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

Letters sent home from the Phillippines

Elder Nielsen

Elder Nielsen

Tuesday, May 31, 2016

SJDM ( The Promised Land)

1. Chicken feet adobo. Yuuum. 
2. The charcoal painting a ward missionary made for me.She also drew the painting of Jesus in our house. The one where he is wearing the hood. 
3. My area I have served in for 7 months. It is like this. It has a little more crowded places and a little more open field places too. 

We had another great week last week. LOTS has happened. Brother Rudy was baptized on Saturday and received the gift of the the Holy Ghost and the  Aaronic Priesthood on Sunday. He was thrilled about the opportunity he had to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and receive the proper authority of God. He has such a strong desire to learn more about the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and he reads out of the Book of Mormon everyday. He has many wonderful new friends in the church. We are very confident that he will not fall away from the church, and that he will continue enduring to the end. Our area is really starting to bloom. We have been finding prepared children of God, who have been prepared and are ready to hear our message. 

I am thankful for the opportunity that I had to be companions with Elder Alcala. He has been a good example for me, and has taught me many things in just our short time together. He has a very big heart and is very Christ-like. He cares so much about  about our investigators, less actives, and recent converts. He would do anything in order to help them. He has also helped me a lot with my Tagalog. He has explained confusing  grammar and conjugations to me, and has really helped me fine tune my Tagalog.  I know that I am leaving the Camarin 1a area in good hands. 

Also, we had transfer announcements and I am transferring! I am transferring to SJDM. I am going to be a District Leader over there! The APs told me it is kind of a special assignment. They told me my District over there is not doing to well.. They don't want to do finding or work.. And it is full of "trunky" missionaries. ( or missionaries that close to going home and don't want to work. They told me they really think I can help turn that District around. So it looks like I will have my hands full.. again! Every time I start feeling comfortable in the area or calling something new happens haha. I feel like Heavenly Father wants to keep testing me and helping me to grow. It is also kind of an answer to my prayers, I have felt like I am still just lacking something in my missionary service, I do not know what it is yet, but I fill like in this next area I will be able to find it. 
But I haven't told you about SJDM yet, SJDM is the Promise Land in our mission. ALL the missionaries want to go there because it is by far the highest baptizing zone. They had over 500 baptisms in just that zone last year. And it is also very pretty and has really cool stuff over. It is a good mix of province and city. So I am really excited to go there. 

AND I also have some more exciting news, I am officially a GRANDPA! Elder Gurtiza is training a new missionary! He will do great!

It has been such and happy and sad week. We have a ton of dinner appointments and FHEs because I am leaving and the sister missionary in our ward is going home. So it has been full of goodbyes, food, and presents. They are just giving all these random gifts. Paintings, hats, shirts, bags, and yesterday one of our RC's gave me a pearl necklace. I told her I didn't want it! But she mad me take it and she said,  give it to your mom. So it looks like Mom is getting a new pearl necklace. I am really going to miss the people in this area. I have become so close with them. It has been hard to say goodbye. 

It has been a wonderful five transfers in Camarin, but I am excited for my new area and calling in SJDM. I will do my best to fulfill my calling and help the missionaries in my District. I know Heavenly father has called me to SJDM for a reason. I love this work and the people. Have a great week. I love you all!

Pagmamahal,
Elder Nielsen 

Baptism of Tatay Rudy

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