Staying in Salmon Arm

I'm staying in Salmon Arm but I got a new companion.  His name is Elder Johnston.  He grew up in Logan and Southern Idaho.  He's been out 16 months and seems really cool.  I'm not sure why I'm getting a new companion every transfer, maybe I'm hard to get along with?
The trip to the mission office to hear about transfers was crazy.  Almost five hours on a grey hound bus to Langley which is by the temple then another hour in a car to Richmond.  I learned I was staying so we slept on cots with no blankets or pillows in the Elder's apartments in Richmond then repeated the process to come back to Salmon Arm the next day.  It was a looong two days.
We have a couple of baptisms scheduled in the next couple of weeks.  I just hope they don't fall through because they usually do.  Things are starting to warm up here, but it still rains a lot and it is really cold when it does.
I hope everyone is doing well.  I love and miss you all so much.  I can't wait to talk to you all on Mother's Day.

Elder Nielsen

Elder Fitzner

This week Elder Fitzner (my Zone leader) and I went to Vernon on exchanges and it was super fun.  I really like Vernon.  We went to this fancy Italian restaurant for lunch, it cost like $80.  We did missionary work all day and then went to McDonald's for dinner because Elder Fitzner really likes to eat.  The next morning we had an hour until district meeting so we drove to this forest and started walking through it and it reminded me of Joseph and the Sacred Grove.  We decided to kneel and offer an prayer and when we were done we looked up and there was a sign that said this was a mine field and to not touch or kick anything because it might explode.  It was kinda of crazy.  It was also a little scary but we had a good time.
We found 27 new investigators this past week which was a record for me.  We are doing a ton of work and finding lots of new investigators.  The problem just like always is transfers are on May 1st and I don't know if I'm staying in Salmon Arm or not.  Either way I'm loving everything I'm doing and I'm going to be happy no matter where I am serving.

I love you all.  Have a great week.

Elder Nielsen

Dave's Goat Walk

We got to see Dave's Goat Walk on our way to Zone training last week.  There is a pen full of goats with a ramp that leads up to an overhead walkway.  At each end of the walkway is a pulley with a tin cup attached to it.  For 25 cents, you can buy corn feed to put in the cup.  The goats are trained to turn a wheel to haul it up so they can eat the feed.  These goats are so well conditioned that they actually follow you across the walkway as you head towards the corn dispenser and start pulling up the cup before you even have a chance to put in the food.  It was cool.
Okanagan which is one of the little towns around Salmon Arm where I'm serving and it is so much like home.  It's weird.  The work is going great.  We found 15 new investigators this past week and we have a baptismal set for May 18th.  My only concern is I might get transferred before the 18th.  Transfers are on May 1st and I'm not sure if I will get transferred or not.  I just can't believe I've been out for almost 5 months.  The time flies by so fast.
Have a great week everyone.  I love you all.

Elder Nielsen

Kamloops

I'm so excited for Mother's day, I can't believe it's is less than 3 weeks away.  We found 13 new investigators this week in just the craziest ways, my companion and I have been really blessed.  We got to go to Kamloops for Zone Conference and be with our whole zone it was super fun and I learned so much.  On our way to Kamloops we saw a bear and three cubs and I wanted to go check them out, but a lady standing there said "no" young man you can't do that.
I really do love Canada and I'm so grateful to be here.  I have been given so much and want to be able to give back to others.  Please read the Book of Mormon it really is such an amazing book and read chapter 3 in Preach my Gospel. I know this is where I need to be right now.  I knew this would be hard, but I need it in order to grow.  I can do hard things especially when I trust in the Lord I know he will help me do whatever I need to do.  I just want to focus all my efforts and energy on being the best missionary I can possibly be. 
I promise one of these weeks I will remember my camera and send some pics.  Until then you will have to look at last weeks.

I love you all.  Thanks for the support.  I can feel you praying for me and this work.

Elder Nielsen

Salmon Arm

The first picture is of all the missionaries in the mission office in Abbotsford on P-day right before transfers.  The next picture is the Noftle family.  They are so amazing.  Brother Noftle treated me like a son and I'm really going to miss them.  The last picture is from a members back yard in Salmon Arm, BC.  That's my new area, it is about 4.5 hours Northeast of Abbotsford.  There are about twenty thousand people in town and I am super excited to be in a new area.  I'm serving with Elder Manley from Draper.
  
The trip to Salmon Arm was crazy.  We drove 2 hours from Richmond to Chilliwack and stayed the night.  The next morning we got on a Greyhound bus and drove 4 hours on this windy road to Kamloops.  There were cars off the road everywhere.  Once we got to Kamloops we drove another hour and a half to Salmon Arm.  We met some members here that remind me of Grandpa Milton and Grandma Gerri.  The guy says he is in the sheep business and has been to Provo to buy sheep before but doesn't know Milton.

The work is going well and we are finding lots of new investigators.  I'm learning a ton and my testimony is growing everyday.  The church is true.

Have a great week everyone.  I love you.

Elder Nielsen

Sad Day

I learned today that my Uncle Chris Starkey passed away last Wednesday.  I'm totally in shock.  When my parents told me I was sick and it literally felt like someone punched me in the stomach.  I feel so bad for Julie and her kids.  The only comfort I have is knowing that they will all be together again some day.  I love you Julie and am praying for you!!

This is a bridge we crossed on our way to hear Elder Christofferson speak.  It was really cool but I can't remember the name.

This is Brother Jaspar and my companion Elder Hudson.  Brother Jaspar served a mission in Provo, UT when he was young.  We have been doing a lot of service lately for Brother Jaspar which is way cool.

This was another great week for Elder Hudson and I.  We found 15 more new investigators and have two baptisms scheduled for March 30th.  I like serving with Elder Hudson he is a hard worker and it is showing in our results.

I love you all.  Have a great week.

Elder Nielsen

Vancouver Temple

This is a picture of the Vancouver temple I took while we were at a Zone conference last week listening to Elder Christofferson.  He was amazing and so spiritual.  He said there will be a lot of persecution in the last days, like we've never seen before and we need to be prepared.

We had such a great week last week!!  We found 22 new investigators and have a baptism date set of March 30th for one of our previous investigators.  Can you believe that 22 investigators. :) The Lord really blessed us by being in the right place and the right time.  That's the only way that could happen.

It rains here so much we just walk around soaking wet all the time.  I get along with my new companion so well.  We work really hard, but can laugh when we are soaking wet or when things didn't go like we had planned.  I just didn't realize how blessed I am to be a member of the church until I starting serving a mission and can see how hard life is for people who don't have the Gospel in their lives.

Thank you for all your love and support.  Have a great week!!

Elder Nielsen