Aug. 16, 2010

CRAZY WEEK!!!! Ha but this one went by a lot faster! First, holy shnikies I got my HUGE HUGE HUGE package!!!! And now it is just sitting there in my room staring at me wanting me to open it and I have to wait another month until my birthday lol! But I'm glad it made it! Also ha mom remember when you told me Bro. Nichols knew a girl that was coming out here that plays piano...ha turns out that is my hija! Ha and I found out that her and Hilary Heidiman are really good friends because they did piano together at BYU...small world, I love it! And now here we are walking the good ole streets of Paraguay! Ha to start this week off so well on Tuesday night we were getting ready to leave our area to go to a consejo de barrio in the church (ward council) and we didn't know exactly which collectivo to take so we made sure we finished in time so that we'd be able to figure it out. So we asked like 3 different people which collectivo we would need to go to brazilia y espana and they all told us 23 or 24, so we go out to the routa and a 24 is coming right down, so we sign it and it stops and we get on and we are like so stoked because wow que bendicion that the collectivo came right then when we needed it! and just to make sure I ask the collectivo driver that it passes by brazilia y espana and he says yes. well FAIL!!! ha our first day without hna rodriguez and we get LOST! ha we are going and going and we turn on espana and I'm like perfect we're almost there and then we pass this street called brazil...and i'm like hmmm that's weird I hope that's not what they thought I meant...but I had told them it was by the big church so we should be good. FAIL...all of a sudden we turn again and we end up en los estados unidos..ha that is what the road is called. and I'm like oh shoot this can't be right, ha so we bust out the map...and those roads weren't even on our map lol. so then i'm like freaking out and we stop the collectivo and get off. and so we had been off for less than a minute and we're like ha what should we do and then all of a sudden this guy comes up to us and he's like, can I help you? ha but he is totally talking in english! lol it was fabulous, I guess he had lived in Arizona por algunos anos and so he spoke english! and he helped us figure out which collectivo we needed to take and it was just such a blessing! and we only ended up being like 10 min late to the meeting. Ha so yeah then later we had found out we had gone into the South Mission...which you could get sent home if you go into that mission...lol but it wasn't our fault! Aver... we also had zone conference and it was really good...different than how we used to do them, but I'm excited for all the changes that are going to happen with preach my gospel and everything, and we are just going to become better missionaries but unfortunately it all starts the month before I go home..que triste, which is why I want to work in the MTC so I can still be a part of everything! Have I told yall how great my hija is? She is just so cute. She is a way better daughter than I was. Her spanish is amazing and she isn't afraid to do contacts or talk or anything, it's amazing. I love it! Training is really hard, all of this responsibility with being comp mayor...senior comp and trying to do your best to help the newbie do things right and to be a good example. But we are learning juntas and having a good time. I still get frustrated with my spanish, but I'm working on it! We've been working with all the old investigators from the other hnas but we're trying to transfer to start working in different areas that haven't been worked in a really long time, probably bc the houses are mas chu chi...like way nicer.. but the other hnas have been in the bajos (like the poorest part of Paraguay I have ever seen...it is SO SAD...they pretty much live in the trash down there and their houses are just built from whatever they could find, the people are really great but a lot of them dont want to keep commitments and the church is so far away that they don't want to walk and there isn't a collectivo that passes and it is the farthest point of our area and we're not allowed to go there at night or on sundays because it is to dangerous) entonces we are going to start working in other parts. And we have found some really cool people. First this girl named Liliana whose dad just died about 3 months ago and our first cita with her when we found her was just incredible. The Spirit was SO STRONG and ha I started crying when we sang at the beginning before the prayer or anything because we sang...familias pueden ser eternas..families can be forever...I don't know if that is the translation but you know what I'm talking about...and man the Spirit was just there and by the end of the lesson we were all crying! And at the end she was like it was a coincident that we stopped by because she was alone and she had just been thinking about her dad and that she was just so greatful for our visit. she is so cute, she's 21 or 22 and then the next night we met her family and they are great. We all click just great and we're laughing and everything. But there is something that is holding the mom back, I don't know what it is...but I just know that they are so prepared to receive the gospel, so please pray for them. The mom Porfiria, and then the son Gustavo who is 18 and then there are 2 more kids we haven't met...one that doesn't live there and then another daughter. We want to go back over there tonight though. We also met this lady Alejandra that didn't want to let us in her house at first, but finally we convinved her ha. And she had told us she just had a couple minutes to share..yapoo! we ended up staying there for like a half hour. at the end of the lesson she also told us that it wasn't coincident that we stopped by because just the week before she was going through a big box of books and she found a really old copy of the book of mormon that someone had given her and that she had wanted to start to read it. ha it is such a old book! I had never seen one like it before, but it is just so awesome because the words are just the same. So we came and commited her to read it and to pray about it and next time we are going to share the first vision and story of Joseph Smith. The problem is going to be getting her to come to church because she says she is just not the type of person who goes to church and she only goes for weddings and funerals. But that is just all going to change! She is so prepared too! LOVE IT! The gospel is so true. Man I love the mission. Ha it is such an emotional roller coaster but ha the ride is just soo good! And also if you could pray for us to find a house. We have to move and apparently we are in charge of finding a house to move into lol so if you could please pray for that, that it can be in a good area and for a good price! Bueno, I love yall all so much and am so so so greatful for your prayers and your letters! Have a great week!

Aug. 9, 2010

HOLA!!! Oh my goodness! I think this has been the LONGEST week of the mission! I’m serious! So many CRAZY things happened and I don’t even know where to begin. And I think it has seemed so long because so many things happened every single day and it seems like in a normal person’s life it would be like within a month. Ok so first we will start with CAMBIOS! And yes…there were cambios and they are CRAZY!!! Ok so Monday night one of the hnas called us and was like hey did they tell yall cambios and we hadn’t heard anything todavia and she was like yeah well our elders called and told us our cambios but I’m pretty sure it’s a joke. And we were like well what did they tell you? (And p.s. we had talked to the office elders earlier that day about cambios and they were joking around with us and telling us what they thought would happen and we were like ha NO) And she said that Hna Remache (my old comp) would be going with Hna Garcia- now if you knew the story between them you would know that that cambio would be absolutely insane bc hna Garcia does not like hna remache (yeah just be excited for post mission stories) and so we were like they are so full of it! But hna rem heard too and she was starting to get a lil bit nervous bc that would just be insane and so we were like, no hna it’s just a joke that they are playing. Later- our elders called us and said they had our cambios… and we were like ha we already know it’s a joke but let’s see what you have to say. So he starts with hna remache and tells her she is going with hna Garcia and she just starts bawling! Pobrecita and we were like hna no it’s not true they wouldn’t do that, don’t let it get to you etc. then they told hna g her cambio.. that she would be staying in Luque and that she would be having a baby (she’d be training) and then she started freaking out bc she didn’t feel ready etc.- but that actually seemed legit. So then we were like ok what is my cambio?!!! And they said that I’d be going to Moroni (Asuncion)- seems legit- but then he says that I’ll be having a baby too- which just proves that it’s all a joke because there was an hna already in Asuncion and she would have to stay there bc Hna Leavitt was going home. So we were like elders yall are so full of it!! And they were like no it’s true you better go start packing your bags. Oh and another reason it was all just a joke is because they NEVER call on Monday nights, because we always get our changes on Tuesday during district meeting. So that night we were all freaking out a lil bit and all just so convinced that it was a joke. The next morning Hna Leavitt calls me and she says that she is busy making all these maps and writing down things about the investigators so that I wouldn’t be so lost when I came. And I was like WHAT?! You really think it’s true? And then later we got it all confirmed that it was true. WHAT?!!! So turns out now I’m in Asuncion con mi hijita se llama Hna Messina de Las Vegas and we are white washing the area! Ha yall know how bad I am with directions. Hna Rodriguez has stayed with us until today to kind of show us around the area and where the investigators live and everything. But it has been CRAZY! So last Tuesday we just went to all the people we are really close with to say goodbye bc Hna Remache left too (Hna H came to our area to white wash it and train too, but she has been in Luque before). So basically I just spent all day Tuesday crying and saying goodbye and I didn’t get to say goodbye to Emilio because he was in school and I didn’t know, so that just made me cry harder. And we didn’t get home until almost 10 and then I stayed up until 3 packing and have gone to bed like an hour late every night and I am so exhausted. YIKES!!! And then my daughter and a couple other missionaries flights didn’t come in time, so they ended up coming on Thursday instead of Wednesday. Oh so 3 newbies came, 2 from the states and 1 Latina and everyone thought for sure the latina would be my comp and she was here on Wed. and she came with us to work and we thought for sure we would be together bc it would be good if I had someone with me who spoke and understood Spanish to help me get to know the area and the people and everything…but NO! We guessed who was going to be our daughters and were completely wrong. But my daughter is AMAZING. She speaks really really good! More than I knew in like my 3rd change but she just doesn’t understand very well but she’ll get it. She’s really excited to work and teach and do everything, it’s great! And I’m sure we’ll get lost a ton but it’s all good. Right now we live with Hna Kimball who is a widow that is serving a mission with the temple and with our mission and she’s amazing. She reminds me a TON of grandma! We’re going to move though so we might not live with her again. The house we live in right now is AMAZING! I feel like I’m living in a hotel and she’ll cook lil goodies for us so it’s a lot of fun! And our ward is good it actually functions like a real ward and our bishop is really cool. So everything should be fine. It’s still sad because I’m not in Luque with my Luque family and it’s all really different here but it’ll all be good. I’m here because this is where the Lord wants me and we’re going to work a full and have a blast. Pray for me so that I’ll be able to follow the Spirit! Also it just blows my mind that I’m already half way done with the mish…I don’t like it. It’s crazy that now I’m the senior comp who speaks the language and “knows” Paraguay and now I have my lil hijita who is just new and adorable and I’m training her. CRAZY! Yeah I’m gonna need yalls prayers please! And it was funny because we did a Noche de Hogar the night received cambios and I was sharing a scripture and talking all about faith and trusting in the Lord and then my cambio came and I was like WHAT??? What is He thinking? Ha but He knows what He’s doing. I don’t know what I’m doing lol but I know as long as we’re obedient and diligent everything will be fine and I just decided I’m going to let God be the senior comp and we’re just going to follow the Spirit. Bueno I love yall!!! Have a great week!!!

August 2, 2010

Oh man!!! Where to start?!!!! First, what in the World happened to July?!! How are we already in August? Blows my mind! So first the really sad news… another 350 of my pictures got DELETED!!!! Yeah, not cool…and not my fault. An elder was trying to figure something out on my camera and accidentally deleted all my pictures. Ahhh and I´m so sad, I can’t even think about it because it makes me want to cry! Because this week I was going to send yall some awesome pictures (de la gallina que yo maté!- of the chicken that I killed) but now I don’t have them and they were so AWESOME!. TRISTE. Also, of the us with the chicken befote we killed it, the process, and the cena… Hna Remache cooked it afterwards. Ha it was so awesome. It’s really a great store, but we’ll save that for after the mish too. Let’s just say that was the first and the last chicken I am going to kill. Ha but it was demasiado chistoso. Ok let’s see… oh yeah so this week I went to Ybera with Hna Welch for like 3 days, I was really sad to leave my area but it actually ended up being a lot of fun. She is hilarious and we just laughed a lot and it was really cool to see her teach and meet all the people there. Ha it was so funny because in every cita (appointment) we had she would introduce me and then tell them where I was from, but she would change it everytime. Ha so turns out, I’m from Argentina, Brazil, France, Australia, Uruguay, Chile, Bolivia, etc. And she would make up these crazy stories and everyone believed us. Ha I was like dude, I can never come back to this area because then they will be like oh I thought you were from…. Cualquier país. And so the people would like ask me to say Words in french or portugues, ha and she volunteered me to say the prayer in french lol…oh man good times. But yeah it was fun, but I was ready to come back home to Luque and I came back to an awesome surprise! We had a baptism on Friday! This girl named Fatima, she’s 22 and we’ve been working with her for like the last couple months and it was so cute. She was so happy and it was so amazing to watch her change her life, and quit smoking and drinking to be baptized. So cool! And then today for p day we had an hermana activity and we got to wear JEANS!!! Ha it was fabulous! And it was a lot of fun to hang out with all the hermanas and divertirnos un poco. Oh and I have to tell Angela to tell Tyler that I totally shared his prayer experience in the Noche de Hogar that we did last week and everyone loved it. We were talking about faith and about how little children often understand things better than nosotros. ANd just tell Tyler everyone loved it and give him a big hug. ANd mom…you told me to read Alma 32 this week and I did and I totally loved it. Such a great chapter. And it’s funny because a week ago I gave it to Belen to read for her tarea and when we went on Saturday she still hadn’t finished reading it so we decided to finish the chapter with her. Oh my gosh, it was SO PERFECT! We taught her and her sister Cynthia and the Spirit was just SO STRONG. Unfortunately, she is to into her other church right now, but I straight up testified along with my companions that la iglesia de Jesucristo de los Santos de los Ultimos Días es la unica iglesia verdadera. I mean the whole lesson was just so awesome because everyone was just bearing testimony and compartiendo y todo! I dunno how it impacted them but the rest of us were all edified and my faith has definitely been strengthened. It seems like, when you’re teaching people who are just being stubborn and are just refusing the truth and who know everything but don’t want to be baptized, your testimony just GROWS! Because wow, it is absolutely incredible how much I love Belen and her sister and their family and it just breaks my heart that they aren’t accepting the message of the restored gospel (another Gustavo…ahhh!!!) and as I testified I just started to cry of course and just said… ya know what… we are representantes de Jesucristo and we are here at your house because God wants you to have this message. We are the second set of missionaries that have taught you and it’s because God wants you to have the FULLNESS. Ha it just blows my mind that people just reject the gospel. The gospel is EVERYTHING to me, now more than ever, and it’s just going to grow. Otra vez it all comes down to if the Book of Mormon is true or its not. Ha we are either all crazy and the book is false, or we are right and the book is true. Ha wow it is so true. I love it! And the evidences are everywhere. I just keep noticing the blessings everyday and just feel so incredibly blessed to have been into a family where I learned the gospel… ha I never understood what that really meant or how good I had it. Ha but now I know. I remember those times when you forced us out of bed to do early morning scripture study or prayer, ha and I hated that and man I was such a complainer about family home evening and everything haha sorry! Now I apréciate it demasiado. Seriously, thanks for all your struggles in raising us. We all turned out pretty good I think lol. And it’s all thanks to you mom and pops! I love yall and I hope yall have a great week. Oh man and we have CAMBIOS this week!!!! We are going to know tomorrow. Yeah, I am freaking out. I feel like I’m leaving and that makes me really sad. I love this area but I’m getting the vibe that I’m outta here…so now I’m just nervous of where I’m going and with who!!! Ahh pray for me so that I can know that it is right and that I’ll be ok. Love yall!! Oh yeah and tell Ty…apparently one of the missionaries here (Hna Stagg) knew him from the MTC and he told her to say hi to me…well she told me she knew you today and I was so excited! I love ya bud and you are always in my prayers! oh and it sounded like yalls california trip was a BLAST!!! thanks for the pics I LOVED them! Yall all look SO GOOD! And the kids are soooo cute!!! Give them hugs and kisses for me. ANd I hope you told gpa bill and Harry and Mary Lou and everyone that I say hi and love them! And that is SO COOL that yall saw Elder Gould in the mall...tender mercy!!! Oh and also Grandma, thanks for the picture! It is about time! Yall look great!!! And I can't believe the boat got stolen for awhile, crazy! But I'm glad everything was fixed and I hope yall have fun fishing! We'll have to do that when I get back too! Oh man also, SIs Andersen, you're awesome! Thanks for your letter! It's so you, I love it! And you are so right, Kids are so smart! It's so fun to watch them learn, and half the time I feel like I learn more from them, then they learn from me. And thanks also to mamma wariner and Emily! Love yall. Ha I love letters! Keep them coming!!!

July 26, 2010

The gospel is just EVERYTHING. its so true. and it brings such HAPPINESS when we live it. i was listening to a talk the other day and it was talking about the plan of salvation and talking about his favorite phrase to describe the plan of salvation is the plan of HAPPINESS and how it is the only way we can have TRUE happiness. When we dont know of the plan of salvation we cant have the complete happiness.its so true. and tambien he compared it to a 3 act play. How bueno, the first act we are in the preternal life with God and our families and everyone but then the CURTAIN HAS BEEN DRAWN and we forget everything. It was a brilliant act but then all of a sudden we have been thrust into act 2! And act 2 is a lil more difficult, it can be described with the 4 Ts. Tests, Trials, Temptations, and Tragedy and not once in act 2 will we hear the HAPPILY EVER AFTER...thats always saved for the last act. Entonces how are we going to make it throught act 2 when it is full of HARD things? How are we ever going to find happiness, comfort, and joy that is LASTING? Thats when the plan of salvation comes into play. It takes the blinders off...it allows us to see the eternal perspective. It allows us to see the whole plan. We cant have true happiness without the plan of happiness. But when we know of Gods plan during this life we understand that God is in control.That the Happily Ever After is just right around the corner and if we just cumplir con los mandamientios de Dios and do the little things...things that we have been told to do our WHOLE lives (that now on the mission I have FINALLY understood why its so important to repeat things things and to drill them in our heads...because they WORK) read your scriptures...STUDY your scriptures, say your prayers DAILY...rely on the Lord, depend on Him, trust in Him, go to CHURCH ...for all 3 meetings...PARTICIPATE, listen to the prophet...FOLLOW the prophet...OBEY the prophet. The happily ever after is possible! I know it is. I feel it so strongly in my heart right now. We just have to keep pushing along. poco a poco. The light will come. One of the most special and sacred things I have learned on my mission..not just like learned but really learned and now I understand is the importance of the gospel...of living the gospel. Its not just another religion or a nice way to live, but it is the REASON WE LIVE. It is the point of this life. It is the only way that we can make it back to our Heavenly Father. Its hard ha I know that too, but man it is going to be so worth it! And thats why we have eachother too. We are just one huge big family and if we know the truth we have to spread it! We gotta share it! We have to help everyone get back! Bueno, I love yall so much and I am so thankful for your prayers and love...seriously its the best thing yall can do. And the best thing I can do for yall. Yall are always in my prayers and my thoughts. Thanks for being such a great support. Make it a great week. Find someone and share the gospel and then tell me how it went!

Love,

Hermanita Nelson

P.S. So I have had a special change...I think it is just for a couple days or ha I hope and pray it is just for a couple days because I want to go back and finish my change in my area! but turns out one of the hermanas is sick and she has stayed in our house for the last 3 days and we have each rotated and stayed home in the house with her. Rem friday, yo sat, and G sunday. but she is still sick and her comp..hna welch goes home from the mission this next week and obviously she wants to work so she had been with a member working for the past 3 days and now i am going to go work with her until the sick hna gets better. ha she better get better fast lol...pray for her. ha i have so many good stories that i have to tell you about awesome hna drama...but we will save all that for after the mish!

ahhh i almost forgot to tell yall!!!! Ruth, Jessica, Leticia, and Emilio all went to the temple on Saturday!!!! Ahhh I was so excited for them and they all had such great experiences! The temple is the best! haha oh and dad I just have to tell you... yesterday we were at a members house and they were watching church movies from like the old testament and it reminded me how you would ALWAYS bring home videos from the library and want to watch them with us and ha how I never had the deseos to before, but man I am so greatful for you! For your love, your testimony, your worthiness to hold the priesthood and your support. Incredible. I will definitely watch good ole church movies with you after the mish.

mas fotos!

July 19, 2010

Have fun with this letter all! *google translate will help

Ustedes querían una carta en español ¿verdad? SUERTE!!!! JAJAJA JEJEJEJE


ENTRAÑABLES MISERICORDIAS

He visto la mano de Dios en mi vida muchísimo, esta semana, especialmente ayer (domingo). Recuerdos pequeños que Èl me ama y que Èl es en todo aspecto de la vida. El sabado, empezamos un ayuno con el propósito especifico tener asistencia de 8 en la iglesia y también por algunos investigadores y sus necesidades. Y el viernes tuvimos una gran lista de personas que pudieron ir a la capilla el domingo y el sábado pasamos por todos de nuestros investigadores. Trabajamos a full el sábado en el frio y en la lluvia con mucho animo con los deseos a comprometer las personas a asistir la iglesia. En el fin del día, terminamos nuestro ayuno muy contentos con la esperanza que Dios nos bendeciría por nuestra fe y obras. Levantamos muy temprano el domingo para pasar por la gente. El tiempo fue re mal! Hacía mucho frio y estaba lloviendo íte! Pero igual fuimos y nos mojamos para cumplir con nuestro parte. Pero, las personas no estaban o no estaban listos a ir o no pudieron por la lluvia y frio y yo entré en el colectivo un poco desanimada. Luego, entramos la capilla y había poco gente adentro. Vista que los paraguayos tienen miedo de la lluvia y no quieren salir sus casas. En total había 31 personas por las reuniones- muy poquito! Y ningún de nuestros investigadores estaban. Empecé a preguntar mi mismo- ¿Qué pasó? ¿Nuestra fe no es suficiente? ¿Por qué Dios no contesta nuestra oración?- Pero, realmente yo sé no es así. Y no podemos hacer preguntas así porque no es justo. Y bueno, empezamos tomar la Santa Cena y pensé de Jesucristo, de su amor, su sacrificio, TODO! Y yo miré a las personas a mi lado- los niños- Ruth, Jessica, Evelyn, Erico, y Rosie- conversos recientes que esperaron en el frio, en la lluvia (sin paraguas!) por el colectivo y cuando se dieron cuenta que el colectivo de la iglesia que es gratis había pasado, no se fueron a sus casas, sino que pagaron pasaje y se fueron en otro colectivo. ¡Qué ejemplo! ¡Qué fe! ENTRAÑABLES MISERICORDIAS. Y después, Leticia, otro converso reciente recibió su recomendación para entrar en el templo este sábado (y también Ruth y Jessica). Y justamente las dos veces pasadas cuando le visitamos a Leticia hablamos del templo y leímos en el libro- principios del evangelio- acerca del templo y ella tenía muchos deseos por entrar y este sábado va a entrar. ENTRAÑABLES MISERICORDIAS. Y Ruth está trabajando a full para cumplir con su progreso personal; chulina!!! Y ayer, después la iglesia, Emilio (otro converso) nos acompañó todo el día en el frio y en la lluvia y wow! Su testimonio es muy fuerte! Fue muy chulina escucharle testificar a las personas sobre el Libro de Mormón y el evangelio restaurado. ENTRAÑABLES MISERICORDIAS. Ahhh y…Alcides (mi otro converso) nos llamó ayer!! Él está en Brasil trabajando y hace 3 semanas que no escuchamos de él y yo estaba un poco preocupada. ¡Pero, él nos dijo que el domingo de testimonios él compartió su testimonio en portugués!! Y que él está en el grupo- manos que ayudan y que siempre esta compartiendo el evangelio con todos! Y también que está preparando por su misión! ENTRAÑABLES MISERICORDIAS.¡En cada uno de estas situaciones casi lloré! En serio. ¡Dios está en todas las cosas! ¡Su mano y su amor está en TODO! ¡Increíble! Y a veces no entendemos el por qué. Pero, no necesitamos entender. Solamente, necesitamos confiar en Dios. Él sabe lo que está haciendo. Y Él ve todo (the big picture). Realmente esta experiencia me ayudó muchísimo. Dios nos ama. ! Jesucristo vive! El evangelio restaurado es una gran evidencia del amor de Dios. Love it! LES AMO!!!! Que tengan una buena semana! Jejeje

Con mucho amor,

Hermanita Nelson

July 12, 2010

Hello!!!!!!!! Ok i don’t have any time!!! But first, HAPPY BIRTHDAY EMILY!!!! And that’s about all the time i have! Sorry! This week was a great week! We had our zone conference and it went really well! Our new president is really good! But we found out we’ll Only be having conferences and interviews every 3 months which is kinda sad because before it was every month and a half. We also had a really good conversation with a CRAZY LADY! Haha it was so funny. She was telling us all about these diablitos (lil devils) that are everywhere. She explained exactly what they Looked like and everything. And then she told us she’s been to heaven like 3 times and also to hell just to see what it Looked like. I wish i had more time to give you more details, but times up! The kids are still as cute as ever! Pray for their mom so that we can teach her and she can also accept the wonderful message of the gospel! Love yall all so much! Thanks so much for the letters! Have a great week!!!

Love,
Hermanita Nelson