We'll Harvest this Field from Sunrise to Sunset!

Monday, June 6, 2016

I LOVE CORVALIS

Dear Family and Friends,

I want to go in depth and tell you everything about all the lessons
that happened this week, but I can't. Just know that I have a
testimony of prayer and miracles and we have seen SO MANY this week!
Every day is just another miracle after another.

We had the incredible opportunity of meeting with Joel and Marilyn
twice this week. We asked about their testimonies right at the
beginning and learned that they all had a testimony of the basics of
the gospel. The lesson went smoothly and they received everything very
well. We asked if they had questions and concerns and Marilyn asked
about the "law of introduction," which is the idea that we are
unworthy to communicate with Heavenly Father without going through a
bishop or someone else like that. This doctrine is taught in the AUB
group. We explained that we can have a personal relationship with our
Heavenly Father and that he gives personal revelation to us. This
meant a lot to Marilyn. She bore her testimony on her search for truth
and that she knew this doctrine was true. It was very special and we
loved being a part of helping her find that truth. They all showed
increased faith and excitement and committed to read the talk we gave
them. They are making an incredible amount of progress.

We got to meet with the Allred's again! It was a cool lesson because
they have so much to look forward to. The lesson was mostly about
setting goals and looking forward. They have a goal to get to the
temple and be sealed, they also want to go and do baptisms for the
dead as soon as possible. Jean will be 12 in a few months and she is
so excited to be old enough to do baptisms for the dead. His brother
was there, Jeff Allred, and he had many questions. Jeff lives in
Riverton, Utah and he is still part of the AUB, however, he has been
having the missionaries down there visit him. Those poor elders, I
wouldn't be able to answer a single one of his questions if it weren't
for all the experience I had in this area. He seemed surprised that we
could answer his questions because apparently they had stumped the
other elders. It's easy to answer the questions when everyone in
Pinesdale asks about the exact same stuff.

The next time we taught Joel and Marilyn, we taught two couples at
once. Joel and Marilyn Jessop, as well as Will and Kara Jessop. Cary
Jessop, Will's mom, was also there (they have a lot of Jessop's in
Pinesdale). The lesson was held in the home of the members Bill and
Jennifer Jessop, Bill is a convert from the AUB group and Jennifer was
already a member. So in short, Elder Angle and I were surrounded by
Jessop's. We had planned to teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ
discussion. The lesson was amazing! These good people are searching
for truth and they have so much faith. We definitely know that God's
hand was in it because they were all answering each other's questions
and the spirit was incredibly strong.

Elder Angle and I have made it a goal to talk to everyone, so when two
nice old ladies out on their front porch waved at us and smiled, we
pulled right over and asked for the directions we were in need of. We
had an awesome conversation with them and will be going back to see
them soon!

On Saturday we were headed back from a ward baptism and we felt
prompted to go visit an investigator named Debbie Herzog. Instead we
found her 19 year old son David at home. David was extremely excited
to see us because he had just been fighting the temptation to indulge
in an addiction he is fighting and he was going to call someone. He
invited us in and made us dinner. He kept mentioning how crazy it was
that we showed up, right when he needed someone. Throughout dinner we
chatted about missionary work and we mentioned the baptism we had just
come from. He asked about baptism and we told him about all the
amazing things it could do for him. He casually mentioned that it
sounded like something he needed. WHAT??? YES, WE ALL NEED IT!!! WE
CAN HELP YOU!!! We didn't say that, but we felt that. We talked about
his addiction and how a personal relationship with God and the
atonement are so necessary in breaking an addiction. We talked about
the Book of Mormon and why it is so important as well as the power of
the Book of Mormon and how it helps us fight against temptation.
Before we left we blessed his home with a constant presence of the
spirit and set a date for his baptism. He kept saying, "wow, I just
feel this overwhelming peace!" We are SO EXCITED FOR HIM!!!

Anyways, love you all!

Love,
Elder Thomas

All of us came out together
Gorgeous
Idunno, this is just a fun picture.
More beautiful Montana


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