"Alimenten su fe, y sus miedos morirán de hambre"

Hola familia!

Well its been a super great week down here in Balcarce! We worked hard and saw tons of miracles. I`ll try and give a quick rundown.

In the taxi on the way back from district meeting on tuesday (its about an hour drive from Mar del Plata to Balcarce) we had an awesome experience with our driver. Her name is B, she is a cute little lady of probably 50ish years who always drives us. We got talking with her after we sang a couple hymns in the car for her and she said that shefelt so good- and just began to open up about things going on in her life. We talked the whole way home and discussed God´s love for us, the basics of the restoration, and how when we seek Him we never have to feel alone. She really loved it. All it took was for someone to open their mouth and start talking. How often to we (me especially) miss out on amazing opportunities to share the gospel for fear of offending/making a mistake/not knowing what to say? Too often.

That seemed to be a theme for me this week. Fighting fear with faith. During one of my studies I was reading in the Book of Mormon about what it takes to see miracles (mormon 9) and learned a great lesson. It is so intimitely related with faith, and there are 3 important principles. To have great faith, and see miracles, we must: believe in God, know God and all His attributes, and obey. Just like that!! 

Alright, back to the week.We did 2 day divisions  (trading companions) with the hermanas of Mar del Plata and I was once again reunited with my hermana Tovar! It was so much fun. We did so much reminiscing. It is just amazing how often our paths cross! I am not done learning from her I suppose. 

Friday we saw miracles. We went out to work with great faith and with the desire and goal to find new investigators and invite them to bebaptized. The Lord guided our path and we met 5 people that we could teach and invite!!! 5 new investigators with the date. It was awesome, I felt in every moment that my path and my words were guided by the spirit. It was sweet. This really is the best news ever, what we share, and I love sharing it.

Sunday we had N in the church! He is doing so good. We are excited for him. Also V and Lucas came! V is L`s mom and this week we saw her take some huge steps. Awesome.

Thats the really short version of how the week went. :) It was excellent. We are learning a ton, Hermana Greene and I. She is a great trainee and has so much desire to continue improving every day. Its a good motivation for me to keep going and not let things slide, even when the time is short.

I love you all, and I know without a doubt that this is God`s work. Miracles happen.

Hermana Nelson

September 8, 2014

¡Hola Familia!

Another week comes and goes... crazy! It was a pretty good one. Besides the torrential rain. We had a sweet electric storm one night. Hopefully the weather has gotten all that craziness out of is system and we can start warming up into spring. :) 

This week saw a lot of change up with investigators. There are many of them that we decided that we won´t be stopping by as much - it just isnt the time for them. But we also saw some good progress in others. Like Violeta! I`m not sure I mentioned her before - she has been an investigator for a little while now, ever since she showed up at church on her own a couple months ago. She has had a pretty hard life for being only 26, she has two little kids and lives with a (much) older man. But she wants so bad to turn her life around. This week we had an awesome lesson - beforehand I was a little nervous because I knew we had to talk frankly with her about some things. But I said a little prayer and it was incredible to see how the spirit guided our words. We talked about repentance and about what it really means to repent - and how that often requires discomfort. It was awesome to see how she responded to it - with a real contrite and humble spirit. So even though she`s got a long way to go, she´s back on track and I know that if she continues to trust and God and humbly make those changes in her life she´ll find that inner peace and happiness she so desperately wants. 

The members in our ward are awesome! I still dont know some of them but I have already become close to many. D and her husband E are my favorites, they are the coolest young couple ever. This monday we had a family home evening with them and they invited a young friend, a 18 year old boy named Nahuel who plays soccer with the young men. He is super cool, quiet but very sincere. We´ve had two lessons with him this week and I really hope he keeps going because he is really great!

My companion had her first week in the field, and it has been really fun introducing her to everything and seeing her excitement. She speaks pretty well, but still doesnt understand much - the accent here is pretty rough. I´ve been able to pass on a lot of the things I learned at the beginning, like the importance of trusting the Lord and just bearing a testimony from the heart without worrying about the words. He has promised us that if we open our mouths we will be given the words! I definitely have seen that in my own experiences and I know she`ll see it too. But oh man is training tiring! Fun, but I have never been more exhausted.

I love you all so very much. I love the gospel and I love bearing testimony of my Savior! I know this is His work.

love,

Hermana Nelson

September 1, 2014

¡Hola Familia!

Well this week has brought the usual surprises! After having so much fun and becoming great friends with hna Pukahi, thursday night we got the dreaded emergency transfer call. Poor hna Pukahi will have 3 "moms" in her first two transfers! And this was all because... I got my first greenie! Hna Greene (oh the irony) came in the middle of the transfer because she did the advanced course of spanish in the MTC, and I am to be her trainer here in the great land of Balcarce. I travelled to Mar del Plata friday night, stayed with the sisters there until my new hija arrived that evening. It has been a lot of fun so far! It sure has taken me back to my first days in the field - when everything was so overwhelming. Its been great being able to help her out, to introduce her to the delicious foods of Argentina and to tell her that everything will be fine. Its all about patience, because the beginning is always a little hard. :) But she´s super great, speaks pretty well (the understanding is the tricky part), and has the desire to work. So that´s what we´re gonna do.

It was a little bit of a slower week, but still good. N is still there, moving slowly but moving forward. She´s a sensitive one. :) Solange has hit a bit of a rough patch, and has taken a few steps backward but we have been making plans with the member who is her friend and things will work out. 

Yesterday we met the coolest couple ever - and I just loved them instantly. So during lunch with our ward mission leader he told us about a brother who is less active, but wanted to get in contact with us because his girlfriend (not a member, they are living together) is interested in family histoy and learning english. She lost her job and has lots of time on her hands haha. To make a long story short we got in contact with him and went over sunday afternoon. They are the most kind, warm people I have ever met. C, the hermano, joined the church when he was a teenager and went less active right before the mission. He´s been on and off for a while because his family doesnt like the church. But he never lost his testimony. We got to know them, talked for a while, and then shared a scripture on families. The hermana began to cry as she spoke about her failed marriage from before - and how her daughter suffered from the split. The both love each other so much, have a beautiful relationship, but have fear in commiting to each other and trying again when there was failure in the past. We testified to them of the Lord´s way, and that even though the family won´t be perfect that when we do our best we can be happy. Anyways, it was awesome and we are gonna be visiting the hermana and teaching her english - with the condition that we also share a scripture every time. :) Sneaky. 

This is the Lord´s work, I have no doubt of it. Even though there are few who recognize it or have the faith the try, that doesnt change the fact that this is the true gospel of Jesus Christ. I am so humbled every day to know that the Lrod trusted me enough to call me to be His servant. It is an honor and a pleasure! I love being a missionary. 

love you all,

Hermana Nelson

¿Hermana, tiene sueño?

¡Hola familia!

What a crazy week of adventures it´s been. I´ll try and give a good lowdown.

It all started with a beautiful, sunny, warm Pday last monday. We went to a big park with us 4 hermanas and an hermana from the ward. It was a lot of fun and the weather was awesome. We soaked it all in because pretty much the whole rest of the week was torrential rain all day every day. Wednesday we went to Mar del Plata for a special zone conference (about 40 missionaries) with Presidente and the asistentes. It was amazing, a really powerful experience and I learned a lot. He and his wife spoke a lot on our purpose as missionaries - to bring salvation to all people. It made me reflect on how I see my work every day. Its so easy to get distracted by so many things, to not give so much when you´re tired or relax and just let things happen. But this is a work of urgency, a work of the greatest importance. The Lord has chosen us, very much imperfect young people to carry this message to the world. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed by my own imperfections, but I have to trust that He will qualify me. All that He requires is my best!

Thursday afternoon after lunch we got a call to say that we were to make a surprise trip to Bahia Blanca so my companion could go do her tramites (for the visa). We left that night at 8, and arrived in Bahia at 6:30 in the morning. Talk about a killer trip! It turned out to be an awesome day though, because I asked the elders when we got there if I could go work in General Arias (my old area) and they even dropped me off at my old house! I surprised hermana Mancuello - it was the best thing. I got the best news ever. Carla, the investigator we had been teaching, was to be baptized that evening!!! I couldn´t stay for the baptism, but I got to see her and see how excited and happy she was. It is such a miracle, and just made me so happy to see her glowing. 

We arrived back in our area saturday morning after another sleepless night in the colective (bus). Hence, the subject line. Saturday we ran all over town in the rain to try and see as many as our investigators as possible. We had a great lesson with Solange, who just loves us and always gives us delicious brasilian food. Apart from that, she is just soaking up the things we are teaching her. She has gone through a lot of rough times recently and needs so badly the comfort and perspective that the gospel brings, so its been neat being able to share that with her. And then she came to church on sunday and stayed all 3 hours! woohooo!!!!

my dearest family, I love you all so much. I love the gospel. I know its true. It is incredible to me that even though we as people are so imperfect God still has the patience and love to give us the precious truths of the gospel. When people reject us (which happens quite often)  it makes me so sad thinking of all the joy that they are missing. I feel often like Alma, who expressed his desire to be able to speak like an angel and have all hear and understand him. I wish I was a better missionary, with more perfect words and more perfect love. But I, as with all of us, have to trust that the Lord with make us sufficient in His hands to bring about His work. 

Have wonderful weeks!!!!

Hermana Nelson

Beautiful Balcarce

with my new comp (and "daughter") Hermana Pukahi and Hermana Tovar!

¡Hola Familia!

One week down! Okay, this place is so beautiful. I really don´t feel like I´m in Argentina sometimes. Its just so clean!! haha. Our area is huge, and a lot of fun because there is a lot of diversity. We´ve got the big city center, the quiet family neighborhoods, and the humble little houses up against the endless fields. I was super lost the first few days but I am getting a hang of it. It has been quite the adventure because my companion only has one transfer in the area (and the mission and speaking spanish) so its been kind of like starting new. But we have some investigators to keep going with. Hermana Pukahi is just the cutest. She is 19 years old, born in Hawaii but grew up in Orem. Its been weird quoting movies again. We are having a great time together though and she is up to everything! So we have been workin hard.

We had a bit of a hard day at the beginning of the week when we found out the family of investigators we were teaching up and moved to Bolivia without notice. And then in the evening we called our super cool investigator N, and she said that she didnt want to continue anymore, for various reasons, and that we should pass by to pick up the book. It broke my heart. So we prayed a lot for her and prepared ourselves, and then finally found her friday night while with a member. I had no idea what to expect, and we just wanted so badly to tell her to not give up so fast. She let us in, and we had a great mini lesson. She told us about how her daughter (who is of another religon) wasnt happy with her mom all the sudden getting involved with another church. But we talked about how she has the right to find what makes her happy, and that she shouldnt give up seeking for the truth and asking God. So she commited to keep reading and praying and said we could come back to keep teaching! Woohoo! So we will keep praying for her. 

We also started teaching a crazy (in an awesome way) brasilian lady named Solange. She was a reference from a member, and we met her saturday. She told us all about her dating experiences and marriages plus pretty much every other part of her life. It was like a telenovela! haha. She is great though and we are excited to teach her.

We´ve been doing a lot of street contacting. It is a lot of fun. The other day we were talking with a girl and her mother and after chatting for a bit the girl said to me, "all the missionaries from your church that we´ve met always smile while they`re talking". I told her its because we are just so happy! Seriously, there are the hard days but I cant help but feel so happy when I am talking with people and bearing testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I just cant help but smile! 

So life is good in Balcarce. The ward is HUGE, like 100 members were there on sunday. It was a little overwhelming. But they are great and so willing to help! 

love you all,

Hermana Nelson

The Surprises Continue...

Hola Familia!

What a week its been! Its another one of those days where I sit down to write and have no idea where to start. We had an awesome week. We worked so hard and were determined to meet our goals - and saw lots of little miracles. Even though my companion was sick on and off all week, when did go out to work amazing things happened. We found a ton of new investigators! Literally almost every door we knocked on was opened by someone who wanted to hear us. That doesn´t happen every day. 

K is doing super great. She is reading and learning so much - already in chapter 7 of 1st nephi, plus a bunch of pamphlets! This week we taught her the word of wisdom. She smokes a little and loves coffee. But her heart was so prepared and she accepted the challenge to begin abstaining from these things without complaint. She has progressed so much from the beginning, when she had no desire to make changes! It has really been cool seeing her progress. We had a great lesson with her saturday with a member and apart from the part where I feel out of my chair onto the floor it was really great.

The Elders in our ward had a baptism on saturday and we passed by a former investigator right before just to try our luck one last time. She came out, talked with us for a while, and then decided to come with us to the baptism! She loved it. C came too.

We started getting a little nervous for transfers, and they didnt call us until almost 11 saturday night. And I was super surprised to find out that I would be leaving Bahia! I got transferred to Balcarce, a cute little town about an hour away from Mar del Plata. The funniest part is that I am taking the place of hna Tovar, finishing the training of her greenie and everything. My new comp is Hermana Pukahi, she is hawaiian but raised in Utah. She has one transfer on the mission and is super cute!!! I am really excited to work with her here - she and hna Tovar had lots of success this last transfer and we are gonna keep it goin. I took the long bus ride from Bahia yesterday (8hours) and arrived in this lovely town in the morning. I stayed overnight in Mar del Plata with the hermanas there - one of which is hna Tovar, who is in my zone. So crazy that I will be seeing her a ton! 

Leaving General Arias was sad of course, even though I was only there 2 months I learned to love it and made many great friends. I´ll send some pictures of my last day there with some members. But I am SO excited for this transfer, I know its gonna be great! I truly love every moment of this great work. These are the best days of my life for sure. 

I love you all,

Hermana Nelson

Happy Surprises

¡Hola Familia!

As the subject line suggests, this week was full of surprises! It keeps things interesting. :) 

Monday we had a surprise devotional with our zone. We watched a talk by Elder Holland that really touched me - he spoke about how as missionaries, it is essential that we become converted first. Because when we teach, those words shouldnt come from memorization, but rather from our hearts. For me, one of the biggest miracles of the mission is that imperfect 18-24 year olds can go out and teach people who have more years/life experience and change their hearts. That is the miracle that comes from teaching by the spirit.

Surprise! I got the package you sent to me. :) thanks for the treats!!! all the hermanas were anxious to try goldfish. :) It was so wonderful to get that!

I was called wednesday night to say that the next day I had to go to the mission office to get visa details settled - it was a full day process! The BEST part of all that was the wonderful miraculous surprise of Hermana Tovar, my companion of 6 months in Patagones, show up! It was so amazing to be able to be with her again, we got all caught up and laughed so much together. She also said thanks so much to my parents for helping her out with byu!

We have an investigator named K who has really been surprising me. At first it just didnt seem like she had a lot of interest, but kept receiving us. This week she really started reading the book of mormon and is enjoying it a lot. She is a young mom who has a crazy little boy. They both came to english class on wednesday, and then on sunday morning when we passed by to see if she would come with us to church she was waiting all ready for us! She came to all 3 hours and loved it. She is pretty timid but loves to learn. So that was a great surprise!

E, the cute old lady that I mentioned last week also surprised us by coming to church! She´s been a little up and down but showed a great effort by coming to church.

Sunday J, who was baptized two weeks ago, received the Aaronic priesthood, meaning that next week he can pass the sacrament! He was so happy, and even bought a cool scripture case for all his books. It is the best thing ever to see him so excited.

So in general a great week. The Lord sure is blessing us, and the successes more than make up for the rejections. This is His work. Sometimes I feel SO tired, emotionally/spiritually/physically but the Lord always sends tender mercies to pick me back up.

Love you all,

Hermana Nelson