Community Service ~ Special Olympics

I have been meaning on telling you about this forever... BUT... I keep forgetting :) A couple of weeks ago (like 4 or 5) Sister Westberg and I were able to help with the Special Olympics in Naples. I guess if you go to the Collier County Special Olympics website or something,  there is a pretty cool picture of us :) We were in charge of the long jump, so we did the wave and cheering all day long :) fun community service!  :)   

Letter #21

Dear Family!!
My week went a lot better! So much has happened in such a short
time, so i'll start with the highlights. Only because i'll never get to tell you all i want too :(
Yesterday we had a conference up in Tampa. We were able to hear from Elder Andersen! That's right no typo here, good old "Uncle Andersen" from the Quorum of the 12 came and talked to our whole mission! It was the best!! It is the reason why we did not email yesterday... (sorry I didn't tell you, it was kinda last minute) I guess they were dividing up the Tampa Stake so Sister Andersen (Elder Andersen wife, not me. Funny Story... He kept saying Sister Andersen when he was speaking/talking about his wife of course. It keep throwing me off. And the rest of my zone too! :D )
Anyways; she grew up in Tampa and LOVES IT HERE!!!! He was the Stake President in the Tampa Stake... and was planning on living here his whole life, before he got called to serve. It was pretty much the coolest thing, the love they have for our mission! Also the excitement they showed for the work going on here :) Sister Andersen talked a lot about her family that still lives here. Brother Andersen was so funny and personable (still scary ;) but he talked about how he probably assigned some of us here... because it is his favorite place :) He would say when a "special" picture came up he would be inspired, and think... this is a very special missionary so they need to go to a very special place :) I.E. the Tampa Florida Mission- from the mouth of my seves it is the same is all I have to say :)

I'm out.
~Sister Sharon Andersen

Letter #20

Ohhh My Goodness!! YOU HAD THE BABY!!! I'M SO EXCITED!!! SHE'S BEAUTIFUL :) I LOVE HER ALREADY :D

 

Anyways I can't focus now. I'm so excited and the tears are making it hard to type! :) This week has been crazy! And not in a good way. :( 

I better warn you; I’m going to repeat a lot from my last letter. Sadly not much has changed. Being in a trio is SUPER hard! Training in a trio is even harder. I hate saying that but I am having a really hard time. Last transfer I was just really nervous about training but then it came so easy, it was WAY easier. When Sister Westberg came out we talked everything through. I told her that I needed her involvement and help in every decision we make; because I am still learning. And we had so much fun learning TOGETHER.

Honestly, she was exactly what I needed after having Sister Williamson for a companion. I could totally be myself around her and she starting to understand me. She gets my jokes, and my sense of humor kinda! :) We laugh at each other a lot :)  I really learned more from her than I could ever teach her! She helped and is still helping me so much. I was very blessed to have her my first time training, my trainee came pre-trained. She was ready to work and was fully involved from day one. 

And with this transfer that just not really the case... I told Sister Godwin the same thing when she came in; that it did not matter that I've been out longer than her; we are equals. I wanted her to feel comfortable getting used to missionary work as soon a possible. She took what we said in a completely different way. I feel like she took it as "we don’t know anything". So from the beginning she just has an attitude like she knows it all already. I’m not a controlling or argumentative person AT ALL! But for some reason everything become a debate. Like she felt like she has to prove that she knows more. We have just been struggling how to go about training her without causing problems or yet another debate. It's just really killing the spirit. Any advice?? I'll take whatever you can give me because I can't keep going on like this...

 

And the 'cherry on the top' of this horrible week was we got DROPPED HARD from one of our progressing investigators. Probably the worst drop know to man-kind! I don't even know where to start...We all left crying; in tears, and that included the member that came with us. The investigator was yelling, and hitting himself with the Bible and the Book of Mormon (I might want to clarify; not hitting us; just himself) I don't know if I told you much about him; his name is Leon. He is 50 something, weighs about 300 pounds, and he is Haitian man that was yelling at us! It was scary to say the least. We keep trying to say we weren't there to argue; but then he would say we weren't arguing and continue to yell. It was pretty much the worst day ever!

 

Well now that I've been a total Debbie Dower lol...Not my best week on the mission field! It has been a pretty trying and hard week. ( On the bright side, we have gotten 4 new investigators this week!! So there is a positive :)  Next week is going to be good though; I can just feel it! I'm making the choice to be happy.

 

WELL DANG IT I'M RUNNING OUT OF TIME... I hope you know I want pictures in the mail a.s.a.p! And I want to be kept up to date with how she doing... do you hear me Melissa??  That means you have to take a ton of pictures, AND WRITE BIG FAT LETTERS which shouldn't be to hard ;) She looks beautiful!!! Such a doll. I can't believe how tiny she is! :D  You were in the hospital for 10 days?? Are you kidding me, I want to hear the whole story! Once you put in on your blog you could just forward it to me please? LOVES IT!! I CANT WAIT TO HEAR AND SEE MORE PICTURES. I hope that everyone doing well! Sounds like it! Tell Hayhay (Hailey) and Landon to be good to mommy! And be good big brothers and sisters :)

 

Love you guys so much!!! I am so thankful for you guys!!! Please keep me in your prayers:) Actually mommy could you please put my name on the prayer list at the temple...?

LOVE YOU!!!!!!! MISS YOU ALWAYS- TILL WE MEET AGAIN.

 

Sister Sharon Andersen :)

 

 

Letter #19

Dear family!

 

This week has been CRAZY! I didn't know being in a trio was so hard!  I've heard both sides (from other missionaries; mostly elders and you never know with them ;) that being in a trio is either really good or really BAD and you get nothing done either way.  I've kinda seen both sides this week, we've had our highs and lows. mostly highs but some real lows! This week has been a little rocky and rough.

One thing that we're really struggling with is making decisions; I think it's because Sister Westberg and I have gotten SO use to each other. We were starting to understand the way each other thinks and work through things. we could honestly finish each other thoughts and sentences. And then it's a new transfer and we're adding in someone new into the mix. I don't think we were ready for it. We were just honestly so excited we got to stay together. We weren't ready to train someone together. Because this whole time we were training each other -- cause she was honestly helping me out as much as I was helping her. Cause there is still so much I don't know......I was thinking about it though. I've been out almost 5 months at the end of this transfer, I'll be out 6 months which is 1/3 of my mission! That's crazy!!! It's gone by fast but then it hasn't. It's so true the days are LONG but the weeks are short. Every time we've gone and picked up a new missionary, I just think back when I was in their shoes and it feels like it was so long ago but honestly it wasn't.

 

  ANYWAYS  my new companion :) her name is Sister Godwin -- yes, I typed that right GODWIN! We're planning on using that to our advantage in our lessons somehow but haven't figured it out yet.....but we will! She's 23 going to turn 24 soon (which is kinda weird cause I'm training someone older than me? :) Anyways, she's from Turlock, California. which I love because in our companionship we outnumber Sister Westberg now, cause I'm always telling Sister Westberg how much better California is than Utah :) Now it's 2 versus 1. :)

So Sister Godwin is great!  Not going to lie, it's sometimes hard with 3 people. I kinda feel like someone always feels left out or not included. But luckily, we had a really great night last night!!! We were all talking and worked everything out. And just some such said and out. So we're all really trying to make everyone feel included and LOVED!!! 

 

LOVE YOU!!!!!

 

Sister Sharon Andersen

 

Letter #18

Dear Family!!!

This week has been crazy so much to tell you and NEVER enough time :( I guess i will start with the question mommy send me :) 

1- Know any more about the transfers?- Yes :) 

2- Do you have a new address yet? (Will need to know ASAP so we can send you the tape of Preston getting his call!) - For the time being we are still in the same apartment. :( Our background checks got denied! Can you believe it? Who has a better credit score than the church? ;) Just Kidding! We got denied because we couldn't say/guaranty that we be there for a year. :( It is OK we are going to keep looking at other places to rent. Right now our apartment is in a pretty crappy place...It is super south for our area and we don't have many members by us. The cherry on top is that there is a ton of construction where we live. It's actually kinda scary to ride our bike by that area. I should take pictures so you can understand. (Maybe NOT because I think it would freak mom out a little bit) ....send a tape? Couldn't you record it on your camera or something because I kinda want to see Preston's face when he opens it... and you could just send it in an email??? I can just rent some headphones from the Library. Just let me know. :) 

3- So are you getting a new companion? Getting to train two people at one? (We all want to know!!) I'm going to be in a trio!!! We are getting another sister! :) I'm so excited!! I get to be with Sister Westberg for another 6 weeks :) We are both super excited. I kept getting the feeling that I was going to leave, but honestly I think I was just preparing myself for the worst. I am not ready to leave Naples yet. I love it here!!! I'm honestly just starting to get the hang of things :) However, some of the Elders in our district said "Once you get comfortable, that is when they move you!" :( So I don't know.... but I am staying for at least another 6 weeks :) I can't wait to meet the new sister :) We are picking her up on Tuesday... wait... that is tomorrow!!! I think we have to leave at like 3 or 4 in the morning again; but it's worth it!@! I don't know anything about her yet, but you will find out in my next letter. The same member is driving us up to Tampa so maybe she'll send a picture of the three of us so you don't have to wait until Monday!!?? I guess we will see. I'm super duper excited! I'm praying for her daily! I'm a little worried... I don't know anything about her; even though I love her already! I really don't want her to feel left out since Sister Westberg and I get along so well. I just hope and pray she's fun and ready to for a good time! Because missionary life is crazy!! You have to make it fun, you make the best of what you are given. Just like the quote mommy has at home on the tile "Life is to be ENJOYED not just Endured!!" 

4- Tell dad that I can re-do your room? The guy is holding me back! He does not believe me that you said I could do what I want with your room and if you don't like it, you can change it when you get back. ( I think that you are going to love it! BTW)- Thank You Daddy for keeping your end of the bargain :) Yes, I did tell mom she can do whatever to the room. I totally trust her taste :) Where do you think I got mine from? :D But again; Please don't throw away my stuff, none of my clothes please! A lot of money went into buying those ;) and I wouldn't want to do that again. 


Sounds like you had an awesome Birthday Mom!!! I'm so glad! I can't wait to see the kitchen! Please take before and after pictures! :) How long did they say it was going to take? Hopefully not to long... So I totally blanked and didn't send a card to Kimmy or Preston yet!! I'm a horrible auntie/sister... Sorry!!! Good thing I bought something for Kimmy before I left! :) Some jewelry  I think?? And your next birthday I'll buy you double to make up for it! :) Preston; what did you say you wanted from Florida??  Gator or Dolphin's shirt or hat? Sorry i'm lame. HAPPY LATE B-DAY!!!! Well I am running out of time. :( LOVE YOU ALL!!!!! Pray for you always! Till we meet again!

Sister Sharon Andersen