"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

Natalie's letter from (Nov. 4, 2013)

Okay, we still don't have any investigators. It's pretty rough and we're really struggling with it cause in four weeks we still haven't found anyone that is interested enough to keep compromismos (cause I don't remember how to spell it in english) or even keep appointments. We leave our number with a gazillion and five people but it's interesting that no one calls. :P We talk to people that seem so interested and excited about it but then they just don't come to church like they said they would, we don't ever see them again like they don't even live in the same place anymore, or they peek through the window and then pretend they aren't there even though they saw me wave to them when they peeked. (Yes I wave to let them know I saw them to guilt them into opening the door).

Although, yes I have to admit that a weeks ago when the testigos Jehovah came knocking on our door, we hid, cause what do you do? we're missionaries being contacted by missionaries. After a minute we did go to answer the door cause we felt bad doing what others do to us but they were leaving so we didn't feel so bad cause we are more persistent than they are.

But anyway. yup we don't have investigators. Sorry, I know, It's hard because our mission is one of the top baptising missions, and all of my missionary friends that have actually talked to me have told me about their "only three" baptisms etc. We have invited dozens of people to be baptized, and many have accepted. But then we don't ever see them again. So right now, we're actually hoping for people that actually put in the effort to show up rather than just say they'll be baptized. It's sad that they don't understand the commitment they make, and I guess it's our bad for not helping them understand, but we don't understand how much they don't understand until we don't see them ever again.

I honestly haven't had any doors slammed in my face, just every other type of rejection. The most common, is saying hi and trying to ignore that fact that we're still there to talk to them. The second is never being home when we have a set appointment and they said they'd be there all day.

Okay, I'm sorry, done with the poor little chifflado missionera.

We decided we want to try creative mass finding ideas, so please share all of your ideas, I welcome the craziest of crazy as well! We have thought about the chalk on the sidewalk one and since we are the central area, we have places like the courthouse etc. that people go by a lot. We also thought of caroling hymns etc. So bring up any more ideas you got.

Oh yes, Halloween, we had to be in by six. We had a zone meeting at the church at six, then we went to our house and we carved pumpkins, but Walmart didn't have pumpkins. The other Hermanas were lucky to find their big one on a corner stand where someone was selling some. Then the elders went home. We had to stay in cause Halloween can get scary. And even when we just got to our house there was a girl that put red paint all over herself and was crying for help to everyone that passed by, and it honestly got kinda eerie.

Oh yes, I got another story, so you know how last week I got flat tires, and so I had to buy new tubes? Well guess what? yup. I got my bike all fixed and we were going out to an appointment monday after pday and we had a few blocks left when my tire popped. I guess I must've pulled a Kellynn trick. So after that appointment we started walking home again. And I tried patching up my tire tubes again and found multiple holes in each tube, yeah, I just bought a tire patch kit and don't have enough patches for all of the wholes. So I talked to my district leader and today I'm gonna get the slime tubes and he's gonna fix my bike for me. I know Rollin advised against the slime tubes and suggested to just use the regular ones, but somethings up and we can't keep walking home cause our area, though it is the smallest in our zone, it's bigger than Manti, and takes us around two hours to walk home, cause we just happen to always be in the upper farther part, not the farthest, but deffinately not the closest to home. And if these tires go flat, I'm getting the foam ones, that you don't put any air in so they can't go flat. But they're about $20 per tube so hopefully the slime ones will work so I won't need to. but maybe that'll just mean I won't have to buy any more tubes for the rest of my bike's life which would be worth it. So yup, I don't like bike tire tubes, they're dumb and go flat way to fast! Don't know why I didn't ever have this problem before. But oh well.

Okay, something I've learned? Well all things are in the Lord's hands and He brings things about in His own time. The hardest thing is having the patience. I'm willing to work myself to death for Him, bit it's just hard to have the patience. So Kaylee, the advice your stake president gave you isn't just because you're impatient. It's cause a mission will make you patient even if you don't want to be. You have to learn patience with yourself and with the work and trust in the Lord's timing. And the worst part is that you can't hurry up and be patient. It's hard to be patient for patience.

Another thing is that I wish I had all of the things I learned throught seminary, institute, young womens and my personal study all organized and collected together so that I could pull them out when they're needed. I always go blank when I need a scripture etc. I can't ever think about a scripture that will help, even the scripture masteries. And when I do, do you think I remember where it is? Ha nope. So if you want to get a hold of the pictures that brother Bingham used, I would love it! I miss things like my personal progress book, and notes and handouts that I have in a box in the shed. I should have not taken a semester of school and typed them all up and organized them to bring them with me. And I have also been commited to not touch my english scriptures unless I'm teaching someone in english until I've been out for seven months. So I don't know how to find anything!

But I do know that the gospel changes lives. You can't have the gospel without changing. I was reading about the vision of the tree of life in 1 Nefi and I realized that it's the same tree that Adam and Eve were cast out of the garden so they couldn't eat from it. And there was a sword placed to keep them from getting to it. But there is somewhere (sorry don't know where) in the scriptures that tells about the gospel being a two edged sword that pierces to the soul. I think it's also the iron rod. And the sword that turns every which way isn't actually to keep Adam and Eve and us from getting to the tree, but to make us worthy when we get there, to change us from the inside out (a gory visualization, but true) The gospel will pierce you and change you until you are worthy to partake of the tree in its fulness. and Yes it does hurt.

Well I love you all so much, sorry it's not working to post pictures. I am super sorry! I'll try some more. When is Dallin's flat stanley project due?

Con Amor

Hermana Nielson

Week 2 in Texas

Hello everyone, well I'm really not sure what to tell you. Oh, I got two flat tires this week, both times in the back. Did Rollin order me the thorn resistant tubes? Cause I've mostly been on the pavement and I got a flat. The first was an actual hole, and the second time it was in the seam.

Well, my companion actually only got here about a week and a half before I did, so we are whitewashing here, and we actually don't have any investigators.

We are working with a recent convert, Lisa, who has special needs. She's about 27 but she has the mentality of about an 8-12 yr old. We decided to try and help her by having her do personal progress because she is to the point where she needs to understand modesty and her value, and we're also trying to help her read. She's at a kindergarten level I think, she knows her letters and can sometimes get the right sounds and she can read basic words, I think she just didn't get enough practice when she was learning to retain it all.

We did find some investigators the first week, but they didn't go to church and we had a really hard time ever getting a hold of them ever again. Althoug with one, I think I told you about her, Evette, her family just wouldn't let her go.

We are teaching an 8 yr old, Karen. Her family was less active and she needs the missionary lessons before she can be baptised.

We're also teaching the lessons to a 9 yr old girl named Kaylee, her grandma is a member, but Kaylee's parents are catholic and though they allow her to take the lessons and go to church, they haven't let her be baptised because they want her to make a decission later in life I guess.

Speaking of Kaylee! Where's your call? How are things going? I haven't gotten an e-mail from you. You should have your call by now shouldn't you? I guess General Conference might've backed it up a lot but you should have it now no?

Okay, I 'm not sure what else to say. I love you all!

--Hermana Nielson

"I'm in Texas!"

Hey everyone! well I'm in Texas! the Edinburg Central area. It is amazing! Yes it is very hot, but it's great when we walk in the house and realize how cool it is. We just kind of get used to the heat and humidity and don't realize how bad it really is until we have the cool house to contrast.

Well, mi companera is Hermana Stevenson, she is samoan though she gets a lot of people thinking she's mexican cause she's short for a samoan.

Okay. I'm not sure what all to say other than I'm here. I had a whole list of things but I forgot. Oh yeah! I'm not on a spanish speaking mission. . . yup nope. I have actually been called to a bilingual mission. I speak english and . . . ha no not spanish, it's tex-mex. where you parkar su trucko. Ask Aldo if he's ever heard of it before. Here everybody knows a bit of both languages and there's actually a bunch that use both mingled in so much that you have no idea which language they're speaking when.

Okay, and if you look up Edinburg, its not a small town. But there are two wards here, Edinburg 1 and 2. And we have an entire zone in Edinburg. My area, central is the center part of Edinburg and we figure it's about 30 square miles. about the size of Manti isn't it? Well, as far as navigation, I can't do it so I'm very grateful that my companion gets to drive. Although we have decided that we are going to be on bikes more than using the car, cause we bought bikes, and because our area is relatively small and dense because it is the central part.

Oh, but yes, on sunday we kind of go to three wards, sorta. We have the english ward, the spanish ward and the ysa branch. It's kinda fun that we have three wards that all cover the same area. But we actually don't have a hard time finding people. The hard part is finding people who actually come to church.

We did find a young mother who really does want to come, but her family won't let her. Evette is super tiny, shaking her hand it feels like there's only bone and skin. But we've only met her twice and feel like she is very sincere and ready, but we think she's in a super bad and abusive situation where her family doesn't want her to join another religion. Her family is christian, we guess she lives with her siblings, and we actually saw two of her sisters who were kinda chunky. And Hermana Stevenson said she could smell marijuana. She is also very timid and quiet, but she especially wants to take her three kids to church and have them grow up with God in their lives. I wish I could give her a place to stay and completely shelter her from her family, but there's only so much we can do. I'm hoping we'll be able to find a member family like how Aldo was able to rent a room from them, and she can clean and work to earn her keep. But I'm not sure how that's gonna work out. There was also another guy we were working with that actually quit drinking, but he had a trial and we're not sure when he gets back. We've been hoping that he doesn't end up in jail when his baptismal date comes around.

Okay, I have a little bit of a story. We contacted a woman named Estel and her two daughters on the street and they were spanish speaking so Hermana Stevenson was taking the lead, and I heard her mention baptism and then she stopped and looked at me, apparently it was my que to invite them to be baptised, and its what I thought it was but I wasn't sure so it ended up that the lady was laughing when I said I was lost and we got three baptism comittments while I hardly knew what was going on. we invited them to church that sunday, but they didn't show up and they didn't answer the door when we went to check up on them and find out why.

Thank you for the package! I got it, it was great! But mom, I'd like to make a request, I need more slips. The black one likes to hike up and the white one, since it is hot and we ride bikes quite a bit, it needs to be washed more often because I sweat just as bad if not worse than a guy.

And if there is anyway that you could send me a copy of the november ensign when it comes out, it'd be great. Thank you!

Something I've started to learn is that there are so many things that help in different ways. The gospel helps everyone regardless of their situation, it only depends on how you apply it. Different experiences and viewpoints bring about a whole new variety of understanding and insight.

(Hermana Nielson with her Mission President, his wife and the new missionaries)

Update

Natalie didn't send an email this past week but called after arriving in Texas saying she had arrived!

Last week in the MTC

Well this is the picture with our whole district at last, and of course the elders aren´t standing in any kind of order or next to their companions, but they´re all there in this one.

Well, I really don´t know what to tell you. This is my last week here, I leave monday, and its gone way too fast. All I know to say is that this week has been absolutely wonderful like the rest of the weeks have been.

I do have a dumb story that actually happened today, this morning. We were on the bus on the way to the temple and guess what . . .

Well Hermana Pratt says she loves driving in Mexico City cause it gives you an adrenaline rush, and Salt lake is just boring in comparison.

Yup, we got e-mails printed off this morning so I was trying to read them on the way over, and I got motion sickness. :P yup it was dumb, luckily I was in the isle and didn´t get it on anyone but myself and it was minimal. And my poor district was very understanding and considerate somewhat. But they didn´t get symathetically sick like what would have happened at home. At first mi compañera didn´t even notice, the only one who did notice at first was my district leader, Elder Fondren who was sitting across the isle. He watched to make sure it didn´t get on him and then decided he couldn´t do anything to help so didn´t. So I was there for a minute before anyone found and started handing me tissues. But it was alright.

What next to type? I really truly don´t know so I love you!

--Hermana Nielson