ONE YEAR, BABY!

Week 53

Sunday, June 18, 2017

Hello Friends and Family, 

First of all, I would like to say happy Father's Day to the best Dad ever!!! My Dad is sooo awesome... I love him soooo much!  I can honestly say that I haven't appreciated him enough in my life.  Dad, I love you and thank you for all you do and have done for me!

This week I'd like to say a little bit about my mission because this past Thursday, I hit my one year mark.  A year ago Thursday, I said goodbye to my family, friends, golf, music, and everything I knew and loved and headed into the Provo, Missionary Training Center.  When I arrived at the MTC, I received a bunch of books that said "Hiligaynon" on them.  I put my ridiculously giant suitcases in my room, then headed to my classroom where my teachers greeted me and didn't speak any English at all...it was so hard.  Fast forward six short weeks to when I arrived in the Philippines, broke the first chair that I sat on...and still had absolutely no clue what was going on.  Now, fast forward one year...here I am today.  I am in the best place in the world. I love the people more than anything, and I feel at home.  I can speak several different languages, and I actually eat something other than pizza and pasta.  This mission has changed my life... it really has. The biggest thing I have learned on my mission is that I can honestly say that I know Jesus Christ.  I know He lives, and I know He suffered for all my sins.  I have learned that He gives revelation to his prophets, and because He doesn't change, He has called prophets for our day.  I have seen soooo many lives change because of this gospel and because of this church.  The work I have done as a missionary in the past year is the best work ever.  I love being a missionary, I love being close to my Savior, and I especially love the Philippines and the people here.  I would just like to finish this letter off with my testimony in Ilonggo 

Kabalo ako nga matoud ang simbahan nga ini. Kabalo aklo nga si Joseph Smith matoud nga propeta kag subong may ara kita ang buhi nga propeta si Thomnas S. Monson, Kabalo ako nga paggi sa ebanhelo ni Jesus Critso pwede kita mangin malipayon, kag pwede kita magupod sa pamila naton hasta wala katupusan. Kabalo ko kig nga buhi si Jesus Cristo kag nagahatag sia mga bugay sa aton adlaw adlaw. 

Plangga ko kamo 

Halong kamo

Love,

Elder Andersen

A FEW QUESTIONS ANSWERED FROM OUR PERSONAL LETTERS:

Q:  How did the ties turn out and how did your zone like the matching ties?

A:  "The ties are awesome.  Everyone loved them.  During our Zone Conference, Sister Cruz (Mission President's Wife) said, "If you're not in the Guimaras Zone, you don't have a guapo tie."

Q:  Do you think Elder Santos will be transferred this next transfer?  (Elder Santos is Logan's companion.)

A:  "Yes, Elder Santos and I only have about two more weeks together.  It's gonna be sad to see him go.  He has been great and we have been the most unified companionship ever.  Elder Steiner will probably transfer too."

One year shirt burning!  

One year baby!

Multi Zone Conference

Multi-Zone conference

Guimaras Zone- matching mango ties