Week 13 (Christmas Week) In Fort Lauderdale....

Hello Everyone!

1:30 (EST) ok!!! also... I thought you would open the package, I am glad that you didn't, I will just need you to apologize to the people that the Christmas cards are for. But I love you! 

Ok so I got your package and I haven't opened it either! (I am not so sure that I believe him!) We picked up all of our packages from before transfers at transfer meeting, my new companion is awesome! He is super positive and motivating the funniest part about transfers is that Elder L*** now became my Zone Leader and I will do exchanges with him because Elder C******* is the District Leader. Weird! Elder C******* is from South Jordan, He plays guitar and was in a rock band. He is pretty cool. haha. He went to P******* High so we know a couple of people that the other knows, that's cool. But that was basically the crazy stuff that happened last week.

I do want to wish you all a MERRY CHRISTMAS and want to say that DAD NARRATED THE CHRISTMAS PROGRAM!!! WHAT!!! How did I not know that was happening? I SO wish that it could have been recorded! HAHA!

I also love the pictures and hope you got my other envelope with the picture thumb drive. I had to have another Elder send it to you.

I love you all! MERRY CHRISTMAS. Eat an extra PcMuffin for me! each of you! I want to see pictures of the one you ate and the one you ate for me.

This was an AMAZING transfer miracle week.

It all started the first night Elder C******* and I were together. We met with the progressing investigators that we had in the area a wonderful young couple that weren't married. We realized that it was going to be difficult to have them married and batized by Sunday and we had already offered the class, that President A****** can give, to them and they had turned it down. But we decided that wasn't going to stop us we planned to have the class the next day no matter what. We called President A****** and he said he could do it but that it had to be on Thursday because that would be the last day he was available. So we planned it! And we told the family that we would be having our lesson with them at the chapel at 7:30pm but that we would meet them at their house at 7:15ish and walk with them over. That was all fine and dandy until L*** had to stay late for work and **** was watching her friends kids, it was frantic the Lady had a headache and the Kids were going wild! But we said a prayer and  the Lord directed us to give L**** a blessing to help her so we did. When we were just about to start, in walks the husband, we give her the blessing and the spirit was so strong. We started rounding up all the kids to walk with us over to the chapel, we finally got out the door at 8:00pm the whole time only thinking that "this is MIRACLE WEEK" and it paid off! We were able to take a situation that looked impossible, we infused it with faith and wonders happened.  The family wasn't able to get their license on time and they weren't able to come to church this week, but they did re-excite themselves to be married this week and baptized on Sunday! This moment really showed me just how powerful faith is and how easily the Lord can make things. Just writing about the experience right now makes it seem so simple, when at the time it was not.

Stay Strong, Push On

ELDER PARK

Letter From The President, December 23, 2013....

Merry Christmas Missionaries,

What a wonderful time to reflect on our “Purpose” as we bring souls to Christ. The perfect gift for our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Years ago I was impressed with the story “The Mansion” by Henry Van Dyke. It’s the tale of a well to do man by the name of John Weightman who has become a self made man of impressive wealth. He also believes that you should give for all to see, to obtain earthly results, and in his mind a place in Heaven. He says, “You have to be careful how you give, in order to secure the best results—no indiscriminate giving—no pennies in beggars’ hats!... Try to put your gifts where they can be identified and do good all around.”

He slips off in what seems like a dream or vision late Christmas Eve, and finds himself as if he had died and was walking with others, each given a mansion according to their works on earth. John Weightman is expecting the largest of all mansions for him, but the “Keeper of the Gate” brings him to a small rundown hut in the middle of a dirt lot, hardly big enough for a shelter. John is shocked and tells the “Keeper of the Gate” that there must be some mistake. This couldn’t be possible from all the charities he created, churches he built, hospitals he started, and schools constructed (all bearing his name of course).

The “Keeper of the Gate” then responded, “There is no mistake…We have used all the material that you sent us…The things you did on earth, were marked and used as foundation for the name and mansion of John Weightman in the world…Were not all these carefully recorded on earth where they would add to your credit…Verily, you have your reward for them… Would you be paid twice?”

John then asks, “They accomplished some good in the world. Does not that count for something?”

“Yes”, answered the Keeper of the Gate, “it counts in the world—where you counted it. But it does not belong to you here.”

“Tell me, then,” he cried, brokenly, “since my life has been so little worth, how came I here at all?”

“Through the mercy of the King”, --the answer was like the soft tolling of a bell.

John then asks, “What could I have done better?”

The Keeper of the Gate answers, “Only that good which is done for the love of doing it. Only those plans in which the welfare of others is the master thought. Only those labors in which the sacrifice is greater than the reward. Only those gifts in which the giver forgets himself.”

That final quote is what I see in you missionaries as you so diligently invite others to Christ -  “Only that good which is done for the love of doing it. Only those plans in which the welfare of others is the master thought”:

“Just after [training] we were out riding along and I felt we needed to stop and talk to somebody and so we did but she was in a hurry so we quickly set up a return appointment for the next day. She called us later the same day we found her and told us they were ready and that her whole family was there and that they wanted that prayer. We realized they were incredibly elect and we switched around our schedule and dropped by and blessed their family. They loved the prayer and they had been taught by the missionaries before in North Florida but had been unable to be baptized because of work. The husband had just recently lost his job for 2 months and finally found a new one where he didn't have to work on Sundays and they were excited to prepare to be baptized. They as a family entered those precious waters on Sunday and it was such a testimony to me that God loves families.”

I see in you missionaries - “Only those labors in which the sacrifice is greater than the reward”:

“As we were coming back from Mission Conference last week we saw him outside his house and decided to harvest bless him and his street. It turns out that he moved here... to find a new life here in Miami and wanted to find a church home. He told us that he was trying to figure out a church to go to when we knocked on his door. He told us that he's done a lot of things that he isn't proud of in his life and he wanted to be forgiven for his sins and start over. He hasn't been to church since he was 6 years old! The day before Sunday he shot us a text telling us that he was at the mall buying a new shirt for church on Sunday! On Sunday he showed up to church 10 minutes early and we were so excited to have him there. He loved it! He said that during the service that he felt something that he didn't know how to describe. Of course we told him that it was the spirit and invited him again to be baptized. He told us after the service that he would continue to come back every week and that he knew that this was God's church and that he was going to be a part of it!”

I see in you missionaries – “Only those gifts in which the giver forgets himself”:

“A miracle I want to share with you is as we were walking, I saw this guy ... he had kind of been in the area around us where we were teaching ...  As we were finished we walked by him and as always oym’ed him. After we had the prayer with him he was crying. He said he noticed us and could tell we were church people. He wanted to walk over to talk to us, but didn't know what to say. He explained that he has had a rough past and is now wanting to change and come to God for forgiveness. He came to church on Sunday. We taught him after church and had the greatest lesson on the Atonement and receiving forgiveness of our sins. He again was crying but this time our member was in tears with him. Our member put his arm around him and said. ‘I know God will forgive you.’  He said he is ready for baptism and is so excited. President I know this is the Lord's work and miracles will never cease. God knows his children, those who need and is ready for his gospel most.”

I challenged the missionaries at transfer meeting this last week to study some scriptures concerning the coming and birth of Jesus Christ, please do so this Christmas week:

Coming of Christ - Isaiah 7:14; Isaiah 9:6; 1 Nephi 11; Alma 7:10; Helaman 14:1-13; Moses 5:57; Moses 6:57-62

Birth of Christ- 3 Nephi 1:1-21; Luke 2:1-20

I was reading about Nephi’s vision of the “Tree of Life”. Because of his belief and faith, he had the blessing to see and receive what he desired:

“For it came to pass after I had desired to know the things that my father had seen, and believing that the Lord was able to make them known unto me, as I sat pondering in mine heart I was caught away in the Spirit of the Lord, yea, into an exceedingly high mountain, which I never had before seen, and upon which I never had before set my foot. And the Spirit said unto me: Behold, what disirest thou? And I said: I desire to behold the things which my father saw. And the Spirit said unto me: Believest thou that thy father saw the tree of which he hath spoken? And I said: Yea, thou knowest that I believe all the words of my father. And when I had spoken these words, the Spirit cried with a loud voice, saying: Hosanna to the Lord, the most high God; for he is God over all the earth, yea, even above all. And blessed art thou, Nephi, because thou believest in the Son of the most high God; wherefore, thou shalt behold the things which thou hast desired. (1Nephi 11:1-6)

What faith, what belief, what diligence, what purity of heart!!!

Let us pull out all the stops and make this week a “White Christmas” for everyone. Make a goal, and detail plans on how you can all baptize this week. I know as we unite as a mission, as Elder Holland says:

“It is when an entire mission is united by the strength of every missionary’s integrity, every missionary’s personal covenant keeping, that we move mountains. When there is such unity and power, an endowment from heaven, coming to every individual in the mission, nothing can ‘stop the work from progressing.’ It is in this way that the ‘truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent.’ (Jeffery Holland, Jan.2012, Liahona)

I know we can have similar experiences as we go forth in faith and purpose, to bring souls to our Savior, Jesus Christ!!!

 Let us get 175 Baptisms !!! December can still be our miracle month!!!

You are Amazing!!! You are Incredible!!! You are Wonderful!!! And you are in the “Exciting Mission”!!! Remember our promise and that our names will be sealed in the Temple!!!

We Love you, We Pray For You, We can do this, We have work to do!!! Give gifts in which the giver forgets himself!!!

President Don E. Anderson

Week 12 In Fort Lauderdale....

Elder Park wrote a little early today, I wasn't quite prepared yet. This is what I got...

Love you even though you forgot today... HAHA I will send you the president email but you'll have to find out about the week from dad! HAHA

LOVE YOU MWAH!

ELDERPARK

RUDE!!!

Now for the real email:

Well, first I do not know what time on Christmas I will call. I know that it will be taken care of and that the member that we will be with will be able to email you and tell you when and whatnot, we have to still get it figured out. Second, we had transfer call last night I will be staying in the Miami Blue Lagoon area but Elder L*** will be transferring. I will find out who is my new companion tomorrow! Third, I got the 12 days of Christmas package, the decorations package and the Goods package from grandma! That package was hilarious all I saw when I opened it was caramels and star bursts.

Oh man I am sorry that my letter with all the missionary stuff didn't make it on time! I wrote a whole TON of stuff! I feel terrible! dang! but I expect that the lesson was amazing! I bet the missionaries in that area really appreciate it! I know that I would appreciate a lesson like that in our area!

This week was amazing, and stressful, and fantastic, I can't even explain. We had next to no time to work this week because of Christmas conference and training's, companionship studies that needed to be given, and we had to finish up the 12 week program. But every hour that we were working was wonderfully and completely efficient, it was hard to pick just one miracle, because they were all so stacked on top of each other! 

One of the miracles is that Sunday was another incredible baptism, we were able to baptize J*****, she was one of the first people that I met here. She really had no interest other than to go to church, she was going one week here another there and there and there or where ever! But then we invited her to general conference! and it changed her! She decided right then to read the Book of Mormon and she read the WHOLE thing in A MONTH! That was incredible, then her only struggle was her husband, he didn't develop a desire yet, but he is understanding that this is important to her and so BOOM she got baptized it was truly amazing! and when she bore her testimony after, all the little Latin ladies in the ward were crying and saying "Que lindo!" (closest thing in Spanish to how beautiful). It was amazing!

Another one of the miracles would have to be the opportunity that Elder L*** and I had to consistently teach the S******* family. We were able to teach them every night last week except Sunday, and they progressed a phenomenal amount. They are a truly incredible family.The S*******'s are going to get married on Saturday the 21st (we pray for Wednesday) and baptized on Sunday the 22nd (again prayers) they have the desire and have committed to those days. I asked if he meant January 21 and 22, NOPE December 21 and 22! Crazy! There is a lot that they have to do between now and then that they haven't really started yet, but they LOVE the gospel and the Plan of Salvation, especially. They are all around amazing! They have this sweet little daughter that had divorce and married mixed up and did not want her mom and dad to be "married". 

Basically we have a lot of potentials still this month and we are hoping as a mission to still reach 175 baptisms this month, we are at 76 so we need to BAPTIZE'EM!!!

In The Book of Mormon, I have been studying the words of Samuel the Lamanite and the events that lead up to him needing to teach them in such a way, it amazed me at how quickly the Nephites had fallen away! But then I realized how easy it was for me, back at home everytime I was really stuggleing I could turn to the Lord and boom I got help but then soon I was struggling again and I realized that that was a reflection of my personal conversion at the time and that if I am going to be different than that I need to really find a change in my self and I need to make it, I need to completely align my will with the Lords, and give all my heart, might, mind and strength and so that is my goal my vision for myself to give the Lord my all my entire life.

Love you so much and I thought that the gifts idea was incredibly creative! 

LOVE YOU TONS!! STAY STRONG PUSH ON!

ELDER PARK

Letter From The President, December 17, 2013....

Dear Missionaries

What a wonderful Christmas Conference we had being with all of you. We enjoyed being filled physically, spiritually, and emotionally with the memorable activities we experienced. Many of you asked that I quote again the poem and legend of Sir Launfal. Sir Launfal was a Knight of King Arthur’s Round Table. As legend states, he began his quest to find the Holy Grail (the cup Christ drank from the “Last Supper”), and he came across an old leper man who was begging for alms. He reached in his pocket and threw him a coin out of duty and continued his journey. After many years of disappointments and failures to find the Holy Grail, Sir Launfal humbled, tarnished, older, and dejected returned home to Camelot. Arriving in the outskirts of town he finds the same old man begging for alms. This time he gets down off his horse, reaches in his saddlebags for his last crust of bread and a tin cup. He dips the cup in the stream and hands both it and the bread to the old man. Legend says that the old man turns into Christ and the tin cup turns into the Holy Grail, and Christ tells him: 

“It’s not what we give but what we share;

For the gift without the giver is bare;

Who gives of himself with alms feeds three;

Himself, his hungry neighbor, and me .”

I know that this is the key to success as a missionary, one who gives of himself without thought of himself. I also shared the story of “It’s a Wonderful Life” and George Bailey. While struggling over the potential closing of his “Building and Loan” business he looks at a picture of his father on the wall, and underneath it reads “All you can take with you is that which you’ve given away”. I believe that is true and that is a principle in which God’s blessings are at their most generous.  This motto seems to inspire him until the end of the movie where frustration causes him to want to take his life. His guardian angel “Clarence” saves his life and helps him realize how important he is. At the end of the movie his younger war hero brother makes a toast to George with what seems like hundreds of family and friends saying “To my big brother George, the richest man in town”.    

These stories remind me of when the Savior was teaching the Apostles just before his crucifixion and taught:

“I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison and ye came unto me.
Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. (Mathew 25:35-40)

I know God is blessing us as you Share yourself and his blessing as a Representative of our Savior:

“Yesterday as we walked into church, the Branch President handed us a note that was posted on the door from somebody. And here is what the note said. ‘A couple of your followers came to my house and recited a prayer for me. I asked for a little financial assistance from the Lord. This past week I've received extra hours at work. I just wanted to thank them for their words. Also to let everyone know that I believe it was their kind prayer and belief in God that gave me the help I needed.’ And I still have that note. And will always keep it. It is just an amazing assurance that God is there. He answers prayers when we pray in faith.”

God truly blesses those we share His love and Gospel with:

“We harvested and as we were harvesting we met this man. He let us in and after the prayer he told us that he had been talking about how he needed to feel closer to God and needed a prayer. That is when we knocked on his door. He accepted baptism and committed to church! God puts people in our paths! Then later that day we were going to follow up with a lady who we had blessed and she said ‘before you start I got to tell you guys. After you left last time I got a phone call with the best news that I have heard in years and I knew it was because of your prayer.’ God truly did answer our prayer on her behalf. He always does! It was amazing to see her so excited about how he had answered the prayer.”

God will trust us to find and bless others in need as we act and do:

“We decided that we would be creators of circumstance for 30 extra minutes we had. We went straight to the map and chose a street to harvest. Speedily, we got into the car and drove to that spot and knocked. A man let us in and asked us to pray for health and work. We said a sincere prayer and boldly testified that Christ had sent us to Him. Thomas accepted baptism right away. The following day he had already asked his boss for the next Sunday off; his boss (who He said never changes the work schedule) gave him Sundays off! His daughter, who has been looking for work, got 2 calls for interviews the day after we prayed for his family. Both Him and Her came to church 20 minutes early on Sunday and exclaimed that they have found the truth. What a miracle, WHAT A LIFE CHANGING MIRACLE! The Lord knows who he wants in His church, and if we had decided to just sit and wait that 30 minutes we probably would have missed out on that miracle."

God will bless those that we serve:

“The other day we were out harvesting. We passed this woman taking some stuff to the trash. We turned and offered to help. She seemed really startled and said she was fine. We left her with our card and continued on. Thirty minutes later she called us and said, ‘You know, there have been 2 people in my life who have ever offered to help me; some 10 year old kid and you. God must be telling me something by putting you in my path. This card is in Spanish which doesn't really help me. . . Can you come over and expain a little more?’ We have been teaching hr all week! She came to church and is preparing to be baptized this Sunday!”

President Monson teaches us the importance of “giving, not getting”:

“Our celebration of Christmas should be a reflection of the love and selflessness taught by the Savior. Giving, not getting, brings to full bloom the Christmas spirit. We feel more kindly one to another. We reach out in love to help those less fortunate. Our hearts are softened. Enemies are forgiven, friends remembered, and God obeyed. The spirit of Christmas illuminates the picture window of the soul, and we look out upon the world’s busy life and become more interested in people than in things. To catch the real meaning of the spirit of Christmas, we need only drop the last syllable, and it becomes the Spirit of Christ.” (President Thomas S. Monson, December 2013 Christmas Devotional)

A wise friend years ago told me “You give, and give, and give, and give until you have it all; until you are rich,”. I know “rich” in this case is being rich with the blessings of God as we give ourselves unselfishly in this great work we’ve have been called to.

It’s our prayer this Christmas season that we may take the example of the Savior Jesus Christ, and put others first as he told his Disciples in Mathew 25. Give of ourselves to others, until “we are rich”, and then we can become “the richest” person “in town “.

Let us get 175 Baptisms !!! December will be our miracle month!!!

You are Amazing!!! You are Incredible!!! You are Wonderful!!! And you are in the “Exciting Mission”!!! Remember our promise and that our names will be sealed in the Temple!!!

We Love you, We Pray For You, We can do this, We have work to do!!! Give, give, give, and give, until you have it all!!!

This is a link to pictures from the Mission Conference. Please forward to you families and wish them a Merry Christmas from Sister Anderson and I.

https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B3OLui9r4IMNWFFaa3AtaVZ3Tlk&usp=sharing

President Don E. Anderson

Florida Fort Lauderdale Mission

954-817-5256

PresidentAnderson@establishingzion.com

http://mormon.org/me/36J7/

Week 11 In Fort Lauderdale....

Hola Familia~

Well first off about Sammi, (Our sweet Yellow Lab, Sammi got very sick last week and we had to let her go. She has been part of our family for 13 years.) we actually had to do some recent research on this subject for an investigator and what we found that struck me was that the Lord created all things spiritually before he created them physically. To me that means that spirit Sammi has been around and with our family since the beginning and that is a special thing to think about. It really adds to the beauty of the Plan of Salvation to think that even the pets we had in this life were meant for us and they knew us, I find that to be amazing. And I will miss her, honestly, I don't remember much before her, she has been a major part of my life. I thank you for taking care of her in those last moments. Its rough to know that both those yeahoos won't be there when I get home.(Bubba, our other Lab, passed away in August, just after Elder Park went in to the CCM.) I want you all to know that everything testifies of the Plan and of Christ. The Lord would not of allowed us to have pets if it didn't some how make us better people. We may not understand all the symbolism now, but we will and they will be so clear and so simple, that is the beauty of the Plan, it's simplicity. I love you and want you to know that I have a strong testimony in the Plan of Salvation. I know that we lived with our Heavenly Father before and I know that we will Live with him again. I know that we will be able to see all our loved ones, that means Grandma and our great grandparents and even Sammi and Bubba and Blacky again. And I agree with that quote, I wanna go with the dogs, too.(If dogs don't go to Heaven, I want to go where they go when I die!)

This week there has been a whole lot going on! We have had crazy baptisms this month in the Zone. This week, the mission got 25 baptisms and last week we had 17, that's 42 baptisms and the goal is 175, so we really need to get moving. Just my district has had 4 baptisms in this month. That has been amazing!

We will be able to Skpe on Christmas. I am not sure with who yet. but I know we will work it all out and I have the information now so ALL WILL BE GOOD.

I am not sure if in my last letter I sent you a letter for Brother M***** but I am including one in this week's for him. My companion gets packages every now and then and he always shares because it's all from Alaska. It's never like banana bread like grandma sent, that was amazing! I will send photos asap maybe in the Christmas package. 

Its crazy to hear about the cold. We were laughing that it feels funny to think Christmas is so close but we haven't needed even a blanket. I can't a imagine the cold at all! WOW! 

I am going to send in my letters some copies of a few things so that you can understand the blessings we give. A few members of the ward have asked about it and I want you to understand how amazing this is. I will also send stuff for your lesson Dad, I have A TON of material on Member Missionary Work!  

STAY STRONG. PUSH ON 

ELDER PARK

ps No, I haven't got the packages yet. I guess you could send Fedex, they prefer the other way but I haven't heard them say anything about it. My companion and roommates all strongly say NO don't send less stuff...(I had asked: Does your Comp's  family send packages? How often? Do they sent things for both of you?I am trying to figure out if I am sending too much, too little, should I be sending stuff to share with your Comp and or the other Missionaries in your apt or just for you? Haha! Apparently they all like my care packages!)

Week 10 In Fort Lauderdale....

Alrighty, on the pictures thing I am hoping to get you the pictures I have this week, I really have no way of emailing them to you and I am sorry. Also, there are not many pictures we are only allowed in our mission to take them on p-days and on baptisms. The other struggle is that I think that this camera is fried, it holds a charge for about an hour and then craps out most of the time. So for Christmas maybe that could be something, a SUPER CHEAP camera, something that if it breaks it isn't a problem. I will include on the thumb drive pictures of my 2 baptisms, Dioscorides and Justo S*****. 

This week was incredibly exciting! We baptized Justo this week but the incredible part is that Dioscorides preformed the baptism! That was the coolest thing I have EVER seen. Dioscorides was able to play a huge roll in it. He was able to be a part of the teaching process and ultimately baptize Justo on Sunday! That was Incredible .My recent convert, preforming a baptism! It was a very spiritual experience and I feel extremely blessed to have been able to have played a small part in all of it. 

The area is unique... We have Lebron James home in the area and we have closets that you can rent on Leah's pay-check. it truly is interesting. Most of my area is actually called Coral Gables and it is one of the ritzy-er areas around Miami. Then there is the low income area of West Miami, right near the air port. I cant really compare it to any think that I have seen in Utah, there's no such thing as a yard here, only enough grass that it needs to be mowed. I will try to see if when we bike around on P-day if we could take some pictures. We haven't been biking much lately and normally if we are it's at a furious pace.

Thanksgiving... was BRUTAL!!! We had an appointment at 1:00 and 7:30 so we thought that we had PLENTY of time to regain an appetite between the two meals... then the 1:00 became 3:00 then 5:00 then when we got there we didn't start eating until 6:00... And it was a huge meal and there was TONS of deserts and all kinds of wonderfulness, and it just kept going so we finally were able to cut it off at 7:20... brimming and already about to burst and now we were headed to the next meal... and these people were Latino... Latinos want you to eat... they make you eat... I think that I about blew up. We couldn't really do anything after we made it home and just died... I still feel sick just thinking about it.  I certainly wouldn't want him to starve and waste away. But yup, I got the package, it wasn't really needed but we might use it in a few days so that we can enjoy a good old meal! I am so grateful that the members are taking care of my boy. What a relief for his Mama!

This week I just felt incredibly blessed because of how many members took care of us and being able to see the changes in our investigators this week was incredible. I feel that what made it better was that I was able to really focus on being excited and bold. I realized that I hadn't been playing as big of part in the teaching side because I wasn't feeling comfortable, but that's the point I shouldn't feel comfortable. I should be continually pushing forth and trying to better myself and that I feel is why I have been able to see more things happening this week. All of that probably ties into my studies as well, I have really been focusing on developing my Christlike attributes and bettering myself. I realized that not everything that I do will I see a result, Abinidi didn't and he converted Alma and that lead to a whole bunch of wonderful events. So, that's what I am focusing on, bettering myself and not focusing on the results or the numbers, but the influence I can be.

I will try to get some email addresses.

STAY STONG AND PUSH ON
ELDER PARK

Letter From The President December 2, 2013....

Dear Missionaries

While interviewing with many of you missionaries this last week, I made mention of the tremendous opportunity that we have to be a missionary this time of year. In a five week period, we will experience three of the most celebrated holidays, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years. In pondering this, I have realized that this is the most exciting time to be a missionary because of what each holiday represents and signifies. We can magnify these holidays in how they help fulfill our purpose as a missionary and ambassador of Christ. Christmas of course will be the holiday that we celebrate the birth of Christ by bringing souls to him. New Years is an opportunity we have to recommit ourselves in the calling we have and to make resolutions, to improve ourselves so that we may be better “Representatives of Christ”. Thanksgiving is a time that we show our gratitude for the many blessings that God has given us.

Christ was the perfect example of gratitude. When he fed the multitude of four thousand with the few fishes and loaves of bread, he first gave thanks to God: 

“And Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? And [the disciples] said, Seven, and a few little fishes. And [Jesus] commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground.  And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.” (Matthew 15:34-36)

Immediately after Christ showed his gratitude, the miracle occurred:

“And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full.” (Matthew 15:37)

I love the fact that when we show gratitude, God will show forth miracles. I believe there are many attributes of Christ that are required in conjunction with gratitude. In fact, every attribute of Christ in chapter 6 of “Preach My Gospel” overlaps gratitude. I invite all of you to commit to find the association of gratitude with those attributes. Elder Oaks teaches that we should be grateful even for what we learn in “hardships and adversities”:

"When we give thanks in all things, we see hardships and adversities in the context of the purpose of life... We are meant to learn and grow through opposition, through meeting our challenges, and through teaching others to do the same... the Lord will not only consecrate our afflictions for our gain, but He will use them to bless the lives of countless others." (Elder Dallin H. Oaks, Ensign, May 2003)

President Monson is a tremendous example of teaching us through word and deed the importance of gratitude. He has coined the phrases “Think to Thank” and “Attitude of Gratitude” and teaches us of its virtue:

“We can lift ourselves and others as well when we refuse to remain in the realm of negative thought and cultivate within our hearts an attitude of gratitude. If ingratitude be numbered among the serious sins, then gratitude takes its place among the noblest of virtues. Someone has said that “gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.” (President Thomas S. Monson, Ensign, General Conference, October 2010)

He also teaches us that gratitude is a Celestial characteristic:

“A grateful heart … comes through expressing gratitude to our Heavenly Father for His blessings and to those around us for all that they bring into our lives. … To live with gratitude ever in our hearts is to touch heaven” (President Thomas S. Monson, General Conference, October 2010)

The principle of gratitude is not an option, but a commandment from God:

“Thou shalt thank the Lord thy God in all things.” (D&C 59:7)

Amulek taught that we must show gratitude to God daily:

“…live in thanksgiving daily, for the many mercies and blessings which [God] doth bestow upon you.” (Alma 34:38)

Elder Hales teaches us that gratitude is a divine principle and can sanctify us:

In some quiet way, the expression and feelings of gratitude have a wonderful cleansing or healing nature. Gratitude brings warmth to the giver and the receiver alike... Gratitude expressed to our Heavenly Father in prayer for what we have brings a calming peace—a peace which allows us to not canker our souls for what we don’t have. Gratitude brings a peace that helps us overcome the pain of adversity and failure. Gratitude on a daily basis means we express appreciation for what we have now without qualification for what we had in the past or desire in the future. A recognition of and appreciation for our gifts and talents which have been given also allows us to acknowledge the need for help and assistance from the gifts and talents possessed by others... Gratitude is a divine principle...we express thankfulness for what happens, not only for the good things in life but also for the opposition and challenges of life that add to our experience and faith. We put our lives in His hands, realizing that all that transpires will be for our experience... When in prayer we say, “Thy will be done,” we are really expressing faith and gratitude and acknowledging that we will accept whatever happens in our lives. ( Elder Robert D. Hales, General Conference, April 1992)

Show gratitude when we experience miracles as we open our mouths:

“We were heading down a busy street when far in a distance we saw this man walking towards us and we were riding towards him and you know that feeling you get. Should I contact him or just go around him, maybe he thinks we're weird or something. So before we passed him I stopped and talked to him. Well little did I know that he would later come to our thanksgiving dinner at the church, and come to church the next day to witness the sacrament and now has a baptismal date for this next Sunday. I’m [grateful] that we really are led to those that are seeking for his true Gospel.”

Show gratitude when others are led to us to open our mouths:

“As we were riding our bikes to an appointment, and on the way we passed a couple sitting on a bench. They each had a beer in their hands and didn't look like the type of contact with the most potential, because of the influence of ‘spirits’. Just as we were about to pass them by the women jumped to her feet and said ‘wait stop, please say a prayer with us!’ So we, like good missionaries stopped and asked her what it was that she would like us to prayer for. She explained that she and her boyfriend were homeless and had nowhere to go. She wanted God's help. She also explained that some time ago, two sister missionaries had knocked on her door, when she was living at her mother’s home, and had prayed with her and everything in her life had gotten better.  She wanted that same blessing now. So we shared a short but powerful prayer, and invited her to come to church and to be baptized. She accepted without hesitation. Right there we invited her to begin to repent by throwing away her beer, which was about half full. Again without hesitation she literally threw it to the ground. Yesterday they came to church and felt the Spirit, and as we invited them to be baptized after the Sacrament meeting, they both accepted without hesitation.”

Show gratitude in opening our mouths, the miracles will follow:

“I felt inspired to go see a man we had street contacted ... he opened the door, and welcomed us right in, his wife and 3 girls had just moved here this week from Venezuela! They are an incredible family, already with light in their eyes. We invited them to church...and they walked there the next day! President, I thought that was the miracle this week. But it didn't end there. As Sacrament meeting started, 2 people we had street contacted/ OYMd (we have a goal to OYM absolutely EVERYONE after Zone Conference!) that morning before church, walked in at different times. One of them was doing her laundry across the street, and ended up staying for all 3 hours, and the other was an incredible woman we ran after while she was crossing street. We scared her, but she came back to the curb with us and although she was just returning from a night shift she came too. All 3 hours. She had been getting mormon.org messages on her phone, tried to block them, but it didn't work and they kept coming. Taking it as a sign, she called her kids in Honduras and told them to go to the Mormon Church because she liked their messages. She had stood at our Church doors multiple times and would think ‘and if I went in there?’ Well, she came too... After we gathered all 7 of them by the baptismal font (trying again to implement what you had taught us), taught them about the baptismal covenant, and invited them to be baptized. A couple members saw us and walked up to listen, and I invited them to share their testimonies of baptism. The spirit was immense and they all accepted baptism!”

President McKay teaches us that gratitude is not just what we say, but it is what we do:

“Gratitude is deeper than thanks. Thankfulness is the beginning of gratitude. Gratitude is the completion of thankfulness. Thankfulness may consist merely of words. Gratitude is shown in acts” (President David O. McKay, Improvement Era, Nov. 1964, 914).

President Uchtdorf teaches us to always be aware of those things to be grateful for and the tremendous blessings that come to those who show gratitude:

“Brothers and sisters, no matter our circumstances, no matter our challenges or trials, there is something in each day to embrace and cherish. There is something in each day that can bring gratitude and joy if only we will see and appreciate it. Perhaps we should be looking less with our eyes and more with our hearts. I love the quote: ‘One sees clearly only with the heart. Anything essential is invisible to the eyes.’[Antonio de Saint-Exupery, The Little Prince, 63] We are commanded ‘to give thanks in all things.’[D&C 59:7; Mosiah 26:39] So isn’t it better to see with our eyes and hearts even the small things we can be thankful for, rather than magnifying the negative in our current condition? The Lord has promised, ‘He who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious; and the things of this earth shall be added unto him, even an hundred fold.’”[D&C 78:19], (President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, General Conference, October 2012) 

Let’s have a wonderful week, let’s have an “Attitude of Gratitude” and be thankful for all of God’s blessings. I know the miracles come before and after being grateful.

Let us get 175 Baptisms !!! December will be our miracle month!!!

You are Amazing!!! You are Incredible!!! You are Wonderful!!! And you are in the “Exciting Mission”!!! Remember our promise and that our names will be sealed in the Temple!!!

We Love you, We Pray For You, We can do this, We have work to do!!! Gratitude will help us achieve miracles!!!

President Don E. Anderson

Florida Fort Lauderdale Mission