Hello,
So, it has definitely been a while since I put finger to key and updated you on the progress of the zone and the changes in our area. Its hard to write a lot when things aren't going to well, its been really hard and it has took me a while to figure out the problem and more importantly, fix it.
The first thing that needed to change was me, I had let myself fall into a few traps with regards to making missionary work happen. The biggest pit fall a missionary can fall into is to assume. I was doing this, whilst focusing on the zone I assumed that my area would just be taken care of, but it wasn't. I was neglecting it and the people there in by not focusing my mind and heart on it's progress. This has changed now, and the last week we had has shown that.
The second thing that had to change was also me, with regards to how I was treating my companion. We had a great talk about things and he pointed out to me things that I hadn't even clocked I was doing. I felt terrible, I had been so rude and disrespectful to him. I had again assumed that he knew I loved him and that whatever i said to him wouldn't bother him. I realised I was taking out my frustrations on him and in many ways using him as a punching bag, sometimes literally! (He is a 6"1 running back, so i will continue to assume he can take the physical hits ;)
The Last thing that needed to change, was me, again. The Lord wasn't done yet, I asked my companion the question 'What is your motive to do missionary work?', we both had to think for a while. I really searched inside for what it was that got me out of bed in the morning, why we would street contact at 8.30pm in the blistering cold, why we would try again and again to get people to change ... etc I knew what my answer should have been, deep down I knew what my reason has been since I handed in my papers, but for the past few weeks I think I had side stepped it and lost the Spirit of the whole thing. The reason I am a missionary is because I love Jesus Christ. I love His Gospel, I love what it challenges me to become, I love the organisation of His Church, I love how the members of His church really are some of, if not the greatest people in the world, I love that I am associated with them, I love answers I get from many of the 'unanswerable' questions we all have, I love working with the missionaries around me, I love the people I have taught, have seen change and become saints through the choices they have made to follow God. I just love it all, and with 7 and half months left I have no intention of slowing down, or 'dying', my only desire is to speed up, to push harder, to get smarter and become wiser, to endure longer and pray more earnestly, to envision higher and achieve greater!
This is the time I have to be molded into an instrument that the Lord can use to do great things and I am not going to miss any of it.
I love being a missionary!
I love you all,
Hugs and Handshakes,
Elder Nolan
Me and Valerio - the husband of a member. I love this guy!
So, it has definitely been a while since I put finger to key and updated you on the progress of the zone and the changes in our area. Its hard to write a lot when things aren't going to well, its been really hard and it has took me a while to figure out the problem and more importantly, fix it.
The first thing that needed to change was me, I had let myself fall into a few traps with regards to making missionary work happen. The biggest pit fall a missionary can fall into is to assume. I was doing this, whilst focusing on the zone I assumed that my area would just be taken care of, but it wasn't. I was neglecting it and the people there in by not focusing my mind and heart on it's progress. This has changed now, and the last week we had has shown that.
The second thing that had to change was also me, with regards to how I was treating my companion. We had a great talk about things and he pointed out to me things that I hadn't even clocked I was doing. I felt terrible, I had been so rude and disrespectful to him. I had again assumed that he knew I loved him and that whatever i said to him wouldn't bother him. I realised I was taking out my frustrations on him and in many ways using him as a punching bag, sometimes literally! (He is a 6"1 running back, so i will continue to assume he can take the physical hits ;)
The Last thing that needed to change, was me, again. The Lord wasn't done yet, I asked my companion the question 'What is your motive to do missionary work?', we both had to think for a while. I really searched inside for what it was that got me out of bed in the morning, why we would street contact at 8.30pm in the blistering cold, why we would try again and again to get people to change ... etc I knew what my answer should have been, deep down I knew what my reason has been since I handed in my papers, but for the past few weeks I think I had side stepped it and lost the Spirit of the whole thing. The reason I am a missionary is because I love Jesus Christ. I love His Gospel, I love what it challenges me to become, I love the organisation of His Church, I love how the members of His church really are some of, if not the greatest people in the world, I love that I am associated with them, I love answers I get from many of the 'unanswerable' questions we all have, I love working with the missionaries around me, I love the people I have taught, have seen change and become saints through the choices they have made to follow God. I just love it all, and with 7 and half months left I have no intention of slowing down, or 'dying', my only desire is to speed up, to push harder, to get smarter and become wiser, to endure longer and pray more earnestly, to envision higher and achieve greater!
This is the time I have to be molded into an instrument that the Lord can use to do great things and I am not going to miss any of it.
I love being a missionary!
I love you all,
Hugs and Handshakes,
Elder Nolan
Me and Valerio - the husband of a member. I love this guy!
Zone interviews, Elder Opiyo from Uganda - this kid used to hide from Joseph Kony so to be frank, he isn't scared of ANYTHING!
Mine and Hutchins' companionship in a nutshell.
Excuse the double chin, Viva Pinata with the kids - the LOVE it!
My watch collection
Ward Photo
Bad zone photo but hey, it was a great meeting!
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