The most wonderful birthday of my life!!

i do not think i will have any problem eating McDonalds on the way home!! so we can definantly stop there for some Big Mac's and Chicken nuggets!!! hehe!!!

For you information I had almost the most wonderful Birthday of my life!! Thanks for the present!!! it was great!  You spoil me!!!!!  but i found some nutella here in HO!!! it was 18cedis for the small jar but i slurged and got me a little birthday treat!!!

In the Morning of my birthday, Elder and Sister Lyon picked us up bright and early at 6am.  She made muffins and some caramel chocolate toffee over crackers that you put in the fridge i think she called in sal-teen toffee.. but it was really good!!!!! and some fresh fruit! they sang happy birthday to me too!!!

and the day was just amazing!!  On the way home we stopped for gelato at the only gelato shop in all of ghana, in accra and it was so great!! what an awesome birthday treat!! Sister Patience also made us some really nice Fufu when we got home to Ho at about 7pm with chicken lite soup!! (i will have to learn how to make it so i can prepare you some!!! but maybe we will just eat it with spoons and maybe some dipping bread!!)

(but i already told you all of this!!!!) hehe just some more details!!

Before the meeting with Elder Snow and Elder Holland we waited on the steps of the temple (in the sun mind you) for about 45minutes, but no one cared as it was so exciting!!!

Then they came and we took the picture and then we went to the stake centre for the meeting.

Elder and Sister Curtis, Elder and Sister Dickson, Elder and Sister Snow and Elder and Sister Holland all spoke to us!! IT WAS AMAZING!

Just breifly,

Sister Curtis spoke about how we are all servants of the Lord and about Alma 16:16

Elder Curtis spoke about how the "sacred choir of the Apostle" is back on the earth once again!!! and what a privilege is is to be lead and guided by them today!

Sister Dickson talked about moses 7:62, how we must seek and share truth.

Elder Dickson told of the importance of Revelation, and how we would cease to be a church if we stopped receiving revelation. and to be teachable.

Sister Snow spoke about Genesis 45:25, and to not fall by the wayside.. to be true and pure, to live and learn the doctrines of the gospel and keep our covenants.

I also felt impressed with the doctrine of enduring to the end as it applies to our investigators, that we should also support them so they to do not fall by the wayside!

Elder Snow also talked about being teachable, meaning that you apply what you learn, not just listen and take notes!  He spoke on Knowing our privileges as missionaries and members of the church, to not leave any cards on the table to have no regrets.  He also shared a poem, called myself "I do not want to sit at the setting sun, and regret the things i've done" i also added or what i haven't done. He told us to EXPECT miracles!! be ambassadors for Christ at all times and all things and in all places (Mosiah 18) 

Sister Holland is just an amazing woman! She spoke about Joel in the Old testament, about his prophesying about the last days, but that we need not fear as the SPIRIT is promised that the word of Truth will go forth, she also touched on us not living below our privileges, it reminds me of Elder Uctdorf's talk about the man on the cruise ship!  That we in our day will dream dreams and see visions!

He testimony was so powerful, that her husband is an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ a special witness of him here, and a member of that "Sacred Choir of Apostles"  It was heart warming and was the first time i almost cried.  She told how her husband does dream dreams and receive visions.

Elder Holland is even more grand than his wife. He is so humble and just emanates the qualities of Christ we are all chasing! He talked on the grand "Tradition of Mission"

That missionaries are the most recognized symbol of the church today.  "So many not of our Faith wonder how the heck we do it! How do we get young men and women to do the things they do as missionaries!"  He talked about the mission standards how they are hard in today's world and then reminded us that we are not of this world, we are the Youth of a noble birthright and can do it!  We as missionaries and members of the church cannot compromise the name of the church, we do not have the right to do that!

When we go home, we must declare what a mission should be, what it can be and represent the best of mission forever!!! THIS IS OUR LIFE..  There is no going back to the 'real' world, this is the REAL WORLD!!! our life forever more, to be a missionary, we never ever stop being missionaries!  We have to do it right, build it right "pull your socks up to your armpits, cowboy up, be big people!!!! We never have an opportunity like this again"

He spoke on becoming a Book of Mormon mission, it is a miracle maker!  As you will read in president's email, we have more than doubled the number of Book Of Mormons we have been using in the past 6 months!! HOW GREAT IS THAT! the word is getting out there and working the hearts of Ghanaian's all over Ghana!

We are privileged to see the Church being born here in Ghana.  With the creation of the new mission, the new district that Ho will soon be apart of, we can see it! The church is flourishing here in Ghana and it is just amazing!!! and I am here to see it!

Finally he said, that he understands missionary work/the work of salvation is not easy, BECAUSE salvation is not easy!

It was a life changing experience, it was a perception changing experience and it really helped me to receive more direction and to what i will do after mission.... continue to be a missionary, even after i die.

I wanted to share a mini miracle we experienced on Saturday, a physical one but a miracle none the less.

At our Baptismal service, we were able to have 3 investigators attend, the service was very nice and the spirit was present.  The speaker was talking and afterwards we would proceed to the font outside.  Outside the wind started to howl, the sky went dark and the rain that had be daunting all day was about to pour down.

Our candidate leaned over and asked me if they would go out to do the baptism if it started raining, i responded with a smile and said "Everything will work out."  As the speaker finished and everyone got up to go to the font, the wind stopped, the rain held off and we were able to proceed with the baptism.  As the last candidate was exiting the font, a small wind started again and by the time they had reached the pathway rain started to fall very heavy.

I know that Heavenly Father was watching over, that he knew they were prepared and provided the weather to allow for the baptism to come on.

It may have been a small thing, but it is by small things that great things are brought to pass.

It is so great to know we are engaged in the work of the Lord.

I love you all so much and hope you continue to be missionaries!!
LOVE ELDER ANDERSON!