The Anti-Mormon Culture

The wonderful Stark family had a minion celebration for Ian's 20th Birthday!

As we paraded the mall in Joplin last Preparation Day, an Elder in my district and I discovered a store with Bible stuff. Because we had already smelled all the candles in Yankee Candle, we decided to check out the Bible store. We perused the parameters of the crammed space, and we discovered some Bibles in Spanish, a lot of 'Deseret Book' style motivational quotes for soccer moms to put in their kitchens and miraculously some information on Mormons. 

     Being naive to the nature of such literature and assuming it to be of an uplifting quality, I opened up the lamented pamphlet and began to read. I don't remember if it was after I read about polygamy or maybe after the section about authority, but I made a comment aloud in a low voice similar to, 'this is ridiculous.' Just at that moment, the store clerk had decided to pass behind us and ask us if we needed help looking for something. As one can imagine, he didn't ask us if we needed help. Instead he responded with a discourse on why he didn't put 'Mormon doctrine' in his store. I felt, again, like a cotton-headed-ninny-muggins and prayed for the knowledge to know what to say. When he concluded his hushed speech I gave him a card and and began to talk like normal even though my heart was jumping around in my body like a 3rd grader after licking a Costco cake clean of the icing. We had a good chat and concluded with our testimonies of Christ. The adrenaline wiped most of my memory from the experience but there were no hard feelings and we both walked away. 

     Sometimes I think in my life I judge others because of their incomplete belief in Christ. After that experience and a couple others, I feel that these beliefs prepare others for the completeness of the truth. Jumping straight into a hot tub is shocking and sometimes painful but slowly stepping in is different. Much like the Gospel, the people are prepared little by little until ready to fully receive the truth. And as followers of Christ we are there to help them with just one more step, usually not all of them. Hopefully my comment didn't cause the store clerk to step backward. I imagine in the future he will remember our testimonies as he talks with missionaries again.

     Thank you all for the support and love and prayers!

Adios

Elder Thomas               

He got to see his good friend in Aurora!

The Cake

Elder Thomas ~ Trying his hand as a fireman in Carthage.

    My first District Meeting was nerve racking. Leadership positions make me feel different. Like I need to be better. So I decided to look to my examples of leadership I have seen in the past. 

     I remember reading about how one of my friends used a cake as an example of extending invitations. Before the meeting we ran to the nearest store and bought the best cake that the cheap missionary budget can afford and ran to the meeting. 

     Arriving in Thomas Standard Time, which is 15 minutes slower than anyone's clock, the meeting began. Everyone sat and waited for the leader to take charge, then I remembered that was me and so I ran to the front and began. I attempted to be myself and ended up feeling like a comedian making one-liners in a country that didn't speak my language. 

     The crickets stopped chirping as one Sister came to the front to instruct on Baptism. She has only been out for 6 weeks but yet is training another Sister. She is a really powerful teacher and even though her words left my mind, the Spirit I felt I can't forget. 

     The Spirit was like embers burning after a bonfire and all in the room could feel it. For a moment I thought over what I was about to do and thought it might not be conducive to the Spirit, but went on anyway. I came to the front of the room and pulled the cake out of the bag. I asked if anyone wanted any cake and someone volunteered. I said are you sure and he said sure. So i put my hand right in the cake and pulled some out. Right then, I learned to always follow the Spirit and don't do things that are against it. In that moment, someone dumped water on the embers and everyone's jaws dropped.

     All in all, it was a good meeting. I love the work here and the Spirit is something that not only missionaries need but we all do in these days. With the Spirit we will be guided.

Thanks for the support and prayers! 

adios

elder thomas        

Ian and Riley's last moments together in Tulsa.

      

Saying goodbye to friends in Tulsa!

Not sure if his companion can fit in their new missionary mobile!

       

Carthage

We rolled into Carthage and we saw the water tower first. That was how I knew I was in a familiar place. The small city life style and anti-gun control vibe always makes me feel welcome. I don't have a lot of time today or I would saw more, but I do have one story.

 A man bore his testimony in Church today. He was in his 60's and wobbled up to the podium with his eyes teary. The Spirit was strong and he was obviously feeling it. We began to tell us that he was going to tell us a story and allow the Spirit to teach us. He supported what the two prior speakers said and joined them in testifying of modern Prophets and temple attendance.

 He said that when he was a branch president in a near by town, the Stake President announced that they would be going to the temple every month and he needed to lead the branch in following this counsel. He was nervous, with six young children at home and a busy farm it would be extremely difficult. He sat down with his family and came up with a plan. He and his wife would leave the farm in the care of there boys who couldn't have been older than a 7th grader and the oldest daughter would skip school and watch the young babies. He wept and told us the Lord would always provide a way. Always. I have had no experience whatsoever in rearing children or cattle but the Spirit touched my heart and I wept with him.

 The Spirit is strong here in the Carthage ward and it reminds me of a home with a similar feeling. I know the Lord will always provide us with a way out.

     Thank you for your prayers and support, I love you all!
Adios
Elder Thomas

I'm a Country Boy

If you can't see video above, click on this link:

https://www.facebook.com/whitney.w.williams.7/videos/910232912386190/

John Denver, a regular to Tulsa because his grandma lived here, said it better than anyone else. A lot about cakes on the griddles and playing fiddles. I never really saw a lot of either of those in Missouri but I am headed back there and am excited. I'm really sad to leave this land of taco trucks and big building and will miss the members here more than anything else. I have made a lot of friendships and memories here that will be with me forever. I know that I'll be back.

     I'm going as a District Leader to a land known by many as Carthage to others it is known as the location of the annual Marian Days to all the Catholic Vietnamese-Americans. From what I have heard, the locals leave and the Catholic Vietnamese-Americans come and sleep on their lawn. And while they sleep in the humidity, the Guatemalans go and work at the local chicken factory. I can't wait! It's relaxing to be away from the world as a missionary but in a more literal sense, the out-skirts of Missouri is pretty far away from the world.

      This week has been insane and was good preparation for life as a District Leader. We ran around and worked toward what our mission calls the Standard of Excellence, which is a mission-wide goal for the number of lessons and so on. We had slowly worked up to the goal these past few weeks and this week through a lot of prayer and fasting, we were on track. However, the adversary was not to pleased with our efforts. And in an attempt to stop us, many obstacles were placed in our path. Elder Williams and I while on an exchange had an interesting experience.

      He went with his companion to help a sister. I felt bad I missed their call but Elder Williams was on the scene. As we rushed there, I felt distinctly prompted to visit someone. It would take critical time but we went. We rushed to the door and breathless, I mumbled something probably awkward, but it didn't matter. The young man at the door spoke. He looked different than the visits before. Sunken eyes, pale face, he asked for a prayer. I later offered that we could give him a blessing. After the blessing, the atmosphere of the room changed. He looked completely different. We promised him help would come from his Father in Heaven. And then we ran off. 

     Everything with the missionaries was taken care of. The Lord knows His sheep and I'm glad I was able to help out in the way He needed me to. 

     It has been an awesome week. And I will let you all know how Missouri is. 

Adios

Elder Thomas