12/25/17 - Pics of the Week

Shoe shining service activity - (pretty sure this is staged hahaha)

Playing soccer Christmas Day

Happy Elders

Merry Christmas - Fa la la la la, la la la la

12/25/17 - Merry Christmas Everyone!!!!

Merry Christmas everyone!!!! It's been a fun day. We played soccer this morning and I'm getting a lot better. I'm sooo out of shape tho and we played on a big field. It only took about 15 minutes for the cramps to hit. It's getting really hot but its great and I'm excited for this week.

We baptized a man this week!! He's 28 and has Tourette's syndrome, the problem that just random stuff comes out and it doesn't make any sense. It was so great to teach him because he understands so much - it's amazing. It was so great to watch my son, Elder Alegre with his first baptism. He was over the moon - it was so cute. 

We cleaned and shined shoes for free this week and it was great service! We also had a service project with kids whose dads are in prison. I ended up giving the talk idk how but it was good! Just crazy to think it's Christmas again. It doesn't feel like it at all, but Merry Christmas! I'm so grateful for Jesus! 

Love,

Elder Nielsen

12/18/17 - Pics of the Week

Merry Christmas from Peru!

12/18/17 - It's About Him

This week was really good. We are working hard and we have come a long way. We are teaching a single mom named Vanessa Marcos. She has 5 kids and as of about a month ago her husband killed himself. When we got there you could just feel the overwhelming power of depression, sadness and evil. It was really hard. However, as we have been teaching her and her kids things are turning around. The other day we were teaching and the scripture that is found in Matthew 11:28-30 hit me like a train. When she read it the spirit testified that it is true - that He is the only one that can lighten our burdens, that He is the only one that can heal us. We celebrate the birth of Him at Christmas and being here in Peru has given me a whole new perspective. I love this mission and Peru. Christmas here isn't about me - it's about Him. It's about the Prince of Peace. In Him there is safety, in Him there is peace - just like the hymn says. Please pray for Vanessa - her family is just the worst. They hate us, they always lie to us and don't want us to visit her. Please pray to soften their hearts - we are just trying to help.

My companion is just the best. He has this overwhelming fear of talking to people and we are working hard on it - talking to people in the street, people in our ward and other missionaries. He's come so far and honestly I'm learning so much from him. He's so incredibly humble. He's so kind and feels the real true love of Christ for people which is just great. I know I've had all my companions for a reason and I'm so grateful for all of them. 

I wish you all a wonderful Christmas and remember why we have Christmas - remember Him and may the spirit be with you all. 

Love,

Elder Nielsen

12/11/17 - Pics of the Week

Elder Nielsen and his "son," Elder Alegre

12/11/17 - Light the World

This week was really solid. We are working hard and all is well. We went to Lima for 2 days and it was so fun hangin' out with my friends whom I haven't seen for a long time. Elder Bacilio is going home - he's finishing his mission and I'm going to miss him a lot. I look up to him so much. He's such an excellent excellent missionary and person. He's going to try to come to Utah. I hope you all meet him. 

My son and I are working hard. We are getting ready to baptize Moises Nieto and Venessa Fernandez. Please pray from them. We are working a lot with the "light the world" campaign from the church and it's great! I love Christmas. There is just something so special about being on a mission during Christmas. It"s not all about you and it's really kinda nice. I love Peru. We don't have a cook anymore and we are just eating in restaurants and it's so much better. Holy cow the food here is sooo good. I had a talk in church and it was fun - my ward is so cute. 

Do something nice for someone today. Please pray for us and our investigators. A lot of stuff is happening here in Huacho!! I love you all! Thanks for everything!!

Love,

Elder Nielsen

12/4/17 - Pics of the Week

Elder  Nielsen and Elder Alegre - "it was his first time seeing an ocean. He's only seen ponds. He was so excited!"

12/4/17 - I Love Christmas

I have a son. His name is Elder Alegre, which means happy, and he's from Bolivia - surprise!!! - like most of my companions. hahaha Yep, I'm training a new missionary and it's so great. It's a really new experience but it's good and we are working hard and seeing the results. We had cambios and I'm staying here in Huaura which is just awesome. All is well. 

All in all life is good and time is flying - it's honestly insane how fast time is moving. The First Presidency Christmas Devotional yesterday was great! I love Christmas and I can relate a lot to the speaker who is a Seventy who talked about his experience in Chile. However, this Christmas it's different. I understand now. I love the country of Peru now. The people are my family and my friends and I'll always have a love for this country. 

Mom, thanks for the Christmas decorations! We live above members who have a little restaurant for breakfast and cakes and stuff. I gave them to them to decorate. I'll send a picture next week- it's so cute!  It's way better there than in my room.

Love,

Elder Nielsen

11/27/17 - Pics of the Week

Cuy, Guinea Pig - "our dinner - it's pretty tasty"

Playing with a baby cuy right before an investigator fed them cuy for dinner

"This little kid is one of the funniest kids I've met - I love him!"

"There is spray paint everywhere, but lots of times it's really cool - like this yoda."

"The Boys"

"I bought this sweater - it's alpacha. It's so warm and nice."

11/27/17 - Great Great Investigators

This week was great! We went to Churin, a little town about 2 hours into the mountains. It was incredible to see mountains, like real mountains, again. We went on a hunt for a birth certificate for the investigator of Elder Stodtmeister so they can get married but we came up empty handed. But fear not, all is well. We think it's been years and years and years since there were missionaries there so it was fun watching people stare at us, but it's all good. 

We had multi zona and it was great. I learned so much. I love President Stauffer. We learned a lot about miracles and how important they are. Miracles are real and I know if we work hard and be obedient that miracles will come. 

Thanksgiving we had chaufa, ham fried rice but better, and it was really great. Honestly, it doesn't feel at all like December. It's starting to get hot but the great part about being out of Lima is there are blue skies here. The sun beats down but I can't complain. 

We are working hard and finding a lot of great great investigators. This month of December is going to be great - I can just feel it! Please pray for f. Mendoza and f. Vargas. 

This is the slowest internet I've had on my mission.  I'm pretty sure my microwave is faster than it but it's all good. I'll send more pics next week, I promise. 

We went and helped a member work in his field and he gave us the best strawberries ever. I ate like 20 without thinking about it and everyone told me I was going to die because of the insectacide. The only thing that happened to me is I want more strawberries.

Love,

Elder Nielsen

11/20/17 - Pics of the Week

"This is the granddaughter of Hernana Marina - the little blind lady! I taught them but was transferred - how great!!"

"Our zone of Huacho"

"This is an alfafore, it's a cookie that's really good but huge. I had to sit down because I got dizzy it had so much sugar. No wonder why I'm gaining weight here hahaha!"

11/20/17 - All in All Good Week

This week was really good. Peru is going to the World Cup!!!!!!!!! First time in 36 years!! Let's wind the clocks back about a year - the Chicago Cubs won the World Series for the first time in 107 years. I lived in Chicago most of my life and as soon and in the early months of my mission they won. Now, I'm not taking the credit but the prophets have always said that missions will bring blessings for your family and friends. Now look,  Peru hasn't been to the World Cup in almost 40 years. I get here and BAM. I'm starting to scare myself......

But in all seriousness, this week was good. We are working hard and seeing a lot of the fruits. We are having a ward temple trip the 8th of December. No, my companion and I aren't going, but we are working hard to get as many people as we can to go. We are working hard on bringing back a few less actives families and Juan de Dios and his parents are gonna go!! We are really excited- they are great. They showed us their little back room that has over 50 cuy!! That's guinea pigs but they eat them here so it's ok - it's pretty good, tastes a lot like rabbit. All in all good week. 

Love,

Elder Nielsen

11/13/17 - Pics of the Week

"This is what Peruvian dogs look like"

"We went to a little pond in the middle of the dessert"

Baptism!

11/13/17 - I Love My Little Ward

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY FATHER AND SISTER MARSHALL!!!!!!!!!!!! Two of my favorite people in the whole wide world!!! If you know them tell them happy birthday and if you don't you're missing out!!

We baptized Juan de Dios and it was so great!! We had his grandpa do it and it was such a great experience. They just love us and we are making plans for them to be sealed in the temple!! I'm so excited for everything that's going on here. I love my little ward and we are trying so hard to strengthen the members. Our Bishop is so funny. He's the best!

I love you all!!

Love,

Elder Nielsen

11/7/17 - 8 Lunches and 4 Dinners

This week was great. It was also funny for a lot of reasons. We had the President of the stake come and he just went in on the leaders of the ward. He threatened that if they don't help the missionaries more he's going to recommend to President Stauffer to take us out of the ward and put us in another. So just on Friday, Saturday and Sunday alone we had 8 lunches and 4 dinners from members hahahaha I think I gained 4 pounds in a week but it's all good. 

Juan de Dios is getting ready for his baptism this Saturday!! Yeah his name is John from God crazy no?? We are excited - we are teaching good people and we are working hard. We taught a man and the next day came back to teach his wife. When she came out from around the back of the house she was full of fire!!! "I'm Catholic I read the Bible and pray and I'm never changing!" She had her back to us and was really rude. Instead of fightng with her we just tried to testify and the Spirit softened her heart. In the closing prayer she cried and thanked God for sending us. The mission is lo maximo. 

My camera got wiped again. so I'm sorry if I don't have any pics but don't worry - we are still out here fighten'.  I love you all! Keep it up!! 

We went to a weird lake in the middle of the desert. It was fun, really odd to be surrounded by water and green grass but it was sick.

--

Matthew 19:26

Luke 9:62

Elder Nielsen

10/30/17 - Pics of the Week

10/30/17 - It's Our Time

This week was really good. We are working hard and doing great. My comp., his name is Elder Aviles, he's from Ecuador and a good man. He's been out for about 8 months and we just get along great. It's really funny because Elder Stodmeister is here with me. We've been together for the last 8 months, him as zone leader and me as district leader but now he's in my district!! hahahaha it's the greatest! 

We are working a lot with part member families and we are working hard. It's tough man, there just isn't the will for a lot of people. The stake president came and called all the leaders together and shut the door and BOOMMM just went in on it - was amazing amazing - it's our time lets do this!!!! 

We went exploring today and found this abandoned stunning beach house and a farm plus the animals from the other day. It was great.

Love,

Elder Nielsen 

10/24/17 - Pics of the Week