2.27.17

From population 9000 to population 3000: Eastland, TX

Hola y'all!!

  So transfer calls were this week, and I'm being transferred to Eastland, TX! It is a TINY town of 3000 people and it's in the most east part of the mission, so instead of going to the Lubbock temple once a transfer, I now go to the Dallas Temple! I'm about an hour and a half away from Dallas, and my new companion is Sister Lundberg! She is a hoot so I'm sure we'll have a blast this upcoming transfer!
  This week was a lot of goodbyes but a lot of crazy things happened this week too. A less active girl (about 22 years old) called us to tell us to meet her at the Chapel. So we drove over, and she informed us she was PREGNANT again with another man's baby..... um.. ok..... My jaw like dropped to the floor and it was like dead silent for 2 minutes. So we talked to her and gave her advice and committed her to no drinking, no smoking, and weekly church attendance from now on. So please pray for her!
  We also got to go on a ride along with the police officers and Chief this week! They took us to a winery (probably not the best place lol) and they informed us that the taste testing room was closed, and we were like "Hey that's ok, we don't drink" and everyone started laughing lol. But they also took us past people's houses to avoid and gave us a ton of good advice. So we are TIGHT with the police.
  Also Hermana Melendez cut my hair this week! So it's nice and short! haha but this week really was awesome and we got to see a lot of people right before we left, and we still have a couple more goodbyes tonight *tears*. But I'm so grateful for Brownfield and all the people in it. My trainer Hermana Melendez has helped me so much adjust to missionary life and she is the best! I will miss her so much! It is so nice to finally be out of training but I'm excited to see what Eastland holds. Missions are amazing and I can't believe I've been out for 4 months!! Love and miss y'all!!

con mucho amor,
Hermana Neilson

Ps. Here's my NEW address :)))
600 W. Sadosa St. #68
Eastland, TX 76448

2.21.17

COMIDA COMIDA COMIDA

Hola Y'all!!!

  The library was closed yesterday due to President's day, so today we get to email from the lovely campus of Texas Tech University! This week honestly flew by and I can't believe it's over! We got to go to the temple this past Saturday and at the end of the session we went with a spanish family out to lunch! We went to a chinese buffet, and wow I have never eaten so much food in my life. Hispanics know how to eat!!!! But the dad said "habla muy bien" AHHH that honestly meant the world to me cause I feel like I sound like such a white girl when I'm talking in spanish haha. But they're an unbelievable family!
  ALSOOOO. We committed our investigator Roy to BAPTISM!!!!!!! So everyone please pray that he'll go on with the lessons and proceed to be baptized! I'm really hoping all will go well with him! On monday we got to tour the police station and meet a TON of police officers! So Chief has our back now and told us to call him whenever we're in a bind. And we get to go in a cop car ride along tomorrow!! We are tight with the people here haha.
  This week was pretty normal, lots of contacting people, lots of finding, and lots of visiting less actives. I really have felt the hand of God in my life this week with the people here. They are such a blessing and I've learned so much from them already! We get transfer calls this Saturday so we'll see what happens with that! We are pretty anxious/nervous for the result haha but I'm trusting in the Lord for anything. I love my trainer so we're praying we don't get split up haha. But that's all for this week. Thanks for all the prayers and love from all y'all. I think about y'all everyday and what a blessing it is to know so many amazing people. LOVE YOU.

con mucho amor,
hermana Neilson

2.13.17

Bible Bashing in Brownfield

HOLA Y'ALL.

  First off HAPPY VALENTINES DAY. Hope y'all enjoy it. This week was pretty awesome, and I definitely think I grew a ton this week. To start off the week we had exchanges with the sister training leaders on tuesday and Wednesday. So they came down to the hood of Brownfield and hung out with us for a bit. (As in worked us hard for 24 hours lol) But I was with Sister Hatch and she is amazing! She really helped me with finding and door aproaches, since i'm so awkward. LOL. but yea the whole exchange went GREAT.
  Then on thursday, some members from Lubbock came down (since our ward is in Lubbock) and had a Family Home Evening for all the people in Brownfield! So we had a ton of soups and we had around 10 people come! So it was a pretty good turnout. But half way through when we were all just chatting this family from ALPINE, UTAH walks in and I about died. Like what are the odds?! haha so we chatted for a little, and then they were on their way, but I could not stop laughing cause that's just so random.
  So remember my last mass email about our bible friend Mark? Well we saw him on Saturday and we pulled over and started talking to him, and of course, he just went OFF again on us. Asking a million questions and all these things that are WAY deep into doctrine, and so I stopped him and said "Mark, I want you to find me one scripture in the Bible where it says 'The Bible is the ONLY word of God' and if you do, I'll leave my mission". After I said that he like stopped talking and kind of just stared at me. And he was like "Ok I can do that!" so then he came to us a couple hours later and said "There is no scripture that says that". and so we explained to him that it can't be cause the Book of Mormon is here! Ah. I honestly study the bible for like an HOUR everyday now because we get bible bashed everyday. So I'm basically a bible wizard now.
  The Book of Mormon is the WORD of GOD. It's not replacing the bible or adding to it, it's literally ANOTHER testament of Jesus Christ. I sometimes wish people would just get that haha But it's helped me grow my testimony by studying more from the Bible and The Book of Mormon for sure. So bible bashers will come and go, but no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing. I love this gospel and Jesus christ too much to not be out here. Love y'all so much :)))

con mucho amor,
hermana Neilson

2.6.17

When the Flu hits Brownfield

HOLA FAMILIA Y MIS AMIGOS!

  OK so this week. Well everyone and their dog has the flu in Brownfield. So on Wednesday we had a member come down to help with some less actives, and everyone we went to go see was basically dying, so that was a little slow, and then I started feeling sick wednesday night, and ended up having the flu all until Sunday. So we were in a lot.. but we still got a ton done! Sadly though, our only investigator dropped us.... that was tough to hear, we had been teaching her since I got here, and she was coming to church and everything! But she said she prayed about it and didn't get the same answer we get :(((
  BUT, we went contacting, and we found this man name Roy, and we shared a brief thought with him, and he invited us back! So we have a new investigator now haha. And we decided to start seeing this man named Mark, who we dropped awhile back, but we think he's ready. We had a great member present lesson with him on tuesday and the spirit was SO strong. So we invited him to church and he came and went to all the meetings, but after he wanted to discuss some "things" with us. So we all went over to a member's house for that, and he whipped out his bible and went OFF. So i kept finding scriptures for him and everything, and then I just started testifying, and my companion stopped me half way through and was like "Mark! Are you even listening? She's trying to testify but you can't stop looking for scriptures in the bible to contradict her!" Sooooo that was kind of awkard, but it's all good. So then at the end I told him "We can teach you and give you all the scriptures you want, but until you sit down, read the B.O.M, and pray, you're never going to know. So when you pray and know for yourself it's true, give us a call and we'll baptize you". and he started laughing, but then me and my comp at the same time said "we're serious". So I'm hoping he gets the memo lol.
  I've done a lot of studying this past week from the Gordon B. Hinckley book, and I've learned a lot about faith. Faith leads to action. If we don't have faith, we don't act. We need to have faith that the Lord is going to do exactly what we intend, faith to repent, faith to find, faith for EVERYTHING. and lot's of studying on humility. That is a good topic if any of y'all have preach my gospel :) But thanks again for all the love and support, y'all are really the best.

CON MUCHO AMOR,
HERMANA NEILSON

1.30.17

The one with the Farm and the Oven Fire

HOLA MIS AMIGOS Y MI FAMILIA!!!!

  OK. so this is going to be pretty short. But first things first. I WENT TO A FARM AND DROVE A TRACTOR! if any of you know me, this was HUGE. So yea I'm such a farm girl now ya know? A less active let us take the wheel haha. Tractors actually drive pretty slow..
  Also. Hermana Neilson does NOT cook. My comps are trying to teach me, but it's been so bad. So my trainer was like "Can you put the frozen pizza in the oven?" so I thought well duh, that's way easy. Welllllllll the pizza fell through the rack and started the oven on FIRE. yea. So Hermana Neilson doesn't cook. And then when she asked for ice I went to go get it and I broke the ice tray in HALF. So the kitchen is off limits to me now..... but I have confidence I'll be a cook before I leave the texas lubbock mission ;)
  Also we got our meninite skirts back so of course I attached pictures. AND I survived my first spanish dinner. These people (the Ramirez) invited us over cause their mother in law was in town from Mexico and they wanted us to lighten the mood. Let me tell ya, I probably didn't understand that much, but I TALKED IN SPANISH with them. I accidentally said the mother in law's church was weird, but everyone got a kick out of it.
  This week was honestly my favorite. We even had zone conference and it went so well!!! I am adjusting a ton and I'm really started to lose myself in the work. I appreciate all the packages, emails, and letters I get from y'all and my testimony of Jesus Christ has been booming this week during personal studies. AH he's just the BEST!!!!!!! I have loved strengthening my testimony every morning and I wish I would have done this before my mission! Missions are the best. :)))) LOVE Y'ALL

con mucho amor,
Hermana Neilson