God People

Hey Y'all!

This week has truly been amazing! It was Hermana Segura's last week, and we were definitely blessed. We are fixing to send Hermana Segura home tomorrow! I am going to miss her so much. She has been the companion I have had the longest. We have been through a lot together. I love her so much! I will be sad to see her go, but I'm going forward!

Transfers are tommorow! I am staying in Buena Vista, and I am getting a new companion! Her name is Hermana Ortiz. She is from the Dominican Republic and that's all I know about her! I am excited to meet her and for what this next transfer will
bring!

We have been looking for service opportunities, trying to follow the examples Of the missionaries from the Book of Mormon. We got the opportunity to pay service to our investigator S-----! We helped a member cook up a meal and take it over and helped him with a couple of other things. It was a wonderful experience and being with him and his kids was such a special moment. I love that family.

We also started teaching a man named J-- and his 9 year old son. The 9 year old is really so funny. We extended a commitment to them and the son accepted whole heartedly and the dad kind of soft accepted it. And the son said to his dad,"Dad, don't say you will do it if you really aren't going to do it, because if you lie to the God people, you lie to God!" So we testified that what the son said was true and that these things we asked him to do come from God.

Another fun experience came as we were contacting a new investigator we had lost touch with. We went to his house and knocked on his door. His wife and his "father" who was visiting from out of town invited us in. They said, we were just about to read the Bible. It ended up being a very different experience, and I became a little more acquainted with what people mean when they talk about speaking in tongues. But in the end they were very open, and we will go back to teach them once the father of their Christian church leaves.

Another highlight of this week was when I surprised my companion by Skyping her into the baptism of her special friend in Mexico. I'm not sure if there is a language proficiency level in Spanish that is called "planned a secret baptism broadcast between members and people who live in Mexico and don't speak any English" but if there is, I reached that level this week! It was awesome!

Some other sweet experiences from this week -- Two people came to church who had never come before! Yesterday, we also had some great lessons, and we got to teach and help two people to pray who had never prayed before! It touched my heart. Isn't being a missionary the best?!

Hope y'all had a good one!
Hermana Nielson

P.S. The death of Hermana Segura. Going to miss her.

P.P.S. The baptism of Brandon, live from Mexico.

P.P.P.S. District basketball P-Day

Semana Santa

Oiga!

This week was a big week for Spanish people. We celebrate Easter one day; they celebrate it the whole week. It was pretty low key here , but it was cool.

We had Zone Conference this week. We talked about how we can get grit. The power to keep going when things are hard. He expanded about how Our hope in Jesus Christ helps us maintain our grit, and with grit how we can achieve success. It's the power to never give up. It was also awesome because Hermana Segura and Hermana Elliot gave their departing testimonies (my longest companion and my trainer). It will be sad to see them go. We also are really busy today preparing Hermana Segura to leave in a little more than a week back to Mexico. Transfer calls come in this weekend!

We were blessed with miracles on Easter. We had two amazing lesson with two investigators who have kind of been floundering. The lessons set them entirely back on track in their progression. I have a testimony that the right fellowshipper makes all the difference. We learned this yesterday with our investigator S-----. We have taken lots of members with us.  He is passing through a rough time right now. All our members have been so kind, offering to help. They always say this phrase,"Let us know if there is anything we can do to help." Some even gave him their numbers. But really he won't call them because he is shy. A different member came with us
yesterday, saw his situation, and she had passed through a time almost exactly the same as his and was able to understand what he really needs. She jumped right in and made plans to help. He was touched. That is not something me and my companion would've ever thought of or could've done. Members are the BEST.

Hope you all had a great Easter!
Con amor,
Hermana Nielson

P.S. - Zone conference with my "mission family" and Hna Segura

P.P.S. A big highlight of this week is that we went to a member run Mexican rodeo! Hispanics galore!!!!

P.P.P.S. My companion wanted to take cute typical sister missionary pictures, and it went really good until I rebelled and started re-enacting the civil war!

I'm Not from Mexico

Mis queridos!

This week was pretty great! We had some pretty great lessons! We also have been doing a lot of finding. We tried a lot of creative attempts. Some of my favorites are yard sale finding, Hispanic store finding, Walmart, tracting, and showing everyone who will watch the new Easter video. #principedepaz It has been really fun! We are seeking out the elect wherever they might be!

We have been blessed this week. A man called us and invited himself to come to church and to start meeting with us which was a huge blessing! We also had several people come to church which was awesome! My companion got a little sick and had to stay home. So I got to go on exchanges and teach S----- with the Reyes family! It's was a very interesting to be in a home with 10 fluent Spanish speakers, and they all looked for me to teach them about the gospel. It was humbling.

I was reading the Spanish Book of Mormon the other day, and I read this: Alma 25:16 - "Now they did not suppose that salvation came by the law of Moses; but the law of Moses did serve to strengthen their faith in Christ; and thus they did retain a hope through faith, unto eternal salvation." It made me think about this other quote "A religion that does not require true sacrifice of all things never has power sufficient  to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation."

Hope y'all have a great week!
Dios les bendiga!

Hermana Nielson

P.S. Zone Meeting

P.P.S Wildflowers everywhere! (Dad Note: So she sent a picture of her holding a key!)

By Mine Own Voice or By the Voice of My Servants, It Is the Same

This week was pretty exciting! We had some pretty great lessons with our investigators.

One evening we tried to find a new investigator we hadn't been able to get into contact with. When we got to the address we had, we discovered it was wrong, so we decided to knock around a bunch of houses looking for the right one. We didn't find our contact, but as we were walking away, we felt to knock on this other door that was a little out of the way, but we did anyway. We were greeted by a lady who wasn't interested, but we asked her if she knew our contact. Lo and behold, he was at her house visiting at the time. So we got to meet him, asked for his correct address, and set an appointment for the next day!

Other highlights of this week:
- We found out what it is truly like to bike 10 miles for an appointment.
- Presidente came with us to a lesson with G------.
- We had a branch potluck between conference sessions.
- GENERAL CONFERENCE - okay so it was awesome! We got to hear so many inspired thing that I feel just help us to grow more and more as we apply them in our lives. Because of the branch I'm in and the companion I have, I got the chance to watch so much of General Conference in Spanish. That was a different experience. I could understand most of it, but I preferred when the people translated their own talks themselves! I love hearing the prophets speak to us.

Loved this quote by Jeffery R. Holland: Come as you are, but don't expect to stay as you are. The gospel makes us better. We were never meant to stay the same.

I love this work!
Con amor
Hermana Nielson

P.S. Chile covered gummy worms

P.P.S. Next door neighbor- Sister Walker