Andrew Update - 1 January 2011

Feliz Navidad! - 27 December 2010

I forgot to tell you guys on the phone, but at the Mission Christmas party, they asked me and two other guys to play "away in a manger" from the childrens hymnbook. One guy did not sing at all, so the other Elder, Elder Mathews and I sang a voice duet, playing guitar at the same time, and the third Elder played rythmn on his guitar. I was SCARED! Because there are 170 Elders in this mission, and they were ALL THERE watching. SCARY. But it was super good, and everyone was complimenting us later. I felt so good :) Because I had had a cheap week...

Plus at the party I got to see a family of converts from my first sector! They were talking about how they cannot wait to go to the temple in another 9 months, and the mission allows missionaries to go to sealings of converts, if it is convenient. I hope that does not change, because they just announced that we cannot go back to old sectors to baptize, nor can we visit one sector at the end of the mission. SUPER LAME. I personally hope that changes soon. We have a golden investigator that comes out with us to do contacts, and teach for 6 hours at a time. He has only gone to church once, yesterday, but is soooo awesome. He is going to serve a mission for sure. Not much happened this week.. I borrowed a guitar from a Sister here, and have been playing Childrens Primary songs every spare second, to follow what Mom suggested, about singing primary songs for investigators. You are so right Mom, the simplicity of the songs help people understand how to act and be.

My comp and I are getting along well, and I am sad to think I will not see Aaron Cope for another 2 years more. Lame. But whatever. I would rather that he be in the mission, than at home goofing off with me. I had to write a lots of stuff to lots of people today, and did not have so much time for the main email...But we did get to talk over the phone the other day. I cannot believe Dad fell into paying for Brinkleys leg, and sincerly hope the surgery worked, so that it wasn't done in vain... Because that would be a nasty waste of money.. But I AM thinkful to be able to see my dog once more. :) But more excited to be able to see my MOMMY and DADDY again one day! Man, right here in the middle of the mission is hardest, because you are farthest away from both points. But I am having more fun teaching and baptizing that sitting on a couch watching movies. I hope everyone is well, and I am doing way better, because my President dealt with all the back talking, and talking behind each others backs, and gossiping. So we are all good. He even personally complimented me, and so did his wife, just to clear up the junk. I am happy to be working here, helping others to achieve salvation with their families. I love you all, each one of you, I love you Mom, Dad, Sam, Jennifer, Matthew, Dianna, Lauren, Carolyn, and KRISTEN!!!!!!!!!!!!! (I only said you last, because of the order of ages...) Nos vemos un dia! Chao!

-Elder Nicholls

Sigh.. - 20 December 2010

Well, a companion of mine that I killed shared some sad news. He had talked with the assistants before dying, and they basically hate me. Awesome. They were complaining about my "interest for deep doctrine", because the president let me explore his library of books while I was stuck there, so I read this theory book about the creation of the earth. That doesn't mean I have interest in it! I just was reading to pass time, and it was interesting to see the ideas! Goodness... People just assume like crazy... Plus they had said a lot of other stuff, but I do not really care, because I just want people to STOP talking about EVERYONE behind their backs. Not just me, but everybody. Sigh... I just want to crawl into bed and stay there. So any suggestions? Plus, I really hope they do not have to kill Brinkley... Can't you guys just cut off the leg? Dogs are happy with 3 legs! I see them all the time!

Man, these last few months just get worse and worse... Why is that? The heat does not bug me so much, nor does my companion, but the leaders of the mission, yes. Plus, reading my patriarchal blessing, I do not see much coming through... Maybe I just need to be more obedient with something, or give more for the Lord... I do not know. I just want to be a happier person, and have joy, instead of irritation, fear, annoyance, and pestered. I just want to be able to work without problem. But I do not see that, or at least in the near future. But I am going to keep working anyways, and see what happens.

Well, I am going to call home on Friday, at 7 oclock, Rancagua time. I do not know what time that will be at home, or if you are going to be there. Christmas eve you should be there right? I do not know if you are going to be talking at Dianna at that time, or how that will work, of if that will be efficient. But I will be calling home at 7 pm. I love you all, and hope you have a merry merry merry merry Christmas.

-Elder Nicholls

Oh ya - 13 December 2010

Well I have about 5 minutes to do this.

This morning I hosted a breakfast here in the restaurant, for all the missionaries in the zone (14), and it was awesome. Afterward, we went to the chapel and played soccer and got all burned up by the sun. Then we went shopping, and now we have absolutely no time to do internet. This next week we should have a baptism, but I have a feeling that we are not going to be able to teach her enough before her baptism... We pray she is able to learn enough this week. My comp and I are getting along really well, and we are excited to keep working toward the baptismal goal with our investigators. Kristen scared me with that whole Brinkley thing, because I have NO IDEA what is going on with that. Laurens story about her birthday is just TOOOOO FUNNY!!!! With the whole OJ thing... Lauren, I am sorry, but I KNOW that you are laughing about it now.. Right? I got your emails about thanksgiving, and danish rounders, and the girls hanging out with matthew playing games with him. I have to go. It is super late, and I still need to write something to the president.

Chao!-Elder Nicholls

ps Dad (Santa), was the sleigh you sat in the sleigh that we made as a priests quorum a long time ago?

Woooow... - 6 December 2010

Well, something happened, and it kind of stinks.

So we FINALLY have a baptismal date for the 19th of December, and it is sure. She lives the word of wisdom, law of chastity, and everything. Plus, the members have done an AMAZING job at helping us. But the dumb thing is, that our baptismal date, Yicel, (Giselle) brings a friend to EVERYTHING, and she loves the Gospel, told her Mom about church, and now her and her Mom have baptismal dates for the 3rd of January. The members have helped them so much too, that they are for sure baptisms, because they really know it is true. The lame thing is, that they are JUST out of our sector. There is a street called Villaseca, and the south side is ours, and the north side is from a sector called Buin. Our baptismal date lives on Villaseca south side, and her friend and friends mom that are getting baptised in January, live directly in front of Yicels house, on the north side, so they have to go to Buin. That is terrible! Because they have already gone to our ward, and all the friends they have in church go here, and they do not know ANYBODY in Buin. So I have to talk to the mission president about maybe changes the limits of the sectors a little. Lame. Other than that, that is pretty much my whole week.

I cannot believe that Christmas is really just coming around the corner! I do not have a time to call yet, nor do I know the differences in time between Chile, Arizona, and Halifax.. Help me please... The work is progressing a bit more here, as I am killing my fifth companion... We have a lot of differences, but either way, we work as hard as we can. I always think about Dad's example of the tube of toothpaste... Is it worth fighting over? Or can you just go and buy a second tube of toothpaste? Dad, you have no idea how many times I have used that example in my mission. Let's see... what else happened... Nothing much. Just the members are starting to trust me more again, and they are working really hard to help fellowship people into the church, as they make these changes. I love you all more than Dianna loves you!

Chao!-Elder Nicholls

Almost at a year! - 29 November 2010

Well, you guys will never guess who my companion is.... There were some changes in the mission boundaries, and Elder Garret McGee is my companion!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I cannot believe that! That is soooooo awesome! We just talk all day about Philmont, and the canoe trip, and all the dumb things we did as kids, and you know what else? If you actually believed this, you must, must, MUST stand up and use two fingers to give yourself indian feathers behind your head, and howl like an indian, doing that hand bopping thing over your mouth.

Ok, let me help you remember all my changes, so you can better understand the position I am in...

Change 1: Villa el Sol, with Elder Ollerton, I killed him.
Change 2: Villa el Sol, with Elder Rodriguez.
Change 3: Villa el Sol, with Elder Rodriguez, he had one change left when I left.
Change 4: Chepica, with Elder Gomez, who is now my Zone Leader.
Change 5: Chepica, with Elder Abrams, I killed him.
Change 6: Linderos, with Elder Mejia, I killed him.
Change 7: Linderos, with Elder Romo, I killed him. (Yes, he came from another sector, just to die.)
Change 8: Linderos, with Elder Robinson, I will kill him. (Yes, he came from another sector, just to die.)

Why is this happening to me???? This is my fifth companion to kill!!!! Most missionaries do not kill more than 1!!!! Sigh.... I wonder what the Lord is preparing me for...???

So Dianna, I had a similar experience with church this week. We had 6 investigators, and they were all WOMEN, so all the MEN were excited. :) Incredible... And every single investigator had a "perfect friend". Someone of the same age, and same hobbies, tastes, and interests. Unbelieveable. Seriously. I do not believe what happened. Other than that, nothing much happened. I just want to know WHAT TO DO WITH MY PANTS THAT ARE AWESOME BUT ARE TOO SMALL!!!!! Do you want me to return them in a box, and you guys send me other? Because LISTEN TO ME. The pants you sent are AMAZING!!!!! They are comfy, and perfect length, and awesome! But the waist needs to be a 38, not a 36. Please and thank you?

Well, I am looking forward to being able to call in a few weeks, and be able to talk, so you can hear my deep strong missionary voice that I have attained... Haha.

Well, I love you all, but it has been an hour. (Time goes so fast when the office makes you read like 7 emails a week, and respond to them EVERY WEEK, it certainly is time consuming, week after week....) Well I love all of you THIS MUCH!!!!! {---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------}(Pretend like they are hands) I look forward to reading more emails and dearelders abuot your lives. Even though I may not be able to always respond to dearelders, I REALLY APPRECIATE them, and LOVE reading about stories from your lives. Like Lauren and her nastified bruised legs and FACE! Gross... And Lauren, I have NOT been on facebook. If anything has changed, somebody ELSE is doing it. I do not even have an idea of what my old email or password are... So do not think I am being disobedient like that! I love you all so much! Be safe! And Dad, do not sell the bikes, because I really want to work on them and ride them more when I get home! Chao chao!-

Elder Nicholls