¡Hola! from Oklahoma: 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