October 27

Dear Family,

This week I have really seen a lot of people going through a lot of really hard things. I really don't know how I could help them, but I've really been trying. I only see one tip of the iceberg and am only there with my companion for a very short time compared to the rest of the really difficult things they go through. I have felt so humbled this week because I honestly know that the things I have gone through are so minuscule to the adversities that they are facing. But I have faced adversity and I do know that there is a loving Heavenly Father out there who knows me and He knows them. I don't know why God has sent me to these people whose pains I can't even imagine, but I do know that He is helping me. I have had to rely so fully on Him in teaching this week.

We taught Nikki and Bryan this week. What a miracle. When we went in on Tuesday, they were so devoid of energy. I thought it was just because they were sick. I could tell that we weren't going to get very far in teaching them, so I asked if we could make them some soup or something. Bryan, surprised, said, "You would do that?" He then told us he hadn't eaten in three days and were out of money. He was choosing not to eat so the rest of his family would have more. They can't go back to the Food Bank until the end of November and the business he is working for is failing. His wife and daughters were planning on eating dry cereal that night for dinner which is what they had eaten for the past couple of days. He was too prideful up to that point to ask for help. To my dismay we did not have time to bring him anything that night or the morning.The next day at a member's house, I asked if we could take the rest of our dinner over to this family. She asked more about the situation and then prepared four boxes of food to take to them. We knocked on their door and Bryan cried. He was not expecting that at all. Nikki's sister Nico was there and she was really touched as well. When we met Nico, she told us "Nikki's not here, and I'm an atheist." And closed the door. That night she turned to Nikki and Bryan and said, you should really take these girls to church. They need to meet more people. I'll come too. I want to meet people at this church. We asked her her beliefs about the afterlife,which are none, (she used to be Christian until her dad died) and she then asked us ours. We were able to teach the last part of the Plan of Salvation and it really touched them. The Spirit was so strong. We all knelt in prayer at the end and I just felt Heavenly Father's love for them so much.

A woman named Cheryl was also having a really tough time this week. We met her on Monday or Sunday and found out that she had broken a bunch of ribs after almost driving off of a ravine when she found out her inheritance money had been stolen. We shared a bit about our message and she wanted us to come back. When we did, she was sitting in her car crying. This woman is maybe five feet tall and weighs next to nothing. A long story short she had just found out her boyfriend had stolen the money and she looked so scared. She was getting up the courage to call the police while her boyfriend was in the house. I'm not trying to be melodramatic but I was honestly worried that she wouldn't make it through the night. I just wanted the police to get there soon. We said a prayer with her and she prayed with us as well. It was one of the saddest, but most humble prayers I've ever heard.

The pinnacle of this week was last night teaching a member family in their home. They lost their son/brother three years ago on November 1st. We went in and you could tell there was a lot of tension in the home. I did not know too many details regarding his death, but sharing a message was really difficult. We invited everyone in and talked about prayer. The father told us he prayed a while ago for something he really wanted and didn't get it, so now he doesn't ask for anything. He said sometimes he'll say thank you for things, but that's about it. His daughter then told us (and she was already crying) that she was crying because they all knew what he was talking about. He told us that he had every religion in the community praying for his son, and members of the stake and a General Authority even came, but he still died. Their son had just gotten over a drug addiction and had been out of rehab for about three weeks when he passed away. The other son said in his mind it was because his brother had repented and it was his time to go. I honestly just cried with them. Sister Brook and I really taught in unity and I just said, I don't know how hard this is, and I haven't gone through anything like this, but I have faced adversity.." I shared an experience from my life and told them about how I prayed for months and months for something to change and nothing did. I wondered if God really knew or cared about me, when I was being obedient and trying to do my best to be like Christ, yet my cross to bear seemed to stay the same. But I've learned that prayer is not to change God's will to mine, but to change me. He also wants us to ask for blessings that He is so willing to give, but are conditional upon us asking. The atmosphere in the room changed. The father opened up and I can't really repeat what happened because I couldn't do it justice. But I can't get out of my mind how he looked when he shook my hand. Every time I pray, I see his face in his mind. I don't think I can ever forget the amount of pain that I saw in his eyes. I've been praying so hard for their family.

What I do know is God's purpose. Moses 1:39  "For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." No matter what is happening in life, this is what God is working for. He wants each of us to be together forever with Him. So what I've learned, is that no matter the trial or the difficulty I can rest assured that He loves us so much. He is working so hard to make my family forever, so come what may and love it I suppose. I love you all. I love this mission. I love God. I know there have been times on my knees, even this week, where I have been so upset, and so frustrated with God and with my situations. But He really is so loving. He really does hear me. He hears you. And He wants us to come back to Him so much. "My son [or my daughter], peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes  (D&C 121:7-8)."

Sister Thomson

PS. I made Sister Brook turtle pancakes yesterday. :)

Also Sonnet dropped us.
▶ Show quoted text

October 20

First of all, I am happy to be here with Sister Brook for another transfer. She is my best friend. She told me this week that she has already decided she won't have a favorite/least favorite companion which I totally love! I don't have a least favorite companion either. I thought I would have a hard one, but not really. Just in case any of you have been wondering. :) She asked me to help her be more motivated to exercise yesterday so this morning we danced around the apartment for thirty minutes. It was really fun. :) I still prefer running..... She is really humble, good at cleaning, and is very real with people. Also she is Canadian so I feel like people like us more. It also helps that I'm not from Utah.... ;)

We have been teaching a girl named Kimber who is living with a less active guy who was baptized about five years ago. We hadn't heard from her in a while but two Saturdays ago she texted us and explained she had been really busy with work but wanted to meet on Tuesday. When we went to see her, she told us she prayed out loud (like we'd invited her) and she felt like she wasn't alone, but it felt really good and peaceful. We taught the Restoration and she's going to read the Book of Mormon now. They have like six copies at their apartment but she's only ever read it when her boyfriend reads it to her at night. And we didn't invite her to be baptized on a specific date. I was afraid. I don't know why! I think because I really want her to say yes. But we'll do better next time.

We also got to teach a Spanish-speaking recent convert yesterday! It was a miracle! :) He and his wife are from El Salvador and his wife translated, but I was able to understand most of what was said, and I prayed in Spanish for the first time! He is really faithful because he comes to church for all three hours even though he doesn't understand most of what is being said. He just knows the church is true. Also I spoke enough Spanish to him earlier this week set up a return appointment with him and I actually got the day and time right so that he understood. I'm pretty sure that was a miracle in and of itself.

I love you all!

Sister Thomson

PS. I'm inviting all of you to pray for and have a missionary opportunity this week and tell me how it goes. :) I will follow-up next week. ;)

October 13

Dear Family,

Our investigator Sonnet came to church this week and LOVED it. She also decided to start living the Word of Wisdom. (We didn't even invite her.... because we are terrible and it was the first lesson, but she is just living it on her own!) And we invited her to take Elder Johnson's challenge of praying and asking those five simple questions (Are you real? Do you know me? Do you love me? Are you my Father?) ending with "Do You have a body?" She said she addresses Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother in her prayers because Sonnet doesn't want to leave Her out. Heavenly Father answered yes to the first four questions but she felt Heavenly Mother answered the last question. Sonnet said She told her They have bodies of light they are still physical but glorified and perfect and they can lay their hands on people and heal them. And she's been praying about baptism but is still trying to figure out her answer. She completely believes in Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. She is just so good.

We also taught a couple this week that the Zone Leaders gave us. They have been taught by many missionaries, but as we were teaching and testifying, Bryan told us, "I'm going to tell you something I've never told missionaries before. As soon as you walked in I felt something. I've never felt this way before. I feel so light and it feels like compassion, I can't really explain it." He just kept telling us he had never felt that way before and his girlfriend Nikki told him it was the first time he was feeling the Holy Spirit. Bryan told us "I know if I can feel this way every day I can quit smoking." So we offered to make daily contact and we are going to bring a ward member who had to quit smoking to be baptized and he and a friend are going to give Bryan a Priesthood blessing. Bryan has been so confused. He's decided that we're angels.

I am most definitely not an angel. But it's been a good week. Also probably one of the harder weeks, but I feel like with all Sister Brook and I have been facing, it has made us more unified. :)

Love you all! Transfer calls tonight. Happy Thanksgiving! We stood outside the mall with white boards and another set of sisters and asked people what they were thankful for and had them write it down. It was so fun! I will send pictures when I get them.

Sister Thomson

October 6

Dear Family,

We had an open house for everyone in the community this past week. We invited everyone: ward members (which we committed over the phone to attend) along with everyone we passed on the street and investigators... It went well but only one non-member came. BUT she is so awesome! And she told us she feels so comfortable around us when we went to see her, so that was pretty exciting. She is dating a guy in Calgary that is a member and she wants to know more about this church and I think she is wanting to like it so she can join it. She grew up with two really free-spirited parents who broke away from all institutions (marriage, church, I think university??) so she has never been a part of anything organized but she is divorced and actually really likes marriage and feels like it's "really precious" so now she's exploring religion too. The Elders found her and are letting us teach her. And they text us at least daily to see how she is doing. We can tell they trust us. :)

Also, who loved Conference?!! I really loved Jorg Klebingat's talk... And everything else was kind of a blur, but so good! Some members from Duncan came to visit their sister, and they gave me some updates on people there. Judith was baptized yesterday!

Ha I think that's pretty much it. I really know for myself that there is a prophet and twelve apostles on the earth. I could feel myself changing with each conference and after each session when we went to talk to people, I was different. I felt the Spirit work more powerfully through me as I testified that prophets and apostles are real. I know it is a privilege to hear from them. I love this church and I love you all.

Sister Thomson

PS. This is Karl. He's my new best friend.

Good! :) I'm also glad the house is clean. :)
▶ Show quoted text