Week 22

Dear Family,
 
I have 7 drafts for this email.... I really don't know what to say. I'm overjoyed that Pierre is going to be baptized on Sunday and am so in love with my mission it's not even funny. I wrote about Pierre before, but he was the one that we knocked on his door and apparently he had prayed an hour before really fervently for the truth. He was praying that God would send him messengers and then we knocked on his door! And we found him after a really slow week. (Have miracles ceased among the children of men?!?) I am starting to feel the real power that comes from the authority of my call. When testifying to people, I can just feel it.
 
I also really love the Book of Mormon. I started to read it this week for 30+ minutes every day, and I feel the difference. This morning I just didn't want to put it down. It really is powerful.
 
I don't know what else to tell you all. Look up the New Apostolic church... we taught a 92 year old man from that church this week...
Also, I went on an exchange with a sister who's 30. Apparently sisters can serve regular proselyting missions until they're 46 if they're single. Elder Holland is in her ward. I know where he lives now. :) :) :) So.
 
God loves you. The church is true. Pray that we don't die today. The roads are crazy. But we won't so no worries.
 
I'll put my letter to President here....
 
Dear President,

I know our numbers are so low this week. I can't tell you upset and discouraged I was about it yesterday. At about 1:30 pm, it hit me that we would have to find six new investigators that day to reach standards of excellence, and I felt so stressed and overwhelmed and felt like everything was just coming down on me.  I really didn't even know how to explain to you or what to do say. I was worried that God would be upset with me too, so I got a blessing from our Bishop yesterday because I felt so low. I really just needed the Priesthood. He told me that God really was very pleased with me and the results we've been having. It also mentioned that I would bring many souls to be healed by their Savior and a lot of other things. It really helped me. When I left, I really felt like God was really proud of me, despite the low week that we had had.

I got sick on Thursday and on Tuesday we had a dinner that lasted too long, so we didn't get very many QGCs on those days.

I was able to go on an exchange with Sister ------- in Abbotsford, though. It was really good! She told me that she could tell I was a super obedient missionary and then about how she was trained to be disobedient and still had a lot of bad habits from that. She seemed really upset about it, and seemed to be questioning why she was even here. I don't remember exactly what I said, but I remember the Spirit just took over and I think she felt a lot better. I told her the best way to love this work and to feel the Spirit is to be obedient! So the next day we did a lot of finding and found 4 new investigators together! She is really good at testifying and I enjoyed finding with her.

Also, on Sunday I found out Pierre is getting baptized!!! I am so happy for him. Church was incredible yesterday and I was so so so happy. I know Sister Allen and I didn't teach him, but we found him, so I'm still considering him my first convert baptism.

Sister Reed is adjusting well. I think she's still trying to get over being really shy and sometimes gets frustrated with not knowing what to say. But she really doesn't get discouraged easily and she is starting to leave lessons saying, "I love her! or I love him!" So I think she's adjusting well and starting to love the people. She's really happy in general.

I really love this work. I'm sorry that we had such low numbers, but I know we are can do better.

Sister Thomson
 

Week 21

Dear Family,
 
I pre-wrote this email at home today so that I would have more time to think about it. I hope that I can say things to uplift all of you, but I have to admit we hadn't cleaned yet, so no promises. :)
 
My heart is breaking for so many of you. I really just can't believe how many of you are struggling in so many different ways! I really wanted to uplift you in some way, so if this email sounds dumb, maybe read it out loud... I'm not the most terrific "in writing." :)
 
As I reflect on this week, I'm really noticing something that stands out to me. We had some really tough moments. But everything ended up being okay in the end. Jamie dropped us, but we ran into her at Wal-Mart today and she wants to see me again before I get transferred (if I ever do...), Naomi got anti-ed, even though she received a spiritual witness that it is true, and a woman last night knew just exactly how to mock me in ways no one has ever done before, nor had I imagined they would. I don't think that I've ever really cried after leaving a doorstep, but I did then. I had to immediately go to the next door, but after that I just had to go back to our car and cry. I really felt like angels were with us then. And as we were sitting in the car and praying, I heard something inside of me whisper, "you don't know, but I was standing with you the whole time."
 
When we share the first point of the first discussion, we tell people that our Heavenly Father weeps with us when we weep. Last night, I realized He was crying with me as I cried. I know for myself now the truth that He really does cry for each of you and the Savior is really standing beside each of you.
 
In his talk, "The Character of Christ," Elder Bednar talks about the difference between what Christ does when people hurt Him and what others do. Christ always turns outward  while our natural instinct is to turn inward. My advice to each of you is to do the same. As President Monson says, "succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees." In time of crisis, always turn outward.
 
This week we decided to go see one of our investigators that we haven't seen in a couple of weeks. She's having a really hard time. She has been sexually abused since the age of six and had a daughter from a rape. It took her years to tell anyone, especially her daughter. She also is the survivor of a Residential school and has spent a lot of her life trying to recover from that. She has overcome many addictions and almost died from some of them. She recently walked in on her boyfriend of one year with another woman. Many of the family members in her home are still addicts and live in darkness. Yet she still believes in God and His love for her. Seeing her and lifting her up really gave me the strength to go forward. She needs to be baptized so badly! The only thing I can think of when I see her is Christ saying to the Nephites, "Come and let me heal you."
 
I know He will heal you. Reach outward; we really do live in a fallen world and I know so many people out there are silently suffering. I know this week was hard for so many of you, but when I look back, I can't help but feel grateful! I got to clean the chandelier in the celestial room! Naomi hasn't dropped us just yet! After everything yesterday, we still found a new investigator! One woman who I didn't think would be interested really wants to read the Book of Mormon! A temple is being built in Pittsburg!!! We get to see President tomorrow. :) I could go on. God really has been there for me this whole time. He can't stop the adversity in our lives because it needs to be there. But He can make the best moments that much better and He does want to bless us in any and every way He can. He wants to eventually give us His fulness! And He is so pleased with each of you. I know if you look for the signs of His love, you really will find them.
 
"And now behold. if Adam had not transgressed he would not have fallen, but he would have remained in the garden of Eden. And all things which were created must have remained in the same state in which they were created; and they must have remained forever, and had no end.
 
"And they would have had no children; wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin  (2 Nephi 2:22-23)."
 
I know this is true. I see it in my own life. There really are hands that hang down and people that are "kept from the truth because they know not where to find it--therefore we should waste and wear out our lives in bringing hidden to light all the hidden things of darkness  (D&C 123:12-13)."
 
I love you all! "Let us cheerfully do all things which lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for His arm to be revealed (D&C 123:17)."
 
Sister Thomson
 
PS. Mady ignore this email--you don't need it. :) :) Mady is going to Europe and the Amazon.
PPS. It took me as long to type this out as it did to write it.....
 

Week 20

Dear Family,

Welcome to the craziest week of my life.

On Wednesday night, Jamie received a blessing. We explained what it was and how it works based upon faith. Brother Larson (who quit smoking himself) gave her a long and beautiful blessing. The Spirit was so strong in the room that I was shaky from the moment we walked in. In the blessing he gave her the strength to overcome her cravings and promised her that they would be week. He told her that she would have answers to the prayers she would ask about what we are teaching her. I guess I can't really convey it, but when the blessing was over the Spirit was incredible. Anytime someone feels the Spirit, we are to invite them to be baptized. So I did. We asked her if she came to know the things we were teaching were true, if she would be baptized by the same authority that just gave her a blessing. We've set a date for March 22nd. When we followed up with her on Friday, she said that she always feels good when we come over and that she has been praying. She said she has decided if she wants to smoke, she'll read the Book of Mormon. (We didn't even suggest that!!) She also said that the cravings are gone, so she is down to 6 a day, but she still has an emotional need. We've only known her for a week and a half so this is happening so quickly for her. I know she's received a spiritual witness that it is true.

I also think I've never struggled so much in my life. I'm really, really learning to rely on the Lord. Friday was hard. We had 5 lessons scheduled and two of them were with Jamie and Naomi. I felt like I had just had the worst breakup of my life and had to take the MCAT in the same day. But I was really trying to be strong for my new trainee. I have really been thinking about how merciful God has been through all of this. He blessed me with a trainer that has been my best friend and really my support system. I'm realizing now how much I relied on that. In church and in lessons I kept feeling the need to hold someone's hand or for someone to support me, but I realized that I'm the support for Sister Reed now. She is such a good missionary already and I'm amazed by her willingness to be obedient and how she really wants to do anything that is expected of her. I'm learning in this time of feeling so alone, that God really has to be our support and that the Savior needs to be our rock. I'm also gaining a bigger testimony of the need to be married and I'm understanding why it's so important. I know God is carrying me now. I really understand that I am by no means adequate to do all that I have been called to, but I also know that through the Atonement He is qualifying me to do all of this.

I love you all so much and I really know that God will carry you through everything you need to go through. When everything else is removed, He is the only person we can rely on and the first thing we should rely on in every situation.

I'm still in Chilliwack and President Tilleman looked so excited when he announced who I would be training. He turned to me before he announced the trainees and looked like a kid on Christmas when he told me that he knew who I would be training. I love her and am excited to find out what he was so excited about. :)

The Church is true.
Love you all!

Sister Thomson

PS. Sister Allen is opening a ward in Kelowna as a District Leader there. Her nonmember cousins live there and she was praying for a long time she would be transferred there.
PPS. Attatched is a picture at training and a picture of Sister Allen with Sister Schmidt. Apparently she was the bad girl in Saturday's Warrior? If anyone wants to send me a picture of her at a younger age, that would be appreciated! :)
PPPS. Sister Reed is from Albuquerque NM. Coincidence? I think not.
ALSO!! I FORGOT TO MENTION!! :) Elder Christopherson is the apostle coming to our mission in March. :)

On Mon, Feb 10, 2014 at 11:29 AM, Rebekah Thomson <rebekah.thomson@myldsmail.net> wrote:
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Week 19

Dear Family,

Guess who found out it was the Super-bowl last night when we were tracting? We did. People would answer the door and say, "Seriously? It's the Super-Bowl." And would then close the door. Ha. 

Also, I had a dream on I think either Monday or Tuesday that I started smoking. I've never had a dream like that and it was so vivid! It stayed with me for days and I couldn't get it out of my mind. I remember how horrified and shamed I felt when I realized I wouldn't be able to go to the temple and that I would have to tell my mission president. The thing that stood out to me the most was that I felt so trapped. I have never felt the need for someone else to rescue me so much in my life. I just remember wishing so badly that someone would come to help me quit, because I knew I couldn't do it on my own. It gave me the realization that people smoking really do want to 

On Wednesday night we were finding in a trailer park and a woman came up to us from across the street. She was at her neighbor's house but saw us knocking on her door and something told her to come talk to us. When we introduced ourselves, she told us she was Catholic and after talking some more, she told us her husband passed away in August. Then she asked if we were knocking on every door. We said, kind of, but we prayed about where to go the previous night and this place really felt right. She began to cry and told us, "I think you were sent here for me." The Spirit was really strong and we told her we'd love to come back on Sunday at 3. She said, "Really, you'd do that?" She told us she felt like she'd been getting a lot of messages that week and felt like we were really supposed to be there.

On Sunday we talked more and taught the first lesson. When we were setting up a return appointment for Wednesday at 7, she said she was actually thinking about going to see a hypnotist because she's been trying to quit smoking and can't seem to be able to. I told Jamie we would love to help her quit and immediately began to cry as I told Jamie about the dream I had had. I told her that I'd never had a dream like that before and it was so vivid. I told her about how trapped I had felt and how I just needed someone to help me quit. I told her I had that dream for her. We told her about the Priesthood blessing she could receive because of the Restoration and it was just perfect. I can't explain this really well, but I love her so much. I know that God knows the people we are teaching and loves them individually.

Transfer calls are tonight. I am 80% sure I'm training. I bought hair dye. Possibly from stress. I'm turning 20 this month. That is all.

Love you all!

Sister Thomson