"Right at home"

P-day right on the water at the Pete's

Fishin

Happy Thanksgiving y'all!! I hope everyone has a holiday filled with good people, good food, and thankful hearts. 

Dorothy walked into church for the first time this week. She smiled at me and said "I feel right at home here. This feels good." What a happy moment! Yesterday was her birthday and she celebrated it by coming to church with us. She was practically glowing, she was so happy. I love how familiar the gospel feels. When we feel the spirit we get a taste of what heaven feels like so it's no wonder it tends to feel like coming home. 

We were out finding this week and we had a sad moment. It was dark and getting late, around 8 pm. A lot of people in these neighborhoods get cranky around that time and don't like to talk to us. But we knocked on this one guy's house and he answered the door and talked to us for a while. He told us he was baptist but that he had met with missionaries a few years ago. "I learned a lot of truth and that's the church I would join if I were willing to be more, what's the word for it, faithful." He told us he knows it's true but it's too much for him to live. Then he told us this was the kind of neighborhood where we'd get the cops called on us and so we had better get out (classic). 

I thought about that a lot. It's a big adjustment for someone to change their life and join the church, there's no denying that, but it really hit me that he knew it was true but wasn't willing to live it or even learn more about it. It gave me more resolve to seek out Heavenly Father's will and follow it. I mean living the gospel isn't easy. It isn't usually convenient. When we receive promptings or assignments to serve someone it takes resolve on our part to forget ourselves and focus on others. We don't always feel qualified when we receive callings and it can be inconvenient to magnify them. But "there is no spiritual power in living by convenience. The power comes as we keep our covenants" - Elder Ballard. I want the Lord to know He can count on me and I want to rely on Him for the strength and resolve to do His will. It's a lifetime pursuit but I know it's the happiest way to live. 

I love y'all a lot! Have a happy week counting blessings and giving thanks <3

"Sincerely giving thanks not only helps us recognize our blessings but it also unlocks the doors of heaven" - Thomas S. Monson

<3 Sister Thomas

HBD Miss Dorothy

My Slidell fam

Rayce: "be cool"

Rapping up another week of blessings

This is from last week when we all stayed at the mission home

Biking the Trace

Hey y'all! I hope you had a week full of smiles and tender mercies. We sure did!

Happy moments:

• Our 12 year old investigator Elise'ya rapped for us. We were talking about faith and how as we trust in God he will show us the way to go. Elise'ya goes, "Ohhhh so that's like how the other day God told me I need to start up my rap career again!" She dropped a few beats about her jr high drama and it was so great. (also she's on date for baptism which is exciting!)
• We made a new friend, Stephen, at the Bishop's storehouse. Apparently he's BFF's with "Tommy" Monson and all of the apostles. So cool! His son is "Ziggy" who plays for the Detroit Lions. He recruited us to help him find a wife for Ziggy! He told us, "If that boy isn't married by December 26th I'm going to march into a YSA ward in Utah and tell the first girl I see, 'Honey, you just found yourself a husband, whether you like it or yes it's not a choice." Oh boy!
• We accidentally went on a 30 mile bike ride last pday. We decided it would be fun to go on a little joy ride on a beautiful trail. Well that bike ride doubled quickly! It was a blast. 

I wish I could explain all the good that happened this week. One example is when we went park contacting. It was our first time at this park and as we were walking around the only people there were kids on a field trip. We felt weird and stalker-ish talking to the students so we were getting reading to leave. As we were pulling out of the parking lot a young woman came running up to us, asked if we were missionaries and if we’d have time to talk in ten minutes. Sis and I looked at each other like “wow, this never happens” and gave an emphatic yes! Her name is Melissa and she’s an English teacher at a Baptist high school. She saw missionaries a couple years ago at a coffee shop and felt prompted to talk to them but she was too slow to act. She’s regretted it ever since. When she saw us she got really excited and had a lot of good questions about what is truth and how to know it. She invited us over to dinner with her and her husband. We’re excited to see where it goes! The Lord truly puts people in our path, even in unlikely places. 

It was one of those weeks where it felt really hard to push through and because of that we knew good things were coming. And we were right! Heavenly Father had people prepared for us to find, we invited a lot of investigators to be baptized, and the spirit was there teaching every lesson. I know this is the Lord's work! No matter how small or imperfect I am, Heavenly Father will use me to accomplish His work. Missions are cool because Heavenly Father takes you and shows you how small you really are and then builds you up so you can share His love with others. I meet new people to love every day and I thank Heavenly Father for loving me enough to send me to Louisiana. This beautiful and crazy place really is home. 

"For unto this end have I raised you up, that I might show forth my wisdom through the weak things of the earth" - D&C 124:1

I love y'all! 

<3 Sister Thomas

p.s. transfer news: I'm staying in Slidell with cute Sister Gamble! I couldn't be happier. I love this place and I adore Sis. 

Love them

Elise'ya and Paris

Dede has a tradition of going tracting with the sisters on her wedding anniversary

Elder Oaks!!

Good luck finding me in this one, Mom!

Still reppin LSU

Happy Halloween

Some weeks I just sit back and wonder, "How did I get so lucky to have these experiences?" The answer is Heavenly Father is just really good to me! I've done nothing to deserve all the tender mercies He sends but I am very grateful.

Friday night was a special YSA devotional in Baton Rouge with Elder Oaks and Klebingat. Our investigator Amanda drove Chance and Sheri so they were all able to sit at the feet of an apostle. How amazing. We're hoping it was really good for Amanda because she's had a tough week. The adversary has been hitting her hard and throwing a lot of opposition her way. That's not cool at all but we have faith that it will all work out! 

Between listening to Elder Oaks speak and seeing some of my best friends from LSU and around the mission I was about ready to burst with happiness. But it only got better! Friday night we spent the night in the mission home and then the next morning our entire mission came together to hear Elder Oaks speak again. The spirit was incredible. Elder Oaks is so kind and personable. He spoke a little bit and then opened it up to a Q and A session which was really cool. I don't have words for any of this but it was just incredible all around!

I don't have time to explain all the good things so here are some of my favorite tidbits from the weekend:

• "I haven't been perfect, but I've never been neutral. The Lord knows where I've committed my agency" - Elder Klebingat
• We were challenged to embark on a daily study to unlock the mystery of the atonement of Jesus Christ. To move it away from a theory to a daily living and rejoicing
• Every day consecrate yourself to the Lord
• "This church is not a retirement home for the righteous. It's a hospital for the sinners.....and that's why we call our units wards" - Elder Oaks

I love y'all a lot! This church is true. Heavenly Father has called prophets who speak to us today. They are great people when you see them in the public and on the screen at General Conference but they are even better in person. I am thankful for a Heavenly Father who has blessed me with many things - the chance to serve as a full time missionary, to meet these wonderful warriors in Louisiana, to make best friends out here, and to see tender mercies every day. But the most important gift He has given me is His son Jesus Christ who gave His life for all of us. And I can thank Him by following Him and applying His atonement into my life daily. I love y'all! Have an amazing week :)

<3 Sister Thomas

Meet Dede! She takes care of us and drives us to far out areas to visit people. 

Lighting a fire at the mission home....in 80 degree weather!