March 30

Dear Family,

What to even say in this last email. This week has been a blur. I've been given a blank piece of paper to write my testimony on for the mission and I've been staring at it all morning. How do I put words around what the mission experience has done for me? But I'll try.

First off I know that Jesus Christ is the Redeemer of the world. I am constantly slipping up and becoming so aware of how weak and imperfect I am. I feel so blessed that He chose me to serve Him: someone so weak and simple to do such a great and incredible work. I have seen so many miracles that I hope to never forget. Everything good I have ever done has come because of Him. He's helped me to change my heart and my actions and to slowly let all the things that don't matter slip away. I hope to continue to do that. There is an incredible Spirit as a missionary that I believe I can take with me the rest of my life and that each person can feel as I (and all of us) truly consecrate ourselves to the Lord for our whole lives. That's what I need to do in order to stay on this path.

I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. How often do we hear that statement? But I know what I share is true. I have felt the Spirit every single time I share the First Vision. Every single time. This morning as Hermana Williamson shared it in Spanish in a role play, I again felt in my heart that what she was sharing was true. I know it with my mind as well. I have studied it out. It makes sense. That's the best part of the gospel! It comes from a loving Heavenly Father who wants to give us everything He has, but first we need to understand how to do that. So He makes His gospel simple enough for a child to understand, and deep enough to learn from for the rest of our lives and probably into the eternities.

The Book of Mormon has changed my heart. It has invited me to come unto Christ on more occasions than I can count and showed me how to choose to be happy and grateful in every circumstance. It has taught me how to be a better missionary, a better friend, companion, and most importantly a better disciple of Jesus Christ. I have seen real miracles from the power of this book. It has cast away anger, doubt, fear, and loneliness in so many of the people that I have taught and testified to and especially to me. I aim to study it for the rest of my life, because it literally contains the words of Christ, even His very own words to me, Sister Thomson.

I loved in Women's Conference how they compared and empty soda can to a full one. The empty one was so easily crushed while the full one remained unharmed. I loved the comparison to us being filled with the Spirit or spiritually dead. What a contrast. The beautiful thing about this is thought that President Benson has promised that "a power will begin to flow into our lives the moment we begin a serious study of the Book [of Mormon]." We can be filled. The adversary will not be able to crush us because of the rock upon which we are built. (Jesus Christ)

Miracles still happen. As soon as we make ourselves available to God, He will let us be instruments in His hands because He wants us to feel how much He loves those around us. By feeling that, it gives us a better understanding of His own feelings for us, the weak and the simple of the earth. On Tuesday we were walking around and unexpectedly a wave of people who seemed interested in our message just kept crossing our path. As we were talking to one guy named Eric, he introduced us to his friend Kathy and then they waved to a guy named Greg. Greg walked away but then came back and started to talk to Sister Han in Chinese. WHAT. Literally a white guy in this small town of maybe a thousand people just came up and started speaking Chinese. What are the chances that we would even run into him as he was working inside the medical clinic? And guess where his learned his Chinese? Taiwan. And he married a Taiwanese woman we met in a store about a month ago or so. Miracles happen.

Bigger miracle. :) A man from Beijing walked into the church in Prince George about a month ago. On Saturday, he was baptized. He shared his testimony and Sister Han translated. It was incredible. He understands and he wants to live this the rest of his life. His wife is just barely learning this week but Sister Han and I sang "As I Have Loved You" in Chinese and Kiko cried. She felt so happy.

The gospel of Jesus Christ is literally on the earth again in it's fullness! (Picture me saying that bounding with excitement because that's how it sounds in my head and how I would say it were I there.) It has been brought back because God loves us and reaches out to us through living prophets. It is the message we knew and understood before this life and it all fits. What an exciting time to be alive. The best part is that if we have questions, God will answer them. He answers the sincere seekers of truth. He wants us to know the truth, but like my investigator Amanda said last week, we have to be willing to show our faith. And then as we do so He will answer in His own way and in His own time. But the answer will come and when it does it will be glorious but very gentle.

I love you all. I'm excited to see you and hug you and bore you with all my mission stories until you want to kick me out. 

But really please let me share my experiences with you. :)

It's a legitimate fear.

See you on the other side.

!

Sister Thomson

PS. I got my dying wish!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hahaha guess how much Heavenly Father loves me? He's let me stay these last few days with the Vancouver Spanish Hermanas. We get to teach in Spanish tonight. Hopefully I'll be able to say something. What a blessing.
PPS. I'm not so sure this city life is for me.... I kind of like the bush. :) We're going to H&M later though so maybe I'll change my mind. 

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March 23

Dear Family,

I had one of the best weeks of my life. To say I don't want this to be over is like saying the temple is a good place. Such an understatement. I still feel this sense of focus. Each time I meet a new person or teach a less active or investigator or anyone I just feel this sense of excitement for them and the journey they're about to take and then sometimes I remember that I won't be undertaking it with them. But then I forget about that and just feel happy that I get to start it or be a part of it. How lucky I have been to be able to take part in this. Missionary work is something I will be doing for the rest of my life. I love it so much more than I can put words on. It is worth every sacrifice. It has taught me so much. I want to magnify every calling I have for the rest of my life. I love God and He deserves so much better from each one of us.

We watched a clip at our six hour zone conference this week (the Spirit was so strong. It was almost too much for me to handle physically.) from a football movie--maybe we are Marshall? This man was blindfolded and had to go down the football field with another football player on his back. The coach wanted to show how when we give our best it is so much more than we think it is. He was yelling at the player-Give me your best! I want your best! Don't tell me you can't handle it! Don't rest--keep going, give me your best! as this player struggled across the field. We cried. I have realized that there is always so much more I can give. There is no time to rest and no room to fall down before the finish line. And the Savior is standing there (sometimes crouched down) coaching us through it all. He is cheering us on and He deserves my best. I've learned from President Burt that we cannot limit our potential--we cannot tell the Savior that we're giving our best and we won't give any more. There is always more to give and when we feel like we're going to break we can yoke ourselves to Him and accomplish things we thought were impossible. This means no turning down callings or not magnifying them and striving constantly to improve. This means always following the Spirit and His promptings.

This email is in no way to portray that I'm doing so good. I know that I am so weak. That I can never repay the Savior or Heavenly Father for any of the gifts they've given me. I will never be out of debt. I'm just so grateful that they've lovingly shown me how to repent and improve over and over again.

We got to teach Amanda this week. She is amazing as Sister Han told her. The reason she came to church last week was because she decided that she needed to show God her faith. She said, "I know He hears me at home and He's listening, but I needed to show Him my faith before He would answer me." The Spirit that was in that room as she shared that testimony with us was so strong. She is so right. She felt so happy and the strongest sense of peace all day after she went to church. She felt the Spirit. She's going through a difficult time in her life--job is not paying enough to make ends meet, trying to find something else that's full-time, in courts right now for personal things (that I won't share online) and just having a rough time. So meeting with her is difficult because she's just so sad, but she loves what she's learning and she is just so sweet.

My recent converts are struggling a lot. Addiction is so hard. It's so sad for me that it's hard to talk about or express over email. My heart breaks for them.

What else to say. There is always so much. I love the church so much and especially Heavenly Father. I know each experience is from Him and His Son, Jesus Christ, is actively leading His church today. If we will follow our bishops and stake presidents and other leaders, I know we will be following Jesus Christ. He loves us and if we have a question about the gospel or something within the church, it is good because it will send (us) "the honest seekers of truth to their knees." (Elder Anderson??) God is the source of truth and we can only gain spiritual truth for prayer. It is the scientific method for gaining answers to the questions of our souls. And the Book of Mormon.

I love you all. I've decided to just be positive about everything. When the time comes, I will choose to be happy. No matter what.

Love,

Sister Thomson

PS. The pictures that I sent were not of us operating machinery... We just went a little into the bush with a potential investigator to get wood for Neca and Jimmy. Bishop Arnold used his machine to load the truck bed.

PPS. I learned how to drive in deep mud this week. (Vanderhoof is so muddy in the Spring. The loggers call it break up and none of the loggers can work right now because it's too muddy.) Thank goodness for the Spirit that teaches me how to drive in crazy conditions in the very moment I need them. Hahaha I will take a picture of our truck before we wash it. 

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March 16

Dear Family,

Internet is down in Vanderhoof mostly. Here's some of my email to President. Maybe I can email tomorrow or later this week. Had a great week and love you all.

Dear President,

The internet is down in most of Vanderhoof and we're sharing a computer this week so we won't be able to send much of an email.

Our investigator David wants to be baptized on April 18th. He needs to get married and completely quit smoking and weed (he does it about once or twice a week or so). He doesn't drink alcohol or coffee or strong tea. :)

Our investigator Amanda came to church yesterday! Before it started, she told me she wanted to go to the Catholic church next, then a church in PG, then a different one after that. BUT after church she felt a such a strong feeling of peace that she wants to come back next week. She had a baptismal date, but she wants to search it out more.

Love,

Sister Thomson

March 9

Dear Family,

This week Sister Han got to teach a guy from China who is living in Prince George. His English name is Tony. He has a four-year-old boy and a wife who works a lot. He just walked into the church last Sunday because he got a mormon.org card from missionaries in Burnaby and decided to go. He's only been here for a couple months, so his English is really basic but he loves church so he wants to go. He wants to get baptized too!

Sister Han is teaching me the First Vision in Chinese. It's super hard, but hopefully I'll get it by the time I see you all. :)

On Saturday we went to a place called Fraser Lake. It's an hour away from here but has a bunch of houses close together. I've never really seen anything like it. We are supposed to park the car on Saturdays, so we parked it and walked around all day. We found out (would you believe it) that among all these white people there's a family from Taiwan there! WHAT. Their baby was getting baptized, so we kind of poked our heads in for a second (it wasn't at a church) and we need to go meet them when we go back.

Also, after we talked to a super anti- guy, he followed us around and talked to his neighbors after we did. He was crazy. When we were walking up to one of his neighbors he said, "Don't go there! They're Christians." Guess what? We went there. 

I feel like Satan was working super hard on me this week. I just kept having these feelings of doubt and frustration. Sometimes in a small town it can be hard to find people to talk to. But it gives me hope because if he's working that hard, it stills means I can do a lot of good before I go home, or else he wouldn't care at all. But he sure cares. :) In a way I think opposition is really good because it helps me to realize that even though I can't see all of my potential, God can and the adversary perhaps can to some degree too. And if he thinks we're threatening his work enough, he'll work hard to stop us. So those thoughts of what difference can I make are completely false. We can make all the difference! And I can take comfort in all of those different things being thrown at me because I know that God will still let me work miracles until the very last minute.

So I'm super sad that I have to go home. I just watched a video called "I'll Go Where You Want Me to Go." Amen I guess. Even if it's hard. And I don't really know how to deal with it, but I guess I won't for now. I'm just going to sprint to the end. Please pray for me. :)

I love you all. I love this work more than I can express. God has been so merciful to me. 

Love, 

Sister Thomson

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March 2

Dear Family,

What an awesome week. We attended our first Elder/SIster District meeting (we're the first ones to do it but eventually the mission will be like this.). Our Zone Leader invited us to go home and say a prayer and repent and then he promised if we would do this that that day we would find the person in our area he knew was ready to be baptized in March. It was a pretty incredible promise and took faith. By the time we got back to Vanderhoof, Sister Ritchie and I (on an exchange) had to run into our lesson and had no time to prayerfully repent. It was with a former investigator named Amanda. We taught the gospel and the Spirit was so incredibly strong. I knew when we started teaching her that she was the one. When we taught baptism the Spirit was so incredible and she said yes. AND she said yes to March 21! She was just so excited about it all. Then on Friday she was hospitalized because she was so sick. Not cool, Satan. So she didn't make it to church this week, but I know that no matter the challenges or obstacles, God will win. She said in the lesson, "there is nothing I can't overcome without God's help." :)

My birthday was awesome. We met a pastor of a church that teaches how to convert the Mormons, etc. I know for sure that the promise that we will not be confounded is so true. We just shared testimony of simple truths and it was amazing. I felt so happy talking to him. I know members have been working on him and softening his heart and he was not too unkind. He even told us he could see we had a love for God Elohim. (What else could he say after I told him I was spending my 21st birthday trying to invite others to learn about and come unto Christ?) Sharing the gospel just makes us happy.

We also went finding in a trailer park that I'm pretty sure has Mormon Watch. Seven trailers in a row and no answer. The eighth one was a woman who just moved in, so I don't think they'd put her on the system. After no answer to a door, I noticed a chalk board with little kid writing on it. I erased it and started to write Helaman 5:12. Then the guy with his kids pulled up! "Hey... we're leaving you a message. :) But since we're here, we'll just share it with you now!" After sharing the verse with him we told him basically that's saying that no matter what comes your way, if you put your trust in Jesus Christ, he will help you to overcome anything. He looked so in shock but we had a good conversation and he's letting us come back tonight to teach his family. :) Yesterday a member came up to us and said, Hey you met my friend Mark. He called me and asked if I sent you guys to his door. You're going back on Monday evening. (Which made us happy because that means Mark remembers the return appointment. :))

We went to the baptism of two eight-year-olds yesterday and a little seven year old named Cameron sat next to me while I went through the pictures in the pamphlets with her. :) So cool. I love baptisms.

Did anyone fast yesterday for the conditions of the world?? Because we did! It makes me think about how much the world really needs the gospel. I think we sometimes, especially as missionaries, forget or don't know how it feels to live without it. No matter what happens, we have the resources we need to deal with any challenge we face. We have the Plan of Salvation, the gift of the Holy Ghost, the Priesthood, the Scriptures, etc and we just live in this comfortable bubble. But I realized that we need to get out of our comfort zones and share because these people are most definitely not in theirs. They don't have the restored gospel, yet they too agreed to follow Jesus Christ and were excited to prove themselves worthy. As I'm realizing how short a mission is, I'm realizing how short this time on earth is. These people are starving for the truth and need to feel peace in an unstable world of shifting values and economies. (And governments, and weather patterns, etc.) There is nothing more important than the gospel of Jesus Christ and nothing more pressing than the need to share it with everyone around us. I know this is true. I cried twice with the realization that my time is running short, but I know God wants me to be a missionary forever and I'm trying to take comfort in that. I love you all and know this world needs our message so much.

Sister Thomson

PS. The sun on my birthday. Signs in the heavens, anyone?

PPS. The cake I had for breakfast this morning. :)

PPPS. Sorry for the epistle.

PPPPS. There is no such thing as Mormon Watch. That I know of.

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February 23

Dear Family,

What to even share.

I know this is so temporal and not spiritual at all, but we got a new truck! It's a 2015. I've only been driving it for a couple of hours and it's crazy... And I know this is so bad and worldly and whatever but it's really exciting. And I'm still the only Sister missionary driving a truck. 

And can you believe it? We got to teach Arlene (one of the hitchhikers) again twice this week. As we left her lesson on Tuesday I just had the strongest sense of purpose. I felt so strong that we are going to open up the First Nations work here. It's so exciting! 

Another miracle is that Sister Han ran into someone from Taiwan a couple hours ago. What! All the way in Vanderhoof. We walked past a store and I just randomly wanted to go in... and three minutes later this woman from Taiwan walked in. I had no idea what they were saying, but it sounded really cool. :) Taiwanese culture is super reserved though so no return appointment to see her. Yet. It's a really small town though. We already know where she lives. ;)

I guess you can gather from that that we're still together! :) I love Sister Han. She's the most humble person I've ever met. 

The new Elder here was in the same ward with me in Chilliwack for three transfers at the very beginning of my mission. Crazy! This is his last six weeks too.

I got to talk to President Burt this week (on Tuesday morning) because Sister Han needed to register for school. He gave me the best advice--he told me to just forget that I'm going home and run to the end. :) As I was writing he called again (which was crazy) and told me to not burn out to just go! I know that sounds so simple, but it's exactly what I needed to hear, both times. So there will be no talk of going home from hereon out. :)

I got to speak in church yesterday. I have a testimony of fasting before you give a talk now. I literally prepared nothing. But I've been studying and teaching personal prayer and scripture study (my topic) my whole mission, so it was okay because I was blessed with a really good analogy to start with right before I was about to speak. Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven.

I love you all. I love this mission and am hoping for the most incredible week for me and for all of you.

Forwards and not backwards and on on to victory

Sister Thomson

PS. 21?!!!! How am I getting so old?? :)

PPS. 01171 A family that we love. :)

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February 16

Dear Family,

So I am just going to forward my email to President Burt to you. :) It's faster.

Dear President Burt,

We had a really incredible week. Weeks like this leave me no room to want to go home. And this morning I was feeling kind of sad about it, because my last transfer is upon me. And I really don't want my mission to end. I don't want to go home. So I don't really know how to comfort these thoughts. 

But back to the incredible week. :) We were driving back from Fort St. James in Sister Arnold's car and passed a hitch hiker. It was a girl. I had this little vision of her being in the car with us and thought about how cool it would be to be able to teach her. Sister Arnold turned to me and asked, should we pick her up? YES. So Sister Arnold turned around and we started teaching her! Her name is Arlene and she grew up on a small reserve 45 min north of the Fort. She had been living in Vancouver for six years battling all kinds of addictions and has finally worked through all of them. She said she's been going to church and she wants to go to university now to teach her people that there's more to life than drinking and drugs every day. And President Burt, I know her. I feel so strongly that I know her and I love her so much. Something tells me that I promised that I would rescue her. We taught her about the Plan of Salvation and the Book of Mormon and gave her a copy. She loved it. When she prayed at the end of our ride, she thanked God for the air in her lungs that day and her heartbeat. And she meant it. She's 27. Sister Arnold gave her a ride to where her mom lives--Stoney Creek. We're not supposed to go there unless we're with a priesthood holder or Sister Kochel, and Sister Kochel is excited about it, so she's going to take us on Tuesday or Wednesday. 

The next day we were with Sister Arnold again :) and we saw two more hitch hikers. We were on our way from teaching David, who has a baptismal date, to see his partner's sister whose liver was failing. And they were too! We started teaching them too. :) (Hitch hikers have your full attention because they can't go anywhere.) They loved the idea of the plan of salvation and we read Enos with them. They were so touched and are going to read more. They asked us to come back and teach them. And the woman said, you should call the band office and do it there so everyone can come and hear you. Of course! And we found out they are Jimmy's cousins and tried, but couldn't make it to the baptism. 

We went and sang to the family of the woman who was dying. The Spirit in that room was so incredibly strong. This family is related to Brandon who just got baptized as well as David and Jimmy and Neca.... They were so touched and one man asked us to come and teach him. His name is Leo.

We're also teaching a couple that moved here from Smithers a few weeks ago to get away from drinking. They are living in one of the Gulbranson's cabins. 

So many miracles this week. I feel like the work with the First Nation's people is just beginning. I feel like we are fulfilling Book of Mormon prophesies as we teach them. These are families that are so torn apart, but there are so many elect among them that are trying to end their old ways and the wicked traditions of their fathers and I feel like so much can happen with them as well as with all the people here in Vanderhoof. I believe that is one of the reasons I was sent here to Canada. To work with the First Nations people. As well as with everyone else. :)

I know I'm super imperfect and I want to work on so many things. President Marks said yesterday, if I were God I would fire me. I feel like that's true for me too. But He loves me and is letting me serve Him and witness so many miracles. Thank you for the sacrifices you have made and all your hard work and diligence. We feel your love for us.

Love (you all,)
Sister Thomson

Also, we're teaching a part-member family. She is a member and was re-activated within the last year. His name is Roger and he read the Book of Mormon for two hours yesterday and an hour and a half the day before that. He's never spent that long reading anything in his life, but he loves the book of Mormon! He said it just draws him in. Yesterday he said, "I know there is power in this Book. I know that Nephi was a prophet." He believes that Joseph Smith was a prophet as well and has been coming to church and working in Nursery with his wife. We've invited him to be baptized (using Mosiah 18 and a bunch of other different scriptures) each time we teach him, and he just wants to keep reading the Book of Mormon and know each of them is a prophet of God. He wants to read the whole book before he gets baptized, but he loves it. Haha we just keep inviting him hoping one of these times he'll say yes. Sometimes I wish I had the faith of the Assistants. (Pretty much all the time.) But he is so close. :)

I didn't include this in my email to him, but I gave a Catholic nun a "The Family: A Proclamation to the World" pamphlet. It was when we were singing to that family of the woman who was dying. After we sang and Sister Arnold said a prayer, the Spirit was so strong and I felt so much love for each person in that room. I felt so much love for her and I felt so sad that she thought she was better than us because we will go home and get married. It broke my heart because families are God's plan of happiness. So I gave her a pamphlet and I felt so much love for her that she couldn't really say no even though I knew she was wanting to give it back.

Poor President Burt. I should have written him something much shorter....but I couldn't help myself.

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AND WILL GOT BAPTIZED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He was the investigator I taught in Duncan who read the Book of Mormon in like ten days. I am so happy. So so so happy. I just screamed when I saw that. 

On Mon, Feb 16, 2015 at 12:21 PM, Rebekah Thomson <rebekah.thomson@myldsmail.net> wrote:

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February 9

Dear Family,

So many things to tell you, so little time. 

First of all, I've been thinking a lot about comfort zones. I think we draw little lines around what we will and won't do and create a stubborn little bubble around ourselves that we don't let anything penetrate. As we were finding this week, I was noticing that we spend tons of time trying to talk to people and sometimes will spend a whole hour without having a real conversation and when someone finally does talk to us, they want to convert us. Haha it was super frustrating, but also kind of funny because it was a clear sign that something needs to change. As we were brainstorming with a member what to do, she mentioned that it needs to be through the members. (At least in the actual town of Vanderhoof anyways.) And it occurred to me that everyone needs to get out of their comfort zones and start relying on God. When we stick to our bubble, we rely on our own strength, the Lord is not able to work with us because we draw a line and say, "I am only willing to go this far." But when we get out of the comfort zones we've set, it's scary which means we have to rely on the Lord's strength. And that is how we will be able to accomplish this work and be instruments in His hands. By doing things that scare us! By listening to the Spirit! The scriptures back me up on this.

"And others will he pacify, and lull them away into carnal security, that they will say: All is well in Zion; yea, Zion prospereth, all is well--and thus the devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to hell" (2 Nephi 28:21).

"For the natural man is an enemy to God and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father" (Mosiah 3:19).

So go and invite! Do something that scares you. :)

This week as we were driving back from Fort St. James, we noticed a truck in a ditch and he flashed his lights, so we pulled over. It was really cool to be placed in his path and we called Neca and Jimmy (who drive a dodge, Mark :)) to come pull him out. As we were waiting for them, I was kind of thinking how it was a bit uncomfortable to be waiting on a long dark highway with very few cars or any civilization alone with this man (TJ). Right as I thought that, a cute older couple pulled over and stayed with us while we waited. That was huge evidence to me of how God hears and answers every prayer, even silent ones. 

We (our ward mission leader, his wife, and Sister Han and I) went out to a place called Tache this week to pick up a man named David and his partner Sharon and their daughter Eva for church! What a miracle. They are so humble. Tache is an hour and a half away from Vanderhoof and because of the sacrifice on everyone's parts, I think each of us felt the Spirit so much. I love teaching First Nations people. :)

An investigator from Duncan emailed me and told me she's getting baptized on Valentine's day! :) Her name is Heather Allen (same name as my trainer) and we met her my first day in Duncan. I am so excited. We were so sad when she told us she didn't want to learn anymore.

Love you all!

Sister Thomson

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February

Dear Family,

I've spent a lot of time today writing someone and left no time for you. But I'm sure you'll forgive me. :)

This week I've decided that every day I am going to do something that scares me. On Saturday it was knocking on a girl's car door window to talk to her. She was more scared than me I think hahaha. But it was so good! I used to do that all the time, but I've fallen into this rut and I realized this week that I need to wake up from my routine and go back to relying on God instead of on myself. On Sunday it was driving up a snowy monster hill, dropping by a less-active family that asked the missionaries not to return, and sharing my testimony in both Sacrament meetings. But it resulted in the family asking us to come back, and a girl wanting to face her fears and share the gospel with a friend in New Jersey. Why did I ever rely just on me???

Another thing I've decided (and actually decided a couple months ago, but re-committed to) is that I will never have another bad day. One of the Assistants said he decided to do this and the next four days were the hardest days of his mission, but he kept to his commitment and is no longer having bad days. We really can choose to be happy, so I'm recommitting to that.

I've also learned that our Recent Converts (by our I mean you too :)) need to feel the love of the ward members so much. More than anything else, they need to feel the love. And luckily I have been sent to a ward where the members love and fellowship everyone. What a blessing.

I love you all and hope you have the best week. :)

Sister Thomson

PS. If the Assistant told you he invites 10 people to be baptized before noon, it would make you want to change too haha.

January 26

Dear Family,

I have seen God's hand a lot this week. :)

1) We got to serve Jimmy's family with Neca and Jimmy and our ward mission leader and his wife and it was so good. We scraped moose hyde and stacked wood and Sister Han chopped a couple of pieces too. :)

2) Because we served them together, hearts softened and we were able to teach a bunch of them!

3) Daniel is Jimmy's nephew. He's 21. I don't really know why, but our ward mission leader really wants us to teach him. So we taught him and his grandma (Jimmy's mom) and shared some really powerful Bible videos with them. Dan cried! And so did Darlene. I just feel really good about Daniel. If we can help him quit smoking, I think he will be the next in the family to accept this.

4) We taught a member family last night and this little 6 year old boy just wanted to read the scriptures! He sat right next to me and read out loud and was so excited for his dad to hear him (because his dad works in the bush all week). This was just a miracle because of the way I felt. All of these little kids were fighting about who got to sit by us and they just loved us! Suffer the little children, right? :)

5) Jimmy fell on the ice and hurt his back even more, so the ward members were willing to sacrifice 2 and a half ours of their day to go give them the sacrament! (They live really far away) Neca was so touched. She said she couldn't even believe the love.

6) President Burt is coming for a two hour training tomorrow and the way things have worked out, it will just be Sister Han, me, and two other elders. It's kind of intense, but the revelation will be so specific for us. :)

I love you all. :)

Sister Thomson

PS. Favorite quotes this week. "Every night before Satan goes to sleep, he checks under his bed for Jeffery R. Holland."

"I'm like an old milk cow in tall grass. I'm udderly tickled to be here."

"I'm more excited than a fat kid locked in a Tim Horton's to be here."

"The Holy Ghost is like a deer. If you're quiet and do what you're supposed to, it will stay, but if you're loud and not doing good things, it will leave."

January 19th

An hour has gone by and I have emailed one person. And I wonder why I can never keep up with all my recent converts. :)

This week I felt the biggest extremes I have ever felt on my mission. On Thursday, Neca told us it was too hard, the changes were too much, etc. So many text messages all at once and I have never felt lower. I cried so much and felt worse than if someone had died. I didn't even know how to cope. I've never felt like that before. It was the hardest few hour. We searched around trying to find her true friends, but no one was answering their phone. I've never felt so alone. I pleaded so much with Heavenly Father and finally after driving around and calling people like mad, we got ahold of someone with a ham radio and were able to get a hold of everyone else. (Forget cell phones up here. It's all about ham.) We texted Neca and went up to see her. Satan had been working on her so much. Brother Stanley gave her a blessing and by the end of the night it was a complete turn around.

Saturday was the most wonderful day. I've never felt that much joy either. Jimmy received the Priesthood right after they were confirmed in Sacrament meeting and it was the most special feeling I've ever felt. Jimmy is already sharing the gospel with his boss (Ammon style) and they both looked so happy. A bunch of Jimmy's family members came. I am trying to make this paragraph longer than the last one, but there are no words. It was just the most special day. An ordinance that seems so simple when you get right down to it has so much power. So much.

I think that's all for this week. I know the Atonement is real and that each of us need it so much. I don't think we understand how much we truly rely on and access it's power. Yesterday I watched a compilation of Bible videos and felt that I am never truly alone. Even when I think I am; even when I feel so alone, He is right there with me. Sometimes I want to take my burdens by myself because I don't want to make Him take on anymore and because I think I can handle it. But I can't. And He already suffered for them. All I have to do is lay them at His feet, and I know that He has the power to lift me up. We are never truly alone and He is always there for us. He wants to help us through each of the storms we go through in life and as we allow Him to and ask for and rely on His strength, this life is possible. As we do those simple things (praying daily, scripture study daily, going to church, serving others, etc.) we can experience true joy, not matter what life chooses to throw at us. I love you all. There is power in keeping our covenants with God (including our promises to do those very simple things mentioned above, which we promised at baptism to do and recommit every week to do as we take the sacrament.) God wants us to be happy. Even when it is really, really hard. And He will help us as we choose to obey the road map He's given us to eternal joy.

Love you all,
Sister Thomson
In case you didn't already get these two :)
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January 12th

Dear Family,

What a glorious week. We saw so many miracles. On Saturday we went out to a place called Tache Reserve. It's about an hour and a half away from Vanderhoof, so I don't think missionaries have ever been there. We were there about a week and a half ago and we gave a couple of people Books of Mormon. One of them is named David. His sister-in-law is Neca's aunt. David was on 2 Nephi 32 when we followed up with him! He told his priest that he had received a Book of Mormon from us and his priest told him not to meet with us--that there is only one church, one God, and one Bible. David told him, well they read the Bible, they believe in God, and they gave me this book and I really like it! I will meet with them. :) David is so prepared. He quit drinking a long time ago and the Spirit is so incredibly strong when we teach him. He is so humble too. When we taught the Restoration on Saturday, he was amazed at James 1:5. He stared at it for a minute and said, "No one has ever taught me this before! I've always been taught that I have to pray to Mary or do my rosaries. No one has told me that I can pray to God." What a miracle. When I go see him, I can feel how happy God is that David is finally hearing the gospel. I know that God loves David so much: more than I can understand.

We chopped wood with Neca and Jimmy and our ward mission leader and his wife (the Arnolds) for Jimmy and Neca's relatives. It was so good. We shared a short lesson with them afterwards and I think their hearts will soften. I know they felt something. We also met Jimmy's mom and aunt. It is so amazing to see the Arnolds showing them how to share the gospel with their friends and neighbors. They are already doing missionary work, and Jimmy even invited his mom to learn from us. Their interview for baptism was on Saturday night, done by President Kochel (one of President Burt's counselors). They are so prepared and they have changed so much. When I thought about it on Saturday morning, I cried. They are literally different people because they have chosen to accept and apply the gospel. They are redeemed. And I am so happy for them.

I started to think about the economy for a few moments this week. I know I need to repent. :) But it worried me a lot, until I realized that if I knew what I would go through on my mission, I would have been terrified. But it really hasn't been that bad. The adversities that I have gone through have been made light, and I have been okay. And I know that is why God teaches us to look to the future with faith. Because He is going to help us through every difficult thing we go through and with His help, we can overcome anything because Jesus Christ overcame the world. I know He is real. He has a physical body and He is really there. We can communicate with Him and He will communicate back. He cares about our welfare and He loves us more than we can know or comprehend. Because He sent His Son, Jesus Christ to die for us, we can return to His presence and have joy with Him forever. I know this is true. I know that as I have read and studied the scriptures every day, I have never been led astray. I know when I hear truth and I know when I hear false information or false truths because I know what the real thing feels like and looks like. I know that as each of us study the scriptures we will never be deceived and we will never have to be under the influence of the one who wants us to be miserable. I love you all and know that we have the power to do so much good each and every day. I pray for you and pray that my blessings will be consecrated to you.

Love,
Sister Thomson

PS. I forgot to mention a big detail. :) My new companion is Sister Han! She is the cutest Sister I have ever met. She's from Taiwan and has been learning English on her mission. I already love her so much. Even the people that want to bash us are so much nicer because of her. :) I'm excited to be her companion and know we will be seeing miracles together.
PPS. Sister Manaso went to Chilliwack 2nd ward (which I covered for 1 transfer. :))

January 5th

Dear Family,

Where to even begin?

Probably with the weather. There was an entire day of freezing rain on New Years so the road were horrible. Everything was covered in about an inch of smooth ice at least. I can testify that I am protected as a missionary because it was like walking and driving on an ice rink all day long and I did not fall once, nor did my companions. I really know that there are angels watching over us. I've never felt it so much in my life. There are so many times on my mission that I just wish you could see where I am or what I'm doing. We are so protected.

Another thing I've learned this week is that the Restoration is so true! I can never ever deny it because there has not been a single time on my mission where I or my companion have shared the First Vision and the Spirit has not come down in abundance. I can't describe it really or express to you enough that I know Joseph Smith did see God the Father and Jesus Christ and they did restore the church through him.

There are so many miracles I don't know which to share or how to include all of them, but know that opposition brings sacrifice and sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven.

Brother Arnold and Brother Stanley took Jimmy moose hunting. We were teaching Neca when they got home from being in the bush all day. They got a moose! And that time with Jimmy and our ward mission leader and member of the bishopric was so good for them. I have never taught/met a more prepared couple than Neca and Jimmy. I feel so incredidbly grateful that I can teach them and incredibly humbled. I don't know why I've been so blessed to be here or be a part of this, but when I think about it, it brings me to tears. Their baptism will be the most special day.

Yesterday when asked in Relief Society to define a testimony, Neca said "A knowledge that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints is true, that the plan of salvation is real, and that Jesus Christ is real..." It was longer, but we were all floored. (Hahaha I wrote "a firm conviction of spiritual truth." Neca just blows me out of the water. :))

I just want to tell you everything!!!! The church is so true. Miracles have not ceased and angels continue to minister to men and women. I love you all and I love this work of the Lord. I know the Atonement is real. All I could do this week was pray for you and so that's what I did. I prayed and I fasted and I felt the Atonement carry me as I lost myself in the service of God. I love you all so much and pray for you by name. Know that God is so aware of you and He loves you more deeply than we can possibly understand.

Sister Thomson

PS. My favorite phrases this week: "I seen a bear" "She don't know..." "I seen a moose" I love it so much. I would love it even more if I wasn't catching on. :)

December 22nd

Dear Family,

What a week! So stressful and so great all at the same time. I feel like choosing to be happy is the key to everything. It really is a choice we have to make all of the time! We had some incredible days and some hard days and happiness is the key to persevering.

We had some awesome lessons with Jimmy and Neca this week, but then they didn't respond to us on Saturday too much and weren't at church on Sunday. My heart was breaking for them! So I fasted for them and we dropped by. I was so nervous walking up to their door. Neca was pretty cold when we walked in. She had alcohol on Saturday night with her family and her mom told Neca that she should talk to the Catholic priest in town and that Neca's aunt was severely beaten by her grandpa when she tried to join this church. Neca and Jimmy said they were willing to try in the New Year to quit alcohol but it was too hard now. Sister Manaso and I, along with the member with us, were so unsure what to say, but the Spirit took over and the entire room changed. Jimmy showed us a suit he bought for church in Prince and they said they really know this is true and want to join, but it is so hard. Neca said, I don't want to just come, I want to be baptized and be a member!" We told them to pray about their decision (we didn't condone it, they knew how we felt, but we told them to take it to Heavenly Father) and left them with a talk by Elder Ballard about addiction and also the arp.lds.org website. Just before we started emailing you today, Neca texted us and told us, Jimmy and I have decided not to wait. We're going to start today to quit alcohol. Sister Manaso and I screamed-- we were so happy! Jimmy said the closing prayer last night and it was incredible. They have so much faith and I love them so much. A member of the bishopric (without us even having to talk to him or anything!) offered to bless their home, and he's having them over on Christmas Eve. The ward is so supportive. I wish I could tell you all they've done.

I love Heavenly Father so much. I am so blessed to be here with Sister Manaso. She has such an incredible testimony and I know she was sent here to share it with the people here. Last week a member asked her how on earth she could know the sealing power is real if she's never been sealed to anyone. She said, "I've never seen God or Jesus Christ, but I know that they're real. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet even though I never heard him either. The Spirit has confimed to my heart that the sealing power that was restored is real and one day I will have the chance to be sealed to an eternal companion and my family." She said more, but the member had no idea how to respond after that. "Oh, okay." Haha. She is so incredible.

Something I know is true is that “Now, this is the truth. We humble people, we who feel ourselves sometimes so worthless, so good-for-nothing, we are not so worthless as we think. There is not one of us but what God’s love has been expended upon. There is not one of us that He has not cared for and caressed. There is not one of us that He has not desired to save and that He has not devised means to save. There is not one of us that He has not given His angels charge concerning. We may be insignificant and contemptible in our own eyes and in the eyes of others, but the truth remains that we are children of God and that He has actually given His angels … charge concerning us, and they watch over us and have us in their keeping.” (George Q. Cannon)

I know that is true. Each person I talk to, each person I share the gospel with is a way the I become part of the means by which God has devised to save His children. He has a personalized plan for each of us, and for each of His children, to make it back to Him. Each time we open our mouth and share the gift, we are part of that plan that God devised to save His children. He loves us so much and He wants His children to know that and to return to Him and experience the joy the gospel brings. Let us open our mouths and spare not this season. I love you all so much and know that this message is true. For those of you who haven't seen this video yet, go watch it!

Love you all,
Sister Thomson

http://www.mormon.org/christmas  

and this one too http://www.mormonchannel.org/christmas-videos?v=2919740155001

December 15th

Dear Family,

It's been a really good week. I'm learning I really can be happy in any circumstance. Yesterday I spent most of the day throwing up, but I still feel like it was a good day, and I'll tell you why in a minute. Poor Sister Arnesen had to spend her last Sunday by herself at church for six hours because we cover two wards. Ha God is funny.

I haven't told you all about Neca and Jimmy yet, but today is their 13th day without weed and 8th day without alcohol! They are preparing to be baptized on January 3rd and I've never seen anyone sacrifice so much in such a little amount of time for the "pearl of great price." I feel like they are so incredibly prepared, even with all of the addictions they've been trying to overcome. President and Sister Burt came with us to one of their lessons (!!!!) and the Spirit was so strong. This is what Neca texted us two days after, "Since I have had God and the sisters, I know what I want: our family to be happier. I wanted to tell you because I think you girls may help us know where to look with God to overcome this. Thanks for listening [....] Jimmy said tonight that he really wants to change and go to church and to stop drinking for good. [....] Change is happening!" There was more, but she and Jimmy are coming so far. They are married--Jimmy is 37 and I think Neca is in her early 30s. They have two toddlers, and Jimmy has a daughter named Dolphina that we're also teaching. I love all of them. The ward is so supportive too. We took the bishop and his wife to one of their lessons and they had dinner at the bishop's house last night. They also got to see the baptism of two 8-year-olds.

"And again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls; Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it" (Matthew 13:45-46). I've been thinking about how Neca and Jimmy have been giving up everything from their old life (we have their coffee pot and this week they found out that iced tea is also part of the Word of Wisdom and they gave us all their beer--funny story about that in a minute.). They are selling everything they have for this pearl of great price, and recently I've been wondering, what do I still need to sell? What am I still holding on to? I think a big part of it before was my attitude. But now I realize that every day can be a good day! Even when I can't sit up without throwing up. I'm still honestly grateful for that, and I'll get to why in a minute. :)

President Burt came to Vanderhoof!!! We got to ride in the car with him and Sister Burt for a little over an hour and it was really exciting. The day before we committed Omineca to be baptized on Christmas, and she let us take all the alcohol out of her house. We had to run to Prince George right after the lesson, so we just threw the alcohol in our apartment. Sister Arnesen jokingly said, "Wouldn't it be funny if President Burt came and inspected our apartment and saw all this beer?" She joked too soon. We had no idea he was coming until a few hours before and he totally did inspect our cabin. Hahaha.

Kamalani has decided to serve a mission! And while Sister Arnesen and Sister Manaso went to say goodbye to people, Kamalani and I watched the District 2 and she asked me a bunch of questions about serving a mission. I talked to her and another YSA girl about my mission and the moment I finished, my need to throw up totally left. I still felt really gross, but way better. Kamalani and I even role played knocking on someone's door. :) I feel like that was totally one of the reasons I got so sick. And it was worth it. This morning I was thinking about Joseph of Egypt and how he still got punished for breaking the law of chastity even though he was faithful and didn't! He could have chosen to be mad at God, but like Nephi, "his grateful heart never faltered." He still had faith and trusted in God, and because of that, he was able to deliver his family and all of Egypt and shared the gospel with a lot of people!! He was an instrument in God's hands because he chose to have faith and be grateful despite his circumstances.

I love you all. I received a blessing from President Burt because I was worried about the Golds, and I feel a lot better. I know God has His own purposes for what He does, and He is always right. He really does want us to be so happy and even though He allows us to go through really hard things, His goal is for us to make it back to Him, prepared to live with Him again. Again, I love you all and I know that God loves you all too.

Cheerfully,
Sister Thomson

PS. Sister Arnesen is getting on the plane to go back to Richmond today! It's crazy!! My trainer is going home too!
Pictures to come.....
Also, Pierre (my recent convert in Chilliwack) said the opening prayer at a stake conference with Elder Bednar. This makes me so happy! :) He's still super active and a ward missionary. I think all of my recent converts (except maybe Sierra...) are still active. :) I am so happy for him.
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December 8th

Dear Family,

This week was incredible. I'm still in paradise I feel like. As I was watching the Christmas Devotional last night, I felt the Spirit so strong--especially with the music. The choir is so incredibly powerful live, and sometimes I forget that. I know that Heavenly Father sent us His Son so we can be families together forever with Him. He saved me. And He does every day. I am working on sharing a more powerful testimony, but it's still in the process, so I just want to share what I can of how I feel about the Savior. I know He love each of us so much. I love what Elder Faust said, "How many drops of blood did He shed for me?" I feel like there were sometimes not happy endings to the stories they were sharing yesterday. And sometimes I remember how excited I was when I came out to see miracles and blessings unfold for my family. But I realize now that those blessings won't be unfolded until the next life. Every moment that we have to spend in our own personal Gethsemanes Heavenly Father uses for our good. His goal is for us to have joy with Him forever and be with our families.

God uses simple things to bring about His great and eternal purposes (Alma 37). He sent a baby and then waited. I loved that quote yesterday.

On a different note I had a lot of unusual things happen this week. We ran beside our float for an hour in a parade. I guess up here in the North they do things a little differently. We were supposed to hand out candy to the kids, but we just had to throw it at them while half jogging/half running to catch up. It was so much fun. I was laughing pretty much the whole time. Also two different people handed us anti. One came disguised as a Christmas card. Speaking of which, I was able to see a little how I have grown. A woman started reading a pamphlet to us when I was on an exchange with my STL. She's never really served around anti, but I felt so relaxed as I simply told the woman we are here to find people who are ready to be baptized, and I have set aside my family and friends and university and dating to do so. I want to bring people to the Savior. I told her that if she's not ready, then we'd like to use our time finding those who are and if she knew anyone who was we would be happy to go see them. I felt so good. As she continued to talk, we chose to simply walk away. I feel like I've grown so much!

Also we've been saying what we're grateful for every time a logging truck passes us. There is one road where it's CONSTANT. If you want to feel the Spirit, start saying what you're grateful for!! It has been the best.

Also our CO monitor went off in the middle of the night. Sister Manaso now wants to marry a fireman hahaha. She had never seen one before. It was perfect though, because we couldn't study in our house, so we went to our RS president's house (she owns the cabin and lives across the lawn) and studied with her niece Kamalani. We invited her to join us and it was the best personal study and companion study ever. We shared our testimonies of serving a mission. :)

Also we're teaching an 11-year-old named Connor. His mom is our Ward Mission Leader's cousin. Last night his whole family was over at our WML's house and Connor showed us all of the deer that he's shot on his mom's phone. He shot his first deer when he was 9. NINE. When he was ten he shot a black bear. And last week he shot a buck. His dad was so proud. Bahaha Connor told us he's giving up hockey this season to "focus on his hunting." (Only in Canada) He wants to be baptized though and his mom is really excited about him learning about the gospel.

So I'm pretty sure that's it. Love you all and have the best week ever!

Sister Thomson

Our cabin

December 1st

Dear Family,

I have been transferred to heaven. It was -30 Celsius yesterday. And I love it so so so much. We live in a log cabin on our RS president's property and are the only sisters who get to drive a truck. We have milk from a cow. Which I can't drink, but it's still pretty legit. :) I'm in VANDERHOOF. I feel like I already know the members. And one couple here is from Pocatello and knows Emily and Matt because they were in the SAME ward. This is a town of 5,000 people. Coincidence? I think not. I've never come to an area that I've felt so much immediate love for. Even Duncan. It's kind of confusing as to why I love this place so much but I know that it is inspired.

My companions are so great. Yes, I'm in a tri!!!! :) And it is the best. I seriously love it. I felt bad for sisters in tris but no way. Sister Manaso is from Thailand and joined the church 4 years ago this week when she went on a student exchange in Utah. She lived in Utah with the same family from 16 to 18 and went back to Thailand in the summers. She went to BYUI but transferred to BYU-Provo and will be going home with me. :) (April 1st. I don't know if I've told anyone that yet.....) Sister Arnesen graduated from BYU in Execise Science and is going home on Dec 17 (half-way through the transfer). She reminds me a lot of Mandy from work. We are really similar. But suprisingly, so are Sister Manaso and I. Pretty much I am in the promised land with awesome companions. I prayed recently and told Heavenly Father that I was willing to have a hard, struggling companion but He's just blessed me with awesome companions my whole mission. I hope it means my permanent companion will be awesome. :)

My favorite scripture right now is Alma 32:6. It says "he (Alma) beheld with great joy." He say how incredible of an experience and oppurtunity God was allowing to give him and he not only looked on the bright side, but he beheld with great joy! He was so incredibly happy. Heavenly Father wants us to be happy and look on the bright side. "Be of good cheer." He has given us so much. So even though I could get frostbite simply from standing outside for too long and am writing you this in a room with a broken heater, I am so happy! I love this place! I don't want to be anywhere else. I will not put myself down anymore. I refuse. And I am filled with so much joy because of it.

I love you all so much. I left my camera, but next week I will send you a picture ice on the INSIDE of our windows. :)

Love you!!!!!!!!!!
SIster THomson

PS. Best quote "It's colder than a mother-in-law's kiss out there."

November 24th

Dear Family,

Best story ever. So Sister Brook and I had dinner at a member's home. It was a TON of food and when we left I was telling her how full I was. I looked over and she looked so concerned... The member had a salt shaker with no filter on it, and Sister Brook accidentally spilled about a tablespoon of salt on this burrito thing and then instead of wiping it off like a normal person, she spread it around to try to make it more evenly dispersed. Bahaha. And she is so good at hiding things that I could tell something was up but could not figure out what. She drank about four cups of water. After we left we called the doctor in the ward to see if she should do anything and he is really old and usually pretty good at keeping a poker face but he laughed so hard at her. That was probably my favorite part. My poor companion. I didn't even sympathize. I just laughed really hard.

Shawnee was baptized this week!!!!!!! I know I already said that but I am so happy. I was thinking about her this week because I could not figure out why she was not baptized and we're not allowed to communicate with missionaries from other zones. But she looked so happy. If I figure out how to take a screen shot (not likely :)), I'll send a picture.

I realized one of the reasons why I was sent to Vernon this week. When we were teaching Niki she just completely opened up. I feel like I really understand her now. I feel that if we truly knew each person's stories and the things that they go through, we would love each one of them. It is so true that God loves each of His children. She has had an incredibly difficult past and has overcome so much and is still working to overcome a lot. I just shared how deeply I love this gospel and how I absolutely know that the Savior's Atonement (and access to it) can heal her. We told her that's why we want her to be baptized. Not because it benefits us at all, but because we love her and really and fully believe that the authority to perform ordinances that can heal her, like baptism, are back on the earth. As we were talking I could just feel so clearly that I was sent to her.

I feel like we were sent to my friend Shannon as well. I absolutely love her. I don't really know if I can explain her over email and do her justice but someday I'll talk about her. :)

Transfer calls are this week and we're 90% sure Sister Brook is going. I don't really know where the Lord will want me for the last three transfers, but we'll see.

If I could quote President Uchtdorf's entire conference talk (and feel like you would read it:)) in this email, I would. I love it so so much. Go read it! :) https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2014/10/receiving-a-testimony-of-light-and-truth?lang=eng

"Suppose you were able to travel back in time and have a conversation with people who lived a thousand or even a hundred years ago. Imagine trying to describe to them some of the modern technologies that you and I take for granted today. For example, what might these people think of us if we told them stories of jumbo jets, microwave ovens, handheld devices that contain vast digital libraries, and videos of our grandchildren that we instantly share with millions of people around the world?

Some might believe us. Most would ridicule, oppose, or perhaps even seek to silence or harm us. Some might attempt to apply logic, reason, and facts as they know them to show that we are misguided, foolish, or even dangerous. They might condemn us for attempting to mislead others.

But of course, these people would be completely mistaken. They might be well-meaning and sincere. They might feel absolutely positive of their opinion. But they simply would not be able to see clearly because they had not yet received the more complete light of truth."

I love you all!

Sister Thomson

PS. I forgot to mention this, but last week we were visiting a less active single mom and her three boys. The middle child, who is six, prayed "please bless that we'll have a baby sister soon" and his grandma said--"don't forget the missionaries!" And he said, "Oh yeah--please bless the missionaries...........that they won't die. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen."
PPS. Bet you can't guess what our district leader wants to be when she grows up... So I'll tell you. A teacher. :) Also, it snowed!
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November 17th

Dear Family,

I know I shouldn't be keeping track, but tomorrow is my 14-month-mark! It's crazy. A member this week was telling us about the things she is trying to overcome right now and also about her mission. She told us that her mission experiences have carried her through the rest of her life. Every companion, every investigator, all of those things have come back in her life in one way or another and I feel like it is such a blessing to be here. Even when it's hard. It's been a good week.

We saw some huge miracles with member referrals yesterday. About five weeks ago, we were at a member's home for dinner. When we asked them who they know that we could teach, the parents looked at us pretty blankly and said they didn't know, but then we asked their 17-year-old son Daniel. He said, yeah, actually my friend Alyssa asks me a lot of questions. We told him to invite her to mutual. We followed up on Sunday and he hadn't yet. We followed up a few more times and then we went to the church on Wednesday evening. He ran up to us and said, "Alyssa is here!" He told us we should meet her after. We did and set up a time to go see her at Daniel's families house on Sunday. We think she's 18. We still need to make sure... But we did some how to begin teaching and are going to see her again on Tuesday. We gave her a Book of Mormon to read, and the Spirit was really strong. This is how it's supposed to be. :)

We also contacted a referral from the ward mission leader in Salmon Arm. We had actually met their son Justin in September, so it was really cool that we already kind of knew him. The family lives in the middle of nowhere, but they are a really sweet couple and interested in learning. They let us right in! I think Jack (the dad) has outwardly given up on religion but he has so many questions that I think he is still inwardly searching. Even if he doesn't know it yet. We're going back to see them on Tuesday as well.

There is a part-member family in the ward that we have been working on. The husband works on Sundays so he wanted to be baptized but was going to wait until retirement in two years because his boss won't let him have any Sundays off. His wife got baptized about two or three years ago. We went in on Wednesday evening and invited him to join us. He wouldn't, so we started teaching Sister M., who struggles to come to church regularly. The Spirit was really there for a while, but she asked us a question about some anti that her husband heard. As we were explaining it, he walked in. It was pretty awful after that. The Spirit left as he spewed out anti. It was so sad. He now has no interest in being baptized. I know absolutely that the church is true. And it made me so sad. His wife seemed uncomfortable for a while, but then she started to join him. It broke my heart. After sharing my testimony several times, I knew we just had to leave. It had been about twenty minutes of this, so I simply said "I'm sorry, but the Spirit is not here, and we need to leave. We will probably come back at a different time, but we cannot stay any longer." When we got to the car, I was shaking and Sister Brook was pretty upset. She rarely cries, but it reminded her of what happened when she told someone close to her she was thinking about serving a mission. I just wanted to go somewhere where the Spirit was strong, so we went to the bishop's house and then met him at the church. It helped a lot and we both got Priesthood blessings. I feel like it's been a blessing in a way, because I feel so much more prepared for whatever is coming and I feel like it was another opportunity to use the Atonement. Sister Dixon invited us to ask Heavenly Father to remove any bitterness from our heart so we could feel the way the Savior feels about them and that was good. You've got to love Sister Training Leaders. :)

I know this church is true. I know the Gospel. I feel firmly planted on a solid foundation. I know absolutely that Heavenly Father will not lead me astray and I have taken my decisions and questions to Him on so many different occasions. I know that He is the source of all spiritual truth and we can find that through prayer. I felt so strongly that the Book of Mormon is true this morning. And I felt that yesterday and the day before that. I love this church and I love my Savior, Jesus Christ. I know anyone looking for answers will be able to find them from Heavenly Father. We are the salt of the earth. :) There may be a tiny fraction of us compared to the rest of the earth (or the meal) but we make it good. I love you all and pray for you.

Sister Thomson

PS. My favorite quote about prayer. “Do you want guidance? Have you prayed to the Lord for inspiration? Do you want to do right or do you want to do what you want to do whether or not it is right? Do you want to do what is best for you in the long run or what seems more desirable for the moment? Have you prayed? How much have you prayed? How did you pray? Have you prayed as did the Savior … or did you ask for what you want regardless of its being proper?”

President Kimball then continued: “Do you say in your prayers: ‘Thy will be done’? Did you say, ‘Heavenly Father, if you will inspire and impress me with the right, I will do that right’? … Did you say, ‘Father in Heaven, I love you, I believe in you, I know you are omniscient. I am honest. I am sincerely desirous of doing right. I know you can see the end from the beginning. You can see the future. You can discern if under this situation I present, I will have peace or turmoil, happiness or sorrow, success or failure. Tell me, please, loved Heavenly Father, and I promise to do what you tell me to do.’ Have you prayed that way? Don’t you think it might be wise? Are you courageous enough to pray that prayer?”

November 10th

Hey Everyone!

Once there was a couple who wanted to one up their neighbor. So this woman decided she would train her cat to speak. After months of hard work, she was finally ready to show the neighbors, but she wanted the press to be there as well. With everyone gathered around, the talking cat spoke. It said, "We should leave," and proceeded to jump off the table and run outside. The reporters and neighbors were so astonished. "Oh, wow! A talking cat!" "That's so incredible!" "How did you do that?!" By that point it was too late, an earthquake erupted and the house fell off the cliff killing everyone inside. This story was given on the Saturday night session of stake conference from a ward mission leader in Kamloops (originally from South Africa). He then asked us, "Are we so excited that we have a prophet that we forget to listen to what he is actually saying?" We laughed so hard. He was so bold. :)  He went on to tell us that President Monson has told us that the Lord is hastening His work of Salvation and we need to keep pace or we will be left behind.

I've been pondering how I can be a missionary when I get home. A few ideas have come to me, and I know they will come to you as you think about them too. “Missionary work is but home teaching to those who are not now members of the Church, and home teaching is nothing more or less than missionary work to Church members”  (President Harold B. Lee, pmg ch1).

We found 8 new people to teach this week! It was a huge miracle, because on Tuesday morning I just said a prayer asking the Lord what He wanted me to do for this last part of my mission and I was just feeling a bit discouraged because I noticed our teaching pool was dwindling and it really hit me how much I want people to have this. That day we found seven new people to teach. Seven! It was miraculous.

One of them is Arlene. She is First Nations and went to a Residential school when she was younger. As we taught her with our recent convert, the Spirit really came in. Arlene now wants her daughter Jordanna to meet us as well and I'm excited for this family. We also learned our RC's concerns as well, or at least some of them, about why she does not come to church each week. She doesn't have a ride and has terrible hips and has to walk a fair distance uphill! I was so happy to find that out finally.

Sister Brook and I really talked this week. We really opened up to each other and discussed a lot of the things. I told her about weaknesses I've been working on overcoming and realized just how much I need the Atonement. As I prayed this week, I really felt Atoning grace. I feel so deeply that the Atonement is so real. I know I need it. I think Ether 12:27 sunk even deeper for me than before. Sister Brook really opened up to me as well. Which was really huge for her. I really love her.

Love each of you! Hope all is well in Zion. ;)

Sister Thomson