July 23, 2012

Hey mom! I’m doing swell how are you?

 Getting a little pre transfer nerves like always haha. This last week was pretty good. This last transfer has been a tough one. It’s hard when nobody will listen to you. And you see other missionaries having success in the mission. But I know that I need this trial right now. Heavenly Father is shaping me to become what he wants me and needs me to become. That’s something that I have learned lately. That trials come for a reason. And heavenly father knows that we can handle them. And that the person that we will become after the trial is what we need to be to grow closer to him. I’ve grown so much closer to my God through prayer the past couple of  weeks. I have spent so much time on my knees. I’ve almost got blisters on my knees :) It really has been a great experience. Our ami Michele is still working on being ready to be baptized the 18th of next month. Hopefully he hasn’t been drinking coffee haha. Our ami Jacques is doing well. He is still waiting for his response. But I know that it will come. He wants it all to be true. We had a really great lesson with him about the plan of salvation. It is a great lesson. I was able to really bear my testimony of Jesus Christ and the atonement and how he is central to Gods plan. It was very spiritual. Have the missionaries come teach you that lesson. It just makes sense :) We regained contact with our Chinese ami lu yue. She has been super busy but we were able to teach her on Saturday. She’s great. I think she kinda wants to serve a mission. She will get baptized. Just on the Lords time :) I really feel like I will stay here in Strasbourg for another transfer. I hope so! I am kinda ready for a new comp though haha. I feel like I can do better work with someone else. I kinda expressed that to Prez in my letter today haha. But it is all in the Lords hands. Everything is. This last week we had our interviews with Prez. It was great. The training that Sister Poznanski gave was amazing. She taught us about prayer and how we can improve our prayers.  She taught us about Nephi’s prayer in Helaman 11 I think. Study that as a fam sometime. Its super cool! I also had my first interview with Sis. Poznanski. She is just like a mom for all the missionaries. She’s great. We visited a lot of less active members this week too. One lady is less active because she has lost confidance in the leaders here. I thought about my experience in Washington and was able to relate to her. But I told her that this is Christ’s Church. And we shouldn’t stop coming because of one person. or even many. But we go to church for Christ.

I love being out on a mission haha. It is really the hardest thing I have ever done. Prolly the hardest thing I’ll ever do in my life. But it is so worth it. People really do try to tear us down each day. I kinda relish those opportunities haha. I’m not prideful. But I’m right. This church is true. 100 percent. And there’s nothing anyone can do to change that. So when someone starts to try to tear us down I get a smile on my face and correct them haha. My competive nature comes out a bit. But our church is true and honestly makes sense too. We do not try to convince anyone out here. All we do is invite them to find out for themselves. Nobody can argue with that. We tell them to just take it to God. And he will answer them. It really is beautiful. I know that whatever happens in this transfer is what heavenly father needs and wants. But I’m praying for Strasbourg haha. I am so grateful for how blessed you guys have been. It is amazing. My faith is really growing each day out here. I’m glad and I can see that your faith is growing too. I love you so much too. This world is tough. Really tough. And the only way we can make it through is with faith in Christ and Gods plan. I just keep pushing on in faith that what I am doing is what Heavenly Father wants and needs at this time. I just want to do his will. Love you so much mom! I miss you a ton too. 5 months till phone call haha. I’m doing well. I pray for you every day :) Love you and miss you! Talk to you soon.

Love, Elder Thomas.