spirituality Uplifts

I feel so blessed to be a missionary, to represent Christ. Seriously every day is such a spiritual uplift. I learned a lot this week, so I am going to do a bunch of points...no màs. 

We do not know how much good we really can do. Focus on recognizing the difference we make on other people's lives every day.

We are creatures of action... we were not created to be acted upon. We ALWAYS have control, whether we do so or not is up to us. Take action, change it if you don't like something.

We cannot compare ourselves to one another in this life because we all have had different pasts and will have different futures. We are to help one another progress on the path back to our Heavenly Home.

Weaknesses and sins are different, but through the atonement we have the ability to overcome them both. (Ether 12:27) I am really trying to be humble and praying to recognize my weakness so I may be a better disciple.

As Easter is coming up, I have done a lot of reflecting on Christ's life. The church came out with this video, I don't know how it is in English. but in Spanish it is called "gracias a que èl vive" (Because He lives)...absolutely amazing! The video helped me realize that 1.  We are NEVER alone 2. Because Christ overcame death and atoned for ALL of our sins, our sufferings, we too can overcome ALL of them. He suffered so He knows our pain, in Him we have hope and strength. We can lean on Him as we strive to keep moving forward in difficult times. Christ loves us. He overcome this life and we too will overcome death one day. But how we live in our 'perfect' body depends on how we live right now. The decisions we make today, tomorrow, and so will determine how comfortable we will 'be' in that perfected body. 

Christ is amazing, because of Him we can not only be saved by Grace, but we can be changed by Grace. He atoned for each one of us so that when we mess up, we may try again and again and again. THAT is the hope and beauty of the Atonement. I know that Christ lives. He is changing me every day. I have really come to know Him because I understand a little better his sacrifice, that is they key to knowing Christ. Knowing and accepting what He did for me personally; not just for the world, but for ME. Thanks that He lives, I can keep fighting every day to change and improve...I love that! I can be transformed by grace and I can be helped along the way. I cannot begin to express the love I have for Christ or all the feelings and thoughts I have about the Atonement. Christ lives. I can feel Him. He is close. 

This week Hermana Farner and I focused a lot on Christ's grace. 

Mom, I hope you really focus every lesson in young women on the Atonement, it is what everyone needs to understand. Seriously, if a person understands the Atonement they will understand the rest of the gospel. Look for the 'Talk' Brad Wilcox gave July 12 2011 on "Grace"...absolutely amazing. Another 'Talk' to read is in the Ensign April 2015 issue called "It is not a sin to be Weak", so good.

Happy Birthday to Lorna ;) Happy Birthday to Nick! Happy Birthday to Beebe! 

Keep going strong. You have the biggest power source behind you. Trust in that power to climb the mountain in front of you.

lots of love

chao

Hermana Thompson

feeling a little artsy!

Back in El Conquistador for the day...miss mi hija and these 2 crazies 

Ochagavìa life! Wishing we had a car...

Santa Lucia (small hill in the centre of Santiago)

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Miracle Mile

Happy Birthday Uncle Bones!

Thank you Mimi for the birthday card :)

Daddy, thanks for the necklace and the card, you are the best! I am wearing the necklace backwards so no one knows my names starts with a "K". haha  

Another awesome week here in Ochagavìa. I have been learning and growing so much. There is nothing better than witnessing yourself overcome weaknesses. I have really been focusing on the things I can personally change so I may better help others make changes in their own lives. As we change, we take one step closer to Salvation. That is what we are all here for...to prepare ourselves to live with God again. Alma 34:32

"P" is progressing well. She came to the Relief Society activity with her mom and sister on Saturday and had a blast. Yesterday we attended a fireside given by President with her. We think she needs a little more comprension (understanding) though before she will be ready for baptism...she has the desire  :)

I am absolutely loving doing divisiones (divisions/exchanges). It is so awesome to serve with some many different hermanas (sister missionaries). There are so many awesome hermanas here in the mission. 

Read the talk by Elder Ballard from last Conference called "Stay in the Boat". Inspiring! I even drew a picture in my study journal this morning :)

2 Nefi 2:8 Pascua (Easter) is coming up so get prepared!

Lots of Love

Hermana Thompson

Sorry for not sending pictures but it is pretty ghetto here in this area and I am afraid of plugging in my camera to the computer and losing my photos...so sorry!!

I am a Mormon Missionary

Welcome home Brittany!! That went by so fast... I can't believe it!

Happy Birthday to Brandon Cruz, Daniella, Jordan, and Eric this upcoming week!!

AND of course a Happy Happy Birthday to DAD!! I hope you have an awesome day! Thanks for being the best daddy ever :)

Week of miracles! Okay, let's be honest every week is full of miracles, but this week blew me away. God is so amazing. He is doing so much work here in Ochagavìa. We had a jovèn se llama (young one named) "H" come to church for the first time in years. I seriously shed a couple of  tears when I saw him come in the chapel with his button-up shirt on. We have been working hard with him. We had an awesome lesson this saturday about the expiacion (atonement). wow. His face totally changed during the lesson when we talked about the healing and forgiving power of the atonement. I LOVE teaching everyone about the sacrifice of Christ and what it means for every single one of us. It is something so special, and it applies to every one...offers the hope we need to continue on. Needless to say we had an awesome "GAME DAY" yesterday. We had 13 menos activos (less actives) at church and 3 of them for the first time in YEARS. 

Oh, I forget to mention "P", she is the daughter of an inactiva (inactive) that we went to visit on Saturday, the mom wanted her daughter to go to clases de ingles (english class) so she came out to talk with us...ended up sharing with us, came to clases de ingles, then to church, and also a baptism yesterday!!! We are going by today to put a baptism date with her for this sunday!! miracles exist. God prepares people. 

We saw Meet the Mormons!! oh. my. gosh. I got teary eyed, it is so powerful! It inspired me so much to change the world through MY personal family. I love being a mormon. It makes me proud. Stand for truth and righteousness. 

I want to testify of the power we have to help those we see in need on the street. One of our menos activos (less actives) was at a park with her kid and saw these 2 little boys smoking... she went over to talk to them and find out what was up. Long story short, they are brothers, 12 years old and 6. Their step-dad is an inactive member...anyway, she invited them to the clases de ingles that we do on saturdays. They showed up and they even came to church on sunday by themselves and in white shirts. It is wonderful to see how much this member cares about these boys in such a short period of time. She has such a desire to help them reach their bright future. She seriously inspires me...she has so much love for everyone. True disciple of christ. 

There is nothing better than being a missionary. In dedicating all of your time to serving the Lord and helping your brothers and sisters find the truth and feel joy in their lives.  It is really eternal joy. 

I love being a part of this work. LETS GOOOO

dyc 123:17 

Hermana Thompson

God Listens

Happy belated Birthday to Ellè and Morgan and Happy Birthday to Kyle, Liv and Jess. I will celebrate here in Chile for you guys :) For birthdays here, you get your face shoved in cake. :)

A big "Thank You" to my awesome aunts and Uncles for the package, I was so giddy when I received it. I can feel the LOVE across the miles! 

A week of craziness. We did a couple of divisiones this last week so my mind has been running in many different directions. We have to be very organized and on top of everything to keep our sector alive, but the Lord is merciful. Seriously, he has blessed us so much, we had 11 menos activos at church again and 2  attend for the first time. A lot of progress has been made, now we are hungry for baptism!!!! This work is awesome. God is preparing people here in Ochagavìa. 

We also did divisiones in the elders' sectors this week to help find nuevos, flaite !! 

Mom, like your story, God is aware of us and it is through little medios (means) that he does miracles. We have seen many little miracles, things that fall through so that others can fall together. God is not silent; look around and you will see his love. Well, got no time, but I love you all lots!!

Thanks to San Ramon 1st ward for the valentine's day card, I feel the love ;)

Hermana Thompson

I'm sitting next to my dad's Mission President! Elder y Hermana Gonzalez

mi y hemana Farner

Walk with the angels

I love Ochagavìa!! God has so many miracles waiting for us. Seriously, I am so stoked to be here, we have a whole lot of work to do; especially with our calling as sister training leaders. We are getting really good at using our time effectively. We seriously do not have any minute to waste. It is such a challenge. I can feel God pushing us to learn and grow. We had 4 in-actives come to church yesterday that have not been in years... and I mean years! haha. 

SO this last week we started cleaning through el Rescate (the rescue book) to see if we could find inactivos that were ready to feel the spirit y tenían ganas a regresar (eager to return). We happened to find Pedro...golden, future bishop lol. Well, he came yesterday and told a member he is never again going to miss a sunday. so happy!!! :)

We did our first divisiones or splits as hermana lideres capacitadoras (sister training leaders). I feel as though I will be learning way more from the hermanas than they will from me... lol but hermana Farner and I came up with a theme...mi misión es mi siòn (my mission is my Zion). We are really focusing on unifying each companionship & strengthening their faith in God's work and in Christ's Atonement. We are also focusing on being obedient with exactness. Like my mom says, if you aren't 5 minutes early you are late. We should always try to be more obedient than we need to be. Don't ever try to push the line, that is quite frankly when we fall...and the fall may be bad. 

I am learning so much from hermana Farner, she is a BOSS. Seriously maquina (a machine):) 

Spiritual Thought. When Christ was in the garden of Gethsamane, He suffered for EVERY single one of us. But more than that, He saw our faces, He understood everything we would pass through in this life. Knowing the pain and affliction, He CHOSE to suffer so He could walk with us. We are not alone. Christ loves us. He knows us personally. He suffered first. 

I know I am not alone in this work, I can feel angels here working along with us. The ancestors of the people we are teaching are preparing their hearts. I love this so much. I am never going home. Sorry fam :)

forever Hermana Thompson

My dad's Mission President, Elder González y his wife

I love Chile, birthdays, & my chilean friends!