May 19 email and photos

Elder N captioned this:
"Who's arms?  The King's arms! lol"

This week in Malta...
The wife of the family they are teaching asked them “So how do you know when you are ready to be baptized?” So they read Mosiah 18 and challenged them and they agreed! The baptism is officially scheduled for Saturday! This family is so golden Elder N. says they practically taught themselves! Their 14 year old is also studying the scriptures and asking about going to Seminary!

The member’s brother that they are teaching brought a friend to meet with them so that was awesome!

They had a really good turnout at Church on Sunday, he said “SOOOO many people came! [members], friends, and TONS of visitors! It was really cool! There [was] a girl from Finland, a family from Switzerland, a bunch of guys here for a linguistics conference from BYU and even a guy from the U of Maryland! Plus tons of Brits! It was really neat!”

They rode a bus to the other side of the country (about 30 minutes) to give service at an animal shelter.

The branch had a talent show, Elder N. played the guitar, the family they are teaching even participated, and he said it was “super awesome, so cool, what a blast!” The Elders sang the song in Maltese as a surprise for the couple missionaries that are leaving and said that they loved it!

The new couple missionaries arrived and they met with them and found out they will also be going to the Maltese lessons with the Elders! He said it will be hard to see the other couple go but the new couple seems really nice and he likes them already!

He also sent these photos from the talent show:

May 14 email and photos

The Malta Elders (holding dead jellyfish!?)

"Always looking up"
(Elder N took this photo via a mirrored ceiling!)

He had great things to say about the branch council, how they function so well and discuss needs of investigators and what they can do to help; he loves the support the council gives the missionaries!

Some funny things their native Maltese teacher has said:

Don’t you have adjectives in your brain?

Put a potato in your mouth!

He was excited to find Doritos at the airport on his way to Italy, he has the Malta airport pretty well memorized now!

They had several disappointments and delays on their permesso quest like arriving just as the office was closing, waiting in line for an hour and a half, waiting in line after line etc. but they finally got it taken care of, for now, another trip will eventually be needed for the next step.

They got to go bowling with the missionaries in Catania and enjoyed a meal at McDonald’s, Italian pizza, arancini, and his first ever cannoli! He said “They only make those on Sicily and I never served there so I'd never had one! It was really good! Dang I'm craving one now! lol!!”

They did splits there the following day and he was worried because it had been such a long time since he had proselyted in Italian but said it was fine and everything went ok!

They stayed with the couple missionaries the last night there and they took them to the airport the next morning at 4:30AM! A member friend picked them up at the airport in Malta and took them straight to his house to help him and then he cooked a huge breakfast for them of sausage, bacon, eggs, toast and the British classic –beans!

He told about challenging the family to be baptized and described the joy they felt and the joy they saw on this couple’s faces when they accepted! The wife asked if she could be baptized in the ocean so they are going to find out about that.

They were able to take the sacrament to a new member who cares for her invalid mother. They have spent a lot of time helping these two and have grown to love them both and while they were there this time the Mom took them both and said how much she loves them, then the daughter said that too, he said that was so great!!

In Maltese class they learned a Maltese song! They are practicing a surprise song for the couple missionaries who will be leaving soon.

He also sent these photos:

Mother's Day phone call!

From my notes while we talked with Elder N. on Mother’s Day…

He bought a 5 Euro phone card and called us from the church

He has worn out his 2nd pair of shoes and his suits and shirts are too big for him now but the couple missionaries gave him a new suit

For workouts they do yoga on their roof, lift weights and jump rope

The family they have been teaching is getting baptized!!!!!!!!!! (the Mom and Dad)  During a recent cookout at their house, the Dad said to the Elders: “I’ve got a question for you, how can I get the Melchizedek Priesthood?” !! Elder N was SOOO excited to share this news with us during our phone call!

He also shared some British vocabulary…
Bonkers and smash = potatoes and sausage
Chips = French fries
Crisps = potato chips

He really likes fish now! Esp swordfish which is really cheap there

2 main industries in Malta are fishing and tourism

Because they’ll need to match up their transfer schedules when they combine with the Italy Rome mission, and there is a 3 week difference, he will be returning home 3 weeks earlier than anticipated!

He might get to go to Rome at some point like for a mission conference!

He found a place to get seaweed and was so happy he could make onigiri!

He loves the gospel, he loves the scriptures! He is learning so much about the Atonement, like how all is possible through the Atonement!; he started keeping track of how often the BoM mentions the Atonement and by 2nd Nephi it has been mentioned 102 times already!

His MP said he could also call and talk to Ry on Mother’s Day since Ry isn’t here with us and didn’t get to talk to him!

It is SO hot and humid there!

Message for family and friends…
Hey everyone,
I love you all! I hope everything is going good for you.
I miss you! but this is where I need to be!

Then he bore his testimony.

It was absolutely wonderful to hear his voice, his laughter, and his testimony!! I loved every single minute of it!!! The immediate reactions! The answers to questions! The details of the family’s baptism challenge!! The sharing of everything wonderful in all our lives!! All the love! And the awesome way he wrapped it up at the end! It was perfect and such a blessing for me on Mother’s Day!

Parker and Mom 1990s

Elder Parker and Mom 2009

May 5 emails and photo

Updates from this week’s emails… (yep, that’s plural!)

Two missionaries in the Italy Milan Mission were deported due to new laws in Italy so Elder N and his companion are taking an unexpected “permesso trip” for the arduous process required to remain in Italy legally. (permesso means "permission" or "permit to stay")

Their P-day was bumped up due to this trip but they got special permission to send a quick email to let us know so we could get our email letters sent in time. That was nice! =o)

They were able to visit a member who has been hospitalized for 22 weeks after having a stroke.

They get their groceries at the “Pavi” supermarket and with a membership there are excited about “earning points to eventually get a blender or even a microwave” for their house.

The wife in the family they are teaching had an experience with the Spirit that testified to her the Church is true!! Elder N. was so happy for her and said: “It was so great!” I think we forget too often how great the Spirit really feels! We need to seek after that! "Don’t be satisfied with your last spiritual experience!" I don’t remember who said that but I love it!”

This family came to Church again on Sunday and took tithing slips so they could pay it the next week and the Elders hadn’t even taught that yet! Elder N’s comment: “Man they are such a great family! I love it!!! HOW GOLDEN CAN YOU GET!?!?!?!?!?! They are awesome! We are going to challenge them to baptism for the 22nd of May! We are really excited about it!!”

They watched the international firework show in Valletta from their roof in Swatar where they had a perfect view!

They met a geologist working for Shell that had talked with missionaries in America and had member friends; they challenged him to read Alma 32 and to pray about it and he agreed and said why not!

He summarized the week this way…
“this week has been great!!! In fact incredibly awesome!!!!! I am really excited about everything that is going on right now! the work is going great!!! Missions are the COOLEST thing ever!!!!!!!!!!”

On a side note, he now signs off:
“Elder, Anzjan, Anziano Nielsen”
Here’s why:

“Elder” is used with the British and other English speakers in Malta

“Anzjan” is the Maltese word for Elder, which he is using more often as they perfect that language

“Anziano” is the Italian word for Elder which he still uses when they travel to Catania or run into people in Malta that speak Italian which is usually pretty enjoyable for everyone involved!

For convenience I pretty much refer to him as Elder N on this blog now but in my letters to him I joked that it was taking me too long to remember all those titles and their spellings so I might have to use the acronym of E.A.A.N. which looks like you could pronounce it as the name “Ian” so if you read about an “Elder Ian” that is probably why and now you’ll know who that is. =oP

Upcoming Mission Changes

We got an email with an attachment from the Italy Catania Mission, above is part of their letterhead and probably the last time we'll see it as you'll see from this excerpt...

"28 April 2010

Dear Missionaries and Family,

The time is approaching for the combining of the Italy Catania Mission and the Italy Rome Mission. We feel sadness with the closing of our mission but also fulfillment as we see much of the missionary work passed on to the branches, wards and stakes of Italy. It is rewarding to be a part of the gospel and see it spread throughout the world. On 30 June 2010 the Italy Catania Mission will close its doors and on 1 July 2010 we will join with the Italy Rome Mission. "

The Mission Home address will be changing but this will NOT affect Elder Nielsen's mailing address.  Please continue to use the Malta address shown in the column to the right for all letters and packages.

April 28 email and photos

Conference in Catania

(Elder N is standing near the center)

in the "mission van"

at the "Chinese Gardens"

Updates from this week's email...

Starting to do a lot more with the language (Maltese)!

Did some service cleaning in Mosta and got to wear those helping hands jerseys!

Discovered a gelateria ran by an Italian and said this person loved speaking Italian with them!

Enjoyed fajitas for the first time in a long time at the after Church meal with the couple missionaries and branch members.

Flew to Catania for a special Conference with missionaries from the whole of Sicily not just zones! Conference included skits, talents, British humor, team sports, an orange eating contest, singing, laughing, resting, spiritual meetings, photos, interviews and Italian food! He said he didn’t realize how much he missed Italian food and they sang a song in Maltese for everyone! His summary of the conference: “It was so awesome!! It was so fun to see everyone!!!! I loved it!!!! I got to see a ton of my friends in the mission as well and laugh, play sports and be spiritually up lifted!”

April 23 email and photo

They got to see the Pope, he was in Malta for a conference or something and they even got a photo!


To celebrate Elder Nielsen’s one year mark (entering the MTC on April 22, 2009) they went to Burger King!



They had rabbit stew at a member’s house and she said it is one of their favorites and she taught them how to make it. He said rabbit is a delicacy on Malta and it was delicious!


For service this week they weeded and cleaned up in the back of the Church building. He said this about doing yard work  “i had fun and was able to think about all the great memories (now) of doing yard work! ha ha! never thought you would hear that day did you!”


The family they are teaching is really making great progress! The Dad is reading the Book of Mormon, a chapter a day and the Elders were so happy when the whole family showed up for Church on Sunday!


With MP approval they went to see the play “The Importance of Being Earnest”.


They are now able to converse in Maltese!


And here’s another great excerpt from this week’s letter…
"Well as usual this week has been awesome!!!!! SUPER AWESOME!!!! man being here is so dang awesome! i love it! I love being a missionary! it is so cool!!! Malta is so sweet! there are so many great people here that are so ready to hear the gospel! I love it!"