Elder Cody Nielsen: Somewhere out in Malalos 1st‏

Welcome To The Mission!

This last week has been crazy! SO much has happened! So on Wednesday we left the MTC :( I LOVED the MTC and I'm going to miss it there so much! My sisters are officially gone.. They are serving in Naga mission. I had grown so close with all of them! They were seriously like my actual sisters, each of them was different and I got along with them so well. We had so much time playing games and laughing with each other. They all wrote in my BR {Book of Remembrance} about how I was like their brother and their dad. They are the sweetest sisters ever. I'm definitely going to keep in touch with them and I pray for them every night. So we said goodbye, and it was sad, blah, blah, you get the point.

Okay and now for the Real Mission. So on Wednesday I got assigned my trainer or my "tatay", Father, Elder Godinez. He's the best trainer ever! He is from Cebu but he's pretty much fluent in Tagalog and he has only been out 5 months. So we got assigned to Malalos 1st ward. Its really pretty down here. I'll send pictures next week, we have a big area and it has the bustling city and the beautiful green fields and rivers and junglish looking areas. It was a big cultural shock the first night and few days. No AC in the apartment so its always like a 100 degrees. So I am constantly dripping sweat. And we don't have a shower or stove in our apartment. Just a bucket and a hot plate. So its been fun getting used to all that. And all the cockroaches, lizards, and ants in our apartment hahaha. But the first few days in the field were the hardest in the mission. The days were always sooo long and I was so hot, thirsty and tired each night. But on my fourth day I had my turning point, I felt at peace and didn't feel like a foreigner any more. I participate like 30-40 percent in my lessons. I use my best Tagalog and if they do'nt understand my kasama translates. But they can usually tell what I'm trying to say. Elder Godinez really trusts me, I didn't think I would participate in the lessons this much, pero (but) I think its really helping me learn Tagalog faster. He has helped my Tagalog so much! He always talks to me in Tagalog and everyday I understand more and more. Luckily I understand better than I speak. And I use the old Nielsen notepad trick, where if I hear a new word in Tagalog i write it down and study it. I think it really helps. Oh, side thought, I have two other Filipino Elders in our apartment. I gave a talk/introduction in church on Sunday and they all said i spoke really well for how new I am. But i never accept any of their compliments because I want to really study it so I'm better than the Filipinos. Iv'e heard stories about that before, the missionary know more and "deeper" Tagalog than the natives. But these last few days I have been wonderful, the days feel a ton shorter and I'm getting used to the ways of the Filipinos. I feel a lot more at home now. Now we just have to figure out a way for me to be not as hot all the time.. ;) But all is going well, "The harder you Work the Faster it goes!" - Wise Ole' Grandpa Charlie.

Mahal, Elder Nielsen

PS. Fun story, we use my "puting kapangyarihan" ( white power) to talk to people on the streets, because they all like to try to talk to Americans, we actually found two investigators from this!

The Mosiah and Ether districts picture.

This sisters Tangi (middle) and Pasina. Sister Tangi had the same body and hair and acted just like Erin! She was Great! She hurt her foot playing volleyball hence the crutches.