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| Happy 21st Birthday! |
Well I
assume that something happened or you didn`t have time to write or something. I
guess there`s a first time for everything. In the future in something happens
and you can`t write if you could at least send me a line or two telling me
there wasn`t time and that you`ll write next week just so that I don`t have to
wonder what happened. I know I`m coming home soon....but not so soon that you
have to stop writing me.
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| Eusevio |
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| Ana |
Well, this
week went really well. We had two baptisms, Eusevio and Ana. The other elders
in our ward baptized a family of 4 and I thought the picture of all of us
together was pretty cool. Eusevio is a 22 year old that we found through a ward
activity. He just has a huge desire to fix his life and progress in the life.
He wanted to be baptized so badly, but it was really hard to get him ready
because he doesn`t read very well (about as well as a 1st grader). But he just
kept on going and reading and learning and finally he was ready for Sunday. We
had two baptismal services, 1 after the services and another at 6:30. Eusevio
was baptized after the services with the family of four. Ana was the 15 year
old that I told you about. She didn`t believe in God about 3 weeks ago. Her
baptismal service was so special and so spiritual and she chose me to baptize
her. She didn`t want to get baptized with the other 5 because she doesn’t like
attention and didn`t want very many people to be there so we had a service
special for her.
We had a
council with the district leaders in the zone just before and one of the
missionaries in the council was Elder Hopkins. He has been one of my friends in
the mission since a long time ago and he goes home on Friday. It is really
weird to say good bye to him and Elder Jordan. As he was leaving he said
"this may be the last time I see you in the mission, but it is a good
image to finish with--Elder Nelson dressed in white." I was reflecting on
that during the baptismal service of Ana and I just felt the spirit so strong
that I wanted to run outside and tell the whole world about the restored
gospel. This is who I am, it is part of me. Then I thought, "How can I
ever stop doing this?" My mission has become part of me and I don`t know
how I can ever let it go. I don`t want to ever change. We are declaring the
gospel of Jesus Christ unto the ends of the world and we are changing lives. We
are changing the world one person at a time. I cannot fathom anything that
could remotely compare to the satisfaction of being a full time defender and messenger
of eternal salvation. There is not enough time in eternity to become fed up or
bored with being a missionary if you truly understand what you are about.
I got the
birthday package! We had the Zone Leader Council on Thursday the 31st and I received
it on Thursday. I also sent a word document with the capacitation that Elder
Reynoso and I gave. They chose us to capacitate...it was the last capaciation I
will ever give and so we tried to make it really good. President has a pyramid he uses to teach the
process of conversion. The bottom in finding a new family every single day,
then comes teaching the first lesson and inviting them to be baptised, then
comes going to church, then progressing then baptisms then the temple then the
exaltation. It is a pyramid because not every one that is found is baptized and
not everyone that is baptized goes to the temple. He also has a three legged
stool that teaches about the 3 pillars of the obra misional, diligence,
obedience and the Spirit. They assigned us the topic of how the conversion of
the investigators has to do with the conversion of the missionary (how the
pyramid rests on the stool.) I can explain it later if you don`t understand.
I forgot to
tell you a couple stories from last week. Last week Elder Reynoso and I were
teaching a lesson. I was speaking when all of the sudden Elder Reynoso stands
up and yells "Elder Nelson" pointing at my arm. I jumped to my feet
thinking that there was some sort of bug on the couch or something but Elder
Reynoso grabbed a pillow and whacked me with it. I was pretty confused until I
looked at the ground and saw a spider about the size of a 50 cent piece. It had
been secretly crawling over my shoulder while I was teaching and I didn`t
notice. Needless to say the spirit left pretty quickly..but I didn`t die so I
guess that`s the more important part.
On Saturday
(two days ago) we found a new investigator named Irene. She is an older lady
(maybe 65) who let us into her house and wanted to hear more about the gospel.
She seemed very elect and accepted all her commitments (go to church and
baptism for the 17th). We passed by for her the next day and she was ready and
waiting for us. She loved church, and when she found out that there was going
to be a baptismal service after church she wanted to be baptized! She said that
she hadn`t brought clothes and so she didn`t know if she would be able to but
she would like to. We explained that we would do everything possible to baptize
her the soonest possible, but that this week might be a little too soon.
Incredible right? Well, I promised I would respond to everyone who wrote me
last week so I`m gonna end this email to write the other ones. My birthday went
fine. A normal work day just the way I wanted it. Some members made me a cake
so we went and ate cake with them but we also collected a couple references so
that it wouldn´t be a complete waste of time. I`m 21...weird. I still feel like
I`m 18 and just barely out of high school....I guess the time goes by quickly.
Well, I love you all. I hope all is well and that no one got hurt or no
emergencies happened. Tell Jackson hello for me and let me know about how his family’s
trip went. Also...Mom I need those baptismal photos from me and Elder
Bringhurst please. Thanks.
Love,
Elder
Nelson
P.S. Also I forgot to thank Grandma N for the chocolate and the letter. Also thanks for the book. I have been reading it at night and it is really good. I love the quote "The best measure of the greatness of a man is how much he can become like Jesus Christ." Thanks you for the popcorn and fruit leather...everything is sooo good. Thanks love ya bye
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