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Puerto Rican Spanish = 13 words in 1

8/31/2015

So this week has been much better! Yesterday I had my first baptism. Her name is Evelyn and she really has a huge testimony. She was so excited to be baptized and that is what is helping me through the hard times. I am feeling better and better each day. I am getting more confidence in prayer and I feel like I am being strengthened everyday.

My spanish is so terrible. I feel like I’m the worst on the island but I have to keep trusting and working hard to receive the gift of tongues. I sometimes doubt the gift of tongues and say I’m not going to be able to understand Puerto Rican spanish! (The spanish here sounds like 13 words into 1 word) but I just need to keep working at it and it will all be fine!
The Hurricane wasn’t too bad. We weren’t hit straight on but there was stuff all over in the streets! It was kinda cool to watch but I couldn’t imagine the house being destroyed. That would be terrible!

I have recently been listening to General Conference talks every morning. I am so shocked with how much I love hearing them! I never really paid attention to them much when I was home. I wish I did! The talks are gold!

When I get a little sad about missing family and friends I thought about this the other day and now I can’t stop thinking about it…. "I can sacrifice time from family and friends for 2 years, to be able to help other families be with theirs for eternity."
I love that and it makes me so much more excited for the work! Love and miss you all!!

Elder Cody Anderson

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Carson's FIRST Letter from Mexico City MTC

8/25/2015

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WOW this has been the hardest week I have ever had in my entire life! Presidente Cardenas had an interview with me and I told him how homesick I have been and how I feel so overwhelmed with the Spanish. He is the nicest man on the earth and gave me a priesthood blessing all in Spanish! Since then I have been a little happier but this is a huge adjustment. I read D&C 31 all the time to help me.

Today I got to go to the Mexico City temple open house. It was huge and the celestial room was so beautiful! Wednesdays are my P-days from now on. We can’t write tomorrow because Elder Cristofferson from the 12 is coming to talk with all of us so that should be cool!

I hear gun shots all the time! It is awesome! Ha ha - We call them fireworks! My companion is Elder Andriese from South Jordan, Utah and he actually knows Zach Hulse!

I had to go back to the airport and get something and we were going to get back too late for lunch so we stopped by a taco shop. It was the most heavenly thing in the world!

I am so thankful for family and friends who support me and love me. I would really love it if everyone could pray for me and write emails and encourage me to keep going and to not be discouraged. It has been very stressful for me to try and learn this language but I know with everyone’s prayers I will feel strengthened.

I love you all more than you know and I’m so thankful we are such a close family.

Love,
Elder Carson Anderson
carson.anderson@myldsmail.net

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Ummm...I did it while I was saving a baby

8/24/2015

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Wow!! It has been a crazy 2 weeks.. Sorry I couldn't write last week - I guess I broke my foot and destroyed all the tendons but it's all good!

My trainer is Elder Canto. He is From Panama and knows English and Spanish which helps alot when I just try to talk with him. The first area I am in is Juncos, Puerto Rico. Its not too bad here! The people are way cool and like to help me with Spanish.

My first day we contacted all day. Its nice to get out of the house and go talk to the people. I will always remember the first house i went into. I sat there in shock as I heard the fastest Spanish I have ever heard in my life. After being in shock.. I questioned my mission call, and if I am able to learn to speak Spanish. I know it will come and I’ll be just fine.

And now, here I am in a cast, trying to recover. I’ve been trying to think of a good story about how I broke it like, "I was saving a baby from an oncoming train..but the train caught my foot and broke it.." and stuff like that.. but I need to be honest and say I dropped a 40lb. weight on my foot!! haha

Even though I have crutches, I see them as an advantage. I will go to houses and ask them if I can rest my foot in their house.. and that’s the best way to start teaching them! haha!! I might keep them and use them even if my foot is fine!

I don’t think I have ever been more homesick in my life. It has been really tough, but I know I will get over it. I’m so happy I have such a good relationship with my family, but then it makes it harder for me to be gone from them. But I know this is the place for me, and there is no better place for me.

This paragraph in a book I was reading really helped me alot:
"So dear missionary: Where is the best place in the whole world to learn to love God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all you mind? Where in all the world will you have all your time dedicated to that one great commandment? When in you life will you have a better oppurtunity to begin each day with time to study Him? When in your life will you have the oppurtunity to dedicate your time all day to teach the gospel to your neighbors? When in your life will you be able to ask Heavenly Father in prayer as much as you do now? Yes, in the mission field!

If you would like to send me a letter or package send it to my house:

Elder Cody Wynn Anderson
Urb. Valencia 2
Calle Jose Santiago Fernandez
Casa 11
Juncos, Puerto Rico 00777
Puerto Rico

Mail gets here fast so its awesome!

We have a baptism this week so thats been a good start!

I challenge everyone to read D&C 6.. so much is in that section.

Love and miss you all

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Cinco more dias and I'm in PUERTO RICO!!

8/7/2015

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Que Pasa?!? Pretty much I'm just ready to get out of the MTC! 5 Dias mas! We are are all ready to go but just not ready with spanish. Haha! But I'll get it!

Last Friday I went on splits with the missionaries in the Oeste mission. We got on the subway and went forever away! We get there, and then I've never seen a more poor place in my life! I was walking up the street and there was this mattress that was like paper thin laying in the gutter and the family would take turns laying down. I don't think I've ever seen something like that before - but then a thought came to my mind and I pictured all of these people in the Celestial Kingdom with their families. This is why this work is so important. These people that have nothing, can have everything if they accept the Lords gospel and turn to him!

Fridays are "wash days" for them so when we went out with the missionaries it was a party in the streets! Music was blasting and everyone is outside! I heard the coolest spanish reggae rap song! It's probably good I can't understand the words yet to it but it was bumpin!! haha

The first house we were teaching these people and their house was 15 by 20 ft and made of tinfoil! We taught them the importance of coming to church. They want to get baptized first but need to get married! The family accpeted the challenge to come to chruch i think.. haha if thats what i understood! All I could do really was just pray and bare my testimony! It's pretty cool though, the people help you with your spanish and not just laugh at you! We go out again tomorrow! I hope I can understand them more this time around!

I've been doing really good here. The only thing I have been really stressed about is the language. I am not doing very good with it but they say it will come. The people say to not worry about that and that the Lord with help you gain what you don't have. I can't lose hope on that. But after hearing not to worry about the language I have just been focusing on the Book of Mormon and the lessons. Then i realize I didn't do my best studying for the language. I'm nervous since i really didn't do my part with the language that I'm not gonna get it. I just need to not lose hope and everything will be fine!

It's all going good! I'm not gonna send my Ipod home because Hermana Romney put music on it for me!

And I don't know if I can call yet but if I have the opportunity in the airport I will! If not I get to email right when we land and get to the mission home!

Love and miss you too! Next time I talk to you I'll be in Puerto Rico!

Elder Anderson

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