I LOVE THE SPIRIT!!!!!!!!!

Hi-ya Family and Friends,

 

This week has been better then the last week! We are both feeling better and ready to work! Tuesday was all Scotland Conference for the missionaries! Oh my goodenss it was FANTASTIC! The spirit was there and helped me realize what would be good to do for the Montrose area and just for myself to be a better missionary. We will put them to the test and see how it goes. The biggest topic was involving the members and earning their trust and encouraging them to help. So all you who are member missionaries.... get involved all that you can. It makes all the difference in the work. If you don't know how to help... ask the missionaries  If you don't want to help.... pray and reflect on the blessings the gospel has given you and hopefully your attitude will change. Okay that is enough of that. One of the greatest parts of the conference was..... SEEING SISTER HARRIS! Oh my I missed her and we had such little time to talk but it was so much fun to talk and laugh ALOT with her again. I love some of those perks in the work. Right after the conference we had exchanges. I was with Sister Kline (she has been out all of 3 weeks) and we served in Montrose. Did we get lost at all during the 3 days? Every single place we went to we somehow got lost hahaha. It was horrible but luckily she was relaxed and just laughed it off with me. But we think that sister tylka may be leaving next transfer to a new area. So next transfer will be ridiculously crazy! But one story about the spirit with getting lost since my subject line is about the spirit. We were lost for the 3rd time or so and we hadn't thought to pray yet. So at this time the spirit gently reminded us that we should pray. And after we did I realized where we were and was able to find our way. Not a conicidence. Heavenly Father was reminding us that He is always there to help us and he literally knows the way. But it was a great exchange and Sister Kline had seen my blog before so we had lots to talk about. It is nice serving with a greenie. They have so much faith and enthusiasm. I am excited to train. Two other stories about following promptings. One was at church yesterday. After church I was helping putting away hymn books and a lady from the stake pulled me aside and just gave me a big, as she calls it, mama hug. I had never met her before but she just told me how she loved me and was proud of me and just thought to talk with me and give me a big hug. Now before this I was not feeling down or anything but having her follow that prompting really touched me and really lifted my spirit more then it was before. Always follow promptings to do something good for others. God wants to work through us to help his other children. Then yesterday was we were walking to an appointment I had a feeling to talk to a lady that we pasted by. As we did we learned she doesnt have a belief in God because of things that have happened in her past. We also learned she has been to the church in Hawaii so she knows a little about our beliefs. We walked with her and talked and then had a prayer with her. After the prayer she got emotional and we knew the spirit was able to testify to her. I LOVE THOSE MOMENTS! All the hard days and moments are worth it for moments like that. We are hoping to go by this week. Well that about sums up the week. One interesting story, is about the service we do for people. One lady we see weekly is very blunt and spunky. To say the least I love her alot. She likes to teach us about being dignified women. So she teaches us how to clean and iron her clothes. She has had an infection in her eye and so this week she had me wipe her eyes with this medical clothe thing. One of the oddest services I have had to do because she is more then capable to do it herself but we had a good laugh about it together. Well that is it! I love you all and hope your week is GRAND!!!

Love,

Sister Tylka & Nicoll tracting in snow

Sister Kline & Nicoll

Sister Ryan & Nicoll

Sister Nicoll

A bit of a sick week!‏

Hi-ya family and friends,
Both Sis Tylka and I have been a bit sick this week. But both of us are doing better. We still got to see many people and I am beginning to love the Montrose Ward. They are very willing to help us. Especially the Bishop. Great man! We are still working with Brian. He is still working on trying to quit smoking. Many members have gone through that, so it is a big help to have them teach with us and encourage and support him. He couldn't make it to church yesterday because he was too tired! UGH! But he hasn't been there yet so he doesn't know what he is missing. That is something I have to remind myself about often. Sometimes I will get discouraged or frustrated with someone doesn't want to listen. There are two things I remind myself of actually. One is that they may not be ready to hear or change yet. And the other is they don't understand what I understand. I know that this gospel can change lives and it is the true teachings of Christ. But that is because I have experienced it myself. They have not. Most people just view it as another christian faith and they already have one so they don't need to listen any further. It is not until they let us talk about it that they begin to understand but it is hard to get that far because the traditions of their fathers. My reading today in Alma 32 reminded me of these thoughts. Verses 38 and 39 talk about if we do not nourish the words they will not grow and they will ultimately profit us nothing. But it does not mean the word is not true. But of course those verses are meant for anyone. We need to continually do what we are commanded to for our own good. Anyways...... tomorrow is our all Scotland Conference and I get to see sister Harris and sister Hopkin. I am super excited! Should be a lot of fun and we have to travel to Edinburgh which is about 1 and half hours away so... ROAD TRIP! We have to take Elders there also, so it will be sooooo much fun! And after that we are doing sister exchanges and I will have to find my way around town while sister Tylka goes to Aberdeen. We will probably just talk with people in front of our flat since I don't know where to go from there really hahah. But either way I am stoked for this week! I love you all and hope you have a fabby (Scots say this alot) week!
Love,
Sister Nicoll  
ps. We are allowed to email for 2 hours and email friends!!!!!!!!!! YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Drivin' in Scotland BABY!!!!

Brian (our investigator, Danni's cousin), Sis Tylka, Danni (baptised shortly before I came), and Me

Snow in Montrose about a week ago

So different!!!!!!!!‏

Hi-ya family and friends,

I am sure you already know what the title means... but Motrose is oh so different from Dublin. I miss Dublin alot but it is mostly the people I miss. I know I will love those in Montrose but it is going through the whole motion and small talk to become friends with them that takes the longest to get through. But I am already loving the people here and they sure treat the missionaries so well.
Really only have two things to report... and they were both yesterday. Elder Kerr who part of some 70 group in the church came to Montrose and talked for mother's day because she is part of the ward. It was neat hearing him and his strong testimony. He will also be at the scotland mission conference next week. Then yesterday in the morning for companionship study we decided to do a role play on prayer since someone mentioned how the church of scotland does not really teach how to pray. We decided that is what we would talk to people about today. Well last night we stopped a young man and told him about the importance of prayer. And he said he would like to believe that because he struggles with a drug addiction. His partner is due with their baby in 4 weeks and he wants to be well for the baby and his partner. He said that his partner has been having a hard time to and that she would probably need something like this in her life as well. We hope to meet with them next week and do the addiction program. I know the Lord is in this work. If we don't see him again I know that God is aware of him and his family and that we planted a seed of hope in him. I am grateful to be apart of this work and will continue to do my best. I love you and hope that your week is grand.
Love,
Sister Nicoll

MONTROSE!!!‏

Hello Family and Friends,

So I am safely in Montrose, Scotland. It was a long day of travel on Wednesday but lots of fun! AND Sister Harris surprised me at one of our bus stops in Scotland. OH MY GOODNESS it made me so happy to see her. I miss her like crazy but we will get to see each other at an all Scotland conference. :) Sister Millward,. Sister Rindlisbacher (no idea how to spell her name), Sister Tylka and I were all in Montrose on thursday and we had fun all serving together. Wednesday evening they had a baptism. Her name is Danni Gardens. She is a sweetheart. I was able to meet her on Saturday and Sunday I was able to hear her confirmation. The people of Scotland are not too interested in the True church. They enjoy the Church of Scotland. I am pleased though that many have a belief in Christ and we have had many great conversations of how God has bless their life. I love hearing others testimonies. The ward here is brillant. We met with the ward mission leader and his wife and they want to do things to get the members more involved with bringing back their friends and less actives out to church and activities. I am excited for it because we all know that is the most effective way of spreading the good news around. 
I have driven the car..... and I am blessed that the Zone Leaders currently have the stick shift. But I am still terrified to drive. There are very narrow roads and my perception of space and all is thrown off because of being on the other side and I have never dealt with sooooooooo many round abouts. But it is fun :)
Well that about covers it. I am enjoying myself and adjusting to a new aspect of the work here in Montrose. I love you all and hope you all continue to do all that you can to draw yourself closer to your Heavenly Father and our elder brother, Jesus Christ.
Lots of Love,
Sister Nicoll

Mable's Baptism

Cutting Sis. Ryan's Hair

Mable's Baptism

A Relative?