Missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Letters sent home from the Phillippines

Elder Nielsen

Elder Nielsen

Monday, November 16, 2015

The Work is Starting Again‏

We had a lot better week this week. We are really starting to familiarize ourselves with our area, making it a lot easier to find and teach. We have two current progressing investigators, but a lot of potential investigators that will hopefully soon start progressing. The first one is Brother Danilo. We found Brother Danilo sitting on his porch one night and we stopped and started talking to him. He agreed to listen to our message, so we taught him the Restoration and he really enjoyed our message. By our next lesson he had read the whole Restoration pamphlet. Our next lesson was on the Book of Mormon, he agreed to read the introduction. By our next lesson, he had read the whole introduction, testimonies of all the witnesses and was now reading Joseph Smith's testimony. We were very thrilled when he told us. We invited him to come to church last Sunday and he came. We have very high hopes for this brother. Our next progressing investigator is Sister Abrasado, she's been taught by the missionaries a while back but never really progressed or accepted their message. Her daughter is an active member, but she has still been a little reluctant to join the church. But she has been keeping our reading assignments and attended church last Sunday with her other nonmember daughter. We pray for her and are hoping she will continue to go to church and eventually follow her daughter's example and be baptized. Another family that we have really been focusing on is the Akala family. They have been taught by the missionaries for about 5 months now. They read the Book of Mormon, pray, and know our message is true. But their only problem is attending church, this is why they have not been baptized yet. Brother Akala is a manger at a local grocery market and he has work every Sunday. Sister Akala has to take care of their two young children and says she can't control and watch them both at church alone. Elder Gurtiza and I decided we wanted to be a little bold with them, we taught them about baptism and the purpose of baptism. We extended a baptism invitation for January 2nd, and to our relief they accepted. They said they really wanted to start going to church and are going to try to figure out a way with Brother's job. We have high hopes and goals for this family. 

Elder Gurtiza is doing great. He was a little stressed the first week, as are all new missionaries, but he has adjusted very well to missionary life. Each day he is coming more and more out of shell, with teaching and with me. He is really start to open up with me and is talking a lot more. I know that each passing week our relationship will become stronger and stronger, which will make our teaching capabilities better and better too. 

Overall this was a very good week. Each day seems to be getting easier and easier in this new area. If we continue to put our trust in the Lord he will guide us everyday. I am starting to see more and more miracles in His work. This is His work and it  will never stop, regardless of the lack of talent and experience of the missionaries is that area. 

A fun story. So this week we had the First Annual Power Scrub. It going to start happening twice a year around General Conference. But its a special day where we just clean our house from 7 to 11. I'll tell you what', we really needed it in this new house. So we turned on some music and we got to work. It was actually a lot of fun, and the house looks so much better. Elder Gurtiza and I feel a lot more at home now because everything is organized and clean. 

Besides that it has been a pretty good week. Last week we bought a basketball so every morning we have been playing basketball at the court right next to our house. We have been getting a few good pick-up games, so that has been a lot of fun. And I'm really excited to hear about mom's elk hunt. I've been praying that you'll get a "big one", I figured it worked with Dad's bull elk hunt when I was 5, so I'm trying it again ;) You guys are all great. I've been blessed with such a great family. Unfortunately, it took me traveling across the world to realize how great all of you all are, but know I pray about each of you daily. Thanks for all the love and support! :) 

Mahal ko kayo 
Elder Nielsen 


1. Last day in Malolos 
2. I forgot to send this, but my Batch after the first 4 week


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