An Apostles & Exchanges

 Hola, 

This week started off with our devotional with Elder Renlund. It was a fantastic experience. It was a bit of a surreal experience seeing him in person. I always see the members of the first presidency and quorum of the twelve through a screen. To get to fist bump and be only 20 feet away when he spoke was a super awesome experience. Most of the devotion was dedicated to Elder Renlund and Sister Renlund answering questions we had submitted a week before. I learned a lot and even had questions answered I didn't even know I had! One thing that Elder Renlund said that has stuck with me is "Imperfect people can teach perfect doctrine". It was a great truth. I'm far from perfect but the doctrine I'm teaching is perfect and can change the lives of those I teach. He also shared part of his upcoming April 2022 Conference talk, which was really cool. 

Wednesday we had Exchanges with our Zone leaders. They went great. I went to their area and worked with Elder Basauri. I learned a lot and had some great lessons. During one of them with some inactive members, I got to bear my testimony about the Sacrament and I could feel the spirit testify of what I was saying. Not only to them, but also to me. 

The rest of the week was a lot of contacting people. We have had a lot of lessons fall though so we had to get back in touch with people to get new lessons scheduled. 

Our district leaders. Called us on saturday night and asked to do another exchange. This one on monday. So 2 exchanges in one week! I got to go to Villa Coapa. I worked with Elder Ituarte again. We ended up doing a lot of walking as we tried to visit people without phone numbers. We walked around the area for a good 2 hours trying to find people without any luck. It happens. 

This p-day the Zone got together at La Noria, and played some sports. The usual of Zone Villa Coapa. 

Elder Neilson

Elder Renlund and the Mission

 

Monday?

 Hola, 

Yes P-day is on Monday, but just for this week. We have our devotional with Elder Renlund tomorrow, Tuesday, so p-day was changed. I'm really looking forward to Elder Renlund's devotional and hopefully I will have some great insights to share next week!

On Thursday we had Zone Conference. The theme was "Soldiers of Christ." In the Mission right now we have only 76 missionaries and in  the borders of our mission we have 7 to 9 million people. So we are really outnumbered. We talked a lot about planes and strategies we can implement to be more effective in the work. We also had a safety presentation which was informative but also very entertaining. 

Alfredo has his baptismal interview, he said he didn't feel quite ready. He wants to work on a few things so he feels 100% ready. It was sad to hear but he has a firm testimony, so with a little bit more time, he will be ready. 

This P-day was chill. We bought food and got haircuts, to look fresh for Elder Renlund. 

This week I was reading Joseph Smith's 1830 Vision of Moses (Moses 1). I really like what is now canonized in verse 35 "But only an account of this earth, and the inhabitants thereof, give I unto you. For behold, there are many worlds that have passed away by the word of my power. And there are many that now stand, and innumerable are they unto man; but all things are numbered unto me, for they are mine and I know them." I really love the last part "but all things are numbered unto me, for they are mine and I know them." This is a truth that I have become more aware of on my mission, God and Christ know each one of us individually and perfectly, "we are his and he knows us." 

Elder Neilson

Haircut

Elder Magus and I

Zone Conference (about half the mission)

The Zone at zone conference

food at a ward activity

Fecha

 Hola,

Another week down. 

This week was not the most eventful so I don't have a ton to report on. 

A big win this week though was we got our investor Alfredo on baptimimal date. Hopefully all goes well.

We also went all over the Area this week, a lot of places I have been very few times. Second time to San Bartolomé and this time during the day so we had some great views.  

The past couple of days have been cloudy up here in Milpa Alta and we got some rain, luckily nothing like what it is during the rainy season. 

It's a short one this week, 

hasta la próxima, 

Elder Neilson  

View from San Bartolomé of San Pedro 

Milpa Alta this p-day morning

Us above San Pedro 

See you guys on tuesdays!

 Bienvenidos,

This week was great. 

Tuesday a guy offered us a ride. He called us ¨Elderes¨, so we thought we could trust him, maybe even a member. We hopped in the backseat. Getting in I noticed a beer bottle between his legs, and after a bit of conversation it became apparent he was completely drunk, so we said we had a lesson at a house we were passing by, thanked him for the ride and hopped out. He was super friendly, talked a lot about God, but completely wasted!

We had exchanges on Wednesday. with our new district leader Elder Castillo and his companion Elder Ituarta. I got to stay here in Milpa Alta and work with Elder Ituarta for the day. While Elder Mangus went to Villa Coapa with Elder Castillo. It was a great exchange, all our lessons went well, a few calls and a few in person. 

The rest of the week was pretty chill: lessons, went up to San Pablo, the works. 

Saturday we had a fun adventure down a stormwater sewer. 

Big news is our p-day is getting changed, it is getting moved to tuesday. So expect my letter tuesdays from now on!

Also I forgot to mention this last week, but Elder Renlund, of the quorum of the twelve, is coming to the mission! On the 15th of february we are going to have a devotional with him! I'm really looking forward to it, having an apostle visit your mission is a once in a lifetime thing!

Adiós, 

Elder Neilson

Parroquia de Nuestra Señora de Santa Ana

Stormwater sewer 

Us in sewer 

Milpa Alta house Tour

 Esta es mi casa!

View for the door 

Main room looking down the hallway 

Kitchen 

Bedroom (Im on the top bunk)

6 more weeks in Milpa Alta

 ¿Qué Onda?

Transfers have come. And it turns out Elder Mangus and I are here for another 6 weeks. Six more weeks of street dogs and nopales!

Tuesday and Friday. We got to go to San Pablo and teach some great lessons. During a lull on friday we decided to visit one investigator who lives up the mountain quite a ways. He doesn't have a phone so it can be really hard to contact him. We were able to catch him at his house and set a time to teach him. It is also super pretty up where he lives. You can see the entire City. 

The last district counsel of the transfer was wednesday. It went great. 

I got out of giving a talk last week but it wasn't to last. On thursday the Branch President asked me to give a talk in sacrament meeting. At least this time I had more than one day to prepare, and the topic was easier, faith. 

Sunday night we had a great Zone testimony meeting. I never really know what to say when I bear my testimony, but I just opened my mouth and the word came to me. That is something I have learned on my mission, when sharing the gospel we don't need to have eloquent speeches,or responses prepared, if we just have the courage to open our mouths the Spirit will give us what we need to say. 

Elder Neilson

Plaza of Tecómitl

Me with Parroquia de La Asunción de María

San Pablo view

Parroquia de La Asunción de María en Milpa Alta

Elder Mangus and I chilling at Parroquia de La Asunción de María

Milpa Alta

Lights of the City 

El distrito

Otro correo de Milpa Alta

 Hola, 

This week just flew by!

Interviews with President Lyman were on wednesday. 

Covid is ramping up again in Mexico City, so in the mission's weekly zoom call, Thursday, President announced new restrictions. The two big ones were no street contacting, and no public transportation. Lucky president gave our area an exception, as it is so big! Without buses we could not effectively get around. We would spend all day walking to get to one lesson. 

Saturday morning, the branch president of San Pablo asked us to give talks the next day in Sacrament meeting. It was short notice, but never turn down a chance to serve. What stressed us out a bit was that our day was packed with lessons and travel, so we had no time to sit down and write them, and the topic was tithing. We got to work on them for a little bit that morning and that was it for the day. Beyond the stress of surprise talks the day was fantastic! We had alot of our lessons up in San Pablo that night. They went great and none of them fell though! 

Sunday morning we got to the church early to finish our talks. In the Milpa Alta ward which meets first, we were asked to teach the youth Sunday school, it was a great time. The members of the San Pablo branch all arrive on the same bus, and that day it ran 15 minutes late, So sacrament meeting was short and I ended up not giving my talk. I was a little bummed because it was going to be epic, but at least I have a tithing talk in my pocket for the future!  

P-day was over all a lazy day, however we did get to take the garbage out. It needed to be done. 

Hasta la próxima, 

Elder Neilson

Pictures:

Me at the plaza of Xochimilco

Pretty View 

Dog friend 

Horses in San Pablo 

we found two of the Nino Dios dolls at the same time in my Rosca