Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Long Story of the Short Blog Entry

Greetings,

This week has been a crazy week. Tuesday was a busy day, I went with another Elder on exchanges because my companion, Elder Davis, is the District Leader so I have the opportunity to get to know a lot of the other Elders in my District.  It is fun getting to know other Elders and help them in the Areas they are in and how they work.  It was a really cool day. 

Wednesday was District Meeting as well as some appointments.  We had a really good lesson about how the commandments are best for us even when it doesn't seem right. 

Thursday was an interesting day.  I was on exchange again and this was the first time that I had been tracking in my own Area by myself.  An Elder who had not been in Kidderminster before was my companion for the day and we got along very well.  I sort of know my way around the Area but we still got lost once or twice.   It was all fun though because we got to talk to  a lot of people.  Friday and Saturday where pretty normal days. 

I guess the one thing that really stuck out to me this week is how much trust the Lord has in us Missionaries.  He puts people in our path and it's our choice to talk to them or to just let them pass by.

Some things that my Mission has taught me already is that the Lord has a plan for us. We cannot mess up that plan no matter how hard we try.  But when we are faithful and listen and try to talk to everyone success might not come at first but it will come.  The other is that I have found on my Mission is that the Holy Ghost brings stuff to my remembrance whether it be good or bad.  But I thought I would tell you of an experience that was brought up recently. When I was in High School I played golf it was a very challenging year for me.  I remember playing at the Sun Valley course in Idaho and everything was going well. Then I let my anger and frustration get the best of me. I was playing a hole I don't remember which one it was when I hit my ball and couldn't find it.  I was so frustrated that I decided against my better judgment to cheat and just drop a ball.  I remember at the time I felt like that was okay and then I justified it the rest of the day.  Soon after I completely forgot about it and then this week the Spirit brought that experience up.  I guess the whole point of this is that if you don't repent the way we are asked to it's hard to be forgiven.  But the interesting thing is just how the Spirit brings things to your remembrance.  We shouldn't be disappointed in our mistakes, that is why we are here on earth to learn from our mistakes as we try and make them right.

So the long story about the short entry was that a girl in her 20's started to flirt with me and all that kind of stuff.  Feeling a little uncomfortable I made like Joseph and got out of the Internet Cafe.  But before I left, I did leave her a Mormon.org card though!  But I'm running out of time, the Gospel is true and I believe it with all my heart.



Cheers,

Elder Nielsen

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Cheers from Jolly Old England

Hey everyone!

I'm slowly adjusting to missionary life out in the field and to the time change. The area I am in is a good area and the Branch here is really nice.  The area is Kidderminster, but the locals say Kiddminstr or Kiddy.  It is a mixed feel of old England and a mix of new modern England.  There are some very Gothic Churches. The Catholic Church is your typical looking building but the Church of England the architecture is very castle like.  The Branch I am in is really very nice.  There are about 30 active members and I think that if Elder Davis and I can get half of the less actives back  in the fold they might become a Ward.  We have Family Home Evening (FHE) with all the older single members and widows.  The Missionaries are the presiding authority during FHE which is pretty humbling.  FHE consists of dinner and then a spiritual thought.  It is pretty funny because all the widows act like Mary, Maria and Pat friends of my Grandpa Florin.  They all have a funny sense of humor and are hilarious when you get them together.

Tuesday, June 11, 2013, was a busy day. We went to another area to check out a baptism record and from there to try to get back in touch with the recent less actives from these baptism records that we found in that area that we have lost contact with.

Wednesday we left to go to Zone Meeting and had to leave pretty early to get there.  Zone Meeting was great and after that I went on exchange with one of the Zone Leaders.  His area is in Harborn which is one of the biggest Wards in the area.  So I was with him for the rest of the day and for part of the day on Thursday.  Even tough it was a busy day, I learned a lot from him.  Thursday afternoon I met up with Elder Davis and we went back to our own area to finish off the day.

Friday was a fun day. We have weekly planning on Friday that takes up a lot of the day.  But Elder Davis was sick most of the day so I had time to read and to study.  But later that night he was feeling better and we went to a baptism in Stourbridge.  It was a really cool experience and the Sister who got baptized is going to be a strong member.  But when we got to the Church, the Elders who where over the baptism asked if I could play the piano for the service.  So I started to practice and just my luck the hymns that had been chosen were some of the hardest to play out of the hymn book.  But the Spirit prevailed and I played well.  During the baptism, the Spirit was really strong and it was a great testament to me that people here in England are looking for the Gospel of Jesus Christ, I just have to find them. 

Saturday was filled with a lot of service.  In the morning we helped a less active family move and then in the afternoon we helped a member clean up their yard of a house that they had just bought.

Sunday was Church and then back to the flat (our apartment) to eat then out visiting the less actives and talking to people on the street.  Hopefully things will pick up a little bit in this area and the ball gets rolling.

I know that the Lord has elect people here that are ready to hear the message of the Gospel.  I just need to have enough faith to continue to look for them and to not get discouraged because of all the people that don't want  to hear our message of the Gospel.  I have learned that they are not rejecting me as a person, they are just rejecting what I stand for and am trying to preach.

I hope all is well!

Cheers,

Elder Nielsen

Monday, June 10, 2013

Greetings from England

Hello,

As I'm sure many of you have heard, I got my Visa and made it to England!  I flew out Thursday (June 6, 2013) morning at 11:20 am to Detroit, MI and then had to run what felt like a mile to get to my international flight. Then I flew to Amsterdam and that was a very long flight.  Then I had to run another mile and go through security again to get to my last flight which dropped me off in Birmingham, England.  My flight was interesting to say the least. When President Rasmussen took the picture that was posted last, I had been up for a little over 24 hours without sleep.  On the plane to Amsterdam I didn't sleep because it was very uncomfortable.  The plane was a 2-4-2 seating arrangement so I was in the middle of the section of four seats.  The guy next to me was watching a movie and the other one was drunk most of the flight.  So after that picture I slept in the car ha ha to my area.

I am in Kidderminster, England.  It is very green and has an old English feel where we live.  My companion is really cool we are getting along great.  But the time change is killing me.  I forced myself to stay up the rest of the day which was Saturday and work.  But I turned in at nine p.m. local time and then did the same Sunday night.  I'm slowly adjusting to the time change but it's hard.

I was met by the office Elders at the airport and then we drove to the Mission Home where I met with President and Sister Rasmussen.  Much of what has happened is a blur and I'm not sure what went on Friday and Saturday morning.  But after I met everyone they took me to my Area.  The Area I'm in is called Kidderminster, England and it is a really nice town.  The Area is huge but not very populated. But after I made it to the area I went straight to work to keep me awake.  My companion Elder Davis took me to some of the members houses and to the Branch President.  The Branch has about thirty members that come on a weekly basis.  But they have lots of less active members.  So the main goal here is to reactivate as much as we can and hopefully find an investigator in the meantime. But the Branch loves the Missionaries but not enough to get referrals. We are trying to gain their trust so that we can start to get referrals.  But the Branch is very nice and they love to feed the Missionaries.  I think once I get fully adjusted to the time change it will be a fun time here.

Until next week.  Keep on striving to be and do your best in the Lord's work.

Love,





Elder Nielsen

Saturday, June 8, 2013

Looks Like Elder Nielsen Made It to England!

Letter From the Mission President, President Rasmussen

Parents,

Your son has safely arrived at the Mission Office in Sutton Coldfield.  We are always happy to get
missionaries from Idaho.

He will be serving with Elder Davis in Kidderminster. His p-days will be on Monday.

We have a mission blog, where we occasionally download pictures taken through the month showing mission events. The address is:  ebmission.blogspot.com/

Thank you for your support and sacrifice making it possible for your son to serve.

Warmly,

President and Sister Rasmussen

Sister Rasmussen, Elder Thomas Nielsen, President Rasmussen

Elder Thomas Nielsen and Elder Davis

Thursday, June 6, 2013

Birmingham England!! Here Comes Elder Nielsen

Thursday, June 6, 2013, (Mom here) I just received a call from Elder Nielsen saying that he just got word this afternoon that he received his Visa and will be flying out to England tomorrow morning, Friday, June 7, 2013 and will arrive in England on Saturday, June 8, 2013 around 8:00 a.m.  We are excited for his new adventure and for the service he will give to the people of Birmingham, England!

Hello friends and family,

This week has been a fun one.  Just an update on my Visa situation it should be here any day and so on and so forth.  But to pass the time here I have been reading the parables of Elder James E. Talmage.  These parables have brought a lot of comfort and insight to me.  This week I sent a District off to Hawaii and to Boston.  They are a good set of Elders and Sisters and will do great in their respective areas.  I have been given the opportunity a couple of times to teach the Missionaries here in the MTC.  That is a humbling experience because of how I need to make sure that the spirit is with us and that the Elders and Sisters are listening to it.  But all is well.  I have met a lot of good people and have made many new friends that I'm excited to hear from when they all come back from their Missions.  I also have talked to a couple of the higher ups at the MTC about my Visa.  I talked with my Branch President who is President McMullin and we had a good talk and then I was sent to President Pridays office.  He is over my Branch President but under the MTC President and we had a good talk. That was the first time that I have met President Priday (just like Friday but with a p) and I could tell the concern and love that he had for me.  But as of 6/4 I have been told that my Visa could be here within the week to ten days or it could be here in months.  It just depends on all the mailing and the UK Consulate office in New York.  Being in the MTC longer than expected is an interesting topic I would have to say.  But with the help and council of President McMullin I have found that God has a reason for me being here whether it is to help someone or do something.  Or that England isn't ready as in the area or my trainer.  But one thing is for sure, the food doesn't get any better but I eat because I need to. 

I think that this week was a pretty routine week if I can say that.  One interesting experience I have had is that I have been able to access the gift of discernment.  What a cool thing that is!  I was teaching and a lesson to an investigator and the thought popped into my head, ask him what he is afraid of?  He had Word of Wisdom problems and once I asked this question, the Spirit just took over and he is committed to live it now which is great. This Gospel is a Gospel of happiness and joy.  It has the power to change people and help them become better.

I would like to close with a quote from one of the parables of Elder James E. Talmage.  He has just talked about a train that hit a massive snow storm and the light on the engine can only see a hundred yards or less and he says this "We may not now what lies ahead of us in the future years, nor even in the days or hours immediately beyond.  But for a few yards, or possibly only a few feet, the track is clear, our duty is plain, our course is illumined.  For that short distance, for the next step, lighted by the inspiration of God, Go On!"

I have come to know that I have no idea when I'll get to England all I know is that a few hours are lighted for me and I must go on.  I know that this Gospel is true and that the Book of Mormon is true.  I love that book and the message that it teaches.  I know that the Lord has a plan for me.  This Gospel has the power to change me and I have watched it change me.  I know that Joseph Smith is a Prophet of God and that this is the true Church.  Let us all press on in the faith of the Lord.

Elder Nielsen


PDay, MTC Provo

District leaving to Hawaii and Boston

Union Jack Flag, MTC Provo, Elder Nielsen