I'm glad I snagged so many photos this transfer, cause without them, I'm not sure how much I'd remember the transfer or area. This email will cover a bunch of stuff from the last two weeks because, yet again, I've been flooded with amazing things going on.
We
met a couple weeks ago our new friend Richard, who is a nonmember YSA who is
friends with Helaman in the ward. He doesn't know much about Christianity and
has come to church and really likes to learn about the gospel.
We
got the opportunity to help Bro. Hernandez and his family out with their move.
Bro. Hernandez is a real interesting guy, as evident by the move. Instead of
really helping us out, he ordered us around, was asking his stepbrother if he
wanted to join the Mormon church, and smoked some cigs while offering some to
his neighbors. He's a convert who isn't all their mentally, and I don't think
he was really ready to be baptized. Geoff took us to Mod Pizza that night,
which I've never been to. I guess it's a widespread restaurant that I didn't
learn about til I got to Houston. It's hyped up a lot by the YSA, but in my
opinion, it's way overrated.
We
got to teach Katelynn before institute a couple times back. Sadly, she said she
feels she isn't ready for baptism yet, but that is still her goal and she just
wants to clean a couple things up.
One
Saturday we went ajd helped Sister Byrne pack up and move out of the Maplewood
ward. We were at her house for 4 and a half hours, and the job still wasn't
finished. We taught our member friend Helaman afterward, then went with our
district back to Sister Byrne's to carol to her.
That
Monday, we went in the morning to help Sister Byrne one last time pack loose
stuff and say goodbye. In the afternoon, we went to the Lexington building with
missionaries from all over the mission to help set up and practice the
nativity. Luckily, I brought some card games so I snagged a bunch of Elders
that didn't want to participate in singing and we went somewhere else to hang out a bit. Afterward, we hung out and built gingerbread houses as a district
at the church. FHE that night was a lot of fun, we got to play basketball and
see some inactives there that I'd never got the chance to meet.
Tuesday,
Sister Moline called us from the mission office and gave us a blessing
referral, meaning a member in the hospital wanted us to drop by and give their
dying father a priesthood blessing. That was a pretty powerful experience. We
then went and helped a YSA sister along with some of her friends, all of whom we
hadn't met, move out and into another apartment. Elder Stavast and I were
starving at this point and wanted to quickly grab some Chick-fil-a shakes, but
it was time for basketball, so we decided not to go and head straight to the
church to share our spiritual thought and play. Mason, a member who plays with
us and is very quiet, asked us afterward, outta the blue, if we wanted to go to
Chick-fil-a for ice cream. We thought that was another small end-of-the-transfer
miracle.
The
next day was Christmas conference! It was a blast. We heard great talks and
musical numbers, I got to sing in the choir, I talked to a lot of missionaries,
and we did some fun service. Towards the end, right before the closing hymn and
prayer, and without my knowledge beforehand, Sister Richards decided to call me
out in front of half the mission to lead the music. She went on a bit about how she
thought how talented I was and how she'd seen me lead music in the past. I'm
sure my face the whole time was more red than Rudolph's nose. It was, however,
a lot of fun being up there to do that. I think I'll send the picture the STLs
took of me up there that they planned on using as blackmail.
The
next day, we went and helped Julia, who is one of the YSA ward mission leaders,
move out of her apartment into another one, along with the YSA sisters. We also
saw Katelynn our investigator and our other YSA friends at the institute
Christmas party. We had Chuy's there, which is a really good chain tex-mex
place that I hadn't had yet.
Friday
we went with the sisters in our family ward and the Pratts to happy lamp
Chinese, which was pretty fun. We went and visited Bro. Richard and Johnnie in
their home which was wild. One of their roommates was high, and he started
yelling white racial slurs around the house all while realizing we were there.
I don't think he liked us, but the members yelled at him so it all got sorted
out, I hope. We also had a really good lesson with Katelynn that evening over
zoom.
Saturday
afternoon was entirely dedicated to setting up the Maplewood Christmas party with
the sisters, then going to it afterward. Right before though, we found out we
were getting whitewashed, and most of the district was getting changed up. All of our district was at the party anyway, and so we discussed it all while we were
there, and talked to all the members about it. As a final farewell to the area
and district, we decided as a district to go caroling that night to a bunch of
members, which was a really fun time.
Sunday
was obviously filled with goodbyes, not only to members but missionaries as
well. It was honestly a lot sadder than I thought it'd be. I think it's because
although I was only there a transfer, it was easily my favorite district and
transfer all together on my mission.
We
finally transferred early p-day, then met the other Elders at little caesars for
some pizza. I unpacked my stuff then we met at the other Elders apartment for
card games. In the evening Brother Wells took us to Texas Roadhouse for dinner,
which really lightened my mood.
It
has been such a wonderful opportunity serving in my last area. Although I'm
super bummed out about leaving, I know the Lord has a place for me elsewhere,
and the work will continue to go forth.
-Elder
Thompson
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