Christmas!

What a great Christmas week! Even though it felt like summer! it was 81 degrees on christmas in alabama! Crazy! But on Christmas Eve, Jarmon, one of the Other missionaries investagators, He brought about 5 Home boys to play some ball, that was so much fun, It was me and elder Pearson, and Jarmon vs, Dub nation ,( thats what they called themselves) ha but it was fun, we ended up destroying them and they were laughing because they got beat by some white boys, lol but Christmas was great, Love the spirit and the real reason for christmas, and we should have that feeling year round! I love it! but thanks for all the support and love! I love yall! 

-- 

Elder Andersen

Happy Holidays!

This really is the most amazing time of the year, being out on my mission really opens my eyes to how important family really is, and the gospel to be the foundation of that family. 

This season is about Christ and how we have all we have here on this earth, such as families, Its an amazing gift he has given us, the gift of eternal life! I'm so grateful and thankful for all y'all who are supporting me:) Love and miss you all and i hope y'all have a great holidays, but the update for the area. We have an Investigator named spud, he has a really tough life but he is trying so hard to over come it, it is awesome to be apart of his journey of repentance and trying to improve his life, This gospel is so amazing, it really changes lives, that's how i know its the true church on this earth today! I know this gospel is true, i know that the Savior lives, he truly works through us to help out his children! but i love yall, Happy holidays! 

-- 

Elder Andersen

Quick Week

This week seemed like it just Flew by! ha its good and bad, ha i love this work so much but then i also miss yall but i still have alot of time and im excited about it! Alabama is beautiful this time of year, its not cold at all and its sunny! ha This week i still went around and got to know some members and some Investigators, Im loving it already, and after this transfer, Im more than likley to be leading over Ozark, which will be great! im excited! The members here are awesome, they try their best to do the work with us which is awesome! Cant really remember much but it was a good week:) Hope yall have a great week:) Talk to ya next week! Love and miss yall

-- 

Elder Andersen

Transfers

Wow! it has been a crazy but exciting week, got to go around and say bye to all the people in chipley! gosh i will miss them! Love them all! but on to a new place called Ozark! It is in Alabama! ha i miss being in Noles nation but its all good! the people here are so humble! I'm enjoying it big time! New comp is from St. George and he goes home after this transfer so I'm basically " killing" him, ha but hopefully i don't do that for real, jk but i love it here in Ozark! ITs sweet and I'm excited to do some work! I'm so grateful and thankful for all of yall! Love yall and have a great day and week:)) and the young man is Hasteen! gonna miss that guy! but he has some good elders takin over.

--Elder Andersen

Transfers

Well I'm being transferred.. ha its a bitter sweet feeling, but it has been such a blessed week! I had the chance to go on a trade off to Panama city beach! its so sick! i loved it! so beautiful! but also we had to meet with hasteen and teach him, he is such a solid little man! he is only 9 but he just was gathering it all in, he had questions and everything! But I'm excited to be able to move on! I hope i get to serve on the FSU campus but whatever happens, happens, but I'm excited for the new area! but i love yall, and I am so thankful for all the support and love:) Happy Holidays to all:) 

-- 

Elder Andersen

Great Week!

This week was much needed and maybe the best so far out on my mission! First we found a boy who is 9 years old named hasteen who wants to be baptized! his family are less active members but such great people! Then we had a Zone confrence on tuesday! it was sweet! just to be able to see all the missionaries out in the field! was awesome! But this week was good! Did a lot of service with richardo, and a less active member brother kennedy! But hope everyone is doing good! Love and miss yall! Church is true and the book is blue:)   

-- 

Elder Andersen

Service Week

This last week the weather has not been cooling down! it should be this week though!:) but We have done a ton of service with one of the members parents, they are from mexico and dont know any English, so it was a lot of hand signals and laughing! We did alot of mexican work lol, a ton of yard work. the yards down here in the south, they grow like huge bushes, so we had to chop that down and trees down! it was actually pretty fun! but it was to dang hot!! ha I love doing service! it really does mend our heart back when it is hurt, or broken. ha but i love yall and hope yall have a great week! talk to you next week:) 

-- 

Elder Andersen

This message is what Tim asked us to watch this week.  It's a great one!

https://www.mormonchannel.org/watch/series/mormon-messages/lift-the-power-of-service

Tough Week

Its been a long and tough week! but its fine its done and on to the next! but This week Im learning to trust in the lord and go through the the trials with faith! He gives us all trials but he knows we can overcome them! He will always be there! I have been doing the poderizing that one of the seventy that gave a talk this conference, my scripture this week is Isiah 41:10. Its a great scripture and helps give me strength. but i love and miss yall! Have a great week! 

-- 

Elder Andersen

Families

This last week i have really cherished my family and families out here! We got a chance to see a family last night. This family wants to go to church so bad, and there are two little boys who love the gospel! Their dad doesn't

 like the church so he doesn't allow them to go, but we got the chance to throw the football with them,and their cousins, one of the boys has no legs, he was born with a physical handicap, but he plays football like a beast,and his older brother Timothy, he has two hands that are split down to his wrist, it goes from in between the middle finger to the ring finger, but it goes down to his wrist! but yet they do all they want to, its really amazing! We are trying to work with them, we are gonna try to talk to the dad and see what his concerns are, but we haven't met him yet! but its good down here in flordia! love and miss yall! Hope yall have a great week! 

-- 

Elder Andersen

Fire!

Cool experience with one of our less actives! We met with Sister McDonald, like usual every week. Well in the past she has never taken out a book of mormon, and she tries to switch the subject. Well this week, when we told her we had a message for her she jumped up and went and grabbed her book of mormon, and she had some questions about some things that her friend had, well basically she was defending the church:) well we answered her question, and we shared a message with her. It was really cool to see because i have never seen her do that and she has been less active for 16 years now. This gospel is really so awesome! The lord helps guides us to those who are needed, even if it takes a while. We just cant give up, the lord will never give up on us. We all make mistakes, we just got to forgive others and us as well. I love these expirences because the lord has more than we think to learn from them. we just got to open up our minds and be humble enough to follow with faith. I love and miss you all. Thank yall for the support:) until next week:)  

-- 

Elder Andersen

Transfer Week!

Well this week was the end of this transfer, its been kind of a slow week but we did have alot of time for service! im starting to love service so much! ha but no transfers this week:) im actually happy about that because there is more to be done in chipley! and me and elder Thompson know it! It was stake conference week this week! It was good! Our mission president spoke! it was super good!:) but thanks for all the lovve and support! talk to ya next week:) 

-- 

Elder Andersen

Conference Week!!!!

Its been a Fast week! ha we finally found a new investigator!  She is a classic southern black lady that can talk your ear off! It was good to finally get that lesson in:) we have been visiting with her for about a month now but she just likes to talk so we haven't gotten the chance to give her a lesson, but finally we did! the lord helped us!:) but conference was super good! Loved it! We got to watch all Saturdays at the church then we went to president aukemas, for Sunday:) he had his grandchildren over and I basically entertained them for the morning session:) but its been a good week, went by fast but love and miss you all and thank y'all for your support and love:) 

--  

Elder Andersen

Sick Week

Not much happened this week other than me getting sick.. ha i had the flu for a little bit. I slept for over 90 hours out of 5 days. but i got back in action sunday! so I'm good to go now! I'm excited to go out and work! But i hope everyone is doing well, i love and miss you all! sorry it was a short letter. but i will make up for it next week!:) 

-- 

Elder Andersen

Florida Life

Thanks for the letters everyone! They were really needed, it’s been a really rough week, Childon is gone! I hope he is doing good but it’s just so frustrating because he was soaking in the gospel but he just left..?? ha..  We did get invited to a 1st Baptist church. It was fun but it’s so man mingled with scripture. Its pleasing to the natural man ha.. It was cool though brought back some memories of when I was a little kid. I think it’s funny how everyone down here thinks that they are saved and they don't even have to do anything. The book of Mormon is so true! All I could think about when I was in there was how they remind me of the Zorimites.  I love and miss you all!  

Love Elder Andersen.

Hard Week

This week has been pretty difficult, but i love this work and there is nothing better than serving the lord no matter what he puts us through:) Not much happened this week other than a lot a lot of walking in the heat. ha but i try to make it fun with my companion. We do work our tail off and im proud of that but this Sunday we were blessed with teaching 3 less actives but they are solid families going through a lot but they are trying to stay as strong as possible:) Childon is trying super hard to be ready for His Baptism date:) but I love this work, and i encourage all to help with this work, either its in your family or helping out someone, and helping out with the missionary because its not just our job to do this work its all our job. well i love you all and hope you guys have a great week!:) 

-- 

Elder Andersen

Hellfighters

This week has been a crazy fun week! Earlier this week i got the chance to play some ball with some hood rats and they laughed when me and my companion asked to play because we are white but they didn't realize white folks can play too. we ended up beating them and leaving them with a little message it was awesome to see them humble and the way the lord works to humble others! and this friday Elder Thompson and I went to a breakfast with a Biker Christian gang, named the hellfighters! The nicest people i have ever met! one of the guys looked like phil off of duck dynasty it was hilarious! Then this sunday me and my comp had to give a talk, i talked on how i came on my mission and he talked on Joseph smith! it was a great sacrament! Well i hope everyone is doing alright! love and miss you all and talk to y'all next week! 

-- 

Elder Andersen

*************************************

Also - A note from Elder Nielson

Elder Andersen & Elder Nielson

Dear Brother and Sister Andersen,

My wife Marcia and I had the opportunity to visit the Florida Tallahassee Mission. During our time there I had an interview with your wonderful son. During our time together he told me how you rescued him and brought him into your family.

He loves you. He is becoming an outstanding missionary. His President and wife speak very highly of him.

Thank you so much for sending him to Florida. We are very fortunate to have him.

Sincerely yours,

Elder Brent H. Nielson
First Quorum of the Seventy

Hard Week

It's been a hard week, had no lessons until sunday, but the coolest thing was the lord did bless us! Childon told us that he promise and no doubt he will be baptized which is awesome because he has so much going against him, he is willing to put 100% of his faith in the lord. That's something i'm growing to learn out here. Without him, we are nothing. we cant do anything without him. Even the people who believe that there is no god. They all soon find themselves talking to our heavenly father. And the most amazing thing about it is he loves us and listens no matter what! ha well that's all i have for this week! Ill keep yall updated and ill talk to y'all next week!:) 

-- 

Elder Andersen

blessings!

This week has been full of blessings and adventures! We had the chance to teach childon again about the Plan of Salvation and invited him to become baptized! he accepted and its crazy because we didn't plan to ask but we did and he seems like we will be ready! its in oct 10 because he needs time to clean up his life but im so excited! My companion and I have been talking to everyone! ha we ran into these guys who were outside a tattoo place and they were tatted from head to their toe and had piercings all over! But we talked to them and one of them just was going off on how he loves what we do! and the guy was so nice he invited us to come in and talk to the boss of the place, so we went in and talked to this huge white skin head. ha it was kind of scary haha but it was funny! He was all tatted up and had a Nazi tattoo on his arm, but the guy told us we are always welcomed in to a drink or to take a break and talk if we ever wanted too. His name was cue ball, ha which is the white ball in pool lol but it was a adventure! ha we talked for about 20 min! Im loving the work out here! Thanks for the support and ill talk to y'all next week:) 
-- 

Elder Andersen

Hard Work!

This week has been crazy! The start of this week I went down to panama city beach for a trade off and it was so much different. like there was a lot of people! Elder Peterson who is my zone leader helped me get over the fear of talking to people fast. We taught a lesson to an older lady and that went well then we went to buffalo wild wings for dinner with a member and it was awesome! I got the chance to catch up on my sports;) ha but when I got back in my area we got to teach carl. we have been focusing on the atonement and repentance this whole week. we have taught him twice. and he came to church. and I had to teach a lesson on repentance in sunday school. Something touched his heart because he was in tears. we don't know quite yet what happened because he left after sunday school but something did. He has come along way and he has been taught for about a year and a half. He is a great man. I have been talking to everyone. like really I love the people here but they are so stubborn in changing. but they have been nice. we had one investigator that we was talking to tell his mom told us to leave him alone. but it will get better. I love and miss you all hope. talk to y'all next week. and that's me and the comp after some Ball. 
​
--  Elder Andersen

Loving Thugs

I've been doing a ton of service at a theatre called the vance. we did service this week with a bunch of thugs which was fun lol we had to clean out a theatre and move a ton of seats. but it was funny because we rode with them and they where bumping their rap music and it felt weird to hear that music again lol it was super weird and spiritually bad. but we showed them love and that we care and they love talking with us even though they wont change lol. but they tell us just from talking to us it brings them blessings so they give us money for food and they watch after us so I think its super cool. ha they are all a bunch of young black kids who need the gospel and we are working on helping them. ha We also have and investigator that is 79, a old black man. he tells us a ton of stories how he severed in the Korean war and was a gangster in Miami and took down guys with one punch. haha its been neat knowing him but ill talk to you all next week. peace and blessings  

-- 

Elder Andersen

Chipley

First week out in the field complete. its an amazing experience out here. Im in a small town in Flordia called Chipley. It reminds me of a smaller Ogden. the people here are so nice even if they don't want to hear from us. but im growing the love for them. im so excited to learn more. ive learned a lot and I am very humbled. I got the chance to teach a phillipino guy who lives in a very small house that is breaking down and has no AC. it was sad.. but he wants to change and he has the strongest desire to change. so ill keep yall updated on him but love and miss you all. 

-- 

Elder Andersen

2 days to go!!!

Hey! im almost out of here! i cant wait to get out into the field! but nothing too amazing happened this week. just a lot of fun with my district. ha Elder Delamare scared the crap out of me! I went to go shower and when i came back he was underneath my bed and popped out of me but it was alright because i had elder Garcia -a bigger latino- hide inside of his closet so when he came to open it up he had a surprise for him;) but i love it here! it's hard and a lot of work but i wouldn't trade it for the world. thank you all for the support! talk to ya next week

-- 

Elder Andersen

Fun Times

hey! so this past week i have learned so much here at the MTC. Its crazy! Im the district leader and it is so much work but its helping me getting over my fears. i love everyone here at the MTC and its only been 3 days! but i hope everyone is doing well. theres no crazy stories today.. but ill keep eveyone updated! talk to you all later! 

-- 

Elder Andersen