Sunday, January 31, 2016
Sister Nielsen in a Muumuu
Joseph Duano (a friend of ours attending school at BYU-Hawaii) sent us this picture today. Looking good in your Muumuu Sister Nielsen!!
Thursday, January 28, 2016
ALOHA
Aloha!
We’re pleased to have Sister Nielsen serving in the Hawaii
Honolulu Mission. Attached are several photos of her with President and Sister
Warner and the group that arrived with her.
We have found that weekly encouragement from home helps
missionaries remain happy and also inspires greater missionary effort. Mail
should be sent to:
Missionary Name (First, Middle Initial, and
Last)
Hawaii Honolulu Mission
1500 S. Beretania Street, Suite 416
Honolulu, HI 96826
Please be aware that first class and priority mail can be
forwarded from the mission office to missionaries without cost. Other services
(FedEx, UPS, DHL) do charge to forward mail, which we collect from the
missionary.
May the Lord’s blessings be with you and your family as
Sister Nielsen serves the people here in Hawaii.
Warmly,
Sister Gardner
Hawaii Honolulu Mission Secretary
808-942-0050
Friday, January 22, 2016
Jan. 22, 2016
HELLLLLLOOOOO FROM THE OTHER SIIIIDE Jan 22, 2016
Hello.... it's me. ;)
Guesss what?!?! I miss you all (appropriately) and love love
love getting emails and letters on dear elder. It's been so wonderful and fun
to hear what everyone is up to more than i did when I was home haha. Shoutout
to Andy-I told my district that my brother was now a boyfriend and they all
thought I said he had a boyfriend and then I had to teach them love because
they shouldn't be judgmental and it all straightened out :) haha. But seriously
that's great. I think the only family member I haven't heard from is Matt
so....
This week was really great. I love it here so much and am
excited to go to my mission but at the same time I don't want to leave my
district or teachers. They are gonna skype me on mother's day instead of their
families ;) jk I wish! Sis. Jackson and the elder left for their mission on at
4 in the morning on tuesday so it was really sad to say goodbye (they were all
so fun and spiritual and awesome. I love them all.) but now sis Mecham and I
are just a companionship which is reaaaaalllly nice. Trios are so hard even if
you love the girls.
I was sick alll week haha, I'm finally just to the point of
having a runny nose but I'm so glad I packed a few meds! I did sleep great
though which was a real blessing. We also had our last TRC which was sad to say
goodbye to our investigator because we always feel the spirit so strongly when
we teach her. Also we made a friend with this investigator named Leah White
(she took a bunch of pictures of and with us so if you add her on FB with a
message saying your a missionary mom then she'll accept you and you can steal
the pictures :) That way you can see my comps and roomies. She's kinda bigger
and redish hair and glasses and I can picture like crosses or something all
over her FB page. I hope you can find her because I'm really sad you haven't
seen my friends!) But leah isn't a member and she doesn't like missionaries
teaching her lessons. But she taught us a lesson about a crooked nail and how
we try pounding her on the head with religion but it just makes her more
crooked, but what Jesus did and what we need to do is pat her on the back and
straighten her before we can pound religion.. Kinda makes sense. I'm grateful
for little lessons I learn every day :)
We have been struggling to focus during study times, so we
have set goals to be obedient! I know that exact obedience brings us miracles,
which makes sense because "we show God what we want by how we live our
lives", but it isn't easy so we are really working on it haha. It's hard
when we all like each other so much that we can't stop laughing or talking..
but I love them and we are finding a balance ;) I do feel kind of bad because
like randomly 2 new sisters moved into our apt and so theyre still shy from
being new here, but us other 4 are completely out of control when getting ready
foro bed. I probably have a 6 pack from laughing so hard with them. I'm really
jealous that those 3 will get to serve together in their VC....
So my calling in churhc was music coordinator haha, so I got
to play the prelude and opening hymn in church :) It actually went really well
except during prelude the only time I really messed up was when the bishop got
up to start and I went to play the last note and totally ended on the most off
key note ever hahah reallly awkward but cracks me up. Totally keeping me humble
;).
Also a cool thing I learned this week was to have reflective
feedback, so when someone criticizes you or gives advice, you don't get
defensive or offended, but try to understand what theyre saying and then figure
out if it's true. My comps were driving me crazy with how I could improve and
at first I was taking it good but after so long it just gets old, you know, so
I was a little annoyed at them. But how can I improve unless I let others help
me? So I'm being patient and trying to let it help me and not bring me
down.
We had several days of no exercise and at that same time
period gma and mom both sent me huge desserts (which I love and thank you a
million cause yall are the greatest) and another sister gave us treats and our
room is now stuffed with sugar hahaha it's bad. Probnably why we are so crazy
all the time.... ;)
We started our VC classes and the teachers are sooo great.
One reminds me of Jess Wallin adn is sooo happy. It makes me want to love
everyone and share the gospel! They have taught me so much and helped me find
out that faith isn't by chance, but by choice. So I'm starting to choose to
have more faith and I feel like a million bucks ;) Seriously though, listen to
elder anderson
I love you all so much, and I have to do laundry haha but
I'll come email later i think. ALso mom I get to call you at the airport but
that might be early in the morming monday, but ill let yo uknow the deets :)
Have a great week! I lov eyou and yeah :) xoxo Sister Nielsen
Have a great week! I lov eyou and yeah :) xoxo Sister Nielsen
Friday, January 15, 2016
January 15, 2016
THIS WEEK HAS BEEN SOO LONG. I wish i could tell you
everything ive experienced, everything funny, everything spiritual, everything
sad and happy...but I don't even have the words for it so..
have a great week.love sister nielsen
hahaha just kidding :) really though a lot has happened
but I'll try to get it all out ;)
Ok so the temple last friday was amazing. its soooo
beautiful in there and it was good to just feel at peace. I'm so grateful that i
get to go again today :) and then another time before I leave! We have a PI
(teacher investigator) who has helped us so much in learning how to teach in
unity. Its really hard being in a trio and figuring out how to all help teach.
Especially because one of the Sisters likes to teach the whole thing lol. its
been rough. But seriously there is such a difference when we teach by the
spirit. I can totally feel the difference when we teach a lesson from US or from
the SPIRIT. Honestly it doesn't matter how well we teach if we have the spirit
with us because that it what builds faith and their desire to learn more. Friday
elder barlow gave me a blessing to be able to sleep. and guess what! I slept
really great! (I did buy a huge thing of melatonin too and seriously those two
things mixed together=the best sleep ever). SO saturday was reallllly hard. We
had this cool experience where our district got confused and missed a meeting we
were supposed to go to, but because we missed it, we were able to have a small
testimony meeting amongst each other. Everyone was bawling and half the people
felt like they had angels around them. It really was so spriritual. ANd then on
sunday (which by the way was so spiritual from morning till night, and I learned
so much, and I had to give the surprise talk in sacrament..haha) but on sunday I
had another experience where I felt like I shouldn’t be here. SO I really really
prayed and just felt so sad because it just didn’t' make sense. A day or two
later I felt so much peace. I felt like God was teaching me that if I don't have
a desire to serve him, then I shouldn't be here (maybe), but once I have truly
understood the gospel of jesus christ, I have realized there is nothing more in
this life that I would want to be doing. I don't even think this all makes sense
but basically what I'm saying is I prayed to God and he gave me an answer. And
since that answer I have been trying to be exactly obedient and to learn the
best I can, because by being on a mission I am giving MY time to the Lord. I
have to turn outward in order to have success.
I feel so mixed up in all my week hahah I’ve ran into so
many people that I know! It's great! Chris Kingsburg was here and I got to talk
to him for a second! it made me so happy :) Also exercise time is inspired. I
run some, (my feet have been great #blessings ;)) and play knockout with a group
of people. I even win sometimes which feels great cause they are all actually
basketball players haha.
I also met a senior couple that is going to hawaiii VC
too!!!! Its so great to finally know of someone else going, even if its on a
different day. I have received so many dearelders. I LOVE IT. Also I love when
gma accidently sends me the same one twice..it makes me look like I'm getting
lots of mail ;) But thanks to everyone that wrote me. They make me happy and
motivate me somehow. (even jamie's weird poems hahaha) Yesterday we had infield
training haha but I learned a lot about the importance of member
missionaries!!!!!!! ANYONE WHO READS THIS: I challenge you to help the
missionaries. Invite a friend, fellowship investigators, fellowship members.
Remember how important the gospel is in your salvation and how God prepares
people to hear the gospel, and help him share it with others that you
love!
Also you should listen to the hymn Reverently and Meekly
Now. Its soo wonderful.
And remember, if you are struggling having faith in
something, than act! faith without works is dead. So pray, read your scriptures,
go to church, etc :)
I love you! If I can think of actual stories to share, I
will.
Oh, a sister that just got sent home due to injury,
sister davis
anyways,
love sister nielsen.
(the food here is great but they serve dessert at every
meal. mom you should be jealous hahah I eat so crappy but theres no way to know
if I’m gaining weight because all my clothes are loose....oh well ;) I'm proud
of yall for being healthy.)
ill try loading pictures but I cant figure it out
yet.
Friday, January 8, 2016
First letter from the MTC
This is my p day apparently haha, so it's only been 2 days.
So I actually was caught up with all the rush when I got here. A really sweet
poly girl helped me get all situated. I got the bottom bunk :) yay. and then I
got led to my classroom and met my district. there are 5 girls (I'm in a trio
with sister jackson and sister mecham) and the other 2 sisters are super
awesome and they are sister park and sister hernadez. Most of the time it feels
like we are a 5 person companionship haha. there are 4 elders and we are slowly
getting to know them. 2 are really shy and 2 are more open. But I seriously
love them all so much, and I hardly even know them. It's crazy because I like
want to know more and more about their lives, but the thing is, we are great
friends already just because we spend all the time sharing the spirit and it
really bonds us. But the first day i was feeling really nervous I guess, and
for some reason really doubtful about whether the church was true (I just kept
worrying that I was blindly following I guess and didn't feel like i was
feeling the spirit so I was really freaked out) After a bunch of orientations
and a few classes we got to get ready for bed. It's like community showers and
I couldn't figure out the best way of going about it because my towel is so
small haha. And I felt like i was trying to put a lot into getting to know
everyone but irritated because no one knew anything about me. Like no one even
knew that I was a twin and I wanted them to for some reason :( haha. So i was
really homesick and just couldn't stop thinking about how I hadn't even been
there for a full day, I have 18 months more, I really missed my family, no one
here cared about me, I was starving because we ate dinner at 4 (after lunch at
1), and mostly that I didn't even feel like I knew any of it was true. I
seriously just lay in my bed from 10-1 at night just crying silently to
myself...plus i was the only cold person so i had like 4 blankets and just was
not comfortable. I prayed and prayed and prayed and just asked if i could know
that the church was true. because then at least i could feel like i was there
for something...but if i could’ve left at that moment, i would’ve left. Sooo
discouraged. The next morning we at a horrible breakfast that made me feel
sick. I was on edge of crying when anyone talked to me (a girl from cokeville
that i met at prom there was here and it was like seeing a best friend). But
then we had our district class which was like 3 hours. I don't even know what
it was in the class. Maybe just that I was finally willing to have faith and
try to feel the spirit more, but I felt the spirit and I felt so at peace. We
read scriptures together and we learned our purpose here. I just seriously feel
like a different person than one day ago. I have felt the spirit soo strong and
felt the spirit testify what I am learning is true. It's so perfect, the gospel
is. and the classes are so wonderful. I feel like anyone that thinks missionaries
are brainwashed need to spend a day here. EVERYTHING is just focused on others,
love, and the savior, which all go hand in hand. I love it so much and I love
every moment that I get to study (which is hours and hours lol) but even though
it's hard to sleep here, i feel the spirit so much that I just feel so much
growth within me. I'm soooo grateful that I came. I think I was at an important
point in my life where I was starting to really question and kind of doubt some
things in the church, but now I truly know that it's true and that everyone
deserves and just really needs to feel this spirit that brings hope and
comfort. I love missionaries!
Today is pday, so we get to email, exercise(finally haha),
go to the temple:), and i think relax. I still haven't unpacked haha and i did
laundry (i mixed whites and colors and everything was fine soo) and the food
has gotten much better haha. I'm trying to have patience as my comps want to
spend time "shopping" in the book store where the sweats that say MTC
are like 50$. why would anyone want that haha.
Sister jackson is from canada
Sister mecham is a typical byu girl haha, she knows tons of
people here because everyone went to byu... haha. She took a mission prep class
(so did sister jackson
Anyways i love you all. Weird to hear from me so soon
probably haha. but I'm grateful for it.
Jamie, I have your apt key. What's your address and I'll
figure out how to send it to you.
We get dearelders, but since we haven’t' had a district
leader until today, I haven’t actually seen if any one sent me any.. but I can
also check my email every day, just not respond till friday. I would prefer
dear elder though.
Love you. xoxo
love your sister ;) sister nielsen!
Wednesday, January 6, 2016
Monday, January 4, 2016
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