Thursday, May 28, 2015

Week 14

Monday, May 25, 2015

Hi Mom!

This has been a really fast week for me! I think it will go faster as I get farther into my mission. Knowing that my first six weeks in the field are up, it will fly by. I was thinking this week of how much I missed you guys, but it didn't hurt, it was a I miss them, but I will see them again feeling, and I was excited to keep going and to work my hardest! 

Sister Gregorio and I have been feeling much better this week, although, this lovely sickness has gone around the district. It started with the Zone leader, then his kabahay, and then us, then the other Elders house, and now our Kabahay, we are a true family. Hahaha! 

We had a lot of investigators at church Yesterday! And a ton of less actives too! It made me really happy! Also, I set a goal not to cry yesterday, and I made it! No tears! I felt like a mother yesterday, I had a ton of kids sitting on both sides of me, and I was just telling them to be quite.... It made me smile :) The kids love me just because I am white and Blonde. A lot of them only speak Bicol, so I am trying to learn some words to better understand them. I am also trying to understand Tagalog too. I get really frustrated sometimes when I don't understand, but then I remember that I just started learning it 12 weeks ago. Conversational stuff is a struggle too. Like, trying to know what is normal, what to ask about, how to respond and to hold a conversation. It is hard for me in English, now doing it in a another language is almost impossible.... but from what I studied last night in personal study, Lehi is talking to his son Jacob, and he says, "For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things." it answered my prayers as to why I was struggling, and why I had to learn another language, and why good lessons and not so good lessons. If there was no bad anything, there would be no good anything. It helped me feel good in knowing that I am ok, and that I am human. The Lord loves us and answers our prayers. It was an amazing tender mercy of God. 

We are looking for new investigators. A lot of the ones we have are progressing, and getting baptismal dates, and others just are not interested. So it is testing my language skills in OYMing, and in how to begin teaching. Both huge struggles. But I have an awesome companion that is soooooooo incredibly patient in helping me and in trusting me with these people. 

We have investigators with a Baptismal date, and they are great, I will have my first baptism in July! We could have had some in May, but they are not married yet! So that's cool.... Um. I was hoping and praying for one before sister Gregorio goes home, but it doesn't look like that will happen. I can still pray though! Brother Lorenzo and his granddaughter Julianne are in July. They are truly awesome, and ready! 

Esther and her family, are not really interested anymore.... they are very catholic, and have their own chapel.... I am so sad about this.... but there are more, and no effort is wasted.... but beyond that, no new investigators.

It has been soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo freaking hot, I cant wear my glasses, because they slide off my face, so I wear contacts all the time. I get cold at night sometimes, when I cool down and then I have a fan that blows on me all night long. It is fantastic! I really miss feeling dry, and being able to wear a sweatshirt, I miss my sweatshirts.... It is nothing like Georgia... at least not that I can remember. 

I am so glad that everyone at home is good! I am glad that Spencer is doing better! I am so excited for Andrews Eagle Project.  Yay Esther! I love her and miss her tons, like I do everyone else! I have missed playing games at lunch... Like a lot and I am really bad at explaining games like 31, and farkle.... so I just play solitaire sometimes. We have a deck of cards in our apartment, and I don't really know why, but I just play with them.

The Payson Temple is beautiful! I can't wait to go inside!!!!! It looks huge!  I miss the food at home. I need you to send me a couple recipes, the Tuna salad one, the no bake cookies, and the chicken salad with the ramen, noodles. I need more food options that I know how to cook. It is a real struggle and I am tired of Pasta. eww.

I love you mom! I pray for all of you all day, and I miss you all tons and tons! But in 15 Fast Sundays, I will be home! 

Love you!

Love Sister Emma Nelson

Week 13

Monday, May 18, 2015

Hi Mom!!!!

I cant believe that it has been a week since I got to see you!!! It has been a slow week for many reasons. Tuesday we were in Naga, Wednesday Sister Gregorio was sick, so she took a nap all afternoon, I might have taken a nap too, and just read my scriptures. We then just had some slow days Thursday through Saturday. On Friday we had a one day mission to go to the less actives in the ward, and to invite/remind them about stake conference. It was pretty awesome! We went on splits and even though I was with a returned missionary, I still lead all the lessons, which was a little rough at first, but that's ok. They turned out really well. 

I love gathering with the members of the church. I love the amount of strength they give me, and the amount of strength that they have! It was wonderful. I am grateful that the church is true where ever you go. I love how diligent these people are. We even had an investigator attend, and we were not able to talk to her this week, she just came. It made me so happy! 

I also had a head cold/ allergies. there has been a lot of burning here, so it hasn't helped my Tagalog at all being stuffed up, I just sound really weird.... We also had three dinner appointment last night. Holy cows I am not used to that much food anymore, and one of the Elders left, so that's why there were so many. Lets take a minute and be proud of me for eating octopus last night. In which I found out I am allergic to! But I took a benadryl right before we got there, for my allergies, and after about an hour, It became easier to breath! Hahaha. I am really proud of myself ;) 

So today is transfer day. My first one. One of my housemates is leaving to go home. In 6 weeks, my companion and other housemate will go home. It is really crazy. I just realized that it has been a really easy transition to focus on others and my Savior and not me. Maybe it is because  I am doing the right thing. It is really hard to explain how I feel... 

I began to realize how strange I will be when I get home. I feel to comfortable in skits, wearing jeans will be really odd. Being by myself and driving and all of it. Worrying about the future will suck too. anyways, I will be really odd.....

I am so happy that you and dad have made it this far. 21 years. I am so happy for you two! I know that you will have a wonderful time in Hawaii. Eat some pineapple for me! I had some fresh pineapple this week, it was candy. So good! 

I miss you all tons. I cannot believe that I have been on my mission for three months! It is so crazy. I miss our mountains. When I get home, that is one thing I would really like to do, is to go on a picnic in the mountains or just for a ride. I love them tons. 

Tell Esther that I love her and can't wait to talk to her again too!  Christmas isn't that far away! I love you all tons!

Love Sister Emma Nelson

Week 12

We had a wonderful visit with Sister Nelson.  She is so happy!  It was good to see her and talk with her.  She is learning so much and is growing in faith and testimony.


Monday, May 4, 2015

Week 11

Monday, May 4, 2015

Mom!!!!

I want to thank you and everyone for their prayers this week and their faith in those prayers. I have had the best week in my mission so far, and it has been wonderful!!!!! 

So two Saturdays ago, we had National Day of Service. SOOOO much fun. I love giving service, and being able to do something helpful. We cleaned up trash off the sides of the streets. It was really fun! We did it with the ward, so I got to talk to them a little bit! 

Then on Tuesday this week we planted brown rice! Holy cows! SOOOOOO Much fun! So hot and so tiring, but it was so worth it. We watched the restoration videos in Tagalog that night with some investigators. Guys, the church is true in every language. I know it. I love it, I love being able to share it with these wonderful people!

Wednesday was good too! We taught a wonderful lesson to Sister Malou. We taught it about Joseph Smith and the BoM. the Spirit was sooooo strong! I loved it. I hope that she continues. She has an 8 year old son and has a crush on me. When we did exchanges Saturday, he wouldn't come into the house because I wasn't there..... 

Esther and her family are good!!!!! They ask questions when we teach, and they are willing to answer questions that we ask! The dad isn't really home, he is always busy with the farm, rice field, but he doesn't mind when we are there. They are amazing people. Last time when we visited, I could see them, dressing in white, at the temple. It was wonderful, and I hope that they have the faith to be baptized and to change. 

We also met with our other new investigator. Her name is Lorna. she has 4 little kids that are so cute! She is also very receptive to our teaching. She understood about Prophets and about the Apostasy. It was wonderful! 

Sister Vicky is never home anymore, so we haven't been able to teach her  again. It makes me sad, but oh well....

Oh! So two Mondays ago, we bought a cake for a less active sister in our area because it was her 59 birthday! It was sooooo much fun! She has the cute little grandson, Rain, that reminds me of Andrew. I love her, and am so grateful that I got to meet her!

We have district meeting every week. There are 4 sisters and 8 Elders total in our district. Elder Key is in my District, and an elder from the Manila MTC is too. They both have American companions from Utah. Then the Zone leaders and Sister Training Leaders are in the district too! I live with the STLs and they are sooo amazing and awesome! We have district activity next week and I am really excited!!! 

We had zone interviews this week. So I got to meet with President again. It was exactly what I needed. So My mission is like someone hands you a baby and tells you to take care of it. You have no clue what a baby is. You have only seen pictures of them and think that you are really cute! You are so excited! But after like a week, you are so tired. You had no idea that a baby was supposed to cry, you have no idea that the baby needed to be burped, and changed. So you go to the doctor, and start asking all of these questions and the doctor is like... that's normal for a baby. You are doing a great job taking care of this baby! That is pretty much how this interview went. It was so good! I was told I was ok to be homesick, and that it is one of the blessings of a mission for the missionary and family. Because it makes all of us love each other even more. It was so good! Ah it was so amazing!

We went on exchanges Saturday too. I got to go with sister Cabatuan. She is an amazing sister. Her sister is a member but less active. She was baptized two ish years ago. and is so amazing. She goes home in 16 days. I am so sad. She really helped build my confidence in speaking the language, and in teaching. I am grateful for that experience. 

I love the book of Mormon. I know that it is true! I am in the Book of Mormon, and it makes me sad that the Nephites are so wicked. It is a good reminder to me to stay humble, and to always remember the Lord. As we teach about the Book of Mormon, I know that it will help these people so much, because I know that it is true! I love bearing my testimony about it. 

Thank you for the quotes! They will help me so much this week. I am so grateful for all of you at home! You make things easier to handle. I really didn't want to put all of your pictures up on my wall because I felt bad because sister Gregorio doesn't have any, but I realized that I needed to see those who are always right beside me, and always have my back. I love looking at your smiling faces when I have my studies. 

I realized that these are going to be the fastest 15ish months of my life! It will be so hard for me to come home because of how much I love these people! 

Ayaw ko yung spoilers mula kay Avengers!!!!!! Huwag send them!!!!! Hehehehhe I am so funny.......

I am glad that church was good! I am glad that you are doing well. How was Spencers talk? Longhorn..... I get legit Philippino food..... hindi ko alam kung mabuti trade off..... Hehehehe really funny....

You are amazing and I am so glad that you are my mom! I wasn't as homesick as I thought I would be about missing your b-day.... YAY! 

We have velveta cheese, and butter, gravy would be good too. Don't worry about like journal binders or anything.... maybe some more paper. I am almost done with my first one. um.... don't send the contacts right now either. Actually, if you can, send them back, I don't really want them. I have enough contacts for a year with me now. So I am ok. I bought a whole bunch of individually raped mentos that I carry around with me. I get a lot of little kids looking at me and saying hi. Last week one was like, "hi sexy" like this 7 year old kid. I just laughed the rest of the way home!!!!!!!

I like the shoes, send them in blue please! Also are you tagging me on Facebook so that my friends can see it too?

I love and miss you all tons!!!!  I pray for you all everyday!

Love, Sister Emma Nelson

Week 10

Monday, April 27, 2015

Hi Daddy!!!!!

I am wonderful! I love Mondays and being able to email after the hardest day of the week so far which is Sunday!

My ankles have returned to normal sizes, and I hope that they continue to stay that way. We have found a wonderful family, and I hope that they continue on the path of coming unto Christ. we have also found a couple other people to teach as well, but we haven't seen them in about a week, so nothing really new about them. The trees and animals don't respond the way we were hoping them too.... ;)

Our area has lots of rice fields? and our farthest area takes about an hour to get there, and we get some beautiful views there and back. I am in a ward, and we have a lot of members. I hope that I don't offend any of them and that they will all be ok with me....... pray for that with me..... there are a lot of members, and I can't count or name most of them.....  I have had three dinner appointments, and we are hoping for one next sunday, because by sunday night we are all out of food.... I freak out when I talk to people. So I am working on that, I want to help Sister Gregorio the best I can, but I freeze when I realize that they are real people, and not teachers at the MTC.... but with faith in the Lord, He will help me. 

I love you dad!

Love, Sister Emma Nelson