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