Being Transfered!

Elder Anderson is doing great!  His mom on the other hand has slacked a little in keeping up this blog for him and those who are interested in how he is doing.  She apologizes and will try to do better in the future.  Elder Anderson has been busy the last few months in Champaign, IL mostly trying to find new contacts to teach.  Some weeks have been rough with lots of dropped appointments and doors shut in their faces.  In July they got a little break and got to attend a "Super Activity" in St Louis.  The first day was spent visiting the Arch and going to a Cardinals game, which was a highlight for Kody.  The next day was spent in a more spiritual atmosphere where they heard a lot of inspirational talks.  This really gave Elder Anderson a needed boost.  He also recently celebrated his 20th birthday.  He is not too sure about getting "older".  He wants to stay young all his life.  We know he will always be young at heart!  He got spoiled on his special day with breakfast and lunch from Sister Price and dinner with the Bishop's family and the Goodrich's  He said he ate so much that the next morning he felt like he had a food hangover.  He has loved serving in this area and for the members in his ward.  Last week,  Elder Anderson found out that he was being transferred to St. Louis.  While he is excited about the new opportunities that lie ahead, he knows he will miss many that he has grown to love.  He has already made mom and dad promise to bring him back one day so that we can see and feel what he has for the past 7 months.  He will now be serving in the Carondolet 2 area in South St Louis.  His new companion is Elder Vaka who is from Oakland CA.  He was really excited because he met Elder Vaka at the Super Activity and knew he would one day serve with him.  He just didn't know how soon.  Elder Anderson is so grateful for the experiences he is having and for the growth of his testimony.  He loves serving the Lord and knows he is where he needs to be right now.  He loves and appreciates all the letters and those who continue to support him through letters and packages. 

Missionary day at a St Louis Cardinal game

St Louis Cardinal Game

New bibs!  Made by members to keep those white shirts clean!

A Missionary's life

Service work at the local museum in Mohamet, IL

Preacher Anderson!

Elder Anderson's 20th birthday

Elder Anderson and Kevin Brazell

The Brazells.  One of Elder Anderson's favorites!

On June 23, 2012 Elder Anderson had one of the greatest experiences of his mission.  He was able to baptize a family that he feels very close to and tracted out in his area.  He truly feels that they are one of the main reasons he was sent to the Missouri, St Louis mission.  In his recent email he said his feelings were best described in the scripture John 14:27...."Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you; not as the world giveth, give I unto you.  Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."  He is also very excited to called as a trainer this week.  He will be welcoming his new missionary on Wednesday.  He feels it is a great honor to get to train and start a missionary off right.  He wants to be the kind of example that his trainer was for him.  He continues to be excited about the work and the opportunity to serve.

The Brazell Family baptism

Elder Anderson with Kevin

Always having fun!

Elder Anderson & Elder Oberle playing in the park

Enjoying P-day

Elder Anderson was very excited about his first baptism on May 26, 2012.  This was a young man who was in a part member family and had made the choice to be baptized.  He expressed his feelings like this...."Oh Mom, this is seriously one of the best feelings ever, to see someone you teach get baptized.  It was just incredible!!"  He is also excited that a family that he and his companion tracted out have set the date of June 23 for their baptism.  He has gotten very close to the Brazell family and in one of his recent letters he said, "I truly know that this family is one of the many reasons that I needed to serve.  They have been one of the biggest blessings to me and truly have changed my life just by seeing the spirit they have and how much they try and serve our Heavenly Father."  


Recently he and his companion got to participate in a youth conference.  He met a young man from his dad's old mission area of Kankakee, IL.  He was visiting a friend from the ward Elder Anderson is serving.  He writes...."It was also a testimony builder of following the spirit because before we left to youth conference I was debating whether to bring my backpack or not and then I had this strong feeling to bring it.  My companion did not bring his and when we got there, this young man asked if we had a Book of Mormon.  Luckily, I followed the spirit and was able to sit and talk with him and send a book home for him and his mom."  Elder Anderson loves to share the gospel whether or not it means he gets a baptism.  He knows he is planting seeds all over.  Just recently a young man they met and introduced the gospel too  was also baptized by the elders they had to turn him over to because he didn't live in their area.  


He continues to love the area he is in and his companion.  He also loves the people he is serving and his testimony is growing stronger and stronger every day.  

Elder Anderson's first baptism!

                                                         

"One of the best feelings ever!"

                                    

Performing at Youth Conference

                                                       

Mother's Day Call

Momma Anderson was a very happy mother on May 13th!  She and many others had the chance to talk to Elder Anderson via Skype.  We are happy to report that he is doing very well.  He is currently being very well taken care of in Champaign, IL.  He loves the area and the members.  Recently he said "such great member missionaries and just always willing to help the missionaries.  Something else that's really cool about the ward is that Elder David A. Bednar's son is in it and we go on team ups with him all the time.  So.....I live in a Patriarch's home where I feel the spirit all the time, and have been able to learn great things from him, and I have an apostles son in my ward where I can see and learn from his example!  Oh the blessings keep on coming!"  One thing that we have noticed about Kody's letters is that they are always upbeat and positive.  Even one week when all they did was tract for miles and have doors shut in their face.  He was still happy and knew that if just one person listened to their message that it was all worth it.  He is looking forward to his first baptism this Friday.  He is very excited and feels very blessed.  He is feeling a little more stressed and busy lately as he has been made Senior companion.  He is also teaching a family that he found out tracting.  He really loves this family and is excited that they have been to church for the past 3 weeks!  He would also like everyone to know that the letters are starting to slow down.  So, get out that pen and paper and let him know what is going on with you.  He would love to hear from you!

He still has it!!

Our wannabe Heisman winner

Champaign Zone

Kody's Mother's day picture gram!  It made Mom Cry!

Family that Elder Anderson is currently teaching

A long week of nothing but biking, tracting, and closed doors

Elder Anderson & Elder Perkes

Lovin' their guitars

Fishin' with the Patriarch

The Lord will provide!

Second Area - Champaign, IL

Elder Anderson is loving his new area! His companion is Elder Perkes from Rexburg, ID. They get along great and both love playing the guitar. They are living in the basement of a Patriarch and he is now in a ward and feels very blessed to have a dinner calendar!!! There is also a fish pond in the area and last P-day Bro Price took them fishing. He was happy that he caught 4 fish. He has had some great experiences so far. Last week he told us of his experience with a lady named Dianne that he had just met for the first time. He said "we went in and started talking about her beliefs in all of us living together before and knowing each other. She then looked at me and said 'I don't know how but I feel like I know you and that you're supposed to help me in some way...' I bore my testimony to her about the pre-earth life and how we all did live together and that I am here to help her to find the truth. It was such a great spirit packed learning moment for me. " Later in the week they tracted out a man that started asking about what missionaries do. They told him that they had just walked 3 miles to find him and he asked if they had bikes. At the time Kody had yet to get a bike. He explained to the man that he had not yet had the opportunity to get a bike and so he gave Kody a bike! He had just gotten a new one, so he gave Kody his other one. He said "the Lord definitely will provide!" They were also able to teach a 1st discussion to him and his wife. He is very grateful for the experiences he is having and the opportunities he has to bear witness of His Savior and the Gospel.

Kody has just received his first transfer, and it came as a surprise! He got a call from his zone leaders last night letting him know that he was being sent to Illinois on and emergency transfer. He had just written to us yesterday saying that this trio companionship that he is in has been great and that he really gets along with his companions well. I know he also has a great love for all the people in the Potosi area that he came to know. He was just saying what a great week they had and that he even took on some young skaters that they passed and made an agreement with them that if he beat them in a skating contest that they would take a Book of Mormon. Well, he won, of course. They were also starting to get a lot of member referrals and was excited about the prospects. This first area has been a great one for Kody and I know he will miss it. But, with change will come new opportunities that will continue to strengthen him and his testimony. Elder Anderson is loving his mission and truly understands the role that he is playing as the Savior's ambassador. He loves the people and teaching the gospel. He wants everyone to know his new address which is on this blog and to continue to write!

Elder Anderson has been working very hard! And some of that hard work is starting to pay off. Their teaching pool is growing and they have committed a few people to baptism. In one of his recent letters he says, "I really have some strong bonds with a lot of our investigators; it's like teaching a friend. In the 3 months that I have been out here I have learned soooo much and I am so thankful that I decided to go on a mission. It really has changed my perspective on life and also on this gospel and how beautiful it truly is. One of my new favorite scriptures in the Book of Mormon is 2 Nephi 1:15. It gives me a lot of comfort and explains how my Heavenly Father has been there for me." Kody has two new companions. He is co-training with another Elder who has been out about 9 months. He is training them to take over his area and will probably be moving in the next transfer. Recently had a scare when Kody told us he had been in a car accident. They were on their way to a dinner appointment and the road wasn't marked very well and they ended up off the road and in a 12 ft ditch. He suffered a slight neck sprain and a small concussion, but thankfully he and his companion are both okay. He is also continuing to develop his other talents with playing the guitar and singing. He has come out of his shell a bit and now singing as well as playing thanks to Elder Marshall. He recently played "A poor wayfaring man of grief" He also loves to write and recently sent home this poem that I feel really shows the growth he is experiencing......

I Need You

One road that goes on and on till the end of time,
Step by step on this faintly painted line,
Walking and walking feeling there is no end,
The same things over and over nothing more than reoccurring trends.
Will there ever be change?
Will there ever be a time where this road won't seem the same?
Or am I doomed to keep walking down it with this unbearable shame.
I'm in need of light,
Or something to pull me away and to make everything feel right.
Something, to make everyday worth living,
Or something to make me a better human being.
I NEED YOU,
Because for you, I would go and do.
Because you are what makes me feel so brand new,
And is the one that has paid all my dues.
So, help me,
As I bow my head and fall to my knees,
And as I beg and as I plead,
Please be there and help me with all of my needs.
Because it's through you that I can be free,
And it's through you that I will be able to make it to that tree.
So please help me grab hold,
And help me to find guidance on this unbearable road.
So now lead me,
Guide me,
And oh please walk beside me,
Cause I am always in need of you,
Oh my Savior, I am always in need of you.

Elder Anderson sends his love to all his friends and family. He especially wants to thank all of those who helped to send him the "heart attack" He loved it and would probably have written all of you individually, but didn't have everyone's addresses. He loves you all and appreciates all your love and support!

Best Christmas present ever!!!

Mom got her best ever Christmas present this year....a skype call from Kody!!! It was so fun to talk to him and SEE that he was doing well. We talked for just over and hour. He is doing well and shared a few stories of experiences that he has had. He was able to get a guitar which he used to play some songs for his Zone Christmas devotional and he and his companion, Elder Marshall sang The First Noel at sacrament meeting in their branch on Christmas Day. They got spoiled on Christmas with many invites from members and were fed well. I think they wish some of that could be spread out. I asked him what the weirdest thing he has eaten so far is and he mentioned that he had chili that he dipped with bread that had peanut butter and syrup on it. He liked it and hopes to have it again.

Kody had officially had his first "high" on his misison. He and his Zone Leader were doing some service for one of the members. They primed and painted an upstairs room that apparently wasn't well ventilated. He said the worst of it was the next day when he suffered from a pretty bad headache. He is doing a lot of tracting lately in search of new people to add to their teaching pool. Recently they searched out a part member/inactive family who has been pretty receptive and has committed to come to church. His goal for the new year is to place at least one Book of Mormon a day. He knows that even this small effort could make a huge difference somewhere in someone's life. He is gaining an appreciation and growing testimony of this book and of it's power. He wants all of his friends and family to know of his love for them and appreciation of their support. And.....as a reminder.....he would love more letters.....KEEP WRITING!

Christmas in Missouri

First Christmas as a missionary

Not sure which companion he likes best...
Elder Marshall or the guitar???

Christmas tree!!

Thanks for the Snuggie Aunt Tracy!!

The Dewaal Family

Kody knows this is where he is supposed
to be and what he is supposed to be
doing at this time in his life.