April 4, 2011: Eric's Letter to Mom & Dad

Date: Mon, 4 Apr 2011 11:55:30 -0400
Subject: Re: Good Evening - Good Monday!!!
From: Eric Nelson
To: Lisa Nelson

Hey mom and Dad! thank you so much for the amazing email! it really means alot to got emails and letters! it makes me feel like im not forgotten! haha im going to write shaun & kelly today also! but today is pday! elder teulilo our zone leader (the Tongan) is having a pig roast/luau! its gonna be awesome! im going to have to send u guys alot of pictures and everything! We have a lot of set appts this week! and transfers are on wed! we get calls tonight though! elder fishers trainer is the ap, so we got early results.. elder fishers getting transferred and im staying here and am going to be the senior companion to an elder that has been out for awhile! but im excited to be given more of a challenge! :) Im so glad josh and lisa were safe in their travels! i was def praying for them! that's awesome! I love to see how everyone is being so blessed as i have been out serving him! im glad that you guys were forgiven for all the taxes and everything! that's such a grand blessing! 5 more estimates?! WOW! that's amazing!

I love how that's what this life is for.. not only to be tested with good and evil actions, but of the opportunity we have to grow and to show heavenly father in the end this is what we have become! i love the plan we have accepted to return as families together forever..!

Renee is doing awesome! we did an exchange with the elders in another zone just for an hour or so, but i had the opportunity to go with the other zone elder and transition them to her! they said they are going to try to have me baptize her on the 16th of April! that would be awesome! i will keep you guys updated for sure! Conference was so amazing right?! it like came alive as i was watching it! and i took like 10 pages of notes! haha! it was so amazing! A new Temple in Rome, Italy?! i thought when he was saying "a place that hasn't seen a temple for 2000 years" he was talking about Jerusalem! hahaha but its coming soon! they're just getting a foothold over there right now and then we will see that temple go up!

I wrote Tyler back once, i received revelation to write him yesterday in conference and i need to! i think i will write him tonight when we get home and are waiting for calls! :) i hope he's doing great! Ali Gomm, my friend that took me to the MTC is a great fellow-shipper for him! He flew up there not long ago to hang out with her up there and i hear it went great! i hope hes still holding strong! :) i will write him later! and talk about a mission, i know it is the greatest thing i have ever done in my life and i know it will bless his and be the same! i will talk about it!

Hey, when u make it to the salt lake temple, ill make it to the Atlanta temple! haha :) I told elder fisher thank you when he wrote it, and then i wrote his parents one :) haha! Everything is great here in Marietta, GA! I love it! and i Love the work! I gotta write shaun&kelley right now! but know again i love u all! and have a great week!

Love Always!
Elder Nelson

April 3, 2011: Mom & Dad's Letters to Eric

Dear Eric,

Hi there! How have you been? I imagine that you are
happy to have a day off. Well I hope all has been going
well for you. I wrote you a nice letter today so I will be
mailing that out tomorrow. Just think about you everyday.

Wishing you the best for the upcoming week. What is on
the agenda for today and the rest of the week?

I will keep it short as I wrote that letter! Love ya, Mom

Hello Eric,

This is your Pa! Josh and Lisa and company made it back to their home in Minnesota today about 5 PM. I'm so happy they made it alright. Now they can rest somewhat and get on with life. Josh starts work tomorrow at T- Mobile. Lisa landed a job also at a nice salon and starts in May. We here have been blessed to have a great tax debt forgiven and have had 5 more estimates call in this week. We have been so blessed.
Thanks so much for your prayers and those prayers of you reading this message. It seems so much was taken away and so much more returned. I have learned some lessons that I am truly grateful for and am not sure I could have learned any more quickly than as have been presented.

Thanks for sharing the letter you sent to your mission president. I am not sure if that gal, Reney, Is in your area or that of your ZL but I hope she gets baptized soon. This morning's conference session addressed revelation and the way you shared with Rene it would come to her. Keep sharing and getting in the trenches. Many will come to know their Savior as you continue in sharing your testimony with them.
Remember to always pray and keep the commandments. I am so happy you can be serving.

Keep writing Tyler. Write him constantly. He looked great at General Priesthood meeting last night at church. He needs to serve a mission as I know you can attest to. He may think more of that possibility the more he communicates with you as a full-time missionary.

Have a great week this week. In two weekends I plan to go to Salt lake for a Lifevantage convention. That will be fun and informative. I hope I can make the Temple while there.

Please thank your companion for the wonderful note he wrote us about you a couple weeks ago. It was a very mature thing for him to do and sounded great the way he built you up to us. Of course we already knew of the good things he was talking about. Be sure to thank him.

Keep your head up and always remember we are praying for you. Set aside temptation quickly as did our Lord and Master as He had thoughts come to Him to deal with. He had them as we do yet always took care of them in an orderly quick fashion, every one. He never held on to one but quickly dismissed them.

Take care and we will talk to you soon enough.
Love you very much, Dad