Hello Family and Friends!

It's been such an amazing week. I feel very blessed (even though I'm sort of really sick to my stomach right now). My companion and I work really well together and the Lord blessed us with miracles this week. Oh yeah. And it's stinckin' hot here in Acapulco right now. Just sayin'.

Impressions of Mexico!

1) So soccer. I've talked about soccer before but with the whole world cup thing going on right now it's gotten even worse. Every Mexican man is out practicing his fancy soccer tricks in the street. I honestly think that it's harder for my companion (who's a die-heart soccer fan) to be away from home right now and not be able to watch the games than it was for him to be away from his family during Christmas. Not joking either (I just told him that I wrote this and he confirmed its truth). HELLO PEOPLE.

So, I don't know if you remember me talking about the young man that attended church last Sunday with a member. His name is Rogelio. And he has turned out to be the biggest miracle ever. We went to visit him on Saturday with his friend that's a member for the first time since Sunday to teach him the Restoration. On Sunday we had invited him to begin reading The Book of Mormon. When we asked him if he read, he said, "Yeah, I'm in 1 Nephi 12, and I particularly liked the part about the vision Lehi had of the tree of life in chapter 8. I love reading it because I can picture in my mind exactly what's happening." *This is the moment when Elder Nielsen's jaw dropped. Just to let you know. THIS NEVER HAPPENS. He came to church again on Sunday and expressed his desire to be baptized and wants his friend to baptize him. The members have taken him in and supported him so much. It's been so beautiful to see so far. I know that God is a God of miracles. He always comes when the time is right. We also found a young woman named Alondra who's the sister of a recent convert. The same exact thing has happened with her. The youth have taken her in and she attended sacrament meeting for the first time on Sunday. She's reading and praying. There's nothing sweeter than seeing the faith of people grow. You can literally see the light growing inside of them each time you see them. It's because they've finally found the thing that will ultimately make them happy. We were richly blessed this week.

I was really present during sacrament meeting yesterday. A young man that just entered the temple for the first time this past week and has put his mission papers in was given the opportunity to bear his testimony. It made me really emotional. It just sort of hit me in that moment that my time as a missionary is coming to an end. But it was a good type of emotional. I felt peace. I felt happiness. I felt a lot of joy. I felt that my Heavenly Father was very pleased with me. My mission has been very difficult and trying but also the sweetest and most joyful experience of my life. I've grown closer to my Heavenly Father in ways I cannot describe. His love is so pure. It has the ability to change people's lives. I just wish everyone could see and feel that. When we strive our best, he will show us our weaknesses. But he does it so that we can gradually work through them and become more like our Savior in the process. I am indebted forever to the Savior for what he did for me. I owe him everything. The healing power of his Atonement is available to everyone. It heals. Cleanses. And purifies those that repent and wish to change.

I hope that you will all come unto Christ. Do something this week that will allow you to grow closer to him. I promise that as you feel his love and grow closer to him, that everything will be fine. You will feel peace, greater direction and clarity, and you will know what decisions need to be made and what the Father has planned for each and everyone of you. I love you all so much.

Elder Nielsen