Edmonton Canada Mission: Hard Work Pays Off

This week was by far the best week I have had here in millwoods. We picked up 4 new investigators so I am super excited. The work here is finally starting to pick up. Sometimes you have to get down and dirty for 4 and a half months for things to change. That being said, we really need hindi missionaries in millwoods because all 4 are east indian and would be better taught by someone speaking their language. I'd be down to switch. Give me some books and I'll go at it.

This week we had the opportunity to move a really interesting family that was a friend of a member. They were socially awkward who homeschool their kids forever and that isnt necessarily a bad thing but they didn't have any friends becasue they didn't have a youth group to talk to. Just reaffirmed that I will not homeschool my kids.

So my quest for the past little while is to try and find something out here that will make me want to do the work instead of it being a duty. Of course there are things that I do enjoy and there are times that I want to do it, but I want that for the entire time. So for fun we have been (as a district) trying to find awkward situations and just go at them. Things like talking to people in a parked car and being persistent until they roll down the window or drive away. This last week we came across a guy in a parked car and I just stood there waving at him until he got out and I started talking to him. It's funny how 5 months ago there was absolutely no way anybody was going to get me to do something like that. Just reaffirms Ether 12:27 that weak things will be made strong. So on Friday night, aka date night, I wanted to find a parked car in a sketchy place because well, date night. that would be extremely awkward and I would easily be able to stump the zone leaders awkward stories. But sadly that didn't happen. I guess that sorta thing just isnt big with millwoods. Probably somehting to do with the high population of non whites.

There is a rumor going around that Pres. Monson said if we memorize 1 scripture a day, we would gain a photographic memory... I don't know if that's true, but I'm still going to try. Even if it doesnt work, that's still a bunch of scriptures memorized. I have been reading out of Jesus the Christ a lot lately and it is such a great book. I can't even explain how many athings have been brought to my attention that I didn't even recognize before.

I'll end with a couple of quotes I found this week. In Gospel Principles, we got to teach lesson... 6 I think it was, but it was about the holy ghost and I really like this quote from Joseph Fielding
Smith, "When a man has a manifestation of the Holy Ghost, It leaves an indelible impression on his soul, one that is not easily erased. IT is spirit speaking to spirit and it comes with convincing force. A manifestation from an angel , or even the son of god himself would impress the eye and mind, but eventually become dimmed, But the impressions of the Holy Ghost sink deeper into the soul and are more difficult to erase." After I found this I found a quote by Elder Talmage from Jesus the Christ that goes with it. It is talking about the Jews disregarding Jesus' message and seek to get rid of him. But that being said it can be manipulated to the Holy ghost "In an orgy of self righteous indignation, the Jews seized upon stones... and would have crushed their Lord but the hour of his death was not yet come."

At first I just thought about how it's funny with some of the words Talmage uses but we need to figuratively not seek to crush the promptings of the spirit. Becasue when we do that, it will leave us and we will be in he dark trying to navigate this world that is just not all that great. And let's be honest, that would really blow. So follow the promptings of the spirit, especially for missionary work ;)

Transfer calls were today, and I guess I am staying here for 1 more.

Keep it real,

Elder Thompson