Week #2 in Provo MTC

OI!

Hope everyone is doing well!

So lets start with this last week! Sunday was the first Sunday in the MTC in my portugues branch.   We had a good fast and testimony meetings and it was just so awesome to be there.  Although everyone was bearing their testimonies in portugues I could still figure out what they were saying by picking words out and such.  After we had branch council followed by a Mission conference for the entire MTC.  It was so cool The entire MTC presidency spoke about non other than missionary work.  Followed by the mission conference we had our temple walk around the prove temple and it was cool. All we did was walk around the temple but when your inside for almost every hour of everyday its all worth it. After we had district meeting and district interviews. Because it was fast sunday come dinner every missionary was chowing down everything they could get their hands on. My district and I wanted to exploded after dinner because we were all stuffed.  We had an MTC fireside following were the Provo Temple president and matron spoke to us.  Heres a great thing to picture., 2000 missionaries singing ªCome Thou Fount of Every Blessing!ª It was sooo cool. Of coarse they sing my favorite hymn.  We ended the night by watching the testiments and hitting that sack right at 1030

 

We stayed very busy this week! The portugues is improving alot! We are getting through our prayers alot faster and alot easier. Plus we started teaching lessons too! You definatly do not waste a minute in the MT.  We found out that our district is part of a pilot program where the teachers speak nothing but portugues. No wonder we were so lost the first few days haha! Devotional on Tuesday was really awesome Kent F. Richards of the Seventy spoke with his wife about teaching with the spirit.  Something that I was really interested in learning about.  He said something that stuck out to me that I will remember ªRadiate the Spirit of truth and the message that is with in you with your countanceª something that I will definatly think about when teaching come time for the field.  I challenged my district to get the Joseph Smith account memorized in portugues! What a blessing it is to have hard working and diligent missionaries we all succeeded! We had our service activity for 70 minutes where I cleaned about a classrooms and stuff hmmm fun right.. 

 

Our teaching are pushing us really hard to get the portugues in us. We are giving it our all and its progressing.  Not as fast but it is moving forward!  We taught the first lesson to our teacher and i was focusing in on teaching by the spirit.  As i started to recite the Joseph Smith Account I couldnt help but cry because of what I was feeling.  That story is so powerful and so amazing. An event that truly changed the world.  Thursday We taught in the TRC and continued to Contact more people and set up investigators. 

 

Personal and Companionship study is going very well! We stay busy and just want to learn the language. 

 

Today we went to the temple for Pday, planned and wrote letters.  The weather was absolutly wonderful!   I am having a really good experience and I am continuing to progress with the language. Keep praying for me and for the dang visa! A few elders in the zone got them this week and are heading out next thursday lucky! I love my district and love that i am always busy.  I am learning way more about myself more than i ever have.  I love you all and cannot wait to here from you.  Use dearelder.com to reply its faster plus I donºt have alot of time on the computer for email.  We have zone conference tonight which im pretty excited about.  Atemice Tuda Bem!

Elder Anderson

Vi um pilar de luz acima de minha cabeca, mais brilhate que o sol, que descia gradualmente sobre min! Beginning of the Joseph Smith Account

3.5.11 Nick's 1st Letter

Ola Familia!

Well I have served the first couple days. It is crazy how much time has flown by. I have literally lost track of days which is unbelievable.  It was busy from the get though.  After Jason picked me up we drove down to Provo picked up Joey and then headed out for lunch.  Where we saw The Albrecsons eating getting ready to drop off Joe.  My last meal on the outside was Cafe Rio which was most excellent :)

When I got dropped off I went throught all the lines, got my badge complete with the dork dot, my schedule, and my ID card.  Little did I know I would look down at my packet of stuff and find my companions name.  What do I find? Elder Wilson Tucker Sivertson. Yes thats right. My companion is Elder Siverston (Wilson of coarse) from Damascus Oregon! It was so funny cause we sat next to eachother on the plane and everything.  Who would have know that 2 years ago when we met that I would be meeting my Companion haha!

The first day was little overwhelming, they moved so fast and it was just nuts.  I walked into my classroom and my teacher Irma Chamberlin just starts speaking portuguese right off the bat.  She is really nice and helpful and has already taught my district how to pray and bare our testimonies.  My district is all Elders.  Elder Batschi from Washington, Elder Palmer from St. George UT, Elder Jubitz from Hood River Or, and Elder Van Den Berg from Conneticut. We all get along very well and feel very blessed to be together. Its awesome! I was just bushed when I got back to our dorm and hit the sack right at 10:30.  They weren't kidding about all the materials you would recieve here. I have to Preach My Gospels, 7 Portuguese books, and a new set of Portuguese scriptures cha ching! Thursday was also very busy. We were so tired from the first day but just kept pulling through! I love it that I get so exhausted but don't want to sleep cause I can just learn so much! We met our branch president (President Braithwaite) and the Branch Presidency on Thursday night. They are all very nice and very helpful.  After the introduction meeting we all bore our testimonies and man was it just so awesome! I loved it! After we were pulled out of our classroom invidually for interviews from the presidenct.  They just asked how we were and how we were feeling.  After my interview President Braithwaite asked me to be the District Leader for my District.  I'm not sure what he saw but he says he has High Expectations for me in the MTC and in the Field. I guess being a missionary will be bigger than what I thought :)

It seems like all we do is study, sleep, and eat haha! The food is ok but the bathrooms are even better if you know what I mean. I go to bed just so tired every night but ready for the new day when my alarm goes off at 6:15 oi! My P-day will be every Friday so you can expect an email then.  They say were in good standing for our visas since we have already filled out the online applications.  Some Elder's in my Zone have been here for 9 weeks already :/. All I can ask is that you pray for my visa to go through and to help me with the language.  I am learning so much and it is so great! I love the work and how hard it is because I know it will be rewarding.  I have seen alot of people from school here.  My roommate who is going to Korea and my FHE sister is in my zone! Plus alot of kids from my mission prep class and ward! I love the work, the language is hard, but the gospel is everlasting! Hope your day is going well. I love you all and can feel the support already! Obrigado!

Amar,

Elder Nick

You are called to serve in the Fortaleza, Brazil Mission

Elder Anderson left today for his LDS mission in Fortaleza, Brazil. He will serve a 2 year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints where he will share the gospel with others. He received his mission call in October 2010 while going to BYU-Idaho in Rexburg, ID. It seemed so far off then and he has been preparing for the past 5 months and now it's finally here! Well...he has technically been preparing his whole life :) Originally he was to enter the Brazil MTC today, but received an email a week ago that he would be going into the Provo, Utah MTC because his visa has still not arrived :( We are anxious and hoping his visa arrives soon and when it does, he may leave right away for the Brazil MTC. Until then, he will still be learning the language of Portugese. Nick, we are so proud of you! We'll miss you a ton but know that you will be in the best place. Have no regrets Nick! You have 2 years to make a difference and the rest of your life to think about it!


Check out Nick's last note:

TO EVERYONE THAT WANTS TO KNOW WHAT I AM ABOUT TO DO...

by Nick Anderson on Tuesday, March 1, 2011 at 5:07pm

I am part of the fellowship of the unashamed. The dye has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I won’t look back, let up, slow down, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is secure. I’m finished and done with low living, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, worldly talking, cheap giving, and dwarfed goals. I no longer need pre-eminence, position, promotions, plaudits or popularity. I don’t have to be right, first, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by faith, lean on His presence, walk with patience, am uplifted by prayer and labor with power. My face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven. My road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions are few, my guide is reliable, my mission is clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, divided or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the adversary, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity or meander in the maze of mediocrity. I won’t give up, shut up, or let up, until I have stayed up, stored up, and paid up for the cause of Christ. I must go ‘till He comes, give ‘till I drop, preach ‘till all know, and work ‘till He stops me. And when He returns for His own, He will have no problem recognizing me. My Banner will be clear.

And also Nick's last status on Facebook:

Nick Anderson

My greatest thrill and the most joyful of all realizations is that I have the opportunity, as Nephi phrased it, to “talk of Christ, to rejoice in Christ, preach of Christ, and prophesy of Christ” wherever I may be and with whomever I may find myself, I will testify until the last breath of my life is gone. My very being should reflect the divinity of this work.” I LOVE YOU ALL...SEE YA IN TWO! :