July 17, 2016
Hey friends and family!
Things were still crazy at the beginning of this week, but things are
starting to calm down. As you can see from my email subject line,
these past few weeks have definitely been the refiners fire for me.
There's a song called "More" that I really like and I'm going to quote
part of the chorus because it fits in quite nicely with all of this.
"Could I be more faithful and devoted? Could I be more worthy of thy
name? Will you polish and refine me and make me stronger than before?
Through You I can become more." About a month ago, I asked Heavenly
Father for a trial. Something that would push me to be better. And He
definitely heard my prayer haha but because of it, I am more faithful
and devoted. I feel more worthy to hear His name. I feel like I'm
being polished and refined. I know that through Him, I have become
more.
So Monday last week, things with Sister Smith and Sister Day(the the
sisters living with us) were going good. For dinner that night we went
out with the Kellenbecks! It was such a fun dinner! Love that family!
Tuesday morning we had district meeting, lunch, a solid lesson with
Lora, and then service. Buuuuuuut, at service Sister Smith calls us in
tears. And to make a long story short, Sister Smith and Sister Day
just couldn't make things work. So Sister Smith came with Sister
Stromberg and I for the rest of the day and Sister Day went with
another companionship while President Wright prayed about an Emergency
Transfer. Luckily, the other exchange we had planned for that day got
moved so we were able to give all our attention to Sister Smith and
Sister Day. The APs called later that evening and let us know that
Sister Smith would be staying in the area and getting a new companion
and Sister Day would be leaving and going to a Novato.
Wednesday, we picked up Sister Day in the morning and brought her back
to our apartment so she could pack up everything. Let me tell you, the
tension in our apartment with Sister smith and Sister Day both there
was crazy high. Like spirit gone. So I think it was a good thing they
were separated. Anyways, Sister Stromberg went with Sister Day for the
day so she could say goodbye to everyone in her area and I was with
Sister Smith for the day, helping her pack up her things because she
and her new companion would be moving back into their apartment that
night. After dinner, we all meet back up and we drove down to Vallejo
where we met with the sisters that they would be transferring with.
The other sisters weren't too happy about the ET because they were
really good friends and didn't want the change. But the ET happened
and we drove back up to Fairfield with Sister Smith and her new
companion. And let me tell you, the spirit in the car was like night
and day difference from earlier. Sister Stromberg and I talked about
that later that evening after the sisters were gone. The spirit was
SOOO different in our apartment when it was sister smith and sister
day compared to sister smith with her new companion. It was definitely
a good thing they got ETed. After the sisters left our apartment
Wednesday night, Sister Stromberg and I just sat on the couch. Our
apartment was a mess, it was late, and we were tired.
Thursday, we helped Sister Cordova move out of her house. It was super
hot that day and we were moving all of her things into a storage shed,
so all of us missionaries were sweating so bad haha it was 101 that
day but inside the storage shed it felt ten degrees hotter. I had to
shower when we got home haha the rest of our day was good.
Friday, was a good day! We had another awesome lesson with Lora and an
awesome lesson later that night with Jason Kellenbeck! Lora is doing a
lot better this week. She said she prayed so hard last week and has
come to terms with the fact that it might be a while until she can be
baptized. Jason is also doing super well! He is progressing SO much!
It's awesome! We have a tight relationship with him which is great
because he use to not like sister missionaries at all!
Saturday was a great day! We tried visiting a YSA guy with the
Fairfield 3rd Ward elders because they had found him a couple weeks
ago and wanted to pass him off to us, but he wasn't home. So we went
to the church and updated our mormon.org profiles. Our mission is
really focusing on using mormon.org more and so they asked all of us
to update our profiles! They will be making all of us our very on
Mormon.org pass along cards, so that's pretty cool! I get to hand out
pass along cards with my picture on it! Haha we had a Pioneer Day Ward
party later that evening! It was super fun seeing the Ward! I love
this Ward a lot! Lora came to it so it was fun seeing her make new
friends! We left the party early so we could go visit the Pacheco's
and the murakamis! Both are doing good! Ally is in So Cal for the
whole month of July so we had a good visit with Sister Murakami! When
we got back to the apartment that night, I was in such a good mood.
There had been so much drama going down in the past couple of weeks
with other missionaries that it felt like I hadn't done actual
missionary work in ages. So going and visiting people that day was SO
nice.
Sunday was game day! We woke up, went to Ward council, then Cordelia
1st Ward! Lora came, sister Murakami came, and Shirley and Jessica
came! Shirley is still moving at the end of August and is still
working like crazy! But she wants to get baptized before she moves! So
hopefully that will happen soon! But get this, a guy walked into
church last week and stayed for all three hours, and he came again
this week! His name is Nathan and he is a 35 year old guy. He said he
use to date a Mormon girl a while back and she tried converting him
but he didn't want it. He said that that was the biggest mistake of
his life. Anyways, he is basically our new golden investigator and he
just walked into church! Like WHAT? Haha when does that happen?
Actually, that happened back in Petaluma with Steve! Haha he just
walked into church and he was baptized two month later! But we have
our first lesson with Nathan tonight! He is awesome and we are SO
excited to start teaching him! Hopefully he will be baptized within
this transfer! Miracles!! Anyways, YSA Ward was good! Then we went out
Less Active finding with the Cordelia 1st Ward relief society
president for the rest of the afternoon. Dinner at the Galtens with
the Thomas's, the Mixs, the Durhams, the Rices, and the Lords! It was
like another little Ward party at their house! Haha we all laughed and
had a great time! Then we drove to Vacaville for the meet and greet
with the stake presidency there! Only us and the ZLs and the Vacaville
missionaries go to that one. The stake presidency asked that only the
zone leadership comes to the meetings in Vacaville, so that's us!
Overall, it was a great Sunday!
The Ward party Saturday night!
With Lora and the Ward party!
This is Tanner! He is Sister Chambers little boy and he is the cutest
thing to ever walk this planet haha we love him!
We are getting back into the swing of things over here! The Lord is
sending miracle after miracle to us! I'm so thankful for all the
prayers and words of encouragement I received from all of you! I truly
felt strengthened by them! I love this work so much. I love this
gospel and know with out a doubt that it is true. I still have my
struggles, but it makes life fun :) How grateful I am for trials! I
love you all and hope you have an awesome week!
Love always, Sister Thompson🍍
Pics:
7/11 day!
Dinner with the Kellenbecks!
Some of us missionaries after Foodbank service!
Elder Scow(who is 6'6") and I with out Wildlife Wednesday shirts on!
We tried making a W with our hands haha
Random pictures from downtown Fairfield:
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