MTC Week 5

Hey family!

     Kamusta ang pamilya ko (how is my family?)? Well this was another quick week in the MTC. Not too much has happened this past week that was out of the ordinary. Im so stoked for SUI!!! (He is going to the El Salvador, San Salvador Mission) Thats so awesome i'm so excited for him. Thats funny that him and Nancy are going to the same MTC on the same day thats crazy. Also, congrats to Michelle North thats awesome! (she is going to the Chile, Santiago West Mission)

    Well, yesterday was another great Sunday. Sundays here are awesome days. We had a fast and testimony meeting followed by a 2 hour mission conference. In the mission conference all of the MTC Presidency spoke along with their wives. The overall theme was The Book of Mormon. I think every speaker spoke about the Book of Mormon it was great. President Brown (the MTC President) gave an awesome talk about the Book of Mormon. I dont have my notes with me right now or I would tell you guys some of the things he said. So after the mission conference we had a district meeting, dinner, then the temple walk. I spent some time with Elder Taylor and Elder Kimball at the temple. Elder Kimball is the kid from Laguna Beach that was at In n out before I left he got to the MTC this week. I was looking for him like all week and I didnt seem him until Friday so I was stoked to see him. After the temple walk we had dinner and just pigged out it was awesome. Then we had a fireside where we watched the First Presidency Christmas Devotional. It was super good, you guys should definitely watch it if you havent yet. After that we watched a talk by Elder Holland that he gave at the MTC a few years back. It was such an awesome talk, I seriously took like 2 pages of notes it was so good. Elder Holland is the man I love him. So yeah that was what we did yesterday. I learned so much yesterday and my testimony was strengthed so much.

     So to answer someof your questions, we taught 4 lessons this last week. I am starting to feel really comfortable in the lessons. Elder Sargent told me in our companionship inventory that I know how to make sentences and stuff in Hiligaynon but I just hold back in lessons and I dont say them because I am worried im going to mess up. Once he told me this I realized that this was really true. When I get in lessons im sometimes scared to say something so I choose not to say it. Our last lesson on Friday I just opened up my mouth and I truly wanted to help my investigator and it just seemed like the words were just put into my mouth without me even thinking about it. It was so crazy. I finished saying like these 2 long sentences about prophets and I was like wow how did I just say that haha because it made perfect since. Usually I stumble over words or have to pause and think about the next word im going to say but at that time I just spoke and the words just came out it was great! I know that that was God speaking through me and that was the gift of tongues. I am so grateful for all the help from my Heavenly Father that I get out here. I would not be able to do anything out here on a mission without his help. A mission is so hard and I am so grateful that God helps me so much, I feel His love and help for me everyday. My teacher the other day was giving a spiritualy thought before class and he said, "Jesus Christ wants to be your third companion." Thats how bad Christ and God want to help us.

      Also, yeah the Iloilo missionaries finally got their travel plans. We were in the computer lab doing our computer assisted language study stuff and one of the elders walks in and was like "who wants their travel plans?!" They all jumped up and screamed haha it was so funny. They were all so stoked, and I totally understand why, theyve been here for 11 weeks now! Oh yeah one of the Elders in that disctrict going to Iloilo is Elder Giddings and he's from Richfield, UT. Haha how funny is that. I was talking to him during basketball one day and I told him how my grandma lived in Aurora haha it was so random. Thank you guys for that package of tiger milk bars and those pumpkin cookies, that was soooo nice of you guys so thank you so much. I'm good right now on candy and stuff but im almost out of cashews so maybe another thing of cashews would be great. Also, could you send me my ties that are on my tie rack in my closet. I want some more ties to wear and trade, i've traded a bunch of ties and Im picking up some sweet ties. Also, could you send me my black oakley gloves. My hands freeze up here and gloves would be great. If you could do that that would be so awesome. Thanks for the pictures of Regen! and the new cabinets are looking good! Yeah I got both Elder Taylors letters thank you for those that was great to read those. So not this week but I think next week is when the first wave of those 18 year old missionaries are supposed to start coming in. Its gonna be nuts in here! We were talking to a guy who is in a Branch Presidency here about the missionaries coming in and he said that the its going to going from 2,500 missionaries that are now in the MTC to around 4,000 missionaries in a few weeks. Its already extremely crowded in the cafeteria and the gym everyday so I dont know what theyre going to do to accomodate all of the new elders. He was saying that they might house some at BYU and have them do all their classes and everything at BYU, but who knows that will happen. Im just glad i'll be out of here.

       Yeah I wore my fast sunday tie yesterday it was sweet. Everyone loves that tie, they always want to trade me for that tie and I always have to shoot em down haha. Thats exciting that Follow the Star is this next week. Im going to miss that but yeah you guys should invite everyone you can! Well, thats all I have to say. I dont have any pictures to send home this week but Elder Taylor has Pday to so I might take a picture with him and maybe I can send it home to you guys. Im sad he's leaving me, its gonna be a bummer not seeing him everyday. I only have 4 more weeks! so crazy haha and a new hiligaynon district come in next wednesday so thats excited. Well have a good week. Read your scriptures, especially the Book of Mormon. I love being a missionary and I love the MTC. I am growing so much in here its awesome. Everyday I learn something new and everyday I become a better missionary. I am so grateful for the Atonement and Christ can save me even though I am the farthest thing from perfect. That is such a wonderful gift in my life. I love you all!

Halong,

Elder Anderson