"To Serve is to love"

President Spitale said it was alright if I checked my email and got some more information on what happened, and to respond. ¨To serve is to love¨- Are there better words that can describe Blake William Strebel than these? I think there is no other way to describe him. His passion in life was to become somebody that was always serving everyone else. The Savior himself taught that true service is to love. You can take any passage of scripture that uses these two words, and they work interchangeably. Blake truly understood the true principle of service-not simply doing something for somebody else, but to love people so much that to do anything for them was not a task. Blake was always one who reached out to those who maybe did not feel that love there. I always knew I could look to him as an example of true service and love. Ever since Blake(Wormy) and I (Squirmy) were young, he always wanted to help others. He was always the BIG MAN that could do it all. He was determined to help everyone and everything, in any way possible. Even something as little, and often considered insignificant, as a potato bug. We were there abouts of four years old, and as the potato bug fell through the crack in the sidewalk, he was determined to save it. Yes, even at four years old, he suggested that we pray for it. Moments after our little child´s prayer, the potato bug returned to the surface, and he was w returned to a group of potato bugs. It may sound like a silly story, but Blake was always determined in that way. If anyone was in need, he was willing to go the extra mile to solve the problem. He was always the true example to me of how I should trust in our Heavenly Father. Blake and I had several memories of Basketball playing, weekend sleepovers, New Years Eve Parties, Running Cross Country, Video Games, and High School Dances. Really growing up together and helping eachother be who we truly are. Looking at pictures from when we both were crawling, all the way up through High School. From Linkin Logs, Legos and Micromachines, to Work, Cars and Girls. Not a moment missed.What Blake William Strebel is to me, is not just a cousin, or relative. He truly is my brother. I almost feel like we were twins sometimes-not in our looks or personality, but in our desire to be together through everything. Our growing years, following dreams together, and knowing the other was always right there beside, cheering us on.

What priviledge we have to know that OUR Blake, is there beside our Savior, pushing the work of the Lord forward with those on the other side.

Thank you all very much for your prayers. And may God bless you all with comfort, peace, and love.

With a sincere love,
Elder Brett Chase Andersen

A fantastic week

Well, this week has been full of miracles. It has been pretty difficult actually lately, getting some things going, but we are finally starting to get things rolling, and the confidence of the members back again. Its not that they didnt like the missionaries, its just that they never felt like they were working, so they just didnt feel like anything was going on in their area. It is tough, considering how much we travel, how little time we have in our area. But we have found two AMAZING people, who are SO ready for the gospel. Lidia is 73 and is in a wheel chair, but she is a fighter. She loves the gospel, and has taken the initative to get herself to church, reading the Book of Mormon faithfully, praying, and without us even teachign the word of wisdom, she has decided to stop smoking. There are so very few thing that are impeding her from getting baptized, and it has been amazing to see this progress. well, when she arrived at church, we saw all of the fire of the members going to work. They were helping her with everything. And as such, we started getting some pretty awesome references. One of which was from the Bishop. We had planned to teach Luis about the Plan of Savlation, and we got in to his house and there was just a different spirit about it all. My companion is amazing, and we were just testifying like crazy. He in the short lesson of about 20 minutes, realized and told us that he wants to get baptized, and make all the necessary changes NOW. Not only did we leave him with the Book of Mormon, but he TOOK it from us. He wanted it so bad after being intruiged by some of the things we shared from it. We have also seen a HUGE progress in some of the Less active members with whom we have been working. The Gimenez family, the Sanchez family, the Arbazua family, and a few more. There is so much to do, there is very little time to rest...and that is why what happened to my foot is kind of a bummer. Not to mention that the traveling and stuff starts up again next week....whew. So much to do, not so much time to do it. I love you all and am praying for you always.

Elder Andersen