Hello!

So I hope you all had a great Christmas?! Full of goodies, friendships and the spirit of Christ?  This Christmas brought many surprises, good and bad. One was transfer calls. I was in the middle of cleaning my apartment on Monday when I received the call from President, telling me that I would be transferred to Muggiò, a city near Milan. I'm really sad to leave Alessandria. I love this city, and I've grown alot here. I've learnt what it means to really love others. And how. I've still got a long way to go, but I've got a nice start! I've also seen what I can do as a Missionary, with the Lord's help. I've seen how hard I'm willing to work, and how determined I am to do the right thing. It's been a case of Ether 12:27 at times. I love everyone here, but I guess it's time to move on and love other people too. I know that Alessandria is going to be one of the cities that I will return to very often. But, now I have a new challenge. It's going to be interesting, challenging and difficult. But I'm confident that the Lord will make me able to rise to the challenge, and make something good of it.

I want you to all really think about Ether 12:27. What it really means. Why we have weaknesses, and why the Atonement is so important, how it applies. Look at the events in your lives, and see this verse in action. It's such a commonly quoted verse, but for a reason. I know that it's the way that the Lord works for us to come unto Him, and ultimately be saved.

I love you all!

Anziano Nelson

Hello everyone!

How is the Christmas season treating you? It seems that Santa has been working extra hard for us Missionaries, so many miracles! Each week we have to report to President a miracle that we noticed in our work, and I had a hard time choosing between them all! But one of them has to be recognising a reason why I came into the Mission at the time I did. There were a few things that delayed my application for the Mission, and at the time I didn't understand why. I spoke with Bishop Nicholls about it, and he prophesied that there was a need for me in the field that I wouldn't otherwise reach. This week I saw that come true. Really, I should be home by now, but I can see that I'm really needed at this time. I'm grateful that I came out when I did, even if was months after I wanted to, otherwise I wouldn't be able to help as I can right now. Everything that happens, happens for a reason. Everything happens on the Lord's schedule, not ours. Remember that. When everything seems to fail, fall down, and crumble into nothing, remember that it is the Lord's timetable. Whether it is the next day, month, or 2 years, or even 20 years later, you will see the great wisdom that He has, and why things happen the way they do.

I love you!

Anziano Nelson

Hello!

So this week we've been wrapped up warm and trying to be inside for most of the day! But we've been blessed, tremendously. On Monday we had Zone Meeting, where all the Missionaries in Piemonte (basically the patch of land by France) came together to meet. The miracle was that while on the train to Alessandria, the Sister Missionaries from Torino met a young lady coming to study in Alessandria, who prayed only two days before for help from the Lord, and recognised her answer in the form of the Sisters on the train, and the Elders that are working in Alessandria! She has to be one of the most prepared people I've met, we didn't even teach her anything, I'd ask a question at the beginning of each principle asking her what it meant, and she'd give back a perfect answer, with no need for us to add anything. Being thrown by the lack of need to teach, I'd repeat for the next principle. We had to explain a little with Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon, but even then she understood, and seemed to believe everything that was said! She even said that God has been preparing her for this point and has been working with her for a long time. It's amazing how every little thing that happens in our lives prepares us for our greater destiny. I recognise it in myself, and in all thei nvestigators that got Baptised so far, God's been working hard, preparing these souls to come unto Him, and then there's lucky Anziano Nelson who just stumbles in and reaps the benefits! It's reinforced my testimony that every thing happens for a reason, for our eternal happiness. It's grown my testimony that there is always a reason for hope. For every tear the Lord permits us to shed for sadness, we'll shed a hundred for joy, as Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin said. I exhort you to recognise this in your own lives, reflect on how everything has made you grow and bring you to where you are now, and how even the little things have made you the man or woman you are today.

I love you all!

Anziano Nelson

Hello!

This week we had Stake Conference, and luckily for the first time in a LONG time I didn't have to do translation, so I was free to just sit back and take in the talks. I really enjoyed the talks and learnt from them. President Bellumo, the Stake President gave a talk about living water, and compared it to the other waters we can buy, and how much we have to pay for it. It made me think, alot. Living water is the most essential, in the long run, and most helpful, of all water, and we don't even pay for it. We just have to sacrifice our egoism and selfishness. As we give up our self-centredness, we get a little bit of living water, that gets added, little by little, each day. As we do that, we are healed. We can be healed of any kind of wound, physical, spiritual, emotional, it can all be healed, as we give ourselves up, and start looking towards Christ. Does that seem hard? To have the faith to give up looking at ourselves and look at others? Alma teaches us that if we can't muster the faith, then if we just have even the desire, then we can grow it until it becomes what we need. I've learnt that living water is essential, and without it, we can never have that higher happiness that we really need in our lives.

I love you all!

Anziano Nelson

Hello everyone!

This week has been another week of illness. First my companion, then he left, and now I've got it. Hopefully my new companion will survive without catching it! It's meant alot of thinking and reflection for me, on the Mission and other things. Something that keeps coming back to me, again and again, is about listening. Really listening to what other people say, and taking it in. Often Missionaries know what they have, and are so eager to share it with others, that they are not very quick to listen. The problem is, if you're not receiving anything, if you have no income, pretty quickly you're going to run out of things to give. If I have £5 in my bank, but do not get an income, and I give 50p to everyone I see, then very quickly I'll have nothing to give. It's only through receiving that we can give, and the magic of the Gospel means it's only by giving that we can receive. A commitment I'm giving to myself, the Missionaries in my District and to you, is to really take the time and listen to everything that people say, really listen. Take it in. Then speak. I promise that it will make things alot more easier, and we'll all be more effective in trying to help others, and get things done.

I have to go, I really do love each one of you, hope to hear from you!

Anziano Nelson

Hello everyone!

So this week has been a Blessing! We had another Baptism here in Alessandria! Right from the word go, when I found out about her in Ward Council a few weeks ago, she's been a miracle. She decided one day that she wanted to attend Seminary. The Bishop said, we can do that. Then she said she wanted to get Baptised, and Anziano Nelson said, we can do that! I don't think I've ever become such good friends in such a short time as with this person. And the crazy thing is I don't even know why! I think it's just because right from the beginning she wanted to do the right thing, and was so close to the Spirit, that the relationship just formed. It's a testimony to me of how that when we do what is right, we follow the Spirit, everything else comes. Friendships, and everything else, just comes.

I love you all!

Anziano Nelson

Hello everyone!

This week has been a real test of our resolve to work, with alot of our work disappearing in a matter of days. After a few prayers we went back out and did more finding work. It's been an interesting lesson about grace, and it's role. It made us realise just how much we rely upon the Lord and how only He can make things work. Often we start to let things go unappreciated, especially when we get alot of them. I've really learnt a lesson that we have to appreciate anything and everything that we get from the Lord, and that there is nothing that we have that isn't given to us of the Lord. I realisd just how much I cared for the people I worked with when I found out that I wouldn't be working with them anymore. There are so many lessons that we learn when we lose something. People very often ask me why, if there is a God, we lose things. I can't help but think everytime that it's because there are just so many lessons that we refuse to learn until we suffer a loss. I didn't realise how much I cared for those people until I realised I might not be working with them anymore. I would never have given even a fraction of the gratitude to God that I owed, if I hadn't suffered the loss. Maybe, just maybe, if we were willing to learn through gentler means, we wouldn't have to suffer loss quite so often. I'm grateful for the experience, and I'm also grateful for the help the Lord gave after in helping us to recover. The area is still doing well, thanks to a few turnarounds and miracles, but I, at least, have learned a valuable lesson.

I love you all!

Anziano Nelson

Hello!

So this week has been a week of miracles, just one after the other! Since coming to Alessandria, I've been praying, ALOT, for the success, and for help with the work, for miracles. And we got them! Just one after the other! All the week long, pure miracles! I hope that the trend continues! It really put into perspective the role of God in our lives. We can work all day long and see nothing from our fruits, but if we just stand back, and ask for God's help, He'll give it. And we can't imagine what he's willing to give us. In District Meeting last week, I talked about God's grace, and about how it works. We don't earn it. We don't do anything to deserve it. It's all about our faith, and real intent, that desire to act, and to bring about good things. While we can't sit back and do nothing, I think it's important to recognise all of our success comes from God, not of ourselves. To have that grace work in our lives, we just need to have faith and real intent. President Wolfgramm talked alot about real intent in the last Zone Conference. Without it, we're sunk. As we truly desire what God desires, not for our sake, but for other's sakes, and God's sake, then the miracles really come into play, and we really start seeing the hand of the Lord in everything that comes to pass. This week, do everything that you can to cultivate that real intent. It's something that really makes the difference. Wanting the right thing for the right reasons, and being willing to do whatever it takes to get it.

I love you all!

Anziano Nelson

Hello!
So we had a very special experience on the weekend. After their baptisms we confirmed a family on Sunday, and I've never seen a confirmation like the one of the mother. As we laid our hands upon her head, she just started to cry. As the prayer started, she started sob, loudly. When I say loudly, I mean I don't think anyone outside the circle could hear the prayer, even with the microphone. Afterwards, we learned what had happened. She'd just felt the Spirit so much, that it overpowered her. She never felt it that strong before, and couldn't control herself. Ever since, all she'll talk about is how she felt at the confirmation. She always says that while she felt good until her Baptism, and great after her Baptism, it is the confirmation that will always stay in her mind. She is showing such a great example for the rest of us here in the Ward, the appreciation for spiritual things. She was just so open and ready for the Spirit that when it came, it came with full force. The Spirit was so strong in the Sacrament meeting, I don't think there was anyone that wasn't touched. I really hope that I, and everyone else, can be so receptive to the Spirit, that there is no barrier between me (/us) and the Spirit, that we can be carried away by the Spirit like she was.
I love you all,
Anziano Nelson

Hello!

So this week I spent alot of time in bed, rather ill. One day I woke up on time, prayed, then the instant I finished praying, I collapsed and was asleep again before hitting the pillow (literally) and woke up two hours later, thinking it had been only a couple of seconds. Unfortunately, I didn't feel much better for my sleep. Unable to do finding work, I found alot of time to read and pray. I also noticed something. I'd been praying for the success and morale of the missionaries in the area, and I'd realised just how much I'd come to love those missionaries, even though I'd never even met some of them, and had barely spoken to any of them. Just by spending time thinking and praying for them, my love had grown for them. It gave another meaning to what one of the General Authorities had said in the MTC, "love is time". It doesn't take much to love someone, just to spend some time on them. It's nothing profound, but it's just something that hit me in the last week or two.
Well I hope that you all have a great week, and that you all find the time to love one another!
Anziano Nelson

Hello! I hope you are all well! I hope that you enjoyed General Conference? The story that stuck out was in Elder Nelson's talk, with the man who had a voice tell him to stop the boys on the bikes, then saw the Missionaries. I wouldn't believe it if it didn't happen on the Mission, but it does! It's wonderful how much the Lord is willing to do to help us in our lives. There is nothing that He is not willing to do in order to make us truly happy, except force us. There is also a connect incident. Coming out of that session, it was the first time I'd met many of the members. During the talk, Elder Nelson talked about his grandaughter who is serving in Italy (I met her in the MTC). In Italian there is no difference between granddaughter and grandson, both are "nepote" (which also happens to be the word for niece and nephew). So they would come up to me (or I to them) and the first thing they'd do, after having just heard that Elder Nelson's grandchild is serving in Italy, is look at my badge and read (translated) "Elder Nelson". Each time there was a confused look, the look of recognition, the look of wonder, then the inevitable question: "Are you related to the Apostle?!" I think I had the response memorised by the end of the night! Anyway, back to the spiritual side of things. I know that each one of you who watched General Conference had the Holy Spirit whispering things to your heart as the prophets and Apostles spoke. Telling you something that you need to do. My challenge to you is to do it, regardless of the cost or pain, do it! It's something that will bless each one of us, I'm confident, so long as we're obedient to the voice of the Lord. I love you and look forward to hearing from you soon! Anziano Nelson.

Hello! So Monday I found out my next city: Alessandria! It's on the west coast near Genova. I'm excited! I've had three companions who've served there in the past, and they all loved it. Well, yesterday we had a great breakthrough. Our investigator, after many years of trying, stopped smoking! I'm really proud of him, he has really come a long way. He had lost confidence in himself, and had all but given up, but after a really powerful lesson last week, he finally managed to overcome it! The Missionaries here still have a work to do, but the big hurdle is out of the way. There was special moment in which I said that I was sorry if I'd been hard with him in the past, and he turned and said "Don't be. It was what was needed to get me here, without those rebukes, I wouldn't be at this point. You're the Elder who got me this far." I really appreciate alot more now the need to stay strong, to rebuke when necessary, and then to show an increase in love towards them (D&C 64:5 I think), and to always maintain faith in a person. Sometimes we lose faith in people, but we should keep it, when the faith becomes tried, and survives, that's when the miracles happen. I love you all! Anziano Nelson.

Hello everyone! I hope that everyone is well! This week I had the opportunity to go and work in Mestre, which is a small city, just outside of Venice, and the area actually includes the city of Venice. It was good day, but made me reflect alot about rules, and their role in life. Throughout my Mission, I've seen many Missionaries with many different attitudes towards the rules, some who didn't put much stock in rules, and others who revolved their entire Missions around the rules. I've come to realise that neither is a good idea. I'm preaching to the choir, I think, if I say that it's important to obey the rules, but often we get so tied up in obeying the rules that we forget why we're here in the first place: To help others. Other times we get so caught up in the "spirit of the law" that we start thinking that it means we can do whatever we want, and justifying it by saying "it's the spirit of the law that matters, not the letter". Before the Mission, I had a discussion with an evangelical with the Missionaries. When I said we needed to do good works, otherwise we wouldn't be saved, he agreed, but when I followed up by saying that we needed to obey the commandments, he called me legalistic. To me that was a great example of using the "spirit of the law" to escape the consequent requirements of having the law: The need to obey it. I've learnt that we should ALWAYS go with the spirit of the law, there is nothing else that the Lord wants us to do. That is what really serves, what really helps, and what will save us in the end. The small print to go with that is that the spirit of the law rarely contradicts the letter of the law, and it's even rarer that it is easier. On a final note, I've noticed that my Italian is heavily influencing the structure of my English, so if it seems strange to you, forgive me! I love you all, Anziano Nelson

Hello! So this week has been good, we got some really good new investigators! Including one who has recently been praying to know whether she should forbear with her Church with the many changes and problems that she sees, or if she should leave it entirely...then she met us! She even went to find the Church by herself without us saying anything...before she even had her first lesson with us! There is still a long way to go, but she is showing so much sincerity, desire and willingness. It's an example for everyone. Too many people are happy to say something along the lines of "I don't like what I have, but I don't want to lift a finger about it", and I think we all have a part of this in us. I know I do. But this lady is really showing the Lord (and us) what it means to have real intent. She's seeing an opportunity to get closer to God, and taking it with both hands. Let us all do that! I know that in each one of us there is something that is not right, we are not happy about it, and it is an obstacle between us God (however big or small). Let's do something today. Make a decision about how you're going to make it better right now, and in the next 30 minutes, get the ball rolling. I know that as you do it, miracles will happen, and your life will get a little better, enough for you to want to make the next change :) I love you all, and hope you all have a great life changing week! Anziano Nelson

Hello!   So this week we've had a big clear out of our investigators. Many of them weren't progressing as we would have liked, and so we said to them that when they're ready, they can give us a call. Unfortunately, at the same time, many of our really good investigators had various problems, and so stopped wanting to see us. It was rather depressing! Then flu hit our companionship and we weren't able to do any finding work to get new investigators for the week. It took alot of faith and resolve for us to persist and say that we would continue without our old investigators, especially since we were only doing only fixed appointments, but we went ahead and tried our best. The miracle? We were able to teach 22 lessons still, 2 more than the goal for the Mission!   It reminds me of the story of Elijah and the prophets of Baal, that Dai Hole showed me one time, in which he set up a competition with false prophets, in which the object was that they had to have their respective Gods send fire upon the sacrifice. Elijah poured water on the sacrifice, which showed his faith. While I may not have faith like Elijah, we all should have that faith, to be able to do the right thing, even if it makes things harder for us to achieve our goals, and have faith that God will help us. When we do the right thing, God really does bless and gives us what we really need.   I love you all!   Anziano Nelson

Hello!   So after some shenanigans (yes it's found it's way to Italy, one of the YSA here asked me what it means and how to translate it!) involving rescuing my companion who was stranded in Venice and broken elavators, as well as a meeting with a Jehovah's witness or two, the week is over! Something that I've learnt alot about this week is personal accountability, both to ourselves and to the Lord. It's really been driven home how it can affect our relationships when we don't have it. When we hold ourselves accountable, we grow, we become stronger, we become what the Lord needs of us. We are what we need to be. As we hold ourselves to account we become able to act, and not be acted upon, and become the world changing people that makes a difference in other people's lives. We become the beacon on a hill that cannot be hid that Jesus says we are. I would really exhort each one of you to hold youselves to account for everything you do each day, and show the Lord that you appreciate what he's given you. As you do so, I promise that you'll improve and become the servants that He asks us to be!   I love you all, and hope everything is going well! Anziano Nelson

Hello! So it's transfer time again, and our companionship is breaking up. We've both worked really hard these last few months, and we've both really changed and matured. The growth has been a little painful, but we've been seeing great results. We've both been breaking our personal records, and apparently even some others too. Something I've learnt alot is the value of sacrifice and growth, the link between the two, that brings us so much further along the path to God and success. We've both had (bad) parts of our personalities fly off, as we've tried to shift ourselves in order to what's best for the city. And as a result, three things have changed. Me, my companion, and the city. I hope that the changes will continue to happen in all three of us.  Sometimes change is hard and difficult, but it's also necessary. We didn't come to Earth to stay the same as when we left Heaven. Our choice is how we can accept those changes, and use them for our benefit.  I love you all! Anziano Nelson.

Hello!   So this week Johnson was Baptised! He was a miracle find. I was sitting in Priesthood one day, and there was an African standing outside looking at me. I went out, and he explained that he was here to worship with us! I quickly took advantage of the situation! Throughout the last few weeks we've been teaching him, and he made it into the Baptismal font! It's so interesting to see how the Lord gave us this success without us even looking for it. That we literally did nothing, and he was landed in our laps, saying "Baptise me!" When you work for the Lord and you do the things that he asks for, even if the results seem like they are not coming, God is preparing the way for you, and in a way that you can't help but recognise that it comes from God, and not of yourselves! Look out for those times!   Vi voglio tanto bene!   Anziano Nelson

Hello!   So this week has been great! We've been learning alot, and trying new things! There is a new meeting that we have to do as Missionaries, Zone Meeting...we're all confused about what we're meant to do, I'm greatful I'm not running it, but it could really help, if it ever works the way it should!    So on monday we did an exchange, and I got lucky, I got the car :) I'd chosen a road to do house to house on the night before, and felt the Spirit confirm it. I went with my echange companion, and....it was empty. When I mean empty, there wasn't a house in sight, it was a farmers field. Wondering why the Spirit told me to go there, I started thinking of where I wanted to go next, when Anziano Jeter shouts "Casa mecca!" I look up and there's a bunch of big pilazzi in the middle of nowhere, obviously never been knocked before in a city with bikes. We go there, and after a little confusion with the satnav, we arrive at the pilazzo next to the one we wanted to do and accidently do that one instead. When there was only 20 minutes left of finding time before an appointemnt, we finally find someone interested! After a GREAT lesson, we leave with a lesson taught, a return appointment, two new Italian investigators, and a crazy dog that won't leave us alone!   It's so interesting how the Lord tries our faith. He always follows through with His promises, but sometimes he makes the situation look bleak, to show us how strong our faith in Him really is. I've learnt so much recently about faith, and also about sacrifice, the need to do it, and be willing to give up everything for the Lord. But more about that next week! Just remember, keep the faith, God always keeps His promises, no matter how bleak the situation!   I love you all,   Anziano Nelson

Hello!   So I was teaching a Frenchman, and while explaining about the Sabbath day I said "Non devi lavorare sulla domenica" Translation: You must not work on sundays. He responded "perchè no? Cos'è sbagliata con sud America?" Why not? What's wrong with South America? That caused A LOT of confusion, he didn't understand the word "domenica" and so insisted on understanding "sulla domenica" as "sud America", or South America! After remembering schoolboy French, I managed to help, but my colleague was just confused (he doesn't speak a word of French so isn't able to help very much). It's interesting how distorted things can get when we insist on bringing our old understandings to new things. The Judaizers for example in New Testament times destroyed their understanding of the role of Christ in Salvation because they insisted on using their Jewish perceptions of things. I've been working hard this week to leave old things be, and take a new fresh look at things as they really are, right now.I think that is something that can help everyone!   I love you all!   Anziano Nelson

Well it's my "hump day" tomorrow! How strange. It's going to be odd, to be in the second half of my Mission, less days left than days I've done! I'm consoling myself that I've still got a few more weeks until I've got my hump day in Italy! It's been a great year, I've learnt a lot, and grown. Looking at myself now compared to when I went into the MTC...I'm not sure you'll recognise me when I get back! There's been the real lows that have driven me to my knees in prayer begging for mercy, and the real highs that have made me soar, and then there are those times that just...you can't decide which it belongs to! And none of them would I trade for anything! I wonder where I'd be right now if I hadn't have gone on a Mission? Probably not in as a good a situation as right now! I'm really grateful to be here, and for all the help I've had from my friends that helped me get here. I'll find a way to repay! :D I love you all, and hope to hear from you soon!

I'm staying in Udine :) Love you!

13th June 2012

Hello every one! So it's been raining here in Udine, and I'm grateful we had the Zone Leaders down with their car! I was with one of the Zone Leaders when after haven taken shelter, we saw hail the size of my thumb slamming into cars and so forth, made quite a bit of noise! We was watching one car slowly get pummeled, losing rather a lot of paint. Hope they have insurance! One of our investigators is convinced that the Bible has predicted this (and the earthquakes we've been experiencing) and that Italy is about to be destroyed. We're pretty sure that the reason why we can't reach him is that he's fled the country. Let's hope he's wrong! That incident has made me think a little. How wonderful it is that we have a living prophet, who can tell us about these things? That we don't have to rely upon man's interpretation of a 2,000 plus year old document that's been altered, but instead have a living and active link with God, who can warn us if these things are going to happen? I'm grateful I don't have to rely on man to know if I'm in danger or I need to do something! I love you all! Anziano Nelson

Hey!   So we had another Baptism! And a miracle! None of her friends or family turned up, so I was praying throughout Priesthood meeting that someone would come. Well, I got a tap on the shoulder from one of the members, who pointed me out into the passage. There was an African standing there, in African smart dress! I went out, and after a little bit of confusion in regards to who he was, I brought him in, and translated for him. He'd been told by his friends in Nigeria to come visit our Church, and had decided to come along that day. I went off to sort a few things out for our investigator who was getting Baptised, and came back with her, and she recognised the random African, they were friends from Nigeria! What a miracle! I was so grateful that she could have a non member friend there to support her while she made this great step in her life! There is nothing the Lord won't do to help His children!   I love you all!   Anziano Nelson

Hello! So yesterday, we were pretty down. One of our New Converts was being....less than bravo, and our day was largely wasted due to various reasons. So I decided to go get a kebab to cheer myself up and get the stress off. We met another new convert on the way, which meant we didn't go to the kebaberia (kebab shop :) ) that we'd planned, but a different one, because we talked for a while.. Anyway, as we were leaving, the owner and his fiancè ask us to come and have a Sprite with them (on the house), after a quick look at my companion, I agreed. We sat down, and started chatting, and they turned the topic over to the Gospel. We ended up teaching them the Restoration, gave them a Book of Mormon in Romanian (my companion was carrying it around for some random reason), and set a return appointment for tomorrow! It's so interesting how the Lord guides you to those who have interest in the Gospel! My invite for this week is to...when you're down, get a kebab and share the Gospel with the owner of the kebab shop! :D

Hello! This week has been good for my language skills...my twe (an african language spoken Ghana) has been very useful in getting us into peoples homes! I learnt a little in Reggio and have been putting it to good use! Just speaking a little of it puts the Ghanans at ease and forms a friendship and bond that they appreciate, and opens them up. It makes me realise what the real bringer of the spirit is: love. As they realise that you care enough about them to want to learn their language and take the time to appreciate their culture they feel the love, and then they feel the spirit. Some of the Missionaries often think that you have to speak the language perfectly to be a good Missionary, but you don't. I've found that even when you don't speak more than a couple of words in a language that they understand (our Chinese investigator for example, Yuang shen), they still feel the Spirit and somehow get taught. The Missionaries don't really do anything, it's always the Spirit, and we're just there to help them let the Spirit in. With Yuang, for example, he doesn't speak much English, and even less Italian. So I've been learning Chinese, and I probably don't make much sense to him when I speak it, but he has the biggest grin on his face when I do, and the Spirit instantly comes! Remember when working with your friends trying to bring them the Gospel light, it's not the words you say, but the love in which you say it that really matters! I love you all! Anziano Nelson.

Hello! So...new area, new challenges, some not so new...and lots of fun! It's a large Branch here in Udine, not quite as dependant on the Missionaries as Forlì was (I'm grateful). The Missionary area is in a bit of a bad way, and my goal for this transfer is to transform it into a functioning area. We've got two really good investigators though, and one of them brought their sister to Church on Sunday (I ended up translating again) and we're having to hold back from the Baptismal font! We didn't even say anything in the first lesson when she said she wanted be baptised....today! We managed to persuade her to wait a little while, and we're excited for her! The Branch is great! I love the city, finally a city which looks Italian...the only downside is my companion is from Utah! Darn...but he's cool, so I don't mind losing my record for lacking in Utahn companions! He's from Farmington, Utah, and is called Anziano Taggart. He's actually a little older than me, 25, so for once I'm not the oldest missionary in the Zone :) Apparently it is a twin city with Port Talbot, the city next to Swansea where I was Baptised! And there is a senior couple in my district, Anziano and Sorella Jacobs from Layton Utah, who lived in Cambridge and also East Anglia, so if you know them let me know and I'll pass on to them your greetings! :) Plenty of connections with home it seems! :) Something that has hit me this week was from my personal study this morning. I was reading Mosiah 3 (I'm reading with my new convert in Reggio, although I'm just guessing how much she is reading, and I need to catch up), and an old favourite took on a new meaning. Verse 19 mentions how through the Atonement we become a Saint. The thought was the role of the Atonement. Many Christians claim that the Atonement does everything first, then we do works. Many people say that 2 Nephi 25:23 says we have to do everything before the Atonement comes into effect and saves us. But this gave me a different line of thought. It is through the Atonement that we become perfected and ultimately saved, the Atonement helps us do everything we have to do to be saved! The Atonement really is infinite, and is designed to bring us from our natural carnal state to the Saints we have the destiny to become. The trick is learning to rely upon it! I love you all! Anziano Nelson

Hello everyone!   So, I've packed my bags again, I'm leaving for Udine, which is near Venezia! Reggio has been so fun, working with the members, learning Twe (mg peh pah!) and Spanish (como estas hermanos?), and generally working hard! A less active we've worked with just became the second counsellor in Young Mens, and taught his first lesson sunday! I'm so proud! Rita our new convert is going through a hard time, but is coping well! Krishna and Anamaria the other new converts are doing well as well!   I've changed alot, according to the Ward. The Mission changes you so much. Each city you go to changes you, forms you, and leaves an everlasting impression upon your life. Reggio will always be the place where I took responsibility, and saw that I really can do Missionary work. I wish I could have stayed another six weeks, but I know that something new in Udine is awaiting me and that I have things to learn from them too. I don't think I'll be recognisable when I get home! If you haven't served a Mission, and thinking about it, do it! It is a lot of stress, especially when you have to race around the city looking for your "kidnapped" Sister Missionaries, and when Baptisms come, but that is all part of the fun. When you leave a city, and you see how you were at the beginning compared to how you are when you leave, you just have a great feeling of satisfaction, and growth. The impact people have on you, and that you have on others is tremendous. There is nothing like it! So, go serve Missions, and see how many Blessings there are instore for you!   I love you all!   Anziano Nelson

Hello! So we had a Baptism this week! Rita got Baptised! It was a great journey, getting her from that first moment we knocked on her door, all the way through to the waters of Baptism! The ceremony was great. There was a slight hiccup in the plans though, the person who filled the font didn't think to put cold water in, it was boiling! There wasn't any time to fix the situation, so we just put some cold water in (which escaped immediately due to the font being too full) and hoped it would cool a little! It did a little, but not as much as I'd have liked. When Rita entered she kept saying that it was burning her. Knowing it was then or never, we encouraged her, and told her we'd be really quick. She came in, and was Baptised. She felt so great that she didn't want to leave the water! Didn't even feel the heat! That feeling of being Baptised is so powerful, it overrides pretty much everything else! Rita hasn't stopped talking about it ever since! She's now busy working on her family to get them to make the same step. All I can say is that she's an older Missionary than I am! I hope that you all remember that feeling you had of Baptism, and if you don't, dig out your old journals and remind yourselves! It is so powerful! There is nothing like it. It is a powerful experience, and I wish that everyone would have that experience in their lives. I love you! Anziano Nelson

Hello! So this week....wow. A lot of new experiences! The one I want to speak about is what happened Monday. We have a Baptism coming up, and the investigator called me, they'd had a bad day, and wanted to back out of the Baptism. My companion got the gist of the conversation and started having kittens. We were on the other side of Reggio at this time from our investigator, so I spent the whole time trying to calm down my companion. The Sorelle had told me to keep her as unstressed and calm as possible, and that was my game plan. She didn't need two panicky and stressed Anziani turning up on her doorstep. It was one of the longest rides I've ever done. Trying to simultaneously calm down my companion, slow him down, and figure out what our game plan was going to be. We arrived, prayed, discussed our game plan (literally, just be all smiles and laughter) and went in. I saw the investigator, smiled, and just started talking. It was a bit surreal, and I'm sure I didn't think of any of the things I said, it just came out. By the time we left, she was complaining that she had to wait for the Gift of the Holy Ghost. I have no idea how but the situation just completely reversed itself. It's so interesting how much a smile does for people, and what the Holy Spirit can do. He just turned everything about and made the situation from bad to being the best ever! Remember to smile when things go bad, because it does things that gives you a reason to smile! It really works! Anziano Nelson

Hello everyone! Well, it's been an interesting week. One of our investigators passed her Baptismal Interview (apparently one of the most ready investigators he's ever interviewed) and is being prepared for her Baptism!. Her Baptismal Date also got moved to 12th May instead of 5th so that her family can all come. The good news is that they're coming (15 of them apparently), so that'll be great! She asked me, "You must come and convert them all like you converted me!" seizing the opportunity, I smiled, said "Deal!" and extended my hand to seal the deal. Thinking maybe that we wouldn't want to, she said to my companion "I don't think he understood what I was saying?" My companion replied "Oh, I think he understood perfectly, he's just very furbo (sneaky)!" We left her with a great big smile on her face! I love you all! Anziano Nelson

Hello everyone! So this week I've been called to repentance, and started setting Baptismal dates, my previous companion was rather slow to do them, but after a few trainings, a call to repentance by my leaders and a new companion, I've repented, and started setting them, and it's really blessing the work! We have two people working towards Baptism at the moment, and we'll have a fair few more by the end of the week, if I get my way! But something that has really hit me is how important they are for investigators progression. With one, we've been talking about Baptism, but she wanted to wait, still she's finished the Book of Mormon, till she's done this that and the other. We decided to set a date with her, and hope she'll accept it. She said she'd think about it. Well, she came back with that received an answer to her prayers, that she needs to be Baptised on that date! With a solid and concrete date to work towards, she'll be able to progress even faster! It's interesting how having dates, deadlines and goals can really help our ability to grow to become what we want to be. It' something I've noticed so much on the Mission. As President Monson said, as results are measured, results improve. One of my main goals this week is to started putting deadlines for all my goals, so that I can push myself to be a better Missionary, and a better person. I'd encourage you all to do the same! I love you all! Anziano Nelson

Hello! So this week has been great! I beat my transfer record as of Sunday, 120 lessons taught, and I still have a week left :) It's been a week of miracles. One that we hit our goals for numbers of lessons, but also one of our investigators. She's always been "brava" (I'm sure you can figure out the meaning of that word, if not, googletranslate!), but yesterday I found out how. We sat down in a park with her and started talking. I asked her how her reading of the book of Mormon was going. She apologised and asked forgiveness because she only read it through one time. Curious, I asked what she'd read, the response really surprised me. She'd read the introduction to the Book of Mormon, and the first TWELVE CHAPTERS!!! She asked me if she'd done something wrong because both my companion and I were looking at her in shock. He fell off the park bench. Recovering I reassured her she was doing great, then she started talking about Baptism and when she wanted to be Baptised! That really showed me how much we should appreciate the word of the Lord, whether it be the scriptures, General Conference, or any other form, we should have this desire to soak in it, and recognise that "man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth from the mouth of the Lord doth man live". I know this week I'm going to work on developing my love of the Scriptures! I love you all! Anziano Nelson

Hello!
So this week, after getting rather frustrated with one of our investigators because he wouldn't let go of his problems and think about something else, ie Christ, the real solution of all his problems, I came up with a scriptural story and applied it to his situation. It's Numbers 21;6-9. It's the story of the Brazen Serpent.
6 And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.
7 ¶Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord, and against thee; pray unto the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people.
8 And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.
9 And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.
The fiery (and flying, according to Alma) serpents represent our problems. They are too many to handle, and a single bite is enough to kill us (spiritually) if left untreated. Unfortunately, too often we think about taking a sword, and killing each one individually. But there is no way we can do that; there are too many, and the consequences of failing are too high. But God sent His only Begotten Son for us, so that if we look at him, we might live. Be healed, and find a real solution to our problems.
Helaman 8:14-15
14 Yea, did he not bear record that the Son of God should come? And as he lifted up the brazen serpent in the wilderness, even so shall he be lifted up who should come.
15 And as many as should look upon that serpent should live, even so as many as should look upon the Son of God with faith, having a contrite spirit, might live, even unto that life which is eternal.
While it is understandable to be looking at the fiery flying serpents who can kill you with a single bite, there is a more excellent way. Something I'm learning to do is not to look at the most terrible and frankly the downright most terrifying beasts imaginable (kudos to whoever thought that fiery serpents were not enough to scare the Israelites, but decided to make them fly too), but look at the author of our Salvation, even Jesus Christ. We face a lot of opposition, but it's important that we let that go, and just focus on the one person that does matter: Jesus.

Reggio and Modena Districts

Hello everyone!

Wasn't General Conference great? I love how everyone, if they pay attention, gets something from it. We were sitting with an investigator, an Albanian, who's been having problems. The whole time during one of the sessions we were sweating, because all of the talks were blatantly directed STRAIGHT AT HIM. And they were not gentle either! All the people who knew him were praying that he wouldn't take offence. When we got out, I timidly asked how he liked it. He turned round, looked me in the eye with a frown on his face, and said, "I liked it. I've found the strong words I've been looking for! Why can't church be more like this?" I instantly sent a prayer of gratitude up to God for that! I love the words of the Prophets! Even when I listened in Italian, I felt the Spirit so strong! They always know what I need to know and learn. I'll be studying their words for days on end once I get hold of the Conference issue of the Ensign, I'll learn Spanish if I have to!

I love you all, Brothers and Sisters!

Anziano Nelson

Hello!

So this week has been good, we've been finding so many families! And they are so amazing! We taught Rita her first lesson, the Restoration the other day, and she taught half of it to us! She practically is a Mormon, without ever being Baptised or coming to Church! And she has an amazing family! There are 10 of them! We're still working on reaching all of them, but the potential is great! It's interesting how you can work so long without much result, then all of a sudden the work just explodes! We've had to give half of the people we're finding to the Sisters to teach, and we're still struggling to teach all our investigators as much as we'd like, and we're still getting more! I've also noticed how much our success relies on what's going on behind the scenes. When we as a companionship are not getting on, or the balance is wrong, or we're not as obedient as we could be, the work stalls, and nothing happens. But when we're striving our best to be what the Lord wants us to be, even if that means that we are tying one hand behind our back, the work just explodes! It's a real testimony to me of how important it is to the Lord that we do things His way, that it doesn't matter how good WE are, only that we do things the way the Lord wants them to be done. Our skills have no relation to the success of the work. Only that we do things in the true way, the way that the Lord wants us to do them, for the reasons for which the Lord wants us to do them, and the Lord then shovels success onto us. I'm sure this is true in everyday life too. Don't be tempted to do it your way, do it the Lord's way, even if it makes no sense, and I'm confident that the Lord will bless you so much that you won't be able to afford to do it any other way!
I love you all! Anziano Nelson.

Hey everyone!

So this week has been rather sad, we've had to say goodbye to a few
really good people. One is Francis, a Ghanian man. He is just so
humble and open. We've been teaching him for a couple of weeks. He
doesn't speak Italian very well, so I've been translating for him at
Church, he is so patient with me as I try to figure out what the
speaker is trying to say, translate it, then have it make sense in
English! He's also been teaching me his language, twe. M'kor! I'm
getting better! He was going to be getting Baptised in two weeks, but
he doesn't have work and so needs to go live with a few friends in
Napoli (Naples I think is the English name? It's south of Rome).
Hopefully the Missionaries there will be able to pick him up again and
get him Baptised! He taught me so much. I taught him a lot of the True
Doctrine, but he taught me how to be like Christ. I'm really grateful
to have known him, he, just like many others, has changed my life
forever.

Sometimes we take the people in our lives for granted. They change us
in ways so profoundly and deeply that we can never be the same again,
yet we barely even recognise their presence in our lives. Everyone I
ever met has influenced me, for good or for bad. Changed me, forged
me. And it's the same for everyone. We all have our Francis' who come
into our lives, sometimes for a long time, others for only a fleeting
glimpse, but in that time they are someone who just changes who we
fundamentally are. It's my hope and prayer that we'll recognise those
people, and thank them for helping us being who we are, and who we
will be in the time to come.

I love you all!

Anziano Nelson

Hello!

So this week has been an adventure, after an incident with a car, we got to work. While using the chitophono (the device you use to speak to people in apartment blocks), a man didn't get my accent right, and thought I was African, and threatened to call the police, thinking I was a burglar! We left to do another apartment block, and twenty minutes later a man comes up to us, and asks angrily if we were the ones who buzzed him. We spoke for about an hour, he was very apologetic for calling the police on us (apparently he was good on his threat) and now has a good relationship with the Church! I'm not sure why he thought I was African now!

Now, I need to explain a little Italian. When we want to use a word as an adjective, often in Italian we have to add -ale to the end. For example, Settimana means week. If I want to use it to mean a weekly plan, I would say programma settimanale. You may know that male means bad, or badly in Italian, hence MALnutrition, bad nutrition. With one of our Albanian investigators, we made a Baptismal calendar, or calendario battesimale. He read it, and asks, why is it bad? A little confused, we asked what he meant. It says it's bad right there! Reading it I realised what he was reading "calendario battesiMALE"! I had to laugh, then cry when I realised I can't explain Italian grammar in Italian to an Albanian who can't read that well in his own language! However it did teach me the importance of words, and that it's not what you say or write that's important, it's the message received. Our investigator didn't see correct Italian grammar, he saw "bad baptismal calendar". Let us all be careful to always make sure that the person receives the right message and not just send it!

I love you all!

Anziano Nelson

Hello!

So this week has been the start of the new transfer in Reggio! We've been busy coming up with what we want to do in this transfer, and how we can help the people of Reggio nell'Emilia! Something that came up in training yesterday was that "without vision, the people perish", and it's true! We're being very simple and very specific in what we wish to achieve this transfer! What's even better we have specific names! It'll be hard work, but I'm excited for the opportunity to help these people! One of our goals was the number of the lessons we would teach each week. In District meeting we had the Zone Leader's over to explain the Zone Vision as well. As each Companionship got up to share their Vision, it was obvious that there was one thing in common, that we each individually had come up with 20 lessons a week! Then the Zone Leaders told us that the Zone Vision was exactly the same! Obviously the Spirit of the Lord felt very strongly about this one aspect for this transfer!

Visions are so important, visions for the day, the week, the month, and so forth. Without them we are just wandering like a ship with a rudder. I hope you each have visions for what you wish to achieve, even if it's not as detailed and extensive as Missionary visions are, and and don't forget to be specific!

Love Anziano Nelson.

Hello everyone!

So this week has been great! This transfer we've been struggling as a District to hit 20 lessons a week, the Reggio Sisters have been getting about 14 lessons a week, we've been getting about 12, and Piacenza has been getting about 9. We decided for our last week together as a District, that we would each get twenty lessons. By Friday it looked dim, we had so many cancellations, that we only had 12 lessons taught in 5 days, two days left, and none planned. Then we went out and did Saturday, we got up to 15. Sunday we were determined to get the last 5 lessons, even though we only had 2 planned plus half the day taken up by Church and related activties. Well after some miracles of investigators coming up to us with their problems, we ended the week with a total of 21 lessons for our companionship! The Sisters taught 20, but unfortunately Piacenza "only" taught 18, but that is double what they taught the previous week, so we were happy for them!

Just remember you can achieve anything when you have the Lord on your side!

Love, Anziano Nelson

Hello everyone! So this week has been good, finally started getting some work done after being ill (both of us, I can't say my companion doesn't ever give me anything now), and it's gone well! I had a miracle happen last night. Even in English I can't keep track of more than one person at a time and what they are saying. Want to confuse me? Have two people speak to me at the same time! In Italian it's worse, I struggle to keep up with one Italian! Well last night we had an appointment and my companion had the brilliant idea of taking two chatterbox Italians to an appointment with another chatterbox Italian and a chatterbox Cuban! Great! I can't keep up with ONE of them usually, never mind FOUR! Unfortunately I was in Piacenza with Anziano Winegar at the time so I couldn't stop him. Well, I went in with a fervent prayer or two in my heart, one that I'd understand what was being said, and two that I'd get my revenge on my companion. Well I sat down, and the chaos began, ALL FOUR talking to me at the same time, about four different topics, and a hundred miles an hour. It took me a minute to figure out what was wrong, I could understand everything they said! I wasn't able to say much because they wouldn't stop for breath, but I understood and digested everything they said. It was just crazy! The Holy Spirit really can do wonders when you let it! Just let Him work his magic on you, and I know that He can do anything, even help you understand a whole gang of Italians!

I love you all!

Anziano Nelson

Hey everyone!

So it's been snowing a bit here in Reggio! At some points it reaches above my knees! I've learnt that snow is NOT a Missionary's friend! The Italian people do not like it and are very likely to refuse to even open the door when it snows. On the upside the people who DO open the door see how important the message is to us just by the fact that we are standing at their door, and not in front of a fire, which has made it alot easier to be able to share the Gospel with those that are willing to listen to us! Yesterday we had specialised training in Verona, it was really good! We talked about the Spirit, and Anziano Jenson said something that hit me, about how there is very little that we learn about in most situations, other than what the Spirit has been trying to tell us our whole lives. And it's true. We had new rules put into place, and it's true. On every point I've been thinking about things wanting to improve, for example speaking Italian outside of the apartment, I feel that's something that the Spirit has been urging me to do since the beginning of the Mission, but while I've mentioned it a couple of times, I've not been strong enough to enforce the idea, and so we've reverted back to English. Now it's a rule, and it was a relief! We also have seen many Blessings! We spoke Italian on the train home from Verona, and had two people come up to us, and start speaking to us! One was really interested in the Gospel too! God is so willing to bless us when we are obedient!

I love you all!

Anziano Nelson

8th February 2012

Ciao!

So this week has been really interesting, we've got 3 Baptisms set for this transfer! We have an old Investigator who seems to have decided to turn his life around (he was in a really bad way before), and should be getting Baptised on 3rd of March! We also has another miracle story with two eternal invstigators! So there is a couple who started coming to Church about a year ago that wanted to get Baptised, but are cohabiting, which means they can't get Baptised till they are married or one moves out. They couldn't get married because one is Cuban and is having problems getting his documents. The other is Italian but isn't technically divorced. Well something clicked recently in husband and when we came on sunday he just started going off on how he needs to be Baptised, that he needs the gift of the Holy Ghost. Well, as of yesterday he's moved out to his son's house, opening the way to being Baptised in just over a week! Crazy! I'm so excited for them, finally being able to get in the font after a year of waiting!

1 February 2012

Hello!

So I've settled into Reggio nell'Emilia now, and we have started getting to work!

I love you all!

25th January 2012

Hello!

Well, this is my last day in Forlì! I received word two days ago that I'm to go to Reggio nell'Emilia, northeast of here, the other side of Bologna! It's a bigger city, and has it's own Ward. Apparently there is great potential there, and my new companion is great, I've met him a few times at Zone Conference (Reggio is in a different grouping of Zones but he came to ours because it's much closer), and he seemed to be quite inspired. He trained Anziano Scalese (someone who was in the MTC with me for a while and in my District this last transfer) who said he is really great, so I'm excited! Forlì seems to be doing very well, and has grown significantly in the last few months. Seeing the Lord bless it has been a great privilege! I hope the new Anziano does an even better job, now that I'm out of the way! I love this city, and I love all the members in it, I'm grateful for everything about it, I've learnt so much while walking it's streets and talking with the people, teaching them, and being taught just as much by them! I'll always remember everyone here, and the encouragement that they gave me. If you visit Italy, make sure you visit Forlì! The very best of Italians live there!

I guess it's time for me to move on though and [try to] help others in their lives in other parts of the country. Reggio is going to be a defining moment for me, of who I'll become, so for the next couple of weeks, pray, pray hard for me that I'll rise to the occasion! I'll need it!

But know this that I love you all, and think of you daily! I have a new favourite Scripture, or at least chapter, Phillipians 2! I re read it this morning while preparing a lesson for the Rossi family. I love it! It really hit me in the heart! My challenge to all of you is to read it, learn, live it, and love it!

I love you!

Anziano Nelson

19 January 2012

Hey everyone!

So yesterday we had Zone Conference with Elder Caussè of the Area Presidency! He's such a great man, so humble, yet bold! He gave a great quote, in the context of being a Missionary (or really when being a Servant ofthe Lord in any capacity) "Being bold is being humble, it is relying on the Spirit of the Lord and not on your own merits". It's so true! How often are we scared to follow the prompting of the Spirit to say or do something that might seem like it would make someone uncomfortable? I do it all the time, but when we're doing that, we're saying tht our knowledge and judgment on what is the right thing to do or say is better than the Lord's, and that is NOT being humble! IT's the opposite! When we are truely humble, we will be bold, because we are not following our own thoughts, intents and beliefs, but that of an infinite, omniscient being that knows far better than us what needs to happen.

He also talked about a story of a man who bought a beautful pearl. Wanting to put it on show, he had a beautiful box made, very expensive, in order to make it more visibile. He stood back and watched people come in to admire it. He was disappointet after a few minutes, when he realised he had made the box so beautiful, that the people were admiring the box, and not the thing of true value inside it: The pearl. How often do we do this as well? We want the way we speak to be so great when we speak of the Gospel, that we distract the people we're speaking to away from the Gospel to how we speak. Or we focus on things like, who is the best teacher, or servant, when really it's the Gospel which is the pearl. We praise our prophets, but aren't they simply the boxes in which God puts His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to show us? I can think of a dozen things that we, that I, do in which we put the box in front of the pearl. Let us all work harder to give pearls, and not wooden boxes to people!

I love you all!

Anziano Nelson.