August 29, 2016--Week 55

Hey everyone!

So this week was pretty good. All my weeks are good though, are so that shouldn't be a surprise. Also I don't have P-Day today so my emails are sporadic. My companion had to go to his dying (when you leave the mission) trip to the Statue of Liberty today and so we are driving a lot and I don’t have a time to sit down and write. So this and all my emails will be scattered.
 
But yeah, Rocksan got baptized this week! It went really well and the ward was there to support the whole thing. Next week she is getting confirmed and that should go really well. Also our high priest’s group leader has officially returned back to church after a year of inactivity. So that is even better. Two great things and the ward is growing a lot. Other than that, we have been doing a lot of finding.

Elder Dube from the quorum of the seventy came and talked to our mission. He is SUPER funny and he is really personable. I had the chance to talk with him for a few minutes cause he went around talking to everyone in person. It was sweet.

So that's pretty much it. I hope you all have a great week!
-Elder Nickerl

August 8, 2016--Week 52

Hello everyone,

This week has been excellent except I remember very few details of what happened. I took no pictures and I have been super bad at keeping a journal, but what I do know is that we are seeing so many great things happen. We're super excited about the work. 

Sunday, church was cool. For the first time ever on my mission, someone just walked in from the streets and wanted to come to our church. It was a miracle. She loved it and says she is coming back.  She wouldn't give us any contact information because she hasn't made any commitments and she doesn't want us knocking on her door yet. But that is okay. If she is back next week, it will be an even better miracle. The ward is changing and is starting to trust the missionaries a lot more which is super great. 

Nothing else to report, but a cool thing I am learning is how the Lord helps us to build our talents. This lesson goes in great with our mission motto which is "Become". We are to become God's instruments. After looking back over my mission so far a lot this week and doing a lot of pondering and goal setting, I've realized how much I am changing through the experiences God is giving me. I am so thankful for each opportunity I have to make a choice and then receive consequences good or bad for doing so. I am noticing a lot of the same trials or experiences repeating in my life to help teach me a specific thing God wants me to learn. I feel like a lot of times, we can figure out what God wants us to learn from the trials we receive, then knowing what we should learn helps us to learn it quicker. I’m thankful for a Savior who makes it possible to make these decisions, and then overcome the negative consequences through sincere repentance. This life is great. "For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors." (Alma 34:32)

I love you all and hope you have a great week!

-Elder Nickerl

August 1, 2016--Week 51

Hello everyone,

First off thank you for all of the prayers and fasting this week, I really appreciated it throughout the week. This was an excellent week. First up, missionaries now have Facebook here, so that is pretty cool. I don’t really how that is gonna work out, but it is going to be sweet. I'm super excited!

We are seeing things happening in our area and I am convinced we will have two baptisms this transfer. I don't accept anything less. I've realized this week, a lot later than I should have, that this is God's work, and it is time I let him take control. If he wants us to find people, we will. I have been so caught up in my doubting that I haven't allowed for miracles to happen. So that time is done. We are going to see miracles here. Toms River is going to see things happen and I am excited about it.

Also this week I started something called a 40 days fast. I am fasting from anything that pokes at the Spirit or makes me feel it less and will fast from these things for 40 days. So far it's been a struggle, but the promise from the challenge (I got it from Elder Maxwell's talk), is that if I do so, my nature will be changed and I will no longer have a desire to do these things. So it will happen.

Nothing else really to report, awesome week though. Thank you all once again for your support!

Love,
Elder Nickerl

July 25, 2016--Week 50

Hey everyone,

Well transfers are here, but I'm still here in Toms River with Elder Gibson. Not much else to say about that.

This last week has been meh. The week was pretty slow and we didn't really see anything, but the weekend was pretty great. Definitely the highlight was yesterday. But first on Saturday, we found a few new investigators so that was cool since we don't have any of those or didn't till then. 

But yeah yesterday, Sunday, we got to go to the Philadelphia temple open house that was specifically for missionaries and investigators. And it was super cool because we met some awesome people there. There was a couple who just walked in from the streets when we went and we were able to answer all their questions through the whole experience and we got their contact information so we can teach them more about the church. They were very interested in the whole thing and I'll be surprised if they don't get baptized which is saying a lot because I never say that. But they aren't in our area... They live in south Jersey down by Cherry Hill.  So that isn't even our mission area, but it's okay because they are super interested in the gospel, not us. 

Other than that, don't really have anything to report, but I love you all, thanks so much for all your support. Have a great week!

Love,

Elder Nickerl

Here is the Philadelphia Temple!  It is GREAT!!!

July 18 2016--Week 49

Hey everyone!

Another great week went by. This last week we had a lot of pretty cool experiences, but I don't remember the specific details before Sunday and I don't keep a journal so I have no way to really remember (maybe I should keep one, but I don't know when I would have time to write in it anyways). As for what happened on Sunday, church was great. We had a member’s daughter come up to us and tell us that she wasn't a member even though we probably thought she was (we knew she wasn't a member) and then she told us she wants to get baptized and wants us to come over and teach her the lessons... So that was cool. That hasn’t happened to me yet. And then we got a call also telling us about a new investigator moving into our area who works with our Elder's Quorum President as co-manager of Vivint in the area of Toms River. So that was pretty cool too. And then we had an eternigator come to us and tell us she is ready to be baptized as well... So that was cool too. Probably the best Sunday I have had in the Toms River area so far.

Outside that, this week we have been continuing to teach the less active and inactive members of the ward the missionary lessons. We are teaching about 10-15 of them weekly and are making good progress with them and the ward leadership. It is awesome. I love it here. Then I also set some personal goals this week that I have been working really hard to work towards. One of them is doing a self video role play every night after planning for about 15 minutes to help improve my teaching. I feel like a pretty bad teacher recently and so I have been working really hard to improve. So that has been fun, and I also am working to cut out negative thoughts/comments. I have seen noticeable differences from doing both and I am pretty excited to be here right now. I'm pretty bummed that next week is transfers, I like it here and there is a decent chance I will be going. But either way, whatever happens, it is up to God not me. But that doesn't stop me from praying to stay anyways. :) 

Anyways, I love you all, and hope you have a great week!

-Elder Nickerl

July 11, 2016--Week 48

Hey everyone,

This week was excellent with its fair share of rough patches, but super great overall. We got in contact with A LOT of less actives this week. We have been putting about 90% of our efforts into strengthening the ward and members because it isn't a very strong ward. We have very few priesthood holders or willing to serve people and so we are trying to fix that. We are working with bishop to teach the members, active and less active the missionary discussions, and we are seeing a lot of changes from it. 

Elder Gibson and I both feel really good about our last week. Also we got fed a ton this week. I don't really know where it is all coming from, but we only had to make like 3 meals and last night we had 3 meal appointments.  I forget most of what happened in the details, but it was good and I have some sweet pictures. I hope you all are doing well and have a great week!

-Elder Nickerl

This is my garden.  It sort of over-took the windowsill. 

This guy marched all over town like this. No shame.

Collin came down to my area for a baptism.  It was great to see him!

July 4, 2016--Week 47

Hey everyone,

    

I feel like P-Days down here in Toms River should mean we get a lot more time since we are far away from the mission office and mission activities, but somehow, our time just keeps vanishing on Mondays. So I am sorry once again, I have no time to write. 

We are still working hard to strengthen the ward and also to find new people to teach. We continue to do A LOT of contacting and we have a lot of first appointments scheduled this week and so hopefully those all pan out. Other than that, we got dropped a lot this week. God is still teaching me patience I guess. But all in all, things are going well. We're having a good time and the church is still true :).

Also we are right by the water so that is cool. 

I love you guys and hope you have a great week!

-Elder Nickerl