Goldfish

First off I thank you for sending me the awesome package with Claudia. It helped me out a ton and the snacks were super good. I also had a cool experince using the package in a lesson. After we had left Claudia and her family we went to a cita with the Familia Trifundio (those two girls that we baptised named Esmeralda and Alondra). We decided to recover tithing to help them understand better what they could do with money that they earn. We recieved inspiration to use the goldfish from the package as a representation of money to better explain what tithing is. We gave everyone in the family different numbers of Gold fishes and we then asked them to sort out 10 percent of their goldfish. They really liked how simple everything was and how tasty the Gold fish were. Pretty soon the whole family were open and laughing during the entire lesson, which made it one of my favorite lessons that I have had with them. It was a cool little experince that taught me that God will always give us a gift so that we can bless those around us.

We also had our zone conference this week and it was super great to catch up a little bit with Elder Cruz again (my companion from Huejotzingo). My favorite part of the Conference was talking about the 3 pioneers from the Sweetwater Rescue. It is the story of 3 men that go to rescue a pioneer company trapped in bitter winter conditions. These three men find the company have frozen to death and travel with them until they get to a frozen river. The exhuasted band could hardly stand and much less cross a freezing river on foot. These three men then decided to carry each person one by one over this frozen river sacrificing their energy and warmth to help others. Eventually all three died of hypothermia but they had saved the company. I hope that I can follow their examples of sacrifice. This is a true example of Christlike love.

I hope that you all have a great great week sorry that the email is so short.

Elder Thompson

Family Trifundio

We finally got two of the Family Trifundio baptized. Their names are Esmeralda y Alma. We are hoping that all of their family will reactivate and will remain strong in the gospel. I hope that you all have a great week. 

Baptism

Baptism

I hope that you all are loving life and working super hard as always. Things here in the Mission Mexico Puebla Sur are still going pretty swell. As you can probably see from the photos we have had a few meetings with a few familiar faces. I am extremely grateful for all the great friends that I have gotten to know here. I love joking around and seeing how old we are in the mission with Elder Slaugh and Elder Mills. It is also cool to see and talk to old companions and friends like Elder Clawson, Elder Smith, Elder Montez, Elder Ackerman, and Elder Mangum. The zone of Cholula is also being consistent as we work as a team to meet our goals. This last month we had 6 baptisms and we already have 2 baptisms for april (Super exciting).

I am really grateful that we had the oportunity this last week to baptize a 18 year old Raymundo. The conversion process of Raymundo has been very exciting because he was at first just invited by his friends to seminary, and then right after he was invited to a Family Home Evening where we were attending. He has gone to church consistently for about 6 weeks and has lots of support from the ward. The support of the ward was actually one of the miracles of the week!!!  So many members from our ward came to our baptism that we didnt have enough chairs to fit them all. I am also super happy and excited for Raymundo because their are two other converts named Cesar and Abram (that got baptized a year ago) that are preparing to go on missions. I hope that he can follow the great examples of Cesar and Abram by serving a mission later on as well. I am a little bit sad that my camera is not working to well so I cant send you all photos of his baptism but maybe next week.

The ward of Cocoyotla is such a cool area for me because of the people. One of our investigators named Aranza also wants to get baptized. She went from a street contact to avid investigator that has received all of the mission lessons and is currently treasuring up the Book of Mormon. Aranza also wants to wait to get baptized with her boyfriend, but maybe she will understand that she needs to be an example if you all could pray for her. This is her last trial before she accepts to be baptized on a certain day. Your prayers would be much apreciated! We are also working very hard with the Trifundio family. They went to Young womens camp and the ward is helping them to reactivate and to be baptized. They are also super close to the border of becoming a happy family after their baptism.

I really loved General Conference because my testimony got fortified in some different parts of the Gospel. I do not know if you all felt it, but it was amazing for me to receive a confirming witness of the prophet Russell M. Nelson during the solemn assembly. I actually was a little bit worried during the transmission in January that announced his ministry because I didnt feel the spirit. However I received my witness during this conference and I am excited to see the direction he gives this church. I also received a big testimony of how God gives us answers through general conference. I fasted to know the answers of a few GIANT questions that I have been having and within the first session I received answers to every question.

Here are some key teachings that I think are going to help me alot:

As long as we have the faith the size of a mustard seed we can remove mountains of doubt and fears.

Does God want to talk with me? YES

SERVICE is one of the best ways to receive the Spirit

To show our love to others (including God) we have to be willing to make sacrifices for them TURN OUTWARD NOT INWARD

We should MAGNIFY our calling no matter where we are called or what we are called to (Imagine God telling you your calling personally)

BE MEEK

Hope that you all have a great week and Keep on receiving divine Guidance from God!

Elder Thompson

General Conference

Hey Everyone!

Just wanted to send you all a quick email to let you know what may happen this next week. We are going to baptise Raimundo (the 18 year old, who was invited by his friends to seminary)  this next week. We are super excited and we are hopeful that all works well.

I loved this past general conference. I had the oportunity to fast and pray for the answers to some questions I had and almost all of them got answered in the first session of conference. I know that fasting and the revelation recieved by our prophets can bring us great treasures of wisdom and perspective. I also know that President Nelson is our prophet choosen by God, because I felt his spirit when we ordained him. Up until that point I had not recieved any confirmation that he was our prophet, but I know that he is called of God to lead us to build the kingdom of God.

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

Zone Conference on PDay

I am sorry that this email is a little late, but it is because Presidente Alcala changed our pday to today haha. This last week was super fun and motivating.

On Thursday we had interchanges with the asistentes. I went with Elder Clawson, who was my dad (my first companion that trained me and helped understand how to be a missionary), and we had a great time teaching investigators and catching up. I especially loved eating lunch with Elder Clawson Elder Torres and my companion Elder Urbina because they are all super consecrated Elders and we joked around a ton.

We are also trying to get the three inactive daughters, from the familia Trifundio baptised next week as well. Esmeralda, Alma, and Alondra are super good girls, but I think that the inactivity of their parents confuses them. I am super grateful for the example of my parents, who always put a good example for me in the Church. We are also trying to baptise 18 year old Raimundo, who loves the church. I think it would be awesome if he could be baptised and then serve a mission in a year.

I also wanted to share with you all this verse that I have loved from my personal study in the book of Mormon. I dont have any huge spiritual insights from the verse but I just love how everyone has the chance to come unto Christ.

2 Nephi 26:33 For none of these iniquities come of the Lord; for he doeth that which is good among the children of men; and he doeth nothing save it be plain unto the children of men; and he inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female; and he remembereth the heathen; and all are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile.

Love you all Have a great week

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!!