The Gilbert Temple is amazing!!! I’ll just be patient and go in a year :)

So that is AWESOME about the Gilbert temple!!!! I’m soooo impressed with yall’s missionary efforts with yall’s friends and stuff and with the Gilbert Temple. I mean, how often does something like this even happen?! Not often so good job for taking advantage of it!!!!! :

And don’t worry about going to Disneyland without me. Just make sure you take lots of pictures for me, ride that one ride (Goofy’s plane thingy) and go get pizza from Pizza Port. 🙂 That’s all I ask of y’all. 🙂 hahahahaha

Anyway, so my week!!!!

Monday was a good day. 🙂 Pday was calm and relaxing, kinda, haha sorry I forgot to write y’all…haha but that’s why we have repentance right?! 🙂 and that night we went by a few different people, but they all punched. And then a funny thing that happened! So Sister S cancelled on us because her husband was kinda sick, but when we got the texts, they were all blank…so we didn’t know what that meant and we just went over anyway!! 🙂 hahah and when we went over it was like perfect timing cuz she had just gotten home. And then she was like, “wait, I cancelled.” and we were like, “you did?” hahaha 🙂 But then she asked us to give her husband a blessing so we did and then we had a cool lesson. 🙂 Just helped explain things out in the Book of Mormon and stuff. 🙂 Then we went over to the B and read a chapter from the Book of Mormon with them, and I went and gave S (the 17 year old) two pictures that he emailed me that I printed out so he could do my scripture covers. And holy cow!!! He only did the Book of Mormon one, but it looks sooooooooooo legit!!!!! I sent you a picture it!!!! It has a picture of my mission as well as a picture of the Gilbert Temple on it!!!!! 😀 I love them!!! but he didn’t finish that one until this weekend, so I’m getting ahead of myself. 🙂

Tuesday was kidna a blah day…. We had a bunch of appointments punch throughout the afternoon but then things worked out during the night. 🙂 We ended up going over to one of our new investigators and had a lesson with him…he kinda has interesting views…but it’ll all work out. 🙂 Then we went over to A with R and had a quick lesson. It wasn’t too bad, but we feel like R is getting back into the same bad stuff that he just got out of….so pray for him!!! He needs it.

Then Wednesday we had Zone Training. That’s just like a meeting of all the missionaries in our zone and stuff. I saw Poulsen though and it’s soo funny how much we get along now, and how like he misses me as his companion. hahahah who would’ve known right? 🙂 hahah but that was good. I had to give a training, that wasn’t so good. But that’s just cuz I don’t like giving trainings….hahaha Afterwards we went to Rosa’s Cafe like usual for lunch. Then we had dinner with the H family again .But then after that we went over to the T family. A less active family in our ward that wants to go to church, but they work on Sunday. 😛 well we went over and had a good lesson with them! They are also a part member family, so we’re trying to help them out!

Then Thursday was planning day. And this is like seriously the most dreaded day among most missionaries. I like it cuz I need to plan for my investigators and we can receive revelation for them….but lets just say every one of my companions has hated this day in some way, shape, or form. And I don’t blame them. I understand their views. 🙂 Cuz it can be super boring!!! haha But that day was hard and we only taught one lesson….and it was basically because of the English and Spanish Classes. So a less active showed up to the Spanish class and so we were teaching him and his sister and because we were teaching them all gospel terms and stuff, we turned it into a lesson at the end. 🙂 but we had the two of them come and then also another member from the ward. White member, I’ve barely ever talked to him. But still that’s good!!! 😀

Then, Valentines Day!!! 😀 el dia de los corazones!! 🙂 hahaha the day of hearts. 🙂 We started the day with service with the S’s, the ones with all of the star wars stuff. 🙂 We unloaded over 200 manikins that they sell. They get them from China and then sell them on Amazon a make about $80 proffit on every one that they sell. Which is awesome!! And then they also do everything on a cash basis so they don’t have ANY debt. They only buy something if they have the cash for it. I think that’s wise. 🙂 I know that’s hard, but I wanna try it someday. But anyway, they fed us donuts and they were delicious!! haha and then after that we had lunch with the S’s, the senior couple in our ward. We went over this list of 218 names of people that Bishop wants us to find and stuff. Then we had brother W call us and ask for help and service. So we went over to his place and helped put the metal roofing on a garage that he built, like not a garage on a house, but like the metal kinds that are apart from the house. That make sense? Either way it was cool, and he only trusted me to do the drilling and do all of the technical stuff. It was cool cuz it showed that he trusts me and respects me, and that is HUGE if you have that with this guy. Brother W is the guy with all the guns. The guy that I’d go to if there was a zombie apocalypse. 🙂 And then that night we went by a few people, but the coolest part was that we went over to B and J, A B’s mom and brother. And guess who was there!!! A!!! She wasn’t suppose to be but she went anyway. And she doesn’t really like her mother in law, but we convinced her to just be Christlike, so it was AWESOME seeing her there!!! And quick note!! B and J went to church yesterday!!! But not to the right church…..they forgot where it was….so next week we’re going to guide them to church. 🙂 But yea, we taught the plan of salvation and it was awesome!!! They loved it!!!

Then Saturday we had ward correlation meeting with Brother L and that was good. Kinda long, but good! And then it was kinda sucky….ALL of our appointments punched, but we were suppose to go to the Black’s to help S and K with their math homework (since I could help them and am the only elder that can) and Sister B told us that if our appointments punched just to come over early. So we did that and we had a good time with S and K!! We helped them out and then we also had a lesson with them But then after that we went over to the Ts to help them get to church and they said they were going to go!! But never showed up…..they were just gonna come for a little while and then go to work. Hopefully next week!! And then we also went by the Gfamily to remind them about church. They were having a birthday party for their daughter, B, and it was a fun party. They gave us a TON of food to take home….

 

But yea, this week was good. I got a letter every single day!! That has never happened before. And I got a lot of random letters for people!!! hahaha

 

Anyway, I love y’all to the moon and back forever and ever and always and for eternity!!! 🙂

I hope y’all have a great week!! Don’t forget about me next monday when y’all are in Disneyland. 🙂 hehehe

Elder Josh Andersen 🙂

Happy Valentines Day!!!

 

Ok so first off you are SO redeemed for the email that you sent me. 🙂 hahahaha I don’t know if you could have included anything else! I loved it!!!! 😀

But anyway, so here is my week. 🙂

And first off, thank you for the Valentines package you sent me!!! The cookies are already almost gone…and the protein is much appreciated!! 😀

And then also, random question! For my birthday could you send me my black vest?? We’re allowed to wear them if we wear them with our suits, just not alone like how I always use to wear it. 🙂 and then also, maybe some new Spanish Scriptures? 🙂 sorry…. I really like scriptures now and I like them being organized!! 🙂 hahaha but hey, that’s like all I’m asking for. 🙂 hehehe

So last Monday was fun. 🙂 I found out AFTER shopping that I had been walking around with two holes (that are the result of my pants being really worn) in my butt pockets,!! haha and then in my other pants that I changed into, I found out during a lesson that there were holes in the knees!!! hahaha so…yea. Too much sitting down and praying I guess!!! But thankfully I have more pairs of pants. 🙂 hahah but that night we went to the S’s again (we’ve started going to them every monday night because that’s the best time for them) and we did a Family Night with them. 🙂

Then Tuesday was fun!! We went to the library to make some flyers and pass a long cards for the Spanish and English classes that we are starting, and guess who we saw there!! The B’s!! The family that Elder Y, Elder B and I helped move out of our ward the very first weekend elder B was here. They came back for an ortho appointment and stopped at the library and saw us! They were super surprised that I and Elder Y are STILL here. 🙂 haha after that we went and had lunch with the M family and that was alright. I’m not the biggest fan of their food…but they feed us so that’s nice. 🙂 and when I was sharing the lesson the other elders came for lunch too. We can’t eat together at the same time, but this was fine I guess. We got permission. So that way they could communicate with the M because they ONLY speak Spanish. But we had a very cool conversation with them!!! OH and we were actually late to that lunch appointment because we actually taught this AWESOME lesson with this new guy, M. 🙂 He’s going to the community college here but is super solid!!! He even said during the lesson, “Well guys, who knows? Maybe soon I’ll be able to call myself LDS.” Like how cool is that?! We’re like, “YES!! But you have to find out if this is true first. We don’t want you to do something just cuz we say it’s true.” And then he like totally understood everything that we were saying to him. 🙂 But yea, good afternoon. And then that night we had some pretty good lessons too. 🙂 Found some more part member families!! They are less active though so we just have to try and help them come to church and stop working on Sundays!!

Wednesday we had district meeting and then we had an exchange after that with the Stephenville elders. I stayed here in Cleburne with Elder S, and the district leader was with M in Stephenville. We had a good time on the exchange!! But we taught some awesome lessons, and this one guy, Ml, who is actually friends with Brother S, is now our investigator!! He was like, yea I don’t understand which church is true, but I and my wife were asking ourselves that a few days ago. And guess who showed up!! the Missionaries!!! hahahaha 🙂 funny how that works. Then that night we had a few good lessons, and we did a FHE with the R family and watched 17 Miracles. They loved it and, almost all of them came to church this week!! so SOMETHING is working!!! 😀 and that was awesome, but I’ll talk about that later. 🙂

Thursday we exchanged back, and there was SNOW!!! Just a little bit in Cleburne though. All throughout the mission though it was worse. Like President ordered all of the cars to be parked if there was snow on the ground. With us we just saw it in the air and it like never made it to the ground. But that day we had a few good lessons and we had the Spanish and English classes….and that was a fail. 😛 We used the time to figure out what we’re going to do though!! But yea…no one showed up.

Friday we went by a bunch of people but didn’t teach like anything. And that night wasn’t too much better. We ended up going to the Ca’s and helping them figure out the baptism for their brother, who just turned 8, because Bishop asked US to figure it out. We figured it out and it’ll be awesome!!! 😀 hahaha it’s next Sunday after church.

And then oh… Saturday was hard….the whole day we went by formers and it was the same thing over and over. “Oh I already have a church.” So yea…that was a hard day, until the night!!! We went by a few people who punched but then we randomly went by A. 🙂 We usually go to them on Saturday because that’s her day off, but she hadn’t answered us back to try and set up an appointment so we just dropped by. Well we dropped by and she just let us in!! and then in her prayer, it was awesome!!! She said that she was thankful that the missionaries came over because she was having a stressed out week and needed us!!! I was like, I knew we were suppose to come over here!!! hahahaha 🙂 And then we actually taught HER mom this time. 🙂 We answered a lot of her questions and hopefully she’ll come to church next week. 🙂

Then yesterday R came to church!!! He won’t like commit to much other than church though. 😛 but he’ll get there!!! And then also at church, L asked me to give him the aaronic priesthood and ordain him to the office of a teacher! And I did it and it was the first time I’d done it and it was super cool!!! Especially because now his family has the priesthood in his home!!! 😀 And then after church we had another lesson with A, one with the G family, one with the B family, and another with  A’s mom and brother. 🙂 And for the first time I did the whole lesson with the water with red food coloring (sinfull life) and using the bleach to clean it up, or repentance and baptism. 🙂 It was awesome!!! hahahaha 🙂 But yea, good day yesterday. 😀

Now I’ll answer your questions. 🙂

So Elder in Spanish is just elder, but Elders is elderes. Emphasis on the first E. 🙂

I do not like to eat the dust at the bottom of the cereal.

I got the package, thank you!!!

I took videos of the shirt burning, but I never got a pic of me with the shirt before…it was burned after so yea, that wasn’t possible. 🙂 haha

No worries about the SD card. I’m good. And thank you for the USB!!!!! 😀 I liked remenissing. Spell check on that word…haha

And I got the letter about the temple, thank you for that!! I’m so glad you got to serve there!!!

 

Plans for today are…shop and rest. 🙂 Not much else to do when there aren’t many elders or sisters to go do a pday activity.

And this week we have zone training on wednesday and then next week we have zone conference (finally!!) on thursday. Which I think is weird because it’ll be like the 5th week of the transfer and we’re doing zone conference…oh well. 🙂 haha

And I like the pictures!!! hahahaha 🙂 I have a good looking family, just sayin!!

 

So yea, that’s like all. 🙂 hahaha I love you to the moon and back forever and ever!!!!

have a great week and be a missionary!!!

I love you!!

Elder Josh Andersen 🙂

Almost been in Texas for a year!! :D hahaha and food poisoning ain’t the funnest! :)

So this week was fun. 🙂 Last Monday we had a good relaxing pday, at least that’s all that I remember from it really so…not much must have happened. 🙂 haha

Actually!!! I just remembered what happened!! And I don’t think y’all got my letter last week yet, or else you would’ve reminded me in my email about it cuz I told y’all to. 🙂 hehe

Anyway! So Monday night all of our appointments punched…that actually happened like for almost EVERY one of our appointments this week……not fun….cuz then people don’t progress and then we are left to visit all of our back up plans, and they aren’t ever solid appointments, and we never know if they’re even there. So yea, Don’t EVER punch on the Elders if y’all have an appointment with them, or dinner with them. Back up plans aren’t so fun…. BUT They can be inspired!!! Like this last monday. 🙂 So Monday night, our first back up plan after we had gone through all of our other plans was to visit the S family. 🙂 The wife is active with her two sons. Her youngest son is a recent convert (he wasn’t baptized when he was 8, they kinda just forgot about it) and her husband is less active, but trying really hard to become active again. Anyway, they are an AMAZING family. 🙂 And we went over and she invited us right in. Her husband and her sons ended up not joining us in the living room for the lesson, but they were like hiding in the room next to us (the kitchen) so they could hear everything we were saying. Which, hey, whatever works right? 🙂 Hopefully they were uplifted like Sister S was!!! So we start talking all about the Book of Mormon. One thing we did like 3 months ago (when I was with Elder O was install the new LDS Scripture App on her iPhone so she could listen to the scriptures. She’s always had the problem of starting the book of mormon but then taking a break and not finishing it. Then she restarts because she thinks it’s been too long and she can’t remember what happened. Which honestly I think a lot of members, or people who are investigating the church, have this issue where they want to read the whole book but then kinda get lazy, so then they have to restart, and then they just never finish it. Well, after downloading the app so she can listen to it, she’s half way done with Alma!!! Like holy cow!!! It’s the furthest that she had ever read (or listened to) and she is SO excited!!! The best part is that she has noticed such a change in herself! But I’ll get to that later. 🙂 So we were answering a lot of her questions about who people were and what not (she was getting a little confused since some of the names are similar) and so we just helped her. Then we started talking a lot about the church and how she is excited because out of the blue her husband told her that they should go to the temple and do the temple work for his grandfather who has passed away! So she was SO Happy!! Because that is a step towards them being able to get sealed!!! 😀 But then she just decided to talk to us about something that was on her mind. She explained to us that as she has been reading the Book of Mormon she has noticed that she keeps getting this prompting to forgive her father. We don’t know details, and don’t need to, but her parents got a divorce and whatever feelings that came out of that event weren’t too pleasant and so Sister S feels like she needs to forgive her dad, but she doesn’t want to. But as she has read the Book of Mormon she has felt like that is what she needs to do and that is what God’s telling her to do.

Side Note!!! That’s why the Book of Mormon is SOOOOO AWESOME!!! You could be reading something from it and then receive inspiration, or revelation, about a totally different thing. While we read the scriptures, God has the opportunity to talk to us with his Spirit, so that’s why we should ALWAYS read the scriptures every day!!! 🙂

So then we started talking about forgiveness and everything and then I asked Sister S if she had ever prayed for help, and she said no because she was afraid of the answer.

Side Note!!! How many times do we say that to ourselves?! We don’t want to pray because we are afraid of the answer. All the more reason to pray!!! So if you ever feel like that, PRAY!!! 🙂

So then I just asked her right there, right then, “Will you pray right now with us?” And Holy Cow!!! She said yes and started to pray!! It was one of the most sincere, heart felt, spirit inspired prayers that I have EVER heard!!! There were no vain repetitions or anything! I want to learn how to pray like that and fully rely upon the Spirit when I pray so that it is guided by the Spirit. It was Amazing!!! And she then felt SO much better afterwards. She told us that she would call her dad and that she would do the things that she had to to forgive him. That one moment, this one lesson, was one of those lessons that we live for as missionaries – where we see the lives of another person change and we see them take the steps to come closer to Christ. At that moment, I knew that that back up plan was inspired, and that we really weren’t suppose to go to any of those other appointments, we were suppose to go talk to her. 🙂 And it was a little added comfort on Wednesday when we saw her again at the church and she said, “There are my two favorite Elders ever!!!” 🙂

Yea, so that was monday. LOL I don’t know if I can be THAT thorough with the rest of the days this week. 🙂 hehe

Tuesday we had a day planned with some service and then we had a few families that we planned to go see in the late afternoon and then during the evening. For service, we went out to Grandview to where C B lives, to help do some service at C’s house. Well, we were suppose to do the service outside, and it was like 30 degrees outside, with wind blowing, so after 30 minutes the 4 of us missionaries were FREEZING!!! So we decided to call it quits. 🙂 And then we remembered that the B’ had their “change-over” week (where they change the set and everything in their theater for the next play…because they have a play showing EVERY weekend) and so we went to the Plaza Theater to see if they needed help. 🙂 And they did!!! So we helped for a little bit. 🙂 It was fun. Brother B like trusts me a TON cuz I was helping make different set pieces with him and then like painting all this stuff. 🙂 Service was fun with them!!! And we ended up doing like an hour or two of service the next day and then Friday. 🙂 I sent pictures of some of the stuff we did. The Gong and the Pillar thing I helped make and stuff. And the the water feature thing I helped out with. 🙂 And then the wall was just cool and I had to show y’all. 🙂 The play is, “The King and I.” So it was like a cool Asian set. 🙂 And then that night we went over to a few houses. Most of our appointments punched, but our back ups were there so we ended up teaching them. :

Wednesday night we had every appointment punch, but Bishop wanted to talk to us about the Spanish and English classes so we ended up doing that that night. President Ames had a meeting with all of the leaders of the wards that have to do with Spanish work in our mission and they talked about the Spanish work and one thing that they want us to start doing as missionaries is teaching English classes to the members. But what our bishop wants us to do as well is teach Spanish to the members so that we can start bridging the gap between the hispanics in our ward and the other members. 🙂 Which I thought was a great idea!!! And then we are also going to be able to teach them some Spanish so that they can help us with exchanges and stuff. 🙂 so I think this idea is great!! Kinda like up in Denton what we did. 🙂

Thursday we had weekly planning and that took a while. 😛 And then we just had random appointments. Some were good, some fell through. That’s just what this week was like though!!

But Friday though was good with lessons! Or well, one lesson…the others punched. 🙂 haha but the lesson we had was with A’s mom and brother!! And it was awesome!!! 🙂 They don’t really have religion and they are willing to try out this one because they see how much A likes it. 🙂 So yea, that was awesome! They didn’t come to church though because they had relatives here from out of town…so yea…that wasn’t too fun. 😛 But it’s ok, next week!!

And then came that dreaded night…So that night I lost my pen from Chloe that’s erasable…and I broke the other one I liked a ton so it was like the last one of the ones I used the most because I only had two…so I kinda went a little crazy trying to find this pen right before we went in for the night….and because of how I was acting, and in hindsight it was justified, but Elder M was having fun with the situation. And then we went to this new Frozen Yogurt place, Sweet Frog (Frog for them stands for Fully Rely On God…kinda awesome!!!) and then the other elders made fun of me. XP hahahah 🙂 And then came the dreaded food poisoning…. Whatever I ate at this place just destroyed me!!!

So I ate the frozen yogurt and when I went to bed like an hour and a half after eating it, I didn’t feel too good but kinda just shrugged it off…but then I ended up waking up at 12:30, 1:30, 2:30, 3:30, and 5:30…doing the thing that food poisoning does to you. I thought I had the flu but then the senior missionary Sister S said that it was too fast to be the flu. 😛 So yea…. all of Saturday I was bed ridden…well almost all of the day. I ended up feeling better around 6pm and so then I got ready and we went and taught the Bs and then A’s family again. 🙂 But yea…. Food Poisoning is the WORST!!! And being sick on your mission like that is the worst!!! SO HORRIBLE!!! I never realized how much I hate being in the apartment when I should be out working. I was getting like SO depressed that I couldn’t work!!!! Sister Ames wouldn’t let me work though…she told me that I had to rest until I was better…which was a good thing because between 5:30 and 6pm when I felt better, yea I wouldn’t have been able to work unless we had a portable bathroom that we could keep in the car….hahahah sorry if that’s gross. 🙂 But I’m trying to be general and vague for y’all. 🙂 haha

Then yesterday, no one came to church. 😦 So many promises!!! And No one…… It’s ok though, next week for sure right?! 😀 And then we had lunch with the B family and then dinner with the S family, which is the one family where the dad is obsessed with Star Wars and has all of this real life size realistic to the movies costumes and then he has ALL of the Star Wars legos EVER invented. Even the like $500 sets!! Yea, you can just bet now and be right, that I was like in aww and just wishing he would let me build all of the ones still in boxes!!! hahahahah 🙂 He does it though because now half of the sets he has are worth double or even triple of what he got them for. Some are worth thousands of dollars!! Crazy!!! We had some good appoinments after that though, but the main one punched with was kinda a bummer. 😛 But, lets just say, somehow Elder M pulled strings yesterday at church with a few members because we kept randomly getting score updates for the superbowl…. I totally forgot it was going on. Oh well. But yea, he was going for the Broncos and we know how well that went. 🙂 hahahaha

Haha so now for the notes of things that went on this week that I forgot to write but don’t wanna figure out where they go in the email already. 🙂 hahaha

I’m glad you got my SD card!! Glad it made it safe!!!

Oh when I had food poisoning and couldn’t eat anything or keep anything down, not even water, yea I lost 10 pounds….so all that hard work from this last year is gone…. 😥 hahaha

Oh and I finally burned my shirt!!!! 🙂 We burned it Thursday night after we talked to Bishop. 🙂

 

Answers time!!

The weather’s been crazy. And this week it’s just suppose to be rainy and cold.

Investigators are good! Please pray for the G family, the V family, B and J, and R. 🙂 And pray they won’t punch on any more appointments….please. haha

Today’s plans are just shop and chill. Probably clean a little bit and sleep!! Even though I did enough of that on Saturday. 😛 This week the only plans we have for sure is that we have district meeting wednesday and then the language classes thursday night.

I do not eat salad now because usually it was stupid things mixed into it that I can’t eat. 😛 So I just tell people I can’t eat it because I don’t just want to eat lettuce….that’s not a salad……

S…yea no luck…we don’t know what’s going on with her. We haven’t been able to teach her any more because she’s too busy and so is her family.

I eat sandwiches all the time! And yes, I eat sandwiches with cold meat. And I still don’t like ham…but I like turkey. 🙂 hahahahah

And I still don’t like ranch dressing….never will. 🙂

Y and M are doing better. They both come talk to me though when they have to vent… I guess I’m the “go to” guy for when people want and need to talk.

I never got a pic of elder Y’s tie, and it’s alright. 🙂 I have like almost every color of tie that I would want. You don’t have to get me any more ties any time soon, but when you do get some you could get some green, red, or purple ones. 🙂 haha

And I don’t need anything but the stuff I told ya last week. The protein and if you could get me a USB drive with all the pictures I’ve sent y’all already. 🙂 And maybe some razors and shaving creme…maybe… I think I’m low on that stuff. haha 🙂

 

And I’m glad you are serving at the temple today!! That’s awesome!!! 🙂 You’ll have to tell me all about it. 🙂 In a letter so I can get it sooner than next monday.

And maybe, for next weeks email, you could be a little more detailed…cuz the last few emails have been like super short and there hasn’t been too much to read cuz I don’t get too many other emails any more...so yea. Not saying that what you’ve been emailing is bad!!! don’t take it that way!! But you could be a little more thorough. 😉 love you!!

 

I Love y’all to the moon and back forever and ever!!! Have a great week and know that y’all are ALWAYS in my prayers. 🙂

 

Elder Josh Andersen 🙂

PS parallel parked for the first time!!! haha