The lost sheep.

This Sunday, yesterday, was incredible! We had 7 less actives come to church. AHH! Not only that, but my comp and Elder Lehman gave AMAZING talks on paraboles about the lost sheep and the prodigle son. They talked about how we can always come back to the church. Most importantly, how we should welcome people back with love like the father of the prodigle son. One less active, Maribel came to church for the first time since we´ve been workign with her in January! She was asked to give the closing prayer. Wow, I´ve never been so touched by a prayer as much as I was by her prayer. She said, "Father, please forgive me for distancing myself from your church. Yes, I am the lost sheep..." She continued to say that she promises to not leave the church again, because she know that this is the true church. It was very touching. Very humbling. She wants to come back to church. It´s amazing how the spirit can touch people´s hearts and bring them back to the truth.

Such a great week! Love you all and special shout out to CHLOE MARSH... 1 year way to go!! only 76 more to go, according the the U.S. life expectancy rate. DAD HAPPY BIRTHDAY TOO!!!! Woohoo! love you two lots! Big besas and brazos from me! 

Les Amo!

Hermana Nelson

Hakunamatata

Familia!

As always, such a good week and more amazing learning experiences! My comp is doing great! She went to Lima last week to get her Visa... she´s legal! I´m just wondering when I´m going to be legal haha. maybe in 10 months. 

We have a few great new investigators and we´re seeing a lot of progress with our less actives. Last week we went to visit a less active named Americo (Americo don´t you cry... we always sing that song when we talk about him). He wasn´t there, but his wife was and we ended up talking with her for almost 2 hours!! Ah. She told us EVERYTHING about EVERYTHING. She is a very patient woman, wow. She told us they are not living together because she had to get a restraining order on him because he was addicted to alcohol and had relationships with other women and gave her so much stress it was effecting her health. She really told us everything. More than we needed to hear. But more than just the crazy stories, it was amazing to see how much he has changed in the past 2 months or so. He goes to church every week (with or without his family), he loves our visits and always is looking the the topical guide in the Book of Mormon to read more about what we are teaching, he is more connected to his family, he is open to talk to the bishop.... changes that probably 4 months ago, you would have never imagined. How is that possible? What have we done? nothing. It is all because of the miracle of the atonement. He is changing his heart and learning more about the happiness that can be found, the true happiness, when we are following the commandments. His son told us last week that he came to their house with a big van and said, "Hey we´re going on a trip. We´re a family, let´s go!" Just to hear that gave me goosebumps. He is changing in ways that only the Atonement of Jesus Christ can make possible. 

My companion is doing great! I´m learning lots from her and her excitement for the work! She keeps me going and keeps me focused! We had interchanges with the sister leaders last week for a day. AH so good. I was with hermana Tamaríz. She is such a great person. She told me to remember the phrase, "Hakunamatata" from Lion King... "it means no worries, for the rest of your days..." It was helpful to have her to work with, to learn from, and especially to remember that the mission is to be enjoyed, not endured. 

Easter was great! Although we didn´t have an easter egg hunt, paint easter eggs or recieve a visit from the easter bunny in the morning, it was an amazing time to reflect on the Savior´s life. When we think about the Savior´s life and all that he has done for us so that we can repent, be happy, and one day be resurrected, I don´t feel anything but joy and hope. I am learning more about him everyday of my mission. Most importantly, I am realizing the need that each one of have for the atonement. I love the scripture that says, "For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent; But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I." Burns a little, but I can only testify of the truth of this scripture. When we are repenting daily of our sins, we will not suffer as he did. It is all up to us though. We hold the keys to repentance, and if would but only use them, we would find the true happiness and hope the atonement brings to our lives. "Having already offered the Atonement in our behalf, Christ has done His part to make that longing to live with Him again one day a reality. The rest will depend entirely upon ourselves." (Elder Holland) Just want to bear my testimony to you that I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior and that he lives! I know that it is only through and by him that we can truly be happy. I have seen it countless times in my mission and have experienced it myself. For the rest of my life, I will continue to be amazed by the power of the Atonement. 

I love you all and think and pray about you everyday! You are all more and more beautiful with every picture! Not fair! Thank you for your support always and prayers! 

Con mucho amor,

Hermana Nelson  

Hola! I'm alive!

I´m alive! Sorry I don´t have time to write, but just want you to know that this week was amazing and I am super Happy! Woohoo! Love you all and praying for you lots! Thank you for the emails, prayers, pictures and support! 

Love,

Hermana Nelson

To Him We Are Everything

This week was amazing! Such an incredible week of spiritual upliftment... a little bit of chastizing and burning, but what can you expect when the Profet and apostles are speaking. It really was an incredible conference! Natalie told me last conference that she heard that General Conference is like Christmas to missionaries. I would like to testify of those words. Conference is way better than Christmas!! I got to listen to it in English thank goodness! 

I felt a few great themes throughout the conference, however the one that touched me most was LOVE. I love what one apostle said that love is most necessary thing we are lacking on this earth. How true is that! That is something I want to improve in all aspects of my life... as a companion, missionary, daugther, future mother, teacher, etc. I am realizing the grand importance of love for one another, and also for our Heavenly Father. There is a great quote by Elder Uchtdorf that says something along the lines of, "When compared to Heavenly Father, we are nothing, yet to Him we are everything." I felt that more than ever this last week. I am so tiny when compared to the great plan he has for us. However, he has an eternal love for each one of us and has incredible confidence in us to rise to our true potential and become gods and godesses. I am grateful for this opportunity to serve a mission and learn everyday more about this incredible love that my Heavenly Father has for me. I am grateful for the opportunity to become better everyday through Jesus Christ´s atonement. So grateful.

I love you all and hope you got the chance to listen to conference... if not, I hope you go back and watch it online! :) #conferencechangeslives

That´s all I got time for this week! Quick shout out to Dad and Keri... THANK YOU FOR THE EASTER PACKAGE!! You ROCK. AND thank you for the headbands!! I am putting them to good use... working on my peruvian pigtails. Also thank you to the Minetonka (how do you spell that?) Ward Primary for your sweet notes and beautiful drawings! Thank you to the Nelson family from Minnesota for the package!! Holy cow it was everything I needed! Especially the hand cream... now my hands aren´t suffering so much. Thank you thank you thank you! I feel so spoiled!! 

Love you all TONS!!

Hermana Nelson