Ponta Pora Week 51

March 23, 2015

Loved ones, everyone looks beautiful. I am indeed back in Cuiabá. They opened a few new areas on the border of Bolivia and had to reorganize the whole mission. My companion is a Gaúcho from Rio Grande do Sul. He is super cool and super excited. I will for sure have some crazy stories in the new future about him, he is insane... My area is Coxipó, it´s huge! it´s about half ghetto classic Cuiabá, half capital. it´s awesome. I will send a bunch of pictures next week. It´s crazy to be back in this part of the country after almost a year. Ponta Porã is completely different, culturally. Here in Cuiabá is HOT, life is definitely alot crazier here. I am still Zone Leader and my zone is huge. We have a ton of work to do. It is going to be a wild ride.

    Today, for P day, we played soccer with the other zone here in Cuiabá. We played at the Mapim chapel... My first area! it was one of the nostalgic area moments of my mission. Crossing the river in to Várzea Grande and walking from the bus terminal to the chapel, down the same streets I walked down as a lost gringo. Streets where I saw fights, topless women, bought the best street food ever, and learned to love this crazy place. The strongest sun in the world, the mosquitos, the language, the walking, the food, the prayers, the best people in the world.

      The last year and half has been the greatest of my life. It has been a sacred time. I can´t help but be blown away by the amount of love that has been shown to me from Heavenly Father over the last two years. I know that he is mindful of every single one of us.

      I have no idea what size of suit I wear. I am so excited for Richmond! he is going to kill it! And have the greatest adventure of his life. I will head down there to visit him in no time!

   I love you all and miss you all like crazy!

Ponta Pora Week 50

March 16, 2015

Hello family! So this week was interesting. I have been realizing how blessed I really am.  We worked like dogs this week. I did 3 exchanges in two different areas, organized a super awesome service project at an orphanage, taught our english class, and had 20 visiting folks at church.

      Late last night I got a phone call saying that I was going to be emergency transfered to a new LZ area in Cuiabá, 20 hours away, and that I was to leave today. So that´s my reality. After nearly six beautiful months here in Ponta Porã, one 2 minute phone call can send me far away. Ponta Porã has become a part of me. I learned and grew here more than I describe. I made friends with best people I have ever made in my life and had a great time. I worked hard and looking back I know that I did the most significant work I have ever done in my life. Bendito seja o nome de meu deus. 

      I must admit that I am TIRED, but very happy.Super excited to hop on the bus and to take on the next adventure on in CUIABÁ!!

Ponta Pora Week 49

March 9, 2015

Family, I am sorry I have been so weak with the emails home to you. For some reason it is getting harder and harder to write. Even with things going as well as they are. This is definitley one of the best yet most stressful periods of my mission. This week had some serious ups and down. We went to campo grande for leadership training, which was great I learned a ton and it´s always an adventure traveling there and back. Our bus got stopped and the police searched me. It was awesome.

       The rest of the week was spent on the usual grind and resolving problems with some of the ward leadership in the stake. That part was not very fun. However, we resolved it as best as we could and at the end of the day everything worked out. 

     Tiene this awesome girl that we are teaching got baptized and confirmed! She is super elect and through the whole teaching process showed tons of faith. The baptism was awesome. We had tons of folks there and all of the whole service was super sincere and spiritual. 

   I love golf pants. You have to get them tailored. But they are the greatest.

      That pretty much sums it up for this week. The mission is the greatest ever.

love,

Elder Anderson

Exercising

 This week in our MLT,  President  asked the missionaries if they were exercising? Just what we thought, very little exercising going on in the MIssion. They admit that they do not do it! Probably only 5% of our missionaries exercise at all. He then asked how many push-up they could do? When he get's to the one that can do the most he asks him to come up to the front, takes off his suitcoat and hit the floor. After that I said to the missionaries "What about President?" They all whoop and hollar when President Reber takes off his suitcoat and shows them 46 push-up! They loved it! It was pretty fun! He impressed them all. They all comment that they are going to start!

Very Impressed with these 50 push-ups these Elder pumped out!  

Ponta Pora Week 48

MLT with the South

March 3, 2015

This is always such a great time with our Leaders.  We teach is taught and trained.  It is a grea time to be together.

Ponta Pora Week 47

Feb. 23, 2015

Family! I am the happiest man alive! Richmond is headed to Indonesia!!!!! I told everyone in the world. I am so stoked for him. He is about to embark on the greatest adventure of his life. I can´t help but reflect on the feelings I felt one I opened my mission call and reading Cuiabá, Brasil. I remember looking at the red cliffs and feeling a tiny bit of eternity. It´s an incredible feeling. When you realize that soon you will be amongst people who´s eternal destiny will be influenced by you. It´s the greatest thing in the world. The last year and half has been the greatest of my life. 

I know my savior and my heavenly father. I know why I am here. It has been the hardest thing I have ever done. I LOVE these people. I love there language, I love this country, I love there food. They are my people and I know we´ll be close forever. Its super hard to express my feeling about my mission. Soon Richmond will know what I mean.

     You can be sure that I will be cruising over to Indonesia in about a year to vist Rich. 

This week was nuts. I thought I was getting transfered for sure and I was super bummed out. I spent the last week visiting all the people that I have grown to love so much here. They´re awesome. We saw some crazy miracles. One is with a man that has helped me out more than anyone else on my mission. His name is Éder. He has taken care of me when I was sick, helped me rediscover how fun being a missionary is when I was in a rough spot, and helped me raise my vision. He´s rad. Anyways, about 3 months ago our bishop(who has some problems) chewed him out and offended him and about half the ward. We have worked super hard to help mend the fences and even though Éder has always helped us out a ton,  he hasn´t came to our ward in forever.( he is a high priest as well) Last night we visited him and had an awesome conversation about life. I didn´t even think much about it. We went over to his house for lunch today and he explained how after we left inspired to drive to Bishops house and clear everything up. He did it and for some reason it was incredibly fulfilling to see my influence not only as a missionary but as a friend. When you love people you it makes you happy to see them happy.

 Other stuff: -I am staying in Ponta Porã! with the same fetching comp....

                   -Bia got confirmed

                   -two young men we baptized got ordained teachers

                    -I bought a suit

                    

I don´t know what more to say. God is good. May we all get to know him better every day. I am praying for you all and hope you all know how much I love ALL of you.

-Your brother and friend, forever!,

Elder Davis Anderson

Ponta Pora Week 46

Feb. 17, 2015

Family! Sorry that I have fallen off the face of the earth.  It is carnaval here in Brasil and here on the border it´s crazy. Everyone is drunk, naked, and having huge water fights. It´s been tough to get much done. This week was awesome. I feel like I am really seeing the divinity of my mission and enjoying every second of it. Everyday I almost cry because I am so gratefull for life. The mission is the greatest thing I have ever done. It really is such an incredible experience to take two years to serve and love your human with all your heart might mind and strength.

with love,

Elder Anderson.

PS Rich is headed to georgia.

Ponta Pora Week 45

Feb. 9, 2015

Family, this week was awesome. We are teaching some super interesting people. My whole mission I have stayed in the humbler parts of the area. This transfer we have visiting a lot of members and organizing everything from circus family nights to english classes and cultural activities. It has been super refreshing to see how the lord really does smile on the work that we do with a smile. I feel incredibly grateful for everything. I have been super blessed here. 

      Richmond has his papers in?! That´s rad! I can´t really comprehend that but I am super excited for him! My only advice is to just to start to pay more attention to life. Theses times before he leaves need to be enjoyed and soaked in fully. The mission is such an incredible experience so the faster you can learn to take it all in and begin to see how blessed we are to be alive will help you a ton. Just be happy my man. 

   I love you all so much.

god is good