Tengo gozo en mi alma hoy!

Hola familia!

I've now been in the field for more than a week! It was quite the week too. With every day I feel a little less overwhelmed and a little more comfortable with everything. It will still take some time to get to know everyone and feel like I have a handle on all the details, but I am really have such a great time. And especially during those trying first few days I felt the Savior with me every step of the way. The great blessing of having trials, of feeling lonely or overwhelmed, is that we come to rely more on Christ and come to know Him better. He really is always there for us!!

I have stories! I'll start with last P-day. So we went on this crazy hike with the zone, it was so hot (95) and there was no shade and we hiked for like 2 hours. But we sisters had a surprise. We spent a couple hours before the hike filling up water balloons. So the elders had no idea. We got down to the cars, and told them to stand in a group facing away from us. They were super suspicious but eventually did it - and we started throwing the balloons at them. They caught on pretty quick and then a water balloon fight started! We had something like 200 balloons. Afterwards we went to Sonic to get drinks. So it turned out pretty fun. :) Most every morning we exercise as a zone, we usually play a game called gatorball which is basically a mix between basketball and soccer. The elders are fun, I haven't gotten to know them super well yet but they are great. I love my companions! 

They are so fun, it really is a party being in a trio. Sister Bingham is fun, sporty, (she was on the track team at BYU - she knows Nacho/Nicole!) and has been such a patient and kind trainer. Sister Monarrez, who speaks spanish fluently, is also super funny and so cool. She's from Chicago, and sis. Bingham is from Washington state. And they are incredible teachers. The hard part for me has been speaking up, because they do such a good job and I don't want to throw anything off. So I've been working on my confidence and assertion! Anyone who knows me knows I am not very assertive.

Thursday, because our mission president is leaving, we had a mission temple trip and conference! It was awesome. I loved being reunited with Hermana Nelson, we talked about our experience and it was so nice to talk with someone who knows and loves me- and I love her! And seeing Elder Hillier was so awesome too. We went to the Jordan river temple. I love the temple so much! It is such a boost, and just an amazing blessing. Go to the temple as often as you can!!! It is the greatest place in the world.

So here's a cool story. My first mission miracle! So saturday was a rough day. Our appointments were falling through, no one was home when we knocked on their doors (it's like it's summer or something!) and just nothing was going as planned. We murmured a little bit. It was like 8 in the evening and we were walking around this apartment complex. We knew there was somewhere we needed to be, just not sure where. I went up to an old lady to say hi and apparently she didn't see me coming because she jumped like three feet - my companions thought it was pretty funny. Anways, we were on our way back to the car when we saw this little boy over by an apartment, and he looked hispanic (yep, we are racial profilers) and so we decided to go over and see. There were a couple people sitting and we started talking to them. It turned out they were recent converts, helping friends move into that apartment. We met the wife, who is a member, but her husband is not. She said he had been taking lessons and wanted to continue, but they both felt sisters would be better. They had literally just moved in and had no idea about when/where church was, much less how to get a hold of the missionaries. She said it was not a coincidence we had just happened across them! So we met the husband, and set a date to teach him this week. So cool right?? Definitely a miracle. And the spirit guided us. It's just like Nephi in the Book of Mormon - he was commanded of the Lord to do something, and just had faith it could happen. But he had to keep trying, coming back again and again even though he kept failing, until the time was right and it all worked out in the Lord's way.

I love sharing my testimony, and maybe my favorite thing to testify of is Joseph Smith and the book of Mormon. We were teaching a lesson to one of our investigators, M, about the restoration. We watched the restoration video with her. Afterwards I bore my testimony. It was so awesome! The spanish doesn't even matter, it's the spirit. I KNOW with all my heart that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, and that the Book of Mormon is true. You just have to read it and pray to know! You can't deny the feelings of peace and comfort it gives.

Yesterday was the Leadership broadcast, I every member got to watch it! It was so cool. I got a little homesick seeing the MTC missionaries, but it was so awesome hearing from our apostles and prophet. And to think that we are all working together to bring about God's work in these days, it's amazing to think that we are all involved. 

It is SO important that missionary work whether as member or missionary becomes a priority in our lives. They said something about how the days of missionaries knocking on doors should be coming to an end, and we as missionaries were happy to hear that. And it will only happen if the members take on the calling of sharing the gospel! Let the testimony you have motivate you to action. I can't remember who said it but they said if you share out of love for that person and a desire for their welfare, it cannot be taken the wrong way.

Sorry for preaching. There's just so much I'm learning!! It sure is hard work, I don't think I fully realized that before I came out. It's not easy, but it is SO worth it. And as President Uchtdorf said once, there is always something each day that can bring gratitude and joy if we take the time to recognize it.

I miss you all a ton! Thanks for the email updates!!

Hermana Nelson

el campo!

Hola!

So I am now on day three in the field - Salt Lake City South mission! It's crazy, because three days ago I had no idea where I was going. Anyways I'll go back a little bit to talk about my last week in the MTC. It was such a crazy week. Tuesday was an awesome P-day, we went to the temple as a district and then that evening went to the devotional, which was in the Marriott center for the first time! The numbers have just gotten too big for the normal devotional spot at the MTC. We went early because two of our district were giving prayers. So we got to sit on the floor, third row from the pulpit! It was so cool. Elder Marvyn of the 70 spoke and it was incredible. Also, he called me up to read a scripture. :) I heard the devotional was on KSL or something so check it out if you want to see me speak at the Marriott center. It's kind of a big deal.

Wednesday was SO crazy. So three companionships from my district were picked to do the "How to Begin Teaching" role play/demonstration thing for the new missionaries coming in that day. Basically you and your companion teach the beginning of a first lesson to an investigator in front of a room of 50 new missionaries. It was pretty exciting. So we had training for that in the morning, and then we did hosting for the new missionaries for almost 4 hours. Afterwards was the new missionary demonstration, and then I had to go with the Zone Leaders to meet our new district! It's too bad we didn't overlap more because they're super cool.

Thursday we had In-Field Orientation. It was super cool - we learned about working with your ward, referrals through members, finding and contacting, and other such good stuff. It got me so excited. Then that night I was with the new district again, they met with the Branch Presidency and then the ZL's and I took them on a tour.

Friday quickly became the craziest day ever. So we're all anticipating getting our reassignments, and nervous because they haven't come yet. So we walked into our classroom after breakfast and there they were! There was a lot of freaking out. I was so shocked when I read mine to find out that I would be leaving the next day! I was so excited, but also so sad because I just couldn't take that this was the last day with my district. So the rest of the day was pretty different. We went to class, and our teachers changed it up a little. Hermano Davis taught in the morning, and basically inspired me to stay strong and remember my commitment to serve the Lord. He is absolutely incredible. Future General Authority status. After lunch was Hermana Young, who I have come to love so much. We did some last minute grammar and language practice, and then my companion and I got to teach our last lesson together to her. It was short but sweet. I told Hermana Young that when I get back we can be companion teachers at the MTC.

After dinner we finally took the classic pictures in front of the map. I'll see if I can attach some. Then we went back to the class to celebrate Elder Hicken's birthday. Us hermanas wrote a song for him, and then we sat in a circle and each said what we loved about him. There was a lot to say! Everyone says we're twins because we're basically the same person.

After that was my favorite part. So us four hermanas and Elder Hillier wanted to receive blessings before heading out. It was such a spiritual, special experience. I went first and asked Elder Hicken to give my blessing. It was so incredible to see the way those elders exercise their priesthood. They are so awesome, and are going to be amazing missionaries. All of the blessings were beautiful. We sang our district song, Jesus Es Mi Luz, and hugged/shook hands.

Saturday morning was crazy. We stayed up late the night before packing/talking to the hermanas, and woke up early. We ate breakfast with our district and some from the zone. After the goodbyes, Hermana Nelson, Elder Hillier and I headed off to the train, plus another Elder going to our mission. And thus began my adventure in the field!

Hermana Nelson and I met a man on the train, a member, and asked if we could practice teaching with him. We shared a scripture and talked about it. It was so cool! We eventually got to our mission office. The AP's met us there, and a bit later the mission president and his wife arrived. It was all so surreal! They talked a bit about mission standards and whatnot and we introduced ourselves. And then I met my companions! We are a trio. 

Their names are Hermana Bingham and Hermana Monarrez. Hma Bingham has been here for almost a year, in this area. Hma Monarrez has been here six months and speaks spanish basically fluently. We went right to work! It was a long, and honestly overwhelming day. My first lesson was on the temple grounds, to a progressing investigator who has a baptismal date. For the sake of privacy I'm gonna call people by the first letter of their name. So E has a date, has had a few lessons, and is ready for baptism except for a problem with quitting smoking. We talked (that's not super true, I didn't do much talking) about the Word of Wisdom and how our bodies are temples. While sitting by the temple.

So I am in a spanish speaking area, and it covers most of Draper, Ut. We cover a huge area - and are the only sisters in the zone. But we do some english speaking as well, more than I expected. Which is good. Because real people spanish is very different from MTC spanish! It'll take some time for me.

I don't have time to talk much more about the first two days... suffice it to say that there's a lot for me to learn! At this point I kinda feel like a wallflower but Hma Bingham says to just be patient with the process. The language will come. My comfort with the area and mission life will come. That first night I was feeling super tired and overwhelmed, but I can already see that it gets better every day! It is so exciting to be doing the real work. We cover just one spanish branch and it was fun going yesterday. I'm having a hard time remembering names but everyone is so nice. It's been a blur! Mostly we do contacting, we get lots of referrals so there's lots of knocking on doors. 

We live in the basement of a member's house, they're english speaking. It's a super nice house and they are awesome! They're the Bennetts. We had dinner at their house last night with the whole family - hamburgers and chips and all that good stuff. I like them a lot.

My training starts today! I've shared a scripture a few times in english lessons but now the real stuff begins. This morning in companionship study I practiced sharing a principle and invitation to pray and I think I'm ready. I'll use it in a lesson tonight.

Mondays are P days. I'm glad - I need a breather. And we're going hiking today! And then I'll be ready to get back to work tomorrow!! This has easily been one of the hardest things I've ever done. And I don't know how long I'll be here, waiting for my Visa. But I know I'm here for a reason! And I'm excited to find out what that is. The Lord sent me to SLC south and that's where I'm going to serve.

Here's my address!

Hermana Mackenzie Nelson

8060 S 615 E

Sandy UT 83440

The other Hermana Nelson is still in my mission, so make sure to include my first name so there isn't any confusion.

I love you all, and I miss you! The church is true.

love,

Hermana Nelson

My mission blog is utahslcsouthmission.com. Check it out! There's a picture of us arriving at the train station.

Suprise!!

Hey family!

I GOT MY REASSIGNMENT!!! This morning all of us except Elder Parkinson (he'll be staying another week, sad) got our reassignment notes and we were freaking out! And mine said... I'm going to Utah Salt Lake City South and I'm leaving TOMORROW morning! I can't handle it... my companion and I just hugged and cried. All the hermanas cried. The good news is that I am going there with Hermana Nelson and Elder Hillier, so we will travel together. Hermana O'Hara, Hermana Hadley, and Elder Lo'amanu are all going to California San Fernando leaving monday. Elders Bloomfield, Bushman and Hicken are all going to Portland Oregon leaving tuesday. So basically there are a lot of feelings right now. I am so excited to go, but the last thing I expected was to be leaving tomorrow. I thought I was gonna have another week!! I can't think about saying goodbye to everyone. I'm glad I'm going with Hillier and Nelson, but still. It's like saying goodbye to family all over again.

Yesterday we had our in-field orientation, and it honestly got me so excited to get out there and serve. It's time to work! I know I'm meant to be there for a reason. There are people who are being prepared to hear the gospel and I hope I'm ready to bring it!!

I love you all, and will keep you updated. Salt Lake City here I come!!

love,

Hermana Kenzie Nelson

Es La Verdad

Hola Familia!!

Another week in the CCM has come and gone. And now I'm on the home stretch! So crazy. So we've been a little confused about the whole visa/reassignment situation, but we found out the other day that we're all on the reassignment list. So we should be getting our reassignments the end of this week, either thursday or friday. And then we would be leaving the next tuesday ish (one week from today!) It looks like we'll all get to have a "mini mission" training in the states somewhere! I am actually excited about that, and I know the places where we will go are where we need to be at that time. It only stinks that all 7 of us in our district that are going to Bahia Blanca can't fly together there at the same time. It's started hitting us that this will probably be our last week together. The last couple days the district ahead of us has been leaving, and it was really hard to say goodbye to them. They got here just a week ahead of us and so we've really gotten to know each other well and become friends. When we were saying goodbye to those elders, having to hold back and just shake hands, it got us thinking about next week and how we won't be all together for much longer. Especially during this last week we've really bonded. Our elders have grown so much in these past 5 weeks, are such worthy priesthood holders, and are just all so awesome in their different ways. As for the hermanas... It's going to be tough leaving each other. We've come to rely on and love each other so much, and are so used to just always being together. Especially since we are also roommates. But I feel so blessed to have such a wonderful district! We were definitely put together for a reason. I can see so clearly now why I was meant to wait six weeks. I know I was supposed to be with these missionaries, and if that's the only reason I had to wait then it was enough of a reason!

I learned so much this week, I can't even begin to explain the impact the lessons I've learned have had on me. More than any other time in my life, I have seen the Lord answer my questions immediately and several times over - going far beyond what I expected to hear. It just goes to show how important it is to be continually immersed in the gospel and always worthy of the spirit - because then the Lord is able to put the answers to your questions in your path. Something I've been working on and studying about is how to be an instrument in His hands to convey more perfectly the love He has for each of His individual children. Especially as a sister training leader, I feel so responsible to lift the burdens of others and help them, but I know I can't do it alone. I had several experiences this week though where I knew I needed to pray for the gift of charity. And then the other day we were doing a practice in class on how to use scriptures in teaching. Elder Hicken was my partner, and he was feeling sick and out of it that day. But he opened right to a scripture and shared it with me. It was 2 Nephi 32:5-6 I believe. But the message it taught me and the questions he asked were exactly what I needed to hear. Later I was just talking with my teacher Hermana Young and we were discussing these things I was trying to learn and put into practice. Once again with the magic of asking inspired questions she led me to answer my own question. So through all of this I learned that when you have the gift of charity and see others as Heavenly Father sees them--and as your brother or sister--then you can say the words to them or treat them in the way that He would. Charity is the pure love of Christ and from it stems the ability to be like Christ. I hope that makes sense - for me it come from all these experiences and thoughts. :)

Something fun we did this last week was hosting the new missionaries. Basically we just wait out on the curb, and then take missionaries one by one to settle in and act as their host to the MTC for the first half hour until they meet their district. It was so much fun! And last week they had record numbers coming in. Also I got to host my friend Liesl Nielson who was coming in! It was a funny coincidence. I got a bit of a tan from standing out in the sweltering sun but it pretty much is just on my forearms. Oh well. But I just loved welcoming in the new sisters, getting them excited about the MTC and starting their missions. It really took me back to my first day! I was so nervous and excited about all that was so unknown ahead of me. I love the MTC so much. There is so much to learn and experience every day. We read and discussed a talk the other day with Hermano Duran, called the Fourth Missionary. Very briefly it's about how what you put into you mission, you will get out of it. There is a difference between sacrifice and consecration. When we consecrate, willingly give our hopes, struggles, desires, and faith to the Lord 100%, He will bless us with abilities far beyond our own and our missions will become a sanctifying experience. The same is true of our lives. It's easier to just give it all up to Him then to try and hold back.

I love being a missionary, I love having the Lord's name next to mine on my name tag. I KNOW He loves each one of us personally and perfectly. Remember that!!

I love you all,

Hermana Nelson

p.s. "es la verdad" is kinda my favorite spanish phrase - I use it way too much. It means "it's the truth".

Esta Bien!

Hola familia!!

So, we are now past our halfway point at the MTC! Depending on reassignments or travel plans we probably only have two weeks left. And hopefully the end of this week we should know about reassignments! We're all kind of assuming we'll be reassigned, because visas for Argentina take so long to come- most people going there spend at least six weeks somewhere in the states before they can head out. So we'll see! It could be an adventure. But it's pretty crazy how far we've come. And it definitely feels like we've been here a while, we are such good friends as a district that it's so easy to get distracted and start telling stories or jokes when we're together in the classroom. We can really tell we're at the halfway-- we have to work harder to keep up our diligence in studying and working hard in class. We also have way too much fun as a zone. And we got a new district this week! It was really cool to meet them and see how they've become friends with all of us so fast. I've loved being the Sister Training Leader. The zone leaders and I met them wednesday night and did a little orientation, and then thursday night we went over with the branch presidency and we all got to know each other more and then the ZL's and I took them on a tour. The sisters are so nice and fun, it has taken them a little time to get out of their shells but we're having a lot of fun with them. The elders are awesome too. Two of them barely missed their high school graduations to leave on missions. It's weird to think I'm one of the oldest in the zone.

As I've said so many times, our teachers are incredible. We got to know Hermano Davis a lot better this week, which is good because we were all a little intimidated by him since before he was one of our investigators. And he has a really deep voice. But one day we just talked to him, asked questions and had good discussions for like 2 hours after class. It turns out he is a spiritual giant who has the most amazing marked up scriptures and yet is so humble. He wants to be a seminary teacher. We predict he'll be an apostle.

Our lessons with our "investigators" Abbie and Alex have been going really well. We found out that we get to teach them the rest of the time--unless they drop us! Scary. Fortunately though they're really doing well and most every lesson is wonderful and spiritual. Plus Abbie comitted to prepare to be baptized in three weeks. :) That was exciting! And it really gets me excited to teach real investigators in a few weeks. The other day we had a lesson with Hermana Young on teaching people how to pray. We did a role play and I acted as the missionary, sharing the importance of prayer with my companion who was the investigator. I think my favorite principle to teach out in the field will be the doctrine that Heavenly Father is truly our father and loves us, and so desires to listen to our prayers. It is such an incredible feeling to look in someone's eyes and tell them that God loves and knows them.

This last sunday was incredible. We had a mission conference, which is kind of like a stake conference with the whole MTC. A whole bunch of presidency members and their wives spoke. Each topic was so different, but full of gems-- I learned a ton. One I especially loved was on the Book of Mormon--how we should treat it as the treasure it is. It truly is such an amazing book. I love just studying it and learning from it for my investigators and for myself. If you don't love the book of mormon with all your heart then you aren't reading it enough! It truly is the way God communicates with us. We also had a super cool devotional that night. A man named Ted Gibbons came and did a sort of monologue/scene thing. He was acting as Williard Richards, a friend of Joseph Smith, and told the story of Joseph's last days and the martyrdom. It was incredible. At the end we sang Praise to the Man and I felt like Joseph Smith was there with us, looking on the huge group of missionaries preparing to go out and spread the word of the Restoration he began. I just love Joseph Smith. 

Something fun this week was getting to see a ton of old friends. I ran into my roommate Lauren Cottle, Brooke Bowers a couple times, Kyle Lyons from BYU, and my favorite Claire Curriden! I actually saw Claire a ton and it was so awesome. I just loved talking to all of them and having a little connection to everyone else out there.   

This last week we went up to the fields by the temple to play beach volleyball, and almost the whole zone came. It was so fun. And it was awesome being outside. I cannot get over how amazing the mountains are. Last week there were a few rainy days and so they are so green and lush now. I'll never get over that view! My companion and I often go outside to study. One day she had to go the the byu health center to get a persciption and it was such an adventure. We walked off campus and everything! I really love my companion. I feel so lucky to have a companion who I can have a ton of fun and be silly with, but also have serious spirital experiences with. We have a good balance. And us four hermanas in the district are so tight. We have so much fun together, and they teach me a lot every day. Last friday night we got nutella and prezels and just talked and laughed. It was almost like a sleepover, except for the part when we went to bed at 10:30 (or maybe a little after that-whoops).

This week was a little more stressful and hard to focus that before. It's a little like the honeymoon phase of just blissful happiness is fading a little bit, and we're realizing how tiring the working nonstop is. BUT I wouldn't change a thing! One day may be hard but there is so much to appreciate and love in each day. And the gospel makes it all worth it. I now I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be.

I love being a missionary, and I love the gospel. It's true!

love,

Hermana Nelson

p.s. the subject line is one of our favorite things to say in our district. Elder Parkinson especially says it all the time - but it reminds us to look on the bright side! (we use it to mean "it's all good")

P.P.S. The first picture is on our impromptu stripe day. That's Hermana Hadley next to me, and next to her is our adorable teacher Hermana Young. And then at an appropriate distance is Elder Hicken (he's wearing a striped tie).

The second is all the hermanas in the zone at the temple last sunday!