Change is Real

I just want to express how much I LOVE my mission. Everyone always says "it is the best 18 months" and it is true...you have to experience it to know. Serving the Lord and the Chilean people the last year and a half has been the hardest thing I have ever done by far, but oh so rewarding! I have experienced so many miracles; been able to be an instrument in god's hands. I have watched many people change their lives, leave behind bad habits, addictions and temptations in order to follow Christ. The blessings are so grand, BUT the biggest change by far has been in me. Oh how the gospel has really entered and clung to my heart. The gospel has become a part of who I am. I have learned to pick myself up when I fall, to trust in Christ when He carries me, because I cannot do it on my own. Wow. The Atonement is real. Christ lives. His grace is inifinite. I am so grateful for Christ's sacrifice. I may not know him perfectly still, but I am working on that and I will continue working on it all of my life because eternal life comes thru knowing God and Christ. Through Christ, every one of us can change if we so desire. We can turn back to god. This morning I was studying about the Restoration and wow, every time I think of this Work, it blows my mind. the gospel is so amazing. God's Plan is so perfect, He is integrated into every single part of all of our life. I know Jose Smith was a prophet of god, I know he received the same Priesthood Keys that Christ gave to his apostles. This is the Church of Christ!!! 

I know Christ lives. I will forever treasure my mission as a sacred time and hold those memories dear. 

Now that hermana Farner has returned home, I am in a trio with hermana Wagner y hermana McQuinn. It is going to be a crazy week.. 

See ya later

lots of love and hugs

Hermana Thompson

It's a crazy ride

So yeah dad, when they took us out of Ochagavìa, they moved us to a new house too. We now live close to the Plaza de Maipù in Pajaritos. Ya, so my companion, hermana Farner, heads home this friday... wow, I am going to miss her! I am so grateful for the life long friends I have made here in the mission. I will forever be grateful to God for the people that have been put in my path. 

Anyway, I want to throw in a little testimony that God has a perfect Plan! He is so merciful, his timing is perfect, and His love for every single one of us is immeasurable. 

lots of love 

Hermana Thompson

ps: mom, I finished the book of mormon this last week!

I know

This week started off by going to the temple. such an awesome experience as always. I just sat in the celestial room talking with God and telling him all about my mission. The biggest blessing I have received from the temple is peace. I felt so much peace in my heart. I know when we dedicate ourselves to something and give it our all, we will feel content with our work even if it wasn't perfect cause let's face it none of us are perfect. The temple is the biggest fuente (source) for peace in this life. I am so grateful for the many opportunities I have had to attend here in Santiago. 

Yesterday for testimony meeting a little girl got up with her dad (looked so much like Lucy, my heart broke a little) and she just gave the simplest, sweetest little testimony. She is said "I Know that god and jesus love me." During Family Home Evening, I was just so happy I wanted to cry and my dad told me that that is the holy ghost. The gospel is SO simple that even a child can understand. God is our father and he loves us. The center of the gospel is jesus christ and his sacrifice for us. The Spirit testifies of the truth and we feel happy. I want to share my simple testimony that I know God loves me. I know that Christ is my Savior. I know they live and through the scriptures I may get to know them better. 

Happy Birthday to my BIG little brother this week!! hitting the big 20. Ceñebrate hard by breaking mission records. lessgo!! 

Happy Anniversary to mom and dad! Thank you for your love for one another and for us kids :) and to grandma and big papa on 51 years...long time! So awesome.

I know families are eternal if we but live the gospel of jesus christ. :)

My work defines my faith

Hermana Thompson 

Mission travels

I am still just traveling the mission. There is nothing like this calling... haha it is such an adventure and an experience but I do love it because I know it was inspired from God. He does not ever make a mistake. He is a perfect being and has a PERFECT plan. Every trial is a building block and a step closer to becoming like Him. I feel like I am in the refiners fire right now. God is like" you have learned so much in the mission and now let's see how you do putting in to action, take this challenge"...let's go!

So this week I went back to Primo de Rivera for a couple of days. I feel like I am learning a lot more from the girls than they are for me, but I guess that is how it always seems. I am just there to get them excited about the work and help them keep the vision of President: 1. baptize  2. raise the attendance of members at church 

3. take personal responsibility. 

I know these letters are getting lame. I am sorry but it is hard not having my own sector and my own people to share with you. But I love this work of Salvation. Give it your all even after the work is finished.

I know God is my father and he loves me. I have really been able to grasp that here in the mission. I am grateful for repentance and the changes I am able to make in my life if I am only willing. Repentance is turning back to god, we live in a fallen state but we need to do good continually. 

I am grateful for a living prophet :)

xoxo

Hermana Thompson from Chile Santiago BEST

Switch up

Happy Birthday Shout-Out to Lisa, Jenny, and  Porter!!!

Surprise! Special Changes...Hermana Farner and I are now traveling hermanas! So this week we took a trip to the coast and did divisiones with Hermana Dominguez and Hermana Heeb. This change entails that we no longer have a sector.  We live with 2 other hermana capactiadoras in Maipù, but we pretty much are bunking at the hermanas' pensions we visit. It is definitely an adventure, but I feel blessed knowing that THIS IS GODS PLAN.

God sometimes sends us curveballs we do not expect, but the important lesson is trusting in Him with a good attitude. Lo mejor no va a ser fácil para nada pero estoy orando mucho a saber exactamente lo que el señor quiere que hagamos con este cambio (at best it's not be easy but I am praying a lot to know exactly what The Lord wants us to do with this change). Like I have said before, God is more worried about our growth than our comfort so here we go...last change of the mission! Embrace the things god throws at you, I know everything happens for a reason. Here is to serving the Lord and doing it His way.

Continue adelante (forward). Put your life in God's hands. Turn it all over to him and I promise, you will be lead.

lots of love

Hermana Thompson

Sushi, elevator, y hot chocolate!

Die hard

WEEK 1! Let's do this thing. I love changes. so much excitement! Hermana Farner and I are dying together in Ochagavìa and guess what...we got a bishop!!!! We had stake conference last sunday and they called a bishop and changed the ward boundaries which means we have partly a new sector!! So unbelievably excited. Work Work. It is the only thing that helps us progress and learn. I am not stopping!

Ah. I love the mission work. We had a lot of success this week finding news. Miracles are coming to pass in Ochagavìa, we found a news, se llama Sara. She is 24 years old and let us in so casually, accepted everything and read all of her homework!! What?!  She understands really well and has great questions, she will be getting baptized the 6 of June. A last minute miracle sunday night at 8:30, a girl named Francisca who actually lived in the states for studies. She is super awesome and ready to accept the gospel. She was looking to join a church, looking for that light of Christ...hey, we got the Truth right here for ya! So awesome. 

We have no time today, sorry it is so short, but I am doing really well and stoked to be here serving the Lord.

"Happy Birthday" shout out to Nicole S, Mimi, and Amber...birthday party!! woop woop

Sending lots of love, especially to the Thompson side of my family. I am so grateful for our eternal family. WE will be reunited with grandma Fran on the other side.

Hna Thompson

"selfie" with the hermanas y President's hija; zona Ochagavìa; we be crazy

christ lives

Well, the mission office let me know they officially bought my plane ticket home... ahh. Seriously, I am learning to enjoy every minute because man does time go fast!! 

This week we met with quite a few investigadores tenemos: Rosalìa, Gloria, Mauricio y Sylvia, Julio, y Nice. They are all super bueno. My comp and I were studying in chapter 9 de PMG and if the people seriously have an interest you will know through how they listen. All of these investigadores we have are solid! They truly listen with their hearts. I know angels are preparing their hearts. Alma13:24. Julio is so awesome! He is 94 but accepted a fecha for the 16 of May! He is reading and praying, though it is a little hard because his wife is 97 and is sick.They both have a couple of years on their belts, but they prove it is never too late to come to Christ. They are truly so special. We are in a pretty religious area because it is very poor so people have a lot of faith in God. 

Miracle! Last week we found an inactiva se llama Aldey and she came to church yesterday!! We went outside and here she comes walking towards us with the biggest smile on her face. She is adorable, she is 27 and has been inactive for about 7 years. The last time we were with her she expressed her deep desire to have a baby and I have been praying for her future family and then she calls us to tell us she's pregnant! haha God is good :)

We went to a funeral at the church on Tuesday, it was for the son of the ex-bishop, he was 18 years old. It was really sad to see so many of the people there anguished because they do not have a knowledge of the gospel and eternal families. We were able to sing a lot of hymns and the hymn "I know that my Redeemer Lives" took on a whole new meaning for me. Because Christ overcame death, every single one of us will too. It is such a grand gift from god. Seriously, I cannot express the love I have for my Savior and my gratitude for all of the sacrifices He made for me. 

Oh Cole! We found some haitianos that we are teaching and they speak french... they spoke a little and I could pick up some of the words but, wow, the accent... eek! 

What are the evidences of 'your' Faith will you leave behind?

Christ lives. 

les quiero,

Hermana Thompson

Zone Leader Conference