Wednesday, March 12, 2014

September 16, 2013

President Smartt,
                This week was great. Elder Mello and I are getting along very well and we are getting more and more comfortable here in Roseau. The first week or so was a little uncomfortable, since we were both new here and just because of how different it is here. We feel like we belong here, and the Lord is continually reminding us of how blessed we really are.
                On Wednesday, Sister Cooper and Sister Walther took us all around the area and showed us where all of the less active/ inactive members live. This was really helpful, and we have already started to contact some of them. The majority of less active people here don’t come to church because of the distance. They live too far to walk and there is no transportation on Sundays. A few of the members we have visited have strong testimonies and live the gospel, but they just don’t come to church. It is a little frustrating, but we are constantly trying to come up with ideas of how we can help them get to church.
                On Thursday, we had our first Spanish class. Only 3 people came, but it was successful. I actually taught the whole class, which was a good help for me. We have found new people this week, however, who say that they are interested in a Spanish class, so we hope that it will be helpful for them.
                Saturday, we had an awesome lesson with a woman named Helen Carbon, and her daughter, Masika. They came to church last week and came to book a thon. We invited them to be baptized, and they accepted. Their date is the 12th of October. Yesterday, Helen brought her other son to church with her. He seems pretty cool, and we plan on inviting him to be baptized this week as well.
                Deltin is continuing to progress and is looking forward to his baptism. We talked to his mom about it and she said that she will have to ask his father. She said that if his father is okay with it, she is okay with it. Deltin is taking us to visit his father this week, so we will talk to him and hopefully get the okay.
                Friday was my six month mark as a missionary. It is amazing that I have been out for that long and it seems like just yesterday that I was getting on the plane to Dallas with Elder Moore. I am so grateful for the opportunity that I have to be a missionary and to serve our Master. I have gained a stronger testimony of Him and of the Restoration of the Gospel. I finished the Book of Mormon for the second time this week, and nothing could ever weaken my testimony of its truthfulness and of the divinity of our Savior. I know that we have a living prophet on the earth today and that he holds all the keys of the restored priesthood power of God. I am extremely excited to get the opportunity to listen to his counsel in a few weeks. This is the work of the Lord, and I find great solace in the Savior’s words found in John 15:16: “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.”
He lives!
Elder Nielson   
 
Alright, well this week was HOT. also, this upcoming week we wont have the truck, so we'll be walking. and as you can guess, it will be HOT.
Well yeah, we have 2 new baptismal dates! they seem super solid. it would be way awesome if we could get a whole family baptized. E' Mello and I were talking the other day and we really feel like the Lord is blessing us. we're in a crazy place, dealing with crazy people, and having to speak crazy English. we know he's with us. like pres monson said "when you are on the Lord's errand, you are entitled to the Lord's help." As missionaries, our purpose it to invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel...  Although it says "invite others", I have been trying to apply the atonement in my own life and trying to come closer to the Lord myself, and I can see the blessings. Don't procrastinate the day of your repentance!
I'll be honest, i'm incredibly confused about mom's job. I don't understand the benefits issue.. I feel like, by the definition of the word, that benefits are a good thing.
So soccer is way fun. i'm getting way good at it. that's definitely my favorite part of the week. this week elder mello took a shot from close and shot it low towards the far post and I had a legit diving save. I looked like a young tim howard out there.
well, the young men are great, all 2 of them.. haha well, louvency is active, but terry is less active. his uncle reggie gets home on oct 3rd from his mission, so I think that will help. BUT, we have 2 investigators that are between 12-14 years old so hopefully the young mens program will grow. I like being in charge of them. I would love being a YM leader after my mission. I feel like i'll always be a young man. i'll never be an old fart like you guys.. haha
That guy that went and kissed the homecoming queen is my hero.
Also, you're hooked on prison break? That's what im talking about. that's the only addiction that is allowed. and mom, I totally miss those days of making lunch and watching the office. every day when im cooking lunch I think about that. I love Michael Scott.
Grandpa hooked me up with the picks, so i'm about to win the pick em challenge. GO CLEVELAND.
Mom, email Sister Gill. She loves you.
Dad, trust in Michael Scoffield.
Greg, kissss herrrrr.
Whitney, dig set spike.
Zach, keep doin you.
Thunder, I know what it's like to have to be at home with mom all day long. Just be glad she doesn't force you to do Data Entry.
 
 
Anyways, I hope you all have a fantastic week!  
 
Elder Nielson

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