Week #47 - It's Worth It

Hello family :) Can you believe that I`m just about done being a teenager? Wow! I can almost say that I`ve offically survived the terrible teens :) I found a nifty scripture in the Book of Mormon that explains what tomorrow is for me. Go look up Alma 50:16 :) Sincerely though, I thank you all for your birthday wishes! My birthday sure snuck up on me this year!

This week was a great learning week for me. I was able to grown even closer to Jesus Christ as I dealt with some trials, difficulties, and challenges. Let me explain :) First off, quick funny story. We were contacting on the street earlier this week when we saw this crazy man that we had talked to on the street before. He`s super friendly and nice and likes to talk with us on the street. The only problem is is that once he starts talking he talks, and talks, and talks, and talks, and talks, and talks and....well ya, you get the point. He goes off about the most random stuff and it ends up being a waste of about 20 minutes. Well, we were walking down the street when I saw him down the street and thought, `oh boy.` Well, he came up to us, started talking to us, and well, he started to do his thing. It had been about 5 minutes when I had had enough and decided that we needed to get away and keep going. We politely tried to say goodbye, shook his hand and everything, but he continued to talk. We kept on smiling, and saying si, but we needed to go. So, what did Elder `nifty` Nilsen do? Well, he faked a phone call! He was going off and I all of a sudden reached for my pocket and excused myself from the conversation for a few seconds while I pretended to talk on the phone (apparently I`m becoming a great actor!). After the `call` I came back over, completely cut him off, and said that we had to go right then. We shook his hand, and successfully got away! What a clever missionary I am :) Anyway, this week, like I said was a great growing opportunity for me (the next 4 as well!). I`ve had some difficulties with my companion and his not-so-great attitude. He`s a little bit stubborn.

I could go on and on about the things my companion has done this week, but I`ll focus on the positive. My patience has been tested a little bit, and I`ve grown a lot closer to my Savior as I`ve turned to Him for help. He`s helped me, and I know he`ll continue to help me. As I experienced challenges this past week, my mind would quickly start thinking about 2 different things that have carried me through. 1) I think of Christ`s comforting words to the Profeta Josè Smith while he was in Liberty Jail (paraphrased): `Peace, unto you my son, your trials and afflictions will be for just a small moment and if you support them well you shall be exalted in the last day` 2) I think to myself that I don`t deserve what I`ve been given and that then automatically triggers the thought, `Christ didn`t deserve any of what He went through.` So, what do I learn? I learn that in life (or the mission) we are often given things that we feel like we don`t deserve. Well, our Heavenly Father knows us better and knows just what type of trials we need to experience to help us grow and progress. He gives us perfectly tailored trials that will lead us to have a firmer confidence in the Lord and thus a closer relationship with Him. As we patiently, courageously persevere through what we may feel like we don`t deserve, we will be lifted up and our Heavenly Father will comfort us and help us. That`s the lesson I learned this week. It`s a pretty good one I think :) Yesterday during testimony meeting Derek got up to bear his testimony. For some reason, it had been a tough morning for me and I was feeling a little homesick and just sort of down about the struggles that I`m currently going through. I was a little sad and the mission, for a moment, was feeling really daunting for me. Derek got up to the pulpit, however, and he told the congregation about his conversion. About how throughout his whole life he had felt as if something was missing in his relationship with God and how He wanted to get closer to Him but just didn`t know how. He then talked about the day that we arrived at his house that Sunday morning in the rain about 2 months ago. I had tears in my eyes as he talked about how much better his life is now because of the gospel. He expressed his gratitude for us, the missionaries for having found him and taught him. Throughout all of this I just had tears in my eyes as I realized that EVERYTHING that I go through is worth it. It`s all worth it. What a blessing to have played such an important role in helping Derek establish a sincere connection with Heavenly Father. I want you all to know how much I love you. I hope you all know just how blessed we are to have the gospel in our lives and to be able to have a living day profeta on the earth to lead and guide this, Christ`s true church. I have a strong testimony of this gospel. Of this church. I know that this truly is Christ`s church. Through this church, we are eligible to receive ALL of heaven`s blessings in our lives. What a blessing. What a blessing.

I love you all so much my wonderful family :) Experiencing the blessings of serving a faithful mission, Elder Nilsen P.S. Happy birthday to Briar! Happy birthday to Joann! Happy birthday to the people I`m probably forgetting!