Surprise transfer!

Well, this week has been one of the most unique and one of the best weeks so far! It's been one big ride from last week, but I'll try to share as much as I can!

First cool thing was Christmas! Christmas was amazing, this has been the most unique Christmas so far in my life. On Christmas Eve, we taught a lesson with an investigator and then came home and unwrapped some presents Elder Kaesler had for us. Christmas Day was a pretty normal day, except that evening was Brother Fukushima's birthday, so we had dinner with him at the church. For dessert, we ate a cake we made in the rice cooker. It honestly was a way simple Christmas, but definitely one of my favorites.

On Sunday, one of my favorite things so far on my mission happened. Brother Fukushima received the Priesthood! It has been so amazing to have seem him come this far. The Spirit has been working overtime without him, he's such an amazing and humble person. Knowing him has blessed my life so much, getting to see the power of Christ's atonement working every day. I can testify that I know that God and Jesus Christ live, and that they really do love each of us, even those of us who feel like we don't deserve that love or somehow can't receive it. Do your best everyday to live worthy of the Spirit, and I promise you that God will pour out His love on you.

Something pretty special happened yesterday, I got a call from the mission office. They told me that I'm being emergency transferred! I left Fuchu this morning, and now I'm sitting in the Atsugi church
building. I had to pack everything up last night and head over here this morning, but I'm here now! My new companions name is Elder Ayala, and he's from Georgia. He speaks English, Spanish, and Japanese, so he's a total beast. This is going to be an awesome transfer, I can feel it in my bones!

Love you all!
Elder Nelson

PS Skyping on Christmas was awesome! Shout out to the best family out there!
PPS I ate something called Oyakodon, which means mother and child. So, I ate chicken and eggs on rice.
PPPS This week I learned koalas are not bears.

Brother Fukushima's birthday

Starting off the transfer right!

Merry Christmas everyone! I can't believe it's already past half way through December! So, have a Merry Christmas, and also wish my brother Spencer a happy birthday! He's getting old!

So, last week I wrote about Fukushima San, and how amazing a change that has been brought into his life. Well, this past Saturday, he made a huge step in his life, and was baptized! His baptism went great, and he received the gift of the Holy Ghost yesterday on Sunday. I guess we now have to start calling him Brother Fukushima! It's been an amazing experience to be able to go with him every step of the way, from talking with him on the street to witnessing him enter the water, I had the privilege of seeing him makes those changes in his life. It's something that I don't think I appreciate enough, that as a missionary my purpose is to help people makes promises with God that will allow them to return to His love and presence. I'm so glad that our Father sent us his Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to help us overcome our sins, our sadness, our pains. It's through Him and His Atonement that we
really can return to live with our Father again. This gospel has brought so much peace and joy into my life, and I know that it can bring the same into your life as well. My hope and prayer is that all
of you take this Christmas season to spread the love and joy of the Savior and His Gospel. Reach out and serve Him the best you can, and the Lord will magnify your efforts.

I love you all! Have a fabulous Christmas season!

Elder Nelson

PS My two companions are Elder Kaesler, the far left, and Elder Brown, the one right next to him. Elder Takahashi was in the area while we were teaching Brother Fukushima and hey became friends, so he brought his companion in from where he got transferred.
PPS Elder Kaesler is from Australia. So that's fun.
PPPS Fun fact, I've had to eat 6 meals straight from either 7-11 or McDonalds. I don't want you to think I'm being too healthy.

Transfer week thing!

Well, I've officially done it. I'm done being a trainee! We're moving on to transfer three this week, so I'm now all grown up and stuff. We got transfer calls this week, and it looks like I'm still studying in
my beloved Fuchu area. But! Things are changing a bit. I'm staying companions with Elder Brown, but we're combining the two Fuchu Elder's areas together, and becoming a triple Elder companionship. So, I'm companions with both Elder Brown and Elder Kaesler starting on Thursday. I've been living in the same apartment with Elder Kaesler since I began my time in Japan, so I'm looking forward to working this transfer!

There have been some cool experiences with the Spirit this week that were way cool. We stopped and talked with this guy on a street corner by the church, and shared a quick lesson with him. Times rolls on, and a week later we're walking down a completely different neighborhood, when we get this feeling to go down a different side path. We get going, and we suddenly run into the same guy! In a city of over 16 million people, that doesn't just happen! It's a testimony to me of how much Heavenly Father must love that man, giving him as many opportunities as possible to come unto Him.

We've been teaching this man named Fukushima San, and his story so far has been amazing. When we met him, he was one of the saddest, most down on his luck guy I've ever met. Like, seriously, I didn't see him smile for several weeks. But, we've been teaching him about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, and Their love for him. It's been several weeks now, and now their isn't a day I see him where he doesn't smile or crack a joke with us. The transformative power of the gospel and of the Spirit is so real. Being a missionary gives me such a great opportunity to see these large changes in people's lives, but these things don't happen just on missions. I can testify that these changes, these opportunities to come closer to Christ, can be seen in all aspects of life. Maybe it's a friend who needs a lift, maybe a sibling who needs some love, or maybe it's yourself. This week, try and look for the miracles, the changes you see in the lives of those around you, and in yourself. I promise if you strive to be the best person you can, and rely on the Lord, you will see God's hand over you and your loved ones.

Have a great week everyone! Love you! Merry Christmas!

Elder Nelson

PS I gave myself a haircut this week, and now I look like a gerbil. Therefore, no photos this week.
PPS Health update: I ate a mini orange thing today. I do t know what they are called, but I actually liked it. What is happening to my taste buds?!?

Another Temple Day!

Man, it feels like just yesterday that I went to the temple in Japan for the first time, and now it's time to go again. Time has really flown this transfer, that is for sure! The temple was awesome today! I mean, it's always awesome, but today was great. It might have something to do with getting to go a lot less frequently than when I was at home, or now just being a missionary makes the temple better, but going to the temple now is a wonderful, spiritual experience. If you live in a place where you can attend the temple regularly, I would highly recommend it! It will bless you life a ton, I can promise that!

There was a really cool experience that happened this week. Elder Brown and I had taught this man on Monday evening, we listened to our message and took a Book of Mormon, and we thought he was interested. Turns out, he's not really and his family is pretty against him meeting us. We talked on the phone for about an hour on Tuesday and Wednesday night, resolving is concerns and stuff, but he still wasn't all that into it, so we just said we'd give him some time. But, while while Elder Takahashi and I (we were on splits) were waiting at church for a different investigator, the uninterested man's sister walks in, wanting to return the Book of Mormon. Well, we weren't just going take that lying down, so we're started talking, and eventually just started teaching a sit down lesson about the restoration. We bore our testimonies of the Book of Mormon, and challenged her to take it back and read it. And she did! She took the Book of Mormon she had meant to return back home because she wanted to read it now! That was a big testimony builder for me about the power of your testimony, the Book of Mormon, and of course the Holy Ghost. The way it can soften someone's  heart, and help them choose to follow the Savior is amazing. So, my challenge for everyone this week is to go and bear your testimony to someone. It doesn't have to be anything special, in fact, in my experience, the simplest testimonies are by far the most powerful. Just let someone know about your love for our Heavenly Father and Christ, the atonement, Joseph Smith, anything really. Just a simple, heartfelt message has the power to change lives, of that I can testify.

Because we went to the temple today, running, I'm running short on time. I'll try to write everyone back, but if I don't get to you, rest assured it will happen next week!

Love you all!

Elder Nelson

PS Despite going to the temple, I didn't get a picture there. But I did get a picture of some soap I bought.