If you tape a rubber ducky to a shark, is it less scary?

Hello! We got to attend the temple this week, so emails are rolling out on Tuesday. We had a way good week!

First! I have a request. Everyone, send me your favorite pictures of Christ! I want some new ones, cause I've just been looking at the same ones for a while now, so if you have anything that you like, please send them my way!

This week, we found a way cool guy named Peter. He's from China, but his American name is Peter, so that's what we call him. He's way cool, he speaks fluent Chinese, Japanese, and English. He came to the church for the first time on Sunday. He missed Sacrament meeting, but came after and was able to meet a ton of members who were so good about coming up and talking to him.  He said it felt just like a big family. And then, we were giving a tour of the church, and we came to a picture of Joseph Smith's first vision. He just stopped and stared at it. He explained to us that he felt so many things that he had never felt before. We were able to teach and God and the Restoration through Joseph Smith. It was so awesome. Peter is the best!

We got to go to the temple today! I love the temple! I know that any time you want to feel closer to God, to receive guidance, or just to have more peace in your life, you can go to the temple and receive just that. I am so grateful for the blessing of being able to attend the temple so regularly.

Have a great week! Love you all!

Elder Nelson

The temple pic.

The zone Meeting pic.

We biked up a ridiculous hill this week. I dropped the bike into 1 1, and I still barely made it over. We took pictures, but they do not do that hill justice at all.

I never know what title to do.

Hello everyone! It sounds like there is some crazy weather at home, so I hope you are all staying nice and warm!

There were a lot of great experiences that came out of this week, one that was pretty fun was we were streeting around the train station by the church, and it was getting pretty late, and we were about to head home for the evening. But! We stopped and talked to two pretty cool kids who were kinda drunken. And by kinda drunken I mean really drunken. It was a funny conversation, but they took a Book of Mormon. I was just laughing the whole time after that contact, and I told Elder Burnham that "this experience is goi in my week letter", so here we are.

I got to go in splits with Elder De Andrade for a couple hours this week! It was way good, and we got to talk to this young couple who were on a date. They were so nice, and we could all feel the Spirit, especially when Elder De Andrade bore his testimony on the Book of Mormon. They both took one and seemed so excited to read it. The dude we were with just kept saying how this was a "一期一会", which pretty means a once in a lifetime encounter. They were so awesome, and it was wonderful to see the hand of the Lord guiding our efforts. I love this work!

Love you all! I hope you all have a great week!

Elder Nelson

 Some kids Elder Burnham and I streeted into

I had tsukemen again. Yes!

A way blurry blurry photo of those two people we streeted into.

Elder Pierce, Elder Ota, Elder Hall, Elder Jones, Elder Burnham, and ˽!

あけましておめでとう 🎉

Hello everyone, Happy New Year! I hope you were all able to have a fun, safe weekend. I had an awesome one, there were so many good experiences, especially over the weekend. Great week!

We met a guy from China named Otakugen (maybe, I don't know how to spell his name in Chinese), and had a really good discussion at his door. We were able to set up an appointment for the next day, and sit down and talk about who God is. He didn't believe in God, and had no Christian background, but one super cool thing that happened was when we shared a scripture from the Book of Mormon, Moroni 7:41. His whole demeanor changed, and just sat there silently for a bit thinking. I know he felt the Spirit, and I really hope and pray that he can learn to accept and take in this message!

We had a mochitsuki, which is where you hit rice with a hammer until it turns into a paste. I'll attach pictures!

In sacrament meeting, I was asked to speak about missionary work. I shared from Moroni 10:3, talking about how we are so blessed as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Especially during this time of New Years, as we ponder ago the past year and make goals for the coming, we would all benefit from pondering how the Lord has blessed our lives. The blessings we all receive rare so many, and they all come from our Father who loves us. I also shared Mosiah 28:3, talking about since we have been blessed so much, we too should strive to be a blessing. I would encourage all of you who have been blessed with this gospel to share those blessings with your brothers and sisters. As you do, our Father will see your efforts and will bless you life.

Love you all! Have a great week!

Elder Nelson

The mochitsuki

We had Christmas!

Hey, so I Skyped my family today, so I'm just gonna send out some pictures now. Thank you all! Love you tons!

Elder Nelson

Love you all!!

A cool kid we met at the train station

Getting Indo Curry with our boy, Brother Watanabe

Christmas Eve dinner at our friends, the Ito family

 

The Christmas tree.

This is the hills and the stairs leading up to our apartment.  We get to bike that daily!  Boom.  Big legs.

I love Christmas!

Hello everyone! It has been a great week here in Kanagawa! Elder Burnham and I are having a way good time here, and have seen a ton of miracles and had some many tender mercies poured out upon us.

One of those blessings was that our man Watanabe San got baptized! Watanabe San is the greatest. We met him at our English class about 3 weeks ago, and got talking to him. We set up a lesson with him, went to church with him on Sunday, and invited him to be baptize in our lesson after church. He said he would have to think about it, and went home. Well, he called us on Tuesday, and said something along the lines of, "So like, I wanna, ya know, get baptized. I was thinking about baptism, and then the Holy Ghost came into my mind and said 'Be baptized.' So, how can I do that?" That was about two weeks ago, and he got baptized just this weekend. Huge miracles!

We got to go to the temple on Tuesday last week, right before transfers. As always, it was a very wonderful experience. I went to the temple this time with some questions on my mind that I needed help from God to answer. As I went through the temple, and pondered about my question, I received an answer that I know is from God. I know that Heavenly Father gives direction specifically for each of His children, and that you can always turn to Him in prayer.

I love you all! Have the best Christmas ever!

Elder Nelson

The boys are back

Hello everyone, I hope you are having a wonderful little December! If you can, go do some sledding or something! Enjoy the Christmas Spirit!

Because Christmas is in just a couple weeks, this transfer is cut short, and the next one is going to be extra long. But! This transfer, I'm staying in Kanagawa, and my new companion is... Elder Burnham! That's right, the MTC companions are back! We're both way pumped, and I know that this transfer is going to be a really good one!

I had several experiences this week that taught me a great lesson about the Holy Ghost. I won't go into detail, but I had felt several times to do something. I did it occasionally, but not nearly as much as I should have. I didn't think it would matter all that much, but this past week Heavenly Father let me see what I had been feeling what I had felt. I can testify that God gives us individual guidance through His Holy Spirit, and as we follow that, we will be blessed, even if we don't understand exactly the why of those prompting. I promise that as you follow those prompting, the blessing will come.

I love you all! Have a great week! Drink some hot chocolate, listen to a Christmas song, and share the new Christmas video with everyone. Love you all!

Elder Nelson

The zone after our zone meeting

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Hello everyone! I hope you are all having a very good December! Everyone! Get into the Christmas Spirit!! If you haven't seen the new Christmas video put out by the Church, go look it up! It's so good!

We had some splits this week, on Wednesday we were with Elder Konno and Elder Talbot. We taught several lesson over the split, and had some great finding time. We met with our boy Watanabe San this week, and we were able to teach about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He's so willing to hear what we have to share about Christ, especially about the atonement and repentance. He's been progressing really well this past week, so that's been a huge blessing.

We met with this kid this week and were able to share a really simple message about who God is and who Jesus Christ is. He was way humble and just took in so much, that was a miracle in and of itself, but as we were talking we were able to share the video, "Because of Him", which is about what Christ has done for us. One of the sweetest feelings filled the room as we watched that video, and then as we shared our testimonies and feelings for the Savior. Jesus Christ lives, and He cares so much for each of you.

I love you all! Have a great Christmas season!

Elder Nelson

Early Saturday morning to play soccer with the ward

Elder Talbot and Elder Konno with us on splits

Elder Molen, Elder Spackman, me at MLC. Elder Spackman ends his

mission next week, so this was probably was the last time I'd get to

see him.