Last Missionary Email

Well Im writing to Dads email but this can be directed to everybody.

This is my last email as a full time missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

Yesterday after church a sister came up to me and begged me to visit her house and talk to her son, who is turning 18 and is thinking about serving in the military instead of a mission, and try to talk to him and share my testimony about the blessings of a mission. We talked to him and set some goals so that he can find the desire to serve. He reminded me a lot of myself talking to Elder Ashton about being a missionary and all the doubts and struggles I had about coming out here. I am so grateful for every prayer, fast, and church leader that helped me get to where I am today, finishing after 2 years and returning honorably home. I am sure that most of the blessings from my mission are yet to be seen, when I go back home, but I am so grateful that Jesus Christ and His atonement were able to bring me to this point and I know that He will continue to carry me throughout my life. Ive experienced a change of heart, im not the same person I was 2 years ago. I still have a lot of growing to do, but one of the things Im most excited to do, is to minister to those that are in need in any way I can wherever I am. I know that if focus on what others need and to do the Lord´s errands that He needs done, that I and all those who I love will be blessed, because thats what Elder Cook told me in person almost 2 years ago. I have come to understand more about how the Spirit can influence us and Ive seen how He can use me when I choose to obey. I saw it yesterday as I witnessed the confirmation of 4 children of God that my companion and I baptized. The Lord sent me on this mission to help do His work, but more importantly He sent me here so that Parker could become converted to His gospel and be happy. When Alma was reunited with the sons of Mosiah, they were exceedingly glad, I cant imagine but soon will experience the same joy, maybe even more becuase Ammon doesnt explain how he felt when he saw his family again. To finish this email I just want to share my favorite scripture from the Book of Mormon when they were reunited 

Alma 27:18 "Now was not this exceeding joy? Behold, this is joy which none receiveth save it be the truly penitent and humble seeker of happiness."

See everybody on Friday.

Love

Elder Nelson

Almost here!

Elder Nelson is coming home THIS FRIDAY! Everyone is more than welcome to come to the airport to see him home..

He arrives at John Wayne Airport at 9:50pm

Week of July 23rd, 2017

I knew it was moms birthday on the 31st I'm getting better about the birth dates. Getting a little lazy this year, "just gonna buy a cake" lol pretty soon you ll stop running and just will eat on the couch watching hockey with your dogs. Dang I would love to go out there on the lake, one of my buddies that went home recently sent us a video of him wake boarding to make us all jealous.  How is Thor doing? Is he still fat? I was thinking about that too about 3 transfers more and ill have another skype. After this next one we've got General Conference again! Crazy that Bennets home, who is next to get back? Max? then Jackson then Zane and Jake then Parker. I would love another package, Elder Prince got one recently and it made me a little jealous haha. You don't have to worry about my fluency lol I already give training to all the missionaries in Spanish, I have received the gift of tongues abundantly. 

To mom:

I knew it was your birthday to my credit! Happy birthday mama, how blessed I am to have a mother even more awesome than I am, I gave a talk to the mission about humility this week did it work? Lol I gave president a hard time that he gave me that topic and made him laugh a bunch. I think he likes having me around because I think I naturally neutralize stress that people might have, like the Labrador with the cheetah at the zoo* lol, I'm a Labrador that's why I love those dogs so much, but yes the truth is Ill probably be in here for a while til January February or march I'm guessing if not more. There some rumours that ill get made assistant and if that happens ill be here for a while if not I might leave in December or something. Try not to go to crazy with the DoorDash or ubereats stuff lol cause that ruins all the treadmill work lol. Things are good here in the offices its really like Ive got 5 companions cause we always do stuff together. This week I'm going with President and the assistants to Beni and Ill get to visit my converts familia moreno over there and I'm really excited to see them. Love you mama happy birthday again!​

*At the San Diego zoo theres an 'ambassador' program that raises labradors and cheetahs or wolves together from basically pup-hood. The dog is there to help mellow out the cheetah or wolf that its paired with

Week of June 4th, 2017

       Hey dad, it is winter here and some days its freezing cold. I finally have been wearing the winter clothing that I've had. I haven't decided if I like the hot or the cold better, I don't like being hot but I don't like wearing 5 layers to stay warm either. We have air conditioning in our house but it makes cold air. Its hard to get out and teach people and I'm a little stressed over the people we want to baptize this month and its going to be difficult, but we need the faith to get these people in the water. This week we had a meeting with all the zone leaders in the mission and the secretaries. President asked me to give a training/class on putting baptismal dates with people and making sure that they don't fall through. Also we will have multi zone conferences this week and president has asked me to do the same thing but for following up on references and using the reference system we have on the Internet. Its a different missionary life but as long as I can baptize in my own area and help the mission be better ill be happy. I do hear from Zane on email, and the other day I got a hand written letter from him. It is super crazy that he already has a year, and Jake next month has a year too. Happy 33rd anniversary to you and mom, great example of a marriage to all of us rascals and I hope it will be the same for me. Have a good week Dad

Week of May 28th, 2017

**Sorry I have been slacking on the updates. Parker has a new PDay and will read and respond to emails on Saturday**

*This is the email we received two weeks ago

So I'm writing this on Saturday cause I'm in the mission offices and our pday is on Saturday. I have been transferred to be the new Health Secretary of the mission, I'm really just the secretary for Hna Cabezas. My new companion is Elder Vallejo from Ecuador this is his last transfer til he goes home, but he wants to go out with a bang and we're hoping to baptize a bunch of people this last transfer. He is a really good missionary, a little quiet but very focused so this should be a good transfer. Its a very different mission life here in the offices. We don't have lunch or dinner pensions and we get a ton of money and our church office is right next to papa johns burger king, fried chicken places, basically all we could ever want!So that's pretty nice, but I don't want to get fat so ill try to watch what I eat. Today has been pretty good, we played soccer in the morning, and today is mothers day here so we went to Hna Cabezas house and made breakfast which was awesome. In my day I don't do much to do with health, my most important job is the Baptism Records and that Salt Lake is registering all the baptisms we have every month. I feel kinda weird in here sometimes but the other missionaries are cool so its been fun so far. I'll probably be in here for a while, like 5 transfers or so, and so when I leave I'll have just 4 transfers or 6 months left. That's far away so well worry about that later. I'm doing good here, we should have 2 baptisms this Saturday so I'm excited for that. Tell all the family about the Saturday thing. I've got a bunch of pictures​

*This is this weeks email 

Bummer about the ducks but I would be kind of mad if they won the Stanley cup and I couldn't be there. Life here in the office is different, but I like it. We try to go to our area as soon as possible like around 3 in the afternoon, but sometimes they've got stuff going on here and we don't get to leave til 7 or 8. When there are transfers I do go to the airport and stuff but that's just every 6 weeks and they have cinnabon so that's a perk haha. Another perk is that we have no lunch or dinner pension so they just give me a ton of money and I eat whatever I want and we are right next to a plaza and a mall with a ton of American, Mexican, and Argentinian food. Its awesome but I don't want to get fat . One cool thing Ive seen this week is that the Lord knows that were stuck in here sometimes and so we don't have all day to find investigators and we had an activity last night and we had a super good family come to us and they live in our area so I'm really excited to go teach them. The Lord always provides if we are faithful and do our best. I haven't been reading my scriptures in order recently. My studies are usually focused on a subject and I use PMG and the scriptures, that's the way PMG says to study, but if I have extra time I try to read. I like reading the new testament a lot especially the book of Juan. Its been a good week it goes by fast cause I'm always busy. I'm glad to hear that the GGs took care of Cole on his birthday people have united since I have been gone. Cole sent me an email he seemed really happy. The mission gives such an interesting opportunity to miss somebody for a long time and the joy of seeing them again, there is not many things that are like that. Maybe it will be similar in the spirit world when we die and get to see everyone we haven't seen in so long but were all united again, interesting. I'm in the offices which is cool, 3 of the 6 of us are going home this transfer so there are talking about going home, it just seems unrealistic to think about that for me I feel like ill be a missionary my whole life haha. one day....haha. Crazy about Cole's animation teacher really sad, poor guy has had his whole life destroyed. I was in Los Angeles 1 now I'm in Los Angeles 2 so I just moved really close. I still get to see Elder Prince a lot and his new comp is a good buddy of mine from Colombia. My new companion is Elder Vallejo from Ecuador. his dad is the mission president in La Paz. He is a really good missionary and he is going home so were hoping to send him off with baptisms. Things are all good here and we might go bowling today so I'm pretty stoked for that. Here is a picture of me completing my job as health secretary bringing breakfast to the companion of the elder in the hospital 

Week of April 30th, 2017

I dont have a spanish accented voice but sometimes I make some pretty dumb grammar mistakes that are me translating spanish to english. Crazy that Talyon is going home, and Emily Baker already too. Zane almost has a year which is crazy. Things are going really well in our area right now. We have 9 people with a baptismal date and 8 of them are pretty sure baptisms, so Im hoping that may will be my most successful month of my mission so far. Were working hard here but I feel like ive got more to give so thats my goal this week. A 70 is visiting our mission this week so well have a big training conference with him. Elder Prince is doing good hes just in the I hate Spanish phase that we all go through, but he never complains which is good. We get a ton of help from the ward and the work is moving forward here and Im just glad to be a part of it. Im happy right now and Im looking forward to seeing you guys in 13 days which doesnt seem real until its happening. Are you guys having family home evening every week? Scripture and prayer? You gotta make sure the family is doing that. Have a good week dad dont get too bored and go Ducks!

Elder Nelson is behind the Mission President and member of the 70

Week of April 23, 2017

Happy Birthday Dad! You looking great for your age what are you talking about. I weighed myself this morning and I'm at a solid 180. Go ducks, I didn't know the Oilers were doing well, they sucked last year. This week has been really good for the missionary work. Some good days some long days, but we went to having basically no investigators to having 9 with baptismal date, 6 that went to stake conference, and 10 new investigators, so I'm really happy with where its going we have been really blessed. Its fine with Elder Prince he usually has no idea whats going on but I'm helping. Just a lot of comp study and with the 12 weeks program they have us use to train which is really good. He never really complains and just goes with the flow so that's nice. He just needs to practice more. I know exactly how he feels though its rough to start out. Our area is doing really well right now we have a lot of potential and the misery is always bearable when we have baptisms and success out here. Winter is approaching and its nice to be in some cool weather for the first time in a long time. I'm liking how I'm not sweating all the freaking day. I'm exciting for how this area is going to progress but i wont get too attached cause I always leave in 2 transfers lol. Sorry I'm a bit boring but I don't tell you guys about the dogs that try to bite me the drunks that follow us or the people that try to shoot at me hahaha jk about the last one, but the others are true. We played indoor soccer for the last pday and again today. I love all my soccer jerseys I have an addiction to buying them hahaha Have a great week, Dad happy birthday again. Talk to you soon