Over the hill and still going up!

...you are walking, and then... you see this guy above the drink machine

and everything gets easier...hahahaha!

Dear Family,


Thanks for all the updates!  How I love to hear about all the families and the 
goings-on. The performances, high school dances and parties (Mook is 16!!!),
track meets, triathlons, half marathons, gymnastics, theater group, the 
marriage retreat at Aspen Grove (my old stompin' grounds...and the family's
too!), harvesting and canning, Lolly and Rob's new house in CA, trips, school,
hikes in the beautiful mountains, etc. etc.
I love all the news...its like sitting around around our kitchen table for a 
moment or two, eating together and laughing, sipping apple juice...ahhhhhhh!
I love you so much! I'm so grateful that the Lord sent me to such a wonderful 
family. You are all such examples to me. I am so proud of all the good you are 
doing, and all the faith you have. i want to be like you! 

I've been thinking a lot about goal-setting - even long-term goal setting, 
and it is amazing. "Goals reflect the desires of our hearts and our vision 
of what we can accomplish." (PMG) And then... they "transform our hopes 
into action." If we really set a goal with Heavenly 
Father and let that influence our daily lives in bite-sized portions, we begin
living to fulfill the potential He has created us to fulfill. We will become
the tools and servants He needs us to become. Sometimes I turn around
and think, "I definitely would not have had that thought before my
mission," So there is my essay for today! :)

This week has been so incredible. We were asked to speak in Church on 
Sunday, and the Lord just poured down and helped me with what I wanted 
to say.  It was a day especially when I knew I couldn't do it alone, and the 
Spirit came in and picked up the rest. i am so grateful!

The members are on fire with the work. I love this little branch. You would 
not believe how incredible these few saints are in Takamatsu, I love them 
so much. We really are so blessed. The Spirit is pouring out not only upon 
the land of Japan, but it is so evident here in Takamatsu. The Lord is pouring 
out "His Spirit on all the face of the land to prepare the minds of the children
of men, or to prepare their hearts to receive the word which should be taught 
among them at the time of his coming."  And we, His servants with His 
badge on, sometimes with wet hair from the rain, a wrinkle or two
from the bikes, but with the song of His redemption in our hearts, are the 
ones who have the privilege to introduce Him to them. I am so blessed. I am
privileged to be here. I just love it. I love it so much. I love missionary work!!!

We are working with a wonderful family that we hope will become investigators
this week. The father was a member and recently passed away. The Lord has 
really put us in situations (the two times we have met) to be able to strengthen 
our relationship with them. Also, after our talks on Sunday, a sweet less-active 
sister who had just been beaming during our talks, ran up with one of the 
wonderful "missionaries" (our members are missionaries), saying her daughter is
not a member and she wants us to put on a mini-concert for her to
hopefully begin taking the lessons! It is amazing, because the Spirit 
just bore witness so powerfully to me that this is a prepared place AS I was 
speaking. The members are prepared to not only see miracles, but facilitate them. 
There is one of the sweet members mothers who comes every week who is not a
member, who is SO SWEET and just loves Church. Her memory isn't super but we 
are going to try to do everything we can for her. "This beginning of miracles
did Jesus in [Takamatsu]." (Luke 2:11, paraphrase)

Oh my dear family, I wish you could meet this place. I wish you could
meet these people. I wish you could feel the love of the Lord for them. I wish 
sometimes we COULD stand on the corner with a trump (like Alma), just so 
everyone would have the chance to know, to feel His love. It is so real, so pure 
for them, for these children of His... so many who do not want to listen, but still He
wants so much to just tell them, to give them the chance to choose.
This is a place prepared for miracles.

We had another amazing experience one day when we had been out all day, 
and our investigator we had talked to could not meet with us, and couldn't
come to Church. We'd been housing and no one had really wanted to listen.
Then we knocked on a door, and a woman was there who began listening.
Some contacts are just guided. My companion started, and I just began praying
for the Spirit. It started pouring into my heart. It was such a powerful contact,
I don't even remember all of it, but the feelings there were so strong. We testified
of the Book of Mormon and about how she could truly know that God wasn't the 
strict, impersonal God that she seemed to think He was. Things changed, and 
where she hadn't wanted to take it and said she didn't have time to read it, she 
said she would read it, even if it was a little bit at a time each day. That moment
was transcendent. The Spirit definitely worked through us. i felt no fear in 
testifying what I know to be true! She can know of Jesus Christ through that
magnificent book, restored so that we know Heavenly Father's nature and His 
beloved Son, our Savior, our Exemplar, our Best Friend and Redeemer. He is 
the best missionary, and through the Spirit we can teach what He would have 
them know.

I love you fam! Time is short, and it's so fun to see Elder Lythgoe's
name all over the area book - he certainly left his mark here! Sister Zinke 
was saying what a great missionary he is as we drove down here together. :)
Its fun to let everyone know we are related. I hope that I can be a great 
missionary like my cousin here in Takamatsu. :) I love the work and my Savior,
I love you sweet fam, and you are so close to my heart. Thank you for your 
prayers and love! 

I LOVE YOU!
Love,
Sister Anderson

 Everyone takes such good care of us...

 The view from our apartment window.

 Thanks for the "hump day" package...especially the miniature candy bar poster and party stuff!  oh yea...and the "over the hill" items..haha!
Over the hill and still going up!!!

 My doryo with a very original borrowed helmet from the ward. They

are so cute to us, they loaned it to her while our bags were coming, she

is just looking a little bit like she is in the army...

 Thanks for all the letters to celebrate my hump day...or as Dad calls it, 

my "double dedication day!"

Random blue hats we found in our apartment in Akashi...just had to wear them to clean the apartment before we left...and just had to bring them to Takamatsu with us!