Wow, well things on my side of the world are completely opposite. It's gotten hot again. I'm basically in a tropical paradise. Coconut, banana, mango trees everywhere you look, and just green everything, and of course right next to the ocean. Well you all seem to do be doing well with this new fitness program you are all on haha. I'm definitely in the worst shape I've been in in a good 5 years. Oh, that stinks for Joel, I would hate to wait any longer than I had to. OK so you asked about the people we are teaching. Well we have 2 baptisms on Saturday, Sister Alfonsa Garcia, and Sister Mary Jean Chavez. Alfonsa is like mid 50's maybe 60, and is really cool. I'm a little scared to baptize her cause she's a bigger woman! haha. But it'll be ok. Mary Jean is like... 15? Yeah 15 I think. She's also really cool, and has wanted to be a member since November or so, but there were no missionaries there so she couldn't be baptized. Same with Alfonsa, she's been going to church since December. I really can't tell you about everyone I work with cause that would just take so long and give me carpal tunnel syndrome, so you'll just have to wait till mothers day to ask all your really detailed questions I guess haha. Sorry! But it's not like I have all day to just sit here and email... Don't worry about me I'm doin just fine. You should probably worry about me less here on the other side of the world than you should when I'm at home, cause I have the Lord with me here haha. There hasn't been a time on my mission I can say where I have felt unsafe. Even when hanging out the door of a bus, or riding on top of it, or whatever I'm doing, I've felt safe. So Elder Michael John U. Teh of the seventy, and presidency of the Philippines is coming to visit our mission this week. Thats the big news I guess. We have to go to Escalante on Thursday to a big meeting with him, so that will be good. Other than that, there's nothing much new with me. Just keep truckin along and doin what I should and trying to do my best! Thank you for all your support and prayers on my behalf, I certainly need them! Well, until next week, Love, Elder Andersen

Hey all, ok Mom let me explain who J.R. is haha. He's the branch presidents son in La Castellana, and the branch mission leader there and he worked with me everyday basically, so yeah he's pretty much one of my best friends here haha. He's really good at English in conversing with him, but I don't know about in writing... Oliverio is his last name. Ha he told me he added me as a friend on facebook and I told him I wouldn't be able to accept his friend request for another 18 months. So I told him he could add my mom jokingly, but I guess he did! Ha he's a really good kid. Tell him hello for me. Anyway, so this week has been good. I just keep truckin along and teaching the gopsel. We have hopefully 3 people getting baptized on February 13! So that'll be great. Mmm it's been stormy pretty much all this week. The fishermen haven't really had much to do cause they can't fish if the ocean is all stormy and crazy. So they kinda just like hang around and mend their nets and what not. Finding is hard here cause all the men are gone during the day fishing, and then we can't work very late at night cause all the people go to bed early. Like 7:30 or 8. But it's all right. I haven't really done anything super exciting this week either, but it's been good. Well I can't think of really anything else to write to you about, and I gotta go, so thanks for everything, and I'll keep everyone in my prayers. Oh and please tell Grandma I'm sorry I can't respond to her email she sent me, I just don't have the time! OK well until next week then, Love Elder Andersen

To my Lords, Ladies,........ and all you other people out there! Hello from Himoga-an, my new area! Well I guess I'll tell you about it. It's way up North, on the language border. Any farther than this, and you'll be speaking Cebuano. Or at least a mix of Illongo and Cebuano. Luckily for me, the people here all speak Illongo. A lot of them know how to speak Cebuano, but they like Illongo better haha. So Himoga-an. This area is awesome! I wish you could see it. I'd send you some pictures, but I don't trust this internet place I'm at to use my sd card cause it'll get a virus. But picture this. I can step out the back door and the ocean is 200 yards away. Yep thats right. Beach area! It's way pretty here and just way cool, cause I've never really been around the ocean much. We have members that live like 30 ft from the ocean. It's ironic that in America, you gotta pay the big bucks to live right on the beach. Here, some of the poorest people live closest. The beach here is nice and pretty and there's no people, no garbage, no sharks, it's basically paradise. So Elder Montero (my new companion, Filipino again,) just opened this area. It's been closed for a year and two months, and I feel pretty good about reopening it, cause you don't trust just anyone to open an area. I think I've actually been assigned to my companion to keep him from getting trunky, and to keep working cause he goes home soon haha. He doesn't speak English, so at night I teach him a little bit. Our apartment is not the nicest one in the mission haha but it does the job. Everywhere in Himoga-an the water doesn't work until about 2 in the afternoon, and then stops at about 11. So we're at out house for like an hour and a half of running water haha. But luckily there's a pump across the street so I just get my bucket in the morning and fill it up so I can shower and everything. It makes me feel like a real Filipino haha. The branch here is amazing! They've only had missionaries for about 3 or 4 years here, cause it's basically in the middle of nowhere. It's in between two big cities Cadiz, and Sagay. I guess there are people here for the fishing since it's right next to the ocean. Thats what most people do here for a living. Anyways, so yeah this branch is way strong, even though they haven't had missionaries for over a year. They do things I've never seen before, they have Branch council meeting, they have visiting and home teaching! Thats huge here! They have like 6 investigators the branch missionaries taught, that want to be baptized, but haven't been able to cause there have been no missionaries. It's a small branch, 60 came to church yesterday, but they are really strong in their leadership positions. It's great. I was overwhelmed the first few days with how awesome they are, and they're just all so happy to have missionaries back! Which makes me feel pretty good :) So I think thats about it. They are all just way willing to help us out and do whatever we ask them. Get this, yesterday in branch council meeting they gave us this paper of what days what members were working with us! Anywhere else, you're lucky if you can get someone to come with you to a few lessons a week! This branch has people to work whole afternoons with us, everyday! Amazing! So I'm really excited for this branch and area. It has enormous potential if it continues the way it has. Remember that most the people have only been members for 3 or less years. I think thats why they do things so well, cause they haven't had the bad examples of other members that do nothing. So thats about it for me. I will surely pray for you all, and thank you for your prayers and everything on my behalf. Love, Elder Andersen

Hey fam, not much time to write today, I'm busy. But the big news is I'm transferring! So next week I'll be writing to you from my new area and I'll tell you all about it. Nothing too crazy happened this week, just trying to keep working hard and save souls and build up the kingdom. We've had monsoon rains here this week, so thats been fun :) And cold. Ha I know you all don't believe that, but it's true. I'm gonna die when I go back to Idaho. Oh, mom, yes your package did come, thanks a lot for it! Umm I'm trying to think of somthin cool that happened this week, I know stuff has, but I always forget, so maybe next week I'll remember! haha. Sorry this email is so short, like I said, I'm kinda in a rush today. Ok take care, love you all -Elder Andersen

>Hey Family, I don't have much to say this week, so I am just sending some pictures. The first is some of the dancer people I told you about, the next is us wearing their headresses, and then the next is us killing some chickens filipino style. They just slit the throat and let it bleed out. It's kinda gross but whatever. I'll send a couple more emails with pictures, cause I can only send like 3 at a time. So this week was good. Just doin work trying to save souls. We went to our investigators house who's husband died, and saw his body in the casket and then his wife showed us like all the pictures from his autopsy like where he got stabbed and stuff haha it was pretty neat. Kinda gruesome, but thats life. We had 2 successful baptisms this week, so thats always great! You all sound like you're doing pretty well. I don't have anything to say about Rachel. I would probably just end up offending the whole family. But whatever. OK Love you all!

THis is just more of killing chickens... Haha. They just slit the throats cause they use the blood, and then basically every other part of the chicken. I'm pretty sure I've eaten every part of a chicken you can eat. And believe me, there are more than you think are possible.

This first one is our baptisms this week. Sister May and Sister Jhirghen. The next one: Do you think my tractor is sexy? Next: This is what I found on my wall this morning. Sorry the picture isn't very good, but that is like a leech. And it's huge. Last one: I just thought this was funny. They put the most ridiculous things on packaging here. It's really entertaining to read english directions on stuff.

Well hey fam, it's me, your long lost son. Thinks are going well here. New Years was basically crazy here. On the 30th there was this dance festival competition thing in La Castellana called Bailes De Luces. It's Just these different groups that all dance to the same song, but they have a competition and have these fancy costumes covered in lights. I'll try to remember to send you some pictures next week, cause I forgot my camera today. So yeah that was fun to see. Definitely different. On new years, we just went to appointments in the morning and then ate a ton of food, and by 6 we had to be in our house, cause it's not exactly safe for us to be out after that. So we watched a bunch of cartoons and had a good time. Another companionship came and celebrated with us so there was four of us, not just 2 so that was good. But yeah here on new years they just light off tons of firecrackers, and like huge m80 ones and it's super loud and the streets are so filled with smoke you can't see. Plus everyone gets drunk. Whoopee. Sad story: One of our investigator's husband got killed on new years eve. He was a real loser, but it was still sad. So of course he was drunk, and he and these people got in a fight, then they stopped, he went home got a machete and then went and attacked them with it, so they killed him. They hit him with like a club and a bottle of rum and stabbed him a few times. Pretty brutal. I asked why they didn't just knock him out or something and then call the police. They told me they don't do that here. If you go in to someones territory and try to attack them or whatever, it's totally your right to kill them. I feel really bad for our investigator, I'm not sure whats gonna happen to her. I'm just glad I tried to call her husband to repentance before he got killed so his blood is not on my garments. So anyway thats basically whats happened this week, now the party is over it's back to work! Hope you are all doin well and that you had a happy new year! Love Elder Andersen

Hey Family! OK well Mom, since you're freaking out about the whole calling situation here it is: I will just call you guys on Christmas here, which will be Christmas Eve for you guys, and then once I call you, just call me back on the number I called you on cause it's much cheaper for me to receive calls. It's pretty easy haha. So don't worry anymore about that, it'll work out. Hmm so what has happened this week... I feel like during the week I always have things I should write about, then Monday comes and I got nothin. Well lets see, La Castellana had their opening lights ceremony this week, I was actually really impressed. I mean it wasn't quite as extravagant as the Temple Square lights, but it was good. They even had fireworks and stuff. Next week is the fiesta here which will be pretty exciting. I met some crazy people this week (I can't tell you how many of those I meet) but these two are funny stories so I'll tell you about them. OK so the first was this crazy old American guy, and the first thing he said to us when he came out of his house was, "You guys believe in bull sh$# and I know that." Needless to say I was a little speechless and wasn't quite sure to say back. The old man continued, "I'm an atheist, and I don't believe in your Gods because you don't believe in my Gods, and the sooner you understand that you will know the truth." Hahaha. Yikes. I was just trying not to laugh, cause E. Ventigan was trying to talk to him in English, and kept asking him like what his religion was and the man would say atheist, and then go on about the Egyptians and their Gods, and then E. Ventigan would ask him a question about his "religion" because he didn't know what an atheist is haha. So I told him in Illongo, and then he was like ohhhh ok. Well thank you brother, have a good day. Ha and then we left. The next was just this guy that came up to us in the street one night and he started talking to us, but it didn't make sense. Especially since he was talking to me in English, Spanish, and Illongo. But he kept rambling about Moroni and Joseph Smith and UFO's and all this crazy stuff. Then he told me we were brothers because he has American blood. Finally we got him to leave, but before he did he grabbed my hand, put his hand on my shoulder and said, "Remember this day that we are brothers in the Lord! Farewell my friend!" Ha so that was that. Other than that things have been good. We've been trying to find new investigators that are really prepared. We found this 100 year old lady, she's way funny and she's still way strong, and she loves to listen and talk to us, last time we went to her she tried to pay us haha. So we invited her to church and she said she would go, but then she wasn't there, so we went to her house, and she saw us and then got way sad and was like I'm sorry I forgot to go to church elders! Haha she is just so innocent. I wonder what the record is for the oldest person ever baptized is.. Ha anyway, so the work has been good. Just tryin to always do better and enjoy life. So Merry Christmas to you all! Thanks for all you do for me! Love you all! Love, Elder Andersen

Oh I forgot to tell you, I went to Bacolod this week cause E. Ventigan had a meeting. Anyway, while I was in the office just hangin out I saw that they had a scale so I weighed myself. I now weigh 160 pounds! That means I've gained 15 pounds since I've been here! Holy Man! haha. It's ok I'm not fat! I just now have some meat on my bones, and am thicker and don't get pushed around as easy haha. Our branch presidents wife told me I'm more handsome now that I've gained weight haha, but I don't believe her. It's best not to believe anything they tell you about stuff like that, because they will all tell you different things. Ok well thats all. TTFN

To Andrea:Hey sis! Just thought I'd let you know I got your package today! Thanks so much! It was great, I really appreciated it, and will continue to appreciate it until it is all used! It was actually a big surprise, we were all just sitting there as the zone leaders got the cargo and giving everyone their stuff, and I wasn't expecting anything cause mom said my package wouldn't get here until after Christmas, but then the said Andersen you have a package. It was pretty exciting! I will be sure to put everything to good use! So yeah just wanted to say thanks, and Merry Christmas! Hope you all have a good time together and stuff at home. I'm sure I'll talk to you. Maybe. haha. What do you think Mom would do if I just didn't call? Ok well thanks again, love you all! -Greg or Elder Andersen