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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