June 11, 2012- For All Eternity

Hey Everyone!!

So Winter decided to show up a little early this year and this week we saw the temperature drop SIGNIFICANTLY. It was a really busy week and we were blessed to find a new family who is really excited about the gospel of Jesus christ and the fact that His church has once again been restored on the earth. We also got to watch the dedication of the Temple in Manuas. It was a great experience as both Pres. Uchtdorf and Elder Cook were there conducting and presiding at the dedication. The Temple is such an incredible blessing in our lives,it being the only place on earth where a couple or family can be united for all eternity! We taught another family this week about the blessings of the Temple and the Spirit was incredibly strong! I hope everything is great back home!!! Happy Birthday to Mom, too!!!!!! I hope you guys have Grasshopper pie!!!!! Give the little one some loves!!!!!

Love,

Elder Michael J. Neilson


June 18, 2012- Attending Church


Hey Everyone!

Yesterday we had that really cool family that I mentioned last week come to Church and they loved it! Our ward here is needing to grow so they will make a great addition! We also had an activity on Saturday night where we watched "17 Miracles" and the turnout was great and everybody loved it! Have a great wekk and love the children for me!!!

Love,

Elder Michael J. Neilson


June 25, 2012- Back to College


Hey Everyone!!

This week was another really rushed/busy week which is great! We had a really cool experience this week tho. We were on the local bus the other day and a young woman approached us, told us how she is a member of the Church and aske dus if we could go to her Nursing course at the local University and respond to questions about the Church´s position on some health matters. So we went and they asked questions like "In the Church´s eyes, what is health?" , "What do you believe sickness is?" , "What is the cure to sickness" and we were able to respond really simply to the questions. They kept asking questions i regard to health until they just started asking all sorts of questions which gave us the chance to teach them about the Restoration of the gospel and Church of Jesus Christ and how the Book of Mormon came about. They LOVED what we taught and many of them asked for Book of Mormons and the professor even gave us his address so that we could stop by his house and teach him more! It went super well! I hope you all had a great week tho and enjoy Summer vacation as school has ended!! Give the kids lots of loves for me!!!

Love,

Elder Michael J. Neilson

June 4, 2012- June, Already?

Hey Everyone!!

This week was a REALLY hardworked week! We got to teach a lot of lessons and talk with a lot of new people on the streets and in their homes. Everything is going great out here tho and there´s a lot of great energy out here!! I hope the cruise went great and that you give the little ones lots of loves!!!!

Love,

Elder Michael J. Neilson

May 28, 2012- Back to Kobrasol

Hey Everyone!!
  This week was both a cold/rainy and hot/sunny week! We still worked when it was pouring tho and we ended up meeting some new people who really like our messages of the gospel of Jesus Christ which we bring. We also had Stake Conference in my old area of Kobrasol yesterday and it was great to see lots of old faces! Everything is going well out here tho and we are safe and healthy! I love you all and hope someone gives the little ones some loves for me!!!
Love,
Elder Michael j. Neilson

May 14, 2012- Mother's Week

Hey Everyone!!

This last week went really well!! We had the chance to share the gospel with a lot of new friends out here and see just how much peace and joy the gospel brings to people´s lives. We are happy, working hard, helathy, and safe out here so we hope and pray that things continue to improve!! It was great to talk to the family yesterday for Mother´s Day and it crazy to see how much the little ones have grown!!! Give them some loves!!!

Love,

Elder Michael J. Neilson


May 21, 2012- Missionary Work

Hey everyone!!

This last week went really well!  I got to spend some time working with Elder Eide who was in my MTC group and arrived in Brasil with me  and it was a lot of fun and we visited some great people!  I hope everyone is happy and healthy back home! Give the little ones some loves for me!!!!

Love,

Elder Michael J. Neilson

April 30, 2012- The Wise Tooth

Hey Everybody!

This week was a pretty rushed week but it went really well! We had some great lessons with some of our friends who are currently learning more about our faith. One of those lessons was with a woman and her son who invited the family next door to join in on our lesson. We taught about the restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ and they loved it!! The Spirit was super strong and they were very gracious to receive a copy of the Book of Mormon. We also went and visited a lady whose son is baptized and the only reason why she isn´t is because she is addicted to smoking. The past missionaries stopped visiting her because they said that she is really hard to find at home but we were able to find her home twice this week! We put her on a plan to stop smoking a pack and a half per day and by the 3rd day she was already down to 6 cigarretts (where she is still at today)!! She says that this time she is going to be able to overcome the addiction and be baptized, so cool! Also today I got my wisdom tooth pulled! Unlike in the states the keep you awake during the pulling, they just numb you a little bit. The dentist pulled it out and showed me and it was a pretty big tooth! It´s not hurting too bad so that´s good news but it looks like I´m just gonna have to drink milkshakes for a day or two!! I hope you all have a great week and to hear from you all soon!! Give the little ones loves for me!!!

Love,

Elder Michael J. Neilson


May 7, 2012- Mother's Day

Hey everyone!!

This week went really well and hot out here in Floripa!  We were able to visit a lot of people and even make some new friends thru doing street contacting and tracting.  We met one couple where the guy was super happy to let us into their home.  We sat down and presented ourselves  and told them about our work and then asked them about their religious background.  The guy, Carlos, told us how when he was 15 years old he attended the “Mormon church” and wanted to get baptized but his parents didn’t let him…we looked at them and informed him that the “Mormon church” would be the nickname of the church that we represent.  He got super excited and told us how he wants to start going back to church again and wants to be baptized! It was a pretty funny moment that got us excited haha the couple has to get legally married first before being baptized so we are going to help them do that!  I hope you all have a great week and great Mother’s Day!!!!Give the little ones some loves for me!!!!

 

Love,

Elder Michael J. Neilson

April 23, 2012- Arrived In Tijucas!!

Hey everybody!!

So this week I arrived in my new area, Tijucas, and since we are opening the area we both were a bit lost for the majority of the time but the members are helping us out a lot! Tijucas is a very relaxed town that is growing a ton, but has a very South American feel to it, I love it! We have 7 other cities in our area so we will have to do some traveling, including this week when we have to go back to Floripa for doctor appointments, etc. The weather is really starting to cool down, too, yesterday it was freezing so we worked in our suits the entire day. We are super excited to be here tho and to see how this area will grow here in the coming weeks!! I love you all and hope you have a great week and that Tahnee has a great birthday!!! Give the little ones some loves for me!!!!

Love,

Elder Michael J. Neilson

April 16, 2012- Goin to the Beach

Hey Everyone!!

  So I got transfered this last Wednesday and spent the week (and will spend the majority of this next week) in the mission office. I got to go back to my first area in Rio Tavares on Saturday to see a baptismal service and then I went to church there on Sunday so it was a lot of fun to see everybody again!! That place is such a beautiful area and I know I will have even more opportunities to go back there before the end of my mission. I will be going to my  new area, most likely on Friday, which is called Tijucas. It´s an area that has 7 cities within it´s boundaries and is known for having, arguably, the prettiest beach out here in Florianópolis....I got another rough area haha. What´s cool is that I´ve basically spent my entire mission serving in Floripa beach cities so it will be easy and convenient to visit everybody when Mom and Dad come! My new companion is Elder Sena, he´s from Brasilia and he´s a super good missionary so hopefully we are blessed with great success!! I love you all and hope you give the kids lots of loves for me!!!

Love,

Elder Michael J. Neilson

April 9, 2012- Feliz Páscoa!!

Hey Everybody!!

This week of Páscoa (Easter) went super well! We got to invite lots of people to come and worship with us this Sunday and there were some who came, even for the very first time! During English class this week we made French Toast and the people went crazy for it! I had to hide my bottle of maple syrup because everybody wanted to take it home with them haha and we were able to have a super grewat lesson on the gospel and the Book of Mormon with some of the students! Yesterday we received sooo much chocolate, I couldn´t believe it! This week we will probably get a ton more. We had a great class in Church tho about the Ressurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ, and it was incredible. We truly do receive so much peace, comfort, and hope in knowing that death has been conquered and everyone of us will live forever. Now in this life is time to act and do what the Lord commands so that we may live in happiness with our families forever. I love you all so much and hope you have a great week!! Give the little ones some loves for me!!!

Love,

Elder Michael J. Neilson