September 15, 2014

Hello there!

We had an AMAZING WEEK AHHHHH!!!!!!!!! We hit our mission standard!!!! The Washington DC South mission standard is to find 3 new investigators each week, get 2 investigators to church, and have 2 investigators on date always. I haven't quite hit it yet so far since President Riggs announced it a transfer ago, but this week we did!! And it was Sister Williams' first full week in the mission! She is amazing! We make a powerhouse companionship! We are both extremely bold and fearless. I'm sorry if it sounds cocky, but it just feels so great to have a companion on the same page as you so that there is literally nothing holding back the work.

We have been so busy going from appointment to appointment non stop. It's the best feeling ever to have places to be and people to teach. We had 6 lessons on Tuesday between the hours of 4-9. First we met with Marita and took Bishop Gardner with us. Then we rushed to dinner at my favorite Mexican restaurant called El Vaquero with some members and we had a quick lesson after we ate. Then we ran over to the church to meet one of our investigators, Ashleigh. While we were waiting for her to come, we saw a kid cutting through the empty church parking lot. He was probably walking home from school or a friends house or something. But I was on the phone and Sister Williams goes, "Sister Anderson! Ah! There's a guy walking kinda toward us!! What do we do!?" I was on the phone, so I just said, "Go talk to him!!!" And she looked at me, looked at the kid, took a deep breath and then said, "Okay!" and hopped out of the car and marched right up to him!!! MAN I love being her trainer! She actually does what I say! hahahahhahaha. It was soooo funny! I ended the phone call and went to help her teach and we made him a new investigator while Ashleigh pulled up. We had a great lesson with her where she committed to being baptized on October 25th and coming to church this Sunday! SO AWESOME. We just had a great day filled with opportunities to teach on the way to our teaching appointments.

Ashleigh is one of our most progressing investigators right now. We do have her on date for Oct 25, but it miiiiight take a while longer for her to be baptized. She learns a little more slowly and has a lot of stuff going on. :( She needs this gospel more than anything!!! I'm so grateful that we are blessed to teach her and help her realize that she is a daughter of God who loves her so much! She lives out on Bull Run Mountain and is uncomfortable with us coming inside her house because her dad doesn't like us...so she takes us to her special spot in the forest next to a little stream/creek thing. It's really cool. It's her little safe haven that she always goes to to get away. And she trusts us enough to take us there! It was REALLY cool when we taught her the Restoration because it felt like we were in a little grove of trees! When we shared Joseph Smith's first vision, it was pretty powerful. I have decided that going to Palmyra NY is on my life's bucket list. I want to visit the real sacred grove someday!!!!!!!!!!! I feel like it's a MUST-DO, especially since all I do is talk about what happened there in 1820 every day of my life. :) Anyway, Ashleigh is sweet. She's 21 and has become one of my good friends. I love her so much! AND she DID come to church on Sunday!!!!

There was another investigator of ours that came to church on Sunday too! His name is Rahfi (rhymes with toffee). He's muslim. We met him on the very first night Sister Williams got here. We were walking back to our car at the end of the night and we saw him walking up his porch steps to go in for the night and we stopped him. Before we could testify or teach him anything on his doorstep to make him a new investigator, Sister W got way excited and bursted out, "When can we meet with you?!" And he said Saturdays were best. He agreed to meet us at the church. Okay, the greenie fire is real. Haha. When that first Saturday rolled around, I didn't think Rahfi would actually show. We called him right before the appointment, and he said that he was still wanting to meet with us!!! I was shocked! My past experience with this type of situation usually ends with us getting our hopes up and being blown off...but he was still on! We wound up rescheduling with him to the following Saturday (this last Saturday that just happened) because our day was a little crazy last week. So we meet up with him Saturday morning at the church. We went into the lesson not knowing a single hting about him- which is fine because it really pushed us to rely on the spirit. We asked him about his religious background and he said that he's muslim!! Wow. I'm just being surprised all over the place with this guy. I've NEVER had a muslim want to listen to me... Not that it doesn't ever happen, but usually they don't want to change because it could potentially mean putting their lives on the line and being kicked out from their families. It was a good lesson. Sister W did great! She's got the new missionary fire and excitement, but she doesn't act like a new missionary. She seems so experienced, it's not even funny. She's so confident and trusts God SO much!!!

I can't even write about everything that's happened this week. But we did hit mission standard, we had at least 20 lessons- most of which were investigator lessons- and it was just awesome. We rocked this week.

Oh yeahHHH!!! So we had 2 investigators at church and a less active show up!!!!!!!! So the ward now sees the work that we are doing and they'll want to help us with our work!! AND ON TOP OF THAT- President and Sister Riggs came to our ward to speak this Sunday!!!! We told Sister Riggs that we were going to hit mission standard and she said taht she was so proud of us!!! Sister Riggs is a lot more shy than President Riggs is (which is good because they compliment each other perfectly) but it's really hard to impress her. So for her to tell us that she was proud of us and excited for the work that we were doing made me feel like I was on cloud 9!!! I know for a fact that it's not about me, but I'm so grateful that the Lord has supported me while I've been training a new missionary. It's hard as it is to get used to a new companion and learning how to work together with all our strengths and weaknesses, but training on top of that is super stressful. It just feels good to know that I am a trainer that my trainee can trust, that President and Sister Riggs can trust and who the Lord can trust to get the work done. It was a huge relief!

I just love Sister Williams. Really I do!!! I might have said this last week, but I feel like I am training myself! So yeah, there has been a bit of clash because we are both strong leaders, but we've been able to work through it. It's SO nice to have a companion that is willing to talk out a problem when it arises. It's incredible to me that we were still able to teach a few powerful lessons while we had hard feelings toward one another, because now that we've worked through it and have become better friends, I can't wait to see the miracles that are going to happen now that we are completely unified and understanding of one another!!!!!!!!!!! :) :) :) The only thing that I forsee that will stop us from working in unity is my pride. So I'm really working on setting my pride to the side so that the spirit can take over.

Hey- what have you been reading/listening to from the Book of Mormon??? I just finished reading the Book of Mormon "general conference" in Mosiah 2. I LOVE King Benjamin's address!!! It hits my heart every time I read it. Mosiah 2:21-24 stuck out to me the most.

21 I say unto you that if ye should serve him who has created you from the beginning, and is preserving you from day to day,by lending you breath, that ye may live and move and do according to your own will, and even supporting you from one moment to another—I say, if ye should serve him with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants.

22 And behold, all that he requires of you is to keep his commandments; and he has promised you that if ye would keep his commandments ye should prosper in the land; and he never doth vary from that which he hath said; therefore, if ye do keep his commandments he doth bless you and prosper you.

23 And now, in the first place, he hath created you, and granted unto you your lives, for which ye are indebted unto him.

24 And secondly, he doth require that ye should do as he hath commanded you; for which if ye do, he doth immediately bless you; and therefore he hath paid you. And ye are still indebted unto him, and are, and will be, forever and ever; therefore, of what have ye to boast?

I've been learning a TON about humility since I was called to be Sister Williams' trainer. I've learned that I am literally nothing without God. Heavenly Father really is so good to us. Even though there's nothing we can do to pay Him back, He just wants to bless us. And all He expects is that we keep His commandments. He does that so He can bless us even MORE!

My goodness God is so good.

I love the Book of Mormon.

I love you all! Have a great week!!
Love,
Sister Anderson

Julie with Small Children!  Surprised?  Nope!

She said that she was making kid burritos!  Ha ha

Grimes girls

Outside Elders serve in Centerville Ward and the middle Elders Serve in the Haymarket Ward.

I see that there is a Diploma, but I don't know what this is about!  Sorry!  They look super happy though.

Sister Havrilla letting Julie pet her rooster!

Pretty daring. At least it isn't a dog!

Virginia Sunrise!

Sister Williams after a day in the mission field!
 Julie said she worked her to death!  Ha ha!

September 8, 2014

Howdy.

Welp. I'm training a new missionary. I got a phone call last Sunday night that I would be training. One of the assistants tot he president, Elder Ni, called and told me that the Lord has chosen me to train. that's a big phone call to get... I was a little nervous, but after going to the "train the trainers" meeting on Tuesday, I only felt excitement. We were told that we would either make or break this missionary's mission, and we have a huge responsibility to train them how to be exactly obedient. THey told us that after their future spouse and their parents, we would have the biggest impact on this missionary's life. WOW. But I mean, I feel like it's true. I adore my trainer, Sister Hansen!!! She helped me SO much and I will always look up to her! On Thursday we had a meeting separate from the big transfer meeting where they put all the trainers and trainees in the same room. All of us trainers were already sitting there and we just had to wait for the new missioanries to walk in. As soon as they filed in, I knew who I was training. I picked her out the moment I saw her. The way that President Riggs announces who is training who is by calling up the new missionary first to introduce themselves. Then he calls out the trainer. Sister Williams went up and introduced herself and then before calling anyone's name to announce her trainer, he looked off to the side at her and said, "Sister Williams, do you love to laugh?" And as SOON as he said that, I leaped out of my seat and said, "I KNEW IT!!!!" and I ran up and gave her a big hug! hahahahhahahahaa President didn't even call my name! It was a great moment! Later, I asked SIster Williams if I had scared her, and she said, "nope! Honestly I'm glad it wasn't awkwardly silent!" :) :) We're going to have a GREAT transfer together!!! OH GUESS WHAT THE COOLEST PART IS?!?!?! Sister Williams is Jenna Lythgoe's cousin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Small world right? She's from Kimberly, ID and has one older sister, one younger sister and a younger brother. She went to BYUI and played pretty much all of the intermural sports. She's so awesome! It feels like she's training me...literally. She is already so bold and is such an amazing missionary. It will be really cool to see her grow because she's going to be a powerhouse missionary once she gets everything down. It's been interesting to see myself in her as a new missionary. It's made me appreciate my own trainer a WHOLE LOT MORE. Wow. My trainer was SO patient with me. Sister Williams and I are really similar. Our personalities are both really strong and we are both leaders, so we've had a little bit of a clash, but we're working really hard on it. Once we figure out to be completely unified, there will be literally nothing to stop us. I'm really excited!!!!!!!! I'm working hard to be a good trainer. It's difficult for me to step back and let her mess things up so that she can learn from her mistakes, but it's been fun to let her take the lead in teaching situations. I remember how hard it was to be a new missinoary and to just jump into eveyrthing...it's a bit overwhelming. So it's easy to be understanding and loving. :)

Before Sister Lamborn left, we found a lady named Marita. it was one of those miracles stories where she needed us, and we were in the right place at the right time. God literally led us to her. I love it when that happens. :) We went to visit a less active, who didn't answer, so we each chose a house to knock on and Marita's house was the one that I randomly chose! She opened the door and let us right in. She said that she worked for the Marriot family for 10 years raising their horses, and she just adores their family. It was funny to me that she was surprised that I didn't know the entire life history of the Marriots. She said, "you're Mormon aren't you? Why dont' you know more about them?" hahahaha. But Marita explained that she was in desperate need of spiritual nourishment in her life and she's been exploring other churches lately. (Those words are enough to make missiaonries drool with excitement!) We tried to give her a book of mormon, but she's older and can't read the smaller print. So we ordered her a big copy and we're bringing it to her on Tuesday:)

Yesterday was fast Sunday. One way that we can "own" the ward, or help the members to love and trust us, is to get up and bear our testimonies. I told Sister Williams that she had to get up first to set the tone for the entire meeting, and she surprised me by actually doing it! I did NOT bear my testimony the first fast Sunday that I was in the mission! hahahahahaha!! (I really do have a lot of power as a trainer, and that's a scary thought!) But she did so well!!! The spirit was so strong, and every single member that got up after her bore their testimonies about missionary work. My plan worked mwahaha! Don't worry, I like to keep the commitments I give people and I practice what I preach so I bore my testimony too! After church, we got our meal calendar back, and we had more members sign up to feed us than we've had in a while!! I love seeing the immediate results to my missionary efforts!!

I love you all!! Ah! I have to share this with you! Today I was studying Preach My Gospel chapter 2 and right at the beginning of the chapter it says, "For you to grow in the gospel and stay on the path that leads to eternal life, you need to develop a habit of gospel study." That statement is followed by the scripture D&C 131:6 which says, "It is impossible for a man to be saved in ignorance." Man, that really hit me hard today. It makes me not ever want to miss a single day of scripture study ever again in my entire life!!! But I'm so grateful that Heavenly Father gave us scriptures that are enjoyable to read like the Book of Mormon so that we can study and treasure up the words of eternal life, rather than being out of the loop. Don't be out of God's loop! Keep reading the scriptures every day!!! :)

Have a wonderful week!!! I love you so much!
Love,
Sister Anderson

They lent their car to the Elders and when they got the car back this is
what they found in the front seat.  Your guess is as good as mine! 
 

Sisters Anderson, Lamborn and Lei

Last picture with Sister Lamborn before she was transferred.

Sister Williams on the left is Julie's new Comp/Trainee.  She is Jenna Lythegoe's cousin! 
Small world.  On the right is Julie's trainer Sister Hanson.

Sister McKee, one of Julie's Companions is going home!  WOW!

Sister Williams and Sister Anderson!

Humm!  Looks like they are ready to go!

This little guy is part of a family in the Haymarket Ward.

This is his brother!  They had the Sisters
over for dinner for the GREENIE!

Welcome Greenie!  How fun!

Lot's of Green food for dinner! It's not only for St. Patrick's Day!

Sister's having fun!

September 1, 2014 - Some Pictures

I asked Julie to send some pictures and she did, however, she doesn't label them.  So honestly, I do NOT know what is going on in several of them  The hotdog thing?  You got me?  And why is she pointing at the tail light of a car?  I don't know!   So enjoy seeing her beautiful smiley face!

Heart Attacking someone's door!

Is that dinner?  Is that a Hot dog flower?  Maybe a Hotdog Octopus?

What ever that Hotdog creation is, it looks amazing!

Again, not sure what's up with the tail light.  Humm, maybe a reflection of something?



Here she actually told me she was posing with a nun, Sister Andrea.  I don't know where she met Sister Andrea but she looks pretty nice.

Stormy Weather!

September 1, 2014 - WOW! Posted THIS WEEK! It's a MIRACLE!!!!

Last night I got a phone call from the assistants to the president. They told me that I'm going to be training a new missionary! Jinkies! Transfers are this Thursday. But at least that means I'm going to be staying here in Haymarket for a while longer! It also means that Sister Lamborn is leaving me. She is my bestest friend. Literally. We have gotten to the point where we don't even have to speak and we know what the other person is going to say in any given situation. She is so much fun. We just laugh all the time and I haven't ever been upset with her. So it will be really hard to see her go. I just love her so much! I cried myself to sleep last night because of all the emotions that were running through my body! I'm nervous and excited to train and sad and excited for Sister Lamborn to go to a new area. She goes home in November... so I'll be sad all over again. But she lives at Bear Lake UT and is going to Utah State, so I'll be able to play with her again when I go back to school.

 

This week was good but tough. I like to think that I'm building character. It's hard to see how rejection builds character in the moment... haha. We did find a someone to teach though! Her name is Aya and she's from Mongolia! We just chatted with her for a little bit about God and Jesus Christ and when I invited her to be baptized, she had no idea what that was!!! When I asked her if she'd be baptized if she knew it was true and she just blankly stared at me and said, "what's that". It took about five whole seconds before I said anything. Not because I thought she was dumb or anything. Not at all! I was just SO thrown off at her response....I mean everyone's answer to literally every question that I ask them usually is, "I'm Catholic" Hahahaha. so we just stared at each other for a bit before I spoke again! Hahahaha! It was a really funny moment! But she is THE sweetest ever and said we could come back and teach her family! WOOO!!!!!

I always have funny moments with dogs. Literally everyone in VA has a dog. So the phrase, "Wow! Everyone and their dog is at the store today" is terrifyingly accurate. The more I'm around dogs, the more I do not enjoy them. At all. We met a HUGE dog...I took a pic with it. It's on my blog post that I just published...but it took everything in me to touch that thing and then smile with it. Also, last night we met a man who was sitting on a patch of grass while his dog walked around him, eating the grass. Yes, it was eating the grass. The man said something about how he thought his dog might be sick or something...and then right after we shared the first vision, the dog thought it was okay to throw up right in front of me. Twice. Thank you little canine. After it was feeling better, it decided that I would be fun to lick. Yeah, not okay with me! Yuck! Haha Haha! 

 

We went to a New and Returning Member fireside last night with our less active that we've been working with named Lei. It's a REALLY cool fireside to go to because we get to see people that we once served around before. We don't get to find out who is actually speaking until we get there, and there were two people that Sister Lamborn had met at the beginning of her mission. She found one lady in Alexandria and taught her the Restoration in a McDonalds and then passed her over to some elders because the lady didn't live in her ward boundaries. Sister Lamborn had never seen that woman again until last night, when she was bearing her testimony of the restored church and sharing the story of her conversion and baptism!! It was such a neat experience!!!

 

I think it is SOOOO COOLLLLL that Brendan was the honorary baseball kid! What a miracle!! I'm so grateful his name was picked and that he got to do that! I really think that's awesome!!! 

I hope you have a great week and that no one has any more freak accidents or doctor's visits!! Haha! 

 

I love you SO much!!

Sister Anderson

Julie Has Her Own Mission Blog - Check This Out

So several months ago Sister Anderson's mission became an iPad mission.  They are able to use iPads as a missionary tool.  I believe they use them for mapping and I have heard that they can Skype missionary lessons.  Missionaries can use FaceBook for missionary purposes and not too long ago I learned that Julie has created a missionary blog.  She does a GREAT job at delivering messages about Christ and the Gospel through her blog so check it out!

http://sisterjulieanderson.blogspot.com/2014/08/i-am-beautiful.html