Last PDay email as a Missionary

We had a really really busy day on Monday, April 6, 2015. On Sunday, April 5, 2015, we got a call from the Mission Home saying that they are closing the flat here in Derby.  So we spent Monday cleaning all day. I t was like being back with the cleaning crew that I worked with before my mission cleaning out apartments. So we had to have everything expect the furniture out by Monday night. 

That night we had the Ward open house from half one to half three.  So we had to show up to that as well. I had my last interview with the Mission President that night as well at the Derby Chapel.  Then after the Ward open house President R. came over to the flat to check and make sure that it was ready to hand over to the landlord.  Then Tuesday, April 7, 2015 I am traveling to the Mission Home at half five.  I will be traveling with Elder B. on the way home until Denver where we will split. He is heading home because he Visa ran out. 

Until I see you on Wednesday, have a great few days.

Love Elder Nielsen

I glory in plainness; I glory in truth; I glory in my Jesus, for he hath redeemed my soul from hell." 2 Nephi 33:6

Dear Family and Friends,

This week has kind of been about the same as last week. We are teaching a few people but they are almost all University students. So we have been teaching them and then they started their Easter break this week.  So we went from having eight people to teach to having two maybe three until they come back from break. As I have been reflecting back on the past almost two years, Missionary work would have been way easier if I had a University campus to work with. The reason why is that the students are more receptive to learning about God and are more willing to say that they are on the fence about if He is there. So it just makes finding a ton easier because other than their busy schedule they are willing to learn.

We had our Ward Conference this past Sunday and had lots of people show up late.  I think that it was because of the time change. We spring forward this past weekend so every body clock is off. But Ward Conference was really good. It is always nice to hear on a more personal level from the Stake President and the High Councilors over our Derby Ward. But yesterday's Church was probably one of the best ones I have been to on my Mission. For three reasons. First the Chapel was overflowing. We had to open two overflows instead of one. It was really nice to see all the people that came. Two the Spirit was there in abundance. And three they had food afterwards. The best way to my heart is through my stomach. Ha ha

My mom is always asking ,"Elder Nielsen what is you favorite scripture? Or the scripture that has helped you the most this week?" I have been pondering what scripture has helped me the most.  I think I have finally found it. "I glory in plainness; I glory in truth; I glory in my Jesus, for he hath redeemed my soul from hell." 2 Nephi 33:6

Over the last two years I have been in the service of my God. I have taught the plainness of the Gospel to the people who would listen. I have come to know on a personal level my Savior Jesus Christ and that He has redeemed my soul from hell. I too glory in the plainness of the Gospel. I have been reflecting over the events that have transpired over these two years. The people I have taught, the ones who have entered into the Covenant of Baptism, and the ones who have come back into the fold. But more importantly is where I was at the start of these two years and where I am now. I left home with a match stick of a testimony even though at the time I thought it was a good size candle. I thought I could do it all on my own with my intellect and my persuasive powers. It wasn't until someone tore down my testimony that I realized how feeble it was.  I am now grateful for that man who tore down my testimony because it helped me build the one that I have now. Over these two years all I can say is that I believe this Church is true and all the things that are associated with it are true as well. It has taken me almost a year and a half to have enough little experiences with the Spirit and the Book of Mormon to gain this testimony. But because of all these experiences I have come to love the Savior. To marvel at the price He paid for me and the unmeasurable amount of love that He has for me and all of God's children. And to learn it all in the plainness of the Gospel. 

The Book of Mormon teaches principles so clear that eight year old children can understand. It changes lives because of the plainness of its teaching. It has changed my life and some of the lives of people I have had the apportioning to introduce it to.   As this might be the last entry I make on this blog I would like to invite all men everywhere to read the Book of Mormon, to ponder in their hearts the message it contains, and then to ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Jesus Christ if the book is true. Those who pursue this course and ask in faith will gain a testimony of its truth and divinity by the power of the Holy Ghost. This Book of Mormon has brought me the most happiness and comfort that I have ever had in my life. This is the book that will bring you closer to God. It will give you a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. It will help you understand that there are prophets on the earth again. 

Just to finish off if you have not read the Book of Mormon read it and ponder in your head the message it contains. If you have read the Book and stopped please pick it back up and drink from the pages that have the living water in them, that if we drink deeply from it, it will bring solace to the soul and peace to the heart. 

I just want to finish off with my testimony I testify that the Book of Mormon is true. I testify that Joseph Smith is a Prophet and did see God the Father and his son Jesus Christ. That Thomas S. Monson is the Prophet of God on the earth today. That the authority to act in God's name has been resorted to the earth. And that this is Christ Church once again established on this earth. 

God Be With You!

Love, Elder Nielsen

I Love Jesus Christ, He Is My Best Friend!

Dear Family & Friends,

This week I have been reading in  Alma 55:30 and learned a very valuable lesson. The Nephites, in a couple of chapters earlier, had taken their wine to the Lamanites.  Now in Alma 55 the Lamanites are trying to do the same thing to them.  And in Alma 55:32 it says this,

"And they were thus cautious that no poison should be administered among them; for if their wine would poison a Lamanite it would also poison a Nephite; and thus they did try all their liquors". 

We can apply that to sin. If it will harm a child it will harm an adult and so on.  It made me to start thinking of things that I had justified just because I was old enough to "partake" of things that a younger person couldn't or shouldn't.  But according to that scripture no one can partake of any amount of sin and expect to live at the last days.  No unclean thing can enter into the kingdom of God.  So if He can't let any unclean thing in, how do we get in?  It is through Jesus Christ, our older brother and mediator for us before the father.  Through Him and only through Him can we return. 

Mosiah 5:8  And under this head ye are made free, and there is no other head whereby ye can be made free. There is no other name given whereby salvation cometh; therefore, I would that ye should take upon you the name of Christ, all you that have entered into the covenant with God that ye should be obedient unto the end of your lives.

This week we have taught a couple first lessons and this is always the point that we try to get a crossed the best that we can.  But the three most important things Jesus Christ did for us was,

1. He set up His church and gave the ordinances that pertained to our salvation. 

2. He gave us the way to live. "Therefore I would that ye should be perfect even as I, or your father who is in heaven is perfect". 3 Nephi 12:48.

3. THE MOST IMPORTANT thing he did was perform the Atonement. The suffering in the Garden combined with the public humiliation of the cross and the victory over the grave made it so we too could over come physical death. And if we accept Him and try to follow him, repent, be baptized, receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, and endure to the end. We can return to live with God. 

I think that the greatest thing I have learned on my Mission and possibly the greatest thing I will ever learn is how much we all need Jesus Christ.  He is the center of this Church.  All of the doctrine taught revolves around Jesus Christ and how to return to live with God. That is why the Book of Mormon in the  Introduction says this "Those who gain this divine witness from the Holy Spirit will also come to know by the same power that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world, that Joseph Smith is His revelator and prophet in these last days, and that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord’s kingdom once again established on the earth, preparatory to the Second Coming of the Messiah".  The first point the Introduction says that when you find out this is true you will know that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world.

 I love Jesus Christ.  He is my best friend and older brother. I have felt the enabling power of the Atonement on my Mission.  The days that I just couldn't take one more step or talk to one more person He was there. The transfers that I struggled with companions and depression He was there. The happy moments when I was at my best He was there. He is always here for us. It is never to late to reach out and jump into his arms. 

Matthew 11:28-30

28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Until we meet again in a few short weeks!  Love to you all.

Elder Nielsen

Reflecting on Blessings Given

Dear Friends and Family,

Not much to report this week.  I am having a scatter brained day.  Transfers were last week and I have a new companion.  He is here in the Mission as a Chinese speaking Elder.  He has been frustrated with the transferred to Derby because there are not many Chinese people.  I personally seen 3 in Derby in my 12 weeks of being here.  So he is not very happy so I have my work cut out for me for the next 3 weeks. 

Last week I spoke about getting blessings and this week I was reflecting back on the blessings that I had the opportunity to give.  They were a nerve racking experience and were both given to investigators.  One blessing that has really struck and confused me is one that I gave in Solihull to an investigator names Donald.  He was really six and he told us that the doctors had no idea what what wrong.  So we gave him a blessing.  In the blessing I told him that he would recover from the sickness.  A couple of weeks later he got more sick and came to me and said why am I not better. You said that I would get better.  Come to find out Donald had cancer for the past year and it was spreading all over his body.  I have often wondered why I was prompted to say that he would recover. Donald eventually died and I started to question why I had said that. The more and more I have thought about it he did get better and did recover.  But not in this life.  Death was his best doctor.

Tender Mercy for the week... was just sports night. I have been very frustrated with my new companion so it was good to work out some of that frustration.

Off the wall experience this week was probably going to the Mission Home for the departing Elder and Sister Missionary dinner.  They call it trunky night.  So we have dinner and a testimony meeting and then spend the night and then fly out early the next morning.  So it was a little different since I was not flying out the next morning.  But the whole funny experience was what happened at night. Twenty-four Elders in the Assistant to the President's flat all running around and being boys.  You would think that we would have matured a little bit, but no.  It was so much fun.  It was really cool to hear the different stories of everyone Mission.  Everyone was just way exited to go home so lots of jokes being told.

Hopefully I will have some better events and stories next week.  Keep praying for the Lord's work to go forth and that the honest in heart will seek Him.  I love this gospel and all of you. 

Love Elder Nielsen

Blessings of Peace and Comfort

Dear Family & Friends,

I have been feeling a little blah lately so I asked Elder O. for a blessing this week.  It was a nice blessing, just me and him feeling the Spirit bear witness and comfort me.  The blessing told me things that I already had feelings about, for example that I have done the best I could of in Solihull with a former companion and his trials and just to keep pushing forward. 

I had a former Mission President in our Ward back home comment on my last post about the fast that "I think that Elder Nielsen has got the vision of Missionary Work".  I have seen that a few Missionaries come on Missions and just want to baptize.  After realizing that I was coming to England where the work is hard, I decided that I wanted more than just to baptize.  I want to be successful in bringing myself closer to Christ and not just others.  I have seen Missionaries come and go without getting closer to Christ. So why come?  What else should I learn?

My favorite event of the week would have to be quiz night.  We had a Ward quiz night on Friday instead of games.  It is kind of like Jeopardy.  It was really fun with some off the wall questions.

Worst thing for the week......  Nothing to report. I think that this week has been a good one. Nothing really awful happened.

We have had some really good success with University students lately. They are pretty interested but hard to get a time to meet up with them because of their schedules and our rules.  They always want to meet late at night.  But we have 15 university students that we are hoping to work with in the next couple of days or a week away.

My favorite person for this week would have to be one of the Ward Missionaries.  He invited us over for dinner the other night and we ordered Chines take out. We had so much food. It was crazy.

Tender Mercy for the week was the weather.  It was sunny and about 70 degrees.  It was so nice! I got a tan on my arms.  I love the sun!  It has been nice having the sun out because people in England are affected by the weather.  If it is raining they don't want anyone to talk to them. Sunny they will stop and chat. Our success depends on the weather. Crazy ain't it.  Another Tender Mercy for the week was just the lesson in Elders Quorum.  It was a really good lesson and I learned tons.  In Elders Quorum we talked about repentance. And one of the members said a quote that went along the lines of "I would rather die physically then spiritually, that is why I repent".  And that quote started a really good discussion on repentance.

But other than that it has been a normal week.  No big moments of inspiration to share this week. Not like last week. I have found that I have to really ponder them before I truly understand them. The fasting one took a couple of months. It is crazy to think that the end of my Mission is in sight. Thanks for all your prayers and letters.

Until next week!

Love Elder Nielsen

Law of the Fast

Dear Family & Friends,

We have not been able to do anymore finding with the fan chart. The weather has not been good enough to break them out without getting them soaked. We have them covered in plastic but the rain still gets through.

My favorite moment was just playing basketball with the Ward this week for games night. We have a games night every Friday and lots of people are coming out to it. We have about twenty members that come and a couple of investigators.  Worse moment of the week was that it was just raining down yesterday after Church.  It is about a twenty minute walk home from Church and we were soaked by the first five. But we didn't melt.

We have been talking and learning lately about the traditions of our fathers. One of the Europe area Presidency gave a talk in the Mission about how it takes up to the fourth generation for the bad traditions to be broke and the only one for the good ones to be broke. 

The best part of the week was...... Fast Sunday! Fast Sunday has become one of my favorite Sundays on my Mission. At first when I got into the Mission I was like I have to fast for two meals! What are you kidding me!  But the more I have learned and grown the more I have come to enjoy going for two meals.  It is hard but worth it all the time.  I was reading in the Old Testament in the Book of Isaiah this week about fasting.  In the Book of Isaiah Chapter 58  he talks about the true law of the fast and the blessings that come with it. And I really like this verse from it. But I love the whole chapter.

3 Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours.

 4 Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high.

 5 Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the Lord?

6 Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?

 7 Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?

I remember when I first fasted for two meals I fasted and complained. But this chapter has really helped me see the real reasons we fast. To loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free. I honestly almost copied and pasted the whole chapter in this email but stopped myself. Read it, it is good.

Thanks for all of your letters and support.  Not much has changed here in Derby but seeds are being planted for the next generation of Missionaries to come.

Love, Elder Nielsen

Thoughts of My Mission

Dear Family, Friends,

This week has been a interesting one. On Monday we played basketball with the other Elders and Elder J got hurt. He twisted his knee and hasn't really been able to walk for the week. We think he either hyper extended it or tore something in it.  So that has put a damper on the plans for the week for sure.  But we made the best of it.  We have been finding with our family history fan charts this week. It has been fun. We stop people and ask them if they know what the chart is. Then we explain how much our family means to us and show them the picture of Nephi on the ship and have them read 1 Nephi 1 about how he talks about his family.  It has gone well so far.  Not to much success but it will come with time that is for sure.

Other than that a pretty boring week. We had Stake Conference this week and it was alright. They talked lots about how the Ward Council can help people in need if they are unified and working together. It was nice to hear it but hard to apply it for Missionaries. But on Sunday the Stake President gave a really good talk about how daily reading from the Book of Mormon will help us. He gave examples of how it has helped his family and even friends. It was really cool to hear.

I have some goals set for the last little bit of my Mission.  At first it was the baptize one more.  But the more and more I thought about it, it just didn't seem right.  So my goal is to get to a place spiritually were I can continue to build on the knowledge that I already have and to make sure that I am in a place were I know that I will NOT go less active down the road.  I will look into other goals to.

 Last week my family sent me a birthday/valentines box.  It had a cake mix, frosting, birthday hats, candles, candy, etc.  Elder J and I baked the cake and it was really good. We ate the whole box of goodies in two days. I told Elder J this box is going to ruin my diet so I had two cheat days and we just ate the whole box of goodies and the cake. Lots of candy and sweets. I was a little sick after that though, but all is good. 

I have been reading the book Infinite Atonement and it is a very good book. It has answered questions that I have had about the Atonement and not only that these questions have led to deeper questions that have been answered with the scriptures. 

I think the tender mercy for the week was having a chat with President Rasmussen.  I gave my departing testimony in Zone Conference this week as there is not another one before I go home.  But I talked to him about how things went with Elder P and President just told me that I had done the best that I could with what I was given. I think the miracles I have witnessed on my Mission have been walking away from getting hit by the car, Ingrid and her family, and the blessing I received from the Ward Mission Leader while serving in Cannock. Those have been I think the most defining moments of my Mission. Ones that I will not forget.

My favorite person for the week is the Bro. and Sister Grey. They are from Nottingham and worked in the Mission office for 18 months as the Finance secretaries. And I got to see them at Stake Conference this week.  Elder Grey had helped me get over some of the things that had happened with Elder P and has always been a good friend to me.

Well I am out of time.  This blog post is just a reflection of my thoughts this week.  May you all be blessed with the spirit of the Lord.

Love, Elder Nielsen

Challenges

Another part of my life will be starting 8 weeks from now.  I am nervous and anxious to finish my mission and move forward.  To be truthful, I am having a bit of anxiety over what my next move in life will be.  I am sure that most if not all missionaries go through these emotions, but it will all work out.

The biggest challenge this week has been that we have no investigators really. They have either dropped us or never return calls and texts.  So it has been a rough week. We have gotten quite a few comments from one investigator who has been trying to convince us that the Book of Mormon is written by the devil and that we should get out of this Church and into hers.  It has been interesting the read her texts that she sends.  Some peoples hearts are just so hard. It has been challenging lately to find new people to teach.  Just talking to people and then having them being rude back takes all desire out of me.  So it kind of finishes me for finding the rest of the day. Elder J and I have come up with a new approach using the family tree chart and we will see if it works. We used it a little bit yesterday and had some good luck with it.  The hardest days have just been the empty ones.  The days that are filled with ten hours of street contacting. The best days are the ones when you run from teaching appointment to another one. 

Tender Mercy for the week was probably the support from the Ward Mission Leader.  He saw that Elder J. and I are having a hard time and took us to dinner and kept encouraging us to keep up the good work.

Another tender mercy for the week is that at least the weather has been good. The sun has been out and it didn't rain at all.  But we woke up this morning and it was raining.  It is the never ending cycle of England.  A week of rain and a week without.  Thought I would be used to this by now.

To be honest nothing really that interesting happened this week. It was a boring week for us. Just the same old things. Lots of finding and not a lot of teaching. It is nice though because it helps me reflect on the good weeks and learn to enjoy them more when they come.

Thanks for all you prayers and support.

Love, Elder Nielsen

Story of the Donkey who feel down the well

Another birthday year has past.  Elder J my companion asked if I felt wiser when we got up and I said no.  Hence why I fell asleep after church and burned our lovely chicken dinner. I was cooking chicken in the oven and burned it into black hockey pucks.  But the good news is that my headache went away while I was dreaming of chicken for dinner. We didn't do anything for my birthday.  An investigator offered to take Elder J. and I to the pub for my birthday bump or drink but I declined.  

Best thing about the week has been game night!  We have a game night every Friday night at the Church and lots of people come and it was really fun. We played basketball and football.  Lots of members and investigators.  The craziest thing was burning Sunday dinner like I mentioned above. Elder J. and I had enough food for one meal on Sunday so I made a big Sunday dinner.  So we spent the next two hours saying what type of food we would want and what we would do for it. 

The investigators are pretty bad right now.  Everyone is still sick and no one has been to Church. They have problems with the Book of Mormon but will not meet up to tell us about them. So it is getting pretty frustrating. But we have found some new people this week and started to teach them. But only time will tell how it goes.

I heard a cool story during Sacrament meeting.  It was about this donkey who fell down a well.  The farmer found the donkey and thought for hours on how to get it out.  He finally decided that the donkey was old and the well was dry so he invited his friends over to fill in the well with dirt. The donkey realized what was going on and started to neigh.  But soon it stopped and the farmer looked down the well and saw something amazing. With every shovel full of dirt that hit the donkey, the donkey just shook it off and tramped it down. Eventually the donkey had made a platform of dirt to get out of the well.  The farmer was surprised at the result of this. We are like the donkey. What do we do with our problems, trails, or sorrows.  Do we bear them up or do we shake them off and move forward. 

I hope that we can all shake off our burdens with the help of our Savior Jesus Christ.

Thanks for all the birthday wishes!

Love, Elder Nielsen

Through fasting and prayer we can receive peace and understanding.

Dear friends and family,

This week has been a slow one. We had the dodge call (transfer call) on Monday, February 2, 2015, night and Elder Jones and I are staying together for one more transfer.  It is nice because both of us didn't want to leave Derby.  Other than that Elder Jones is starting to get sick again with that same nasty cold and on top of that, all of our investigators are sick as well.  It seems like a cycle that just never stops.  Elder Jones gets better and they get sick.  They get better and Jones get sick.  We did pick up a new investigator this week but other than that it is slowing down.  I have a feeling that we are going to have to drop some people because they will not meet with us anymore.  

The tender mercy for the week was in Sacrament Meeting during the sacrament.  I had prayed and fasted for some help and I got this feeling of peace come over me and a voice that said you are doing your best and everything will be okay.  It was a nice thing to have and calmed my troubled heart.

There are lots of people in this Ward that I like.  And lots of families as well.  Everyone here in Derby love the Missionaries and we are always having fun with them.  

Mostly this week has just been a reset week for us.  Getting things ready for this transfer.  Cleaning up our books and finding the people who have fallen through the cracks.

But pretty boring week for Elder Jones and I.  Please keep praying for hearts to be softened in England.

I testify that the we can all receive personal revelation for ourselves and feel of the Spirit bear witness to us of peace when we are facing trials.

Have a great week!  Love you all!

Elder Nielsen

How do you live the Commandments?

Hello from England,

This week has been a crazy one. It snowed one day, then rained, then got really hot, then froze, and then fog. The weather just cant make up its mind. Other than that it has been a normal week with lessons and finding.  Other than that, not much exciting has really happened this week just that it is transfers. I don't think that I will be leaving Derby so that is good. 

Tender mercy for the week is not getting sick.  Elder Jones has been sick for two almost three weeks. This illness has gone around the whole Zone and I am the only one that it didn't hit that bad.

Favorite thing for the week was playing basketball with some of the Ward members.  It was a very interesting game. I t turned into prison rules kind of with lots of hard fouls but we had lots of fun at the same time.

I was reading this week in  Alma 5 from the Book of Mormon and learned lots from it.  Alma asks questions pretty much the whole chapter.  Questions that have made me think hard about my conversion to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and how I live the commandments.  As I was reading I conducted a personal interview and thought about all the questions that Alma asks.  It was a very spiritual experience as it led me to make some changes in my life but also in the lives of members here in Derby, England as I shared what I had learned for the spiritual thought at dinner appointments.  I am so glad to have the Book of Mormon and to learn from our ancestors of old how I can become a better person.

The investigators are doing good. One of our investigators that we are teaching will be baptized but not on the 7th of February.  I think it will be the 21st of February if it happens, pray for her heart to be softened and that the Spirit will bear witness to her that this Gospel is true.  We also have two more people who are set to be baptized on the 21/2/15 so we will see if they make the baptism dates and have the courage and faith to push through all the trials that are going to come.  We had lots of lessons this week for England so the week just flew by!

I challenge you to read Alma 5 and conduct your own person interview about the things that Alma has taught.

This Gospel is true!!!  Have a great week.

Love, Elder Nielsen

Who do you Follow?

Dear Friends and Family,

Well in answer to a couple of questions last week about the Manor that I visited last week.  The manor is really old and is on a ton of land.  It is very nice on the inside but it is also kind of worn down if I am being honest. There is a taxidermy animal collection that is just nasty.  Not that the animals aren't cool but they are old and falling apart.  Only the third Batman movie The Dark Night Rises was made there and they only used the grounds and one room to film in.  But is was fun to get out and see the sights of England.  I guess my favorite part about the day was playing American football afterwards. We had a nice four on four side match that was very fun on the wet grass.

More about our recent investigator.  She is from Nigeria and is about 25 and attends the University. She does not have any family in England with her that we have seen or heard of but she has many friends.

Tender Mercy for the week was the High Councils talk in Sacrament Meeting.  Who would have thought that the High Council talk would be the tender mercy for the week. ha ha Below is what I learned from the talk.

Mary had a little lamb

whose fleece was white as snow.

Everywhere that Mary went

the lamb was sure to go.

It followed her to town one day

and into all the shops.

It even followed her into the butcher shop

were it was promptly made into chops. HA HA

That is how the High Councillor started his talk on Sunday.  I was rolling on the ground laughing at it. He then pulled it into his talk very nicely though. So who do we follow? Are we like the lamb only following one person?  Are we being driving by many?  Do we trust who we are being lead by?  He answered it like this. If you trust in the Prophet (President Monson) and know that He is called of God you follow him.  If you follow him you will also follow the Stake President and Bishop. The High Councillor was asked to speak about the Book of Mormon and the challenge issued to our Stake, here in Derby.  Our Stake President has asked that we read the Book of Mormon as a Stake everyday for a year.  And in result to us being obedient, our Stake will increase in Spirituality and unity.  This talk was very good and it made me think who do I follow?  Sometimes it is the crowds and most of the time Christ.  So we must follow Him so we are not made into chops.

This week has been a good one. The work is moving forward nicely. We taught two more people this week.  It was Jim and Jess and they are on a baptism date!  We started to think that we would never teach them because they would only come to church activities. Then we asked them on Saturday if they would be willing to attend Church on Sunday and they said YES!  It was a very good lesson but only time will tell how it works out.  Other than that Elder Jones has been sick most of the week so we didn't really get much done.  But things are still good in Jolly Ol' England.  We will hope and pray for an even better week coming up.

Think about Who do you Follow?

Love to you all!  Love Elder Nielsen

Tender Mercy

This week has been a doosey. We have had wind and rain just wreck some of our area in Derby. We have had 60 mph winds for a couple of days. So fences are down and some trees. But the sun is supposed to come out soon and cleanup will begin. 

Tender Mercy for this week is we got a new investigator who we taught on Saturday, January 10 2015 and then to our surprise she came to Church on Sunday.  She has accepted the challenge to be baptized on the 7th of February IF she finds out the Gospel of Jesus Christ is true.  That is a big miracle.

I think my  favourite person for the week is the Ward Mission Leader and his family.  They invited us over for dinner and we had a really good time.  He is a young guy so it is really fun to talk with people closer to my age.  We have four Elders and two Sister Missionaries in our Ward here in Derby so the Ward members get plenty of opportunities to have a set of Missionaries in their home often.

I have been talking about the Atonement with my dad and companion and just as I think I have a handle on the Atonement, I learn something new that makes me restart and reset my thinking of it.  It is really nice how we can gain more knowledge if we put in the work of studying, praying and searching.

I don't really have much time this week. We are going as a District to see Wayne Manor from the movie Batman. The Manor is twenty minutes from us. So we are going to spend the wrest of the day there.  I will post pictures.

Have a great week.  Thanks for all your love and support, the Gospel is true!

Love Elder Nielsen,

Happy New Year

Happy New Year,

Here is a quick note that mom and dad received from President and Sister Rasmussen yesterday.

Parents,

We attended meetings in the Derby Ward today. It was wonderful to spend time with the great Sisters and Elders serving there. Sister Caffrey, Sister Schollars, Elder Rasmussen, Elder Labrum, Elder Nielsen and Elder Jones are much respected and supported in the ward.

The brother on the back row was baptized yesterday and confirmed today. There was a strong spirit in Sacrament Meeting as many members bore a strong witness of the Savior, Jesus Christ.

Please know that your children are taking part in a great service. We thank you for all that you do to aid them.

President and Sister Rasmussen

It was great to have President and Sister Rasmussen in our Sunday meetings yesterday (Jan. 4, 2015). The Ward here in Derby is great, I think that I am going to fit in very nicely here. Elder Jones and I get along really well and we have lots of fun.  We don't really do much with the Sisters we see them once or twice a day in the streets but don't really do much teaching with them. 

It has been a messed up week with new years and what not. My body clock is very messed up. We didn't do anything for new years because we had to be in by six. So pretty boring right. So we just packed it in early.  I will attach some pictures of the snow that happened last week.  It is by all means not Idaho snow but it is snow none the less.  It lasted for about five days then melted away. It has also warmed up to.  I am no longer wearing a jumper (sweater), just my jacket.  With new years it has just been crazy. Everyone is getting over their Christmas hang overs and getting ready for the New Years one.  But we still had a good week. We have had a problem teaching people since I have been here. We can get three to five at Church but when it comes to teaching them they don't want to make the time or are just to busy.  It is an interesting change from teaching many people in Soulihul and having a hard time getting them to Church. 

But a big chunk of the week was just getting lost going everywhere. Elder Jones last companion didn't help him learn the Area so it is like the blind leading the blind. We have had fun getting lost and we do it on a pretty regular bases. This week we went to a members house and found out that it was their old house. So we had to call them and ask for a lift because we had no idea how to get to their new place. Other than that it has been a quite week other than the Baptism on Saturday and Confirmation on Sunday.  Hopefully we can start to teach people and get them to Church to hear and feel of the love of our Savior.

Remember that the Lord loves and cares for each of you!

Love, Elder Nielsen

Transfer Time & Christmas Blessings

Dear Friends and Family,

Well the week before Christmas I was transferred to Derby, England.  My new companion is Elder Jones and he is a cool kid.  He was in my District in Cannock and I was his District Leader for a little bit.  He is from Murray, Utah and about 9 months out.  Derby pronounced dar-bi is a City and is in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent.

It is known as the home to Lombe's Mill, the first factory in the world, Derby is considered a birthplace of the Industrial Revolution. With the arrival of the railways in the 19th century the city grew to become a foremost centre of the British rail industry.

Today, Derby is an internationally renowned centre for advanced transport manufacturing, home to the world’s second largest aero-engine manufacturer, Rolls-Royce, and Derby Litchurch Lane Works—the UK's only remaining train manufacturer. The Toyota Manufacturing UK's automobile headquarters is found just South of the city.

Other than a little bit of history I have not really gone out and about yet so don't know what the rest is like.  The Mission Home is about an hour and half on a train from Derby.  The Ward here is a good size Ward of about 100 or so. They are trying to split the Ward and should have enough people to do so by the end of next year or sooner. But lots of young kids and families.

Since the transfer, Christmas has come and gone and now life can get back to normal. It was a fun time. On Christmas day we spent the day with two families. We ate dinner and played games and so on. So it felt like being at home.  I also got to Skype with my family back home and it was a good to see the family and get the chance to catch up with everyone.  So my favorite thing that happened on Christmas was just spending time with the members that invited us over. Both families that we had lunch and dinner with are really nice and I can tell that they really care about us. 

One of the investigators that we are teaching is a spiritual healer. One hand takes away the pain and the other heals. That's all I really know about him. I have talked to him a couple of times and he has some deep questions but is always working so it is hard to teach him.

On Sunday we had a pretty cool Sacrament meeting. It seemed like all of the topics for the talks and lessons were about improving ourselves. It struck me because with New Years coming up everyone is going to set goals on what they want to do and so on. But we talked more about how we can improve ourselves spiritually. And the common theme was that we need to be reading our scriptures and saying our prayers. That is the only way we can improve as a Ward and become better.  As Missionaries, that is one of the first things we ask people to do of if they will do it.  We also talked about how humans take the easy way out. We take the path of least resistance to achieve what we want. It was a good lesson and good Sacrament meeting and I learned a lot.  Sometimes it is best to take the hard way even though the natural man wants the easy way. Taking the hard way to change is worth it in the end because you learn more about yourself and what you can really do.

favourite thing that happened on Christmas was just spending time with the members that invited us over. Both families that we were at are really nice and I can tell that they really care about us. All I know is that he is a spiritual healer. One hand takes away the pain and the other heals. That's all I really know about him. I have talked to him a couple of times and he has some deep questions but is always working so it is hard to teach him.

Derby is a good size ward of about 100 or so. They are trying to split the ward and should have enough people to do it by the end of next year or sooner. But lots of young kids and families.

Keep praying for the success of the Missionaries, I can see the Lord's hand in all that I do.

Love, Elder Nielsen

Lessons about D&C 20:77, 79 Sacrament Prayers

Dear Friends & Family,

Well time does fly. I can't believe it is time to write the blog again. This week was yet another cold week. No snow but very cold.  One cool thing that happened is that my Grandfather sent us someone to go see here in Solihull. She is a less active member over here that one of my Grandfather's friends is related to.  So Elder M and I went over to her home and had a good chat. One thing that she said is that she is 80 years old and is still looking after others. She works on Sunday to help people get their Sunday meals together and helps them clean up their houses.  At 80 years old!  We just looked at her with our jaws on the ground.  Still serving others. What a good example! The rest of the week was pretty routine really. With it being so close to Christmas a lot of the people we try to teach are just "to busy" to see us, which is a shame but it's their choice. 

Last week I told you about getting caught eating the cake with some Young Men.  Well my mom ask what the reaction was of the sister that caught us.  It was quite entertaining.  She opened the kitchen door and just looked at us then her little girl ran over and started to eat cake with us. Then she asked how long it had been in the fridge and stuff like that. It was one of those balloon cakes from Costco with way to much frosting on it.  But it was good and we had a good laugh.

I would have to say that the tender mercy for the week was just having so many members want us for the Christmas season. They were fighting over who could have us and when. It was really nice and I will miss it since I have now been transferred from Solihull to Derby England.  I will give you more information about the transfer next week. I think the fun adventure and the laughing for the week is one thing.  Like I mentioned above we went to visit a gal that my Grandfather had told us about so were on our way over to visit with her and the roads were really slick.  It was about half five and the sidewalks where already iced over.  So Elder M thought it would be funny to just fall into someones hedge to see how others would react as they saw him fall. So he told me to look and I looked and he just fell backwards into someones hedge.  Elder M is a big dude to and this poor little hedge held him up with no damage to Elder M or the hedge.  It was entertaining to me and the others that were walking by.  The worst thing of the week is just how dark and cold it is over here.  It gets dark at around four and has been below freezing the whole week. We have had lots of frost that has stayed until about noon which makes for a miserable morning of walking and finding.

One thing that I want to talk about happened during Gospel Principles this past Sunday. We were teaching about the Sacrament and reading the prayers for it.  I thought I knew everything there was about the prayers until a member that was in the class started to point out that the word ALWAYS isn't needed in the sentences.  But that it is put there to reinforce the fact that we are ALWAYS GOING TO REMEMBER HIM and ALWAYS HAVE HIS SPIRIT to be with us.  It was pretty cool. 

Doctrine & Covenants 20:77, 79.

77 O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this bread to the souls of all those who partake of it, that they may eat in remembrance of the body of thy Son, and witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son, and always remember him and keep his commandments which he has given them; that they may always have his Spirit to be with them. Amen.

79 O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this wine to the souls of all those who drink of it, that they may do it in remembrance of the blood of thy Son, which was shed for them; that they may witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they do always remember him, that they may have his Spirit to be with them. Amen.

The other thing he talked about was that we are asking God to bless and sanctify the bread and water. This is the one time during the week that we get to eat something that has been sanctified.  And because we eat it and it is truly clean if we are in the right mind set and go with a repentant attitude we can become clean.  

Well that is it for this week.  I hope that you all have a great week helping others Come Unto Christ.

Love Elder Nielsen

He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows

Hey family and friends,

This week has been cold. And it is supposed to get colder. We have 70mph winds coming in this week and temps of -5C.  It has been a good week though.  A while back I talked about the man that I met in the bathroom that I have been talking to every week at the gym. We saw him this week and had another good chat with him. He lives pretty close to us and so we walked home together after the gym. But long story short we invited him to Church on the Dec. 7, 2014 and he told us that he was going partying that night so wouldn't be able to come. But said that he might come in the future. It was still cool to just talk to him. 

Tender Mercy for the week is we had a member who called us and apologized to us for not having us over for a Thanksgiving dinner and so they took us to a Carvery for dinner. A Carvery is kind of like a buffet but way better. All the food you can eat for pretty cheep.  We had a good meal.

Funnest thing for the week was probably going to the gym on Monday. Had very good work out.  I love going to the gym and dong a good workout. 

Hardest thing for the week was getting in touch with people. There are some people that we have not seen for a long time that just don't answer their phone.

Thing that has made me laugh out loud this week was getting caught with the some of the Young Men  eating left over cake after Church on Fast Sunday. We where eating cake and laughing when a member walked into the kitchen. I had half a piece of cake in my mouth and some of the young men where just about to take a bite.  We all had a good laugh!

Other than that it has been a pretty normal week trying to contact people and keep things moving. I have been reading in Mosiah this week and read this... 

3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

 4 Surely he has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

I have been reading this and then it hit me to replace the we, our, etc with me and I. So it read Surely He has borne my grief, and carried my sorrows; yet I did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for my transgressions, He was bruised for my iniquities; the chastisement for my peace was upon him; and with His stripes I am healed. 

As we come up to Christmas lets remember the real reason for it. CHRIST!

Love, Elder Nielsen. 

When you follow Christ you are always on the right path.

Dear Friends and Family,

Last week I mentioned that I strained my neck but it is better now.  It lasted for about two weeks and it is all good. ;-)  Tender mercy for the week was just my neck healing. It was to the point that if I got my heart rate up above 100 I had to sit down because my head was pounding so hard.  Since England does not celebrate Thanksgiving, Elder M and I had our own.  We had Pizza and Wings and lots of them.  I think that we might have overdone we were so full, but it was fun.

This week has been a busy weird week.We have had the "He is The Gift" training. It was crazy because of the traveling back and forth into Birmingham for two weeks in a row.  It was a good training though.  I am really impressed with the Church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints effort into stressing Christ during a time of commercial hype.  So after that we watched the video that goes along with the He is the Gift.  It is a really good video The Christmas Story.  But after the business of learning/training the week went back to normal. 

We went and saw some less active members and tried to get in contact with some people who had been investigating the Church.  Solihull is a weird area because people come and go really quick. What I mean is that you can stay in contact with them for a week or two and then they just disappear and you can't seem to find them for weeks.  It is a crazy pattern. 

This week in the Old Testament I have been reading about Saul and how he didn't wait for Samuel to come and perform the sacrifice right before the battle and then he spared the ox and sheep.  This topic led to an interesting talk with Elder M about social pressures.  How Saul gave into the children of Israel and went ahead and did those things because it would make him popular in the eyes of the people.  In the long run it hurt him more than the people. We have been challenging the members to not give in to the social pressure. To always remember that if they are following Christ they are on the right path. 

Have a great week and remember that "He is The Gift".

Love Elder Nielsen

showing off my new shirt/muscles.

Having fun at the park on Pday.  England is beautiful.

Gratitude

Dear Family and Friends,

Solihull is a nice Area but nothing really goes on here in terms of Missionary Work.  Over the past two years nothing has happened really.  And the members have not really been helping at all.  They are good members on Sunday but the rest of the week we don't see them.  Please pray for hearts to be softened and that the Ward members will have a desire to Hasten the Work.

This week has been cold yet again. But that is okay since there are not too many weeks left on the Mission. The time will go quickly.  This week we had a Ward Reach Out Night.  It turned out pretty good.  We had about 8 people there and saw a good number of people that we have been dropping by to visit with. 

The work is slowly picking up.  My companion Elder M and I went and saw a man named Alan.  He has not been active for two years.  A very nice man and we talked about what was keeping him from Church.  And he flat out told us (but I will not share because of privacy).  But the cool thing is he is going to let the Missionaries (me and Elder M) come back and teach him again!  Yeah, it should be good.  We hope to have him back to Church by Christmas.  So we will see how this week goes with him as we continue to visit and teach him.  Finding over here has been really slow so we have started to just work with less actives.  And there are some good people that are close to coming back.  But also have experienced a little detour in their reactivation. 

I saw the man that I talked to about the Gospel in the bathroom at the Gym.  He is not really interested in being taught by the Missionaries about the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but he likes to talk to us about our lives and what we are doing.  So hopefully his heart will soften and he will want to learn more about Jesus Christ.

The Tender Mercy for this week is Health Insurance.  I had a little accident at the Gym and strained my neck so after a visit to the Doc. no lifting anything for six weeks.  I can't even pull my suit cases down to get something.  Elder M has to get them down for me. 

I hope that as we all celebrate Thanksgiving this week we all think of the many things that we are grateful for.  I am grateful for my family and the support and encouragement they give to me, friends for the joy of having friends to listen to my venting, my health so I can run and not be weary and walk and not be faint, safety that I can walk freely, food so I can stay healthy, house for the warmth and comfort it provides, and the scriptures that I can study and learn more about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Have a great week and Happy Thanksgiving.

Love Elder Nielsen

A little bit of Toilette Humor

It has been cold this week. The weather has diffidently turned this week. It went from a very nice Autumn to freezing in a day. The rain has been a pain but that is what I get to deal with.

As you can tell from the post title, I had a funny conversation on Monday last week.  Elder M. and I go to a gym on Mondays to get a good work out and I was in the restroom and there was a man that I have talked to a couple of times on the toilet.  While he was in the stall, he began a conversation and asked where I was from and I told him. Then he asked why are you here in England and a couple other questions about my Mission.  But definitely one of the craziest places I have had a conversation about the Gospel... as he was wiping ha ha. We will just have to see if it goes anywhere hopefully it will.  But there a little bit of toilette humor to start us off with.

But tender mercy for this week was Zone Meeting.  The training was presented in a way that I have never thought of and I learned a lot.  Best thing that happened this week is that I now have Elder M. as a companion.  He has just let me rant for the past couple of days about the things that have been going on with my last companion and with the Ward.  It was good to get all my frustrations out so I can move on.  The hardest thing for the week probably has just been trying to get around to all the members we wanted to see this week.  We are trying to build up the Area around where the members live.  So we have been going by their homes asking them to pray that we will have success in their Area.

I have just finished reading the Book of Joshua.  And one thing I did as I read the book was marked every time he was told to be strong and of a good courage.  It is repeated plenty of times.  I learned that no matter what situation we are in we need to be strong and of good courage and it will work out. That principle is illustrated through the whole book.   The people rebel and Joshua just has to put up with it until they change.  And also with driving the other people out of the promised land.  He had to be strong.  Lots of things going on and nothing really went his way.  But he stayed strong.

Other than that we are still working with less actives and trying to find new people.  Hopefully with Christmas coming up it will bring lots of softened hearts that are ready to hear about the good news of our Savior Jesus Christ.  Please join with me in prayer for soften hearts during this upcoming season for those who are ready to hear that good news.

Have a great week!

Love, Elder Nielsen