Hello Again

Hola Familia,

Yeah so this has been an interesting week. Three people in this district had emergency changes. Apparently several elders in the city behaved badly, and almost a whole Zone over there had changes. My companion Elder Hutchinson left and my new companion is Elder Torres, from Ecuador. I think Kevin served over there right?

We also had capacitations which is something new. It is just like Zone conference, but more personal. The week ended up going by super fast.

We are teaching a Family Lopez. The two daughters went to church yesterday, so thats pretty cool. We need to put another baptismal date. We originally were going to set it yesterday but I got a fever the night before. I felt good enough (after Ibuprofen) to go to church. but afterward I was bad again. I got up to 103.7 degrees. My companions gave me a blessing last night. This morning it had gone up and down, but now it went down to 101.

So yeah, thanks for everything.

Love,

Elder Niendorf

Hello

Hola Familia,

This week went by super fast and I have nothing to write about other than the fact that this computer can't send photos and that we have three investigators (a mom and her 16 and 20 yr old daughters) that will probably get baptized in April. They accepted a baptismal date but haven't been to church yet so we'll have to see when they actually can get baptized...

Other than that, I am doing well and hope to write more next week.

Love You all tons,
Elder Niendorf

Hello Everyone!

Hola Familia,

This week went by pretty fast, even though nothing has changed from last week. The investigator that is coming to church we saw this morning with what seemed to be coffee again. But we still have some positive people that might progress more soon (progress = arrive to church).

Other than that I and my companion are trying to continue working here, we have begun to contact the same houses again. Last week we played soccer against Davìd we lost but I felt good physically for being able to play soccer a lot. I think these ichy bumps on my right arm came from poison ivy when we did a service last Wednesday....new experience :)

Umm, that's cool to hear about Isreal going into the MTC. Thanks for witing me every week. I think I will try to get some paper mail out to you guys as well this week.

The pictures were of me at a service (posing like the guy on my Prince of Persia video game at the save points), and the other two were of Volcàn, again, I haven't taken many newer photos.

Love,

Elder Niendorf

Marzo!

Hola Familia,

Quiero decirles que toda està bien conmigo. oh, yeah, So I am doing well. I only got a few photos last week and it looks like this computer doesn't read my camara memory...(We are using internet in Davìd because we are going to play soccer against their zone)

This week not much has happened. No investigator (from our area) got to church, but we hope to be able to set a baptismal date with the one who has been coming. But yeah, there are not a lot of people progressing. Yestereday an Hna Bogantes came with us to a couple visits. We also contacted someone that told us he forgot his last name when we asked him for it....nice guy.........

I feel like this last week went by fast. I haven't received anyhting mailwise from you guys yet.

So for now I can't send any photos this week. Thanks for what you guys send me. Thanks, Jon, for the advice; I will think on those things and try to apply them. And Erika, I remember that the iders of March were the 15th, because in the Julius Cesear play by Shakespeare had the warning Beware the Ides of March.

I think next week I will be able to organize myself to write you guys better, but until then, I love you all.

Love,

Elder Niednorf

February 28th 2011: I am still in Concepcion

Hola Familia,
No one in the house had changes, so we four same people are living in the same house. But it's not too bad, there haven't been any major arguments. But I wish at least SOMETHING would have changed. But life is life. I still have not received the packages you guys have semt me, but I wouldn't be too worried yet. Remember Grandma's Christmas package arrived 6 months late last year...

Anyway, we didn't have anything different this week. The same woman comes to church, but wants to see the baptism this Saturday first before making a decision herself. She also has to finish drinking coffee for good, she says up 'til now she has been able to limit the amount she takes in.

I am enjoying myself. It just gets a little slow sometimes with nothing to do here in the area. It is a small area, and we have contacted several house twice now. We hope to be able to work more with members this week to get more references, but we do still have some positive families or people. They just need to get to church....

I am glad things are going well for all of you guys. I hope you can continue to progress spiritually as well, and that you always find the time to read the scriptures. I complete 16 months in the mission today, I lack 8 more before coming home. It seems so short and so long at the same time, but my life is here right now. I will try to send photos.

Love you all,
Elder Niendorf

February 21st 2011: Hola

Hola Familia,
This computer is also not working, hopefully I will be able to switch to one that will let me send photos. They would come in a separate email...
Yeah, so this week has gone by pretty fast. Not too much to tell. One investigator is progressing, and will probably get baptized in this coming month. I feel tired a lot of the time, but when we teach I feel better, and I know that I am being watched over.
Well...So that's cool Jon was able to go down and visit Erika and Joe. I hope Josh is still trying to read the Book of Mormon, and that he is practicing hard in tennis.
Today we find out changes. Normally it would be tomorrow night, but in these areas so far from the city we would have to travel tomorrow to make it in time for changes on Wednesday. I hope I stay in this area a bit longer, one more change...

Love,
Elder Niendorf

February 15th 2011: De Nuevo, a day late

Hola familia,
This week we went to a place called 'Mono Feliz' where normally there are tons of monkeys all over the place, but we only saw about 3 of them in a tree and they wouldn't come down for bananas...but it was a good trip. Hopefully I will be able to find a computer that actually works so I can send photos, but it might have to wait again until next week....we'll see...

This week we has one super good day where we found some new people to teach and achieved 7 lessons. After that we only got a couple lessons a day, but I am hopeful for a couple of the families we have visited. Last night we were with a family Varga-Guerra, and I felt really good afterwards. They were the ones who asked first when we can come back. Though they still haven't progressed much, I am hopeful...

That stinks that Joshua's coach isn't Miller, but awesome that he is playing. Erika, I am happy to hear from you as well. I pray for all of you guys everyday, and hope you are all still making progress spiritually. Conratulations as well, Dad, for your teams.

I find it hard to believe that the number of months has already reached 15. This week went by super fast, due to Zone conference, interviews with President and Sister Ward, and the District Conference on Sunday. I can't wait to see you all again, but I still have a lot of work to do here. I love you all.

Love,
Elder Niendorf

February 8th 2011: Desde La Concepcion

Hola Familia,
Well, this week has been pretty interesting. The Feria de la Candelaria happened last week, and it seemed to be mostly a drinking party. But we did get to see about 700 horses being ridden through our area on Wednesday, so that was pretty cool. Also, yesterday we hiked up Volcàn, which is apparently the highest volcano in Central America. The time it would take to go up and come down was underestimated, so that is why I didn't get to write. But it was fun, and sort of reminded me of going up Half Dome.

So not too much happened this week, partly I think due to the fact that that fair lasted the whole week. But we still talked with that positive family SantaMaria. They seem to really want to progress spiritually, but they go to a different church on Sundays (Catholic?) so they haven't made the decision to visit the True Church yet....

Yeah, so that's crazy that Erika really isn't living a home anymore...and that Josh is going to start tennis. They have a couple tennis rackets in this chapel, so I got to hit the balls I had brought from home for a bit last week. Umm, other than that, I can't really think of anything else that's going on here. This week is Zone conference/ interviews and District conference, so Pres. Ward will be coming out for all that.

I hope all is going well for everyone, spiritually and temporally. I love you all and hope to find you have all finished reading the Book of Mormon by the time I get back (Joshua!).
Oh, by the way, this computer AGAIN seems to not want me to send photos, so the mountain photos might haveto wait until next week...

Love,
Elder Niendorf