Dear All,
Another week has flown by. Can you believe it?
We had a good week. We found two new investigators, and we managed to teach ten lessons with members present, which was awesome because it was a busy week! :) We had our conference with Elder Zeballos, we did service a few times during the week, we did intercambios with the zone leaders, etc. Phew! It was a busy one. :) Also, I have big rashes on my arm pits because I think I am allergic to the deodrant that I bought a few weeks ago. It's pretty painful, but...no worries! I bought the good stuff, and the rashes will go away with time. :)
The conference was the best conference I've ever had in the mission. Sister and Elder Zeballos both talked to us, and the Spirit was so strong. They talked about so many great topics, and each one hit me really hard. We talked about how we need to ENJOY our missions because we only have TWO years of our life to open the doors to the Celestial Kingdom--to invite people to baptism.
We talked a lot about companionship unity and how we need to be happy and united. If we aren't, people aren't going to want to talk to us! :) We talked about charity, and that was the topic that hit me the hardest. They quoted President Kimball (I think it was him), who said that the three things that can stop us are: 1. sin, 2. lack of faith, and 3. lack of desires. (Something like that. Obviously, it was all in Spanish, and I am not exactly sure how it was actually said in English. Haha.) And then they talked about how all three of those things are a sign of a lack of Charity. Really, I just can't explain how powerful the conference was. The stories that were told...the testimonies that were born...Wow. I just want to be so much better after that conference! It really made me realize just how lucky I am to be here in Chile to serve the Lord. :) There is nothing greater! I've decided that I'm just gonna go out there and give the Lord my all. Yeah, the mission is tough at times, but that isn't an excuse to slack off and whine. I just gotta forget myself and go to work! I'm gonna do it. Even if it means getting bit my dogs, falling off cliffs, stepping on rusty nails, and rashing myself with deodrant. ;)
I enjoyed the intercambio that I did with Elder McManamom. He has changed a lot since becoming zone leader. He is a good leader, and I learned a lot from him. We had a lot of fun, and we had a lot of sucess. We did tours of the church, and it was awesome! The Spirit was so strong as we shared the House of the Lord with those who had never entered before. :) It's hard to do tours here in Olmue because no one passes by the church, but...we are gonna try and make some invitations or something so that we can do it here, too. :)
Our investigator Ivan is doing pretty good. Still really struggling to stop with the smoking and alcohol, but he has the desires to do it. And I know that if he prays, reads, and going to church every week, the Lord is going to step in and help him fight the adversary. We already witnessed that a few weeks ago. When he attended church, he didn't drink that week. When he didn't attend the next week, he was miserable. We are going to work really hard with him, and he's going to do great. He came to church yesterday, and I was touched to see all the members greeting him with hand shakes and hugs, despite the fact that he was really dirty and unbathed. It was powerful; the members here are awesome. They have so much charity for every one--especially those that are investigating the church. :)
We visited the primary yesterday, and I am amazed how kids so young can have testimonies so powerful. On their chalk board, they had written, "Obedezco A Jesus Porque Lo Amo" (I Obey Jesus Because I Love Him). They were all reverant as a little three-year-old girl got up and recited John 14:15, "If you love me, keep my commandments." As that little girl shared that scripture, the Spirit was so strong, and I got a little teary-eyed. Haha. The primary kids are so strong and such good examples to us. It was a special moment for me to go visit them yesterday.
Well, we are excited for another good week. We have the stake activity this Saturday in Casa Blanca (further south), and we are looking forward to spending a whole day with the ward and the stake to celebrate Chile's independence day. :)
Christ lives, and His Gospel is the only path to eternal happiness. We have to live our lives in a way that we can always have His Spirit to be with us. We need to keep our baptismal covenants. We do that by remembering Him. We remember Him by reading our scriptures, praying, and attending Church and partaking the sacrament. We do it by loving our families and bearing our testimonies to them. There are no substitutes. I love the Gospel. I love the mission and the opportunity that I have to give two years of my life to the Lord. It's not a sacrifice; it's a blessing. :)
I love you all, and I hope everyone has a good week!
Con Amor,
Elder Nelson IV
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D&C 122:7
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