HEADING SOUTH!

Hey, wassup Family?

WEEEEELL, I've been quite anxious here, waiting to see what would happen with this transfer. It's been a good transfer here in Hyrum/Brigham City. Elder Baquedano is a n amazing person, I've learned so much from him, and not sure if I've done enough teaching to HIM, but it was a fun transfer - my son, out to face the mission on his own now, yikes. Way cool person though, I'll miss his support. And also this transfer, Lupe and Maria baptized, three of their kids, and possibly another baptism on the way. The branch is way excited and friendly, and love us here. We saw all the support this past Sunday - people willing to help, asking for us to teach their families, etc. The only sad part is... I'm leaving. I'm being sent down SOUTH, to be a District Leader in LAYTON. My new comp will be Elder Tatelpa, from Salt Lake City - weird huh? I remember his first day in the mission, so this should be fun!

Other than that I have no new info about transfers, but we'll see where it goes. I have a lot of goals for this transfer that's coming up. I've grown so much this past 6 weeks, spiritually, in obedience, in humility - I have learned that I am very weak and can't accomplish anything alone on my own, without the Lord's help. The Lord wanted to make that quite clear I think - there's been days where I've worked and worked, stressed and called people, and knocked doors and all that, but maybe didn't trust in a miracle... and nothing happened. Rejection. But in the moments when we've stopped and prayed, and humbled ourselves, and asked for HIM to finally do something, only then did we find someone, or have ANY success. This weekend was full of that - Saturday, all lessons cancelled, everything fell through. We sat in a trailer park in the car and prayed. We felt good about a trailer we'd never knocked, so we went up and knocked it at like 8 pm (do YOU all think 8 pm is too late to knock on your door? It's a dilemma, we don’t want to be annoying, but we need to work till 9....) and the lady who answered let us right in. "Elders! C'mon in!" We found out she is a member, and met her husband, who looked a little familiar. "Are you a member?" we asked.

"NO. The missionaries come and go, for 20 years they've tried to get me to pray about that Jose Smith guy."

"Have you done it?"

"Yeah, and nothing happened. You're all liars. You don't feel anything."

We then spent about 10 minutes trying to prove things to him by the scriptures, and he confounded US. I realized we were going about it the wrong way, and the wrong spirit was there, of contention. We stopped, and my companion bore testimony, then I bore testimony. I've only felt the spirit bear testimony through me that strong a few times, but it was really strong. We commited him to pray and ask with a sincere heart, with real intent to follow God's answer, whatever it may be. We sang him a hymn, and closed with a prayer, praying for him and his family to receive answers and accept the gospel.

After we closed, we heard the wife say, "Yeah, sorry, my husband likes to mess with the missionaries like that..." and noticed he was smiling. I didn't have time to react, we were out the door. I just sat down in the middle of the street and laughed. Thought about it and realized they go to our branch! Sheesh, what kinda weird joke is that? Wasted 40 minutes, but then again, we learned some things about teaching, and felt the Spirit, and they did too. God works in mysterious ways... and then the next morning, all the investigators didn't come to church, but that lady who hasn't come to church in 40 years, she came! We were saying in the car "Oh we should go invite Irma" and suddenly her car pulled up! She loved it, and was loved by all the Sisters there. Also, new people came for the first time that WE don't even know. And well, so went the weekend, people coming out of nowhere, people who had slammed the door in our face becoming humbled and letting us in to teach them and help their lives, people coming to activities...

We had a family home evening last night - ha, funny, we invited an investigator, and had it at our branch president's house. We swung by there early to explain what we had planned...but they told us "Oh great guys, just in time, we just finished planning our lesson!" Great......and then proceeded to tell us this huge long complicated explaination of deep doctrinal subjects, and then finishing by saying to us, "Like I say, we have to teach them like they are children, so they understand - if you teach YOUR part simply, and I KNOW we'll teach OUR parts simply, I think this'll turn out great! So, where are these investigators?" I think my prayer was leaning towards them not coming at that point, gotta love Utah, ... so we started the family home evening without investigators. But just as the 8 yr old son of the family said the prayer, the doorbell rang... a family we'd invited in passing but had never even gotten past the door to teach---CAME! MIRACLE! God brought them there.... and they got an overdose of doctrine, but still, God had a reason for them being there, so.... dear family and friends, if you EVER have investigators in your home to hear the gospel DON'T try to explain ANYTHING that your 3 year old won't understand. The gospel of Jesus Christ is simple. Keep it that way! "I prayed, I felt the Spirit, I know its true" - that will suffice... and if you share personal experiences you don't need details about how many tamales you were making for a party or the economical state of California in the year 1997, or over-emphasis in how the wicked state of the Lamanites would make a pretty scary movie in theaters. (all have happened...). Just a note that will make other missionaries quite happy. Heh. Yikes.

So yeah! Ok, well, what else? Oh, your welcome for the cd says Sister Jones - at least, that's what she told me in the store, I'll prob never see her again, but that was a nice thing of her. I personally like the peanut butter song...

Jeffrey, ur face is capacious (NO idea what that means... and yes, maldad is "bad" in Spanish, more like bad-ness...) congrats on regionals!

Heidi, save the video on Fungus for me, sounds classic!

Good job Holly, following the Spirit - I loved your letter! It was so cool! I'm glad the party went well, and hope you had a fun birthday! Don't get TOO old while I'm gone! A man here who got baptized on your birthday wishes you a happy birthday too!

Bishop Henry sounds like a super bishop. Follow his counsel. We must raise our spirituality, that is true. We had a Zone Study yesterday with our zone leaders. Very spiritual. They are working to help us be better missionaries. We talked about obedience, and how important it is. We want to bind the Lord by our obedience, EXACT in all things. Not just to mission rules, but to all the Lord commands throughout our lives. We won't ever be perfect here, but we need to WANT to be, desire it with all our hearts, and feel sad when we slip. If we become casual, it’s not good. None of us can afford that. Follow the counsel we receive. I know we are blessed when we give our all. The Spirit was very strong in that room as we bore our testimonies. this is the Lord's work. We are here for a short time on earth, and we are NEVER alone. Trust. I've felt the Lord pouring out blessing I don't deserve, teaching me through my mission, and showing me things, showing He IS there, and won't give up on me. Numbers 12: 5 and 9 are cool.

We'll be praying for all the people you mentioned in your letter, Mom. And Cookie the hamster.

Side note, check out pg 96 of the Ensign, I know them all, the missionary on the right of the page is Elder Leavitt, my Zone Leader for my whole mission, and a good friend! Weird, huh?
I'm writing to Stefan... and everyone...

I love you all, thank you for all you do for me. You are all in my prayers, and I hope you are all happy and well. Never give up, never surrender, and smile daggone it! I'm truly grateful to be on the Lord's errand.

Love, Elder Chris Thelin

PS and the FUNGUS WAS UPON THEM! Giant mushrooms were rolling down the mountain! And...