Happy Columbus Day! It's actually a holiday here in Chile, too. A different holiday, of course. Not exactly sure what it is, actually. But everyone has school off and what not. We just got done playing some volleyball and soccer with some of the young men and the leaders. I did pretty good. ;)
Well, we've got good news, and we've got bad news. The bad news is that Ivan's baptism fell through. :/ We were really sad about that. But the good news is that he's still determined to reach baptism. We've also been teaching his brother-in-law (Juan) and his wife (Natalia), and wow! They are awesome. :) They really liked the church (they came yesterday), and they want to be baptized. :) We also have another investigator named Mercedes, and she, too, wants to be baptized. :) So we're making progress here! I recorded a few clips throughout the week, and they should be attached. :) Enjoy!
My birthday was pretty great. :) Our neighbor (the Relief Society President) made us lunch that day, and she made a delicious meal for me. Haha. And then we had ice cream and brownies for dessert. The greatest! And then later on, another family made me a pancake cake, haha, and that was awesome. :) (See the pictures and video attached in the other e-mails.)
We had our zone conference last Friday, and that was great. It was great to see Elder Boyd again; he's great. It was also great seeing Elder Birchall and Elder Mann as companions. Haha. They said, "We've been telling each other good Elder Nelson stories." Haha. But the greatest was perhaps seeing Elder Lopez! He informed me that three of my investigators in Cerro Alegre got baptized, and then he showed me pictures. :) It was great! And he said that there are a few more that are gonna be baptized. And it really made me happy. It feels good to know that all my work in Cerro Alegre wasn't for nothing. Not that I ever thought it was or anything. Just good to know that my investigators are getting baptized. :)
I love the zone conferences because we always learn so much from the mission president. Words cannot describe President Gillespie. He has truly been called of God! He is great because during the conferences, we don't only talk about how to apply the things that we are learning to only the mission, but also about how we can apply the things we are learning to our LIVES after the mission. I probably heard "when you start your own family" and " when you have your own house" 10 times during the last conference. It was sweet! :)
President Gillespie also talked about forgetting ourselves and getting lost in the work. He talked about how when we work selfishly, we shrink and don't make progress. But when we serve and put ourselves behind...we grow! He explained it a whole lot better than I just did, though. Haha. He's great.
I want to end this week's e-mail with "The Story of Debbie." :) Debbie is a girl who bore her testimony yesterday, and she's in Gospel Principles every week. She has a really cool, inspiring story. She began to know the church when she was 16. The missionaries taught her everything, and she's always had a desire to be baptized. However, her parents are really Catholic, and when she asked for their permission to be baptized, they declined. She took the news really hard, and she cried and cried because she really wanted to be baptized. But she decided to respect her parents and just wait until she turned 18.
Well, Debbie has been going to church every week ever since. I actually thought she was a member until she bore her testimony yesterday! She bore one of the most powerful testimonies that I've ever heard, and it was great. She still has until April before she turns 18, and in her testimony, she just encouraged the investigators and the non-members to keep listening to the missionaries and attending the church. She ended her testimony by saying, "There is no greater place to be than where we are right now." And it's so true. The Spirit testified to me during Debbie's testimony that there really is no greater place to be than in the House of The Lord.
I will always be grateful for people like Debbie. I've met so many valient people like her in my life. Many of them here in Chile. They are all my heroes. And so I want to end this e-mail by saying: There is no greater thing than the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We've been blessed with the Gospel in our lives, and we cannot take it for granted. I know that it's true. I am a witness that it's true. I've received a witness from the Spirit that these things are true. I've received witnesses through inspired leaders and scripture. And I've received witnesses through the miracles that I've seen in my life. I know that Jesus is the Christ, and I testify that His Gospel is the only path to Eternal Life. There is no greater thing!!
I love you all. Until next week.
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.
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