Letter #43

Dear family,

No problem daddy!! It's one of my MANY talents I've gained and learned on my mission... wrestling gators!!!  Anytime  hahah (this refers to an alligator tooth that she sent my dad for his birthday.  He asked her last week if it was from a gator and she joked that she had pulled it out herself.  Haha!
So this week he thanked her for wresting the gator for him...)

So this has been a very interesting week to say the least and really challenging. I've felt so bad all this week for Sister O. She's had a really rough week.....oh yeah, she told me it was ok to tell you guys. Just so you know :)  She explained it and said she had a mental break down; she got Dear Janed this week :(  She was just a mess this week. We didn't do anything on p-day...she just laid in bed all day long. It was so sad seeing her like that. But luckily, over time she got to feeling better. She isn't so sad all the time.

And honestly I've seen how turning it all over to the Lord and forgetting your self really works :)  We've seen miracles and blessings from working hard!! I feel like we're starting to get the balance of work and fun!! We're really learning to love the work :) 

It's so funny because we haven't had as much planned this week just cause Sister O been so upset and not herself. So we've been having to do a lot of tracting.....which i hate!!!  It's just not effective!!  I feel like I'm wasting the Lord's time. I hate it! But I did it! Because I wanted to show the Lord I'm willing to do whatever is needed. .......and no one answers, and when they did ....they were mean! I learned people are not very nice! :(
But what was cool tho cause we'll tract for a couple hours during the day and get nowhere. We don't get in with anyone one; but Heavenly Father blesses us in other ways.

We were able to get in with people we haven't been able to get in with..... in weeks. We were able to get some new people to teach :) And we met the sweetest girl who wants us to teach her :) She was asking us questions which lead perfectly into the first lesson.......I see the Lord blessing us as we try to do His will. It was a hard but great week!  Sorry, I'm out of time :/ like always.  I'm going to try to write a letter filling you in.  Well I love you all!!!! God be with you till we meet again!!!!
LOVE YA!!! SISTER SHARON ANDERSEN 

Letter # 42

Dear Family!

Well; I'm glad your excited about being released... I'm not!! :( I wanted you to be the one to release me and come pick me up. Everything happens for a reason, so I'm guessing it was for the best. That kinda comes as a surprise. It will be nice to have daddy at our ward for once! :) (for those of you not in the Sacramento North Stake, my father was the 1st Counselor in the Stake Presidency and was released last Sunday at Stake Conference) 

So another transfer passed. I can not believe it it went by so fast. The next one going to be even shorter, it will be only 4 weeks:0!! That is why everyone is getting to go home 3 weeks earlier than normal. (2 weeks from this transfer, and 1 week from our 5 week transfer a while ago) I am not 100% sure, but I think it's to match up with the M.T.C stay because that was shortened by a third. I also think it was to sink up with the Haitian Creole Elders. (sorry about that spelling?)  

I am staying in Brooksville for at least another month!!! :) Sister O and I are going to stay together :) I am really glad because it felt like as soon as you get comfortable and used to your companion that is when they change you around. I am trying to get better with adjusting to new situations :) I am trying to enjoy change more, even though I hate it!! :) However I am always trying!

This week has been really good... well, besides having to speak at church! :/ (Needless to say I STILL HATE SPEAKING.) Everyone told me I'd get better, or feel more comfortable with speaking after being on a mission... WELL... they lied! I still don't like it, and I feel like I am bad at it!! Everyone said I did great; and that I am a better speaker than I know. The mission has helped me open up to people that I don't know. It has also helped me to feel comfortable talking to strangers. It doesn't scare me as much actually. * Funny side story about strangers. My companion and I were visiting a "returning member"; who was probably the sweetest thing ever. She told us to not to talk to any strangers! hahhahaha! Well that's kinda our job! Sister O and I didn't know what to say to that! :) So then she said "Just talk to the nice strangers!" haha. Anyways... :) 

I spoke at church yesterday. My topic was Rising to the Call... I only had one day notice! Like we have a ton of free time, It's not like we're bringing souls to Christ or anything ;) (read sarcastically)  Maybe they figure we are just suppose to be able to wing it by now. idk? It didn't help that the ward was jam packed and all that what was going through my mind was if I do a bad job the members won't give us any referrals!

So highlight of the week :) We set a baptism date with Kilar!!! We are shooting for the 31st of this month. We might have to move it back; his grandma is going to be out of town, and then we have Stake Conference. I will keep you updated on that. We are also trying to meet with Hannah and Gracies mother this week. We want to work out how we can get them to church and get permission for them to be baptized. So we are really excited about that! We have also been getting a few new referrals; which means less knocking! :) That is always nice :) I am running short of time... so just want to tell you guys I Love You and I did get my package. Thank you Thank you all family!!! I loved it and it has really helped me sleep at night! Thank you for all the love and support!!! I LOVE YOU GUYS ALL SO MUCH!!! God be with you till we meet again! :)

Happy LATE Birthday Daddy! It looks like you enjoyed it!!!! I hope they spoiled you rotten. Sorry that my present was late and kinda small!!! (Yes it was a gator tooth and I wrestled it just for you :) Love You Daddy!!!!!! Love You Mommy!! Love you family!!! Thanks for everything :) I hope all is well :) 

Love Sister Sharon Andersen <3 

Letter #41

Dear Family!

Daddy I Love hearing about your missionary experiences... Missionary work makes everyone involved happy. I'll be honest; I don't love it all day everyday, but I understand the cliche "best 2 years"... Because It is the best. That does not mean that it isn't hard because guess what it is! However; It is so worth it:) I have already felt like it's been the best half a mission for me and my life :) hahahaa  I've seen and felt myself change so much on my mission. I've learned so many thing that I couldn't have learned otherwise.

So I'm starting to get the hang of Brooksville. Don't get me wrong I would still get lost with out my G.P.S :) but it is starting to feel more like home :) I'm starting to really love the people and the work. The work is really moving forward. We found two awesome gator's (people investigating the church) this week :) It is so neat to see the Lord prepare people. To work and open doors...

We have been having troubles with some of the people we are working on lately. We had been getting kinda discouraged. Sister O and I have been really trying to be better and be more obedient. We have seen the blessings. Our planner has never been more full. We are getting in with more people and seeing the Lords hand in our work. I don't think I've told you about everyone... here is a little bit about everyone so when I talk about them you'll know :) So there is :

Kilar~ the sweetest 14 or 15 year old that just showed up to our church with his grandmother. He has been searching and investigating churches for a while. He loves our church :) Really couldn't ask for more. He's very open and so respectful!! We are also going to  try to work on his parents right now who are strong Catholics :) We are teaching them the Plan of Happiness today.

Hannah and Gracie~ are 9 and 12 year old girls that are cousins. They are just about the sweetest things ever. The first lesson she said she wanted to get baptized and asked if it cost anything. So we're just working on getting permission from her parent and finishing all the lessons with her.

Disha~ she is the sweetest prettiest Indian girl :) She is around our age; late 20's. She doesn't have much religious background so we are kinda starting from the beginning. She can recognize and feel the spirit very easily.

The Sims Family~  family of 7. We have been working on them for a while. We are trying to get them back to church. The boys are Scout age and they love it! The family is going through huge struggles right now...

Well I'm out of time like usual :( I will have to update you next week I LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH!!! God be with you till we meet again :)

Sorry about the spelling and that it's kinda short... I was in a rush if you couldn't tell. Sorry!!

Love you guys!!!!!

Sister Sharon Andersen

Letter # 40

Dear FAMILY ~

This week has been crazy, and full of surprises :)  Well first of all... I got to go on exchanges with the Sister Training Leaders :) Sister Moreston is our STL in our zone and she is great :) She's the sister that was in the worldwide broadcast... I got to learn a lot from her, she's a great missionary! It's really strange... as much as I hated and sometime still hate but, the second you're leaving your companion it feels so weird... you get too used to having someone with you 24/7.  It was this weird pull, I can't explain it; like you don't feel whole. There's such a protection being with your companion and not being alone. It's the same thing with transfers. Every time I've driven up to Tampa, I've been too nervous and didn't feel completely right. It's a weird feeling and is going to be a huge adjustment when I get home I already know. So Mom, prepare yourself for being with me for a while :) Anyway enough about that :)  ...

Secondly, we got to go to a Rays game!! Which was so much fun... it was also so weird. It was one of the few times when I didn't feel like a missionary. I felt kinda normal which freaked me out? But I think it was because we were surrounded by so many people and the music was blasting. idk?  It was really fun though!!! There were a ton of missionaries! :0 I got to see all my old companions :) And don't worry, I took a ton of pictures :) Sadly I don't think I'll be able to send them this week; but hopefully next week. (speaking of pictures, MOM did you get the one that I sent? And that's Sister Cusick's number just in case you need anything:) She's so sweet for letting us use her phone :) Sorry daddy, I would have had it sent to you; but I don't have your number memorized :)

And thirdly, it was my 1/2 birthday on Saturday :) Thank you Tiffany and the kids and the family for reminding me and for my packages :) I loved it and may have had a little too much fun :) I took some pictures of that as well and will have to send those your way too :) I put up all the decorations and had a good time. Thank you, Ray family!! And then i went to the Ray game :)

Then lastly, I went to a Baptist church this week... for the record, it wasn't my idea :) We have an investigator we're trying to get to church and she said if we go to her church, she'll come to ours :) It was definitely different... but it proved to me that every church has some truth in it. We teach people that everyday and that was the first time I went to another church. But it's true a lot of what they were teaching was correct and really trying to worship Christ to the best of their ability in the best way they know. They are only kept from the truth because they know not where to find it. But it was definitely a different experience -- there was a lot of singing and yelling and jumping up and down.

But it was a good experience that strengthened my faith in this church. That's there are a lot of good people out there that need this church! That need the fullness of the gospel. There so many people that are trying their best and searching. It's just all of our jobs to help them. We have something they don't. We are so blessed :) I'm more thankful everyday for this gospel. I love it so much! And I know it is what brings true happiness!!!

Well, like always, I'm running short on time :) I love you guys so much =! I think and pray about you always!

God be with you till we meet again :)

Sister Sharon Andersen 

P.S. Oh yeah, I almost forgot :)  Thank you Birds!!!!!! I loved my hump day package; it came exactly when I needed it :) I love it :) And I have pictures I needed to send you too :)