A Sure Answer

Opaaa! Tudo bem!?

Several times, in my life, I’ve thought about the question ‘What is the hardest thing I’ve ever done?’ Usually, memories like getting an A in my online calculus class and running 20 miles one morning came to mind. Yet no real answer ever arose. Up until now, the answer to this question has been an obscure thing, but now it’s clear as day—this mission!

Undoubtedly the last few months have been the hardest part of my life. That being said, it’s also been the greatest! By the end of each week, I’m so entirely mentally and physically drained, tired of struggling to communicate and walking “ate opo”! Yet, I’m ever grateful for this opportunity to serve the Lord full-time—what type of life could be greater!?

I had a funny and encouraging experience Saturday night haha. I was writing in my journal about the day and having the hardest time. Not because I was tired or the day was crazy, but because I was trying to write in English! I switched to Portuguese for the last half, and it was way easier haha. I’m starting to believe I’ll lose English almost completely! I’m still far from fluent, yet after days and weeks and months of only Portuguese, my brain is quickly transitioning. As I write this right now, I’m having some difficulty making sure all these words and clauses sound right! Louco!

We have one investigator who should be baptized in the coming weeks, Simone. A month or so ago we knocked on her door and started teaching her. She came to church with us the first Sunday and liked it a lot. She was supposed to come this Sunday also—she said she would definitely come and stay all three hours—but when the ward mission leader went to pick her up, either no one was home or everyone was asleep. I think the daylight savings change messed everyone up, because only 1 investigator made it to church. Before she gets baptized, Simone will have to stop smoking and drinking coffee, but we’re working with her, and she’s progressing. We had a powerful lesson with her a few days ago in which I testified to her that by reading The Book of Mormon she will have the power to conquer the addiction of smoking. It was awesome! If she follows that counsel, quitting after 35+ years, will be easy, for with the Lord’s help, all things are possible! Hopefully she’ll be baptized soon, along with several other people we are teaching.

I remember a year or two ago we had the sister missionaries over for dinner, and I asked them what was the hardest part of a mission. I was shocked when the answer wasn’t anything like walking up at 6:30 every day, mission family for two years, or working all day every day. One of them said that the hardest part was having the greatest message of the world—that of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and the eternal blessings that come from it—inviting people to accept this marvelous truth, and then seeing them disregard and reject it. THIS IS SO TRUE! Of all the hard, touch, difficult, draining things here, nothing is worse then trying to show sons and daughters of God this perfect gospel and having them be too dense and hard-hearted to humble themselves before God and willingly accept it. Nothing.

I pray we will never be too prideful to hear, study, and accept truth from our Father in Heaven, no matter in which form it comes. To all my family and friends in the greatest country on Earth—which I miss so much—enjoy every second of the liberties and standards of living that glorious America offers. I love Brazil, but man, I miss America. Keep emailing me and letting me know how things are going above the equator! Thanks for your amor e apoio!

Tchau,

Elder Anderson

​Representing my school well internationally!

Don't mess with ventiladores! (fans)