Wow, what a week, this has been fun.
SO I am in Logan right now. No, its not transfers or anything, but I got moved. Apparently there was someone waiting for a visa to go to Mexico on his mission, and Saturday night it got through, so there was a vacant spot, and some other people were getting emergency transfered, and they needed to move around people with 24 hour notice. Why they chose ME, I don't know, but Saturday night we got a call. We had just been at the Branch's rocking Mothers Day Party, which was intense, featuring a live Mariachi band (which we missed cause we had to go out and work : ( ) But we stayed and talked to the entire branch, like 200 people, and sat with investigators, and participated and stuff (they called up 8 volunteers and me and Elder Baqudano went - didnt know it was a contest where we had to identify song names and where in Latin America they were written - I called on a member to help and come sing it for me, since my knowledge of Latin American pop songs from the 70's is a little lacking....) Yeah, it was really cool, everyone was commenting how good it was to have us in the branch and how I'd probably stay there for 10 more months, and then we left and saw a missed call from the Assistants... And 24 hours later I was riding north with all my stuff. SO I'm a little bummed, didn't get to say goodbye to EVERYone, but to a lot. It was so cool seeing Carla Garcia and her kids in the classes Sunday, and she was sharing scriptures she likes (Moroni 10:3-5 she said it was a favorite) Good stuff. Leticia cried when she heard I was leaving (the lady that said we were angels), a whole ton of investigators said "WHEN I get baptized, you are coming to my baptism" which gives me a lot of confidence that they'll be ok. Jorge Pineda was still talking about how life is changing, he feels so different than he did before, and we encouraged him to pray about being baptized the 29th of May. Awesome.
But well, now I'm in Logan. Actually, covering a branch that I covered back in September! I was covering 3 at once back then, so now it's a little different, but I'm excited. We actually have the temple here in our area, and Utah State University. My companion's name is Elder Johnson, cool guy from Minnesota, easy to get along with, yup. And it looks like it'll be fun here, so we'll see how it goes. Not as many Hispanic people, but we'll find them.
SO, Bermuda trip sounds just plain not fun, just boring, how lucky that you didn't have to go to THAT Jeffrey. Sheesh, saved from the pain. Enjoy the SOL's... Relay for Life sounds cool too. I bet Jeffrey has now made famedom in Culpeper forever, I'm just so proud of my little brother... holy cow, you can be weird, Jeffrey, haha. Good job. Penelope Pits. I can only imagine.
Speaking of cancer, funny story, crazy people:
We were walking, and a guy pulled over to give us a ride. "Get in, girls!" Haha. Ok...... so we got in, probably shouldn't have with an opener like that, and the man started driving, and said "Do you know who I am?"
"No...."
"Probably don't WANT to know who I am. Do you know what FRANKINCENSE is?"
"Uh.... the stuff they gave to Jesus?" (very weirded out by now. The man looked a little disappointed in my lack of knowledge)
"Yes... do you know why?"
"It..... was a good gift back then?" It was the best I could do on the spot. So then he started to explain WHAT it really was - a sacred oil, that was used in the ancient temples, and was a gift from God to man, because the scent would bring one to a better communication with his maker. It got real quiet for a few minutes as we uh, tried to proccess that essential information and pray that this guy was sane enough to drive us where we were going.... then when we got to our place, thank heaven, and he said "Wait a minute." And pulled out a purple book, full of little vials. He carefully and reverently pulled out one called Frankincense and poured a bit in our palms. "NOW, put it on your forehead." What to do? So I carefully dipped a finger in and reluctantly put a dab on my forehead "NO, put THAT hand on the forehead, ALL of it" So feeling a little foolish I rubbed my palm all over my forehead. Why the heck not. Then very satisfied, he leaned back and said "There, the effects will start in a few moments. He then told us that we don't need modern medicine, that God gave us these oils to cure anything. When the world goes down, he'd have the oils. Remember that. He said frankincense is an anti-congestant, anti-cancer, anti-depressent, and of course, we'd have better communication with the Creator. Good grief. BUT no kidding, all day every time I felt a little bummed or whatever, I sniffed my hand/ forehead, and felt happier.... high on frankincense...haha... people are so cool.
Well, I have to get going, but I just wanted to tell this story, which I hold a little more sacred, but would like to share. Back in Layton, me and Elder Baquedano stopped by a house. The man let us in, and told us about himself, his life, he was trying to stop smoking and was on day 3, and suffering a lot of temptation. We told him we'd share something from God and take his mind off it. "Now Elders, I've listened to more than 20 of you, for YEARS, and I know what you're going to share. I'll listen, but just up front, I want you to know that I will NEVER change, there is nothing that you've ever done, or said, that has convinced me, and there is nothing you can or will say or do that will change it. That said, I will listen." We told him to look for the Spirit, and explained God is our Heavenly Father. That he sent prophets to the earth throughout time to teach us the gospel. We taught about Christ and His mission for us, and how through baptism we can be cleansed. We taught about the Apostasy of the Church, and then got to 1820. He was suffering because people were smoking outside and he could smell it. Then right before we shared the story of Joseph Smith's First Vision, his wife sat down. She had the same story and background, but decided to sit down and pay attention for a minute. We explained a little to her what we were saying, and then gave the First Vision story. Unfortunately, they were distracted by their daughter (she was crawling on them and such). Afterwards, they said they hadn't felt anything. I felt an impression to share it again. We asked them to close their eyes, and imagine now being in the woods, like the young Joseph, asking God what is the truth, and imagining what happened. As we recited the First Vision, and described the pillar of light, and God the Father and Jesus Christ descending, saying "This is My Beloved Son, Hear Him," the Spirit filled the room so intensely. SO intensley. My body trembled - not uncomfortably, but with the power, and the peace that filled us all. As they opened their eyes, they listened more intently. When we asked how they felt, the man said "Wow. I have NEVER felt that in my entire life. It felt... almost light headed.... but so good." we testified that the Spirit of God was present in that moment, and the man looked up and said firmly "I believe that. I've never believed that before, but I know that's true." We invited them to be baptized by one holding the authority of Jesus Christ's priesthood, and they said they would try to prepare themselves for the 5th of June.
I know for a fact that I am just a 20 year old who barely knows what he is doing. My companion too. We are not powerful, we are not amazing, we aren't good at teaching and we aren't good at persuading people to do anything. But I know that we are not alone - the Holy Ghost was present there. A man that was completely solid in his ways changed 180 degrees in a matter of a few minutes. Not because of us, not cause we convinced him, but because the Spirit of God touched him and testified of the truth of what we were saying. I know that that is the ONLY way we can succeed in helping people know that this is true. It was the way I came to know this is true. Follow the Spirit.
Love you all, be good, be safe,
Elder Thelin
Hey, can you send me Henry's address? I need to tell him what to do to be a missionary.... heheh....
PS Also: the electric eels came in, with the sharks all about. Dory kept singing, and Spongebob kept worrying. Fortunatly Heidi had a bright idea. "Dory, do you still speak whale?" "Whale? I speak whale!!!" "Well, talk to them!!!!" "OK!" and Dory started shouting something that sounded dreadful, but a little whale-like. The sharks closed in, but Holly and Amy heard something approaching that sounded like noises they had heard from the movie Free Willy - "Is that... whale speak?"....
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
IF WE COULD JUST SEE THEM LIKE GOD DOES
Hello Family! It seems like.... well, 2 days since we last spoke! Felt good, not going to lie, I loved your voices and loved hearing the stories and reminders of life at home. And its not distracting me, I feel more motivated to work now. Ha, we heard that the moms here in our little branch found out that if they keep saying "OH just 5 more minutes!" to their missionary sons, and then keep talking so they couldn’t hang up, you can milk an extra hour out of your phone call home! haah. Worth a shot in the future, eh?
Things are good here. We hiked a mountain again today, in the rain. Actually, where we were, it was snowing. Kinda cool being in the middle of the clouds, barely can see, next to a raging waterfall, with snow falling everywhere. Loved it. Very different from the daily rushing and running to contact everyone we see.
Which is something we've been doing times 10. I admit I've looked at people and not talked to them on my mission. "Oh, he's scary." "Oh, he looks happy already." "He looks busy..." As we've focused on EVERYONE, we have started flipping the car around to talk to the guy on the other side of the street, walking through lawns to talk to the guy mowing his lawn, strike up a conversation at the gas station... as we have put the effort forth, we can see results - we meet many more of God's children who are seeking the truth. Its amazing. How many people do we pass without noticing and doing all we can to help? Do we think about them? I remember Jeffrey, a song you showed me "Give me your eyes for just one second" -I have it in our apartment, but that's kind of the message I've felt, think about everyone a little more, all these people we see... if we could just see them like God does...
Like I said before, lots of good things this week. Jorge, just 20 years old, lost everything his job, his wife, his family a month ago. We fasted to know how to help him - at the lesson Sunday, he said he felt a great peace in his life that started when we began to come by. He feels less tempted to do dumb things, he actually sat down and talked to God for the first time in years and years, he went to Church on Sunday for all 3 hours - and EVERY class and subject talked directly to him, to his needs. Amazing.
Then last night, we met with Claudia and Alfredo. Amazing people. She said she really doesn’t trust any certain religion, because they are all made and guided by man, and not God. We talked about having a prophet and she began to demand signs and proof, saying it was crazy to believe that, how could it be possible. I just started to talk - boldly, but with love, and testified with all I could about the fact that our Church, wonderfully, wasn’t started by a MAN, wasn’t started by an inexperienced youth named Joseph Smith, and isn’t guided now by man alone. It was started like God's truth is always given - by revelation, by giving authority to a prophet. It is guided today NOT by a man, but by God and Jesus Christ, by revelation. I asked her if she knew when God was present, and when He is speaking to her. She said of course. We testified that we have felt THAT as we've prayed for a testimony of the prophet, of the book of Mormon, of the truthfulness of this Church. The people are not perfect - who is, besides the Savior? The people aren’t perfect, but the doctrine, the authority, the organization IS. It is not of man, as Elder Uchtdorf said in a recent conference talk (Love of God, or We are doing a great work), it is not someone's best guess as to the meaning of ancient scripture, this is the TRUTH, this is Christ's church restored. As we testified, the contention left, the Spirit was there, and she just stayed quiet, thinking. We shared Ether 12:6. We need to pass the trial of our faith before receiving a testimony, a surety, something to "prove it". She felt strongly about that scripture.
It was a great lesson, and not because of what we were saying. The Spirit helped. It’s funny, people demand signs, or prove it all by reason, but really, without faith, all the signs in the world aren’t enough. We could see God Himself and still persist in doubt if we don’t have faith. Faith is the key. My mission is teaching me more than anything else to have faith. It is a strange thing, stepping into the dark without seeing the whole picture. I don’t understand everything. I've fought for a testimony more than many I have known. It’s easy to second guess and let criticism and confusion creep in. I have literally felt Satan's attacks on my quality of faith, mounting as I came to the mission, and during. But I have also seen more proof of the truth, more reason to have faith, than ever before. What I say to these investigators isn’t something I blindly believed in since birth (some anti said we're like horses with blinders on, refuse to see the light, etc) It would be like that if I hadn't have prayed 7 years ago, and read the whole Book of Mormon, and received an answer. It would be like that, if I hadn't have felt the Spirit guiding us to bring THIS message to specific people for the past year and a half. It would be like that if I was just sharing these things, but when everyone in the room feels the same peace of the Savior as we speak of the divine beginnings of this Church, it means something more. I have seen promises from prophets fulfilled, I have seen miracles wrought by the priesthood, I have seen Satan attacking and the truth sending him back, and I have felt the Spirit answering every prayer. It’s not easy, I understand where these people come from, but I have fought to know, and I KNOW. I don’t understand it all, and I don’t always know what to say, but I do know the truth.
Yesterday at Zone Conference, Alex Boye (very popular singer from London, family from Nigeria (British African?) came to our conference to speak and sing to us. He got baptized when he was 16 in London - and thrown out of his house. Literally. Lived on the streets, eating out of garbage cans. In that time he asked the Lord many things, and received specific real answers. Amazing. He served a mission. First day, a man came up, laughed at him, and started attacking the church. Alex had never heard of any of that. He stood there, then chose to laugh. He said, Sir, I don’t know if what you said is true, but it doesn’t matter. I prayed, and I know. I know this is true. I will not deny the witnesses I've received. He prayed that whole night, fighting doubt and struggle over these things he didn’t understand - and felt more strongly than anything, that this is right, the truth. Amazing speaker. As he sang his testimony, it filled us with strength and the spirit. Look him up, cool stuff.
Ha, sorry, I made a sermon out of those experiences, it’s just I've had so much mulling about in my head as we've talked to people this week, that I thought I'd write it here. I love you all, don’t have much more time, but take care, be strong, trust the Savior. It’s all true folks! I love you and am praying for you always,
Elder Thelin
Things are good here. We hiked a mountain again today, in the rain. Actually, where we were, it was snowing. Kinda cool being in the middle of the clouds, barely can see, next to a raging waterfall, with snow falling everywhere. Loved it. Very different from the daily rushing and running to contact everyone we see.
Which is something we've been doing times 10. I admit I've looked at people and not talked to them on my mission. "Oh, he's scary." "Oh, he looks happy already." "He looks busy..." As we've focused on EVERYONE, we have started flipping the car around to talk to the guy on the other side of the street, walking through lawns to talk to the guy mowing his lawn, strike up a conversation at the gas station... as we have put the effort forth, we can see results - we meet many more of God's children who are seeking the truth. Its amazing. How many people do we pass without noticing and doing all we can to help? Do we think about them? I remember Jeffrey, a song you showed me "Give me your eyes for just one second" -I have it in our apartment, but that's kind of the message I've felt, think about everyone a little more, all these people we see... if we could just see them like God does...
Like I said before, lots of good things this week. Jorge, just 20 years old, lost everything his job, his wife, his family a month ago. We fasted to know how to help him - at the lesson Sunday, he said he felt a great peace in his life that started when we began to come by. He feels less tempted to do dumb things, he actually sat down and talked to God for the first time in years and years, he went to Church on Sunday for all 3 hours - and EVERY class and subject talked directly to him, to his needs. Amazing.
Then last night, we met with Claudia and Alfredo. Amazing people. She said she really doesn’t trust any certain religion, because they are all made and guided by man, and not God. We talked about having a prophet and she began to demand signs and proof, saying it was crazy to believe that, how could it be possible. I just started to talk - boldly, but with love, and testified with all I could about the fact that our Church, wonderfully, wasn’t started by a MAN, wasn’t started by an inexperienced youth named Joseph Smith, and isn’t guided now by man alone. It was started like God's truth is always given - by revelation, by giving authority to a prophet. It is guided today NOT by a man, but by God and Jesus Christ, by revelation. I asked her if she knew when God was present, and when He is speaking to her. She said of course. We testified that we have felt THAT as we've prayed for a testimony of the prophet, of the book of Mormon, of the truthfulness of this Church. The people are not perfect - who is, besides the Savior? The people aren’t perfect, but the doctrine, the authority, the organization IS. It is not of man, as Elder Uchtdorf said in a recent conference talk (Love of God, or We are doing a great work), it is not someone's best guess as to the meaning of ancient scripture, this is the TRUTH, this is Christ's church restored. As we testified, the contention left, the Spirit was there, and she just stayed quiet, thinking. We shared Ether 12:6. We need to pass the trial of our faith before receiving a testimony, a surety, something to "prove it". She felt strongly about that scripture.
It was a great lesson, and not because of what we were saying. The Spirit helped. It’s funny, people demand signs, or prove it all by reason, but really, without faith, all the signs in the world aren’t enough. We could see God Himself and still persist in doubt if we don’t have faith. Faith is the key. My mission is teaching me more than anything else to have faith. It is a strange thing, stepping into the dark without seeing the whole picture. I don’t understand everything. I've fought for a testimony more than many I have known. It’s easy to second guess and let criticism and confusion creep in. I have literally felt Satan's attacks on my quality of faith, mounting as I came to the mission, and during. But I have also seen more proof of the truth, more reason to have faith, than ever before. What I say to these investigators isn’t something I blindly believed in since birth (some anti said we're like horses with blinders on, refuse to see the light, etc) It would be like that if I hadn't have prayed 7 years ago, and read the whole Book of Mormon, and received an answer. It would be like that, if I hadn't have felt the Spirit guiding us to bring THIS message to specific people for the past year and a half. It would be like that if I was just sharing these things, but when everyone in the room feels the same peace of the Savior as we speak of the divine beginnings of this Church, it means something more. I have seen promises from prophets fulfilled, I have seen miracles wrought by the priesthood, I have seen Satan attacking and the truth sending him back, and I have felt the Spirit answering every prayer. It’s not easy, I understand where these people come from, but I have fought to know, and I KNOW. I don’t understand it all, and I don’t always know what to say, but I do know the truth.
Yesterday at Zone Conference, Alex Boye (very popular singer from London, family from Nigeria (British African?) came to our conference to speak and sing to us. He got baptized when he was 16 in London - and thrown out of his house. Literally. Lived on the streets, eating out of garbage cans. In that time he asked the Lord many things, and received specific real answers. Amazing. He served a mission. First day, a man came up, laughed at him, and started attacking the church. Alex had never heard of any of that. He stood there, then chose to laugh. He said, Sir, I don’t know if what you said is true, but it doesn’t matter. I prayed, and I know. I know this is true. I will not deny the witnesses I've received. He prayed that whole night, fighting doubt and struggle over these things he didn’t understand - and felt more strongly than anything, that this is right, the truth. Amazing speaker. As he sang his testimony, it filled us with strength and the spirit. Look him up, cool stuff.
Ha, sorry, I made a sermon out of those experiences, it’s just I've had so much mulling about in my head as we've talked to people this week, that I thought I'd write it here. I love you all, don’t have much more time, but take care, be strong, trust the Savior. It’s all true folks! I love you and am praying for you always,
Elder Thelin
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
COOKIE NIGHT
Hey, halloo,
Well, this has been a week, I'm pretty dead. Worked a LOT, did a lot, etc. Sounds like you all are still more crazy though, hah. Hope Aladdin goes well, that sounds like a pretty demanding organization you got running over there.
Hmm, so what DID happen this week? We tried to do something new - we had done it up in Ogden a year ago - Cookie Night, with the youth. Got everyone hyped up about it all week, and then Sunday night headed over to the Garcia family's house (coolest family here, son is in Brazil, so they take out their concern and wishes for him on us.... so we're well fed, well cared for, heheh) We invited some 50 kids, but only 15 came. But that's ok, 4 were non members. We started out with a lesson on the Atonement, something short. We watched "The Mediator", an old Seminary video about justice vs mercy and how the Savior balances that out, and then we did a demonstration by doing pushups to pay the price for everyone to have their reward - cookies (LOTS of cookies). I did 160 pushups straight, no joke, it was intense! Then we played a game that really had no sense to it - tied balloons to our feet and tried to stomp the other team's balloons... but we also filled them with water, and Elder Baquedano wanted to fill some with red kool aid... and while the youth were trying to figure that out, the killer dog of the family (sister of the other crazy dog that Holly should adopt) got loose and ate at least 5 balloons while the youth were running trying to get away... needless to say, it was intense, and we stained a lot of nice clothes with koolaid. But we ate cookies, and are pretty sure some people are getting baptized, so it works out.... cookie night. Good stuff.
We had a good stake conference here - it was a broadcast for the area, with Elder Hales and President Eyring. Good stuff, talking about Zion and how we create Zion in our personal lives in the community. Also cool because a lot of people showed up who we were not expecting, one guy we have invited for 6 months actually came.
We also have a funny investigator that says she really wants to get baptized - Esmeralda - but she is absolutely crazy - we tried teaching her young son about the apostasy after the death of all the apostles, and we made some little churches with Jenga blocks (thought that was pretty creative), and right at the most spiritual moment, when we are about to talk about Joseph Smith's prayer and the restoration of the full gospel of Christ, the mom here randomly blows them all down and laughed and laughed about how funny she was. She also can’t understand my Spanish, and whenever Elder Baquedano draws a smiley face on something she isn’t satisfied and thinks its frowning. It’s fairly hilarious. Patience and love. We'll get there.
Wow, a lot of mission calls! Steven, Heath, Christina, Nick, Henry, man, Culpeper is booming... can’t wait to see where they all end up. That's awesome about Megan going to SVU, nice!
Hmm, so I don’t have a lot to say, I guess - Sunday I'll try to call maybe at 4 our time, so 6 your time. I'll call to Grandma’s house - should be fun! We'll try to avoid talking about cashing checks for so long this time, ha. I guess it’s the same in all family's calls, it’s better not to say anything serious, well not much of a problem for us, haha - not fair the family with their son in Brazil talked for 4 hours with their son! He, was secretary to the mission President, special privileges or something... Well, we're excited for it, see how it goes!
Love you all, happy Cinco de Mayo (celebrates a battle between France and Mexico in the state of Puebla... who knew? Some older guy in the ward was rambling about it...) Talk to you Sunday!
-Elder Thelin
PS THE LONG LOST STORY CONTINUED...they were being followed by a pack (school? group? frenzy?) of sharks! The started to run to the Krusty Krab, but they were surrounded! They were just about to be made shark bait when they heard a little voice singing "JUST KEEP SWIMMING JUST KEEP SWIMMING...."
Well, this has been a week, I'm pretty dead. Worked a LOT, did a lot, etc. Sounds like you all are still more crazy though, hah. Hope Aladdin goes well, that sounds like a pretty demanding organization you got running over there.
Hmm, so what DID happen this week? We tried to do something new - we had done it up in Ogden a year ago - Cookie Night, with the youth. Got everyone hyped up about it all week, and then Sunday night headed over to the Garcia family's house (coolest family here, son is in Brazil, so they take out their concern and wishes for him on us.... so we're well fed, well cared for, heheh) We invited some 50 kids, but only 15 came. But that's ok, 4 were non members. We started out with a lesson on the Atonement, something short. We watched "The Mediator", an old Seminary video about justice vs mercy and how the Savior balances that out, and then we did a demonstration by doing pushups to pay the price for everyone to have their reward - cookies (LOTS of cookies). I did 160 pushups straight, no joke, it was intense! Then we played a game that really had no sense to it - tied balloons to our feet and tried to stomp the other team's balloons... but we also filled them with water, and Elder Baquedano wanted to fill some with red kool aid... and while the youth were trying to figure that out, the killer dog of the family (sister of the other crazy dog that Holly should adopt) got loose and ate at least 5 balloons while the youth were running trying to get away... needless to say, it was intense, and we stained a lot of nice clothes with koolaid. But we ate cookies, and are pretty sure some people are getting baptized, so it works out.... cookie night. Good stuff.
We had a good stake conference here - it was a broadcast for the area, with Elder Hales and President Eyring. Good stuff, talking about Zion and how we create Zion in our personal lives in the community. Also cool because a lot of people showed up who we were not expecting, one guy we have invited for 6 months actually came.
We also have a funny investigator that says she really wants to get baptized - Esmeralda - but she is absolutely crazy - we tried teaching her young son about the apostasy after the death of all the apostles, and we made some little churches with Jenga blocks (thought that was pretty creative), and right at the most spiritual moment, when we are about to talk about Joseph Smith's prayer and the restoration of the full gospel of Christ, the mom here randomly blows them all down and laughed and laughed about how funny she was. She also can’t understand my Spanish, and whenever Elder Baquedano draws a smiley face on something she isn’t satisfied and thinks its frowning. It’s fairly hilarious. Patience and love. We'll get there.
Wow, a lot of mission calls! Steven, Heath, Christina, Nick, Henry, man, Culpeper is booming... can’t wait to see where they all end up. That's awesome about Megan going to SVU, nice!
Hmm, so I don’t have a lot to say, I guess - Sunday I'll try to call maybe at 4 our time, so 6 your time. I'll call to Grandma’s house - should be fun! We'll try to avoid talking about cashing checks for so long this time, ha. I guess it’s the same in all family's calls, it’s better not to say anything serious, well not much of a problem for us, haha - not fair the family with their son in Brazil talked for 4 hours with their son! He, was secretary to the mission President, special privileges or something... Well, we're excited for it, see how it goes!
Love you all, happy Cinco de Mayo (celebrates a battle between France and Mexico in the state of Puebla... who knew? Some older guy in the ward was rambling about it...) Talk to you Sunday!
-Elder Thelin
PS THE LONG LOST STORY CONTINUED...they were being followed by a pack (school? group? frenzy?) of sharks! The started to run to the Krusty Krab, but they were surrounded! They were just about to be made shark bait when they heard a little voice singing "JUST KEEP SWIMMING JUST KEEP SWIMMING...."
Thursday, April 29, 2010
THE SPIRIT WITNESSES
PERU?? That's crazy! I think thats the farthest we've had in the family for a while, right? Germany was pretty far, I wonder which is farther. Dude, Peruvians are so cool. They are pretty prideful of their country, but I like the people from there... congrats to Steven. He should come up and do splits one day in Ogden :) heh...
Wow, long week. Had interviews with President and we begged to stay together - luckily this morning they called and confirmed that! Elder Baquedano again in Layton, the best branch in Utah. I love Layton. We actually heard rumors of a temple being constructed here - a small plot of land was reported to have been bought by the Church and many have seen President Monson walking around it with a group of people.... would be cool, to know we've helped increase the level of members needed here by 8 people... the people are all excited here too to have us. We are teaching a family that usually has at a bunch of kids listening, said they couldnt get baptized if we get moved. We've found a lot of sweet families lately. We've decided to consecrate all and be 100% obedient and contact EVERYperson, even if they growl at us (has happened).
So many good things here. Wednesday, we taught a family home evening at the Church. We had almost all the investigators show up - and also we heard someone that has never talked to missionaries was coming - a daughter in law of Leticia (the lady who got baptized). So, we talked about prohpets, and then for the millioneth time tied in the Restoration of the Gospel. The lesson wasnt making much sense, standing in front of 20 investigators and more members. I began to pray, just begging for the Lord to take over and touch their hearts. As I did I felt something grow - warm, peace, of course, the Spirit. But it came more and more, until it filled the room. As he spoke, the Spirit touched everyone there. My companion said after that he was trembling because of the power he felt moving through him. I've rarely in my life felt the Spirit that strong - it was so thrilling, I felt like standing on a wall and speaking to thousands so they could feel and be happy and know. It was so cool seeing the eyes of these good people fill with tears and knowing that somehow they felt that too, and knew. Who cares if its the millionth time - the Lord testified, and probably for that one lady there. We gave her a Book of Mormon after - funny, I'd prepared a copy with our testimonies and address and number and all a week before - but somehow didn’t manage to give it out to anyone all week. Figured every night coming home that maybe the Lord was reserving it for someone - I was surprised when I reached into the bag and pulled out that one. It was for her. Cool, eh? Sweet experience.
Also found a family from Guatemala, never have heard missionaries before and never have accepted them from any church until we came. After a month of cancelling appointments, we made it to one and their whole family is pretty psyched. All baptism age. Nuts.
Another cool thing was a "carne asada" - a BBQ - at the Ward mission leader’s house (mansion). All the recent converts and investigators came. Cool to see them uplifting each other and socializing, gave me hope for them, that they won’t just fall away. Very cool.
My brain and body are dead. We hiked up a mountain this morning - intense trail, not easy. Like 5 miles - took 3 hours. Went from grass to forest to rock to SNOW to a waterfall. Crazy member with us, a former elder here, climbed up a rock face and basically crawled up the hard way, very dangerous, like 100 feet above the trail, leaping from rock to rock.... but cool. don’t worry, we were obedient missionaries and stayed below taking pictures. Fun stuff. But TIRED.
Sounds like Aladdin is going well! Good luck HEIDI! You're so cool.
Viva la Vida is now stuck in my head after reading about Jeffrey's Acapella concert. Coldplay is Elder Baquendano's favorite band too. I still think it’s kinda religious... and funny about Clore - typical. Yes, I laughed. Just like the old days...
Hope everyone is enjoying the winding down days of the school year. Absolutely inconceivable that everyone is moving up another year - don’t even ask me what grades everyone is in, I'm still on track from back before I left for college. Nuts. I love you all, and increasingly miss you guys, but am trying to stay focused. Keep being good, follow the commandments, and especially the Holy Ghost. The little things matter and keep us close to the rod of iron and safety. Do them, the reward will come. I know the GOSPEL of Jesus Christ is true- how to be clean, how to come unto Him, WHY we come unto Him and need Him, how He sees us, all of that - THAT, the GOSPEL, was restored to the earth, with the authority to do that. Really, the Church is true, but we say it like it’s the thing that saves us. The GOSPEL is the way, and Christ is the Savior. The Church contains the authority of the Priesthood of God, and the correct teachings of Christ, all of it, its fullness, undiluted and unconfused, taught here. THAT’s why the Church is important. What it teaches is true. The Prophet is a true prophet, the only one on the earth. The authority is real. I know this is Christ's Church and His doctrine, the truth. The Spirit witnesses.
Thanks for all the support and prayers. You're all the best! Love to all, Elder Thelin
Ps I'd love to write Henry (Hank) and Nick, I don’t have the addresses but that’s so sweet!!!
Wow, long week. Had interviews with President and we begged to stay together - luckily this morning they called and confirmed that! Elder Baquedano again in Layton, the best branch in Utah. I love Layton. We actually heard rumors of a temple being constructed here - a small plot of land was reported to have been bought by the Church and many have seen President Monson walking around it with a group of people.... would be cool, to know we've helped increase the level of members needed here by 8 people... the people are all excited here too to have us. We are teaching a family that usually has at a bunch of kids listening, said they couldnt get baptized if we get moved. We've found a lot of sweet families lately. We've decided to consecrate all and be 100% obedient and contact EVERYperson, even if they growl at us (has happened).
So many good things here. Wednesday, we taught a family home evening at the Church. We had almost all the investigators show up - and also we heard someone that has never talked to missionaries was coming - a daughter in law of Leticia (the lady who got baptized). So, we talked about prohpets, and then for the millioneth time tied in the Restoration of the Gospel. The lesson wasnt making much sense, standing in front of 20 investigators and more members. I began to pray, just begging for the Lord to take over and touch their hearts. As I did I felt something grow - warm, peace, of course, the Spirit. But it came more and more, until it filled the room. As he spoke, the Spirit touched everyone there. My companion said after that he was trembling because of the power he felt moving through him. I've rarely in my life felt the Spirit that strong - it was so thrilling, I felt like standing on a wall and speaking to thousands so they could feel and be happy and know. It was so cool seeing the eyes of these good people fill with tears and knowing that somehow they felt that too, and knew. Who cares if its the millionth time - the Lord testified, and probably for that one lady there. We gave her a Book of Mormon after - funny, I'd prepared a copy with our testimonies and address and number and all a week before - but somehow didn’t manage to give it out to anyone all week. Figured every night coming home that maybe the Lord was reserving it for someone - I was surprised when I reached into the bag and pulled out that one. It was for her. Cool, eh? Sweet experience.
Also found a family from Guatemala, never have heard missionaries before and never have accepted them from any church until we came. After a month of cancelling appointments, we made it to one and their whole family is pretty psyched. All baptism age. Nuts.
Another cool thing was a "carne asada" - a BBQ - at the Ward mission leader’s house (mansion). All the recent converts and investigators came. Cool to see them uplifting each other and socializing, gave me hope for them, that they won’t just fall away. Very cool.
My brain and body are dead. We hiked up a mountain this morning - intense trail, not easy. Like 5 miles - took 3 hours. Went from grass to forest to rock to SNOW to a waterfall. Crazy member with us, a former elder here, climbed up a rock face and basically crawled up the hard way, very dangerous, like 100 feet above the trail, leaping from rock to rock.... but cool. don’t worry, we were obedient missionaries and stayed below taking pictures. Fun stuff. But TIRED.
Sounds like Aladdin is going well! Good luck HEIDI! You're so cool.
Viva la Vida is now stuck in my head after reading about Jeffrey's Acapella concert. Coldplay is Elder Baquendano's favorite band too. I still think it’s kinda religious... and funny about Clore - typical. Yes, I laughed. Just like the old days...
Hope everyone is enjoying the winding down days of the school year. Absolutely inconceivable that everyone is moving up another year - don’t even ask me what grades everyone is in, I'm still on track from back before I left for college. Nuts. I love you all, and increasingly miss you guys, but am trying to stay focused. Keep being good, follow the commandments, and especially the Holy Ghost. The little things matter and keep us close to the rod of iron and safety. Do them, the reward will come. I know the GOSPEL of Jesus Christ is true- how to be clean, how to come unto Him, WHY we come unto Him and need Him, how He sees us, all of that - THAT, the GOSPEL, was restored to the earth, with the authority to do that. Really, the Church is true, but we say it like it’s the thing that saves us. The GOSPEL is the way, and Christ is the Savior. The Church contains the authority of the Priesthood of God, and the correct teachings of Christ, all of it, its fullness, undiluted and unconfused, taught here. THAT’s why the Church is important. What it teaches is true. The Prophet is a true prophet, the only one on the earth. The authority is real. I know this is Christ's Church and His doctrine, the truth. The Spirit witnesses.
Thanks for all the support and prayers. You're all the best! Love to all, Elder Thelin
Ps I'd love to write Henry (Hank) and Nick, I don’t have the addresses but that’s so sweet!!!
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
LOVE YOU ALL, BE FAITHFUL
Halloo family,
How it be? You're right, the annual rollercoaster of events isn't happenning for us, no book fairs, projects, plays, soccer games, or concerts - just missionary work! Kinda nice... Hahahaha next year? Chauffer? Maybe! - I've basically had planned I'd stay and work in VA and try to pay some of my own way for the next semester of college, maybe go back to BYU in the next fall... just thoughts, not that I'm planning extensisvely yet.... (10 months left, crazy everyone always says ph almost done? NO. Cmon folks, dont rush me :) )
Baptism was great. Leticia got baptized at 4 pm. Her little daughter didn't yet- soon hopefully. Leticia was so happy. She invited EVERYONE. I performed the baptism. She was crying the whole time. Very strong. Several family members came and just cried the whole time, with members by them telling them that what it was that they were feeling for the first time: "This is the Holy Ghost."
Also a 20 year old named Jorge - I love Jorge, I feel like he's a good friend. Maybe because he speaks to me in English or he's my age, but he's awesome. He's battling some hard times right now, but coming to Christ. He cried at the baptism too. Pray for him.
Volcanic ash? What the heck - I've heard we've had 7 major earthquakes since the new year started, and now this? Listen, world...... I like how you ended that epic paragraph Mom depicting the possible end of the world scenarios with "Haha. Wild stuff." You are funny.
Attic fan... wow I miss home sometimes, hahaha.
It's true, that scripture you quoted. We can't do anything without the Lord's help. I mean, we CAN, but it will fail eventually. If we rely on Him, He has power to change everything. Last night we taught a lady who had been studying a different church for the past year and was really questioning about Joseph Smith and as we explained, she began to get it. Then explain it to her husband. Then we mentioned Jospeh was killed and how his family suffered greatly - and she basically quoted that epic talk by Jeffrey R Holland last October - "Would he really have held up a farce, lied when his FAMILY, friends, etc would suffer? Would he REALLY testify of a false book with a mob charging to kill him and his loved ones?" She told us that, and how she really could believe it, for once, it was enough for her, and the Spirit came so strong. I felt it just filling me and testifying that the things she was realizing were true, and he was a prophet of the Lord Jesus Christ, that this IS HIS Church, and the Book of Mormon IS true, and the Bible IS the word of God. Amazing.
Love you all, be faithful,
Elder Christopher Thelin
Ps Jeffrey is crazy. What a life. Enjoy it. Sheesh. haha (btw, I'll have to introduce you to Belt Wars. Despite firm commitments to not make warfare with the English Elders, its a little hard not to retaliate. On your mission, you should be better than that... holy cow... Dad, hope stuff like that sounds familiar from your mission...)
Ppps Grandma and Grandpa, hope you guys are well, and happy. Sometimes relxing at your house is definitly something I miss - I'd love to talk with you both for just an afternoon, hear about life, your views on things. You're both such super examples to us, and just fun to be around. I'll try to write a full blown letter sometime, before February, haha.
Ppps Sisters: writing letters today. Be excited.
Psnspos Rest of family, you're awesome.
How it be? You're right, the annual rollercoaster of events isn't happenning for us, no book fairs, projects, plays, soccer games, or concerts - just missionary work! Kinda nice... Hahahaha next year? Chauffer? Maybe! - I've basically had planned I'd stay and work in VA and try to pay some of my own way for the next semester of college, maybe go back to BYU in the next fall... just thoughts, not that I'm planning extensisvely yet.... (10 months left, crazy everyone always says ph almost done? NO. Cmon folks, dont rush me :) )
Baptism was great. Leticia got baptized at 4 pm. Her little daughter didn't yet- soon hopefully. Leticia was so happy. She invited EVERYONE. I performed the baptism. She was crying the whole time. Very strong. Several family members came and just cried the whole time, with members by them telling them that what it was that they were feeling for the first time: "This is the Holy Ghost."
Also a 20 year old named Jorge - I love Jorge, I feel like he's a good friend. Maybe because he speaks to me in English or he's my age, but he's awesome. He's battling some hard times right now, but coming to Christ. He cried at the baptism too. Pray for him.
Volcanic ash? What the heck - I've heard we've had 7 major earthquakes since the new year started, and now this? Listen, world...... I like how you ended that epic paragraph Mom depicting the possible end of the world scenarios with "Haha. Wild stuff." You are funny.
Attic fan... wow I miss home sometimes, hahaha.
It's true, that scripture you quoted. We can't do anything without the Lord's help. I mean, we CAN, but it will fail eventually. If we rely on Him, He has power to change everything. Last night we taught a lady who had been studying a different church for the past year and was really questioning about Joseph Smith and as we explained, she began to get it. Then explain it to her husband. Then we mentioned Jospeh was killed and how his family suffered greatly - and she basically quoted that epic talk by Jeffrey R Holland last October - "Would he really have held up a farce, lied when his FAMILY, friends, etc would suffer? Would he REALLY testify of a false book with a mob charging to kill him and his loved ones?" She told us that, and how she really could believe it, for once, it was enough for her, and the Spirit came so strong. I felt it just filling me and testifying that the things she was realizing were true, and he was a prophet of the Lord Jesus Christ, that this IS HIS Church, and the Book of Mormon IS true, and the Bible IS the word of God. Amazing.
Love you all, be faithful,
Elder Christopher Thelin
Ps Jeffrey is crazy. What a life. Enjoy it. Sheesh. haha (btw, I'll have to introduce you to Belt Wars. Despite firm commitments to not make warfare with the English Elders, its a little hard not to retaliate. On your mission, you should be better than that... holy cow... Dad, hope stuff like that sounds familiar from your mission...)
Ppps Grandma and Grandpa, hope you guys are well, and happy. Sometimes relxing at your house is definitly something I miss - I'd love to talk with you both for just an afternoon, hear about life, your views on things. You're both such super examples to us, and just fun to be around. I'll try to write a full blown letter sometime, before February, haha.
Ppps Sisters: writing letters today. Be excited.
Psnspos Rest of family, you're awesome.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
THAT"S THE SPIRIT, MY FRIENDS.
Heyho, howdy!
WELL, it snowed again. Rats.
I really don't feel like its been an honest 7 days since last Tuesday, someone must be messing with the earth's rotation or something - maybe the earthquake in Chile affected more than they thought (we heard it actually moved the earth's tilt like 5 milimeters, intense...)
Jeffrey, feel free to clean up my side of the room. We have a whole house here to clean, so...
Lets see, what happened this week... good lessons, exchanges (other missionaries almost crashing our car, good stuff), met a guy who alternates between being Dan and Danielle, etc... I'm way tired, can't really think straight, I mentioned that we have two missionaries that moved in, and that the prank potential would go up... well, it certainly has, and its been war for 7 days straight. Pretty awesome, buckets of soapy water on top of half open doors, messing with the power breaker while people are taking a shower, slamming a twinkie in someone's face, many belt wars (painful), hiding and scaring people, setting alarms for 3 am, running in and waving a flashlight in sleeping people's faces while dragging them and their sheets toward the stairs, leaving live worms on people's desks... its all pretty epic, and probably should stop... but hey, what can you do?
Two baptisms this coming saturday, Leticia and Leslie, the ones from the hospital. Very solid. Leticia calls us her "angels" kinda weird, but she says she feels the Spirit way strong when we are around. Should be good.
Well, Miss Frary is getting hitched?!?!?!? That's pretty crazy, but expected. Actually, I KNOW Lehi Yanez's parents, and his brother - his brother's family goes to our branch, also called the Yanez family (Ja-nyez). The parents visited here once, nice people, very funny. Madeleine mentioned she had come up here to Layton a few times, and the Yanez's were talking about some girl at BYU that knew his brother Lehi, that she'd always come up and their two kids would go crazy yelling "Maddie!" It was pretty weird when we figured out we knew the same people. I figured she was getting married pretty soon, they should come up and do it in Ogden, that'd be sweet to go attend! I wonder how that'll work, if she'll be learning Spanish... hopefully Lehi speaks English too. Haha. Best of luck to 'em, that's crazy!
FIX BOOMPF.
Man, those stories are hilarious. Good times, don't miss high school at all, good job with the fence Alex.
That's cool Holly, seems like a lot of people are bringing up the Church when they're around you! You're doing a good job being a missionary, we're proud of you here!
Steven... missionary?... everyone's growing up FAST.
Layna is smart, Shamra should take pictures and send them to me of Europe, and I knew about Kayla's mission thoughts. Awesome!
Wow, I'm kinda without things to say today, so I guess we'll wrap this up. We met a man yesterday that basically was a friend of Korihor [a man in the Book of Mormon who denied there was a God]: I don't believe in a God, you can't prove it, show me a real miraculous sign and I'll believe, its all just garbage, I don't need God and I can figure out my life best on MY OWN. It was intesne, we spoke of feeling the Spirit, of faith, but he just couldn't accept that. Hardened. He had let life and things get to him, and now can't feel the Spirit, can't accept that type of answer, has no faith. I think we take for granted how much faith we have in the Lord. Some people want signs, but if even they have them, they won't believe. In contrast, if we believe, I know we will see signs, miracles, things outside our control. We taught a lady yesterday, strong in another religion, but we shared our testimonies the best we could about what the Prophet Joseph Smith saw, and that God lives and of His truth - and as has happened weekly to people that we teach for a year now, she said "I feel something... peace. Tranquility. It just came while he was talking..." That's the Spirit, my friends. I've seen people try to "convince" or speak with great emotion or eloquence, and it doesn't produce the same thing that simple, sincere, heartfelt testimony does: the Spirit enters the room, children stop crying, loud music next door gets softer, and everyone feels peace. I know that God lives. I know that this is the truth. Its not always easy to accept and live it, its not easy to share it, its not easy period, but its true, and its worth it. As we put the Savior first, have faith in Him, and move forward obediently, I have faith we will receive answers. Everyone that I have asked to do that, and they have done it sincerely with effort, recieves that witness. I know its true. Share it with your friends!
Love, Elder Thelin
(I got here in the mission field 1 year ago....)
WELL, it snowed again. Rats.
I really don't feel like its been an honest 7 days since last Tuesday, someone must be messing with the earth's rotation or something - maybe the earthquake in Chile affected more than they thought (we heard it actually moved the earth's tilt like 5 milimeters, intense...)
Jeffrey, feel free to clean up my side of the room. We have a whole house here to clean, so...
Lets see, what happened this week... good lessons, exchanges (other missionaries almost crashing our car, good stuff), met a guy who alternates between being Dan and Danielle, etc... I'm way tired, can't really think straight, I mentioned that we have two missionaries that moved in, and that the prank potential would go up... well, it certainly has, and its been war for 7 days straight. Pretty awesome, buckets of soapy water on top of half open doors, messing with the power breaker while people are taking a shower, slamming a twinkie in someone's face, many belt wars (painful), hiding and scaring people, setting alarms for 3 am, running in and waving a flashlight in sleeping people's faces while dragging them and their sheets toward the stairs, leaving live worms on people's desks... its all pretty epic, and probably should stop... but hey, what can you do?
Two baptisms this coming saturday, Leticia and Leslie, the ones from the hospital. Very solid. Leticia calls us her "angels" kinda weird, but she says she feels the Spirit way strong when we are around. Should be good.
Well, Miss Frary is getting hitched?!?!?!? That's pretty crazy, but expected. Actually, I KNOW Lehi Yanez's parents, and his brother - his brother's family goes to our branch, also called the Yanez family (Ja-nyez). The parents visited here once, nice people, very funny. Madeleine mentioned she had come up here to Layton a few times, and the Yanez's were talking about some girl at BYU that knew his brother Lehi, that she'd always come up and their two kids would go crazy yelling "Maddie!" It was pretty weird when we figured out we knew the same people. I figured she was getting married pretty soon, they should come up and do it in Ogden, that'd be sweet to go attend! I wonder how that'll work, if she'll be learning Spanish... hopefully Lehi speaks English too. Haha. Best of luck to 'em, that's crazy!
FIX BOOMPF.
Man, those stories are hilarious. Good times, don't miss high school at all, good job with the fence Alex.
That's cool Holly, seems like a lot of people are bringing up the Church when they're around you! You're doing a good job being a missionary, we're proud of you here!
Steven... missionary?... everyone's growing up FAST.
Layna is smart, Shamra should take pictures and send them to me of Europe, and I knew about Kayla's mission thoughts. Awesome!
Wow, I'm kinda without things to say today, so I guess we'll wrap this up. We met a man yesterday that basically was a friend of Korihor [a man in the Book of Mormon who denied there was a God]: I don't believe in a God, you can't prove it, show me a real miraculous sign and I'll believe, its all just garbage, I don't need God and I can figure out my life best on MY OWN. It was intesne, we spoke of feeling the Spirit, of faith, but he just couldn't accept that. Hardened. He had let life and things get to him, and now can't feel the Spirit, can't accept that type of answer, has no faith. I think we take for granted how much faith we have in the Lord. Some people want signs, but if even they have them, they won't believe. In contrast, if we believe, I know we will see signs, miracles, things outside our control. We taught a lady yesterday, strong in another religion, but we shared our testimonies the best we could about what the Prophet Joseph Smith saw, and that God lives and of His truth - and as has happened weekly to people that we teach for a year now, she said "I feel something... peace. Tranquility. It just came while he was talking..." That's the Spirit, my friends. I've seen people try to "convince" or speak with great emotion or eloquence, and it doesn't produce the same thing that simple, sincere, heartfelt testimony does: the Spirit enters the room, children stop crying, loud music next door gets softer, and everyone feels peace. I know that God lives. I know that this is the truth. Its not always easy to accept and live it, its not easy to share it, its not easy period, but its true, and its worth it. As we put the Savior first, have faith in Him, and move forward obediently, I have faith we will receive answers. Everyone that I have asked to do that, and they have done it sincerely with effort, recieves that witness. I know its true. Share it with your friends!
Love, Elder Thelin
(I got here in the mission field 1 year ago....)
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
NEVER STAY INSIDE IF YOU CAN GO OUT AND TALK TO SOMEONE!
The world is green in Virginia? We thought we were getting to that point.... then yesterday at 6 it started crazy raining, and we got out of a lesson around 9 and everything was covered in 4 inches of snow! Fun trying to fishtail our way up hills in the trailer park we were in, took a while getting home.... sheesh. Who the heck is still praying for snow, its not like they will get out of school for it :)
SO Conference Weekend was cool. In a surprise turn of events our mission president made a new rule: Attending Conference in Salt Lake City is fair game, so we we scrambled, found miracle tickets, and took Leticia and Leslie (the family that got blessed at the hospital that I talked about last week) and also a family E. Baquedano baptized in Hyrum, and we went down for the Sat Morning session. Pretty cool, being there with like 20,000 people, and the Mormon Tab. Choir... Intense. I think we got a picture in the Ensign, we'll see. But it was cool, being there with investigators that had no idea what was going on and explaining "This is a conference for our church shown throughout the whole world. That is Pres. Monson--he is a prophet of God on the earth today..." Leslie was really impressed with how funny President Monson is. True! Cool stuff. And the rest of Conference was awesome. Jeffrey R Holland is hilarious, a tough topic well handled ("and some invite bad thoughts in for tea and crumpets... we shouldn't be serving tea anyhow..." haha) Priesthood was incredible, talked about how we get called as missionaries. Helped boost testimony that we aren't here just randomly. God really wants me here in Ogden. Easter Sunday was good too! All good!
The week went well - we just had two English missionaires move in with us last night, now life is way more fun and a lot less sane. Pranking should be more fun with 4... haha.
OH, cool, we were at home yesterday waiting for the others to come move in, and we had 10 minutes. We debated staying there and doing some planning or something, or going out on a walk for 10 minutes. We decided a walk would be more productive, so we went out. First person we saw, we talked to. She said: "Oh yeah, I read the Book of Mormon a LOT, I'm halfway through. I actually went to Buenaventura branch for like a year (my first area) but the Elders got switched and then we moved here. I tried going to church, but they were in English." We showed her where the Spanish branch is, and asked if she was baptized. Nope. But was preparing before. THen she said "Yeah, I've missed it a lot. I'm still reading. I think that if the church wasn't true, it wouldnt be growing so much." HECK yeah, most amazing miracle contact ever. I'm convinced she's getting baptized in 3 weeks. God gave us exaclty the miracle we were hoping for in the exact time we had. NEVER stay inside if you can go out and talk to someone!
Got the package, was great! Elder Baquedano stained his hands good with dye. I've got a good Elder Egg (Misiohuevo if anyone gets that...) The candy is sweet, the spinner from the Maguras is much loved for all its value... ha, but my companion got sick of the song and ran it over with the car or something like that while I was on exchanges. Greatness lived and died...
Glad everything is well with you all. Mole projects, plays, Turkey, roller coasters... man, life's crazy. THANKS for the letter Heidi, I'll write back I promise. I miss Culpeper I do admit, the "Ground Hog Dinner" looked like a blast... holy cow, Culpeper rules...
Please keep praying for Karla. We visited her last week, and asked how if her baptism was what she was expecting. She said much much better - because of what she felt. Everyone talked about the change of peace in her face from before and after. She's so strong, but still facing trials at home. Just please continue to pray for her father to have his heart softened or something. You always read stories about these kinds of things, but its different when you know the person... and you were the one that invited the person to make that choice. But we and she prayed, and the Spirit confirmed strongly how right the choice and the timing was, so we'll keep trusting. Please pray.
I love you all, and wish you a good week! You're the best. God loves us, and we can trust in Him. Jesus Christ is the Savior, and this is His church. The Spirit confirms it powerfully.
Love, Elder Thelin
SO Conference Weekend was cool. In a surprise turn of events our mission president made a new rule: Attending Conference in Salt Lake City is fair game, so we we scrambled, found miracle tickets, and took Leticia and Leslie (the family that got blessed at the hospital that I talked about last week) and also a family E. Baquedano baptized in Hyrum, and we went down for the Sat Morning session. Pretty cool, being there with like 20,000 people, and the Mormon Tab. Choir... Intense. I think we got a picture in the Ensign, we'll see. But it was cool, being there with investigators that had no idea what was going on and explaining "This is a conference for our church shown throughout the whole world. That is Pres. Monson--he is a prophet of God on the earth today..." Leslie was really impressed with how funny President Monson is. True! Cool stuff. And the rest of Conference was awesome. Jeffrey R Holland is hilarious, a tough topic well handled ("and some invite bad thoughts in for tea and crumpets... we shouldn't be serving tea anyhow..." haha) Priesthood was incredible, talked about how we get called as missionaries. Helped boost testimony that we aren't here just randomly. God really wants me here in Ogden. Easter Sunday was good too! All good!
The week went well - we just had two English missionaires move in with us last night, now life is way more fun and a lot less sane. Pranking should be more fun with 4... haha.
OH, cool, we were at home yesterday waiting for the others to come move in, and we had 10 minutes. We debated staying there and doing some planning or something, or going out on a walk for 10 minutes. We decided a walk would be more productive, so we went out. First person we saw, we talked to. She said: "Oh yeah, I read the Book of Mormon a LOT, I'm halfway through. I actually went to Buenaventura branch for like a year (my first area) but the Elders got switched and then we moved here. I tried going to church, but they were in English." We showed her where the Spanish branch is, and asked if she was baptized. Nope. But was preparing before. THen she said "Yeah, I've missed it a lot. I'm still reading. I think that if the church wasn't true, it wouldnt be growing so much." HECK yeah, most amazing miracle contact ever. I'm convinced she's getting baptized in 3 weeks. God gave us exaclty the miracle we were hoping for in the exact time we had. NEVER stay inside if you can go out and talk to someone!
Got the package, was great! Elder Baquedano stained his hands good with dye. I've got a good Elder Egg (Misiohuevo if anyone gets that...) The candy is sweet, the spinner from the Maguras is much loved for all its value... ha, but my companion got sick of the song and ran it over with the car or something like that while I was on exchanges. Greatness lived and died...
Glad everything is well with you all. Mole projects, plays, Turkey, roller coasters... man, life's crazy. THANKS for the letter Heidi, I'll write back I promise. I miss Culpeper I do admit, the "Ground Hog Dinner" looked like a blast... holy cow, Culpeper rules...
Please keep praying for Karla. We visited her last week, and asked how if her baptism was what she was expecting. She said much much better - because of what she felt. Everyone talked about the change of peace in her face from before and after. She's so strong, but still facing trials at home. Just please continue to pray for her father to have his heart softened or something. You always read stories about these kinds of things, but its different when you know the person... and you were the one that invited the person to make that choice. But we and she prayed, and the Spirit confirmed strongly how right the choice and the timing was, so we'll keep trusting. Please pray.
I love you all, and wish you a good week! You're the best. God loves us, and we can trust in Him. Jesus Christ is the Savior, and this is His church. The Spirit confirms it powerfully.
Love, Elder Thelin
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