12.26.16

SHE SAID YES

HOLA Y'ALL!

  So first off MERRY (belated) CHRISTMAS!!!!!!! It was honestly the best skyping y'all yesterday and it just made my day. This week was pretty interesting though. As missionaries in Brownfield (population 9000) you get kind of nosy because there's not much going on. So while we were driving one night we saw a policeman on the side of the street with his lights on in front of a house, so of course we pulled over and watched lol. So we ended up just sitting there for 10-15 minutes and then the policeman didn't move, so we just went to our less actives house. Well when we were at our less actives house their daughter walks in (who works with 911 dispatch) and says "Your guy's plates got ran today! I was at work and 'LDS Church of Christ: Salt Lake City, Utah' pops up! What did y'all do?!" haha so lesson learned, don't spy on policemen.
  When we taught Esmeralda on thursday we committed her to BAPTISM!!! And she said YES!!!! oh my word I thought I was going to faint. I was SO happy!!!! and then she was like "yea my sister wants to get baptized too! and I want my kids baptized." at this point I thought I was going to fall to the ground I was so excited. annnddddd then she said "yea so my sister called our pastor and we're going to get baptized next weekend!" so, that kind of hurt, a little haha. So next time we go over we're going to clarify the priesthood authority to baptize her haha I think she was a little confused.
  Friday was fire. I won THREE games of SKIP-BO at the Rehab Center (aka beat the Skip-Bo champion there: Bobbi) and we had interviews with our mission president! Mine went super well and he asked me if I had any concerns, and I told him about the spanish thing, and he looks at me and says "Sister Neilson, I think you should be able to speak spanish, so if you find a spanish speaking person in Brownfield I want you to teach them" OH MY WORD WE GET TO TEACH IN SPANISH NOW!!!!!!! I was beyond happy!!! So we went to a member's house the next day and spoke in spanish there, and then later in this week we're going to have Brother Olivas come and be a member present at some of our spanish lessons. I literally was SO happy.
  This week was so amazing, and I'm starting to get comfortable here in Brownfield. There's only 10 less actives in Brownfield (no members) but I can feel the work progressing! Life has been so good, but it has been challenging to adjust to. The power of prayer is so real and I'm so so so grateful for that. I love this gospel so much!!

con mucho amor,
hermana neilson

ps. here's some pics :))

12.20.16

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

HOLA Y'ALL!!

  Ok well to explain the title of the email, me and my companeras finally set up the christmas lights!!!! (pics included) and we got a (mini) tree and all our presents and letters around, so thank you to everyone who has sent me a christmas card or package!! it has meant the world to me!
  So something that was like AMAZING this week, is we found a NEW investigator. Her name is Esmerelda and she is GOLDEN. she was saying how something was missing in her life and she wants to strengthen her relationship with God and Jesus Christ and me and my companions couldn't even believe it, she was like shot down from heaven or something haha so we're going to extend to her baptism later this week. SO pumped, Brownfield might actually have a baptism for the first time in 6ish? years?
  Wednesday. Ok this story. So we have a lady in our ward who we had needed to go visit for awhile, and she was moving in like a week so we decided to go on wednesday. My trainer had tried to warn me about her house, but nothing could have prepared me for the things I have seen. Ok first. go find the song from the movie "Pyscho" and look up the song "Murder" now play that as you keep reading. lol i'm not even joking. we walked into her tiny house, and oh my word. cigarette buds everywhere, cat hair in everything, brown stained carpet, mold on the walls, couch torn apart, a weird odor, and something (literally) growing in the kitchen. I just told myself not to breathe for an hour. So we sat down on her couch, and i sat right next to the bowl of cigarette buds, and my skirt kept falling in them, so when I left i smelt like a smoker lol. then we went on and tried to teach her, but me and the other girl being trained (sister judson) couldn't stop laughing, the cat kept attacking us lol. so my trainer just kept talking to the woman while we collected ourselves. we then taught her about the temple and she's moving to Lubbock for a program to quit smoking, so YAY!! so yea what an experience to have!
  Thursday we had a party at the REHAB CENTER!!! those people know how to dance. so we played piano and sang for them and i went full out chorister. I had people singing along and dancing. it's christmas!!!
   Saturday we got to go to the TEMPLE!!! it is so small but oh my word it is stunning inside. there was some missionaries there from my zone in the MTC so we had a little reunion and it was awesome to see them again. I literally miss my MTC zone so much haha. We also got pepper spray for christmas gifts that day, not that Brownfield is dangerous or anything mom ...
  Sunday was my first official sacrament meeting and so as tradition the new missionary has to pray, so i chose the closing prayer! well about 30 minutes into sacrament meeting, MY MISSION PRESIDENT WALKS IN. so i was like oh crap, this prayer has got to be the best thing i've ever said. luckily i gave the prayer without passing out, and then president came up to me after and said "good job". That was a proud moment.
  Monday (this is why I didn't email yesterday) we had JINGLE JAM!!! basically just a talent show, spritual thought and then we watched saratov approach. scariest movie ever! so good thing we have our pepper spray now lol. AND we got a BRAND NEW CHEVY MALIBU. we reached 50,000 miles so we got a new car. BLESS UP. so yea we were pretty happy about that.
  Ok wow so sorry this email is so long. I have had some struggles adjusting this week, but I know with time I will finally adjust!! I just keep constantly praying for strength and help and always try to be positive. I honestly find so much happiness from reading the book of mormon every morning. I like have such a hard time putting it down haha. But I know this church is so true! I'm so sad I can't be with y'all for christmas this year, but I'm so happy I get to spend it sharing the gospel of jesus christ with people. LOVE Y'ALL.

con mucho amor,
hermana neilson

ps. these pictures basically sum up this week

12.12.16

Brownfield, Elder Rasband, & SKIP-BO

HOLA Y'ALL!!!

  I'm in Texas now!!! But rewind a little bit. So our last week in the MTC was basically just me crying the whole time haha I love my district and my zone SO much. It was so incredibley hard to say goodbye to everyone. We sang "Army of Helaman" and i played piano, and everyone was straight fire singing. And then we sang "God be with you till we meet again" and WOW I was bawling literally the ENTIRE song. So then Monday morning my district/zone all showed up the travel office at 3:30 am to send us all off, and I was bawling the whole time. Especially saying goodbye to my hermanitas (SHOUT OUT to Hermana Cancienne and Runyan for being the best companeras!!!!!) So then we got on the bus and made our way to the airport. I said bye to more people at the airport and lots more crying. On the plane ride to Lubbock the elder next to me was throwing up the whole time, so there wasn't much sleep haha. When we flew over lubbock I started bawling, cause like there's nothing here, and I was like "Wow I'm stuck here for 16 1/2 more months..." then we met our President and wife, and WOW they are one in a milllion. LOVE THEM.
  I found out some pretty devastating news my first day. They shut down the spanish speaking areas for sisters, so I will be english speaking my entire mission unless otherwise noted. I was HEARTBROKEN. I was crying so hard and felt like my mission call didn't even apply anymore. (I know so negative) but then I met my trainer (hermana melendez) and she's an ANGEL. and then we realized we're in a TRIO. haha so she's training me and Sister Judson. Me and sister judson knew each other before the mission so it's been a party haha. We've been adjusting well and just visiting lots of people here in BROWNFIELD. Brownfield has a population of about 9000 people and the name of the city should describe how it looks haha. But everyone is related here, and not gonna lie, it's kind of sketch.. haha but it's super fun. I'll send some pics of our less actives houses. Oh also, brownfield is the home of SKIP-BO. So everyday we play skip-bo at the rehab center, and it's a party. Service is so fun ;) but we work with hospice patients, and it's kind of depressing hearing people die everyday... but haha it's just an opportunity to teach the plan of salvation! Oh while we were driving my trainer ran over a bird, and the bird EXPLODED. no joke, the feathers went everywhere, so we pulled over and had a memorial service, it was honestly so sad! but I have never laughed so hard in my life.
  On Saturday we had the special opporunity to hear from an apostle of the lord ELDER RASBAND. We had a mission wide conference with him, so we had sisters spending the night at our place on friday and then the whole mission got together to hear him speak! It was such an amazing talk!!! and!!! I got to see all of my friends in the mish! (Maddie Seamons, Trevyn Zobell, Ryan Smith, Dustin Hansen, Shelby Kirchoff, Jessica Petersen) it was such a party seeing everyone haha. But we all got to shake his hand and it was awesome!
  I'm adjusting well to the missionary life and I'm loving it so far! My trainer is awesome especially for training 2 new greenies. Our area is so fun and the members are awesome here, I love the people here already! I love the spirit that is felt too while teaching, there's just something so powerful about it. I miss everyone so much, but as long as I keep remembering my purpose I never get discouraged! LOVE AND MISS YOU ALLL.

con amor,
hermana neilson

ps. here's my address
907 E. Reppto Apt. C
Brownfield, Texas

12.4.16

I'm leaving tomorrow!

Familia y amigos!

  Just an update, I will be leaving for Texas tomorrow (Monday) morning at 3:30 am!! I will be able to call a few people with the time I have there, but if I miss you there is still skype on Christmas! I can't believe I have finished my 6 weeks here at the MTC, literally it feels like yesterday I was bawling to mom at the house. I'm still bawling, but it's like happy tears haha. This isn't my mass email, but idk if I will be able to email when I get to Texas right away, so just hope for Next monday's email. my p-days won't be on tuesdays anymore! I arrive at the airport around 4 am and I take off at 7:25 am, so expect a call around then haha ALSO please try nott miss my call :)))))), I don't have that many minutes haha (sorry to be needy lol). Also if all y'all could send me your phone numbers that would be perfect haha LOVE YOU ALL and can't wait to get to the land of Lubbock!

con mucho amor,
hermana neilson

11.29.16

FLIGHT PLANS & Happy Thanksgiving from the MTC

Hola y'all!

  This week was so amazing, and it went by so fast, but I have tons to share. Ok so Wednesday (aka Thanksgiving Eve) we were teaching "investigators" and mine said she lost her grandchild last week, but I thought she said "she got a grandchild last week" and I said FELICIDADES!! which is "congratulations" and wow. BAD way to go. So I'm literal Satan. Good thing we have forgiveness am I right??

  THANKSGIVING. Ok so we started the morning with a devotional by NEIL L. ANDERSON and all of his grandkids came and gave us cute little cards, and the whole talk was on gratitude, and wow it was straight fire. I started crying during the devotional (shocker) and I started getting so homesick cause I was missing this holiday and black friday shopping, and all fun things, but then I realized after during our service project that this mission isn't about me, we packaged 359000 meals for the needy, and honestly it was such an amazing experience. We need to forget ourselves and go to work! For dinner we had PB & J sandwiches and had a musical devotional which was SO FUN. OH AND THEN THEY TURNED ON THE LIGHTS OUTSIDE. So yea we have a mini temple square. (pics included)

  Friday (aka black friday) we had our last lesson with Mauribel and it was so sad! We had to say bye to her and we taught her Lesson 5 in PMG. She is on awesome lady. OH did I mention, WE GOT OUR FLIGHT PLANS?!?!?! I have to leave at 3:30 IN THE MORNING on monday for Lubbock. I'm so excited!!!!! 

  Saturday I read a ton about Limhi in the book of Mosiah, honestly Mosiah is the best. All of the elders started parting their hair in the middle now, so we created a new fashion trend here at the good ole MTC. Then Sunday came around and I got to play piano for a musical number with some of the newbie missionaries, they sounded so good!! And then me and my companions taught relief society on the topic "enduring to the end" honestly it was fire. Oh and it snowed here. SNOW. so we've been having lots of snowball fights and snowmans in the making. That night we had a devotional by Elder Allen (social media person for church I think??) and it was all about Marriage and locking our hearts. He made everyone stand if they had been Dear Johnned or if they had a significant other writing them, and just stuff like that, it was honestly the funniest devotional I've been too. AND THEN we got to watch Meet the Mormons 2!! 

  Monday we taught Bety and Marifer and the gift of tongues light switch was on during the lessons, honestly the spirit was so strong! And then we got evaluations on how we teach so that was WAY helpful. Then hermana swann taught us how to teach "La ley de castidad" (aka the law of chastity) it was a bit awkward at first (just imagine 12 people under the age of 20 learning this) but we eventually got teaching and it went so good!! haha 

  Honestly the MTC is so fun, and I'm so glad for my experience here. I've met people that have changed my life forever, and I don't think I've ever been so close to the spirit before until now. But as much as I love the MTC I'm so excited to leave for Texas on monday!! I haven't been able to stop singing the Texas song lol. I have loved the support from all of my MTC friends and my family and everyone else that has helped me get to where I am. I LOVE THIS GOSPEL.

con mucho amor,

hermana neilson

11.22.16

Graham Canyon Cheesecake & new pianist

Hola y'all!

  So I just completed my 4th week here at the good ole MTC. Time is (kinda) flying. So on tuesday we had an APOSTLE come and talk to us. Gary A. Stevenson! This was our second apostle so far, we had Russel M. Nelson my first week! Then on Wednesday we got 12 new people in our zone. Most of them are going to Argentina so that's pretty sick. They are in the same classroom as our friends were in, so it's a little bittersweet haha. Oh also me and my companions are straight fire with singing Frank sinatra acapella, just ask our district. 

  Thursday IT SNOWED!! Oh man people were going crazy over it. A lot of the girls in our zone had never seen snow, so it was definitely an experience haha. Also I saw so many people come in the MTC I knew! (Ali Zundell, Claire Mod, Annie Burnham, Katherine Decarett) so fun seeing familiar faces! Also SHOUTOUT to Tiersha for sending me and my companions Lularoe leggings, we had a fashion shoot in them, so pics to follow. 

  Friday when we went to play volleyball we weren't really feeling it, so we decided to spice things up a little bit, and me and my companions pretended to be sports announcers, hahaha pretty sure the whole gym hated us that day, but it was definitely the funnest gym time. And we taught our investigator Mauribel, and gift on tongues light switch was ON! haha I felt like I've improved so much in spanish! I'm so grateful though that me and my companions took spanish before we got here! 

  Saturday when we went to gym time there was around 200 people, so literally volleyball was PACKED. And we got our spanish evaluations back and bahaha I sound so white when speaking spanish. Also it was kind of hilarious to hear myself recorded. We also played piano a ton, which was like such a stress relief. LOVE piano.

  Sunday they made me play piano in sacrament meeting for all the hymns, so don't tell people you play piano lol. And then we sang "God be with you till we meet again" with the leaving district, and of course, we were all crying, more like sobbing. You get so close with these people! Then on our way to the temple we ran into some familiar faces!! Haha what a coincidence Cortney and Sam were there!! Haha so of course we snagged some pictures. Oh also, Cortney brought me a package that was sent to me, and it ended up being all these baby burp cloths. I was SO confused, but we found out that it was supposed to send to TAHNEE. lol so me and my district had a good laugh about that. 

  Monday was just awesome. We taught 2 lessons and they both went way well! We do have a tendency to go over though on time haha OH and all our friends that left the zone last week got to email us!! It was the best thing ever!! Also there was Graham Canyon cheesecake for dessert, so literally couldn't have been a better day. Also my district is doing this new thing where we can only talk in spanish while in the spanish BUILDING. I'm going crazy. So yea it's been fun.

  That's all for this week, I'm pumped for Thanksgiving and such, it honestly will be so fun. And we get FREE TIME!!!! haha with no teachers being here, literally tender mercy. Thanks for all the prayers and love, I can feel it from the MTC! I included some snazzy pictures as well! LOVE Y'ALL!!

con mucho amor,

hermana neilson

11.15.16

"... Or I'll call security AGAIN"

Hola mis amigos y familia!

  So to start off this week... Trump is the new president! So this kind of effected some things haha We had an appointment with our investigator Mauribel, and the whole lesson she was bawling to us about how Trump won the presidential election, and how her whole family was so scared, me being 19 years old didn't know what to say, so I offered to say a prayer of comfort, and the lesson went a lot better after that, but it was rough for the first 30 minutes of our lesson.
  OH. So my companion Hermana Cancienne was trying to do this magic trick/joke, and it's where she tricks you to think you have a quarter stuck on your forehead and you have to shake your head to get it off, so this won elder fell for it (elder derzon) and it took him like 5 whole minutes to realize it wasn't there anymore, oh my word I was dying haha. Also when I came into my classroom that day there was a note from my coworker Tico left on the board, and then about 45 minutes later a close family friend walked in the classroom (S/O to Michael and Courtney) and she took a picture and sent it to my mom and companion's mothers!
  Friday was rough cause the other districts in our zone had in field orientation cause they were leaving soon, so gym time was like empty, and basically all the classrooms were empty in the building, so it was kind of just depressing haha Also we got ice cream cookie sandwiches that night to cheer us up haha ice cream makes everything better ;)
  Saturday is kind of the day when everyone starts to lose it, and by saturday night, we could not sit still haha, so we had class outside. Also our zone made a group on Relative Finder to see how we're all related AND I found my FIFTH cousin!! haha such a small world. Then that night we went and talked to some Russian missionaries and they taught us some russian, and then we got a ton of pamphlets in different languages, so know we can say "Plan of Salvation" in english, spanish, french, russian, and tagalog! I'm basically going to know every language by the time I leave here lol.
  Sunday. Oh my word. Sooo we were like way good friends with a ton of people in our zone, and there was 2 districts leaving this week, so they leaving districts had a musical number, and WOW I cried through the whole thing, and then at the end of the sacrament meeting we sang "God be with you Till We Meet Again" and I was straight up sobbing the WHOLE song. Literally so many amazing people we had to say bye to, and we were so close with them. Also, there was a total mess up at the pulpit and I accidentally may have been called out, but then the 2nd counselor corrected himself, and yea haha everyone was just laughing hysterically. We went on our temple walk that afternoon and I ran into Caden and Abby from sports camps, and yea it's just good to see people from the outside world haha.
  OH. ok this is gold. So we had a devotional on Sunday night, and this girl started the devotional with a SEVEN minute long OPERA song. So then Richard Heaton the speaker asked if someone would come up to the pulpit who's less than a 14 month convert, and instead of ONE girl, there was FOUR. so the devotional went 35 minutes over cause girls are just chatty cathy's haha But we could not stop laughing watching this herd of girls go up to the pulpit.
  Monday... well this was definitely the worst day of the MTC. We're like best friends with one of the trios from our zone (Baker, Ferrin, and Streckfuss), and they left for argentina this past Monday, so we got the opportunity to say bye to them at the bus stop, and WOW I cried harder watching them leave then I did when I left home. We probably shook hands with them like 9 times, and it was so hard to say bye, they were like our volleyball squad and everything. So then after that horrible goodbye we just went and cried in our rooms for like ever, and then we had class. But for dinner that night we had Taco Bell, which was such a bonus, but like I kept crying through out the day, literally these people become your best friends and then they're just ripped away from you. So then we had the left over elders and sisters over last night for FHE and we played Octopus 8 (hermana cancienne's game) and that was so fun! Then we said some more goodbyes and we finally ended the night. BUT apparently we were being "too loud" last night, and this girl slipped a note under the door saying "Please be quiet or I'll call Security AGAIN -thx you" haha we've had security called on us twice cause of this girl, so I attached a picture cause it's HILARIOUS.
  Anyways, I can't believe I finished my third week here! Literally time is flying when you're not in spanish class (ha jokes) but really, I'm so grateful to have such amazing companions, they have helped me so much and have always been there. Thanks to everyone for the letters and mom for the packages, there is NOTHING BETTER than mail. So love you all and thanks for the prayers :)))

con mucho amor,
hermana neilson