Week 13: Happy Holidays!

Merry Christmas! I hope everyone had a blast for Christmas and enjoyed all the goodies, treats, and family and friend time! There's nothing better! Whether you celebrated in Texas, Louisiana, Utah, Idaho, Wisconsin, Thailand...or even California ;) (Yes, I know) Wherever you were, I hope it was great and you made the most of it!

As promised, I said I would tell you what food I ate around Christmas time for my first French Christmas, so, here it goes!

• Shrimp and smoked salmon (lots and lots)
• Cheese (we're always eating cheese)
• Foie Gras (you can look up the details of that one haha)
• Lots of bread (all kinds of French bread)
• and even more cake. (some gooood stuff)

It was all good! I ate a ton! Every house we went to fed us at least 8 courses. And of course, when they had a little left over after each course, they gave it to the missionaries. And the new missionary is always given more haha. I didn't really gain weight though haha you can look at the pictures!

Editors Note: Pictures will be uploaded here when Elder Anderson finds fast enough internet to send them.  Thank you for your patience.

Christmas was great, but there are a few things that I missed:

       Family and Friends: laughing, eating, and just hanging out and enjoying each others company. I know I'll get to again one day so I'm not too torn up, don't worry! But just know that I DO miss you.

       Performances: Since moving to Texas, I've enjoyed going to the Epiphany Christmas Choir performances with my family, and I missed it this year. And there was actually someone in it that I wanted to see! She is also in a play called "Joseph" I believe, so everyone give her a round of applause! One busy, talented lady! :)

      Warm weather. Although it isn't TOO cold here, I know it'll get there haha but it's all good.

Oh, I got a BIG OL' Christmas package! It was AWESOME. I got it a couple days after Christmas, but that just meant that I got to have a Christmas morning all to myself!

Editors Note: Pictures will be uploaded here when Elder Anderson finds fast enough internet to send them.  Thank you for your patience.

Some of these gifts were definitely inspired! The mac and cheese was put to good use because we were running out of stuff to eat and it helped us make it to today! Also, I was given a Book of Encouragement. It's awesome, thank you so much! It has one of my favorite quotes in it, which I actually put up on ly wall in Texas over a year ago. It says "Let no feeling of discouragement prey upon you, and you are sure to succeed." - Abraham Lincoln

If someone ever tells you that something is impossible, it can't be done, the chances are low, or YOU can't possibly do it, forget them! You can accomplish ANYTHING if you really want to! Something else I was given highlights Alma 22:16 (click the scripture). A dear friend told me about it, and explained it simply to me, and I'm going to share what they said, so hopefully they won't be embarassed. They said that In Alma 22:16 it explains that if we want something, we need to humble ourselves, repent, ask in faith for help, believe that you can receive it, and you will receive. So if you're doing something difficult, then that's the solution! Listen to Abraham Lincoln, but more importantly, listen to our Heavenly Father and have faith in Jesus Christ and the help He can give you! I've got some smart friends, there's no doubt about that! So thank you for that tidbit of encouragement :)

Going along with that, Nez Year=New Years Resolutions! I love making them, but have a hard time following through. I'm going to use this encouragement for help!

So, as a missionary, I have a challenge for everybody! And a prize! Did I get your attention? haha. The challenge is to read the Book of Mormon. Simple enough! You can choose a topic and look for it and highlight things about it as you read (like faith, love, the Atonement, Jesus Christ, etc.), just read it cover to cover, or whatever you want! Then, when you finish, if you let me know (by telling my family and getting me your address) I will send you something cool from France! Deal? I'll be doing it too, so I'll either be alone in my goal or be accompanied by many! But if you take up the challenge, you wont be alone because I'll be doing it!

So, I gotta get going, but I have a funny tidbit. This week a woman let us into her home and we were talking to her and she offered us a drink of water. Of course we said yes, and then she gave us each a bottle of water. My first thought was one of fear. I cant drink bottled water! It's not good for me! haha that idea got drilled into my head right before coming on my mission, and a certain someone knows who they are who got the idea stuck in my head! ;) It was a nice little reminder of back home, and they're all over the place :)

I gotta partir, but just another tidbit, if you ever don't know what to send me, PICTURES are ALWAYS awesome :)

Well, HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone! Make it the best! I'll be trying to do the same and keep up with you!

Elder Daniel Anderson

Week 12: We're Still Here!

The world didn’t end! We're still here! Pretty sweet! Now we have even more time to be awesome! So how was everyone’s week? I hope it was awesome, because mine was pretty cool haha I'm not bragging, I'm just sayin!

So, last week we were teaching an investigator, and it was the first time that we had gotten the chance to meet with him. We taught him the lesson, had a discussion with him, and gave him a Book of Mormon. We asked if for the next lesson he would read the introduction and the testimonies of the witnesses. Aaaaan then he started reading, right then and there! We weren’t sure what to do, but we let him go ahead and read if he was gonna read! So I just read the same things in my French scriptures and tried to understand the best I could. Then, once he read everything up to the start of 1 Nephi, he said that he was definitely going to read, but he was going out of town. It was awesome though, and we're definitely going to see him again.

Everyone here that we're teaching has gone out of town for the holidays, so that has made our main goal finding! But we didn’t have as much time as usual to do that this week because we had a crazy schedule...

Last Wednesday I had to go back to Paris to become legal here in France. We rode the train for a while, showed up in Paris a little early, so we hit up the Eiffel Tower, no biggy. Say whaaaat?! It was pretty nuts. We didn’t go right to it, but I have a picture you can see! (if emailing it works haha) Then I went to do my legality thing, medical exam stuff, and then got some crepes and headed back to Poitiers.

On Thursday was Zone Christmas Conference, so we were on trains going to Angers for the conference. It was kind of hectic, and definitely the first time I have ever run a mile in a suit while carrying a sandwich in one hand and a 30 pound bag in the other. It wasn’t pleasant, but we made it to the train! I should probably hit the cardio more...

The Christmas Conference was awesome! President Poznanski and his wife taught us a lot and we watched a bunch of clips from the movie Iron Will. Anyone seen it? It's a pretty sweet movie! I'd seen it a bunch of times before haha I'm pretty sure my parents have it if you want to borrow it :) We watched it because it was part of our 2013 goals for the mission. Then we had a little grub and a white elephant gift dealio where they just randomly gave the gifts out and you opened whatever you got. I got a mug, and it was obvious that a sister had brought it because it was actually a decent present haha

I've also met some very interesting people! When you go knocking on doors, you have no clue who could be behind the door, so you have to be ready for anything! If I had more time, I would share some stories, but I'll just send those in letters :)

We had a Christmas party at the Church! There were some games, and singing (in French, so I kinda didn’t get a lot of it haha) and then we had some food, and it was pretty good. They definitely like chocolate here, so that was probably my favorite part haha don’t worry, I'm watching my belly! haha ;)

So, it's Christmas Eve! We're going to 2 members homes today, and then 1 tomorrow. It'll be exciting to see what kind of grub they have! I'm excited haha

Oh, shout out to Cole Martin, congrats on getting called to serve in the Washington Everett Mission! That's so awesome! I know you'll be a great missionary!

Oh, another shout out...kinda haha it's a super good book you should read! It’s called The Broken Heart by Bruce C. Hafen. It's an inspiring book and I liked it a lot! And if you happen to have my copy of it, hopefully you don’t mind all the sloppy markings in it haha sorry! :)

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! Have an awesome time and always make the best of it! If I were there, I would do the same with you, but I'll try to do that here too! I'll be thinking about you today and tomorrow and throughout the holidays. I miss you all a ton! Eat some American goodness for me! I'll give you a heads up on what I eat in my next email haha

Joyeux Noel! Don’t forget to smile! :)

Elder Daniel Anderson

Your Christmas present!  PICTURE TIME!!

In the MTC with my teachers: (L-R) Frere Portwood, Frere Magre, Frere Corbett, Soeur Scott

President Zimbelman (my branch President at the MTC) and I

Last Sunset at the MTC

Notre Dame with the other Elder Anderson

View from the front of the apartment in Poitiers

View from the back of the apartment in Poitiers

Giant Christmas tree in Town Square that is right by our apartment.  We walk by it everyday.

In front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris

The table at the Christmas Conference grub time!

You should be getting some more pretty soon I hope! Haha

Week 11: Keepin It Real

Bonjour! It's me, Elder Anderson! It's been another week, and it was a doozy! haha

So, I'm starting to really see the differences between here and Texas. I have traded in my flip flops, swimsuit, and pool days with friends for a scarf, coat, and umbrella. It's cold here. It rains a lot. It's an adventure! haha Camp Journey says that everyday is an adventure, and its the same way here! Just, different adventures haha but its all good!

Elder Argyle and I are also whitewashing Poitiers, so neither of us has ever been here or know anything about it, so we're doing some serious exploring. haha

We spend a lot of time contacting people in the streets of Poitiers and knocking on doors. You see and meet some interesting people! We are now teaching Jonathan, and things are going really well with him! He is really searching for the truth and our lessons have gone really well! Turns out, he plays on the city's basketball team here! Like semi pro (or, pro here in France haha) it's pretty cool! We also taught a man from Italy, and talked to a man and his wife in their house and they told us about what his father did in WWII. There are interesting people everywhere!

So, my Dad wrote me and told me that he checked out my address on Google Maps. I recommend it! Go look it up! See where I am! The streets I walk everyday! I'll send pictures of my apartment soon haha and of other cool things I've seen.

There's a music store here, and they have a guitar like the one Zac Brown has...the one that's like a Tri Cone something or other. Look it up, it's awesome. It made me think of jamming on the guitar and everyone I know who does :)

I got my first letter at my apartment here in Poitiers! It was sent on December 7th and got to me on the 13th, so not too bad! Hopefully my Mom and Pops shared the address they used with others! If not, oh well haha "Not my address, not my problem!" ;) (I hope someone catches that joke haha:) ) ...wait, I cant say that, because it is my address. Well, hopefully it gets shared now!

Oh, and I wrote my address in the post last week, but i guess my mission president also sent around my address, but he wrote it a little differently than me. Hopefully the address my mission president gave out is the one people use...I would trust him more than me haha hes french! But, if you used the address I gave out, I'm sure it'll work too, don't worry!

I'm sorry this isn't super long! I don't have a lot of time! But keep checking the mail for things fro, me, you never know when something might show up! :) I won't forget.

Keep being awesome and have a great week!

Elder Daniel Anderson

Week 10: I'm ALIVE

It's been a while huh?! Sheesh I haven't gotten to write an email in forever! Sorry! A lot has happened in the week! I hope that someone got an update about my last week; my mission president should have sent an email with a picture of me if I'm not mistaken. Oh, and hopefully some of you received stuff in the mail from me...for some, a lot haha :) If you didn't, be checking the mail! :) Anyways, my journey!

The plane ride was fine, long but bearable. Then we landed in Paris. Crazy. it was a nutso feeling! This is where I would be serving for 2 years! I would be speaking this language! (hopefully sooner than later haha) The President Poznanski and his wife welcomed us, and they're super nice! Then we headed to Paris! 

There is a small LDS chapel in Paris, just in a building, so it doesn't look much like a church. But guess what its down the street from. Notre Dame. Okay, not exactly down the street, but down the street and right around the corner. 5 minute walk. So we headed there! Eventually you will get pictures haha. It was so awesome! We did some proselyting around Paris that day; then headed to the mission presidents house. We talk trains everywhere, and on the train we met some ladies from Morocco who invited us over for food because we reminded them of their children haha. We had to decline because we had to go to bed. We went back to the mission home, chit chatted a little bit, and got ready for bed. Pictures of that will come too haha.

The next morning we headed back near Paris, to what the mission calls Consecration Hill. It was just a park...next to a castle, the birth place of King Louis XIV, and over looked all of Paris. It was pretty amazing. For anyone that will come pick me up from my mission or who will come with me here some other time; I've got a whole list of places to take you already! Get excited :) You'll get to see it all! Later that day, we did more contacting in Paris, went inside Notre Dame, and then found out where we would be serving and who would train us. Drum roollll please....

POITIERS. 

And my trainer is Elder Argyle from Pleasant Grove, Utah! Poitiers, France is near the middle of France, and one of the southern most parts of the mission. They must have known i come from a warm place, because they sent me to one of the warmer areas! But its still freezing here haha. SO. IMPORTANT. My new address is under this line. I'll be here for months, so please mail everything from now on to this new address :) If you've already sent stuff, don't worry; I'll still get it. This new address will just be faster :) and I'll get anything that was sent to the mission home (the old address) around Christmas time :) The address:

Elder Daniel Anderson (be sure to use my name like that because in France it has to have the right name on it that matches the mail boxhaha)

15 rue des Arènes Romaines

86000 Poitiers

FRANCE

We do a lot of contacting here. Street contacting, door knocking, the usual. I havent been able to do a lot because I'm realizing just how bad I am at French haha okay not THAT bad, but I have a ways to go! I'm doing what I can :) We have also taught some people! It's really cool to get to know people and see how there are so many different kinds of people! I have also eaten some stinky French cheese haha. I just had a baguette, cheese, and cured ham for dinner haha so as you can tell, I'm getting fat! NOT. All this walking is keeping me in shape! For real! So don't worry about that ;)

Oh, and some info on dearelders: if you sent me some dearelders the weekend before I left the MTC, I never got them :( And I'm not sure when I will get them...I think they'll be brought to the mission home at some point, but I don't know when. So, if you have a desire to write me a lot, find a stash of money and send me letters frequently to the new address :) If you're reading this, there's probably already something headed your way from France :) And more to come! Speaking of that. Christmas presents. I haven't been able to get any to send yet! So they'll be late :/ Sorry! I'll send some though! No doubt :) Probably little stuff, but I'm doing my best!

When I was in Texas, Sierra showed me this cereal that was like chocolate filled and she said she really liked it but didn't want to eat too much of it because she didn't want to get fat (like that would ever happen. Do you know who Sierra is? If you do, you know THAT'S crazy. She doesn't need to worry about that at all! :) ) Well, I guess Sierra would think I'm gonna get fat ;) They have Trésor cereal here with nutella flavoring in the middle. I eat them every morning. But, I'm not fat yet! I've lost weight haha that's what happens when you walk 1000 miles a day haha.

I was thinking today that I wish I had learned more guitar before I left. I should have taken the great opportunity to jam out more, and learn from people I know who can play! Hopefully when I get back they'll be willing to help me out :) I'll be a good student, I promise!! And I'd love to listen to all of the songs you write until then! :)

Well I've gotta go back out in the cold! I'll be emailing again about the same time next week, and let me know when you get the letters from me so I know how long they took to get there haha. Thanks for all of your prayers! They really do help!

à bientot!

Elder Daniel Anderson

Safely In Paris & Apartment Address

Elder Anderson's family received an e-mail from his Mission President, President Poznanski early this morning letting us know that he made it to Paris, France safely.

This is Elder Anderson with the Mission President and his wife.

Daniel is (of course) third from the left and on the other side of that sister missionary is Elder Stobbs, his old mission companion.

Left to Right: Elder Mataele, Elder Anderson, Elder Daniel Anderson, Sister Lai, Elder Stobbs, Elder Meissner, and Elder Saguibo

Yes, I said "old companion".  Elder Anderson has a new mission companion now who will be his trainer.  His name is Elder Argyle.

Wednesday morning, Elder Anderson had a mission orientation then left for his first assignment to work in Poitiers Area with his companion.

His new apartment address is:

Rés Les Arènes Romaines 15 rue des Arènes Romaines

Poitiers, 86 86000

FRA

Remember that the other address I gave you, is mission headquarters   THIS new address is his apartment where he will be for at least the next 6 weeks but probably longer.  Either way a letter will get to him but his apartment address might be faster.

No e-mail from Elder Anderson yet.  Today was probably his P-Day because that is when new blood usually gets added into the mission field and old blood goes out.  I don't know if he had time to e-mail but I'm sure we will hear from him within the next week.

Keep praying!  And as Elder Anderson always says, "Keep Improving".

Editor Post: MTC Pictures

Daniel sent me his memory stick from his flash drive so I could print him out some pictures.  He gave me permission to post some pictures so I thought before he leaves the MTC, I should post some pictures for you.

He just said, "Don't make me look like an idiot."   ....Not a chance, Daniel.

Outside the Provo, UT Temple

Provo, UT Temple