Week 79 - Changes

January 25, 2016

So I guess to start things off I will let you guys know about Changes....

Haha, so as you guys know Elder Morales went home this week. He was a good missionary and good friend. I learned a lot from him. Also my other companion Elder Herrera had changes. He didn't get changed far as he is still in the zone, but I got the call from Elder Hironaka Tuesday afternoon telling about the changes in the zone. He then told me that I would be training again!! haha

So yup I am training again here in Los Pueblos. His name is Elder Solis and he is from El Salvador. He is a pretty cool guy. He has a strong desire to learn and has been a good example to me these last few days. I am excited for the work we will be able to get done and the things we will be able to do in the area.

My other new companion, who is the other Zone Leader, is Elder Bradbeer. He is from Nampa, Idaho. I am super excited to work with him. He is a super hard worker and will be help me learn a lot. He has 2 months less than I do in the mission. 

This morning we got up before 4 o' clock to go to Managua because we had another Multi Mission meeting with President Christensen (Presidency of the Seventy) and Elder Alonso (Seventy) and there wives. They spoke on working even harder than we have been and we got a couple of minutes to have an open microphone and ask a few questions. I really like when he said that your attitude is something super important in missionary work. If you have a good attitude you will have more success and are a better representative of Jesus Christ as we radiate his light.

This week I have learned a lot about the atonement. I won't lie its been a little bit harder. I have been running around like crazy with a lot of work and situations to deal with. But every night as I turned in prayer I felt of his love and support. I know that he suffered for our sins. Sometimes things are hard and there is nothing we can do about it. We always need to have continual faith to keep pressing on. As we do so, the mercy of our Heavenly Father and the Atonement of His Son, lifts us up.

We are still teaching the family and the older gentleman I have told you guys about. They are doing super great and the family is excited to get baptized on the 6th of February. The man, will get baptized this Saturday. I am super excited for them and have seen a great change in each one of their lives. I continue to love to meet new people and teach them the things that our Heavenly Father has for them as they follow his restored Gospel. 

I am doing well. I love the work and my health has been great. I can't complain. Its been nice and cool here in Masaya and the work is continuing forward. 

I love you guys! Take care!

Nicaragua Managua Sur,

Elder Morgan M. Anderson

With Elder Solis, a new missionary in Nicaragua.

Week 78 - El Gigante Beach

January 18, 2016

So somebody mentioned to me today that I only have 25 more p-days left.......wow!  Time goes by way too fast and I love being a missionary. 

This week was a good week as we enjoyed the mission activity down in El Gigante beach. President and Hermana Russell did a lot to be prepared and ready for the activity. We left in the morning with the Zona Masaya, the zone right next to ours, and headed down. It was a little bit more than a two hour drive, but the drive was awesome. It was all pure farmland.  Ranches, corn, grain, oranges so many different types of farming. When we got there they had lunch ready for us and we had hamburgers and hot dogs grilled by President Russell and the Assistants. They were some real burgers! Then to top it off Hermana Russell cooked her famous brownies with ice cream and chocolate syrup. Then we got changed and went to the beach to play soccer, volleyball, ultimate Frisbee, and broom hockey. Nobody was allowed to touch the water. Then we got to listen to President and Hermana Russell and we set the new goal for this year 2016. It was a really enjoyable day.

This week we have been teaching a lot of people and trying to get them committed to come to church. We have been having troubles as of late bringing them to church. I know that with prayer and fasting that we can be able to accomplish this need so that we can baptize more people. 

We are teaching a lot of positive people though including the family I have told you guys about. On my birthday they invited Elder Herrera and I to eat lunch with them. It was really good. We then taught them the word of wisdom and they have committed to keep this commandment. We weren't able to talk to them much this week, but as we passed by on Sunday to get them to church they were already on there way.  They are a great family. We are also teaching a man that is going to get baptized at the end of this month as well. 

I continually love the work. It doesn't mean its easy, but I love it. I love Nicaragua. I love the people. We had the opportunity to speak with a lot of less active people this week, including those who before were very strong members of the church. One lady started bawling as she expressed her desire to go back to church but didn't know how. The atonement is real. Its not only for our sins, but for our trials and heart aches. He lives! He guides this church. There is not a doubt in my mind. I can't show anyone with physical evidence that the Book of Mormon is true or that Joseph Smith is a Prophet, but I know that through revelation from the Holy Ghost that they are true. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day saints is the Church of Jesus Christ himself.  

I love you guys and wish you the best!

With love,

Nicaragua Managua Sur,

Elder Morgan M. Anderson

With Elder Gesualdo as they travel to El Gigante Beach

Week 77 - Happy Birthday!

Wow...20 years old....hm....time goes by fast....

So this week was once again filled with a lot of hard work in the area. I also got to go to Managua this week for the Leaders Meeting with President and Sister Russell. That was a lot of fun to see the logros...sorry don't remember the word in English. We met our goal as a mission so that was awesome!! It was a lot of hard work. This truly is the best mission in the whole world.

To be honest I really didn't remember my birthday until about 9 this morning...ha ha!  I opened my presents, finished my studies, and then went out and worked.

We are still working hard to be able to find a lot of investigators. We have a older man and a young family that are progressing to be baptized at the end of this month that are super cool. When we stopped by the family's house today they gave us lunch and we taught them the word of wisdom. The older man has gone to church twice now and loves to learn more. We taught him the Book of Mormon and he has been reading it. I know that the Book of Mormon is truly another Testament of Jesus Christ. 

I hope all is well there in Hyrum, Utah...it should be super cold right now...ha ha! Enjoy it...it's still pretty hot here. Its been pretty dry and hot. And also windy...so I get to shine my shoes everyday and my face is always dirty with dust, but life is good. I love the mission.

Take care,

I love you guys!

Nicaragua Managua Sur,

Elder Morgan M. Anderson

With Elder Morales at Zone Leader Meeting.

Happy Birthday Elder Anderson!

Birthday Lunch!

Week 76 - Year 2016

Wow I can't believe that we are in the year 2016. Time has gone by super fast. I will fill you guys in on a few details and a couple of pictures. 

So this week my companion and I hunkered down in our area and looked for new investigators. One street we found a lot of new investigators and I mean a lot!!

So I think I mentioned about the guy that we met a couple of weeks ago who is a manager of a rock band. Wow he is awesome. His wife started listening to the lessons as well. They are another family of gold. They have already started changing old habits with out us even saying anything. They have given up drinking and smoking and have made some major changes in their lives. One time we went over there and the band was over there. It was on the 1st at about 7 at night. The band guys were some pretty cool guys. They had a lot of questions but then just left on their motorcycles....ha ha you could defiantly tell they were in a rock band. After about 5 minutes of talking to them we went inside with the family and taught a spiritual lesson on the Plan of Salvation and how family's are eternal. They are super great. They even gave us a super good fruit juice last night. Limes and Mandarins. It was pretty good.

We also met a family that has gone to church a ton and were about to get baptized then moved into our area in Masaya. They are also super cool, but they are hard to find at home since the Dad got super sick. I have also had the chance to be able to meet a lot of less active members and to see them come back to church. The chapel was super full this week! It was great to see new faces and to see everyone make goals to come back to church this year. It was also a super awesome fast and testimony meeting. A lot of people testified of the Plan of Salvation which was a really neat experience. 

I love this area. We are working harder and harder everyday! I love the work and I know this church is true. I love you guys! I hope you had a great new year!

With much love,

Nicaragua Managua Sur,

Elder Morgan M. Anderson

A recent convert and I. He was reading the gospel of Jesus Christ pamphlet while watching his three calves.

Cool looking Chicken......its more like a sage hen.

A dog that looks like a rabbit.  He is the size of a jack rabbit.