September 2, 2014

This week was really good. We were all working so hard to hit our goals this week. I’m very proud of how hard the missionaries in our zone worked. We have a great zone with really outstanding missionaries. Each month we set baptism goals and we then set plans to hit the goal. The plans we set are according to the vision of the mission, which right now is, baptize more, retain more and reactivate more. I heard that in the area South America south, there has been a reactivation of over 1000 members. That is growth and a great achievement, but like Gordon B Hinckley says..That’s tremendous..... But that’s not enough. But even after all the work and planning and stress, we must remember to "Be still and know that (He) is God" and rely on His all powerful hand in His work. I love this work, and I can see the potential we have as Zion’s youth in latter days. We are the Hope of Israel. Presidente Alliaud said something very profound in the last zone conference we had he said that the world has gone so far south, and twisted that We are the last reserves in the worlds of morality, and it’s our job to make it spread. as it states in D&C 88:73 the Lord will hasten His work in His time, and in 74 and 75 it speaks of the purity me must obtain to take part in such a work. Let it spread.

Elder Nelson

Me and my comp in the mission home about to eat assado!
 The best way to cook meat in the world!

Cordoba Temple

Cordoba Temple

Cordoba Temple

August 25, 2014

This week was really full of great things but hardships as well. 1st of all yesterday we had a baptism! Mauricio Campos and his son Joakin Campos. They were baptized yesterday it was great. Mauricio quit smoking in a miracle 1 week, and he prepared himself well to be baptized. Then I worked a lot in areas of other missionaries. I went to the area of a few of the sisters this week to do some interviews. There will be baptisms in the zone this week, from the Hermanas, they are really excited. Then I worked with Elder Fuentes Saturday in the 2nd branch in San Fran, we helped one of their investigators know more about repentance. His goal is to quit smoking, so we taught him how to repent and now he is excited to keep asking for forgiveness and quit smoking so he can be baptized. We then had a zone conference Friday. Elder Morales and I along with two zone leaders from zone Bellville gave training about how to ask referrals. The vision of the mission is baptized more, retain more and reactivate more, the focus is its all one work, and what unifies it all is the referrals. Always looking for ways to baptize in every situation for retaining or reactivating. So we spoke of how to receive referrals. San Francisco is in a district called Bellville, I was in this district when I was in villa Maria. San fran is a lot like villa Maria but lots smaller. But the branches are great. in the city there are 8 elders in total, 2 elders and 2 sisters in 2nd branch and 4 elders in 1st branch (us) this last week it has been horribly hot, but yesterday and today there’s lots of wind and it’s been cold. I love it here and I’m excited to get to know the area more.

Elder Nelson

Our zone with 4 assistance, 2 in front and 2 in the back

  Me and Elder Michalek

 Baptism, Mauricio, Christian bustos (son of branch pres),
joakin, and hermano tonkavich (ward mission leader)

Us at the baptism

 The tower where we live

  Us in the elevator this morning, pretty tricky right!

August 18, 2014

This week was really crazy, but fun. So we are in a zone of 6 elders and 6 sisters. There are 2 districts, one of 2 elders and 2 sisters and another with 2 elders and 4 sisters, and then the zone leaders that help in each district. To help out the areas of the sisters we went to a few of their areas and worked with them, so my comp and I would just go with them to their appointments, that helped us get to know more their investigators which helps us verify with them. So two days this week we were in city’s called las varillas and arroyito. Then we began to really work in our area. There are lots of investigators, we had about 7 come to church yesterday, and two that will be baptized Sunday. It was great. I was about to do the interview for one guy named Mauricio who will be baptized this week, he is a very good guy. He said that he had been looking for a good church for his kids for a long time but couldn’t find one until now so he loves it and wants to be baptized. There is also this family that we found. the father is a son of the elders quorum pres in San fran 2nd branch, but his wife is not a member, she wants to be baptized to be able to go to the temple and be sealed, only thing is that they are not married, so we are going tomorrow with them to the civil records office to set a date so they can get married, they are really excited. They also have a little 2 year old. They are the Lucero family. Lots of great things happening. As a zone leader there is a little more pressure and more responsibilities, but it’s a blast, my comp is great, he’s hilarious and really smart. I love the work here, and I hope we start seeing real growth.

Elder Nelson

From my apartment on the 9th floor

a bit of my apartment

me and elder Weller, who is fresh new from the US of A

me and Elder Rassmusen and Elder Blotter

Elder Morales (my comp) by the elevator that goes up to our apartment

A few of us in the zone, Elder Blotter, Elder Rassmusen,
Hermana Tuttle and Hermana Cornejo,

me and my comp en Germany jerseys! Unity! :) 

August 11, 2014

I got transferred to the city of San Francisco in Cordoba. My new companion is elder Morales from Mexico. It’s awesome! I love the city. It was a part of my zone when I was in villa Maria, but now it's its own zone. And over it all, I was called as a zone leader. So I’m super stoked. The apartment is really nice, 6 elders live there, one of them is elder Rasmussen, who I knew in my last zone, he’s way cool!

My new area is in the Cordoba Province but right on the line between Cordoba and Santa Fe. I will actually be working in Santa Fe more, but it’s a nice little city. My apartment is on the 9th floor and I can see everything from my room its great! I love my new area. I’ll miss lots of members in Jose Ignacio Diaz, but I’m excited for a change. I love this work.

Elder Nelson

August 4, 2014

So we had baptisms this week! Three were baptized in our ward! Miguel and Lorena who we were teaching and Yolanda who the other elders were teaching. It was amazing and a very spiritual experience. The baptisms were Miguel and Lorena and Yolanda. The three of them two weeks ago showed up to church by themselves. Miguel and Lorena came by invite from a member and Yolanda because she was looking for a church, so we began to teach them and now they are baptized members of the Church. It was a miracle. They were the Lords baptisms. This week, we saw lots of opposition getting them prepared, it was a stressful week, but all turned out alright. We had a meeting with the missionaries in the zone and we talked a lot about referrals to the missionaries and how that is the way to salvation for the people. Now more than ever the investigators need to come by way of members, especially here in Cordoba, where it’s dangerous and people don’t trust others very much. It’s the ideal way to share the gospel. I know that that is how real growth is found. For example, Miguel and Lorena! I love this work and I know it’s the work of the all mighty God and it must be done is his way, by referrals.

Elder Nelson 

   The baptism... with bishop Carranza,
Yolanda, Lorena, Miguel and me

The 4 of us! 

 The Leaders in the south zone (zona sur) 

July 28, 2014

This week was great! We saw lots of miracles, one of them being that I got like 3 packages from you Mom and Grady and from Aunt Ginny! She sent me this little red monkey, and so I’ve got him hanging on my bed, ha it’s cool. I love it all. I got the football! I love it, and all the cool videos and stuff. I love the book Jolee made of Maverick. I’ve been looking at it lots. It was all great, I’ll send a picture. Elder Larson got stuff from his mom also so we took a pic of it all.

This week has been fun, We started the week off with lots of work. We had interviews with president Alliaud. He is way cool! Then we went on a few exchanges. I got to work with an elder from Chile named Elder Ardissoni. He’s a way cool Elder and taught me a lot. Then I worked with elder Larson as well. He’s a good friend to me. Last week, this family showed up to church, named Miguel and Lorena, they were invited by a member, and so they showed up, now we have been teaching them and they are progressing to baptism. A simple invite from a member made a big difference. They are such good people and so I’m sure you will be hearing more about them. I love this work. There are always miracles.

With Elder Larson

With all our stuff we got from home :)

July 21, 2014

This week has been really great, lots of trials but great. The weather is weird. In the morning and night it gets wintery cold, but as the sun comes up during the day, I feel like we are in July..ha well I guess we are. But the sun here is so strong that even in the winter it gets hot. So it bounces from really hot to really cold really fast. I think that because of that, I got sick. I’ve been sick lots of this week. I worked anyway, but Saturday I had to rest a bit, but still went to work. It was hard for me, having the desire to work really hard and my body not being able to follow. But overall it was a great week as far as work. We found lots of great people. We have appointments set with lots of new investigators so we will see how it goes. I feel so blessed to have the atonement in my life. It’s really the best feeling knowing that there is always a positive future. I love the Lord and I love this Gospel. This work is what I will invest myself in for the rest of my years.

Elder Nelson

With Elder Larson

The crew, Elder Larson, Elder Montes, Brother Castro and me,
oh and open cupboards shhh ha!