His way

Well this week was cool. Nothing really special happened other than spending a day in like the drug point central of Caguas. That was exciting but the guys that were selling were awfully nice to us, hahahaha. But really I learned a ton from this week.

So the first part of the week was really slow. We went to some areas that didn't give any fruit. We worked and worked and contacted and contacted but these areas that we visited didn't want to help us out with the missionary work. And Wednesday really rained on my parade. The family that I talked about last week that came to church even just after one invitation and everything dropped us. We went to their house after they wouldn't answer our phone calls and we found the house and the two little boys were super cool with us and everything but then we told them to go and get their dad, and then nobody came out. Then he sends us a text, "I don't want to offend anyone or your religion, but I'm just not ready. I'll call you when I feel ready" and I was like devastated hahaha. I just had no idea what was going on or why he didn't feel ready even though the family loved the church. But, we know that the Lord is preparing all people at their own speeds, some faster than others and sometimes there will be stumbling blocks.

But on the bright side we found a guy named Robert this week who's super cool! He came church the first time we invited him, the only problem is that he doesn't have a car. It's like all the people I talk to that have interest in the church don't have cars!! But anyway, he loved church. He told me that he could feel it and it was all really cool. We feel like he could be baptized really soon so we're going to see if we can get him a date for the 6th of August. Hopefully he truly is one of those prepared to make this covenant!

Ummmm other news this week, I had a really cool exchange with Elder Fox on Friday, I learned a ton as we went through the day working to get better as missionaries. I realized that I have a lot to learn and improve in order to truly be the best tool in His hands.

It's really crazy how fast the mission feels like it's going. It gets faster and faster every day. I just want to make the most of every minute but it's so hard! But I guess that's the struggle as a missionary. This week we're really focusing on setting baptismal dates. We found some cool people and we're just going to lovingly throw baptism at them and see how they respond, because if they're ready, they're ready!

I've just really learned this week that this is His work and we need to do it His way. There's no other way to truly have success in the mission. But that's the never ending task, is learning to do things His way!

Love you all!

Zack

P.S. I'm slacking on pics but I'll get on it

diligence-dedication-patience brings blessings

Wow this week was crazy!! Such cool experiences this week, I hope I can get them all into this one email!

First off the week started really slow. Up until like Friday we hadn't really had the success that we thought that we could have achieved. It was just rough. More contacting without finding new investigators, tons of appointments falling through. I was just getting really annoyed, wondering what we were doing or NOT doing that was causing the lack of success in these last few weeks. But we worked and we pushed though it like Preach My Gospel says, don't get down on yourself. I always just remembered the talk by Elder Holland when he told us that we get credit for trying.

But on Friday I think it was, I realized that I wasn't doing enough. I studied the consecration and diligence and really realized that my approach to missionary work hasn't been as good as it could be. I've been taking the easy way out a lot lately. So for me, I committed to be better and be more dedicated to the work. Then I fasted for the blessings, to be strong and be able to push through the hard times, but also to find someone that would seriously interested in the gospel.

Then one of the coolest things happened. I might have my story out of order but that doesn't matter much. The point is: On Friday (or Saturday, I can't remember which day) we had a ward service activity. We put together 300 backpacks with school supplies inside on Wednesday and the city selected 300 kids to give the backpacks to. Then on Friday, all these kids and their families came to the church to pick up and receive their backpacks. It was interesting because they said that we couldn't do any proselyting or real missionary work. But I think we kinda stretched that. We did a big opening meeting, where there were talks given and testimonies born. They showed Mormon Messages and videos like that. Then they came through from the chapel into the "gym" area (what it would be in the US), and there were a bunch of big Mormon ADs. If you know what those area, like big posters showing a message and talking about a principle of the gospel. And as they stood in line we talked to the people briefly about the posters and I was able to contact a dad and his 6 year old son. He was super nice and I asked him if he would be willing to accept the missionaries in his house again one day. He said yes and said that we could come Sunday. But I was like, "Wait, you can either come to church on Sunday, or we could come to your house." So he told me to call him Saturday night and that's what we did. Called, and he said that he would be coming to church.

Miracle!! HE CAME. AND HE BROUGHT HIS WHOLE FAMILY. His wife, his teenage daughter, and his 2 little sons. They loved church. The daughter is going on a Young Women's encampment this week. The kids loved the nursery. The parents participated in the classes. It was amazing. And the members must have just felt something because they all helped to fellowship them. Literally amazing.

2nd MIRACLE!! On Saturday we were contacting and found a guy in the street. We gave him a card and introduced ourselves but nothing really came of it. Then he left, but he called us back. He said that he had found a Book of Mormon in the plaza (there's a big wall of cubbies where you can leave old books and people can take them for free). He said he had been reading it. And he loves it. He invited us over and so we went to his house on Sunday and we set a baptismal date with him right there!! Like that kind of thing doesn't happen every day!! WHAT KINDA LUCK!?!

Super cool and I really do believe that a lot of the success came from focusing a little more on the work.

Soooooo after such a hard 2 weeks without any real success, the work paid off and the patience is what really matters in the Lord's work because it's His work. I KNOW that this church is true. This is HIS work. He lives. This is HIS church and it has been restored to bless US. I LOVE this gospel and the time I have to serve Him.

I love you all! Open your mouths and share the gospel!!

Love,

Elder Nelson

Only pic I got this week was when Elder Hanna left Caguas

Faith tested.

This week seriously tested my faith! It was such a rough week. All our investigators have fallen through, we have no baptismal dates, and we had no idea what to do. It was so rough.

Monday we had a really fun district activity, since it was the 4th of July we had a big BBQ thing and the sisters planned some cool games for us!

But the week itself was really hard. It started good with a few lessons with members... but as we went through the week our investigators just started to fall through. They dropped us or we dropped them, it was just a mess. And then when you drop investigators you have to find new ones. But in all the attempts we made to find new investigators, nobody wanted to listen to our message. Really. We spent 2 days in an area working there with appointments and less active members. But literally everything fell through. And when we just went to contact, all we found were people that were very mean to us! It was just a week full of experiences that I'm not used to having here in Caguas where I guess we've just always had success!

One guy shut his garage door on us as we were talking to him

One lady yelled at us from the second floor that she has Christ in her heart and doesn't need us

One lady told us we need to repent

One guy was really happy and then found out that we're Mormons...

The best was one guy who said that he's Pentecostal but then he said "if there's one true church on the earth, it's the 7th Day Adventists!" and I thought to myself, well then why are you Pentecostal if you believe that?

So, it was rough. I've thought a ton about what happened this week and in talking with the other elders, it's come down to really being here to do the Lord's work. We can't get selfish and we really just have to rely on prayer to direct our plans and guide us in the work. So we'll see how we put that into practice this week.

I love the mission still, it doesn't get any better nor any more rewarding!!

Love you all!!

Elder Nelson

Baptism!

BAPTISMMMMMMMMM

That's right folks this last weekend we baptized the man Hector Delgado, he was a contact that we made in the street in the first week that Elder Colon was here with me. It was a super cool experience because Elder Colon actually started the contact in the street, just asking him if he wanted a card with a picture of Jesus Christ on it. That simple act of opening his mouth on his first day in the mission brought Hector to church and got him baptized! Just goes to show how the simple act of opening our mouths can go a long way, a really long way!!

The baptism was rad, there ended up being two baptisms on Saturday here in Caguas. One was a teenage boy named Frankie who has really changed since the day of his baptism. Honestly you can see the change in his face. But it was cool because we got like the whole ward involved in the baptism and the Relief Society room was full of people to see the baptism. Honestly it was super cool. President and Sister Boucher showed up, like it was just the whole nine yards. While the guys were changing after doing the baptism, we had a really cool testimony meeting and President Boucher bore a testimony super fuerte and simple. But it just like knocked your socks off.

And the week was really cool. Actually Sunday we went out with a member that had never really come out with us before. His name is Ezequiel and he's super cool, like one of my favorite members in Caguas. Super funny guy. But he came out with us and we went and visited 2 people that were just contacts we had made on the same street. So we visited the first guy named Juan, and Ezequiel testified super awesomely and we set a baptism date for the 30th. Then we went to the other contact and we started just talking to the 20 year old son, but like 5 minutes in, we had the whole family of 4 there listening to us and it was a super solid lesson. Ezequiel testified of the importance of families and how he knows that he'll be with his kids forever, and I do think that this family was really touched! Just a solid day that really got me pumped for this coming week. 

Today is the 4th and for our District Activity we're having a 4th of July 'Merican BBQ. It's rad. Hamburgers and Red, White and Blue jello. Pulling out all the stops today boys! hahahhaha!

I love the work. I love the mission. I love the gospel. I love my Savior. I wouldn't choose any other place in the world to be right now. The mission is the best. The work we do is divine. There are miracles every single day. And we see it all.

I know that this is the true church of Jesus Christ. He leads it. There is one path back to live with them and through the restored gospel of Jesus Christ I know what that path consists of. I know how to fulfill my purpose. Now it's my choice to follow the path.

Love,

Elder Nelson

Me and Elder Colon with Hector

So Hector is the big guy, the guy that baptized him is Renaldo Inesta, super cool guy. He went to the first appointment with us.

And here's Esteban. He dumped us this week, said that he doesn't want to change. Someday he'll get baptized

best district there ever has been in Caguas

4th of July matching ties with Elder Fox