I Always Kicked Him in the Shin

A very fun and exciting week.

To start, I would like to tell you about a recent convert named Ouen. He is from the area I recently left. He told me on my last day there, if he gets baptized he wants me to do it. No matter where in the world I am. So after a month in the offiice I got a call from the Pochentong Elders telling me that Ouen insisted I baptize him. I did, and it was an amazing experience. Brother Ouen lost his leg in the war. He was hit by a missile and it was amputated from the knee down. I used to do this thing where I would walk up to him at church and kick him in the shin. He would act like it hurt really bad and people standing around would be super confused until they realized was wearing a prosthetic leg. He was so excited to be baptized. As he climbed into the font, he had to carefully go down one step, adjust his leg, down another step, adjust his leg, until he was in the water. Getting out was the same way. As I watched, it reminded me of his conversion. He had some issues and problems like most converts. He carefully took it one step at a time. Little by little until he was ready for baptism. I realized it's the same way any of us who decide to make positive changes in our lives. One step at a time, then analyze, adjust, and move forward. 

Last Wednesday my trainer's group went home. They had such a solid group that it will be hard for the mission to make up for their absence. It was sooo cool to see them meet up with their parents after 2 years. It was a pretty emotional day for those elders. I got to conduct their final meeting as a missionary. It was a real honor to be there with my trainer.

Interestingly, almost every single elder's parents said something to me about the movie. In fact the Wellers couldn't stop talking about it. His dad told me I was a "movie star" in Sugar City Idaho. Then his mother asked if I could take a picture with her daughter to prove that "she actually met me." It was pretty awkward around the other Elders but it was alright. 

The new mission president is the man. He seems calm and ready to lead Cambodia and Vietnam! 

I love you all so much. The mission is a blast. I couldn't be happier. 

Elder Nelson 
 

Dairy Queen break in the Prado

We went to the airport to pick up President. We got to drive the Prado, which is a lot nicer than the white van we drive around. I'm thinking I want to drive a stick shift when I get back. Its always a big bonus going to the airport because it means that we go to Dairy Queen! 

In 9 days I went on exchanges with 7 different Elders. It was crazy. One place to the next. It's a great opportunity because I get to see what EVERY area of the mission is like.  It's our best opportunity to train, lift, encourage, inspire, and bless. It is so much fun to get to know missionaries that I would normally rarely even meet. 

Bad news, I have a stomach infection! I think. For the past 3 days I've gotten painful stomach cramps every time I try and eat something. Also, we have 2 missionaries in the hospital with Dengue Fever. Very rare to have 2 at the same time. Boy, it looks miserable. One elder was in there with a fever of 104 degrees for an entire day. They couldn't do anything to lower his fever either. It was tough to watch. He's a huge soccer player from Southern Virginia University and it took him out completely. I felt so bad for him. I guess getting sick is just part of the experience of serving here. 

I love you guys!

Elder Nelson