Monday, December 20, 2010

FELIZ NAVIDAD: Quiero Irme Pero Quiero Quedarme A La Vez :/















Dear All,

Merry Christmas! Thanks to everyone who sent me Christmas wishes! I wasn't able to reply to everyone so...just know that I love ya. :)

It's so crazy that we are here in the Christmas season again. I say it all the time, but...I just cannot get over how quick time flies. It feels just like yesterday that my best friend Scott was dropping me off at the MTC. And then shortly after...I was spending my Christmas with good mission friends such as Elder Hawkes, Elder Boyd, Elder Mallory, Elder Fanene, etc. Crazy! Oh, and speaking of my best friend Scott...He enters the MTC in two days. :) Good luck, Scott! You'll do great in Mexico.

Well, it's official: I am leaving Olmue. We had transfers in the morning, and I will be transferred to the Quillota Centro ward. It's here in the interior-part of the mission. It's fairly close, so I am not going too far. :) I will be with Elder Repetto. I met him once when he was newer in the mission. He's from Argentina, and he's awesome! He'll be in his fifth change, and we're going to have a lot of fun together. He lived in Utah for a few years, so I hear he actually knows English, too. Haha. :) I'm excited for the next adventure! And I'm not sure, but someone just told me that there were Sister missionaries there this last change. Not sure if it's true. If so...Elder Repetto and I will be pretty lost this first week. ;) But alas! That's the mission.

Elder Zorrilla is staying here in Olmue, and he's going to have a lot of success. I am excited for him. Elder McManamom and I will finally be separated, too. :( He's headed up to La Sarena! Pretty sweet. He'll get to know my first ward a little bit. :)

It was a good week. Marta will be baptized on Christmas. :) She had her interview with President Gillespie yesterday, and she passed! The greatest. And I am excited for Elder Zorrilla. Because he was the one that found Marta in the street, and he's going to baptize her this Saturday. He's really excited. :) She's come a long way in the last nineteen days. It truly is a miracle that she will be baptized this Saturday! It's not very often that we find someone and baptize them three weeks later. :)

Speaking of Marta...We had a funny moment yesterday when I was saying good bye to everyone yesterday after church. When she realized that she probably wouldn't see me again, she gave me a hug and kissed me on a cheek. It happens often here. Especially with the people that don't exactly know all the missionary rules. :) But it was a really awkward moment. We laughed a little bit about it afterward, though. I'll never forget that. :)

In other random news: This last week we A)ate rabbit and B)took Marta's tea away from her. (See pictures.) Haha. Marta hadn't been drinking the tea, but we noticed she still had some in her kitchen, so we asked her to give it to us so that it wouldn't tempt her or anything. Haha. She happily handed it over, and we exchanged it for chocolate milk powder. :) Haha.

Yesterday I had a cool experience. I had to speak in church for the first time in the mission. I don't know how but I somehow was able to avoid speaking in sacrament meeting for almost a whole year! Haha. But I was really nervous for that, and I was scared that none of my Spanish would come out. But I just did it, and a lot of the members enjoyed the talk. :) It really helped me remind myself that the Lord really does love me, and He blesses us with Spiritual Gifts (such as the gift of tongues) as long as if we do our part and seek those gifts.

I really have enjoyed my time here in Olmue. I really wanted to go, but now I kind of want to stay. Haha. I really do love the members here and the investigators that I've worked with. But alas! The mission just works this way, and I'm just going to be obedient. :) I am excited for this week. I'll get to know Quillota the next few days. And then on Friday morning I will be coming back to Villa Alemana for the Christmas Eve conference. And there, I will see old mission friends such as Elder Birchall, Elder Dupre, Elder Sylvanstoke, etc. :) I am really excited to see Elder Dupre and Elder Mann for one last time! They will be my first companions who go home. They are starting their last transfers this week. Wow.

I love you all. I hope everyone is enjoying the true meaning of Christmas! I testify that Christ is our Savior and that we'll receive so many blessings as we follow Him and His example. MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!

Con Mucho Amor,
Elder Nelson IV
--
D&C 122:7
I serve God. I serve Jesus Christ.
I'm His Servant, His Minister.
I know I was called of Him.
I know why I've been called, and I will humbly obey.

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