Hey mom, how are you?
As of right now I am waiting in the mission office with Elder Glazier waiting for people to get here so they let us get on the computers. Just letting you know that I am great and that I will probably not have a chance to email tomorrow (we are going to be at a lemur park about three hours from Tana) but hey I will be home in a few days so its ok! Love you all, see you on Thursday!
Sunday, July 31, 2016
Monday, July 25, 2016
Time just flies
Hey everyone, this week has just flown by and I am just stunned by that. The area, investigators, and recent converts are just doing great and I am just ready to end the mission hard, as my brother said just go "super saiyan".
We had a great lesson with Roger this past Tuesday which is good, especially as it was my last one with him, he went up to Tamatave the day after our lesson. I am a bit sad that I cn't see him again but the lesson on the Book of Mormon and the encouragement to continue learning and attend church in Tamatave was well worth it.
I got to head out with Elder Monsen to his area for baptisimal interviews and went to an area called Amalavato which was in ambala be (the dialect here for ambanivohitra). All of the people past and one woman named Vonjy was so happy that when we left her house she started chearing and waving her arms back and forth, it was way awesome.
Then this past Sunday I had the chance to say my last words to the members here in Fianarantsoa as I am heading up to Tana this Friday. I shared Alma 37:37 on the concept of prayer, something that has taken enourmous importance to me over my mission. I just want to say to everyone that no matter where we are whether it be in some foreign country or back at home God still hears our prayers and if we take the time to talk with Him, and discuss what to do, then we get so much in return.
I love this gospel and the chance that I have had to serve. These last few days won't know what hit them,
Elder Nelson
We had a great lesson with Roger this past Tuesday which is good, especially as it was my last one with him, he went up to Tamatave the day after our lesson. I am a bit sad that I cn't see him again but the lesson on the Book of Mormon and the encouragement to continue learning and attend church in Tamatave was well worth it.
I got to head out with Elder Monsen to his area for baptisimal interviews and went to an area called Amalavato which was in ambala be (the dialect here for ambanivohitra). All of the people past and one woman named Vonjy was so happy that when we left her house she started chearing and waving her arms back and forth, it was way awesome.
Then this past Sunday I had the chance to say my last words to the members here in Fianarantsoa as I am heading up to Tana this Friday. I shared Alma 37:37 on the concept of prayer, something that has taken enourmous importance to me over my mission. I just want to say to everyone that no matter where we are whether it be in some foreign country or back at home God still hears our prayers and if we take the time to talk with Him, and discuss what to do, then we get so much in return.
I love this gospel and the chance that I have had to serve. These last few days won't know what hit them,
Elder Nelson
Monday, July 18, 2016
Birthdays and Sick Days
Hey everyone, our week was just all over the place. We had some great times and lessons but we sorta hit a small little nose dive as Elder Bowen got a little sick but I will tell that in just a sec.
This week we had President Foote over for interviews! It was great to have him come and just talk for a while. We chatted for a while and just discussed things for after the mission and advice that I could use to continue progressing while at home.
That next day we wake up and Elder Bowen is sick and having very bad diarrea. He was still planning on heading out (great guy) but anyone could see that he wasn't doing to good so we agreed that we would head out for a bit, teach Pierrot and some piano for a member that is learning and then get back to the house to rest. It is a good thing that we did as even during the lesson with Pierrot he wasn't doing to good but he was a baller and pushed through along witht the piano lesson.
The next morning he is still not doing good so we ended up staying home and Elder Bowen probably slept for a total of 12 hours that day and still slept through the night, the man was way exhausted. I kept myself busy with studies, a small nap, cleaning the kitchen/ washing all of the dishes, some gospel movies, and making bread. By the end though I was tired of being in the house, it was just way lonely and not much to do.
But on Sunday Elder Bowen was all good so we were able to head to church and also attend some birthday celebrations that the South African family put on for Elder Bowen and Monsen! It was so nice of them to do that, they did a bar-b-que for us along with a giant cake! The food was delicious and so filling, it was way nice. Unfortunetely though I don't think all of the sugar and such sat well with me (I'm just not used to it anymore) I was not feeling to good at the end of the day but it was all worth it.
So not much this week as we were dealing with sickness but it was still great and we have an even better one coming up, see you all later!
Elder Nelson
This week we had President Foote over for interviews! It was great to have him come and just talk for a while. We chatted for a while and just discussed things for after the mission and advice that I could use to continue progressing while at home.
That next day we wake up and Elder Bowen is sick and having very bad diarrea. He was still planning on heading out (great guy) but anyone could see that he wasn't doing to good so we agreed that we would head out for a bit, teach Pierrot and some piano for a member that is learning and then get back to the house to rest. It is a good thing that we did as even during the lesson with Pierrot he wasn't doing to good but he was a baller and pushed through along witht the piano lesson.
The next morning he is still not doing good so we ended up staying home and Elder Bowen probably slept for a total of 12 hours that day and still slept through the night, the man was way exhausted. I kept myself busy with studies, a small nap, cleaning the kitchen/ washing all of the dishes, some gospel movies, and making bread. By the end though I was tired of being in the house, it was just way lonely and not much to do.
But on Sunday Elder Bowen was all good so we were able to head to church and also attend some birthday celebrations that the South African family put on for Elder Bowen and Monsen! It was so nice of them to do that, they did a bar-b-que for us along with a giant cake! The food was delicious and so filling, it was way nice. Unfortunetely though I don't think all of the sugar and such sat well with me (I'm just not used to it anymore) I was not feeling to good at the end of the day but it was all worth it.
So not much this week as we were dealing with sickness but it was still great and we have an even better one coming up, see you all later!
Elder Nelson
Monday, July 11, 2016
We got a home cooked meal with South Africans!!!
Hey everyone!!! I had a great time reading your emails and you all seem to be doing way good which is just awesome. As you can see the highlight of the week was a visit with a family from South Africa and wow it was great but more of that later.
Roger continues to be amazing. We managed to visit him twice this week and he is just progressing so well. We came to his door one time and as he had windows in his door we saw him sitting at his table studying the pamphlets that we gave him, it was so cool to see. Probably that biggest/ most amazing thing that he did was that he finally agreed to pray during a lesson. At the end of every lesson we always invite him to pray but denies it, saying that he will do it next time. During one of our lessons we sit down and has this big grin on his face and straight away said that he would be giving the opening prayer. We bow our heads and he gives such a nice prayer, I was so proud of him at that point.
We had a very interesting experience this week while tracting. We find this young man as we are out and seems to be completely open and super friendly so he invites us into his house. Both Elder Bowen and I feel that we need to learn about Joseph Smith as soon as possible. We got to a point where we left the young man homework to read about Joseph Smith and we set up a return appointment for the next day.
We return and we are trying our hardest to follow the Spirit and I felt it so strongly in that lesson. There was a point where I was able to bear my testimony and I nearly cried because the Spirit was so strong and I knew that this young man felt it as well. Here is what made this interesting, as we tried to set a return time again the young man decided that he did not want us to return. We may ask "why didn't he want to learn again? The spirit was there". This reminded me of an important truth; the Spirit can take the message unto the heart but we cannot force it in. This story with the young man was a good reminder on that.
Lastly we had a dinner with a family from South Africa last Sunday night! Apparently they always have the missionaries over but lost contact until Elder Bowen and I ran into them at the store. We get to their house and it literally felt like another world, I was not in Madagascar anymore. Our meal was delicious (completely vegetarian) with dessert of home made ice cream and cake. I literally needed to take a small moment when I tasted the ice cream, it was that good.
We asked them why they always have the elders over for dinner, the mother says "I just know what it is like for your mothers, having you in a foreign land eating weird food and I know how nice it would be for me if I knew that someone was taking care of my son" (that ones for you mom). We had an amazing time at their house, they are probably some of the kindest people that I have ever met.
That's about it, great week but I hope everyone has a great one in coming!
Elder Nelson
Roger continues to be amazing. We managed to visit him twice this week and he is just progressing so well. We came to his door one time and as he had windows in his door we saw him sitting at his table studying the pamphlets that we gave him, it was so cool to see. Probably that biggest/ most amazing thing that he did was that he finally agreed to pray during a lesson. At the end of every lesson we always invite him to pray but denies it, saying that he will do it next time. During one of our lessons we sit down and has this big grin on his face and straight away said that he would be giving the opening prayer. We bow our heads and he gives such a nice prayer, I was so proud of him at that point.
We had a very interesting experience this week while tracting. We find this young man as we are out and seems to be completely open and super friendly so he invites us into his house. Both Elder Bowen and I feel that we need to learn about Joseph Smith as soon as possible. We got to a point where we left the young man homework to read about Joseph Smith and we set up a return appointment for the next day.
We return and we are trying our hardest to follow the Spirit and I felt it so strongly in that lesson. There was a point where I was able to bear my testimony and I nearly cried because the Spirit was so strong and I knew that this young man felt it as well. Here is what made this interesting, as we tried to set a return time again the young man decided that he did not want us to return. We may ask "why didn't he want to learn again? The spirit was there". This reminded me of an important truth; the Spirit can take the message unto the heart but we cannot force it in. This story with the young man was a good reminder on that.
Lastly we had a dinner with a family from South Africa last Sunday night! Apparently they always have the missionaries over but lost contact until Elder Bowen and I ran into them at the store. We get to their house and it literally felt like another world, I was not in Madagascar anymore. Our meal was delicious (completely vegetarian) with dessert of home made ice cream and cake. I literally needed to take a small moment when I tasted the ice cream, it was that good.
We asked them why they always have the elders over for dinner, the mother says "I just know what it is like for your mothers, having you in a foreign land eating weird food and I know how nice it would be for me if I knew that someone was taking care of my son" (that ones for you mom). We had an amazing time at their house, they are probably some of the kindest people that I have ever met.
That's about it, great week but I hope everyone has a great one in coming!
Elder Nelson
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)