Lisbon Portugal, Lapa Week 4

Querida Familia e Amigos, Oct. 27, 2014

Olá! It has been such a great week as always! I still just can´t believe that I am here in Lisboa and spreading the gospel! I often think to myself ´´Wow. I can´t believe I am here! This is awesome!´´ :) This week we helped lots of people with little acts of service. It was really nice! We had divisions with the Sister Training Leaders on Tuesday. I taught lessons with Sister Vomocil. I was nervous because I barely know the area but I found the investigators apartments all by myself! I am definitely making progress with geting to know the area. Transfers are just around the corner.. I can´t believe it! I hope I stay in Lapa. I love it here and there is so much more that we can do! Anyways, I was with Sister Vomocil going to A----, H---- and B----'s house. I got a little confused and I wasn't sure if we were on the right street so I stopped for a minute. Then I decided we were on the right street and we continued walking. We got to the apartment and B---- was outside at the bottom of the stairs looking very distressed and holding lots of bags. We asked her and she said she was moving out of the apartment. We helped her move all of her things to a tiny one room apartment down the street. She told us she moved because H---- is smoking now (lovely) and it hurts her head. Later on she also told Sister Cardoso that H---- made her leave. He is mean to her and they don't get along. I think it was so awesome that we came to her RIGHT as she was walking down the stairs to leave. Heavenly Father helps us out... we always seem to be int he right place at the right time. The next day we had another lesson with B---- and out of the blue Sister Cardoso offered to cook for her the next day. Neither of us can really cook but we did it anyways! We made her rice and chicken and gave her our last two apples. (A very precious commodity.. Sister Cardoso is very charitable)

This week we helped A---- A TON with the primary program. We helped her with all sorts of little crafts and ran all sorts of errands for her. She felt really overwhelmed and nervous and needed our help. And the program turned out awesome! I even helped during the practice the night before by playing the melody of the songs on the piano.

Another highlight of the week.. J---- was baptized yesterday! The whole week he went to all of our teaching appointments and he was so excited about everything. He is always so happy and smiley! A sweet old man. When we were teaching him about the Word of Wisdom he was so excited because he said that his mom always taught him that it wasn't good to drink coffee! He has always lived the Word of Wisdom because of what his mom taught him. The day before his baptism we were planning on printing his baptismal program but didn't have his full name. And.. what do you know... we saw him eating at a cafe with a friend later in the day. And we could ask him what his full name was! So many blessings. :) T---- was confirmed yesterday. She has this beautiful glow! She says she has already seen the blessings of the gospel in her life.

The language is coming along very nicely! I can understand a majority of what people say now.. especially if they talk slow! I am just working on expanding my wordbank. It is easier for me to understand people.. harder for me to actually talk and communicate what I want to say. But it is getting easier!

I love you all! Thank you for all of the support you have given me. I really appreciate it!

Love,
Sister Anderson

Beautiful fountain right outside my door.

For Benj! :)

One of our delightful pastries. A crispy flaky thing with cream on the inside.

A craft we made for primary program. We found all of the stuff and purchased it for A----. She is such a sweet lady. She is married to C----. They are trying to have a baby but have not been able to. I hope they can have a baby soon! We eat lunch at their house a lot. Yesterday we ate there and C---- was telling us about how he knew that he was supposed to marry A----. Eleita (elect) is how he described her.

Sister Cardoso taught me how to make rice!! I made it :)

F---, my companion C---, J--- and me. F---- is his friend who is a member and C---- baptized him. C--- is A----´s (primary president) husband! 

The view from the park today with Abinoan the ward mission leader. He such a nice guy who reminds me of Alden. He wanted to show us around everywhere and he bought us all good food!

More pictures from the beautiful park we visited today,

Our meal that Abinoan purchased. Its Brazilian. So good!! The view was amazing. This was at the Vasco De Gama mall.

The little place we ate at. Not too expensive either! 6 euroes for our meal.

Dad questions:

 Has your mission president mentioned any cautions regarding ebola? Ebola isnt in Portugal yet. Spain but not Portugal.
What are the people like, are they nice? Yes they are soooo nice!! They are very humble and sweet.
Rossio looks like it is about 1 1/2 half away from where your apartment is, I thought it was closer? Rossio isn't too far. We have a bus pass and so we use the trolleys and buses! Our area is gorgeous. We walk up and down cobblestone hills all day long. The front part of my shins really, really are so tight and hurt all the time. Do you know a stretch I could do for them? When we walk up the hills sometimes it gets so bad. My companion wants to be a lawyer. She is really bold and straightforward in the lessons. She does a lot of like hands on analogies and stuff. it works perfectly with me! I mostly just rely on the spirit and testimony. So we are a great team! The mission presidents of Europe met at Cascais last week and we sang for them. Cascais is sooooooooooooo fancy. Look it up on google. Make sure Benj has an ipod. I love listening to music at night and in the morning.. it helps me relax and gives me some alone time. In a talk I was reading about the word atonement. It means at one ment! Cool! In Portuguese the word is expiação... which means to atone for. Expiar. So deep!! United States ice cream SUCKS compared to Gelado here. Everytime we have Italian Gelado I think of you. The ice cream is so different here... way better! You and mom should serve a mission when you are older. I bet you will go to Italy. :) That would be so cool! Love you!