hmmm (April 14th)

Well, we didn't get hit again this week, although we could've. So remember when I said that we felt kinda demoted when we got a retired car? Well the next day the zone leaders called us and said that our carola, which was pretty nice for being old, was going to be sold. so they took it, and drove it back to McAllen, and they were gonna bring back another car for us. . . .  and they brought back a malibu. The ULTIMATE demotion. I will never voluntarily drive a malibu. They can don't turn very well and there are all kinds of blind spots. The back window, my companion can see me backing her up (with the mirrors), but not any cars that may be coming. So because of this, we named the car Mushu from Mulan. ("what say ye oh demoted one?" the head ancestor talking to the lizard.)

And, well, I got sunburned. Nope I didn't put on sunscreen because I didn't think about it. But I did remember when my face and arms started to itch and feel a little sensitive.

Well, the other day we got a text from Juan. He said goodnight. Kinda funny cause he said it at about 8:00. And he'd actually sent similar texts a couple of times, just to remind us that he still exists. We met him a while ago, and he was interested in listening and had lots of questions, but he wasn't always there for the appointments etc. he was just super busy and he wouldn't commit to be baptised so we just kinda dropped him. so in response to his text I reminded him to pray and read the Book of Mormon. he said okay and then a little later he sent another text asking when we could come see him. So we went to see him the next day, saturday. He hadn't been reading, cause he had just had a big test that he'd been studying for etc. But now he was done so he could have more time to read. we invited him to church but he ended up sleeping in.

Then there's another guy that knows he can find us every thursday at the methodist church helping with the food bank and he asks why we haven't come to see him. The honest reason is because he's always drunk and really only wants to talk to us cause it makes him feel good. But we agreed to stop by and see him an hopefully set firm expectation that we couldn't visit him unless he was willing to change, and well it didn't go like we'd planned it. He said he wanted to go to church but he was not willing to stop drinking or smoking. He says Jesus drank wine, and he didn't smoke cause they didn't make cigarettes back then. He didn't end up going to church either, because he couldn't hardly move and couldn't walk sunday morning so we canceled his ride.

And Christina was suposed to get confirmed yesterday, but George had to work, pulling a double shift and they weren't able to come to church. But Hector got confirmed!

And with George and Christina, they had to move, haven't found a place yet, but likely won't be in our area anymore, still in the ward, but not in our area. Right now they're staying with family.

And. . . .  well everything is great! toda via. Regardless of everything. I feel like the people who want to talk to us don't want to do anything but the people I think would act don't want to talk to us. :P

But anyway. We're still trying to find solid people. Not sure where to go, but we're working on it.

and we're still trying to get a branch here. I'm really not sure how to go about it. We got a list of people who would be likely to go and sent it to President Maluenda so he can take it to the stake president. But I'm not sure what else to do. There's about 30+ people on that list, and of course there's more less actives that we haven't really met yet, and people who would be more likely to go if there was a church near by. But there should be a solid 30. Is that enough for a branch do you think? I know we're lacking on priesthood holders, but I feel like if we get a branch started here then there will be growth in the strength of the members and the strength of numbers. It's great to hear from you. please don't cut back on how much you talk to me. The last two weeks we had less time because of issues with the car.

I love you all!

Hermana NJ Nielson

Poor Jianie (April 7th)

The weekend (April 7th)

Well, to be honest, not much happened this week. We worked, but if you look at our numbers it doesn't look like we did much unfortunatly, we did try, but not much happened. But then we got to go to General Conference!!!!! Woooo Hooooo!! I love General Conference! So we were thinking that we weren't gonna have anything to write home to our families other than general conference, which they all saw too, so there wasn't anything new, but then Saturday night happened.

Oh, by the way. You should look up and see if there's a cici's pizza anywhere in Utah/Idaho/Wyoming, cause it is pretty awesome. That's where our zone went for lunch between the saturday sessions. And also we went an hour early, before the first session to go to the family history center and learn about the new family search. because sadly the other one is no longer available. (I'm bummed cause I think quite a bit of information/conections on the tree is gone.) I don't know, I'm still confused and don't have the time to really figure it out, so I'm jest letting you know so you can work on it. :D and I still have some names reserved to go to the temple. . . . so who wants to go to the temple? I really do, but sadly they did not announce a new temple in Port Isabel Texas, or Brownsville, or McAllen, or anywhere else in my mission. So Kariann and Aldo, I got a great date night for you! You can make all the rounds in the temple! And mom and dad can to if you want.

 

But anyway, saturday night event, well first we are okay, a little sore but we're fine.

So do you remember our pretty little jeep Jianie? yup, the brand new one, made less than five months ago? Well it was stopped at a stop light with us inside of course. and then a big truck with a big boat behind it couldn't stop in time at the light. So we got hit. and Jianie is in the car hospital for a while and we got demoted to a retired car. but the good thing is that it's not a malibu.

 

And I think that's about it as far as what I can remember that happened.

 

For General Conference my favorite talk was Elder Bednar's, maybe partly cause I understood the analogy, but I liked it. And I also liked the talk about the importance of persistence and follow up. And with that, How is my family doing on missionary work? Please be the members that the missionaries recognize as helping the work. Maybe for family night, if you don't already have something planned, watch videos on the hastening the work website. and maybe review the conference talk about what is important--the priorities. I think it was Elder Bednar's actually.

 

Well I love you all!!!

Con Amor

La Hermana NJ Nielson

Sorry (march 31st)

I don't have a lot of time, this library only allows half an hour.

So yes, we had a wedding and two baptisms, and it was super great!

Kaylee you're going to Georgia today!!! Wow, you didn't spend very long in the MTC at all!

Well we are still working on getting a branch in Port Isabel.

The mission is great! I love it! and i'm doing good.

And I love you ALL!!!!!

Hermana NJ Nielson

Lots of fun! (March 31st)

Yup, we had a wedding, and two baptisms! It was lots of fun, super great. now we just are super worn out, we had everything planned out well enough that everything went smoothly, but it still makes you stress and worry.

Pictures of animals I ate or avoided (March 24th)

So, there's a crab in a bowl, it was quite hard to eat. and did you know it was blue before it was cooked?

then there's a trantualla. and we got pretty jumpy. It doesn't help that we've been told stories about great big huge spiders that climb out of the ditch and chase you and they'll bite!

And then there's the oyster/clam whatever. I like cooked mussels, but not that, there's actually another picture of me not enjoying it so much.

Lum de dum dum (March 24th)

I never know what to put in the title thing,and it's kinda bugging me that I always put hey or a smiley face. So there we go. 

Well, momma, how is your back doing? Doing well enough to spend three days sitting in the car? you're all in Washington, that sounds super fun. I kinda think I'd like to go sometime. 

Well transfers is here again, and guess what?! both me and my companion are both staying here, and we are super glad, it was kinda scary and nerve wracking. Especially because the transfer call was suposed to come sunday morning and we didn't get it. And then everyone in the mission got it except for our zone. So there were some of the members who knew that it was coming up and they'd ask if we were leaving but we didn't know. Didn't find out until 10 last night. So by then the anxiety was up and I was almost to the point that I didn't want to know. But luckily my companion had the phone so she played the voice mail and I only had to listen. 

But yup, we're happy, because George and Christina are getting married this friday and then Christina is getting baptised next sunday. then Hector, a nine year old who couldn't get baptised before because his non-member dad wouldn't give permission, finally got his dad's signature yesterday and his interview while we were there at church, so he'll be baptised next week too. 

So everything is super great!

Oh, and I ate a whole crab yesterday by the way. Elvira, the member who fed us was laughing at me because I was having a hard time figuring out how to eat it. It's a lot of work for just a little meat. but it is good and kinda fun. Especially fun to play with all the joints and things. :D

And saturday we started talking to a guy that we've taught a little bit and talk to him every once in a while, and he showed us how to open an oyster, and then gave them to us to eat. They were fresh, still living actually. So I ate a live animal. quite honestly I didn't like it a whole lot. Sister Bettinson's description of  "it tastes like the ocean, like you swalloed some ocean water" hits it right on, but she had a different opinon on whether or not it was good. I think I might like them better cooked, but I'm not eating another one like that. Hmm, what else? I don't know. Rollin's birthday party was last sunday, did he do anything else for it? go on a  chauffer date with Peter and his fiance? he he. Just kidding. Okay, I cant' think of anything right now, but I got pictures.

I love you all so much!

La Hermana NJ Nielson

Happy spring break, st. patricks day, Rollin's birthday and Kaylee to the MTC (March 17th)

Well, this was an interesting week. There was a lot of traffic because for spring break in Texas everyone decides to go to the island and party like they shouldn't, but they do anyway. So traffic has been super crazy. Mostly on Saturday. Although on Monday night there was music playing on the island and we could hear it plain and clear all the way across the 1-2 mile wide lagoon. Then on Saturday night it actually kept us from sleeping well even though we couldn't actually hear the music but our brains could feel the vibrations or something. And it took an hour to ride the bus from Laguna Heights to Port Isabel on Saturday, which usually only takes 15-20 minutes. We really could walk and get around faster than any cars.

Oh and there were all kind of famous people on the island. Selina Gomez, Neo, Justin Beiber, and a whole bunch more. Who I don't know. And some of them had concerts while others just went to party. But it was interesting. The island was like the strip in Vegas. (that's what Sister Bettinson said, I wouldn't know cause I haven't been there).

But yup, that was the exciting crazy week.

So, did you already have your spring break? How was it? what did you do? Or is it the same week as Easter? What are the plans?

 

Okay, well transfers are next week. And I don't feel like I've spent the same amount of time here as I spent in Edinburg. The theory is that Sister Bettinson is gonna leave and I'm gonna stay this transfer, but then the theory two transfers ago was that Sister Stevenson was gonna go and I was gonna stay, so we see how that worked out. But I really feel like Sister Bettinson and I should both stay, even more strongly than I felt there shouldn't be a change two transfers ago. I'm actually really stressed about this. Last transfer we knew we wouldn't change because we had just had Sister Hunt ET'd away. So we felt that assurance that we weren't gonna get changed. But now there's the worry. A lot of it for me. I think I have a lot more to learn from Sister Bettinson.

 

Well as far as people, Christina and George are getting married the 28th. . . . after transfers. : / And she'll be baptized two days later on the 30th.

The Lopez Family, the dad went back up to Houston for work and we don't feel like they're gonna progress a lot without their dad.

They all did come to church, with Christina I feel like it went well. But with the Lopez Family. . . well the two year old boy, Randy, is a bit of a stink head. Actually a lot of one. He hasn't ever been away from his mom. So he won't go to nursery and he is a spoiled little stink head! We brought a lot of things to entertain him, crayons, paper, stuffed animal, car from the nursery, and cereal. And I was able to get him to play with me some what consistently during sunday school, but he was a real stink head during Relief Society, he made his mom go out with him in the hall, and he didn't want anything, he just wanted to be out there.

He is cute, but I wish I could put him in a straight jacket with duct tape over his mouth. Just so he'll sit still and quiet.

 

We have a new investigator named Shell. Can you imagine what she's like? She has braids, you know a cute young girl, very sweet. Hmm, yup actually no. She does have braids, but she's a bit rougher around the edges. She has no filter. Everything she thinks comes right out of her mouth. She is also kinda racist, and she lives in Laguna Heights, which is where it's really weird to see anyone white. Actually she's not necessarily racist but just bitter against anyone who isn't legal because she has a hard time getting help paying for her medical things, etc. But in reality she just doesn't understand their situation. She's really interesting. I like her, the only thing that bugs me is her attitude against people. I'll tell you more next week.

I love you all!

Hermana NJ Nielson

(March 10th)

Okay, well hello everyone. I don't know what to tell you. I don't remember what's happened this week. Mostly just practicing. Do you remember me talking about the new method of teaching that they taught us? Well we're still trying to figure it out. they said it would take 20 hrs to be competent in it. So I know we got at least 5 hrs of practicing it outside of comp study with other missionaries (that was a commitment from our district leader) but we got more practice with people on the street. But I'm gonna need a lot more than 20 hrs to figure it out, cause I'm all switched around. But what would actually really help is if I had everything that I remember getting from Brother Bingham in how to teach people to teach themselves, mostly the inspired questions. So if Rachel has any that she can share. . . or Rollin. . .  or if you can find my things of m soul from seminary, it would be awesome. If it's in that box where you found my books that I asked for you to send, it would be great if I could get them. Something. There is a specific hand out with a bunch of different question beginings that Bro. Bingham actually handed out at mission prep, so if Rachel has that, I'd really like to have a copy.

While I'm requesting things, mom, my white undershirts are wearing out. they're getting threadbare and some of them stained, just at the top of course, where I actually need it. And I have been craving jerky, and not store bought kind, cause that's weird to me. Thanks :D

Okay, so with this change in the way we're teaching, I don't know if it's a world wide change in missions, or if it's only here. It could be a test it out thing or could be like the ipads and just starting it out slowly. But either way, I'm pretty sure it'll get to be a world wide thing. So Rachel, now that you're getting all pumped to go on a mission and you've got all kinds of advice to gather a bunch of ideas. Simplify. Cause now it's teaching the lesson in 7 min. so there's not room for stories, analogies and object lessons, and they're not allowed anymore anyway. And now we teach with the pamphlets. So if you have access to them, start reading them. Maybe when I get around to sending the package I'm gonna send home I can send you some. We still use Preach My Gospel, we are actually following what it says more, just ignore some things like the 45 min lesson plan, yeah, that's not supposed to happen. (we struggle keeping lessons short, but they should be no more than 20 min including the "hey how ya doin?"

Hmm, This keyboard reminds me of a laptop so I'm kinda liking it, but at the same time I'm having issues with it, or maybe I just forgo how to spell. Don't know.

Okay I'll try not to do any venting or whatnot. I have a hard time when it comes time to e-mail. Sorry.

Oh yeah, here we go, guess what? I have now for the first time eaten shrimp . . .  ha ha yup we even had shrimp in our house but I was too chicken to eat it then even though dad was trying to get me to. But I also had crab legs! woo hoo! that was fun. And guess what? I like it. it's just a lot of work to get the meat out, and it's like fish so it shreds up really easily. So just imagine trying to pull cooked fish out of a long narrow shell. It just falls apart, but if you get good at it you can kinds suck it out. but I'm not good at it so it was difficult. But yup I've now had shrimp, crab legs, caviar, mussels, and the little squids. The one I like the least is the shrimp actually, although that might be partly because of the sauce it was in.

I remember I started updating you on the people we are teaching. Well it's kinda fallen down to only Christina, (George's fiance) and the Lopez family. But we actually haven't seen either for a while. This week has been crazy weird and slightly frustrating. Cause it was hard to catch people, and we got lots of practicing the new teaching method with people on the street, but most of them didn't really go anywhere at all.

But life is great, I love being a missionary!!

Con Amor, Hermana NJ Nielson

"Ok i've got some more time so..."

Well, I told you about Jacob, he's new as of yesterday actually. We did meet him a few weeks ago on a Saturday morning at a park playing basketball but it just took us a while to actually get over to his house.

I told you about George and Christina, yeah? They came to church yesterday. Last week we finally went back to visit them (we had stopped for a while cause they didn't want to do anything) and they said they were gonna go back to church, get married and Christina was gonna be baptised! YES! Woo Hoo!

Okay. Then I think I told about a group of people who we met that were staying in the same house, and some of them had only been in the states for a few days when we'd met them, well we call them the Clan. And they (three of them) have only made it to church once because they work the problem is that their focus is work and it takes precedence especially since a lot of people came here looking for a job so there's a hard time finding jobs. But they like us, and they've been coming to the FHE that we have every week at a member's house, they enjoy it, we just gotta get them to act.

And next week I'll tell you about the familia Lopez.

Love you!

 ...

 

Or maybe now :D

The Lopez family came to church last week, and were gonna come this week, but then things didn't work out with the rides. So we were super bummed about it. But they still have that desire, we don't quite have the BD with them, but we're getting there.

 

Hello :D (March 3rd)

Okay, so this weekend was an interesting one. Friday night during follow ups our district leader told us that they went to an unexpected training that day and they learned all kinds of new things which will "change the mission" It's a change mission wide, but I think everywhere as well. But anyway he said that we were gonna have a zone meeting the next day to teach us everything and he said that we need to be ready to forget everything that we ever learned about missionary work. BAHHHHH! I was kinda freaking out. Understand that I am not against it, I know that it is for the best and the way it should be, but I just don't understand it.

The basic things they told us is that every lesson is now only 20 min (of course we're still all working on getting it that short). Actually the visit in total is 20 min, the lesson is in 7 min. because we do all of the "how ya doin'" and the opening prayer and things like that before and after is asking for refferals, return appointment, invitation to be baptized and closing prayer. (not in that order) but all of it in 20 min. And it needs to be the whole restoration, using the pamphlet, and everyone gets a pamphlet, so we're running out of pamphlets super fast now. Then the second lesson is about the book of Mormon, and the third is a church tour. And we can't do any object lessons or analogies. No more circles for the plan of salvation, and prayer is not a sandwich. So yup so far that's what they've told us. They have a strict structure for every lesson. And I understand that it'll speed things up but I'm worried about it going into robot mode and then the people are just kinda forgotten about. And I especially don't want people to feel like we just came to shove a bunch of stuff down their throats and then plunge them underwater. I want them to feel loved, helped and the power. So I just need to understand it more before I can actually get it down. But I'm trying. Oh and DyC 88:46 I think it's 46, but it says that the Lord will hasten His work in it's time. Well we have been told that it is no longer accurate. This scripture should now read. "I am hastening my work, it is time."

It's a wonderful time to be a missionary!!!! and I am super excited.

We just still don't have ipads like the rest of the missions that I've heard about. We are a bit slow. But they've been saying since I got here that they'll be coming soon. So who knows. Oh, and you remember George? yup, he likes rubbing it in that he's got "the app" anytime we use any book or physical anything, he says something, "you know there's an app for that" "no that's okay, I got the app" "you really need the app" So yup its great fun. And! his fiancé has a baptismal date, finally! they're gonna get married on the 17th, (happy birthday Rollin) and then she'll be baptized on the 23rd! And we also found a senior in high School the other day- Jacob, and he's got a BD too! Lots of fun! I love it here!

Maybe I'll write some more in a bit, but I love you all!

Con Amor,

Hermana NJ Nielson

Feb 24th

Hey everybody! Well, okay. I really don't know what to tell you. I love you all and The End. he he. just kidding. But this week went by super fast! I don't know what to do with myself sometimes. Sometimes it feels like the next day is forever away and everything is happening so slow, but then each time we hit a mark it seems like the time in between was hardly there.

Okay, well yesterday I gave a talk in the spanish ward. I gave my talk and Sister Bettinson gave hers, and that was the whole program. kinda weird. I'm not sure how much of my talk people understood especially because I was trying to tell stories and my past tense isn't very good at all. But we had a family at church!!!!!! and that helped take the stress off of talking in church by a lot. But it was a very stressful sunday. First time I've ever had a family, so it was different trying to find all the diferent classes and worring about all the different places, if things are going well and if they're enjoying it etc. But it was super great!!

The family we actually found from knocking. We went to contact a lady that lived in an apt complex and then we decided to knock a few of the doors. And Sister Bettinson said that she wanted a knocking miracle so we were gonna knock one more door and we found the Lopez family! The dad is gone a lot working, and he comes back for a week about every two months. So there's the mom, and then the oldest child is the 13 yr old daughter, then 11 boy, 8 boy, 6 girl and 2 little boy. Everyone but the dad came to church yesterday, cause the dad was gone. The oldest girl is actually the most interested. When we first met them she actually took us aside to confide in us. She expressed some of the worries and struggles that she's dealing with right now and how she wants to turn to God more to help her out and she wants to change and be good. It was really cool! The fun thing about this mission, particularly this area, is that quite a bit of the families are very much bilingual. Usually the parents don't know any or very little english, but the kids, particularly the teenagers prefer english, so always talk to us in english, and the younger kids, particularly under six, speak spanish. Some of them may know or understand english but they prefer spanish. So it's pretty interesting. The problem is that it's super hard to not just fall into english. When someone talks to me in english my instinct is to respond in english, but we do our best to keep it in the language that everybody understands. So lessons are always super interesting. There is never only one language that goes on down here. You just use both.

But yup. That is really all I can think of. Well, we have more investigators now than I've ever had before, (which of course isn't hard to beat) but because of that I think I can sympathize with mom's excuse, that when there's so many people you're in charge of you forget things. So that's my excuse. There is so much that happens that's so fast that I can't remember any one thing ever.

So I'll just tell you whatever pops into my head.

We meet lots of interesting people here. And I have learned the smell of beer, it's disgusting. There are a bunch of crazy guys in our area that like to talk to us. There's one guy that showed us his "condo" that consisted of a couch underneath a tarp tied to a boat sitting in front of an apartment complex. And we see him quite a bit sitting in a chair somewhere along the main road, and he asks us why we don't come to see him.

We also get Mexico stories. And I have resolved that I don't want to cross the border on land, at any point in my life unless there is dramatic improvements in Mexico. I'll still definately go back to Mexico City, but not anywhere near the border. We also hear border crossing stories, it's pretty cool. And it's super expensive to cross the border.

Well, I can't think of any other random things.

I love you !

Hermana NJ Nielson

10 Feb. 2014

Okay, well, I don't think very well when it's time to write.

Well once upon a time I got a cough (I don't know how to spell it, I think its tos in spanish) but it was pretty dumb and so then it just kept going on and on and so every time we visit someone they notice that of course that I have a pretty bad cough. But The awesome spanish sisters like taking care of us. and I've now been given medicine 3 times there on the spot and been sent home with some three times and twice been given instructions to make an herbal tea. So no worries, I won't die of sickness here. :D
oh yes, and you don't complement them on anything they can give away or you'll get it. Earings, pencils etc. and if you mention anything about walking in the cold or wishing that you had more warm clothes, you'll get a ride home (especially if it's dark, and they'll make sure you go in your appartment) and coats and gloves etc.

Well the big thing in this area that we're stressing about is getting people to church because the majority of the people here don't have cars and we spend probably 50 miles each sunday going to church. We can usually use between 10 and 20 miles on a daily basis but sundays are always 60 to 70. So yeah, brownsville, where the english ward meets is 20 miles one way. and then Los Fresnos, for the spanish isn't quite as far, but it doesn't really matter cause it's still too far to walk. And members are willing to drive the extra out and back to give rides, but not every single week, it adds up. And we don't have enough members with cars to give everyone rides. There's not enough members with cars to give all of the members rides least of all investigators.

What I wish I'd known before my mission as a member is that members have a lot of responsibility in missionary work, more than I thought. I thought it was to give referals and then serve a mission when my time came. But what I wish every member here would do is invite us over to their house to teach their friends and family. Because the work missionaries are supposed to be doing is preparing people for baptism, not running around finding the people who aren't too busy. So I want to leave with you this challenge. To invite the missionaries over for dinner and a lesson with friends/neighbors/family or someone there to listen as well. I know it's kinda a different situation there at home than here. But an example of what I could have done is have my friends come over, Kate, Kaylee, Kelsie, maybe some other friends. But of course the first one. And then we would eat, the missionaries would teach a lesson and then the missionaries go on their way and we go watch a movie or play night games or something like that. You can do a barbque in the back yard, or hay stacks or something. Night games would be perfect afterwards, have a lesson till it's dark enough and all the kids can invite their friends, especially nonmember but members too, just make sure that everyone is going to be paying attention. Just warn the missionaries so that they can come up with an interactive object lesson, or a movie. You can bring in the computer to watch a movie in the front room, etc.

Another thing tell the missionaries that they can bring their investigators for an FHE. This is a commitment. So you need to promise to do it! I know that the instant thought is that there isn't enough time. I know that life is busy. But I also know that being a part of missionary work is neccesary for salvation. :D Ha! that's a guilt tripper, but It's true and I got a quote to prove it as well, it's in PMG. I'll have to tell you next time though. But I also know that just like when you make the time to go to the temple and to read your scriptures you not only find enough time for everything else, but everything else works out better and you're just happier all around!

The commitment is that if you don't do it this week you have to at least make the plans and have them set to do next week. So I'll be expecting a report next monday.

I love you all so very much!

Hermana NJ Nielson

Feb. 1st

Hello everyone! How's it going? Aviana was confirmed yesterday, so that was great! And we had investigators all planned out to come to church, but things didn't work out. Entonces, si. And. . . I don't remember what else happened this week. I ate squid. And. .  I don't know. Both my companion and I were super tired this week. I don't know why, I'm tired all the time but this week was particularly hard. Y, well we created a super great member plan, we haven't got it going completely, but got it started. Remember that Alma and Amulek story? Yeah, did I tell you about how Elder Martino (I think) presented that story? I don't remember. But the moral of the story is that missionaries can try their hardest and be obedient and good and all that and people will still reject them and then the missionaries get super desanimados--don't remember that word-- and then they find a member that likes them and then when the member helps them they can teach the people because the member opens their hearts. Yes, well mi companera y yo are tired of contacting, we don't really like talking to people. That's all we do all day. But we do like teaching people, and talking to members cause they already like us. So our plan is to invite every member to invite a friend--non member or less active-- over to their house for a lesson with us. I think it's great fun. And we want to do it with some of the less actives tambien, depending on where they're at. And, what else. This week, well I don't remember if I told you about Elena, well she went back to Mexico, but her daughter Edna is still here and we're still teaching her. The hard thing is that it's hard to set times with her cause she's not there but when we just show up, she is there. Which is alright except that we want to have members there. But we have spent quite a bit of time the last few weeks with her teaching the first three lessons, and not the commandments yet, particularly the word of wisdom and law of chastity because we felt like she needed a strong testimony of something in one of the first three lessons and even her BD was kinda shaky. But we taught her those two commandments yesterday and she was good with them! ready to change to fix them! It's super great! She has strong desires, and maybe still not a strong testimony of what we're teaching her, but she does the reading and has the desires. We just need to get her to church.

Okay, and did I tell you about Yair? Well we lost him again. I think it's funny considering his name, but at the same time I want to tie the kid up to a pole so he doesn't wander off. We'll find him and hopefully he'll have a phone by then.

I don't remember what else happened. Oh, I feel like an icky wrestler. Once upon a time I was in Southern Texas and the mosquitos decide to pop out everyother day when it's not cold and eat me to pieces. So I was scratching a bit at the thousands of bites on my leg and then looked down and saw that it was red and puffy. So I took extra precaution to not scratch it anymore, but then as the days went on and the mosquito bites stop itching, I notice that the mark is still there. There's actually two, red circles with a red dot in the middle. Dumb! So I feel super yucky, and don't know quite what to do with them other than put antifungal creme on it.

Ha, okay. Sorry. When I e-mail I don't ever know what to tell you so I just write whatever comes to my head. So sorry about that. I guess you can keep track of how sane I am. :D

But I love you!

Con Amor

Hermana NJ Nielson

:P (jan. 27th)

Okay, well hello everybody, lets see if I can remember everything that's happened.

Well, we had a baptism yesterday! Wohoo! it was great. Aviana, I'm not sure if I even mentioned much about her before, sorry. But she is a super sweet girl! she's twelve but she doesn't seem like it. She's a lot more mature. She was actually originally supposed to be baptised in December, way back before I even got here, but things didn't quite work out and we were actually glad because we didn't really feel like she was ready. She is just twelve and there's only her and her mom and her mom isn't interested right now. They had a super hard experience and her mom turned away from God, while Aviana started looking for Him. So she was super prepared, and needed this, but the worry was that we needed her to be ready and strong enough so that she doesn't just go inactive. And while I've been here I've seen her open up and grow so much! And she was baptised yesterday, she was soo happy! She's so cute, she was scared and nervous and so we said a prayer with her just before her baptism, but she was super excited. it was wonderful to see. The baptism itself was really kind of stressfull, because it was stake conference yesterday, and so we had the baptism between the english and spanish sessions, and since President Maulenda was there for stake conference, he went and watched all of the baptisms inbetween. That was great, but it was that there were seven baptisms that happened, two zones in the stake doing baptisms between the conference sessions, so the brownsville zone was second, and started a while after it was supposed to. And we forgot about telling Aviana to bring a towel, etc. Which she was alright with and just went with the flow. But after she got dressed and went back in to where everyone was waiting, we ran to get her jacket cause she was cold, and then when we came back the elders asked us to check on the sister that had just been baptised because she'd been taking a while, but we got in there and asked if there was anything we could do and she said no, she was fine. So we went back and someone mentioned getting a bag for the baptismal clothes, we found a bag but couldn't get the baptismal clothes because the sister was still changing, and another sister came in and was sorta chewing us out for the wet floor in the bathroom, la dada da da. Yup, but our recent convert was changed and basically dry before she got that far, so we were sorta in trouble for the last zone's mess, and we'd felt bad about walking in and out of the room where everyone was waiting, and there wasn't anyone there from the Young Womens to welcome Aviana. So it was a bit stressful, but sweet Aviana was still happy to be there. Woo hoo!

 

Okay, and stake conference was super awesome! there were a bunch of missionary talks which of course I'm all for. Especially for members to hear. Yeah, I realize now that there is a lot that missionaries can't do, where they need help from the members, I wish I knew all this before, although it would have made it hard since I never saw the missionaries. But now that Manti is it's own area . . .

One of the scripture stories was Alma and Amulek, Alma went and did all he could, and he wasn't a bad missionary. But the people wouldn't accept him. It wasn't until he found a member, less active and that less active invited everyone to come and learn untill they were converted and then by then Amulek and member missionary fire! and then they went out to work, but the people still didn't really accept Alma, but it was Amulek who astonished them.

I think it was Elder Martino, (General Authority not a little 18 yr missionary) that was saying that they discovered a statistic. That every one out of 70 people that we talk to will be baptised, so we just need to go talking to a bagillion people, no problem. :D Yeah, but there's a better one, cause I'm actually kinda getting tired of just talking to people. two of every three are baptised when every lesson is taught in the home of a member! The biggest thing we struggle with in this area is getting people to church (as far as rides, for the english ward, the church is 20 miles away!) and friendships, fellowshipping.

If we could go to member's houses every day all day and just teach the people that are already gonna be there, then I'd be the happiest missionary on earth! We talked about how we really don't want "referals" from members. Elder Martino said "don't ask for the addresses of their friends, you don't want them!" Which is super true. We want the members to say "hey, I'm having these friends coming over for dinner and we want you to come eat with us and teach them a lesson!" That's golden, perfect, I'd be happy if there wasn't food too, but it just makes it better. But then having the lessons consistently. I know it's hard. I look back at life at home and I know that there were very rarely nights when everyone was home at the same time consistently. But I also know that the way I've felt with Humberto and Aviana, is completely indescribable and makes up for every heartache, trial, or down moment that I've experienced out here. Yes there are stilll other things that need to be done, but it doesn't take all the time. And you gain a friend!

 

 

Well, that's my admonition. Love you all!

 

Con Amor,

Hermana NJ Nielson

Pos, Hola (Jan.20th)

Well, it doesn't feel like I talked to you very long ago, this week was super fast! we're already half way through the transfer, which means one of us is likely getting transferred particularly because we're in a trio, and apparently trio's hardly ever stay in a trio for more than a transfer (says my district leader last transfer who is in the same trio this transfer :D). But it's super fast.

Well I don't know if I told you about Jerry, but he dropped us this week, which is super hard because it was his mom who encouraged him to make a decision and not investigate anything else, and it's his mom who we found out is a member. She's a recent convert and went LA but nobody ever went to visit her for a super long time, so we didn't even know who she was for a while and so we think she isn't too happy about it. So hopefully we'll be able to slowly soften her heart so that both her and her son can come. Because Jerry honestly knows that the Restoration is true, he's told us that. But he likes his church because of the activities they do. pero si.

Oh, and guess what? There's a less active member, named George. You look at him and you think he's kinda scary looking because he looks like a big tattooed Mexican. Which he is, but he's actually only part Mexican, he's also African American, and Native, and probably a bunch of other stuff too. But everytime we go over there I find out a bunch of different things that I did not expect to learn. He's been all kinds of places. Oh, just this last time he sent home some Jumbalia for us. Yeah, he's from Luisiana! that one city, that's momma's mission which name I cannot remember at this moment. That's where he's from. New Orleans! that's it, and he doesn't like the Princess and the Frog. But He could tell you what the fines are for all kinds of things. It's quite funny how many lessons he learns by paying fines. Like dropping a penny of a bridge or dam, I don't remember the name of that one either, but he told us about how the sign that told you not to drop anything off was huge and he didn't see it and he did it cause no one told him he couldn't and then he found out how big the fine was. So yep it's kinda funny. And then guess what his favorite kind of music is! Country! and he likes operas! He's pretty awesome! The problem is that he just got a job where his boss likes him a whole bunch, (his coworkers don't like him so much for this) so much that he let him set his own schedule, and he asked for Mondays and Tuesdays off, yup he's a stink head.

 

Okay, crazy adventure, mi companeras decided to dye their hair like Amy did with cool aid. I could not, however even if I really wanted to because then I would look like wendy or pippi, or ariel, or any other extrememly red headed character. But it would look a bit more unnatural on me. And I think I like the red that's already in my hair. I think it might actually be getting more red slightly, I don't know. Maybe this summer will turn it blond again. Qien sabe?

 

But we also made a goal to take one picture a day, so that not only do we have more fun, but we also have record of our wonderful missions, and I can actually send you pictures rather than realize I only have pictures you've already seen. So yes.

 

I think there might be something else, but I don't know.

Oh yes, it got messy dying hair.

And we found a goat. 

 

 

The island, and that's the laguna, not the ocean, I still haven't seen it, but I have heard it.

We have matching hair! One of the cutest members ever, Abi, decided to braid mine and sister Bettinson's hair to match Sister Hunt.

And then this is our sunday picnic, after we got dropped by what we thought was a golden investigator, but we're still good, cause we found two super awesome potentials soon after,

There, now you have all my pictures again.

Love You!

Hermana NJ Nielson

 

 

"Bueno, Hola!" (Jan. 13, 2014)

Mire! Mire a nuestro nuevo caro!  Se llama Jeep Jianie. Yup, all the elders are jealous of us. We actually found out that we were gonna get it the night before and so we called our district leader to tell him that we were going to McAllen (we're supposed to ask for permission technically, but mostly just tell them that you need to go) But he asked why were going and Hermana Hunt said " to get our jeep, we're gonna get a jeep" but then he said, "why are you really going to McAllen?" He ligitlly didn't and wouldn't believe us so we told him that we were going to get Hermana Hunt's medical card (for the missionary medical insurance). He accepted that answer and we later found out that he was talking to the zone leaders and said "the sisters told me they were gonna get a jeep, as if I'd believe them" then the zone leader said. "they are getting a jeep." It was pretty legit. Super funny. We honestly did try telling him multiple times, but he didn't want to believe us. But yup, it's a jeep compass 2014. Enserio, a bran new car! with 101 miles on it when we got it! So we were having lots of fun in it. And having fun teasing our district leader with it as well. Oh yes, and I actually drove our old car before we retired it, we did exchanges and Hermana Bettinson went to the STLs area, so I was the senior companion in the area, so I drove, yup and it was super scary and weird, especially cause any time it's been a while since I've driven I start again in Manti, small town that I know super well, but this time it was in a big city (the first time I'd been there in my life), going on the freeway back to our area where I still didn't know where anything was. And on top of that it was dark. (luckily the Port Isabel is the STLs old area).

Oh yes, and those are my companeras in the picture. pos si.

 

I guess I'm done talking about cars now. maybe.

As far as the area, it takes a while for me to know people, I'm still trying to reconect with the area, I feel like I'm doing pretty good since I've only been here for two weeks, but that's a third of the transfer. I don't think I can ever be in an area for only one transfer. I need more time to feel comfortable at all. especially knowing the area. Hermana Bettinson thinks that she's gonna leave and the two of us are gonna stay, pero qien sabe.

 

There's a young man named Jerry (and he has a cat named thomas (tom), ha ha) but we set a BD with him, but then when we were texting him to set up a time we can have another lesson, he told us that he wanted to stick with his church. Well, we had a super boss restoration lesson with him in which he had said that he felt like it was all true, so we are not done with him yet, especially since his mom, we found out, is a member. She's less active, I guess she was offended and I think hurt that no one has come to visit her, and I don't blame her. I feel bad that we didn't know she was a member, we found out when Hermana Young (the STL) pointed at the house and said there was a Less active that lived there, and so we went to visit, but she didn't seem very happy. The second visit was better, we got her to talk about her baptism and she even went and got her pictures to show us.

So we are definately working with this family. I feel like it'll be a one at a time thing, but it's happenin. One problem though, which is very specific to this mission, is that the mom only speaks spanish. So easy peasy we just teach them in spanish right? well kids here grow up speaking spanish, but then when they go to school they learn english (which I think is super awesome and my kids will be bilingual!), but the problem is: some kids prefer one language over the other. There was one family in Edinburg where the kids prefered english and so the parents learned ingles tambien, there's a family here where the kids are good with either, they are teaching their parents english and so their parents understand ingles but can't speak it, but the kids speak both inglish and spanish. Well with Jerry the situation is that he prefers english but will talk to his mom in spanish because she doesn't understand english, but he only wants to talk to us in english. So it's super hard to have a bilingual lesson. Cause he thinks we're only talking to his mom when we talk in spanish, so we have to address him in english, but then his mom is left out of the loop. So, yup. But it'll get there.

 

Anyway, I'm doing great! Hope you all are as well!

Con amor

Hermana NJ Nielson

Two more pitures, this is of the Edinburg Dirty Dozen zone, in seniority order. and The Liga's from Edinburg, can you see the personality of the little boy, Santiago? 

"Guess what?" (Jan. 6, 2014)

I forgot to tell you about New Year's Eve! We got a super awesome special treat! And no, we were not breaking rules, we had permission, the whole mission was doing it, and apparently the APs said it was mandatory.

But we got together as a zone at 6:00 and watched Mulan!! It was great!

Yes, I admit I wish I was with the smaller and more familiar Edinburg Zone, but it was still great. We actually had the options of Mulan, Finding Nemo, and Lion King. I think Edinburg watched Lion King, and since I was getting transferred I didn't get to vote either place, but I was good with anything.

I actually went from the smallest zone to the biggest, so that is one thing I'm struggling with, I don't like big groups very much. But at the same time we don't see them much cause they're far away so it's all good.

Love you!

"Feliz Año!" (Jan. 6, 2014)

Bueno, estoy en Port Isabel. And I don't remember what all I told you about transfers.

I'm in Port Isabel, which is like it sounds, next to the ocean. Our area includes Laguna Heights, Laguna Vista, Port Isabel and the island. There's a great big long bridge about a mile long that goes to the island, and so I've been on an island for the first time in my life, and I've also seen a lagoon for the first time in my life. But when we were on the island it was dark so the opportunity I had to see the ocean for the first time didn't quite work out. So I have yet to see the ocean and the beach for the first time. One problem, is that we aren't allowed on the island without special permission and they're kinda strict about it. So we can only go if we have set appointments. And only to the appointment and back, no finding while we're there.

Oh, and mi companeras son, si. Hermana Bettinson y Hermana Hunt. I don't know if you remember Hermana Bettinson, she was Hermana Petramalo's trainer, first companion, and we lived in the same house for the first transfer so I already knew her, which is super good for me. I am very grateful, its making it a lot easier for me. And Hermana Hunt is a greenie, kinda. She actually left for her mission before me, but she went home when I entered the field. She went to the Peru MTC and then spent one transfer in Ecuador, but she got super sick and had to go home, so she was reassigned to here. So Hna Bettinson is both training and breaking this transfer, lucky her. But it's fun.

Hmm, other than that, I'm just trying to adjust, getting to know all of the people. The investigators already here, I haven't seen a whole ton other than Freddy and Avianna, and with them we're struggling a bit and might be doing drop lessons with them this week. :(

But the people we meet are great. I'm having lots of fun.

The negatives is that I'm super tired, to the point where I don't ever want to stay up late, I want to go to bed asap. . . . Yup that's when you are all shocked, I know. But at the same time there's not enough time to do everything I want to do. Or need to do. Like write letters, especially the hand written ones I'm supposed to send home each month. But one thing I learned is that I need to be much better organized and that will save a lot of time.

Pero si,

Con Amor,

"hello! Merry Christmas and a happy new year!" (Dec. 30,2013)

Bueno, so Christmas was super great! Everything was awesome! And I was super glad to be able to talk to you all. Of course there was the option of doing skype or facetime or whatever, but I didn't realize you could use any of them and didn't want to bother trying to learn how to use skype. So I didn't even mention it. And mom talked about how she felt it would be too hard. But Elder Basset was saying that it was easier, so who knows. But then the thing is, is that I don't know how to use face time either. But maybe next time you can set up an account for me and dad can give me a step by step directions e-mail and I can do it easy peasy with the ipads we might have by then.

I'll admit that it was hard to hang up, cause I felt like I had just talked the whole time, just going off on whatever popped into my head as if I were nervous or something. So sorry about that. And the time went super fast, but it was still good. After a little bit that icky feeling went away. So it's all good.

But I am going to repent, cause I'm actually supposed to be sending a hand written e-mail home with pictures once a month. So I'm working on that, I likely won't get it this week so don't expect anything to soon because we're having fun with celebrating this New Year thing with transfers!!!

Yup, I'm getting transfered, and I'm super heart broken, but at the same time I can't help but be grateful that I was able to spend this much time here and for everything that I did learn and experience.

I am going to Port Isabel, which is the Brownsville sister area, just above Brownsville. So I'm closer to the border which means that the language ratio is a lot more spanish. So of course I'm excited that I'll learn but I dread it cause I don't like not understanding what people are saying and I don't want to leave Edinburg. But I guess it's time for me to really actually learn spanish now.

Other than that I'm not sure what else to tell you.

Oh, Humberto is getting the priesthood next week and his family came to church yesterday, so the plan is to go set BDs with them today and Humberto will be able to baptise them this month!!!!! I'm super excited! I won't be here for it, but I guess that's okay.

I love you all so much!

Hermana NJ Nielson

"hmmm" (Dec. 23, 2013)

Oh! Mom you got released from YW? That really truly took me by suprise and honestly I didn't find out until this week because I usually spend most of the hour typing and then just print out the e-mails I get, but then I sometimes don't have time to read them during the week. So while we were waiting for our oil to be changed, I finished reading all the e-mails I received the last few week and found out my momma isn't in Young Womens any more. What are you gonna do?!! :D No I know you find ways to keep yourself busy. Did you receive another calling and that's why you were released? or did you just finish your time?

 

Oh, I got a few more random questions, what's this Frozen movie?

Oh, and who lives in 515 s and 500 e? From what I remember there isn't even a 500 east that exists. So I'm confused. But I will talk to you all Wednesday. Love You!

Dec. 23, 2013

Quite honestly, I don't know what else to say that can add anything to the last e-mail. I am super happy for Aldo and Kariann! And Saturday was the best day ever, only to be topped by Sunday when Humberto was confirmed. The only thing I can think of to say is to just tell stories about him, cause Humberto is just absolutely amazing, puro oro! I am so grateful to have met him, and I'm just bummed that we don't get to keep on teaching him the entire time we're here, the good news is that he has a family that needs to be baptised. We got it all planned out, we're gonna start teaching his family and then he's gonna receive the priesthood and be able to baptise them in enero!

 

Oh, I think I'm gonna be calling Wednesday at six o clock for you guys, and seven for me. I'm not sure if you're gonna be going up to Grandma and Grandpa's then so I guess if no one answers when I call the home phone, I'll just call up there.

435 835 8182 and then if I here my two little brothers saying that you're busy I'll call 435 835 8081. Yeah? I guess you'll have to hurry and tell me if that's wrong. But that's my plan now. :D

Love you!

con amor, Hermana NJ Nielson

" :D " (Dec 23, 2013)

Felicidades a Aldo!!!!!! The 21st was a good day!!!! I decided to celebrate my brother-in-law going through the temple with a similar special occasion which Aldo did just last year.

Humberto was Baptized!!!!!!!!!

It was the best day of my life!!!!! The few hours afterwards, we were floating on air!! Of course that night I crashed, but it was the greatest I've ever felt that I can remember!!

"12 days of Christmas has started" (Dec. 16, 2013)

Bueno, mi companera has been taking the count down, there's nine days till Christmas. And we have the option of skyping or calling home. Sorry, put I don't really want to Skype. So, yup, sorry too bad if you wanted to, but I don't want to find a member's computer and then deal with it. And we don't get to call to set up a time when we can call, so we have to set it up over the e-mail, and there's today and next week then two days after it's Christmas. I think they said that we can call either Christmas day or Christmas eve, but I think everyone will be all over the place on Christmas eve. From what I remember I was always finishing the Christmas shopping, going sledding etc. on Christmas eve, so I figure Christmas day would be best. Cause that's when everyone opens their presents and then everyone can have a lazy day for the rest of the day. But I don't know what time you want to do it. I would guess the early afternoon, after the wrapping paper has been cleaned up and before everyone starts heading out to friends or to Grandma and Grandpas. But it's up to you. And I remember that Texas is an hour different but I don't remember which way. I think I'm an hour ahead. Bueno, oh and we only get 30 to 45 minutes, so if I cut it off before an hour's up that's why, don't get offended. So yup I think that's it for the call next week.

 

It's weird having a Christmas without any snow at all. I'm missing snow. My companion is all good with it, she's from St George and usually spends Christmas in Hawaii anyway. (She has family in Hawaii and she was born there, so it's not that they're into crazy vacations, it's like us going to Idaho or Colorado). In fact, my favorite Christmas song this year is "I'm dreaming of a white Christmas" It's okay, I'm not trunky, I just wish I could have a snow ball fight for our p-day zone activity. There was frost on the cars this morning though! that was pretty exciting!

 

Bueno. OH yeah, Elder Callister came down to our mission and we got to have a mission tour meeting with him on Friday, and then he talked in our ysa branch yesterday. It was super awesome, like a mini general conference and leaves you with the same problem--you learn all kinds of amazing stuff and you're all pumped up to change the entire world, but then there's so much that you got that you don't know where to start.

 

Last Tuesday was the definition of a roller coaster day for a missionary. It was our district leader, Elder Basset's Birthday, so we went to Kuhn's Grill, a Mongolian restraunt for lunch and then went to district meeting. After district meeting we stayed to do our language study. Then we had the zone leaders bring us the keys so that we could have a lesson with Humberto in the church that afternoon, I had a little bit of a stress come apart, and then Hermana Stevenson, who is gluten intolerant--majorly allergic to gluten, broke out in hives and we discovered that khun's grill is not gluten free and gets cross contamination really bad. She never broke into hives before and it was all over, kinda freaking her out. But then we had our lesson with Humberto and our member present showed up while the zone leaders left to get her some benadrill (sorry I don't remember how to spell anything) Then we had a pretty awesome lesson with Humberto, he prayed about Joseph Smith and sayed that he "[felt] joyful, so it must be good" That is what he said, so it was pretty awesome. Particularly cause my brain was going crazy and Hermana Stevenson's skin was burning up and itching and during the lesson her throat started closing up. Oh yes, and Elder Bellavance (zone leader) brought the walmart bag with the benadril etc just before we were gonna have Humberto pray. So it's just proof that the Lord loves us. And the spirit was there regardless of the many distractions that occurred. and that Humberto is ready even though he's got a huge wall of a stumbling block that he has to get over.

But then it was sort of a panic mode once Humberto and the member left, cause then there was a ward FHE activity for the Spanish ward, but Hermana Stevenson was having a really hard time breathing and she had hives all over her body and so we called Sister Maluenda, but she didn't really know what to do. And that didn't help my panic level. I was trying really hard not to show it. Sister Wiser, one of our sister training leaders is gluten intolerant as well and so she was on her way with her essential oils, so we waited in the relief society room with a few of the elders there trying to lighten the mood by talking about food, and me trying not to freak out by marking the scripture masteries in my Spanish scriptures. And Hermana Stevenson being absolutely amazing and not hitting anyone. Cause I was freaking out enough to hit all the elders. I was not happy with what they came up with to say. Particularly Elder Sanders (zone leader) saying "okay, so do you want to drive yourself to the hospital?"

 

Well anyway, hows that for a story and long e-mail? Maybe not so long. But everyone says I only need to say that I'm alive and doing okay. So Momma and Daddy, I'm alive and I'm doing good.

 

Love you all!

Hermana NJ Nielson

"He, he I'm back" (Dec. 9, 2013)

I guess I just feel like I should spend more time writing. Hmm, yup and I also have some requests. Sorry, soy chiflada. Pero. For Christmas I want snow.Cause it's kinda weird to see all the lights without any snow. It is cold enough to be Christmas, and the lights and songs help with it, but the lack of snow is kinda throwing me off. And it periodically warms up and doesnt fell like December at all. Oh and we received some news which leads me to wish I brought some things with me. . .  There is a box in the shed that is labeled as the last box I packed up which I contains things that I thought I might at some point request to have sent to me, and I was right. I was hoping that I wouldn't need to request anything cause I don't like the idea of anyone having to look through my things to find what I want, but I hope I made it easier for it to happen.

But we are allowed to listen to any Christmas music-with wisdom- so I had a sing along disney christmas cd, the thing with that one is that I don't know if I thought enough to put it in that box, so if you happen to find it it'd be great and if not that's okay. But if you want to send any Christmas music, or mormon tabernacle choir music, I would not turn it down.

We also learned that we can read any gospel based book, so there are two books I am thinking of, and I'm pretty sure I put them in that box, but one is the Increase in Learning by Elder Bednar, and the other is the brownish one with the compass on it which is very similar in size.

If you happen to come across my sweatpants, my BYUI shorts, and my wool socks, I would appreciate them.

If you find an extra copy of the cd about patriarcal blessings by President Pinegar, I'd love it.

A few more things I requested before is a personal progress book, the colored led for my scripture marking pencil (especially yellow and all other colors) and of course lots of letters.

Oh, I think its called "the pocket reference guide for missionaries", if you can find a copy of that book, It would be awesome!

Hmm, yup sorry I'm a little stink head.

 

Oh, but I got funny stories. We were thinking the other day, it started because there is an Elder Dance in our zone, and we realized that there are nine elders in our zone, and there are nine reindeer. So we wrote them all down and matched up which elder went to which deer and we know have some Christmas nicknames for them. He He, it's kinda fun.

 

There are 13 in our zone, we had 12 but then we got another elder that was reassigned to this mission. But the zone leaders have dubbed us the dirty dozen. And have a "sign/signal" for it as well. you make it by making a peace sign with one hand, and with the other you put your two fingers (the ones you count one and two with) on the tips of the peace fingers, and then the thumb at the base of the peace finger and the number three finger at the base of the other peace finger. it makes two D's and is the "Dirty Dozen" Edinburg Zone. Yup, they were trying to get me to do it (the sign), but you know me, I wasn't gonna do it just because they wanted me to do it so bad.  But, yup. I told them it was like the secret signs and combinations of the gadianton robbers, and they tried making it a commitment for me to do it, but my companion backed me up saying they'd have to make legit promises for it to be a commitment.

 

Okay, and as the "dirty dozen" we all went to support the baptism of one of the companionships. And with that, I got a question. Are all Elders weird everywhere? or is it only the ones that end up being in my zone? Cause Elder Dance and Elder Pederson (the elders that had the baptism) Had a baptism celebration dance in the parking lot. (this was after the Christmas Devotional because the baptism was just before) They turned on the music in their car and started dancing to it.

So I want to hear about stories where there are crazy missionaries outside of my zone.

 

I love you all sooo much!

 

Kaylee! Congradulations! I am going to be sending you a letter soon.

 

Con Amor, Hermana NJ Nielson.

"Christmas is coming" (Dec. 9, 2013)

We watched the devotional last night, and it was great! I loved it!

Oh, I got some cool news, I don't remember if I already told you. But our mission had a goal of 110 baptisms last month, and we got 113! It was pretty awesome. That's actually partly why Fidel would have been able to be baptised before he'd gone to church three times because it was a lofty goal and we were all trying all we could do. But there actually isn't any rule that it has to be three times, that's just a suggestion, which is a good one. But if they have the genuine desire than it's really not important how many times they come to church. The requirements are just that they come. There are missions that actually require five times at church, but it's one of those things that's just to see how strong their desire is. President Maluenda has said that even if they relapse on the word of wisdom and smoke or something just before their baptism, they can still be baptised. We can't deny them this opportunity to show the Lord their desire to follow him. As long as they have a sincere desire, that's all that's important. Cause if they had to be perfect, no one would ever be baptised.

That was a comp study we had with the zone leaders when we were worried about Fidel, but it's really just understanding what baptism really is.

But anyway, this month our goal for baptisms in the mission is a grand, huge 150. That's more than has ever happened in our mission. But it's gonna happen.

 

I have been told that all I really need to say in my e-mails home is that I'm alive and I'm doing good. Soo. . . . . do I pass?

Love you all!

Hermana NJ Nielson

December 2, 2103

Well, first, no, we didn't have a baptism this saturday. There was one in our zone, the other Hermanas had a wedding and a baptism, but Fidel did not get baptised.

If you look at the story from a long distance, it could be kinda funny. But the fact that he was progressing and very ready for it, made it super painful. Okay, it's hard to see it as funny, but if it were altered a bit it would be. We find it funny how much effort people put into rejecting us. We say hi to people and they nod and then put a lot of ridiculous effort in concentrating on watering their lawn as if it required a lot of concentration. And a lot of the time people are "very busy" watching whatever happens to be on tv or whatever else they happen to be doing. So we do laugh at how much effort people put into ignoring us, especially when they make the conversation a lot more awkward than it has to be. It doesn't hurt us, we just get to laugh about it later, but for them they get all weirded out and awkward when we just want to share the best thing that could ever happen to them. But it's their choice. Well, Sister Stevenson told me a story of when she knocked on a door, the porch light came on and through the window a lady asked who was there or what they wanted or something. They told her, and she said okay and left the window. Then a few seconds later, the porch light turned off. That's a funny one. With Fidel, we found him over at his neighbors again, and we started talking to him and his buddy Roy, who expressed an interest and actually came to church too. But it was a rough one, cause we found them drinking. The concern was giving up drinking as alcoholics. They expressed many times that it's hard when you're an alcoholic. We decided we needed to explain baptism better because they understood it's purpose as receiving godparents. But then the Roy's wife came out and asked if we were the mormons, and then said that they had met with the elders before and they ended up getting into an argument and then she demanded that we leave now or she'd call the cops. We couldn't have any kind of explanation or anything, she insisted that we leave and that she'd call the cops if we ever came back. That was fine. She was ridiculously anti, and it could've been funny how extreme she was. But the hard part was that Fidel didn't say anything. He just sat there silently and didn't make any move to continue talking to us. That was the hard part. That we didn't help him understand the true importance before we lost the opportunity to. He had agreed to us meeting with him every day to prepare him for his baptism on saturday, but at that point he said there was too much pressure. He didn't understand that what he was preparing to receive is so much greater in value than what we were asking him to give up, that it would help him make that change.

Another thing that I wish I had with Fidel, is Aldo as a member present. We don't know of any members that could relate to Fidel as far as struggling with word of wisdom problems. So I would like to request Aldo's experience. If that's alright with him, I'd like to have him write down his experience with both overcoming addiction and joining the church. And what blessings he's seen because of it etc. I'd appreciate it a whole lot. Or if you would like Kariann, I am totally okay with the two of you moving down here and being member presents. :D

Well all of this is still hard, but it's done, hopefully Fidel will come back but who knows. But we do still have Humberto, who is also struggling with the word of wisdom, but he is still very excited about his baptism, I do think we need to work with him a little more about overcoming, cause he's very scared about completely quiting.

 

Well, life is great as a missionary. What we're trying to work on for this next week is having a well rounded effort, and enjoying the mission. "Disfruta la mission" --President Maluenda.

 

Oh, I got a question for Kariann, Do you talk with a lisp in spanish? Use more of a th rather than an s sound? Because President Maluenda and his wife do. Or did you not ever talk chilean spanish? or did Aldo tease you and break you out of it? He he.

I have a feeling you'll both make fun of my spanish when I get back cause it'll be TexMex.

 

Oh, momma, I got a favor to ask of you. I know you're super busy and crazy all over the place all the time and it being December doesn't help, but we've been working with a recent convert named Lisa, and she's great, there are not words to describe. But we were working with her on modesty and cleaned out all her clothes, but she had a really hard time letting go of her shorts. So I'm sending them to you today, in hopes that you could make them into those bags for her. Like the ones that you made for all of the young women. There are two pairs, and probably a blue lining of some kind would be awesome. Maybe have Amy help pick something out, cause I think they're pretty similar. Particularly their build. She's a tall, skinny, pretty girl, just like Amelia!

 

Okay, I'm really not sure what else I should write, except that letters are scarce. :(

Oh yeah, I got sick. The elders got sick and passed it around amongst themselves and all but one got it and then I got it. Yup dumb.

 

Oh! and happy Thanksgiving to everyone! Yeah, what did you guys do for it?

I think I've officially decided that my companion and I are have turned ADD from these crazy stressful but fun and wonderful two months.

I can't think of anything else and I've spent almost 45 minutes on this so it should be good.

I love you all so much!

And I would like to request a letter from everybody claro, pero specifically Kariann and Aldo, Kaylee and Aunt Mara.

Con Amor

Hermana NJ Nielson