The Red Panda Goes To Conference

(Written Monday, April 4, 2016)

Hello dear family and friends,

It's been a crazy week. I wrote this email earlier and accidentally deleted it with no way to retrieve it so it won't be as good as the first time, but here we are nonetheless.

Conference was simply amazing, I feel so grateful to have been able to watch it three times as a missionary. The messages were incredible and inspiring, Elder Arnold telling us to just get to the rescue and stop talking about it, President Uchtdorf talking about the building being restored and how Christ can restore us and all the awesome talks on families being together forever. That's really what it's all about, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only church that can offer families together forever. I love that knowledge and belief that my family can be together forever and I love sharing that with other people.

This week, one of the highlights was taking the Montez family and some of their cousins to the temple. As we showed them a picture before the visit they said, "Woah, that looks like a castle I want to go there everyday!" And as they walked around they were in awe at the beauty and peace around the Lord's home. They picked a spot on the temple and made it their promise between each other and God that they would go through the temple and be sealed as a family for eternity someday. I love having people do that, I even have my own spot on the temple that I can't wait to share with my future family.

This week has had a lot of ups and downs as I have continued to fight my health. After finishing up at a doctor's office today, they told me I have severe allergies and thankfully not mono or anything else crazy I've been worried about and that the medicine prescribed will take away all the struggles that have been keeping me down. Who knew allergies could do so much harm to you? I'm excited to go back to the fresh clean air of Columbus, Indiana soon so my face doesn't look crazy. We've been joking that I look like the animal called the red panda because of all the redness around my eyes.

Thankfully things should get better this week so I can proselyte my heart out before returning home. All I can say is that I love the lord, I love conference and listening to his servants, I believe in what they say and desire to apply it to my life. I know I'm not perfect and still have so much to learn. Thank goodness my progression doesn't end at the end of a mission. I feel so grateful for these precious moments to serve the Lord and now this worn out body won't get in the way of this fired up spirit. Just like it was said in conference "Christ has already cured this illness" and I'm grateful to know that is true. May you all apply what you've learned from conference for an even more spiritual week to come!
Love you all!
Sister Nelson