Hello All!

So I had a very cool experience this week when my companion and I went to visit a member in our ward. Her name is Hermana Veronica. Let me just tell you that she could probably start her own church with all the references that she has given to the missionaries in the past. So, since we do not have that many investigators right now, we went to her house hoping that she would have somebody prepared for us. Well, she did not. But what she gave us was worth much much more. First of all, she told us that all her life, she has and will only ask God for two things. 1) She desires to know all of her grandchildren before she passes away and 2) She wants with all of her heart to serve a mission with her husband. I think that is amazing in it of itself. That those are the only two things that she really desires in her heart to have. We later asked her during the visit how she comes up with so many names to give to the missionaries. Once again, she had two answers. 1) Wherever and whenever, she is always kind and friendly with others and is not afraid to talk about the gospel with anyone. Whether in a bus, in the grocery store, in the street, etc., she is always willing to talk to and be friendly with everyone she comes in contact with. 2) Service. She has found throughout her life that service has been the best way to share the gospel with others. It opens their hearts, and makes them more accepting and willing to listen. It reminds me of phrases like, "I would rather see a sermon than hear one" and "By their fruits ye shall know them". She said whenever she feels sad, she simply gets up and serves somebody else and immediately the sadness is taken away. Immediately she feels better. She told us that whenver she thinks about her own conversion to the Lord, it fills her with so much fire and passion that she needs to share it with others. She considers it her duty, responsability, and privilege to be a member missionary. 

During this conversation I felt the spirit so strongly. And I learned so much. It is true. Every word she said is true and I need to implement a lot of her qualities into my own life. Not just as a full-time missionary but also as a member missionary when I return home. 

Impressions of Mexico:

1) Elder Miguel and I chased this MASSIVE grasshopper out of our room and it started to fly away off of our balcony. About two seconds later we saw a bird swoop down and snatch it out of the air.

2) Animals I have found in our apartment on various days: A dog, a cat, pincher-bugs, spiders, coackroaches, grasshoppers, and lizards. I am sure the list will grow larger in the weeks to come.

3) There is this river that runs through the middle of Iguala that...well...it just does not smell pleasant. Anyway, a few days ago as we were walking over it on a bridge Elder Miguel started laughing and told me to come look because he saw a dead dog in the river. It was a sad day for me.

I just now realized that they were all about animals this week. Oh well.

Anyway, other than that, this week was pretty uneventful and a little discouraging, but that is okay! We are trying to figure about the best and most efficient way to work with the members which has been difficult but we are working through it. What I am grateful for is that God continues to provide me with spiritual experiences almost everyday that lift me up and give me the energy to keep going and working as hard as I can.

I love you all and hope that you are doing well!

Elder Nielsen