New Mexico, April 29, 2013 (7)

     Greetings loved ones! I am now here in New Mexico! The reassignment was pretty unexpected, but I'm excited to be here and to start working. My first day here yesterday was crazy busy, and I was tired from waking up at 2 in the morning and. As soon as we landed in NM two elders picked us up, told us to take a few things from our bags that we'd need over night, and then hop in the car with them and head over to the mission home. When we got to the mission home we ate lunch, met President and Sister Miller (they're awesome), then had interviews and a lesson about contacting. Then, we went out tracting! I went with two other hermanas into a neighborhood and knocked a bunch of doors and got a great missionary experience of being turned away several times. I was a little discouraged and hot and tired and hungry, but then I remembered something I had learned in the MTC. I realized that I was only thinking about myself, and that this work wasn't about me. I also reminded myself that it was my very first day in the field. It actually cheered me up when I realized that I am now an official missionary!! We had a testimony meeting last night that also reminded me why I'm here and in whom I should trust. In one of our devotionals at the MTC we were told, "Is anything too hard for the Lord?" I know that anything is possible with the Lord on our side.

     Last night I spent the night with a sister companionship and one of them was from Puerto Rico. She had a really thick accent, but was really nice. The other sister was nice too. We drove to the church this morning for transfers, and I got put in a trio with Hna. Allen and Hna. Cruz, who is from Honduras. We are in a Spanish speaking area called Comodora North, but the town and area that we live in is called Rio Rancho. I think we're about half an hour north of Albuquerque. We live on a ranch! We have horses in our backyard, and our house is super nice. It's hot and dusty, but I'm lovin' it. I guess the guy who lends us the house was a previous senator of NM and he is the President of the Hot Air Balloon Festival that they have every October here. Pretty cool! Some of the areas in our area are called "The Dirt," because they have dirt roads instead of paved roads. We have a car though, so it's not too bad. We are going tonight to teach a man named Andres, or at least we're going to try. We have his number but he is a truck driver and just lives in his truck... entonces, we might be teaching him in a truck? Just kidding. But really, I don't know haha. The mission is rough at times but exciting. I love my companions! They are seriously so great and we get along awesome. I'm praying that I learn everything I need to here.

     My P-day is on Monday, so that's when I'll write you next. I love you all so much! I hope you know how much I love hearing from you!! Thank you all for your words of advice and encouragement. I'll try to send pictures on Monday. Vaya con Dios!

Con amor, Hna. Anderson