Good morning fam!

How are we all doing? Man those were a lot of really good letters to get from each of you and it sounds like things are just tickin’ right along. I can't believe that we are already back to Monday, these things keep on coming faster and faster it seems. Thanks for all the fun reports and things, it is always fun to read and hear what's goin’ on whether you think it’s important or not. That's crazy dad that you are going to be taking another trip over to China- good luck with that. Come on by, we're not too far away. Anyways, hope that things go well and that you can enjoy your big travels. That is a lot of travel for 2 1/2 days.

Just to answer your question on what the sister missionaries do- well they pretty much do exactly what all of the elders do. Except every branch begs until they can have sisters and the sisters kick all the elders' trash with investigators and things. They are all super good to have around- I have a lot of respect for all of them. And thanks for all the fun updates of things that are goin’ on with missions and stuff like that momma. Those are super exciting things to hear that are going on. And finally, lil’ Tanner that is way fun to hear that you are doin’ well with your ballin’ and things. Sounds like you've been hittin’ well and stuff and that is way cool to hear. I hope you have a good season, man I'm super jealous those are such good times. You better save up some good games for when I get back to come watch you bro. And Sarah, love you lil’ sis. Anyways, good to hear from all you and hope things keep goin’ good.

Well, we have had quite the week. We are all back to transfer time and so today and the last few days and the next couple days are some nice busy ones. However, this week has gone really well and we have been able to have some really good things happen. The big one- Ryslan- is just movin’ along as usual. He is definitely a slower mover, but man we love that kid so darn much. We were only able to meet with him because the store he works at is closing down and so every time we pass by the place is buzzing and so we don't want to bother him. But we just need to help him realize how important faith really is, for some reason there is just something holding him back from trusting God because he will say that he trusts us, but will not trust God. Kinda interesting to see how that works.

We then spent a couple days back in the old area on the other side of town with the zone leaders. Man it seems like a dream ago that I served there but I forgot about how many good memories I had at that place with Elder Broekhuijsen and how much I loved that area. Sometimes things move so fast that you forget to smell the roses, but luckily I got a second chance. We pretty much contacted the whole two days which was really fun, it's funny sometimes that "dirty work" of contacting and knocking kinda drags on you, but heck we haven't had a free day to do any of that for two transfers now and it was actually super fun to just be a normal missionary for a couple days it was so good. Anyways, we also had a great meeting with big Anna this past week and taught her the Sabbath day. She has a hard time getting’ to church as do most Russians, so I hope that made an impact on her so that she started to come and take all this seriously. She is so cool though, she showed up to our meeting with little post it tabs in her Book of Mormon with questions that she had about what she read. Then we realized that she was asking about Isaiah in 2 Nephi and luckily we had a member to help us out- I don't even understand that in English! Haha it was pretty funny. We all have a lot to go that's for sure.

We then spent the day on Saturday doing the big transfer calls for the upcoming cycle. Phew- I know I wasn't very good at talking on the phone at home so I hope that I have learned a thing or two since I've been here on a mission makin’ a few calls. It was pretty fun. It is exciting to be having all the missionaries coming in- our next incoming group will be 14 missionaries! We are trying to find places to put them because half of these branches will now be missionaries! They're gonna have to start spraying for us. Probably the coolest thing from this past week though was yesterday at church- we weren't able to get anybody to church which was a bummer and so we ended up passing the Sacrament just because that was needed yesterday. So, when we went to sit down after the sacrament, I looked up and saw a kid sitting there that I hadn't seen before, so I went and sat by him. He said, "sorry, this is my first time here. I don't really know what to do, but I have been learning a lot about you guys and have even been writing back and forth with the people on the internet and have a ton of questions. But I think that I have maybe found my answer." Holy cow- it was so sweet. His name is Ivan and is about 22 and just a cool, norm dude. When we come across those types, that are actually interested, we pounce all over them. Anyways, we had good church meetings and things and he is going to come next week and wants to find answers to his questions that he thinks he can find here. Pretty cool stuff, I think it really shows how much Heavenly Father really is in charge of this work and is looking out for us.

Besides that, we have been running around helping people get on trains and sisters lift their big ol' suitcases full of who knows what in and outta the trains and getting people all switched around. Transfer time is actually pretty fun. But, we've got it mostly taken care of till we go pick up the new group from the airport tomorrow, so I can sit here in the office and write with my big snickers that President Sartori gave me. Doesn't get much better than that.

Anyways, we are doin’ well and things just keep on keepin’ on. It has been another good week down on the mission and we're lookin’ forward to another good one. I sure am lovin’ it and hope you can all feel my love at home. Have a good week!

Love,

Elder Nielson

Good morning family!

Well it is a good day here in big ol' Samara! We've had such a darn good week and it has probably been one of my favorites. I really don't know why, there have just been a whole lot of good things and probably more hard things, but it's cool how much I have been able to learn and grow from them. Those were all a bunch of super fun letters that I was able to get from each of you, I was able to answer a couple but am super grateful for all the support that I feel from you there at home. And don't worry about it momma, I totally understand, you still wrote a nice letter and I appreciate it. Anyways, it sounds like everybody is doing well and that is good to hear. That sounds way fun to be going down to St George with dad and Tanner to meet Tana and Grandpa. That will be so fun, reminds me of goin’ down and playing with dad and then getting a migraine down there. Good times, hope you do well down there lil’ Tanner! Anyways, thanks for the updates everybody and hope all the missionaries headin’ out back at the ranch have a good time. Because it's a good time.

This week has definitely been an interesting one as I said earlier. There is a whole bunch goin’ on and I am grateful for all the little experiences that happen out here on a mission. We started out the week with the big visa trips coming in and out. We are actually coming to a close of having to do those every 3 months because they now have come out with 3 year visas and we only have to leave the country every 6 months to renew our "migration cards" which we get at visa renewal time as well. Anyways, it will be a lot simpler basically and only every 6 months, just kinda some fun facts for the day for you. And, there is a possibility that we will be flying straight to Prague where the visas are made which would also be cool. Kinda random.

So, we had our last groups coming in and out which made for a good full apartment for the first part of the week. That is definitely a funny aspect of my mission that I wouldn't have thought I would have had. But, we came around to the last part of the week and were able to have some meetings with investigators and there are a lot of good things going on there. Ryslan is just still our bro. We are definitely trying to work to make him build some foundation of faith for him. He is funny, he says how things are just bad here in Russia and that nobody can really build a good life here and that anybody that does is pretty much just lying to them self because it really isn't that good. Anyways, it is really twisting us to try and help him to see the light and how much he needs the faith, he just needs to be humbled a little bit. I sure love that kid though. He's so darn respectful and probably the nicest Russian kid that I have ever met. He is always paying for our bus fares going to church or other things and always has some kind of surprise for us. Man, I can't even imagine what the gospel would do for him.

And with Anna, things are still just kinda moving slowly but surely with her. We weren't able to get a real meeting with her this week but we were able to get her to come with us to our weird culture night that we walked out of - some remix of Nutcracker - and then she came with us with a couple other members and Ryslan to get some dinner and was able to make really good friends with them and things. It was so cool, that made the torture of nutcracker fluke all worth it. You'll have to ask Sarah a little more about it, I explained it to her. Anyways, we were able to have a good couple of days and had the Sartoris come to our branch which was awesome as always. I had to go up and translate for President Sartori which was pretty cool, a little scary, when he spoke which actually turned out pretty good. Kinda fun. But church went really well besides that and big Ryslan came and gave his little donation again. And yes mom, that is the same name as the other guy we baptised. There aren't many names here for some reason, it has just kinda turned out to be that way because of the grammar and things. Kinda weird, everybody has the same name. And just so you know, that Ryslan and Tatyana that we baptized are doing super well and it is super fun to be around them and watch them grow in the gospel.

Anyways, that is about the jist of things that happened over the last week. I say it every week, but it has been such a blessing to be on a mission and to learn so much. The Atonement definitely takes more effect in our lives as we strive to be better and as we get better because it becomes that much more important. And then it is cool to see how even those things that were good remain good in your memory, and even the bad things become a good memory because we are able to be healed of the embarrassment that comes with mistakes and gain all that we learned from those experiences. It is such a blessing to have that in our lives and in our family. I sure love you all and hope that you have a good week! See ya next week!

Love

Elder Nielson

P.S. can you believe that this time last year I was just getting’ here and writing you from Kazan? So crazy how the time goes. Year in Russia baby!

Hey family!

Man those were some fun letters to get this week and hear how good things are goin’ back at the ranch. I'm glad to see that you made it home mom and dad and that you were able to have a good time and have that relationship. That's one big thing I've learned on a mission- that talkin’ time is so important. Even if there's nothin’ bad goin’ on, we have the companionship inventory. Definitely gonna be doing some of that with my wife someday. Haha that was such a sweet pic though with Charley in the back of the truck...and with Mister Tan sitting in the front seat. Lookin good there dad. And that is sweet to hear about the big Lone Peak Knights taking care of business. That's pretty cool that they got all that national publicity stuff goin’ on, I actually heard a guy talkin’ about them on the streets of Samara here. Just kidding. But that is cool, and even better to hear about the mission commitment that they have. I hope that stays that way. But a super big bummer to hear about Coach McGeary, I wouldn't believe any that for sure.  I'm glad you were able to see him though. He's a good guy, pass along to him that I support him and sure respect him for everything he did for me. And also good to hear about the ward doin’ well back at home and the good leaders and people that we have to associate with. We are very blessed with that, I agree with you dad. Anyways, sounds like you’re all getting’ along well and be sure to put your hand over your heart in my honor as you fill out March madness brackets.

Things around these parts have been goin’ super good and it has been a super fun week this week. We had our zone leader council and also brought in all the district leaders for a day to have a similar meeting that we do every other month. It is actually a really good thing. We had a really sweet meeting and then the next day had our meeting with the zone leaders. It all went really well, but my favorite part is that at the end, we get to interview with President Sartori. Man, I am so darn blessed with my mission president. I sure hope you get a chance to meet him in July when they come home, but he is definitely a huge blessing in my life. I have never known how important it is to just love people genuinely the way that he does and when that is combined with the spirit, you got a pretty powerful instrument for the Lord. Anyways, he is such an example of that and how when we combine that pure love with true principles, we can solve any problem in any person and respect their free agency. Of course, this is a lot easier said than done, but that is just something that I have been learning from interacting with him. I sure love him. Also, quick update I can't remember if I said it in the last e mail, but we now know that our new mission president will be President Schwabb from Farmington. Anyways, you should try to get a hold of him. :) We are super excited about that.

We had some sweet stuff this week, mostly with our bro Ryslan that we are working with. Man, the best way to explain him is a bro. He's probably the nicest kid I've met- he works at this shoe store and kinda manages the store (he's only 19) and showed up to a meeting on Tuesday with a pair of shoes for both me and Elder Taylor! He's so rad, I don't really know where he came from. He basically lives on his own- his dad is in prison for life and his mom got remarried and the guy was a jerk, and Ryslan didn't really like that so his mom kicked him outta the house. Pretty crazy stuff. I think a lot of people would be a little sour after that. Anyways, he came with us to an activity on Saturday and then we went and met with him after so we got to chill with him basically all day which was so cool. But, we taught him a little about faith and how it helps us and gave him the commit to pray. We came back on Sunday to him at his store and he explained that he prayed and explained to Heavenly Father that "Taylor and Nielson (nobody calls us "Elder") asked me to pray, so I did" and this and that and ended up praying for like 20 minutes. We were so pumped on that! Man he's so cool, he just said he really didn't feel anything, but I am sure he will have some good things happen because of it. He's so cool, we love that kid and he loves us, so we can get him to do anything- so, we are definitely trying to help him the best way that we can. We have also been working still with this Anna lady who is a way cool gal. We finally got meeting with her last night and were able to teach her the same principle of faith. I think she is kinda finally starting to get it. It is pretty cool to see that somebody that thinks it doesn't matter realize that it does matter. I think we all go through that at one point or another. Anyways, keep those two in prayers, they are some good people and we are so happy to be working with them. They will definitely be getting’ baptized.

Well, I believe that is about it for things that have been going on around here. A lot of good things and a lot of reasons to be very happy in my mission. I am sure grateful that I can do this, I am grateful for the changes that have and will take place in my life because of my mission and the gospel of Jesus Christ. What's cool is that this is something that can be taken home with me and have for the rest of my life. Anyways, sure love you all and hope you have a good week!

Love,

Elder Nielson

Hello Family!

Well I can't believe we are already back to Monday, I just keep on pulling the pages off of my doggy calendar. Thanks for that dad, everybody loves the pictures. Those were a ton of super fun emails to get this week, I guess we all feel the same that pictures are so darn fun to get and to just see what's goin on. We stay pretty busy around here, so it doesn't bother me too much if you’re worried about that dad. I'll let you know if it does. It looks like you had some sweet snow there, your beating us out here it looks like! It's been a rather "boring" winter here it sounds like, there have been some super cold days, but all the Russians just freak out whenever we say that it's not too bad and say that it's always colder and this and that. It's so funny. Or we just act like we're freezing and they get all serious and say "oh son, you haven't seen anything yet." Anyways, just a funny little snapshot of our funny Russian friends. That was a hilarious picture of charley, she was a blur flying across the snow. It cracked me up. And mom and dad you got some sick style in those goggles, that is some good lookin’ clear air and mountains behind you. That was a sweet picture. And it looks like grandma and grandpa are doin’ well also, hi grandma and grandpa!

Around these parts, it's been quite the past week. I think I have succumbed to the fact that most every day Elder Taylor and look at eachother and say "that was the craziest day of my life." It is always a good time. We spent a lot of time getting things together for the transfer that is going on right now and making sure things are where they should be. We just had a group of 8 missionaries take off this morning and I gotta say, that was one of the weirdest feelings I've had. Since they had a larger group, they came back and stayed at our apartment rather than down at the mission home and so we got to see the whole movement of missionaries leaving. It was super weird, my companion and I have been too busy to talk about it, but man it brought a lot of reality to the mission, that is the fact that it ends. This is the first time that I have known any missionaries well that have gone home and man, it was a lil’ tough. Of course, one of them was my last companion Elder Broekhuijsen which I forgot to get which ward he is from, so you will have to find him somehow and go see him when he speaks. That would be cool. There were a couple that I had a really good friendship with, I think that was something that I had no idea about was the friendships and times that you have not only with Russian people, but companions and other missionaries in the mission. It was kinda like all my high school football buddies at the end of a season, but even a little bit different- anyways it was a weird weekend.

As I said, the whole dismissing these missionaries really brought a reality to my mission and I guess made me very grateful for my mission. I was able to take a second and just look back on all the different people I have been able to associate with and also just the different situations I have been able to be in that pretty much only me and my companion understand that have made my mission what it is. A lot of these things I am trying to explain, but I don't really know how to. I guess anybody that has been on a mission can relate to those kinds of feelings. I have loved my mission. Amidst all of this, each of these missionaries that came into our place have companions, so we had about 16 missionaries sleeping at our apartment the other night and going to church with us which made for some good coordinating and running around to get mattresses and different things to accommodate that. Good times on the mission.

We also had quite the experience this week, as I have said on Tuesday we had our meeting with president. In the middle of the meeting, he had an interview with a member that needed some help from the church and this and that but hadn't gotten it so got super offended and is now not active. He has a good testimony and things, but was just being a little immature. Anyways, president had both me and Elder Taylor sit in to translate and it was super interesting to watch how he handled a situation that I probably would have just said, "listen man, you gotta get over yourself and get a job." But rather, he handled the situation so lovingly but in a way that laid down the law to make this man do something. His aim was clearly not to simply help the guy or to make him work like we want, but rather have him grow in faith to the point that he can accomplish those things. Anyways, it was one of my favorite moments to learn from on my mission. As President Sartori always says, "teach true principles and let them govern themselves." I hope to keep that for the rest of my life. Well, we will probably just keep on truckin’ this week and it will be a good one! Hope you all have a good week, sure love you all and I'll be looking forward to hearing from you!

Love,

Elder Nielson

Pay Day

Hey family!

Woo that was a super fun round of e-mails and pictures coming through, there is never too much to have a little fun to see what's goin’ on and things. It sounds like you all are doin’ pretty well and hopefully I will try to answer questions and things from those...that's my favorite way to do it. So thanks for all the fun notes. Sounds like your doin’ well there lil’ Tanner with all the ballin’ going on and everything, Way to do it. Those are fun to get all your updates about the games and things. And what's the deal with big Lone Peak bein’ number one in the nation? Kinda cool...I know this much that their fan club is just tryin’ to get back to the glory days! haha Thanks for sending that picture dad. And well would you look at that...my sister is all growin’ up and things. Lookin good there, and it looks like you and Kristen decided to go to the dance together instead of you and Tieler. Pretty funny, but way to go hope you had a fun time. And way to be workin’ the algebra, all the babes know algebra really good. And thanks Emily for the letter, that sounds like good times with everything goin’ on and sounds like your doin’ well, especially riding in the elevator with Jerry. Tell him I say hi. And thanks momma for the update top ten style letter. I am liking the theme that is going on around here with the top ten's. All the pictures were super fun that you sent and it looks like dad and Tanner are doin’ well on that rocket there. Well done on the practice performance there lil’ Tanner, get those 10 in baby!

And as far as Ryslan goes, he is about 40 but a pretty spunky guy so he seems about 30 to us. Pretty fun. and I'm not gonna lie, every now and then some kinda comment comes out that has to do with Lake Powell when we have our meetings with president. Whenever we meet with him we first have an office meeting with the office staff that we translate for and then meet for a bit with president and head up to their apartment for some lunch. That's a little on the down low, but it's pretty fun to have a second to talk about stuff with him, and every now and then a little Lake Powell sneaks in. I think they do still have a share on a houseboat, so Elder Taylor and I have a plan to call him up one day in a few years and have everything packed up for him to just come hop in the car and head down to the lake with us. Those conversations are only on p day....

And by the way, that is fun news to hear about running into Coach McGeary, he's such a good guy. I'll be sure to get that done at some point here and send that to ya. and also that is a classic picture with Andrew and I- who would’ve thought those two jokers are on missions now? How's he doing by the way? That was fun, we got a good family.

As far as things go here, it is all super good. We were able to meet with our two new converts this week and they are just doing well. That is super good because it just seems like we are holding this fragile piece of glass and if we do something wrong we'll break it. Maybe that's just a lack of faith, but we really want the fruits to stay that's for sure. We had a good meeting with president and we're getting everything set up for the transfer which will be fun to do and also starting to look at stuff up until he leaves. He's still got some time, they'll be here till July 1st like always, but once that new mission president comes it's gonna be a party that's for sure. Talk about some shock for him and his wife. Anyways, its kinda fun to look ahead at everything. We then had our other zone leaders come in from Tol'yatti for exchanges this week which was way fun. We are kinda in rebuilding process to get some new people to work with, so we had a bunch of knocking and contacting involved. The cold has kinda come back and so it makes for a good time to do the "dirty" work of contacting and finding people. Our second day was a super good day in my mission...I got to work with Elder Glavatski- I've probably talked about him before- he's from Ukraine and just the happiest guy. He is pretty humble and it is always fun to be around him. But we had a really cool evening that proved to me how much it really is Heavenly Father in charge of the work. For the most part, (which I would assume this is standard for everywhere in the world) knocking goes like this: we get a stairwell with about 40 apartments in it, and usually you can expect to get a couple return appointments outta that or at least somebody to take a Book of Mormon. However, it just seemed a little different with Elder Glavatski that he just had this kinda humble faith in him and we were blessed with one of the first apartments we knocked on to open up and talk to us. It seemed from there, we just kinda had this big ball of faith that kept growing with each floor. We'd go down the stairs to the next floor and pray each time and then there was always somebody on each floor that opened the door and talked to us and took a book and wanted a return appointment. I learned a lot that evening from Elder Glavatski, I really want to develop that kind of faith and humility. And it showed me a lot about how when we have real faith and act, we see results. Then our faith gets bigger. Then our results happen more frequently, which grows our faith, and soon we just have this ball of faith that makes us instruments to do anything the Lord may ask of us. I want to bring that home- meaning I do my home teaching because I have faith it'll help. I read my scriptures and I see a blessing, and that faith grows, etc. As this cycle continues, the process of sanctification and everything grows. It is really cool the things you learn on a mission, and especially from all the cool missionaries we have in our mission, there are a lot of good buddies here. Heavenly Father has definitely taught me a lot and I still got a lot to learn. The rest of the week, we actually did a lot of knocking and contacting which is kinda the first time that we've had time to do that, so it was actually a really good time. We have a ton of people now to work with and so we are way excited for this upcoming week to get meeting with all of them. Good times.

Well, besides that as always, we're just up for another good week on the mission. We have had many good things and I really am very blessed to be serving and to have all your support. Hope you all have a good week and we'll see ya’ next week!

Love,

Elder Nielson

Stocks are through the roof!!

Hey there everybody!

Well it's been just another good week this week. First things first... we baptized somebody!  We baptized Ryslan and Tatyana!  Oh man that was a pretty cool experience, Iwas able to perform the baptism for Ryslan and it was all good.  We hope he stays just as solid and keeps everything in order, he's got a couple funny ideas in the head, but is very solid in the doctrine and has read just about everything.  Elder Broekhuijsen was able to Baptize tatyana because he served here forever and so she loves him.  It was a good evening...so there you go.  Good times.

As far as other things go, I am glad that the last weeks e mail was appreciated, and the little references for making the top 10 list with that, those remarks were very much appreciated.  I guess I gotta write 9 more of those to make it a legit list of 10.  Anyways, it sounds like everybody is just having their own good time back at the ranch.  Crazy to think how much time has passed by since we even just talked on skype and just everything that is going on.  Even the lone peak knights are moving on with out me.  Haha I was also able to get a letter this week from Kim Jensen and had a ton of fun looking at those pictures.  Good heck, I think Preston could eat me if he wanted....gosh I was laughin so hard at those pictures.  Preston's side of the truck is about rubbin the ground and Tanner's havin to hang on so that he didn't get thrown into the air!  Haha and cal looks really pumped to be on the railroad tracks.  Haha I love it.   I hope tanner is havin a good time, it sounds like he is getting a run for his money down there in Brazil.  That's way awesome to hear about him.  Also got a fun letter from Aunt Tana, thank you!  Anyways, just a few fun random things...as far as weather goes its strangly warm, it snowed a bunch and then yesterday the snow turned into rain.  So that was really fun to trudge around in, but it sounds like tomorrow we'll wake up to some chillier stuff.  Just a lil update.  Just another random thing, that perhaps was my last visa trip of that type because they have come out with three year visa's.  However, there is a migration card that we have in the visa that has to get renewed every 6 months and so we might just have a quick jaunt outta the country that doesn't require a second passport every 6 months.  But there are a whole bunch of complications that are surfacing right now with that, so we will see.  Anyways, kinda interesting.  I will also keep a keen eye peeled for a package coming in, thanks for taking care of me!

Well, as far as other things that went on around here, there isn't a ton of craziness to report on besides the baptism.  We were able to do exchanges with the zone leaders here in Samara (both my old companions- Elders broekhuijsen and my trainer Elder Christensen) which was a good time as always.  Probably my favorite parts of mission work are the exchanges.  Anyways, I was able to go with Elder Christensen on a lesson to good ol' Natasha and Masha in our old area and that was super fun.  They made geneology trees at school, and so Masha made "Chris Nilson" a geneology tree.  pretty cute.  That will definitely go in the "mission stuff" box when I'm back home.  We have been super blessed with a bunch of other lessons and things going through and a bunch of new investigators we have been finding.  It's funny, we are busy with different administrative stuff and things that just interfere with doing normal missionary work (transfer schedules, visa trips, any other problems, etc.) but it's been the most amount of lessons that actually go through, and even as I said, my first baptism.  Pretty cool how Heavenly Father helps us out, and it goes to show that it definitely isn't us who makes it happen, it's Heavenly Father.  Good Stuff.  The baptism was a very gratifying experience, at the end we were able to have a few minutes for testimonies and both Tatyana and Ryslan just said how grateful they were for the missionaries and for the chance to be in the church and things. it is good to see how the gospel can take root and help to change and bless any person's life, regardless of the circumstances.  We are pretty blessed to have had that for our entire lives to impact us in all aspect of life.  Pretty humbling.

Other than that, I am drawing a blank on other things that we had happen this week, but it was a good one.  We are super blessed with such a great mission president and Elder Taylor and I have such a good opportunity to work with him.  Like I said, we have that office meeting once a week and then we meet just us two and president to discuss different things.  This week, we were finalizing this next transfer and he just took a minute to pour out some wisdom on us at the end.  He is a very inspired man, he is definitely one of my role models.  It will be a different place when they go home in July.  We are in good hands here.

Well I think that does it for my rambling on of random thoughts this week.  Hope you all have a good week and that you are able to keep the spirit in everything you do.  Sure love you, see ya next week!

love,

Elder Nielson

Good morning to you all back at home!

Man those were a lot of fun letters I was able to get from all of you this week, sorry I wasn't able to get too many replies back, but I will definitely take care of those the next couple weeks. But just so you know I really appreciate those. Also, just so you know, I got the nice Christmas cards and envelope. Thanks so much! Those were some sick cards and good to hear from Megan. It sounds like your all doin’ well, just keep on keepin on! And thanks for the pictures, it gave me a good guilt trip to get some sent to you. :) So here you go. This is in front of some cool graffiti we found last night, so I couldn't resist. We also got me and Elder Taylor and Broekhuijsen and Langston, they are my buddies out here. And then we got us chillin’ on Christmas morning! And last we had to take a picture of our streets here in Samara! Right behind that is a big walking street and we live on the right and the office is down the hill to the left. Anyways just thought you might want an idea. Enjoy!

As far as things go here, it is just all good. We had a fun visa trip week with keepin’ track of groups coming in and out and then flyin’ out myself. There really isn't too much with that, we had some good time in the airport, just kinda chillin’ and goin’ to the next flight. We can't go to the temple anymore, the winter flights just don't line up right and plus some missionaries were dumb in Kiev and so the Area Presidency said no to the temple for now. But it's all good, it's pretty much getting up at two in the morning and then there are 4 flights to Moscow, Kiev, and then back at about midnight. It's a good time.

As far as other things go, we are just workin’ round here. We are actually going to get there with Ryslan and he is just a miracle man that's for sure. They had him stand in priesthood and say why he was getting baptized and he stood and just said, "well I have found answers here that I couldn't find anywhere else. In the name of Jesus Christ amen." It was a pretty cool thing. I'm super excited for him. Tatyana, we will see what goes down with her. She loves the missionaries that served here with her and we are honestly just trying to just push for her to be baptized in a regular font when we have Ryslan's service. Pretty lame details, but there will be a better report next week on that!

We had an interesting experience this past week with an investigator, her name is Anya. We actually met with her in McDonalds (there is one in the center of the city here and it is probably the nicest thing in the city). That is the place that just all the young people just flood and love to just hang there. It wasn't my favorite atmosphere, but we met with her and she just started rattling off all these problems she had because of...well sin. She just kept talking circles around herself and just didn't want anything that the Gospel had to offer and then would just start talking again about how she could make herself feel better. Anyways, in the end she wouldn't take a Book of Mormon and just wouldn't hear anything from us, just wanted to come up with some solution on her own. It was a really weird feeling walking out of there, my testimony was very strengthened by the effects that I could see the gospel has had in life and how perfect of an example that was of somebody that doesn't keep the commandments. We are just sad when we don't. She was a young, smiley girl, but was really so sad and wouldn't take what would really cure her problems. And the whole place was just full of that kind of those people, we were able to talk to one of them. Everybody trying to find happiness in some kind of healing by spending whatever little rubles they have at pleasure island. I was brought back to many times that perhaps I wasn't deeply sinning, but how immersed in that kind of nonsense in life. It was almost a joke how sad of a scene that was going on. We were a couple of flys on the wall of the great and spacious building. I am so grateful for the perspective the Gospel gives to us because I think of how much I have been saved from that down spiraling path to nowhere. I hope that we can all recognize that because as we read in the Book of Mormon, there really is no other way. I really want our family to remember that and it sounds like you are doing a good job of that. Anyways, just one of those good mission experiences.

Well besides that, I would like to close out with dad's questions! I think those were really fun, and a good way to end up on a higher note!

1) What "fun" stuff do you do on P-Day? Do you ever play any ball? Do you get to see much of the Russian sites?

P day is a little more different than I thought we usually have spent the rest of my mission searching for somewhere to write home, then the last hour or so to chill or cook up something in mass size. It saves the rest of the week. People here in Russia just aren't ballers, so that has been a dark part of my heart. As far as sites go, there isn't too much at least in Samara. We have the scenic area, so as we go we see some cool stuff.

2) What do you do for personal study time? Do you focus mainly on the Book of Mormon or something else? In English or Russian?

Personal Study is pretty much Book of Mormon and PMG. I have been reading through the Book of Mormon in Russian, and sometimes get switched up depending on what lessons we have and things. It's a good time, I'm in Mosiah right now. :)

3) Do you do "service" as missionaries? Like are there many opportunities to do community or personal or church service projects?

We don't have a ton of opportunities in the community to do service. The Russian community doesn't quite have the organization, so any service we do is random helping a member with this or that. I haven't been able to do any for a while....

4) Besides your family, of course, who else faithfully writes you?

Writing other people hasn't exactly been a forte of mine. I've gotten a few letters from friends, but we are only able to write on p day and I honestly just haven't had time to write much. So, it's a two lane road. I've gotten a couple from Tanner J, Brayden, Megan, Natalie, and lil’ Jess. I haven't helped myself out with that too much and time goes so fast, I honestly forget about that.

5) How are your clothes, shoes, supplies holding up?

All my stuff is holding up really well. I have a real good coat and bear hat and other jacket. My other clothes are doing well. Garments are going to need some looking over by the end. If you sent another package, another set of black suit pants wouldn't be the worst thing ever.

6) You don't say much about getting down or frustrated. Yet in the MTC, it seems like you mentioned you experienced the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. Do you ever get down or frustrated or discouraged?

To be honest, there is honestly some hard stuff, but I haven't had too hard a time for a while. My last cycle down in Saratov got a little tough because I started understanding what people were saying and I think the rejection gets a little old sometimes. And having the ability to reply back and understand doesn't help. I think everyone goes through that, but to be honest there hasn't been too much.

7) I get better looking each day. How is that working out for you?

That must be hereditary.

9) Are the Russians superstitious too? See how I skipped #8? In Spain, it seemed like none of the elevators went to floor 13 or something like that.

Yes they are outta control superstitious. That to them is their religion. They don't whistle, shake hands through the door way, drink cold beverages, eat "chemicals" (anything that's not natural) and just have a bunch of other funny things. It is a crack up.

10) Can I get rid of Charley yet? Ok, ok, just a joke.....taking good care of the crazy dog.

Thank you I appreciate it. I gotta have at least one girl when I get home.

Anyways, hope those are answered well, those were fun for me. Hope you all have a fun week! Love you all! Have fun at the dance Sarah!

Love

Elder Nielson