Dogs, McDonalds, and More Rain! Oh My! - October 3, 2016

Hola everyone!

I hope you are all doing well! Life is good down here in Nicaragua! It is funny because I feel like I have been doing this all my life. I have officially been here longer than I was in the MTC. That seems super weird. I am loving it here, in its Nicaraguan glory. 

This week we met up again with all the new missionaries and that was fun to see all of the other new people again! 

After the conference we went to McDonalds. That was exciting. I have never thought McDonalds could taste way good. I also thought it was super expensive. It really wasn’t in American dollars it was only about 5 bucks. 

So I got bit by a dog for the first time this week. We were contacting and I was talking to the person (by the way Spanish is going really well. I can understand most of everything and I can communicate! I still need a lot of work but God has helped me get this far in just two months, imagine what he can do by Christmas) and I was outside their gate with my hand on the bars and this big Rottweiler came out from the house and grabbed my hand! it actually wasn’t that bad, thanks to lots of divine protection, but it did need a bandage and cleaning. So we went to a member’s house and they fixed me up! All is well. 

This week it rained like crazy. like all the other weeks. We were contacting and I was soaked in two seconds. the streets turned into rivers, but like the postal service we don’t stop for rain! It is awesome here! 

Weight update. So I finally found a scale, and it turns out I have lost about 30 lbs. already! So if you want a good diet, eat only lunch and walk around all day! What a life! I love it here! 

Cool story for the week!  One day I was not feeling well, and I just wanted to go sit down somewhere and rest. my whole body hurt and I was so tired. We had correlation with the ward mission leader at 5:00 and it was 4:20 and all of the appointments we had fell through. I Just wanted to go back to the church and wait until 5:00. But I thought about my call letter and how it said I am expected to serve with everything I have. I also thought about the Savior and His atonement. I decided to keep going. We contacted one more house and the girl we contacted was prepared. She has gone to church before and she loved it. She wanted to change her life and become better and come closer to Christ. She accepted a baptismal date, and is excited to learn more. 

Afterwards I felt so good and happy. I was so grateful for the opportunity we had to teach her. There are so many miracles here, big and small. I hope you all are doing great! Thank you for everything!

Love 

Elder Erickson

Another Week Down - September 26, 2016

Hola everybody! 

Life is just great here! Like this is seriously the best and coolest experience ever! I get to give two years of my life to the Lord to help these people come to him! It is awesome!

Okay so stuff that happened this week . . . Lots and lots of work! We contact a ton here! We also teach a ton! I love these people more and more every day! 

I saw a monkey and that made my week! I am liking the weird food more and more! 

And Spanish! I took three years of French and couldn’t say anything after three years, but Spanish . . . the gift of tongues is real! I can sort of speak now and understand a lot! Other missionaries and members are impressed to know that I have only been here for a month! That being said, I still have a lot to do! But it is coming along!

We had 4 investigators attend church this week and Josseline is close to being baptized! I love it here! It is so cool to be in a place were I am in the city in one second and out in the jungle another!

Cool experience for the week . . . Sunday morning we got a call from some hermanas in Monibo that said they needed some elders for a baptism they had that morning. So we left and it turns out they needed someone to baptize their investigator! I was the only one with white pants handy so I got to do the baptism! It was super humbling and way cool! 

I love this work! It is so awesome! I have learned more than I ever have in my life! Life is great here! I wake up every morning and get to see an active volcano! 

I get to teach about Christ all Day! What a life! Thank you all for everything! Have an awesome week!

Love, 

Elder Erickson

Almost a Month in Nicaragua

Hola!

Time flies here! It seems like yesterday I was writing, but here I am again. This week was actually pretty cool weather wise. They call it fresca here when it is cool. I am actually pretty lucky because other missionaries tell me Masaya is pretty cool compared to other places. 

This we week we had another investigator attend church with us! It was really great. This week was stake conference! There was a ton of people in the building. A member of the General Authorities spoke at the meeting. From what I understood, it was in Spanish, he talked a lot about getting a Temple in Nicaragua! Everybody seemed to enjoy it a lot! We continue to find, teach, and help everyone here! It is funny how long one day can feel but so short at the same time! Elder Martinez’s hand is doing better. 

Last P-day we went on a hike around the lake here in Masaya. It was super beautiful!

We continue to work and teach! There are a lot of funny things here in Nicaragua! They put this weird ketchup on everything! They light off fireworks all hours of the day and night! It is always a baccanal here in Nicaragua! 

I have learned so much here, but of all here is one of the most important. Listen to the spirit always! Be always ready to do the Lord's will! I can feel his love for these people so much! I love it here! Thank you all for your prayers and thoughts! Have an awesome week!

Elder Erickson