This Week

Unfortunately there is all that much to report this week, what with it being transfer week and all. The early part of the week was almost entirely consumed with Elder W frantically packing. I was able to make the best of it though and seized that opportunity to do some of the deeper cleaning jobs that normally seem to be ignored due to a shortage of time. I also went through the Area book and Ward list to make sure I knew everyone. Sadly, I don't. While most of the names are familiar, I cannot seem to put faces to an awful lot of them. There are so many more people to keep track of in a Ward than in a Branch, and I feel terrible that I've been here for 6 weeks now and I still can’t remember the names of some of the people I see at church. I'll keep working on it though, I guess if I can’t remember someone’s name then that's probably a good indication that we aren't working with that person as much as we should be. I'll do better.

Transfer meeting was really good. I especially enjoyed a talk President Tilleman shared about a nonmember man who tried to translated the Book of Mormon back into one of the Semitic languages to prove that it couldn't possibly have come for a branch of people from that area. Turns out, some of the clunky grammar we end up with is essential to the meanings in those languages. It’s too bad I don't have a copy to send you guys, but maybe you can look it up and find it online. It’s really good. 

Oh yeah! New companion! His name is Elder A. I've been serving around him pretty much my whole mission so far. He was serving in Terrace as my Zone Leader when I first came out to the field, and then when I left Prince Rupert to go to Clearwater he left Terrace to go to Merritt (which is in the same District as Clearwater. Elder A also trained Elder M who was my companion in Clearwater), then when I left Clearwater to come here for one transfer and he stayed in Merritt, so we were apart for a transfer but now we are companions to make up for it. ;) I am super excited to be serving with Elder A. He is a great missionary and an awesome tool in the Lord’s hands. He and Elder G (my current District Leader and Elder A’s companion for two transfers whilst he was in Merritt) witnessed miracles in Merritt. I have enjoyed serving around him in the past and am excited to be able to learn from him as well.

We had a really good Weekly Planning session and are very excited for this next transfer. We both feel that the groundwork is being laid for miracles to happen here in the Ward. We had a kind of Missionary Correlation Meeting with two of our Ward Missionaries the Bishop and the Sister Missionaries (We don't have a Ward Mission Leader right now because the last one got poached for a Stake calling and we haven't had time to call a new one). We talked about implementing a "Thirty Day Challenge" idea (basically when we go over to a family’s house for dinner or whatever we invite them to have someone that we can teach in their home in the next 30 days, and we follow up with them roughly every 10 days until they get us somebody to teach or the 30 days are up) and we decided on a way that the Sisters and ourselves could alternate following up with members and keep track of who has been committed. 

We also talked about where the area should be divided between ourselves and the Sisters. We decided that their area would be the western side and we would keep the eastern portion. That puts the temple in their area, which I'm a little bummed about, but the Bishop and our Ward missionaries seemed to think it sounded a fair divide. Everyone seemed pleased.

Oh, yeah we got Sister Missionaries. Everyone likes them better than us. They stole half our area, the temple and everyone’s hearts and minds. I don't like it. :  )  But it’s going to be good; they should help the work move forward here.

In summation: I have a good feeling about this transfer. Good things are going to happen, and in some cases have already begun.

Love you all so very much. Thank everyone for the Birthday wishes. I did in fact get my package in time, and have been fighting hard not to open any of my presents yet. I'll keep fighting, but just know it’s not easy.

Love,

Elder Thomson