CONFERENCE 2016

We had another good week this week. Sister Joselyn, her bother Danny, and his wife Ester were all able to attend conference last Sunday. They really enjoyed listening to the conference in Tagalog. They said they really enjoyed all the music and talks. Sister Joselyn will be baptized this coming Saturday. She has such a strong testimony and desire to follow the Savior. We are also teaching her brother Danny and her sister in-law Ester. They too are showing great progress and are progressing. Brother Nicole, the father of an investigator family we are teaching, also attended conference. This is the first time that Brother Nicole has been able  to attend church. Brother Nicole has great faith and understands the reasons why  he needs to be baptized, but he has been struggling keeping commitments and attending church. We are hoping last weekend will be a turning point for him and he will start to have a stronger desire to attend church every Sunday and be baptized. We are really starting to see some great progression in our area.

We had two exchanges this week. The first exchange was with the Assistants last Wednesday. I always enjoy going on exchanges with them because I always learn some much from them. I was companions with Elder Heaton, and he taught me many new teaching analogies and new words in Tagalog that I will use in my proselyting. The other exchanges that we had this week was with Bagong Silang 2, Elder Martel and Elder Miguel. I had the opportunity to be companions with Elder Martel. Elder Martel is a very good teacher. He does really well at connecting and relating the lessons to the people that we were teaching. He is a outgoing Elder and likes to talk and OYM with everybody that we pass. The only area that Elder Martel is struggling in is his planning. When I checked his planner, there were many days that were not filled out completely or the key indicators were not written. He admitted to me that he has not been planning as well as he could have been. I encouraged him to plan everyday and use his planner more effectively in order to help the people he is teaching in his area and to essentially better fulfill his purpose. He committed to me that he would improve his planning. 

Conference was absolutely wonderful. I learned sooo much. They were all my favorite. It is hard to pick just a few. But I really liked, President Nelson's talk on prayer, both of President Uchtdorf's talks, Elder Bednar, Elder Holland, pretty much all of them! They were all pretty unique and powerful talks. And my favorite song was Come thou Fount. That song is so powerful and loud when the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sings it. My favorite session was the Priesthood session. All those talks were great. It is funny how fast the conference sessions go as a missionary. I remember how some of the sessions would just feel so long for me back in the day. But now the sessions just fly by. I love General Conference, and especially more now as a missionary. I always find so many ways to improve. So many areas where I am lacking and struggling in. I have this vision of the new and improved Elder Nielsen that I imagine myself to be at the end of my mission. And in order to get there I have to continually improve. I have to Fix and improve the little things and big things in order to get there. I'm really excited for when the Ensign will come out with all the talks. I still haven't finished all of the talks from last conference! But I am getting close! Overall a very spiritual and uplifting weekend. 

A story I forgot to tell you. Now people are selling the little quails again but now they are selling little baby ducks, or ducklings now too. They are the cuttest little things. ALl the little Filipino kids run down the street chasing and playing with their little ducks and quails. I always ask them to let me hold their little birds. They only cost like 40 cents. I might bring some home with me and start a duck and quail farm like Grandpa ;) 

Thanks for all the prayers and support. Thanks Summer for watching over the "flat" Elder Nielsen. Carly, even though I am flat I can still be squished! Congratulations to Amber and Kevin for their big Day! Welcome to the Fam Kevin! Now that it is official.. Kevin, The bug needs a little repairing, the trooper needs an oil change, and the van needs a fix up, so when you have some time that would be nice of you if you could just fix those ;)  Amber chose wisely on who she would marry, now we have a new mechanic in the family ;) 

I love this work and the People of the Philippines. And I love all of you. Have a great week! 

Mahal kita 

Elder Nielsen