Dearest Family & Friends, I can’t believe it’s only been a week since we last saw each other. It seems like so much has happened and we have learned so much in this short time.
Jack had a clearer vision of mission life immediately but I have come to see it as we have gone thru this week. I began this week thinking I wouldn’t really have much need for knowing the missionary lessons beyond strengthening my own personal testimony – and of course thats a great thing. Also, I didn’t feel like I could teach very effectively anyway and was somewhat glad I wouldn’t have to worry about that. Well my attitude has changed! Studying the lessons here with the help of the MTC teachers has been a wonderful experience. Now I feel like we can do it and indeed hope that we have some opportunities to share our testimonies and teach some people beyond our welfare assignment.
In the afternoons we were given an opportunity to practice teaching the lessons to volunteers who would come and take the role of non-members. I have a wonderful companion who knows just what to say and where to find the scriptures that go along with the gospel principle we are teaching. I think we were both surprised at how easily we were able to teach together, we felt like we made a good team. The spirit here is amazing and it has been wonderful to learn in these circumstances.
Many of our teachers are students at BYU who have returned home from missions in the past year or year and a half, they have been awesome. We have also learned and heard experiences from returned Sr couples and older leaders.
There are 2000+ Elders and young sisters here at any time. We are right among them, our living quarters are just a side walk apart and we rub shoulders with them at every turn and at the cafeteria as well. Their energy and enthusiasm is great to be around.
On Monday we saw Bryce Mortensen who lives just down the road from us, its good we saw him that day because he was leaving the next. Then we have seen Elder Dallin Barlow 3 or 4 times, who lives just down the other road. It is always fun to see people from home.
Since the outbreak of the swine flu and regular flu season, there is not contact with anyone else (well except your spouse). It is very strange not to be able to shake hands or give someone a little hug. (I did break the rules and give Elder Mortensen and Barlow a pat on the back)
There were about 24 couples that arrived when we did, abt half of those will be serving Welfare Missions, we are counting our blessings of being able to stay in the US. Most of them are going to very remote places w/o power, water, toilets or even toilet paper. So we are naming our blessings counting them ‘one by one.’
Each Tuesday evening there is a fireside with a guest speaker, this past week was the head of the temple dept. He spoke to us abt the increasing number of temples, esp this past decade. They have a choir for these firesides so I volunteered to sing with them. There were 588 people in the choir. Its not very often that you have 2/3 of your choir men!!
I had a very awesome experience connected with this choir that I would like to share with you. When I found a place to sit there was an empty seat next to me. A young sister came along and sat down by me. About half way in to the rehearsal there was a little break where we could visit. She asked who I was and that I just seemed so familiar to her, I found out that she is from Las Vegas. We tried to think of some way we might have had a chance to meet, finally it occurred to me to ask her when she went to the temple. Sure enough it was a Wednesday evening. All along the way she just kept asking if we had had this conversation before that everything was so familiar, I assured her that we had not because I had just arrived the day before. Anyway when we realized that it was at the temple that we had met one another we were both in awe. As I recall I was the 1st follower and then I ended up being at different places through the evening when she was there. I remember that she would talk to me and tell me thanks and it seemed that we felt some type of connection with each other.
After we visited about this for a while of course the next question is where are you going? Can you believe it? We are both going to Dallas, Texas!!! She is a Spanish speaking sister so she won’t arrive until abt the second week in December but I told her I would be there waiting for her and that we would be in the Employment office. She said she would send people our way as she met those who needed help. I know that those were just no coincidences and I am waiting to see if the Lord will have our paths cross again during the next 18 months.
We had an opportunity to work in the referral center one afternoon for an hour. People call in who have received a pass-along card or who have seen an ad on TV. I spoke with a man from Nebraska who wanted a Bible so he could invite those young men in, the ones who he would see around who were always wearing the black suits, he wanted to have a discussion with them. I told him a couple would be coming by his home in the next couple of days and he was very happy.
Jack spoke with a woman in her 60's who was just in tears because her daughter had been found after years of not knowing where she was. She wanted a Bible so she could begin reading from it again, she was so grateful.
Our Relief Society speaker today was Dallin Oaks’ wife, she was very inspiring and motivating, reminding us that our Heavenly Father loves us, the gospel is restored and encouraging us to share the good news with glad hearts. She gave each of us a white glove with small pictures of Heavenly Father, Christ, Joseph Smith, temple and Pres. Monson, the 5 points of our testimony. This is to take with us and share in a FHE or with children. (As seen in the Friend in 2008).
Yesterday we had the afternoon free so we went over to Dennis and Donna’s and did laundry and visited and enjoyed being in a home. What a blessing to have them close by, thanks Donna and Dennis for welcoming us there.
We have enjoyed the beautiful fall weather this week, with all of its beautiful leaves and colors. Now yesterday and today we are seeing the winter snows arrive. Its pretty cold! We have some sweaters and coats but we’re not fully prepared for this kind of weather. We didn’t want to fill our suitcases with things we would only be using for 2 weeks, but we will get thru it just fine. We’re really not outside all that much.
Our apartment is like a motel room - the cafeteria food is great with many choices to choose from each day. I’m always amazed at how fast they move the missionaries thru the lines. We’ve learned that the quarter hour is the best time to arrive.
We are meeting some great people, one couple the Lays are from Washington, in Darrell and Sally’s stake. We have enjoyed getting to know them.
As for this week on Monday we will take a shuttle to Salt Lake and spend the day touring Welfare Square, sampling the food and being taught. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday we three couples who are going to Employment Centers will meet together and receive training specifically for that. We are looking forward to that and glad we will get some specific training before we arrive.
They give us plenty of free time here at the MTC on Sunday so this one is a little lengthy, hope you just scanned it.
We love and miss you all but are happy to be here preparing to serve the Lord by helping people in Texas.
Jack had a clearer vision of mission life immediately but I have come to see it as we have gone thru this week. I began this week thinking I wouldn’t really have much need for knowing the missionary lessons beyond strengthening my own personal testimony – and of course thats a great thing. Also, I didn’t feel like I could teach very effectively anyway and was somewhat glad I wouldn’t have to worry about that. Well my attitude has changed! Studying the lessons here with the help of the MTC teachers has been a wonderful experience. Now I feel like we can do it and indeed hope that we have some opportunities to share our testimonies and teach some people beyond our welfare assignment.
In the afternoons we were given an opportunity to practice teaching the lessons to volunteers who would come and take the role of non-members. I have a wonderful companion who knows just what to say and where to find the scriptures that go along with the gospel principle we are teaching. I think we were both surprised at how easily we were able to teach together, we felt like we made a good team. The spirit here is amazing and it has been wonderful to learn in these circumstances.
Many of our teachers are students at BYU who have returned home from missions in the past year or year and a half, they have been awesome. We have also learned and heard experiences from returned Sr couples and older leaders.
There are 2000+ Elders and young sisters here at any time. We are right among them, our living quarters are just a side walk apart and we rub shoulders with them at every turn and at the cafeteria as well. Their energy and enthusiasm is great to be around.
On Monday we saw Bryce Mortensen who lives just down the road from us, its good we saw him that day because he was leaving the next. Then we have seen Elder Dallin Barlow 3 or 4 times, who lives just down the other road. It is always fun to see people from home.
Since the outbreak of the swine flu and regular flu season, there is not contact with anyone else (well except your spouse). It is very strange not to be able to shake hands or give someone a little hug. (I did break the rules and give Elder Mortensen and Barlow a pat on the back)
There were about 24 couples that arrived when we did, abt half of those will be serving Welfare Missions, we are counting our blessings of being able to stay in the US. Most of them are going to very remote places w/o power, water, toilets or even toilet paper. So we are naming our blessings counting them ‘one by one.’
Each Tuesday evening there is a fireside with a guest speaker, this past week was the head of the temple dept. He spoke to us abt the increasing number of temples, esp this past decade. They have a choir for these firesides so I volunteered to sing with them. There were 588 people in the choir. Its not very often that you have 2/3 of your choir men!!
I had a very awesome experience connected with this choir that I would like to share with you. When I found a place to sit there was an empty seat next to me. A young sister came along and sat down by me. About half way in to the rehearsal there was a little break where we could visit. She asked who I was and that I just seemed so familiar to her, I found out that she is from Las Vegas. We tried to think of some way we might have had a chance to meet, finally it occurred to me to ask her when she went to the temple. Sure enough it was a Wednesday evening. All along the way she just kept asking if we had had this conversation before that everything was so familiar, I assured her that we had not because I had just arrived the day before. Anyway when we realized that it was at the temple that we had met one another we were both in awe. As I recall I was the 1st follower and then I ended up being at different places through the evening when she was there. I remember that she would talk to me and tell me thanks and it seemed that we felt some type of connection with each other.
After we visited about this for a while of course the next question is where are you going? Can you believe it? We are both going to Dallas, Texas!!! She is a Spanish speaking sister so she won’t arrive until abt the second week in December but I told her I would be there waiting for her and that we would be in the Employment office. She said she would send people our way as she met those who needed help. I know that those were just no coincidences and I am waiting to see if the Lord will have our paths cross again during the next 18 months.
We had an opportunity to work in the referral center one afternoon for an hour. People call in who have received a pass-along card or who have seen an ad on TV. I spoke with a man from Nebraska who wanted a Bible so he could invite those young men in, the ones who he would see around who were always wearing the black suits, he wanted to have a discussion with them. I told him a couple would be coming by his home in the next couple of days and he was very happy.
Jack spoke with a woman in her 60's who was just in tears because her daughter had been found after years of not knowing where she was. She wanted a Bible so she could begin reading from it again, she was so grateful.
Our Relief Society speaker today was Dallin Oaks’ wife, she was very inspiring and motivating, reminding us that our Heavenly Father loves us, the gospel is restored and encouraging us to share the good news with glad hearts. She gave each of us a white glove with small pictures of Heavenly Father, Christ, Joseph Smith, temple and Pres. Monson, the 5 points of our testimony. This is to take with us and share in a FHE or with children. (As seen in the Friend in 2008).
Yesterday we had the afternoon free so we went over to Dennis and Donna’s and did laundry and visited and enjoyed being in a home. What a blessing to have them close by, thanks Donna and Dennis for welcoming us there.
We have enjoyed the beautiful fall weather this week, with all of its beautiful leaves and colors. Now yesterday and today we are seeing the winter snows arrive. Its pretty cold! We have some sweaters and coats but we’re not fully prepared for this kind of weather. We didn’t want to fill our suitcases with things we would only be using for 2 weeks, but we will get thru it just fine. We’re really not outside all that much.
Our apartment is like a motel room - the cafeteria food is great with many choices to choose from each day. I’m always amazed at how fast they move the missionaries thru the lines. We’ve learned that the quarter hour is the best time to arrive.
We are meeting some great people, one couple the Lays are from Washington, in Darrell and Sally’s stake. We have enjoyed getting to know them.
As for this week on Monday we will take a shuttle to Salt Lake and spend the day touring Welfare Square, sampling the food and being taught. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday we three couples who are going to Employment Centers will meet together and receive training specifically for that. We are looking forward to that and glad we will get some specific training before we arrive.
They give us plenty of free time here at the MTC on Sunday so this one is a little lengthy, hope you just scanned it.
We love and miss you all but are happy to be here preparing to serve the Lord by helping people in Texas.
Thanks for your love, prayers and support, it gives us great strength.
Elder & Sister Nelson, Jack & Gaye, Uncle Jack & Aunt Gaye, Mom and Dad, Grandpa & Grandma Nelson, as the case may be, our love.................
Elder & Sister Nelson, Jack & Gaye, Uncle Jack & Aunt Gaye, Mom and Dad, Grandpa & Grandma Nelson, as the case may be, our love.................
The Chance to have Dinner with 2,200 Elder and Sister
We have been able to visit with Elder Dallin Barlow. He is learning Spanish before heading down to Chile.
Before the snow hit on Thursday
There we are getting ready to ride the bikes
Sister Nelson and Elder Mortensen
We have been able to visit with Elder Dallin Barlow. He is learning Spanish before heading down to Chile.
Before the snow hit on Thursday
There we are getting ready to ride the bikes
Sister Nelson and Elder Mortensen
Cold winter morning on Friday
One of our teachers, Elder DeVries
One of our teachers, Elder DeVries
4 comments:
We pray for our missionaries every day. We sure love you!
Love,
Kristi
I bet you guys are freezing - or maybe they don't let you out much. I am so excited for you guys having all these neat experiences - I bet it's extra neat for you having done it before - does it bring back lots of memories? We miss you guys everyday but we know you are in the right place. Love u
Miss you guys!! Thanks for posting pictures :)
You survived the first week! Sounds like you had a great experience. I went to 5th Ward's Primary program. I got to see Estefan (sp) sing and give his part. He was shy but did a great job. Allie was singing too. I'm sure the Sunbeams had the most fun. We miss you but are excited for you to have this experience. I went out with the missionaries today. My first one for many years. They challenged the sister to be baptized but I don't know if she will give up her Catholic teachings and background. Life brings many experiences. Have fun. Love, Susan
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