Come Unto Christ

Well, it´s officially my last week in Brazil and the last email I will send out! If you´re surprised, don´t worry, because I´m just as surprised as you are! The time has seriously flown by-- and I would never trade these last 18 months for anything!!

A while ago Sister Taylor and I had a conversation about how we can´t imagine how our lives would be without our missions. It has made such a big difference for the better that I really can´t imagine how my life would be without all of the things I have learned and all of the ways I´ve grown!

This week we were able to have a mission council with President and Sister Houseman. Something that really touched me was when President talked about how he wants us to be converted to CHRIST and not just to His work. Sister Houseman added that our missions shouldn´t be a spiritual peak in our lives, but instead create a base for how the rest of our lives will be. I can truly feel that during this time here in Brazil I´ve come to know my Savior and be converted to HIM. In Elder Eyring´s talk from the last General Conference in the Priesthood Session he said, "I testify that we come to know Him best by working with Him and serving Him in the great work of bringing salvation to God´s children."  I know that this is true and I´m so grateful that I was able to see the conversion of so many people to Christ, including my own!

I know that Christ is our Savior and Redeemer. He lives! I know that He has power to change any heart and any life-- I´ve had the immense blessing in my life to see that over and over again. I know that the Atonement of Jesus Christ is real and that the peace we receive from repentance is real and powerful. I know that´s Christ´s invitation for us to COME UNTO HIM truly is for all and that there is NOTHING more important that we can do in this life.

This is a scripture from my studies today that really touched me--

Mosiah 26:23-24

23 For it is I that taketh upon me the sins of the world; for it is I that hath created them; and it is I that granteth unto him that believeth unto the end a place at my right hand.

24 For behold, in my name are they called; and if they know me they shall come forth, and shall have a place eternally at my right hand.

It is my hope and prayer that one day we can all be found at the right hand of God to live with Him in a state of never ending happiness! (Mosiah 2:41)

Thanks for all of the love, support, and prayers!

Love you all so much! 

Sister Anderson 

The group that´s going home with me! (taken at mission council)

My trio

Sister L. Silva and I

Saturday Night Miracles

Óla meus amigos! 

I hope everyone is doing great! 

This week was a little more challenging, not gonna lie. Lots of rejection-- everything from angry moms to having people literally run away from us. It was almost hard to believe just how much it happened this week! But at the end of every trial there´s always a blessing, and that´s what happened for us! 

There we were saturday night, without anyone to visit, and without anyone to go to church on sunday. Well after a lot of prayer and actually starting a fast to be able to have investigators in church, the dear Sister Leite remembered a man named Sergio-- a reference from some members that we had been trying to contact, but who we had never been able to find home. BUT, we thought we would give it just one more shot, and guess who was home-- Sergio! He loved hearing the message of the Restoration and canceled a work appointment that he had for sunday morning to be able to go to church! He was seated in the chapel on sunday even before we got there! :) 

That´s the miracle part of the story. And now the funny part of the story-- Sergio has a pet monkey-- the kind that´s in the movie Rio that likes to steal everything! Well, first thing was that I learned that I have a serious fear of monkeys. Like I start crying fear haha. Second funny thing is that during the lesson it was laying on Sister Taylors lap. She just sat there petting it and it was actually really cute! But then suddenly he sat up, stayed there for a second and then started hopping all over the place again. And do you know what was in Sister Taylor´s lap? A huge puddle of monkey pee!! Hahaha. It was way hilarious :D 

Sunday was a super happy day though! I love being able to go to church to learn more about the Gospel and to partake of the sacrament! One of the best parts was that Gabriella got up in sacrament meeting to bear her testimony! Everyone told us afterwards that it was the best part of the meeting :) 

I love being a missionary more than I can express and I am beyond grateful for the way that it has changed my life and changed my testimony! I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeember and that this is His Restored Church here on the earth! 

Lots of love! 

Sister Anderson 

Gabi was Baptized!

Wow, I can´t believe tomorrow is already August! Time is FLYIN!

This week was really great though! 

Gabriela was baptized!!! It was absolutely amazing to find her as an atheist and a couple of months later for her to have her own testimony of Jesus Christ and the truthfulness of the Gospel! Her confirmation on Sunday was very special as well :) In the blessing, Bishop blessed her to be able to prepare to take the Gospel to other people in the world.... Future missionary!! 

Another huge blessing this week was starting to teach a sweet young girl named Stefany! She went to church a couple weeks ago with her cousin who is a member in Gravatá. Turns out she´s already been to church a couple of times in Gravatá and LOVES it! After teaching her about the restoration of the Gospel, she said "why can´t everyone think this way??"-- I totally agree with her! It would be so much better if everyone knew that God calls living prophets today and that Christ´s church is here on the Earth! We went back the next day to teach her mom and when we started to talk about the first vision Stefany said that it is something that she is never going to forget because it touched her so deeply! I´m SO grateful for people who are pure in heart and are ready to hear the Holy Ghost testify of God´s truths! 

This week we were able to visit the temple with Maria José and Flavio! At the temple we met a woman who had served in our mission a year ago who was getting sealed that day. Well turns out, it was this missionary that had baptized Doralice, Maria José´s sister! And so thanks to her missionary work Maria José and Flavio were able to come to know the true Gospel as well! This returned missionary was SO happy to know that! We really don´t understand just how many people we effect when we share the truth of the Gospel with others! 

Have a great week everyone! 

Sister Anderson 

One more Battle Conquered

Hey guys! This week has been great! I´m loooovin´ my comps and I´m feeling very happy! (It´s hard not to be happy doing the work of the Lord :D)

Like the title says, one more battle has been conquered because... GABRIELA FINALLY AGREED TO BE BAPTIZED. Yes, I repeat, Gabriela is going to be baptized. It´s been amazing to see her transform from being an Atheist, to knowing how to pray and receive answers from God and then learning how to act upon those answers. She´s received lots of confirmations from God and after a couple of VERY long lessons and lot´s of encouraging, she finally overcame her fears and marked her baptism for this thursday :)

This week we had zone conference! And the insanse thing was, is that it was my last zone conference! AH! The time has definitely flown by... But I loved the Spirit I was able to feel as President and Sister Houseman taught us! Fun fact about President Houseman-- his profession is studying insects. He practically travels the world gathering insects and studying them haha. In the zone conference he used a super cool example about ants that I want to share with you guys--

Everyone knows how ants walk in a perfect line, one following the other, right? But how is it that the one at the front knows where it´s going? President Houseman taught us that ants have an invisible chemical that they can release from their bellies for the others to be able to smell. And so when one finds food, or the ant hole, he releases that chemical for the others to smell and follow it. And so they always have this invisible force guiding them. President Houseman compared that invisible force to the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost isn´t something that we can see, but it´s a gift that God has given us to always guide us and help us through our lives. I´m so grateful for the Holy Ghost and know that He truly does guide us and helps us to stay on the right path!

I hope that everyone has a great Pioneer Day today!! I´m so grateful for those brave early saints that had enough faith and courage to do all that Heavenly Father asked of them to bring to pass the restoration of the Gospel in these last days!

Love you all! 

Sister Anderson