Great Reason to Rejoice!

Ok.. So I'm apparently all disoriented on my days! I totally wasn't expecting P-day today until we started daily planning last night and I was like "Woah... when did that happen?" So it's safe to say the weeks just keep going by faster and faster. It's also really upsetting when people at the sites are ALWAYS asking how long I've been out and don't seem to be satisfied with the answer "a little over a year" so they have to ask the dang follow up question of "how long do you have left?" And when I tell them the answer is 99% of the time the same: "Oh.... you don't have to much longer" with an occasional add on from RMs "the last 6 months of my mission went by so fast..." I KNOW!! I KNOW IT GOES BY FAST! I don't need that reminder every day of my life!

So anyway! On to the week! Last week for P-day we went to hang out at Canandaigua Lake for our fun activity! It was so fun to be back in my old area and to get to walk around the lake for a bit! It was so pretty!

It's crazy how many senior couples are leaving!! We had two that left this week on the same day, so Sister Olsen and I were the head of the bubble brigade with some of the other senior couples who blew bubbles as they drove away. One of the couples was supposed to leave the day earlier and as we were serving at the Smith Farm, we saw them drive around the parking lot and go to leave, so we ran out and started running after them. When they didn't stop we rolled under the fence of the Farm (since climbing over would've been a bit harder in a skirt) and we chased them down the street to one of the other couples' home. With how fast I ran, I could probably be in the Olympics..

We met with Norma again! She is just the sweetest, little old lady! She's really struggling but every time she feels stressed, she reads from the Book of Mormon! When we saw her on Monday, she'd already read through Alma 11! I can't even believe here! And she always has the best questions! We're hoping one of the members of the ward will be able to get her a ride to church this week! She is just such an amazing seeker of truth!

But the GREATEST news for the week is that James is getting baptized on Saturday!!!:) On Sunday we had the craziest lesson with him! We had our Ward mission leader come with us and we were wanting to talk about some of the commandments but instead, after we followed up on his reading, our mission leader grabbed a sheet of paper and started talking about the line of the priesthood and how it was passed down from Adam. And he started talking about the temple and what happens inside. Thank goodness for the spirit because in my head I was like "What in the world is going on! When do I step in? This is WAY too much" But the spirit kept me from saying anything. After explaining the temple and the blessings there Brother Ward said "James, the Lord needs you here at the temple! The Lord needs someone like you, mature, with a sense of responsibility to hold the priesthood. So what do you need to do to get to the temple?" James: "Get baptized.." Bro Ward "So when do you want to get baptized?" James: "Well.. when can I?" WOW!!!!!!! We've been trying to set a date with him for the last 2-3 weeks! And all of a sudden he wanted to get baptized! He said he didn't work this weekend so we set the date for Saturday and he's all good to go! He has the interview tonight!!:) It's amazing because as we talked to James, he's just been waiting because he knows how big of a commitment it is to be baptized and he wants to make sure he's fully committed. And he's there!

My whole mission I thought that once I got a baptism, I would all of a sudden feel like a successful missionary. But now that I'm getting to see this baptism I realize that it had NOTHING to do with me! Sister Olsen and I worked with James, but he was converted by the spirit! It was all the Lord! The Lord prepared him and led us to him! It had NOTHING to do with me! A verse in Alma says "Now have we not reason to rejoice? Yea, I say unto you, there never were men that had so great reason to rejoice as we, since the world began;" How great reason we have to rejoice knowing that we have the gospel of Jesus Christ in our lives! How great reason we have to rejoice because of the blessings of the gospel! How great reason I have to rejoice to be a part of the Lord's work!
I love you all and I'm so grateful for the Love and support!
Have a great week! 

Love
Sister Nield

P.S. pictures of Canandaigua Lake and my favorite fam from the Canandaigua ward at pageant!:)

 

 

The Calm After the Storm

So Pageant is officially over. It was almost culture shock the day after it ended when we all of a sudden didn't have 3,000 people coming through the sites every day!

What a great miracle Pageant is though! Sister Olsen and I got to go a couple more times! We went Thursday night with Zoe (our 9 year old investigator) and her 6 year old brother Noah and their Mom! Oh they make me laugh! It was so fun to have Zoe see the Book of Mormon played out and to see her love for the people that she's been reading about! 

Then we went again Friday night as our free night for ourselves. It was so funny! We picked our seats and sat down. For about an hour or so before the show starts the cast members will go throughout the audience and share programs, a spiritual thought, and get referrals if people feel the desire to share them. As we sat down these to cast members who were both RMs start walking up to talk to us and then they see the name tags and their eyes get big and one was like "Oh... Sister Missionaries..." haha so we had them come share their spiritual message and as they left sister Olsen was like "They were totally going to hit on us until they found out we were sisters.." Sometimes I'm very grateful for the nametag!:) Of course as we were at pageant, we had to get salt potatoes! Salt Potatoes are basically the Western NY's own version of heaven. Then, NY's opposite of heaven is the mosquitos... and other bugs. Friday I got some weird bite on my foot and all of a sudden the next day it got pretty swollen... I HATE BUGS!!

Earlier Friday, we'd been serving at the Joseph Smith Farm.  Halfway through the shift, I was standing in the Log home, talking to guests as the other 3 sisters were outside talking to people and in walks this man and his wife and 3 daughters. They were wearing the cast shirt so I thought they must've been members of the cast. He looked SO familiar though... I just kept talking to them and after a minute I realize who he looks like and I looked at the nametags on their lanyards and realized "OH MY GOSH!! THIS IS ELDER DUBE FROM THE SEVENTY!!!" On the inside I was freaking out and about died, but of course on the outside I kept my cool and stayed calm and collected. I got to sit and talk to one of the two African American members of the Seventy. No big deal! haha

Ever since, things have been slowing down at the sites. It's been nice to spend more time in our area again! We've been meeting with Norma quite a bit and she's read through Jacob 5 in the Book of Mormon. That's her go-to when she's feeling stressed! It's amazing that she recognizes the peace that comes from the word of God!:) 

I love being a missionary! I love knowing that this message that I share can change lives! What a blessing it is to see people change as they come to know their Savior even better than they already did! I LOVE WHAT I DO!!!

How can so much happiness and heartache come from the same thing? I don't know but I'm sure grateful for it!

I love you all and am so grateful for your support! 

Love Sister Nield

Pageant Week

I can't believe that pageant week is almost over! It's gone by way too fast but it's been a total blast, so that's great!

During pageant, we've been having the Buffalo Sisters staying with us during the weekends which means my baby Sister Rogers comes to stay with us, and the other night we had Sister Hunter and Sister Davis staying with us and we got to take them out on the roof to watch the fireflies! My favorite part is watching everyone as they struggle to get  back in the bathroom window! haha It looks hilarious! We have the greatest sisters in the world in this mission!:)

Last Friday, Saturday, and Sunday we served at the Book of Mormon Publication Site for 10 hours each which was great! I love that site so much! On Friday we had a few buses and 2,220 people throughout our shift! Saturday we had even more. I love being able to meet all these people and to be able to show them how amazing these places are! While at the Publication Site we had to give 15 minute tours, which meant walking up about 85 stairs between 30-35 times per shift. All I'm saying is I better have thighs of steel after this last weekend. Haha 

Saturday night we got James to go to pageant with us!:) He loved it! And it was wonderful because we took him to meet President before it started. Once we got them all introduced this is how their conversation went: President: "So you're working with these wonderful sisters. Are you working towards baptism?" James: "I'm thinking about it..." President: "That's wonderful I would love to attend. When's your date?" James: "Uh... I don't have one. I'm still looking into it." President: "Well how am I supposed to put it on my calendar if I don't have a date?" haha Oh how I love President! And because he's such a nice man, James felt totally comfortable with that conversation:)

Then we've spent a lot of time at the Farms this week. Monday and Tuesday at the Smith Farm and Wednesday at the Peter Whitmer Farm. EVERY TIME we're at the Smith Farm it rains. It's rained SOOO much this summer which is great (it's cooled everything down and it hasn't been too humid) but I'm not a fan when I'm at the Farms... Then yesterday at the Whitmer Farm the high was 69 degrees... This is seriously the mildest summer I've ever experienced and after this winter I think I deserve it. ;)

Yesterday as we were at the Whitmer Farm, we were giving tours to one of the 7 buses that we had and I was talking about the 3 witnesses. These men got to have such an amazing witness that they got to share with the world! THE WHOLE WORLD! They saw the angel Moroni and the gold plates and they heard the voice of the Lord telling them this work was true. And yet all three of them eventually fell away from the church. 2 came back, but it just shows that miracles don't produce a conversion. We have to constantly be building and fortifying our testimonies so that when the hard times come, there is nothing that can break them down. A conversion is a continual process. You're never completely converted. There's always more to learn; more room to grow. I'm so grateful for the opportunity that I get to serve in these amazing sites and to be able to consistently see how they help people to build on their testimonies. More often than not, they don't produce a converting experience, but they can help people to feel the spirit and build on their faith. What a wonderful place!

I love you all and hope you have a great week!

Love Sister Nield

Success Comes in Many Ways

Well... The time we've all been waiting for is here. And by the time WE'VE all been waiting for, I mean the time I've been waiting for. PAGEANT is officially here! They have the dress rehearsal tonight and opening night is TOMORROW!!! I can't believe it! It's been so crazy to drive past The Hill as we're driving to an investigator's home and see the stage get all set up in just a matter of days and now to see cast up there every day practicing!:) AAAHHHH!!!:) It just brings me so much joy! I keep looking back to my journal from last year and thinking about all the great memories from pageant last year! It's just such a great time of year!:)

All of the missionaries are required to go at least once so we all get to see it and then we can go 2 more times with investigators. What better way to learn about the Book of Mormon than to see it acted out? And my absolute favorite part is when Christ descends!:) Oh my goodness! The spirit is just so powerful! It's also really interesting to see the contrast of walking past the protesters and just feeling really yucky, and then to walk into the area where all the chairs and the stage are set up and immediately the spirit changes. :) 

This week has been quite the week! I was successfully able to make it through this week without getting fleas. You'd think that wouldn't be an issue... but it's a major issue... There are a few people that we visit where they have WAY more animals than should be legal and more often than not, the homes and the animals are less than sanitary. Haha

Monday we went and saw one of our investigators. You could see the fleas on her dog and it kept scratching and biting itself. When we went back the next day she'd also taken in a stray cat that also had fleas. Over the next couple days we've seen a few other people with flea covered animals and they're so open about it!! AHHH!!! We were teaching this one lady and her dog jumped on the couch and was sitting between Sister Olsen and I. As soon as she told us it had fleas, I tried my very hardest to not have a super disgusted/terrified look on my face and I kept inching away from the dog. For some reason it was super attached to me. It kept scooting closer and closer. It would start itching itself so I'd push it away very discreetly but it just kept coming back. Everytime we left these places I couldn't help but feel itchy and Sister O kept teasing that with how much hair I have, the fleas are probably making a nest on my head! haha BUT... I was successful in not catching them! Success can come in very different ways. 

However I was unsuccessful in the mosquito area. I have 22 mosquito bites all over myself, from my face to my feet. Welcome to Western NY..

I've also been studying Christ like attributes recently in PMG chapter 6 and today I was studying hope. "Hope is an abiding trust in the Lord". I was also reading in Alma where the people who believed Alma and Amulek were being thrown into the fire. After awhile, Amulek asks Alma if they'll also be cast into the fire. Alma's response is amazing! He says "Be it according to the will of the Lord." He has so much faith in the Lord that he knows that IF they are cast into the fire, that the Lord's plan is perfect. If they were to suffer those things, it would be ok, because the Savior knows what's best. We also have to have that kind of hope. We need that trust in the Lord that all things will work out the way they need to. I am so grateful for the Book of Mormon and the effect that it's had on my life and the effect that it has the potential to have in the lives of every single person on this earth if they will just read it with an open heart! The things we can learn from that Book are amazing! They truly will bring us closer to our Savior!

I love you all and hope you have a great week!

Love Sister Nield

P.S. the pictures show my mosquito  bite on my face and our "Pageant starts tomorrow face"

 

 

Another Crazy Week

Hey y'all! Another crazy week!

The sites are starting to get pretty busy and it's been so fun to meet so many people. Being at the sites has been one of the greatest blessings of this mission! Pageant starts next weekend! CRAZY! I can't believe I've been here for a year! 

Last week was kind of a bitter-sweet week. So Benjamin's baptism didn't work out... We've got some things that we're working through with him since we found out he hadn't been completely honest with everything. Sometimes I feel like I'm already a mother. All I want is for these people to be happy and then they have to go and do dumb things and it drives us nuts! So when we try to help them they get all upset and then we get frustrated. They have NO IDEA how much we love them! haha... maybe one day they'll understand! So Mom and Dad.. Thank you for being patient with me through my entire childhood.

We also met with Zoe again. She's our adorable 9 year old that we're working with. The first thing she said to us after our opening prayer was: "I have a question.. So... How would someone.. umm.. go about setting an appointment to get baptized?" haha She is so sweet. So we got to talk to her for a little while. Her parents met with missionaries for FOREVER so we're hoping that once they allow her to get baptized, they'll want to become more serious about it as well. 

We were also able to go to the temple this week with one of the members here. She got baptized a couple years ago and she's great friends with all the sisters so it was so great to see her so happy! The temple really is a house of God where we can feel the spirit! That was much needed this week! 

We also had exchanges with the Fairport sisters this week. Sister Flores and I had such a great time. Our evening ended by crawling out our second story bathroom window to sit on the roof and watch the fireflies! Fun fact: if you hum Carol of the Bells, the fireflies look like one of those houses at Christmas time with lights that flash to music.
For the spiritual thought for the day, I'd like to share one of my Favorite scriptures: And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of neverending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it. 

I've thought a lot about this scripture lately with all the changes and craziness that are going on in the world. But it all comes down to being willing to keep the commandments of God. That's where true happiness will come. No matter the world says or does, We will always have a loving Heavenly Father who will consistently be here for us and bless us when we do what we're asked. He's the same yesterday, today, and forever. 

I Love y'all and hope you have a fantastic week!

Love Sister Nield

 

If You're Happy and You Know It

I'm running on 3 hours of sleep, so if this email doesn't make much sense, I apologize. Being a missionary in and of itself is absolutely exhausting. But when you only get 3 hours of sleep, it's pretty much impossible.

This last week has been pretty great! We've been serving in the sites a ton, which is so great, but then yesterday I came to the realization that #1: the fourth of July is next week. And #2: Pageant is only 1 week after that! How is it already pageant time?! I can't believe that! That means I've almost been in the field for a year! I wish time would slow down! After pageant what am I supposed to look forward to next?!?! Just kidding! There will be tons to look forward to!

We had a great weekend! Benjamin came to church! We've been working with him quite a bit to get him ready for baptism. He'd been going to the Lyons ward for a while because he has friends there, so our bishop wanted him to come to the Palmyra ward a few times before getting baptized, which makes sense considering he'll be getting baptized into the Palmyra Ward. So he's been coming here the last few weeks, which is great and he's really starting to make friends here which is really great. He just has the greatest desire to have the gospel in his life. There have been a few obstacles that keep coming up, but the Lord is just making everything work out perfectly! After overcoming so many road-blocks, he should be good to go for Saturday:) WAHOO!!:) How wonderful to see the changes that the gospel makes in people's lives!

Also, we have been working with a cute 9 year old girl, Zoe. Sisters have been working with her parents for a while, but since the parents haven't really gone anywhere with it, we've really focused on the kids. Zoe is the smartest 9 year old I've ever met and always has the greatest questions about the Book of Mormon. Well this last weekend, we went over to visit her and her mom looks at us and says "Is there anyone that would be able to give Zoe a ride to church? She's just been DYING to go every week." My jaw just dropped to the floor. Since I got to this area, I've been praying for her mom to soften her heart and allow Zoe to come to church. So we called the Primary President right after we left. She lives about a half hour away, but it just so happened that she would be in Palmyra that night and would be able to go over and meet Zoe's mom and then pick her up for church the next day! Oh... and not to mention... She has a daughter that's exactly Zoe's age. Coincidence? I think not... She was such a doll at church! She even went up with the primary kids to sing for Father's Day! When church ended, we went and found her and she was SOO excited!:) She just kept saying "I want to come every week!! This is so fun! I just have to come every week!"

We've seen so many blessings, on top of being in the sites 6 days a week!:) On Monday, we did exchanges with PalMac who are the Site Trainers and they had to take another companionships shift at the Smith Farm, so I served my shift at the Smith Farm with Sister Olsen, then when we exchanged I got to stay at the Smith Farm with Sister Jones!:) Who else in the world gets to say that they spent 12 hours at the Joseph Smith Farm...? No one... And yet, with so much time in the sites, our areas are just exploding! It's amazing how the Lord can hasten His work without me! I'm just lucky to be a part of this great work! And Being in the sites is so fun! I saw a family from Smithfield yesterday at the Peter Whitmer Farm. I got to take one of the Elders that had been in my district in Irondequoit and my Zone in Buffalo and his family on tour as they came back to visit his mission. There are just so many great things about where I am!

I just can't even describe how happy I've been lately! Sister Olsen and I are best friends. I live in one of the most sacred/beautiful places on earth. I get to serve in dedicated sites where people come to me to learn about the gospel. I have great family and friends back home! Even with 3 hours of sleep, I'm still happy! And it's funny! Missions are not easy. There are people that are rude. Now that pageant is getting closer, we have more anti's at the sites. We get doors slammed in our faces and rude things said about us. And yet... We're happy. What the Heck? It's because we are sharing the true and living gospel of Jesus Christ. It's amazing the joy that really comes from this gospel! This really is the only way to true joy and happiness! To ETERNAL joy and happiness! 

Thank you all for your love and support!:)

I love you!

Love Sister Nield

 

.002

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