Work and Family

As a freshman at Brigham Young University, Neil continued to work hard.  He secured a job.  His day began at 4:00 a.m. cleaning the bathrooms in the library before attending classes.  During this time, Neil contemplated the challenge of a mission.  “I felt very inadequate and unprepared.  I remember praying, ‘Heavenly Father, how can I serve a mission when I know so little?’  As I prayed, the feeling came: ‘You don’t know everything, but you know enough.” He accepted a mission call and served faithfully in the France Mission.

Returning to BYU, Neil became involved in student government.  While campaigning for student body office, he met Kathy Williams.  Speaking of that day Kathy commented, “I thought he was the most remarkable man I had ever met, and that holds true to this day and forever.”

Their first date was on Kathy’s birthday.  

They were married in the Salt Lake Temple in March 1975.  “Once I married her,” Elder Andersen continued, “the standards in my life went way up—being totally consistent in prayer and scripture study, keeping the commandments with precision.  She has a pure and disciplined faith.”

The couple moved to Boston, where Neil studied at Harvard University.  Their first child, Camey, was born the following January during his first year of graduate school, and they were expecting their second child as he completed a master’s degree in business administration in 1977.  

After graduate school, the Andersens moved to Tampa, Florida, where Kathy had grown up. Brandt, Kristen, and Derek expanded the family to six.  They imagined Florida to be their permanent residence, but the Lord had other plans.