More to the Miracle

(Editor's Note -- read the previous Blog entry, "One More Miracle" first -- before reading this entry.)

Dear Family and Friends,

Woah! Look at that! Two emails in one day! I would like to write this email to you because I received a phone call this afternoon from Elder Ruesch. With complete sincerity and gratitude, this time, I say "bless his sweet heart". Elder Ruesch called me today with sincere, heartfelt apology. After apologizing he asked me to share with him what exactly happened and how I was able to get home. As I finished explaining the story to him he said "Wow, well now I would like to tell you the other side of the story, so you know just how miraculous that really was." So here is the other side of the story:

As I boarded the plane on Tuesday evening President Goates turned to Elder Ruesch and said "Alright, you've got one job now. You just have to call Buenos Aires and tell them to pick her up at the airport." Elder Ruesch said okay, he just had to do a couple of other things first. Well, time rolled on and Elder Ruesch forgot to call until 15 minutes before my plane landed. When he called Buenos Aires, they chewed him out a bit for calling so late, and then told him that if I called him asking what I should do, that he should inform me just to stay put. Elder Ruesch then said okay and hung up the phone. After hanging up the phone he and his companion knelt together in the offices in prayer. They prayed that I would be able to be led and guided in my actions and that I would be able to follow the Spirit to know what I needed to do. About an hour later Elder Ruesch received another phone call, it was from Buenos Aires. They informed him that they went to the airport, looked everywhere and I was nowhere to be found. They told him that all he needed to worry about doing now was praying that I would be able to be found and be able to be kept safe. In that moment Elder Ruesch called together all of the Elders in the offices and they all knelt together in prayer for me. I can only imagine the guilt, fear, and worry that Elder Ruesch felt in that moment. I can also only imagine the fervent and faith filled prayer that those Elders offered as they knelt in prayer for me in the offices in Mendoza, Argentina. Elder Ruesch didn't hear anything more from Buenos Aires until about 9:00 that night. They called him and said, "Elder, we don't know how she did it, but somehow this Hermana was able to contact someone from the church and make her flight." This fills me with awe and gratitude, because I didn't contact anyone from the church. The white-haired-man in the airport, the one that I thought was one of the 3 Nephites that helped me as I was filled with fear and losing hope was sent to me from Heavenly Father. I do not know who he was. I do not know how he knew that I needed help in that time. I do not know how he knew to be there. I do not know the details. I don't know why the people in Buenos Aires believe that I contacted someone from the church, but I do know this: The power of prayer is real. As this story was related to me and I was filled with awe and humility of the love that Heavenly Father has for us, as I realized just how protected I was, I realized just how real the power of prayer is. As I fervently prayed, the Elders in the offices fervently prayed, and as many of you have told me that you felt to fervently pray for me in that time as well - I know that all of those prayers were answered. All of those prayers brought that man with the white hair in a shirt and red tie to me in my time of need. I was part of an amazing miracle. I am astonished at the love that Heavenly Father has for us. I am humbled as I recognize that His finger was in every part of my travels that day, His hand led me. His hand also led not only me, but angels into my path. I am reminded of a quote by President Kimball "God does notice us, and He watches over us. But it is usually through another person that he meets our needs." I know that angels were prayed into my life that day. I don't know how the man at the airport got there or knew to be there. I don't know how he knew who I was, but I will be forever grateful for the answer to prayer he was in my life. To me he truly is an angel - a blessing sent to me from God in my time of need.  He was an answer to the prayers of so many. I am also so grateful that Buenos Aires called Elder Ruesch to tell them I was safe. When I was in the airport, before I entered the gate, I turned to the white-haired-man and asked him to please let President Gates know that I was safe, I asked him twice, and both times he smiled and reassured me not to worry, he would take care of it. Elder Ruesch also asked me how I knew what airport to tell the cab driver to go (there are more than 2 airports in Buenos Aires). I only told the cab driver to go to the "other airport", but somehow, miraculously, he took me to the correct airport. Somehow, miraculously, I just so happened to have enough extra cash to pay for a cab. And somehow, miraculously, I was able to even find what flight to get on - Elder Ruesch had also forgotten to give me my flight itinerary in the morning, all I knew was that my flight left at about 9 and I needed to be in some airport somewhere in Buenos Aires. The taxi driver was a blessing to me and the man in the airport was a life saver. The complete peace and comfort I felt in his presence was undeniable. I know that he was sent to protect me and help me in that moment. He was an answer to prayers and sent from Heavenly Father. I am so astonished that I was blessed to be protected. I am so astonished at just how aware Heavenly Father is of all of us. He keeps His promises. He does send "armies of angels to bear you up" He will help us as long as we show forth our faith (Ether 6:12). We are given so many promises in our lives and in the scriptures from our Father in Heaven. I know that He wants to keep those promises, He wants to bless us, He wants to protect us. We must show forth our faith in Him and He will bless us. I know that the faith filled prayers of so many brought me home yesterday. I stand all amazed at the amazing miracle it was that I was brought home safely. I am so thankful, humble, and filled with gratitude and love for all of you and my Father in Heaven. I am so thankful for all of the prayers that made this miracle possible, and for the amazing love and protection of a caring Father in Heaven that made this miracle possible, and brought me home safely.

I love you all. I thank you for your prayers and love.

With a heart filled with love and gratitude,

Raquel Anderson

One More Miracle

Hola Family and Friends!

I thank you so much for your prayers for me this last week, they honestly brought me home. Although I am home, I still wanted to share this one last miracle with you. And here it is: So on Tuesday morning all of the missionaries finishing their missions and I went to the airport in Mendoza for a flight from Mendoza to Buenos Aires, from there we were going to be given transport to a different airport in Buenos Aires where we would wait all day for our flight to leave at 9:00 that evening. There was just one tiny little problem...The finance secretary, bless his sweet little heart, had forgotten to purchase me a ticket for the morning flight. I had a ticket from Buenos Aires home, just not from Mendoza to Buenos Aires... *sighs... yeah. So when all the other missionaries flew out from Mendoza, I was put on a wait list for a flight at 12:50 and for a flight at 5:00. President Goates felt so bad for this whole situation that he let me come back to the mission home with him and Hermana Goates, and while I elevated and iced my knee I got to talk to my mom - that was a nice blessing that came out of this situation:) Then at 12:50 we returned to the airport, I didn't get the waitlist, so we went back to the mission home. Thankfully, when the 5:00 flight came around there was one person that didn't show, so I got the seat!! YAY! Now, before boarding the plane, I triple, quadruple checked with the finance secretary (bless his sweet little heart) to make sure that someone would be at the airport in Buenos Aires to transfer me to the other international airport in Buenos Aires to make my next flight. He reassured me that he would call and take care of everything. So I got on the plane! It landed in Buenos Aires at about 6:30 in the evening, after getting my bags I went out to meet the person who was gonna take me to the other airport. Guess what happened? Yup! No one was there!!! AHHHHHH!!!! I was so scared out of my mind! I had no phone, no idea what President Goates number was (so if I even had a phone I couldn't call), didn't know if I should take a taxi, didn't know if the person was running late - yup! I also was aware that it was about a 1 hour drive to get to the other airport and that once I got to the other airport I would still have to check in and go through security before I could board the plane, needless to say, I was completely desperate! I was praying fervently, trying to not be too scared, and finally at about 7:10 I decided to take a leap of faith and jump in a cab. - Yes, a foreign, 19-year old, white girl jumped into a cab in Argentina - oh yeah, speaking only Spanish - THE GIFT OF TONGUES IS REAL! Thankfully, the man driving the taxi was a very, very nice man. I informed him of when my next flight was and he was glad to get me there as fast as he could (for a little extra money, obviously, but thankfully I'd had some extra with me to give). Anyways during this cab ride he wanted to know about the church, so I shared the basics with him and we had a good talk...in Spanish! (at the end he even gave me his number so I could give it as a referral!) During this whole ride though, I was very worried because of this reason: I don't think I would know how to work my way around an airport in English, let alone in Spanish! So I kindly asked the nice cab driver (Micheal) if he knew what I was suppose to do when I got there. And wow! He was so nice! When we got there he got out of the cab, took my luggage, and took me up to check in right away to get me where I needed to be - How nice! Then he left. There was only one problem, the lady checking me in informed me that I was in the wrong terminal, I needed to be on THE COMPLETE OPPOSITE END of the airport! AHHH!! My flight was boarding in 15 minutes, I hadn't checked in, gone through security, and I was in the wrong place. So I took my luggage and tried my best to run (it was a limp run - with around 100lbs of luggage dragging behind me). When I arrived in the part of the airport that I thought was the right place, it was completely empty. My heart dropped! There was a worker near by, so I asked her where Delta was and she told me it was where I had just come from - yeah, I knew that wasn't right so I decided just to give up and ask her for a phone to call my parents to get the number for my mission President and go from there. She didn't have one. But she pointed me to a terminal that was just a little ways away and said I could try there. I had a little hope left in me, so I decided to try my best. I walked as fast as I could (I couldn't run anymore) to try to get to this terminal on time. As I was walk-limping and losing hope I heard the most relieving thing in the world! I heard someone say "Hermana!" I looked up and I saw a man! I didn't know who he was, and he didn't have a name-tag, but relief filled my heart when I saw him! He told me that he had been waiting for me, and was beginning to wonder if I wasn't going to make it. I asked him if he had been at the other airport too, and he said no just this one. He took me to check-in (right to the front of the line), got my bags checked and my tickets, then he took me to the gate that I needed to enter. I thanked him with all the energy that I had (which wasn't very much) and then he was off. Thankfully I made it through security and arrived at the boarding area just as all the other missionaries were boarding the plane. Wow. I still stand in awe just thinking of every tender mercy that God blessed me with during that time. He was in every detail, protecting me every step of the way. I was lost and scared, but was blessed with people, who acted as angels to guide my way, to help ensure my safe arrival at the boarding area of the airplane. I was blessed with strength in the language, physically, emotionally, spiritually, and in every way you could think of along the way. It was an incredible blessing. I know that God was protecting me and helping me get home safely. I'm so grateful for the cab driver, that "third Nephite" (what I like to call the man in the airport), and Heavenly Father and my Savior for every detail and tender mercy they blessed me with in getting me home safely. Thank you all so much for your prayers.

We will try to keep you updated along the way as we find out more information about my recovery process. We went to the doctor today, but don't really know too much, because I need to get an MRI before they can do anything else.

I love you all. I loved every minute of my mission and don't regret one second of it. I hope to be able to recover well enough to return - I hope that it is in God's will for me to return to the mission field. I know which ever way this goes, He will be with me and He will continue to lead me and guide me. I know that God has great love for each of us. We are His children. He is our Father. He will guide us. How wonderful of a blessing is that?! If we let Him, He will guide our way back home, and shape us into the people that He knows we have the potential to become. I love and like you all. Thank you for everything.

Con mucho amor,

Raquel Anderson

A Thankful Heart

Dear Family and Friends,

This week has been quite an emotional rollercoaster for me. On Tuesday I went to Mendoza because President Goates wanted to talk. I´m so glad he did. He gave me such comforting advice, a Priesthood blessing, and a specific scripture that has been dear to my heart since we talked. It´s D&C 124:49, very comforting for me - and I know it applies to everyone when we ¨fall short¨, not just me. Basically for the next 2-3 days my knee was in so much pain that I could barely walk so I rested and iced and rested some more during those days. Thankfully the rest worked well enough to the point that I could walk again, but it didn´t heal my knee, so I’ll still be returning home for a short time. Also sadly, Gustavo was not baptized:( He couldn´t drop those last two cigarettes. These two are very hard for him because he started smoking when he was 12 (now he´s about 45 or 50) and he used to smoke 60 cigarettes a day, so 2 is good! But it is still 2 too many. But it is okay, I have faith in him. And I know that although I won´t be able to attend his baptism, it still counts, and I still feel blessed to have been a part of this process with him.

I want to tell you all the feelings of my heart. I have had lots of time to reflect on my feelings and experiences this week. I must tell you how thankful I am that I have been privileged to serve a mission. I do feel a bit jipped that I have to take a break, but looking back on all I´ve been blessed to learn all I can feel is gratitude for those experiences I was privileged to have. I learned so much in the MTC, and no, I don´t mean from my classes, those too, but more so I learned so much from all the experiences I had there. I had a very different MTC experience than most, but I wouldn´t change it for the world. I was blessed to recognize the hand of our Father in Heaven in my life. I learned so much about His love for us. I know He cares about us. I know He is aware of us in every situation, and He will help us through anything because He wants us to succeed too. We are His children. He loves us more than we can comprehend. And He is in our lives, He is so present in all of our lives. We only need to open our eyes and see all the blessings He gives us in each moment. I know that God is in every detail. I am so grateful that He is. I am so grateful that in the MTC I was able to feel the strengthening and enabling power of the Atonement so many times in my life. Christ knows our joys and our sorrows, our fears and our struggles, and the amazing thing is He helps us in them! Christ succeeded in performing the Atonement! He rose on the third day, because of this He can help us in our trails, in our very moments of fear and sorrow, He knows how to comfort us and how to strengthen us to help us, and He wants to. I learned so much from my experiences at the MTC, and I will be forever grateful for the knowledge and love that I gained there. I have learned so much here in Argentina as well, and no I don´t just mean Spanish. I have learned so much about how precious the Gospel truly is and I have seen it change lives. No, I haven´t had any baptisms of my own, but I have seen the Gospel change lives. I have seen people go from being so sad and having no purpose for life to poco a poco growing in hope and realizing a purpose for living. I have seen the Spirit work through me and work through others. I have felt the gift of tongues. I have felt the promise of my mouth being able to be filled. I have felt knowledge come to my remembrance in the very moment I needed it. I have felt love, I have seen so much how love can change the hearts and lives of people. Mostly I have learned about God´s love for each of His children. It doesn´t matter if you live in the U.S.A. or in Argentina or in the North Pole, God loves all His children the same. And He wants the same thing for each of them: To return to live with Him again in eternal happiness. It doesn´t matter what sins you have committed or haven´t committed, God loves us all the same. We are His children. We are all on the same path. I am so sad to leave Argentina tomorrow, I hate thinking about it, but I know this. It doesn´t matter if I am in Argentina or not, I will still strive every day to be the daughter I promised to be and strive to turn my heart out towards others. Share what love I have, strive to be charitable towards others, and strive to help everyone be able to gain the peace that I know the Gospel can bring. I hope with all my heart to be able to return here to Argentina again after this little detour. But if not, I will go where God desires me to go, and I will go willingly. Thank you all for your prayers for me throughout these past 3 months. I have felt the strength of them and have felt your love as well. I love you all. I am sad to go, but I feel so blessed and so much gratitude that I have been blessed to serve for the time that I have. I know God is in the details of all our lives. He loves you. Personally. With flaws or without, He wants us to become perfected so we can return home to His loving arms again. I know this is true. I desire to leave this testimony with you in the sacred name of our loving Savior, Jesus Christ, our brother, Amen.

With much love, tears, and gratitude,

Hermana Anderson

A Shattered Heart

Dear family and friends,

This week I write to you with exactly that, a heart that feels like it’s been twisted and torn apart. But I’ll get to that a little later in my letter. First off thank you all for your prayers in my behalf, I have truly been able to feel them this week and believe that they are what has kept me strong for this long.

This week we had exchanges with the Sister Training Leaders in Mendoza!!! It was great!! There are two of them, one from Mexico and one from California. Luckily I was blessed to get the one from the States so we could speak English together;) But It was such a blessing to be able to talk with Sister Gonzalez (from Mexico), she said that she thinks that by the time I’m done with my mission I’ll sound like a native. She told me that my Spanish is very good and not only that but my accent is too!!! WooHoo!! just got to practice;) It’s pretty amazing cause now I can basically understand everything that everyone else says, and I’m getting to the point where I can say what I want to too – it’s still a little broken, but you all know it’s a process - poco a poco. Anyway those exchanges were great, except Sister Louris (my companion) and I didn’t get much work done, because the mission nurse (the enferma) wanted to get me a brace for my knee, an ice pack, stretches and stuff like that because I was in Mendoza (so obviously it made sense) and Sister Louris had health problems she needed to get worked out too, so we only taught like 2 lessons, but it was good and it was necessary! So that was fun!

Then things started to go downhill..... each day this week my knee has gotten increasingly worse and worse. I haven’t wanted to say anything too much about it to the enferma, my companion, or President Goates, because I don’t want to go home, but each day the pain has risen. So we got back from exchanges on Wednesday night and went to leave the pension, and honestly I felt like I couldn’t walk. I could walk, but there was lots of pain and it was very slowly. So we went to an appointment, but it was difficult for me to focus during the appointment because of the pain. That night (and each night since) I struggled to sleep because of the pain. My companion had noticed this increasing pain, the nurse had been keeping in contact with me and she had been telling President Goates my continual daily regression. So on Friday, I think, I got a call from President Goates. He asked me to tell him my situation from beginning to end, then he talked to doctors about it and on Saturday I got a phone call from him. He said this wasn’t a good situation, and that he was going to have to send me home. My heart broke.

I don’t want to leave here. I love it here. I love the work, I love the people, but in my broken heart I know that I can’t “serve with all my might, mind, and strength” if I have very little to give. My knee right now is hindering my ability to serve God with my all. He deserves my all, and I want to give my all. But I have hope! Although I am returning home, it’s only for a short time. After my knee has recovered with whatever therapies or surgeries or other remedies it may need, I can return! President Goates reassured me of this! I am so sad to have to leave, but I know it will only be “for but a small moment” and then I will be able to return to this service. I will be able to finish my mission.

President Goates wanted to send me home this week, but I asked him if I could PLEASE stay for one more week! Gustavo is getting baptized on Saturday! And although I know that it would still count even if I wasn’t there, I want so badly to be able to attend! Not to mention, if I leave, my companion will probably be taken to a different area for this week (cause there’s only one week left in this transfer) and so she wouldn’t be able to teach Gustavo the final two times this week or hold a baptism service for him. Thankfully I get to stay!!! I just need to have enough strength to get through this week. I am a little bit nervous for it, because the pain does increase more and more everyday, and sleeping is really getting difficult, but I don’t care! Gustavo is worth it! His soul is precious, I feel so privileged to have been a part of teaching him the Gospel, but I think he may have taught me more along the way. Yesterday in church we asked him about smoking, he still hasn’t been able to stop:/ but he has incredible faith! He told us in one our lessons that he believes that as soon as he is baptized the addiction he has will go away - I believe this too, but he still needs to stop. But yesterday he told us of a very special experience he had. He said he had a dream a couple of nights ago of a man. An older man with white hair and a white beard. In his dream the man told him that he was going to help him (Gustavo) stop smoking. Wow. Then Gustavo said that he believes this week he will be able to stop. He told us he didn’t know who the man was, but he believes that it wasn’t just an ordinary dream, it was an answer to his prayers. Gustavo’s heart is so strong and his desires to do right are so good. I am so blessed to have been a part of teaching him in this time, and am so, so happy that I get to see him enter the waters of baptism this Saturday!

I never wanted to be in this situation, in fact going home early from my mission was almost the last situation I ever wanted to be in. But know this: I am not going home early. I am simply having to “pause” my mission in order to recover so I can give more. I know this is a sacred, special work. I desire to give my all to this work. Right now I am trying to give all I have, but truth is right now I can’t. The truth is, if you can’t walk you can’t work. I am only going home because I know by so doing, by letting myself get the help I need, I will be able to become a more qualified servant of the Lord. My heart is here, my heart is in the work. I only desire to do the will of my Heavenly Father. This will only be for a moment. But be assured, I will finish the work that He has for me to do. And I know that God has a plan, I know that He is aware of me. He is aware of me in the situation, and He will take care of me. He will help me to become the missionary, and the daughter that He wants me to be. There are times in all our lives when our plans fall through, but I know that through each of those times and difficulties God is aware of us. I know that He will lead us through our trials. Christ knows us and how to help us through our struggles. If we’ll only give Him our hand He will lead us. He will take us by the hand, like He did for Peter, “He stretched forth His hand IMMEDIATELY.” Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ want us to succeed just as much and more than we even want to. They are on our team. They will help me through this trial, and I know that they will help each of you through yours too. This is not easy, I don’t want to return home, but I know that God will support me physically, emotionally, and spiritually through this. God will never punish us for serving Him willingly. I know God will help me and enable me to do His will for me. I desire only to serve Him. Christ and our Father in Heaven love us so much, I know during this time I can trust them, and although for a couple of months I won’t be able to wear the missionary nametag, I can still serve them. I desire to do so, and I desire to return to the mission field after my recovery.

I love you all. I thank you for your prayers, please keep praying that I might be able to have strength to see Gustavo make precious covenants this weekend. Please know that I know this church is true. I desire only to serve God. I know that just as He will help me through this time, He will help you as well. I know that He loves me, and I know that He loves you, He is our Father. Because of His love for us, He will always help us. Christ and our Father in Heaven will never leave us alone. I know this is true. And although my knee and heart are broken, I know because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, our brother, both my heart and my knee can be healed, and can become stronger than they were before. With more abilities to serve others, our Savior, and our Heavenly Father. I know this is possible, and I know that it is a blessing that applies to all men, not just me, but to those I am blessed to teach as well, and to you in each of your lives.

I love and like you all!

Thank you for your prayers.

Hermana Anderson

(A note from Raquel's Dad -- I believe Raquel will be leaving Argentina on Tuesday, February 9, and arrive here in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, February 10. We have an appointment with a doctor set up for the next day.)

The Bike-less Week

Hola Family and Friends!!!

I hope this letter finds you all happy and well! I have had a pretty great week myself, if I can say so:) Clearly, as you can see from the title, this week we had no bikes! You see, we had thought that maybe they just ran out of air, but after refilling the tires 2 times and having them deflate within about 20 minutes of riding them, we knew it was a hopeless cause. I have thoroughly enjoyed every minute of being able to talk with and get to know Hermana Bautista a little bit better, however, as with all things in life there are downfalls. First, apparently when all our appointments fall through and it’s hot, Hermana Bautista gets a little frustrated and doesn’t like to talk, and likes to walk in front of me and not tell me where we are going or anything like that - that makes me kind of sad because we are supposed to be a companionship! Preaching the Gospel side by side, not one in front of the other, I would try at times to talk and ask her questions and lift her spirits, but it didn’t really work. Luckily, this only happened for maybe 2 days during this week, the rest of the times we had enjoyable conversations! Now for the next one, sadly this downfall is a little worse than my companion being frustrated... and sadly this downfall is a scary one for me. My knee. - NOOOO!!!!!! Yeah, that’s right. Because of all the walking this week my knee (the one I injured 5ish years ago) has been giving me issues. It kept me up a couple of times because of the pain, and it has been a little distracting. I’ve talked to the nurse and we are trying to work something out - please PLEASE PLEASE! pray that maybe my knee can have the strength that it needs. I feel so much love for my mission and excitement to keep going, I don´t want to have to end because my knee was week - please pray.

But enough of the scary stuff – let’s talk about the happy moments this week! First, we had 6 investigators attend church this week!!!!! YAY!!!! And 8 less actives that we teach too!!! WOOOHOOO!!! The work is real! It was so great! I couldn´t stop smiling! Everyone in the congregation was probably wondering why the American at the piano couldn´t stop smiling the whole meeting, but how could I not?! It was so great!! Now second, let’s talk about an amazing lesson we had with Gustavo this week:

Background info: Gustavo has problems with the Word of Wisdom - he used to smoke close to 40 cigarettes a day, but in the past couple of years has knocked it down to 2 - go him! But... 2 a day is still 2 too many. bueno, now for the story.

So it was Tuesday and it was hot, and we were walking, and because of all these things we were late for our appointment (ugh! I hate being late) but it’s okay, cause Gustavo and Pres. Analiz were talking and having a great time together. Anyways, I had been a little bit nervous for this lesson because Gustavo is so golden and ready and wonderful, I didn’t know how he would react to the Word of Wisdom. As we taught, he was so humble so much that when we started to present a goal for him Hermana Bautista said, "okay for the rest of the week you can have 1-2 cigarettes a day and then next week do you think you can quit completely?" (except of course she said it in Spanish) and then Gustavo replied (in Spanish;)) ¨well if God wants me to stop now, then I want to stop now, and I know He’ll help me¨ Woah! Go Gustavo! It was amazing. During the lesson I kept getting this prompting to ask him if he wanted a Priesthood blessing, I was preparing myself for this, getting pumped up, trying to remember the Spanish to do so and then there was a break in the conversation - I knew this was my chance. I bore my testimony about how I knew that God would help Him quit because it’s His commandment and He wants Gustavo to keep it, so He will help him. Then I asked him if he would like to receive a blessing from Pres. Analiz, he said yes! (YAY) and then President gave the blessing. Wow. It was so powerful. I couldn’t understand everything that was said, but from what I could hear it was exactly the blessing that Gustavo needed, and it wasn’t just about power to stop smoking, it was also about Heavenly Father’s love for Him and joy in Him coming to the Gospel. The Spirit in the room was so strong. At the end of the blessing President was crying, and after Gustavo opened his eyes he started putting his hand over his chest. He had a look on his face that I don’t think I could ever forget and he said “I have heat in my chest”, and then he just sat there and took in the feeling of the Spirit. It really was incredible. It was like one of those moments that you only ever hear about - how incredible that I was blessed to be a part of that! I feel so blessed to be able to have been a part of that, and to be able to be a part of this experience of bringing sons and daughters of God unto Him. I am lucky to be and instrument in the hands of God at this time. I know the power of the priesthood is real. I know this church is true. I know God loves each of us, is aware of each of us, and wants to help each of us to be able to return to Him. It’s amazing!

I am so blessed to be a part of this work at this time. Although the heat is ¨bastante¨ (sooooooo hot), my body gets tired, or my knee may hurt - none of this seems to matter when I think of the people I am serving. I would (and do) walk for hours in the heat just to teach a lesson - that is because this Gospel is true. That’s because this work is so important. It’s because everyone of God´s children deserves to know the joy that this Gospel can bring them. How am I so blessed?

I love you all! I wish I could tell you about every moment I’ve had this week, but there’s just no time! I hope you have a great week!

Love and like you!

Hermana Anderson

Feliz Cumplemes 2!!!

Hola!

Feliz Cumplemes today! Wow can you believe that I have been a missionary for 2 whole months?! At times it feels like just yesterday I said goodbye in Provo, and then at other times it feels it's been over 2 years! Time is so strange, but no matter how it feels I've been doing this work for 2 whole months! And I almost have 3 weeks in Argentina too! Woah! Believe it or not, time is marching on:)

So this week I have discovered that although I'm thankful for my bike because the area we cover is so big, it is my biggest trial. The problem with the bike is we ride for so long and then get off and right away go into a lesson - where quite honestly I don't say much, because half of the time I don't know what is going on (but I'm trying to be better... poco a poco) - anyway this gives me a lot of think time. Which I appreciate a little bit of think time, but the sad thing is, I think I get too much of it, because I end up thinking of family, or what will happen in 16 months, and it kind of brings on homesickness (not really terrible homesickness, but enough that it distracts me and makes my heart a little sad). I discovered that this was the problem on Friday. Here is what happened on Friday: We had a full morning with appointments with new investigators and appointments with other investigators, I was very excited! Then every. single. one of them. fell through!!! NOOOOO!!!! Both Hermana Bautista and I were sad and frustrated with this, especially cause we were so excited, anyways we ended up having to ride our bikes for probably about 3 hours and had no success whatsoever... yeah so that morning I had about 3 hours of think time, while feeling upset, and I discovered that this is the problem. When I'm on the bike I can´t talk with people, or really be myself with anyone so I get more sad. BUT! Then I had a blessing! On Saturday evening we had just finished a lesson and were out visiting with an investigator, when we got ready to leave I got on my bike and realized that I had a flat tire, and when I say a flat tire, I mean it was completely flat! Then Hermana Bautista looked at her tire and she had one too! Completely no air! - Yeah we don't know how it happened (I joked that it was the Jehovah's Witness' missionaries that always glare at us - SABOTAGE! - but that probably wasn't appropriate, so pretend I didn't mention it;)) Anyways, I don't know how it happened, but it was an incredible blessing, because for the rest of the night on Saturday we got to walk and talk with each other while working and on Sunday we got to do the same thing! Ha who would've known that a bike would be my biggest trial, and a flat tire a great blessing? Now I know that I will have to get back on the bike because our area is so big in order to really serve the most people that we can bikes are the answer, but this has given me hope! Hope in the knowledge that at least I know where feelings of homesickness come from (too much time alone - probably yet another reason we have companions), and I also know how to solve it. The answer is get out of your own head and talk! I also have hope in knowing that most other areas in the mission are walking areas, so most likely for the most part of my mission, I won't have this problem:)

I am growing to love the people here more each day. Everything in life is a process, we just need a little bit of patience, and know that it will come. The language, is still difficult, but it's coming. Haha it's funny because now I can understand most of what Hermana Bautista is saying, because I know her accent and I can understand her better than others. So it's funny because someone will say something to me (in Spanish) and if I don't understand I'll turn to Hermana Bautista and she'll say the exact same thing (in Spanish) and I'll understand! Ha the people usually think that it´s weird because she's just "translating" Spanish to Spanish, but it's coming! It's a step in the process:) I'm so grateful for that, and I'm getting to the point where I am teaching in every lesson, I can't quite understand everything the people say, but I know how to testify of the truthfulness of the Gospel and God's love for all of us, and right now, that is enough. At the MTC I was told speaking Espanglish¨ is an act of faith. I believe here that opening my mouth in a lesson and trying my best to speak Spanish is an act of faith too. And I have seen God with me during the lessons, guiding my words, and giving me the words that I need to say in the very moment that I need to say them. I know that God is helping me in this. He is on my side. He wants me to succeed too, He has and I know He will continue to help and bless me in this work.

One last thing that was sad and strange... We had a really good investigator this past week that we met while tocando las puertas, Martha. She seemed so ready for the message of the Gospel, so sweet, so wanting to learn, everything. Then when we started coming to her house more frequently she told us that her husband didn't like us coming so we said that we could meet at the chapel or a member´s house and she said that would be great. So we set up an appointment at the chapel, and she didn't come:( When we went to her house the next day she told us that her husband said she couldn't see us anymore, or any religion anymore. Apparently he believes in what they call the ¨Santa Muerta¨.. or holy death... apparently he actually worships the devil... like prays to Satan... WHAT?! That's a thing??? How does that even make sense? If you could choose to worship someone that was loving and merciful and has your best interest in mind, or someone who was the complete opposite, why would you ever choose the other? Some things just don´t make sense... anyways, we had to stop seeing Martha, because we don't want to cause problems, but I don't know. I wish I knew how to help her. She told us some of her problems, and I know that the Gospel is what she needs. I want her to have the peace that it offers, but we can't go if we aren't welcome or if we are causing problems... I just wish there was something we could do to help her. It's so sad to see these things happen sometimes.

Well overall it's been a successful week! Gustavo is still progressing! And some of our other investigators are progressing in every aspect except coming to church, so we'll hope to know for a way to help them come to church next Sunday!

I love and like you all so much! I hope you having a good week and doing well!
Suuuure love ya!

Hermana Anderson

ps
the hot dogs here are incredible! They're called panchos.. and wow.. we had these ones that were longer than my arm, but literally if Argentina knows how to do anything (other than soccer) right, it's ice cream and hot dogs!

Mucho Amor

(A little note from Raquel's Dad)

I know some of you have requested a mailing address from Raquel. However, they don't really have addresses and mail delivery in Argentina like we have here in the States. She told me she lives in the blue building, second floor, etc. Anyway, I asked the Mission Office and they confirmed that there is not really mail delivery -- however, if you would like to send her a litter, you can send it to the mission office and they will deliver it to her. (However, DO NOT send any packages. Apparently the Argentine government confiscates or destroys any and all packages originating from the United States.) Here is the address:

Hermana Raquel Anderson

Misión Argentina Mendoza

Casilla de Correo 631

Mendoza 550

Argentina

Hermanas Anderson and Bautista

(Post written by Raquel's Father.)

I realized today while looking at Raquel's Blog that I never posted a picture of Raquel and her trainer. So here is a picture of Hermana Anderson and Hermana Bautista. Hermana Bautista is about half way through her mission and is from Mexico.

Hermana Bautista and Hermana Anderson

Jumping in and gettin' all wet! -- Literally!

¡Hola! Mi familia y mis amigas!

In some ways it´s hard to believe that it has already been a week and in other ways it feels like its been an eternity since I last wrote! As you can see, this week I get to write on a computer that is a little bit less of a dinosaur and the keyboard is a little bit better! Still a little bit different, but not as much - thank goodness!

This week has been well... wet;) as you can tell by the title of this email. ha it has rained almost everyday this week! But I have enjoyed it, because if it´s not raining then it´s hot so I enjoy the rain much better. Hermana Bautista and I are on bikes so we've enjoyed more than one really nice wet rain ride. All of my skirts are polka-dotted with mud spots from the dirt roads, but that´s okay, because today is laundry day too! Ha one really good rain story real quick. I guess there is a cute little leak in the roof right above where I sleep, because one night this week I was enjoying a pleasant sleep when all of a sudden I feel this wet thing fall on my forehead, and then another, and then another! Yup there is a leak right above my head, thankfully I was able to be awake enough to realize that I could turn around and put my feet where my head was so I was able to fall back to sleep just fine:)

Oh! We have one progressing investagtor! His name is Gustavo! He came to church the past two Sunday´s and has a baptismal date for the 30th of this month! WooHoo! And what makes it really great is he is friends with the branch President so we have appointments at his house and he gives us Coke! (like everyone gives us either coke or tang to drink - I guess I´m going to come back really loving coke...)

Hmmm... what more?? Ha all of the members like to practice their English on me... I´m pretty sure I can understand their Spanish better than I can their English, but hey it´s all good! I´m just thankful to have a little bit of English amongst this pool of Spanish I feel like I am drowning in. But be sure that I know that the gift of tongues is real and that I can feel and see how the Lord is helping me to learn this language.. poco a poco ... it will come. I know it will. I´m beginning to be able to understand my companion more and more each day and to communicate better with her too! I Absolutely love her! She´s great:) Ha the people that we teach are saying that my accent is rubbing off on her;) She probably doesn't like to hear that, but I think that it´s funny! Also, this is weird, honestly absolutely everyone here doesn't think they speak Spanish, they think the speak Castillano... yeah so Castillano is the name of the accent they have, not their language! It would be like the people in England saying they don´t speak English, they speak the Queen's English... which I guess they say that too, but I just think it's funny. Spanish is Spanish!

I had interviews with the mission President this week. I was really really down beforehand, feeling overwhelmed, very homesick, many stressful feelings, but in my interview President Goates gave me a Priesthood blessing, let me call my mom, and gave me very good spiritual uplifting counsel. I have been so much better since then! I´m so grateful for my President!

Also this: Apparently they have to send lots of missionaries home with knee issues here because the ground is so uneven and we walk a lot. Luckily right now I am in an area that is so large they give us bikes, but I won´t always be. I´m just a little bit nervous because I have had knee problems in the past, so please pray for me that my knees will be strong enough to help carry me through my mission:) Thank you!

Oh one last thing! I miss the temple so much! This week I've really wished that I could go - so love the temple, and never take the opportunity to attend for granted! The first day I get back I want to go to a session;)

I love and like you all! Thank you for your prayers for me this week - I've truly been able to feel them.

Con mucho amor,

Hermana Anderson

P.S.

The ice cream here is the best thing in the whole world - so good!!! Drowning in Spanish is worth it because of the ice cream... and because of the work too;)

What a Week!

wow. life is crazy. first off the keyboards here are strange, so i'm not going to use caps unless its super important, so yeah. anyways here goes...

i loved loved loved talking to you in the airport. i wish that i could have more but sadly i couldn't because our flights were delayed. yeah lets talk about flying. i definitely prefer driving. now you may think that is strange because i get car sick when i drive, well lets just say i didn't know what motion sickness was until i flew for almost 16 hours straight. yeah... i got really sick, but it was a good experience. on the long flight from Atlanta to Mendoza i sat next to a man who was really curious why i would leave my family and friends for 18 months to go to a country where i didn't speak the language. it was a great opportunity to explain to him about our church. after we had finally landed in Argentina Hermanas Christensen, Brown, Lee, and I all had dinner at the presidents home and spent the night in a hotel. the next day we had a small orientation and got our companions. my companion is named Hermana Bautista. i love her so much. she is a great example, shes been out in the field for 9 months and is very comforting. the only thing that is difficult about her is, ha no not that she passes out haha, but she's from Mexico, as such she is fluent in Espanol and knows just about zero English... aaaaahhhhhhh. its difficult for me to communicate, but she helps me and i can see myself progressing in the understanding of the language and in the speaking of the language daily. poco a poco. this week we taught a couple of lessons, we don't have any progressing investigators right now so we've asked for a lot of references and done a lot of tracking too, but we were able to teach a few. ha yeah... some went better than others. in one lesson we were teaching the lady actually got up during our lesson and started washing a pile of dishes. she wasn't very receptive to the message, but i'm glad that we could help her make the time to do household chores. *winking face. also, i remember lots of people told me that there are lots of blonds in Argentina... yeah i don't know what they were talking about cause there aren't. ha i'm definitely the only person that looks like me here. ha everyone askes me where i'm from and i say the US and they all say, yup i knew it. ha but sometimes its not that great like during lessons i'm a distraction sometimes. we were teaching one lady and right in the middle of the first vision she looks at me and turns to my companion and says 'she's beautiful' ha how nice, but compared the the first vision, that compliment was a distraction also little kids look at me funny... sad.... ha but its okay. I feel like Brad (Paisley) 'I know what it's like to be the only one like me... I know what it's like to talk and have nobody understand.'

so for this week also things about the culture

• I love the food, they have this pizza that isn't really pizza at all but its good. also the lasagna is good.
• everyone drives like the harry potter night bus
• they put eggs in lasanga
• they eat 2 meals for lunch and no dinner
• they don't have levers on the toilet so you have to reach into the top part of the toilet to flush it... gross... but you wash your hands so mom don't freak out about that.
• busses don't really stop when letting you on or off and they dont really close the doors either
• when it rains it really rains and its really loud on our apartment roof
• everyone and their dog has a dog
• you clap outside gates, people have gates surrouing their front door
• all keys are like super old fashioned looking
• there is like no grass except at the church

Love you all

Hermana Anderson