Nice Time!!

Time seriously does fly! It is crazy how fast it is going, and This week is already gone! But the best part of it is, sO much can happen in one week. So many experiences are covering the days, and that is what makes it just go SO fast. Everyday we get to close for our day, and I seriously get to see how much the Lord has been able to help us, and now it is just normal.

The week has ended so nicely also. We were able to go on exchanges. And it was Super nice because, I was able to go into one of my previous areas of work, and see some of the members, and old investigators that I was teaching. It was awesome, and really a spiritual experience. It also was nice, because even I was able to meet new people over there, and gain a love and appreciation for them. The area is still just doing well. There are going to be so many nice improvements in the future. There is a HUGE push for there to be a stake here, because it has been a district for 22 years now. They are thinking of maybe combining some of the small branches around, to be together. It will help a lot with the priesthood and home teaching and visiting teaching. Eventually this year throughout Kenya, there will be about 3 stakes at least if not four, and can work towards that goal of having a temple here. I would hope that would happen. If it did, I would definitely come back and go through. =D

Yesterday we had a nice experience. This sister that is investigating the church, and it was nice to see her gaining the knowledge that we are not devil worshipers, or Illuminati, and to see her being touched by the spirit. She was able to speak to the branch president, and he was able to answer some questions, and testify of his experience of going to the temple with his family. She says that she is really thinking about   

That is about it for this week again. We are happy with the weather, even though it is SO HOT. We are getting all of the maze from the fields, and we are just eating SO many beans! Also, when we go to most of the members places, they have wild blackberry trees around. They don't use the berries for anything, so we EAT. Ni tamu kabisa. Alright. Well, I love you, and hope that you have a nice day, a wonderful week, and may the spirit guide you all throughout.

Elder Andreasen

Sorry So Late!!

HeY you great and wonderful people, who are my loved ones. I love you. It is good to be able to hear what has been happening in life this past week! I look forward to another exciting letter soon. I know that I am writing SO late, and I do apologize for that. Do to some serious network connections here in the bush, this modem has not wanted to work, and so we finally got some time today to write. Wow, and today was so powerful. It is pretty cool to be writing to you in the middle of the week on a day that we have been proselyting

We were actually able to give someone a tour of the chapel today, and were able to explain to them about the sacrament, and about everything that goes on in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It was such a nice experience and really we felt the spirit and know that she felt the spirit as well. She is really thinking of being baptized in the only true church of Jesus Christ on this earth, so we are really trying to help her gain a sincere testimony about the Gospel. This week has really just been so nice. It has been spiritual, and we have seen the Lord helping both of us. As we teach and testify of this true Gospel, we see that the hearts of the people are being softened and we even see that trust has been built. This has made it possible for our missionary efforts to go forward with greater power. We had one of our families of the Branch President just get back from going to the South African Temple. They are like another family here to us, and we LOVE them so much and are just super excited for them! He was just newly called as a branch president, and what a blessing it has been to see his efforts in striving to love the members and set a powerful example. He really knows what he has been called to do. Our other branch is also progressing as well a lot. We have really been focusing on trying to help out the leadership and love them and just make sure that things are being done according to the guidelines that have been given. We are working now to learn how to council together with everyone we talk with.

This has been inspired by a book that we have been given to read called Counseling with our Councils. It has been a really good help with learning how to become better leaders. They have this huge goal of this mission to progress. They just put out the new mission plan for this year, and if we all take it seriously, there will be some awesome improvements in the areas. I Love this gospel, and have a growing testimony of Gods divine plan and purpose for His children. These are things I know, and will cherish for the rest of my life, and even in the life to come. I hope you have a powerful rest of the week, and may God be with you and protect you.

Elder Andreasen

Bring Peace 1/12/15

HI! Good Morning! Much love and stuff to you. Good to hear from a you. And your just great it sounds. I also am great! Life is just great yea?

I am still here and I am still a missionary. Things are really GOOD. They are just going on well. We are feeling the spirit, and continuing the Lords work. I am reading my scriptures and praying…A lot. We are being blessed by the association of the beautiful people here every day. WE love this Gospel of Jesus Christ. The truth will always go forth and forward; it will prevail! I will always share the Gospel because I know that it is true. (Romans 1:16) I will always allow the Lord to direct my paths because He will do it better than I can do it alone.  Go on and go forth this week, to do the Lords work. I love you so much, and so does our Heavenly Father. This is my  message to you this week. Keep smiling with a great love and fantastic Joy of this life!

Elder Andreasen

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2015!

HEY! I am SO sorry for the delay! It HAS been some time since one of these letters has actually been able to go through. I finally am able to write, and am just happy to do so! It was really super great to talk to you and to hear your voices, and just see how life is moving on back there. I will admit, it is always just a little weird for me to have to talk to my family through the phone...but I am grateful for that every minute that I get to. I am excited to tell you of some of the things that have been happening these past two weeks. It is really good to know that things are settled back down in the old home. Has it snowed much more there?

As the dust has been settling there, it has been arising around here in the land of Chyulu. It has become hot and dusty and things are starting to turn yellow. It took quite the toll on the fields that were planted, but it is normal to these wonderful people. They have such a sense of dedication to their shambas, and a love for gardening! We, in all of this heat, have truly seen beautiful things happening as our efforts have continued this past while. In one of our branches, less-actives have just been coming back in full. It is an answer, and a miracle to so many prayers. We are seeing that since their presidency has been changed up, people come back to see "how things are going" and we are meeting more and more. Everyone had a wonderful spirit from the holidays, and are also giving church a shot this next year. It is a resolution for many to follow Christ better.  Along with that, I have seen some awesome progress in my speaking and understanding Swahili! It is also a miracle as I and if I keep working to progress it, but if I don't study, I can definitely see a difference. I prayed for the gift of tongues. 

These things about transfers seem to just be there. I am here, and it is week 3 of the transfer, and who knows but God Himself if I will be getting transferred or not. It would be nice to see some change, even if I do stay here, but I would like to go and impact another area as well. We are becoming well known in this area for sure though. It is nice to see fruits of labor. Anyhow, I am just happy to be serving the Lord! It is my favorite thing!  I love you, and wish you the best the rest of this week. Smile big, I know I will! Have a coke!

Love:

Elder Andreasen

NYAMA! (It means MEAT!)

Hello! That is once again great to hear from you. You sound really happy, and I am excited for you! Just remember to be safe and all is well. I cannot believe how close it is to Christmas. It really does not even feel like it, but I have been waiting for that exciting day for a while. I love the Christmas cheer that always comes around when all of us get together and listen to Christmas music, and celebrate the holiday of our dear Savior's birth. It is a powerful spirit that helps others to humble down and bring joy into others lives. I love it! So, I am pumped for that, and also something exciting happened today. We have come to be with the other elders of the Zone, so that we could go and visit the Tsavo National Park. YES! We got back around three, and it was awesome. Though we were not able to see TOO many animals, I got pics of an elephant and a giraffe and some zebra, and some small others! COOL! It was really and adventure. That is what has been happening today.

Also, we have not even been in our area for the week because my comp had to go up to Nairobi, and I got to go on exchanges with another elder, and we just did some service. But I love that I AM still a missionary, and am serving the Lord. Looking forward to getting back to our area again, to see what we can do more to help. This past Sunday, we attended our Branch of Yumbuni. It is the one branch that we were really scared was going to get shut down or some like, and really have been working hard to help it to progress. This Sunday there was one of the most spiritual that I have ever had in that branch! I don't know what it was with things, but it just seemed as though the members actually felt like they wanted to somewhat be there, and there were powerful lessons as well as touching talks. And one of the best parts is, that when the Sacrament was passed, I could just feel that spirit was speaking. It was nice. I am so glad to see that through all of our efforts and work that it is paying off small now, and hopefully great in the future. That has been the blessing of the week that has really stood out. 

Blessings are those gifts from God that I will always be grateful for. Lots of them really do stand out, and I just want to let you know that YOU are one of them. That’s not supposed to sound cheesy but it really is SO true. I will always be grateful to my Heavenly Father for putting you in my life. My family.  And also just to all of those who I have just ever met, they have impacted me in my life in some way.  Let this Christmas cheer just be in all of your hearts, and know that I love you, as well as God. Have a great week, and just see to it that the smile never leaves your face!

Much love from:

Elder Andreasen 

P.S. Yes. So about that call. I think that some sufficient time can be given to call. I was thinking and hoping maybe for about and hour and a half, or how ever long you would like. The time will probably be later in the evening here for me when I call, like maybe eight, so if you convert that, i think that is about 10 in the morning your time. I would hope that is not TOO late, I know you like to sleep in on Christmas. HAHA. Alright well that is that and have a great rest of the day! Love you! 

Joy To The World!!

Hello. I just love hearing from my family! It always puts even more cheer into my heart. There has really been a LOT of cheer in my heart this week. I guess it is just really the preaching of the Lords gospel. "For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ"... I love that scripture. It is powerful and enlightening. I actually just finished reading the Acts of the Apostles, and what a powerful witness of the gospel I received even more as Paul teaches and testifies of what he knows to be true. It is nice to know that that is what we are always striving to do!

That is one thing that I have really been focusing on this past week. The scriptures. There are seriously SO many things that I can study and learn in my personal studies, and prepare myself for these people. But there is one thing that I have noticed really improves all my speech and teaching, and that is the words of the prophets, weather of the past or even present today.  So, I have been trying on the expounding my knowledge of the scriptures, and as I have done so, and will continue to do so, I am and will be seeing more of a difference in my life, to follow after in the example of Christ and bring that setting of the spirit to those seeking the gospel. So nice! I love this work.

And on the teaching side of things in this area, all is doing better. It is super nice to see the members actually loving to take the initiative of going home teaching and serving there fellow brothers and sister. There is one man in particular that we were talking to the other day that really struck me with joy. He had just gone to see two of our brothers who are less-active and visited with them, and got to know there concerns and committed them to come to church. Well, one did show up, and the other did not, and so he followed up on his visit, and even visited others and made sure to recommit them to come and join with us! What a blessing he has been in our eyes and so excited to see the future of this beautiful place. It is finally starting to see change, and I am grateful to our Heavenly Father for that.

You were asking a little bit about those baptisms, and so they are named John Musembi Kisee, and Benjerman wambua Malimbi. They have been investigators that we have been teaching since about a month after I got here. And they are just going to keep progressing. They now have the gift of the Holy Ghost, and are pure members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Hopefully soon to get the priesthood, and callings to become fully involved in this great work. One of them is already doing his Home-teaching. 

Well, that is about all from me on this side of the sea. Thanks, and love you very much. Hope you have another amazing week, and just be strong. Joshua 1:9; D&C 84:88;

Much love from:

Elder Andreasen

P.S. Not really to sure about Christmas, except I think that I will just be calling you over the phone.