4/27/15

This week has been full of amazing things! The Spirit has been so strong this week. Just about leaving my comp and I in tears. There has been so many times in just the few weeks that Ive been here that the Lord has been helping us, answering our prayers. So little of the things do we actually recongize though! Its awesome. Same as in our lives, the Lord is always helping us, even when we dont realize it. He is always giving us exactly what we need.

A lot of walking this week. Our area is decently big, and it is only half the ward. We have 4 missionaries per ward here so thats always fun. The food has been amazing this week. A lot of visiting investigators. A lot of inviting them to church. And how great is the joy when at least one of them comes. Its pretty awesome.

I have learned so much more about faith this week. Faith is not believing that God will deliver you out of your trials when you ask. Faith is not believing that God will make things easier in your difficulties. Faith is believing that God can strengthen you in your trials and He can deliver you from your dificulties. God gives us what we need. And if we could get everything we wanted the whole plan of agency would be defective. We need to trust that the Lord will give us what we need. And we need to trust that His will is what will be more beneficial than anything else. God loves every one of us. No matter what our errors, imperfections, or weaknesses. He loves us. He loves us more than we can imagine. So lets love Him.

-Elder Nelson

4/20/15

Its been amazing here! There is a lot going on. We had a lot of events happen this week! We had Zone confrence, a thing where i think they call it a missionary tea where they throw a party for a missionary leaving, a talent show, and a birthday party for one of the members that helps us out so much! So there is a lot going on! Its awesome to bring people to these events and strengthen the community and strengthen each other in the gospel. 

I never knew what a storm was in the States! It storms like crazy here in Brazil! Rain that will soak you instantly, thunder that will shake your house, lighting that will light up the sky as if it were day, and wind that will blow anything away! Its crazy and awesome! I love it! It is hot here! So i appreciate it when it rains! 

Zone confrence was amazing. It was kind of sad seeing a lot of people giving their final testimonies including my companion and the mission president! It is going to be sad to see them leave! But its going to be good. One of the awesome things that happend at Zone confrence was even though i can only understand a few words out of the many people speak, i could feel the Spirit so strong when people were teaching and bearing their testimonies.

I know that this is the Lords work! The Spirit is one of the greatest gifts we have! All the time we should be striving to have spiritual experiences that will strenghten ourselves and bring us closer to Christ. We need to seek out the Spirit. We need to strive to feel it in our lives. We need to feel that same feeling that we felt that made us join the church, stay in the church, accept that calling, or choose to go on a mission. It is so important to strive to feel that same feeling again, the Spirit. Without it, we will become lost and forget that very reason why we did what we did. The Spirit strenthens us, motivates us to do better, fills us with love, peace and comfort. We need the Spirit in our lives. We need to feel it again and again and again. We need to pray to have it in our lives. We need to always pray for the assurance of what we are doing is right and if this church is true. I know it is true with all my heart. I have felt the Spirit. I know its true. 

-Elder Nelson

4/13/15

Brasil! What a crazy week!

Brazil is pretty different than the states! The people are really nice and awesome. I mean at least i think, Im still wondering if the MTC taught me the right language... But its great! The driving is crazy. People just drive and its crazy. Kind of gets you scared for your life! But its awesome. 

The main meal here is lunch! The members feed us lunch every day! Its pretty great. The meat and rice here are way better than in the states. The main things ive eaten here are rice, beans, meat, and tomatoes. Brazilian barbeques are the best. 

There is a drink here called terere. Thats what you drink when you go to peoples houses. You sit in a circle and pass around the terere and talk. Its pretty interesting. It is definitely an aquired taste. Im starting to like it. Stray chickens, cats, and dogs are everywhere here. They say when they have no food they just go grab a chicken and cook it up. That should be fun when that happens! 

The language is coming. I thought i knew a pretty good amount of portuguese back in the states until i came here. Its like starting over again. They talk pretty fast and with an accent. But its pretty fun and im understanding more every day. Apparently i look like i can be from some parts of brazil and some people are surprised when they find out i am from the us. Its pretty fun joking around with people pretending im brazilian at first.

But there is one thing that is the same and thats the church! The gospel is the same here, in the US, and everywhere. The same gospel that Jesus Christ established on the earth. And in it we can find comfort, peace, and joy! Because life is the gospel. I love it. 

-Elder Nelson

Pictures and Videos from Mesa, Arizona

 April Fools

4/4/15

I wont be having my P-Day on Monday because I will be on a plane down to Brazil all day Monday! I got the official news that I got my visa! I will head to Atlanta, Georgia to São Paulo then to Cuabá! I wont be arriving in my mission till mid day on Tuesday so it should be a fun flight! I will probably be able to reply before then if you e-mail me! Aqui nos vamos! 

Hope everyone is having a good time watching General Conference! Tchau!

-Elder Nelson

3/30/15

I was able to help with a baptism this week! It was so amazing. It is amazing how much the Spirit resides at a baptism. It just testifies how important baptisms are. My mission had set the goal for 100 baptisms in the month of March and we were able to meet that goal and surpass it with more than 100 baptisms. It has been an amazing experience to participate in. To help many of God's children learn of His will and make that covenant with Him.

In Mesa we have this awesome thing called the Easter Pageant! Its basically a play on the life of Jesus Christ! It is so amazing to go to and have this event to go to! We also are grateful to have a temple close by in the mission and a visitors center! It's so great!

I have been reading Jesus the Christ and studying the life of Christ recently. It is so great. The part i was studying this morning was when Jesus was fasting for 40 days and Satan was tempting Jesus. Satan tempted Him 3 times with doubt, misguidance, and pride. But every time Christ was able to be victorious over Satan. What i realized is how true it is that Satan uses those 3 things to tempt us also! Doubt: doubting there is a God or doubting His power, Misguidance: misinterpretation of scripture or thinking we are doing something right when we are not, and Pride: being caught up in the world and forget who gave us everything. But if we could be like Christ, and remember and understand our purpose, we can not fall into temptation! 

-Elder Nelson