October 12, 2015 - Sister Havran's Birthday

Hello! Hello!
This week has been pretty snazzy. Our neighbor got a blessing from the elders. She loved it, and wants to take the discussions. She told the elders how much she loves the temple. She said when she first moved here it was her landmark to get back home. I loved that, because if we keep our eye on the temple it will lead us to our heavenly home.
I am still so amazed at the miracle of Henry moving into the ward. It is wonderful to have a deaf member to support Mario. We taught him the Word of Wisdom and the Law of Chastity this week and he readily accepted both, and has already been living both. He proceeded to tell us how he doesn't go to parties where they drink, and he only watches soccer on tv because he doesn't like movies about guns or fighting or drugs. He is the sweetest spirit and very prepared to receive the gospel.
This week our member referral from last week read 1 Nephi and came to church with her mother. We were so excited, but after church she decided she didn't want to continue learning about the gospel and she feels more comfortable in her own church. We were very sad, but I am happy that she took the time to learn about her friend's beliefs. We do all we can, but agency really is part of Heavenly Father's plan and sometimes that is hard to accept. I hope she will learn more in the future when the time is right for her.
Yesterday was Sister Havran's birthday! I was lame and didn't even have a cake for her because we had no car, but today we bought a cake and we are going to zoo! So excited!
Have a great week everyone! Love y'all!
Sister Nielsen

All the penguins wear bracelets.

This girl so know she is photo bombing.

I am Marco Polo.

Sister Havran's Birthday.

Sister Havran loves selfies!

 



Adventures in biking.

October 5, 2015 - Dedicated to the Lord

Greetings from Tennessee!

This week in Bartlett:

 

       We have started teaching Mario during his break at work. It's great! Communication on both sides is improving so much, and we can almost understand everything he says! And he has shared his testimony with us a couple times, it is so sweet! And he and Henry both came to General Conference. You have to have a special receiver to get the ASL channel, and our building doesn't have it yet, so they watched on my iPad. It was sweet to see them sharing the iPad and becoming friends. I can't believe we've only been here a month and have 2 deaf people consistently attending. Our mission president was definitely inspired to put us here. The Lord knows what He is doing.

       There is an RM here who served in Salt Lake in the stake right next to ours, and yesterday he had us teach his friend Lauren. She is very open and ready to read the BOM and come to church. She thinks it is ridiculous how much people persecute and mock Mormons. She also thinks missions are the coolest thing ever! Her friend said, "Well, if you get baptized you can go on one!" That would be awesome. Lauren is way cool, I am excited to keep teaching her. 

      This week I have been pondering the word "dedicated."  It all started with this from Elder Kevin Pearson in his talk "Stay by the tree":

"Several years ago, Sister Pearson and I were called to preside over the Washington Tacoma Mission. The call was a complete surprise. With some trepidation I met with the chairman and the CEO of the company where I was employed and informed them of my mission call. They were visibly upset with my decision to leave the firm. “When did you make this decision, and why didn’t you discuss it with us earlier?” they demanded. In a moment of clarity, a profound answer came into my mind. I said, “I made this decision as a 19-year-old boy, when I made sacred covenants with God in the temple to follow the Savior. I’ve built my entire life on those covenants, and I fully intend to keep them now.' "

     

         So I've been thinking about that, then I read how Nephi prayed in 1 Nephi 2 to know if he should follow his dad, if he should obey the Lord. The answer he got was "yes."Then the next chapter he is just willing to do whatever the Lord wants. Why? Because he already was dedicated to the Lord. 

 

         Then in conference they kept saying how the apostles who passed away were dedicated to the Lord, and are even continuing the work on the other side. It really hit me that God's whole purpose is to bring about the salvation of His children. We must be dedicated to helping the Lord in that cause. It doesn't end with a mission. Whatever my role is, as a sister, daughter, friend, roommate, visiting teacher, mother, wife, etc, I must be dedicated to the Lord and be an instrument in His hands to help in the cause of salvation. And the work of salvation doesn't even end with this life! I want to be dedicated to the Lord for eternity, and to be able to say, "Sweet is the work." I know this is the Lord's work and if we give our will to Him, he will turn us into what He wants to become. I want to be dedicated to doing whatever He wants me to do!

Love you all, God speed!

Sister Nielsen

 

Eating some Southern food between sessions with Sisters Thomas, Bryce, Jones, and Mart.

Had some car issues. The car refused to go into park, so we had to put on the park brake. The keys refused to come out of course though. Fun times! We didn't let it interrupt our conference watching though!

 

September 28, 2015 - God is good all the time, and all the time God is good

Hey y'all!
So here in the South, we have saying, "God is good all the time, and all the time God is good." That has been our theme this week because God really is incredible and has done so much this week.
So Tuesday, pretty much nothing was happening and no one wanted to talk to us. We felt we should text our neighbor, the one who is interested in the church, and see how she's doing. She and her daughter were sick, but she had been wanting to make us a care package so did that. She is an extreme couponer, so she got us EVERYTHING. Pretty much everything I'd been wanting and needing. We are good on cleaning supplies, laundry stuff, and toiletries for the rest of forever. There will be no more TP emergencies. Then since she was sick, we made potato cheese soup for her family. Serving made the day a lot lot better, and we are so blessed to have a neighbor who takes care of us.
        Then Thursday we went to meet the Young Women's president. We had a good talk about the young women, and also found out she's been wanting to teach ASL to her baby that has Down Syndrome. It is really good for them to learn ASL so they use their fine motor skills, understand concepts, and have a way to communicate if their speech isn't so good. It is amazing how much need there is for ASL is this ward, even though we are only teaching one deaf person. There is a little girl who signs because her throat can't make all the sounds to talk, and she can't have surgery to fix it for a few more years. There are also a few people becoming deaf who want to learn, and a few special needs kids that like to sign or want to learn because of their speech. We sat by the temple for a minute before we went home and I just felt so grateful to be here and know that it was SUCH an inspired decision to put us ASL sisters here.
        Friday we went to a deaf event. I'd been praying all week that we'd find someone. Everyone really welcomed us this time. It is so important to have a good relationship with the deaf community since it is so close knit. We met a ton of new people, but the one we thought had the most potential was Henry. He just moved here from Houston and is looking for work, so we gave him Mario's number to see if Mario could help him get a job.
         The deaf people were SO nice, and they invited us to a deaf lunch on the Mississippi on Saturday. We went and it was great, they really appreciated us being able to interpret for the waiter. We met more people, and I talked to Henry about the Book of Mormon, and talked with a lady about the temple. It was a good little start.
          Then this is where the story gets crazy! So we were in church on Sunday waiting for Mario, and guess who walks in? HENRY! And guess what else? HE'S A MEMBER! Mind blown. I guess he was baptized several years ago in Houston, but then stopped coming because of his job, and Mario invited him so he came. It was the primary program, which was a little difficult to interpret. The ward got a kick out of us, especially because when you sign "Follow the Prophet" it pretty much looks like a hoe down. I love the primary program, I think it was really good for Henry to remember the simple truths of the gospel, and I hope we can help him be active. We are just so confused about everything, but God is awesome and miracles happen and the church is true!
So that's my story and I'm sticking to it, love you and have a good week!
Sister Nielsen

Going to the deaf event! The restaurant is in that building under the grass. Still think it is strange the made the pyramid into a bass pro shop!

More of Memphis.

Cooking dinner for our neighbor!

And some more for ourselves. We cook pretty fancy.

September 21, 2015 - Tender Mercies

Hey y'all!
This week I wanted to share some tender mercies. As we recognize tender mercies, we are "boasting of our God" (Alma 26:11) and recognizing His hand. I know tender mercies are all over!

Monday: The security guard at Kroger came over and asked us about premortal life. It reminded me of the simple truths of the gospel that so many people don't know about, and why we have to share. We got his number and hopefully can start teaching him.

Tuesday: The first member we called to give us a ride actually could. That never happens!

Wednesday: We were on exchanges, and Sister Bryce couldn't start the car. We decided to say a prayer, and during the prayer the phone starting ringing. I said, "Maybe it is someone who knows how to start the car." And it totally was! It was one of the APs to tell Sister Havran she gets to go the temple on Monday. He told us to turn the steering wheel while we turned the key, and it worked! We got a good kick out of that miracle.
Also Wednesday we were with a member giving Mario a church tour and reviewing the Restoration. He knows more than we thought, but still doesn't get everything. He told the First Vision beautifully in ASL. "Birds were chirping, Joseph is walking through the trees, it is a beautiful day, Joseph is pondering, he knees to pray, a light shines....and 2 BROTHERS appear to him." .!??!? No, Mario, not what happened. And when we explained it was the Father and the Son, he said it doesn't matter! What?! That is the whole point! So yeah, still got some work to do with him, but he is coming along.

Thursday: We biked and didn't die! But Sister Havran is opposed to biking again.

Friday: The YSA relief society went on splits with us, and people were home for us to teach! Sister Havran went to see a less active who went on an ASL mission, she is way cool.

Saturday: The weather was a lot cooler, and we saw a GABILLION frogs. We also had dinner with the sweetest family, all their kids are adopted and one of them, Johnny, is special needs and just precious. Meeting him was a serious blessing.

Sunday: Mario and the less active who went on an ASL mission came to church.

Monday: Today while Sister Havran was in the temple, me and some other sisters went back to the apartment. Crystal, a deaf member from Southaven, was looking for me. Sister Thomas was outside and knows ASL, so she called me and we went back. She had come to pray, and asked if she could walk around. We of course said yes, then a temple worker saw us and invited us in the waiting room. Sister Kennach and I got to sit with her while she prayed, then I interpreted for her to get a blessing from an elder. Super cool that we were there at the right time and were able to help her!
I know the Lord does miracles for us everyday, we just have to look for them. I am so grateful to see His hand in everything. I want to hear what tender mercies the Lord has done for you! Love you all!

Sincerely,
Sister Nielsen

A cicada we think.

So Sister Havran freaks every time we see a new, gigantic big she's never seen before. It is quite amusing, here are some of our adventures.
Garden spider - harmless but terrifying.

Preying mantis. I call him George, Sister Havran calls him apricot.

Centipede-thing as big as a foot.

Showing off my new outfit from Mom. And being a little silly!



Found this fun wall while walking!

District Meeting

On exchanges me and Sister Bryce were brave and tried chicken and waffles with maple gravy. It was good, but probably not going to order it again. But the jalapeño hushpuppies and onion rings? To die for! I don't even like onion rings but I ate like half of them.

Sister Havran got out of her cast and into a fancy brace, we can't decide if she is a transformer, batman, or Darth Vader.