Gratitude is the Attitude

So our District Leader was convinced that last Thursday was Thanksgiving, but I was convinced it was this week... and then we were all just really confused and thought we missed Thanksgiving! I guess that´s what happens when... you live in Peru. But I was happy to hear from your emails that I didn´t miss Thanksgiving! Haha good thing because I wanted to share a few things I am thankful for in honor of the Dia de Gracias:

1. My new toothbrush. My teeth feel so clean

2. An hour to study personally every morning. I have learned and grown so much from this hour everyday. I love it!

3. My Agenda. Sadly, I have been without my missionary Agenda for over a week now. The Zone Leaders still need to get more for this transfer. Ah! It´s crazy. I love that little book and miss it dearly.

4. Prophets, apostles, and the Seventies. They are amazing. I have read a few talks from previous conferences this week, I heard Elder Nelson last week in Cusco, and heard from the Area Seventy for a leadership conference. They really are called of God and guide us to do the work of the Lord. I am grateful for their guidance and wisdom to learn from. I´m grateful that we have modern revelation from God through the prophets today.

5. Hair Dryers. Yes, they are great if you want dry hair, but even better... they work as a great space heater! 

6. Hot Showers. Yes. I love them. And love them more when I don´t have them. 

7. Washing machines. I am grateful that we have someone do our laundry for us every week, but as we helped a lady in the ward wash her family´s clothes... and my fingers became raw from scrubbing by hand all those clothes... I realized how much I love washing machines. It´s like 1/8 the time and your hands don´t suffer haha.

8. Everything about the gospel! I love it! I feel more joy now than I ever have and I know that is because I am learning more about this gospel and my testimony is strengthened in the teachings of Jesus Christ everyday. 

9. Margarita and Hermana Flor. Our cook and the member we live with. They make me feel at home and so loved here. I love them!

10. Chapstick and lotion

11. My water bottle. Which I currently can´t find. whoops. 

12. The Book of Mormon. This book is so true and I feel just peace everytime I read it and teach about it. I know it´s true because of that peace I feel. It has stories that apply directly to our lives today. It testifies of Christ and gives us even more of his teachings and example.

13. To BE A MISSIONARY!!!!!

14. Cats. Had to throw that in here. People love cats here too... or at least some of them. Is it bad to say that by favorite investigators just happen to have cats?? ;)

15. MY FAMILY. I am so blessed to have the BEST family in the world. It´s true. I have the greatest siblings, parents, grandparents, cousins... everyone. I am especially grateful to have so much support and love from my parents and siblings right now. I love you all so much and feel your love and prayers here in Peru. I am grateful to have grown up in the gospel and in a loving home. THANK YOU for your examples and for your patience with me when I am crazy and do stupid things. I love you so much! I hope you all have a FABULOUS Thanksgiving and think about how incredibly blessed we all are. 

Eat lots of turkey and pie for me. I will be eating rice and probably the friend of the turkey...chicken. or Guinea Pigs. Not sure yet ;) Haha Love you!!! HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Love,

Hermana Nelson

Pictures

11/18-Elder Nelson Came

Hola Familia!

Here´s my WIP (Week in Progress):

1. PATIENCE: Wow, I didn´t think that was something I really was lacking until I came here. Ha. Lilliana´s husband came back and they decided to live together again, which means that she didn´t get baptized. Rough stuff, however, we are visiting with them both to see what his desires are. She wants to get married and baptized, but he doesn´t want it. He has a very hard heart, but I have faith that he can change. It will be an amazing day when they are married and baptized together as a family. I know this gospel can change his life and make them happy and united, he just needs the desire. This is what I have to be patient with. So many people are having a hard time progressing here. They know everything, there are just little stumbling blocks in their way. I have learned that I can´t expect people to change overnight. I have to be patient with them! 

2. Elder Nelson! We got to go to Cusco yesterday to hear Elder Nelson speak to three stakes. Over 2,000 people came!! It was INCREDIBLE. Just the setting and having that many people so excited to hear from this apostle of the Lord, brought the spirit to that chapel. He talked about missionary work. He had all the missionaries stand and thanked us for our work. Then he said "the best missionaries don´t wear badges!" It´s so true. Members are the greatest missionaries there are! I love the scripture in D&C11:15 that says you don´t need to be called to preach. At the end he said he felt impressed to end his talk in spanish. He doesn´t know spanish! He bore testimony of the atonement in perfect spanish. It was incredible. The spirit was so strong there last night. 

3. You know you live in Peru when... people put baby chickens under their shirt to keep them warm during a lesson.

4. FIRST PACKAGE!!! Thank you mom so much for the package!! I loved it! All the candycorn is gone already and the trailmix is almost gone haha... don´t worry, I shared with other missionaries on our bus ride to cusco yesterday. I also got letters from Megan and Brian and ALly! Thank you so muhc, it was so fun to read. I also got Allison´s wedding invite! I don´t think I´ll be able to make it, but pass on my CONGRATULATIONS to her!! That is SOOO exciting! AHHH!!! 

5. As you will find a picture of....we are celebrating thanksgiving by making a jar and putting things we are thankful for and then we are going to read them all on thanksgiving! We want to teach our pensionista how to make mashed potatoes haha.

I love you and pray for each of you everyday!! Thank you for the emails and love!!

Love,

Hermana Nelson

My Purpose

First of all, CONGRATS to MR. IRONMAN! You go Dad! Thank you to everyone who sent me pictures this week! I LOVED THEM! I have the cutest family! And... chloe´s costume oh my gosh. Oh this week I saw a diamondbacks shirt, a redsox hat, and a Michigan sweatshirt hahaha so funny!

If anyone has any ideas for fun lessons and games for FHE nights send them to me!! 

If anyone is sending a package soon, I have a few things I would like from the good old states... Slippers ( I know, that sounds really high maintenance, but my feet are cold and the floors are dirty. :) I Love you). Sticky notes with extra strong stickiness! Greg olsen Prints. Can you hook me up? A lot of the families really want a bigger picture of Christ in their house. All they have is the small pass a long cards we have for them. 

Megan! I am in a internet shop. Music is blasting and little kids keep coming up to me and saying ¨Hello, how are you¨ because that´s all they know how to say in english. haha. Say hello to your class for me!! 

This week was full of a lot of happy and emotional experiences.

1. We stopped by an ivestigators house who we have just been waiting on to get married. When she opened her door, I immediately noticed her face was badly beaten up with scratches and a swollen black eye. Her boyfriend beat her up really bad. I will spare telling all the details, but it was horrible. She was just crying. But the wonderful news is that they are finally separating. Before even talking about it, she told us that she wants to be baptized. She said that she feels so alone and knows that she can`t raise her two kids by herself, so she needs the gospel and the support of the church. She told us that she knows that the gospel will help her raise her kids in a good environment with good morals. She is going to be baptized in two weeks. I can`t even explain how excited I am for her. She has been through so much emotional and physical pain in her life. I am so incredibly excited for her to have a fresh start. Life is going to begin again for her with her baptism. 

There are two other women that we have been talking to that have similar situations. I think every woman we teach has this same kind of thing in their past. It is horrible. It makes me a little angry at the men here. But we met with a family whose Dad was a drunk and abusive for a long time. Through tears, he explained to us how everytime we stopped by he was reminded of God. He told us he wants to change. I have already seen the happiness that this has brought their family. It just confirmed and strengthened my testimony that the gospel can change lives, and bring families together. I am so excited to see what happens with them. 

2. HALLOWEEN! Everyone makes loads and loads and loads of bread here for halloween. Like crazy amounts. I still really don`t understand it. They just make it and eat it. So we got a lot of bread last week. Also, I realized how sensitive of a subject Halloween is. Like a lot of people really hate it and think it is of the devil. So we just stopped talking about it haha. But we celebrated by switching name tags for a few hours. Woohoo!! haha

3. STORMS!! ALL THE LIGHTS WENT OUT. It was scary and we couldn`t see A THING! But luckily, we made it home before the rain came pouring down! All safe and sound. It was fun to watch the lightning from the window!

I love you all so much!! Always praying for you. Thaknyou for all your support and encouragement every week! And the pictures!! Oh and Mom! I got your letter and pictures and the music this week! Thank you!! Love it all!!

Love,

Hermana Nelson

Favorite part of the day? 9:00pm Planning. Obvi.

Cat! Crazy eyes!

The lights went out! 

The Bike Shop. Peruvian Style