Monday, October 19, 2015

Week 35

Monday, October 19, 2015

Hi Mom!

I am very fine on this lovely Philippines day! It rained all Friday, Saturday, and then like, when the wind blows, it rains and it rains.... I think the Philippines weather is more messed up than Utah weather! But thats ok :) I love it here! So yesterday was my 8 month mark.... I kinda don't believe it.... I really don't want to believe it! It has gone by so fast! I love it here, and I was thinking earlier, that I kinda don't want to go home! I have an amazing companion, and amazing kabahays, and this is an amazing area! It will be a hard transfer.... I think Goa will always be my favorite area... I think just because of how I have grown here, and what has changed about me, and all of the things I have done here on my mission here in Goa. It will be really really hard. I kinda feel like a pressure to continue to work my hardest here in Goa, because I know that the next time I come back, I won't be a missionary :'(

I have an amazing companion that helped me realize yesterday what I really need to focus on to continue to change and become better. And then it all made sense, and I was like, Oh yeah! I really do need to work on that, this is what will change everything and make this experience even better!

Sister Lorna and Brother Roberto are absolutely amazing! So on Thursday we were there, and I think that brother had been lasing, drinking... Pasensya sa Taglish ko... Hehehe... so we didn't teach him, but we taught their nephews, and man, is this whole family just amazing! So this one nephew, he is 13, Albert is his name, and we had taught him like 3 times now the Restoration, becuase he keeps bringing new friends to listen, and so we keep reviewing the Restoration! So Sister Lorna said that Albert had a question, and his question was, how will you know  your answer? We kinda sat there and looked at each other for a second like Oh My Gosh! So we taught about prayer, and it was such an amazing lesson! And then we taught Lorna about the temples! So we started and then we showed her a picture of the temple, and we asked what it was, and she said a church and we said, close. This is the temple in Manila! And her face just lit up! Then she said that she has a long way to go before she gets to the temple, and then to the family sealing, and we said, not really, and when you go through the temple, and are sealed as a family, we will both come back, and we will be there with you in the temple! She was sooooo happy! I felt after that lesson, that it doesn't really matter anything else, even if I am not here when she is baptized, she knows that this is true, and she knows where her goal is! They have 4 kids, Jona, 8, Ella, 6, Lor John, 3 and Chris Ann, 14 months! I love this family so much! I love that whole compound! There are so many little kids there and they all call us Ate Sister! I love it! I will miss being Ate Sister...

We have a ton of new investigators! It is amazing how it is just faith that is making this area beautiful! So on Tuesday last week, we had exchanges! It was actually pretty awesome! I worked in the STL's area, and they worked in our area. It was a good break! So during evaluations sister McGrath said that it was so cool to see the progression in this area. She was here for 4 1/2 months, and she said she was really tempted to tell president to close the area, because there was no hope for it, but I was trained here, and it was ok. And then when I found out that I would kill Sister Saua, and kinda felt out the rest, I knew that I had to change my attitude, I knew that I had to be happy here in Goa, and that this is where I needed to be and that my work here was not done.... It completely changed, and it is where it is now because of the attitude and the faith of my companions! I know that is why it is still open, and that it is an amazing area now! Two hours is not long enough to tell you all about the investigators or the lessons, or even be able to express half of the miracles in this area right now!

So this other investigator is amazing we have taught her three times now, and she is really progressing, now all she has to do is come to church! So we taught her older sister and then we asked this investigator to share what she remembers about Joseph Smith, and the look in her sister eyes as she talked was so happy, and it was absolutely amazing! They have baptismal dates for December 12.

Rose Marie is still progressing! She will be baptized on October 30, and so will Nadine! Nadine is a child of members and so it will be wonderful to have her dad baptize her and Rose Marie! I am excited!

So beyond that, nothing to exciting this week! Oh! There was another huge spider last night! We got some good pictures :) I am sending them to you right now, and then I did a lot of my laundry! Yay Sister Nelson!

I love being a Sister Missionary, and I love where I am, and who I am and what I know and that I get to share the best gift with every one I meet and see and love! It is an amazing gift! I love this gospel and I know that it is true! I love my Heavenly Father and I know that He lives and that He loves us and is so happy when we make the right choice!

In my personal Study yesterday, I read a quote by Elder Anderson from the Priesthood session, Because I printed like the little picture quotes for my wall, and it says, "Your faith will not grow by chance but by choice." And then I realized that it is true not just about faith, but about every little thing, it will not change by chance, but it will change by choice. It applies to changing our nature, our faith our behavior, about the change to become more like our Father in Heaven! It is so amazing! I love it! And because we have the Atonement of Jesus Christ, We have the ability to change and to grow. What an amazing blessing we have and that we have the ability to share it! I love it so much!

I love you all sooo much! I miss you all! I hope that you have an amazing week!

Love "Ate" Sister Emma Kate Nelson!

Monday, October 12, 2015

Week 34

Monday, October 13, 2015

Hi mom!

I am a lot better this week! I was just a little discouraged last week, but because of faith and prayers and just persevering, and everything else in between, I am so happy today! I loved conference, and was very uplifted by everything!

I had an amazing experience yesterday! So conference started at nine, and so we were at the church and we were waiting for our investigators and then I saw a Jeep full of members. There had been one before and I was so excited to see them! And then when I saw that jeep, I could not contain my feelings. I cried. I was soooo happy I was amazed at the dedication and the faith of these amazing members! I love them! I was sooo happy! And to see them all come to church! I finally felt like I was in Utah! The church was buzzing and it was so active and even though conference was in English, it was amazing to see them and to feel of their power and their faith! I was so over joyed! And just the whole weekend! I loved it. I don't have a favorite talk, I loved it all for very different reasons! I am so excited to apply it in my life, and to study it, and to become better!

So Garry, since his baptism in August, he has been to church twice, and so we have been stressing what it means to come to church and to endure to the end, and the importance of the commandments. Well, while he was still an investigator, his dad would not listen, he was always like yup you listen and I have to cook food, well!!!!!!! His dad has finally started listening! He is an inactive, and he has been to church once every year! Well he came to church for the second time this year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I almost died when I saw him! I was so happy and just floating on Saturday and Sunday!

Rose Marie is good! She is still progressing! She is really starting to get it now, and is really growing in her faith! She is reading the Book of Mormon, and is so happy! I love her and I am so happy for her!

AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH Story time!!!!!!!!! So once upon a time, Sister Nelson and Sister Padilla were visiting sister Lorna, and they taught her about tithing. And sister Lorna being the most amazing person that she is, gets it right off the bat and is willing to pay tithing now, even though she doesn't even have a baptismal date! I swear if we taught her the law of consecration she would live the law of consecration no questions asked. Anyways! So there is a member that is staying at sister Lorna's neighbors house because the neighbor just had a baby, and the baby is really sick, so the member is there. Well this amazing member finds out that sister Lorna is taking the lessons and they start talking about the temple. So in our lesson sister Lorna brings up the temple and how she is so excited to enter the temple! I am sitting there singing in my soul, sister Pads is close to tears as we end our lesson. So during sister Lorna's closing prayer, I promised that no matter what, when, or anything, I will come back when sister Lorna goes through the temple, and then the thought came to me that not just the temple, but for her sealing, and then being the natural woman that I am, I doubt that thought and was like "maybe not in this life will that happen." Anyways so we had just closed and all of a sudden Brother walks in and sits down and we start talking with him, building trust and how to begin teaching, and Lorna's face is like a three year old at Christmas and I am like why do I doubt these thoughts, and Sister Pads is like freaking out inside! We were all so excited! And so to end this amazing story, Sister Nelson and Sister Padilla were able to teach brother Roberto the lesson of the Restoration!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The end!

So in other words, I may be the poorest person alive, but I will find a way to come back for this sealing that is very much possible!

I am very much tempted to just ask President Reeder for a Goa mission. I love Goa I love the people, and I love just everything about everything right now! I know that missionary life is hard, and that it is difficult sometimes to continue and to perservere and just everything sometime, but I know that this church is true! I know that more this week than I did last week, I know that our Heavenly Father loves us, and knows us individually, and that we may doubt, but if we truly ask him if He is there and if He knows us, He will answer, and we will know the truth of that answer. He knows and loves us so much! I love you all so much! I am so thankful for all that you do for me! Have an amazing week!

Love Sister Emma Nelson!

Saturday, October 10, 2015

Week 33

Monday, October 4, 2015

Hi mom!

I am so very very hot on this Philippines day! There was only one whole day of rain, so it wasn't that bad, just a lot of puddles and not a lot of lessons, but it was still really fun because we were able to talk to Lorna's "Boyfriend" and invite him to church, and just share a little bit with him, they were all sick, and after just getting over a cold, we didn't really want to stay.... So it was more of a blessing than anything else, and it was kinda cold and my sleep was amazing! I will miss being cold...  We both need to learn to rely on the Lord for things.

We are struggling with investigators right now.  I am getting very frustrated with the people that just don't keep commitments, which eventually means they don't get baptized. Its ok :) like you said in your email, we are learning patience.... that has been my whole week..... learning patience... for example, on Saturday we had the womens meeting right? Well our  stake president forgot and it is like the 10 virgins, if you forget and don't bring oil, you are not going to make it into the wedding.... so I heard like 5 minutes of president Utchdorfs talk.... I was not very happy... but then we got shopaw and Pepsi and WHITE CHOCOLATE REESES!!!!!!!! Father loves me and he knew what I needed..... It made me happy :) And speaking of conference..... I am impatient and looked up the new 3 apostles.  It was awesome! I had some guesses, but only Elder Rasband made it. :) I am so excited for them and for this Saturday! And then of course for the Liahona for the womens meeting!

So John, he was supposed to be baptized this month on the 17th, but we found out the he is only 8. I about died..... Then it has just been a lot of replenishing our investigators and dropping them or them dropping us, and it just hurts and I am very tired...

Rose Marie is awesome she is like a part member, but not because she lives with members, but she is not their child! So it is so awesome! Her baptism is on the 26, and hopefully she will make it... But she is really smart, and I know that she knows that it is true!

I killed a spider this week with bleach and fire...... If thats not crazy then I am actually ok!

I hope that you are able to see Lyndy tomorrow That will be fun, hug her tight for me! Also hug Grandma for me, and grandpa and you know everyone for me...

I love you, I know that this church it true, and I know that our Father lives and loves us more than we will ever know!!!!! I love you all tons and tons! I hope that you have an amazing week!

Love sister Emma Nelson!






Friday, October 9, 2015

Week 32

Monday, September 28, 2015

Hi mom!

I cleaned the kitchen today! YAYAYA Sister Nelson! I am good, It is kinda hot here today, hahaha kinda!

The work is good, It was a little hard this week! We got punted all of Tusday, but a lot of OYMs, so that kinda makes up for it... kinda :) We went on a split Saturday! It was really good! I worked with a sister that is preparing for her mission, and it was really good, the only challenge for her there will be the language! But it shouldn't take very long for her :) We taught a Sister that is Iglacia ni Cristo. It was a very interesting lesson, in a way they are easier to teach than Catholics, but harder to convert because they are very very VERY dedicated! So its cool. It was good for me too to build a better relationship with the YSA in the ward. It made me happy :) I will miss Goa more than ever, because it has been such a growing experience for me. I have changed so much here, and I am so grateful for the people here in Goa, and for who I have become here! No other area will be able to compare.... :/

Our investigators are ok. Sometimes they are progressing sometimes not. It is stressful for me, and it is hard.... I love these people so much, and I know that this gospel will help them, but they just don't do it.... Its ok :) No effort is wasted! Sister Lorna's husband, brother Antonio is slowly but surely changing!!!!!! His heart is softening, and he is starting to warm up to the idea of getting married to sister Lorna!!!!!!!! It is coming! She is so ready for this in her life. We started to teach her nephew, and it will hopefully go fast and we can get him baptized, and have a member in the home!

Then nothing too exciting here... We will have a baptism on the 17 or 18 of October, for John! He is so excited! I hope that he continues to read and pray, and all that good stuff! There are a lot of less active up there, and so hopefully we can start to re activate them, and build the members in our area!

Conference here is the week after conference there, So this Saturday, we will have the women's conference and then next week, 10-11 we will have general Conference! I am so excited for conference! Like really though! I miss the feeling at home right now in the air... I miss fall and the food, and all of it. But I will miss the fruits here, Lookban, Rambutan, Mangos, the occasional Santtol (sp?) I love fruit!

I miss home, I got a little trunky yesterday in church, I miss the organization of church at home, I miss wearing pants, and miss my sweat-shirts. I have a problem...I miss the discipline of children.... Thats what I miss....  But it is ok! I love them, and I am here to help build the church, and to not change the way that the people live, becuase thats not my purpose! Its all good! And I am not really trunky, just thinking about home!.

I love that talk! It was an answer to a pray of mine the other day, I love one of the quotes there that says "Prayerfully study and ponder the vision of the tree of life, and then apply it to yourself." It is so amazing! I love that talk! It was a couple of weeks ago, but it was just what I needed!

I love you all so much! I am so grateful for all of you! Have a great week!

Love Sister Emma Kate Nelson

Week 31

Monday, September 21, 2015

Hi mom!

6 weeks left here in beautiful Goa! I will miss it here, I have grown so much here and I Love the people here! I am so grateful to be a missionary!

So sister Lorna is progressing! She doesn't have a baptismal date, but She is amazing! I love her and we are hoping that brother will have a change of heart and will have a desire to be married.

Sister Angel is amazing too... i know if we could teach her... She is always busy, and so it has been a while since we taught her...

It has just been a struggle with our investigators, and the people in general.... The old people speak Bicol. The inbetween people are hard hearted. The kids are teachable and willing, but because their parents are either old or hard hearted, it is a huge struggle. I love the kids, they are so amazing! We were talking about this last night, and Sister Padilla my amazing companion, said that it was like Christ, and how he would teach the children, and how he would love them. It was amazing, and I hope that the parents will soften their hearts, and allow for their children to be baptized...

So we found a new area, I don't know if I told you this, but yeah. So we found a new inactive that was offended 20 years ago, and it broke our hearts to listen to her story. Sister Padilla said that she wanted to cry, and I honestly did too! Hopefully their hearts will be softend as we continue to walk by with love, and offer to share!

Then our newest investigator! Sister Jaqlinie! She is so amazing! she is 17, and is so ready for this gospel! I love her! hopefully she will come to church next week!

Sorry this letter is short, Next week will be longer :)

Love.

Sister Emma Nelson!

Week 30

Monday, September 14, 2015

Hi mom!!!!

I am sooo happy on this ok Philippines day! We had district activity today, it was so fun! I have some of the best videos ever.... Just wait 11 months to see them! I love my district, and realized again, how happy I am to be a missionary, and to be here in the Philippines! I am so excited for Kenny! It sounds like he is having an awesome time!

Naga was soooo much fun! I kinda really miss shopping.... I wish we had more time at SM, but thats ok... next time :) It was a really awesome workshop, and I love my companion, so we split into groups right, so trainers in one, and the trainees in the other, and then we each have an AP, well, we as trainers really didn't have a lot to say about our awesome children, and no real big concern.... and it was the same way with the trainees, they didn't have any complaints, and it was soooo loving and wonderful! I love my companion soo much! She is truly wonderful and has the best ability to see people how they can become and not how they are. That is something that I really want to work on in the coming transfer with her, is to focus on people how they can become, and allow them to change because of the atonement. It is possible, and I just need to work on it! So Naga was awesome! Then we almost got stranded in Naga, because we were so close to the last ride.... That would have been sooooo bad... But! We got to Goa safe and sound!

Sadly no package.... but I have bought many skirts here.... and then I have SRs from Sister Saua, so it is cool, but no plain black skirt.... hopefully on Tuesday, I will get the package.... maybe not... I don't really know, I might just have to wait until October 6... :( fall package!!!!!! I would love pumpkin rolls! But there is a small problem with that.... :( I miss your food.... That is ok, I got this :) I have been blessed with awesome companions that can cook and they cook amazing food! I need to learn how to cook Adobo, so that I can cook it at home and teach you all how to eat with your hands and eat with a spoon and fork!

The weather is HOT! El Nino is happening, so when it should be raining, it is hot and gross... so Yeah thats cool, but sad day, because I really want to experience a Typhoon!!!!! Maybe around Christmas.... :)

Our investigators are ok! I am so worried about them, and that they aren't progressing like they should and that everything is just falling apart, because we have been punted so much this past week, and it has been really hard. There is a huge festival in Naga so all of the Catholics are in Naga, and it is just a little hard this week.... Its ok I can do all things through Christ Because he lives! Yes!

Lorna is good, We are all praying in every prayer that her husband will change his heart. I have hope that one day it will happen. I know that I am meant to know Lorna. She is one of those people that you just love. I love her and I will miss her when I get transferred.... :(

So last night, we were walking and we were trying to figure out plan T if we were punted again.... and all of the sudden Brother Denis comes and He is like I promise to come to church next Sunday. I just about died! We have only really taught him once, but he is so willing to listen, and we both really feel that he has some great potential in the church! I am so excited for his lesson next time!

I am so happy! I don't like transfers.... That is the hardest part of my mission right now.... But that is ok, because there is facebook! How big is the Orem Utah mission? It sounds like a beautiful conference! I am so excited for the womens conference, and then conference, that just means that I have one more general conference here in my mission! It is going by way to fast! I am coming up on my 7 month mark.... it is way tooooooo strange. This will be so fast these next 11 months...

I love you all and I miss you all so much! I am so happy to hear about what it going on! I am soooo excited for Scott and Poly! Like sobra!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you all for your examples! I love you all soooo much!

Love Sister Emma Nelson!