Week 36

"I think every single one of us, at some point in his/her life, forgets or loses their faith in Christ and what He did." 

Monday, March 28th, 2016

"Things we had forgotten come to our remembrance, things we had lost become found." 

Hello World!

I hope you all had a wonderful Easter! 

This week was fun! We went to a restaurant called Biques and it was delicious. There were about 12 missionaries there. We went as a going away meal for some missionaries that ended there mission today. The food was great! I loved it! We are going there again, after our internet time today actually! Taught a lot of great lessons! This week was full of crazy events. But I can't share all of the stories here because then I won't have any stories to share for when I get back. So I think I'll keep these to myself this week. But next week you guys will get every detail to everything that happened. 

I really want to talk a little bit about Easter. You know that holiday that passed.. Sunday... 

Easter is such a hopeful holiday! I don't remember ever having a bad Easter. I think it is because the message is a lot clearer. A lot less commercial as well. I'm sure that most of us know that Easter is the time of year where we remember that Christ, our Lord and Savior, was resurrected.

What is resurrection? "Ressurection: the act of causing something that had ended or been forgotten or lost to exist again, to be used again." ( Merriam-Webster Dictionary) 

Usually we think of the thing that had been ended as life. That was the case in the life of Jesus of Nazareth. But His life never ended. His spirit left His body but He Continued Living. I think that when He left this mortal existence people forgot Him. They lost Him. I think every single one of us, at some point in his/her life, forgets or loses their faith in Christ and what He did. That is one of the blessings of this wonderful holiday. Christ was resurrected on the third day, His life was restored, and He continued existing as a perfected physical being. Because of His resurrection, our faith is resurrected. Things we had forgotten come to our remembrance, things we had lost then become found. 

I know that Christ lives. I know that because He accomplished the impossible, through Him, so can we. He loves us, and we have the chance to live again with Him, if we Remember Him. This is my humble testimony, in the name of He who lives, Jesus Christ, Amen. 

Have a great week!

Elder Nimmo

Comps seaside.

A dozen dudes.

Elder Griffeth, Elder Brown and I.

Deuces.

Bisques by the beach with these brothers.

The reason why I am here.

Why is he here? Crab outside of the door to our house.

Goodbye to Elder Katoa...

Elder Palu...

and to Elder Finau.

Week 35

"...I have completed 1/3 of my mission, so crazy!"

Monday, March 21, 2016

I've got Elder Griffeth on my right and Elder Couch on my left.

8 Months!!!!! Whatt???!!!!!

So with all the other missionaries that left the MTC with me always talking around me, its hard not to know that I have completed 1/3 of my mission, so crazy! In one year from right now, I will be going home in 18 weeks, a little bit less. It's weird to think about. 

This week was good. Hot, but good. We had Stake Conference and it was packed! So many people! I found out the family I was teaching: Joao, Amelia, Dalton, Alberto, will all be baptized in April. It's a very bittersweet feeling. I'm beyond happy that they will be baptized but a little sad I won't be able to be there to witness it. 

But there are many people here that I know can accomplish the same thing with a little bit of faith. 

One thing that is crucial for any person who wants to know that this church is true, or that anything is true for that matter, is to have faith. There is no point in trying to know the truth of something if you don't want to get the answer. If you don't work for something (show your faith through actions) then it profits nothing. Our faith is then dead, non-existent. I know that for anything that is worthwhile we first need to know that the thing in which we so desire is of value, that it will improve our lives. If we have that, we have a reason to work for it, and when we work for it we will have faith in that thing. 

I pray each one of us can be more faithful in every aspect of our lives. But most importantly being faithful enough to trust in the Lord. I hope each one of us can have this faith every day. I know this gospel is true because of the faith which I had to exercise to know of its truthfulness. I leave this thought with you in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Have a great week everyone!

Elder Nimmo

Me and Elder Finau.

A message for my momma.

Beira Zone Conference.

Food...

...and friends.

My Mission President and his wife, Sister Koch (left)

Selfie Sunday at Stake Conference.

Peace.

Big boy.

I think I'll name you Ungoliant. (Lord of the Rings)

Throwback Thursday

"Mostly, we don't remember the days, we remember the moments."

Whitewashing in a white van?

Thursday, March 17th, 2016

This post is from Brandi Nimmo:

It felt like Christmas morning this week! I joined two new Facebook groups of mothers with sons/daughters serving missions in Mozambique, I also found the Mozambique Mission President’s blog. I was able to look back through all the posts/entries since Elder Nimmo arrived in Africa back in September and I found some throwback photos that made me smile. Even better, I connected with Sister Michele Koch, the Mission President’s wife, and she sent me some video clips which Cole happens to be in. I love to see my son! 

Like I said, Christmas morning. 

We communicated via message on Facebook and she let me know that she would be seeing him this weekend in Beira during a Ward Conference and would be taking more photos of him:

After a successful Missionary Worldwide Training they had pizza...

...that is one pizza each,

and one happy boy!

Where's Waldo? I mean Elder Nimmo? In February 2016, Elder D. Todd Christofferson visited Mozambique, taught the missionaries and shook their hands. What a special opportunity for our son during his mission.

Motola Zone Conference last October 2015.

As per usual, tall ones in the back. Elder Nimmo is just right of center.

Some of "The Crew" - Elder Nimmo, Elder Brown, Elder Silva and Elder Rash, but not sure who the other two young men are. 

For those of you who would like to see both areas in Mozambique where Elder Nimmo has served, Maputo and Beira, and get a feel for the part of Africa that he is serving, you can watch this short video that the LDS church recently released.

Published on Feb 17, 2016

In Africa 30 years ago, the Church had 137 separate congregations and about 22,000 members. Today, there are more than 1,600 congregations and half a million members — that's 11 times more wards and branches and 20 times more members than in 1985. 

Week 34

"Teach in a house of spiders. 

Why couldn't it be teach in a house full of butterflies?" 

*Ron Weasley voice*

Monday, March 14th, 2016

Don't freak mom, I'm fine!

Here we go!! 

Going into week 4 here in Beira and I am loving it! I had some crazy things happen this week! 

So last Monday we attended a family night at a woman's house named Philomena. They're were eight missionaries in attendance, we had a spiritual thought, played games, and ate some really good food with waffles for dessert! 

This week, in terms of missionary work, was pretty average. We did have a lot of meetings though. A new Bishop was called in our ward, he is a great guy! When we were on our way to a meeting with the Bishop we saw a woman who was taking photos, out of curiosity we approached her! Her name is Christina and she is from Germany! We talked about what she did as well as what we did but unfortunately she left the next day for a different part of Mozambique. It was a very cool experience to have had especially when just walking in a suburb of the city. 

Later on we found a woman who is a baptized a member of the church. This was a great blessing for us because we didn't know anyone from the church who lived in our area. We shared a message with her on Saturday night and discovered that her house is full of spiders! They are huge, it is crazy! She isn't even the slightest bit scared! She said "Yeah they are deadly but they don't bite.... usually." It was very hard to focus during our lesson, but we will continue visiting her. haha!

It was a really good week and I am so blessed to be in this area with such a great companion!

In Doctrine and Covenants (84:88) it reads:

 88 And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you,

to bear you up.

God will always be with us. He will send angels to bear us up. This provides a peace for me, especially on the mission, because sometimes I feel a little uneasy. For example, when there are more than 25 massive spiders around me that are all deadly. It is natural to feel that way. But I know the Lord's omnipotent hand is in my life and He is helping me to accomplish His work. I know the work I am doing is for the good of all men and through this work all men can return to live with our Heavenly Father. This is my testimony, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Love you all! Have a good week!

Elder Nimmo

I'm alive and well and making some creepy friends!

ARAGOG: Harry Potter reference

SHELOB: The Lord of the Rings

  

CHARLOTTE: Charlotte's Web

Up close and personal.

Praia nova and me.

Elder Ortiz and the moon.

Making my mark here in Mozambique.

Week 33

"Because we have the ability to pray to our Heavenly Father we can receive answers to some of the deepest and most profound of life's questions."

Monday, March 7th, 2016

"Say hello to my little friend!" A Praying Mantis and a missionary.

Hello my friends,

I hope you are all well and that you are prepared to hear about my week because it was quite normal. Buckle up and enjoy the ride. 

Just want to start off saying that I have the prettiest area in Beira. Beautiful sunsets every day. We have great investigators!

Story time! We were knocking doors in the Radio building and we look to our left, while waiting for a person to come open the door. When we looked to our left we saw a massive turtle just walking around in an apartment building. It is weird to have pets in Mozambique, even more weird to have a pet turtle. But this turtle is like a Ninja. He went behind this door I went to go find him.... He disappeared. He reappeared somewhere completely unexpected. I called him Rafael. Because he is a real stealthy turtle but it is also a real common name here. 

It was a really good week! I hope I can help a lot more people here this week! 

Today I started and finished the book of James in the New Testament. It talks about some really important stuff especially the 5th verse:

James 1:5  If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

This scripture is used a lot by missionaries because it is true. If we want to know the truth about something we need to ask God. 

This is such a blessing. Because of the ability to pray to our Heavenly Father we can receive answers to some of the deepest and most profound of life's questions. Through prayer I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is God's church established here on the earth today. I know that Thomas S. Monson is His prophet. I know that families can be together forever. And I hope all of you will ask of God to KNOW if these things are true. And I know he will answer you. This is my testimony, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Have an awesome week!

Elder Nimmo

All creatures great and small.

Training this awesome missionary, Elder Ortiz.

Yes, I got my haircut and yes it's a little too short.

Top of the Radio Building.

The prettiest area in Beira.

Beautiful sunsets.

Really though, I've seen the most beautiful sunsets.

A serious pose in the city lights.