Andrew Update - 27 March 2010

Yoyo! dated 22 March 2010 - Sweet! So we had another baptism yesterday! Vacan! (Rad in Chileno). So that is two in one change! And I have my new companion! Elder Rodriguez from Columbia! Now I am going to learn so fast! Wow! Things here are so cool. I love teaching, and spanish is getting easier and easier and more natural. Especially with a native I am going to learn like lightning! Ollerton is flying home this night, and I said goodbye to him already. We have 3 progressing families Dad! Parents and children who I teach altogether and they totally want to get baptized someday! One family went to church for the first time ever, and couldnt stay for the baptism we had after church, but the Father told us that he hopes he can find his way to the path to salvation like our convert has. Sweet!!!! So Erin McDaniel got baptized??? Yes I remember her! She was in my class for more than just kindergarten though! I remember her with Mrs. Horetski and stuff! That is so cool that she is! Tell her to DearElder me or something! Tell everybody in the ward to DearElder me!

So it seems like Lauren is just too smart for school huh? Ya she can not really skip a grade because of seminary... Im glad you love your big brother, because he loves you more back. Trust me. I wouldnt give two years of my life to preaching for the Lord if I did not love the gospel, and my family. You siblings are really about 75% of my inspiration. Hearing about all the success you are having back at home makes my heart so light, and my blistered feet not hurt, so that I can better serve with a smile. When I read your letters from home, all the pains in the feet and tiredness is swept away when I hear how happy people are, and how they are finding success in their personal missionary work, and in work and school. All the negative thoughts of struggling to understand spanish, and walking all day in the sun disappear when I find my family happy. It helps me remember how great it is to have the gospel in the family. The second principle when teaching a new investigator is that the Gospel of Jesus Christ blesses the family. And I can testify personalmente that that is SO true. I love hearing the good news. Some info from some of my investigators: A family who needs a job, and who I teach English to so he can better find a job, want to be baptized as a family because they recognize that God is changing their lives right now. Another family who we just taught the first time, were very interested, and want us to return to teach them as a family. The third progressing family is a classic example. The wife was baptized as a kid but has been inactive for over 20 years. Husband and son not members. We went by to reactivate her, and invite the other to read. Father wanted nothing to do with the church, or to read the Book of Mormon. Next visit, the father hurried us in, told us he actually read the BOM, and had tons of questions! The son was SUPER excited to read, and read lots, and understood more from the chapter that the majority of our investigators! Actually, understood it better than some members! Crazy! The boy was so excited to go to church, and brought his parents. They all loved it, and can NOT wait for me to pass by again. SWEET!!! Our sector is actually one of the slowest in the mission! I went on divisions with the Zone Leaders the other day, and it was intense! We taught 10 lessons, 2 with member, contacted 4 references, and found 7, SEVEN new investigators in one day! And then the Zone leader said that was just a normal day in his sector! Crazy!!!! They baptize about 14 or more people per change though. Craziness. Well I gotta get. Have fun!I love you all my Family! Keep sending DearElders and stuff! Well have fun Family! I love you all and MOM! I will pray for you, Im so excited you are inviting people to church! Do not be afraid! Your lack of fear is what brings people to know that this is the truth! Ciao!-Elder Nicholls

Letter received 3/8/10 - Ya don't you love dogs? There are like 10,000 dogs in our neighborhood. They bark at us all the time. Totally like what you see in movies about missionaries being chased by dogs. Except we just turn around and walk towards them and they run like crazy! But ya there are dogs everywhere! Oh ya the quake.. Sorry you freaked out... Ya the story is pretty cool I guess.. Lots fell over, and a lot of houses fell, but Im fine :)

Oh ya we were teaching this lady once, and my companion and I got the impression to sing Families can be Eternal, or whatever its called in English.. and she cried, and in her prayer to end the meeting, she promised to God to truly find the true church, and join it, and now we see her regularly, and probably will baptize her soon. So ya we have a baptism this Saturday, and one next Sunday, and a family to baptize in a few weeks, and a couple more promising families.. Don't you love meals with members? We have them everyday.. They feed us soooo much! But it is the only meal of the day so its fine... We talked to this guy who Ollerton had taught two months ago, and he remembered EVERYTHING that he taught last time, so we taught about the LDM, and he accepted and is looking forward to us coming back! Sweet! Im going to baptize all of Chile! ... We are booked with appoinments for like 4 days straight constantly... What are your standards of excellence there? I can't remember ours.. Like 10 contacts a day, 5 baptismal dates constantly, 15 new investigators a week, 10 lessons with members present a week, 14 other lessons (Which we usually end up with like 20). Ya its pretty fun here. Well Madre, Padre, the only question I have for Dad is how long did it take you to be able to understand the people really well, and communicate almost perfectly? Because its been a month, and I want to know where I stand please...

This lady I met in the Mtc from the call center is still writing me! She got really worried after the quake and put my name in the temple prayer roll, and prays for me! Personally! Ya she writes me like 3 times a week at least.. She is cray awesome! I have no idea who she is, but she told me she is going to write me forever! I cannot believe it.. Who wants to take that time to write a random young man? I dont know, but in heaven we are going to be good friends! Well Dad any advice for your missionary son? Do you guys actually miss me? I cant wait to reap the rewards for the rest of my life after this! But at the same time, and I love it here and never want to return back to Old people Tucson! I love it here! I am writing down lots of family names dad, so I wont have any regrets. And Mom, anything from you? Im glad you raised me well in the kitchen. I bought Pyrex pans and stuff, and cook delightful meals for my ¨family¨ here. I think they appreciate my skill in the kitchen.. I love having appoinments all day long! Always busy walking, teaching, eating, and losing weight! The members tell me all the time I look skinnies! Más delgado Elder! Más delgado! Sweet! I hope you guys make sure Brinkley stays alive so I can see her again. There are trillions of dogs here. We nicknamed one Bridgette, and she completely responds to that name now. Lets see maybe a cool story.. One guy sang a Psalm to us on his guitar as a trade for a lesson.. People run from us, and pretend they arent at home when we come for their appoinment, and we can see them inside, hiding behind the couch or something. I think its so funny that full grown men are so afraid of a couple of 19 year old boys, carrying scriptures. Oh well. What else.. the newest converts of just 2 months from Elder Ollerton, now have calling in the relief society presidence! Sweet! And the baptism this weekend, I know the boy is going to be teachers quorum president next year when he turns 14. Sweet! People love feeding us, so we sometimes have like 3 or 4 huge meals a day, and feel so fat and bloated at the end. But thats what exercise is for! I love how our schedule is different and we are up till 11:30! so rebelish! But Its going to change soon to only 11, and we will get up at 7.. Well Padres, please send any advice! Ciao!

-Elder Nicholls