Dear Family,
This week was a rough. I kind of knew last week as I was writing that it was too good. There has to be opposition in all things. One thing my district leader likes to emphasize is something that our Mission President's wife told us at my first transfer meeting. There is never a bad day, just a hard one. So this week was really good. Just hard. Which is okay; I know that I've never felt so streched or taxed in my life. I can feel my faith growing. And I know it grows the most when things are the most difficult.
Sister Allen and I have a large teaching pool, but none of our investigators are progressing and we can't seem to find many or any people seeking for truth. But we received a blessing on Saturday night from our Stake President that helped a lot. He said that the mind cannot cognitively process the work we are doing and the importance of it. I felt that so much as I received the blessing and so much comfort. I was reassured that we are doing so much. We knock on so many doors and talk to so many people every day in the hopes that one person will want us to come back. But we forget that we help others in ways we don't know about. I don't know the struggles these people are going through. This actually reminds me of testimony meeting yesterday when two women that we took to some lessons with us got up and bore their testimonies. One touched me so much. This woman had been invited to come with the missionaries to two lessons that fell through. She made the comment that she must be a bad missionary. Sister Ladoucier was kidding kind of, but we could see that she really thought that. We made the comment that Satan must realize how much she can help these people and is working hard to make these appointments fall through. It was just a normal comment to us, but when she bore her testimony yesterday she talked about how deeply that touched her. Yesterday I realized how much good missionaries do, even when we feel like all of our efforts are wasted and cannot see any of the fruits of our labors.
I guess this week I just gained a testimony of being obedient and giving all that we have even when we feel like the heavens are closed and no one is listening. I know that people are being prepared and that miracles really are happening. The two women bearing testimony of going teaching with the missionaries was a huge miracle for Sister Allen and I. We have struggled so much to get members out to lessons, but I think the testimony meeting yesterday made all the difference.
I want to also invite all of you to do something. Since conference, our Mission President has asked us to share Elder Ballard's talk with every active member. We leave each of them with a hard copy of the talk and invite them to read it. It's called "Put Your Trust in the Lord" and it's about member missionary work. He says that when members and missionaries kneel in prayer and ask the Lord for missionary oppurtunities, they will come. He says they will flow naturally as a result of our love for our brothers and sisters and not be forced or contrived. He also says "We are not asking everyone to do everything" and I'm going to paraphrase the rest. He invites each member to help someone feel the Savior's love by Christmas. So everyone, pray for missionary oppurtunities! I'm hoping that when you all get the chance, you can kneel in prayer with the missionaries in your ward and the oppurtunities will come. And that talk is so inspired. So go read it. :) I know that being a misssionary really is the best way for me to feel my Savior's love. When we figuratively take someone by the hand and lead them to the Savior we will feel the Savior's love more fully for us as well as them. I know that the Lord has set up this work the way He has so that we can have the opportunity of feeling the joy that He does when we bring someone back to Him.
I love you all and pray for you!
The Work is working!
Sister Thomson
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