November 18th Email

              We have a store called Stater Bros and a store called Save a Lot its nothing like Walmart but it has what we need as far as groceries but there are no sports stores or anything like that just a few gas stations and restaurants. We are having dinner with a family on Thanksgiving so hopefully that will be good. 
              So with our investigator..... It was a super awesome slash super sad experience, we just taught him about the plan of salvation and how families can be together forever and he really liked it and keeps telling us that when he prays about the church and about what we are saying he just gets like a push on the back saying to keep learning more and to keep coming to church, but last night we received a phone call from him and he was very depressed his father had just killed himself. The amazing part was that he called us right after he found out, two 19 year old boys, with a question of whether or not his father was going to hell for doing that. We were able to tell him that no his father is not going to hell because God is a loving God and will judge his father on his whole life not just how it ended. He was so happy to hear that answer. It really hit me hard that Alex wanted an answer and turned to us for that answer. I know that I am out here for a reason, it is to help bring people like Alex closer to their loving savoir Jesus Christ, and his loving Heavenly Father. I'm not out here to get the most baptisms, I don't care about numbers. I care about helping to bring God's children back, helping our loving shepherd find all of his sheep. That's why I am on a mission and as a representative of Jesus Christ I will bear my testimony that this is truly God's plan.
          On a lighter note, here are our pictures for the week!

1ST INVESTIGATOR!

Weekly letter from Elder Anderson, 

This week was a slow week we have been making so many phone call to members and less actives trying to set up just a meet and greet but no one can! Its making me sick how much we have called in the last 5 days! Its also hot haha so pray that I receive some sort of snow for Christmas! or Thanksgiving or both! ha So I am requesting some things from home that I would like / need:

*Mission call (not the book just the single paper)

*Sun Glasses I told you about last email

*Pictures, mainly from my photography page printed on photo paper just some of my landscape ones with the northern lights and stars and any other portrait ones like the Maddie coast pictures or the one of the girl with a rasta color behind it, its one of the first ones I put on T.A.P. Studios. and any other ones you think like the picture I took of the temple and stuff., also pictures of you guys!

*My Hawaiian tie

*Nashville Tribute to Joseph Smith CD (ask Zach)

*Letters from you guys! 

*Fluoride gel that I got from Dr. Kemp

*and my Ukulele if its not too expensive to ship!

But more on the mission , we finally have our first investigator!!! WOOT! His name is Alex and he is a Marine his friend took him to temple square and did the tour and that sparked something in his heart so he found our church and just started coming out of the blue! But we started teaching him lessons and he is loving it, he says he doesn't know why but there is just something that is telling him to keep learning more about our church and to keep attending, that helped me so much when he said that cause I know it is the Holy ghost telling him to keep learning and coming because we have been praying just for an investigator and we finally got one! Its so rewarding to be able to teach the people of Twenty Nine Palms and to bear my testimony on the truthfulness of this gospel! I know this gospel is true and I know that if we pray with a sincere heart God will answer our prayers and we can see his hand in our life daily if we look for it. I know that Heavenly father and his son, care so much about how we are feeling and as long as we ask they will help us. I love you guys and i am so great full for your support! Also Q I hope you got your letter from me on time! and I hope everything was inside! I guess California's mail system is a little sketchy, anyways Thanks again for all you do! 

Samoan Food

Fresh From Tyson!

This town reminds me of Joe Dirt when he finds the firework stand where they only sell sparklers and snakes ha and then they find that bomb! That's what the bomb picture is about. We cover a Samoan ward and they feed us like crazy, that food picture is the smallest dinner we had that week, then the last picture is me and my companion Elder Allred in front of our church building. nothing but cactus and sand out here! 

Samoan food! Yum!

102'F out side! (the numbers are reversed)

Elder Anderson & Elder Allred and their chaple

Look out for that BOMB!

Snail Mail October 30th, 2013

A new letter from Elder Anderson, fresh from Cali!

He wrote on the front of the envelope to remind everyone that any packages sent to him need to be sent to 

Elder Tyson G. Anderson

California Redlands Mission

7000 Central Ave.

Highland, California

92346

and that they need to be sent First Class, Priority,  or Express mail through the USPS, Not Fed Ex or UPS.

The black scribbled area at the top of the letter is where he did a rubbing of his name tag :)

1st News from California

We got a lot of pictures from Tyson this week, an email and a letter too!

So My area is 29 Palms if you haven't got my letter in the mail yet. It is a desert in the middle of nowhere! ha the picture of the temp is backwards but it hit 105'! Holy I wish it was snowing ! ha ha Yes you send all my letters and packages to the address at
7000 central ave. 
Highland Cali 92346 
If its a package it has to be Priority Mail or Express Mail USPS so the office can forward it to me! We live in a trailer house, if you want to look up my trailer on Google maps its 6161 Ocotillo drive trailer 17.

Its a Marine Base city so the ward has people always coming and going so we have about 25 pages of less actives we are trying to contact. Its a work in progress but I love the work its so awesome to feel the spirit every single day, and to have time to do personal scripture study is amazing! the scriptures are so true, I feel the spirit so strongly as I read especially 2 Nephi ch 4 that is my favorite scripture chapter! the MTC was awesome I learned so much there, Preach My Gospel is such a great tool and since the focus is mainly on member missionary work I suggest Mom and Dad to read through some of the chapters like ch 10. The mission is awesome! We serve in a ward and a Samoan branch and all this week we have been fed by the branch and holy cow! I had the biggest stake of my life it literally was hanging over the edges on a large dinner plate! I couldn't finish it and had it for lunch the next 2 days! We still have this whole week to be fed by them! ha PRAY FOR ME! :p I t was awesome to attend the branch though because the speak only Samoan and they sing so wonderfully! The spirit was so strong in that meeting! The ward is awesome we are just trying to work hard with them for referrals and for them to help in this great work, we don't even tract anymore all it is is focused on members and there help. We got to go to the national park that is called Joshua Tree National Park, its only like 10 min away so that's what the pictures of the rocks are from, Dad would love it its just like City of the Rocks but a lot of the places you can just scramble around without ropes, I got your care-package and it was awesome! The blood I am drinking came in it so don't worry! ha ha send more stuff! I want sunglasses off a website called knockaround.com they are only like 15$ and get the grey see through frame with red lenses please! I am so thankful for all of your support! Pam, I got your email and the pictures look like you had a fun time! ha I got Aud's email and tell her I love her and Liam and Louis! or just forward this to her, Zach and Q thanks for the note on the card! I thank God every night and morning for you guys! It is tough being away from everyone but I know I am here for a reason its to share this happiness that I have come across to everyone I see, I love this gospel , I love our Brother and savoir Jesus Christ, I love God and I LOVE YOU FAMILY! 

Till next P day! 

LOVE 

Elder Anderson

Provo Temple

MTC

MTC

Flying out of Utah with 25 other Missionaries bound for Redlands

Don't fall in!

Chillin

Donating blood???

What! What? lol Funny treats from the Halloween Care Package!

Home Sweet Home

Off Roading

Joshua Tree National Park

Ohmm

This is getting heavy

Joshua Tree National Park

Snail Mail October 22, 2013

Our 2nd letter handwritten from Elder Anderson!

Day at the Provo Temple

Tyson emailed his first pictures to us and some friends! Here they are going to the Provo Temple and enjoying some down time. 

"This is our trip to the temple, my district is composed of the four elders and four sisters then the bigger group is our zone. I am the assistant to the district leader which isn't much, haha. The temple is awesome here and so pretty. These guys are awesome but snore as loud as dad does, haha! Well time is short and there is a lot of work to do!  

 Love you guys! HURRAH FOR ISRAEL!"  - Elder Anderson

1st Letter Home October 18th, 2013

We got our First  letter from Elder Anderson today fresh from the MTC! Wahoo! It was sent to my parents house, I didn't think he would write a hand letter actually because I don't think I've ever seen him write anything before besides the occasional note on a Birthday card. Honestly it didn't look as illegible as I thought it would, he he. Here it is...

I love that he added a heart around his name, lol. 

If you've received a letter please let us know in the comments! You don't have to share all of it, we just think it would be cool to know if he is writing lots to friends :)

Note from Tyson

(Stolen from his Facebook to add it here)

Well everyone my time has come to go and serve the special people of California, i love all of you so so much, i have two families , one biological and one of friends and both have formed me into the person i am today, i know that without you guys i wouldn't be writing this post. everyone of you has helped me enormously, my heart is full of compassion towards all of you. " My god hath been my support, he hath led me through mine afflictions in the wilderness;and he hath preserved me upon the waters of the great deep. He hath filled me with his love even unto the consuming of my flesh. 2 Nephi Ch.4 vs 20-21 I love you all and will see ya in two! Hurrah for Isreal!!!
 -Feeling Blessed

This will be my MTC mailing address:

Elder Tyson Gary Anderson
OCT28 CA-RED
2007 N 900 E Unit 93
Provo UT 84602

My email that anyone can email me at is 
tyson.anderson@myldsmail.net

You can send letters to my mission before i get there at this address.
Elder Tyson Gary Anderson
California Redlands Mission
7000 central ave
Highland California
92346

Making The Drop

Yesterday we made the drive to drop Elder Anderson off at the Provo MTC. We left extra early in the morning so we could stop in Lehi and see some family. We were going to go get some food, but Tyson's stomach was in knots. We did a drive by of the MTC first to check it our since we had so much time to kill then we parked and walked up to the Temple to take some pictures.

Then it was time... When we pulled into the MTC they had a lot of people out directing traffic and standing ready on the curb to help new the incoming missionaries. As soon as we pulled up an Elder was at our car asking who Tyson was and where was he going, he opened the trunk and started pulling out luggage ASAP. Tyson only had a few things so it was unloaded quickly, the Elder offered to take a quick picture, we group hugged Tyson good by then individually and said a few quick goodbyes and I love you's, and the Elder whisked him off down the sidewalk.

We got back in the car and had to go out a back entrance that was just a half empty parking lot. I joked that it was the parking lot you were supposed to sit in and cry until you were OK to drive again :) My Mom and I were teary eyed, Dad was in the back (probably so we couldn't see him cry over loosing his best wrestling partner for 2 years) and we were just kind of quiet and dazed for a bit. 

We planned on doing some shopping while down in Utah and we did. We found a really cool scrapbook that we could put together while he's gone its made by Becky Higgins and it's called Project Life Elder, you can buy them online or at Deseret Book stores. It looks like a fun easy system, they come in cool pre-made designs, so you add in you pictures and write in fun info/stories/quotes stuff like that. My mom isn't super crafty when it comes to scrapbooks, I am but don't always have a lot of time, so I thought this would be perfect for us to do together. 

Last thing we did before heading out of the SLC area was to buy a card and mail it to our new Elder Anderson! He'll only be in the MTC about a week and a half, but I know he'd be so bummed if he never got a letter while he was there. Everyone else should send him letters too! If you were at his farewell you should have picked up a Mail Bag I made for everyone with his addresses, a stamp, a pen and post card in there. But if you didn't make it here is his MTC address

Elder Tyson Gary Anderson

Oct 28 CA-RED

2007 N 900 E Unit 93

Provo, UT

84602

P.S. You can also set up an account at Dear Elder.com which will send him letters the same day to the Provo MTC. Its free to use, but please think about donating to them because this is awesome! If you set up an account you'll need to chose the Provo MTC as his location, unit is 93, mission code is CA-RED, and Depart date is OCT28. 

News Paper Annoucement

Tyson Anderson to Serve in California

Tyson Gary Anderson has been called to serve in the Redlands, California Mission (English speaking).

He will be reporting to the Missionary Training Center in Prove, Utah on Tuesday, October 16th, 2013.

Tyson graduated from Century High School in 2012. He is also a Seminary Graduate and earned the title of Eagle Scout.

He lettered in Varsity Soccer through out high school. He is an avid snowboarder and worked as a Terrain Park Manager at Pebble Creek Ski Area. He enjoys photography and being an irresponsible teen while he can.

Tyson, we are so proud of you. You are our favorite!

           Love, Mom & Dad

(The article as it appeared in the Saturday paper but Mom & Dad don't remember submitting an announcement...)