Baptism Tonight!

From the Video Call: Elder Nielson seems content to report his week when we talk to him online versus sending us emails, so I'm trying to captures some of the highlights and include them in the blog.

The big news is that the baptism of L-- is on for tonight. He is excited for it and is finalizing plans today. Elder Nielson and Elder N---- are singing I Know That My Redeemer Lives, so we had him sing us a few strains in Portuguese.

They have another baptism set for two weeks. This is the young lady who is studying to be a dentist. It sounds like she is doing great and really loves learning about the gospel. She will likely move back to the interior after her schooling is finished, but she already had a support system there as she has attended church and seminary some in the past.

The stake president who sent Elder Nielson out on his mission told him that a majority of his work he would likely not see the fruit of it. But every contact and every effort is planting seeds that may eventually produce fruit. Elder Nielson recently heard from a couple of situations where he made the contacts and even taught a couple of the people but wasn't able to see what came of it. He recently learned that a number of people had eventually joined the church because of those two contacts. That is always a great feeling to know you had a hand in helping to change lives for the better.

The office staff and APs will be traveling with President Houseman to the interior tis week to set up new housing for the missionaries. They shopped for paint and spackle and a few other things to fix up some apartments.

As always, it was great to see and hear from our missionary. He is happy and healthy and fully engaged in the Lord's work.

He remembered his camera cable this week, so he had plenty of pictures..

The last three mission executive secretaries (Nielson, Price, and Nelson)

Another Great Week!

This week was super crazy, super busy, but it all ended up well.  We had a bunch of preparations for the transfer that will happen this week, and I was trying to get a bunch of stuff prepared to renew some visas this week. It all went well with the visas, and we got some of the houses ready for some areas to move into. 

We are trying to find some new people, but L-- is progressing well. He is the young man that told us he was an atheist when we first met, even though he really did believe in God. He will be baptized this Saturday. I hope that it all goes well. As he is praying, and as he is reading the Book of Mormon, and trying to go to church, he is really feeling the Holy Ghost touching him. He is feeling more hopeful about the future and about his destiny after death.  We couldn't be happier.  He is really searching to know the truth, and he is being blessed by the Lord for it. 

Sadly this week I won't be able to send any pictures again. I forgot my cable at our house. But I'll send the bowling pictures next week. It was really fun, and it was a nice last p-day together. Tomorrow is stake conference, and it will be cool to hear from President Houseman again. I hope that you all have a great week! 

Love you guys!
Elder Nielson

From this week's call: Elder Nielson called earlier again this week. We were wandering the aisles at Walmart, so we connected with a cell phone and Google Hangout and he got to go shopping with us. We talked as we shopped. The technology to be able to do this is pretty amazing.

The Elders in the office filled out a March Madness bracket provided by Sister Houseman. So Elder Nielson was trying to get the scoop on who was winning and how it was going. They can't watch any games, but they will eventually know who picked correctly. He thinks he is doing well.

They didn't have much time this week to proselyte but are anxious to get out and find new people. It sounds like they found a young lady that had attended seminary and church while living in the interior who would like to get involved again. So she sounds like a good contact. Elder Nielson says he can really feel that their proselyting efforts, though only a few hours per day, are magnified by the Lord and great things are happening.

Carnaval is Over!!!

So this week was pretty different.  We were working in the mornings, and going to the office after lunch.  Monday through Wednesday was pretty dead.  There weren't too many people in the streets, because they were all sleeping.  But Thursday and Friday we were able to find some great people.  We found a couple of women that told us that they like to smoke marijuana, but that they would be willing to quit.  We also found a young man that is 18 who says that he is an athiest.  His name is L-------, and he really got interested when we spoke about the Book of Mormon, and if everything goes well, he should go to church tomorrow.  Tonight we will get out and try to set some real plans with our investigators to go to church.

Other than that we didn't have too much that happened this week.  We worked at the office until about 7 or 8 every night, and then got home made something to eat, and we all read Saints.  It is a pretty cool book.  I really like how it helps you feel like a part of the restoration. 

Included in the photos are  Elder Price unthawing frozen rice with his hands, and the cockroach that we killed right after the picture.

Hope you all have a great week! 

Love,
Elder Nielson

Carnaval

This week was pretty cool.  We had mission tour with our area president Elder Adukaitis.  He got here on Tuesday and did a meeting with all the mission leaders. He then came to the office and talked a little bit with us.  When Elder Price and I explained that we take care of the visas, he asked how many people aren't legally in the country, and we responded 2 (but both are scheduled to go in and renew their visas).  He explained that we can't let that happen.  He looked at me and said, "So you will be taking his place." (He looked at me for a second.)  "Well, you already know that you can't let their visas expire before you renew them."  So yeah, the area president of Brasil gave me a warning already.  But it's going to go well.  When Elder Price got here there were 25 people illegal (himself and I included).  But now there are just two.  So next week they will get renewed. We will organize all the documents for the next groups during Carnaval, and we will be ready for the future.  It will be pretty good. 

Carnaval is pretty ridiculous.  We are right in the middle of it all in our area.  So our work time is really short.  We will just work in the morning until noon, and come back to the office until 8 pm.  So I will get some reading done in the new history book Saints - The Standard of Truth.  I'm pretty excited.  Other than that, I just ate some good food this week.  Elder Price and I made some Cuz Cuz, and eggs that were pretty cool.  We also bought R$190 in food this morning (Elder Price and I) to get us through Carnaval.  We won't be able to eat in restaurants or anything because they will all be closed.  I hope that everything is going well back home, and that you all have a great week!

Love,
Elder Nielson