09/12/2011-09/20/2011

Hello everyone

This week has been pretty interesting.  I had to actually get out my heavy coat, it was 40 degrees while we were out tracting.  2 days later we had a tornado warning.  Now it's back up to 85 or so haha.  So I found out that I get to spend 6 more weeks in kansas! Yay!  I'm getting a new comp tho so that will be exciting. 

This week we were priviliged to help get an 8 year old baptized!  We've been teaching him (his nickname is daniel-son, pretty much the coolest 8 year old ever) and he was baptized on sunday!  Yay!  His grandma and uncle came as well who are not members, it was a great day.  Elder Kannan did the actual baptism, and I was priviliged to confirm him.  We even got his mom "Victronicon the MVP" to say the opening prayer haha.  Otherwise it's just been the same old thing, living the missionary life.  Thanks for all the prayers and support, the church is true!  

--
Elder Nielson!!
Pictures

Saturday before the baptism

Things get interesting sometimes in the car...

09/05/2011-09/11/2011

Hello everyone

This week has been pretty crazy but awesome.  We have someone with a baptismal date!  They were a referral from a church historical site and wanted to learn more!!  It's been hard to get in contact but we finally did and they accepted baptism before I even finished asking them!!  Their date is for the 2nd of October!  This week a member's son is getting baptized as well after church!  We've been teaching them just so they basically have a refresher in the lessons so it's pretty exciting!  We're pulling for a Fiesta afterward haha!  Can't beat truly authentic mexican! 

On saturday we went and volunteered at an airshow/barbecue competition.  Man it was awesome.  I got the coolest t-shirt from doing it!  It's bright orange with a plane flying thru two sets of tongs and fire and smoke.  Sick right?!?!!!  I had a blast helping out, even tho we didn't stay for the actual show or to see who won.  But that's not important! 

So funny story, we went to visit a former investigator, and he had a friend over at the time.  So the guy we knew started asking us questions like what is a sin and so on, and it led to us talking about the word of wisdom.  Well his friend was taken back by it and said some of the funniest stuff.  he said "I love coffee, now everytime I see it I'm gonna say 'look at that big tasty cup of hell I'm gonna drink it up' "  and also "I can't wake up that early to go to church without drinking my cup of hell" haha it was so funny.  Man I was dying cause I was laughing so hard.  Anyway Love you all the church is true!

--
Elder Nielson!!
Pictures

Elder Lewis the ZL in the walker is going home, so we did something special for his last district picture haha. 
In front of a wwII plane

Grenade joystick inside one of the planes!  haha

 

08/29/2011-09/06/2011

Hello everyone! 

Happy labor day!  This week has been pretty crazy!  I must say tho, thursday it was 103 for a high on mainstreet I believe.  Friday, didn't get up to 80.  It's been low 80's since, it;s been wonderful.  Except for the wind that makes it almost impossible to bike in haha.  But I have gone a week without a flat tire on my bike either!  Hooray!!  Elder Kannan did cause of Karma tho, he kept telling me I was going to haha.  So that is pretty nice.  Still don't really have anyone we're teaching but I sure have learned this town a whole lot better!  The few youth we have here are pretty awesome.  Saturday this was a ghost town, no one was here haha.  Yesterday we had a barbecue we went to and it was so good!  Man I wish everyday was labor day haha.  BTW we got notified today that any letters to the mission office need to be addressed 4090 centerpark drive suite 4 colorado springs co 80916 for all those that are writing me, or that should write me (just sayin) haha.  Anyway love you all!  Oh I was able to get my hackey sack on this weekend!  Haha 

First picture is Burlington's water tower.First picture is Burlington's water tower.
second is another goodland one with a giant van gough painting... Weird

--
Elder Nielson!!

This is what kansas brings to church... They're actually from Colorado Springs, but wsa doing a show out here and happened to find the building and were members.  Check out the Tie I'm wearing too haha. 

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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!!