Nerf Battles

The members of this Church are very kind. Some believe that when

missionaries leave their homes and are in the mission field during
Christmas, their families forget about them, which isn't true but is
probably one of the greatest blessing of being a missionary. Every
member gave us food and gifts here for Christmas. They are very kind
and we, in turn, are quite fat.

Christmas began with the Blanca family, where Santa had left us gifts
of candy and hot chocolate. We spent the morning playing chess and
watching my favorite movie of all time Frozen.  This family's father
is in Mexico right now and they had several children that the English
Elders had been teaching for some time. We retired to another member's
home where Santa had left us Nerf guns which is one of the more
questionable moves Santa has made in his career. I believe it is
called by some to be a 'career ruin-er'. We grabbed the guns and were
immediately bombarded with bullets from above at the hands of their
toddler. A fire erupted in the eyes of Elder Powers as he was shot
several times in the face, a fire that I had only seen on one other
occasion. He grabbed the new gun and trampled over their other child
and told us to follow him. A battle ensued with much carnage and many
wounds were delivered. The toddler named Justin was specifically
targeted by myself and elder Powers. (Cruel? Maybe. Did he deserve it?
Yes. Is that Christ-like of me to do? I plead the Fifth.) I managed to
escape with nothing but a bullet to the eye. It was awesome and very
enjoyable.

We went to visit Tony on Christmas Eve. He is always so inspired to
stop smoking when we talk with him but when we saw him he was kind of
drunk and just ended up hugging us. I felt bad, like we hadn't taught
him well, but them I remembered earlier on in the week. We taught him
another commandment, and neither of us were sure why. He wasn't
appearing to having any issues with it but when we brought it up he
said that he had been struggling with it. The Lord is in charge and if
we listen to Him our lives will be better. I am really trying to do
that. My mission president said be obedient and work hard and watch
the miracles. I am trying really hard, and hope that my efforts will
suffice. I know the Lord will carry them the rest of the way, because
He has carried me.

Thank you for your prayers and continue to send them my way and in the
direction of the people I am teaching. I know the Lord will hear you
and me and bless us and those that need help.

Merry New Year,
Elder Thomas

The Nield Family had the Elders over on Christmas Eve to make gingerbread houses.

Sister Nield said they didn't get one serious photo of  Elder Thomas the entire night. :)

Ian called this ~ "The Rule Breaker"

The great people of Aurora who take care of the Elders.

Ian was surprised with our gift - A replacement Lego watch to the one that broke before he left home.

Mom's best Christmas gift this year!

Festivus for the Rest of Us!

Elder Thomas top row second over on left. OK, Tulsa Conference

I thought I would begin this email to my fellow friends of the faith
by wishing you all a very merry Festivus. (If you are ignorant in the
ways of this celebration I would invite you to inquire my family.) May
your day be full of many grievances aired and many feats of strength
displayed. Please watch that (Seinfeld) episode for me, family.

This week I had a one of those 'first' experiences. Like the first
time you drove or the first time you ate pizza. This week  was the
first time I was ever pulled over for shoplifting.

We were sitting in the car on an exchange with my Zone Leader,
(obviously something of this nature would happen to me as I was on a
important exchange.) looking through my planner, as a suspicious black
car pulled up along side of us. My Zone Leader said, 'I believe that
is a cop.' I dismissed the notion assuming the fellow with much more
experience and knowledge was trying to mess with me. But I looked up
out the window and saw the Aviator sun glasses and Magnum P.I.
mustache staring back at me. he put the car in reverse and came up
behind us, lights a blaring. Now, our car wasn't moving, yet, Doug,
the police officer, still turned on the lights. This decision, I
believe, was just to look cool or show off to the Hispanic on-lookers.
He came up next to us as sweat began to build above my brow. The Zone
Leader, said in his wisdom, 'Just act cool.' He obviously knew
something I didn't. The Officer came up to the window and said his
name was Doug Franklin, (or some other name that could easily be put
in any-given '70's cop tv show), with the Monet Police Department and
he needed my Drivers license. I gave it to him and heard an intercom
go off in his car, ".. the car belongs to the Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter Day Saints, I dont think they stole all that stuff from the
Walmart." Doug informed us of the misunderstanding and said someone
with Oklahoma plates driving our EXACT car had shop lifted at a
Walmart. Relieved, I left. It was later that the Zone Leader brought
to my attention that we were parked next to a No Parking sign. My
friends, the mercy of the Heavens above shown down on us that day.

All in all a good week. Thank you for the prayers and letters you send
my way. Y'all don't know how much they mean to me. I love you all and
wish you all a very Merry Christmas and Festivus.

Love,
elder thomas

Ian's mom (Rosemary) posted this picture.

The Dorky Kid with a Lego Watch in a Polygamist Community

Santa and the Elder with his helmet on backward

Wearing a nail gun chain.

(I have debated on calling this one, "What are you talking about?! I
WAS at church." due to this story, but the polygamist one has a nice
ring.) We have been teaching this nice older Mexican guy who has been
golden the past couple of lessons. We asked him if he would follow the
word of wisdom and he said, 'of course', we asked him if he would be
baptized, he said 'of course', (KInda like that guy from the Princess
Bride who says 'As you wish', except this fellow is quiet a bit older)
we asked him to come to church and this is where it gets weird... On
Friday he said he was coming, but there was no Adrian at church. The
kind gentleman with a mustache of barb wire and a heart of enchilada
sauce was no where to be found. However, we went to his home after and
said we missed him at church. He scrunched up his facial hair and
said, "What are you talking about?! I WAS at church." Now, the normal
observer would estimate that Adrian either had a lost a few marbles or
that Elder Thomas and Elder Perkins are blind. It wasn't either. His
ride was late and he wanted to go, so we drove to the chapel in Monet
and went to the English ward. Yes, it is true, we asked the
missionaries in Monet and they said they did stumble into a clueless
Spanish speaker, but with the help of a quick game of charades they
aided our Hispanic compadre. Pretty cool right? He told us he didn't
understand anything in English, that was a set back.

Now for the Polygamists. On an exchange to the small village of
Stockton, I ate dinner with an ex-polygamist family. They had one
maternal parent and 19 kids. Yes, 19. We only met three but I met one
in another location a couple hundred miles south of my present
location in a missionary training center. One of their daughters was
in the CCM at the same time as me and I met her. A couple of my
friends from Alta were actually in the group that left with her. They
were a kind family and the parents were surprisingly stable
considering at one point they had 19 kids running around their crammed
cottage in the backwoods of Missoura. They are pretty patient parents.

We taught a man how to pray in a trailer this week. Teaching people to
pray is one of the greatest blessings out here. As mice ran across his
oven and his daughters pulled his sleeve saying, 'Papi, yo tengo un
tableta! Papi, hay un rato en nuestro casa! Papi, mami esta
dormiendo!', we taught him that God loves him. Then the mice returned
to the dirt-filled chasm from whence they came and the children lost
interest, and we asked him to pray. Presumably, he didn't want to, but
with some encouragement he did. It was humble, brief and very
powerful. As he ended he looked at the ground with eyes wide open. You
could tell he knew he just spoke with his Father in Heaven. He looked
shocked, but the light in his eyes suggested a sense of peace. It was
awesome and a great blessing.

Pretty cool week all in all, and I am looking forward to the next.
Keep on praying for these people in this area. I love you all and
Merry Christmas from the Aurora library, they say hello.

Elder Thomas

Like a Chevy Cruze Stuck in Mud.....

Me, cross eyed helping a burro find its way...

I think this will be the new title of my Spring rap album, but it is
still in production so things could change. I got this phrase when
this actually happened to us.

So, me, being the not so intelligent critter that I am, decided to
turn around in a driveway of mud in the rain even after my companion
told me not to. As I felt the tires slip around beneath us, I had a
humbling experience, the feeling of being stuck. We got out and I had
a feeling that we would get out in a jiffy. Nope. After putting wood,
grass, leaves, small dogs and barrel lids (we used all of those but
one IRL), we came to the conclusion that we were going to have to dry
clean our suits again. The mud that we were traipsing about in was not
actually mud, but a mud hybrid. It was about 80% mud and 20% of
something else. There are many animals that also graze where we stood,
such as horses and dogs. And we stood in what was left. Yes, it is
what you think it is. I am pretty cool under pressure, but after about
45 minutes I got a bit frustrated. Luckily, a man that we had taught
earlier came out and helped us with his whole family, but even with
little Bobby pushing on the back, it wouldn't budge. The mud was angry
that day, my friends, and several prayers were sent heavenward. We
went trailer to trailer begging for cat litter, which definitely tops
the charts of weird things I have done. Cold, soaked and my legs
drenched in... mud, and begging Hispanics for cat litter. Then we went
to the Hispanic woman who fed us Thanksgiving. She greeted us with a
smile and then she saw our appearance. She let out a sigh and said,
"Oh, Thomas." She immediately called her spouse and kids and they
promptly drove their car over and hauled us out of the mud. Yes, that
fast. After an hour and a half we were out, just like that.

Now, several Gospel application could be made here but I am not going
to make one because you have probably already created one in your mind
with the anticipation that I would make one. And I can't really think
of a decent one. We have used in just about all of our lessons in the
past couple of days though, which I think is the reason we were stuck
in it. Elder P kept asking why we got stuck, and I think that
might be it, so we could tell people about it and laugh or help them
understand baptism.

This week has been a week of growth, (that sounds a lot better than
this week has been a bummer, haha) But don't fret my young friends, I
have grown. Each opportunity I have had to go absolutely nuts and drop
kick the Chihuahua that will not stop barking in the middle of our
lesson, is a moment for me to grow. And I have had a couple of those
this week. As I look back I feel really happy because I am that much
closer to Christ and my Heavenly Father. Closer today than I was
yesterday and hopefully closer tomorrow than I was today. Just like on
the Christmas special where Santa and a penguin teach that Yeti Snow
Wizard guy to walk with that song, "one foot in front of the other,"
that is how I have taken this week. And from that I have learned that
it is only through our Savior that we can make it to the finish line.
Really rely upon Him, that is all we can do and that is all we need to
do.

Another cool experience I had was watching a kind elder man get called
to be a Patriarch. He feeds us with his wife and she knows how to
cook, but this is what he said when asked to bear his testimony at the
Priesthood Conference; "...The Gospel is true. And nothing else really
matters."

I love you all, thank you for praying for the people I teach and for
my friends and for my family
Love,
Elder Thomas

The reason Verona smells like dog food 24/7.


Lesson for the week..."Put one foot in front of the other...."

Colloidal Silver: The Cure for it All

The Elder on the far right is in Ian's ward.  His family takes good care of the Elders in Aurora.
 He received a call to Ogden, Utah Spanish Speaking and is headed to the Mexico MTC.
 Ian was excited to share his experiences of the Mexico MTC with him.  

I received this via text from an angel in Aurora, Missouri.  She invited them to Thanksgiving dinner.

Our ward mission leader is convinced that he can cure anything with Colloidal Silver, which is basically just particles of silver in water with some hidden magically properties only known to the ancient Indian tribes of southeast Missouri. He told us it is the cure for everything. He makes it, which is also a bit sketchy, but I thought it was worth mentioning.

I don't have a whole lot of time, but I will say that the Hispanics know how to have a Thanksgiving. It usually commences with the watching of a Boda, or wedding party. Then everyone eats while the crazy Uncle from Zacatecas explains how he speaks every language and how avocado in Italian is just a high pitch shriek. I had an awesome time. I felt like I was at home just minus the family part. We devoured lots of meats and tamales while enjoying the beverage of choice of the Hispanic population, Coca-Cola.

It was an awesome week, remember the Hispanic people of southern Missouri in your prayers, and thank you for the prayers you send my way. I love you all.

Elder Thomas

The Pastor: Round 2 and the Miraculous 25 Pounds

Racing the Amish

So to begin, as some may recall, last week we had a run in with a
Pastor. Well, this week we went to talk religion with him. I mentally
prepared myself like I would for a swim meet, by singing the Rocky
theme song... in my head because I don't think it is approved, maybe
the theme song is but "Eye of the Tiger" is a little bit more
questionable. Anyway we went into his home and it was set up
perfectly. Not a strand of carpet was out of place. The man was either
a perfectionist or trying to impress/intimidate us. He had on his
coffee table three pictures of his family facing us. So we kind of had
to talk through these pictures, because he was sitting just beyond
them, it was really strange and I could tell something was up. We
asked if we could start with a prayer and after we said amen, he
began. The Pastor explained the origins of his religion as we tried to
bring the conversation back to the Restoration. It wasn't working. As
things came to a close, my humble companion made a Hail Mary with the
hopes to invite the Spirit and turn the Pastor's thoughts to our
message, Elder P said, "will you be baptized?" and the Pastor
chuckled, he said, "that is funny you ask, because I was wondering the
same thing, would you be baptized?" So as we left, feeling a little
bit like Rocky after he fights Hulk Hogan in Rocky IV, (I think) and
there was only one thing we could say "Well that didn't pan out."

As I have mentioned before I gained some weight in the CCM in Mexico,
but this past week I weighed myself again. I have some great news,
since I left home I have gained 25 pounds. Yes, my pants still all
fit, but I have noticed a slight difference. So, that's all there is
to say about that.

We stumbled into a kind woman this past week named N. She asked us
how old we were, we responded with 19 and 20. She sadly looked at us
and said we were way to young to be away from our mothers. Her husband
asked us a question that kind of struck me. He said "Do you think God
doesn't want you to talk with your families?" Oh man, Satan IS a
crafty one. I didn't know what to say, so I played the "I can't speak
Spanish very well" card, that always works well. Haha, but Elder
P said we just devote all our time to the Lord. N wasn't
having any of that, she was just shocked. I gave her Mom's number and
said that she could talk to Mom about it. She called and it sounded
like it went well.

We had taught this kid named J once. When we came back we asked if
he prayed, he said he had and knew there was only one true church.  I
asked which one and he just pointed at my badge and said "that one". I
was overwhelmed. But not five seconds later his dad came out and told
us he couldn't be baptized. It was so sad. We went back to teach J
again and apparently we had misunderstood his dad, his dad told us
never to come back. I was so sad. I had this feeling that he would
remember the truth and find it again someday. I am glad we had the
chance to know him and plant the seeds of truth in his mind.

I heard an interesting view of the Atonement this week. A woman said
this upon looking at a painting of Christ in the garden of Gethsemane;
"He prayed for all of us." I have never really thought about it like
that, but He did.

I love you all.
Elder Thomas

Blood splattered door

Lookin' stylin'

Elder Thomas vs. The Spanish 7th Day Adventist Pastor for all of Southern Missouri

A Cold War Dog House

So while on an exchange went to see a potential investigator. She wasn't
home but right before we left a car pulled up. It wasn't our
investigator but her Pastor and his wife and daughter. He introduced
himself and told us he was the Spanish 7th Day Adventist Pastor for
all of Southern Missouri and he wanted to talk. Presumably, I was
fairly nervous and worried but, I prayed pretty hard that I could
speak with him correctly and with the Spirit and not accidentally tell
him that we believe in something crazy. Our investigator arrived just
seconds later and we all went inside. I stood in front of the small
congregation and explained to them the Restoration and occasionally
translated for my companion for the day. I felt like Samuel the
Lamanite or something. It was just me and the Spirit. Whoa.

Don't have a lot of time this week but I love this mission, I love the
people and will record some stories and send them back next week.

Take care y'all
I love y'all
Elder Thomas

Wild Elder Thomas laying in the snow. 

Lessons Learned

Right before the incident...a couch and some Christmas lights.

We started the week off with high hopes of moving a couch that has
been sitting in our yard for the past month, but didn't end up moving it 
it until Thursday.   We have been quite busy. So while on an exchange
with my good friend Elder Powers we decided to move the couch that
helps us assimilate into the culture. Upon moving it into the truck,
we remembered that we needed rope. We searched high and low to no
avail. But we did find an adequate substitute. Christmas lights. Yes,
we had seen someone use it before we thought so we tied it down with
those. As anyone can probably imagine, this was a very stupid idea. We
drove down the road a ways and took a turn onto a farm road, Elder
Powers also wanted to test the Christmas lights so he gave a little
extra gas. There was a loud noise of metal against metal and a
noticeable movement in the back of the truck. We directed our view to
the stage of this travesty. The couch had flipped out of the side of
the truck and the remains of the incident were only a couple shabby
broken Christmas lights with an array of colorful glass sitting in the
back of the truck. No one was injured and it was on a farm road, so,
don't worry Mom, everything is ok. Elder Powers and I just laughed for
a while, while we analyzed the damage

Also, I got nearly chased by a dog so that was cool, luckily my tiger
like reflexes were firing on all cylinders and we were able to escape.
And we rode our bikes in a down pour, just like Sandon, er, Elder
Sperry. It was awesome, the only downside is now my suit smells like a
biking jersey, thank goodness for dry cleaning.

We never go anywhere without us finding someone to teach. It is so
weird, just about every place we go someone is interested in the
Gospel or there will be a Hispanic person there. Just about all
Hispanics are interested in religion so it is fairly easy. But at a
stake conference we went to Elder Bednar said, "the keys don't go
anywhere by coincidence," it is really true. He spoke of the Apostles,
but you can easily replace keys with missionaries. We are on the front
lines of a war with Satan, which is pretty nuts, and Heavenly Father
is putting us in places to fight Satan everyday, it is hard work but
at the end of the day it is the most fun thing I have ever done. It is
awesome!


Thanks for the prayers, Halloween gifts and candy and everything else
you all do for me and my family, Love you all...  Elder Thomas

A barber shop in the "city".

Other info he sent: 

The ward is awesome, transfer calls are next Saturday and I am praying really hard that I stay here for Christmas and Thanksgiving, but whatever happens happens. We eat with the ward members often and they cook great home style stuff. A boy in the wardhad his farewell, he is headed for the Mexico CCM, he will love it, it was cool to talk with him a little bit and explain how much fun it is. Isaac's hair is too long, please cut it all off creatively and film it so I can watch it, haha!

About the people, they are really nice. the Mexicans give us water whenever we go in their house and the other folk always say, "well, I respect what y'all are doing, there are a lot of people who need to hear your message, is your first name Elder?"

He asked what is going on with Ebola?  I keep hearing just little things and when I hear about it I say with Elder P in one accord, " I have ebola... ebola ice cream! (say it out loud it will make more sense.)

My companion and the candy carnage on my desk.

Dollar General, or in other words, Walmart in its Paradisiacal Glory

"Guatamalan Village" ~ They love visiting the people who live here.  They are very friendly.

Yes, it may seem hard to believe but Dollar General is incredible. I
went there last week on Preparation day and found a plethora of
discounted goods. So, naturally I had to buy them all. I bought a new
pair of camo shoes, $8, a card for Gavin $.50, and a bunch of other
useless stuff. I do slightly regret spending so much there but its
incredible. Utah should highly consider investing in one.

We had a Zone Meeting this week and Elder Packer came. Not President
Packer but his son, Elder Packer. And he had some inspiring words. But
as he introduced himself he showed us a picture of his family. He
introduced them all and then pointed to one in the back of the crowded
picture. "This guy is in Singapore," he said. It was my good friend
from Alta, Paul Gilman! (please excuse the spelling error.) He is
related to an Apostle and to Elder Packer, whoa. That was pretty cool.

We have been continuing to teach an investigator who has had trouble
with smoking named Tony. He is a good friend to me and you could say
we are pretty tight. He always is super motivated to overcoming
smoking and drinking when we are there but then falls back into it
when he is feeling sad, but I know he can make it. Yesterday, we went
with a member, he said, "I don't know all of what you're going through,
but I do know that these (my companion and I) guys are
representatives of the Lord and have been called by Jesus Christ to
help you." I don't know the effect it had on him but it hit me. I didn't
really ever think about it before like that, but it is true.

One of Tony's friends wanted to talk with us so we went to his house,
but when we go there he was just in his car. He told us to get in and
we could have the lesson in his car. It was a bit strange but we did.
He began to cry and said in Spanish that he felt alone. His whole
family lives in Mexico and his daughters and wife live there too. His
kids are very small and he was just sad. I felt really bad for him. We
told him about how this message could help him and at the end I asked
him if he would be baptized, it went something like this, in English:
"If you come to know it is true would you be baptized?" and then he
looked at me pushed his eyebrows up and opened up his eyes really wide
kind like when people get confused and just said, "What?" Shocked and
confused we explained a little bit more due to my premature
invitation. He said yes eventually. Never in my whole life did I think
that I would be sitting in a beat up Pontiac with a crying Hispanic
man while discussing baptism. The Lord puts us in places we never
thought we could go occasionally.

Here is a quote from my Mission President. He was saying that we can
all chose to be heroes or join Satan, happiness or misery, but those
battles between us and Satan aren't usually seen. He said, "Some of
the greatest battles will be fought in the chambers of our souls." Not
only is that good writing, it is also some great advice.

Thank you all for your prayers continue to send them my way and to all
the other missionaries as well, I love you all.

Elder Thomas

Missouri Sunset

Looks like the hare won the race!  Poor turtle....