Trials Bring Us Closer to Our Savior, Jesus Christ

It's that time again! We sure love getting

Nicole's weekly emails. Here's her latest:

"Howdy!! 

      This past week was pretty tough. It wasn't the most fun week of my mission, but I'm grateful for it! I'm so grateful for General Conference and modern day prophets and apostles that are so inspired! I have gained so much strength from them this past week! The phrase "Hold on to what you know" was my theme all week. Ahhhhhh I'm so grateful for modern-day revelation! We are so blessed to have a Prophet that speaks for God to lead and guide us today!! If there's one thing I've learned while serving a mission, it's this: our trials bring us closer to our Savior, Jesus Christ! 

     This week is the last week before transfers...I'm not sure how I feel about it. I'm excited to hear what happens though! I have been VERY blessed every transfer and I look forward to seeing what my Heavenly Father has in store this next transfer! 

    I came to a realization this week....I LOVE OLD PEOPLE!!!! They are the greatest! Haha, Sister Francis, the 84 yr old lady I live with, is the best! We walked into the kitchen for lunch one day, and she's sitting at the table with a 12 yr old and 8 yr old playing cards. It was so funny and so cute! She's always having people over to play cards. We even played some with her today for a couple of hours! We also went to a retirement/assisted living home and visited one of our members with Alzheimer's. She was so funny, though I'm not sure she meant to be. She was so cute and so much fun to visit with!! We have so many great old people in my ward, it's the best! I can't wait to get old (: 

     My dream came true this week! We have this AWESOME guy in our ward named Ed. He is so great! He was baptized 2 years ago and does so much missionary work. He struggles with smoking, it was an addiction he overcame before baptism and has fallen back into it. He's working on quitting and is doing a great job! His motivation?....get the Melchizedek Priesthood (: It's sooo exciting and fun to see his progress! Well, the other day we went over to his house to see how he was doing. The last time we had talked to him, he had gone 4 days not smoking. We walked in (yes, another female was there) and I saw a cigarette on his table. I asked him "Ed, how's your smoking going?" He replied by pointing to the cigarette and explained he hadn't lit it...yet. I politely told him he wasn't going to light it and then we asked well, Sister Peeler asked, and I told him I was going to take care of it for him. He willingly agreed. So, I took it out and destroyed it...IT WAS SO MUCH FUN!!! I've always wanted to destroy someone's cigarettes....it was quite fun (: Haha, but I'm so proud of him and can't wait for the day he gets to receive the Melchizedek Priesthood (the authority and power of God given to men to act in the name of Jesus Christ; the power to baptize)! I love these people so much and seeing their progress makes me so happy! I love the Atonement and how it makes change possible! 

     I'm excited for this new week and I hope ya'll have a wonderful week! Thanks for all your prayers and support! I love you all (:

Love, 

Sister Wilson"