Sister Sharon Andersen's Mission Blog: Letter # 36

Dear family!

Happy 4th!!! I know I always say it but.......holidays are just not the same on a mission. It’s so weird on a mission! It’s just like any other day…... except people are even less likely to talk with you :( It's so funny me and Sister Calder get a kick out of it--in the white handbook, they talk about how holidays are great days to go tracting cause everyone is home with their family. Yeah, everyone is home; but honestly everyone is home BBQ and swimming and aren’t really interested in talking. Or happy when you coming knocking on their door.

So I have some surprising news to report!! It's kinda exciting but also sad ... so I’m usually more on top of it -- letting you know and updating you on when transfers are coming up....but obviously the one week I don’t tell you... I get transferred :( Yep, you heard right! Or read I guess J. I’m getting transferred! It’s so weird! I’ve been serving in Naples for almost half my mission!!! Which is kinda crazy! All the elders were shocked that I’ve been here so long. Haha

So I’m getting transferred to Brooksville! Which is as far north as you can go without leaving the mission… It’s about an hour north of Tampa. So I’m going from the bottom to the top. And don’t worry mommy :) I got my address already :

14295 Herring Hollow Dr.

Spring Hill, FL 34609

So apparently I’m in the Springhill Stake serving in the Brooksville area. (more info to follow, I promise and pictures -- lot and lots of pictures. J) :) So I’ve only heard great things. :) I heard it's very small town country which I’m so excited about :) I wanted to serve in the south!!! So I’m definitely having mixed emotions. I’m excited for a change but also very nervous. And I’m not training either. Which will definitely be different...my companion name is Sister Ochsenbein :) yeah…….still not sure 100 percent sure how to say it; but I’ll learn :) She came out with Sister Godwin….. And I’ve only heard a little about her. I’ve heard she is very quiet and shy…… so this should be interesting :) More info will soon follow.

Transfers are on Tuesday. So coming up fast…. I’ll make the 4 hour drive to my new area...but fun fact ***I’m not serving in the stake that Elder Andersen talked about on that broadcast…..I’ve heard great things about the ward. My bishop and ward missionary leader are great! So I’m excited; but it's definitely bittersweet!!!

This is the only place I know. I’m going to be the one that has to learn the area :/ …..oh yeah and packing! I hate packing!! I don’t want to area hop anymore cause I suck at packing and my clothes have somehow multiplied. Hahha I love grace yards!! (Clothes left behind from other missionaries cause they either don’t fit, are sick of them, or don’t want to take them home :) And one member has given us clothes too!! That's honestly the best!!! And thank you for the gift card and birthday money; they've helped me from not getting bored of my clothes sooner! Mostly Grandma Smith!!! thank you!! I promise it's all gone to good use :)

So this week! It’s been super slow L with the holidays and everything.. …The 4th was great! We went to a parade with a bunch of missionaries. J (no pancake breakfast tho ) and we were thinking we’re going to meet the president on the 4^th but ended up going on Friday so we did not have a dinner. But it worked out alright cause we went out to eat with a bunch of missionaries. We were trying to find somewhere everyone wanted to go and we ending up going to olive garden ....which Sister Calder said is un-American :) but it was great time!

Then on Friday... we got to go on a mini road trip about 1 1/2 hours drive up to Port Charlotte to meet the president and his family. They're pretty much the sweetest :0 He's very different from President Summerhays, which I don't know why that surprised me....I knew they wouldn't be exactly alike. But he's very sarcastic and blunt -- very businessman like!! President Summerhays was all about love and we thought it was very funny that President Cusick even mentioned that he's not going to tell us right off the bat that he loves us after meeting for a few minutes .....which we thought was kinda harsh, but then cleared up later that over time once he gets to know us, he'll grow to love us !! He was very welcoming and humble...and so sweet with his wife and she seemed to just be as sweet as a button and their daughter got up and talked a little too. She's 15 and into tennis and knows it's gong to be a huge change coming from Utah. That's for sure. But i'm guessing she will fit in just fine.

That's pretty much my week. I'm running short on time and wanted to send a couple pictures.

Love you guys so much!! You're always in my prayers and thoughts.

"God be with you till we meet again!!! "

With all my love,

Sister Sharon Andersen!! LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH!!!!!