COMO ESTAN??

Papi and Momma Thompson! (and everyone else)

This has been kind of a interesting week. We had a lot of meetings this week. We had Harli 3 day, which is a new thing they started for everyone in the Harlingen zone. We had a testimony meeting, role plays, and listened to a bunch of leaders. It was boring but good at the same time. During the testimony meeting it got like super quiet and spiritual (obviously) and my district leader Elder Thompson (we are 5th cousins) went up and was bearing his testimony. He is kind of a goofy/awkward guy. During his testimony we heard someone up in the attic and then all of a sudden one of the light fixtures popped out of the ceiling and you see this little Mexican man's face peeking through it and we hear him say "oopsie SoRRy" and it just made it funnier because out of all people, it happened to Elder Thompson during his testimony. He just kind of stood there and didn't know what to do! But the meetings were long. They went from 10 am to 4pm Tues, wed, and Thurs. We talked a lot about faith too, which was good. We had a question and answer with the zone leaders and one elder asked,  "How do we change and become better but still be ourselves?"  The zone leaders gave him advise about changing and I let them finish and then I rose my hand to comment and I told the elder "We aren't here to 'change' we are here to find out who we were before this life. You have to lose yourself by helping others in order to really find yourself and by serving a mission is like God letting you in on a secret." Then the zone leaders just stood there and one of them was like "....Whoa my mind is blown!" It was funny.

the wall mural has a slurpee too!! haha ;)

My Next Ride

This week we also had a service project at one of the members in the other ward. The whole zone went and we burned branches and pulled weeds. I called having the job of using the chain saw. It was AWESOME! They only had two chain saws so it was me and another elder who got to do it. We were laughing because he and I were like the two out of the zone that should be the least trusted with them (then we pretended to sword fight/ high five the chain saws). But we still have all of our limbs! I want a chain saw when I get home. Its a nice stress reliever ;)

a member had this at their house it made me smile and think of granny:)

Our area is starting to progress slowly but we have been able to see a lot of miracles this week. I guess the past few transfers have been kind of rocky in this area. They don't have a ward clerk or secretary or whatever it's called and so the ward list is a disaster. (last night our DL complimented us on our work and numbers because they have been the best he has seen in awhile) So the first miracle this week. Jose, the man that we invited to come to church last week, we had a lesson with him on Tuesday and we were supposed to have another one with him on Thursday but he didn't show up to the church. Jose didn't have a phone and we didn't know where he lived because he didn't know the address because he was living at his in-laws for a little bit and he didn't know their address. So we spent time and prayers looking for his house hoping to find him. We never found his house and he didn't show up to church yesterday morning (he had to work I guess). Then we get a phone call from Elder Thompson saying that Jose is at the church and that we need to get over there! So we hurry and bike over there and we taught him again:) He also just got a new phone so we made sure to get his number! But the chances that Jose were to show up at the church when the Elders were there are pretty slim. We were so excited that our prayers were answered and that we were able to find and teach Jose again!

my tie collection haha im going to make a patch quilt out of them and my mission clothes when I get home. the elders are jealous of some of the ties that I find;)

The other day we went to a members house and had dinner.  We were talking to them and asked them who we could go by and she told us that we could go by the lady across the street who is a less active member. So we went to go talk to this less active, Hermana Montes. She had been coming to church the past two weeks with her grand kids who she adopted. She has four grand kids that are legally hers I guess. They have Ram who is 12, Abigail who is 11, Angel 9 and Timmy is 6. None of them have been baptized. She was telling us that earlier that day she was talking to her friend (who is a different member from the one we had just ate at) and she told her that she wanted the missionaries to come by and teach the kids. She asked us if we had talked to this sister and wondered how we knew to come over! We told her we didn't! The spirit is great! So we are going by every day and teaching them. They are getting baptized this Sunday! We are so happy for them; they are cute.

Yoga with Sister Isoms bike

Our Area

It makes me happy that Bishop McCammon talked about fasting and strengthening the ward. Fasting is real. We have been learning a lot about goals, tools and visions. Fasting is a tool that the Lord gives us to help us accomplish our goals to reach our visions. And besides, the sacrament bread tastes better when you're fasting:)  I have a strong testimony on a strong ward. You are only as strong as your weakest link(or family). When I first got to this area I told my companion that my vision for this area before I leave it, is to gain a trust and help build these people so that I can trust them to take care of my recent converts. I want to be able trust the branch/ward as a missionary to take care of and fellowship them. It's sad as a missionary to see a branch or a ward where we cant trust the members to step in. The missionaries are here to help the members, its not the members are here to help us. I learned this fast on the mission and that is, gaining strength in peoples lives or in a ward or whatever it may be, we have to show that we care about the little things in their daily lives such as serving them or just listening. I used to feel bad for going in a home or talking to someone and not teaching much but I soon learned that is how we gain the trust and friendship of people. We ask them if we can serve them or ask something as simple as about their families. Anybody can go around preaching and telling people that their church is true, saying we need to be strengthened in this way or that they should be doing this and that. That's easy. As missionaries I've learned to make friends with people, be real with them, get on their level. I've learned to care for them in order to uplift and strengthen them. Only then am I able to truly share the message we have for them in order for them to truly listen. Once you serve somebody in one way or another that is how we become strengthened.

Why do all the Chihuahuas want to be my friend?

Lunch with the District

The other day we saw this little old lady walking around with a cart and I gave her a Jesus card. She said, "Oh, I have my church.  I'm Catholic and she wouldn't tell us where she lived. My companion started to testify and I could tell the lady was becoming more closed-minded as we talked.  I asked her what was in the cart and then she told me she sells tamales and so I bought some from her. I asked her about her family and her kids and just dropped the whole "missionary approach" for a second and just talked with her.  We went from, "No, I'm Catholic.... to getting her address and visiting her the next day. It turns out twp of her kids are missing in Mexico somewhere, one of them got her head chopped off, the other kid is in jail.  Her husband left her 20 years ago for another woman and she is now taking care of her daughters' orphaned kids. One of them can't talk and the other can't walk. She walks around all night selling tamales that she spends all day making.

Our Ward Library 

This week, in order to strengthen the ward, a member, a less active, a random person at work, or whoever, I want to encourage you all do something to surprise someone and yourself. Do something you normally don't do for someone else, whether it's listening to them or mowing their lawn, buying lunch for an elderly person. I don't care what it is! Just notice how you feel about them after and I want you to share it during testimony meeting this fastSunday. Strengthen through love! All for love and nothing for reward!!

Service

Happy Birthday to me!

Stupid Tire

I love you all!! Have a great week!                   
Love Hermanita Thompson

Tejas!

Howdy yall! 

Our Area

It's kind of a sad feeling when you realize that all of your friends and everybody else all forgot about you after four months except for your parents. I can't help but wonder that I must have not made that much of an impact on anyone. 

This week.... was good. It got up to 104 a few of the days! We were chased by 44 dogs and I got bit on the ankle by a chihuahua. The food and I have a real love/ hate relationship. One of the days I was standing outside of the car enjoying a nice plum when my feet started to burn... I was standing on a fire ant hill!! Now i know why they call them fire ants. I did a nice dance for my companion!  I was also bit by a parrot on the ear and the finger! I feel like I'm six again; I have cuts and bruises all over from stupid things! I can't help but wonder sometimes that God looks down at me and puts his palm to his face! I sometimes feel bad for the angels that are looking out for me.

I wanted to tell a few spiritual stories that we have had with one of our investigators but I think I'm going to wait until I see the end results with this one. I often wonder why the Lord trusted me with this investigator because he is such a spiritual being and I  know the Lord has amazing plans for him. The Lord is definitely working miracles through us and it has been a privilege to be apart of them and to not only have my character enhanced as well as those we teach.

A few days ago I  re-learned a lesson. My companion and I had dinner at this little crappy Mexican restaurant and after we were done we went up and paid. The lady told me the price and in my mind it seemed too low for what I had ordered but I paid her all of the cash I had and didn't say anything. My companion paid and then we started to walk out the door. We got outside the door and I immediately turned around knowing I had no more cash to give if she had forgot to add on something. I went up to her and explained that I thought that she had forgot to charge me for my drink and she looked at the receipt and said "It's okay, don't worry about it!" I know that the Lord was testing me in that moment and that I was able to learn from that experience although it was something as silly and as small as a soda, the concept was much greater. 

More Art:

I don't have much else to say. It's getting hotter by the day. The dogs still hate me. My farmers tan is gnarly but I have lots of work to do so I hope y'all have a good week! Thanks for the prayers and support! 

Finally found elder browning!!!   He's the brother of one of the sisters from the MTC.

                                           
 Love Hermana Thompson

Two Months in the FIELD

Hola y'all!!! Como esta?!!

This week flew by!! We have so many people that we have been teaching I wish that we had more time in the day!! I also wish that people weren't so flaky either! I've never been let down so many times in my life, let alone in one week! I've been hung up on and had the door closed in my face but we just keep going!
I had the lovely opportunity to try cow tongue and octopus. They were both gross and I'll just leave it at that. While contacting, some boy answered the door butt naked and I'm scarred for life. We also teach a lot of drunk people so that's been fun. They are really honest! One house we went to the lady told us that she wasn't religious and didn't believe in anything and that she didn't believe in God. I asked her if this was her house and she gave me a weird look and said, " Yes?"  So I pointed to the address plate that was right next to her door; it had Jesus' head on it with a thorn crown and it said "God bless this house". I said "So you believe in God then?" I had to call her out -- I couldn't help it. The look on her face made my day. We also got a letter in the mail that said we were called to be sister training leaders. We were freaking out because I had just got here! It was a mistake! Hallelujah! I can't even keep track of myself most days let alone be a STL.

The biggest thing I learned this week is the second you start to forget about yourself is when life starts to become great. When I first got out here my mind was preoccupied with home and friends and school, my stomach problems coming back and feeling so malnourished everyday. I was tired and I smelled like a sweaty taco. Then it hit me. I'm not here for myself. Right then I knew I needed to change my focus. Yeah, I'm still tired and sweaty and never feel good and I still smell like a taco but I know that if I eat the food the people give me that they are going to be blessed for taking care of us. I know that the harder I work the better results we will have. I've been to 30+ states and 9 countries and wasn't so sure about serving in south Texas but I have never experienced anything like this. It's so different to be immersed in another culture and going into the homes and trailers that they live in. I have heard so many life stories that have blown my mind. The people are amazing and they would give you the shirt off their back. They are so welcoming and warm. At first I thought it was crazy that people would just let two complete strangers in their house to talk about Jesus. We exchange stories and talents. We sing with people and we cry with people and we have made friendships with people. You don't need to have a name tag over your heart to serve people. It is sometimes as easy as smiling or opening your mouth. It's just a matter of painting a name tag on your heart. When things are hard be a creator of circumstances not a creature of circumstances and most of all forget about yourself. You will be taken care of if you're taking care of others. Your weaknesses will become strengths and your worries will disappear. but most of all you can help someone who can never repay you, just the way Christ has done for you and what a wonderful feeling.

The other week we were contacting houses and a few boys came up to talk to us. We found out later that they dared each other to come say hi. We gave one of the boys a Book of Mormon. His name is Marcos. He is 12. I asked if he would be baptized and he said yes. We came back about a week later to see how he was doing and he had read like 236 pages of the book of Mormon! He is in Mosiah. I was so happy and so impressed!! He is such a great kid. We have a hard time finding rides for people to church and so he wasn't able to come this week. I was super butt hurt.

The other day one of the members was supposed to feed us but she texted us to not come because she had got home from work late. I heard our phone beep but didn't check the text because we were helping someone put up a fence. I forgot about the text and we went over to her house. She asked if we had received her message and we said no. She made us food anyway and we taught her a lesson. She told us her husband didn't like to go to church anymore because he likes to watch football. She said she was going to leave him if he didn't come but it was just an empty threat. She said she told him that like a year ago and nothing has happened since and he still doesn't go. My companion said she should get a divorce!! and I hurried and said "NOooo don't do that" (I had a nice chat with my comp. after for saying that) I told her that he will come around and that the best thing she can do is just to love him back into the gospel. She just had a baby and so I said that she should continue to go to church and teach her girls to go and to love the Lord and that things will work out for her. I read her the footprints in the sand poem and we shared a few scriptures. Before we left I apologized for not getting her text and she told me, "There is a reason you didn't get that text, thank you for coming."

This week has been filled with miracles and trials and I wish that I could share them all and others I'll keep dear to my heart. Always remember that the Lord makes weak things become strong. Have a good week everybody and serve others! Thank you for the prayers and love and support! I love y'all!

-Hermana Thompson

this is us eating an octopus today! it was gross:

we caught a rabbit too