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!