Lots of Work to Do

Letter Received August 23, 2010:

Hey Family:


Well, this letter is going to be short because I don't have much time to write today.  I am doing really well this week I have been able to feel like we have been able to just do some normal work and that we have been able to just teach some lessons like we should be.  I don't really have to get to know more people because I have been able to get to know the basics on pretty much everybody here in the ward and it sems that we have like six people that are really progressing and making the steps towards baptism.

We are going to have two baptisms this coming week and they are golden and they are for sure going to get baptized this next week and we are going to try and have like three others in the next couple weeks.  My companion and I are getting along really well.  Its not that me and Elder Clark didn't work hard, but I am glad that even though that I really enjoyed my time with Clark, I am glad that with the change at least I got a comp that likes to work hard. 

I think that this week is going to be one of the best in my mission because we are looking at the goals that we have set and they are really high.  I know that they are reachable but we are going to have to work our butts off.  I am really doing well and I am enjoying my new sector.  It does seem though that the time is going by really fast but I guess that means that I have been busy so that is a good thing.  I am missing my sector still, but it is all good, I think that I will miss it for a while and I am doing well in my new sector and I really feel that there are a lot of people that are prepared to hear the message that I have for them. 

There are some people that have been waiting for some time to hear what we have to say because the ward here the attendance is really low and I really feel like we could really help that a lot and we need to baptize a lot.  There just is not people in the church and there are a lot of people here looking for the truth and I feel like we have found some of those people in just the little time that I have been here.  I am doing really good.  My comp and I have so much fun together.

That is so tight that Corbit is going to Tyson's mission.  Tell him that I am so proud of him and that I love him and I can't wait to spit Spanish with him when he gets home. When does he leave?  It sounds like you all had a good time in Bear Lake.  I miss Bear Lake, I love boating!  I am glad to hear that everyone is doing well. What is Lyndsay going to do without the kids there?  Ha, ha, ha. Well, I don't have a whole lot of time.  That is really cool that Lexie and Craig have been able to find a car.  I love you all and miss you tons.

Love,
Elder Nelson

Sudden Transfer to New Area - Chillan Nuble

Letter Received August 16, 2010:

Hey:

Momita and Our House in Collao

Well, I guess I will talk about some of the stuff that has happened this week that is kinda sad that I kinda have mixed feelings about. Well, they did an emergency transfer because a missionary in Chillan, which is my new sector, was having some problems ùp here and the President called me after I got of a mini change with one of my Zone Leaders.

 One of the Few Hugs I Gave On My Mission

It is weird because the President doesn't call unless he is going to be making a change in leadership or if you did something really bad because he usually just tells the leaders to talk to you if there really is a problem that is not so big.  Since he was calling, I thought that we did something wrong on the mini change that we did, but the President started talking to my companion, Elder Clark, and I was like, what is going on?  Then the President asked to talk to me. So, I was thinking to myself, what did I do!?  I answered the phone and the President was asking me how am I doing and I was like, I am good just really enjoying the sector and working hard.  He asked me about the change that we did and I was like, it went really well because it really did and I knew that I wasn't doing anything wrong and he was like that is good. He said to me, "Well, Elder Nelson, we have a new assignment for you.  I need you to go to Chillan and change places with an Elder there. You will be in Chillan Nuble and  the missionary there is going to go to your sector."

 Me and My Comp Elder Findlay

 Me and Fins

He said that when I finish with my new comp, Elder Findlay, who is going home in October, that I am going to be Senior Companion.  The thing is, once again I am comp with a District Leader.  Every comp that I have had in Chile has been District Leader.  The President told me that I need to prepare myself to become Senior Companion.  He keeps dropping little hints that I might be getting a leadership position and that my companion right now is going to help me become more ready for more responsibility.

 Me and Moss, We Lived Together in My First Sector

I talked to my Zone Leaders and they said that the President told them that I am preparing for a leadership position, so, we are going to see in October what happens.  The President has definitely been hinting to me about it.  It is weird that out of 156 missionaries that he could have picked, that he could have done this emergency change, he picked me.  I think that it is because we had a Zone Conference with him and it was just our Zone that was in training and I made a good amount of comments and what not and it really seems that the Mission President is happy with the way that things have been going  for us.

  

 We All Came to Chile On the Same Flight

What makes it even more crappy is when he told me that I was leaving the sector it was noon and he said that you leave at four o'clock. So, that means that I had three hours to eat lunch, pack, and say goodbye to people.  It was really sad because I really didn't want to leave my sector and not only that but I didn't get to say goodbye to like anyone and so I really miss my old sector.  But it will be good.  We for sure have one baptism this week and we could have two more.

 On the Edge

 So Much Water in My Face

Me and my comp are getting along well.  He is from South Jordan and he has 22 months in the mission.  He is really smart and cool.  We get along great.  Now something that is really cool is that I live with four missionaries.  But, I really didn't want to leave the sister that lives behind us because she was so awesome.  I am going to try really hard to stay in touch with her.

Me and Harmer Waterfall

My new sector is like really ganster now and there are a lot of snakes.  (In other words, girls that want missionaries to kiss them and what not.)   It should be good but I just have to get used to it.  I need to buy some supplies, I used my card for lunch but I also need to pick up some things.  I still have some mission money, but sorry, I have been using a lot of money on my card lately.  I have been having a lot of random stuff happen, so I will need to pick up some stuff at the store with my card and I shouldn't have to use more for a while, I hope. I am kinda bummed that I had to leave some of my investigators and that I won't be able to see them baptized.  We will see what happens in this new sector.

 Me and the Whole Falls

 Waterfall Long Shot

Everyone is bummed that the other elder that was here left and so I haven't had all that awesome of a welcome but it should be good. Well, I will get those package ideas to you, but I don't really have very much more news other than that of the changes.  I need to send you some pictures of my other shoes so you can get the slip-on ones, too, because now they have a hole in them.  It seems that everything is going good for you all.  I love you and hope that everything goes good for you this week.  I will try and get you some news next week.  Love you all and I will talk to you all later.

Elder Nelson

Learning New Mission Techniques

Letter Received August 9, 2010:

Hey, Hey:

Well, I am not going to lie, I have been thinking a lot about Jace this week, with the wedding and all that.  I've been thinkin about how crazy it is that I am now the only single one in our family and that I am going to be the only one living at home when I get there.  That is going to be weird!  I think that the house for me is going to feel very weird now that Jace is out of the house.  I am super happy for him, though.  I do wish that I could have been there for it but now I guess I know how Lexie felt when Lyndsay got married when she was on her mission.

Lexie, I have a question:  what was your Chilena comps name and where does she live?  I might have a Hermana in my zone that may know her.  If I could, I would really like to meet her and I might be able to.

As for me, family, I am doing a lot better.  I have found out that I don't have a parasite.  I just have had a colon infection and I am getting better.  I feel a lot better, though not quite a hundred percent.  But, I am definitely getting there.  I am taking a pill for the next thirty days but I should be fine.

I need to send you some more pictures of my other shoes.  Now my slip-on ones are worn out, so I will send some pictures of those next week.  I think that I would like to still have a pair of slip-ons and a pair of lace ups, so yeah, I will send that next week. 

We had a crazy week because we spent two days doing training with the President and it was awesome!   We really didn't get to spend all that much time in our sector to work like normal.   We have been working with some key people and they really seem to be progressing and I'm super excited to try and do this new stuff that our President has seemed to be wanting us to work with.  We are one of the 114 missions that gets to preview this new plan for working that comes from the Apostles.  It should be super awesome!  My comp and I are getting along really well. 

I have been really good and been thinking how crazy it is that everyone is looking so diffferent especially in the pictures.  Mom you have changed your hair and the kids look so much bigger.  It is going to be crazy to come home because I think that everything is going to be so different when I get home.  Well, I don't really have that much to say, its all about the same.  I do have package ideas if you have to send the shoes yourselves but if the Missionary Mall will do it you don't have to worry about it because I just got a package not that long ago.  I am glad to hear everything went good at the wedding but I will talk to everyone later.  Love and miss you all.

Love,
Elder Nelson
Your son and brother on the mission!

Second Life Saved and Not Feeling Well

 Chilean Cowboys

Letter Received August 2, 2010:

Hey Fam:

Well I have told Dad already but I will tell everyone, I have been sick in my stomach for about three weeks now.  It has been worse within the last week and I have been having like stomach pains and they have told me that I have a colon infection and that I might have a parasite.  Yum, huh?  I will get better but I have to go to the doctor next week, too.  It should be all good.  I am losing weight now, ha,ha.  Well, kinda scary, I have lost about 18 pounds since Thursday, so yeah.

 So Fun

As for the week, other than being sick, I have been having a good week.  We had five people in church this week and we found some really good people that are really excited about the church and I think that they're going to get baptized in like three weeks.  They are solid.  They are really awesome!  Some people just showed up to church, so that was such a blessing for us that is for sure.  We have really been praying hard and working to find people and we have been receiving a lot of help.  We are getting better and now have a little bit to work with.

Everyone Wanted to Take Pictures with Me

Something really interesting, I was on a minitransfer with a Priest in our ward and we were knocking doors and found this guy that is less active.  We shared with him and we have reactivated him.  He, like, had nothing and now he has found work and his girlfriend and his little girl are going to come back and we're working on getting them married so that we can try and baptize his girlfriend.  Later, in another lesson, he told me that if we wouldn't have knocked his door that day that he probably was going to killl himself!  There is one life saved! Crazy, huh?

 Me and Freddy, the Inactive Member I Told You About

I will have to send you guys some pictures this week of an activity that we had the other week.  Also, we have been working super hard and we have been having luck with finding some people.  Me and Elder Clark are getting along great. He is from Mesa, Arizona.  We had changes and we stayed, so we are for sure together for another six weeks.  We are going to be trying some new stuff and it should work out really well.  We quote So I Married an Axe Murderer on a daily basis! Ha, ha, I love it.

Not Looking - Activity

I did get those pictures that you sent, they look awesome.  Those are some bomb Converse!  They are perfect for the colors for the wedding.  Sounds like everyone is really busy with the wedding.  Here it is really cold or pouríng rain or both. The rain gear is awesome!  I love it and it fits perfect. Thank you so much for that. I really love it.  As for this week, that is about it.  For Jace, tell him congrats for me and a big huge hug and that I love him and I would give anything to be there for his wedding.  I love and miss you all so much!

Elder Nelson