August 31, 2015

    Yeah this week was great and really I am so happy cause I got to stay in my area. I am still with Elder Licota and really this next transfer is going to be sick. I really love this area and I hope to continue teaching the people here in Villa Hermosa. haha it is kind of funny cause in my talk last week I said goodbye to everyone cause really I thought I was going to go but I stayed. And yesterday I got a lot of this, Oh elder Nieman you are such a liar. haha it was kind of embarrassing but hey I am glad to be here still. I really love this ward and really everyone that we are teaching. Well it sounds like I am going to be here for 6 months in this area. ha because at the next transfer he is going to go home and end his mission. So it is set that I am going to be in this area for more than 5 months. Wooow that is a very long time in a area but I am sure I am going to love every single moment. Really this week we found lots of people to teach and it was so cool because we were inviting people to be baptized like crazy. We have a couple baptisms at the end of this month and I hope everything goes according to plan. I trust that we will be able to help them understand that the church is true. I am so grateful and super pumped to start teaching every single one of them. Well also this week was crazy because we got to listen to Elder Bednar and wow when he entered the room I felt the spirit so strong and i was so happy to hear from this apostle. He had so many things to teach us and really I had a lot of questions answered in that time. Also he is probably one of the funniest people I have ever known. hahaha He was cracking jokes here and there. haha It was so awesome and he always has messages so powerful and every message makes you think. That was an expirence that I will never forget. During all that time I was thinking about how the gospel is so perfect and how the church is on the earth and we should never forget that these men are called of God. He made me feel peace and helped me out so much even though he wasnt talking to me personally. Even though we didnt get to shake his hand or take a picture with him that was probably one of the most amazing times in my mission. To meet an apostle of God. He taught us how we should always ask with faith and never doubt. And how we should ask god for the things that he can help us out with, not just automatically by giving it to us. When we say our prayers we should always ask for guidance and not only for things that we want. I can never stop thinking about the truthfullness of the message we carry as missionaries. I love this work and really I hope to finish out my mission strong and go through my life with the same attitude that I have now. This is changing my life. Well that is all that happend this week and I really hope this week is awesome for you all. I hope to hear from everyone because I love to hear what is going on back at home. Oh and if you guys have a question that I havent answered yet, ha I am so sorry but i will try to work on that. haaha but love you all and talk to you next week.

Elder Nieman

 Our mission leader brought us pizza for Elder Licota's birthday

 Elder Pierson (Sky View buddy) is in my zone

Pday at the beach

August 24, 2015

Wow this week was super fantastic and I am so humbled to be here. Well there was a lot of things that happend this week and really a lot of things that are going to happen the next week. Today we find out who is leaving the area or who is going to stay in the area. I am a little nervous but we will see how that goes. haha but yeah anyways yesterday in church I gave a talk. This time it wasnt so surprising but it went pretty well. I love talking to the people cause I feel like I am helping them with the teachings that Jesus has taught when he was on the earth. I think I taught something really good and I hope that it touched their hearts. Well also this last sunday we confirmed Yolanda a member of the church. That was sick cause I got to confirm her a member. Really it is so intimidating to talk in front of people but when I started talking the spirit helped me bless her and confirm her. It was really an amazing expirence and I hope to do that again. Well overall I felt that church yesterday was great. Well my other story I have for this week is really sad but really a story that I would like to share. We are teaching a little kid that is less active. His name is Jefferson and we see him all over the place. He is always running around and just having fun. The best thing about him is that he always has a smile on his face. Well these last couple weeks have been kind of hard for him because he doesnt really have caring parents. His mom has left him and his dad likes to drink quite a lot. Also this week a bunch of people have robbed his house and that kind of left him with nothing. But when we went to his house to teach him, I saw something that struck my heart. When he opened the door I saw a huge smile on his face and he was getting ready to listen to us. I thought he would be a little bit more sad but he was so excited to hear us and just continued smiling. Well we start to teach him about how we should keep the commandments and through all the lesson he was listening intently. He was so happy to hear the message and when we ended we asked if he needed anything. He said to us that the only thing he needed was for us to come again and visit him more. When he said that, that just put tears in my eyes because I couldnt believe how humble this 10 year old boy was. The only thing he needed was to hear from us. He is such a great example to me and should be for his parents to. It is so crazy to see stuff like that but it is truely amazing to see these things in the mission. Now we are helping him try to attend church. He is awesome and really I want him to be in the church every sunday. Wow that was amazing and I love these expiriences. Well that is all that has happend this week but I am so grateful for this oppurtunity to teach this gospel. Ohhh and in 2 days Elder Bednar is coming to our mission. It will be a meeting with Lima east and Lime North. It is going to be so crazy and I will make sure to take a good selfie with Bednar. haha yeah right but that is all for this week and I love the heck out of all of you. Talk to you next weeek

Elder Nieman

Villa Hermosa - my area

August 17, 2015

Hahaa the mission is so funny because one week I am so down but this week was absoulutly amazing. My heart is full of joy for the oppurtunity to share this gospel. Well the big news that happend this week is that Yolanda got baptized and even better her husband got to baptize her. This week was a little hard because it was full of mixed emotions. But the lord always finds a way to help his children. Yolanda came to us on monday and told us straight up that she wants to be baptized. She told us that when she was studying the bible and the book of mormon she felt a joy in her heart and felt the spirit of the lord. The promptings told her that she should be baptized and should join the church of Jesus Christ. That made us so happy when she said that and really we started to plan out her baptism right then and there. Well the day passes and we go to teach her and then she tells us that she doesnt feel so sure if she should be baptized. She left the room in tears and that feeling was horrible and really I thought we werent going to have a baptism this week. haha Well something happend that was so amazing and probably one of the craziest things i have ever heard. When we left, she started to pray and started to think of the things we have taught and then she fell asleep. haha but she had a dream that showed Jesus Christ and it showed Jesus Christ stretching out his hand to her. And all of a sudden she woke up and Immediatly started looking for a picture of Jesus. She searched for pictures from her church and then from our church. She started telling her husband that she needs to find the Jesus that she saw in her dream and She searched and searched for pictures. Well finally she left her room and when she left there was a picture of Jesus Christ hanging in the other room. She told us that she had a moment looking at the picture and finally burst into tears. Her husband comes to see what is wrong but she starts saying this is him.. this is him. Wow how crazy is that. Well she was interviewed and this saturday she was baptized. That was truely amazing to see her get baptized because she has come so far. It was a true change of heart because she didnt make the decision because her husband is mormon or that we were teaching her, or that her family is a different religion but she made the decision between her and God. She is truly going to be an amazing member of the church and I am just so happy for her. And now she has been telling us that she is very interested in the temple. I know that they are going to get sealed in the temple someday and that day is going to be so special. I love the gospel and Love being a missionary. I have the oppurutnity to see miracles and change peoples hearts. I absoultly love all of you and I hope this week has been great for all of you. Well I am going to continue with the email that I sent mom and dad last week,,,,, oooooooooooooooooooooooooo we are half way there, woooooooooooooooooooooo living on a prayer... take my hand we will make it I swear........ wooooooooooooooooo living on a prayer. haha sometimes I laugh at how weird I am sometimes. haha but yeah it is weird that I am halfway there but I am so happy to give it my all in this next year. I love you all and I hope your week will be amazing.

Elder Nieman

 Hermana Yolanda and her husband

 Woooo Woooooo Hump Dayyee!

A big day for baptisms

Elders in my zone

August 10, 2015

Well this week was great and just really happy with the way things are going. Really not a lot of things happend this week. hahaha Well today I just had an interview with President Boswell and really he knows exactly what I need. I really dont know how he does it but he just helps me out so much. I dont know why this week was so different but I am sure with the advice I got from President, that advice will help me overcome so many things. The mission is awesome but sometimes it gets hard. haha All I have to do is keep on going. I have noticed that just smiling gets me through some days. It is kind of funny because a lot of people just look at me weird and I am smiling for no reason. It feels good and really helps me think of how the Lord felt. He had to smile through all the things that happend. He made miracles happen and taught the people what they needed. Even though he had so many people reject him, He kept on going. He is my example and I will always trust in him more than any other person in this world. He is my light and he has called me to serve these wonderful people in Peru. Wow that makes me so happy and filled with joy. Really I have the greatest calling in the world. I will keep on going and I will especially do that with a smile on my face. hahaha But yeahhhh sorry for the sad part of my letter but hey it happens every once in a while in the mission. But somehow the Lord always finds a way to motivate me. Wellll If you guys dont know yet I am going to be 1 years old in the mission this week. hahaha wow that is so weird and I am thinking of the things that were happening in this time last year. It feels so good cause I was so scared to leave for my mission. But now I see myself here in Peru, speaking the language and preaching the gospel everyday, I see a change in me and really I feel like this next year is going to fly by. I cant wait to see the changes I will have when I finish. I am going to be a different man looking at the world with more confidence. I just want to say that I love you all and I hope your week is great this week. Ohhhhhhh and one more thing freak..... Elder Bednar is coming to the mission on the 26th of august. Wooooooooooo i am going to meet an apostle of God. That is going to be something so crazy and I cant wait to hear what he has to say. Well I just hope that everything is going good back at home and I love the heck out of all of you. Families can be together forever and God lives, Those two things are so sacred to me and I will always remember that. Loves loves kisses kisses

Elder Nieman

 My companion and I

We went to the beach

HAPPY HUMP DAY!!!

We sent Joshua a Hump Day t-shirt and a small photo book with pictures and these "inspirational" tags.
(Razor explanation: I bought 24 disposable razors and every Fast Sunday I throw away one. This makes the countdown bearable!)

With this tag, we added some pictures of Joshua's favorite things...his  5 nephews!

 Inside the envelope tied to the stuffed camel is this comparison of a camel to a missionary. 

            Above: Other items included in Elder Nieman's Hump Day package...and 2 dozen brownies! 
Below: a poster for Elder Nieman to hang on his wall :)

August 3, 2015

Woooo these past weeks have been so amazing. Well the first thing that I want to tell you guys is that I learned how to do the rubix cube. haha It took forever but I finally learned how to do it. haha That was probably the biggest thing that happend this week. hahaha nnoooo not even close. Well a lot of things happend this week and I am so grateful for this gospel and the priesthood that I have. This week Jharol got baptized and it was so awesome. He also chose me to baptize him and that made me so happy. When we entered the water I felt something so strong. The water was super cold but the spirit was with us. I love baptizing people. It makes me think of when I got baptized with dad. That was so awesome and I was so happy. Well Jharol was pretty nervous and the water was super cold. Well he starts shaking, haha and I started shaking too because the water was soooooo cold. haha But something really cool happend when I started the prayer. When I started the prayer he stopped shaking and I stopped shaking too. It was like the spirit warmed us up. hahaha but wow I felt the spirit so strong and when he was baptized he had a big smile on his face. Well we get out and go to the bathroom to change and immediatly he told me that we should pray. haha he is so awesome because he wanted to thank god for the oppurtunity to be baptized. So we start saying the prayer and after we finished he gave me a big hug. haha that was super awesome and something that I will always remember for the rest of my life. Well that was super awesome cause our other investigator got to attend the baptism. Yolanda so our baptism got her really excited to be baptized. She is ready to be baptized next week if everything goes right. I am so pumped for that day. She is progressing very well and she is realizing that this church is true. I cant wait to see her husband baptize her too. That will be something that they will always keep with them forever. Also she went to the temple and she started asking about the temple. She wants to be sealed with her husband and maybe in a year I will be able to see them get sealed. Wooow that is so amazing. But really I like to think ahead a lot but I will pray every night for that to happen. I love the church. It is so true and I think sometimes we get used to the fact that the church is perfect. Every day we should read pray and on sundays attend church. I found out that is the only way we can be happy in this life and when we die we will be able to rest with God and our families. I know it is true. Well that is all that happend this week and woow is it august. Woooww. almost 1 year. Well I am not going to think about that right now and for now I just need to work and work. Well I hope everything is going great at home and I love you all forever.

Elder Nieman

 Jharol and I after his baptism

Jharol, Elder Licota and I

Hahaha! Jharol looks kind of tired