Week 33: Exercise Every Day and You'll Die Healthier

Dear Family,

This week has really been a week of miracles. I cannot believe it's already the third week! I had the horrible thought last night that I might only have three weeks left with Sister Kunz. But that would be silly. So I stopped thinking about it. :)

Sister Kunz had an experience in her last area that she told me about on Saturday, so we've been sharing that with a couple of people, and it really is incredible. So I'm sharing it with all of you. :)  They were teaching a woman in Maple Ridge and invited her to pray and ask if the Book of Mormon was true. She said, I will if you will. Sister Kunz thought that was fair enough, so she said, alright. I'll pray every day this week after I read it and ask if it's true. So every morning after reading the Book of Mormon for half an hour, she would pray and ask if it is true. And every time she got an answer! She said she received a spiritual witness every single time. What a miracle! So she went back and told the woman about her experience. The woman hadn't read it. So moral of the story is that we need to ask! And more than that, put in some effort first to show that we're going to be willing to act on the answer we receive. That's what real intent means. Really intending to act on the answer that we receive. And part of the faith is acting. Acting in faith means doing something without knowing the end result but hoping that it will be good or will lead where you want it to.

So I love that story. I had a really sacred experience on an exchange this week. I don't know why, but whenever I go on exchanges, I feel like I discover these sister's deepest concerns and questions. Not that I mean to. But it is really special. She was telling me about some boy at home and I was silently praying HELP me change the subject!! I had the thought a couple of times to ask this sister, How do you know that Joseph Smith was a prophet? So I did. She said, actually I don't know that he was. So I asked her, how did you gain a testimony of the Book of Mormon? She responded that she didn't have a testimony of that either. But then she told me she believes they're true, and she feels the Spirit when she shares the First Vision and the Restoration. I don't remember everything that was said, but I did share my recent experience with her. Sister Tilleman told us at a transfer meeting that she has been applying Moroni's Promise each day by praying for more faith in the Book of Mormon and that her testimony of it will increase. So I decided to do that too! One morning about a week later, I was really concerned about something at home that has been concerning me my whole mission and really isn't something I can resolve, it's just something I need to put on the back burner for now. But it was really eating at me! I had prayed for more faith in the Book of Mormon, and was really trying to focus on the message I was reading. I slowly did start to focus on it and by the end of my thirty minutes my heart was literally healed. Stress and worry had really washed away. It amazed me! The page I was reading wasn't even that spiritual. But I know now that anyone can read any page of the Book of Mormon regardless, and gain a testimony of its truth and divinity. I know I did. I know every single page has power. I shared that story with this sister (who has been out for 11 months) and the Spirit was really strong in the car. I was just really happy to share that with her. I love the Book of Mormon. 

Funnier story. We met a guy named Bruce yesterday who goes to the Nativity every year that our church puts on. When he answered the door, I immediately wanted to had him a mormon.org card and run because he was really attractive... Luckily I have a companion. :) Sister Kunz started talking to him and asking him questions. Eventually she asked him if he believed in the Bible. He said he believes that it probably has some overall truths and is really good, but he believes that some things have been changed and he can't believe that people haven't taken things out of the Bible after the years of translations. Sister Kunz immediately said, "Are you sure you're not a Mormon?" Bahaha I love how bold she can be. But she explained the Book of Mormon and he was really excited to read it. 

Also Devin came to church and she really liked it!

Also I've spent way too long writing this email.

Also my subject heading was a little plaque in Bruce's home.

The work is great! I love it and love this mission. I get to see President Tilleman tomorrow! And (hopefully) have an interview with him. The Book of Mormon is true. :)

Love you all,

Sister Thomson

Week 32

Dear Family,

I have had so much trouble writing this email! I don't know why. But I really love this work. Best scripture ever: "Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord." It's so true! Everything else is a gift! Actually even the fact that we're here is a gift. 

We have been working with a girl who is a recent convert. She was baptized about 8 months ago and moved out here from Calgary a few months ago after she got married. She is getting a divorce now though, and was not coming to church. So we met with her with our Relief Society President and talked and now she is coming out to lessons with us and shared a really powerful testimony of the Book of Mormon. She really felt like she shouldn't read it at first, so she wouldn't. But one day she found herself picking it up and reading it. She said the second she did, she couldn't put it down! She took it with her everywhere--to work, on the bus. She read it every spare moment and quit all of the things she was doing including smoking and drinking. Her parents were really against it, but she knew what she felt was true and even though they threw anti at her, she just knew the Book of Mormon was true. I love her. 

Last night when we got home, the Spirit came into the car so powerfully.... Sister Kunz told me she didn't like my workout book because even though she's barely looked at it, she just said it was really affecting her. And she was lovingly trying to ask me how it must be affecting me. I don't know. I might throw it away. Ha. We'll see. But it was almost an out of body experience. I just really felt His love for us so strong. I really think He is so much more happy with us than we are with ourselves. 

I can't quote President's email, but he told us (as a mission) how amazing we are and the best part is we don't know it. And then he said, if any of you think you're an amazing missionary (because of you and not God), go to the Christlike attribute activity at the end of Chapter 6 and mark 0s for everything on humility, and study it every day.

We are working with a girl named Kelly who can feel the Spirit every time we see her! She hasn't read the Book of Mormon on her own yet, and she didn't come to church yet, but I know she will. She's still a newer investigator.

I really love this work. I know God has really been blessing us so much. I don't even know why. When I've been getting up, I am starting to sense how each day has really been a gift from God. I'm getting a greater appreciation for this life in general and feel like God is so merciful and so full of love just for letting me be on this earth to grow! I really am sincere about this. I wish everyone could serve a mission. I just want everyone to have what I've been given, and I feel like the mission is the only place to learn so many things.


Sister Thomson

PS. We saw a miracle! I was feeling really dizzy during finding time, so we went to the car to pray that it would go away. I wasn't sure if it had after we prayed, but then I realized I needed to have faith and get out of the car. When we did, we knocked on a door where a man's heart was so softened that at the beginning he was leaning on a wall saying he barely believed in God and at the end was crouched down looking in our eyes and hanging on every word and saying he wanted to read the Book of Mormon because he could literally feel our enthusiasm about it. His name is Dean and we're teaching him in two weeks.

Week 31

Dear Family,

I've been transferred to Duncan!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's on the Island. This place is really cool. We have a really large area with lots of country roads that haven't been explored yet, and the people here are so receptive. I feel like I've been able to just let the Spirit speak through me so much more fully without restraint because they're really open. 

Sister Kunz is my companion and she is awesome!!!! She got her bachelors in history at BYU-I and has been accepted to the Reuben J. Clark Law School at BYU for when she gets back. She is really hard working and I feel like we get along well and work well together. I feel like my dream of being able to work myself into the ground has finally come true!! She's the type to work even if she's sick or tired which is so perfect. We run in the mornings together and run door-to-door in the evenings when we're finding too. We found 6 new investigators on Saturday. And on Sunday we invited a girl to be baptized named Kelly at our first lesson and the Spirit was really strong. She mentioned she could really feel something when she is around missionaries. I just feel like God is really pleased with the work we're doing and I feel like I'm finally at the point where I can just work and give everything over to God and focus on this. He really is fulfilling the promise to give us at the very hour what we need to say and I feel like my love for these people is growing. So, I'm happy. I know there will be challenges that I don't see yet, but so far so good.

Downsides to Duncan: this is the weed capital of BC. It is hippie central. When I heard I was going to Duncan, I only knew one thing about it. The two sisters that opened here got really really high on their first planning day from the woman living above them and had to get picked up by their Relief Society president. She wouldn't let them leave her house for about 24 hours because it took a long time for them to come back and they had to live in a hotel for a week while they found a new place. So transfer calls were a little shocking. But it is definitely true. There is a place here that is called the Bong Shop and has a picture of marijuana next to the sign. It's crazy to me that they can be that open about it here!! What is this?! 

But that's okay because we're here to help people overcome their addictions and I am so excited to help free so many people from that. I can't decide how to describe this place. It's like nowhere I've ever been or seen. So I'll figure that out next week....

I would tell you more stories but I have a lot of letters to write today. But the church is most definitely true and I know it. 

Love you all and this work is absolutely the best! If you are thinking about serving a mission, do it! It is the best decision ever and I love it.

Sister Thomson

PS: Almost forgot! I hit Sister Kunz with the car yesterday when she was backing me and knocked her over...... I am a terrible companion.

Week 30

Dear Family,

We randomly had so many service projects pop up this week! We helped some hoarders move.... twice.  And I tried to help a woman mow her lawn. And failed. Bahaha. So we sent the Elders. (Why am I such a girl??)

Juli told us yesterday that life is just too crazy right now and she'll call us when things slow down. We also haven't seen Tina.... But Alicia went to church in Langley and watched her friend Roy get baptized! She is a girl that we have been teaching for a couple of weeks now. We invited her to be baptized on Saturday and the Spirit just seemed to hit us like a wall. It was so strong. And she said no. So. C'est la vie, eh? But Roy is a really good friend of hers. And she likes us, so we'll just keep teaching her and keep giving her opportunities to feel the Spirit.

I really feel like God is so aware of each of our situations. Sometimes I find myself wondering how much longer I can hold on to hope that someone will actually progress and just accept the gift! Each time I get disappointed, I turn my hope to a new person we're teaching. And yesterday I just got really frustrated. But I know God is trying my faith and my hope. I may not be perfect, and it may take me until week 72 to figure out this whole mission thing, but I'm still holding on to hope. I just wondered yesterday, if these past 7 1/2 months have been to any benefit. I've watched so many people become so close, and then seem to go right back to where they were when we started. But I know where those thoughts came from. I know God is so aware of each of us, and I know He's aware of me. I don't know what my purpose was in Chilliwack for these past seven months, but maybe someday I'll find out. I don't know. What I do know is that this mission is the time of my life. There really is nowhere else I'd rather be. And if nothing else, I am at least grateful that God is letting me be here.

I find out tonight where I'm going to be transferred. I honestly have no idea.

The work is hard, but it's so worth it.

Love you all.

Sister Thomson

PS. Quotes of the week:
 
Me: "So tell us your conversion story." Member: "Well, I was three years old when my mother found out I was a psychic..."
Woman closing door: "It was just the nuns!"
Brother T: "Seriously? You're still here?" (for the third week in a row. Haha he's really going to miss me. :))
Boy: "It's cold, eh?" Sister Reed: "So is that how Canadians flirt?"

Week 29

Dear Family,

Happy Easter Monday!!!! I'm not just saying that; today is a legitimate holiday in Canada because one isn't good enough. :)

I'm getting transferred in 1.5 weeks. I've never been to a new area and if I go to a YSA ward I will probably die. Just saying.

We saw so many miracles this week. It's ridiculous. Between rabid dogs and left-hand turns and shady men, I'm just really happy I'm a missionary or I would probably not be in one piece. :)

Anyways. So one of our investigators is already in 2 Nephi. And we met her a week ago. WHAT. Her name is Juli, and our lesson didn't work out on Wednesday because she was feeling sick, but we gave her a call on Thursday and she told us that she's put sticky notes and questions everywhere and likes what she's reading. So we're going to see her tomorrow evening. :)

Tina got hit by a bicyclist on Saturday and spent a good portion of her day in the ER. So she couldn't come to church on Sunday. :( Tina is 86, so getting hit by a biker is no bueno. But this woman is incredible. She has taken her landlord to court three times in the past five ish years and won each time. (Verified by one of the neighbors who referred us to Tina). Does Canada have a Supreme Court? She said she took it to a Supreme Court and won. So she is still really there and can still decide for herself. She also is reading the Book of Mormon, and when we invited her to be baptized, she said, don't you think it's a little early? :) She wanted to study more before she decided, but she is definitely the first 86-year-old woman that I have met that is still willing to make a change. I love her. But man, is she facing challenges! She is afraid she might be starting to get Alzheimer's which would be so sad. :( And she got hit by a bike.

I really want to share my testimony of my Savior because I didn't get too much of a chance yesterday.

I know He lives. I've been memorizing the Living Christ, which is helping me so much to know Him better and more able to testify of my belief in Him. About every 30 minutes when we're out proselyting, someone will tell me I don't know Jesus Christ or believe in a different one than they do. Sometimes every door or every other door, depending on the street. But it's only helping me feel more sure and more confident of the reality of my Savior. I believe in the Jesus Christ that was born of Mary, that walked the roads of Palestine, healing the sick, causing the blind to see, and raising the dead. I know he was "the firstfruits of them slept." I know that because of Him, I have truly been set free and am able to even be on a mission. I know that it has been such a blessing to serve in Chilliwack, because so many are so hostile. And yet I have never been confounded. It's taught me a lot about how key humility and charity are to everything we do. I feel like the fierce opposition has been exactly what I have needed, and my testimony has never been so strong. I have watched as I testify and people's hearts soften. And I know this doesn't seem like part of a testimony of Jesus Christ, but it is. Like Elder Holland said, we all have to go through our own mini-Gethsemane if we really want to be His disciples, and know Him better..

I know His mercy is perfect. No one has gone too far, and His Atonement is for everyone. I wish I was better at sharing this testimony, but I know my Savior. I know He lives. And I know that He wants us to be obedient.

Love you all and hope you weeks are all going well!

Sister Thomson

PS. I keep meaning to take a picture, but I have two driver's licenses. How great is that? :) Blame it on Canada post and how everything takes 3 years to send.
PPS. Sister Reed gave me an Easter Bunny yesterday and made me a bunch of sticky notes with clues on them to find it. :) She assembled all of it while I was in the bathroom. I love her.

Week 28

Dear Family,

Our p-day was today because we got to go to the TEMPLE! :) It was great.

So I have no time to write... so. Here's some of my letter to President Tilleman.

"We had a potential come to church on Sunday! :) We have an appointment with her on Thursday. Her name is Alicia. We also taught the investigator we found during conference last week this past weekend. Her name is Tina and she is 86 years old! And she is not just a cute woman that wants to have us over for cookies! (She can't afford cookies anyways...) She marked Moroni 10 to read and pray about before we even asked her and she promised she would come to church with us this upcoming Sunday. I really think she is still seeking truth! We also met a woman named Juliann yesterday that the Elders gave us. She apparently knows our ward mission leader and his wife really well and has wanted to know about our church but didn't want to pry with her friends. We talked for a really long time and she is so prepared! She just recently got back together with the father of her son and wants to marry him. She has already committed to live the law of chastity on her own and she told us she would facebook our ward mission leader's wife to invite her to our lesson on Wednesday. We called the Turners and were praying so hard that Sister Turner could come because they are a really busy family, but she can! We are so excited.

We have had so many miracles this past week, and my only set-back has been feeling unqualified for the work! I kept thinking to myself, man, we are finding so many awesome people and have so many great people to teach. If it weren't for me these people would be progressing so much better. But then I realized that was silly. And maybe somewhat true, but the Lord gives us weaknesses, and all He's ever had are imperfect servants. And I know that hard work makes up the difference, like you told us. So yesterday, we had a miracle day and found five new people to teach! And all of them are really seeking truth. The first was at 10:30 in the morning. :)

The temple was great! I kept wanting to go there with Juliann. I know I just met her, but I kept thinking about her in there. I really want her to go through the temple."

So yesterday I expected to be a really hard day because it was the day before the temple. Instead we found five new investigators and just before we had to go inside for the night, a kitten jumped out of the bushes! What. Not as cool as the cat that followed our Sister Training Leaders around for two hours while they were finding,  but still. So of course we played with it.

This work is too great. So. Yes.

Love you all!

Sister Thomson

Week 27

Dear Family,
 
Has anyone besides me noticed how many times Alma tells us in the Book of Mormon that he "inquired diligently of the Lord" to know the truth of the things he has learned for himself? It's all over the place! I swear, as I was reading the Book of Mormon this week, I found four of five references! Alma 5 talks about it, and then again in Alma 34 on. He tells people he knows because he's asked. Last night we met a man named Dennis who told us, "I used to be a hell-raiser. I always wanted to be a Christian; I always wanted what other people had. I wanted faith like that. And I've always been a seeker. I used to go to church about once a month with my friends (before I was a Christian). I never turned them down. Not once. And then one day in church [I had the most remarkable experience]. And now I know for myself that God is real. That Jesus the Christ is my Savior. I can't tell you more than that, but from that point on I knew [it was true] and I am Christian now. I left my old habits, I left my old ways, and I lost a lot of friends. But I didn't care, [because I knew it was true]." I too, know for myself the things I share with people are true. Elder Lawrence Corbridge's talk is going to be something I will read again and again until I can speak with that much clarity, power, and simplicity. I wish that I could tell you all how much I know this is true right now, but sadly I've only been out for 29 weeks and my words are still weak. But I know this church is true. Like Elder Corbridge said, consider the evidence. All of it, together. Not one piece but all of it. And now tell me that some 14-38 year old boy just dreamed it up. And that by some dream all of the miraculous things and all of the lives that have been changed are just coincidence. No. I know my Savior. I know my Father-in-Heaven. I know there is absolute truth and I know they have a plan for us.
 
This week we met with a woman who "did some research." We set up this appointment about two months ago, so I knew she would. She came back with a stack of papers--evidence that this church cannot be true. I knew she would. But I know what Elder Aidukaitis said at Confrence to be true. "One should not roam through garbage." I know it takes more than a simple, hey God are you up there, to get an answer. After Joseph read James 1:5, he was excited! He finally had his simple answer! But he also was careful and went somewhere quiet and in the morning. He took care on how and where he asked. I know that God answers prayers, but we have to ask dilligently! We need faith. And sometimes God wants us to act in faith before He answers.
 
Before I chose to serve a mission, I really wanted to go. So I just decided that if it was wrong, God would stop me, but it was all systems go until then! And nothing stopped me. And it felt right. And it worked out. And here I am. :)
https://www.lds.org/general-conference/watch/2014/04?lang=eng&vid=3439077335001&cid=7
I have like fifteen minutes to finish this... why is p-day time so short!
 
Anyways confrence was incredible. I absolutely loved it. I felt so much spiritual power from each talk, and really know that each and every apostle is one of the Savior's apostles. I know President Monson is God's prophet. We missed the second hour of the Saturday morning session, but that's okay, because we'll watch it soon! And I know we were blessed for being obedient, because we found a new investigator during that time.
 
One of my favorite thoughts from confrence was in Elder Perry's talk. He said that we should be willing to change the course of our entire life by even the slightest "tug of the Master." I took that to heart and already had the chance to apply that last night. We felt a slight tug to a street I usually avoid. So we went. It was one of the first times in a long time that I've almost cried during finding time. I was so sad for those people that would not listen and did not understand. It was really hard. And it's a long street. But we did it. And then we discovered a small street of about 18 houses that I had never seen before. (And I've been here for over six months!!!!! That's crazy!) We didn't get the chance to talk to a lot of people (because of Dennis :)), but found 3 awesome new investigators in five houses. Miracles come after faith. And faith is shown by obedience.
 
Love you all! Elder Ballard told us to all have copies of Preach My Gospel! So have them and study them!
 
Sister Thomson
 
PS. Sorry if I didn't write you individually yet, I have less than five min left so sorry!
PPS. Sister Reed=awesome. That's all.