Set 2 baptismal dates!

Okay so last week was weird because we were in the mission offices and President Boucher said we could use the computers there to write home but we were writing and like 30 minutes in, we got kicked off so that a sister missionary could do an English test because it's her last transfer and needs to pass the test. So we got kicked off and the only email I got sent was to President Boucher. So I sent a nice long letter home with all the info from the week and if you have time maybe you can type it up and put it all into the blog for me.  

(That letter has not arrived)

Monday (Dec.7) We went to Bayamon for a doctor's appointment for Elder Suero. We went and spent like 4 hours in the office with a bunch of children hahaha. Then we went to the mission offices and talked with President Boucher just to catch up and stuff. He gave us packages for us and all that stuff, anything that had been sent to the offices for us. Then we went to lunch at Church's Chicken and stuffed ourselves and yeah. We came home and slept because we left the house on Pday at 6am I mean who does that but we did and I was pooped. Also the traffic was so bad to Bayamon because I don't think Puerto Ricans really know how to drive in the rain. They need to live in Oregon for a while. Monday night we met with some investigators and set 2 baptismal dates! A dad and a daughter for January 2nd. It's hard to meet with the rest of the family because they're so busy but we have confidence that this week we can commit the rest of the family to baptism.

Tuesday we had a zone meeting and talked about our mentalities in the mission and stuff and I actually learned a lot from this meeting. Then we came home and we had a few appointments but they all fell through so we did a lot of contacting, as usual. It was interesting because we ended up teaching the parents of one of the investigators we have.

Wednesday we contacted el dia enteroooooo which means we contacted all dayyyyyy and we really got nothing. We went to one part of Vega Baja that was super sketchy and apparently is like 1 of 4 drug points in Vega Baja and it was weird and we didn't really feel safe so we left. We found nobody to teach this day, I think a lot of that was because we were kind of in bad moods leaving this area because we thought we could find a lot of people but it ended up being a bust. So that was rough and I think it effected the rest of our day.

Thursday was really weird too because we had weekly planning and we ended up planning for like 4 hours for the investigators we have and how we can improve our work here. We made some really good plans and now just need to put them into action. But because we planned for so long, we only worked like 2 hours before the Book of Mormon class that we put on every Thursday. So we had the class and during the class the Sisters needed their tire changed so I changed it and from what I heard, the people in the class were more interested in what I was doing than in the class itself hahahaha

Friday we also contacted the whole day and came out with big fat zeros again. ZEROOOOOO. We found nobody to teach. It was a rough day and as you can probably tell we kinda had a rough week. But yeah Friday was rough on our attitudes.

Saturday we did like 7 hours of service and ate really well with a less active lady in the ward. She cooks really well but this time we had to earn her food by cutting her grass and stuff. And the grass was like 3 feet tall and a mess and took wayyyyyy longer than we expected. But we got the food so that's what matters! The rest of the day was pretty good. We visited with a lot of people to invite them to church.

Sunday we expected to have 2 investigators in church but she ran into a small problem that I don't think is really appropriate to put in my blog. But I'll hint at it anyways because she found it necessary to tell us about it hahahhaa. She woke up and it was her feminine time of month and couldn't come to church. She explained the whole thing to us through text hahahaha it was really weird. Suero texted back and said "you can come for just an hour! There's bathrooms here!" And she didn't respond hhahahahaa I died when I read the text, man I died. After church we went out with Hermano Laureano and visited a bunch of less actives all afternoon. Then we came home and found out about Transfers and nobody is going anywhere this transfer. So that's cool.

But yeah it was a really long and hard week. And we didn't have a lot of success. But we know that we're working hard and that the success will come with time. Just have to keep telling myself why I'm here and that things will work out better as we continue to work hard.

I know that this is the gospel of Jesus Christ. I know it because I have prayed and studied it. I heard the other day that the measure of our conversion in the gospel is in our desire to share the gospel. And I've seen my desire grow so much in the last 6 months, so hopefully that means that my conversion is progressing. Keep that in mind because it's a good idea!

Love you all and have a good time sharing this Christmas Season with your families!

Love,

Elder Nelson

Me and Elder Suero

Our district this last transfer.  Hermana Kirkland is going home tomorrow.


LETTER WRITTEN 12/8/15 (received Dec. 15)
Monday (Nov.30) was P-day and I have no idea what we did.  I can't remember which either means we worked hard this week or it was really boring, but I think it was fun and we worked hard.  In the words of Elder Suero, "we do muchas vinas!"  I do know we found 2 new investigators with potential.
Tuesday (Dec.1) was really good with 2 lessons with member present.  We had a good district meeting with the Zone Leaders and then had a lesson with our most progressing investigator.  We took Hermana Rivera and her daughter Angelica with us and they helped the lesson so much.  What was weird was when we went to set a baptismal date for her and her son, something happened that interrupted the spirit -- we still don't know what happened, it was really weird - but we we couldn't get them to commit to a date.  But overall it was a good day.
Wednesday was rough.  We had no lessons lined up, well one but it fell through.  So we contacted el dia entero.  The entire day contacting and could only find people that have no interest.  So it was a really long day, but was better when Hermano Laureano bought us pizza for the correlation meeting.
Thursday was also really weird.  We planned for next week and then went out and contacted.  Then we went to the weekly Book of Mormon class and that was basically the end of our day because after the class we went to Levitown and picked up Elder Burton to do and exchange with Elder Amaro.
Friday we again contacted el dia entero.  Literally all of our appointments fell through and we ended up contacting because whitewashing is hard.  But, we did get in 4 lessons with 4 new investigators so that was good.  But still was a very long day.  Finished the day taking Elder Burton back to Levitown and eating Panda Express.
Saturday we got up an did 5 hours of service at a less active's house.  It was weird because there were chicken eggs all over on the ground and apparently they explode if you touch them.  I think it was Amaro that touched one and it exploded and smelled so bad.  Then we came home and showered and went out to work.  But again, every single appointment we had fell through.  We ended up contacting the rest of the day and didn't really find anybody.  So it was a little discouraging but we know we're working hard.
Sunday we had church and planned to have 2 investigators at church but apparently they slept through their alarm or something.  After church Vigo and Sean Michael sent our with us to visit a family we contacted.  At first we weren't sure if they'd have potential, but the lesson went well and we'll continue to work with them.  Then we went with Hermano Laureano to the hospital to visit some less actives.  Hospitals suck because they're always freezing inside.  But it was a good day all together.

As we finished this week we weren't able to set any baptismal dates like we wanted to, but we see a lot of potential in what we have and hopefully can meet our goals this week.  As we met with Michelle and Hermano Rivera on Tuesday, it's truly amazing how much a member and their testimony can help a lesson.  The testimony, no matter how strong can help any lesson and help others come unto Christ.  No matter what happens I know that to be true and I know this is the gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!  He is directing work here as He is in every mission.  I'm so thankful for the opportunity I have to serve.

Love you all!
Elder Nelson