Cambios

We received an SD card in the mail with over 700 pictures and videos from Elder Nelson.  We asked several questions about some of the pictures and he answers a few of them.

Dear Family,                                                                                                                          

I am so glad that you got my SD card. The reason why it took so long to get there is because one of our secretaries forgot to take the mail upstairs for a week...but we got that fixed. As for the man singing on the bus that happens all the time. People come on board singing or telling jokes or selling little food items in hopes of winning a couple pesos. That’s what they live off of so it is pretty sad...but entertaining.

That was the only dead possum I have ever seen in Mexico...but I just thought it was funny. I did replace the bike. I can take funds directly out of my savings account and I didn’t have enough in my checking...so I just took the money out of the savings. The mission pays for new scriptures because they are essential for the work.

All creatures need to learn the Plan of Salvation sooner or later...

In Pachuca it was hailing about the size of marbles and raining super super hard. I was staying with some other missionaries because it was right after Elder Hunt went home. WWE is super big here. It´s called la lucha libre. If you watch Nacho Libre...it is way more true than you would think. We will all get copies of the conference Liahona.

Also even though I would love to have you guys come down and pick me and see the areas where I served the rule in the mission is that parents cannot come pick up missionaries. Maybe we can plan a trip for a couple months after I get back.

Ok I will describe my day today. We had a "dead" missionary (one that was finishing his mission) with us last night. We woke up at about 4:30 to go to the airport to drop him off and pick up an Elder that was arriving from Colombia (The secretaries were in the MTC picking up the other 11 Mexicans that arrived in our mission today). We left the airport at about 7 and there was traffic all the way from the airport to President´s house so we got there about 9:30. Sister Hicken fixes a big nice American breakfast of waffles and eggs and bacon. Then afterwards the secretaries give a presentation on their specialty, finances or materials or administrative things. Afterwards Elder Bringhurst and I give a capacitaion about trusting in the process of the missionary work and obedience and diligence using D&C 33 and 123. I love D&C123 so much it is so powerful. Also I love the part in 33 where it says "Arrepentíos y bauticese, cada uno de vosotros por la remisón de sus pecados..." God wants every single person in the world (but more importantly Misión Mexico Este) to repent and be baptized..that is a lot of work we have to do. We finish by telling them why our mission is the best mission in the whole world and then we practice contacting people in the street. Then President talks. Then we take them to the temple square at about 2:30pm where missionaries from surrounding areas are waiting to take the Mexicans with them until the cambios meeting the next day. The Americans usually arrive about 4 pm in the airport and sometimes we go to help pick them up sometimes not. Tonight we will be sleeping with the secretaries (because they live close to where president lives) and we will be at President´s house tomorrow at 7 am sharp (President hates it when we are late) to do the whole training thing over again with the Americans (in English...it´s really hard). We take them to the temple square at about 12 and the cambios meeting starts at 1. We are in charge of directing and making sure President doesn´t make any mistakes because if he does it is our fault. Then we train the new district leaders after the cambios meeting and finally about 4 pm Tuesday we get to go to work in our area again. That´s about it...it is way fun and way exhausting but such is the work of God. I always get so excited when the new elders come because they are so excited to be here. They just want to get out and help people right away...some with fear others with uncertainty..but all willing overcome everything in the name of serving their God. They are so willing to learn. Everytime they come I realize how much I wish I could be the new elder again and how quickly 6 weeks passes. It is going by way too fast. I will complete 1 year in Mexico in a week! How crazy is that?! It seems like 2 months ago I was with Elder Llanos on a crazy rickety old bus heading out in the middle of nowhere speaking a language I didn’t understand...but time goes fast when you are busy. 

I was really happy to hear about Elder Ostler, I love those guys so much. I never really realized just how amazing they are until I got into the mission. Well, we still have to go to the corner store and get out working by 6 so I guess it´s that time again. I love the mission so much and wouldn’t rather be anywhere else doing anything else with anyone other that Elder Bringhurst. The Lord truly knows how to bless us, and I know that He has blessed me in so many things.

One day I put my shoe on...about 5 minutes later I felt something struggling inside of my shoe....I promptly took my shoe off and poured out that cockroach which I then killed. It gave me the chills....eewww. The other pictures are of us with secretaries and Elder Bringhurst doing things for the new missionaries in President´s house today. 

The cockroach in my shoe

President Hicken addresses the new missionaries

Preparing for the new missionaries and transfers

The mission secretaries and Assistants

I love you so much and hope we do everything we need to, be as obedient and diligent as is necessary, to be together as a family forever. I love you all so much.

Sincerely,

Elder Nelson

ps I only have 1 pair of contacts left...sorry I keep forgetting to tell you. Also I love starbursts and skittles if you happen to send contacts. Thanks Mom love ya a bunch.Also if there is a new EFY cd out (Kolby) I would love to listen to it.