Happy Valentine's Day!

Dear all who read,

It has been a lovely day today! My companion and I walked into the

shop to buy groceries and we saw all these pink colours and flowers

and realised that tomorrow is Valentine's Day!! Absolutely crazy, we

both forgot all about it!! Anyway, we have some marvellous people that

we are working with and who have a desire to change their lives for

extreme good! This is the time of the Lord Hastening the work!

A few days ago our mission President felt impressed to call the zone

leaders and pass down the message that this is the time to find the

ones who are prepared "The Hastening". It was impressive this week due

to the fact that last weeks key indicators for new investigators was

30(for the zone), this week we had 74(for the whole zone)!! It was

remarkable! The mission is changing and the field is very white and

very harvestable!!

We are working hard! My testimony has strengthened and especially in

the fact that we are all heirs of Eternal Life. God has a work for all

of us to do and we just have to do our part the best we know how. I

know that God lives and that Christ is our Saviour. Never forget that

he is always on our side as long as we are doing what is right! They

both love us all and I know that we are all part of His church! We are

truly blessed to be in the time of the Restored Gospel! Use it to its

fullest capacity!! In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Love,

Elder Nichols

Four missionaries in Shrewsbury!

Dear friends and family,

Today we hiked the tallest peak in Shrewsbury! It was beautiful and

pictures do not do it any justice! The view was stunning!

Yesterday we got lost as we went to another area to see some of the

areas investigators since missionaries have been taken out of the

ward. We were traveling home and it takes an hour to get home but this

time as we were on our way, the road that we came on previously was

closed and we had to find an alternative route home. We took very very

country roads and we got completely lost! Elder Tuipulotu and I said a

prayer for the Lord to guide us home. We could smell the car

overheating since we were climbing hills with it just so we could

return home. We were tired, but we knew that Heavenly Father would

help us. We eventually got home and all was well! The power of prayer

is incredible and that is where my testimony was strengthened this

week!

 Here are just a few pictures of me and my district! It's downsized a

little to 4 missionaries.

The work is diligent!

Dear Mom &Dad,

I thought this morning that I wanted to write two both of you at the

same time! I love and miss both of you and mom, I love your sweet

"foodie" story :) it made me remember all the meals you'd prepare with

extra love (due to the fact that you've said in past years that you

don't love cooking). I miss those all-American, home-cooked,

mother-loved food that would satisfy my, sometimes hangry sometimes

hungry stomach! That is a blessing I look forward to when I come

home!!!

The work is diligent, I heard a quote from an old general authority

and he said "Lengthen your stride, quicken your pace, widen your

vision, and stretch your capacity... expect a miracle for these are

the stuff from which miracles are made." Now Hyde ward is my favorite

ward, but it has sucked the life right out of me! Haha. Just like four

rambunctious boys running around, tackling each other to the ground

and breaking a beautiful house apart by being raised by two loving

parents- I think we all have turned out very good/successful! I feel

that the same principle has applied with Hyde... I finally revealed my

hidden talent for playing the piano... the first sacrament meeting

I've ever played in!! I haven't felt that nervous in all my life and I

felt similar to Christ when I did so (not to the same extent) I was

accepted and rejected by men "you cannot please everyone" some members

had tears in their eyes by my piano playing but their were others who

thought I was sinning by never playing before and also telling me that

I was either too fast or too slow or not at a steady tempo.. haha at

least it gives me a chance to go to the chapel and practice for an

hour each day :)

Lots of commotion about trump recently. Most of the English people

have a deep, burning hatred towards him. It didn't help that the

members found out that the MoTab sang at his speech... I couldn't care

less! If it drives us closer to the second coming... BRING IT ON!

I have changed so much over 17 months.

I love you both so much and I hope this email finds you in good spirits!!

Love,

Elder Nichols

My favorite area!

Dear Fam & Friends!

     It has been a good week and great success has come from the new

mission changes! Agency is a major aspect of the new missionary

schedule!

     I have been well and I love the ward so much! Hyde has become my

favourite area just because of the changes I've seen it go through!

Yesterday was exciting the ward found out hat I can play the piano,

now I have to practice hymns and Renew my old skills haha. All the

members make me laugh and I am pretty sure that I might move to a new

area next transfer.

     We have been getting in contact with a lot of less actives. They

sometimes just appear out of nowhere! We also had a few investigators

at church so that was a miracle in itself!

It is still cold, windy, rainy, we had a bit of snow but it melted

quickly. The weather is fantastic though it cannot compare to some of

the nicer tropical places ;)

     Nothing really exciting happened this week but as soon as

something happens I will tell you!!

Mom & Fam: good to hear from you! I love you lots am think of you all

often. I hear Spencer is even closer with his papers!

I will do my best to send out a

few letters soon :)

Love,

Elder Nichols

Massive Changes!

Dear Family and Friends,

Mission changes!! The morning schedule and evening schedule have now changed! The first presidency and the quorum of the 12 have decided to mix things up a bit! And it involves using more agency in our days as a missionary!! The set schedule is more done away with and is now up to companionships to plan when and where Touareg the most productivity! Its really strange to see this change. For example, we wake up at 6 and have morning prep until 8 then either planning the day for a half and hour or personal Study for an hour. We are then out of the flat by 9:30-10:00 and decide when to have a half an hour lunch and half an hour companion study! We get an hour for tea (dinner) still and go back to the flat by 9pm and have journal time and studies! It is a major change and is very different from the white handbook!! It is interesting but will be very good for us!!

I am doing well. I am still in Hyde and absolutely love it to pieces! I couldn't ask for anything more at this time in my life. Two scriptures that have touched me this week are D&C 31: 3-6 and D&C 42:6-9. They have really boosted my spirit as I have read and studied them.

This week has been a whirlwind and the winter over here is not as cold as Utah winter. We still have no snow but should be expecting a little tonight. We have been finding and finding, working and working, walking and walking. It is a humbling experience and the English people are so good! We have a few people who dropped us this week 4 or 5 so that was a little sad but the Lord is hastening his work and sifting the prepared from the unprepared. We are going to teach a lady today who has a small young family and she is so nice! We met her before Christmas and shared with her the Light the World and the Book of Mormon, she was in tears and the spirit that emulated from her was precious! 

The members are so funny cause you know that they really like you the more they insult you ;) English humor!! The members are really great and I love them so much! They all have tremendous testimonies that power the building with light. 

I miss you all and hope your week was very good and memorable!!

Mom & family: great to hear of all the snow!! I miss snow and cold Utah weather! I cannot believe that Josie is getting baptized!! Outstanding! And mom you sound like life is a party ;) as it should be!! I am glad to hear that everyone is well! I hope that you all may continue to be happy because dad says "we are not happy because of our success, but successful because we are happy" -thanks dad for that. I love you all and can't wait to email you all next week!!

Love,

Elder Nichols