Just Horsin' Around

Try and Find Me

Letter Received May 30, 2011:

Wow! It really looks like the garage is going to be huge. I looks like it is going to be about the same size as the house. That is nuts! I am really doubting that I am going to recognize anything about the house when I get there. Yeah, so I am down for staying in Chillan, too. I just have heard that the best place to stay is probably going to be in Concepcion but I am down for staying in Chillan. Nothing is going to be that bad about the hotel. I am sure that they're going to be a lot nicer than the houses that the missionaries live in! I think that there should be a pretty nice place to stay here in Chillan. Other than Concepecion, Chillan is the nicest city that I have been in.

Hanging in Bulnes

This week we had a really awesome conference with our President and he showed us a talk from Elder Holland and it was amazing. It seemed that the whole mission was really affected by what he said. I know that everything that Elder Hollland said was exactly what I needed to hear to rededicate myself to the work. I am doing well with my companion. I don't think that I am going to be with him till I die. I think that he is going to be here for this transfer and then he is going to head out. I think that he is going to baptize a ton when he leaves this sector because Bulnes is a hard sector to start in. He is going to be such a bomb comp mayor when he leaves. I now have some new ideas on how to do my work and to help the Branch President progress.

Me and the Fishbecks, they are going home soon.

Time is going so fast I can't even believe it. It is already June! Man, that is a real bummer about the weather there. Hope that everything clears up really soon. Here it is getting colder than ever. Ha, ha, ha. So, I guess I know how you are feeling right now. Last night we had a really random thing happen. we were walking donw the street last night and all the sudden we see a horse come running by on the street by itself. It had a rope around its neck and we were like, "What the heck!" There was no one that was chasing it or anything, so we did, ha, ha, ha. We got a hold of the rope and we didn't find the owner so we took it to the police, ha, ha, ha. It was a really cool experience. I mean, how often do you run to catch a horse as a missionary, ha, ha, ha. Everyone was looking at us like, "What in the heck are you doing with a horse?" But, it was a good deed because what if this thing got hit by a car or something? It almoust got hit by a semi when we were chasing it. So yeah, that is the cool story for the week, ha, ha.

Hanging Close in Bulnes

I need some info because I got the email from the office of the mission that I am going to be dying soon. Sad!! I need the following info: I need the name of our Stake and the ward. It is Poplar still, right? I need a phone number that they can call, but I doubt it that they are going to call. They are asking if you guys are going to come, but I will call the sister that does that information.

Me and Yeakley

Oh yeah, are you going to leave the shed that we built in the yard? Okay, well I think that is about it for me this week. Love you, miss you all a ton, but time is going fast.


Love,
Elder Nelson

P.S.- Mom, what did you serve the missionaries when they came to the house?

Thumbs Up Bulnes

A Baptism and a New Family Investigating the Church

Letter Received April 18, 2011:

Me, Boris, and Elder Flores

This week went okay. I wish that it would have gone a little better, but what can you do? You have good weeks and bad ones. We had a decent week. We saw some good things happen but we also saw some things that we can do better with. We had  the baptism of Boris. He was kinda tough to start with when we shared with him before. But, he started to go to Seminary and it made all the difference and he finally made the decision that he was going to be baptized.  

Before the Cake

This week we are going to be going with a new family that we found to take out a date that they are going to be married so that they can be baptized. How exciting, huh! They might even think about doing the wedding in the church. They are really excited about the gospel. 

After I Pushed Him In

I never really knew how stressful it is to be in a bishopric. I know that Dad knows how that feels. There is so much to do and I don't really know where to start. But, I am working hard and trying to get this branch moving better. I feel that I have started on a good foot though. Me and my companion are getting along really well. It is good because he is helping my Spanish really well. 

 

We are in the process of finding a lot more people to teach. A lot of people have said that this is kind of a dead sector but I think that is a lie because I can see a lot of potential here. 

Me and Boris

I did get my package. Thank you, Mom and Dad. This week, I am looking forward to the work. It seems that every Monday I am able to start new and work harder the next week.  This week we also had a Conference with the President and it seemed that I got a lot out of it and truly enjoyed it. The Spirit was so strong there.  Sorry this letter is kinda short. I am doing good. I love you all. For some reason I am trying  to think about what to write but I am kinda drawing a blank.

 

Sincerely,

 

Elder Nelson

Elder Nelson

Splitting My Area Into Two

Letter Received February 21, 2011:

Hey:

So, that is insane that Matt has got his call. I didn't even have any idea that he had even sent in his letter yet. But that is tight that he is going back to China so he will kinda already know what his mission is going to be like. How long is he going to be in the MTC because he already pretty much knows the language. That means that me and Matt aren't going to see each other for like 4 years. That is bummer! Oh well, I am really glad that he is content with that. I would be content. I know how he feels, being excited. I know that I was.That is going to be an amazing experience. That is going to be so hard there though. That is a whole different animal to wrestle with, for the fact that there is not a very Christian background. That is going to be hard, but I am pumped for him. Tell him congrats for me.

Well, this week, like you all know, I had to go to the dentist, so I will tell you all about that really fast so that we can get that all worked out. Well, I went to the dentist and he told me that there isn't all that much that needs to get done, but it would be a lot cheeper I think to do it here than it would in the states. I have heard that he is a really good dentist. He is a member too, so he is going to only make us pay the minimum. With one of my fillings, there is like a gap underneath it and he needs to reseal it. He said that there are like four other teeth that need some cleaning up but not any extensive work. He told me that the one tooth is going to cost 22 mil which is about 50 dollars but he also told me that to do all five teeth and get them all done that it would cost me 90 mil and that is about 185 dollars, which I believe is a lot cheaper than in the states. He told me that the other teeth would eventually need the work but he told me that they would be fine if I wait till I get home. But he told me that it would be the same as if we did it in the states. So it is your call. For sure the one for fifty dollars I need to get fixed so tell me what you would like me to do and I will do it. I think that it would be good to get them all done so they are done with and if I have insurance info they might be able to work with that, too. I believe that I have some info for my insurance.

Well, I guess that I will tell you about my week. Yes, I do know about transfers. I am getting a new companion and my companion is going to Retiro. They are sending him there to open. They are still going to be participating in our branch, but they are working out the kinks and so finally they will be able to have their own Branch. I definitely have some mixed feelings about it, because I wanted to go out there and they are all my converts and now I have no investigators here in Parral. We are still going to see each other and I am going to have two baptisms this week if not four. That would be so tight!

I am now going to be with Elder Wilhelm. He is from California and he has the same time as me. We roomed together in the MTC. The thing is that he is going to be a Zone Leader, so I am comps with one of the Zone Leaders and the other companionship that I live with there is also a Zone Leader. So, I think that I am going to be going on a lot of mini cambios. I am excited to be with him but that means that we are both going to be Senior Companion but not really because I am going to be with the Zone Leader so that means that pretty much I am Jr. Companion again.

We had a good week, we had Area Conference and through satellite we had conference where we heard President Packer talk and Elder Christofferson. Christofferson did it all in Spanish and Elder Packer did it even in a little Spanish. It was so awesome!  We should be having some baptisms I am kinda sad to see my companion go but that is how it goes sometimes. This week went really well but I am running out of time. Good to hear that everything is good. Love you guys. Talk to you next week. Mom and Dad, if you can write me about the dentist it would be good so that I can get on early on this week some time and see what you want me to do or reply to the mission email and tell them what you want me to do so I can know. Love you. We'll talk to you later.

Elder Nelson

So Close to Another Baptism

New Sick Handmade Jacket That I Bought

Letter Received January 31, 2011:

Hey Everyone:

Well, this week went not so well. Even though we did see some blessings, we didn't have that good of a week. But, the only thing that you can do is do better this week. We didn't have the baptism that we were expecting, but I know that Camila will be baptized. It is just a matter of time. I think that she feels that everything went really fast and that she wasn't quite ready to be baptized even though she passed her interview. I think that she just didn't have that assurance that this is the true church. But, we are going to keep working with her because she is really good and she does know that this is the true church she just needs a little bit of time. I think that she will be baptized this Sunday. 

Me and my companion have been good, we both know that we can do a lot better. We do have some more people that we are teaching but we have a lot of work to do. This week we did see a miracle with Arny, one of the investigators that just didn't want to progress. She finally accepted a date so that she will be baptised but we just have to make sure that we keep good contact with her and she will start to progress well. 

This week there was like a big fesival here in Parral and I bought a really sweet jacket. It's handmade and it is going to be so sweet for snowboarding. This week I am really going to focus myself on trying to manage my time better and make it more effective. 

This week we had a conference with our President. I am not going to lie, it was really long. I did learn some things but I got really bored after sitting there for 8 hours! Here we are starting to make some progress in Retiro but still we lack a little bit. It does seem that President is thinking about it a lot. He has been talking to the leaders here in the area about it a lot. It seems like one of the big problems is that we don't have anywhere to meet so we are really keeping our eyes open. The President also told us that he wants us to have more investigators in Parral so that puts more and more work on us but we will do it because that is what President has asked of us.  

Don't have too much to tell, just doing the basic stuff. Something that is kinda new is that I did my first confirmation on Sunday. I was really nervous but everything turned out well. But that is about it. That would be sick if you guys did build a big garage. That would be so cool. I think that we should put in a pool instead though, ha, ha, ha. Its good to hear that everything is going well. I hope that everything goes well with the baby blessing. Wish I could be there but yeah. I miss and love you so much.

Love,

Elder Nelson

Golden Investigators!

Letter Received December 13, 2010:

Hey:


Yeah, so I got my package. Thank you so much for sending me all that stuff! I really don't know what you are going to send me in that package that was sent for Christmas. It seemed like everything that I asked for was in this package. I was really excited to see all that stuff. I am guessing that you guys bought a hot dog rolling machine. Ha, ha, ha! (His package was sent in a box for a hot dog rolling machine.) Everyone was like, "What the heck?" Ha, ha, ha. I was like, yeah, my parents sent me a hot dog machine ha, ha, ha.

I got it at Conference last week which went really well. It seemed that the President's talk was like directed right at me and I was like that is exactly what I need to hear. I was like wondering where all my time goes. It seems like the day goes by so fast. Then, I look back at the numbers that I have for the day of like lessons that I did and all and then I am like what did I do? But I feel that we do have a lot of people progressing and that they are all pretty well progressing, but I am going to have to have some miracles this week because every one of these people have kinda weird doubts and they are really hard to plan for but I know that if I pray and stay close to the Spirit that I will know what I need to say.

We found a guy that told me that he would read the Book of Mormon in a week and we had an amazing lesson with him. We talked to a girl that has been attending church for a while and from the begining she has been reading the Book of Mormon and now she is in Alma! She is amazing! I was able to verify everything with her in one appointment and she is going to be getting baptized on the 26th so be praying for a girl named, Darlin and that she can get permissison from her parents. She is 16 and she is awesome!

But as for Tiare, she seems that she is having some opposition so I wasn't able to go back to baptise her yet but we are going to have to see. It really bums me out that she is having such a hard time with everything. I know that she knows that it is true but Satan doesn't take vacations and he knows all of our weaknesses and plays on them and she is fighting hard but we will have to see with her.

I will take care of all of my phone call stuff this week so I will be able to let you know. I think that we are going to be able to talk for like two hours or more because we are as a mission changing our P-day to Christmas so yeah, make sure that you have a lot of time on the magic jack so that we don't lose contact.

Me and my comp are getting along really well. I really love Elder Haws. We are getting along really well. He said in the little time that we have been together that he has learned more from me than he did from his trainer. I like that. Me and companion are thinkin that we are going to need to get bikes because our sector is massive, so I don't know how that is going to work but we want to get bikes that don't have gears so that we don't have problems but the ones that don't have gears are the beach cruisers. That would be sick! I dont know if you were planning on money for Christmas but that would be what I would use it for but I don't know or think that you were planning on doing that again? Let me know. Thanks. I will send some pics next week of me and my companion so that you can see him. I've got to go. I will have all of the info for the phone call next week so that everything will be ready.

Love,
Elder Nelson

Learning from a Member of the 70

Me, Elder Diaz, and Alexis

Letter Received November 1, 2010:

Hey:

So this week I have been really busy. It seemed that a lot of time got wasted because of a lot of dumb reasons but we did find two new people that are really good. So, that is a start but I know that there is a lot of stuff that I need to do. I just need to take it one step at a time. I feel that I know that my comp will do everything that I want to try and he will run with me and I know that I just have to take the objective and just do the work and I know that the Lord will bless me with the people that I know will progress.

Me and Elder Zeballos

Me and my comp are getting along so well. I know that the Lord has blessed me with a really awesome companion and I know that I just need to push and I know that we are going to baptize. The Lord really couldn't have given me a better situation to work. I am super excited for all the new news that you have told me. I hope that everything goes well with Lexie and the baby. I am glad that you all had a good time for Halloween. Well, I am running late and don't really have a whole lot of time to talk but this week was pretty casual. We had a conference with Elder Zaballos from the First Quorum of the Seventy. He is really awesome and has a freakin' awesome sense of humor. I was the only one that got a personal picture with him. I learned a ton from what he said to us. He came and talked to the missionaries from the city of Chillan. It was really awesome! Love you all, g2g. Sorry this one is so short.

My New Zone in Chillan

Love You,
Elder Nelson

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