Jazzy Gospel Music

The Spirit speaks to us in what a friend of mine called 'fleeting thoughts'. I had one of those thoughts during weekly planning. I felt that I should invite a member of our branch to come with us to teach the family of a girl, who we baptized in June. The member has three rambunctious children, (legend has it that one of the twins bit a missionary), and in my mind there was no possible way that she could leave them behind to come teach with us. But I called anyway and she miraculously said she could come.

     The family has had a difficult time deciding whether or no to be baptized, but with the father a member and one of the sisters they decided to really try to find an answer and they hesitantly accepted a baptismal date. We said if they still felt unsure we could cancel it or cancel it, but we knew they could receive an answer. 

     We met the sister at the home and began the lesson after a minute or so of pleasantries. As the opening prayer ended I got nervous for the first time in a really long time to teach and taught the whole lesson in approximately 4 minutes and didn't include any questions. It only left the girls with a look on their face that could only be described as absolutely lost. The dad looked to the other native speaker, the Sister who came with us, and she began to talk about what I blasted through. I believe mothers of psychotic children are endowed with many gifts, one of them being getting and keeping the attention of anybody. This divine gift mingled with her conversion story and an impressive teaching ability, was just what the mother of the home needed. As the conversion story went on she said, "That's how I am!", as if the answer had just arrived in her heart. It was an impressive lesson to me about humility and reliance upon the Savior and the Spirit in teaching. But in the same moment of teaching me a lesson, the Lord helped this family have a very good idea what their answer will be and how it will arrive. 

     

     Joanne called us on Tuesday and invited us to her church. I was really excited and looking forward to it all week. The week went on and it became increasingly difficult but Joanne's church was in sight and it kept me going on. We entered the building and I heard music that brought tears to my eyes. We followed the sound of the smooth drums, a bass guitar and a soft trumpet and arrived in the sanctuary to find a jazz band. To those of you who don't know my love for music, jazz music has been a personal favorite of mine for years. It was a lot like when the family and I went to the Grand America downtown to hear the Joshua Payne Orchestra.

 

     The service erupted with jazzy gospel music that was unknown to me but enjoyable. I left feeling happy but realized as we got further and further away I didn't really feel at all that fulfilled or satisfied. We went to our church and prepared the sacrament. After the announcements and a brief prayer, I felt something stronger than the joy that comes from jazz music. The Spirit filled the room as the junior high students passed the emblems of the Savior's sacrifice to me and my fellow sinners. The Sacrament was a lot better. 

          Anyway, all is well. Thanks for the support!

     

Adios

elder thomas     

Watermelon Mango Pico de Gallo

     

A year ago this week,  Ian arrived in Tulsa from the Mexico MTC

For any middle aged women who may read this only because you found it on while searching Blogspot after not finding anything decent on Pinterest here is something that might interest you. Yesterday, a member who is the single father of three daughters made us dinner much to the disappointment of his oldest daughter. However the joke was on her. He found what I assumed must have been a secret recipe that has been hidden from Mexican restaurant zealots since its conception. It was just as the title states and is much more than your mortal mind can imagine. To avoid disrespecting the culinary art, I will suggest a Google Search of the title of this email and a trip to the local super market in search of the supplies.

     This week while I was vacuuming the Relief Society room, I was drafted into EFY. The tri-stake area had an EFY on Saturday and lacked 4 counselors and there happened to be four of us missionaries cleaning the Church. After finding out our lesson at two had cancelled we joined the squad to find two other zone leaders there from a far away land helping out as well. The stressed adults organized us in groups and then the flood of teenagers began. Many other counselors were going absolutely ballistic and there was a lot of yelling to excite the kids. Lots of members from the YSA branch were counselors and they were saying, "YOU READY TO HAVE SOME FUN!?!?! WOOOOHOOO!" I felt like I was at the Zoo in that Gymnasium. But I looked at our meager group and decided they needed some motivation. Moments after harshly judging the Young Single Adults for their childishly-like behavior, I was doing the exact same thing. It was effective and the shy kids soon became equally as nuts. 

     The activities ended that day with one of the coolest things I've seen in a while. All the kids wrote their testimony on the back of a pass along card and were escorted to the parking lot. On the way there, they were all handed a balloon and told to tie the pass along card to the balloon. Then, just like a cheesy movie you'd see on the Disney channel, we all let go of the balloons. None of us will probably ever know what will become of all those testimonies but due to the flight pattern of the balloons seen that blustery afternoon, the missionaries in the Omaha Nebraska Mission are going to have a lot of people to talk with in 2 to 3 weeks.

     Our mission-wide goal this week was to have 10 exchanges from members. We prayed a lot for the help and knowledge to know what we could do to achieve that goal. As we prayed, things just started happening. We had a member of YSA and a member of another ward help us almost immediately. And the exchanges just came as we tried our best. During a lesson we had with an American family and their 12 year old Hispanic friend, the mother responsed to his question, "So if I pray for a GTR I can get a GTR?", with this interesting thought; "Sometimes we have to meet God half way." The Lord is always willing to help us if we are willing to do our best. People are coming out of no where and asking us to teach them and their families. In the words of the great film, Nacho Libre, "It's fantastic".

Thanks for all you do

adios

Elder Thomas    

P.S. from Ian's mom....check out this link. http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2013/06/watermelon-pico-de-gallo/

Pesky Paparazzi and Flashback Horror

 District Meeting carried on in it's usually manner and we all awaited a guest. The night before we were informed the local newspaper would be following around our Zone Leaders to inform the public of how life is as a Mormon Missionary was. And precisely as we began in on something that could have easily been manipulated into us worshipping Joseph Smith and only reading the Book of Mormon, the press arrived and after a brief introduction and meeting us all, they told us to pretend like they weren't there. So, the district talked normally as Elder Thomas comically attempted to point out the fact that a reporter was in the room and her lackey was photographing our every word. But after a few harsh, "what are you doing?!" stares from the missionaries in my district, I stopped. We ended with the only song in the Hymn book that could produce many questions about us worshiping Joseph Smith, 'Praise to the Man.' The whole thing was weird.  

      Mexican parties are nuts. No matter the age, gender, or occasion. We texted our Dinner the night before we were to eat with them and they responded that it was going to be a party at the church. Excited, the next day we rushed over to the church and found the get together. The Cultural Hall lived up to its name that day. There was a questionable amount of culture and enough soda and 'cake pops' to make any creature under the Heavens ill beyond measure and enough tacos to make a skinny Elder Thomas into a Elder Thomas that needs a new size shirt. We were greeted by the family and I presumed it could've been another 15 year olds, but I was wrong. It was for a 5 year old. I'm pretty sure the extend of my party at 5 was Dad dressing up like a pirate and making my only two friends that were girls cry while the four others of us looked for treasure in the sandbox. This party had a DJ and balloons like crazy and one more surprise. A haunting voice reverberated off the basketball back boards and unsettled the bubbles in the Coca-Cola I drinking. Not soon after, the voice that emanated  from the speakers entered the room and it was my worst nightmare. 

     Now, I must backtrack to the year 2001. I am 6 years old and at a Halloween party at Silly Grandma's house. The cousins are running and releasing the newly produced sugar in the veins by jumping and running in every which way. The doorbell rang and I did what any other hyper kid would do. I ran to to the door along with every one else. Due to my natural athleticism I made it to the door first and threw it open. What met me was my Grandmother wearing a clown outfit and makeup. And thus birthed my fear of clowns. The lanky Clown that entered the Cultural Hall was 7 feet tall had makeup from my nightmares and was yelling in Spanish words that I couldn't understand due to either the vulgarity or speaking at such a simplified level to accommodate the children that I couldn't understand, I assume the former. It was the most terrifying clown I've ever seen in my life and Elder Williams nearly had to escort me to the car, but I was brave and stayed to enjoy more cake pops.

     This week has been great and the work is awesome. He continue moving forward regardless of the tragedies or obstacles placed in our path. In the words of the Prophet Joseph Smith, "No unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing, persecution may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble and calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly and independent." I am so glad to be involved in this Gospel and I hope I can help others accept it in their lives and find joy as I have.

Thanks for everything!

Adios

Elder Thomas

'When You're 15' Part II

Before we begin the weekly tale, I met the new President of the mission personally this week. English class was moments to begin and we got a call. the Zone Leaders said, "President is here and wants to say hello." I was nervous, because that usually means something is up, but we let him in and he talked to us about our English class and the branch. The next day he even showed up to our District Meeting and brought us the biggest watermelon I've ever seen. He is very nice and I can't wait to work with him. 

     And so as we learned from a couple of weeks past, birthday parties for 15 year olds in this culture in the which I am now engulfed are a questionable environment for missionaries. However, the less active family we teach needed help. We were summoned by them to do the things that Mormon gentlemen do best, set up chairs and tables in a rapid fashion. And so, after an arduous Saturday of service, we ended the day by driving 15 minutes north to the lovely town of Owasso. We went on a scavenger hunt for the establishment that would hold the party two hours later, which only provided us with a feeling of worry. This feeling was produced when we found the place with the member's car being absent and everything already set up. We surveyed the building and received curious stares from the people who set up everything. After a call we were told to just go in and eat something, and so we did. Much like a high school wallflower, we grabbed our plate of nachos and awaited the party. 

     The family entered in their cowboy hats and all. Dressed in the modern styles of Mexico and Texas. We sat at a table, after speaking with the Sister who invited us, and ate the Mole and beans. Suddenly another older white person appeared next to our table with the Sister. She told us the woman needed to talk with us. Presumable pressured into talking to us we broke the ice by saying, "It's kind of weird being the only white people here huh?" After that she opened up quiet a bit and explained what she believed in. We bore our testimony as the accordion and tuba played in the background. 

     Then the music changed. Just as we began talking about the good stuff, the accordion was turned up to 11 and the pleasantries of Mariachi were replaced with the basses of dubstep. Never before have I had to testify over the noises of 'Locos por Fiestas'. That adversary, he's a crafty one, but we still testified and gave her a card with the hopes of planting an seed of faith that will need harvesting in a season or two. Then moments after that she made her way through the dancing crowd to go find a drink and we decided it would be best to leave. 

     Church began and we were running around as usually doing something I can't remember, when a member told us he had to talked to us. "Remember that lady we taught a while ago? She is here, she is at church!" the woman he referred to was a less active woman who had not attended church in a very long time. We ran into the Chapel and saw her. "L" sat just a few rows from the front as if she had been there ever Sunday for the past 15 years. The feeling of having someone return to church is difficult to explain to those that haven't served missions. But it is awesome.

     We had a couple of opportunities to give priesthood blessings this week as well. It is an incredible feeling standing in the place of the Lord and talk as if He were there.

     Thanks for the support and prayers, I will be praying for you all as well!

Adios

Elder Thomas    

How Little Caesar's Saved Us...

This is Joanne "The Angel in Tulsa" that we refer to.
She takes great care of the Elders.  We love her!

After a long couple of days yielding no lasting joy, we dragged our tired bodies to dinner. It started as usual, with us teaching the kids English and they taught us Spanish as the parents decided on whether we should drink horchata or Coke, two Hispanic favorites. We all ate classic tacos with extremely hot salsa and talked about their jobs and common expressions in both of our native tongues. It was enjoyable and helped me leave the hard stuff for a minute and relax. As the conversation drifted to the progress of the branch, the father voiced some strong opinions about why he felt his family's efforts in missionaries work were futile and other things that cut us to the core. I am usually a mellow man, but this effected me to frustration. As we traveled through the night to our next appointments another less active family said something similar. It was sad and was followed by a mountain of other minor issues.

     As our previous Mission President's wife said, 'the mission is in your mind'. We make the decision if the things we go through will break us or make us stronger, more frail or more wise, more prideful or more humble, it is our choice.

     We set up a soccer night and reminded the branch members the day before. We arrived ready to play and hoped that a lot of members would come. But only three or so did. This was it for our dear Elder Thomas. All he had, he had reminded the members, the investigators and less actives. We played soccer and I just wasn't feeling it. It was rough but a prayer got us through.

     The following day began with a study of the Atonement which provided a substantial help to my testimony and conversion but like most hard headed people I forgot for a moment as the day went on. The English class was later on that night and we were running late. Our dinner was going to drop off dinner to our apartment but never showed up. And the next  Sunday was a fast Sunday.  I was still hurting as we taught the class and was sad. But I made a decision. I decided to capitalize on the opportunity that the Lord had given us and I chose to grow. Work through it and just make it to the end of the day but endure it well. Use the testimony I had of the Atonement and get through it. The Lord always comes through to those who have faith in Him.

     Our dinner showed up at the end of the English class and she carried in her arms the best food in the entire world. Little Caesar's pizza. Seeing the familiar shade of orange cardboard nearly brought me to tears and getting that blessing from the Lord helps me remember that He knows exactly what we need to help us keep going on.

     We have created plans to work with the branch to strengthen them and us, and they are in motion now with the help of the Branch Presidency. I love the people here. A lady got up yesterday to bear her testimony. She has been through a lot and as she testified of the Savior, I remembered what He had done for me. The people are strong here and their testimonies are stronger. She cried and I love the people.

Thanks for all the help and prayers and support!

Adios

Elder Thomas