New Companion, Music, Conference 2013

Happy Christmas season to my friends and family,

This week has been a busy week. We have been all over the place. We had transfers on Wednesday, December 11, 2013.  So Elder Gardner and I went to Glouster to pick up my new companion and drop off Elder Gardner.  It was quite a long day.  Life with my new companion is good. We are getting along really well.  He has not been out in the Mission Field much longer than I, so it is nice to not get a companion that is close to going home and is anxious and not wanting to work.  His name is Elder Doty and he is from Seattle.  My mom has been telling my how cold it has been in Idaho lately and that they missed a day of School because of that, I had to laugh about the to cold to go to school. Here in Worcester, it has been 40-50 degrees and the best news is that it has stopped raining for the last few days, but no promises that the rain will stay away.

Thursday we had a pretty good day.  We have been talking to people in the streets most of Thursday.  The luck of our Mission is that we have investigators during the transfer but as soon as one of you is transferred out, everyone drops.  It is frustrating but I have learned to just deal with it. 

Friday was a fun day, we had the Mission Christmas Party.  So bright and early at 6:52 in the morning we got on a train to get to Glouster.  Then onto a bus at 8:30 for a two hour bus ride to Birmingham.  It was worth it in the end.  The most spiritual part of that day was when the Mission President told all of us Missionaries how much his wife like the LDS Hymn I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day, so all of the Missionaries the Hymn loud and proud. It was pretty cool. The Spirit was really strong and I really enjoyed just belting it out with the others.  The Spirit that comes from singing Hymns and praises unto our Savior is very uplifting to me and often brings a tear to my eye.  This was one of those times and will be another memorable highlight of my time here in England.  It was really fun to see all the Missionaries and to talk to ones that I  haven't seen for about 6 months.  We had Cafe Rio pulled pork burritos for dinner.  That is the first time I have had any type of Mexican food since I have been on my Mission.

I think the best thing that happened this week is we found two Chinese people to teach.  I have taught a Chinese person once and that was with a Mandarin speaking Elder.  So Elder Doty and I, two guys from the US, went to the library to teach them on Sunday.  We walked out of the Library like deer caught in headlights.  It was very rough.  It was hard because we did not have the Book of Mormon in there language.  So note to self that we needed to get one for them by the next lesson.  But we will see what happens when we teach them again.

Church was also fun.  I got to play the piano in Priesthood and translate in Sign Language the lesson.  With two former Elders being transferred, I have become the "head Signer" for the Missionaries in this Area.  So pretty much that means I translate everything.  I decided this was a great way to become better at Signing, just jump right in and get it done.  It wasn't that bad until we got into the lesson.  The teacher had decided to talk about parables.  I learned a couple of new signs that day like the ten virgins and stuff like that.  It is all fun though and a great experience.

I am so thankful for the modern technology.  I have the last two General Conferences on my Ipod so I can read the talks or listen to them while riding trains or when I have down time it is right at my finger tips.  I am finding that most if not all of the talks in the last General Conference, Oct. 2013, are mostly about Missionary Work.  My mom and I have been swapping our favorite talks as we read and listen to them.  The Lord is Hastening His Work and needs all of us to be Missionaries.  In Doctorine and Covenants Section 4 the Lord tells us how we can be good Missionaries.

1 Now behold, a marvelous time is about to come forth among the children of men.

2 Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day.

 3 Therefore, if ye have desires to serve God ye are called to the work;

 4 For behold the field is white already to harvest; and lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might, the same layeth up in store that he perisheth not, but bringeth salvation to his soul;

  

5 And faith, hope, charity and love, with an eye single to the glory of God, qualify him for the work.

 6 Remember faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, brotherly kindness, godliness, charity, humility, diligence.

  

7 Ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. Amen.

Remember that our Savior loves us and has a work for us to do during these latter days.  I love this Gospel and all that it teaches.  I love our Savior and rejoice in this Christmas season to celebrate Him.

Love, Elder Nielsen

Hard Work and Service

Hey Family and Friends,

Transfer season is upon us again and the good news is that I will be staying in Worcester, England for another six weeks.  I will be getting a new Companion before next week and I will give you all the ins and outs of where he is from and so forth.  I have included a few pictures from our Thanksgiving adventure with our District.  The first one is of the District Leader hiding up on the ledge of the building.  The District Leader is a nut.  His job before his Mission was a camera man.  He filmed people sky diving.  So he is use to being in high places.  The second picture is of a Nutella, marshmallow crepe.  The crepe was amazing. The marshmallow melted and it was way to good.  So much for that, my mouth is watering just thinking about it.

So this past week has been a fun one.  We have done a lot of finding and met a lot of cool people. The only sad thing is that none of them want to investigate the Church. They at least have had a positive experience with us and that's all that matters.  So later on in the week, w e had a really good lesson with a less active man.  He is less active because of choices and his life style.  But we talked a lot about how the Book of Mormon can help him.  He said that he has a hard time understanding the Book of Mormon.  But we promised him that if he tried God would make up the rest. 

Another great and fun opportunity we had which is one of Elder Nielsen's favorite things to do is get dirty.  I put on my fencing and tree chopping clothes and shoes on and went to work.  We helped a member who has just bought a new house in our Area put up a fence.  In the deed to the house the new owners have to have a fence around the whole property.  So we helped them.  It was so much fun.  Digging holes and pounding in wooden fence posts.  I loved it!  I also learned a new skill, moving very old, very heavy pieces of very expensive oak.  The previous owner deals in very old wood from very old houses.  The earliest wood he buys is 300 years old.  It was really fun!  I love the feeling of coming home way dirty and just absolutely knackered (which is British slang for very tired).  Below is a picture of the property that we were working on as well as a picture of Elder Nielsen sitting on a chair made out of a tree stump.

I have been reading the newest Conference talks from the October 2013 General Conference.  I read one by Elder Bednar The Windows of Heaven about tithing that was very good.  The principle of the blessing comes when the Lord sees fit to give them applies to everything.  It is the whole keep moving forward phrase.  So my thought to you is to keep going and it will all work out in the end.  That I can promise you.

Have a great week filled with good.

Love, Elder Nielsen

District Leader

Nutella, Marshmallow crepe

Members yard that we fenced

Elder Nielsen on a cool tree stump

Blessings

Happy Thanksgiving.

This week has been a fun one and a quick one.  There are times on my Mission that the days and weeks just fly by and others that seem to never end. But anyway, didn't really have anything new happen out of the ordinary, but the one cool thing that happened was on our way to a lesson.  We where running late because of some things that happened in the morning with miscommunication. But it is about a twenty minute bike ride to the investigators house. The lesson was at 11:30 and we jumped on our bikes at 11:20.  The other draw back from being twenty minuets away is that it is all up hill.  As I was riding I was just flying up the hills and such.  I felt like I had extra help and someone was pushing me and helping me getting up those large hills of Worcester, England.  And the best miracle of all is that we got to the investigators house at 11:35 only five minuets late.  We have never made it up there that quick.  It was a really cool miracle that happened and we had a great lesson as well.

England does not celebrate Thanksgiving.  Usually the Missionaries are invited to Ward members homes that are transplants to England but this year we had Thanksgiving as a District which was fun.  Our District Leader cooked it for us and he came up to me and said "Elder Nielsen you look like you have carved a turkey before." So my job was to carve the turkey and pick off the best bits that I like and eat them.  Always the plus of carving the turkey, right. But it was really fun to be with the District and celebrate and be thankful.  I have grown pretty close to many of the Missionaries here in our District and we had a great day.  Even though Thanksgiving wasn't with my "family" it was with my Mission family which will be another great memory of my time spent here.

I have been thinking a lot about blessings and which ones I have seen come to me on my Mission.  I had to think really hard to realize them.  But then I was sent this poem in an email today and I think it made me realize the blessings that I have been given.

I asked God for strength, that I might achieve.
I was made weak, that I might learn humbly to obey.
I asked for health, that I might do greater things.
I was given infirmity, that I might do better things.
I asked for riches, that I might be happy.
I was given poverty, that I might be wise.
I asked for power, that I might have the praise of men.
I was given weakness, that I might feel the need of God.
I asked for all things, that I might enjoy life.
I was given life that I might enjoy all things.
I got nothing that I asked for—but everything I had hoped for.
Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered.
I am, among all men, most richly blessed.

I am blessed and am grateful for all that our Savior Jesus Christ has given me.  I hope that you as well will search daily what blessings have come your way and thank Him for them.

Have a great week.

Love Elder Nielsen

Small Miracles

Hey Family and Friends,

Transfers are December 11, 2013 so it is time to work even harder just in case.

This week has been a fun one.  Once a year Missionaries get a list of AUF (address unknown on file) so we get to play detective for a while to find these inactive members or to see what we can find out about them.  We have been working daily to find these addresses and member and we stopped by one address and the members had moved.  So we tracted the area and found this really cool guy.  I was a little taken back by what he said when he answered the door.  Just imagine, he answered the door and a little puppy tried to run out.  You know how a little puppy makes you feel, it kind of melts you heart, so anyway, he grabbed it because it has not had all the shots yet so it can't go outside (one of the rules of England).  But we asked what he what he did for work.  He tells us he is a Guide and that the puppy is going to become a gun dog.  The look on my face must of been great, anyone who knows me and my brothers know that we love to read about guns and go out shooting on the range, etc.  I have never heard anyone here in England say the word gun and that they enjoy hunting.  That put a little spark in my step.  But we talked to him for a little bit.  He said that he wasn't ready to hear the Gospel, but the seed was planted for the next set of Missionaries and I hope that he had a good experience with us though.  So that's all that matters.

One of the biggest miracles that happened this week was also a stressful one.  I was asked after Priesthood to play the piano in Sacrament Meeting.  I said, okay whatever.  I was going to skip Sunday School to practice and go over the Hymns so I was at least semi able to play them.  But before I could get more than a brief run through of the songs the Ward Mission Leader grabbed us to have a meeting with him.  So I just looked at my companion and said "it is going to be fun".  But one of the songs I had never heard before. So I took the advice from Sponge Bob Square Pants, "Play as loud as you can so people think you are great".  So I played the opening Hymn really loud and fast and did quite well.  The sacrament Hymn was okay but it was the intermediate hymn I was worried about.  Out of all the book the chorister chose Jesus Savior Pilot Me listen here. The whole Sacrament Meeting I was looking at the music trying to see how to change it to make it easier.  It did not help that the Chapel was freezing so my hands where cold.  But when the time came I went and was about to play the intro and the music director said we are only singing one verse.  I was jumping for joy.  But it was a miracle.  It turned out really good.  My success was not from Sponge Bob but from the Spirit guiding and helping me.

I am thankful for that Spirit that guides me daily in my Missionary experience.  I am thankful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  I am thankful for trials that draw me closer to my Heavenly Father.  I am thankful for all of you that pray daily for me and support me.

Have a great Thanksgiving and be grateful for all that you have.

Love Elder Nielsen

send Elder Nielsen a Christmas card to 

Flat 9 Sidbury house
3 college street
Worcester
wr1 2lt

Q&A Missionary Life

This week has been a good one.

In answer to a few questions that have been emailed to me.

The weather is not to bad.  Maybe 40's or 50's and rain lots of rain.  It is supposed to get cold but has not yet and I have been fine.  Still wearing short sleeves and just my rain gear.  But for those who know me, my temperature gauge runs on the always warm side.   Our tracking here in Worcester is all knocking doors, talking to people in the streets, referrals from Ward members and contacting the less active.  I am in the Evesham District in the Cheltnam Zone.  The most challenging aspect of my Mission has been finding people to teach.  As you probably know, I don't like to talk to strangers at their door or on the streets.  That has been the biggest hurtle and one I struggle with everyday to get over.  The best part of my Mission would have to be the relationship you get with members in the Areas that I have served.  I have met many people that have a special place in my heart.  I think the only changes that I have made would be in my attitude and level of maturity.  When you go out on your own as a servant of God you have to grow up fast.  But I think that I have stayed the same in humor and not expressing my true views until I am comfortable with the person.  One of my goals is to read the whole Standard Works (Old and New Testament, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants and Pearl of Great Price) in a year.  I am a little over half way done.  I just finished Proverbs and have already finished the Book of Mormon and New Testament.  I love the study time and what I learn from studying.  I still am not used to having a companion, I have always been a very independent person and having someone "tagging" along is not my style.

Not much really happened this week.  Just a good busy week. The big news is that on Wednesday we had a Zone Conference. We had it in Rhibwina in Wales.  Rhiwbina is a northern suburb of Cardiff, capital of Wales.  It used to be a separate village: its core is still locally called "the village" and it has a Welsh village look.  So we had to get up at four to get a train at 5:59 in the morning.  It was a long day.  Elder Dykes spoke to us so it was worth it in the end.  He talked about how we are called to work with the spiritually sick people. We need to realize that every ones challenges are different and we need to be prepared for whatever gets thrown at us.  Elder Dykes was an ENT.  So he kept applying everything back to the human body an how when he starts a surgery he needs to know, to the best of his ability's, what is in there and what can go wrong.  But he talked about how we need to be prepared with spiritual instruments and know how to use them.  It was a very long day.  We where up at four and went to bed at ten that night.  But the good thing is that it was a very inspired meeting and one of my favorites so far in the Mission.

I have a friend from Blackfoot that was in the horrible storm in the Philippines.  She can't really sleep or eat after the trials she has gone through.  Continue to pray for all the Missionaries throughout the world for hearts to be softened to hear the good word of the Gospel and that trials will not be so great that we can't handle them.  A former Stake President has said "Missionaries will have experiences on their Mission where nowhere else in their life time they will have.  Not all are great, but it is also a time they are close to their Father in Heaven.  A time for growing and deepening their faith and trust in the Lord. 

Have a great week!

Elder Nielsen

Lots of Service

Dear Family,

Not much really happened this week. We did our usually things. Teach a lesson or two and look for people to teach. We also did a lot of service.

On Sunday it was Remembrance Sunday, this is a day that here in England those that served in the Armed Forces are remembered, so we sold Poppies for that.  It was pretty fun and it got us out in the community doing something that everyone pulls together for and since we had our name tags on we also got some good questions and discussion.  We also had a bon fire night.  We went to the Chapel and the Ward had fireworks and food.  Now these fireworks were good but not as good as the fireworks that I have done in the past as a young teenage boy, but they where alright.

So the highlights were that we have missed trains, sold Poppies, and became professional painters. We are pretty much painting a members whole house for her.  She doesn't know that we know that we are, but we do.  One cool thing that happened this week is a family from Kidderminster that I got really close with while I was serving there is moving to Worcester.  It's the same family I helped move a few times while I was in Kiddy.  They are in need of help cleaning up their new yard.  So I will put on my lumberjack hat and professional landscaping shoes and go to work.

One thing that has been good is we had the chance to listen to President Uchtdorf's talk from this last General Conference.  Come Join with Us  I really like how he outlines what each person commits to do when they are baptized.  It is good to see that he just laid everything on the table and said here you go are you ready?  I loved it!

We have the opportunity to have Elder Dyke's of the Area Seventy coming to talk to us this week it should be fun.  He was also here a while ago for our Stake Conference.  We have been talking about hastening the work and I have been studying this topic from Jacob 5 and the parable of the vineyard.  Jacob 5  I studied the vision of the tree of life and Nephi's interpretation of it along with Jacob 5.  A lot of interesting stuff.

Hope all is going well!  Love you all and the support that you give me.

Love Elder Nielsen

Rain and Opposition

Dear Family and Friends,

This week has been a fun one with plenty of ups and downs.  The week started off on Sunday night with an alert that England was to have the worst storm in a long time.  We were told by many members not to go out on Monday unless it was absolutely necessary.  The great news is that the storm did not even hit Worcester.  I awoke to beautiful sunshine and a great day.  For the past few weeks though we have had lots of rain.  More rain than I have ever experienced, therefore, I had to go do a little bit of shopping.  I brought with me from the States one rain jacket.  I am now the proud owner of another rain jacket, waterproof pants and shoes and waterproof cover for my back pack.  Here in England we have also changed to day light savings time.  We changed on the 27 of October so we have had a few weeks to adjust.  It now gets dark around 5:00 pm so it makes it hard for us Missionaries when we have late appointments.  My Companion Elder Gardner told me that by January it will start to get dark around 3 or 4 in the afternoon.  I am not looking forward to that.

The weeks are pretty much the same with the days and routines changing maybe just a little bit.  But on Halloween when had to be in the flat at 6.  I found that a little ridiculous.  Most of England doesn't even celebrate Halloween.  So anyway, we had many hours sitting in the flat bored out of our minds. But one good thing that happened earlier in the day is that we had a really good sign lesson.  Since transfers were last week we had a Missionary transfer out of the area. There are two teams of Missionaries in Worcester, so the new Missionary was at our sign lesson and we started back at square one.  It is funny because for the next two lessons we will go over stuff that we have already learned and then the new Missionaries are expected to catch up.  It takes some time to catch up but when you are forced to catch up you learn quick or at least I did.

One thing that happened to us was we where going to contact a less active member that we had been asked to visit by the Ward.  And so we left after a dinner appointment to go and visit.  So this address was in a way nice area.  I felt so out of place.  We usually work in the middle and lower class areas and stay away from upper class areas like that.  But we had a good discussion, we started the long walk home.  We got to a fork in the road and we needed to choose which one to take, one side went uphill the other down hill.  So Elder Nielsen, being the smart guy he is, used his brain and assumed that we should go down hill.  I kept thinking that we wanted to go home which in my mind was down hill.  So, we started down hill and about 45 min later we ended up at the member's house we just left. Long story short don't assume that down hill is down hill.  We laughed about it and the extra long journey made our night very fun.

Sunday was a pretty interesting day.  In Priesthood we talked about opposition.  So the teacher had half of us looked at the story of Jonah Jonah 1 and the other half looked at the story of Esther.  You can read about Esther here Ester 1-10 .  Me and my companion where put in the group that was looking at Esther along with the deaf members in our Ward.  I thought I was going to wet myself watching the member try to sign the story of Esther.  I could not have done better but he kept looking at us for help.  But it was cool to look at opposition. We can deal with it and face it or we can run to Nineveh and get eaten by a whale as Jonah did.  Sometimes we just have to face opposition head on.  The one part of Sunday that was hard was Sacrament Meeting.  The Elders where on deck to translate in sign. Translating is not really that hard expect when you need to do testimonies. You are supposed to sign them as close as you can.  Luckily when I was up I had about five primary children bear their testimony.  What a great experience to sign for little children who have great faith and pure testimonies.  I found only one to be hard to sign and I had no idea what to do.  But it all worked out and it was fun.

I have a great love and testimony for this Gospel and the people that I come in contact and work with daily.  I testify of Christ and know that he knows and loves me and wants me to succeed.  I know that He will help me, all I have to do it ask.

Thanks for all your prayers and support.

Love, Elder Nielsen