Email to the family
Hello, family!
I didn't really feel like making a mass email this week, but if anyone wants to know how I'm doing, let them know about all that's been said in my attachment. I wanted to include what I wrote to President Ware. I thought it'd be a pretty good summary. I love you all so, so much, and I'm glad to hear that the funeral went so well. I'm so grateful for the knowledge we have of the Gospel and for what a blessing it's truly been for me— and for you all, I'm sure. Thank you for your great examples and for your love and support.
President Ware!
We are so grateful for this week. We've been really trying to help Samantha and Linda progress towards baptism this week. We had a lesson with Linda, and we almost lost her! We went to her house for our lesson with her on Friday and she started with, "I don't think this is for me, you guys." NO! So we asked some inspired questions with the help of our member, and we found out that she wasn't understanding the Book of Mormon and feeling a bit overwhelmed. We explained that she doesn't need to understand it all at once, and we're thinking about sharing scriptures from the Book of Mormon that are going to help her with whatever she's going through, instead of asking her to read and comprehend the whole Book of Mormon. We're thinking it will be a good start to get her warmed up to the language of the Book of Mormon and the way that it will make her feel.
Samantha's doing really well and is excited for baptism, which we are so grateful for. She recently got a job and they asked her to work on Sunday, so she wasn't able to come [to church]. We're pushing her baptismal date back again, to the 5th of December. We had been having a really hard time getting ahold of her until we thought to call her during weekly planning, and I was amazed that she not only answered but we were able to counsel with her about the expectations we have for her baptismal preparation, and she's agreed to let us come and teach her three times a week. Yay!
We've also been teaching someone named Himan. Sister Hamblin and I met him and his friend by the convenience store by our house. It was pretty funny because his friend was really drunk and was rapping and going on about Jesus and his conversion story while Himan apparently had this epiphany that we were exactly what he needed. As his friend was going on, Himan turns to Sister Hamblin and says, "Whoa. It's so crazy that you're here, right now." And she got his contact information and gave him a Restoration pamphlet. We've been teaching him on and off ever since. He tells us he loves what we teach him and he really loves how it makes him feel, but Sister McOmber and I have been struggling to teach him. It seems like he learns a little slower, but like I said, he loves it. He came to church yesterday, and really wants to come back next week. We invited him to be baptized this week, and he said he's going to pray about it. We're aiming to follow up with him again this week. What should we do if we think he might have a learning or other disability? Sister McOmber suggested having him meet our bishop to discern his needs. It's just finding a good time where both Bishop and Himan are available.
ALSO! You probably have heard from previous missionaries in this area about Vicky Trout and Lee Crosby. Sister McOmber was looking in the area book and came across their teaching record (probably because it's a really long one... :)) and we had the idea to call them to see how they were. They were both reeeally close to being baptized before I got to the area. Apparently they had been interviewed and everything, but when her mom died, progression just sort of stopped, and between funeral arrangements and her health, they sort of fell off the map. So when we called, she updated us on everything that had been going on and expressed her and Lee's desire to be baptized, but she expressed that health issues kept interfering. We explained that opposition would continue to arise because of the importance of what she was wanting to do, and encouraged her to push through it and commit to a date. They want to be baptized as soon as possible— the 21st, if they can. We counselled with Elder Harward and he encouraged us to review the lessons with them, since it's been so long. I'm thinking that's probably a really good idea. It'll just be a matter of how fast we can do it. We're both really excited, though.
We're so grateful that the Lord is pouring down these miracles as we're gradually talking to more and more people every day. The promise you made us is so true. We're still improving about talking to everyone, but even the quarter inch that we've seen has made a big difference in the work.
As far as my family, I didn't hear much from them. My mom sent me a little something in response to what I sent her for the funeral, and my sister sent pictures from the funeral and a little bit about how everything went. This is what I sent to her:
"It makes me sad that I couldn't be there, but I know Dad would want me here. The real Dad isn't in that coffin, and that brings me a lot more comfort. The real Dad is around me and right by my side when I need him. The real Dad is sharing the gospel on the other side with those who need it. I just pray this will be an experience that strengthens the whole family. I love the pictures of Maren [my niece] and I LOVE that Bradley [my brother-in-law] is wearing Dad's tie. It made me so happy to hear that Kevin and Shawn [my brothers] did such a great job with those prayers. There's a part in our handbook about the priesthood, and as it was talking about funerals, I thought about Kevin and Shawn and how they really are living worthily of the priesthood they hold. I am so grateful that we are living what Mom & Dad taught us. Doesn't it just make everything make sense? Doesn't it bring such peace? It makes me sad to see all this stuff that he loved so much left behind, and it makes me sad that I can't be there with Mom to help and comfort her, but I know that this scripture is true:There's been a lot of weight lifted about this. The Lord truly is healing my heart as I've been trying to forget about my problems and go to work. I miss Dad every day, but I can imagine it will be that way for the rest of my life— for as long as Dad just isn't with us anymore. But he is. And every day might be hard. But life needs to go on. It has to. That's what he would want. I can imagine some days are going to be really hard, but that doesn't mean it won't be okay.
"'Therefore, thrust in your sickle with all your soul, and your sins are forgiven you, and you shall be laden with sheaves upon your back, for the laborer is worthy of his hire. Wherefore, your family shall live. Behold, verily I say unto you, go from them only for a little time, and declare my word, and I will prepare a place for them.' (D&C 31:5,6)
"I am so glad that Dad is in a place where he is resting. I'm grateful for the promise of the scriptures because I worry about you guys a lot. I know that you will be okay, that we will be okay. I know the Lord will protect, lift, and comfort us with Dad's passing. I know that there is so much more to mortality than mortality. I know it because I feel it, and I can feel Dad. It's got to be true. There truly is no way it isn't."
There have been quite a few days where all I want to do is go home and be with my family, but I'd much rather be here. I have my whole life— and beyond— to be with my family, but I only have 9+ months left to serve the Lord like this. I just want to do all that I can while I'm here. I've been trying to let Sister McOmber help me with whatever I need as far as mourning or whatever, but I have an easier time just forgetting myself than talking about my problems. I figure it will resolve itself eventually.
Anyway. I'm rambling. I feel like things are going really well in spite of whatever is happening with my family. I'm grateful for the work of a missionary. It has been so amazing to be a missionary as my dad has passed. I told my sister the other day that I felt like I was cheating because I was out here with all this extra help as a missionary while they were at home dealing with it all. I worry about them, but at the same time I don't. Being a missionary truly is a blessing that I am beyond grateful for right now. I appreciate your support as well, President Ware. Thank you for all you've been doing for me and my family. Thank you for your prayers.
The work is rolling forward. The Lord truly blesses us in our afflictions.
~Sister Nielsen
Here are some fun pictures from the week.
That one time one of our members has a tree house
From a few weeks ago. The leaves here are so pretty!!
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