MISSION RECORDS

Hola family... time has flown by me today so forgive the spelling and mistakes that might follow because i need to be fast!
This was a great week! Carlos and luki are building an extra room in their house so we helped them to dig the holes for the 2x4s. In case you were all wondering yes we used machetes... a big knife... to dig these holes. It really makes you appreciate how blessed we are in the states with our equipment and house building machinery. It was actually really fun and nice to be in pants for a little while. I was SO sore the next day!! From sitting funny for so long and because the next day... we walked NINE MILES!!!!! Yes that is right nine miles... and would you like to know what we have to show for it? NOTHING! haha it was one of those days where we walked and walked and walked and didn't have a single lesson. So that stunk but thankfully hna smith and I tried to have good attitudes and our efforts payed off the next day!
The next day we had a cita with a sister named cecilia. She was a reference from the temple and came to church without us inviting her because we hadn't contacted her before that. We actually hadn't even recieved the contact yet. So we had a cita with her and two years ago her mom and her 11 year old son were baptized. They arent active any more, but she never had the lessons because of her work. But now she is very prepared... her husband was murdered about 6 months ago and it has been really hard for her but we challenged her to baptism and she ACCEPTED! YEAH! we have so much to teach her still but if all goes well she will be baptized on the 17th of dic. We were so excited for her. my excitement was diminished slightly at the end of our lesson though because she has neighbors that drink and they were screaming at each other. i dont know that the man actually hit the wife or the wall but more than anything it was an awakening moment for me. I wasn't scared at all because cecilia said they never bother her, but more I gained a great appreciation this week for the laws we have in the states protecting women. Another one of our investigators hna gupil, that lives by hna luki and carlos also gets beat by her husband. Hna luki told me this week that he hurts her all the time. they have the laws here too but they aren't enforced. it broke my heart finding out about hna gupil and it makes me terrified that the one time we found her husband in the house he hurt her because we told him we had stopped by with his wife before. That was an experience I will remember and I am determined to help however I can after my mission to help these women have better protection from their drunk husbands. SO SAD! The gospel can only help a willing heart and mind... but putting the date with cecilia was so great and I am so grateful hna smith and i could have that experience together.
We had another very prepared investigator but turns out that she is having the lessons with a different set of missionaries so she wont be our baptism but still great the power the temple had in helping these people feel the spirit.
We had a good lesson with luki and carlos this week too. We ended up having to explain to them about polygamy because a friend of theirs mentioned it and told them they refused to go to the temple because of it. I think we explained as well as we could and they told us they are really going to try and find out if it is true. We are trying to have the faith that they will accept it before the end of the year, because if they do we will be able to see them be sealed as a family in a year. If not heavenly father knows what they need.
I hope you all got to watch the devotional! IT was GREAT and I was so SO grateful to not only watch it but watch it in english. it is really hard to understand when they are doing the translation because I cant watch their lips. I loved all three messages and it was so fun to see the orchestra at temple square. I really want to audition for the orchestra when I get back. that would be such a neat experience. anyway, we had to have an investigator to be able to go and orginally hna mary told us her sister in law would come with us and at the last minute she backed out. hna mary didn't understand we couldnt go without her sister in law so she talked her mom into going. (none of them are members) we have a lesson with them tonight and we are hoping to teach her mom as well .
anyway my leaders are sitting here waiting for me to get off... just a quick list of things you could send me IF YOU HAVEN"T ALREADY SENT ME SOMETHING!!! If so DONT WORRY about it!
crest with scope... how i will miss that toothpaste while i am here
butterscotch chocolate chips and regular chocolate milk chocolate chips
candy... obviously:)
long sleeve cardigains... I could use some black ones or what ever other color... it is really cold at night and in the morning when we are studying
oxy clean... they don't sell it here and my white shirts could use some!
Thank you so much for your love! I lvoe you all an sorry for the short email this week . BUENA SUERTE JORDY!! Have fun dropping him off at the MTC I love you all and HAPPY DECEMBER! Christmas is almost here and we will get to talk on the phone! I LVOE YOU!
love, hna nelson