You Never Know!

Hello Family and friends,

Well again, I am so happy to be in this area, with this companion. It seems like every night when I get on my knees I cant say thank you enough! 

We have had a lot of work. Which is such a blessing. Just as a reminder, the BEST way to do missionary work is through the members. For the work to hasten, members need to work with the missionaries to find, teach, and BAPTIZE their friends and family, and acquaintances. BUT when that iis not happening, missionaries must do ALL they can on their own. So, we have a couple of YSA members working with their friends who have shown interest, but other than that we have been finding!

We have found  some very interested people! we have also found people who have shown interest and dropped soon after that. ( which is very common...too common )

We met a girl named Stephania. She is from Colomubia but lives Near Orlando. She was visiting USF because she plans on going here in the fall. But Elder Newbold contacted her last week and set up a skype lesson. so we taught her and it went well! She says she has a lot of time and is interested so, its perfect. Well ,the next day she was visiting USF again and we set up a lesson. We taught the whole first lesson (the restoration) and she liked it. She wanted to know if it was true. So, she went home and did exactly what we told her. We skyped her again the next day and she described some feelings she had! of course it was the Holy Ghost and we were so EXCITED! Talked to hundreds of people by now, some interested. some not, some rude, some just flaky, getting one or two and never hearing back then finally one STICKS! It was so nice... we really felt she has been prepared. So, we are working on her reading and finding out if the book of mormon is true. And getting her to either the YSA down here in Tampa or where she lives but pray for her!

Next is Bebina. we met her at Walmart it turns out her whole famiy are members backin Haiti. I mentioned her last week. Well we taught her twice. and she is planning on coming to church. Her brother served a mission she says, and she called him and told him she is learning and he is so excited for her. She is really interested and told us if she finds out its true she will get baptized! so I know its just a matter of time! Pray she can come to church.

We've met a few other people but they are our highlights. We have been teaching another girl, she is hebrew...or thinks she is? but she prays using hebrew language... anyway she has been realy interested. She came to church and loved the classes, but sacrament meeting wasn't preachy enough. hahaha.

Pray for these people! And pray we find some more. 

One of the finding activites we did this week was take popsicles on campus to handout with fliers inviting people to church. Well, we got to campus and there was NO one around... so we drove around and would see one or two people. so we pulled up next to them and offerred a popsicle haha. Well we did this a couple times and realized, it works! So picture this... a truck with a cooler with popsicles in it. 4 missionaries, driving around and we would spot a person, grab a popsicle, jump out and deliver it with an invite, then jump back into the car and drive to the next person! it was so fast and effective and SO much fun! We freaked some people out but we got a lot of good potentials actually! One even came to church ( he is the Ap's investiagator) but it was awesome.

I am so happy. I love the work that is happening right now. I am giving it all I have. It is kind of difficult, when I realize how much members can help and influence the work and how much better that way is, but because I learned that I know exactly what I am going to do when I get home to be a member missionary. 

The Lord's work is hastening! If you aren't sure how to help in the work, but WANT to? let me know! i have plenty of suggestions. 

Elder Newbold is fearless and learning everything! 

Be not afraid; Only Believe

Elder Nelson

A Loving Father in Heaven

Family and Friends, 

I am filled to the BRIM! with joy. I know God lives! Elder Newbold and I have been trying so hard to learn all we can, to talk to everyone we can, we are trying to become perfect planners, we are trying to be exactly obedient, to obtain christlike attributes, and to get new investigators and teach lessons and be our best and each day we feel accomplished. And yet we still dont have anyone solid! We have a lot of potentials and we are very bold ( especially Elder Newbold, he doesnt mess around). We explain clearly our purpose and share how we are looking for the elect. It was has been difficult and yet, looking back we both feel great. We feel that Lord is proud of us. and That motivates us to keep going, to keep looking! We have a lady we taught last week named TY! she was found by other Elders and refferred to us. This was Elder Newbolds first lesson and investigator. He did fantastic. He taught clearly and we invited her to be baptized. She accepted! She beleives the restoration is true and Joseph Smith was a prophet. It was quite remarkable. she has been wanting to find her church and doesn't just want to join any church. We feel she is an honest seeker of truth. Pray that she will be able to come to church. That seems to be the hold up right now!

But other than her we have had tender mercies, little miracles, people who are willing to listen, they dont progress but allow us to invite and preach which is what we were called to do. 

We decided to fast, partially in gratitude of what we had, but also in hopes to find a SOLID progressing investigator that will get baptized... well Sunday as our fast was ending we were in Elders quorum and we starting talkng with a kid who we had only seen once... well it turns out he told us he had just stopped taking the lessons a little bit ago and is now coming to find out if it is actually true again! He came with two other girls that just moved into the YSA and he wanted to meet with us! our prayers were ANSWERED!!

5 seconds later we talked to the other elders and they told us he was already a member annd just was messing with us... as you could have guessed I was REAL happy about that. and we went over to him and laughed about it.... just image the fake smile and the playful choke hold around the back of the neck and the " haha oh man... GOOD ONE!"  

BUT! just today ( p day, as we were grocery shopping) we were moving VERY fast... but! as we were checking out the cashier started laughing at us! I asked her why and she just didnt say anything, well then she opened up and said she "thinks her whole family is mormon back in Haiti??" haha how can you "think" something like that, well she just moved here and is looking for a church and she wants to learn about her families religion! She gave us her number and we set up an appt. Probably the most solid contact thus far. PRAY FOR HER!

I know God lives. He is not done working through me yet.

Be not afraid;Only Believe

Elder Nelson

4th quarter!

Hello Friends and Family,

So there has been quite a bit of change in the last week! I am
training Elder Newbold, he is from Bountiful Utah and  is absolutely
prepared. He knows PmG, he is fearless talking with everyone he sees,
he has ZERO problem getting up in the morning, works out hard, studies
hard, he can already plan and bore his testimony in Sacrament meeting.
He introduced himself to everyone and got to know a bunch of the YSA,
they love him. I am blown away. Such a fast learner and definitely
inspires me to give all I have. Mostly to keep up with him, but it's
great.

As far as investigators, we are running a little low. BUT we have had
many opportunities and I know we will find some. Our goal is one
baptism before I go. And it's going to happen! I have faith. I am
serving in the Tampa YSA Ward it's a lot of fun being back. We live
with the Assistants and I think it's excellent exposure for Elder
Newbold. He will receive many training opportunities to learn from so
many. There are 8 sets of missionaries in ONE church building. It's
also where the mission office is, so we see a lot of other
missionaries. You are kind of near the action so it's fun. The best
part is we are a cross the street from the University of South
Florida, and when school is in there is quite a lot of foot traffic.
Lots of people to talk to. I'm certain we find those who are ready.

We have walked a lot. A LOT! We have studies very hard, we've set
goals, we've prayed together we have talked and worked and really want
to dedicate our missions to the Lord. So we will do that.

This week I have strengthened my testimony of Jesus Christ. The fact
that he loves me so much that he wants me to end my mission upward. I
am so grateful he cares about how I feel. He cares about who I become,
so I will give him all of me. I know we will find people soon.

Be not afraid;Only Believe

Elder Nelson