Love this boy. Here is part of his latest letter home. -K

Hi mom!!! I love you!!! It's me! Thank you so much for sending me Jenna's talk. Love that girl. She'll be married within the vicinity of a few months. She's just the best. But you know who is the best of the best? You. I love you. Literally so much. I'm the luckiest boy in the world. How fortunate I am. And blessed. In every way. 

I'm so good mom! Since last transfer was only 5 weeks, this one is 7 so I have another transfer with my cute Chilean guy. He's literally so funny. He says hi. I probably won't be with him next transfer though because he already has been here for 7 months lol. But that's just how it goes. I'm excited for the future, always. 

This weekend we helped 4 people move houses. Literally. I am dying. But it was fun. One of the people we helped gave me a couch that fits in our small apartment very nicely. Big fan. Don't worry. I cleaned it.

Also President Hess came out with us teaching the other day! Super fun. What a nice guy. Love him. He puts a lot of trust in me, which is flattering. He fell asleep in our last appointment that day. Cute guy. President has to deal with a lot of stuff. I admire him a lot. 
 
Guess what? Started my mission with 24 months, and as of yesterday we're working down from 10. Don't get me wrong though, I love being here. I love being a missionary and I am so much of a better person. And I really do think I've been able to be an instrument of God in the lives of people. I've seen it. And I've seen my testimony and relationship with Jesus Christ change from something of a conceptual theory to that of a genuine relationship. And that is something that I know I could not have obtained in any other way. 

Also, this week I ate a soup made of hearts and old corn. Probably couldn't have obtained that in any other way either. 

I haven't listened to the talk from Sam Brown but I can today because I have time to put it on my flash drive. Send me that podcast too. There are a lot of talks that I've been listening too that I like a lot. One is called "Beware of Pride" by Ezra Taft Benson, another is called "The Purifying Power of Gethsemane" by McConkie and the other called "Irony: The Crust on the Bread of Adversity" by Neil A Maxwell. 

Today we're going to the mall!! How exciting. I'm quaking with anticipation. But actually it will be nice because our only real options are go to the mall or sleep and we've made time for both of them today. 

Send me any cool things that you learn at the Fairmormon conference. I like fairmormon. 10/10. 

I'm online all day. I love you mom. With every fiber of my heart. Xoxoxoxoxox 
your boy, Jack


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Pioneer Day! How fun. We don't have that here. We just have a lot of protests against Chris Christie. Same kind of deal.

We already finished buying groceries and doing out laundry and it's only 10:30!!! So much time to be a literal vegetable. It's raining super hard right now and our car almost became a boat no joke. The weeks pass by incompehensibly fast. I can't believe that I've been in Lizzy again for as long as I have because it certainly doesn't feel like it, which is a good thing. So things are tranqi. I've learned a lot of Spanish cool words from Elder Sanhueza. Love that guy literally so much. Our conversations consist of statements such as "Porque eres tan guapo man?" "Porque eres así man?" And "Man tu no sabes nada." Such a good guy. We started doing P90X Insanity every morning and we're dying.

This week we had a lot of nice lessons and talked with really nice people. The Aponte family (Jenny, her little son, and her nonmember mom who we're baptizing in August) invited us to a picnic in this really lovely park and we ate homemade Colombian pancakes. I am definitely taken care of.

I miss Rowdy. Every time I see a dog I have to pet it. Like I have no option nor fragment of agency. I need to love them.

In other news I'm learning Portuguese right now and it is very fun. It's like French and Spanish had a baby and then gave that baby alcohol. It's great. You're great.

That's so crazy that Jenna is coming home. I love that girl. I'm going to send her a lil email today. I bet she's happy to come home. In retrospect, 2 years is not that long. I mean, actually it's long as flip but in the grand scheme of eternity it is but a moment. And a good moment at that. I've learned lot and I have a relationship with the Lord. I feel confident that I can provide for a family. I have (finally) learned how to budget. All good things. The best of which is my testimony of Jesus Christ and His Gospel.

Tell Sam Brown that I love him. I can't wait to go to all the big brain conventions with you.

XOX. your boy. Jack

Elder Nielsen went to the beach this morning with his zone and maybe forgot he's not been blessed with olive skin. He's now slathered in aloe but other than that, he's happy. The work must go on, right? Here is the latest from his letter home. -K

Hi you. It's me! Your real boy! I'm still alive! I'm am sooooooo sunburned lol. But that's okay. People need sun. Especially Jack Nielsen. But I'm really good and really happy. The beach was so fun today. Pictures are attached. Life is good.

We had a really nice week this week! As always. On the night of the 4th my companion got super sick so I spent the 4th of July listening to fireworks outside the window while I read a few talks. I loved it honestly. Our area is super fun and there's always a lot to do. We're working with this woman named Luz and she reminds me a lot of you if you were Colombian. She's super funny. She's the mom of this less active girl who we've reactivated and are going to the temple with. We have been able to give her a few Priesthood blessings lately. The Priesthood really is a real divine power that we are permitted to use. I have grown my testimony so much, mom. Like I was such a punk before lol. I mean I'm still a pretty big punk but I know who I am and I know who God is. And I love Him. And the best thing he has ever given me is my family.

So I'm going to send you these talks today. I was going to send them last week but I didn't have time. They're so good. They're from this senior missionary who used to serve here that has all these podcasts that are CRAAAZY. He talks about everything from the Priesthood to Missionary Work to the Temple to Eternal Progression and they're so good. I'm going to send you a few. But one of the things that I've recently leaned in my personal study and whatnot are the Estates and Eternal Progression. SUUUPER interesting. The Gospel is true. Not only is it true, but it works. It's perfect.

I love my mission. Things are so fun. I love my Chilean companion. And I love President Hess! He's so kind. We had zone conference with him this past week. He's so sweet. And his wife used to work for Viewmont High! She worked with Ms. Merrill! President Hess has gone through a lot. He lost a child and his first wife to cancer. But instead of making him hard or bitter it has only made him kind. That's very admirable to me.

Know that I'm good and happy. And I'm so happy I'm your boy.

Xoxoxoxoxoxo
--jackson

Sorry for the late post. Jack's PD was moved to Tuesday to celebrate Independence Day. He is doing great. Thanks for your love and support. -K

Happy 4th! Independence is great! I love the founding fathers. Today is great! I wish I could be at the parade with you but that's ok because my mom sent me a box of really yummy saltwater taffy so I'm happy. We just got back from a party. Super fun. I played ping-pong with this woman named Luz who is the mom of a less-active that we're working with. She's super funny. I love colombians lol. They all have fun personalities. They're making us food tomorrow and I'm excited. Also the other day I ate like 44.3 flautas and I thought my life was in danger.

We had MLC with President Hess! He's so nice!! Like so SO nice. He seems like the perfect amount of strict and relaxed. He's super funny.  I love him. He even came to our baptism on Sunday.

We have been teaching this guy named Charles and he loves America. He loves it. He loves Eagles and the American flag and everything. He's great. Attached is a picture of him and the statue of liberty and it is the best thing you've ever seen. Love him.

I love my companion. He's literally the funniest guy ever. I always go, "Hey Elder Sanhueza, do they have electricity in Chile?" And he goes, "...they do not." Lol. I love him. Funny guy.

Tonight we are allowed to stay out to watch fireworks! I'm so excited. Blessed.

Other than that, things are the same. I'm a happy guy. I hope you're a happy mom. Tell everyone that I love them so much!

XOXO -
Your boy. Jack