Monday, September 26, 2011

The Drake Family of Southaven

The Awesome Drake Family!


September 26, 2011

Hello!

So, yes I got a new companion! His name is Elder Crotts. Elder Crotts was actually one of the first people I met on my mission, he served in west Memphis, Arkansas when I was in Blytheville and we would carpool to meetings when we had to go to Memphis. We call him "Mario Crotts" because he drives like he is in a video game. haha Anyways, he is from Spanish Fork, and a really nice kid. He is an incredible teacher, knows the scriptures really well and I am excited for this transfer to see what we can do.

So we had an interesting week. We didn't teach a whole lot because of the transfer, but got out and worked hard. On Saturday night we didn't have any new investigators for the entire week, so we went out contacting. We kept praying to find someone and we saw a family out on the porch, so we went over and talked to them and this lady named Betty said she had always wanted to read the Book of Mormon, so we gave her one and invited her to church. She was so excited to come so we set her up a ride and she came and loved it! Only thing was, we didn't go because Elder Crotts had an allergic reaction to something we ate the night before, so we spent most of the day in the apartment. It's all good though...

Crystal is still doin well. We should be meeting with her tomorrow. She was at church yesterday and is still going strong and planning to be baptized on the 8th. We are excited for it.

Not much else going on in the South... Hopefully a little more excitement to report on next week...

Love yall
Elder Nelson

PS. Can you please send me the new special edition of the Ensign, the gold one with 3 Nephi on the cover...

Sept 21, 2011 Goodbye Elder Zendejas...

Goodbye Elder Z, it's been real!

Monday, September 19, 2011

Keith, our newest convert!

Elder Nelson and Keith


Elder Nelson in Southaven, MS


September 19, 2011 Stayin in Southaven...

Hello family,

Well...We had a baptism... So, on Thursday night we went by to see Crystal and Keith to make sure they were ready for their baptism and everything. I was able to give both of them copies of the BOM from the kids in the ward (that you sent me). Elder Zendejas and I added our testimonies to them as well. They loved them and we got to tell them about the different activities that YM and YW do, like Youth conference, and Crystal was so excited for her daughter to be old enough to go. So, we left Thursday and everything was cool. On Friday, we went and filled the font and everyone came, about 5 minutes before neither one of them were there and we were stressin out a bit, then Keith came through the door. A couple minutes later Crystal calls and says she won't be coming, having a family crisis...so we had Keith's baptism and it was awesome. Brother Payne, a convert of about 3 years, a stud, gave the talk and he talked about all the churches he visited and how he finally found the one with all the answers and all of the truth, and how much it had changed his life, which was cool because that was exactly what Keith's life has been, and after Keith bore his testimony to us about exactly that. It was awesome. We saw Crystal after, and she still wants to be baptized so we are going to reschedule her date tomorrow when we see her.

So, we got transfer calls this morning and Elder Zendejas is heading out, so I will be getting a new companion. I'm excited, I just hope he likes to work. It can be hard to get out and work hard when you don't have a companion that is willing to. But if he is, we are going to have all kinds of success in Southaven.
It is funny, I was talking to Elder Lisch this morning and he was talking about how before a couple months ago, Southaven was known as being one of the dead areas in the mission, and that baptisms just didn't happen here. I am really happy that we have been able to do some good stuff here and hope it continues. The mission goal is to have every missionary companionship baptize every month, so we can't be the weak link. haha

So, answers to your questions...
Yes, I did recieve mom's package, thank you very much:)
The weather has been great all week until today, it is pouring... bummer, disc golf is hard in the rain! We have been getting out on the bikes quite a bit lately. With it being so nice out, we don't want to waste the weather being in the car when we don't have to be.

This week is going to be a good one...keep us in your prayers.
I love you guys,
Love, Elder Nelson

Monday, September 12, 2011

Southaven, Mississippi




September 12, 2011

Hey Family!

I had an interesting week. On Tuesday afternoon we got a call from the President telling us that two Spanish speaking Elders were coming to live with us for the week. One of them, Elder Scott, just had surgery and couldn't stay at their apartment because the water was bad, so they came to stay. Elder Zendejas got sick, so Elder Clouse and I went out every day and were able to meet some cool people. We met this guy named Mr. Smith, who 10 years ago was wheelchair bound, then one day he prayed that he could walk and he stood up and walked. Before he was stuck in the wheelchair he was a walking postman, so that day he went back in and got his job back. He was a really cool dude. We also went up to Memphis and went contacting one day and it was pretty fun, I had forgotten how much I had missed the people of Memphis. We also had some guy up there get in our face and start throwing up gang signs and telling us to get out of his neighborhood. haha It was pretty awesome, I just asked him if I could give him a pass along card.

Yesterday, we were asked to go into primary and talk about how being a missionary has blessed us. It was pretty fun, the kids had all kinds of questions. One asked why sister missionaries had to wait to go on their mission until they were 21 haha had to avoid the real answer to that one.

Crystal and Keith should be getting baptized this friday. We are pretty stoked, but Amy isn't quite ready, so we are going to keep working with her. Also, yesterday the ward added 4 new ward missionaries as well as an assistant ward mission leader. We are pretty pumped to have some more ward missionaries... Get the work on a roll!!!

I have a new quote I love now. It is from the John Tanner story. "No man putting his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God".

Answers to your questions mom, The Elder with the bug is Elder Lisch, and the bug is a butterfly. I have taken pictures at a bunch of lakes, one is Horn Lake, and one is Coro Lake.
Desoto memorial gardens is a funeral home and cemetery here. haha, just had a cool lake, so we took pictures. The rock wall surrounds Graceland in Memphis.

I love you guys, thanks for everything!!!

Love Elder Nelson

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

We are so proud!!!

After reading this weeks e-mail, our hearts are full and we feel so very proud of our cute missionary! We just love that he loves his mission and the people of the South. We are grateful for his spirit, his caring heart and what he is learning and "Becoming"... It is a wonderful blessing to have our son serving in the Kingdom!!!

September 6, 2011

Hey!

Sorry I didn't e-mail yesterday, libraries were closed...
Anywho, this week was awesome. We set a date with one of Crystal and Keith's neighbors named Amy. She is 18 and a pretty cool girl. She is supposed to get baptized on the 17th as well. We also set a date with the Soto kids. They are a less active family in the ward who have two kids who haven't been baptized. They are getting baptized conference weekend! We are pretty excited about it.

So, we just got back from Zone Conference, and as part of zone meeting we all shared what we loved about being a missionary. Some were pretty funny and others just awesome. We also had a "who has had the most awkward moment" contest, which was really fun. It was cool though to just remember all the great moments and remembering the things I love. I love all of the different cultures I have been apart of, and getting to know people from all walks of life and realizing how amazing they all are. We all agreed that the tiny roll we play in someone receiving the gospel is so rewarding when you see their lives begin to change. I just love being a missionary.

I am running out of computer time, but I love you guys!!!
hope all is well.
Love, Elder Nelson