27 February 2017

So remember that crazy guy I told you about….well he now has read both first and second Nephi in one week! He came to church last week and was very moved by it all. I believe he was feeling the spirit because before church started he was crying just from the piano music. Pretty cool. It reminds me about one story from my grandpa Jenson. He contacted one house that was dirty and trashed and he didn’t really want to teach but little by little the man’s house was cleaner and cleaner and finally became a member. If you all remember this was the man that gave us vinegar and salt to drink... But we kept working and he is really good with the whole church. As well we have one person who has read all of lesson 1 and then had some questions for us. Now remember lesson one only has 6 pages of info and from that info she had 33 questions for us. I never thought that would be possible for that. But it’s looking every good for people to be baptized this change!

 

So we had interviews this past week with the president.  My comp went first then I went after. As I sat down he never even asked me about how the companionship was because he knew that it was rough. He told my comp that he needs to work better with me because I’m still new. So basically he gave him heck. As well president told me that he’s happy with me. I kind of looked at him and was like, what do you mean?   I have probably caused so many problems for you and you’re telling me you’re happy with me?   And he said back he’s happy because I’m still here. He’s happy that I haven’t given up. Because I have wanted go home because I have had bad comps and it’s been hard. I love the president because he listens and helps me with everything. But I have to remember that I need to play until the final buzzer. Because you never know what could happen. Almost every final game in sports where its game 7 and a team is down. For example the Blackhawks in 2013 they won with 16 seconds left. During the whole game they were down but they didn’t quit. And that’s something we need to remember. We can’t give up when we are down. We push through if we really want to win. 

 

It’s been hard with my comp this past week. For example we had our weekly planning this Thursday. And I got mad because he doesn’t want to love any missionary just investigators. It’s good that he wants to love investigators but you need to also love your comp to teach well. He straight up told me. Elder I’m not here to make friends, I’m just here to teach and that’s it. And if you don’t think that’s right you need to go home because we aren’t supposed to make friends out here. I got ticked and asked him. What team wins more games a team where they are all friends or a team where they don’t talk to each other and won’t help one another? And he said a team that is friends and I said we need to talk. And he asked what’s prideful?   I told him it means your super ready. So he said okay then yes I’m super prideful. I laughed inside and thought thank you I just had to hear that.

 

So we went back to teach the crazy guy this week and he has now read 1 Nephi, 2 Nephi, Jacob, Enos, Jarom and Omni. It’s crazy how much this guy reads. So the lesson we taught was lesson 2 the plan of salvation. When we got to the part about Adam and eve he went off about that. Yup that Eve was no good. Made the man make a bad choice. Women have always done that to men and they will contain to do that. And as he is saying this his daughter and wife walk past. I told you this guy is crazy. So we got someone to go contact from our landlord. So we went to go teach them. Their house was super big and it was interesting how the husband was a less active member and the wife isn’t a member but they were both open to hear us. The husband said, Yeah I miss taking part in the sacrament. It was my favorite part in church. Then they asked us to give a blessing to their daughter. He said I want to but I haven’t been a member for a while and I don’t have the priesthood. So we did that for them and it was really good they both want to come to church with us.

 

So just something else. Last Friday we had a bad fire in the area. One part of the area was smoked out so bad... I was thinking I need something to cover my face. Then I remembered that my dad packed some masks for me! So I came home quick because the fire was straight next to us. And I got one the masks for myself. The moral of the story is if your parent pack something for you and you don’t think you’ll use it you will. It’s better to have it and not use it then to not have it and need it. So thanks dad! hahah

 

So we had to drop one investigator family that was super good. They would always have questions for us and always want to talk. But one night we were teaching and the wife said.  I don’t want to believe in The Book of Mormon or Jose Smith. Because I have not received an answer from god. This lady wants something crazy to happen to her to receive an answer. So we said well we can contain to visit but I don’t think it will help. So we had to drop them. But now to tell a funny story. We are teaching one family where the dad is less active and the wife isn’t a member. So we they husband wants to come back to church and his wife wants to be baptized. So one night we were teaching lesson 1 and we got to the part of the apostles. We told her that they received the priesthood as well they received the authority to teach. After we said this she said, so you are apostles then right__ in my mind I could only think, Nope that’s not us we are just normal missionaries one from Canada and the other Peru. She was convinced that we were apostles. It took a while to make her know that we aren’t. Even the husband was like, No they are not apostles. It’s the first time in my life I will probably ever hear that hahah  

 

So we have a person that cooks for us every day here in our area and she asked me one day, Elder nelson do you have photos of your family_ I told her I did and I brought some one day for her to see. She said our family is very beautiful. She asked when she seen my mom and dad how old they were I told her 45 and 46. She then said wow your parents look way younger

 

Hope you all have a good week.

 

Love you all

Elder Nelson

20 February 2017

So our p-day is really different inside the cap. Reason for that is that we don’t have to write in an internet cafe. As well the church here has A-C! So we played soccer today in the shirt I got from Kiana.  We all had a good laugh at that and after we started to win haha. So It’s been rough being here in the mission and I found one scripture in D and C 128'22 And there’s one part where it says [go forward and not backwards. Courage, Brethren and on, on to the victory. This is neat for me because it’s got my saying in it as well, [keep moving forward this is something we all have to do to have victory. It’s been pretty crazy here in the mission. I had a thought today when we were out talking to people in the street. In my mind I always say, well I’ll try it but I remembered some great words from a Wise little green guy. He said to someone do or do not! There is no try. This made me think we just need to get out there and do the work and not try but do. 

 

So we have some really slow days the past couple of days. And what I mean by that is our lessons have been falling through every time. We have one new guy we are teaching though. He read the whole lesson one and had a lot of questions for us. So we put a date for him to be baptized and he said sure. As well he wants to read the Book of Mormon. As well one family bought 2 pizzas for me and my comp. It was a good dinner let’s just say that as well we got to drink A/W root beer again!! 

 

So we and a special visit from a member of the 12 on Thursday. Elder Rasband! But we had a member of the 70 there as well. We had our whole mission in this conference as well we had Mission Central with us as well. He was a great speaker and talked a lot of how we can talk to more investigators, Help them gain faith. Help them understand the church. But something he really said that the work isn’t done by superheroes but that the fullness of my gospel might be proclaimed by the weak and the simple unto the ends of the world, and before kings and ruler. D/C 1Ñ23= This really hit me because I think that we have to be the best person or superman to do this work but when I read this I know that this work is for us who are simple reason for that is that we teach in a simple manner. This is for anyone to think that this work isn’t for them. To understand that even the weak can teach and teach by the spirit. He talked a lot about how we have a great spirit and that we need to teach with power. This was a big highlight for the day and my mission.

 

So we had divisions here. I went to the area of the District leaders. It was good we finally got domino’s pizza! It was a good way to end the night. As well when I came home here to Ecinmoica I was told by the DL to look at the photos on my camera. So i came home and seen that he took my hockey jersey and put it on! He took some funny photos. I told him I never thought I’d see an American wearing a Canadian jersey. We had a good laugh about that. He’s pretty chill. So we went to visit the bishop to see how

district leader he was doing and how his family were. We got there and we started talking about star wars because the bishop is a big star wars fan! And of course i am too!! So we talked about that for a good while as well we talked about other movies as well I’m surprised that I could talk to someone about movies in Spanish! Maybe I’m just getting better. Haha 

 

So it’s been pretty crazy in my mission. And the reason i say that is that is because of my comps... 2-3 of my comps are not very good and always have problems with members. For example, my first comp was disobedient and left the house. My new comp has a problem with one of the members. We talked with this member on Sunday to figure out where he was feeling with everything. After I told him. [I’m sorry I didn’t say much. I just didn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings. I told him I agree with him and as well I agree with my comp but it’s hard to say what is correct. It’s been really hard to work with this comp. He is so prideful and doesn’t listen to me. On Thursday it is our weekly planning and we plan for our investigators. He asked me what I thought we should do and after he completely changed it for a different lesson. He then said, I know what everyone needs and you know nothing. I had enough and went to work. 

 

 

The district leader who high jacked the team Canada jersey

 

The only other Canadian in Jordan’s mission….he is from BC as well

In the middle is my second trainer and the elder on the end was his trainer. So the elder on the end is my grandpa.