4/17/17-Pics of the Week

The CTR ring he had made

Elder Nielsen and his giant watermelon he bought for $3

4/17/17-It's Worth It

This week was not as high as the last one, but it's all good. We have 3 people getting baptized this Saturday so after church they had their interviews. Alexander passed with flying colors and is as funny as ever. He's honestly the funniest investigator I've ever had. I just want you all to meet him!!! We took him to the baptism of another person and when they went under the water he said awhhhsuuu!!!!! It was so funny. Snyder and his wife are so excited - they have come so far but when they came out they left and that was it. It turns out they are not married as they led us to believe and are living together. They can't get baptized until after they get married.  The mission is teaching me sooooo much - way more than I can ever begin to write but honesty and patience are some of the biggest.

We are working really hard and finding people to teach but we can always be better, always always do better. This week was really incredible. I am forever and ever eternally grateful for my Savior Jesus Christ. I know He lives. I know He loves us. Please read chapter 7 of Alma and chapter 22 of Luke. He died for YOU. HE KNOWS YOU. HE LOVES YOU!! I look forward to the day with all the energy of my heart when I can finally fall at His feet and thank Him. I love to read chapter 20 of John verses 26-31. I can't imagine how Thomas must have felt but all he got out before he sobbed was "My Lord, My God." The Spirit was testifying that He is the Christ to all of us. It's up to us to take up our cross and follow Him like Jesus taught. It's hard, but He knows. Not everyone is going to like it, He knows. However, it's worth the blessing 1 Corinthians 2:9 - my goodness it's worth it. 

We bought a huge watermelon from a guy selling it outside of our house for 8 soles, like 3 dollars hahaha, never change Peru. We also had CTR rings made with our names and MPLO which stands for mission Peru Lima Oeste and HLJ which is CTR in Spanish. It makes me so happy to be a missionary. It's going to hurt so bad not being able to wear my Saviors name over my heart when it's all done. We are so blessed to have Him in our lives. He wants to come into our lives more but it's up to us. It's hard but I testify it's worth it. 

Love,

Elder Nielsen

4/10/17-Pics of the week

Baptism day

Wow! More baptisms!

Happiness!

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Fun on P-day

"Violeta has a pet monkey - it has really big teeth that scare me"

4/10/17-Working So Hard

This week man!!! Wowowow It's crazy. We were walking and all of a sudden the sky was black- like black like in a movie!! We hiked up the hill above us and a giant factory was on fire down the other side. There was paper fallout in our room because of it!!!! It was wild. 

It was a great week! One thing I really wanted to do in my new area (Zap) was baptize.  We have been working so hard - Elder Chavez's feet are breaking out in blisters. Well we had the privilege of baptizing 3 people this week!! Lucero is amazing. She just turned 18 and was waiting for her birthday to be baptized. Imanol is 11 and his mom is a member but man, my patience is getting so much better because of her. And Violeta - she is incredible. Her life was sooo hard it makes my heart hurt hearing about it. She's the first member in her family and she lives with her grandkids and her daughter. 

Violeta had a horrible, horrible childhood and step mom and she is petrified of water, like she was all good with baptisms and todo but said she wouldn't do the water part. We prayed and prayed and the day finally came. As soon as she stepped in the font she wanted out but after a little pep talk and me praying my whole heart and soul out she was baptized!!!!! She was baptized in the morning because she didn't want anyone there but her neighbor who is a member. That night, however, our district of 8 elders baptized 6 more people!!! It was amazing! Truly a great experience!!!!! We have 3 more for the 22nd - please pray for Snyer, Creamolesa and Alexander. I love Alexander so much. Honestly, one of the hardest parts about the mission is that I just want you all to meet all these wonderful people!!!!!!!!!! Also please, please, please pray for the heart of Edmundo Culcas to be softened. They are such a great family and it would be an honor to bring them into the church. I love this work with all my heart and I am so thankful to be here. 

Love,

Elder Nielsen

4/3/17 - Pics of the week

Elder Nielsen loves watermelon

A giant caterpillar

Fried chicken at McDonald's!

The picture at the hospital

Elder Nielsen's poor toe! He's so brave!

Elder Nielsen loves the mission!

4/3/17- A 4 Inch Needle????

This week was probably the craziest week of my mission and I loved every second of it.

A few things about my new area: we lose water every night at 7 so I can't shower at night so I kinda just splash water out of a bucket on myself - it's really quite refreshing, our fridge has more baby cockroachs than food and when our shower works it just comes out in one big stream like a garden hose. hahahaha I love Zapallal.

I finished the New Testament. I started about 2 months ago and I finished it on Tuesday. Honestly my love and testimony for my Savior and His life has never been so strong. I am forever grateful for Him. Words cannot describe how much of a debt I have to Him and it's such an honor to be his servant for this short, short time. I love Pablo (Paul) and John - I cannot wait to meet them. Pablo reminds me a lot of my favorite prophet ever, Alma. He speaks without fear, he speaks with power and with the spirit of God - something I've been trying to work on. We need to teach with love and the Spirit but this isn't a game, this isn't practice, this is people's salvation and I've learned so much from them. We are so blessed to have the scriptures. 

Speaking of prophets we had conference and WoWoWoWoW!!!!!! it was incredible! I have never learned so much from it and honestly it depended 100 percent on my mindset. Always before I was just sitting there listening but this time was so different. I had my notebook and I was hunting for notes, writing everything that stuck out, writing my answers to my questions and trying to listen for stuff that I was going to use while teaching or talking to people. The 10 hours flew by and honestly I was sad when they said the closing prayer. Wow what a conference!! I loved Elder Erying's talks - his testimony always touches me. 

This week had a frustrating and funny experience. I had a bad ingrown toenail. It bugged me and I dug it out but I couldn't get it all. I made plans with the health secretary and my comp and I went down to the offices and then the giant hospital down the street. This hospital isn't anything crazy but it's still huge and whoever organized it should probably find a new line of employment. We literally went up and down, up and down the elevator (which my comp didn't know how to use, he's from northern Peru and I guess never been in one) getting signatures and waiting in lines and getting our own supplies including a 4 inch needle??? Anyways we were waiting for over 3 hours and our doc was doing paper work. He gets up and salutes us and leaves, comes back, sits down, then leaves again. This time, however, he didn't come back. This homie left and went home hahahahaha We had to wait another 2 hours for another doc to come so we walked to McDonalds down the street.  We didn't eat though because it was priced the same as the U.S. and we didn't have any money but they sell fried chicken there!!! I love McDonalds but imma wait for the drive home from the airport I think. Imma cry the whole time - oh how I love McDonalds breakfast! Anyway it came down to over 7 hours at the hospital. Classic way to spend your Friday. My toe is doing great and I watched him do the surgery even though he kept saying "you're going to faint." I loved watching it even though it was me! He had this really cool picture in the operating room of Jesus overseeing a surgery.  I know Christ is always in our lives. It's just up to us if we see His hand or not. He loves us so much and we are so blessed to have Him. 

From a giant caterpillar to watermelons, hospitals and General Conference - this week was one for the books. Time is flying at an unhealthy rate and it makes me sad, I want more and more. All in all I love the mission. 

Please pray for Lucero, Emanol, and Violeta - they have baptisms this Saturday. Also please pray for family Huaman, Snyder and his wife and family Coulcas. The work is great and my legs are getting stronger from the crazy hills.

I was reading after Conference because I heard one of my favorite scriptures referenced in 1 Corinthians 2:9. It's also in Isaiah 64:4, however, the word in the last sentence is different - one says "love" and the other says "wait." My question for the week is "why do you think they are different?" Paul is quoting him pretty much exactly but changed 1 word. Very very interesting. I love you all and I'm excited to read your responses. I have mine. I cannot put into words how much I adore the scriptures. On with the Book of Mormon in Spanish now!! Keep the faith and know I'm praying for you all!!!

Love,

Elder Nielsen