Homecoming

This is how Sister Nelson spent most of Saturday and Sunday this past weekend.  She's avoided talking to many of you about the pains that have come back in her stomach for some time now and has just pressed on with the work.  She LOVES being a missionary.  She loves sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ with others.  She so appreciates our Savior's atoning sacrifice for all of us and the knowledge that our Father in Heaven loves each one of us and knows each of us personally.  She wanted to shout this understanding of hers from the roof tops for all to hear - she wanted to knock every door and let those who open them be aware that the Peace that is found in Christ is where joy truly is.  She loved, served, smiled and touched hearts in Colorado in the time she spent there.  

But this weekend, her body was tired of being ignored.  She had immense pain in the left side of her body.  After blood work, x-rays, a CAT Scan, ultra sound and numerous pokes etc, their findings only uncovered an slightly enlarged kidney.  Still no answers.  She is being sent home this evening to continue her care here at home.  She is heartbroken, but knows that she is loved.  Please pray for her endurance and some answers.  Thank you all for your loving support.

 

Temple Day!

Well I will jump right into it!

On Monday we had a pretty normal-ish p-day. We studied and then emailed and then we went to this place where the Elders always get their haircuts and they look great and do it for free so my companion decided she wanted a haircut. So we scheduled one and went there at 1pm. I decided I might as well get a trim and so..... 3 hours later and a bad haircut on me we finally finish! Like I said I just wanted a trim.... but ended up with some horribly funky layers. I think cutting long hair is a challenge and some people don't really care a whole lot because they think it's long and doesn't matter how much they cut off but actually it does matter! :P So now my hair is like 3 inches shorter and makes putting it in buns pretty dang difficult! But I am sure she tried her best! So we called this lady in the ward (who we should've gone to in the first place) and she said she could fix my hair! But in good news I got a package from Julie with some really cute nail polish in it!! And I am so excited, I had just painted my nails for the first time on my mission earlier that morning!! We were totally on the same page :)

Nail polish from Julie!  Thank you!

My nail job!

On Tuesday we had a wonderful lesson with Lauren and we taught her some more commandments! It was awesome because as we taught her the Word of Wisdom we used Hungry Hillary and she thought it was hilarious! It was great!! Then we did service at Sister Holley's and we helped her in her new nursery and it is so cute!! It is blue and pink with a nautical theme!! 

On Wednesday we got up at 3am and got ready to go to the TEMPLE!!! 

Denver Temple

We were so excited we could hardly sleep! We had a 6am session and had to meet up early with some sisters to carpool there and then make sure we were actually on time! But we were the first ones to arrive! haha It was great :) 

Sister Riddle and I at the temple

We had a lesson with the Clifton's that evening that was awesome and then with Alex!! I don't think I have said a whole lot about Alex but he is AWESOME!! 3 Sundays ago he just showed up in church at like 7:30 and we were there early for a meeting and he asked if there was a service that day so we said yes! But in like an hour and a half. haha. Anyways, he started meeting with us and is really interested! He is a very sweet kid and doesn't really know anything about God or Christ or anything religious so it has been so fun to teach him!

On Thursday we had service at Goodwill and then District Meeting, then we went to Sister Nilsen and she totally fixed my hair!! Now I have really nice layers :) Which still make buns hard but it looks 1 million times better when it's down! haha. 

On Friday I had some awesome studies about Sanctification and Justification. We are justified because of Jesus Christ, no matter what we can have immediate relief from sin of burden, it's just a matter of asking Him for strength and for forgiveness. But sanctification is different, it's not just an event but it's a process that takes continual time and effort! We have to continually be sanctified through the Atonement of Christ, but we are always justified because of His great sacrifice for us each. I know that was short, but it was really mind blowing!! I encourage you to study it too and see what you can learn! We had another lesson with Alex and guess what?! He's on baptismal date for September 17 and we are so excited!! And we were introduced to a new game called Tenzi and it is so fun!!! 

On Saturday we went to our stake president's home for breakfast and it was so fun! I love all of the Elders and Sisters in our stake. And the Stake President!! Then we went to this thing called Pinery Picnic and we did some service there for the lunch line. It was fun and really good weather! Then we did some service at our investigator Sue's and it was good. I love her! We laid down some new wood chips and planted some fake flowers because everyone here has fake flowers because the deer eat them all :P

On Sunday we had a lot of meetings and our investigators came to church!! And we had a meeting with our Bishop and member we live with and now we are moving because.. well our living situation is not the best! haha. But we are relieved to hear that!! It was a good Sunday, we had dinner at the Smith's and they are totally my favorite!!!!! I love you all, have a fabulous weeeeeeeek! :)

Love no matter what,

Sister Nelson

Another dog story?

Hey everyone! I hope you've had a spectacular week! Let me tell you all about mine :)

So Monday we had a good, relaxed p-day. We emailed and cleaned and shopped and rested. Then we had a ward activity where we met at this beautiful park and celebrated pioneer day! It was great.

Sister Riddle and I

On Tuesday we went over to Aurora to a chiropractor for Sister Riddle. Then we had lunch and a lesson at the Staheli's home with Lauren. I love her! She has been asking her parents about attending church and we are getting closer and closer :) Then we went to the church and had a lesson with our investigator Alex and the Clark kids came! Mitch just returned home from his mission a month or so ago and so he is great at our lessons and Ashlyn just graduated and is thinking about going on one. She is just as great!

On Wednesday we went out to Promise Ranch to do service but... no one was there! haha. So we came back and asked Sister Malm what we could do for her and she had us shampoo her carpets! It took quite awhile but now they are clean clean clean! :) We also did service for a lady in the Pinery ward. She is mega 

( mom, remember that word you love??;D ) pregnant and needed our help so we cleaned up and organized some of her home! It was fun, I love Sister Holley. Then we had a lesson with the Clifton's and taught the Plan of Salvation with my cute little cutouts!! It was awesome, they are doing SO well! Then we went over to THE Smith's and FINALLY they returned home from their vacation!!!! I had missed them so much, it had been 2 and a half weeks!!!! That's way too long! I love them. So we went over the work in the past couple of weeks and then went to a lesson at the Johanson's with Matt! It went so good. He finished the Book of Mormon!! Such a good day. 

On Thursday we went to Goodwill for service and then had district meeting. It was good and all went by so fast! Then we had lunch and it was time to go out. Because it's the end of the month we have to be careful that we don't go over on our miles and we were pretty close so we decided to walk! It was pretty hot at 90 but at least it's not 100 like I hear it is in Tri-Cities! :P So we walked to our investigator Sue's house and had a lesson with her about the Book of Mormon and the personal revelation we receive when we read and pray about it. It was great!

On Friday we had a lesson with Debbie right after our personal studies, so we went out to Franktown and taught about the restoration. It went pretty well, there's a lot of concerns she has but we are working on helping her resolve those. Then we came home and weekly planned and had lunch. We walked to dinner and to our lesson with Alex and it was great! Then we got a ride and came home for exchanges with the Sisters! Sister Kastner stayed in my area and Sister Riddle left to the Parker ward with Sister Tracy.

Saturday was fun! We had studies and then went out tracting because we had no established lessons, not one! haha. 

We came back for lunch and then after lunch mowed the yard of our next door neighbor who recently had back surgery! It was... crazy!! His front yard it like this huge hill and it is hard to push the lawn mower up it!! I miss the flat yards we have in Tri-Cities! But it was fun, and it was Sister Kastner's first time mowing a lawn and that was just hilarious!! Thank goodness my dad taught me, there were a lot of missed patches we had to go back over because she mowed like a crazy person! :P 

Pretty Hilly!

We tracted more the rest of the day and had a lesson with our investigator Katrina. We taught about prophets, the 10 commandments and following the Word of Wisdom. It was good. 

So after that we continued to tract and guys, the craziest thing happens:  so we knock on this door as we are tracting this street and this little teacup dog is following us from the neighbor's house down a ways. We've talked to the guy who lived in this home before and were just coming back to see if we could set up a time to teach him more. So we knock on his door and his scary wolf dogs greet us at the window. He answers and we talk for like 30 seconds, then the teacup dog climbs up the steps and looks at the dogs, then snarls at them in their face.  ALL of the sudden the wolf dog has the teacup dog in it's mouth and the owner it trying to get him to let go, he lets go and then the 2nd wolf/dog put it in it's mouth and the teacup dog is like screetching so we are like standing there terrified and dumbstruck.  The owner is totally flipping out and throwing his dogs in the house and then chasing his wolf/dog to try and stop him. All in all the wolf dog doesn't eat the little dog and the owner gets him to safety, but we were 100% sure it was a goner. So basically, I just want to say-why do people have dogs? silly silly silly. We thought he was going to be really mad when he came back, but the spirit totally softened his heart because he let us set up a time to come back!! Hopefully we don't have to ever go into his home where the wolf/dogs are and would probably try and eat me. haha. CRAZY. Sooo later we then we exchanged back that evening! 

Sunday was a busy busy day. Church is always busy and it seems like the missionaries need to be in 5 places at once! So needless to say, we are always on our toes. It flew by and so did our meetings afterwards. We had lunch and then went back for a lesson with Alex. We finished getting through the Restoration and it was great! He is a bit of a slow learner, but he's never had religion in his life so it makes sense! It's all new and unheard of concepts for him. But it was good! I hope you all had a great great week too!!! I love you!

Love no matter what,

Sister Nelson

Sister Nelson is still trying new things to help her stomach.  

Honest, she ate Almond Milk!!  Big step for this non-brave eater of foods!

Look for the good and you will find it, like rainbows after the storm!

Hey everyone!! Missionary work is the greatest!!

On Monday we had a normal p-day where we emailed and shopped and wrote some letters. There was a crazy crazy hail storm and it was fun to watch! It storms here so much. It's hot and nice in the middle of the day and then 4pm rolls around and it starts to get crazy! But it's so nice, it cools down the evening and makes for perfect tracting weather :) 

Beautiful rainbow after the storm.

We had dinner at the Staheli's and it was perfect because a lesson that we had planned for the next day didn't have a home to be in so we planned to do it there! 

On Tuesday we did service at our investigator's Debbie and we planted and weeding for a bit. It was great! Then we had some lemonade on her back porch and a lesson! 

Lemonade on the back porch

She is so genuine and sweet. We talked about her religious background and were able to address some of her concerns. She is wonderful! Then we had a lesson at the Staheli's home with Lauren and it was awesome!! She is so ready to be baptized, we just have to wait for her parents to give permission. Hoping it's sooner rather than later!! Then we went to our investigator Katrina and guess what?! She read!! She actually read! It was awesome. We taught her some of the commandments and she was so open and conversational, more than she ever has been before! We were so happy. At our dinner later that evening the family owns a little essential oils business and he put some cinnamon and peppermint on our hands and it smelt exactly like this Christmas bazaar my mom and I would go to in December to sell all of her cool crafts! I loved it and said I need to get myself some of that ;) Sweet memories! 

On Wednesday we had interviews with President and Sister Mendenhall! It was great. 

Sister Riddle and I before our interviews

We talked about the Book of Mormon and why I love it. I love the Book of Mormon so much!! It has helped guide me and direct me through the times that I have needed that desperately in my life as well and brought me comfort. I love to use the Book of Mormon when we teach because everything in there can be applied to us and the days we live in now! It's so true what it says at the beginning from Joseph Smith, "..a man would get nearer to God by abiding by it's precepts, than by any other book." I love that it is another testament of our Savior and that as I read I come to know Him better; all that He did for me and all that He can do for me. I love it so much!! 

After interviews we went to Promise Ranch and it was pretty good. I worked with a little boy named Cameron and he was so sweet! We spent most of our time outside of the arena in the sun and he loved it! He would say in the cutest way ever, "Walk on Booka!' Oh I love little kids. Then we finished up and were ready to get out of the hot hot heat so we started home. 

When we were like 10 minutes from home there was a bad car accident! There was a car in the left lane next to me and we were coming up on a red light... but he BLEW through it!! He rammed into a car turning that had the right away at 55 mph. It was crazy! I thought someone got really badly hurt. So we pull over and call 911 and go see if everyone's okay. Fortunately God protected them all and no one had anything more then bumps and bruises! The car turning was a truck and they had driven just far enough the the bed of the truck was hit and not the passenger door with a teenage boy behind it!! So we spent an hour in the hot hot sun at this scene talking with the families and police men. It was a genuine accident, but both cars are completely totaled. I am just so glad everyone was okay! It was crazy!! After that we finally headed home and needed to shower, we were both just drenched in sweat haha.

On Thursday we went to Goodwill to do service and it was fun! It was kind of a slow day put, but they put us to work. We finally got the schedule down and went from Goodwill to the church to change and were actually at District meeting on time! Goodwill is out of our area by like 25 minutes so before we would finish service and drive home to change and be late because they're both on opposite ends! It was great this time. We had an awesome training on overcoming fears. We wrote them on balloons, blew them up and then had to pop them without anything quick and sharp. It took some time and effort! haha. It was great. Then we went home and had lunch and then went out to apply everything we learned. 

A great fear that Sister Riddle has is tracting so what better way to get over it than to actually do it?! So we went out tracting and had a little bit of success, it was awesome! I know that when we put forth just a litttttle bit of effort Heavenly Father blesses us so much!! A fear that I have is being unsuccessful or having a mission that is a failure. So to overcome that I am going to study being a successful missionary and ways that I can improve me teaching skills so I can be able to say that I did all that I could a served with all that I had!

On Friday we got a call from our investigator Susan and she dropped us :( We were so sad! Sister Riddle hadn't had the chance to meet her yet so she didn't have the opportunity to love her the way I did so it was really me that was pretty sad. So I was studying in PMG and in the Chapter called Finding People I read how true disciples of Christ are disappointed when investigators choose not to repent and make changes to draw closer to Jesus Christ, BUT they're not discouraged! They choose to continue forward will diligence to find those that the Lord has prepared! I am so grateful for studies and the way that Heavenly Father works through the spirit to comfort me. It was a good day! We had weekly planning and then did some service for the Bushey's. We swept their huge deck off from the hail storm over a week ago. It was fun!

Service with a smile!

On Saturday we went to the Franktown cemetery to do service with the ward. It was awesome! So many people showed up and we had such a great time! It's kind of a run town creepy cemetery that no one takes care of except the Castlewood Canyon ward once a year! haha. Then we had a mini zone meeting about the Fort Collin's temple open house and how fortunate we are to have the opportunity and how we need to use it to our advantage.  So now everything we do tracting wise is related to that, it is AWESOME!! We have seriously had some great success with it!! And later we had a lesson with the sweet girl from Kneaders that gave us her number and she is so sweet! She has no religious background so it was a new challenge to start from the very bottom. It went great!!!!

On Sunday we had such a great day!! Church was crazy busy as usual and we learned so much! But the greatest part that trumps them all is our investigators Wendy and Adian committing to baptism!!! They're scheduled to be baptized September 3rd and we are SO dang excited!!! It was awesome! We had a lesson in the Porras' home and taught about the Restoration! It is so great when your hard work finally comes all together!!! We are so so soooo excited! Keep them in your prayers please!! :)

Well I love you all and hope you have a great great week!!!

Love no matter what, 

-Sister Nelson

Sister Riddle - Sister Nelson's new companion!

Hello everyone! I hope you have all had a fabulous week :)

This Monday was a good p-day! We emailed of course, then we had a crazy day of running last minute errands for Sister Borup! We went to Kneaders for lunch one last time and it was great. I got a package from my mom with the coolest binder in it!! It has tons of little cut outs and games/activities to have when teaching and it is seriously the greatest thing I have ever gotten! I think the only thing to have topped it before were letters from my dad when he served and wrote home to his family :) 

So this was pretty dang cool!!! It has cut outs to go along with scripture stories and games to play to help teach for understanding! I love it and have already used it! That night we went over to the Porras' for dinner and our investigators came!! We had a very relaxed, easy-going dinner and it was perfect! Then we taught a lesson about the spirit and it was incredible! 

The Porras' testified of experiences and then the Clifton's did too!! After that, we had another lesson in a member's home with Brother Davison and it was awesome. We talked about the Book of Mormon and the covenant of baptism and the spirit was so strong. We invited him to be baptized but he doesn't think he's quite ready yet. But it was still so wonderful! Like the best P-Day ever!!

On Tuesday it was kind of like the worst day ever.... Sister Borup was going to be leaving me! :( We got up and ready and then met with the Wright for breakfast wayyyy early :) It was great. I love them and there were no tears that fell! Only in the eyes! 

After that we thought we had gotten everything she needed but we didn't so while we were in town we ran some last-last minute errands. Then we came back home and P-A-C-K-E-D. It was crazy! We got all of her stuff to weigh under 50 lbs and be in two suitcases. Blessings from heaven!! After that we spent some time cleaning things up and then I packed a bag to go. We put all of her stuff in the car and then went back for one last look through (my dad taught me that.) So we finished looking through and knelt down to say a prayer together. There are many many times that I feel the spirit strong in my mission,  but there are few times where I feel the spirit of gratitude overcome me. This was one of those times! As Sister Borup offered a prayer I couldn't help but feel God's love. We were so blessed to be able to serve together again! To be entrusted to open a new area in the mission and cover two wards. We had a blast the whole time and became even better friends than I thought was possible. I am so grateful to have had her as my trainer. To help me along through the tough times and to have her by my side through the great! It was pretty emotional. To say some tears fell would be an understatement. But when she finished we just hugged and cried and told each other nice things and laughed! I can always count on a good laugh from her :) We went upstairs and said goodbye to Sister Malm then drove to meet the STLs so we could drive to Westminister to take her to the mission home. The drive was crazy, lots of traffic and a crazy driver! But we got there and spent the last few minutes together before we had to say our official goodbyes. We drove back and I didn't even cry! I was definitely sad but I held myself together. We spent the evening in the Sister's area and then went home for the night. Sister Borup called me from the mission home (with permission of course) and we talked in Danish one last time for a while!! I love that girl so much.

On Wednesday we woke up and studied and left to go to the stake center to meet my newest companion. We waited there for probably an hour, which isn't as bad as last time! My new companion's name is Sister Riddle! 

She is from Texas and has been out four  months. She just finished training so it's just a normal companionship! We packed her stuff up in the car and headed back to Sister Malm's. We met and then unpacked her stuff and went out! We met with some Less Actives and met some people of the ward. There was a ward activity that night for Castlewood Canyon and it was good. I made it the whole day without crying until we came home that evening and I was getting ready to lay down and there was a letter under my pillow! Of course it was from Sister Borup and of course I opened it and totally bawled! Fortunately my companion was in the shower so I was free to ugly cry haha. Did you all know that I absolutely love Sister Borup?! I decided I would cry about it that evening and then I would move on!

So on Thursday we got up and studied and went to do service at Goodwill. Then we had District meeting and met some of the new missionaries! Then we came home from lunch and then went out biking! We biked a lot this week and it was great! There are so many people to talk to and it saves a lot of miles! haha. For dinner we had one of my favorites... chicken alfredo! But someONE put artichokes in it.... haha. I may be rethinking what my favorite meal is! They're so sweet though. haha. It was a good day!

On Friday we had weekly planning all day and it took quite a bit of time. Sister Riddle doesn't really know the area at all so there was a lot of explaining to do! Then we went to do service at Promise Ranch and she was just having the time of her life! I love when I get companions that love animals because then they protect me from them! haha.  After that we had a couple a lessons and went biking some more. Later in the evening this time which made it a lot better!

On Saturday we got up and were going to have a lesson, but it ended up falling through. So we went out finding and were able to have a lesson with a Less Active member so that was great! We went to our sweet investigator Sue's house and we did some service. There was a huge hail storm the night before (the sky in Colorado is probably upset because Sister Borup is no longer in the country;) and so people's yards were wrecked! So we cleaned up for Sue and then had lunch and went home and cleaned up for Sister Malm. I love doing service! Later we went out biking and we have really been saving a lot of miles! So that was fun. We contacted some people on our list, but unfortunately not a lot of people were home. Then we had dinner and a meeting with one of our ward's mission leader and then went home! It was a good day. I feel so accomplished after biking haha. 

Sunday was great! We had a meeting and then sacrament and then we were doing sharing time in the Pinery Ward and went on splits so I could attend the Castlewood Canyon's sacrament and it was wonderful! The sweet girl that I was talking about last week arrived home safely and she gave a homecoming talk. I love her already!! And our mission president and his wife came down and attended our ward! It was awesome! I love them so much!! After church we came home for lunch and then went out. After dinner (we were fed some baaaaad chicken) we came home both feeling pretty sick! But overall is was a great day. 

At first I was very very sad that Sister Borup left and I thought I wasn't going to be able to make it, but time goes on and I realize that I just might be okay ;) I am grateful to have Sister Riddle, she is sweet and thankfully not a crazy one! haha. No one is like Sister Borup and that's okay. I will see her again soon! 

But there is a work to do here in Parker South and in Colorado and I am thankful to be apart of it! I love you all and hope you have a great great week!!

Love no matter what, 

-Sister Nelson

Sister Borup's last week

Hello everyone!! I love missionary work so much! And being with Sister Borup again has just been the greatest thing I could have ever received! It has been her last full week in the mission field and we have loved every minute of it. I am so grateful for her! From the very beginning when she welcomed me in Arvada with loving arms and a silly accent to opening a brand new area to our mission and sweeping 2 wards. I didn't think it would be possible to love her any more when I was sent home but distance made the heart grow fonder and I know that as she returns home to Denmark this week I will just love her even more than I thought I could! Only one year more and we can be reunited!! She has taught me so much. She has been patient and loving in every way and I hope to emulate her wonderful example as I continue on in my missionary work. She is the BEST!!!

Sweet Sister Borup and I

This week has been great, we started with the 4th of July and great memories. But I already told you all about that so we will start at Tuesday :)

On Tuesday we woke up really sore from our hike in Castlewood Canyon so we went out for a nice walk around the neighborhood! We went out during the day and tried to find some people to teach. It was a pretty slow day but we still had fun! 

On Wednesday we did service at Promise Ranch and guess what everyone?! For the first time I didn't feel like crying when we got out of the car!! And Sister Borup and I were separated again and I totally handled it! Granted we had the nicest horse in the Ranch and a really sweet, calm, little boy... but still! We are making progress here!! It was a wonderful day too. We had dinner at our favorite Smith's home that evening and it was the cherry on top! :)

Me also being brave with this husky!

On Thursday we had Zone Meeting and it was awesome! I got to play piano for an Elder who sang a special musical number and it was great! It would've been more fun with Sister Borup singing... but it was still great! I love being able to play piano :) We had a lesson at our investigators Sue's but she cancelled and then our dinner cancelled so who did we call?? The Smith's! haha We made sandwiches for dinner and had a nice time! They are so sweet to us. Then we had a lesson with our investigator Katrina and we invited her to be baptized and she thought about it for a long time and then said that she will get back to us on that! That is progress!! Keep her in your prayers :)

On Friday we went to Sue's to do service! We pulled a TON of mint weeds! But at least it smelt good :) And guess what?! She invited us over for dinner!! How sweet it that?! We were so excited. Then we had to go home and change and leave to Westminster for Sister Borup's departing interview. She wasn't that happiest about that but we made a good time out of it and stopped in Denver on our way! We talked to so many people and had such a fun time!!

A Barbie "Party" Car

Downtown Denver

 The interview was pretty quick and we were on our way again! It was about 5pm now and the traffic back was crazy! We were 30 minutes late for dinner! haha. There is not traffic like that here in Parker South that's for sure!! After dinner we went over to the Smith's because it was grandma's birthday! We sang for her and gave her her favorite candy, Hot Tamales! Then we asked her what we could do for her and she said "Well can you look at my quilts?" So we spent a good amount of time adorning her quilts! haha. 

Grandma's Birthday!

I love older people,, they make me happy. Then we went to the church to practice a song for a baptism in the ward that we were asked to play at and we made a medley of "Dearest Children God is Near You" and "I'm Trying to Be like Jesus" and it turned out really cool!! Then we were driving home and we got a text from the Christensen's (whose son was getting baptized) and they said that the baptism is going to have to be postponed for a month because their daughter is returning home from her mission in Brazil in a week. Oh man we were so heart broken! And so touched that I can be in this specific area at this time because I know exactly what she is about to go through!! Heavenly Father is SO aware of each and every one of us and knows our exact circumstances! He is always providing a way to help us get through the trials and tribulations we are faced with in this life. I know it!!

So Saturday morning we wake up and get ready. We went to Bingham Lake to do service with the Pinery ward by picking up trash around the lake. It went really well! Then we went over to the Christensen's to talk with them and I was able to share a bit of my experience of going home because they didn't know and it was so great! I am so blessed to have been able to have gone through that trial so I can help! And I think this is one of the first times I have felt that I have been "blessed" to go through a trial! Especially that one. I am so grateful!! She comes home by this Friday so we will meet then! Later that day we had lunch at Kneaders with Brother and Sister Mason from Arvada 5th ward!! They drove all the way down and it was great! And guess what?! A worker from Kneaders gave us her number and told us to call her because she is interested in learning more about what we believe!! Isn't that incredible!? Oh my heavens we were so excited!! After lunch we went out for a bit tracting and then dinner time came! We went over to Sue's and she made some mayonnaise covered chicken, broccoli and some potatoes! It wasn't my favorite meal ever but it was so fun to be with her! And she loves loves loves to cook so that was good for her :) It was a great day!!

Sunday was great too! We had church and meetings and everything was wonderful! In Castlewood Canyon's ward council (the Christensen family is in that ward) we talked about the things that we can do to help Sister Christensen when she returns home and it was just so sweet to see the other side of things. This ward is so great! We all fasted for her and it is just incredible to see how much of a family we really are. We were also able to sing in one ward the Castlewood Canyon ward for Sister Borup's last Sunday and it was great! We sang "In Christ Alone" and I will miss so much being able to play for her!! And we also got to teach Sharing Time in primary in the other ward and was so fun!! Everything was just so great. It was a wonderful Sabbath. We had dinner at the Bishop of the Castlewood ward and it was hilarious! I really love serving here!!

Missionary work is wonderful and it has been especially wonderful to serve beside my best friend for 3 months! Maybe not 3 months in a row... but still :) I will miss Sister Borup and know that she has been very loved here and missed in Denmark! Have a wonderful week everyone, I love you all!!

Love no matter what,

Sister Nelson

Happy Birthday, America!

Hello everyone!! This week has been great! I hope you all had a happy fourth of July! :)

On Monday we had an awesome P-Day! We got up and exercised and studied, all of the normal morning things, then we got ready for the day! Did you know that I absolutely love the sweet lady we live with?? 

I don't think I've ever taken a picture and shown you all who she is but, she is the BEST! The snack fairy still comes every other day, we're so spoiled! ;) So we went out to a different area in Parker and had a lady from the ward that Sister Borup previously served in here, take some farewell pictures of her! And I got some with her too :) But we don't have the pictures yet so that'll be a cherry on top of the blog whenever the come in the next few weeks! Then we went food shopping at the good ol' Walmart and came home. We were cleaning out the fridge to be able to put the new stuff in and... did you know... broccoli goes bad? And when it goes bad it goes BAD!! haha. So we had a rotten broccoli and it kind of fell all over the place so we spent some time cleaning that up and trying to not smell it! haha. Things you learn on your mission! :P Then we had dinner and oh my heavens, it was picture perfect! We ate outside and the sweet family just had all of these fabulous things laid out on the table that we just had to snap a picture!! 

Dinner Outdoors!
I love the sweet members here!

On Tuesday we did some service at a member's home because she was on vacation and her basement flooded and she only had a couple of days before she was going to be off again and needed some help. So we were glad to! We helped put carpet back and clean up and organize. It was pretty fun! I spent a good amount of time organizing some blankets and pillows on top of a built in bunk bed and that was fun! haha. Then we went home and had lunch and went out for the plans we had that day! We had a lesson with one of our investigators and were able to teach her about the Restoration and it went great! I love teaching, especially with Sister Borup! When the companionship has unity it makes such a huge difference in the spirit you feel when teaching and being taught!

Wednesday was a great day too! We had a different lesson and this time a member came with us and it was SO great!! The spirit was so strong and we were able to teach about the Plan of Salvation and what that means in our lives and for her life. And the member that came with us was so perfect because she wasn't afraid to talk and share her testimony and what it means to her. It was soo great!! :) Then we did service at Promise Ranch and Sister Borup and I were separated in two classes and so I was by myself with this horse (okay, not by myself because there are other people apart of the session, but without Sister Borup who isn't afraid of horses!) So it wasn't the most fun time I had at service ;)

On Thursday we had service at Goodwill again and it went well! Because it wasn't our first time we weren't so lost, and I like that :P Then we went over to our ward misision leader's home in one of our wards and had lunch before we had District Meeting. It was good! And they are just the best. Then we went to District Meeting and of course, learned a lot :) Right after that we had a lesson and it was good. The sweet lady we were teaching doesn't really believe in anything we believe so we are trying to help her on that! haha. 

On Friday we were able to go out to lunch with a sweet member from Arvada that we served! It was so fun, we love the McGary's! After that we came home and we had weekly planning for most of our day. It was effective! haha. Then we had dinner and that was good. It was a pretty normal day! 

On Saturday we were in most of the day because Sister Borup was so sick! She must've eaten something I didn't and she just didn't feel well and didn't rest at all that night. So that was sad! But she is feeling better now :)

Sunday was a good day! I always love church. We had some meetings and then sacrament of one ward and then we taught sharing time in Primary! I love that. I missed doing it even if I did it for a short amount of time before I left! haha. We taught about temples and how God commanded that we build them, then why we're blessed because of it! It went great! And one of the sweet presidency members gave us the cutest little thank you thingy! It was two chocolate candies put together to look like scriptures! 

Our cute THANK YOU!

Oh man, so cute!! Then we came home for our lunch hour and then went out for the evening trying to find. It was great! 

Okay, now to the best part of the week! MONDAY! (Well I totally love Sunday, but this Monday has been the best EVER!) Happy Fourth of July!!!! So we get up and ready and went to a member's home in the Pinery and had breakfast! There were lots of members there and it was fun to visit with them. 

Smith Home

Breakfast 

Especially the Bushey's who are so much like my sweet Grandma and Grandpa Nelson! It was a tender mercy to spend time with them because it's probably my first 4th without my family and some kind of Utah reunion! haha. Then we went to the Smith's and had a breakfast with them because they invited us to last week and that was fun! They are so much like family! And they are our favorite Smith's!! Then we changed and left to go.... to Castlewood Canyon to hike!!! 

Castlewood Canyon

  

Oh my gosh it is absolutely GORGEOUS!!! There were tons of people there but so many trials to go and hike! We just picked a random one and had tons of fun!! I only tripped a couple of times and Sister Borup only fell into the Lake once! hahaha. We are so blessed to serve in the prettiest area in our mission!! It was seriously so much fun!! Then we came home and changed and cleaned up and went out food shopping! Later we had a BBQ with some other members in one of our wards and it was great! We had to be in early so we came home and scrap booked with all of the pictures we printed out at Walmart (You'd be so proud mom!) Then we talked with Sister Malm for a bit and watched the couple of fireworks we could see from her window! It was such a great 4th of July!! And of course Sister Borup just loves celebrating holidays that she doesn't have in her country and seeing everyone around wear red white and blue!! I love the holidays!!! I hope you all have a fabulous week! I love you :)

Love no matter what,

-Sister Nelson

This week has been great! I still love Parker South so dang much!! And Sister Borup even more and that's A LOT!!

I love my companion and will miss her when she's gone back home shortly!

On Monday we had a very relaxed p-day! We emailed and then went food shopping then came home and cleaned and took a nap! But while food shopping we prayed that some kind of miracle would happen so we might be able to afford the things we needed to buy because neither of us have any money and guess what?! We walk in and the milk is on sale and none of it is going to expire quickly or anything!! 

Sister Borup's Miracle Milk

How cool is that? Man, Heavenly Father is so aware of us. Other than that there wasn't much for us to do haha. Then we had a lesson and a member came with us, it was awesome. We taught about the Restoration and the way it applies to our lives and to theirs. Then we went home for the evening!

On Tuesday we had a good time during lunch making banana breads for our neighbors. 

Banana Bread!

Ya know, it is kind of difficult to cook in the high altitude here but I really feel like I am getting it down! You have to always take away liquid and add more flour. I don't really know the science behind it but I know it works! And you always have to babysit your food if you're using the oven. You have to change the heat and make sure the outside doesn't burn before the inside cooks... I am getting it! haha. But I totally miss the 100ft altitude in Washington :P then we had an incredible lesson with a sweet girl named Lauren! She is 16 years old and has a lot of Mormon friends at school that she loves. She got online and referred herself to the missionaries, it is awesome! We love her so much. 

On Wednesday we had district meeting and did you know, I love my district!! They are so sweet! 

My Zone

My District

We had a training and then a roleplay where we practice what we just learned and then the district leader just decided that we were going to make it a "real"play and went to the town homes right outside the church and 5 sets of missionaries were out knocking doors! haha It was great :) And in the meeting I got to share a spiritual thought and guess what I read?? "Green Eggs and Ham, Book of Mormon version" and the missionaries were dying!! haha I love that book so much! Later that day we were out in beautiful Franktown and got a classic missionary pic :P

On Thursday we got up and did the usual morning routine and then went to service at Goodwill! It was fun, a lot of work in the back goes on that I had no idea about. haha. We had lunch, lessons and biking later that evening and were ready for bed when the time finally came!

On Friday morning I woke up pretty dang sick so I asked for a blessing because I am getting a little tired of not feeling very well. Some Elders came over and our district leader, Elder Brinkeroff gave me a blessing. It was the sweetest thing! I have been praying so much and so fervently lately to know what Heavenly Father would have me do. To know if I was ever going to get feeling better and be able to work as a full-time missionary should work. Fortunately my prayers were answered and sooner or later all will be well again, I just need to push through and continually study and rely on the Atonement. I am so grateful again for the incredible priesthood power and the love that I know Heavenly Father has for me! I spent most of the day resting but that evening we had a great lesson with one of our investigators. I love them all! 

On Saturday we had exchanges and so I went to the Parker ward with Sister Tracy and we had a great time! 

Sister Tracy and I accidentally matching on our exchanges!

We did some service at a therapeutic horse riding place and it was really cool to be able to walk with children on horses that have disabilities. It made working with horses just a bit better! haha. We did a lot of tracting on Saturday because almost all of our appointments fell through but it was really great to work on talking with people and different approaches! I was grateful to be reunited with Sister Borup that evening :)

On Sunday we had church alllll day long and meetings along with it. I love it! We weren't able to teach any cute kiddos this week, but maybe next :) Dinner was fun, the man served his mission in Denmark and so that's pretty much all we talked about! And for the dinner message I read a scripture in Danish!! :D I love that Sister Borup is from Denmark, I love it so much!! That evening we planned for the week ahead. I love missionary work so much!! Have a great week everyone!!

Love no matter what,

Sister Nelson

Scripture of the week (I am still working on the one from last week! Haha)

3 Nefi 12:48

Derfor ønsker jeg, at I skal være fuldkomne, ligesom jeg, eller jeres Fader som er i himlen, er fuldkommen.

3 Nephi 12:48

Therefore I would that ye should be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect.