Living the gospel is joy

Meeting my soul sista

First fast food in Louisiana has to be Canes, am I right?

Y'all, this week was a spiritual FEAST. Two days of stake conference, 8 hours of zone conference with Elder Golden of the quorum of the seventy, and, of course, days packed full of spiritual experiences and tender mercies. I am so blessed. 

Wednesday we drove to Baton Rouge and I met Sister Pedro <3 I honestly am not training her at all. She is training me. She is Samoan and Hawaiin (no, she doesn't speak spanish - everyone asks her lol) and she's from California (the bay area). She was born ready to be a missionary and not once has anyone guessed she's brand new. We are excited to be together and excited to see miracles in Chalmette. It's going to be a rad transfer. 

We walked away from this weekend feeling inspired and excited to make changes in ourselves and in our missionary work. Here are my favorite pieces of spiritual wisdom from the conferences: 

·         Faith = personal righteousness (try substituting "personal righteousness" for faith" in verses of scripture. It really works!)

·         "When obedience ceases to be an irritant and becomes our quest, in that moment God will endow us with power" (Ezra Taft Benson) We were invited to look for more rules and commandments to follow because of the literal power obedience brings. We should lay our favorite sins on the altar of sacrifice and give all that we have to the Lord.

·         There is only one road where littering is allowed and even encouraged: the straight and narrow path. As we walk the path we throw off our burdens, sins, the big and the little things. This helps us to truly follow Jesus Christ

I am so happy to be a missionary right now. The work can be tough and the days can be discouraging but when it comes down to it there is nothing greater than the joy of striving to follow Jesus Christ and watching others change through His atonement. Living the gospel is joy. 

I love y'all and am praying that y'all can experience this joy for yourselves as you follow Jesus Christ and strive to be a disciple of Him. Have a blessed week :)

Love,

Sister Thomas

Cute Sister Pedro opening her first package

9 y/o Abbie (investigator) invited us over for hot dogs and cookies to celebrate Yolanda's (member) "28th" (57) birthday. It was the stinkin cutest thing.

Stake conf with Yolanda (and my girl Sister Amezcua)