Having a Great Week

It seems like it was only yesterday that I wrote.  It seems like the weeks are starting to fly by...almost!   

The weather here is hot!  It is 93* with 95% humidity.  Walking door to door in a suit!  Great times!

The members here keep telling me, "Oh, it is going to get worse."  (That's a fun thing to hear. :)

Elder Lafeen and I attend the Ashburn Ward at 9:00 a.m. and then go to our investigators class at 10:00 a.m. and at 11:00 a.m. we go to all the meetings at the Belmont Ridge Ward.  Elders Quorum was great as we talked and learned how to become and attain an eternal family. I am so excited to someday take my own sweetheart to the Temple to be sealed for Time and all Eternity with her and our family.  I am so blessed and happy  to be with the family I have now.  With you( mom), dad, Bran, Jord, Linds and Shine I know that I can do anything and get through anything.  You are my rock and I love you all. 

The work continues to move along here in the DC area.  I do get frustrated when we knock on doors and the people don't even give us a chance to talk to them.  They just say,"Yea, we know what you have to say."  Well obviously you don't if you just shut the door in my face!  

On the up side, we do have some families that we are working with and have 3 baptisms scheduled on the 23rd of this month, hopefully all will go as planned.

     To my family and friends please sends pictures, they are like gold in the Mission Field.  

You are in my thoughts and always in my prayers.

                                                                                Elder Dakota Thomas Anderson

     

Where I've Been and What I'm doing

There is a scripture that I found that was truly amazing to me.  It is Oliver Cowdrey's Mission Call,
Found in D&C 18: 13-19
13  And how great is his joy in the soul that repenteth!
14  Wherefore, you are called to cry repentance unto this people.
15  And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!
16  And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!
17  Behold, you have my gospel before you, and my rock, and my salvation.
18  Ask the Father in my name, in faith believing that you shall receive, and you shall have the Holy Ghost, which manifesteth all things which are expedient unto the children of men.
19  And if you have not faith, hope, and charity, you can do nothing.

        I was able to call and talk to Mom and Dad from the airport in SLC on the 22nd of June before leaving for Washington DC.  Kenton also found me at the airport.  We talked about home and stuff, it was nice seeing and talking to a familiar face.
      After arriving in Washington DC, I went to the Mission home.  President and Sister Albright are amazing people.  President Albright is a great mission president and a great help to me. Sister Albright reminds me a lot of you mom, she is an incredible lady.
      My 1st companion here is Elder Lafeen.  He is from South Jordan, Utah.  He has been out about a year.  We did have a baptism on Saturday June 25th and I got to help to confirm the little boy.  That was pretty cool.
      Elder Lafeen and I share an apartment with Elders Hadfield and Bodily.  Right now Elder Lafeen and I are using a car, we have a 2009 Malibu LS, so I haven't needed by bike yet, but that will change I'm sure...Can't Wait  lol...
      Elder Lafeen and I are also serving in 2 wards in the Ashburn area.  The Ashburn Ward and the Belmont Ridge Ward.  Covering 2 wards keeps us busy, so many names to remember!  We found out that one of our investigators didn't come to church.  FRUSTRATION!!!!, but the convert family whose son we baptized and confirmed a couple of weeks ago, the father ask us to take part in the blessing of their new baby daughter, that was pretty incredible.
    I'm getting a little more used to the everyday ins and outs of the mission field.  There are still trials that we face.  Whether it's an investigator not being baptized for some ridiculous reason, or tracting an area that has been tracted before because we have no member referrals.  But there are those moments when we find an investigator like we did the other day.  He felt the spirit so strongly and was such a great example to me.
    Also last week we had been tracting all day and knocked on a ladies door at 8:30p.m. she let us in after no success that whole day.  She wants us to teach her and her whole family.  It is cool when someone is so welcoming!  She even called us to help one of her friends.  It's pretty amazing how some people just hate us and others love and trust us so unconditionally.
     The work continues to go forth,  I think I have talked to at least 8 different nationalities including Ghana, South African, Korean, Chinese, Japanese, Arab, Sierra Leone, El Salvador, Brazil, Black people, White people (had to throw that one in. :) )  So basically, I"m in a Foreign mission.
Can't wait to here from you.  Miss you both, Miss the family, Miss the pups.
Tell everyone, " Hi"  Would love to here from them!
     I love and miss you,
                    Love Always,
                         Kody  (Elder Anderson)

Things in our lives...

Hey everyone, I just wanted to share a quick thought with everyone, there are things in our lives that we should cherish most and I believe that to come down top three things, One is Heavenly Father and the gospel he has given us to live by. Two is our families, and last our friends. I think President Monson said it best in one of his conference remarks when talking about his family and especially his wife.

"Brethren, let’s treat our wives with dignity and with respect. They’re our eternal companions. Sisters, honor your husbands. They need to hear a good word. They need a friendly smile. They need a warm expression of true love."

These times in the world aren't easy and they are only going to get harder. But we are not alone when facing these trials. WE ALL have those 3 things though they may be simple, they can make the biggest difference in the worl. Love this Gospel we have so readily available in our lives, it will make everything that much easier. Love your family for they are the greatest support in your lives, whether husband and wife, mother and son, father and daughter, or brother and sister, without the family, the world would fall apart.

Friends are so important and dear to everyones life especially mine. I am the first of my close friends to be out in the field, but I know if I didn't have their examples... I dont really think I would be out here. Friends and family are so important and Heavenly Father has blessed us all with the ability to have them. Surround yourself with good people, good influnces, those who will influence you to go back and live with our Heavenly Father and our Families for time and all eternity. I love this gospel more and more everyday and know without a shadow of a doubt that it is true, and if we ever need anything the Lord will bless us.

I love you family, and I  love all my friends, I pray for you all everyday, I can't wait to come home and be with all of you again, but there is a work here and this is where I'll be for a good time.

Love,

 Elder Dakota Thomas Anderson

June 20, 2011

Hey family, just a heads up on what will be happening on Wednesday, the 22nd.  Our flight leaves SLC  at 10:30 a.m.  I will try and call from the airport if I can.  We will get into Washington D.C. around 5:00 p.m.
The Mission Home will send you an e-mail to let you know that I have arrived.  I will stay the night at the Mission Home.  I'll write or e-mail as soon as I can to let you know exactly where I will be.
      Remember I love you both so much!
                  Love,  Dakota Thomas:)

June 11, 2011

 Mom and Dad, and family,
  Like all new experiences, it has been a little rough going here and there, but overall being here has been a good learning experience.  I wish that I had studied harder, prayed more.  I'm glad that we have so much time for learning in the MTC.  I am always learning and that's a good thing.
Thanks for telling me about  the great storm that you had in Wyoming.  It sounds like it was awesome with all the thunder and lightening, hail and rain.  Sounds cool!  I can just see you running down the street with NO shoes on in the middle of a hail storm to save the garbage cans.  Hope there safe. lol   I am jealous of that storm!  I miss the rain. We have had gorgeous weather, but some rain would be nice.
We,  Elder Yassie and I,  are continuing to teach our investigators.  We are really getting through to them,
(I think:)
 Remember, love this gospel and live it!  "Find something you love and hold on to it."Elder Anderson (yes me)
I love my family and pray for them every day.   Love Dakota
p.s. did you send family pictures yet????

June 8, 2011

Hey parents, No E-mail this week?  Well that is okay, it's been nice keeping up with everything that is going on through your letters. My P-Day is Wednesday and right now I am doing laundry, not too exciting!
The MTC has been a great experience, my testimony has grown so much.  I've seen Christian Smith and some of the guys from College, so that is cool!  I have been called as a District Leader.  I really think that there are others that are mentally and spiritually stronger, so I guess the Lord is teaching me to be strong.  My companion, Elder Yazzie, and I have been teaching two investigators.  It has been an amazing experience.  We also learned so much from teaching, it was incredible.
Well it was great to hear from the both of you, I also heard from Kenton, Branden, Alyssa and Zach.  It has been awesome hearing from all of you, love you all.
Love, Elder Anderson
p.s. Tell my brothers and sisters I love them too and tell them to stop being so dang lazy and write me!!!!
Much love from the MTC,  Elder Anderson

June 1, 2011 Entered the MTC

Arrived at the MTC. My companion is Elder Jordan Chester Yazzie from Utah.  There are a total of 4 of us in my room.  We are all going to the D.C. South mission and leave the MTC together on June 22, 2011.  The other companionship Elder Norris, from Utah, and Elder Makwenkwe (pronounced Mak-wen-gwa), from South Africa. Since I just did get here, I don't have much to say yet.  Thanks for following my blog.

Dakota