Email from 01.19.10

So we are baptizing 3 kids this weekend, named Rapheal, Miguel and Helen. They prefer English, so I taught them a lot. They are excited so that’s good. We have a man that will be baptized next week he is about 50 and has colon cancer. He is being very strong in his desire to know the truth. Then the week after that we should be baptizing 2 guys in their 30's named Marcos and Mario. They are brothers. Marcos was drinking a lot and on the day we contacted him he was kind of, well, he was drunk but he remembers the lesson lol. So after the first lesson we also taught the word of wisdom. And after that he hasn’t drunk since, so that’s pretty cool. He has a desire to be baptized in the church of Jesus Christ. Kind of cool, huh?

I’m pretty sick right now. I went to the store yesterday and bought Afrin, vitamins, and a lot of other cold and flu stuff. But, I’m doing ok.

I’m probably going to be transferred. My PPI was really good and kind of funny.

So, here is what happened at my PPI with Pres. Hale. I sat down, Pres looked at me and I looked at Pres. He then asked me how my teaching was going I told him great, for some reason I teach a lot of English, the people must follow me around. He kind of laughed and said that’s interesting, because Elder Sepulveda said he hasn’t seen so many English people until you came here. Then Pres said Elder Sepulveda also said you are a great teacher in English, and how he just likes to sit back and watch you teach. Pres Hale kind of looked at me for a sec. then said you know I think I am getting confirmation on something, I have been thinking about for a while. I really want you to see one more area before you settle in, and I’m going to put you in the salt and pepper program that I have been doing for a while. Pres Hale said, what I think I’m going to do is put you in another area, and put you with an English Elder, and you be the Spanish Elder, that way when you contact you can speak to both the English and Spanish. I’m thinking, “ o crap this may not be fantastic.” Then pres. began again, that way we will be able to utilize your teaching abilities in English. He asked me what I thought. And I told him that, I would do whatever the Lord wanted me to do. I just feel bad that I kind of failed him in Spanish. He then said, Elder Nisson, this is not a white flag of defeat on Spanish you will still have your language study every day, and in the future you will continue to speak Spanish, but you’re a missionary for FL FTL not a missionary for Spanish. At this moment I feel that my thoughts have been confirmed with the Spirit, with putting you with an English elder. I felt good about that and told him thank you. We talked a little bit more and then we ended with a prayer. So, after that I didn’t feel too much like a failure. I told him, “President I know my purpose, I know I am supposed to invite others to be baptized, there are very few lessons where I don’t invite the investigator in the first lesson to be baptized.” He just kind of smiled and said I think you will do great. Of course he didn’t tell me where I’m going. He then said that the situation could change, depending on what the Lord wants but he felt like his thoughts had been confirmed and at this moment I will probably be visiting another place in Florida.

So it was a very good meeting and I felt really good about it.

Well, this was a fun p-day talk. I think I needed it. Well, I love you guys so much, you are always in my prayers and I love to look at the pics. I show them to everyone, they all tell me I have a huge family.

Mom Dad, love ya and I will talk to you later. I hope you have a great week, talk to you next Tuesday, and we will find out if I am staying or leaving. Love you guys so much.

(This week we heard from him on Tuesday because yesterday was Martin Luther King day and the libraries were closed so he couldn't write to us. Next week are transfers so we won't hear from him until Tuesday as well)