12/26/16 - Oh Peru, Never Change

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!

This week was really good. It went by soooooooooooo fast because of all the parties we had. We had our mission party because we met our goal for baptisms (1450 for the year!) and it was really fun. It was so great to see my friends and they are all doing really well. I've been very blessed with an amazing President and he is so funny, and there was amazing food, always very important. It's crazy how fast time is moving and that Christmas has come and gone. Skyping with my family yesterday was amazing and yes, I cried. lol 

We were walking to an investigator the other day and this guy pulled over in a truck full of wood and stuff and said get on!! We had a 20 minute walk ahead so we were like "okay sweet" and we jumped on. He started driving really crazy and was kinda swerving, but then again everyone swerves because of the potholes so it wasn't a real big deal. He stopped and told us to go into this house and teach his family the truth and we were like sweet, okay!! It turned out he was wasted wasted drunk and couldn't even stand up straight!!! We go into this house and he leaves and we start talking to his girlfriend/wife. His mom is also there and she's a member of 40 years. Pretty soon he runs in and grabs our heads and does this lion king forehead to forehead greeting and it was the funniest thing. Oh Peru, never change. 

We had a ward party and it was amazing. We sang 2 songs and it was really fun. Church was great and Segundo came! I was sooo happy when he walked in. We had lunch at a members house and it was incredible but I swear the turkey wasn't cooked all the way because it was super super soft. It turns out the grandma who cooked it is blind!!!!!!! I feel fine tho and it's been 24 hours so thank you for your prayers everyone.

Christmas at 12 am was INSANE here. It's like the 4th of July but times 10 because there are 0 laws about fire works because nothing can catch fire! Everyone was just shooting stuff off - it sounded like a war zone!! It was so cool.

I miss home but I am not ready to leave, I am soooo happy here and I am so grateful for this amazing experience. Thank you for everything! 

Love,

Elder Nielsen

12/19/16 - Awesome pictures from the week

Working hard at a service project.

Peruvian dust - Elder Nielsen has been working very hard!

Elder  Nielsen

Elder Nielsen excited about food - what a surprise lol

Elder Nielsen and Abel

12/19/16 - Merry Merry Christmas

Merry Merry Christmas everyonee!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's really hot here which is nice 'cause it doesn't feel like Christmas at all so I'm not homesick. I do miss the cold though. This week was so fast! It's really insane how time is just flying. 

Abel blessed the sacrament this week!!!!! He was so good - it only took him two tries and he kneeled both times. He is the greatest. The joy I feel for him is indescribable. The mission really is the greatest thing in the world. We talked about the sacrament prayer when it says O Dios, Padre Eterno,  He said it was so powerful to him and it's so amazing watching someone feel the spirit and learn. 

We worked again on that house (service project) and besides Elder Barzee putting my camera in the dirt and breaking it for 3 days, it was all in all really good. I have a new respect for miners though -  i was so tired and dirty afterwards. 

We are teaching an investigator named Alejandro. He's a really sweet guy and he really loves our message.  I LOVE how sincerely grateful people are when we give them the Libro de Mormon - they are so sweet and kind. I was talking about the real meaning of Christmas with him and how the Savior died for us and why it's important. I showed him the picture of "Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane" by Harry Anderson and he got emotional. He said he had a dream 2 months ago in which he saw God standing in the doorway. He was overcome with power and love and asked him if he were God, God said "how did you know it's me?" and he woke up. He's been searching for the truth ever since and he's had every church he could find talk to him. He said that picture looked exactly like him. I am so excited to teach him again. He is only available on Saturday's and Sunday's though and next week we can't so in 2 weeks we will have a follow up. He promised to read and I pray he does!!!!

What is the real meaning of Christmas? Sure Christmas is about cookies and trees and presents but it's really about family and Christ. I LOVE LOVE being a missionary because I get to wear HIS name on my chest every day, what an honor and a privilege. I love the scripture in Isaiah 9:6-7. Christ is so powerful and I love the way he is described here. We celebrate the birth of Christ because he is the most important person to ever live, because of what he did for us. The atonement of Jesus Christ is real. I testify of that with every fiber of my being. Only through him can we be saved and live with our family and God again. That's our goal right?? We celebrate his life and his birth and when he rose again Luke 24:5-6 he made it possible for us to as well. I love my Savior and I am forever grateful for him. I am so grateful for all of you that have helped me in my life and I love being a missionary because there is nothing like sharing our Savior's love with people. I LOVE YOU ALL AND MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Love,

Elder Nielsen

12/12/16 - The Words..Came so Easily

This week was really good but honestly, kinda sad. 

One of our best investigators is 18, his name is Elison. He loved our message and had tons and tons of questions. We went over to his house for about the 5th time and his mom came out and BLEW UP at us. She told us to never come back and honestly it broke my heart. Please pray that his mom's heart is softened. I think he will continue to search for the light. 

On a happier note, we are teaching a man who's name is Segundo. We taught him the first lesson and he had tons and tons of questions. One of my favorite parts of being a missionary is giving people their first Libro de Mormon. They are sooooo shocked that its their's and they don't have to pay for it. He thanked us over and over again. We came back 4 days later and he had read the first 21 CHAPTERS!!! He is so excited to keep reading and honestly I can't even describe how happy it makes me. 

Elder Vaca, Miglionico; Tillman and I are singing in sacrament meeting!!! in English!!! hahahaha its going to be really funny.

When I was in the MTC I bought one of the key rings that roll up and down so you don't have to unclip your keys and I loved it. Friday night I grabbed for it and it was gone. Yeah I lost the keys and the Elders before us lost all 4 sets of extras and never got a spare made. We had a sleep over with Elder Miglionico and Tillman which was really fun but it made me so mad at myself. We have a man in our ward who served 8 years in the military in Iraq and is the nicest guy. His year is almost here so he will be able to go to the Temple soon with his family and we are working with him on that. Anyway, he called us and told us to come home and he found a lock smith, opened our door and changed our lock before we even knew what was going on. He is so amazing I'm so grateful for Hermano Adrian and his family.

We had a family home evening with everyone that lives in our little area. 32 people came and it was AMAZING. I prayed sooo hard to be able to say what I wanted to say and I spoke and bore my testimony and the words honestly came soo easily. I felt the spirit sooo strongly. Afterwards we played games and Abel lost. The losers had to stand in the middle and dance while everyone clapped. Abel who is 72 just broke out dancing and he was going strong!! The president of the primary was laughing so hard she was crying -  it was so amazing!!! Next week Abel is going to bless the sacrament and he is really nervous. Please pray for him!!!!!!! I love you all! Thank you for all you do!!!!!!!!

Love,

Elder Nielsen

12/5/16 - Pictures of Elder Nielsen and "amazing people"

Elder Nielsen flanked by two "amazing friends" - Elder Stevens and Elder Canfield

Elder Nielsen and Elder Cedeno

Elder Nielsen and fellow missionaries

Elder Vaca and Elder Nielsen

Elder Tillman and Elder Nielsen

Mission logo

12/5/16 - Stepping Stones to Saving Entire Cities

This week has been a really crazy one.

For starters, we went to the mall to take out our money for the month. It was my turn, I was last and it woudn"t print me a receipt and you NEED a receipt. I went to all 3 ATM's and the last one ate my card!!!! Oh well, it was alright because I got the money the next day. Meanwhile we got burgers from this place while we waited for our zone leaders to call us back. I got my burger and it was pretty good but something was kinda off, I opened it up and it had fried bananas on it!!! It wasn't bad but I ate the bananas plain - I loved them. 

We had a multi-zone conference and wow! It was amazing. It made me feel soooo great hearing the new guys speak spanish. It makes me realize how far we have all come. I'm not even close to fluent but yeah, I can speak Spanish and I understand over 90 percent of gospel Spanish which is a huge blessing. Many of our missionary leaders are leaving soon so we are going to have such a different mission here in the next two cambios aka transfers. Elder Cedeño is honestly one of the greatest missonionaries I have ever met. I want to be just like him. In the picture of the two of us he's the short one haha.

Our number 1 investigator Jonathan just moved away. Yep it stinks but I hope the missionaires there care about him too and guide him to the path of happiness. It's crazy how much I care about these people that I just met and can't even understand that well  - but I can feel of their spirits.  

Our logo for the mission is honestly so sick. It's an amazing scripture about who we are as a mission and what we are doing here, and then the scriptures and the tree of healing which is a really big thing here. That's what we are doing as missionaries is healing people and bringing them to the truth. 

-- 

I'm forever grateful to be a missionary and be surrounded by all these amazing people. My friends, Elder Canfield, Elder Stevens, Elder Tillman, my comp, my district leaders, Elder Miglionico -  honestly all so amazing and so much more. Our ward is the best and the families we have here are second to none. I'm so excited to meet even more people. 

I get asked a lot about how my spanish is coming along. People say my pronunciation is really pretty good and I can pretty much have a convo with people in the street, my gospel Spanish is getting really good and I understand pretty much everything. The only thing is I can't express myself how I want to yet and I don't understand stories or when people talk about stuff that I dont recognize the words for. I can read the Book of Mormon and understand it for the most part and I'm just starting to be able to learn from it!! That's a huge step because I understand it enough to learn and then in turn teach what I've learned, all in Spanish. Wow this is so cool. It's been extremely humbling but it really helps that my comp doesn't really know any English. I HAVE to learn it!!

My scripture thought is from the book of Jonah. 

Chapter 1 

The first 3 verses Jonah receives a call. We all recieve calls in our lives, such as to keep the commandmetns, be nice, serve a mission, serve in a calling in church etc.

Jonah runs away because of the trial, we all do that from time to time. Others try to help him, they try to bail the water out and make for the shore but they can't, it's his trial and he has to handle it. 

He gets thrown overboard, he gives up and doesn't want to do it anymore. It's too hard, it's too scary. 

Chapter 2

It's amazing to read how he gives up, he knows he is going to die and he accepts it, however God is sooooo merciful - way more than we deserve and gives him hope. It gives me such joy to compare verses  1:3 and 2:9. He is a completely different person!!! He has humbled himself and he is sorry. He has grown and is changed because of the trial and that gives me so much joy, because with God we can do all things. I know it's hard but I promise you can do it. 

Chapter 3

He receives the call again and this time he goes, and he goes with all of his heart and soul, because he is changed and is converted. He ends up saving an entire city and even the king and the animals repent!!!!!

I love this story so much because if we look at our trials as too hard and impossible and give up we will never grow. We have to view them as stepping stones to saving entire cities.

I love you all! Thank you so much for all you do. Thank you all for your kind emails and all your uplifitng stories. I love you all so much. I really am the luckiest person alive. 

LOVE YOU GUYS 

Matthew 13:45-46

¡Gracias a Dios!

Elder Nielsen

Pictures

Elder Nielsen "on top of the world"

"They really taste like chicken! Fantastic!"

soccer jerseys - obviously Elder Nielsen is really excited about these lol 

11/28/16 - It's Pure Pure Joy in My Soul

This week was so good!!! We had Thanksgiving and we ate my favorite food, ajee de gallina, a Peruvian spicy cream chicken. It's unreal. I wish you all could try it.  I am just so grateful for so much - my family, the gospel, my friends, Dahlia (Elder Nielsen's girlfriend), the mission, my Savior, the scriptures - the list just goes on and on. One good thing about being on the opposite side of the equator is that it doesn't feel like the holidays - instead of snowing its getting hotter and hotter. I think I would be way more homesick if it were cold and I heard Christmas music but thankfully I'm not experiencing either of those things so it's out of sight out of mind.

We did more service and it was really good to wear regular clothes and work with our hands. I've included a picture of me on top of the world again. 

Nestor got lights in his house!!!!! He was sooooo excited to show us. It was so amazing. I love him so much. It's crazy how strong his testimony is when he prays- its overwhelming.

We are teaching a man named Taylor and we explained the tree of life to him. I love how in chapter 11 vs 21-23 he explains what the fruit is. It is insane how happy I am when I'm teaching and feeling the spirit. It's a different happiness then when Steph Curry misses a shot or I'm eating something really good. It's pure pure JOY in my soul. I love being a missionary. I am going to miss putting my name tag on sooo much when the time comes - even though people straight up murder my name here. It's sooo funny, its not even that hard!! My district leader has a way harder name than mine - it's Migliononico!!! 

Our district leader got to go to the temple with one of his converts (if you baptize someone, after the year wait is up, you get to go through with them) and so Elder Tillman joined us for the day. He's from Herriman. He's so funny and he's like 6' 2" and so people just stop and stare at us. Elder Migliononico was late so we had to sleep at their house.  We all got hungry so we ordered pizza and had a pizza party!!! It was so sick. 

Church is always a blast, especially now that I can understand what is going on. The Primary program gave our ward a run for it's money yesterday. Kids breathing into the mic's, some talking super super loud and some talking so fast I swear they can sign with a record label or something. A dog was just walking around in the middle of it and this guy next to me stood up and just straight up punted it out the door. It was soooo funny.

We played soccer on p-day again and it was so fun. Everyone LOVES soccer here and honestly its really starting to grow on me. It's just so cool how the entire world plays it and I'm playing it with the little kids in the streets. Ahhh we can buy these sick jerseys for around 6 US dollars and they look and feel real, we just cant wash them haha. We played today and I am really out of shape, but it's all good. 

They have pollo a la brasa lays potato chips here and they really taste like chicken!!! Wow Peru is just fantastic. 

I encourage you all to read Mosiah 27 thru Alma 7. It's my favorite part of the Book of Mormon. His change is incredible and I strive to be like the Prophet Alma in all I do. I love you all! Thank you all for helping me be the person I am. Until next week!!!

Love,

Elder Nielsen

Pictures of the week

Elder Nielsen and "his main man Elder Canfield"

Elder Nielsen, Elder Vaca, and Melee and Raul Sanchez

Melee and Elder Nielsen

One of those "mindblowing incredible mangoes"

11/21/16 - Jesus Christ Lives

Hello Everyone!!

I hope everyone is doing just fantastic. Last P-Day was so amazing. We met up at the Sanchez´s (Raul's house) and we played soccer. Melee (Raul's dad who has 15 kids) was visiting along with one of his sisters. He is the cutest guy- he just breaks out in song and he LOVES soccer. His real name is Mariano but he was so good at soccer everyone calls him melee. I guess a “melee” is when you embarrass someone and, bam, the name stuck. He had a stroke though so he was just watching us play but he was really getting into it and it was so funny. We played volleyball and I forgot how much I like it. Raul is 65 but he is crazy good. He just doesn’t make any mistakes and is really tricky - it was so much fun. They are like my family in Peru. 

This week we had training with President Stauffer. He is such a good guy. I learned a lot and the next day we had district meeting. We got some new missionaries in our zone including one straight out of the mtc. I was shocked how far I've come in just 1 transfer and it gave me a lot of hope. 

This week I feel like I should share my testimony. Oh my how it has grown! First things first, Jesus Christ lives and He really did die and rise again on the 3^rd day. ONLY through him can we return to live with God and it's such a glorious plan. The Book of Mormon is true and the prophets in it were real people. Joseph Smith really was a prophet of God and he really did see God the Father and the Son. 

I've been reading. A LOT. Every spare second, in between bites, in the morning and in the night and everywhere in between. I seriously can't stop learning about everything- it's just so amazing. From the Old and New Testaments, to the Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants to the Liahona.  I just love it. I was reading a couple days ago in Samuel (the Old Testament is so crazy I love it) and this scriptures really hit me. 2 Samuel chapter 22 verses 2-8, 29,47. The whole chapter is really good though. I think its so interesting how God gives all these crazy challenges to the prophets and kings. From letting people chase them around in the desert for years to making them fight crazy wars its so interesting how they learn and grow. When they are ready God lets them rule and they are so much better because of it. 

If you are ever feeling sad or alone I want you to read 2 kings chapter 6 vs 15-17. Some back story- the Prophet Elisha and his servant wake up and they are surrounded by the forces of evil. All hope is lost and they are going to be killed. The servant is freaking out but the Prophet isn't. Read it - its so cool. Elisha was a prophet called by God and he had the Priesthood with the authority to use it. Through Joseph Smith the same Priesthood and Authority is HERE! RIGHT NOW!! If you are reading this you have access to the Bible and the Book of Mormon. I encourage you to read them. Just for 10 minutes a day. Read chapter 8 in 1st Nephi in the Book of Mormon and pray about it. I promise you that if you pray with real intent and want an answer you will gain a testimony that the Book of Mormon was written by Prophets of God and translated by the power of God. 

I love you all I am so glad to have you all in my life. Here's to another week!​​

Love,

Elder Nielsen

11/14/16 - Pictures

P-day fun!

Elder Nielsen loves his new jersey

Elder Nielsen and another missionary

Elder Nielsen and his buddy, Yosepi

Elder Vaca and Elder Nielsen with a Peruvian family at church

11/14/16 - ¿Como?....What? I Don't Understand

Of all my weeks here this one has been the most calm. All in all this week was very solid and time is flying. We did this really amazing service project and it was sooooo pretty. We carved a pathway into a mountain and it was really cool. It felt so good to work with my hands and wear regular clothes. 

Time on the mission is so weird. Today is transfers and that means I'm officially 1/8th the way done with my mission. To be honest that makes me kinda sad. I love putting my name tag on and it just keeps getting better and better. I can understand what is going on around me more and more. And something I've learned is that even when I can't understand someone I can smile and shake their hand and that's really enough.Learning a second language is so different than I thought it would be. It's way harder and it takes a lot more time. It's hard because I can understand a lot more than I can speak. I can get what is going on in lessons for the most part and I get so excited to share something and I bear my testimony and all they say is ¿como? which is like "what? I don't understand." hahahaha It's been very humbling. 

Please pray for Jonathan. I guess he has been working a lot more and we haven't seen him for a few days. We were walking to meet him (he wasn't home that night - again) and a man stopped us. We started talking to him and we ended up walking down a few houses to family Sanchez and teaching him in Raul's home. It was so incredible and he loved our message. He was so sad he couldn't make it to church because he had to work but he said he is going to get next week off. We are meeting up with him tomorrow to take a tour of the chapel and to give lesson 2! His name is Edison. He is so excited about it all and he loved the Book of Mormon we gave him. People here are so humble. It's so heartwarming - you give them a Book of Mormon and you'd think it was Christmas. 

The food here is so amazing. I'm really so lucky to be serving in a place where I am pumped to eat every meal. 

My pictures are always a week behind because I transfer them to a flash drive I bought. We have these little dvd players in our rooms (they are the missions) and you can transfer files. It takes a while thought so it's a week behind. I heard there was a missionary that went home 3 transfers before me and in his 23rd month he plugged his camera in and lost everything like i did a few weeks ago. It's better to be safe than sorry so I'm sorry if my pics are kinda old. 

I love you all! Thank you so much for your prayers! 

Love,
Elder Nielsen

Pictures from the Week

"This little boy is Yosepi and he is like Michael (Elder Nielsen's little brother) in Peruvian form. We do bottle flips and talk about sports and I Randy Orton him sometimes. He and his family are an answer to my prayers."

Lima

Lima

Elder Nielsen and Abel's goat

Abel's house

Abel's baptism day!

Abel and Elder Nielsen - soaking wet and loving it! 

11/7/16 - Gracias a Dios

WOW WHAT A WEEK!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This week flew by!  It's insane. We had a zone meeting and it was so good and in the middle there was a pretty big earthquake. Our zone leader, Elder Cedeño, just looked up, smiled and kept talking. He's from Ecuador and is going to be something amazing one day. His last week here is next week and he was so depressed -  it was so sad. Our district leader is one of the coolest guys. He is finishing his mission the way I want to with 12 baptisms in 2 transfers!!!!! As a little kid he cut his thumb off with a machete. Instead of being sad he does the "pull your thumb off trick" to the little kids but when he moves his hand it's really gone!!! Their reactions are sooooo funny! When both of them leave everything is going to be so different here. 

I finished Matthew and all I can say is I wear my name with even more pride now. I LOVE reading about my Savior's life. It boggles my mind that people wanted to kill him. When I'm feeling down about no one wanting to talk to us I just think about how people killed the perfect missionary and it helps. I was reading in Alma and this scripture hit me like a brick. It's Alma 29 1·3. Alma the younger is talking about what he wants most in the world and he doesn't want money, power, land or even to go home from his mission. He wants to be an angel so he can preach with even more power and more of the spirit than a prophet of God already has. Wow he is my inspiration. 

Our cook asked if we wanted mangoes and we said sure. She bought over 7 pounds of the most insanely mindblowingly just incredible mangoes I've ever had for 3 us dollars. Holy cow Peru is just fantastic. 

ABEL WAS BAPTIZED!!!!!! It was so amazing words cannot even describe how I felt. I was smiling so big my face hurt. A dog outside of his house has rabies and it was foaming at the mouth and I didn't care. A moto (a little motorcycle/car/buddy taxi thing) didn't come for over 40 minutes and I didn't care. The water in the font was colder than Chicago in January and I didn't care. When I baptized him he just kind of turned sideways so i just dunked him in the water. When he came up he said he was hot!!!! He said "Gracias a Dios" honestly more than 100 times. It means "thanks to God" and he was soooo thankful. He repeated it when we were singing, in the middle of the prayers, during his baptism after his baptism in the font like 10 times before and after it all. When he thanked me in his testimony-after 4 "thanks to Gods"- I felt my Savior's love more than I have my entire mission. This is why I am here. To bring "Abels" to Christ. A man who has 7 kids and weighs no more than 120 pounds, has 3 teeth and a goat and his Savior is my Savior and it's amazing. This gospel is true and I feel so blessed to be sharing it. 

Funny stuff -  I bought a Christiano Ronaldo Jersey and its soooooo sick. They have the coolest jerseys and we had a zone soccer game today and everyone wears them. They are 30 soles which is like 7 us dollars. Also

Peru is hilarious. It's like 75 degrees and perfect weather and people are wearing hats, 2 coats and thick pants they are so cold. The days from 12-4 are kinda hot but the afternoons and nights are soooo nice.

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO CUBBBBIIIIESSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!! One of our members is a big baseball fan and when he told me they won the World Series I started running around!!!! Holy cow I'm taking complete credit for this. They don't win in 108 years. The prophets have promised over and over serve a mission and it will bring blessings. I serve a mission and 3 months later

 they win. You are so very welcome Chicago. You gave my family and me 11 great years, we give you guys a championship. 

We have a new investigator named Jonathan. He's 20 and both of his parents are pastors but he feels they are missing something. We committed him to baptism yesterday for the 28th!!!! He knows the Bible how I want to someday and it's amazing to see. He's been to church twice without us even talking to him about it because he says he feels different there. All in all I'm excited and I pray for you all!!!!!!!! I just wish you all could meet these wonderful people. I love them all so much!  Until next week. Thank you all so much for your emails!

Gracias a Dios,

Elder Nielsen

Pluto

Pluto the neighbor dog - "I want to bring him home with me."

10/31/16 - My Patience and Charity Have Never Been Better

Hola!

We had a pretty sweet week. Holy cow, though, time flies. It feels like just yesterday I was having P-day.   Nothing really crazy happened like it did last week, but all in all it was probably my best week here. As I’m learning more Spanish it just keeps getting better. Honestly, the hardest part about Peru for me is not being able to talk and teach how I want to. Little by little though it’s coming along and people keep saying they are impressed by how much I’ve learned already. I can keep track of most conversations now and that is a real blessing. Speaking is a whole different story, but I have faith I can do it.

The Liahona (Ensign) magazine is so amazing!  We are so lucky to have it. I have rediscovered my love for reading here and I am reading everything I can get my hands on. Thank you for sending me “Jesus the Christ”- all I can say is WOW. I can’t wait to meet Elder Talmage in person and talk to him - it is seriously one of the most amazing books I’ve ever read. I find I need to read the same page 2 or 3 times because I don’t want to miss anything.

We went to this member’s house and it was something out of a movie. It was in the middle of nowhere, so I’m talking like the boondocks of the boondocks. It was right next to the water run off system (think L.A. -  those giant concrete drainage walls) but it’s made of rocks. People just throw their garbage there and holy cow it smells. There are dogs everywhere. It’s unreal. Anyway, we finally get to the house and the member who is taking us there stops us and starts yelling for the guy to come out. Out of the trees come, I’m not even kidding, 25 dogs. I counted them. This man had 25 dogs. We were talking to him and I guess robbery is a huge huge problem there because it’s so far off the beaten path so he just takes in strays and feeds and cares for them and they, in turn have his back. He is like the Peruvian dog whisperer!! I am going to bring my camera the next time we go- it was insane. Peru really is the craziest place I’ve ever been to – so many dogs!  From playing monkey in the middle with a soccer ball and a 140 pound German Shepard to being chased by dogs. It’s fun though. The trick is to pick up a rock and the dogs all run away because everyone here is like an MLB pitcher!

We taught Abel 2 more times and he is all ready for his baptism next Saturday. Words cannot describe how strong I feel the spirit when Abel prays. I can’t understand him very well but his love of the gospel is an inspiration to me. He is legit the funniest guy I’ve ever met. We teach him at the park behind his house because he is letting his goat eat the grass there. We were in the middle of the lesson and he jumps up and straight up punches his goat because it was killing the baby tree! He’s 72 and has 2 teeth but holy cow can he move. The goat’s back foot is tied to the ground and he let it go and the goat started dancing!!!!

On Wednesday I woke up with a horrible, horrible case of pink eye. It was huge and red and I could barely open it. I prayed soooo hard because I really can’t have pink eye here. By dinner it was completely gone. It was such a tender mercy. Prayer is so real.

We went to get our new money and it took wayyyy longer than it should have so I didn’t have time to back up my pictures so here are some pictures that I didn’t send last week. This (picture) is Pluto - he’s the dog that lives next door and he’s so sweet. I want to bring him home. He’s crazy smart and he protects us from all the other bad dogs.

I can’t wait to be able to talk to people. One of the less actives we go teach is named Russell. He’s a musician and he really, really struggles with drugs. His English is pretty much perfect though and I really have forgotten how much I love talking to people. I really just want to help people and as my vocab grows so does my ability to do that! My comp and I are getting along a lot better. It’s been a real learning experience for me but my patience and charity have never been better. I’ve noticed that if I pray for him out loud in our comp prayers we get along a lot better. He is a huge League of Legends player and he loves video games so we have gotten closer through that.

Thank you for all of your prayers and I really encourage all of you to read Alma 5 and Helaman 5. Two short chapters, but they are two of my favorites in the  Book of Mormon. I’ve learned so much from reading. I love this Gospel. I hope you all are doing so well!!! Thank you for your prayers!!

Love,

Elder Nielsen

Baptism!

Elder Nielsen, Elder Vaca, Nestor and his girls - Baptisms!

Pictures!

Abel's house, complete with a goat (and pig - not shown)

Baptism day! (No wonder he feels like a giant there! hahaha)

10/24/16 - It's True and I Love It

This week has been pretty good!! Even though it took over an hour for my email to load  - all is well. I cant believe its already been 2 months!!! It feels like I just left but it also feels like I've always been a missionary. Time is really weird. 

I finished the Book of Mormon!! All I can say is HOLY COW. It's true and I love it and I read it every single day. Read Moroni 10:32 thru 34. It's fantastic. I love Mormon and Moroni - they are such amazing examples.  My Spanish is really coming fast. I can pretty much teach the first lesson by myself which is a massive blessing. I really can't understand street Spanish yet but it will come. Thank you so much for all your fasting and prayers. 

Today was crazy. There was an EARTHQUAKE!!!!!!!!!! Everything started shaking and it lasted for like 6 seconds. It wasn't bad but still, it was a first for me. I also got bit by a dog!!!!!! It didn't break the skin thankfully, but it was still crazy. One moment he is just chilling there and the next moment I'm screaming at it and running away hahaha 

We are teaching Raul's dad and he is 87 years old and had a party. He has 15 kids and it was insane. His name is Melee and his entire house is painted that Tiffany blue color. He's so funny. 

Abel, the man with the pig, got a goat! It's like a little farm- it's so funny. He came to church and he was trying so hard to sing it was so cute. He couldn't follow the words, but he was doing his best. Please pray for him! If all goes well he is getting baptized on the 5th!!!!

I love you all!

Love, 

Elder Nielsen

10/17/16 - I Got to Baptize His Daughter!

This week has been crazy!!

Nestor got baptized!!!!!!!!!! and I got to baptize his daughter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was so amazing! Thank you all for your prayers and your thoughts. (I'm trying to upload some pictures but it's not working.) Anyway, I think the best thing about my area is the members. They are so kind and they have helped me so much. The night before the baptism we took Nestor and his 3 little girls over to a members house. They have been members for 2 years and they are so sweet. We watched "The Restoration" and ate Peruvian fries- they are fries but they fry them like 3 times and then crack eggs into them and they are sooo good! They gave Nestor the Book of Mormon Reader, the one with the pics, and it was amazing. One of the little girls was having a hard time because she was tired and I did my Scooby Doo voice. She LOVED it. I had to do it about 100 more times. 

It seems like everyone here is named Pedro or Juan because those names are in the Bible!!! Everyone is Christian down here. It's so fantastic. It makes it easier. 

Some interesting things happened this week. We ran into a crazy cat. I didn't understand much of what the kid was saying but the cat kept falling over. It was kinda sad but funny at the same time. They feed it really well though so it has a pretty good life. Another time we were waiting for an investigator and a random drunk guy grabbed me and we had a mini photoshoot! Everyone calls me "gringo" and since I'm wearing a white shirt and tie I stick out even more. 

We taught Abel (hes about 80 and has 3 teeth and is the one with the pig). I think he's going to get baptized. He really loves the Lord he just doesn't like church. We heard this weird noise and I turned around and the pig was scratching himself on a brick!!!!!! I swear I'm not making this up. I was going to start laughing but we were in the middle of a lesson so I had to cover my mouth to stop from laughing. 

My favorite family is the Sanchez's. They are all members except their grandpa Raul and their son is on a mission. I LOVE Raul. He's the funniest guy and he has such a sweet heart. He just has a really really hard time with faith. He owns a little store and then in the back a little soccer stadium. Today we had a district soccer game and it was so sweet. For 58 years old he can really move. We also played volleyball - he is really good at volleyball. I feel like I can really help him. His family wants him to join the church more than anything in the world. They are so sweet and nice to the missionaries  - it's such a relief. It's been so hard for me to not be able to talk to people or understand them. I can kinda get some of it and I understood a lot at church but in the streets and the way people talk it's impossible. I know the words I just cant recognize them when some people say them. I'm learning like crazy though. 

My comp is a really nice guy. I'm trying so hard to get along with him and we are making progress. I'm learning more about patience then I am about Spanish! I'm really learning to let things slide. It's going to help me a lot when I get back - being able to handle stuff that's hard. That's what missions are for right? learning? 

I don't know what to do about my pictures. It's starting to really make me...nevermind I put it back into my camera and they are all gone.  It looks like my camera has just been swiped clean. I don't know what to do. I'm really sorry everyone. I don't know what's going on. I backed up my pictures before I left the MTC so I only lost the ones so far in Peru. 

My spiritual thought for the week is D & C 121 and 122. No matter how hard it gets God has you. It's hard and difficult because if it were easy you wouldn't learn anything. From losing pictures and not understanding, to missing home and people not coming to church, I'm learning more and more every day and I hope it's the same for all of you. I love you so much!!! Thank you so much for all of your emails and prayers -  words cannot express how much they have helped me. I love you all!

Love,

Elder Nielsen

10/10/16 - I'm Legit a Giant Over Here!

PERUUUUUUUUUUU

Wowowowowow what a place.Peru is amazing for so many reasons! Lima is hands down the biggest city I've ever been to. Its not like the US where there are tons of tall buildings and then apartments, it's just 2-3 storied buildings for hours and hours of driving. It's insane. My comp is from Bolivia and he speaks less English than I do Spanish. Let's just say we use our dictionaries a lot.  We aren't allowed to eat off the street or in members homes which is too bad, but we have a pencanista (a cook who makes lunch every day) and the food is sooo good. Our area isn't too bad but I cant wear my nice watch or bring my camera because I will get robbed lol. I'm legit a giant over here! It's hilarious!  To put it into perspective, my comp is considered tall to the people here. Our area, Prolima, is about 4 miles long and really skinny so we take the bus down the same stretch of street every single day. The bus holds about 20 or so people and costs 15 u.s. cents. The problem is that if there aren't any seats and I have to stand my head hits the ceiling so when i get off my neck is all kinked!!! The city buses are much bigger, about the size of the ones in Salt Lake, so its all good there. 

Our apartment is about the size of my bedroom in Salt Lake. Every building here has 2 inch steel bars so we feel pretty safe. We did a deep clean today that mom would be so proud of! Our district leader and zone leaders are amazing! I'm really sad because our DL is on his last transfer and our ZLs have 2 left. 

Funny story- we were teaching a lesson and we started talking about the importance of prayer and all of a sudden we heard this horrible noise. A little baby pig ran thru the middle of us with a dog chasing it!!! I had to blink a few times because it took me so off guard. 

President Stauffer, our mission president, is an amazing man. I'm really lucky to have him. Think President Grant (Elder Nielsen's former Stake President) mixed with Kyle Eliason (Elder Nielsen's former Young Men's leader - both were huge influences in Elder Nielsen's life). We had Stake Conference and he spoke along with some other stake leaders. He talked a lot about every member a missionary and it was really cool. The work is exploding here in Peru. I'm really lucky to be a part of it. One baptism a month is low. A lot of people here aren't legally married so that is really hard. Probably the most amazing thing about Peru is the people. Everyone here is just so nice and they LOVE their Savior. Everyone is Catholic and it's really nice because we aren't introducing Christ we are just adding on and filling in the blanks.

We have an investigator named Nestor and he is an angel. He lives with his brother and his 2 little girls in a tiny little house. He doesn't have electricity so we have to teach by candle light. Nestor has one of the strongest testimony's of God that I've ever seen. He has unshakable faith and is soooo excited to be baptized. He has a meeting with the Stake President so please pray that it goes well. His little girl is getting baptized as well and I get to perform the baptism!!! When we told him that we would be able to baptize his youngest daughter he started crying. A few days ago we were teaching him and we asked him to pray. It was one of the most spiritual experiences of my entire life. There we were huddled in a tiny house around a candle with a man whose wife left him with 2 little girls, he has to work all day 6 days a week and he thanked God for all that he has blessed him with. When he thanked God for this gospel I had an overwhelming feeling that it is all true. He is so excited for the Temple and to get the Priesthood. I wrote down some of my favorite chapters in the Book of Mormon and through broken Spanish discussed them. He reads it for at least an hour a day during his break at work and then by candlelight at night. I gave him 1 of my 2 BoMs with the D&C and the Pearl of Great Price included in it and you would have thought I had given him a car. He was beyond grateful. People like Nestor are the reason I am here. I cannot wait to learn Spanish so i can bring my own sheep to the Good Shepherd. 

The weather here is just fantastic. It's a little hot during the heat of the day but it really is perfection. We will have to wait and see about summer though. There are more dogs here than I have seen in my entire life. I have no idea why but they are legit everywhere. There are 2 that live with the people next to us. It's so cute to come home to them because as soon as they see us they take off after us. It makes me want a dog that much more. At night people let off fireworks and it's like WWE smackdown with dogs barking all night long. We were on our way home the other day and a bunch of dogs started chasing us!!! It was kinda scary but we were laughing the whole time as we ran. It felt so good to really run - I haven't in a while. With all this noise and my comp snoring worse than my dad it's a good thing I sleep like a rock! From the 3 wheeled taxis and the wild dogs, to the mountains and the smog, Peru is truly one of a kind. My shoes are always dusty and I'm losing weight already but I'm down for both of these things. I love you all so much! Thank you for all you have done for me. 

Love,

Elder Nielsen