Exito en Higuey. 1/28/13

Dear Family and Friends, Today I have good news. Yesterday we had 3 investigators pass the baptismal interview!!!!!! It has been a rough 4 transfers without a baptism, but our efforts are finally paying off. I have been privileged to find some very valiant people, as well as a few kids. One of which we are going to wait to baptize until his family is attending church more, so that he can have more support from them and not fall away afterwards. Wellington is an old investigator that we had dropped because of a few failed appointments, and because he wasn´t able to attend church. A little while later we got a call from his friend who told us that wellington wanted to be baptized and that we should visit him again. He changed his schedule at work so that he could come Sunday morning to church. Unfortunately he has to work the night shift Sunday and the morning shift on Monday, which means he gets about 4 hours of sleep. He says it’s a huge sacrifice but that it’s worth it. We are still trying to help him meet other members so he doesn´t feel so alone. Junior is a really smart 19 year old kid who has been coming to church for awhile. We got off to a slow start trying to teach him, but after he accepted the baptismal invitation we have been making the sacrifice to walk out there and teach him a few times a week. Julio Angel is the nephew of a member, and he is 9 years old. I especially have a soft spot in my heart for kids, because I was just 9 years old when I was baptized. I still remember the missionary that taught me. Elder Slusser. I have had the privilege now of befriending and teaching 6 different kids and it is always a pleasure. I hope that I can have the same impact on them that Elder Slusser had on me, even though he probably doesn´t even know it. This next part of my email still blows my mind. We have found a golden investigator. After contacting literally over a thousand people in Higüey, we have found someone. The other 3 guys I have written about so far were all references. This should show the power and importance of members in missionary work. However, we have finally been led to an amazing, valiant woman named Nikauri. Here is the story. First Visit Christmas Day. We knock on the door to do Christmas caroling, which she accepts. We are using caroling as a method to see who would be good candidates to receive one of the 15 Books Of Mormon that we have marked, written testimonies, and wrapped with gift paper. We feel prompted to give her one of these gifts after singing another hymn. She is very nice, and we feel like we should come back. 3 weeks later. President Hernandez tells us that he wants to make every effort possible to find the people that received Books Of Mormon. Second Visit We find Nikauri. She read the scriptures we marked, recited them back from memory, and tells us that she loved it. She has a few questions about the origin of the book which we answer, and we present her with a restoration pamphlet. We leave a little intrigued wondering about the future. As we are leaving she says ¨I have the feeling i am going to join your church¨ to which I stupidly reply ¨oh... uhhh... cool¨ Smooth right? Third visit She had read the entire pamphlet. We ask if she thinks it’s true and she says “Of course I think it´s true. Otherwise I wouldn´t have allowed you guys to come back and continue teaching me.” So we invite her to be baptized and she says yes. She tells us how she feels drawn to our church, like God is calling her there, and we testify that the feeling is the Holy Ghost, which helps us to follow Christ. She also tells us that she wants to have us meet her family and friends to teach them as well. We leave 2 Nephi 31, which talks about baptism. We say a prayer. Elder Ford and I do a mid air chest bump after leaving. Fourth Visit She had read the entire chapter and explained it back to us. We decide to teach her about the gospel of Jesus Christ, beginning with Faith and Repentance. She interrupts us to ask “What do I have to do to be baptized?” I am shocked and start crying. She asks “Did I say something wrong?” and I manage to squeak out “no... that was a perfect question.” So we do a recap of the baptismal interview and the commandments, where we find out that she is already married, has Sundays off, has no addictions, and wants to pay tithing. Yes I said wants. She says that we are like 2 angels that God has sent to her. Then she gave us chips and dip. More mid air chest bumps ensue. Fifth Visit We bring the relief society president with us, Diana, who served a mission in Mexico. Nikauri once again was prepared for the lesson by reading the plan of salvation pamphlet. She says she has a doubt, and I think “ah man here it comes....” and she says “I still don´t know where the church is. I was looking and looking but couldn´t find it.” We tell her where it is and she says she will come. Diana tells us after that she was completely shocked at how prepared and awesome Nikauri is. (update...she wasn´t able to come to church because her daughter was vomiting that morning. We´ll try again next week.) Sixth Visit We attempt to finish the plan of salvation lesson, but she teaches it to us before we get the chance. You see, we had left Alma ch.40, but she decided to read 40 through 42, and then SHE testifies to US of how important the Book of Mormon is. Then she told us how her friend invited her back to her old church, but she is going to tell her no because she wants to go to our church and feels like God wants her to be there too. Well that´s it for now. It was an amazing week. God has our back. We worked hard and now we are seeing an exponential amount of blessings. Elder Nichols

Dia de Reyes. 1/7/13

Dear Family and Friends, Happy Day of Kings! Well, yesterday anyways. Here the kids don´t get presents until January 6th. They literally don´t do anything on the 25th of december, just hang out with the family. I think they all get new clothes, but I´m not sure. They eat a ton on the 24th with the family, get really drunk on New Years Eve, then give gifts on day of kings to the kids. This week we worked hard despite the holiday season. I did the math, and in the last 6 weeks we have contacted at least 600 people. We have planted a lot of gospel seeds, and I am ok with that. Apart from that we have been doing a lot to visit, love and encourage the members. I think that is why Heavenly Father put me in this area. He knows I love people, and that I have a natural enthusiasm and charisma. That is just what this area needs. What would be the purpose in baptizing people in a ward that can´t retain them or support them? It has been a humbling, rough, 3 transfers. But now that I am used to the circumstances and know what to expect, I´m okay with being here for another transfer. My spiritual thought for the week comes from the Book of Mormon, in Alma 34: 27-29: Yea, and when you do not cry unto the Lord, let your aheartsbe bfull, drawn out in prayer unto him continually for yourcwelfare, and also for the welfare of dthose who are around you. And now behold, my beloved brethren, I say unto you, do not suppose that this is all; for after ye have done all these things, if yeaturn away the bneedy, and the cnaked, and visit not the sick and afflicted, and dimpart of your substance, if ye have, to those who stand in need—I say unto you, if ye do not any of these things, behold, your eprayer is fvain, and availeth you nothing, and ye are as ghypocrites who do deny the faith. Therefore, if ye do not remember to be acharitable, ye are as dross, which the refiners do cast out, (it being of no worth) and is trodden under foot of men. With Love, Elder Nichols

Happy New Year. 1/2/13

Dear Family and Friends, Happy New Year! My black year of the mission is over hahaha. 7 more months to go. In other news, I invite you my friends to make a resolution that will have eternal consequences. I invite you to follow the Savior Jesus Christ, to develop his attributes, to convert yourselves through exercising your faith. The difference with this resolution is that if we honestly desire to change and show our intent, we qualify ourselves for divine intervention, and the grace of Christ enables us to do the things that would be impossible on our own. A few years ago my parents bought me a brand new Quad for Christmas. For some odd reason I brought it with me on the mission, even though I had my other scriptures that I got at my baptism and carried with me through primary and seminary. Well recently those scriptures have started falling apart and smelling terrible, probably because of the humidity. So I have been making it a point to mark up my new fancy quad, so I can leave the others behind. I am using a new system that I developed in the mission, and I am using Preach My Gospel as a guide, as if I was starting the mission over again. My friends, I have learned a ton. It is a testimony to me that PMG is inspired of God, the Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price are His Word, and that if are humble and teachable, the Lord will open up great mysteries and treasures of knowledge unto us. Here is my basic color system for anyone that wants to know, the markings are a lot harder to describe without showing. Light Blue Nature of God, Prophets and Apostles, The Primitive Church, Apostasy and Restoration, Personal Revelation Orange Preexistence, Creation, Fall of Adam, Atonement, Attributes of Christ, The Spirit World, Resurrection, Judgment, Millennium, Kingdoms of Glory Green Faith, Repentance, Baptism, Gift of the Holy Ghost, Endure to the End, Vicarious Work for the Dead Purple Commandments Black Strategies and Characteristics of Satan Red Favorites that pertain to Other Doctrine Dark Blue Favorites that are Inspirational Have a Happy New Year! Elder Nichols