Working With a New Investigator

Letter Received August 22, 2011:

A Baptizing Celebrity!

Hey:

So, this week was a good and a bad one because we baptized and we had horrible numbers. That is two weeks with bad numbers. But, this week is going to be better. We are teaching a guy named Gabriel and he is really good. We just have to help him quit smoking because he smokes like twenty a day so we're going to have to help him a lot. I think that he is going to be baptized my last day in the mission.

Me, Elder White, and Luisa

Sorry this is so short but I was visiting people to set up for when you are coming. I am doing well. Other than Gabriel and the baptism, there is not much new  I am enjoying the last parts of my mission. My kid is awesome and he is helping me focus really well and he is really excited for the work.

Last Pic With Elder Flores

Something I was thinking about is that it is going to be a really good idea if you bring a GPS so that we can navigate well. I heard that here in Chillan the hotels aren't that good. I am not sure where the kid's parents stayed but I heard that it wasn't very nice. Sorry this is so short, I still have to travel back to Bulnes. I love you all. Time is getting short and I am running out of new things to tell you.

Elder Nelson

Who's Your Daddy? That's Right, Me!

Letter Received August 8, 2011:

Me and Maria

Hey:

So, I guess I will start off with the really big news! So, yes I have had a transfer but they threw something that I really didn't expect. Out of the 27 trainers in the mission, I am now going to have a son and train and I also am going to keep being Counselor. So, my last transfer in the mission I am going to be training but I don't know who yet. They are going to tell us tomorrow. Elder Haws also is going to be training and so is everyone else in my District. That is nuts! Not only that but all the missionaries in the world are going to be doing a new training program. It is weird but it is going to be cool.

I am kinda having some mixed feelings about training. I didn't really have the desires to train but I also am excited to teach someone all the things that I know and help someone start out. I am hoping that I get a gringo. We will have to see tomorrow.

Maria and Family and Friends

I am really focused and happy with how my mission is going. I just know that these last six weeks are going to go so fast. I just have always felt that the time goes so fast when you first get a comp and your first cambio always goes so fast. It is so nuts. I don't feel that I am dying off. That is so weird to me.

We had a baptism this week and a confirmation. It was really awesome! Not only that, but she also bore her testimony in church by herself, so that was really awesome! I have realized that all of my converts here are so solid and it makes me so happy to see that they are really converted to the gospel and that they aren't  just going to go inactive after I leave.

Maria Irene Ceballos Rossi

I was thinking about when you guys come that I would love to do some baptisms for the dead here with some of my converts and have them meet up with us in Santiago. I invited them. I hope that is okay. Nothing is for sure that my converts would be able to meet up with us but I would love to do that.

Also, I have confirmed we are all good for somewhere to stay in Santiago. I have talked to the member that was talking to her friends in Santiago, so its good. I was also thinking about General Conference. I would really like for you guys to get some tickets so that we could go to a session, especially the priesthood session. Just something to think about.

Me, Maris and Flores

This is going to be a good change for me because I know that being a trainer is going to be something that is going to make me stay focused. I am hoping that the package will be here tomorrow cause I don't know when I will get if I don't get it tomorrow. Well, I don't really have all that much more to tell. Glad to hear that everyone is doing well. Got to go. I love you all so much. Talk to you all later.

Elder Nelson

Cynthia Got Baptized!

Letter Received June 13, 2011:

Me and Cynthia

 Hey:

Thank you all for the birthday wishes. I have been having people from my other sectors that have come to see me for my birthday and they took me out to lunch, so my time is a little shorter. This week we had some really interesting events happen. This week I baptized Cynthia and it was really awesome! She is so awesome!

I am happy and having a good time. We had interviews with our President this week. I think that he is trying to make me trunky. I don't know why. But, I am trying to stay focused.

Hey, I forgot to tell you guys that I have been going to physical therapy because I sprained my ankle really bad and tore one of the muscles in my ankle so I might have to use some of the money for my trips to Chillan. For some reason I could only could pull out $160.00, I don't know why. I hurt it playing paint ball. It is like what I did right before the mission but worse and my other ankle tomorrow I have an appointment with the doctor.

Well, I found out that they are probably going to change the Branch President. It is a bummer that he is not meeting his obligations and that we need this change but it will be better for the branch and I will actually be able to get some stuff done. I talked to the Stake president and laid it down thick so that he really could get how it has been. The Stake President is 30 minutes away and he rarely comes nor even one of his counselors or anybody. But now they are going to come. The Branch President doesn't go to the meetings that he has with the Stake, so they can't even teach him anything.

Me, Cynthia, and Flores

Thanks Dad for the money for my birthday. Please tell Mom that I am very grateful to you both. I can't imagine the sacrifices that you both make for me. I love you both so much.

I can't wait to ride again, that is one thing that makes me trunky. My dreams are about riding and being home, it is weird. I think that when things pick up here, I won't really feel that way. When things don't go as well as they should, it is easy to think about home.

Just Dunked!

The food that me and my comp make is good but the food from the sector is kind of boring. I have not gone hungry though, that is for sure. I can't wait to eat like some Wingers. If you send a package make sure that there is a lot of Amazing Sauce in there, ha, ha, ha. I want some steak, some Subway, enchiladas. . . oh, what don't I want to eat! I would kill for some Cafe Rio but just without rice! Ha, ha, ha.

Thank you all for all you do and the birthday wishes. I am now old, ha, ha, ha, in two different ways, the mission and in life. Tell Matt that I wish him luck and that I am proud of him and pray for him daily for his preparation. Love you all. Talk to you next week.

Elder Nelson

Me, Cynthia, and Flores 2

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

More on the Move to Bulnes ... A Great New Challenge

Letter Received April 11, 2011:

Sorry that I wasn't able to talk a ton last week. I was saying goodbye to people and we were running really late, so I wasn't able to tell you all about what is going on. I really liked Conference. It seemed that I felt like a lot of things were aimed towards me. I really liked Priesthood. The First Presidency was like just laying it down. It was awesome! Conference is like the vacation for missionaries here because you really can't work all that much. You can invite people to come to Conference and it is really easy to invite people because there are four different sessions that you can invite people to. Not only that but we baptized that day so it made it even better. 

I was really sad to come to find that it was my turn to leave Parral, but I was kinda expecting it. What can you do? The thing is that President invited me to the Zone Leader Conference because he had decided that he was going to make me the Second Counslor of the branch here in Bulnes. Bulnes is known in the mission for being a hard sector and not functioning very well. It is about forty minutes away from everything. I am excited but nervous all at the same time because there is a lot of work to do and not only that but I also have the Zone Leaders breathing down my neck. 

Me, Elder Wilhelm, Franchesca, and Pati

There is a lot of work to do. I am going to be here till the end of my mission because I have 4 transfers left including the one that I am in right now. and he said being a counslor makes sure that I am going to be here for at least three and he isn't going to send me somewhere for one cambio especially because afterward I would be leaving and that wouldn't let me get used to the sector and what not. So yeah, I am going to die in Bulnes. 

Once again I am finishing training, but this time I don't have to teach Spanish but English to my companion and he is teaching me Spanish. Ha, ha, ha, win-win situation. We get along really well. I'm not going to lie, I don't really get along with my Zone Leaders all that much because they are 100% focused on numbers and not the people. That isn't the way that it should be. 

I am going to do my best and my goal is to baptize ten people here in my new sector. I already have baptized two and I know that this sector has some potential. It just needs a lot of work and that I know I can do. Me and Elder Flores get along really well. He is from Santiago. I am the counslor of the branch and I have a lot of things to teach him so that this branch can progress. It is weird because we had forty-seven people in church and that is really high for this ward. My goal coming into the branch was to have more than fifty so that means that we are close to getting that. The baptism goal for the branch for the year is to baptize six and now the branch has baptized five, so we're going really really good there. I really think that if you took the missionaries out of the branch that they would have to close it. So, there is Bulnes. I am excited. It means that we are going to be very busy and that I like. 

Me, Elder Flores, Digna, Barbara at the Baptism

I do know that my package is here and I am going to be getting it on Wednesday, so yeah. Did you end up sending one box or two? Well, I guess I will kinda find out on Wednesday, huh? Oh well, ha, ha. Glad to hear that everything is good at home. Kinda sad that it is still snowing at all. It is still really nice here. Some days are warmer than others but it is starting to get cold. 

Well, I love you all. I especially wanted to wish Dad a very Happy Birthday! I love you so much Dad! I pray and think about you everyday. Now you're over the hill but still young at heart and that is what's important! I love you so much Papi. Hope that you have a very good b-day. I am doing good. I miss you all a lot. 

Elder Nelson

Another Great Baptism!

Letter Received March 28, 2011:

Funny Pic With Pati

 Hey:

Glad to hear that everyone is doing good. That is cool to hear that the trip down to Vegas went well. Something that I don't understand is where all this success is coming from. This week went so well at church I couldn't believe it. We obviously had some people that didn't come that we were counting on come to church. That is the mission, having some upsets but also having blessings on another end. Well we definitely had some blessings that came from no where. We have Patricia that made the decision on Thursday that she wanted to be baptized on Sunday. So we did it. It was awesome! She was so golden and her dautghter is hopefully getting baptized in between conference sessions. That would be so awesome, huh?  

Me, Elder Wilhelm, and Patricia Monica Llonton Carrion

 Me and my companion once again weren't together all that much but we had a decent week If you looked at our numbers you would say that we had a really crappy week but then you can then see that we baptized. So, I am happy and she is going to be such a awesome member of the Church. She just loves to learn about the gospel. She just seemed to catch everything so quickly. When you teach some things, you would think that she would be like, why? But, she just didn't. She is so interested in the temple and an eternal family. Her husband is coming along. He is going to be a little bit more of a task, but it will be good. I can already tell that she is going to be a powerhouse member in this ward.  

Full Body Pic With Pati

I am doing well but it is weird. I don't know what to think about what is going to happen with cambios this time. I am like 90% sure that I am going to be changed from this sector but something else is telling me that I might stay. I am okay with either one. I think that I will miss this sector a lot becaue this is the place that I have had more success. Not only that, but I just love the feel of Parral. I am in another way going to be bummed when I leave because I am living with a really good friend named Elder Isom. He is really cool and is from Bear Lake. He has made me feel so at home so I will be sad to see him go when I leave. 

Me, Elder Wilhelm, and Patricia Family Tambien

I just thought that I would inform you guys that there is a convert that is coming to Utah in September right after I come home. I have invited him to be able to come to the house and possibly stay at our house for a couple days. I hope that is okay but nothing is sure. It is something that he is looking at but he is really serious. He is a good guy and I've never met anyone that is so interested in the gospel. I thought that I would let you know. 

Zone Activity in Parral

 I was also thinking, what is the thought on if you guys are coming in September. The sister that organizes our flights is going to be calling me any day now and asking about where I want to sit and what not. I don't want to preassure you guys but yeah.  I am doing well. I have been missing you all very much. There isn't a day that I don't think about you all. I am really excited about Conference. I feel that Conference is a way that I connect with home because it is all so close to home, the Conference Center and all. I am also really excited for what the prophet has to say to us. I miss Priesthood Session with Dad so much, too! I miss and love you all so much. Talk next week.

Love You,

Elder Nelson

The Mission's Best Kept Secret

Letter Received March 21, 2011:

Alarcon Lopes Familia

Hey Everyone:

Well its kinda weird this week. I was ready for p-day to come. I feel like this week was a long one, but in another way I also feel like this week went a lot faster than I thought. It was not a great week but not that much of a bad one either. Something that was kind of a bummer, is that we lost some investigators, but what can you do? I realized that we really don't have that many investigators to teach. That just means that we need to find but I don't really know where to start or how to do it. 

Me, Luz, and Her Husband Jorge (New Convert)

Something of great news! One of my investigators got baptized from Retiro and so I was able to be there so there is another awesome convert. It was kind of a fight with her but she finally pulled through. I am so glad to be where I am and see success where I am from some of my efforts. Here the baptisms come constantly but we don't know where from. Something about Parral is that it is the mission's best kept secret. Nobody really looks at Parral but we are constantly baptizing in this zone. We're not not like every other zone where it is like baptisms only at the end of the month. I love it here.

Me and Luz's Family

We also had some good success we this week. We had three investigators in church. Two of them being from the same family. Their names are Patricia and Franchesca. They are awesome! They know that the church is true but they just have some things that they have to work on. Before they met us they were planning to bless the baby that they have in their family in the Catholic church. But, then we dropped the stick on that and gave her Moroni 8 that talks how baptizing little kids is an abomination in God's eyes! She really caught that and she was like, I can't get baptized correctly and then baptize my son in the Catholic church, that would be controdicting myself, huh? We were like, yes it would be. She was like, my husband wants to have him be baptized because we already have the Godparents and everything. All we have to do is pick the date. We were like, we want to share with your husband, too. So, we started to share with him and he is coming around. He hasn't come to church yet but he will get there.

Luz, Jorge, and Elder Palta Haws

It was awesome to have them in church. I think that they will be baptized the first or second week of April. They are so fun to share with because they love the gospel and they are progressing so well. We have so much confidence with them and we can tell them straight up how stuff is. They accept it and will just apply it in their lives and progress. I love it.

To answer Mom, on the card that says how long my mission lasts, it says the 20th of September 2011. So, I am pretty sure that would be the day. I am doing well and enjoying the work glad to hear that everything is well. I love you all. Miss you tons.

Love,
Elder Nelson

A Double Dunk!

Letter Received March 14, 2011:

Funny Everyone Pic at Barbara and Camilas Baptism

Hey Hey:

This week went okay, we had some really cool experiences. We were at the baptism of Camila and her cousin Babara, another one of my investigators from Retiro was there and she wanted to be baptized too, but her mom and dad didn't want to give her permission. Then we called them while at the baptism because they live in Santiago. They said that she could get baptized so we called and got another tunica and she passed her interview and I baptized her right there on the spot because she wanted me to baptize her. So that was kinda cool, it was a miracle that it happened but it was a really awesome day. That was my first time baptizing two people in a row at a baptism. So, I sent you guys some pics so that you could check them out.

Camila Pila Pic

This week was a better one. We had three people in church. There were two people there that we didn't expect to come, but I am not going to complain that they came to church, ha ha ha. That is kinda the idea, huh? This week went better with me and my companion because we have worked out some teaching issues that we have had. Another thing is that we have been able to have some more time together so that we could work some things out. This week is also going to be another tough one, we because it is his turn to go and take care of the zone and do the mini cambios (which means mini transfers so that you all know now what that means). But, I think that it will be a good week, I am just going to have to stay on my toes and keep up on updating my companion on what is happening with our investigators and keep working hard to make sure that I stay diligent.

Barbara Pila Pic

We had interviews with our President this week and I feel like it has been my best interview that I have had with him and that he spent some more time just getting to know me and show me more that he cares for me and he likes the work that I have been doing. He said that he needs me to progress to become my potential that I have so that he can make me a trainer or put me in a leadership position but I don't really want to be any of those things a, district leader, zone leader, or training. I don't think that I would like to do those positions, but obviously I would do them if he asked me to. But, it went well and I am happy.

Barbara and Camila

Our branch is crazy! You would think that with six missionaries that it would be easy to manage everything but it has made it that much more loco! My ex comp and I have the most time here and everyone comes and wants us two to do everything and it is so much work! I don't have time to do all the ward things and be a missionary at the same time. I will just have to manage my time better, I guess.

Complete Family From Retiro

We have been doing a lot better on our teaching and it seems that a lot more people are progressing than when me and my companion started together. We are all getting along as a house so it is going a lot better. It has started to cool down here and now we are starting to get rain. The other day I got soaked. I couldn't believe it, I hydroplaned a bike! It was awesome! The streets were rivers. It was cool, i have never ridden a bike in so much water before. I also don't think that I have ever been that wet in clothing before. It was coming down so hard. I enjoyed it a lot for some reason. It was cold but I was just like screw it. At the end of the night, I just started to nail all of the puddles. My comp thought that I was nuts but I was like, well we are already wet, man, what's the difference. So we started to spray each other. It was awesome and it made me and my companion have some bonding time so we started to relax a little.

Everyone at the Baptism

I am glad to hear that everything is going well with you all. Did you guys send that package so I can keep an eye open for it? Well, I think that is about it this week. I kinda just rambled on, sorry. I hope that it all makes sense. Love and miss you all. There isn't a day that I don't think of you all.

Love,
Elder Nelson

A Lesson in Feeling True Love for Others

Letter Received March 7, 2011:

Jorge Pila Pic

Hey my family that I haven't been able write for a very long time!

Well, I guess that I will tell you about last week. Yes, my teeth are doing well now. I got to go back and see some of my people from Chillan so we were running very very late! So, I wasn't able to write. I had to write President then pretty much I had no time. Sorry about that. 

Us and Jorge's Family

Us and Jorge's Family

I learned an incredible lesson last week. I was pretty much all week with Elder Isom. He is a kid from Idaho and he is a twin and he lives with me. He is so tight! His twin is in the Santiago West Mission and a family from the ward that he is serving in came down to see Elder Isom. They were so happy to see him. They couldn't believe how much that they look alike and all that good jazz. They gave us lunch for the next three days after that and not only that but they drove us down to Chillan and took me to see all of my people there and not only that but they were on vacation all of this time. They really showed me how to show true love to the people here and I have never felt love from someone so much within so little time of knowing them. 

Me, Jorge, Palta, and Allred

They were so amazing and the next day I was able to baptize Jorge one of my investigators from Retiro! It was so awesome! He is so amazing. I have never seen anyone love the Book of Mormon like this man. He knows without a doubt that it is true. He is so solid. I think that he is one of the most converted people that I have baptized. It was such a small baptism but in one way it made it all that much more spirtitual. I am really making sure that he getst the priesthood as fast as possible so that it will make them all that much closer to opening Retiro. 

Me, Palta, and Jorge

This week went well but the only thing that is a bummer is that I haven't spent any of it with my companion. He has been doing mini cambios the whole week so I was with him for like a day and a half and it has been hard to get in a good teaching groove. I don't know all the kids really in my Zone, like I know them but I don't know how they teach, and since he is gone all the time he can´t really get to know our investigators either. Oh well, that is how it goes sometimes. 

Me and Jorge

 I am doing well. I am loving the work. Time seems to be winding down fast and I can't really believe it because we are already in March. It makes me sad because that means that my mission is coming to a close and I don't want it to end. I love being here and learning. Even though it is hard, I am learning and having experiences that I couldn't learn anywhere else. I definitely feel that I have grown a ton and still have a lot of things to better myself. Thanks dad for writing a little something, I know that you are very busy. Good to hear that everything is going well. Cool about the boat! I am so excited to use it. That will be sick! Are you guys going to make a garage like the neighbors? That is nuts about Daytona. I wish I could see the Supercross. It sounds so good! I love and miss you all. Keep on truckin'!

Elder Nelson

The Power of the Holy Ghost

Us and Arny

Letter Received February 14, 2011:

Hey Everyone:

Me, Haws, Arny, and Romina

Well, I think that I will first start off by telling you about the experience that I had this week when we were confirming Arny. Well, first off, when I baptized her the water was really low but it, for some reason, was one of the easiest baptisms that I have performed. She was so ready and it makes me so happy. When she got baptized, she didn't want people to hear her full name for the fact that her name is Arnolda. She hates it and she is getting it legally changed because it bugs her so much, but it was cool. There wasn't very many people there, but when we were confirming her, Palta confirmed her, and I was very hot because it was not only hot in the room but I felt that I was on fire literally and I truly did feel the Holy Ghost passing through me to her through the Prieshtood. It was incredible! I can't explain how it felt. I truly felt that from the inside of my body out I was on fire. It was amazing! It is about time that woman got baptized and she finally did it and she jumped in with both feet.

Chillin' After Planning

I am really feeling that the Lord is making miracles here in this sector and I know that I have been blessed in this sector and I feel that here I can become more of the missionary that I can become. This week was so fast, I feel like weeks have now become days and the months are going by so fast.

Taco Time

I am glad to hear that Britt is doing well. This week the letter is going to be really short. We started internet kind of late today and I don't really have that much to tell. I am doing well and I am glad to see that the Lord has been giving us many people to baptize. There is one upset, I think that my companion is going to be getting changed out next week because it is transfers and I don't want him to leave. That seems to be happening a lot with my companions because the Lord has blessed me with good companions. Its good to hear that all have been well. I love you guys, sorry this one is so short.

Happy Valentines Day!

Love,

Everyone at Baptism

Elder Nelson

A Family Coming Together in the Gospel

Pila Pick

Me, Palta, and Rosa

Letter Received January 17, 2011:

Hey:

Well this week went better but still we have a lot of things that we are needing to work on especially not wasting our time and limiting our time in our appointments. I feel that I am losing a lot of time and then my numbers aren't showing my work. But, I was really pumped this week because I baptized Rosa Elvira Cerna Hernandez. It was so awesome because she just had this really awesome smile on her face the whole time and when we were in the water you could just tell that she was so ready. The awesome thing is that when the missionaries showed up at her house she didn't like them at all and she wouldn't even listen because her husband is a new convert too and their son. Our mission was here once and told her husband that if he gets baptized that him and his whole family would come to know the gospel and be baptized so that they can be an eternal family and now I am seeing the fruits of that and their family is all progressing all so well. Her husband now has the Aaronic Priesthood and we wanted him to baptize her but they couldn't because of size differences and he has a sickness in his legs. But, it was so cool.

Elders and Family of Rosa

Me and my comp are getting along so well and we are really excited to be working togther and we feel that we are going to do so good this week. We are doing really well but I feel that we are going to be running out of people soon, so we are really focusing on our contacts this week because we are running out of people to baptize for the moment. But, if we get a couple weeks I am pretty sure that we will be able to get some people in the water.

Rosa and Her Family

I am really wanting to open Retiro because we are losing time waiting for buses and colectivos all the time. But, the Lord is blessing that area because there are people that are moving in that are members. You can tell that the Lord is blessing that little town. We have a lot of competition out there. I have seen missionaries of 4 different churches out there. I think that they all have the same idea that we do, ha, ha, ha.

Last Baptism Pick Together

I am doing really well and my bike is working out really well. It is really really hot here but we trying to do all that is possible to keep cool. It is not working too well, ha, ha, ha. Last week was a little long but this one is going to be better. Good to hear that everyone is doing well. I love you guys. I miss you a ton.

Love,
Elder Nelson

Elders and Family, Me Bending Down