Not the only online missionary in the family...

I have discovered that I am not the only family member that is involved in sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ online. My dear sister, Kristy, has a new video on mormon.org about how she lives her life as a disciple of Jesus Christ.

(my sister L, Kristy, and I)

Watch it here!

I add my witness with hers that I know that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world and that He can heal any hurt, any sin, any anxiety and weakness. I know that He has gone forth suffering pains, afflictions, and temptations of every kind - and knows, according to the flesh, how to succor us, His people. (Alma 7: 11-12)

I have felt His love for me and the power of His sacrifice in my life. I have felt it today, even, as I have chosen to have faith and take a couple more steps in trying to live more like Him. I know that the blessings of His atoning sacrifice are not just for after death, they are for right now, they are for today.

I know that you can know and feel, just as my sister Kristy and I have felt, that His matchless power and love is real.


How?

Get down on your knees. Take a moment. And poor out your heart to your Father above who is waiting to talk with you, and console you - His dear child. Ask Him to feel. Ask Him to feel how much He loves you and whatever pain, concern, or sadness you may feel to be taken away.
I promise you that what you will feel is real. It is the power of the atonement of the Savior of the world.
I too can testify of these things

Elvia Too Can Testify

I asked my dear friend Elvia to share her conversion story. She is a rockstar, she is preparing to serve a mission, and she has changed my life!!!! Here she is:




So, I was asked to share my conversion story and I said.."You know, everytime I talk about my conversion story I cry"...What I really meant is....You know, everytime I testify of my conversion story the spirit is SO strong the impulse of crying is an iner-reaction of my Happiness..

I was raised and born in Santa Rosa, CA. Was taught to always do the right thing and personally I thought I was an overall good kid..my parents never felt like they would every worry about me doing something wrong..in other words they could trust me..When I was a little past 18 years old I decided I was done with every one thinking I was Miss little goody goody, I was going to do what I wanted and no one was going to tell me other wise..Sadly, that one decision took me down a path I could've never imagined...it took me 2 years to realize that I had litteraly lost all self esteem and hope..in a way I felt like my life was worthless...and found my self thinking how one bad decision lead me to make even worse decision..I was in a deep hole and didn't know how to get out of it...after many let downs I realized my life had to change..and if that was going to happen I had to change my self..

One day in mid August 2010 my Aunt who lived in Oregon out of the no where called me and after hours of talking she told me how much she loved me and how much it pained her to see me hurt...coming from someone I had only met twice my whole life was pretty powerful for me in that moment..I was loved and it felt good..she invited me to come live with her in Oregon for 2 months just to get my self together..I agreed and before I knew it I was bording a plane to Portland, Oregon. I felt free and ready to change...even though I had no idea how that was going to happen...My Aunt was so helpful and was putting every part of importance to my life.

One day she comes home telling me how she met 2 Missionaries, they were coming over later that day to talk to her...my response "Oh really thats cool, just make sure they don't talk to me, I want NOTHING to do with them". To my surprise, there was a knock at the door. My Aunt opens the door and lets these 2 young men come in and take a seat in the kitchen table. As I was on the computer, I hear the one of the Missionaries ask my Aunt who I was and if I could possibly join them..pretending I didn't hear them my Aunt pretty loudly asks me to join them...So I did...thinking to my self..they're "american" and speaking spanish...better spanish than I speak..they invited me to read a verse of the Bible in spanish..I was stuttering the words and was embarrassed at my terrible spanish..soon after they left, I told my aunt when were they going to come over again..I wanted to know more!!

Two days later they show up again..and every lesson after that got easier to understand and I wanted to know more! One of the most powerful comments they said was "Don't trust us we can sin and make mistakes, but Trust God our Heavenly Father and I know if you ask him if what we tell you is true you will receive your answer". This is all they had to say. I found my self truly wanting to ask our Heavenly Father if this was his true Church. For the first time in my life I felt good I had never been prompted to ask our Heavenly Father for an answer such as this...a month after my arrival in Oregon I got baptized ,on September 19, 2010..the best day of my life! I'm so greatful to know what I know and to know how to live in order to be happy. I KNOW MY SAVIOR LIVES! I KNOW HE DIED FOR US AND THAT HE WOULD'VE DIED FOR YOU EVEN IF YOU WERE THE ONLY ONE IN THE WORLD WHO NEEDED IT. I KNOW JOSEPH SMITH WAS A TRUE PROPHET OF GOD! I KNOW THE BOOK OF MORMON WAS TRANSLATED THROUGH THE POWER OF GOD! I testify this in name of JESUS CHRIST. AMEN.

Testifying Tuesday: Sister Kahrs Too Can Testify

Hi! I am Sister Kahrs!
(Sister Kahrs: full-time missionary from Las Vegas can be found writing over HERE)

Hello to all that read Hermana Anderson's blog! Isn't she amazing!?

I am so grateful to share my testimony of the Book of Mormon. It has been such a great strength for me in my life. It has brought a deeper understanding and relationship with my Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ. This book, this sacred book, testifies of Him and who He is and how much He loves us. This is another testament of Him. I have felt that so much in my life. As I have gone through trials and struggles in my life I have turned to prayer and The Book of Mormon, especially as a missionary.

Our Heavenly Father is aware of all our struggles and He gives us the Book of Mormon to help us in those struggles. There was one time I was doubting my testimony of God and knowing if he was really there. So I decided to put all that I have been taught to the test. Then one day, not right away, I came across the scripture in Alma 30:44 - It says that all things denote there is a God. When I read that I just knew that He was there just by looking around me.

I know that He lives and loves us and gives us the Book of Mormon to help bring us joy. I have seen that in my life and I know that all men everywhere can as well when they read and pray about it. The Book of Mormon is how I know that there is a prophet on the earth and that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.
This is my testimony in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen

Testifying Tuesday: Dad Too Can Testify

Testifying Tuesday is officially part of the blog. Every Tuesday I will post a different person's testimony of The Book of Mormon - or how they came to know that The Book of Mormon is a true word of God.


I thought I would start out with the man that has influenced my life the most - my dad

My dad has been a quiet example to me all of my life. He is one of the most Christ-like people that I know and he works hard as a disciple of Jesus Christ without any self-promotion. I remember as a teenager sometimes waking up early to finish some homework, or getting up in the night to get some water, or maybe just being up WAY too late and seeing my dad sitting at the table at 4:30am studying his scriptures. I remember walking by his room and seeing him kneeling beside his bed in humble prayer. I remember how every. single. night. we would have family scripture study and family prayer. No matter what - he made sure that we had it. The very few times he was out of town - I think he called us to make sure we had had prayer and scripture study that night. Mostly, I remember seeing my dad dropping whatever he was doing and leaving the house in a shirt and tie, not even uttering a complaint or a sigh, to go and serve some other lamb of the fold. Seeing the importance of the gospel in his life - it easily became the main focus of my life. He is faithful, humble, and obedient - or in other words, he is powerful. His example has shaped my desires - which have shaped who I have become. I asked him to share his testimony of The Book of Mormon. The testimony that changed the life of his children - and therefore the lives of those we meet.

Dad Too Can Testify:
      I have been a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for 52 years.   During those years I have lived in three different countries, five different states and earned two bachelor degrees and one DDS.  I have had many experiences including marrying and raising four children and working as a general dentist in suburban Chicago.   I have enjoyed many good things in life, particularly the love and warmth of good family and many friends. 

       Recently I was feeling that I wanted to know more clearly and succinctly truths regarding my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  I felt that I wanted to know more concisely Heavenly Father’s will concerning me.  I also wanted to feel stronger spiritually.  I wanted to feel greater love towards others and a greater ability to resist temptation.  I wanted to have a purer heart and happier mind.  I wished for a clearer answer to my prayers and a greater closeness to my Heavenly Father.  I wanted to know with greater assurance that God knew who I was and heard and answered my prayers.  I wanted greater faith and increased ability to lead my family and to do well in my career.   I wanted greater peace of mind and peace of conscience. 

This was quite a list of desires and goals.

      I had heard that someone had read the Book of Mormon from beginning to end once a month for a year with a very positive spiritual result.

      In order to find these spiritual gifts I decided to read the Book of Mormon with great intent.  I had first read the Book of Mormon from beginning to end when I was 18 years old.  Since that time I have read it from beginning to end about once every three or four years, for a total of about 10 to 12 times.  

This time I read the Book of Mormon once a month for each of three consecutive months.    I would get up early in the morning and read 18 pages before I started the day.   Once I finished the book I would start again.

     The results for me were very good.  I allowed the good feelings and thoughts that I had as I read to change my attitudes and character.  With time I realized that my spiritual goals were being fulfilled.  It was a gradual benefit but a benefit nonetheless.  I was grateful for the gradual changes that took place in my character.  Even though others may not have noticed any positive changes in my character, I did.  I can say for me the spiritual power of studying the Book of Mormon is immense.  I love the deep drinks of spiritual living waters if gives to my soul, because the book speaks of Jesus Christ.  The book teaches of Jesus Christ and explains Him to my soul in such a way that I am motivated to be a better person.

The Book of Mormon is of God and teaches of Jesus Christ.  It is a true book of Holy Scripture.