Week 93: June 18, 2012

Transfer to Queenstown

Yes this week I am being transferred to Queenstown, it is a little town far out in the eastern cape. I have been there once already, and I am excited to finish my mission there. I was told that this would be my last assignment and area for my mission. I am determined to finish out strong and do all I can to bless the people of Queenstown with the gospel. What is cool is that Mthatha is part of that Zone so I will be able to go on exchanges there which will be great. My new companion will be Elder Musangu from the Democratic Republic of Congo, I have heard that he is a super nice guy and is great to be around, this will be his last transfer so in another six weeks I will get another companion.

I am glad that you were able to close on the house and that you have been able to move some things in, good luck with the rest of the move!

So far I have been able to baptize in each of my area's so hopefully that will continue. I am really trying hard not to think too much about home, I just try and concentrate all my energy into missionary work. I feel a whole lot of urgency to get as much work done as I possibly can in these next two transfers, it's crazy how fast mission fly's by. 

Some members had us over saturday night to celebrate my 21st birthday, they fed us super well and had an awesome cake! They also gave me a key on a plaque which is symbolic of unlocking the future, that is tradition around these parts. I thought that was really cool, I Love this area and I am going to miss it badly. 

To all you young'uns have a great summer break!

Love you all,

Elder Nielsen 

Week 70: January 9, 2012

Transferred

Hey Family!

Sorry this letter will have to be a short one..

I am no longer in Mthatha, I have been transferred to serve in a branch called Cleary Estate, which is in Port Elizabeth. It is a sweet area, and Port Elizabeth really reminds me of Seattle, just warmer weather constantly. My new companion is Elder Vernon from Utah, he is a really sweet guy and so far we have been getting along fantastically, so it will be a really great transfer and I am looking forward to it.

Mom and Dad I wish you luck with everything that has to do with getting into a house, I will keep you in my prayers. I am sure everything will work out just fine, some things just take time is all.

Colin and Whitney I look forward to the big news next week, thats exciting! and Colin good luck with your trip to ATL!

To everyone else thank you so much for your letters,

Elder Nielsen

Week 52: September 5, 2011

Hey Family

Momma you guessed correctly, I have been transferred out of Fish Hoek to Mthatha. If you look on a map Mthatha is very very far away from Cape Town, the Mthatha branch is 3 hours away from the stake center and the airport that I flew into. So all in all it was a really long day of traveling for me on Wednesday. I woke up at 6 and drove to the mission home, from there took the mission bus to the airport and flew to East London, from there drove for about 3 1/2 hours to Mthatha. It is very rural out here, lots of cows and other livestock just roaming free.

The picture I attached depicts Elder Scicluna, my new companion, and I in front of the Mthatha meeting house. Elder Scicluna is from Australia and is a super great guy, he and I will get along very well and so far we have been working hard as well. There is a university in our area where we do most of our work, the people that go there are usually very smart and receptive to the gospel so it will be another pretty fruitful area I am hoping. As a companionship we are thinking of buying a couple piglets to feast on, yeah it's that remote our here. It's more common to butcher your own meat than to purchase from a grocer. The Boarding is very nice as well, it's actually our own house. There are four Elders in Mthatha and the only area in the mission with a four-man boarding, yes just like The Best Two Years, except we are in a house with a nice front and back lawn.

I was happy to hear from all of you and get a little sense of how you are doing and coping with all of the changes that are taking place in everyone's lives. It is so weird how college football has already started, what the heck one year ago Dad and I went to see the vandals play some Dakota team, geez that happened quick. No matter how the games go I still want an update of games that took place. Dad that is really cool that Nik Landdeck is a vandal, he was ferocious and in the near future could see some playing time.

Everyone I hope you all enjoy your upcoming week and thrive in all that you do, "Today is here and tomorrow will come. We will look back on today no matter what, might as well make the best of it" -Chase B Nielsen

Love,
Elder Nielsen

Week 33: April 25, 2011

Yes this Wednesday is transfers, I honestly have no idea what might happen.

I think my companion will go district leader either in this district or in another one elsewhere in the mission. It wouldn't be too bad if I were to stay here in Bellville because I kind of like this place and all the great members and the investigators we have been working with. One more transfer here would make 6 months for me, not too many missionaries get to say they were in one area for that long.

Yesterday we baptized two of our golden investigators, it was really great to see them make that initial covenant with the lord and im sure they will go on to make even more covenants with him in the future. Among other things this week was pretty cool, we ran into some aggressive JW's which was fun because they backed down once they figured out we knew our stuff pretty well. I think they learned that you cannot mess with the truth especially when you are talking to two guys who have been studying and living it their whole lives and especially in the last little while. We were able to bear testimony of the restoration, the plan of salvation, and the simplicities of the gospel of Jesus Christ and we could feel the Holy Ghost bear witness to ourselves and in them as they had no more objections and agreed for us to come back and teach them. That gave us a lot of confidence and a reassurance that all the study we have been doing actually pays off in ways that cannot be expressed in words.

I ran into a scale this week and weighed 85 KG's which is about 187 lbs, and when I left on mission I was only 75 KG's which is just 165 Lbs. Surprisingly most of the weight I have gained is muscle mostly in my legs, at nights I push the car in neutral while Elder Naylor steers. So along with the spiritual muscle and braun I have gained through scripture study, I have also gained physical strength. I am feeling like a beast in every sense of the word ha. I think I will start running soon longer distances and not push the car too much.

Its good to hear that Ariel and Brian have now graduated, and that uncle Kirt was able to see Kailey and Samantha. Also good to hear from you brother Hamilton, always nice to get caught up to speed with Phil and Jordan and their prep for mission.

Take care everyone,

Elder Nielsen

Week 27: March 14, 2011

Shoot I can't believe another transfer has come and gone, time happens that's for sure. There is a little saying that missionaries here In SACTM have around transfers "either I will stay or I will go" which is all that can happen around these times, but right now I would really like to stay in Bellville for another transfer we are having a lot of success and a whole lot of fun.

I think this week I really had a breakthrough with using scriptures in teaching lessons, it was almost like every single topic we were talking about I could find a scripture in the Bible and Book of Mormon that talked about it. In having this skill I feel really comfortable in teaching lessons, I have always been good at just talking to people but now I think I can teach for understanding and really get people interested in the gospel, it's a lot of fun. We are going to have two baptisms on March 27th and then three probably on April 24th, that is really exciting !

Last week's Pday was awesome on top of table mountain you can see all of Cape Town and even see a tiny bit of Paarl, it was really cool to go up there and see things from an overhead perspective. This week we are going to Green market square, I am not sure exactly what it is like but its basically just a huge open market that has a bunch of African trinkets and things so that will be fun.

So Dad was Idaho's basketball team any good this year or was it just an average season again for them? I think you mentioned that they had beat Utah State which is no small task. Sounds like you have a lot of great things in the hopper as far as jobs go or clients for Reliantz.

Mom I received the package that you sent, thank you soo much it was great! currently I have two charcoal pants (suit) one green, and one brown pair.

Becky thank you for sending the pictures of Lydia she is very cute congratulations!

Love you all,
Elder Nielsen