Another letter for you fans...

I have had quite the week haha... first off, I went and did service in Indianapolis saturday, it was so fun! We went and helped at a park for "PBS in the park," I guess they do it every year and it's where all the characters from PBS come and hang out and the kids can take pics with them and what not.. I saw Clifford, Curious george, Elmo, word girl, EVeryone! and holy crap, I even saw Mr. Mcfeely from Mr. Rogers! the original! it was super crazy haha.. pretty much what I did was help with crowd control and guide some of the characters around who couldn't see out of there costumes. Some of the missionaries got to dress up as the characters (I was jealous) I got stuck with peep and quack, as well as Maya and Miguel.. it wasn't too bad.. Before it started I was walking around Indianapolis with some other elders trying to find the park and we wondered into a different park where they where hosting "Indy-Pride" week.. oh boy. haha I had no clue when we first entered the park and I was looking at the stands that had tons of weird underwear (and other things) and I remembered thinking "this is definately not PBS in the park. Sure enough we had a cop (who I'm not quite sure was really a cop) come up to us and say that we probably should leave, I asked him if this was where PBS in the park was and he was like no, this is Indy Pride... AHHHH! I definately got out of there quick haha. other things that happened this week, well, Rob wants me to baptize him! I'm way excited!! he recieved a confirmation in church this sunday that everything is true, he wrote 100% on a paper during sacrament and passed it to me and I knew exactly what he was talking about! yay! Sunday I had the opportunity to go to an event called "why I believe," in Indianapolis where recent converts from all over come and speak, Joanna Denney (Robs wife) was speaking so we got to ride up with them. It was so sweet!!! the spirit was soooo strong. There was a lady there who was abused pretty much all her life by her kids and her husband, although she was abused, she took the rap for a crime her children committed and spent 24 years in prison and was facing a death sentence. She was soon found innocent miraculously and was released (I don't know the exact details). she met the missionaries shortly after she got out and wanted to be baptized, to make a long story short, President Collins interviewed her, looked up her records and what not and had an overwhelming feeling through the spirit that she was telling the truth. He wrote the first presidency asking for permission because she was still on parol, and President Monson wrote back a couple days later and said that she needs to be baptized right away! It was such an amazing story, I really hope I have the opportunity to go again!

About My companion, He's from Victorville California, he's been out 20 months, and he's a handfull! but a really obediant missionary, and I mean really obediant.. He's teaching me a lot haha.

-Elder Anderson'

Has it really been a month?

Sorry to all the the avid Elder Anderson fans...  I have been slacking.
So, how is Jason?  Just great!  Here are a few words for the guy himself,

5/21/12
Time is going by so fast out here, it's nuts! I'll be back before we know it. I am so in love with the people out here, It's crazy. I never thought I could love people so much, but I do, I really really do. Last night we committed Rob to baptism! His wife was baptised the first week I arrived here, and Anna was the second to be baptised. He's come such a long way, and I can't believe the progress he's making. Last night was definately the most spiritual experience I've had since I've been here. Also, Elder Anderson (the apostle) came to our stake center and met with all the missionaries! I got to shake his hand! That makes two apostles now haha. He talked about the atonement and how we can't really understand it unless we apply it to our lives. it was soooo good. My body was like exploding with the spirit. I also had the oppurtunity to go on exchanges this past week with an
Elder from Cumberland, it was a really awesome experience. Cumberland is a really bad part of town, everyone is on welfare, and it's super dangerous. I guess a couple months ago some missionaries got held up there at a gas station.. ah! but I didn't get held up, don't worry. Fishers is way to nice. The landlord (also a member) who lived right next door to us (in cumberland) accidently started a fire and burned a huge hole in her house! luckily no one was heart, and they had to board it all up. I guess she's been in a fire before, she has burns all over her body and had to take skin graphs from her leg. Anyways. I just don't have a lot of time to write haha. We have transfers next wednesday! I really really really hope I don't get moved, I love Fishers way too much, they'll going to let us know monday morning, so I'll for sure be able to tell you that day if I'm being transfered somewhere else. Want to know the CRAZIEST thing that has ever happened to me?!?! well here it is! we were tracting in a neighborhood and we had just had a door slammed in our face right. Well we where walking to our bikes when a LIGHTNING bold struck a tree like 30 feet away and split it in half! holy crap! it was the sketchiest/coolest/scariest/awesome-st thing I have ever witnessed. It was so loud, people came outside from all over the neighborhood and they all thought it was us goofing off.. God definately did not want us in that neighborhood at that time I guess haha. 30 feet away! can you believe it?!
Also. I sang Come Come Ye Saints in church yesterday, it went really good. The spirit was so strong! I was like shaking the whole time, not from nervousness but from spiritness. My main goal was for everyone to feel the spirit, and it was a definite success, so I feel privileged to have been able to do that. besides all of the cool experiences I mentioned above, this week has been a stress fest for me. It was week 11 in our "training program" for me, so I got to lead all week... I felt so inadequate, it was tough having to plan everything, but I got through it. I learned a lot of patience, and a lot of humility, that's always good.
Love- Elder Jason Anderson

5/29/12
I'm not being transferred, Elder Law and Elder Burt are leaving but I get to stay here in Fishers!!! I'm so excited, I really really really really really did not want to leave Fishers... yet at least. I have fallin in love with this town and the many people I've come in contact with. One of our Investigators Rob is amongst those people, oh how I love rob, he is incredible! I'm not sure If I've clarified yet with you but he's married to Joanna and his daughter's name is Anna. They are both recent converts since I've been here and Rob has been taking lessons for about a month now. His story is so amazing, he went from leaving the room whenever we would come over to wanting to take lessons from us. He's been having a lot of spiritual experiences lately and it's so exciting to have been able to see the change that has and still is taking place in him. We gave him a baptismal date and it's only a matter of time before he starts getting definate answers that Jesus Christ is his savior... I honestly never knew how much I could love and care for someone that I've never met before until I came out here and learned through experience. I'm being refined and it's making me into the type of person that can get through anything in this life! I love it! Anyways.
I can't remember if I told you last letter or not, but I'm super excited for the corn to grow, I hear it looks super sweet with all the corn fields and trees in full bloom. Also! the time has almost come for the lightning bugs to come out and play, prepare for some sweet pics and vids for sure, I'm so excited!!!
Love- Elder Jason Anderson

Also, our mom has an amazing recording of Jason singing "How Great Thou Art" that he sent home.  I wish I could upload it here for everyone to hear it.  I don't think it's possible... but I will certainly look into it...

He wrote to ME!

Elder Anderson is doing great.  Hanging in there for sure.  Jason expressed to me the love he has for the people of Fishers Indiana.  He is loving the scenery and the quiet laid back people and feel.  (The tornado sirens are a bit annoying, going off twice a day, but he is loving it none the less)  He has shared some experiences about conversion stories he has heard from the members there and how amazing their stories are.  He loves the gospel that he is able to share with those around him.  His companion is helping him learn to work and not be shy or quiet about the work he is there to share.  He is teaching him to be the best missionary out there, cause Elder Anderson certainly will be!!!  LOVE you bro!  Write him if you haven't yet!  And if you already have... well write him again!  He loves to hear from us. 

Just a little insert from Alesha's letter this week -
This week has been so amazing, We have ran into so many people and taught so many lessons, more than ever before! We've added on about four new investigators within the last week and they are amazing! It's like they where prepared exactly for me ;) [;)] I love when this happens haha. I am extremely greatful though, because I know it's only because of the lords love for me that he blesses me so. Elder Law and I have tried really hard to be much more diligent, as well as patient w/in the last week and it's been paying off. It's super crazy because I'm more in tune with the spirit than I've ever been! Elder Law and I have been teaching in unity, I always know his thoughts, and he knows mine. I've been directed to people through clear promptings, the doctrine I've learned has begun to make sense perfect sense, my knowledge has increased, Everything about this gospel makes perfect sense! God is VERY real, and Jesus Christ is indeed our savior, if only everyone could know that! haha but anyways, I've just been overwhelmed by the spirit lately, i had to share. The last two months have been chalked full of miracles, which by the way, every time heaven touches earth is a miracle... this gospel is a miracle. We have a baptism this weekend as well as next weekend and I'm super excited! I'm going to be performing the confirmation this weekend, and Elder Law will be performing the baptism for the sweetest girl alive, her name is Anna Denney. Next weekend's baptism is for Crystal, she is amazing! but anyways. today is transfer day (I'm staying here for six more weeks at least) and Elder Jorgansen (one of the elders living with us) is being transferred out, so we will have a brand spanking new greenie coming in today, yay! now I won't be near as green...

and one from the home front -
The Lord has really blessed Elder Law and I within the last week (because of our increase in Diligence, I'm sure of it) We found four new investigators and have suddenly been teaching way more lessons than before. We have a baptism this weekend as well as a baptism for next weekend, and I'm way excited! We got the chance to go in and talk with all the youth on Sunday and ask about experiences they've had with sharing the gospel and it was incredible to hear, they had so many sweet stories to share, it made me feel like I completely wasted my whole high school experience! We role played with them, and most of the youth here are excellent missionaries, I was certainly surprised. We have a huge service project coming up in the ward, and we have encouraged all of the youth to invite as many people as they can think of, so that should be a huge opportunity to share the gospel, I'm way stoked! Fishers has become a beautiful town of blooming trees and roses within the last month and it's really amazing to see. There's so many different kind of trees with different colors, some with white peddles, pink, green, purple, they're everywhere, and it makes for a gorgeous display, I'm going to send tons of pictures. The sky here is also equally as impressive, the best way I can describe it is a whole ocean of whales moving in unison... It's beautiful, especially during the rising and falling of the sun, we have the BEST sunsets here, hands down. I don't know if I've told all of you yet, but everyone here loves James Dean, they even have a festival each year where people from all over get together with there muscle cars for a huge car show, watch movies, celebrate his life and what not... that's all I know about it. I found out he's buried in Fairmount, so maybe one day I'll be able to check it out. Fisher's is a pretty diverse town, economically, and culture wise. From CEO's to the average working man, there's subdivisions EVERYWHERE as well as huge houses (or more like Castles) there's a lot of super nice Asians/ Arabians In my neighborhood and they attend a mosque nearby. It's super sweet to see. It feels like it does in the city, without the huge buildings and skyscrapers. It's like Provo with a bumload more trees, It's unlike anywhere I've ever been. I LOVE IT.

LOVE - Elder Jason Anderson

From the missionary...

I went on exchanges last week and got to go to the northern part of Indianapolis (which is beautiful) My companion and I where scheduled to meet with someone and we where going to have a member present. The member was a guy who had major depression. he was a successful guy, obtaining his masters degree in Chemistry, and many other degrees that set him up as a professor at one of the major universities down here. I can't remember which one. He was forced into retirement because of health issues and his wife divorced him taking there kid with her. He didn't get any money from his retirement, and now lives in a tiny apartment by himself. while we where at our appointment we gave him the opportunity to bare his testimony on the plan of salvation, and how it has blessed his life. While testifying I could see the instant change of countenance as he became more bold! His sad eyes and frown relaxed, and I was really feeling the spirit. after our appointment he thanked us for being able to come a long and bare his testimony. That Sunday he stood up at the podium during fast and testimony meeting and bore his testimony on being able to come out with us, he was so grateful!! This story has inspired me, and really confirmed to me the reality and effects of what this gospel does to us! it gives us hope, it's there to bless our lives and lift our spirits. God new that life was going to be hard for each and every one of us, and that's why he's offered to give us help no matter what, and ease our spirits with his love. The holy ghost is a beautiful, and the it feels my bones each and every day as I go out and testify!

Another letter!

Jason is doing awesome it sounds like! Here is a clip from a letter sent to his dear Alesha -
Indiana really is gorgeous! everything just started to bloom, and I have been taking tons of pictures! there are trees here that bloom purple and pink flowers and they're absolutely breathtaking, they're all over everywhere we go! We actually got to ride our bikes this week so I noticed a lot of little things that I never really notice just driving around in the car. We also had a crazy lightning storm this week and it was AWESOME! picture a whole dark sky as far as you can see with at least a hundred lightning bolts striking at the same time all over, It was nuts!! I had a funny encounter with a guy over the week haha. Elder Law and I where walking around and I heard some hillbilly scream from his window, "Get out of here you D**** Normans" haha it was super funny, now Elder Law and I call eachother Normans all the time. but we ran into a couple people this week that are super interested in learning more about our religion! It's super sweet, because we where prompted to go into a neighborhood and found a guy who after we got talking to him, he explained that he and his wife where having infertility problems, and they where currently looking into Christianity for comfort.... BAM! the spirity filled me up like water in a bottle! It's filling me up as I write this letter! If we would have been there a couple seconds early or later we would have missed him! Now we have an appointment to meet him this week and I'm sooooo excited! The girl I told you about last week who we committed to baptism's name is Crystal Knarr, she's super awesome and so fun to work with! She's super excited about this gospel and feels like this is what she's been looking for all her life (not surprising) she went to church with us on sunday and got a warm welcome from the ward! she loves reading the scriptures and is eager to learn more, she's also super excited to watch conference! which so am I!! anyways. wanna know something funny. We went over to family in our ward for dinner and the mom had asked if either Elder Law or I played any instruments or sung haha. Elder Law ratted me out of course, and now I guess I'm scheduled to play and sing a hymm for sacrament meeting haha. The family loaned me a guitar, and now I can finally pluck some strings!!! I'm so excited to have a guitar, It brought instant peace to my soul! haha. But also, We have two new elders coming in today, and they will be staying with us and taking over the fishers 1st ward, so now we only have to worry about the fishers 2nd ward which is SWEET! Now we're going to get way more work done! plus that ward is my favorite of the two ;) [;)] Something cool about one of the elders coming in, Elder Jorgenson, He was on his mission for 7 months, and then went home for 14 because he got really sick. He decided to come back and serve the remainding 3 months of his mission, SUCH A STUD!!!
LOVE you Elder Anderson! Our prayers are with you and all the other missionaries serving the Lord at this time!!! Keep up the awesome work!

In Indiana, and LOVING it!

Elder Anderson is out and doing well!
Classic Jason picture below...

Yep, that's where he is! He is loving Indiana and to share his last e-mail, here you go,

Well, everyone was right, missions are hard!!! who would have thought.... I feel as though I've started training all over again, the MTC definately did not prepare me for the incredible state of Indiana! Now I say Incredible because it is just that!! I'm litterally in the greatest mission on earth, wanna know why? Indiana has the highest baptismal rate in the country, the U.S.A has the highest baptismal rate than any other country in the world! so thus in my somewhat large town of Fishers Indiana, where supposedly the best missionaries go, I have the greatest mission in the world! the members here are so incredibly friendly! My companion and I, Elder Law (who's the best trainer in the world) Cover the whole mission of Fishers, which includes 2 wards, Fishers 1 and Fishers 2. Pretty much the whole wards are made up of converts, save a few who where members all there lives, and it's super awesome!! never have I met more devoted members than these, the converts have such strong testimonies!! and they love missionary work!! As well as the rest of the members. It makes it so much easier having members involved! what's amazing about our area is pretty much every single person here believes in Jesus Christ. I'm not even kidding, pretty much every single person belongs to a church. Catholic, Jehovah's witness, methodist etc.. I'm in a huge religious area! they're real friendly people as well, but are super set on there beliefs. This is what makes the gift of disernment super nice, because it makes it so clear as to know who's wasting our time, and who was prepared by god to receive our message. My companion is pretty funny, he's the boldest man I've ever met and never lets anyone turn as away without a fight! haha every single person who tells us that we're wrong, or we don't believe in Christ, or we're going to hell, Etc.. get's an earful from Elder Law everytime! for the most part though, people are super nice when they're not interested, Elder Law is persistant anyways and still gives them an earful, sometimes it gets super awkward for me... the quiet observer usually haha. Anyways, i met my first "cat lady" that was interesting... We went over to her house to clean out a room and guess what, she had 20 cats walking around!!!! there was pee, hair, poo, and cat's everywhere! upstairs, downstairs, you name it. Also, I met someone in my ward who had a giant dog about the size of me, I can't remember what type of dog it was but I will send a picture for sure! it stepped on my foot and kinda made me cry inside! I also got to go to a baptism which was super sweet! no one ever has a baptism there first week... just saying.. But it was so spiritual I couldn't believe it! Anyways, You all should know that I am not in tornado alley, so there is no need to worry at all. Plus the towns that where pretty much destroyed are in southern Indiana, the Kentucky mission covers that so I didn't have the privilege to go help clean up and stabilize the area. Make sure to pray for those families down there! and Tell Jacob so he will quite his worrying haha. President and Sister collins are so awesome!! they're probably the most loving people I've met here, and they take care of us! Our mission is actually super obediant, and it's because they are the best mission president's in the world! anyways, I have a funny story to share. One of the ward members sat in on a lesson with us and shared his testimony on how he came to know this church was true. One of the confirmation's he received came from a football game on his xbox. I guess he decided to be BYU and play against his favorite team ( Notre Dame) on super hard mode and expected to get destroyed.. but he didn't get destroyed, he was actually the destroyer! and that's pretty much what confirmed to him that this church was true hahah. not going to lie, I laughed a little bit when he shared that. Anyways I don't have a lot of time to write, I have to write President Collins for the week still! I love you all and hope everyone is doing well!

He's in Indiana!!!

Elder Jason Anderson has made it to Indiana and is doing well!
We are continuing to receive e-mails and letters. I don't have any
stories at this time, but just wanted to let everyone know that he
will be doing service with the recent tornado damage.

Thanks for checking in!

More Letters!!!

Just so you know, this Elder is doing GREAT!

He really is growing so much and learning how to teach those special people in Indiana who get him for two whole years. Lucky dogs! :) Seriously though, he is anxious to get out of the MTC but thoroughly enjoying learning how to teach by the spirit.

He wrote home this last week to my mom, my dad, and me! Wahoo!
A few lines from the letters...
"I love it here, I mean the MTC actually really sucks, but I love missionary work! We've been teaching an Investigator named Mark and he is the bible Master! I mean seriously, there's no way I would ever bible bash with him because he would dominate. With that being said, he really thrashed our first visit... I got super down on myself because of this and pretty much lost all of my confidence. -From his journal - 'It was really discouraging to me and I felt like falling to the earth, it was though the spirit had completely abandoned me. I felt worthless as a missionary to say the least. I said a prayer asking heavenly father to be with me again so that I could bounce back and be more confident with my teaching ability and studying. There was no answer, so I prayed again still no answer. Later on during the day I went to a workshop on following up with Investigators and how important it is, I couldn't pay attention at all, my heart ached all day! At the end of the workshop someone had made a comment on how we shouldn't expect people to understand what we're teaching and to feel the spirit right away. Alot of the more spiritual experiences happen when people are by themselves pondering or inquiring from the lord. This comment should have been the spiritual experience and confidence booster I needed! But it wasn't...yet. A teacher came up to my companion and I after class and asked how I was feeling today (out of about 50 people there) and Bam! It hit me like a truck. This could have been just a random follow up visit by someone I'd never me before but psh!!! It wasn't... I could see this marvelous teacher just radiating with the spirit and through the spirit he had felt inspired to simply ask what was wrong. To think that I almost left the workshop without learning a thing and still feeling down. I know now that people will not always come to an exact knowledge of what we're teaching them right away. The spirit works through the hearts of people in its own way. God answers our prayers in his own time, but always answers! Even the simplest moments can be so spiritual and bring tears to our eyes. I know God lives and this is his work.' -end of journal entry- It was really hard humbling myself again and asking heavenly father to pick me up again, but I eventually did it! Today we went to follow up with Mark and it was a much better experience! I really could feel the lord speaking through me, the spirit was crazy!!!
...Also, by the way my testimony is so strong if you haven't picked that up already. Seriously, the spirit has filled me up completely. I pretty much tear up every time I read Mosiah 3, it talks about our Savior so perfectly, its beautiful. I love him so much!"

See! He is great huh?
He missed his brothers (Rykers) birthday and was sad for that, but we all missed him for his too! And we all understand. He is such a great brother, honestly!
Miss him, thanks for the thoughts and prayers!

His first letter...

Dear Mom, Dad, Family,

Wow. I never realized how incredibly hard the MTC is! They’ve really kicked me in the butt the last couple of days that I’ve been here. We had to teach some investigators already and it was really discouraging. I felt like I knew really little about the gospel let alone teaching it! No worries though, that just makes me more determined to study extra had and diligently prepare to teach the people of Indiana. I’ve really developed a testimony on how much God loves his children while I’ve been here. I’ve realized how important it is that we show the same love for his children, we’ll be teaching with the spirit, he’ll be working through, so love is huge! I really enjoyed the old cards, letters and my very first baptism book of Mormon (with pictures) I thought I lost those things. (Little did Jason know that Dad pulled them out of the garbage after Jason threw them away and helped on to them) It made me feel real sentimental… It makes me miss you guys a lot more! Thanks a lot! Sheesh……. JK. So my companions name is Elder Wagstaff, I call him Elder “Wackerstaffer”. He’s from Sandy Utah and about the only thing we have in common is that we’re both Utes fans. Seriously…… That’s it. He farts a lot and it’s super annoying!! But I still love him to death, He’s a good man!.

I also share a room with another companionship who are Utahan’s as swell! Elder Elquist (whom I worked with at Watts) and Elder Coajdos. They’re both super tight as well!! Except Elder Elquist snores a lot. That’s really annoying!!.... I still haven’t set up my email or know what it is., abut I’m going to figure it out tomorrow!! Don’t worry I want to start emailing as soon as possible. Writing letters by hand takes a long time(which I don’t really have) Anyways Im sorry this is really short. Next letter will be a lot longer! I just am pressed for time and want to send this our ASAP! I love you guys so much, you mean the world to me, and I’ll keep all of you in my prayers!!! Just remember how much I care and miss all of You! Elder Anderson.

PS Actually I’m an idiot it is jason_anderson22@myldsmail.net. Alesha was right …..of course

Called to Serve

This is Elder Anderson

-and me- the sista that's doing the blog for the brotha

Elder Anderson left for his mission just yesterday!
He is serving in the Indiana Indianapolis Mission.
My parents dropped him off around 12:30 at the MTC to say goodbye for just two years.
We (along with many others) are sure going to miss him!
This is his blog, feel free to leave comments if you have questions or would like to me post something. I will try to keep it updated weekly.
Check back!
Thanks for your support!!!