When the work is hard, work harder!

July 27, 2015

I apologize as this will be a very short email....I promise I will write more next week.

This was a really great week. I received more and more of a testimony as this is the Lord's work. Its not my work its the Lord’s work. This Friday I was super tired and some of the doors we contacted didn’t open or our set visits seem to fall through. Like Elder Martinez once taught me as well as my parents, When things get hard, work HARDER! We continued working hard trying to find someone who would accept the message that would change their life. As we walked down a street where we have a couple of really positive investigators, I was drawn to a door that I had never thought to contact. We followed the whispering of the spirit and contacted there. We were let in and found to our surprise a family of 4! Wahoo!!!! We taught the message of the restored gospel and then invited them to be baptized and they accepted a date! They also committed to go to church. Then on Sunday, they came to church on their own!! I know it was the guidance of the spirit that we were led to this family. I hope they continue to progress and can be baptized in the future.   The moral is..”When the work is hard, work harder”!

We also have been teaching an older gentleman.  He is very good at reading our handouts and the scriptures. As we taught him he taught US the lesson of the restoration! The lesson was filled with the spirit as we shared the first vision and shared with him about the Apostasy. I gained a better testimony of the Restoration as I taught and learned from him. I know that the Lord has put people out there that are just waiting for us to be taught and be baptized, including a man that hopefully will be baptized this week.

I apologize I am out of time. I love you guys and hope all is well. Take care.

I love you,

Elder Morgan M. Anderson

Week 52!

July 20, 2015

So this week I will officially complete 1 year in the mission. It seems like yesterday I was loading up my bags to go to the airport......

This week was a really great week filled with a lot of hard work!

Here are the answers to Moms weekly questions,

Weather? Its been raining. Cool story further in the email.

House? Hot water? Its a normal house. We have a bedroom and bunk beds along with an area to study..  We have a small kitchen and bathroom. We don't do a lot of cooking due to time. We do not have hot water. I am pretty sure during my mission I never have hot water.

Las Palmas? It is a really cool area. It is a lot like my old area. It has a lot more business though and a lot more big roads that go through and around the area. We are right in the center of Managua pretty much.

Traditions for the year mark? There are not any traditions for reaching the year mark that I know of.

To start things off, we were able to have another baptism this Saturday! She is a family member of some of the members here in the ward and is now officially a member as well. This Saturday it rained super hard! We got out of a lesson and the wind was blowing a little bit. My companion, Elder Presinal told me he wanted to go get his umbrella because it looked like it was going to rain. Just as he said that it started pouring!! And I mean pouring!  We hurried and ran to the nearest roof that offered enough protection. It was the hardest rain storm I have ever seen! We were stuck under the shelter for a little bit of time and we watched as the streets filled with water and carried loads of garbage down them.  We even watched as it took a small car down the street. The car was parked on the side of the road then we watched as it slowly drifted away. The next thing we saw was a very worried owner run down the street in sandals and shorts after his car. Haha!  It was pretty cool to see a rain storm like that.

This week I got to go work outside my area to go meet some of the investigators in our zone that got baptized on Saturday. I love going and seeing the change in peoples eyes as they accept to change and receive the gospel.

This week we got to go to a Multi Zone conference! Wow!  It was such a spiritually uplifting experience to listen to President and Hermana Russell speak to us. I am uplifted and inspired after they teach us. Elder Hironaka and I were assigned to teach a class on how to better teach the Book Of Mormon. I know that my testimony grew so much as I had the opportunity to teach this class. Its super important for our investigators to know how much of importance the Book of Mormon has. The investigator needs to know that its the most precious thing we have. I love to read the Book of Mormon and of the great writings that it contains.

As I look back on this past year,  it has been full of changes. Granada, Masaya, Managua, and Nicaragua all have a very special place in my heart. I never thought I could love these people so much. I have a great love for them and the work that I do. I have walked through cobble-stoned streets, markets, had areas that are overshadowed by volcanoes and walked through water filled streets to be able to share the gospel with others. But the biggest thing that I have seen is  lives being changed,  hearts softened and opened to the true gospel of Jesus Christ. I have seen people through all walks of life be baptized and make special covenants with our Heavenly Father.

But something even more special....it's not over. I have only begun on this great adventure to serve these people. I know that this upcoming year will be even better than the last. I know that through the power of our Heavenly Father, un openable doors will open, hearts will be changed, and many more people will enter into the waters of baptism.

I also know that I will have many other opportunities to eat more Gallo Pinto!! haha. I love the mission!

Con mucho gozo y amor,

Elder Morgan M. Anderson

Miracles, Joy and Papusas!

July 13, 2015

This week was a really great week and I wish I knew how I could fully word it better. But mom had a couple of questions she wanted me to answer before I get started.....

My favorite responsibility as a Zone Leader has been just helping everyone in our zone.  I love getting to know all the missionaries better and know their investigators and try and help them reach their goal of baptism. This week I was able to go and help a lot of companionships in our zone with different investigators and getting to know them.  It was a great experience!

This week will also be very busy as we will hopefully have more baptisms in our zone. 

My favorite meal this week was some chicken pasta. I also drank a really good juice that kind of reminded me of that orange drink we used to make at home when I was younger.

Yes, we still have someone cook and do our laundry for us. That is something that we should always have. 

The highlight of teaching investigators.....I will talk about that in just a second. 

Papusas are actually a traditional food from El Salvador. I ate it quite a bit when I was with Elder Orellana. I like them a lot. They’re pretty good. 

Wow what blessings I have seen from the Lord this week. I reflected many times on Alma 18 as it states that they had much success after much fasting and prayer. Wow as I put that to the test this week I have seen doors open that I never thought would have been opened. On Saturday, my companion and I were talking outside of a house with an inactive member. As we left it started raining, we stopped in front of a wealthy house and started putting our rain jackets on. A guy who was standing in the door told us to come in and sit down. He is such a cool investigator! As we talked to him he completely opened up to us and told of his trials and struggles in life. I felt the spirit so strong as my companion and I taught how he can start a new life through baptism. He quickly accepted a date. The next day he came to church by himself and stayed all 3 hours! He is a golden investigator!

We also met another lady and her two kids who also went to church. We went by her house and asked her if she liked church. She looked at us, and then told us. I think am going to visit your church every Sunday! Yes!!! She also accepted a date to be baptized! 

This week we are also preparing two other people for baptism including one guy who has completely given up working on Sunday. He quit his job just to go to church on Sundays and is super excited to get baptized. I love the mission!

What miracles we have seen this last week. It has rained quite a bit this week while some days have been nice. I love it when it rains a little sprinkle. Enough so that it’s not super hot but not that you are soaking wet.   

The mission is the greatest experience I have ever had in my life. I am having a lot of fun right now. I have never worked so hard, been so tired, but had so much fun. I have learned a whole new perspective to, mourn with those that mourn, comfort those that stand in need of comforting... and experiencing joy with those that have joy..... I made up that last part..haha. But really, how important it is to help everyone and talk to everyone? Our Savior Jesus Christ was a great example of this. I want to be more like him, I know as I develop these attributes I will be a better missionary and person. 

Your son, brother, and missionary,

Elder Morgan M. Anderson

Fourth of July in Nicaragua

July 6, 2015

Well I guess the fourth of July was on Saturday. It was a great day of work for us. There weren’t any fireworks or special parades or anything just pure hard work and a lot of joy as well. 

So this last week was filled with learning experiences. I love being here in the area of Las Palmas and being with my new companions. I learn a lot from each one of them about how to be better and better every day. 

So this Friday a couple of our appointments fell through so we decided to go and contact a little side street in our area that hasn’t had many missionaries contact it. We started talking to a guy probably about 50 years old and at first, didn't want to talk with us. He explained he had talked to missionaries before and didn’t have a lot of interest. I asked him what he thought about our church and he explained he didn’t agree with prophets in these days. I quickly pulled out my bible and began to read a few scriptures and ask questions about what he thought the scriptures referred too. As I was speaking I felt totally controlled by the spirit. I honestly don’t remember a lot about what I said. After we talked with him in his door step for about 15 minutes about the restored church. We then paused for a second. He then looked at us and said; I would like for you to come back. Wow what a huge change we saw in this short 15 minutes! I know that through the spirit is when the real teaching takes place. He came to church with us this Sunday and was ready and waiting when we got to house to go to church. Miracles!

Another cool event took place this week. We just got out of sacrament meeting and an older gentleman walked up to me. He was dressed in a buttoned up shirt and black pants. He looked at me and said he was coming for the first time and wanted to learn more about the church! Yes!!!! He stayed for Sunday school and priesthood and loved it.  We went to his house later that night and he began to explain why he was interested in the church and that he had already read and learned a little bit about it. He was so humble and expressed to us his desire to change and become a better person. He will be a great investigator and I am excited to go back and teach him this week. 

So on Saturday I was able to go help in another area for a little bit with their baptism.  I then ran back to our area for our two baptisms.  It was great as we got a lot support from the ward and their family members. 

I love working hard, coming home at night then being able to say I put in 100 percent today. The mission is a great experience and I love working more and more in this work. These past 11 months seem like such a short time and I want to keep working even harder to accomplish double of what I have done in these few short months. 

Love,

Elder Morgan M. Anderson 

I am having the time of my life here in Nicaragua in the Zone of Managua.

June 29, 2015

Wow so much to talk about!!

Well I guess I could talk about first things first....Changes

Yes I did have changes. I got changed to the area Las Palmas in the Zone of Managua. I am still in the same zone and am right next to my old area. I was called to be the new Zone Leader here with my new Companion Elder Hironaka. Wow we are already super great friends. He is super cool. He is from Arizona and we both love to talk about life and the mission. He is teaching me a lot about how to be a better missionary and Zone Leader. Elder Hironaka has just a little bit over a year in the mission. He came one transfer before me. Elder Castillo is being trained by Elder Hironaka and he is from Honduras. He is a super cool guy and is super funny. Elder Presinal is my other companion and is from the Domincan Republic. He just got here to Nicaragua and I am his Trainer. He is a lot of fun to work with and get to know him.

The area here is kind of the same as Lezcano with a few differences. We have a fairly big area with a lot of people to visit and teach. We had one baptism last Friday as well as my old area Lezcano. It was cool to see my investigator get baptized in my old area and our investigator here in my new area. He is a super cool guy and is about our age. We are hoping to have 2 more baptisms this Saturday. As I have gotten to know these people this last week I can see a change in them everyday as they continue reading the scriptures and as they went to church with us on Sundays. The true sign of repentance and change is through actions. 

One of the great parts of getting a new area is getting to know new people especially all the members in the area. I already have a lot of friends here in this area and that is great to be able to find more investigators. As I have said before. Its a lot more easier to find people to teach with the help of the members. 

My testimony has grown so much these past few weeks its been amazing. I love learning from other missionaries and learning of their experiences. I have learned how to be more humble. Listening to the advice and council of others but then putting that advice into an action really shows the Lord how willing you are to receive revelation. Being humble and patient are great characteristics to be able to have. My new companions have taught me a lot about how to love others and find ways to serve the other missionaries, ward members, and investigators. 

I hope all is well at home. It sounded like a way fun week that was packed with lots of cool adventures. Dad was with big time businesses like NASA in Alabama, Mom at Girls Camp, Jaren living at home alone for a while.....again.....haha hows that? Carter and Dallin down in Utah County! Did you guys get to go fishing again?? Keep having lots of fun this summer! I love hearing about all your adventures and seeing pictures. 

I am having the time of my life here in Nicaragua in the Zone of Managua. I love it here. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else in the world. I love the people, food, culture, and this great work that we have here to do in Nicaragua. 

I love you guys! Take care and stay safe. 

With Lots of Love,

Elder Morgan M. Anderson

A rainy night and a great find!

A Rainy Night and a Great Find!

June 15, 2015

This week was a crazy adventure and I loved it. It was filled with a lot of ups and downs throughout the week and just goes to show how much the Lord’s hand is in the work.....

This last Tuesday it started raining...and it rained so hard! I am super grateful for this rain coat that I bought before I left! So when it rains here it rains super hard usually later at night around 6 and stops raining at about 11 but sometimes it can just rain all day. There were some parts where you are up to your knees in water as you are walking through the street. We got caught in the rainstorm way far from our house and continued to keep working and finding people who we had to visit. Its a lot easier to get into houses when it is raining.

As it was raining it was getting late and about time we needed to start thinking to go back to the house but we decided to contact one more house. The only house with the door open and the light on.....haha. So we went up knocked on the door and they let us in. Inside was a family where the wife and mom are members but her husband is not. Wow what a miracle! These members have not been active for a long time but want to start going back to church. They are a great family and we have visited them a couple of times and they really want to go back to church. Its hard to find the husband at home because of his work schedule but I know that we will be able to teach him and help him be baptised. The work is so much easier with the help of members and when you can baptize and also reactivate a family it makes it that much better!

This week I learned a lot about the Plan of Salvation and of the Sabbath Day and how important that is. Its easy to keep the sabbath day holy here in the mission but there are so many temptations at home that can change this sacred day from a day of rest to a normal day. I encourage you guys to keep the sabbath day holy and do everything you can possibly do together as a family. I learned a lot this week how families can be together forever and hope I can share that knowledge that I have with the people here in Nicaragua.

Sorry I don’t have much time to write. I love you all and hope all is well. Keep up the great work and take care! Carter, I am super pumped to here you won Gold!! Be safe at work and other hobbies. Tienen planes para ir a Lake Powell este año??

Les Amo!!

De Nicaragua Managua Sur,

Elder Morgan M. Anderson

Broken Camera! :(

June 8, 2015

Wow, time is going by super fast.  Just about every week I comment on how fast it's going. Haha!  Sorry, I will stop making remarks like that. This week was a great week and hope I can share some fun and spiritual moments with you from this week. 

Well it finally started raining this week!! YES! I love the rain here. On Tuesday night as soon as we got into the house it started pouring and I mean pouring. Earlier in the day it was super hot and I was worried we were going to have another super hot week, but as we got in the door at the house it started raining. Here in this part of Managua its kind of a down hill slope toward the lake since we are so close to the lake and all the water from Managua runs down this way. So when it rains really hard the streets fill with water and turn into rivers. So that's pretty cool. Usually when it rains we just keep working. Its a lot cooler at night and in the morning.

So this last Monday we went and visited a less active family and we had a small family home evening with them. I took out my camera and it fell so now I don't have a camera....sorry, I will not be able to send pictures for a while....its broke. Haha. It's alright though.  I am talking with dad about how I can get a new one. 

I also was able to go on divisions this week with some of the Elders in my district and help them a little bit. It was a lot of fun to go to a different area for a day and meet their investigators. It rained really hard that day too and we were pretty soaked by the end of the day. 

This week was a great week as we have met a lot of new investigators and are retaining the old ones. We found a guy to teach that through the last few months has lost everything including cars, motorcycles, and even his family. It was a great blessing to contact him and teach him and get to know him and feel the spirit guide and direct us as we know how to teach him and help him overcome his needs. He was able to go to church and has a lot of friends that are actually members here in the ward. 

This week was also filled with lots of guidance from the spirit. As we were leaving a less active members house yesterday a family walked by and I hurried and contacted them with my companion. I didn't know why, I just did it. I stopped them and started talking with them and found out that a couple of years ago they talked to missionaries and loved the church and were actually ready to be baptized then there work schedule changed and were not able to go to church. I learned that they are now not working on Sunday. And then they just told me that they want to go to church this Sunday and be baptised!!! Haha Yes!! Its amazing to see blessings like that. It was a great example to me to be ready at all times to proclaim the restored gospel. Even if it means contacting in buses and doing things that seem out of the ordinary. It is always the spirit guiding us as we are obedient and ready to listen and follow the promptings. 

Hopefully we will have a baptism this week. We met this guy a couple weeks ago as he was leaving a little store in the street and he told us he talked to missionaries before and that he was about to be baptised but then got really sick. So now were teaching him and he is really progressing and doing well. I love seeing people change as they live the commandments and choose to follow Jesus Christ

I love you all and hope all is well. From the pictures you send the mountains are super green and looks like you guys are loving life. I am excited to see how summer games is going to go. Send me a bunch of pictures. Be safe while driving and everything. I love you guys. Talk to you next week!! 

With much love from Managua Nicaragua,

Elder Morgan M. Anderson

Being a Member Missionary

June 1, 2015

It's already June. I cant believe it.

This week was a lot of work to finish up the last week in May. We as leaders were running around like crazy helping and doing baptismal interviews and helping investigators be baptized.  The district and zone did amazing this month as we had a great number of baptisms.  I learn more and more on the mission how much I love the people of Nicaragua. I love being able to talk to them in the streets, buses, stores, and especially in their homes. 

The biggest thing about this week was how great it was to have this baptism. We baptized this guy this week and he will be a great member for the rest of his life. It was so much fun teaching him and hearing his story and helping his testimony grow. I loved being able to teach him and see my own testimony strengthened. He struggled with a testimony of Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. I felt my testimony grow every time I shared with him about the prophet Joseph and how I know the Book of Mormon is true. It was also a great experience because we did some of the teaching in English. He speaks both Spanish and English really well. This baptism was made possible by one of the members here and with his help we were able to meet the goal of getting him baptized. This is why I am pushing you guys to do more missionary work because I know first hand how much easier it is to do the work with the help of the members. I know that as our family commits to do more missionary work we will be blessed greater than we have ever known. Our Heavenly Father will open the heavens on our family as we commit to the work of bringing people to the fold of Jesus Christ. Whether they are lost sheep that have gone astray or are being brought into the fold we will be blessed.

Today was great as we went and played soccer and ate pizza. It was a really nice p-day.

It has been fun to here all about soccer and what is going on there. I cant believe Dallin is playing for
La Roca!!  I never thought an Anderson would put on a La Roca jersey.

My time is up but I want you guys to know how much I love you. I know this church is true. Thank you for all the emails. 

With much Love, your brother, son, and missionary,

Elder Morgan M. Anderson

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