HI

Washington DC South mission! Satan doesn't stand a chance!

Great week. We've been teaching a ton of lessons! When we aren't out knocking doors or talking to people in the streets, we're teaching members in their homes. We have definitely been keeping busy!

 

Centreville 2nd ward is awesome. I love it! The members are so missionary minded. There were four women who came out with us this week, each on a different night. It's just amazing to see the miracles that happen when members and missionaries literally work together!!! 

 

Miracle #1. Our Relief Society President came out with us to check on a few less active members. We decided to check on a part member family to get to know them and help them all feel welcomed in the ward. The wife is a member of the church, and the husband isn't. He answered the door. Sister Heiner, the relief society pres, loves to sing hymns...so we asked if we could sing to him! He said we could (he was probably thinking we were insane...haha!) But we sang, the spirit was there, and he came to church on Sunday! Woo!

 

Miracle #2 We went out to check on another less active member with Sister Hughes, a ward missionary. We couldn't remember where this person lived, so we knocked on the door that we thought was right. Turns out, she didn't live there...but a really great lady named Annita does! She's from India and was so sweet. There was a bit of a language barrier, but as soon as we said "Jesus Christ" she was all smiles! We gave her a copy of the Book of Mormon and promised to come back at another time with a copy in Hindi. We also invited her to come to church and she said she wanted to, but that she'd have to check with her hubby first.

 

Miracle #3 Sister Miller, a former ward missionary, and her husband took us out to dinner on Saturday. We started talking about the ward and found out that her new calling is teaching the 5 and 6 year olds during Sunday School. There were a few kids that don't show up as often, so we made plans to go out the next day and visit them together. Sister Miller is awesome. After we visited the few houses that we had planned on, with not much luck, she said, "Well hey. I'll just hang out with you guys until your next appointment if that's all right!" She was with us for three hours yesterday. Talk about going the extra mile. It was awesome. We went to various apartment complexes hoping to catch some potential investigators at home. On our way to check on Paul, a high schooler that we talked to earlier that week, we met Paul's brother on the doorstep. His name is Semo, visiting from Mississippi. Sister Miller, Sister McKee and I taught him the first lesson all together right there on the doorstep! He took the Book of Mormon and agreed to have misisonaries over when he gets back home to Mississippi!! Sister Miller was so excited!

 

I'm tellin ya! Members + Missionaries = MIRACLES. And that's a promise! I've seen too many miracles to say otherwise!

 

Thursday there was a huge snow storm. We couldn't drive anywhere so we put on our pants (HALLELUJAH) and helped our neighbors shovel our their cars so they could get out. It was a lot of fun. We had a snow shovel in our closet, and borrowed another from the elders. (There are three sets of elders that live in the same apartment complex) We would just walk up to someone who was shoveling the snow, and jumped in helping them! It was so fun! Turns out, we helped all the right people. The first man said that we were heaven sent because he was having major back problems. It was just a great opportunity to get to know our neighbors. And it was a lot of fun! I'm grateful that Mom and Dad taught me how to work. And I'm grateful Sister McKee isn't afraid to work.  It's AWESOME.  

Sister Anderson and Sister McKee shoveling snow.

Sister Anderson

 We had a few appointments Thursday night, but we weren't allowed to drive our cars in the snow. We decided to try to walk over. We made it a ways out, but our growling tummies got the best of us. And it was freezing. We made it to a little strip mall area. We narrowed down our choices between Panda Express (my first choice) and 5 Guys. I was set on Panda, but decided a burger didn't sound too bad... God works in mysterious ways...because he works through our empty tummies. While we were there, a less active member that we've been trying to get a hold of and trying to help out just walked in! I smiled really big, waved at her and invited her to sit with us! She said we were sweet, but that she was just picking something up for her hubby. We said we'd come by later the next week :) 

 

Miracles are happening in Centreville! I'm so excited!!!! I love this area so much!

 

 

Happy Valentine's Day!

 

President Riggs has challenged all of us missionaries to memorize all the scripture references in the first three lessons of Preach My Gospel. And right now we're working on the Plan of Salvation lesson. There are soooo many scriptures in this chapter! But as I've been studying and trying to use the scriptures in my teaching, I've really come to appreciate this wonderful plan that our Father in Heaven has laid out for each of us. We are here on earth to be happy and to become like Him. Our savior is central to this plan, because we couldn't become like Heavenly Father without Him and His atonement. There is so much peace and hope that comes from knowing where we lived before this life, why we are here, and where we are going after we die. Because of this plan, I am not afraid to die! I know that so long as I'm doing what I can to understand and become like Christ, I'll be okay. And I know my family will be okay. I love this gospel!

 

Have a great week!! Pray for your own miracles! You can be a part of them too! Keep reading the Book of Mormon! I know it's hard, but it's worth it. It really is another testament of Jesus Christ, and it will bring you even closer to Him. I know that it will!

Love you all!

Sister Anderson