Well we are safe!!!!!!!
So Friday when the earthquake hit we were headed to Nagoya on a train. We could only feel it a little. I thought it was because we were riding a train but it was a little worse than usual. We got to the mission home and 10 minutes later president received a call from Tokyo that said evacuate all the missionaries that are on the coast line. The only problem is that trains are shut down. (they are up and running now at least in Nagoya) Eventually all the missionaries got into Nagoya and we are all were safe. It was interesting being part of the task force bringing people in. Who will call who and how will people get to Nagoya and stuff like that. It was pretty intense. There is no way you can practice for this type of situation so it was good. It was funny because some elders freaked out when we called them. We were like it is just a precaution and they are like "we are going to die...we are going to die" but unfortunately people did pass away up north in Sendai. It is a very sad situation and I don't even know what to write...I can see so many blessings that I have received and it is so very sad to see the damage that happened. like really I am speechless I don't know what to write or what people want to hear...it is way sad but I am happy all the missionaries are safe.
Love
Elder Nelson
無事！！(Safety) (March 13, 2011)
Well as you can imagine it was a pretty insane week. So like I am trying to head up a rescue task force to Sendai but there is no way to get up there!
I'll keep you updated!
If you would have called the mission home between 2 and 4 am las vegas time I could have answered.
I'm back in Ogaki but I want to go to Tokyo to help my brothers!!! They have very little water and electricity. The devestation looks way bad!!
A lot of missionaries here in Nagoya were evacuated ...I was actually in the mission home when the call came. Then President Baird is like all right get all the missionaries on the coast out Now!!!! It was interesting...I actually got to use his phone and help so it was interesting.
I was riding a train to Nagoya when the earthquake happened..that was a little interesting but nothing too big. I was in Nagoya Friday and went home on Saturday.
Elder Adachi's family is safe but he didn't receive an email from them today so he is kind of worried. He called them and talked to his brother so I think they are all good but it is still way nerveracking. He has had a tough week.
The missionaries here are doing good...a lot of the Japanese missionaries look stressed out but everything is good. Trains here are up and running. Thanks for helping me with the questions. One of the saddest thngs is that people here are acting like nothing happened...everything is the same.
I can't believe it happened. That was like the 5th earthquake while I have been in Japan just usually they are much smaller. It is really sad.
There was some pretty good sized waves that hit places in our mission, but no one died in those areas. I heard the death total is over 10000 here. That is huge.
I have to go so stay safe and I'll email better next week.
I'll keep you updated!
If you would have called the mission home between 2 and 4 am las vegas time I could have answered.
I'm back in Ogaki but I want to go to Tokyo to help my brothers!!! They have very little water and electricity. The devestation looks way bad!!
A lot of missionaries here in Nagoya were evacuated ...I was actually in the mission home when the call came. Then President Baird is like all right get all the missionaries on the coast out Now!!!! It was interesting...I actually got to use his phone and help so it was interesting.
I was riding a train to Nagoya when the earthquake happened..that was a little interesting but nothing too big. I was in Nagoya Friday and went home on Saturday.
Elder Adachi's family is safe but he didn't receive an email from them today so he is kind of worried. He called them and talked to his brother so I think they are all good but it is still way nerveracking. He has had a tough week.
The missionaries here are doing good...a lot of the Japanese missionaries look stressed out but everything is good. Trains here are up and running. Thanks for helping me with the questions. One of the saddest thngs is that people here are acting like nothing happened...everything is the same.
I can't believe it happened. That was like the 5th earthquake while I have been in Japan just usually they are much smaller. It is really sad.
There was some pretty good sized waves that hit places in our mission, but no one died in those areas. I heard the death total is over 10000 here. That is huge.
I have to go so stay safe and I'll email better next week.
大垣市 "Ōgaki" (March 6, 2011)
Well I safely was removed out of my home and into a new area...Ogaki. Ogaki is a way cool city with a lot of people outside and things to do. what I am saying is that it is the opposite of Komatsu. It is fun but the branch is a little different from that of other places let me tell you 10 ways of how you can know if you are in Ogaki.
1. You know you are in Ogaki when there are only 35 people at sacrament meeting
2. You know you are in Ogaki when there is no one to play the piano in sacrament meeting.
3. You know you are in Ogaki when your branch president acts like Michael Scott.
4. You know you are in Ogaki when your branch president is the only one on the stand.
5. You know you are in Ogaki when church is only 2 hours long.
6. You know you are in Ogaki when you sing "Jesus wants me for a sunbeam" as the closing hymn in sacrament meeting.
7. You know you are in Ogaki when you have to give a talk in sacrament meetings 2 Sundays in a row.
8. You know you are in Ogaki when there are only 3 total people in Sunday school class.
9. You know you are in Ogaki when there are no young men or young women.
10. You know you are in Ogaki when 10% of the peolple who attend sacrament meeting are investiagtors.
So basically that was my experience my first week at Ogaki branch, definately was one of my favorite Sundays of all time. I mean I can see dad sitting there thinking "how can I get my ward on this two hour program...maybe I should move to Japan, Ogaki branch." Just kidding but seriously. It was a way good first Sunday. We had three investigators come to chruch all three have problems that are stopping them from getting baptized but we will continue to help them. One is 80 and can't remember anything we teach him. A little issue but I think he has the best handshake in Japan. The other is 17...yes we are trying to create a young men's but he doesn't think he can keep the commandemts forever, but he can he just doesn't know it yet. The third one wants to get baptized in America. So basically they are all good just we need to help them a little. I love the investigators here. I feel like an english speaking missionary except for the fact I only talk to my companion in Japanese. Like 5 of our investigators speak english and like being taught in English so it is really fun. My companion sturggles a little but he is working way hard to understand English so he can help.
It is way good. I love Ogaki so far and am excited to work here. The apartment is way nice so that is a plus...lol but seriously. Take care and have a good week.
Love
Elder Nelson
1. You know you are in Ogaki when there are only 35 people at sacrament meeting
2. You know you are in Ogaki when there is no one to play the piano in sacrament meeting.
3. You know you are in Ogaki when your branch president acts like Michael Scott.
4. You know you are in Ogaki when your branch president is the only one on the stand.
5. You know you are in Ogaki when church is only 2 hours long.
6. You know you are in Ogaki when you sing "Jesus wants me for a sunbeam" as the closing hymn in sacrament meeting.
7. You know you are in Ogaki when you have to give a talk in sacrament meetings 2 Sundays in a row.
8. You know you are in Ogaki when there are only 3 total people in Sunday school class.
9. You know you are in Ogaki when there are no young men or young women.
10. You know you are in Ogaki when 10% of the peolple who attend sacrament meeting are investiagtors.
So basically that was my experience my first week at Ogaki branch, definately was one of my favorite Sundays of all time. I mean I can see dad sitting there thinking "how can I get my ward on this two hour program...maybe I should move to Japan, Ogaki branch." Just kidding but seriously. It was a way good first Sunday. We had three investigators come to chruch all three have problems that are stopping them from getting baptized but we will continue to help them. One is 80 and can't remember anything we teach him. A little issue but I think he has the best handshake in Japan. The other is 17...yes we are trying to create a young men's but he doesn't think he can keep the commandemts forever, but he can he just doesn't know it yet. The third one wants to get baptized in America. So basically they are all good just we need to help them a little. I love the investigators here. I feel like an english speaking missionary except for the fact I only talk to my companion in Japanese. Like 5 of our investigators speak english and like being taught in English so it is really fun. My companion sturggles a little but he is working way hard to understand English so he can help.
It is way good. I love Ogaki so far and am excited to work here. The apartment is way nice so that is a plus...lol but seriously. Take care and have a good week.
Love
Elder Nelson
last week in komatsu (February 27, 2011)
It is way sad to leave again. I feel like I am leaving my family again. It is way sad to transfer. I really did not like the weather but the members were way nice to us. (probably because we shoveled snow for them) No but seriosly it is way sad but I had a great last week here.
So last week's mission conference was amazing I feel like I didn't do it justice in my email...it was truly incredible. You can feel that Elder Holland is a prophet of God...it was really awesome.
This week was good. We met with Fiori and he really wants to get baptized but his wife is going to be an issue. She is like he needs to read more and go to church more to be baptized. So basically we are waiting on permission from the wife. She is way nice but she is kind of against us but the work will go forth. So hopefully he gets approval before March 20th but we will continue to work with him so his wife approves and by we I mean the next missionaries.
We also taught a new investigator this week. He isn't actually new but we found him in the former investigator's binder. He is really nice but he said he couldn't believe in the Book of Mormon. We asked him if he has prayed he said he has but not from his heart. Then he went on to say he couldn't pray from his heart because he was Buddhist in his heart so he could not pray from his heart...way sad. He is way nice but "can't" change from his Buddhist ways. He is 80 and said the first time he went to our church was age 16 so if he isn't an eternal investigator I don't know who is.
Life goes on and I am really glad I had the opportunity to work here and am excited to go to my new area which is pretty close to Nagoya so things will be good. I was able to work in Ogaki a little bit when I was in Inuyama and am excited to start teaching some investigators that I taught there.
Have a great week. Another great thing that Elder Holland said was "God Never Leaves Us" He is always with us and it is great to be able to realize that here while working in his vineyard.
Love Elder Nelson
So last week's mission conference was amazing I feel like I didn't do it justice in my email...it was truly incredible. You can feel that Elder Holland is a prophet of God...it was really awesome.
This week was good. We met with Fiori and he really wants to get baptized but his wife is going to be an issue. She is like he needs to read more and go to church more to be baptized. So basically we are waiting on permission from the wife. She is way nice but she is kind of against us but the work will go forth. So hopefully he gets approval before March 20th but we will continue to work with him so his wife approves and by we I mean the next missionaries.
We also taught a new investigator this week. He isn't actually new but we found him in the former investigator's binder. He is really nice but he said he couldn't believe in the Book of Mormon. We asked him if he has prayed he said he has but not from his heart. Then he went on to say he couldn't pray from his heart because he was Buddhist in his heart so he could not pray from his heart...way sad. He is way nice but "can't" change from his Buddhist ways. He is 80 and said the first time he went to our church was age 16 so if he isn't an eternal investigator I don't know who is.
Life goes on and I am really glad I had the opportunity to work here and am excited to go to my new area which is pretty close to Nagoya so things will be good. I was able to work in Ogaki a little bit when I was in Inuyama and am excited to start teaching some investigators that I taught there.
Have a great week. Another great thing that Elder Holland said was "God Never Leaves Us" He is always with us and it is great to be able to realize that here while working in his vineyard.
Love Elder Nelson
Elder Holland (February 20, 2011)
Well I met Elder Holland and shook his hand so it was a pretty good week. I feel like nothing else can compare to that so I don't have much to talk about.
It was way fun to have a mission conference. Because our mission is so spread out I think that will be the first and the last time I get to do it but we will see. It took some missionaries 5 hours to get to Nagoya. It only took me three and that is by express train. If we would have taken regualar it would take forever but it was way fun. On the way to Nagoya we talked to this lady and gave her a Book of Mormon. It was way cool. We talked to her for like one hour and the conversation started with her complementing my eyelashes and that is how a lot of my conversations start. She has a lot of potential but does not live in our mission boundaries so I will not be able to see her progress. It is way cool having experiences like that all the time.
In our mission conference there was Elder Holland and 3 members of the 70 so there were a lot of important people there. They all gave great talks but of course Elder Holland's was my favorite. He got right down in front of us and was yelling at us and stuff...it was sweet. First he talked about if we ever go less active he would hunt us down and drag us kicking and screaming to church. He is like you can't beg people to go to church and then go home and not go. He said it was ridiculous. One interesting thing he said is that Preach My Gospel was written to convert the missionaries not the people investigating the church. I never thought of it like that.
He also talked about the tremendous responsibility that we as missionaries have. He told us we didn't understand but that God trusted us and needs us. Of course he talked about his mission and how much it meant to him. He told us how different his life was before his mission and how great was the change because of it. He wants our mission to mean as much to us as it does to him. He is very passionate about missionary work.
He gave us three most important things that missionaries need to improve which are better studiers...better planners and more powerful teachers so we are going to work on that. Another interesting thing he told us is avoid knocking on doors. He said contact all the less actives in Japan. He said Japan really needs help activating less actives. He also said we have an advantage with less actives because they have felt the spirit before. So I am very excited to apply what I learned this week.
Love
Elder Nelson
It was way fun to have a mission conference. Because our mission is so spread out I think that will be the first and the last time I get to do it but we will see. It took some missionaries 5 hours to get to Nagoya. It only took me three and that is by express train. If we would have taken regualar it would take forever but it was way fun. On the way to Nagoya we talked to this lady and gave her a Book of Mormon. It was way cool. We talked to her for like one hour and the conversation started with her complementing my eyelashes and that is how a lot of my conversations start. She has a lot of potential but does not live in our mission boundaries so I will not be able to see her progress. It is way cool having experiences like that all the time.
In our mission conference there was Elder Holland and 3 members of the 70 so there were a lot of important people there. They all gave great talks but of course Elder Holland's was my favorite. He got right down in front of us and was yelling at us and stuff...it was sweet. First he talked about if we ever go less active he would hunt us down and drag us kicking and screaming to church. He is like you can't beg people to go to church and then go home and not go. He said it was ridiculous. One interesting thing he said is that Preach My Gospel was written to convert the missionaries not the people investigating the church. I never thought of it like that.
He also talked about the tremendous responsibility that we as missionaries have. He told us we didn't understand but that God trusted us and needs us. Of course he talked about his mission and how much it meant to him. He told us how different his life was before his mission and how great was the change because of it. He wants our mission to mean as much to us as it does to him. He is very passionate about missionary work.
He gave us three most important things that missionaries need to improve which are better studiers...better planners and more powerful teachers so we are going to work on that. Another interesting thing he told us is avoid knocking on doors. He said contact all the less actives in Japan. He said Japan really needs help activating less actives. He also said we have an advantage with less actives because they have felt the spirit before. So I am very excited to apply what I learned this week.
Love
Elder Nelson
Speechless (February 14, 2011)
Well this week I talked to a Siberian, was proposed to, got yelled at to shut up, met a member from an old area, and committed someone to baptism. If that isn't enough I get to meet Elder Holland on Friday. I feel like I am a news anchor but I feel like there could be a news report on my crazy week. It was really the most up down crazy week I have ever experienced in my life. Way fun.
Well first let me get one of the proudest moments I have ever experienced out. Well I was walking down the street with my companion and these two Siberians came up to us. We started talking to them (in english). After talking for a few minutes we asked them why they were here. They said to study Japanese at school. Then we asked them if they liked Japan. They said it was good except for the weather. I was like what??? You are from Siberia...that place must be way worse. But they replied "No, Japan is way worse. Like in Siberia the sun is out most of the time...here you never see it. Here it is constantly raining or snowing...in Siberia it just snows every once in a while." He did say that it was colder there but Siberia has better weather. I was shocked but I'll take his word for it. Japan has worse weather than Siberia. I'm not trying to complain or brag I'm just trying to put it in to perspective.
Another time I was walking down the street and my companion and I were talking about a part member family and how we were going to help them and this lady just starts yelling at us. We didn't even do anything. She yelled damare gaikokujin...Which means shut up foreigners. It was way random. It has never happened before. Usually people are nice to us...even when they reject us but that was weird.
This member from the Shizuoka Stake came up and visited with us. She took us out to lunch. It was way fun to see her agian. Her sister had a baby and lives up in this area so it was way cool to meet her again.
So another day we were headed down to Fukui to do district meeting. Now Friday was a holiday so kids were out of school. So as we were heading down to Fukui on the train, 3 girls stepped in. I was not sure how old they were but they start talking about me. So one of the girls said to me. I want to marry you! My companion just starts laughing but after talking with them I find out the girl is only 16 so a little out of range (right now). Too bad right?? Just kidding but it was way funny. She never said will you marry me so her dilivery was a little off but I am not exactly sure how you say that in Japanese anyway. She got off the train before me and they waved me off in tears because they probably would never see me again. I did invite them to Book of Mormon eikaiwa but we will see what happens.
And now for the real important news. We challenged Fiori to get baptised. He is from Brazil and a really cool guy. We have been trying to meet him for a long time and we finally were able to meet with him and share a lesson. The lesson was done in Portuguese so I had a little trouble understanding. At first I was a little worried because we were talking about the Book of Mormon and I just heard Fiori say nao nao...which means no no. But Elder Da Silva kept teaching and eventually I heard the word baptism come up. I understood that Fiori has heard about baptism before but that is about it. About a minute later after I hear Fiori say sim...which means yes, my companion jumps up in the air and almost hugs Fiori but instead just grabs his hand. I am a little confused but I have no idea what is happening but my companion is way happy so I got way happy also. Come to find out that he is going to get baptised in March if he gets an answer to his prayer. So we were really excited about that. If he prays he will get an answer so I am really excited.
Have a great week
Love Elder Nelson
Well first let me get one of the proudest moments I have ever experienced out. Well I was walking down the street with my companion and these two Siberians came up to us. We started talking to them (in english). After talking for a few minutes we asked them why they were here. They said to study Japanese at school. Then we asked them if they liked Japan. They said it was good except for the weather. I was like what??? You are from Siberia...that place must be way worse. But they replied "No, Japan is way worse. Like in Siberia the sun is out most of the time...here you never see it. Here it is constantly raining or snowing...in Siberia it just snows every once in a while." He did say that it was colder there but Siberia has better weather. I was shocked but I'll take his word for it. Japan has worse weather than Siberia. I'm not trying to complain or brag I'm just trying to put it in to perspective.
Another time I was walking down the street and my companion and I were talking about a part member family and how we were going to help them and this lady just starts yelling at us. We didn't even do anything. She yelled damare gaikokujin...Which means shut up foreigners. It was way random. It has never happened before. Usually people are nice to us...even when they reject us but that was weird.
This member from the Shizuoka Stake came up and visited with us. She took us out to lunch. It was way fun to see her agian. Her sister had a baby and lives up in this area so it was way cool to meet her again.
So another day we were headed down to Fukui to do district meeting. Now Friday was a holiday so kids were out of school. So as we were heading down to Fukui on the train, 3 girls stepped in. I was not sure how old they were but they start talking about me. So one of the girls said to me. I want to marry you! My companion just starts laughing but after talking with them I find out the girl is only 16 so a little out of range (right now). Too bad right?? Just kidding but it was way funny. She never said will you marry me so her dilivery was a little off but I am not exactly sure how you say that in Japanese anyway. She got off the train before me and they waved me off in tears because they probably would never see me again. I did invite them to Book of Mormon eikaiwa but we will see what happens.
And now for the real important news. We challenged Fiori to get baptised. He is from Brazil and a really cool guy. We have been trying to meet him for a long time and we finally were able to meet with him and share a lesson. The lesson was done in Portuguese so I had a little trouble understanding. At first I was a little worried because we were talking about the Book of Mormon and I just heard Fiori say nao nao...which means no no. But Elder Da Silva kept teaching and eventually I heard the word baptism come up. I understood that Fiori has heard about baptism before but that is about it. About a minute later after I hear Fiori say sim...which means yes, my companion jumps up in the air and almost hugs Fiori but instead just grabs his hand. I am a little confused but I have no idea what is happening but my companion is way happy so I got way happy also. Come to find out that he is going to get baptised in March if he gets an answer to his prayer. So we were really excited about that. If he prays he will get an answer so I am really excited.
Have a great week
Love Elder Nelson
What a week!! (February 7, 2011)
It has been a way great and fast week. We had a lot of stuff happen.
First at the beginning of the week we went to Fukui and helped a lady shovel snow. It took us six hours and it seemed like we hardly did anything. There was so much snow. The funny thing was we got there and then after thirty minutes she said that she had to go to work so we stayed and shoveled until it got dark. The next day she called and was so happy. She was like today I don't have to shovel snow because you did such a good job. She also gave us nesquick which I will take for payment any day especially in Japan because it is super expensive. She was supposed to go to church yesterday but her son got sick.
Also this week I had a chance to teach a person who got baptized yesterday. That was really cool. I was on exchange and we taught her the commandments. The next day she was interviewed and then she received baptism yesterday...it was way cool. I was not able to attend but still I know it was a beautiful experience. The funny thing about her conversion story is that she has met with the missionries like two years before and she wasn't interested and then 2 weeks ago they started teaching her again and she accepted the gospel and was baptized. Way neat.
We also found this new investigator. He is a refferal and we have been trying to contact him all week. We finally got a hold of him and we scheduled an appointment to meet with him. He is way good. We haven't even met him and he is reading the Book of Mormon. We are looking forward to teach him this week.
Have a great week and continue beimg Strong.
Love
Elder Nelson
First at the beginning of the week we went to Fukui and helped a lady shovel snow. It took us six hours and it seemed like we hardly did anything. There was so much snow. The funny thing was we got there and then after thirty minutes she said that she had to go to work so we stayed and shoveled until it got dark. The next day she called and was so happy. She was like today I don't have to shovel snow because you did such a good job. She also gave us nesquick which I will take for payment any day especially in Japan because it is super expensive. She was supposed to go to church yesterday but her son got sick.
Also this week I had a chance to teach a person who got baptized yesterday. That was really cool. I was on exchange and we taught her the commandments. The next day she was interviewed and then she received baptism yesterday...it was way cool. I was not able to attend but still I know it was a beautiful experience. The funny thing about her conversion story is that she has met with the missionries like two years before and she wasn't interested and then 2 weeks ago they started teaching her again and she accepted the gospel and was baptized. Way neat.
We also found this new investigator. He is a refferal and we have been trying to contact him all week. We finally got a hold of him and we scheduled an appointment to meet with him. He is way good. We haven't even met him and he is reading the Book of Mormon. We are looking forward to teach him this week.
Have a great week and continue beimg Strong.
Love
Elder Nelson
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