Hello family :)
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Geeze, I feel like it`s been forever since I was on here last week emailing you. This week went by so fast, but it went by so slow too. I`m so confused with how time works. I feel like I always mention how I don`t understand time...well it`s true! I don`t get it at all! Time, time, time...can`t wait to have a little chat with God about how time really works. Should be an interesting conversation!
This week might have felt slow because I may have been a little trunky. Woops. With Elder Fernandez going home to Costa Rica this week he`s talked a lot about home, family, friends, marriage, etc. and it stinks (not to mention he bought 94 pesos of alfajores to bring home to his family!)! Every person that we talk to asks when he`s going home and he says `this saturday` and then they turn to me and ask about me and I just smile and say `oh I`ve got a whole year still.` I`ve decided that from this point on whenever anybody asks me how much time I have in the mission I`m going to be one of those elders that says `oh, just a little over a year.` Maybe with that mindset the time will go faster. We`ll see! Not gonna lie, it`s a little discouraging when I think about all the time that I still have, but I just always try to remind myself that the time has gone by pretty fast so far so it should keep on moving right along right? I`ve still got the mindset that the mission never ends. I`m convinced that this is how my life is going to be for the rest of my life. Does the mission end? I feel like it doesn`t, but we`ll see what I think a year from now I guess huh? I guess all I can do is just keep on serving and focusing on the work that I have to do (which seems like a lot!) and leave the rest up to the Lord. Trust Thomas, trust. I`m good though, don`t worry :) Just goin` crazy down here!
Funny experience number one. We went to Saladillo (a city about 40 minutes from here that`s part of the branch but has their own missionaries and has their own meetings over there) on Tuesday so that Elder Fernandez could do a couple temple recommend interviews over there. We went to a member`s house to eat lunch with them and the other missionaries and while we were eating this 14 year old girl (snake!) came over and started talking with us. Quick background info here: almost all the shirts and clothing here have english words on them. Nobody except those that know english (obviously!) know what they say, but they wear the clothes anyway. Well, this girl was wearing a shirt that said `irresistible to touch`. We were talking when Elder Crowther (one of the Elders in Saladillo) leaned over to his comp (Elder Eppich...I love him!) and whispered, `umm...I`d say DEFINITELY resistible.` We all started laughing and they quickly figured out that we were talking about the shirt and they were asking us what it said. I can`t remember what we convinced them that it said, but Elder Crowther just told her to not buy any shirts with things she doesn`t understand written on them. It was a funny and provided a good little laugh for us english speakers :)
Quick update on some investigators:
Claudio is...good I guess. I feel bad for the guy and his family, but I fear that he might just be using the church to get some money. I don`t know just how interested he is in the church for the gospel aspect of it. We helped him out with some groceries, but then he didn`t come to church. We`re really gonna have to follow the Spirit with him to get a sense of his true intentions. I`ll keep you updated.
As a mission right now we`re reading the Book of Mormon. It`s super awesome! I`ve felt my testimony of the Book increase even more as I`ve read it. It`s funny how when I wake up in the mornings now one of the first things I think about is how excited I am to do the daily reading assignment. The Book of Mormon is changing me and I love it! As I`ve been reading, I`ve been doing something that Dad suggested that I do and I`m highlighting (in pink! ;) ) every time I see the word `corazon` or `corazones` (heart or hearts). It`s amazing how many times that word is mentioned! I`m learning that the state of our heart makes a huge difference in all things. If we have a humble and submissive heart we will be closer to the Lord. A hard heart separates us from Him and makes it harder to feel the Spirit in our lives. I`ve asked myself a lot, `how`s your heart Thomas?` It`s cool to do a little self check to see where our hearts really are. `Trust in the Lord with all thine HEART`. If I had more time I`d write a little bit more about the importance of having humble hearts, but just know that it`s important ok? :)
Being a branch president is going to teach me so much! I can already tell you right now that this calling is going to teach me how to listen even better. I would consider myself a pretty good listener, but I can already tell that my ability to listen is going to improve. Listen with love and then lift and serve. I can`t help but think how this little calling is going to help me develop some great attributes that will serve me well with my future wife. Elder Cheney (Idaho) got it right when he said the mission is just one big disguised marriage prep class. The Lord loves me, and He`s preparing me for the future that`s all I know :)
Guess who gets to go to the 2nd prettiest temple (right behind the San Diego one) in the world tomorrow? This guy! Woo! A couple members are to the temple for the first time so we got permission to accompany them. Yes! I love the temple so very much and I`m looking for a nice little rejuvenating experience. I`m fasting right now to make sure that I have an extra special experience there :) I`ll be sure to let you know how it goes.
Anyway...hope you get a good little laugh from that :)
There`s this sweet couple named Hugo and Paula that I love so much! They both love me a lot already and I love them! They`ve come to church and they`ll always listen to us and they`re really progressing well. The only little challenge we have there is that they both need to get divorced first and then they need to get married. Satan and his subtleness. `Ya, ya...just move in with each other before you get married. You have to see if you really love each other before you make it official.` Argh Satan. We`re gonna really push with them to get divorced and then get married. The biggest issue is that Hugo`s ex...or I guess current wife (not Paula) won`t let him divorce her because she doesn`t want him to be happy with Paula. Gosh dang it. We`ll be working with them because they need the blessings of being members of the Lord`s church.
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