Settling In To Mission Life

Eating a Chilean Favorite:  Complatos (not sure how to spell)

Letter Received December 14, 2009:

Dear Everyone:

Sorry again, I am still running late and I will be writing today as much as I can but it was good to hear from everyone and I will be writing just this one big letter this week because time is short and I will write everyone individually next week. Sound good to everyone? Well that’s how it has to be, ha-ha, cause I don’t have time this week because we went to the campo which means country and did a hike to a river for one of my zone leader's birthday today.  But yeah, that was fun, but my bad knee is swollen from the hike and my bad ankle is swollen also but they will be fine later tonight. Lexie, I am sending pics of the closest things to mountains that I have seen so far.

But yeah, everything has been going well but I haven’t had a lot of luck with our investigators because they are all like flaking out but some are doing really well but we are working hard and hopefully we should have some baps in January.  We were supposed to have eleven people in church this last week and we only had eleven but we won't give up. it was kind of a funky Sunday down here this week because they had elections on Sunday and they were all voting and church was only an hour long because of voting, so yeah, kinda weird.  We should have some more people show up this week because there are no excuses this week and everyone should show and we are trying really hard to get the members to get involved more and so we are working hard that way. We have been contacting like crazy and we haven’t been having much luck but it will get better in time.

In this last two weeks I have fully read My Heritage and A Search for Happiness. It's crazy because I hate to read but here I love it for some reason because I can't put the books down. But here we have had good investigators and they are really bomb and they love us.  Our main cool investigator is  leaving this week to go stay with her boyfriend that she has been with for fifteen years but just never got married and that isn’t a good relationship that we have to figure out.  But they are bomb and they love me because I am a gringo and they love the way that I talk Spanish.  I love that family!  They want to be baptized, but we can't with the relationship that she is in with this guy and Anna's boyfriend doesn’t know that she has been sharing with us and he doesn’t like people so yeah she still has to tell him about us.  So, she is going to stay with him for three months so I don’t know what is going to happen with her sharing wise but we will figure it out.  But that’s one of the people that I am teaching, so you know a little about somebody here.

The food isn’t getting much easier to eat but I am still trying hard to do it. I am losing weight, I am guessing about ten pounds. And I have still been having my headaches.  I am making sure that I eat as much as I can so that I don’t get a migraine.

But it's good to hear about Christmas.  I will let you know more next week.  I will try to figure that out but if we have to at worst case I can make like a five minute phone call next week to tell you what the deal is my comp said.  So yeah, we will figure that out and he told me it will definitely be before six o' clock our time and I am guessing that it is about 2 o' clock your time so before then. But I know that I only get a hour to talk to everyone on Christmas. So it would be best for everyone to be in the same place so that I can talk to everyone.

It sounds like everything is going good for you guys there.  Sounds cold and a lot of snow which I wish it was here because Christmas isn’t going to be the same without snow here.  It is so hot!  I am sweating constantly.  But yeah, that is Chile for ya, ha ha.  I haven’t received my package because they go to the mission home and I don’t get it till they bring it so I could get it by Christmas and I could not, but we will see. But I miss you guys so much. Tell Taylor and the hijos that I miss them very much and that I love them so much as I do the rest of all of you. That’s too bad to hear about Lyndsay and Justin's misfortunes, no bueno. But times get harder before they get easier, but yeah, no good.  Got to go, I love you all.  Hope that I answered some questions for you but didn’t have much time, I will try better next week . The next package for me would be awesome if you could send me my fox hat or big black hat for p-day.  Just saying for the next one, ha ha.  Love you all so much, will try to do better next week.

Love Elder Nelson

In the car with an investigator, Anna and her family.  This is Anna's daughter.

 Here are some pictures from the trip to the country:

 

 

 

 

  

 

2nd Letter from the Mission Field

Letters Received November 30, 2009: 

Hey mom,                                                        

How is it going there?   It sounds like you guys had a good Thanksgiving, wish that I could have been there.  I am  glad that Lexie and you guys had fun on her b- day, sounds like everyone has been super busy and loving it, ha ha.   I bet it was awesome not to have to shop on black Friday.  How has Grandpa Wayne been doing?   Everything seems to be going good here.  We are contacting a ton. We have 9 people that we are teaching the lessons to and 4 of them have baptism dates and seem to be taking the right steps to get there, so we will see in about a month if I have some baptisms.   Spanish is still coming; I am trying to work hard on that. 

I really miss American food for sure, that is one thing that I could ask for Christmas is treats and what not, like jerky and stuff.  Everything is really expensive here. I am glad that everything seems to be going well with you let me know if there is anything new with you.   It’s crazy almost two and a half months down already.  I still have been having back problems and I have been getting some pretty bad headaches I think it is the lack of food and walking a ton so I am trying to pace myself.  My comp is starting to get on my nerves because everything has to be done his way and sometimes it’s not the way that I want to do stuff cause the way that he wants to do it isn’t logical that is all part of the experience and so that is how it is with my comp.   It’s good to hear how everyone is doing.
                                                                                                              
Love and miss you,

Elder Nelson

Dear dad,


So yeah, everything is starting to set in with the schedule and everything.   We have 9 people that we are teaching the lessons and 4 with bap dates so we will see in the next month or so if I have baptisms and they seem to be progressing well and I have been working hard and my back is still killing me so I have to buy a bag here so I took some money from the account it sounds like everyone is doing well at home.   I miss you guys tons just think why you guys were eating dinner on Thanksgiving I was yelling doors. well that’s the mish, ha ha. we had a member that we asked to make us lunch on thanksgiving she made us turkey and the whole bit, so that was nice. it was good.  It sounds good about riding I definitely miss that. That is good to hear that Brach is doing better and isn’t delayed and it is good to hear that everyone had a good Thanksgiving.  I know how Brit feels cause that is how I felt right before I left to.  How are you liking the new TV? I bet it was good not to have to go shopping on black Friday.   I can’t believe it is already Christmas prep time, here it doesn’t feel like it cause its like 90 degrees here, I am sweating so bad. Well I got to go but I love you and miss you tons.

Elder Nelson

My First Area: Jardin del Valle

dear lex and family:

happy birthday this week. i wish that i could have sent you something but by the time that you would get it it would be like  a month.

it's good about your job and the pie party. i am glad to see pictures of home and the pie party.  that's cool about the snow. the first day of the actual mission i got here and it poured rain so i was totally soaked, but, oh well, that's the mission for you. ha ha. that's sweet that you get a company truck. what kind is it? do you still have your car? if so, that is a lot of cars at the house, ha ha. but yeah, sounds like work is hard but good for you. good to hear that everyone is doing well. i missed the pie party that makes me sad that is the only thing that i look forward to during thanksgiving. oh well, that is what is going to happen on Christmas. i have some bad news about the call on Christmas, i only get a half hour to talk on the phone, so that sucks bad! but i guess you got to go with what you got. i don't have that many pictures yet so i will send some another day so that you can see what the area is like.

my first week i have been exhausted by the time that i hit my bed. i am like already asleep when i am walking to bed. it's so crazy! we got right to work right when we got here. i flew from santiago south to concepcion and then drove north half the way back on a bus for four hours to jardin del valle around talca. we are in the ghetto, the ghetto! think about the ghetto of ogden times like ten! all the houses are tiny and every house is connected to the next and they are tiny. our house is small. i have 3 guys that i am living with. my comp, which his name is elder murillo, is from logan and his parents are from el savador so he is dark skinned and speaks spanish so well that all the people think that he is a local and i am the only gringo.

i got sunburned when we were doing service digging holes for trees and so i am like a tomato. nobody can understand me and likewise i can't understand them. this language is not the same one that they taught me in the mtc, just like in the best two years. every house has a fence with a gate with spikes on the top and you have to yell halo pronounced "alo" outside the gate for the people to come outside and so that's interesting. everyone here is evangelical and catholic and i have had so many doors slammed in my face. there are dogs everywhere that, like, are all diseased and they all want to eat me. they are everywhere and the people here drive crazy. i am so surprised that i haven't been run over yet! i almost got hit by a bus last night, if i wouldnt have jumped out of the road he would have hit me. we have been working hard we have nine investigators right now that all have soft baptismal dates and a lot of them seem like they really will get baptized. but yeah, we'll see. the ward here is really tiny. everyone here calls me elder nuevo cause i am new, so yeah, that is like my only name not nelson, nuevo.

our house is tiny and we don't have any furniture we only have those white plastic chairs with a white plastic table and i haven't had any time to unpack. right now i have been living out of my suitcases cause by the time we get home i am exhausted. the plane ride was long and i didn't get a wink of sleep for some reason but oh well. but anyway, my sector is huge! i will never run out of work here for sure there is so many people. we're not allowed to play soccer so that sucks, but we do get a lot of time to email so that is good. the food here is not good. so far i am struggling so bad with that and everything here is really expensive and we get like no money. but o well, i guess. i am trying to eat all the stuff here because if you don't like clean your plate they get offended easy so i hope that it works out that way.

a couple things that i would really like is i need a scripture bag that has a shoulder strap and can strap around the waist only because my back and shoulders are killing me so that would be amazing if you could, but yeah, if not i will find one here. and to let you know about packages they get sent to the mission home then to us so it takes like three weeks for a package to get to the home and we don't get them from there for like three weeks so if you are going to send stuff for christmas then probably need to do it this week. but that's pretty much it about chile for now let me know if there is anything else that you want to know. its good to here from you all thanks for everything i miss you all tons good to hear that everyone is doing well.

love elder nelson

Safe Arrival in Chile ... So Tired and Nervous!

Letter Received 17 November 2009:

Dear Family:

Well sorry I didn't get to call you back as I planned.  Everyone was crowding around security so we had to get in line.  I tried to call from Peru but, yea, it didn't work.  But they wanted to have us write you and they will send them tomorrow to you.  But it is crazy here.  It is nothing like I pictured it would be.  I haven't met my trainer yet but that's coming soon and they tell us that we are going out to work tonight, so we'll see how that goes.  I am so nervous right now, I can't even explain.  That was the longest plane ride of my life and I only have slept, like, literally two hours in the last two days.  I wish I could have called you back but at least I got to talk to you when I did.  It sounds like P-day is going to be on Monday so expect that.  People drive crazy here!  There are little houses centimeters away from each other, it's crazy.  But everything is good so far.  Love you guys.  Can't wait to tell you more.

Elder Nelson

Elder Nelson with President and Sister Chavez

 

We received this map with the email.  We assume it means Elder Nelson's first area is Talca.

Travel Itinerary - Leaving the MTC!

You will depart from the MTC on 16 Nov 2009.  You must report to the Travel Office at 3:00 AM ...

LV:  Salt Lake City, UT  6:00 AM 16 November 2009
AR:  Los Angeles, CA  6:55 AM 16 November 2009

LV:  Los Angeles, CA  12:00 PM 16 November 2009
AR:  Santiago, Chile  6:15 AM 17 November 2009

LV:  Santiago, Chile 8:00 AM 17 November 2009
AR:  Concepcion, Chile 9:05AM 17 November 2009

Less Than a Week Till I Go!

Letter Received November 11, 2009:

hey, how is everything going, family? i got your dear elders yesterday. first off i want to thank you lexie for you letter it helped me so much. thanks. but that's awesome that you got hired on at a company that is close and on top of that i just want to say that is the answer to our prayers. i told you that you would get one if you just hung in there and look what happened. sweet! so, any who, ya i will probably will  be sending a package home with stuff for you to send to me when i get there.

but any who, life at the mtc: you know how we taught the newbies last week? well, it went so good they asked us to do it again this week for our last p day. sweet huh! so still the only elders to do that, so that's cool. but i am definitely ready to leave the mtc but not ready, if you know what i mean. i am actually excited to pack, ha ha. who is ever excited to pack other than missionarys? ha ha. but i am glad that my zune is comin!

but any who, we had a good testimony [meeting] where i bore my testimony probably for the last time to this district and it took me about twenty five minutes which was probably too long but oh well. that is something else that i am going to miss is my district.  here most of them are a good guys, some of the other ones are kinda annoying but i still love them.

but any who, that's pretty much all the news here not much just finishing stuff up here. not anything new. what has been goin' on there? what have you all been doing? its good to hear that everyone is doin' well. but any who i have to go, i will leave enough  time so that i can check this tonight but ya so i got to go but will check at like five fiffteen. love all you guys cant wait to talk to you.

love,
elder austin nelson

Flight Plans and Being the Oldest District

Letter Received November 9, 2009:

Dear family

Hey, how is everything going?  I just thought that I would write you and send you a copy of my flight plan info so that you could see the times and what I need to do.  Plus, I get a five hour lay over where I get to call you guys.  If you could work out that Lyndsay and Justin and everyone be at the the house so I can talk to everyone at like 8:30 that would be awesome.  So, if you could send me a card with at least that much time plus I will be calling from LAX, cool huh?  Well, any who, yeah, I am definitely worried about packing and being within weight.  But, I can't wait to be able to call everyone.  I know some Spanish but I am not knowing how I am going to understand the Chileans, but we'll see, ha, ha. 

Both Tyson's cousins are here now and Clarke is feeling homesick way bad, but we have the same meal times so I am helping him with that.  I love talking to Clarke cause he has so much MTC to go and he is like I don't know how I am going to do it.  He is like I have been here for three days and it feels like forever.  I told him after the first week they start to fly, which is true.  Think, almost two months of my mission is over.  But it does feel like forever away from you guys.  But I know that I am blessed because I am here and I know that you will be blessed for your sacrifices.

Well, I have like become a celebrity among the newbies.  They keep coming up to me and talking to me about when we taught in front of them.  I have to admit, it is kinda cool to have a lot of people recognize you.

There is not much to report since I wrote to you like two days ago.  I have to teach class today (well, tomorrow, but it will be today, Saturday, when I send this).  I have to teach present subjunctive Spanish to my district.  Crazy, huh!  I can't wait to be able to come home and spit some Spanish with you guys.  Plus, me and Tyson will both be able to speak it.  That will be sweet!

But, any who, it is definitely cool to be the oldest district here because like everyone doesn't boss us but they ask for advice, which is cool.  But, I am definitely excited to go to Chile.  I have made a lot of friends that I want to see after the mission, like Tyson's comps, they are bomb, and some of my district and some of the kids that are from Utah Valley that are from my zone.  Well, I need to get to bed, I wanted to send you my flight plans so you could plan.

Love,
Austin

(Note:  Elder Nelson leaves for Chile on November 16 and arrives November 17)

Opportunity to Teach New Missionaries

Letter Received November 4, 2009:

dear family

i got all the emails and thank everyone for writing to me. it was so good to hear from every one. well, i will start out. there is not much going on here. pretty much all the same typical mtc stuff. we are pretty much just reviewing every thing now. we have gone over all the spanish principles and are not just trying to learn it all any more. something cool that is new, they have newbie devo tonight where they do an example of teaching and its for all the new missionaries that come in. normally they have the teachers be the missionaries that teach it, but this week is the first time that they let any missionaries teach it, and me and my comp and district are the first missionaries to have to teach all the new elders and sisters. that's cool, huh! well, this sunday we have to usher for the sunday devo and that's really cool cause some elders in my district have to say the prayers in front of the whole mtc, so thats cool. but there isn't much new going on here, that's pretty much all the exciting stuff. but any who, that's cool about the zune just make sure that you send a speaker with it cause otherwise i have no way of listening, and a charger please and thank you much! but ya um i am pretty much out of time. i will write some letters if anyone gets my emails befor six i am going to check this at four fourty five, so if you can write back today do so. ha ha. love you all, i am going to leave just enough time to check this. i love you so much, can't wait to talk to you.

love and miss you all
love your son and brother

elder nelson

First Pictures from the MTC

Pictures Received October 30, 2009:

Some of my district by the fountain at the Provo Temple.

Two of my roommates:  Elder Hadfield (left) is the jokester and Elder Wilhelm (right) is my new District Leader.

Elder Stevens (left) and Elder Fuimaono.  Elder Fuimaono is from Samoa and is one of the funniest kids I know.

The three amigos:  me, Tyson, and Ethan.

 

The best two Elders I know!

Me and my companion, Elder Christenson, at the MTC sign.

My companion's cheesy map pic.

My cheesy map pic.

Oops!  Not ready for the pic.

 Me and Elder Church, he is a baller.

Me and Elder Harris.

My first awesome set of Zone Leaders.  Elder Starkie (left), Elder Gibby (right), me (middle).

 Elder Gibby is a surfer boy from Cali.

Elder Starkie is a bomb singer.

Teaching in Spanish for the First Time

Letter Received October 28, 2009:

dear family

how is everything going at home? well i got you package the other day which was awesome! thank you so much for the stuff! we are going to have a halloween party in our room on halloween so all that stuff works out really well and it was good to get more salsa and stuff. my district is pouring over it and much love sent from them for the stuff. those cake things were awesome that was a good idea and they were awesome. any who, thanks. it was good to here about your fun time carving pumpkins. that's good for jace that he has found a girl to start dating. she looks really cute. ya i can look at the pictures but they do take along time to look at . but o well i just sent home a bunch of pictures today. i cant send them through email. one, i don't think that they will let me and two, i don't have the cord to connect to the computer. its in the box that my camera came in which i don't know where it is.

but everything here is going good. i went to the trc and taught my first lesson and the first lesson in spanish and it went amazing. i don't even know what i said but i know that it was amazing cause the lady thought that it was our like fifth time teaching in spanish and ya so that was good. your quotes that you sent were really good lex thank you. last night was awesome! we had a devo with an apostle, L. Tom Perry came and it was the most spiritual meeting. i was like forty feet from him, it was amazing. i took like four pages of notes.

tyson leaves on tuesday which makes me sad but o well. class is going really good. i have still been going to the tutor and working hard on spanish. i can't believe that i only have three weeks left! thats nuts! but two things that i need are i need money so i don't have to keep using my card cause it is for emergencies and i need a phone card so that i can call you when i am at the airport i should have a couple hours because i should have a couple layovers. i dont know what times yet but i will let you know.

class and everything here is pretty much the same. i told you all the big news. i don't know what else to say here. what's all been going on at home with everyone? how is riding going? have you put the street bikes away yet? we got snow down here but nothing stuck. what has been going on with everyone? that sucks that craig has been sick. how are lyndsay and justin doing? it has been good to here from you all. i love you and willl write letters. how has jace, mom, and dad? i miss you all so much can't wait to talk to you. love you and miss you all.

love your
elder austin

Catching Up and Doing Great

Letter Received October 21, 2009:

dear family

thats cool about rudi and kyler. i knew that brit would realize that he likes 450s. anyway, whos did he ride? i knew that he liked them. what made rudi and kyler start asking about the church? but any who, that sucks the track was bad. its no good to hear about that guy. i don't remember him, but that still is no good. but i miss riding so bad but, o well, it will be there when i get back. surprisingly, i am missing snowboarding like way bad. it just seems like time to start getting ready for that time of year, even though in chile i will be going right back to spring. but ya everything sounds good at home. i hope that everything is going well at home. i am praying for you guys alot, everyday here, muliple times a day. but that's cool that lyndsay is doin really good. it is good to hear from everyone. thanks for all the packages and stuff.

everything here is pretty much the same here. i have had a lot of spiritual expeiriences here, especially on tuesdays. we always have devotional district review that ends up turning into a testimony meeting. they are awesome and my district is tight now. i talked to that kid in my district about music and what not and now we're tight and we switched dl's (district leaders) and the new one is my roomate. he is way chill. spanish is starting to come a little cause i have been going to the tutor like crazy and they have been helping me a lot and its been good. my teachers have noticed the difference and keep setting me up times and so its kinda working out even though it gets kinda stressed at times. but oh well, everything else is kinda the same here, not much new to report. i have pictures to send home and i will send those home this week but ya i am out of cash, so i had to get some money out for food at the temple today. so ya i thought well i still have my atm card from america first so you could just put some money on that instead of sending it through the mail and it would be secure but let me know what you want to do. but ya i would like some salsa, a calendar, and just what ever you can think of that you would want to send and it will be fine mom. i will write letters to people cause its hard to get everyone in one letter. oh, preferably a motocross calendar. thanks. but have you got those family pics? if you do that would be dandy. ok, well i got to go, but i love you all. i will write as soon as i can.

 love elder nelson

Homesick and Frustrated

Letter Received October 14, 2009:

hey, whats up everybody? just to let you all know i can print off your letters so you can make emails as long as you want cause it wont take my time on the compy.

so every thing here is kinda stressful cause i am super behind on all my spanish classes. gospel stuff is really good but, yeah, spanish is not going well at all and i had like the worst day ever this week. i wanted to come home so bad i was getting frustrated with spanish and my teachers cause i couldn't get them to help me. but then i forgot to put the cap back on my pen and i put it in my shirt pocket and it was a fountain pen and it totally ruined my shirt so ya i am down a long sleeved shirt. then i had a teaching appointment that i wasn't ready for and so it didn't go well. i was feeling really sick so that day was horrible and i wanted to come home so bad . i have been sincerely humbled. but i am doing better now but my homesickness has kicked back in. it has been good to hear from home. i got your packages today thank you so much for them i loved them.

other classes have been good. i went to the phone call referral center and i called a guy and got him to accept the book of mormon and to get discussions from the missionaries. cool huh. dad, what have you been up to lately? what bike are you going to get if this one sells? what have you been doin' other than work? i have been praying to get a letter soon from you cause i have been way home sick. it really helps to hear from home.

hello, rest of the family. spanish is really hard and i am falling behind but gospel classes are really good and i am sure that dad will tell everyone about the guy in the reference center but thank you so much for the packages! how is everyone doing? what have lexie and craig been up too? did lexie sell her car? everything is hopefully going to pick up here its been kinda hard but i have been spending a lot of time on my knees. that's cool for jace that he won battle of the bands and that you are recording and it would be awesome if you could look out for a cheap zune. that's awesome though i want to hear the new stuff when it comes out for sure. mom, how has everything been going for you? what have you been up to? thanks for the packages. don't have much time left if you have anything that you want to know write me and i will answer them. but did lyndsay and justin get that place? how has everything been going with them? how did the trade show go? but i have to go, my time is up. i love you all.

love elder nelson

Mi Testimonio/My Testimony

Letter Received 13 October 2009:

En Enspanol:

Yo se que Jesu Cristo vive.  Yo se que Jose Smith es una profeta verdad.  Yo se que dios amo mi.  Yo se que yo tiene la evangelio.  Yo se que Thomas S. Monson es una profeta de dios.  Yo se que arrepentirse es parte de plan de dios.  Yo se que la iglesia de Jesu Cristo es verdad.  En el nombre de Jesu Cristo.  Amen.

(Apenado es mui poquito)

In English:

I know that this church is true.  I know that Thomas S. Monson is a true man of God.  He leads and guides us today.  He received revelation for the Church.

I know that Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins.  I know that Heavenly Father loves us, that he knows each of us personally.

I know that Joseph Smith saw God the Father and the Son, that Joseph Smith was a man of unquestionable faith and wisdom. That I am thankful for the trials he went through, for without Joseph Smith there would be no Church.

I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God, that if any book on earth is true, the Book of Mormon would be the one.

I have a testimony of prayer.  I know that if we ask in prayer to our Heavenly Father with a sincere heart and have faith that he will help and bless us.

I know that God has sent me on a mission for people that need the gospel in their life.  I know that the Lord will bless me with the gift of tongues and I will take the gospel to them.

I bear this testimony in the name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

General Conference was Great!

Letter Received October 7, 2009:

hey family

everything is going ok here. i got sick this week though, it was no good, when i say sick i mean i got a migraine. it was scary. i don't know why i got one. i haven't even been doin' anything that would bring one on. thanks for the package. it was awesome and i love the pics that taylor and hailey sent, however, they were the wrong shoes. ha, ha, so i will send them back, ha, ha. i need the white and orange toed ones, these ones are two sizes to big. ha ha thanks though. i am glad for the shirts.

conference here was really cool i got a lot more out of it here than i usually do. elder holland's talk was awesome! it did not however feel the same going to priesthood with out all you guys and going to dinner afterwords. i definitely missed that for sure but its all good it was a good weekend think its weird i have already almost been out a month and there is so much work to be done. but my spanish is starting to come a little better. the devotional was really good last night we had ben b banks come and speak to us. he was really good. it seems like everything is changing rapidly at home. i'm not going to recognize anything when i get home. my classes are going good. sorry i haven't written my testimony down yet but i will and i will print out some pics to send home with it in a letter. i am going to send some individual letters.

but the food is still horrible here and i definitely wish we had more gym time. i don't remember if i told you that i get to call home on the 16th of november when i get to the airport if i can get to a pay phone it will be awesome. even though i don't know what time the flight will be so it could be at like three in the morning. classes here are getting kinda stressed here but they will be fine. me and my comp and most of my district are getting along really well. however, there are two of the kids in my district that i want to ring their necks and one got in my face yesterday but i kept my calm. so that's something that i will have to work out. its good to hear from everyone and i love to get the letters and packages.

i cant wait for a apostle to come here and speak to us that would be awesome. i have ten minutes left but i have to switch my laundry i will get on in just a bit...

...but any who everything is going good here and i am miss you all. not really other than conference to report here pretty basic stuff. just class. one thing that i can tell brit and brach is to tell them to help them prepare for their missions is to study the crap out of preach my gospel and the book of mormon and they will for ever be grateful! but not really much to report here i will write more letters to each of you. love you all.

sincerly austin wayne nelson
elder nelson

Fasting, Praying, and Bearing Testimony

Letter Received September 30, 2009:

hola mi familia!
how has everything been going? goin pretty good here. spanish is not coming very easy and it will come though but i am learning a lot about the gospel and about myself and my comp. pretty much class is about all we do and then we have teaching appointments that we have with teachers and vollenters (i don't know how to spell it o well ha ha). i'm starting to get used to it here i am definitely lookin forward to the 16th of Nov. though. guess what, i can call you guys from the airport so yeah i will tell you when my flight and that is when i find out but if i get to pay phone i can call! i haven't ran out of money i just thought it would be smart to try my card before i got to chile you know. ha ha. i don't any more shots right now but i do have to get one more hep shot for the last one but no on the swine flu they didn't say anything about one yet. that's cool i am so glad to hear about lyndsay and justin's experience and stuff like that i will fast and pray for them this week. the food here is starting to make me sick every time i eat so please send lots of cups of noodles cause that sounds golden to me here anything that can be microwaved is awesome thanks for the package i just picked it up. i think that's cool that lyns and justin might be moving. those rice crispies with the caramel and chocolate are divine and are from the gods please send much more of those please!;) how are things going at home and stuff like that. i miss you guys so much i cant stop thinkin about you guys! i joined the choir but were not singing in conference. bummer, huh, that would have been so tight! thats cool for lexie that you have been having some good luck with the job situation and all i hope everything goes well  i know they will things will pick up for you lexie cause i fasted and pray for you to get a job every day i fasted for you last fast sunday that was one of the few things that i fasted for.  i will right down my testimony sometime this week and send it off too you all along with some pics. please send me some of the family pictures that we took that would be awesome what's going on with all the people in the family? it would be awesome to hear what's going on with each person. i am so happy with all the letters and stuff i have been getting. my comp and i had a really good teaching appointment and i felt the spirit work through me and it was amazing. then we had a devo (devotional) and it was amazing after cause we had district meeting after and we all made comments and i felt the spirit stronger than i have ever before. i was testifying and i started to ball like a baby. i couldn't hold it back. it was bad but it was good. what's going on with craig and justin? i have been having my good days and my bad but everyone does. tell taylor that i got his picture and its up in my room i will send a pic of it with me. i wish i had time to nap but o well that sucks. well i will right more in letters but i am out of time. love all you, can't wait to hear from you.

things i would like:
dp or mt dew
please send my b ball shoes so i have them for here then i will send them back or i will just give them away
more salsa my district ate all of it so fast it was bomb
please please send my adtr shirt along with my villopoto shirt and like five other shirts and please send lots more ankle socks
but that's pretty much it k

amor mi familia
love elder nelson

The Spirit is Strong

Letter Received 23 September 2009:

hey evryone!

i miss all of you so much but everything is good here still kinda stressed though but its getting better . the spirit is so strong here i just got the package that you sent me which was awesome by the way thanks lexie i love you soooooooo much! but any who my comp is from american fork and he is a straight up baller! and he loves the spirit and he is very smart im doiong ok in class spanish is hard and is coming slowly and the gospel is hard i have my first teaching expierience this week we have to teach a teacher that is acting as a investogator i am super nervous sorry i didnt email sooner this is the only day that we are actually supposed to write tell taylor thanks for the picture it was awesome i am goin to put it up in my room along with the chile flag thanks for that mom i think that i want my thinner pillow and i want to wish mom and taylor a happy late birthday ! i am sad that i missed them ! i have seen tyson three times i get to sit with him every sunday and tuesday and sunday at the devotionals here! i have never felt the spirit so much in my life and i am becoming the man of god that i should be by im trying so hard and praying not to be home sick i know that the lord will bless me and i will be able to push through this. the food is gettin old really fast here and i am gaining weight like you cant belive i have already gained seven pounds! tell lyndsay  that every one loved the apple that she gave me and tell her thanks every thing is so busy here all the time everything is super scheduled and crazy but the spirit is strong like in the temple. im glad that i have had alot of letters keep them coming tell grandma and grandpa thanks for them how is every one doing there whats been going on i just wish that i could call you all but guess what i get to call all you guys when i get to the airport why i am waiting for my flight but one a bad thing mom and dad is that my credit card doesnt work at all! but everyone write me please i love to read whats going on at home and how everyone is doin thanks for everything so far!

things i need and would like
conditioner
thick white hangers
my thin pillow
more stuff that i can shine my shoes
small soccer sized beach ball to play with in my room
i cant wait to here back from every one how is my bike treating you dad  do you ride it everywhere? well my time is up so i have to go we only have a half hour love you all

elder nelson
ps miss you

MTC Address

If anyone would like to write to Elder Nelson, his address is:

Austin Wayne Nelson
MTC Mailbox # 330
CHI-CON 1116
2005 N 900 E
Provo, UT 84604-1793

Please note the following items:

1.    Missionary service began upon arrival.  Please do not arrange or request visits with your missionary, particularly "unanticipated" meetings at the temple or in proximity to the MTC.

2.    All missionary mail must come through the US Mail or commercial delivery services.  Hand delivered items will NOT be accepted.  Do not send pizzas, fast foods, ice-cream, or any items that will spoil if they are not refrigerated within 24 hours.  Missionaries are not called out of class to receive packages, nor do they have access to a refrigerator.

3.    Communicate with your missionary weekly through letters sent to the above address or through the email account that the missionary will set up within the first two weeks.  Only immediate family can send to this email account.  Telephone calls for missionaries cannot be accepted.

4.    Families and friends should not plan to visit departing missionaries at the airport or MTC.  Farewells should have been said at home before the missionary arrived at the MTC.

First Letter from the MTC ... Reality Hits!

Letter Received 19 September 2009

Dear Mom and Dad and Family:

I miss you guys so much!  It's insane here like everything is planned for you like every second of the day.  It's work, work work, then sleep, then more work!  But I guess that's o.k. I guess I'm like exhausted though.  My comp is awesome, his name is Elder Christienson.  He is a lot like me.  We already get along awesome.  My district is awesome.  They all remind me of people I know!  But there all way chill.  The food is good!  Not going to lie I miss pop!  Ha Ha but doing good.  I saw Tyson for like a whole thirty seconds.  I think we're on like totally different time schedules.  But its o.k.  I know I will see him sometime.  My teachers are cool but its way overwhelming!  'Cause its like I'm stressed and it just keeps coming.

I have 3 roommates there way chill.  I need like all the extended family's addresses.  Especially Britt!  I have so much to tell him.  How is everyone doing with out me there?  What's everyone up to?  I can't wait to hear from you guys.  I love you guys.  Write lots.  Miss you guys a lot and my bed.  Please send lots of goodies like drinks if possible.  Love you guys so much.  I am doing well but stressed.  I can't wait to hear from you.

Love,
Elder Nelson

Entering the MTC

Elder Nelson entered the MTC on 16 September 2009.  It was an emotional day of goodbyes.  Good luck Elder Nelson, we love you.

Before leaving the house, Elder Nelson took one last ride down the street on his motorcycle.

Family is no longer allowed in the MTC with the missionaries.  Goodbyes are said at the curb and then a missionary escorts your son or daughter into the buildings.  We took a few pictures at the sign before dropping him off.

We said one last goodbye at the curb, he gathered his bag, and began his journey.

Trip the Salt Lake Temple

Austin was set apart as a missionary on 14 September 2009.  He received a blessing as a part of that setting part that was quite moving.  He definitely has an important work to do among the people of Chile.  The day before he entered the MTC was spent with family.  He spent the morning at the Salt Lake Temple and enjoyed his first live session.  Later that day we took family pictures and went to dinner.

Here are a few pictures outside the temple.