Russ Anderson

Donna and Kelly,

Donna,

Your son is an amazing man. He has changed my families lives forever. I am not sure if he had mentioned the Anderson family in his emails but we were a challenge to say the least. We will remember him for the rest of our lives. Please keep the emails coming and someday i would love to speak to you and tell you what an amazing or "way-cool" son you have.

Best of Luck,
Russ

Surprise!‏

Hey hey! Well looks like we did get to email today.. two p-days in a week, so we wont have p-day on monday. We were asked by a member for 20 missionaries to go to the state fair today and push old people around in wheel chairs. It was cool! Saw some animals and a really cool sand sculpture and stuff. Elder Adams and I just pushed them where ever. It was fun. I got to push Betty. She wasn't very talkative though.

We have two awesome people getting baptized in November. Quin, has been investigating the church for a long time and even bore his testimony in church a long time ago even though he wasn't a member.. those people are always pretty cool and seem to understand whats going on. Quin is about 17 and should be getting baptized on the 7th of November. Then we have Brandi! She is awesome! We met here on the side of the road. She was coming home for work and we were.. well doing missionary work of course so we contacted her! It was raining pretty nicely and we were well soaked in our suits and stuff just having fun trying to find people to teach. She had an umbrella and felt bad when she met us but it left an impression on her and she wanted to know what we really believed so she invited us to come by sometime. We tried about 2 or 3 times and never got a hold of her. Then yesterday (being the best day of the transfer yet) we had a member come out with us. Brother Hightower.. he is an amazing member of the church that the Lord know we needed yesterday. Well we showed up at Brandi's home and the first thing she did when she opened the door was sorta move out of the way and say in a totally casual way, "..you guys can come in..". I love hearing that! People who recognize us as normal people and know we're not crazy! So that was a halfway surprise that she totally wanted us to come in, though that is what we had been planning on. And hey I guess that's faith! "Faith is hope in things which are not see which are true!" It was true that she would let us in, but we didn't 'know' that; however we were planning on that happening. Hmm that's pretty cool!.. Well anyway it was a great lesson and she was totally prepared.. She explained how she had been saved two years ago in her "home" church and then explained that if she was truly saved she would be able to find answers to some of her difficult questions and yet to this point she had not. And when we talked about prophets on the earth today she said "that makes me kind of disappointed to learn that there are modern day prophets here in the americas but no one has ever taught or told me about them".. It was an awesome tender mercy to be able to teach her in her humble circumstances.. Sorta like these way sweet families I know that got baptized a couple months ago.

So anyway.. I am pretty tired but drinking up the work of the Lord and it is awesome! I don't know what kind of analogy that is but hey, it sounds good. I just might fall asleep here in the Library.. wooo. Anyway! I love and miss you all! In the words of Joseph Smith: "Shall we not go on in so great a cause?"

Right one

HEY HEY!‏

Hey all! Things are going great. My new area is tough and it looks like there is just a little bit of "damage control" to do from the last Elders that were here. The entire district was "white washed" so it is pretty interesting figuring everything out. I enjoy it here. Biking again. It is refreshing at the end of the day but it can be tough. It isn't nearly as hilly here in Lake Murry as it was in Downtown Columbia.. So that's nice.. I feel pretty inadequate training Elder Adams.. As fas as I can tell he was born a missionary and knows whats going on. I really feel kinda dumb sometimes. I think he is alot like I was when I first came out. I am greatful for President McConkie and the inspiration and revelation he received for this transfer. Elder Adams and I are alot alike, we work with people the same way and have alot of the same ideas about missionary work. It's cool. We have some possible baptisms on the horizon but it looks like it might be a difficult journey here in the Lake. The ward seems pretty awesome so far so that is pretty exciting I really love missionary work, unfortunatly as we read in Preach my Gospel, "nothing happens in missionary work until you find people to teach.." Regardless I will serve with all of my heart, might, mind and strength and know that we will find people!

Our last Zone Conference was really cool! I really felt the spirit super strong! Elder Snow of the Seventy came and spoke with us.. Maybe I already told you that I don't know.. regardless it was a great experience! Afterwards as all the missionaries were leaving in the parking lot I walked over to him to shake his hand and say thanks, and he politley said, "Thank you for your comments and participation.." Even though he would say that to anyone he was a pretty personable man and I know he meant it becuase I shared my testimony of feeling the spirit and related a story to the zone during the conference.. so that was a pretty awesome experience. I pray that you get the Job dad! Oh and Ben, I was able to buy 2 suits with the money you sent, It was cool becuase they were both 74.99 but after she rang them both up, one of the suits happened to be only $7.00! It was cool it had like a $60 discount and a $7 discount.. I don't know if that math works, but hey the Gospels true! Love you all! Love your missionaries! Help them find people to teach! Alma 29:9-10

Love you all! I know that the Gospel is true, that the Book of Mormon is literally another word of God and that Jospeh Smith was a true prophet of Jesus Christ. It is simple but it is true! I say that in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Train Him Well!

Well, I look pretty much super weird in this picture.. just ignore that.. I don't know what was going on. But heres the man, Elder Adams my new companion! He's great! ..also dont worry about forwarding this.. the picture is just too stinking strange. Love ya!

Transferage!‏

Well I'm getting transfered! I found that out on Saturday night.. Then yesterday morning during studies President McConkie called and told me that I would be training a new missionary! I am pretty much excited. Nervous too but I think everything will go great! I won't know who I am training till tomorrow morning but it will be an awesome experience. President told me that he would be keeping me close by so I think I know where I am going which will probably be Lexington, SC. Things have been going great, we havnt had the most success but that just happens sometimes in missionary work. I will be sure to send you guys pictures and stuff no doubt! Alot of my favorite missionaries are going home this transfer which will be sad cause we're all buddies but thats alright! I love having been able to serve in the office and to have seen so much success! I was able to talk about cool things with President and get to better know him and really have a good relatioship with the Assistants.. so it has been really cool! P-day will be back on mondays for me now so you will likley hear from me on Monday!

We had a visit from a seventy last week, Elder Snow.. That was really cool we I had a really spiritual experience talking about a spiritual experience infront of the zone and to Elder Snow. It is SO fun to be a missionary.. I know there are young men out there who dont think they could ever be a missionary.. or maybe not a "good" missionary but thats really what its all about.. A mission changes you wether you want it to or not and you become more and more of who you want to be! So go!! Don't wait any more just go on your missions! Heh, I love you all and want to thank everyone for their support! HAVE A SUPER SWEET AWESOME DAY! "Talk at you monday!"

-Elder McMurry

Pictures‏

"Night at the Mission Home"

The Sisters are the ones in my district, and of course Elder Richardson too, the 4 Assistants and our Zone Leaders.

Also, NO those are not my sunglasses! And that is Elder Quakenbush.. I actually met him on facebook before my mission, he is currently one of my Zone Leaders..

Love ya'll!






I guess I could stand to take a little bit of a more serious picture... one day maybe..

P.S. Thanks for the pictures of the kidos.. miss those guys.

FIXED "Miracle"‏

Woo! We'll this week just like the rest of the transfer has been way tough and we haven't seen much success but we had a sweet miracle on Wednesday! The Anderson family who was baptized in August, if you remember, their younget son chose not to be baptized and it was a bummer and we have been going over and stuff always trying to help him along to make the choice. Well on Tuesday night Elder Richardson decided to plan the Anderson's at around 7:00 right after dinner so we did. Well dinner came and then we headed off to the Anderson's.. when we got there all the windows were open and the lights were off and stuff and no one answered the door.. we were a little concerned so we sat in the car there for a minute and decided to just continue on.. As we drove down the street Elder Richardson said "Hey there's Zach!" and He was going as fast as he could on his bike (that sister Kirby gave to him).. So we turned around and pulled up to the house right as he was riding his bike into the house. We caught him and talked for a second outside and then asked him if we could read some scriptures with him (since he would not keep the commitment to do so himself).. so he invited us in! Now Zach for whatever reason really likes me.. there have been about 2 kids on my mission that I really wished I could be best friends with, Zach is one of them. I love that kid, he likes to joke around and stuff and we get along like buddies.. Laughing about stupid things and stuff,and hes only 14. Anyway we had an awesome lesson with him and this time it was just us and him becuase the rest of the family was at the church at an Eagle Court of Honor. So this time when he talked about baptism he felt really good about it and was thankful that no one else was home but him. The Lord really prepared this situation as Elder Richardson and I analyzed it, It really goes as far as the weather that day and the Anderson's financial Situation.. which is pretty crazy.. at least we imagined so.. Anyway as we were talking we said that "You can get baptized tomorrow or you can get baptized between sessions of general conference.. no one has to be there or anything.." And to our complete surprise and crazy joy he said "Can we do it tomorrow night?"! We set it up and said no one would be there and got permission for it all to take place and everything and His parents didn't even know till he told them (So he ended up having his family come to the baptism and of course a member of the Bishopric). Then Zach said the closing prayer and remember he's only 14.. It was an awesome prayer. After that he told us what happened.. He said that while he was out he felt very strongly that he needed to go home so he just went.. that was when we saw him flying by on his bike and he didnt see us, and he expressed how cool it was that right when he got to the house, we pulled up.. And just yesterday night in his excitement he told us that, "Usually when I go up that hill I am so tired, but I wasn't tired at all!". It was just awesome. I love the Anderson family! I'm hoping I'll get to go to BYU when Justin goes.. I love justin, he wrote an essay for school about Elder Richardson and I and read it in fast and testimony reading.. And he printed me out a copy and wrote a thank you note to me.. It was so cool.. He expressed how he hopes to be a missionary like me. (Justin is the 17 year old brother). But anyway that was the way sweet miracle! We had 1 baptism on Wednesday! And now, a year from now I can be with the whole family when they go through the Temple! I love the gospel! I am so greatful to be here it is a blessing and a learning and growing process everyday! Transfers are coming up in about a week and a half.. I really have no idea what will happen President has expressed a desire to keep me where I'm at as he related to me that "Previous office Elders have not been [as diligent] in getting out of the office each day and going to work as you have, and it is refreshing that you do that". I love President McConkie! I don't quote that experience to boast but just to show how cool a comment I got from the Son of Bruce R. McConkie.. Heh.. He really is an awesome mission president! Anyway! I will be buying a suit or two today thank you so much Ben for the funds! I love and miss you all!