Sugar Kane

 This week was amazing, probably because the highlight was getting to go to the temple again.

 

We were in Texas City finding on Tuesday, and although we didn't have much success, we did eat food from a super cheap and super delicious baseball-themed drive-thru called Bases. That was one transformative experience on my mission. We also went that night to get boba with a couple members and an "eternigator" they invited from the other ysa. 

 

Wednesday we went to the temple with our zone and the Friendswood zone. It was a little different since we met at the church building for a mini-zone conference before driving up, then more testimonies were shared at the temple before going in. It made the experience a lot more powerful and unique I feel. I also got to do a family name for Elder Valasquez, who at one point was my companion's trainee, so I felt a tiny bit more connection to the work. It's always a blessing to be able to go through the temple. 

 

Thursday evening one of the zls, Elder Bradshaw, came to our area on exchanges and we went to institute. To make a long story short, it was a very weird class this time and it made our nonmember friend just a little bit too uncomfortable.  

 

Friday we did a lot of finding, and we knocked into a Restoration lesson with Kortrell. He shared a lot o his life's concerns with us, and he's also a baller so he should be joining us Saturdays for basketball. We exchanged back before dinner, and Chris took us to a really good crepe and gelato place called Cocos. 

 

We cleaned the church with our branch on Saturday, then played the usual basketball with all our friends as well. We were tired, but we still managed to get around and pass out some BoMs while finding.

 

Sunday's discussion on missionary work was really good. It was neat to see the members open up about missionary experience and get excited to help us with the work. Later that evening, even more testimonies and experiences were shared at come follow me.

 

We played sand volleyball at the sister's apartment complex on Pday, then played glow-in-the-dark volleyball at the church for FHE. I even met a guy there that grew up in the same stake as me which was pretty wild. 

 

This week was pretty sweet, both literally and figuratively. There was some amazing physical and spiritual food. I was definitely full either way at the end and look to hopefully share the Spirit I've now gained with those we are finding and teaching these next few weeks. 

 

-Elder Thompson

Brutal 7/29/2022

 This week felt like nothing but hot weather and humidity, it was so tiring being out in the sun so much.

 

Tuesday we only had one lesson planned, so the rest of the afternoon and evening was spent outside walking around and knocking doors. It was exhausting. 

 

On Wednesday, after our typical district trip to Galveston, we went finding for the first time at the Baybrook Mall. There were alot more people there then I ever thoght there'd be, but everyone was too busy enjoying shopping to listen to us. We got fed that night by Bremmen and Matt at a really good burger place called Stomp's.

 

Thursday afternoon we met a really crazy drunk guy who let us in the door as soon as he saw who we were. He was busy playing call of duty and drinking to really listen to us, but he had so many questions that we tried answering. An impromptu door knock turned into what seemed like a 5 hour q&a. Luckily, we got to go to institute that night and just take timw to sit an listen without being bombarded with questions. 

 

Friday's schedule was empty, so we were out in the sun finding and getting so hot and sweaty. I was uncomfortable and practically dying the whole evening and the shower I took when I got home was magical.

 

Saturday we got enough members and nonmembers to play full-court basketball in the morning which was awesome. In the afternoon and evening, we went with our friends to the branch activity at the park. We were out playing yard games and socializing a bit, but what I remember most was taking a step out of the shade and tossing a frisbee for maybe 5 minutes, then going back under and being drenched in sweat. I think that was the first time in my life I could feel sweat running down my face like drops of rain. It was so humid and hot, I thought i'd never survive. Although it was hot, our friends enjoyed the activity and got to know the members better, so it was a success.

 

We went with Jesus from the branch on Sunday to give Mattison a blessing. She had never heard of one so we taught her a short lesson beforehand. Afterward, she said she felt calm and peace, then the next day she texted and told us she didn't feel tired and sick anymore. We also got to teach mission prep again in the evening again and it was so much teaching with the Clear Lake missionaries.

 

Pday was spent cleaning our apartment in preparation for the temple as well as hanging out on the beach at Galveston. It was pretty fun. We also got to spend more time with member and nonmember friends at FHE.

 

It was a pretty solid week, lots of time in the sun, but a great way to prepare for entering the temple.

 

-Elder Thompson

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