Agradecida.

Dear Family,

This is going to be short, but I want to let you know that I have extended my mission for another transfer. I know it´s all so sudden and shocking, but I´ve talked to president and we´ve decided that´s what´s best for me... maybe I´ll even extend for another transfer more... or another year or two or fifty... Okay just kidding. Yes, it´s true, this is my last letter home and my last week as a full time missionary for the Lord. 

As a mission, this week we made a huge focus in families... contacting EVERY single family in the street! Well, although we were in Valle Sagrado for almost 4 days visiting sisters, we came back with the excitement and determination to contact EVERY family we saw in the street! Well, with great faith and lots of prayers, in the first day being back in Cusco, we contacted 10 families... and by the end of the week we far exceeded our goal by contacting 13 more. I know that as a mission, this week of really focusing on families will bless us so much. I truly saw blessings and felt that Heavenly Father literally PUT people in our paths. One of the many blessings we saw this week.

I just want to express to you, my favortie family, the overwhelming feeling of gratitude I have for my Heavenly Father at this time. It has been absolutely the best year and a half of my life, and I am extremely grateful that the my Heavenly Father has allowed me to come to this specific mission to serve in His work. As you well know, I have learned so much. I have come to love the people I have served... The Ore family, the Monzon family, Evangelina and Fabian, Paddy and Emerson, Vicky, Violeta, Eulalia, Ribaldo, and so many more... every one of my companions, who have taught me so much... I have come to love the FOOD (what will be my life without rice and choclo con queso????)... I have come to love the dogs that try to kill me in the streets, the spiders and cocroaches in the apartment, and even the rain that just seems to drench us at the perfect moment. I have come to love herbal tea and plan on drinking that everyday for the rest of my life because it´s the cure for every illness. However, most of all, more than the food, beautiful mountains and jungle, more than the people, what I have come to love more than anything, is my Heavenly Father and my Savior, Jesus Christ. I absolutely know that they love me and love each of us. Heavenly Father has answered countless prayers of mine and blessed me in ways I could never fully express gratitude. I know that the gospel I have been preaching for the last year and a half is the true Gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that families can be forever and families are central to the plan of God. I have come to know my Savior and feel His sincere and personal love for me. I have changed in so many ways and probably am going to be super awkward here in a couple weeks. But I don´t really care, I just feel grateful and happy to have served in the Lord´s work and have at least a small impact in bringing others to the truth of the gospel...and ultimately the fullness of joy that the gospel brings.

Thank you to each one of you for your support, countless prayers, and love you have sent me in this time. You mean the world to me! I love you so much! I´m excited to see you all soon! 

Con Amor,

Hermana Nelson

Tarde, pero cumple.

The other week we had a very unexpected lesson with a less active that chased us down on the street to talk to us. We went to his house to sit down with him and his grandma, who is also a member. It ended up being a very powerful lesson. Michael, the young man who chased us down, expressed to us how sad and alone he felt. He said he wanted to change... he wanted to learn more about the gospel and start over. He expressed many feelings of lack of hope and happiness in his life. During the lesson, after explaining to him that he is a child of God, he look up, with his fist in the air and said repeatedly, "Tarde, pero cumple. Tarde. pero cumple." (late, but fulfills. Late, but fulfills) Michael taught me an important lesson that night that I will never forget. Heavenly Father loves us immensely and answers our prayers and fulfills His promises according to his time frame and will. I have come to see the reality of that principle of faith and patience this past week. 

While I was on splits with Hermana Essig, we stopped by the Tullumayo sisters to drop something off for Hermana Sanchez. While we were there, they gave me an update on all the people that are progressing in that sector. They talked about people that I had worked with starting over a year ago... people that I sincerely came to love. I remember praying and fasting for these people. Sometimes the results of our visits left us in tears. Do you remember me talking about the Ore family? Hermana Thompson and I suffered to get the dad to understand the Atonement and the importance of family... to get him to church! He was hard as a rock back then... his progress was slow. The sisters informed me this week that he has a calling in the church and counselor of the Sunday school presidency and as a family have a goal to be sealed in the temple this summer. I now see that my many prayers and fasts are now being answered. It brings me such great joy to see how the Lord is changing the hearts of many people I worked with in Tullumayo. I am also seeing many answers to my prayers here in San Jeronimo. Hermana Chipunavi and I contacted a family last transfer, and basically every week we have been trying to find them by calling and knocking on their door, etc. The mom seemed receptive, yet it was very hard to coordinate an appointment when they were committed to be there. Well, this week we finally found them! The father expressed to us that he had gone to the church in Sicuani years ago, so he is somewhat familiar with our message. He also said that he had been praying to know how to improve his family situation for a while now, and that day that we met them and contacted his family, he was deeply impacted and took that as an answer to his prayers.

Heavenly Father works in misterious ways. He may take time to answer our prayers or may answer them differently than we hope for, but we need to trust in Him. He knows far better than us what is good for us.

We had a meeting with the zone leaders and sisters leaders with the President this week as we do the beginning of every month. I felt the spirit so strongly in that meeting. We talked about becoming consecrated missionaries. I have not been a perfect missionary my whole mission, but I have strived to do my best and I have learned A TON. I am a huge work in progress. However, despite my many weaknesses and mistakes, I truly feel that the Lord has made me an instrument in His hands to bring people to feel of His love for them and ultimately a fulness joy for coming to the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. That is what brings me true joy. I absolutely LOVE being a missionary. I am so grateful that the Lord has trusted me to come here, to the Cusco, Peru Mission to serve His children here.

I love you so much and pray for you daily. Congrats to Ally and Brian on the new baby! And congrats to the grandparents, aunts, and uncles... but let´s just remember who the favorite aunt really is. ... Can´t wait to meet him! 

Con mucho amor (y abrazos para todos!),

Hermana Nelson

Bambi

Hola Familia!

The time is going by really really way too fast. But I am trying to take advatage of every moment I have here. It has been a little hard this transfer because we haven´t had a lot of time to work in our own sector. We visit different Sisters now which means we have to travel a little more. We have high hopes and goals for what´s to come this transfer, but it´s a little hard when we people keep missing appointments, or people tell us they aren´t interested... mainly it´s hard because I feel like the progress is really slow lately. However, I realized something really important this week while I was in Puerto. I was on splits with Hermana Hunter (my sista from Laguna Beach), and we were talking about how the progress is so slow, although we feel like we are working hard and really giving it our all to be obedient. In our multi zone conference this week, the President mentioned how he has seen more challenges (mental, physical, spiritual, etc.) in the work and in the personal lives of the missionaries recently. He counseled us about trials and how they make us stronger... like the "refiner´s fire" (if you haven´t seen that mormon message yet, go watch it now. I promise you´ll cry). I believe that we are being tested as a mission. We, as a mission, have improved so much and become better instruments in the hands of the Lord, yet we are being faced with many challenges. I think that is because we have a greater determination to work harder and be more obedient. We are working harder to find families to teach... which ultimately is exactly what Satan is trying to destroy. So I think we are being tested. I may not be here to see many of the families get baptized that I have found, but I know that I need to keep working hard to find families, be obedient, and overall be diligent in the work. Whatever I do, however great or small it may seem now, will have a great impact in the lives of these people. 

Two funny things from the week:

1. We went to visit a family we had contacted the other day. They usually say they are busy and tell us to come back another day... but this day it just happened to start POURING down rain when we knocked on their door. So naturally, they had to let us in. They invited us to sit down and as I sat down on the couch... I looked to my left and saw a BABY DEER sitting next to me. A REAL LIVING baby deer. I thought that was a strange pet to have... and then the other sisters later told me that baby deer meat is really delicious. I guess it´s not a pet. 

2. We were teaching a family about the plan of salvation. Their youngest daughter is 4 years old and really alert. Well, starting off the lesson we explained that the plan of salvation helps us to know where we go after we die... she shockingly asked, "we´re going to die?!"... we simply explained that whole concept to her and I think her thoughts stayed there because later as we were talking about Adam and Eve, she all of a sudden asked, "But when are we going to die?". I´m not proud that I crushed this little girl´s dreams of living forever. 

I love you all so much and praying for your always! Excited to eat Cafe Rio and Ben and Jerry´s ice cream with you all soon. (hint hint)

Love,

Hermana Nelson

Being a Missionary is Really Fun

It´s a new transfer, and new fun things are happening! New challenges too, but mainly new great things. My companion is amazing! Her name is Hermana Ugarte and she is from Salta, Argentina. I love people from Argentina. They are super chill and down to earth.

This week we saw a few blessings... the bishop invited us for breakfast at his house... MIRACLE. We found tons of new families in the street and were also rejected by a good amount... but hey welcome to the life of a missionary! It was sunny more days than it did rain this week so I would say that´s a blessing. I feel more great blessings to come this week... I KNOW that miracles are going to happen in this sector. I just don´t know how or when or who... but I know that miracles are coming. I´ll keep you updated. 

Love you all so much! Keep reading the Book of Mormon! It´ll change your life if it already hasn´t.

Love,

Hermana Nelson

Hey fam

Here´s some pics from the baptism. It was really wonderful and Ruth was literally beaming! They are excited to be sealed in the temple one year from now.

Love you all tons!

Hermana

Hola y Fotos

So fun being an Hermana Leader! Here´s some pics of the visits we went on this week. I got to visit Puerto and my old compi, Hermana McMahon! I love her so much! p.s. don´t mind my gut... that´s what happens when you eat a plateful of rice everyday. 

Love you all!

Hermana Nelson

Happy New Year!

It was so fun to talk you all on Christmas! Thanks for working with me to make that happen! I am so lucky to have such an amazing family! 

THis week was awesome. Ruth and Gustavo got married! on the 10th of January Ruth will get baptized. She is an amazing mom and has sincere desires to repent and be baptized. SHe is so excited to go to the temple and wants her two boys to go on missions. I love her so much! I am excited to see her progress. Her husband was less active but now is coming back to church. We are seeing their family be healed and more united through the gospel of Jesus Christ. I love being a missionary!

The last picture is us acting like their teenage son Guen, on the right, who has such a sassy attitude and hates pictures. After so many pictures that night, we decided to take this one in honor of him. haha. 

Love you all and hope you have a happy and safe New Year!

Love,

Hermana Nelson

El es la Dadiva

He is the gift. 

Just want to share my simple testimony with you all in honor of Christmas this week and in honor of Grandma Peck.

I am so grateful for my Savior Jesus Christ. My testimony and faith in Him have grown tremendously this past year. I feel closer to Him because I have come to understand how essencial He is in my life. Because Christ was born, I can overcome my own imperfections and be freed from feelings of sorrow and pain. Because He was born, I know that we will all live again. I know that we will all be resurected and if we prove to be faithful to Him and repent in this life, we will enter into His presence. Because Christ was born, lived, and died for us, I know that I will be reunited with my family after this life. I know that Grandma Peck is at peace and now rejoicing with Grandpa Peck. I know that I will be reunited with her again. She was a true example of enduring to the end... staying firm in her faith in Jesus Christ. I am grateful for her valient and humble example. All these things were made possible because Jesus Christ was born. I can´t think of a greater, more important and wonderful gift than the one our loving Heavenly Father gave to each of us... His son, Jesus Christ. It´s a gift that will never fade away and one we can remember and celebrate everyday. I know that Christ lives and loves us. He invites us to come unto Him... with arms of mercy extended out towards us. Discover the gift. Accept the gift. Share the gift.

Feliz Navidad!

Love,

Hermana Nelson

Come What May And Love It

I decided this is my new theme for every transfer. For anyone that`s served a mission, you know how incredible stressful it is the week before transfers... just anticipating your changes and then opening your email to see what the Lord has in store for you. It`s always a fun experience, I`d say. Well I recieved the news that I`ll be going to Cusco, the Inti Raymi ward ("party of the sun" in Quechwa) to serve as a Sister Training Leader. I`m really grateful for the opportunity to serve in a new calling and learn and grow more! 

Serving in Puerto has been an such a spiritually trying and strengthening experience. I have learned so much about trusting in the Lord and having faith. The Lord has blessed me so much with people to teach here. We found families to teach that are truly prepared to here the gospel. The Lord is changing their hearts. I have seen that in my time here. Here`s just a few of the families I`ve seen be changed through the gospel while I`ve been in Puerto...

Paddy and Emerson. A family that was supposedly "going downhill". Paddy was losing all hope to be happy ever again. Through reading the Book of Mormon with them frequently as a family, I have seen their hearts change. Emerson has changed his perspective of the Preisthood power he posseses and his responsabilities as a return missionaries. Their faith has grown! Paddy now wants to be sealed in the temple with her family. 

Jhasmina and Yersin. Ah so many incredible changes I`ve seen in them. Yersin decided to stop drinking to improve his life and relationship with his family. They were married because "it is a commandment of God" and was baptized. Even in the challenges they`ve had after baptism, I have seen them truly persever, excercise repentance through the atonement and learn for themselves strength that comes from obedience. Yersin is preparing to recieve the higher Preisthood and they are both preparing to be sealed in the temple.

Vianeth and Jonathan. A family we contacted in the park... THEY are prepared. They were ready to accept more fully Jesus Christ in their lives. I have seen the Holy Ghost work in their hearts to help them understand the gospel of Jesus Christ and apply it. Yesterday they came to District conference and were able to meet President Harbertson. It was the first time he came to church in a white shirt and tie! They are going to be married and baptized on December 20th.

Alma 26:12 "Yo sè que nada soy; en cuanto a mi fuerza, soy debil; por tanto, no me jactarè de mì mismo, sino que me gloriarè in mi Dios, porque con su fuerza puedo hacer todas las cosas..." These are not my "successes". These are the successes of these families... they themselves have accepted Jesus Christ in their lives and have found true joy and hope through His Gospel. I am grateful for the opportunity I have had to be a part of their lives and learn from them. My own faith has been strengthened. I love these people and so many of the other people I have worked with here! It will be hard to leave, but I have 100% trust in my companion Hermana McMahon. She is an amazing missionary... super obedient and has true desires to serve. I love her for that. We had way too much fun together... We`re just both really goofy haha. But we also grew a lot and learned a lot together. Now, on to the next chapter! Come what may and love it!

I love you all and am praying for you tons! 

Hermana Nelson

A Loving Heavenly Father

This week was so wonderful. Like I said last week, we had a conference on Tuesday with Elder Evans, the Executive Director of Mission work and a member of the quorum of the 70. Words can`t really describe how the conference went. I received so many strong impressions by the spirit in the conference and learned so much. My life was changed by the things I learned. That`s not just exaggerating... I truly felt the spirit so strongly, that I felt my mind enlightened by the what was taught. It was a very unique conference... not just the usual sitting and listening for hours, but he had us really participate and led us to answering our own questions. I think we all left feeling a little more enlightened about questions we had. I also had the incredible opportunity to have a one on one interview with Elder Evans. I don`t know how or why, but I was one of 6 people in the mission to have an interview with him. So I took it as a very special opportunity. We conversed. I cried a little bit. It was so great. My life will forever be changed by the spirit and impressions I felt in that interview. I am so incredible grateful for the opportunity we had to hear from Elder Evans and most importantly his inspired words that truly brought the spirit to teach us.

I`m loving being a missionary. I hate the thought of this experience ending, however I know that as the conference this week changed my life, the mission truly has changed my life. I am excited to but these things into practice in my life after the mission. But for now, I feel a new excitement and humbled spirit to serve the Lord and bring others to Him. It`s the greatest thing I could ever be doing with my life! I`m so grateful for all that I am learning and experiencing here! I feel so extremely loved and blessed by my Heavenly Father. He truly hears and answers my prayers and questions of my heart. If you have doubts, go ahead, just ask. Try Him and I promise that He will answer your prayers. Be patient, diligent and obedient and your eyes will be opended to His eternal love for you.

Love you so much!

Hermana Nelson

Sincere Desires = Happy Missionaries

This week was really great! We saw a lot of great tender mercies! We have been contacting a lot more families and finding more and more people that are truly prepared. 

Last night we visited a family, Milagros and Pablo with their baby, Pablo Jr. Wow, it`s so fun to teach people that truly have the desires to know the truth. They are catholic and their whole family... parents, grandparents, etc. are catholic, so they`re a little hesitant to change religion, but they are willing to learn about what we are teaching because they want what`s best for their family. They are truly seeking what Heavenly Father wants for them. They are both very intellectual people which can sometimes make teaching hard if they don`t have humble hearts, but Pablo and Milagros are actual really humble and like I said have sincere desires. I can feel the spirit so strongly as we teach them. He said that he can feel the passion that we have for "our religion" as we teach and talk about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon, yet I know that it`s really the spirit that he is feeling when we testify that these things are true. They came to church on Sunday and had some questions about that, but really liked it! Pablo said he is going to commit to come to church, and start reading to Book of Mormon and ask God if it is true. I have no doubt that with his open hear and sincere desires, Heavenly Father with show him the truth of what we are teaching. It`s so fun to teach people that can really feel it and have opens hearts to our message. My faith is growing more and more in the miracles I know Heavenly Father can work in people´s lives. If we would but truly trust in HIM and His promises to obedient children, we could see truly great miracles in our own lives! 

I`m learning more about come closer to Jesus Christ. I read a talk about being perfected in Christ today... it was humbling to reflect on the pure love that Heavenly Father has for His children. Although we are all a work in progress, we are the greatest work he has ever made. 

Love you all so much! I probably won`t be writing next Monday because we are going to a conference in Cusco with Elder Evans! Should be pretty amazing! I`ll probably be writing later that week.

Also, shout out to Grandma Peck! Happy 80th Birthday Grandma! I love you so much and hope you have the greatest birthday ever! I look up to you so much and feel like I have come to know you more on my mission through the stories that my mom has been sending me. I love you so much and am praying for you daily! 

Con amor,

Hermana Nelson

Hermana McMahon is the Best Companion of All Time

I asked my companion what my subject for the email should be and that`s what she suggested. I guess it`s pretty fitting and absolutely true. She rocks.

AH this week was so great. We saw great miracles as we more closely followed the counsel of our mission president. 

So I`ve already told you about the two young couples we contacted in the park a few weeks ago... and then Eduardo the recent convert from cusco that also lives with them. After the lesson last week and the many prayers and fasting for them, we saw incredible blessings. We had a great lesson with them, by simply reading the Book of Mormon and talking about baptism. The spirit was strong and the babies were quiet. We invited them to be married and baptized on the December 20th and they accepted! It was so natural and went so smoothly. I know they spirit had softened their hearts. Heavenly Father truly prepared them to hear the gospel. They are progressing so well. Yonathan is on fire in our lessons! You can tell he is truly being taught by the spirit because one person will have a doubt or a question and he will say something like, "I think I understand..." and then explain so perfectly that we just look at him with huge smiles and say, "Yep! That`s exactly right!" We`re excited for them and I`m praying I`ll be here for another transfer to see them start the path to following Jesus Christ. 

 Eduardo is doing awesome too. He  explained to us this week that after not having been to church since he moved to Puerto (about 7 months), he stumbled upon the book "Teachings from President Joseph F. Smith" at the jail he workds at.... and that following day, we came to visit his friends and met him! He took it as an opportunity that Heavenly Father was giving him to put his life back in order and return to church. Well, Eduardo has taken that opportunity seriously and come back full force! That week he came to church, had an interview with the President of the branch, and has attended multiple YSA activities since then. We`re even hoping that their friend Eduardo can baptize the couples since he already has the Priesthood.

It was a great week and a fun Halloween... this year I was a sister missionary. I love you all and praying for you daily as always!

Con mucho love,

Hermana Nelson

Ether 12:27

Holy cow it`s really hot here. I didn`t think it could get much hotter, but it does. The funny thing about Puerto is that every time we talk to someone the first thing they say is "Ah it`s hot! Isn`t it?", as if yesterday wasn`t hot and tomorrow won`t be just as hot. The weather is a natural conversation starter even if it is ever so constantly. brutally. HOT.

This week was ahhhh good. They always say that if you ask God for patience, he`ll give you opportunities to be patient. That was proved to be more than true this week. I was very humbled this week by many circumstances, and more than anything by coming to see my own weaknesses. Sometimes we get into a dangerous rhythm of "oh yeah, I know what I`m doing". I was praying to be more humble so I can really come to know Heavely Father`s will for me here. He gave me a few good opportunities this week to humble myself. We had planned a lesson for the 2 new families we are teaching and had planned to teach the Law of Chastity and invite them to get married and baptized. We planned out the lesson, and prayed and fasted all day hoping that everything would go well and that they would accept the invitation to be baptized. We were all focused on them. Going into the lesson, we felt good and started off reading the Book of Mormon with them because they hadn`t read. The spirit was strong as we taught about the importance of the Book of Mormon. Then we went ahead with the lesson we had planned about chastity. It was fine... they understood, but were very distracted by babies crying and other random questions and soon enough we kind of lost control of the spirit. By the end, we didn`t feel good about inviting them to be baptized. I ended with by sure testimony of the Book of Mormon. I felt the spirit as I testified of that truth and as my companion testified of our Heavenly Father`s love for us. We left the lesson feeling a little frustrated with how things went. After a long day we were physically and emotionally exhausted. We talked it all out and went over where we went wrong. I came to realize through that experience that I was putting my trust in my own weak abilities rather than putting my faith in my Heavenly Father and his all-knowing power. Although we were fasting a praying, I wasn`t truly doing it with faith in Him. I was doing it with faith in myself. It helped me to remember that I need to truly turn to Him and "consult him in all my doings" and let him direct my path. He showed me my many weaknesses this week and helped me to be a little more humble. It constantly amazes me to think about how imperfect I am, yet how much trust Heavenly Father has put in me to Preach His gospel and brings souls unto Him and His Son. How could he possibly be okay with letting me loose to do that?? Well, it`s because he loves me. He trusts be because he knows I can do it. He has a divine potential and plan for each one of us.

I love being a missionary. I am still learning and learning and learning. I can`t imagine my life without this experience! We are working with lots of knew people and hoping to see more progress in this sector as we turn our will to Heavenly Father. 

Thank you for the video with Nate. We are working with a less active, Karol, that is suffering from depression. I`ll tell you more about her crazy and miraculous story next week. Definitely helped me understand a little more of what she might be going through. 

Love you SO much! 

Hermana Nelson

P.S. Candy, the cat had 4 baby kittens and then ATE them!!! AHHHH talk about traumatic.

P.P.S. Found three REALLY abnormally HUGE cocroaches in our bathroom last night. I poured like half of our hand soap on one of them to kill it. It worked. Also found a scorpion. Oh and we were invited to eat lunch with a member this week. They made Hamburgers! LOTS of hamburgers!! I`ll send pics next week. 

Cuentas tus bendiciones.

This week was really great! We saw even more little miracles... seriously the Lord is blessing us WAY too much! 

So, maybe you`ve noticed, but we are really focusing on families right now. The President a few months ago challenged us to contact EVERY family we pass in the street. Seeing a family all together in the street is a very unusual thing here, so it`s a rare opportunity when we run into a family. President Harbertson said that he strongly feels that these families are prepared to here the gospel and progress because they already have that foundation of a family. Also, in order to help build the kingdom of God, we need families! The family we met last week, we haven`t been able to get in contact with again, but we`ll keep trying this week. We actually found two new families! Once again, walking by a park we saw two couples with thier babies... Hermana McMahon and I just looked at each other and without hesitation went right over to contact them. We were able to make another appointment to visit them a few days later. They are two really great couples that are seeking guidance for their families. The husbands work security at a near by jail and have a lot of days free so it makes it easy for us to make appointments with them. What really surprised us was when they introduced us to their friend that also lives with them, Eduardo. He came out with a Book of Mormon and another church book in hand! We were like, "uh what? are you a member?!" He explained that he was a member from Cusco recently baptized, but was inactive since he had been in Puerto for 5 months. It was seriously another testimony to me that Heavenly Father really is looking out for his children. He knows us personally and knows what we need more that we ourselves do. He`ll send us help if we will only accept it. Eduardo and on eof the couples, Jonatan and Vianet came to church yesterday! So many people were at church yesterday! We are seeing progress littl eby little and seeing blessings in the lives of the people we visit. 

Love you all and praying for you!

Hermana Nelson

Soy Peruana

You know you`ve been living in Peru too long when your skin starts turning darker, you`re starving for dinner because you didn`t have rice for lunch, and you crave rice and avocado at the end of the day... and your arms start getting hairier. Just a few things I may or may not be experiencing.

We saw a miracle this week when we contacted a family in a park... The mom had serious desires to learn about the truth about religion. It feels good to be able to testify to people that promise them that their doubts and questions will be resolved as they listen to our message. We have an appointment with them tonight so we`re pretty stoked abou that. Other families and miracles are in process! I`ll update you more next week!

Love you all so much! Viva Peru!

Love,

Hermana Nelson

Obedient Faith

This week was great! A few really great experiences on how our faith can bring about  miracles. On saturday we set a goal to find a new investigator, although we were only going to be working in our own sector for an hour or so because we are going to do work in another sector all day. Yet, we had faith! Well, while visiting families in the other sector, we found a lady that lived in my sector! She accepted a visit from us this coming week!

 

This week we are going to watch conference in the chapel! Mom, I do live in the jungle, but we aren`t that deprived! I`m super excited to watch it and we are all praying that our investigators come!! Especially a new couple, Nilo and Yenny, I`ll tell you about them next week!

 

Love you all tons! Have a fabulous week!

 

Love,

Hermana Nelson

Weak Things Made Strong

This week was really good! Feels like it went by really fast. One of those weeks that we didn`t see HUGE progress in a lot of people, but we saw a lot of great, significant starts to great things. We have been visiting a lady, Viki, since I have been here. She is a less active and has a lot of physical, mental, emotional, financial, and spiritual struggles. However, her faith is firm and strong in God. She knows who Jesus Christ is and understands His hand in her life... that will never change. She is a single mom with three kids and is only 26 years old. I have grown such a great love for her. Especially this week. We had the opportunity to visit with her a little more often than usual and have really powerful lessons guided directly by the spirit. We had planned one day to talk about the Chastity and ended up going from that into the Gospel of Jesus Christ and repentance... another day we were going to talk about Tithing and ended up talking about the redemption that comes from the atonement and Faith in Christ... Each lesson we had, we felt guided by the spirit to change our lesson plans and focus on Jesus Christ and his gospel. In each lesson we testified in a different way how the Atonement can heal us. I know that is true. It is truly all in our hands. If we truly desire to be freed from a certain burden, guilt, or challenge we have, we need to turn to Jesus Christ and his gospel. Like the Book of Mormon and Bible teach us countless times... He is the only way by which we can find true happiness in this life, be redeemed of our sins, and eventually recieve the blessings of eternal life, the greatest of all gifts. 

I am grateful for the Atonement in my life and how I have seen it work in the lives of others. It is a gift for all of us to use for our whole lives. We`ll never be perfect, but we were made to become better everyday. Thankfully, the Atonement makes that possible. 

I love you so much!!

Love,

Hermana Nelson

Mosiah 5:13

HOLA familia! Como estàn? Estoy muy bien! Hace calor aquì. Me gustan gatos. 

I guess you could say my spanish is getting better, right? No, but seriously, despite the 4 North American companions I`ve had, I feel like I am really picking up on Spanish. Yesterday in a meeting we watched a short video and part of it was in English with subtitles and then it switched to spanish without the subtitles and I didn`t even realize... I was like "wait where are the subtitles in spanish?, these latin missionaries aren`t going to understand what it is saying!" and then I realized that it was speaking spanish. It`s all becoming just a part of my brain. It`s a weird thing.

So, as you all know I am training again! It`s going super well and I am learning a lot. Hermana McMahon studied spanish before so she pretty much knows everything, we`re just practicing speaking more. She is learning and progressing so much everyday! Seriously everytime we do those super fun and sometimes really awkward "practice lessons" during companion study, she puts everything we studied into practice and then applies it what we do during the day. She is really helping me to go back to the basics. I feel like I am really remembering the most important things of missionary work and that I am progressing a ton. I feel more fully emmersed in the work! I don`t feel so strange to be a missionary, but it just feels more of who I am now.

We have seen some great miracles these past couple weeks in our sector. We recently found and are teaching FOUR NEW FAMILIES! Talk about miracles. I am super excited about each of them because I feel that they all have a desire to learn about Jesus Christ which is a great first step! One family, Alicia and Renè (we contacted Alicia in the street because her friend was holding a cute puppy... we look for all sorts of excuses to talk to people haha) came to church yesterday! The whole family! And they loved it. It was the first time Renè, the husband came to church, but he was beaming the whole time. He said his work called him during church, but he just ignored their calls haha. We sincerely prayed that they would come to church as a family this week and it was a perfect answer to our prayers. 

Lots of other little miracles are happening as we are becoming more fully engaged in this work. I am coming to know my Savior as I serve him more fully. I read a really great scripture in Mosiah today that you all need to read... Mosiah 5:13. #cometoknowhimbyservinghim

Love you all tons! Know that I am happy, and eating lots of bananas and avocado... and sometimes ice cream... so I would say I`m fairly healthy too :)

also, HAPPY BIRTHDAY HAILEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOohoo!!! Good job on the first 2 years of your life, now you`re going into the third one. It`s going to be great, lot`s of ups and downs ahead, but stay strong and keep helping grandma make yummy cookies and practice that cannon ball into the pool for me when I get home... Love you lots!

Con un abrazo MUY grande por todos!

Hermana Nelson

Lo Siento!

Hey sorry I didn´t write yesterday! I guess it´s what happens when the
power goes out... and the water... yikes.

This week has been great! I went to Cusco and picked up my new comp!
Hermana McMahon is her name. She is from Indiana, likes to sing, likes
ice cream, is a convert of about 6 years, and is really beautiful! She
has an amazing spirit about her. I know that we are going to work hard
together and learn lots. She showed a lot of patience with me when I
locked us out of our room our first night here... whoops!

I´m sorry I haven´t written much these past few weeks, but I am really
doing well and loving Puerto! It´s hot as ever and I never stop
sweating, but I LOVE IT! I will write more next week I swear!!

I love you all so much!

Con Amor,

Hermana Nelson


Bus ride to CUSCO! hashtag barf hashtag so beautiful

Hermana Condie and my last day together in Puerto. Super sad, but fun
to see all the great lives she influenced while here in Puerto. She
was an amazing companion. I learned so much from her by her humble
example. She truly made me a better person.

My new companion! Hermana McMahon from INDIANA. You can only imagine
how much the peruvians are butchering her name! It even took me a day
to get it right.

FIRMES EN LA FE

This week was a lot different than last to be honest. We didn`t see a
lot of immediate success... like NO ONE was home. Nor did many people
come to church. But we had unexpected success... or unanticipated
blessings from the Lord. It was a good week. Just another lesson to
live firm in the faith of our Heavenly Father and Savior.

Also, I don`t have a change this transfer, but I will be training
again! My companion, Hermana Condie will go to Cusco! AHHHH we are a
little shocked and sad, but I feel really calm and good about what`s
to come! I will receive my new companion in Cusco on Wednesday!


Love,

Hermana Nelson