Email from 04.26.10

After transfers Ster and Elder Jarvie are still together in the same area for another 6 weeks. They both seem happy about it.


This is Fania, she's 18, on her baptism day. Aaron, 20, is baptizing her. He goes out on exchanges with them. According to Ster he really likes hanging out with the missionaries and is a pretty funny guy. Ster and his comp are trying to get the ward more involved so they are having them do the baptisms and the missionaries confirm. He had to baptize Fania a few times because of a few issues but it all turned out alright in the end.


This is Junior, who is the only member of his family. He is preparing to go out on a mission himself. He goes on splits w/ Ster and Elder Jarvie as well. Don't they all look scary and threatening? ;)

Email from 04.20.10

Today is transfer day and Ster is staying in the same place. We are really happy about this and so is he! Here is his email. I'm not lying, I laughed hard on this one:

Well hey guys it’s your son Elder Nisson.

So Elder Jarvie and I are going round three baby woot woot, so we are going to try to get all our progressing investigators baptized. Well that has always been the plan but you know, stuff happens.

So I just want to say that I didn't like slam any of you when I was giving that talk about the family I was just using you guys as examples of the perfect parents, so just wanted you to know that nothing I said was in any way bashing on you guys ok. Oh yea, I also told them about how no one in the family was allowed to ever say “NO” to mom, lol, yea, our family is so awesome. Because you know I love you all and I look back now and just think of how much love you two show for all of us. I really hope that someday I can be as good a parent as you two are. Writing that talk was kind of a humbling experience for me and how I kind of underappreciated you both and the family in general. Seeing all these other families that we teach sure makes me realize how blessed we are, as your children I mean, to have parents that really care and love their children.

I am doing fine. P-days are pretty boring we shop we clean we write letters, sometimes we do other things like sports but not often, that’s about it. Then at 6 we start teaching again. I still haven't driven. lol. You have to sign a paper and I haven't got around to it. Plus you know how much I don't like driving so I may never get around to it... hehehe.

Teaching pool is slowly dwindling away lol. But we do have 4 dates. Maddie and Shelly Manasse, and Maggie Casmir, and possibly JB Manasse. We have others but they are not progressing very fast.

Spiritual stuff is going good I am still reading the Miracle of Forgiveness and I'm not sure if I'm going to make it lol... ugg depressing, any ways. Also, I'm still marking my book of Mormon whenever it mentions Jesus and all his other names, and whenever Jesus is speaking, either himself or through his prophets. And I’m concentrating on Isaiah, if I can figure out that guy then I can unlock the mysteries of the Universe whahahahahaha. Yea its fun stuff.

Here is a story I would like to tell that actually happened last night. We went to see a member to talk to him and the TV was on, and all the sudden naked women appeared on the TV. Elder Jarvie and I just stared at each other and hurried and turned the television off. Lol Then we decided that what we were going to teach changed, we now turned our attention to the law of chastity lol. So we started to talk to him about it and we came to find that he was really struggling with a few things pertaining to chastity, and we talked to him and told him we need to get all the bad things out of your house so they don't tempt you anymore. He wasn't too happy about that but with some gentle persuasion and the spirit he said ok. So after about 20 min Elder Jarvie and I have two bags in our hands that are just filled with pornography. So here are 2 missionaries with a large amount of dirty movies in our hands lol and we then say a prayer lol. Elder Jarvie said " Elder Nisson I think I can safely say this is the first time I have ever prayed for a man in his home holding pornography" lol so funny, that whole thing was just hilarious and sad at the same time, no joke. Then, while we were driving home we had to call the sisters in the ward where this guy goes to church and I had to tell them what happened. Needless to say I would rather look for and throw away pornography and then help this man with other problems than ever have to tell sister missionaries about this stuff on the phone, oh my goodness, so freaking embarrassing. I’m pretty sure I was very red. So any way, there is a funny and sad story for you.

Email from 04.12.10

Hey guys how’s life been in Arizona where the cacti run rampant and the red rock are everywhere? (mom and dad were visiting Cyn & Deb in AZ this past weekend)

Yea that place is ridiculous, who decided to colonize over there. You know I think there was a quote from J. Golden Kimball when a man who was a bishop in Arizona when it was just barely lifting off said. "Don’t worry Kimball with some water and some more good people this place will be alright. Elder Kimball responded " Well I’m sure some water and a few good people would make hell a pretty nice place also." that’s good stuff.

Well, how did Ryan’s Baptism go? Did he like it? I’m excited to hear that the kids are doing great in Arizona.

So that is what’s been happening lately, fun stuff huh..........man I’m tired. I’m so tired I have two sty’s in my eyes, one for each side lol, this is getting way too stressful.

And it looks like one of our investigators is going to do some jail time and then a probation period of 2 years so he won’t be getting baptized any time soon, also some investigators saw this PBS special about Mormons, and polygamy and Joseph Smith running for president and all this other stuff, which is sometimes hard to explain.

Also we have Fania, who should be baptized this Sunday hopefully, and then her sibling in the weeks to come, once again hopefully if the Lord wills it anyways. Fania is about 18 years old

Mission is going good. Oh yeah I never told you guys that Elder Jarvie and I had to give talks yesterday in Sacrament meeting, about the family unit. I prepared so much stuff but when I got up there I didn’t use anything and I just told about some examples from our family and how awesome we are. I even got to tell some stories about how me and dad went to the car dealer ship and laid down the price, then, he forgot to ask mom lol such a funny story. Everyone really laughed at that. Also mom I used your 3 things to solve everything, prayer, fasting and sleep. They laughed at that too. I also told about how much you both showed so much love for all of us. I also talked about dad and how he is the greatest hero to me and how I thought he could do anything in the world, and has probably done everything. I also talked about mom and her continual revelation for everyone, and her complete selflessness. Yea, I just talked about you guys, I love you guys so much you both have given me so many stories to tell to people especially our investigators, I'm always telling stories about you two to them, I’m sure Elder Jarvie is getting tired of them but I think they are awesome. You two are AWESOME, love you two so much. I even tell stories about my siblings just so many stories to tell that fit into so many situations lol. ahh good stuff.

Well, after reading the book that dad gave me on Blessings and the talk from Elder Oaks, I have been trying to bless people left and right, and two people we blessed got better by the next day, they both said it was amazing, and we tried to tell them it was the spirit and this is part of what makes our church true. That was some cool spiritual experiences.

I love you guys so much you both are such an amazing example of how a family should be, and I never realized it until I gave this talk. But you two truly knew what you were doing. I feel so blessed now that I know that, I know it is kind of like duhh, But for some reason it just hit me now, and that I need to be like you two. Well I Love you guys so much, thank you for always being that perfect example for me and the family I am truly grateful to the lord for opening my eyes to how awesome you both are. I hope you both are feeling good.

I love you both so much, take care.