FUN ADVENTURES as always . . . 6.11.11

today we did a service project from 7:30 am until now with all the missionaries/sisters in the Trujillo zones (90 of us in total) we all had our yellow helping hands vests on and we planted trees in peoples yards so it was fun and an opportunity to contact others and represent the church in a positive social activity. these last few days, elder mcgrath and i have been traveling up north to each area in Guadalupe that will be going to the new mission and working with the missionaries and meeting with the local leaders preparing plans and making sure all are in shape and gaps are filled in fulfilling their callings because it is a District there and they fall under the missions direction. wednesday we had our monthly zone leader council and it was great. next week we will head to cajamarca and stay for 3 days and 3 nights so that Pres. and Sis. Turk can have a testimony meeting with all the missionaries, last interviews with Pres. Turk, and an activity, while we work half day with each area. it really is so sad and hard to say goodbye to the elders their, especially for Pres. and Sis. Turk (as their parents) and i have been so strengthened by the work we have been able to do with the new mission and all the missionaries who will be leaving because they really are some of our best missionaries and i know the Lord has prepared it in such a manner so that His gospel can continue reaching the ends of the earth. i love this work so much and know that it is the MOST IMPORTANT WORK on this earth.

will send pictures a little later, gonna go cut my hair, eat lunch, then in the evening we will attend a baptism and visit the new family we are teaching! pray for them and all those who are coming to know the Restored Gospel.

hope all is well in your homes

love you all,

Elder Nichols

Another Great Group of New Missionaries - 6.4.11

so this week more than flew. lots of meetings and crazy stuff with the changes. due to the increased amount of incoming missionaries we have tried new things with the changes to be able to handle the groups that are so big so this week we didnt have a transfer meeting. just a time schedule that each companionship would come in and leave there old companion and pick up their new one. it was layed out over and hour and a half. it all came out very smooth. now we are here in the office as 8 again with 2 who are going to form part of the office in the new chiclayo mission. good old elder mcgrath from carlsbad, ca who is just another one of my best friends. he is part hawaiian and lived their half his life and has a house there so i just might get to know hawaii some day and have somewhere to stay ha. so im training him and then when he goes the end of this month, my last two weeks i will also train the new assistant who will take my place. im gonna be busier than ever traveling and working with the missionaries that are in the northernest zones who are going to the new mission. its gonna be hard for them to part so we need to do all we can to help them keep their heads up and remember their purpose through enjoying just plain old hard work. (MY FAVORITE PART OF THIS TIME!) the new group of missionaries that got here this week were amazing and i love to see the new guys get out here and join us in this Great and Marvelous work of the Lord. they bring a special spirit and excitement with them and motivate the rest of the missionaries. so last night we taught a family of 5 Julio(dad), Janet(mom), Maricielo(daughter-18), Julinho(son-15), and two month old baby girl. they were great and accepted to be baptized, the missionaries in another area of trujillo had been teaching them and took them to church once and then they moved and we were able to meet them. pray for them and hermanito Carlos as well. its been tought to find him, and we know he is prepared and desires this True Gospel in his life.

I am so glad i am here in this wonderful land of Peru to share the greatest news that has blessed my life and the life of my family. i am also happy to know that this mission and decision to follow and bring others to our Savior Jesus Christ will never end, because that means that the happiness and blessings won´t end either. i love you all with all my heart.

miss you, will come back and write later.

Love,

Elder Nichols

MORE AMAZING STUFF 5.31.11

SATURDAY

welp! last sunday afternoon as my companion and i went to a few visits we had in our area, we were walking through a big oval intersection and as we had already passed tons of people without contacting them, as we passed an elderly man, i felt a strong impression we needed to talk to him. i told my companion we should talk to him and after talking with him for about 5 minutes and getting his information and fixing a visit we were able to teach him in his home wednesday evening before heading out thursday morning.

just so you can get to know him...Carlos Osorio (70 years old) lives alone and has been a single man his whole life. he moved to trujillo 20 years ago to live with his younger brother and in the last 10 years(don´t know exactly when), his brother passed away. as he expressed his love and appreciation for his parents and his brother(who he considered his best friend), he also shared with us that they´re the only thing he thinks about now. we were able to introduce the Plan of Salvation and after feeling the sadness and desire he had to be with them, i asked him if he had ever thought of seeing them again, or would like to, and looking down sadly, he told us that without a doubt that´s what he wants everyday, but the fact that they had passed away now, he said it wouldnt be possible. not once have i seen such a great change in ones expression as we explained that Carlos would be able to live with his family eternally. we were able to teach of Christ´s Atonement that allows us all to live with God again as eternal families and it was great to see the new hope in his character.

TUESDAY

That was the beginning of the draft I started Saturday and got interrupted by an emergency. I have so much more to tell you about last week and my trip to Huaraz but the time is so short and its not mine so I cant waste it. It´s 7 pm Tuesday and we just got back from full training and change meetings with the new missionaries and their trainers. There is an elder from Thousand Oaks and 3 other great north American elders, one from Kaysville who is Ted and Nancy´s neighbor haha. Crazy small world, but anyway, these last few days have been great and the new missionaries really impressed me and have taught me much in little time.

I know the Lord calls and chooses His servants through a living Prophet and that God continues guiding us through revelation in these the latter days. We all have the same blessing and privilege to receive personal revelation and inspiration from on high as we are obedient to the commandments, remain humble to learn and better our lives, and serve others with love in and out of our callings. I love and miss you all. I can´t thank the Lord more for my wonderful family and this, the greatest, blessing to serve in His vineyard.

May the Lord guide and bless you and your families in all endeavors,

Elder Nichols