White Christmas

Hello! I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas! I'm pretty glad that this is my last Christmas away from home. Definitely missed home. But now I can say, I'll be home for Christmas! So today is our P day because Monday was Christmas and they let us have P day today which is nice.

Last Monday we got to play ball at the YMCA with Austin Bloyd, he is in the Branch and has been a little less active even tho he is only 15. In the town of Creston where he lives there is a lot of racism. He is African American and he has gotten death threats and everything. It’s so bad that he has to get home schooled now. So we have been trying to lift his spirits. We had a great time playing ball with him, he is pretty good too so that was fun.

Tuesday we had a Christmas Zone Conference, basically just sang songs and heard some training's on the birth of Jesus Christ. That took up our whole day, long meetings.
Wednesday we had a lesson with our investigator Rich, he is about 65 and works at Mcdonald's. Nice guy, and he works on the weekends so he can’t come to church right now. We'll see where he goes.

Thursday was exchanges, I went with Elder Baldersten, that was a lot of fun. Elder Baldersten is from Utah and we have served around each other for over 6 months. Friday we finished exchanges and weekly planned and did some finding.

Saturday we did service for the Creston Food pantry and that was great! They fed us lunch too! Also did a round up to get people to church but no one showed! It was only an hour too! But it snowed 5 inches that night so they probably got scared! Also was my Dad's Birthday so Happy Birthday Dad!!

Sunday we went to Church then went out to Blockton Iowa and had lunch at a get together with a members family. Pretty much their entire extended and immediate family makes up the city of Blockton so they were all there. That was fun and they sang some karaoke! Then we went to the Bloyds for dinner, and had a good time there.

Monday we got to sleep until 9:30 so that was great, but I couldn't even sleep that long, I’m so used to getting up at 6:30. Then we went to the Bloyds again for lunch and played Clue, then we went to the Branch President’s house, and got to Skype home! It was great to see the family. That was fun but ended up being really hard. On that skype call home I heard that my Uncle Dan had passed away. It was such a shock it was hard to take. I loved my uncle Dan so much! I'm so sad that he had to go so soon, but I know he is in a better place now and will help us from the other side. I love and miss him and the Floyd family is in my prayers.

I love that I get to take the Plan of Salvation to all these people and bring to them comfort by letting them know that they can be with their loved ones forever and will see them again. There are so many people that believe after this life, it's all over. A lot of the time when we’re out knocking, that is the first thing I tell these people, is that Families can be together forever in happiness! Because it is so true and people need to know that.

I love this Gospel and the comfort and happiness it can bring to us. Especially the Book of Mormon, that book can heal us, as we ponder it's words every day it will heal us and bring our lives joy!
I love you all and your all in my prayers!

Love, Elder Anderson

With President and Sister Badger

Its freezing!

Lots of these signs marking where the saints went through, and lots of these towns I cover are from people who decided to stop, and they lived where they stopped, and now there towns. So lots of church history.

This is where we live and that's our car! haha