The top of the hill

Aloha Sister Nielsen,

Well this week you will hit the top of the hill and be working on the downhill side for the rest of your mission.  If you think the 1st half went by quickly, wait and see the how fast the 2nd half will blow by.  Again it is all down hill and at times it will feel like you are running down that back side of the mountain.

I hope you and your companion had a great week.  We finally got over the flu bug that was going around our family and everyone enjoyed its benefits except for Erin and Carly.  Cody's baseball team had their last games of the regular season this last weekend against Spring Creek and Elko blew them away in the 3 game series.  The 10 run mercy rule was in effect in 2 out of the 3 games.  Cody did not play in any of them.  But that is okay.  But if they are not going to use him on the varsity, they should let him stay down and play at the JV level.  So this weekend, Cody's team will host the 1st round of the regional playoffs against Spring Creek again.  The elko varsity baseball team went undefeated in league play this year and they are 25 and 3 overall this year.  If Elko wins this weekend, they go to Winnemucca for the next round of regionals.   If they win that, they go to Vegas for state.

Erin was in Boise, ID this past weekend for another track meet.  I believe her 4x200 and 4x400 relay teams both took 6th place.  I believe that was pretty good as it was a big meet.  She was happy with the results.

It is starting to warm up here this past week.  We got into the low 70's on friday and sat.  I got a little sunburned on my face and neck from soccer and baseball games.  Both Summer and Carly's teams had soccer games out in Spring Creek on Sat and they both won.

We had an area authority and a member of the quorum of 70's come to Elko to speak to the youth and leaders on Sat and Sun.  They had a meeting for seniors and prospective missionaries and they told them not to serve a mission because it is the "in" thing to do right now.  It you want to serve a mission, do it for the right reasons.  I guess they have had a lot of people wanting to serve missions as it is the new trend and in thing to do, but are not spiritually of mentally prepared.  I thought that was interesting.  He also said about the Lord's work and glory to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of men.  He said, Christ through his atonement has already brought about everyone's immortality (everyone will become immortal... die and resurrection) and the only thing left of that mission statement is the eternal life of men.  Which is where we come in.  I thought that was interesting as I had not thought of if that way before.

Well other than that, we had a normal week.  We are getting our lives back to normal after tax season.  I still have about 25 more tax returns to get out.  Tonight is the last day that I meet with my accounting class, so that will be good too.

I am not sure if we told you before, but Rachael Campbell and her husband are moving to Alaska.  He took a job over there, and I believe she will go over after she finishes her teaching this semester.  Rachael told us we will have to go visit them and go hunting and fishing with them over there.  That would be fun, if we could do that.

Adelaide has another dentist appointment today.  She did very well last time and just had the laughing gas and fell right to sleep.  So I hope she does it again today.  She had to have a crown as the one cavity was down to the nerve.

I hope you have a great week.  We are very thankful to have a missionary in the field.  We appreciate your letters.  We love you and pray for you daily.

Love,

Dad

I hope we dont send the flu bug through email

Hello Sister Nielsen,
 
Well, here we go again.  You blink and there goes another week.  I had a busy week.  Monday was crazy being the 15th of April and we had our accreditors for the college here meeting with us.  Then I had my accounting class on Monday night.  My throat was hurting pretty bad and I was trying to fight off a cold.  But I made it through ok.  Tuesday, Cody had a double hitter against Carlin with the JV that he played in.  It was freezing cold and there were snow flurries throughout the game.  Mom and I sat in the car the entire time behind right field.  It was a mieserable day for baseball.  Codys team won big the 1st game 21-2 or something and they tied in the 2nd 5 to 5.  Carlin's varsity baseball team was suppose to be pretty good.  I believe Cody got 1 or 2 hits.  Then Tuesday night as I was going to bed, I started feeling funny.  I could not sleep much as my stomack was turning all night.  I kept going #2 losey goosey trying to keep from throwing up.  Had a mieserable night and then in the morning I went and sat in the rocking chair and threw up then and all day until about 6:00 pm. every hour and a half.  I finally took some of Chelseas anti nausiousness medication that she had from her appendisitis, and I did not throw up any more after that and I could finally sleep.
 
I did not go to work for 2 days and did not eat much the next day either.  Friday I went back to work for one half of the day. And about 2, mom and I decided to go to Winnemucca to watch Cody's baseball game against Lowry.  He said he would not play much, but the paper said it was going to be a really good game.  We thought they were playing 2 games on Friday, but they only had 1.  But time we arrange for some to cover moms crossing guard duties we left and got there in the 3 inning and it was 9 to 1 for Elko.  It ended in the 5th inning due to the mercy rule at 19 to 2.  It was ugly.  We got there in time to sit down for 45 minutes pick up Cody and come home.
 
Then on Saturday, Jordan and Sarah Dunn were being sealed in the Jordan River Temple.  Mom and I and the 3 youngest were planning on going over there in the Camery.  Well Adelaide was throwing up all night, so mom and the kids stayed and I went alone to Utah.  It was probably a good thing as mom has slowed down quite a bit since we were there in March.  My siblings all said she was acting funny.  But I had to help her get her pajamas on Sat night and she labors breathing and you can hear her breathing and weezing alot.  She doesn't talk alot now and her oxygen was down to 80.  It is suppose to be about 90.  She also said her blood pressure was up all day on Sat and she did not feel well. But she did go to church with me for sacret meeting on Sunday and to the Temple sealing on Sat.  But I was glad I was there to take care of her.  She needed my help.
 
The sealing was really neat.  The sealer basically reviewed the entire endownment session and ordanances.  He said, every other ordanance we do up to this point is done on an individual bases.  This is the only ordinance that is done jointly or with someone else.  He also talked about speaking evil of the Lord's annointed.  He said who is the Lord's annointed, yes, the prophets, apostles, and yes everyone in that room had been annointed.  So we must never speak evil about our spouses or any one else for that matter.  He also pointed out that the law of consecration to the kingdom of God.  What is the kingdom of God?  Our own household and families should be the kingdom of God as well as the church, etc.   Any way, it was good.  So afterwards, we all went over to Sharon's house for some home made cafe Rio.  It was a good time.  On Sunday, I took mom home after sacretmeeting and then I went to Sharon's ward for sunday school and priesthood.  Sharon was teaching the Gospel Doctrine class on the law of consecration.  She did a great job, and I learned alot about that subject.  After church, mom and I went to Sharon's for lunch as she had lots of left overs.  And I got back to Elko at 8:30 pm. last night.

 

Brandon and Alley and cameron were all there as well. Little Carson, Brandon boy is already walking.  It was fun to see all the family.

 

Sharon also shared this quote with us.  You know in the scriptures where it says if you don't repent you will be left to the buffetings of satan?

 

"According to the 1828 edition of Webster's Dictionary, "to buffet" means "to strike with the hand or fist; to box; to beat." The war in heaven is not yet over, and Satan, our implacable enemy, remembers very clearly our opposition to him in the premortal state. Those who choose Satan's plan in this life must be handed over to him. We are free agents, and we must be given what we choose. Like prisoners of war who have fallen into the hands of a hideously sadistic enemy, these unfortunates will be completely in Satan's power and must endure his full hatred, torture, and abuse. This will, indeed, be hell."  (Commentary on the Doctrine and Covenants, by Stephen E. Robinson and H. Dean Garrett)

 That is pretty scary.

 Any way, we love you and hope you have a great week.

 Love DAD

 

Tax season is almost over

 Hello Sister Nielsen,

 
Well I hope you had a great week.  My week covered mostly trying to finish all the tax returns.  I took off 3 days again this week to try and get everything done.  I still have 12 returns I either need to extend or finish.  Cody and Erin got home from San Francisco this past week and they moved Cody up to the varsity with baseball.  I am not sure I'm happy with that as those seniors on the baseball team are not the best young men in the world.  I don't know if I like Cody being around that kind of influence.
 
They had a double hitter against White Pine on Friday and Cody played 2 innings in each game.  He got a single in the first game and a triple in the second and walked once.  So he is 2 for 2 1000% with 3 RBI's at the varsity level.  So he said maybe I should quit now and end on a perfect note.  We really need to take him in to get glasses.  We were at mom's house going through a bunch of grandpa Nielsen's stuff and there were some old glasses that were huge.  He put them on and said, hey, these really help me see better.  He could read the titles of books on the book shelf with them on and could not read them without them.  So I told him to wear them to prom, but he didn't.
 
Erin went to Boise, ID for a track meet up there on Friday and got home at 1:30 am.  So the kids keep us busy.  Mom and I are going to be the soccer coaches for Carly's soccer team this year.  They couldn't find a coach, so we said we would do it.
 
Saturday, we went to Logan Carroll's wedding reception.  He married Aspen Price, I don't think she is a member.  That is 3 out of their 4 married boys that did not get married in the temple.  We sat by the Allemans and Becky Shumway and they all want to know how Amber is doing on the mission and how Chelsea and Brian are doing.  They all think alot of you girls.  You two did a good job of fooling them. Ha ha.
 
Well there is not much more to report on my end.  I have a busy day today, finishing all the taxes up.  We have our accreditors here at the college meeting with us today and I have my accounting class tonight.  So I will be relieved tomorrow.
 
Sharon called me on Saturday and Jordan and Sarah Dunn are getting sealed in the temple this Saturday in South Jordan.  So we might head over there this weekend.  Brandon and Ally are going to fly out for that event.
 
I guess mom is starting to retain water in her face and stomach.  That is a sign of congestive heart failure.  Every time I talk to her she only talks for a few minutes.  She sounds like she is laboring with her breathing.  We probably need to put her on oxygen and that would help.
 
Well, we love you and always pray for you and your success.  I know the Lord will bless you as you are obedient and continue to serve him faithfully.  I heard something the other day that said a mission will change your life forever and it does.
 
Love,
 
Dad

Some News from the Nielsens

Hello Sister Nielsen,
 
How was your week?  I took vacation days on Tues. through Friday to work on taxes and try to get them all out.  So there was not alot happening for me this week, but taxes.
 
General Conference was great.  David Beck (our cousin) talked in the Priesthood session and did a good job.  He talked on ministering.  Also in Priesthood, President Eyring and Monson both talked about missionary work and member influence on that work.  So you will have to print off copies of their talks and use it to get the members to help you with the missionary efforts in your areas. 
 
Yesterday, we had 4 missionaries over for dinner.  They said the average for missionaries here in the Reno, NV mission is 6.5 months.  Elder Sanft from Hawaii is an AP now.  So they have missionaries only being able to train for 6 weeks and then getting a new trainee.
 
I am sure it is that way all over the world with all the new missionaries.  It will be neat to see the growth of the church with all this hastening efforts and with all the new missionaries. 
 
Cody and Erin went to San Francisco with the Choraliers on Friday.  Erin left at 3:30 am and Cody left at 11:30 pm. Just another way for Ms Rogers to pay for her vacation in my opinion.  The weather got cold this weekend again and it snowed here this morning.
 
We were able to Skype with Chelsea and Brian on Sat. so that was fun.  They were at Brian's parents house to watch conference.
 
In between sessions yesterday, they had a show about these group of priests from Oregon that had befriended a boy who moved to their city.  After a few years, he was a friend to all these priest and dating an LDS girl.  Soon the Missionaries felt impressed to track his street and knocked on his door.  He let them in and they taught him and he started going to church for 2 years.  He taught lessons held callings but his parents would not allow him to get baptized.  Well when he was 18 he finally got baptized and the entire group of 7 priests went on missions.  They sent a tie around to all of them and they would sign it and wear it and send it to the next mission from their home town.  Any way it was a cool story about member missionary work called "The Tie".
 
Well, I have to go take the 3 youngest girls to the dentist.
 
We love you and pray for you daily.  May the Lord bless you in all your efforts.
 
Love DAD

Spring Break/Easter

Hello Sister Nielsen,

Well, I can't believe you have been out 8 months now.  Next month you will have been out 1/2 of your mission.  The year and a half missions really goes by fast.  That is why I still kind of feel short changed.  Well, things are going well here.  We had a good Easter yesterday.  We had our fast and testimony meeting.  It was nice have Easter on fast Sunday.  It was good.  

The nursery class seems to be getting harder and harder all the time.  Ever since we had the older kids graduate to Sunbeams and changed the time we meet to the afternoon, the kids seem to cry a lot more.  I don't know if they are hungry, tired or what.  But I am holding a crying child, mom is holding a crying child and the Samoan mom is trying to control her kid as he goes about throwing temper fits and beating up all the other innocent kids.  It feels like we have been through a 7 round boxing match.  But it is good.  The kids are cute.

Out kids did not do their Easter egg hunt yesterday.  It was fast Sunday so we did not do it in the morning, then after dinner, it started to rain, so we will have the kids do their hunt this morning.  This week is spring break for the kids.  The college had their spring break last week, so I will work this week and if I take off a few days, it will be to finish up some taxes.  

Saturday was a beautiful day here, about 70 degrees outside.  It feels like spring time.

Last week, Cody had a baseball game against Wells, and they won 12-2.  Cody went 3 for 4, but they have him batting in 9th place.  I guess the first few games he did not hit very well.  Then Cody and Erin were in Reno for track and baseball on Friday and Saturday.  Cody's team won all 3 games and I believe Erin ran a 66 on a relay in the 400.  She is still trying to get her time down to around 60 seconds.  This week, Cody goes to Idaho tomorrow I believe for baseball and then he gets home and Cody and Erin leave Thursday or Friday for San Francisco with the Choraliers.  So they will be gone most of this week.  

Grandma Nielsen is doing well.  She still loves to watch the Utah Jazz play basketball.  We are in March madness now and the final 4 are Syracuse, Louisville, Michigan and Wichita State.  Louisville is the only number 1 seed remaining.  Yesterday there was a freak accident in the Louisville game.  One of their players went out to contest a 3 point shot and jumped in the air and came down and landed on 1 leg (nothing unusual) and his leg  snapped in half about 4 inches below his knee .  It was like the Joe Thiesman injury in football, where his lower half of his leg was just dangling. It was pretty gross to watch.

I can't think of much else happening around these parts of the woods.  I am trying to get all our hunting tag information together to send those in before Cody leaves on his trips.

I am excited about General Conference this weekend.  I love general conference and love to here what our leaders have to tell us.  It should be exciting.  Were you able to attend the young women's broadcast on Saturday?  Erin was still in Reno, so she and mom will have to watch it through the internet.

Well, I hope things are going greatly for you and your companion in this new area.  We are very grateful that you are on a mission and serving the Lord.

It is the best thing you could be doing with your life at this point, and you will cherish your mission and the time you spent on your mission for the rest of your life.

We love you and pray for your success.  Have a super week!

Love Dad