Tales from Far Away...

We got a referral via text to a lady in our town. We drove over with only a name and an address. We knocked on the door and after a ratito, we left. We walked over to the next house and a car pulled into the referral house's driveway. We walked back over to her and asked her if she knew M. She introduced herself as M we were searching for and energetically told us her story. Her granddaughter is serving a mission in Arizona and she has been sending her Catholic grandma, M, scriptures from the Book of Mormon every week. Her grandma hasn't shown much interest but she did tell us that she will feed us. We thought she was just being nice but then we got a call the next day from her and she was asking us what day we wanted to come over! Not too long after, we met a family who was previously a bluegrass band in Branson and they told us the same thing! The people here might not accept your message but they do know how to feed. No wonder I now weigh 203 lbs.

     Finding can be tiring and mundane. After spending an extra twenty minutes we had knocking doors, we were about ready to give up. But as most missionary stories go, the last door is the best.  It had a terrifying dog in front of it. It was nearly strangling itself to try and eat me. My companion said, "All dogs lead to prepared people." So, with logic out the window, we walked up to it and it barked louder. Then I put out my shaking hand within biting distance and it rolled over on its belly. I pet it and then we knocked the door. Behind it, stayed a man recently separated from his wife who needed a message. He told us to come back, confirming the truth behind the statement, "Dogs lead to prepared people".

     We went to go teach a recent convert and a different face answered the door. It was the recent convert's sister. After talking with her for a while, she appeared to be really interested. We gave her the Book of Mormon and she said she would read it while she went to Branson for the weekend to work. 

     Lately the Lord has put people in our hands. I don't really know what we did right, but I am really grateful for it! I am so glad for His help in my life and the miracles I see in His work everyday! Thanks for your help! 

Adios

Elder Thomas

OKC and an Apostle

Thank you Riley and Whitney for the photo!  Conference with Elder Christofferson.

It was approximately 3:20am and an alarm went off and Elder Thomas didn't move. 

     This is how the trip to Tulsa began. We got word that an Apostle would be visiting our mission but didn't know if the missionaries in Missouri would get to see him in Tulsa. We got a call from President and we were on. The adversary did a lot to try and stop us and distract us. His efforts were truly ridiculous and remarkable. Such as the alarm not working as well as it should of, but luckily my companion awoke and got us up in the nick of time. The whole week and especially that morning I really tried to remain in a state of mind to receive counsel and answers to my questions.      We met in Tulsa not too long after and met up with another mission. It was really similar to meeting bizarro ABM. So I immediately began my search for bizarro Elder Thomas with not much luck. 

     We all sat down and prepared to hear from Elder Christofferson. One of the only things I really wanted from the meeting was that feeling that the Spirit brings when you stand up for a representative of the Lord, and in that small way show your respect for Him. I was reading and trying to prepare when I saw one of my past companions sit down behind me. I talked with him for a little bit and we shared our past travels, when suddenly a man in a suit walked through the door nearest to us. We all stood and I didn't feel what I had wanted. 

     Now, It might have just been something that i wasn't meant to feel but I think if I would've been more focused, not looking for bizarro Elder Thomas and talking instead of studying, I would have felt it. I taught me to always be ready for the Spirit to tell you something. But we can always repent.

     I felt the Spirit later as he left us with his blessing, promising us help in our missionary efforts and strength. I know that he was a representative from God. 

     Thank you for all your help and I love you all!

Adios,

Elder Thomas

Goat in a truck.

Me in 'Cambodia' AKA Lowe's

Love this tie that my friend Jordyn sent me!  She recently returned from her mission in Mexico.

Tantas Estrellas Azules

Remember the cute burro from his letter in December of 2014?  He got to see him again!

     The creation of band names continues. Tantas Estrellas Azules is number one right now, in a close second: One Missed Call From Moses. I will update you all if there are more.

     This week started slowly. We knocked a lot of doors, with not much luck, but we did talk with a lot of members. We talked with them and when the Spirit came into the room we invited them to pray with us right then and ask Heavenly Father who they know that needs the Gospel. It helped members and us feel the Spirit and we found a whole bunch of people. It was really neat being able to feel the Spirit with them.

     I have a suggestion for all missionaries. If you are searching for people to teach with not much success, call up your 18 year old recent convert friend and have him come knocking doors with you on a Sunday afternoon in the cold. We told him at church that we wanted to take him on a mission preparation exchange, or in other words walk around with him in the cold talking with people. I thought that it would be less than fruitful and hoped for the best, but we prayed and asked specifically for a certain number of people we could set up return appointments with and a certain number of people we could teach and have a lesson with. Then we were off. 

     The first two were empty, but as I stepped off the stairs of one house I saw a puff of smoke rising from the neighboring porch. I asked him how it was going and then the conversation began. He told us he would love to know more and that we could stop by whenever we wanted. He continued and said he has two little girls he wanted to get into a church for his family. We walked away pretty shocked. We had been knocking doors for a week with no real results and now the first one with someone home could've been baptized that evening in the river. 

     One of the next houses was pretty similar. A man came to the door who looked like he could've killed me with any given object on his messy porch. After a little conversation he said, "Yeah come back again!" Possible murder to possible investigator in minutes. The rest of the afternoon was pretty similar. The words of the prophetic prayer were heard and fulfilled and we found the people we had prayed for. It ended with the recent convert saying, "Man, I should could out with you guys more often". I will let you know, this doesn't happen every day, therefore, I believe it was a tender mercy and a miracle.

     Remember the miracle referral from a couple weeks ago? After we ate a rich cake from Mardi Gras with them, we asked them about their belief in God. They were unsure. Many hard questions were asked and we didn't have the answers. This family was having a crisis of faith and their questions nearly shook mine. I have been more aware of Heavenly Father's hand in my life since that conversation and I have seen it frequently. I feel more sure in my testimony now than when I shared it with them, but I know that Heavenly Father loves us and lets bad things happen for our good. And He exists to help us. I would invite you all, like we invited them, to pray to feel His love and if you do, you will have that feeling.

Thank you for your prayers! I love you all!

Adios,

Elder Thomas   

He loved his Valentine Gift!

   

Pallet Jack Thomas and Roid Raging Machete Millett present, incorporation with Tearless Keyboard and One Eyed Cougar with help from the Purple Turban Group: Festering Function

It was decided early on in the transfer that Elder Millett and I would become that greatest techno band the world has ever known. The lengthy title of this email is our band names and the album name. Most of them were acquired while roaming the streets of Monett and lifting weights in the morning with a recent convert. (Yes, you read that correctly, that skinny kid you knew a while back is lifting weights and drinking Arnold Schwarzenegger Whey Protein, the results have been less than impressive.) Laugh if you will at the names or recent protein intake increase, but we will be the best! Just kidding it has been pretty ridiculous.

     We were banished to our apartment for Super Bowl Sunday unless we had an appointment. We kind of had an appointment but it wasn't really set and we easily could visit them later. I was already in my gym shorts when the thought came that we needed to go. After some battling in my mind I consulted with my companion and we were off. 

     We have been working with another recent convert and their family through some rough patches of their lives. Last night we stopped by their house as the Super Bowl was wrapping up. We spent some time discussing our mutual appreciation for LIttle Caesar's pizza and our mutual concern for the fashion in the Missouri federal prison. They brought up the problems and they were not easy. I didn't really know what to say. I searched for an answer to the hard questions they posed. In my empty mind, I found a prompting of the Spirit and it told me talk about how blessings can give us peace and direction. They got blessings and if nothing else, it made me feel better. But something more did happen. The usually serious father ran up and gave me a hug.

     It is incredible to see how much our Heavenly Father will help us, and us being the servants and the ones needing help. I am so glad the Lord gives helps to someone who is really weak, me, to do His work.

     I love you all and hope you will all be able to see the hand of the Lord as much as missionaries do! 

Adios

Elder Thomas      

the picture is of the pallet jack        

"2"

 The whole zone got together and we all came up with the goal of the week. We all sat together in a circle and discussed what the zone needed. One missionary raised his hand and said, "My whole mission I have struggled with referrals. All I want is 2 referrals." So, after some counseling, it was decided and the goal was set. By Sunday evening we all hoped to get 2 referrals.

      It was the afternoon in a little town and we were searching for less active members that no one knew on our ward list. In the ghost town-like duplex complex we saw a single car pull up and we hurried over to ask if he knew a certain family. He shook his head. We asked if he knew of anybody who would be interested. Without hesitation, he said, "My neighbor, Anne," pointing over to the next house,"She loves hearing the Word." We knocked on her door and were greeted by a 73 year old lady who told us she wanted to know more. The referral was a success. 

     It was now Sunday and we had no hope of getting another referral. Due to a variety of excuses we didn't get it. We prayed that some miracles would happen. I think I actually said 'We are going to need a miracle', out loud at some point during the day. It was now 8:38pm and we were off to visit our final appointment and I thought about how we could do miraculous get a referral. Suddenly the phone rang. On the other end was a member who had a husband who had recently gained an interest in the Gospel and she wanted us to visit him soon. I was shocked and speechless that it happened.


Later on in the evening we discover that not only did we get it but so did everyone else! We hope this week to set a goal and hit it again. 

Thanks for the help and support!

adios
Elder Thomas