April 5, 2010

Hey everybody I'm now one year older and wiser to but maybe not wiser but it´s apart of the song so I had to keep it in. Birthdays are pretty cool on the mission because I had a cool experience I like to call it my spiritual birthday present. So after lunch we went back to the apartment where we are living with the other two elders in their sector, and they decided to fast my comp and I were very opposed to the idea considering it was my birthday and everything, and I wanted to eat my candy I got in the mail, when I got home for my birthday. But I sucked it up and tried to think about all our investigators and the help they needed and such. So I went along with it and we all fasted for each others investigators. So we made our way to dichato and we had a lesson scheduled with this old investigator who really didn't understand baptism and then in the middle of something we were teaching her she asked us when we had a baptism scheduled and we told her, and she said that's what I need, I am missing that in my life. I could not believe it, it was so cool. Then a lady that was sitting in the same area, but a little ways away came over and said she needed to be baptized also and be cleaned from her sins. It was so SWEET. But I know that was because of our fasting and that the Lord works in his time and in his way. It was a great birthday present to receive. I did get a birthday cake More or less from this lady who is so great she made it but we ate it the day after but it was really good.

So conference was Amazing and I loved how it was all about the family because we had our golden family there on sunday morning watching and they loved it and after they had a mini baptismal interview to check on their progress and they are doing awesome and they will most likely be in white in the end of the month. Well I am doing good and just trying to help these people here in Dichato and trying to love them.

Love Elder Nichols

March 15, 2010

Hola todos

Wow what a week it´s been. We have been doing a lot. First on monday we went and started to clean the church from about 11 until 7 pm and took out the carpet and tons of people were there from other parts of Chile helping to get the chapel ready for sunday. People were working on it all week. On wednesday we were there and cleaning and then some guy ran in and said tsunami alert and at the time I was outside cleaning stuff so my comp and I walked in and got our backpacks because everything we own is in there and some guy was yelling at us and said hurry this is no joke, but we had plenty of time because we went up on this high road and waited there for 2 hours just waiting and nothing happened. There was an after shock in Valporazio or somewhere but ya nothing happened in Dichato. So anyways we got to make some visits and I gave my first blessing in spanish this past week and I was so scared but it worked out pretty good so I was grateful for that. I just wanna say how Much I love teaching people and bearing my testimony and feeling the spirit and having the spirit teach. So my comp and I did splits with the missionaries were living with the other night and went into this persons house and this lesson was really weird, but really good, and some how it got onto the Book of Mormon because my comp shared a scripture from it and my then the questions came. My comp tried talking about all the ancient facts of the Book of Mormon and how people lived here in the Americas and such. And he really wasn't taking the bate. So I stepped in and basically just told him How I knew it was true how I prayed and asked God and how God CAN'T lie and I asked him if he would ask in a prayer if it is true and he said he would. I don't know if he did But I know he felt something as we were there.

So as for Dichato tons of people are living there in tents and it´s really sad but in a way the people of Dichato really needed to be humbled. I know that this earthquake happened for the benefit because God does nothing that does not benefit his children. So the chapel was ready for this past sunday and we had a special guest and Elder Amaddo came he is the president in the area presidency of Chile. This past week we were inviting everybody to church and went around to all the members and asked them what there needs were. But usually in church we have around 16 or 20 every sunday and for 3 sundays we had 8 but this sunday we had 45 people at church. It was AMAZING and I really hope that everyone keeps coming. I really hope that the people will be more receptive now and people will want to come unto Christ and follow his example in the correct form. I am grateful for everyone and your prayers hope all is well take care.

Love Elder Nichols

Great Week-March 29, 2010

So this week we did so much service it was great and there were tons of missionary's. We went into some houses that were destroyed and took out everything and it was crazy and really sad at the same time. I just want to say that I love being a missionary and letting people know they can change and that through Jesus Christ anything is possible. There is this lady who hasn't come to church in a long time and so right after the earth quake she was on her way to church the first Sunday we were holding meetings and as she was on her way down she was stopped by someone who told her her son just killed himself. So we visited her that week and we have started to teach her husband he has a date to get baptized on the 25 but this past week we were coming down from their house and it was really dark and we heard this voice say, Mormons Mormons and so we went over there slowly. It was The older brother who is 23 of the guy who killed himself. He is not a member but he asked us why would someone kill them self. And I had no idea how to respond. We told him we cant always understand everything but we know God loves you. Long story short he told us he wanted to change and be better but he has done a lot of bad stuff and that you can through Jesus Christ and that you can see your brother again. I told him about my parents and how that has been hard for me. The spirit was pretty strong even though he was drinking a little, he was crying. My heart went out to him and it made me hurt inside. But we went back the next day and taught him and it was so awesome and I know once he prays and asks God some things he will be truly converted.


Well We had 41 People at church this past week and I was SO STOKED it was great. We have found some great people and if everybody could pray for victor and margarita they are the golden family. Also my comp and I got to go to the mall here and buy some new clothes and wow let me tell you it was so weird we felt so out of place but it was good to buy some new things. The best part is that we bought MCDONALD'S it was AMAZING no other words to describe it. Things are going good here not much else to say but the pics I sent are from Dichato and the people are members that we had some kits that we were sending around. There is this guy with this sweet moustache. Well I gotta Go but if anyone has any questions just ask. Next week I will try and send some pics of the camps that people are living in so you all can get an image of what people are living in. It is really sad and it´s hard to see.


Love Elder Nichols

This is the whole story of my earthquake experience

So here is basically what happened I woke up first at 330 in the morning and my bed was shaking and the whole house also and my comp was still sleeping and he then I started yelling elder elder elder and we finally woke up and then we we screaming for about 6 seconds. We heard everything falling down in our house and glasses falling.It was one of the scariest feelings ever. Then my comp and I ran under the table and then we waited for it to calm down. And I just grabbed my scriptures in english because they were right there and my wallet and my camera which was in my backpack.All I was wearing was some basketball shorts and my sweatshirt . Then we left and bolted out the door but I did slip on my shoes. It was nuts when we ran out of the house I felt like I was in a movie. I will never forget how I felt. As soon as we left the house we could see so many people yelling and running and just in pure panic. There was a huge truck that had a bunch of people on the back of it and it was so dark. So we started running so fast because we didn't know when the water was going to come because we lived really close to the beach. But we started running for the hills and on the way we found our golden family and we went up the mountains with them and these mountains were so steep that we were climbing up. It was nuts it was such an adrenaline rush. But my stomach was feeling so weird and just all the unknown. So we got in the hills and then we started to make a fire and then one of the members came from higher up and asked us to go back down to the bottom of the hill and go to his house and get some water and some food and clothes for his family and so we did. By the time we got back to the top I was so tired. But when we got back we could see the ocean receding like parting the red sea it was a crazy site to see. We could only see it from the reflection of the moon. But once the moon went down we started to hear crashing noises and we were all kinda unsure of what that was but I was thinking it was the houses and such getting destroyed by the water. And throughout the night there were earthquakes still going on. But as the sun came up reality hit Dichato and things would never be the same and for that matter I think I myself will never be the same. I say this because Dichato was under water. Now My comp and I were pretty calm but just kinda in shock a little. I was feeling so bad for these people because now they have nothing and even before this they really didn't have that much but the summer had just gotten over and they all rent out their houses for the summer to make money but now they cant do that anymore. It´s something that you always see on the news and in movies and you say oh that would suck and you feel bad but when your there first had and you know these people and you love them it´s a different feeling. It´s hard to explain. So after the water went back to the ocean we went down there to look around and see our house but when we got there our house didn't exist the only thing that existed was the foundation of the house. We couldn't even find any parts of our house. It was nuts. I have some crazy sad pics for everybody but I will try and get those next week. So then we got in contact with the elders from the next city over and nothing happened to them or their city really at all so we hitch hiked a ride in a guys truck and met up with them and we slept in the church there for a few nights without water and we had a little food we had in the apartments of the other missionaries. it was kinda cool but kinda creepy at night without power we had gas to cook so that was good. Then we moved all our stuff up to a church where the stake pres was staying and other members so we could get direction from him on what to do. But we got shipments of food in and sorted it and we also received tons of clothes from other parts of Chile to give to people in Dichato. Yesterday we went there and went around to people and asked them what they needed and how we could help them. Also started cleaning out the chapel because it got flooded and was pretty gross yesterday. But tons of inactive people say they want to come to church this sunday and hopefully it will be ready in time to have a meeting. Right now my comp and I are staying with some other missionaries and today we will find out what will happen with us. I really want to stay because there are people ready in Dichato now to listen and accept this true gospel of Jesus Christ.

SO what I have taken away from this whole experience is that God has a plan for us and is always preparing us for something in the future and it gave me a glimpse of what the last days are going to be like and how we always need to be prepared for anything and always have food storage. Also that material items are really not that important and that it´s just stuff and it´s not everything. Because we cant take things with us to heaven. This experience has made me think when we are in front of the judgement bar and you take everything away from us our jobs our houses, cars, families, and you take all that away and then here is the question. Who are we really when you take everything away? I just know that God has his reasons for why he does things and all will work out in the end. I have a testimony of this gospel and I know it´s true with all my heart mind and spirit. I am grateful to be sealed to my parents and I hope there are no empty chairs in the celestial kingdom that is my prayer.
Love
Elder Nichols

Ps. I am doing good and my spirits are high just trying to help people and do my best.

Garretts Phone Call: March 5, 2010

Garrett asked me to relay his story from our phone conversation on his blog, so his family and friends could know what happened with him.

At around 3:30am (Chile time,Feb. 27th) Garrett and his companions were woken up with their home shaking, things falling off the shelves and breaking. Garrett and his companion jumped out of bed screaming and ran to get under the kitchen table. Once the shaking stopped, they heard people screaming through the streets that a tsunami was coming and people needed to get to higher ground. Garrett and his comp threw on their shorts, sweatshirts, and shoes, he grabbed his wallet, scriptures and camera, threw it into his backpack and was out the door. He said it was as if he had just run out onto a movie set. People were running and screaming all over the place. He and his comp. were running along with everyone else up into the hills. Once they were up in the hills, people began to light fires as there was no source of light, but the moon. Garrett said they could see the ocean, and said they saw it split in half as though it was the parting of the Red Sea. As soon as they saw that, they heard very loud crashing coming from the ocean below. They remained on the mountain until the sun came up. They were then able to head down the mountain to see the village of Dichato. Unfortunately there was nothing left of the town. 80% of it was under water. Garrett had found where his house once stood, all was left was the foundation, they were unable to find any remnants of his house. There was no electricity whatsoever, but somehow between 7-7:30am, the phone lines opened up for that short period so they were able to contact their zone leader to let them know they were okay. Garrett attributed that moment to calling it "God's Satellite". From that point they hitchhiked to a town called Tome. The chapel for Dichato members is there in Tome. That Sunday Feb. 28th, they realized they had no food, so they thought it best to head to a store in order to purchase some food. When they got there the doors had been smashed open, no lights were on inside, and people were running out with arm loads and shopping carts full of food. He said he could see empty shelves. So they decided not to get involved with that situation and found a members house to visit. The members were able to feed them, and have been able to feed them since. They have been put on a curfew and can leave from the hours of 12pm-6pm. The robbing and the looting have become worse as prisoners from a prison have escaped. A few days ago, the church was able to send in a truck load of food to go out to people. There was another earthquake that hit that morning in Chile, it was an 8.3, as Garrett and I spoke he was feeling the aftershocks of it. The area general authorities are there now assessing the situation as to what will happen next with the missionaries. Garrett said that he will let the family know what he needs when we are able to start sending things to Chile. He said to send his love to everyone.

March 3, 2010

Hey guys,
Don't worry about sending anything for now, because the church will take care of it, I am pretty sure. So it was crazy, one of the most scariest things I have ever been through in my life. And yes Dichato is destroyed I will send pics when I have time but I don't know how to explain it but I am ok and doing good. It just sucks because my sector was doing so great and we were about to have a baptisms but the sector doesn't really exist anymore. But I will keep everybody updated but also the chapel that we are in they say has water damage it is the same chapel that is used for Dichato. Well I gotta go Love you all.


Love Elder Nichols

March 2, 2010

hey everybody I am ok. my sector I was living in is in ruins. I have
nothing everything I own is gone but all the missionaries are ok. It
was CRAZY our house doesn't exist anymore. I couldn't find anything. But
right now we are in a church and sleeping here where there is light
and such for now. Not really sure whats going to happen but I will
email you more when I have a chance. I got some crazy pics.
Love Elder Nichols