"I Love Jesus So Much"

(Written Monday, September 7, 2015)

Hello Friends and Family,

It's crazy that another Pday has rolled around, why does time just go faster and faster the older you get in the mission. This week, I went to something called MLC which is Mission Leadership Council.  All the leaders in the mission got together to receive counsel that they could take back to their zones of working and training their missionaries. It was quite enlightening, a little stressful because they encourage you to continue to be better and you're like, "woah, I am trying!"  But I can always do more, but it's way good!

We came back to our areas and planned special training on always being converted by having spiritual experiences. So no matter what religion you are, ask yourself this question, when was the last time you had a spiritual experience? Hopefully it was today or yesterday, but we should try to have them often. If we aren't nourishing our spirituality, it will wither and we won't notice.

Sometimes we will just need an extra powerful experience. A couple weeks ago, we tried saying hi to someone on the street who didn't believe in God (which we didn't know) and rather than saying no he didn't want to hear it and walk away, he came over and started grilling us and trying to trap us in lies for like 30 minutes. Needless to say that wasn't a very spiritual experience and we walked away with our hearts feeling depressed and frustrated and sad. We went to our next lesson and were just having a discussion about God and it was so powerful the manifestation that both Sister Martin and I got as each time God, Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ or the atonement were mentioned and talked about. We knew He existed and that He knew us and what happened and the stark difference was incredible to notice. I was grateful for that moment because sometimes we need a reminder on the most basic of principles that God is our loving Heavenly Father and he knows us personally and loves us and wants to help us. So please, seek out a spiritual experience daily to nourish your spiritual faith and life! I promise it will bless you for I have seen it bless my own life.

We taught the Fellman family about tithing and the only reason April is worried about paying it is because she has a teacher's salary and she works at a low income school so kids come to school without shoes and good clothes and she buys it for them out of pocket. She wants to be able to do both but doesn't see how she can. We felt so prompted to promise that as she pays tithing, she will be able to do even more for those kids. And our inspired member shared that the relief society program for women at church would be happy to help! It was so wonderful! She has such righteous desires and I know the Lord will bless her for her good heart.

One final story for you all, last night, we watched the Testaments with the Nolin family. This movie sums up what happened in the Bible and Book of Mormon at the same time and when Christ comes to the Americas. It is an incredible movie and the spirit was so strong. Their ten year old son, Ryan, is very spiritual and very close to the Lord.  As he watched the end, he started bawling because he was so happy to see Jesus heal the faithful prophet. He said "I love Jesus so much, I want to hug him." We were able to talk about missionary work and how we can love the Savior even more now by helping him bring his other family members to the truth. He was asking why Christ couldn't come now and it was just so spiritual. Everyone was crying (even Brother Nolin who is the only nonmember in the family and getting baptized on the 19th) The spirit was incredible. Group hugs were shared and the week ended on a wonderful note!

I know Christ will come again, I know the work I am doing is the most important work on the earth and I, too, Love Jesus So Much! I hope you all have a wonderful week and a safe labor day!
I love you all so much!
-Sister Alayna Nelson

Taezon Hall's baptism, now the hall family is complete :)

Our Zone