Conference for District Leaders

Hola Todos,

So this week was super great like every other week in the mission lol. This week were kind of stuck in the same part of our area the whole week. We would have a cita drop and then we would set one for the next day and that would drop. So basically this week was a vicious cycle of our appointments dropping.

However I got to meet a lot of super cool people and I think we are going to have a lot of success in this next change. I met a Menos Activo named Jose Antonio this Monday. He is a zapatero and super humble and teachable too. We talked with him about Alma 32 and how if we want more knowledge or spiritual power we need to be constantly nurturing our seed of faith through church attendance the scriptures and oracion con verdadera intencion. I also love one member of our ward named Wendy. She teaches seminary, primary, is part of the presidencia de la primaria and she still finds time to help us. For example this Thursday we had to give an entrevista in Chilac for las hermanas. She went out of her way to find another youth to accompany us so she could drive us there. It was like 45 min away I am super grateful to her and how she is always willing to help us.

So that Thursday we had to travel two hours back to puebla for a conferencia with the president for new district leaders. We got stuck in traffic and we arrived a little bit late, but we didn't get in trouble because president stellmon is awesome. The conferencia was about having a vision for you district and how we can make our districts united. I learned a ton and I am excited to apply them to our district this next week. We also got to practice entrevistas that have problems with question 4 (Have you ever committed a crime? Have you spent time in jail for this crime? and other questions like this) with the other district leaders so that was super fun and awkward. We also had super good pizza at the end of the meeting. Then we traveled two hours back to Tehuacán for my first interview in Chilac. I interviewed a kid of 9 years of age named Jesus and he passed. Jesus was baptized this Saturday so that was super cool.

Anyway learning a lot and hopefully I am becoming better too. I hope you all have a great week and that God will bless you all

Adelante con fervor

Tehuacan

Lunes:

Today we went to eat cemitas in a street stand with the elderes from the Guadalupana, Elder Novelo y Elder Gonzalez. After we ate we went to the Gran Abominable in the center of Puebla. It is always interesting to enter but it kind of gives me the creeps of all the art of Christ dying and the saints being killed. I dont know whenever I see a crucifix I always think of the scripture "No esta aqui ha resucitado." Mateo 28:5-6 After the catolica fuimos al Gran Bodega to buy a couple things for the week.

Martes:

I had the opportunity to have an entrevista with presidente stellmon today. He shared two stories that I think we can all use today. First he talked about Hair Coats. En ye olden days monks used to make coats out beaver or otter skin because of the little spines that they have in their fur. They would turn the rough fur inward so that it would rub and irrate their skin. They did this so that every moment they moved the would get pricked and remember that they are sinners and separated from God. He talked about how sometimes we need to turn our coats outward to Christ. He wants us to pick ourselves up dust ourselves off and get moving because we have work to do. Then we started talking about prayer and how powerful our connection is with God. He asked me to ask this question in my nightly prayer, "God what do you want me do?" He then told me a story of a missionary that asked this question. He recieved the distinct impression to clean his bed. At first he thought This is stupid Im not gonna make my bed Im just gonna through the covers back like I always do. He heard make your bed the second time and finally decided to make his bed. While he was making his bed he found a whole lot of trash underneath his bed. He cleaned it up as well and kept making his bed for a few days until his companion decided to make his bed too. Underneath the bed of his companion they found a whole bunch of garbage too. They then realized how dirty their house was and how the spirit could not deal in their apartment. President then told me how sometimes we dont recieve answers to our questions but then testified to me that every time we ask this question we will recieve an answer. No matter how stupid or small the prompting is it is something that God wants us to do and we will grow in the process.

Miercoles:

Intercambios con Elder Novelo. We were basically walking the whole day because everyone was busy, but I learned alot from Elder Novelo. He is about to complete his mission and is a super great elder. One of the things I learned from him is how there are three factors in baptism. Our efforts, the agency of the investigators, and the will of God. Only when all three of these factors is fufilled will our investigators be baptised. Then to finish off the night we ate crappy pizza with ketchup on top with a liter of coca and traded nuestros bandas favoritas de rock alternativo.

Jueves:

The elders from the Guadalupana and us bought 66 blocks of cement to help a member of our ward finish his house. It was super fun that day cementing blocks into walls. Because we only had one cuchillo elder novelo made another one out of a sardine can which worked suprisingly well.

Viernes y Sabado:

Mis ultimos burritos de San Pedro

Domingo:

We finally have a bishop and its hermano Mariene Perez. He is super young but I know he is going to do great. We also went to visit Nicholaus and he estaba bien boracho. So we couldnot teach him but he talked about how when he saw our rostro "countanences" He knew that God existed. It was super sad because I am not in my area anymore to help him. The asistentes called us at 11:30 and told me I am going to tehuacan. After scrambling to get everything together and getting a few hours of sleep we left for the capu and I left Elder Hernandez and took a two hour bus ride watching Dragon Ball z to tehuacan. My new companion is named elder smith just barely finished his training. So we are going to if two gueros pueden vivir in méxico. I´ll let you all know this next week goes.

Love you all Keep smiling and improving,

Elder Thompson

Luis got BAPTIZED

We finally got Luis baptized!!! After his entrevista this Tuesday we set a fecha for this Saturday. It was a trial of our faith and patience on that day. The baptism was scheduled at 4:00 and we arrived at Luis´s house at 3:30 to head to the baptism. We were going fine in his volkswagon beetle until we exited our pueblo at an intersection and the car stopped working. We pushed the car out of the intersection and Luis crossed the street to take a combi back to our pueblo. A combi passed full of people, and another passed, who was not working. He took a bus back to entrance of our pueblo and walked back to a mechanic. They returned and "fixed" the engine and started racing to the baptism. Then the car gave out again and we pulled into an OXXO. We ditched the car and went to the baptism in a bus arriving around 5:30.

It was super cool to see Hmo Luis baptized and confirmed the next day. I know this will help him and his young family. He is such a humble guy and siempre wants to become a better person. Please pray for him to listen to the promptings of his new gift.

We also had the opportunity to teach people with a young man named Joaquin, who just got out of rehab. Please pray for Joaquin to be strong now that he is clean of his old life. It was super fun walking around with Joaquin and meeting his very catholic family. We met his 90 year old grandpa who kept saying that we needed to be sanctified by the Papi. While waving his bible around with 2 pictures of the pope on the cover he said, "I have my bible and you have your Libro de MAMON"...After that we left jajaja

We also had a Conferencia with the president about the atonement. It was super cool studying the scriptures and hearing the insights del Presidente Stellmon. I especially loved the song he showed us written by david Bednar called One by One. It enfasis on how we each have a one on one relationship with our lord. It is super pretty I recommend everyone to listen to it.

I hope you all have a wonderful week. Let me know if you have any questions for me.

Elder Thompson

"Brotherly hands and Determined arms reached into the abyss of death to save us from our fallings and our failings our sorrows and our sins." Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

World Missionary Conference

We did not have to much work this week, but this area should have two baptisms pretty soon. Primero Luis por fin completed his 4 asistencias. We have a fecha set for this Sábado. It has been great getting to know Luis. He was one of the first people I met when I arrived in this area. He is such a humble and willing spirit. If you could all pray for his baptism this week and for his testimony to grow acerca de la Día de Reposo that would be great.

We also got Salvador a entrevista with the president of the stake. This family has gone from inactive to going to church every sunday. I am pretty sure at the end of this month If Salvador completes the goals that he and the stake president set, he can baptise his son Edwin. Estoy super emocionado.

"We may not know when, or how the lord´s answers will be given, but in his time and his way, I testify, his answers will come."

Robert D Hales.

(Sick pics of the entire mission, Yo y mis piñas, Gracias Mama)​

Thompson Bible

Lunes:

Today we were just hanging out in the mall. Finally found contact solution and can finally start wearing contacts again. To end the day we had a Noche de Hogar with the Familia Velaz Flores.

Martes:

We went with Hermano Trujillo to meet a menos activa named Alicia Jemenez. We only shared a scripture and the rest of the time she was talking about how terrible the world is. We tried to talk about how the church can help us through difficulties and is a refuge from the tragedies of the world, but she was still very bitter. It is hard to see people not see how the church can help them. I hope we can progress later in our visits with her.

Miercoles:

Today was the Conferencia Mundial para los Misioneros. We got to watch a panel of Elder Oaks, Elder Bednar, Elder Anderson, and other General Authorities of the church. The most important concept that I was learning about was listening to the spirit during lessons. I think this is one of my problems as a missionary focusing on what I am going to say next. During the lesson I need to focus first on the spirit, second on the spirit, and then I can focus on what I am going to say next. After the conference we had interviews with president which always help me know what to do next to progress.

Jueves:

Today was awesome. We got to go out to a local to eat for our comida with members. We went to a local and ate alot and drank alot of Coca. After we went to have a lesson with Hermano Trujillo and our investigator Luis. Luis just cant seem to make it to church so Hermano Trujillo started basically chastising him and I was just sitting there thinking "Well there goes our investigator". However, I underestimated Luis. He is one of the most humble people I know. He just sat there and said , "You are right I need to go" At the end of the lesson I felt como divine love for him and I had the opportunity to share my testimony with this special spirit. I dont know it was a very cool experience for me.

Viernes:

Went to have a intrevista in the area of the Hermanas in Universidad. We had it in the Seminary building and it was wierd thinking that I am going to something like that after my mission. Oh and the hermanas are going to have a baptism this next week because their golden investigator was found worthy.

Sabado:

We went with Hermano Velaz Flores to meet one of his friends who was not a member. When we arrived we found out that Pedro has had the entrevista bautismal 5 veces. Pedros faith in the church is very strong and he has a very large family. I hope we can help him overcome his problems or por lo menos we can help his family get baptised. We also found a very interesting biblia jajaja

Domingo:

Luis did not go to the reunion sacramental and I was just sitting there thinking que chafa we are going to have to wait another week to baptise Luis. However, he came to the last hour of church and if he goes to the baptism of the hermanas this week he can be baptised. If you all could pray for Luis that he can get baptised this week that would be great.

I love and pray for you all

Elder Thompson

(Thanks for the cookies Jerrica, and I couldnt help but say to myself "Una Biblia; tenemos una Biblia y no necesitams más Biblia")​

Estoy Cansado

Man being a missionary is harder when you dont have your trainer to fix everything for you. It has been a super awesome and tiring week. This qoute has been a huge help from Elder Robert D Hales, "Each of us must go through certain experiences to become more like our Savior. In the school of mortality, the tutor is often pain and tribulation, but the lessons are meant to refine and bless us and strengthen us, not destroy us."

This tuesday Elder Ramirez finished his mission. We had to take him to the mission home and let him start his life again. It was super sad because I loved having two other companions to use for lessons and conversations, but I am happy that Elder Ramirez ended well.

We had a man named Pedro just show up at church last week wanting to know how we worshipped. He did not want us to come to his house, because he was afraid of what his neighbors would think. So we taught him in the church, which was fine by us. I half expected him not to show up, but he did. He looked weighed down with something so we taught el Evangelio de JesuCristo. We were able to teach how repentence can help move out of the past and into the future. Super cool experience, but he does not have a cellphone so he is going to have to contact us again when he wants to have a lesson. Please pray that he contacts us again or goes to church this sunday.

Another cool experience this week was with New investigators. We had along day with alot of citas fell. We decided to pray for some news and the next day we recieved. We went to have a lesson with a member, named Jose. He was talking with his friend and we were able to have a lesson with them both. Also later on that day we went to a tienda to buy some food and the store owner started talking to me in english. We started talking about his life in america and how rough the transistion was back to mexico. Then he started talking about how he met the missionaries before and set a cita with them and they never came. We have a cita with him and he seems like a very prepared investigator. If you could all pray for this investigator named Albero that would be great.

I love you all and hope that you all have a great week

Elder Thompson

Threesome

Lunes:

I went with Elder Ramirez to Plaza Dorada to hang out and wait for our new companero Elder Hernandez. We could not do to much today because of the 6:00 curfew but it was cool to see all the missionaries and friends at the bus stop.

Martes:

One of our recent converts named Wendy finally gave birth to "Zion Valentina (Apiadós)". Super cool to finally see the baby. Their entire family is super happy to have their new addition to the family. Also today's qoute is super cool es de Presidente Gordon B. Hinckley "Sin trabajo arduo, nada va a crecer solo las malas yerbas" I love this quote because it can basically apply to anything. With my area, habits, and investigators. We have to be working hard para obtenener las flores.

Miercoles:

Today we had my first lesson with an abuelita of a family that we always eat with. I kind of know why Elder Clawson and I never went. For some reason older people here love to talk and talk and talk y hablar y platicar y hablar y discursar y hablar un buen. She does not want to get baptised because she is fearful of leaving her childhood religion. At the end of her speech We just said hermana you may have alot of reasons not to be baptised but God has alot more reasons for you to be baptised. Ask him and he will tell you his reasons. And she just sat there silent; the spirit was super powerful. If you could pray for Hermana Lima that she can have the ganas to pray that would be great.

Jueves:

Today ws kind of pointless because we had to spend the day searching for a registro that Elder Clawson miss placed. I thought it was hilarious because the name of the registro was Sherit and my companions had a hard time pronouncing the name. I couldnt stop laughing as I was talking on the phone with our secretary. In the end we never found it, but we bought pity buritos that night.

Viernes:

Day of work Lecciones con Familia Ernandez Ruiz (talked about Elder Nelsons talk on Joy super powerful for todos), Mario y Martha, and Wendy and Rosa

Sabado:

Had our first lección con daniel our taxista. It was good they were receptive all they need to do is pray and receive an answer. Other lessons with Luis, Salvador, y Jose

Domingo:

Luis did not go again so we are going to have to move his fecha again. If you all could pray that Luis can make it to church this week it would be great. He has such a strong testimony and I want to see him baptised. He was however able to go to a Noche de Hogar with us today and I think it was great for him to see how the gospel and families connect.

I love tri-companionships its hillarious to hear everyones jokes and how everyone plays off of eachother. Love you all have a great week. Voy a orar por su exito

Elder Thompson

(Elder Ramirez is the smaller Elder and Elder Hernandez is the other Latino lol,

Elder Slaugh was my roommate in the CCM we are in the same zone for this change)