Fwd: Elder Nielsen‏

Dear Brother and Sister Nielsen,

My husband and I, Elder and Sister Brady, have served with Elder Nielsen the past few weeks.  We have missed him since he has been transferred.

We just wanted to let you know what a fine young Elder he is.  He is very dedicated to the missionary work, and has a warm personality.  We enjoy working him in Malolos.  He told me that you live in Elko, Nevada.  I grew up in Twin Falls, Idaho not too far away. 

With a great like Elder Nielsen, the work is moving forward in the Quezon City North Mission!  

Elder and Sister Brady

 

Quezon City North Mission

Sister Mary R Brady

435-313-8450

marybrady1504@gmail.com

"Chosen by God to serve him below,
To ev'ry land and people we'll go,
Standing for truth with fervent accord,
Teaching his holy word."

"We aren't in Malolos anywhere.. "

Hello Family! A lot has happened this last week! So Wednesday was transfer day, so all the trainers went to the mission home to pick up their trainees. So they had some workshops and I got to talk to all my batch mates who were training too, so that was a lot of fun. Then we were assigned our companions. Elder Gurtiz is my trainee or anak (child). He is a Filipino from a province near Baguio, up north. He is great. He is kinda shy and quiet, but give him a few weeks and I think I can break him out of his shell ;) 

So my new area is completely different from Malolos. I am in the big city now. I am actually like 5 minutes away from the mission office which is still kind of weird for me. But the first day we made it back to our apartment and met our kabahay. I am housemates with someone I knew back in Malolos, Elder Perkins. He's from Salt Lake, and we get along really well. We like to talk since we both have quiet Filipino companions. But he shows us our study room, (the room of the old Elders) and it s just a mess.. It was so bad. Hahaha it look like they left in a hurry, they left ties, pants, random weird things, papers, pamphlets, scriptures, just everything you could possibly think of. It was a mess. I wish I would've taken a picture. But the area book hadn't been updated in months.. It was quite the welcome hahaha. 

My companion and I just tried to hit the ground running this week. Due to the fact that we both were completely new to the area, we decided to make this week a learning week. We wanted to learn the area, streets, members, investigators, ect. But unfortunately, the area book and board was a bit outdated, and was little help to us. The first two days we had a worker come with us, which was such a blessing. He was able to show us where members, Less Actives, and investigators lived. He was such a big help for us. On Friday and Saturday we did not have a worker so we were left to fend for ourselves. These days we did a lot of contacting, OYM's, and finding. We were able to find some recent converts and less active families. And teach a few new investigators.

 On Friday we experienced a tender mercy. The past elders left a note of all the names of investigators, Less Actives, and Recent Converts. Unfortunately we did not have addresses or last names to some of these families, so we had no idea where they lived. But on Friday night we were contacting people, and we decided to talk to this one man walking down the street. He told us he lived with a member of our church, so we asked if he could show us to his house. He agreed, and took us to his home. When we got to his house we met the wife of the member, we later learned that this member was very less active. She said she had been taught by the missionaries too, so we asked her name, and it turns out she was the same person who the missionaries wrote about in their note. It was a miracle we were able to find her and we talked talked to the exact person who was living with them. I know even though we felt lost and alone in this new area, the Lord was watching over us and directing us in the ways we need to go. 

Saturday was probably the most tiring day of my mission. We walked literally all day. And there are tons of steep hills in our new area. But we did get 48 received this week. So our efforts of just talking to everyone worked. Since we have no progressing investigators in our area I figured we had to just start from scratch. 

My new companion Elder Gurtiza is a great missionary. I feel bad that his first few days in the mission had to be so hard and confusing. But he has had a positive attitude the whole time. He likes to work hard and has been such a big help finding and teaching. He is a big help in the Tagalog. And to answer moms question last week. No I don't think I have mastered it yet or anywhere close. I can read and write and understand fairly easily. The hardest part for me is just speaking. But training should help me with that. 

I'm not sure Dad, I will try to find some more information about that. It might not be open to the public or something. 

But this transfer is definitely going to be a challenge. My faith will be tested. But the challenging and hardest times always have the most rewarding outcomes :)

Love all of you so much. Thanks for all the support and love. Because I have been given much I too must give. Have a great week, and enjoy the cool weather, I'm sitting here sweating in a computer shop ;) 

Pagmamahal,

Elder Nielsen

Goodbye Malalos..‏

This was probably the CRAZIEST week of my mission. First things first, our investigators. Our investigator Jason was baptized and confirmed this week! It was very exciting to be able to watch him grow and enter in the waters of baptism. He was very excited and it was a really spiritual experience for him. The bishop is going to interview him next Sunday in order to receive the priesthood. Our other investigator, Sister Lourdess, had her interview last Saturday and is going to be baptized this Sunday. We were talking with her last week about her baptism and then she said, (referring to her teenage daughters in the room) "Yes, and they're next!" Then she took one of her daughters to church with her last Sunday. Her family is very important to her and she wants to be with them forever so she knows how important it is for them to be baptized. We want to start teaching her children next. Our other investigator who is getting baptized on the 21st of November invited one of her friends to church. She is doing great and is starting to make a lot of friends in the church, which is so vital. Our area is really starting to progress and is showing signs of even more progression. There is just so much work to be done here in Malolos. 

Unfortunately, I will not be here to see all the fruits of our labor, but I know Elder Godinez will do a wonderful job taking care of and teaching our investigators. I will not be here because I am transferring.. I will tell you the story.. So Friday, during weekly planning we get a call from the zone leaders and they told Elder godinez and I that we are training! We coudn't tell if they were serious, but they told us to go check our emails and we had an email from president informing us that we are training. My kabahay was going crazy and saying how no foreigner has ever trained after training. We found out later, that Elder Webb, Elder Snyder, Elder Lake, Sister Stancliffe, and I are ALL training! Which has never happened.. Everybody has been telling us that President thinks we are the future hope for this mission. We thought for sure that I would stay and Elder Godinez would open area, ( he was actually already packed, and said all his goodbyes to the ward and ect.. hahahaha) then yesterday they told me I am transferring and opening area! I'm headed to the NOVA zone. I was quite shocked and a bit overwhelmed when I was informed that I would be training. I felt much like the new apostles in last General Conference, feeling a bit unqualified for the new calling. I was a bit uneasy and skeptical of my abilities much of Friday and Saturday. But I fasted that I would receive a peace and comfort about this very sacred responsibility. My fasting efforts were answered and I feel much more at ease now. I now that the Lord has called me to this calling and if I am faithful and obedient he will help me and guide me in all things. He will make the weak things strong, and he qualifies who he calls. I know if put my trust in him and work with all my heart, might, mind and strength he will help and guide me along the way. 

So this is my last day with Elder Godinez. I am thankful for the opportunity to be companions with Elder Godinez. He is a great missionary and has taught me many things about this work. He truly loves the people and this gospel. He will make a wonderful trainer for this new missionary. I am thankful I was able to serve along side of him. 

We had a 6pm curfew on Saturday and Sunday because its Halloween and its kinda crazy. There is no trick or treating here, all the adults and the teens go to the cemetery and sleep by the graves and stuff. Its kind of an interesting celebration? lots of candles and food and such! But since we had a curfew we bought two big chickens and had a going away feast. It was great. 

SO crazy last week in Malolos. I'm packing and headed up to pick up my trainnee tomorrow, then somehow find our new appartment.. 

MAHAL MAHAL MAHAL

Elder Nielsen

Last Week of Training

Another good week this week. Our investigator Jason's baptism was rescheduled to next Saturday instead of last week, due to our ward having a temple trip last Saturday. But he said that it is okay and he is still very excited to be baptized. He told us that he was thinking about his baptism all last week at work. He is a little nervous but we continue to reassure and comfort him. We met with him on Sunday and reviewed everything and answered any questions or concerns he had. We now look forward to this Saturday for his baptism. 

Or other investigators are continuing to progress too. Sister Lordess is planning on being baptized on November 7 and the Paraiso family is planning on being baptized on the 14. We taught Sister Lordess a lot about temples this week and then in Sunday school class the lesson was on temple marriage. She was a little concerned when the teacher taught in order to be able to enter the highest kingdom in the Celestial Kingdom you have to be married in the temple ( she is a single mom, not living with her husband). We answered her concerns but it seemed like she was still a bit worried because she really wants to reach the highest kingdom. But we need to just take things one at a time with her because first she needs to be baptized, then we can start working on the temple marriage after that. The Paraiso family is doing well. Her husband is always very busy with his job so he is only been able to listen to us a few times, but Sister Paraiso is the one who is really progressing. Every time we teach her she always has the best questions for us. She just really wants to understand and soak everything in. When we answer her questions you can always see how she's starting to understand the gospel more and more every lesson. 

We had Zone Conference last week and I really enjoyed it, I learned a lot and received some good personal revelation. We watched this video clip of these two recent return missionaries teach Brother and Sister Cook  the Restoration in just 4 minutes! They taught in front of the 12 apostles and about 180 mission presidents. It was about the best and most powerful Restoration lesson I have seen, and they did it in for minutes. Afterward Brother and Sister Cook were both in tears. We watched this because it a new thing the Quorum of the 12 wants to incorporate in missionary work to certain teaching situations. After watching those missionaries teach the Restoration in 4 minutes it really inspired me to learn and study the Lessons and the Restoration more fully. Because lately I have been focusing too much attention to teaching and studying in Tagalog but that made me realize I can't even teach the Restoration that effectively in English nor do I know all the lessons completely. So I have committed myself to really learn all the doctrinal points in all the lessons in English first, then during language study and learn the doctrinal points in Tagalog. So my goal, and I want you to follow up with me on this, is to learn and memorize the main points in each of the sections in each lesson, and have my favorite scriptures for each section memorized. I want to do this in English and Tagalog side by side. So by Christmas, I want to have Lessons 1 and 2 done in English and Tagalog. It's going to be a lot to learn but I know in order to be a Preach My Gospel Missionary I have to know the doctrine inside and out. But let me clarify, I'm not going to be giving rote memorized 4 minute lessons, but it says in Preach My Gospel to know and even memorize the Doctrinal points. Because once I know all the doctrine then I let the spirit work through me to know what points to talk about and which ones to say. it's like it said in Where the Red Fern Grows, " I have to meet God half way". If learn and study and do my part to learn the doctrine, God will do his part by giving me the spirit to know what to say. 

And a fun little side note: So they are selling baby quails right now for only 3 pesos. So all the little kids have these baby quails that are about the size of my thumb. I wish we could have pets because they are the cutest little things ever! 

And I will email on Tuesday next week due to Transfers. 

I'm learning how to be a real missionary more and more everyday. Thanks for all the prayers and support. I love you all. 

Elder Nielsen

Typhoon..‏

Uncle Elder Nielsen..  WOOOWEE I'm an UNCLE :D I told Che Che to teach him about donuts so his first word would be just like Dad's, because according to Grandma Nielsen, Old Pop Scott's first word was "donut" ;) 

Another good week this week. Our investigator had his baptismal interview earlier this morning, so now we look forward to next Sunday for his baptism. He is very excited to be baptized. It has been a privilege watching and guiding him as his testimony grew these last two months. This is probably the biggest decision he has made in his life to this point. And we are excited to be able to watch him enter into the waters of baptism and complete his first of the sacred saving ordinances.  

We also plan to finished our lessons with our other progressing investigator this week. She has come so far since our first visit with her. She has completely given up coffee. She proudly stated that she is drinking Swiss Hot chocolate instead. After we taught her about tithing and fast offerings this week ( a hard rule for Filipinos because of poverty), we committed her to paying tithing and fast offerings once she became a member and she said, "Of course!". She loves reading the pamphlets we give her because it is easier for her to understand. Since the Ang Aklat ni Mormon is such deep Tagalog. But she said she reads the Book of Mormon too. We are planning on having her baptism the first week in November.

We also had a level 2 typhoon this week. So it has rained the last 3 days straight. We actually couldn't go out to work last night. We didn't have electricity for a few hours because the rains and the winds, and the floods. So that was pretty exciting!  

Everything else has be going well. Elder Godinez continues to teach me everyday. I really admire his patience with me. He is a great trainer and I'm thankful for the opportunity to be his trainee. 

I am thankful for the opportunity to be a missionary. I've learned so much about this gospel and I just want to keep learning. "I'm [GLAD] they call[ED] me on a mission"

Mahal,

Elder Nielsen

October Conference 2015‏

This week flew by! I felt like nothing really has happened since my last email besides General Conference. Oh and sorry for the late email, we played basketball and board games at the church this morning with our zone. But our investigators are doing great. They are continually progressing and learning more every visit. I've really noticed the spirit in their face and eyes. You can see the spirit working within them and touching their heart. It's easy for us because we aren't teaching them new doctrine, we are just reteaching and reminding them the doctrines they once knew and accepted before this life. Our job is just to teach have the spirit and teach the doctrine simply and then we let the Holy Ghost do the rest. I've been really trying to look at them as my brothers and sisters and not just investigators. I try try to imagine them dressed in white for baptism and the temple. Trying to look at them through our Heavenly Fathers eye's is how will we really come to love our investigators and worry about their eternal salvation. 

Conference. Conference was an absolute delight. Just like Dad said, this was probably the most intently I have ever watched conference and I plan to watch it this intently the rest of my life. I thought it was a very unique conference but I loved every talk. It didn't have too many talks directly about missionaries but every talk has something I need work on in my missionary life. I noticed a lot of talks were about faith, keeping the commandments, Holy Ghost, trust in our Father and Heaven and his chosen leaders and let our lives be molded by our Father and Heaven. Some talks that really stood out to me were by: Randall K. Bennett, Richard J. Maynes, Larry R. Lawrence, Quentin L. Cook, Jeffery R . Holland, Bradley E. Foster, and David A. Bednar. Sorry, it's kinda long, but I really gained and felt something in their talks. But I took Erin's advice and already have them downloaded on a flash drive so I listen to them every morning while I workout. This conference made me realize how much I regret not taking full advantage of the church and all its wonderful resources growing up as a youth. I wasn't focused on the right things and let those valuable years of testimony building slip through my fingers. So, Summer, Carly, and Addi, don't make the same mistakes as me. Read the friends and the New Eras every month, the simple doctrines will remind you of who you really are and what you stand for. Listen to the EFY music so you can have the spirit and be a standard and role model for your friends. They let the worldly influences blind and disguise you from what really important. I'm trying to work extra hard and be extra faithful to make up fro my lost time. We just need to step towards him and he will bless us more than we sacrifice. It doesn't matter how long you've waited or sinned, Heavenly Father and Mother rejoice with even the smallest step towards them. Remember it's not the speed, it's the direction you step that really matters. Improve one thing at a time and your live will be molded by the same hand that created you.  

I really loved the ponderizing talk by Devin G Darrant and I did it this week for our family scripture. The scripture dad chose was perfect with one of my problems I'm working on as a Missionary, which is treasuring up in my heart and mind the words of life continually. I read in a talk "Becoming a Consecrated Missionary" By Tad R. Callister ( you should read it, I'm on my second time through already)  But it talks about putting things on the altar of sacrifice, and it talks about putting everything throughout the day to the Lord. A part I liked and wrote in my planner says; "[a Consecrated Missionary] His eye is riveted to this work.He is like a thoroughbred horse with his blinders on. He races ahead, seeing only track and finish." But it's so hard to keep my thoughts focused and centered on Christ. As we are walking my mind will start to wander and I will think about family, hunting, friends, memories, etc. And I have to push those thoughts out repeatedly throughout the day. But I never I will get better at this the longer I'm out, like Quentin L. Cook said, "Self control is a muscle, the more you use it, the stronger it gets." 

Thanks so much for being such an awesome family. Mom, Elder Holland couldn't have said it any better, I owe my whole life to you, and I know I've caused you stress and pain on countless occasions, I thank you for everything you taught and done for me. And Paps, I thank you for being so in tune with the spirit. Your motivation at the end of each of your letter always fits perfectly for what I'm struggling with and what I need to hear that week, "You must have been a missionary once too." 

I Have so much to work on and improve. But even though I am a thick and hard clay, Our Potter, is patient and will continue to shape my life into the one it needs to be. 

Mahal Kita 

Elder Nielsen 

Down goes Elder Nielsen..‏

First of all, SORRY CARLY, I forgot to say Happy Birthday to you! I even had it marked in my planner! So HAPPY BIRTHDAY CARLY. Secondly, Mosiah 3:19 is my favorite scripture. And not yet mother, but I told my companion and he said we will try it. And ERIN is ENGAGED?! Whaaaaaaat?! Sorry Am Bam.. Try to catch her bouquet at the wedding I guess ;) 

We had another good week this week. We received a referral from a member in our ward this week who wanted us to teach her friend's family. They are the Paraiso family. This family attended our Ward Family Home Evening a week or two earlier. The member was able to be present when we taught the family  this week. The lessons went very well. It was very effective and helpful having that fellow-shipper there in the lessons. She was able to explain some principles more clearly to her friend than we were able to do. It made me realize how crucial a role the fellow-shippers play in the lessons because us as missionaries don't know these investigators lives who we are teaching. But this friend has known these people for a long time and knows all their beliefs, concerns, problems, ect. so she was able to explain the principles in a way she knew they would understand. The fellow-shipper was a RM so she knew how to teach the doctrine to her friend. The family attended church this Sunday and they have been keeping all their reading commitments, so we are excited to work with them more this week. 

We were also able to teach one of recent converts about family history work. He is an elderly man named Arnold Delfin, who is retired so we figured we could teach him and get him started on family history. After our lesson, we left him a My Family Booklet and committed him to try to fill it out as much as he could. Our next visit to our amazement, he filled out practically the whole book! We want to bring him down to the family history room at the church and get him started on it. He truly is such an amazing recent convert. A little background on him, he was baptized my first week here. He's read the whole Book of Moron and Doctrine and covenants and now is rereading them. His ward calling is an "usher" so he just welcomes people at church. So church starts at 8:30, he gets there at 7 a.m in order to organize the hymn books and everything in church. He makes sure he is early so he can greet the people that show up early at 7:30. He is so awesome! 

Besides that everything else has been going well. Our investigators are still coming to church and we are just waiting for after General Conference and stake conference in order to have their baptisms.

So funny story, I had my first mission fall this week.. It was about 8:15 at night and it was raining so hard. I convinced my companion to go to one more lesson. So we got off the jeepnee and it flooding really bad. So my companion runs and jumps on to the sidewalk, so me (being a good trainee and following his example) ran and made the extravagant leap! Except when I landed it wasn't water on the sidewalk, it was mud.. so as you can imagine my feet went out from under me and splat. Wet. Muddy. Elder Nielsen. It must have been quite the sight.. But we still went to the lesson and we committed them to be baptized and they said yes, so there was a positive thing that came out of it ;) 

Sorry the cord for pictures isn't working.. maybe next week. 

Mahal Kita 

Elder Nielsen