Anderson's Celestial LOVE!

Family!!!!!!!

Whats good in the hood?? haha Boy oh boy your weekly letters just make me smile! They help me become more dedicated and I just love it so much! Thank you for that!

I don't even know where to begin in all honesty this past week was hectic!! BUT A BLAST!!! :) haha It was the final week we prepare for transfers. Kinda a bitter sweet moment because i realized the next time we do it it'll be a completely new Mission President. The Andersons will be packed up and on their way to Texas the next time. It was really good though. President and Sister Anderson are incredible. Honestly SO SO INCREDIBLE. This past week we had Dinner with them at their home. It was fun going around the table and sharing what we've learned on our missions so far. There is just a level of love that they have that is just CELESTIAL!!! It really is. I have seen a perfect example of what i wish to be someday with my wife. They support and help each other in everything! I love it! While Elder Harris was in his departing interview this past week we had a chance of talking with Sister Anderson for about 45min straight. Just about life and family and plans after the mission, etc... Really just getting to know each other even better. I loved when we asked Sister Anderson, "What was the thing that you loved most about president when you were dating? What peeked your interest most out of anything?" She smiled and without hesitation she stated, "I could see in his eyes and in his actions how much he LOVED his mission. I could see that the love for his mission would someday make an incredible amount of love towards a future family." She told us it was as easy as that. That inspired me and helps me to really look at my own personal mission. I LOVE MY MISSION TOO!!! I LOVE IT!!! It was fun just to be able to spend some time more 'personal' time (so to speak) with them this past week.

Also at dinner President asked me if Uncle Shan was able to apply harvesting to his stake to try and reactivate people and what not... I wanted to follow-up with shan as well. It interest me to know if it worked haha Will you ask Shan for me? THANKS i would love to let president know also. I know if it was applied then the answer i'll receive is YES IT WORKED!! :) It is inspired and a tool produced by god!!

Anyways... Transfers. So they're this week. We made all the calls last night and told the missionaries whether they are staying or transferring. :) We are going to pick up the new missionaries once again today! Our pday will be cut short but HEY it's all worth it! It's so much fun! I'm excited. Also as you know Elder Harris is leaving so Elder Oneill and I will be getting a new companion. Don't say anything to anyone haha because these missionaries don't find out until tomorrow but the new AP will be Elder Tesch. He was my last companion as a zone leader in Hollywood. I'm excited to be with him again and we are going to do work together :) We are pumped!!! We also have crazy things happening in transfers haha a few white wash areas, others that are transfer training, and then even a 3 some sister trainer leader (STL)!! It'll be fun and we are anxiously awaiting tomorrow. I love it! 

MIRACLE TIME!!!!!!

One day we prayed about a location to go and harvest. We felt prompted to go to a certain area and so we did. There we met a guy named Ian. He opens the door in a bright pink skinny tank top that says 'Not anybody can be a queen!' If that isn't scary then I don't know what is.... haha Immediately i began judging. I would say to myself "oh no this guy is gay. Another gay guy is going to be trying to hit on my. oh nooooo!" to add onto his pink tank top though he also had a very very feminine voice. Honestly sounded like my sister. I didn't know what to do. Keep in mind this is all happening immediately after he opens the door. Thoughts like this going through my head. It was hard to try and refrain from these thoughts. I knew however that he was a son of god. He is equal. I then began to look for good in him. As i began changing my mindset miracles began to flow. We said a prayer with Ian. Afterwards he said he felt relieve and forgiveness. WHAT AN ELECT RESPONSE!!! My mindset and thoughts toward Ian began changing even more. I truly began to see him as a son of god that had potential at this point. The devil still tried possessing my mind and telling me he is gay.... stay away... he likes men.... etc.... The devil did everything but interestingly enough at that moment none of it mattered. The spirit was in the room and I knew he was a son of god prepared to receive this message. Ian then went on and accepted the invitation to be baptized!! He said he would prepare for the 8th of June. That's when he said, "I will see if my sister and family want to prepare also!!" Obviously we encouraged that and set a return appointment. When we went back to see him. His sister was there. She also being YSA aged. We ended up teaching the entire family. During this lesson the mother asked a question that any any any missionary would love hearing "Do you guys believe that we will actually get to see our families after we die?" We told her yes and testified of the plan of salvation. We expounded on it a little bit and left her with a pamphlet to read. We even talked about family sealings in the temple. All DOCTRINE that she needed to understand at that time. The mom also after that lesson said "YES I'LL PREPARE FOR THAT BAPTISM!" So now we have the mom the sisters and Ian all preparing for a special service of baptism! 

It was a miracle that at the time i NEVER would have seen coming. But it did. It did because god is good and helped me and my companions to see Ian as he could BECOME not as he was or is but looking deeper at his eternal progression and life!!! It was a miracle!!!!

MIRACLE TIME!!!!

A member named Sabreena (she's from trinidad haha) has her boyfriend that she has been bringing to church for weeks now! He went to the temple open house and he is just a boss!! His name is Andrew. Andrew is in the Marines and he's such a cool guy! Sabreena never wanted us to meet with him just because she was scared we were going to have a lesson with him and just invite him to be baptized and then baptize him and leave him. She wanted us to first and foremost love him and be friends with him and then work in the baptism. So we respected that and we needed Sabreena to be on our side so we began becoming friends with Andrew. It all started when i began complimenting him on how big he was haha His muscles are HUGE!! He's a beast! So i slowly began complimenting him and asking him what his secrets are and what not. Long story short I have him like giving me work outs and stuff. Truth to be told however... Andrew loves helping people get big. He wants to open his own gym actually. So immediately we became friends. We hit it off and ever since then we have been tight. My companions as well eventually began getting to know him a bit and now we are all solid. Well, yesterday we had our first lesson with Andrew. Sabreena and another member named Ryan were all present! It was such a powerful lesson. It was scary though because we as missionaries KNEW without a doubt we were bringing up baptism. We didn't know how we were going to do it but we KNEW it would happen and we'd invite him to be baptized. (keep in mind he has seen baptisms and confirmations. He's seen it all) So the lesson began. He asked a few questions about health and what we are allowed to drink and not drink, etc. He asked about wine and water with the sacrament, etc.. So we ended up teaching him the word of wisdom. That was officially the first thing we taught Andrew haha the word of wisdom!! URGENCY!! Then we asked Andrew what he desires most in life. He said, "I desire a happy family that i can provide for and love!" Immediately once he said that we because talking about temples. We talked about how he could live together with his family FOREVER!!! He loved it and ate it all up. So now would be a perfect time to bring up baptism. HOWEVER remember us as missionaries were a little scared just because Sabreena was there and she specifically told us she was scared of us chasing him off with baptism. Well family God is good. The other member Ryan that was with us. Him being a returned missionary jumped in and said, "Elders is it okay if i say something?" He then went on to testify and teach Andrew "Families are together forever through the temple Andrew because we make covenants with god there. Covenants are promises we make with god. The first covenant we can make with god before anything is BAPTISM!!!" At that moment the member (Ryan) brought up baptism and covenants. We were perfectly set up to invite him and set him with a date. So we did :) We set him with a date and Andrew is now preparing! It was incredible. God was soooo perfect in that lesson. He not only worked through his missionaries on a perfect lesson plan but ALSO he worked through the member just as powerfully if not more powerfully!!! It was incredible!! Something that i'll never forget! God is a planned god and one that wont let a minute go without allowing someone to come unto him!!!

Family i love you all! May we all continue to see these miracles in our lives. May we help God be Urgent in his work. May we have courage and the Boldness to do as christ would do! I know if this is the mindset we have then we will see the Eternal potential that each of gods children have. BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THEY DO HAVE POTENTIAL AND THEY DO NEED TO BE INVITED!!! Trust in god and he will make it all work out!! That is what i learned from these 2 experiences!

Love you all ELDER OVARD

p.s. Did you guys go to dinner yet with the Richardsons?? haha

Also what are the odds you buy plane tickets and fly out to El Paso texas to watch President and Sister Andersons homecoming?? I'm sure they'll feed you dinner ;) haha love you all!!!