IDMM

This week started off with basketball at the YMCA last P day again and that had to have been the best ball there since I have gotten here! Lots of good ballers, so it made for an awesome exercise! As we were walking out we saw Sis Ralston the Branch Presidents wife, so we talked to her and she invited us over for Dinner! So we had a great night there!

Tuesday we left right after studies to go to the Leon Elders area and do some work there! They haven't found any new investigators all transfer. These Elders have not been very motivated cause they know they are in a tough area and it seems that when I try to motivate them, they get Demotivated. So kinda tough but we hit it pretty hard and were able to find 2 New Investigators that day. Sadly we had to go in early at 5:30 because of the freezing rain.

Wednesday we left from Leon up to Osceola and had District meeting. I didn't have hardly any time to prepare a training, but I had some thoughts and just winged it and it worked out. The spirit just took over. It was on planning and how to better plan our days and use our daily planners more effectively. So we’re all striving to have Golden Planning sessions. Then right after District meeting we took the long drive down to Centerville to go on exchanges with those Elders! It was a great exchange and we found 5 New Investigators! We also had a lesson with a couple they have been working with and since Centerville, Iowa is apparently the Meth capital of the World, he told us about some of his past and the crazy things that are always happening there, as he was drinking out of his giant king mug full of Whiskey and Tea, and he went through a couple of them! lol Also last night when I called to get a weekly report from the Centerville Elders, they told me that while they were out knocking they heard a bunch of Gun Shots and then a lot of sirens just a block from them!

Thursday we finished Exchanges and were planning on going to Indianola for exchanges with the Zone Leaders but we had to call if off cause of the bad weather. So we took the long drive home. The rest of the week was filled with knocking and not much success. Lots of rejection this week. But my studies this week have been great, I have been reading a lot of the Bible Dictionary along with the Book of Mormon. I love the mission and the time I have to study! I learn so much everyday! I encourage you all to find time to study the Word of God!

Love you all!
Elder Anderson

                                          

Exchanges in Leon

The District

Rathbun lake over by Centerville. As we drove by it we saw like 6 eagles out on the Ice and flying around!

Some good ole Whitetail! We saw a whole heard driving home from Lenox yesterday. The one in the bottom left has already shed his left side!

Missionaries

This week was full of missionary work! haha as always! Nothing too crazy, we had Zone Pday last week in Waukee and Zone Conference in Des Moines. I learned a lot in this one on specific things I can be doing with my Investigators.

Wednesday we had dinner out in Mt Ayr, IA and that's about 45 minutes away so we went early and hit some small towns on the way, we knocked every door in Benton, IA with no success. We stopped in Diagnol, IA and went by a referral from our Branch President. His name is Robert Ikenberry, he has been a member for a long time and has lived there for a few years but his records have never been in our boundaries. So apparently he was last active in Colorado and the church called him and found out where he is now and sent them his way. Really nice guy and has a family of 4 he is the only member. He said he has been planning on getting active again. They also said they would be willing to feed us anytime so were hoping to see some success there! Had a good time at dinner with the Recent converts and taught them about Families and Temples and hoping to get them both to the temple soon.

Thursday while knocking we came across a baptist pastor and he let us in and we had a good chat, lots of questions and answers. Not really a bash, he believed in the trinity and couldn't accept that God and Jesus Christ are separate. Nice guy tho.

Well the work carries on and we continue to try to meet with our most solid people but things keep coming up keeping us from meeting. Satan is very real and is very against this work because of its truthfulness. I know with all my heart that this is true and everyday through my studies and experiences my testimony grows! This is by far my toughest area, I have been doing much fasting and prayer with the Lord to hopefully see some kind of success. I know that we will get an investigator to church this week! The Lord will provide! Keep our area in your prayers.

I love you all! Go to Church and Read and Ponder the words of the Book of Mormon everyday no matter how busy you are!

Love, Elder Anderson

Level B roads are everywhere out here and since it is warming up they are so muddy. My GPS took us to this one and you can see how far our tracks went.

RLDS or Community of Christ here in town.

Iowa Sunset

Saw tons more eagles this week.

8 Inches of Snow

Hello Family and Friends!
We got about 8 inches of snow this week so we did some shoveling! The Community is pretty good with the snow removal out here.

Tuesday the Leon Elders came to our area to go on exchanges, Elder Alton and I went out to Kent IA and knocked on every door there! We found some cool potentials and met an older couple that let us in to warm up and they enjoyed our message and want to learn more. There names are Doc and Linda and Linda has our Branch President as her doctor and she said she just loves him! So we’re hoping to start teaching them.

Wednesday we went out to Indianola IA for Interviews with President Badger. Sister Badger had to stay home since she was sick. For District meeting that day I had everyone give a short training. So last Sunday night I asked them all what they would like to hear me give a training on and whatever they told me I asked them to give a training on. Haha It went great and I think they were all able to learn a lot.

Thursday we had the Centerville Elders over for Exchanges. Elder Orme (from Utah) and I went on Exchanges and taught a few lessons and gave one of our investigators a blessing.
Friday and Saturday it snowed a lot and we went out to the smaller towns and did work. Met a lot of great people and hoping to have some great lessons this week.

Sunday we had a good time at Church and Afterwards the Elders Quorum had set up a bunch of appointments with Less Actives so everyone went out and had great Visits. We met with the Gottemoeller's and that was fun. The Husband there isn’t a member and is still angry at God because he watched his Dad pass away in a farming accident. But the Branch loves them and hopefully one day he can get baptized.

Love you all! Elder Anderson

Blessed

This week was amazing! We did so much it flew by!
So last P day we balled at the YMCA again with a Less Active priest from the Branch, he is really good, but couldn't beat us in 21. haha

Tuesday we left for sharpsburg Iowa, a really small town and we knocked on every door there! Met some really nice people and got a cool new investigator! That night we went to the Price's for dinner, a really nice family that is cousins with the Nybo’s from back home so that was cool! We got permission from our Mission President to spend the night at there place to save miles and go to more areas we haven't been. They had a nice separate living place for us so that was great! They were super nice and had breakfast for us! So the next day we did some work in 3 more small towns, Bedford, New Market, and Gravity. It was a lot of fun!

Thursday we had District meeting and I trained on how to work with your Ward/Branch leadership. A lot on how the Church is to Comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable! And us missionaries are the afflictors for the Bishop and others. haha We’re the comforters too I guess. But it was a lot on having a good relationship with your Bishop/Branch President. And how to be a better blessing not a burden. Also made sure they were all having Ward/Branch Coordination and council, and how to make those better and to use them. Us missionaries go to so many different areas we see so many different things so we can bring lots of helpful things to strengthen the area we are in and be more involved with the Branch. I made up an object lesson with Ping Pong, so we played Ping Pong. haha The Bishop was one paddle and the person holding that paddle was satan making bishop look intimidating. The other opponent was the missionaries and the ball was responsibilities and the net was fear. So we had to keep the ball going to keep up on our responsibilities and get over the net or over our fear! Hahahaha It was awesome we all took turns and it turned out super great!

We also contacted a Referral from Sister Ralston the Branch Presidents wife, her name is Mindee and she is so awesome, she has 3 kids and they want to learn more so we are going over there this week with Sis Ralston to teach them!

We also finally got back over to DJ Steeles house and spent the night with his family and had dinner! I love going over there, they are so much fun and we have the best conversations! But he is apparently still offend by the last missionaries so he won’t come to church, but we will get them!

Yesterday we were driving around in the richer area looking for Superbowl parties and the first one we found we went and knocked on the door and they weren't interested but they let us in!!! They had tons of good food and snacks, so that was a MIRACLE we watched a little bit of the game but not much.

We prayed hard to find someone who would be willing to come to church but no one showed. But the lord is blessing us and we will get lots of people there soon! I love the work so much and my testimony grows each day! This is hard work but the Lord is blessing us as we are striving to be exactly obedient!

I love you all! Spread the love this week!

I hit a skunk the other night! lol

Crazy 3 horned sheep, Iowa haha

I took this pic of some Eagles we saw driving home from church!