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Hello everyone! I can't believe another week has passed! It seems like I'm emailing every other day!

This last week was a really great week! We were able to meet with quite a few people and we were at the sites everyday except P-day. 

It never ceases to amaze me how the Lord does His work! He can hasten His work, even if I'm not in my area all day every day! Our area has been seeing a lot of miracles! We've been teaching Becky's mom and she is just the sweetest little old lady. I'm convinced that she's one of the reasons I was transferred here! She came to the Smith Farm when Sister Locher and I took Becky. And when we shared the first vision with them, Norma's eyes got really big and she looked at me and she said "Do you feel that?" haha She's so ready for the gospel! We're also working with a man named Benjamin. He'll be getting baptized next weekend hopefully. He has such a great desire to do what the Lord has asked of him and to live the gospel. He's so funny!

I won't lie. When I came back from being full pros it was really hard for me to not have all day everyday to be in my area, finding and teaching people. I loved the sites! I loved being at the sites. But it was hard at first to be back. I've come to realize since then, luckily, that serving in these sites is EXACTLY where God needs me. If He'd needed me to be in my area all day everyday then He would've called me to a full proselyting mission. But He didn't. I'm part of the .002% of senior couples and young sisters that are serving in the world today that gets to serve here in the New York Rochester mission and in these sacred historic sites. I was called HERE because He needed me HERE! Coming out, I wanted to teach as many people as possible in a short amount of time and who would've ever guessed that'd be in a Visitor's Center. These places are dedicated for people to come, feel the spirit, and strengthen their faith in the Savior. I get to help people with all different levels of testimonies (active member, less active, non member), and I get to strengthen their faith in the Jesus Christ. And whether I'm teaching the 95% members or 5% nonmembers, I am a 100% effective missionary because I am strengthening their faith in the one who provided their salvation. HOW GREAT IS MY CALLING!!!! I get to teach the restoration in the place where it happened. I get to help people from all over the world recognize the reality of the restoration. Last year during pageant we had over 90,000 visitors. I'm needed HERE! I am a guardian of the restoration!:)

I love these sites with all my heart and I don't know how I'm ever going to be able to leave them. They have stolen my whole heart. I love getting to have the opportunity to find specific instances where I and my testimony is needed here. The other day, Sister Olsen and I were serving at the Hill Cumorah and we had a young man that came in. He's from this area and he passes the visitor's center every time he drives home from work. He got off early so he decided that he'd stop by to see what was going on. Well as sister Olsen and I were using the resources that the visitor's center provides, we were able to teach him about the restoration and help him realize that there is purpose to us being here. We gave him a Book of Mormon and were able to share with him how he can know for himself that it's all true. How many other missions get people coming to them? Not many.

Since the Pageant is coming up pretty soon, we've been getting TONS of visitors lately. A lot of youth groups have been coming and it's been cool to see these young men with their mission calls. They have no idea how much they are going to love these people in the areas they will serve in. They have no idea how much heart break they will feel when someone they love rejects the gospel. They have no idea what's ahead for them, and in a tiny general way, I do. They are so lucky to have the opportunity to serve their Heavenly Father. One part I don't appreciate about the youth groups is all the flirting... I can't even explain how many times I've wanted to step between them all to make them stop. Haha 

We also had Zone Conference this week and I realized how close the Hill Cumorah Pageant really is. We only have a few weeks left and it blows my mind to think about how quickly this last year has gone. I remember pageant like it was yesterday.

There are so many great blessings of being able to serve here. I love my mission. I love it. (For lack of better words.)

I love you all and hope you have a great day!:)

Love Sister Nield