Week 27:It's ball y'all (football that is)

Hello everyone! This was the last week of the transfer. It's crazy! I've been out for 6 months! That's a third of my mission. This week we had some amazing lessons with Trey, Tripp and his friend Colton, Heidi, and Mayson.

Mayson chose a date to be baptized on October 5th! She is still a little hesitant feeling that she is ready, but we know she is and we'll help her prepare. She is awesome and has such a sweet spirit. Heidi is so receptive to the Spirit! She is so open and real. She is so amazing! I am so excited for her :) 

Trey we had another good lesson, but then he texted us and decided to not keep meeting with us. It was really sad, but he said he was still going to keep reading the book of mormon, so I know eventually he will feel the spirit and come to know it is true.

Tripp brought his friend Colton to the lesson and he was very interested. It was a good lesson and sister ferris heard tripp say that was amazing. So we are super excited! 

We saw blessings from obedience and one of the blessings was 3 girls showing up to institute because one girl's boyfriend came the night before with his roommate who is a member. We are so excited to meet with them! 

I found out that I will be staying here in Athens for another transfer. I'm excited to be here for football season. It will be a great transfer. Go Dawgs!

Love, 

Sister Nielson :D

Week 26: Howdy all y'all

This has been another good week. We had a lesson with a guy named Trey who took the religious survey we did and he is very open! He is super interested in reading the Book of Mormon and when we taught him the restoration the spirit was so powerful! I'm really excited for him to read and feel the same spirit and now that it is true! There is so much joy and getting other people to experience it is so amazing! The best part of being a missionary. 

We met two girls, Hillary and Andrea, who moved up from Peru. Andrea got baptized in Peru and has brought Andrea to church. She is interested and wants to know what she can do to prepare for baptism! They are so amazing!

We had four week follow up this week which is where all the trainers and new missionaries meet up and discuss how training is going. It was such a good meeting! Very inspiring. I had been trying to work on being better and new the Lord was trying to direct me. I got part of my answer at district meeting on Tuesday, but was really not seeing how I could apply it, and Heavenly Father new I was trying, but also knows how much I struggle haha, so someone had to directly say what I needed to hear for me to finally have it click. I am grateful the Lord has a lot of patience with me. Answers will come, I can promise that. But sometimes it is on the Lord's timing, or we are not understanding it. But if we are doing all we can, we will receive our answers eventually. 

We also had a branch activity that we got to go to and eat burgers and talk with the branch. It was so fun and I am enjoying having everyone back and being one big loving accepting family. We also had our first English class and had 3 people come :) Pablo and his wife Nicole, and Chris, their friend. They all moved from Chile recently. We also invited the girls from Peru to come this week :) it was fun and I hope they continue to go well. 

This has kinda been an interesting week. Lots of people have dropped us, so that was kinda disappointing, but I'm excited to work with those who are ready. There is an urgency in the work and I can feel it. We must prepare and be prepared and if we are not willing to act then we will not be ready. So please, act and be ready :) that's all for my preaching today haha

Love you all!

Sister Nielson :D 

Week 25: Who let the Dawgs out!?!?!

Hey y'all! It's been a good one!

We got fed twice this week! It was amazing :) we also had zone conference on Wednesday. They went over a families and temples discussion we are focused on in this mission. Its specific to our mission, but it is really cool. I understand it, but never have had too much practice with the full thing since we focus on just pieces with the young single adults. So it was nice to have them go through it all in detail, since all of us who have been out less than a year haven't had a training on it. It's really been successful because families are so important to everyone and having something to relate all the principles we teach to helps people really understand the importance and blessings of the gospel. 

Also on Wednesday sister Trussell had a little bike crash. She was going too fast and hit a trash can and landed on some rocky ground. She's okay, just some bruising on her ribs. But it's on the mend. So now all of us except for sister Coleman have fallen off of our bikes. 

We had zone conference which is always so powerful. That many missionaries and the spirit is just so strong. They did some trainings on the family and temples discussion that we are focused on here. It was very helpful to hear all the details of it. 

We were able to go to campus this week since school started! Woot woot! I have never seen so many people on campus! Even when I first got here at the end of last semester there weren't this many people out and about. It is quite intimidating and terrifying, but we have been able to have some great conversations with people. I believe we will be lead to those who are prepared to act and receive the gospel.

I know this is the work of the Lord. It is a joyful work, but is a work. God is truly extending His hand, but Satan is working hard to deceive many hearts to turn away and not accept His offer of peace and eternal life. Please, take the time to notice God's hand, but most importantly REACH BACK! Draw near to Him in prayer and scripture study.

Love,

Sister Nielson :)

Week 24: Dog Tracting for the Win!

Hello everyone! 

This week we've had lots going on. People are finally moving back in so we've been finding lots of people!! It's so fun! We were out knocking doors one night and I saw a beautiful dog I wanted to pet so I said, let's go dog contact (probably my favorite way to contact) so we got to pet his dog and talk with him. His name was Thomas and he was awesome! He was down to learn more and meet again, so we went back yesterday and had a good lesson teaching him about the restoration of Christ's church and authority on earth. He seemed to understand everything well and had some great questions. We are so excited to meet with him again this week :) also, his dog is huge and decided it was a lap dog so he sat on me most of the lesson. I loved every second of it :) 

We also met some really cute roommates last week who were very faithful in their church. We talked about the book of Mormon and in setting up a time to bring some by and they actually invited us over for dinner! It was awesome! They are so sweet and supportive. They asked us questions and are very devout baptists but I didn't feel any hostility.  We are going to continue meeting with them to discuss things. It sounds like they want to take us out to an iron horse statue that lots of students go to and have a picnic. 

With the four of us planning is crazy. When we were weekly planning area book couldn't handle it and stopped working for us. So we had to take some time to bike out to the dollar store and get paper planners. Luckily we have area book working again because I am unbelievably grateful for it.  Plans change so much that it would all be scratched out and reschedule a bazillion different times. 

Sister Trussell and Sister Ferris spoke in church yesterday. And on Saturday I was asked to play the piano and we were asked to teach relief society. So we ran the show yesterday. It was so good to see so many people there and some familiar faces of people coming back to school and new ones too. 

Also, rush started this weekend. So all the sororities have tents up with tables and snack and tons of girls everywhere in rompers and sundresses and heels. It's quite interesting to see. I'll try and get a video of it. But the girls practicing were all screaming and it was crazy. Greek life is very foreign ha ha

Also, you'll be hearing a lot about the war chapters of the Book of Mormon because that is where I'm reading right now and I love them. But in Helaman 1 the Lamanites decide to march to the middle of the Nephite lands and take the capital city. The Nephites hadn't expected that and weren't prepared for it. But as the lamanites moved to conquer the rest of the lands the neophytes were able to surround them and win the battle. I think it is a perfect example to prove God's love. Bad things happen sometimes because of our choices, others, or just life, but as we turn to the Lord and do what we should he will make the best of the situation for us. He promises that our experiences will be for our gain. I know that is true. I am living that truth every day.

Love y'all!!

Sister Nielson :D

Week 23: Topsy Turrvey

Hey y'all! This has been a crazy week!


We had awesome exchanges this week with the Senior STLs. It was awesome to see how they do door approaches, connect with people, and teach principles whenever they can. They are so amazing. Exchanges always brings miracles and this was no different. We were able to find four new people while on exchanges. That's almost how many people we've talked to this summer haha. And we've kept the fire going and have found two more after exchanges too. 


We had a crazy thing happen. We got a call and found out we were getting another companion that night. So it was really quick and stressful to figure everything out. But she's cool. She's from the Cartersville stake so was in the GAM and has been out for 7 months. So we are now in a quadship, but we break off and work in twos. I think we are going to get UGA really going and have lots of work for both of our companionships. We are excited to learn and grow and see how this things go.


We have a tentative date for Elena to be baptized on September 28th and go to the temple on October 8th with her when the temple is open after cleaning. But we are all hoping to have it sooner. She said she just wants to make sure her family is there, so hopefully there is a day sooner that they could all go. 


I also got sick this week. We are pretty sure it was from exchanges, so they shared more than just finding ideas haha. But a branch member got us some medicine and I got a blessing, so hopefully I will be at full capacity again soon. Also, school starts on the 14 and we are so excited!

Sorry, I've been pretty scatterbrained with trying to think and problem solve and being sick. But rush is coming up next week. That's where all the sorority girls go around trying to join a sorority. I've heard its absolutely crazy. So more details to come. Also, I Know that God puts us where we need to be and that we can make the best of all situations because things done by revelation are always for our benefit and we just need to turn it to the Lord for Him to make it the best for us. This is how we grow and can be happy through the growing pains.

Love Y'all 

Sister Nielson:D 

Also sister trussell who I'm with the most is from Mississippi so I'm going to get a major southern accent going soon

Week 22: I'm humpty dumpty!

So this week was one full of bumps, bruises, and blessings. 

We had transfers on Tuesday! We got sister Coleman :) she is so sweet. She is from Kanab, Utah. We all get along really well which is great :) 

We had some great lessons with our friends and Shania is really progressing. We are really excited to see her continue. We actually got to go to the farmers market with her which was so much fun! We also had some stressful scheduling situations where people wanted to have lessons that day right after a lesson we had planned, but timing always works out because the Lord is in charge. 

Elena is back for the summer so we are hoping to get her baptized soon. Also, her sister is really interested so we met with them this week. It's so exciting when people see the blessings and happiness of the gospel.

One blessing this week was when sister Ferris' bike broke. The piece that holds the wheel in place broke. We were able to make it home safely and then the next day stopped at the bike shop on the way to the institute and gave us the piece she needed for free. Such a miracle! 

And the others came on Saturday. We were biking over a set of railroad tracks that we go over a lot. But this time I must have hit at the wrong angle. My bike was turned and ripped out from under me. The first blessing was that there were no cars at that time. The next that I was in sturdy pants that helped protect my legs some. Another that I wasn't scraped up too bad, just my hands, knee, and some major bruises. And finally that my bike wasn't broken. When we got home I had to fix the brakes on my front tire, but it was an easy fix and everything else was fine so we were able to bike home safely. So I'm okay, and just struggling with my bike. That was really the only crash I've had. But I have fallen off a few times in the last three weeks, but I've been protected. Still don't know why I'm struggling so much with my bike haha. 

I know the Lord helps us and that we may not be able to be saved from every bruise and bump in life, but as we are doing all we can to follow Him, He helps us and watches over us. Bad things still come in life, but we are able to have the strength and comfort to make it through. He is aware of us and puts those in our lives who can help us and who we are meant to help. Take note and thank them and help who you can.

Love you all!

Sister Nielson 

Week 21: Crash and Burn

Howdy folks!

This has been another good week for the books. 

On Tuesday we did a finding activity with our district after district meeting. We all went to downtown Athens and had people take a survey and passed out popsicles :) it was a lot of fun. We were able to try it out and figure out what we need to change and do for when we do it on campus. It's been exciting. And two people actually said they wanted to meet up and we set up appointments with them. One didn't show up, but the other we really think will. It's for tomorrow so stay posted. 

On a sad note we found out that Nashville tribute band became apostate music :( it had been okayed, but now it's not. We were so sad about that because we were just finding really fun ones from them. 

But on an exciting note, we got a trainers call! We are going to be training! Woot woot! We are so excited :) we don't know if it will be a new sister or one from the Cartersville stake that we got from the boundary changes. But we will find out tomorrow :) 

We've been looking into doing English classes and getting all that figured out. There is a lot of information and legalities we have to find out about. But we think they will be exciting and useful with all of the foreign students.

New experiences this week- the Wendy's 4 for $4! Amazing. We got it on the way back from the trainers meeting and it was amazing :) also, to the title, I fell off my bike this week ha ha. We were biking up this hill and all the trashes were out on the sidewalk. Apparently I was a little too close to one and my handle bars hit it. And then either that jolted me over or I over

corrected into a mailbox. I wasn't going very fast so it wasn't bad, but because of the mailbox I half bailed and just landed on my hands. No scrapes or anything. Just a bruised ego. We were laughing pretty hard at that. And then today, we were getting off of our bikes and I have a guys bike so it comes up really high (not good for skirts and dresses). But my foot got caught in my skirt and I fell into some gravel. I'm ok, just a bit scraped up haha. What a week!

But we are so excited for this upcoming transfer! 

Also, today I was reading in Alma 50 about Moroni preparing and fortifying the people and lands from the Lamanites. I love the war chapters and we always talk about the details he does for each city of walks of dirt and timbers and pickets and towers, but what I noticed this time was that they chased out all of the lamanites who were in their east lands and had his people build cities and placed his armies so that they had all of their lands together and kept the lamanites in their lands to the south. It reminded me that, yes, we need to fortify ourselves for attacks that may come, but we also need to take care of what we already have. To build it up and chase out any small things that might weaken us or distract us. So I invite you all to take a few minutes and find something in your life that you need to just be better at or cleaned up and make a plan on how you can "drive out the lamanites" and build your cities.

Love you all!

Sister Nielson :)