vegetables, adobo, just anything you want! And then everyone eats it with just their hands!! It may not be the most sanitary, but it is definitely SOBRAND MASARAP!

On Tuesday we had our zone interview workshops, and Sister Pau and I didn't have to give one! Wahoo!! At our actual interviews though the next night, Sister Revillo asked us to meet with her. She said that she now wanted us to be the ones to give a workshop for the next zone interviews... and the next one was the next day! Ahhh! Working under pressure! We were create a nice workshop and present the next day! I am so glad Sister liked it!! Now we get to go give it to the other zones this transfer. Thank heavens that my companion, Sister Pau, is absolutely amazing and just does everything so well!! I am so blessed to be able to be learning from her and all of her creativity when it comes to putting together workshops, training, conferences, and even just being a good missionary! Heavenly Father blessed me with the best of the best! 

On Saturday I got to go on exchanges with one of my favorite people!! Sister Verdeflor! Not only are we kabahays right now, she was also my previous companion in Pasig, so it was soo fun to be able to work with her! It was just like old times and it brought back to many good memories! It is so crazy that she goes home this transfer... Time here never stops!!

As for our investigators, the Gimina Family is REALLY progressing! Ahhh! I am so excited! They are loving the gospel and they love church! We are getting them so great fellowshippers as well, so that is such a blessing. Last night we went over the their house to do Book of Mormon reading with them. Tessie had read from 1 Nephi 1 to I Nephi 19 in 2 days!!! Holy Moly!! And she was able to tell us everything she read and even applied to herself. We decided to read with Hector, Tessie, and their 3 little girls (Christine, Maria Flor and Freshy Kyle) Lehi's Dream. The Spirit was so strong and you can see that they are truly being converted. There is NOTHING better than seeing families change because of the Restored Gospel.

I love being a missionary!!! 

Take care,

Sister Anderson

Sister Jenny!!!  My recent convert:)

Zone interviews

FHE with Nida Nido and her granddaughters!

Boodle Fight

We had a Boodle Fight in QCS Zone!!

 

 

Becoming My Ssters' Keeper

May 18, 2015

 

Hello to yal!!!

 

This week was fantastic and just flew by! On Wednesday we had the opportunity have our Sisters' Conference for just the sisters in the mission. It took a lot of work, but it turned out really nicely. The theme of the conference was, "Becoming our Sisters' Keeper". In order to be completely united in this work we need to do as the Lord directs us to become our brothers' keeper and serve others as He would. President Revillo gave beautiful remarks about this topic, especially that of becoming more charitable and humble in our journey to become our sisters keeper. I have really come to understand more so that this principle is part of the sacred covenants that I have made to Heavenly Father. Through losing myself in the service of others and putting their needs above my own, I know that everyday I can be one step closer to becoming my sisters' or my brothers' keeper.

On a less spiritual note, but nonetheless just as fun, Sister Pau and I got to go SHOPPING!! Wahoooo!! We traveled around all of Quezon City on Thursday buying food for all the the missionaries 72hr kits, thermometers, flashlights, tubes, ropes, flashlights, and everything else you may need in case of an emergency. IT WAS A BLAST!! Haha and we got the weirdest looks as we were hauling around the grocery store 300 cups-of-noodles, giant bags of oatmeal, and carts piled high with candy and nuts... The life of a sister missionary here in Quirino:) Haha

Our area here in Quirino is doing GREAT!!! The Gimina family is really progressing and their WHOLE family attended church yesterday!! Ah, they are the cutest! In our last lesson with them, we invited Hector to offer the closing prayer. It was so sweet and sincere, and after he finished, he looked up with tears streaming down his face, and said, "I can't stop crying. I am so happy." Their family is really changing so much because of the gospel and I am so happy that I get to be apart of it. They are really blessing my life so much.

I love you all and am so grateful for you!! Thanks for all your prayers in behalf of me and my investigators. 

Love,

Sister Anderson

 

Sisters' conference was a blast!!!  Sister Revillo and the sister training leaders

Me and President and Sister Revillo

The Gimina family!!!  This s the cutest family in the whole world!  Sister Pau and I LOVE teaching them and they are getting baptized in June!!

Sister Maricel took Sister Pau and me out to eat at Manglnasal!!!

Me and Hannah!!!

Me and Daisy and Aki!!

Do you believe in sports?

May 11, 2015

Happy Mother's Day!!!

Just a quick shout-out to all of the mothers and women in my life who have blessed me so much and taught me to walk in the ways of truth. Thanks so much for your inspiring examples and for teaching me to follow Jesus Christ. I hope to emulate you and develop the love that you have:) Especially you, Mom!! Every time I think of you, I think of the mother's of the stripling warriors. Alma 56:47-48 Thank you for raising me the way you did and continue to do:)

This week was transfer week and it was CRAZY!! Thank heavens Sister Pau is my companion!! She is so full of life and spunk and has such a positive attitude!! If it wasn't for her, I probably would've been a wee bit overwhelmed with everything we had going on!!

On Friday, Sister Osumo and I got to give training to the other STLs which was super fun! We have an AMAZING group of sisters! We then got to attend MLC and then met with President and Sister Revillo to plan for our Sister's Conference that is coming up this Wednesday. It is going to be sooo fun!!

Sister Pau and I got to work in our area ALLLLL day on Sunday! Sister Maricel worked with us as well and it was great! We found 2 new investigators! As we were talking to one of them, Erwin, he said that he knew a little bit about Mormons. He then went onto say, "Naniniwala kayo sa sports, di ba?" Translated as, "You believe in sports, right?" Uhhhh... Noo... It was so funny!! He then went onto explain that all of the chapels here in the Philippines have basketball courts outside, so he thought that we believed in playing sports... Oh it was so funny!!

This past week, we were not able to visit the Gimena Family and they didn't come to church yesterday. We went to visit them and they were really sad that they chose not to come. They had lost their desire a little bit to continue, but as we taught them yesterday, their desire came back one-hundred fold, and they are determined to be baptized as a family. We taught about eternal families and the Spirit really touched their hearts. I know they will be baptized.

Sister Glory, the LA we found also came to church yesterday and had an AMAZING time!! Please pray for her husband that we can teach them! I can just see them as a forever family!!! Ahh, they are the cutest!!

I love you all!! Take care and I will talk to you soon!!

Sister Anderson

MLC pictures

 

The Final 12 Weeks

May 4, 2015
Magandang Umaga!!

It is transfer week!! I am not transferring, but my beloved companion, Sister Osumo, is. Ahhhhh!!! She is my right and and my left! What am I going to do without her? It is all good though because I have the most amazing new companion, Sister Pao. She’s Samoan, but grew up in the states. I am so excited to train her to become a sister training leader. I am for sure going to learn more from her than she will from me.

This past week I got to go on two different exchanges which was such a blast. Man, Heavenly Father sent the neatest sisters to this mission and I just know that it was all part of His plan to send us together in His army at this time. It is such a blessing to be able to strengthen each other. 

I am so sorry this email is so boring... Spent a lot of time in the office and whatnot... These next few days/weeks are going to be super crazy for me and my companion! We have so many things we have to do.. Ahhhh I think I am going to be stretched sooo much this transfer and I am so excited to learn the things that Heavenly Father knows I need!!

Well, this transfer marks my start of my final 12 weeks here... Noooooo!!!! Why does it go so fast! I really am just going to cherish every minute here!!!

I love you all!!!! You are in my prayers!!

Sister Anderson

Full of Gratitude

April 26, 2015

Hello to you all!!

Well, I don't even know where to begin! I am just so full of love and gratitude right now. Heavenly Father is just so aware of us as his children, and I am so grateful that He is taking great care of my sweet family back at home. Oh how I wish I could have been a part of Elizabeth and Jeff's wedding, but I am so happy that it went so well! They looked so beautiful in all the pictures and my testimony was really strengthened about the importance of eternal families. I can't wait to share this testimony with the sweet people here in the Philippines! WELCOME TO THE FAMILY, JEFF!!

This week was so great and I had the wonderful opportunity to go on exchanges in Marikina with Sister Viray, one of the cute new missionaries.

We also had zone conference on Thursday which was so amazing! And afterwards I had the opportunity to go on an exchange with Sister Latham (Jordan's friend). She is such a great missionary and even at 4 weeks, she is sooo good at the language! I will send pictures next week:)

Sister Osumo and I have such a small teaching pool, so this week we did LOTS of finding!! And Heavenly Father blessed us to find his elect!! As we were tracting on Saturday morning, we met a 20 year old named Erwin. He looked nice, but a little rough, and we decided to talk to him. Wow. You just never know who is searching for the gospel! He told us that he is Catholic, but how he has always just felt that something was missing. He has attended many other churches as well to fill the hole that was in his heart. We shared with him a brief overview and left him with a Book of Mormon to read.

We went back to visit him yesterday after church, and as we sat down, he pulled out the Book of Mormon with a whole page of notes he had taken from his reading. He was so cute and thought that we were going to take the book back from him, so he wrote down everything that he liked and what really touched him. He even mentioned that all the questions he has always had, are already being answered by the Book of Mormon and then bore testimony of it, how he know that it is true. We were able to teach him the message of the Restoration and you could just see how what we shared had an instant impact on him. We extended a baptismal date to him for June 6th and he is so excited!! 

We also found another investigator last week at the grocery store, Tala Pil. She asked us to come visit her and we did! Wow. She is so prepared too!! She came to church yesterday and just cried in each class!! She has a baptismal date for May 30th!! Sister Tessie Gimena also came to church yesterday and she too is so excited to be baptized! The ward is doing a great job fellowshipping, and I could not be more excited!!

 My heart is just so full of gratitude right now- being a missionary, my wonderful investigators, my sweet companion, my family at home, the wedding, and just the way Heavenly Father is always blessing us. I love the gospel so much and it is really the only way to be truly happy. I love you all!!

Love,

Sister Anderson

Finding the Elect

April 19, 2015
Magandang Umaga!

This week has been so great!!  I had the opportunity to go on exchanges with two amazing Sisters, Sister Betham and Sister Weston!  I feel so blessed to be able to be a Sister Training Leader because I have the opportunity to learn and grow each day, especially from going on exchanges with them

The first exchange was on Thursday with Sister Betham. Wow. I can honestly say that it was the most spiritual exchange I have ever been on. From the moment I met Sister Betham last transfer, I had a very special connection with her- something that I could not describe. Since being kabahays with her this transfer, I have come to understand why Heavenly Father put us together, as it was part of His plan for us since the foundation of the world. I have been able to understand myself and my potential, not only as a missionary, but as a literal spirit daughter of Heavenly parents. Words cannot describe how grateful I am to have been able to learn from this Sister because she has literally changed my life forever.

As for my area here in Quirino 1st ward, we are still working to revive it! Yesterday I worked with Sister Maricel, one of the members, and we went to try and contact one of our OYMs, Roger, whom we had never taught. We "tao poed" the house with thought was theirs, but it turns out that no one by the name of Roger lives there. We began talking to the man who opened the door. His name was Hector and was super nice. We asked if we could share a message with him, so he went inside and asked his wife. They invited us in to teach them and their 3 beautiful daughters. They lesson was so amazing and Hector, his wife(Tessa), and their oldest daughter (Christine) all accepted a baptismal date! The Lord works in mysterious ways to help us find his elect! 

Words cannot even begin to describe how much I love being a missionary!! I know that one day I will have to leave, and so I am enjoying EVERY single moment wearing a missionary tag and being a representative of Jesus Christ in all things!! 

I appreciate all that you do and the miracles that you continue to send my way because of your prayers! Take care and enjoy all the wedding festivities this week! Congrats, Elizabeth and Jeff! Can't wait to hear all about it!! Please send pictures!! And an invite:)

Love,

Sister Anderson

I got to go on exchanges with this lovely sister of mine, Sister Betham.  I think I wore her out by the end of the day..haha missionary work is WORK!

Just some pics of my area:)

 

Happy Birthday Emma

April 15, 2015

Magandang Hapon!!

Crazy talaga and buhay ko dito sa field!! It was another crazy busy week!! We went on three exchanges this past week.. We were only supposed to go on two, but some of our sisters had some things we needed to take care of, so we did an emergency exchange with them... We may or may not have worn the same outfit like 3 days in a row... Some things we just have to sacrifice!!! It was totally worth it though, because I just LOVE the Sisters here in this mission. I just know that I was really close to them in the pre-earth life and so it is so neat to be able to reconnect with them here and learn from them. They come from all walks of life, with so many different trials and concerns, and yet we are all so united because of the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

On Thursday, I got to work with Sister Apsay, my old kabahay in Morong. We had a really neat experience where we went to teach a former investigator named Linda. We decided to start from square one with her, and we did our best to follow the Spirit and teach the Restoration according to her needs. By the end of the lesson, we were all in tears as the Spirit literally was so strong. It was one of the most heaven-like experiences. Linda went onto say, "You know, I have been taught by missionaries many many times before... and I don't know what it is, but something is just different about the two of you." She went on to thank us over and over for bringing the truth into her life and for giving her hope. I feel so privileged to be able to be an instrument of the Lord. What a humbling experience it is. 

We also got to attend General Conference this week which was the BIGGEST blessing of my life! I needed a little breather and re-boost, so that along with getting to attend the temple today was such a blessing. 

I wish I could put into words how much my testimony and love for the Savior has grown. I truly feel that I finally know a little bit more of what Heavenly Father expects of me, as His daughter and how I must pattern my life in order to do His will. I am so grateful for living prophets and apostles who will never ever lead us a stray. And even when I do go astray and make mistakes, the gospel is there. It is real. It is personal. It is change. 

I love the Lord so much and I feel so blessed to be His representative.

Love,

Sister Anderson

 
ps.. HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the BEST little sister in the whole world! I look up to you more than you ever know!!

Sister Latham

Quezon City South Zone

Me and me little sis, Sister Betham:)  She is my FAVORITE

My cute kabahays

My companion, Sister Osumo

The Temple in Manila!

 

Happy Birthday Emma!