Happy Spring Break!

Pictures:

Pizza with Pres

Check out the beach in the background 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KL_rO6Z3n4c

Hey everyone! Bom Dia! Hope your all having a good week.  Things where nice and busy this week (as usual) but we did have a few celebrations in store for us in the office and with investigators, which made a busy week not so stressful.  

We started off on a good note Monday night.  Getting out of the office on time to go work.  Things seem less stressful when we can leave early.  We don´t feel like we are running around like a ''chicken with our legs cut off''.  Visits always are nice especially with new investigators which was our main focus this week.  On thing that becomes hard is not having anyone to teach, which we felt like was happening as we closed last week.  Sometimes theres a lot of people that just don´t progress at all and we have to let them go.   This area can be difficult as well.  Its kinda of like working ''downtown''.  Pretty commericalized, with hi-rise buildings of offices and apartments. So that whole ''door knocking'' doesn´t happen very easily.  We have been working with a lot of references (cough, cough, thanks to the reference secretary)  which seems like their going well. We had a few of our progressing investigators at church yesterday. Including a fmaily that we are teaching.  They seem to really like the church and they told us that they are liking the visits a feel like this is something that they have always had questions about.  Wilson and his wife, Bia seem like they were already members when they walked in yesterday.  All the ward members did a good job of welcoming them.  It those satisfing comments that help a lot of missionaries.  We are planning on helping a few people this week with there various problems to get them ready for baptism. It feels like this week went by a lot faster than I thought it would  

As for a few of us we celebrated are mile stones in the mission.   Elder Loureiro, made one year on friday.  He was one excited man since he talked about it every single day last week.  Kinda like the countdown that Katie gives for her birthday, although Elder Loureiro didn´t start six months ago :)  We didn´t do to much just a few games and few hugs.  I woke Elder Loureiro up that morning with a ''body blanket'' and saying happy birthday.  I celebrated my one year in Brasil on thursday as well.  I still think about that day alot when I got my visa.  Walking down to the travel center at the Provo MTC, wondering if it was the right ''Elder Nick Anderson'' since there was 3 with that name waiting for their visas,  then figuring it was me and only having a short 14 hours til I was on a plane to New York then an overnight flight to São Paulo.  Quite the trip I must say, but I have stayed pretty organized through out the mission thanks to Mom, Dad, Emily, Brett, and Alicia helping me pack before I left for Provo.  Yes, everyone those plastic space bags are life-savers for travelers out there.  Its a strange feeling knowing that I have been here, for over a year now.  Time certainly is flying.  President and Sister Souza took the secretaries out to Pizza Hut this week for a nice little ''thanks for the hard work''.  Now I know why some come out of the Office a little heavier.  We organized the office a lot, which was one of the things President wanted done and the insentive was Pizza Hut.  Can´t blame the man for knowing how to get missionaries to organize things, food.  It was the same Pizza Hut on the beach which is always fun with President and Sister telling you ''look down at your shoes''.  

My phone just kept ringing non-stop every night we got home.  Missionaries with their questions or to pass references.  I also try to sound nice and cheery on the phone but when it starts to get late with people still calling, its gets a little difficult.  My companions said that I´m the most crazy in the office, I´m not sure what that means but they have learned to put up with my singing in the shower.  I feel like secretaries are the go to guys for every question possible about mission stuff.  The most random questions come in.  I like it though, gives me a good chance to learn new words in portuguese, which is nice.  I geuss things just keep getting better everyday.  Our companionship is doing fine.  The four-pack is still going strong and its always fun teaching with someone new every night.  We have our countdown for General Conference this week, I feel like thats like Christmas for missionaries.  

I love this work, there is not a bad day just days better than others,  I hope your all looking forward to good Conference Weekend. Remember the the words of God´s servants are speaking.  I love you all! Have a good Spring Break week!

Love, 

Elder N. Anderson

Wow, I never want to do that again!

Pictures:

Stake Conference..Yesterday or Boy Band perhaps?

Fat Lip, yup this is real

Wasabi!  notice fat lip again! :(

Oh the airport.  

Hey All, Tuda bem?  So I have a lot to write as always and I will do my best to squeeze it all in.  This week was good, we ended the transfer on a good note which made things nice.  As it usually is in the office, the last week of the transfer is really busy.  There are exit interviews with all the missionaries that are leaving,  the making of the new transfer,  people doing last minute things before they leave area, etc. It was busy but we counted down the days until the end of the transfer.  We were already advised that we, (Elder Howland, Elder Loureiro, and I) would stay together as a companionship for another six weeks.  We welcomed Elder Macedo (Brazilian, from São Paulo,  Fluent English Speaker)  into our companionship as the new Financial Secretary.  Elder Loureiro as passed 5 transfers here in the office (about 7and half months)  and he is ready to leave haha.  The office does that to you.  Elder Loureiro will be training Elder Macedo as the new secretary and will be leaving for another area at the end of the transfer.  So now we have four of us working here in the area, which will be really good.  I think this transfer will be one of the highlights.  So I started my 9th transfer today, I can't believe it at all.   It seems like its going by way to fast.  

This last week we started off with our regular schedule during the week.  There was a missionary that just recieved his visa this week and so it required a trip to the airport.  This Elder had been waiting for his visa for over 6 months.  He was serving in South Dakota since the time he left the MTC (September 2011) Anyways, he recieved his visa and he had a good welcoming for him at the airport, at President´s House, and then sent him on his way to the area.  Its always fun to see brand new missionary coming in.  You just see that fire in their eyes, then you see it dwindle a little when they actually hear portuguese.  Like we always say, it just takes a little more time to learn and pick up the accent.  We are planning on going to the airport tomorrow to pick the new arrivals straight from the MTC in São Paulo.  We have 11 missionaries arriving (5 Americans, 5 Braisilians, 1 Bolivian) Actually Mom and Dad Elder Nichols from Fed. Way, Washington is arriving.  I guess I´ll have to try and explain that we ''kinda'' know eachother..oh this wierd Mormon Connections.  Speaking of the airport I entitled my email ''Wow, I never want to do that again.'' for a reason.  Today was the first day of the transfer which meant missionaries leaving.  There was a good group of 12 missionaries that left in total.  It was a little sad since there were a few that I became close with.  It definatly is a hard thing, sending missionaries off. You see how the mission changes a person, and how awesome those guys are going to be when they get home.  I had to bargain with my ravishing charm with a ''Front Counter'' person at the airport, to get here to wave the fee for a few Elders.  That was fun.  It was hard saying goodbye, but my companions said tomorrow, ''the welcome'' is always better.   

So as you can see in the pictures, I had an encounter with a fat lip this week.  On Wednesday I woke up with this wierd feeling in my nose. Didn't think anything off it so I left it.  Thursday, I woke up a fat lip and it just progress on getting bigger through out the day.  We had a special lunch for an assistant that will finish his mission training so eating became a struggle.  We went to sushi which was delicious! Anyways back to lip.  Friday it was hurting a lot so right when we got done working we headed straight to the hospital to get things checked out.   Turns out, Ingrown nose hair was the answer and taking some medicine would be the cure. It was a little embarrasing walking around with a half smile/fat lip, but i made it work.  Yes that picture is real.  Saturday and Sunday it started going down and today it looks good as new. 

We started teaching a family this week that was really fun.  The seemed really interested and will hopefully be going to church next week.  We have had a few progressing investigators at church yesterday which made it nice.  A man named Wilson and his son.  They left yesterday saying '' I want to know more about htis church''.  This guy we found just by a few of his neighbors saying that he would be someone interested.  We definalty have some big goals for the transfer.  Just to continue working hard and have some success these next six weeks.  I am looking forward to another transfer here in this area.  The ward is great and it seems like a really good experience.  There are the stressful moments but its all good.  

I am really finding that happiness in the work.  I am finding how the mission is making all the difference in my life so that I can be better.  I love this gospel, this work, and the people whom we serve. Thanks for all the support. Até semana que vem!  

Love, 

Elder N. Anderson

The Fire is Still Burning

Pictures:

Just your classic burn :)

Broken table, I still laugh at this.

OHHHH that beach

One!

Hey All, 

How is everyone this week?  It was a busy week to start off.  Actually REALLY busy in fact, its seems like when the transfer starts to ''wind up'' thats when the busiest time falls finishing the 6 weeks.  We are just now heading into the 6th week of the transfer and as always, the entire mission is getting anxious for the news.  Its kinda reminds of being a little kid, when you go to the grade school in the summer to see who your teacher is going to be for that year OR when you wait to see your new class schedule . The anticipation, wondering if any of your friends will be in your classes, how the teacher is going to be.  Its basically like that for transfers.  Everyone wants to know! 

This week we had two large conferences for the Zone Leaders and Leadership of the mission.  I had to speak at both of them, talking about some of the stuff here in the office.  On Wednesday we had the Zone Leaders meeting which was held here in the office.  There was a huge excitement about lunch as well, Pizza Hut!  There are probably about 10 in all of Brasil and one just happens to be right on the beach here in Fortaleza.  When we called to order it the day before, the restaurant said that we needed to go pick it up.  So, Sister Souza and the 3 secretaries drove down there to get them.  We had to make a few other stops as we made are way there, getting things for the transfer, etc.  There were tons of pillows, soda and pizza stuffed into Sister Souza´s car.  When we got to Pizza Hut to get the Pizzas it was literally right there on the beach.  All of our mouths dropped.  Of coarse we heard from Sister Souza ''This is the closest you will ever be to the beach'' but it was cool! That water reminds exactly what St. Martin looked like 2 years ago.  The Conferences went well though.  Lots of errands to do which kept us busy but President Souza had alot to talk about a lot of interesting things that helped us all.  Wednesday and Thursday, we came home completly exhausted but I made sure to rest up for my celebratory 1 year make on Friday.  

It seemed like this whole week, I was thinking, '' What have I been doing for a year?'' The flood of memories that just kept coming to my head.  My companion Elder Loureiro woke me singing '' Happy Birthday'' to me for some reason which was so funny.  It wasn´t really any day different than the others. Just fun to think back on it all.  We worked the majority of the day in the office as usual.  References kept me busy and it seemed like on Thursday after the conference they just flooded in.  When we went out to go visit our investigators that night, it was the reality of how much I have progressed since day one.  Actually being able to communicate with people,  feeling comfortable speaking another language, and just feeling like a missionary.  Everyone that has ever been to the MTC all know that the first day you don´t know what is going on at all.  We had  the celebratory ''burning of the shirt'' for the one year mark and delicious hot wings to end the night.  It is so funny how those mission traditions still stay alive.  I geuss the highlight of the day was Elder Howland breaking one of our tables.  We had just finished our day and he decided that he wanted to give me a hug.  I geuss he wanted to save time by climbing over the table until it whobbled a little, fell to the ground and shattered.  I think we were all stunned at first but after, I couldn´t stop laughing.  He´s fine. but a little embarrassed when we talk about it with our investigators or members of the ward.

As for investigators, we are doing a little reorganization for the people we teach.  We are trying to get all of them to progress but sometimes it takes a little longer than we want.  I geuss it goes all to being patient and following things on the Lord´s time.  I think I have learned a lot of patience on the mission thats for sure.  We are teaching a few couples that seem like that have a lot of potential.  They are very willing and welcoming to us.  Some of them already have the building blocks to strong testimonies which is what makes it all worth it.  I just love it when you see the ''fire of the gospel''' start to burn.   You see that excitement literally in their eyes and it makes us all happy.  There are some lessons that we come out of and just feel so happy.  Its excellent.   

I geuss thats my focus today and for the rest of the year, not just a physical fire that happened this week, but a spiritual one as well.  I can literally see how the gospel makes all of us be better.  How we put of the ''natural things'' and truly invest ourselves in the work of God.  I am seeing how this year will be a lot different than the first.  Seriously, it will turn a lot of things around for me and I know by the time it starts to end thats when everything will click.  Stages of Missionary life never seem to suprise me, as long as you keep that fire burning it all becomes natural.  I love this work, I love the Gospel, and I love the special plan all of us have.  

I hope you all have an excellent week, Love you all so much!

Love, 

Elder N. Anderson 

Happy "Hump" Day!

Photos: 

´´Hump Day´´  :) 

Baptism this weekend.  Val and Bruno (Mother and Son) 

Baptism this weekend of Gleubeino 

A nice salute 

ROOT BEER!

This is it! right?  One year over, 365 days terminated,  52 of 104 weeks completed, the big hump!   WOW!  I can only think ´´Onde está o tempo!?´´  I kinda feel old now that I think about it, Old in the sense that its all down hill from here even though I still feel like I just arrived yesterday.   The fact that I am passing one year this week, just means I still have one more year to keep moving, to keep pushing, until that time I get on the airplane.  I´m not ´´trunky´´ as some would say just happy and excited for whats next in line. March 2nd 2011 seems like it was yesterday, but March 2013 seems so far away still :)  Alright enough of this, lets get busy.  

So this week seemed pretty busy for us.  I stil find myself super busy working in the office.  It actually seems pretty time comsuming now that I think about.  I have a cell phone that rings constantly asking directions for a street or getting information for a reference.  I have become a master on Googlemaps as well as LDS maps.   I find myself memorizing neighborhoods, ward boundaries, and so forth to the point when someone calls in, I usually have a pretty good idea of where this reference will go.  Elder Howland, Elder Loureiro and I are finding more time to sleep at night and finding more random things to make after we get home at night.  Yesterday we made some rootbeer, yes thats right home made!  It was pretty good actually. I think my sense of taste of root beer has basically been lost, So I am still counting on someone having a Henry Wienharts waiting for me at the airport :)  We have also found Bar-B-Que sauce down here at one store.  Another thing I haven´t seen in awhile so we use it on almost anything.  I got creative last night and put in on scrambled eggs.  Its an ´´aquired´´ taste but It wasn´t so bad when I finished up.  When I saw it at the store it was one of the ´´double take´´ moments, ya know? when you look at something twice just to make sure its the right thing.  It was pretty cheap actually and american for sure.  The label on the back was in all english, accept for the portuguese nutrition sticker covering the english.   There seems to be alot of those around here.    I have really missed alot of things since being here.  Speaking of food actually,  we went out to each a couple times this week for lunch.  There is a member that owns a restaurant close to the office who gives discounts to the missionaries.  Its ´´buffet´´ style place that keeps the missionaries full for sure. I came out of the restaurant a little larger.  I figured ´´ How often do you eat at an all you can eat?´´  am I right?  We all looked like bowling balls coming down the street.  

As for the work, we did our best of getting out of the office everyday by 6pm.   When everyone is on board it makes things alot more easier.  We did a division this week with some other Elders.  Elder Loureiro and I worked with an Elder who has a little bit under 7 months on the mission.  Elder McNeal from the nonother.. Beaverton, Oregon.    I actually was good buddies with his cousin in the MTC.  It was fun working with him and finishing teaching a kid that was baptized this weekend.  Our focus was on Val and Bruno, a mother and son that have been investigating the church for a while.  Elder Howland and Elder Loureiro have been teaching here for a while so it was nice coming in to the area and helping them as best as I could.  Last monday, we called Val, and her last comment on the phone was, I want to talk about this baptism thing this week with you three. We held the baptism on Friday night with a lot of ward members.  It was pretty cool, just seeing that smile on someone face everytime, makes it all worth it.  Gleubeino(14 year old) was a reference that we recevied this week.  He was going to another ward but never had the chance to be baptized.  The other missionaries that were in the ward, thought he was a member already.  We taught him this whole week and on Thursday we was asking when he could get baptized.  We had the green light for Sunday and the font was already filled, so the service was held Sunday night.  We did have miner complications trying to drain the font.  Unfortuntly the pump that drains the font was ´´broken´´ so we first tried to siphon the water out.  After a few ´´winded´´ missionaries, we did the bucket method of filling the buckets and throwing out the water.  That lasted for about 10 minutes when a member went outside to check the pump and gave a few ´´kicks´´and the water was drained before we knew it.   

We, my companions and I, have become pretty notorious here in the mission.  President likes to call us the ´´trio´´ and usually we try to keep things happy and exciting here in the office.  We even decided to call up the assistants and go suprise President today for his birthday.  Sister Souza was already in on the whole thing. We walked in to their house and went straight for his office with a cake singing happy birthday.  We ended up staying for lunch, because who wants to turn down a free meal.  President seemed pretty happy which was fun.  He was suprised for sure which made things nice.  Being at the their home, reminded me alot of going to visit Grandpa and Grandma McCunce in Chile.  They have ´´mission home´´ look to their apartment. 

So as for me, I feel confident and saying that I love this work.  I love what I am doing and how I see the difference it is making in my life.  I feel lke I say that alot but its true.  This last year has meant alot to me.  I can´t thank you all enough, for your support and for the prayers.  I know that this work is true.  I know that God is our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ is his son.  I am so grateful for this wonderful oppurtunity to be a missionary.  To be apart of the miracles that take place in the lives of others.  There is nothing that I would rather be doing.  It is difficult, but the reward is greater.  

365 days,  thats nothing :)  

I love you all, 

Elder N. Anderson 

Transferred!

Pictures:

Fortaleza ( I didn´t know we had this view until yesterday!) 

This is my first donut in 11 months, I havent seen them since the Provo MTC

Rain Storm friday night, I didn´t want my tie to get wet

Just your classic hop across a giant puddle 

OI! Tudo bem!? 

Companions: Elder Howland (Murray, Utah)  Elder Loureiro (São Paulo, SP)

Area: Aldeota  ( I sent a picture of them a few weeks back.)

So this week, was a little bit more different than the other weeks this transfer.  However, as usual I will start from it all beginning with last Monday night.

Usually I try and get out of the office by 6 so we can get to a few appointments to end the night. However, I got a call from São Paulo on Monday asking for a few updates on feedbacks for referrals, and a report on how ´´pass-along cards´´ worked in the Mission.  I was kinda stressing a little bit in the beginning because I was trying to figure how to get everyhting to this lady.   She said that she would give me a week since I was new and still learning how to get the reports in.  UInfortunatly, the last reference secertary didn´t leave me with too much information about these things.  So I was working from scratch, oh well. In the end, I was working in the office for the rest of the night up until about 8:15.  We were getting ready for Zone Conferences this week and trying to do last minute things just so I didn´t have to think about the references stuff until I went back to the office during the week.  The Executive Seceretery told me that there was a chance that I could be trasfered this week because there was another Elder returning to the mission.  Usually when someone comes in half-way through the transfer if makes things a little confusing and gives President a headhache, but usually in this case, the Reference Seceretary gets transfered to the office and stays in a ´´trio´´ (Tri-companionship) with the other seceretaries. Anyways, I wasn´t too sure if I would be transfered or not, I just put it in the back of my mind and just tryed to stay focused.  We raced home that night, to get a movie to the rental place on time.  We got of the bus at an earlier stop and I told Elder Reynolds that we would probably be running to the place.  It closed at 9 and by this time it was 8:45 with a 20 minutes walk ahead of us.  Here in Fortaleza, you can never be too sure because there is the case of people closing early.  We took off running down the Avenue, running as fast as we could with our backpacks in hand.  On the otherside of the street there was a girl racing against us. She just kept running as did we but in the end she finally just gave it in.  My companion just kept saying, just pay the fine and we can walk,  I geuss those ´´Anderson genes´´ got the best of me and said no, I´m not spending my money on it.  We just kept running and running until finally we got there and the rental place was opened! I was sweating my little eye brows off, but I got the movie in haha.  I´m pretty sure the guy at the rental shop just shook his head and wondered what happened to us.  

 Tuesday was normal for us.  We had our normal hours of study and then working.   We went to go see a few people that went to church and some that were planning on going but didn´t make it.  It was a long day of visits, however around 6:30 the assistents called and told us what was going on.  There was indeed an Elder arriving in the mission and President did what we all expected.  I was transfered.   I was kind of a bummed, I liked working with Elder Reynolds a lot but its ok. I geuss thats just how the mission goes some times.  We went home early, right after the phone call, so I could pack and get things together.  We needed to be at the office at 4:00pm on Wednesday.  It was interesting how much stuff I didn´t unpack when we got the transfer call the first time.  So packing was easy, just doing laundry and cleaning out my desk.  Wednesay I went and said goodbye to a few people and gave a quick tour of the area to Elder Reynolds.  He told me he  felt a little lost, but I gave him a map, the list of the members and told him, If you need anything, just call me.  By 3:00 we were in the taxi heading downtown.  We got to the office and President decided to give me the nickname as the ´´Joker´´  because I always seem to move around at the most random times in the tranfers.  President and I had a good laugh together about that.  

I have already known Elder Howland and Elder Loureiro (other secreteries) for awhile, I was excited to come here and be able to work a lot more and at a little bit more relaxed pace.  We live in the mission home and have a really good area.  I actually always wanted to come and work in this area (just a little thing in the back of mind, thinking it would be a good area to work in) and I end up here.  We all get along really well the assistents nicknamed us the ´´Time de Sonhos´´ which actually means, The Dream Team.  We did a division with the assistents this week and Elder Prieto (Assistent) said that this area has a lot to look forward too this transfer.  Its fun teaching in three, we all have a good time and have had a lot of success.  Its like every companionship thats new,  You bring the best of what you have to offer and then use it.  Usually its two only bring the best, but now its three.  We may have lost a little sleep this week but its always fun to tell stories and get to know eachother better.  We work in the office from 8am to 6pm every day and teach from 6 to 9:30.  The schedule is different but it works out. Especially now that I avoid the hottest part of the day in the air condioning haha.  Maybe it will give my skin a break.  

Thursday through Saturday was working in between Zone Conferences and office work.  The Brasil area Medical Doctor was here for conference.  Him and his wife( Elder and Sister Call)  are from Pleasent Grove, Utah and were really nice.  They gave good advice about being prepared always, physically, mentally, and spiritually.  I was getting to know the new area and lots of investigators all the nights which worked out well.  The difference that I see in this area than others is that this one is a lot more city life.  I live in the downtown part of Fortaleza with tones of buildings all around.  The ward is a little bit more different.  There are a lot of members active and have a lot of things to say to the missinoaries always.  The only way I can really describe it is that its more ´´classy´´.  There are a lot of families and a lot of people to meet .  I feel like the schedule is a lot more busy as well.  Members are usually gone working during the day and homes have now become 18 stories ´´high rises´´  Which is good for us since we plug along here in the office all day.  We are kinda of President´s ´´go-to´´ group.  We had a nice walk in the rain Friday night and a hot Saturday afternoon.  

As for Carinaval we didn´t have too much excitement.  Just some people running down the street and ran men dressed up like women.  I´m still confused on why its celebrated.  But from what I hear and have put together its basically like Mardi Gras.  Just a huge party for a few days.  In Fortaleza, its big but everyone usually just travels.  In Brazil, its the country the celebrates it the most.  Rio de Janeiro has the biggest celebration in the world.  But here in Fortaleza, we usually just keep our heads down walking down the street :) 

The things that I have learned here in the mission are more than what I would have expected.  I feel like I am growing everyday and there are the new adventure always around the corner.  I love this work.  I love the gospel and I am so grateful to be here.  The blessings are endless everyday and I feel like as I continue to move forward, I see the gospel as something real in my life.  Something more real that I can give, learn from, and be to everyone.  The Church is true.  I know that God lives and Christ is our Savior.  I know that these two years will make the difference in my life.  Just by seeing how it has made the difference in the first.  Yup thats right its right around the corner.  

Thanks for all your support everyone.  Write me :) I love you all and hope you have a good week.  

Love, 

Elder N. Anderson