42nd Week November 18, 2013

Miracle Investigator!!!!

Oh what a crazy week it has been!!! We had a huge miracle moment though! Wednesday was our exchanges with the STLs! Always fun! I actually got to leave my area this time and go work in there area. So as we were working we got a text from the zone leaders. (Whenever someone accepts a specific day for baptism, we send the text to the zone leaders with some catchy like "Tommy wants to be like Christ and get baptized! #9yearoldbaptisms")

That said "Logan wants to be baptized on Dec 15!! #soprepared #exchangemiracles #NorthPadreIsland" Needless to say, I was stoked and so proud of Sister Diaz!! haha it was sister diaz and sister kreis working the island at the time! So the next day I got to meet logan and we talked to him about the doctrine of Christ, had a lesson again on Friday, then he came to church sunday!!! He's a super cool guy! He just moved in with his parents about 5 months ago and is currently working at a bar(we are gonna find him a new job!)

We had a super awesome moment with him though. He came to the singles branch and the branch president lives in our area, so he gave him a ride! But he had to come an hour early. So we decided to give him a tour of the church and talk about the sacrament. as we read through the sacrament prayers, we had Logan read the prayer for the water. After words I felt like I should let him know that although the prayer says "wine" we use water. and he said that makes sense because of underage kids in the congregation... then we explained a little bit about the word of wisdom and how we don't drink at all and he told us that he really wants to quit smoking and drinking. Fast forward to after church!!!

He was feeling a little anxious after church so we asked what was up and he mentioned he didn't bring any cigarettes with him and that it had been 4 hours since he had one. We asked if he'd like a blessing and one of the elders explained what it was. Immediately he said "oh yeah! I definitely need one of those so I can quit smoking!" so actually a member of the ward gave him a blessing, then gave him a ride home! He is a super awesome investigator! We have another appointment with him tomorrow and we are excited to go and see where he is at in his Book of Mormon reading.

 

Finding Logan has been an awesome tender mercy of the Lord! Sister Diaz and I have really been struggling for the past little while with our area. Especially when people who don't understand the area kept telling us we weren't doing enough or kept giving us suggestions of things we were already trying... It was an awesome feeling to have someone at church that really wants to know and is doing what he needs to in order to understand God's plan for him! It also felt good to have some visible proof of the hardwork we are putting in to our area! We have high hopes for this next transfer together and hope to see lots of miracles!!

 

Oh by the way! Transfers are tomorrow! Sister Diaz and I will be getting a third transfer together here on the island! We've been told its going to be cooling down a lot too... we rode the bikes in sweaters and tights this last week and froze! Man... 50 degrees just isn't warm at all when you are used to a good 80-90....

Ah well! I know its all up to the Lord and for sure he is going to make things work according to HIS plan. No matter how smart, hard working, or bold we think we are, if its not in His time, it wont work! A hard lesson to learn and swallow... but very true! I hope all is well in your homes and families and you are diligently searching the scriptures for help! I've taught sister Diaz how to enjoy the scriptures in English and put the stories in context she can relate to... this last week we made the lamanites look like Orcs (Lord of the Rings) when they were attacking the Anti-Nephi-Lehites (: Lots of fun! Love you all! The church is true!

 

Hermana Nielson

41st Week, November 11, 2013

Fuuun in the suuun everybody wants some!

Haha oh how nice this last week has been. Sister Diaz and I wore SWEATERS when we were biking?! How crazy is that??? It got down to a freezing 60 degrees! Haha how sad is that? we had a less active member call us "Texas Wusses" because we were freezing! I just love South Texas!

Remember how we have been biking a lot? Yup we biked every single day this last week! Except Sunday because we couldn't decide if that would count as breaking the Sabbath or not considering the fact we don't HAVE to bike... But it was fun! Sister Diaz has learned how to take one hand off the handle bars and stand up while she is riding! I'm one proud momma missionary!

 

so spiritually fun story for this last week... Sister Diaz invited someone to be baptized! And he accepted!!! Its the first investigator we have had out here that has accepted the invitation to be baptized and we are thrilled! After he said yes sister diaz froze and just looked at me. She didn't know what to do. It was pretty great(: being the good companion I am, I took over the lesson again and set the expectations with him!  ah man! Having investigators that want to learn is seriously the best thing in the whole wide world!!

 

Now I wanna share something I have been thinking about a lot lately...

Missionary work isn't just baptizing. I know I've said that before... but it is a HUGE part of it. Don't get me wrong. But when we think about missionary work in the ward, people get hung up on two ideas. They think that we shouldn't be trying to pull in new members when we have so many less actives on the rolls... we need to just focus on them! Or then get stuck on "oh we need investigators and baptisms! go find them missionaries!" Until we figure out how to balance the two... its very hard for us to bring about success in the Lord's work!

I know a lot of success I feel like I've had in the mission has come from helping people be reactivated... but the joy you feel watching someone come out of the waters of baptism... Nothing quite compares to it!! We have to find an equal balance and you can't leave it all to the full time missionaries! I only have 8 and a half more months to be here in south texas full time preaching the gospel...  When I leave this area... I may never come back or see these people again. (I hope not! but its possible...) Members have to do the work and fellowship!! You need to reach out to your friends... multiple times in the mission I have kicked myself for never saying anything to my friends that are not members. That error will be corrected when I get home! Trust me!

So I guess over all... my message to you today... is don't get stuck on way form of missionary work! reach out and try different things. we were told by our leaders this last week that if we aren't finding investigators in the normal missionary ways... get creative! So we are going to get creative this week! Hellooo Beach! Haha!

Well all! I love you truly and so does the Lord! This church is true and the work will roll on whether we help it or not. Might as well jump in line right? Bring those beloved friends we have to the tree of life and help them partake!

Con carino de la isla de norte padre,

La Hermana Nielson!

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40th Week, November 4, 2013

Because it just wouldn't be the island!

If things weren't crazy! Haha! Oh what an interesting week we have had indeed!

Soo... this last Wednesday.. I hit my half way mark! How crazy is that?! I have now been serving as a missionary for 9 whole months! It doesn't seem real but at the same time... it seems like forever since I last saw my family or talked to them on the phone! (thank goodness Christmas is so close!)

I keep telling my greenie, the days pass long but the weeks pass short! she's realized how true that is as we only have 2 weeks left of this transfer and she's already getting the feelings that I will be leaving her in this area! Yikes! Guess we will have to wait and see on that one!

So! I finally got my packages from the mission home! Sister Diaz had some medicine in a package there so they brought us our packages Wednesday night after returning from zone leader conference. I received SIX packages!!! Oh man I almost cried I was so excited and happy. The best part was, a few of them had sister diaz name on them too so she was super excited! :D (thank you sooo much to those who added stuff in there for her! of course I share everything but its even better when she gets things specifically for her) I seriously am sooo grateful for the support and love I feel from my friends and family back at home! I think I'm the luckiest missionary in the world to have so many people that I love and love me too! So thank you to all who sent some goodies to south texas in the past month!

So I think my best story I have to tell is about Halloween! To be honest, it was my most trunky day I have had in the mission. I truly felt homesick. all week I kept thinking about the fact that you'd be eating hotdogs with out me and it made me sad. So sister Diaz and I bought all the stuff for hotdogs last Monday and we made our own Halloween hotdogs for lunch! They weren't as good as off the grill at home with homemade rootbeer... but it was a blast! Sister Diaz has decided she will continue the tradition for the rest of her life! I told her I'd send her pictures next year when I'm at home of us doing hotdogs so she could truly understand how wonderful Halloween at the Nielson home is!

I feel as though I should share something I've learned in the past 9 months since I have hit my half way mark... I guess... the thing that really comes to mind is how quickly this journey passes by. When we left our heavenly father's presence I think it was very difficult... as excited as we were to start this life journey we were probably a little scared. We knew the challenges we would face. We knew that there would be days when we just wouldn't know what to do. But our father in heaven reassured us that it would all be worth it and we would be back with him some day. That is how the mission is as well. We start this adventure so excited! We've read other missionaries letters, we've learned about the area, but honestly nothing could truly prepare us for the adventure. Every day there is something unexpected no matter how good you are at your nightly planning! That's what the life and mission are about. Making the best plans you can with the time you have, but being willing to follow what the spirits whispers to you even when you don't understand it. The time is short and we can't wait a single second.

I know the next 9 months and gonna fly by as fast as the past 9 months! But I am ready for the adventure and excited to put my faith to work to see miracles! I'm grateful to my Lord and Savior for the mighty miracles he has worked back at home! I love you all! Be Safe and know the Savior Loves you! Our Father in Heaven loves you! The church is true!

Con Carino,

Hermana Nielson

39th Week Oct.28, 2013

Transfer of flat tires

Yep! I did indeed get another flat tire on my bike! luckily, it was super full of slime and we were able to just pump it up and go! But man was i sad when we walked out and my tire was completely flat... Not a good feeling!

So! I have two big exciting stories of the week! Well the ones I find the most interesting at the moment!

First: I did two full days of spanish!!! Ok so to all those that served a foreign mission this doesn't sound exciting.. but let me explain how cool it really was. The first day I did was on tuesday. We had a district meeting so that made it kind of easy. We just did all of our studies and planning in spanish then district meeting is in spanish anyways.. but then began working! Nobody on North Padre speaks spanish... so sister diaz and I would be riding our bikes and yelling back and forth in spanish. (super funny!) then we stopped and talked to people in english, or visited members, (got to speak english for a brief bit!) Then as soon as we walked away, we had to go right back into spanish! I was super proud of myself because I never forgot to go back into speaking spanish and a few times sister diaz would start speaking to me in english and I replied in spanish so she remembered(: It was super cool experience and definitely helped me develope some self control to not be lazy and just speak english. Then we did it again on thursday! That day was a lot harder... I woke up in a bad mood for some reason and kept trying to justify not doing a spanish day even though we already decided it... but my companion reminded me that I wanted to do it in the first place... so I stopped being lazy and we rocked speaking spanish all day long!

That was my personal huge accomplishment for the week!

 

Next funny story! Service with our bike rack! We have this super awesome member that Sister Diaz and I just love. she has a baby about 7 months old that adores sister diaz. so every time we go over she offers to feed us and just is a super awesome member! Well we were driving to try and find someone one night and saw this lady on the side of the rode with a bike and one of those trailer things on the back for a baby and realized it was our member! so we stopped. her bike tire had gone flat and she was a good 2 miles from her house! She had called her home teacher (husband is out of town) and he came to help out. so we put the trailer in his car, and we just so happened to have our bike rack in our car! so we could take the bike back for her(: It was a nice little moment to be able to serve a member who has done soo much service for us already!

 

Ok so i guess I should share some investigator and spiritually awesome things too!

So we had a couple member present lessons this week! We LOVE members! and we ESPECIALLY LOVE when members can come to lessons with us! The lessons were awesome too! We are teaching this 17 year old and he is doing his reading and praying! It rocks and we are super stoked for him! Then we had someone come to church this week. Not just anyone. BUT AN INVESTIGATOR! haha it was Sister Diaz first time with an investigator at church and she just didn't know what to do! But I helped her understand that at church, we step back and let the members do the work! Thats what its really about. The members need to be the ones embracing the people and pulling them into the ward. We just teach them the gospel (: So that was a wonderful little miracle! The best part was, one of the members invited him, not us! Best situation for sure(:

 

Well those are some of our most exciting things this week! We should finally get mail from mcallen this friday! I've had a few people tell me they've sent packages but we haven't gotten anything from mcallen since last month... so i'm excited to see what the elders bring back! Thank you so much for your love and support!

The church is true! Spread the word! :D

Sister Nielson

 

38th Week Oct. 21, 2013

At-One-Ment!

Oh what a week we have had here on North Padre Island!

Thank goodness we had no car issues this week! haha but we did do a lot of bike riding to talk to more people! My bike tire apparently wasn't as fixed as I thought it was when I patched it... we would put air in it at the beginning of the day and by the end it was flat! So my darling elders helped me out and got me a good slime filled tire and by dang... I will not have another flat in my mission! haha

 

Highlight of the week:

This week we had interviews with President Maluenda! To paint you a picture.. he is about 6'4" probably... Chilean and prefers to speak Spanish. I was a bit more than terrified! Being in Corpus(the land of no Spanish!) has not helped my Spanish much and my laziness has definitely contributed to that. So I was super worried about that! But it all went well! Something super amazing about my mission president is that he always tells us that we should pay the most attention to the spirit. whatever the spirit says is the most important thing always. As we were talking, he paused, looked around and sat thinking for a second. Then looked back at me and asked me the exactly question that has been bothering me for a long time. I hadn't mentioned anything. In fact, we had been talking about the fact my brother just got married and this question had NOTHING to do with that. We talked for about an hour and it was exactly what I needed to kind of.. pull myself out of the rut I've been stuck in lately(:

It also gave me a focus for my studies on sunday! The atonement!

 

Now what exactly is the atonement? Well we all know that it involves Christ suffering for our sins... but it has 3 distinct parts. The Garden of Gethsemane, The Cross, and His Resurrection. Something I guess I hadn't thought about is how in depth the suffering in the garden really was...

I know that He understands our pains and can help us with our sins. but as well, Christ felt every temptation, pain, sorrow, happiness, upset, joy, everything. EVERYTHING. He truly understands on a personal level each thing that we pass through. Whether it be great, like the loss of a loved one, or small just as a paper cut! He understands the temptations, the fears, the worries, but also the hopes, the joys, the happiness! How amazing is that?! I know I have definitely had some moments in the mission which I have felt alone... I've felt like I was just walking down the street for no reason. But we are never alone. He always walks beside us because He walked the path first. We need not ever be afraid... because He has overcome these fears...

 

We like to laugh and joke because President Maluenda always says "Disfruten la mission! no las sufren!" Enjoy the Mission! Don't suffer! haha but how true that statement is. We are here to enjoy. to Learn! To grow! In Doctrine and Covenants 19: 17 the Lord tells us "But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I" He went through those pains so that we wouldn't have to. When we choose to rebel and do the things we know we shouldn't... we will feel the sorrow. But it doesn't mean we have to wallow in it and be stuck in that misery. He is reaching out his hand to lift us back up and higher than ever before! How great is the love our Savior has for us!!!

 

I testify to you that our Savior lives and LOVES us. Oh man does he LOVE us sooo much. When we are feeling the most upset and alone, His hand is ever reached out to lift. But we have to make that choice. We have our agency always to act in the way we so choose. wouldn't be easier if we all just chose to be happy? :) I challenge you to look for that happiness in your life. Kneel down before your maker and ask his help to make you stronger and happier. Use the atonement in everyway it is meant to be used! Turn to the Savior that loves you and let that love be felt in your life! He is there. Always there :) and I bear testimony of that in the name of Jesus Christ, amen!

 

-Hermana Nielson

 

37th Week, Oct. 14, 2013

Flat Tires all around!!

 

That's right ladies and gentlemen... i had my first flat tire! Not on my bike mind you... but on my CAR! It was the worst! we were driving the elders home from our pday activity and the warning light for low air pressure came on... sure enough we pulled into the gas station and that baby was FLAT. so the elders changed it for us as I tried not to freak out... and we went to pep boys the next day to get it fixed... then... the next day... my bike tire was flat!

I patched it and it was back in working order! Without getting a single grease spot on my skirt! Pretty impressive if you ask me ;) Sister Diaz and I have been riding the bikes a lot this last week so that we can talk to more people! I've already talked to all the people in our potentials and formers book... so now we need to find some new ones! Its definitely been an adventure! I had another drunk guy ask me if I'd marry him. 

We were talking to this lady and from across the yard this guy yells 'Do you wanna fall in love?' so I just kind of ignored him of course, he had a beer can. Then he walks up... and starts saying all this creepy stuff... "you're really pretty" "you know i need a wife" Talk about weird!! Luckily they weren't interested and we just peddled away VERY quickly! 

I think the best part of this last week was our zone meeting! We had transfers this last week ( sister diaz and i stayed the same since i'm training her and have only been here for one transfer) and we got a new district leader and zone leader. always a fun thing to have a leadership change.

The main emphasis of our training was being excited about the work and just going for it! We have to talk to everyone! Our duty is to invite people to come unto Christ... if we aren't inviting everyone.. well we aren't fulfilling our purpose! So that's the purpose of the bike riding. Its been a huge adventure and man have we been sore lately! But its been worth it to just have the time to talk to everyone. even if people aren't interested, we can return home at the end of the day and maybe feel a little sad for them, but as well we know that we did all we could. That's the most important thing! Putting in your full effort. I don't think i have ever ridden so many miles on a bike! I think my greenie was assuming she'd barely ride her bike in her mission and now she is questioning how sane her companion is.. :) oh well! I have the faith that because we are out there working hard, the Lord is going to provide a way! That's the wonderful thing about the grace of God. We are saved by grace but its not the sense people think... We are saved after all that we can do. We have to follow the example of Christ, be baptized and receive those saving ordinance, we have to share the gospel and love one another, we do all we can, then the Lord takes up the rest and as the Baptist say, "We are saved souls!" We are not saved on our belief allow. Faith without works is just believing, not true faith!

On the Spanish front, I am in 3 Nefi en el libro de Mormon! Super awesome right?! I've got everyone reading with me now. Whenever we are stuck places with the elders i make them pull out their book and read with me. Its been pretty great and helped my understanding a lot! The gospel is so cool. The best part is, even when i don't completely understand what I'm reading, i know what is going on. Not just because I've read it a lot in English, but because the spirit is the same no matter what language it is. I still feel the power of the words and the truthfulness there in. This last week we were reading through the introduction to the book of Mormon with a family and after each paragraph we stopped in talked about what things stood out to them. afterwards we challenged them to get down on their knees and ask again if the book of Mormon is true. because God loves us so much, he is will to make sure we know the truthfulness there of each time we ask. I challenge you to do the same! Read the intro and pray to know. Feel that power again just like the first time(:

Love you all and I wish you the best this week! The church is true, our Savior lives and God loves us!

-Sister Nielson

 

36th Week, October 7, 2013

Conferencia!!!

Oh man! My second general conference in the field!! How weird is that?! One more and I will be on my way home! Yikes!

First some of the funny things of the week!

 

So past sisters got my car rearended... gosh women drivers!(; just kidding. it totally wasn't their fault. but I had to deal with it. so we got a call from the office saying we needed to go get it fixed and arrange things with our zone leader because we probably wouldn't have a car for a few days... Yikes!

So we took the car on Tuesday to the shop early in the morning, did our studies at the church, had our district meeting then had to wait with the bluff elders(we drive them everywhere) for the zone leaders to pick us up and take us home... well we didn't get back to the island until about 5 because they decided they wanted olive garden for lunch/dinner... darn elders!

But when we got home.. we had no car. So we biked! haha oh my dear lanta... my sweet companion is not so great at biking(: But we didn't have a bike accident! So that was wonderful! I love when my companions don't fall off their bikes(: we ended up not having to bike too much because everyone let us in that day! Tender mercy from the Lord. Then Wednesday we got up thinking our car would be done... nope... we biked again! But again, we got into houses so it wasn't so bad. then a member took us in around 3 oclock because our car was done! Sister Diaz was very grateful to not have to bike any more!

 

So that was our main big adventure of the week!

On to conference!!!

 

I love conference as a missionary! Watching it at the church, taking notes and getting answers to questions! I LOVE IT! The funniest part was having my companion ask me what different English words meant. then when Edward Dube started speaking I looked at her and she looked back horrified and said "I cant understand him at all!!!" Ironic that ended up being one of my favorite talks!

I loved how he said "Never look back! Look at what we still have to do!" I think in life we get so focused on wanting recognition for the things we have done that we forget there is still so much to do! still more adventures to be had, still more people to help, still one more door to knock at the end of the day! We can't be afraid to look to the future! There are so many great things in store that our Father in Heaven is just waiting for us to earn and enjoy. I've definitely felt some powerful love from my Heavenly Father during this transfer...

 

Something I also loved from conference is how much they talked about how we must prepare ourselves to share the gospel and such with others. We can't expect the Lord to give us the words we need in the moment we need them if we have not yet studied it out and done our part! President Maluenda challenged us to put away our scriptures of our native language and only read in the mission language. I had already decided I would do that when I got to corpus but its been cool to see the difference... I'm starting to feel the gospel more powerfully because I can't just read over it quickly like I always have before. I have to read deeper and think more about it and instead of reading 5 chapters a day, sometimes I only read 1 or two in the book of Mormon... (well in the Libro de Mormon!) Understand it first, that you might teach it to others.

I am working hard to be a true preach my gospel missionary and know the basics. know exactly what the Lord wants spoken to His beloved children here on North Padre Island. He loves these people just as much as he loves me and my family and friends. so I need to study hard and know His words that they might know of His love as well!

If you haven't read preach my gospel, Read it!!! This week my personal challenge is to read a christlike attribute every day! Yesterday I focused on diligence and today is virtue! I promise if you will do this as well you will feel Christ directing you more! He can only lead you fully as you come to know him. I know Preach my gospel is free online or probably you can download it! so no one has an excuse not to read!! Chapter 6 Christlike Attributes ! one a day!

 

Christ lives. He is our Savior. He loves us and understands every trial and happiness which we pass through. He is always there(: Doubt not, fear not, simply turn to Him and let His ways be yours as well!

con amor de North Padre Island!

-Sister Nielson