Week 103

Hi hi family!

Selfie while on a beach hike.      May 2014

I have to make this quick!  A lot of people wrote me so I was busy responding to them.  I definitely feel strange right now knowing that this is my last preparation day.  I can't believe it's time... I'll be honest and say that I am depressed and don't have much to say. 


I love you all so much!


Have a great week - see you soon!

Love,

Elder Alexander J Annand

Week 102

Hey hey hey!

What's up?!  This week was pretty crazy!  I can't believe that my birthday is coming up either!  I'm going to be going to a member's home and have some food and celebrate, haha.  :)    Nothing has come to mind with what I may want for my birthday - I'll be sure to let you know if that changes!   :D

Elders Gressier and Annand      Titanic, anyone???

I'm doing so great!  We had zone conference this past week, so all of the Spanish speaking missionaries got together.  We received instruction from President Bonham, the assistants, the north Spanish zone leaders, and the sister training leaders.  I had the privilege of conducting the meeting which was awesome!  :)   At the very end, I shared my final testimony, and after that all of the parting missionaries sang "God Be With You Till We Meet Again" in Spanish.  I started crying at the very end and was bawling during the closing prayer.  This honor to serve a full time mission has been incredible.  Words can't describe the love I have for the Hispanic people, and the love I have for Washington.

Oh... My... Goodness... 108 degrees in Phoenix...  DEFINITELY not looking forward to that.  It's going to be interesting trying to cope with the heat again.  We'll see what happens...

I love you all so much! Have a great week!

Love,

Elder Alexander J Annand

Week 101

Hey hey hey! 

This past week was quite eventful!  Unfortunately, we had a missionary go home this past week so we were given another missionary (so now I am with 2 other missionaries) while his companion went to a different area.  My new companion's name is Elder Tyler Shaver.  He is from Harrisonburg, Virginia and has been a missionary as long as my other companion, Elder Cottle.  They were both companions in the MTC, so it is neat that they get to serve together at this time in their mission.  With the addition of Elder Shaver, we also cover the area that he was serving in (Monroe to Goldbar).  It makes things a little more stressful because of all of the travel time we have to take, but I think we are managing.  We are going to go to the Sky Valley branch in Monroe this Sunday to meet the members.  :)

Elders Annand, Shaver, and Cottle     May 2014

So... You aren't going to be a happy camper with this news that I'm going to give you.  I got a ticket!  Our car was in the shop, and it was time to pick it up.  We drove to the mission office, got the car, put packages in it, and while I was driving off, I took a turn onto a 25mph area.  I didn't realize at first I was going a lot faster than the posted speed limit, and when I braked to get to normal speed, it was too late.  :(  The GPS said the speed limit was 30, but that doesn't justify anything... I was being clumsy!  I took some money out of my bike fund to pay for the ticket.  It was a total of $195, but because we are in a 3 pack, we have to split it 3 ways, so I'm going to end up spending $65.  I'm upset at myself, and I lost my driving privileges as a missionary for the rest of my mission, but afterwards, I'll just have to pay more attention while driving!

Yesterday, as a district, we rode the ferry!  It was my first time, and it was way cool!  We went over to Whidbey Island and hung around there on the beach for a little while, then we went out to lunch at Taco Bell afterwards (classy, right?).   :)   It was very inexpensive as well, $4.80 I think for a round trip ticket if you are on foot.  I'll attach some pictures to show you!

Ferry to Whidbey Island    May 2014

That is super sad news that Tucker had to be put down, but it was for the best.  I hate seeing animals suffer.  I hope each of you can cope quickly with the loss.

Tomorrow is our Spanish zone conference (when all of the Spanish missionaries get together and receive instruction from the mission president, his wife, and his assistants).  I will be singing in a musical number with the other missionaries who will be going home this upcoming transfer (2 other Elders and a Sister missionary).  It's going to be sad, but I am eternally grateful for this experience that I have had to serve as a missionary.  I have learned that rendering continual service brings the greatest blessings.  It is something that I have chosen to do for the rest of my life.

I love you all so much!  I hope you have a great week!

Love,

Elder Alexander J Annand

Week 100

Hello !

I'm doing very well!  This past week was very rough, however.  I had food poisoning/flu from Tuesday to Friday and then was hit with a pretty painful migraine yesterday.  It was a bit of a bummer because I wasn't able to work as hard as I wanted to this past week. 

I did have a cool miracle happen though...  I was on a mini exchange with one of the missionaries in Snohomish, and we were knocking on doors.  We tracted into a freshman in high school named J - she seemed a bit standoffish at first but then when we started to teach, the Spirit came super strong.  As we showed her the front picture of the Restoration pamphlet, she started bawling!  It was such a powerful moment, and she knows now what the Spirit feels like!  :)

P-Day hike with some of the missionaries...   Super Fun!!!

Tell Scotty I say hi!  I love him so much!  It was so good to talk with him over Skype on Mother's Day.  It looks like he is doing very well!  I'm excited to spend a lot more time with him and to catch up on everything that I've missed.  But for now, I need to focus and work hard for this last month that I have!  I already mentioned this, but I can't believe how quick time flies.  My mission has been such a blessing and an experience and I will be forever grateful.

I got a pretty neat letter from the Activity Day girl's from our ward this past week.  They all wrote me a letter asking me how I'm doing and what it's like up here.  They spelled my name "Elder Anand".  One of them said that I sound like a pretty skinny guy, and if I'm a girl that they didn't mean to offend me.  I started busting out laughing!  I'll be using some of my preparation day to write the kids back.  :)

Hope you have a great week!  Can't believe the kid's summer starts next week!

Love,

Elder Alexander J Annand