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
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