Diligence

Dear Family,

I can't believe that next month I will be 20. I feel old. Just kidding.


This last week was amazing. We had a gera misional which is when we have one of the Seventy come. It was by far the best thing of my mission. I learned so much about what is the purpose of a missionary. My purpose here is to find, teach, baptize, retain, and activate. It is all explained in the first page of Preach My Gospel. I love that book.


I also learned that when we go slow we learn so much more. I have been wondering how to do this and that and have been stuck in the same hole thinking of a way to get out. When really I should just think of an answer and do it. If it doesn't work, well, change the solution. Elder Ortiz was the person who came, and he shared so many things about the
mission field and how to work efficiently and, well, just better. He also shared a lot about the light of Christ and when we are obedient our light shines even more. He also shared something about Genesis and that it explains the premortal life. Yes, yes, it does. It's in the first chapter! WHOA.... I was just shocked how much doctrine this Elder knew. I hope to become like that. 

This week was super good. We didn't quite complete our goals, but we still had a lot of miracles happen. One of our old investigators is unmarried and loves the gospel
and wants to get baptized, but he lives with his girlfriend. He didn't have the money to get married. Well, he told us that his girlfriend is going to live somewhere else, and he wants to get baptized on the 23rd of November!!! YES, POR FIN! baptism. I was so excited.

Anyway, I love reading all of these letters and I love the photo of mom and her zombie outfit [Um, I was a hippie, son, but who cares?] Oh, it made my day. Mom, thank you for the Called to Serve thing; it gave me so much hope. I also love the fact that the family is working on diligencia. It is the key to being a successful missionary. It is super true.  Let me just tell my personal opinion about diligence. It is the best thing for us. Christ was always so diligent to do his best, especially during the atonement. I want to follow his example --when things go wrong or when we feel like their is no solution  --to keep being diligent and to be working my hardest in every moment. It was never easy for Christ, so why would we think that our lives would be any different? Well, I hope that we all will be diligent in all of our efforts.

With Love,

Elder Thompson

P.S. I did not have to correct his spelling of the word 'investigator' for the first time in this letter.  Miracles abound. :)