**AUGUST**

August 1, 2016

We went to the zoo for P-day again. It's always fun!

I can't believe that it is August already! Then again yes I can because its super hot outside!
Miguel has been sick and wasn't feeling good enough to be baptized. He still came to church for sacrament meeting so that was great. So THIS Sunday for sure! 

A dog we saved.  The family had moved out and left their dog there all tied up in the hot sun so we found it food and water.

I went to court on Wednesday. The prosecuter gave me 3 options: the first being that I could still try to fight it against the judge but if I lose, the ticket would be like 400 dollars. The second was to take a driver safety class and pay the court fee and the third option was his "offer" of just paying the court fee and having ten days of probation. I asked him if I could see the video of me driving and after thinking it over I chose the probation. Haha! So Sister Eggett has been driving us around for the last little bit. After we left, one of the Elders was like " Man I'd pay money just to see Sister Thompson go at it again with the prosecutor. That was awesome!" I guess I still have some sass left in me. 

Me vs. Texas

We also had a zone conference this week with our new mission president. It was really good. He talked a lot about the natural man and how to control our thinking. He said that our mind is like a stage. Thoughts come in and thoughts leave. Whether they are good or bad. He says that it is normal to have bad thoughts come in because that's part of the natural man but it's up to us whether we are going to "entertain" those thoughts. He talked about having a song to sing when that happens or a back up plan so to speak because if you don't you will be in trouble. It makes me think of a quote that I like: "It's too late to start digging a well when you are thirsty." So it's being prepared mentally for when unwanted things come onto our stage. Something as simple as a hymn can kick the thought off stage. Bad things don't want to dwell with good things. There is no in between. It was a great zone conference. I enjoyed it. 

Our district at the zoo

We also had the Elders come over to Elizabeth's house with us this week. (Jennifer our recent convert's mom). We had a super good lesson with her. I know that she will one day be baptized but it's more of just a matter of when.

The other day we had lunch with a less active member. He is divorced and lives in south most and so he comes up here every week to feed us. We were talking with him about finding a wife. He said that he only wants the best wife who is strong in the church and has a strong testimony and a calling. I told him that if he wanted a wife like that then he needed to start going to church and doing the same thing! Haha. While we were talking I had the thought to invite him to teach us instead of us teaching him something. I haven't really done that before but I kept fighting with the thought and I knew Sister Eggett was going to kill me but I told him that we wanted him to teach us. He took awhile but finally found a scripture and a story and he shared something with us about obeying the commandments. I wanted him to teach something because a lot of times people know what they need to do and it's easier when they hear it outloud from themselves. And if that didn't help him, it would help him to share the gospel better in the future. After our lesson we left and went on with our day. I apologized to Sister Eggett for randomly changing plans like that and she had had the impression to just go with it- that I knew what I was doing and that I was probably following the spirit. Well later that night when we got home we got a phone call from this member and he thanked us for the things that we talked about. He told us that he had been thinking a lot about it and that we were right. (the Spirit was right). He said that he was going to be better too and try and find a wife. It was a happy moment to see the Spirit talk to all three of us in totally different ways but how connected it was. God is in the details. 

I got a phone call from the STLTs the other day. Sister Eggett answered the phone and they asked for me. My first thought was "Oh no- what did i do?" But it was Sister Hortal (she came out with me) and she was like, "Sister Thompson, guess who i am with?" She was with my greenie in the mission, Sister Castro, who happens to live with Sister Kindall. So I got to talk to them both. Sister Kindall was telling me that she would share stories of Sister Castro in Uncle Drew's sunday school class before she came out on the mission because she had read my blog. It was a little tender moment that I got to talk to them. God has been so good to me in my mission and has let me be a part of so many miracles. I'm super grateful for this work and for second chances. Jesus Christ not only Atoned for our mistakes but so that we could rejoice with Him. I love you all! Thank you for your examples to me! Have a great week!

Love,

Hermana Thompson