March 28, 2011

hey yall!!! I love missionary work!!! Its official! one of your questions mom, was about the family we are teaching. Well story time. They are the Rogers. We found them a couple months ago, taught them, one daughter was interested. Well last week the daughter and 2 of her sisters came to church, we went to see them after church, talked with her mom and went through our "stop smoking program with her. They are an awesome family of like 10. any ways, last night we went to see them and only Sarah the mom was there. We talked with her for a while, had a great lesson, then she started to tell us that she was "8 days" clean, and she broke down into tears and was just thanking us and thanking God. It was incredible, I shed a tear or two (shh) haha It was one of those "that's why I'm here" moments. answers to your questions: 1) Do you still ride your bikes as much?? we ride quite a bit, when it isn't raining. 2) Your weather looks a lot warmer, has it been nice? The weather has been pretty good. It got up to 82 the other day, but it has been raining the last few. 3) Tell me all about your investigators? the family you are teaching (see above story) haha 4) Still eating yogurt and banana for breakfast? Not anymore, we don't have any yogurt or bananas 5) Did you and elder Adams get my package? we got the package, thank you very much, the cookies had broken open though and exploded when we opened the package haha 6) Are you reading Jesus the Christ, and did you like the Italian leather?? I thought it was beautiful. I loved it, everyone that has seen it has told me that they only make those for employees of the church and it is like impossible to get one. 7) Do you still exercise as much as you did with elder Boice.. how are you feeling? Not a whole lot, I got really sick this week, and they are telling me I have TMJ so ya that isn't good. I'm supposed to ask you for our dental insurance card, so that i can go see a dentist. 8) When are transfers?? Do you think you will hang around Blytheville a little longer? You are doing such a good job! we are all pretty sure I am out of Blytheville, pretty bittersweet feeling, get to see something new finally, but I will miss it and the people a lot. so I gotta run, we are up in Jonesboro, with Boice and Bradshaw. we are going to play some hoops, and risk!! oh and dad! i got to play 9 this morning, I shot like 5 over, wasn't too great haha i love you guys!! love elder nelson

Serving in Blytheville

Walkin the streets of Blytheville...

Our House Guest!

March 21, 2011

hey yall!

Yhis week was pretty awesome. Veronica was baptized, and it was an awesome baptism. We were talking about it with bishop, and about the special spirit that comes with someone from mexico/south america accepting the gospel, because it was their ancestors who are the people in the book of mormon, it was pretty cool. I didnt get any pictures because things were running late, but Elder Adams got a picture of her and her mom, so i will have him print one off for me and send it home, it is pretty funny with them when I teach gospel principles because they both speak spanish and have spanish copies of el libro de mormon,haha and the spanish gp book so they read in spanish when it is their turn, it is pretty funny. Weird thing is that I can somehow understand them when they speak spanish... not very well. but I can understand what they are saying, it is pretty cool.

So we had a bomb week teaching wise, we ended up teaching 25 lessons, which is the most either of us have had on our mission. We were able to find this girl named dajae (daysha) that Elder Boice and I met back in January and hadn't been able to meet again. But we saw her and taught her some more, she started reading the book of mormon every night and then she and her sisters came to church with us yesterday. They asked us to come by last night to talk some more and we met her mom and she is planning on coming with all of her kids. (like 6 of them) haha so we are glad about that. Hopefully we can get them into the font!

We also had an awesome lesson with phillip foster. We were talking about the word of wisdom, and basically I asked him if he would throw away all his cigaretts, ash trays, lighters, and whatnot, he went and got all his stuff and threw the ash trays accross the street and got rid of everything, it was awesome. He didn't show up to church yesterday but we think that he went to the wrong church, because we went to wake him up and he was all ready to go, but never showed up. .. he will eventually though. he wants to get baptized but we have to get him to church...

A few cool stories this week, I got my life threatened twice, it was cool. First story though, some guy came by and asked us if we were from "pimp my ride" it was pretty funny. Then we had some crazy lady come up and start yelling at us. basically she got up in my face and started yelling that she had been "called by god to kill you, I have been called of god to shoot you" it was nuts. I thanked her for preaching to us, and got the freak out of there haha Then we were teaching this other lady and this guy came out and basically started yelling at me. "I'm going to get my gun and shoot you, and lets see if god will forgive me for that..." it was nuts, we actually ended up having a bomb lesson with him though... dont ask me how??

everything is goin well though, my shoes should come today. I love yall. Thank you for all of your support, and prayers.
love elder nelson

ps. Oh, this dude named Doug kissed me on the hand, and kissed Elder Adams on the cheek this week, most action we will get for 2 years. haha very sad!!!

My First Baptism!!!

PUMPED UP FOR BAPTISM!
Elder Nelson, "Jessie" , Elder Adams

First Baptism

March 14, 2011

hello!!!
Yes, we did have a baptism this week, it was pretty sweet. Jessie, (the pics I sent are of him), he would always flex and tell us how "pumped" he was for baptism, so of course I had to get a picture of it... there were only 3 memers of the ward there, it was pretty weak, but oh well, he was still baptized. Hopefully we can get more out next weekend when veronica gets baptized.
Matt had written me and said that he hurt his back and baseball is over for him, he is going to finish out the school year I think and then head to byu, pretty sad stuff. I feel bad for him, but it will all be for the best... maybe he can finally get married haha ( I hope you read this mateo).

answers to your questions.:

1) Did you get my package? yes mother, i did get the package, and thank you very much, girl scout cookies are bomb haha we actually fried a couple of them the other day... it was awesome.
2) Did you get your shoes? what kind are they? I am going to order my shoes today, because all the stores around ran out of my size.
3) Do you have any photo stamps left? I just love them! yes i do
4) Is your other bapt still a go for sat.? veronica's baptism is a go, her interview is on wednesday, and her family is going to have us over for dinner as well, so as long as all goes according to plan she will be baptized this saturday
5) Do you ever see Elder Leavitt? I don't ever see elder Leavitt because he is on the "other side of the river" but we chat it up on the phone every p day. so we talk. I also got a letter from Elder Laursen up in washington this week.
6) Do you get much mail? a little bit. not a whole bunch though
7) Who cuts your hair now that Elder Boice is gone? always looks good... I haven't cut my hair since Elder Boice left, he did it the night before he was transferred but I need another one. I think I am going to try and do it myself in the next couple days
8) Where will you watch conference?? It is coming up, I always love that? I think we will watch conference at the church. maybe at a members. who knows? but ya im pumped for it. I never understood the significance of having the prophet and apostles talk to us, freaking sweet!!!9) How often do you see your Mission Pres? Does he know that you know the gibbons? I see pres maybe once a transfer. I talked to sister drewes this past week at zone conference and she said that they had been talking a little bit and I told her that I knew them.
10) Do you need anything? just prayers : )

Pictures from "The Bly"

Original Picture of the Prophet Joseph Smith...

Two Crazy Elders!!!

March 7, 2011

Yello!

Alright, this week was pretty good. Most of our dates dropped, but it is all good. We have a baptism for Jessie Ottinger this weekend, (he asked me to perform the ordinance!!! (:) we are pumped, and I guess he has been telling everyone he knows at work and everything about it. Sister Ottinger says he doesn't talk about anything else haha it is going to be sweet!

We also went up to Caruthersville, we set a date with a girl named Veronica, her mom and sister were baptized in Memphis a couple months ago and she said she wanted to do it too, so she is getting baptized on the 19th! and she is pumped as well. She called the missionaries down in Memphis to let them know and they said she was pumped, so the next couple weeks should be sweet!

It is crazy to hear about everyone getting their calls. That is so sweet. I'm jealous Jessie is going to DR, but not that jealous, I'm in Bly vegas! haha I taught this week on prayer, it went very well. I was able to get a recent convert to bear her testimony, and by the end basically everyone in the lesson was in tears. It was incredible.

So the picture of the kids on Elder Boices hump day were the Rich children. The pictures I am sending this week are of l) the little hoodlums we balled up with the other day, and then the one of the guy in the picture....get this...an actual photograph of the prophet Joseph Smith....yep.

I e-mailed Robbie and Thomas and got their addresses an heard back from both of them, so I will be writing them. Everything else is goin well... hopefully we have us a baptism this weekend!!! pray for us.

I saw my blog, I cant believe you didn't mention the truck grill on the wall as part of "being a redneck!!" ha ha The PJ's were in the apt. when I got here. haha Elder Boise's comp put them on the first night he was here, e. Boise put them on the first night I was here, so I kept the tradition alive! haha The picture of the t shirt is our mission t shirt, notice the tie going out one window and the book of Mormon being held out the other haha and the license plate.. "alrm" (Arkansas little rock mission)

My new comp is more of a BYU fan but not a fanatic either way. Elder Boise is still our district leader so we see him once a week at least. The BYU news hit hard here, except that Elder Boice was told that it was Jimmer that got booted, so he told me that and I didn't hear otherwise for a few days haha it was pretty crazy. We had a lesson in Priesthood on honor though, and it was all based on that story, it was pretty cool.

We have been reading up on the second coming lately, stuff like Armageddon and Jerusalem having a temple and whatnot... anywho, the other night there was an earthquake, and I was sleeping on the floor so it woke me up and at the same time a car drove by or something and a light came through the windows on the east side of the house and I was absolutely positive (since i was pretty much out of it) that it was the second coming. I was sooo pumped haha but then it all stopped and I went back to sleep. pretty anticlimactic night... funny though

I didn't get my new shoes yet, they ran out of my size, soon though and I will send pic's.

Love to all,

Elder Nelson

Drivin in Arkansas

Are you a Redneck!

If this is the back of your "new" T-shirt, you may be a Redneck!!!

If you drive a car with "Jesus" plates, You might be a Redneck!!!

But, if you wear "camo onsie pj's" and have a truck grill on your wall,

You are DEFINATELY a Redneck!!!!!

February 28, 2011

My new Comp. Elder Adams

yo yo yo family!

This week has basically been the best week of my mission. I was scared to death about taking over the area, but this week we tore it up and I actually feel like I can teach.. we taught 17 "other lessons" which is like double the usual, and set 4 new baptismal dates... pretty sweet stuff.
answers to moms questions:

1) How is your new companion? Name, where from, hard worker?
My comps name is Elder Adams. He is a very hard worker from Springville, Utah, he has only been out 6 months himself so basically they have 2 greenies in Blytheville, but things are going well.
2) How are your investigators? Did the baptism scheduled for last week happen?
The investigators are good, we are supposed to strive for 4 new investigators each week and we actually had 9 this week. We were teaching like hot cakes this week and we also set 4 new dates. Ronnie didn't get baptized this week, we haven't seen him in a couple weeks, hopefully we will be able to this Wednesday when we go to Caruthersville.
3) How about your scheduled ones for February? All of our dates are for march, 2 on the 12th and 4 on the 19th. I'm pumped for this kid we taught on Saturday, his name is Vince, he is going through some crazy stuff, he lives with phillip another baptismal date. Anyways, his mom was Phillips fiance, she left Phillip, and left the kid on his own so phillip took him in. phillip has said that he has been struggling with everything including whether or not there is a God. We went to see Phillip, and he wasn't there, but Vince walked up while we were at the door. I had a strong impression to ask him if we could talk, he had never been interested in talking to us and had tried to stay away, but this time he said yes. We taught him the restoration and it was one of the best lessons I have had on my mission, he opened up to us a little about god. We asked him to pray, and then we asked him to pray about the book of Mormon, he took both challenges and also said he would get baptized. We went back that night to see Phillip and he had already read!! We talked with both of them and they are planning on getting baptized! We just need to get them out to church, it is super hard to get people up in the morning for it.
5) Did you have any tornado's last week? I saw on the news that Arkansas was having a tornado warning? We didn't have any last week, but we may today, the weather last night and right now is ridiculous.
6) Shoes? Are your Ecco's really falling apart? They are supposed to be fabulous shoes. My shoes are kinda falling apart, the soles are coming off, but they still hold out water, so I want to keep them so that I can tract in them when it rains. The new shoes are the coolest ones ever, if i get them i will send you a pic.
7) Are you still cooking at home? We still eat at home, but we have taken advantage of February at subway!! haha

as far as stuff to send me with the calender, could you find me a temple issue of the ensign, and also send me my black Nike golf shirt???

everything else is goin well, me and Elder Adams are killin it!! haha keep praying for us and that our investigators will continue to progress!
i love yall,
love elder nelson