Week 88- This week was full of great work and lots of things to do.

March 28, 2016

This week was full of great work and lots of things to do. 

To start off on Tuesday we went to Managua for a Multi Zone with some of the other zones in the mission. Me and Elder Bradbeer gave a class on Teaching Repentance with using the scriptures. We focused on the importance of the scriptures as we teach and how important it is to relate the experiences that are in the scriptures with other people. It was a lot of fun to interact with all the missionaries and see old friends and make new friends. 

After meetings Wednesday, we got up early Thursday morning to go to Diriomo. Elder Solis and Elder Bradbeer dropped me off with the District Leader and his companion so I could work with them then spend the night to go to District meeting with them. I always enjoy going out there. We taught the family of the branch secretary. They live on a lot where there are like 9 houses full of their family. At the end of the lesson their were like 10 people listening. Haha!  It was a lot of fun. I called the missionaries out there yesterday to get their numbers and they informed me that they all went to church on Sunday. I was pretty excited for them. It was a lot of fun that day too because pretty much all of last week people were off work so we got to talk with a lot of families. Families that were really ready to here our message. 

Friday afternoon they dropped me off here in my area and we worked really hard even though it was super hot. We had a lot of visits to go to that day. While I was gone Elder Solis and Elder Bradbeer found a super positive family. We taught them Saturday night and Sunday they were waiting for us ready to go to church. We were five minutes late and they were joking with us thinking that we had forgotten them. They are a super young family that has 3 little kids, two 4 year old little boys that are twins, and a girl that is only like 1. The little kids didn't want to go to Primary so in priesthood meeting the twins sat with there dad. Haha. I know that our Family is Eternal and that the gospel blesses families. We are excited to go visit them tonight. 

The family I told you guys about last week is still progressing. Actually the lady is progressing. The husband doesn't seem to have much interest. She is reading the Book of Mormon and has such an incredible desire to learn more. 

I really enjoyed Easter weekend. I know that Jesus Christ died for you and me. Take care. I love you all. Have a good Spring Break.

Nicaragua Managua Sur,

Elder Morgan M. Anderson

Week 87

March 21, 2016

Buenas Tardes. So Elder Bradbeer and I figured out today that day light savings time has passed and so now you guys are on the same time as us! Cool cool.

So this week has gone by super fast but not without its tough days.

Tuesday I got up super early to go with Elder Solis to the New Missionary training meeting. That was a lot of fun. Even after going to that meeting a lot I always receive new wisdom and counsel from President and Sister Russell, and its always fun to talk with everyone and eat a hamburger from Burger King during lunch.

Wednesday and Thursday were days just to work super, super hard and that's what we did. Thursday night we contacted a lady who just started crying when we talked to her. She expressed that during December her mother had passed away. Even as she has been very religious her whole life, she had a lot of questions about death and the what happens after we die. She didn't have much time to talk, but we set a return visit with her. She has a very busy work schedule but we are going to talk more with her on Wednesday.

I really have tried to live my mission by the teachings of DyC 123:17. On Friday we worked and worked, but seemed to have very little success. It was after 8:00 and we were tired and ready to go back to the house. But as always we kept working. We decided to pass by a family that we contacted the day before and when we knocked on the door nobody came out. We knew they were there but just didn't come out. We left ans then felt like we needed to come back after about 30 minutes. They then answered the door and we spoke with them for a bit and put a baptismal date with them! Wahoo!!! After we turned the corner we all started running and giving each other high fives because we were so happy. The mom came to church on Sunday as well. It's a small family with two small boys. I know that our Heavenly Father blesses us as we do all we can then as we apply his atonement. 

We had a few other big blessings yesterday as we have seen our Heavenly Father prepare a way for our investigators to enter into the waters of baptism. Allan was baptized on Saturday and is excited to go to seminary with his older brother Marcello. 

I really love Mosiah chapter one through four. Especially chapters three and four. They are amazing prophecies from King Benjamin of Jesus Christ and his atonement. I challenge you guys to read it this week. What a fantastic week it is to remember our Savior Jesus Christ. In Nicaragua they take the whole week to remember Christ and his atonement. I hope we can all remember Him. He died on the cross for you and me, but he rose again the the third day. He lives. He lives and guides this church. 

The work is great. This is the true Church. He lives.

Nicaragua Managua Sur,

Elder Morgan M. Anderson

With Elder Castillo and Elder Solis after District Meeting.

Baptism of Allen

Week 86 - Proclaiming this gospel like a trumpet

March 14, 2016

This week went flying by like crazy. It was full of conferences and changes.

Not much to say about changes. I am staying here in Los Pueblos with Elder Bradbeer and Elder Solis. I am super excited about that. I really enjoy the area and working here in this zone. 

I don't know if you guys remember when I talked about Elder Castillo. He was finishing up his training in Las Palmas when I went to be Zone Leader with Elder Hironaka. He had changes and is now the Distirct Leader in my District. Haha! He is a super funny guy. He always wants to talk about all the times we worked together and laugh at all our funny experiences in Las Palmas. He is doing a super good job in his new area as well. Almost all our areas in the zone had a change. 

So with this change it meant that Elder Martinez my trainer left. I learned a lot from him. When the change meeting ended I saw him tear up.... I never ever saw Elder Martinez tear up. We are a lot a like....hahah. But I just went up and gave him a hug and told him thanks for everything. He was super sad to leave the mission and all his friends. He was a great missionary, and I owe a lot to him because he has taught me a lot of stuff over these past 19 months. 

So with the changes I took the opportunity to go up to Diriomo this week with Elder Solis. Elder Bradbeer stayed with the District Leader and did some work with Elder Castillo in his area. I left at 8:30 in the morning and got back a little after 5. It was a great day. 

In the District meeting in Diriomo I was sitting down verifying how the missionaries taught in the practices and just listening to them when I got hit with a desire to teach. Hahaha!  I just wanted to jump in and start teaching with them. This week I have felt a need more than ever to teach and proclaim the restored gospel. I love in Doctrine and Covenants when it talks about proclaiming this gospel like a trumpet! I then spent the afternoon doing a couple of interviews and meeting some of the investigators. 

We have been working super hard this week in the area. We only found one really positive lady though. She loved the conference. She was super excited when we passed by that night and was even more excited to come back on Tuesday. She is an older lady that just lives with her young grandson. Funny story is that she has a dog that bites...haha, not hard just like nips. Out of nowhere we were teaching and the dog just came up and nipped on Elder Solis leg. Nothing happened to his leg, didn't even leave a mark, but we are always walking up to her door very cautiously looking for the dog. 

I am doing great. I love this work. I love my investigators. Sometimes my investigators teach me more than I think I teach them. We are teaching a man named Freddy. He is over 50 years old and always teaches me something about the atonement through his actions and comments about how he is changing his life. I love learning about the Savior. His atonement is real. He lives.

I love you guys. Take care!!! 

Nicaragua Managua Sur,

Elder Morgan M. Anderson

Picture with Elder Martinez

Caminando en el campo.... 

Week 85 - Multi Stake Conference

March 7, 2016

This week we had a Multi Stake conference. And when I say multi stake it's like all of Central America. So that was pretty cool. We got the chance to hear from several seventies and Elder Anderson that day. It was such a great experience. I loved the talk by the Area President, Elder Duncan, as he spoke on the atonement in our lives. Also a talk by Elder Arnold about when Peter walked on water with Jesus. Can you imagine the experience that must have been to be able to walk on water?? But then at the same time as you are sinking to the sandy bottom, feel the strong hand of Christ himself pulling you up. What a learning experience that must have been for Peter. 

This week we had a lot of time to work in our area. We worked super hard but have not been able to find a lot of positive investigators. Are faith was tested this week. The investigators we have been teaching have had a lot of problems with the some of the commandments. We have been thinking about them a lot and are ready to help them in anyway possible. 

This week we also went to work in an area super far away called Las Flores. It was kinda fun as we talked to a lot of people on the Bus on the way up there. I will send a picture of Elder Bradbeer and I up by the welcome sign. We also have been going to some villages late at night. Ha ha, I need to start bringing my flash light before I fall and scrape my knee or run into a barbed wire fence...ha ha. Sometimes we get scared as a random chicken will run out in front of the grass.... 

Elder Solis is doing awesome. I really enjoy working with my two companions. We are excited to have a lot of success this month as well and to keep working super hard. 

Last night we had an awesome lesson with the family I have told you guys about that are investigating the church. Only the mom and one of the daughters were able to go to the conference because the husband has to work. He works making hammocks. Pretty good job. But anyways... We started teaching our planned lesson but as the spirit directed we changed topics. They expressed there concerns about change and repentance in their life. As the members who were with us bore their testimony, my mind was racing to find scriptures to share. One of the most common scriptures came to my brain in Mosiah 3:19. That talks about how we need to change to become more like Christ. I noticed for one of the first times that it talks about how we need to change through the atonement of Christ. I have no idea why I did not see that before..... but it talks about how as we develop those Christ like attributes and submit to our Fathers will, then the Grace of the Atonement can carry us the rest of the way. We taught that to the family and we hope they now have a better understanding of the atonement in their lives. 

I have felt myself become closer to Christ this week than ever. As I have turned to him in prayer everyday I have felt His foot steps alongside me, guiding me to teach as he would teach and do as he would do. This is His church. He loves us. He wants us to succeed. We will succeed as we do His will. 

Take care,

Nicaragua Managua Sur,

Elder Morgan M. Anderson

Los Pueblos Zone

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Week 84

February 29, 2016

March in Cache Valley usually isn't very windy. Here it looks like it is going to be super windy. Like I have mentioned there is always a lot of dust in the area. But i love the work. And like the dust, the work is picking up as well..

Alright, I will stop with the lame jokes. ha ha. But really the work is going super great right now. We just had the baptism of Marcello. He was super excited for his baptism. He has been going to mutual and is now going to seminary as well. His little brother is going to be baptized on the 19th of March. We have stake conference and another week where we will not be able to be baptize because of other conferences. But we are super excited about that. We should be able to have about 4 baptisms this next month as well. 

Elder Ochoa of the Seventy and his wife came to the mission this week. Elder Ochoa is in the area presidency as well. They gave great lessons this week. On Thursday we got up early and got the zone on the bus and we went to the multi zone with some of the other zones. Elder Ochoa gave a talk on the atonement. That really impacted me. He said a phrase that stuck with me. He said, "The atonement sometimes is not easy to explain, but it is easy to feel." I really felt the truth of that statement. I sometimes as a missionary can not explain to a fullness the power of the atonement. It is not until they feel the atonement that they can really understand the power of this principle in there lives. 

On Friday Elder Bradbeer and I got up early to go to Managua. Once again we received great revelation as the leaders in the mission. He talked about being a pastor and leading the sheep, or investigators, to green grass. Sometimes sheep get lost in brush and thorns. But as we use inspired questions we can get them back to that green pasture where they belong. I really like that parable and we have been trying these last few days to change how we teach by using inspired questions from the spirit.

I love this work. This is his gospel. He loves us. I have tried a lot this week to understand the spirit and what the Lord wants me to do. I have felt myself be guided to people who otherwise I would have not found, and have taught things I would not have taught, if it was not for the spirit. I have felt the guidance of the spirit in abundance. I know that I need to forget myself, and work even harder. That is what I am going to do.

I love you guys. Take care. Let me know how tryouts go. Love you all!!

Nicaragua Managua Sur,

Elder Morgan M. Anderson

Week 83 - Hard Work

February 22, 2016

This week went by way to fast for me. This week we put in a lot and I mean a lot of hard work.
Elder Bradbeer, Elder Solis and I, worked our selves into the ground this week and it payed off.

We have been working in a little bit more of the subdivision area to find new investigators these
past weeks so we decided to go the villages to find more people. We have to walk to one part of 
our area and take a special taxi that takes us up the mountain to a place with a ton of people. 
Its called Las Flores. 

We found a house out through a couple of farm fields with a mom and her two little kids. Her
husband was working so we had a quick lesson out in the yard. I saw that they had a huge Tom 
turkey. so being an Anderson boy, I made some hen sounds with my mouth and it stuck all its 
feathers out and started gobbling....haha the kids thought it was pretty funny. They were 
supposed to go to church this week but were not able to make it to church for some reason. 
We will go back this week to teach them. I will send some pictures of the sunset by their house
in the email. 

On Saturday we walked passed a group of guys that were digging holes for posts and they started
yelling at us to come help. I ran over there and grabbed the steel post from them and started digging 
holes for them. They didn't think I actually would do it. We found out they were using a farmers field 
to make a baseball diamond for a tournament. We started talking to them and taught them a quick lesson. 
It was a lot of fun just to dig a couple of post holes for them and I got a couple of blisters from it....haha. 
I haven't had to use a shovel or rake for a long time....hahaha.

So this week we got a reference from the first counselor in the ward. He lives way out in one of the
villages so we went out there one night to go find them and they weren't there. So we then went out 
there the other night a little bit later to find them and we taught an amazing spiritual lesson with them. 
There names are Jose and Erica. It takes us like 20 minutes to walk out there and its super dark out
there. The moon is just about full so it makes it fun walking out there through all the farm fields 
and rocky roads. All three of us trip several times on the walk out there....haha.

We are teaching two young men and trying to reactivate their family. They are super cool kids and the older boy
is going to get baptised this week and his little brother on the 5th of March.

This week we had an awesome lesson in priesthood. We focused on 2 Nephi 4. That was a great chapter and I
studied it a little bit more this morning. Even as missionaries we still have trials and problems, but with the help
of our Heavenly Father and the atonement of Jesus Christ we can be strengthened. 

I love you guy so much. I hope all is well. Keep up the good work. Let me know how tryouts and
stuff goes this week. Good luck Carter. I love the mission and i love this work. This is the 
Church of Jesus Christ.

With love,

Nicaragua Managua Sur,

Elder Morgan M. Anderson

Week 82 - Miracles

February 15, 2016

After a long time of working with this family they finally got baptized. YES!  Lester and Karla got baptized and confirmed.  I am super excited to go talk to them tonight to see how they are and how they feel now that they are members and have the spirit. I will attach a picture of them at their baptism.

This week we have been working really hard in the Zone and have worked really hard in the area as well. I spent a good block of the week traveling to Diriomo and back as I went there 3 days this week. It is a lot of fun working with the district out there and helping and getting to know their investigators. I really enjoy getting to know these people who are getting ready to enter into the waters of baptism. Last night we went and talked with a mom and her kids where all of the kids will be baptized at the end of this month, but the Mom is still not baptized. Elder Bradbeer and I talked with her for awhile and we felt the spirit very strongly as we spoke with her. I honestly don't know if she will get baptized soon, but I do know she has felt the spirit and has seen the blessings of the gospel in her family.

So this week we also had our interviews as a zone with President Russell. I went with Elder Hironaka and Hermana Russell to do house checks. It was a lot of fun to be able to talk with them and get a lot of advice from Hermana Russell. As a zone leader, Elder Bradbeer and I talk with President before and after the interviews and receive instruction. WOW! These were by far the best interviews I have had. I learned so much from him about the mission and how to become a better person after the mission as well. I will definitely remember the council that he gave me for a long time to come. 

We have been teaching a man named Freddy for a week now and he is super positive. He is a middle aged man and his wife visits another church. He has a strong knowledge about the bible, and religious history. It keeps us on our toes while teaching him and I have to use a lot of Scriptures. When we taught him the Book of Mormon he wasn't super  convinced, but he then read a part of it and is now always reading it. I have seen his testimony grow in this last week and I am excited to see him grow in the gospel.

The Sunday school class this week was on Agency. I received some revelation on the subject. As I was thinking I thought, most of the times we have to have faith while making choices. We cannot always see the outcome or the consequences. We need to be guided by the spirit and we will then receive the blessings. 

We have had many other miracles this week in our area. I am full of gratitude every night for the things I have and have felt. I love this Gospel. Its true. This is His church. Thank you for everything. I love you guys! 

Nicaragua Managua Sur, 

Elder Morgan Anderson

Week 81

February 8, 2016

Well this week we have worked really hard and have had some good results. Sometimes its not the easiest but I know there are always blessings awaiting us even if at first we cannot see them.

So the big story is that Gustavo finally got confirmed. YES! He was super excited to get confirmed even though he had a really bad cold during the whole week. He got to church super early as well.

The other story I guess is that Lester and Carla did not get baptized this week. They had a few problems with the commandments this week so they have to wait until the 13th. They are still super excited though for the 13th and always show up to church on there motorcycle. 

This week has been kind of a busy one for me and Elder Bradbeer. On Monday we had to finish a presentation for the meeting with President and Sister Russell and all the other Zone Leaders. Then on Tuesday we went to Managua for the meeting. It went pretty good. I learned a lot from the other Zone Leaders and President Russell and his wife. I also got a chance to talk with Elder Martinez again. He is getting ready to go home this change and I got a chance to talk with him and received some council from him. I will always have a great respect for my trainer and hope to keep in contact with him after the mission.

One morning Elder Bradbeer and I decided I would go on divisions with one of the District Leaders in the Zone. Their area is super cool, but with a ton of walking. Their area is like on the side of the mountain and goes up and up and up....haha, but it was a really good day. I met a member from there that I made a really good friend with. I got a chance to talk with him and teach his grandkids about the Restoration. At some points he would stop us while teaching and just talk face to face with his grandkids and share his testimony. I felt the spirit so strong as he spoke. It reminded me a lot of my Grandpa's and the constant loving council they always gave me. Many of their words have stuck with me for life. I know this man's grandkids will always remember the words of their grandfather and how they felt as he spoke. I took a picture with the family afterwords. I also got a chance to talk with an older lady who they are teaching that started telling us of her family and how she misses them. We taught her about the Plan of Salvation and how she can see her family again. She then gave us some fresh squeezed orange juice! Yum!

This week we have also been running around doing a couple of other things in the zone as well as in our area. We have found a couple of really good positive people to teach including a man that Elder Solis and I found while Elder Bradbeer was on divisions. It was a lot of fun as we taught about the Spirit and everything just seemed to flow as we taught together. I know it was the spirit guiding us what to say. I love being able to teach with the spirit and I know that if we are always ready and worthy to follow it we will be guided with what to say and do.

I love this missionary work. Most days its very hard, but very rewarding. I get the wonderful opportunity everyday to be able to work and talk with people who need the gospel of Jesus Christ in their lives. I love this work. I love this gospel.

Thank you for all your help and support. I love you guys. Take care!!

Nicaragua Managua Sur,

Elder Morgan M. Anderson

Week 80 - Companionship of three

February 1, 2016

Even after changes, there are sometimes still changes. I got a call from the assistants to President Russell on Tuesday afternoon informing me that Elder Gesualdo would be having Emergency Changes to fill in to help out another area after some different changes there. So I ran back to the house and gave the keys to Elder Gesualdo and Elder Bradbeer so they could pack up... I have really missed the guy. He is a super great missionary and will do many great things.

So we thought that they were going to drop off another companion for Elder Bradbeer, but President has decided to leave in a companionship of three, which is super awesome!!! It is a lot of fun working with Elder Bradbeer. We are teaching great together along with the missionary I'm training Elder Solis. We have a blast together. Sometimes to just make things fun we run from village to village just to get to the other part faster.... 

We baptized the man I have been telling you guys about on Saturday. But, he did not get confirmed on Sunday. He will get confirmed this Sunday so all is good. We are also going to baptize the family! I am super excited for them. They have been awesome and came up to me on Sunday and asked if they could now get baptized. I told them yes and the wife was super happy!! They are great and always give us something to eat or drink while there. They gave us some soup on Saturday. 

We always buy from a nearby store. (Pulperia) It's actually right next door. We buy from there like every night and we finally decided to contact them one night....ha ha they are actually pretty positive and committed to come to church this week. I guess always buying chocolate milk and sweet bread from them every night payed off.

Everything is going good. We are having a lot of success lately and continue to work hard. Elder Bradbeer and Elder Solis are a great example to me and we make a great team. 

I love you guys! Take care! Enjoy the Snow! Be Safe!

Nicaragua Managua Sur,

Zona Los Pueblos,

Elder Morgan M. Anderson

Elder Bradbeer, Elder Solis, and Elder Anderson

Look at those dusty shoes?

With Elder Gesualdo.  

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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.