Week 75

Happy Thanksgiving!......  

Elders Thompson and Annand

This week has been great!  It started off a little interesting - so Elder Thompson got a text last week saying that he needed to pack his stuff because he was going to be transferred.  Well, Tuesday afternoon when we were on our way to Mill Creek for transfers, we got a call from the zone leaders saying that he was going to stay!  The look on his face was priceless, haha!  He was super shocked, as was I!  I've never had that happen before!  Anyway, I'm glad that I can serve with him for the next month and a half!  :)

The weather here is starting to get VERY chilly!  I think it sits around 40 degrees during the day, but once the sun goes down (around 4:30 pm), it starts to get in the 30s, maybe even 20s!  Biking is fun - you have tons more opportunities to talk with those around you.  It's awkward to ride up to someone and start talking with them, but after a while you get used to it.  :)   I will be spending both Thanksgiving and Christmas here in Oak Harbor - which I'm super grateful for!  Even though it is cold, this area is veeeeery beautiful!  I love it here!  The members are great, the work is going well, I'm just on the up and up overall!  I love the work of a missionary!

Last night, the sister missionaries in our ward had a baptism!  It was excellent!  The spirit was strong, and everyone was very supportive.  Elder Thompson got to perform his first baptismal ordinance!  He was nervous, but we practiced a lot and he did a great job.  :)  We have 4 investigators who are close to baptism.  One of them, however, is 89 years old, and it is very difficult for her to make it out to church.  We are trying and hoping for the best!

Saturday, we had a special mission conference with Elder David A. Bednar and Elders Schwitzer and Christensen from the Quorum of the Seventy.  If I could share everything I learned I would!  But that would be too much to write!  I loved it!  Elder Bednar assigned 3 talks to read before he came, "Ask in Faith", "Converted Unto The Lord", and "Seek Learning by Faith". 

"Ask in Faith" by Elder David A. Bednar   (click arrow to start video)

"Converted Unto the Lord" by Elder David A. Bednar   (click arrow to start video)

"Seek Learning by Faith" by Elder David A. Bednar   (click link to start the audio recording)


They are all very good talks, and I would recommend you read them!  On the first half of their visit, we shared insights on what we learned from the talks.  We asked questions which were answered by them during the second half.   Elder Bednar shared something absolutely wonderful about marriage - marriage is something that you create.  Love is a verb - it is something you have to put effort in and do.  You cannot expect love to happen just because you are rich, have lots of nice things, or whatever.  Love and a happy marriage comes as you spend time creating and maintaining it.  I know I'm only 20, and marriage is still a couple years from now, but I definitely will remember that!

Well, this Thursday is Thanksgiving!  Our preparation day was moved to Thursday, but we have permission to e-mail for one hour today because the library's will be closed.  I'm excited to play football (Turkey Bowl!) in a couple days!  Elder Thompson and I will be going to the "Elk's Club" with a group from our ward to celebrate Thanksgiving.  I'm excited!  They have free Thanksgiving meals every year and feed about 5,000 people on Thanksgiving day.  Another thing to be grateful for!  

I am so humbled for this opportunity that I have to serve a mission, help others others come closer to Jesus Christ, and to help them experience the same joy that I have felt through living the gospel in a righteous manner.  I am grateful for the love that our Heavenly Father has for us, and for the love that my family has for me.  I am grateful for the miracles that I have seen in my life, and for the daily blessings that I receive.  I am grateful for the Book of Mormon, and for the restored church of Jesus Christ, and for all of the knowledge that has been restored to the earth.  I am grateful to be a Mormon!  :)

What are the things that you are grateful for?  

I hope that you have a great Thanksgiving.  I love you all so much!



Love,

Elder Alexander J Annand

Week 74

Hey there family!

This week flew by!  We did a lot of less active work, and our investigators are progressing big time!  We are hoping for two baptisms early next month, and a couple of more towards the end of the year.  Gotta love a white Christmas!  :) 

One of our buddies, RH, had his 30th birthday this past Friday!  R is an awesome guy and has the sweetest spirit anyone would know!  He always greets you with a smile, shaking your hand, and I can't help but give him a big hug every time I see him!  We celebrated his birthday on Wednesday and had a great time.  :)  We also did quite a bit of service!  This past Saturday was the Relief Society and Young Women's Super Saturday, where they all met together and had a fun arts and crafts day.  They made tons of different projects and some of it turned out really neat!

Drinking Smoothies !!

Today is the start of a new transfer!  We will be receiving a text in about an hour to see if I'm staying or going.  I've only been in Oak Harbor for 6 weeks, but I could be going back Spanish speaking, or stay English!  I'm excited to find out...  Transfers are flying by, but I'm making the most out of everything!  This experience is GREAATTT!  Who knew that giving of yourself completely for two years could be the most rewarding opportunity anyone could be given?  I sure didn't!  Everyone always says that because you serve a mission, you will be blessed for the rest of your life.  It wasn't until just a couple of weeks ago where that really clicked with me.  I am trying my best to become a righteous son of God holding His priesthood power.  If I live obediently and follow the Spirit, I will be able to reach my goal.  Well, a lifelong goal.  :)

So I was thinking this morning why so many people think and ponder so much on negative things that happen to them or others, instead of all of the positive instances that you should be proud of.  It seems that whenever someone slips up and falls, they want to give up and hide their face from the world.  Whenever someone makes a mistake, people immediately judge and forget about all of the incredible feats someone could have done in their life.  For example, I always notice people say that Peter was "unfaithful" when he started to sink after walking on water.  True, he did stray his sight from the Savior.  Yes, he was told to not doubt.  But why do so many people forget about the miracle he just performed?  He just walked on water!  He did one of the most incredible acts of faith anyone had ever done in the history of time!  I sure don't have a sufficient amount of faith to go walk on the Pacific.  The same goes for people nowadays.  So many people I meet say they aren't worthy to go to church, or aren't thought to be a success, etc.  Remember, please, especially when we are struggling, that the most loving being we can have a relationship with is our Heavenly Father!  The Atonement is made for us, particularly when we pass through those negative, depressing times.  It helps us get back up on our feet, shake off the past, and be forgiven for anything that we have ever committed.  I love Jesus Christ for that.  He has done so much for us and has made it possible for us to return to live with our Father forever.  How I can't wait to weep at His feet and thank Him for everything He has done for me!

Just got the text for transfers!  I'm staying!  My companion, Elder Thompson, is leaving, so that means I'll be getting a new companion tomorrow...

I love you all so much.  I hope whatever I rambled on about makes sense.  Have a beautiful rest of the week - Arizona must be nice right about now!  Over here, it's really windy and cold - haha.

Love,

Elder Alexander J Annand

Week 73

Hello, hello!  :)

What a great week it has been!

Battle Hymn of the Republic  (lyrics)   
Click the pic to hear the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sing it so beautifully!

Looks like that it went very well for you too - I'm glad!  Isn't Sunday amazing!?  This past Sunday we had some great talks on service, and all of the members who have been in the military sang "Battle Hymn of the Republic" because of Veteran's Day.  It was really powerful to see all those who have served our country, or are currently serving our country sing that wonderful song. 

I was sick last week, so I wasn't able to go to church for fast Sunday, but this past Sunday was awesome!  Because I didn't fast on fast Sunday, I fasted this past Sunday instead.  Some cool miracles came from it!  We had 3 investigators at church - each of them are super close to baptism!  Two of them normally don't make it out to church, so it was really nice to see them there.  :)  Each of them have small hold ups that has been keeping them from getting baptized, but I'm sure that they will be in the water soon.  :)  Elder Thompson and I were biking on Thursday to go and see a less active, when a lady in a white truck yelled at us asking for help.  She needed some help moving a couple things to a new place - it turns out that she went to church while she lived in California and has only been up here for a little while!  She wants to continue meeting with the missionaries and (hopefully) progress to baptism!  It feels so great to know that you were at the right place at the right time!

Transfers are next Tuesday!  I'll know Monday afternoon whether or not I'm leaving.  Even though I've only been here in Oak Harbor for 6 weeks, there is a possibility that I'll be leaving.  We'll see what the Lord desires!

Man... Chris is home already!?  Time is flying so fast!  I worked with him at Plastic Engineering for a small while, where I think we developed a pretty nice relationship.  I've known him for a long time, but never really spent too much time with him.  You'll have to get his email for me so I can say hello.  You can probably tell that he is such a spiritual giant - I love Chris!

That's awesome how much you got out of the talks on Sunday!  Man, I love this church so much!  It has done so many incredible things in my life.  I'm so grateful for this opportunity I have to share what I hold so dear to my heart!

Well, I gotta get going...  I have an appointment soon and haven't had lunch yet.  Hope that you have a great day and week!  Love you all so much!

Love,

Elder Alexander J Annand

Week 72

Hey hey family!

Scott was stung on his little toe by an Arizona Bark scorpion
last weekend.  He's fine, but what a surprise!  Here's an pic from the
internet....  and Scott wants to keep it as a pet?  Eeeewww!    ~June

Man!  That is one crazy story about Scotty and the scorpion!  Did you read what he sent me?  Seriously, it was the funniest thing ever - just the way he described it - haha!  Maybe it's because we're boys, but I would so keep that as a pet as well!  'Atta boy, Scotty!  Hope he's doing okay!

The extra hour of sleep was nice.  It was really strange though, waking up and seeing some light - I thought I slept in!  It will start getting dark around 4-5pm - which is crazy!  Washington is really interesting... but I've grown to love it here.

I got the package!  Thank you so much!  :)  Seriously, you know me too well!  I got sick this weekend, and I needed some medicine.  It was so cool to see that you sent me that in the package!  I feel better now.  Bishop gave me some "green smoothie" which was full of vegetables and what not - it was really tasty and healthy!  It inspired me to be eating healthier and not stuffing my body with trashy things.

Cricket was my Green Rump Parrotlet that came home with
me in 2001.  He died unexpectedly Sunday evening.  Cricket
was full of sweet personality and playfulness.  I miss him,
but I know I will see him again in Heaven.    ~June

That is such a bummer hearing about Cricket.  It's so true how so much change happens while you are on your mission - and that is a type of change I wasn't expecting.  I'm going to miss that little fella chirping it up, laughing, feeding, and running around in the cage...  Aaahh, good times. 

So I've been wanting to tell you about some pretty cool stuff about our family history!  There are two members in the ward I'm serving in who love doing family history, so I asked them to do a little bit of research.  Well, it turns out that a little bit turned out to be a lot!  Annand is a Scottish last name.  With what we can find right now, it goes back to the late 1700's to a man named John Annand who was born in Scotland!  Isn't that so cool?!  I can't wait to do the temple work for these guys!  I'll have to send you all the paper work that we have found for these guys - it's so neat!

This week was pretty good.  Aside from getting sick over the weekend (and I wasn't able to go to church either), it went well!  Elder Thompson and I have been teaching a less active member who just had a baby about 2 weeks ago.  It has been an amazing experience for he and his girlfriend, and they had the baby blessed just yesterday at church!  I heard it was a really powerful experience for them.  The non-member girlfriend is now interested, and we will be pushing for them to get married, then baptized!  Then, in a year from that moment, they can be sealed as a forever family!  :) 

Last week, we had some extra time before going in to the apartment, and we decided to walk around to see if we could find anyone interested in the gospel before ending the night.  It turns out that we did! We found a woman named "G" who has a two year old daughter.  She is searching for religion and is trying to get her life back on track - a complete miracle!  She's doing great!  :) 

Well, I gotta get going.  My shoes are super torn up, so if I have the opportunity today, I might end up buying a new pair of shoes.  I love you guys so much!  Have a great week!

Love,

Elder Alexander J Annand