Florida!!

Familia!
Alright here it goes, I don't have much time so hopefully I can say some stuff. Anyways I mailed you a letter with a lot of info about my area so hopefully you get that because I dont want to say everything thats in that again.

But my area is called Fountainebleau North, and its in the Hialeah zone. My trainer is Elder Ward. We white washed the area which means were both brand new to the area. Normally they keep one elder who already knows the area here, but for some reason it didnt happen. Such a good area though! Im already loving the people here.

President Anderson is so amazing. Holy cow hes got a high standard for us here in the mission! Haha really strict but I know that exact obedience brings miracles and I want miracles! So yeah that means I wont be wearing any brown pants. . . Sorry mom, but dont worry about sending me any more pants ill be fine.

These first few days have been crazy, like unreal. I havent had anytime to think about anything other than missionary work cause its just go go go go all the time because we have a lot of work to do since were white washing. But one thing thats different here is that instead of just knocking peoples doors and asking to leave a message with them, we ask if we can just pray with them, and then if they let us we ask if we can kneel down and bless their home. Its so awesome! We get to use our priesthood multiple times every day, and it really gets people feeling the spirit! We already have 3 new investigators from just that!

Weve been knocking a lot of door these past few days because we dont really know any of the investigators that the past missionaries were teaching so were just trying to find people.

Also our ward here is awesome. Holy cow, our bishop and his counselors are amazing men! It was so good to get to meet them yesterday and all the other members. But yeah sacrament was super amazing, and then after sacrament these 2 sisters introduced us to a friend that this was the 3rd time they had brought him to church, and that the other missionaries had taught a few times as well. His name is Israel, and he is amazing. He has a speech disability and the only thing he can say is Palo-palo. haha so random I know, but you ask him anything and his response is Palo-palo-palo-palo. Yeah so he was kind of tough to teach but the two sisters who brought us to him wanted us to try and teach him everything and get him baptized that day! So during the last 2 hours of church we sat down with him, tried to get to know him, and just started teaching. We just tried to teach straight by the spirit, and have the gift of discernment so we could understand what he was saying. Oh and he can understand everything perfectly and he has some other disability with his right arm that it doesnt work right. Not really sure what it is though.

Anyways needless to say we taught him a ton, basically everything the other elders hadnt taught him, and then invited him to be baptized that day right after church. he smiled huge and just nodded his head and said palo-palo in like a really excited tone! We both felt the spirit and knew he should be baptized! So boom just like that we got him an interview told members about it filled the font got him in a baptismal suit and then baptized and confirmed him! So awesome! I got to baptize him! First baptism in only 5 days here, and we met him and baptized him the same day! So nutty! Straight up miracle! Haha the baptismal ordinance was a little weird because of his disability with his right arm so we didnt really know how to work around it, but so I just held his left hand put my arm to the square and said it all in spanish, and then he was like just so excited to go down, so he just bent like forward instead of back, and then I just kind of helped him go all the way under and then pulled him out. Haha kind of awkward if you can imagine it, but nonetheless he still went all the way under and then I helped him back up and man he was just smiling so big! Haha you could tell he was feeling the spirit hardcore and I was too. After that the bishop shared some thoughts and confirmed him and everything right there. The blessing he gave was INCREDIBLE! He straight up told him that according to his faithfulness and prayers and progression in the gospel he would be healed from his disabilities! Man the spirit was so strong and you could tell Israel when the bishop was talking to him afterword understood everything. K well thats all I got but I love you guys and miss you and cant wait to get to talk to you on Navidad!
Elder Nielsen

Elder Nielsen, Israel, and Elder Ward

First baptism