Heyy friends!
Apologies for the silence last week!
I'm just in an internet cafe in archway as Hyde Park chapel's computer room was seemingly very popular today! Me and the other Elder's travelled to London bridge this morning to catch the sun rise over the skyline. Such an amazing sight, sadly we were the only people appreciating it as passer's by were too busy reacting to the stench of Tourist (us) in the air. So many people cross London bridge in the morning, all going to northwards, all staring dead ahead, facing the harsh cold and another day at the office. It made me appreciate how blessed I am to be serving a mission. I wake up smiling (on the inside at least), I wake up excited to read my scriptures and to find new people, I wake up wanting to be better than the next day. I hope I don't lose this attitude when I get home and the daily grind start's to take it's toll. If anything I hope that I always remember how much the Gospel has blessed my life and challenged me to be better.
After enjoying the views and taking some quality photo's, we decided that we would no longer be an audience to the infamous roads of London Town and become a part of the mayhem. We hired bicycles. Barclays Bicycles. It was one of the craziest experiences of my mission so far! We road on the shoulders of Giant red buses, we navigated through the desperate cracks of a temporary traffic jam and braved some of the most accident ridden junctions in the northern hemisphere. And we survived. Such great fun!
So the rest of my week has been busy as ever and has again fortified my testimony of the restored Gospel. We are teaching a man called Allar, he's from Estonia (so tempted to mimic his accent in lessons) He does 3d virtual design- he worked on the John Carter Disney film, he also studies psychology in his spare time and attends conferences at Oxford on the matter. He's a thinker which I like. He recognised early on that he had to be open to change as people tend to suffer from change aversion theory which basically means someone is resistant to change even if the change is for the better as it means leaving behind the version of you that you are comfortable with. Anyway, we showed him the video Mountains to Climb, for those of you who haven't watched it, watch it. If you come away feeling the same as you did before you watched it then something is wrong or your name is Allar! Haha We couldn't believe his reaction, he felt nothing. So we moved on and commited him to keep on reading and praying. SO the last time we went round we began talking about the past week and Allar shared with us something neither of us expected. He said 'The other night before I went to sleep, something happened, It felt like clarity in my mind and I began to understand the message Book of Mormon. I know I felt something aswell', Boooom! He just took a ride down revelation street baby! This is how I received my testimony of the Book of Mormon I told him. Just before we go to bed and our mind is clearing, this is the time that The Spirit can communicate with us and connect our hearts and minds to the portal of truth. At the close of the lesson he gave such an inspiring prayer, where he told his Heavenly Father that he looks forward to receiving the happiness that he has witnessed as he attended church with us. He knows the Gospel truly blesses people's lives.
Krissy one of our less active who we have been working so hard with finally attended church yesterday. I didn't think i'd feel that happy! We've been trying for this since i got here and Elder Hein has been trying before that. She is such a sweet soul and we love her so much. To see her progressing as she is, is so wonderful!
We had a great miracle happen yesterday, which came from being in the right place at the right time and DOING the right thing. President Jordan has included it in his email to all the missionaries;
Elder Hein and Elder Nolan in London North had an experience like that this week. They had planned to visit a potential investigator and take him a Book of Mormon. Despite having planned properly, when they arrived he was not home. Like diligent missionaries, they decided to find by the way and began street contacting in the area. And then a miracle came, but not from any of the people they had stopped. Two young women, both 18, walked up to them and said, "You're Mormon missionaries!" The elders agreed. One of the young women explained that she had recently moved to London from up North. She had been taught there and was preparing to be baptised. When she relocated to London she lost contact with the Church. She referred herself on mormon.org but no one had contacted her. Then as she was waiting at a bus stop she saw the elders talking to people on the street. She walked up and asked if she could be taught again and her companion also expressed interest.
We plan and God prepares, but not always in the way we anticipate. That is one reason Preach My Gospel reminds us:"Perhaps you have been led to this person because someone else in the home or the neighbourhood is ready for the gospel." Our part is to do our best and then trust the Lord of the harvest. As the Prophet Joseph put it, "let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed." Don't be afraid to follow the promptings you receive. Don't be discouraged if things don't work out the way you planned. The Lord sees your sacrifices and in his time you will see his hand in your work.
So, it's thanksgiving this week and I don't understand why we don't celebrate it as much as our American friends. I think it's such a wonderful holiday; it's something that England needs to celebrate. We have been asking people what they're thankful for as we've been working this week. Last week me and Elder Hein visited a Retirement home and sang hymns for the inmates. They loved it! It's great practice for me as well as their ears don't seem to detect duff notes (or they're just too polite to tell me). We asked these great people what things they were thankful for and we found that the most important things to them were Family and Jesus Christ to which I couldn't agree more. What are you thankful for? I'm thankful for many things; Socks. Imagine a life without socks? Imagine waking up with no toaster in the house? Imagine if toothbrushes were still a concept? First world problems eyy.
I still feel all of your prayers. I love you all.
Hugs and Hand Shakes
Elder Nolan
PS. I miss SO many things out in these e-mails so I'll have plenty more to share with you when I return as I have quite a committed relationship with my journal. Be sure to check out
Elder Heins blog if you just can't get enough of the escapades in London North ward!
