Valdi-"lluvia" - Rainy Valdivia

Hey Familia,

Looks like we are sitting in the same temperatures there as we are getting here because it has been very cold, its also sad because we have a new wood stove to keep us warm but we can't use the wood until May 1st, so being two young men, we have been using the oven to heat our home in the morning or it would be so cold. But without that, it would be very cold in the mornings, it hasn't been too cold at night though, or maybe because I have 4 blankets, sleep with thermals, wool socks and my penguin sweatshirt. This week has also been very rainy, I understand why the people here call Valdivia Valdi"lluvia" (Lluvia means rain in spanish). This week was very wet with rain about 4-5 days, I got to wear my rain boots and all my rain gear this week, learning the importance of staying dry.

This week has been good but tiring, we´ve been having a difficulty finding people lately which is very tiring to be walking and trying to talk and find people. But yesterday we had a ward counsel and we spoke about a subject that has been given many times about how the role of the missionaries is to teach the gospel, the role of the members is to find the members and some statistics of how 1 in 1400 contacts by the missionaries is a baptism, 1 in 8 member references is a baptism. I am hoping that the people are starting to get a litle more motivated. Just know that you guys arent the only ones in a ward with a bunch of old people.

Last night, Elder Barriga and I had an interesting experience, we were planning and heard some children crying and the sound of someone hitting someone else in the wall behind our house, so we called the caribaneros (Police), so we are hoping that there isnt any problems there with the children, super sad.

So i have been voluntold again with my piano, only this time to play for the youth in ward conference this next week, it's fun but difficult at the same time because everyone wants to sing how they have always sung but they don't realize that how they have been singing is a little wrong, its good though.

Today we went to the river here in Calle Calle and Valdivia are the two rivers where there are a lot of sea lions which are funny, some times when I wasn't making a video they were fighting, some are so lazy.

Well, next weeks is some more changes if you can believe it, so i will have my new sector/new companion in the next weeks letter. I love you all and appreciate the support.  You can see in the pictures by the leaves on the trees - fall is coming.  Love, Elder Nelson

 

April Conference

A street in our sector.

Our Mamita & Papita's house.  We live behind it.

 

Hello Family!

What a great general conference--so uplifting.  It's like the Super Bowl of the mission. I had the opportunity to watch it in English again. I could watch it in Spanish but I love the voice of the prophet and apostles so I chose to watch it in English. It’s amazing to think that I was there in the conference center at last year's April conference just after I received my endowments.  That is a great memory for me.

I really loved the talk by Elder Craig C. Cardon about Forgiveness. Recently we talked to a less active member and he told us he knows he isn’t doing everything right but he hopes that God will forgive him. Elder Cardon talked about how God will forgive those who are living the gospel of Jesus Christ. I also really enjoyed President Monsons talk on obedience. That obedience is following the commandments even when we don’t know WHY. We had two investigators attend the sessions who aren’t ready to get married and I think that that talk was the answer to their problem. We are going to see today as we have a lesson with them tonight. We are just working hard to get these people married. That seems like it will be the common theme always here in Chile for the next year.

It was really cool to see Jaren with Elder Wilhelm and to think that just a few weeks ago I was in a meeting with him and my Mission president. It’s a cool thing to think about the size of this world and the place where we would meet is in the bottom of the world. Also, a big congratulations to the move! It's nice to finally not have to help haha, but I made up for it in entering firewood for 3 hours, so fun. I just want to reaffirm that Oscar can stay in my room until I get there, I have no problems with sharing with that hound. Just hoping that he is still alive next year.

Well, it is just now starting to get really cold.  I am back to wearing thermals not just at night but sometimes during the day as well. As long as its not too rainy were good.

Last night at 5:00am in the morning I heard my companion get up and go to the bathroom and he came back and was shaking and breathing loud.  He asked me for a blessing and I gave him one. I have a hard time speaking spanish when I am tired and almost gave a blessing in English but I did alright. Then he went to the bathroom and came back and was feeling better. He told me this morning that his stomach hurt worse than it had in his life, but during the blessing he felt his bowels loosen and then felt alot better. I sure am glad that I have the opportunity to have the Holy Priesthood. What a blessing in my life and I feel it truly is a blessing and a privledge.

Well I love everyone and I am so excited to be an uncle and to meet little Jentrina. I hope that everything goes well in the next weeks having the baby. We have been teaching a couple who have a little baby girl that has 1 month and I always think about Jeni's little girl.

Take care, I love you all

Elder Nelson

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter everyone!

I Hope that everyone had a great Easter.  It was nice to remember the true meaning of Easter during this time. We went to some of the members and shared a mormon message about Easter with them,  by Elder Holland called "Totalmente solo" or "Completely Alone". It was really good but other than the Catholics, nobody really celebrates Easter.  All of the Catholics walk in the street singing and carrying crosses and stuff, and when they pass us they try to aim their song at us.  I'm happy that semana santa is over and we can return to normal. We also had a lesson with an evangelist where the guy started yelling at us because we told him that Jesus Christ was in the Americas.  It was a good opportunity to bear my testimony about it.  While he was yelling we stayed calm and I told him that I have prayed and asked God if Jesus really came to the Americas and he answered me - yes. I asked him if he had prayed and he said no because he already knows that Jesus didn't come here.  It's frustrating with Evangelicos and their pastors,  but there isn't much that we can do with them. They believe in their pastor more than God.

Well, I am starting to think that I am bad luck for my companions because this past week Elder Barriga had a pain in his leg.  On Wednesday we went to the doctor in downtown Valdivia and learned that he has tendonitis.  He needed to be on bed rest for 3-5 days so I did some divisions with another missionary to be able to work.  We still had to stay in the house a little and it was nice to get a little extra sleep.

Well I hope everyone is enjoying the nice spring time, and taking care, and staying warm during the time while it is starting to get a little colder.

Take Care, Love  Elder Nelson