Week 70: Tell Everyone I am on my way!!!

Hello to all! 

We had transfers this week, and I got moved to Acworth. We cover four wards and are trying to start a group/branch. So far the people here have been amazing and so nice. We've been able to do some service which has been really nice. 

My companions are Hermana Clark y Hermana Orr. They are awesome! Sister clark was reassigned after being in Chile for 2 weeks then sent home. And hermana Orr came from the Dominican republic. She was there for 5 weeks. So we are having lots of fun and ready to get this branch together! 

Transfers were crazy because we got calls Monday night to find out where we were going, and were told transfers would be Tuesday night or Wednesday. Tuesday morning we were told they were happening then as soon as possible. So things were pretty crazy Tuesday with packing and transferring different people to different places. 

Right now we are teaching Javier English and the gospel and he is amazing! It's really fun to have our lessons with him in the morning before he has work. He's wanting to practice English because he is going to go back to college to take classes to become a hacker. 

So it's been a really busy week, but I'm so excited for this change and to get this branch made before I leave.

Love y'all! Stay smiling :)

Hermana Nielson :D

Week 69: We get to go outside a little

Hello everyone. Sorry for missing my email last week. But this week has been pretty good.

We had zone conference in person!!!!!! It was so fun!!! And usually we have multiple zones so it's more of a half the mission conference, but this one was just our zone which only has 17 people. So it was small. But we got to see some people for the first time and it was really great to socialize. This is the last one before my mission president leaves. They talked about our divine potential and building our ebenezer (Hebrew for stone of help). Very great day. And after we got to play softball one last time with president marsh. I'm very sad to see them go, but I'm excited to see how things will change with the new president.

We are able to eat with people outside and got to do that twice this week. At one house we got to play four square in their driveway. It was so much fun. I really have learned to enjoy the simple fun moments with people. Just having fun and enjoying others company. 

But we get transfer calls tonight so we will see what happens. I'm kinda excited for whatever happens whether I'm transferred, or stay, or we get a third. But I have two transfers left, so it might be my last big change. We will see. 

Thanks for all the love and support!

Hermana Nielson  :D

Week 67: Bytheway Zone call

Hello a todos!


This week has been pretty good. We had some good things happening.


First things first, Juan popped back up! Still haven't been able to have a lesson or talk to him, so he's still acting kinda weird, but we have had contact and he has responded to a few of our messages. So hopefully we can figure out what he needs and how we can help him. But the great thing as missionaries is that we represent and are disciples of Jesus Christ and he is the one who can help best, and help perfectly.


Also, Emili was able to join the zoom call for the branch on Sunday. We have been teaching her English and the gospel and is so cute. She reads the children's book of Mormon with her daughter. And her full name is Emilina, so that is pretty coincidental haha. But she sometimes struggles a bit with working technology, but was able to join with audio and actually hear the testimonies. She is very sweet and so nice. It was their daughter Emili's 3rd bday this week, and with the virus they couldn't have people over for a party, but they wanted to invite us over to eat, so instead they gave us some food from a Japanese steakhouse that her husband works at. She had us go and ask for him, Benjamin, but the front desk people said they didn't find any chef with that name. So we called her and she said it was the right place and to go back. And when a Hispanic woman tells you to do something you do it. Luckily this time they did find him, or we don't know what we would have done. But it was very nice of them.


And then to end it all, we had another zoom meeting with John Bytheway. It was for all the youth and their parents in the mission ( or basically anyone that wants to join) and then us. It was really good, and wasn't the same talk. This time he talked about the youth theme of go and do. And how God can only guide our footsteps if we are making steps. And about setting goals. He told us that whenever we set goals for ourselves, someone else has goals for us. Netflix has goals for us, disney plus has goals for us, and he didn't even mention this, but Satan has goals for us. And we need to not be distracted and do nothing but to work towards our goals. Or as he says, "not sit and stew but go and do."


I am so grateful for the resources and the blessings we have. That although it can be tough and tiring, we have all the help we need. God really us there for us but we need to act to be able to let in his help.


Love y'all!
Hermana Nielson :D

 

Week 66: Hey Ho Everyone!

Hola Buena Todas!

Hey, this week has been interesting as normal haha. We sadly haven't been able to get in contact with Juan, and don't know why he stopped responding to us. So we are holding out hope that he pops back up. He was so prepared to receive the truths of the gospel. But life happens and we just move on.


We had international zone conference this week. But because of quarantine, it was by zoom call. It was very good though. Lots of helpful, motivating, and specific trainings for us. So that was good, but sitting in zoom calls for multiple hours is just kinda rough on the body haha. Too much sitting, it gets to ya 😂


We got to take the sacrament with Ricardo and Eloisa's family again. Such a blessing to be able to meet with families and participate in ordinances with them. The spirit is just so present in righteous homes and as families gather together to worship. It's been a cool experience, but we are all excited to be able to meet again at the church building.


Something I wanted to share after talking to my mom is about what my mission president has taught us. We have always had a motto of being cool and flexible, and that's all we can be recently when things change in minutes. But the other kinda mantra we have is "build like you'll be here forever." It comes from when the early saints were asked to build a city knowing they would have to leave it in a few years because of persecution. The prophets counsel was build like you'll be here forever. We need to put all our effort in and give our best. Even if we don't enjoy the rewards of our works, the next people can. We need to "be not weary in well doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a good work." I am so grateful that my mission president didn't just want us to not get bored or wait out the virus. He put us to work immediately in finding new ways to communicate and find those who need the gospel. We are revolutionizing the way missionary work is done, in quarantine, and forever as we can get back out in person. It's a lot of foundational work, but it will be built upon for future generations, and each of us was called to do our part. And right now that calling is building like we'll be here forever. So maybe take a moment yourself and ask have I just been waiting it out or am I using it to grow and to build?


Love you all and keep building!


Hermana Nielson :D

Week 65: Howdy Howdy Spring and Frogs

Hello hello!

This has been another week down in quarantine. Our friend Juan is doing really well and opening up a lot to our beliefs. He has so much wisdom and is truly looking for God so it is really cool to be able to help him on his journey. He is going to read the Book of Mormon and pray about it and Joseph Smith.

We had a mission wide zoom call with president marsh teaching about yellow pad prayer. And for those of you who haven't heard or remember what it is, basically it is a way to pray and receive revelation. It is a process of bringing our own ideas to the Lord and seeking confirmation as well as planning, and journaling. So lots of writing while praying. It is actually really cool, but hard to explain properly. 

 

We also had interviews. It is president and sister Marsh's last transfer, so our last interviews. So sad, but hopefully the restrictions will continue to lighten up and we can have one last zone conference or softball p-day with them before they go. 

Not too much to report other than that, but I hope everyone is staying safe and happy!

Love, Hermana Nielson :D

 

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Week 64: Holding down the fort

Hello everyone!

This week has been good. 

We had a mission zoom call with Elder Bednar and it was amazing! He has an amazing way of teaching by example. He perfectly exemplifies the pattern of learning he teaches. He teaches people how to teach themselves. I'm grateful for the chance to have heard from him twice, and this time with his wife. 

We had transfers but not much changed in our district and I'm so pumped to be staying here in coal Mountain or now the Azalea branch with sister Anderson for another transfer. It's going to be great and hopefully regulations will continue lightening up and we will be able to meet with the branch in person :)

Juan is doing well. He is growing his testimony and excited to learn more. He even joined our branch zoom call on Sunday and loved it. He was asking when the next one was. It makes everything worth it to help others find their way to Christ. 

That is what is so beautiful about missionary work. John 4:39-42

39 ¶ And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did.

40 So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days.

41 And many more believed because of his own word;

42 And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world

We need to open our voices and share what we know and love, but more importantly is to lead people to where they can learn and grow to love for themselves. We must first have our own testimony and then share it to help others find the Man who can give them there own. That is the challenge for the week to share your testimony and invite them to learn something for themselves.

Love y'all!

Hermana Nielson  :D

 

 

Week 63: Howdy Howdy

Howdy howdy!

This week has been a bit crazy! We had 100 missionaries come in on Tuesday and Wednesday. And we have 40 more coming in this week. Also, transfers are this week, so we think they will be on Wednesday and we will get calls tonight to find out the news. But with more missionaries coming, we honestly don't know what will happen or if it will change soon. We didn't get anyone in our companionship, but the sisters we live with did. Her name is sister Thompson and she served in Indonesia before here. She is super awesome! It's fun to have her. And we are always with them, so we are basically one big companionship. 

But we had another lesson with Juan and he is so excited to learn the truths of the gospel and the beauties of the plan God has for us. It is so refreshing to know there are people in this world who are seeking God, and how happy they can be as they learn who He really is, and therefore who they really are. 

My birthday on Wednesday was wonderful! Thanks for all of the emails of love and support :) I'm very loved and very spoiled. And I got to talk with my parents 3 times this week because of that and mother's day. So of course, speaking of mother's day, my mom is my hero. I don't have words to express my gratitude for her. She has loved me unconditionally, she has supported me through my crazy life. She has sacrificed her body, time, and sanity for me. She lives her testimony and instilled in me the truths of eternity and a knowledge that my Heavenly Father loves me. Everything that I am, that I have become, is thanks to everything she has given me. And again to my grandmother's for their examples of the light of Christ, of selfless service, charity, and smiles. And being mothers to my parents. I am blessed with a loving family and the best gift of having them forever. I know that family is ordained of God and the purpose of our lives to have eternal joy with our earthly family now, and with them in eternities when we return to our heavenly family.

Stay safe and have a boppin' week!

Love, hermana Nielson :D