Yesterday I received a precious video from this cute missionary boy for my birthday (along with an Elvis Presley clock complete with rotating guitars that he found for free and is nice enough to keep for me until he gets home. lol. Can't wait!!). The video was a perfect gift so the letter is a little short this week. I'll take the trade. Here is what he has been up to;

This week was just dandy for me. Nothing too new. We went to the beach today which was super fun. I like going to the beach even though I can't get in the water. You probably shouldn't get in the water here because NJ is kind of gross and I'm sure the water is less-than-sanitary. However it was just a good time. I have a lot of friends in the zone which is super fun. Elder Hunt is still the funniest human being aside from you. I am lucky to have such a super funny and nice guy as a companion. I love him. I've just had the best companions. I know that I'll probably end with a few hard ones but that's life. I'm so blessed in my mission. I've seen a lot of people have a super hard time here and I've been in a position to help, which is nice. God prepares people. I feel like I have been prepared in my life to help others and that makes me feel happy and fulfilled.

Since I need to have fun constantly and continually or I literally die I have found a good few things that keep my life entertaining. One of such things was a lemonade stand idea this week which was super successful! We hydrated the community and found a lot of good people to teach. I also met this woman who dresses in neon green and hula hoops on the corner of E Jersey and Broad. Just for fun. *shrugs* 

Ok I have to go. Next week's email will be so good. I love you so much mom. Remember 2 years ago when I told you that I was going on a mission? Look at us now. Happy birthday. I'm your present. Surprise. It's me. 

I love you! 

This Wednesday Elder Nielsen celebrates his 21st birthday. If you have a minute, send him a birthday wish at jackson.nielsen@myldsmail.net. I know he would love to hear from his friends and family. Thanks for all your support and prayers. He's another year older and definitely wiser. Here is some of his funny letter home this week. XO - K.

Hiiii mom! I LOVE YOU! IT'S ME! THE BIRTHDAY BOY. 21 years of life. How did I get this old? It makes me feel better when you think that around 1/3 of your life is spent sleeping so I'm about to reach my 14th year of conscious life. I can't wait until I'm 15. Maybe we can throw a quinceañera.

I'm doing really good. Just chillin in bed right now. We just helped this guy move. Who would have thought that a huge part of missionary work is helping people move houses? Elizabeth is the DMV of America. People come here with intent to leave as fast as humanly possible. 

Elder Hunt, what a nice guy. He is very funny and also a shy guy. His been out for like 18 months and has had some pretty hard companions and he thanked me for being normal. Lol jokes on him amiright. But he's a really nice guy and works hard and I couldn't ask for more. 

A package just came from Jean and she gave me some cookies and a ton of money. What a nice woman. Will you send me her address so I can write a quick thank you note? 

Speaking of birthdays, I have like 5 meal appointments I'm going to on Wednesday. Literally lol. Some people have wanted me to tell you that they're taking care of me. You know what I want for my birthday? Regular portion sizes of meals. If it wasn't for the ridiculous amount of exercise we do every morning I would be like 399 pounds. Last year I was with Elder Jacobs and he bought me a cake and then ate like 96% of it. A man amongst boys.  I'm happy to be here and to be loving our Father's children and to be as happy as I am. 

I love the talk you sent me on Criticism, Compassion and Charity. LOVE. IT. I love the whole thing. I like his integration of the secular and the spiritual. Because it's true; I've felt the Spirit while listening to Bach as well as listening to Handel's The Messiah. "God isn't interested in the distinctions we make between the sacred and the secular." I also like his approach on doubt and faith because things have answers and the Church is alive and perfect because Jesus Christ is alive and perfect. 

You know what I can't feel the Spirit with? EFY music. 
EFY music hurts my testimony. (lol)

This week I thought it would be a good idea to do a lemonade stand/ spiritual survey booth and it should be very fun. I can't wait to meet a bunch of weirdos. All weirdos live in NJ.  Weirdos are awesome.

Going to the store. I LOVE YOU!!!! I hope you know it. I think about you all the time and you help me keep going more than you could possibly realize. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH.  Xoxoxoxoxoxo 

--your boy. ❤️

Transfers this week for our cute missionary. He's doing great! Here's his letter home. -K

I forgot I'm almost birthday guy! Days aren't really a thing for me. I have officially lost my sense of time. Just strait up lost it. Is it August? July? 2016? I live outside of the social curve, even with respect to time. But that's ok. One of the things I've noticed with respect to sociological development in different countries is that less-than-fully developed countries live a few years in the past with respect to fashion, music, etc. Sometimes I feel like I'm living in 2009. Which sounds weird because I literally am in the US but it's honestly hard to find English speakers sometimes. But all of this is beside the point. The point is that I
love my family.

I have some transfer gossip for you. Sadly, I'm losing Elder Sanhueza. My heart is broken. He got called to train and be a DL and get doubled in to Trenton. So he's pretty stressed but also really excited. I'm staying in Lizzy and my new companion is Elder Hunt (Caleb Hunt so you can Facebook stalk him) I've heard nothing but good things about him. He seems just like a nice guy. He has more time than me in the mission and he's had some hard companions so I'm excited to add onto that list. Just kidding. Or am I? But I'm excited. Lot of changes to the zone which is exciting. It'll be a good transfer.

We had a really nice baptism this Saturday. Luz is so funny. It was a really lovely baptism. It's been nice to see the progression of her family. After the baptism we went to this Colombian restaurant and I again asked myself the question why Hispanics have no sense of portion control.

I'm sad to hear about Uncle Larry, but at the same time relieved. He suffered a lot. He was a nice guy. He came to my basketball games. Remember him during that one final game where he was super into it? Lol. Death is a very merciful thing, sometimes. I'm positive that he is happier. God's plan is so good. I'll be sure to keep his family in my prayers. 

I love FAIRMORMON. I'm so glad it was a good conference. The thing is there's always answers to questions.  Sometimes they take awhile but even doubt has a place in the growth of a testimony. I like the part of that paper we were talking about that says, "That’s  the  story, incidentally, that  the  Lord has  always expected us  to tell. I don’t  think that people  who stand up in a testimony meeting to praise  this  as  “the  only true  church” realize  that they’re  misquoting the  Lord, who never actually said that.  What  he  did say was  this  was  the  only true  and  living church. (See  D&C 1:30) Plenty of other churches  have  truth in them. Some  have gobs  of it. But  this  church is  both true  and  living. It  is  more  than just  correct  principles and authority;  it  is  the living people  doing everything in their power to apply them.  And the Church, like  all  living things, develops, grows, and learns  from it's  mistakes." I am so grateful for my smart mom who was patient with me in my spiritual stubbornness. I have come to know my Savior and I am so thankful for the testimony I have since developed.

I'm about to go get my haircut and then after we're going to a park with Luz's family for a little bit. Should be a pretty chill day. That's so fun that Jenna is home and that grandpa and grandma are coming home soon. It turns out that people actually return from these things. I love my mission and I love my family. So much. So so so much. Elder Sanhueza loved his package. Like he was giddy. You're so kind. OK. Haircut time. I love you. ❤️

--jackson.