Week 40: The Spirit of God like a fire is burning

Buenos Dias!

This week was such a wonderful week! A week of Miracles, even more miracles, and good news!

This week we got some really good news! Our branch and the district (like a stake) have finally been approved to become a ward and a stake! This is big and I am going to be here for the conference with the general authority and everything! It is going to be super awesome and super exciting! :)

This week we were door tracting (knocking on doors and doing contacts). We knocked on the door of a house and no one answered, so we knocked again, no one answered, so we knocked a third time. No one answered so we started looking up the direction of an old investigator who lived close by. After a minute of looking some music turned on in the house the we had just knocked at. At first I was kind of frustrated, because that meant that someone was there but didn't want to answer us. But after hearing the song for like 30 seconds I decided I really liked the song and decided to knock on the door just to ask what the name of the song was... and do you know what happened!?! Yeah that's right, they didn't answer... so I didn't get to know what the name of the song was.

This week we encountered some little girls who have been going to church for a year but aren't baptized so we went to their house and talked to their mom (A less active) and asked her if we could baptize them. She said yes, but that we had to ask permission from her husband on the weekend (when he would be home from work). So all week we taught them lessons and started preparing them for the baptism. Finally the weekend came and we went to their house after church to talk with their dad. We got their and he was busy so we had a lesson with them and then asked again if they could get baptized. Them mom called in the dad and we asked him. And he said no, that they are too young to make a promise with god and that they think it is just a game. I was just thinking "Fetch, we just lost 2 baptisms right there, how dumb" but I kept talking hoping that we could talk some sense into him, and that is when the spirit decided to take control. We talked about baptism and repentance, and then the spirit just took full control. I started sharing a very passionate testimony about repentance and life experience and baptism and the holy ghost. I had no Idea what I was saying, the Spirit was just putting the words into my mouth. Everyone was looking at me stunned and amazed, and in that moment I recognized the power and authority I had. After sharing that we asked the girls about why they go to church and they answered "to learn about Jesus and God" and I was about to say to their dad "Look, they are going to church for the right reasons, what more do you want?" But I didn't and decided to ask one more question. "And why do you like to learn about Jesus and God?" The girls (9 and 11) answered " To be happy, to get closer to him and to..." Then everything got quiet and they started crying and she said "And to help my mommy and my daddy" When she said that a spiritual bomb exploded. The whole family started crying and we sat in silence for about a minute. Then the dad said "I didn't know they felt that way" and then more silence. After that we shared more and let the spirit teach. It was so intense and so powerful. I have never had a lesson like that in my whole mission! It was amazing. In the end we got permission to baptize the girls this weekend! And the spirit was so strong that the other kids (15 and 19) accepted the invitation to be baptized. I don't know if I have ever felt the spirit so strongly, but in that moment I received a strong testimony about the spirit and the power of the spirit.

That was our week in a nutshell. I know that this is the Church of God and that He loves us. I Know that Joseph Smith is a Prophet Called of god to restore the fullness for the gospel.

I love you all and hope you have a fantastic week!

Stay Golden!
Elder Nielson :)

Week 39: I want to take your eyes with a spoon!

Buenos Dias!!

Esta semana fue super buena! I mean... This was a great week! We had some success, gained some hope, and are going to work hard again this week!

This week was good, we had the goal and the challenge from president to find a new investigator every day this week! We didn't quite manage to do it, but we did find 4 new investigators! With that we finally have a base of people to teach! Woohoo! :)

The new investigators are

M and S- A couple who really want to know if this is the true church, but aren't married and haven't come to church

M y M- A son and Mother. The son almost died from an overdose on drugs and ever since than has had some physical problems but is searching for Jesus and wants to follow his teachings.

Also the hope for this week is that there are 2 girls (11 and 12) who are daughters of an inactive member and they have come to church every week for 2 years with their grandma, but they aren't baptized. They could get baptized the next week if everything works out well! We talked to the mom and we have an appointment with her on Tuesday!

Spiritual experience of the week:

This week while contacting people in the street a man started talking to us. He opened up to us and told us his life story. He was evangelico (evangelical?) for 13 years but when he moved he found out some scandals that his preacher had committed and that shook his faith and made him think that religion doesn't exist. He started drinking and his life took a swan dive. After being an alcoholic for a long time and almost destroying his marriage he started thinking about the situation, and that a human made a mistake, it wasn't god. He wants to start following god again. While we were explaining the blessings that can come from this change of life, the ability to repent and leave behind our past burdens and guilt, the ability to start again and become who god wants us to be, he started crying. We hugged in the street, and he thanked us a lot. I know that this gospel gives us hope and a direction, and can help us start over again.

Scariest experience is working in the night. We can only walk where it is lit and we were walking where it was lit but next to the path was really dark. We were looking for a house and were a little lost and we were walking in a street that we didn't know. I was about to leave the path a little bit to see what the house number was but it was dark. As I was about to leave the path I heard some voices. In the dark where I was about to go there were 3 flietes doing drugs and watching us. That scared me but was a great lesson about the straight and narrow path. Even though I wasn't leaving the path to break the rules, and didn't see anything bad leaving the path could have been super bad. In our life we need to stay on the path, even if we don't understand why, even if we cant see anything bad in the dark, we need to stay on the path, because it is the only sure way to be saved. 

Funny Experience of the week: I want to take your eyes out with a spoon!

This week I ran into a snake! In the mission a girl who flirts with the missionaries is called a snake. While we were in a area that I had never worked in before (Laguna Verde (green Lagoon) ) which is basically a little town on the beach, super beautiful (Ill take my camera next time to take pictures) and were looking for a less active family. When we finally found the house there were 2 girls who are 11 or 12 and they started talking to us. While we were trying to get information about the family and when we could pass by they were just trying to keep our attention and flirt with us. When I told them that we would pass by a different day they said that we had to pass by when they are home and as I was shaking their hands goodbye one of them blurted out "Quiero sacarse los ojos con una cuchara!" (I want to take your eyes out with a spoon) It is a Chilean saying that means I think your eyes are pretty and I want them for myself! It was the first time that I had heard that phrase and it scared me a little bit! But nonetheless we haven't talked with them since ha ha. :)

That was my week and this next week will be good! I will try to take more pictures of my area, it is just hard with such little time on Monday to take pictures and my sector is too dangerous to carry around my camera.

I love you all! Stay golden!

Love,

Elder Nielson :)

Week 38: Translating Like a Pro!!!

Buenos Dias!!

This week was a good week and went by so quickly!!! We worked super hard and did tons of contacts! With all of our hard work we encountered 3 new investigators! Jorge, Polo, e Irma. Jorge has a baptismal date for the 7th of June, but he didn't show up to his second lesson so we will see what happens there.

Really not much happened this week, just lots of working and contacting, and working, and contacting, and working, and contacting even more. 

Jorge is a good investigator. We taught him the first lesson and he likes listening about God and Jesus Christ. He accepted the invitation to be baptized if he feels ready. Right after his lesson we had the great opportunity to go to a baptism so that he could see what it is like and how it works. He payed lots of attention and was really alert so I think he liked it. We are going to be passing by him to continue teaching him :)

This week on the the companionship's of sisters had a Miracle Baptism! An 11 year old Girl had attended church for lots of time but couldn't be baptized in the branch because her mom lives in another sector (and you have to get baptized in the sector where you live) but the girl lives with her grandparents, so it was just a dilemma. But they finally received Permission to baptize the little girl and it was a great opportunity for Jorge to see a baptism.

The only other thing that happened this week was the Council of District Leaders. A meeting that president has with the district leaders once every 3 months to teach us, help us become better district leaders, and to see how our teaching and leading is going. It was a fun experience, especially to see my old district leader elder crofts, because he became one of my good friends :) There we saw a new video made by the church called "LIFT" and it is super good, so if you haven't seen it you definitely should :)

The funny moment of the week: Translating Like a Pro!

Today we arrived at the Internet cafe to do Internet and we were waiting in line behind some people talking to the worker. They were taking a long time so I started listening to the conversation so see what was the problem. That's when I realised the people couldn't speak Spanish and were trying to communicate with the worker. I started talking to the lady in English and at first she thought I was speaking to her in Spanish, but the she realised that I speak English and said "Thank goodness! At least Someone speaks English!" I thought that was funny considering that we are in Chile. She then told be that she wanted 2 computers to use so I started talking to the worker. I told him that they wanted 2 computers. He started saying "I don't get these people, they gave me 4 dollars but haven't used anything (In Chile you pay after using the computers or after eating, not before). He started saying funny things about how some people are clueless but said it in a funny manner and it was hard not to laugh. I explained everything to him and to the gringos. In the end it all worked out but was super funny, and I felt like a pro :) 

That was my Week! I am going to continue working hard to find more new investigators! 

I love you all! Stay Golden!

Love Elder Nielson :)

 

 

Week 37: Changes!

Buenos Dias! :)

This week was a good one with LOTS of Changes! :)

This week on Wednesday we had a change meeting and I finally got transferred from Villa Dulce to a place called Quebrada Verde (Green Ocean Cliff). It is in Valparaiso Oeste which is about 45 minutes from Villa Dulce. It is different than Villa Dulce. It is a lot poorer and a lot more ghetto. It is really dirty but I love it because it is right next to the ocean and I have an ocean view from my window :) That was a big change but another big change is that now I am a... District Leader!

Being a district leader means that I am a leader of my companion and 6 other missionaries. I have to call them every night, teach them every week, make sure they are happy, healthy, and working :) It is fun but uses up alot of time :) In my district we have the zone leaders (the leaders of the district leaders) and 2 pairs of sister missionaries. It is an awesome district and I am excited to be here working :)

I arrived and we didn't have anything... no investigators, no appointments to teach, i mean nothing. So we are going to work really hard to encounter people and to teach them. In our sector it is pretty hard to teach people because we are very limited in where we can work. We have some places that we have to leave before 7 o'clock at night because they are dangerous in the night time, so it is hard to teach adults (who get home from work at 6 or 7) and kids (who get home from school at 5ish ) but we will find people and we will teach them. We are doing lots of street contacts to find them :)

On Sunday we had mothers day and got to Skype with our families for 40 Minutes which was awesome :) It was fun talking to them and seeing their faces :) It is crazy thinking that I have already used up half of my calls! Only 2 left! Time is flying by but I love it :)

My new companion is Elder P and is from Cour d' lane Idaho! Whoooooo Idaho for the Win! :) He is a good missionary. He is obedient to instructions (you have to tell him it is time to do something) and wants to share the gospel. He isn't an initiative taker but works hard when he has a guide which is super awesome :) I never have to worry if he is going to help me out in a contact or a lesson. I have to get it started and then he is good to help me out :) He likes to talk in the street which is super good because I haven't talked in the street for so long! :)

Where I am now is a branch and a district (Not a ward and stake) But we are close to become a ward and a stake :) The ward members are awesome and help us out a lot :) Our ward mission leader is the bomb and does his job super well :) Now it is just up to us to find investigators so that we can include the members :) 

Something kind of Crazy... I was in Villa Dulce finishing the training of Elder V but Before he was in Villa Dulce with me he was in Quebrada Verde A! I am in his old sector, so many of the members know Elder V and have a respect for me for finishing his training. That was a blessing because sometimes it is hard to gain the members confidence.

Spiritual Moment of the Week.

This Sunday some members couldn't go to church because they were sick so the branch president asked us to take them the Sacrament. We passed by and entered the house of one of the members. When we entered and told her that we were there to give her the sacrament she started crying. She didn't know that we could do that and was feeling really bad because she couldn't take the sacrament. After the sacrament in her house she bore her testimony about the sacrament and was super super grateful to us. It really strengthened my testimony and helped me realize how important it is to take the sacrament. Even if we are good people, we always have flaws and can improve, and the sacrament and atonement of Christ can help us with that. We shouldn't miss even 1 opportunity to partake of the sacrament and atonement of Christ in our life.

I love you all and hope that everything is going well :) Stay Golden!

Love,

Elder Nielson :)

Week 36: Happiness is a Sandwich, a Brownie and lots of Ice Cream!!!

Buenos Dias!!

Well this week I continued on my quest for happiness :) This week I followed the advice of Boyd K. Packer from Conference (Happiness is a cookie and a kiss) and since I am out of practice of kissing I stuck to the cookie... and brownie... and ice cream... and sandwich :) Last P-Day I decided I needed to have fun and do something out of the normal. I found out that there is a subway in the end of our zone so we decided to go there. With our District leader and his companion we went there :) It was heavenly to eat a subway sandwich! :) Then as we were leaving we passed by a store called Brownie Factory (Looks like a kneaders but more focused on brownies and Ice cream) and we decided to eat there :) It was so delicious! It was such a fun day, I am doing it today as well :) I also made Oreo cookies this week. I cooked chocolate cookies and then made frosting and made homemade Oreo and they were super delicious! :) I have learned that part of happiness is breaking the routine :)

This Wednesday I have transfers and am beyond excited to leave Villa Dulce. I have had many good memories and have such good friends, but I am ready to get to know another sector. I have plenty of parties planned in case I don't leave (Pity parties). So If I dont leave I will receive lots of food from the members haha. 

The Missionary punishment :)

This week we had a funny experience. The R family has a son who eats a lot and doesn't do exercise so he is gaining a lot of weight. He has rules on what food and how much he can eat. Anyways we ate with them on Sunday and after lunch he sneaked into the kitchen and ate another plate of food. His mom and dad were mad at him so they said that he wasn't going to get dinner (dinner in Chile is really small, like a piece of bread with cheese). I said "Well that isn't all that bad, he should have to wake up and do exercises with us, that would be more of a punishment (joking of course). Brother R pointed at me and said 

"That is so true, that is what we are going to do! L, tomorrow you have to wake up at 6:30 and go do exercises with the missionaries!"

(Great to know that our life is worthy of being a punishment! ;)) So today at 6:30 in the morning we were doing exercises in the gym with L. It was so funny but was good because it helped us be motivated to do exercises :)

This week was a little bit frustrating with the work. We are looking for new investigators and are doing contacts and setting appointments like crazy. This week we set 15 appointments, and none of them were home when we passed by. It was kind of frustrating, but makes me feel good knowing that I did my job. 

P isn't going to be baptized for a couple more weeks. He needs to mature a little bit, receive his answer from god about the church, and receive all the lessons again, because he had a lesson with the district leader and wasn't paying much attention so our district leader said he wouldn't interview him until he had received all the lessons again. After that P got mad and didn't want to and didn't talk to us for 3 days. I took him cookies that I had made and we started talking again. Finally he is willing to listen to us and share again. And now he is taking the lessons and compromises a little bit more seriously because he realizes he has to change.

I cant wait for Sunday to Skype my family! :) It will be awesome and I am so excited :)

I love you all! :) Be happy and stay golden! :)

Love you,

Elder Nielson :)

Week 35: Happiness Bomb and The Mission Heist

Hola Buenos Dias!!! :)

This week was a good one personally, and a pretty good one for the work :) This week I learned how to be happy and how to be myself. It really is a decision, sometimes a hard decision, but a decision nonetheless, And I choose to be happy :)

This week I learned to be Happy and it all started with an interchange with the Zone Leaders :) I was with Elder G who is from Mexico. He is super animated and happy all the time which was a real example to me. He works hard and if he is rejected doesn't even care and continues the conversation we were having before the contact. In the contacts (Talking with people in the street) he is overly happy. Not too overly happy but very happy, and that makes other people happy and makes them more willing to talk. I like to be happy and talk with people but Sometimes people in the street scare me, but I learned that if you are overly happy no one is going to be too mean (Just kinda mean). After that I decided to be happy in the street and in contacts. Every since I started doing that I have encountered more people who are willing to talk and the rejection doesn't phase me as much :) I have finally found a way to be happy and to work hard :)

In the interchange I also learned that it is hard to speak English. We ran into 3 people who could speak English and we talked with them. Every time I caught Myself speaking in Spanish, and when I tried to say things in English they didn't come out right ha ha. Speaking in Spanish 24/7 really affects your mind ha ha :) Well thinking and speaking and dreaming in Spanish :)

This week The investigators are doing pretty well! :)

M got confirmed on Sunday and is now a member of the church :)

P came to church by himself and the went to watch a baptism with us :) If everything works out he will be baptized this Sunday :)

V.... Yeah V is no longer an Investigator. We went to teach her with the Zone Leader (Elder G) and she told us she didn't have time for a lesson but wanted to talk really quick. She then told us that she wouldn't be baptized and didn't want to share with us anymore because she was offended that we didn't know Padre Nuestro (The lords prayer from the bible). We had a lesson about Prayer and about revelation, but she still said no. It was kind of sad because she was so desirous to learn but something like not knowing padre nuestro is going to stop her from achieving salvation. 

We are on the search, passing for every contact that we can. Hopefully we find some more soon! :)

This week I felt like I was in a heist movie :) After going to watch the baptism with P we returned to the apartment and realized I HAD LEFT THE KEYS IN THE APARTMENT! Normally that would be bad but each companion has a copy of the keys so I asked my companion for his keys. "Elder, I lost my keys a couple weeks ago, I don't have them." After that I didn't know what to do. It was already night time and we didn't have any keys. To get into our apartment we had to break in :) We used a plastic bottle and scissors and managed to open the locked door and get inside :) So now I am pretty much a pro at breaking into apartments ;)

Stay Golden, I love you all!

Love,

Elder Nielson :)

 

Week 34: Decision to be Happy

Buenos Dias!

This week was a rough week. After setting lots of appointments we didn't have any of them show up. It was frustrating and we walked a lot. But I decided that I have to stop being so stressed and have to start being happy. So all of my goals this week are about happiness and smiling :) The mission is hard, so many demands and so much stress, but it is my goal and destiny to find more happiness and to take more pictures :) 

This week nothing special really happened :) We worked hard, had some lessons, taught some people, and did our missionary thing. The best success of the week was on Sunday. None of our investigators came to church but we managed to help a less active woman come to church and that was a great success! It was a success because the bishop in my first week here said that she was never going to come to church and that if she came to church he would personally pay to build a statue on the church grounds of the missionaries. Well she came to church!!! :) So we will see if we get our statue :)

Our investigators right now:

P- baptismal for the 3rd of May

V- Baptismal date for the 26th of April, but they need alot of work

Hopefully this next week is more exciting!!

I love you all,

Elder Nielson :)