Merry Christmas!

Hello everyone, i hope this finds yall doing well, and that you all have a good christmas wherever you might be. Our week was pretty good, it was a very Christmassy week, which was awesome! we had our Christmas conference which was held in the eastern part of Edmonton, and it was amazing! The spirit was so strong there it was great. There was lots of music and we got to watch Meet the Mormons, which was pretty cool. And we ended with a testimony meeting where President Manion called a few Elders and Sisters up. It was one of the best zone conferences i have been too. We also had our ward Christmas program, and it was the first meeting in our brand new building! it was awesome! we packed about 265 people into the main chapel, and didnt have to open up the curtain door things because it is so big. it was awesome! There were even two people that came in off the street at the end of the meeting that said they would come back. So with lots of music about Christmas and meeting in the new building and what not, church was awesome yesterday!

We also got to teach the Plan of Salvation this past week to an investigator. it was a great lesson and it reinforced our testimonies of it. It brings a lot of joy into our lives and truly is a plan of happiness.

quote of the week comes from a referral that we taught and showed the He is the Gift video too. at the end she said "wow, that was powerful"

scripture of the week is a short one that comes from my personal study this morning, that applies to all, no matter what circumstance youre in or anything. Jacob 6:12 "O be wise; what can i say more?" That could be a motto for life. Just be wise and actually think before you do something. This is a great scripture that has grown to be one of my favorites because of the power and wisdom packed into a 8 word verse.

have a great Christmas and remember the true meaning of the Season!

Keep it real,

Elder W.Chad Thompson

Week 62: Hockey, Vegans, and Tracting

Hello everybody, hope all is going well for ya.
 This week was pretty good, and we experienced a lot of different things this week. We played Hockey last week which was a lot of fun, and we went tracting. a lot. But it's all good, because that is where all the crazy stories come from. unfortunately, there wasn't anything too crazy that came of it this week. And we also ate with a Vegan couple this week. That was an experience.

We also got to do lots of service this weekend. We got to serve the seniors of Beaumont a Christmas brunch at the library. That was fun. people were jumping up and down off the tables and there were broken hips everywhere. Just kidding, that would have been cool though. But it was great to serve them and have fun with them. At the end there was a youth choir composed of like 40 10 year old girls and 2 boys that sang Christmas hymns. so it was a lot of fun. We also helped out a Christmas elves organization which basically gives Christmas to families that just can't make it happen, so it was a great experience.

One quote of the week comes from tracting. We knock on the door and we hear "Oh my Go(sh) its the Mormons." He then opens the door and says hey, you Mormons" it should be noted that he was wearing a skeleton costume with kid makeup on his face...

The other quote is from Elder Holland's talk "Remember Lots Wife"- "The past is to be learned from, but not lived in."

Scripture of the week is 2 Nephi 33: 10-15 which is probably one of my favorite set of scripts
"10 And now, my beloved brethren, and also Jew, and all ye ends of the earth, hearken unto these words and believe in Christ; and if ye believe not in these words believe in Christ. And if ye shall believe in Christ ye will believe in these words, for they are the words of Christ, and he hath given them unto me; and they teach all men that they should do good.11 And if they are not the words of Christ, judge ye—for Christ will show unto you, with power and great glory, that they are his words, at the last day; and you and I shall stand face to face before his bar; and ye shall know that I have been commanded of him to write these things, notwithstanding my weakness.12 And I pray the Father in the name of Christ that many of us, if not all, may be saved in his kingdom at that great and last day 13 And now, my beloved brethren, all those who are of the house of Israel, and all ye ends of the earth, I speak unto you as the voice of one crying from the dust: Farewell until that great day shall come.14 And you that will not partake of the goodness of God, and respect the words of the Jews, and also my words, and the words which shall proceed forth out of the mouth of the Lamb of God, behold, I bid you an everlasting farewell, for these words shall condemn you at the last day.15 For what I seal on earth, shall be brought against you at the judgment bar; for thus hath the Lord commanded me, and I must obey. Amen."

Keep it real,

Elder W.Chad Thompson

Week 61: Hockey Hosers! and 14 Months ...

Today we are going to play hockey! Well maybe, I might just be using the stick to be able to stay up... but it should be fun! I just need to go curling to complete the Hosing process. I can't believe it will be 14 months tomorrow since we came out, seems like maybe half of that. So this past week was pretty good. we were able to keep busy and went hard with passing out the He is the Gift cards, and this week will do even better with that, and hopefully something will come of it!

This week we got to help clean our new church building in preparation for its opening, which will hopefully be this upcoming sunday. It's definitely the nicest building I have been in and its going to be great to bring investigators too! Plus we are really excited to play basketball on the new hard wood floor!

We also got to go on exchanges this week and I went with an elder that is going home after this week because he has reached the ripe old age of 2 years. so I picked his brain and asked him what his biggest advice was and we talked about charity. And I completely agree with him. Charity is something that makes the world go because it is literally the Love of God, the strongest love that one can ever have. As we seek to develop charity and ask in prayer for that gift, God will begin to bless us with it and we will begin to see everybody as they truly are, sons and daughters of our heavenly father. Charity is especially important on the mission too, it just makes it so much better! We should all seek to develop it!

We also got to teach the Plan of Salvation this past week. Just take a minute and think about how blessed we are to have the knowledge that we do. Like life would literally suck and be hopeless and without point without it. Its great to be able to know what our purpose is in life and to know what will happen after this life.

Scripture of the week is 1 John 4:7-9. Go and read it! it goes along with the Christmas season. God gave us his only begotten son so that would have the opportunity to live with him again. Its been great privilege to share the christmas message with everyone we talk too.

Keep it real,

Elder W.Chad Thompson