It's Christmas time!

Dear Family!

LOVED that 12 days of christmas! fav. obviously the 3 trees! and OF COURSE im trying so hard to write in my journal! and i think you are right actually, about the whole making a list of things I wanna share w u on p day. U are right! we had an exchange with Elder Peters, one of the Assistants to the President and he showed us how he keeps a sticky note in each day of his planner and writes down things that happen during the day, RIGHT when they happen so when he writes in his journal he remembers. Ive been doing good in my journal! in my setting apart blessing it says be an avid journal writer so im keeping up!

Can't wait until karson gets his call.. holy cow. Also! will you please text shauna and get hummers email PLEASE!! i need to email him! did u hear Caleb broke his leg? how is katie hogge doing?? and what is Amber Rokovitz friends name who got called to Tampa?? Today we are going to a beach in St. Pete called Fort De soto for christmas conference:) super excited about that!

Monday we had p day! just stayed around south tampa, and we get free food from this place called the jerk hut:) its so flippin good. Mario is a member in our ward who recently was reactivated and he hooks us up! its jamaican food:) then that evening we taught a man named kenny with the Freestone family. They are one of our favorite families!! I love them so much! they have a great big house and they have 5 kids! hillarious! kenny is bro freestones friend and partway through the lesson Elder Peters (the AP) came and helped us teach! IT was awesome! Kenny expressed his feelings of being lost... and wants to know what god wants him to do. He said he would come to church (didnt) but its okay cuz we will meet with him soon! Tuesday we had the bulk of the exchange, elder peters came down with both of us, and we got a bunch of work done! he brought his mini van haha, so after being on FULL BIKE it was soooooooooo so so nice :) we went to tampa general hospital which is downtown and gave a woman a blessing and the chaplin who called us stayed and watched it with us and said she felt something. We are going to give her a book of mormon sometime :) then we met with a less active man and taught a lesson, and we tried to contact a referral. But the whole time we could just feel the spirit cuz of how awesome an example Elder Peters set for us. He told us his story about how he came on a mission and it was the coolest thing. Then after we went home so he could review the exchange with us and get ready to go. When he started talking he started off by saying... well.... and I was worried about what he would say... and then he began to tear up and say with emotion... I dont want to leave.... i love you guys... and you are doing such incredible things down here. I only have like two things to say, work on, and the rest are good things. I WAS BLOWN AWAY! I WAS LIKE ARE YOU SERIOUS!?!? he told us how much he cared about us, and complimented us on so many great things we are doing, i was just like... out of all the missionaries he knows and talks to, he can care this much about us? taught me a great lesson. we both told him how much we appreciate him and support him and man. We both want to be just like him. And I know that experience happened at the beginning of the week because the rest of the week had some ups and downs. Our lessons fell through a lot, and Alecia is leaving for a week... but the spirit keeps telling me, there are miracles on the other side! they are coming!

A family moved out of the ward on friday. The Johnsons. Elder Langi and I got really close to Bro. Johnson and he helped us SOOOO much. He is a resident at TGH (Tampa General Hospital) and still found time to come out on splitz and get us food and take us anywhere. Well, when we found out they were leaving we just had to help them. And see them, they did way too much for us, not to give back a little. Well we went over there and waited for Bro. Johnson to get home from work, helped pack up the trailor and ( bro Johnson came straight from work, in his scrubs, he's always in his scrubs) and then he tooks us out to get dinner. and afterward he tooks us to the church and before we left we got out gave him a hug and both gave him ties. I wrote a little note to them and we explained how much we appreciate and look up to him and EVERYTHING and he looked down and tried to talk and couldnt... he walked over to his truck and looked back and was like I can't talk... then he goes... (and its crazy cuz he ALWAYS says this) "if you guys ever need anything, food, a ride, ANYTHING... just call me... ill drive down from Cincinnati and pick u up. u just call me... and at their house in oklahoma they have a bunch of like boats and 4 wheelers and stuff and they said... "in all seriousness, when you are done w your mission come over, come visit and we'll go have some fun! so we are so going there!! :) 

Wednesday... we had a district meeting... and! well... im actually the distrcit leader now. So I was in charge of district meeting and WOW! i was sooo nervous! so nervous, but one of my BEST friends out here Elder Hawkes who is serving in the tampa 5th spanish ward, said its so cool cuz the spirit totally takes over. AND IT DID! the spirit totally took over and it was awesome! the spirit was so strong! Our district is all the missionaries in our ward which is Elder SHupe and I? AND ALLL SISTERS!! ha. its crazy! but that was a cool experience!

Saturday was the ward christmas party! :) soooooooo fun! we tried to organize a talent for the talent show but it just didnt work out, so we were in a couple other ones with some of the youth in the ward. IT was funny :) I cant wait til our familiy reuinions when we are all married? I bet our familiy can come up with some HILARIOUS ones! especially with megan in the fam now haha :)  The sweaters we got? Sis. Ball MADE THEM FOR US! mine had stockings all over it and there were pockets in the them and she put CANDY CANES IN them! so the kids would come up to me and ask for a candy cane ALL night! it was hilarious!

Sunday... well sunday was great. There were some great investigator s there and Alecia came:) she is leaving til next monday.  but I just KNOW! she is going to find the truth when she is ready. But yes, I sang a forgotten carol :) I was not his father... he was mine in sacrament meeting:) the Lewis' recorded it haha so im sure you'll see it eventually:) and yes I know I messed up in the end so just ignore that!! ha. I cant wait for you guys to meet the lewis' seriously you are going to LOVE them! :) ah okay I got to end now :) but I HOPE! Thats enough info for what happened.... OH!

one last experience that was a miracle...

We were riding our bikes tuesday night after our exchange with Elder Peters, and we saw a lady with a dog. so we stopped and talked to her... well she started explaing how she felt with religion... she was saying like " well i just feel like there are so many churches, wouldnt god just want us to be in one? God isnt found in so many places? he is not changing he is the same? and saying like I just want to know what the truth is, so thats why I havent gone to church in a long time" ELDER SHUPE AND I JUST ABOUT LOST OUR MINDS!!! SHE IS SO PREPARED so we will keep you updated on EStrella :) ( thats her name)

We saw the hess's at the christmas party and we are going to lunch with them on thursday :) 

We dont get to go to members houses that much, they are all working on getting investigators there still but it'll pick up soon! 

Favorite food so far? Bro. Johnson took us to get sushi a few months ago at this place called chef thai? SOOOO GOOD :) so ya... the food is the same haha:) bbq is bomb down here too :) Corn fritters? BOMB.com :) ! 

love you guys! see you in a few days:)!

Be not afraid;only Believe 

Elder Nelson

I love this work!

December 10, 2013

One particular night... we were riding back.. and Elder Shupe’s bike broke...again... and that did it... we just sat there on the curb...and I said prayer after prayer in my heart... what. are. we. to. do?

well we kept going... we didnt handle every day the best... but we kept going... and this is what I give my testimony of, the fact that the Lord will speak to us. He does not leave us alone. And 99% of the time, it will come when we are humbled enough, and when we want it the most. And that is what happened. 

(the will of God- mormon message)

how are we to meet heavenly fathers high expectations?

willingness to accept and even seek correction

It came when I listened to a talk by Elder Christopherson about the currant bush that a farmer cut down, and bush seemed to have said, I was making so much progress, how could you do this to me? every plant in the garden ( all the other missionaries) will look down on me, i was making so much growth, how could you do this, I thought you were the gardener... over and over this week i said this to myself... and just like in the talk by Elder Christopherson and the mormon message, I knelt down in prayer, opened my scriptures and a notebook... and was ready to receive revelation... well as if he spoke the words to me... I was led to d and c 6:16, 35 and 36...telling me that i do not know his ways, he is the only one who knows my true intentions and desires... just like in the story... when he says, look little currant bush i am the gardner I know what i want you to be, and one day little bush (elder Nelson) you will say thank you mr gardner for loving me enough to cut me down.  well i was so grateful for this answer and as the days continued and the trials lingered, i go to my knees over and over... even today. and as I sat here writing to all of you. Wondering what to bear testimony of... The spirit came to me saying... Elder Nelson, I will make you into what you need to be, only those whom I love, I rebuke and chasten... So my testimony is we must all know that God will shape us into his tool, and I know that miracles are on the way... for me and elder shupe, for the Florida tampa mission, for whoever is reading this... and in the near future when we look back...  the bitterness will leave, the pain of the trial will go... and we will kneel down and say thank you Mr. Gardner for loving me enough to hurt me. 

If we want to become what we are to become, if we want to get stronger, if we want to get better, and reach the divine potential we are all aiming to, we must be torn down. We must be corrected, we must be chastened... or else we would just meander in our mediocrity... so we accept and obtain that correction. 

I know that the savior lives, I know that he speaks to us. I know he spoke to me. I know I am his song, and he has plans for me. I know that there are miracles on the way. I know it and will do all I can to help those come forth! 

The work is hastening all around the world. A marvelous work is about to come forth, and if we would like to be a part of it, and feel the endless joy of being one of his tools, we must be our BEST, these trials are how he transforms us into what we need to be. i love this work. The most important work we can be doing. We must find joy in the journey! 

Elder Stephen Nelson

Be not afraid; Only Believe

December 17, 2013

sooo... unfortunately... I havent got the packages yet? sorry! idk why! but im excited to get them when they get here! they probably took a long time cuz its christmas time!! :) its okay! Ah that sounds like a fantastic christmas :) I will be calling probably around 11. We will be with the Belisle's :)! it will be fantastic! and yes I will skype!! :)! i cannot wait to see and talk to all of you! man... i love you guys so much! im sad that amy and jeremey are leaving :(

That sounds like an incredible experience! That is the Holy Ghost telling you that is what you should be doing! In your calling! and the greatest part, is that is what christ would be doing if he were here. Man just reading that, and the words you wrote gave me chills... keep going and you are going to see miracles mom! and Dad. Keep it up! ah that is amazing!

tell everyone how much I love em. Really... i love you all so much! take a ton of pics at the temple lights:) 

Me and Elder Shupe are seriously best friends. We get along so well. We are best friends. he is hilarious you guys are going to love him! ha :) just a little bit of his humor... I was leaving on an exchange and I grabbed my blanket and walked past and looks at me and goes... " oh yea, you're leaving us... just like my mom left us..." and turns around and goes into the other room.... HAHAHAHAHAHa it was hilarious. another one... we were listening to a conference talk during personal study and the next thing we both knew we were waking up an hour later... and we both kinda got up and got ready again... and it was really quiet and we didnt say anyhting for a couple minutes.. then all the sudden Elder Shupe goes... " that was a really good talk..." hahaha man... we have way too much fun :) we will be starting online proselyting this week once we get our pages approved! exciting times are ahead!! I love you all so much!!

We are so happy! :) the pacakge will get here dont stress! 

I KNOW that the savior lives, I am so grateful to be apart of missionary work at a time like this. and I promise you... this is all I want to do. I am so in love with this work, and so grateful to be here... I know it’s such a short time. But this is all I want to do. I love it. And I will work hard. I need to give my Savior as much as I can. After all he gave me EVERYTHING! 

I know he is leading this work! i know the book of mormon is true... and lately, and right now especially... I know of a surety that we have a current prophet today and that joseph smith was a prophet. 

 I love you!

 Elder Nelson

I love him

Dear Family,

This last week we had little success, and it was discouraging... i would just pray and plead that i could figure out how to overcome myself, and break through and find out how to be my best! I prayed and prayed... well saturday elder shupe got sick and all our appts fell through... i was... almost ready to just stop trying... so i went to the Book of Mormon for peace, nothing in the book really answered my sorrows but i knew it would help... and i knelt down and offered up my heart to him, asked him what i needed to do and learn... well Sister giboney called us and from then on it all just changed. We had dinner with them, fellowshipped w bro giboney, let him feel the spirit we tried to bring.

anyway, we got a call from the traveling zone leaders, kinda like another set of AP's who go to every companionship and have an exchange with them and and see how they are doing... well i was super worried cuz i heard some bad stories about them coming. I was wrong, looking back I see that Heavenly Father was preparing and humbling me to recieve guidance on how to be better! and it helped so much. We were doing good things and working hard, but Elder Watkins (who came on the exchange, who also trained elder langi btw...) but he helped us sharpen our skills, set goals on things we can do better and I was just fired up! so excited! I am so focused and I see the blessings of it! I love you guys so much! we taught a lesson to a Girl, a friend of a sister in the ward. well we have been working with her and she has been doing great... well last night we had dinner with her and her fellowshippers. it went amazing... and she agreed to be baptized. she recognizes the spirit and she is so ready! AH, I was just in tears half the time, and church was amazing! you are so right mom, i am sooo so so blessed to serve here. These ppl i am serving with are family. These people here, elder Shupe elder Langi they are my family. I love this work i love this mission I love my savior. And im not the best at it, but i want to be... until I am. I just want to serve the Lord! This is His work and His glory. I know that He lives. I know that he loves me, and loves all of his children. I cannot wait to see what miracles are in store. I love Him. I love Him.

Elder Nelson

Be not afraid;Only Believe

On Line Proselyting

The following is the email we received from President Cusick regarding On line Proselyting. It is followed by Elder Nelson's weekly letter.  Thanks for your love and prayers on behalf of our missionary!  We love and appreciate you all!


Regarding:  Elder Nelson

Your missionary has been selected to participate in online proselyting.  This means that he/she will be spending time each day using Facebook to do missionary work.  Only missionaries who have shown exact obedience to mission rules will be allowed to do online proselyting.  This is a wonderful opportunity that will bless the life of your missionary and the people he/she reaches through the Internet. 

Your missionary’s Facebook page will be a tool for missionary work in the Tampa Florida mission.  It is not to be used for communication with friends or family.  We have asked your missionary not to make or accept friend requests from family members or friends back home. The only exception to this is that they may invite parents and siblings to be Facebook friends.  This is so you can see what your missionary is doing and assist in missionary work by answering questions and becoming friends with those he/she is teaching.  It is not for you to use to communicate with your missionary.  Please do not post to your missionary’s timeline or make comments or use Facebook messaging or any other Internet tools to communicate with your missionary.  All of your communication with your missionary should still be done using his/her @myldsmail.net email account on preparation day.  This is necessary to keep your missionary focused on the work and not distracted by non-missionary communication.  If families cannot abide by these rules, your missionary may be required to un-friend you or may lose the privilege of online proselyting.  We are asking you to be obedient just like your missionary so he/she can receive the blessings and miracles that come from obedience.

Thank you for sending us such a fine missionary.  We love them.

President Mark D. Cusick

Florida Tampa Mission


Dear Family,

I really am soooooo excited for your new callings... this is the most important work in the world, and you two are in the middle of it! for now you guys can just create a plan! unless you already have one?? man, dad should talk to our current ward mission leader for our ward! He's amazing and we work with him A TON! what are the missioanries names? where are they from? did bryce just not want to keep going? i think he just likes being in shape :) haha i tell everyone out here how much of a stud he is so its okay:) haha. those ladies haha sis manwaring was sitting next to me at dinner last night! and did sister ball and ashley ball add you too? man they are so cool! we taught one of their friends in their home last night! they have the cutest family! ha sis manwaring found you and said "wow she is beautiful!" thought you would like to know that ;) for thanksgiving we are going to the freestones and the lewis' and then christmas we are going to the Belisles and the giboneys :) ha so excited! I heard you talked to sister belisle this week! how did that go??  :) I LOVE LOVE LOVE HER and her fam. we are going there for dinner tonight! 

 

also president cusick and i are beginning to talk more (not much) but more, and I feel i am understanding truely why he is here in the mission im serving in. He is truely an inspired man, and most of all he is an obedient man to his Lord. It reminds me of how obedient the prophet joseph had to be and how the prophets and apostles now have to be and are! also he said to me and sis manwaring last night how much support I really have... and wow... I do have so much support... so many ppl praying for me and helping me and writing me and wow.. i am just almost brought to tears realizing how lucky I am to have an army behind me to fall on if I ever lose fire! THANK YOU! I am so grateful to you mom, the whole family and everyone else! 

This week was incredible! we started out rocky! (after the hess's getting baptized and moving) we kinda were at a loss for work and not quite sure where we needed to be and what we needed to do! but we prayed and prayed and prayed and stayed obedient stiving to wake up and study and listen to the spriit having faith the lord would help us find ppl... well now we have 3 progressing investigators, the ward is helping us so much and loves having us over for dinner! and we just testify of missionary work! they are beginning to catch the vision and the wave! 

We taught the mother of a Less active recent convert who wants to stop smoking but SO interested and ready to learn! we taught one of the members good friends who is young but ready to really find out what is in this life that will bring him ture happiness he will SO get baptized once he really sets his mind! and the friend of a young girl in the ward who is hungry to learn more of God and what he wants to do for us and she came to the church of Jesus Christ of latter day saints for that knowledge. She is truely prepared!!! I got down on my knees... humbled... because the Lord kept his promise. as he always does, and i realized how unworthy for it i really was.

The miracles that have happened are just the beginning of what is to come! Elder Shupe and I are working together, hard to become obedient and qualify for more miracles, cleansing our hearts of all ungodliness and become truely converted! I am sorry i cannot write more. But there is a spirit hovering over south tampa, one that is sparking a fire of testimony! and desire to do right! I love this work... I love my lord and savior Jesus Christ! I know he lives!

Elder Nelson

Be not Afraid; Only Believe

P.s. today we received an email that we have been picked to begin online prosyliting on facebook! in the coming week or two that will begin! I will keep you updated! Now is the time for us the Hasten this Work!

On, On to Victory

 

 

GUTEN TAG! wie geht es dir?? 

( in honor of my new ties to germany from sister hess!)

This week was a test of faith, but one that DID NOT DISAPPOINT! We struggled all week to find appointments to teach people, and to be busy but the one thing we held on to was our faith. Faith the miracles were coming. WE are told that exact obedience brings miracles? Well we are not perfect, but we are perfect in our desires and effort to do HIS will. All week we had almost nothing to do. The meetings with other missionaries and interviews just kept pushing us through the week. The spirit was just saying, keep going, there is a miracle on its way. And I knew it would be the baptism. 

I will share an experience about one night tho. On Friday night we usually play basketball at the church but currently the church is under some construction. So we spent time with Brother Chapman, ( one of the members who I am extremely clsoe with) getting greceries and things we needed. We came home and ate lunch. I was feeling rather discouraged feeling like we had not done much to help out the work in our area. But I felt we still could... So Elder Shupe and I knelt down together, ask for forgiveness and jsut as joseph did. We asked in faith. Pleading to Him our desire to serve, but expressing our lack of wisdom and knowledge of how or where to go... so we prayed and stood up and walked out the door (not knowing beforehand the thigns that we should do ;) but we just walked, and I just was waiting... so afraid to open my mouth but willing! and in my mind over and over I felt the spirit saying SOMEONE will listen to you, someone out here tonight will listen... 

well we walked a good mile and sat down it was almost nine o clock by then and kinda looked at each other and said... well? guess we will go home... holding out in my heart a prayer. KNOWING A MIRACLE COULD STILL HAPPEN! and would :) I was just trying so hard to listen to the promptings... I was playing in my mind stories I have heard of missionary miracles late at night hoping we could have one... well right before we turned into our complex we noticed a man waiting at the bus stop... ha :) I knew that was him... told elder Shupe, hey lets go talk to that guy:) so we did... said hello tried to start up friendly conversation and didnt go so well... so I just offered my hand and told him if we could do anythign for him to let us know. he thought we were from a business but i told him no! Missionaries! And he was curious and I explained to him our beliefs.. the most imcredible part was the spirit gave me the words, that the "Fullness of Christ's gospel" was restored to the earth... he repeated out those words and said alright... ill call you guys. and then the bus came... I gave him a book of mormon and he got on the bus and left.

Nothing will probably come from it, but it doesn't matter... Elder Shupe and I were beaming... a day that potential was nothing, changed into one where we listened to the spirit and acted in faith... and now we were successful. The gospel was sounded in that mans ear. 

This is what I testify of... when we desire to do the will of the Lord, and live lives worthy of his spirit all we must do is act on the faith we have. There is joy and peace and CONFIDENCE that comes with that!

The baptism was one of the most incredible experiences ever... sis Hess and Lukas and Maria! A woman elder Langi and I found at a gas station (who the sister started to teach) were all baptized in the ocean! The member who referred and fellowshipped sis hess spoke and I felt the pericing joy that filled her soul know SHE was an instrument! And her husband the man who invited Ian to come play basketball stood by me as we watched Bro hess baptize his wife. The spirit that filled me was indescribable and on sunday when I had the HONOR to confirm them members, overcome me... how could a soul, so rebelious and proud as mine... be blessed to help these people, and become such great friends. ONLY in the name of christ... "there is no other way or means whereby man can saved only in and through Christ." 

Elder Langi and I and along with all the hess boys justine and aiden (the twins) and lukas all sang I am a child of God and that touched my heart. 

After we were done confirming the newest members of the ward... i jsut sat back in my chair... looked around at these faithful new members... making covenants and this ward with familes and jobs and things they need to do who are working so hard to hasten this work, the other missionaries who like me miss their families and friends so much... and I just cried... I was just overcome with the spirit... I KNOW without a doubt, with a great certainty the the Savior Jesus Christ lives. And He leads this work... I know that is true. I give my witness... and ask the Angels above to record it, (d and c 62:3) that I know and will give my life to Him who created us. I know he is there, i know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the Lords kingdom on the earth, that the book of Mormon was given to us to bring us closer to our Savior and to know for ourselves withersover we should go. It is all through Christ.  I love this work, I love this place, I love this people and will go where he wants me to go, I will do what he wants me to do, I will be who he wants me to be. I am afraid at times, I lack knowledge, I am young, but I know He will help. To everyone I say (d and c 128) Shall we not go on with so great a cause? Go Forward, not Backward. COURAGE,BRETHREN! and on, on to the victory! 

Malo Aupito

Elder Nelson

Be Not Afraid; Only Believe

D & C 6:34

(Even though Nelson and Langi are no longer companions. This is a cool picture)

Mom! I bet time out for women was fantastic! It sounds so awesome! :) you need to do more stuff like that! But wow im jealous that sounds so good! It makes me think of when we have district meeting and zone meeting and conference and stuff! I just want them to last forever and just soak in the spirit that is there! But the point of them is to strengthen us to take more action! That is the hard part! So my question for you is what is your plan of action because of what you felt!! :)  I sent bryce a letter today and some pictures home with it! Also you should be getting a letter today or tomorrow :)! but it was a good week let me tell you about it!

So, this week in the Florida Tampa Mission, things are definately about to pick up. And i see the miracles. They are so amazing and many times I sit back and ask myself, why in the world am I the one recieving these blessings? Why do I get to be a part of this... there are so many other missionaries who work harder or have been through more... idk but it humbles me. That along with the fear that sets in every day when I look at the immense call that rests on my shoulders... the fear of what I am asked to do, and what I have committed to do. At times, I feel weak, inadequate, and alone. Very alone. When it is just me... training a new incredible missionary when I am extremely new myself. And i know when I walk out that door, it will be on my shoulders... it is scary. And I dont always fulfill the role I am asked to... in fact many many times I fall painfully short. And I get to the end of the day and ask him to forgive my unworthy and weak soul... and tell him I will keep going. I realize that, THAT right there is faith. The faith to keep going! FAith that I WILL eventually become all that I am suppose to be. FAITH that MY Savior lives and is carrying me! and that is what brings these miracles. I know of a certainty that I am nothing, as for my strength I am weak. But what I also know to be true is that all we need is a worthy heart and willing hands. And he will make us what he will. So the scripture today is: Fear not little flock; do good; let earth and hell combine against you, for if ye are built upon my rock , they cannot prevail. I know that that is true. The little flock is all who believe... all who desire to do HIS will, and yet give into our weakness...and feel satan win our will... it burdens me down so deeply and yet the INSTANT we repent we are clean and in line with him! I say to all who wish to do missionary work, but are afraid? Do not be afraid, have faith to keep tryin... faith to try and fail and keep going! It will happen! My last companion told me over and over again, Elder Nelson the Holy Ghost is not a spirit of discouragement or depression, but one of upliftment and confidence!! Always! :)

This last week, we planned the baptism for the Hess's and they were interviewed and found worthy to make that commitment. Also an investigator who we found a few months ago, who the sisters now teach, is getting baptized with them this saturday! We are so close to Hess's and they are so excited! I know that they were prepared for this and are using their agency to accept this restored gospel... I know without a doubt that this gospel is restored and that of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And along with Elder Nelson of the quorum of the 12, " I love him, I testify of him, and express my everlasting gratitude for him. Now. and Forevermore."

Elder Stephen Nelson

Be Not AFraid; Only Believe

p.s. something super super cool that happened this week that really helped me actually was on tuesday or wednesday... we got a call from a man who we helped do some yard work... he told us that the Piano Guys were coming to town and they said that the missionaries could come listen to their sound check and meet them all...... SO WE DID!!! AND OH MY GOSH IT WAS SO CRAZY! I would send pictures but i forgot my camera :/ elder langi has a ton tho i will get some and send em asap... it was crazy... during the one where they take off the top and like play the strings of the piano for like the" what makes you beautifu"l one? we all got on stage (there was no one in the aditorium mind you :) but we all watched them from like right there and sang with them and MAN! IT WAS CRAZY! and then us missionaries sang to all of them! then we all said a prayer for them! and langi said it and made John Schmidt cry (cuz he wasnt feeling good ) but they all served missions and they hugged us all and man... it was just sooo cool!! the chelloist gave us a peice of string from his bowe :) and we got their autographs :)!! man... the coolest thing ever!

New Companion

MAAAAAAN :) what a week!:) 

So, saying goodbye to everyone with Elder Langi was suuuuper hard. They really really loved him so deeply. He taught them and left them with his deepest love and now I have a great example to live up to! I feel that with his example of how to really love people out here... and my drive and Elder Shupes drive to work hard, we can really make a difference here! 

Elder Bradly Shupe is from Flagstaff ARIZONA!! 

he's 18! :) and he plays sports and comes from a yours mine and ours family. 

He was one signiture away from the army but felt he needed to go on a mission instead! and also he had knee surgery on his meniscus 3 weeks ago! A week before the mtc he had it! What a beast!!!!

We've already taught like 3 lessons together! He has a great testimony!! :) 

We now have 8 missionaries in our ward... 2... to 8... pretty overwhelming at first but SOOOO awesome! WE are hastening the work and the ward is eating it up! They are all sooo ready and willing to work! WE have a great investigator named Amy who wants to get baptized and the hess's on the 16th... man... I am just blown away... idk what or why or how The Lord is allowing me to receive these blessings but my deepest desires right now and forever are just to be a worthy instrument in his hands. It is truely the happiest thing that could happen to us. I know my savior lives. and is real... and he is qualifying me and guiding me. Mom i love you so much. your love is saving me and helping me so much. If you ever need anything just text sis hess! or sis giboney! We talk to them daily! they are soo willing !:) Ive got to go! :) talk to you soon!

Elder Nelson

Be NOT Afraid!; Only Believe!

Tell karson i love him and keep me updated!! and  cant wait for bryce to get his patriarchal blessing!!