The Power of Prayer!

Dear All,

I hope you all like mine and Elder To'ofohe's new look! Haha just kidding. Yesterday Elder To'ofohe just came down wearing those two things and it was hilarious. He loves taking pictures so he mad me take pictures of him and me in it. I love that Elder. He is so funny and loving. I'm very grateful for him and his example to me.

So I know all of you are probably wondering about Tarry. My message this week is the Lord DOES answer prayers. Let me give you all a little background on my experience with losing contact with Tarry. The day we lost contact with Tarry I wasn't happy with my companion. I was really mad at him and I thought to myself during the day "I don't have the spirit with me at all. I don't want to teach Tarry without the spirit." Well the Lord heard my unintentional prayer and we lost contact with him. I prayed daily to regain contact, but never really felt ready. It wasn't until last Friday that I prayed to Heavenly Father and told him I was ready to teach Tarry again. The next day, on Saturday, the day was almost over and nothing, so I said a prayer in my heart. I prayed to hear something. In less then 30 minutes we got a text from Jolynn saying that she had talked to Tarry and that he was doing fine. Turns out he hadn't really talked to anyone for the past week because he has been so overwhelmed with work and family and everything, so it wasn't just us who hadn't really seen or heard from him. He said he still wanted to learn more, but he would have to slow down a bit, which I am totally fine with. I testify to you all that Heavenly Father does answer prayers, whether they are intentional or not.

I wish I had more time, but I have to go. I love you all!  Never forget who you all are!

With tender love and care,
Elder Timmy Nelson

P.S. The library was closed yesterday, so that is why I am emailing today instead of p-day.

 

Mission Update

Date: May 21, 2012

Companion: Elder Hollingworth

Dear All,

So this past week was probably the slowest most difficult week for me thus far. Last Monday we left at 5:15 for Lincoln which is about like three hours from North Platte, but we also had to pick up and drop off other missionaries so it took about four or five hours. The reason we went to Lincoln was we were having Zone Conference the next day. So we did that and it last like all day, so we didn't get home until Tuesday night at about like nine or ten. So there went two days without work. And the rest of the week we had a hard time finding people to teach. I think we only had about three to five lessons the whole week, including less actives. So that was just really hard for me.

The hardest part about last week though was we couldn't get a lesson in with Tarry. We had planned for Thursday night, but when we went to Jolynns to meet him, he wasn't there. He works like right across the street so we just went to his work to see if we could find him. So we found him there and he told us he was working until ten that night and that he would let us know through Jolynn (He doesn't have a cell phone of his own) when would be good to meet with him the next day on Friday. Well Friday came and Jolynn hadn't heard from him. We went to his apartment and we got no answer. So we went to his work and one of his co workers just got off and told us that he was supposed to come into work, but he never showed up, which worried me a little because it was very unlike him. So we tried his apartment one more time later that night and his roommate answered the door. He told us he didn't know where Tarry was and that he was probably at work. So no body seemed to know where he was. We still haven't heard from him or anything, so I think that is going to be our main goal this next week. And even if he is trying to avoid us, I'm not going to let it bother me, because I know it was no coincidence that we met and taught him what we did. No matter what, we did what we can, but we can't take away his agency.

I know this church is true. Your heard it all the time, but out here in the field, it just means so much more. I love you all. I hope all is well, and if not, that you are turning to the Lord for help and guidance during your trials. I hope you all are turning to the Lord even when your not going through trials. May you all feel loved and love one another!

With tender love and care,
Elder Timmy Nelson

The Lord Truly Does Prepare People For Us To Teach.

Date: May 14, 2012

Companion: Elder Hollingworth

Dear all,

So I have two very amazing experiences that I experienced this last week. I'll start with the one that was sort of a cliff hanger from my last email. So I mentioned before that I was going to teach an 18 year old boy named Tarry. Well we taught him the first lesson and he was golden! He was so prepared to hear the Lord message. He told us how he decided one day that he wanted to get closer to God so he just started "talking" to God while he walked to work every day. He's very busy by the way. He works 2 jobs. It's was amazing! During the first lesson after I recited the first vision to him, he gave me a strange look. I asked him "What are you think? What are you feeling?" And he only responded with "What happens next?!" It was so amazing! The spirit was so strong. We set him to be baptized on June 9th.

But that's not all. We gave him the second lesson on Saturday and when I asked him if he had a chance to pray to know if what we are teaching him is true he responded with "I've been more praying on whether I should go on a mission or not." Holy cow!!! He skipped a few steps! Haha. I told him that that was amazing, but he needs to set is foundation first, and make sure it's true before he tries to go out and teach. Haha but what faith!!! This boy who hasn't even been given all the lessons yet and doesn't know much about the gospel already wants to go out and serve the Lord and bring it to others! It really made me thing of how many people who grow up in the church and take it for granted and don't have that desire to share it. It's sad, but true. This gospel is so important, and he has already realized that. I know that Heavenly Father prepared Tarry for me specifically. We are so alike in so many ways, and we are into the same things! We both like to play Yu-gi-oh, and growing up I kind of had the impression imposed upon me that that was just a childish habit, but as I got older I looked at it as just another hobby like any other hobby, like chess, or playing cards, but now I know that all my interests and all the things I like to do for fun are directly from my Father in Heaven and he has placed me in this mission because there are others that are like me who I can teach and bring the gospel to specifically. He's given me my interests so that I can relate better to His children and be able to teach them in a way that is best for them. I have faith that growing up being a "nerd" was no mistake.

The other experience I wanted to share with everyone told is a little less "sunny". From the time I first got here we have had a lot of investigators to teach. One of them was named Dennis. We would go visit Dennis a couple times a week, but Dennis had been ill from the time that they first met him. He was interested in receiving the lessons, but has always been too sick to be taught. This went on for about 2 week. On the 5th of May we went over and knocked on his door and he didn't answers. We walked down starts and found Dennis rolling around in his wheel chair. He said he was finally getting better!  I was so excited to hear that and was excited to finally get the chance to teach him. The next time I went over to teach in, about 2 or 3 days later, I found out that he passed away the night before. It hit me really hard. One of my investigators had passed away, and I never had the chance to teach him the word of God. I never had the chance to bring to him this wonderful gospel. This experience was really hard for me, but it strengthened my testimony of the Plan of Salvation. I know that Dennis is being taken care of. I know it without a doubt! I am so thankful to know that this life isn't the end. I am so happy to know that it isn't "too late" for Dennis. Our Father in Heaven loves us so much. He wants what's best for us, and I have faith that this experience was meant for me to experience. It wasn't meant to tear me down, but to strengthen me!

I love you all. I hope that you are all doing your best to come closer to Christ. This gospel is true, and if any of you can't say that without a doubt, go to our Father in Heaven. Pray for that testimony. Pray for him to help you know for yourself. Either it's true, or it's not, but the only way to know for sure it to find out for yourself through Him. He will let you know through the Holy Ghost. I hope you all are doing great. I love each and everyone of you! Keep up the good work!

with tender love and care,
Elder Timmy Nelson

I Can't Wait!

Date: May 7, 2012

Companion: Elder Hollingworth

Dear All,

So I don't have a lot of time to talk write this time, so I wanted to start off with the juicy stuff first. So I found my first investigator the other day! We were doing service for one of our ex communicated members who is trying to get re baptized, who is very nice, named JoLynn. Well she had some help that was there before we got there and his name was Terry. Terry is 18 I think, he is very nice and willing to serve others, he has similar interests to me, and he wants to learn more about the gospel! We are teaching him tomorrow at 6 P.M.! I am so excited! I can't wait! I feel like he Heavenly Father prepared him for me, especially since we can relate with similar interests and such. We shall see how it goes and I will keep y'all updated.

Another awesome experience I had was me and my companion stopped at a gas station to go to the bathroom and while I was in the bathroom I guess some random man came up to my companion and gave him a 10 dollar bill saying "Get something nice to drink. And be sure to split it with your companion." Then he walked out with his Bud Light. So either he was in active, active physically, took the missionary discussions but never joined, or just had respect for missionaries. Either way, he helped us out and I was grateful for him.

Well I am sorry this is so short! Just know that I am loving the mission! I encourage everyone to come closer to Christ. Read your scriptures and pray daily! Repent daily. I have a testimony of the atonement. Without it, this life would be completely and absolutely pointless! This gospel is the true and same gospel that Jesus brought to the earth, restored through Joseph Smith. I wouldn't be out here if I didn't know it without a doubt. I wish I could just convince the world that these things are true. Because they are. I love you all and hope and pray to find you all doing well!

With tender love and care,
Elder Timmy Nelson