Dear All,

Another week has sped by. It was a good one! We were able to teach 18 lessons, even though we didn't have much time to work on Monday or Tuesday with transfers and what not. It was a great week!

I am training an Elder named Elder Gasik. He's from Sandy, Utah, and he's a great chap. Training him has been great thus far. He's really easy to teach because he's really humble and teachable. By working with him this last week, I've been reminded once again by the power of our calling as missionaries. I've been reminded once again by the importance of teaching by the Spirit. Heck, I've been reminded of a lot of things, and I've learned a lot of things. Elder Gasik is training me as well.

A few days ago, we were teaching a less-active family (La Familia Parada), and we had an experience that I will never forget. Before the lesson, I told my companion, "Elder, I know we must teach according to the Spirit. And so if you feel like you should say something, do not be afraid to say it. Because you're going to feel the Spirit telling you what to say and when you should say it." My companion replied, "Okay, sounds good. I'm lookin' forward to it." We went in, and Brother Parada and his family started talking to us about how Brother Parada is going to the hospital soon for heart surgury. Brother Parada was worried and a bit down, and so I asked if we could say a prayer and share something with him. It was the best thing that we can do for him, as we've already given him a blessing.

We prayed, and I shared a quick scripture with the family, but I felt like there was more that we could say to help comfort Brother Parada during this trial. I said a quick prayer in my heart. And out of nowhere--despite not knowing much of what was going on--my companion asked, "Can I share a personal experience with you?" My companion then shared a powerful testimony and story about how his Dad was fighting against brain cancer, but was COMPLETELY cured after much prayer and fasting. The Spirit was really strong during the rest of that lesson, and it really touched Brother Parada's heart. And he's not worried anymore. It was a powerful experience for both me and Elder Gasik. It was a powerful reminder to me that I'm no better than my companion because I have more time in the mission than him or because I can speak the language. We've both been called of God, and we've both been set apart to preach the Gospel.

So I've been blessed with a good companion. We've had a blast together thus far. He really reminds me of my little brother Timmy--so humble and postive. And always giving it his all! People ask Elder Gasik, "Do you understand what I am saying to you?" He just laughs and then replies, "No. But with time and with the Lord's help, I will learn." What a great, postive Elder. I love him, and I have a feeling he'll train me just as much--if not more--as I'll train him.

It was a humbling week for me. I learned and grew a lot. To end my e-mail, I want to share something that I read from a talk called "The Fouth Missionary" by Elder Corbridge. It was this one paragraph that hit me the most as I began reading this powerful talk:

Every challenge you face, every hard thing you confront, every bad thing that happens to you, every unfairness, every conflict, every sadness, tragedy, every disappointment and heartache, every temptation and every opposition happens for one purpose only: to give you opportunity to respond by applying in your life the teachings of Jesus. As you do so you are changed to become more like Him.

That really is true, isn't it? I've seen that in my own life as I've been faced with challenges and heartache. I've realized that the only way to get through such trials is to LIVE the Gospel of Christ, and as we do so, we are changed for the better. And we are blessed. I'm a testimony of that. I am a better person today because I turned to the Lord during the hardest of times. I've felt His love, and I've seen the blessings come.

I love you all! Until next week!

Con Mucho Amor,

Elder Nelson IV