Finally pictures, thanks to the Sisters!

 

Brayden did not write this week. Luckily Sis Goudie's mom posted these pictures on Facebook.

 

 

 

Shaken by an Angel

Hey Mom, 

Today is a pretty good day. Right now i am in a Tri companionship! It is weird. Elder Robles a Spanish missionary went home today so his companion has to hang with us until Wednesday. Our week was super rough, it went downhill. Stacy dropped off the face of the Earth! He was like yeah come back Tuesday before i go to school. So we did, he wasn't there. Then we tried Wednesday, he wasn't there. We tried everyday this week. But things will get better. Cora Medlock, a referral from Zetti, is pretty solid. Except she is like scared to come to church or something, so she freaked out and didn't come last minute. So again this week we had 3 people that were supposed to come to church and none of them came. So yeah... missionary work is just something else. Agency is a real big factor on this, people can tell you Saturday night that they are coming to church in the morning, and then not come, not answer their door, it is crazy. 

Then here are the crazy parts... Tuesday we were at Andrew Burdett's house, he is a less active member, he is roomates with our investigator Phillip. We had an appointment with them to just read a little bit. Phillip was in a terrible mood, he didn't want to read, he just sat there with his hood on and stared at the floor. I think Andrew made him be there. We were talking about Alma the younger and how he goes around trying to destroy the church. Then an angel comes and shakes him and tells him to knock it off. So we were reading that and talking about it and then Andrew starts having a seizure! Yes you read right... a seizure. He starts tensing up and just flipping everywhere! We are just dying... what are we supposed to do, we start throwing the furniture out of the way so he doesn't hit them and brake something! What are the odds of us teaching about Alma in the Book of Mormon being shaken by an angel, and then Andrew shaking all over the place?? No idea how that happened. That is something ill never forget. Then on Friday, Elder Johnson was sick so i had to sit around in the apartment all day, it was lame. I looked at the adds that we got in the mail and read everything, watched these really cheesy LDS movies. It was a long day. But After church on Sunday things got better. We went to a members house for dinner and it was really good. They had a 4 year old boy and a 3 year old girl. They reminded me a lot of Camden and Brynlee, i miss them a lot! They are probably growing up way to much. But anyways, 

Today was transfer call day, neither of us got a call so its 6 more weeks in Pinnacle Mountain! Well next time i talk to you i will be 19! weird... i dont feel like i am that old. Well i hope yall have a great week! Thanks for everything. Love yalll!!!! Elder Nielson 

 

 

 Brayden's companion Elder Johnson

 

 

BAM

Hey Mommy, 

Well This week went pretty well. Our Baptism with Phillip did not go through, he is on this weird medicine that makes him very moody. So he pretty much hates us for some reason. We asked him to read a scripture, and he said he would rather not. We decided we are going to give him some time. We have some other candidates that we hope go a little smoother. Yeah Elder Johnson loves to run. If he doesn't get to run than he has a terrible day. It is crazy. I am not a runner by any means. I usually just work out, lift weights and things while he runs for a half hour. 

The ward that i am in is very wealthy. Most of them are doctors and Surgeons. The Bishop is a heart surgeon, the stake president is like a radiologist that deals with scoping. They are loaded. Their houses are massive! I feel unworthy to be in their home haha. So yeah, they are very wealthy but they do not support us much at this moment and they dont feed us much, but it is getting better. 

The picture you sent didnt come up, but i see that you are putting in a fire pit! what the crap? after i leave yall get good stuff in the backyard... you go on cruises... you have fun? what is this? hahaha i see how it is.  

Sorry about all the speeding tickets and the medical bills it seems like it is just all piling on! I will be fine if you need to send back the camera and stuff cause that is just too much money to be spending on me being stupid. 

Well here is the craziness of this week! 

So we had an investigator named Zetti that gave us a referral awhile back, we tried to knock on their door and they didnt answer. So this week we decided to go back. We knocked and a lady opened the door and a wall of smoke just BAM! Hit us in the face, she was smoking so much, she was drinking as well and i was thinking to myself, oh this ought to be good. She started to talk and she told us that she had been waiting for something like this to come to her. She said she wanted to stop smoking and drinking and she wanted to get back into church. At first i thought, there is no way that this women is sober, she must have no idea what she is even saying right now. But on sunday we went and seen her cause she didn't come to church, she said that she was really interested and nothing was going to stop her from coming to church next week. So we are excited for that. 

Also This week was a roller coaster. We had great things going, we had miracles happening. New investigators that seemed really solid. We invited everyone to church. We had 8 people that committed to come to church this week. We were super excited! Saturday night everything was still on for the 8 people, we had rides set up, everything seemed great. Sunday morning came, i was Fasting and Praying for someone to come to church. We went around to pick people up and not a single person answered their door or their phone. 10:00 came around and church started and 0 out of the 8 people were there. I didn't know what to think. I had prayed and fasted that morning, i had been praying this whole month that we could have a baptism and to mainly reach our goals. Praying for the Zone Goal, the District Goal, the mission goal... all of it. I felt really down during sacrament meeting, i was praying about what i needed to do better. This Sunday was the make it or break it Sunday, if we didn't have anyone to church this Sunday then we were not baptizing in March. I was hurt. But out of the Blue, a random guy named Stacy showed up to church a little late. I now know that God has a little bit of a sense of humor in scaring me like that. He lives across from the church and was interested so he came to church. It was a miracle. We went and taught him at his place with a member and we set a baptismal date with him after doing how to begin teaching. It was great. I know that God answered my prayers. We are going to fight for every inch, we are going to pray with faith because we need to Baptize this month. So that is the crazy week we had. We hope that this week goes a little bit smoother. 

Well thanks for everything! The story about Camden was hilarious! He is dreaming about me haha! Well i hope that you guys have a great week! Love yall! I will talk to you next week! 

Elder Nielson 

Hard to gain trust

Hey Mom,

This week has been good. Been relatively warm, so no complaints. We found lots of new investigators, Zetti... what to say about her. We are probably putting her on pause. She will not quit smoking. So we are not sure what to do with her right now. Sister Richardson says hi, she is in my district. Anyway it was an alright week.

My companion and I get along really well! We have lots of fun! We have some great things happening we just hope that we can keep the people progressing! He loves running. He is so good at it. The Elder in the picture last week is Elder Robles. He goes home in 2 weeks. My district is doing well. We are in a little bit of a slump right now, but things will get better! 

I am glad that you guys went and had some fun! that sounds really good! 

I am having a lot of fun out here, there are some great things happening. We are working really hard. The members here, it is so hard to gain their trust. Absolutely no one signed up for dinner this week, which is odd. I think it is cause i am new i think. They like missionaries that stay there awhile. So we will be working on that! 

 

Well i hope that your week goes well! Thanks for everything. I was thinking, have you seen those G-shock watches? That could be an idea for birthday if nothing else works. Well i am going to enjoy my last 20 days of being 18! crazy! Love all of you guys. Time is flying by. Love Elder Nielson 

 

 

 

Brayden sent this picture and said:   "We wrote this on a chalkboard on the Sketchiest street in Little Rock. 12th street!"

 

 

 

Ya ... about that ticket

Dear Mommy, 

This week has been pretty good. Some ups and downs. Lots of fallen through appointments but everything ended up working out in the End. We had one of our investigators named Zetti come to church this week. She loved it! Said she never enjoyed church that much. She has a huge problem with smoking and we are trying to work on that. She smoked 2 1/4 packs a day, that is a lot. We are trying to slowly help her cut down to less cigars. But she knows the book of mormon is true and she likes to read it. We have a baptismal date set for March 15th with Phillip so we are hoping that he will also continue to work at stopping smoking. So we will continue to pray! 

So this week we got put on FULL CAR! It is AWESOME. No bike weeks for awhile. So yeah.... about the ticket. It needs paid by march 20th . I left the phone number at the apartment but the address is P.O. Box 729 Holly Springs MS. 38635. You can maybe look it up on google at Holly Springs Justice court. Yeah i would really like that cool camera but i think that the ticket paid is gonna be my birthday... sorry. We were late to a meeting in memphis. 

The shoes are great! i love them. They work great. 

Well i am glad that your week went well! Last night and today it snowed...in Arkansas...in march....what the crap! The city just shuts down, we went outside and it looked like a Zombie apocalypse! Then i drove the car and it was awesome, these people do not know how to drive, and i was just driving along. The kids look like they are getting super big! And Camden's shoes are awesome! he is a stud. Well i hope that this week goes well! Good luck in everything. Love you guys. Love Jesus. Elder Nielson.