I can't believe how great President and Sister Nicholas are.

Well summer is officially here. So everyone is out of town pretty much. It's really hard to catch people home in the summer time. It's been really warm here too. In the low 30's (Celsius) even. It's been really nice. I'm getting pretty tan... not gonna lie! 

Hahaha but there's not much to report on. One cool story though. So President Nicholas took my Uke away several months ago. (LDS Missionaries are not supposed to have musical instruments.) Well I emailed him asking for it back for the summer so I can go contacting with it and what not. He called me a couple weeks later and told me the Mission Home was broken into a few months ago and my Uke was one of the items stolen. 

He felt super bad. I told him it was okay. I wasn't too worried about it. I felt bad that he felt bad. Well the other day he called and asked if I was attached to the brand it was. I said not at all. He said good because he was at a guitar shop and they didn't have that same brand but they have one that is about the same quality and everything that he is going to buy me to replace it. He is seriously amazing! I told him he didn't need to but he did it anyway. I can't believe how great President and Sister Nicholas are. Seriously amazing!!! It's a really sad goodbye!!! 

Well hope you have a great week! Talk to you next time!!!

Elder Anderson

Still a blast every day.

Elder Jake at lunch with Roma, his "Canadian Grandma"

So I almost forgot to email this week. Haha that would be dumb if I did though right? Naw I totally wouldn't forget... 

Anyway. It has been a great week. The recent convert is doing great. She even came to church early which was awesome to see. We had stake conference this week. Our Mission President spoke as it is his last Sunday in the mission. I can't believe he is going home. We will miss him a ton. But I'm excited to meet President Miles. 

Anyway. Other than that it's been a pretty normal week. Still a blast every day. Truly great. Hope all is well back home!!! 

Love you all!!!!!!

Elder Anderson

My first baptism

What a week. The highlight was definitely the baptism. Our investigator got baptized this week on Friday. It was amazing. And there was a cool story behind it. She has a huge fear of water. When she showers, she says she has to plug her ears to make sure no water gets in. So baptism was an obstacle for her. Well after we told her she could wear ear plugs for the baptism, she felt a lot better about it. Well she gets to the font on the day of her baptism, and she forgot her ear plugs. She literally started shaking she was so scared. It was paralyzing fer her she said. As she took the arm of the man who baptized her, she said it was as if all fear was forgotten and as if God was hugging her as she entered the font. It was the greatest thing that could have happened. And as if that wasn't cool enough, she shows up at church that Sunday feeling really sick and here eyes giving her problems. But she still came!! She is an incredible person and already has such a strong testimony. It has been an honor being able to watch her come closer with her Savior Jesus Christ. It has strengthened my testimony just watching her. I am so excited to see her continue to progress toward her Heavenly Father and Savior. 

I am so grateful for the love that our Heavenly Father has for each and every one of us. I feel his love every day and it gives me strength and courage to continue to move forward. I know He loves you beyond what you could ever imagine. Just hold on! Cling to his love and let Him carry you away from all your problems!

I love and miss you all!!! Take care and have a great week!!!

The mission is about to change up a lot.

 Elder Jake with President and Sister Nicholas

They are AMAZING!!!

Well our investigator is getting baptized Friday and we are super pumped! This will be my first convert baptism I will be able to attend. It's going to be great! We also picked up another investigator yesterday. She was a referral. Super nice and accepting. It's looking really good. 

We also had our last interviews with our mission president this week. It will be sad to see him go, but we have heard a lot of great things about President Miles. The mission is about to change up a lot. We will be shrinking in numbers and getting a new President. It's going to be crazy. 

But that's about it for the week. It was pretty routine. Still having a blast every single day and time is going by faster and faster. 

Hope you are doing well back home! 

Love you all!!!

President Nicholas, Elder Peci, Elder Jake and Sister Nicholas

The Book of Mormon is a place where we can find safety and refuge from all of our cares.

 Jake titled this picture "unfortunate events"

(See our chat conversation below)

Gotta love our silly missionary!

Ok so this has been a sweet week. We had our investigator come to church which was an answer to many many prayers. Awesome note to end on. We have been meeting a lot of people in the new ward and they are great. Super good people. Not much is new though. And the message I have is stolen from another missionary. It's pretty sweet though. He's inspired to say the least. Here it is:

"Well here is something cool I just studied and I hope this can help you and increase your love for the Book of Mormon. So most people think that the Book of Mormon is named after the prophet Mormon who abridged the plate. I thought that also until recently! After reading Mosiah 18:30 I have come up with a different view on why it is called that. 

     "And now it came to pass that all this was done in Mormon, yea, by the waters of Mormon, in the forest that was near the waters of Mormon; yea, the place of Mormon, the waters of Mormon, the forest of Mormon, how beautiful are they to the eyes of them who there came to the knowledge of their Redeemer; yea, and how blessed are they, for they shall sing to his praise forever."

     So this is my view... I believe that the Book of Mormon is named after the place Mormon that it talks about in this verse. This place called Mormon was a sacred place to these people because it was here that they came too after being persecuted and they found the place Mormon which was a place of safety and refuge for them. We can also do that- what we are being told is that the Book of Mormon is a place where we can come to find peace, joy, comfort and safety both spiritually and physically. This is also the place where you will come to a knowledge of your redeemer. This is the book of the place Mormon. What the title of this book is implying to us, is that by reading this book you will come to a knowledge of your redeemer. This is the place where you will come to a knowledge o Jesus Christ.

   I promise you that as you read this book you will learn more and more about Jesus Christ every time you do read it. 2 Nephi 25:26 tells us what this book is for and 2 Nephi 33:10-11 tells us what this book contains. 

   The warning that I stress comes from Mosiah 18:32 as we compare the King to Satan and how the King tries to get in the way of them being in the land of Mormon and Satan will try and stop us from reading the book of Mormon by trickery whether its by making us tired or lazy and so many other ways. He knows the power that the Book of Mormon will bring into our daily lives and he knows that it will deepen our conversion to the Savior and help us in hard times and this is exactly why he tries so hard to stop us from reading it. Don't let it get in the way of you and your relationship with Heavenly Father.

  Another side note is that the reference 18:30! Maybe its a coincidence or maybe it isn't but the Book of Mormon was published in what year????"

Haha this is a great message and full of truth. The Book of Mormon is a place where we can find safety and refuge from all of our cares. We need to turn to it often and receive the strength we get from it. 

As always I hope you have a great week! 

Take care!!!!

Elder Anderson

me

What on earth happened to your pants? I'm guessing they couldn't take he pressure any longer?

Please tell me that did not happen while you were out and about!

10:28 AM

Jake

hahahahahaha for 2 hours!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

10:33 AM

me

NOOOOOOOO!!!!!  Horrifying!!!

Jake

You have no idea

10:34 AM

me

What did you do?  Did you have a coat with you?  Please say yes!!

Jake

oh no. of course not

it was out there

me

I am beyond horrified!!!!  How did it happen?

10:37 AM

Jake

Just riding a bike

me

Do you need me to send you some pants?  Possibly in a bigger size?

10:45 AM

Jake

hahaha no I can get some. I'll look today. We are going to costco

10:48 AM

me

Please do your best to avoid having it all hang out in the future!!!!

Jake

I'll try but I can make no promises