Hello Family, ( I know that I'm sending this out to some who quote unquote aren't family...but really you are!)
Alright, so instead of addressing everyone I think I'm going to just start writing these like I'm writing home, so sorry :)
Life has been good. It has been beautiful and sunny the last few days, I even got a little bit of a sun burn...aka sun kissed! ha ha. It's been beautiful and hot! We have been setting up a lot of appointments with less actives, and we have met a few who are really sweet, and it's going to be great to know them more. We have a couple of appointments set up with people who seem to be interested in the church, which is great. It's been great to get to know the ward members a little bit more as well, because the majority of them are converts and so they know what it's like to be in that sort of situation, especially without the gospel. All in all it's been a really good week!
I finally finished the Book of Mormon again, and it was so great! My companion was sick the other morning so I got about an extra hour of study in and so I was able to finish it, and honestly...I felt so impowered when I finished that I thought about getting down on my knees to pray about it, when I thought of Sister Thompson during one of her talks, that she had read it again, but she finished it and she could feel the spirit testifying throughout the entire thing. The spirit was so strong when I finished it that I thought...I already know and can feel that it is true! I love the Book of Mormon, it truly is empowering, and I can't wait to see it change someones life! That means that I've started it again, and I'm reading it in themes now, which is good, I love it actually.
Well, I really don't have much time, I am getting used to being here, and more used to the routine. It is getting easier, and harder, because there are so many people out there who don't even care if there is a God. It breaks my heart daily to see people reject someone who loves them so much, and who has suffered so much for them, but we all have our free agency, don't we?!
Dad, and grandma (tell grams because I don't have her email yet) I got a letter from both of you on Friday...so it only took about five days to get here, which was a lot faster then I thought it was going to be! But it was so good to get them!
Remember that the Lord loves you all so much more than you know, and he wants you to succeed and for your dreams to come true! I love you tons and hope all is going well at home!
Love you!
Sister Kaitie-Lynn Nelson
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Monday, May 21, 2012
Alright...I've only got a few minutes and so much to tell you all!
I finally made it to England, and what a beautiful land it is! so I arrived on Wednesday and man was I jet-lagged (not sure if I used that correctly or not) but I was so stinking tired! It was really awesome though because I got there later then everyone else, because they had all come down from Preston the day before, so Sister Shamo let us go and take a nap...yeah...Jessie, I still have taken a few naps on my mission!!!! haha
We got to go to the temple on Thursday, and then we got all our things together and left. My companion is Sister Allred and she is from Lehi. She is really awesome and has been really patient with me (but then again all people that are around me have to be :) ) So we have gotten along really pretty well, she has such a bubbly attitude and loves being a missionary, it's contagious, so that's really good! We are in an area called Paignton, which on the coast. I live about a five minute walk to the shorefront, and it's super pretty and the people are nice. The sun is out today too, so that's awesome! It's actually only rained twice since I've gotten here...but it is a little bit cooler with the breeze coming in off the coast.
Hmm...I had so many things to tell everyone! ha ha...
So...as we were walking to the Library today and we were handing out (when I say we...I mean mostly Sis Allred) pass-along cards for free hand outs and right before coming in the Library she handed one to this guy...and he totally was interested! It was great, his name is Erik (go figure....and yes, it is spelt the same way as yours) and he was homeless for a while, and says that he actually just came from the library where he was reading books about religion. We have a return appointment tomorrow to teach him...so it will be my first official lesson in England, which is pretty cool.
Ok...so...the ward here is really great. We spent most of Saturday serving them...aka doing dishes for a wedding that was going on, but it was a great way to make a statement right off and to get to know the different ward members. I think they said that there are about 50 people that are active in the ward...so it's pretty small, but they are all awesome, and I'm pretty sure they are all converts, it's been really cool to meet them and hear their stories. It makes me appreciate so much more the things that we have in America and especially at school/Idaho/Utah. But we got called up yesterday to share our testimonies and I didn't know they were calling us up...so I was super surprised when they said my name in the announcments. I got up and said that it had scared the crap out of me....hahaha...yeah...you don't say crap here...it's like saying the 's' word at home, and yeah...I swore while giving my testimony at church yesterday. But to be fair, I had NO idea! but it was pretty funny and one of the councilors (the only one that is here, because the other two are away on a cruise or something...) gave me a hard time. So my first or second impression was pretty ridiculous!
Ok...last story really quick. We talked to this born again guy and gave him a book of mormon. That book is the most powerful book on this earth! He was quoting a bunch of scriptures, and so we started asking him questions and reading from the Book of Mormon...and he kept changing his story, and I'm not a hundred percent sure that he will read it, but it definately got him thinking, especially because we agreed with everything that he said from the bible....it was too great!
Alright, well, sorry this is so long, to whoever reads it, but I love you all and I hope that all continues well! Remember the Lord is there for you and loves you!
Love, Sister Nelson
I finally made it to England, and what a beautiful land it is! so I arrived on Wednesday and man was I jet-lagged (not sure if I used that correctly or not) but I was so stinking tired! It was really awesome though because I got there later then everyone else, because they had all come down from Preston the day before, so Sister Shamo let us go and take a nap...yeah...Jessie, I still have taken a few naps on my mission!!!! haha
We got to go to the temple on Thursday, and then we got all our things together and left. My companion is Sister Allred and she is from Lehi. She is really awesome and has been really patient with me (but then again all people that are around me have to be :) ) So we have gotten along really pretty well, she has such a bubbly attitude and loves being a missionary, it's contagious, so that's really good! We are in an area called Paignton, which on the coast. I live about a five minute walk to the shorefront, and it's super pretty and the people are nice. The sun is out today too, so that's awesome! It's actually only rained twice since I've gotten here...but it is a little bit cooler with the breeze coming in off the coast.
Hmm...I had so many things to tell everyone! ha ha...
So...as we were walking to the Library today and we were handing out (when I say we...I mean mostly Sis Allred) pass-along cards for free hand outs and right before coming in the Library she handed one to this guy...and he totally was interested! It was great, his name is Erik (go figure....and yes, it is spelt the same way as yours) and he was homeless for a while, and says that he actually just came from the library where he was reading books about religion. We have a return appointment tomorrow to teach him...so it will be my first official lesson in England, which is pretty cool.
Ok...so...the ward here is really great. We spent most of Saturday serving them...aka doing dishes for a wedding that was going on, but it was a great way to make a statement right off and to get to know the different ward members. I think they said that there are about 50 people that are active in the ward...so it's pretty small, but they are all awesome, and I'm pretty sure they are all converts, it's been really cool to meet them and hear their stories. It makes me appreciate so much more the things that we have in America and especially at school/Idaho/Utah. But we got called up yesterday to share our testimonies and I didn't know they were calling us up...so I was super surprised when they said my name in the announcments. I got up and said that it had scared the crap out of me....hahaha...yeah...you don't say crap here...it's like saying the 's' word at home, and yeah...I swore while giving my testimony at church yesterday. But to be fair, I had NO idea! but it was pretty funny and one of the councilors (the only one that is here, because the other two are away on a cruise or something...) gave me a hard time. So my first or second impression was pretty ridiculous!
Ok...last story really quick. We talked to this born again guy and gave him a book of mormon. That book is the most powerful book on this earth! He was quoting a bunch of scriptures, and so we started asking him questions and reading from the Book of Mormon...and he kept changing his story, and I'm not a hundred percent sure that he will read it, but it definately got him thinking, especially because we agreed with everything that he said from the bible....it was too great!
Alright, well, sorry this is so long, to whoever reads it, but I love you all and I hope that all continues well! Remember the Lord is there for you and loves you!
Love, Sister Nelson
Monday, May 14, 2012
Another week come and gone and tomorrow I am headed to ENGLAND!!!! I am so excited!
Life has been good, and yesterday was a great day because I got to talk to the family! Mother's day...such a great day. It actually made me super excited to be a mom too...but all things in due time, I know, I know!
So, we've met a few really cool people, and it's sad because I know that I won't be able to see them progress, but I also know that my companions have totally got it!
Honestly, I don't know what to write about. Not much has changed for me, I'm still in Ohio, leaving tomorrow, and still trying to find people :) My companions still rock, and the mission President is awesome! We went over yesterday to drop off a card for his wife and he prayed for us...and it was exactly what I needed to hear...it's weird how the spirit does that....
I also have realized how truly blessed I am to get this experience. From my family supporting me, to the people I'm able to meet and the challenges I'm able to go through...the Lord definately wants me to learn so much and this is the time, so that later on I can be prepared for something else :)
Sorry I don't have too much to report on. I love you all and I hope all is going well!
Love ya, Sister Nelson
Life has been good, and yesterday was a great day because I got to talk to the family! Mother's day...such a great day. It actually made me super excited to be a mom too...but all things in due time, I know, I know!
So, we've met a few really cool people, and it's sad because I know that I won't be able to see them progress, but I also know that my companions have totally got it!
Honestly, I don't know what to write about. Not much has changed for me, I'm still in Ohio, leaving tomorrow, and still trying to find people :) My companions still rock, and the mission President is awesome! We went over yesterday to drop off a card for his wife and he prayed for us...and it was exactly what I needed to hear...it's weird how the spirit does that....
I also have realized how truly blessed I am to get this experience. From my family supporting me, to the people I'm able to meet and the challenges I'm able to go through...the Lord definately wants me to learn so much and this is the time, so that later on I can be prepared for something else :)
Sorry I don't have too much to report on. I love you all and I hope all is going well!
Love ya, Sister Nelson
Monday, May 7, 2012
Ok -
I don't have a ton of time today! So this is going to be fast. I am finally going to England! I am so excited! Now if only my companions could come with me!!! They have been great, truly great. This mission thing is hard, it is great, but it is hard especially here, and I don't think it will get better in England, but there are so many religious people here, which is good, and bad! they don't think that they need the message that we come around and share, but they need it so much!!!! yeah, it's been rough, and we're working on ways to be urgent and let them know it's important without getting in their faces about it, and doing it in a loving way...it's not that easy!
Hm...other than that?! It has really been great. I feel like I still have so much growing to do, which is good, but it's frustrating at times because I would like to be a perfect teacher now, and not have to look like an idiot and mess up in front of people to get there, ya know?! But it has been really good, and we have talked to a couple people who are interested in learning more.
I am so grateful for all the love and support I get. It really does give me so much strength! Believe it or not, but Satan is trying his hardest to stop the work from progressing, which it won't! He's fighting a battle he's already lost!!! Boo YEAH!!!!
Sorry this is short, but I should have a little time next week! I hope all is well for everyone, and hang in there, you have the gospel of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints! Your future is bright and full of hope!
Love you all!
Sister Nelson
I don't have a ton of time today! So this is going to be fast. I am finally going to England! I am so excited! Now if only my companions could come with me!!! They have been great, truly great. This mission thing is hard, it is great, but it is hard especially here, and I don't think it will get better in England, but there are so many religious people here, which is good, and bad! they don't think that they need the message that we come around and share, but they need it so much!!!! yeah, it's been rough, and we're working on ways to be urgent and let them know it's important without getting in their faces about it, and doing it in a loving way...it's not that easy!
Hm...other than that?! It has really been great. I feel like I still have so much growing to do, which is good, but it's frustrating at times because I would like to be a perfect teacher now, and not have to look like an idiot and mess up in front of people to get there, ya know?! But it has been really good, and we have talked to a couple people who are interested in learning more.
I am so grateful for all the love and support I get. It really does give me so much strength! Believe it or not, but Satan is trying his hardest to stop the work from progressing, which it won't! He's fighting a battle he's already lost!!! Boo YEAH!!!!
Sorry this is short, but I should have a little time next week! I hope all is well for everyone, and hang in there, you have the gospel of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints! Your future is bright and full of hope!
Love you all!
Sister Nelson
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
I wanted to send a couple of pictures and simply say hello! Hope all is going well :)
Pictures: 1830 Sister Blackham, Me, Kimball
1820 Not a good picture, but Sis Blackham and I are sportin the glasses :)
1815 Ok...these are called Medusa Gooses...because when you look at Medusa you turn into stone. this was at a members house, so we had to get a picture with it....they are literally everywhere!
1808 This is especially for Erik...Huge masks at the Zoo (we went last Monday)
1771 This is at the zoo...and it is a beehive - where you can watch the bees making honey!
Pictures: 1830 Sister Blackham, Me, Kimball
1820 Not a good picture, but Sis Blackham and I are sportin the glasses :)
1815 Ok...these are called Medusa Gooses...because when you look at Medusa you turn into stone. this was at a members house, so we had to get a picture with it....they are literally everywhere!
1808 This is especially for Erik...Huge masks at the Zoo (we went last Monday)
1771 This is at the zoo...and it is a beehive - where you can watch the bees making honey!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)