Blessings Are Real!

Why hello there great familily and friends of mine. How are you all doing? I would like to wish you all a great pioneers day tomorrow. I will hopefully find some way to celebrate it tomorrow. And also, best of luck to Father dear who has his surgery this week! Well once again, it has been just another miracle week. We have some great things going on in our ward and also some great stuff happening in the mission. This next transfer we are going to be receiving 30 new missionaries, that is by far the most we have ever received here in the mission. Thanks to that we are going to have to open up at least 11 new areas here in the mission. We are in the whole preparation mode right now trying to rent apartments and get all of the materials and everything that everyone will need. It is pretty cool though to see this. It is helping me a lot to learn how to be a better administrator and planner. It is fun stuff. 

This week was so cool. To let you know, yes, Rosa got baptized this week! It was quite the week. The other day I went with Elder Holm, one of the assistants to do the interview and he was just having the time of his life he told me talking with signs and in different ways. But all in all, she understood what was going on, and Elder Holm was prompted to know that she was ready and so on Saturday she was baptized. There was a great turnout from the ward and this just goes once again to strengthen my testimony of how missionary work really is so much more effective when it is member missionary work. That is the key to it all. Rosa has neighbors who are members and invited her to church. She came and she liked it, so they kept going back every Sunday for her. They started bringing her to the ward night, the family home evening, and all other church events. Little by little these members were able to help her come closer to God and prepare her so that we could teach her the gospel. 

This last week was the ward conference and we had quite a few people at church. We had a lot of less actives come also that we have been visiting. We currently have a like 2 solid investigators so we are trying to do a lot of searching to find news. There is a youth that is leaving soon on his mission who spoke in sacrament meeting about missionary work and gave his testimony of it. There was one thing that he said that really stood out to me, quoting President Monson he said, "Though the path is difficult, the blessings are real." He shared some stories of how sharing the Gospel has at times been hard for him. He stated that he has been rejected and mocked, but that the blessings are real. Even how strong the tempest is, the calm always comes and the sun always comes out. We may have a hard time as members sharing the gospel, but I promise you, "the blessings are real". You will find no greater joy than helping your fellow man come unto Christ. It is the best service you can ever find yourself in. I invite you to do it. Even when it gets tough, keep on pushing and you will be blessed. The blessings will come. 

Well have a great week everyone! I love you all. Take care!

Elder Tommy Anderson