June 14th, 2013

(pic with John Bytheway)

Ya so Sister Nakaima and I are the first sisters in the history of T2 to train sisters who are already serving regular proselyting missions (well at least I think we are the first, I'm just going to go with it because it sounds better ). They come this weekend and we will train them how to serve at T2!! cool eh? :) the square is really low on Mandarin speaking sisters so the mission presidency requested a recruitment of them for the summer! They are both from Taiwan and serving currently in Boise Idaho and Independence Missouri. We moved into a cute little house close to the regular apartments to accommodate more sisters. Cute place doesn't have much (like a shower curtain or rod) but it is ours and so precious! I love it. Sister Nugget and I met the whole primary general authority! They dropped off presents for the mission! It was so cool I'll probs have a pic soon! They are all so polished, purdy and personable.  

Spiritual nugget: Have you ever thought "man i shouldn't be here right now?" that is the spirit warning us, even on missions we can feel this if we aren't 100% obedient or in an unsafe situation. I thought back to some times in my life when I thought that and when ever I followed it's council it was for my good. Now take a mental picture of where you are now. I hope you think: "Man I should be here, this is a good place" (paraphrased from the mt of transfiguration with peter James, john and Christ.) A new friend of mine spoke about this scripture and it hit me how far my testimony has come from where I was. Also the people I have taught. Its all because of heavenly Fathers Council given through the spirit and us doing something about it.

OH OH OH cool story: for a our transfer conference we got to watch Ephram's Rescue! By T.C. Christenson. It was a special preview screening, its not out yet! It was sooo cool, funny, exciting and portrays the Martin handcart company well. It made me appreciate basic necessity and the freedom to believe in Christ.

Smiling all the timmmmee :)))))) (double chin smiles) 

Sister Shmaggity

P.s. I love pickles
PSS Sister Nakaima says dangit like "dang- Git!" hahah silly okinawin and I said "Zed" instead of Zee in front of 150 very confused teenagers this week hahhahahaha Sister Nakaima re-assured them we would study English that night lol

my life will be sooooo Asian for the next transfer

my pday is still on Friday this transfer (just so you know when to email me...*wink wink nudge nudge*)

May 31st 2013

I can't believe its raining like crazy! I like the rain but I know what that means for Dad and green drop... not good! Its been raining like crazy here too. It was funny because the other day an alarm went off because a near by construction machine was being weird. We all had to evacuate the visitor centers and meet in the Tabernacle and it was pouring rain! We all looked like wet mops when we had a hospitality tour bus come and we are suppose to look good and help the lovely people lol. But it was fun to dance around in the rain.

This week has been interesting. I am really learning the importance of knowing history, facts and dates when it comes to group tours. (some group tours like the hospitality bus tours we are not aloud to bear testimony or invite them to learn more, but if they ask religious questions we can answer them). If you are able to give clear correct history it bears testimony for you. The Pioneers did so much and it was all so they could through Jesus Christ attain eternal Families and live with God again.

We had a really good returning member lesson with the Elders. The young woman was only 23 years old but has and is going through many hardships (similar to the pioneers in a spiritual way not temporal). Even though life its tough for her right now she is trying her best to establish a relationship with her loving Heavenly Father by recommitting to follow commandments and renewing her baptismal covenant by taking the sacrament each. Her desire, even though she is a very closed off person, is apparent. She wanted to enter the temple and receive the blessings and joy that brings. The pioneer trek of 1,300 miles related to her situation closely, as I'm sure they do to many. One man in particular was fatigued and each time he felt he could go no longer he would think I can only go to that point ahead and than I can go no further. Each time however he got to that spot he felt someone pushing his handcart from behind. When he would look to see who was pushing, there was no one there. He knew and I know that we have angels (people in our lives, the Book of Mormon, Prayers, Sacrament, you name it!) that help push our "handcarts" through the rough spots in our lives. I have felt that in particular in my own life this week. I know if this Young women continues on this path she will receive the full blessings of the temple.

I love Sister Nakaima. She is like a Polynesian  but Japanese. So she likes to have fun and work hard at the same time! She also loves to sing pop songs while getting ready (Japanese and American lol), drinks soda and says hilarious things! We were in Olive Garden celebrating a Sisters Birthday and the waiter was taking all our drink orders. Sister Nakaima couldn't pick what she wanted and started to feel flustered. She was murmuring to herself, "Choices....choices.....choices" than finally the waiter said he would just come back in a few mins. In exasperation she sighed, "agency!" I know its a lame missionary joke but she is so cute and such a shmaggy Asian it was funny.

Oh oh oh I found a new Fave scripture! Its 2 Nephi  "Wherefore, do not spend money for that which is of no worth, nor your labor for that which cannot satisfy. Hearken diligently unto me, and remember the words which I have spoken; and come unto the Holy One of Israel, and feast upon that which perisheth not, neither can be corrupted, and let your soul delight in fatness. I love the last line because its funny but I really like the rest of it because it makes me think of the time I spend on things. At first I looked back with regret on meaningless things I spend time and money on (mostly it was self centered pursuits such as music shows, meals with friends and so on) I want to change my life to spend time on things that matter. The essentials such as my salvation and others around me. Those are the things that do not have an expiration date and "perisheth" not. That can still involve family food and friends but it must come down to the question of will this expire or last much longer?

It was pretty neat because for a district meeting we were challenged to call a recent convert of ours and ask them a few questions in how to improve our teaching skills. We talked to Bryan. He said he was able to feel the spirit the strongest when we were reading the scriptures or sharing messages from lds.org. Wow just straight up doctrine, nothing fancy. The thing he said that made him want to follow through with commitments the missionaries asked him to or commandments was he had confidence that the missionaries knew what they were talking about and wanted to help him. And the best time for him to be taught (or feel the spirit) was when he wasn't worried or preoccupied with school, work or had other things on his mind. I was able to learn so much from his comments.

I was able to attend the Temple this morning. It was beautiful and bright and early (lol)! I had a lot of questions answered while in the temple by simply listening to the spirit.

Love you all! CTR!

Sister Shmag Nelson

May 24th 2013

The theme Sister  Naka Nugget and I picked for this week is "WORK WORK WORK" and "We would love to take It! (tours)" We are so excited and have been having so much fun and receiving blessings from sacrificing meal time and study time to serve and teach people. It is the best!

We also met T.C. Christiansen at a youth conference we co-ordinated (he is the film maker of 17 Miracles  Work and the Glory, Joseph Smith: The Restoration...and so on) He is so funny and, smart and Christ Centered in his life and work.

I have been working on my 

modeling for the future general 

conference paparazzi! (joking,

 just messing around during a

 lunch break!)

We had the privilege of going to Sister Monson's Funeral. It was beautiful, sad but mostly happy in rejoicing her life and quiet service/accomplishments. I want to be a woman like her some day.

We had an enrichment night activity for relief society with some zones and learned Tihishen dancing, jive and latino dancing! it was a mucho fun fiesta!

My favorite quote this week is, "Having put our hand to the plow, we will never look back!" -President Holland. I am happily moving forward in God's work!

CTR

Love sister Nelson

May 17th 2013

I love you all! Talking on the phone really made me sing "There is Sunshine in my Soul Today!" and "Scatter Sunshine!" all day after that. It rubbed off on Sister Nakaima  too so she was grateful!  It was so good to hear all your voices and I'm so sorry it was short but rules are rules. They are there for my good so I gotta keep them!

The mission has been madness lately. The summer is kicking up so that means Japanese/ English tours in the handfuls  Study and meal time is either shortened or taken because of the need to take tours. I don't mind really, it means I get to teach more and talk to people. I love large group tours. It is sometimes hard to invite people to meet with missionaries but he get to bare our testimonies on God's plan for us to have eternal families to 20-30 people at a time. Its like Brigham Young did it on his mission! I also get to be the center of attention which is always a bonus, people listen to you and they will believe anything you say so joking is easy lol! 

On Wednesday Elder Ballard came to speak to us!! I feel so blessed. Not many young people or even missionaries get to hear an apostle of the Lord speak to them in a somewhat small group of people. The most profound thing the spirit whispered to me while he spoke was a question I've been trying to sort out for  several weeks now. How do I help people have a desire to do what is right and follow Christ  That is a huge part of my calling and I have felt lately that i wasn't doing as well as I could be. The spirit told me: they must feel the spirit. The desire will come after that and when I invite they will know what to do with that desire. WOW so simple. What Elder Ballard said that has helped me lately was things it was along the lines of don't worry, its the Lords Church, he can worry about it. I love it clearly means if I'm doing my best, the lord will make up for the rest. Which I have heard many times but am just getting now. Sheesh I'm a slow learner. This has especially helped lately because of the commotion with youth conference coordinating, guest speaking and singing with other sisters in a near by ward, tours, still being trained so I need study and trying to have time to still teach my investigators. Long story short this week has been a little much but the Savior did much more and knows how to help me, which He does every time I ask my Father in Heaven.

I love you all, and I love hearing from you. Don't forget me! lol I always am thinking of my friends and family looking to your great examples!

LOVE sister Shmag Nelson

PS 2 investigators are getting baptized in the next week! one boy one girl both about 19!! I'm so exited!

May 10th 2013

I CAN"T WAIT TO SPEAK WITH YOU ALL ON SUNDAY!!! It kind of just hit me that I will hear your voices soon and it makes me so happy! don't worry I'm not distracted though. It's too bizzy, no time to be distracted. Sister Nakaima is the only Japanese Sister on the square right now available to give Japanese tours. So if we get messaged, on P-day, dinner, during an assignment we HAVE to take it! Its great though I love it. The Japanese people are always so friendly and you teach them so simply. Almost like primary because they have no concept of God, Christ or church really. It is teaching me to teach with clarity (which has been a goal of mine since I got hear, Heavenly Father helps us in the strangest ways! lol)

Also, as you may know, Sister Nakaima and myself are the new Youth Conference Coordinators. Man oh Man is it bizzy! But I love it! After one, I was able to chat with new beehives, they told me that a Recent Convert and another yw who is was less active wasn't there and haven't been coming. I was able to bear testimony to them of how powerful their love and friendship can be. I told them of an experience of my own that I am not proud of. i was a miamaid and was not as welcoming as I could have been to one yw. I know to this day if me and my friends had welcomed her in our circle of friends she would have had a better fighting chance of staying happily active in the church. They agreed to let me help them with these important yw. I can;t wait to get a hold of them. These young beehives have much more than I did at their age however. Each of them expressed a desire to serve a mission. When I asked them why each of them told of similar reasons. They wanted to serve and help people to be happy like them. WOW youth are amazing.

Random Fun fact list:

-THis week has been the best i'm learning Japanese and Canadian japanese (broken english, it elliminates the use of plurals, and contains english words with basic consept, so u sound like a 2 year old speaking but japanese peops can understand better)

-I get to coordinate a Youth conference and guess who the guest speaker is?!!! ............................ John bytheway! I am freakin out I cant wait!

-I realized I love sushi and my comp hates it, fake japanese pft

-Anti's requested a tour. They do this to try and confuse you with deep thought questions and  try to make u lose your fatih. It doesn't work on us, we stick to the Gospel of Jesus Christ (the best way), our testimonies, and have english as a second language (sister nakaima) makes them frustrated because she legitamitly has no clue what they are talking about. LOL

-I love running by the capital every morning with the sister friends

-I was able to get a young non member boy to start being engaged in a tour lesson by simply asking him about football (they don't care you know until they know u care. LOVE thats it)

-I ran into a sign today while giving a tour lesson :S I WISH U SAW IT SOOO FUN

My testimony is simple. I love My heavenly Father. He is my Father. He loves me so much that He sent His only begotten Son so that I can change. I can change to become more like Him.

CTR

-Sister Nelson

May 3rd 2013

So i have 7 mins to write this! so here is a string of random pics.

We had a music night performance it was so fun! friends (Knott family)/recent converts came! (YD)

Sister Pickrell and I had a fun bike adventure on her last p-day. She left me :( (for home)

I have a new companion Sister Nakaima from japan, shes so sweet and yes 3 comps now and I'm only in my second transfer at T2

(bike to capital hill look out on p-day so fun)

I love all my fam (mom i want to see a pic of u and dad on your slick rides. Julia the cat names: "Heat" "meatballs" and "peanut Butter" won. I must get 3 cats when I get home and thank u so much for all the letters Brooklyn, Will, Sydney, Aiden, Landon, Jace, mark and Michelle I was smiling soooo big when i received like 6 letters that one day. It really helps me while im here) and friends (HOLLY I WANT TO HEAR FROM U. LG i am sending u and Lauren a letter today i am so sry. u know me i take forever. and Bamber and all others i have missed i love u!)

UH i am out of time but I have so many stories sorry! love love love you all

Sister Nel-dizzle

Pics:  The architect/project managers  of the Conference center.Sister new companion Nakaima from Japan!!!

April 27th 2013

 I have had the most fun week ever. lol like maybe in my life sister pickrel is the funniest shmag and we teach well together. Heavenly Father knew I needed a little "pick" me up lol We have been teachin, preachin and playin  up a storm. 

We have picked up two new investigators! One from Alabama, and the other from taxes! So fun, we are role playing, studying and teaching. For our study's we watched 2 general Conference Talks. One was Elder Utchtdorf "The Hope of God’s Light" which we used to help an investigator realize, In times of trials "To you and to all of us, I repeat a wonderful and certain truth: God’s light is real. It is available to all! It gives life to all things" And Elder Hollands talk: "Lord I believe" He said: "please don't hyperventilate if from time to time issues arise that need to be examined, understood, and resolved. They do and they will. In this Church, what we know will always trump what we do not know. And remember, in this world, everyone is to walk by faith." These talks specifically helped the people we are currently teaching. As we watched them we received goosebumps at how specifically they would help them. I love how that works.

Sister Pickrel and I were also able to have a really neat experience where we understood a little more about Jesus Christ. It was by reading the scriptures adn watching the "bible story" videos found on lds.org. We were both able to recall the first times we gained knowledge of the truthfulness of the book of Mormon and how it really is written to help us specifically. I was 8, and she was 16. Than the moments we knew through the Holy Ghost that Joseph Smith was the Prophet that the church of Jesus Christ was restored through. She was 21 and so was I. It was as we studied the first vision that we felt that. I love the first vision from Joseph Smith History 1:16-17

I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun,which descended gradually until it fell upon me. When the light rested upon me I saw two personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!

I know it is possible to gain that testimony if we study and ask.

We have also been kind of dressing up to humor ourselves. Hope you all get a kick out of it, because we sure did! Sister Pickrel, like sister Oh is leaving me (transfers next week adn she goes home than too ): ). But I know that every experience is for my benifit here and so far it has been like that. I love my mission. I love my Heavenly Father. I love you all!

XXXXX (hand hugs)

CTR 

Sister Nelson/poka-to-the-dots/Hobbs(sister Pickrel is Kalvin)/student at hogwarts