December 16, 2012

Hey guys! How's it going? This week was super uneventful except for the talent show that we had in the 2 branches and being a little sick this week. But ya the talent show was super funny. The people here are so awesome and so funny i love it! But ya we didn't even know if we were going to do something, because one of the elders in our house didn't want to, until we got to the church and they said that we would be the last act. So we were like dang cause we didn't know what to do but we finally decided we were going to sing a christmas hymn and so as we were about to go and practice they told us that another act wasn't ready and that we had to go right now. So ya lets just say it was a little embarrasing singing Joy to the World to everyone haha. But ya we had christmas hats on and everything. So everyone thought it was pretty funny so that's good i guess. But anyways ya christmas eve anywhere between 2 and 4 we're going to an internet café to talk to our families on skype. And about the group calls on skype only 1 person in the group needs to have the premium account or the group call option. If on person has that up to ten people can participate in the call. Then christmas day we'll be working like normal but most of the day we're going to be with a bunch of members eating a ton of tamales because that's what they eat here for christmas. But ya that's the plan for next week. um I'm glad everything is going well back at home. Things are going great here. Tell Courtnee thank you so much for the camera. And who is cassandra mallet in our ward i've never heard that name. But ya here are some pictures of us ate the talent show. But ya Love youguys tons and talk to you next week!

Love Elder Anderson

December 11, 2012

Hola Familia

This week has been a super awesome week. And i'm just going to start off this letter by saying that President Wilkinson announced that we will be having an Apostle visit us again January 12th. But i'm not telling you who until the end of the letter. 

But ya recieved my new companion this week and his name is Elder Brindis and he's been out for almost 9 months. He is from Mexico. But the thing that's really strange is something happened that usually never happens. Elder Brindis served here in Cañas for his first 4 and a half months of his mission then i came and replaced him. And now we're companions! But ya it's super cool because he already knows the area so i don't have to teach him the area or take him around to get to know all the members. And besto of all he has a bunch of old investigators that we've been going around visiting. And we are working super hard which is awesome because with elder Garcia he was in his last change so he was a little unmotivated to go out and work hard. But that's all good. But ya we only had thursday, friday, and saturday to work together last week but we found 10 new investigators. But none of them came to church so we're planning on trying to really teach the importance of recieving an answer through church attendence. That's awesome to hear about the new curriculum the church has planned for the next year. The youth are going to be so much more prepared now to go out and serve. About the baptisms thing we're hoping to have one at the beginning of january but we'll see what happens. That's our goal and i believe we can accomplish it. We just need to work harder with the members so that our investigators have friends in the church and don't feel awkward to go. Oh ya another announcement President Wilkinson changed another rule saying that we may use skype to talk to our family this Christmas! So ya i'm super stoked. So I'm going to make an accout this today and give you some more info next week. But anyways here are some photos of the money here in Costa Rica and the landscape of  San Jose at night. Me with Elder Varela in the house and the four of us at the changes meeting.(Elder Garcia is the second one from the right) And me and my companion looking out the window of a bus. But ya i love you guys tons and can't wait to talk to you next week.

Love Elder Anderson

November 25, 2012

Hey Guys, This week went by so fast! I hope that thanksgiving was as awesome for you guys as it was for me. We had a zone activity with ping pong, basketball, and soccer then we ate after. Oh by the way there was 14 missionaries and then the the couple missionary. They are the sweetest people and made a ton of delicious food for us. And we go to the temple in two days on wednesday i'm super stoked. I will get a new companion next tuesday at the changes meeting. We found 8 new investigators this week which felt really nice. Tell the Young women of the ward thanks so much for the package and the support that they're giving the missionaries. Here are some photos of the dinner and the grill like thing we made for p day and also some marking pencils that i wanted you guys to look for at deseret book because they are awesome and if you could by me like 2 packages and send them to me that would be even more awesome. Oh ya and also my camera is being awful right now and is dying about every minute because it says it's overheating or it just randomly turns off and half the pictures i take don't work for some reason so ya i was about to buy a new camera on black friday but then i decided that it would probably be better to talk to you guys first so just get back to me next week thanks. This last tuesday we had a Zone conference with President Wilkinson and wow he is such an amazing man. I learn so much from him every opputunity i have to be with him. He knows so much and is such an inspired man. I wish you guys could`ve been there because wow i can't even explain how special this meeting was. He changed everything in the mission and gave us new goals for the mission. Then this sunday we had another oppurtunity to hear him in the Liberia District conference. And we everyone in central america recieved a challenge from the Area Presidency to read the Book of Mormon before the next General Conference. And he promised us that if we sincerely do this we would see miracles here in Costa Rica. Then he turned to 1st nefi where lehi has the vision of the tree of life and how after he had tasted of the fruit how he had wanted to share it and the blessings of eternal life with his family. And that's what we need to do also. The first thing we need to do once we have felt these blessings is share them with those that havn't had the oppurtunity to recieve them. And i just wanted to extend that same challenge to all of you guys Everyone in the family. That you guys can read the Book of Mormon and search for oppurtunities to share the gospel with others. And i also promise that you will also see miracles in your lives and feel closer to the Savior. I love you guys and i want you guys to know that i'm so grateful for you guys and all the support that you guys give me and for the help that you guys were and are to get me out here in Costa Rica. I couldn't have done it with out you. I love you.

Elder Drake Anderson

November 11, 2012

Hey guys not much happened this week again just trying to survive with no money haha. We forgot how much we had to pay the lunch lady and we had spent a bunch of money before hand so when we paid her we had to use almost all of our money haha but oh well it's all good. That's awesome to hear about ashton making it to the championship game! You better send me a bunch of pictures of it. I can't believe that Jace is in the same ward as Doug that's so sick haha. I'm glad to hear the Carol is doing better i hope that her vision continues to improve. Oh ya so that video you sent last week didn't work i don't know why either is just says theres some error. I can't believe that it's winter. I miss the snow so much. It's hard to believe how fast the time goes out here. That's funny that you guys saw Tamarindo on HGTV we went there last month at a zone it's pretty chill. This next week i won't be writing you guys until thanksgiving because the senor missionaries in our zone are having a thanksgiving dinner for us. But ya i can't send pictures this week because i forgot my cord so sorry guys next week though, Well sorry i haven't had much to tell you guys about. My companion is super trunkie because he only has 3 weeks left so we don't do much. Which sucks but oh well i hope this week we can actually do some work. But anyways love you guys and can't wait to talk to you guys next week.

October 28, 2012

Hey guys! I can't believe that theres snow already! I miss the snow a ton. Thanks for checking about the Pres. Reece thing. Um for the boy scout patches just some collectable patches and there's six of them so just stuff for six people. And for the kids for christmas i think just like candy and stickers would be awesome for them. And when you say that you would just put money on my card you mean my card from Chase right? Ya i got my other package and thank you so much for the stuff you sent it is so much nicer to shave with shaving cream haha. My new companion is Elder Garcia and he is also from Honduras. He's a pretty cool guy but this is his last change in the mission then he goes home so he's pretty trunkie but he's cool. And Elder Ramirez went to San Ramon he is the Zone Leader of Naranjo. And i did not change areas i'm still in cañas. I can't believe Whit is pregnant that seems so crazy to me! President Wilkinson didn't say much it was just a little 5 minute interview but it was cool and all. We had the same lesson this week in Sunday school( which was the first time i have been able to go since i've been in Costa Rica). It was a really interesting lesson. This week we didn't do much just went around to a lot of the members so my companion could get to know them and also the area. Um but ya i love you guys and i can't wait to talk to you next week! These are some pictures of some people here in the mish. the one where there is three of us with the same shirts is me my dad(left) and my grandpa(right). They do this funny thing out here in the mission where whoever trains you is your dad so the guy who trained my dad is my grandpa haha.

Con Amor 

Elder Anderson

October 21, 2012

Hey guys how's it going! The baptism was really stressfull this week because she just got a job and she works all day every day but we were able to do a late one on friday night at 7 because on saturday all the church leaders were meeting in Liberia. But we got it done and it was just so awesome. She was so happy and then yesterday she recieved the holy Ghost and she just was so different. So happy. There was about 20 members at the baptism. The members here are a lot different than in the states. 

But that is so awesome that the church is recieving that many mission applications! Oh ya so I'm done with my training!!!! I will get a new companion tomorrow at the changes meeting. Nothing really changes tho now that i'm done training only that we have one hour less of companionship study. So we'll leave the house at 11 instead of 12. That's cool that you had your primary program last week. Our primary is having one the 18th of November but our primary is a lot smaller than yours haha. Probably only 20 kids in it. 

Our whole zone had interviews with president this week which was really cool. He's is such an awesome guy. We don't have that many opportunities to do service here because no one ever wants help here. The latinos are super prideful but we always ask and always try to do service. 

The winter here is november and December and it's suppose to be super super windy here during those months. Then from febuary to may it's super hot! then after that it rains the rest of the year. 

But hey there's this investigator i'm teaching here who is over the Boy scouts here and he's been giving me someboy scout stuff and i told him i would ask you guys if you could send me some badges and maybe some of those neck things or the slides for them. But anyways not much happened other than that. These are some pictures of our baptism and also some skinny jeans that Elder Reyes in our house had so we tried them on.

And one more thing is Brother Reese's name Robert Todd Reese cause if so can you ask him if he went on his mission in panama Costa Rica mission and if so if he baptized someone name Miguel Jiminez because he's in our branch and he's trying to find this guys information with that name so he can contact him. Thanks Love you guys can't wait to talk to you next week.! Pura Vida

Elder Anderson

October 8, 2012

Hey hows it going guys this week was so awesome we had our first baptism!!!! It was such an awesome experience. We have another one this next saturday with this girl named Heyli. She is the coolest person. She's 21 and has 2 kids. We just started teaching her last week and she's already in mosiah in the book of mormon. She was prepared for us because we have literally done nothing except teach her some lessons. I know that whe will be baptized next week she is so strong.

Anyways that's so cool to hear about Ashton's football game he is such a stud. Tell him to keep it up. It's so strange to think of it being cold because it is never cold here in cañas. We typically teach about10 lessons a week but we would really like to get that up. And my first package got to me but i'm just waiting on the next one thank you guys so much for the packages. Oh ya and i just have on thing to ask. If you guys could send me the scores of the eagles game with some stats and the game analysis that would be awesome.

General conference was the best it is just so much more spiritual for me out here and just a whole new meaning to it when i listened to the talks. And the announcement about the new ages that's so sick!! There's going to be so many more missionaries coming out in the next year! And we need all we can get there are so many places even in costa rica that don't have missionaries. Elder Eyrings talks and Elder Bowen of the seventy oh and Elder Holland were some of my favorite talks. But i loved all of them so much.

Um our lunch lady is doing fantastic she is such a sweet lady. And then another lady in our branch does our laundry every week which is such a blessing because it would be awful to clean all of our clothes by hand every p day. Our district leader lives in our house so he does divisions with us about every 3 weeks so ya. But anyways tell everyone that i love them and that i miss them ton's but that i'm lovin it out here so they'll just have to wait to see me in 2 months!

Love you guys!

Drake

September 30, 2012

Hey guys wow i can't believe that it's already been 4 months too. That just seems so crazy. sorry this week i won't be able to send you pictures because i don't have my cord for my camera with me. But next week i'll have a lot of photos. Today was really sweet p day we went to tamarindo beach and chilled out and played soccer and a bunch of stuff so that was sick. As for general conference the members will gather in the church where it will be projected and me and Elder Kemp will be in the office watching it in english on the computer. But for a typical day i wake up at 6:30 chill out until seven then at 7 i have my shower time for 10 minutes because there is four of us in the house. then at eight i have personal study for an hour. 9  is companionship study for 2 hours but that's only becuase i'm new usually it's only 1 hour. then at 11 i have language study where i just usually read the book of mormon in spanish. then after that we just go to our appointments or contact in the street. That's funny dad how you taught that lesson in 3rd nephi 8-11 because i just got there in my spanish BOM and it is truly inspiring. I love reading the scriptures in spanish theres just something about it. I feel like i learn so much more. Well thanks for the pictures they were really nice and ican't wait to talk to you guys next week. Hopefully you will be recieving some baptism pictures because we have it set up this saturday at 5 just before preisthood session! Well love you guys!

September 24, 2012

Hey guys how's it going. This last week was pretty good. We went all over our area. We went to la cañas, la juntas which is like a hour bus drive away from our house, and tilaran which is only a 40 minute bus ride from our house. Anyways i hope that this legislation thing will go through for FIRST. I can't believe that it's already that time of the year! That's so sick about the twins those places will be awesome and they will be such great missonaries. I hope that it starts to rain or snow to put out the fires. 

The investigators our doing pretty good. we had to stop teaching a bunch of them because they weren't progressing. which that was hard but oh well they're just not ready yet. our baptism with jason will be next saturday the 6th of oct. because his dad won't be here this saturday so we had to change it. 

That's sweet to here about drew and logan. Sorry i don't have a ton of time because we went fishing today and played football and that pretty much took up all the time. Um that's so sad to hear about Tawsha. You guys need to talk to tara about the plan of salvation. That will help here immensely i know it will. Anyways thanks for the recipes but i have to go i love you guys and talk to you next week!

September 17, 2012

Hey guys time is flying by here in Costa Rica but I'm always excited for mondays to talk to you guys! To answer your question dad they were with us for about two hours and it was just so spiritual. I thought that their message was a little more personal than it would normally be. They were definitly central in missionary work.

I'll take a picture of the house this week. Um p days haha we usually play basketball and then some risk haha because there's not a ton of things close to cañas but one of these weeks we're going to go to Arenal and go look at the volcano there so that will be cool. The Spanish is getting better everyday it's super exciting to finally start understanding everything they're saying.

Um there is no cold season in Costa Rica if there was it's during your summer because there's just a rain season and a dry season. And we're going into the dry season which is suppose to be super hot. Which i am not looking forward to. Oh ya if you guys could put on facebook that everyone can still write me on dear elder it just takes a lot longer to get here but it's free so that's good. Also if you could send me pictures of all my friends that would be the best!

What are you guys going to Vegas for? that will be super fun! ya definitly take lots of pictures. Wow it sounds like President Wheeler's talk was amazing. I can't believe that he's not our stake president anymore that's just so weird! 

Anyways this last week we got a date for a baptism the 29th of september!! It's this one boy named Jason he is thirteen years old and he's in a part member family and we've just taught him that first lesson and he accepted our invitation to be baptised! I hope that this one falls through!! Anyways here are some pictures of some of our other investigators. There names are Kimberly, Sharon, and Cristian. Anyways i love and miss you guys so much! talk to you next week!

Elder Anderson