On the Iron Horses AGAIN! September 8, 2014

Hi family! So sorry about the delay, it has been quite the struggle with the internet today, and we were just busy busy. WE rode our bikes SO FAR today. It was really super nice though, because the other elders that are staying with us, let us use their mountain bikes. They have mountain bikes, and we have old break down iron horses. But, we had to go and get some things in a far off place, but it was an adventure as is always.

This area is really truly great. SO many amazing things are coming up to be, and for now, we are just working our hearts out. It is super nice, because the branches have really started helping us, and we have taken the initiative to really make sure things get done around these parts. We are pretty much mainly here to find less-actives and bring them back to the fold. I think that I have said that before, but there are SO MANY! It is going to be awesome when we leave this area, and the whole chapel in both branches are full passed capacity...and then a stake it will be, and then more stakes throughout Kenya...and then A TEMPLE!...in a while. It makes me SO excited to think about the day when I hear that a temple is being built here, and I really want to work to make that come quicker. There are just so many blessings that come from that beautiful place, and I want everybody to know that. That is one of the things that we have really been focusing on teaching and sharing with people, is about families, and family history, and the temple, and eternity. That’s one thing to help them make a goal of and help them to take action to achieve.

I am glad that I have the chance to serve in the Kenya, Nairobi Mission. It really has given me a greater view of life, and a greater sense of love, and obedience. I know that as we are obedient to the commandments of the Lord, His spirit will always be able to reside with us, and carry us up until the end. It is different than any other mission that I have heard about, and I am grateful to be here. I see myself becoming the man that I need to be in the future. I love the gospel, and would not give anything for the knowledge that I have. That is just what carries me through these day to day efforts and activities. It is not always easy, but the Lord can make it simple. I love you tons, and hope you strive to bring others unto the gospel this coming week. I love to hear about those experiences!

Love Elder Andreasen

P.s. HEy by the way. THey seriously have SUCH a hard time with my name...SO HARD. I am now known as elder andy, elder andrea, elder andrew, elder A, elder, and even elda alsdkjfa;slkdf j....try saying that one. hahaha The language barrier is hard, but it is getting easier, and I have figured out how to talk so that they understand me, which is great, but I love it when they try to say the name.

Spider Man...REALLY?!?!

Well hello! So, it has been such a nice week since we were able to talk, hasn't it? This is kind of a long conversation...2 years worth of a conversation, with 1 week breaks in between. Wow. Today is SO beautiful, and it actually is not very hot today. There is a nice cool breeze, and the sun is shining, and all of those great things. I will tell you though, it has been HOT, and it is supposed to get even hotter! I love the heat anyway.

GEE WIZ! This week has just gone by. It actually seemed to role by pretty slow, but we were doing SO much. We are working super hard to find members, and to have them give us referrals. They are so nice, and so welcoming and I love them. There are so many here that need some serious encouragement on the part of being active though. We are working today actually after this, to go and meet a lot of the less-actives in our area, and really befriend them, and help them to feel the saviors love. That is what I love so much about this work, is we get the chance to help others just feel the saviors love in different ways, and they help us as well. OH, and we had a baptism. Yes. But it is not really credited to us, we really only taught her about three times, and the other missionaries did the rest, but it was a super great experience, and she was really so happy. It was funny though...the water was cold, and so when I put her under the water, she started to kind of resist and scream, and then she came out and had this death grip on me, but it was so great because there was then another soul that has now entered into the kingdom of God on earth. We are really trying to prepare another sister in our other branch, so that she is also ready for baptism next week or the week after that. Her name is Linet, and she just needs to be able to have that true testimony that these things are true. That is what we are helping her with, but she is just the one to find out for herself. We are also working with this great sister whose name is Charity. We met her one day while we were just stopping by to get some soda out of the heat. She is really so nice, and has powerful questions. She seems to really want to know if these things are true or not, and we hope that she see the truth in them! The main work that we do hear in this amazing place, is reactivation. It is actually supposed to be a stake. it should have been a stake a LONG time ago, they just need to have that love one for another, and see that the commandments that the Lord gives are VERY serious and important.

For me personally this week, I have really in my studies been reading, just so much. I have been asking myself what is wrong, cause I seriously did not read this much back home. But it is so NICE! I love knowledge! That is the thing that just pushes me and excites me to read and to ponder. My testimony has really grown so much since I came on this mission, and I am seeing the fruits of that very thing. When you gain knowledge, you have a greater responsibility. "With great power, comes great responsibility"...Spider Man. Such a great ‘finger pointing' statement yes? It is. And it's so nice to be able to answer these so many great questions that our friends ask, or that even other missionaries ask as well.  This is the whole reason we are here on this earth anyway, is it not? To gain knowledge and wisdom, so as to become more like our Father whose is in Heaven who is perfect and all knowing and pure loving. YES! So, that is what has just been happening in this mighty place of Chyulu, and I am so thankful to my Father in Heaven for allowing me this chance to serve Him, and I will never be able to pay back the debt I have to Him and my Savior Jesus Christ, but I am able to try and please Him, and I will help others to succeed in that path as well.

Love you great family, and have a fantastic week.

Elder Andreasen

P.S. Sorry for the short delay. We were very held up yesterday, and only got short time to get on, and did not have time to write back, but now allz well! Love you, and keep smiling big!

Watindata!.........Nesa!

Hey you wonderful family! I just love you, and am happy to say hi. So

I have some terrific, crazy, but sad news all at the same time. I got

TRANSFERRED! That is the sad news, but terrific at the same time. The

crazy news is where I was transferred. I came right back to CHYULU.

Yes, Chyulu. The same branch and same flat. I have new companion. His

name is Elder Makau, and he is great! We are staying in that same

place with four people. Here is what is happening. WE are going to be

taking care of two branches, and they will take two also. It is really

great! We are already working SO hard, and it is super nice! I love

that I got the chance to come back to this amazing place. It is

different though. Last time we were white washing, and this time,

things are partially going a bit better here in the bush. I am getting

nice and tan, and enjoying the heat. It is turning to their dry season

here, so it is going to get REALLY hot . My companion is used to the

heat though, he was one of those that came here from Sierra Leone,

and he is just so SO powerful...I think he might be an apostle

someday! haha

Things just continue here in this beautiful place. They are a bit

tight. The flat we are staying in is made only for one companionship,

but we are accommodating two. So right now our companionship is

sleeping on the floor with mattresses, which by the way is SO much

cooler!..in both ways. The transfers were super different and

crazy. Pretty much the whole mission was transferred around. There is

so much change, and it is really nice. I am so GLAD that you get to be

together as a family. That is going to be So Nice. Family is the

best thing given. That why I always take the time to tell you, I LOVE

YOU. Enjoy! Have a fantastic week.

Elder Andreasen

I Think YES

WELL! Hello. I'm all healthy and away from Ebola...just for your information. I am happy, and things are going pretty well. Super nice that you guys got to travel up to Canada! That is pretty sweet! 

This week has been nice! We got to have a powerful Zone Conference, and then we got to go for Mormon Helping Hands at one of the hospitals here. It was Great! So that took up most of the week, but it was Super awesome! I love to be able to see all of these great missionaries around. We were spiritually uplifted, and just got to laugh. Before we went to Zone Conference though, we got the chance to visit and share with some of our nice investigators. We got to answer Cheryle’s questions, and recommitted her to read the Book of Mormon, which she said she NOW would do. It is SO nice. She said that she is going to have to re-pray about everything that we have shared with her, and make sure that she finds out if they are true...Awesome! The area is progressing, and that makes me happy to see. It is super nice to have more investigators, and just referrals. SO, that is what is up!

There are about 15 new missionaries here that came back from Sierra Leone. They are great! Super powerful, and were really needed in the mission. Ebola is just spreading though. They say that it might have spread to Ghana also...so we hope that all things go ok. It is not around here, and hopefully it does not reach here, or they will have to probably close this mission too, as they did in Sierra Leone. Those missionaries were redirected to different areas of Africa, and even some back to their countries outside of Africa. They are just keeping us updated on safety pre-cautions, and just pretty much telling us not to do anything stupid. 

SO, things are just going. Hope things just are things there. Have a great week. Love you! 

Elder Andreasen

Chocolate Chip Cookies Are On My Mind!

Hello. The days are coming nice ya? YES. It is all good here on this side of Africa. Kenya is just doing well and well, I am doing well myself. It has been like the week just has FLOWN by but that is just how time goes…now-a-days. SO!

This week has been really SO NICE. We have had some super great progress in our area and just look forward to this new week! We spent the week really focusing on the members and less-actives and they are Amazing. They are really helpful, when you give them commitments. We are trying our best just to get all of the referrals we can. It is looking good. When we met one of our investigators whose name is Cheryle, she had some super great questions that made us think. She is in college and she is studying to be a journalist and she loves to study the Bible. We are really excited to see what happens with her. She is really Powerful and can see potential. Anyhow, everything else is just gnarly, so thanks! Love you! 

Sounds like you guys are keeping up the great work of life! I just hope all joyful, thrilling, fun, all goods and that you keep smiling. 

Love Elder Andreasen

P.S. DAD! Happy Birthday! SO excited for you! Are you turning 53? Hoping you’re enjoying passing through the fifties. YoU ArE GrEaT! Enjoy the cake...or pie...or rolls, or just what else there is that you are going to be celebrating with! Thanks for being awesome!!! Love your SON Elder Andreasen. 

P.P.S. We did receive missionaries from Sierra Leone. Those that were there, had to be taken out and taken to their different missions. SO, there are Kenyans that came back to serve in this mission. I know one really well! He helped us a lot when I was serving in Jerusalem. He actually was living with Peter Zenovieff. So, they are just updating us on what Ebola is, how dangerous it is, and how we can keep and stay away from it.