The week of grand opportunities! (Week 13)

Hola everyone! I can`t believe that already 4 months has passed since i left for the MTC! Holy cow time flies by fast!!!

So things have been going great here down in sunny Guadalajara. I was struggling a little bit last week, but had a fantastic interview with the president that completely refreshed me mentally and spiritually! I always love to listen to my president talk. Never have I heard a man speak so boldly and simply about the doctrine of christ that I seriously learn something new EVERY time. it would not surprise me if that man ended up as an apostle one day..

*random interjection*

So we found a GIANT brown recluse in our house the other day!

about...

(                                                                           ) 

that big all around.... uuuugggghhhh *shivers* 

Those of you that know me know how much I despise any type of spider, and the fact that it was a big version of one that could kill me.. NOT OK.

Let just say it burned ;)

Also this week we hade changes! Im no longer in training and Elder Pacheco no longer is my companion. It still feels weird to not have Elder Pacheco here but Im really excited about my new companion Elder Alvarez. He has 21 months in the mission and was a zone leader in his last area. He`s a great guy with a lot of excitement about the work. 

Also something crazy happened! My president closed Arquitectura 2. Now theres only the area Arquitectura. So with this ward there are only two missionaries. All the others in the zone with 6 or more haha. To walk from one side of my area to the other it takes about an hour and a half... its huge! And the work has doubled! How awesome is that!? I have a whole lot of excitement for these next two cambios! 

I`m sure we will be stumbling in dead tired almost every night but hey the Lord has 100% answered my prayers for more work haha! The excitement is actually kind of hard to retain, i`m so grateful that the lord trusts us both enough to leave two whole areas in our hands! With many baptisms coming these next couple weeks I will continue in the spirit of the lord as it guides us to where we need to go! I thank you guys for your prayers for me and for those that we teach. It really helps a lot and helps us go day to day. :)

Love you all much!

Elder THompson IV

General Conference! (WEEK 12)

So I realized that I used up almost all my time on personal emails so this one will be a bit short! 

So what were your guys favorite talks during general conferance this weekend?

I myself absolutely loved the talks of Uchdorf and Eyring and Jorg during saturday. Very powerful and full of the spirit! One of my favorite things I pulled from conferance was how sometimes we have the tendancy to rationalize or justify ourselves for breaking the commandments.

 "I can´t attend church because...." "He´s probably already mormon so I don´t need to talk to him.." "I´m sure someone else will step up and help him, I don´t have time.." and many many more. Whether from the simple excuses or from the most ellaborate ideas we have we try to justify our wrongs. I having fallen to this many times. But the commandments are in black and white. God is a god of mercy, but he is also a just god who does not accept excuses. Nothing impure can enter into his kingdom and so we must follow 100/100 of all he has commanded. Although that seems possible or that it would make our lives only harder and more stressful, its just the opposite. The lord gives us these commandments to set us free. If we follow to the best of our abilities giving the best we can, the lord will help us with the rest. However, if we find ourselves in these situations of justification and rationalization we should stop. just stop and look to our lord for forgiveness. Who if we come with that sincere heart we will find this forgiveness. We will feel his loving embrace as we little by little overcome our faults. Then as we feel this we will turn out to others to share with them this great redemptive feeling.

So We´ve been having a whole lot of success with one of our investigators Ofelia. Her kids were baptised about 5 years ago and then went inactive and she never really followed. We´ve been having pretty good lessons but she is incredibly hard to find at her house. Not having a lesson in more than a week we were worried about how she was doing and if she would remember conferance. Well our prayers being answered she came to the saturday morning session! Saying that she would assist the others as well! 

But as the second session came she was nowhere to be found.. the sessions came and gone without any sign of her or her family. Without a phone it was impossible for us to get a hold of her. So after conferance we stopped by her house to see what happened. Turns out that her giant several thousand pound tree was starting to collapse towards there house. We arrived with much of it cut down but still the main part and the larger branches attached and held up by support beams. I have to say that that was a pretty fun experience to cut down a giant tree haha. So thats why she wasn´t there for the other sessions.

Anyways we then went over to her house to see how she had been doing this past week. In this past week she had reached Ether in the Book of Mormon, sometimes staying up til 5 am just to read. She has been feeling the spirit very strong and looks forward to her baptism of Nov 1. I´m grateful the lord has been answering our prayers on her behalf by touching her with his spirit and love. Her and her family have been finding that peace that had long since left. 

The lord lives and works many mighty miracles! I´m so grateful I get to be apart of it!

Love you all!

Elder Thompson IV

The week of many much heat! (WEEK 11)

Its hot! 

.....

yeah basically its been really hot down here. With lots of humidity and heat from the intense sun! But no matter it is still gorgeous down here! I love to look at the cliffs every morning when we leave our house and to ponder and the grandness of it all. Isn´t it great to focus in nature every once and a while? Even just picking off a leaf and looking at the complexity of it testifies of the grandness of god and all the beauty that there is to find in this wonderful planet! Its a really great experience to look at it all while being intune with the spirit.

So this week we´ve been focusing on finding new people. I thought we were working hard before, but now we´ve almost been able to double our work. Walking our entire area 3 or more times in one day and finding more and more people. We have 9 new investigators and 8 appointments this week with other new families. The lord has truly been blessing us with our desires. It reminds me of a promise that was once made. that its when we give 100% of what we can do that the lord will step in and carry us the rest of the way and truly pour out his spirit and inumerous blessings upon our hearts and souls. 

However, I´ve also learned that when you work harder to do wahts right and bring others to christ, satan works just as hard to slow you down or scare you off. I refuse to let him slow me down! Like the army of Heleman the lord will guide and protect when we go forth without fear and without doubt. Anything and allthings are possible through christ. We just need to have the faith and trust to follow without doubting. 

through faith all is possible..

I love you all!

Elder THompson IV

Week 10!

This week truly flew past incredibly fast! We´ve been so busy and working so hard to get better numbers its been great! We´ve actually had lots of success! All of our numbers have increased and we have plenty of new investigators and refrences for this week and next! We´ll see how they progress!

This week I´ve been learning more and more of how to recognize and trust in the spirit. Its been really awesome for me because we´ve had a lot more success in lessons and in contacting more people. Changing the lessons as the spirit would direct. I realized the key is that we can´t decide when the spirit will testify. We need to humble ourselves and listen as it speaks to us, then when the situation is right the spirit will come forth and testify to the hearts of these people. We just need to listen!

I´ve also had plenty of strange experiences this week that I never thought I would have in my life, let alone on a mission. Although some of them should never be spoken of again I´ll share one that I thought was really random. This drugged guy came up angry saying he was going to rob us. About to take out the money that we had in our pockets he said  disapproving "¡No! solo quiero su pluma" so I gave him the crappy pen that I was carrying and we went our way. The other experiences were only weirder!

Anyways as time goes on im only learning to love these people and this country of Mexico more and more! And becoming evermore closer to my father in heaven as I see the changes in these peoples live to better fit the example of our lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

I love being a missionary!

Love you all!

Elder THompson IV

P.S.

All these pictures were taken 15minutes from my house!

The week of absences! (WEEK 9)

This week has been a bit strange of a week. We´ve had somany people that have made appointments with us, several that walked up to us first to ask. However, about 75% of the people weren{t there! I mean, It was great for exercise but bad for sharing the gospel! I still fill confident with most of them though, and I´ll make sure we try again this week.

I can see the work of the Lord progressing more and more inthis area. I feel truly blessed to be a part of it. We find so many people that want to hear the message and several who have that desire to be baptised.However, to be baptised you have to assist the church 5 times and another list of things to do. Almost every investigador that we teach follows andlistens to the list, but when it comes down to it almost no one leaves for the church. Whether its menos activos or investigadores its the same problem. Me and Elder Pacheco have been trying different ways to teach this important commandment and requirement for baptism. So far without much success, but we will continue to look for other ways to teach it and to get these people to Church. Tambien it would help significantly if you could say a prayer for these people as well, They truly are amazing people. All they need is to take that step of faith and attend church.

We have one investigator that shines so bright with the Light of Christ its almost blinding. His name is Gael. He´s only 10 years old and in his family his mom, aunts, and grandparents are all inactive members except for his grandpa. He has been keeping every single commitment with reading, praying, and he has been trying his hardest to attend church. Usually his mom doesnt let him, but now she lets his grandpa Rodolfo take him. The thing that impresses me with Gael the most however, is not only is he completely faithful with all his commitments, He takes every chance to teach his family and friends about what he´s learned. Many times I´ve heard what he´s said and always its in a profound yet simple way, always full of love. As if Christ himself had said it. I´m excited to see him progress more on this Great plan set by our Savior. He will make an incredible disciple of Christ and bring forth much great work under the Lord.

My favorite scriptures I´ve read this week were definitely about the strippling warriors. The amount of faith these young men had is beyond comprehension. One of my favorite verses about them is Alma 56:47. Which then led me to Proverbs 3:5-6. If we trust in the Lord with all our hearts, doubting not and leaning on the teachings of our mothers. The Lord will direct our paths and deliver us through all our trials. So lets do our best to stay faithful and putting all our trust inthe Lord!

I had a pretty cool experience this last Friday. It was a follow up for all the new missionaries that are in the state of Jalisco to see how the training is going. So we all got to meet with P¨resident Wagner again. Which is always great onmy end. Never before have I met a man more straight in your face and direct about the gospel, and he has taught us a lot on how to be successful missionaries. He reminds me a lot of the apostle Jeffrey R. Holland. So this is the third time I´ve had a devotional from him already in the mission, which I find awesome. The best part of this meeting though, was definitely seeing all my friends from the MTC. Swapping stories and just talking again. All of us holding conversations in spanish and practicing with eachother. The growth that has only happened in one month is really astonishing. I can only imagine what it will be like in two years!

Alright time for me to sign off!

Love you all!

Elder THompson IV

P.S. I´ve lost 30 pounds so far and still losing! I find it pretty funny because absolutely none of my clothes fit me! (good thing I still have one belt that fits!)

Another week gone by! (Week 8)

So I got mugged this week!!! 

sort of

This drunk guy came up to me demanding my money,( not a very nice lookin guy). About to hit me, I was about to give him "all" the money I had (6 pesos of my 50). But then he forgot what he was doing and walked away.. it made a pretty funny experience for me and Elder Pacheco.

Things have been going pretty well out here in Mexico. The food is still really good, the people generally are really great and loving people. The language is coming more and more. But I have to be honest, those pictures I sent were kind of false advertisement. Thats the outskirts of my area, the outskirts of Guadalajara. My area is tons of proverty stricken houses and streets with very little grass (plenty of colorful trees) But I still find it very beautiful in its own way. I would take pictures but once again, everytime I´m about to I get a very strong feeling just to leave it in my bag. Theres a lot of drugs and issues with that so who knows whos on the other side of the camera.

Time truly flies here on the mission! In no time at all I´ll be heading home.  It´s made me realize how valuable this time really is and how us as missionaries need to take every chance to push forward the work. Its something I´ve been fervantly looking for in my prayers and studies. To change my way of thinking into that of the Sons of Mosiah and other prophets during that time. To look at every situation, and treat it as a teaching oppurtunity to bring someone closer to the Lord. To be Bold but not over bearing (Alma 38:12) and to be Wise but Harmless. (Alma 18:22) and to be like Ether and be so full of the spirit of the Lord that no matter how tired I am I will spend every ounce of my being in preaching the restored truth and having faith that this message can change lives for the eternities. This is my goal. I ask to be humbled as unto a child, that I may boast only of my God. (Alma 26) because I want to stand before God at the last day and say "I did my best. I did everything I possibly could to bring more souls unto you."

Do we treat everyday like this? 

Do make God our top priority or do we let him sit on the back burner?

Do we do our best to bring others unto Christ?

Do we do our best to follow his commandments?

God is and unchangeable God and like my brother Elder Thompson III said 

       "Those who do repent and obey, prosper.  The Lord says we too will

prosper if we are obedient.  In D&C 82:10 it says, "I, the Lord, am
bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no
promise."  I feel that that pretty much sums it up.  I could go on
forever stating scripture after scripture that supports that idea.
Really though, it's pretty clear.  If we are obedient, the Lord
promises us countless blessings, and he is and honest God and cannot
go back on His word."

So we need to make sure we are doing our best and following that fifth step of the gospel Enduring to the End. 

As I do my best to live this principal I find that little by little the Lord is answering my prayers. I gain the confidence more and more everyday to share this message with people in the streets, and every place I go. Sometimes the reaction is bad, lots of people laughing, saying not very nice things. But always I share with love, and as I teach I feel a power of the Lord I´ve never felt before. As I go with this attitude I see the Lord blessing us more and more.  As Ether taught "by faith all things are fulfilled" (Ether 12:3) This week we´ve had several experiences of people walking up to us making appointments and wanting us to teach their families. Then people we´ve contacted inviting us to their homes. Tripling our number of new investigators, all with baptismal dates. I will do my best to keep this going strong.

I keep you all in my prayers and love you very much!

Elder Thompson IV

P.S. I found out for packages you send them to the mission office and the deliver them out to the missionaries later.

Week 7 ~ Una Semana de cosas

this is the outskirts of my area of Arquitectura! I can't take very much inside the area for security reasons..

Things are still going great here in Guadalajara! I started this last week being sick again, but I've been becoming better every day. It's actually been pretty funny, the miembros offer to feed us everyday and they all heard that I've been a little sick. So to try and help me they've been making soups full of vegetables, and sometimes vegetables without soup.. So I've basically been a vegetarian these past 2 weeks ^^' I appreciate them looking out for me, and the food tastes great, but I look forward to the meals with meat, thats what my body is accustomed too. ^^' 

The work has been great, I'm still learning a lot every day, for that I'm grateful to my companion Elder Pacheco! He's really patient with me and allows time for me to figure things out and work them out in my head, plus many times he lets me take lead in lessons. My spanish has grown enormously from it!

I'm having the same experience as my brother Elder Thompson III with reading the scriptures. This is the first time I've ever felt the tremendous power in those words. I wish I could stay and read it all day, but like Elder Thompson III dijo. That would be only a little contradictory. So its all good because I love sharing what I learn with my investigators and menos activos.

With one of the Hermanas in my ward Hermana Cata, we visited her my first day here and so she saw how bad my spanish was. We've visited her three times since and always she says to those around that "Elder Thompson can't understand very much and can speak very little" Its kinda been a joke between me andmy companion because I can understand everything she says to me now. I can understand much more then people originally think ^^' Most the time Ijust didnt hear the first time.

I've been feeling the spirit a lot this week, its been a great experience. The Lord has been leading us to more people who are ready to recieve the gospel. With many, we made first contact and our impression was the complete opposite, the the spirit whispers to go back, and we've gone and talked with the same people and they were excited to hear from us. With that family we have an appointment tonight. Im not sure what happened but I'm glad the lord is softening their hearts. 

My prayers and scripture studies have been truly great this past week, I've realized sometimes during my prayers its like it says in the scriptures, wresting with God. But our work and the amount the spirit guides us has tremendously increased. And right now Im feeling like im on the same path as the Sons of  Mosiah. Not as grand, but I hope to feel those same feelings that Ammon has at the end of his journeyings. That with great rejoicing I can boast of my God and how I was blessed enough to be an instrument in his hands.

The lord is great my friends!

Love you all!

Elder Thompson IV

Primera Semana en Mexico! (1st week in Guadalajara & actual WEEK 6 of mission!!!)

So we arrived at around 12:00 at night on lunes from the airport and already it was such a different world. We met our president outside the gate and I knew immediately I was going to have a great mission president. Throughout the next day we hung out with the mission president and his wife until we were to meet our new companions in the afternoon. My fears were growing as throughout the day they said don't worry if you want to go home, mostly every person is begging to go home after a couple days, they're super sick, and just want to give up. But that this is normal and they promised that you would make it through.

So my nerves were continually building and I wasn't sure if I would get a good companion to work with. My new companion is Elder Pacheco. He's lived in Mexico his whole life and he has 15 months in the mission. I cannot express how lucky and blessed I am to have him as a companion. Its always great work with him.

Now for what the president and his wife were saying about it being horrible... I honestly have no idea what they were talking about. I am absoluetly loving this! My area is called Arquitectura, its a little section of guadalajara about an hour or so from the temple. The area we are in has a tremendous amount of hills and already my calves are really toned and will continue to grow in size and strength. We probably walk atleast 20 miles or more a day with most of it beinghills. I never really comprehended how the poverty would be here in mexico, and I'm even in a nicer part.. But all is well and it hasn't effected my work in the slightest. To be honest I'm actually enjoying livinglike this and being in these peoples homes. Everyone is nice to us, even those who dont want to hear our message, and those we teach are willing to share everything they have to help. Life is much more simple. Its great. 

My favorite part of the day is always teaching and talking with investigators and inactive members. Even though their spanish is incredibly faster then that at the MTC and sometimes I understand 25/100 of what is said, it doesnt stop me from building great relationships with these people. This last sunday we had several families come to church who havent been in several months and we've commited someone to baptism. However the baptism dates are further away then other missions because as a requirement they have to attend much more church sessions. (helps them stay converted) 

The surrounding area of the outskirts of guadaljara are absolutely breathtaking, large expanses of cliffls and jungle as far as the eye can see. I'll see if I can get some pictures this next week. But don't expect tons of pictures ecause our mission president asked us to refrain for safety reasons.

Now time for the food... Oh. my. stars.... I absolutely love the food down here! we eat at a members house every day and always its something delicious! Brennan was not kidding! The only problem with the food is that my stomach isn't accustomed to the different foods, so I'm dealing with that right now, I'msure it wont be long until I'm fine! I'm always excited for more!

There is so much more but I'm not even sure what to write! Just know that I feel so blessed to be here and serve, and the people of Mexico are taking good care of us. 

until next week!

Elder Thompson IV

P.S. The buses here are muy loco! I need much more practice with my balance as well, I fall a lot.. jaja

P.S.S. I accidentally forgot mi mochilla with my papers in it, so I will write an address next week! Love you all!

Semana numera 5! (Week 5!)

Things have been great here at the MTC! Hemos estado usando mucho espanol en nuestros conversaciones, entonces podemos practicar mas por Mexico. I'm nowwhere near fluent but I felt pretty good when we had a "lesson" with our teachers where they were supposed to correct all of our grammar mistakes, i felt good because I was only corrected three times in the whole hour! I feel so blessed at how quickly this language is coming!

I've made a lot of great friends here at the MTC and I find it very strange that I'm leaving this next monday to Mexico! The time flies by so strange here it feels like I just got here yesterday, but at the same time its weird thinking of a time outside the mission. I find that I'm loving this place more and more each day. The nervous feelings have been finally creeping up on me, however visiting the temple today I feel much better! The lord answered my prayers instantly while in the celestial room today, confirming that I do have gaurdian angels watching over me. Four that I'm absolutely certain of. Cindy, Nana, Gpa Richardson, and someone that I don't know yet but I will come to know as he enters this world as one of my sons. It was a very profound revelation given to me through a vision while reading the scriptures. The spirit testifying of its truth. So I know I will be closely watched over while in Mexico.

As time goes on, I hear more and more great things about Guadalajara! Its one of the more nicer missions in Mexico, its significantly less dangerous there than other places, and the temperature is 65-85 year round! It's gonna be great!

The best part about being here in the MTC is how close I've already grown to the savior. Now that I've seen his love from a more clear stand point, I will do my best to emulate his love in everything that I do and to all those people that I meet. While studying which attributes of christ I wanted to work on the most I prayed for guidance on the ones I needed most. After searching I could not decide on anything then like the flip of a switch I fell asleep. I had a very interesting dream that at first was fairly random and didnt make sense. I had someone tell me I needed to milk a cow (random I know) and someone was sent to teach me how to do it. The guy was very obciously not wanting to be there, playing on his phone and paying no attention to what i was doing, which led to me being very distraught and frustraded. Then the dream switched and someone else was showing me how to do it. He slowly walked me through it, made jokes, and showed that he really cared, which was a pretty good experience. The dream then switched again where I saw a pretty hermana standing with a sad and embarrassed face in only her underwear. Immediately I felt compassion and sorry and walked over with a cloth and covered her up, telling her that everything would be alright.

I didnt know what to think of that dream and was contemplating the meaning when the spirit spoke in a loud voice as if sitting right next to me at dinner. Saying "Act in a way that you can be focused on what is happening ut more importantly take every single oppurtunity to teach and guide those around you with a genuine sincerity so they feel the saviors love through you. Also, work towards having a godly mindset. Thinking in any given situation of what your lord and savior Jesus Christ would do, keeping your eyes single to the glory of god." 

This is only but one of my profound inspirations that the spirit has told me. Some things have been so amazing but the spirit tells me to keep them sacred to myself. This is the greatest feeling in the world!

Con mucho Amor

Elder Thompson IV

Week 4...We've made it a Month!

The week has really been a great one here at the CCM (MTC). The spanish flows mas y mas como aprendo. I love the Lord in all I'm doing and things have been pretty relaxed these couple days.

This morning I had the chance to go clean the temple and we got to see and help clean off chandeliers, it was a great blessing limpiar la casa santa del Señor. Fue mi primer experiencia limpiando, y fue muy raro viendo el templo con nada personas.  and we also saw the carpets all torn up. Very interesting! I know the lord is pleased to have his house cleaned.

I´m loving being a companion del espiritu santo. (holy Ghost) its blessed my relacionship with god in soo many ways and it will only keep growing. During every personal study I keep finding very profound revelation as given by the lord, yesterday being one of the most spiritual exhausting moments i´ve ever had in my life! I found out through Neil L. Anderson in his devotional tonight that often times after having the spirit your own sould can become exhausted from the energy used. Thats definitely what I felt yesterday. I wish I could share with you guys what I felt, but the spirit keeps whispering me to keep it to myself, so I will hold back. I´ve also had a prayer answered three times this week by three different apostles. The question I´ve had is now that I´ve been having the spirit with me is how to tell if its my voice or the voice of the lord. This is what has been said three different times.. If you have the feeling, DO NOT QUESTION IT! Always, always act on it and later (sometimes years later) the spirit will testify of itself. We just need to make sure ourselves that we are listening to it. 

Things have been going great with my companion. We now understand eachother a lot more and we know how to act to keep each other going strong and progressing together closer to the lord. During testimony meeting on sunday he testified about loving others rather than judging others and he said several times throughout that he was grateful for the advice that I have been giving him. The spirit testified to me the importance of taking every chance to build and up lift others, whether through actions, sayings, or advice. 

I got my first baptism commitment yesterday as well!!! ok.. so it was just a practice investigator but that doesn´t demean from how spiritually real and authentic it was. Me and Elder Nielson have found better ways of studying and preparing for our lessons which has greatly contributed to keeping the lessons personal and to have the spirit. So when we had that lesson on baptism, the spirit was so strong it was almost palpable.. I´m loving this calling more and more everyday. 

The language is still coming very rapidly and I can hold quite a long conversation no problem in español, pero for whatever reason its harder for me while writing it down. I´ve almost come to the point where I can just start talking and not think ahead about translating from english to español. The only thing im struggling with is conjugating the irregular verbs and every now and then I get lazy on gender and number. But its all good!

Yo amo a ustedes!

con mucho amor,

Elder Thompson IV

Semana 3!!! (week 3)

Not getting an email from my boy was hard enough but then I was happy to get one in the mailbox the other day warning me that I wouldn't.  Too bad I got it after the fact!  Oh, the worries of a mother!  I am happy to report he is doing GREAT and LOVING his mission!  Grateful he is in the Lord's hands and putting his WHOLE heart and soul into the work!  That's my boy!  



Semana 3!!!
Lo siento mi familia por no escribi ayer!. I was not able to write yesterday because I was in Las Vegas all day yesterday. So my Branch president allowed me to hop on for a couple minutes right now to write you. Going to Vegas was actually a really interesting experience that I actually enjoyed. I and 9 others had to fly down to go to the Mexican consulate and finish some last stuff for our Visas. I now I have my Mexican Visa! 

This was my first trip out of the MTC and back into the real world for me while being a missionary. One thing I learned is that everyone watches you, which made me realize how important it is to carry the Christ in our countenance and in our words at all times. Although I think lots of people were just staring wondering why a bunch of kids were wearing suits and dresses in 115 degree weather.. ^^'

We had a few missionary experiences throughout the day of talking to members and non members alike, talking to one we committed one man to attend church this sunday with his grandma that he was visiting and he said he would, which we were pretty excited about. ^^ So we got up that morning at around 4:00 and had breakfast at the airport at 5:30, but in Vegas for whatever reason our strange (he did have good intentions) service missionary wouldn't let us get food until we went back to the airport. Which was a bit of a problem because the Church gave us $10 for food for the entire day. Which at an airport gives half a meal, (except for $5 small meal at Mcdonalds that morning) so we each had $5 left and no where served less than $9. While trying to figure it out a non member walked up to us and said "My favorite tennis player just advanced in Wimbledon and so I want to celebrate, but the real reason is because my brother is an assistant to one of the 70's and I really qppreciate the hard and great work you guys do." Then she handed us some money for food which covered just enough for all of us to eat. Normally I wouldn't take such an offer but I've learned several times including from a general authority, that we should except these gifts from the people and let them receive their own rewards and blessings from god for helping. 

My relationship with my companion has been increasing more and more everyday. He's now realizing that we should not focus on ourselves, but should focus on our investigators and the work more and then the improvement in ourselves will come. I've also noticed that he's experiencing feeling the spirit for the first time and he actually acted on it today which left us with chills after. If he continues at this rate he will make a fine choice of missionary. 

We are currently teaching 3 mock investigators right now one of which is known for being the hardest investigator to teach ever in this MTC. They were not kidding.. he's a professor and is agnostic (almost atheist but havent completely ruled out there being a God) he also loves to talk and our first lesson he talked 26 of our 30 minutes, asking extremely deep and hard questions that would be hard to answer even in english! Today however we were more prepared then ever before and we came in firm and strong and got our point across very well. Teaching him about the BoM and how to/why we read it. We read the second to last parrafo of the introduction page, then I used Enos 1:15, Alma 32: 21, 2 Nephi 28:30. We then talked about it for a while and was trying to find everyway he could to contradict us, but for every question I had an answer or a scripture. I invited him to read Alma 34 which he agreed to do, He then read the last parrafo of the introduction page and my companion, although he didnt understand what was going on, testified to him, which was powerful and completely lead by the spirit and no one could have said it more perfectly. Which left him speechless and then we ran out of time. I know the spirit has guided us in so many ways. Although it is a mock lesson, if you could keep Javier in your payers that he might feel the spirit and open up to the lord I would be full of much thanks!

I'm actually running out of time and so I have no time to answer personal emails, but know that I really want to! and to answer a couple of things really quick, yes I have received my pants and its nice to finally have something to change into ^^' Also, thank you for all the letters and the package from dad, I really love them! Although I learned that I'm actually only allowed to write on wednesdays so if I recieve letters I'll write them and send them off thursday mornings. However I have responded and sent letters to those who have written me so you should receive them soon. Love you all! and please keep the pictures coming! I love looking at them!

con mucho amor!

Elder Thompson IV

semana 2 (Week 2)

Always great to hear from my boy in Provo, but not great to hear that he STILL did not get his slacks from the slackers over at missionary mall!  Two weeks late and found out that they arrived and were just sitting around in back untouched and unaltered.  After a little "talking" to the manager from a distraught mother over her son only have two pair of slacks for the past two weeks at the MTC, a very nice manage promised to have them tailored and delivered today with a personal phone call letting me know it was done.  Now...that wasn't so bad was it?  Grateful to be on to BETTER things like Elder Thompson's email...glad he is doing so well!


Semana 2!!
It is now week 2 here at the Provo MTC!! I miss you all dearly but I'm getting perfectly while I rely on Christ! So to begin, I will be sending out mass emails every week and I absolutely love hearing from you all, however I only have 60 minutes of email at a time so I can't respond personally to several of you. But I would love to talk to you all so while I'm still here at the MTC you guys can make a dearelder.com account and the turn your emails into letters for me, just while in Provo, Include you addresses and I have an entire week to write you back! 

However if at all possible I would love to receive personal letters from you all! I'll admit its disheartening going to the mailbox several times a day as a district and everyone gets at least a letter while I sit awkwardly to the side, then try to read everyones emails and respond in only a 60 minutes time frame. All I'm saying is that I would absolutely love receiving letters mostly and emails full of pictures and maybe shorter thoughts! Love you all!

So this week has been a good one! I continually grow closer to my district and more importantly to the Lord, I've been doing my best to recognize and act on the promptings he sends me, I feel them mostly during personal study and while we teach our mock investigators, the other day I was searching the scriptures and my heart for ways I could be a better missionary like Nephi was in Hel. 10:2 (I believe) and I started in a random spot, and after the spirit led me through several random scriptures I ended up in D&C 11: 12 and 21. It gave me exactly what I needed to hear to be more like Nephi was!

Through this past week my companion has opened up to me more and more, but I've realized he can be a very judgemental person who is quick to accuse. There was a blow up the other day and we had to seperate our selves from the rest of the group and once we worked it out with the missionary in our district the spirit pushed me to talk to him about it. I told him my expectations for myself as a missionary and what gods expectations are for us, then we continued to point out our own weaknesses in that specific situation and we talked to eachother about what we could have done better and what we will do better. I find that we continually become closer as companions, but we'll see if it ever leads to an actual friendship, I hope it does because he has the potential to become a brilliant companion.

I didn't explain this in my last email, but I'm not actually on the main Provo campus, theres a west campus for just spanish missionaries and I am very blessed to be a part of it! En mi Casa theres 4 of us elders sharing a really nice 3 bedroom apartment to ourselves! plus the grounds by our classes are beautifully landscaped! its very nice to be able to go out in personal time and sit under the trees next to the stream with waterfalls! La comida ahui is mejor que gentes hablan sobre it. Most of it es muy bueno! I've also lost 10 pounds so far and hope to keep losing! ^^

en la noche de martes yo fue muy suertemente! There was a general authority devotional con 6 apostoles!! D Todd Christoffersen was the speaker and every word was like pure doctrine it was AMAZING!!! He talked about the worth of souls and my favorite line had to have been "The worth of a soul is its capacity to become like god" Thats been ringing in my ears ever since I heard it, its very important for me as a missionary to recognize that in every person I meet and treat them with all the love christ has given me to help them recognize the importance of their own souls. I need to be ready whenever God would have me to help everyone in need!

Con mucho amor

Elder Thompson IV

P.S. recorda cartas son muy mejor! (I love letters ;) )

P.S.S. La bendicion ricibé de presidante Brown fue verdad, Soy aprendiendo la idioma de español muy rapído! Deseo ser fluinte cuando dejo!

Some Pics from the MTC... (Week 1)

Guess he wasn't done yet! Last but not least...a note and some pics from Elder Thompson from the MTC...


Wednesday, June 18th
also i forgot to tell you guys something awesome! The devotional we went to last night was amazing we got to listen to elder Ballard. 6 out of these last 7 weeks an apostle has come to the devotionals which is more then ever before! I feel like something big is coming in the church and I am glad I might be here to witness it!

Apparently they are being fed well? lol...

Re: Picture of the Week! (Week 1)

 I started a "picture of the week" to include Elder Thompson in our adventures each week, family activities, or just plain goofiness which I know he misses...and this is what I sent him.

I thought he was done writing because he just writes us all in bulk but I was one happy mama to find a small but sweet email in my box.

Wednesday, June 18th

thank you so much for the picture and the letter :) love you tons and I thought I would just email you personally really quick before my time is up ^^ LOVE YOU! Already I know that the mission is so far one of the best decisions I ever made! besides choosing you as a mom in the pre-life ;) spanish is coming really quick and so is the doctrina, im very confident ill be almost if not completely fluent by the time i leave here ^^ I just met a soon to be mission president and his wife from Argentina and they speak poco english, and I held a 30 minute conversation with them con no problemas! I LOVE IT!!! God speed sister Cannon AKA mi mama. Talk to you in a week ^^

love,

yyour son, 

Elder Thompson IV

My first week as a missionary!

I have to say it brings peace to a mother's heart to hear from her son.  You may think a week is a short time, but for me...it was agony waiting to hear if he was struggling, doing great, missing home, or whatever the trial may be.  I have been on the phone nonstop with Missionary mall with the struggle of them not delivering his slacks to him so it's been stressful to say the least...knowing he only has two pair right now.  "The Unknown" was always the culprit and the adversary knew that and knew how to tug on my heart strings.  I am grateful for blessings, for prayer and the power of the priesthood to calm my heart and my son's.  I am grateful to know he is in the Master's hands and that he is doing His work and being molded in His image.  Here is his first "official" letter home to all family for P-day.  (Not including father's day where they were able to get permission to write a short note).



Wednesday, June 18th
My First Week as a Missionary!
May I just start out and say how much I love to be a missionary! This first week has been quite long but the older missionaries here say it gets much quicker after the first week. I thank you guys for your emails and especially for the picture of Deacon which I plan to cut out and put in my wallet. Most of all I thank you guys for your testimonies and prayers because I believe they have really helped me. I was sad my first day missing you guys, however the spirit of the lord filled me and comforted me and immediately I delved into the work. 

With learning spanish I was getting down on myself for not learning fast enough. Then I realized I need to rely on the Lord and he will bless us. I also realized that already I can hold a full conversation the our mock investigator in spanish ^^ (although we sound like cavemen) Somos aprendiendo el idioma de espanol muy rapido. I try my best to keep all the rules of the mission field and correct myself when I slip and I know its helping me to become a constant companion of the holy ghost. I hope to always have his spirit by the time I reach the mission field. Ensenando la lecciones con David ("investigator") es bien. I've already learned soo much just in this first week and can't wait to learn more. 

I'm also loving my companions and enjoy spending time with everyone in my zone. My companion is Elder Nielson, he's a bit quiet with me right now because we have quite a few different beliefs about the church, however Its been better over these last two days and i think he is warming up to me. ;) Sometimes I feel like the elders in my class make it feel more like a fraternity than a class of the lord, but i talked to them and a teacher talked to them and already the spirit resides there a lot more.

To answer how I'm learning the spanish so quick, It is 80% the lord and 20% my work, the gift of tongues is real and I testify it works. I love the spanish language!

Yo se que Dios es amoroso y ayude me y mi companeros. Yo se que por medio de El Espiritu Santo y Fe en Jesu Cristo todo casas es possible. Gracias por su amor.

Love you all so much and can't wait to write again next week!

Love, Elder Thompson IV

P.S. Thank you mom for being on top of things :)

P.S.S. tell dad to email me :)

Missionaries say goodbye to their families for two years so that others can be with theirs for eternity...

I said goodbye to my sweet son on Wednesday, June 11th for 2 years.  I know the people of Mexico will love him as much as I do.  I know I sent him well prepared for the task the Lord has in store for him.  I have watched him prepare, pray, fast, and work hard to learn the things he needed to so that he could bring the gospel to those in Mexico.  I have no doubt in my mind and soul that this is the will of the Lord.  However, my earthly heart is in pieces as I try to keep it together and constantly remind myself that the time will go fast and sooner than later he will be back in my arms again.  I find comfort in the scripture:

"Weeping may

endure for a night,

but joy cometh in

the morning."

Psalm 30:5

I know that my Lord and Redeemer live.  I know that He is here with me...guiding me AND my son.  I know that He loves me and weeps with me.  I know that if my Father in heaven gave His only begotten Son to be crucified in this world to save us all...surely, I could give up my son for two small years.  I am weak.  But with Him, through Him...I can become strong.  This gospel is true.  I know this.  I am proud to be a daughter of God.  To rear up these young men to be righteous, strong youth, warriors of God...to serve with all their might and bring the gospel to his lost sheep on this earth.  I know this to be true and am happy to be a witness to this.  Even if it is miles away...from a computer screen...or a Skype phone call twice a year.  I'll take what I can get.  Love my boy.