Thanks Mom for teaching me how to dishes!  You taught me well!!!

Thanks to all my cousins who made me 60+ rubber band bracelets to hand out to children.  They will love them!!!

Hi everyone!! Boy, the time is FLYING out here! Elder D. can't believe today is his last P-day as a missionary, from then on he'll have infinite P-days! It's bitter/sweet for him.

Anyways, this week has been GREAT! We've continued to work hard and give it a 110%, and after all has been said and done, (drum roll).....we got 20 lessons this week!!!! It's been the first time in a LOONNNG while since that has happened in the Granite Hills ward! We were so grateful for the many opportunities we've been given to share our testimonies and to teach everyone we meet. 

We couldn't have done it without the help of Armando. On Tuesday we had our District meeting at the church building, and right after we started, a random man walked in and asked if someone could show him around. Immediately Elder D. and I hopped up and gave him a tour and taught him the Restoration right there in the foyer. He wants to change his life around, and something pulled him to check out this church. If he stopped by any other time, the building would've been locked. Turns out Armando lives in a different ward than ours, so we introduced Armando to the missionaries who serve in that area. But it was definitely a miracle that everyone in our zone saw that day.

By the way, thank you SO MUCH for the packages this week!!! Our zone is officially set on Halloween candy! :) We're having a "party" Thursday night since we have to be in by 6pm, so we're getting all the missionaries in the area to come over to our house and hangout. It'll be a blast!! I've also been trying out those ForeverMints, they're great!! Thank you for the packages and everything you all and the rest of the family have been sending me! It's so fun to read the postcards from the cousins and everyone else. Thank you!

The Granite Hills ward is having their Trunk r Treat on Tuesday, and the 4 of us Elders in the ward have the honor of making the chili dogs for that night haha. I may even bring my Brazil apron along - I'll send pictures of all the fun next week. It'll be a blast! We're inviting all our investigators and people we're teaching to it. It'll be a lot of fun! 

I was so glad that the S. family sent you some pictures the night we taught them. They're one of my most favorite families in the ward! We've been teaching them every week, most of the time on FHE, and they're a ton of fun! 

By the way Mom, check the mailbox within the next couple days if you haven't gotten something already :) I can remember all of our families birthdays, but I can't remember the cousin's. If you could send me a list or calendar or something that'd be a big help! Happy Birthday Mom!!! :)

Oh before I forget, in case I do get transferred to a different area this week (which I doubt), don't send any letters or packages to the house address. If I do get transferred, it'll take a while for missionaries to forward it all to me wherever I'm serving. But you can send stuff to the mission office. I'll know for sure where I'll be in a week, and I'll update you all then. 

Thank you everyone for the awesome emails, letters, packages, and prayers!! It's so awesome being a missionary! I love it! Please be safe! 

I love you all!!! You'll hear from me soon! :) The Church is so true!!!

Elder Fuss

PS "Like I said, you made an illegal U-turn. And I Gomer Pyle of the town of Mayberry of the United States of America, arrest you."

"Hooray!!" hahaha

Getting Flu Shot!

Thanks Aunt Ninnie and Family for the "Greenie" Box full of all "Green" things!

Hi everyone!!! I hope everything is going great at home!! I'm glad to hear you got the SD card and letters! 

This week has been so great!!! Spending a lot of the day with Elder Robbins of the 70 was such a blessing!! You outta see the notes I took during that meeting!! I took sooooo much away from that meeting! Elder Robbins does time management for businesses, so a focus of that zone conference was becoming more time-efficient, better-planning, and hopeful missionaries. From that meeting, our studies have really improved, so that we're really talking about people and what exactly do we need to teach and have them feel in order to know the Church is true. 

But it's been hard. There wasn't a lot of teaching opportunities, and a lot of appointments canceled on us. I wasn't sure what exactly was going on. Elder D. and I have been working harder than ever, more obedient than before, more focused, etc, but not a lot was showing for it. Elder D. called it an "Agency Week" haha. 

Although this last week there was not as many lessons as in the past, we continued to work hard and look for opportunities. I'm growing everyday. Sometimes it's hard to look at numbers and not see the success there. Many of our past investigators have been investigating for a long time, and little if any progress has happened with them. One of our investigators who had a baptismal date (Marcos) is going to court this week, so we may never see him again. But I'm so grateful that my zone leaders asked me and my companion to fast on behalf of the zone. On Sunday I was really asking Heavenly Father for the help that I need as a missionary and for the ability to reach the zone's goals for the number of baptisms and lessons. 

But Heavenly Father answered our fast in another way. During Ward Council that morning, I got a phone call from the sisters in another ward. They said that a family of 8 is on their way to our sacrament meeting this morning, interested in hearing about the gospel and to learn more! This family was originally tracted into by the Spanish elders, then got contacted into the Sister missionaries, and when they realized that this family was in our area, they referred them to us and figured out a ride for them to church! All of this was within a half hour of happening!! Immediately the Ward Council pitched in, welcoming this family, showing the children the Primary and Nursery, and leading us to their classes. A fire lit underneath the ward, the first time that investigators have come to church in months in the Granite Hills ward!! I've been praying for this ever since I've heard the ward's history when it comes to missionary work. 

We set an appointment for that night, we taught them the Restoration, and....drum roll...They're committed to be BAPTIZED!!! November 16 is the day for 4 convert baptisms from that family!!! One lady, her 8-year-old daughter, an older daughter, and the older daughter's boyfriend,  It'll take some work; the boyfriend and girlfriend aren't legally married, and their financial situation is rough, but all things are possible through Him who strengthens. And they're SUPER humble!  :) My fast couldn't have been answered in a more profound way. Again, everyday my testimony grows. 

Elder D.  and I have high hopes for this week!! We have 16 appointments planned, and we'll have even more!! We really can do it! I truly believe that something great is right around the corner :) I have such a testimony about missionary fasts!! 

I've been feeling everyone's prayers and I'm so grateful for it! Tell Ninnie THANK YOU for sending the funny post cards from the family. I've been getting them everyday!! I also got the package with the pictures and chapters from Suit Up - They're so great!! I've added the pictures to my missionary wall next to my bed :) 

I don't want to leave this area!! There's so much work to be done here, and Elder D. and I are more energized than ever to get out and give it everything we've got! The only time I think about Brazil is when I'm speaking and studying Portuguese :) 

By the way, there's a rumor about the mission receiving iPads that the Zone Leaders "leaked" to us. They may be just pulling my leg, but there's a chance we could get them this week! And you know me when it comes to Apple stuff, I couldn't be more excited! haha

The Church is so true!! I'll write a letter with responses to all your emails and send it out tomorrow. I fixed our mailbox so it has a flag on it: basically it's a pencil with an index card box-taped on the side. It's pretty ghetto but it works! :P 

I hope B and Rosie are LOVING Seminary! And Joe, you're not far behind at all! :) Keep working hard, being safe, and doing the very best you can! 

I love you all so much!! The time is going by fast here, and Elder D. is counting down the DAYS before he leaves. I have more months left than he has days! haha He's handling his grandpa's death really well, and missionary work really helps with it.

I Love you!!!

Elder Fuss 

Hi everyone!!! It's great to hear from you again!! Mondays are definitely my favorite day too!!

As I've looked over the past week, I've noticed it's been a really good week for Elder D. and I. I got both of the GREAT packages from you and Ninnie - the Greenie box and the Mickey Mouse box. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!! They're so awesome!! One of the boxes hung around the Mission office for almost a week, and everyone inside wondered what was inside the package. And guess what?!? My mission president and his wife know who Barney Fife is!! :D Tell Ninnie thank you so much for the really cool surprises she put in there. My companion told me they were some of the largest packages he's seen on his mission!

I also got Mama and Papa's and your letters with the "lunch money" in it. Unfortunately there isn't a restaurant in the area that we bike. On Friday, one of the Elders that we share Granite Hills ward with was having a bad day. So we drove out to McDonalds and I bought everyone ice cream cones :) Sounds like something Papa would do :)

Overall this week, we got a couple new investigators, and we committed one to baptism!! Marco is his name, and we've been stopping by his house everyday to see how he's been doing. We invited three investigators to church, but unfortunately none of them showed up :( But we won't give up!! This week we got 13 lessons in, because a lot of appointments canceled last-minute. The numbers sometimes don't show the effort, but Elder D. and I are really trying to work hard!

You wouldn't believe this, but on Tuesday, I actually had to pull out my winter coat and wear it!! Up to 40mph winds, and we couldn't even ride our bikes in it, it was so rough!! So we walked from appointment to appointment in the crazy wind and rain!! In California!!!

You might wonder why I titled my email, All Dogs go to Outer Darkness. In Apple Valley, EVERYBODY has at least one dog! And so naturally when two guys in white shirts and ties ride their bikes down any street, every dog barks at them!! Thankfully they have fences around every house, but it doesn't make it easy to knock on someone's door when they have their dog barking at you. At one person's house, Elder D. almost got bit by a tiny little rat of a dog. They can drive you crazy!! haha I'll remember not to get a dog when I come home haha.

I don't know exactly why, but Sundays are so awesome as a missionary! The Bishop has us sit in Ward Council, so it's good to have the rest of the ward know that we're focused on the Work. The Sacrament means so much, and everything about Church is great!

After three weeks of not having a haircut, I definitely needed one!! So my companion and I went to a local place. I'll send a short video I made of us on the way to the Family History center.

We're in a different Family History center today, so unfortunately I can't print all of your emails and the chapter today.

I hope you've been getting my letters! I sent one to Mama & Papa and Ninnie last week.

As for addresses, I figured out our correct house address. I wrote it down and sent it in my last letter, but it's also Apple Valley, CA  if you haven't gotten the letter yet. I think it's faster if you send it to our house instead of waiting till Thursdays for the Zone Leaders to get all the mail for us. I check my mailbox everyday :)

Thank you so much for your prayers and support!!! I'll send home the receipts I haven't thrown away. I get $40 every other week, and you can tell I'm not the most frugal missionary hahaha. It's all fun. I'm excited to hear from you all again!!

Please reply as soon as you can!! Right before I log off I'll send you some pictures and hopefully a video that is small enough to send.

I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!!! I'll send a letter or two in the next couple days to you all!! Please be careful, stay awake when you're driving (cough cough B...haha), and be safe!!! I'm so grateful for my awesome family!!

The Church is true!!

Elder Nissinen

October 7th

Dear Family,  How're you doing?!?!

Sorry about what happened last week. I was hoping we could chat, but we had to leave a little after I sent those emails.

I would've emailed earlier this afternoon, but we didn't have the keys to the Family History Center until now. This morning we went on a hike to a greener part of our zone on a more rocky hike. It was really neat!! I'll send some pictures, and a video too if I can. :)

I've been doing great this last week. Elder D. and I have been working really hard, and we can see the success we've been having so far. The area is pretty tough; religion isn't a lot on people's minds, and if they are religious, they're usually not open to Mormon missionaries. But we're seeing the "little victories" we have every day.

 Before I came here, Elder D. and his companion were having less than 10 lessons a week total. And since Elder D. and I have been working all day, this week we had 16 lessons!!! Our goal is to have 20 this week, and we have a lot scheduled already!! We'll do great if we just keep working.

 Conference was SO COOL!!! It means so much more when you're a missionary!! We got to watch it in some members' homes, which was pretty cool. It's so cool to think that you all were watching it together too at the same time!! I hope you all got to see it! One of my favorites was President Uchtdorf's during Priesthood session - really awesome!! There were some really great talks on Saturday if you didn't get a chance to see some of them. Now I just can't wait till we get them in the Ensign!! :)

After Priesthood session a few of us elders went to In-N-Out for dinner. It was my first time!! Not too bad, but I'll have to say 5 Guys and Wendy's are better haha.

 I've done just about everything a missionary does when it comes to dealing with people. Elder D. and I got into a really interesting "discussion" with a lady who straight up called us "brainwashed." But we both testified of the truth and that we know that the Church is restored. And then the lady got up and went back into her house. It was definitely a testimony-builder. The thing about the gospel, is that it MAKES SENSE!!!! Because God is our loving Heavenly Father, everything about it makes sense - everything!! There's just so much confusion in other religions, so it's difficult for people to see that yes, we needed a Restoration, we need the Book of Mormon, we need that priesthood authority, etc. etc.

So one of my Zone Leaders had a bike that he used, but since he broke a bone in his collar, he drives a car now. So I use his bike now. In the last week Elder D.  and I both have had flat tires from biking in the thorny desert. It's pretty funny and frustrating sometimes, but we make it work.

 The city of Apple Valley is nice, especially at night. Since there's hardly any street lamps in my area, the night sky is awesome! A lot of dust, and people ask me if it's different than Oregon. I just tell them it's a different kind of beauty. :)

 Anyways, I've been working hard and doing my best. I can honestly say that although I may be disappointed in our investigators in not showing interest, I'm not disappointed in myself. And I think that's what success really is. Elder D. is a great companion. A little nerdy, LOVES to play Dungeons & Dragons card game  (which is what he does on P-day with some other elders), but he's got TONS of experience out here.

 The days feel like weeks, but the weeks feel like days :)

 Remember that other address I wrote about in one of my letters? The one on Quivero Rd? You can forget about that address and send stuff to the mission office.

 I LOVE YOU ALL SOOOOOOO MUCH!!!!! I'm looking forward to getting those packages. Our Zone Leaders pick up the mail on Thursday mornings, so if you've sent it already, I'll have it this week.

THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING!!!! I Love hearing from you!! I hope everyone is safe and is having fun at home!

If you can do an email chat with me, I'll be here for about another half hour or so. :D

 LOVE YOU!!!!

 Elder Fuss

Elder Nissinen with his new companion Elder "D"

Hi Dad!!!!!

The Rancho Cucamonga mission is a BLAST!!!!! It's totally different than the MTC, or really anything that I've done, but I'm working hard and trying to be the best I can :)

So Tuesday night we got picked up by a couple random elders who took us to their different apartments and we slept there for the night. I got to sleep on the floor, but I was SO TIRED that day from everything I was OUT in a heartbeat! The next morning we got up, worked out, and then headed back to the mission office to get our new companions and to do a little training.

So drum roll........ my new companion is ELDER D.(rhymes with "C." and everyone gets it wrong haha). He's a really cool elder, and actually I'm gonna be his last companion! (For a good reason, not the same as Elder H.). He heads home in early November, so this'll be the last 6 weeks of his mission! He has a TON of experience here with almost 23 months under his belt, and I'm always learning from him and his teaching skills. We work great together. We both try to be out as late as we can before we have to be back in our apartment by 9. Elder D.  is from Pennsylvania, and he just turned 21. I'll send you some pictures of us :) 

Elder D. and I serve in the Granite Hills ward with another set of missionaries in the town of Apple Valley. I'll help paint a picture of Apple Valley for ya: Imagine the scenery in the movie Napoleon Dynamite and replace all the grass with dust. When we're biking to our appointments, I'm just imagining someone to randomly yell out "RAWHIDE!" because it's a total desert. They call the area the High Desert, and I can see why. But the weather is AWESOME!! We're in the sun just long enough so I don't get burnt, and it's around the high 80's everyday. People tell me I got here just in time to miss the really hot spell during the summer in the Desert. 

The church here is pretty small, and the ward is mostly older couples with a few young families. The Bishop is cool. We had breakfast at his house on Thursday morning and his wife made everything GREEN since I'm a "greenie," which was pretty funny. We get dinners almost every night, and most of the meals I've had here have so far been casseroles haha. Oh well, a missionary is always hungry. The people here are really.....different too haha. Since it's SoCal, we meet all sorts of interesting people with tattoos, crazy hairstyles, and come from a poorer area. Most of the time we've spent here has been biking around our 2 square mile area and trying to set up appointments with Less-actives, Recent Converts, and the few investigators we have. BUT on Thursday we visited a former investigator named Debbie and taught her the Restoration. She was really receptive to it and told us she felt the Spirit. And guess who extended the baptism invitation? ME! She said......YES! And we have her scheduled to be baptized on November 9th. We're really praying for her to come to church, since that's something that a lot of missionaries struggle with is getting investigators to come to church.

Our apartment is actually a member's home that she doesn't live in anymore, so the missionaries use it. There's 4 of us in it, and we share it with our Zone Leaders, who are also really cool elders. It's honestly quite a dump haha, but we do with it what we can. Actually funny story, on Saturday we helped a member's neighbor move, and in return, we got a couch and table! So we took our dumpiest couch and table and put them on the street!! Haha only in California!! And...within 5 minutes someone pulled up and hauled the table away. And the couch is still on the street but no biggie - it's California haha. 

Thank you SO MUCH for your emails!!! I LOVE hearing from you and everyone!! 

Thank you for teaching me how to work hard. There's a lot of "free-time" on a mission, but the Lord will really bless us if we're outside our apartment working. We've also been trying to get the ward involved with helping us with referrals and lessons, but it's been hard, so we try to stay busy doing whatever we can to find. Thank you for your everyday example to me, your prayers, your love, your support, and every little thing that has prepared me for this moment. 

I LOVE YOU DAD!!!!! Please respond when you can, since there isn't really a time-limit on the computers for missionaries :)

Your missionary and son,

Elder Nissinen

September 20th

Hi Mom!!!

I'm super excited to go serve in California!!! I saw a picture of my new mission president, President H. He and his wife look like awesome people! I'm so excited to meet them and get right to work :) 

Did you and Dad get my travel info in an email? 

So before Elder H left, there was a 3-some in my district. So after he left, one of the elders in the trio became my companion. His name is Elder A., an 18-year old missionary like me from Texas. He's really cool and really wants to work hard. Our planning meetings and lessons are a lot more efficient and we get a lot done. 

I talked to Elder J. and he and his mom know about calling from airport. He's really excited to go serve in Tulsa OK. From my district, there's two sisters going to Scotsville Arizona (Sisters A and B), two elders and a sister going to Tulsa OK (Elders J. and M and Sister T), one elder going to Eugene OR (Elder V), and two of us going to Rancho Cugamonga (me and Elder J.). We're all leaving within the next few days! We all opened our reassignments together - it was like Christmas!! :) 

Today we did Initiatories at the Temple for the first time as a district - It was a great time!!! After I email I'll start packing. I washed all my clothes already and ironed a lot of it. 

Anyways, hope we can chat whenever you can.

LOVE YOU MOM!!! 

Elder Fuss

PS. Keep an eye out for a package that I'm sending home :)

California here I come.....!

I got my reassignment today!!!!! Turns out, no one was right!!! 

I'm going to CALIFORNIA!!!!!!! Rancho Cucamonga Mission!!!!!!! I leave Tuesday morning on the 8:45am flight to LA!!! 

WOOHOOOOOHOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO :D Super excited!!!!! 

Saturday, September 7th

Dear Family,

          Thank you again for the really awesome package!  I loved everything about it: the really neat dictionary, the AMAZING mickey pin, ( that's my ultimate favorite :), and the index card!.  My companion had never heard about folding a card like that, so he was stoked to do it at members homes! It's a really neat idea!  Thanks you!!!

     I also got Mama & Papa's letter today too!  I hope everyone had fun up in Detroit Lake and that Papa had a really fun birthday.  Tell Papa to not worry: I'll still make him say "Uncle" :)  They're so funny and I love them a ton!
  Every time I get a package, I make a new friend.  Somebody always notices the Andy Griffith pictures, and they tell me "I love that show"!  I don't feel so alone watching TVland anymore haha.  My district gets a kick out of it, and  Elder H. just rolls his eyes, haha.
  Which teachers does everyone have this year?  Any that I had?  Classes here at the MTC are nowhere near like school.  i mean , what class in school would you start off with an opening prayer, reciting our purpose, the firs vision,  Moroni's promise and then having someone give a spiritual thought and bearing their testimony?!!!  That's never happened in Senior Ricardo's spanish class.  That's for sure!!!
It's awesome here.  No one is ever alone here.  The companion is always within sight and sound of you.
     A quick question for you mom... should I wash my laundry bag every time I wash my clothes?  It it good for it?
     Anyways, I hope everyone is staying busy and having fun!  Before you know it, I'll leave the MTC, Halloween will be here, then shortly after it'll be Thanksgiving, and I'll talk to you all on Christmas!!  It'll go by so fast, I can tell.  I'm just excited to get to work!   The work is real! Testimonies grow everyday.  The spirit is ow we do everything as missionaries.
      I love you all!!!!!!!!  Again, thank you for the letters, packages, and emails!
                                            Love you all,
                                           Elder Fuss

Dear Family,

     I'm so glad you got the SD card with no problem.  If you want me to take more pictures (anything in particular), please let me know:)  So about that tree, they show it to all the new missionaries on their first day here.  No one knows why, but you're right! It does smell like butterscotch, cream soda, something like that. It's kind of another of those crazy quirks at the MTC.

     Elder H is a great guy! He's definitely an Alabamian, even though he doesn't have the accent. Just the way he does stuff, you can tell he's Southern. He has a big heavy laugh, and me and him get along great. Every week we have what's called companionship inventory, basically where we smooth out the rough edges in our companionship and see where we could improve.
   
     I'm learning so many things here at the MTC. Things about the gospel, the language, being a missionary, and being a leader. Now that I'm District Leader, I've learned a lot about working with my district to figure out, set, and achieve goals for the district. On Wednesday, I noticed a missing seam in one of my slack's pockets. So what did I do? With some needle, thread, and 45 minutes, I finally fixed it up as good as I could haha. But it looks good, and you can't hardly notice the stitching, especially if I'm wearing a belt.

     You'll be glad to hear this Mom. I'm so grateful you gave me that small iron you got from Goodwill! These irons here aren't really reliable: water leaks, they've burnt out other elder's shirts, and it flickers on and off. But that little iron is as reliable as ever. I've let others elders in my district use it too. It takes a little longer to iron, but at least there's no gunk that gets on your shirt. And another thing that'll brighten your day, Mom. I'm really glad you made me take that haircutting set. Don't get me wrong, the barbers here do alright, but I've used the different razors to trim necklines that were uneven and to trim sideburns. If I ever have to cut hair in the field, I'll be ready :)

     I heard about everyone's first day of school! It won't be long before everyone is into the outline of things. B, the first week or so of Wendy's is basically video orientation: you watch videos about how to do stuff for HOURS. It get's pretty boring, but hey, you get paid to do it. But you're getting some great hours. 7 to 3?! I wonder what you'll be doing for 3 hours before the place even opens. What does everyone say about you working there after your brother quit? Haha.

     Elder H is like a big fuzzy bear. He has a LOT of body hair, and sweats a lot because of it, but he gives really big hugs. So basically he's like an older brother bear haha. And he's cool and always ready to relax and have fun, which you need if you want to survive the 10 hour study schedule of the MTC :)

     I would record a video of myself, but it's against missionary rules. I could ask my mission president when I get in the field, but I know at least in the MTC, only cameras with the picture function only are allowed. Sorry! But it'll be just a couple of weeks until I can call you from the airport.

     Oh also, I weighed myself again during gym time. Before I left, I weighed 160, and after working out I weighed 157!!! Last time when I weighed myself I had my church clothes on and weighed 164, so it's an improvement! It all starts with cutting out the donuts in the morning- those things are killer! Haha. You'll get this letter after I email you today, but I love getting all your letters and hearing that you're all safe. I love you!!!

Your "missionario",
                                 Elder Nissinen

P.S. "I can take some manners, I can take some cleanin' up, and I can take a bossy mouth. But I ain't about to be to death with no spoon!" -Briscoe Darling (HAHA!)

The Seven Dwarfs!!!  Jacob is "Sneezy", because he is the only one that hasn't been sick yet!

Hi Mom!! 

B looks great in his uniform!!! He'll have a great time working at Wendy's!!

And I love the bracelets too! All the missionaries that I've shown them to, they think it's an awesome idea! :) 

In my room on my desk I put up a few sticky-notes to help me think about missionary work and why I'm here. One of them says, "What Do I Stand For?" The bracelets we had before reminded me to write that. Sometimes missionaries don't follow all the rules, especially the Lights Out rule at 10:30. Some will stay up and talk in the vending machine room for hours after lights out, which make things difficult for everyone else trying to get some sleep. But there's a lot of good elders here who're trying to be obedient.

In my district there's 11 missionaries total, and there's one district leader per district in the MTC, so I'm it! :) There was an elder before me who was the District Leader, but they switch leaders every three weeks so more people can have the chance to serve in a leadership position. 

I'm glad you're always out on the lookout, Mom ;) Sister S. sounds like a really nice person! Where's she from?

We mostly speak English here honestly :P It's hard speaking Portuguese when most of the MTC is speaking English, but for one part of the day (usually the morning or evening classes), our district tries to go on just solid Portuguese.

I'm excited to get the package! Honestly I don't think my room could hold any more sweets haha. Between the four elders in it getting stuff from their families too, no one is every hungry haha. But we share and don't eat a lot of it. Before the MTC I weighed 160, and on Wednesday after working out, I weighed 157! The hardest part is not eating the donuts for breakfast, because those things are really tempting to have in the morning.

If I could've packed more of something to the MTC, I would've packed more athletic socks. Since we wear a pair during gym-time and on P-days, I go through two pairs pretty easy. Whenever you could, if you could send some socks (it doesn't matter which kind), that would be amazing!! Thank you for everything you've done for me!! 

Tell Papa HAPPY BIRTHDAY from Elder Fuss!!! I hope gets a thank-you letter I sent a few days ago for the last big package from the family. I hope he has a great and super fun birthday! I love you Papa!!!!!

Our residence hall is kinda weird lately. Apparently I talk in my sleep and I sleep walk. Every night it's either me or another elder in my room talking or doing something weird in our sleep - funny, huh? I never know what's going on when I sleep. I'm so tired at night that I just crash until the alarm goes off. 

I'll try to send pictures as often as I can. On some computers it doesn't let me, but I'll try everywhere I can. 

If you have any questions about anything, I'd love to answer them! I can't believe I have less than 3 weeks here! Elder S. got his reassignment today: he's going to Oakland/San Francisco California, and he leaves Wednesday!!!

Thank you for replying to my letters, emails, etc. I LOVE hearing from you all!!! There's so much to learn at the MTC, and we're constantly praying for the Spirit, or else we really can't teach. I'm soooooooo grateful for my family!!!! 

I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!! It won't be long before I call you from the airport!!! 

Elder Fuss

Elder Nissinen loves the MTC!!!!

Dear Family,

   Attached is my SD card of pictures.  I tried to get a lot of the day-to-day things we do here.  If you've got questions about what some pictures are about don't hesitate to ask.   I hope it gets to you safely.
Anyways, thank you for you emails yesterday!  What's great is that i can print them out and read them over and over.  There's so much to do here in so little time, but we have so much fun here it's always a SPIRITUAL BLAST!!!
On Thursday we taught one of our other investigators.  Her name is Bruna and we teach her every other day.  In "reality", she really our teacher posing as Bruna, but we experience Turns out she loves to sing and, itself is so real.  Anyways, she's kind or a stubborn woman who doesn't think religion is important and God, Christ are a belief that binds people.  Elder H and I wanted to show her God's love for her, so we decided to sing a hymn before we have an opening prayer in our lesson.  Turns out she loves to sing, and I felt inspired to sing " I stand all amazed" in portuguese.  She didn't sing, but as Elder H and I sung, I could tell she was getting emotional- the spirit was there. We didn't talk much after that.  We invited her to pray on her knees out loud about our message and if God is really there.  She said she'd try, but thats a start.  Even though we didn't commit her to baptism, we invited her to feel the spirit, and thats what does the real teaching in people's lives.  It was just and awesome 20 minute experience.
     P-day went great!!! Laundry went as smooth as ever, emailing wasn't much of a problem (except figuring out the pictures), and the Temple we so awesome!!!  My first haircutting appointment went pretty well too!  A lot of Elders complain, but for a 15 min haircut, it wasn't bad at all.  Better than what I could do in an hour, HaHa.  But what's even neater is that some Elders in my district wanted me to fix their sideburns, neckline, and the lines in their hair with my razor!!  haha!!
     Last night was our first TRC- Training resources Center or something like that, it's where volunteer members sit down with missionaries and the have them teach a lesson or share a spiritual thought.  To me, it was a TON of fun!  We laughed with the members as we got to know them, and helped bear and grow their testimonies- all in Portuguese!!!!  I got the SUPER AWESOME FAT PACKAGE from the rest of the Long family- totally rocked my day!!!  My companion and I were laughing the whole time!!! and the rest of our district is pretty jealous. But we'll share all the stuff because heaven know we can't come close to eating all of it in less that 4 weeks.  They really liked the Wendy's  stuff too- great touch!!!
     I am going to try to write all the families in the next day or two and thank them all for their support, thoughts, and love.  I have all the families addresses except Ro's and Bogy's.  So I'll probably send them to our house and you can forward them to them.  I can't believe it's been almost 3 weeks and that school is just around the corner!  What classes and teachers do the kids have? How are piano, soccer, running, and the new job coming along?  I'm excited to hear about your scripture studying and the goals and effort you all have put into studying the scriptures daily!!!  The blessings will continue to be poured out upon you all.  I love you a ton!!!!  Missionary work is fun, hard, and worth every second!!!
It feels great to have badge bearing his name, and that I can testify of the importance and divinity of my calling to be a set apart servant and representative of the Savior.  It's so awesome!!!

                                                                  Your missionary,
                                                                   Elder Nissinen

P.S. I love the bracelets!!!  I wear mine every night to bed.  They're so cool!!! Thank you!!!!

August 29th

Dear Family,

      Tuesday we got soaked- physically and spiritually.  So guess who came and spoke to us on Tuesday night??  ELDER NEAL L. ANDERSON!!!  The devotional that night was broadcasted to nearly all the MTC in the world!!!  His talk was titled " First love, then sacrifice." I thought it was really fitting for missionaries because we love and sacrifice so much.  He said, " we love the things we sacrifice and we sacrifice for the things we love".  So true!!!  The whole Marriott Center felt so awesome with all the missionaries singing and paying attention to an apostle's voice.  Really neat!

     After we closed the devotional, the security told us we couldn't leave because of lighting and thunder outside, so for another 15 minutes, everyone just sang hymns until we could leave.  But it was still pouring when we left.  We all knew we would get soaked, and we did.  But it was actually fun!  And good news, the CTR tie didn't get wet either. :)

     Tuesday we also had another service day!  I actually look forward to cleaning, believe it or not.  This time instead of vacuuming, I cleaned the sinks and counters in the bathrooms-gross!  Even elders make a lot of mess with their hair in those sinks.  But it was fun to just get out there and work.

     Funny thing with everyone's clothes being soaked on Tuesday, when I passed by the dry-cleaning service building the next day, the line was backed up so far.  I even think they had to turn some missionaries down unless they were leaving the MTC within a week.  But my suit's OK- if it starts smelling, I'll have it dry-cleaned.  They recommend having all your suits dry-cleaned before you leave the MTC anyways.

     In our district, we challenged each other to bear our testimonies (in Portuguese) to 5 different groups per day, and Elder H and I have been studying and practicing for our lessons.  We have 2 new posing investigators now, Bruna and João (John).  We teach one of them every other day, so there's a lot of studying that goes in that.

     I got your package yesterday!  Thank you thank you thank you so much!!  I know which of the hundreds of packages are mine because of The Andy Griffith Show pictures- they so make my day!  And I still remember the episodes of those pictures. :) Thank you again for the iPod and speaker!  I saw that there's pictures on them from the photo shoot a few weeks ago, and they look great!  Thank you!!!  My companion and I laughed at the Yahtzee game.  I'lll see if we can play it in the MTC, I'll look it up in the handbook.

And best of all, thank you so much Dad for your letter.  I love reading it, and I'll always treasure and protect it.  I'm so grateful for your example to me and your family.  I love and miss you so much, and it won't be long before I'm home.

     I'm excited to email you tomorrow.  I'll try to keep my emails short so you can respond quickly and we can have a conversation.

     I love hearing about the exciting things going on at home!  Tell Mama & Papa that it was great getting their letter in the package!  I miss them a lot too.  Have you been keeping up with America's Got Talent? Haha.

     I love getting your letters, and I always read one before I go to bed.  I think about you often, and I'm so grateful that families can be together forever, and that we all will live together after this life.  That's probably my most favorite thing about the gospel.

     Thank you for all that you do, everything that you've done for me, your prayers, thoughts, and support throughout all my life.

                               
                                                                             Love,

                                                                                    Elder Nissinen

   

Elder Nissinen and his first companion Elder "Alabama"

Letter to Dad August 30th

Dear DAD,

I'm doing great!! Our lessons get better, harder, but more spiritual each time. I love getting everyone's emails, letters, and packages!! And thank you SO MUCH for the last package!! The iPod looks awesome and I saw all the pictures and music you all put on it. It's so cool!! I'll definitely use it out in the field as soon as I can! I also saw the Andy Griffith song that B put on there - SUPER COOL!! :)

I also started reading Our Search For Happiness during my personal study - it's an awesome book!! By the way, did somebody dog-ear a page in it? 

I loved the letters Mama and Papa wrote. What's their house number? I forgot.

I haven't gotten the other package from the family yet, maybe in the next day or two. But I'm excited!! Packages and letters are priceless to missionaries. Every missionary just feels good and uplifted when they hear or get something from home. :)

Those are some cool facts!! I shared them with my district and they thought they were neat too! Keep on sharing them!

Here's some funny and odd things you might not know about the MTC. Every hour during the day the BYU clock tower plays the first couple lines of "Come Come Ye Saints" every hour. In the cafeteria they serve caffeine-free Coke and Diet Coke. During Gym-time, when you play basketball you can't touch the rim or backboard, otherwise you're automatically kicked out for the rest of gym-time for the day. At night, we have what's called Quiet Time at 10:15 and Lights Out at 10:30. At exactly those times, a voice comes over the intercom and says, "10:15. Quiet Time," and it kinda sounds like Satan's voice haha.

I tried the credit card - it works, no problem at all! Thank you so much!!!! I've hardly spent any cash, and on our Blue Cards we get a little bit of money per week which we usually spend on the vending machines and laundry. Tell Grandma I still have that half $5 bill.

That's great for B!! Did he get the job?!? I'll write him and you all soon.

I hope July 28th isn't too late if B leaves earlier. But we'll cross that bridge when we get to it.

Anyways, I'm trying to keep my emails shorter so you can respond quicker. I'll try sending some better pics, and I'll send the SD card home in my next letter.

I Love you!! Thank you for writing me your testimony and conversion story! I'll always keep it close, and I'll look at it often when I may be discouraged about an investigator. Thank you for your example to your family, friends, and me. Your decision to be baptized is one of the big reasons why I'm out here, and I'm excited to serve.

Your missionary,

Elder Jacob Nissinen

PS, If Mom doesn't respond soon, can you ask her what size I am for a haircut? I'm getting mine for the first time this afternoon. Thank you!! 

"P" day August 30th

Dear Mom,

To Missionaries, letters and packages are the best things in the world to get (besides baptisms haha). I hope you can read my handwriting in my letters. Sometimes I think it's getting worse because there's so much to say in so little time, but it's the coolest thing to hear from home.

I'll send the SD card in my next letter. I'll send it off tomorrow or Monday at the latest. I've taken near 100 pics so far. I carry my camera with me all the time, and I'll take pictures whenever. A lot of my best shots are during our weekly Temple Walks to the Provo Temple. But I'll try to get more of the day-to-day things. 

I got your package on Wednesday!! Thank you THANK YOU!!! I totally knew it was for me, especially since I could name off the individual episodes from the pictures. My district saw the package, and surprisingly quite a few knew what show it was!! They laughed when they saw I had a Barney Fife picture on the back of my name badge. 

Everything's been working out great! After being here two weeks, we know the low-down on how things work here, so it's not so much of a scramble on P-days trying to eat breakfast, write home, and do laundry at the same time. We've got the system worked out now. 

My favorite meal here has to be the mashed potatoes, gravy, and turkey they have about once a week. They've even had Chick Cordon Bleu! The food's pretty good here, and I have no idea how much or if I've even gained any weight. But my clothes still fit :) 

Thank you for getting me a dictionary!! I've had to use my companion's this last week :P

I love you SO MUCH Mom!! Matt 19:29 is one of my favorite scriptures now, and I know that I'm doing the work of the Lord. When I bear my testimony I often bear it on families, and I'm so grateful that our family will be together forever!! I love my family so much!!! And I also love being a missionary.

The Church is true!! Keep up the awesome scripture reading! Blessings are continuing to be poured out upon you.

Your missionary,

Elder Jacob Nissinen

PS I'm getting a haircut today, what sizes should I have them use?

I'm also trying to keep my emails shorter and my letters longer so you can respond before my hour is up.

LOVE YOU!!

Letter to Joe

Hi Joe!


              I hope you're doing well and you're excited for school to start!  You're gonna have an awesome year.  You've learned so much over the summer and you're ready for a great school year!  What have you been up to at home?  How are the soccer games coming along?  How is the kumon going?  I hope you're safe and having a lot of fun before school starts!  You're a great young man and you have a lot of potential.  If you continue to work harder and harder, you'll do some great things.  Always be a friend to those who can use a hand; thats where the gospel starts when we teach- we have to show them that we care just like Christ did.
You're AWESOME Joe, don't forget it!!!  I love you so much, and I can't wait to hear about the exciting times you'll have this year.  I miss you!!!

                                              Your brother and friend always,
                                                            Elder Nissinen

Letter to Rosie

Dear Rosie,

     I'm so excited for you!!!  High school is so much more awesome than middle school, and seminary with B and brother H. will be a blast!!!  You'll grow so much!!!
Congratulations on your calling!!!  You'll b a great Miamaids counselor! :)
We checked our vents and the back of our dressers.  We didn't find anything, but there was a rubber bouncy ball on our desk when we first got here.  I've heard stories where the Elders that are leaving will put an alarm clock in a hiding spot and set it for 3 in the morning, so when the new Elders come in the next day, they wake up on their first night at a super early time.  It's a gunny prank, but it sucks when they do it to you.

I love you Rosie!! You're honestly the best sister :) You'll grow so much these next couple years and I miss you!!!
                                                        Your missionary brother,
                                                            Elder Nissinen

Letter to "B"

Hey, B

  How's it going Bro?  Are you excited to not be an underclassman anymore?  Hight school gets better and better every year, and you'll have so much fun as you get closer to graduate.  Have you been on any dates recently?:)  Thank you for your letters!!!  I keep everyone's letters in a box that I'll take with me everywhere on my mission.  I just wanted to tell you that I know you're an AWESOME Big brother.  A lot of people, family, and friends look up to you and you are gonna do great things as you get closer and closer to serving your mission.  Before long you'll be sitting on your bed at the MTC writing letters back home too!!!:)

Always be worthy of the spirit and B... GO ON A MISSION.  The last thing Satan wants you to do is to be a missionary, so always be on your guard.  Especially in the next year or two you'll be tempted a lot!!!  But I promise you that if you study the scriptures, pray for help, and read you patriarchal blessing, you'll be immensely blessed and ready to serve here.  Keep on working hard, having fun, and being and example to all.  Always remember who you are, what you stand for , and how much I and the rest of your family loves you.  YOU'RE AND AWESOME B- keep up the work!

                                      Thanks for your prayers and thoughts!
                                           Your brother and friend always-
                                                 Elder Nissinen