busy week of june 9th

whats up yall

 This week has been pretty good. Tuesday we went to the country to see some members for most the day an then they were having their firework show at the Fort Payne High school and a member took us.  We talked to some people until it was 830 and then we had to leave! :( so no fireworks for the missionaries... but thats ok because I went home wrote in my journal and drew some in there so that should make up for it right? 

Wednesday we had zone leader training in Huntsville.   We drove to the meeting and it was  good.  I like hearing our leaders talk. We then came home and tracted the rest of the day. 

Thursday was pretty busy.   We had weekly planning in the morning then we have been asked to start doing 4 hours of service in the community.   We searched for service,  but everyone just looked at us like we were talking a different language.. so we went to an all you can eat pizza place called Stevie B's.   You can put whatever you want on a pizza there.   We did some service for them and they allowed us to get some food so that worked out great :) Then we had branch corrilation that night and a storm rolled in with heavy winds and rain.   The 2 visa missionaries were lovin it. I went out in it for legit 5 seconds and was soaked head to toe... 

Friday morning during studys door bell rings and it was the mail lady and what does she have? A pkg from Uncle Kirk. Lets be for real.   Whenever he sends something,  you know its home made,  So I ripped it open and there it was..... the best jam in the world! Two  loafs of bread gone that day! We then tracted and contacted the rest of the day. We were able to watch tv special 20/20 Where Heaven Is.   It was pretty cool that it talked about our church. 

 Saturday we helped our branch mission leader start putting up a shed just like Uncle Rex's tin one.  It is 17 ft tall 40 ft long! Man that was tough,  we only got 4 sections up andwe got sun burned! Man am I greatful for sundays and church.   I taught GP's class again   The visa waiters  had 2 investigators come to church that I had talked to before.   It was weird they remembered me to, it was pretty cool,  I really hope they keep coming. Then after church Jason and Maranda had us over for dinner and we watched the 20/20 with them.   So all and all it was a pretty good week. The weather radio calls for rain everyday this week,  but I doubt it.  The weather in Bama is bi polor! Gas was down to 2.94 now its back to 3.04.  I never thought it would get that low again.

 Well hope yall have a great week! Much love!

Edlder anderson

hot hot in Alabama

Well this week has been hot!!!!! They said it is never this hot till end of August,  but it was over 103 for 3 straight days with the humidity! The heat index got up to 112 one of the days..

 So Monday the baseball team won.  They were down by a few runs,  but then they started to get it together and let  Shane pitched and they ended up going into extra innings and ended up winning. When we came back home,  there were police boats and scuba divers out in the lake by our apartment. Come to find out someone drown and they couldn't find his body. Later on in the week they did find his body about a mile down the lake from where they last saw him sad...

 Tuesday we tracted all day and then the team had another game that we went to that and they lost.. so now they are out. The good news is we gave another book of mormon to someone else that asked for one,  so that was good. 

Wednesday we got up at 5 am and got to go to the Temple! I love the temple.   It was great to be able to go and feel the spirirt with a room filled with missionaries! We saw brother Bush from Bessemer at the temple cutting the lawn with some boys from Bessemer.   He  took us out to lunch to Hamburger Heaven and it was pretty good!

 Thursday Elder Perkins and I  went out  tracting and it was so hot!  We had some good lessons and found 2 potential investigators,  so we will see where that goes. I forgot my planner at the house so sorry I'm  winging it from memory!

 Friday was just another day of heat and tracting. We had district meeting over the phone because everyone was out of miles on their cars. 

Saturday we were in Collinsville and it was another way hot day on the bikes until Elder Whipples chain on his  broke off.  We then we had to walk all the way back to the car it wasn't very fun haha.

 Fast Sunday was yesterday and we talked to John and had him pray during the sacrament  We then asked him to read a story from the Ensign and pray about the 14th of July and he said he would,  we are really hoping for that!  We had a pretty good storm last night that was needed because  everything is dying because of the heat. The new elders thought the lighting and thunder was pretty sweet!

 Well I love yall so much and have a good 4th of july. 

Happy Birthday Markell! love yall!

Elder anderson

Fort Payne All Stars

The Fort Payne All Star Team.  A letter that one of the parents wrote to President and  my testimony that I wrote and put inside all the Book of Mormons.

11 months and counting

Hi y’all

Here's a rundown of our past week. 

Tuesday we went to try to see a lot of the members and less actives and so we did that most of the day.

Wednesday we had district meeting in Scottsboro. Then on the way home we saw more members. That night we had branch mission council.

Thursday we did service for a thrift store down here and they just had us do all the nasty jobs :) it was great! Then we tracked most the day. Later that day we went to the all-star team’s last practice. Elder Whipple and I had written each one of the boys on the team a little letter and then wrote our testimonies in Book of Mormons to give to the parents at the first playoff game the following day. The parents all wrote President Holzapfel letters thanking him for allowing us to help with the team. That was so nice of them. We went to the practice and it was so hot we just died in our long pants. The team gave us a team hat and they are way sweet. They also sent one to Elder James in Cali.

Friday same thing tracked a lot of the day, then that night went to the all-star game. They got killed! It is double elimination so after the game they talked about their next game that would be Saturday at 8. We would not be able to go to the game because our mission president was coming to meet with us and some investigators. I asked the coach if I could say a few words and he said yes. I stood there for a second and just started crying in front of the whole team. I thanked them for all they had done, for the examples they have been to me and for allowing us to help. As I looked up, a lot of the boys were in tears and they all come up after and gave us hugs. We gave them the letters and the parents the Book of Mormons. Only 1 family didn't take one. One of the coaches is a youth minister and he even took one! It was so great! I hope this will open some doors to share the gospel.

Saturday rolls around and my heart would not stop racing all day. President Holzapfel is one of the last people I would ever want to disappoint. The night came and Elder Whipple and I felt the need to show the hour long restoration film. We were so nervous about the meeting because we told president that the lessons are only 45 minutes long. Anyway, we got to the church and watched it. The spirit was so strong and I was dreading for it to be over because the lights were off and when they came back on I knew I had to share my testimony. It’s so hard for me to bear my testimony, especially about Joseph Smith ever since Dad took me to the Sacred Grove. I got up and could not even talk, I was crying so hard. Once I calmed down I said how thankful I am for Joseph Smith and all he went through to restore the gospel. Then Elder Whipple bore his testimony and talked about his little brother he lost. Then another member bore his testimony and then President Holzapfel bore his. It was just a huge chain reaction and it was amazing! I know that Heavenly Father answers prayers! We got there at 6:30 and ended up leaving the church at 8:30. I’m thinking great we went way over time, but president told us we did the right thing and that he was very glad he came to that lesson that night. I am thankful to have the amazing mission president that I have.

Sunday we were at it again. President Holzapfel came and taught in a combined Priesthood and Relief Society meeting, then turned around and spoke in sacrament meeting. I got an idea.... send me a walkie talkie and you can hear him too :) maybe someday!

Well, sorry this is kind of long but hope y’all have a great week! Can you believe on Wednesday I will have been out 11 months! On Wednesday we are going to the temple and I can’t think of a better place to be than at the temple!

Thanks for all your love and support!

Love, Elder Anderson

Staying in Fort Payne

Hi Y’all

So this week has probably been the fastest week on my mission so far it seems like at least! We have been helping out with an all-star baseball team a lot.  I didn't realize until the members told us what a big impact we were making.  I then looked back and noticed the change in the attitude the players parents have towards us compared to the first couple times we helped. It’s amazing! We are hoping that maybe some baptisms will come from it. But if not, we have given the Church a good name to the 60+ parents and kids that come and that is pretty sweet! They had me coaching 3rd base and also had me pitch some heat to the kids.  They were lovin every second of it.

I think I told you that I am under 200 lbs. now and I'm still workin out pretty hard. I decided I might as well keep it off out here and I won't have to work it off when I get home. Elder James had exercise contraption called contour and it’s an exercise for your abs and back, so I will have a 6 pack when I get home. J  I bought one of Elder James suits from him, he sold it to me for 15 bucks!  We have got along great. I am going to miss him.  He leaves Thursday morning at 5 a.m. He is pretty excited and I can understand why.! He has a few scholarships to play college football as a kicker!

The assistants called this morning and said I'm staying in Fort Payne and will be getting a newer companion. Not training, but follow up. Then I will also be getting 2 Spanish visa waiters who are called to serve in Argentina, but waiting for their visa's to come through.   He said it will be like you are going to be in a glass box because they are all new so they will be watching every step and move you make, but we know you can do it.   It’s going to be a lot different and hard to have 3 new missionaries in a new area! haha oh gosh!  We had bunk beds put in the house since there will be 4 of us now.  

We are working with a couple prospects. One used to be a member and now wants to be re-baptized. The other is from a part member family.

I got a package from the James today. They are great, and also, tell everyone thank you, thank you for their letters from camping.   They make me cry every time, but in a good way. I can hear their voices and see their faces when I read them. I love our family so much and I am so thankful for their support. 

 Last night was a pretty big storm. Our weather radio went off around 12:30 a.m. so we got up and sat on our porch and watched the lightning. That is one thing I love about it here. It’s so sweet when there is lightening because they are huge bolts and it lights up the sky. We sat up for an hour or so. The all-star team was going to have a practice game today but it’s still storming so not sure that will happen.

We had dinner at the Wildings (Justin and Amy’s friends) and it went good. He acts just like Justin and it’s pretty funny how alike they are. Then we will have a dinner tomorrow night and Elder James is gone! Pretty crazy.

Things are going great still. Sounds like y’all are doing good as well.  Anything I can do for ya?

Love you so much!   Have an amazing week!

Love Elder Anderson

now serving in Fort Payne

Hi y'all

I got transferred and I am now serving in Fort Payne.  It is about 2 1/2 hours northeast of where I was serving in Hueytown.   My mission also covers some of Georgia.  We only have a small branch here of about 35-40 people so there is lots of work to do. When the Baptist in Fort Payne heard that the Mormons were building a temple in Birmingham, they built a massive cross in Fort Payne.    My companion is from California and will be going home next transfer.  He is a great companion.  One of the first things I was able to do while in Fort Payne was go to the Birmingham Temple and witness a temple sealing of a family that my companion taught a year ago.  They had a little baby sealed to them too.  It was way sweet.

A lady that we were teaching in Hueytown for a while committed to baptism after I was transferred. She called and asked if I could come back and speak at her baptism.  I had to get special permission from the Mission President where it was out of my area.  So on Saturday, May 12th we had 2 baptisms in Fort Payne.  They were a young married couple that Elder James had been teaching for a while. Then we took off and drove 2 1/2 hours to the Bessemer ward to be there for Sister Reed's baptism.  I was honored she ask me to speak.  It was a very very long day, but a really great day.  Her husband was a member, but not active and she was a Methodist and had been taught by many different missionaries, but just wasn't ready yet.  We taught her and I guess she couldn't fight it anymore.  I am so happy for her.

The area in Fort Payne is very spread out and we have to bike everywhere.  In the first week and a half, I lost 10 lbs! We live 10 miles from the church.  No one in our branch can play the piano, so we have a player piano to sing to.

I am so grateful that I came on a mission and I am so happy that I am serving here in Alabama.

Thank you for all the support you give me.

Elder Gentry Anderson

Transfers and I'm now in Fort Payne

Hi Y’all,

So I got transferred to Fort Payne Alabama.  Part of my mission covers Georgia.  I had no idea what to think, but when I got here it is like a huge Tremonton, and it really reminds me of Tremonton too.   I LOVE IT!  We cover a huge area, but have a really small branch.  Only like 40 people.   Wow, that’s how many people were in my Sunday school class!  ha ha, not really but still is way small..  There is a lot more stuff to do around here.  We might go to Georgia next week and go the Falls, (big waterfalls).  I really like it up here, but it is starting to get way hot.  

My new companion is Elder James and he is a biker, so we will be biking a lot.  We also started do P90X in the mornings.  I feel like I have my own personal trainer, but its good cause I need to get back into shape.  Elder James is from Indio, California and only has 6 weeks left of his mission.  He is way sweet.

  

I have already been asked to talk in church on May 13th..  Ha... that was fast.

We have already started teaching 2 new investigators. They are a young married couple named Jason and Maranda. They have set a baptismal date set for May 12th!! So that is real cool.

Our apartment is a 2 bedroom, 2 bath, with 2 walk in closets.  It is older, but we will make it work. 

So check this out, they have a flea market up here on Saturdays like the one that we go to with Grandma and Grandpa in Yuma. But it is way bigger and it is called trade days.  Well we set up a booth and gave out free Book of Mormons...  Ha... Thinking out of the box right??

Things are going great and I am glad to be here.  I will do my best!  

I’m was sad to hear about Grandpa James. Please tell Uncle Al, Auntie Deb, Madison, Mark and Mallory I love them and my thoughts and prayers are with them.

I’m glad that Markell got that job, that’s great!

Well I’ve got to go, have a great week!

Love you all, 

Elder Anderson