Week 11

Hey everyone, this week was another good week. I've heard a lot about the flooding back in Houston from ward members here. I've been comforted to see that the people there are doing a lot to serve each other. That's one of the reasons I love Texas so much is the love that people have and you can feel from the people around you. I wish there was something more I could do from here but I know those who are there are working hard so I'll just keep praying.

This week we had a Zone Conference and it was with two other zones so it was a pretty good amount of missionaries together. We talked about a lot of good things but one of the things we talked a lot about was repentance. We are supposed to "teach repentance and baptize converts". Meaning as we teach them about Christ and His sacrifice for us they will have the desire to repent and as they do so they will be able to feel the Spirit and know that the message that we share is true. Only when they are converted and have a testimony are people supposed to be baptized, so they can enter in and onto the straight and narrow path and continue to progress. So in the zone conference we watched a video of Elder Bednar discussing/teaching a group of mission presidents and they were discussing repentance and how important it is that each missionary have a personal testimony of it. If repentance is something we are teaching, how are we supposed to teach it and testify of it if we don't live it or know of it's power ourselves? I believe that by repenting daily and having that be on our minds each day it allows us to live the covenant we make when we are baptized. We are able to think about Christ and truly take upon us His name and become more like Him. Even if it's slow progress, it's progress. So keep trying and never give up.

I know I wouldn't be here today if it weren't for the sacrifice of my Savior. He truly has redeemed me and continuously does because I'm not perfect. I feel the power of the Atonement in my life and I know that the more I use it daily in my life to change and the more I testify of it's reality, the stronger my testimony will become and the better the Spirit will be able to testify through me. I definitely have an increased desire to teach repentance. One thing that stands out to me is that the Gospel is the same for everyone. When we learn and apply the aspects of the Gospel then we need to teach it to our friends. Either by word or action. It's all the same gospel. It may be at different depths and levels of understanding but it is all the same.

Thank you so much to everyone for the support I feel out here on my mission. I really appreciate everything done to support me on my mission and to support the missionaries serving in each of the places you are in. I hope everyone has a great week and sees the miracles in their lives.

Love,

Elder Anderson