Letter # 5

Hey Family!!!

 

Today was a good week :) I got a bunch of letters that brightens my day, and it was awesome! My Spanish is going so well now. I can keep a really good conversation and I am able to say a lot of things I want to say!! I need to work on my conjections before I leave so I can be beast at it in the mission field! It is so much easier to speak Spanish in the lessons because the spirit tells me exactly what to say, and if i feed through him then he pretty much tells me everything to say to them :) It is a wonderful thing to just have someone feeding you the words that some one else needs to hear in a lesson! I know that me teaching them won't work that well; but if I use the spirit I can teach anything that they desire, and what they need to have the spirit be in their lives and homes.

 

Sunday was the Worldwide Broadcast, and YES I am on it! If you watch the whole video ( it is like an 2 hours long) I am in the camera in 31:05-31:22 so go look for me if you haven't!! (see previous post; we put up a  screenshot) It was a wonderful experience ! It's weird we will get to use technology to teach people. My teacher said that we will probably be using Ipads and a bunch of other things to teach. I am excited about that, but it also will feel weird! Ha ha. I liked how one apostle talked about this; If you have faith and use the holy ghost, then Jesus will never let you fail. I also liked that women are the best teachers so that means all of my sisters are better teachers than I am.  (I guess :p) That changed me and I'm like man I am not going to teach my kids my wife is! I need to marry a strong daughter of God in the church! That statement helped me a lot also!

 

On Tuesday we also had another devotional by Janice Kapp Perry. (song writer for the church) It was spiritual and funny!!! I will tell you the funny part first, then close with the spiritual. The funny is that she told us the first time her husband talked to her, she was practicing for her recital. He was an usher and the first time seeing her he nudged her and he said "It looks like those lips weren't for just playing the clarinet" and every body in the Marriott Center laughed. Then her husband got up out of of his chair and ran to her and gave her a kiss!! It was soooooo funny!! Then we went on to sing songs and it is weird how I just realized the Primary Songs are worded very simply, but can also be sooo powerful! I can definitely feel the spirit through song!!! At the end we closed with singing As Sister in Zion- Bring the World its Truth.  It is on of the the E.F.Y medley songs!! As I sang it it just invited the spirit into me. I felt the spirit sooooo strong and I cried through the whole song! I challenge you to listen to it! It is an amazing song!!

 

It is so weird to think that I am leaving the M.T.C in 6 days!! I am soooo excited  for it!!! I think I get to e-mail on Monday the day before I leave so that would be cool! Make sure if you send me a written letter I would suggest sending it to my Mission Home because I will get it when I get there. :) I am glad to hear from all your guys. I hope and pray for you in each of my prayers. Keep me updated with everything!! I love you all and be safe.

 

Love Elder Andersen

 

P.S. So I learned not to leave a conversation, or a house without inviting them to do something. My challenge to you is listen to that song and I promise you you will feel the spirit. To me that song is very powerful!!

HE is FAMOUS!!

On Sunday the Church had a Broadcast for all members to watch. The broadcast focus was on Missionaries and Missionary Work. They had the Missionaries from the M.T.C. sing and Preston let us know he would be part of the M.T.C. Choir.

Well GUESS who got some SCREEN time...

That is right! Elder Preston Bryan Andersen!!

It sure was nice to be able to see him!! I was searching for him every time as they panned across the Elders, and who would have guessed we would get such a good shot!!

WE LOVE YOU ELDER ANDERSEN!!

God be with you till we meet again!!

Letter #4

To respond about the game cube it is in my backpack in crystals house or it would be at our house in a backpack! But IDK for sure!

But hello family!!!

This week at the M.T.C. was really good! I have been doing really well with my Spanish! We do this thing called S.Y.L. which means "speak your language" and so we talk all we can in Spanish till we can’t talk anymore!!  I am getting really fluent and I just need to memorize the different congregations in Spanish that takes me about 5 seconds to think which one it is and I do it but the more I talk the better is sounds!

I taught a T.R.C. which is like family home evening. We taught this older lady and I prayed for the spirit in the prayer and the spirit just guided us. I understood every last word she said and I talked so well to her! I felt like we had to talk about Joseph Smith and the restoration and then I shared a couple of my favorite scriptures and it was very powerful! I know if I stay worthy then the spirit can guide my companion and I to what the investigator needs, and help them to answer their prayers! It  is the best thing to see them smile and to feel the spirit! I can’t wait until I get out in the field so I can really bring them unto Christ and invite the spirit to be with them always.

My companion and I are doing really well, the first couple weeks we didn’t know what to do. Lately we have been rocking it! We learn a lot of Spanish and talk about 70 percent of our conversation in Spanish! Our favorite thing to tell to the English speakers that hold the door for us is deme besos which means give me kisses and they smile and say you’re welcome. We also say deme cossquias and I know if it is spelled that wrong but it means give me tickles!!! It’s so funny to talk to people that don’t  know Spanish because they thing we are saying Thank You but really we are messing with them! ha-ha

It is so hard to think that I have been here for a month!! I have grown spiritually so much and physically... I gained 10 pounds :) I know I will drop it like crazy in Houston!! I have been eating better and I dropped some, but I might get back down to my normal weight... I have learned so much on this mission!!! It is so awesome! It is so crazy how much I learned doctrine wise and Spanish wise! I know the Lord has helped me with everything and without him I am nothing!!!

I really like this quote by some apostle I forgot who it was! But it pretty much just says as a missionary we are on a higher plane in thought and actions. That we are set apart from the world and we can perform miracles!!! I love it but I know that I can only do it through my Heavenly Father and he will strengthen me so I can perform in his name. Only through him I can!

Yes, I saw Morgan and we talked a little of Spanish. I was so happy to see him I couldn't express everything in Spanish!! ha-ha It was awesome! I only saw him once before I leave I will go see him again I know  where his classroom is now!! It was so good to see a familiar face!!! :)

I want all you guys to know that I am glad to have a loving family that supports me in everything I do! I can never really express how grateful I am for it!! But I pray constantly for you and I know the Lord blesses you in many ways that you can’t imagine!!! If you ever have a problem you can turn to the Lord and I promise you he will help and guide you! I know that for a fact because he has guided me and helped me in everything I do :) Keep the letters coming and remember I love all you guys and I pray for you guys daily!!!

Love Elder Andersen

Hey family, i forgot to tell you i will be in the choir for this big broadcast this Sunday.  So check it out and look for me :)

 

Love Preston

P.S. forward to other family!!

COUSIN ! ?

My cousin Morgan Andersen was in the M.T.C. and ran into someone VERY special...

When I saw this picture I cried!! I have been SO good lately at not getting sad about my little baby brother being gone, but this one was so neat! Family is Forever!!~ Thanks for sharing Morgan!~

Letter #3

Hola Familia, 

lo siento, yo no veo sharons carta porque it wont download!!! i will speak like a gingo because i promised my teacher i will use as much spanish as i can so dad might have to translate this all to the rest of the family :)))). yo soy aprendar much espanol esta semana, porque yo tengo no bien experiance con mi investigador en el premero semana( beginning of the week, hope its right or got what i said). mi y mi companero no endendemos sobre el investigador nesasitas.el quieres saber sobre como dios amoroso (can)  el ayudas. We thought he said something completely different then what we thought he wanted.

Hello Family,

I'm sorry, I can't see Sharon's letter because it won't download.  I will speak like a Gringo because I promised my teacher I will use as much Spanish as I can, so Dad might have to translate this all to the rest of the family :)))).   I am learning a lot of Spanish this week.because I didn't have a good experience with my investigator at the beginning of the week.  My companion and I didn't understand the needs of our investigator.  He wants to know how a loving God can help him....

(Sorry I am typing in English now, it took me a while to think of that in Spanish haha) But yeah, he wanted to know that god loves him and how to find out. We thought he said he didn't want to pray, so we went on in the lesson. After the lesson the teacher pulled us out telling what he wanted because he knew we looked frustrated... but we got everything situated and everything is good, it made me work harder.

We had a devotional last night in the Marriott  Center (first in M.T.C history) and it was Mervyn Arnold from the 70. He said one thing that hit me: I need to leave all my personal affairs home and put my trust in God and Jesus Christ. I thought about that on my walk to District Meeting; then we all shared something and my District Leader said something where I got revelation. He said that we are nothing without God and Jesus Christ. If we put our trust in the Lord and  Jesus we can perform miracles! I felt the spirit really strong and I heard a voice saying "trust me" and I know that Jesus witnessed to me that I need to put all my trust in him and I can do miracles through him! I am the Lord's vessel right now!!! That really made a huge impact on me the last 16 hours! I am still in "spiritual mode" and still shocked that I heard a voice so clear in my head to just believe in him!!!

Dad about the glasses; I don't need them now. We are not aloud to wear them in the M.T.C., so just send them to me in the field! Thank you for getting those for me! :))

In his talk he also spoke about gifts and talents. During high school I thought I only had sports or academics as my talents; but it is way more than that!! I have been pondering that lately and I found out I have a loving family, loving friends and girlfriend. Lots of people who support me in all that I do! A family that will never let me down and is willing to do anything for me!! I also found I have the gift of weeping... when I feel the spirit I cry like no other! haha. I also have the spirit of knowledge and remembrance. When I hear something I can remember it really well, and lately I can see I have been developing the gift of tongues. I know I would be nothing without the spirit and God helping me out with this super hard language! I would like to challenge you all to ponder on your gifts; mainly spiritual! I feel the spirit when I think of mine, and it is the best feeling ever!! :) That is the challenge to the family.

yo se que la ingesia is verdadera y no dudo in me cabeza la inglesia falso.yo se que el libro de mormon es verdadero y la palabra de dios. yo se que jose smith es el primero profeta en esta dispensacion. yo se que el espiritu santo gui me todas dia y me ayuda in mi vivo. yo se que el profeta ora por los missionaros y mi familia todo tiempo. yo se que mi salvador me ayuda y guiarme todos tiempo.  esta testimonio me ayuda a vivir feliz y volver vivir con dios otra vez. dijo estas cosas en el nombre de jesucristo, amen.

I know that the church is true and have no doubt in my mind.  I know that the Book of Mormon is true and the word of God.  I know that Joseph Smith is the first prophet in this dispensation.  I know that the Holy Ghost guides me every day and helps me in my life.  I know the prophet prays for the missionaries and my family all the time.  I know that my savior helps me and guides me all the time.  This testimony helps me to live happy and return to live with God again.  I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Love

Elder Andersen (or Elder Preston to dad)

P.S. Dad your Fathers Day letter will be sent today, but your present wont arrive for a little bit....

and P.S.S. Ask Aaron, Carly and Adele and the rest of my friends if they want to read my letters then forward it to them too :)

P.S.S.S. You guys are in my prayers all the time :) 

Letter #2

Hey Dad and family,
I do love the pictures! Me and Sharon definitely have the best pictures up on the board! And yes, I did get your DearElder message, and I loved all the ones from my family and Chante! So they don't give us the DearElder messages on Saturday and Sunday so mine all accumulated till Monday and guess how many I got.... I got 12 DearElders on Monday!!  I felt so loved!! And Chante also sent me some pictures of her and 2 written letters also!! So I was around 15 letters that day! My whole zone was so jealous; they were like, "really, Elder Andersen, you pretty much have the world writing you!!!"  I loved getting letters from all you guys! I love it so much!!! Keep them coming! Might as well take advantage of it while I am in the MTC cause I cant receive them out in the mission field!

Chante sent me a package and it was super sweet! I should of taken some pictures of it but it was awesome! I got a couple ties, sodas, pistachios, cashews, 2 hand written letters, chocolates, and a bunch of COMFY socks :))))! And I also received 2 hand written letters from the rays and the birds :) I love the pictures I got :) I showed the pictures Melissa sent me and the drawings I got from the Rays to my district and they are like, "your family is so cute" and they were sooooo jealous that my family loves me so much!

And I have a story that had happened to me on Sunday!!! It was the most spiritual day of my life!!! So it was fast Sunday and I fasted for the gift of tongues and I am feeling a lot of help  by the Lord! But that's not the story! It was a very good sacrament meeting! Lots of people bore their testimony and then the people leaving on their missions sang a song -- A Child's Prayer -- half in English and half in Spanish! That was very powerful!!!  Then I went to class and had personal and companionship study time, then language and we had some district meetings that were good too :)  And then we had devotional that night and it was Ted Gibbons and he played a role of Willard Richards and at the end of the role or talk, he told a story of how Joseph and Hyrum were dead and the medic came in, who is an anti-mormon. He asked Willard if he still believes that Joseph is a prophet? And he said, "no, I don't think he is a prophet.... I KNOW he is a prophet of god!" And when he said that I felt the spirit really strong!!!! Then after his talk we sang "Praise to the Man" and in the song it says "we will know Brother Joseph again" and my heart felt like it exploded!!! The spirit testified to me that Joseph Smith was a prophet of god!! It was the best time ever!!  Then I went to go listen to a talk by Elder Bednar that he gave a while ago during Christmas, and it was about "characteristics of Christ" and how we can have a testimony of Jesus -- that we have to be converted to him! So after that talk, I was all pumped to go do what he said!!! And when I got home, I started to undress and I asked my companion about the day and how good it was and I also asked him if we are going to go to bed on time and he said freak, he forgot his journal in the class! And he had to go get it!!! So I was like, "let me change and we can go" and he was like, "no, let's just go now and hurry and get it!" So I agreed to go then; so I got my tie back on and we left! And when we got there, here were our sisters in there and they asked me and my companion to give her a blessing! It was Hermana Ivie that wanted a blessing cause she was leaving that night to go to Peru! So we happily gave her a blessing! And on the way home we were very happy and very content about what we have done that night! And when we got home, another person in my district got sick and I was asked to anoint him and stand in on the blessing! That was the day when I felt like the Lord guided and taught me the whole day!! It was amazing; I stayed up till 12 writing in my journal about it and was so filled with the spirit that I barely slept that night!!! But the next 2 days were a trial of my faith! It was very hard and it was a humbling experience!!! But I am very thankful I am here and I know I am in the right place!! :)

But how is the family doing?! I want to know everything! I want to know all the good and the bad; but i know there isn't much bad! :)  I love you all and am glad to hear from you so keep the letters coming :)))

Yo se que la iglesia de Jesucristo es verdadera. Yo se que Jose Smith es un primero profeta. Yo se que nosotros tenemos un amoroso padre celestial. Yo se que el Libro de Mormon es el palabra de dios. Yo se que Thomas S Monson es un profeta de la iglesia. Esta creencia me ayuda a sentir dios amor. Esta testimonio me bendice a vivir feliz! Digo estas cosas en el nombre de Jesucristo, amen.

(I know that the Church of Jesus Christ is true.  I know that Joseph Smith is the first prophet.  I know that we have a loving Father in Heaven.  I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God.  I know that Thomas S Monson is a prophet of the Church.  This belief helps me to feel God's love.  This testimony blesses me with a happy life.  I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.) *translated by Steven Ray, he said he can see improvement in Preston's Spanish over last weeks letter! :)

Love Elder Andersen :)))  

p.s. make sure you forward this to family and Chante :)