Thank you mom for the updates :D

Dear Mom and family,

This week has been amazing! I am so grateful for all the letters (Ryan, Julia, Evalynn, Kyle, Jess, Kimberlie, and Mom) I feel your love and comfort every time I read. It gives me much strength and helps me not worry how things are going your way. I just loved all the little bits of advice and I told everyone about the USU football field (that was pretty cool! thanks Ryan!) The hermanas may have gotten tired seeing my cute niece but I was doting on her all night thanks Jess that was a beautiful card! 

Glad to hear life in China is going well (how did the picture stuff of Dylan go?) Glad to hear that the dog is doing so well! How is the garden doing? So glad you got it all planted :D fun fun fun. how did the trees do? I hear it might not have been so good :(. And the Asparagras? ok please have a sprig for me! they had it one day here and I was SUPER excited! :D 

Things at the MTC are still plugging along. I start to get nervous when I think about the fact that I only have 13 more days here! AH!!! I feel so unprepared, its a good thing I have 13 more days to try to learn as much as possible! Its Crazy! 

We went to the Temple this morning and did initiatories and I loved it so much! The ladies there were so cute asking where I was going (I was in white and in the initiatories, so I was surprised that they knew! they said that I had a great smile and a good glow :D they are so cute I just love them!) they all gave me a big hug and one gave me a kiss on the cheek, I love old grandma ladies! They are amazing! We used to have an old grandma (every friday p-day at the temple) that we'd say hi to (she is cute and short and just is always smiling!!!) and she would tell us stories and just want to talk to us, we changed times and days :( so I wont see her anymore. She is a doll though. 

Sunday devotional we had a crazy fun man whose name has escaped me (I forgot my book with my weekly notes to tell you what happened this week :( sorry) but he set up the stage so that people in overflow and people in the GYM would be seen and heard if he asked anyone to come up.  My district always goes to the overflow because its easier and that way we don't have to wait so long in line (it also gives us almost a half an hour to chill at the temple on our temple walk or read the scriptures and stuff we want to for a half hour extra). So we were in the overflow like always and the speaker said he wanted to see those in the overflow (it was packed in both areas!!!!!) so the camera scanned the area in overflow and Elder Duce started laughing! And the speaker says "ok stop the camera, and zoom into the one that is laughing" all eyes ZOOM straight to him... poor guys face went Bright red! And then the speaker said "raise your hand Elder, (Elder Duce does so) now I want you and the nine on your right to stand up and walk to the podium" My heart dropped! We all stood up and went to the front of the overflow, We were talking about things we gave up to come on missions. And the speaker said "Ok now I want all of you to come one at a time and tell the thing that you have given up to come on a mission" Again my heart dropped, cause I was so nervous that I would cry haha :D 

the things we gave up go as thus (at least the most memorable ones and the ones I can remember haha)

E. Duce "flying, flying school" (given a good talking too by the speaker about that one and such)

E. Salas "My job"

E. Lovell "My girl" (plenty of sad sounds and such and a good luck and a "yep, she'll be gone before you get home" by the speaker)

E. Bird "TAYLOR SWIFT" (haha you just gotta know E. Bird he is like Thomas but not my brother :D)

Me: " my family" and ya I didn't cry :D 

(sorry I can't remember the others)

It was a good devotional and I felt so happy and The speaker was hillarious and upfront the whole time! I loved it! not to mention that after I felt a bit... for lack of a better word... Famous. It was like being famous for a day :D it was funny :D haha 

I just see Heavenly Fathers hand everyday and love this Gospel SO much! I came here to serve others but I feel like He has placed more people in my way to help me than I have ever helped anyone else. I feel so blessed. I love it here! I'm grateful for all of your love and support! I keep praying for ya! :D thanks for your prayers, I feel them everyday.

Tons of love, kisses, and hugs!

Hermana Nielsen