35th Week, September 30, 2013

Surprise!

So I lost a child this last week... It was very sad..

Sister Diaz and I knew we were going to have to go down to McAllen for our 1 Companion Training. But we weren't sure if Sister Petersen was supposed to come too or we should leave her in corpus with another companionship of sisters... so I bugged the elders to find out. Well Tuesday the Assistants called(you'd think I'd figured out by now not to answer them!!!) and told us Sister Petersen would be transferred to Harlingen!

Sister Petersen cried sooo much... it was bad... and I don't know how to deal with crying! So that was an added interesting measure of fun... But we packed her up Tuesday night, left Wednesday morning for our training and she waited in the office, then her new companion came and picked her up. So its just been sister diaz and I since then! Here comes the funny story of the week...

We will call this one...

The Burning Hands Service....

So Sister Diaz and I asked a member in our ward if we could serve her in anyway because her husband had to fly to Idaho suddenly because of his mothers death... well she invited us over and we helped her make salsa!! That was fun. my compy and I chopped all the tomatoes and stuff and we got to mix it and over all it was a fun time! Well. Here is what they don't tell you about making salsa... you know those hot jalapenos and chile Serrano you put in salsa to give them that... yum factor? Well you see... when the juices get on your hands you need to not touch your face right? because it will burn. well we were good and didn't but because we had been handling them so long... the juices had seeped deep into our hands.... we went to our next appointment (which was dinner at the ward mission leaders house) and had pizza and I suddenly was very aware that my skin around my mouth was burning and my hands were burning a little... but I ignored it. That night when we got home I looked at sister diaz and could see she was in a little pain... then began the madness.

Our hands really felt like they were burning. So we tried putting lime on them... then milk.... then I tried toothpaste(don't ask why I thought toothpaste would work it just seemed like a good idea!) and everything we could think of... we called the elders... we called our Sister Training Leaders... No relief. That night we went to bed with our hands still burning and woke up a couple of times in the night in pain... Talk about embarrassing... No good deed goes unpunished my friends!! Our hands continued to burn until about... noon the next day... Then finally it was gone... but still if we wash our hands with hot water, they get the burning sensation back a little... I will never make salsa again. although I must say it was very delicious...

So that was our service excitement of the week!

Next fun story is with the relief society broadcast!! and my birthday!!! I am 20! holy cow!!! I don't feel like I should be able to say I am that old.. but after all these crazy mission experiences, I do feel that old haha. Sooo I woke up Saturday and felt pretty cool... my birthday right? We had studies and what not... Sister Garry got to call me from McAllen to wish me a happy birthday! (being in the APs ward for a while definitely gets you some special privileges haha!) Then that night we went to the broadcast!! I met a friend of Aunt Barb's and she told me about going on a date with my dad! (awkward.... ? haha we had a good laugh about it though!) She bought me a little birthday present and it was a sweet little tender mercy to have someone there that knows my family(: Sister Kreis made me a big candy gram on the back of their whiteboard and we got some pictures with it and then the elders made me a cake! It was delicious too. I am very impressed with the cooking skills of my cute little elders we drive around everywhere! However, they don't have an oven. so I bugged them for the next day about how in the world they made me a cake... finally they confessed. They made a deal with a member that they would come do some yard work if they could use his oven to make a cake(: My elders love me!

I loved the Relief Society Broadcast!! It truly was amazing and soo inspiring. It kind of shocked me at first to have them talking so much about keeping our covenants but the more they did the more I realized something... We are so excited to get people baptized and teach them, but they need to understand the seriousness of these covenants they are making with our Heavenly Father... It isn't something to be taken lightly. It is a seriously matter.

Sunday! I spoke in church!! about missionary work! My favorite thing in the world! I was really nervous about this talk. Not because of the speaking in front of people, but I wanted to tell the ward exactly what they needed to hear. Elder Dance(one of my cute little short elders I drive everyone because they don't have a car) and I spoke. We joked before hand that I would show the ward the love and then he would get after them and "jack them" for not doing missionary work. That kind of is how it turned out!

I tried to follow the spirit and what the spirit wanted them to know is that missionary work is a work of love. If we love our friends, family, neighbors, we will share the gospel with them. We need to love them enough to say something and help them come closer to their father in heaven. God loved us enough to send His son to us stop our suffering and help us find the way, do we love our friends enough to help stop their suffering? Do we love them enough to show them the way they can have their family for eternity and feel the peace and joy the gospel brings? If I didn't love my brothers and sisters I would have gone home along time ago(: Its by pushing ourselves outside of our bubble and bringing others to Him that we find really happiness and others do too. I love you all! I hope you know your Savior loves you too. He is there for us. I realized this last week more than ever that he truly is there. When we find ourselves on our knees and all we can do is cry and plead for help, He is doing all he can to comfort us and provide a way through others to help us find the light. We must be that light ourselves for those people that are suffering. Someone is on their knees crying out for your help right now. Be prepared to help them! I know that God lives and loves us and providing ways through us to bring back his lost sheep. I testify to you that He is working miracles right now in our lifes without us even realizing it. Let those miracles work through you and be a blessing to other person! I leave this testimony with you in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, amen!

This week is conference! Don't forget to write down your questions of the soul and seek out the answer in the words of God's mouthpiece on the earth! I love conference! The church is true and there are people who need you!!

Sister Courtenae Nielson

 

34th Week, September

Week Fun Times!!

Well this life in the mission field is definitely exciting...

We finally got the a/c fixed! Then it started leaking again! Haha so we are stilling leaking! I'm still on the couch but its downstairs... so when we have to turn the a/c off at night to prevent flooding, i have my own fan and its cooler(: So I see the couch as a pretty good thing actually! haha!

My dear greenies and I have definitely had some interesting experiences this last week! Thursday was zone conference!!! I love zone conference! For those that know him, I got a picture with elder bertrand and he is doing well haha! One of the main things President Maluenda focused on during our zone conference is that we need to be obedient and enjoy our time in the mission. It really is so short! Its blowing my mind that next week I will hit EIGHT MONTHS of being a missionary! The end of october will be my half way mark and I need to burn something! I haven't figured out if it should be a tie or not but something will be burnt in honor of tradition!

Also... in case anyone forgot, my birthday is friday! How crazy is that?! I am going to be 20 years old. No longer a teenager! But I definitely don't quite feel like an adult yet. I have to apologize for this shortness of this letter because I spent most of my time trying to email some pictures home... hopefully those worked and a few will be forwarded on. This adventure really has been crazy this week.

 

Probably the funniest thing about this week is the fact it has rained sooo much. Mosquitos apparently reproduce like crazy on the island when it rains... so we were talking to these two families in their drive way one night and suddenly I could just feel myself getting bit all over. I looked down... OH YES. THERE WERE AT LEAST 20 MOSQUITOS ON MY LEGS. So of course I very calmly started jumping around and trying to write the church address on a pass along card for each of the families so they could come worship with us sometimes. all their kids were justing laughing as the sisters and I were jumping around trying to kill all the mosquitos on us. Then we went to pick the elders up on the bluff one day (we live on the island and the other missionaries in our ward are the elders on the bluff) and they came running out of their apartment swatting at all the bugs and jumped in the car. They of course let a bunch of mosquitos in and one of the elders started yelling 'MATA LO MATA LO!" (kill it kill it!!) as the bugs swarmed around the car... it was bad haha. I don't think I have ever had so many bites on me in my life! and one of my greenies is allergic to mosquito bites... so thats been an interesting adventure as well! ah man, the Lord... He definitely has a sense of humor(: Thats what I know and believe with all my heart! But He sure does love me to send me all these things to teach me. I'm working on not being as selfish right now and focusing solely on the needs of my companions. Its been fun!

 

Well unfortunately I am out of time! so i hope all is well! If you'd like to send me a card this week, send it over to

Sister Nielson

14825 Windward Dr #211

Corpus Christi, TX 78418

 

THE CHURCH IS TRUE! I LOVE YOU!!

Sister Nielson

 

33rd Week, September 16, 2013

Una Hija! Y una Hijastra!

Sooo because I am finishing Sister Petersen's training, she is my step daughter. and I am STARTING Sister Diaz, she is my daughter! My first born in the Wilderness! My "jacob" you might say! Mission lingo is super funny and a little bit weird sometimes!

 

So when we left off last week, I told you all that we were driving to Mcallen that night! Yup. It really did happen! Sister Petersen and I took the GPS and I drove to Mcallen to pick up my second trainee! Crazy right?! Sister Diaz is from Guatamala! The office lied to me and said Ecuador! But nope! She is chapina! (guatamalan) aaand just as my mother in the mission was 27 years old, so is my child! Crazy right? But super fun! We are having a blast so far!

Tuesday we drove back from Mcallen in the morning to make it just in time for our zone meeting! Yay for zone meetings. I love when we get all the missionaries together because we can bounce ideas off one another on different stuff... and I get to see more missionaries that just my companions! I love them dearly but... living on an island 20 minutes from the nearest missionaries is kind of a bummer sometimes!

 

We convinced the Elders that Sister Diaz only knows spanish... (: She in reality knows spanish, english and french fluently! Pretty cool right? So we convinced them she didn't know english and it was adorable to see how patiently they re-explained they jokes they made in english to her in spanish! Oh man i was dying laughing. It was great. Then we finally told our district on wednesday she knows english and they were so mad at us. but they laughed too so it was fun! I can definitely feel my spanish improving immensely speaking it so much with her! We have had a few moments where she has to explain a word to me and I have to explain some english words to her. Its been super fun though!

 

Our apartment has sprung a leak! On sunday we got a call saying that a tropical storm is headed in and we need to have our stuff ready to leave at a moments notice if we need to evacuate... not scary at all right? Haha no we aren't really worried because the hurricane is going down into mexico. we are just having awesome rain. So because our apartment is so small, I moved to the couch so my baby could have a bed, well the leak is right above my couch... and now my sheets are wet! haha! so fun right? ah well. That's mission life. I realized that we think mission life is so fun and perfect and missionary work all the time, but man... we have real life problems we have to deal with in the mission! Who forgot to tell me that??

 

We were also talking on sunday and I realized a few others things. I know Dad has been saying this all along, but the mission really is meant to convert you unto the Lord as well.. I was looking through my pictures so far in the mission with sister Diaz and she pointed out how much I've changed. I haven't really felt like I was changing too much... but when I looked at the picture I realized I don't really look like I'm 16 any more... In 12 days I'm actually going to be 20! TWENTY YEARS OLD.  I officially made it out of my teenage years without getting married or pregnant! The mission has taught me so much so far and now training is making my testimony of faith so much stronger... It really is scary each day thinking, "oh man.. is my companion gonna insult someone... or are we gonna find a family today?" I was so selfish before just worrying about myself and now worrying about others has really made me open my eyes a lot.. I'm not sure if any of this makes sense to anyone else.. but I thought I'd share my profound moment.

 

I was telling one of the elders in my district how nervous I am about this adventure and he said that when he started training it was scary too but he realized he could use the atonement at any moment to help him out. So that is my goal. In the moments I'm the most confused or afraid and really don't know what to do. I will lean on my Savior. He knows right?

Another thing one of the elders said to me really hit me hard... He told me that the first thing his trainer told him was "I am not perfect. I'm not a perfect missionary and I don't know everything. But I do know what I'm doing. I know how to be a missionary and I am asking you to trust me. I promise to trust you as well because we both receive revelation for this area. I will trust and respect you as long as you do the same" and he said I have to trust my companions enough to do things I know wont work. I'm working on trusting them a lot right now because I know they trust me. We have to work as a team though!

 

This church is so true and amazing. I'm grateful to be out here in corpus learning all these things even if I am a little stressed, smelly, and tired. Its worth every moment! I testify that our Savior loves us and lives. He died for us and now He lives for us that we might return to Him!

Love you all!

 

Sister Courtenae Nielson

 

32nd Week, September 9, 2013

Because just training one would be too easy.

I'm getting another baby in the mission!

Sooo Sister Petersen is still in training and I've been finishing training her, well we got a call from the Assistants to the President last night... I didn't really think anything of it at first because I served in the ward with them for a while and was used to them calling ocasionally. so they called and the conversation went like this:

Elders: Hey sisters hows it going?

Sisters: Great! We love it up there!

Elders: Sister Nielson! Youre not surfing right?

Sister Nielson: Oh elders! you know i surf every day for morning exercise!

Elders: We are sure you do sister nielson! well we are calling on behalf of President Maluenda tonight

(this is where we started panicking)

Sisters: Alrighty... whats up elders?

Elders: Well we were wondering if you could take a trip down to McAllen tomorrow to pick up your new baby Sister Nielson! Your gonna train another missionary and be in a trio!

Sister Nielson: You're joking right?

Elders: Nope! We want you to still have your pday though! so you will leave Corpus at 530 so you can get to president's house at 8 and pick up your new baby!

Sister Nielson: No but really... you're joking right?

Elders: Sister Nielson the Lord has confidence in you and President Maluenda feels very strongly that this sister needs to be up there with you both! We are really excited for you to come down!

 

So! We will be leaving here at 530pm to head to McAllen and pick up my second born in the wilderness! How crazy is that? Sister Petersen and I were just getting comfortable being together and now we will be an awesome trio! I'm super excited but definitely went through some serious panicking last night! I called the Sister Training Leaders and told them what was going on so we could borrow their GPS to drive down and just freaked out to them a little. one of the sisters gave me some really good advice though...

 

She reminded me that these things happen for a reason.That the Lord knows exactly who we need to be with and where we need to be always. Apparently I need to be training these two sisters at this time and though I'm a little overwhelmed and nervous, I'm excited to see what exactly the Lord has in mind for this adventure... haha! I love that right when I start getting comfortable the Lord laughs a little and throws me a new curve! The mission wouldn't be fun if He didn't!

 

In other news... Our air conditioning died this week(: I've discovered what its like in those countries where you don't have any.. you wake up in the morning wet... from sweat... its pretty gross haha! Sister Petersen and I woke up friday morning and looked at each other and tried not to panic. we tried all weekend to get a hold of our land lord and he was unavaible... luckily he called our house keeper lady today and said he would get it fixed! So we survived 3 days with out airconditioning(: But! the elders were sympathetic to our needs and brought us two big box fans! that was a serious blessing for sure! we love those serving elders!

 

Next awesome news: WE FOUND A FAMILY!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They are super awesome! Sister Petersen and I were visiting a referrel and she told us we should talk to her neighbors. One neighbor she said was super friendly and nice the other super mean. the mean one is a biker and she told us some bad stories... so we were a little nervous... guess which neighbor was the family that invited us back and we've already taught the restoration to? Yup. The biker! he's super cool! Him and his wife have two adorable kids 13 and 9! Fantastic ages right? So we have another lesson with them tomorrow and they will be in church on sunday! We have been praying since I got there to find a family and we know this is the one! We just need to help them receive that spiritual confirmation that this is God's true church on the earth today! and it is! so that shouldn't be too hard right? Haha.

 

One more cool thing for the week! I spoke in sacrament meeting at the singles ward here! It was my first time speaking in church in the mission! So i was pretty excited!  I decided to try that whole... "lead by the spirit" approach with my talk.... the branch president asked us to speak on preach my gospel too so it was an awesome topic i know VERY well! I decided on chapter 6 as my focus! Christlike Attributes! I went through each of the attributes and talked about why each one of them is important to me personally and what it means. I think the best part of the talks is that my companion panicked and got scared and only talked for 7 minutes... welll this branch is tiny. and we were the only speakers.. so that gave me 20 minutes to talk and I did! How cool is that?! I had a couple of the members thank me afterward for my talk and tell me that they really felt the spirit :D That was an awesome feeling!

I think one of the attributes that I need to apply the most currenlty is patience... always patience I struggle with! I've gotten good(i think) with my patience with others. its definitely been interesting being patient teaching a new missionary(and now a NEWER missionary) but my self patience isn't so great. I keep expecting a lot better out of myself and feeling like i'm failing. But I've realized that... by getting upset at myself and not being patient with myself, its not just me I'm affecting. My companions can tell when my confidence level goes down and I'm afraid. Members can see it and I can see the change in them when they notice. So I have made that my goal in this new adventure that begins today! I must be a lot more patient with myself. That doesn't mean getting lazy when I can't do something perfect right away... it means I'm going to keep trying. I invite all who read this to do the same thing! Think of something you've been getting frustrated with yourself on... maybe its a talent you are trying to develope that just doesn't seem to be working out... try it again. and when you feel that frustration, take it to the Lord right then. Ask him for help and trust Him. He knows better(:

I'm grateful for my loving Heavenly Father that knows me so well and is patient with me, and my loving Father here on earth that whenever I get frustrated I can hear him in the back of my head saying "suck it up and fix the problem! you're killing me smalls!"

I know that when we are patient with ourselves, miracles can happen! I'm so excited for this next adventure in my mission and can't wait to meet my 2nd baby in the mission tonight! I can just feel that she is going to be a wonderful blessing in my life and teach me a whole lot more than I could ever teach her! I wish everyone back at home the best! Love you!

 

Sister Courtenae Nielson

31st Week, September 2, 2013

 This email was actually sent on Sept 3 due to Labor Day

Coming to you live.

From the beaches of North Padre Island! Where the water is warm, the breezes never stop, and the missionaries can't even really enjoy it! Haha!

Oh what a first week of transfer!!!!

 

It was CRAZY getting all my stuff packed up so I could leave from McAllen. Somehow you accumulate all this crap during a transfer and then you have to pack everything! there were definitely things left behind and I hope Sister Garry is enjoying the passed along clothing! No worries, she didn't get any of my skirts(:

 

So transfers were on Tuesday last week! yay!! I got to ride in the transfer van with SISTER KREIS!!! It was so wonderful to be with her again! I love sister kreis so much! she is wonderful!! I got to tell her all my crazy stories of the far south and she told me all about the gossip from Laredo! She is now a Sister Training Leader over me and I'm super excited I can call her whenever I need help!

 

SO THE ISLAND! I have never lived by the beach. I honestly remember one time going to the beach and that was our cruise in 7th grade... This place is amazing! Its so pretty! we run on the beach for morning exercise, there is always a breeze, we drive over the water to get into corpus... oh yes. sounds like a dream right? Unfortunately! I am here to be a missionary! Ahhhh!!! Haha just kidding! I love it!

 

Our members are super awesome and very strong but we only have a few... we work on North Padre Island and Port Aransas. AND I have twice as many miles as before! but that's because the Flour Bluff elders only bike and we have to pick  them up for meetings and church. I love our elders(: Elder Dance and Solis are both standing at 5'3". One is a redhead and the other is latino. They are seriously an adorable companionship and don't mind answering my questions about Spanish. Oh by the way... NO ONE SPEAKS SPANISH IN CORPUS. So our only Spanish interaction is with missionaries or the one lady that lives in our apartment building who speaks the language! oh yeah... so i'm pretty much teaching my baby the language! No worries(:

 

My baby!!!! So she is technically my step child. but that's alright! I still love her! Her name is Sister Petersen! She's from Mapleton Utah and is 19 as well! I finally have a companion that I'm older than! :D That was an exciting surprise! We've had some interesting driving adventures so far. she doesn't know the area very well because her first momma used a GPS. so we are pretty much officially learning it together by using our cute little maps and taking wrong turns... good thing we have so many miles!

 

We have one current investigator that will hopefully be baptized soon! He is an interesting fellow for sure... Very interesting... we have to hunt him down today to finish teaching him things he needs to know for his interview! this is the fun part... crunch time!

 

I touched a CRAB!! That was one of my life goal moments this last week! We were talking to a member on her back dock and she pulled this thing out of the water to show me what barnacles are... and this little crab came running out! I found out they truly do walk sideways... so anyone who ever mocked my crab walk should know, I was walking like a true crab! He was so cute! i'm sad I didn't get a picture...

 

Adjusting to a new area is definitely hard... especially one as new as this one... its an adventure every second of every day! I'm definitely learning to truly put my trust in the Lord and know that He knows whats up... Its definitely been a little hard pushing my pride to the side and asking for help... That pride thing sure is a problem! Especially when you think you are being pretty humble.... (; I've realized though.... that this are the moments our savior rejoices in. when we are willing to admit.. yeah we don't know what we are doing! We need help for sure! It just happens that way sometimes... we need to trust in our father that loves us and ask for his advice... That being said... I have a challenge for all reading this!!!!

 

Think of something that bothers you. Something someone does that just... makes you mad every time. (remember how I went crazy when Dad would whistle? all my companions have liked to whistle.... very funny God...) Pray about that thing and ask the Lord to help you forget about it. Then do it! Don't let it bother you any more. Think something positive every time you feel a little irked about that one thing! That's currently my self challenge(: So lets start it this week and see what we can do!

 

Love you all! I'll try to get letters out to people I haven't written back next week... and I'm probably gonna go post card crazy next week because I'm finally in a tourist spot! Love you all! be safe! THE CHURCH IS TRUE. Hold strong to the faith!

 

Sister Nielson

 

30th Week, August 26, 2013

Sister Nielson pack your bags

Soooo. This week has been crazy intense!! we have transfers tomorrow!!! So here's how everything was told to me...

Tuesday night we get a text from our awesome zone leaders that says "The meeting starts at 10 :)" and of course sister garry and i panic thinking "what meeting?!" so we text back asking and just get a reply of "hahahahahaha" ... fishy or what?! So we called and asked what was up and they said we would be getting a call soon and that person would need to be at the la vista chapel at 10am for a meeting! so sister garry and i starting placing bets which one of us was training... well then we see President Maluenda on our phone! AHHHH!!

I'M TRAINING!!!!!!

They called me to be a trainer! I'm gonna finish training a sister! So in training, we have this program thats the first 12 weeks of your mission... well this sister has done the first 6 and i'm gonna finish the rest with her! So she's my step daughter(: I can't decide whether I should count her as my first born in the wilderness or not... but its ok(: I'm still excited!

But they didn't tell me who I would get! So we had to wait for transfer calls! They finally were supposed to come Saturday and the elders ended up just telling us in person because we were practicing for a musical number for sunday. Elder Smith couldn't keep a straight face telling me... Because... we've had a long standing joke(we are in a ward with the assistants to the president) that if we aren't nice to them, they will send us to corpus! so last transfer we left candy and a note in the office saying "thanks for not sending us to corpus.... yet!" Well guess where sister nielson is headed to train?!

CORPUS CHRISTI!

I'm headed back up north!!

I will be serving on the beautiful North Padre Island with Sister Peterson! I'm super excited but nervous and sad to be leaving Mission East! This area has truly been amazing! I have so much love in my heart for all the members and people we have met in this area and I am going to miss Sister Garry so much!!! But when the Lord calls, we must go!

The training meeting for new trainers and district leaders was super amazing as well. I have learned sooo many things this week! one of the biggest things I learned in the training is that the last 10 minutes of the day truly are the most important. Its in those last few that you show God if you are truly willing to endure to the end and do all that is possible to bring his work to pass. It truly is an amazing work that we are about... Miracles happen when we are having fun, following the spirit, and doing all we can to listen to its whisperings.

Our mission president truly is a blessed man! He is so intune with the spirit and wants us to focus most on what it says. our training meeting was ALL in spanish. and i was nervous at first but i was pleasantly surprised when I totally understood everything that was said... then President Maluenda went around and asked people what the spirit and told them... You know that terrifying moment when a tall chilean man asks you what the spirit has told you and you know it has to be said in spanish? Yep. Happened! BUT. It was awesome. The thing I had been thinking about the whole meeting was when we give our will to the Lord we can become what he wants. He knows how special we are and wants us to feel that and understand that. Though I am finishing training someone and not getting a brand new greenie, there is a reason! This sister and I are specifially needed to be together for some reason and I need to find that reason out by giving my will to the Lord and doing what he wants! I can't wait to get to Corpus and starting working harder than I ever have! I'm determined to be that missionay that has to be picked up by an ambulance at the airport after my mission because I did all i possible could. I won't do it perfect, or maybe I won't change the whole world, but i will change lives in Corpus!!!

Our challenge we have been giving members lately is to have a mighty prayer! In Enos we read about his "wrestle" before the Lord before he received a remission for his sins. then after he prayers in behalf of his people and us as well! Future generations! The challenge I want to leave you today is to have a mighty prayer! BUT NOT FOR YOURSELF. We pray for ourselves all the time! The Lord needs you to occasionally kneel down, and pray solely in behalf of those around you. Don't mention yourself at all in your prayer. Just prayer for others. It doesn't have to been long. but make a list of people or things you would like to pray for before hand and pray for them(: Have a mighty prayer in behalf of others. I promist you will feel the love of God even stronger as you turn away from your own needs and fears and ask for others strength. Thats what has made the mission truly amazing. Not worrying about myself and focusing on the needs of the people around us!

I love you all! next time you hear from me I'll be a little closer to home! But not really.... Good bye for the last time from the Mission East, Mission Zone area of the GREAT Texas Mcallen Mission!!!!

Hermana Courtenae Nielson!

 

 

29th Week, August 19, 2013

Spanish with a... FRENCH ACCENT?!

Yes indeed ladies and gentleman, it IS possible to speak spanish with a french accent! and not a fake one!

 

Sister Garry and I were walking down the street one day and this lady had a fake scottish terrior. so i started talking to her (because I'm sister Nielson and i talk to strangers on the streets!)  and she told me politely in english she didnt' speak english (always makes me laugh) so i went into spanish and she went into spanish and we talked for a minute but her accent was strange... so we asked where she is from. Yup. France. She speaks french, spanish and italian!!! French is her native tongue so she has a french accent in spanish! it was seriously the coolest thing i have ever heard in my life! her daughter is a member and she has a french book of mormon! she loves the church and thinks its awesome but "no quiero obligaciones!" she doesn't want any obligations like having to go to church weekly and stuff... psh! but she is willing to teach us french and thinks we are beautiful(: so we will just have to work on her commitment issues!

 

Next story is super cool!!! We had a zone meeting on tuesday with our mission president! he is amazing!!! the meeting was led completely by the spirit. he called it last minute and told our zone leaders, Sister training leaders, and the asistants that they all were to speak according to the spirit. no prepping was done before hand. so they all got up in turn and followed the spirit! it was amazing! our zone leaders even sang for us! i love those elders so much!! one is from CHILE! and the other from sandy utah and they are absolutely amazing!

Well. then wednesday morning we got a call from our zone leader. sister garry answered becuase I was in the shower and she came up afterwards freaking out. The elder called and said "sisters... i was praying last night and feel impressed that you need to find a family today. read 1 Nephi 3 and 4 and go find them" so we read and.... we found them!!!!

 

We started out the day going to see a former because she informed us that maybe other families needed the gospel more than her family right now so we decided to go ask her who those families are (ha ha) and they weren't home. so we looked at the house next door and sister garry commented that we had seen kids there before. so we knocked. got inside within a few minutes of talking about importance of familes... and  well... they are getting baptized september 15!!!

 

Here's the coolest part of the whole thing! we were sitting on the couch talking to them... and i pulled out my book of mormon. Well one of the sons looks at me and asks what book i'm holding. so of course i told him... and he said he has one! WHAT?! His sister went to our church a few times and her friend gave her a book... but then she didn't like it so she gave it to him! we challenged him to read it and he's already on chapter 10 of first nephi! this family is super cool! We are so grateful for the direction of our leaders! they truly are inspired not only for their areas but for us as well!!!

 

Soooo things i've studied this week... The church keeps putting all of these old books on a table for people to take... yes i have a small collection currently of books of grabbed. mosty spanish ones because i need more to read and learn in spanish but I recently grabbed one about the priesthood... can i just say AH MAZING!!!!! Its just the priesthood manuel they used for young mens but seriously... i am in ah every time i read that thing! the priesthood truly is SOOO amazing!!! and I totally didn't know we could write down fathers blessings... i am kicking myself I haven't ever done that!

 

One of the things I found the most amazing is that it talks about how when you receive the priesthood you pretty much always have the AUTHORITY to use it. But the POWER comes from your worthiness and how you are living according to God's commandments. I realized that is the same with missionary work! We can wear the pretty black tag and call ourselves missionaries all we want. we have that AUTHORITY. But our POWER comes from being worthy to act in God's name and doing all that He asks of us! We recently issued a super cool challenge to some members that i want to issue out to you all!! Figure out one thing you are doing that is driving away the spirit. Something that maybe isn't helping you follow what God would have you do... you are thinking of it aren't you? (: Stop it. Right now. Do not do that thing ANY more. Purify yourself against it and stop right this instant. As soon as you decide to, it will be hard. Satan will do all he can to see you fail. Don't let him win. Change just one thing today to help you have the spirit more fully and write about it in your journal! I'm currenlty working on that by not saying some words that aren't bad... but definitely Christ probably wouldn't use(: I wish you luck in your journey!

 

The Lord truly loves us. I've realized more and more that every bad or good experience I have had has prepared me for right now! In good ways and bad(: Rejoice in pains and infirmities! Take please in reproaches for when we are weak! we are strong! Love you all!

The church IS TRUE! The Lord LOVES you. and there are people who need your testimony more than you could ever know!

 

-Sister Nielson