Monday, May 25, 2015

May 25, 2015: The Sun is Ruthless!


Hola familia!! Everyone sounds great! I can't believe summer is here for you guys and all of the fun things you're up to!! I'm so proud of all of you too!! :) Maddie's wedding is sneaking up, time to do the last minute details. Thanks for sending the package; I'm sure I will get it soon :) Thanks for all your emails, too. You all make me laugh and smile. I love you guys so much!!

Okay, let's get down to business...(ha-ha the Mulan song just came into my head). I'm staying in Rio Nilo another transfer!!! I thought I would have been disappointed and ready for a change...but yesterday I got so scared they were going to take me out because I really love the people here and we are rolling with work now. So, I'm happy. We will be in a trio, so that should be fun!!! I'm staying with Hermana Ferrell and Hermana Diaz is coming in to join us. That will be something different, a trio for a whole transfer. I really like Hermana Diaz, so I think all 3 of us will get along really well. :) Here we go to work!!!

This week has been really good! My favorite experience from this week was on Saturday at the temple. We taught the Scouts on temple grounds about the 13 articles of faith. The scouts were doing an activity to know about other religions and one of their leaders is a sister of a man in our ward, so he asked us to teach the 12 and 13 year olds the basics of our beliefs. It was so fun!!!! :) They asked a lot of great questions and we gave away Book of Mormons and Restoration pamphlets....one of the leaders was writing things down and asked for all the material! I really enjoyed the activity and the time just flew by! I love just even being on temple grounds. There is just a special spirit there. It feels like home!!!!!! I wrote all the details in my journal, so one day I will tell all. We have a new investigator named Patty and when we went to go visit her the second time, she insisted that we go visit her friend with her too. Her friend wasn't all that interested, but it makes me happy to see that Patty already has figured out that the Gospel can bless her life and the lives of others. We found a guy with one leg from Tennessee here...he has a strong accent. I thought they exaggerated the accent in movies, but they don't!! We caught ourselves talking with it at the end of the conversation...oops!! Yeah, my mind is pulling a blank right now ha-ha. And I'm in a hurry because we are going to the park and museum today as a last district blast thing. Sooooo just know that we've had a lot of cool experiences. I'm so glad I'm out here!!!! It's heating up though...NOOO!!! I'm going to be so burnt!! The sun is ruthless.

This week Elder Christensen, one of the Presidents of the 70 came to visit us. He was super cool!! He asked us why God allows us to be missionaries if God can do His own work. It reminded me of a question from mission prep two years ago....really in the end it's for our benefit, too. We give service and bless other's lives, and in the process we change and bless our own lives. God is a great multi-tasker. I'm so grateful for the blessing I have to be a missionary!!! Elder Christensen reminded us also that change is a process, so to be patient with ourselves. Oh he was totally speaking to me at that point ha-ha.

My thought for you guys is going to come from the things I read in the Book of Mormon today. Alma 20:23, and 22:15,18.

It's about King Lamoni's father when he was learning about the gospel. He had three interesting quotes if you look closely. He said to save his life he would give Ammon up to half the kingdom. He then said to get eternal life he would give up all he possessed. He said to know God, he would give away all his sins....in other words, everything bad he liked to do, he would change and repent. I really liked the leveling up of the things he would give up for the things he wished for. Question for all of us to reflect on: TO KNOW GOD, WHAT WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO DO/CHANGE? We are all sinners, we all have weaknesses (which aren't sins, but we need to overcome them!!!), and we all have our favorite things that we don't want to give up, or that one commandment that's "impossible" to follow. It’s kind of like the rich man who wanted to follow Jesus, but didn't want to give away all of his goods. Granted, we will never reach perfection in this life, but we can demand improvement of ourselves. :) So, I know that with Christ's help, we can make the necessary changes!!! :)

Well, I love you all!! I hope that you have a great week and that all goes well for all of you! Thanks so much for all of your support and love!! #livingthedream XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO until next week!!! :) I have the best family!!!!

Con todo mi amor,
Hermana Anderton


Hermana Luly Lievano (Ward Mom, Center) with (L to R Standing) Elder Sanchez, Hermana Mercado, Hermana Ferrell, Elder Raymond,  (L to R Sitting) Hermana Diaz and Anderton

Raegan's district at the Ciudad Juarez Temple

A car full of missionaries......

Rio Nilo District

Teaching Scouts about religion at the Ciudad Juarez Temple

Elder Sanchez, Elder Raymond, Hermana Mercado, Anderton Ferrell, Diaz and unknown couple

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