Splendid Christmas!

Dear friends and family

What a great week! I hope everyone and all have had a splendid

Christmas! Did you all get what you wanted, did you give what others

needed and did you all remember Christ and focus on his birth? I did

my best and serving others is how we as individuals feel better about

ourselves, isn't that interesting? I find it fascinating!

Just two days ago we (my companion and I) were leaving our flat and

found that the road that leads to Wigan had been flooded with water..

We watched in awe as the flow filled the small streets of Hindley.

People were outside their homes calling people and the water kept

getting larger and larger. What had happened was a river not too far

away, up the road, had broke because of the excessive rain we

received. It then caused lots of problems. I noticed that everyone was

scrambling and rapidly finding ways to find help and to try to fix the

problem. NO ONE HAD BEEN PREPARED.

This story can really apply to everyone's lives; we can all imagine

that our life is good and that preparation for things not seen are not

needed... Then in a split second disaster can strike. I have had

similar experiences where we had lots of investigators coming to a

ward party and we didn't find rides for them to leave (especially when

they had to leave right during the middle). This is where the frantic

and rational decisions come in. My mind was not focused on the things

that needed to be done, but as we do our best and endure to the end,

it will all work out. Always be prepared for anything that can or will

happen. Prepare spiritually because we have no idea when problems may

occur especially the second coming of Christ.

Mom and fam: it was so good to see and talk to all of you! We went to

Manchester today and had fun! I will send some Pics to mom if anyone

wants to see them. It has been a good Christmas and a great teaching

week. I love my mission and know it's where I need to be! Talk to you

next week.

Love, Elder Nichols