January 31st 2011: Pday last day of enero

Hola Familia!

Bueno, this week we have had some good work done in that we have found several new people to teach. It has been interesting because we have several Adventists in our area. One day we taught 3 of them with increasing success. The first time it started turning into an argument, the second time it was a good conversation, the third time they said they would read a chapter of the Book of Mormon and pray about it.

We have also been visiting some less active members, one of which made it to church on sunday. It is sort of sad, but one said that no one had been to visit them in years. I'm not sure if that would be because the members forgot or what.... But we hope members will be making more visits (we mentioned this in the ward counsel meeting)

It seems like a lot is going on over there in the familiy. It sometimes seems like time is going by super fast, and other times like it is not moving hardly at all. But I am enjoying my new experiences and I hope you all have a winderful week.

Love,

Elder Niendorf

January 24th 2011: Hellooo

Hola Familia,

Happy Birthday, Erika! I realized last Tuesday that I had missed the last monday beforeour birthday. I hope you had a great birthday, happy and awesome.

This week has been a long one. We have been looking for families a lot, and we have not been able to find too many people to teach yet. We have done a lot of contacting. Once, while doing so, we found a perfect looking family of 3, but we haven't been able to teach a second time yet, for they were no home when we passed by the second time.

It seems that I might have trouble getting the most recent Narganà photos off of my Sd card (I don't know why), but I think I can still get some photos off my memory stick. (There might be a virus on my memory AGAIN)

Anyway, Elder Hutchinson and I get along well. When I finish, he will have 7 months left I think...

I don't know how much time is left, but I will try to have more to write next week...right now I also want to see what's up with my memory cards...

Love,

Elder Niendorf

January 17th 2011: Guess who's back....back again...

Hola Familia,

Bueno, I am typing right now from an internet place in Concepciòn, Chiriquì. It is pretty awesome here, especially the house we are living in. We are four elders in a two story house. My companion is Elder Hutchinson from Taylorsville, UT, and I was in Chorrera when he started his mission (It makes me feel old). We are sort of opening the area, because they just took out the missionaries because they did not get along well with the leaders... but it's cool here.

I don't know how much about my last change I will be able to write about, but its okay. I went straight from the plane to changes to packing my stuff to getting on the 8 hour bus ride to my area. Last week's Sacrament on the island we used an apple because there wasnt proper preparation... I had fun, even though the work was super slow...everyone except two of our investigators had left the island, so that stunk. bUt i am happy to be in a regular area again.

I dont have too much time because I had to read 19 emails right now, though 9 of them were from my mission account. I got the package grandma sent, the CD (Thank you). I will send photos for now...

Lots of Love,

Elder Niendorf

December 2nd 2010: So today was sooo busy

Hola Familia,

Today we have going all over doing errands, because normally the city trips are 'Arrive Monday and leave Friday' but this time we got here Wednesday and are leaving Firday. so our days have been crazy buying everything for 6 weeks. When one San Blas Elder leaves, his companion stays to show him the ropes, so this will be my last six weeks on the island. The people are pretty cool, and I have learned a little bit of the Kuna language, 'tule kaiya'. I got to travel in canoes with engines, and one Pday we just went out to an island to hag out. there was one baptism, the son of a member on another island, Ticantiki, which also belongs to my area. We actually met a tourist who served there as a missionary 29 years ago and helped to build the chapel on Ticantiki. I live in the chapel, in the back part, we hang our hammocks up every night, we have a room for our stuff, and a kitchen. We also get to use the family history room when we want from planning (it has air conditioning and BYU International channel), and also computers and capabilities for internet (as of yet only the sister in charge of family history can use interent, but maybe i will try to get permission to write from there....probably not).

I'm going to send this and more info and more photos in another email...

December 1st 2010: Hellooooo

Hola Familia,
I got to Panamá today and will be going back Friday morning. Things have changed on the mission, and so have the system of San Blas Elders as I got there. But I will read what you have all written and then maybe write more later today (probably not) but tomorrow I should have several hours tomorrow Thursday.

Love you tons,
Elder Niendorf

October 18th 2010: Flight Complications, I think I am going on Wednesday

Hola Familia,

Okay, so from what I have heard, the flight agency that takes people to San Blas had a complication with something, so yeah, I might be able to write for a while today, and again tomorrow. So I will just send the latest from here.

We have been staying in the Assistent's house, and that is actually pretty fun. It feels almost like a party, because there are so many people there at once, and everyone usually goes to bed pretty late. Last night there was a beatboxer and a singer, I will send the video that I took of them and maybe me with the machetes.

Yesterday was stake conference here in the Stake in the city. Pres. Ward spoke, and others and it was pretty awesome to be the. Hna. Ward made our lunch afterwards to end our fast (we had been fasting for the mission goal of 1000 baptisms before the end of this year, and we need a bout 250 more).

Oh, and I am really happy because I was able to make it back to Chorrera for the baptisms! There were about 8 people who were baptized, and four were from my ex-area (two were children of members, two of the mission field) I baptized the two girls in the picture where it's just us three. I took some photos with some member that I didn't get to say good bye to before. It was great.

I think tonight some new missionaries arrive, and we might have to sleep in a different house in an area called balboa. Oh ,and I am having troubles getting the video and photos off of my sd card, so I will send them in a bit...

Well, I can't think of anything else to say right now, so hasta luego.

Love,

Elder Niendorf

October 16th 2010: Laters!!!

Seeing as tomorrow´s Sunday and we fly out on Monday, it is very probable that THIS is the last chance I will have to write (I didn't know we were going to have time, and I only have about 15 minutes more...)

So I will send this and say I love you all, and if you can write back in this time i can respond, but if not, hasta la vista!

Oh, I also wanted to say that I was given permission by one of the assistents to the President to go back to Chorrera for the baptisms! So that is why I can only write for a few more minutes, because we need to get a bus and get there fast. Today we were buying most of the food we are going to use in the next 6 weeks, because it is not safe to eat the food there on Narganá, my island...They are also trying this out for six weeks, because originally the missionaries here could have changes every 4 week, but now it is a normal change. Also they are opening up a new area, a new island. On the islands there are a ton of members, many of which are inactive, and they've all heard the discussions before, so I will have to be trying to find new things to do....

Oh, and I got to do a session in the temple this morning. I have barely gotten any sleep the past two days, but it was the first time sisnce the MTC i have done a session, and second time overall (the first time last change was baptisms for the dead)

October 15th 2010: Emergency Change

Hola Todos,
I am writing right now because I am going to be going to an island in San Blas, and island of indigenous people called Kuna. I will send this quickly because there is a chance that someone will respond... And I have a bit of extra time of internet privilege until around 8pm here... after that I will be able to write certain days for about a week starting six weeks from now. That means i won't write for six week because I will be on an island (look it up on Google Earth if it's there, its called Narganà)

I may write more in a half hour...of and yes mom, I got the package when it was in those heads :) ,but you didn't tell me how much a the memory costs you to compare it to here....

Love to everyone!
Elder Niendorf

October 11th 2010: Hello Everyone

Hola Familia!

This has been a great week. We have two people who will probably get baptized this week (Saturday 16th). One is Maritzenia, a girl 15 yrs old (who lives with July) and the other is an 18 yr old girl Enilda (who is in the photo on the left). Other photo is her member nieghbor with us. Other is at the Nacional Service (helping hands). and the other is the 10th day of the 10th month at 10:10 pm.

Enilda prayed after we taught the first lesson and received her answer. She began reading the Book of Mormon and couldn't stop until page 18. She had been living with a boyfriend for a few years but moved out this week. She wants to get baptized as soon as possible. She went to Conference and yesterday's fast and testimony meeting. There is really excited for this change in her life. She had experience bad things with her ex-living partner, but hopes to be able to better her life.

There's a man who wants to sell 22 hectacres for about $5 per square meter, and I said I would ask you guys if you are interested...the number he gave me is 6000-5323.... the terrain is about a kilometer from the ocean...

In response to my weekly letter to him, the president said that my life is about to change because he knows he can trust me... So I don't know what that means, but my district leader was raised to Zone leader in an emergency change, so we don't have one right now... so we'll see what happens during transfers... Zone Conference is tomorrow...

I am still trying to see if I can save the memory in my usb before I have to format it so, I will write to you guys next week. Oh, Maybe Jon can ask Anna to give Hna. Ochs more details about what is happening, because she mentioned to me that I receive more information than her (thank you Erika...).

Love you all,
Elder Niendorf

October 4th 2010: Thank You

Hola Familia!

Yes, Conference was pretty great. Only one investigator arrived to one session, but I htink that she really feels that it´s true. Sunday there was a downpour of rain, and we didn´t get to visit our investigator witha baptismal goal in October, but it was a good experience. I loved even how it started with Elder Holland. He and Elder Oaks are usually two of my favorite speakers.

Well, there isn´t too much new happening. We were able to get to know a couple of our investigators better this week, and this morning we visited one of them. There´s problems in every family, and there are fathers with children from a different mother, not married, but I feel that there are several people that are making progress to knowing for themselves that it is true.

I got a package last monday! Thanks family, it had letters Batman crayons and stickers, and a magnetic stuffed animal from Las Vegas. I think Erika sent it september 3rd, so it seems that manner of sending wroked out well. Grandma Jackson wants the address, and I still haven´t verified it (sorry...), so maybe you guys can pass it along.

I am going to try to do something with my infected memory stick now so I will send pictures next week. But I love you all, and hope that you will all smile a lot this week.

Love,

Elder Niendorf

September 27th 2010: Mañana cumplo 11 meses

Hola Familia,

Well, I really haven't thought about what I am going to write to you guys...I was sick in the stomach for a couple of days, but a member gave me a bottle of Pepto Bismal, and that really helped (The Pink Potion of Power!!!).

Concerning the Cd I liked, I think it's called 'Called to Serve.' I will verify today or tomorrow the exact address of mail. But they have reminded us to remind you guys not to send food. I can usually find anything I am craving in the store 'Rey.'

This week we have continued finding new people to teach. One family is the cousin of a member that we received as a reference. Unfortunately, none of our investigators arrived to church....But I have looking forward as well to General Conference.

We have been able to clean the house a bit more. I continue my studies; as of this morning I am in Ether, chapter 5 or 6. With the recent converts we have started reading the Book of Mormon, so I have read the first couple chapters about 4 times in the past two weeks. Other than that I haven't really made any good progress in Jesus the Chirst or The Old Testament....

Send felicidades to Lita! I hope she is happy and doing well, y le quiero y que espero hablar con ella mucha cuando regreso.

I had a dream that Mom and Erika were trying to convince me that I had already finished my mission, but I kept telling them that I had another year...

Love you all tons,

Elder Niendorf

SORRY :(

Just a note from me...so sorry i havent updated in so long...i will really try to keep up with the blog this year!! thanks for reading/supporting Bruce...he is an awesome guy and we all love and miss him terribly but we also know he is doing a great thing with his life...

Erika