Week 9

Monday, April 20, 2015

Hi mom!!!!!!!!

I want you to know that I love you, and that I am glad to have an email from you today! I miss you tons, and can't wait until I am home, and we can go shopping, and get a pedicure together! I will need one when I get home ;) you are my bestest friend, and I am glad that we have that relationship. 

Anyways. I am hungry this Monday morning,  which I shouldn't be because we had two dinner appointments last night, one with the bishops family, and one with other wonderful members in the ward.   All of the sisters in the ward are amazing, and I am grateful for them, because they want me to succeed. Sister Fe's birthday is today, so we are going to go buy cake for her, and I am going to sing happy birthday in Tagalog! Yay!!!! They are wonderful.

We have not yet converted the roosters and trees yet because of a language problem. It is worse than the one I have with the people!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHA.

My stomach does not like rice..... which sucks for me, because that is all they eat here. So I just eat a little rice and a lot of water.  Because when I threw up, all that came up was rice, so yeah, I am just careful when eating. My ankles are good too! Just a lot of anti itch cream and neosporin, socks, prayers and a good nights sleep! The vitamins also make me sick..... soooo no. sorry mom. 

I like my contacts. If you have more send them, but I should be ok with what I have. Please send peanut butter (like the biggest, cheapest jar you can find) pretzels and ky, (Thats for sister Gregorio :) And some more crocks. size nine. please and thank you!!!! you are an amazing mother and I love you tons!!!!!

I am glad that everyone is good at home. Anyways yesterday while getting ready for church we were listening to a Jenny Phillips song, called I Am His Daughter, and I cried during that song, because I felt really alone when the line He is my strength when I stand, and I was just really sad, then we get to church, and I was asked to play the piano. Go figure, and to bear my testimony, in Tagalog. Before my testimony, I was reading the verses on my favorite hymn, How Firm a Foundation and how it gave me the strength I needed to get through the rest of church. I cried during my testimony, and so that was awkward. when I got home, I started my personal study with prayer like always, and I told Father how I felt and that I just needed peace and comfort to go about his work, knowing that all would be ok at home. I was expecting my answer to come through the scriptures, but it came through the hymns, three of my favorites, How Firm a Foundation, A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief and Master The Tempest is Raging. My love and testimony of the hymns has gown so much. Each of them helped in a way that I needed it to. I received the peace and comfort that I needed and I know that my Father in Heaven knows me, and cares for me more than I could have ever imagined before. I know that He loves me and loves all of us. I know that, and I am grateful for that knowledge. 

I am amazed at what I have learned this week. We got 101 OYMs, and from that we got at least 7 new investigators, one of them is a family, and the mothers name is Esther. I have decided that all Esthers are beautiful, but our Esther is the prettiest. I am excited to continue to teach them, and I hope that they will accept the gospel. We had most of our less actives at church yesterday, but no investigators. Please pray for sister Vicky and her husband, that they will have a desire to come to church and to get married so that they can be baptized. They have a 7 year old daughter, and she is so cute! 

I cant think of anything else.... Tell every one i love them! I know that this Church is true, and that through our Savior we can do all things. I love this gospel, and as hard as it is being away from you and dad, and Spencer, Andrew, and Esther, I can do it because this is where I need to be. I cannot imagine me being anywhere else. 

I love you sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much! I will email next week!!!!!

Love sister Emma Nelson

Week 8. The Philippines

Monday, April 13, 2015

Hi Mom!!!!!


My first week in the Philippines has been unforgettable. I went out on Saturday, and talked to one person., mostly because I threw up while out.. we were at a members house, and up comes all the rice I ate for breakfast, and dinner the night before. So I didn't have food for almost 36 hours. and I was great! Like I didn't struggle at all with the lack of food! 

On Wednesday we got on another plane, and flew to Naga. holy cows!!!!!!!!!!! sooooo stunning! no Typhoons or anything! It was great! We met President and Sister Reader! I love them so much! I know that I am meant to be here!

So we talked at the Mission home and then we got assigned with our trainers! We all got Native trainers. Her name is sister Gregorio. She is so sweet and cute, and is so willing to serve me!  We are in the area of Goa. It is so beautiful! We have some really far away areas, and they have some beautiful views. Next week I will have pictures of them. We joke some times as we are walking that we should start teaching the trees, rosters, chickens and dogs the gospel because one else is around. I love it! Sister Gregorio is the only member in her family out of her ten siblings. She is so strong, and I love hearing her testimony about her mission and the Savior. She is amazing and I am so grateful that she is my trainer.

I am still learning the peoples names and their needs. We have a lot of less actives and investigators that just don't come to church. All of the investigators could be baptized if they would come to church. So we are working on that. I am also still learning the language. I can understand my companion and house mates, but every one else I struggle with. I am working on it though..... Just pray that we can find people to teach this week. That is what we are going to focus on. 

I have had my first bucket shower, washing my clothes by hand, and first dinner appointment!!! Last night was really good, we had it with our zone leaders and a family in the ward. It was so much fun!!!!! We had pizza and lots of other things. Among them was ox tail, because the ZL told me what it was, I couldn't eat it. eww

I love teaching. I need to say more during lessons and being more bold in what I want to say. It has been such a crazy week!

I LOVE CONFERENCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! everything as a missionary is so much more spiritual! I learned so much, and can not wait to have a copy, and read it and mark it up! I loved sister Burtons talk, and the role of the father in the home, and I just loved Utchdorfs talk, and brother Neilsons. I also loved Elder Nelsons talk (you would not believe how many people have asked if I am related to him.....) and how we need to improve and how he is going to improve himself. HOLY COW!!!!!!

I love being a missionary! I love this work I love these people! I love everything. as long as I tell myself that it is normal, I am good! 

I love and miss you all lots! You are all so wonderful to me! I am so glad that Esther had a wonderful birthday! You are all so wonderful! I love you!


Love sister Emma Nelson

Week 7

Saturday, April 4, 2014

Hi family!!!!

I made it to Manila! safe and sound! after traveling around the world, I realized that number one, the Church is true everywhere that you go!!!! We met and talked to so many people yesterday that were LDS, and were so helpful in helping us around, and so proud of the choice that we have made to be missionaries. number two, I get sooooooo weird while traveling. my time gets messed up, and I just go a little crazy! Anyways, the church is true where ever you go.

Thank you for your prayers. I got so bored on the plane to Tokyo! Pero, The Lord helped me not lose my mind! Manila is sooo beautiful! I have some awesome pictures that I will send on P-day, when ever that day is. I leave the MTC on Tuesday, and then we probably fly to Naga, which I am ok with after finding out that that is a 12 hour drive, in a skirt.by

I loved talking to you!! It made traveling sooo much easier!

I am so excited, we get to go out today and go on splits with the missionaries in Manila, and we get to talk to people! I love this gospel and I know that the last six weeks of my mission in the MTC, will help me in talking to people today, and getting to know them. I have a goal of talking to 10 people, and sharing the gospel with them. I hope I can reach this goal. I know that it will be hard, in a language not my own. But I am so ready to do this!

I love you all!  Have a wonderful time watching conference, and go in and listen with questions that you would like answered. Just don't tell me anything about it, because I get to watch a week later... :)

Thank you mom for always reminding me of who I am , and to have courage and to be kind. I found a scripture the other day in Alma 17 I think it is verse 12, and it totally applied it to me, and I love the message that it gives all missionaries. I love being a missionary, and being able to do what I get to do. I only saw a little bit of the people last night, and I already know that I love them and that I am excited to serve them! I am ready to meet my trainer, and to really fulfill my purpose!

Love, Sister Emma Nelson