Jordan's last letter home.....

Hey there everyone. 

Well Today is a said day. Today is my last pday and next week I will be back home with all of you telling you all about the stories that happened here I’m mission. Its really crazy to see how time has gone by.  In the start of my mission time seemed to stand still. When I hit a year make time went a little bit faster. And now that I’m coming home I feel like time went flying by!! These two years has been something incredible. It will be something I will never forget and something that will be with me for time and eternity. 

Its really crazy to see that I’m back close to were I started my mission. When I started in Catocha it was something really new for me. I was in the middle of no where, where I didn’t know the language.  It felt super along. It was really hard at the start of my mission for that reason. Then we all know I had a rough companion and the emergency changes and all that fun stuff. But that really changed me to who I am now because I feel like it taught me to open my mouth when something wasn’t right. It really helped me to be honest. After I got my second comp Elder Mendoza From El Salvador. This kid was crazy. He really taught me to enjoy my mission. He showed me away to work that I never thought was possible. To laugh and have fun but to know how to work as well. Catocha in the end was a great start for me. 

After Catocha I went to the most dangerous area in the mission. Economica. I remember my ZL told me that my new area Economica is like Compton. And being a new mission that was a scary thing to hear. But it was an area when I also learned a lot. I learned about patience and trusting in my leaders. Patience not for the work but for my comp... it was a rough one let me tell you haha but I learned how to work with him and be patience with him as well. After him I got my next comp with Elder Mericado. He was a good guy, but he taught me how to take more charge in the lessons and in the area. President Caffaro told me in an interview that I was the Sr. comp and it didn’t matter who had more time in the mission. that was a big shock to me because I only had 5 months in the mission at the time. But as well we worked hard and did some great things in that area as well. 

Once I got kicked outside the cap again I was pared up with my old ZL leader Elder Stephan. It was really awesome to be he’s comp because I always looked up to him as a great missionary and then to have the opportunity to be his comp was something that was truly amazing for me. we may not had the best success in that area but we did have some great times working together. Its really crazy to know that he is married now... 

Once I came back into the cap I was called to be a DL for the first time in the mission. Little did I know that I would be in that leadership spot for 6 months in the same area. for me that was a hard thing because I had always been moving around but for some reason the lord wanted me to stay in Santa Marta for a long time haha but I met some great people had some great moments and some great converts as well. 

From DL to ZL was a big change for me it wasn’t something I was really waiting for in changes and it caught me off guard. But it was great. Everyone in the zone loved each other and we were so close. When Elder Davis became my comp it was something that was great as well. Because we are great friends and we started our mission in the same district. We had some great moments. To be honest some of my best moments where with Elder Davis. It was a great two changes with him. 

Then we made it to here in good old Jutiapa. Where everything started. back to the good old roots. But this time I was coming with my new comp Elder Fuentes. He was my son here in the mission because I trained him. And let me tell you it was the fasted 12 weeks I had ever had in my whole mission. We had some great times here in the area with the members and some investigators as well. This kid though was something special I don’t know why but we just clicked the first day we were together. He was a great comp and he will be a great missionary one day was well. 

Well everyone its over. Its really crazy to think that two years have passed by and I will now be coming home. But when I think about it this isn’t over. this is just the start and this part is better. Because my nametage will be written on my heart forever. the mission is the best thing anyone can do. Its the hardest thing you will probably ever do but it will help your life out so much. Something that I know is that I am the best convert I have had my whole mission. I have learned so much from President Caffaro and President Shumway. As Well from all my comps I have received in my mission. I know that this is Gods work and that we are the instruments in his hand in this work. I’m very excited to see all of you in the coming weeks but I’m also super sad that I’m closing a big chapter in my life. But like I said it has been the best moments in my whole life. I love you all and can’t wait to see you in the airport!

Elder Nelson

#GoodByeTotheBest2yearsIknow

#WouldntChangeItForTheWorld 

#730Days104Weeks24Months2years1Mission 

06 June 2018

Jordan is helping collect clothing for the people that have lost everything to the volcano eruption.  He is still happy even with the amount the devastation in Guatemala.  He is happy to be there and to be able to help in some way.

Hey there everyone. So, we had a better week here in the area. We were able to finally get some people to church on Sunday. So, the bishop here has some family that aren’t members or are part member families. So, we get a lot of references from the bishop, as well the bishop here is super funny. he is just this big fat man that is always making jokes. Every time we see him he is always smiling he is a really good bishop. And every time we go over to his house he always gives us food. so, can’t go wrong there haha but its good to see that the members have more confidence in us to teach their friends. 

So, one day we were in the church and we had a member come up to us and told us that there was a non-member in one of the activity’s. So, we went in to see and talk to her. We sat down and talked to here to see what we could do, she was very receptive to the lesson and was really willing to listen to the message. so, we gave here lesson on and the book of Mormon to read. When we went over with our ward mission leader the following day she told us that she read the whole pamphlet and the first part of the book of Mormon. This was awesome because she showed us that she has a desire to learn and to understand the things about the church.

So, we all know the very sad thing that has happened here in Guatemala this past couple of days. With the volcano eruption, not just once but twice. Its something that hasn’t happened here in Guatemala for along time. But I don’t want you guys to worry about me. I’m not saying don’t pray for me or anything like that but I don’t want you all to be walking around thinking if I’m okay or not. The volcano is a good distance away from us 160 km. But please know that I’m okay here in Jutiapa. As well everyone else here in the mission is okay as well. We are going to be getting more missionary’s here in this mission. We are going to be receiving missionaries from the areas of the volcano as well as missionaries from Nicaragua. There is a war going on there right now so the missionaries can’t be there right now. The world is going down hill and its going fast. Kind of crazy eh? haha but I’m okay just so you all know. 

But everything has been better here in this area. The members are awesome, the work is improving, we are working hard, my comp is learning, and we are doing well. We are working the hardest right now I only have a couple of months left so I want to do the best I can to help the areas the mission and the people here in Guatemala.

Thanks for all the love and support that you always give me. I hope you all have a great day and that things go well for you all. Love you all!

Elder Nelson  

30 May 2018

Jordan's email today....he now has 111 days until he comes home!!!  We can't wait for that day!

Hey there everyone. So, its been a really good time here in Jutiapa. Just like when I was back in Catocha something always goes wrong in the house. Back in Catocha we didn’t have water for some days. Now here in Jutiapa we don’t have any power. We lost our power Saturday night and we still don’t have anything. Kind of crazy but that’s the life of the mission right haha. Loving it here. Its been kind of hard with the work not going to lie. The missionary’s here before us didn’t do anything with the area book and they left us with nothing to work with. So, we have been contacting like crazy trying to find some people. It really sucks… so for all you who read my emails and are planning to go on a mission please write in the area book to help the next missionary’s that will show up after you. It will be a big help. So anyways we have been contacting a lot we haven’t been seeing the most fruits. Its hard you know I have 20 months and its still hard sometimes. I’ve been here in the mission for a long time, but I still have my hard times. so, if you think I’m as hard as a rock or you think that missionary work is easier for me. in the mission you will always have times where it seems really easy but there are more times where its harder. But that’s the nice thing about the mission. There is a little bit of everything. 

So, this area has been really interesting. I remember when president said to me that I was going to be training. He told me that I was going out here to Jutiapa to reopen the area because it was it needed help. And I didn’t understand why but I was like okay cool. But Now that I have been here for a little bit and I have talked to the members its because the missionaries here before didn’t do anything. The members where not very big fans of the missionary’s that were here so they were all happy that there was changes here in the area. As well I know a lot of the members here in this area. There is one member that met me a long time ago and when he first seen me he was like, Wow elder your Spanish has gotten a lot better. it made me laugh because it makes me see that there are people that still remember me from about 20 months ago. Kind of cool. 

As well we had an activity here where we had all the youth from all the areas close by here come to Jutiapa. so, I heard that my first area was going to be coming here. The youth in Catocha was probably one of the best things I remember from that area. It was really cool because when I walked into the church I seen one of kids sitting there. and when he looked up he was like hey man where have you been_ It was cool because the kids from Catocha that would come out on visits with us were all there. It was really great to see that they still had that drive to help and do missionary work. It was always great to see all my old friends.

So that was pretty much the week here in Jutiapa. Working hard and doing the best we can here in the middle of no where haha. Its really really hot out here. But I’m loving it. Hope you all have a great week and that everything goes well. Love you all.

Elder Nelson

03 May 2018

Hey there everyone

So this last week was pretty normal. On Friday we had our interviews with President Shumway and it was a really weird interview. He got all of us out and talked to the whole zone. He told us that he didn’t want to talk about the people we had ready to be baptized that week. He told us that he was so happy to see the zone nimajuyu do such a great job with the missionary work. Something that hasn’t been done for a long time here in the zone. So as a zone leader you can say I am very happy to see all the work that the zone is doing right now. It’s great because we have a zone that is still really young. We have some great missionary’s that want to work really hard. The only thing is that we don’t have the experience with what do after we have a lot of baptisms. We as zone met our goal of 9 baptisms this month. It was something really great for the zone and for the missionary’s. For me its something I have never seen get done. All the zones I have been in we have never meet the goal for baptisms in the month. Now there have been some zones where we got close and there were other when we weren’t even close. So when I was able to see that we met the goal and that we were apart of that was something really great. The nice thing was to see that president noticed our hard work we put in this last month.

So we had another baptism this past week and it was a great way to end the month. His name is Guillermo, He has been listening to the elders for a while and he wanted to get baptized the only thing was his mom didn’t give him permission to get baptized. So we were working super hard with that and trying everything. Until one night he called us and said that his real dad wanted to call and talk with us. The reason we had to call his dad is because he leaves pretty far away from here. So we gave him a call one night and we talked over the phone and he said if we believe that he is ready that it was okay. So we got the go ahead! It was really great to see him get baptized tho. I know he will be a great member in the church and hopefully one day go on a mission. 

So as a zone we did great with all the goals this past month. It wasn’t just the baptism goal we met. We met every goal except the goal of investigators in church. We tried really hard to meet every goal but we came up short. So we know can see as a zone that there is something’s we need to improve and we know that we can meet the goals. We just need to work as hard as we can and we can see the great things that can come from everything. Like i said before I’m really happy with the zone. Everyone did a great job. I will see where president will move me this coming change tho. He told me that he is very impressed with the changes that we have made here in the zona nimajuyu in the interviews. But he also said Elder Nelson I don’t know what the lord will do with you but we will see what will happen. Now the last time he said that to me I became a district leader the following change. So I don’t know what president will do with me this coming change. But we will see what will happen right haha

So last pday we went bowling as a zone and it was a really good time. The only thing was the bowling ally was right next to a movie theater. Where it had all the new movie posters. And a giant poster for the new avangers movie. It was probably one of the baggiest moments in my whole mission. Because we all know i love movies and when i seen that it just destoryed me haha but only 4 more months until i can watch it. 

But that was my week here in the mission. Time is just flying by now and I’m getting closer and closer to the end, which is really scary. But that’s the way life is right. But anyways thanks for all the support and love you always give me here in the mission hope you all have a great week and i hope its warming up there for you guys back home haha Have a good one!

Love

Elder Nelson

26 April 18

Hey there family

So we had some crazy days after pday. On thursday it was normal a good day of work and we found some new people as well. We went to go and see how our investigator mario was doing. He is ready for his baptisim. So he has his little car wash and has some workers there with him. And one day we went by and asked if we could share a lesson with them. They said it was all good so after they finished working we went in to have a lesson with the three of them. We went into the house and got to know his friends and started to teach a bit about the plan of salvation. We got into a good talk about the church and the lesson and everything like that. Mario is really awesome to be honest. He really has this big convertion, He understands the importance about the church and all thats in it. We are really happy to see that he is now trying to help those around him to come unto christ. Its something really cool to see we hope he can take this step this weekend. There has been missionarys passing by for 10 years. And he now understands everything which is awesome. Now is his time.

So personally my body isnt getting used to this new pday change. We work really hard thursday, friday, and saturday. Thinking that its still pday on monday. But then monday roles around and im still super tired and we still have a full day of work. Its really beating me up haha. hopefully everything will be normal soon. 

So everything is going good here in our zone. We have some great people that we are getting ready to be baptised this weekend and we are going to have a lot of people getting prepared for this coming week. Elder davis and i are really happy with everything we are seeing here in the zone right now. We are going to be able to meet the goal as a zone for baptizims this month. We have already met the goal as an area so we are both really happy with that. Everything has been really great here and its been a fun time here in the area. 

Thanks for the love and support always. things have been going great here but my body is starting to feel it. but im still trying me best and giving it my all. haha ill be honest i dont want the mission to end but now i have 19 months and its getting close but there is still a lot of time left here in the mission haha. Hope you all have a great week ! Take care and have fun!

Love ya
Elder Nelson

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18 April 2018

Hey there everyone!

So this week we had a multi zone conference and it was really good. It was really weird tho. I was talking with an elder who I have know now for a long time. We were talking and he said, Hey elder Nelson your almost done aren’t you?  I told him that I still had a lot of time left here in the mission. But then another one of my friends said the same thing. But its true I have 6 months left here in the mission and the time is passing super fast.. But I’m enjoying every moment of it haha

But there was one thing that stuck out to me this conference. The Ap’s gave a talk about leadership. They should a video from a movie about football. There was a kid that was one of the leaders of the team that was talking and saying that they weren’t going to win the game that was coming up. So the head couch told him to get up and do some drill where he has to walk on his hands and feet only. As well he had to carry a kid on his back at the same time. And he had to do it bland. The goal was that he had to make it to the 50-yard mark. But the trainer was with him the whole way and was there yelling at him to keep it going. The football player was saying that he couldn’t go any farther. But the trainer told him to keep going. Then the trainer said that he could stop. When they took the blindfold off he was in the other end zone. The teaching from this comes really well for us as missionary’s. We might think we cant go any further, when we know it hurts, when we think we have given it our all. We can still give it our all. Now us as leaders we can be the trainer trying to help the missionary’s here in our zone. We have to help them see that they can do anything. Even when they think they can’t do it all we can be there and make sure they know that there is still more that they can do. It made me really think because I have always had elders who have helped me like that here in the mission. Now I can do the same for the elders and sisters here in the zone right now. So I have 6 months more to help a bunch of people here in the mission.

So we were able to have another baptism here this last week, which we are really happy for. This is the first time in my mission where I was able to baptize back-to-back weeks. It’s pretty crazy and awesome at the same time. We are really happy that we were able to help this family. It’s a funny story to be honest on how we found them. So one Sunday a member said elders come to my house I’ll give you guy’s lunch. And I have been here for about three or four months and I had never seen this member before. So I was like okay free food why not haha. So we went to the house and we found out that his wife is a recent convert and they just started to come back to church. So then we asked their son if he was baptized as well. He told us no because he was waiting for his dad to be able to do it. It was his own goal he had. So we were both surprised and we started right away with the lessons with this family. Now their family is active in the church and has plans to enter the temple at the end of this year. It was super cool.

This week some crazy things had happened in our area. Well just to us really here in la justo. So to start this story off, I want to begin with a lesson we went to with a recent convert. We went into the lesson and sat down and told the investigator that we had a member with us to visit everyone. So Dennis is his name and the only thing he said was, hi I’m Dennis, I’m Mormon. And that was it. We sat there and just laughed because it was so random haha but later that night something crazy happened. We were walking up the road and we seen a lady fall to the ground out of nowhere. So we ran over to see what happened and she was having a seizure. It was really crazy, but she came back to normal and it was all-fine. As we walked away Dennis was still with us and he said. I think that lady thought she was seeing to angels dressed in white coming to take her away. I thought about it after and that’s probably true to be honest. It was a pretty crazy moment. But it doesn’t stop there, The following day we had our multi zone conference. After a fun day we were just about to get on the bus to come back to the zone. Right as we were walking on the bus this crazy dude runs up to he and us has a bunch of medical stuff hooked up to him. It was really weird we didn’t know what to do haha but that’s Guatemala for yeah haha.

So we have an investigator here named Mario. He has been listening to the elders for 10 years. His mom and sister where baptized but he didn’t want anything to do with the church. But now he has changed and wants to be baptized. And it’s been crazy with him. This is that guy who gave up smoking the first week we met him. He has been trying really hard to change and follow Christ. So we had a lesson with him in the church and it was really special. He came and told us that he has changed so much to come unto Christ. It show us how repentance works and how it can effect the people when they us it. We are really happy and we are hoping that he can be baptized this weekend.

So our area has been really good here right now. We keep find more and more people and we are working super hard. Even tho my comp and I both have broken feet we are still working hard haha. We have a lot of people ready to be baptized here and we can see that the ward is helping us out a lot more as well. This area doesn’t have the best history with missionaries so we are doing our best to change that! haha

Thanks for all the love and support that you guys always give me out here in Guatemala! Hope you all have a good week and everything goes good for you all back home. 

Love you all!

Elder Nelson

11 April 2018