Week 18

"I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving and remember the things that God so graciously gives us."

Monday, November 23rd, 2015

Youth in the Sommerschield Ward on the bus back to Maputo.

Hello everyone,

Happy Thanksgiving!!! I hope all of you will have a wonderful holiday this coming week! This past week was pretty fun! We had Stake Conference yesterday and heard from two apostles! Way cool and a lot of people. The Sommerschield Ward, and others, rented a bus to transport the members to the Matola chapel. On the way back we sang hymns and everyone was so happy. It is something a will not forget for a long while. 

Last week we visited Maputo Shop, sat for a few minutes then left. The malls in The U.S. are malls. The "malls" here are just a few shops outside. But I also had my first division outside of Sommerschield this week. There was a huge pit in the area. It is called Mahotas, the area, not the pit. But I love the mission so much. This week was great. I love this area and the members and the people we teach so much. With another transfer this next week I feel anxious about the possibility of leaving. But I will go wherever I am needed. 

I feel the love of Christ so much in my mission and I hope that one day every single person will be able to feel that same love! I love you all. I received 35 emails from many of you my family and friends. Thank you all so much for the birthday wishes. My birthday was great and we are fortunate that an American family invited us to their home to celebrate Thanksgiving with them. I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving and remember the things that God so graciously gives us.

-- 

Elder Nimmo

Elder Combs, Elder Chipman and me after Stake Conference.

The room we stayed in the Mahotas house.

The pit in Mahotas.

P-day: My companion and I with Elder Mbera, waiting this morning for mail.

As always, Peace.

Week 17

"I guess when you work hard to find people to teach, you are blessed with people to teach. Makes sense right?

Monday, November 16th, 2015

Hoping you're all doing extremely well!

My people, 

How are all of you? I am hoping your response is "Extremely well" because if it's not I'll be a little sad all the way across the world. This week was a good one! We taught a lot this week and we have so many investigators now. It is such a blessing! I guess when you work hard to find people to teach, you are blessed with people to teach. Makes sense right? Biggest news this week is that I got a haircut and that it rained pretty hard this week. I love the rain though so I didn't mind. It is extremely hard to contact people when it is raining though haha. We should be receiving marriage documents this week for a family we are teaching which means - Baptism!!!!!! This family is so amazing and are so faithful. He works two jobs on top of having to take care of a family, they have very little. It is hard to sit with them because he works so much but he asked us to help him find another job so he doesn't have to work Sundays. I sure do love this family and I am extremely excited for them. 

This week I wanted to share a scripture. I love it so much! It is Alma chapter 5:26.

26 And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, if ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now? 

Have we not all experienced a change of heart? I know I have felt like singing the song of redeeming love and I can feel so now, more so than any other time in my life. We need to remember our testimony, we need to strengthen it, and, we need to guard it. The following verses in Alma refer to our imperfections, and how we need to continually prepare to meet God. And we can be prepared to meet Him if we continually repent. We are so blessed to have the Atonement of Jesus Christ. The Atonement and the knowledge of the redeeming power of this sacrifice moves our souls and hearts to sing the song of redeeming love. This is such a blessing! I pray that everyone will be able to remember their testimony. If you do not have one, gain one! And then you can feel the change of heart that causes you to rejoice. Remember always the answers you have received through the Holy Ghost. I love you all so much! Have a wonderful week!

-- 

Elder Nimmo

Goal chart! Also, notice my haircut? hahaha!

Elder Trindade bought a Christmas hat.

Peace on Earth...

Week 16

"I hope you can all be as happy as the people I teach here. Be grateful and humble and always look for the joy in life."

Monday, November 9th, 2015

Happy like this! Joyful like this :)

Hello United States!!

And all other nations who read my blog. I am so happy today! Everyday I am happy but today is P-Day and we are playing soccer with our mission President as a zone activity. President Koch is so great! 

So this week was interesting. I had a few encounters with some very nice people who were less than sober and we were able to leave them with a pamphlet. One that we felt would help them especially. They expressed how they wanted to stop "acting like this" and we invited them to change. It was difficult in that situation but even in times like that I can feel compassion and love for them. 

Elder Trindade and I are teaching a wonderful couple whose names are Alberto and Minda. They have so much faith and I have felt the spirit so strongly with them every time we have taught. One night this past week we were returning home after visiting with them and we both agreed that we both love them so much! We have love for everyone but these two people we truly care about. It is strange to me how a person I have not known for longer than 3 weeks I already love like a good friend. I feel that, when everything boils down, if we can feel the spirit with us always we can love everyone we come in contact with. And we can learn to love others more quickly. 

I am hoping I will stay here for one more transfer. But I could go anywhere. I have such a strong testimony of this gospel and the joy it brings into the lives of those who seek and live it. I have seen it change my life already since I have been on my mission and I have seen it wipe away the heartache and tragedies of the past in peoples lives. This is all possible through the love of our Heavenly Father and our Savior, Jesus Christ. I love you all so much! I hope you can all be as happy as the people that I teach here. Be grateful and humble and always look for the joy in life. Until next week!

-- 

Elder Nimmo

This is actually the "before" shot as me and my companion are getting our haircut today. Thanks to Poppy for the clippers because the barber is too expensive.

Me, Elder Trindade and our district. We're laughing because we're such a small group.

.

Week 15

"I love these people so much! I truly care for them. That is one thing that has surprised me more than anything, the human capacity for love."

Monday, November 2nd, 2015

Elder Holt and I after our game of capture the flag.

Hello Everyone,

I hope that you have had a great weekend and a fun Halloween.

This week has been a great one. I have felt the Spirit so often, it is such a blessing. We are doing so much better then last transfer and my Portuguese is picking up fast with my new companion. Today we went to the beach and played capture the flag. Maputo Zone vs. the Matola zone. It was so much fun. We used water balloons so it was very refreshing. Today was also very windy. I kind of felt like I was in Egypt because so much sand was being lifted up and taken in one specific direction. You had to be careful and safe because it hurt to get hit by a gust of wind. Almost like little nails poking your skin.

We worked very hard this week and were able to meet many of our goals. I am making a personal goal to help every person we have right now with a baptismal/marriage date to achieve that goal. If that happened we would bring 19 people to the Gospel by the end of 2015. I am so blessed to be here in Sommerschield. I hope I can stay here next transfer as well. I know that I can help these people because I have felt the Savior help to carry them so far already. I love these people so much! I truly care for them. That is one thing that has surprised me more than anything, the human capacity for love. We have so much space to love others and all we have to do is open our heart and care. I am sorry if this is short but we lost power and some other weird stuff happened so I will end with my testimony. 

I know the Jesus is the Christ, our Savior and Redeemer. He loves us and knows us better than we know ourselves. He can comfort us and lift us up. We can feel His love. I know that Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God, and that he translated the Book of Mormon by the power of God. We have a prophet today, Thomas S. Monson. He leads and guides us. We have a Heavenly Father who loves us. I know that He loves us so much he wants us to be happy forever. Forever. That is such a blessing. I know this church is the Church of Jesus Christ. I Love this gospel with all my heart and soul. I am the happiest I have ever been because of these things. And I write these thing in the sacred name of our Lord, Jesus Christ, Amen.

Elder Nimmo

The sea, some Elders and a very windy P-day!

So windy, so much blowing sand, Elder Holt couldn't keep his eyes open. 

Elder Watteyne came down and visited from Beira!  He was in my zone in the MTC.

 Throwin' up the deuces!