Blessed Beyond Anything! Whoo!

Jacob's Baptism. He is with his girlfriend Kayla who is now on a mission herself.

I am the most blessed among missionaries. I've been avoiding saying it because there's probably people that might disagree, but I believe it's true. I have a wonderful companion who works so well and hard and works well with me. I am in an OUTSTANDING ward with amazing people, activities and such and I get to associate with people who I hope to maintain friendships with throughout my life. The work is blowing up, and it's a huge responsibility, but I am grateful over and over again for the INCREDIBLE people we get to teach and work with who just seem to come out of no where. How did I get to be so lucky? Let's look at a few of the AMAZING things that are happening here.\

Jacob got baptized on Saturday. Through a series of miracles including meeting friends from a neighboring school in Louisiana at a airport in Germany, he met Kayla who introduced him to the church. Jacob sought us out once he came to A&M and kept learning more and he got baptized yesterday! Kayla is leaving on her mission in 2 days!! She spoke at his baptism and it was just the coolest thing. My favorite part of baptisms is actually on Sunday. The confirmation is powerful, and our Bishop set a precedent that those newly baptized bear their testimony after they're confirmed in Sacrament meeting. Jacob's testimony was rock-solid and powerful. He shared his story of coming to the church and his conviction of the Truth of the Book of Mormon and the church which espouses it with great confidence. I was blown away, and I'm surprised my heart didn't explode I was so happy.

Melane is all ready to be baptized this Saturday. She's been through a lot of family resistance which has been hard for her, but she told her mom she was being baptized and listening to her account of it to us was inspiring. She had grown in confidence, and she explained the truth she knew and understood really well to her mom. She had changed from the experience. Truly a testimony is to be found in the bearing of it. Confidence in the gospel comes as we stand up for it. That was the case with Jacob and Melane, and Lauren. If you're struggling with something, try testifying of it, you'll be surprised how much it can do.

Alex and Abby are phenomenal. We met Abby at a sorority food fiesta fajita fundraiser a couple weeks ago. (Tangent on sororities: they are not what you seen in movies. There are many here that are super great, not crazy, and provide fellowship and service opportunities to many people). Anyways, one of our other investigators was involved in this and invited us to get dinner there so we went and we talked to Abby in line and invited her to learn more and so 2 weeks later we were finally able to meet, and her friend Alex heard about us meeting and was really excited to come and learn more too! So we taught them both the Restoration and it was one of the coolest lessons I've ever been in. They took notes and asked really good questions like, "If I don't get the Holy Ghost till after I'm baptized how can I get an answer that the Book of Mormon is true through the Holy Ghost?" Wow. So we explained power and influence vs. Gift. It was amazing.

We have other investigators asking really deep questions and easily accepting all the implications of our concept of eternal progression and potential... We had dinner the other night with an amazing member who is working miracles through her diligent Visiting Teaching, and I haven't even told you about Tiffany, Taylor, and Kelly who are all planning on being baptized on the 22 of this month!! Can I get a hallelujah!? 

Also, Congrats to my wonderful brother Caleb going to Helsinki Finland on his mission!! We get to be missionaries together for a bit too! Whoo!

Love you lots!

Sister Andreason

Most Important Thing (MIT)

So, in case you're wondering why I'm writing on Tuesday instead of Monday, it's because we got to have a member of the 70 come and tour our mission! Elder Corbridge and his wife came for a few days to help the mission. They did a fireside for new and returning members on Sunday night and then they had 2 zone conferences with half the mission in each of them yesterday and today. In case you're wondering if you've ever heard anything from a certain Elder Corbridge, you have! He spoke in the April Conference of this year and his talk was great! If you want to read it... https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2014/04/the-prophet-joseph-smith?lang=eng

you can click on the link :)

He also wrote a really famous talk that circulates among missionaries, it's called The Fourth Missionary. I read it towards the beginning of my mission and it change my perspective drastically. It's a good thing to review often. It's also 24 pages... but it's phenomenal. If you have the time to read it I would encourage you to do so.

https://annathemissionary.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/lawrence-corbridge-the-fourth-missionary.pdf

Since I've last written a lot of things have happened. I went to mission leadership council, Halloween was last week, we went to a fireside in Houston Sunday night, and we had specialized zone conference with Elder Corbridge yesterday.... lots of meetings and trips to Houston. I think after tomorrow I will have spent 15 hours riding in a car to or from Houston in a week and a half. Oof. But, on the bright side, they've all been excellent meetings, we just live in the boonies.

So, to sum up what I've learned in everything that's happened...

We spent all day Saturday trying to coordinate this trip to this fireside on Sunday, but we ended up getting 2 full cars to go down with a couple members, us, 2 recent converts, and 3 investigators! :D We had a fun road trip and we all learned lots from the meeting.

Elder Corbridge mostly talked about our focus and on doing the best things. He talked of the profound regret that will come looking back on our lives when we see the wasted opportunities and lost potential. It hit me pretty hard and made me want to really focus on the best things. He talked about the Most Important Thing (MIT) that we need to understand, and that others need to understand, and that is "Through Christ we can be redeemed from sin, endowed with power and have the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost, and eventually receive eternal life." I don't have my notes with me, so that's paraphrasing, but if you think about that statement as the 'why' as our destination, where we're going, and then you think about the 'how' or the route to get there (If you keep my commandments ye shall have my Spirit for example) then the conclusion of 'what' we do become pretty self explanatory. "I will keep the commandments so I can be forgiven, empowered and have eternal life." This works with any principle we teach, we first have to help others understand the MIT, the destination, the why.

Going along with that, in our leadership council we learned about helping our investigators understand revelation, and about being bold when inviting others to be baptized. As a STL I got the chance to go to that meeting and then teach the things we learned there to the rest of the missionaries in the zone. My companion and I practiced together and tried to demonstrate the power of that principle well. I thought we did a good job explaining it, and having practiced that in our area we had "moral authority" which means we were doing it, so people could believe us more.

I wish I had more time to write and send some pictures our our ward halloween party. We got to go for a bit because we had some investigators there and there were some great costumes, maybe I'll get to that next week. Everybody is doing well! We met some great new people last week. Jacob is getting baptized this Saturday! Life is good. I'd invite you to consider the things you spend your time on and where your focus is. Think of a lake vs a river. The latter has greater focus and because of that it leaves a much greater effect on the world than a lake does. What are the best things in our life? Are we focusing on what will make our life better? How can we help those around us do the same?

One of the things I saw emphasized over and over in both Sunday night and Monday was this, "The Lord expects you to make a difference. To be fruitful." One of the purposes of our life is gaining salvation, but another very important part of it is helping others do the same. Blessing lives. That was a huge reason why I came on a mission. How can you bless lives where you are?

Sorry my thoughts are so scattered today!

Love,

Sister Andreason

Anastasia's Baptism, Identity, Purpose and Gratitude

Howdy Y'all!

Anastasia got baptized yesterday!! It was a beautiful experience. The last baptism had a couple glitches, so sister McLean and I put together a comprehensive list of all the things that need to happen for a baptism here and what needs to be communicated, and then we were very clear with everyone involved and it turned out nicely! Hopefully the upcoming baptisms this month will be even better! I got to help sing in a musical number for the baptism, usually I'm the pianist, but we found a pianist and needed a singer so I jumped in and it wasn't too bad! It was a duet of Nearer My God to Thee and I sang alto. The spirit was so strong, and then we went directly from that to the font and the Spirit was almost tangible. 

Speaking of the spirit being strong...We got the privilege to go to the temple today!! What a blessing. Taylor (recent convert from Sam Houston) drove us down there early in the morning. I love the temple. It had been so long since I had been, yet I know I'm so blessed because most missionaries don't have the privilege of going that often. The temple is truly a place of peace and joy and revelation and there is a power that is felt there that continues with you even after you leave, especially when you get to take a family name like I got to this time! 

I went pondering on the importance of understanding our purpose and identity. We had recently discussed that principle in institute. When Jesus is teaching in the temple at the age of 12, he tells his mother, "wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?" In that short statement we can clearly see that Christ understands very clearly His identity and purpose. I think understanding ours gives us greater power and focus and enables us to bless many more lives. I think that as our investigators really understand those thing that they will begin seeking and recognizing answers much more and they will progress. 

We are children of God. He loves us and we have a work to do. We are not just here to piddle around, or even just to get back to God. If that was the case, why did we leave in the first place? We are here to gain experience and to learn and to be tested in a fashion that we could do no other way. This life is the time for men to prepare to meet God and by so doing become like Him. This is the day for us to help others in the same endeavor. Part of this life is to touch and bless the lives of others.

I am so grateful to be able to associate with so many wonderful people. I am glad to serve how I can to be able to bless the lives of those I get to teach and work with and meet in the wards here, but I am incredibly grateful for how my companion, investigators, and members teach me. I have learned so much on my mission thus far and I hope I can keep learning and growing and sharing.

November is coming (when did that happen! time flies) and something I did last year the whole month with my companion was take the time every day to write things we were grateful for, good thing that happened throughout the day, etc. We filled a 3x5 card every day of Nov, and although some days it was easier to think of good things than others, the exercise helped us to focus on the good and to practice gratitude. I would invite you to do the same thing this month and let me know how it changes you. Invite someone you know to do it with you. I promise you will see things in your days that you wouldn't have noticed before. You will see the blessings of the Lord, and you will increase in gratitude, and thus in happiness. I love you lots!!

Love,

Sister Andreason

Fun Photos from Fall in College Station, TX

This is a super cool way we find people to teach.  We have it set up on-campus at various club fairs. 

Preaching the Gospel to every creature :)

giant mango. i know they don't compete with the ones in Ecuador (shout out to Lars) but this one was pretty dang good. thanks to HEB

Patrick, one of our members took us to Shipwreck grill and we ate oysters (he made us) but they weren't too bad. Can't really say they're a favorite yet, but it was an experience

tandem bike! bucket list. check.

More Baptismal Dates

Man! It's been a busy week. I wouldn't want it any other way.

I've apparently got a reputation as someone who can play the piano, so I was asked to accompany a musical number and learn the song in a week. A little stressful, but we did it! We performed for ward conference and it went well! But let me back up and talk about some of the people we've seen this week.

We started teaching a girl named Kelly who has been coming to Institute for a while and we got to start teaching her this week! She's been going to the D&C class with a friend because it was the only one that fit in her schedule. She didn't grow up super religious so I thought it was interesting that she's starting with the "capstone" of our religion, but she loves learning there and she has really been prepared! We asked her about baptism and she said she's been thinking about it for a couple months now. Our bishop asks those who are just baptized to bear their testimony in sacrament meeting on the day of their confirmation. She was there when Tara bore her testimony and has been thinking about it since then! It is so important to just be aware of non-members when they come! Brother Garlick, one of our institute teachers has gone through all the nonmembers enrolled in institute and we've been reaching out to them as well.

I think I talked about Anastasia a while ago, she's read the whole Book of Mormon and feels good about it, but had some concerns about other things that were holding her back. Brother Garlick (he's so great) had the chance to talk to her and help her put her faith first and recognize that although she may have some concerns, they shouldn't be enough to keep her from what she knows is right. It will be easier to work through them once she is baptized as well. So after his great conversation with her we went in and sat with both of them and set a baptismal date for a week and a half later! So she's getting baptized on Friday! What a miracle!

Melane is best friends with Brooke who just got baptized last week. She's been learning and knows it's true, but has been experiencing a lot of family opposition which has been really difficult for her. We met with her again and talked a lot about the significance and blessings of baptism and over the course of several meetings helped her find the strength and faith to set a date for baptism and move forward. The next hurdle is communicating that to the resistant members of her family. She has great faith though, and it's growing. She is acting in faith and I know she will be helped and blessed.

We have seen amazing miracles with people accepting dates to be baptized, but it's a result of encouragement and correction from President about the importance of it and our decision to be bold and invite in faith. After considering that the most powerful messages we have to share are in the first 2 lessons, and after re-learning the principle and power of goal setting, Sister McLean and I decided  that we would extend dates to everyone no later than when we taught the Plan of Salvation, and look at the miracles!!

Other fun things this weekend... We had a ward temple trip and since Brooke was baptized and we made getting her a temple recommend a priority. So we got to make the trip down to Houston to go do baptisms with her for the first time. Since it was a large group we didn't do any baptisms, but we got to dress in white and help coordinate names and people and help out in that way! It was so great to be useful and still be able to be there with Brooke for such a special experience. We drove with her and Patrick to the temple and then got lunch at Steak n Shake on the way back! Apparently they have those in Texas, it's not just an Ohio thing.

I've also been thinking a lot about stewardship this week. I feel an incredible responsibility for the spiritual welfare and progression of all those that have been entrusted to us by the Lord for us to teach and help along the path back to God. It takes a lot of planning and organization and study and prayers and relying on the Spirit to help you know what to say and how to say it in every situation. I have also been thinking about the sister in my zone that I have a responsibility to help. I feel like I've been slacking a little bit in that regard and I'm resolving to do better to seek their welfare as well. 

What are some of your stewardships and how are you helping those around you? Something I have seen over and over again out here are people we are made aware of that are struggling that you never would have guessed. People who seem great, but who need a lot of love and help. We are often too quick to judge a situation, either "that person's kinda weird" or even "that person seems fine" Everyone is in need of help and love and we have a responsibility to get to know them and understand them better, especially if we have a stewardship responsibility.

Thanks for all you are doing! Thank you for your faith and prayers in my behalf and on behalf of the missionaries everywhere. 

Love you lots!!

Sister Andreason

Brooke's Baptism

Howdy!!

Brooke and Melane at Brooke's Baptism

This has been a fantastic week. Brooke got baptized and about 20 of her family and friends came to the baptism. It was so wonderful to see her make that commitment that day. Baptisms are always spiritual highlights. I am grateful for all the preparation people put into making those successful, it takes some serious coordination
sometimes.

Another highlight of this week was specialized training/interviews with President Mortensen. This was the longest interview I've ever had because we did training in smaller groups of missionaries. It was nice to be able to talk a little bit more with President, he always gives great advice. One of his strengths is being able to look at a situation and see what is causing what and then fix the problem, not just the symptoms. That's something I realized recently--we live in a society that treats the symptoms most of the time, but if we really want to fix the issue we need to go to the root and fix the problem. If you're overwhelmed you need to plan and organized...etc.

As a STL I got to help teach part of the meeting on Chapter 8 of PMG (using time wisely/planning) Isn't it funny how when you get asked to speak on something in sacrament or teach a lesson its usually you who needs the lesson the most? I love a solid weekly planning, it makes life a whole lot easier, but sometimes we're so busy that we neglect to make time for it and we try to squeeze it in during other random hours. It doesn't really work. If it's important (which it is) then it needs to be a priority in our scheduling, and not just get the leftovers. So that's something Sister McLean and I have committed ourselves to do better this week. :)

Another amazing miracles is something that I've never had happen in my mission up till this point, but which is super amazing. I'm coining it: "progressing-investigator-present lessons" Jacob, one of our solid investigators heard we were teaching another Freshman in the Corps and was so eager to fellowship him and come to one of his lessons, so of course we said yes! What better way to strengthen your testimony than by bearing it? What better way to understand than by learning again and helping to teach? What better fellow-shipper than someone who's gone through the same process just weeks ago? It's the best. In addition to Jacob reaching out like that, Brooke and Melane have been reaching out to Taylor, another one of our investigators, and she's been helping them as well!! I guess Brooke is a member now, but Taylor and Melane come from very similar backgrounds and it's so great that they can help each other through any struggles :D I feel so blessed to be able to teach so many amazing people, and to have enough investigators who are similar enough that something like that can happen. So cool.

this is what is written on the arches to get out of the quad (where the Corps people live) it's pretty sweet

I went on exchanges this week which was great. I'm learning more and more what it means to minister, and its a skill I'm trying to develop. It's helping me be focused on the individual, not just with investigators, but also with all those around me.

Shout out to Hayley, an Aspen Grove friend who I got to see in College Station! Small world.

Hope y'all are doing great! Still want to hear what you learned at conference and an action plan, I'm working on one too.

 Love you lots!

Sister Andreason

A Showering of Blessings & Conference

This has been a busy, exciting week full of miracles and Conference was phenomenal!!

Fun things first: 

We played a glow-in-the-dark game of ultimate frisbee. Best thing of my life. Cool night air, a legit light-up disc, teams with different colored glow bracelets and the field outlined with glowsticks...hard to beat. It was also cool because most people got passed to--it's hard to judge who is who if you can't seen anything but a glowing bracelet. 

Also, I am the foosball champion. I have played all the missionaries, and many ward members on the foosball table in the institute building in the past few weeks when we have a spare minute. I don't know how I got so good because all I remember about foosball is Caleb beating everyone, me especially. But somehow I have beaten everyone I've played more than they've beaten me. I owe Caleb a match when I get back :P

This week we had MLC (mission leadership council) and I learned a lot. Good leaders start with the end in mind--so as I'm teaching and talking to people, to remember where I'm headed in the lesson, and in helping an individual progress towards baptism and to come closer to Christ. Vision is so important in being able to lift others higher and to move forward yourself. Understanding is so important. I can't count how many times I've said "If they only understood what we had to offer." If people really understood our message and the significance of it, is there any doubt in our minds what they would do? Understanding is one of my favorite subjects, so I enjoyed studying that more and teaching about it in zone meeting a few days later. 

If you want a list of scriptures about the importance of understanding, here it is: (what: Prov 4:7, Prov 9:10, Eph 1:18, Eph 4:18. why: Alma 13:23, D&C 20:68, Matt 13:19. how: Psalms 119:129-130, Nehemiah 8:8, Mosiah 2:9, 12:27, 2 Nephi 31:3, D&C 1:24, 3 Nephi 26:1) I don't expect y'all to read all of those, but they're really insightful if you want to learn more about understanding.

This week we also had the opportunity to teach Institute. Both the teachers were out of town for a conference, so we were asked to substitute. The topic was Matthew 26-28 which includes such things as The Sacrament, Garden of Gethsemane, Cross, and Resurrection... talk about a hefty topic. But it went really well! I learned so much from the student manual and it was a joy to take the time to study more about the Atonement of our Savior. 

One of my favorite parts of the lesson was studying the symbolism of the Garden of Gethsemane. Gethsemane, a garden of olive trees, means "oil press'. Olives are pressed to produce oil, and when Christ was there he was pressed with the weight of our sins, and produced blood from every pore. It is intriguing to look at the symbolism between olive oil and Christ's blood (The Atonement). What is olive oil used for? Things like food, anointing, fuel/light, lubricant (make it easier to move), ointment for healing.... the list could go on. What can we use Christ's blood, The Atonement for in our lives? Think about it.

This week we've also taught a lot of really solid new investigators, I'm excited to see what happens, and I have been inspired to be more lovingly bold as I teach them as a result of conference. We have Truth. Absolute Truth and you can know for yourself. That is one of the most profound messages ever. The implications if our message is True is astonishing. Wouldn't you want to find out? We have a lot of people we're teaching who are in that process of finding out. We have a lot of people who are finding answers but experiencing a lot of family opposition. I hope we can give them strength and conviction to press forward.

Something that we've really been pushing in the mission is the importance of family history work. We've been teaching that sooner in the lessons and it's had an amazing effect. Brooke, one of our investigators who is getting baptized on Saturday is incredible. She has gotten into that and is already finding names to take to the temple the week after she is baptized. We've taught several of our other investigators and the thing about family history is that it expands our vision. The cause is greater than just one individual. As our investigators come to understand that it's really powerful. As they come to understand that our ancestors are not far away and that they are working in our behalf, it is strengthening. I have such a testimony of the importance of temple and family work and the role it has hand-in-hand with missionary work.

Wow, I've written an essay and not even talked about Conference yet. I receive many answers and a lot of direction, both for myself and on behalf of my investigators. It was incredible to realize how specifically a lot of their concerns were answered if they were sincerely listening. One of them definitely was. Taylor, who we've taught a few times, came to the Saturday Afternoon session with questions in her heart, looking for God to lead her. We met with her afterwards and she bore powerful testimony to us of the peace, purpose, and direction she had found since meeting with us and especially in the past session of conference. She told us that she had felt led to this and that it was a clear answer to her prayers. She's already been sharing about the Book of Mormon with her somewhat skeptical family, and is moving forward. We set a baptismal date with her yesterday and I am just overwhelmed with gratitude to be here as a missionary. Sometimes it's hard to fathom the trust the Lord has in me and the many blessings I have been given. I feel privileged just to be able to associate with such incredible people. I'd love to hear more about what you learned from General Conference! 

Email me, write me (401 Anderson St. #1F. College Station, TX 77840) I know that we heard the words of prophets this weekend and as we take the time to really apply what we learned we will feel of Heaven's help and become better, happier people.

Love you all!

Sister Andreason