Feb 24th

I'm glad to hear from everyone and all your different experiences. I've been busy with so many things I don't know where to start. 

Tuesday we got to go around town looking for people to talk to in the stores, and we found a YMCA in our area, so we're going to go there to play basketball and sports contact. Brother Kimbrell was taking us around after dinner to find people in our ward that we could share a cake he made with. 

Wednesday morning I believe we helped Brother Clark tin roof his new patio, and Brother Aycock took us to Chik-fil-A afterward. We went around more stores afterward looking for a new pair of basketball shoes for me while we talked to more people in the stores. We had dinner with a member I believe, but I honestly can't remember a lot of this week which is fine because I'm keeping a daily journal. I really liked reading your journals dad and I want to read more.

Thursday we helped build another ramp in the morning, then went and played games with the residents at an assisted living home. They are all so fun to be around. After our weekly Thursday night dinner at the Cogdell's, we had to go straight home because it started snowing really hard!

Friday morning we stayed inside because of the ice and snow then went back to the old folks home to call out bingo for them. We met an inactive member there, and they all love us. I'm sort of relearning a couple hymns on the apartments piano because they want to see if I can play for them.

Saturday I really don't remember much of what we did except for the fact that we found two new people to teach while tracking! My area has been whitewashed 3 or 4 times in a row, and has been in a teaching drought for over a year so this is big. Sunday after we talked to a new person we found another person to teach while knocking doors in their complex. We then went to visit Bro Tilton again. We had dinner at the Boneys and played basketball in their driveway with their kids for a little bit before we visited Kevin Baker, a cool member who has just been depressed and needs people to talk to.

Bro Tilton is an old gentleman who lives in a tiny house on a member's property. He is a member but he has a hard time moving around so he hasn't been to church in a while. We meet with him every Sunday and Wednesday. He loves reading the teachings of prophets and will share with us a spiritual message every time we are over there. He also makes us eat ice cream. He has two big bowls that he tells us to grab and makes us fill them to the brim with ice cream before we are allowed to go and sit back down. I love ice cream, but Elder Toso doesn't and he struggles trying to eat it all.

There's an investigator in my ward that loves coming to church and talking to the missionaries and his friends. He's made an effort on his own to come to young men basketball and sacrament and priesthood meetings. He just started slow and with gradual introductions, to pieces of the church, he's been wanting to learn more. 

I know that if we continue in our efforts to fellowship others and bring them unto Christ, we will eventually see success. It will require some trials of faith but if we endure we will succeed. In the Book of Mormon, there are many scriptures that tell us to have faith. Mosiah 8:18 says "Thus God has provided a means that man, through faith, might work mighty miracles; therefore he becometh a great benefit to his fellow beings." I know that Heavenly Father loves us and is looking out for us. He wants to help us through our trials and in our efforts to help others.

-Elder Thompson

Other Notes:

* Elder Thompson called home Monday morning and I was able to talk to him for only a few minutes. (It was a busy time trying to get kids to seminary and school when he called.) He was in very high spirits and is keeping busy with the work. We need to work out a better time for him to call so that Ethan can be here for the conversations.

white washed:  when both Elders are removed from the area when transfers occur