5.15.17

Feliz dia de las madres!

HOLA TODOS!

  Ok so this week was pretty fun(ny)! So this past week we went tracting in Ranger Texas, (a little town outside eastland of 800 people) and we were following up on this elderly man, who we gave a Book of Mormon to, and his wife answered! So she let us in and was so excited to see us and we were thinking like "ok sweet this chick is interested" and then we sat down and she just starting bible BASHING us. We didn't even say anything like the first 5 minutes, and then I let Sister Allart take over. (she knows her bible well lol) and then during the "discussion" the lady's little chihuahua peed on me. It was just the cherry on top of everything that day lol. 

  Also we had zone conference this past week! It was our last one with President and Sister Heap, because they leave the mission June 30th, so it was kind of emotional, but we also got to have our last interviews with him as well! He talked to me a lot about being a leader, I was kind of confused but it's all good! haha I am honestly so sad they are leaving the mission, they are amazing people! This week is our last week in this transfer, so on Saturday we'll find out if we're staying or leaving. So prayers all around I stay in Eastland haha I honestly love it here. We cover like 5 towns, and the smallest town has 58 people in it. I didn't even think that was possible! lol but the people here are just so prepared and there's so many Christ-centered people here. IT'S THE BEST! AH.

  Anyways, I love you all so much! And skype calls were so emotional haha but so needed! Thanks for all your love and support and letters! They are seriously the best :) LOVE YALL!!!!!

-Hermana Neilson

 

 

5.8.17

HOLA TODOS!

HOLA!!!

  So this week nothing too exciting happened. But on tuesday I found 153 names on Family Search! WOOT. And we were supposed to go to the Dallas temple this past weekend, but one of our recent converts backed out last minute and so we weren't able to go :( But we just got the privilege to go out and tract more! So a member her knew how much i LOVE in-n-out, so they brought me in-n-out on the way back from Dallas!!! I almost shed a tear when he handed me the bag!

  Ok funny: So one of our investigators has the hots for my companion, and he basically proposed to her during our lesson. AHHH. hahhaa So we called our mission president's wife and we can only teach him if there's a member present there now, just to be safe :)) but not going to lie it was pretty funny haha. 

  Another investigator we're working with is having kind of a hard time with the word of wisdom. We taught it to him last sunday and challenged him to go without smoking for 10 days. Well he couldn't do it, so I promised him I'd give up sweets if he gave up smoking, because it's not fair for us to just tell people to give up things if we don't even know the least of what that's like! So it's been fun encouraging eachother (even though his is way harder) during this whole process! So everyone just pray for him (Argemiro). He has a baptismal date for May 21st so we are working the hardest we can with him! 

  Thanks for all the love and emails every week. It seems like everyone and their dog is getting engaged, but I love hearing updates! Haha I love y'all mucho!!!!!

la hermana en Texas,

Hermana Neilson 

5.1.17

FELIZ MAYO!!!!

HOLA MIS AMIGOS!!!

  So I can't believe it's may already!!! Haha but this week was so amazing! On Tuesday we were able to do some family history again with our recent convert Max and I found 56 names!!! So I have lots of temple work to do this weekend! (We are going to the Dallas temple for recent convert baptisms this saturday!) But it's cool to work with people who have never done family history and then be able to take a name to the temple! 

  This week we went on exchanges with the sister training leaders in Abilene, and I was with Sister Burbidge! She is so awesome! We really focused on talking to every single person that we saw and we had a ton of success! But it was fun to go to a city to do missionary work! It's so different though! haha but luckily we got some amazing food too. :)) 

  Me and Sister Allart have been working a lot at achieving goals that are stretching us as missionaries. We were able to have 3 investigators at church tomorrow and it was amazing to see that turn out! We had a GREAT gospel principles class all about Christ. Our branch is pretty small though, so this past wednesday I had to conduct the music, talk in church (again), play piano in relief society, and then give the relief society lesson! It was pretty busy yesterday for sure. But we have the privilege of having some baptismal dates coming up soon!! (Michael Paul and Argemiro) so we're pretty excited for the progression we are getting with each of them. 

  This gospel is honestly SO good! I have learned a ton from serving in Texas, and especially from being Bible Bashed a lot, but I've noticed that when we just try and see others like Jesus Christ did, then we have so much more charity for these people! Eastland is honestly so prepared and so amazing! I love it here! The gospel is so true! FELIZ CINCO DE MAYO!

con mucho amor,

hermana neilson

 

 

4.24.17

I got bites, They're Multiplying...

HOLA MIS AMIGOS y MY FAMILIA!!!!

  Ok so to start off. I got attacked by these bugs while we were raking leaves, so RIP my ankles. But me and my comp keep telling ourselves, "a mission is bad for the body, but good for the soul". Little motivation lol. Ok so something fun that happened this week, is we helped our recent convert Max (the one who got baptized a couple weeks ago) with his family history this week! He didn't know like any of his relatives haha so we had to call his GREAT GRANMDA, who doesn't speak english haha. So I had to talk to her on the phone in spanish (which is so broken) while we filled out his pedigree chart! Well we were dying cause his great grandma could not understand ANYTHING of what I was saying haha sooooo we are lacking on the names in his family history haha. 

  Me and my companion had the privilege of speaking in church yesterday, and I got to speak on Christ-like attributes!  It was so awesome! But after everyone came up to me and commented on my "valley-girl" accent haha. But it was cool to be able to give my 3rd talk in this small little branch. :))) But on Saturday we went to a member's house, and we got to help her with some service! She needed help taking her christmas decorations down. IT IS APRIL. bahaha so we gladly helped her with that. I love the people here! 

  But me and my companion are really working hard out here, and we're expecting some good things from this transfer! I can't believe I've been out on my mission for 6 months! It's weird to think this time next year i will be HOME. AHHH. But luckily I have lots of time to keep improving as a missionary and helping others come close to Christ :)) this gospel is such a blessing and y'all should share it :)) LOVE Y'ALL MUCHO!!!!

con mucho amor,

Hermana Neilson 

4.17.17

new companera and happy EASTER!!!!

HOLA MI FAMILIA Y MIS AMIGOS!!!!!!

  Hope all is going well back at home!!! We had a GREAT Easter weekend!!!!! I have a new companion, Sister Allart, and she's from Farmington Utah! She's been out for about 5 months! So everything is going awesome! We were tracting this past week and we knocked on a less actives house, and their nephew michael answered the door, and he agreed for a return appointment! So we went back and taught him the restoration and committed him to a baptismal date! So that was pretty awesome. AND THEN he came to church yesterday, BORE HIS TESTIMONY, and then told us he received his answer that the Book of Mormon is true and that he wants to be baptized. WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!! So we have a baptism coming up!!! We are so excited!! haha

  

  And then at church yesterday we had 3 investigators all come! It was so awesome!!! Easter sunday was literally the BEST! One of the members in our branch wanted to do a musical number so she played the flute and I did the piano and we did the song "Easter Hosanna"! It went so well! haha but this area is going so good right now! The people are so prepared and the work is booming! So we're both way excited for what this transfer brings. I was reading in the Bible this past week and I came across the scripture Philippians 2:7, and it's all about Christ, so y'all should look it up :))

  Thanks for all the prayers, emails, and letters, I love y'all so much!!!!! Happy Easter!!!

con mucho amor,

Hermana Neilson

 

 

 

4.10.17

TRANSFERS: I'm staying in Eastland!

Hola mi familia y mis amigos!

  So we got transfer calls this week and I am staying in Eastland and my new companion is Sister Allart! She was in the MTC the same time as me just english speaking! So that will be fun :) and Sister Lundberg is getting transferred to Midland, TX to be a Sister Training Leader there!!! I am honestly so sad she's being transferred, she is such a fun companion!!!! Haha but we are excited for this next transfer! 

  So this week in Eastland there was TONS of people (aka more than the 3000 that live here) and there was a huge BBQ cook off, so we went down there and just passed out around 100 pass along cards for the #PrinceOFPeace initiative going on right now, and we were just handing them out like candy! We were so successful but it was also terrifying cause I haven't seen that many people all together since Provo! Haha we also had a "Meet the Mormons" movie night and invited tons of people, but only one family in our ward and like 3 other people showed up, it was kind of depressing, but our recent convert LOVED it. So it made it all worth it!

  Ok funny story: So I like hate bugs. And our apartment has a COCKROACH problem right now.... But yesterday I was organizing my desk and kind of cleaning up, and then I pulled out a few things and this MASSIVE cockroach was just sitting there, and I FREAKED! So then Sister Lundberg came over with the Raid and everything, and she went to go shoot it and it started FLYING!!! (imagine this) So we were running around screaming, spraying Raid, and trying to kill this flying cockroach, and FINALLY we killed it!!!!!! So don't worry there's a picture for all of y'all to see. AH there's just bugs literally everywhere here. 

  Anyways, I'm excited for this upcoming transfer with sister Allart! We have some awesome goals in mind! Hope y'all have a great week and share the #PrinceOFPeace !!!! LOVE Y'ALL!!!!!!!

con mucho amor,

Hermana Neilson 

ps. here's my address :))

600 W. Sadosa St. #68

Eastland, TX 76448