Hello Family!

Hey Family!! I hope you are all doing well this week, even though I hear most of you have been pretty sick, I hope you're starting to feel better though!! Luckily that hasn't hit me yet, which is surprising since I'm around so many people all the time!! Well, lets see what happened this week! It was a pretty slow week, but we found some really awesome people!!

First was Michelle and Tom Wardell.  They are a couple that lives across the street from a really awesome member, Sister Peterson, who's also has a non-member husband.  Anyway, the Wardell's are really cool.  Michelle grew up around members and knows A TON about the church already, Tom is the opposite, he knew nothing really.  Except Glenn Beck said something about underwear so he asked us about garments.  Honestly I think it's so funny how people ask about our underwear, sometime I want to turn it around and ask them about theirs, like, "Hey, I hear you wear Fruit of the Loom what's up with that?" really people, come on.  Anyway! We taught them the Restoration, and talked about eternal families and temples a little bit, and they loved it! They are praying about being baptized on January 12!!

We also met a family, the Mason's!! We met Robert the other night while we were knocking and he was excited to hear more, he said they are looking for a church that will bring them together as a family....um what? we can help!! haha!! We taught him last night, his wife was shopping until the end of the lesson, and we're teaching his wife on Wednesday to get her caught up, and then we're teaching their whole family next weekend.  They have 4 kids, they're 13, 10, 4, and 2.  So if you do the math that's 4 individuals that have the opportunity to be baptized!! We have been so blessed here in Belfair to be able to find families!!! There is no greater joy than bringing a family into the Gospel together, that's what I learned with the Kaylors.

Oh speaking of the Kaylors, they are doing awesome!! Bishop is getting Jimmy interviewed for the priesthood and then getting them both interviewed for temple recommends so that they can do baptisms for the dead on December 28!! I'm so excited!! They are on fire!! Also, yesterday Freddy blessed the Sacrament!! It was so awesome!! He was so happy and proud to be up there and to be worthy!! He looked so good in his white shirt and tie.  I've never been able to see a convert pass the sacrament, mostly because Freddy's my first male over the age of 12 I've had the opportunity to teach and see baptized!! I can't even describe the feeling of Joy I had yesterday experiencing it.  The only thing I can imagine is its like when you're a parent and your child does something that makes you proud. 

Another fun thing this week was we had our mission Christmas party!! It was so fun!! We sang, ate, did skits, and did a white elephant!! I got a BOWLING BALL!!! haha, that is not coming home with me, it would be the weight of a whole suitcase :) we're gonna have some fun with it though, we don't know what, but something fun will come of it!! Our zone sang Jingle Bell Rock but with mission words, which were written by none other than your favorite missionary (me) with some help from Sister Hall!! It was a hit!! I'll have to send you the lyrics some time, they're pretty funny!! Maybe I'll just type it now:

Ring the Bell, Ring the Bell, Ring the Bell knock

We knock lots of doors from 5-7 oclock

Yelling, Rejection, but we are not phased

'specially ever since the bar was raised

Ring the Bell, Ring the Bell, Ring the Bell knock

put em on date and don't let em drop

Preaching and teaching and saying some prayers

In the frosty air

What a dark time, it's required time

to knock the night away

Ring the bell time, is a swell time

To hear J-Dubs tell you go away

Grab your gloves, grab your boots you're gonna freeze

knock all around the block

Enjoy your miracle at 6:59

That's why we ring the bell

why we ring the bell

why we ring the bell, KNOCK!!!

Well, I believe that is all for this week!! I can't believe that we get to Skype so soon!! I'm so excited!! I'll get more details like time and such next week!! I love you all so much!! Have an amazing week!! And remember the true meaning of Christmas at this special time of year!! I'm so grateful to be able to share the Gospel with all I meet, especially in this Christmas season!! I'll miss you, but I'm so happy I am where I am!!

I LOVE YOU!!!

Sister Thomas

Marriage-tism!!

This week has been AMAZING!!!! We were able to teach a lot of lessons and find a lot of new investigators, but the best thing that happened this week was we were able to experience a Marriage-tism (marriage and baptism)  I've told you about Jimmy, Crystal and Lillia and this week we were able to see them married and baptized!

They are such a sweet family!! I love them so much!! The day was incredible! At 2pm everyone started showing up and lots of their family and friends were able to come, plus there were lots of ward members there because everyone already loves them!!

President Fields (the Gig Harbor stake President) was able to perform the marriage, it was so precious, he talked about them being able to become an eternal family, and how they would grow together in the gospel, and other beautiful things.  It was so cute, when he asked if Jimmy took Crystal to be his bride, he said "it would be my honor. I do" and I almost just bust out crying right there, they love each other so much and it has just grown as they've come closer to God together!! Immediately after the marriage Crystal, Jimmy, and Lillia went and changed into their jumpsuits.  We had a testimony about baptism, and then the three of them were baptized!! I can't even describe the happiness that was in my heart, there was so much peace. 

I then shared a message on the Restoration while they got changed, and dried off. Then we had some more testimonies.  And we ended with refreshments of course.  Sister Sturges made them a really awesome wedding cake, and they were able to have the joy of cutting the cake!!

It was a terrific day. 

Then, Sunday morning came, and it became even better.  They got to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.  They are just incredible, and they are going to help the ward so much to grow, and expand! In Relief Society we split into groups and were talking about how the love of God being in our lives leads us away from worldliness, and how that is.  And Crystal shared something way cool.

She is a horror movie buff, like she lives for horror movies.  BUT she said ever since she's started learning more about God and Jesus Christ, those things just don't even matter to her anymore, she wants to spend all her time learning more about the Gospel and how their family can be happier.  My heart melted when she said that, to see how the gospel truly can change lives.  Its amazing!!

Funny Story! So Crystal is super baby hungry (they also have a 2 year old Draven, he's not in the picture) anyway, I was telling her how being on a mission has made me super baby hungry because we can't hold them, or really play with them much.  Then she said what you want all recent converts to say.  She said, "I can't wait to see your kids, I'm sure you'll be a great mother"  The only thing better than bringing someone into the gospel, is bringing a life long friend into the gospel.  They're planning on going on a road trip to Salt Lake this summer when Sister Hall and I get home so we can show them around.  I can't wait til we're able to see them sealed in the temple!! I will go anywhere they want to see it!!

Honestly that was the major miracle of the week!! Crystal's gonna teach us how to make  chimichanga's this week, I'm so excited, we're making them for the Ward Christmas Party!! I can't wait!!

It's crazy, this week is the last week of the transfer, and I have no idea what's going to happen to me, I could stay I could go, I have no idea!! It's freaking me out!!! I'll know next week though, all will be well!!

I love you all so much!! I hope you enjoyed the Christmas Devotional, and if you didn't get to see it GO WATCH IT!!!! It's great.  Elder Nelson's talk was interesting, but it was VERY GOOD!!

I hope you all have a great week, and I hope you're loving the Christmas season as much as I am, even though I'm an icicle every night knocking in 18 degrees.  I know it could be worse, but Washington never gets this cold according to the natives.  It's supposed to warm up this week though, so I hope it does. 

I wish you all a Merry Christmas, and I hope you're all safe and well!! I love you ALL!!!

Sister Thomas

I'm grateful to be a Missionary!!

So as we all know Thanksgiving was last Thursday, and boy did I learn how grateful I was to be a missionary! Not only for the miracles, but for the funny, awkward situations that come with being a missionary.  I'll start out this week by telling a very funny story.

So Tuesday one of the wards in our zone was putting on a thanksgiving lunch for the missionaries.  They said we could come without an investigator, but we wanted to get one there, because who doesn't love free food.  So while we're getting our mail we run into one of our neighbors named Amanda.  She said she'd love to come and that she would also give us a ride, which was awesome because it is far and we were running out of miles. 

So we get in her car and a Justin Timberlake song is on, we kindly ask her to turn it off, and she says, "yeah, of course, but you know that songs about me"  suddenly our brains went.....dun dun dun.....and the crazy stories began.  She told us that there are multiple Justin Timberlake songs in which he sings about her, says her name (Amanda, a very common name), and she talks about how she doesn't want to get in the middle of his marriage.

Sister Hall said to her, "Are you sure you aren't just confused?"

and she said, "I could be, if that's the case I'll just go to counseling and then be done with it."  That's when we decided she was a little confused about reality.

She then told us a story about how Mitt Romney stole the term "Job creators" from her, apparently she's some online writer? I don't know.

Then she told this story about Justin Timberlake, and how when he was a kid he walked into a house with a bunch of drift wood and then said, this is what my name will be, Timber. and a girl said "like timberwolf?" and he said, "no, I like lake, Timberlake"  then she said, that girl was me.....we were quite worried about her sanity at this point. 

Then at the lunch, another wards investigator and her started talking about false doctrine.  Like how Jesus Christ broke the 10 commandments, and something involving Hitler and angels....aka crazy false doctrine. 

That ends, she drives us home, and the last thing she tells us is, "Before you go I have to tell you something really cute about Eminem....he's a dang good writer, and a really good father.  I know this because I chatted with him for 2 weeks last summer."

And then we went in our apartment and that was Amanda...we have a lesson with her this week....we'll see how that goes.

EXCITING NEWS!!!

Crystal Jimmy and Lillia are getting baptized this Saturday!!! Crystal and Jimmy are getting married at 2 and then all 3 are getting baptized immediately afterwards.  Jimmy just has to do good with not smoking before then, if you guys could pray for him that would be awesome, it'd be much appreciated!!

Thanksgiving was fun, we went to the Bishop Wings house for the main event, THANKSGIVING DINNER, and had a blast!! Then we went to the Clifford's house and had some snacks and talked and got to know them.  And then we went to the Warren's house where we got sooooo many leftovers!! Sister Warren is just the sweetest thing on the earth, I love her!! She fed us tons of dessert, well me, Sister Hall gave up sweets til the 7 in support of Jimmy quitting smoking.  It was a great day that was filled with lots of love.

The rest of the week was a week full of miracles!! We went on exchanges, which honestly aren't my favorite, but it was pretty fun, just interesting. 

Well, that's about it for now!! I love you all SOOO MUCH!!! I missed you this thanksgiving and I can't wait to see you on Christmas, but I wouldn't want to be home because I am loving being a missionary, especially this time of year!!

I love you all, and miss you!!

Love,

Sister Thomas