Call Me Tom

Well this week was filled with joyous experiences, especially with the weather doing a 180 and putting us back in winter. The warm weather made me soft, so when -15 hit again, it felt a lot colder. But there was a funny experience on the bus which has promted Elder Ripley to start calling me Tom. I was sitting at the back waiting for someone to come back so I could talk to them, and a 20 year old truly socially awkward kid came and we started talking. Eventually I told him what missionaries do and he rejected me hard. So, I changed the subject and then all of a sudden he asked me about my name and why it is elder. So I told him and he said, "Oh so it's Thompson?" I told him that was my last name to which he replied, "Oh well Thompson is too long so I'm going to call you Tom" That is the quote of the week. Meanwhile E. Ripley is sitting a couple seats in front of me just busting up laughing. So he has been calling me tom under his breath for the past couple of days.

We also came to learn what other churches claim speaking in tongues means to them. This guy was living with one of our less actives, who is an interesting individual himself, and he is a complete wacko, not unlike our less active. although he makes our guy look normal. He told us a story of how he woke up in a hospital bed speaking in tongues and it freaked the nurses right out. I told him I bet it did because he had just done it for us and it was kinda like what the junk? Basically all that happens is they just ramble non words and claim it is their own language which only they and God know. Interesting stuff if you were to ask me.

I came across a scripture this week that hit me and just really stuck, so I dove deeper into it and memorized it and all that good stuff. It is Alma 1:25 "now this was a great trial to those that did stand fast in the faith; nevertheless, they were steadfast and immovable in keeping the commandments of God, and they bore with patience the persecution which was heaped upon them" It says it was a great trial to those that were Fast in the faith, not to slackers, but those that were righteous and continually abounding in good works. Even the super duper righteous are going to have trials. Even with this mountain of a trial, they were "steadfast and immovable in keeping the commandments of God." "They bore with patience the persecution which was heaped upon them." They trusted in God completely. They didn't ask for the whole of the trial to be taken from them, they bore it and got through it with God's help. Notice the persecution was heaped was Heaped upon them and still they didnt curse/question God. They were Patient, Trusting, and Obedient.

In other news, there is an apostle coming to the stake I am serving in on april 20. I'm probably going to get transferred 2 weeks before then, so that's a bit frustrating. And thanks to whoever sent me the candy basket. it is much aprreciated and was enjoyed. I'd thank whoever it was personally but I dont know who sent it because there was no name on anything. Members here like to tell me how much greatness of March Madness I'm missing, so that's fun... But they give me updates and then feed us, well sometimes, so that makes up for it.

Keep it real,

Elder Thompson