January 20, 2010

Hey family!

How are you guys doing? I’ll start by answering your questionsfirst. I’m sure there is a post office here. I just don’t know the area that well yet, but for sure there is one here so I can back up the pics, and send them. I don’t know the house address but it’s really close to the church and the beach, so that’s nice! You can probably send letters to the house when I find out the address but packages should all be sent to the mission home, I think. When I was in Salvador, I didn’t have any letters or packages but my buddyElder Jones is now in the office and he called me and said I now have two packages waiting there in the office. He said one looked like a man chewed through the corner. Ha! So he pulled a mini candy cane out and ate it while I was talking to him! What a punk.

It’s just Elder Morris and me living in our house. It’s really small but its perfect. We don’t need a big house. I like our house and it’s so close to the church. That’s nice, and it’s close to a center where there are lots of shops and stores, so it’s nice. My district is just Elder Morris, Elder Sanderson his new comp and me. He is training him. So we’re all American except one. Elder Sanderson and I are the oldest! but I like Sanderson a lot. He is such a good guy and a hard worker. Our branch is pretty weak... we have about 20 active people, but we’re working on that. The members don’t really trust the missionaries here but Morris and I have been doing everything right and talking to them and serving them and I think we’re gaining the trust back so that’s good. I’m feeling good about the work Morris and I are doing here.

I don’t have too much time left but things are going really well. Pres. Vecchi is coming in about an hour to do interviews. I’m excited to see him. Elder Morris is the man. He is still learning things ...well, I am too. That’s for sure, but things are going well. I can’t get my investigators out of my head. They’re all I can think about all day and then I dream about them. Man, I just wanna have a break. Ha! I’m always worried something will happen or they won’t go to church. Ha! It’s stressful but I love it. I’m tired but so happy. I can rest in a year and 4 months. I can’t believe it was a year ago I was at BYU-Idaho. It’s crazy how fast time goes. Next week I’ll have 8 months in the mission. Wow.

Oh another thing is I have really received the gift of tongues. I’ve never been able to talk like I am now - not even close. Some people have asked if I’m Brasilian, which is a miracle. Last transfer lots of people couldn’t understand me and I couldn’t talk very smooth. It was so choppy and this transfer, I have received so much help. It’s really been a miracle. So, thanks for your prayers and everything. They are helping so much, I love you all. Somebody kiss the monkey man for me.

Love, Elder Anderson