100th Week

Just wanted to really simply say that I love you all! Elder Nathan John Nielson Goede dag! Hier zijn een paar fotos voor jullie, Lobi, Elder Nielson

99th Week

Hello One and All, I hope you are all doing great. I get tidbits of information here and there and it sounds like overall life is grand. Isn't it though? Life is a great thing and it definitely isn't something anyone wants to give up. I finished the Book of Mormon today actually, probably the last time I'll do that on my mission, I was pretty touched by a specific scripture from Moroni 7. 41 And what is it that ye shall ahope for? Behold I say unto you that ye shall have bhope through the atonement of Christ and the power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life ceternal, and this because of your faith in him according to the promise. I think many time we hope for the wrong things, ie we just hope for our problems to end and such, I've really learned that in life the only thing we can hope for is Christ. Christ must be the center of everything our hopes, our faith, and even our dreams. Doing such gives us strength to go on, doing so gives us an anchor in our lives amidst the stormy sea of trials, pain, and loss. The greatest thing I've learned on my mission is to trust the lord and to follow the spirit. In doing so we'll never be wrong and we'll always do that which is right. I know that to be true and I say this in the name Jesus Christ, Amen. Love you, Elder Nathan John Nielson

98th Week

97th Week

Well Hello! The month of Juni is quickly approaching and we'll be there this weekend which is crazy to believe. The passing of time in the field is an interesting occurence that really isn't describeable to those who haven't done it. It just is something different. This week though there really isn't anything to report so I just wanted to knock out my two cents on the unsung heros that exist in our lives. These are the people that do so much but are thanked so little. I realized that yesterday when the Branch President caught me playing prelude music on the piano before the sacrement service. As you may remember, I don't really know how to play the piano but I taught myself enough to punch out the melody of most hymns so I could play in Nickerie. Unfortunately, after all that hard work, I was never asked to play in Nickerie so I never got the chance to do it. Well, yesterday for the first time, and hopefully the last time, I had the oppertunity to play in the Sacrement Service for the Paramaribo Branch of the Suriname District. I was so scared and nervous at the same time, my hands were literally shaking while I was trying to play. I defintely have nothing to brag about but this experience taught me a valuable lesson. At the end of the service, no one thanked me or offered support or anything else for what I had tried to do. I didn't need it per se, but had someone had done it, instead of feeling like a fool for messing up a few hymns I may have thought, "hey I didn't do too badly after all!" I thus realized how important it is to thank those people who try, and sometimes succeed, in helping us, with anything. We should be actively thankful to everyone that plays a role in our lives from the Ward Pianist to our Cub Scout Leaders to the random fellow that opened the door for us! We should be a thankful people. I really hope I apply this in my life and I would to encourge you all to thank those that help you on a daily basis. It will bless your life and their life too! I love you all very much and I'm very thankful for everything that you do for me, big or small! Love you, Elder Nathan John Nielson

96th Week

I'm doing pretty well. It has a hard transition like I said. Always unpleasant to see that they didn't miss you as much as you hoped. My Dutch accent has been driving me crazy too. It's gotten kind of bad recently and people are having a hard time understanding me. I guess I'll just work on it and pray for hope.. That is all I know how to do. Elder Warner is doing great. He is really bouncing back from the funk that his last companion put him into and I think it'll be a good transfer. Other then that, because this last companion wouldn't do much this area has basically nothing going on. We've just been working pretty hard and it just keeps going and going. I'm trying to keep focused but that has been an interesting adventure to say the least. I just want to finish well and if I do that I'll be happy with how everything played out. I had an interesting moment in a district meeting, where I received this though of, "You know how to do this, you just need to do what you know." I thought that was an interesting lesson. That seems to be a big lesson I really need to apply for this last little bit and then for my entire life. I know what to do, I just need to do it. Well Bud, I can't wait, I don't think I'll be writing a family email so you can forward this on if you want or just the pictures your call. I got my suit material last week and I'm taking to the tailor today, it is a really nice dark gray, I think you'll like it. I'm also getting two tailored long-sleeve shirts made which will be nice. Can't wait! Love you, Elder Nathan John Nielson