29 April 2013

Hey! I got yalls package today. Thanks so much for that! it's good to hear that everything's going well and thanks again for the CD's. Enoch train's the one I was thinking of from before so thanks for being spot on with that haha.

I love the gospel. It's so awesome that we have the opportunity to learn so much and grow so much in it. I really can't understand people who decide that they don't want to learn any more about Christ or his gospel. There's so many cool details and insights to be gained! Eternity is nothing simple to comprehend so there's always, always, always, something to learn. Transfers are this Wednesday. Elder James is moving onto a new area and I'll be in Marion again. Elder Memmott is also getting transferred so he can go train a missionary before he goes home. It's crazy how fast time is flying. It seems that my mission is just going so fast. Two years hardly seems like enough time to be out here.

Things are getting really interesting and a little hectic with all the rapid growth in the mission. New areas are opening up left and right and districts and zones are changing all over the place. My loads been lightened a bit this transfer which is great. I'm not a district leader anymore which is a huge relief. I love just being a missionary. I can put all my focus on what's going on in my area so it's a pretty nice load off. We have so much work to do here. We're helping Audrey and her mom and her mom's husband live the Word of Wisdom. It's not easy for them but I know how worth it it will be. I'm really excited for Audrey's sister Myeshia who is preparing to be baptized on the 11th of May. That's definitely happening. She has no Word of Wisdom issues and is just loving the Book of Mormon. I'm excited to see a lot of success with my new companion. There's good things ahead here in Marion :)

Did you hear Alivia Jordan got her mission call to Chinese speaking British Isles? That's so exciting. I love being a part of this hastening of God's work.

I'm so grateful for my Savior and the love that he has for us. I was thinking about some D&C's I read awhile back when you mentioned in your letter about the Savior being your friend. I love those D&C's  where Christ refers to Joseph and them as his friends. That's such a lovely term, being a friend of Christ. I just think about the relationship I have with all my friends and it makes me happy to think that we can continue to have that personal relationship after this life and have that relationship with Christ as well. I'm so indebted to Christ. I feel like I should stay out in the field forever haha. But I do know that my missionary work will never end. I love hearing Solomon and Amanda's stories about their missionary work. I've always really looked up to Solomon. Haha whether it was a bad example (i.e. having those crazy hairstyles) or good, I'm happy for the person that he's helped me to be :) I'm grateful for the example that he's always set for me. I definitely appreciate the fact that he served a mission. It's always been a great strength to me and such a help meet for me when things get tough. I just know everything's going to work out always.

I hope to be continually strengthened as I continue to serve. I'm glad for all the strength that I've received up to this point. I love what my mission is doing to me. I love seeing things change about me that are going to influence the rest of my life for good. I can't imagine being any other place right now. There is truly nowhere I'd rather be than out here. It makes me so happy to know that this work continues on the other side as well. It's no surprise that Spirit Paradise is pure happiness with all the missionary work that's going on. This gospel is my life.

Love yall,

Elder Nair

22 April 2013

Hey yall! Good to hear from yall this week as always!

Firstly, I'm excited for Audrey's baptism this week too! She's been a great example to her family and friends and it's going to be an awesome service. Elder James is doing great. His time here in Marion is more than likely winding down to a close unfortunately. We've become great friends. I'm going to miss him a ton.

Sad news about W, we lost track of him again. We'll have to do a bit of looking for him this week. He got kicked out of his old place and just seems to always be going through hardships. I hope that everything will be able to work out for him eventually.

But yeah Audrey's going to be awesome! Her sister, her mom, and her moms husband will all be baptized next month for sure. I'm excited about them. We have to get back in contact with all her friends but they will definitely happen soon enough.

We had stake conference this week. There were some really good speakers. The two main focuses seemed to be families going to the temple and missionary work which pretty much go hand in hand. If everyone in the world went through the temple and were able to make those covenants with God, the world would be a better place. I really don't have a whole lot to say this week. I'm mostly just excited about having some baptisms coming up. It's going to be so much fun. Sister Cooper wrote me a really nice little letter this week. I was excited. Getting mail is pretty fun.

For the most part I just go into battle with a fresh copy of the book of mormon. I just really enjoying the feeling of going out to knock doors with a fresh copy and then coming back empty handed. I love leaving people copies of the book of mormon to read.

I've really just been having so much fun these past few weeks. Missionary work is awesome! Like I'm honestly enjoying myself beyond all getout. There are great things to look forward too and cool people to see and God's work to be accomplished. I really feel like I'm being an instrument in God's hands to change lives. I'm excited for all of these people to go through the temple someday. Someday really soon I hope. I love temples and families and seeing all of God's children receive joy into their lives. Missionary work is meant to be enjoyed. If you ever hear of any missionaries or if ever in the future I'm like way bummed, just remind me to quit worrying and go out and do the Lord's work. When that mindset is in my head, there's nothing stopping me. I enjoy every moment of every day and serving becomes my life.

 

I love yall and hope yall are enjoying life, I hope Solomon and Amanda are always doing well. It sure sounds like they are going through some exciting things right now. And that's way exciting that Dad's going to work in the temple now too! Yall are going to have lots of fun doing that together. Let me know of all the cool spiritual experiences that yall share together doing that work.

 

Love yall,

Elder Nair

15 April 2013

Hey yall!

That's such an awesome story! Regardless of what happens with that family I know that they'll feel the Spirit from hearing the choir in person. It's going to be an awesome experience for yall and a great opportunity to build a friendship. Keep up the good work! I'm glad Solomon and Amanda have been continuing to be such powerful influences in spreading the gospel message. Teaching with members in a members home is the best way to help people. I definitely have a strong testimony of member work.

Speaking of member work there have been some great things going on here in Marion. The work is really picking up so well. Audrey (i spelled her name wrong in previous messages) is awesome! She's doing so well. She's preparing now for a baptism on the 27th with her mom. I'm so excited for them. They both were able to make it to church and loved it. Her mom said she felt so welcomed and loved there. Her mom who goes by K, told us that her husband (who we haven't even met yet) read the Restoration pamphlet and is reading the Book of Mormon more so than she even. She said he takes it to work with him! I'm excited for the appointment we have with them tomorrow! It's going to be great. As we talked with Audrey last night we also spoke to her sister Myeshia and one of Audrey's friends, Erika. They are both really excited about the gospel too and Myeshia is definitely coming to stake conference. She was sad that she had to miss church this Sunday but her excitement about the gospel is skyhigh right now. This is such a great family! They are all really intent to learn more and have this joy more abundant in their lives. This truth is so real and people really will feel it. Myeshia and Erika are shooting for baptisms in early May. God is truly blessing us at this time.

As we've been teaching Audrey we've been having this wonderful member Jessica there with us all the time. It's been such a blessing because Jessica and Audrey are both great friends now and Jessica's actually going to be moving in with Audrey soon. It's really a huge blessing for Jessica too because she wasn't quite sure where she was going to move after some problems at her former residence. We've been helping Jessica grow stronger in the gospel and teaching with her brings her so much happiness she's said. I'm so excited about the work. I love this work so much. There are so many great people here just ready to be baptized. They are going to be such solid members too which I'm greatly excited about. It makes me sad seeing people --who once had the light enough in their lives to be baptized-- fall away. We can never give up on them though. Everyone needs to go through the temple. It's really difficult falling away after an amazing experience like going through the temple.

I'm glad things are going well back home especially with the missionary work. Things are clearly going so well right now and I'm just loving it.

 

As a side note I have just a couple requests, you know that cd yall have with what sounds like pioneer music with like strings and stuff? On it there's like popcorn popping on the apricot tree but it sounds like pioneery if that makes sense. If you can make me a copy of that cd that'd be awesome. I'm getting a little bored with the music I've got now so if you can send just like a couple copies of cds with church music on it that'd be great. I don't need any more MoTab, i've got plenty of that. But yeah we can listen to really any kind of gospel music like Jericho Road and Efy cds and cool renditions of hymns. So if yall have anything cool like that I'd love it. Thanks :D

 

-Love,

 Elder Nair

8 April 2013

Hey good to hear your insights from conference and everything!

 

I'm glad all is going well and that yall are enjoying your time together now that Dad has less to worry about at the moment. I encourage yall to continue to take that extra time and use it for the benefit of the missionary work in Naperville/Aurora. I love yall so much. I'm so grateful for the upbringing that I was blessed to have. The way that yall have taught me by example and helping me to not falter beyond repair has been so important to me. Dad thank you so much for going on a mission and for helping Solomon to be an example to me of a great missionary as well. I can't even imagine what it would be like to find the gospel so soon before going on a mission. I know how much my mission has already been a learning experience for me so I'm glad for all of the odds you went against to be an example to me. Thank you for stressing the importance of the gospel to me. When I was young and didn't understand how vital the gospel was yall helped me come to church every week and helped me do things that I didn't necessarily want to do at the time. Yall always followed through on the rules that you established. I'm very grateful for that especially. I remember one time that really influenced me so much was when mom you set up that we'd have to practice piano for 30 minutes a day and that we could skip a day but the time would add up. I just remembered one week that I was slack and not being able to play any games until I practiced for like 240 minutes or something crazy like that haha. Thanks for staying true to the established consequences even when I was whining or when things got tough. That discipline is something that has stuck in my mind. There are always consequences for actions and the gospel is there to help us have the best time through everything. Whether we like it or not sin is going to bring terribly negative consequences in the long run. People who lack discipline have such a hard time grasping this concept. It's such a blessing to me to have loving parents that have helped me stay on the right path and helped me understand how life works. I love yall so much. Parenting me must have been so hard haha I really apologize for all the trouble that I gave yall growing up. I know I was such a bad kid at many stages of my youth but I just want yall to know that I couldn't have been taught better. Yall truly fulfilled your role in teaching me correct principles and really discerning my needs. I know that yall know better than me. Haha I bet yall didn't expect to hear that from me before I exited my teenage years =P. But honestly I just really love yall so much. I would not be the person I am today without that direction.

 

I loved conference. There were so many amazing talks. One that surprisingly really spoke to me was Elder L. Whitney Clayton's talk on Marriage: Watch and Learn. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not getting ahead of myself but something that really helps me understand and things that just really stick out to me are types or similes. Like, how our Earth is a perfect type for our mortal lives: how it was baptized by water and will be baptized of fire to give a small simple example of that. I can't help but realize how much my mission is helping me prepare for an eternal family some day. Basically many of the qualities that make a successful marriage make a successful relationship with a missionary companion. Not only that but the simple fact that love is one of the chief characteristics of Deity and learning about marriage and the relationship between a husband and wife is one of the best ways to learn how to emulate that Christlike love and apply it to all people. I've decided that I want faith and charity/love to be the two greatest Christlike qualities that I want to improve on my mission and continuing all throughout my life. Loving of Heavenly Father and our neighbors are truly the two great commandments. It's through these two qualities that we emulate Christ. They basically are a starting point for every other spiritual principle. If we truly love God we show that love through our obedience to his commandments. And it's through loving our neighbors that we serve them and bless them and become a conduit that the Spirit can use to touch their lives and bring them that ultimate happiness that can only come through the true gospel of Jesus Christ.

 

Conference has helped me get a little more spiritual fire going but I definitely don't want this to be just a great memory. I've learned a lot about the importance of great meetings like this throughout my mission. They become lifechanging when we simply select a few things that really stood out to us and write them down on a little post-it or notecard and work to apply those principles into our being. If we try to work on everything that we learned/heard about we'll notice this pendulum affect in our lives where we lose some of the things that we used to do and replace with the new things we've learned. Our goal is not to forget all of the other conferences we've seen but to continually apply new things so that we can truly continue bettering ourselves. Once the things we learn become a part of us we can then build and make more things a part of us. If we simply act these things for awhile instead of instilling them in our souls we're not going to become the people that our Heavenly Father wants us to becoming. It's all about becoming like Christ as opposed to simply acting like Christ.

 

Things are going really great right now. Audree came to the Saturday afternoon session of conference and Wondell was able to make it to all three Saturday sessions. We're going to push Wondell's baptism back for now as he works to follow all of the commandments but Audree is looking really good for this Saturday. I'm very excited for her. Her and her family are really going to be blessed by this gospel. She has a lot of people in her life that are ready for the gospel and it's been great being able to see her friends and begin to teach them. Many people's lives are going to be changed by her simple act of listening to us. It's amazing the ripple effect that one small notion in the gospel does.

 

As yall continue strong in missionary work just know that planting seeds is a big part of it. While people may not accept the message at first just know things will work out all according to God's will in the future. Whenever I begin to be disappointed about how many people reject our message on a daily basis I just think of the words of Alma in chapter 29. O that I were an angel and could have the wish of mine heart, that I might go forth and speak with the trump of God, with a voice to shake the earth, and cry repentance unto every people! Yea, I would declare unto every soul, as with the voice of thunder, repentance and the plan of redemption, that they should repent and come unto our God, that there might not be more sorrow upon all the face of the earth. But behold, I am a man, and do sin in my wish; for I ought to be content with the things which the Lord hath allotted unto me.

 

Everything will happen according to God's will. We just need to do the best with what God has allotted unto us.

 

Love yall so much,

Elder Nair

31 March 2013

Hey yall! Let me get the temporal things out of the way first.

I got the shoes last monday after I emailed you so that was good. They work out great! They're very comfortable and seem like they'll last for a good bit. Good find.

 

But yeah that's it for that stuff. Things are going GREAT this week! I've got a new found fire for the work. I've been getting pretty disappointed with people not keeping their commitments lately but we've finally got two people ready to be baptized on the 13th of April! I'm very excited for them. Audree is 25 and has two kids, a little boy who's 5 and a girl who's 2, and she is just very ready for the gospel. I'm sure I've mentioned her before. Her fellowshipping is going great and she came to our Easter activity this past Saturday and then church yesterday. I'm excited for her. Also this guy Wondell who came to both the Easter activity and church is looking very good for the 13th. I'm excited. Please pray for them that they will continue to do well. All is going good here in Marion. I'm very excited about conference and the work here in April.

 

Being a missionary is so much fun. When you simply choose to be happy things go 100 times better. It's easy to get down when people are choosing to not listen to you and live in a way that's super spiritually harmful for them but it's always good knowing that good times are ahead. Good things are always in store and people need this message. Working with members is so successful by the way. Missionaries always need their help. If yall are ever bored just give the missionaries a call and let them know you're willing to go out and fellowship with them. Having a member friend is the best help in helping people come to church. That's often times the extra incentive that people need to follow through with their commitment to come. People who don't know anyone in the church very rarely make it. My testimony in member work has increased so much as we've utilized the members so much out here this week. We're building up the amount of young adults in this branch through fellowshipping and activities. That Easter activity which was just a potluck and Easter egg hunt was a huge success. We had five nonmembers there and one recent convert who hadn't been to church in almost 6 months there. Many of the members were out of town but we still had a wonderful activity with about 30 people there. I really enjoyed it.

My invitation to you would be to find some time to go out with the missionaries at least once this week. Call them up and let them know what free time you have available and even offer your home up to have someone be taught in it. You'll make a great new friend if nothing else. The work will only truly hasten if the members are actively involved in the missionary work.

 

Love yall, Good things are going here I can't wait to hear yalls insights on conference :D

Elder Nair