Fwd: Charity never faileth‏

Dear Sister Nielsen,


Thank you for your letter.  You have done a fabulous job in a very challenging assignment.  Sister Hudson's health is rocky and you have loved her and nurtured her along.  I know she loves you for it.  Health issues are such a challenge and you have done a remarkable job of showing patience.  The Lord will bless you with great blessings for what you have done.  I know you have learned lessons that will bless you the rest of your life.


Thanks for your diligence and dedication to the work of the Lord.  Blessing and miracles will come.


Love and best wishes,


President and Sister Warner

Family!! 22 July 2013

Sorry.. We had to drive to kona today for my companion's eye exam. So we haven't really had time to email. I'm running out of time, the library is about to close. I'm working on my 'big' one, but if I don't finish I will send it tomorrow after district meeting.

Soo.. Stay tuned!

S. Nielsen.

p.s. I also forwarded an email I recieved from the mission president. That was really nice to hear. But really.. I miss Sister Hudson so much. I am so grateful for that experience.

No Effort Will Be Wasted. 15 Jul 2013

Aloooooooooha my Ohana!!

This week has been good! Not to much to report about, just same as always. I went on two exchanges. One with Sister Millett (my long lost efy friend) on Friday to ewa. It was really fun, she's a VC sister and goes home in 5 weeks. And the other with Sister Challis to Palehua- a walking area. Which I kind of forgot about and I got suuuuuuuper burnt! As you can see in the picture. I really haven't burned in Hawaii, but those hills and that sun got to me on Saturday. My arms are still hurting. But one of the members in my ward said to put yogurt on it.. So I tried that this morning. Hawaiians know everything! We'll see if it helps.

On wednesday we went to cottage meeting at President's house with Carl and his family. His wife Aunty Tony spoke, she's a convert of about a year. And also another convert brother from our ward spoke who we invited. (They were in need of speakers..)  It was really good! I sat next to Carl and he just loved it! You can tell he just loves church functions and feeling the spirit. There is definitely just a different feeling in Presidents home. There is no way you can deny the spirit that is felt there. Carl is so funny. He'd lean over an make comments to me the whole time. He's one person I'm going to miss alot.

All week there was a transfer buzz in the air, and rumors floating around like crazy. And I knew pretty well just from what some people were saying that I would be transfered. But on Sunday I was sitting in ward council and just.. bummed. Thinking about everything we'd done in this area, and I was wondering if there was anything I should have done that I didn't do. I really want to give every area my all and to build the kingdom there. Ewa beach has so much potential, but it was just so hard to dive in and get everything going with the situation. I know that I was suppose to be here and to be with Sister Hudson. That this was part of my mission experience. But comparing to my other areas.. I wouldn't say I was successful. Maybe we could have done more. I was just.. bummed during that meeting.  But then everything that was said in church was exactly what I needed to hear. One of the speakers in sacrement said, "You were sent here to grow and to prepare to return to live with Heavenly Father". Then in Relief Society we talked about alining our will to God's will and how when we do that we can never fail. Because it is God's will for everything to happen that way. Like the book of mormon charactors that Martin Harris was trying to get proof that they are real egyptian characters. But instead the certificate was ripped up, and Martin Harris probably saw that as a failure. But it needed to happen for a prophecy in Isaiah to be fulfilled--"I cannot read a sealed book". I really am so grateful for everything that has happen these last few months. I hope I've learned everything God wants me to learn with this experience. That he's shaped and refined me and helped me grow. I love Sister Hudson, I'm going to miss her. We've been through alot, and I hope I've helped her to grow and desire to become the best missionary she can be. I love being a missionary and grateful for every experience. I am so happy Heavenly Father knows me so well and knows what I need. No effort in the ewa beach 2nd ward will be wasted.

Transfer news.. Drum roll please.. I am being transfered to BIG ISLAND! Kona side, which isn't as green as Hilo and it's a bit more dry, but lots of volcano rock and I'll be seeing the ocean everyday! Which I'm really excited about I loooooooove watching the ocean. I don't know what area yet or who my companion is, but we'll find out! It's definitely a bitter sweet. I really do love ewa beach and the people here, but I'm excited for the change. All is well. :)

I love you all so much! Catch the wave and share the gospel. :)

Much aloha,

S. Nielsen

Craaaaaazy Week! 8 Jul 2013

Dear Nielsen Ohana,

Aloha! Well I'm so happy to hear that Carly is a diving board jumpin fool! It's so weird to think about how big you all have gotten. You never send me pictures so I guess I wouldn't know. ;) I'm sure you can see how big I've gotten. Ha. ha. :)

This week was suuuuper crazy! And we didn't have alot of time to work in our area.

Monday- MLC with the new mission president!

Tuesday- District Meeting and Pday.

Wednesday- Exchange with Sister Wright!!

Thursday- Service at a members house, week plan. 'Interviews' with makakilo Sisters. Missionary 4th of July BBQ!

Friday- DLTM and Sister Hudson's doctors Appt in Honolulu. I was sitting in the misison office from about 2- 5pm

Saturday- Sister Hudson wasn't feeling very well. Not a lot of work happened. Carl's 68th birthday/baptism party!

Sunday- CHURCH! We taught relief society and role played with them how to give invitations to there friends.. I thought it went well!

Yepp.. As you can see there was not alot of pros time is there. Sometimes I wonder what our ward thinks of us. But that's ok because they don't exactly know the situation.

My exchange with Sister Wright was fun! We always just stay up late talking forever.. We just can't help it! She has one more transfer left before she goes home. That's so WEIRD! But she's done so many great things in this mission. We were able to teach Jenny and Rachel together. And our lessons both went well. It's so easy to just jump right back in the swing of things with her. Ohh the good ol' days in Aliamanu. :)

Thursday we headed over to Makakilo to see the sisters. There were no exhanges in June due to our "lasor focus" on hitting 200. So I didn't know what to write for comp reports so I just decided to do 'interviews.' I didnt' like calling it that thought.. That sounds so official. But I just want to say I love serving these sisters. I love being able to hear their struggles and to try my best to give them something to comfort them. It's the best feeling in the world to walk away and know that I've helped one of my fellow missionaries. I love this calling.

Our 4th of July BBQ complete with watching the Legacy. :) It was funny. Just us missionaries in the zone got together. and our view of fireworks wasn't all that great.. But we saw a few from a distance!

Friday I was in the office since Sister Hudson had a doctors appt. I was just sitting there watching the APs do their thing. They were going to be doing the transfer board the next day and I watched them take down all the dying missionaries. Never to be on the transfer board again! It was weird. While talking to them.. They kept asking me where I wanted to go. And I just said "I don't know!" Because I really don't. Somewhere off lsland would be nice. They told me probably either Kauii or Big Island. Idk.. I hate all this transfer stuff and then people put things in your head. No good. Because I needed to call them again on Sunday and one of them then mentioned something like.. "You ready to stay in ewa." "what?"  "What!?".. Oh elders. So come what may.. We'll see what happens. Either way I will be happy. :)

I feel like I'm been such a debby downer probably this last few months.. I have definitely learned alot. But I just want to make everything clear that I LOVE sister Hudson. I cannot imagine having so many medical issues and being a missionary. And it's hard on her. I am so grateful for these experiences that I've had, and that I've been able to grow. I know that this was definitely part of Heavenly Fathers plan for me on my mission. All is well. :)

Well.. I better get going! I love you all so much! Have a grrrreeeeeaaaaaaat week!

Much Aloha and Mahalo,

S. Nielsen

New Mission President and Mini Missionaries! 2 Jul 2013

Aloha!

Ohh. So good to hear that everyone is having a good time in California!

Well.. This last week has been good! We have definitely seen miracles throughout our zone. The mission goal for june was 200 as you know. Especially since it was Pres. Dalton's last month. And we were looking for miracles. Sister Wright and Sister Hagberg had a miracle baptism. And the Samoan Elders found out that one of their's was not a child of record, the grandma is a member and not the parents. Our faith was tested and miracles came. The total came out to 159 baptisms. Without recreated records. Our mission high water mark was 166 last December, but that was with recreated records. So this is the highest baptisms the Hawaii Honolulu Mission has ever seen! Cheeeee-hoooo! We're all really excited about it.

So last Thursday we were able to have Mini Missionaries! 2 of the young adult aged women were able to come and be companions with us from Thursday-Sunday. And it was fun! Sister Oshiro and Sister Mewa. Sister Oshiro should be getting her mission call this week. With having 2 more companions we were able to split and get more work done. So Sister Hudson took the car and then my companion and I walked. I really love walking. I felt like we still got a lot done! It was just refreshing. I think our mini's really enjoyed themselves too. They had a testimony meeting after they got released on Sunday evening, it was such a wonderful meeting.

MLC was yesterday with our new mission president. It was.. good! And different. You can tell that President Warner is still a little unsure of what he's doing. And that he and Sister Warner were so nervous. Accounting wasn't as intiminating as it would have been with was Pres. Dalton. But it was good, I definitely felt that he is called of God and the one to lead our mission. Things will be different, I don't think he is going to be as number focused as Pres. Dalton was. But so far he doesn't want to make any major changes. Sister Warner sang in the Mormon Tabernacle choir for 30 years, Alto II. She has a low voice, and is tall. Very different from Sister Dalton, petite and just a sweetheart. That will be a little bit of an adjustment. But I am excited to have them here and to keep the work going!

Our investigators are doing well.. We had a lot of cancelled appts last week. But Rachel was able to cut our hair! Which we counted as some 'positive contact'. She's such a sweetheart. We told her about the change in policy that missionaries becoming more digital and she was really excited about it! She said that she was very political and that during this last election Obama was everywhere on facebook, but it was really hard to find Romney stuff. And she was for Romney, but Obama just knew what tools to use. So she was really excited about that. It was suprising to me that she's not even a member of the church, and has lots of concerns, yet she's excited about he work hastening.

Well.. I really hope that I am learning and growing in every way that I am suppose to. I know that these last few tranfers were given to me for a reason, but I hope I've changed in the way Heavenly Fahter wants me to. Transfers is in about 2 weeks. So I hope I've learned everything I'm suppose to.

I love you all so much!

Aloha,

S. Nielsen

Catch the Wave! 24 June 2013

Aloha! Nielsen Ohana!

Well.. Another week gone. I seriously cannot believe that june is almost over. I feel like yesterday was my birthday. Our new mission president comes in on the Saturday the 29th and president Dalton leaves Sunday morning. Then on Monday we're having MLC with the new mission president. I'm sure to talk about everything that was talked about in the Training yesterday. So that should be exciting!

We did not get to watch the worldwide leadership training because our stake didn't want to cancel meetings, so they are rebroadcasting it on July 9th. (Booooo...) But our Zone Leaders are going to download it and we're going to get together on Wednesday to watch it. Man.. I really hate watching important things AFTER the whole world knows about everything. Like General Conference.. I hate missing it. But we did have a very productive day yesterday so.. Guess we just needed to be working. :) We heard all about the facebook dakine and ipads or something.. That is.. Suuuper crazy! But it will make missionary work so much easier. There was one time Sister Hudson and I were trying to contact one of our investigators we couldn't get a hold of.. So we drove by there house to see if we could catch them. I turned to her and said, "Ya know.. Facebook stalking prepared me for my mission! It's just not on the computer now!"

This past week was pretty good. We have a few investigators who I don't know if I've really told you about. I'll just update you. :)

Jenny- She is of the Bahhi faith, her husband is less active and she's told us that she has no interest in joining our church. (Her in-laws have put some pressure on her.) But they welcomed us into their home for lessons. But over time they have come to really trust us. This last week Andy was on the mainland for a funeral and he called us to go over and clean the litter box. (Jenny is prego with their first) That's service I never thought I'd do! But we went over and then started talking to Jenny about how she feels about the BOM. She said that she believes it could be true and had a little discussion about it. We committed her to a "HW assignment" to 1.Pray before you read. 2. Read the chapters. (3 Nephi 11&12) 3. Answer these questions in draft from. a. Why is it important to be baptized on someone who Jesus Christ has given authority to? b. What is Christ's doctrine? c. Why would Jesus give the same 'sermon on the mount' to the people in ancient america? 4. Pray and tell heavenly father that you're going to read the chapters one more time and to help you gain a deeper understanding. 5 read the chapters again. 6 Revise what you have wrote with you deeper understanding. 7 Pray on final time to know if what you have written and read is true. (That is a very summarized description of "HW assignment" instructions.) But she accepted! And I know that if she does THIS the spirit will touch her heart and she will want to be baptized. I really think she's a lot closer that we think.

Rachel- I think I've talked a little bit about Rachel before. But this girl is testing my knowlegde! Most of my personal studies are directed for her lately. She is very catholic and wants to know all the references of what we are telling her from the bible. Our lessons with Rachel are always so intense. The spirit it so strong. Our fellowshipper that we bring served her mission is Italy! So she knows all about the catholic religion and that helps us out a ton!  But it's been really good for me. We've also given her a "HW assignment" and to let Heavenly Father resolve her own concerns. In our first lesson she came out with everything that bothers her in one sentence. Garments, baptism at 8, tithing, apostasy. So the next lesson her reading was from Mosiah 18 and Moroni 8 with the questions. Why is baptism important? Why is God offended when we baptize little children? and.. One more.. I can't remember. But this last week we were suppose to have another lesson. We called her and she told us that she did the homework assignment (EEEKKKKK!) and that she wanted another week to "chew" on everything. I really hope and pray that her heart was open for the spirit to teach her. So our lesson with her is tomorrow night. She's doing really well though. I feel so blessed to teach her.

Those are really our only progressing investigators.. But we're teaching a few others. But's it's just a confusing mess and not very steady.

I am so grateful to be a missionary right now! I looooove being a missionary. I read the talk "catch the wave" by Elder Nelson this morning and ahh.. I really just pumped me up! Also one of the things that was said in Elder Anderson's talk was that with more missionaries Heavenly Father is preparing more people. That really hit me. There are more people ready to hear this gospel and they are waiting for me. I am so happy to be a missionary.

Today I learned how to hula dance! One of the members in my ward is going to competitions all the time. She's a Hawaiian musician as well. So all the sisters I'm over went over and we learned how to hula! I'm definitely starting to feel it in my hips. But it was really fun!

I love you all so much! Keep opening you mouth and praying for missionary opportunities! I know Heavenly Father will bless us.

Aloha (Which means.. I love you.)

S. Nielsen

President Dalton's Dying Zone Conference 17 June 2013

Aloha Nielsen Ohana!

Well.. another week come and gone! So many crazy things have happen this last week! It's been so good. Our numbers were really kind of low.. But we saw so many miracles and I know that it is Heavenly Father blessing us.

On Wednesday was our last Zone Conferene with President Dalton. It was so good! Yet so sad. We sang Aloha Oe to them. I really am going to miss him and Sister Dalton. They've done so much for this mission. They leave the morning of June 30th. And he said that when President Warner lands in Hawaii, he is the new mission president. That every phone call he gets he will hand over the phone and say "It's for you." That just blew my mind! President Dalton isn't going to tell him anything that we've been doing how about any of the missionaries, that that is for President Warner to figure out and how he's going to influence this mission. Soo.. basically everything is going to change! But it will be a good change. At Zone Conference Presdient basically gave us all the advice that he gives to missionaries in their dying interview. (Last interview before they fly home.) It was so good, then he opened the floor for a Q and A. We were all able to ask questions. It was soooo good!

That night we only had about 3 hours to work. But we got so much done! We were able to try and contact a former investigator and in the mean while we ran into a less active member who isn't on our ward list. We say hi as we we were walking by and then stopped and talked to him a bit. He said he's been wanting to come back to church, and that his wife and kids weren't members. (That's what I like to hear!! :) ) So we scheduled an appt for this next week! We we also able to go and contact one of our referrals, they live across the street from one of the members in our ward and they told us to go and see them. Their 10 year old  daughter has come to church with the family and is ALWAYS over at their home. (It's kind of like Megan or Cristina for us back in the day..) But we contacted the Mom and she said that she is always so busy.. So then we asked if we could teach her daughter and she said that we could! Chee-hoo!

Later that night, we went as saw Carl. Our stubborn crusty 68 year old phillipino investigator whom I love so much. He's always so excited to see us and that just warms my heart! We stopped by and then went over the baptismal interview questions with him, he answered "whatever" (his favorite word) to most of the questions. But we've learned that "whatever" usually means yes. At the end we bore testimony that he's knows this, that he's ready to be baptized. I don't really remember how everything played out, his family was in on the conversation, "Grandpa, when you get baptized?" And we committed him to be baptized on Saturday. And he accepted! Ahhh.. I love getting solid with dates! It's the best feeling in the world! Sister Hudson and I were both SOOOO excited!

The next day we popped over and the adversary was already working on Carl. He explained that he wasn't sure.. Because baptism is the end right? He was afraid baptism is the last thing that he needed to do and that maybe soon after he would pass away. A legit concern! We retaught the doctrine of Christ and confirmed that baptism is just the first step. That it's opening the gateway. Sister Hudson wasn't feeling good during that lesson, and at one point she was trying to explain some personal story. As she was explaining I just had the thought come to mind, "you needed to be here to teach Carl".. Carl was being sassy and Sister Hudson wasn't taking it very well at all.. I could see the tension in her face and her frustration. She started crying a little bit, I knew that we needed to finish this lesson up soon. Anyways.. I was just so grateful for that experience. It really helped me to remember that I am here to teach specific people who God has prepared for ME.

Carl was baptized Saturday morning.. And oh what a glorious baptism it was! He was so funny.. Saying "whatever" the whole time. But I knew he was excited and I could see the joy in his face. Carl is baptized!!!! :) It was just a miracle and a blessing! I think I really needed to see that Heavenly Father knows our situation and He knows what needs to happen. He's the one working on these peoples hearts. I just bear testimony!

I feel like I have learned a lot these past few transfers. Really. But if there is one thing I hope to master it's to completely surrender my will. And to do the will of Heavenly Father in all things.

Thanks so much for the prayers and support. I love you guys all so much! I have the best family in the world. :)

Love,

S. Nielsen