Where Love and Diabetes Meet

(Written Monday, November 2, 2015)

My dear family and friends,

I hope you all had a fun and safe Halloween, it was a wonderful but crazy week with so many miracles to work on closing the transfer. It is Sister Martin's last week as a missionary and therefore we must see miracles, awesome and crazy things are happening here and who knows what the transfer holds, but I only get four more, so I have to start making things really awesome. It's weird to me that I'm repeating days now and that a year ago I was in Mexico struggling my way through Spanish and now I'm nearly fluent, serving in and English congregation and 2/3rds the way done with life as a missionary. It's weird.

As for my birthday, it was wonderful, I have many more pictures on my camera but the place where we email still doesn't have Internet on the computer so eventually you will see all. I received so much joy and love from so many people and most of that love came through sweet treats which I am so grateful to have but can we just look at the picture below, I mean honestly people how are two missionaries supposed to eat all that? So lots has been given out to spread the love and joy of diabetes with the north Las Vegas area.

It was a great day though, we got to eat with one of our favorite members, Sister Avance, and she got us Panda Express (my favorite) and she got us pretty necklaces, she is so sweet! The only problem is, that morning we both woke up feeling super nauseous like we were going to throw up... I was just thinking, "Well I probably feel like most 21 year olds on their birthday, the only difference is, I didn't even have to drink to feel this way haha," but I felt better in the nighttime for some delicious Panda.

For Halloween we had a trunk or treat party at the ward and I slyly dressed up like Snow White the missionary. Perhaps that was immature or unprofessional of me, but sometimes you have to have a little fun and this is one of my favorite holidays and I dont get to do have the other things that I normally do so I felt like it was fair. As for the actual Halloween, we didn't proselyte in the evening because everyone is busy trick or treating and no one would believe we were missionaries, they would think it was a costume. So instead, we get together with all the missionaries in the mission and we do silly skits about crazy lessons we've had and then we got to watch the movie the Cokeville Miracle which is really good and about God intervening to save children in a school, I recommend it to everyone.

It's been a crazy week and here we go into the last week! I love you all, thanks for your prayers, I can't believe that it's November already! I hope you all enjoy the weather and life itself, it's a beautiful thing to be living.

Love,
Sister Alayna Nelson

Milestones

(Written Monday, October 26, 2015)

Dearest family and friends,

First off HAPPY HALLOWEEN ( I wish I could change the color and font on my iPad but sadly it isn't that advanced yet, or if it is, I have no idea how to do it, so just imagine that Happy Halloween looks really cool)

This is my favorite time of year and I'm sad I don't get to see the leaves changing in Indiana, but that's okay, I'll see them next year! It's been an incredible week with a lot of unexpected surprises!

I've had many milestones crossed this week as one of our recent converts had her sixth baby and his name is Tazion, we got to go visit last night and he just looked like a little piece of heaven in her arms, it was wonderful.
Another recent convert asked us if she could come out to lessons with us to teach the world about our loving Heavenly Father and she's a teenager and has already been out twice, I am amazed to see how fast she is growing.
Another recent convert got to go do baptisms for his ancestors in the temple this past Saturday and we got to go, it was my first time doing baptisms on my mission and it was so special and beautiful. I love seeing people grow and feel the spirit.
Among other things, I see my companion preparing to finish her mission and how that is impacting her work and service in her last few weeks, what giant milestones everyone seems to be crossing right now, but how neat it is.

I'm about to have some of my own milestones this week too. I get to turn 21 as a missionary in Vegas, how ironic and I hit my year mark on the 29th of serving a mission. I will be 2/3 done and I just don't know where the time goes.  I received an email from a very close friend who told me that there has been a mighty change over the past couple of years, but especially this past year. I personally can't see much but I do hope to return as a person completely changed by the atonement of my savior Jesus Christ. I know he gets us through everything, I know he is mindful of us and the challenges we go through, I know he helps us each day and as we watched for those miracles we see and feel them. Each day I learn better and better that this is God's church on the earth and that it is lead and directed by him.

I hope you all have a wonderful week and I hope each of you notice the milestones that you're crossing and having in your life right now and recognize that progression -not speed- is the key. Happy Halloween!
Love, Sister Alayna Nelson
PS: Sorry I don't have pictures this week, the Internet on the computer is down and I can't load pictures from my camera, so maybe next week!

Can you believe this crazy kid is turning 21. Just some lovely selfies from my iPad for you because I'm still five and refuse to be a legal adult this week. Taken this morning.