Mother's Day Call, 2016

Chad’s call on Mother’s Day, May 8th , 2016
2:54 Chad logged on to Skype…
2:55 Chad went off line and back on again (mom is jumpy)
2:56 Off again.
2:58 Back on.
2:59 Calling..
Mom: Hi!!! You look great. We’re going to call Tyler.
All: Hi Tyler!
Mom: Hi! Oh, you look so great. We have some questions for you. We want to know
a little bit more about the town you are in.
Chad: It’s a little town.. very, very catholic. More catholic churches than anything.
Lots of farms, cowboys. We are on the edge of San Vicente. There are little tin huts
(houses) and we walk door to door.
Mom: Do the members treat you well?
Ch: Not a lot of members live here. The members can’t cross the ‘lines’. The gangs
will ask for your id and if they see that you belong to another area where a different
gang might be, they may kill you on the spot. The members are scared to go
anywhere outside their town. They don’t like to walk to church because it is across
those lines and they are worried they will get hurt. We believe them. That is our
biggest struggle; not many investigators or members will come to church.
M: The gangs leave the missionaries alone right?
Ch: Yeah, they ask what we are doing. Sometimes they’ll follow us around. There is
one group in particular and they’ll just walk into peoples homes and just sit in on
the lessons. It’s a different atmosphere. We don’t hide from them. We just deal
with it.
M: Is your comp there?
Ch: Yeah, but he doesn’t speak English so he doesn’t know what’s really going on.
M: Can you see Evelyn?
Ch: Yeah, She’s sleeping?
M: What’s a typical day?
Ch.: Uh… wake up.. Study. Our zone is really spread out. We usually go and visit
other districts. We don’t go to members homes for meals. So, we just work till
about 9:00 and eat papusas off the street.
M: What’s your favorite kind?
Ch: We can’t eat meat. Pig meat.. anything like that off the street. So we usually just
have the cheese and beans. If you saw the meat you wouldn’t want to eat it either.
M: Do you keep food at your house? What’s it like at the grocery store?
Ch: Yeah, usually just milk and cereal.
Tyer: I was looking at the map. You don’t have many towns right by where you are.
Ch: There is one about 15 minutes from us. That’s the other half of our zone.
Tyler: As zone leader then, you are spending most of your time traveling?
Ch: Yeah, we usually take a bus into Zacate. On Friday, we had a meeting at
President’s house. We woke up at 4:00am and got back around 4-5 in the evening to
our area. We do that about once a week. We don’t get a lot of sleep.
M: So, as zone leader you are over your district and one other?
Ch: Yeah, right now there are just the two.
M: What are your tasks as DL?
Ch: Glorified house keeper. Just making sure things are good. Check on
missionaries and make sure they are being obedient. Sometimes catch them
sleeping.
Kevin: You got to go to the temple right? Did you get to listen in Spanish? Isn’t it
cool when that catches on for you?
Ch: Yeah, it’s awesome when you understand and it’s just like your own language
now.
M: What is your housing like?
(Connection really bad. He’s going to call back.)
Ch: yeah, the wifi went out on my end.
M: Okay, you are good now. I think I was asking about where you are living.
Ch: It’s pretty similar to my house I had before.
M: So it is a house?
Ch: Yeah.
(trying to figure out the video. We can’t see you Chad.)
Ch: Does Dad have crutches?
M: Yeah.. as a prop. Okay, so your house is like you had before?
Ch: Uh huh It’s just a house. We don’t share with other missionaries. Just me and
my companion.
M: What do you do on your p-day?
Ch: We play soccer. We don’t really go anywhere, which is why I don’t send many
pictures. We can’t walk with a camera while teaching. More than once my pack has
been jacked. So, we just don’t walk with it. Some days I will, but I know which
certain places that I wouldn’t take it.
D: So, how does that work with your transfers? Do you have to watch your bags?
Ch: There is a bus that takes you there. They don’t search our luggage. We just say a
prayer and hope we find the other guys with the white shirt and tie.
M: How are the buses? Still crazy?
Tyler: have you had to hang out of the bus?
Ch: Yeah, it’s crazy. There was one time… around 5-6:00pm and everyone is coming
home. Someone comes in and yells, “We need to get more people in! Everyone sit
on the windows!” So we get up and everyone is hanging out of the bus. And it’s
crazy and fast. Someone was saying that the buses here are the scariest.
Kevin: Are they all decorated with beads?
Ch: Yeah, it’s fun.
Daddy: Did you get your arm taken care of?
Ch: More or less. I called the doctor like 6 times, no one answered. Well, so I went
to the pharmacy and they gave me something and just said to drop the liquid on it.
It’s pretty common because of bad pollution and nutrition. They will just pop up on
your skin. They eventually need to get cauterized.
M: How are your clothes?
Ch: Pretty good. My shoes and pants are good.
Tyler: Here’s Evelyn. She’s awake.
(Cute little baby is “waving”)
Ch: Hi Lexi! You look really big. Thank you for writing me on Monday. How old are
you?
Lexi: You are welcome. I am 5!
M: Here is Kai.
Ch: I like your shirt Kai. Is he eating an apple?
M: Yes, he’s eating an apple. We’re making him wait for dinner.
Kevin: So I have to teach on the first 10 pages of PMG. These are people that will be
leaving on a mission soon. Do you have like any 15-second advice on what direction
I should take?
Ch: I feel like our teaching purposes have shifted a bit. Instead of focusing on the
resoration or something, our purpose is talk repentance, repentance, repentance. If
you do that you’ll reach both converts and less actives.
Bean: Hi!!
Ch: Did you cut your hair?
Bean: No, just up braided.
Ch: I don’t recognize any of you. You all look different.
M: I remember Tyler saying that. We are getting her ready to leave on Wednesday.
Ch: All the questions go out of my mind when I see you guys.
M: Tell us more details.
Ch: The town is a little boring.. in the middle of nowhere. It’s hidden unless you go
there. It’s actually pretty chill here compared to where I was before.
Tyler: What is it known for? Like job-wise. Where do people work?
Ch: IF they work.. most are just really, really poor. They work in a sugar factory.
Most hardly have houses. A lot of people go into San Salvador to work. A lot of
farmers, basically.
M: Our wards are doing this thing where they take the pre-missionary YM and they
take them to go to the member’s homes and have them practice teaching. It’s
actually a little hard because we are trying to respond as investigators. Afterwards
they ask what they can do better.
Ch: the youth in this ward.. there are very few active. None of the priests are active.
There is one active teacher. That is the hot age for gang members. Some of them
can’t even cross the street in front of their house. It’s hard to include them in
lessons because they can’t leave their street. Our ward just got denied from being
made into a stake. We have about 120 people that come to the ward on Sunday. No
one does their home teaching/visiting teaching which is why they got denied. The
church is so simple. People don’t come to church because someone “looked at me
weird” but they’ll come back if they someone is nice to them.
M: How is Antonio?
Ch: He is in my other area. It all (investigators) changes week to week.
Tyler: Is the volcano active where you are?
Ch: Yeah ,technically. It’s not as active as San Miguel.
Ch: My mission has been extremely difficult. As far as success, when it comes to
numbers I have very few baptisms. I can count more than 10 people who have
committed to baptism but who can’t because they can’t get past the #4 interview
question.
Jessie: How have you changed after a year of being a missionary?
Ch: I’ve learned that I tend to stress my self out that I need to develop Christ-like
attributes. I’ve seen a lot of pridefulness and I’ve been working on that. Stuff like
that has helped me. I’m not going to say it’s been easy. It’s been hard, really hard. I
know the success isn’t in the baptisms, but I had really high expectations. I know
that there are successes.. For example, our mission has progressed a lot. When I
came here a year ago we were 16 th as a mission in central America. Now we are
number 8. An average good missionary that works hard usually leaves the mission
between 25-40 baptisms. I know I shouldn’t compare myself, but sometimes I have
to ask myself what I’m not doing right.
Jessie: I’m sure you can see relationships that have developed and are strong. You
can recognize those right?
Ch: I do. Yes. I see that I can get a long with people really well. I cry and they cry. I
don’t usually have terrible numbers, but I want converts. I have to teach people how
to baptize. But, it’s hard that I’m not able to get there. But, I get a lot of compliments
and leaders that want me to progress.
Ch: It truly is hard. I don’t want to be a downer. I really am doing well. But, it is
really hard. We actually have a lot of missionaries going home right now—being
sent home. Just it’s hard to handle and we have some disobedience.
M: I know you can handle it. It’s one of the reasons you were sent there.
Ch: Thanks. I am doing well. These last few changes have been fun. They have
flown by.
M: So do you have anything big coming up soon?
Ch: Not really. Just normal stuff.
M: Do you get to meet with your mission president often?
Ch: He comes by a lot. He is in charge of this district. Even today, one of his
counselors was here. My President is awesome. We had a general authority come
and say that he is one of the best presidents here in Central America. I’m happy to
have him here. He goes home in July after I leave.
Ch: We are in the dry season right now. We are moving into the wet season though.
Tyler: Do the streets flood?
Ch: Yeah, sometimes.
M: Did you ever get new running shoes?
Ch: No. I don’t really care.
Jessie: What kind of cereal do you buy?
Ch: I buy plain corn flakes. When I go to the store I just usually buy milk and fruit. I
usually get served other fattening stuff other places. I try to avoid that stuff when I
buy my own food. I’ve been buying the milk in jugs. The carton goes too fast. The
powder stuff just takes longer to make. It’s not too bad.
Kevin: On my mission, I would buy a bag of cookies in a pack and pour them into the
milk. That would be my breakfast.
Bean: Are you wearing sunscreen? Wear your sun screen!!
Jessie: Are there tourists?
Ch: One time I saw a big bus full of white people. A long time ago when I first got
here and only that one time. There’s not a lot of touristy places here. I’ve never
been to the beaches. I guess they are really pretty, but I wouldn’t know.
M: Do you hear from Hunter at all?
CH: Yeah, he’s doing great!
Dad: Something you said about not wanting to be an AP. Something to think about..
there might be a reason you need to be an AP. You have a great work ethic. There
may be something you need to teach other missionaries.
Tyler: You seem really converted. Your conversion is more and more towards the
Gospel, I can tell. That is probably something you are teaching your zone.
Dad: A good leader does more missionary work than a missionary. You have great
leadership.
M: I have more people comment on your testimony. We can feel it and it blesses
those that read.
Ch: Okay, I have to finish up here and start saying goodbye.
M: The hard one. You are doing great. We’re really proud of you. I don’t want you
getting down on yourself.
Ch: Thank you. Okay, bye Lexi and Kai and everyone.
M: So you are doing okay?
Ch: Yeah, I’m good.
M: We sure love you!
Ch: Happy Mother’s day! I love you too. Bye everyone! Thank you for being here.
M: We are very proud of you. We love you.
Ch: Thank you. I’ll be fine.
M: You are doing so much good work there.
Ch: I hope so. Thank you. Okay, I’m going to go now. Love you!

Welcome Home Elder Nelson!

Tyler will be home in only a few days.  Can you believe it's already been two years?  We couldn't be more excited to see him and welcome him back home after a fabulous mission.  Please join us if you can!  Thanks for all of your support over the last two years.  

July 11, 2011

Hey,

Hows everyone doing?

i am doing great!! we are here working hard, im not going to lie, its hard to remain focused in the last week. but we are doing our best and this last week i will leave with a baptism, i feel great and am very exited. im glad to hear that everyone is doing great. today i am visiting some of my converts and people that i have known. in the morning we visited someone that i baptized named Bryan. we reactivated his mom and baptized him, but his dad has never wanted anything to do with the church. well we have always gotten along, and when i visited he gave me a gift wrapped up. (i think as a joke but at the same time serious) i still have not looked at it, but he hinted as to what it is, and i think that it is a bottle of authentic Chilean Wine. so now i have no idea what to do with that.

well i think that this might be the last email that i will write in chile, but all good things must come to an end.

I love you guys and thank you all so much for the support that you have shown me. love you all and will see you soon.

Love Elder Nelson

July 4, 2011

Hey, mom!!

 yep, 2 weeks left. but im working until the end so don't worry. on the 11th i get to say goodbye to my converts so i am excited for that. i am glad that Chad had a good time at EFY, what a stud! it sounds like it is hot over there. it is still pretty cold here. it freezes in the morning. we are teaching some great people, and i really do love the people here in Curacaví. i hate it when we have to go into Santiago every week cuz i love the small town feeling. our ward is struggling, we have been working a lot on that- trying to help out the leaders. it is interesting how much the members, and people who are not members depend on the missionaries, and what they have got to say. the other day someone told us that he felt that if the missionaries left Curacaví, the town would be lost. a little dramatic i know, and i laughed a little when he said it. but it does help one feel the weight of their calling.

 

our new president has invited us to restudy the life and teachings of Christ, and i have loved it. it has really helped me a lot, i have found. and President Essig taught that if one really whats to become like Christ, one must know him. its true and i invite you to do it also. i know you are basically like Christ being my Mom and Dad, but its helped me a lot. i thought i would throw that out there.

Love you guys and cant wait to talk to you guys next week,

Elder Nelson

June 27th

Hey hows it going?

it sounds like everything is going great!

I am sure Chad will have a great time in EFY, well i didn't like it that much, but he is a lot cooler than i am.

i am sure that he is a lot better than i am on the wakeboard, is he still using my board and bindings? thats why he's getting good! just kidding, i cant wait to pick it up again.

we are working great here in Chile. Presidente May goes home tomorrow and president Essig is the new President. it was nice that for my whole mission i was able to have the same Pres., i already had my interview with him last week, which was strange because normally you do that the last day of your mission.

thank you for your prayers for the people here in Chile.

Love you guys,

Elder Nelson

June 20, 2011

Hey, Como Están?
we have had a very rainy week here in Curacaví and its been cold. i forgot how much i love the heat and the sun. my companion is loving the weather here because he is from Alaska. thanks so much for taking all that time to help me out with my classes, i know its a pain. If you could try and make sure the classes can transfer, just in case. not much is new, just working hard and trying to get people to go to church. the level of dedicaion is a little low here when its cold and rainy out. especially if its fathers day, not even the members in our little ward went this last sunday, much less the investigators. but thats life on the mission. i hope that you injoyed the camping trip. On the Lake? Did you do something for fathers day?
Well i love you guys and i will talk to you next week,
Love,
Elder Nelson


Hey, Happy fathers day!!!
i wanted you write you and let you know how much i love and appreciate everything you have taught and done for me. 
i personally am so grateful for you example. that example has helped me so much as a missionary and i have used it to help the lives of my investigators. 
i hope to become like you and that i can have the same relationship with my kids. 
you have been there always and have sacrificed much for your family. your sacrifice does not go unnoticed, and your Children love and respect you.
i  have unfortunately seen many families destroyed and torn apart for lack of a good father figure. 
I had to leave and go to another country and see the problems of other families to realize how good i got it.
Love you Dad,
Your son
Elder Tyler Nelson

June 13, 2011

its good to know that your not counting down! jk 
i am really excited to see you guys again also, so dont worry about it. but we are working hard and trying to work the hardest that we can to finish well, and baptizing!!! 

the work moves forward. i found out that President May will still do my last interview to thats great. i heard about the fires there in Arizona, they are even here on the news in chile and all the members have told me about them, knowing that i am from Arizona.
we are working with some great people here and the ward here is progressing a lot.

i love missionary work, and hope that it is a part of me my whole life. 

love you guys and am always praying for you. 
Love,
Elder Nelson

June 6, 2011

Hey,
sounds like things are going great.
first things first, i got your package so dont worry. and thank you so much for what you sent, it was great to see the pictures and i was dying to eat some beef jerky.
Also i got the flight planes last week. i dont remember everything but, i leave monday the 18th in the afternoon and get there the 19th in the morning in the airport. i dont remember the exact times but next week i will bring the paper with me to let you know.
so stevan came back to the valley. thats great!! i cant wait to see him. is he going to asu to study or wheres he going?
here in curacaví we had changes today, my last change before going home. i got a new companion, and left on really good terms with my old comp. so i feel good about it. my new comps name is Elder Clark from Alaska, which is awesome and a problem because we will be talking about hunting and fishing a lot.
i learned that Presidente May leaves the 28th of june, so my last interviews will be with the new president, that is a shame, but thats the way things go sometimes.
i love you guys and thanks for everything!!
Elder Nelson 

May 30, 2011

Hey, i am doing great, we are working hard and trying to stay focused. i will not lie The Lord has given me a challenge with my compañero and it has been difficult. even the members are mad at me because i wont let us spent time all day in the house of the members. but overall we are doing good and i am still learning a lot from the experiences that i am having. it sounds like you guys are enjoying the cabin and the Razor. it is getting cooler here, but no rain which i am thankful for.
we had a very spiritual experience last night. a convert that we baptised last month that is 80 years old, baptised his wife that also has 80 years. the spirit was so strong and it was great to see the Gospel change a family like them, in that faze of there lives. change can be hard, even for someone that is young and has not had 80 years of devout Catholic believes, and has been leaders in the Catholic community here in Curacaví.
the month of June should be a wet month, speaking in missionary terms, so i am excited.
love you guys and will talk to you later.
Elder Nelson

May 23, 2011

Hey, hows it going!!!
I am going great here in Curacaví in Chile. We are working hard here to help a few families that are struggling a lot. it is sad to see families suffering when they stop doing the things that are important. like reading the scriptures and praying and family home evening. and when the great sin of pride enters into the hearts of one. it is starting to cool down, but no rain so far, we are in a drought they are saying, but they don't know Arizona. i am still having a bug problem, so that has been hard, because i think that i am allergic or something.

It has been harder than i thought to remain focused 100% on the mission at this point in my time here. but i am doing everything that i can to focus on the people here in Chile. i love you guys and i hope that everything is going great with you all.
Love,
Elder Nelson

May 16, 2011

Hey, hows it going!!!!!!!!
the work goes on as normal, and i am enjoying every minute of it. i love the ward where i am at, there are a lot of problems like in every ward that i have been in, but they are great and are excited to share the gospel with others. it sounds like the ward is working hard, is there a new bishop? thats good that you are focusing on the people, that is how it should be. i have always tried to get my wards to do that.
we are teaching a few people that are great, and also helping two people get over drug addictions, so that has been fun. well thats about it, sorry i dont have much more to say.

thanks so much for everything that you have done for me, love you guys
Elder Nelson

Phone Call, May 8 2011

Phone call with Elder Nelson

Mother's Day

We got everyone on the call, Bean, Tyler, Mom/Dad/Chad

T- I have the coolest experience.  I have been waiting to tell you!  I got a call from a couple of my converts- the best family i've ever taught.  They caught a call from the missionaries from their sector and they told us that they are going to go to the temple.  I got to go with them!!  I went this last Friday.  I was a witness.  Oh man, it was the coolest spirit I have ever felt!  

Is that the one you were telling us about towards the first of your mission?

Yeah, that was the last chance I had to go see a family sealed.  The other's were baptized too late and I'd be gone before they'd go.  Yeah, it was awesome!!  Also, while we were there, the sealer was a really cool guy.  We were there as the missionaries and some from the ward.  And, their whole family.  He just stopped, "I don't know why I feel this way.  He was looking at the M… family.  I feel like you are going to be a great leader in the church. "  It's true!!  When he got baptized he got a calling fast, now he's YM president.  

Where were you?  What area?

Indepencia.  I was there for 6 months.  

That's in Santiago?

Yeah, the second sector I went to.  I went there after being with my trainer.  I was there with 3 changes.  They got baptized then.  I went to another sector at the point I had a year in the mission.  Then I went to Santiago.  Training was the coolest experience ever.  I loved it.  I got to do it 2 times, right after one another.  I was so excited.  The second guy I trained was the coolest missionary ever.  He was put in as DL after 3 changes.  He's a great missionary.  The one I'm rooming with, he's not actually my companion.  I've lived with him in the same house for 6 months.  Elder Squire.  

You are all set up for school with him and Elder Murdock.  The three of you are in the same apartment.  Chad's here too! 

Hey!! Costo Esta? 

He had a good game and has a big football injury.  Chad- I cut my leg on the side.  

I'm pretty excited to have a brother as a football stud.  From everything I've been hearing.  

Kevin's here too..  (Spanish speaking.. lots.. I don't understand any of it). ……………………… ????

(He sounds really good!  Spanish is awesome.)  Kevin- I'll let everyone else hear in English so they can participate.  

mom- You sound like a native! 

tyler- unfortunately when I train, i speak a lot of English, so I lose it.  But, right now my comp in native, so 

Do you have a date?!?

Yeah, the 18th of July. 

Dad- WIll you leave there the 18th?  Or get here?  

I will get my last interview and put me on the plane that day.  That's a Monday.  Our changes are always Monday.  I'll get in Tuesday, 19th.  In the next few weeks, It'll come (paperwork).  It comes at the changes, so soon or in 6 weeks.  There's a lot of changes going on.  

Breanna, will you be there?  Probably not, but hopefully that weekend.  I'll be in finals.  

Tyler- I want to go to Lake Powell

HOw do you feel about Lake Roosevelt?  Chad will be in school, he won't be able to come.  So i'd feel better if we were closer to home since he's home by himself.  Also, in August we have a big reunion with all the family. 

I heard about the ATV thingy.. 

Dad- Yeah!  The Razor.  Chad and I took it up to Lake Bartlett.  We can't wait till you can come play with it. 

Yeah!  I"m so excited.  

Breanna is going to help me sign you up for classes.  Still EE right? 

Yeah, I think so.  

We'll just do generals towards that direction. 

Go ahead and do it.  No ballroom dancing!!  Maybe the guitar if I have to take anything like that.  I'm mostly excited for religion classes.  

You take a specific one for RM.  I think you get a language credit automatically.  

Tyler- Yeah you have to test out. 

Dad- Do it right away so you don't forget. 

Tyler- the problem is that I'm bad with the grammar.  I speak great, but I didn't practice with the grammar.  I haven't been able to wrap my mind around the grammar.  Reading things.. I'm fine.  I'll have to study up on the grammar.  I know you can get it up to 16 credits.  

Kevin- you'll pass with flying credit.  I got 16 credit's of A's!  It was awesome.  

Mom- that'd be great for you since you don't have any college credit. 

Tyler- any questions. 

Mom- weather?  It's starting to cool down.  We are wearing a jacket in the afternoons.  There is a drought right now.  I feel like i'm in az.  In Los andes it's really hot. Here in C………. it's nice. Here you have to go through a tunnel to get where I am right now.   It's getting bigger, but it's still small.  We're pretty isolated.  

Mom. how far from Santiago? 

Tyler- It's near the coast.  North and West.  On bus through the tunnel it takes about 45 min to get to Santiago.  on the other side of the tunnel is a different mission.  It is huge!  

mom- is there a beach? 

Tyler- I'm surrounded by mountains.  I've been told from the other side you can see the beach.  But, we won't go over there. 

Dad- you proselyte in that whole area? 

tyler- yeah.. but there's a lot of areas that are expensive.. They are.  YOu pay 600 pesos, you go a certain place.  It's different from a taxi that just charges where you go.  They are fixed rate.  

mom- you are on bikes now? 

tyler- yeah.  it's not that common to be on a bike, but most of my mission i have!  

Dad- does it keep you in shape? 

Tyler- I'm able to maintain, but not down.  I've not gone up.  My pants are big.

MOm- i'm surprised you haven't needed more clothes!  How are your shoes?

Tyler.. I haven't had to buy anything.. Actually, I've gotten 2 pairs of shoes from members actually!  These shoes I got from the place, I haven't really liked them.  For chad, I would go get some good Hush Puppies. they are worth it.  They are much more comfortable.  

Mom- do they have stuff like that in Santiago. 

Tyler- I've just used the same shoes.  Even though I haven't really liked them.. They form to your feet.  The ones the members gave me are great because they don't get worn out.  They are good forever.  They just aren't that comfortable.  Go to missionary mall.  They are expensive but if they get worn out.. YOu can take a picture of them and they send you knew ones.  Just little tricks I"ve learned. 

Mom- that's good because we didn't know anything

Tyler-  Oh, another thing.  I think I'm allergic to tics or dust mites.  They are in the beds.  I've already talked to the office about it.  I don't know. That's rough.  Ic an't sleep at night. 

Mom- Can they do something?

T- they are going to send me a new mattress.  I bought Raid.  I think it might've killed them off.  I already have it all over my body.  So, I don't know if they are still biting me or if they are old.  

mom- do you go to members houses to eat then? 

t- i can eat almost anything now.  There's on thing I can't.  It was a piece of meat. It has hair on it.  I ate it in one bite.  It like scratches your throat going down.  The sister said, Do you want more?!  I feel bad.  She was cool about it.  It's a special thing from the south.  She was excited to share it.  It was horrible.  It's like pork, but they cook it different.  It still has the skin and hard hair on it.  Not a lot, just a little.  South Chile, they have a lot of traditional food.  Here in Santiago, I've been able to eat almost anything.  I really want to learn to make empanadas.  They have ones here that are filled with Olives.  Dad would love it here.  They are really strong.  It took me a long time to learn to eat them.  Meat, olives and onions.  Also cheese empanadas.  Cheese on the inside. 

Dad- you'll have to go to the Mexican market where we can't read the signs.  YOu and chad can go do that!  

Breanna's been really sick at school.  

Kev- at the end of the mission.. do you feel like you GET it??  LIke how it works?  

Tyler- I got to a point where I thought I did, but now no. I've been able to keep learning.  I've been able to keep progressing.  At the same time, I do.  I get it.  I know what to do to make someone progress to baptism.  Every day you keep learning, your testimony keep growing.  Keep learning, growing.  That's been really cool.  The mission is incredible.  People always ask me… It's a trend to die in this part of the mission. They ask if I feel "turnkey".  I really don't I feel like there's still a lot more to do.  I feel like I still have a lot more time.  I haven't felt like it's run out.  A lot of missionaries do feel like that. 

K- during my mission, I didn't baptized, but I baptized more in the last 2 months.  Work to the very end.  

Dad- the good thing.  You know what missionary is about.  It's a good thing to pass on to your companions. 

T- my companion now.. I have a special assignment right now with him.  It's been hard.  It's been a learning experiences.  Lots of opportunities to be more like Christ.  We have a good relationship now.  In the past, other companions have wanted to hit him.. I haven't. :)  He's been here a while, so the last 6 weeks of my mission

K- Your mission president has a lot of confidence in you to put you with him. 

T- I haven't written any body my whole mission.  I feel really bad.  I'm horrible!!  I haven't written my converts either.  I need to get better.  But, now it's the end.  I never can.  Monday's the only time and time is so short.  I'm not a fast writer.  

M- MOst people don't really expect to hear back all the time.  They know you can't always write back.  G and G Sheldon just like to write you . 

T- I feel so happy that they write me.  They are almost the only letter I ever get.  It's awesome.  I'm the same way though.  I can't expect other people to write when I don't write.  

M- Steven Lewis gets home this week.  

T- Oh wow.  They are in Flagg right?  

D- The new Bishopbric might try to get them down to speak in the ward.  

T- have you heard from anyone else? From people that went on a mission?  A lot of friends I had.. I haven't really wanted to pick up relationships where things are not good.. Not a good atmosphere.  What about Trevor?  He was in the MTC with me.  He should get home at the same time also.   Any other missionaries that left from our ward?  

M- A few are getting close.   There was a big gap where there wasn't anyone the age to go.  A lot of people ask about you.  There's a lot of new people who you won't know in the ward. 

T- That's okay!  I'm used to new things/new people. How's the weightlifting going chad? 

Chad- it's going good.  

M- what can you bench now?  

C- 230, 225.. 

Everyone- WHAT? 

Tyler- are you guys going hunting? 

Dad- we got Elk.  I didn't put in for you.  We didn't know where you'd be. 

Tyler- What?  Really?  That's okay.  I'm excited to go hunting.  

D- We could pick up archery and go deer hunting.  We have an archery by our house.  I got a bow and arrow.  

Ty- how's that working out? 

D- We haven't done much yet.. haha.  

T- The compound bows are hard!  50 pound is usually good enough.  

M- how do you know so much about it?  

T- I love archery!  Scouting.  

M- Oh, stories about you and other things make me nervous.  Car surfing?  

T- What?  I've never done it on top of the car.  Okay, one time.  I was not the perfect kid.  

D- when you get back, Lexi should be walking. 

T- Oh, i'm excited.  I tell everyone I have a niece.  I got pictures.  I love pictures. Send pictures.   Things I can give to members.  Candy from the states.  Things they can't get here.  Beef Jerky.  Things like that.  That's like heaven here.  And, PB.  I'll get it before I leave.  

Jessie- do you clap at people's door when you want them to come out?  Kevin did in Paraguay. 

T- here we yell!  We say "alo".  They are security… Or you say their name.  Or you find metal and you knock with your keys.  You can knock.  it's not weird.  you just got to make a noise so you know they are there.  Gangsters whistle.  Gangs will answer to whistles.  They'll go outside and whistle.  On the other side of the town, they'll hear a whistle answer.  That's how they communicate.  Like the gadianton robbers.  The secret combinations.  That's here.  You should hear my companion talk about El Salvador.  All the time, there's a lot of crime.  I'm actually really glad to be here in Chile.  It's pretty safe.  Not much happens.  

J- What are you doing every day? 

T- THere's a lot of inactive.  You work a lot with them.  Baptisms come from part member families.. that's the most effective way to baptize.  They have mostly all been from reactivation.  

J- Did you get to watch Conference?  Where?

T-  We watched it in English.  At the stake center.  They put another TV in another room.  There are two channels, one english, one spanish.  I think that's normal.  You can watch it in English, it doesn't matter where you are.  But, if you are in another country, they'll have it in their language.  It's hard watching inSpanish.  There's words that I don't know that they are using.  You miss a lot of the subtle things.  Things that are important.  I didn't realize how important they are until I heard it once in Spanish.  

M- Do you get to read the Ensign. 

T- We get them every month, free.  I read them.  

M- Did you hear all the references to getting married right after a mission???

T- Yeah, oh man.  There are a lot of subliminal messages in this conference.  There's a lot of good things, but a lot of awkward things that we're not supposed to be thinking about right now.  Pres. Monson's talk was really powerful.  It seems everyone through in something like that.  Like Elder Oaks, even, I loved his talked, but he just through that in at the end.  I was really surprised.  

M- Do the guys get pressure to get married at school? 

B- Yeah, A lot.  

T- Just to let you know, I'm not getting married right after my mission.  A few years!  Okay, I can't say that.  Here in chile, there's a problem.  They'll be 35 years old and not married.  A lot of leadership have to come talk to these people because they won't get married.  I have fear now of not getting married.  I see that they don't have anything.  They just work, study, some don't complete their callings.  I've seen the negatives.  I'm not really worried.  Brigham Young said if you're 25 and not married, your a menace to society. ha.  I want to get a few years in though of study.  We'll see.  

T- How's work going?  Your health? 

D- work's busy.  Health is okay. 

T- You need to keep yourself healthy. 

D- Yeah, definitely.  

M- Yeah, something else.. we didn't really tell you…

T- I was so worried after the last one.  My Mission President had to give me a blessing because I couldn't focus.  It's better just to tell me.  I always pray about it.  

M- Well this last one.. He had to have transfusions.  He's had a lot of testing, they've all come back negative.   

C- Yeah, he has a lot of gray hair now.  

T- Hey! Happy Mother's Day!  

M- Oh, thank you. 

T- I had to speak in church today too.  I talked about Charity and the Family.  It was fun.   Do you know who your new bishop is going to be?  Dad, what's your calling? 

D- We don't know yet.  I'm the Cub Master.  

T- I knew you were released from Mission Leader, but I didn't know your new calling.  Well, I think that's all!  I just wanted to know details.  

D- When you get back are you ready to start the garage of the cabin??

T- Yeah!  I'm so ready!  That was the greatest, coolest experience ever.  I hated it at the time.  But, looking back on it, it was the best thing ever.  Chad, really you should do it.  Take advantage of it.  It's a once in a life time thing.  To build and learn skills that will serve you your whole life.  I'm going to do something like that for sure!!  I'm excited to just enjoy it.  I've built it, so I can enjoy it.  Well, I have to go.  I've already gone over the time limit.  I forgot to tell you guys.  I could've done Skype!  But, this is so much easier. I didn't want any complications with that.  So, since this is my last time.  

D- Okay!  Well, I guess we'll see you in a couple months!  

M- So, will you still get our package? 

T- Yeah, jerky is great.  Whatever.  Just through it in.  Well, Love you guys!  Thanks for calling. 

M- Love you too!  We're proud of you.  You're doing great.  

T- I'll try to send a decent email on Monday.  Yeah.. The temple experience was incredible.  That was the neatest thing.  To know I baptized and they made it to the temple.  That's the whole process!  There's only a few missionaries who get to go to the temple with their converts.  I have a way stronger testimony of eternal families.  I had never witnesses a sealing, with the kids.  It was incredible.  They came in in white.  The coolest thing, he was 10.  He had a deficiency.  When we were there I was thinking about the eternal destiny of the family and the resurrection.  I had this picture, so clear, in my mind of this kid.  I pictured him completely normal.  It was an incredible, incredible people.  He is a special son of God.  He has this deficiency, but he is so pure.  You should go to the temple.  You have the close temple right?  

m- Not yet.  Gilbert is still building. 

t-Well, I have to go.  Love you. 

All- Love you!  Bye!  

May 2, 2011

hey hows it going!!!!

first things first the call.

we will be in a members home and the number that you need to call is (xx)xxxxxxx,

i need to do it at 3:00pm chile time. i am not sure what time that is in Arizona, also look out because i think in chile they are going to change the hour (maybe sunday but im not sure, the safest bet is to look up the time difference sunday). i hope it is not during church for you guys,

i am doing great, i still use a bike which is odd because, its not common to be on a bike in our mission, but i will be on a bike for more than a year of my mission.

we are working hard, i am very focused, and i am exited to talk this sunday.

i love you guys, and i hope that you are doing great!!!
Love,

Elder Nelson

April 25, 201

Hey, i am doing great!!! i just got transferred. it has been really hard, because i got comfortable in the same sector for 6 months. but thats the mission. i am in a new sector called curacavi, out side of santiago again. it looks like i will end outside of santiago. but im happy to be in the country. my companions name is Elder Melendez he is from El Salvador. it is hard some times for me working with native spanish speakers, not because of the language, because i always speak spanish anyway, its just hard to live with one. but he is great and i am excited for the chance to work here. we will have a lot of success. i love the mission for the chances and challenges that it gives. thats alright that your not going to come pick me up here in chile, i think its better that way. i am not sure about the calls but normally they are after 3 and before 5 or 6 just to give you a ballpark. i will give you the number to call next monday.
i love you guys, thank you for everything.
Elder Nelson

April 18, 2011

Hey hows it going!!
I am doing great, i got this paper from the office that i need to fill out. but i forgot the paper in the house, from my memory i will try and remember all of it.
i think i need to know,
airport, which don't remember
if you guys are going to come pick me up, and I'm not sure how to do that,
phone number
well...... thats all i remember but i think that there was more. thats all right next week i will let you know.
well we have had a great week, Elder Amado came and talked to our stake here, so that was great.
like always i struggle finding things to say. but we are working hard and trying to help a ward with a lot of problems.
Tal vez me va a matar por no decir mas, pero....
Love you guys and i am forever grateful for your ejemplos and the support that you have given. ,
Love,
Elder Nelson

April 11, 2011

Hey!!!
Hows it going!! im glad that lots of great and exciting things are happening. :) the taxes are fun. just kidding. i am doing great, we are working hard, i have been a little sick but ok. no i have not received a release day yet. i am hoping that i will not receive one and they will just forget. but just to give you a ball park, transfer day will be the 18 of July, and normally you leave that day. so that is my guess. well things are great and getting a little cold, but thats normal around this time. i have realized that i hate the cold, so it will be fun in Idaho. love you guys,
Elder Nelson

April 4, 2011

Hey hows it going,

Conference was great!!!
I did learn a lot watching it. we had a fair amount of success bringing investigators, i feel more converted to the Gospel after watching it. sorry i have not been writing very many stories, i have been sending more pictures to make up for it. i will admit i get a little lazy writing, but i still love you guys!!
this week i was able to dig a trench for some investigators that really need some help, that was a lot of fun.
we are teaching this amazing family that went to conference and loved it, it has been a great spiritual experience with them. Roma is the mom, Fransica the daughter(14), and Diego(10). Diego is the coolest little kid, in the hardest of circumstances. he is sick and has to be hooked up to a machine a lot to keep alive, the doctors say he lives on spirit and will, that he will not live long. he remains optimistic always and has a way of helping me feel the love of Christ in my life. he is a very special Kid and i get emotional just thinking about him. God loves him, as he loves all of us, in ways and in amounts we do not understand or comprehend.
we also talked to a guy that very seriously thought that the entire church and especially the missionary network is a spy organization, and he gave us a very convincing argument, i almost believed him. it was a man that spoke very well in English and that lived in the states, and that new a lot about the church. he kind of sounded like a Chilean spy. :) we joked around with him for a while, he was a very cool guy, in completely convinced that i work for the C.I.A. that was a funny contact.
i love missionary work and the gospel, i love witnessing the blessings that come flooding into our lives when we are worthy to have the spirit.
thank you for everything,
Love you guys,
Elder Nelson

March 28, 2011 (Elder Nelson's 21st Birthday!!)

Hey thanks for hooking me up with everything for school. i am glad you are on top of things. im excited about going right up to school, it makes things a lot less complicated. but i will be up there for a long time. well it sounds like everything is going great, i do miss baseball games, here in Chile they do not even know what baseball is. i got all the letters for my birthday, thank you all so much for taking the time to send me those, i was very exited to get all the letters. especially the spider man one that makes noise. that was fun when i opened it up in zone class. I'm really bad at writing so i am going to send some pictures!!! I'm not sure if i have already sent some of these but here they are. not sure about to order 1. we play soccer every week at 6 in the morning, its a lot of fun 2. we do a lot of service, for people, i actually hated doing that one because we had to cut the grass with scissors 3. the house of a member doing service out back. 4. fixing the bikes, they are horrible, we are always fixing them. 5. i made an awesome breakfast for Elder Rhodes, i am trying to learn how to cook, i know scary right. these are from this morning, the perks of having sisters in your district. they came at 6 in the morning put it all up then rang the doorbell and ran, i was make and tired, then really happy. like a sour then sweet commercial.

March 21, 2011

Sorry i have been having some computer problems.
I'm doing great and working hard. i want to end the mission working harder than i have ever worked, but i will say that God has been sending me some fun trials along the way. the trials make us stronger, and allow us to increase our faith.

i wanted to send some pictures so im going to see how that works

1. a treat that we made. with crushed up Oreo and a mix of cream cheese and peanut butter on top. amazing!!
2-3. a service project with an investigator and her family. they bought that house (really really cheep) and had to take it apart and move it to some land that i think is like government given. really poor family. but the service was cool, we took apart the house with a hammer and a crowbar.
4.out workin hard
5. the picture says it all.

March 14, 2011

Hey thanks for writing! its great to hear from you all. it sounds like you are all doing great. there were changes today, but i stayed here with my same companion. i will be here that means for 6 months, which is a long time. i am now district leader of sisters, which is a new experience. with Elderes it has been easy but now i have to be nice and creative. i am happy to spend so much time outside of santiago (en el campo). i am a little disappointed to not be going to school until the winter. it complicates some of the plans be were making, but it will all work out in the end. i think that i will end up staying in arizona unto school then. time is going very very fast and i only have three changes left, but that's alright it just makes me work harder. we are going to baptize everyone here!! i don't have any really cool stories this week. it was a rough one, but we just buckled down and worked like crazy. i love the mission.
Love you guys and thank you for everything
Elder Nelson

Elder Tyler David Nelson
Mision chile santiago norte
sucursal correo patronato casilla 60
Santiago
Chile

this is the new address for the our mission. you need to send things there. also they said that we should only use USPS to ship packages.
I got your package and i loved to see the pictures. you guys are all looking good.
thanks
Love Ya,
Elder Nelson