October 20, 2014

Hiiiiii :) 

Mmm that sounds good :) It's funny you mention that cause the other day Hna. Carlson and I were eating canned soup and we were saying how we miss homemade soup :) but anyway! Things are pretty good! We had a good week, then it was stake conference yesterday and no one came :'( we were super sad! For some reason it's just so hard to get people to a different time and different building! So hopefully this week we can actually get people! 

We've been picking up people and dropping people like crazy! Right now we don't really have a super solid person. We have a lot that have good potential, but are just in the early stages of things! We had a couple really great lessons with Veronica this week, she read, she still wants to get baptized, and wanted to come to church, but didn't! Wasn't home, and hasn't answered our calls! So hopefully we can find her! We have no idea what's going on!

Paulina and her kids are pretty good. We feel like we took a couple steps back with them. They have a lot of doubts about the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith, but it seems like their desires to know are really strong. So if they really study and pray about it, I know they'll get their answer, they just have to do it! They work like crazy though! They go in the morning, get back at 1, go back at 2 for the rest of the day. So we are having a problem seeing them and they also work on Sundays. She said she'll ask for Sundays off, so that's what we're praying for!

Yesterday, we also picked up a new family that seem really cool! We immediately clicked and they said they'll be able to come to church and are excited to learn! We have an appointment with them tomorrow! He also has a crazy work schedule though, so hopefully that doesn't get in the way of things! I swear no one here has a normal work schedule! Everyone works allllll the time! It's ridiculous! 

ALSO! Big news! Elder Evans came to our mission this past week, and we had a really good conference with him! It was SO GOOD! I can really feel the whole missionary work making a turn for the better! We learned a lot about working with members, and how to build better relationships with people to help them progress. Making things more personal! I'm really excited about all of it! And guess what! No more OYMs! Well no more of 10 OYMs a day, and having to go to the parking lot! It's so weird still! We don't have to count all the people we talk to it, which is a lot better cause I feel like it  makes everything more quality! They also came down on NO Harvest Blessings! Which is going to be weird, but better so then we can know earlier on if people are actually interested in the message! I also liked something that he said, to act as if you were a general authority. I've been thinking about that a lot in how I talk to people. It was a really good! He's awesome! 

Everything going good! We're just working super hard that we've been trying to get in bed by 10 all this week just cause we're so exhausted! Thanks Dad :) I can't believe I'm going to be 20, it's mind blowing. I'm so old haha Well have a fabulous week! :) Love you!! 

Hermana Nelson

p.s. we got to play soccer last week for the first time on my mission and it was soooo fun ;) 

Celebrating Kylee's Birthday at the Waffle House

October 13, 2014

Hey! Yes you guys can stop worrying about my health haha I'm fine! And my shoulder is getting better! yay :) Sounds like Fall Break will be fun! Enjoy the break :) Really?? That's good to hear that "Meet the Mormons" has been doing good! Yeah we actually got to see it a couple of weeks ago before it came out! It's super good! I want to watch it again haha everyone should go see it and invite someon to it :)

This week was really good! We got to go to the temple! yay! And it hit me while I was in the temple that it was Oct 9 and that was the day last year that I went through the temple for the first time! So that was cool that I got to be in the temple on the same day! And I'm just so mind blown that it's been a whole year!

Araseli got confirmed yesterday! Yay! :) She's still going through a lot of stuff though, so keep her in your prayers! And we picked up some really cool people this week! The first one is Veronica and she is seriously Araseli round two! I OYMed her with Sis. Dulong and nothing came of it, and then we OYMed her again and she loves all of it! Everything just clicks for her! It's super cool! When I explained Priesthood and getting baptized by it, she was like, "I've been baptized before, but no one ever told me about that!" haha it was cool! She accepted a baptism date ,so we're excited for her!

Then we had a lesson Sunday morning with Paulina and then she and her 2 boys came to church! So that was super cool! She also accepted a baptism date! We don't know them very well, but they seem really golden! Miracles after miracles :)

We're still working with Esmerelda. She came to church and goes to mutual, she's still just a little hesitant on baptism. We'll see! Pray for a miracle! Well hope you have a great week and share the gospel with everyone :) Love you! :)

Hermana Nelson

Kylee Having Fun!

Physical Therapy

Temple Trip

Temple Trip

October 6, 2014

Buenas tardes!

So update on the health stuff real fast: I've been going to physical therapy twice a week, and it's been helping! I did mention to him the accident and he said it very well could be because some times it takes months or years to even show. But we don't really know! And I don't really know what he does, all these weird machine things, but they feel good haha! The thyroid test came back negative, so that's good! But at the same time, we still don't know what's causing it, so Sis. Crippen, our nurse said she'll investigate it more.

Now enough of that boring stuff! Time for the best news! ARASELI GOT BAPTIZED! I can finally have relief! It was going like back and forth all week cause she talked to her mom, and fixed things there, but then she got a job that now she works every night, so she wanted to do her baptism during the day, but no one in the bishopric could, so it was just about finding the time! SO! We did it inbetween the sessions of General Conference Saturday! So great! Still none of her family came, but it's so amazing the faith that she has. She's so strong! But she said that there's no way she can leave it when the gospel and going to church makes her so happy! I love that, cause it's so true! The gospel of Jesus Christ truly makes us happy. And if we're not happy, we need to take a step back and evaluate ourselves in what we're not doing to apply the gospel in our lives, and without fail, it will make us happy!

I hope you enjoyed conference as much as I did! It was so amazing! I've been trying to decide this whole time which talk was my favorite, and I literally can't choose haha I know I'm so indecisive. But I love the themes that were talked about! Sustaining our leaders, standing up for what we know-but not being overbearing, the sacrament, how we have to have our strong testimony and conversion. I just loved it all! I'm super excited for the conference issue to come out so I can enjoy it all over again:) We also had the chance to watch "Meet the Mormons" and holy cow, it was AMAZING! Seriously everyone needs to see it and invite everyone to it! This weekend! GO SEE IT! It was very well done!  

Updates on people: the Medina family offically dropped us yesterday when we dropped by. That was a stab in the heart. But we'll keep praying they'll come around. I love their family! Then like 5 other people dropped us too this weekend. So that was fun. Opposition in all things. hahaBut that's okay! We know it's for a reason and we have a huge list of potentials that we need to visit, so we know there are elect people on that list! It's just a matter of seeing them!

Esmerelda is still doing good! We asked her if she has been praying about her baptism date for the end of the month and she said yeah and we're like okay, how do you feel? And she's like, I think it's a... YES. Booyah! We're so excited for her! Her testimony is growing so much and you can just see the light in her eyes I love it! She's pretty much our only solid right now, so we just have to find the elect! Have an awesome week! Love you :)

Hermana Nelson

p.s. we jump started a lady's car yesterday all by ourselves, look at all this stuff I'm learning on a mission! haha :)

Araseli's Baptism

Araseli's Baptism

September 29, 2014

Hey! Glad to hear you're liking your new calling! Sounds pretty entertaining! haha. I don't think my shoulder problem is from the car accident. That was forever ago. But I have physical therapy today, I got my blood work done last week, so I will get the results this week, and no worries, I will get a flu shot! haha Goodness health problems! Don't ya know I'm trying to be a missionary here!

But this week! Where to even begin. We had an awesome week, but then yesterday just kind of ruined the whole week. We're just trying to stay positive. We had awesome lessons with the Medina family all week, they were super excited about temples, they were reading together as a family, and I just felt part of the family! Then Sunday before church, they dropped us out of no where. Huge blow. Then we had everything all set and ready for the baptism, everyone was at the stake center, the font filled, and everything, and we go with Araseli's ride to pick her up and she said she couldn't do it. OUCH. We were standing outside her house for an hour talking to her, all of us crying.

Long story short she doesn't have any support from her family, no one is talking to her and it really hurts her cause she hasn't done anything with out her family. She said she's just so torn because she wants to get baptized so bad, and knows it's the right thing to do, but she doesn't feel right with all the stuff with her family. She concluded that she just wants to talk to all of them to help them understand why she's doing it, and even if she doesn't get their support she's still going to do it. Oh man. We just went home and cried for a couple of hours the went to bed. It was a super hard day. I'm just worried cause this exact same thing happened with Jesus, and he never got baptized. I don't want Satan to get to Araseli, and have that happen too. 

We've been talking to her this morning and she's going to her mom's house today to talk to her. And now we have another obstacle that she's going to start working at nights, so we would have to do the baptism in the morning, which we don't even know is possible. We have to talk to bishop. So yeah! That's been our life the past couple of days! I had a reflecting moment and I was like whoa, why does this even effect me so much? It's amazing how much I've changed and how much the Savior's love has penetrated through me to have this love for these people. Last night when Carlson and I were just laying there crying, I thought of a verse in the Book of Mormon of the Sons of Mosiah in 28:3

"Now they were desirous that salvation should be declared to every creature, for they could not bear that any human soul should perish; yeah, even the very thoughts that any soul should endure endless torment did cause them to quake and tremble."

I always wanted to be a missionary like the sons of mosiah, and at that moment I felt a little piece of how they felt and how the Savior felt. The mission is the hardest thing ever. But it's the time when I can feel more like the Savior in my whole life. I'm grateful for the opportunities to learn and to grow, even when sometimes it just seems easier to give up. But! We're going to keep pressing forward! Please keep Araseli in your prayers! Have a great week! 

Hermana Nelson

September 22, 2014

Hooooola :) 

Wow! Sounds like the dedication was amazing! I'm jealous I couldn't go! But missionary work everyday is pretty much the best, so I guess it evens out ;) As for transfers! We're staying the same! Finishing up Hna. Carlson's training! Which we figured! We're super happy :) We work so hard together it's great! And we're definitely seeing the miracles of it! But Nielson and Pyper are getting doubled out so we will be living with a greenie and her trainer. (still english) We'll meet them tomorrow, so fingers crossed that they're cool ;) 

This week was another really good one! We had 6 people at church! So awesome! (Araseli, Esmerelda, and 4 of the Medina fam) Araseli has her baptism interview this week and her baptism on Sunday! Yay! We're all super excited! She's great :) super solid! 

Esmerelda we were actually pretty shocked she came to church, cause we only had one lesson with her, and it was basically a do or die lesson, giving her one last chance before we dropped her, since she hasn't been reading or praying and off and on about church. Her desires are low. Then she cancelled our other appointment with her this week, we stopped by Sunday morning, and she didn't answer. But then she just showed up to church with the Ruiz fam! And! We had dinner with them yesterday and they brought her to dinner! Without us even asking! Bien hecho! So that was all cool! And she went to mutual this past week and we didn't even know! Man, members make the biggest of difference for sure! We talked to Hna. Ruiz about it, and she said it's probably going to take some time, so we're not sure what we're going to do, but we're going to revise how we're teaching her. 

The Medina fam is awesome! We saw them twice this week, even with their crazy schedules! And 3/5 of them have read! Yay! The 2 teenage boys said they read together one night. Aw :) so cute! But unfortunately we're still working with the whole soccer on Sunday issue. They had to go to the english ward at 9 cause Eric had a game at 1. So we'll see! But they're super awesome and are totally a dry mormon family! 

And! To top it all off! Alex passed the sacrament yesterday AND went to the temple to do baptisms AND is going to Utah for General Conference! hahaha he's so great! And of course he loved all of it! Oh and the other day we went over for an appointment with him, and his friend George was there, so we ended putting him on date! He said Alex has talked a lot about the church with him. So great! He said he was going to come to church with Alex, but he ended up not coming. But we have an appointment with him today.

Also! Hna. Munoz has been talking to her friend, so we met her, didn't have much time with her, but we have an appointment setup for the week! Look at all this great member missionary work! Super awesome! So no one has any excuses ;) and we heard about the "Meet the Mormons" movie that's coming out! Sounds super cool! So everyone should invite someone to go to it! The work is hastening! Why? CAUSE IT'S TRUE! 

Well hope you have a great week! Love you :) 

Hermana Nelson

September 15, 2014

Hiiiiii:) Sounds like you had a pretty great week with some spiritual uplifting moments! I love that comparison you did with the sealing power! Super cool! Once again this week we've seen miracles! Welcome to missionary life:) I love it :) So update on the people you asked for:

We had some awesome lessons with Araseli, she's still doing really great, always asking us for new chapters to read and when we can come over again. Unforuteately her daughter got sick with the flu so she wasn't able to go to church:( but she's still excited for her baptism, and kept asking what time, so we already got the building reserved with the time for her She's awesome!

We don't really know what happened with Max yesterday. We had a couple good lessons with him during the week, then talked to him on the phone like 20 mins before church and he didn't come. We stopped by later and he wasn't there, so we're not sure what happened yet!

Claudia was MIA for a little, but we finally saw her and she was excited to come to church, but then she wasn't there for our appointment with her Sunday morning and didn't end up coming to church. But we had a lesson with her husband Jesus last night about church and the atonement and it went really well! He said the closing prayer and started crying, including in the prayer their daughter that passed away. We testified of the Plan of Salvation and the spirit was so strong! Hopefully this will be used for motivation to come to church and to live the gospel so they can have their eternal family!

Gloria still hasn't called us or anything. I've talked to Elder Perez about it a couple of times and he said she's not as solid as she used to be. Ever since her 1st interview, things just went downhill from there. So we'll see what happens. We don't really know as of right now.

THEN! Oh my goodness. Besides the people that didn't come to church yesterday, it was an AWESOME day yesterday! HUGE miracle! So we had an appointment with a potential right before church, but it ended up starting late, so we literally had 10 mins til we needed to get to church, and I was like well we'll just talk about church! We invited them and they were saying that they were tired and weren't even ready or anything, then I just had a gift of tongues moment when I spit out so many words so fast since we didn't have a lot of time. I think I talked about the atonement and the sacrament, and invited them to come again and the youngest son that's like 13 was like , "yeah, okay!" So then they all start running around getting ready, "5 MINUTE SHOWER EVERYONE!!" haha it was so great.

SO! We actually spoke in sacrament meeting yesterday (which by the way, example one of how I've changed cause I used to take so much time on my talks and write it word for word, and this time I just wrote a couple of points down, found a couple of scriptures in like 15 mins, and just gave it! And in spanish! And I wasn't even nervous. so that's all a miracle in itself) But anyway, we were sitting on the stand and we just see the Medina family walk in, all 5 of them! Wooo! Happy day! So cool! And the ward just fellowshipped them soo good! Then Esmerelda came, and also someone else that we picked up this week, Reyes. So we had 7 people at church yesterday! Oh man we were beaming! So awesome! AND! A recent convert, less active family that we've been working with came too! I was just on cloud nine!

So that just gives a little tid bit of my life this week :) haha sorry this email was so long. But it's been good! I love it here! I love being a missionary! And I love seeing people's lives change as they live this gospel! Cause well, you know, ITS TRUE. Have a great week! Love you! :)

Hermanita Nelson :)

Look Who Came to See Kylee and Take Her Out to Dinner! She Loves Them :)

Movie Night on a Mini-DVD Player

September 8, 2014

Buenas tardes :)

This week was another good one! (like always right? Mission life is just the best) First of all, Araseli is soooo cool! We had a few lessons with her this week and she is so solid! She's so excited for her baptism the 28th! We had a really special Plan of Salvation lesson with her, focusing on how she can live with her dad again, and she LOVED it. She was like, "wow, it all just makes sense." I'm just grinning like a cheeseball, like "YEAH!" haha oh my. So she has the craziest work schedule where example: she got home at 4am from work, and had to go back in at 6am, so she read the chapter of the Book of Mormon during that time, then when she got back from work, we had a lesson with her! Like she's awesome! Talk about dedication! NO one has any excuses about not ready the scriptures if Araseli can do it! We have a FHE set up with her tonight, so we're super excited about that!

Another cool story, Max, he said he asked his boss off work for Sundays and he said no, but in a couple months, and so Max said he would just have to hurry cause he gets out of work at 12:30, and it's like 20 mins away. and church starts at 1. BUT! He still made it! Well he was a little late, but he's going to try even harder next week! And honestly, we weren't expecting that! And get this! ALEX is fellowshipping him haha he's awesome. Since Alex walks everywhere he said he would walk to Max's to help us with our lessons, and then he asked us if we're teaching other people too. Alex has been a memeber for like 2 weeks now? Geeez he's great. Made me think of how lazy I was before with missionary work! That's definitely going to change when I get back!

THEN! hahah don't you love all my stories? I love stories :) this one is super cool! So Claudia, that Hna. Dulong and I was teaching, it wasn't really going anywhere cause she worked every sunday at the hospital and couldn't get it off. Then we didn't really see her for a while, but we had a lesson with her this week, and she said she was talking to her boss and got all these other people to talk to him too so that they could all have one day off, he said he had to go to the guy above him and would let them know. So we talked to Claudia about fasting, and we had a special fast on Friday, then when we went to our appointment Saturday, she said that she now has Sundays OFF!!!! WOOOOO! Oh man we were all so pumped! Fasting is so real it's incredible! So now next week and from here on out she can come! We're so excited! :)

Also! Apparently Elder Perez, who is now serving in Hemet, called Gloria and talked to her about everything and she said that she's going to call us to come back over this week! AH! YAY! I miss her so much! So fingers crossed that everything goes well!

So many wonderful miracles each and every day I love it :) And oh yeah, I hit my half way mark this week. That was freaky. I can't believe it. We just try and not talk about it though, now that I'm on the downward slope. Ah that's scary. But we celebrated by getting my favorite chocolate devotion at cold stones :) (yes the biggest size haha don't judge, we were celebrating ;))

Whoa wait, I totally forgot about the Ogden Dedication! I have no idea if we can to go to the broadcast or not! Or is it just for in Utah? Who knows! I guess we'll see!

Well hope you have a great week and count the blessings :) I love you!

Hermana Nelson :)

Celebrating at Coldstone

Kylee Celebrating Her Half-Way Mark!