Happy Thanksgiving 2015....

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you,  family, siblings, and missionaries!

It is so great to hear from so many of you! We pray for you daily, and hope you are all well and happy and safe!

50 years ago today, we went to the Logan Temple to receive my endowment and get married for time and all eternity! What a wonderful event, and it has been 50 years of bliss!! We have had a lot of fun reminiscing over the places we have been, the things we have done and the people we have met and loved along the way! Also how times have changed! We went from not having a phone for for our first 3 years of marriage, to each having one in hand all the time, no TV for our 1st 3 years and now a TV in almost every room, from mail, that I love to get to emails that are instant! Life is amazing, and we are glad we are a part of this progress! But we loved the olden days! It really ages us to think we lived in the olden days!

Our family is the greatest blessing to us in these 50 years. Angela arrived 10 1/2 months after we were married, and that was a wonderful start! Now with our 7 married children we have almost 37 grandchildren, almost 5 married grandchildren, and 4 great grandchildren! From the 2 of us, we now number 62, and we are the happiest grandparents, and parents in the whole world! This morning we made time to go to the Beautiful Manila Temple and do an endowment, while there I gave so many thankful prayers for the 62 blessings mentioned above, and for the Gospel that has been our guide through out our lives! Grateful for wonderful loving parents that raised us in the Gospel and taught us to read and learn from the scriptures, to pray, to have FHE, to work and to play together as a family, to make sacrifices and to serve and love one another! I love the Gospel, I love being a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, I love being a missionary, which brings me to my companion that I love so much! He is my light, and has brought so much happiness into my life, and he loves me and is so good to me! I love having him by my side! In fact, here we are in a tiny apartment, kind of like camping, no hot water, washing and hanging clothes out to dry, very few modern devices, like beaters and a bowl, no oven, just making due with what we have! It's like starting over again,  We have each other and that is the best! Funny thing is we feel like newly weds too! Enough about 50 years, except, it wasn't in our plan to share it alone, without our family, in the Philippines! Who would have thought it! We are grateful for this incredible opportunity, and it is amazing to see the Lords hand in this work and feel the spirit we feel!! Daily we can see miracles, and we are happy!!

We had a once in a life time week last week, as it was Mission Presidents Seminar, and we stayed in a beautiful, amazing hotel for 4 days! Then also, it was a blessing to be taught by Elder and Sister Neil Andersen, Elder and Sister Dale Renlund , and  Elder and Sister Maynes! It was wonderful to be with them through out the week, eating dinner with them shaking hands and visiting with them! It was a spiritual experience we wont forget, and one we will treasure! Also the Area Presidency whom we have grown to love so much as we work with them daily! Elder and Sister Ardern, Elder and Sister Bowen, and Elder and Sister Haynie! Family, you can get your ensigns and show the children these brethren that we were with last week! The Philippine people were thrilled to have 2 apostles and President of the Seventy's! It has been a great blessing for them as well! It rejuvenates us all, and makes us want to be better people! We  Give thanks for that experience!

As you can tell we are fine and happy, and this has become to long, so I better sign off! Please know we think about you every day, and pray for our wonderful family always! We love your prayers and love and support! You are all a blessing in our lives! We love you! Thanks for all you do for us!

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Love, Mom and Dad

Grandpa and Grandma

Elder and Sister Anderson

 

hitchhikers 10.30.15

Hi Family,

Dad driving a van down the freeway full of couple missionaries, and we came upon these 2 young boys on the back of a truck hitchhiking,  getting a ride! So dangerous! There was nothing to hold onto, they had no shoes on, and it was raining! They jumped off eventually and ran to the side of the freeway! so crazy!  Notice the traffic, non stop, takes forever to go anywhere! What an experience we are having!

We are doing great! We have a busy week this week, as it is Mission President Seminar, and we will be staying at a motel! Our visitors are Elder Andersen and his wife, Elder Renlund and his wife, and Elder Maynes and his wife, plus our wonderful Area Presidency! Monday morning they will be talking in our devotional to the church employees we work with! I get to sing in the choir at this event! After the week af Seminar we have a cultural event on Sat. night that the youth have put together for the General Authorities! 

Hope all of you are well, and have a wonderful Sabbath day! We love you all and you are constantly in our prayers! 

Love, Mom and Dad

Grandpa and Grandma

10.27.15

Dear Family, 

We have been here from Utah now for a little over three weeks, and it is hard to believe we were ever home! We have been so busy, and it is hard to believe it is almost Nov. First Halloween, which is celebrated more here in Eastwood, than in our Mission Provinces, as far as decoration anyway! Thanksgiving is coming up, but of course that is an American tradition, however, we as a zone are getting together for a big Thanksgiving dinner on Thanksgiving day, where we have all been assigned to bring something. The Area Presidency will be with us also! 

Dad and I were invited to a sealing today of one of our missionaries, and he ask Dad to be the Witness! What a beautiful experience of feeling the spirit, as we watched Ian Adop be sealed to his beautiful bride! It was all done in Tagalog, except the actual ceremony! Her Mission President was the other witness! They thought it quite rare that both Mission Presidents could be there! The Family insisted we come to the party after wards. We thought we would show up, for a few minutes, and when we got there, the other mission President arrived, and the party started! We were treated like royalty!  They had us dance the first dance, pictures with the Bride and Groom, first to go through the buffet line, and we were both on the program! they wanted Dad and I to say a few words, as well as the other mission President and wife! What a party! All these decorations, and a wonderful Filipino Buffet, with pork, pork adobo, Lechi, Liver, and piles and piles of rice! Lettuce, carrots and cucumbers, water melon, they kept bringing plates of food to our table, after we had gone through the line! All the different meats, rice, everything was cold! We had a great time, and we were back to our office by 1:30.

Last Wed. Elder Schwitzer and his wife flew in from Utah. Elder Schwitzer is the Dr. over all missions. He is also the one that talked at conference about the grandson playing the piano, titled, "Let the Clarion Trumpet Sound". Anyway he had meetings and tours of hospitals and things, and his wife wanted to go shopping, so they ask Sister Arner, and I to take her shopping! The 2 MRC Sisters went with us too! We had a driver, and a security guard with us all day! We took her to Green Hills, and we had  the funnest day, helping her find souvenirs for her children and grandchildren!  She bought frog wallets, purses and bracelets! Then we went to a pearl booth, and  I just can't tell you how much fun we had! one of the sisters liked the length of the pearl I had around my neck, so I took it off to measure with the pearl necklace she was having made. In the process, the pearl fell off my chain! We searched everywhere for that pearl, ladies from the other booths, the security guard, the pearl lady we were working with, told me to pick out another necklace and she would give it to me, they all felt so bad that I lost my pearl that I have had since 2008. I keep saying its ok, we will come another time and buy another pearl! Anyway we never found it! We ate  a delicious lunch at Chili's, and visited and had an enjoyable day! About 5;00  we dropped her off at the Hotel, and the driver took us on back to the office! When I got to the office there was a message for me to call Sister Schwitzer at the Hotel! I called her, and she said, I dumped everything out of my purse to see what I had purchased, and at the bottom of my purse was your pearl!!  We laughed, squealed and rejoiced! She called it a miracle! How it ever dropped in her purse i will never know, but it has sure made a fun story! Dad and I went to the Fireside they spoke at on Sunday night, and afterwards, she couldn't wait to hug me and give me my pearl! Then she said she was free on Friday afternoon, and would Sister Arner and I go shopping with her again! What an experience!

It is so good to be back at the Temple serving there on Wed. Mornings! It is always a spiritual experience. Last Wed. one of our Missionary RM Sisters got married, so we got to go to her sealing as well! Such a thrill

We had 130 missionaries come in on intake day last Friday, and I enjoy being with all these wonderful new Elders and Sisters on their first day!! They don't like the shots though, and sometimes I have to comfort the crying Sisters! It's all good!

The couples need to get away occasionally, so Sat. we had a couple outing! We visited a school that helps the squatter children that normally wouldn't be going to a school, they are mostly street kids, and this man had a vision and a little money, and now has volunteers, and stores that donate a few things to give them a little nutrition for their day! We bought so many school supplies for them and delivered them! We got a delightful program from the children that range from 5 years to 18 years old! They were so cute and love being taught manners, music, exercise, and etc! Then we got in a trolley and rode to INTRAMUROS, which is what is left of the walled city in Manila, we saw where it was bombed and ruined during the war, and it is so sad,because of all the work put into it! built in the 1700! Then we ate a delicious meal in the walled city, at a nice place, and then went to the highest place in Manila, where we could see all of Manila, and the cities all around it! quite fascinating! It was a great informative day! We were tired, and hot by the end of the day! Then it took 1 hour 45 minutes to drive the 9 miles back to the office!

Monday night was family home evening with the couples! We had a service project making sock dolls for one of the children cancer hospitals here in Metro Manila! It was fun, as we worked together to make these little dolls! We named them, and laughed about how some of them turned out, but so cute and unique!

They have given Dad and I a Family to home teach, so that should be good and interesting as our ward covers all the outlying areas of Manila! This family said they could come to our apt. or we could meet with them after church! We also received a calling in our ward, that of being SS teachers. Our class is the temple prep class! There are about 3 couples and one single that wants to get ready for the temple!

 We have our first class next Sunday!

Dad is super busy all the time and is amazing to me, how he keeps track of it all and what he sends to who, and what he gets back, and arranging for all the reinstatement's and releases and the airline tickets, and so on! It is over whelming to me, but I am so glad I am there to support and help him! He got an email from a Grandma and Grandpa, who grandson is coming to the Philippines on his mission, and they ask dad for his address, and wondered if the Philippines had Ramen noodles! He got a kick out of that one! The Philippines has more than enough noodles, and of course out in the provinces there are no address, and we didn't even know what mission he was going to! His hand is doing well, he works with it every day, and does a little therapy with it! He is a little disappointed on how tight his middle finger is and how lose his ring finger is! I think with time and getting his hand more limber it will look better! I have faith anyway!

Halloween is coming up, and we hope you all have a good time, and be careful, and don't eat to much candy! Hope all the Oct. birthdays had Happy birthdays! Lilly,Kallie, Angie , Emily, Boston, Jim and Julia, and Grandpa Hatch would be 107 if he were alive on Oct. 30! What a wonderful man. I miss him, and the love I always felt from him!

Congratulations to Davis and Alexa getting engaged! They have chosen Sat. Jan. 9 to get married in the ST George Temple! Dad is getting his letter off to the !st Presidency to get permission to seal them in the Temple! We don't know plans there yet, but we know Susie's baby is due on Jan. 7! So that is exciting!

It is getting late, and it has taken me a couple of days to write this, dad has already gone to bed, so I guess I had better close! We sure love you all and pray for you all the time, and we love to hear from you, and all the things you are doing! We pray for your happiness and safety! We feel so grateful to have all of you wonderful children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, and we thank Heavenly Father each day for that blessing in our lives! Our prayers go out to the missionaries as well, and we love to hear from Julia and Richmond! we are so very proud of them! Our prayers are with those  preparing to go on missions too! Always be obedient, it is so important!

We love you all, and we love our mission and the opportunity to serve the Lord, and help the work progress! Happy Halloween!

Love, Mom and Dad

Grandpa and Grandma.

10.11.15...

Hi everyone! We are back on our mission, arrived not quite a week ago! It was a long, long, flight, and we had a little jet lag, but nothing that kept us from doing the work! 

It is good to be back, but doesn't seem like we left! It was great to be home, and see everyone, and love everyone and be together, again! Thanks to all for spoiling us while we were home! 

Richard's hand is coming along, slow process, he is doing his own therapy, and is able to work somewhat with the hand, doesn't seem to need me to write for him any more, and still eats with his left hand at times! He is amazing to me, and I think the Lord has really blessed us, because of a beautiful blessing he was given! He still wears his brace when he is out and about, and only shakes hands with his left hand! He does therapy  every day! We pray it will continue to heal, and  he can have full use of his hand!

While we were home, we got to welcome Karma and Koyle home from their mission, and Marcia and Eldon came for a couple of hours, and the Winwards came and we had a great lunch and time together! we missed Glad and Kris, but they weren't in town! It is always good to get a letter from Elder and Sister Harrison, and hear about their mission! I wanted to get in touch with Kaye, but ran out of time! We are hoping to hear something from that family soon!

We were able to witness Brigham Shupe's baptism, which was so nice, and what a precious little boy! Also got to see  the Primary program in Shupes ward, and hear Ella, Brigham and Parleys talks and they all did so well!  James and Hanna Wagstaff delivered a beautiful baby girl Sept 24, Ivy Mae Wagstaff! That makes our 1st great granddaughter, and our 4 great grandchild! Gives Angie and Jim 4 grandchildren to love, and they are all adorable! Davis Anderson returned home from his mission to Brazil, got engaged to a darling little gal that waited for him, Alexia! They are getting married on January 30, 2016! Davis has ask Richard if he could seal them in the ST George Temple! We are thrilled for them! We will need to get permission to seal them, and come home one more time to do that! We got to see a lot of the grandchildren s talents as they played sports, and cheered, and etc.  I even got a traditional baby quilt made and finished with help, for Susie's January baby! We had so many get together's at different homes and love the delicious American food! The garden food was so amazing, and we loved the fresh air we breathed  while we were home! The cool down also felt great as we slept with our windows open, and covers on us! Thanks to all for a wonderful 3 weeks at home!

We are so grateful for a wonderful conference,  we watched while we were home, and then again here in the Philippines last Sunday! We are so grateful for all the blessings Heavenly Father has blessed our family with! Grateful for the wisdom we have heard at conference that we can pattern our life after! Loved Presidents Monson's talk on being a light to the world!

We pray for all of you, and hope all is well! Thanks for your love and prayers for us and all the missionaries as well!

We love you all!

Love, Mom and Dad

Grandpa and Grandma,

Elder and Sister Anderson

Back to the Philippines...10.4.2015

Hi everyone! 

We made it home, back to the Philippines! Thanks to Justin who took us to the airport at 4:00 A.M. We got on a plane at 6:00 and flew 1 1/2 hours to LA, then boarded a plane to Hong Kong that left at 9:40. 14 hours later, yes 14 hours, we arrived in Hong Kong! That was such a long flight, I would look at the map after we had been flying 4 hours, and the thought of 10 more hours ahh, I thought I'll never make it! 
The plane was full of Japanese people that talked Japanese, but were nice! The couple in front of us had a 11/2 year old boy, and the one behind us had a 2 year old girl, and there were a few other little children, and I thought that would be really hard to travel with out a break for 14 hours with a little toddler. They were actually pretty good little kids! The food was plane food, not good! Didn't get much sleep, watched one movie, and read! We were so happy to land on the ground! Then on another plane to Manila for 2 more hours! We flew in day light all  the way! Seems interesting to me, and it was the evening of Tuesday night when we got here, exactly 26 hours after we left Salt Lake! Our friends the Lacanientas picked us up and the traffic was so bad, it still took 11/2 hours to get home! !  We found our apartment just as we left it! A few more cockroaches, but not as bad as I had visioned in my mind! It was hot, but the air-cons cooled it off. A few bills stuck in the door, with warning to pay our water and power, or it would be turned off! We unpacked some, and went to bed! Dad has been at the computer pretty much ever since!

We can't tell you all how wonderful it was to have this unexpected visit! It was wonderful to see all of the people we love the most in the whole wide world! Wonderful to be home for so many occasions.

 Brigham baptism, what a sweet heart and the spirit was so strong,

 grandchildren games,

 BYU games, so fun to watch with so many of you!

 Family get together's, BBQ's, parties with all the family, many of them, hosted by so many of you!

 Womens conference, being with all the amazing girls in my life!

 Getting to see the recently returned missionary Davis, and meet our future grand daughter-in-law Alexa, even before we knew that! Brynley and John came to our house as well! Fun to see them.

 Meeting a beautiful new Great Granddaughter Ivy Mae Wagstaff.

 Being there when my Sister and her husband returned from their mission, and had a fun luncheon with them and Marcia and Eldon,

 enjoyed sharing our home with the busy  newly weds, Jessica and Jordan, and they  still had time for us!

Loved hearing news from our missionaries, Julia and Richmond! So proud of them!

 Drove the best car while we were there, thanks to Jim and Angie who gave us their best for 3 weeks plus! Thanks so much!

 Went to Dr's and therapy almost daily,

 had darling little Brown girls knock on our door everyday, and we loved that!

 Made a baby quilt for Susie, got it all quilted with Emily's help! Thanks so much!

Dad loved Priesthood session with the boys, and the fun they had at Joy Luck after! 

unexpected visit from Brad and Izzy, so good to see them and hear about their trip to Brazil, missed the rest of the family!

Most delicious food, corn on the cob, and fresh tomatoes! I couldn't get enough of the tomatoes, and I found them in Emily's, Susie, Heidi, and Karma's garden! yum, so good! I just kind of helped myself! All the meals were delicious that everyone fed us! We are so grateful!

Watching conference was a high light, thanks to Browns for sharing their home and TV. 

The wonderful family night at Shupes the night before we left and the beautiful lesson on being a light, and the delicious food! Thanks to everyone making that so nice! 

Finding little love letters hidden in our suitcases from the Brown family, were a treat, brought a few tears to our eyes!

Thanks to Emily coming to help us pack at 4:00 AM, and Justin driving us to the airport at that time as well! 

I know I have missed some things, like Lilly, Livie, and Isabel's birthdays! That was great to see them on their birthdays! Which reminds me of so many Birthdays in Oct. 

We had a fantastic time with all of you, and we love our family so much! Families are what life is all about, and we love ours so very much! You are all wonderful, and you bring so much joy and happiness into our lives! We can't thank you all enough!

Dad is able to do his work, and is using his right hand quite a bit, and he also does therapy with it. We have yet to see a hand therapist! We are trying to get over jet lag, and trying to function!

It was good to get back to our mission, and everyone seemed happy to have us back! Big cheers went up when we walked in our office, and Mission Presidents have called and expressed to Dad how much they missed him! We love our mission, and love serving the Lord, and helping the work move forward! We love you all and pray for your happiness! We have been blessed so much, and we pray to live worthy of all these blessings!

Thanks again for making our trip home so fun! You are what keeps us going!!!

Love, Mom and Dad, 

Grandpa and Grandma

Hand surgery pictures...

This is Richards hand 10 days after surgery! Pretty intense!

The wrist inside incision! We are praying for full recovery of his hand!



Best patient ever, sure glad we came home to have this surgery done! Answer to prayers! Love you all!

9.23.15... Home to Utah for a bit...

Hi Family,

How are all of you? We haven't heard from Karma for a week or two, and we are so anxious to hear from Elma and their mission! Would love to hear about Marcia and Eldon's trip to Canada, also love to hear from Kaye and Glade!

We had a fantastic time in Hong Kong! Beautiful city, so clean, organized, and friendly! Loved the Mission Presidents we met. They are really great! We met Richmond's President, who had been with Richmond in Indonesia just 5 days prior to coming to the Seminar.It was great to talk to him, and his wife thought Richmond looked like me! That was a complement! We also met Elma and Rex's Mission President, who had just met and spent some time with Elma and Rex! They are thrilled to have the Harrisons in their mission, and were so impressed with their knowledge of their assignment and language! Great people also! One of the mission Presidents was from Preston, Idaho, and knew the Titensors, and the wife was good friends with Sharron, and she thought Sharron looked like me through the eyes and smile! So fun Hodges was their name! 2 of the Presidents were friends with Jim and had played ball with him! It was a great time, and we stayed over a day, to celebrate early our 50th wedding anniversary! It was a great time! We got home Sat. night Sept 5th!

I think I told you on Aug. 21, the tendon in the ring finger on  Richards right hand frayed away, and his finger went limp, and he couldn't lift it. I taped the ring finger and the middle finger together, so he could do his work! We went to a Dr. in the Philippines, that said he could fix it, but we were leaving for Hong Kong the next day. When we got home from Hong Kong, the Area Presidency said they wanted us to go to Utah to fix it! Richard  finally got a hold of his Dr. that fixed the tendon on his baby finger, and he said if we could be to Utah by Friday, he would fit us in his schedule for surgery! Richard called Salt Lake and booked us a flight to Utah leaving Thursday morning! that was Wed. After work at the office, we went home, packed and Richard worked late to finish some cases up, and we left at 6:30 Thursday morning and arrived 24 hours later in Salt Lake at 4:30 P.M. Ted and Ben met us at the airport, so good to see them. They drove us to Angie's home, and they were having a friends wedding reception in their yard! Everything looked so beautiful! Wonderful to see the Wagstaffs, and they gave us Angie's Car to drive while we were home! That was so nice! We drove to Susie's home, who didn't know we were coming, and Travis and Parley were so surprised to see us! That was a fun surprise, so we decided we wouldn't tell Susie and just show up at Ella's soccer game! that was so much fun, to see her and the girls surprised faces as well! We stopped by Doug and Katie's and loved them. Stopped at Jason and Heidi's , and loved them, Rich gave Jason a blessing as he had some problems with diverticulitis,    and finally got home to our home where Ted and his family, and Emily and her family were all here, plus Jessica and Jordan who live in our home! Every thing looked so perfect, the house was spotless, and the yard didn't have a weed in it and it was so good to be home, after being away 6 1/2 months! Doug came over  and the guys gave Richard a blessing! So grateful for the Priesthood in our family, that we can call down the powers of Heaven to guide us and bless us in our time of need, and a great opportunity to exercise our faith! So good to be home with our wonderful family that we love so much!

I have got to cut this short, or I will never finish what has been going on! Richard and I went to the Surgeon on Friday morning on 9/11! He checked him and decided on surgery, and scheduled us for 2:30 the same day! By 6:00 we were home! The surgeon found 3 tendons in his right hand that needed repair, and had to use some flexer tendons from his wrist to repair him. He said this shouldn't be happening, and took some blood and tissue and told us to see a rheumatologist, to see if he had rheumatoid arthritis! He also said the therapy would be more intense, because of the flexer tendons he used from the wrist! We got back home Friday night about 5:30! It was a big day! It was so fun to be with family and see them, and love them!

Sat. We were blessed to witness the baptism of Brigham Shupe! that was really special, especially, since we had no clue we would be home for that! What a precious little boy, and so happy to get baptized!  All our family met at Susie's afterwards, and it was like being in a little bit of Heaven to be together again!

We had fun Sat. night night watching the BYU game with some of our family! This was but a dream as we are in the Philippines, and never get to watch those  games! Brynley and John drove here after the game, and spent Sunday with us and Jessica and Jordan! It makes us feel real young to hang out with these newly wed grandchildren!

Sunday, we enjoyed going to our Kaysville ward, and then we went to Angie and Jims for a delicious dinner, and the whole family came again and we celebrated being together again, so much fun! We got to see Davis, our recent returned missionary! So great to see all the cousins and brothers and Sisters having so much fun together!

On Monday, we went to therapy, and then in to the Church offices to meet up with the Mission department! Richard's IFR Job has been turned over to an IFR in Salt Lake while we are here! However, when we arrived home there were several e-mails form Presidents that want Rich to help him with different problems, so he still spends a lot of time doing his work! We have gone to therapy everyday, and everyday see improvements! Dr. or Elder Schwitzer got an appointment with a rheumatologist for last Monday in Springfield, Utah! We made our way there, and met with the Dr.,and he found No rheumatoid arthritis in Richard! It is a miracle, and prayers answered! We were thrilled, and so grateful for that good news!

We continue to see the therapist, and tomorrow, Thursday he will get his stitches out, and we will talk to the Dr., more therapy and when the therapist  feels like we can go back to the Philippines, we will go!  Having the use of his right hand is the most important thing, and is what we need to concentrate on right now! We have another year of our Mission left, and are anxious to get back and continue our service, and see all the wonderful people we work with there!

We count our blessings everyday, and we are so aware of the Lords hand in our lives! We give Thanks every day! We love the Gospel, and the opportunities it affords us and the tests that help us grow, and exercise our faith! We are grateful for prayers and the answers to them! So grateful for an amazing family, that has bent over backwards to help us, and support us and feed us good American food,and love us and we cherish the moments we have together!

So grateful for the Gospel and for each other! We love you all

We are excited to see Karma and Koyle this week-end, and go to their homecoming! Good to hear from the Harrisons, and Paynes!

Thanks everyone for your prayers they are felt, and we can feel the blessings and Heavenly Fathers love in all of  our lives! 

Love to all, 

Mom and Dad, Grandpa and Grandma, Richard and Nada, Elder and Sister Anderson