Week #33 - Forever

Hello family ;)

Surprise! I´m here on Monday!

I have basically no time right now left because I had to fill out 5 electronic baptismal forms to send to the mission office ;) YES!


To sum up this week...it was crazy! Your prayers were definitely answered as the whole Orrego family was able to get baptized and confirmed this past weekend. It was a crazy, stress-filled week, but it was oh so very worth it. Friday, when the family was baptized, was one of the BEST days of my mission by far. Seeing the whole family dressed in white....oooo! Gives me the chills just thinking about it! I was able to baptize Jenifer, the little 9 year old and she´s so cute! She likes me, but not Elder Whitlock, so she always gives me high fives, but never to Elder Whitlock :) Elder Whitlock was able to baptize Vilma, the mom and it was so sweet. She gave him a kiss on the cheek after he baptized her ;) Argentines like to kiss on the cheek in case you didn´t know. I´ve been kissed numerous times (mostly by men to be honest) and it´s awesome. You really can feel the love here in the wonderful land of Argentina. I love it here! Anyway, we had Nestor (my first baptism) baptized Felipe, Jorge (a member of the ward) baptize Diego, and good ´ol Fernando baptized Elian. It was so wonderful.

This family holds a very special place in my heart. I love them all SO much! I just can´t wait for one year from now when they go to the temple to get sealed! They´re already talking about it, and they´re preparing for that special day one year from now. I hope I can go with them! Wowzers, this work that I´m a part of really is a labor of love. I LOVE this family!

I played ´Families are Forever´ on the piano (all those years of practice paid off) to close the baptismal service, and the concept of an eternal family just was hitting me. It is such a blessing to be part of this church that provides a secure hope for an eternal family. Every week that passes, I find myself loving all of you so much more than I did just a week before. Wow.

Sorry sorry sorry for the shortness of this email! Pray for me please as I´m feeling a tad anxious (the nervous kind Alyssa ;) ) about transfers this Thursday!

Families are forever,

Elder Nilsen

P.S. I forgot to say! I get to go right now to go help clean the temple! Woo!