December 24th Letter

Christmas is a wonderful time. People really are a little more open about talking about the Savior, which is really nice. People seem to be a lot more charitable around this time, which is kind of saying something especially for an area quite like this. I am happy to know that I am bringing the same knowledge to others that makes me so happy. Thank you for keeping me in your prayers I really do appreciate it. I can assure you that the gospel is going boldly and nobly to all! I love being a missionary! Merry Christmas! :)

December 17th Letter

I miss you guys a LOT! I love being a missionary! I am almost 3 weeks in the field and I’m already in love with it.I get to help people every day! And I’m learning so much! I’ve been able to teach quite a bit and am getting better as I progress.  At times, it does get hard, but the things I expected to be hard aren't really all that difficult. It’s more of the thoughts of just being away for so long from everyone. I miss everyone very much. I can’t explain how grateful I am that I can be together with my family forever. Thank you everyone for all that you have done for me, I really do appreciate it.

Anyway, my companion is great and we get along very well. He is from Logan, Utah.

Oh, as far as Christmas goes if you send something I can’t guarantee you it will get here before or even by Christmas day. I hear it takes packages forever to get here. Anyway, my Christmas wish list is for everyone to have a wonderful, happy Christmas filled with love and joy.

I hope you guys have a great Christmas. We should be busy on that day; a Lot of the members have invited us over that day. I can’t wait to talk to you and really tell you more. Well I have to go, have a great day and I will talk to the family on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. :)

December 10th Letter

Hey everyone,

I’m doing good! I’m loving everyday out here. I love being able to help people out a lot more every day. I am so very grateful for everyone’s prayers and am praying for you guys all the time. I get help someone in so many others ways everyday! I love that!!! I'm still getting the hang of teaching but according to my companion, I’m doing rather well. Australia has a lot of atheists and I mean a LOT. But the work is still progressing rapidly and just about always have someone to teach. We even have 2 committed baptisms (one is kind of a maybe because she’s visiting from china and is scared of the government finding out but she really has expressed that she want to get baptized). I love the ward members. They're really kind and they are feeding us constantly.

It’s pretty weird and doesn’t quite feel like Christmas without the cold; actually, it’s been quite hot lately. But I still love it.

Well I want to tell you more but unfortunately I only have a limited amount of time on here and I’m slow at typing as it is. I hate sending letters through mail by the way. It just seems so unreliable and it really doesn’t help that I’m on the other side of the globe.

Love,

Elder Anderson

December 3 Letter

Hey everyone!  How are things?  How is everyone?  How was Thanksgiving?  If I forgot to let you know what area I’m serving in, the town is called Frankston.  Everything is going really well and I’m having a blast.  Still getting use to the differences like driving on the other side of the road and such but it’s going great.  I love my new ward and they seem really to like me.  I bore my testimony in sacrament and that went well.  I’m having a lot of fun teaching and doing service.  Street contacting and tracting aren't too bad.  Everyone’s pretty chill over here.  I'm not having too much of a hard time with the accent but apparently mine is pretty thick to them.  I haven’t seen any kangaroos or anything like that yet but maybe later.  What would you like to know?  There’s a lot more immigrants over here than I expected like Chinese, Tongan, New Zealand... etc.  Met with my Bishop yesterday he’s pretty cool.  He is defiantly the youngest I’ve ever seen, he’s like at the most 40 years old.  Elder Davis is great, I’m defiantly learning a lot from him, and he’s a great trainer.  The food is pretty good, haven’t really tried anything too different yet but I will.  I am defiantly running a lot more, every morning.  I’ve been feeling the spirit every day and meeting a lot of new people.  I love my mission president he’s really cool and his wife is so nice.  It does get really hot by the way; the first day we went tracting it got up to like 110 in Fahrenheit.  I am still trying to figure out Celsius and such.  But don’t worry I’m staying hydrated and got sunscreen.  I miss you guys so much.  Anyway, if you want to send me something just send it to my mission home office.  My address is:

     Elder Phillip Jonathan Anderson

     Australia Melbourne Mission

     76 Cathies Lane

     Wantirna South VIC 3152

     Australia.

Oh and if it’s not a Christmas gift then you need to write on it "Not For Christmas" because they are keeping all the packages and we're all going to open them on Christmas day.  Are you guys excited for Christmas by the way?  I bet the kids are.  Anyway, I’ve got to go.  Stay safe and take care!  I love you all!

Got here safe! :)

November 28, 2012
Good day from Frankston Australia! Just letting you guys know I got here safe yesterday morning-ish. I’m sorry I didn’t email yesterday, orientation went longer than expected so my mission president apologizes for that and they're letting me email you this now. I’ve already fallen in love with the area and have an awesome trainer. His name is Elder Davis and he’s from Logan, Utah. We just went tracting and met a Lot of really nice people. By the way it is VERY true about how most houses and places in Australia don’t have air-conditioners. The temperature right now is 38 Celsius which is about around 105 Fahrenheit, so it is HOT and it also humid too. But don’t worry I’ve been drinking a lot and putting on sunscreen. I hope all is well over there and that everyone’s doing good. I don’t have much time on here right now because we have a meeting very soon but I my P-day is on Monday and I’ll email you guys about it a lot more then. I love you all so much! Have a wonderful day!