A good ole southern hospitality "go to hell"

So yesterday was really tough! we tracted for an hour before our lesson... we came to a door and a man quickly but nicely told us that he wasn't interested and then as he closed the door, in the same sickly sweet tone he said "and you can go to hell!" 

Wow! such a good guy! then our appointment that we were supposed to have fell through... the man cam to the door just yelling at us and saying that he didn't like white people and that they has no right to treat him the way they did... aparently earlier that morning a white couple accued him of something and said that if they didn't pay them 20 dollars they would call the cops... and because he is forigen he paid the money... but he was all sorts of ticked off and hating on white people... can't say that i blame him.. that is pretty rude Then later that night, we knocked on another door and the man came to the door with a gun... ha ha... that is the second time that's happened on my mission.. fun stuff

Well this week was pretty hard! but on thing that i loved that happened this week amidst the hard parts... we met with one of our investigators... we were on exchange so it was me and a different sister, but we had planned on teaching from alma 36 about the repentance and forgiveness of alma... and when i asked if we could start with a prayer, he said he wanted to say the prayer... this was the first time that he had prayed in front of us... and as he offered the prayer he asked Father for forgiveness and he began to cry... as he pleaded with his Father for help to change... tears began to fill my eyes as i thought of how perfect the lesson that we had planned for him was... i thanked him for the beautiful prayer and i expressed to him that i knew that the lesson we were going to share was for him... and i testified to him that he could change and his Father would help him!! the lesson was great! the spirit was so strong... it was a wonderful lesson!!!

well, i hope yall are still reading along with me! 

i love yall hope you have a good week

sister nielsen 

Below:
Dannika hit her 1 year mark......

Some random persons pet pig....

--
Sister Dannika Nielsen

That awkward moment when you get kissed by a drunk man....uhhhh yep it happened!

HA HA so....i decided to put in the subject line for my emails, something funny that happened during my week... hope they make you laugh as much as they did me!

So let me explain! We were tracting an apartment complex in the middle of the afternoon and we came across two men standing outside so what do we do... we go talk to them... why... because we are missionaries.... that's what we do! so we get their attention by saying hi and walking toward them when we got closer to them there were obvious signs that they were drunk... the two men were enlisting the aid of their patio railing to help them stand and there were beer cans all over the ground... by this point we can't turn and leave... we've already engaged them in conversation and when we got closer... the smell of alcohol was aparent and their words were slered and the one man could hardly stand on his own... i hate to admit it, but it kinda made me laugh a little inside to watch this drunken scene... ha ha... so as i reached my hand out to introduce myself... the first man took my hand then before i could react, he pulled me in close and planted a big ole drunken, sweaty kiss on the cheek!! eehhkk!... i was completely speachless my attempt at sharing the gospel was ruined... but my comp though finding it hard to not laugh made a valiant attempt to share with them... we were hoping that it would have been one of thoes experiences where the gospel would awaken them from their drunken stoopers.... well better luck next time i guess! WOW!!!... well that was fun!!  

well family now that yall are rolling on the floor in laughter... how has your week been? hope yall have been good! 

my week was pretty good... drunk sweaty kisses and all! ha ha! 

this week was interesting! we had several return appointments with people and we had members all lined up to come us and everything... and  throughout the week every single one of the appointments fell through.... ehhhh so frustrating!! Last night the Lord helped to cheer us on though... we were eating dinner with a member and out of nowhere the husband turned to us and said " sisters... i just want you to know that you are doing such a great job out here! and you never know what impact you will have on people, but i want you to know that what you are doing is amazing! keep it up!" He had no idea that we had had a hard week, or that we were a bit discouraged, but i truly believe that he acted on a prompting and said thoes words that brought comfort to mine and my comps hearts... the lord is truly aware of our situations and he puts people into our lives will help us by sayngor doing the things we need at the time....But, even though we weren't having much success with return appointments... we did get in with a man that we have been trying to work with... and he has been meeting with us for the past week! This man is so incredible! He understands the scriptures so well, and he wants to change his life, he is caught up in some addictions that are going to make it diffiult for him, but i can see that he has a sincere desire to change... and it is the most beautiful thing to watch his eyes light up when we come to his house and he feels the spirit! The Atonement and the Gospel of Jesus Christ are amazing things i have so enjoyed watching people change and become the person that god wants them to be, and tap into the potential that they have as heirs to His kingdom... what a powerful life changing force that i get to deal with everday... i am so humbled by this opprotunity! What i think i love the most, is being able to catch a glimpse of the way that Heavenly Father sees these people that we meet and especially those that we work with... i can't explain it, but in my minds eye i can see these people accepting the gosple, i can see them dressed in white as they are baptized, then sitting in the middle of the circle with worthy melchizedek priesthood holders, receving the holy ghost... then going on and becoming a person that can feel the spirit and has peace of mind because they know that they are right with god... and then picturing the light in their eyes as they use the gosple in their lives.... when that scene flashes across my mind... there is an instant love that fills my heart... and i have seen them the way that their Heavenly Father sees them and that is the most incredible feeling that i have ever experienced. Once i can see someone the way Father sees them, it is impossible to dislike them, and impossible to forget them.... i know why missionaries are torn when they leave their missions... i will truly be torn when i leave these people that i have come to love so much. 

So this man that we have been workin with came to church with one of the members that we introduced him to... it was great to see him at church! and he seemed to really like it! 

i am so great ful for members who are willing to come and meet our investigators and help them out. This member that has felloshipped our investigator has really taken seriously his responsilities. he is not just his fellowshipper... but he is his friend. I just love this member his name is Bro. Prince and i have just been so impressed with him... he is a quiet and gentle man... never wants to be recognized... he just goes about doing good... i just love him and admire him so much! Members make all the difference in the world of the investigators... i hope that i can be a great member missionary when i get home!

Well family i hope yall are still reading along with me and didn't you just love the story of Abinadi what a great man! i am always amazed at his boldness! He really lets thoes wicked preists have it! 

I also love Alma... how his heart was prepared to recieve the words that abinadi had to say... Abinadi had a rough mission, he didn't get to see much fruit from his efforts.... but Alma was directly effected by his influence... what a great story!  we never do know what influence our words, or our examples will have on someone!

Well family i love yall and i hope that yall have a blessed week

L_O_V_E
Sister Dannika Nielsen

As we use the atonement in our lives we can let go of the things that keep us bound

Hello Family!

Hope all is well, hope your reading is still coming along! this morning i read mosiah 10 and loved :11-17 it talks about why the Lamanites hated the nephites so much... pretty much wat it says it that the hatred stemmed from laman and lemuel because the thought they were WRONGED when nephi was chosen to rule and when they had to leave Jerusalem and then again when nephi parted from them and took the plates with him.. they said he robbed them... and this was what they told their children and their children told their children... down through the many generations, until the lamanites became mortal enemies to the nephites... it was just so interesting to me that by this time in the book of mormon, lamen lemuel and nephi have been gone for quite some time, but this hatred still lives on... and this hatred has nothing to do with the lamenites that live at this time... they really had no reason to hate them, but since the stories and hatred was taught by their parents... that's just what they know! It is amazing to me how long lasting hatred can be... all because laman and lemuel held a grudge against Nephi... we see the cconstant battle between the two nations... these grudges were so petty too, and they went on to destroy nations... so sad... i know how important it is that we do not hold grudges, because when we hold a grudge, we teach hate whether we mean to or not, but those who watch us, learn hate by our holding a grudge... that may be our children or a companion, a spouse...ect. In church yesterday we learned about the healing power of forgiveness... even though hate is a powerful thing and has lead to the destruction of many nations, the atonement and the love that accompanies this powerful gift is much more powerful.. it can, if it is utilized, erase hate and ease the burden of a grudge... it is stronger then hate. As we use the atonement in our lives we can let go of the things that keep us bound and we can be transformed into a being that is comfortable in the presence of god! i know this to be true... i have seen it in my own life and in the lives of my investigators... the atonement is a powerful thing!

Well family this week hasn't been to eventful, but i have seen many miracles, and i have met some pretty neat people... i hope that you all have a wonderful day and i will talk to yall soon

love
Sister Dannika Nielsen

mountains to climb

I feel prompted to invite yall to watch the mormon message entitled "mountains to climb" you can find it on mormonchannel.org this message gets me every time... Elder Eyring is so powerful and the images that go along with the message are incredible!!

We all have trials but it is our faith in Jesus Christ that will get us through them!

love yall

--
Sister Dannika Nielsen

Our God is a God of miracles!

Hey Hey Yall

This week is transfer week... i am staying here in Johns Creek, but bittersweetly (is that even a word...oh well, it is now!! ha ha) i am getting a new companion... Sister Allen will be my new comp... i get to train her on the in's and out's of being a sister training leader... yay... unfortunately i will be loosing sister hamilton... sad days :( i will miss her greatly and hope that i can fill the rather LARGE shoes she has left for me to fill, not only did she leave big shoes, but also took up quite alot of room in these ward members hearts... this ward absolutely loves her and i just hope they can find room enough in their hearts for me... im sad to see her go... i really do love and admire her... but such is missionary life.

Glad to hear that yall are still reading. I have finally caught back up and am now right on track! I would really love it if yall would share some of your experiences with me about how the reading is going, what you think about what you read what miracles you have seen in your life as you have begun reading...etc. i love hearing others insights and especially miracles... those always brighten my day! So please, share with me! Yall are aloud to email me dannika.nielsen@myldsmail.net and with the new rules i can respond to any emails now, so id love to hear from yall! 

Well this week was really good... another hard working week! So sister hamilton and I set a goal this week to have 8 lessons with investigators with a member present... also known as a LIMP for short... getting LIMPs is kind of a struggle but we had been hitting 5 and 6 consistently and this week we had more investigators lined up than we had had in awhile... so we prayed and decided that we could hit 8 this week. so we put that as our goal and then with in two days 2 of our investigators that we had planned on meeting with twice this week, dropped us... so that is 4 LIMPs we wouldn't get... over half our goal.... but we knew that we had prayed about it and that is what we felt good about, so instead of changing it... we decided to go through with it... and something amazing happened this week... all week as we went about trying to achieve our goals, we had 3 former investigators pop back up and we were able to have member present lessons with them and and another new investigator that we had found while tracting one day invited us back the next day and we were able to find a member to come with us! All four of the lost LIMPs were made up... can you believe it!!! I totally and completely amazed at the goodness of God... He is most amazing!! I learned a great lesson that hard work and trust in the Lord brings about miracles! We had no idea where we were going to come up with those 4 extra LIMPs. but as we just went and did, the Lord provided a way for us to achieve our goals!! for a while there we were sweating it, because 4 days into the week we only had 2 LIMPs, but then friday came and that's when the miracle really happened!!  

     Ether 12:6 And now I Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things; i would show unto the world that faith is things hoped for and not seen; wherefore dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.

This scripture has come to life this week as we really didn't see how it was going to be possible for us to make our goals, but we hoped for things unseen, we disputed not because we felt that it was an attainable goal when we made it so we tried our faith and went to work and it wasn't till then that we were able to see the miracle unfold!! what and amazing week it was alone having met our goal... not to mention all the wonderful people we met and the lessons we had!

I know that as we put our faith to the test and push forward even though we can't see the possible outcomes, the lord will show us miracles! it won't be right away, it may not even happen until you have taken the last step that you think you can possibly take... but the Lord will ALWAYS be there to show you a miracle and keep you from giving up, he will build our faith and we will be stronger for the next trial... open your eyes to the miracles that happen in your life daily, and it will be easier to endure the trials you may be in right now... and if you don't know how to open you eyes to his miracles, i invite you to pray and ask your loving Heavenly Father for help to recognize the miracles he preforms daily! I testify that miracles have not nor will they ever cease as long as faith remains. Our God is a God of miracles! 

Well, im sorry that it isn't a super long email, but i do hope yall know that i have a testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, i know it's true and i know it makes the soul happy beyond description. It's a tough world out there and the trials seem unbearable at times, but i know that with my Father and Savior at my side, i can make it through all things! I am forever indebted to the Father and my Savior. I love them with all my heart!

I hope yall have a great week. Hope that you see lots of miracles i love yall

LOVE-
Sister Dannika Nielsen