Week 48: The Potty Dance!

Hola Buenos Dias! :)

This week was a good week, we had some miracles, some spiritual guidance, and some laughs :)

This week I had an experience with the Book of Mormon where I received more testimony on its ability to guide us with exactly what we need. We went to a Family Home Evening with a less active person. We had invited him to read the Book of Mormon and when we asked if he had read he said no. When people say that to us we have to get really sad and have a lesson about why it is important to read The Book of Mormon. It is really frustrating when they don't read because we cant progress with the lessons or help them understand more, because it is pointless to build a house without a base. Anyways we were about to read a part when his mom said "Actually we were reading in a different chapter with you guys last time" I knew that she was wrong, but the spirit told me to do with what she said so we started reading from that chapter. We had decided to read and analyze the part with him so that he could see how to receive guidance from the Book of Mormon and that we can learn a lot in a short amount of time. We started reading and analyzing the part, and it ended up being perfect. It was a part about Lehi being given a book by an angel and being told to read it. After reading it he was "filled with the spirit" and was given warning what to do with his family (Flee to the Desert). That part was perfect because it showed many of the blessing that we can receive by reading the Book of Mormon. It was so powerful because by reading the scriptures, we learned what we receive by reading the scriptures. It was perfect and the spirit was so strong. I know that I was guided by the spirit to agree to read that part so that all of us could see the power and the truth of the Book of Mormon.

This week we found an investigator who is going to get baptized on the 9th of August! :) P is a reference from some members who are coming back to church. He lives with them and has lived with them for a couple years. He is 22 and is basically adopted, but isn't adopted. He lives with them because his parents didn't care about him when he was little so he went to live with his grandma, but she died some years ago so the members invited him to live with them :) He is amazing and has done and kept every invitation that we have given him. He came to church and felt the spirit and felt so good! He is excited for his baptism :)

He also taught us "The bathroom dance." It was a hilarious moment because he was telling us a story about his aunt. One day she was in the bathroom on the second story when there was an earthquake. Because the house was kind of old the bathroom gave out and everything fell to the first floor. When her husband went to check on her she was still sitting on the toilet in shock. She was so shocked that she was staring straight ahead making an "O" with her mouth, making a clicking noise, and rubbing her closed fists together (As if trying to make electricity with your knuckles). It was a hilarious story and even more funny when he re-enacted the dance. We were laughing so hard that we adopted the dance as our happy bathroom dance :)

This week we received the sad news that the sisters in my district are having their sector closed. So now after starting with 4 sister missionaries and 2 elders I am down to 2 elders haha! I don't know what I did wrong! ;) I just hope that I get some more missionaries this next change :)

Changes are this Wednesday so we will see what happens! :)

I love you all! Stay golden!

Love,
Elder Nielson :)

Week 47: When are the elders going home? Cuz I want them to go home now!

Buenos Dias!

This week we had a lot of time in the street working and looking for people. We left 7 of our investigators because we had tried to make appointments with them, or they weren't progressing, so now we are looking for more. 

Aside from that not much happened. Lots of street work. But as we worked in the street we had a couple interesting experiences.

There are lots of drunk people in the streets in our sector so we generally have drunk people asking us for money. But this week we ran into a lady who was drunk. She started to talk to us and tell us that she is a member. We started trying to talk about that but quickly realized how drunk she was. She talked nonsense for a couple minutes and then tried to kiss us!! It was absolutely hilarious because the sister missionaries always have troubles with drunk guys trying to kiss them but this is the first time a drunk lady has tried to kiss me! She leaned in and tried to kiss my companion first. We told her no and that we cant do that. After thinking for a second she said "You can if it comes from the heart!" I almost started laughing, but knew that that would be a bad idea so we explained to her that we have rules. It was funny because after that she started following us. I didn't know what to do, but then there was a little old lady and she was walking in the street and the drunk lady yelled "Grandma!" And went and kissed the old lady (But the old lady was obviously not her grandma) The old lady began to yell at her and tell her to go away. We used the old lady distraction to run away and get away from the Drunk lady ha ha :)

Then When we were visiting a family the little girls got mad at us because they had to turn the TV off. After a couple minutes of talking she came out and asked her mom "When are the Elders going home?" And her grandma asked her why she said "Cuz I want them to go home now!" after hearing such hurtful words we made the joke that we were never going to leave! After hiding some of her toys and messing with her we got ready to leave and she asked why we were leaving.  We explained that we were going to keep working and then she got sad. "But I thought you weren't going to leave! She told us we had to come back the next day and bring our PJ's so that we could stay. It was hilarious :)

We don't have any investigators but we got a great reference and we have an appointment today with them :) 

I love you all! Stay Golden!

Love,

Elder Nielson :)

Week 46: Karma! It catches up to you!

Buenos Dias!! 

This week was a week full of different activities and experiences, but most of all it was full of Karma hah :)

This week on interchanges I was with a zone leader. We went to a lesson with a convert of 2 years and had a lesson about the word of wisdom. He has a problem with drinking wine and said that he was going to live the word of wisdom and only drink a little bit the next day. We explained that that wasn't living the word of wisdom and invited him to live the word of wisdom again. He said that he would but that he wasn't going to get rid of the wine in his house. While his back was turned I silent talked with my zone leader asking if I should take the half bottle of wine so that he wouldn't be tempted to drink it. My zone leader said yes so I hid the half bottle of wine in my sweater and then we left. We dumped it out in the street and then threw the bottle away! But It was so funny! We really helped him live the word of wisdom ha ha :) 

But because I did that Karma came and I got robbed. This week we had a zone conference with president. While we were in the meeting someone entered the room where all our stuff was being kept and robbed the wallet of a sister missionary, the camera of a different missionary, and my scripture bag and rain coat. So now I have to walk around with my backpack because my shoulder bag was robbed :( In the bag was my raincoat, pictures of my family and friends, and sunscreen, nothing too important but it was still kinda dumb. But at least it wasn't a wallet or a camera like the other missionaries. 

This week I was super tired and exhausted after lots of work. In the night I was saying my prayer. I start my prayers and 11 and usually finish at about 11:30. But I started my prayer a little bit early at 10:50 and was praying then all of a sudden, I woke up! I looked at the alarm clock and it said 12:30. I had fallen asleep praying ha ha! I Tried to straighten out my legs and I couldn't! I had lost all circulation and had to wait like 10 minutes to get the blood flowing again in order to lie down ahah :) 

As a District leader I have the wonderful opportunity and responsibility of interviewing investigators that want to be baptised and giving them the approval or not. This week I was able to interview one the the investigators of the zone leaders. It was an awesome interview. The spirit was so strong as she bore her testimony to me about how she came to know that the Book of Mormon is true and how she came to know that the church is true. I know that god will answer our prayers and will always testify of the truths. She passed the interview and got Baptised on Sunday :)

Our new president is awesome, he is humble, silly, and super loving. And his thing is he wants people to be able to speak many languages. He told me that I speak well enough that he wants me to start studying Portuguese! So in the end of my mission I am hoping to be fluent in Spanish, English, and Portuguese :) It would be super awesome :)

This week "M" and "A" got baptized! It is really a miracle that that happened because the day before the baptisms Alejandro told us that he didn't know if he wanted to be baptised. The thing is that he wanted to be baptised but his girlfriend doesn't like the church and doesn't like him living the commandments. After having a crazy spiritual and intense lesson he still wasn't sure. We invited him to pray and ask if it is something he should do. The next morning we called him and he said he was going to get baptised. He came to church and afterwords told us. I prayed and received my answer and that is why I am going to be baptised today. Thank you for everything that you have done :) I know that God will always answer our prayers. And the two boys got baptized!ª :)

I know that God exists and Loves us. I know that he wants to bless us with all that he has but that he wants us to follow him in order to receive those blessings. I know that that path is found in the restored church of Jesus 

Christ. Anyone, member or non member can know if this is true through reading the book of Mormon and by praying to God to ask if it is true. If you do it and are willing to follow the answer that you get, I testify as a representative of Jesus Christ that you will receive the answer. You will feel a peace, an unexplainable sensation that you haven't felt before. I know that it is true through my own experience and I invite you all to experiment and look for that answer :)

I love you all :) Keep strong and stay golden :)

Elder Nielson :)

Week 45: I got Robbed! Special Conference, and Copa America Champions!

Buenos Dias!

This week was a great week full of different experiences! :)

This week I got robbed! Luckily it wasn't anything super valuable :) I was walking in a sector that is poorer than all of the other sectors and we had just finished lunch. For dessert the lady had given us an apple and as I was walking I started to eat my apple. Before I could take more than 2 bites and man came up and started yelling at me and took my apple and ran away. So it wasn't anything valuable, but I was still kinda frustrated that he took my apple ;) After the experience we were talking to a member about it and they said he did it to show his authority and to show us that we were in his area. 

This week in the same area we ran across a couple people peeing in the street. It isn't super common but it isn't rare. But just so you know what kind of things we run across ha ha :) 

This week was a great week for lessons. We had many lessons (8) with investigators and I was able to feel the spirit really strong. This week I really focused on teaching the investigators what they needed to change their life and to receive the blessings of the lord rather than teach them the material. That is a big difference between having the spirit in the lessons or not. If we teach them how the gospel and god can bless their lives the spirit can testify more personally to the person. After all the lessons I felt very good with what we had taught. We have many investigators and 2 are going to be baptized this Sunday! The 2 older brothers of the little girls are going to be baptized this weekend! It has been so amazing to see their change :) 

This weekend we had a special conference and the branches became wards and the district became a stake (If you don't understand those words you can find the nearest missionaries and they will be more than happy to explain them) :) Jorge Zaballos a Seventy came to do it. He talked about many things and I could feel the spirit super strong. It was a great testimony about the callings of the lord. 

This weekend I also received a testimony about fasting. Chile is having a drought and it hasn't rained in almost a year so this last fast Sunday all the members in Chile were fasting to have rain. After finishing the special conference on Sunday we went to leave and... It was raining! I know that the Lord answered the prayers and the fasts of all the members and he did it Immediately. I know that the lord will grant us what we need if we are willing to fast and pay our fast offerings.

These past couple weeks the Copa America (A big south American soccer tournament between all the countries) has been going on. Well on Saturday Chile played in the final against Argentina... And they won the Copa America for the first time in History! It was so crazy! It happened when we were in the special conference and when we left the streets were flooded with people screaming and celebrating and honking :) I am part of History! :) 

It was a good week and the next week will be as well because of the baptisms! :)

You guys are awesome, I love you all :) Stay Golden :)

Love,

Elder Nielson :)

Week 44: Que Esta haciendo perro cochino!? (What are you doing dirty dog?!)

Buenos Dias!!!

This week was a week of success and hard work! We invited lots of people to be baptised and many accepted! We will see if they will keep the commandments and the promises they made.

This week I started out a little bit disappointed and frustrated with lots of things that are going on. But I decided to read a talk that I found in the apartment already called "mental Toughness" by Elder Ballard. It talks about making success happen even if all the situations are against you. It talks about not complaining and just giving it your all. It humbled me a lot because I was doing all the things it said not to do ha ha. I decided to take the advice that I had received by reading it and put it to the test... And what would you know... It passed. 

This week After reading that I decided to give it my all and not care about the rest. After deciding that and working super hard we managed to invited many people to be baptized and we now have 7 people who have accepted to be baptized on a specific day. We have more success than I have ever had in the mission. I know that if we follow the advice and the revelation of the prophets and apostles we will receive the blessings that they promise. We just have to be willing to humble ourselves and accept the advice. 

So this week the work went well. We encountered many new investigators and helped many progress. We had many intense lessons in which I felt the spirit strongly and so did the investigators. One night we invited an investigator to keep a commandment that is a little difficult to keep. He said that he would have to think about it so we invited him to pray and ask god if it was something that he should do. The Next day we passed by to see if he got an answer and he said that he had. But that before he prayed he already knew it was true. In his own words "yeah I prayed, but there are some things that I don't have to ask god, and I know they are true after I hear you teach them. It was like that with this commandment." I know that the spirit is the real teacher .

It is getting colder, a lot colder. But luckily (or unluckily) it hasn't rained. I am grateful that it hasn't rained, but apparently Chile is having a really big bad drought. The area presidency (The area 70s) have asked all of Chile, Peru, and Argentina to fast this Sunday for rain (which I'm not too thrilled about) but if Chile needs it than I will fast for it.

 

This week we also had some funny experiences, and yes one of them includes a dog :)

"Que Esta haciendo perro cochino!?":

I thought I was all done with the dog stories. After not having an incident in almost 2 months I was not expecting this to come. We were working in an area where we haven't worked very often so I was looking at a map. While looking at the map a dog walked over to me and I thought "dang it, I am going to get fleas now and it is going to touch me and give me all of its nasty." But I was busy looking at the map so I decided that I didn't care. But to my surprise the dog didn't touch me, so I kept looking at the map. Then all of a sudden I feel something touching me, but it wasn't the dog so I looked down to see what was up. In that moment I saw something that I never would have expected... The dog had lifted up its rear leg and was... Yes... Peeing on my leg and on my shoes!!! I jumped and started yelling at him. But after 2 seconds of yelling at him I started dying laughing. The dog had marked me as his territory and my pants were covered in dog pee. I had to spend the next 10 minutes laughing my head off. But now I have an owner.

"Uh-Oh"

We walked into a store one day and there were some little girls buying some stuff for their mom. They turned around when they heard us come in so I smiled at them. Before I could even say one word the little girls said "Uh-oh." Normally I would have stopped smiling and not talked to them but I decided to be more assertive. "UH OH? UH OH? what is so UH OH? I didn't think I was that ugly, and I know that you wouldn't say that about my companion would you?" The little girls started laughing and we talked a little bit. But now I am friends with two 7 year old girls ha ha :)

This week I had experiences with drugged people doing weird things but it doesn't matter what they did ha ha :) 

I hope that you all have a fantastic week and I love you all :)

Stay Golden!

Elder Nielson :)

Week 43: "If I am going to dance than I have to go pee pee first!"

Buenos Dias!

This week was a good week! We have 2 investigators that came to church so they still have their baptismal dates for the 11th of July! So hopefully we can achieve those and invite even more people to come unto Christ :) 

This week we didn't have many experiences but I wrote down some quotes that I really thought were funny :)

1) While visiting a recent convert her grandpa was watching bugs life and was really into it then said to us as if he had received revelation "I never noticed that before... but the ants from bugs life, especially the queen, look like the sisters from relief society!" I died laughing at that one, but it is true, the relief society president looks a lot like the queen ant ha ha :)

2) While visiting an inactive family a little boy who is 4 years old was about to play just dance with his older sister. The older sister was picking a song and came across sexy and I know it. When she decided to dance to that song her 4 year old brother shouted "If I'm going to dance this song than I have to go pee pee first!" Then he shot off to the bathroom. It was hilarious and I almost died laughing :)

This week we had changes and as part of changes something sad happened... My district that was a district of 8 missionaries got cut down to a district of 6 missionaries. The sisters from levarte B got taken from my district and put into another one. That made me sad because I liked talking to them, but oh well. 

This week while doing planning at night we were in the apartment and our neighbor was jamming out to music. All of a sudden Mr Roboto by Styx came on, it was pretty normal but then he started trying to sing along to it! He started singing really loudly and off tune. After singing almost the whole first verse he stopped singing because the voice got really high pitched, so I started singing along to the song in my falsetto and did it really loud. After that he turned the music off, so I am assuming that my bad voice hasn't improved much :)

The work is going well. We have 2 investigators that are going to be baptized in July and we have some futures that could be baptized in July as well. But besides that the mission work is just going along like normal :)

I miss you all and hope that you have a fantastic week!

Stay Golden! :)

Love,

Elder Nielson :)

Week 42: Death by Marshmallows, Flirting, Playing Pranks and Break Ins!

Buenos Dias!!!!

This week was a good week, lots of events that took place that made it different than normal. The work was pretty normal, we have investigators and people listening to the lessons, but it is pretty normal in that aspect :)

This week we had a Family Home Evening with the girls who got baptized and with their family. It was super fun! We taught a lesson and then played a game. They were all dying of laughter and loving the game. It was so awesome to see them grow closer as a family in a matter of 15 minutes and it really taught me the power of Family Home Evening. Our families will be strengthened and will overcome any trial if we do our Family Home Evenings.

This week we almost died from marshmallows! I always make brownies with marshmallows on top for our District meetings, but this week I decided to make some for a member to share during lunch. I had a lot of marshmallows so I decided to put on triple the amount of marshmallows and left them to cook. After a little bit I started to smell smoke. I went into the kitchen and the oven was spewing smoke! The extra marshmallows and fallen off and were burning in the oven. By then time I was able to cut the oven and stop the burning the apartment was visible full of smoke. We ran around and opened all the windows and were okay. But we could have died from some stinking marshmallows!! :)

This week was also a week of learning... Learning how to flirt! Whenever we talk with a flaite (flighty a Chilean gangster) who is like 23 they always ask us if we have Chilean girlfriends. This week we did a contact with a flaite and he asked us if we had Chilean girlfriends. We told him no and he got a look of sincere concern on his face and began to tell us "Its okay, its okay, its okay, don't worry, Ill teach you how to do it!" We spent the next 5 minutes receiving tips and the guide on how to flirt and get a Chilean girlfriend, and his tips on love and how to make the relationship work. It was Hilarious! But what made it so funny was his sincere concern that we didn't have a Chilean girlfriend ha ha :)

This week I might have played a prank on the sister missionaries that are in our ward. After a meeting with some leaders and the missionaries everyone left and the sister missionaries went into the bathroom. We have the keys to the church and the leaders asked us to close the church. So we left the church turned off the lights and locked the door (With the sister missionaries still in the bathroom). They came out and we could hear them talking a little bit and they tried to open the door, but it was locked so they couldn't open it. They tried yanking it and everything and finally accepted the fact that they had been locked in the church and started calling someone. At that point we opened the door. But it was super funny, but now we have to be careful so that they don't get us back :)

This week we went to go visit someone in an apartment complex but when we got there the apartment had 2 locked gates to get inside. The person was a really good contact so we wanted to talk to her. After thinking for a minute I decided it was worth it to break in. Using a pen, some broken glass, and a stick and some time we managed to break into the first gate. As we prepared to open the second gate we noticed that the apartment had buzzers to call the people, which would have been awesome if she lived there... After calling the apartment we realized that we had broken into the wrong apartment complex! 

That was my week ha ha :) We have the brothers of the little girls with baptismal dates in July and some investigators but the brothers are the only ones progressing. 

This Wednesday we have changes but I don't think we are going to be changed because we are both pretty new to the area :) 

I love you all, stay golden!

Love,

Elder Nielson :)