Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Letter dated November 18, 2013

Helloooo!!!!
We had a BOSS week this week! hahaha :) we got so much more accomplished! :) It's amazing what happens when you have successful planning! :) hahah, PA has been awesome! and the last few days have actually warmed up! It's been so nice! :) I swear, Thanksgiving can't come fast enough! I am having Christmas Fever! I want it to be Christmas time sooo badly! hahaha I want to hear some happy Christmas music and see everyone's cute decorations. :) ahhh, best time of the year! hahaha minus the cold...but you get my point! lol This week we got to have a lot of really amazing lessons where the spirit was so strong! We got to teach the Restoration to our friend Matt, He's a new investigator and Brother Barnum was there, and he's just like a missionary! haha He's so on the ball and so in tune with the spirit and so willing to ask and answer questions! There is such a special spirit that coms with Covenant keeping Members that come.  This week we get to have a lesson in Brother Barnums home with his family! We are so excited! :) Matt has been reading the Book of Mormon and understanding it very well! :) There is nothing better than feeling the spirit that comes from reading the Book of Mormon. :) Every time we talk about the Restoration, and the Vision of Joseph Smith, you can't help but feel the spirit so strongly! Every time I have the opportunity to quote Joseph's Smith's words, I get the chills! I have such a sure testimony that Joseph Smith was a true prophet of God, and that he did in fact see God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ.  I know that because of a sincere, heart felt prayer, of a fourteen year old boy, I am able to enjoy the blessings of being a member of this church today.   And I can't imagine being anywhere else in the world, than here, teaching this to those in Elizabethtown Pennsylvania area. :)  We have such a special amazing ward! They do sooo much for us and are so willing to help us! One of my favorite sweet ladies actually invited Sister Winkler and I to come over one P-day and her and her husband are going to teach us how to paint! :) Even though Sister Winkler already knows how.  haha She loves art! Man, I love her! She's been such a great companion! I have so much to learn from her. She has such a sweet, happy, patient heart.  And she just loves everyone and is always striving to be her best self! I want to be like her some day.  When she testifies it is so tangible, it's like you can reach right out and feel it! I want to be like that!
Earlier this week, Valerie, our Investigator sent us a text saying that she was feeling so overwhelmed with her life and was thinking of taking a step back from the church for a bit. I was devastated. My heart was crushed....totally ruined my day.  I was so worried and sad! She has come so far! and was sooooo sincere about everything that she did, and was just so willing to repent, and be her best self, and I had no idea what had gone wrong.  We had decided to call Brother John and see if him or his wife and heard anything from Valerie for a while, because him and his wife had become really close friends with Valerie.  He said he hadn't heard anything but was so concerned for her. He said his wife had made some bread and that they would take it over that night.  Well later that night we had an appointment cancel and we decided that we would go stop in at Valerie's house, and we actually got a call from Brother John saying that his wife wouldn't be home until nine so they weren't bringing the bread by anymore.  We had told him that we were headed over to her house and he wanted to meet us there to be with us, and so we met him there.  She was so sweet and had us all in, and we were able to find some of her concerns, she was just crying and crying.  I felt sooo bad.  Kind of one of those moments where you just want to cry because someone you love is hurting so badly...and she just told us she didn't feel worthy of the things that were happening in her life.  after we had talked to her for a while, Brother John was actually able to give Valerie a Priesthood blessing...and I was beautiful! You could just feel the love that our Heavenly Father had for her fill the air! it was amazing! She had said she felt much better and was so thankful that we had stopped by. I love her sooo much, and want her to receive the blessings of this gospel soo much.  I know how much it can help her with her life.  She's the greatest.  and I'm truly praying and hoping that all goes well. :)
These were just a few of my highlights this week, but I have to get going! I love you all so much! and I miss you tons! :)
Love, Sister Thomas