September 15, 2014: Where is September Going?

Hola familia! Como estan?  How is everyone’s life without me? Dreadful, I know. I am the life of the party ha-ha. But really, I hope everyone is as happy as they sound in their emails! As for packages, I will take an inventory for the month of October and send a list next week. And I didn't get my package yet...but I haven't been to the office this week. So, when I get it I will let you know. PS, thanks soooo much for the other package! I really appreciated it and look forward to the next one. It's like Christmas in a box!!!! :)

This week was probably the best one I have had out here. I have tried to talk more and have tried to be a little more immersed in the culture. We learned "Las Mananitas" which are basically the birthday songs here. Hermana Sutton knows it better than I do, but we practice them a lot. We have had great food this week too. Oh, the food…IT IS SOOOOO GOOD! I had something called Mole Verde this week that I am going to learn to make for you guys. You will love it! It's delicious. It's like guacamole but better! This week I was fingerprinted and everything for my green card. I'm officially a temporary resident of Mexico! Woot! And when I was there, I got to see my district from the MTC because we all were going there at the same time. As you can imagine, I was stoked to see some familiar faces from one of the best places on earth I have ever been. They all were doing well. It's weird to think about how much has happened to all of us in just one month. This week it rained like crazy on Friday, or Thursday, I don't remember what day...but it was pouring! And I love rain, so I was super excited!!!! I got to wear one of my sweaters because it was....COLD... :) :) :) outside. The weather is cooling down and so I am super grateful for that. We had really great lessons this week with the Bishop's neighbors and with the guy here who speaks English. Oh, I love the people here! There is so much I do miss about home (well, you guys), but so much I love here too. We talked about the Book of Mormon and its importance and the Holy Ghost a lot this week with investigators. There were 86 people at the chapel this Sunday, normally there is like 50 or 55. We were pretty excited! This weekend we have a fiesta to celebrate the 16 of September at the chapel (Independence Day). I am pretty stoked!!! Hermana Sutton and I are looking for clothes so we can dress like real Mexican Women...or at least a sombrero. We are pretty sure one of the members is going to help us get that stuff.

Okay, spiritual thought for you lovely ladies and for my favorite man on earth: Faith must change your actions! Okay, so I have been reading "Jesus the Christ" and it talked about not being able to be saved by knowledge alone. Then Hermana Sutton and I were studying Lesson 3 on Faith in Jesus Christ in PMG. You can know all the things you want, but unless you apply what you learn in your life, it doesn't do you any good. It's not enough to just know what you have to do and half-heartedly do it. So, whatever you're learning: Apply it! Do it! Change! LOVE IT!  So, I decided I'm going to start giving assignments to you guys to do, and then in your emails you can tell me how it went, cool? Cool. Okay, this week...you guys will study Chapter 5 of PMG and it's about the BoM. So while you are reading the BoM as a family, read and then discuss what you have learned and how you will APPLY it in your week. Then you guys can tell me about your week and then just a short bit about how the challenge went. This will be fun people! I am learning so much and really want to share it with you guys! The mission is amazing, I am so glad I came!! I've really learned so much in just the few months I've been gone. I love you guys so much!!!!!!! XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Love your little missionary,

Hermana Anderton

Hermana Sutton and Anderton at the border.  Raegan is now a "temporary" resident of Mexico!!!

Raegan loves to sleep...  with her prized "air" mattress.

At the border for fingerprints.  L to R:  Elder's Velazquez, Lamm, ?, ?, and Smith with Hermana Anderton and Sutton

At the border with MTC friends Elders Lamm and Smith

A rainy day in Juarez...  I get to wear a sweater!!!

September 8, 2014: We Found Captain America in Juarez...

Okay people, business first. The Texas address is going to change to this:

9420 Escobar

El Paso, TX  79907

So, if you could change that on my blog too that would be fab. (And thanks for keeping that up, from what I hear.) I will still get the other package you have sent already, they are in the process of trying to change it to this one, so they will check the other one, too. Don't sweat it. But for the next package, send it to this one :) Anyway, I got my package!! Thanks so much! I about died from happiness when I saw the Nutella. And everything else was perfect!! Mom, you read my mind!! Please send more Nutella if you would like...I've already finished half the jar. Hmmm, maybe you shouldn't....I have an addiction to that stuff ha-ha. So for packages what happens is they take the package to the mission headquarters, and then when I go there for training or anything else, they hand it to me and I take it back to my house. So basically it goes from El Paso, straight into my hands. I am excited to get my music! Thanks for doing that for me!!! I love my family!!

So this week: I am becoming a cook I think. The hermanas here are quick to show and tell us how they make their delicious food. I am so glad there is hope for me ha-ha. I am really learning a lot about myself out here. Luckily, I've got Hermana Sutton to keep me in line. The intercambios were a little tough, nothing went as planned in our area, but it was good for me to learn a little more how to take the lead. I sincerely tried my best and so that was all I could do. I am finally moving into the "I can do this!" stage of adjusting to missionary life. I was discovering the unexpected for a while...but now I feel comfortable navigating my way around and I am not as intimidated to talk to people in my broken Spanish. I am able to understand a lot more!! I actually can follow along enough to speak to people because I get a little summary in my head of what they said. It's crazy how much I have learned in one month here. Can you believe your little baby has survived Juarez Mexico for a month? SWEEEET! I never really feel unsafe here, it’s crazy I know, but I always feel guided about where to go and what to do. Soooo cool thing this week about my awesome companion, she called me out on something this week: my lack of self-confidence. She told me to fix it. Only she could get away with that ha-ha. She said, "Hermana! You need to realize the gifts you have! Doing that isn't being prideful; it's recognizing the gifts God has given you and using them!" I sat back and went, "Oh! Oh my goodness. She's right!!!! Developing your talents is something you're supposed to do." So, I'm working on that now. Thanks to Hermana Sutton. The Lord knew what he was doing when he made us companions. It's crazy how much I am discovering myself out here. I've changed so much in a month. At a meeting with the President this last Friday, he told us that the habits we form out here are going to follow us for the rest of our lives, so we better form good ones out here and then keep them. He encouraged us to prepare to be the moms we will need to be and to really soak in everything the mission has to offer and to work hard. I really feel ready to let my old-self go and improve into the person that I need to be. I can't tell you how happy it has made me so far!!! SOOOO HAPPY HERE!!!!

We found Captain America in Juarez too!!!!! Well, a piñata of him. I will have to send you the picture later because I don't have it on my camera. Hermana Ellsworth...who I had an intercambio with… has it. I will send it next week. Well, I love you all so much and miss you guys like crazy!!! I am not homesick or anything, but I do miss you guys a lot. I am so grateful I am part of a fabulous family. Watch "Because of Him" this week on the Mormon channel. It's amazing! It's changed my view on life! Everything we have is given to us by Christ and Heavenly Father!! Everything works out because He is in control. Love you guys so much and thanks so much for everything! The package was great and your prayers are felt. XOXOXOXOXO

Love, 

Hermana Anderton

Note:  Raegan did not send any pictures this week so I "borrowed" some from her companions blog.  We sent her a package with various items.  Her mom sent her one of her favorites including "Nutella".  Raegan would often eat it by the spoonful and it appears that nothing has changed.

Whaaaaaat.....

Happiness IS Nutella!

I can eat the whole bottle in one setting!

Hermana Anderton and Sutton with their neighbor.

September 1, 2014: We tried to break into a car.....

Hola familia!! How is everyone doing? I sure do miss you guys, so I love the emails! Sorry I stink at replying. Keep them up, even if I don't respond well. I can't believe school is back in session. That is super crazy because it feels like I just got out of my first year of college. Oh man, life keeps speeding up!! I have already been out on my mission for 2 months and it feels like I just started.

Well, this week I honestly am scrambling to remember. There is so much that we did that I can't put it in order. So here is my attempt: we tried to break into a car...yes, for real. Let me explain: one of our investigator's mom locked her keys in her car and so we were trying to unlock it. Oh the things you learn on the mission! I think I am adjusting to the heat...it doesn't bother me as much even though it's not particularly comfortable. However, yesterday we were walking around to go and visit the sick people in the Ward and I realized that every minute spent in the sun was worth it to serve the people.  My attitude really changed to be much better this week with the help of Hermana Sutton. I am so blessed to be out her with her. She says she was just like me at the beginning of her mission and so she has a lot of great advice. I am sad that we have to do exchanges this week, which means I will be on my merry own with someone who has probably as much experience as me. WHAT AM I GOING TO DO WITHOUT HERMANA SUTTON?!?!?!? I really hope to be a missionary like her someday. She speaks Spanish like a native and works hard. It is easier to go to work when both of us are motivated. We met a man named Alejandro who is a red tomato! He is so ready it's crazy! I love teaching him! Hermana Sutton is making me share more and talk more in the lessons, she gives me just the right push...I'm becoming more comfortable sharing my experiences than I was before. It was hard at first for me because you guys know I'm really not an open book with my feelings. It was just a really good week. We taught the most lessons we have since I have been here and it seems like our finding efforts are finally paying off. I feel like I am starting to get a feel for the mission field. We are also teaching a part member family that speaks English...did I tell you that? Oh, I love speaking English to them. They feed us American food every Saturday, it's awesome. The food here is great, too. I have a thing for tortillas; oh it's a major issue! I will show you guys how to make some later. Oh, and we are going to Costco today!!!! Happiness!!!!!!!

So this week I realized that all I am is because of my Savior. I knew that before, but since I've been out here I've had to really rely on him and not myself. I used to view myself as pretty self-sufficient and when I put my mind to something I got it done. But this mission thing is a whole other beast! I never really had to try in school, but oh man I have to try with the Spanish. It's humbling. I am a perfectionist, but there is no way we are all going to be perfect. I am trying to be a great missionary, but I need to be patient and let myself learn. I finally think I understand more the personal necessity of my Savior in my life. Holy guacamole! I can't wait for personal study in the morning because it gives me the strength and motivation to go through my day. I finally think I understand how to personalize the Gospel. I know my facts, but I guess I just never reflected it all back to myself. So, that's been really amazing to do. I really think this mission is a pivotal point in my life. I'm changing so much (really fast) and I'm learning so much. Thanks for supporting me and helping me to get here. We have so much to be grateful for and to hope for in our lives. I know sometimes I swing to the extreme of being realistic, but really we have so much to hope for and be thankful for. We all know in the end everything will be okay!! :)

Well, I love you all so much and hope that you have a fabulous week! Keep sending the great emails. I love reading them!! I have the best family on the planet. Seriously, I am so grateful I get to be with you guys forever!! Miss you all lots!! But I'm super busy...so it's all good.

With all my love,

Hermana Anderton

Hermana Anderton and Sutton

I think it reads  "Born to be real not perfect"

Learning to cook tortillas!

Trust us.....

Working on the tan line.

Things you find in Juarez.