11: A Great First Week

Dear All,

That was a great first week of a new change. It was exactly what I needed. We had a lot of success, and it's a great time to be a missionary. I love going out every day to give it all I have. As I work diligently, I am always rewarded with a rich amount of joy and happiness. We'll have another great week.

I'm looking forward to working with Elder Larsen. He's from Provo, Utah, and it's been great thus far. We have a lot in common; he's a big BYU fan. (Go BYU! They won on Saturday.) And we both love the work. So we have a lot of unity. :) And having unity in a companionship is the key to success. 

We had a miracle happen a few days ago. Los Vilos isn't the easiest area to find new people to teach, but Elder Larsen and I went out one day, and we were talking to the people in the streets, at the park, etc. No one wanted to listen to our message, and so we kept walking down the street. And as we were walking, a young man on a bike stops and approaches us. He greeted us and introduced himself as Alejandro. He told us that he had lived in Utah for a few years, and that he had the oportunity to learn about the church and about the Book of Mormon. I asked him if he had been baptized. He told us that he hand't, but that he wanted to meet with us and to attend church! We met with him the next day, and we had a great first lesson with him in the church, and I gave him an English copy of the Book of Mormon. He's awesome! He wasn't able to attend. But he has all the desires to learn and to receive an answer from God about the truthfulness of our message. I know the Lord put him in our path!

Speaking of church: Fernanda continues to progress. She's great. She should be baptized at the end of this month. :) We're just waiting to see when her husband has work off so that he can baptize her. We're excited about that. More great news: Francisco and Cristofer received the Priesthood yesterday!! It was the greatest! The branch is absolutely thrilled about it. We now have two young men in the branch to prepare and pass the sacrament. Francisco was so excited afterwards. He came up to me and asked, "So, Elder Nelson, what are my duties now?" Francisco and Cristofer, I think, have helped me so much these last few weeks. They are great converts, and they are like little brothers to me. Francisco really does remind me of Logan at times. It makes me laugh.

We're working hard. I won't allow myself to slack off too much. In my interview a few weeks ago with President Gillespie, he told me that I shouldn't WORRY about my life after the mission; but he did tell me that I could THINK about it. And so I have thought a lot about what I'm going to do, and I'm not too worried anymore. I'm working on my 5-year plan for after the mission, and it feels good to think about it and plan it all out. Because now I can work even harder and stay focused because I'm not all that worried anymore. :)

I want to be a missionary like Alma. After serving for all those years, he just could not stop preaching the Gospel. In Alma 43:1-2, it says:

1 And now it came to pass that the sons of Alma did go forth among the people, to declare the word unto them. And Alma, also, himself, could not rest, and he also went forth.

2 Now we shall say no more concerning their preaching, except that they preached the word, and the truth, according to the spirit of prophecy and revelation; and they preached after the holy order of God by which they were called.I love you all. Until next week! :)

Con Mucho Amor,

Elder Nelson IV