Jungle Boy

G'day Mateys! HAPPY EASTER!




The emails this week were so exciting! Sounds like everyone had an

awesome easter. Everyone sounds so happy which is great to hear. I

love my family! and friends.



Well Jungle boy and I had a great week this week. Haha man seriously

thats how I feel sometimes. You have no idea. Do you remember that

movie Jungle to Jungle? yeah. Thats my everyday life haha. Just

kidding its not that bad. He just ate a chocolate egg off the side of

the road and while we were tracting I turned around and found my

companion "watering" the neighbors tree. Yup. Good on ya mate! But

other than that the missionary work here is picking up!



We have a solid investigator pool right now. Some investigators were

formers(taught previously), some we found on our own and some were

member referrals. There was nothing TOO exciting this week with our

teaching but we still had some cool experiences. One experience was

with our investigator Jake elliot. Jake has done a lot of research and

study on the Bible. He believes passionately that the Bible is the

word of God. Which is great! But it also left him very skeptical of

the Book of Mormon. The last lesson we had with him was a bit

contentious because he wanted to compare scripture and it was

completely pointless because he interprets every scripture the way HE

wants to. But in the end of the last lesson we committed him to read

and pray about the Book of Mormon and he said he would and that he

would meet with us again. So we went this past week and he said he had

read (he didnt really read). We read through Moroni 10:3-5 and

committed him right there to pray. I felt the spirit. We knelt down

and Jake just sat there in silence. He wouldnt pray! JAKE YOUR

PRIDEFUL! No I didnt say that but I was thinking about

it.....afterwards. I knew while we sat in silence that the spirit was

really working on him. He used his moral agency and decided not to

pray. He chose instead to continue to try to mingle scripture with his

own interpretation. It was really sad. But we testified boldly of the

authenticity and divinity of the Book of Mormon and left him with a

prayer. The reason why I wanted to mention this story is because even

though it was a moment where things werent going exactly as planned. I

still felt the spirit testify to me that the Book of Mormon is the

word of God and I felt the spirit strengthening me in a time when I

was backed up to the wall of faith. I love the feeling of being a

missionary. I also hope that none of us will be like Jake. I hope we

all strive to seek the Lord's will instead of our own. I know if we

do, we will progress.



Another quick awesome story! YOU CAN RECIEVE REVELATION AT SACRAMENT

MEETING! While I was sitting in sacrament meeting this week we had a

High councilmen visit and give a talk about Easter. His name is Bro.

He and he is from China. While he was giving his talk I remembered a

Recent Convert from a year ago that we had run into during the week.

His name is Jerry Hong and he is also from CHINA. Jerry joined the

church 15 days after he came into Australia. The reason why I know him

is because I was able to do the baptismal interview for him last year.

Right after sac. mtg. we grabbed Bro He and asked if we could go visit

someone. He happily said yes and we drove to go see Jerry. Jerry had

just woken up and he was making himself breakfast when we introduced

him to Bro He. You shouldve seen how excited he was! He didnt even

know there were such strong members of our church that are Chinese.

They talked for awhile and exchanged information. Bro He told him

about his ward in Ashfield that is completely chinese and Jerry is

going to go there next week. He was so excited! But on top of all that

Bro He told Jerry that he was an electrical engineer which is Jerry's

dream career! Thats why he came to Australia and thats why he studies

so hard. Brother He offered him help with his studies. Jerry kept

saying "I'm so happy, I'm so happy!" I was happy too! haha. I was

watching Him answer his son's prayer and I was so excited to be apart

of it! I know that God loves all of his children and he hears our

prayers. He always finds a way to answer. I love this gospel. I know

that God lives and this is where we find never ending happiness. A

quote that I love from President Monson is "Its easier to be Obedient

100% of the time than 98% of the time." President Monson is a prophet

of God. I Love you all! Ofa atu



Elder Nelisoni

Malo lelei!

Malo lelei!




Fefe ake? Sei pe? Io. Haha see I'm learning a bit from my companion.

What great news this week. The blessings of serving a mission are

endless! I love my mission. I heard from Jimmy Stringam this week in

an email and he's been home for about 2 months now. He was one of my

favorite companions and he told me how hard it is to "let go" of the

mission. I dont even want to think about it. I bet Adam had a similar

experience. By the way when you see him tell him I said gday mate and

that in a few short months we'll be able to hang out again.



Let me tell you a bit about our week. We had a good week. We found a

few new investigators which is really exciting. Most of them we found

through GQing. One of them is Cecilia Vave and she is actually related

to the Mafoa family in our ward. I swear that family gets bigger and

bigger each week. Everyone is related to them. I actually wasnt

present for the lesson because Elder Vaivela and Elder Branco were on

trade offs because we wanted to give Elder Vaivela an opprotunity to

lead out in the area. Elder Branco said he did well which was exciting

for me! Elder Vaivela will be the best Tongan missionary this mission

has ever seen! He really is a great companion and his english is

noticably better. So they taught Cecilia the Restoration and they said

it went really well. She had some great questions and she wants to

come to church this week! I'm excited for her.



We added a couple new investigators from Armenia! Cool eh? We teach

people from all over the world here. We stopped by and gave them a

Book of Mormon in Armenian and invited them to church. They were late

as but they came! They liked it but it was very different for them.

They come from a staunch Catholic background so after sacrament

meeting they were like "so...where is the statue of Jesus and where

are the candles?" dont you give time to pray? I was like UHHH yeah in

the great and abomidable church they do!! haha jk. I just quickly

explained that the most important part of the meeting was the

sacrament and why its so important. We're going to teach them the full

Restoration this week.



We also taught Dave Reilly's partner from Thailand about Jesus Christ

using the Finding Faith in Christ DVD because she's Buddhist and has

never learned about Jesus Christ. That was a cool experience too. It

reminded me when President said " We are representatives of Jesus

Christ. We RE-present Jesus Christ to the world." I'm thankful that

the Lord trusted me to be able to do that.



I'm going to have to go but I love you all so much! thank you for

being faithful enduring to the end. Is there someone else around you

that you could reach out and help? Save the one-President Monson. I

know that God lives and Loves his children. The purpose of this life

is to learn and to progress. We can become more like our Heavenly

Father through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I know this is His

Church. I'd also like to add that the gospel is as exciting as you

make it. It doesnt have to be boring. Spice things up! There's a time

to be serious and there's a time to have fun but serious doesnt have

to mean unhappy. Be of good cheer! Its all through the scriptures. IF

YOUR HAPPY AND YOU KNOW IT...SUCK IT UP!



Love, Elder Nelisoni

Thankful for the Restoration

G'day




Hey mates! We had a pretty crazy week. Whats with everyone trying to

play "Bash" the Mormon missionary?! Its been a few times in a row now

where we meet these people that are like oh hi and nice and they

invite us over and then we start the Restoration and then BAM!

contention! It must be happening for a reason because its only been

happening to me and Elder Vaivela. This week we taught Joel who even

met a member of Manly ward on the bus and recieved a Book of Mormon

from them. He seemed to be really interested when we first met him and

he's a really nice guy but when we went to teach him he wasnt exactly

humble. His biggest concern was when we said that we are the ONLY

church that holds the authority of God. He didnt like that. BUT he's

texted us a few times since we saw him and asked us a few questions so

he must have felt something when we met with him. It just goes to show

that it doesnt matter how many scriptures you go through. You can

argue until your blue in the face but its not until someone FEELS the

spirit that they will become converted. I also want to add that I know

that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints really is the

Lord's church restored to the earth again. He is the head of this

church. Thomas S. Monson is His prophet. The Authority to baptize is

in this church. And the Keys to the children of God's Salvation is in

this church.



Unfortunately our investigators were busy this week so we didnt get to

teach very much. But this week should be full of teaching. General

Conference was Awesome! I loved it. I learned so much. Priesthood

session was again my favorite. President Uchtdorf really was on fire.

His talks really get you pumped! I loved the "Do It Switch" analogy.

Maybe you noticed a different overall theme but what I noticed is that

each talk had an underlying theme of ACT. And Do it Now! Its in the

Doing that we'll gain a testimony. Its in the Doing that we're going

to bring more souls unto Christ. Its in the Doing that we achieve

Exaltation. I hope that we will all be "Doers of the word and not

hearers only." I know that I've definitely seen that on my mission. I

could also add that doing takes humility because when we GO and DO we

make mistakes and we have to repent but when we do, we progress. Thats

the purpose of Life. I felt the spirit multiple times during

conference and I also want to say that I'm so grateful for the

knowledge of a living prophet! Thomas S. Monson really is God's

mouthpiece.



We had Zone conference this week about the Restoration and it really

got all of us missionaries really pumped to share our testimonies with

everyone. Something that President Simmons read really touched me.

Have you ever thought about the blessings we have personally recieved

from the Restoration? Becuase of the Restoration I know that God Lives

and Loves me. I am a child of God. Because of the Restoration I have

had great friends that were a great influence in my life and helped me

to be a better person. Because of the Restoration I was baptized so

that I can return to live with Heavenly Father. Because of the

Restoration I have the Holy Ghost. Because of the Restoration I can

access Jesus Christ's Atonement and Repent of my sins. Becuase of the

Restoration I can take the Sacrament every Sunday and renew my

baptismal covenants. Because of the Restoration I'm a missionary.

Because of the Restoration I've been able to help God's children to

find more truth and more happiness. Because of the Restoration I've

seen lives change. Because of the Restoration my family is happy and

strong. Because of the Restoration my family is forever.



Have you ever thought about that? I know that I hadnt until the Zone

Conference. I encourage everyone especially my family to spend the

time to think about the blessings that you have recieved personally

because of the Restoration of the Gospel. I cant express the joy I

feel when I think about these blessings that I have recieved and the

blessing I have to share these truths with others. I know this is the

Lord's work. I love you all heaps as! Ofa atu



Elder Nelisoni

Germany

G'day,



How ya goin mates?! Sounds like there are a lot of crazy happenings!

Congrats on your mission call Brittani!! Thats so exciting! If you

ever get to meet President Uchtdorf tell him I said hi okay? And tell

him my name....and where I served....and what my favorite things to do

are. Haha just kidding. I just realized though that If you do get to

meet him then that would be so cool because you could speak to him in

his first language. I met a few German people this week actually. One

of them was really nice so dont get discouraged that it might be hard

Brittani! That just means you'll see heaps of miracles. Australia is

known to be a "hard" mission too. Just trust in the Lord and watch him

work! But you know that and I'm excited that I'll get to see you

before you leave.



Thank you for the great emails! Let me tell you about my week.


We had a great week. We had a few great teaching appointments. Our new

investigator Ananda is from Brazil. She's really cool. She's a surf

instructor. In Brazil she was apart of the Christian Science church

but now that we've taught her the Restoration she's committed to

reading the Book of Mormon and praying to ask Heavenly Father if its

true. I'm excited for her.



Elder Vaivela and I found a miracle this week. The night before in

planning we prayed and asked Heavenly Father to guide us on where we

should go to do our finding. We decided that we would tract in

Brookvale on Consul street. We biked across our area and while we were

traveling we noticed a huge rain cloud coming our way....ohh no. It

was crazy because it came in fast and it was like we were watching

"the end of days" happen. So we got to our street, locked up the bikes

and it was like someone just opened a massive hatch in heaven. Boom!

instantly soaked. But! Also as soon as it started raining we heard a

voice crying out to us. Elders! Come inside! This guy at the first

house was calling out to us and inviting us in. I was thinking to

myself "Who is this guy? is he crazy or what??" No one has ever

invited us into their house when it was raining. But we went in

nonetheless. It was a great visit! His name is Johan Dupreez(said the

French way: Yohan Dupria) and he is an excommunicated member! WOOOOAH!

haha yeah I was tripping out! And also...he served a

mission!...ha...ha...uh oh. But he also told us that he wants to get

back in to church...AND INTO the church. I'm excited! He also has a

non member wife that we can work with too. Miracle!



Its Elder Vaivela's 20th birthday on Sunday!


Another amazing story that I'll mention quickly is that ALL of the

Reilly family came to church this week! wooooo! the Reillys were a

less active family that I was working with last year when I was here.

Me and Elder Bills helped their son Kingi to be baptized. But they

still had a hard time coming to church. Now they are working on going

to the temple! They both shared their testimonies this fast sunday and

they were so powerful. By the way I want to mention that Bro Reilly is

coming back to church after 35 YEARS of being innactive! Its never to

late to come back to church. Miracle as. I was on a huge spiritual

high yesterday.



Well I better go. Elder Vaivela's english is slowly improving. I'm his

english teacher! I'm learning a little tongan too. Its pretty fun. I

really want to learn another language. I'll probably learn spanish

though because It will be way more useful in the States. I love you

all heaps. Catch yas lata.



Elder Nelson