Hurt 7/21/22

 This week was pretty solid, nothing but great experiences.

 

On Wednesday we went to the Texas A&M Galveston satellite campus after lunch, which was pretty cool. The backstory of its creation is that there was a canal being dug out, and all the dirt was piled up into an island, and they decided to put a small school on top of it. We also got to have a member dinner that evening with our investigator Russell there as well.

Friday morning we went to a methodist church and helped them with their food truck service. All the Elders in the zone were there and our job was to load up cars and trucks that came in with prepared boxes of food. That was a lot of fun doing.

 

Basketball Saturday was fun for the most part. I did, however, make the mistake of playing a little too rough and intense and ended up hurting my back really bad. That costly choice put me out of commission for a day or two. We did manage to get some contacts and lessons in back at the apartment while I was wincing through the pain.

 

For Pday, we finally got the chance to fully stock our cupboards and fridge, and I got my haircut after going without one the past couple of months or so. We went to Denny's with the Clear Lake district missionaries since the Sisters wanted to introduce us to their friend Phillip who worked there and they were planning on passing off to us. That evening at FHE we played dodgeball, and I don't know what sort of magical athletic juice I had drunk earlier that day, but I somehow managed to annihilate everyone and carry my team to victory multiple times. At one point, it was me against 7 people and somehow, without bringing any of my teammates back, managed to win. That was an experience and a half.

 

I'm so glad the ways I've been able to see the Lord's hand in my life the last couple weeks and I'm

so excited to bring that same attitude with me to our temple trip in the near future.

 -Elder Thompson

Teen Age Riot 7/14/2022

 This week was jam-packed with so many wonderful things, hence why it's taken me so long to remember to get an email out.

 

Our first day of the week was zone conference, which was a blast. We didn't know this beforehand, but the Friendswood and League City stakes had planned on their youth who were interested in missionary work join us there as well. It made for a really fun learning experience for them and us as well. Zone conference was also another great time to catch up with all the great missionaries I've served around in the past.

 

After zone conference, we got to talk to my old friend Guy at Montag's in Pearland, since zone conference was at my old church building. In the evening, we met with our member friend Matt who even showed off some of his firearms. Overall, it was a solid day. 

 

Wednesday we got to go to fruity party island again as a district, which is always a treat. We  also got to meet amd have dinner with Joel, who is a recent YSA convert who was assistant mayor of Alvin and is now a city councilman. 

 

Thursday we taught our member friend Josh who also handed me a pair of losses in chess after the lesson. Thursday nights we also go with our nonmembers to institute in Friendswood which is pretty awesome.

 

Friday we did a lot of finding whether at parks or apartment complexes, but we did have the chance to teach our friend Chucho, who relatively recently got out of prison and is on track to be baptized.

 

Saturday's highlight was of course basketball in the morning, it's always a ton of fun and a great way to connect with the nonmembers we meet and try to teach.

 

Sunday we got the chance to speak in church on missionary work, but my companion and I chose to specifically focus on love, share, and invite. Every other week we have mission prep where we teach alongside our ward mission leader and the Clear Lake Sisters. There is a lot bigger group there than i ever remember being with the few times I went to mission prep.

 

For P-Day, we went to a bbq place for lunch off of seawall, which is the beach on Galveston Island. We then walked around and went to stores in an area on Galveston called The Strand. The FHE activity that night was a group scavenger hunt around the church building which our group won.

 

One talk coincidentally that we used quite a bit with members this week was "But We Heeded Them Not" by David A. Bednar. It's so difficult as a missionary not to listen to outside voices that mock us, cause us to question, or deter us from our missionary purpose. In the south especially, so many people believe we aren't true disciples of Christ and want us to stop what we are doing, to repent and turn away, and to change our course. In the talk, he mentions how he noticed valiant and faithful members had strong testimonies that were personal and deep-rooted, that they had a personal connection to the gospel and Savior. We must build our foundation on Christ and continually strengthen our testimonies. I know that as we remember the covenants we've made and strive to keep them, the Lord will help us to hold fast to the iron rod and remain steadfast on the covenant path.

 

-Elder Thompson

...And Justice for All 7/7/2022

 The week leading up to independence day has been a wild, crazy, hectic, wonderful week. It felt like our schedule was basically like a fireworks display.

 

We spent our first couple days of the week trying to get stuff for our apartment and trying to get moved. No matter how many times we've tried contacting the office, our dryer is still broken from the day we got here so hopefully, that's resolved soon.

 

In this area, we get to have dinner not only with our branch members but members of the stakes we cover as well so we get to be fed fairly frequently. There's a member of the Texas City branch who owns a taqueria on Galveston Island, so we also get free food there after our district councils on Wednesdays. 

 

Thursday I was on exchanges with Elders Zabel and Long in Texas City and it was quite fun. Texas City is definitely interesting. There is a whole lotta nothing out there aside from the oil refineries and trailer homes scattered about. The people there are also for the most part redneck trailer trash, which made the experiences we had all the more enjoyable. 

 

Saturday mornings we play basketball with our ward members and investigators which is a lot of fun. The zone leaders joined us this week and it was a blast playing full-court games again.

 

Fast Sundays are always followed by a linger longer in the YSA so that gave us a chance to talk to our branch members and for me to meet everyone. We also got the chance that night to eat even more amazing food at a member's home.

 

For the 4th of July, we went to the pancake breakfast put on by the League City stake. We then went as the elders in our district to play disc golf down in Texas City. Later that evening, we went for a bit to a ward get-together. Sadly, we have to be in early as missionaries so we didn't get much of a chance to experience fireworks. 

 

This week has been wild, but there is so much potential for work here and so many fun things to do. I know the Lord has a hand in the work and that many blessings will come as we continue to press on

 

-Elder Thompson

Too Much, Too Young, Too Fast 6/29/2022

 Transfers happened and crazy things have been happening around the mission.

 

Peter fed us and a bunch of other missionaries in our district at the mission office while lesson-offs were going on so we got to say hi to some missionaries. He said it was because we wouldn't get the chance to have a good Father's Day dinner. We also got the opportunity to attend mutual and interact with the youth. 

 

The Yeates fed us an awesome Japanese dinner on Thursday and we had one final lesson with Remi as well. 

 

We did a lot of transfer cleaning on Friday after we taught Sis. Lauritzen and Rebecca as well as a new guy at their place named Mark. Elder Rowe and other Elder Thompson were in the area and stopped by to say hi for a bit. 

 

Saturday was wild. We taught our member friend Trevor, then biked 30 mins to a lesson just to find out they actually lived outside our area. We then had to bike back to go to dinner with the Roskophs. After dinner we got transfer news and found out we both were leaving the area. 

 

Our last day in the area we said goodbye to people at church, then had dinner with the Boyces and taught Sis. Cagle one last time. 

 

At transfers we went to In N Out then said goodbyes and headed out to our areas. I'm now over the Armand Bayou YSA Branch, which is in the League City zone but its boundaries are both the League City and Friendswood stakes. My comp is Elder Van Wagoner, who trained my previous comp and is only my second companion of many to be from Utah. I'm excited to work in a new area and be close to the coast and NASA, but I'm extra grateful for having a car again.

 

I'm looking forward to all the great work that's gonna roll forth swiftly and strongly.

 

-Elder Thompson

Father of Mine 6/22/2022

 The week leading up to Father's Day was mostly uneventful.

 

Most of the week we were trying to find and contact people either over the phone or by knocking on their door, luckily we did find a couple new people to teach.

 

Over the weekend, most of our plans fell through, minus a single-member meal and helping a nonmember family move. I do remember having to dispose of a dead frog in the member's house though.

 

Father's Day was solid, we got some of the leftover cookies after church which was fantastic. We also got to interact with the youth preparing for missions in the near future.

 

The last P-Day of the transfer was nice too. We went to the Vietnamese Buddhist temple again which is always...interesting. We also went to Costco as a district for some odd reason, which is a place I haven't been to in ages.

 

I'm grateful for everything my Father in Heaven has done for me, including giving me an amazing earthly father who has been a wonderful example and friend to me and helped me get to where I am today in a multitude of ways. I love you Dad!

 

-Elder Thompson

Times Like These 6/16/2022

 We had Remi's baptism on Saturday! It's these kinda moments we live for as missionaries it is so wonderful to be a key part of someone's spiritual journey.

 

Earlier in the week, we got to go through another round of interviews with President Richards, and he often gives great advice for us and our areas.

 

We mainly focused our efforts in the week on preparing Remi for baptism and scheduling lessons with our investigators. 

 

Saturday was Remi's baptism and it was amazing. Bro. Olatoye did struggle a bit getting her under the water and well it ended up taking him like 5 tries to get it right. Sunday I got to confirm her a member of the church and give her the gift of the Holy Ghost which was so special and an amazing spiritual experience. 

 

Our area is doing so well right now and we're excited to continue working with those we are around.

 

-Elder Thompson

I'm So Sick 6-8-2022

 This past week has been basically nothing since we have both gotten covid and were stuck inside.

 

Elder Byrge came and joined us in quarantine one day since he had come down with covid as well.

 

Elder DeCarlo came with his parents to visit the mission, and they stopped by our apartment and church to say hi and talk to us and the members.

 

Other than that, pretty lame week so this next week will surely be better.

 

-Elder Thompson