Saturday, July 30, 2016

HERE WE GO!

Week 6- MTC

Tuesday, July 26, 2016

Dear Family and Friends,

Wow time has flown by... it is so crazy that I am leaving for the PI tomorrow!  I can't wait to get there and start to teach and love the people of the PI.  The MTC (Missionary Training Center) has been great and so much fun.  I have really learned so much here not only about the gospel, but about myself, a whole new language that I had never heard of, and a new culture.  One thing I've heard over and over about the Filipino people is that they are the most loving and humble people on this planet... I can't wait to meet these people!  

This week was really great.  The highlight of my week was the Sunday night concert (devotional).  The Nashville Tribute Band came to the MTC and played for us.  They were all members of the church and the songs they sang were about the gospel.   They pretty much taught The Restoration with probably 15 different songs.  They started with Christ’s earthly ministry, then sang about the restoration of the true gospel of Jesus Christ through Joseph Smith.  It was awesome and a super cool devotional.  I never knew that this music which was a mix of rock and country could bring the spirit soooooo strongly.  It was such a great time.  That devotional was also super special to me because I love music so much and this was the first time I'd heard music in six weeks.  

This week we also had some super special teaching moments that testified to me that I am ready to really start my mission in the PI.  Even though I have somewhat of a base of this brand new language, I'm still learning, but I know for a fact the gift of tongues is real and that I will be blessed.  Another funny thing that happened this week was that one of my teachers predicted where I would go for my first area. I forgot the area he said, but it was on the west coast of Iloilo somewhere.  Aklanon is the language spoken there...it is really wacky.  I have no idea what a lot of the words are... my teacher spoke a little of the language to me. It is crazy!  I actually think it would be awesome if that is my first area.   

Tomorrow I head off for the PI and I can't wait.  There is about 30-40 of us going together so even though the flights will be so long, it should be fun! I fly from here to Los Angeles, Los Angeles to Hong Kong, Hong Kong to Manila.  I will be in Manila for 5 days and then off to my island of Iloilo.  

To give you a taste of IIonggo, here is a short testimony:
Kabalo ako nga matoud ang simbahan.  Kabalo ako nga proppeta ni Joseph Smith.  Kabalo ako nga palanagga sang Dios.  Kabalo ako nga palangga si Jesuscristo.  Kabalo ako nga matoud sang Libro ni Mormon.  

Who ever can translate that wins a prize!

Much Love, 
Elder Andersen



"PEACE OUT"  Leaving Tomorrow!!

"Peace Out!"  My District

My Zone...last time at the Provo Temple before we leave.

My District...the night before we left.

Just a few ties...hope they'll all fit in the suitcase.

Iloilo, Philippines

My District together in our mission t-shirts.


The perks of having your  older brother working at the MTC for 4 years...he gets to come and say goodbye!  LOVE this picture so much!


Thursday, July 21, 2016

EIGHT DAYS LEFT IN THE MTC

Week 5 - MTC

July 19, 2016

Dear Family and Friends,


Another great week in the MTC, it is really weird that I'll be leaving here in 8 days!!! The time has flown by.  While I love the MTC, I literally can't wait to get into the field.  

I’ll start off with the coolest part of the week and that was the devotional on Sunday night.  We got into the devotional and the Mission President was like we have a special treat for you tonight and the treat is we are going to watch "Character of Christ" (a talk given by David A. Bednar about 10 years ago at the MTC on Christmas.  (The week everyone gets into the MTC you watch that talk and we also watch it right before we leave.)  So when we heard that that was the “special treat,” we were kind of bummed, but then something really cool happened.  After the video of the talk ended, the doors of the devotional hall opened and everyone stood up.   No one had any clue what was going on, and then walks in David A Bednar himself!!!!... You could say it was DOPE.  Then he gave a really cool devotional.  He didn't just give a talk; he had a question and answer.  He answered several questions from missionaries.  It was a really cool devotional and the Spirit was so strong.  The only bummer was that there are so many missionaries in the MTC right now, about 2,800, I've heard.  Our group wasn’t in the actual devotional hall, we were watching it live from a different room in a different building…but it was still awesome!  

On to my week… We've been doing the same things as usual, we have been teaching a lot which has been really good.  Right now we have some tough progressing investigations, and sometimes the lessons are really rough but it's okay.  We have been focusing on asking "deeper" questions so we can better understand the needs of our investigators.  It's really nice to get to know these investigators on such a deep level and it really makes teaching so much easier because the spirit is so much stronger.  

Other that that just another average week in the MTC.   We got our travel plans last Friday so that was pretty cool, and it's really starting to hit that we will be in the Philippines really soon. Last night Elder Gunter left for Mesa Arizona, it was really sad to see him go but he is really excited to get into the field.  

Lastly, thanks to the Dotsons and Grandma and Grandpa for the packages I love everything and I really appreciate you thinking of me.

Until Next Week,
Elder Andersen



 
New shoes (rubber) as Logan will be arriving in the Philippines during the "rainy season."
With Elder Gunter (who left for a mission in Mesa, Arizona this week) and Elder InFante
Logan's District

Thursday, July 14, 2016

ANOTHER GREAT WEEK


Week 4 - MTC

July 12, 2016

Dear Family and Friends,

Another great week in the MTC! On Wednesday we got 2 new districts in our zone... 15 missionaries in total, 12 elders and 3 sisters.  All the new Elders and Sisters are great I really like every single one of them a lot!  

We got to host again on Wednesday which was a great time it's a lot of fun to see all the new missionaries come in.  I think about 700 came in to the MTC and only 200 left so it is pretty busy here.  There is always a long line for all of the meals, which is pretty unfortunate… but whatever!  There is also a line for showers in the morning, which is also kind of rough but it's not that big of a deal.  We were chosen to host again tomorrow so we are all pretty excited about that.  I don't know if most of us are just excited because we get to miss class, or because it is fun to host.  While we were hosting Wednesday when Elder Vaiau and Elder Martin left for Manila.  It was pretty sad to see them go but they were really happy and excited to leave the MTC and actually get into the field.  It's crazy to think that we only have 14 more days in the MTC.  The time has flown by and it is weird that we'll be shipping off so soon.

On Sunday I got to give the prayer at the devotional and it was pretty dope.  On top of that it was a really good devotional and super spiritual.  Random people that I don’t know have been coming up to me and saying… “Good prayer!”  HAHA  (I guess I did alright..haha)  

Today we got to go to the temple and actually do a session instead of tearing up carpet and scraping glue off the ground.  It was just a little more relaxing.  The temple was great and it was nice to be with the elders and sisters I already love so much.  

The language is coming a long great I am learning a lot every day and I am really starting to gain a lot of confidence in it.  Even though I've learned so much and I am feeling confident here, I know it will be a different world when I actually get to the PI.

Sorry this is such a short letter, we literally do the same thing every single day so there's not a lot of new things that happen.  I love the MTC and I am loving the mission!  Have a great week!

Elder Andersen



New Zone

Provo Temple

The New Zone


"LASERS"






Wednesday, July 6, 2016

MORE NEW EXPERIENCES

Week 3- MTC

July 5, 2016

Dear Family and Friends,

This was another great week full of some new experiences.  Last week we were able to host the new missionaries coming into the MTC, it was really fun.  It was nice to get out of class a little early and then it was so cool to see the new missionaries coming into the MTC.   We get to host again tomorrow so that'll be fun.  We are losing one district this week and gaining two so hopefully I'll be able to host some of the kids in the new district.  It's going to be sad to say goodbye to the other district, we have become really good friends.   They can't wait to get out into the field... I'm pretty jealous of them but I'm also really happy for them, they'll do great.

After I emailed last P-day,  Elder Gunter got his new mission call and he was assigned to the Mesa, Arizona mission.  I could tell he was sad about not being able to go to PI, but he is happy and ready to serve in Mesa.  There is a possibility  he will be able to come back though.  He goes in for an allergy test on the 12th of this month, if they can determine what he is allergic to, and he can avoid it in the PI, he will be reassigned to Iloilo. 

Saturday was the Stadium of Fire at BYU (A huge patriotic celebration with entertainment and fireworks.) We had a devotional Saturday night and then all the missionaries were able to go outside and watch the fireworks.  It was really fun to hangout with all the missionaries and just chill for a little bit.  As you can see from the pictures it was a really good time.

This Sunday was Fast Sunday, and it was pretty rough... we fasted from dinner at 5pm on Saturday until dinner at 6pm on Sunday. I don't think I've fasted that long before.  It was a long fast but it was really good and our Fast and Testimony Meeting was super spiritual.  This past Sunday I was asked to say the closing prayer for the devotional a week from today.  (Logan said that the devotional is for the entire MTC, and that a General Authority will be speaking.)  I'm not sure how they pick people, my Branch President told me that I had been chosen.  So, that'll be pretty neat...I'm pretty excited.

Today we helped again with the renovation/cleaning of the Provo Temple.  I was asked to volunteer as a Security Guard, so I pretty much sat on my butt the whole time. My kind of service!  (Just kidding...I enjoy service, but it was nice to have a bit of break as well.)

The language is still coming great,  I'm starting to get confidence, and I'm not scared to speak with our progressing investigators or the people at the TRC.  The MTC is great and I love it here.  The days and weeks are starting to move really fast and in just a little bit I will be of to the PI.  


Hope all is well,
Elder Andersen


Here's some additional highlights:

Elder Andersen:  The language is coming along really great.  I'm really starting to understand what's going on and what I'm speaking.  The schedule can be taxing at times, but I am getting used to missionary life.  

Elder Andersen:  We leave for Manila on July 27.  We will be there for five days and arrive in Iloilo on August 3rd.  I am really excited to go, I really can't wait.  I just want to meet the people and learn how to love others like they do.


THIS WEEK"S PICTURES:



Celebrating the 4th of July at the MTC- Watching fireworks from the Stadium of Fire
WIth Elder Martin

Celebrating the 4th

Good Friends

Logan's Zone (minus a few) at the Provo Temple

Logan's Zone at the Provo Temple

More Zone Pictures

The night Elder Gunter was re-assigned to the Mesa, Arizona Mission

Sock Ties

Logan and his Zone Leader, Elder Vaiau

Hosting new missionaries. (Elder Vaiau and Elder Martin- good friends that left the MTC today for the Philippines.)