Surprise Birthday and Learning from Investigators

Ian's surprise birthday cake! (Thanks to MissionaryMom's!)

"I love you!" We love you too Elder Nessen!!!

Well, there have been many things going on in the last couple of weeks. Some of them more interesting than others. Since the last time I wrote I've recieved a wonderful birthday gift (my mom can tell you about that one) and had the opportunity to baptize another investigator! And I've learned some things from past investigators.

Last Saturday I was able to baptise a young girl by the name of Jennifer, she was taught by a few missionaries in the past, including me. It was a rocky road to the finish but by the time she was ready to enter the waters of baptism she was beaming and radiated with the testimony of her Lord Jesus Christ. It was beautiful to see and I enjoyed being able to see her and the family in a loving embrace. It was wonderful to be able to see this young girl from such humble circumstances raised up in the spirit of the Lord!

While I was in Lake Wales I was able to meet the Elders there and some of the members, and I was shocked to hear that one of the boys I baptized, Cameron (one of the brothers), had actually been in a fight and shot someone. Unfortunately I did not have the means to be able to visit him, so I hope he is doing well.

Another investigator that I baptized actually sent me a letter for my birthday (Elizabeth), she says that she is very strong and well in the church and she loves the ward she is in. She said she took a trip to the Salt Lake Temple and looks forward to being able to seeing others as well. She by far has made some of the greatest improvement I have ever seen in any person so far in my mission, and I hope that her testimony of the truth of the Savior and the prophet Joseph Smith profit her greatly!

uh oh, I'm running out of time, but I'd like to make a quick shoutout to those people with birthdays again!

Happy Birthday to:

Diego Rodriguez

Zak Knowles

Shawna Salamanopoulus

Troy

Bishop Blackham

Jasmine Thompson

Collin Yoshinaga

Jacob Greenland

Mike Montandon

and Grey Montandon (congrats on the mission!)

~Elder Nessen

Bye Lake Wales, Hello Plant City

 June 27,  2011

 

It's wonderful to know that everything is going well. I guess today this will be my letter to everyone. Sorry I haven't written in a while it slipped my mind for a bit and there have been complications with my mail account. So now I will be sending letters VIA gmail and hopefully I can get all of my contacts transferrred over today. Speaking of transfers, after spending such a long  and wonderful time (6 months) in Lake Wales I've finally been transferred to an area about 50 miles West to a place called Plant City. It's known for it's generous supply of strawberry fields. Unfortunately, harvesting season already happened so as for the view there's just a bunch of brown fields.  :P

 

Anyway, my new area has been good to me. I havent gotten to know the people very well yet, but I'm still trying. On a brighter note, today I got to work in the Bishops storehouse for the first time!!! It was very spiritual knowing that what I did went to further the work and the aid in all the different parts of the country. I was amazed at how simple the work was and that work alone can make worlds of difference!  It sort of brought back memories and lessons I learned while having a job. No matter where you are, someone is depending on you to get the job done! That was a powerful one.

 

I need to do a lot of catching up on birthdays as well:

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to:

 

Dustin Lobato

Tami Proksch

 

Traci Knowles

Tracy Brown

Mineko!!!!!!

Rob Suckoll

Hiram Smith

Seth Montandon

Tai Wilson

Matt Payne

Candice Stanley

Gabbi Nichols

Marisela Solis

Sydney Berg

Leslie Greenland

 

Donna McDaniel

Sam Beaudry

Krista Avance

Jordan Ikeda

Grant Heath

Kody Hinton

Megan McGhie

Dillan Knowles

Sherrell Savage

Day Cook

Chase Sayer

Daniel Greenland (Congrats on the mission buddy!)

Tim McDaniel

Caitlin Hart

 

Bryon Geddes

Wesley Geddes

Phylicia Green

Abi Shino

Alex Proksch

Kaitlyn Mitton

Meg Van Orden

 

Lacy Kindred

Emily Brown

Sharon Geddes

Jon Teleaga

Reid Proksch

Janie Moore

Zona Blake

Jay Greenland

Austin Evans

Treasure Jensen

 

Sorry for the belated b-days everyone sorry if I forgot anyone. (lemme know and I'll fix it) Love you all!!!!

Lake Wales

January 18, 2011

I GOT TRANSFERRED!!!!!!! So I am now in Lake Wales about two hours East of my last location and I am now about an hour South of Orlando. I can't think of anything else to say....... Oh, I got a baptism!!! and.......... that's it........I think......Okay, 

now for Happy Birthdays!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO: Amanda Blood, Houston Moore and

MOM

Thanks for all of those times you wiped my butt, fed me, and  told me to "clean that stupid room!!!"

LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!

Elder Nessen

It Finally Happened!

January 10, 2011

 

Well, it finally happened. I got transferred. Thank you mom I got the box of gloves, ear warmers, etc. I have even more news! An investigator I taught in my last area would like me to baptise her in this next week so keep your fingers crossed that I will be able to make it. Because I have yet to recieve a ride. But I still believe that the Lord will provide if it be His will that I should go. I am so excited because this will be my first baptism on my mission.

 

Thank you for all of the letters tht you all have sent me it makes me appreciate my life, friends, and family even more every single week thank you for your kindness!!!!

 

Sorry, but I have to keep it short today, Take care!

 

Love, Elder Nessen

Happy New Year

 December 30, 2010

Well, things were a little bit bumpy this past transfer, but as it draws to a close a new one seems to be opening. Our Ward Mission Leader (kind of like our boss/advisor/spokesperson) seems to have kinked the workings of the Ward quite a bit and due to personal problems, will be released very soon. It was long awaited for this Ward but all of us agree it's for the better and it should relieve him of some stress and cope with some of life's circumstances.

The pantry and cupboards are now full again. Thanks to the Ward and my wonderful efforts and concern from my mom to make sure I stay healthy.  =D   (Love you's!!!!) We have now built everything back up to the way it used to be when I first arrived here in the Tampa Mission. It only took 4 months! hee hee hee. It was a wonderful Christmas and we were treated with much love and compassion from all of the Ward members. It really helped in being away from family and friends this year.

On a higher note we now have two baptismal dates set and if all goes well (which it should) we will have two new baptisms in the Ward! We love all of the thoughts and care we get from our friends and family, we thank you so much for your efforts to make this mission so wonderful for us!


THANK YOU ALL!!!

MISSION and LIFE ADVICE: Don't gossip and don't say anything negative about somebody to another person. What goes around comes around and it often leads to further trials and flak along the way.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Jamie Beckwith, Zach-Giffin-Pope, Mallory Stofleth, Josh Kingcade, and Kevin Seneca (relay that to him for me will ya Houston? Thanks.)

Happy Birthday to you all and have a HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

 December 21, 2010

Thank you for all the things you've sent me and all of the wonderful things you have taught me in this world!!!!! Don't worry Haley I'll be sending you a letter soon, but the mail man takes a while so you'll have to bear with me =D

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

AND



HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!