Transfer News

Well,

We received the transfer email Saturday night and found out that we are….

STAYING!! Elder Spach and I have another 6 weeks here in the Palmetto ward! we were so pumped but we also realized how much President Cusick is trusting us with that. elder Spach and I go home within a transfer of each other So I realized that President is trusting us to give EVERYTHING we have and not just cruse to the end. so that is what we are going to do. SPRINT! 

Throughout the week Elder Spach and I have many times where we just look at each other and say well now what should we do? because our plans fall through and our back up plans don't work out, but I have come to realize the beauty of a proper companionship. There were multiple times this week that 1 i was absolutely exhausted. we both got sick this week and it started getting hotter so we were just toast. and When it was my turn to get sick. Elder Spach took the lead and just was so merciful with me. he has helped me change and improve so much. when I am not giving my all or if there are things to improve he tells me in the most humble way. He has truly taught me how important companionship inventory is. It has changed my relationships forever. 

Jessica, a new investigator Caitlin ( who is a young women from a part member family ), the Recently baptized Katelyn, the kids, and a new young man Tyler! all came to church on Sunday! the youth are really growing! haha. 

Jessica is all good for baptism and is converted. We meet with her 3 times a week and she has come to church twice in a row now. She is practically part of the ward. She has come to young women's as well. It's picture perfect. Last night we watched the Joseph Smith movie and she went off about how we came to this country for religious freedom ha but she said she knows Joseph Smith is a prophet! she said her mom wants to meet with the Bishop. So pray that goes well. I think this will be a good thing. ALSO JESSICA HAS READ 10 chapters in like 3 days! 

Katelyn is still going strong after being baptized. Her boyfriend the one who introduced her to the church hasn't been going much to church or mutual but she is there, every week. without fail. she referred 7 people to us this week. i repeat…7 people… you know when the last time I got 7 referrals in one week? never. She is unbelievable! 

Tyler! is a friend of the Teachers quorum president in the Palmetto ward, Tristan is his name. He invited his friend tyler to church and we taught tyler three times this week. he is a 16 and the only really religious person in his family. They have some struggles as a family too. But he is always with Tristan and they are so close. This is the beauty of members. Relationships with members softens the hearts of nonmembers and that is when the magic happens. He is ready the book of mormon and just last night he texted us and asked us to recommend some scripture for him to read! he is on fire.

Caitlin is asking her Father to be baptized and is very excited. she is about 14 and really wants to come. She came twice in a row and has been to every mutual activity. She was the only one in her family to come to church! talk about valiant youth. I am so humbled by these kids. We haven't even taught her yet, our first meeting is wednesday! 

last but not least…the Mariner Familly, they have been coming to church for about a year now, with the daughters already converted and loving the church… The members have been bold and felt like now is the time and we have a meeting with the entire family at the young women's presidents house with two of the other mothers in the ward who are friends with them. We are so excited. I have waited and prepared for my entire mission for a moment like this. Pray for us sunday. There are miracles that are waiting!!!

Brothers and Sisters I just want everyone to know that I know THis church is true. I know that Jesus Christ is the Living son of the Living God. I have never seen him. BUt i know he lives.

This is his work and I pray that it is NEVER ever, over for me.

I invite everyone to find someone. Who are you going to teach in your home this week.

Please join me in the labor of love.

Be not afraid;Only believe.

Elder Nelson

Courage like the Stewarts!

Hello my Dear friends. 

I am going to try to stay organized but there were all kinds of miracles that happened this week so if you get confused and want further clarification on any part just email me stephen.nelson@myldsmail.net

 

So, I will go down the list of people we taught or are currently teaching:

 

Kidd family - So Sister Kidd is getting Baptized in April! She set her date and is extremely excited to do this. She has come to church by herself with the baby one time and has been an absolute rock. But on top of  that, Bro. Kidd has been diligent. He came yesterday and is thinking more about baptism. We taught them both on Saturday about Baptism and Sister Kidd was just so excited to be clean again. You could see it in her eyes how badly she wants any guilt to be swept away. And Chris has said he will get baptized with her in April if he gets an answer, HE JUST HASNT ASKED YET! but I have no doubt. Chris ( Bro. Kidd ) participated in Gospel Principles class a lot and shared his feelings about getting answers from the spirit so I know it's just a matter of time. 

Jessica!! okay eveyone buckle up for this girl. 100% miracle. So we taught her for the first time two weeks ago and this week we taught her twice! She was scared to death the first time and the second time she made us cupcakes! ha. She quit her job so she can come to church on Sundays and is reading the book of mormon! and set a baptism date for March 28th and her boyfriend ( who is the son of the 1st counselor in the Bishopric ) is helping her so much. His family has her over so much and just loves her. That is what really got her interested. She said no like 5 times, and then Alex, ( her bf ) tried one more time and gave her a book of mormon and now everything has changed. She came to church and we sat by her. The talks were all about how to recognize answers  form the spirit, and they all described it as a warm peaceful feeling. and she leaned over to me and said " wow everyone feels that? that is so cool!" and she started moving her feet up and down really fast because she was so excited… and I said back "of course, because its true." during the course of this exchange and after.. I was filled with the spirit. I was so sure that the work I was doing, was the Lords work. She LOVED church. had an absolutely incredible time, she loved young women's and shared her experience with the gospel principles class of why she was there. It was unbelievable. 

Sunday - there is a family who's daughter is a DRY member, and the mom has been coming more often but not wanting the lessons and now their other daughter is coming but the father does not want to. Well, this Sunday some of the young women's leaders talked with her and invited her to learn. and She told them she has been feeling an unusual urge to learn from us!  The ward has been working on her SO HARD for so long! So, I am so excited to teach them. That is the Mariner family! 

Another young man brought his friend to church and he wants to learn. AND there is another young woman who wants to get baptized too and all she needs to do is get permission from her Dad who she knows will says yes. She is so close! 

For some reason all we baptize is young women?? I have NO idea why?? But whatever works! So far they are the strongest converts I have seen!

We have a few others who are close and in the works. The ward has just become finding machines, and fellowshipping machines. Still far to go but we really are not doing anything other than teaching! They do all the work. 

Two more amazing experiences.There is a couple in the ward I may have mentioned who have it figured out. The Stewarts, he is an RM who served in Finland, and he taught at the MTC and they met at BYU and he is going to Med school. Their home is perfect, and they are so active and give service and just perfect examples. Elder Spach and I always love seeing them. But they gave one of their neighbors a Book of Mormon and followed up and invited them over for a lesson with us. That is very hard to find! Not many members are that good! But they did it and we taught the Dad Tuesday night. Long story short, he was not interested in learning more and finding out if there was a God. Bu,t we gave a clear chance and the spirit was there, and he felt the love. I felt so accomplished afterward. And unlike street contacts, we will see him again, and more importantly the Stewarts will see him again, because they are good friends! I pray everyone will have the courage of the Stewarts! This is the kind of attitude ALL of us need to obtain. and give the action to back it up. 

 

I have a firm testimony of the Restoration of Christ's true church. And I love preaching it. And more joy and happiness than I have ever felt fills my soul each week.

The last experience was Saturday night. After our coordination meeting we had about an hour so we decided to search out some less actives on the way home from our ward mission leaders home. ( by the way our ward mission leader texts us every day, multiple times of the day to ask us how we are. HE LOVES this work, and is the most supportive man!) 

 

But we were looking for this one house for literally 30 minutes and could not find it, so we were like forget this, we're done, lets head home. whatever…. well, just then of course we passed it and debated whether or not to actually go up and knock. Well, we did and it wasn't who we expected it was the ex husband of the woman we were trying to meet and he told us that if it really was her that it would not have been a joyful conversation ha. So, it worked out. But he was SO happy to see us. and I was kind of having a rough night, not in the best mood, I was worried we would waste the Lords time, but we sat and talked about his life. And I began to realize THAT this is exactly where we were suppose to be that night. He was the one that Christ would have visited. My testimony was strengthened by the stories he told me. I grew because of him. 

 

SO, my invitation to you is for you to have Courage like the Stewarts and find out WHO you need to see this week. Not WHAT you need to do.

I love Jesus Christ and I love his work.

Elder Nelson 

Be not afraid;only believe

Members are the KEY!

Well hello! 

Spring is starting to creep in, and its getting a little more humid but the work is really starting to pick up! We have so many members who are really working so hard! I have come to realize how SMALL my part is in the work of salvation. It is honestly so small and yet I feel like I am growing the most. 

Well, Katelyn was baptized on Wednesday! It was perfect! So many people from the ward came and supported her. I think part of the reason for the support was throughout her teaching process we taught her in a different members home so, each of these families felt connected and part of her conversion. They had a part in helping her join the fold. And Elder Spach and I did not have any part in the Program, all the prayers, songs, witnesses, baptism, and confirmation was done by a ward member. This is exactly how it should work. I invite you to become involved in the missionaries work.  

Elder Bednar said in his last conference address "these remarkable men and women (meaning missionaries) help the members of our Church fulfill the divinely appointed and indicidual responsibility each of us has to proclaim the everlasting gospel of Jesus Christ"

So we missionaries are here to help. 

Elder Zwick of the Seventy lead our Mission Leadership Council and let me just tell you this man is one of the top 10 best people I have ever met. Seriously. He and President Cusick have been great friends so you could just feel the love in the room. He taught us a lot about leadership in our mission and ways to improve it, but the majority of it, and the majority of his messages to us were being truly converted the GOSPEL! Not just a missionary but being a strong member, and leader throughout our lives. The Apostles are very concerned with the missionaries becoming who they need to be. Elder Bednar said we are not just human beings, we are" human becomings".

Tuesday night we got a text randomly from one of the YM in the ward he said his girlfriend wants to be taught the first lesson tomorrow at his house at 7. So we gladly agreed. Seemed to be a good use of our time.:) 

Well, we got there and She finally opened up all of her questions. She has been resisting the church so much because of how much she has heard but she had an expereince that led her to ask for a lesson with us. Needless to say, we were very excited to teach her. She was very nervous and had many questions, but so did we. My favorite section of PMG is asking inspired questions, which Elder Zwick talked a lot about as well. So we asked about what she believed and she enjoyed it. She felt comfortable enough to ask some of the hard questions she has had, like why the book of mormon has been changed  even though its supposed to be the most true book. And about if she can be baptized even though she has two earrings haha. But the coolest part was this. We asked her the Golden 3 questions from the plan of salvation. Where did you come from, why are you here, and where are you going? and she said... "I have no idea", and I said "well, i am about to tell you exactly where you were, and why you are here... you ready?" and then the spirit litereally filled the room. I explained that she was with her loving father in heaven, and that she CHOSE to come down here and follow him. As we said this tears filled her eyes, and I asked how she felt and she just said "warm". You could just see it in her eyes. We meet with her wednesday again, but she has already been discussing baptism with her bf. Her name is Jessica. Moments like these are honestly the reason I am on a mission.  

We have a young women who is fellowshipping and encouraging some of the other non member youth to get baptized, and we just had lunch with a ysa girl and her friend who came to church. We have a lesson on thursday with a family and their friends from medical school. The fire has started! And it is not burning out any time soon!

Elder Zwick hosted all the members of the ward councils in the south three stakes of our mission and trained them all on how to effectively improve missionary work in the ward and stake. He said at all times, members of the ward council should be able to answer these four questions each week

1 What are the names of the progressing investigators coming to church?

2 What are the names of the progressing investigators with baptismal dates?

3 What are the names of the members working closely with each Progressing investigator?

4 WHO is going to be taught in YOUR home this week?

If you answer these 4 questions each week, the work will hasten. I have a testimony of Members who are involved. I want to help them. Elder Zwick shared with us so many incredible expereinces where he just was fearless. He did not care the circumstance, he just shares the gospel. Its who he is. And It is who I am. 

I have entered a higher level of dedication. I have realized how deep I have covenanted with God. I have signed my soul to Him and thank goodness for that! 

1 Corinthians 3:3 "...ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart."

The Doctrine of Christ is written on the fleshy tables of my heart. And it will never be erased.

I know God lives, and this work will go forward. Please join us!

Be not afraid;Only Believe

Elder Nelson

Jia sent this picture to Elder Nelson after having done baptism's for the dead.  

She is moving right along and progressing very well in the gospel.

She is a Rock Star!!

Florida Winters......one day

Dear Family and Friends:

Miracles this week!

Katelyn is getting baptized on Wednesday, she passed her interview, we have dinner and a lesson with her and the young women's president tonight! She has been in the home of pretty much everyone of the members of Ward Council for a lesson. She is on fire! Next week she will be a member. She posted on Facebook this week to everyone that she is going to be baptized next wednesday into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and if anyone wants to come or has any questions about mormons then to just ask her, it was so cool!

One  family we are working with Is struggling to keep reading assignments and Praying about the Restoration. The father just hasn't found the desire to want to be baptized or join. He is a very relaxed man. She is still working toward her baptism. They had us over for dinner, they are very kind but we will see if the father keeps commitments from here on out. We may have to give him some time.

One of the girls we were teaching with a young women told us that she was not sure if it was all true. She is very young still and we think the decision to be baptized was more of an empty desire and kind of a social thing. We explained what the commitment of baptism was and I think she is not ready for that. Which isn't exactly a bad thing. We want to help the church grow. So we will see what happens.

Members are stepping up to the PLATE! We have a family who Elder Spach and I look up to very much. They just graduated from BYU and moved out here for Medical School and he is a Priesthood Leader in the HOME! Picture perfect! they have a little baby too. He is a Ward missionary, Bro. Stewart is his name. He is magnifying his calling. They gave a Book of Mormon to their friends and they accepted it and read some of the verses that were marked before and loved it. Well he went back to follow up and set up an appointment with them for this week! He is a rock star! Everyone should take notes from this family. We will tell you how it goes.

One of the YSA members has been working on her friend and she was asking questions this week and finally he just asked her, do you want to meet with the missionaries and they can answer them? and she said sure! ha, and we messaged her on Facebook and she said she would love to meet with us! it was too good to be true. 

Sunday two families brought people to church. I cannot stressed enough the power of MEMBER MISSIONARY WORK!

I love it so much. 

A missionary came home from Brazil this week in the ward, it was cool to hear him speak and we also had missionary prep for the YM in the ward, they asked us to come and talk about preparing for a mission. I thank Heavenly Father for this ward i am in. I hope I stay here for the remainder of my Mission. We have a YM who comes with us a lot. Will Turner. He studies with us sometimes too. But he got his mission call. Portugal! 

There is a missionary spirit in the Palmetto ward. I hope you take it and magnify it in your ward as well. 

Be not afraid:Only Believe

Elder Nelson

The Young Men of the Palmetto Ward!  

 

 

p.s. I forgot! Elder Zwick of the Seventy came this week. Holy Cow he changed my life. He came with a man from the Missionary Department. We talked a lot about the iPads and how important it is that we learn how to use them effectively. The 12 have put a lot of time and concern into them. 

He told us a story when President Hinckly was the Prophet, that they all came to a meeting and President Hinckley starting talking and then started weeping, and finally said " we need to do more for our missionaries." That just really opened my eyes to how many people are concerned, for me. I just felt so important, and blessed to be a part of this work. 

Elder Zwick shared what it was like to have Elder Scott as a mission president and how he had to go into Bolivia and Build a chapel! and how we don't have to do that, but we do have to figure out how to use these iPads.

It was amazing.

3 Nephi 7

Hello Family and Friends,

This week the highlights were:

Katelyn changed and solidified a baptism date for Feb. 25th. We announced it in church on Sunday. So its happening. She had the best week at mutual thus far coming to church! She told us after she has never felt so much that she belongs. She said the girls and the leaders just put no pressure and just pure love! and she feels so good when she is there. 

She invited us to hear her do a solo for Band, ( she plays a Euphonium… mini tuba ) and her mom was there too, so we met her mom. No blood was spilt, and apparently that helped! That same night her parents let Katelyn go on the ward campout and she had a great time! She is all set for her baptism, but she is beginning to feel the pure joy that comes from knowing the truth, but the deep sadness that comes from people who you love, denying it. I wish there was a way to fix that. We just told her to do all she can to be an example and let the light of the gospel shine. She is so fearless we can learn so much from her. 

Saturday night the Kidd's invited us over for dinner with them and Sis. Kidds sister who just returned home from her mission in Brazil. It was so fun, very nice to get to know them a little better and to feel the fire of this Returned Sister. She is all about helping us get them baptized. Sis. Kidd is picking a date for both of them to get baptized, and Chris is agreeing to go though with it if he gets an answer that it is true. Which he knows he will. He just needs to actually READ IT! he watched the Restoration movie and has come to church 3 times in a row now. So its looking very good! 

Last night, the Sarasota Stake was asked to Host a multi-congregational choir performance for people of Sarasota, conducted by Ryan Murphy, the associate Director of The Mormon Tabernacle Choir! Yes it was amazing and there were so many people there. Elder Spach got a picture with him and we both shook his hand. The hand of greatness… 

I have been studying a lot about the missionaries in the Book of Mormon, searching for ways that they accomplished their purpose and fulfilled what they were called to do. I want so deeply to just do all that Heavenly Father wants me to do. One that I am blown away with, is in 3 Nephi Ch. 7. Nephi was living in a city where many missionaries and Prophets had come and been stoned one after another, and these secret combinations were causing so much destruction. And as Nephi watched this he couldn't take in anymore, and went to the same towns where these people had JUST killed the last missionaries, and preached the same stuff, EVEN BOLDER! 

That would be a transfer i would NOT want. and yet he did it. and because he had put so much work into his testimony, and had so many experiences, that he ministered with so much power and authority that it was not possible for the people to disbelieve ( verse 17 ). That is what a missionary should be, and just to make sure he was safe, Angels did minister unto him daily. He was never alone. I hope I can qualify for those blessing. So grateful I know the truth.

Please help us spread it. 

Be not afraid;Only Believe

Elder Nelson

Loving that pineapple

Valentines from Mom

Elder Spach trying some new drink from the Sister who 

recently returned from Brazil

I guess it was pretty nasty!

The Patten's Cookies

So, There is a family in the ward that I LOVE! their son loves missionary work and they are from Utah and they are soooo nice to us. BUT Sister Patten literally has magical chocolate chip cookies.  

The simple beauties of a mission. The Lord blesses you with Spiritual and Temporal Miracles. Some come in the form of Delicious pastries. Maybe if you guys find someone to baptize ill send some home! 

But, this family also shares the gospel! They along with two other families had Katelyn in their home to teach her a lesson! Its so cool. Every other day we teach her in a different families home! We just take them on the Palmetto Ward tour and teach them and feel the love from them. And they get to feel the spirit and testimony of these people and we get to spend time with the members its a win win! So family… or whoever is reading this. If you would like to help the missionaries, Call them right after this and ask them to come over to teach one of their investigators IN YOUR HOME! This is the most powerful way to help them!

Katelyn - who has had parental permission problems… took the Baptism and Confirmation record home… and got her parents to SIGN IT??? So she is setting a baptism date. Its either Saturday the 28th or March 4th. But can you believe that? She knows so strongly that this is true that she is just going to do it! I can't even tell you the feeling that comes when you are associated with people like her, or a part of miracles like this. But she is doing so well! Thank you for your prayers. I am confident that because of your prayers for her things are working out. Again, I ask you, don't pray for me. IM FINE! pray for these people we are teaching!! they need it and are getting so close to making covenants. 

Kidd Family - Well The wife had an interview with the Bishop on Sunday, and he said she can be Baptized ASAP.  What a miracle! And Her husband is right behind her. They have come twice in a row and Sister Kidd is so committed to establish this gospel in her family its unbelievable! 

Oliva - Olivia is new! but this is how simple it was. Her friend talked to her about the church. She asked some questions, and then said well hey do you want to learn about it? and she said yeah. And she's never been baptized and is now preparing for baptism with our help! Things are looking very promising with her. We will be teaching on Fb a few times this week and a couple times in person so please pray that she will keep going! She is very hungry for truth. 

Those are our top three people, and there are a few others who are close to being taught. 

My absolute favorite thing to do is to speak to the youth and associate with them. Well, the YW President asked us to do the Bishop Youth Fireside. It was awesome, we loved it, and we received some positive reviews too! Elder Spach and I created a powerpoint of pictures of us before our missions doing the things we were involved in, and some mission pictures and shared what we did, what we wish we would have done, some mission stories and answered some of their questions. But, I loved how excited they got. Then we took pictures with a ton of them and they posted them on Insta gram! This is so fun. I am having a blast, The Work of Salvation is the BEST work anyone could ever do.

I hope it is never over for me.

Be not Afriad; Only Believe

Elder Nelson

Looking Up!

Dear Friends and Family,

So, get your notebooks out for people to pray for! 

We need to call down the powers of heaven for some people. The Lord has blessed us with some people to teach and work with! Things are starting to unfold. 

The K family. Bro. Jackson our ward mission leader, ( who by the way, is awesome, picture perfect ) took us to see a family of a Mom who used to be a member, with a nonmember husband and their new born. I see the power of infants now because they were so ready to change! We invited them to learn the lessons and come back to church and start a new path and they were ready! They committed to every Saturday, and ( when we come we come for only 25 mins and leave ) we will show them how easy it is to meet with us a couple times a week! But grateful for that once a week right now. So please, pray for this new family. 

Katelyn - she is pressing forward! we taught her with 3 different members, two of the lessons were in the home of different members. And we are teaching her in the Bishops home tonight. This ward has great desires to help, so I am grateful for someone to teach with them! But Katelyn has made some progress with her family. They are open to the idea to attend one Sacrament meeting, but have not committed yet. She is in Mosiah in the Book of Mormon, and also keeping certain scriptures to help her in times of need. She is also motivating her BF who introduced the gospel to her, to come each week! She participated in all three hours of church and is on fire! Again, please pray for her and her family. What an example for all of us. For us we sometimes choose not to live so motivated by this gospel because we have been so used to the routine. I hope we can see her fire and start one in our hearts. I have made that a goal. 

We have an 11 year old girl who looks promising. A part member family, and the ward has some people they are working with. It is so much more fulfilling and fun to work with members who want to do the work with you. It so great to have members who love missionaries , but it is even better to have members who love missionary work!

Elder Spach was sick a few days this week, but we chugged some Day-quill by day and Ny-quill by night and we didn't have to cancel too many appointments. He really is a dedicated missionary. He is honestly such an easy going, yet rock in the work. Never gets offended and willing to do anything. I could not have asked for a better companion. He would put on a good face in the lesson and then we'd get in the car and he would lay his seat back and just ZONK out! ha. And because of that, it was one of the best weeks thus far.

We should have two or so more investigators this week. Pray that we start baptizing in this ward. They deserve it. Can't wait to hear about the Baptisms happening around you!

Let us all press on

Be not afraid; Only Believe 

Elder Nelson

just a nice sunny day in Florida

just made Mom's Chicken Chili