08/22/2011-08/29/2011

Hello everyone!

Man this week has been so crappy it's awesome!!!  Haha true story tho!  So it started on monday when we were heading to zone conference, I lost my wallet for 3 days at the Colby Elders apartment.  I was about to call and cancel everything when my Comp Elder Kannan finally found it!  YAY!!!  Got a new tube on my bike finally (since I could buy one again)  and put it on, and it was flat the next morning haha.  Then we've been out of miles so we couldn't go and buy another new one.  But all is well cause I can get one today since other elders will be here!  Haha.  This week has been awesome tho because it has put a great perspective in my eyes.  Things will go bad.  That's a promise.  But just push through it, cause that's all you can do.  It is better to have hardships continually than to quit and fall out by the wayside.  Besides, blessings are just around the corner.  Always.  I testify of this because I saw it this last week, even if they're small blessings.  There's a possibility that we might have 2 new investigators, which is super awesome.  We also have a referral that went to Cove Fort and was interested in learning more.  He called us and cancelled his appointment yesterday but hey, a call is still a good sign.  And today I have a doctors appt to try and get my stupid cough checked out which will be awesome.  But anyway, I thank all of you for the support and encouragement.  The church is true.  I love this work and all the hardships that come with it.  

--
Elder Nielson!!
Pictures

The one with the statues and the cutouts are at the buffalo bill museum thing on the way back from Garden City.  Elder Darley and Mahe are with us.  There's the zone at Zone conference.  The corn is right at the end of a paved street, pretty cool.  Then the deaf sign was in burlington.  Good stuff.  

08/15/2011-08/22/2011

Hey everyone greetings from Colby, Kansas!  We have zone conference tomorrow so we stay the night at elder's apartment who is closer to Garden City.  Pretty crazy!  This week has been interesting.  We got into a few bashes while out tracting, I got a flat tire on my front tire on tuesday, and then my back tire on thursday.  That puts the total to 4!!  Haha.  So we've been doing a lot of walking around.  On friday we went to a member's birthday party who is mexican, and that was a party.  We had some authentic enchiladas, and posele, they sang to her, and was a good time.  She's a really great lady and her family was really nice even tho we didn't have a clue what they were saying.  I don't have much else to say, hope you all are enjoying the last bit of summer!  The church is true.  

"You pooped in the refrigerator, and ate an entire wheel of cheese?  I'm not even mad, I'm impressed!"- Ron Burgundy.  

--
Elder Nielson!!

08/09/2011-08/15/2011

Hello everyone!

Greetings from Kansas!  It's way different out here!  I went from the biggest city I've lived in to the second smallest!  (sorry Blanding, there's 3 stoplights AND a small walmart.)  It's crazy different, but it will be fun.  I'm excited for friday nights in the fall!  That should be an adventure!  I can already tell that football here is a big deal with how many Kansas, Kansas st, and Nebraska flags are out in the neighborhoods. 

The area is huge, we cover up to the nebraska border, and we have to drive to Colorado to attend our branch on sunday.  So about twice a week (depending on miles) we'll travel between kansas and colorado.  Pretty excitng!

It's pretty out here.  I guess that sunflowers are another big crop here, and it's almost time to harvest them.  So there's fields of corn and sunflowers which is pretty. 

So I'm using my bike a ton now, and go figure im my first week out here I've blown out my back tire twice.  It's been pretty epic!  Elder Kannan has some pictures of me walking my bike that I'll have to get from him so I can laugh at myself haha. 

So far the work here is slow, but hopefully it will be changing soon.  The focus on the work is shifting dramatically, and I'm really excited about it!  We're being allowed to rely more on guidance to find people instead of just straight knocking on doors all the time.  I'm pumped! 

Oh another thing that is cool is I heard my first tornado alarm!!!  Haha it was only a test but still cool!  I guess I've missed the season for the most part.  
Well that's about it that I have to report on.  Oh we're in a Subaru Impreza, which is kinda cool.  But anyway, love you all!
--
Elder Nielson!!

I now live in the land where water towers are a big deal.  This is one of goodlands haha.

This was on a mailbox we walked past while we were tracting one day.

08/01/2011-08/07/2011

Happy pday everyone!
Well it's transfer pday and I"m going to kansas tomorrow.  It's gonna be kinda huge since I've been in major city so far on my mission, but I know it will be good.  I know that there's someone out there I need to meet. 
We were scheduled to have another baptism on saturday, but it got moved to this week because of difficulties.  But it's definitely happening this week!  We have everything planned out and ready to go for saturday.  Unfortunately I won't be able to see it happen, but I have the comfort to know that it is happening. 
These last few days I've been with another missionary, Elder Felsted which has been way awesome.  We've had a great time together and I've learned a lot with him.  Too bad he won't be my new permanent companion!  Either way I've enjoyed the time we've spent together.  Not much else is new, I love you all and know this church is true!
--
Elder Nielson!!

New Mission President as of July 1, 2011

This is the couple that was recently called to become Elder Nielsons's new Mission President. They started on July 1, 2011 and Elder Nielson has been serving in their ward. He really likes them so far and thinks they're going to be a great addition to the mission.

J. Patrick and Cynthia M. Anderson

J. Patrick Anderson, 61, and Cynthia Lenore McGregor Anderson, three children, Colorado Colorado Springs Mission; Kalamazoo 3rd Ward, Kalamazoo Michigan Stake. He serves as stake president and is a former counselor in a stake presidency, stake mission president, stake Young Men president, high councilor, bishop, counselor in a bishopric and Young Men president. Retired vice president of Corporate Affairs, Stryker Corp. Born in Sun Valley, Idaho, to John Clinton and Mary Lou Keeffe Anderson.
Sister Anderson serves as a Relief Society secretary and compassionate service leader. She is a former Relief Society president, Relief Society teacher, Primary president and teacher, Young Women president, and Cub Scout den leader. Born in Boise, Idaho, to William Allen and Rachel Brown McGregor.

07/25/2011-08/01/2011

Hello everyone!!  This week has been awesome!  We had a baptism on saturday, and I was priviliged to confirm Taylor on sunday.  It was so great!  Hopefully we'll have another baptism on saturday this week!  Needless to say the work is progressing well! 

I truly love this area and the missionaries in this district.  We had quite a struggle getting a group picture on friday but somehow kinda managed to get it haha.  Otherwise things are going swimmingly!  This thursday I'll be in a new area for a few days, which will be kinda interesting but fun I'm sure.  I like the Elder I'll be with for the time being.  Then next week I'll find out for sure where I"m going to be and who will be my companion. 
This is at Taylor's baptism, and the other one is me being bored.  Obviously.
--
Elder Nielson!!

07/17/2011-07/24/2011

Hello everyone!  This week has been pretty awesome.  We were able to go to a baptism of a family I helped teach on wednesday, it was so great to see it!  They're going to be great additions to anywhere they live, such an amazing family.  On saturday I went on exchanges with the zone leaders, which was a great time!  I learned a lot from my leaders, They're really great elders.  But the most exciting news I have to share today is that We have a baptism on saturday!!!  She's super excited, and already experienced so many blessings from even going to church with us.  She's so ready in fact, that we are comfortable moving up her baptismal date to saturday instead of sunday.  Elder Wheeler will have the privilige of baptizing her on saturday for his last weekend on his mission then I will be blessed to confirm her the next day!  It's so great!  She is super excited too, did I mention that?  Haha.  Anyway, things are going great here so far still, it's hard to believe that this transfer is already almost over.  The time just flies by.  Oh we have another baptism scheduled on the 6th of August.  Hope everyone is well, Keep the letters of support coming!   The church is true! :)

--
Elder Nielson!!




This is the baptism we went to on wednesday, it was so great!
saw this truck while on exchanges.  Kinda one of those... what?  things haha