Tuesday, February 10, 2015~Week 78 Last Day in the Mission
Manila Philippines Temple; Quezon City, PH

No letter this week, as Sister Andersen is preparing to travel home within a matter of hours.  She will be home in one day and eight hours from now! We are so excited!!  We know it is a hard thing for her to leave the Philippines.  She loves the Filipino people, their culture and spirit so deeply.  They will be part of her all the rest of her days.

Before leaving the mission field the departing missionaries attend a temple session one last time together.  An added highlight to this experience came in the form of a much anticipated visit with her cousin Nicole, who is living in a neighboring area with her husband and son.  Nicole sent me a little note and two photos this morning.  I'm so grateful she took time to go see her.  She is a wonderful young woman and has always been an excellent example for Sister Andersen.  To have them both living on the other side of the world in close proximity is amazing to me and such a tender mercy as Hannah leaves her beloved Philippines and Nicole is so far from home.  Here is Nicole's note:

Hey!!! I saw Hannah today! She looked great and was of course beautiful and smiley. She almost didn't recognize me haha. She said a few times that I looked so different, which I'm not sure is because we haven't seen each other for a while or I really do look different. We talked about her going home. She said she is sad to leave. And she thinks she is the only American going home on her flight tomorrow. We talked about how she fell in the sewer and how that freaked me out when I moved here haha. Turns out we have been pretty close to each other the past 6 months! I thought we were like 2 hours away, but I think that's because she thought we were living up north. We live in a place called pasig and she was in cainta and I think they are really close! I forgot she had never met Tate! True to form he was a little cranky haha. We were able to talk for about 20 minutes and then her group went inside the temple and she had to go. 
I am so excited for you to see her!!!! I attached a few pics.

TODAY
{the final one of the mission....with a favorite cousin!}

Sister Andersen with Nicole and Tate
Manila Philippines Temple

 With any luck Sister Andersen is getting a little sleep right now (it's after midnight) and she will be ready for the long...even a little lonely....flight home. 

Thanks for sharing in this journey with Sister Andersen and the many people she has grown to love as she has diligently served the Lord in the beautiful Philippines.  They say, "It's More Fun in the Philippines!" ......and we would have to agree.  

One more post to come with the homecoming and maybe a parting word from Sister Andersen on her arrival.  In the meantime, we are in full swing getting ready to greet our favorite missionary with open arms.  What a blessing to have her there...and to have her once again with us.  Homecomings remind us how great our reunions will be in heaven when we meet those we loved in this life.  
#gospel #hope #sharethegift 

~Paige....the mom :)

Monday, February 2, 2015~Week 77

Cainta; 12:51 PM Mon (PH); 9:51 PM Sun (US)

Hello!! This is my very last email and I'm gonna go crazy!

TODAY
{for the last time} 

This is me being sad that
this is my last TODAY picture.

So last week was the most miserable week of my whole mission because I got suuuuuuuuuuuuper sick. But I made it through. And I'll tell you more about it when I get home. And something that President said in his blessing for me really touched me. He told me that I would be blessed with wisdom to know what I need to do so that I will be able to regain my strength and continue to work. I was really thinking about that and I realized that one thing that I had done this week {that sometimes I didn't really do most of the other times I was sick} was I actually rested. I let my body heal. I was thinking about all the times that I was in high school and I would get so so sick. I asked myself, "Did you go to school? What did you do?" And it dawned on me that every time I got super sick, I stayed home and rested until I was better because I knew that there was no way I was going to be effective if I went. Well I guess the same applies here. So this week, I let myself rest. Not that I could actually really get up and get out of bed even if I wanted to but I let myself do it. And a miracle happened! I healed! I'm okay now! I'm just left with a small lingering cough and a sore throat but I'm sure that will clear up soon enough. I'm so grateful for counsel from Sister Revillo and from President and from the Spirit telling me that I just needed to let my body get better so that for my very last week, I have ALL the energy that I need.

heeeyyyyyyyyyyyyy

And because I'm shorter on time, this will be a short email. But I just want to bear my testimony to you. I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only true and living church here upon the whole the earth and that Jesus Christ Himself stands at the head of this church. I know that God lives. He is the Father of our spirits and He loves us beyond comprehension. And it is because He loves us so much that He sent His Son Jesus Christ to us. I know that Jesus Christ lives. He is our Savior and our Redeemer. He is our advocate with the Father. I testify that the Atonement is real. I cannot tell you how much my testimony of the Atonement has deepened since I've been on my mission. I know that the Atonement is for all aspects of our life. Whatever our trials or troubles or burdens or heartbreaks may be, I testify that He knows and He understands. I am so grateful for both the healing and cleansing power of the Atonement and for the enabling power of the Atonement. There have been countless times on my mission where sometimes I just feel like I can't take one more step, whether it be physically, spiritually, emotionally, or mentally. But somehow, every single time, I did. I kept going. And not because of anything I personally did. It's because my Savior stepped in and carried me until I was strong enough to stand again. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. He is the instrument that God used to restore the entirety of the gospel of Jesus Christ to Earth so that all of God's children can return to live with Him someday. I know that the Book of Mormon is true. It is the words of Christ Himself. I love the Book of Mormon and I testify that we will find peace and comfort and answers to all of life's questions by reading this sacred book of scripture. I love the Philippines. I love these people. I love so so much. I am so grateful that my Heavenly Father called me to serve in this beautiful land. They have taught me more than I ever thought I needed to know. I don't want to leave them. But I know that I can leave them because I have given them everything I could possibly give them. And I know that I can go home now because I have converted myself to this gospel. I have converted myself to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I'm so grateful for the opportunity and privilege and blessing that I've had to serve a full-time mission. The Lord has changed me. He has broken me down to my very core and built me back up into something I didn't even know I could become. And the best part is, I know He's not done. I'm an unfinished masterpiece. We all are. And I'm so grateful for the knowledge that we have that we can learn and grow and become more like our Savior and our Father in Heaven every single day. I know they are always there and They will never leave. I love this gospel, I love my mission, and I love my Savior. I say these things, in the name of my Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen.

I love you all so much! Thanks for sticking it out with me on my whole mission!! I'll see you next week!!! LOVE YOUUUUUUUUU!!

Love, Sister Andersen

These are mah homies. #pau #dave #kelly

Bowling last week!

SELFIES 

#angels

I love these kiddos.

#truebea

District Picture!