Sowing Seeds, Reaping Rewards
  • Capstone Portfolio
    • Cultural Competence
    • Language Competence
    • Critical Thinking and Expression
    • Connecting Learning to Life
  • Home
    • Back to the Land of the Giants
    • Photos
  • MTC & CTM
    • Provo MTC >
      • The Journey Begins! Feb. 22, 2012
      • This is REAL LIFE! (Jeffrey R. Holland) Feb. 29, 2012
      • The MTC. I'm New Here...and Loving It! Feb. 29, 2012
      • "I Don't Know WHY We Love You, But..." Mar. 7, 2012
      • Stay tuned for the "Sisterhood of the Traveling Skirt" Mar. 7, 2012 >
        • More "Sisterhood of the Traveling Skirt"
      • Prayers ARE Answered, and Miracles DO Happen! Mar. 11 & 13
      • Is This What Foster Kids Feel Like? Mar. 14, 2012
      • Our 2nd "First Day" Mar. 19, 2012
      • I'll Be... Leavin' on a Jet Plane Mar. 26, 2012
      • Piecing Together Caveman Sentences Mar. 26, 2012 letter
    • São Paulo CTM >
      • I've Got a Stamp in My Passport! April 4, 2012
      • I LOVE Having Sister Dickson Here! April 11, 2012
      • My "Permanent Thumbs Up" April 18, 2012
  • 1st Area
    • Santa Margarida (May-June 2012) >
      • This is the Rio Life! Estamos no Brasil! May 1, 2012
      • There are Crazy Crazies Here. May 7, 2012
      • To Teach People, Not Lessons May 14, 2012
      • My Advice to All Prospective Missionaries May 21, 2012
      • The Crazy Crazies... Part 2 June 4, 2012
      • Manaus Has a Temple Now! June 11, 2012
      • My New Phrase: "Yep, Right There." June 18, 2012
      • The Responsibility of ALL of Us June 25, 2012
    • Santa Margarida (July-August 2012) >
      • A Superhero in the Neighborhood July 2, 2012
      • Let's Get Ripped, Spiritually. July 9, 2012
      • This is FUNNERRRR! July 16, 2012
      • Next-Door Neighbirds July 23, 2012
      • Is That a Peacock? July 30, 2012
      • Opposition in All Things August 6, 2012
      • Ye Olde Photographs August 13, 2012
      • A Challenge to My Dear Friends August 20, 2012
  • 2nd Area: Jacarepaguá
    • I Found My Smile! August 27, 2012
    • The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly September 3, 2012
    • District Fairytale?? September 10, 2012
    • Heavenly Hugs September 17, 2012
    • A Mission is SO WORTH IT! September 24, 2012
    • Growing Pains September 24, 2012 letter
    • An Up and Down Spring October 1, 2012
  • 3rd Area: Cabo Frio
    • Cabo Frio (October-November 2012) >
      • "Are You Brazilian?" October 8, 2012
      • More Advice for Prospective Missionaries October 15, 2012
      • Games Missionaries Play October 22, 2012
      • What a Pain in the Box October 29, 2012
      • You Win Some, You Lose Some November 5, 2012
      • Humble-Pied in the Face November 12, 2012
      • What a Weekend! November 12 & 13, 2012 letter
      • First Impressions November 19, 2012
      • You Are Never Alone November 19, 2012 letter
      • Faith For a Miracle November 26, 2012
    • Cabo Frio (December 2012) >
      • My House, My Rules December 3, 2012
      • Spurts of Sabedoria [Wisdom] December 10, 2012
      • SO Much To Do, SO Little Time December 18, 2012
      • Working For a 401 Miracle December 24, 2012
      • Almost a Heart Attack December 31, 2012
    • Cabo Frio (January-February 2013) >
      • Birthday Bash January 7, 2013
      • Unlike the Fat Personal Trainer January 14, 2013
      • The Best Day Yet January 21, 2013
      • I'm a Patient Woman January 28, 2013
      • No Time Today February 4, 2013
      • CarNATAL Yes. Carnaval NO. February 11, 2013
      • I Will Follow in Front February 18, 2013
      • Talent Show... Talent Hide February 25, 2013
    • Cabo Frio (March-April 2013) >
      • Leprechauns, Fedoras, and Ducks. It's Gonna Be a Good Day March 4, 2013
      • "WHO TOLD?!" March 2013 letter
      • Bloom Where You're Planted March 11, 2013
      • Being Me... a NEW Me March 18, 2013
      • Pneumonia Shpoomonia March 25, 2013
      • Hello Mom-o, Hello Dad-o April 1, 2013
      • TEEEMMMPLLLEEE!!! April 8, 2013
      • I'm the "LAUGH-ER" April 15, 2013
      • BIG, BIG NEWS! Drumroll, Please. April 22, 2013
  • 4th Area: Niterói
    • Fonseca (April-June 2013) >
      • We're Creating the IDEAL Here April 29, 2013
      • Hold Your Horses May 6, 2013
      • Let the Good Times Roll May 13, 2013
      • She's Gettin' Old May 20, 2013
      • Guns and Roses... with Thorns May 27, 2013
      • Oldsters Are the Greatest! June 3, 2013
      • And Lots and Lots of Love June 10, 2013
      • It's Not Us. It's God. June 17, 2013
      • And You Know What??? June 24, 2013
    • Worth the Wait July 1, 2013
    • Living Water July 8, 2013
    • I DON'T WANNA DIE!!! July 15, 2013
    • It's Not Abnormal to Feel Like Manure July 22, 2013
    • Splish, Splash July 29, 2013
    • Keep It Together, Man! August 5, 2013
    • Até Logo, Meus Amiginhos. August 12, 2013

My Advice to All Prospective Missionaries...

May 21, 2012 email

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Grammy and Rachel :)

Dear all those who are going on missions (and especially Jasmine),  [In response to Jasmine's letter]

Advice...

Learn not to overeat, and learn to go to the bathroom when you need to... or else you will be running late to a zone conference, and Genghis Khan’s revenge will kick in.  Really, you might think you are in control of your body, but what you put IN it has control of YOU.  Luckily, I was blessed with added strength like Nephi was given to break the cords with which he was tied.  It was truly a miracle.  (However, I am known for my loud gurgling intestines precisely 20 minutes after eating.)  Gooooo meeeeeat!

Get it out of your mind right now that you will strengthen your testimony during personal study.  Of course, you have to study the Book of Mormon for 15 minutes a day during personal study, but your main focus is strengthening those whom you serve.  And, honestly, you are the last person you serve.  Always.

Re-memorize your scripture masteries; because if you’re learning a new language, at least you will know where it is EVEN if you can’t read it just yet.

Before you leave, read PMG all the way through in your current language; you won’t have time to read it again on your own in your language.  Everything down to the “white bible” is read in your mission language.  And, golly, it’s tough to know what it’s saying, let alone get anything out of the reading other than new vocabulary that you have to study.

Love the Lord.  Jesus Christ is your sure foundation and should be the source of your thoughts, actions, and inspiration.  He knows how to succor all people, so trust Him.  Never forget that the Spirit is divine guidance, and remember to share this fact with your investigators.  The Holy Ghost is the 3rd member of the Godhead.  GOODNESS, do you need a more sure answer?  He has also been the teacher of alllllll decades, centuries.  He’ll know what to do when you get stuck.

Bring knee pads (jk).  Pray as often as you can.  Excessively even.  If everyone’s prayers were like a bell in heaven, yours should be ringing off the hook… with sincere desires of the heart.

Have a testimony of the first lesson and especially of the First Vision.  Joseph Smith saw God the Father and Jesus Christ because everyone on the earth thought they were one person.  His unrequited testimony of his vision brought the truth of the Nature of God back to earth; this is why he got such an answer from his prayers.  Plus, God knew Joseph Smith would not deny what he saw even when he received no further revelation for 3 years.

Communicate with your companion.  If you want your investigators to open up to you, you have to do the same with your companion.  So, you two are on the same page.  Always.

Loves,
Sister Nelson


[That's all she wrote this week.  She sure loves all her prospective missionary friends!  GO TEAM!!!]
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