Week 6

Saturday, March 28, 2015

Hi mom!!! 

This is the last real email day in the MTC. so Happy!!!! 

Last sunday went really good! we taught with the elders, and it went so good! we are stopping the big relief society, and we are meeting as a branch. so I have to teach again tomorrow. this time it is one how to prepare for conference. so it should be easy. 

Audrey looks so Cute!!!! you will have so much fun at the party! The game looks like fun too! also thank Aunt Raquel for the rolls!!! they made my day they were such a surprise. I walked into my room, and they were sitting there on the floor. no one knows how they got there, but! Sooooo good!!!!!!

I have also been reading about Ammon. I have just finished Alma 26. Which is kind of like Ammons homecoming Speech. That is how I want to feel when I get home. to know that I couldn't not have completed my mission without my lord and my savior. and that without him i would be nothing. and I love in Alma 20, I had a thought that some of my future investigators might be worried about their parents, and that they might not want to continue on the path that they are on, but THey must have faith to stand up to their family, and that their family will accept them if they share what they are learning with their family. It was such an interesting thought. I love the book of mormon. I love that it means so much more to mean because i am on a mission. I love all that I am learning while at the MTC. I am so ready to leave though. I am ready to Go and serve where I have been called. Anyways....

I had in field orientation yesterday. so fun because I got to teach all in english. so easy to do, after you have been teaching in a different language than you own. I learned a lot yesterday about how easy it is to start to talk to people about the gospel. about family history work, and about anything gospel related. a couple weeks ago i was struggling so much with that, but not being afraid, and putting my trust in Father, and saying what he tells me to say had been really easy. Like the other day in class, I was practicing with a teacher, about sharing the book of mormon and why I want him to read it. and he was like, I don't really know if I want to read it. I mean how can it help me. And I began to speak. I bore my testimony on how the book of mormon have helped me, and on how I know that it can help him in all that his is doing in his life, and that he can come closer to God by reading it. I asked him after I finished why he wouldn't read the Book Of Mormon, and he was like, after hearing your testimony, I will read it. I want to know what you know. I said my testimony in Tagalog. I have no idea what I said. I was bold in defending my beliefs, and in sharing what I know. it was soooo amazing. 

I am also so amazed at how I can understand my teachers when they speak Tagalog to me!!! I know that it will be harder in Naga, because of a dialect called Bicol. Fun right! it sounds similar to Tagalog, but it is  different too.

I have a birthday card for Esther, I just got it today. I also got a calling card, and I will call from Salt lake, and maybe Portland. I will look for some shoes. Pray that i can find some in my size.... I will send home my packages on tuesday or wednesday. I love the packages, and the stationary. if you could though send some Mnt. Dew, I told the Elders that I would give them some.... ;) I will email you on Wednesday too. 

I love you so much mom. Thank you for being an amazing example to me. you are amazing.

Love you daughter, Sister Emma Nelson.

Week 5

Saturday, March 21, 2015

Mom, you make me happy! I love seeing all of those exclamation points after the caps locked sentence! they make me happy! 

As a sister training leader, we have the opportunity to welcome the new district, and to help them out with anything they need, and just be there for all of the sisters. I know that I am meant to be a STL. on Wednesday night, sister Baird and I could not sleep, we had no idea why at the moment, and then at 10:45, we saw one of the reasons. there was a sister in the bathroom, and she was crying, and sister Baird was able to comfort her, because we were still awake. and then it didn't help that the other sisters that are in our room, were not there that night, because they were saying good bye to the other sisters leaving that night, so it was a struggle, but the next morning we did not have any problems getting up for 6:15 service. YAY!!!! I love these sisters that I work with so much! On Tuesday night we decorated their door, because we put a little note on the door for the sisters that came in two weeks ago, and they loved tit tso they did that tho their whole door. I love that we are all getting along and with everyone, and that we are all really close. If it is this hard to leave the sisters in the MTC, and I have only been here 4 weeks, then it will be a struggle to leave the people in the Philippines. 

I also cannot believe that we are leaving in 11 days, AND! I only have about 17 months left of my mission. the days have been long, but the weeks fly by! it is so crazy! I miss you guys a lot, but i cannot imagine going through my life without having learned what I have learned, just even from the MTC! I love this gospel with all of my heart. I know it to be true. 

Tomorrow I get to teach as well!!! Along with sister Baird, Elder Key, and Elder Taylor. we are teaching like a combined Priesthood/ Relief Society tomorrow. I t is on the Gift of the Holy Ghost. Really nervous... But I will be praying for you.  Don't worry, your lessons are amazing! I cant wait to hear how it goes. A thought came to me about "we declare the divinity of Jesus Christ at all times, and sometimes we use words. We should always be trying to emulate Jesus Christ, in all that we do, and then when people see us, they can ask, and we can use words."  Just a thought I had. 

So Wednesday was a difficult day for me. I was struggling with not being in the Philippines yet, and the language was not my friend that day. It was the same way on Thursday.   Yesterday I decided that I would be happy,  say I can do things, even if i don't like them, want to , or anything like that.  That day was amazing. Class went really good. Our lesson that we taught with Renaldo was awesome and our teacher felt the spirit, and he was really proud of us in how we handled that lesson. I felt really good about it to, but that was probably because I had changed my attitude on life. Then I went and ran with another sister in our zone, and she opened up to me about her family, and what she was struggling with, it was really good to be with her, and to know that some one was willing to listen. Then I got to talk to two of the three new sisters. they are really sweet, and so cute. I love them and I know that there is a reason why I am a sister training leader for them. Then at lunch, everyone in my district was really excited because yesterday was the day that we got travel plans!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! we sat down, and everyone had theirs except for me..... I was so upset, but I also had a letter from Hannah and aunt Karen, so that made it a little better. Then all of the sudden , Elder Taylor pulls out of his suit pocket my travel plans!!! He knew that it would be funnier to hide mine rather than anyone elses. I am so happy that the elders and sister Baird are going to Naga. It makes me happy. 

Then while we were in class, we sang I Believe in Christ. I thought as we sang, that I really do believe in him, because if I didn't, I would have no reason to be here on a mission, going through some ups and downs. I wouldn't be who I am. I am so grateful for that experience, because it told me that what I was doing in my life was right, and that there was really no other option for me but to go on a mission. I know that I miss all of you, and that it is one of the hardest parts of being a missionary, is being away from my family. 

I am so glad that you were all safe while in St. George! I m so glad that there are still miracles in this world, and that Father has not stopped talking to us even in this Dispensation. we were teaching Lucy yesterday, and we asked her about her experiences with religion, and she had gone through so many different ones, and then she told us that 20 ish years ago, the LDS missionaries came to her door, and then they never returned. it makes me feel bad, because I know (ever though she is one of our teachers) that she is a ready soul, and has been for a very long time. I cannot wait to actually see the conversion process for someone out in the field. I am so excited to be there, and to teach and love these people. I cant wait to meet President Reader Sister Reader. I love them both so much. I cannot wait to meet the lovely people in the Philippines. 

I love you all so much! have a wonderful week, and your lesson will be amazing! Don't worry about it, and it will all be fine!

I love you mom, and I will write you another letter this week. 

Love your sister missionary, Sister Emma Nelson.

Week 4

March 14, 2014

Hi mom!

I miss you so much! sorry that this weeks letter was a kind of depressing... It was a difficult day for me. anyways, today will be better! 

It is so good to hear about what is going on at home. I love to know how you are all doing, I have missed my emails from the boys though... I love to hear from them what they have been doing, though I do know that they have their own busy lives ;) I  still love them no matter what. 

How is Esther this week? and how is my baby? I miss you all bunches!

thank you for sharing about President Uchtdorf, and Patience. that is something that I have to work on everyday here, because I feel like I should be progressing in the language faster than what I am, but I have to remind myself that I have only been her for four weeks, and that I am really good for being here for only four weeks... still working on that. 

where was Killee's baby shower at? I doesn't look familiar... i am glad that you had fun last Sunday, I was thinking about you and hoping that you were having fun!

This week has been a week of highs and lows. last Sunday really was just not fun. I felt really yucky, I had allergies, and a sore throat, and benadryl wasn't helping... I also got called two Sundays ago to do the music, like pick the hymns, and lead the songs, along with sister Baird. last Sunday we had to teach district meeting about faith in Jesus Christ and his Atonement. 

I have a feeling tomorrow that we will be called as sister training leaders... that will be fun, and I will let you know!

So because I just could not handle this sore throat any longer, I prayed so hard that heavenly father would take it away from me, so that I could get up and function Monday morning, and not have to drug myself every few hours, trying to make it go away. within 5 minutes, I was gone, and I have been thanking him all week, because without him, it would have lasted for ever! 

Tuesday was the best day out of this week. for so many reasons.

1. I got to teach real Filipinos in Tagalog! So much fun I am ready to be there and be completely submersed in the work and the language! these are called TRCs, and this next week we get to start skyping Filipinos in the Philippines!

2. we got to go outside, on a beautiful day, and practice talking to people on the streets! so much fun, even though I am really bad at it... like i really struggled, and talking to people i has never been easy from me, let alone talking to people in a different country and in a different language than my own.. but because I am doing the lords work I will be blessed so that I can do all that I do not think that I can do.

3. we got to hear from Elder Quentin L. Cook!!!!! He was so amazing, and He made the day so much better. he talked about we are called as missionaries, and the wonderful process that it is to take place in. he talked about some of the feelings that he gets as he assigns missionaries to their missions. he also said to never second guess where you have been called to go. he then shared some stories about some of his missionary experiences. they were wonderful to hear and made the night so uplifting. he said that as long as we are inviting people to do something, we are doing our job as missionaries. 

after the devotional, we had a district meeting to talk about the devotional, and we had Brother and Sister Christopherson in there with us, and they reminded me so much of grandma and grandpa Casey. I can totally see them in a branch presidency at the MTC. It was so wonderful to be with them.

we wont talk about Wednesday, because I didn't like it.

Thursday was so uplifting. In class we talked about revelation through Church attendance, and why it is important that investigator go to Church. one of our teachers, Bother Kaka said that the Philippines has really bad Church attendance. he has also told us that they can get offended really easily. and the thought that came to me is something that you have taught me for a really long time: You do not go to Church for the people, you go to church for the Lord. Another thing that I realized that we go to church not only to partake of the sacrament, but to become more like Christ. It was a wonderful class, because all of us had really good ideas about why it is important, and I have some very amazing notes from that day.

Yesterday was just really long...

We have a couple new investigator, her name is Lucy, and his name is Renaldo... I think... We love Lucy and the spirit is so strong while we teach her! the same with Kristal. Renaldo asks some very interesting questions and we cant answer them in Tagalog. So we use them to be able to set up another appointment with him... Just so you know they are our teachers so... 

I am glad to hear about the fun  you and aunt Kimbie have! The kids are so cute!! I love the Aquarium, and I love the Pictures too! I am glad that Hannah liked the letter, I was just thinking about sending another one today. I miss that girl a lot, even though I am not home, and she dosen't live around us... 

I am so grateful for this gospel, and I am so grateful that I get to teach it everyday, and that I get to be apart of a wonderful work! I love all of my brothers and sisters everywhere. and I know that even though I miss all of you, I know that this is what I am meant to do! Give everyone big hugs for me!!!

I love you soooooo much! 

Love Sister Emma Nelson

Week 3

Hi mom!!!!

My week has been really good! Stressful, busy, sad, happy, overwhelming, everything a missionary life should be! the memories that I am making here are so awesome! Last night was one of those memory nights, my companion and I were so tired, and we were being really blond, that it made from some good laughs! we were talking today that we feel like we have known each other for a really long time. I am so happy that we get along so well.

so I probably shouldn't tell you this, but I will anyways, because why not.

the hardest part of your emails to read, are the parts about Esther. I miss that girl so much! Like I cry everytime...

Andrew and his team play so well for only having four or five players every week, they should be proud even if they don't win! haha Trivia Crack, ahaha, glad he is happy! 

the ACT already happened? Carzy... I hope that he still likes his job! Prom is in two months, he still has some time to figure out who to ask... ;) but he better ask , or he will feel the wrath of me from the Philippines ;)

I miss talking with you! Last night and Sister Baird and I were attempting to study, she was like, I want to go on a shopping trip with my mom, and I was like, I want to sit on the couch with my mom, and watch some Magnum P.I.  May will come so fast though!!!

Kilee already had her baby shower?? Time is flying by so fast! I miss aunt Karen! Scary for Paul! I hope that he will be ok...

the Homecoming sounds like so much fun! You will have a blast seeing all of your cousins!!!! 

I love the packages! I love the stickers on them. they make me happy.

I told dad about some of the experiences that I had during the week, and I am running out of time to type those. It sucks to only have an hour to email family... I love you guys though so much! you make me supper happy. tell Esther that I would love so more of her drawings! 

the 45 days of Christ is amazing. I wish I would have finished it! thank you for sharing some insights that you had while reading,. it is so uplifting, and comforting to read them. It makes me feel closer to you, and to home.

I will write a letter and hopefully it will get there on monday. 

I love you sooooo much, and will talk to you again next week. about the same time. 

Love Sister Emma Nelson.