Navidad

 Hola todos, 

This was a great last week of transfers.

Thursday was the mision's Christmas devotional. We thought that it started at 10am so we got there nice and early only to discover that it actually started at 12pm. Our bad, but beyond our early arrival it was great. Tones of great messages on Christmas and we ended it by watching "The Christ Child." Herman Lyman went over how it was made to be the most accurate representation of the nativity that we could do. I absolutely love it. Even though we are past Christmas, if you haven't seen it I would still give it a watch! 

For Christmas eve and Christmas Presidente gave the challenge to visit 5 families each day and share a message with them. Elder Briceño and I weren't able to complete the goal but we did get to share some great message with a few families here in bosques. 

Christmas day was fantastic, we had a combined ward sacroment meeting with great talks. One from Elder Lee, his last talk in the mission (finished his mission on tuesday the 27th) . Additonly while walking to the food we got caught in a hugh rainstorm which lasted the rest of the day. Water was coming out of the manholes and rocks (softball size), from some road construction, were getting washed down hill, it was pretty crazy. We luckily were prepared with umbrellas and rain coats so we didn't get completely soaked. We also got transfer news, and I'm leaving bosques. 

Tuesday was transfers and my birthday. My new companion is Elder Olson, from New Mexico. He was my district leader last transfers (I'm not sure if I ever mentioned that I wasn't district leader last transfer) and Im looking forward to a great transfer with him. To celebrate my birthday we kept it simple: a domino's pizza and a Hostes cake with the supplies my mom sent me, thanks mom!  

This pday we returned to Bosques to play soccer and board games with some members and elders form the zone. 

Hasta la proxima, 

Elder Neilson  

Elder Olson and I moving me in to San Pedro 

My birthday Hostess cake 

Mission Christmas Dinner 

Christmas dinner with Familia Sandoval 

Picture with Elder Lee before he returned home   

Elder Valenzuela and Lee's Meme

Three Weeks

Hola a todos,

Sorry for no letter the past two weeks. I'll catch up here. 

The week of 30/11/2022 - 6/12/2022

Wednesday was Zone Conference. We focused on the finding aspect of missionary work, personally this is something that I have trouble with, finding new people to teach. Tons of great thoughts were given. One I loved was from President Lyman, on how finding isn't an activity but an attitude. 

Thursday Elder Briceño and I went and worked at the giving machines. It wasn't the most eventful two and a half hours, no one donated until the end when two families donated. 

Monday: Elder Valenzuala, one of the elders we live with, got tested for Covid as he was sick for the past 3 days, and came up positive. So the elders of Hidalgo went into quarantine.

For pday Elder Briceño and I went to San Pedro  and played soccer and board games with some of the elders in the Zone  

The week of 7/12/2022 - 13/12/2022

On Wednesday I started to feel really bad. Body aches, chills, sore thoughts so we went into quarantine as well. It lasted until Sunday so it was a very slow week. I'm pretty sure I slept more that week than any other in my mission. Elder Lee and I were temporary companions for most of the week as Elder Briceño never got sick and Elder Valenzuela left quarantine before us. 

On monday when I finally left quarantine I was asked to teach the missions Spanish class, the Elder that normally teaches it had to help with a special musical number. It was fun but it felt like I was talking to an empty room a lot of the time. I guess I now know how my mom feels teaching early morning seminary. 

Then on Monday we went back to San Pedro to play soccer again, but while playing I guess I messed my ankle up or something, because after cooling down I struggled to put pressure on it, sharp pain. 

This week 14/12/2022 - 20/12/2022

Luckily by Wednesday morning my ankle was doing a lot better and I was able to keep working. We also went back to the giving machines. Again not a ton of people came :(. 

Thursday I had Exchanges with Elder Jaimes. He had a Dental appointment that day so we spent a lot of the day going to and from that. 

Munday: Elder Briceño and I along with 6 other missionaries volunteered at the Jugueton. It was a ton of fun. We were only packaging gifts but I could have done it all day. We were a super efficient assembly line. 360 bags in less than 2 hours. 

Then this Pday we went to the pyramids of Cuicuilco. They are probably the biggest pyramids in the mission, really cool, a whole lot bigger in person than I thought they were going to be. 

Hasta la Próxima,

Elder Neilson 

Giving machines 

Zone conference

Jugueton 

Covid Chilling with Elder Lee

Pyramid of Cuicuilco

 P-day Soccer

All of us in the office for a zoom after a district attack 

Elder Valenzuela'a 22nd birthday