Letter # 72

Dear family!

I forgot to mention last week that interview with the Mission President were coming up. As most of you know... I not very fond, nor do I enjoy being interviewed that much. :/ Luckily for me, this time it wasn't so bad. It was a pretty decent interview. haha. I can tell President's heart has softened a little. He still told me he want's me throwing up in the bushes everyday (from working so hard haha.) and sometimes your
going to have to just "deal with it". He also said he is proud of me, I didn't leave my interview feeling like a completely horrible missionary so... it was an improvement! It was pretty good ;) We are just so different... I'm just going to have to get used to the fact that he is not as loving and caring in the way that I am used to from the last Mission President! He just shows is love SO differently. With this interview I could feel his love and concern for me. I know he loves this work, and he was called to this mission for a reason.

It was so weird, we were walking down the hall at church and he calls me by my first name... "It's Sharon right?" So I give him a weird look. He looked pretty confused. haha. When I came home I am going to have a serious identity crisis! haha. Being called Sharon does feel right anymore, it doesn't sound right. I feel like Sister Andersen fits me so much more. haha. I'm going to have to face the fact sooner than later on that one! It didn't help that this week I got my Travel Itinerary (you will have both of your missionaries in Texas for a couple hours) I was freaking out a little to say the least. I fully understand this is my last
transfer, but... I don't think it has really hit me yet. It hasn't sunk in, I didn't think I would have to worry about that until April. It's really happening! Where did the time go? I don't know if I am ready to go home. Every time I think about it I focus my mind back on now, and the time I have left. I got to talk about this with President during our interview a little bit, and that seemed to help me. Sister Wakefield was laughing at me, because I was so happy that President gave me permission to lie about how long I have left! haha. She gives me a hard time every time, haha and everyone asks me! Once they find out how short of a time I have that is all they want to talk about. So... I've been out a little over a year for a while now! I might start saying I am new! :) Sister Calder had this book of advice - one of the things said work like you have a year left even when you only have a few weeks.

So speaking of working hard :) We are running a 5K this week! :/ Well, more like I will be jogging a 5K! haha. I don't know if I mentioned this, but Sister Wakefield is super into fitness. Like a lot! That is what she was studying in college; Exercise Science. There is no way I could keep up with her, so luckily the other sisters in our ward our doing it too! So Sister Erkambrsck and I are jogging and passing out Mormon.org cards the whole time. So then Sister Wakefield and Sister Fox get to be beasts and RUN! Haha! A lot of the missionaries are doing the 5K. President just wants us getting our name out there! So
we have been training for that the last weeks. I have decided I hate running! I'll be running and think to myself Why do people enjoy this? Haha. The only reason I am doing it is for the experience on the mission. Oh yeah, and the free shirt (well it's actually not free because you have to pay to run? Anyways... I'm getting 2 shirts out of this deal :) It is probably hard just because I am so out of shape. I have gotten a little rounder on my mission. All the Sister RM's say it will come right off when I get home.  I am hoping for this because my "6 months to sexy" didn't work out too great! haha What can you do? I just keep reminding myself that it is not my focus right now, and I have more important things to worry about...

So... I also forgot to tell you last week about our complex block party that we went to. We were really just being lazy and didn't want to cook dinner AND we thought it would be good to meet some of our neighbors and get our names and faces out there. Well long story short... Sister Guan almost got a spiked drink! haha Good thing we wear our name tags! :)

James finally came to church! :) He looked so nice all dressed up, and he brought his mom with him. haha. It was so great having him there! I am twice as tired when investigators actually come to church, because I am always sitting there worried about what everyone is saying, or if they are enjoying themselves. It seemed to go well. He just got back into town this week, so we only got to do a church tour with him but we are seeing him twice next week! :) Lydia has fallen off the face of the earth! We haven't seen her at all this week! :( So like always,  I am running short on time!

I love you guys so much and miss you even more :)

 As always; God be with you until we meet again! :)

Love, Sister Sharon Andersen
P.S.- Mommy I ordered you a name tag. :) They said it will be a couple of weeks :) I want to see a picture of Preston, I mean Elder Andersen!?!

P.S.S.-  Daddy Sister Calder called dibs on my bike once I left if I wasn't going to be selling it. Her's is breaking down. haha. She is going to be excited! :)

Letter # 71

Dear family!

There has been a lot of change again this week! :) They are very good changes! We got another set of missionaries in the Seminole Ward. Yay! So we have 3 sets now... kinda. Crazy! Sister Wakefield and I got even more excited when we found out they were sisters!! The only sad part of getting new missionaries is that you have to give up a part of your area. What is more sad is giving up the people you have been working with. :( I love to see the work hasten! I have to remind myself that we were so happy and thankful to be moved into our new place before they came. Four Sisters and 1 bathroom doesn't add up!! hahaha. So with 4 sisters in one apartment, it's feels just like a sleepover all the time. It is pretty much the best. It's hard though to get anything done. (mainly at night) Only because we just sit around and talk and gossip :) It has been so much fun. I haven't written anyone back :( Sorry! At the beginning of my mission I hated living with so many sisters. Just because there wasn't enough room and I let it stress me out, but

now it is just like a party!

So another change is that they have 6 full-time Facebook Missionaries! It is crazy to see how much the mission is changing! All they do is go on Facebook trying to find people to teach and baptize. We are able to message them to ask questions about what talks or videos would be good for our investigators. It is kinda cool! :) 

So I don't know if it is "official hurricane"season but we have already had our first lock down. It was only for a couple hours, but it was still so much fun! I don't pray for it... but I really want to survive a 'big one' while I am here. I am trying not to regret my words (so that why I won't pray for it) and because obviously I don't want anyone to get hurt at all. I just want to be humbled and more willing to listen, or at least allow us to do a lot of service in the community. Maybe is could soften a couple hearts :)  We have a newer-ish sister living with us. :) So this was her first lock down. She was freaking out a little. hahaha. We had like 8 warnings in an hour period, and then we got a call saying we couldn't leave the apartment until late that night. Luckily it cleared up and we were only stuck at home for a couple of hours.

So Lydia is as cute as ever. She is making a lot of progress, just very slowly! She came to church again this week. :) We have met with her a couple of times. It is always an interesting experience. haha. In the best

way, that is one thing I have learned on my mission: Accepting people where they are at. I have learned to just go with it, we will read with her and take it slow explaining thing as we go. I always ask her to pray, I love hearing my investigators pray.(her especially). They don't get caught up saying the "right things" or the same things every time so you can always tell it is from the heart. She never worries about what she is

saying. So when she was praying this last time, she was praying for you guys! She is so sweet :) She asked for my family and asked to bless you and thanked you for sending her precious angels to Florida :) Oh yeah, she calls us angels all the time! haha! Her dog was barking at us when we walked in and she said "I will not let you bark at my precious Latter Day Saint angles like that!" hahaha So somehow this week she found out that I would be leaving in April. (cough cough Sister Wakefield) ha. She became really sad about it, I had to reassure her that once I am home I can stay in contact with her by phone and Facebook. Man I love technology! So in her prayer she also Included for my travel home and for my future husband... (haha) that will be able to find a precious Latter Day Saint husband, and have adorable Latter Day Saint children. She is getting a little ahead of her self... She is kinda crazy, but that makes it fun!

So... exciting news! James is getting baptized on the the 11th of April! I am so excited! He went out of town this week so we have not had much contact with him. :( He has been reading and is still loving it all. He did bring up his main concern of being able to stop smoking. We are a little worried about too. He quit cold turkey and lasted about 22 hours. So our plan is to get someone to give him a blessing and do a lesson on The W.O.W. hopefully later this week. Pray for us and him! He needs it!

General Conference is coming up soon! I can't wait it is pretty much like the Super Bowl for missionaries! :) I am trying to start thinking of what question to take with me to conference. :) 

I love you guys so much and miss you even more! :)  I cant believe it is already March!!! Time is going by way to fast. I try not to think about it...

So this year on Saint Patrick's day I'll also be celebrating my 17 month mark too! 

LOVE YOU GUYS!! Miss you!! 

P.S. We are teaching these returning members who grew up in Preston Idaho. :) Could you ask Grandma and Grandpa if they know the Peacock? or Bosen? or Hansen family? They own a bed and breakfast names "A Touch of Yesterday" or the " The Rocky Mountains Red Brick Inn"?

P.S.S Mom- I'll order you a tag no problem. :) That sounds adorable! :) I can't wait!! I just don't know how I feel about cutting up my clothes though! haha!

P.S.S.S Mommy & Daddy-Could you please figure out something with my bike... Other missionaries have tried to send their's home. I would love to have it but I am pretty sure it very expensive. I didn't know if you wanted to try to sell it? Or donate it to anther missionary? IDK? Just wanted to give a heads up and  let me know. :)

 sidewalk artwork!!

 Artists!

 haha! So sad for him!!

 Her favorite 'returning member' she painted this for Sister Andersen!!

 The Sisters in the Seminole Ward!!

Letter #70 !!!

Dear Family!

It has been a crazy week! :) Lots of new stuff!! The last week of the transfer is always weird, only because you don't know what is going to happen! But guess what... I'm staying in Seminole :) Luckily I don't think I could handle another move. But sadly Sister Wakefield is not training this transfer! :( I was hoping to be in a trio, and with a "greenie" before I get to go home! :(  It is OK though! So this week was great! :) The main highlight of the week was finally setting a baptism date with James!!! We also moved into a new apartment! haha! :)

My new address is:

3306 Columns Circle 

Seminole, FL 33772

(It is just down the street :)

 So it is a New Transfer! And  it is already March! Crazy!!

A lady is my first area told me she would countdown the Fast Sunday's instead of months because it's goes by faster! I was tell Sister Wakefield that and then I realized I only have 1 more Fast Sunday! It is already March!! I don't know what is happening with time. The time on the mission is the weirdest! I can't even explain it!

So we had the best lesson with James this week ! He is a paramedic and had been up for like 48 hrs. However he did not want to reschedule with us again. So...for "whatever reason" we were all a little more sillier ( I hope that is a word) than usual. Well besides Sister Wakefield, she is usually the "bad cop", that keeps us focused! haha  :) (her words not mine haha) The more and more we meet with him, the more I like this guy, he is the best. A part of me feel's like he is the reason I am here in Seminole. He is great and gets us excited about sharing the gospel with him. :) He is like a sponge and absorbing everything we teach. So... this week we set a baptism date with him! :) We'll... not an actual date, but a couple of
dates. We committed him to a date, and without even thinking about it, he pulls out his phone and starts looking at his work schedule! haha. We were just waiting for a yes! We were trying for the 12 of April, but because of work that date did not work. So Sister Sims (his friend:) suggested the 14th which I was all for!! I would love to have a baptism right before I leave! :)  Then they also mentioned about the 18th or 19th being a possibility. I didn't have the heart to tell  him I wouldn't be here. (I don't usually tell people how long I've been out;  Sister  Wakefield laughs at me because when people ask "How long have you been out?" I always say a little over a year haha) I'm just hoping and praying I can be there! But if not, that will
be fine too. He said he was going to pray about a date. I know the most important part... and that is that he is getting baptized! :)I did not want me leaving to interfere or sway anything for him. We also let him know that he has the options (A.K.A he can get baptized at the beach.) I have selfishly wanted a beach baptism my whole mission! We have always offered everyone the option with no takers sadly! I mean if it was me, and I knew I had the option I would totally go for it! :) It was funny though because he
said no one would want to see me in my swim suit! haha! Sister Sims explained that he would have a jump suit to wear. Speaking of my baptism... Could you send me a picture of my baptism? I want to try to use it for my teaching :)

Lydia is so sweet! :) She is the sister that came to church last week. We get to talk with her, or go over and visit with her every week. :) We went over and read early this week. We were reading in 3rd Nephi  11 when Christ comes to the Americas. And she was loving it! I love reading that
chapter, it's one of my favorites. She did admit she had just gotten up. It was like 1:30... oh how I remember those days of sleeping in! ;) Maybe not that much? So we stopped and talked as we read. But she get a little distracted and off topic sometimes. The how the other day we were meeting with her and she started talking about music... Sister Wakefield and I were dying. Lydia is a country girl so we assumed she liked country music. Nope! She liked soul music and jazz! And that usher song..."Yeah" hahaha. She started singing it for us. She is a little crazy! Which makes it fun. I love seeing how The Lord is slowly softening her heart. She currently is working on stopping smoking, and drinking right now. We are doing that by checking in on her and having her read daily from the Book of Mormon. We have seen such a change in her already. And growth too, there was a light  about her at church. I love the power the Book of Mormon has!

I love you guys!!! God be with you till we meet again~ :)

Sister Sharon Andersen

P.S. A sister in our ward takes pictures of all the missionaries for the "missionary board" :) I guess it is so everyone will know what we look like...? :) She was really sweet and gave them to us so we could send them to the family :) Hope you enjoy :) Love you!

Letter #69

Dear Family~

This has been a really good week! :) We are starting to get the hang of things. :) So, I am really hoping they don't move me again! It always seems to be when you are comfortable that they move you... But we shall see! Transfer calls are this Saturday. I'll let you know next week! My bet is we are going to be put in trio!?! :) And I think Sister Wakefield is going to train! She has been out a year and still hasn't trained yet. We are getting 21 missionaries coming soon, we just are not sure how many serve in Spanish or English. I will let you know as soon as I know! :)

 Anyways,  we have been working with some people, and have been able to see some real growth! We had a couple people we were teaching come to church :)  This week we had 17 lessons! Sister Wakefield and I were super excited :)  It was an all-time high for this area! President Cusick wants us doing 20 lessons a week, so we are not quite there; but getting close.

We are working with a girl named Lydia and she came to church this last week! We have been working with her for a couple weeks now :) She is a daughter of one of the recent converts, and we are trying to get her going to the church organized AA Meeting. My whole mission I have not worked much with people that have addition problems. This is a new experience for me; that's for sure! Sister Wakefield has, I guess a lot on her mission... but  Lydia is so great. We either talk with her on the phone or meet with her everyday. She says there is a sweet spirit that always stays with us. We were teaching her to pray the other day, she has the sweetest prayers! haha! She said she was so happy for Sister Wakefield and I that she feels like a new born baby in the gospel. She said that she got placed into our hands...well... It was actually kinda weird but sweet. She enjoyed church a lot, but she was shaking pretty bad by the end of the 1 hour... so she had to go out to smoke. She is just taking it slow. She let us know that she has not drank alcohol for a week! :) So she is coming a long way, and we are excited to be working more with her!

We were super pumped to set a date with James. Then he got a flat tire on the way to our appointment! :( Dang Satan! He is always at work! However, we are meeting with him today and I can't wait. He is still loving the Book of Mormon. He  always talks about the peace it brings him. We really enjoy teaching him.

Dad will also be excited to hear we are teaching a Colombian... We'll actually Sister Wakefield does most of the teaching... only because I don't speak Spanish! hahahaha! She was a referral from the head quarters!! :)  She seems very sweet! Her family is still in Colombia, so I wanted to hear what areas you served in Daddy! :)

Well like always I am running short on time! :( I love you!!! I miss you and God be with you until we meet again!

Love ~ Sister Sharon Andersen 

Valentine's Day Food ~

 Heart Shaped Waffles!! YUMMMMO!

 P-Day at a members house... 

 Relaxing and writing Letters...

 Sister Wakefield

 Beautiful View!

 Sister Andersen

Sister Wakefield acting out Wicked 

(Because I told her that I had not seen it yet...)

Pictures ~

Random room picture :) oh yeah... So we are living in old Elder's
apartment. I found a hole under that Christ picture... That is why
there is a huge picture of Christ! It's no like I don't like pictures of
Christ on my wall, but it is just up there to cover this giant hole that the Elder's made. Haha. I don't know how they did that, but somehow they got this huge hole I just wanted to send you something cause I know you
guys like pictures! So this is my apartment! It's pretty... fine, for
an old Elder's apartment. I guess it has been an apartment for missionaries for a couple of years.

Oh yeah we might be moving... because President wants us out. haha

Letter # 68

Dear family,

This is Sister Sharon Andersen reporting from Florida :) I am not sure if you saw on Facebook (or saw any pictures or anything on our Mission
page...) We got iPads this week! Yay! I forgot to mention that last
week haha. I am super excited about it! Still kinda crazy, the mission has changed so much! Just during my mission... After I put in my papers,
there was the age change, then we got on Facebook, now no more tracking and now we have iPads :)

So just so you know, I am not typing right now. I am talking into my
iPad and it is typing me for me! haha! This is the coolest yet such weirdest thing... Sister Wakefield and I still don't know how to use technology very well. We are trying to use it in our lessons more to show videos and stuff. It's really neat. We are one of 30 missions with iPads right now.

So... It's been a pretty good week even though it was Valentine's
Day. It sounded like you guys had a delicious breakfast. Sister Wakefield and I also made heart shaped waffles! Sounds like your were way festive. Haha!

We were able to meet with James again this week! I love this
guy. :) He messaged us on Facebook and told us that he is already in
second Nephi! He is awesome!! He also said that he can tell the
difference when he reads, and he feels like he wants to keep learning :) he didn't come to church this week:(but we're meeting with him on
Thursday) We are super excited. He seems to really be progressing and
really wanting to learn about the Gospel. Sister Wakefield and I were a little worried that he may be doing it just because he wants to date his
friend! haha. He seems really awesome and we are excited to teach him
again. We think he's trying to impress her so he can go on a date with
her. However, he still seems really open and really searching.

Those we're the highlights of the week. Oh yeah, and Sister Wakefield got peed on this week! haha That was pretty funny and sad! We are getting along pretty well. I still miss Sister Calder a lot though. I am just enjoying the work!
Just trying to hasten it :)


Well like always I'm short on time... Please know that I miss you guys so much :) And I love you even more! Thank You for all that you do :)

God be with you till we meet again!

~ Sister Sharon Andersen
P.S. I took a lot of picture but couldn't send them on my iPad so
hopefully I'll be able to send some next week... Love You!

Letter #67

Dear Family!!!

Yes daddy! I will be your Valentine; but you might have to share me this year;) I hope that is OK? :D THANK YOU THANK YOU FOR MY PACKAGE! And for all the goodies :) My skirts don't thank you though! haha I loved it! I have been stuffing my face with all the chocolate! haha Sorry I didn't wait until Valentine's day! :) Thank you for always being my valentine! I love you guys!!!  

HAPPY EARLY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!! 

LOVE YOU GUYS!!!

It sounds like Dad has been teaching a lot. I love to hear that! He is still the best teacher I know, so I am not surprised you have been asked to teach so much :) And that is great that the ward had a baptism!! Yay! and you spoke at it too! I love to hear that :0 So you spoke in Spanish then?

It has been freezing here in Florida with lost of rain and a weird mist. ( I wish I would have gotten pictures of It... It looked like what I think the mist of darkness  would be look like) Florida weather is the weirdest :) So it has been interesting to ride bikes in :) haha On the bright side... we got a call this week that we will be getting put on car full time. We will be biking during the day, and driving at night. :) So we won't have to ride in the dark anymore. I guess our mission president didn't like the sister's biking in our area late at night... that is nice.

So... we have started teaching the coolest guy; James! I love him already :) These first couple of weeks we have been trying to get to know the members in the area more. We have been dropping by their houses for a "quick visit" ... Sister Wakefield and I have been trying to make them quick! hahaha We want to be able to meet everyone and help them with their Family Mission Plan. On Thursday Night we were stopping by the cutest/sweetest single mothers house. :)  We show up and she already has a friend there. :) We love when that happens! (Even though that doesn't happen that much :) We got to share and introduce the Book of Mormon :) The member had already told him a lot about the church, and what we believe. It was so great :) Sister Wakefield and I got the idea and impression that there was something else maybe going on between them!  hahaha. Then we find out later that this "friend" has taken her out a couple times on a date and so she invited him to learn more about what she believes. She told him that she could never get serious with anyone that doesn't have the same beliefs as her. So she gave him a   Book of Mormon and shared her testimony with him. He was already to I Nephi Chapter 12 :) We are going back over today and teaching him about the Restoration and we are super excited! :) We have just been kind of discouraged because coming in this new area we haven't had a ton of people to teach. We are for sure seeing miracles happening and we are starting to become more busy :) Which I love! It helps the days go by fast when you are busy going from place to place! :) 

We also had some other families that invited friends over :) We have some potentials which were getting excited about. We are hoping on setting a date with our investigator Jane this week! Please pray for her :) I'll have to tell you more about her story next week! Well I love you guys so much!!!! Miss you!!

God be with you until we meet again! :)

Sister Sharon Andersen

P.S. Thanks for reminding me about the  Olympics!  hahaha We went to our Bishop's house last night and it was on. It is so weird that life still goes on when you are on your mission! And to think we're in such a different world~ haha

BUT I love it!!!  

 The other sisters took her out to eat for her Birthday!!

Some cute Slippers a member made for them!