April 27, 2015 - MIRACLES HAPPEN

Hey y'all!

So this week was pretty good. We didn't have a car so we walked and walked and walked. There was one day we walked 8 miles and only taught 1 lesson. BUT, the Lord sees our efforts, and MIRACLES HAPPEN. On Sunday a deaf investigator and two deaf members who haven't been to church for a month, all showed up!I loved seeing deaf people sitting there. 

The deaf investigator: his name is Mario, some other sisters started teaching him but got transferred, so now we are teaching him. He lives about an hour from the church, but decided to try coming to Southaven where all the deaf are. He is from Mexico, so his signing is a mix of ASL and MSL (Mexican Sign Language), so we are still trying to figure out the best way to teach him. In Sunday School, Sister Garcia watched me interpret, then wrote it down in Spanish for him. Very complicated, but we will find a way! 

Can I just tell you how much I love the Book of Mormon?! Seriously, this week I have been reading in Alma about the sons of Mosiah. Everything is so applicable to my mission right now - people are stuck in their traditions, they have anti people coming to destroy the work, and they experience one trial after another. However, they have faith and many mighty miracles happen. I know the Book of Mormon is true and Christ is my Savior, and through Him I can do all things. With the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Love y'all!

Sister Nielsen 

Memphis
 

Mississippi River

P-Day adventure with Bronzie!

Deaf people in church! (the one sitting by me isn't deaf, but the rest are, and then the one sitting behind me is deaf too)
 

What's an eight mile walk without some ice cream?



Sister Parr took us to lunch in her volvo- his name is Edward.

Bronzie took us to Cheddar's for lunch and a lesson with Mario. We are very spoiled missionaries.

P-Day fun!

April 20, 2015 - President Wakolo

Hello!

This week was pretty good. Sonya and her sons are doing well. We have another lesson with them tomorrow. We also taught a deaf man yesterday, Earlie. We talked about the Restoration, then felt impressed to talk about baptism. He really enjoyed that. No one had ever explained to him why it is important to get baptized. I am happy we were able to answer his question. I think he is ready to start progressing.

This week President Wakolo came to study with us. It was super great. The spirit was very strong. In our role plays, he brought up a question that our investigator had the night before, and helped us find the answer. It really built my testimony to see the spirit working in our studies. Our leaders are definitely called from God!

Armando's brother Alejandro is here visiting, so yesterday he came to church and joined us for dinner. He really felt peaceful at church, so Sister Garcia used the scriptures to explain the spirit, and then told him her conversion story in Spanish. It was a very complicated lesson, Armando and Sister Garcia interpreting between ASL and Spanish for me and Bronzie, but the spirit was so strong there. Alejandro was really pondering everything and says he is going to start reading his Spanish Book of Mormon. Very good!

Well, that's all. I love you all and hope you have a fabulous week!

Sister Nielsen

Enjoying the park on p-day.

Studies with President. He kept saying, "Thanks for feeding the big hungry Fijian man."

More at the park. The ducks liked the bread, but refused tortillas.

Cute Camilla wearing glasses and her mom's heels :)

Dinner with Bryan, Jelena, Alejandro, Bronzie and Armando.

We saved this turtle that was trying to cross the road. Sister Garcia saw him and said, "What are you thinking? You will get yourself killed!" 

April 13, 2015 - Life is great

Hello!

Life is great, and God is good. Miracles are happening all over the place! 

    This week on Thursday we went to see our deaf investigator Sonya. She was struggling, so we explained about priesthood blessings and then Brother Foote and Armando came to give her a blessing. Her four sons watched and they recognized how much better their mom felt after. The spirit there was very strong. 

     Saturday we went to teach Sonya again, and finally two of her sons, Torenzo and Nautica, joined in. Sonya helped us teach the plan of salvation. She did a great job and the kids loved it. My favorite was when Sonya explained how to get to the Celestial Kingdom. Nautica said, "Yeah, it's like life, you have to make good choices so you don't go to jail. Jail food is gross, I don't want to go there." Everyone understands the gospel in their own way, it is so cute. We read a little from the Book of Mormon, and the boys just kept reading. They both accepted a baptismal date! 

     Sunday Nautica and Torenzo came to church. They loved it and all of the young men and young women became instant friends with them. We also had five less active members show up at church too. It was a great meeting and I was just so happy to be there! It is great to witness the Lord's work. 

I hope you all are doing well. I love you!

Sister Nielsen 

Cute Kayly Peyson leaves for her mission this week!

Cute Callister family!

Got the brand new Hermana Hudson this week! She was in the MTC with Hermana Katie McCloud :)

Went to the park for lunch and pretended to buy our food from Hermana Ponce. She was a very convincing sales woman.

We went to a restaurant called Memphis BBQ with Brother Donaldson. It was super yummy. And what would a week be without fried green tomatoes?

This week was my 9 month mark! And yes, that is silly string :)

Our BFF Cocoa

April 6, 2015 - Easter and General Conference

Hey y'all!

     I hope you enjoyed Easter and General Conference this week, I know I sure did! I loved watching General Conference. One of my favorite parts was watching it at Bronzie's house. We had it playing in English, Spanish, and ASL. It is so cool that people have the chance to hear the gospel in the "language of their heart." Also, I loved how Elder Holand talked about how Easter is celebrating the victory over not only death, but all the sorrows, pains, and sins we have ever experienced. Wow, that is a pretty special day! I am so grateful I had the chance to remember that this weekend.

     This week something we are working on is helping ward members with ASL. We have a few we are working with who will start interpreting prayers in church soon, and then continue to practice until they can do more in church meetings. We have some that don't know ASL at all, but are super excited to learn so they can talk to the deaf members. It is great to see everyone willing to do the work so our ward can be unified.

      Something else cool this week: we finally set a baptism date with Sonya, our deaf investigator. She is very excited and willing to be baptized, and wants her children to be baptized as well. We are starting to build a relationship with her kids, and they love basketball so will hopefully be coming to the church for that this week. Her family is great! We are so excited for them. I can just picture her kids as missionaries. They will be great.

      I love you all, have a great week! 

Sister Nielsen

Saying goodbye to Hermana Mitchell :(

Eating at Gus's Fried Chicken.
 

Watching conference in three languages.

Bronzie's cute kids Brody, Bray-Bray, and Ty. Can you believe Ty is only 13?!?

After Conference with the Prices...

and the elders.

Enjoying Easter with Sister Price.

Girls' day at Sonic.

Giving Pollito his first hair cut.

March 31, 2015 - Graceland Pictures

Signing the wall at Graceland.

Elvis' and his parents' and his grandma's graves. It was super peaceful and the inscriptions were very touching.

The ipad makes me look pretty nerdy, but on it was a very classy tour led by John Stamos. Graceland knows how to do things right!



Two super cool rooms. Elvis heard that the president watched all 3 news channels at once, so Elvis got 3 TVs so he could do the same!

Hey Y'all. Well I finally made it to Graceland. It was great! I went with Hermana Ponce. It was very beautiful and the rooms decorated like the 70's were very kooky. I would say my favorite part was the meditation garden where he's buried. It was very peaceful. Have a great week.
Love You!
Sister Nielsen