Another Day....Another Dollar $

Photo sent from his Bishop. 

"Being missionary parents ourselves, we understand the importance of getting pictures of your missionary.  We've enjoyed getting to know each of these valiant servants. Thank you for sharing your son" 

~ Bishop Don and Becky Walker

No they don't pay us out here but its another week down. Sometimes it flies by while other times it seems to be in slow motion. But oh well, that is way it goes right. Anyway, we waved goodbye to Elder V and he is home now. He sent me a picture and he made it back to his homeland of Oregon. We also sadly waved goodbye to Elder H. They were awesome guys! We had a lot of fun together! They were two good friends and I look forward to the day that I will bump into them at Costco 20 years from now and we can discuss about how my premature balding has taken full effect and talk about old times. But now we say hello to Elder T and Elder P. Elder T the new English man on the scene has four months left, he would only have one month left but due to an event on a tractor while doing some service he broke his leg and had to go home for three months. Elder P is my new companion and he knows how to work. We got back from the transfer point and we were off, working hard. He is kind of quiet but he is a great guy.

My Spanish is increasing. It comes poco y poco, like everything and I have yet to master the skill of understanding the Spanish language that they don't speak. You know, like when someone rolls their eyes you know that they are frustrated or whatever. In Spanish someone could be yelling at you and smiling and you have no indication of what they are talking about. They could want you to get lost but they just smile at you until you get the message that they don't care about religion. They are a very kind people and I love them! Tony, a man we found a while back, told us that the Book of Mormon is really helping him, it is so cool to see that. His friends that we have bumped into say that it has changed him and because of that they want to know more about the Book of Mormon. It is so cool!

It has been a bit of a challenge adjusting to missionary life. You start out thinking it is just an adventure, laughing at the little inconveniences here and there, but then they begin to build and things just get hard. But it is times like these that we are tried. Without hard times like these we wouldn't be able to fully appreciate the times of peace and happiness. This two years will be a two year trial but it will still be fun! Elder Vest told me that your mission is like your earth life. Before you were here you tried your best to prepare yourself for your mission. And now that you are here you need to prove to Heavenly Father and others that you are willingly to work your hardest for Him. And then if you work your hardest, when you go home you have paradise. Music, family, friends, and other things that are in paradise. I hope I can work my hardest here.

Thank you all for your prayers to me. They have helped me and motivated me. I love you all.

Love,

Elder Thomas

The best birthday gift a missionary mom could ever receive! A card in the mail on my (Rosemary's)  birthday.

These are from Ian:

The bolo tie uncle that surprised me on my birthday.

The most beautiful day I have ever seen, the sun hung just above the farmland in the trees and this old guy with 3 teeth was telling us some stories.

A town that could have easily been inhabited by zombies or some other creature of the infernal realm.

A picture I took while my companion was going to the bathroom in a Mexican restaurant.  I stole this hat from off the wall and took this beautiful shot.

A small car that Elder V and I found in some old city that was super creepy.

Another Brick..er..Week in the Wall..(Title inspired by Isaac's endeavors at a sweet concert that I wish I could have seen.) Pink Floyd

Elders Outstanding in their Field!

From Mama Thomas ~

What a week of tender mercies for our family.  Heavenly Father has answered many prayers for us this week.  Ian is surrounded by a great ward family and great friends and family at home and serving around the world!  We prayed to find a contact in his area when his birthday package didn't arrive on his birthday.  That night we received an email from a dear sister who had the missionaries join the youth at a corn maze on his birthday.  The youth sang to him and they made his day special.  She sent an email the next day to let us know that his package arrived. 

 Sister Thomas, 

I spoke with Elder Thomas today & he got your package!  We are so excited to have him in our area. The youth, leaders, & other missionaries all sang to him yesterday. He's in good hands.
My oldest will be reporting for his mission the day before Thanksgiving. I totally feel your pain of having them gone holidays & birthdays. I'm trying to fit everything in before he leaves.  I've noticed how Heavenly Father looks out for His missionaries and their families, though.  I have to trust that He will also watch out for Austin.
I'm glad those pictures eased your burden.  Thanks for sharing Elder Thomas with us. 

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From Elder Thomas:

And again we gather to hear a tale or two from Elder Thomas in the city where dog food is made. Yes, Aurora is surrounded by many large factories that produce dog and cat food. So, if perchance you have inquired on what it would be like in the  shoes of Elder Thomas, according to Elder Holyoak one simply places a large empty bag of dog food over their head and then walks into a steam room. Hot, humid and smells worse than the bathroom at that creepy gas station you always have to stop at on your way to Idaho. Anyway onward with the stories, oh and like conference the first one will be in my native tongue of Spanish, just kidding but that was kind of cool. I am sure the people that speak those languages were stoked to hear something other than that same translating voice for a talk. Anyway here we go.

 

So this week was my birthday and would like to thank you all for making it wonderful. I received packages from near and far from north even to east and they were much appreciated. Mom, the cookies you sent were absolutely decimated but they were eaten with joyous hearts because anything is better than top ramen. It began with an interrupted sleep but our ward mission leader gave me breakfast at his home which was very kind, he also has the cure for Ebola and anything else, he is of Indian decent and is one of the coolest guys I know. He is like that cool Indian uncle that I think we all need to have. He wears a bolo tie and has the sweetest shirts I have ever seen. They are so cool, but his wife made us a very delicious meal of biscuits and gravy with fresh orange juice. We were filled but then what to my wondering eyes should appear, a cake with nineteen candles. It was really nice of them to go out of their way to make my day special. Then we were treated to a lovely lunch at Braums which is the best fast food place american dollars can buy. And then that evening to a surprise dinner at my favorite establishment around. Little Caesars. The pizza was something of a dream and it made my day awesome! We went to a corn maze as well. (Isaac, Gavin and Gabe, I have an assignment for you. Go to a haunted house for me and give me a report about it. I went to the haunted corn maze with some members and it was sweet. I need some good stories from y'all about Nightmare on 13th or something, Isaac I look to you to be an example and take your brothers there to scar them for life or take yourself with your cousin and a girl because that would be a good date and a great story.) ( oh and look up Dunked On by Froggy Fresh I heard about it and need to hear y'all sing it, it's from our main homie krispy kreme!)

 

Today, we went spelunking as a zone. You would be surprised to see the vastness of caves out here randomly in some farmers yard. I wore my finest caving outfit with my new clothes and as I climbed through the mud with my back against the ceiling and my stomach against the floor I realized that I probably shouldn't have chosen those pants, but no matter, that was the closest I will get to swimming on my mission and I swam and it was grand. There were cavities bigger than a church chapel and then others smaller than your computer screen that I crawled through.  I was quite claustrophobic and as I slipped and slithered on the floor of the muddy cave in my typical red converse shoes I occasionally said a prayer that I wouldn't die and that mom wouldn't kill me about ruining my pants. So sorry mom.

 

In the cave you need a light. It is essential to your health and sanity. Without one we were lost. There was a moment when we all shut them off and we just sat in the darkness, almost tangible, like a giant black blanket of moist air breathing air onto your muddy shirt and shoes. It was a little eerie. We also needed the light so that we could jump from rock to rock to get out, (so that batman flashlight came in handy! thank you family). Life is like this cave. I could try to get out without my trusty batman flashlight, leaping from rock to rock in utter blackness, with the hopes that I don't smash my head into a swarm of bats or dangling stalactite. Or i could use my flashlight. And even though sometimes mud would coat it and dim the light or sometimes I didn't point it in the right places, but it guided me out. In this life should we trust ourselves in the darkness? Probably not, you can try, but you will probably smack your shin super hard on a unseen rock like me and have trouble walking. I would advise using the light. This week I have used that light, I have felt down and sad at times, wishing it was me heading home with my companion. I got kind of sad one night and just prayed and asked to be helped, I have never really asked like that before. That night I was helped. People were put in my path to make me feel better, ( we ate dinner that night at the home of a family with 6 boys! 6! I felt right at home as they proceeded to tell me everything 3-7 year olds know. they made me laugh as all of the 6, under the age of 8 attacked each other in a loving way and then were immediately quiet when their mom said that the missionaries had a message. I received more energy and the Spirit helped me forget myself and see why I am here. It was great. one of the boys sang Book of Mormon stories at least 10 times, I haven't laughed that hard in a while.) I am trying to utilize this light more in my life as I am trying to gain a greater testimony of it. This light is the Atonement. (Forgive me for getting preachy if I am.) But this light is so essential to us! It is a gift but we have to chose to use it. Ask and ye shall receive right? Just ask, no matter what you are going through, Christ has been through it, doubt, depression, despair. He has felt it all. People say that too much and people don't get it. He has felt it all. Think about that. Everything you or I will ever feel is something that your Brother felt. Your Brother that loved you enough to go through the most painful thing in the world, knows it all. And he didn't give up. Follow that example by using His experience. I believe the gift of the Atonement is one of the most under utilized gifts God has given me. I don't use it nearly enough and I don't thank Him enough for it. You can literally use it for anything that causes you strife, pain or disappointment. Pain that is caused by girls, work, church callings, surgeries, death, depression, anything. I will make you a promise that this week I will try to use it as much as I can if you do as well, and if you do you will feel yourself happier, stronger, more confident than you have ever been in your life. I am going to try it this week, and y'all should as well, and I know you will be helped.

 

So another week has past and this mission is going by way too fast. I hate how fast it is flying. I received a gift in the mail that said you only have 730 days out here. This was a substantial note in my mission. Every day I tell myself that I only have 730 days to fully commit myself into the Lord's hands to be molded into the missionary He wants me to be. And I hope that I can make Him and all of you proud. I leave you all, and hope that General Conference was good fro you all, Go watch it again, i wish I could, oh and go enjoy some pizza or something because life is way to short to not enjoy pizza at least once a week. Like they say a pizza a day keeps sadness away. Oh and I had a thought during conference that I thought you would like, "If you just keep trying, if you just hold on a little longer, you will surf forever in the cosmos while eating pizza with your eternal companion." That is what I imagine heaven as, so one last thought, imagine what you think heaven is and then whenever you get down just think of that image of heaven.

 

Thanks for the birthday wishes and I love you all. Your gifts are great and I use them frequently. I love you all.  Please ignore my mistakes I was in a hurry.

Elder Thomas

Conference ~ Ian really was just joking around.

Happy Birthday to Elder Thomas!!! ~He titled this weeks letter ~ "Your dog is dead"

It's Ian's (Elder Thomas') Birthday this week!  19 years ago we were blessed to have Ian join our family.  He definitely keeps us smiling and always inspires us to be better. We love you Ian!

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Yesterday, we went and spoke with a member. she cant read or write but listens to el Libro de Mormon en Espanol on discs. She has been relatively quiet most of the time but last night she opened up. She talked in Spanish about her dog and asked my companion if he had any waiting for him back at home. He said yes and was excited to see them in a couple of weeks. She looked up and said , "Your dogs are dead," her morbid sense of humorous conversing threw us completely off. I thought I misunderstood her, but when she began to laugh after I knew I understood her. Oh, and she is also the woman who introduced me to menudo. But we were laughing and continued our conversation about other stuff. The members here are sweet.  

There is a Spanish group at the English speaking ward.  They have their own meetings but we have to translate the Sacrament Meeting. We talk to all the members just about every day. There are only about eight or so of them but they all work in the Tyson chicken factory and can't come to church all the time. They hate the chicken factory because they just hang up the limp things by the legs on a conveyor belt for 14 hours. They are super nice.

    

     We are teaching a guy named Tony. He is really nice hispanic guy about our age, speaks English and is fairly busy so it is difficult to get in contact with him. This week as we were teaching him I said to prepare him for how he could find out for himself, "Now, we could just be make this all up, right?" Which he responded with, "But you're not." He told us he knew the Book of Mormon was true and his mom told us it was changing his life. He reads it whenever he feels down and says he can find something to help him out when he is down. This guy who has never been to church never fully read the Book of Mormon, never been baptized, told us he felt the spirit as he smiled during the whole lesson. I have seen so many people out here who are touched by the Spirit as they hear about Christ's church. This is a testimony to me that it is true. When the Spirit testifies its truthfulness to the people we teach it also testifies to me and is so strong. The spirit is always with us, is what one of my MTC teachers said, 24/7, even when you sleep. That is so true, the blessings of being out on my mission for just two months are incredible I cant even imagine what they will be in a year or at the end of my mission. 

Hey I love all of you and just have faith. Have faith in Him that knows you better than yourself.

Elder Thomas

Menudo, Red Hot Peppers and a Homeless's Home

This week has been a bit of a learning week. First, I learned to stay away from menudo. Menudo is a soup common in Hispanic culture. It presented itself to us while at a member's home. The bowl harnessed the wrath of something so vile and hideous that some of you with weak stomachs or small children may want to avoid reading this. I looked down to behold a honeycomb covered sheet of flesh that was littered with pink and gray spots of acidic burns. The rubbery mix also contained a couple of vegetables but the encompassing substance that laid in the bowl was the lining of cow stomach. Now it may not sound all that grotesque upon first glance but once you try to chew it you realize its true devilish nature. I have never gagged so much in my life. But luckily the heavens smiled down upon me as a watermelon was brought to the table; so with much agitated gagging I would take a bite, or attempted bite of the living stretch cords of acidic fury, and then I would immediately take a bite of watermelon. The nearly instantaneous relief of the watermelon was overwhelming, nearly bringing me to tears in some places, but I survived. This same member thought we would enjoy some habaneros.  I ate one of those as well in an attempt to prove my manliness and ended up sticking my head in the faucet and wept as my tongue, nasal cavity and very soul was engulfed in the flames of yet another Hispanic favorite. The missionaries teach quite a few in our area. We just got up to 22 this past week. Our area is rather large it covers the whole stake but because we have limited miles we cant reach some places.

  

This week I went on an exchange with Elder Holyoak. He is the red headed man from Sandy. He took me around town and we talked with many peoples in my native tongue which was almost as relieving as the watermelon. But we stopped by a house across the street from one of our Spanish investigators and went inside. The house is huge in comparison to the surrounding homes and so I assumed it must house a large wealthy family, but it was just the opposite. It was the home to many people who cannot afford normal housing or those that were homeless. Elder Holyoak and Elder Powers had talked to a teenage girl and she had shown interest, so they had come by this location many times. But when we went in only her parents were home. We walked into the apartment like building and knocked on a old door. When they opened the door I saw a couch, piles of boxes, a man with no shirt rolling a cigarette and a thin old woman wearing rags. She said her daughter wasn't home but she could talk. We spoke to her about her life and beliefs. She told us her story of how her sister had taken all of her mom's money and left them both homeless. They wandered around until she was hit by a car and couldn't remember anything. She lost 25 years of her memory and told us she traveled around the United States to find out who she was, talking to family friends and old neighbors. She said, "It wasn't my time... The Lord still has something for me to do here." She was very energetic and happy considering her conditions. She was a panhandler as was her husband. These were the people who stand out on street corners and ask for money. She said, "Most people just don't listen to the circumstances you are in," she went on to talk about how people just drive past her with their noses up in the air. I felt bad, remembering all the people I had drove past back at home, making false accusations in my mind, and I never took the time to her their incredible stories. Later on when we were walking around, a youth minister told us that all people are saved under the blanket of Jesus, all those that believe and serve will be saved. He was doing service when we met him and told us he had to leave to go do some more. He was following Christ, I think he would go talk to the panhandlers, I think he is better example of Christ than most others.

This week I have seen a lot of different people in different situations much worse than mine. Some didn't have food, homes or cars. And even though they didn't have all these things, they still were happy. It is inspiring. I hope that you all had a good week and I look forward to writing to y'all next week.

 

Elder Thomas            

"What am I doing?!" yelled the Samoan man

World's Largest Praying Hands ~Entrance to Oral Roberts University ~ 

Tulsa, OK

~

Another week in some place very different. We are teaching and searching for those interested in the gospel with my Spanish, or lack thereof.

We did something called Zebra tracking which is English and Spanish speakers together, which gave me a great opportunity to showcase my immense knowledge of Latin American culture and language. Upon finding the first house with Christmas lights, Elder Powers and I went up to the door. A mustached short Mexican stood there staring blankly at me. It was then that I realized I had to say something, so in my broken Spanish said, "We are missionaries with a message, have interest?" He looked at me and said, "No." But we didn't give up. So after a couple of English questions, blank stares and awkward silences, I just said, "Sorry, I have only spoke Spanish for a couple of weeks." So after he laughed he just said, "Otro dia." Hispanics are too nice and never just say beat it or get out, they say other day. So we failed, but now I have a story right? Hahaha, Elder Powers and I laughed and moved on. We gave a Book of Mormon to someone we know. He is Catholic and reads it when he feels down.  We told him to read it some more and he read all the way to Omni.  Wow, it was cool!  The Book of Mormon has a lot of power to it.

Today we went to Bass Pro. It is the headquarters of the institution and was larger than the city of Draper. It was huge, go look it up. they had everything there, guns, fishing stuff, camo everything, more guns, hats, shirts, more guns, more hats, more camo. they have more camo than I have ever seen in my life. But the nice guy that drove us into Springfield is a Samoan fellow with a heart bigger than Texas. He bought us breakfast and pie! He always laughs and is very very happy, always smiling and wanting to help out the missionaries and fill our stomachs. But as we left the area a travesty occurred. As we backed up, an elderly gent's car was in the way and we backed right into him. Expecting this joyful, always laughing and having a good time, Samoan to give the elderly man a pie or something I awaited his response. But as the elderly man exited his car, the Samoan exploded. He yelled out the window, "Are you gonna move or what?!" this joyful fellow had changed, but as he drove off he went back to being happy and bought us the best ice cream in the world, called Andy's.

Yesterday we read a version of the fourth missionary. It's called Consecrated Missionary or something similar to that by a man with the last name of McAlister. It is almost better than the fourth missionary and I cried while we read it.  These guys I'm with are great out here but I believe that we can be better and after reading that talk I decided that I will be a consecrated missionary no matter what. No matter what. And I am trying to do this, by trying to focus all my thoughts actions and words into something the Savior would think, do or say. And I know that He is willing to help me. I felt that as I read in that talk the words, (which I have read, heard and said many times.) 

"You are a representative of Jesus Christ." If we represent Him I believe that He will bless us and us that follow Him, He will bless them as well. I am sure it's different for you all, forgive me sometimes if I get too preachy at the end of these emails, but I will just end with this. I know it is true, and Christ lives and is willing to help us if we ask and are obedient. And if you don't know that or are questioning it, go ask. This life is short, so go ask! 

I love you all and love your prayers of support!

Gabe, Gavin, Isaac I love you guys!

Dad, I love you 

I love you Mom

Elder Thomas     

The Turtle in the Shower and the Way to Distinguish a Mexican Home

My first full week in the field and many tales to tell. First off, there has been a war between the English Elders and us for the past few days. It started with a spider in the toilet and has reached points of insane attempts to scare the others. We put a turtle in their shower and are planning to find an armadillo and put that to use. These guys are really fun to talk to and have many tales of previous Elders in this mission that makes me excited to serve more and be with this mission.  The way to find Mexican homes in a sea of Americans is Christmas lights on the houses. Christmas lights, dead plants outside the house and upside down mops next to a sign that says, "este hogar es catolico."

 

I had a great experience this week with my knowledge of Spanish. A man told us a story of how he was converted and how he also got a scar on his head within the same story. I took them as the same story and ended up with the most incredible conversion story ever, but it was entirely untrue. I thought he got a TV thrown at him, he was on drugs and many other things. But what actually happened was quite different. So as I marveled at the faith of this brother and asked my companion questions about the story, my companion began to laugh and he told me what actually happened. So my Spanish is not that good but I still have a while to learn. But, I did get the TV part right!

 

It is very strange being in an environment like this. The area has four or five Spanish members and we are working to find others to teach. I am very bad at teaching, bad at Spanish and bad at working effectively. I don't really feel super productive here because we don't have a lot of people to teach. But none of us are good at everything. We are put in situations where our weaknesses are showcased so that we may be humble and learn to rely on Our Savior. We were talking to a Hispanic man who also spoke English and I felt like I should talk. I can't remember what I said but I said something and cried. Right there on the side of the road in front of this young Hispanic guy sitting on the hood of his car. He looked at me muy raro y dijo 'esta bien'. I know I have weaknesses; but I know that through the Atonement, through Christ those weaknesses can become strengths. Even though i probably only told this man two or three broken sentences, I hope that the spirit told him more. I have faith this is true and I have faith that someday I will be a better teacher, speaker, worker and representative of Christ.  

 

Thank you all for the prayers and support. I can feel the prayers you have said in my behalf and I can feel the strength of those that came before me on their missions as well. I love you all and until next week,

Elder Thomas

Okla..Wait, this is Missouri, I think...

Hello, I am now in my mission. During last week's episode I was writing just before I left. Now I'm here. It is very different but very fun.

We got off the plane, and found our mission president and his wife, they are very friendly and very nice. They took us along with the Assistants to the President back to the Mission home where we ate brisket and rolls, like the kind you can get at Dickies. Very good food here. I was able to talk with the Assistants to the President for some time, they are the kind of missionary I want to be. Very obedient, very spiritually, but still funny. While explaining some of the rules specific to Oklahoma, one of them said, "Now this rule is in a quote, 'where ere thou art set well thy part'". I knew he read the quote wrong because Mom had that quote at our house and Isaac and I defaced it, but when he finished reading it, both of them turned their heads. They both had a part in their hair. that is the rule here, every elder has to part their hair on the side of their head or the like. So Gavin, don't say that I look like a dweeb or something, because it is a rule. However this rule showcases my receding hairline quite well.

That night we were told our area and companion. I got Elder Vest in Aurora, MO. While we drove out to the middle of nowhere, I noticed the missionaries we bumped into with parts in their hair, it is a bit strange but you can tell who is obedient. So, Elder Vest is older than me and only has one transfer left. He is from the North West as well, but in Oregon and not Washington.  We get along really well. We live next to the english Elders, Elder Holyoak from Sandy, UT and Elder Powers from Maine, in a little duplex thing and Elder Vest and I go and prank them all the time. (We put hub caps on their bike, we have a car by the way.) Our apartment is nearly empty, when we got there, there was only a couple of fold up chairs from the church and a blowup mattress and a normal mattress. (The english Elders have tempurpedic beds, sorry for the awful spelling but what up with that?!) But after some service we did at The Harvest Church, a non denominational christian church, they gave us enough food to last for a really long time! The people that I have met so far are very nice. they don't care if you're Mormon, Baptist, Jew or Gentile, these guys at this church were helping out everyone and we were helping them help out people. They were giving food to people and we would help them carry it out to their cars. This also gave us a chance to meet some Spanish speakers in the area. We are opening the area so this helped us a lot.

The latinos here are very nice and easy to talk to; most of them don't have a super strong knowledge church because they are mostly catholic by tradition not religion. But the spanish members, there are a group of about seven of them here, are very strong. One woman who has been a member for a year can't read or write in ingles or espanol. Her testimony is based off what she has felt and heard. That is a true testimony and it is inspiring to me how much faith this elderly woman has. 

There is a different spirit here. The spirit in the CCM (Mexico MTC) was super strong all the time, guiding you every which way. Here, as I have heard before, the spiritual training wheels have come off. Its my turn now. Which is a little inconvenient, because this is a new area, a new companion and new environment, a new everything! You may be asking yourself hey how do I get back on the right track! well, let me tell you. Faith and obedience. I have no idea what I'm doing here, but its all just about faith and obedience and holding on to those promptings you feel. We have to be left in the dark long enough to learn how to find the light. If we have lived in the light all the time then we would be spiritually ignorant in those brief moments of darkness. So, I feel a little in the dark. But I am so glad I am in the dark. I was getting too comfortable with my environment at the CCM, and maybe I wasn't grateful enough for the spirit that I had there. And now that things are different I have the chance to earn that back, and study more and learn more about how I can keep it in my life. Although these guys I'm with might do things or say things that I think aren't for missionaries, I can still work with myself to be better. One of the Assistants to the President said, "I have learned a lot about agency out here," he talked about how it's not just right or wrong it's about, better and best, worse and worst. These decisions will make us better. I hope that I can use my agency the way that Heavenly Father wants me to and I know that he will guide me in the direction that I should go. I have been blessed with a lot out here and I have already seen incredible things out here. But you don't have to be on a mission to see stuff like this, you just need to look for them. Keep reading scriptures and praying. And thank you for praying for me, those prayers help me each and every day. 

Elder Thomas

My address:

Colonial Village 19

Aurora, MO 65605

My email address:

ian.thomas@myldsmail.net