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

Elder J counting down

Elder Jankowski and Ben Beechey

Monique Plane

Ties made out of wood!

Hey Y'all,

(I'm still a bit of a hick)

It seems like this whole week i have had a clock ticking away constantly reminding me that soon Elder Jankowsky will be leaving. After three months I'm not sure how I feel. He has been a great missionary and has left a great impact on the people he has served, served with, and around. But is time that he go. I was really sad to har about the Mustang, but all is vanity at the end of the day. However I am really happy that Sheldon was ok, that looked like a nasty wreck. Inpatient drivers suck. They do no good to anyone includeing themselves. Well Brigg you have about fifteen days left. That is crazy!! I got permission to call Brigg before he leaves. When would be the best time? Could you call me on your way to the airport or something? Also since you are going to be home for Christmas ( thats a wierd thought) Can you fix the skype? I'm going to try to skype from bishop nicholls house.

Ok let me tell you about my life. This last week was pretty cool. Unfortunatly the focus was a bit distracted due to upcomeing departures but we still had out baptisms!!! Ben Beechey and Monique Plane were baptised on Saturday. The service was a bit crazy (started half hour late) but the ordinances were great! I forgot to turn off the font water so it overflowed when Ben was baptised but that was just a minor detail. Ben has a great story. We first met him at Natalies second lesson. He was there for all of her lessons and at her baptism he really felt something different. He quite smokeing that and wanted lessons for him self. At our first proper lesson with him we invited him to be baptised. After a long pause he gave the best answer ever. 'You know, i've been thinking about it and praying about it and I really think I'll be ready to be baptised on the 3rd of December.' We had no complaints. He has been solid ever since. He loves reading the Book of Mormon even though he is a dyslexic. On Sunday he asked me to confirm him and then he also asked me to confer on him the priesthood. That was a realy cool experience. Monique is just so lovely. She is twenty and has a four month old baby. This baby has been the greatest tool for fellowhipping. every mother or want to be mother is just queing up to hold him. When we first contacted monique we thought she was already a member of our church but when we had our first appointment with her she told us 'I've always wanted to be baptised but i just haven't known how.' Well we could help her out with that no problem. She progressed at a steady pace and a she began reading the book of mormon she really came to feel that these things were ght. she said last night that she cant understand why no other christian churches dont have a temple. Whichi reminds me. Bishop and our awesome Welsh Ward Mission Leader have organized that all the new members are going to do baptisms for the dead tomorrow. I'm So excited for them! Sunday evening was the stake christmas choir concert in Romford. It was incedible! I completly enjoyed it even if I had Natalies kids slobering all over my trousers and shoving biscits in my mouth like i was some kind of parrot. At the end our new stake president had all the full time missionaries stand and told the whole congregation that instead of appaluding the choir to show appreiciation they should invite the missionaries into there home. That was really cool.

Moves calls brought some intesting news. My new companion will be Elder Potts form Pennsilvania. Elder Potts and a bit of some kind of mental break down about six months into his mission. He is coming from and area called Kings Lynn. In Kings Lynn is a church phycologist who is really good at helping missionaries. Elder Potts has been there for Six months now. I have no idea what to expect. I have no idea what the Lord wants me to learn. I have no idea even about what i think! Christmas holidays are great and im excited for all lthe jollyness.

Be Good!

Elder Solomon

Something in the air!

Ok so i think Christmas season is finally here I can't really deny or delay it any more. It is so crazy how there is such a different feel about the air and people just have a general different attitude. So this week was pretty loaded but slow at the same time. We had zone conference and stake conference and Elder Jankowsky spent two days ill in bed.

Zone Conference on Tuesday was pretty crazy. It was a 10-4 one rather then the normal 10-2. We had a visiting Area Seventy and he was really excited to be there. So excited that the conference lasted until 5!!! Elder Wright in just a English guy who has been about the Lord business since he returned from his mission. He served as a bishop and stake president before he was called to be an Area Seventy. Through out the day I really enjoyed his teaching and comments. Zone conference was like a spiritual oasis in a dry desert. As missionaries you spend 100% of your time worring about, planning for, and teaching other people and sometimes it is really nice to get it in return. Elder Sheppard (my latest companion) shared this feeling abit when he told me that the thing that he was most excited about going home was recieveing home teaching visited and letting someone else nurture him. So zone conference was a bit like that for me. We (elder jankowsky and my self) gave at training on extending baptism invitations in the first or second lesson and man I really felt the Lord put words in my mouth and testify of what I was saying. I know that should be happening every time that i teach but for some reason it was really strong that time. The general theme as it were of the conference was gaining a vision of what the Lord wants of us. Elder Wright invited us all to study Numbers 13-14 and look for what made Caleb and Joshua different then the rest of the spies sent to scout out the promised land. I took that direction us this morning and had a wonderful study about it. It is intesting what the Lord said about Caleb. if i remember right it said something along the lines of 'he fully followed what I said and had another spirit' this is what set him apart from the others. So he was 100% obedient and therefore had a different spirit then the other spies and was able to see the potential of the land and have confidence that the Lord would be able to deliver the land into their hands. The others did not see this. The reported that the land was good. But when they saw the giants and the mighty cities that were already there they changed there report and turned the people to rebellion. So lesson learned. Be obedient and you will be about to see with an 'eye of faith' (Ether 12:19) and gain a vision of what is possible with the Lord. What a wonderful blessing for all of us and especially with missionaries. Having a vision of the possible builds hope and hope leads us to act in faith then faith brings miracles. I love the simplicity and depth of the gospel!!!

So then Elder Jankowsky was sick and we didnt get much done this week. I lied I got to clean the flat... then rearragne the furniture, then clean the flat, and put up the Christmas tree. I still however have not decorated it. That won't happen until December. Stake conference was great. Our stake presidence was rearranged so we got a prominate member in the ward back and then lost another one to replace the first! it was cool. I think that the best part of he weekend was that we didnt have to organized any lifts for Sunday. our amazing Bishop did it for us! Ben and Monique are doing great! both past their baptism interviews this weekend and are set for the baptism on Saturday! We have taught them everything and they have loved every little bit of it. I'm so happy that they all have a wonderful support group. So our new assistant ward mission leader (Vijay) was baptised a little over a year ago and never fit into the ward. because of drama he went less active. When i came he went on a trip to Utah to visit the old missionaries who had taught him. (among the was Elder Gallagher my trainer!) When he came back he started comeing out bit by bit. Well we started baptiseing and all the people who have been baptised recently are forming this perfect fellowshipping group. Vijay now has the support he needed and is back in full activity. The best part about it is that he is now prepareing to go on a mission!!! How awesome is that! I was so excited when i heard that he was working on his papers.

Well bottom line. The Church is true. The Atonement does work and Salvation is possible through Jesus Christ

Love,

Elder Solomon

ps Hey Brigg I sent you a little surpirse that has some few things to help you out on your mission. also in it is chocolate (to share) my journal (keep it safe) and a letter for you (inside the front of the journal). Let me know when it gets there.

Enjoy!!! :)