Drum Roll Please!!! Elder Andersen is going to………. :)

So I know y’all are DYING to know where I’m going to be for the next 6 weeks at least of my life as a missionary. 🙂 Well, patience is a virtue and that’s what y’all are gonna practice!!! 😀

So this week was VERY eventful and fun!!!! 🙂

Monday night, like usual, we did the amazing Family Home Evening!!! We had like 7 or 8 families this time, including the Bishop!! EVERY kid that was there started begging us to play flag tag. 🙂 So…we played flag tag again!!! 😀 😀 and then one of the girls got hurt…..she did something to her ancle and it was scary cuz she’s broken her ankle 3 times before. So naturally, we gave her a blessing and Elder M did it. Well…..in the blessing he said these exact words, and he didn’t know he said them, and yea… “your ankle IS broken, but you will heal eventually.” When he said that I just cringed and was like, “Please!! Heavenly Father please do not let it be broken!!!” Well…we found out on Wednesday that it was broken so M was inspired to say that. But he felt really bad about that after, I mean who wouldn’t? But I just told him that it was good because he followed the Spirit and stuff. 🙂

So Tuesday we had a service filled day like we normally do with the library and the apartment complex. Then that night we went out to dinner at Chili’s with the giftcards we got from the apartment complex and we invited the S’s (the senior missionaries in the ward) and it was awesome!!! They have like a touchscreen menu ordering thing or whatever. I thought it was soooo cool!!!! But then it was stupid too because like the main focus was alcohol…… 😛 But it was good to talk to them and get to know them a little bit better!! It was a fun use of our dinner time 🙂 Then we went to the B Theatre thank you party that they have for all of their volunteers. It was AWESOME!!! We didn’t get to stay for the whole thing, it was from 6:30 to like 10 and we had a few people to still see that night and stuff but it was fun. 🙂 We got to see a bunch of people and get this!! I have NEVER felt underdressed for ANY occasion on my mission (obviously because of what we wear all the time) and yea, I felt WAY underdressed at this party. 🙂 LOL it was crazy what some of these people were wearing!!! We eventually had to leave and go check on L and her family and stuff and that was fun. 🙂 And while we were gone Sister B announced to EVERYONE there that there were two people there that night who they wanted to specially thank and recognize, US!!! But we weren’t there….so we got a bunch of cheers and stuff for how we help the B and the Plaza and stuff and weren’t there for it. But we got certificates!!! 😀 hahahaha 🙂 and then we had to go by the B family and then we went back to the Plaza up until we HAD to go because of our bedtime. 🙂 hehe It was awesome though and let me just say that I love the B Family and everything they do for us!!! 🙂

Wednesday we had Zone Training and so we had to be in Weatherford early!!! 🙂 haha it ended up probably being the best zone training that I’ve EVER been to. 🙂 So many great things were discussed on how we can move the work forward here in Weatherford and wherever we are in the mission. 🙂 Like where I’m going. 😉 hehe I got to talk to P a bunch and it was good to reminisce on old times. 🙂 Then we got back to Cleburne at like 5, yea it was a long meeting, and then we had a busy night planned!!  We had dinner with the S family and that was good. We shared some awesome missionary experiences that members have told us that they have had to inspire them and it worked!!! They came up with a whole list of things they are going to do and change to be better missionaries. 😀 After we had a lesson with Sister R’ friend, who we gave a blessing to on Sunday night, and Sister R and L were there and it was good!!! After we went to the church and got L fitted into her baptismal clothing and then we taught her family a lesson at the church, then we also got ahold of J F (because he always goes to mutual now, yea he’s legit!!) and A. S. and we taught a lesson to them after mutual. K B sat in on the lesson and it was awesome!!! He’s not even a member yet and he knows SO much and has such a strong testimony!!!!!! Then we went over to the B  for a wee bit because Sister B needed to talk

Thursday we did a little bit of service and then we did weekly planning. It was good but long. I helped M figure out what he is going to teach everyone for the next week because we all figured that I was going to be the one leaving. Like it’s been obvious….but I didn’t have the normal feeling I get when I’m being transferred, so I didn’t even know and wasn’t sure. That night we completely opted out of the Spanish and English classes because it’s become a joke and a waste of time. 😛 Sad to say it but it’s true. 😛 I don’t have my planner right in front on me to tell y’all what exactly happened that night, but I remember it was busy and there were a few miracles!!

Friday we did mormon.org and then service at the library and we also went over to the M family to help them a little in preparing for the hispanic lunch party thing we were doing after the baptism on Saturday. It was a HORRIBLE day for allergies….I just about died!!! 🙂 haha and after all that service, right before dinner with the S’s again, we went and mowed Sister R’s lawn so that she could go to the baptism on Saturday and holy cow!! I haven’t mowed a lawn in FOREVER!!!! I actually got blisters. Yea, I know. Stupid!!! hahaha and then the allergies just got worse and worse!! That night we had an appointment punch and then a miracle happened!!! We randomly got a call, JUST after our appointment texted us and cancelled, and it was from a person in our complex who was moving and needed help, so we were like, “Sure why not?!” So we go and help these people just move apartments and it was fun. 🙂 I have become an expert mover now…but I am definitely not the strongest person ever!! That is a FACT!!! 🙂 haha I can try but I don’t have “old man strength” as M likes to call it….even though he is younger than me. LOL 🙂 Then we went over to the B’s again that night. 🙂

Saturday was FUN!!!! So we get ready and make sure EVERYTHING is good for the baptism and it went really well. 🙂 L and her whole family got there at exactly 10am, that’s when the baptism started 🙂 so we started about 15 minutes late. 🙂  and it was the best Spanglish baptism ever!!! Brother L conducted in Spanish, the first prayer was in english, the hymns were sung in spanish and english…at the same time 🙂 haha, the first talk was given in english (so I translated next to a few hispanic members that came), and then the second talk was also given in English but she asked me to stand next to her and translate for her right there, so that’s what I did!! haha and then the baptism was done in Spanish and then the welcome to the ward was done in English and I translated for that as well. 🙂 So I was quite involved with this baptism!!! hahahahha 🙂 Elder F came from Stephenville because he’s suppose to go to all of the baptisms in his district, and then because the S’s had a baptism that night we just did a trio exchange like we did with our Zone Leaders a few weeks ago. So Elder R came with us all day and then Elder F went with the other elders.

We had the hispanic lunch and it was good!! But kinda lame cuz like only 3 families came when like 10 had said they would. But it was good!!! 🙂 C was there and as my “going away present,” she got me VANS!!!!!!! So…I’ll be sending those home to y’all because they are BRIGHT RED and I won’t be wearing them out here. 🙂 hahahahahahahaha and then we just had a relaxing day with appointments that DIDN’T punch!!! 😀 hahaha 🙂 Then that night at 5 we had the other baptism. 🙂 After that we had a lesson with B and J! It was AMAZING!!! We made SOOOOO much progress with them!!! 🙂 And Elder R told us afterwards that he didn’t understand any of it but he could feel the Spirit and kept talking about how strong it was there!! 🙂

Then we exchanged back and then I know we did something afterwards….but I can’t remember what! 🙂 lol

Sunday was awesome!!!! We were a little nervous because L and her mom, D, got there a little late, like 9:10, and so we weren’t sure what was going to happen with the confirmation. But the other two people who got baptized were confirmed first and L got there just as they started to do the second confirmation. So then I confirmed L, all in Spanish, and it was awesome!!! 🙂 Everyone kept telling me, “that was so cool!! it must have been a good one because I didn’t understand ANY of it.” 🙂 hahahaha oh the english speaking members of Cleburne. 🙂 Y’all always make me laugh!!! 🙂 B also came which was great!!! She could only stay for Sacrament meeting but she loved it once again!!!  After we had a lesson with the S family’ and then we had lunch with the B family’. It was a birthday lunch for their son C and then they treated it as my birthday meal too. 🙂 It was awesome!!!! 🙂 And then we started to watch The Best Two Years because I have never seen it and we got permission to do so if it was with members. 🙂 I loved it!!! It made me want to go talk to EVERYONE and just spread the gospel to all the ends of the earth!!! 😀 We also went over to the C’s and also L to teach them. 🙂 The work is really picking up here in Cleburne and I am SO happy that I am leaving this area better than I found it!!! 🙂 That is what I like to do when I leave an area. 🙂

So now I’ll answer y’alls questions!!! And I know you are still wanting to know where I’m going. 🙂 hehe

First off, be nice to my shoes!!! They aren’t that bad!!! hahaha I just need to re shine them. 🙂 I forgot to do it that morning and we didn’t really have time to do it either. 🙂 My pants are fine, the hems and everything. 🙂 sister B was a lifesaver this past week and fixed all the pants that needed fixing!!! So I’ll be all good in the new bike are that I’m going to! 🙂 haha

I did get the package and I only opened the pants and the clinique stuff cuz I need it and I wanted to be able to put my pants with all the other ones so I could pack them better in the space bags I have. 🙂 The Red Velvet bars are good too!!! I’m gonna hopefully take them to my next area in… 🙂

And I did give L the bracelet and she loves it!!!

And we don’t know when we are getting ipads or facebook time. They just keep telling us the same thing that it will be soon.

And just wait til I get facebook and I’ll add those people. 🙂

 

 

And for what you’ve been waiting for!!!

Elder Andersen is being transferred to……

TEMPLE TEXAS!!!!!!! I’m going to be in a bike area in Temple. 🙂 Right now it is a branch and I think there are 3 companionships in the branch?? Maybe. 🙂

My new companion is going to be Elder L and I haven’t a clue about who he is. 🙂 hahaha and just a cool little thing. I’m going to be in the Waco South Zone and Elder W is being transferred there and going to be my zone leader there as well!! 🙂 Cool, right?

So pray for me in my new bike area and that I’ll be safe and that I will be able to do everything on bikes!! Because if there are sisters with a car there, they can’t help us out anymore with grocery shopping, etc, because we can’t ride in the same car anymore. 🙂 And pray that I figure things out in my new area!!! I am excited and I know that this is where the Lord wants me to go!!! 🙂 Oh, and pray for my new companion!! I’m still going to be the senior companion too so Elder L is probably younger than me in the mission. 🙂

So that is my update for y’all. 🙂 Have a great week and know that I love you to the Moon and Back forever and ever and always!!! And know that I know that this church is true and that I love this gospel and the Lord!! 🙂 That’s why I’m doing this. 🙂

Love y’all!!

Elder Josh Andersen 🙂

Happy Birthday Mom!!! And hush about the 1/3 of my mission left! I have plenty of time! :)

So this week was awesome and crazy!!! 😀 But first off, happy birthday mom!!! 🙂 Hope you have a good week 🙂

Monday night we went to the R’s and the S’s went and we did our usual FHE. 🙂 This time though it was more organized and we played two awesome games called “Green Screen Door” and “Black Magic.” We’ll have to play them when I get back. 🙂 But, once you know how to play it, you can only play it with people who don’t know how to play it. 🙂 hahaha

Tuesday was a good day. 🙂 We did service for the apartment complex again and then also for the library. They are super nice there and it is cool because every time we go to the library they ask us a little bit more about what we do and stuff. 🙂 Then that night we were pretty busy with appointments and such. 🙂

Wednesday we had interviews with President!! The good news is that they were awesome! The bad news is that we had to be at the Weatherford stake center at 8:30 which means we had to leave by 7:30 which means we had to wake up earlier than 6:30 to get ready. O.o not the funnest when we already have limited sleep!! But it was SO worth it! 🙂 First we had trainings with our Zone Leaders as a district and then we had interviews with President. 🙂 The trainings were good and like usual, President was a wee bit behind…the interviews are only suppose to be 15 minutes…all of them ended up being about 20 if not 30. My shortest interview before this one was 25 minutes with them usually being between 35 and 45 minutes!! But Elder M and I were last to be interviewed in our district. I love President SO much!!! We just talked and had a good time. 🙂 He told me that I look the happiest that I’ve ever been!! And he is happy with the work that I’m doing. 🙂 I told him that I didn’t really have many questions this time, I just wanted him to let me know what HE wanted me to do to be better. 🙂 And he didn’t really have much to say…haha which was good? but didn’t help too much… he is happy that I’m one of the most obedient missionaries in the mission and he told me that that is one of the reasons that I was put with Elder M.:) Then President just gave me some tips on what to do. He told me everything that he has been telling and teaching the zone leaders…so instead of having the zone leaders tell me and teach me I just got it directly from the source. 🙂 Which was fun. 🙂 Then the lessons we had that night were good and we went by a bunch of people and they DIDN’T punch. 😀 haha

Thursday was a good day too. 🙂 We did weekly planning and then some of the older members in the ward go to Taco Bell every Thursday and they invited us to come so we went and got Taco Bell with them. 🙂 And the other elders came too even though they weren’t supposed to and so I had to pull the “I’ve been out the longest and know what’s allowed and not” and I had to tell them not to do that again because they called OUR lunch behind our backs and told them that they could go too because it was allowed…it’s not. So they were really mad when I called them out on it. I told the member that we couldn’t do anything then but we had to make sure that it didn’t happen again. That’s when they were mad. 🙂 That’s when I realized that I am obedient….hahahaa I was kinda laughing when President told me the day before because I was like, “uhh… I have SO many faults and make SO many mistakes!!” But I’m trying and doing the best that I can. I’m “improving” is how President put it. 🙂 I don’t repeat the mistakes I make. It only takes me one or two times of messing up to figure it out when I guess a lot of other missionaries have a harder time with that. Then we just ditched Spanish and English classes because no one has been going to them so we could use our time in a better way. 🙂 So we did. And we taught AWESOME lessons! 🙂

Friday we did Mormon.org and then service at the library. 🙂 Then we went by a few people and were gonna have an AWESOME lesson but….it started to downpour and we were outside with the girl because there wasn’t a guy home so we had to do it outside. Well…we just rescheduled the lesson for tomorrow. 🙂 haha so all is well.:P Then we went by this guy on our list of people to see from Bishop who he has no idea about and he was super cool!! He lives on 6 and a half acres and his property is super cool!!! He has a separate 2 car, 2 story garage for all his hobbies and what not. It’s his “man cave” and it was legit! He also raised chickens and also he breeds rabbits to eat and stuff and that was cool. 🙂 They are apparently an excellent source of meat because of how fast they grow and how fast they breed. Still haven’t had rabbit though. Not sure if I want to. Yup! Then that night we taught J and had an AWESOME lesson with him!! He is sooooo ready….its just his Mom…she’s the one holding him back. 😛

And then we started our exchange that I was scared for….but it turned out to be awesome!!! 😀

So Elder W and Elder W (our zone leaders) came down to Cleburne for an exchange with us on Friday night for almost all of Saturday. 🙂 So we became two trios for the day. 🙂 We kinda were nervous because we were like, “why are the zone leaders coming to Cleburne?” But it was awesome!!! Elder W came with us and we had a blast!! Stayed up ’til 1ish talking and yea Elder W is cool. 🙂

Saturday we had correlation with our ward mission leader and then we had a few appointments. We were nervous about having like all of our plans punch, which some of them did, but everything worked out and we ended up having an AWESOME day!! We taught a bunch of people and Elder W got to meet a bunch of our investigators and teach them. 🙂 We taught J and B. And it was so cool! Elder W got like the gift of tongues while we were teaching them in Spanish! 🙂 Then we also got to teach L and C and then a miracle happened!!! And I am so happy I had the thought come into my head!! It was definitely the spirit! 🙂 So, our exchange was almost over, or suppose to be, but when we were at L’s she asked us “weren’t you going to show me the baptismal font?” And we were going to the day before but they cancelled on us so we didn’t. But then I thought about it and was like, “ya know what?! yea we are going to show you! Follow us.” 🙂 So they followed us to the church, I just happened to have the font keys (that I was suppose to give back to Brother L that morning during correlation but I forgot, or was made to forget because of this! 🙂 hehe) and we showed them the font. Well, while we were there, Sister P, the Primary President, was there!!!! 😀 we’d been trying to have them meet for forever!!! So it wasn’t a coincidence. 🙂 It was a miracle and a blessing!!! There are no coincidences in the church, know that!! 🙂

After our exchange we went over to the Rs family and that is where we held the snake!! Elder M conquered his fear of snakes and held one!!! And I held it too. I’m not afraid of them, I just don’t like them, but I did it!! 😀 Then they told me that I was going to give a baby/child’s blessing to Sister R granddaughter. I don’t know why, but this is one of those families that just really like me more than the other missionaries and stuff so they chose me to do the baby blessing. O.o well they didn’t go to church so that didn’t happen but they still want me to do it! Which would be interesting…first time giving a baby blessing, on my mission, and not to my child. We’ll see! haha

Then we went to Sister J’s and that’s where we got the anti mormon books…..she was given them and asked us if they were good books and so we looked them over and were like, “NO!!!!! DON’T READ THESE!!!” So we burned them Sunday night. 🙂

Sunday was awesome!!! L came to church so she is getting baptized on April 12th!!! And this time she stayed for all of it even though C had to leave early for work. 🙂 we had the M family take her home. 🙂 She felt a little uncomfortable at first, but as soon as she got to the 3rd hour with primary and sharing time, she loved it!!! 🙂 So she is excited and we are excited. 🙂 And after church we went over to their house and talked to her about being baptized and I convinced her to have Elder M baptize her. 🙂 Cuz it’ll be his first baptism. Well, he got super excited about that and kinda was freaking out. 🙂 haha like it was weird and funny. 🙂 Then we went to the B family for lunch and had breakfast for lunch!! And then Sister B told me about how y’all are facebook friends and what not. Then she told us how she recorded the missionaries singing and giving our testimonies in the 3rd hour which was given to the missionaries this week. And she said she sent it… 😛 I felt like an idiot talking and was like, “NO!!! why’d you send it?!” haha but the singing was better. 🙂 I had a lot of people talk to me about how they could hear me over everyone else and they kept asking if I did choir and stuff cuz I sounded good. 🙂 So that was a nice thing to hear. 🙂 🙂 And apparently I have mastered the use of “y’all” in speaking. 🙂 I used it a few times in my testimony I guess. 🙂

Then we went over to the W’s for K B’s open house. They were the family that Elder O and I helped teach to help them with their missionary prep. Then they moved to Tyler Texas and we helped them move the first weekend Elder B was here. They came back for the open house cuz not too many people know them in their new ward and it was awesome to talk to them. 🙂 And I’m glad you got the pics…. 🙂 hehe

And that was my week and we had a great time this week. 🙂

Answers time!

Yes I already have spanish scriptures, but I would like some more. I think they only come separately, and that’s how I’d like them please. 🙂 If that’s ok. If you can’t or don’t want to get me new ones that is fine….but I’d like them. 🙂 haha and I know I need a haircut. I’m getting one tomorrow during lunch from a member here that does them for free. 🙂 And I fine…I’ll go shorter than normal. 😛 hehe 🙂

The weather is finally starting to warm up, sadly. 😦 It was actually “hot” this past week. :S

And today we are going to do a huge FHE at the church with a bunch of families!!! 😀 So it’s going to be AWESOME!!! It was actually Sister R’s idea to do it at the church because she wanted to invite more families and their house and the S’s house isn’t big enough to accommodate that many people. So we’re doing it at the church! 🙂 This week we only have district meeting wednesday and then we have service tuesday and friday at the library and then tuesday and thursday for the apartment. 🙂 And then it’s your birthday and I’ll be thinking about you all day!! 🙂 And then we have GENERAL CONFERENCE!!!! Which is like Christmas for missionaries, or even better!!! Sorry, I know, I love calling y’all and stuff, but Conference has a special place in a missionaries heart. 🙂

For Conference we can either go to member’s houses and watch it or we can go to the church. 🙂 We might watch the priesthood session with the senior missionaries, the S’s, and then we don’t know about the other sessions yet. 🙂

Oh and yes it is weird that I only have like a third left of my mission….. President talked to me about it in my interview too!! 😦 I was like, “why bring that up President?!” But he was like, you still got some time. 🙂 So I do, I still have a lot of time!!! 🙂

Anyway this is long and I better sent this asap. :

I love you to the moon and back forever and ever!!! 🙂 I’ll remember to be awesome and y’all remember to be awesome too!!!

Elder Josh Andersen 🙂