Hello Friends:
It has been an absolutely wonderful week for missionary work! This was the last week of this transfer cycle, so Elder Faustin and I worked very hard to make it a good one. We received transfer news on Saturday and learned that Elder Faustin will be leaving! So I will be getting a new companion at the transfer meeting this Wednesday!
On Sunday, we had the opportunity to go on splits with a few of the younger guys in the Russellville Ward. One of them is a “returned missionary” and the other is looking to go on a mission at the end of the year. I went out with the one who just returned home from a mission and it went great.
One lesson we taught this week particularly stood out. The other day, Elder Faustin and I were going around visiting a few individuals on the ward roster that we hadn’t seen at church for a while and we decided to go to the house of a younger lady. We knocked on the door and a 22 year-old guy answered and we explained whom we were looking for and he said that she wasn’t there, but before we could speak again he asked whom we were and what we were doing. We explained whom we were and he knew all about us because he would often walk to school and talk with Mormon missionaries early in the morning while growing up in Los Angeles!! Los Angeles!! Someone from my home!! So we started talking about all the places that we both knew in L.A. (Tito’s Tacos, The Kettle, beach spots, and all the piers). The subject that we both agreed on the most was how much we miss In-n-Out burger and can’t wait to have it again! Anyway, we scheduled a return appointment because it was late at night and said goodbye.
This past Sunday, the returned missionary that I mentioned and I had the opportunity to visit this man again and we had an amazing lesson. We taught him all about the Restoration of the Gospel and how important it is and he enjoyed every little bit of it. He was engaged the whole lesson and the Spirit was present the whole time. This experience really helped to show me how God is preparing people to be placed in our path that are ready to here the Gospel from us – specifically! I have been called to serve in this area at this time because the Lord needs me here to talk to people and change their lives. Even if this man or the other people that I run into never get baptized, I know that I will still be planting necessary seeds for future encounters they will have with other missionaries or members. I am going to continue to look for every opportunity to share this message we have with others because I don’t know whom God has prepared specifically for me. I am so grateful for this experience and all of the other wonderful experiences that I am having. I love and miss everybody back home (and In-n-Out burger)! Have a great week!
Love,
Elder Neser
Elder Nicolaus Neser 