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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