Called to Kentucky: WALK ON WATER

Way out in the land of the setting sun, where the wind blows wild and free, there's a lovely spot, just the only one that means home sweet home to me. If you follow the Old Kit Carson Trail, 'til the desert meets the hills, oh you certainly will agree with me, it's the place of a thousand thrills! HOME MEANS NEVADA, home means the hills. Home means the sage and the pine. Out by the Truckee, silvery rills, out where the sun always shines, there is a land that I love the best, fairer than all I can see... Right in the heart of the Golden West. HOME MEANS NEVADA TO ME!

Happy Nevada Day! I sure wish that I could be enjoying the warm weather out in Nevada right now. But, it's a great time to be in Kentucky, too, once you get over the wind and the temperature and the rain and the ice! (Sidenote: there's a lady who just walked into the library who looks just like Jean Anderson. What a special treat! Just another great reminder of my golden, western home!)

Also, Happy Halloween to all others who read this and don't have the privilege of calling themselves Nevadans. May your costumes be scary and may your pillowcases be heavy at the end of this blustery eve. Today, I'm going as a wizard from a muggle family, dressed as a muggle, but in a way that no one around me knows that I'm a wizard because of my muggle upbringing and my ability to match my outfit and put pieces of clothing on the right way. My companion, who is a squib, isn't dressing as anything.

Things here in Corbin are moving along. Mollie got baptized on Saturday and it was fun to have a younger person be baptized because her siblings and cousins were there and I love being around the kids. Cooper (or "Fireball" as Willard likes to call him) is a really loud little boy and quite disobedient at times. A couple weeks ago his mom took him to a checkup and they found out that he has hardly any hearing because he had a bunch of ear infections. They put tubes in his ears a couple days ago and he is much quieter now and responsive when you talk to him. He's still naughty and hilarious and cute though. I've attached a picture of him. Mollie's grandpa tried to take a picture for me of Mollie, Sister Clemons and I but actually didn't because he's old and doesn't know how to work cameras. So, I'll see if I can steal the picture Sister Clemons got.

We've moved back Otis's baptism date a couple weeks because we don't want him to feel rushed and I'm not quite comfortable with where his testimony is in regards to Joseph Smith yet. He's on his way though. He's going to do a two day fast this week and he really hopes that he'll get some solid answers. I hope that he'll have the faith to rely on the answers he's already been getting. It's hard to see someone with so much potential attacked by Satan like this. I just want to shake all of the anti-Mormon people around here and tell them to stay away from our investigators. Especially our top investigators. I still feel like he'll get baptized though. And when he is baptized, he'll be of great worth to this ward and stake. He's so great. He's just like a little child as he learns things. He gets so excited. Last week at church the priesthood had a lesson on the gathering of Israel and afterwards he came up to me and was like, "Did you know I'm part of the gathering of Israel? ME! I'm a part of it!" Haha. It was so cute. ALSO, he only has three teeth on top and he's getting ready to lose them and usually makes his roommate pull them but I asked if I could and I might be able to which is one of my favorite things to do (as any of my younger siblings can attest to). I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I get to pull at least one. He has a special set of pliers he bought just for pulling his teeth. And they're BIG. It's going to be awesome.

I went fishing again this week. This time it was at Wayne & Judy's. Last time I went fishing I caught one fish. This time I caught TWO! If this trend continues, my third time will yield three fishes! I might just be a master fisherwoman in the making.

We had Zone Conference this week and it was wonderful. I was put in charge of the musical number and even though it was a little stressful I think it went well. We did something I've been wanting to try for a while which was to have a Sister sing the first verse of Ye Elders of Israel and then have the choir join in on the chorus and then we did some other stuff with the other verses. President and Sister Woodbury of course gave great talks and they're so fun. Sister Woodbury is so cute I can't stand it. She had all of us go through a line at the end of the day and "trick or treat". She made President, the Assistants and the Auto Elder and the Referral Sister stand in a line and hand out candy.

Us with Sisters Noakes and Edgerton
(and Elder Murphy from my days at the MTC - he's in our Zone).

Sister Woodbury gave a wonderful talk on faith. In it she shared a poem that was sent to her by an LDS acquaintance of hers on Peter when he walked on water. I really liked the message behind it so I'll type it up here for yuns: (spelling and all punctuation are how they appear on my paper)

Think of Peter

by Donna Moyers

When we think of tempestuous Peter we think of how he fell

We think not of his triumph but on his failure we dwell

But, Peter alone waked on the waves towards God's own beloved Son

The other eleven stayed in the boat wen the Savior bid them come

The others remained within the ship hoping to stay afloat

Peter alone stepped out on the sea venturing out of the boat

Peter alone got out of the boat, Peter the only one

Peter who walked on towering waves to the sacred, holy Son

Let me be like Peter who through faith walked and yes, fell

But he reached the Savior's outstretched hand and on this we must dwell

Let's be the one that gets out of the boat whether we walk or sink or swim

Let's reach for the Savior's outstretched hand and do what it takes to reach him

So, when you are floundering out on the sea and few has you by the throat

Think of our faithful Peter and get ye straightway out of the boat.

Don't think of the heaving sea below don't look down at your feet

Look up to the Savior's loving face and meet what you must meet

He'll lift you up from the foaming deep to the shelter of his arms

He will keep you safe in his tender care, safe from destruction and harm

Remember Peter for what he did do and not that he failed in his task

He walked as far as his faith would go, then was safe in the Savior's grasp

There's so many times here where I'm looking at an investigator and wanting them to exercise faith. They need to act. They're afraid of failing but I don't care if they fail, they just need to start. They need to try. The Savior will be there to help them when they fall. I'm reading in Matthew right now and in Chapter 22, Jesus tells the story of two sons that are asked by their father to go work in the vineyard. The one says he won't and then repents and does go work. The other says he will but then doesn't go do the work. Jesus goes on to teach that harlots and publicans (sinners) will get into the kingdom of God if they repent and humble themselves over those who are in the church and say they love God, but don't show it. Do the publicans and harlots mess up? Yes. They've messed up. BUT, they act on faith and try to go out to meet the Savior. I know that He will and does lift us up when we fall. If we will put forth our faith and come unto Him, He has promised to take us, safely under his wing. But we can't stay in the boat and wait for the seas to calm. We must come to Him. We must at least start to come to Him. He will save us and strengthen us despite our weaknesses if we act in faith.

We brought Willard with us to the library today to have him look up housing online while we were doing our emails. NEVER AGAIN. He doesn't know how to use them so he gave up and won't stop talking/"whispering" and pointing out cars that pass by and people in the library and he won't go get a book to read and I feel like I have a four year-old with me. Haha.

I got another wave of birthday greetings and presents this week and it was wonderful. The cards and the presents were amazing. Paige, I tried the handshake buzzer on Willard and it didn't phase him. BUT, I did it to Bishop Barton and he about jumped plum out of his socks. It got him GOOD. He said, "If you weren't a missionary, I'd slap you!" Haha. Hurray for being a missionary!

It's getting COLD here in Kentucky. I actually put on TIGHTS the other day. TIGHTS. It was crazy. I live a dichotomy. Every morning I wake up, freezing & hating my life and go to bed, heart warmed & loving my life.

Extra Blessings: Paige & Nick, Carly & Brynn, Aunt Syd, Corey, Tyler & Aunt Marianne, Emma & Aunt Suzanne

Word of the Week: Humble prounounced "umbull". Just ask Sherry and she'll tell you how sweet and umbull she is. Willard describes the Spirit as a umbull spirit. I'm the most umbull person I know.

I love you all! Next week will either have me staying in Corbin or off to a new area. Pray for me! I know whatever happens, the Lord is in it! ...But, still, I'll need your prayers this week.

The Church is TRUE! Share it!

Love Yuns,

Sis Nelson