I AIN'T NEVER BEEN TO THE MOON, BUT I'M PLANNIN' ON IT

Dear Family-

  

MICHAEL HAS A NOSE. He has a nose and mom sent me pictures of the nose he has and it's crazy. It's really, really crazy. Crazy. I could probably write my whole email about his nose, but I won't.

Things in Corbin are wonderful. It's weird because the better things are here, the more I seem to miss you all, but the less I want to come home. Maybe we can pray that the time will go quickly for you all and not so quickly for me. I do miss you though. Is it rude to say that I'm glad Nina misses me a lot? Because I am. 

I wish you guys could meet the people the Lord is letting me meet. The work here has picked up like crazy since transfers. We literally have NO time to tract because we're so busy with teaching appointments. The only frustrating part is that we cover an area that used to be 2 areas but was shut down to Elders for reasons I'd rather not talk about so the area is now one and it is a LARGE area. Two days a week we go out to the London/Manchester/East Bernstadt area and make rounds with our investigators. We teach three lessons that are an hour each and spend the rest of the time driving. It takes about an hour from Corbin to get to Judy's and then it takes an hour minutes to get from Judy's to Jacob's and then it takes another half hour to get from Jacob's to Jackie's and then it takes a half hour to get from Jackie's and then 20 minutes to get to the Truett's (ward members preparing to go to the temple) or whoever else in the area we're visiting and then another half hour or so to get back to Corbin. And that's if it's not raining. PLUS, we just picked up another family in East Bernstadt and we have three referrals that we're trying to contact in the area. It's a tiring day. But, it's a good day. The rest of the days are spent between Corbin, Williamsburg, Lily, & Barbourville. I wish we didn't have to take the hour for lunch and for dinner. We'd have two more hours to drive to other places. I'm not complaining about how busy we are, I just wish we had more time to spend on investigators that need to see us more than we currently can.

Nicole Noone - for those of you who don't know the
 famous character from that celebrated 'B' movie
The Librarian - The Nelson Girls' "Hero"
for all kinds of inexplicable reasons....

Sunday was a great day. We had THREE investigators at church, which is a huge accomplishment, especially when you consider how far people have to travel to get to church. All three of the investigators got rides from members. I hope you all have made yourselves available to the Missionaries to give rides to church. It's a horrible feeling to have people who would come to church if they had a ride, and not know who to call in the ward who is willing to spend the gas and extra money that it takes to bring them. I was asked to speak in Sacrament Meeting and I was given the topic of repentance. I decided to talk about how repentance isn't a gloomy, looming thing. It is a joyous, wonderful thing and it the key to our entering into the Celestial Kingdom. All of the results of repentance are positive. It might hurt a little in the cleansing part, just like cleaning a wound. It stings, but afterwards, it heals and you don't have to worry about prolonged pain or infection. If you came upon the celebration that was being had in the New Testament where a fatted calf had been cooked and everyone was crying and rejoicing, you wouldn't look at the prodigal son and be sad that he had repented, would you? Anyways, Sister Ralph played the organ and Bishop said it's the first time in about 15 years that that organ has been played. NOONE (as in Nicole Noone) can play here. The one kid that can play the piano didn't show up a couple weeks ago so they asked me to play and it was awful. I'm glad Sister Ralph is here.

Our three investigators at church were Jackie Logan, Jackie Sturgill and Willard Cox. Jackie Logan still isn't married so he isn't really progressing, but he got a job and that's a really good thing. Jackie Sturgill has a baptismal date for July 2! (We haven't taught him the Word of Wisdom yet though and he smokes, drinks coffee and chews so we might have to push that date back.) Satan is working SO hard on him. The shelter he's been staying at is closing and he has to move out and he's working but he doesn't have a place to live and he doesn't know what he's going to do. He knows the church is true though. He was offered a job last Sunday but he told the guy that he couldn't take it because he had to go to church. He's AWESOME. Then of course was my blave BYH, Willard. This was his first time at church and he loved it. He was smiling the whole time. I think he knows the church is true already, but he is very hesitant. He has a hard time thinking he needs to be baptized "again" and he likes the idea of the Celestial Kingdom but he is having a hard time forgiving himself for his past and doesn't think that his wife will want him when he sees her again. But he told us the story of how she died and she was sleeping in his arms, so I don't think that she was too mad at him, if at all when she died. And seeing how he has changed since his stroke has probably made her love him even more than she did before. 

We've asked him to pray with us and he never will. He grew up in the Baptist Church but he's never said a prayer out loud. Yesterday he almost did but he got really nervous and looked at me and whispered, "Please don't make me do it." Of course I didn't ask him to after that, but we're seeing him tomorrow and I have high hopes for then. He's been praying and reading on his own like crazy. We actually got him to read a verse out loud for us yesterday and that was a huge step. He's making progress. He's coming to church again next week and already lives the Law of Chastity and the Word of Wisdom. I think once he says a prayer out loud to find out if the priesthood is real and essential, he'll be baptized. Seriously, he's like the Noodle Man to me or Gong Laoshi. I love him as much as I love those men. I wish so badly that I could hug him sometimes during our lessons, especially when he gets choked up. He's a very, very special spirit. When we're with him, Sister Ralph and I have talked about this, I'm reminded that no matter how old we get, we're still not THAT old in the scheme of things. And the Lord loves all of us the way we love little children. Willard is a child of God and He loves him the way he loves Violet and Lily.

Gong Laoshi - Tai Chi Master

Brooke's precious Noodle Man
"Lloyd" - from Wuxi, China

Moving on, we had a CRAZY storm this last week. Sister Ralph and I were having personal study and it started... I don't know how to describe it... bucketing rain. There was more water in the air than air. It was swimming outside. Lightning struck a street away and the wind was outrageous. Water started leaking in from the windows and doors and we sat near the window and watched, not scared because we knew the Lord was watching over us, but in awe. We watched as our tree which is much taller than our house tilted towards us and finally toppled onto the ground, feet away from the window we were looking out of. It was insane. We literally watched a tree that took YEARS to grow to its size fall over in a matter of seconds. We live near the end of a hill and the water started flooding so much that across the street our neighbors didn't even have a front yard and we didn't have a sidewalk, it was completely covered. We went outside on our porch and watched as cars tried to make it through the river that had formed outside our house. It reminded me of Mad, Mad World. The little cars had to turn around after a couple minutes because they couldn't make it through.  The house down the street from us had a tree fall into their house and it took three days to get it all off of the house. It was really awe-inspiring. I kept thinking of the book "Their Eyes Were Watching God" which climaxes with a large storm. That's how I felt. I felt like I was watching God. People who think they have control over trivial things are wasting their time and their energy if they don't realize that God is the one who allows them to breathe and think and move and live.

 

 

I've been working on a "board game" for a couple weeks now in any spare time I can find. It's almost done and I promised Johnathan and Kaylee that I'd let them be the first to try it out. It wasn't finished last visit like I told them it would be so we let them teach us the Plan of Salvation using the cut-outs that Lauren made for me. When Johnathan got to the part about the Terrestrial Kingdom (which looks like the moon) he said, "I ain't never been to the moon, but I'm plannin' on it." That kid cracks me up. Everytime I'm there he tries to let me borrow one of his books because he knows I like reading and he does, too. I always tell him that I will when I'm not a missionary anymore. Before they got baptized I told them that because I had taught them, they weren't just committing to the church but that they were going in knowing that I would be in their lives for the rest of their lives whether they liked it or not. Since then Johnathan always tells me that if I ever lose contact with him that he will die and find me and haunt me. Haha. Their mom spoke in church [aslo] with me and she did an amazing job. She's very happy to be active again and I hope she stays active for the sake of those little angels.

We taught a man down the street the other day and dropped him during that first lesson because he's really creepy. But, one thing that he said during the lesson is something I've started saying to Sister Ralph: "Things could be better; but things could be worser. Much worser."

There's so much more to tell, but I'm running out of time.

Mom, thank you for the pictures of Michael. I hate him because he doesn't write me or send me pictures so you and Marty are my only ties to him right now until he repents. Also, Happy Anniversary to Joel & Val and Lindsey & Derek.

Extra Blessings: Sister Gossett, Joel, Valerie, Lily-Pad & Violet.

Word of the Week: Cook Out/Grill Out. People here don't know what you mean when you say that you want to have a BBQ. They think that means that you want to baste your chicken in the sauce. Here they say they're going to have a cook out and that you're invited. Yesterday we had a cook-out with the Truetts and had Hush Puppies & Catfish (aka a fish that has been eating mud it's whole life). The Hush Puppies were really good. The Catfish was really interesting. Brother Truett did a dance for us as we were leaving like Elvis because he knows I love Elvis. It was hilarious. Also, the other week Brother Truett wore teeth to church and it scared me because he looked like a horse. I like him better with his gums.

Thank you for the money, Mom. Thank you for the sweet stories about the Reunion. I'm sad I missed it. I got my patriarchal blessing when I was 14 and it has helped me make many, many decisions and I'm glad I got it as early as I did. Rex will benefit from his. The only sad part is that I can't be there when he gets it. I'm sure it will be a POWERFUL experience. He's a special boy. [Readers: I wrote to Brooke about her Grandpa John getting his patriarchal blessing when he was 4, and how Rex wanting to get his at age 12 didn't sound quite so young anymore.  She obviously endorses the idea.]

People can write me more if they want to. I wouldn't mind. Either way though, I'm so, so, so, so, so happy. I blame y'all for that. I wouldn't be out here without your love, patience and support. Prayers work. The Temple is the most important goal we can have on this earth. Jesus Christ knows our names and knows our spirits more than we do. Satan didn't have the veil so he remembers us, too. We need to hold on to the Iron Rod with both hands if we want to be happy. God won't force us to be happy, but he is offering it to us with open arms. The Church is TRUE! Share it!

Love, Love, Love-

Sis Nelson

FROM JERUSALEM TO THE PROMISED LAND

Hey y'all from Beattyville!

This week has been a wonderfully jam-packed. I'm sorry I didn't get to write you a hand-written letter

last week but we were getting Sister Gossett ready to go home and we ran out of time. I'll write one today though. On Monday night, I got to Beattyville where I spent the night with my new companions, Sister Ralph and Sister Mikami. Sister Ralph is like a mix between Kiera  George and Lauren Pieper, but she's a bit more reserved than either of those girls. She looks a little like Drew Barrymore to me because of her cute heart shaped face and pursed lips. She's a beautiful pianist that does her own arrangements of hymns. Sister Mikami ("me-caw-me") is like a mix between Elizabeth Matthews and Kubo. She's very involved in musical theatre back home and she has a very powerful voice. She's also half Japanese or "Whasian" as she likes to say. She's very outgoing and friendly. I've really loved spending the week with them. They're very obedient and have true compassion for the people here.

Sister Ralph, Sister Mikami, & Sister Nelson

Tuesday morning we had to go visit the library where the Sisters do service hours. Then we drove to Corbin and spent Tuesday and Wednesday working that area. Sisters like to call Beattyville Jerusalem because of the stiffneckedness and wickedness of the people there and Corbin is called the Promised Land because the field is ripe, all ready to harvest. This week I was able to see how true that comparison is. Corbin is blossoming right now. There are so many elect people waiting to be taught the gospel, we just have to find them. I loved being able to work from 10 til 9. The results were amazing. We had to fit in as many investigators as we could in only two days so we didn't tract at all, but we drove from appointment to appointment of people that I've been really wanting to go see but haven't been able to do so. 

First, we taught Judy Jones who lives in a genuine, true holler. I thought I had seen hollers before, but this was the real deal. It takes us an hour to get from our house to her house because we have to drive from Corbin to the Manchester area which takes a half hour and then we have to drive on dirt roads and gravel roads for another half hour. Judy's home is very pretty and it sits on almost 200 acres of land with ponds and horses and wild turkeys and pigs and dogs and everything. Judy was a referral from Salt Lake. She had requested a Book of Mormon way back in February but Sister Gossett and her companion couldn't find her house so they gave up and mailed it to her. When we got there she apologized for only being in Alma 11. We told her not to apologize (most people don't even read at all). She said that she had been reading online for a while but wanted to have a hard copy. We've taught her two lessons now and she keeps telling us how it all makes sense and how she and her husband have Native American blood and that so many of our teachings are alluded to in their history. She has had bad experiences with the Great Abominable Church out here and is very reluctant to attend church right now, but I know that she'll find out the church is true and she is the kind of person who will overcome her fears to have the truth in her life.

Then we went to see Jacob Gwinn. He's a 19-year-old who requested a Bible. He lives way out in East Bernstad and you have to go off-roading a bit to get there, but his house (technically his mom's) is very nice as well. He told us that he wants to get more into religion and get some answers to the trials that he's having to deal with right now. We taught him the Plan of Salvation and he said that it all made sense. The next time we taught him about Jesus Christ and gave him some scriptures about Jesus in both the Bible and the Book of Mormon that we left with him to read. He's a really good kid and is going to trial for some very serious crimes that he claims that he didn't commit. If he is convicted he will go to jail for a long time. I hope he didn't commit them, and I'm inclined to think that he didn't. His family is very anti, so I'm sure we'll run up against some problems in the future, but for now I'm excited about him.

Then we went to see the BYH [<---Acronym for Bless Your Heart: a Nelson-ism started years ago to indicate someone who gets to your heart a little more readily than others.] Truetts. They had invited a young, homeless man to church with them and brought him last Sunday. His name is Jackie but he goes by Stretch or Hillbilly depending on who he's around. He's about 6'9" or so and he's a strong guy. He wore a cowboy hat to church. He came for the Stake Conference Broadcast from Salt Lake and sat through the whole thing and then watched Breanna's baptism and was excited about reading the Book of Mormon. Satan is already working really hard on keeping him from taking the lessons. He's had a couple of emergencies happen and we had to reschedule our appointment so we just went and saw the Truetts without him. I love the Truetts. I can't wait for y’all to meet them. And their fat dogs. They've only been members for 6 years, but they love the Lord and they take the gospel very seriously.

The next day we went and looked for my other BYH, Willard. Every time we go to his house his niece or her boyfriend tells us to come back later. They're druggies and they don't like us coming by. It's easiest to find Willard when he's walking because he hates to be in the house and walks a lot. We couldn't find him, so we went to a potential who I think has a future as a Relief Society President and we set up an appointment with her. Then we went and taught another potential and did a follow up with a man who really doesn't like the "three heavens" and we'll probably end up dropping him. Then we went and saw Breanna, Linda and Jackie Logan. Then we went and saw Jackie "Stretch". He LOVES the Book of Mormon and was already in Chapter 8 of 1 Nephi and it had only been a couple days since he had gotten it. He said that our church was the only time he has felt like people weren't being hypocrites and he felt at home at our church and he knew God had led him there. We soft-committed him to baptism which means he said he'd get baptized but we didn't set a date yet. I'm REALLY excited about him. He's going to be a leader in the church.

Then, we went and saw the Ogdens and I died because they are so cute. Then, I came back to life and we went home.

The next morning we went back to our potential named Connie Brookins. We taught her and Mitchell, her husband. They have been reading and said they get more out of our "Bible" than they do the "other one". They love the index and feel really good about the church. I'm SO excited about them. They are a future bishop and relief society president. When you're in their house you have to keep reminding yourself that they're non-members because the house has the spirit in it and they look and act like members already. They're completely prepared.

 After the Brookins we drove back to Jerusalem... Beattyville. We handed out pass-along cards with an invitation attached to a music concert the Sisters had been preparing for two months. Altogether about 400 invitations were handed out. The Sisters had come up with the idea to get people acquainted with the church and be more open to talk because it would be, "Hello, we want to invite you to a free music concert" as opposed to "Hello, we need to come into your home and convert you". The Beattyville Branch is lucky if it has 20 people at Sacrament Meeting and then they all leave and don't stay for classes.  I'll write more later about the branch and the week we had visiting the area, but Saturday night was the concert (someone dropped out at the last minute who was on the program so I had to do an impromptu solo of "I Need Thee Every Hour".) I'll send you a program. There was only one non-member there and he was a family member of a member. And only a few ward members were there. The rest of the people were the performers that we brought in from Lexington to perform with us.


It was a hard thing for the Sisters to have put months into something, trying as hard as they've been for the last 6 months and have it yield nothing. We got a call saying that the Sisters are being taken out of Beattyville for now and it's been hard on Sisters Mikami and Ralph. But, they both know it's the right thing because the people here in the branch aren't doing anything to help the work and the people out on the streets are very hard-hearted. It reminds me of Zion's Camp. These Sisters were asked to do something and prepare for it and fight for it for the Lord and in the end, he said, let's turn around. But these Sisters are stronger because of it. And they've poured their hearts into this area. They can stand blameless for the work they've done here. I'm glad that I get to take Sister Ralph from Jerusalem to the Promised Land where she will be able to see the fruits of her labors.

Extra Blessings: Grandpa Rex, Marty Brandley, Aunt Kiki & Lauren Pieper.

The rest, if there are any I haven't received yet and will be mentioned next week when I'm back in Corbin and can get my mail

.
Word of the Week: Mess. I always thought that the Elvis song "Mess of Blues" meant an untidy sadness. But mess out here means a bunch or a pile. People have a mess of tires in their lawn. I can have a mess of laundry to do. Right now we have a mess of investigators

.
I love you all! The Church is TRUE! Share it!

-Sis Nelson

I DON'T MOOSE AROUND

FAMILY!

 Hello! I don't have a lot of time to write today because we have a lot to do before 6 but, I want to briefly tell you about my week and assure you that I'll write more in my hand-written letter.

We had another baptism yesterday of a girl who doesn't technically "count" because she's 8 but I don't care. We've been teaching her for a while now and she told us she'd never get baptized and then one day she said that she wanted to get baptized and has started cooperating and coming to church and stuff. She's Linda's daughter. Linda is the one who is living with Jackie who we're trying to get divorced and then married and all that fun stuff. It was a really special experience because Steven Rodriguez who got baptized a couple days before I got to Corbin was able to baptize her. I was able to give the talk on the Holy Ghost. I'll send pictures next week.

Every time Sister Gossett tells me to do something I don't want to do, I tell her I don't moose around. And I don't. I also wear that nightgown every night. It's awesome and it's true: I don't moose around.

The Lord has been blessing me so much this week. The term "tender mercy" comes to mind, but these things are so big to me that I think they're closer to miracles. I promise to go into more detail when I have the time.

One thing I will share is that the Lord answers our prayers. Sometimes he takes a while and makes you show some faith and patience before he answers them, but he does answer.

 I did happen to find a little trick to getting them answered without having to wait. Anyone who says that God doesn't answer prayers can do this and they will get an answer without the wait. It's like a drive-thru prayer-answering trick: Ask Heavenly Father to humble you. I don't know why I asked Him to humble me, but I did. The very next day, I was humbled, completely. We got a call from someone in the ward saying that one of our investigators doesn't like me because I think that I'm better than her and that I make her feel stupid and that I'm rude and inconsiderate all the time. Obviously, I don't feel that way and I would NEVER want her to think that anything I did was rude or inconsiderate. 

So, she didn't want to talk to me but she wanted to talk to Sister Gossett so Sister Gossett told me what I had done wrong. It turns out that she felt like I think I'm above her because I use big words too much and I am not as talkative as Sister Gossett. One time we were over there and she was talking about how she's trying to find a loophole to get her boyfriend out of paying child support for his daughters and I told her that as their father they deserve to have him support them. She didn't like that. Looking back, it is true that he should pay his child support, but I think it was a little out of line. Anyways, she told me a couple of other times that I had made her feel stupid and I of course was devastated and went over and apologized and I think things are ok now, but it was very humbling. It's made me think a lot about what I should say and what I shouldn't say.

I'm running out of time and I have so much more to tell you, but I'll tell you one more story. Last week, President Glende called and asked Sister Gossett why our numbers were so incredibly low. It's cause we don't work. She and he had a talk and he told her that he had just gotten a call saying that he had two Sisters who were waiting for Visas to Brazil coming in today, Monday, and that he would like to send her home today instead of waiting till next week. He said he'd do some emergency transfers, but that I'd get a Sister in with me that can follow-up train me and I could get to work. She and he worked out her flight and he booked the ticket. Later that day he got a call saying that those Sisters had gotten their visas and he wasn't getting them anymore. But, the flight was booked. So, Sister Gossett is leaving tonight for Louisville and flying out first thing tomorrow. I'm going to be in a trio for this week with the Sisters that are in our district who live in Beattyville and then next week I'll come back to Corbin. I've been praying to actually have Sister Ralph who is in Beatyville be my follow-up trainer and guess what: she's coming to Corbin next transfer! 

Thank you for all of your prayers in my behalf regarding this situation. The Lord has delivered me from a trial far sooner than I thought He would. I know He knew those Sisters would get their visas, but He had them wait a little for me and for Sister Gossett because she needs to go home and rest. I feel very blessed to know that He moved things around for me. So, tonight at 6 the Strattons are picking us up and dropping me off in Richmond where another Senior Couple will drive me to Beattyville. We'll most likely come spend a day or two in Corbin this week so that I can see some of our investigators but most of our time will be spent there. I'm excited. I'm very blessed. I'll write more later.

Extra Blessed this week: Lauren Pieper, Nixon, Miles, Enzo & Lindsey.

Word of the Week: Rurnt. Pronounced "rrrrrnt". Something is rurnt if it is rotten or ruined. A rancid smell is rurnt. A trashy woman is rurnt. Jacked up teeth are rurnt.

I love you all! The church is TRUE! Share it!

Love, Sis Nelson

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

The "Mask" is the pelvic bone of a cow.

The dog is "Boo"

The guy is Jackie, AKA Otis.

We buried his chew like the Anti-Nephi-Lehis

The cups are for Lesson One.

YOU'RE GOING THE WRONG WAY!!

Gevorg! [<---NON-FAMILY READERS: It's a long story] 

Yesterday was such a wonderful payoff for a pretty hard week. The two Ogden kids were adorable dressed in white and even though they usually try to be as mischevious and goofy as possible, they both had big grins on their faces as they came out of the water. I hope they remember the feeling that they had yesterday as they grow and face challenges. It was a wonderful experience. When we gave them their jumpsuits, Johnathan didn't want to wear white and we had to explain to him that it wasn't a fashion statement, but symbolic. Little Kaylee came out and said, "Sister Nelson, what's the opposite of tight?" "Loose." "Yeah. That's what my jumpsuit is." She's SO cute. She's missing one of her front teeth and has a little lisp because of it. She's very loving and bright. Johnathan already loves reading his scriptures and he's adorable, too, because he can't say his "R"s. And what a blessing that they're part Asian, like me.

 

I loved talking on the phone with yuns. I'm sad I didn't get to talk to Joel or Dahlia, but I'm grateful that I got to talk to the other 15 of you. Thank you for the advice and thank you for being interested in my investigators. It was very comforting to hear your voices, especially after the week or so I had.

Dad, I read D&C 58 and I loved it. Especially the beginning about how blessings come after trials, haha. I also like how it said that we go to the rich and to the poor. Sister Gossett doesn't like tracting homes, only trailers because she says that people are more humble there. But I think we should tract mansions, homes, trailers and shacks. I don't think it should matter. I told her last night and hopefully we'll start being less picky about where we tract... when we tract.

Our 'neighbor' that we named Hagrid.  I have these gross jelly beans that I hate &
 I give  him one whenever we go to or from our car.

The dog next door is my ray of sunshine. Sometimes while Sister Gossett is sleeping I'll open the door and give him some candy and pet him. There's also the people that we teach. They're of course my favorite part. I don't know why but I have a soft spot for the old men. Willard is such a BYH. I really hope he can get out of his living situation because his niece and her boyfriend sell drugs and so sometimes when we stop by they tell us we have to leave. I know he's miserable, but he has nowhere else to go. I think he'll get baptized pretty quickly and hopefully sealed to his wife who died a couple years ago. He misses her a lot. After my talk with yuns last night I've decided to re-work my door approaches and be more bold, so I'll let you know how that goes. 

Something I forgot to tell yuns last night: The Ogden kids live in a little town called Williamsburg about a half hour outside of Corbin. The streets here are weird and not well marked and there's a bunch of oneway streets and it's hard to tell which ones are which. Anyways, we were leaving Williamsburg and we were trying to get on the freeway and it was late at night so it was dark and Sister Gossett turned onto what she thought was the onramp. We drove for a second and then we saw two huge signs of either side of the street that said "WRONG WAY". We were driving the wrong way onto the OFFramp. I immediately started screaming and thinking about Planes, Trains & Automobiles, fearing for my life. Sister Gossett yelled at me to stop screaming and pulled to the side and flipped around while the cars that could have killed us slowed down and waited. It sounds really scary but the only thing we could do is laugh and almost cry, but mostly laugh. It was crazy.  Sometimes it feels like our investigators are driving onto an offramp the wrong way and we're holding up big red signs warning them of the danger. Luckily, the Lord watches over those who pay attention to the signs and correct their errors before things get too dangerous. I feel like Papa Elf taking something and relating it to the gospel.

People Who Get Extra Blessings this Week: Ava Robinson, Grandma & Grandpa Pinegar, Paige & Hayley.

Word of the Week: Waller'd. When you sit on the couch the wrong way and the cushions get deflated and awkward, they've been waller'd. When you've just ironed your clothes and you throw them on your bed and then forget they're there and lay on them, they get waller'd. A dog can waller a flower bed. I get in trouble with Sister Gossett for wallering the couch all the time.

I love you all and am excited for this week! Keep Michael in your prayers! Have a fun time in Florida, Mom & Dad! The Church is TRUE! Share it!

Love, Sis Nelson

A FEW EXTRA TIDBITS

From a letter dated 4/25/11:

1st things 1st: Happy Birthday, Val!  Sorry I

forgot that in the email!  I hope the day is one full of magic, frivolity & your daughters being angels.  I would add something in there about Joel doing something nice, but every time I've asked him to do something nice he makes a weird face...

Something I've been focusing on this week is trying to feel the Spirit & feel worthy of my calling as a missionary.  I know the Lord qualifies those whom He calls, but I'm still feeling so unworthy of the honor & responsibility of being a representative of Christ.  It seemed so much easier to feel the Spirit in the MTC.  Now I feel like it's more of a memory than a feeling that's current.  Not that I'm doubting anything.  I know the church is true.  It's just that Sister Gossett gets distinct impressions to do specific things all the time.  Sometimes she'll ask me what I think and I have NO IDEA what to do at first, then, I'll say my opinion or something that I'll feel is a prompting and she'll ignore it & do something else.  I know it all comes with experience and time, but it almost feels like I've regressed since the MTC.  I don't know.  I guess I'm just being humbled?

I love Corbin, though.  I know at some point in my mission I'm supposed to serve in Indiana, but I don't think it's yet.  I think I have more work to do in Corbin.  I hope I stay next transfer.  Sister Gossett keeps changing her mind on what she want to ask President to do for her last transfer or her mission.  Sometimes she wants me to be transferred so she can serve with her friend, sometimes she wants to stay with me, & sometime she wants to be transferred.  I don't care too much what happens, but if I had any say, I'd stay in Corbin.  We'll see.

I love you all.  I wish you would see Kentucky right now.  Especially as the sun is setting.  It's so green.  It's green EVERYWHERE.  I had no idea plants could grow the way & in all the places they do here.

I love you all.  Thank you for your prayers!

The Church is TRUE!  Share it!!

[heart] Sis. Nelson

AT LAST - A package of pictures

Ignore my drugged-looking face. My ear was still hurting.
This was our first full day at the MTC.
Me, Sister Barrus, Sister Correia

Our first temple walk

Cheesy map pictures

I love this one

Classic Map Picture 

The J's and the Rempe's!!

Our apartment

My desk in Corbin

Wonderful Wal*Mart bedding....& Mom's heart  Pillow

when I'm at our place, I'm almost always wearing this
 Snuggie I bought at "the" Wal*Mart.
(No one here calls it just plain, old "Walmart")

We have two recent converts from Barbourville ("Barbvull")

College dorms

Climbing the stairs to teach our recent converts -
Steven & Keith

In the hills -- our investigator's neighbors raise & fight roosters for cockfights....

They're also very patriotic

On our way to a teaching appointment

Sister Gossett cleaning our ceiling fan after I complained about it for a week

I was trying to avoid an asthma attack