My mind is blank... really?

Hello family,

 

My three companions (# 14, 15, 16) Elder Hales, Elder Hall, Elder Giboin (counterclockwise from me)

I've been starring at the monitor for five minutes trying to think about what to write and nothing is coming. Elder Jacob left me with a great quote, he said 'what a missionary chooses to think about when he doesn't have to think is indicative of his dedication.' Today is P-day so i don't really have to think as much as usual and it seems like whenever I don't have to think my mind is just blank. What does that say about my dedication? ...At least I'm not distracted. This morning we drove up to St. Albans to pick up my companions (from a work over) and to play football. This morning it was stupid degrees cold and i forgot to bring a sweater so i was freezing my face off. Well we got to playing and it warmed up right quick (well i did at least). Then my competitive side kicked in. In England there is no such thing as a dry football pitch (soccer field), that was the case this morning. I was playing in a pair of canvas shoes (not football cleats) and i was slipping all over the place. It was basically playing mud football. Then i had a brilliant idea. I've played mud football before and i was really good at it because of my exceeding great skill at running bare foot. Well I took off my shoes, everyone said i was crazy then the game proceeded. It was great i didn't fall (to many times) after that! I'm tired now.

 

This week was a bit strenuous. We went on three work over with six different missionaries. Since we are in a trio we send two Assistants to the area then one stays in this area with two missionaries from the other areas. Now remember I just got here. I hardly know what is going on, mostly I'm just following the footsteps of my giant companions. Well for two of those work overs I stayed in Britannia. (this is me shooting myself in the head). Now on top of that we schedule work overs with all the struggling companionship's. (which normally involve one struggling missionary). Well on both work-overs I got two struggling missionaries. I'm not complaining now we had a great time it was just at bit stressful. 

 

By the time I go home I will be an expert at Heathrow Airport. Last week we took a sister there who had finished her mission. This week it was a different story. We have a missionary who developed a serious problem. The amazing NHS told him that it was cancerous and it was probably a tumor. Bit of scary news. His parents were notified and Travel arrangements made. Well after a few more test it was diagnosed as a blood clot in his thigh. Still pretty crazy. So they put him on blood thinning medication and he stayed at our flat for a week. Meaning that we had 7 missionaries in a 4 person flat. Absolutely manic. Well Thursday morning, while the real assistants were in different areas, I had to take him to Heathrow Airport. It was one of the most depressing things I've had to do on my mission. The only thing I could compare it to was when i had to drive people home after they got let go at work. But its more intense. He is from Idaho, of course a strong Mormon community. I just remembered over and over again hearing that having a missionary come home early, for medical reasons or not, is almost as tragic as having a death in the family.

 

We will be going to Heathrow again tomorrow. Elder Gregory Hall from Yorkshire has been serving in this mission for 4 months while he has been waiting for his visa to go to the Salt Lake City South Mission. He has really become a fantastic missionary. I was teaching with him yesterday and wow i was just really impressed. Its hard to expect any different results since he has served with 3 zone leaders, 3 assistants and one district leader, in his short time here. The cool thing is that he is going to be in the MTC (with Brigg) and will be miles ahead of everyone else. Its going to be crazy for him to see the difference between missions.

 

I think that the worst part about being an Assistant is that I don't really get to focus much on my studies, it is putting a bit of a damper on things. Studying the scriptures is so essential to spiritual health. I guess I'll just have to find time during the day to squeeze in my studies. We had a great meeting with President Patch on Monday for the weekly key indicator. He shared a spiritual insight that he had received while meeting with the Area Presidency. He read Helamen 3:23-25 which talks about how thousands were baptised then a verse later how 10,000's were baptised and he attributed that to member (namely recent convert) referrals. With this inspiration he collected his favorite 40 baptise stories from the last year and has asked us that each time we meet with a ward leader that we share one of the miracle stories. I'm going to attach the file. Have a read through. All of them are true, most are accurate :)

 

 

p.s. I'll come home and take you to England another time :) Hold me to it!
-- 

New in Britannia, South Kennsington

St. Paul's Cathederal

Elder Hales and Elder Giboin in the office

Ok so one Tuesday I forgot to tell you that my Preparation days are now on Saturday so that is when you'll be getting my emails from now on. so serving in a quad is really cool we get tons of work done.... its like having two companionship's cool huh? My companions are all really great guys, I don't think I have laughed this much my whole mission! I really hope that they can rub off on my and I can be funny and relaxed again. anyone that played football with me will understand that when i take something seriously I don't do much laughing. I fear I'm kinda like that again. With transfers it was a bit odd. My body was displaying all the symptoms of a nervous wreck but I felt super calm. I didn't slept for more the three hours for three or so nights because I was just thinking and listening to elder giboins snoring. The church is true. I got a blessing from Elder Hall and Elder Hales and now my body feels great and I'm sleeping at night... as long as i fall asleep before Elder Giboin. Leaving Basildon was super hard. So much of my heart is there. However as usual I have felt a 'release' from that area and a 'calling' here. Its great being in a singles ward because you focus on the YSA that you run into, which means that I don't have to talk to the old grouchy folks, another advantage is that being in central London I don't have to do any tracting!!! yea!!! the only down side is that talking to people in London is completely different then talking to people in Essex. Its almost a completely different language and London people are a bit more intelligent then that. We spend most of our time finding around Imperial College which is one of the most prestigious universities in the world, in some categories top five in the world. So I talk to alot of intelligent people now. So I got an email from Preston who shared a bit of leadership advice. He referred to Ammons example of humility in leadership. thank you so much for your advice Preston. Please if any one else has any more advice it is more then welcome. I was doing this great study the other day where I read Alma 46 and 47 and compared the difference between Amalackiah and Moroni. Man that was great. Maybe some day I will share it all with you. I'm so grateful that I have been keeping a pretty accurate study journal. Today I took two or so minutes to look back on some notes I had taken from the past. On November 17th I wrote down this great quote from Brigham Young where he talked about how not one side moment is unnecessary for those whose aim it is to improve our selves while here. That really seemed to ring true. I've been listening to a talk by Brad Wilcox given at Education Week in 2009 (I think) He talked about grace and how sometimes we miss understand that the only time we receive this divine help is when we have exhausted all of our energies and might working on our own. An idea that comes from reading 2 Nephi 25:23 'for we know that it is by grace we are saved, after all we can do'. In this talk he went through and emphasised each word and talked about how grace really works. My favorite thing that he said was 'I no longer say 'God helps those who help themselves' but rather 'God helps us TO help ourselves'. Its a powerful talk, y'all should read it. Elder B.Solomon (Brigg that is) remember that, Christ is with us helping us every step of the way, He doesn't just step in once we fall down at the end of our limit. While I'm sharing missionary advice. Our MTC President told us something that has always stuck with me and has proved to be a true principle. "Yours success as a missionary will have more to do with your ability to control your thoughts then by anything else". Kay I'm done preaching. Dad thank you for your reflections. I enjoy reading them. You have no idea how much I look up to you and how much you have effected my life. Thank you for being there and being a positive influence. 

Ive attached a few pictures from our visit to St. Pauls' cathedral today. they were haveing a service so we couldn't take pictures inside or go up to the dome:(

And one of Elder Hales and Elder Giboin in the office.

Also I'm going to forward an email from an investigator. We taught her on Thursday for the second time and then she sent this amazing Email...Yes she is Chinese.              :) they are the best

Love,

Elder Solomon

The end of an era

Wow what a week. So finally all of our prayers were answered. this
week has been absolutly amazing! I think the Lord really loves the
next missionary who will be replaceing me in Basildon. So I have been
here now for six months and it has gone by so flippin quick! Like a
day. Well this week we finally picked up five new investigators ( more
in one week then the past 2 months!) Two of which are super solid!
Maddie is a 17 year old collge student. Two years ago she began
writing her piano teacher who left to serve a mission in Scotland.
When that missionary returned Maddie went to church with her, (in
Basildon, It was one of my first weeks there) and began reading the
Book of Mormon. We six months later she has read the Book of Mormon.
Feels it is right, and is half way throught the Doctrine and
Covenants. She is Absolutly Amazing! The only problem is that her
family is completly against the church  :(  we'll just have to wait
until July when she turns 18 to baptise her I guess. Had some solid
workovers. Anyways I think I'll cut to the real juicy news. I'm
getting transfered! I've been assigned to serve in the Britannia Ward
in South Kensington! I'm So excited it is the only singles ward in all
of Europe! It was a funny call. President Patch called me and told me
that they were releasing five zone leaders and that I was one of them.
My response was 'Fantastic!' Then he told me that I was going to serve
in a Trio with Elder Hales and Elder Giboin. Those guys are awesome!
they have been to gether already for three months so I might be a bit
of an outsider in the group but I'm cool with that I'll just get to
sit back and learn from them. Well Elder Hales called me later to tell
me that we will actually be in a Four-some? I guess there is an
English missionary who is waiting for his visa to go to Provo so he
will be serving with us for a week or so. I'm not quite sure how that
will work. Mind as well make two companionships eh?

We had dinner at Bishop Nicholls house last night. They are such good
people. Bishop gave me a big hug at the end of the evening. I felt
special because he only hugs people on Christmas. I will really miss
Basildon. The good thing is though that I'll be able to come back here
on workovers!

Well have a great week!

Elder Solomon

I AM NOT TRUNKY!!

Let me just put down a preliminary note... I'M NOT TRUNKY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And all the invitations and exhortions not to be are not helping. if anything they are just reminding me that could justify having a reason to be the 'T' word. So for future references please don't ask me if I am missing home, or longing for this and that yet because I am not. My head is 100% in the game and my heart is too. There never was a time in my mission that i was more deticated then now. I feel that I have lost time to make up for.

anyways.....

I've had a good week. Yestderday was fast and testimony meeting it seemed like only all the super solid people in the ward bore there testimonys. It probably helped that there was an area seventy there. Personally I think Bishop assigned people to get up and bear testimony. Anyways it was great. So yestereday was like the sixth week in a row that we didn't have any investigators at church. Quite frustrateing to say the least. We found out this week that our only investigator (who were are only seeing about twice a month) fell pregnate with the guy that is keeping her from being baptised. Hopefully having another child will facilitate a paradigm (thanks for the word mom I love it!) speaking of words. One of our district leaders (Elder Thompson.....) is super intelligent and it seems like he is the only person that I can have proper intelligent converstion with. We trade words all the time and are continueally philosofising and and hypothesising. Oh man it is great! Well lessons learned this week.... Don't rely on someone else to remember something you can remember your self. Being happy is contagious (visa versa). When in a bad mood I can best serve the world by locking my self in my room.

We had our exchange with the assistants this week. went again into London with Elder Giboin (Scotland) I had a great time with him. It was so refreshing for my spirits to teach chinese students again. Its like stealing sweets from a baby. So it may sound like I'm lazy and I like teaching them because it is so easy but the truth is that i love teaching them because they are so innocent and eager to learn that the spirit is so strong whenever we have an appointment with them. I had a great time street contacting with Elder Giboin. The assistants serve in the only singles ward in Europe. So walking around the streets of London we are primaily looking for student YSA age people. Its tons better then talking to all the grouchy old 'ducks'. I'm getting a bit tired for them telling me to get a real job.

Well life is great

Elder Solomon

Volcano

If i could describe this week with a geological feature it would be a volcano. Volcano's are amazing. they are constantly moving growing and evolving. the volcanic ash can kill off civilizations and at the same time provide the most fertile soil the earth has ever seen. Also volcano's are know for their violent eruptions. I don't know why but i have had a building pressure of frustration recently in my life. This week there was a few preliminary tremors, and eruption and after post eruption tremors. Nothing serious at the worst I broke a dysfunctional pen by throwing it at the wall. I've learned a few good lessons though. I have learned that I need greater patience and humility. I have learned how to study the scriptures (took long enough eh?) and I have learned some important principles about how God works with us. I don't remember who said it but i remember someone telling me that the scriputres are very specific with their phraseology, for a specific reason. The Lord knows the reason and it is up to us to find that reason. then they gave me an example 'for instance why did the Lord say line upon line precept upon precept instead of precept upon precept and line upon line?' I left the question at that and didn't think much about it but treasured the lesson of the importance of scriptural wording. Well this week i was studying 2 Nephi 28:30-31, and I learned the reason why. So the Lord teaches us by degrees, milk before meat. He gives us understanding and light as we are able to comprehend it. this is the line upon line. He gives us knowledge and teaches us until we understand the principles of the gospel. 'knowledge is power' Sir Francis Bacon is one of my favorite quotes I quote it all the time. but why is knowledge power? Because the greater the knowledge the greater the ability to act. I remember growing up with dad working on the weekends. At times there was frustration because my dad would ask me to do a rather simple task. I would hum and ha about and never get started and sometimes if i did start i never finished. most of the time it was because i didn't understand his instructions or understand how he wanted something done. I did not have the power (or did not perceive it in myself) therefore I felt that I did not have the power to act. Knowledge is the power to act. Lines proceed precepts. A precept is a rule of behavior. God teaches us the principle an then teaches us how at act and apply that principle. Then as we do so we receive and new line. line upon line, line upon line, precept upon precept, precept upon precept. I'm out of time I guess I'll just have to pontificate next week. Brigg Love brother enjoy the MTC sounds like it is just one big party. Sheldon I'm so happy you are my brother. Your a good kid and I am grateful for the influences you have had on me.

Love Elder Solomon

Angels in the Lord's Hands

Hey Y'all,

On my end life is great!

first a bit of business.

the ~Nicholls gave me an address to forward to you for skypeing it is charlotte_nicholls1.

So calling brigg. I will call Wednesday morning your time if that does not work then Brigg (brigg only so i can talk to the rest of you on christmas morning at 8 your time? ) can call me Tuesday morning (your time) It will cost me only five pounds to call y'all from my card.

I Have ten mintues to go. Brigg i look forward to talking to you before you go. I've been trying to gather my best advice and everything that i wish they would have told me before i went to the MTC. It would be great if you prepare a list of things you would like to know. Or we can just throw that all to the side and just tell eachother how much we love each other........ but thats kinda a sister missionary thing to do.

So inlight of the season President Patch allowed us to have another zone meeting. So we had one today. I organized it a bit different so that instead of training on skills the whole time it was a bit more spiritual. My frist baptism was Hubert Borges De Silva in the Ilford Ward. I called him and invited him to share with us his conversion story and talk abit about how the missionaries (previous to me) impacted him. It was amazing. I'll always remember that he descibed us all as angels in the Lords hands sent to answer his prayers. by our words and by our deeds. Thats what you are getting into Brigg... Are you ready? President Patch also attended our meeting and gave some excellent remarks about change. I love the work that we are engaged in. It is the Lords works.

Love Elder Solomon

If there is any confusion about calls or anything and you need to get ahold of me just drop a message to the Nicholls via facebook.

New Comp- Elder Potts

Elder Potts from Pennsylvania, looking chappy the Brit way!

Hey Thanks for your email dad. I love your emails. I had to cringe a bit at the story of Coon's Bluff. I'm really glad that you didn't send any pictures. I don't blame the poor young mens for not wanting to go down after that. So it's now the most wonderful time of the year. we are now within the 12 days of Christmas and within 10 days of Briggs departure! I would ask that you please include in your email what time it would be best for me to call him and on what number! So with dads story running through my head i have completely forgotten what i wanted to say in this email. I've included a picture of my new companion. Elder Potts. So we have had a great start to our time together. Elder Potts is on fire and super motivated to work hard and do the Lords will. Its a bit refreshing to get a companion that will work without being pushed and will push me if necessary. So Im emailing today because yesterday was a bit manic and we ended up not haveing anytime to do it. Yesterday was our zone meeting. and of course being zone leaders we had the responsibility of organizing the whole thing. Yesterday ended up being full of sacred experiences. So you know how the Lord says that who He loves he chastens? Well I know that the Lord loves me. On Saturday we had a Zone Leader Council (Jedi Knight Council as Elder Potts calls it) and right before the meeting the Lord began chastening me. One weakness another, one sin after another just kept reeling through my head. Then President Patch gave his opening remarks and I just wanted to hid. I just wanted to run out of the room and go sit in some dark corner. Now i haven't done anything horribly wrong in fact most of it was is what i haven't been doing. So i was feeling a it down for the rest of the day. Truly humbled and a bit sad. Then Sunday was the complete opposite. As i read the scriptures during the Sacrament it seemed that the Lord opened my view and I was able to see how i could become and how i could over come all these weaknesses. Well Monday morning we were about to start the meeting and the assistants called to get the weekly report. Elder Potts did the report and i decided to sit down with the zone and have a bit of a study. Together we read through D&C 6:29-37 and discussed each verse. It reminded me of a time in the priest quormn that we sat down with Brother Dees and Brother Anderson and read 3 Nephi 11. The spirit was present and spoke to each of us individually. it was amazing to see how each person in the zone was receiving revelation to help the with there personal concerns. Well then zone meeting began and the trainings were fantastic. We gave a training of having a vision of who we can become and how through the grace of Christ we can become that person. Its hard to describe really what happened I think it was one of those 'hd to have been there' things. The words that Elder Potts and I were saying were not our own. It was the first time I have gotten emotional while teaching on my mission. the healing power of the Atonement is real. Christ is ever near. Even standing at the door. If and when we let Him in He will come and heal us (2 Nephi 26 8-9). I know it. I've seen it. I have felt it. Well after the meeting one of our district leaders pulled me aside and asked for a blessing. He is serving in a really tough area and at moves call when his companion found out that he was going to stay for another six weeks he kinda shut down. The ward its self is about to die. The stake has had to 'call/assign' members from other wards to go there and help them out. Basically he was just feeling a bit overwhelmed and had no idea what he was suppose to be doing in that situation. I think I will always remember that blessing. I testify that the power of the priesthood is real. That God does inspire men. Each word was given to me and I spoke. I will not relate what I said, but through the inspiration I receive I was able to figuratively see into heaven and gain a greater understanding of our purpose as missionaries. We are about the Lords work. This is His work. This is not just another 'American church' set up by a farm boy. This is the Kingdom of God and Christ stands at its head. All miracles and blessing that once existed in the primitive church are found and are abundant today.

Elder Solomon