Oh My My My!

Well, this week has been pretty wild! We got transfer calls! Here's the dealio - after a wonderful 7 months in Bowling Green, I am getting transferred! Now here's where it gets really crazy! I am headed to Paducah, Kentucky! Plot twist - to once again speak English and serve as a Sister Training Leader. My new companions name is Sister M--------, and that's all I know about her. Needless to say, this transfer is going to be an adventure!

I am really sad to leave Bowling Green, It will always have a huge place in my heart! On the other hand, I am really excited to move on and serve wherever the Lord needs me! Don't have a lot time to email because we have a million things to do before tomorrow!

This week was an awesome week in Bowling Green! We found 8 new investigators, which is a miracle in and of itself! We had some truly amazing lessons. There are people who are searching in part of the world! One of the big successes this week is that we had a hugely successful group "noche de hogar" (FHE) in the house of a less active family! We casually mentioned to several people to bring something to share cause it was potluck. We were a little worried as potlucks can be sketchy, but we had more than enough food for about 50 people who showed up! Lesson learned: Latin potlucks don't disappoint. The theme was Jesus Christ, and it was a wonderful!

Another highlight this week is that we had a worldwide missionary broadcast! They changed up a lot with our schedule and key indicators and we have a lot more freedom/agency! Our mission had already been living the changes for a while so it wasn't anything too crazy!

Sacrament Meeting was amazing yesterday. A convert to the church spoke of his long conversion story, and he talked about how he learned one truth from the Book of Mormon that has changed his whole approach to the gospel. He quoted in Alma 41:10, "Wickedness never was happiness." It made me think about one of my favorite conference talks by Neal A. Maxwell. It says, "Only by aligning our wills with God’s is full happiness to be found. Anything less results in a lesser portion."

I hope y'all have a great week, I'm going to brush up on my southern talk!

Con amor!
Hermana Nielson

P.S - Elder Judd done died on us

- the Recinos are in BG again

-the Gonzalez family

-the Javier's

-sociedad de socorro bg 1 Spanish group ladies

Clarity

Wow, this week was a whirlwind! Just let me catch my breath real fast. We went to Nashville today, so I don't have a lot of time to email, but I'll give some quick highlights!

We volunteered at the international center again this week. It's so fun to mix with the other cultures. I learned some basic Somali, like "saetahay", which is how you say "how are you?" in Somalian.

We taught a lot of lessons and did a lot of finding. We've been dropped by investigators so much this last week, but it hasn't been too rough because we just see that we can have more time to find the people who need the Lord in this moment. We have been seeing miracles! We have been very busy visiting lots of people. We are planning a big group activity for this Saturday for people to invite their friends to.  We also had exchanges this past week, I went to speak English with the wonderful Sister L------, in my old area. We saw some amazing miracles, taught a cool girl from Kenya, did lots of finding, even ventured out far into the country side. It's always fun to mix things up, and at one of our lessons, I held a real, live chameleon! Fun fact: They really don't change colors like I always thought.

Sadly none of our investigators came to church because church was canceled this week because a water pipe broke and there was no water. The members were redirected to other church buildings in other towns, but as the missionaries in Bowling Green cannot leave, we received permission to hold our own sacrament meeting. It was something I don't think I will ever forget.  Twelve missionaries having a humble sacrament meeting in a home gave it quite a different feeling than usual. The sacrament was quite reverent and powerful. Then we each took a opportunity to share our testimony, The Spirit was strong. The Spirit testified that the Lord loved each person in that room and worked so many different experiences for us all to be there that day.

Today, we went down to Nashville and met with a couple other missionaries including Hermana S-----. We saw a few cute sites. Don't have a lot of time, but I want to tell y'all that I know the church is true, that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. I know if we follow it's precepts we can live with our families and with God forever. I know this is a true work and feel honored for the opportunity to be here.

Also transfers are this week.... I'll keep you posted!

Hope y'all had a good week! Love y'all!

Con amor,
Hermana Nielson

P.S.- I believe in Nashville

We trying to be models

Chameleons tickle

1 Year

So something crazy happened this week! I hit my year mark!! Ya when did this happen, I'm not really sure.... It has been a crazy year! I have loved every minute of it and really learned so many things and seen so many miracle!

Bowling Green is doing amazing as always!

O---, the man that we found last week, is progressing SO MUCH!! We are only able to see him Saturday's because of his work, but we texted him during the week and asked how his Book of Mormon reading was going. He told us that he has been reading every single night before bed and that he likes to read a little at a time and then meditate. So then we went and saw him again on Saturday and brought one of our members with us! We asked him what he had learned from the Book of Mormon! And also, HE CAME TO CHURCH YESTERDAY!!! It was so wonderful. When we invited him on Saturday, he told us no because he didn't have the right clothes, he didn't have a ride, and he didn't feel like he was prepared. But our awesome member helped him fix all those problems, and then he came to church yesterday! Our members were so awesome and helped him feel so welcomed and helped him through the whole meeting. The lessons yesterday were also perfect because it was about the Restoration and he understood all of it! I am so excited to meet with him again this week!

We were also tracting last weekend, and it was almost time to go home, but we decided to try one more door. We knocked and it was a guy that was from El Salvador! We were able to talk to him and give him a Restoration pamphlet and set up a return appointment! When we went back this past week for our appointment, we brought an English member and we go in, and our member starts playing with his two little girls so that he is able to focus and listen to the lesson. Our member also gave the best responses to our questions and the Spirit was so strong. After we told him the first vision, he was really silent and then said, "Wow, I am trying to imagine what that would've been like." So awesome! He then said the closing prayer and did such an awesome job. We have another appointment with him this week!

We had Zone Meeting this past week and it was so awesome!!

So last Monday was kind of crazy! An elderly man in our ward has been wanting the missionaries to come to his living center for a while and present the gospel to a group of Presbyterian ladies that meet there. So we went and did that last Monday! We talked to them about the church and then they just asked us a lot of questions. It was pretty interesting and cool! Many of them had met with missionaries before.  One of the ladies met with missionaries like 65 years ago, but she is 98 now. The old man from our ward feels like they could be ready to receive the gospel now, so it just goes to show every day is different. Then afterward they said, "You have to come to lunch with us! We will pay!" And so we couldn't say no! Haha! So we went down to the living centers cafeteria and ate with all these elderly ladies and it was actually pretty fun! We had a good time with them.

We were also able to do a lot of service this week! We signed up to volunteered at the Humane Society, so we went and spent some time there and walked a bunch of cute dogs! I loved it. I just love dogs so it was the perfect service!  And we also went to this senior center and helped the people play bingo! Haha! It was so fun!!

We had a really spiritual sacrament meeting this week, We got to take the sacrament and one of the speakers shared a story about the wife of Marion G. Romney. He said, "The idea of becoming better isn't about digging in our heels and gritting our teeth and doing better, because we can't do it alone." I have reflected on this. I also have been playing scripture detective and really trying to understand the message God has for me in the scriptures. I have spent some time focused on Ether 12:27, really trying to take that, understand that, and apply that. I think if anything I learned this week is just how much I really depend on my Father in Heaven. I want to testify that prayer works and that Lord's hand is always in our lives if we look for it!

Hope y'all's week was great!

Con mucho Amor,
Hermana Nielson

P.S, Pictures -- I got to hold a hedgehog... ouch!

Freezing Cold!

Hola Y'all! 

I hope y'all have had such an awesome week!! Hope y'all haven't broken your New Years resolutions yet! Life here in Kentucky is so much fun and so amazing always! 

We were able to get in contact with Y--------, our investigator with a baptismal date, but she is really struggling right now because she still isn't able to get her green card so she isn't able to work. Her husband lost his job as well, so she is feeling really discouraged. We asked her how her reading has been in the Book of Mormon, and she told us that she hasn't been reading at all, so we talked about how when we put God first that everything else is able to be solved over time. So we promised her that if she would read the Book of Mormon everyday and would pray everyday that things would resolve. It was such a powerful lesson and I hope that she takes that promise to heart! 

We were also able to have a lesson with W--------, and we taught him the Word of Wisdom! The only thing he was doing was he was drinking coffee every so often, but he really understood why he shouldn't drink it. So he was willing to give it up! We are so excited for him! The next step is trying to get him to come to church!! 

So. Something super amazing happened this week. We left one day and went to try to speak to a few people and none of them would answer. So we decided to walk to another area, and on our way there, there was a lady outside, and we couldn't tell if she was Hispanic or not, but we decided to not ignore those people that God has put in our path. So we went up to her and found out that she was from El Salvador! We talked to her for a bit, and later she told us to go talk to her upstairs neighbor because she knew she would love our message. So we went up and talked to him. We shared Alma 7:10-12 with him and talked about how through Jesus Christ we can be strengthened. Then this man, Oscar, told us that that morning he had been praying that he would find the Word of God and that we showed up. He was almost crying he was so overwhelmed. It was amazing. And so we gave him the Restoration pamphlet and set up a time with him for Saturday. And when we went back, he had read the whole pamphlet and had so many awesome questions. He is so prepared. Sadly, he didn't come to church yesterday, but he committed to come next week! 

So many amazing things happened this week! First, we had Zone Conference and interviews! I love having those because I learn so much about how I can become a better missionary. But that Zone Conference was seriously so amazing, and I felt the Spirit so strong and really learned by the Spirit. I really loved the message on how to best follow the Spirit when we teach, and understand when the Spirit is there and not to rush it. We also can do better following the Spirit in everything! Also, Fun Fact. We won the golden hubcap award! Which means we cleaned our car super good! So proud. 

It snowed about 1 inch here at the most, and the next day schools were cancelled and everything just shut down. It was hilarious! It made me laugh because I heard they got so much snow in Utah and didn't cancel school!

We also had the opportunity to go to Nashville and hear Sister Reeves talk! She is the second counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency. She is amazing. In the beginning she talked a lot about conversion stories, and it just pumped me up to be a missionary! She also quoted a talk by Elder Holland about how we all have our own personal Liberty jails, and how we are never alone. It was so awesome. And then, Elder Gillenwater, from the Seventy, came and talked to us afterward. What he said that I loved the most was to "Gain a Testimony of Yourself." And to do that, apply Moroni 10:3-5. I loved that. So amazing. And bonus! I got to see my old companions! It was so amazing. Yay!!! 

Well. That's about my week! I love you all so much!!! Thank you for all the support and love!!! I know this church is true with all my heart! Never pass an opportunity to share the gospel!!!

Love, 
Hermana Nielson

P.S. MADIZONE

P.P.S. Sister Reeves

Bowling in Bowling Green 🎳

Happy New Year, everybody! Feliz Año Nuevo!

Oh man it's 2017! I feel like it just turned to 2016.... I have been on my mission almost all the days of 2016. It has been a crazy year! So many miracles and learning experiences, 2016 will be a year I never forget! I am going to work to make 2017 just as good!

We had a pretty great week! My companion got pretty sick, so we spent a lot of time in doctors. I got a lot of good studies in! W--------, our progressing investigator, all of a sudden this past week just disappeared. We tried calling him and texting him and there was be no response. We stopped by his house almost every single day, but he was never home. So we went to try one last time yesterday, and he was there! So we were able to talk to him and so we asked him where he had been, and he told us. He has been in jail. This entire week he has been in jail. So what happened was his friend was drunk and he was going to drive home, so W-------- told him that he would drive him, but then he sped, and a cop pulled him over, and the car wasn't registered and there were other problems having to do with the car, so they arrested him. It was hard to know what to say to him, but we just made sure he was okay, and we are going back tonight to have a lesson with him.

We also have been having a lot of less active work! One of our less actives has made a New Year's resolution to read the whole Book of Mormon! It would definitely bless her life, and we are doing everything we can to help her!

Sadly, we weren't able to see Y------- this week. She is our investigator with a baptismal date. She has been in Louisville all week trying to get some things sorted out with a working permit or citizenship or something like that. But once she comes back this week, we will start teaching her again!

E------ is doing SO AWESOME!! He is really good at keeping his commitments! Well, except coming to church. It seems that when Hispanics party, they really party and can't make it out to church! It's also a little difficult getting appointments with him because he gets called into work so much since he is fluent in both English and Spanish. So we have to make sure that we really utilize that time that we have to talk to him!

*Awkward moment yesterday - I went to take the sacrament and dumped the entire tiny cup of water all over myself and my skirt made it show really bad! I was crazy wet and a lot of kids were laughing cause it looked like I wet my skirt.

This week I really was grateful for my STL's who would, go out on splits with me when my comp was sick, and all the wonderful blessings the Lord has given me this week! I am still loving the work! Hope you all got the chance make some New Year's resolutions, aka repentance. We can have a great year!

Con amor,
Hermana Nielson

P.S. Yes, we went bowling today. Yes, I got the lowest score.

P.S.S. Me and my companion - Sister Prince