Monday, October 15, 2012

October 15, 2012

Dearest Loved Ones,
Transfer calls came this morning and as President Campbell told me on the phone, "All good things must come to an end." Sister Roberts and I will no longer be serving together. :( I have absolutely loved serving with her, so I'm really going to miss her. We have been super successful and I can honestly say that she has been my favorite companion. (Granted, I have had 3 other favorites). So, I have big news. Drumroll please....... I'm having a baby! That's right! I'm training! I felt like this was coming. I'm quite excited about it actually. It will be a chance for me to really grow. I don't know her name yet. We'll meet on Wednesday so stay tuned til next week to find out more. I've been reflecting a lot about where I am now and who I am as a missionary. I feel like I have grown so much! I actually feel older than I did before and I am relying on the spirit more and more each day. I have many ways that I can improve and I think this will be a great way to stretch myself. Wish me luck!
Oh! So funny thing. As Sister Roberts and I walked into the Library today there was a guy with a Utah Jazz jacket on. Pretty funny. Anyway, hmmm what's new in the Millwoods YSA. Well, Sophie is getting baptized this Friday!!! It's so exciting! She asked me to give the Talk on Baptism. That will be a new experience. I'm excited! Oh and Sister Roberts is being transferred to Kingsway YSA so she'll still be in the city. Which means that she'll get to come to Sophie's baptism. Yesterday was a very long Sunday. We were at the Whyte Ave Chapel from 9am to 6pm. (9 Hours!) We went to Millcreek YSA ward at 9am to help Sophie transition into that ward. Then we had Ward Council, met with a member before church and after, had our own ward at 1pm, met with the ward missionaries, Sophie had her baptismal interview at 4:30 at the church and then we met with her right after. We then had dinner and two other appointments that evening. Fun filled day! I prefer days like that though. It's always nice to stay busy.
Thursday we had Zone Meeting and I was asked to give a "Spiritual Snack" on Desire. The funny thing is since being in Millwoods I have been asked to give the Spiritual Thought almost every Thursday in District Meeting. Guess I just need a lot of practice. Speaking of Practice, we were able to role play with other missionaries about answering concerns using the Book of Mormon. The Zone leaders called it "Take it to the BOM!" I role played with Elder Edgel (an assistant). It was one of the coolest role plays ever. I really enjoyed it.
Something else that was pretty cool happened during Sacrament Meeting. We met with this RM Jimmy and went over the Ward Mission Plan on Saturday. He spoke in church and he brought us Sisters up. He said, "This ward has some great sisters. They came to my house yesterday and taught me the Ward Mission Plan. They also gave me a Spiritual Emergency Preparedness Kit." He then promoted giving the kit away to everyone! It was sweet! I love when people promote missionary work. :)
Well, I don't have lots of time today, have to prepare for my new arrival ;) I love you all! I also wanted to say Happy Birthday Mom! I will again be celebrating by letting a balloon go in her behalf. I hope today is good for everyone. I love you and miss you all. This just in! Elder Penrod and Elder Read from my MTC District are now Zone Leaders in the Ed North Stake. That's going to be a Gongshow!!! ha ha ha
 
Love,
Sister Thompson
P.S. Picture= "We're an Oreo! The Good stuffs in the middle." -Elder Scarlet, Sister Thompson, Elder Jules

 




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Tuesday, October 9, 2012

October 9, 2012

To the ones I love,
What a week! I'm pretty sure I start every email that way these days. I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY (No surprise there I'm sure.) This past week found me falling in love with serving a mission more and more. First off, General Conference. SISTERS CAN NOW SERVE MISSIONS AT 19!!!!!! This is crazy exciting news. There were about 8 sets of missionaries at the Stake Centre watching General Conference when that announcement was made. We were all completely shocked! This is definitely going to change the mission culture for the entire world. I still can't believe it. Sisters serving at 19! There are going to be a ton more Sister Missionaries (which is the best ever). :) It's crazy to think that if I was 3 years younger I could be going out on a mission the same time as all my guy friends. So weird. The Harvest is great, but the labourers are few. What a great way to get more missionaries! Also, this will mean that the boy/girl ratio at BYU and BYU-Idaho will be better. :) Definitely a plus.
Speaking of Harvesting, Sister Roberts and I went Harvesting this week. Our Ward Mission Leader taught us this finding technique that separates the wheat from the tares. We knock on the door and when someone answers we say our names and that, "We are representatives of the Savior Jesus Christ. He has sent us to your home to leave His peace and blessing. May we come in and leave this blessing?" It's awesome! More people let us in. In a half hour Sister Roberts and I were able to pray with three different people. The last one turned into an other lesson and they set up a return appointment with us. It is really neat. You are able to ask for every one's names and anything that their family is in need of at this time and include it in the prayer. It immediately brings the spirit into their home. In the prayer you also ask that they will be blessed to recognize truth as they hear and feel it. I love it! So neat!
Oh, to explain my subject line. We are teaching Sophie and it turns out she doesn't live in our area so she'll get baptized in Millcreek YSA. When we explained to her about boundaries and other missionaries she said, "You gave birth to me. Don't abandon your baby!" She is now a Sister's Request so we will continue to teach her until she is baptized but it does make things a little more difficult. Turns out she has attended Millcreek YSA before our ward and she didn't like it. Plus, she's chinese and Millcreek doesn't have any Chinese fellowshippers. It's been a slight headache, but the best thing is that she is getting baptized October 22nd :)That's all that really matters.
On Friday we met with Mike and Sheryl again. They are not actively investigating but have invited us over for dinner twice now. As we were talking with Mike he asked us some questions he had from the Book of Mormon. One of which came from the Alma 7:10. In that verse it explains that "He (Christ) will be born of Mary, at Jerusalem..." This concerned Mike. He explained that he thought this was a flaw. Christ was born in Bethlehem. Therefore, this proves that the Book of Mormon isn't true. Sister Roberts started to explain about what that could mean. As she did this thought came to me, "Alma is referring to Jerusalem as 'The Land of our forefathers.' He used the words 'at Jerusalem' so that the people of Gideon had a reference point." I had never heard of that before, but I felt impressed to say it. When I did, Mike dropped that concern. At the end of the lesson Sister Roberts asked Mike if he has prayed about if the Book of Mormon is true yet. He quickly replied, "Why would I?" As if the words were not my own, devastated that he hadn't yet, I replied, "Why would you not?" Sister Roberts and I both testified of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and once again invited Mike to pray. Later, Sister Roberts explained that she had just read about Alma 7:10 in the Book of Mormon student manual this morning and when Mike brought up that she couldn't remember what the manual had said about that. She was surprised to hear me say almost word for word exactly what it said in the manual. She asked me if I had read that before and I explained that I hadn't. Once home I looked it up and sure enough that was exactly the thought that came to my mind. It's really neat to see the Spirit work through you and to see why a companionship is so important. When both partners in a companionship are trying to teach by the spirit then both are edified and rejoice together. :)
Yesterday was Canadian Thanksgiving. It's not as big of a deal as it is in the States. We were invited by our Bishop and his family to join them. It was a good evening. Afterwards we were told not to proselyte and to not be a burden on members. Since we're YSA there was no one to meet with (everyone was with their family.) So, we and 3 other sets of Elders made Carmel apples at the church. It was really fun. I love the friendships I have gained with other missionaries. Also, for the first time I saw the Northern Lights!!!! My camera couldn't get a really good picture, but it was Awesome!!! :) So cool!
I wish I had time to write about General Conference in more detail, but sadly I do not. However, it was wonderful and I'm so grateful we have living prophets on the earth today. I encourage everyone to read and re-read the talks given. We are so blessed to have modern revelation. Don't take it for granted!
I love you all!!! Enjoy the warm weather (it's been around 11 C. Winter is coming).
Love Always,
Sister Thompson




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Monday, October 1, 2012

October 1, 2012

To the lovely people in my life,
What a week!!! This week was really long for me. Sister Roberts had a really bad cold so we spent a lot of our down time in the apartment. It was hard to find things to do while she rested. By the end of the week and her cold, I could not wait to get out of the apartment. Although she was sick, it did not stop us from working hard this week. We got only a few lessons short of what we usually do, Raj was Baptized, we had exchanges with the Kingsway Sisters, and we got a new investigator, Sophie, who is scheduled for Baptism on October 20th. :) Sister Roberts and I both feel so successful and blessed to see all the miracles that are coming our way. I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!!! I love having something to do every minute of every day and I realized this week that when I go home I'm not going to know what to do with all my free time. No wonder Return Missionaries are so weird. :) This week proved to me that I want to start school and get a job as soon as possible when I do get home.
I've already mentioned most the highlights from the week, but I wanted to go into a little more detail on each. First off, Fall is here! It's supposed to snow/ rain on Wednesday. (Which is the day before my first day in the field a year ago.) Winter is coming and I say, "Bring it on Canada!!!" I'm really excited this year for snow. We'll see if I'm still excited come January. We had exchanges with the Kingsway Sisters (aka Sister White and Sister Atkinson- both of which I served with in Innisfail.) As Sisters, we get to decide who goes where for exchanges. Usually Senior companions go with Juniors or you exchange with a sister that you haven't served with before. Since I had served with both (and not to look as though I was favoring one sister over the other) we decided to do a blind exchange. Both companionships prayed about who should go and we didn't tell each other until we met up to exchange. I ended up going to Kingsway with Sister Atkinson. It was a great time and I really enjoyed myself.
Our new Investigator is Sophie. She is amazing!!! She is from China and is studying at the University of Alberta. Her friend introduced her to the church back in the spring and she came with him a few times then. She was in China this summer and is now back. We asked her previously if she wanted to meet with us and she said she'd just ask her friend Emma and Rettie her questions. She has come to church more than 4 or 5 times and already read all of the Gospel Principles manual. She is also reading from the Book of Mormon often. Well, last Sunday she told Emma that she wants to get Baptized and Emma said, "That's great! Let's talk to the Missionaries!" We met with her three times this last week. On Tuesday we taught her about the Restoration and after reciting the First Vision we asked her if she felt anything. "No, but I will ask for a hint later." We explained what she would feel and how to recognize the Spirit. At the end of our lesson we asked her to give the closing prayer. After she did she put her finger in the air as if to stop us from saying anything. We waited for her to speak. "I feel something inside me. It feels really big!! I'm one of those crazy people!" She was so excited that she felt the Spirit. It was wonderful to help her recognize that. We met with her the next few days and she said that when she prayed on her own she felt the same feeling, but not as strong as when she is with us. During her prayer the third time we met this week she said, "I will be a faithful person for the rest of my life." That was so neat! She loves the church and is so excited to get baptized. She came to church again on Sunday. During Gospel Principles she was reading the scriptures/ manual via the LDS Tools app. It was so cute, she clicked on one of the highlighted words (such as gratitude or faith) and it took her to footnotes and cross references. As it did she got super excited "Oh! That is so cool!" She started giggling quietly as this was taking place during the lesson. She turned to me and said, "Is this how you know so many scriptures?" She thought that was the neatest thing. She kept selecting different footnotes and words as she grinned from ear to ear.
Raj is now the newest member of the Millwoods YSA Ward!!! Saturday was a fantastic day!!! Raj was beaming!!! Everything went so well. There were so many people who came. About 50 in all! Since it was such a great turn out we had to have the program in the Chapel and the Baptism in the Relief Society Room. Raj was so excited. Afterward he told us that as he went under the water it was as if everything went in slow motion. He said it was really neat. Sadly, none of his family came, but his Ward Family was there to show their support. He is sweet!!! It was awesome to teach him. Each time an investigator gets baptized it feels probably like when your child graduates from High School. You're excited for them,but they move on from needing your help. You're still their to teach, but it's different. Definitely exciting but Bittersweet.
Well, I love you all!!! I hope the weather in Utah or where ever you are is warmer than it currently is here.

 
With all my love,
Sister Thompson
P.S. the pictures are from Raj's Baptism and my Crazy District! Gotta love it!!! :)
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Monday, September 24, 2012

September 24, 2012

Dearest Family and Friends,
I feel that I should first start by explaining the subject line. Sister Roberts and I were getting out of our car and heading into our apartment when we saw a woman walking down the street. We subconsciously took our time at our car so that we could be there when she walked past. As I glanced over at her I noticed her a the end of the block about 15 feet away. She looked at us and started backing up and then crossed the street. Seriously? Are we really that scary? We got a pretty good laugh about it inside. When we were done with dinner and some paperwork (about an hour later) and were heading toward our car we noticed the say lady walking toward us. This time she had headphones in and was pre-occupied with her phone to notice us right there. I turned to Sister Roberts, she's mine. Just as she was about 5 feet way I spoke up, "Hi, how are you?" She jumped slightly and laughed "Highly Pagan!" and just kept on walking. I looked at Sister Roberts, "Okay.... that was random." We got a pretty good chuckle as we got back in the car. Some people are so funny. I never knew that a 5' 2" Blond haired blue eyed girl wearing a cardigan could scare someone. Good times.
It finally happened. That Sacrament meeting that you have two investigators, one non-member, and one recent convert all there and the last speaker talks about deep doctrine. Yep, that Sacrament meeting when you and your companion are praying the entire time, "Please plug his ears." "Bless him to recognize the truths said." etc. Yep, that Sacrament meeting. What deep doctrine was shared over the pulpit? King Follet's Sermon. It is a great sermon for those who understand and believe that we can ultimately become like God and that explains God's true nature. What added to it all as who the last speaker was. An Institute Teacher! I'm sure he is a fantastic teacher and I'd love to take a class from him, but this was not appropriate for Sacrament Meeting where there are non-members attending. One of the our investigators came for the first time and he is the investigator that struggles most with Anti- Mormon stuff. Either way, our prayers were answered so far. Jerri never asked questions about the last speaker's talk and he said it was really good. We'll see if any damage control will be necessary later in the week when we meet with him. Note to everyone reading this, Sacrament Meeting Talks should be very basic that anyone can understand. If in doubt as to if an investigator would know what you are talking about- don't do it!!!
We had a Member Referral this week that we were able to contact. Mitchell in our ward text us last week saying that his friend from work had questions and would like to meet with us. Turns out his friend is married and in the Beaumont Ward Boundaries. We had a lesson with him (Dave) and his wife Christine. IT WAS AMAZING!!! The Spirit there was so strong! It was wonderful to testify to them and they are so eager to learn more. As we started teaching them we talked about the Holy Ghost and how we can recognize it. Then we told them to pay attention to how they felt as we taught. After reciting the First Vision we waited in silence for the Spirit to testify that what we had said was true. After we asked them how they were feeling. Christine said, "I felt the Holy Ghost feel the whole room." Dave said, "That is incredible. I imagined myself right there, kneeling down." They are really excited to learn more. We set up another time to meet with them and explained that other missionaries that covered their congregation would be coming with us next time. It was so great to see their excitement to learn. After, we talked with Mitchell and he explained that he didn't think Dave was that interested in learning more. He thought Dave was just being nice, but during the lesson Dave thanked Mitchell for introducing us to him. To everyone reading this listen up- YOU NEVER KNOW THE IMPACT YOU CAN HAVE. YOU NEVER KNOW WHO IS READY TO HEAR THE GOSPEL. Don't pre-judge people. OPEN YOUR MOUTH!!! I know this principle is true. I have seen it bless multiple people's lives. Start sharing the Gospel!!!
I love you all from the bottom of my heart and more!
Sister Thompson
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Monday, September 17, 2012

September 17, 2012

People I love,
I have officially been a missionary for a whole year now!!!! It's so weird. I feel like I have grown so much and changed for the better. Like I mentioned last week, I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!!! This last year of my life has definitely been the best year for my life so far! I love serving! I don't know if my family will agree with this, but I feel that this last year has gone by SO FAST!! Seriously! I can't believe it!!! I was talking to President Campbell today on the phone and he brought up how he couldn't believe that it's already been a year. He said, "It feels like just yesterday cute little Sister Thompson got off the plane. Full of Missionary fire." Here we are, a year later. Crazy!!! So, to celebrate being a missionary for a year Sister Roberts and I "Melted" Panty Hose. Fact, when set on fire panty hose doesn't burn but melts. So, need less to say it was slightly less epic than we were hoping, but still exciting!!!
Highlights from this week: Raj talked to his parents finally about meeting with missionaries and his decision to get baptized. He was very surprised that it turned out better than he expected. He had an overnight bag packed just in case they kicked him out, but they didn't. His sister showed him a lot of support and his parents said they would have to think about how exactly they felt about it all, but they were loving. Also, his cousin that was sending him Anti stuff stopped and has actually started supporting him and said he thinks he is doing a great thing and wants to attend his baptism. This is huge progress!!! Raj is progressing great!!! It has been a pleasure to teach him.
We were invited by someone in the Southwood Ward to volunteer at a Community League event. As part of our volunteer duties they wanted us to participate and "Advertise" the activities. So, we ate roasted corn, popcorn, cotton candy, got balloon animal hats, played with a parachute and interacted with a ton of people. It was tons of fun! Best service ever!!! :)
The most random thing happened yesterday. We were at Jen's house for dinner and right in the middle of teaching her and Chris, Jen's Stepdad runs in and says, "I think you guys will want to see this" We ran to the window to find a Hot air balloon too close to the house. We ran outside. Turns out they were doing an emergency landing right in front of our house. It was super random. We of course took tons of pictures. :) I hope you enjoy them.
Well, sadly, I don't have anymore time. Know that I love you all and hope this week is fantastic!!!
 
 This is how close it landed to the house. Jen's house is on the left. Crazy!!!
 Sister Thompson with the random hot air balloon
Sister Thompson and Sister Roberts with CHOO CHOO the Clown
Love,
Sister Thompson
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