Challenge Accepted

Okay party people,

I feel like I say this every week, but there isn't much to write about this week. I miss my Eastvale days…those were good times.

So this was my first week as an STL, which was also the first week of the transfer and the beginning of the month which means LOTS of meetings for leadership. We seriously had 3 full days of meetings. So the work is beyond slow right now, but Sister Boden and I are determined to work really hard. We are praying and fasting like crazy over here, but we need all the help we can get... hint hint ;)

Since Monday is P-Day, we moved into the Elders apartment. It smelled SO bad I can't even begin to describe it. 

Hermana Oswald and I walked in and the front room is the living room/kitchen area however, the Elders had made it into a bedroom. There was a huge bunkbed and two desks as soon as you walk in and obviously that was not going to fly. 

We have one bathroom, which also came with all sorts of problems, and then two bedrooms in the back. In the smaller room there were two twin beds (that's serioulsy all it could fit) and the bigger room had 2 desks, 4 dressers and a huge closet. 

Seriously, Elders have no common sense sometimes (sorry if you're reading this Elder Snyder, but you know I'm right).

So if you know me, you know that I like to think that I'm pretty handy, which I am…just ask my mom or Pal (Mallory). They'll tell you. 

So I look at Hermana Oswald and say "No, no, no…this is not okay." 

We both start to grin and she says "let's do this".

We started with the bunkbeds. We took the top one off so they were separate beds (they're not light btw) and we tried to shimmy one down the hallway. We seriously tried every angle we could think of, but it was a tiny hallway and a really big bed. 

We may or may not have scrapped off some paint and took out some corners. But, we were determined to get them in the back. 

The other sisters with us told us "it's impossible, they just won't fit". 

The Elders even said the same thing. Which was just what I needed…some Elders saying there is no way to get them back there (especially since they couldn't)…challenge accepted. 

Hermana Oswald and I just kept yelling "No! We are going to get this back there. We have the faith!"

Longgg story short (seriously it took 2 hours) we got them back there. We ended up borrowing tools from our neighbor, taking them apart and putting them back together. 

In the most humble way I can say this, it was impressive. 

So now we are working on making it all nice and cozy. We have 5 different airfresheners in there so it isn't too bad. I honestly love living in an apartment. Some REALLY good times. :)

Tuesday was the trainer/trainee meeting. I LOVE seeing the new greenies. They are so precious. We as STL's have the privilage of welcoming them in and giving all the new sisters their driving tests. 

So we walk in and my dear friend Elder Snyder was sitting on the couch! I was so excited. He was going home that day and so I literally got to see him right before he left. Tender mercies of the Lord. He was one of the Chinese elders I served with in Eastvale. I look up to him a lot as a missionary. I learned soooo much from him. He's great. (Don't freak out. I'm not in love with him. Just a dear mission friend :) )

Nat and Elder Snyder

The rest of the week was full of leadership training and trying to find investigators. Sister Boden and I are trying so So SO hard to find. We literally have no one, but we do have tons of potentials! We have been trying to visit at least 10 families a day. Just about zero success, but we did have one really exciting miracle...

When the Elders left they gave us a list of all of the less active members they visited and notes about how it went. One of them was Brother Ham. The note said something along the lines of "Such a cool guy! Is trying to bring himself out of inactivity. Loves to have missionary visits." 

Sister Boden and I were so excited to meet him. The fact that he is bringing HIMSELF out of inactivity is huge. We prayed before we went in and in the prayer we called down angels to prepare and soften his heart. 

So we knocked on his door and he answered (a miracle in itself let me tell ya) and he was happy to see us. 

We asked if we could come in and visit with him and he said "I can't right now because my wife isn't home, but I'd love to have you over. Let me talk to my wife (non member) and I will tell you a time you can come over on Sunday. I am planning on being at church, but I know my wife is interested!"

Seriously so exciting! He didn't come to church though as far as we could tell. We tried to visit him and call him after church and we got nothing. :( Not giving up though. Angels are preparing him for sure.

Well I am out of time, but I love you all so very very much. I seriously think about you all the time. Everyone. Even those who think I have forgotten them, I promise I haven't, be patient with me. ;)

xoxo

Sister Nelson

(email received December 9, 2013)