Sawubona! (Hello in Zulu)

HI! Habari! WOW! Yet another week has come to pass! This week has been good, and today has been fantastic. Tonight we get to hear transfer news which means that we get to see who goes and who stays and such! I wish I could let you know now but unfortunately not till next week! OH MAN! I totally don't miss raking the leaves! That is good that they are falling though. I bet the canyons are gorgeous and that is just great! Ha, there are only two seasons here and it actually decided to be a bipolar weather week! It has been very hot and rained a lot!

Ok, so this week has pretty much been the same as last. We did teach someone though that we finally were able to get a hold of again. His name is Francis, and he just never answers his phone. The way I met him was with my last companion. He came up to us off the street and just told us straight up that he wants to join our church, which he still has set in his mind! So we finally got a hold of him and got to teach him. Have a return appointment and he is just interested in what we have to share and what the Lord has to offer him. OH! Irene came BACK! She walked in one day as we were with Caroline! Man…and she came to church. Aw, so I don't think I have told you about our friend and investigator named Christina. She is a referral from one of our members and she is just a great friend to the missionaries. Her husband is actually a pastor and so she really tries to follow Christ. We go and see her and her sister (Christy) every Sunday. She has a little baby boy and he is just so awesome but he's a cryer, so we help her out with him a little bit. But she has that desire to come to church! She hasn't been able to for the last little while because well...she gave birth. We are just sharing with her and she sees the truth and really is just such a blessing in our lives. I just love these great people and love that I get to serve them. I actually have been focusing on the word service this past week and have found that it really just connects into everything. Charity is the pure love of Christ and this gospel and plan is centered on Jesus Christ. COOL!

Anyhow! The missionary efforts just keep pushing forward! I am grateful for the calling to serve the Lord for two years fully. I love that I get the chance to call my self a missionary of the Lord! I love to look to myself as being like one of my favorite scripture hero's who is Alma the younger. What great faith he and his brethren had to change lives and really truly be converted to serve to help truly convert others to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. One of my favorite hymns on missionary work is #263. Look at the words. They are fantastic, just like the work! Love you all! Have a great week!

Elder Andreasen

Keep Smiling!

P.s. I don't know if I told you but did you know that most of the ladies here wear fake hair! It looks sweet but the braids aren't real!

NO HALLOWEEN?!?!...I'LL DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT

Well hey you guys! :) So wow it’s been a week. I mean like not much has gone on but it’s been a weeek! The week kind of seemed to STRETCH but I love to be able to count these great moments that I have on the mission. I FINALLY got to see conference!!! It was amazing! EXCEPT I still haven't been able to see the Saturday afternoon session, and I really am wanting to hear Elder Holland's talk!!! But Man, I just love to hear them talk and testify. I seriously am just like a kid in a candy shop and this sugar is really SO sweet!!! That really has been the highlight of the week. That and we were eating in this little restaurant cafe place just resting for a second and a huge bang came from out of the door so I went to go and see what it was. This lady smashed her CAR into the side of the place!!! It totally smashed the whole front of the car into a V shape! It was so weird though cause it wasn't even like a big deal... The owner just talked to them and then they got back into the car and drove off, in the middle of the day. HAHA ok then.

Oh, transfers are going to be the next week. So everybody finds out what is changing next Monday night. We'll see what happens! We have not been doing anything really fun on p-day for the last couple of weeks, just e-mailing, shopping, washing, cleaning, resting, stuff like that just to answer that question. I wish we would play some fut-ball or something but oh well.

Like I said, not much has gone on this week. We did get a referral and have been teaching someone new though! His name is James. He is another friend of Dave and Douglas! I love that they just keep bringing friends to us! It’s so cool though, because he was just there one day when we were sharing something with Dave and he made an interesting comment. He said that he had really seen a change in his friends when they got baptized and that it was a good change. He said that he knew that God was with them and he wanted to see that in his own life. WOW! I love these young people a lot! I mean I love all of the people that we get to share this gospel with but I just love teaching these awesome kids and really see how they are wanting to change their life. There has been no word on Irene, even Caroline does not know when she is coming back but hope all is still well. I am actually not sure that she will get baptized...at least not by us. Caroline has been still coming to church and just making friends in the ward! That is really good to see, they can really encourage her. She is just awesome…still not a set date yet though.

Hey SKYLER! Thanks for Praying for me at dinner! haha. I do like to think about the word success myself. Sometimes I feel inadequate when I see the word success but you are most right! Success isn't measured by winning but by touching someone with the gospel, planting that seed. I am not going to lie and tell you that it hasn't been a little rough but I know that as we keep striving to do the best we can do, the Lord will truly bless.

I got to see two children get baptized on Sunday and I gave a short little three minute talk to them and it felt great. They are awesome for choosing to get baptized! They actually got baptized at our church this time in the "blue garbage can" font. It was funny cause the little girl that got baptized, came out of the water and started crying because the water was cold! We'll just say that it was because she felt so clean though!

I think that's it. I really love you very much! I sincerely do pray for you every night and love to hear that all is well. I wish I could have seen a giraffe but I still haven't yet…hah. I pray for the Lord to keep blessing you and just wish the best of this next week! Have fun, keep laughing, smiling and just finding joy in everything that you do. I know it's not hard for you to do that though! JUST LOVE YA TONS!

Elder Andreasen

KEEP SMILING!

P.s. Halloween doesn't even EXIST here in Kenya!!! I'll have to celebrate it anyway! SUGAR!!!...and some healthy stuff too.

Merembe! (Hello in Luya)

You’re Right! Another week has passed! Crazy, I am almost three months here...weird. Time just keeps to be going by and yet I still feel new in this foreign place. It’s really not so foreign to me as much any more but I still wonder everyday why these people do some of the things they do!!! Here are a few things though that are pretty different: They have chips (fries) as a meal here...everywhere you GO; its not a bad thing but you eat it with a fork and usually are given some fake ketchup stuff called tomato sauce to smother them with, YUM. Pop is still in glass bottles here and is super good. The way they cook corn, they cook it for like five min. then serve it hard. The air here is polluted beyond measure, none of the cars are filtered exhaust…can't think of that word. Dogs and cats are not pets...some think cats have evil spirits in them. There are speed bumps in the road about every half mile and so my head is becoming numb from hitting the ceiling of the motatus! When you go to some of the shops on the street, they are all selling the SAME THING! I really don't know how that even works. Motor bikes are a form of transportation here and those guys just get CRAZY when they are on the streets...we have been banned from riding them. But those are just some few things that go on here. Haha, one time we were walking with some other missionaries and we passed by this guy, he told us that our skin was money. They think that all white people are rich...that'd be weird if my skin was money, probably pretty painful too think about it.  This week hasn't really been too eventful but I will tell you about some great things that happened!

So we met again our neighbor in our compound, who actually grew up as a Muslim. His name is Hamza. He was the first person that I ever taught when I arrived in Eldoret and we hadn't seen him since. It is kind of good though because he had surgery on his leg from an incident at work, and is now home ridden. We were able to go over and talk with him and really share what we believe. You see, he wants to become a Christian and sees especially now that we are A LOT different from other Christians. But he knows his stuff and just is so so questioning about everything. He has made me think about the Bible in ways I have not before. So have been studying up from some books about the Bible and just in the Bible its self.  We finally just referred him to the church website but he is just such a good guy and wants the best for his family.

Wow! so Caroline has told us that she really is wanting to get baptized. The thing is, Irene went back home to see her family which is a while away and we don't know when she will get back. But Caroline said that she has really been thinking about it and knows that she is going to go back to stay with her family and knows she needs to get baptized. We haven't yet set a certain day but it will be soon! That really makes me SUPER happy!

This week on Saturday, we had an activity for the members where we discussed everything about what the Book of Mormon is and how it came to be. That was so awesome because I totally just loved to see these people asking great questions and seeing them answered. We got to show them the Restoration movie and it was just a nice time. We got to do a great service to some members of another branch this week. We missionaries all went and helped clean up a field and plant beans. Mmmm, I tried my first guavas and they were SO good. I want a Guava tree! Speaking of fruit trees, Holy CATS that's a lot of apples off the tree! Don't eat to many! haha

That is great that Skyler and Dad got to go and spend some time fishing and just hanging. You'll have to tell me who caught the most fish. I am not going to lie, I still am not the biggest fan of some fishing but its growing on me. Golli gee, I would have to sit and listen to fishing stories all day long working at Tony's and so I kind of like it some more. Futball! I am growing to seriously love the sport! Haven't really been able to play much in the last two weeks but I have been practicing my skills! I am learning all of the rules and well, I HAD to pick a side for the Main teams. MANCHESTER UNITED! haha! The African missionaries have been explaining a lot to me. I am explaining Baseball to them...most have never played! But Rugby is also big here but I still haven't learned how to play, I want to WAY bad though! When you play sports here, no matter what it is, it gets crazy. These people are competitive! I love it though! People play cricket also I guess but I have not seen it. It’s mainly Futball here though. Anyway…I just really like it here, it’s fun. 

I love you all very much! I wish the best of the week to you! HAVE FUN! Be Semi-Safe! And just know that you’re the BEST!

Much love from:

ELDER ANDREASEN

KEEP SMILING!!!

(Seriously Do)

P.S. Did you know that there are about 42 tribes in Africa!?!

October 7, 2013

Aaaahhh! You Guys!!! I just love you so much!  MAN! You all make me laugh and just smile. Haha. I am so jealous by the way! I STILL haven't been able to get to see conference, but I just look forward to it in great anticipation! That is so great that you were able to go to conference. It's crazy to think that such an amazing event happens just a few hours away from home. I love to be able to tell people that I have had the opportunity to attend sessions myself and how blessed I feel because of that you know! It really seems cool to me still to think that I am in Africa. I will just be walking down the street sometimes and just stop and look around me; I realize that I am on a different continent and it makes me just get more feelings of excitement! 

WOW! This week has Zipped by! But things did happen. So, last week there was some excitement that our friend Edwin was going to get baptized but unfortunately due to some circumstances, he wasn't able to be baptized. But hopefully soon the day will come! We have faith in him and knows that he is ready and he says he knows that he is ready too. With the two sisters Caroline and Irene, they are still kind of in the same situation. But we have just been their friend and really are trying to help them to feel comfortable at church with the branch and just with everything that we have taught them. Actually this last week when we were seeing them, they started asking about the temple and temple marriage and such. It made me so happy to be able to share with them the beauty and greatness that comes from the temple. We got to talk about temple marriage and how families can be eternal.  The temple is just another one of my favorite topics. I know that is one thing that I am going to miss while I am on this mission is feeling the amazingness of the temple! That is so so so fantastic that we are sealed as a family for eternity. We found two new investigators that we have been sharing with. So one just came up to us one day on the street while walking and begged us to come and teach him, so we did. This man's life has been so so hard. And he has kind of just been making it worse by taking in so many harmful things into his body. But he has really expressed to us that he is really ready to change and that he wants to change his life around. Elder Ndwandwe and I have faith and know that he can change and that he really can become an even better person, through the gospel, than he already is.

I really do love these people. I love to let them know the truth. The truth is real and is here on the earth for us to partake. I am being filled with so much knowledge everyday and more and more of this truth. It all just keeps making sense. It all fits together and my testimony is really just being strengthened. I actually am reading the book "Teachings of the Prophets: Joseph Smith" and am learning so much. I have a lot of time to study but sometimes when I really get into searching something or just am super interested in a topic, it seems like there just isn't enough time. I love learning. It makes me realize that there really is SO much knowledge out there and I have the chance to learn it.  I am studying right now in Mosiah in the BOM but I also am reading in the D&C and am reading Old and New Testament. I kind of switch off. Everybody knows the Bible here and sometimes it’s kind of intimidating but I am gaining more and more of a testimony of the Bible. Some days I actually will read the Bible dictionary, like just straight. The other day, I was studying about the Millennium and about the second coming and such and I just couldn't stop feasting. It was so coool. I am very well versed with that topic now. haha

Well, I am staying as healthy as I can. I am eating well and just feel good. Unfortunately last week my companion got sick but he is doing better. I have been sick only once since I have been out in the field but it was nothing big. I am being introduced to some new meals around in Africa. So, actually Kale is big here in the great country of Kenya. They call it "Skuma Wiki" (don't think I spelled that right). They asked if we have it back home and I told them yes, but it's not really used much except in like soups. I have committed myself to cooking some American Mexican food for someone and they are going to show me some African dishes. But yesterday, I tried something that I am not really excited to keep trying. It is called Uji, or porridge. So they serve as like a warm drink in a cup. It is brown and the kind I tried yesterday had been cooked with pure lemon. They were laughing at my facial expressions as I slowly tried to keep gulping it down. But it is Good for you though....yum? Anyhow, can't wait to show you these delicious dishes. MMMhhhmmm. So alright then. I think that’s it for now but I really am just stoked for this coming week, it's going to be a good one! Love you all, wish the best, good luck with the cold heehee, and just keep up the good work!

Much love from

ELDER ANDREASEN

KEEP SMILING!

P.s. Did you know that Ethiopia is seven years behind us? crazy huh?

I'm Changing Into An African

WOW! cockadoodle doooo! How are you? Guess who!?! It’s me! Yes, your partially African son. I'm feeling Great today and you know my day has been good but you know what makes it better is that I get to write to the most awesome family ever!!! That’s You!...not the Brady Bunch. hahaha Man! So I woke up this morning and the temperature was nice and warm and the air was good and dusty…mmmm mmm. I feel right at home! That is SO crazy that you already have snow in the mountains! I didn't think that would come at least until half way through October. What is nature THINKING! But wow, it sounds like your week has been pretty good. I am glad mom that you were able to go and see gma and gpa Davis! That is to bad that their computer has been down but I love them SO much and that is good to hear that gpa is planning on living to be 100! I am looking forward to it! But it kind of really just makes me laugh when I think of how gma would get all frustrated over technology. Bless her heart. Dad, that is so good that you got to go fishing! Way to Catch! That’s the way my dad does it! Haha. Skyler, hope school is going great! I know you’re getting good grades! Ya? And work, I hope that’s good too!

This week. This week my companion and I have been getting to know each other a little better. We are finding ways that we can teach and I know that I am definitely learning great things from Elder Ndwandwe. This week we found one of our old investigators that we lost contact with a while ago. His name is Edwin. We have been teaching him a lot and he has been asking those good questions and it is so good to be able to answer him. We had an amazing experience with Edwin though. We sat down with him after church and just started chatting with him. It was nice to see him at church again and he said that he had really felt the spirit. Earlier this week we had asked him about the B question and told him to pray about it and we'll come up with a date. When we were chatting with him, he actually brought up Baptism. He said that he had found a date and that the Lord really has been answering his prayers. He says that he wants to get baptized this next WEEK! So we are planning on having a baptism this next week and are so excited for Edwin!!!

We also have been working with these two other sisters, I don't know if I have mentioned but we've been teaching them since I have been here. Their names are Caroline and Irene. They are college students and have just been living in Eldoret for school. We actually finished teaching them about everything that needs to be taught this last week. They say they feel good about being baptized but at the same time they are not ready. Both of them actually come from families that are apart of other religion. So that is just one thing that they are struggling with as to tell their families and really have enough faith in the Lord that all will work out. They just also really want to fully feel like it’s the right thing. I have SO much faith in them and am just praying for them. I can see that they are ready to enter the waters of baptism but we don't want to force them to do anything. But looking to the future for them! All we can do is just keep being their friend!

Ah. So my talk went great! I talked about one of my ultimate favorite topics ever…Testimonies. Yes it is getting easier to prepare for these things especially when you have such a testimony about what you are talking about. My personal testimony just keeps climbing and growing! I actually have really been gaining more of a testimony on families this last week. It felt like everything that I was teaching or learning or just seeing around me really came to family. I love it that in this culture, family is everything and that everybody IS family. I also see that there are a lot of broken families too. It breaks my heart to see someone that is so lost and away from a family. I love to be able to help and show them this gospel though and show them that we are an eternal family and that God is our Father and that He does LOVE us more than we can comprehend. It makes me feel more and more grateful that I have such a loving family that has showed me the way and that really does love me. I know that family is the most important, and I have seen how this plan really is just centered all together on family.  What great blessings that I have in my life and each of you are one of them. Thank you for being just so great!

Anyhow, this is getting to be to long of a letter…haha but I just love it out here. I can see myself changing and even into an African. One thing that I have to work on is kind of changing my accent actually. It is fun to try and communicate with some of these people. Sometimes a little frustrating but if I'm teaching the gospel, then so worth it. One of the sisters is like, you are living in Africa so you'll have no choice but to become an African! haha  I am happy and healthy. Life is great. Oh, so we actually live in a flat.  It is just pretty much an apartment inside a compound, or surrounded by a cement wall.  Hopefully I will be sending pictures soon. Sorry…been slacking on that. I hope you all have an amazing week! I love you lots lots and wish the best! Keep safe! And keep up the good work!

Much love from:

Elder Andreasen

KEEP SMILING!

P.S. Halloween. Halloween? Does that even exist in Africa…I don't even know! I'll have to ask for sure!