Esta Temblando!

So yeah my second day here in Izucar we had the huge earthquake, where one of the epicenters was ten minutes from our house... so that was fun. Luckily we were not hurt and no one we knew got hurt or killed. There are a few people that had some damage to their houses though. Alot of the city center got trashed as well because the buildings are old and made out of clay and rocks. Alot of the old Catholic buildings have had some damage as well...but more on the earthquake later.

Im in Izucar de Matamoros with my new companion Elder Mills. He is a super cool missionary and we were actually in the CCM together. Its has been awesome catching up and talking about life in the mission. I also really like my new area because it is alot like Huejotzingo. The only problem is that it is super hot every day. I have been sweating buckets since I have gotten here because I think its like 85 degrees every day. However the city is very pretty and tradicional and it has Dominos pizza which is great as well. It also has all the great stuff of mexico like borrachos that try to talk to us in english, stray dogs, and people that say guero at every turn jaja.

My second day in Izucar we left the house and started visiting people. In one of our lessons we were teaching a woman named Luisa (who is preparing to be baptised) in her economic kitchen about the Holy Ghost. Right as we were about to share a scripture in Mosiah 4: 2 to 3 another woman ran through the kitchen screaming "¡Esta temblando Esta Temblando!" Then we noticed how everything in the room started shaking up and down like we were in Coke bottle getting shaken up. The hermana Luisa ran out screaming, while her bottles of coke fell and exploded on the floor. Elder Mills and I walked slowly out of the trembling building to see the whole street of buildings shaking. It is was super weird because I didnt feel like I was in the earthquake just watching it, maybe we were in shock. After about 30 seconds everything was pretty calm again. After that we spent the rest of the day just visiting people and trying to locate all the members. We also didnt have signal but we also managed to get contact with all the missionaries. It took us until nine to get in contact with all of the missionaries here in Izucar.

For the past couple days we have found alot of people scared in their houses with their families. We have been able to share some scriptures that are in the Book of Mormon for times like these in Helaman 5 that talk alot about the comfort of the spirit. These words I think have helped alot of the new people that we have found, our investigators, and also alot of the members. No matter what happens we just need to focus in on the fundamentals of Christ to make it through these perilous times.

We have also done alot of service like helping people clean up collapsed houses and moving alot of furniture out of unsafe houses. It has been a huge blessing seeing all of the help arriving from other states. There have even been some people that have come all the way from Monterrey to help everyone here. We have had the oportunity to serve with some of them. 

Elder Mills and I also had the opportunity to share talks later on that week during the sacrament meeting. It was cool to share what happened to our ward during the Black Forest fire. The revelations that our Bishop recieved to clean up all of the pine needles and also all of the service after the disaster. Although I was not affected by the forest fire it was cool to share the experiences of my friends and also all of the service and help that our ward did to help one another. I was and still am truly blessed for all of the people that I knew in the Blackforest Ward.

We also recieved a ton of materiales from members from all around Mexico right after our Sacrament Meeting. It was super great to see and help give food and other necesities to our ward. Also a great experience to pack up trucks to send out to other branches and wards in the zone. It was super cool to see how fast and powerful our church can help people.

I know that this is the only true church and the people really do try to build their foundation over the rock of Christ. I know that he lives and loves every one of us

Love you guys!!!

Elder Thompson

Bendiciones...Bendiciones en todos lados

First of all I want to tell all of you that I love you all and I am praying for your safety. There have been alot of natural disasters lately and my companion Elder Cruz has gotten into the habit of sharing Helamen 5:12...

And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty stormshall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.

My mission has taught me alot about how to rely on the rock and how to work together with family, companions, members, investigators, and all different types of people to make sure that we all return home safely. Something that I have learned alot here in Huejotzingo is how to love and have strong relationships with people. I am so thank ful that God has placed every person here in my life and I am also super grateful for the impact all of you have made on my life helping me build on the rock of Christ.

First off the day of the earthquake Elder Cruz and I got back to the house super tired so after making a few calls with some missionaries we went straight to bed. I have no idea how but Elder Cruz and I slept through the earthquake and I slept very well. Everyone was joking with us the next day that our Beds were levating in the rapture, or that we are not sinners so were not worried for our sins and the end jajaja and thats why we didnt wake up but who knows. After making sure that everyone was fine in Nealtican we got another phone call from our asistente. He started telling me that there was an emergency that the volcanoe that is in our area was going to explode. After I started yelling at Elder Cruz to start calling everybody again the asistente told me laughing that nothing was going to happen. So that woke me up too!

We were also able to participate in the baptism of Roberto, who shared a super awesome testimony about eternal families after the ordananza. I think I have said before that listening to testimonies after baptisms is my favorite part of these meetings. The brothers and sisters are so clean, hopeful, and motivated to follow the will of Christ. We are hoping to get Roberto ready to recieve the Priesthood real soon and get him excited to get sealed with his family in the temple. He has come a long way from when we found him and I am super thankful that God has been preparing him all this time for his baptism. In the picture Roberto is the tall mexican in white and hermano Jehova is the shorter mexican in white. They are both some of the funniest and humblest men I know.

I love you all and I am so thankful for all of your love and support. Keep fighting the good fight

Elder Thompson