HOLA from El Salvador!

Hello all! Greetings from San Miguel El Salvador. This week, I don't even really know where to start. So this week was good, the days feel like weeks and the weeks feel like days. Ill start off being really honest. This week was super hard at times. Mostly I was more home sick than anything. If you know me you know how much i love to be with my family and how important they are to me and a couple times this week I have had an internal breakdown

because of how much I just wanted to be home. I would never in a million years actually come home early, but that doesn't mean its hard to live here away from everything I know with little contact of home. But I was talking with Elder Beecher who is from my district and im probably the closest to here. He told me that yeah, it sucks. He can vividly remember his first change being trained and he thought it would never end. He thought there was no way he could make it two years because the time is just crawling by so slowly and he felt so out of place.. That pretty much sums up how I felt a lot of this week. But he told me my family is better off without me. At first that kind of hit the heart but the more I pondered that phrase the more i knew it was true. I remember when Tyler served all the many blessings we felt as a family because of his service. Who am I to deprive my family of these blessings with selfish thought? You guys really are better off without me, because you guys will be more happy and blessed because of this service. I have felt this to be true and although it is still hard at times this gives me a lot of comfort. Now, i don't want you to worry about me too much (mom). I really am doing great here. I am starting to get more comfortable with the language and comfortable with the lifestyle as well. Its very different from home here but I actually love the people and the way of life for the most part. Probably my favorite thing honestly is that every house without fail just has hammocks EVERYWHERE and it is my favorite thing in the world. We have had many lessons in hammocks honestly and when I get back I am definitely bringing a hammock with me. Also we had a multi zone conference with Elder Alonso from the 70. I wasn't able to understand all of it but i was able to get most of the things and it was really good and some deep stuff in there. Other than that we just worked. We walk so much I have blisters all over my feet and constantly drenched in sweat. But i am used to it already and hardly notice it. The drinks here in this country are awesome!! Probably the best is the tamarino y the charamusca (sorry i dont know how to spell it). We have some good promising investigators I really think have potential this week and i am excited for that. I do want to take a moment and give some well deserved thanks. First goes to Dad. Dad, I can not even begin to express how much you have taught me that has helped. You have taught me above all else to be a hard worker and do whatever it takes to accomplish a task and this is something that has been priceless on my mission. The way you conduct yourself too has always been something I have admired and as i try to emulate this in my self i receive compliments and immediately I gave thanks to God for such a great example for a dad. And Mom, I was always so close to you that honestly it has been the hardest at times being away from you. I miss dearly and cherish above all else the memories we have together and will always be a mamas boy and proud of it. I really cant put into words how much you have taught me and the example you have set, so i try to show it with my actions everyday. I truly cant wait for the day I get to see you guys again in the airport, but I promise it will only be after two years of an honourable mission. Well, it is kind of hard for me because I really don't get a chance to work out and I'm basically losing all my physique that I worked so hard to build forever but this is only a small price for the work I have the chance to do. The buses here are crazy and I feel like i have had many near death situations on them but they are fun at the same time. Its a lot of rice and beans here but I love it. The lord is really taking care of me and I pray for strength and help daily and I always receive it. I really do have a testimony of the Gospel. In the almost two moths I have been gone so far, my testimony has grown to the point I cant even recognize the one i had before my mission because it was so small. I can feel it everyday, the blessing and truth behind the restoration of the gospel and the book of Mormon as I try to be fearless in testifying. Well, that's all for this week. I have had a couple people ask and no I have not received any mail since I got in the field, but everybody says that is normal and it can take anywhere between 2 weeks and 3 months. But I really look forward to receiving them. Love you all and thank you for the love and support!

Wait.. there's more! 

So i tried to send pictures and everytime I do the computer crashes i really am sorry about that. The Internet is just really slow. Anyways things are hard but I'm doing okay with my companion. he is great, we are just really different. This first change as being trained everybody says is the slowest and then it just flies by. once again I apologize about the picture but I tried for nearly 10 minutes and time is precious. The language is still difficult but i am starting to understand and speak a little more. Also i wont have the chance to write everybody back but thanks for the words of encouragement. I read them all. Brother Foster wrote me and a feel like we have had a lot of similar experiences and it was a lot of comfort for me. Our house is actually one of the "nicer" houses in the mission but it gets really hot. Ill try to send a picture of them and my district next time. Love You all! PS I am Super excited to hear about Jessie I think of her every day. i hope that all is going well!

During the conference with Elder Alonso

Pictures

Elder Nelson's first day with the Mission President in El Salvador: 

First email from El Salvador!

Greetings from the country of El Salvador! As im sure you are all aware now I wasnt able to write you this last week and that was really hard for me. I have so many things I could talk about and Im not sure what to say so Ill try my best to share the most important things I can remember. So Last week we hauled on a bus and drove about 5 hours to El Salvador to the mission presidents house. The City of San Salvador was beautiful and President Vasquez was so nice. Im not gonna lie that first day was very hard though. I couldnt understand a thing anyone was saying and felt so out of place and anxious. it was really rough for me. That night they shipped me and the 10 or so other Missionaries to a house to sleep. Ive never seen a house in worse condition. It was hot with mosquitos everywhere, dirty mattresses, rat feces, a huge mess and I wanted to just go home. But being so exhausted I toughed it out and slept in my clothes on a dirty old mattress for a restless night. The next day we had our cambios where I got my companion. My companions name is Elder Acosta. He is from Pennsylvania and he is a super nice dude. He is teaching me a lot of things about the mission... one of them being I need patience...I love him and he is a hard worker but we are kind of very different people and we bump heads some times. but I am learning to have it be a learning and growing experience. Anyways that first day on Wednesday I was already out preaching the gospel and I couldnt understand anybody. The people of El Salvador speak their own type of Spanish that even now I have a real hard time understanding. But Thanks to the fabulous Jessie Bell and family i had a collection of notes and encouragements from family. I read that and what stuck out to me was "forget youself and go to work". So thats what Im doing. Here is the big secret that everyone knows but pre missionaries like to not think about... Missionary Work is hard. Really hard. I sweat to the point my clothes are soaked through and get super dirty and walk all day long. But nothing is more rewarding that when somebody is able to understand what you are teaching through the power of the Spirit. That is what keeps me going. Anyways OH YEAH my area is San Miguel, San Salvador. Aaaannnnndddd this area just happens to be the hottest and one of the hardest places to serve right now. It is built at the base of a volcano that is active (for some reason they thought that was a good idea) and is nothing like home. Thousands of dogs and drunks kind of roam the streets. The houses and very modest but the people here are amazing. They all have more Faith in Christ than I have ever seen and there are so many people here willing to hear the Gospel. Its hard because I still really stuggle with the launguage and my companion doesn't really teach me much (plus his grammar isnt great) but Im slowly and steady getting better. I am working hard. Yesterday I had my first Church here and it might as well been a swimming lesson. I have never been more hot and sweaty. I always want water and everybody here drinks water from bags. I kind of like it actually. The memebers here are awesome and they feed us 4 or 5 times a week and I love the food here. I had Papusas here for the first time and they may be the greatest thing I have ever eaten. I definielty wont get sick of those. Anyways i dont have a super lot of time now. But i Just wanted to share my experience. This work is hard, Im always sore, hot, tired, homesick, out of place. But I love to share the gospel and Im not afraid to share my testimony with everyone because I know the Lord will help me. Love you all and thank you for all the prayers and support. I definitely need them and can feel their support.

Pictures with Mission President

Estimados hermanos (as)

 Es un privilegio y una gran bendición contar con su hijo en nuestra misión, gracias por el sacrificio que hacen al dar lo mejor de su vida al Señor y a su hermosa Obra Misional la cual preparará la Segunda Vendida de Nuestro Salvador, sabemos que ellos encontraran a los escogidos y estamos deseosos de ayudarles a desarrollar su potencial.

Deseamos que les apoyen con sus oraciones y consejos en esta hermosa etapa de sus vidas. Y que sepan que ellos son del Señor en este momento.

Somos Misioneros de Jesucristo y de predicad mi evangelio y con su autoridad convertimos bautizamos  y retenemos 

 Con Amor Presidente y Hermana Vásquez

Letter from President and Sister Vasquez

Hello,

We are the Vasquez family in San Salvador. We received Elder Nelson here. He is very well prepared and has great faith. We are grateful to serve with him here in this part of the Lord's vineyard. Thank you for preparing him so very well--he is a fine young man. I hope your family receives many blessings for the sacrifice you have made to bring the gospel to many of God’s children here on earth. I know you will see God’s hand in your life and the life of your son during his mission. One of the promises of God to his missionaries is that they will be protected and watched over.

His preparation day is every Monday. He can write and read your email on that day. He sends his love to all of you.

The best way to send packages is by US mail as these will arrive directly to our office without any fees or problems. The address to send packages to is:

            Elder Chad Nelson

Misión El Salvador San Salvador Este

PO Box # 3362

San Salvador, El Salvador

Central America

We love our missionaries. We love and appreciate their faithful families. We pray that, together, we will all grow in our personal conversion to the Lord. We are working diligently to convert more than just the people of El Salvador. We so appreciate your faith and prayers on behalf of all our missionaries here.

Love,

President and Sister Vasquez

San Salvador El Salvador East Mission

Elder Nelson safely arrives in El Salvador!

April 14th, 2015 - Mom got a text from the Stake President who found Elder Nelson when he arrived after traveling from Guatemala to El Salvador: "Sister Nelson.  I am the Stake President in El Salvador.  Just found your son waiting for his first night in the country."  "I am from Utah and served here 15 years ago and now live here with my wife and kids.  He is super safe and sound." 

One week left in the CCM

Hola Familia! So this week coming up is a big one for me. This is the last week Ill be here in the CCM then I go out into the world. This week has been one to remember because of General Conference. I got the chance this week to take a break from classes and watch all 10 hours of conference and I thought it was one of the most amazing sessions I have ever seen. I think because I am here in the CCM the spirit was able to testify to me with much more power. I felt a General theme running through conference was that of families. Families are one of the greatest God given gift on the planet and the whole time I was just thinking about how lucky i am to have the family I have and how excited I am to have one of my own when the time comes. I loved the wise words given  by Elder Packer, the sweet old man giving what could possible be one of his last counsels over the pulpit and he testified of how happiness comes through the family. I love the saying that a missionary is someone who leaves his or her family for two years so that others can be with their families for eternity. Also some of the highlights from General Conference came from the Sunday Afternoon session which I thought was absolutely steller. Elder Holland stern and moving testimony on the atonement of Christ followed by Uctdorfs eye opening talk on Grace were amazing. Also Elder Andersons testimony on the glorious return of the Savior in the second coming brought so
much peace to my heart. There were many great talks but these are just some of the highlights i can recall at the moment. I hope everyone got a chance to hear from the Apostles and Prophet this weekend because their words truly were inspired by God and can help all of us. 

Anyways so the new Latinos came this week and this group was special because it contained the group of Latino Elders that would be going with me to San Salvador. There are 10 of us total and I have gotten kind of close with a feel of the Latino Elders so im excited to serve with them. I have also got more close to the other Elders in my district than I ever would have imagined and it makes me very sad to know that in week I am going to have to leave them all. Elder Steiner and Elder Chambers both go to Provo so we plan on seeing each other when we get off and
about five of the others are going to BYUI including my companion Elder Putnam so I plan on making a trip or two up there to see them. This week has been good. Other than General Conference it was kinda slow. I am so very ready to get out of the classroom and get into the field. Luckily we only have about 3 more days of classes and the other days are field orientations so it is going to come up super fast. My companion is leaving at 3 in the morning to fly to Honduras Tuesday morning and Ill leave about 5 in the morning to take about a 6 hour bus ride to San Salvador. I probably wont have a PDAY next week because of this so I may just be able to write a quick email to say I got there safely but I am not sure yet. President Provence and I had a good talk today after I went to my last temple trip here in Guatemala and he told me my mission pres. President Vasquez is a good friend of his and an awesome guy so I am really excited to meet him. apparently he is a lot of fun. And Mom just to help give you a couple grey hairs I will tell you that he informed me with word of caution to take strict heed to the safety guidelines because in the San Salvador Este mission currently about a third of the missions have some pretty gnarly intestine issues that are keeping them from doing the work most likely due to some type of worms. Ill just say I may have shed a tear or two. I dont want any worms in my body. But I know I will be protected and looked after if I am obedient to the Lord so that is comforting for me. Anyways It was good to see a few pictures of people and  Easter from back home. I really did miss spending easter with my family but there is a special spirit here and Hermana Cox the CCM Pres. wife cooked us a nice big easter meal. It was nice because the food portions here are anything but American and i consider them more of a snack but it all good because now there is a little extra room at my waistline. I definitely am gonna miss my district here and probably the food too when I leave but I am ready to go despite not really knowing any Spanish still.. Next stop.... EL SALVADOR. Love you all.