Letter # 4

So this week i tried to remember to write down all that i want to share
with you guys because i really felt like i haven't been able to tell
you guys all that i want to and my thoughts are just all over the place.
so tell me if this helps and if i'm even making any sense :)

Well first off, i wanted to talk a little bit more about my first day
at the the mission home. i had a really cool experience, as a group we
read the story about the strippling warriors; and all the new
missionaries did something similar to them. we wrote a little letter
and buried it in the earth; we all made promises and covenants. and
president let us write whatever we wanted. we could write sins we
promised to give up (stuff we did before our mission ) to promise to
not do them again or write what kind of missionary we promised to be
and what we had to do to become that kind of missionary.  It was just
a really meaningful experience for me making more covenants with my
heavenly father about what i want to do on my mission. and was just a
great way to start our our mission. we buried then in front of the
mission home so if we ever come back i thought it would be cool to show you
guys :)

So a really cool thing that the Tampa Florida mission does
as a door approach is leaving our savior's peace and blessing. just like
Jesus Christ would bless and help people when he was on the earth we
as missionaries go and say a mighty prayer over people's homes and their
family. it helps us get in more houses and invites the spirit. it is
really neat getting to see people's hearts soften before your eyes.  they
become more open to hear our message. so we try to lead from how they're
feeling into part of lesson one or get a return appointment and explain
more what they are feeling. it's really helpful here in the south everyone
is open to it.

i've had a much better week! last week was really hard for me. getting
adjusted to everything, getting settled in, and being with my companion
24/7 was not easy. this week i've felt a lot better i still have my
bad and good days but i'm enjoying the work more. loving the people
:) ok i don't have much time left so i'm going to try to answer some of
your questions I LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH!!!!!!! words can not describe
the love i have. i miss and think of you guys always. please keep me
in your prayers love you!!!


dads and moms questions
crock pot recipes- I can print stuff out at the library but it's just
the time it takes is what i don't know about. i don't really have
enough time to do or say all i want to say :( so if you can send by
mail i think that would be better but either are fine with me.

my camera dock thing is on the side of the computer, under the printer or
in one of the drawers by the computer. please look again. my camera
totally dies i can't even turn it on. it's the thing my camera seats in.

How is your ward in Naples? the ward is great!! everyone in the ward
is very excited about missionary work. they are very helpful -- driving us
around when we are on bikes and going on visits with us. the ward is very
involved in the work. so in this ward, there's lot of retired people
and students! a lot of people going to school for law and medicine here.
so a lot of young couples with kids. (i think the ward might have 2
nurseys lol) and then the rest of the ward is retired couples and
sadly a lot of widows. but everyone is so sweet!! all the older ladies'
homes remind me of grandma smith's home. everyone loves that i'm from
California.  4 people from the stake are leaving to California for
missions (but sadly none are going to Sacramento :( LA, Oakland, and i
can't remember where else

Lots of active members?  the ward is HUGE. it's so big they actually
have 2 sets of missionaries in the ward. we are the Naples south
missionaries :) but what is weird is that 60% of the ward is
inactive. so we meet with  LOTS  of inactive. our main focus in this
ward is to bring those lost sheep back to the fold. so we only have 3
investigators this week. One is really progressing and the other two are sadly
not as interested. but we try to meet with them 2 - 4 times a week and
than the rest of the time we focus on less actives.


I'm out of time sorry i couldn't answer everything. i'll try to get better
next week. check the mail there should be a letter coming your way if
you haven't got that yet and i'll be sending my flash drive too with all
my pictures on it. some are old and i think they're all mixed up
sorry again i didn't have time to fix them. love you guys got to go


sister sharon andersen