Don´t cry for me Argentina!

This is my last letter in the MTC! ahh!!! I have a lot to write, so I will try to get it all out!

1. I got dear elders this week from Boon, Morgan, Maryann, Porter, and Libby! Thank you for sending them, I loved it!

2. I realized I havent talked about a normal day here... so Here it goes. Wake up at 6 to do 100 pushups, go eat breakfast at 7 (usually two bowls of trix and lots of milk and juice), have personal study at 8, grammer study for two hours, comp study and I.P. (teaching fake investigators), lunch at 12:15 (big meal, because that is the custom here), grammer for an hour at 1:15, language study (personal) at 2:15, physical activity from 3:15 to 5, grammer again from 7 to 6:45, dinner (really small :/), TALl (a BYU language learning program) at 7:30, class for 30 minutes (sit around and talk about our teachers life), planning for another 30 minutes, and then go to our rooms to hang out, write in our journals, and at 10:30 sleep. It is so much fun, and every minute is well spent!

3.I was reading about the holy ghost last week, on thursdsy, and figured I was doing pretty good with it. THe next day, was the worst day of my mission. I didnt feel the spirit at all, it was grumpy, and mad, and it was just no bueno. I prayed friday night that i would feel the spirit the next day, and it worked! I really did not explain that very well, but It was good for me to feel the difference in the two. I want to have the Holy Ghost with me always!

4. How was Nat´s birthday?

5. We had a devotional by Elder Viñas of the seventy, about bringing others to a knowledge of the truth.  We talked about how in the book of mormon, the missionaries always tried to bring others to this knowledge. After lots of scripture study, we learned that the truth is Christ, so they wanted to bring others to a knowledge of Christ. I am doing that as a missionary today. I want others to know Christ as I know him. Loveing, forgiveing, kind, etc. I know I can do this if I will be diligent.

6. One of my fears is that I will mess up while speaking spanish, and ruin the chance for others to come to Christ. Becasue of this, I have been hesitant to speak. I was reading in Docrine and Covenants 100:5-8, and found a not I wrote myself before  my mission. It said "get over yourself, open speak the gospel, dont be afraid." i dont remember writing it, but it was there. It was crazy awesome, and something I will always remember. I am going to open my mouth everyday, and I know the lord will fill it will words!

7. How about the Broadcast this last week? crazy awesome I think! I loved it all, and for the sake of time, am only going to share my favorite quote. "God knows his children, and listens to their prayers. He knows who is seeking him, and will lead us there." So beautiful and true! He will lead me to people who are in need of Christ, and I will be an instrument in his hands as I teach about the Gospel!

8.Today is the 169 anniversery of the martydom of Joesph and Hyrum Smith... I invite you all to read Section 135, and ponder what blessings you have because of him. I know that becasue he prayed, I have been blessed! I love the work that he was a part of. He is a role model for me, and I hope I can be similar to him in my life!

9. I have a quote from Elder Ballard, i believe, that has been hitting me hard this week. "Work and be diligent, so when you kneel at night, you can tell the father you have done all you could do." I am going to work my hardest, and hopefully the Lord will accept my work, and will bless my investigators for it!

10. I lvoe you all, keep me in your prayers, and please please please share the gospel with your friends. THey deserve to know Christ too, dont be selfish!

Giv´n um heaven! Elder Chelson

Hey There Familia!

Oh my goodness, this has been the fastest week ever! I cant believe I am writing again! Today we get 50 latino missionaries at the MTC, and in two weeks I will be leaving with them to go to Paraguay! Time flies when you are having fun and working hard! I pray for you all, and know you pray for me as well. I hope you like my letters, I try to be organized, but I know I am scatterbrained.

1. "I am glad you are my son forever." Last week I was in the temple, and after the session, i was reading my letters from Mom and Dad. Dad ended with that quote. I couldnt help but to be overwhelmed by the spirit. I know that I am sealed to my parents and siblings forever, and that is such a blessing for me. President Openshaw talks about how we dont want baptisms, we want sealings. I love being in a church where we know we can be together forever!

2. Following the Holy Ghost. I was able to have two great experiences this last week with following promptings of the spirit while teaching. The first was when someone was asking how they could know our church was true. We had tried explaining everything, and everyone as at a loss on what to say. I was prompted to say that they need to read the Book of Mormon, and follow the promise of Moroni. I promised that if they did they would find that our chruch is true. It was perfect. THe next was with an investigator that was seperated from his family, and wanted to know if God was mad at him. I was prompted to ask if he loved his daughters, and of course he said yes, and then I told him that God loves him the same way, but even more. That was the perfect thing to say. I know that if I can teach with the spirit, I will never be confounded.

3. Sunday Funday! We talked about repentance in sacrament meeting, and someone shared the saying "awake my soul." I truly think that sin drags us down, I have felt it. President had an interest analogy for it. He said our life is like a swamped canoe, the canoe being us, and the water being sin. If you want to fix a swamped canoe, you ahve to get all the water out. This isnt easy, but if you dont do it, it is practically impossible to paddle. We need to get all of the water, sin, out of our lifè before we can progress. It will be easier. I liked that. Elder Alder sang a beautiful song as well, which really brought the spirit to the meeting. BOSKIE, this is for you! We talked about how important the Aaronic Priesthood is, and I thought about you the whole time. Do you know what the keys of the aaronic priesthood are? the ministering of angels and the preperatory gospel. Go read Moroni 7:31 and read about the ministering of angels. You will find that all the roles of the ministering of angels point us to the Atonement. THus, you have the priesthood that aids with the applying of teh atonement to the world. You have a sacred duty to pass the sacrement. IT is very important that you stay worthy, and think about what you are doing. I know you are a faithful deacon, and that you are going to continue to progress to the point that you will be on a mission! Keep it up! ALso, everyone, go watch the mormon message called "the will of god." It is a great one!

4. We watched a talk by elder holland from January of 2009. It was at the MTC. I think I saw sister jurrus in the chior, you should ask her about it. He talked about diligence and hard work. His advice was to return from your mission on a stretcher. I wont do that, but I will try. He used so many titles for missionaries, including angels, superheros, diciples, defenders of Jesus Christ, helper of teh atonement, and sons of god. I loved all of them. I am doing an important thing here on my mission. He said that we study to bring others salvation. This is also the talk where he said salvation never was easy, so the mission wont be easy. If you can watch it, I fully recommend it. 

5. I am blessed to have President Openshaw here. He is a man of god. He prays for all of the missionaries, but also our families. He is amazing. I cant help to think he is almost Christ like. He has all of the attributes, and desires that we be great missionaries. I love the man.

6. I love the Book of Mormon. We talked about how important it has been in our lives, and I was thinking that without it, I would not have much. I would be without joy, hope, love, knowledge of eternal family, many of my heroes, etc. I studied alot of the great chapters in the Book of Mormon last week, like 3 Nephi 11, Alma 5, Moroni 7, 2 Nephi 9, and Heleman 5. I noticed that almost all of the great lessons in the Book of Mormon and taught to church members. THis is just another way that the Book of Mormon is for us. I changed my study plan for scriptures now. I now read the Book of Mormon, verse by verse, in english and spanish. I have learned so much from it already. I like looking at the differences in translation in the two languages. For instance, MOsiah 3:13says that prophets will teach every kindred nation and tounge, but in spanish it says familia instead of kindred. LIterally, the gospél the prophets teach blesses families. I love that! 

7. Like I told mom, I have been doing 100 pushups a day. It is not easy. I am large, and its not easy, jaja, but I am trying it. I am getting better at futbol, and can now hold my own. Its quite fun. There are some hermanas here who are giving everyone disney characters. I was told I am like Rex, from Toy Story. I dont know if that is a complement or what, but I am happy with it. I love it here at the CCM, I have gained so many friends, more knowledge, more spiritual experience, and a better relationship with Christ. 

8. I had tacos for the first time yesterday. Apparently tacos are an american thing... who woulda known?

9. Happy birthday Nat! You are too old! Just think, we have this church becasue of a boy who was around your age decided to pray. You are so marvalous and such! Be happy, and read the letter I sent ya!

10. Emily, congrats on being GOVNA! In spanish you say gobernater... gobernater emíly. jaja I like it! You are so brave to try for that! 

11. Dad and Mom, I have an emergency. I need 160 dollars in my debit account. I have to get money to pay a fee to get into paraguay, and cant cash the check the church gave me. I will send the check I have through the pouch home to you, and then  you can cash it and have the money. I need it sooner than later. I am sorry for the inconvience, I was literally just told this. Sorry.

I love you all! Keep praying for me! 

Elder Nathan, giv´n um heaven!

Good Week!

 I am so glad I get to write you all! I miss you, and think about you a healthy amount. Good news! I got another List!
1. I got my first haircut this week... Lets just say it doesnt look to great! I am hideous! haha i look like Norris Cole from the Heat!
2. Prosilitismo! This week I got to go out on the streets of Buenus Aires to teach the people about the gospel! I had some awesome exeriences as I taught! FIrst, a lady who owned a bakery was watching us as we were eating lunch, so we walked over and talked to her. She had been looking for more in life, and was so glad to see us! We talked about the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and ended up asking her to prepare for baptism. We turned her over to the real missionaries of the area! Next, we ran into a lady who was almost baptized 27 years ago, who has a testimony, but never committed! She was so kind, and we talked for a very long time. Later, I was feeling down, and we were taking a break to finish our lunch. I had a strange boost of energy, and was confident that I was going to give out a Book of Mormon soon! Sure enough, we saw a lady on her porch, and decided to go over. She was catholic, but openly accepted the book.SHe was so happy when she recieved it! She said she would read it, and that we could come back! We will return on Saturday! I am so anxious to have the opperunity again in Paraguay! They better be ready for me!
3. Sunday was one of the best days of my life! We had the best lessons! Sacrament was about obedience, and we learned that the lord wont ask us to do the big things, if we arent doing the little ones! We learned about healing, and how sacred an experience it is. We need to always be worthy to give a blessing. In sunday school, we talked about how a mission "can be" the best two years of you life. Our teacher is a former WR for BYU! haha he said that we only have to do two things to have the best mission ever. First, submit to the lord, and second, work our bums off! haha I really like that! We talked about Mary, and how she was a great example for Christ. SHe was pure from the beginnning, and in Luke 1:38 she shows here devotion to God! She raised the savior, and did a pretty good job of it! We watched the Joesph Smith movie, and my testimony of the restoration was strengthened. I am glad he was willing to go into the woods and pray, becasue it has made my life the best it could possibly be!

4. The other day, we had an elder run into a pole full sprint while playing football. He passed out on the spot, and couldnt remember anything when he woke up. He is alright now, and that is why I am bringing this up! We thought about two really awesome lessons learned because of it. First, we are protected. There is no way he should be alright. He should have been out for hours, and suffered alot of problems with his health. But he wasnt, because he had the Lords name on his CHest. Second, any of the 50 or more elders there could have given him a blessing. We will never find a place like that again. We were all ready to bless him, adn to comfort him. THat is amazing to think about.
5. My teacher has had some of the best sayings this week, I want to share with you... "Our church is supported by little boys, uneducated , and unprepared, but we are still running. That is a miracle." "If you want to kill an anaconda (they are all over in paraguay), use your machete on its tail, so it cant spring on you." "Run away from the purple spiders. They are human eaters, and will put you in the hospital for months" "IF you see a brown butterfly, run. they will pee on you, but it isnt pee, it is thousands of eggs, that will get in your skin, and grow to be more butterflies. IF it is on your head, you go back to the states, because they will eat your brain" Lets just say... I need the lords protection.
6. Devotional! We had a member of the Seventy come and speak to us yesterday about repentance. He talked about how the lord forgives us of our sins, and remembers them no more. He asked if we believed that. We all said yes, and then he asked why we always think about our errors. He said that "satan will work to keep you in past. He hates the atonement, and all of its effects. You need to have faith, which is in the future. Once it is in the past, it is knowledge, not faith." I am grateful that i have been forgiven, and that I am clean. The lord is merciful, and loves all. He lets us be clean.
7. It is really hot here, and it is in the middle of "winter."

I am grateful to be on this mission. I know that the Lord loves me, and wants the best for me. I am looking forward to the chance to share this message of love with the poeple in paraguay. They are children of god. They are loved as well. I am going to work my hardest, so when I get on the plane to come home, I can feel like Ammon in Alma 26. I know I can do it. THe Lord is with me.

ONe last thought from the Devotional. "It doesnt matter if you speak the language good or bad, only if you can speak with power." This power comes through testimony. I know that if I work, the lord will work through me! I love you all! Keep writing! It keeps me from going insane!

Love Nathan!
p.s. Mom, will you write you conversion story? I want to have it in case I need to use it with an investigator! 

Week Two!

Hola Family! ¿Como están? ¡Ah, Bien!
Haha obviously I am doing well on my espanol! I have been looking forward to this letter for a week now, because I always want to tell you stories! So here it goes!
1. I have made this place my home. The bathrooms are public bathrooms, but I have some how claimed my territory! haha I only use one of the six toilets, and one of the 12 showers. ALways the same ones. For some reason, this has really become fun for me! Traditions!
2. All the people who were here before me left this last tuesday, so monday night I had a good experience! All of the elders got together at 10:15, and sang called to serve in espanol, and then had a prayer as a group. I have never sang with so much intent in my life! I was grateful for the chance I had to meet these elders before they left! They were great for me! We have new elders today, and I have made a goal to be a good example for them!
3. Yesterday, I had a great spiritual experience, Mom, this is the one I was talking about. We were practicing explaining the plan of salvation in 1 minute, and it was my turn to try. i felt prepared, but when I went up, I forgot everything. It caused me alot of frustration, and for almost an hour I couldnt focus, or feel the spirit. I was so mad at myself! I asked my comp if we could go to our room so I could pray, he said yes, so next thing I know I was praying! I prayed for comfort, and for assistance. I will never forget the immediate relief I felt. I know that prayers are answered, and that God loves me!
4. Once again, all of the elders love my sisters. One of them, Elder Hobbs, wants emily to write him. So Em, let me know what you think! ;)
5. We get to go to the temple every week, and I was thinking about how special that is. I couldnt help but think about our family while I was there. I am glad we are a celestial family, and that mom and dad raised us in the covenant! I challenge you all to go as much as possible!
6. We were in a class the other day, where we talked about revelation from the Book of Mormon. We ended up talking about the difference between Laman and Lemual, and Nephi. If you think about it, all of them went back for the plates, all of them were raised to follow the law of moses, they were all "righteous". The difference, was the intent and attitude. Nephi was diligent, and desired to know the lord. This was a blessing for him, as he was given the Promised Land! Our teacher taught us that our mission can be a promise land if we will be diligent!
7. We watched a devotional by ELder Bednar on sunday. It was given at the MTC on June 9, 2009, if you can find it, you should read it! He talked about how we can tell the difference between the spirit and our own thoughts. Elder Bednar said to "forget about it, and go work!" He said that if we are good boys and girls, we keep the commandments, and we honor our covenants, the spirit will ALWAYS guide us! I love it!
8. Everyone is sick here, including my companion. I am afraid that I will get sick as well, so if you could pray for my salud, health, I would be grateful!
9. Fun side note! Our cook here is crazy awesome! He was actually the cook for the current pope! He was the popes favorite cook, but then he was chosen as the pope and had to move, so the church swiped him!
10. I love you all! Be safe and have fun! Days here are so long, but the weeks are short! I am 33% done in the CCM, and I don't feel to prepared!

darindo ustedes cielo!
Elder Nathan Chelson