December 15, 2010
Hey Family,
So we really are running today so I don’t really have any time to write. Yesterday we had our Christmas party and because of that today isn’t P-day, just to write home to say we’re ok. But next week I’ll know a lot more details about Christmas and how it will be. Love you all. Take care and until next week…
Love,
Elder Anderson
Saturday, December 11, 2010
December 8, 2010
Hey Family what’s up?
So yeah our 4 baptisms went through. It was really neat. A man in our ward got to baptize his granddaughter and it was the first person he had ever baptized. It was really neat and we activated her mom so that family was really happy. It was a really good baptism. I’ll send the pictures next week.
It looks like for Christmas half of the mission will be going to a sports center here in Itabuna and the other half will have a meeting a week later in Salvador where we can play soccer and basketball and stuff so I’m pretty pumped. That should fun.
Elder Jones and I both stayed but now there are two more missionaries in our house, Elder Do Nacimento and Elder Forbush… It will be good. This week when we were in Salvador, Elder Howard who is in my group, got word that his mom is dying of cancer. He knew she had it but they gave her only a few more weeks to live. He was given the chance to go see her and then come back out on the mission. He is now back home. It’s been really hard for him but he is staying strong. He is a good guy.
Things are going well here. We are really excited to work and keep this good member work going that we are seeing. It’s crazy that it’s so cold there and so hot here. Just shaving is enough to make me sweat... that stinks but what can you do? I’m glad Justin got back (from Europe) safe. It’s crazy that I’ll be calling home again real soon and that I’ll have less than 5 months. It’s so weird. I feel like I used to feel like a month before summer vacation where you can feel the end coming. I love the mission but I’m really tired all the time but I’m happy. I’m just happy to be doing what’s right.
I hope everything is well with you guys and I’ll let you know when I get the package. Don’t sweat it. And yeah, sorry about all the money I spent this week. It was a really stressful week and I won’t lie, I bought a lot of candy to help me through it. Sorry, but thanks for watching that for me. I love you guys so much. I can feel your prayers ... Don’t stop sending them because a missionary needs them until the last day.
Love you.
Hey Family what’s up?
So yeah our 4 baptisms went through. It was really neat. A man in our ward got to baptize his granddaughter and it was the first person he had ever baptized. It was really neat and we activated her mom so that family was really happy. It was a really good baptism. I’ll send the pictures next week.
It looks like for Christmas half of the mission will be going to a sports center here in Itabuna and the other half will have a meeting a week later in Salvador where we can play soccer and basketball and stuff so I’m pretty pumped. That should fun.
Elder Jones and I both stayed but now there are two more missionaries in our house, Elder Do Nacimento and Elder Forbush… It will be good. This week when we were in Salvador, Elder Howard who is in my group, got word that his mom is dying of cancer. He knew she had it but they gave her only a few more weeks to live. He was given the chance to go see her and then come back out on the mission. He is now back home. It’s been really hard for him but he is staying strong. He is a good guy.
Things are going well here. We are really excited to work and keep this good member work going that we are seeing. It’s crazy that it’s so cold there and so hot here. Just shaving is enough to make me sweat... that stinks but what can you do? I’m glad Justin got back (from Europe) safe. It’s crazy that I’ll be calling home again real soon and that I’ll have less than 5 months. It’s so weird. I feel like I used to feel like a month before summer vacation where you can feel the end coming. I love the mission but I’m really tired all the time but I’m happy. I’m just happy to be doing what’s right.
I hope everything is well with you guys and I’ll let you know when I get the package. Don’t sweat it. And yeah, sorry about all the money I spent this week. It was a really stressful week and I won’t lie, I bought a lot of candy to help me through it. Sorry, but thanks for watching that for me. I love you guys so much. I can feel your prayers ... Don’t stop sending them because a missionary needs them until the last day.
Love you.
Friday, December 3, 2010
December 2, 2010
Hey we’re here at a conference in Salvador. I just have about two min to write right now, so I’ll try and write tomorrow but if I don’t have a chance don’t freak out. I’m not dead Mom. Love you all. The snow made me trunky de mais!
December 3, 2010
Hey so today I’m not gonna have much time either but we just got all of our batismos interviewed and they are all excited for tomorrow. There are 4 of them, some families we reactivated and another family we are teaching. The mom has to get married but the kids don’t. I love little batismos that don’t have to get married :) They are way pumped though.
I also got one package when I was in Salvador. I’m excited to open all the little presents too. But things are good here. Take care you all. Love you.
Elder Anderson
Hey we’re here at a conference in Salvador. I just have about two min to write right now, so I’ll try and write tomorrow but if I don’t have a chance don’t freak out. I’m not dead Mom. Love you all. The snow made me trunky de mais!
December 3, 2010
Hey so today I’m not gonna have much time either but we just got all of our batismos interviewed and they are all excited for tomorrow. There are 4 of them, some families we reactivated and another family we are teaching. The mom has to get married but the kids don’t. I love little batismos that don’t have to get married :) They are way pumped though.
I also got one package when I was in Salvador. I’m excited to open all the little presents too. But things are good here. Take care you all. Love you.
Elder Anderson
Sunday, November 28, 2010
November 24, 2010
(Tim sent a short video clip and a voice clip. The voice clip is transcribed at the end of his letter below.)
I’m the best son ever. I sent a voice clip and a little video. I was so pumped when it actually worked. We are doing good here. I could sure use some snow, or a P-day of snow boarding would really be nice, ha. But what can ya do?
I hope you guys hear from Justin soon. I know how Mom is. She doesn’t like that stuff. Here in about a month I’ll be calling home again. Last Christmas Eve I spent in the Nelson Costa house too. I called from the pay phone on the corner so I probably will call from that phone again. That’s kinda ironic. Well we are just peachy here. Love you guys.
Take care.
(Here is the voice clip transcribed. He was talking while they were walking to the internet.)
What up, what up? We’re walking in the street. We’re going to the internet, and thought it would be a good idea … Ahh, just saw a kid block a sweet goal… and we’re going to go use the internet. So I just thought I would drop you guys a line real fast so I could send it. But today was cool. It was our P-day. ??? (Inaudible) We we’re going to go fishing with Juan (sp?) but it rained a little bit. It was funny because Juan just kept saying like “Hey, if you guys want to go, we’ll go in the rain. If you guys don’t want to go, we’ll mark another week.” So we were like alright Juan, we think it would be better to mark another week when it’s not raining. He was like “okay, but we marked for today, so… if you guys wanted to go, I’d go.” So we were like “okay Juan, let’s just go.” And he was like “No, I don’t think today would be good. It’s raining and …”
I don’t know. It was just funny. So then we went home and we tie-died shirts and then we took a napsy, and then we went out in the street and played baseball. And that caught the attention of every young man in Nelson Costa. So they were all just like throwing the baseball around and hitting each other in the head and stuff trying to learn how to play. And then it just... all of a sudden… we had a crowd coming out bringing out guitars, parrots, little sauga jius (sp and meaning?). It was great. It was fun and we were just playing with all the kids for a while, watching them play baseball. We found a stick that we used for a little bat. We took some videos. I’ll try and send one that’s real fast but… So we did that and then we… now we’re just heading to the internet. But it was cool.
We’re going to go out with this woman in our ward tonight, Juili (sp?) and teach a bunch of people. We’ve got some pretty good investigators. We’re teaching this guy named Ed Brazil. He was like a candidate here for the elections. He’s kind of a big deal, and we’re teaching him. He’s loving it. He’s really liking the lessons and everything so… so that was cool. We’re teaching him. We have some other investigators that we’re working with. Hopefully this week we’ll have two baptisms – these kids who’s dad’s inactive. He doesn’t want to come back, but his wife is now going to church. She loves the church. She can’t get baptized because they are not married and he doesn’t want to get married, but her kids are getting baptized. They’re way cool, Kevin and Ingridje (sp?).
So, that’s what we’re up to. I hope everything’s going good with you guys. Things are going super good here. We’re just working hard and loving life so hope you guys have a good one.
Tchau.
(Tim sent a short video clip and a voice clip. The voice clip is transcribed at the end of his letter below.)
I’m the best son ever. I sent a voice clip and a little video. I was so pumped when it actually worked. We are doing good here. I could sure use some snow, or a P-day of snow boarding would really be nice, ha. But what can ya do?
I hope you guys hear from Justin soon. I know how Mom is. She doesn’t like that stuff. Here in about a month I’ll be calling home again. Last Christmas Eve I spent in the Nelson Costa house too. I called from the pay phone on the corner so I probably will call from that phone again. That’s kinda ironic. Well we are just peachy here. Love you guys.
Take care.
(Here is the voice clip transcribed. He was talking while they were walking to the internet.)
What up, what up? We’re walking in the street. We’re going to the internet, and thought it would be a good idea … Ahh, just saw a kid block a sweet goal… and we’re going to go use the internet. So I just thought I would drop you guys a line real fast so I could send it. But today was cool. It was our P-day. ??? (Inaudible) We we’re going to go fishing with Juan (sp?) but it rained a little bit. It was funny because Juan just kept saying like “Hey, if you guys want to go, we’ll go in the rain. If you guys don’t want to go, we’ll mark another week.” So we were like alright Juan, we think it would be better to mark another week when it’s not raining. He was like “okay, but we marked for today, so… if you guys wanted to go, I’d go.” So we were like “okay Juan, let’s just go.” And he was like “No, I don’t think today would be good. It’s raining and …”
I don’t know. It was just funny. So then we went home and we tie-died shirts and then we took a napsy, and then we went out in the street and played baseball. And that caught the attention of every young man in Nelson Costa. So they were all just like throwing the baseball around and hitting each other in the head and stuff trying to learn how to play. And then it just... all of a sudden… we had a crowd coming out bringing out guitars, parrots, little sauga jius (sp and meaning?). It was great. It was fun and we were just playing with all the kids for a while, watching them play baseball. We found a stick that we used for a little bat. We took some videos. I’ll try and send one that’s real fast but… So we did that and then we… now we’re just heading to the internet. But it was cool.
We’re going to go out with this woman in our ward tonight, Juili (sp?) and teach a bunch of people. We’ve got some pretty good investigators. We’re teaching this guy named Ed Brazil. He was like a candidate here for the elections. He’s kind of a big deal, and we’re teaching him. He’s loving it. He’s really liking the lessons and everything so… so that was cool. We’re teaching him. We have some other investigators that we’re working with. Hopefully this week we’ll have two baptisms – these kids who’s dad’s inactive. He doesn’t want to come back, but his wife is now going to church. She loves the church. She can’t get baptized because they are not married and he doesn’t want to get married, but her kids are getting baptized. They’re way cool, Kevin and Ingridje (sp?).
So, that’s what we’re up to. I hope everything’s going good with you guys. Things are going super good here. We’re just working hard and loving life so hope you guys have a good one.
Tchau.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Hey Family,
How’s it going? Things here are good. Elder Jones and I were so excited to hear back from our moms ... and both of you were just like why did you buy these ridiculous watches ... we just wanted to keep our moms flossin ya know. Hope you learned to like it, ha. The girl that got truck by lightning was fine.... nothing happened to her. She just walked off; it was gnarly.
We are doing a blitz here in another area. We don’t have tons of time, but this week was good. We have lots of people with date, so I hope they all go through. I don’t know if we’ll have one this week but next week for sure. Elder Floyd says hi. He is a really good missionary. So Elder Jones and I are just working so hard and loving it. He is one of my true bros ya know. I think we will stay together one more transfer at least.
I can’t believe that Lonny died... I had forgotten that he had cancer, right? How is his wife? Is she healthy? That’s sad. I also can’t believe that Brian is almost done with his mission. That’s unreal.
I can’t believe that I have a year and a half. I need to write in my journal because I won’t lie, I have been terrible at it my whole mission so don’t let me not do it... You’re my parents. You gotta keep me in shape.
Justin is going to another country ... Just thinking about that made me super nervous and scared for him ... but I guess he isn’t the little weenie man that I remember. It also made me realize a little bit how you guys felt sending a son to Brasil for 2 years....wow. But I’m happy. So much you guys always told me is true... I always had the answers right in front of me but I was so blind. For example, if you wanna be cool... be nice to everyone. If you wanna be happy, be obedient. It is what you make it.... I hate kicking myself in the pants about stuff that has taken me so long to understand. I see new missionaries coming into the mission that are so smart and such good guys. Sometimes I feel like they know more than I do already, but I just have to look at the progress that I have made in my life. It’s crazy. I love my mission and I love you all.
Take care.
How’s it going? Things here are good. Elder Jones and I were so excited to hear back from our moms ... and both of you were just like why did you buy these ridiculous watches ... we just wanted to keep our moms flossin ya know. Hope you learned to like it, ha. The girl that got truck by lightning was fine.... nothing happened to her. She just walked off; it was gnarly.
We are doing a blitz here in another area. We don’t have tons of time, but this week was good. We have lots of people with date, so I hope they all go through. I don’t know if we’ll have one this week but next week for sure. Elder Floyd says hi. He is a really good missionary. So Elder Jones and I are just working so hard and loving it. He is one of my true bros ya know. I think we will stay together one more transfer at least.
I can’t believe that Lonny died... I had forgotten that he had cancer, right? How is his wife? Is she healthy? That’s sad. I also can’t believe that Brian is almost done with his mission. That’s unreal.
I can’t believe that I have a year and a half. I need to write in my journal because I won’t lie, I have been terrible at it my whole mission so don’t let me not do it... You’re my parents. You gotta keep me in shape.
Justin is going to another country ... Just thinking about that made me super nervous and scared for him ... but I guess he isn’t the little weenie man that I remember. It also made me realize a little bit how you guys felt sending a son to Brasil for 2 years....wow. But I’m happy. So much you guys always told me is true... I always had the answers right in front of me but I was so blind. For example, if you wanna be cool... be nice to everyone. If you wanna be happy, be obedient. It is what you make it.... I hate kicking myself in the pants about stuff that has taken me so long to understand. I see new missionaries coming into the mission that are so smart and such good guys. Sometimes I feel like they know more than I do already, but I just have to look at the progress that I have made in my life. It’s crazy. I love my mission and I love you all.
Take care.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
November 10, 2010
Tim sent a voice clip this week. The first part of it was him talking to some neighbor boys in Portuguese, so we can't transcribe that portion, but here is the rest of it.
Hey Family, here we are. Just in our house with our little neighbor boys. Playing a little soccer with them, just hitting around and we’re just going to talk a little bit so you guys can hear.
The boy’s names are Junior and Pedro. (Lot's of talking in Portuguese.......)
Elder Jones just made a surprise appearance. So that was our neighbor boys. They just ran into our house and little Junior busted our glass cup and raised hecccckk in our house and then left. He’s super funny though. But, me and Jones, we’re just heading out to go use the internet. This week was super cool - not super cool - but we worked really hard and Ricardo? got baptized. It was a good baptism. He really understood what baptism was. He was super excited. The ward got super pumped with us too because we just got here and we baptized a man, so they think we’re the best. He’s super firm. We went and talked to him and he said he felt the spirit really strong at his baptism. We also saw a girl get struck by lightning in front of our house and we also saw a kid about 50 feet up in a mango tree picking mangoes for us.
Hey, what? (Junior says something and Tim answers), He just called me man. So that’s what’s going on here. We’re just having fun tearing it up over here in Nelson Costa. The work’s been pretty hard. We’ve been working our tails off with not too much success but we’re sure the blessings are coming.
(Elder Jones says something about the boys calling him fat.) Junior just called Elder Jones fat because he just got out of the shower and he is getting a little pudgy. (Elder Jones says that he is not. Tim says he is because he is too lazy to do the perfect pushups in the morning.) Sometimes he tries to do my set (We think that is what he said. He mumbled.) but it’s pretty funny.
So, we’re just sitting here chillin and we’re going to go use the internet. I’ll send this to you and then that’s about it. I hope you guys are doing good and talk to you later.
Tim sent a voice clip this week. The first part of it was him talking to some neighbor boys in Portuguese, so we can't transcribe that portion, but here is the rest of it.
Hey Family, here we are. Just in our house with our little neighbor boys. Playing a little soccer with them, just hitting around and we’re just going to talk a little bit so you guys can hear.
The boy’s names are Junior and Pedro. (Lot's of talking in Portuguese.......)
Elder Jones just made a surprise appearance. So that was our neighbor boys. They just ran into our house and little Junior busted our glass cup and raised hecccckk in our house and then left. He’s super funny though. But, me and Jones, we’re just heading out to go use the internet. This week was super cool - not super cool - but we worked really hard and Ricardo? got baptized. It was a good baptism. He really understood what baptism was. He was super excited. The ward got super pumped with us too because we just got here and we baptized a man, so they think we’re the best. He’s super firm. We went and talked to him and he said he felt the spirit really strong at his baptism. We also saw a girl get struck by lightning in front of our house and we also saw a kid about 50 feet up in a mango tree picking mangoes for us.
Hey, what? (Junior says something and Tim answers), He just called me man. So that’s what’s going on here. We’re just having fun tearing it up over here in Nelson Costa. The work’s been pretty hard. We’ve been working our tails off with not too much success but we’re sure the blessings are coming.
(Elder Jones says something about the boys calling him fat.) Junior just called Elder Jones fat because he just got out of the shower and he is getting a little pudgy. (Elder Jones says that he is not. Tim says he is because he is too lazy to do the perfect pushups in the morning.) Sometimes he tries to do my set (We think that is what he said. He mumbled.) but it’s pretty funny.
So, we’re just sitting here chillin and we’re going to go use the internet. I’ll send this to you and then that’s about it. I hope you guys are doing good and talk to you later.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
November 4, 2010
Dear Family,
So we were at a meeting in Salvador the last two days. I’m getting used to sleeping on busses sweaty and sticky but that’s just part of it. We got back to day. It was cool. President Vecchi told us about a program that they are going to start in Brasil. It’s to make Brasil self sufficient. They now are asking young men here to leave for a mission with 18 years, and they are asking wards to pay for these missionaries. It will be announced in our stake conference here in a week. What this means is a little bit of sacrifice on their parts. We are talking a big sacrifice. Our job is going to be going to all of the members and asking them to give 200 reis for two months. But that is about half of their salary. So to us that doesn’t sound like a lot but to them it’s going to be a true test of faith. We are excited to see what will happen as we read in the scriptures that miracles happen when we sacrifice.
This week I read two really good talks that Elder Jones showed me. One is called “Believing Christ; a Practical Approach to the Atonement”. It was really good and if you guys can you should read it for a Family Night or something. Sometimes out here on the mission I just beat myself up about stuff and realize that I’ll never be perfect and I think about how much my Savior did for me and I still make mistakes and it makes me mad. But something that this talk said that I liked is “you believe in Christ, but do you believe Christ?” It was a really good talk. I love my mission. I love the fact that I am in tune with the spirit. I didn’t know what I was missing. I love helping people. I love the fact that I want to be better. Justin if I could re-live high school I would be nice to everyone. Be a friend to everyone. Put your arm around those who don’t have someone by their side, because at your judgment they will stand up for you. I know you are good about that but I’m sure you could do better.
The ward here is great. We are going to try and work harder with the members to baptize more references. We have some good investigators. We have a man who is with date for this week and wants to be baptised so bad but we will see if he is ready for this Saturday. Well I love you all. I know that Jesus is our Savior and that He lives. Take care.
Love, Elder Anderson
Dear Family,
So we were at a meeting in Salvador the last two days. I’m getting used to sleeping on busses sweaty and sticky but that’s just part of it. We got back to day. It was cool. President Vecchi told us about a program that they are going to start in Brasil. It’s to make Brasil self sufficient. They now are asking young men here to leave for a mission with 18 years, and they are asking wards to pay for these missionaries. It will be announced in our stake conference here in a week. What this means is a little bit of sacrifice on their parts. We are talking a big sacrifice. Our job is going to be going to all of the members and asking them to give 200 reis for two months. But that is about half of their salary. So to us that doesn’t sound like a lot but to them it’s going to be a true test of faith. We are excited to see what will happen as we read in the scriptures that miracles happen when we sacrifice.
This week I read two really good talks that Elder Jones showed me. One is called “Believing Christ; a Practical Approach to the Atonement”. It was really good and if you guys can you should read it for a Family Night or something. Sometimes out here on the mission I just beat myself up about stuff and realize that I’ll never be perfect and I think about how much my Savior did for me and I still make mistakes and it makes me mad. But something that this talk said that I liked is “you believe in Christ, but do you believe Christ?” It was a really good talk. I love my mission. I love the fact that I am in tune with the spirit. I didn’t know what I was missing. I love helping people. I love the fact that I want to be better. Justin if I could re-live high school I would be nice to everyone. Be a friend to everyone. Put your arm around those who don’t have someone by their side, because at your judgment they will stand up for you. I know you are good about that but I’m sure you could do better.
The ward here is great. We are going to try and work harder with the members to baptize more references. We have some good investigators. We have a man who is with date for this week and wants to be baptised so bad but we will see if he is ready for this Saturday. Well I love you all. I know that Jesus is our Savior and that He lives. Take care.
Love, Elder Anderson
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
What up fam?
How are things going with you all? Things are going good here. We just got done with our meeting with Elder Oaks which was really cool. I was also transferred, and I’m back where I started in Ilheus! And I’m with my boy Elder Jones in the area Nelson Costa. It was cool. We are pumped to baptise até o pó!
About the Christmas package, I just want a bunch of sunflower seeds. Beef jerky is always a plus, and whatever else you wanna surprise me with. But it doesn’t need to be much. Stick deodorant is always nice too. By then I will be needin it. Oh man I had forgotten how hot Ilheus is. I’m sweatin my tushy off here. But it’s good.
We are super excited to work with the other elders here too. They seem excited. We have lots of news (new investigators) and good families we are working with. Elder Oaks was way cool. He is funny. He and his wife shook our hands. She was also really cool. He talked about a lot of things but like he said, the best part is all the other ideas and inspiration that comes while he was talking. It’s obvious to tell that he is a SPECIAL testimony that Jesus Christ is our Savior and that He lives.
I sent a CD with Elder Weaver that he said he would give to you guys. (Elder Weaver returns home tomorrow!) That’s so funny - we had heard that Katy (Elder Weaver’s sister) was dating Elder Simons. He is super funny and from Seattle. I love him, but everyone is teasing him about it.
Things are going well. Elder Vitelli and I left lots of good news with baptismal dates for him and his new comp so I hope they all go through. I also got a lot of letters from you Mom. Thanks. I love them. I just got done reading them. You guys are the best. I hope you know how much I am learning about life and about Christ. The mission is so hard but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I know Jesus Christ is our Savior and our Brother. I’m now understanding just a portion of the debt that I am in to Him. I love the Book of Mormon ... there doesn’t exist another like it. I know that we are here to do a little of His work and I don’t have too much time left but I’ll run til the end. Thanks for the support and the prayers. They help a lot. Love you all. Take care,
Elder Anderson
How are things going with you all? Things are going good here. We just got done with our meeting with Elder Oaks which was really cool. I was also transferred, and I’m back where I started in Ilheus! And I’m with my boy Elder Jones in the area Nelson Costa. It was cool. We are pumped to baptise até o pó!
About the Christmas package, I just want a bunch of sunflower seeds. Beef jerky is always a plus, and whatever else you wanna surprise me with. But it doesn’t need to be much. Stick deodorant is always nice too. By then I will be needin it. Oh man I had forgotten how hot Ilheus is. I’m sweatin my tushy off here. But it’s good.
We are super excited to work with the other elders here too. They seem excited. We have lots of news (new investigators) and good families we are working with. Elder Oaks was way cool. He is funny. He and his wife shook our hands. She was also really cool. He talked about a lot of things but like he said, the best part is all the other ideas and inspiration that comes while he was talking. It’s obvious to tell that he is a SPECIAL testimony that Jesus Christ is our Savior and that He lives.
I sent a CD with Elder Weaver that he said he would give to you guys. (Elder Weaver returns home tomorrow!) That’s so funny - we had heard that Katy (Elder Weaver’s sister) was dating Elder Simons. He is super funny and from Seattle. I love him, but everyone is teasing him about it.
Things are going well. Elder Vitelli and I left lots of good news with baptismal dates for him and his new comp so I hope they all go through. I also got a lot of letters from you Mom. Thanks. I love them. I just got done reading them. You guys are the best. I hope you know how much I am learning about life and about Christ. The mission is so hard but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I know Jesus Christ is our Savior and our Brother. I’m now understanding just a portion of the debt that I am in to Him. I love the Book of Mormon ... there doesn’t exist another like it. I know that we are here to do a little of His work and I don’t have too much time left but I’ll run til the end. Thanks for the support and the prayers. They help a lot. Love you all. Take care,
Elder Anderson
Friday, October 22, 2010
Here are a couple pictures of our last baptism and my new suit.
October 20, 2010
So this week it’s gonna have to be short cause I sent two pics and a voice message. But thanks for your e mail. I loved it. Sounds like you’re all doing so well; except, Justin, laziness is no excuse not to write your brother who has been in Brasil for a year and 5 months. All I wanna do is mess around and hang out with you so you better at least write me a good e mail.! But I love you all. This week was good. We are super excited to see Elder Oaks and see all my buddies from Weaver’s group before they leave. They are all my boys. Love you all. Take care
So this week it’s gonna have to be short cause I sent two pics and a voice message. But thanks for your e mail. I loved it. Sounds like you’re all doing so well; except, Justin, laziness is no excuse not to write your brother who has been in Brasil for a year and 5 months. All I wanna do is mess around and hang out with you so you better at least write me a good e mail.! But I love you all. This week was good. We are super excited to see Elder Oaks and see all my buddies from Weaver’s group before they leave. They are all my boys. Love you all. Take care
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Dear Family,
The internet here is being extremely slow this week, so I don’t think the pic will send but I’ll try next week. I did get my package. I thought I had told you all last week but I guess not. Sorry. Yeah I got it. It’s pretty much all gone now but thanks so much. You have no idea how much a package means to a missionary. It’s like a little bit of America in a box and there is nothing better than that.
The girl we baptized is doing well. She walked an hour to the church to get confirmed because they didn’t have money for a bus so I was pretty impressed with that. The family is doing good, just that their dad is still drinking and smoking. We’re trying to help but his situation is a toughy.
We took a 17 year old girl to church last Sunday and she sat with this woman named Mary and loved church. We went by her house Sunday after church to see how she liked it and to give her a lesson and her mom said,” she isn’t here she is at church...” and we thought crap she went to another church. But turns out she was at choir practice. They invited her and she wanted to go. When we went there yesterday, she showed us her sheet music for her solo she will be singing and she was wearing a CTR ring. Ha! So we’re pretty excited about her. We marked her baptism for the 23rd. I hope all goes well. She really wants to. She watched the Joseph Smith video and cried. I hope her mom doesn’t interfere because that always happens with me!
We still have the sisters in our district. Sister Davenport is going home here with Weaver. She is from Washington too. She lives kinda by Doug, I think, over there close to Oregon. I’ll think about school (going back to BYUI in the fall) and pray about it but I think it would be good to go there ASAP. I am glad that I’m learning a new language. I only study in “Port” now. I like it a lot. I was thinking only in “Port” but now that I’m with Elder Vitelli, I have been speaking more English. It had been about 6 months that I was just with Brasilians. More than that actually. So my English was all messed up but it’s getting better. People tell me that I speak pretty good Port but I need to study more.
Today we helped a guy who was doing some test. I don’t know what it was but we went to a college and sat in a sound proof box and he recorded us saying some phrases in English and in Port. It was kinda cool. He bought us milk shakes after at least. Oh and yesterday we woke up at 5: 50am, to some loud noise in our room. It turned out to be a 6 inch moth attacking us. Elder Vitelli screams, “it’s a bird..” I ran and got the broom and after a 20 min battle, we killed that sucka! Then we couldn’t get back to sleep. It stunk but it was funny. I’ll try and send a card with Elder Weaver. (We asked Tim if he could send a memory card home with Elder Weaver with some pictures on it.) But, I gotta go.
Love you guys,
Elder Anderson
The internet here is being extremely slow this week, so I don’t think the pic will send but I’ll try next week. I did get my package. I thought I had told you all last week but I guess not. Sorry. Yeah I got it. It’s pretty much all gone now but thanks so much. You have no idea how much a package means to a missionary. It’s like a little bit of America in a box and there is nothing better than that.
The girl we baptized is doing well. She walked an hour to the church to get confirmed because they didn’t have money for a bus so I was pretty impressed with that. The family is doing good, just that their dad is still drinking and smoking. We’re trying to help but his situation is a toughy.
We took a 17 year old girl to church last Sunday and she sat with this woman named Mary and loved church. We went by her house Sunday after church to see how she liked it and to give her a lesson and her mom said,” she isn’t here she is at church...” and we thought crap she went to another church. But turns out she was at choir practice. They invited her and she wanted to go. When we went there yesterday, she showed us her sheet music for her solo she will be singing and she was wearing a CTR ring. Ha! So we’re pretty excited about her. We marked her baptism for the 23rd. I hope all goes well. She really wants to. She watched the Joseph Smith video and cried. I hope her mom doesn’t interfere because that always happens with me!
We still have the sisters in our district. Sister Davenport is going home here with Weaver. She is from Washington too. She lives kinda by Doug, I think, over there close to Oregon. I’ll think about school (going back to BYUI in the fall) and pray about it but I think it would be good to go there ASAP. I am glad that I’m learning a new language. I only study in “Port” now. I like it a lot. I was thinking only in “Port” but now that I’m with Elder Vitelli, I have been speaking more English. It had been about 6 months that I was just with Brasilians. More than that actually. So my English was all messed up but it’s getting better. People tell me that I speak pretty good Port but I need to study more.
Today we helped a guy who was doing some test. I don’t know what it was but we went to a college and sat in a sound proof box and he recorded us saying some phrases in English and in Port. It was kinda cool. He bought us milk shakes after at least. Oh and yesterday we woke up at 5: 50am, to some loud noise in our room. It turned out to be a 6 inch moth attacking us. Elder Vitelli screams, “it’s a bird..” I ran and got the broom and after a 20 min battle, we killed that sucka! Then we couldn’t get back to sleep. It stunk but it was funny. I’ll try and send a card with Elder Weaver. (We asked Tim if he could send a memory card home with Elder Weaver with some pictures on it.) But, I gotta go.
Love you guys,
Elder Anderson
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
October 6, 2010
Hey Family,
So here are a couple of pictures first off. One is Elder Vitelli and me. We hiked up to this huge Jesus on a cross that overlooks our whole city and the other one is me with a girl in my ward here that got her mission call to Temple Square. She is really funny and left about a week ago I think. She would always make fun of me.
I just bought a really sweet suit. I’ll take a picture with it and send it next week. We did get to see all of Conference. It was really cool. I do miss hearing their actual voices though, even though Elder Scott and a few others translate their own which is pretty cool. And it’s funny cause some of them have really strong accents.
Our baptism did go through! It’s about time. Stuff always happens to ruin our baptisms but it was really cool. Elder Vitelli and I get along super well. I love him. We work super hard but we are always joking too, so it helps the days not seem as long. He is really funny and a good missionary.
At conference I saw Elder Weaver but Elder Jones is now in Ilheus so I didn’t see him. Elder McDonald is in our zone. Elder Morris (remember, he was my comp once upon a time) is training him in Brumado so I’ll see them about every other week for district meetings. He seemed like a good kid. He speaks Portuguese like a pro. Pres. Vecchi asked him to read something in Port at the conference and afterwards he asked “did you go to the same CTM that they all went too?” and Elder McDonald said “yeah”. Pres said “well then, they’re getting better.” It was funny.
Elder Oaks will come the 25th or 26th I think. We will have our transfer that same day. I’m super excited. It should be really cool with everyone there.
Sounds like you guys are using the pool a lot. Can’t wait to be the ultimate gladiator. (We told Tim about a game Justin invented in the pool where the winner has to get the other persons ankle out of the water. He named it Aquatic Gladiator.) Even with 2 years without practice, I’m sure I could man handle you weenies; I’m just a little afraid of Mom.
The house must be crazy with the boys living there now. (Jared, Kimberli, Monty and Jakob are living with us for a couple of weeks while they are moving to a different apartment.) Send kisses to them for me. Well this week was good. We’re working like crazy. I hope all is well with you guys. Love you.
Take care.
Friday, October 1, 2010
Hey there family!
So, this week we had another training meeting in Salvador. That’s why I’m writing you today. I got back this morning. It was pretty wild but it was fun and we learned a lot. At the end of this transfer we will have a meeting with Pres. Oaks up in Salvador... but it’s a secret ok? I’m really excited.
Sounds like Justin’s date actually went well. Maybe he is a ladies man after all. Kimbo and Jared are moving again? Wow!! They better not still be there when I get home. Monty and Jakob can though. So… they hadn’t received my package yesterday (at the mission home) but maybe they got it today. The lzs (zone leaders) are coming home tomorrow so maybe they will have it. Thanks for sending it.
So, my suit is kinda worn out. The suit jacket and the pants are now different colors and President wants us to look good for Elder Oaks coming. So I was wondering if… for an early Christmas present, you could give me some $ to buy a new suit. This p-day I will go shopping and see what we’re looking at but if I could buy a new one that would be nice. Next week I can have more details.
So this last week we got a call from someone telling us that they know a family that was baptized but went in-active that live on the other side of the world. So we went to visit them and she said she had been praying for the missionaries to pass by her house. Well, we talked with her and her husband and they have a really tough situation but we took them to church Sunday and their 2 daughters and we are going to baptize their 10 year old daughter. It should be cool. We’re really excited and so are they! They are a super humble family and they love the church, they just fell away a little bit. They’re excited to come back. I know the Lord watches over us. Elder Vitelli and I have been working our buns off literally so hard to find some good baptisms and then out of nowhere the Lord helps us out. It’s funny because we are knocking so many doors and talking to everyone in the streets and the Lord blessed us with a baptism that didn’t even come from all of our hard work. But I know it’s because of the work that this happened. I know the Lord knows us and blesses us.
I hope you’re all well. I love you all. I can’t wait to see you all again but I don’t want my mission to end. It’s weird but I hope you’re all good. Take care.
Love,
Elder Anderson
So, this week we had another training meeting in Salvador. That’s why I’m writing you today. I got back this morning. It was pretty wild but it was fun and we learned a lot. At the end of this transfer we will have a meeting with Pres. Oaks up in Salvador... but it’s a secret ok? I’m really excited.
Sounds like Justin’s date actually went well. Maybe he is a ladies man after all. Kimbo and Jared are moving again? Wow!! They better not still be there when I get home. Monty and Jakob can though. So… they hadn’t received my package yesterday (at the mission home) but maybe they got it today. The lzs (zone leaders) are coming home tomorrow so maybe they will have it. Thanks for sending it.
So, my suit is kinda worn out. The suit jacket and the pants are now different colors and President wants us to look good for Elder Oaks coming. So I was wondering if… for an early Christmas present, you could give me some $ to buy a new suit. This p-day I will go shopping and see what we’re looking at but if I could buy a new one that would be nice. Next week I can have more details.
So this last week we got a call from someone telling us that they know a family that was baptized but went in-active that live on the other side of the world. So we went to visit them and she said she had been praying for the missionaries to pass by her house. Well, we talked with her and her husband and they have a really tough situation but we took them to church Sunday and their 2 daughters and we are going to baptize their 10 year old daughter. It should be cool. We’re really excited and so are they! They are a super humble family and they love the church, they just fell away a little bit. They’re excited to come back. I know the Lord watches over us. Elder Vitelli and I have been working our buns off literally so hard to find some good baptisms and then out of nowhere the Lord helps us out. It’s funny because we are knocking so many doors and talking to everyone in the streets and the Lord blessed us with a baptism that didn’t even come from all of our hard work. But I know it’s because of the work that this happened. I know the Lord knows us and blesses us.
I hope you’re all well. I love you all. I can’t wait to see you all again but I don’t want my mission to end. It’s weird but I hope you’re all good. Take care.
Love,
Elder Anderson
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Hey Family,
I’m glad you guys got the pin drive... I don’t remember what videos were on it but sounds like you liked them.
So this week was good. We are finding lots of new people to teach and we’re teaching a lot. I like my companion a lot. He is already a good friend and he is a hard worker. Funny things are happing to us all the time. But we also had 3 good baptisms fall because their parents won’t let them even go to church anymore. Oh man I get so mad. They are 16 and 17 and I think they know what they are feeling is right. We didn’t fight with their parents but we had a long talk. Oh well, one day they will have the change.
Wow - I don’t even believe that that is our house. (We sent Tim a video clip showing a fire pit and patio that we built in the yard.) It looks so different now. You guys did a really good job. I liked it a lot. We are fixing our house up so that we can move because our apartment is a dump. But we are almost done.
So tell me about Justin’s first date... Who was it? ... Do I know her? Did he and she have fun? Was it Justin who even asked her, ha? How was your trip Dad? Mom how are things with you? Today we played soccer (which I’m actually getting better at) and we all got sun burnt. The sun was strong today. We are going to do a division tonight. I’ll stay here in my area and Elder Forbush will come here with me. He is a good guy.
This week I studied 2 Nephi 29. It’s so good. I just wanted to walk out in the streets just telling everybody about the Book of Mormon. It’s such a good part because it’s the Lord saying it. Also this week a couple inspirations that I had when I was studying ... nothing new or deep… but when I read the part in the very beginning of the Book of Mormon in 1 Nephi 1:5 it hit me hard that if Leí (I don’t even remember his name in English but I think you’ll get it) received the vision that Jerusalem would be destroyed only because he out of the blue got down on his knees and ask the Lord for inspiration. It’s something that we all always need to do. Maybe our life is going perfectly but we always need to ask the Lord for inspiration and he will show us what we need to do. And the other one, 1 Nephi 18:11 the Lord knew that Nephi was a just man... He always did what the Lord asked ... but it says that the Lord permitted these things to happen. Nefi understood that and it says latter on that Nefi did murmur afterwards. So sometimes we pass through hard things but we just have to stay strong and trust that the Lord has a reason for it. So those were just a couple things that hit me hard this week. I love you guys and I hope all is well.
Love
Elder Anderson
I’m glad you guys got the pin drive... I don’t remember what videos were on it but sounds like you liked them.
So this week was good. We are finding lots of new people to teach and we’re teaching a lot. I like my companion a lot. He is already a good friend and he is a hard worker. Funny things are happing to us all the time. But we also had 3 good baptisms fall because their parents won’t let them even go to church anymore. Oh man I get so mad. They are 16 and 17 and I think they know what they are feeling is right. We didn’t fight with their parents but we had a long talk. Oh well, one day they will have the change.
Wow - I don’t even believe that that is our house. (We sent Tim a video clip showing a fire pit and patio that we built in the yard.) It looks so different now. You guys did a really good job. I liked it a lot. We are fixing our house up so that we can move because our apartment is a dump. But we are almost done.
So tell me about Justin’s first date... Who was it? ... Do I know her? Did he and she have fun? Was it Justin who even asked her, ha? How was your trip Dad? Mom how are things with you? Today we played soccer (which I’m actually getting better at) and we all got sun burnt. The sun was strong today. We are going to do a division tonight. I’ll stay here in my area and Elder Forbush will come here with me. He is a good guy.
This week I studied 2 Nephi 29. It’s so good. I just wanted to walk out in the streets just telling everybody about the Book of Mormon. It’s such a good part because it’s the Lord saying it. Also this week a couple inspirations that I had when I was studying ... nothing new or deep… but when I read the part in the very beginning of the Book of Mormon in 1 Nephi 1:5 it hit me hard that if Leí (I don’t even remember his name in English but I think you’ll get it) received the vision that Jerusalem would be destroyed only because he out of the blue got down on his knees and ask the Lord for inspiration. It’s something that we all always need to do. Maybe our life is going perfectly but we always need to ask the Lord for inspiration and he will show us what we need to do. And the other one, 1 Nephi 18:11 the Lord knew that Nephi was a just man... He always did what the Lord asked ... but it says that the Lord permitted these things to happen. Nefi understood that and it says latter on that Nefi did murmur afterwards. So sometimes we pass through hard things but we just have to stay strong and trust that the Lord has a reason for it. So those were just a couple things that hit me hard this week. I love you guys and I hope all is well.
Love
Elder Anderson
Sunday, September 19, 2010
September 15, 2010
Hey family! So, we are just hittin’ the internet fast because we have spent all day getting all the transfer stuff worked out but we’re all here safe and well. I’m really excited to work with Elder Vitelli. He is really cool and we’re both really excited.
So, now mom has met Jones’ mom too. (Konni has met two of Tim’s mission buddies moms.) Elder Jones just got called as a zone leader. I love that guy! My comp is from Blackfoot, Idaho. He has about 7 months on the mission, I think, but he speaks really well.
That is really sad to hear about Kyle ...(a young man from our ward just passed away). I hope all is well with his family but that’s a hard situation. I’ll keep them in my prayers.
I liked the idea you guys did for the goal setting. I’ll think about a goal and get back to you guys. (For Family Home Evening, we are all setting a personal goal for the next couple of months and invited Tim to participate if he wants.)
My time is about up but I love you all and hope you’re doing well. Sorry, next week I’ll have more time.
Love you.
Hey family! So, we are just hittin’ the internet fast because we have spent all day getting all the transfer stuff worked out but we’re all here safe and well. I’m really excited to work with Elder Vitelli. He is really cool and we’re both really excited.
So, now mom has met Jones’ mom too. (Konni has met two of Tim’s mission buddies moms.) Elder Jones just got called as a zone leader. I love that guy! My comp is from Blackfoot, Idaho. He has about 7 months on the mission, I think, but he speaks really well.
That is really sad to hear about Kyle ...(a young man from our ward just passed away). I hope all is well with his family but that’s a hard situation. I’ll keep them in my prayers.
I liked the idea you guys did for the goal setting. I’ll think about a goal and get back to you guys. (For Family Home Evening, we are all setting a personal goal for the next couple of months and invited Tim to participate if he wants.)
My time is about up but I love you all and hope you’re doing well. Sorry, next week I’ll have more time.
Love you.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
September 8, 2010
Dear Family,
So first off … good news !! After ten more tries at the post office I finally got your pictures sent!!! So be looking for a little box. It was a pain in the buns. Just so you guys have some idea, I have a friend that is doing a study abroad in Chile and she sent me a letter so I sent her one too... When I sent it the woman at the post office asked me if Chile is in Japan. I couldn’t hold it in I laughed and asked her if she had to take a test of any kind to work in the post office. So lets hope and pray you guys get the pictures.
About those girls - one I don’t know if she will get baptized. Her mom tells her a bunch of stuff that is false like we don’t believe in God and stuff. But the other girl said she is excited. So I think she will be baptized this Saturday. This morning we played soccer with the whole zone.. and Elder Weaver was there. He has one more transfer here. In 6 weeks he’ll be getting on a plane. I don’t believe it. I was with him when he made a year on the mission. After him there is just one more group of Brasilians that will go home and then nobody until my group. So the mission is pretty nuts right now.
Brenna also wrote about the BYU game. Sounds like her dad is becoming a fan ... She said that’s the first step to baptism. Ha, I hope so. I’m excited to see the pictures of the yard. I bet it’s looking good knowing Dad. He doesn’t do a half job on anything. My advice with the truck is to get it going and sell it! I’ll never trust that thing. It’s got internal problems. I can’t wait to see Monty again. Is he talking like a pro now? I bet he is. Oh and Justin you said you have a six pack... so do all the kids here in the streets… but it’s from a lack of food.. so I’m not so scared. Next week I’ll send the picture of us playing soccer. I forgot my cable this week. Love you.
Take care, Elder Anderson
Dear Family,
So first off … good news !! After ten more tries at the post office I finally got your pictures sent!!! So be looking for a little box. It was a pain in the buns. Just so you guys have some idea, I have a friend that is doing a study abroad in Chile and she sent me a letter so I sent her one too... When I sent it the woman at the post office asked me if Chile is in Japan. I couldn’t hold it in I laughed and asked her if she had to take a test of any kind to work in the post office. So lets hope and pray you guys get the pictures.
About those girls - one I don’t know if she will get baptized. Her mom tells her a bunch of stuff that is false like we don’t believe in God and stuff. But the other girl said she is excited. So I think she will be baptized this Saturday. This morning we played soccer with the whole zone.. and Elder Weaver was there. He has one more transfer here. In 6 weeks he’ll be getting on a plane. I don’t believe it. I was with him when he made a year on the mission. After him there is just one more group of Brasilians that will go home and then nobody until my group. So the mission is pretty nuts right now.
Brenna also wrote about the BYU game. Sounds like her dad is becoming a fan ... She said that’s the first step to baptism. Ha, I hope so. I’m excited to see the pictures of the yard. I bet it’s looking good knowing Dad. He doesn’t do a half job on anything. My advice with the truck is to get it going and sell it! I’ll never trust that thing. It’s got internal problems. I can’t wait to see Monty again. Is he talking like a pro now? I bet he is. Oh and Justin you said you have a six pack... so do all the kids here in the streets… but it’s from a lack of food.. so I’m not so scared. Next week I’ll send the picture of us playing soccer. I forgot my cable this week. Love you.
Take care, Elder Anderson
Sunday, September 5, 2010
September 1, 2010
So first off I’ll answer Mom’s questions. Elder Forbush is from Michigan. Stake Conference was really good. I don’t remember the 70´s name but he did a really good job. He is about 6´6” and black as night and super humble. I would have never guessed that he was a general authority. He is super humble and a really funny, nice guy. One of the elders took a picture with us and him. I’ll get the picture from him and send it next week. And it was cool because Pres. and Sister Vecchi were there too.
Our baptism got postponed because her mom told her that the Book of Mormon is of the devil and stuff. I burned the mom so bad... and the girl knows that it’s true. She is now waiting for her friend who is preparing to be baptized next week so I hope they both will be. But she is still going to church and Young Womens and stuff.
Parabens (congratulations) on the driver’s license J-man. That’s my boy. You’re a free man now. Speaking of Elder Forbush, I remembered a joke that some of the elders played on a new American once that I thought was funny. So it takes a little while to get used to beans and rice every day, and the women always say “eat more Elder, eat more!” So the new elders always want to learn “No thank you I’m full.”. Well they told this elder to say “Só fejão” which means just beans. So when a woman asked “Do you want more?” or said “Eat more!” he would say “Just beans.” and the woman would plop a heapin scoop of beans on his plate ... hahahaha. I thought it was funny.
Things are going good. I’m excited to see the yard when it’s done. And I’m excited to get my package ;) and the story about the boy mooning the other kid made me laugh... sounds like something I would have done... as a teenager ha. (Konni is the Primary Chorister and last week a little girl was staring at a 6 year old boy in Primary and the little boy must not have liked it -or did- because he just pulled down his pants and mooned the little girl.) Well I love you guys and hope all is well.
Love, Elder Anderson
So first off I’ll answer Mom’s questions. Elder Forbush is from Michigan. Stake Conference was really good. I don’t remember the 70´s name but he did a really good job. He is about 6´6” and black as night and super humble. I would have never guessed that he was a general authority. He is super humble and a really funny, nice guy. One of the elders took a picture with us and him. I’ll get the picture from him and send it next week. And it was cool because Pres. and Sister Vecchi were there too.
Our baptism got postponed because her mom told her that the Book of Mormon is of the devil and stuff. I burned the mom so bad... and the girl knows that it’s true. She is now waiting for her friend who is preparing to be baptized next week so I hope they both will be. But she is still going to church and Young Womens and stuff.
Parabens (congratulations) on the driver’s license J-man. That’s my boy. You’re a free man now. Speaking of Elder Forbush, I remembered a joke that some of the elders played on a new American once that I thought was funny. So it takes a little while to get used to beans and rice every day, and the women always say “eat more Elder, eat more!” So the new elders always want to learn “No thank you I’m full.”. Well they told this elder to say “Só fejão” which means just beans. So when a woman asked “Do you want more?” or said “Eat more!” he would say “Just beans.” and the woman would plop a heapin scoop of beans on his plate ... hahahaha. I thought it was funny.
Things are going good. I’m excited to see the yard when it’s done. And I’m excited to get my package ;) and the story about the boy mooning the other kid made me laugh... sounds like something I would have done... as a teenager ha. (Konni is the Primary Chorister and last week a little girl was staring at a 6 year old boy in Primary and the little boy must not have liked it -or did- because he just pulled down his pants and mooned the little girl.) Well I love you guys and hope all is well.
Love, Elder Anderson
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
August 25, 2010
Whoo hoo!! The picture sent and it only took 10 min! I can’t wait to use real internet again and in the comfort of our house too. Ha, but anyways, things are going really good here.
Whoo hoo!! The picture sent and it only took 10 min! I can’t wait to use real internet again and in the comfort of our house too. Ha, but anyways, things are going really good here.
Yesterday, I bought some stuff to send home because the only way to send the pin drive is going to be in a little package. So, I will try and get that sent off this week. In my package... I think peanut butter and some good raspberry jam or strawberry jam would be delightful. (Konni is getting ready to send Tim a package and had asked what Tim was missing and would like). They don’t have peanut butter here or real jam. And just snacks, I guess. I don’t know, candy is always a treat.
So, this week we did a division with Elder Carvalho and the new Elder, Elder Forbush. It’s funny cause Elder Carvalho is as black as can be, so everybody in the ward calls them Bush and Barack Obama, hahaha! But poor Elder Forbush is suffering. He doesn’t speak any Portuguese but that’s just part of it. His trainer is suffering too cause he has to do everything and he can’t even talk with his comp - not even joke around because he doesn’t understand. So, when I was with Elder Carvalho, he just talked my ears off about everything. It was funny.
Oh, which reminds me. I ran out of head ache pills. Excedrin or whatever they’re called.
Things are going really good here. We have been working with this girl for 2 months and she has gone to church every week but she just was nervous to be baptized. We gave a really spiritual lesson with her and asked her, Argeskyvia, (that’s honestly her name) are you ready to take upon you the name of Christ, being baptized in his church? She looked at us and said yes. So, Saturday we have a really cool baptism! Unfortunately, this week is stake conference which means she won’t be confirmed until next Sunday. It will be cool too because a member of the 70 will be here for the stake conference. I don’t know who yet but I’ll know soon enough.
It’s been really cool. We have two really smart families that we are teaching that are really open and searching to find out if this is the true church. The bishop here is a really hard worker but he is really cold. I don’t know how to explain him but like half the ward is inactive because of him. He is a burner. If someone has been inactive for a while and then goes to church, he says "I’m glad to see you're here but one time a month won’t get you to the Celestial kingdom." Ha, he is brutal, but funny.
Things are going really good here. We have been working with this girl for 2 months and she has gone to church every week but she just was nervous to be baptized. We gave a really spiritual lesson with her and asked her, Argeskyvia, (that’s honestly her name) are you ready to take upon you the name of Christ, being baptized in his church? She looked at us and said yes. So, Saturday we have a really cool baptism! Unfortunately, this week is stake conference which means she won’t be confirmed until next Sunday. It will be cool too because a member of the 70 will be here for the stake conference. I don’t know who yet but I’ll know soon enough.
It’s been really cool. We have two really smart families that we are teaching that are really open and searching to find out if this is the true church. The bishop here is a really hard worker but he is really cold. I don’t know how to explain him but like half the ward is inactive because of him. He is a burner. If someone has been inactive for a while and then goes to church, he says "I’m glad to see you're here but one time a month won’t get you to the Celestial kingdom." Ha, he is brutal, but funny.
Thanks for the pictures. Looks like the high adventure went well. It was good to see a picture of Justin and dad... I don’t know which one is scrawnier... and Bishop and Bro. Greenhalgh and Curtis Start... hahahahaha!! I just remember when we were on the Salmon River and he tried at least 3 or 4 times to pull off a one and a half front flip dive and every time smashed his face on the water hahahahahaha! That was so funny.
Mom, how are Grammy and Pa doing? I hope you had a good trip. I can’t believe it’s already turning fall there. Seems like just yesterday it was starting to be summer. Well, I love you all and I hope Justin passed his driving test because if not he is probably crying like a little girl… :) Just kidding! (Just for your own curiosity, Justin is the newest Anderson with a driver’s license!!) I love you all, take care.
Love,
Elder Anderson
(While Tim was still on line, Mike asked Tim about Amanda and Elvis’ mother. Here is Tim’s reply.)
She is good. She loves the church. It’s just that she has some things she has to work out with her “husband”. It’s a difficult situation but she is good. They are going to move to São Paulo in about a month. Her kids are really active in the church. They go to every activity and we’re going to find out what chapel they will go to when they get there. I love you Dad. Hope you have a good day. My hour just ran out but thanks for everything.
(While Tim was still on line, Mike asked Tim about Amanda and Elvis’ mother. Here is Tim’s reply.)
She is good. She loves the church. It’s just that she has some things she has to work out with her “husband”. It’s a difficult situation but she is good. They are going to move to São Paulo in about a month. Her kids are really active in the church. They go to every activity and we’re going to find out what chapel they will go to when they get there. I love you Dad. Hope you have a good day. My hour just ran out but thanks for everything.
August 18, 2010
Hey Family,
Thanks for the e mail and the pics. Looks like you all had fun. (at our reunion).
So, the internet is really slow today. I don’t think the picture will send, but I’ll try. I went to the post office three times trying to send the pin drive and I still haven’t got it sent off yet. But, I will. Every time I tried, there was a different problem but one of these days I’ll get her done. I wanna see pics of the yard too. The high adventure is this week? That’s exciting! What will you guys do? Will you climb chimney rock or did that not work out again? I’m sure whatever you guys do, it will be fun. Is Justin going to go? I know he is busy with tons of stuff.
So this week we had tons of changes happen in the mission because some new Americans arrived in the middle of the transfer. Elder de Lima and I stayed... but we received one of the “newbies” in our district so that was cool. We went and met him today ... he doesn’t speak a word of port but he seems like a nice guy. When we got there, his comp looked at me and said I’m going to have to learn English in two days or I don’t know what we’ll do! Ha, it was funny. They will do fine. .. but it is really hard not being able to talk with your companion. That’s just part of the mission.
So we’re doing well. Sounds like we got Weaver and Jones in our zone? I don’t know. We’ll have to see cause I heard that Elder Lemeraux got moved to our zone. I’m not sure yet, but it’s been a good week. Thanks for the pics again and I got three letters from mom today, so I’m gonna go home and read those. Thanks! Love you all.
Love,
Elder Anderson
Hey Family,
Thanks for the e mail and the pics. Looks like you all had fun. (at our reunion).
So, the internet is really slow today. I don’t think the picture will send, but I’ll try. I went to the post office three times trying to send the pin drive and I still haven’t got it sent off yet. But, I will. Every time I tried, there was a different problem but one of these days I’ll get her done. I wanna see pics of the yard too. The high adventure is this week? That’s exciting! What will you guys do? Will you climb chimney rock or did that not work out again? I’m sure whatever you guys do, it will be fun. Is Justin going to go? I know he is busy with tons of stuff.
So this week we had tons of changes happen in the mission because some new Americans arrived in the middle of the transfer. Elder de Lima and I stayed... but we received one of the “newbies” in our district so that was cool. We went and met him today ... he doesn’t speak a word of port but he seems like a nice guy. When we got there, his comp looked at me and said I’m going to have to learn English in two days or I don’t know what we’ll do! Ha, it was funny. They will do fine. .. but it is really hard not being able to talk with your companion. That’s just part of the mission.
So we’re doing well. Sounds like we got Weaver and Jones in our zone? I don’t know. We’ll have to see cause I heard that Elder Lemeraux got moved to our zone. I’m not sure yet, but it’s been a good week. Thanks for the pics again and I got three letters from mom today, so I’m gonna go home and read those. Thanks! Love you all.
Love,
Elder Anderson
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Hey Family,
Thanks so much for the video and pictures. Monty is so funny. I watched it like 6 times. That’s why I’m almost out of time but I liked it a lot... almost cried when he said “Love you Uncle Tim”.... That was like a punch to the face, ya know - a good punch.
Sounds like the bike trip went well. That is a pretty manly bike (Tim is referring to a picture we sent him of a Boss Hoss motorcycle that is built on a Chevy 350 engine. It is huge.) ... I like how they literally built the bike around the engine. It literally is the frame of the bike. The only bikes we see around here are Honda 125s or 250s, but the other day I saw a guy test driving a GSXR 1000 and he tipped it over before he even moved a foot.. It was kinda funny.
So I will send the pictures today.. Amanda and Elvis did get baptized; it was a really good baptism. I’ll send the pictures here in a bit. The conference was also really cool. I like Conquista. It’s a really nice city. The only problem is because it’s a nicer city, the people are more closed to our message. It’s really hard to find investigators but when they are baptized, they stay more active - more like the US. I heard about both Zachs. That’s so cool that Nalder is back out and that Ames got his call. Tell him congrats for me. That’s so cool. And Justin, Happy B-day! Love you all. Got to go.
Love Elder Anderson
Note: Later Tim said he tried 3 times to send the picture, but it never came through.
Thanks so much for the video and pictures. Monty is so funny. I watched it like 6 times. That’s why I’m almost out of time but I liked it a lot... almost cried when he said “Love you Uncle Tim”.... That was like a punch to the face, ya know - a good punch.
Sounds like the bike trip went well. That is a pretty manly bike (Tim is referring to a picture we sent him of a Boss Hoss motorcycle that is built on a Chevy 350 engine. It is huge.) ... I like how they literally built the bike around the engine. It literally is the frame of the bike. The only bikes we see around here are Honda 125s or 250s, but the other day I saw a guy test driving a GSXR 1000 and he tipped it over before he even moved a foot.. It was kinda funny.
So I will send the pictures today.. Amanda and Elvis did get baptized; it was a really good baptism. I’ll send the pictures here in a bit. The conference was also really cool. I like Conquista. It’s a really nice city. The only problem is because it’s a nicer city, the people are more closed to our message. It’s really hard to find investigators but when they are baptized, they stay more active - more like the US. I heard about both Zachs. That’s so cool that Nalder is back out and that Ames got his call. Tell him congrats for me. That’s so cool. And Justin, Happy B-day! Love you all. Got to go.
Love Elder Anderson
Note: Later Tim said he tried 3 times to send the picture, but it never came through.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Here is us in our charming home. ... I know you’re going to think this was taken in our house but believe it… we’re in Brasil!
August 4, 2010
So the big news about this transfer is that absolutely nothing changed!!! In my district that is; all 6 of us stayed. But something that is kinda cool that one of the sisters in my district Sister Moreas her brother got called to our mission too and he got here this week. Elder Jones is training him and this Friday we will have a conference with some area 70 and she will get to see her brother. Cool huh. I’m happy with the transfer. I knew that nothing would happen with us. Pres is only moving people when there is a necessity. And we’re all pretty new to our areas.
Thanks for the pictures. Justin really is growing up huh. Mom looks younger and Dad looks just way different. It’s funny. I almost cried to hear that Monty called me by name. I’m really excited to play with him and Jakob too. This week we will have 2 baptisms. They’re actually in the other ward and count as their baptisms but we found them, we taught them and we will even baptize them. They go to the other ward and everything like they’re supposed to but we’re just cooler. It’s the two kids of the woman whose husband died and she is still progressing too, it’s just that she has a few other steps to take before the baptism but she is really cool. I love this family a lot. Elvis and Amanda... Elvis is 14 and Amanda is 16. I know… the 2 most American names ever ha. But yeah we have a couple other families too that we’re teaching.
We found a guy that has a jeep that’s kinda like grandpa’s ... grandpa’s is cooler but I was in heaven. I was on the ground in my shirt and tie because he was showing me the new suspension and exhaust that he put on it then he said you want a ride to your house ... I didn’t even try and tell him that he didn’t need to do that. I just said yeah please ha it was fun.
So were doing good. I also can’t believe Justin will turn 16. This is the second birthday of his that will pass here in Brasil. I remember it as if it was yesterday planning with Elder Palmer and saying holy smokes it’s my brother’s birthday and that is happening again! That just means that the next one I’ll be there! So happy B-day Wennie Man! Next one I’ll be there and I’ve got 31 birthday spankings that I’ll owe you. So get ready. You look like you’re all doing good so thanks for the pictures and everything. Take care. I’ll try and send you a picture of us chilling in our house we took today so enjoy and Mom and Dad, congrats on your anniversary that’s commin up! Love you all. Take care
Monday, August 2, 2010
Here are the voice clips Tim sent in his last letter.
Hey Family,
So…um ...p-day was the other day and I made a voice recording but I think it was too long. I don’t know if it sent or not. One time it said it sent but the other time it didn’t, so I don’t know. So, we have to go print off the bulletin for a district meeting today and I’ll send this one off real fast. I’ll make it shorter so it will hopefully work. So, I’m sitting here making pancakes right now and we’re doing (you can hear pancakes flipping in the pan in the background) good. Pres. Vecchi and Sis. Vecchi visited us yesterday. They’re doing house inspections of the whole mission. Our houses are well, it’s a really crappy house but atleast it’s clean. They were glad that it was clean but they want to reform it like re-do some of the walls cause they’re molding and like falling apart. One of the lights doesn’t work and stuff and there’s no door knob. So there’s some little things but they weren’t mad at us cause they know it’s not us who did it. It’s all the missionaries for the last 5 years but it was cool to talk to them and they’re doing good here. In our district we’re doing good. Our district has us, another couple of Elders, which is Elder Klepa and Elder Cartavalum, and we have the sisters in our district too. Sis. Davenport and Sis. Moraes. They’re both really cool. Sis. Davenport’s from Washington from … she lives in a little city really close to Vancouver. She’s pretty cool and Sis. Moraes is really cool too. She’s from the south here in Brasil.
As district leader, I help them out. I have to do their baptismal interviews, have to pass their numbers, do divisions (splits) with them except the sisters, we can’t do that. And just that kind of stuff when they have a question or something, they just call us.
And, so, we’re doing good here, me and Elder de Lima. He’s from the south too, from a little city called Cueraciba? and he’s a good guy. He’s still kind of new in the mission and he’s kind of shy but he’s breaking out of that. He had a mind set that senior is senior and junior is junior and that he as junior didn’t have to do anything and I quickly helped him learn that senior and junior doesn’t exist. So, it isn’t that he didn’t want to work, it was that he felt like he wasn’t allowed to or something. So, I’m like, no dude, you can make decisions too. Like if you wanna mark an appointment with someone, mark an appointment. So, I think it’s been helping him to grow a lot too. And that’s what President said. He said, he just needs to grow up some more. It’s true. He’s a really good guy. I like him.
So, we’re just chugging along here in Brasil. The ward is really good. There’s a lot of inactive people. It’s a good ward, it’s just that there’s a lot of inactive people. Not too many people go to church each week, but it’s a lot lot more than Porto. We have lunch every day. I’m getting fatter here but it’s good. The people are really cool, they like us a lot. We’re working a lot. The Bishop’s a really hard worker. So we are liking that.
This Sunday, all the district leaders and zone leaders are going to go to Salvador and we’re going to have a three day training meeting in Salvador. That will be really cool. Me and Sanderson will catch a bus here and take off. It’s really cool cause Sanderson’s a district leader here now too. The other district that’s real close to us so we get to see each other. P-day we went and played and stayed at his house and played soccer with him and played Uno. It was fun. Me and him talked a bunch about CTM memories and about Porto Seguro memories. It was funny. He’s one of my real good buds now. So, that was fun. We are excited to go to Salvador and have this new training and find out new information. We are going to have some new trainings about how we are going to work. I don’t know. But, it’s cool. We’re excited to go there.
So I took 6 months to buy the pin drive. I took 6 months to get it all wrapped up. I got it all wrapped up in a box ready to go, I just have to go to the post office and pay for it and mail it now so about another six months and I should get that done. Just kidding, I’ll try and get that sent today or this week at the latest.
I got some letters when Pres. came. I got two letters from mom and they have some pictures in it. One of the letters has a list of our cousins and their kiddos. It’s crazy to realize all of our cousins over there have kids and most of them have two. It’s wild. Thanks for all the pictures, mom. Monty looks like he’s a treat and Jakob too. He looks like he’s starting to grow up. It’s exciting. I can’t wait to meet him. I can’t wait to play with Monty and see all you guys. It sounds like Justin’s a swimming fool. That 10 lb. brick off the bottom (Justin is in a lifeguarding course and had to swim down and pick up a 10 lb. brick from the bottom of the pool and carry it on his chest to safety) of the pool and he only weighs like 20 lbs. so that is pretty impressive!
Anyway, I will try to keep this one shorter, so it will send. I love you guys. I hope you’re all going good and I’ll talk to you later. Tchau.
Hey Family,
So, I remembered one other little story that was kind of funny. So, we’re teaching this guy, he’s from a state called Parnabuca (Spelling?) and in this state they’re pretty violent . They’re always telling us stories about people killing other people. Like, uh, he killed his brother, oh, he killed his cousin. Like one time, here’s a story just to tell you how violent is it. So, one time he was just hanging out with his cousin and her other cousin (who she was dating), she was dating her cousin, and he was hanging out with her and it was his cousin also. Well, her boyfriend and also cousin, he arrived and he saw them just hanging out and talking and he got really mad and he went and grabbed a knife and came back and stabbed her 15 times and killed her. Then her brothers found out, grabbed their guns and chased this kid down and they got to his house and he knew they would come kill him. So he drank some poison, something on the farm, and it killed him. They went out. They got to the house. They knocked on the door and the dad said, no need. My son already killed himself and the dad wasn’t even mad like he just like oh yeah, he deserved to die and they still went out back and saw the kid laying on the ground and they went and shot him three times just to make sure he was dead. They are like literal animals. They just kill each other for nothing, like death there is nothing.
So he said one time he was a taxi driver. He was driving this woman and her husband were like,” hey, can you take us to this part of town?” He was like it was really far away so he said it would be 30 Reals (around $17 U.S.) they were like 30 is a lot, can it be 25? All right, I’ll do it for 25. So he drives them to the place and when they get there he stops and they are like” no no no a little farther, a kilometer, a little further in the front , like farther up the street.” He said no, I already gave you a good deal, 25 Reals. So just get out here. This is your spot. They’re like, “a little father in the front.” He’s like no, get out. So they get out and as they are leaving the guy turns around to come pay him, walks up to the window. He rolls down his window and the guy puts a knife to his throat and says, “Pass your wallet and everything you have of value. Your watch your wallet, your cards.” He said there was a city bus ahead of him and the driver saw that this guy was robbing him and he just stopped but it’s a pretty normal thing there so they weren’t really worried about it and this guy, Jonas, he’s like whatever. So he passes his wallet and everything. All of his money, his credit cards, and everything to the guy. Then he said the guy put the knife in his pocket and starts walking away thinking he’s the man. Jonas pulls out a revolver from under his seat and jumps out of the car. He yells, “hey,” The guy turns around and he says, “come back here,” and the guy comes back and he pulls out his revolver and says, “all right now, give me my cards, give me everything you just stole.” He guy put them all back and then he tells the woman to put them back in the car. She puts everything back in the car. Then he looks at him and he goes “give me your credit cards and your money.” The guy gives him everything and he’s all ticked off. He has to give him his money and everything and then he looks at him and says, “Now, give me your clothes.” The guy’s like, “no!” He’s like, “GIVE ME YOUR CLOTHES!” The robber has to take off all of his clothes. Your clothes, everything, your tennis shoes too. He’s like, put them in my taxi. The guy puts them in. Then he looks at the woman and he goes, “what are you laughing at?” Take off your clothes too. Until he had stripped them both down of their shoes and everything. She was in her panties and bra and he was in his boxers. Then he got back in his taxi and the bus driver was laughing so hard. The city bus driver was watching it all and laughing so hard. Then he went off and gave away their clothes to kids in the streets, to people in the street who needed clothes. He was just laughing, he was like,” yah, that son of a gun thought he’d go rob someone, got robbed.”
That’s just a funny story I thought I’d tell you guys. So, see if these send. I love you guys and hope everything’s good.
Tchau
Hey Family,
So…um ...p-day was the other day and I made a voice recording but I think it was too long. I don’t know if it sent or not. One time it said it sent but the other time it didn’t, so I don’t know. So, we have to go print off the bulletin for a district meeting today and I’ll send this one off real fast. I’ll make it shorter so it will hopefully work. So, I’m sitting here making pancakes right now and we’re doing (you can hear pancakes flipping in the pan in the background) good. Pres. Vecchi and Sis. Vecchi visited us yesterday. They’re doing house inspections of the whole mission. Our houses are well, it’s a really crappy house but atleast it’s clean. They were glad that it was clean but they want to reform it like re-do some of the walls cause they’re molding and like falling apart. One of the lights doesn’t work and stuff and there’s no door knob. So there’s some little things but they weren’t mad at us cause they know it’s not us who did it. It’s all the missionaries for the last 5 years but it was cool to talk to them and they’re doing good here. In our district we’re doing good. Our district has us, another couple of Elders, which is Elder Klepa and Elder Cartavalum, and we have the sisters in our district too. Sis. Davenport and Sis. Moraes. They’re both really cool. Sis. Davenport’s from Washington from … she lives in a little city really close to Vancouver. She’s pretty cool and Sis. Moraes is really cool too. She’s from the south here in Brasil.
As district leader, I help them out. I have to do their baptismal interviews, have to pass their numbers, do divisions (splits) with them except the sisters, we can’t do that. And just that kind of stuff when they have a question or something, they just call us.
And, so, we’re doing good here, me and Elder de Lima. He’s from the south too, from a little city called Cueraciba? and he’s a good guy. He’s still kind of new in the mission and he’s kind of shy but he’s breaking out of that. He had a mind set that senior is senior and junior is junior and that he as junior didn’t have to do anything and I quickly helped him learn that senior and junior doesn’t exist. So, it isn’t that he didn’t want to work, it was that he felt like he wasn’t allowed to or something. So, I’m like, no dude, you can make decisions too. Like if you wanna mark an appointment with someone, mark an appointment. So, I think it’s been helping him to grow a lot too. And that’s what President said. He said, he just needs to grow up some more. It’s true. He’s a really good guy. I like him.
So, we’re just chugging along here in Brasil. The ward is really good. There’s a lot of inactive people. It’s a good ward, it’s just that there’s a lot of inactive people. Not too many people go to church each week, but it’s a lot lot more than Porto. We have lunch every day. I’m getting fatter here but it’s good. The people are really cool, they like us a lot. We’re working a lot. The Bishop’s a really hard worker. So we are liking that.
This Sunday, all the district leaders and zone leaders are going to go to Salvador and we’re going to have a three day training meeting in Salvador. That will be really cool. Me and Sanderson will catch a bus here and take off. It’s really cool cause Sanderson’s a district leader here now too. The other district that’s real close to us so we get to see each other. P-day we went and played and stayed at his house and played soccer with him and played Uno. It was fun. Me and him talked a bunch about CTM memories and about Porto Seguro memories. It was funny. He’s one of my real good buds now. So, that was fun. We are excited to go to Salvador and have this new training and find out new information. We are going to have some new trainings about how we are going to work. I don’t know. But, it’s cool. We’re excited to go there.
So I took 6 months to buy the pin drive. I took 6 months to get it all wrapped up. I got it all wrapped up in a box ready to go, I just have to go to the post office and pay for it and mail it now so about another six months and I should get that done. Just kidding, I’ll try and get that sent today or this week at the latest.
I got some letters when Pres. came. I got two letters from mom and they have some pictures in it. One of the letters has a list of our cousins and their kiddos. It’s crazy to realize all of our cousins over there have kids and most of them have two. It’s wild. Thanks for all the pictures, mom. Monty looks like he’s a treat and Jakob too. He looks like he’s starting to grow up. It’s exciting. I can’t wait to meet him. I can’t wait to play with Monty and see all you guys. It sounds like Justin’s a swimming fool. That 10 lb. brick off the bottom (Justin is in a lifeguarding course and had to swim down and pick up a 10 lb. brick from the bottom of the pool and carry it on his chest to safety) of the pool and he only weighs like 20 lbs. so that is pretty impressive!
Anyway, I will try to keep this one shorter, so it will send. I love you guys. I hope you’re all going good and I’ll talk to you later. Tchau.
Hey Family,
So, I remembered one other little story that was kind of funny. So, we’re teaching this guy, he’s from a state called Parnabuca (Spelling?) and in this state they’re pretty violent . They’re always telling us stories about people killing other people. Like, uh, he killed his brother, oh, he killed his cousin. Like one time, here’s a story just to tell you how violent is it. So, one time he was just hanging out with his cousin and her other cousin (who she was dating), she was dating her cousin, and he was hanging out with her and it was his cousin also. Well, her boyfriend and also cousin, he arrived and he saw them just hanging out and talking and he got really mad and he went and grabbed a knife and came back and stabbed her 15 times and killed her. Then her brothers found out, grabbed their guns and chased this kid down and they got to his house and he knew they would come kill him. So he drank some poison, something on the farm, and it killed him. They went out. They got to the house. They knocked on the door and the dad said, no need. My son already killed himself and the dad wasn’t even mad like he just like oh yeah, he deserved to die and they still went out back and saw the kid laying on the ground and they went and shot him three times just to make sure he was dead. They are like literal animals. They just kill each other for nothing, like death there is nothing.
So he said one time he was a taxi driver. He was driving this woman and her husband were like,” hey, can you take us to this part of town?” He was like it was really far away so he said it would be 30 Reals (around $17 U.S.) they were like 30 is a lot, can it be 25? All right, I’ll do it for 25. So he drives them to the place and when they get there he stops and they are like” no no no a little farther, a kilometer, a little further in the front , like farther up the street.” He said no, I already gave you a good deal, 25 Reals. So just get out here. This is your spot. They’re like, “a little father in the front.” He’s like no, get out. So they get out and as they are leaving the guy turns around to come pay him, walks up to the window. He rolls down his window and the guy puts a knife to his throat and says, “Pass your wallet and everything you have of value. Your watch your wallet, your cards.” He said there was a city bus ahead of him and the driver saw that this guy was robbing him and he just stopped but it’s a pretty normal thing there so they weren’t really worried about it and this guy, Jonas, he’s like whatever. So he passes his wallet and everything. All of his money, his credit cards, and everything to the guy. Then he said the guy put the knife in his pocket and starts walking away thinking he’s the man. Jonas pulls out a revolver from under his seat and jumps out of the car. He yells, “hey,” The guy turns around and he says, “come back here,” and the guy comes back and he pulls out his revolver and says, “all right now, give me my cards, give me everything you just stole.” He guy put them all back and then he tells the woman to put them back in the car. She puts everything back in the car. Then he looks at him and he goes “give me your credit cards and your money.” The guy gives him everything and he’s all ticked off. He has to give him his money and everything and then he looks at him and says, “Now, give me your clothes.” The guy’s like, “no!” He’s like, “GIVE ME YOUR CLOTHES!” The robber has to take off all of his clothes. Your clothes, everything, your tennis shoes too. He’s like, put them in my taxi. The guy puts them in. Then he looks at the woman and he goes, “what are you laughing at?” Take off your clothes too. Until he had stripped them both down of their shoes and everything. She was in her panties and bra and he was in his boxers. Then he got back in his taxi and the bus driver was laughing so hard. The city bus driver was watching it all and laughing so hard. Then he went off and gave away their clothes to kids in the streets, to people in the street who needed clothes. He was just laughing, he was like,” yah, that son of a gun thought he’d go rob someone, got robbed.”
That’s just a funny story I thought I’d tell you guys. So, see if these send. I love you guys and hope everything’s good.
Tchau
Sunday, August 1, 2010
July 29, 2010
Hey Family,
So it looks like those two voice clips sent. Sorry they didn’t work last week. I’m sure you were bummed out, sorry. And I didn’t write yesterday because I was in Salvador. We had training with all of the zone and district leaders. We left Sunday night and got back this morning. It was fun and cool. We didn’t really learn anything new but we learned how to use the things we have been learning in “Preach My Gospel” and stuff so that was really fun. I got to see Elder Weaver and Elder Southworth. He is like my best friend on the mission and he just got called as the assistant too. He is way cool. He set it up that me and him did a division one of the nights and so that I slept in their room during the week. It was cool. He will go home about 6 months before me. He is in Elder Weaver’s group and we’re already planning a snowboarding trip in Canada because when I get home the season will just be getting over and I can’t wait another 8 or 9 months to board!
I think the voice message tells you what’s going on. We won’t have a zone conference this time and yeah this is the last week of the transfer. I think we’ll both stay but who knows. This is my guys second in the area so we’re both pretty new to the area. But we’ll see. Love you guys. Take care and thanks for the pics. I almost cried though!
July 21, 2010
Ok so this week I told everything in a voice message so I hope you’re all happy, ha. Love you. Take care.
Hey Family,
So it looks like those two voice clips sent. Sorry they didn’t work last week. I’m sure you were bummed out, sorry. And I didn’t write yesterday because I was in Salvador. We had training with all of the zone and district leaders. We left Sunday night and got back this morning. It was fun and cool. We didn’t really learn anything new but we learned how to use the things we have been learning in “Preach My Gospel” and stuff so that was really fun. I got to see Elder Weaver and Elder Southworth. He is like my best friend on the mission and he just got called as the assistant too. He is way cool. He set it up that me and him did a division one of the nights and so that I slept in their room during the week. It was cool. He will go home about 6 months before me. He is in Elder Weaver’s group and we’re already planning a snowboarding trip in Canada because when I get home the season will just be getting over and I can’t wait another 8 or 9 months to board!
I think the voice message tells you what’s going on. We won’t have a zone conference this time and yeah this is the last week of the transfer. I think we’ll both stay but who knows. This is my guys second in the area so we’re both pretty new to the area. But we’ll see. Love you guys. Take care and thanks for the pics. I almost cried though!
July 21, 2010
Ok so this week I told everything in a voice message so I hope you’re all happy, ha. Love you. Take care.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
July 14, 2010
Hey Family,
Happy Birthday Mom!!! I wrote that first so that I wouldn’t forget and thanks for the hints so that I would remember cause honestly I don’t know anyone’s birthday but mine and Justin’s, ha. Sorry everyone else. (We found out that Konni and Elder Weaver have the same birthday so we asked Tim to tell him happy birthday.)
But things are going really well here. Those families are still progressing and preparing for baptism. We’re really happy and excited for them. Sounds like you’re all pretty busy and working tons. That’s good though. We just got our money so I should be able to send the flash drive this week I hope.
So it was only cold for like the first two weeks and now it’s hot again. It was the shortest winter of my life. But we’re doing good. Sounds like Monty is funny. I still haven’t seen a real good picture of Dad skinny I don’t think. I’m sure preparing for climbing Chimney Rock (Young Men High Adventure activity) is a treat. Good luck with everything. Sorry it’s so short today. I still have to write the letter to President and I have 5 min. Sorry. Love you all.
Take care.
Hey Family,
Happy Birthday Mom!!! I wrote that first so that I wouldn’t forget and thanks for the hints so that I would remember cause honestly I don’t know anyone’s birthday but mine and Justin’s, ha. Sorry everyone else. (We found out that Konni and Elder Weaver have the same birthday so we asked Tim to tell him happy birthday.)
But things are going really well here. Those families are still progressing and preparing for baptism. We’re really happy and excited for them. Sounds like you’re all pretty busy and working tons. That’s good though. We just got our money so I should be able to send the flash drive this week I hope.
So it was only cold for like the first two weeks and now it’s hot again. It was the shortest winter of my life. But we’re doing good. Sounds like Monty is funny. I still haven’t seen a real good picture of Dad skinny I don’t think. I’m sure preparing for climbing Chimney Rock (Young Men High Adventure activity) is a treat. Good luck with everything. Sorry it’s so short today. I still have to write the letter to President and I have 5 min. Sorry. Love you all.
Take care.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Hey Family,
So thanks for the video. It was really funny. I miss that monkey a lot. But looks like he is growing and loving life. Jacob’s got a cough? That’s too bad. I hope he gets better soon. Sounds like you guys had a productive 4th of July... To be honest, I didn’t even realize it was the Fourth of July until 10 at night when Elder Sanderson called and said happy 4th... I couldn’t believe it. It’s so weird being in a different world.
I have never even been to Wolf Lodge (a local restaurant that we took Justin to for passing his AP exams)... can you believe that? We had dinner in the woman’s house again. She said “do you like liver?”.... I said “No. Do you have Top Ramen?” … and she didn’t... what a blessing... But she likes me a lot so she wasn’t offended or anything.
I’m sending you guys a letter today so look for it in a couple weeks. I haven’t sent the ´pics yet. I don’t have money to send it right now. But this next week, I’ll try… for reals. But yeah so the work here is going really well. We are being really blessed. And yes there are a lot more white people here and for the most part they are more wealthy. ... But there is still poverty too and lots of drunks. This man was sleeping in front or our door when we went home and he asked for water so we gave him a sweater that was laying around in our house and water and one of those granola bars you sent me. I said “look this is a blueberry piece of heaven... I’m giving it to you if you promise you’ll stop smoking”... he said he would... I know he won’t but whatever. And yeah I got the package ha. Thanks a bunch Mom. It saved me... I love sun flower seeds and candy... it was perfect and the shorts too were perfect ... thanks a bunch. And I got some letters too so thanks. They always make me happy.
Sunday two of our families went to church and liked it a lot. They’re really making progress. We are literally watching them get happier and it’s really cool. I wrote a lot about it in my letter to you guys... This one woman was with her husband when he got shot with a 12 gauge. She got hit too but she lived and he died on top of her. ... When we told her that her family could be together again forever... she looked at me and said “Do you really think so?”... I said “Yeah but what would you do to make it happen?” And she said “Anything”. So now it just depends on her. But it’s been really neat working with these families. I just can’t wait for the day they get baptized and go through the temple... I hope I am able to see it. But I love you guys and hope all is well. Take care.
Love, Elder Anderson
So thanks for the video. It was really funny. I miss that monkey a lot. But looks like he is growing and loving life. Jacob’s got a cough? That’s too bad. I hope he gets better soon. Sounds like you guys had a productive 4th of July... To be honest, I didn’t even realize it was the Fourth of July until 10 at night when Elder Sanderson called and said happy 4th... I couldn’t believe it. It’s so weird being in a different world.
I have never even been to Wolf Lodge (a local restaurant that we took Justin to for passing his AP exams)... can you believe that? We had dinner in the woman’s house again. She said “do you like liver?”.... I said “No. Do you have Top Ramen?” … and she didn’t... what a blessing... But she likes me a lot so she wasn’t offended or anything.
I’m sending you guys a letter today so look for it in a couple weeks. I haven’t sent the ´pics yet. I don’t have money to send it right now. But this next week, I’ll try… for reals. But yeah so the work here is going really well. We are being really blessed. And yes there are a lot more white people here and for the most part they are more wealthy. ... But there is still poverty too and lots of drunks. This man was sleeping in front or our door when we went home and he asked for water so we gave him a sweater that was laying around in our house and water and one of those granola bars you sent me. I said “look this is a blueberry piece of heaven... I’m giving it to you if you promise you’ll stop smoking”... he said he would... I know he won’t but whatever. And yeah I got the package ha. Thanks a bunch Mom. It saved me... I love sun flower seeds and candy... it was perfect and the shorts too were perfect ... thanks a bunch. And I got some letters too so thanks. They always make me happy.
Sunday two of our families went to church and liked it a lot. They’re really making progress. We are literally watching them get happier and it’s really cool. I wrote a lot about it in my letter to you guys... This one woman was with her husband when he got shot with a 12 gauge. She got hit too but she lived and he died on top of her. ... When we told her that her family could be together again forever... she looked at me and said “Do you really think so?”... I said “Yeah but what would you do to make it happen?” And she said “Anything”. So now it just depends on her. But it’s been really neat working with these families. I just can’t wait for the day they get baptized and go through the temple... I hope I am able to see it. But I love you guys and hope all is well. Take care.
Love, Elder Anderson
Friday, July 2, 2010
Hey Family,
Thanks for the pics, ha. Me and my comp got a good laugh out of them. Yah, it’s a lot colder here than in Porto, that’s for sure! I’m going to buy a sweater right after this. It’s still not freezing, I’ve just used a short sleeve shirt every day but it’s kinda cold.
I’m liking the ward. It isn’t super, super strong but compared to Porto it’s like heaven. The bishop called and asked if he and his councilor could do a division with us… I almost cried, ha. It was good though. He is a good guy. He is all business but he loves the people and works hard. We visited tons of inactive people and he knew where all of them live, work, and everything about their families. It was good. He is excited to work with us too.
We also have found 3 really good families that are really interested. So, this Sunday we’ll see if they will go make a visit. I hope so! They’re really good. My companion said he hasn’t had an experience in his whole mission, like we are having with these families. So, we’re both really happy.
Oh man, one of our lunches fell so we went and asked one of our investigators if she could make us lunch... that was a mistake... bless her heart! She made us a lasagna on the spot with things she had in her house... she made it with some noodles ... cheese (not a bad start)…but she didn’t have sauce so she watered down catsup to do the trick. Then she threw some vegetables in the blender and put those on there and then some left over cow stomach she had laying around and some bologna.... and then I asked her where her refrigerator was and she said she didn’t have one. So, the cow stomach and bologna was not even refrigerated.... bless her heart. I almost died .... you know when you are just fighting every bite… like really fighting… and your sweating... and you know that tomorrow you will be on the toilet for a good 3 hours... that was about what I was thinking the whole time. But, we filled our stomachs. Ha, well I’ve got to go.
I love you guys. Take care!
Thanks for the pics, ha. Me and my comp got a good laugh out of them. Yah, it’s a lot colder here than in Porto, that’s for sure! I’m going to buy a sweater right after this. It’s still not freezing, I’ve just used a short sleeve shirt every day but it’s kinda cold.
I’m liking the ward. It isn’t super, super strong but compared to Porto it’s like heaven. The bishop called and asked if he and his councilor could do a division with us… I almost cried, ha. It was good though. He is a good guy. He is all business but he loves the people and works hard. We visited tons of inactive people and he knew where all of them live, work, and everything about their families. It was good. He is excited to work with us too.
We also have found 3 really good families that are really interested. So, this Sunday we’ll see if they will go make a visit. I hope so! They’re really good. My companion said he hasn’t had an experience in his whole mission, like we are having with these families. So, we’re both really happy.
Oh man, one of our lunches fell so we went and asked one of our investigators if she could make us lunch... that was a mistake... bless her heart! She made us a lasagna on the spot with things she had in her house... she made it with some noodles ... cheese (not a bad start)…but she didn’t have sauce so she watered down catsup to do the trick. Then she threw some vegetables in the blender and put those on there and then some left over cow stomach she had laying around and some bologna.... and then I asked her where her refrigerator was and she said she didn’t have one. So, the cow stomach and bologna was not even refrigerated.... bless her heart. I almost died .... you know when you are just fighting every bite… like really fighting… and your sweating... and you know that tomorrow you will be on the toilet for a good 3 hours... that was about what I was thinking the whole time. But, we filled our stomachs. Ha, well I’ve got to go.
I love you guys. Take care!
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
So Family,
I was transferred to the area, Brasil in (Victoria Da) Conquista. I got here today and my companion is Elder de Lima. He arrived in the same group as Elder Almeida. He is really small and makes Mario noises... but I’m sure it will be a good transfer.
The area seems really cool and there’s an actual ward here, with a Bishop. So, I’m excited to work here. Elder Sanderson is close to me. I’m not sure if he is in my district yet or not because the whole mission got turned upside down. A whole zone got closed and now part of it is in our zone, so no one even knows anything yet.
All I know is that I got on a bus at 8:30 this morning and got here about 4 o’clock pm. I’m really learning to hate bus rides, but that’s part of it! Our house is one of the worst houses in the mission but it’s all good. I don’t care about nice houses or bugs or any of that anymore.
Holy smokes, I didn’t even know it was Father’s Day because they don’t have it here. So, sorry Dad... but happy Father’s Day! I’ll have to send you a letter. I’ll send it this week and the pictures too. I had to buy my own bus pass and stuff so that’s why I had to use the personal (debit) card. It hasn’t been stolen or anything.
So, Conquista is a lot cooler in temperature than any other city in Bahia which is good because I miss the cold. It’s only cold because it’s way high - like in altitude (about 2800 feet elevation). I hope its cold like everyone says. I bought a crochet hook so I can crochet hats, if it’s cold.
Getting here was cool. You just climb way up this mountain. It was like this little road in the jungle, climbing up this mountain. We were gaining altitude so fast that my ears were hurting and popping. I felt like I was entering Narnia or something but it was cool and it is actually a really big city - at least compared to Porto. I’m excited to work here. I hope you’re all doing well.
I love you
Note: We were able to ask Tim a few questions just after he sent this email before he got off the computer and here are his comments.
(We asked Tim about his companion, his current assignment and the members.)
My companion is learning English but he doesn’t speak a lot. I’m still the District Leader here. I just don’t know who all is in my district. I just know the sisters are for sure.... and yeah this place is a real ward with a bishop and stuff so I’m excited to work with a more organized place.
(Here we told Tim that the USA advanced in the World Cup Soccer Games, and asked if anyone was at church last week because Brazil’s game was on TV right during church.)
Yeah actually we had the important people there so that was good. But the USA moved on, woo hoo! That’s like the first time in history. Also we had a problem with the bathroom in the last house that we had to fix. I’ll get reimbursed for it but I’ve got no money right now so for a couple weeks I’m gonna have to take money off of the card. Is that ok?
(Finally, we asked Tim if he got any letters from home yet.)
Not yet. The whole mission is kinda not even knowing what’s happened yet but maybe in the next couple weeks I’ll get some when the LZs go to Salvador. We’ll see but thanks. Love you. Gotta go now. Tchau.
I was transferred to the area, Brasil in (Victoria Da) Conquista. I got here today and my companion is Elder de Lima. He arrived in the same group as Elder Almeida. He is really small and makes Mario noises... but I’m sure it will be a good transfer.
The area seems really cool and there’s an actual ward here, with a Bishop. So, I’m excited to work here. Elder Sanderson is close to me. I’m not sure if he is in my district yet or not because the whole mission got turned upside down. A whole zone got closed and now part of it is in our zone, so no one even knows anything yet.
All I know is that I got on a bus at 8:30 this morning and got here about 4 o’clock pm. I’m really learning to hate bus rides, but that’s part of it! Our house is one of the worst houses in the mission but it’s all good. I don’t care about nice houses or bugs or any of that anymore.
Holy smokes, I didn’t even know it was Father’s Day because they don’t have it here. So, sorry Dad... but happy Father’s Day! I’ll have to send you a letter. I’ll send it this week and the pictures too. I had to buy my own bus pass and stuff so that’s why I had to use the personal (debit) card. It hasn’t been stolen or anything.
So, Conquista is a lot cooler in temperature than any other city in Bahia which is good because I miss the cold. It’s only cold because it’s way high - like in altitude (about 2800 feet elevation). I hope its cold like everyone says. I bought a crochet hook so I can crochet hats, if it’s cold.
Getting here was cool. You just climb way up this mountain. It was like this little road in the jungle, climbing up this mountain. We were gaining altitude so fast that my ears were hurting and popping. I felt like I was entering Narnia or something but it was cool and it is actually a really big city - at least compared to Porto. I’m excited to work here. I hope you’re all doing well.
I love you
Note: We were able to ask Tim a few questions just after he sent this email before he got off the computer and here are his comments.
(We asked Tim about his companion, his current assignment and the members.)
My companion is learning English but he doesn’t speak a lot. I’m still the District Leader here. I just don’t know who all is in my district. I just know the sisters are for sure.... and yeah this place is a real ward with a bishop and stuff so I’m excited to work with a more organized place.
(Here we told Tim that the USA advanced in the World Cup Soccer Games, and asked if anyone was at church last week because Brazil’s game was on TV right during church.)
Yeah actually we had the important people there so that was good. But the USA moved on, woo hoo! That’s like the first time in history. Also we had a problem with the bathroom in the last house that we had to fix. I’ll get reimbursed for it but I’ve got no money right now so for a couple weeks I’m gonna have to take money off of the card. Is that ok?
(Finally, we asked Tim if he got any letters from home yet.)
Not yet. The whole mission is kinda not even knowing what’s happened yet but maybe in the next couple weeks I’ll get some when the LZs go to Salvador. We’ll see but thanks. Love you. Gotta go now. Tchau.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Dear Family,
So I have 15 minutes. I’ll try and write for ten and send a pic deal. Ok, so yeah, this week was cup of the world (World Cup Soccer Games). It’s nuts but the game was yesterday and Brasil won which was good cause I can’t imagine the riot it would of been if they didn’t. But it’s cool. Literally every street had banners hanging with the Brasil flag and its colors, and every street - I mean every street - has a huge flag painted on the street. They just block off the street and paint it and no one gets mad because it’s for the cup. And every other house is painted the colors of Brasil.... These people have never painted their houses – ever - and now they go buy all this paint to do up a nice Brazilian flag. Ha-ha, it's funny. So we got to watch the games but we have to be in the house of an investigator. The next game is right during our church meeting so it’s basically gonna be me and Elder Almeida ..... Ha, I hope at least the president of the branch will go... I hope.
Sounds like you guys are all busy. I can’t believe Monty already had 2 birthdays. That means I’ll be home for the next one! He is funny. I hope he didn’t eat that whole cake by himself ... cause I know that he can. So wait Justin will be a junior soon... holy smokes. I don’t believe it. I talk with Natalie and Mandy about every other week now ... it’s really good to hear from them.
So yeah the language is a lot better now. I still have on and off days but now every once in a while a person will think I’m a Brasilian. That always helps out the ego ya know. Ha, but it’s funny some people really freak out when they hear that I’ve only been studying for a year. It’s nice not to have that veil of not understanding. I'll never know everything or speak perfectly but it’s nice to not have to worry about that anymore. But I still need to learn a lot more and I hope I will. Being with Elder Almeida really did help a lot though. He speaks really fast and he stutters so now that I can understand him I can understand anybody, ha-ha. I always joke with him about that.
So we found a really really good family. The man of this family went to church Sunday and said that next week anyone who lives in his house is going to church. He is a really humble man with a really humble life but he wants to join the church and has a huge heart. He’s a hard worker and has a really humble life... just that we have to help him divorce his ex-wife and then marry him to his new wife... so the baptism will take a while but I’m sure it will happen one day. Anyways I’ll try and send a pic now.
Love you all, take care
So I have 15 minutes. I’ll try and write for ten and send a pic deal. Ok, so yeah, this week was cup of the world (World Cup Soccer Games). It’s nuts but the game was yesterday and Brasil won which was good cause I can’t imagine the riot it would of been if they didn’t. But it’s cool. Literally every street had banners hanging with the Brasil flag and its colors, and every street - I mean every street - has a huge flag painted on the street. They just block off the street and paint it and no one gets mad because it’s for the cup. And every other house is painted the colors of Brasil.... These people have never painted their houses – ever - and now they go buy all this paint to do up a nice Brazilian flag. Ha-ha, it's funny. So we got to watch the games but we have to be in the house of an investigator. The next game is right during our church meeting so it’s basically gonna be me and Elder Almeida ..... Ha, I hope at least the president of the branch will go... I hope.
Sounds like you guys are all busy. I can’t believe Monty already had 2 birthdays. That means I’ll be home for the next one! He is funny. I hope he didn’t eat that whole cake by himself ... cause I know that he can. So wait Justin will be a junior soon... holy smokes. I don’t believe it. I talk with Natalie and Mandy about every other week now ... it’s really good to hear from them.
So yeah the language is a lot better now. I still have on and off days but now every once in a while a person will think I’m a Brasilian. That always helps out the ego ya know. Ha, but it’s funny some people really freak out when they hear that I’ve only been studying for a year. It’s nice not to have that veil of not understanding. I'll never know everything or speak perfectly but it’s nice to not have to worry about that anymore. But I still need to learn a lot more and I hope I will. Being with Elder Almeida really did help a lot though. He speaks really fast and he stutters so now that I can understand him I can understand anybody, ha-ha. I always joke with him about that.
So we found a really really good family. The man of this family went to church Sunday and said that next week anyone who lives in his house is going to church. He is a really humble man with a really humble life but he wants to join the church and has a huge heart. He’s a hard worker and has a really humble life... just that we have to help him divorce his ex-wife and then marry him to his new wife... so the baptism will take a while but I’m sure it will happen one day. Anyways I’ll try and send a pic now.
Love you all, take care
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Hey Family,
Sorry I haven’t been able to write so much these last couple weeks. I've always been on the rush and this week too, because I have to send the baptism info to the secretaries in Salvador and that takes a little bit of time. But yeah Sister Silmara was baptized and she was really tested too by Satan. Her family was freaking out about the baptism telling her that the church doesn’t believe in God and Jesus, and that we worship Joseph Smith and all sorts of stuff. But she said “I felt it’s true so I'm getting baptized”. She said if the bus would have broken she would of gone on foot to the baptism. It was really neat and spiritual.
We also had zone conference yesterday. It was really good to see President and all of the other elders even though no other elders from my group were there. That was kinda a bummer but oh well. Southworth was there and he is my brother so that was cool to talk with him a bit. He is in Weaver’s group. And yeah transfers are on the 20th so we’ll see what happens. I really think I will leave this time but who knows. I'm doing really good.
I’ll send a little story here about the baptism. So we got there a little early to make sure everything was all ready and some of the water drained out of the baptismal font… just a little bit… but I thought “no big”, I’ll just turn the water on and in 5 minutes, turn it off..... Well a little while later I was in the bathroom, and I noticed that water was starting to enter the bathroom under the door... then I remembered that the water was still turned on in the font.. and just my luck, the pump to drain the water broke... so we had to bucket the water out manually and then mop up all the water... It was a real ....trrrrrrrrrrrrreat! ha. And so to clean it up I took off my shoes and socks and rolled up my pant legs a little and everybody that walked by thought they were so funny and original telling me “Elder take off your socks.” ... implying that my white feet looked like socks ..... It’s not my fault these feet haven’t seen the sun in over a year. But it was kinda funny. After the 6th time and in the moment it wasn’t too funny, but now it kinda is. But I have to go now. I love you guys and hope everything is going good.
Love,
Elder Anderson
Sorry I haven’t been able to write so much these last couple weeks. I've always been on the rush and this week too, because I have to send the baptism info to the secretaries in Salvador and that takes a little bit of time. But yeah Sister Silmara was baptized and she was really tested too by Satan. Her family was freaking out about the baptism telling her that the church doesn’t believe in God and Jesus, and that we worship Joseph Smith and all sorts of stuff. But she said “I felt it’s true so I'm getting baptized”. She said if the bus would have broken she would of gone on foot to the baptism. It was really neat and spiritual.
We also had zone conference yesterday. It was really good to see President and all of the other elders even though no other elders from my group were there. That was kinda a bummer but oh well. Southworth was there and he is my brother so that was cool to talk with him a bit. He is in Weaver’s group. And yeah transfers are on the 20th so we’ll see what happens. I really think I will leave this time but who knows. I'm doing really good.
I’ll send a little story here about the baptism. So we got there a little early to make sure everything was all ready and some of the water drained out of the baptismal font… just a little bit… but I thought “no big”, I’ll just turn the water on and in 5 minutes, turn it off..... Well a little while later I was in the bathroom, and I noticed that water was starting to enter the bathroom under the door... then I remembered that the water was still turned on in the font.. and just my luck, the pump to drain the water broke... so we had to bucket the water out manually and then mop up all the water... It was a real ....trrrrrrrrrrrrreat! ha. And so to clean it up I took off my shoes and socks and rolled up my pant legs a little and everybody that walked by thought they were so funny and original telling me “Elder take off your socks.” ... implying that my white feet looked like socks ..... It’s not my fault these feet haven’t seen the sun in over a year. But it was kinda funny. After the 6th time and in the moment it wasn’t too funny, but now it kinda is. But I have to go now. I love you guys and hope everything is going good.
Love,
Elder Anderson
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Hey Family!
So thanks for the video. He (Jacob, the new nephew) is so skinny compared to Monty ha and dad too... But I still haven’t seen a real good picture of him or Justin. You guys should make a video where you all say something real fast, so I can see how you have all changed. I mean it has been a whole year.
So that girl Silmara, she is gonna get baptized this Sunday!!! She is really excited. It was really cool. We were sitting with her just finishing a lesson and she said “Stop.” We shut our mouths and the spirit just hit us all so hard... I couldn’t even talk. I was just punched in the face by the spirit and then she said “I just got my answer that this is the church of Jesus Christ”. She looked at me and said “When am I getting baptized?” ... I muttered out “Sunday” and she said “Cool”. It was really neat. And Almeida I and already knew she would get an answer because she was sincere about knowing. It was really cool.
So that was a spiritual story; here is just kinda a funny one that just happened. We were walking down the street and a homeless man kindly asks us for money. We really didn’t even have 5 cents with us so we said "I’m sorry but we really don’t have anything" when he rudely yelled for the whole world to hear... “Mormons don’t give money to anybody. They’re sons of the devil”... hahahahahah. Ah man I wish you could of seen his face when he said it. It was so funny how his attitude changed.
I haven’t sent the drive (flash drive with pictures) yet... but I’ll make that a goal for this week... but like I said it took me a year just to put the pictures on it so it might be another year before it gets sent off. Ha, just kidding. I'll work on it. I love you guys. Take care.
Love,
Elder Anderson
beijo na bunda
So thanks for the video. He (Jacob, the new nephew) is so skinny compared to Monty ha and dad too... But I still haven’t seen a real good picture of him or Justin. You guys should make a video where you all say something real fast, so I can see how you have all changed. I mean it has been a whole year.
So that girl Silmara, she is gonna get baptized this Sunday!!! She is really excited. It was really cool. We were sitting with her just finishing a lesson and she said “Stop.” We shut our mouths and the spirit just hit us all so hard... I couldn’t even talk. I was just punched in the face by the spirit and then she said “I just got my answer that this is the church of Jesus Christ”. She looked at me and said “When am I getting baptized?” ... I muttered out “Sunday” and she said “Cool”. It was really neat. And Almeida I and already knew she would get an answer because she was sincere about knowing. It was really cool.
So that was a spiritual story; here is just kinda a funny one that just happened. We were walking down the street and a homeless man kindly asks us for money. We really didn’t even have 5 cents with us so we said "I’m sorry but we really don’t have anything" when he rudely yelled for the whole world to hear... “Mormons don’t give money to anybody. They’re sons of the devil”... hahahahahah. Ah man I wish you could of seen his face when he said it. It was so funny how his attitude changed.
I haven’t sent the drive (flash drive with pictures) yet... but I’ll make that a goal for this week... but like I said it took me a year just to put the pictures on it so it might be another year before it gets sent off. Ha, just kidding. I'll work on it. I love you guys. Take care.
Love,
Elder Anderson
beijo na bunda
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Tomorrow will be one year that I entered the CTM! How crazy is that? And guess what happened? So yesterday we were at a member’s house eating lunch and I got a call. It was our secretary of the branch. He said “there is a guy here who said he knows you and he wants to get baptized. He said he was interviewed and everything”. Then he said “I don’t know. Talk to him and see if you recognize his voice.” And it was elder R Ferreira! He and his wife were passing through Porto to see the sights. So we went to the church and saw them. We talked for a little bit and then we hung out a little bit today and went and saw some sights. They are doing really well, and here in a week he will start working in the CTM. He is excited. He will teach Americans. I don’t know how because his English is terrible but it’s funny.
This week has been pretty good. Thanks for the voice clip I already listened to it and I liked it a lot. I have to buy a battery for the voice recorder and I’ll try and send one (a voice clip) next week. Your mission stories do sound a lot like our mission here. That was interesting.
This week we have been working really hard but just everything has been falling but that happens. We found a 21 year old girl that likes the message and she is with date to be baptized and she said she would like to serve a mission too. She is really serious about everything. She was a really strong member of a different church for 10 years but she said when she gets an answer she will get baptized and I know she is sincere about getting an answer so I know that God will give her one.
But we are doing really well. Sounds like you guys are too. Send a hug to everyone. I'll try and send some pictures here right now. Thanks.
Love you.
This week has been pretty good. Thanks for the voice clip I already listened to it and I liked it a lot. I have to buy a battery for the voice recorder and I’ll try and send one (a voice clip) next week. Your mission stories do sound a lot like our mission here. That was interesting.
This week we have been working really hard but just everything has been falling but that happens. We found a 21 year old girl that likes the message and she is with date to be baptized and she said she would like to serve a mission too. She is really serious about everything. She was a really strong member of a different church for 10 years but she said when she gets an answer she will get baptized and I know she is sincere about getting an answer so I know that God will give her one.
But we are doing really well. Sounds like you guys are too. Send a hug to everyone. I'll try and send some pictures here right now. Thanks.
Love you.
Friday, May 21, 2010
May 19, 2010
Hey Family,
Thanks for the e mail. I loved it.. Dad thanks for the stories. I really regret not talkin to you about your mission more before my mission. Thanks for the uplifting stories. Almeida and I are doing good, especially for staying together for 3 transfers so that’s been good. I'm learning to love him... I don’t always like him but I love him. I told him that the other day and he hugged me, ha.
Dad I can’t believe you made it up “Open Book”... (Open Book is the name of a rock climbing route at a local rock climbing area where Mike is training the Teachers and Priests in the ward so they can climb Chimney Rock this summer for their high adventure activity.) I can’t ever remember seeing you climb... We will have to climb when I get back. I was starting to get a little tummy because of Irma Dina (the lady they baptised a few weeks ago who feeds them all the time) so I had to start doing push ups and sit ups again.. It stinks but ya just gotta do it sometimes.
Holy smokes Ben already finished his mission... that means Tim Lines has got to be close too. Nick Novokavich only has 4 more months ... its unreal. But I’m doing good. I didn’t send the flash drive yet... but at least the pictures are on it. I figure... 6 months to get the pics on it and another 6 months to send it ... Ha, just kidding. I‘ll try and send it this week. Sounds like your all doing well.
I haven’t got to the part in “Jesus the Christ” where He does the atonement but I’m really excited. But it’s interesting. I always thought that on a mission I would learn all these cool doctrines that other people don’t know or these little cool things about the scriptures but every day I study I just get a stronger testimony that Jesus is our Savior, and that everything about the gospel and salvation revolves around that man. I know my Savior better today then I ever have. I’m here working for Him. I know He lives and I know He loves us. And the more I understand the atonement the more I want to repent and do better. I hope that one day I will understand it enough that I will eventually loose every desire to sin. But I love you all and miss you. Take care!
Love,
Elder Anderson
Hey Family,
Thanks for the e mail. I loved it.. Dad thanks for the stories. I really regret not talkin to you about your mission more before my mission. Thanks for the uplifting stories. Almeida and I are doing good, especially for staying together for 3 transfers so that’s been good. I'm learning to love him... I don’t always like him but I love him. I told him that the other day and he hugged me, ha.
Dad I can’t believe you made it up “Open Book”... (Open Book is the name of a rock climbing route at a local rock climbing area where Mike is training the Teachers and Priests in the ward so they can climb Chimney Rock this summer for their high adventure activity.) I can’t ever remember seeing you climb... We will have to climb when I get back. I was starting to get a little tummy because of Irma Dina (the lady they baptised a few weeks ago who feeds them all the time) so I had to start doing push ups and sit ups again.. It stinks but ya just gotta do it sometimes.
Holy smokes Ben already finished his mission... that means Tim Lines has got to be close too. Nick Novokavich only has 4 more months ... its unreal. But I’m doing good. I didn’t send the flash drive yet... but at least the pictures are on it. I figure... 6 months to get the pics on it and another 6 months to send it ... Ha, just kidding. I‘ll try and send it this week. Sounds like your all doing well.
I haven’t got to the part in “Jesus the Christ” where He does the atonement but I’m really excited. But it’s interesting. I always thought that on a mission I would learn all these cool doctrines that other people don’t know or these little cool things about the scriptures but every day I study I just get a stronger testimony that Jesus is our Savior, and that everything about the gospel and salvation revolves around that man. I know my Savior better today then I ever have. I’m here working for Him. I know He lives and I know He loves us. And the more I understand the atonement the more I want to repent and do better. I hope that one day I will understand it enough that I will eventually loose every desire to sin. But I love you all and miss you. Take care!
Love,
Elder Anderson
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Hey Family,
It was really good to talk with you guys too... It’s kinda bitter sweet but this time was better than the last time I talked to you guys and I loved it, and then after we just went right back to work so it was good. My mind wasn’t at home for very long.
So this transfer...... I’m still in Porto ... and I’m still with Elder Almeida! Ha. This is my 4th in Porto and 3rd with Almeida. It was really unexpected but I’m alright with it... It’s never easy to stay 3 with the same person no matter who it is but we get along fine and we work really well and the branch needs us. So we’re excited to just keep going with our work that we have been doing.
So that guy I helped… he lives in Utah, family are all members of the church (him too). And he got robbed, doesn’t speak any Port, and so we just bought him a bus ticket and helped him talk to the police to get a visa again. Then he left to Rio de Janeiro to get his passport and then go home. His family has some friends in Rio. He is all good now.
I did buy a pin drive and put all my pictures on it so I’ll send that off this week. There are lots of pictures so that should make Mom happy.
Elder Nalder is the man. I hope he can get back out asap. Send my loves to him. Elder Sanderson went to Conquista, Elder Jones went to Jaquie (which is the hottest place in the world! It’s gotten up to 49 deg C) and Elder Weaver stayed in Salvador but he was called as a Zone Leader there. He is the man. He will be a good zone leader for sure. Oh and Jones is training. It was cool. There’s a fairly new American - Elder Larson - in the place of Sanderson. I’m excited to work with him. Well I’m really pressed for time today. I had a bunch of stuff to do but I love you guys. Take care. Have a good week!
It was really good to talk with you guys too... It’s kinda bitter sweet but this time was better than the last time I talked to you guys and I loved it, and then after we just went right back to work so it was good. My mind wasn’t at home for very long.
So this transfer...... I’m still in Porto ... and I’m still with Elder Almeida! Ha. This is my 4th in Porto and 3rd with Almeida. It was really unexpected but I’m alright with it... It’s never easy to stay 3 with the same person no matter who it is but we get along fine and we work really well and the branch needs us. So we’re excited to just keep going with our work that we have been doing.
So that guy I helped… he lives in Utah, family are all members of the church (him too). And he got robbed, doesn’t speak any Port, and so we just bought him a bus ticket and helped him talk to the police to get a visa again. Then he left to Rio de Janeiro to get his passport and then go home. His family has some friends in Rio. He is all good now.
I did buy a pin drive and put all my pictures on it so I’ll send that off this week. There are lots of pictures so that should make Mom happy.
Elder Nalder is the man. I hope he can get back out asap. Send my loves to him. Elder Sanderson went to Conquista, Elder Jones went to Jaquie (which is the hottest place in the world! It’s gotten up to 49 deg C) and Elder Weaver stayed in Salvador but he was called as a Zone Leader there. He is the man. He will be a good zone leader for sure. Oh and Jones is training. It was cool. There’s a fairly new American - Elder Larson - in the place of Sanderson. I’m excited to work with him. Well I’m really pressed for time today. I had a bunch of stuff to do but I love you guys. Take care. Have a good week!
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
So it looks like the video didn’t work. Sorry. I spent most of my time trying to send it but I’m just gonna have to buy a pin drive and put all my pics and videos on it soon and send them to you.
Me and Elder Sanderson found a donkey today and the donkey looked at me and said “Wanna ride?”... so naturally I saddled up ... without a saddle. It was funny. We had a little rodeo ha.
But things are going really good. I really have no time to write you guys this week. I wasted it all trying to send that video. But I’ll get to call you this Saturday. I’ll call about 8 pm my time (so i think that’s about 4 your time on Saturday) to set it all up for Sunday...
I hope you’re all doing good. I loved the photos. Looks like you’re all doing well - Kimbo and Jacob and everyone. I’ve got some good stories. I’ll try and make a list of things to tell you guys on Sunday so I don’t forget anything. But things are going really well here. I’m praying for you and love you all so much.
Love,
Elder Anderson
Me and Elder Sanderson found a donkey today and the donkey looked at me and said “Wanna ride?”... so naturally I saddled up ... without a saddle. It was funny. We had a little rodeo ha.
But things are going really good. I really have no time to write you guys this week. I wasted it all trying to send that video. But I’ll get to call you this Saturday. I’ll call about 8 pm my time (so i think that’s about 4 your time on Saturday) to set it all up for Sunday...
I hope you’re all doing good. I loved the photos. Looks like you’re all doing well - Kimbo and Jacob and everyone. I’ve got some good stories. I’ll try and make a list of things to tell you guys on Sunday so I don’t forget anything. But things are going really well here. I’m praying for you and love you all so much.
Love,
Elder Anderson
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Oh man, Kimbo already had her baby huh? Wow! Thanks so much for the pics. My favorite was the one of Monty looking at him and his shirt, haha. But everything went fine - no problems with Jacob or with Kimbo?
Man, things have been so busy this week. I didn’t even remember until today. I opened my planner and it said “Kimbo’s baby is born”. This week has been nuts. We left here at 9 pm on Tuesday night - got to Eunapolis about 10:30 pm and then left for Itabuna at 4 in the morning. We got there about 8 am had zone conference until about 7 pm and then got back on a bus and went back to Eunapolis where we then had to wait for the next bus to Porto which didn’t leave until 2:30 am, so we sat at the bus station for about 3 hours. Anyways we got home about 4 am today, and then had an appointment at 11:00 am so we have just been out of it. My mind and body is just shot, but it was a good conference. And I forgot my camera at home. Sorry. I’ve really been out of it. Before we leave the house we always say a prayer and our testimonies, and today I was about to say the prayer and Elder Almeida said “You’re gonna leave like that?”...I had tucked in my shirt without buttoning it up... and I didn’t have a tie on or my name tag...ha. I was so out of it. But things are going good. Sounds like you guys are all doing good.
The last official day of this transfer is Mother’s day, but we won’t find out till the day after if anything will happen to us here. I’m almost sure one of us will leave and it really is like a 50/50 who would go or who would stay. But Elder Sanderson is excited. He has been in the same area for 5 transfers. That’s like 7 and a half months.
Man I don’t believe I have 11 months now. That means the next mark is a year! It’s insane. It sounds like we can only talk to girlfriends if they’re at our house though, so I’m not sure yet but it looks like I’ll just be calling you guys on Mother’s Day for the whole hour. I’m not sure which number yet. We get to call the day before and set it all up again like last time so I’ll have it all worked out by then. Well, I’m out of time on the internet but I love you all. Send a hug to my new nephew!! I’m praying for him and Kimbo.
Tchau com amor,
Elder Anderson
Kimberli and Jared's baby born today. His name is Jakob. Everyone is doing well! We sent these pictures to Tim today.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Hey family,
Thanks for your e mail. So here are some pictures from our last p-day. We went exploring on this island called Arrial d´ajuda. It’s pretty cool, and we found a member who just moved there and was wondering where the church was. Unfortunately for her the church doesn’t exist there. You have to take a boat to Porto, but its still pretty close. But this island is really cool as you can see from the pictures.
Also something I thought was cool was when Columbus stepped foot on American soil it was Porto Seguro. They had a big festival to celebrate. This is where America was discovered, I’m pretty sure but you can’t trust these school systems here very well. One time I had a guy calling me a Nazi because he had learned in school that Hitler was American. ... but what can you expect when they go to school here for only 3 hours a day. I couldn’t believe that.
But anyways, so this week was good. We had our branch conference and Pres. Vecchi was here for that because he is like our stake pres. And also we got to attend the very first ever branch conference in Coroa Vermelha ... and the first ever branch pres. was called … the first branch pres not to be a missionary. It was pretty cool. I think Elder Sanderson was excited too. So we took a picture with everyone in the front of the designated house. It was cool. I’ll see if Pres can send me a copy of that photo.
Dína is solid as a rock. She is so cool. We had a family home evening in her house with some of the youth and she was so happy. And her and Sister Vecchi got to be good friends also when they were here. Also our zone conference will be next week - day 28th, and this transfer only has 5 weeks I just found out. I knew that every year there is one with 5 weeks but I didn’t know it was this one. So were having to run now. And Gabriel moved houses. We knew he was going to, but we think he lost his phone or something because its always turned off - like it doesn’t even ring. I don’t know. I know he will be baptized one day. We just have to find him now, haha.
Dad I hope your staying safe. (Mike mentioned in his letter to Tim that he is on a business trip visiting with a security firm in Miami about how to keep everyone safe as they send people into some of the more dangerous countries in the world to start up equipment. Then Mike asked Tim whether he feels safe where he is at.) I feel really safe... I don’t know why, we work in some pretty sketchy places sometimes but people respect us. One time we played soccer against these two drug dealers and we won so they had to buy us ice cream ha, and now they respect us even more. They said if we wanted they could make everyone on their street get baptized ... but considering not one of them are worthy... we just let them be. And we see lots of guns ... and guns are illegal here so that’s always kinda sketchy too. One time me and Morris were working and a car pulled up to the house and opened his door and we saw two pistols. We just kept working. But we’re safe and we’re working in better neighborhoods now so there is nothing to worry about. The only dangerous thing is when your involved with drugs and we’re not ... we just teach em. Oh but one of our investigators who is 80 years old - and he owns a hotel - was robbed and beaten. They tried to break his arms and kill him but he ran in the bathroom and locked the door and started yelling and the bandits ran. He got pistol whipped twice in his head and had to get staples. They broke one of his teeth and one arm is really beat up and scabbed, and he got stabbed a couple times in his other arm. The weird thing is we were teaching him one hour before it happened. And the guy who ran the robbery was staying at the hotel and when we left, we shook the guy’s hand who robbed and beat him, and he looked at us and said I’m not worthy to shake your hands... but we didn’t think anything of it. Weird huh? But we gave our pesqusidor a blessing of comfort and helped him clean up his apt. and rearranged some stuff so it looks like a different apt. so he won’t have flash backs. But there was blood everywhere. It was really sad but he is doing a lot better now.
But anyways we are really good and it sounds like you guys are good too. If I don’t get a chance to write on Wed, tell Kimbo good luck and I’m praying for her! I love you all. Take care.
Elder Anderson
Thanks for your e mail. So here are some pictures from our last p-day. We went exploring on this island called Arrial d´ajuda. It’s pretty cool, and we found a member who just moved there and was wondering where the church was. Unfortunately for her the church doesn’t exist there. You have to take a boat to Porto, but its still pretty close. But this island is really cool as you can see from the pictures.
Also something I thought was cool was when Columbus stepped foot on American soil it was Porto Seguro. They had a big festival to celebrate. This is where America was discovered, I’m pretty sure but you can’t trust these school systems here very well. One time I had a guy calling me a Nazi because he had learned in school that Hitler was American. ... but what can you expect when they go to school here for only 3 hours a day. I couldn’t believe that.
But anyways, so this week was good. We had our branch conference and Pres. Vecchi was here for that because he is like our stake pres. And also we got to attend the very first ever branch conference in Coroa Vermelha ... and the first ever branch pres. was called … the first branch pres not to be a missionary. It was pretty cool. I think Elder Sanderson was excited too. So we took a picture with everyone in the front of the designated house. It was cool. I’ll see if Pres can send me a copy of that photo.
Dína is solid as a rock. She is so cool. We had a family home evening in her house with some of the youth and she was so happy. And her and Sister Vecchi got to be good friends also when they were here. Also our zone conference will be next week - day 28th, and this transfer only has 5 weeks I just found out. I knew that every year there is one with 5 weeks but I didn’t know it was this one. So were having to run now. And Gabriel moved houses. We knew he was going to, but we think he lost his phone or something because its always turned off - like it doesn’t even ring. I don’t know. I know he will be baptized one day. We just have to find him now, haha.
Dad I hope your staying safe. (Mike mentioned in his letter to Tim that he is on a business trip visiting with a security firm in Miami about how to keep everyone safe as they send people into some of the more dangerous countries in the world to start up equipment. Then Mike asked Tim whether he feels safe where he is at.) I feel really safe... I don’t know why, we work in some pretty sketchy places sometimes but people respect us. One time we played soccer against these two drug dealers and we won so they had to buy us ice cream ha, and now they respect us even more. They said if we wanted they could make everyone on their street get baptized ... but considering not one of them are worthy... we just let them be. And we see lots of guns ... and guns are illegal here so that’s always kinda sketchy too. One time me and Morris were working and a car pulled up to the house and opened his door and we saw two pistols. We just kept working. But we’re safe and we’re working in better neighborhoods now so there is nothing to worry about. The only dangerous thing is when your involved with drugs and we’re not ... we just teach em. Oh but one of our investigators who is 80 years old - and he owns a hotel - was robbed and beaten. They tried to break his arms and kill him but he ran in the bathroom and locked the door and started yelling and the bandits ran. He got pistol whipped twice in his head and had to get staples. They broke one of his teeth and one arm is really beat up and scabbed, and he got stabbed a couple times in his other arm. The weird thing is we were teaching him one hour before it happened. And the guy who ran the robbery was staying at the hotel and when we left, we shook the guy’s hand who robbed and beat him, and he looked at us and said I’m not worthy to shake your hands... but we didn’t think anything of it. Weird huh? But we gave our pesqusidor a blessing of comfort and helped him clean up his apt. and rearranged some stuff so it looks like a different apt. so he won’t have flash backs. But there was blood everywhere. It was really sad but he is doing a lot better now.
But anyways we are really good and it sounds like you guys are good too. If I don’t get a chance to write on Wed, tell Kimbo good luck and I’m praying for her! I love you all. Take care.
Elder Anderson
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Hey Family!
I have 13 minutes so I’ll try and write fast. So this week was good. We baptized Gina and it was a really spiritual baptism. She is so happy. I don’t have time to send pictures this week but I took a lot today. I’ll print some and send them this week and hopefully send some over e-mail next week.
It sounds like you guys are doing well. Mom asked about my health and I’m doing really well - nothin to worry about. We went and got shots this week. I think it was for the swine flu. I don’t really know. Sister Vecchi said we had to go get it so I went. That’s really cool that Joe is (might be) buying an airplane. That sounds like lots of fun. I know you were looking into that before.
Gabriel wasn’t baptized because his mom was in the hospital but we went and gave her a blessing, and she got better. We have been giving blessings like crazy and almost all of the people are just getting cured right on the spot. It’s really cool. That family I told you about with the angel baby ... she was really sick and not eating anything and had a really bad fever. So they called us to give her a blessing. We were really excited that they called us because after the lawn house incident they didn’t really talk to us for about a week. So we went there and blessed her. She was crying so hard and didn’t like us putting our hands on her head. We had to hold her down to give her the blessing but right after that she stopped crying and starting running around and was happy as a clam. She starting eating right there. And I made a little box with pictures of the temple to put money in for them to start saving to go to the temple. When I gave it to them the wife cried and said it was the best present she has ever gotten. It was really neat. We also gave them "The Family - A Proclamation to the World". It was really good.
Well my time is about up but I love you all. Take care and tell Kimbo I’m sorry she has to wait a couple more days. (The doctor moved her scheduled C-section out a couple of days.) I’m sure she cried when she heard that, but I’ll keep her in my prayers.
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