Christmas In The MTC

Hello Everyone!

Six weeks. Wow. I can't believe it! We had a district leave this week, and now my distirct is the oldest one in our zone. What happened? Where has time gone? I'm not so sure. :) But it's good to be so close to leaving for Chile. ;) It'll be great! My Spanish...haha!...isn't that great. I am probably the slowest one in my district. But...you know what? I have no problem with that! When I got here, I knew nothing, so...I'm making progress. And I have faith. I'll struggle when I get to Chile, but I'll get the language eventually. Only if I rely on the Lord for help, though!

Christmas in the MTC was great. We had a Christmas Eve fireside, and it was a lot of fun! We sang the "Twelve Days Of Christmas (MTC Edition)", and THAT was a gem to behold. It was the coolest! Afterwards, they let us go back to our rooms early; it was good. :)

Christmas Day was amazing. We woke up and opened presents as a district (we had a little tree in my room), and that was awesome. We did a little Secret Santa, and I got a scripture case for my El Libro de Mormon and my Santa Biblia from my good friend Elder Hardisty. :) It was great.

After opening gifts, we had a Christmas Morning Devotional. L. Tom Perry came and spoke to us, and it was the best! Even better...He stayed at the MTC and ate lunch with us in the MTC cafeteria!! It was pretty crazy seeing him in the Cafeteria just sitting with a bunch of missionaries eating. I wasn't able to talk to him or anything, but...wow! Being THAT close to an Apostle of the Lord! It was truly an amazing thing. :)

The rest of Christmas day was pretty much free time. We were told to just reflect on what Christmas was all about; and we were encouraged to write our families. So I did that before going to the Christmas Talent Show, which was great! There were a lot of good performances by the missionaries who tried out; I loved it. Especially since the MTC Presidency's Wives made a bag of popcorn for EVERY missionary in the Mtc to eat during the show. it was great.

we ended out christmas day with a fireside. greg olsen came and spoke to us. he is an lds artist, and his work is beautiful. i reccomend everyone to check it out. :)

oh yeah. mom, thank you for the package. it's the best. :)

(this computer is really bugging me because the shift key isn't working for some reason...lo siento.)

just so luke, logan, and timmy know...we have blueberry muffin tops at the mtc. they would absolutely love the amount of cereal we have here. :) haha.

on sunday, we had a great district meeting. we all went around and told each other our stories and bore testimony. everyone in my district is so strong, and their stories blew my mind. i haven't been through anything compared to some of these elders. the spirit was so strong, and it was amazing. i, of course, shared mine and tara's story again, and then bore powerful testimony of our savior. it was great. :)

we had a funny moment in the rc. we were making calls in spanish for the first time, and i said, "puedo hablar con juan?" (can i speak with john?) and his daughter says, "he's not here right now." haha. and i continued talking in english. our district was laughing hard, because i was so ready to talk in spanish, but she changed languages on me. :)

well, i have less than two minutes left. i must go. :( i love you all, and i hope everyone had a great christmas. update me with everything going on at home, por favor.

with love,

elder nelson iv

helaman 5:12

P.S.

I forgot to say a little something! Luke and Brent...Happy Birthday!!!! :)

Haha. Sorry I forgot! My good friend Elder Erwin let me borrow his minutes to send this, though, so...thank him. ;) Haha.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Mi Familia y Amigos,

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

My heart isn't only full this week. My heart grew; and then my heart was filled again. Week by week, I am molded into the missionary my Heavenly Father wants me to be.

I've come along way. To be honest, I was so insecure when I got here that I actually questioned myself and my faith. I didn't think I could leave the world behind! However, I've transformed the last five weeks, and the difference is...amazing. When it is all said and done, I will never be the same person that I was before I came here. No doubt in my mind.

I just heard from Brent that BYU won last night. That makes me happy! How did you like the game, Luke? I am glad you went in my place to cheer for the Cougars! :)

My time is short. My mission president wants my family to send me letters in Chile starting next week so that I will have letters to read when I get there. BUT...you should still send me letters to the MTC. :) Haha. Here is my Chile address:

{check facebook}

Oh yeah! Dad, I got the stocking and the goodies from DearElder.com. Thanks alot! It gives me something to look forward to on Christmas. :)

The Lord answers prayers! The last few days have been really tough because our teachers left, and one of the subs is pretty sticted! Haha. And it was a big change, and Monday was going to be hard for me. But Sunday night, I prayed that I might be strengthened and comforted on Monday to help me get through the day. I got EIGHT letters on Monday from family and friends; I can't think of any other way to be comforted. Monday was a piece of cake. :)

I was in the RC the other day, and we were doing our usual routine of making calls and trying to get referrals and what not. Well, it was the greatest! I called a lady in Hernando, MS, and she didn't sound too happy at first when she picked up the phone. Haha. I told her that I used to live in Southaven, and she got a whole lot more happy. I asked her if she would meet with the missionaries, and...she said she would! And then she told me that she would spread the word as well. Haha. It was sweet! So I hope she meets with the missionaries soon, and I hope something good comes from my phone call. :)

Christ is our Savior! Elder Applegate and I were teaching in the TRC (where we get to teach real people), and while I was teaching about the Atonement, I could feel the Spirit everywhere in my body! Not only the burning in the bosom; rather, a burning in the everywhere! It was such a powerful feeling. I've learned a whole lot about our Savior since coming here; He lives! And through Him, we can return to our Heavenly Father again. There is no other way; none of us are worthy to enter His pressence without our Savior's help. None of us are perfect without Him!

Elder Andersen came last night, and gave a very powerful talk about the condencension (can't spell it) of God. It was awesome!! And all his grandchildren sand us a Christmas medly. It reminded me of home. :)

Well, I am out of time! Lo siento!! I love you all. MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Yours Truly,
Elder Nelson IV
D&C 103:36

One Month!

Dear All,

Just when I thought this place couldn't get any better...it does. Our Heavenly Father has blessed us with three gifts: His Son, The Holy Ghost, and Eternal Life. Three powerful gifts. My heart is full this Christmas season.

It's already been four weeks. Wow. It seems like it's been much, much longer than that, though. It's just crazy! Thank you everyone for the letters this last week. Scott sent me my SD card, and it was great to have my pictures back. ;) Haha.

I only have 17 more minutes so I will make this fast!

I am excited for Christmas. I got a Twelve Days package from Brent's family--from Baby Brighton and Baby Seth. I love it! Today I opened up the "Connect Four" game for the 4th day! It's great!! I love it. Thank you Brighton and Seth! Uncle Ben loves and misses you.

Last week I got a haircut. My hair looks better now. Haha.

Mom and Grandpa Brunner and Company! Thanks again for the cookies and cinnamon rolls. They were the best. :)

This last week was a week of growth. Elder Applegate and I really noticed that our companionship was really lacking--we weren't exactly doing things the way we should. And so we made some changes, and we went to the TRC to teach a lesson on Saturday, and the Spirit was so strong!! Words would just come out of my mouth; words that I wasn't planning on saying. The Spirit is SO important in this work; The Spirit does the converting! And the guy we taught felt the Spirit and loved our lesson. As we came out of the TRC, my heart was so full. I was so excited, and I just had this urge to go to Chile and convert thousands!!! Saturday night was one to remember!

But Monday was the complete opposite. Monday wasn't a good day. Our district got really frustrated because we were pretty much told that we haven't been doing things the right way the last four weeks! HAHA. And so...We took that as a "Hey, you Elders haven't learned anything since you got here." And so a lot of us were really frustrated, and the Spirit wasn't with us. However, Hermano Cragun came that night to teach us, and the Spirit came back--he told us we were doing great, and he told us what we can do to do better--and the day just ended on such a good note.

And then Tuesday (yesterday) was excellent! We were suppose to SYL (Speak Your Language) all day, but it just didn't work out. Especially when Elder Boyd and I were cleaning toliets. He and I don't know any Spanish bathroom words yet, and it was tough to communicate while cleaning toliets. HAHA. However, we will try again on Thursday!

Last night we heard from Elder Maynes from the Seventy, along with his wife Sister Maynes. Sister Maynes is a convert, and she was introduced to the Gospel via her husband, who also baptized her! It was a cool story. And then Elder Maynes gave us steps on how to make our missiona celestial mission. It was a great talk!

Again, I am excited for Christmas! Brent wrote me and said that he hopes I don't get too homesick during Christmas. And yeah--it's true--I'd like to be there at home for Christmas, but...I'd rather be here in the MTC right now. This experience is the greatest Christmas present I've ever received. This Christmas is going to be special--just like this Thanksgiving was.

Haha. So Elder Fanene and I have gained a few pounds since getting here, so we are both now on a soup/salad/other healthy stuff diet. My district doesn't believe I can do it, but I will prove them wrong. I've already done it two whole days! I've resisted all chicken as well. ;)

Oh yeah! I memorized the first vision in Spanish. It's weird. I am not sure how it happened. One day I woke up, looked at it, and realized that I could say it without looking at it. My district was really surprised. As was I!

Remember: Every member a missionary!

We heard from the BYU's Men choir on Sunday. It was the best!! Great. Christmas. Concert.

I love you all. I know that this Gospel is true. Trust in the Lord, and remember that if you do so...He will direct your paths! We are all blessed to have this Gospel knowledge in our lives. Thank you again, everyone, and Merry Christmas!!

With Love,
Elder Nelson IV
Proverbs 3:5-6

A Full Heart

Dear All,

My heart is full. Hermano Shulca told us a story of when one of the general authorities came here (can't remember which one) and mentioned that this place was guarded by angels, and that he saw them as he was driving in. I would be lying if I said I saw any angels; however, I have felt their presence, and I can testify that it is true. This last week was unbelieveable; I am not the same.

I want to share a quick story from the weekend. It starts on Friday when I wasn't feeling really good. Because I wasn't feeling good, my good friend Elder Hawkes and I were permitted to leave MTC campus to go to the Urgent Care down the street. I had a really bad cold, and they just gave me a perscription for musinex. I thought I would recover easily, and it would all be good.

This was the worst cold of my life! On Saturday, I was pretty much in bed all day. :) It got worse and worse, and I will admit that I really, really just wanted to go home so that Luke, Timmy, and Logan could nurse me back to health! :) However, I took the proper medications and what not, and I got better before Sunday.

Sunday was awesome!! It was our first fast Sunday here in the MTC. (It's crazy to think that it's already been three weeks! At the same time, it's felt like a year or two already. Wow.) Anyways...It was great. The Spirit was very powerful. We had a two hour mission conference in the morning, and it really reminded me of the Stake Conferences back at home. :) And then we got to watch the Christmas Devotional. Wow. I hope everyone had a chance to watch it! I LOVED the Tabernacles Music.

For the first time (beginning on Sunday), I was REALLY happy and really excited to be here. After getting through that sickness and relying on the Lord more fully, I literally went through a change over night. I realized that it's true...."Not MY will, but THINE be done." Again, this work isn't about me! It's about opening the doors of the Celestial Kingdom to the people of Chile! (Wow. I got a little teary-eyed right there.)

I want to thank every one for all the DearElders and the letters. I will be writing everyone back soon! Grandpa Brunner, thanks for the cookies! They were great. :) Aunt Lori and Uncle Tim...I will write you back, but...to answer your question...I like all cookies! ;) Haha.

Dad, thanks for sending me Elder Brunner's e-mails and Sister Loyd's e-mails. I love it. It's great to hear from everyone! I also heard from Elder Berry! It is especially great to hear from him and Elder Brunner because I am right behind them in the work, and they are great examples. :)

Logan told me the Scotts were moving? I can't believe it!

I was wondering if I could get Brother Larsen's address? Brother Larsen went to Vina del Mar, and I think it'd be cool if I could go find some of the people he taught and what not. See how they are doing and what not. :)

Oh yeah! Last week...I forgot to say this: A)I'm glad BYU beat Utah and B)Scott actually had my SD card. We uploaded some pictures before he dropped me off, and I left it there. Oops! Haha. It made me laugh. But speaking of which....Dad! I got the SD cards on Monday. Thank you so much!

Great fact: The Spanish LDS Bible didn't come out until THIS year. I am very lucky and grateful to be here and to have the brand new LDS Spanish Bible. I think it's crazy that it's brand new! Wow.

Last night, we heard from Elder Costa, the president of the Seventy. He is from Brazil, and he was HILARIOUS. He shared his conversion story, and it was AWESOME. He didn't speak English, yet the Spirit was SO strong. And I know it'll be the same for me in Chile; my Spanish won't be perfect! In fact, it'll be far from it. :) But...I am preparing to teach by the Spirit; I am not on my mission to learn Spanish! I am on my mission to teach by the Spirit. And last night proved to us that we don't need to be perfect in the language for the people to feel the Spirit. :)

I challenge everyone to read the Psalm of Nephi. 2 Nephi 4:15-36, I think it is. It is a beautiful thing!

I know this Gospel is true. JesuCrist es mi Salvador! I love you all; again, be sure to take advantage of DearElder.com while I am in the MTC. :) I love you guys, and hope to hear from everyone more this week!!

With Love,
Elder Nelson
Helaman 5:12

Thanksgiving And All Sorts Of Stuff! :)

Dear All,

"Tough times don't last; tough people do." This is a quote that Elder Fanene shared with our district a few days ago. It is so true!!

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving here in the MTC was unbelieveable!! Jeffrey R. Holland came and spoke to us, and it was awesome!! I've never seen anything so powerful. As for the food...It was very delicious, and it was just such a good day!

The Spanish is coming along pretty good. My favorite thing to do is sing Spanish Hymns! :) Haha. It's awesome! I love it.

We watched the Joseph Smith movie the other day. Wow. I've seen it a bunch of times, but I've never been so moved by that movie. I know that Joseph Smith had EVERYONE (including our generation) in mind when he fought through all that persecution. In a sense, Joseph Smith was doing a TON a missionary work by living through that. And so why should I complain about the MTC (THE MTC!) being hard? My heart is full.

My new motto: work hard, BE OBEDIENT, and have fun. Obedience with willingness and exactness! I decided that I will only write letters on P-days like I am supposed to. I used to write at night before I went to bed, rather than write in my journal. But I am working on being more obedient. It's the most important thing.

I now understand why missionaries act/feel the way they do when they get home. I don't mean it to sound rude or anything--I am sure everyone understands--but...I am already forgetting what Henderson was like! And it's only been two weeks. ;) I can't imagine what it'll be like in two years. I now understand the "getting lost in the work." It'll only hit me harder as I get to Chile, too.

I decided to start a "Quote Book" for my district. For all our funny moments and what not. They love it! Every time someone says something funny, an Elder will say, "Elder Nelson! Quote Book, Quote Book!" Haha. I love it.

Elder Hardisty got the swine flu and has to stay locked up in quarentine for SIX days. Wow. However, we were able to talk to him on the computer via "Virtual Classroom" for a few minutes yesterday. It was awesome! Haha. JoAnn and Mom, no worries! I have been protecting myself from the flu. :)

Last night, we heard from the President of the Primary, Sister Lant. She was awesome! She compared us missionaries to the 2,000 stripling warriors! It was a great talk. We also got to sing "Called to Serve" AND "We'll Bring The World His Truth." THAT was awesome. The best part about "We'll Bring The World His Truth" is that they change "will be the Lord's missionaries" to "are now the Lord's missionaries." It's so powerful!

Also at the devotional last night, we sat next to some ASL missionaries. WOW. They are awesome! Going out to preach the Gospel in sign language....Man! THEY are the elite of all of us missionaries. I've never seen any missionaries so happy and excited in my life. They are going to serve the Lord very well; I know it, I could feel it.

I ran into Elder Neil Espinoza from Orchard Valley Ward the other day! The greatest! Please add him to the list, Dad: elder.espinoza@myldsmail.net :)

Dad, could you also find out what President Walker's e-mail address is and send him my e-mails? He wants to hear from me. Also, I was wondering if I could get Sister Lamb's address. Along with Sister Mann's (our neighbor) and the Black's? Whoever is willing to mail those to me...It'd be greatly appreciated. :)

Every Tuesday we do a service project here. We get to clean our residence halls!! The greatest! Elder Boyd and I do toliets every week. It's AWESOME. Haha! I've never been so excited to clean toliets in my life. ;)

The Gift of Tongues is real. It blows my mind to realize how much Spanish I have learned since two weeks ago. Wow. And I can even pray in Spanish now. Unbelieveable!

HAHA. Timmy, share this scripture with Levi and Skyler. Proverbs 28:25. THIS is why I am so fat; no because we went to Taco Bell all the time. :) HAHA.

Keep praying for me. I know you guys do, along with the 133 temples out there who pray for us NONSTOP. It's amazing how many people pray for the missionaries. It's awesome. :)

I love you all, and I miss you all. But this is my home for now--like I've said before--and I am so happy to be here. It's crazy to think that I am technically already in my third week. :) I hope everyone enjoys the holidays! Update me on how everything is going. :)

Yours Truly,
Elder Nelson
D&C 103:36

P.S.
dearelder.com is a GREAT site to use to write me in the MTC. Use it. :)

Elder BDN's First Two Snail Mails

Check 'em out:

• 19 November 2009
• 22 November 2009

Cheers!

EBN

Hola From The MTC!

Hola Everyone!

How is everyone doing? Happy Thanksgiving! I have a lot to say, and they are actually timing me right now, haha, so I will do my best to get everything said. :)

The first day in the MTC was pretty tough for me, but it has become a new home since then. I love it! I think the reason it was so hard for me the first day was because it just really is a HUGE change if you think about it. Haha. I'm getting used to it, though, and I'm actually starting to feel like a missionary. :)

My District is great. Elder Fanene is my District Leader, and he is awesome. He is Somoan, and he is hilarious! The whole District is great. My companion is Elder Applegate, and he reminds me a little bit of myself, which can be good and bad at times. ;) Two other Elders in my district that have become some of my best friends (already) are Elder Hawkes and Elder Boyd. They are companions, and I just love them. Elder Hawkes is a mix between Jared Brummett and Brady Dow. And Elder Boyd is a mix of Chris Berry and Bryce Skelton. They really are great! As for me....My District thinks I am hilarious, and I think they enjoy working with me. :)

My motto in the MTC right now: Work hard and laugh. That means to work hard, but to have fun while doing it. There are a few missionaries in my district who are stressing out and what not because they work way too hard. Working hard is a good thing, indeed, but I think this work is so much easier when we work hard AND laugh/have fun while working. Whether or not that is the way I should be doing it, I am not sure. But it has worked thus far, and I've been enjoying myself. I've already changed a lot, I think. :)

The Branch Presidency for my Zone is the best. The Branch President is President Nelson, and he also has a son in Vina del Mar. So when I get there, there will be two Elder Nelsons for a few months. One of President's counsellors is Brother Nelson, and he and his wife are awesome. (So...there is plenty of Nelsons around here, as you can see.) The other counsellor is Brother Jensen. He is great because he only knows French, and no Spanish, which made me feel a whole lot better when I first talked to him.

We are actually supposed to go to the Temple today, but we aren't because it is closed for Thanksgiving. And it'll probably be the same for Christmas, too. I am really excited for both holidays here in the MTC. It's already snowed a little bit, and they have a TON of lights up. The atmosphere is just great. Tengo frio!

We had a funny moment on Sunday. My District got a good laugh whenever I was taking some pictures and the camera said: "Memory Full!" I was really confused because I was pretty sure I had only taken a few. So my first thought was that someone took my camera and took a ton of pictures. However, haha, I realized that I had forgotten my SD card! Oops. No worries, though, I bought an 8 GB card at the bookstore for super cheap. I also bought a sweatshirt/hoodie because I forgot to pack on of those. haha. Because the missionaries get huge discounts...it actually only cost me about $30 for both of those. Which was "muy bueno"!

Dad, I know Matt asked you for his line of authority when he was on his mission, and you said you didn't have it. However, they want me to ask and see if I can get mine. If you have that, could you send it? If not, it's all good. It's just something really cool to have, I think. (Also, Dad, I just wanted to remind you to log on to my hotmail account every month so that hotmail won't get rid of my e-mail address. Mucho gracias! :))

The Tuesday night devotional last night was awesome. Dallin H. Oaks came to speak to us! It was so cool. The Spirit was so strong, and I loved it. He gave us tips on how to be a better missionary, and he even told us a few funny stories. The advice that hit me the hardest: "It's about working smart, not about working hard."

Brent sent me a letter, and I was really grateful for that. I really needed that because my companion gets mail every day, and I was really starting to think people have already forgotten me! :) I am just kidding! But it really was good to hear from him. He told me that BYU won on Saturday!! I hope they destroy Utah on Saturday. :) And while I am at it....I still need to know how Foothill did on Friday. Someone needs to hurry up and update me on that one! Haha.

Well, my teachers here are excellent as well. Hermana Shulca and Hermana Cragun are great. They are doing a good job of teaching my district. I am a little slow in the Spanish category, but I'm 1000 times better at Spanish right now than I was before so it's all good. I can only compare myself to myself--no one else.

Elder Michealson and I see each other almost every day, which is sweet. We hadn't seen Elder Ericcson ina while, and I was really worried he had gotten sick or something. However, I ran into him yesterday, and my heart just jumped. It was so good to see Taylor, and I actually almost cried. Haha.

Well, another random note: Sister Elizabeth Smart (the girl that got kidnapped a few years ago) is here, and is serving in France...I think? It's pretty awesome! I would talk to her, but...She's gotten enough publicity from all the other missionaries here. Haha.

Well, here is my address:
Elder Benjamin David Nelson
[check it out on Facebook]

So I better here from you all soon. :) My time is running out. I love you guys so much, and I really miss everyone. However, I am really excited to be here. And it's only going to get better. Adios, everyone!

Yours Truly,
Elder Nelson
D&C 103:36

Elder Nelson's Farewell Talk MP3

For those of you who were unable to attend Elder Nelson's farewell I recorded it and have posted it online for your convenience:

Elder Nelson's Farewell (15 Nov 2009)

Also, I have been alerted of Elder Nelson's MTC address. If you'd like it, please email me at brent@ebrentnelson.com or check his wall on Facebook.

Enjoy and thanks!

EBN

Pre-MTC E-mail

Dear All,

Well, since I won't be getting a mission e-mail until next week, I thought I would e-mail you guys now to update you on what I have been doing the last few days. :)

On Monday morning, I left home with my Mom and my step-Dad Darin. We stopped at Brent's house so that I could say bye to Shayla (my sister-in-law) and my two cute little nephews. It was awesome to be able to do that! We also stopped by my aunt's house to say goodbye, and we picked up some stuff she wanted us to drop off in Provo with her kids up there. And then we were off!

It was a long trip. Even longer than usual. It was good to be able to sit down and talk to my Mom and Darin, but it just lasted a litle longer because I'm so used to having a sibling or two around. :) But I am glad it lasted long because I definitely needed as much time as I could get with my Mom. :)

We finally got to my Mom's house in Ogden, and I got on the laptop and started talking to Logan and Timmy. I laughed a lot because Logan said, "Hey, what's up?" And I said, "Hey, get off my computer!" He said, "...Dangit..." HAHA! And then he told me that it was weird to not see me napping when he got home; instead, he said Timmy was on my bed playing the Wii. HAHA. It really cracked me up. Timmy also said that the house was lonely without me; and he also said that everyone was so sad at seminary/school. And...well...it made me a little sad! But...I know once I get to the MTC--and once things get more adventurous--it won't be as sad. The greatest!

Today was pretty good as well. I pretty much sat around Mom's house until she got home from work around 2 PM. When she got home, we went to Wal-Mart and bought some things that I realized I was probably going to need. (Pens, pencils, paper for writing letters, etc.) We also found new blades for my elecrtic raiser, but they were $40. Instead, I just bought a new electric raiser for a few more dollars. It's a pretty nice one, and I am glad I was able to get it because my other one was getting kind of old and out-dated. My new one looks a lot cooler. ;) HAHA.

After the store, we had the missionaries over for a steak dinner. It was delicious! The missionaries gave me some hints and tips for the MTC, and it got me really excited. It sounds pretty awesome! They told me that the first day is by far the longest. And one of them told me to replace my cell phone and PDA with a missionary planner. Little did he know...I've always used a planner and I've never had a PDA or a cell phone. So I think I think the planning won't be too new to me. ;)

I called Tara and talked to her for about an hour while I packed and said a few goodbyes on the computer as well. It was good to hear from her! It was good to hear from her! She will be coming back to Henderson on December 19 and will be there for about a month. So everyone needs to be sure to include her in any FHE's and other family activites. And rides to church, of course, as well! ;)

Mom and Darin just dropped me off at Darin's parents' house. They are driving me into Provo tomorrow morning, and then I am going to meet up with Scott and some friends to eat lunch and say goodbye and what not. And then Scott and Company is going to drop me off at the MTC at 1 PM. I am really looking forward to it.

Well, I've only been gone for about two days, but it feels so much longer than that. But that's probably because I haven't gone to work yet. :) I am surprised by how much I already miss everyone. I was never one to play favorites, but I think I miss Timmy the most right now. Only because I realize that there is a 50/50 chance that I won't see him for four years. I also miss Skyler and Levi a lot as well; but I guess that is understandable because I spent so much time with them and Timmy. Heck, I miss everyone. :) But I wouldn't call it home-sicknesses or anything.

I know that what I am abou to begin tomorrow is going to be my toughest challenge yet, but I also know that it's going to be the greatest, even though I will struggle at times. I have a lot of faith, and I know that if I work hard and do what I'm asked to do...the Lord will make up the difference. I am excited for this journey. It's a little weird and unfamiliar to me right now, partly because I never thought the day would come, but...I know that it'll all sink in. Fast. :)

I love all of you guys. :) Check your e-mails again next week for A)my address and B)my e-mail address. I look forward to hearing from everyone again! Keep me updated, of course.

Yours Truly,
Elder Nelson
Moroni 8:3

P.S.
I will need updated on Foothill's game against Basic this week. And on BYU's last two games and their bowl game. ;)

Operation: Elder Benjamin David Nelson (Part 13): Looking Ahead

This week I look forward to...Finishing up my final preparations for my mission.

Next week I look forward to...Entering the MTC.

Next month I look forward to...Christmas in the MTC.

Next year I look forward to...Serving the Lord in Chile.

The year after that I look forward to...Serving the Lord in Chile (Year Two).

After my mission, I look forward to...My next challenge and starting fresh!

(And I don't think I should go any further than that. Haha.)

Operation: Elder Benjamin David Nelson (Part 12): The Emotion and Shopping!

Well, I first want to thank my Grandpa Brunner! This last weekend, we took a quick trip up to Utah to visit my Mom, and I was able to get some mission shopping done. My Grandpa decided to join us so that he could help out with the funds. Well, our shopping trip ended with my Grandpa buying me pretty much everything I needed for my mission. It was awesome because getting everything on my list had actually been worrying me for quite some time. So it was good to finally get it over with. Thank you, Grandpa!!! :)

Other than that, not much has changed. My preparation has been consistent for the most part, and I am learning more about being a missionary day by day--mostly by going out with the missionaries in my ward and what not. (It's the best!)

I've had two very cool experiences that I'd like to share. A few months ago, when I was at camp, we had a testimony meeting. After the testimony meeting, my friend Taylor came up to me and said, "Ben, I just wanted to thank you. I wasn't planning on going on a mission, but seeing you prepare has inspired me to serve a mission." I remember when he told me this, I did my best to hold back the tears, and I just told him how proud of him I was. Taylor got his call a few weeks ago and will be going to Argentina! He reports to the MTC the same day as me. :)

Two days ago, I had a similar experience. My friend Kody got on Facebook and sent me a message. He said, "Ben!! I've made THE choice." I knew that he was talking about putting in his papers so I told him congrats and what not. And then he said, "I just wanted to thank you! You are one of the big reasons I decided to make THE choice. You've always had a burning desire to go on a mission, and I've always noticed it since I first met you." This time, I couldn't help but to get a little emotional. Just like I did with Taylor, I told him how proud of him I was and that he was going to be a great missionary.

I do not share these stories to boast or anything like that. But I share these stories because these two friends of mine helped me realize that people really are watching me, and I really do make an impact on my peers' lives. Whether or not my two friends would have served missions had they not known me, I can't say because it wasn't my decision. However, it was a great comfort to me to know that I have two friends who have looked up to me and have decided to make the same choice as me to serve the Lord full-time for two years. For me in my life right now...There is no greater feeling in the world than to know that I have friends who are on the same journey as me.

And I just want to verify again....Preparing for my mission has truly been my toughest challenge yet. I would have never imagined that preparing for a mission would be this much of a challenge. However, I feel that I have prepared well, and I have relied on the Lord for help.

I have two more Mondays and two more Tuesdays at home. Although knowing this makes me a little sad and nervous, I know that everything is going to work out for the best. I've made it this far, and I can't let Satan get a hold of me now. :) And that's why I've built my foundation on Christ.

If you are reading this, I just want to let you know that I love you and will miss you! Whether you believe it or not, I love you and will miss you. Thank you all for all that you have done for me, especially the last few years when life got rough. :)

Operation: Elder Benjamin David Nelson (Part 11): Quick Update

It's a little strange to think that it's almost already been a whole month since I last wrote anything on my blog! So I thought I would just give a quick little update on the Mission Preparation. :)

I will be entering the MTC exactly eight weeks from tomorrow! Wow. It's kinda weird, but....eight weeks sounds a TON shorter than two months. And yet, they are exactly the same. :)

There is so much to do in preparing yourself to serve--mentally, spiritually, and physically! I think I've always known that there would be a lot to do to prepare myself, but I never imagined it to be quite this much. However, I think--overall--I have been very focused on preparing and have been working hard.

I have been better about getting out to the Temple, but I know that I can be doing a lot better. I have been studying the Book of Mormon prayerfully, along with going out with the missionaries on an average of 2-3 times a week. I think that if I make it out to the Temple a few more times before I leave, I will be more prepared to attend the temple once a week in Provo. Also, I think I should do more studying from Preach My Gospel.

I still haven't learned any Spanish. A lot of people have been asking me, "Ben, how is your Spanish coming along?" Well, first of all, I am not the type of person who can teach himself something, especially a language. Haha. When a member from my Bishopric asked me that same question, I told him, "Honestly? The language is the last thing on my mind right now. Right now, I am focused on getting myself prepared for everything else." In other words, I am very confident that the Spanish language will come to me eventually. If I can't teach myself anything now, why waste my time? I know that if I rely on the Lord and do my best, everything will be okay.

Other than that, all is well. I can now agree with everyone who told me that the months leading up to your mission can be some of the hardest months of your life! The last few months have definitely been hard, and I know without a doubt that Satan wants to destroy me before November. However, I made up my mind a long time ago, and I'm not going to let anything get in my way of serving my mission.

I know it's going to be really hard to leave my home for two years, and I know that my mission will be my toughest challenge yet. But I look forward to the challenge, and I know that the Lord will help me. It's going to be great!

Eight more weeks, everyone.

Operation: Elder Benjamin David Nelson (Part 10): No Fuzz!

Allow me to quote from my journal:

It was an okay week. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't good either. And I am talking about my spirituality and my mission prep. when I say that.

Because--overall--it was a really fun week. I don't think I've laughed as much as I did in a long time! I spent a lot of time with Levi, Skyler, and Timmy, and it was awesome.

But I am definitely hungry for more spirituality.

It's true! Although I had a really fun week, full of a lot of great experiences with the missionary work, scripture study, and prayer, I definitely feel like I need to do better this week. I was spirituality in-tune this last week, but I definitely feel like there was still a lot of fuzz and what not to go along with my spirituality in-tuneness (good word, I know). This week, my goal is to be so in-tune that the reception is clear--no fuzz!

A little side-note: I was starting to get really impatient with myself and the Lord. November 18!? I think one reason I've had some of that fuzz is because I've been so impatient and not trusting in the Lord as much as I should be, ya know? But I had a lot of time to ponder and church today, and a thought came to my mind: "The Lord has given me two and a half more months for a reason. He wants me to use the next two months to prepare as much as I can for my mission; not so that I can sit here, prepare, AND question why I have to wait so long to leave." And then I remembered the excellent scripture Proverbs 3:5-6. That scripture helps me and motivates me to change my attitude every time I read it!!

And so I came up with a new plan for my week. Allow me to quote from my journal again:

Here are a few things I am going to change this week:

• Temple: I MUST go back this week. I am gonna try and go 2-3 times this week to make up for the past few weeks I haven't gone.
• Scripture Study w/ Prayer: I am actually doing really well with this, but I know my prayers can be better. And I know my scripture study can be better; 2-3 chapters per day from now on, along with consistent studying of Preach My Gospel.
• Bike Rides (or runs) w/ Uplifting Music: I used to do this every day, and I need to do this again! Physical + Spiritual conditioning!
• Go Out With Missionaries: I need to continue doing this like I have been, but I MUST say a prayer and ask to have the Spirit with me before I go teach with the missionaries.
  
• Write Missionary Friends: This is also a must.

If I do these things, I know this week will be awesome!

Helaman 5:12

Operation: Elder Benjamin David Nelson (Part 9): The Power of Prayer and Holding To The Iron Rod, My Testimony

Overall, this last week was awesome.

It was rough at first because I knew Tara was leaving on Thursday, and it was sad to realize that Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday would be my last days with her until Fall 2011/Winter 2012. However, we spent all the time that we could together, and I helped her prepare for her trip.

Tara wanted a blessing before she left, and so I was able to give her that blessing Wednesday night. Taking her to the airport and saying goodbye was tough! But we both managed to stay dry-eyed. (And for those wondering...Tara is doing well in Arkansas. Even though she is attending what I believe is a Catholic Unversity, she found an LDS student who was able to give her a ride to church today! Awesome stuff.)

Matt left for Indiana on Wednesday night, and I was sad that I didn't get to say bye to him. I was also sad that Matt and I couldn't work out a date where we could both make the trip together. It was pretty disappointing, but I know Matt and KT are having a good time together.

Despite all the sadness and disappointment I felt earlier this week, this week--like I said before--was awesome, thanks to the experiences I had the last few days. I had the chance to spend some good, quality time with Timmy and our friends on Friday and Saturday, and I can't remember the last time I laughed so hard. It wasn't only a good heart-lifter for me, but for Timmy as well. He definitely deserved to go out there and have some fun, especially since he will be starting school tomorrow.

The thing that made this weekend special and worth it, however, was Dalton's baptism. Dalton is a nine-year-old boy who lives next-door to us. He is part of a less-active family and has been meeting with the missionaries the last few months. While doing so, Dalton has reminded his family what the Gospel is all about and they are now active in the church again. It was awesome to witness his baptism and to help the missionaries out with the baptism! Today in church, my Dad and I helped with Dalton's confirmation, and the Spirit was so strong. I loved it.

Also, last night, I had an awesome experience that definitely built up my testimony of prayer and scripture study. I am not quite sure if it is really an experience I should share, but I am going to anyways because I know that everyone who reads my blog is part of my family and you'd love to hear what I have to say. :)

Well, toward the end of the night, I was really not in a good mood and the Spirit was not with me. And I've reached the point where I really hate not being able to feel the Spirit; and so I got on my knees and started praying to Heavenly Father. I prayed for a good ten-or-so minutes, telling Heavenly Father what was on my mind, including all the things I was going through.

I have been reading a Mission Prep book, and one thing I read was to listen after you are done praying. And so after I was done with my prayer, I stayed on my knees for another few minutes, listening.

I will not go into too many details on what happened next, but I basically received all the answers I needed. I could hear a very calm voice whisper to me, telling me to open my scriptures and to read them. The chapter I opened to was Mosiah 4, and that chapter included all the answers I was looking for. It was amazing.

I know that Heavenly Father answers our prayers and will help us if we do what He asks of us. I know that if we live our life in a way where we can always feel the Spirit, the Spirit will guide us and get us through any trial or obstacle that comes our way. The Savior Atoned for us, and I know that. If you apply His Atonement to you life and always remember Him, you will see His helping hand in your life every day, and He will bless you.

I love the Gospel, and it means more to me than anything else in this life. I love my Heavenly Father, and I am grateful to be His son.

Operation: Elder Benjamin David Nelson (Part 8): The Temple

Last night, I went through the temple for the first time. :) It was so awesome!!

I woke up somewhere between 8 and 9 AM, and my Dad came in my room and told me that he and I were going to leave around 2:30 so that we could get to the Temple to buy my Garments and Temple clothes. (The Endowment session was at 6 PM, but my Dad and I had to be there at 4:30 PM.)

For the most part, I just sat at home until 2:30. However, around 11 AM, I went to SuperCuts and got a haircut because my hair was getting quite long. Afterwards, I just sat at home in my room, resisting any food or drinks in the house because I was fasting for myself before going to the temple.

Around 2:30, Dad, Matthew, and I set off. Dad and I dropped Matt off at Brent Nelson's house, and then we headed over to the temple. We got there around 3:30 PM and our first stop was the Distribution Center, where I was able to pick out my Garments and Temple clothes! It took quite a while to pick everything out, but it was definitely a fun little experience to have before entering the temple. And I am grateful to have a Dad who was willing to buy me everything I needed. Thank you, Dad!

As for my actual experience in the Temple...wow! I had a lot of people tell me before going that I shouldn't try to get everything the first time I went. Rather, I was advised to just focus on how I felt while I was there and what not. It was truly excellent advise!

Although it was nothing like I thought it was going to be like, the Initiatory was awesome! Brother Mormon was the guy who took guided me through it, and he was great. After that, I met back up with my Dad.

The actual Endowment session was so awesome! I'll admit I was a little lost at times (haha), but I definitely felt very peaceful during it. The Celestrial Room was so beautiful!!

After being in the Temple for a few hours, I was definitely able to feel a difference when I stepped outside the Temple. Although I was sad to leave the Temple, I knew that I could come back at any time! Which I plan on doing as much as I can before I depart in November. :)

Operation: Elder Benjamin David Nelson (Part 7) AKA The Power of The Priesthood!

I went camping in Caliente with the Priest Quorum in my ward this last week. We left early Thursday morning and returned Saturday afternoon. It was such a cool camp! It wasn't an ordinary camp. It was meant to be a camp where we A)felt the Spirit and B)did some soul-searching.

Well, I had a lot of sweet experiences, and I won't share them all with everyone. But there is one special experience that I want to share.

Before going to camp, I really felt like I needed to know how to give someone a blessing. It made sense to me; since I was going to camp, maybe something was going to happen where I needed to give one of my old quorum members a blessing.

Well, we got to camp Thursday, and I was spending time with Timmy and our friends Levi and Skyler. We had a lot of fun doing some mountain climbing and some other random stuff. (There was even a game of badminton or two!) I even shot a gun for the first time, which was super cool!

Thursday night rolls around, and it is time for sleep. Timmy, Skyler, Levi, and I were settling down in our tent when I had the great idea to read them some of my old journal entries. Not a good idea! They laughed at some of the stuff I wrote and kind of made fun of me, and I--the fool that I am-- took great offense to it. Even to the point where I jumped out of my sleeping bag and started beating up my friend Levi! Haha.

My first thought: "The Spirit is definitely not with me right now." And so I pulled out a Mission Prep book of mine and started to read it. I could feel the Spirit again, and I fell asleep feeling pretty good.

I'm not sure how long I was asleep, but I woke up to a voice saying, "Ben! Wake up!" I sat up ASAP and looked around the tent. Timmy wasn't in the tent! And so I opened up the tent and I found Timmy outside our tent--bent over, breathing heavily.

Timmy explained to me that he felt very sick and that he felt like he was going to puke. I sat there and watched him for about two minutes, asking him questions about how he was feeling every couple of seconds. My last question was, "Do you think you can come into the tent for a few minutes?"

Timmy took a few deep breaths and then replied, "I think so. Why?" I told him that I could give him a Priesthood Blessing. He questioned whether I was allowed to do that or not, and I told him that I could give him a blessing of comfort like my Dad did for me when I hurt my back a couple of weeks ago.

And so Timmy and I got into the tent, and I gave him a blessing. Immediately after I was done giving him the blessing, he closed up the tent, laid down, and fell right back to sleep. It was easily one of the greatest experiences of my life, and I am glad I made sure that I had the Spirit with me before falling asleep that night. Because if there is anything that I learned at camp...it was definitely the lesson that the Spirit can definitely lead and guide us if we are living our life in a way where we can hear the still, small voice!!

Again, it was a sweet experiences! Today I was set apart as a ward missionary, and that, too, was a great experience. It's cool to know that I will be a part-time missionary--working with the missionaries in my ward--until I depart in November! I love it.

But best of all...I figured out that I will most likely be able to go through the temple on August 8! I just need to call the temple on August 4 when they re-open. I look forward to going through the temple for the first time and then re-visiting often before I depart in November! :)

Operation: Elder Benjamin David Nelson (Part 6) AKA Shots and Other Adventures

I am continuing to prepare for my mission, and the journey has been great.

I don't think I've mentioned it yet, but last Sunday, I was called to be a Ward Missionary. It's nothing new for me, though, because I have been working with the Elders in our ward since they first started teaching Tara.

However, I did my first official Ward Missionary appointment on Wednesday, and it was awesome. We taught this lady who lives two houses down from my house. She used to be a member of the church about thirty years ago but was excommunicated. We taught her the importance of reading the scriptures, and it was a great lesson! She seemed really excited to be getting back in the Gospel, and I even saw her at church today! Because the Chile Vina del Mar mission includes a lot of reactivating the less-active members, the opportunity to teach this lady was definitely some excellent preparation!

On Thursday, I went to the Health Department and got a Hep. B shot and a Meningitis shot. I also thought I would need my first Hep. B shot (the one they gave me was my second, according to them) and a newer DTP shot. After leaving the department, I realized that I DID need my first Hep. B shot and an updated DTP shot because they read my shot record wrong, and it turns out I hadn't gotten them yet. And so I decided I would go back the next day--Friday.

Thursday night, I went to Mission Prep, and it was great as usual! My teacher asked us, "Did anything exciting happen to anyone this last week?" I sort of laughed/smiled, and she said, "Ben, it looks like you have something to say." I told them I had been called to Chile, and my class congratulated me. This girl sitting near me (named Celes) said, "No way. Which mision?" I told her Vina del Mar, and she freaked out! Apparently her mom served her mission there, and then her family lived there for about a year. She told me a lot of cool things about the city, and she gave me a few people to look out for. She was a really cool girl, and she will be leaving for her mission in Brazil in August.

On Friday, I went back to the Health Department and explained to them the confusion. Because I had been there the day before and had already gotten a Hep. B shot, I was only able to get my DTP shot. However, the good news is...I only have to wait one month between my first and second Hep. B shot, and then I have to wait two months between my second and third Hep. B shots. So I'll have my Hep. B shots barely finished before I report to the MTC!! And that was great news for me because I wanted to get all my shots before I went to the MTC, and I was worried I wouldn't have time to do so. But alas! The other great news was that my DTP shot was free. Oh yeah--Tara came along with me to get my shots, and she walked out of the place with three shots. HAHA. She was only planning on getting one, but when the ladies told her that her parents' insurance still covered her, they told her she might as well get these two extra shots. It was pretty funny.

A couple months ago, my friend Erin and I won a "date night" at a ward auction. Friday night, Erin and I finally put this date to some use, and it was a lot of fun! The lady who auctioned it off provided an Italian dinner and a delicious cake! Additionally, she gave us a Blockbust giftcard for us to rent a movie with. We rented the movie "Australia" with Hugh Jackman, and it was a pretty good movie. It was almost three hours, though, which is a little too long for me unless I am watching The Dark Knight or something. ;) Overall, it was great to spend some time with Erin, as we haven't actually sat down and talked in a long time!

Saturday was another great day. I started it off by attending my first of two temple prep classes. President Walker, who is in my ward, taught me along with his wife, and it was awesome! (For those of you who don't know, President Walker is a well-known man down here in Henderson. The elementary school right next to our house is even named after him! Haha.)

JoAnn told me the day before that he would know whether or not I was ready to enter the temple or not. And it was funny because one of the first things President Walker said to me was something like, "Ben, you are ready to enter the temple. I've noticed you the last couple of years, and I've seen you grow Spiritually. You're a great man, and you're going to be a great missionary." Now, I know this is something I've heard from my family and close friends, but hearing it from someone like President Walker (who I didn't even think knew my name!) erased all the little doubts that I had about serving in Chile!

In fact, President Walker got me really excited to serve in somewhere like Chile. You see--he has been to every country in South America! And although this was a Temple Prep class, and he taught me a lot about being ready for the temple...he mostly talked about Vina del Mar and what I should do to prepare there as well. It was great! It was like an Advanced Mission Prep class, and I loved it. He shared so many cool things/in-sights, and I know I will be better prepared if I remember everything he taught me. He is truly a remarkable man!

On Tuesday, I am meeting with President Walker one last time, and I am hoping to go through the temple on August 15. I am really looking forward to it, and I am excited to have a few months to go to the temple! :)

Operation: Elder Benjamin David Nelson (Part 5) AKA The Checklist! (As of: 7/23/09)

THINGS TO DO BEFORE ENTERING THE MTC ON NOVEMBER 18:

1. Apply For Passport (Complete)
2. Obtain Visa
   
3. Get Temple Recommend/Endowments (25% Complete)
   
4. Renew License
5. Get Four Generation Pedigree Chart + Some Stories About Ancestors (50% Complete)
   
6. Get Copy Of Motor Vehicle Record
7. Get Shots (50% Complete)
   
8. Give Parents Written Permission To View My Medical Record
9. Buy Mission Merchandise
   

Operation: Elder Benjamin David Nelson (Part 4) AKA Chile (Vina del Mar) FTW!

What a great day! It is so great to know where I am finally headed and when I will be leaving.

I know that my mission call isn't something picked at random; the Lord has called me to Chile, and it is where I am supposed to be. I could feel it as I read my misison call!

For those of you who haven't heard, though, I have been called to the Chile Vina del Mar mission, and I report to the Provo MTC on November 18! :)

I am really excited! Thank you everyone for all the love and support!

The Day I Have Been Waiting For For A Very Long, Long Time!

Today is the day!

In about ten hours, I will be opening up my mission call.

The long wait has finally come to an end! :)

TAB's Farewell

Tonight I said goodbye to my best friend/cousin TAB. TAB will be serving his mission in Romania, and I will not see him until I get home from my own mission in the fall of 2011.

I remember about three years ago when both of our brothers--Skyler and Matt--were on their missions. I told TAB, "Man, we are next! We gotta start getting ready." Ever since then, TAB and I have encouraged each other to keep preparing, we've shared with each other how excited we are to get out there on the Mission Field to teach people the Gospel, etc.

And it's great to know that the day has finally arrived. While TAB reports to the MTC on Wednesday, I will be opening my call the next day. Before I know it--I will be out there on the field doing the same thing as TAB.

I will truly miss my brother TAB. But I am truly grateful for the bond we have created over the years--especially the last four years since I have moved back here to Vegas. I also look forward to the day when TAB and I will meet again so that we can share all our powerful missionary experiences with eachother! Truly a bitter-sweet moment. It's going to be a good two years for both of us!

Love ya, my brother!!!

Operation: Elder Benjamin David Nelson (Part 3)

This Week: A

Well, this last week was another good week! I worked on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday as usual, and nothing really exciting happened!

On Thursday, I was hoping to get my mission call a week early so that TAB could be here for it. :) However, I didn't get it; and TAB and I are still happy for each other!

TAB, Tara, and I went to Institute on Thursday, where we attended the Mission Prep class. It was awesome! Afterwards, TAB and I went back to my house, and we went on an excellent bike ride. Tara went with a few friends to go bowling.

TAB and I watched some videos online while we waited for Tara to get home. You see--Tara stayed the night at our house because she was departing with my family the next morning to go to Lagoon in Utah. For those of you who don't know, I was originally planning on going, but I really felt like I needed to stay here for some reason. (I am so glad I did, too, because I have been spending lots of time with TAB the last couple of days, which has been excellent, as he will be leaving in two days!) Anyways--Tara finally got home, and we talked for a while. Before we knew it, it was 1 AM! We went to sleep shortly afterwards.

My family (and Tara) departed to Utah the next morning, and TAB and I woke up nice and early to help with the Daycare. I worked from 7 AM to 2:30 PM and then from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM; and it was great to have TAB there with me to help out! Afterwards, I treated TAB to 20 McNuggets.

On Saturday, TAB and I went golfing with some friends, and it was actually a lot of fun! I did pretty good for a first-timer. ;) After that, we went and got some slurpees and some food. To our surprise, my Uncle Karl was cooking up some steaks when we got home from our adventure. Even though I had just ate, I happily accepted the steak and ate it! T'was delicious! TAB and I then went to swim at the Walker's house, and then I made my way back to Henderson.

Today, I went to church, and it was sweet. I taught both the 12-year-olds and the 15-year-olds. It was pretty good, but I learned that it's very hard to teach a bunch of teenaged kids that just want to talk during class the whole time! ;)

I attended Elders Quorom for the first time, and that was sweet! It really made me feel pretty young, though. Haha. I talked to Bishop after church, and he told me that this week will be the week I get my call! So I am really excited!! One week from now...I will know where I am serving the Lord. CRAZY!!

Well, as for now...I am just spending some more time with TAB at his house. I will truly miss him, but I am excited for both of us as we shall both serve with honor!! :)

Operation: Elder Benjamin David Nelson (Part 2)

This Week: A+

Today was a pretty special day. In Sacrament meeting, I received my Duty to God award, and I got a sweet medallion for doing so!

I then taught the twelve-year-old Sunday school class (Logan's class). Tara and I have been teaching this class the last few weeks, and I believe we have two more weeks of teaching before Logan's teacher comes back. They are a fun class, and it's been fun!

It was my last day in Priest Quorom today, and it was sad to sit in there with my fellow quorom members and my leaders one last time. Although it made me sad, I was very excited to receive the Melchizedek Priesthood after church! My Dad ordained me after church, and it was a very powerful experience. I look forward to attending Elders Quorom next week! :)

After church, my good friend Brady and I took the Sacrament to a lady in our ward, and then Logan and I went and did two envelopes of fast offerings. T'was truly a great adventure, and it felt good to help out with those Priesthood duties.

I got home and read With Full Purpose of Heart. I have been reading a lot of books like it lately, and they have been very inspiring! I got this book from the Shills for seminary graduation, and I'll have to be sure to thank them a thousand times because it's one of those books that just teaches you so much! It's the best.

I took a nap for a while. When I woke up, I saw that my friend Megan was home from her cabin trip, so I went over to her house, and we exchanged gifts. She and I have been great friends since last Fourth of July, and so she and I decided to kind of celebrate that. Haha. I gave her a box of random goodies, and she carved me something while she was up at her cabin. Afterwards, she and I just talked for a while about what was going on the rest of the summer, my mission call, etc.

As for my mission papers...they were submitted by President Peterson this last week. I was hoping to get my call this Thursday, but President Peterson didn't submit my papers until a few days later than I thought he would. :) At first, I was disappointed because I personally reminded President Peterson to submit my papers three times on Sunday. Haha. But...I talked to my Dad tonight, and he really got me thinking! At first we were talking about how great of a Stake President President Peterson was, and how he truly is an inspired leader. And so my Dad said, "What if he submitted them a few days later because you need to be called to a certain place?" That really hit me hard, and all the little disappointment that I had was suddenly lifted. :) I am truly grateful to have Bishop Stewart and President Peterson as my leaders!

So I will probably get my call next Thursday, but it's always a possibility to get it this Thursday! We'll just wait and see. Mom, KT, Matt, and Cynthia...I plan on calling you guys when I open it! So although you won't be able to be here in person, just remember that I am thinking of you guys, and I will have y'all on the phone! :)

Truly a great, powerful week!

Operation: Elder Benjamin David Nelson (Part One)

School ended, and I graduated. The worst part for me? No seminary.

You see--during the summer, I usually 'fall apart', and I don't do the little things I am supposed to be doing: reading scriptures, saying prayers, exercising, etc. My conclusion? Well, I love seminary, and I truly believe that it keeps me spiritually in-tune.

Well, I definitely felt like I was falling apart again this summer. My first week of summer was pretty good...I did those little things for about half of the week. I started grading myself and my weeks...the first week of summer was probably a C, average. But the last two weeks were just bad. The weeks weren't horrible--I enjoyed them--but something was definitely missing, and I wasn't 'in-tune.' And so I gave the last two weeks a big fat F-.

While I was sitting at the Sacrament table on Sunday, I started thinking about the last two weeks and how they weren't so great. I said a little prayer, and I decided I was going to start fresh and make this week an A+.

And so I got back on track. I was studying my scriptures and saying my prayers again. But the real breakthrough came when I found a book on my desk by John Bytheway: What I Wish I'd Known Before My Mission. I got this book at Youth Conference this year, but I never read more than two pages from it.

I never imagined a John Bytheway book to inspire me the way this book has thus far. Wow. I would read something from the book and just be like, "Wow. I am going to try that." And then I would try it, and it would be SWEET. For example, he talks about how we need to discipline ourselves. He quoted Gordon B. Hinckley, who said:

"One of the great tragedies we witness almost daily, is the tragedy of [missionaries] of high aim and low achievement. Their motives are noble, their proclaimed ambition is praiseworthy, their capacity great. But their discipline is weak. They succumb to indolence. Appetite robs them of will."

That hit me hard! After reading that, I was immediately reminded of my junior year of high school. My sophomore year, I got horrible grades, and I was barely able to play volleyball. Coming into junior year, though, I told myself, "Nothing less than a B. If I get any C's or lower, I'm not going to play volleyball." Because I told myself that, and I disciplined myself, my grades were better than they had ever been before!

It's too bad that wore of, though. Although I disciplined myself that one time, I haven't really been disciplined about preparing for my mission, and I definitely felt like President Hinckley was talking to me. One way John Bytheway said he disciplined himself was to make a commitment like "No more television!"

And so I started thinking of things that have been distracting me the last few months, and I am now disciplining myself. For example, I have developed this weird habit of getting fast food every time I go out somewhere. What a waste of time, money, and health! And so that was the first huge one on my list: "No more random fast food stops!!"

This one wasn't huge, but I've always sort of been distracted by all the posters/pictures on my bedroom walls. And so I took everything down. Don't get me wrong--I love all my pictures of my friends and family and all my posters. But...I just have to put them in storage for a while because sometimes they can be distracting. Weird? Yes. But it's all about disciplining yourself.

Along with discipline, I have set goals. I told my friends this year: "I'm not exercising until I read

200!" Well, A)what a stupid thing to say! and B)I reached that point last weekend. However, I made a goal to bike/run 4-8 miles three times a week until I depart in the fall, hoping to get back to the 160's. This last weeks worked wonders, as I have done that and core/ab workouts! I lost seven pounds with ease.

John Bytheway also gives a little reading list of books to read before your mission. Well, after beholding this excellent list, I made my way to Deseret Book right away, and I bought books such as Our Search For Happiness, Jesus The Christ, and A Marvelous Work A Wonder. I now have a big, fat reading list, and my goal is to read everything on my list before I head to the MTC in the fall. :)

And so this week: a definite A+.

Books!

Almost-blank wall! Haha. I took this picture just to show that I no longer have the undies hanging up in my room. They have been there since I moved here! Yikes. 0_0


No more photographs or posters!

Mission board! :)

One More Week.

One more week until my mission papers are officially submitted to Salt Lake!!

And then I will just have to wait a little bit more. ;) The date I am expecting to get it is either July 8 or July 15, but I am planning on opening it on July 9 or July 16 so that I can get everyone over here to witness the opening of the call and what not.

It's going to be great!!! :) Can't wait!

Happy Fathers Day!

Happy Fathers day to all you fathers out there!! :)

I'd like to say that especially to my dad. Love ya, Dad, and thanks for being a great example to me!

Dad FTW!!

Done And Waiting

Last night, I met with President Peterson, and all went well!

He told me he would submit my paperwork to Salt Lake City on June 28, and then all I'll have to do is wait!

I was also interviewed to be ordained an Elder, and President Peterson said that'll happen during the next couple of weeks! :)

Pretty crazy to know that it's a possibility that I have my call a month from now. My good friend and cousin, TAB, and I are hoping it comes ASAP (July 8) so that he can know where I am headed before he heads to the MTC (July 15). If not on July 8, though, I will most likely be receiving my call a week later--the day TAB goes into the MTC. But either way--TAB and I will be happy with either of the outcomes, for we shall both be called to serve!

It's going to be an exciting next few weeks!

Elder Benjamin David Nelson: Guesses

Well, as almost everyone knows, I will be serving a mission later this year, and I will be returning about two years later.

I will receive my call about a month from today (July 8) if all goes well, and so it is time to get guesses from everyone on where they think I am headed!

And so...Be sure to pick anywhere in the world and to post a comment (with your name!!) on this post with your guess! (To all you non-bloggers: hit the comments link on the bottom of this post, and then leave your comment. Easy as that.)

If for some bizarre, weird reason, you are not able to post a comment on this post, you can e-mail me at sirbenjalot@hotmail.com with your guess!

Thanks everybody!! :)

Funny...

How much you can miss something right away.

Today I graduated from high school, and it finally hit me: I am done with high school. For some reason, I never thought about actually making it this far. To me--graduation was always for this people older than me--my older siblings and friends, etc.

But as my siblings have grown older, I now find myself in the shoes they were in 2-10 years ago. Just as they graduated, I have graduated, too.

I loved every bit of high school, and I will miss it a lot...

But honestly--the excitement I feel now outweighs my sorrow. I have yet to live life's greatest adventures--serving a mission, going to college, and starting a family--and to know that those three things are right around the corner...Who wouldn't be excited, ya know?

And so...Although it's funny how much I already miss high school, I think it's just even more crazy to realize that life's greatest adventures are an arm's reach away.

It's mission time!! :)

Amazing.

Well, I have a little powerful/amazing story to share. Sorry this is a day late; I planned on writing it yesterday, but I was pretty busy. :)

As everyone knows, I have been going to the doctors to get my mission papers done. And while doing so, the doctor has been real worried about my kidneys after finding a lot of blood and protein in my urine.

I was starting to get worried, and my first thought was, "I always knew something was wrong with my health." Well, I went in again, and the doctor just decided to re-test me and hope that the problem just went away. He seemed really iffy about the whole thing, and he even sounded more worried this time.

But I knew that everything would be okay if I got a blessing from my Dad. And so the day before I went into the lab, I had my Dad give me a blessing. I could feel the power of the blessing right away, and I knew everything was going to be okay.

I went to this doctor's office this last Friday, and all the lab results came back negative/normal/healthy. The doctor was really surprised, and he left the office to go write a letter for me to give to the bishop. While he was gone, I start started crying. The Spirit was telling me that the reason I was okay was because of my faith, my prayers, and the blessing from my Dad. :)

The doctor even wrote in the letter that he doesn't see any reason why I wouldn't be able to serve anywhere in the world. You see--He wants me to go to Ecuador or Chile. (He's not LDS; he just really likes those countries.) :)

And then right after the doctors appointment, I went on splits with the missionaries and it was so cool! Tara and I went with Elder Doubleday, and we talked to a lady who was really nice, but she wasn't interested. And then we tried to talk to this one guy, but he attempted to "scare" us off by saying he was sacrificing a cat in his house, and he would only let us in if we drank the cat blood. HAHA. We just left the guy alone...

We then went to an appointment and taught this girl named Asia. She is ten and is part of a less-active family. She was a sweet girl, and she is supposed to be getting baptized on Saturday FTW! :)

Time for seminary graduation!! :) I am speaking, and it's going to be great. My best talk yet, IMO. ;)

Hottest. Weekend. Ever.

Not only is it hot outside, but I have been living/sleeping in a furnace the last couple of days.

For some reason, our air conditioning is broken upstairs, and it is HOT.

It's 9 PM, and it actually feels A LOT better outside right now than it does in here...

I just went for a swim, and my clothes are still a bit damp...So it doesn't feel as bad right now; it actually feels pretty good.

But what would feel even better? Some air-conditioning. *hopes it works soon!!* :)

Sticky Tack (Random Thoughts)

A lot of random stuff to say.

First, I just wanted to point a little something out: I was reading some old blogposts from when I first started this blog, and wow. I was a fool. I know it wasn't even a whole year ago, but I definitely feel like a different, better person. I posted some of the dumbest junk! Not saying I still don't, but...Last year was definitely worst. :)

I finally got my mission physical signed and sent in. However, the doctor still thinks there is something wrong with me, and he is going to continue having me come in to figure it all out. I asked him if it was a bladder infection, and he said it wasn't. He told me it had something to do with my kidneys, and then he used a lot of big terms that I didn't understand. He seemed a bit worried while telling me all of this, and it worried me a bit, too! But he said it might be something that comes and goes, so...I am going back to the lab again to get tested one last time--hopefully! :) Whatever the problem is...I know I can overcome it!!

I went on a group date last night with TAB, Timmy, and Joe; it was sweet. I took my friend Marissa, and we had a lot of fun. We made pizza, played games, and then went and saw Night At The Museum II. Good times, good times! :)

Yesterday was my last seminary lesson; it's such a bummer! I'm really going to miss seminary. I know I have my mission ahead of me, but...the last four years of seminary have been great. It's so crazy to think that I only have eight more days of high school adventures. :( I am going to miss it all. I think I am one of the only seniors that actually kinda doesn't want to graduate. I wish I just had one more month!! ;)

But with that said...I am excited for the next few months! It's going to be awesome to figure out where I am going to be the next two years. :) Only a few more weeks until I put in papers!! June 28.

And did I mention how good it has been to see KT's family??? I love Tori, Ella, and Landon!!!!! ;) And KT and Jared, too, of course. :)

Prom 2009

Erin has all the sweet pictures that she took on her camera, but here are a few of mine for now! We both look good, eh? FTW!