HOLA!!

I'm getting so bad at keeping the days and weeks straight! Things are starting to cool down a little bit here and by cool down I mean that it's starting to be in the 90s. 

The kids

Family and friends

On Sunday we had a baptism! Well 3 actually! I don't even remember what I have and haven't told y'all. We have been going through the ward list. We found a less active lady named
Sister Montez a few weeks back. She got married when she was 14. She is in her 40's now and her husband isn't a member; just her. She has a daughter that is on drugs and things and lives in Houston.  Her daughter's name is April.  April has 4 kids. Ramiero, Abigail, Timmy and Angel. These kids have been in and out of foster care until finally Sister Montez was able to get custody of them in January.  Her grand kids are technically her kids now.  We have had so much fun teaching them and getting to know their cute little family.  Sister Montez tells us that it's God's way of giving her a second chance, to raise these kids. At the baptism we were all kind of talking afterwards and Elder Thompson was playing a song on the piano. I was talking with Ram about something and he stopped in mid-sentence and his eyes got really big and he looks at me and says, "I had a dream about this!"  It happened a long time ago and he hadn't remembered until Elder Thompson was playing the song because the song was in his dream about his baptism.  It was a cool little tender mercy.  Ram also has some crazy dreams that he has shared with us. I wish I had that gift! I need to write them all down. The only spiritual dream I have had was the night I decided to start my mission papers. I told Elder Thompson our district leader about it and he told me to study the significance of what it means, so I have been working on that.  

Riding away from the sunset

Our district

Things this week have been up and down. I've had a little mid-life mission crisis the past week or two but I'm pushing through. I kind of went into a mini-depression and started to second guess things.  It's amazing how good Satan is at his job. I've seen miracles, helped people and touched lives but yet I'm still so weak and how he uses that and knows that!  It's amazing how fragile our spirits are. How much we have to take care of them and be aware of our spiritual needs as well.  I'm learning day by day how to turn my weaknesses into strengths. I think the Lord has blessed me with depression and A.D.D to become humble and to be a learner.  It's the hardest thing I have ever done! I have a long way to go! I'm learning a lot this transfer and hopefully growing too.

I love you all. I hope that your week goes great!
Love Hermana Thompson

Homemade basketball hoop!

Teaching them how to duck face!

I'm LEAGAL!!!!!!

Thanks for all the birthday wishes, y'all are the best! With the new transfer I was planning on not telling anyone that it was my birthday yesterday because I just wanted to focus on others and have a normal day. Ya know? Just a day to myself. Kinda like when Harry Potter sits on the dirt floor by himself and blows in the dirt and says "Happy birthday Harry" (that reference was for you Landon) but the subject got brought up and so I tried to tell everybody that I didn't have a birthday but they were all bugging me about it and it was more distracting than actually telling them, so I finally told them. I actually forgot it was my birthday until half way through ward council my companion leaned over towards me like super wide eyed and stared at me, so I was like "What?" she whispers "Happy birthday!!" For my celebration we sat in a trailer park crunched in between two little trailer houses at a little homemade table covered in ants and ate tamales with my hands, accompanied by a 60 year old man who told me he wanted to wait for me after my mission so that he could be my boyfriend. Not what I was imagining for my 21st Birthday but basically as good. I got the flag and the package from Sara when we went to transfers:) Thank you so much! The drawings from the chillins were adorable! I hung some up:) But the others I haven't gotten yet! Probably sometime this week. Maybe. Who knows.

Enjoying lunch with the ants on the sidewalk 

Welp, as y'all know I got transferred. It still doesn't feel real. Yes, Paco actually cried when he said goodbye to me, I bet he didn't tell you that part;)  Norma was extremely sad when we told her as well. You could tell she was holding back tears. I promised that I would come back and visit her. So plan a trip to Texas next fall Madre:) We also had 9 investigators who had come to church at least 2 times each, some of them more. I was really,really hoping that they wouldn't white wash that area but I know it will be taken care of. I'm super hurt to leave all of those great people behind but I know I fulfilled what the Lord wanted me to do in La Joya. Right now I am in San Benito North. In the Harlingen Zone. We are over the Spanish branch. Our area is basically the hood. There are a lot of gangs in our area and most of the houses look like crack houses. Every body we talk to always asks us "Aren't you guys afraid of walking out here??" I always say "No? should we be?" then they always tell us that they don't know... it's really weird. It's funny because Sister Lance when we first became companions last transfer told me that she hopes that I go here because she thought that I would like it. Well, here I am! Crazy. Sister Lance became an STL in Brownsville. They also just started this new thing in the mission this transfer called STLTs. They are the trainers of the sister training leaders. So basically they are the Sister Assistants to the President. And guess who they live with!!!! ....Yep. Me and my comp. I jokingly told them that they put them to live with us so that they could keep an eye on us. They laughed and told us no it's because we are the only ones who could handle it! Maybe both are true;) So they are in charge of all the STLs and then.. me and my companion. ALSO!  We don't have a car.  We are in an all biking area. My legs are already getting so buff or I'm just getting fat one of the two. It's not biking that's hard, it's biking in 100 degree weather that's awful. Everyone and their mom is always like "It's really hot today, aren't you guys dying riding those bikes?" We are just standing there on their porch dripping in sweat. It's super gross. I stink all of the time. My new companion is Sister Whitten. She is from Blackfoot Idaho. So that's pretty cool. We get along really well.

my trainer and her trainer with her trainer

I was the lucky one crammed in the back with all the suitcases 

It's been kind of a hard adjustment because I don't know the area or the people and so I feel like I'm not really doing anything, but we have just got into it and we have already found some miracle people. I'll tell more about it next week when there is more to tell and because of time. Basically we found the most prepared guy I have ever talked to and we set baptismal dates for him and his three kids. I'm praying to know why I am in this area. I have some ideas but only time will tell. Things are going well though. Sorry this letter is super lame. I forgot my planner with all the cool stuff that happened. Thank you all for the birthday wishes and thoughts and prayers. I love you all have a good week!!

Hermanita Thompson

 the biggest spider of my life. no joke was the size of my hand. in our apartment!!!

HELLO!!!!

This Transfer flew by! Gee wilikers!  We still haven't heard whether we are getting transfered or not.  I'm sure you will just call Paco anyway;) I really am hoping I get to stay in this area for one more. I could actually serve my whole mission here and be fine. Right now we have 9 investigators who have been to church. They all are amazing and all have their struggles we are trying to push through but then again who doesn't. It's been a privilege to be able to help them and bless their lives with the gospel. They are all so close to baptism too. I really would love to be here for those but I guess that's not my choice! I could literally see it going either way. I'm not going to be surprised by what happens. I am nervous to say the least.

Did the nurse ever call you mom? I think I am going in for an MRI on my shoulder sometime soon. No biggie but it still hurts and I want a second opinion on it. The other day I laid on my bed and cried for an hour because of it. (lame I know) I talked with one of our members who is a PA and he told me that even though the nerve is destroyed from the accident and it's not doing it's function it could still be signaling my brain that there is pain. They can go in and do steroid shots to make me buff jk or they can go in and do stuff with the nerve to make it stop. We just got a new mission nurse and she is being kind of dumb about it all but I don't think she realizes how much discomfort I'm in. I'd rather fix it out here or at least deal with it for a year and just know what it is through the MRI, if I have to, rather than have to come home or anything. It's hard to focus on others when you physically don't feel well.  I just want to be at my top notch potential and so I don't know what the nurse's deal is but she has to go through a bunch of people. I told her like a week ago.  I'm taking it day by day. I'm trying to handle it but I just wanted to let you know so you don't crap your khakis. I guess call her if you want to know anything else.

Enough about my silly problems. I had my first Spanish dream the other day. That was a really weird feeling! I can understand almost everything that people say but speaking it is another story. They get what I'm saying but I definitely sound like a white girl.

This week Sister Lance got a hair cut by one of the members (I told her it was a bad idea but she didn't listen!) I told her that I am going to let my hair grow my entire mission. Mostly because I only trust Lisa to cut my hair:) picky I know.  This lady cut layers in Sister Lance's hair and when I  say layers I mean one layer. I told her it looks like she got a bob and has a mullet at the same time! I call it the bullet hair style. She didn't think I was funny and cried about it. We can laugh now. (I think it's still a touchy subject)  The next day after her hair cut we parked our car and were talking for a minute about her hair. Usually we just pray and get out but as we were sitting there I noticed some dust kind of blowing but didn't think anything of it then Sister Lance was like, "Is that dust or smoke?"  I looked out my window and saw that it was smoke so I was like "Drive drive drive!!"  We hurried and pulled the car up and got out and because it was so hot outside and we were parked on some like dead hay/grass that was on the side of the road, it caught on fire!  If Sister Lance hadn't have gotten an awful hair cut we wouldn't have stayed in the car for a minute to talk/laugh about it and our car would have blown up!  We were definitely being watched over! I think that God has a sense of humor in the ways he helps us! Whether it's me falling through the roof the other week like a Loony Tune cartoon or whether it;s getting an awful hair cut, it all tends to work out. One of our members the other day had something bad happen. I wont go into detail because of time but basically she didn't listen to the Holy Ghost and had a scare with the police but they ended up letting her go.  I told her "I think sometimes God has to scare the crap out of us in order to allow us to learn and prepare for other/bigger trials!" It's so true! Sometimes I know I complain about dumb situations like "Why did that have to happen?" but it's really just God looking out for us. Once we recognize why, is the truly amazing part. I'm just glad it wasn't my hair this time;)

Norma is having some trials in her family. It's been really hard for me to see her go through them. She had her son-in--law and her daughter and their two kids living with her in her trailer. Her son-in-law is a monster; it took every fiber of my being to not kick the door down and punch his face in. One time he pushed Norma down in the rocks and the neighbors saw what happened and called the police but Norma lied to the police because she was worried that they would take her daughter too because her daughter saw what had happened and didn't do anything.  The other day they were sitting in the room watching TV and the son-in-law comes and and just starts spanking his daughter and wailing on her.  Norma freaked out and was like, "What are you doing that for?!" and he said it was because she was in watching TV with them and he didn't want her in there..... the little girl is about 3. She hadn't done anything wrong.

Norma also told us that he would push her husband down before he died. Even when he was sick with cancer and blind.  This is a little bit of how heart crushing her situation is. I told her that the police cannot do anything to her daughter in a situation like that and that I think she needs to call the police next time. The night I told her that her son-in-law pulled a machete on her son and so Norma called the police! They didn't arrest him which was stupid but they told him that he can't come back.  Norma's daughter decided to go with him and they took their kids too. We went over on Sunday after church because Sister Coronado told us what happened. Norma is really sad about everything mostly because of her grand kids and she is sick too. I think she has kidney stones and she is in a lot of pain. On top of that her daughter was the only one with a job. She would buy the food and pay the bills. Sometimes the son-in-law wouldn't let them eat (Norma and her 2 other sons that live there) and so she would go without food for who knows how long.
It destroys my heart to see her go through all of these trials. She is still so strong and especially in the Gospel! It's the hardest feeling in the world for me because I feel so powerless. I want to buy her food and an air conditioner. I want to give her everything!  Anything to make her life a little easier and a little less hellish. I may not be able to help her with her worldly problems but I hope I made a big enough difference to help her with her eternal happiness. Norma is why I want to stay here. She is the strongest lady I have ever met. And to see how happy the Gospel has made her, seeing and knowing every past event she has gone through in her life and how the Gospel can change a person has been a miracle. It shows how it doesn't matter what trial or events take place it's only through Christ where we can find true happiness. You can search forever and you wont find it any other way. Our trials will pass either way. They are a lot less heavy when you go through them the right way. Always look toward the light. That's where true happiness is.

I hope you all have a good week. I love you and you're in my prayers:)
Love, Hermana Thompson

Hola my Peeps

WHHHAATT UPPPPP GORDITAS!!!!  We just ate gorditas so I had to say that. 

Virgin Mary wall art

We are the hottest bikers out there

I have some crazy stories to share with y'all hoy.  And by stories I mean miracles of course. I always dislike writing them because I can't get in all the details I want because of time. Also I'm just a much better story teller in person; let's be honest.  Pretty much what I'm going to tell is just from one day. The rest of the week wasn't as cool.  On Tuesday we had our meetings and what not then we went over to a members house who was going to feed us lunch but she had to go to Mexico so she gave us a pan of rice and chicken with some tortillas to take.  We found a place to eat them; in a nice abandoned parking lot. It was so so hot! (this week was in the 100s the entire week no joke).  We also didn't have forks or spoons so we ate it with our hands; even the rice. I told my companion that we looked like well-dressed homeless people.  After we ate we had a bunch left over so we were like, "Hey, let's go give it to Norma and her family because they don't really have food. So we went up there and I handed her the pan and she was SO happy. She was telling us that her son literally was just complaining to her that he was hungry! My companion and I looked at each other like **dang not a coincidence (that look ya know?)** So we sit down on the porch as usual and we asked her how her day has been and how she has been since the baptism. She was telling us about her day and then she was like, "Yeah, I showered but I haven't washed my hair yet since the baptism because I wanted to let it(the water?) sit in (this is on Tuesday). It was the most adorable thing I had ever heard of. I  forgot to ask her how long she waited to wash her hair. I'll let you know next week. So we gave her props for that. I told her just to never wash it again.  Hopefully, she knew I was kidding;)

Norma and me. That's the chihuahua I kicked in the middle of the lesson like my first week here.  We finally
are friends although I'm pretty sure it still has pulga

I look nuts but Sister Thompson looks pretty cute

Norma tells us that after the baptism last week she was talking more with Sister Coronado about her husband and her daughter that have both passed away. She was asking her more about baptisms in the temple and things like that because we had just taught it to her. She told us that Miguel Coronado (the son of her member friend) wants to do the baptism for her husband.  Norma was like "Sisters, I don't know anybody who can do it for my daughter. Do you know anybody who can, on the same day or something?" We were kind of thinking and I realized that Miguel is up at BYUI right now!! So I told her that my mom would love to do the baptismal work for her daughter and that she could go meet up with Miguel and do the daughter and dad together!! So Mom, will you be a missionary for my converts daughter? ..... Okay thanks:) They will get in touch with you soon. The son of her best friend and the mom of her missionary! Just when I thought God's tender mercies were beaming on us, they were about to get better!

What we do

That sunset

We continued to talk and Norma tells us that the night of her baptism (Sunday night to Monday) her daughter had a dream. In her dream her dad (the man Miguel is going to be baptized for) appeared to her and said "Viridiana, I FINALLY found the light." Then he turned around and walked into a bright light and disappeared. We continued to talk to Norma and I had the thought, "Sing the song from the baptism." So I leaned over to my companion and I said, "Hey, let's sing for her".

**So a really quick back story before I finish that.  At the baptism the missionaries sang a song while Norma got dressed and ready.  When she came back in the conductor was kind of starting to close the meeting. My companion leaned over to me and says "We have to sing another song for Norma." I was like "Okay, which one?" She was like Divina Luz. And in my head I was thinking, "What the heck. That's random." We stopped who was conducting and told him we are singing again. So we sang that song for her "spontaneously"  **

We pull out our hymn books and open to the song that we sang at the baptism and it wasn't until that moment on the porch looking at the words to that song that it wasn't a coincidence that we sang it at the baptism and that we were about to sing it for her then. It's, "Lead kindly Light" in English. The words in Spanish are like talking about how the night is dark and how he didn't have faith for awhile but then he found the light and now he is going to have firm feet and make it back to his celestial home.  It was as if they were her husbands words to her in that moment after her baptism, the dream of him finding the light and again when we sang to her on the porch.

One side is America and the other is Mexico and in the middle is a giant Texas 

I don't think we realize how much help we are getting from the other side. especially from God. Each and every moment, good or bad has its purpose. It's up to us whether we recognize them, learn from them or just simply let them pass by. His hand is there. It's our choice whether we want to grab it or not. Whether we open the door to let Him in. It's simple things like listening to the spirit like in my story, just by singing a simple song or to recognize an answer from a dream. It's the primary answers and the little things that all add up to become a big miracle. You wont regret listening but you'll always regret not listening. Let him in and listen! He is there! He has been the whole time. HE LIVES! Look for him!!

I love you all. Have a good week. Don't forget to take a second and listen:)
Hermana Thompson

Our popsicles match our outfits

I caught a frog and brought him inside to study with me 

Our zone

Whaaaaat Uuuuppppp!

HEY FAM!!!!!!

Our week was awesome! First. My recent convert Genesis went to the temple and did baptisms with the youth of the ward! I was sad I couldn't go! But so so excited for her! Second my other recent convert Eber, got the Aaronic priesthood yesterday:) And Norma was also baptized yesterday as well!! The service was beautiful. My companion and I stood on the side of the font and held her towel for her when she came out. I wrapped her up and then she just began to sob. She was so happy that now she was clean.  She has changed SO much from the first day I met her.  It was my first night in the mission. We went to the end of our area to the Coronados house (a member) when we got there and we sat outside of their little tiny camp trailer, in the dark of the night with a the dimmest light you ever did see. Sister Coronado introduced us to Norma that night. Norma is this tiny little Hispanic lady. The wrinkles on her face you knew where of a thousand stories.  She just looked so hurt and fragile.  I remember the lesson we had that night was about courage.  Looking back, Norma has showed me exactly what courage means.

Sister Coronado has sent the missionaries by her for 8 years. Norma would never accept a baptismal date or really listen much.  She has a daughter who passed away when she was 12.  A few years later, her husband began to become ill with diabetes. It got so bad that he eventually couldn't see.  About two years ago Sister Coronado took Norma and her sick husband to Family Home Evening at the church one night. Norma's husband told her that if he were to join any church it would be this one. He soon became more ill and passed away.  Norma currently lives with her grown kids in this trailer. She can't find work. They don't have much food.

One day she finally agreed to let us teach her. We did our normal lessons and such but I remember going over there after maybe 4 or 5 times of teaching her and when she opened the door she looked so much younger. It caught me off guard so bad! There were less wrinkles in her face! Her eyes lit up as if she were the happiest person in the world! She physically and mentally had that pain taken away from her! The change was like from night to day. I had never seen anything like it. The Gospel does amazing things to people. It has been a privilege being a part of seeing that change in her and helping her to recognize God's hand in her life and how loved she is.

Saturday night we taught her about temples and that how her husband and daughter can be baptized too. Just like her. She was so surprised and happy and relieved. it was the coolest message we could share with somebody like her. I told her that I felt that her daughter and husband were helping orchestrate this from the other side. That she is going to be taken care of.  After her baptism was the most precious thing I have ever seen.  She knew that she could be with her family for eternity; that her past was clean and that because of Christ all of that was possible. Norma is the most courageous person I know. Having the courage to do what she knows is right even though past things have been hard in her life.

It's Sooo Hot

Elder Stone and I sporting off our new fanny pacs! He's not a very good model like me;) 

Look Mom I dressed my self today! 

Paco and Cesar Coronado 

Selfie with Eber 

I love you all. I hope you have a great week!
Love Hermana Thompson

5 Months?! say what??

WHHHAAAT UUUP!!.... 

I was debating if I wanted to tell this story or not but yomo. (you only mission once) I have been praying lately to learn to be an example to someone and this is how God answered my prayer... The past few weeks we have been working on a less actives roof redoing the shingles and parts of the wood where there is water damage. On Saturday it was 103 degrees and we were all having a good time working. I took my anger out (from silly investigators/less actives) while ripping off the shingles-- it was therapeutic;) Parts of the roof were ripped off and so I decided I would go over and nail in the frame where the wood had been ripped off. I stepped down on what I thought was a piece of wood but there was so much crap and dust on it, it was actually sheet rock! I legit came crashing through this families living room!!! Legs dangling and all. I don't know how (angles) but I somehow caught myself under my armpit and dangled there. Paco's dad, Hermano Hernandez pulled me up and gave me a big hug. He kept asking me if I wanted to get down and rest and I told him I was fine. The rest of the day the Elders and young men would say "Careful Sister Thompson there is sheet rock right there!"  We made a good joke out of it.

The next day before church I told my companion that I was going to get a lot of crap for crashing through the roof and she agreed and well I did.  After church one of the members told me that in opening exercises with all the men and young men that Brother Hernandez shared my story about falling through the roof.  I was like, "Oh great what did he say?"  He told me that Brother Hernandez got up and said that after he had pulled me up out of the hole he kept saying to me that I should go down and take a rest and relax.  I told him "No way,  I want to keep working!" and how that was a good example to him about service, working, and loving the people. The Lord answers my prayers in the coolest ways that always seem to surprise me:)

Another story that actually happened that same day. We changed our clothes and then went and visited our investigators and members in that area. We went to the house of our investigator Norma. She is supposed to be baptized this coming Sunday and so it was important that she needed to come to church and we usually have to get her set up with a ride.  We get to her house and the gate is locked!! Her van was outside so we knew she was home. She doesn't have a phone either... I started to climb the 7 foot chain link fence with spikes on the top and my comp was like what are you doing?? I told her that I was going to talk to Norma so that she could make it to church tomorrow!! On the way over I get cut on the leg; stupid dress. I make it up to her porch and knock a billion times. She came out and we talked to her a bit and got her ride situation set up.  She thankfully unlocked the gate so I could get out!  I guess her daughter told her "Mom the missionary got in!" She was surprised that I would do that just to talk to her. I told her I would do anything I could to help her.

Just goofin off

 Afterwards I got to thinking about the atonement and how Christ suffered so much for the people he loved. It hit me harder than ever. I'll admit that I had kind of a hard time earlier in the week by giving myself a pity party thinking that I would be missing going to New York with my family. I played with the thought and realized that I had also missed my best friends wedding, Missy is pregnant, I wasn't there when my bestest cousin needed comfort, I'm missing a trip to Tonga, my car is broken, my bedroom flooded, I fell through a roof, got stung twice by black wasps this week, bit by a bazillion ants, I'm sore, tired and then just got cut by a fence. It's not a sacrifice to be here, nothing close to one, by missing those things. It's a privilege. Looking at the big picture, all of those things I'd miss/do a thousand times over to give people the same happiness of the gospel that I have. I'd fall through a 100 roofs and jump 1000 fences to help the people that we are teaching now. They have physically changed because of our message and it's such a small simple thing to "give up" so that people can take full advantage of the atonement of Jesus Christ. That's what this whole life is about; Love. It is Love that we have the atonement. It is love that we want to become better. It is love that drives us to do things we sometimes don't want to. Serving a mission is kind of like the Lord letting you in on a secret. When you lose yourself in others problems, that is where the Lord allows you to find yourself.

I hope you all have a fantastic week! Do what you love and love what you do!!! I love you all:)

Te Amo,

Hermana Thompson

HOLLLLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Hola y'all!!!!!!

So yes, yes we did have transfers. I had to laugh at you Mom for texting Paco wondering if I got transferred or not! Paco keeps showing me pictures and videos of his visit to my house. It is a crazy feeling to see him with y'all. It made me happy tho and he told me some stories about Tyler. He said that he looked up to Tyler a lot and that he was his hero. Tyler really helped him and he said how much he loved you guys. It was fun to hear all about it from him. Also, mom thank you for the girl scout cookies and pop rocks!!!:) you know me too well.  I'm sure you already know by now but my new companion is Sister Lance. She is from Utah (surprise surprise). Yes, I am still in La Joya. We had 6 of us total in our district but they took out a set of Elders and now we are a "dating district." Its me, Sister Lance, Elder Sessions, and Elder Stone. Our area is massive now. So half of it is white washed and the other half only I know. It's been interesting. I counted and we are in charge of 91 households (inactive and active) in our area! We have lots to do here!! I knew I would be staying because I prayed to stay another transfer. I knew I wasn't done here. Now I know I'm getting there..... because Eber got baptized on Sunday!!.... the Sunday after transfers!!!!

I now have seen as much as I need to to share my experience about Eber, although I won't tell the whole story because its near and dear to my heart but I'm sure I'll share it when I get home. The first time I met Eber was at the Medinas house. (we wash our clothes there on p-day.  They are members) It was my second week here in the field and I had no idea Eber was going to be such a huge part in my life.

Eber is from Guatemala and came up here to make his way to California to work with his cousin to send money home to his family.  Coming across the Mexican border he was with a group of Mexicans. The first night they huddled together to stay warm. The second day he somehow got separated from the group. He was hungry, tired and scared.  He was worried because it was starting to get cold. He was laying in a crack in the rocks and trees and decided to pray to know what to do. He said after he said his prayer he got this burst of Animo and just got up and took off from the spot he had been hiding out.  About 15 minutes later he found Brother Medina which was a miracle in itself because the Medinas are the type to take people in and help people.

He eventually moved in with another family in our area and it had been 3 or so weeks before we got to teach him. One of our lessons I had asked him to pray about what we taught and he said that he would. A few weeks later we were asking him how God has helped him in his life and if God has answered his prayers. He then told us that after I had asked him to pray that night he did. He prayed so hard, crying and pleading with God to know what he was supposed to do with his life. He had found work here with some of the members and didn't know whether to continue over to California or not. After he prayed so hard he was tired and fell asleep. He had a dream and in his dream he was talking with an older man who was wearing a white robe. The old man called Eber by name and said "Eber  you can't go to California. The road is too dangerous right now and you need to stay here." Just then Eber realized he was with a friend in the dream. The friend looked at him and said "I always listen to the old man."  God talks to Eber in dreams. It's an awesome gift and it's been a privilege to hear how God has answered his prayers. I have been working with Eber for over three months. We have put blood, sweat, and tears so that he would accept our message. We had bumps and mountains along the way.

Last week, because I knew the area,  I've been able to choose who and where we go. (which is stressful).  We went by Eber's on Saturday and talked to him and he told us that he wanted to be baptized tomorrow (yesterday).  I could barely contain my excitement when he said that!!!  I can't wait to get to heaven and tell God that we both made it because of his decision to follow Christ.

We have been working super hard in this area. In our entire mission there were 4 baptisms yesterday and 2 of them came just from our district. God is working miracles through us and it's been a privilege to be a part of them!

I love you all. Have a good week!!

Love, Hermana Thompson

Hermana Thompson!!

HOLA HOLA HOLA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Preaching into the sunset

I just have to say that in the four months that I've been out I'm not the same person I was when I left. I love the people so much here and they have won over my heart. Tomorrow is transfers and we haven't gotten the call yet to know whether we are staying or not. I have been praying to stay in this area for at least one more transfer because I am not quite done here. We have so many great people we are working with and they have taught me so much.

This is Ashley and Angie. They are awesome. They are also our investigators and will be baptized next month. They are great!

Me and Hermana Castillo. She is the cutest lady. She is the one whose washer, dryer, oven, toaster and more things broke but she is still coming to church and knows its Satan. She is great too. She talks our ears off!

Sara emailed me last week asking if she would be able to make a dinner appointment with us because they were going to be in the area and I told her I wasn't sure but that I would ask.... And got special permission from the Mission President to have dinner with my favortistest sister!:) We ate at a little Mexican restaurant in our area. It was a good time. We took the left over food afterward to one of my favorite families. It's a single mom and 4 kids that live in a two bedroom trailer. She feeds us all the time so it was good to get to pay them back with the food. They loved it! Before we left Sara said that she was coming to our ward and asked what time it was at and I thought she was kidding! So on Sunday I got to see them again in Sacrament and sit by them:) She kept asking if it made me homesick but it did the opposite! I was able to share and show her some of the people we are teaching. I felt a different kind of love for my family and for being able to share my experiences as well. She got to meet Paco's parents and brother as well. It was good to see everyone! Thanks for coming Sara!!

Me Sara and Cora

Me and Cora

Eating with my sister Sara and the fam:)

Our district and the wegers

After church we had a baptism. Genesis who is 13, made the choice to follow in the footsteps of ChrisI and I'm very proud of her. Her mom is a member but has been inactive for 10 years. They were living in the Elder's area and they had been trying to get her baptized the past 5 months and she got talked out of it 3 or so times. Then they moved into our area and we started to teach her and I asked her if she would be baptized in ten days and she said yes!! She is so hungry to learn more about Christ and the gospel and it was awesome getting to teach her the past few weeks as well. She was so excited yesterday and you could see the light of the gospel in her eyes. She will make a great missionary one day and I'm proud of her decision and her example.

Us with the Weger family. They feed us every Sunday. We were all trying to be the same height because I'm a foot taller then all of them. The guy next to me is Eber. He is our investigator from Guatamala. I cant wait to tell his story to y'all.

After the baptism we were all kind of chatting in the hallway and Hermano Hernandez (Paco's dad) shook my hand and pulled me aside. With tears in his eyes he thanked me over and over for what my family did for Paco. He told me that Paco had told them that he didn't know how it was possible to fall in love with a family in 3 days but he did. Hermano Hernandez told me that through this experience he has learned about service and that it has strengthened his testimony so much. Sister Hernandez then came up and thanked me too. She pulled out her phone and showed me the 2 pairs of dress shoes and ties that mom had bought for Paco for his mission. I don't know why but I just started to cry!! This family was really wealthy in Mexico but they came here to America and have had some hard times in their lives especially with money but they found the Gospel and have been pushing forward ever since. They do so much for our church and for the Lord. Sister Hernandez told me that they had been searching everywhere for a dentist to go to that they could pay for, but that is when I came in and answered their prayers. I told them that they answered mine because I had been praying to know why I was in this area and I know it was to help Paco go on a mission. The Lord works in mysterious ways but in the end it all works out. Trials seem like a lifetime but it's really the time the Lord is working miracles. This week has been such a great week of service and love. I'm grateful for the privilege to be out here in south Texas to work in the Lords vineyard. I love the families in our ward and the people we are teaching. I love being able to see the Lord's hand in my life and in the lives of others. I have seen and been a part of miracles and there is nothing that can compare to the joy of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I've seen it in my own life and in my own conversion and I've seen it in others as well. I've learned to love not only Christ but my family, friends and investigators as well in a way I can't explain.
God is our Savior. Jesus Christ LIVES and we are all here to learn and to help others to take part in the great gift of eternal life.

Got to see sara!!

Us with Paco's mom

I love you all. You mean so much to me. Thank you for the prayers and words of support. Have a great week!

me and norma one of our investigators

Genesis' baptism

                                       
Love Hermana Thompson