Hi loved ones!

This week started really slow but ended on a really good note.

On Tuesday night we had a lesson planned with our new investigator Diego and we were soo excited because all of our plans fell through that day. We started the lesson like normal and he told us he read the chapter from the Book of Mormon we gave him and received a lot of revelation and inspiration. Sister Hazen was stoked and asked him what he received and he said "The revelation I received is that I don't need this gospel. I don't need a checklist to get into Heaven." I think my jaw dropped. I don't know where he is getting his revelation from. After telling us we all just sat their and he told us he was surprised by our reaction and he expected that we would yell at him....nope we were just sad. 

While we were walking back to our car Sis Hazen said something that I have been pondering all week. She said "He just doesn't understand. We aren't going to church or reading our scriptures so we can check something off of a list. We do it because we are so thankful for everything Heavenly Father and our Savior did for us. We go to church to worship and praise them because we want to, not because we have to. "

If everyone understood that this world would be a much different place. Nobody makes us take the sacrament and if you are looking at it as a chore then you don't understand what it is. The sacrament is 100% a gift for us that we get to receive every week. 

On Wednesday we started teaching Buddy!! He was a referral from a member in our ward. He has no religious background and knows nothing about Jesus so it was a completely blank slate. The lesson was awesome and since we were having such a blah couple of days Sis Hazen and I were hyper. At the end of the lesson he pointed at Sis Hazen and said "you're the bubbly one" and then he pointed at me and said "and you're the emotional one." I cant disagree with him. Every time I talked I started crying. 

Our next lesson with him was the Plan of Salvation and he said it was the first time heaven has made sense. He is now on date to be baptized on January 7th! WOOOHOO! On Sunday he was driving home to Florida for Christmas (22 hours drive) but he first came to all three hours of church! 

Nothing else to exciting happened. We finished planning Killians baptism, went caroling with the senior missionaries and ate a lot of junk food (hot Cheetos and cheese) between knocking doors.

I hope everyone has a great Christmas! You don't even understand how much I want to give you all a hug. Thank you all for the Christmas cards! I think one day I got 20 and I started tearing up.. haha. I'm such a baby.

I love you. I miss you. 

Love,

Sister Nye

Hey all my loved ones,

This week was crazy and i'll just start off with what happened last pday..

Sister Hazen and I went to a salon so she could get her hair colored and I was thinking about getting my hair trimmed. Our recent convert Hilda worked at the salon as the receptionist so everything was free. I need a trim so I went for it....and right at the first snip I knew something went wrong. A 2 inch trim turned into an 8 inch haircut. I put on my poker face and said I loved it even though I was dying inside. We left the salon after 5 hours and went straight to Walmart so I could buy a pint of icecream. I was doing so good until dinner that night when a member pulled my hair out from my jacket and said "what happened". I instantly started crying and felt like such a baby. When we got home that night I got into my bed with my icecream and ate the whole thing in silence. The next day Elder Pearson of the seventy came to our mission and taught us for 6 hours. I got so much out of it but I also got a huge slap in the face for how worldly I had been about my hair. Its just hair and it will grow back...

The rest of our week was awesome! We have been working and praying so hard to find people to teach and it worked! We got two new investigators and as far as we can tell they are pretty solid! ALSO we had three investigators at church!

My favorite experience this week was when we stopped by a less active member who hasn't been able to be contacted in a year. Roshin's mom isn't a member but she answered the door and let us in which was a miracle. The reason he stopped coming is because he had heard anti Mormon things and no longer believed because of the doubts he had. We were able to clear them up and his whole continence changed! He was willing to hear a Christmas message and pray with us. We invited him to church and he came with then biggest smile on his face. 

Last night we had a lesson with a young man named Diego. He is super smart and we weren't sure how serious he was about learning the Gospel but at the end of the Restoration lesson everyone was tearing up and he told us that he would give the Book of Mormon a shot. Diego has been baptized before and from the beginning he would tell us he didn't need to be baptized again but after that lesson he understood that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has the authority so baptize that no other church has. I love when that finally clicks for people. This is not just another church that gives people a reason to be kind to others. This is the only church that will get us back to Heavenly Father with our families! 

I know this church is true. I don't have a single doubt. 

I love you so much!

Love,

Sister Nye

 PS once again so sorry this email is not good. I get super hyper on p days and can't think straight ;)

These pictures are after the "dramatic" haircut (Mom's words- not Hayley's)

Hi all my loved ones!

I can't believe it is December. How did that happen? I am so glad to be on a mission during this season though. Our number one way to contact last week was using mormon.org and the new Christmas video. If you haven't seen Light the World I would really recommend it. It has really changed my view on what it means to be Christlike. The other thing I noticed while watching it is how many miracles we see today without noticing them. I was reading in 3 Nephi this week about the sign that was given for Christ birth and how at first the Nephites were astonished by the signs and miracles but they were quick to forget them. It even says in 3 Nephi 2

"...and the people began to forget those signs and wonders which they had heard, and began to be less and less astonished at a sign or wonder from heaven."

I hope this Christmas we remember the signs we have been given.

Our week was busy and we were able to be apart of our stakes nativity event! We got to be Angles in the live nativity with the rest of zone. The spirit was so strong and it was such a perfect way to get into the Christmas spirit!  I played the part of main angel... no big deal ;) but I missed my

que during the second performance and it was so awkward. I was talking to a lady back stage, totally distracted when my companion pushed me out of the curtain in front of 200 people half way through my part. I was red but I learned to pay attention so that's always good. 

We got a new investigator this week named Ben. We met him before family home evening a couple weeks ago in the Walmart parking lot. Sister Hazen invited him to the activity and I was totally doubting if he would come be he did. This week we had a lesson with him and he totally accepted everything we taught him. He told us he couldn't wait to read the Book of Mormon. I don't know how we keep getting blessed with such prepared people. 

Sorry this email is short. I spent a little more time talking to my family and procrastinated this group email. haha but I really do hope you all have a great week! I will try to be better next week!

I love you all so much! 

Love,

Sister Nye 

Hi everyone!

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving with family, friends and lots of good food! This year I got to celebrate with three families. I ate so much food I literally thought I was going to die. Our first dinner was with the senior missionaries AKA my family away from home. They serve in the UTEP Institute building which is our home base so we see them a lot. The next dinner was at the Bishops and even though I felt sick I ate everything and hated myself(just kidding). Our last dinner was with one of the members of our ward named Sage. At this point I really couldn't move but I'm not a quitter everyone so I ate dinner like a champion and wanted to throw up. I haven't weighed myself but I'm pretty sure I gained 20+ pounds this week alone. Sister Hazen and I made a promise that we would eat healthy this transfer so as a final hurrah last night I made a box of stuffing at 9 PM and ate it all in one sitting by myself. haha.

So since I am on the topic of food I'll tell you guys about the weird stuff people eat in El Paso. 

1. Hot Cheetos and Cheese. They go to 7/11, buy a bag of hot Cheetos, open it and walk over to the nacho cheese and pour into the bag as much as they want. haha it's actually really good. I recommend everyone tries it!

2. Chiccos tacos. This one you can probably look up. It was on food Network.  So imagine cheap taquitos laying in watery tomato paste, covered in a lot of cheese that doesn't melt because it isn't real. It was so gross, but they love it here. I'll attach a picture!

This week we stopped by Anna just to chat and she had our book covers done!! Last week we stopped by and she had spent 10 hours a day working on them but had messed up so she had to start all over. She told us she just cried as she was taking them apart and we felt so bad. The covers are amazing though and you can just tell they were made with 100% love. 

So Anna is really good at getting us to do service without directly asking for it...kinda like a guilt trip, but it is super funny so we love it. She says things like "babies I need to vacuum but I am so tired from making your book covers." and the vacuum will be perfectly placed in the middle of the living room or this week as she was hugging us goodbye she said "oh no.. my plants are so thirsty and I am to tired to water them because I was working so hard on your book covers." shes to cute. haha.

 

This week was a little slower because of thanksgiving but we still saw incredible things happen! We started teaching a guy named Killian last Sunday. He had been coming to church on his own and told us he was ready to meet with us. In the past week we have already taught him four times and he is awesome at keeping commitments and reading the chapters we give him. On Tuesday we went to the institute at noon and he was there studying out of pamphlets, true to the faith and the Book of Mormon. Elder and Sister Anderson told us he had gotten to the institute at 8 am and he didn't leave until 2:30. Yesterday we put him on date for baptism on January 6th and we are so excited for him. He is soaking everything in and truly building his relationship with God!

We got transfers calls and WE ARE BOTH STAYING IN EL PASO YSA! I am so excited to continue serving here. Amazing things are happening and I cannot believe the Lord is letting me serve down here. 

I hope this Christmas season you can invite others to come unto Christ because he is the greatest gift you can give.

I love you all!

LOVE,

Sister Nye

Hello everyone!!

Last week was so busy but so amazing! Two of our investigators got baptized on Saturday and received the Holy Ghost yesterday in church!

The first baptism was for Brenda at 2 pm. We started teaching her my first week out and it was so amazing to see her progress to baptism in 5 weeks! At church Yesterday she came up to us and told us a year ago she would have never thought she would be in El Paso getting baptized into the Mormon church, but here she is. We love her so much and cannot wait to see what the Gospel continues to do for her life. 

The second baptism was for Hilda at 8 pm. Hilda has been investigating the church for 5 years and I was just blessed enough to be here at the right time when she was finally ready to make that life change. My favorite memory from that day was right after she was baptized and I wrapped a towel around her, hugged her and we both cried because the spirit was so strong! I knew it was exactly what she had been waiting for. Sister Hazen and I had to rush home because of curfew but the whole day was so crazy but I don't know if I have ever been so happy!

Last night we went to the stake center because we are participating in the 2 day Nativity event just like they do in Seattle. We are going to be in the live Nativity and guess who is the main Angel? Yours truly. haha. Next week we get our costumes and I am so excited!

Sorry this email is short and all over the place! I hope you all know how much I love it down here! The Gospel is true and I know it is for everyone! 

Love 

Sister Nye

 The Sisters saw some stray dogs running around town and called to them.  They hopped right up into the car ready to go.  Luckily Sister Nye didn't take them home with her.

November 14, 2016

Hello Everyone!! Obviously it was another great week here!

On Monday night we had a conference call with our entire mission and President Guffey has a few missionaries tell miracle stories from the week before! One Elder told a story of tracting a neighborhood when a man came up to him and his companion and said he wanted the elders to teach him and his family. I was laying in my bed wrapped up in blankets all pathetic and told Sister Hazen that I wanted that to happen to me! That night I said a prayer that I would be able to see a miracle like that on my mission. Well the next day we were at the UTEP Institute building waiting to meet with our investigator Siah right when a class was getting out. I was standing in the hallway while Sister Hazen chatted with the Institute director. A guy walked out of the class room and came right up to me and told me he wanted to start taking the discussions as soon as possible. I wish you all could have seen me! I was scrambling to find my planner and I couldn't thinks of the works to say because I was so shocked. Long story short his name is Alex and he had been taking classes at the Institute and the Lord was preparing him. I just happened to be there at the right time. Our first lesson with him is tomorrow and I will fill you in on how that goes next week!

Last Sunday night our investigator Brenda got a priesthood blessing because she had a huge test in medical school coming up that she could not fail. On Tuesday morning, the day of the test Sister Hazen and I just prayed and prayed that she would pass. We got a text from Brenda saying she passed and I just started crying because I am a mess but also because I was so happy for her! The best part was that she knew the blessing helped her and she was able to get a testimony of priesthood power!

On Wednesday we do service at the Food Pantry here and we work with the same old guys every week. Two weeks ago Sister Hazen was telling Sam how much she loves Nutella and peanut butter so last week he went out and bought some for her. He came up to us and grabbed the jar out of his front jean pocket. He handed it to her and the other old guy named Neil went and grabbed some pretzels for us to start eating it. We stood in the back where the food is organized just eating straight out of the jar. When we had to get back to work we didn't have a place to put it so Sam took it and put it back in his pocket. Probably 30 minutes later Sam walked up to us and told us he had to go to the bathroom and it didn't seem appropriate to bring the Nutella with him. I don't know if you guys can picture this but it was one of the funniest things that I have ever seen. He handed the jar back to us and we just laughed at how awkward it was.

Saturday morning we went tracting in a cute neighborhood on the mountain. The last door we knocked was a little old lady. I told her we were missionaries and we shared a message of Jesus Christ and she told us she wasn't interested in Jesus Christ and started to slam the door. Then you could hear quiet laughter from inside the house. She opened the door again with the biggest smile on her face and said "Just kidding! I am a member!" She invited us in and had us sit down. Her name is Anna and she is 93 years old. She lives alone in El Paso but is still kickin. We talked to her for an hour and learned her life story. She Knits the coolest book covers and when she saw me staring at her books she told me she would make me one for my Book of Mormon. We had a dinner appointment so we had to leave but Anna invited us over this Saturday for lunch. She hates cooking so she is having us pick up a burger and fries for her haha what a lady. She lifted my spirit so much and now I just can't wait to see her again. 

This Saturday we have two baptisms and guys I am so excited!! Yesterday I was sitting next to Hilda in Church and when the bishop announced her baptism she put her head between in knees and said "whelp there is no turning back now!" I couldn't stop laughing which was hard because I am really working on my reverence in church. 

Brenda and Hilda are so prepared and I cannot wait to see the blessings they receive after baptism. 

I love you all!

I hope some of this made sense!

Love

Sister Nye

​

Hi everyone!

This week we had exchanges and I was sent to Montana Vista with Hermana Bosch. I don't speak any Spanish so I was exhausted at the end of the day. I remember sitting in one of the lessons focusing so hard on the Spanish really trying to understand what they were talking about but then I remembered that's not how languages work and I wouldn't be able to receive the gift of tongues that fast. In our second lesson that day Hermana Bosch was teaching the investigator about the restoration and book of Mormon. I'm not going to lie I was struggling to stay awake. We had already been there for 30 minutes and I couldn't add any input. At one point Hermana Bosch and the investigator kept saying "la biblia" and "el libro de mormon". I had no idea what the context was but I felt prompted to tell Hermana Bosch to share 2 Nephi 29:8. Hermana Bosch read the scripture in Spanish and the investigator went silent. I guess it answered the investigators question. 2 Nephi 29 talks about the Book of Mormon and Bible and how they work together. Verse 8 specifically asks why people would murmur because they received more of Gods word and how the Book of Mormon acts as another testament of Jesus Christ. I can't say what happened next just because I didn't understand any of it but the spirit was strong and we were asked to come back later which is always good. 

Back in my area Sister Hazen and I have been working really hard to keep our investigators in track to baptism. Our Investigator H fasted last Sunday for a baptismal date and she received November 19th as the day to get baptized. Yesterday she announced it to the ward and bore her testimony and it was amazing. She has already planned her baptism and who is going to baptize her. I have been blessed to work with the most spiritually ready people. 

My favorite lessons this week have been with E. He has already been taught everything so we started reading the Book of Mormon with him from the title page. Its so funny to watch his reaction to the story and his commentary is priceless. E is on probation and can't get baptized until he has finished his service ours but he doesn't let is discourage him. He started paying tithing and attends all of the church activities plus meets with us 3 times a week. This church has changed his life in so many ways and he strengthens my testimony every time we meet.

Here is my weird story for the week. We were out contacting on Friday and a older man came up to us and scared away the person we were talking to. He then continued to talk to us for the next 30 minutes about his church and how he is the living water. I felt so uncomfortable and he tricked us into saying some prayer and then told us we were saved because of him. He would ask us trick questions and if one of us answered wrong he would go onnnnnnnn about how we need to study Psalms. Most of the stuff he said was jibbersish and I walked away feeling drained and upset about the whole thing. Last night we saw some Elders at the church and they asked if we were Sister Nye and Sister Hazen. They then told us that they had met a man on a bus that told them about us and that he tried to make them do the same prayer but when they didn't the man looked into their eyes and told them they were of the devil (looking back I would have preferred that). Seriously learned so much from that man, I learned exactly what not to do as a missionary and representative of Jesus Christ. 

This email is super lame but I don't have a lot of time. 

I love you all!

Love 

Sister Nye

Our investigator (M, far left) dressed up as an elder with his friend E who is our ward mission leader on Halloween and gave out Books of Mormon all day!

The senior missionaries drove us to a baptism and they stopped to show us this Jewish temple close to where we live.

The coolest house that actually has trees in El Paso

Last P-day we got pedicures!

This is inside of someones house where we had breakfast this morning. Its so legit