Que Chula Cholula

Hey Everybody I have been doing great here in Cholula!! And I am going to get right into the people that we have the privilege of visiting because I don't have to much time.

We are still trying to help the Familia Trifundio to get back to Church. They are a family of 6 that stopped going to church a few years ago. We found them in the old registers of teaching and started visiting them a few weeks ago. They have three girls that are at the age of baptism and we are hoping to baptize them this Saturday. We have not been able to find them for about 2 weeks, but we have been praying and fasting alot for them. We hope that they can overcome their fear to come back so that they can be happy again.

We also got to know the friend of a member named Raimundo. One of his friends started inviting him to come to seminary and after Raimundo´s first time he has kept on going. His friend also gave him a Book of Mormon that he has started reading and he has lots of good questions. Raimundo loves coming to church and has accepted to be baptized, but we are still waiting to hear the specific date that he would like to be baptized on. It is really cool to see how during church all the members come and get to know him and helping him to realize that this is the true church.

We also contacted a young adult named Aranza and she is loving the lessons as well. We try to answer all her questions with the lessons like the Restauration and the Plan of Salvation. It was a cool experience to teach her about the life after this world to help her understand where her mom is. She has also accepted to be baptised and is going to tell us a specific date later on.

We have also been teaching a lot of immigrants here in Mexico. We have taught a woman from Italy named Giuliana, who loves the Book of Mormon because it explains Gods plan for us so simply. We also found a man from Korea named Yohan that has looked for a church that would be the same in every country. (apparently the part of Korea where he is from changes Christianity a lot with their strong culture).

It has been very cool to see how many prepared people God has put around us. We are working hard and hoping that these people will receive their answers from God that this is the one true church.

Love you all and hope that you have a great week!!

Raimundo

Hey Everybody I have been doing great here in Cholula!! And I am going to get right into the people that we have the priviledge of visiting because I dont have to much time.

We are still trying to help the Familia Trifundio to get back to Church. They are a family of 6 that stopped going to church a few years ago. We found them in the old registers of teaching and started visiting them a few weeks ago. They have three girls that are at the age of baptism and we are hoping to baptise them this Saturday. We have not been able to find them for about 2 weeks, but we have been praying and fasting alot for them. We hope that they can overcome their fear to come back so that they can be happy again.

We also got to know the friend of a member named Raimundo. One of his friends started inviting him to come to seminary and after Raimundo´s first time he has kept on going. His friend also gave him a Book of Mormon that he has started reading and he has lots of good questions. Raimundo loves coming to church and has accepted to be baptised, but we are still waiting to hear the specific date that he would like to be baptised on. It is really cool to see how during church all the members come and get to know him and helping him to realize that this is the true church.

We also contacted a young adult named Aranza and she is loving the lessons as well. We try to answer all her questions with the lessons like the Restauration and the Plan of Salvation. It was a cool experience to teach her about the life after this world to help her understand where her mom is. She has also accepted to be baptised and is going to tell us a specific date later on.

We have also been teaching alot of imigrants here in Mexico. We have taught a woman from Italy named Giuliana, who loves the Book of Mormon because it explains Gods plan for us so simply. We also found a man from Korea named Yohan that has looked for a church that would be the same in every country. (aparently fthe part of Korea where he is from changes Christianity alot with their strong culture).

It has been very cool to see how many prepared people God has put around us. We are working hard and hoping that these people will recieve their answers from God that this is the one true church.

Love you all and hope that you have a great week!!

Thats all Folks...sorry dont have time

Familia Trifundio

I hope that you all had a fantastic week! Everything is going very well here in Cholula. We are still working hard with the Familia Trifundio and a teenager named Edson. They both have baptismal dates for the 24 of March. The Familia Trifundio have gone to church 2 times and we just barely had our first Family Home Evening with other members. The dad is the only one that we need to convince so that Almadelia, Esmeralda, y Alondra can be baptised. Edson we are still trying to get to come to church, but he has a some great friends in the church to help him out.

I am super excited for this next change because I get to stay in Cocoyotla with Elder Urbina. We are hoping to help all the missionaries realize that they are in charge of the miracles that can happen in this change. Everyone is pretty excited and we have put some pretty high goals so we can all work hard. We are focusing on finding teaching and baptising families this change.

These past few weeks I have been thinking alot about how we are all in charge of what is going on our lives. We can decide if we are going to be happy or what type of life we are going to live. I especially liked this verse that I found in Mormon 9:27-28

27 O then despise not, and wonder not, but hearken unto the words of the Lord, and ask the Father in the name of Jesus for what things soever ye shall stand in need. Doubtnot, but be believing, and begin as in times of old, and come unto the Lord with all your heart, and work out your own salvation with fear and trembling before him.

28 Be wise in the days of your probation; strip yourselves of all uncleanness; ask not, that ye may consume it on your lusts, but ask with a firmness unshaken, that ye will yield to no temptation, but that ye will serve the true and living God.

We are in charge of working out our own salvation with the tools that God has given us here on the earth. The main tool being the atonement of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is amazing for me to think that what I choose is what will bring my destiny. I also really liked this qoute from Dieter F. Uchtdorf this General Conference

Perhaps you don’t consider yourself all that useful; perhaps you don’t consider yourself a blessing in somebody’s life. Often, when we look at ourselves, we see only our limitations and deficiencies. We might think we have to be “more” of something for God to use us—more intelligent, more wealthy, more charismatic, more talented, more spiritual. Blessings will come not so much because of your abilities but because of your choices. And the God of the universe will work within and through you, magnifying your humble efforts for His purposes.

The most successful people out there in the world are there for their decisions. They were working out their salvation and when what they planed didnt work out the made another choice to keep on working out their salvation. Right now alot of these people are intelligent, wealthy, charismatic, talented, and spiritual but they did not have that to begin with. They had their self dedication that led them to other qualities. You could say that dedication to make the things right is the keystone of all their atributes, and habits. I also really liked this poem that Elder Ackerman put on his agenda this last change. I think that my favorite scriptures apply to these thoughts as well.

Invictus

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BY WILLIAM ERNEST HENLEY

Out of the night that covers me,

      Black as the pit from pole to pole,

I thank whatever gods may be

      For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance

      I have not winced nor cried aloud.

Under the bludgeonings of chance

      My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears

      Looms but the Horror of the shade,

And yet the menace of the years

      Finds and shall find me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,

      How charged with punishments the scroll,

I am the master of my fate,

      I am the captain of my soul.

13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but thisone thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

14 I ^apress toward the mark for the ^bprize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

15 Let us therefore, as many as be ^aperfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

Anyways sorry for that big huge rant just wanted to let you all know what I have been studying and what I have been thinking about. Have a great week!!!

Our Lives are like a Chessboard

Things are pretty exciting here in Cholula right now. There are a bunch of HueHues running around the city dressed up to celebrate the 5 de Mayo and Carnival. They are always shooting their super loud fake guns, but it is cool to see their cool costumes.

I have also really liked this last week because we have been working super hard with the zone and in our own area. We were able to bring a menos active family named la familia trifundio to church this last weekend. Their three daughters could be baptised if they keep on warming up to the church. We really hope that we can help them with their testimony through Family home evening nights. It is cool to see how many people God has placed in our path this change.

God placed another family for us to teach called the family Tellez. They really want to help their alcholic son change and I think during our first lesson with them God guided us so that they could believe that we are servants of the Lord. We taught about patience and how the Lord can make us instruments in his hands. I had actually studied Alma 17: 11 the day before and I was happy to have another experience of the Lord guiding our steps.

I hope you all can have a great week and keep seeing the Lords hand in your lives.

Our lives are like a chessboard, and the Lord moves us from one place to another—if we are responsive to spiritual promptings. Looking back, we can see His hand in our lives. Ronald A. Rasband

Love you all

Elder Thompson

Los Fuertes

Hey Todos espero que están teniendo un buen día. Hoy tuve una bonita experiencia en los fuertes. Establecemos como zona la meta de regalar Libros de Mormón a las personas mientras exploramos los fuertes. Después de ver los buenos testimonios de las hermanas en sus contactos, escribí mi testimonio en el libro. Al terminar mi testimonio de la vida y como podemos tener felicidad vimos un hombre sentado en un banco como 50 metros de nosotros. Nos acercamos y Elder Urbina empezó a hacer muchas preguntas inspiradas. Aprendimos que el hombre estuvo en el parque para tranquilizarse de su trabajo y la vida en general. Me emocione un buen porque apenas acababa de escribir mi testimonio de estas cosas algunos minutos antes. Testificamos junto con Moroni en Eter 12 que los desafíos de la vida nos ayuda a acercarnos mas con nuestro Padre Celestial. Antonino , el contacto, estuvo sorprendido con nuestro regalo pero muy agradecido y nos prometió a leer el Libro de Mormón. Mientras estuvimos regresando con nuestro grupo vimos El abriendo el libro y empezando a leer. Estuvo bien padre a ver cuan exacto es nuestro Señor. Amo esta obra y espero seguir mejorando en mi exactitud para ayudar mas a los misioneros de Cholula y las personas a mi alrededor.

His Hand in Our Lives

Hey everybody.

First I just wanted to share a poem that has been on my mind this week.

Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer

Thought it scarcely worth his while

To waste much time on the old violin,

But held it up with a smile:

“What am I bidden, good folks,” he cried,

“Who’ll start the bidding for me?”

“A dollar, a dollar”; then, “Two!” “Only two?

Two dollars, and who’ll make it three?

Three dollars, once; three dollars, twice;

Going for three—” But no,

From the room, far back, a gray-haired man

Came forward and picked up the bow;

Then, wiping the dust from the old violin,

And tightening the loose strings,

He played a melody pure and sweet

As a caroling angel sings.

The music ceased, and the auctioneer,

With a voice that was quiet and low,

Said, “What am I bid for the old violin?”

And he held it up with the bow.

A thousand dollars, and who’ll make it two?

Two thousand! And who’ll make it three?

Three thousand, once, three thousand, twice,

And going, and gone!” said he.

The people cheered, but some of them cried,

“We do not quite understand

What changed its worth.” Swift came the reply:

The touch of a master’s hand.”

And many a man with life out of tune,

And battered and scarred with sin,

Is auctioned cheap to the thoughtless crowd,

Much like the old violin.

A “mess of pottage,” a glass of wine,

A game—and he travels on.

He’s “going” once, and “going” twice,

He’s “going” and almost “gone.”

But the Master comes, and the foolish crowd

Never can quite understand

The worth of a soul and the change that’s wrought

By the touch of the Master’s hand.29

I have been thinking about this poem because I know that wherever we are or whatever circumstance we are in God can make beautiful music with what we got if we let him. I know that we can also be like the savior and help others see the music inside of them that they cant see.

Elder Urbina and I had a few experiences this week that were sweet music to us. The first experience that we had was meeting a man in the street named Oscar (22 looks like a gangster) that started off asking us how much we got paid. jaja. After explaining to him that we are not paid and that we serve off our own time and money we were able to teach him about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. After explaining how we can be made clean through baptism he accepted the invitation to be baptised. We are excited to keep working with him and helping him to reach his potential.

We also had a day where we were walking for what seemed like forever and were not finding anybody of our regular investigators. So we decided to contact a 8:55 and we knocked on the door of a house and man answered us coldly, but we managed to get a cita. After that it was then 9:00 the hour to head home, but Elder Urbina told me we needed to contact one more house. With exhuasted feet dragging there way up to a house with a light on we knocked on the door. A teenager opened the door and started talking to us until his father arrived with a cold look on his face. After talking with him for a minute he smiled and said, "I have never wanted to talk with guys until this moment. I cant explain it I just feel good right now" He went on to say things like this for 3 min and I know that the spirit was testifying to him hard core. Alfredo seems to have a family super prepared and we are super excited to talk to him this week.

I love you all and I hope we can all keep on practicing the violin to become more like our Master

Elder Thompson