another week come and gone. it is going to fast. i actually still feel like a young guy in the mission and to be honest don´t realize that these many priveleges, blessings, and experiences will soon not be mine to count up, only re-count.
this last week we had our monthly zone leader council and i feel like it was a great success, and that we were able to accomplish all planned tasks and council on all necessary themes. it was a very Spirit-oriented meeting and we all learned so much. president gave us a doctrinal lesson about delegation in leadership positions. obviously applies to all Church responsibilites and callings. i have been able to study the new church leadership manual a bit here and there recently and can´t wait to put forth all my efforts in applying the Lord´s order and procedures in futures callings.
l am happy to inform you and thank you at the same time for your continued prayers for Cynthia(widowed mother) and her two kids. Luciana(17 year old daughter) accepted to be baptized this next coming saturday, April 23!!! we are hoping to be able to teach Javier(15 yr old son) today and invite him for the same day. the struggle there is that he studies in a military school where he enters sunday nights at 9pm, and doesnt return home til friday nights and last night when we went he was the only one home with an aunt but he was asleep. keep praying with us and i know the opportunity will present itself to continue teaching him.
also pray for Carlos, a man who lives here and has his family in a town 45 minutes away. he lives here and works in a little taxi, but many years ago went to the church in argentina, and i contacted him last night and invited him to church sunday morning and what do ya know? he lives in my area! so we have planned to visit him tonight and he said he has the time off to go sunday morning to church!
hope all is well in all of your respective homes. i am doing GREAT!!!! pray for the 3 missionaries in my mission who lost loved ones. they are so strong and such great examples but their families need our prayers. Elder Ralph(mom), Elder Qualls(stepfather who raised him), and Sister Bakaitis(grandfather).
i know that the Lord loves me, and that He wants the best for me. i am thankful to Him for the magnificent and exemplary family He gave me and can´t wait to see you all in a few weeks via Skype! ( MOTHER'S DAY - May 8th, 2011)
Just ran and came back from another massive marriage! 10 couples in total this time, and each marriage will prepare at least 1 or 2 individuals to be baptized today or in this coming week! i loved it. attached photos are of the empty cultural hall decorated for after the actual paper signing and legal part. the sacrament hall was full of couples and families plus there were over 22 missionaries who are teaching these people.
an inactive guy who i visited in my second area Paijan, was there to get married, so that his little wife could get baptized today!!! i am so happy for them, i love seeing the continued effort of my companions in the mission and the progress of people that i never lost faith or hope in!
just another testimony builder of the phrase "No Effort Wasted". similar to the experiences that nikki and heidi have just shared with me. love you all and miss ya.
Love you with all my heart,
Elder Nichols
