This week I got out-whitted. And I was super
impressed. And still not over it. There's this most amazing family in
our ward, the Flores family, and they are amazing. The dad was just
released as Ward Mission Leader in our ward and called as Stake Mission
Leader...and pretty much it's a family of missionaries. One of their
daughters goes out with us all the time, she's so nice! Anyway, they
have a 12-year-old son named Alex. This kid is a crack-up. When we first
met him, we asked if he was going to be a missionary, and in response,
she kind of cocked his head to the side and said "well...I'm, uhh,
actually the deacons quorum president, so..." raising his eyebrows in a
'you-know-what-that-means' way. We were like...way to go, kid. He is
proud of his calling. :)
Well, we went over to
their house for dinner a few days ago. He came around the corner, and
shook the elders' hands first, then came over to us and said, "I don't
believe I've met you two yet, either!" So I said, "umm...ouch! We met
last week! You don't remember?!" He squinted his eyes, and said, "no
way, really??" And I pretended to be offended and hurt, like, "come on,
you don't remember us?!" So this kid just shrugs and says, "it's
probably because you look even prettier today is all."
So
I respond, "oh, and what are you saying about last time we were here,
then, hmm? We weren't pretty then?" And he says, "nope, you were pretty
then, too, but you two must be wearing less makeup today."
BOOM.
Touche, kid. Too. Shay. That kid is smooth. I had nothing more to say.
Bright future ahead of him, that's all I'm saying. Okay. Back to
missionary work.
I have a lesson about
peer-pressure this week. Once upon a time, I ate six chilepinos mixed
into a fourth a cup of frijoles and my mouth caught on FIRE.
DON'T LET MEXICANS CONVINCE YOU TO DO THAT. OR FELLOW MISSIONARIES. JUST DON'T.
Also,
I came up with a great analogy. I don't know why, but when missionaries
want to explain that teaching people according to their needs is more
important than teaching the lesson word-for-word, they say, "you can't
throw up the gospel onto them." (<--at least, that's what everyone
always says to me....?) Anyway, so I say that now, too, but the other
day I said it to Hermana Mello and I just got caught up in this thought
and okay, just listen...
If there is a really
good food, but looks different and people have heard weird things about
it, but YOU know it's good and you want to share it with your best
friend, THE LAST THING YOU SHOULD DO is eat it and then throw it up on
them.
No, no, you should tell them how good it
is, testify of it's deliciousness, and invite them to try it
themselves! Because if you throw it up on them, great, they have it all
over them, they kind of know what it is now from their own personal
experience, but they never got the chance to really take it in! And if
you try to force it down their throat they will probably throw it back
up (and also hate you.) You can only INVITE THEM TO TRY IT! Then it will
become a part of them. And they will love it too and invite their
friends!
Weirdest analogy ever, never going to
use it in a lesson unless directed by the Spirit to do so, but that's
what I think about during personal study, and I thought I'd share. Also,
I'm sorry for the imagery.
Cristina got
baptized on Saturday! I got to go, and it was amazing! She was glowing
afterwards, and her testimony was so simple and beautiful! I was so glad
I got to go and be a part of it. I am hoping that Georgette follows
through and gets baptized this coming week, because I've already got
permission to go to that one, too!
Also, all
missionaries in the United States got to see "Meet the Mormons" early,
so I saw that this week! YOU ALL NEED TO GO ASAP. IT IS SUCH A GREAT
MOVIE! Also, I don't know if you knew this, but all proceeds for the
movie are being donated to the Red Cross. Pretty cool!
We
also have a baptism coming up this weekend! (We hope.) We have to
follow up on the Word of Wisdom, but I might be sending a baptism email
next week! Yay! His name is Gerardo, super prepared for the gospel. He's
got a great story, I'll tell you next week!
I
have also been setting some BIG TIME GOALS this week. Like, I realized
on my mission that I don't think I've ever set/achieved a formal goal
ever in my life. I have studied goal-setting like absolute crazy, and
I'm SO EXCITED to tell you all about it when I am home! That's a long
time away, but it is coming! :)
"You are my favorite Yankees fan. That is an honor." --Hermana Mello (redsox. ugh.)
"God speaks fluent Spanglish. He also speaks dream language, like when you're praying in the mornings." --Elder Vorkink
"I
don't know why you need to take physics for the MCAT, you're never
going to use it...like...if the particles are moving at this rate,
you're gonna need a heart operation." --Hermana Mello
"He just gave me a friendly arm-grab." --Hermana Mello
Despite
the funny quotes (are those ever actually funny to you?), Hermana Mello
also said something super interesting the other day while we were
driving. I don't even remember what we were talking about, but she said
"isn't it interesting that we as human beings so readily accept
scientific eternity, things unexplored and unproven theories as
something real and possible, but we are so incredulous to spiritual
eternity, things unproven and believed in?"
I
love that. It's true. We accept that the universe has no end, but our
finite minds find it difficult to actually comprehend an endless matter.
But we believe it as a true fact nonetheless! But then you consider a
spiritual eternity, that there are things unproven but spiritually true,
and people so easily doubt. Our minds are so finite! And guess what? We
will never prove everything, spiritual or physical! There is so much to
be discovered. But isn't it amazing that the gospel still provides
answers to all life's questions? It just make sense...the gospel is
logical!
I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY. I LOVE IT SO MUCH. IF YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE...DO IT. DO IT!
Not in a peer-pressure kind of way, though...
READ YOUR SCRIPTURES, GUYS. AND PRAY MORNING AND NIGHT. AND GO TO CHURCH AND FEEL THE SPIRIT PLEASE.
Love, Hermana Thomas
Merry Christmas
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