And...still Christmas-ing!

FELIZ NAVIDAD OR ELSE. Yes, Christmas is a-ringin' loud and proud down here in the oven of Arizona! Sometimes when I am sweating to death I pretend that I'm just soaked with melted snowflakes.  I AM CRAVING A WINTER. And I will probably take that back after about ten minutes in Utah but HOLY COW. I don't think you all understand. I haven't seen a cold day for LIKE TWENTY MONTHS. I mean, I guess that it was a little cold in my first two weeks in Chile, but that's due to the absolutely nonexistence of indoor heating. It was probably in the high seventies, low eighties during the day.  For those of you just tuning into my life, I am pretty much world-renown for turning the fireplace on in July and sitting two inches from it to warm my fingers and toes and whole body in general. I am 138% positive that I have a higher body temperature than the average human being...okay, well, I don't really get "science" but wouldn't that make sense?? Wouldn't that explain why I am always colder than everyone else?  DON'T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON WEEKLY PLANNING HERE. In this mission we all come together every Friday as a zone and do our weekly planning in the cultural hall of a chapel (as companionships, obviously.) I AM ALWAYS FREEZING. I have brought a jacket to this meeting for the last few months because I seriously just sit and freeze. For three hours.  So, just to clarify, just because I am craving a winter...probably doesn't mean that I won't have the fireplace on in July. Now that I've gotten your attention with that super interesting story...let's get on with this letter! First, I have to say...Georgette did not end up being baptized this week. :( Super sad. Again. I guess that she's been out of town/super hard to get a hold of. I KNOW THAT SHE WILL FIGURE IT OUT SOME DAY. It makes me so totally sad. :( BUT I HAVE OTHER NEWS THAT IS SUPER GREAT! ROSALIA IS GETTING BAPTIZED!! Do you remember my Mexican grandma who read and loved the Book of Mormon? She is on date for this week! Hopefully it will happen, though. She's not sure that she can get work off, but I saw Sister Homer last night and she told me all about it, I'm going to try to get permission to go! Also, in case you are wondering, Gerardo was not baptized this weekend, either, but it's okay! He is on date for this coming weekend. There were a couple things that he still needed to learn and apply, and we want him to be totally prepared to be baptized so that he can have the best experience possible! So we moved it. But he's doing awesome! My companion is so sweet. We've had quite a few funny moments this week...oh, a classic Hermana Mello quote: "I really want to marry a guy from Scotland. I am confident that we would never have any communication problems. I would just sit and listen to him talk all day and be happy about it." She is so funny...and also TOTALLY from New England. (OH WAIT. SIDE-NOTE. Everyone, answer me this: is New York considered part of New England? Very important that you tell me soon.) She uses these big words and formal phrasing, and when she talks I seriously feel this empty omniscient echo in the back of me that feels so familiar and nostalgic of living in Connecticut! I have remembered so much vocabulary being her companion. And sometimes I use big words again. It's for fun. LIKE FLABBERGASTED. #favoritewordsince2ndgrade Also, I was trying to open a jar the other day but couldn't. So I asked her to help. She was struggling, too, but then she went across the kitchen to grab a rag to help her open it...then she turns around and runs at the jar from across the kitchen, practically leaps on top of it, and tries to rip it open! I was laughing so hard, it was the most unexpected attack I have ever seen. She was like, "I don't know why I went at it with a running start, I usually think that it gives me more force or something, but I forgot that doesn't usually work when you're opening a jar." Another great quote from the week: "In my mind, Nephi looks exactly like Kronk." --Elder Whitted, District Leader Hermana Mello and I had a good week! We got super blessed. We had more member-presents than we ever have had before, so that was a big improvement! We also found a lot of new investigators, which was so fun! But we did run into this guy and his wife who have listened to missionaries before, but they've got some giant beef about tithing and bishops. He was absolutely one hundred percent convinced that bishops make their living by taking people's tithing. We tried to explain why we pay tithing and that it's only used to build temples, chapels, serve members of the church, serve the world, print books, build the Kingdom of God on the earth, but he wasn't really having it. Then he went on to say that he went to a Mormon church once, asked for food and a job and didn't get it. So later he went to a random other christian church and they gave him everything he asked for. And he said that that's why he goes there. Not for Jesus. For the free stuff. 1) Sorry that you had that experience with the Mormon church, I'm sure they would have loved to help you, but we also know that God intends for his children to learn to work for and support themselves so that they can learn new skills and become independent and industrious. 2) Didn't you just accuse and condemn bishops of supposedly committing the sin of "free-loading"? 3) Go to church for Jesus, please. He also firmly believes that people cannot repent. He claims that church is where murderers and evil people go to pretend like they are good, but that Jesus rejects them and is therefore disgusted with churches in general. WELL, I have never heard something so untrue in my entire life. EVERYONE. JESUS LOVES ALL OF US. HE DOESN'T CARE WHAT YOU'VE DONE. THAT DOESN'T CHANGE HIS LOVE FOR YOU. And He welcomes us with open arms when we humble ourselves enough to come unto Him for help. THAT IS WHY HE CAME TO EARTH IN THE FIRST PLACE! :) So that we can change! So that, no matter what we've done, we can ALWAYS COME BACK!  I am so grateful that I know that.  I don't mean to talk badly about that man and his wife. It just really made me sad for them. And sad for anyone who believes the same. GOD LOVES YOU!! :) Last night I got to sing one more time in that double quartet at the Mission President's Fireside. Brother Barney, part of the mission presidency here in Tempe, gave a beautiful talk afterwards. He told this story: There was a family who had a severely handicapped 12-year-old daughter. The parents wanted her to be baptized, but the bishop did not believe that it was a necessary course of action. Not only was he unsure that she needed it, but he wasn't convinced that she could understand enough of the gospel to know the significance of the baptismal covenant. Regardless, he decided that he would have at least an interview with her to determine what they would do.  Just as he had predicted, she didn't recognize most of the vocabulary of the discussion, such as "repentance" or "immersion," "priesthood" or "prophet." Feeling justified, the bishop was about to close the case and decide that the little girl would not need to be baptized. However, the painting behind her caught his eye. It depicted the Savior in Gethsemane. He felt prompted to ask the little girl if she even knew who that was.  After he had asked the question, the girl stood herself up, approached his desk, leaned herself by her elbows onto the table and said firmly, "that's Jesus. And He loves me!" Then, waving her hand around in a circle above her head, she added, "He loves ALL of us!" The bishop was overwhelmed by the enormous spirit he felt in the room, and was both humbled and grateful that she had drawn the circle big enough to include him, as well. I LOVE THAT STORY! GOD LOVES YOU. HE LOVES ME. HE LOVES ALL OF US. Never forget that! READ YOUR SCRIPTURES, ERIN AND IRELAND. AND PRAY. AND GO TO CHURCH. DON'T SKIP IT. EVER. Love, Hermana Thomas

More Christmas happiness Letter from October 13, 2014

HELLO THERE. How are the Christmas celebrations going over there? Because they are thriving here! Well...around me, at least. (My poor companion.) (Just kidding, she's lucky.) (And I mean that in the least vain way possible.) (Okay, is that how you spell "vain"? It just looks wrong.)

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