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