October 31, 2011 Happy Halloween!

Hey Everyone,

well to start out i guess i should say happy halloween! i wont be celebrating it but we are going to have an appointment with a cool family so thatll be fun. things continue to go well here, and we are working really hard even though its raining and freezing cold! im pretty sure that im in my last two weeks here in Juliaca, so im really going to do everything that i can to leave the sector a million times better than i found it, because a couple months ago things were horrible here. oh and i got the chance to baptize a 24 year old guy name john this week which was really cool. hes actually from another ward but we kinda have a similar story and got to be close when i talked to him so he chose me. it was really cool and a very spiritual baptism. anyways im doing great and love and miss you all! 

Love Elder Anderson

October 24, 2011

Hey Everyone!

This week was really great and as you can all see from the pics the baptisms went through, and they were amazing! I got the chance to baptize Plinio and Lila and it was really amazing because ive been teaching them for so long and have gotten so close to them. the best part about the baptismal service was in the part when they both had a couple of minutes to share their testimonies with everyone. usually when people just get baptized they have problems sharing their testimony and stuff, but what they shared was amazing. they told everyone how they are truly going to try and follow Christ now that they are baptized and are going to do everything they can to keep the comandments and be great members of the church. they also shared how they are truly greatful for us missionaries that have been coming to their house for the last 3 months, and they finished by saying very powerfully, ``i know that this is the true church.``  i was holding back tears at this point. then, the next day they were confirmed members of the church in front of almost 70 people which is double what we had 3 months ago. miracles are going on right now here, and literally all the members that havent came for a long time are coming back and everyone is really excited again to come back and participate. its been the hardest thing ever here in Juliaca, but after months of hard work we are really seeing results! 

love you all Elder Anderson!

Lila and Plinio

 

October 17, 2011

Hey Everyone!

So this was an absolutely great week for us here. we had interviews with president this week, and it was really nice talking with him and learning from him as well in some training that we had. president and i are getting to be really good friends which is awesome because before i felt like i didnt know him to well. he was really excited for what were doing here in juliaca too which made me feel great. last month we were able to triple the baptisms, and this month we should have even more! its really fun to be a part of the work here! something else really exciting to is that we are going to have 2 baptisms this week! its been foreeeeeever since ive had baptisms, and since there have been baptisms here in my sector, but im pumped for this weekend! plus it is an amazing family that is going to get baptized that we have been teaching for awhile so it really feels special for me to see their progress and reach this step. oh and this week at church 70 people attended about which is double the 35 when i first got here. i have struggled more than i ever have in my whole life here in Juliaca, and have probably never been lower, but now that i look back i just thank god for every one of those moments because now i see that i needed them.  anyways i can finally say that im doing good and am actually happy again which is really nice. oh and as far as stuff that i need theres not too much..just some random stuff thatd be nice though is some shaving cream because they dont really have it here, and a rubiks cube for one of my ex companions, and some candy ofcourse ha..that would be the most helpful of all i think lol. anyways i love you all and really apreciate everything that youre doing for me.

Elder Anderson

Cody and Elder Martin on a fake Lake Titicaca

Cody's new companion, Elder Farrell from Washington D.C., is sitting across from him

October 10, 2011

everyone!

So this week things got soooo much better here its not even funny! i got a great new companion and we are working amazingly and seeing some great results already. my new companion is elder farrell from washington dc, and yes hes another white guy..thats crazy because that almost never happens here. alot of missionaries are gettting jealous lol. anyways, im actually training him on how to be a zone leader and stuff because its his first change as zl. its alot of fun and he is really a hard worker and really obedient and everything so its awesome. we have people that are going to get baptized the 22nd of this month too which im pumped for because its been way too long. we went to cusco this week for training too, and president calderon was really happy with the work were doing here and congratulated me a ton for the work im doing, so that felt really good because i was kinda down about everything and he lifted me back up. even though we havent had much success in our own area though we have helped the zone to triple their baptisms! thats the good news, but we just need to keep working and weve set an even higher goal this month so i hope we can get it! 

love you all, elder anderson!

 

October 3, 2011

hey everyone,

conference went really great this weekend. everything worked right so i could watch it all and everything. i loved all the talks and they really helped me a ton to be motivated to keep going and work hard. this week im getting a new companion so im going to be going to cusco tomorw for some meetings and stuff which should be really cool. anyways im just working and waiting for my new companion basically. hope you like the pics this week..its a pretty cool place on a hill that we went to here in Juliaca..