The Master is Calling! : Transfer Return...

Dear Family and Friends,

Once again, this week has gone by way too fast. The longer I am on my
mission, the more I feel like it's just slipping through my fingers! I
want it to go a little slower, i am enjoying it so much.

We have a new investigator! His name is Ike Jessop and he referred
himself on Mormon.org. Ike is from the group and he is so ready to
learn more. He is from Pinesdale, but he has not attended up there for
quite a while. He has been attending the Christian church down the
road, but his daughter just recently turned 8 and he really wants her
to be baptized with the priesthood. It all went well, he and his cute
family are very humble. The hardest thing for him to get over so far
is the Adam-God doctrine. I won't go to deep into this, but it is
basically the belief that Adam is our God. This belief is complex,
detailed, and completely unscriptural. It's a toughy.

We visited Ben Williams and his family again this week. They are such
a fun family! We taught about the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and little
Addie(11) answered all the questions! She is very good at that. After
the lesson with them we always make certain to remain for a little
while so we can connect with the children, so while I talked with the
older two about guitar and we played each other songs, Addie tied my
shoes together and her brother Johnny stole my iPad. I love kids haha.

We went and found BonnieJean again as well. BonnieJean was so happy to
see us when we stopped by. We gave her a bigger copy and talked to her
about her concerns in the near future. She really wants to move
forward but she is receiving a lot of pressure from her friends and
church. We talked a lot about basing our faith on God and not man.this
was kind of new to her and we had a long conversation about it. She
wants us to keep coming back because she says she is so confused and
conflicted and needs help. God truly prepares these souls for us.

On Friday we went and helped our investigators, Dan and Leslie, spread
decorative rock over their garden area. It is so much fun to just work
my head off moving rocks and sweating out in the sun. Though I love
missionary work, it feels good to give someone help with the physical
things as well!

This week the Chapman's moved from out in the prairie into the main
part of Corvallis! This means we'll be seeing a lot more of them, and
Mitchell Gold will probably move in with them! Because Mitchell grew
up in Pinesdale, he needs to move out before he is baptized, so this
enables him to do just that! Miracles are just happening everywhere.
We were able to help them with that Saturday morning.

On Saturday we went and had dinner with Clint and Martha because
transfers are this coming week and we wanted to see them in case one
of us got transferred. It was so much fun! It's amazing to see how
missionary work brings people together.

Missionary work in Montana gets really slow after 8:00 in the winter.
So, we prayed and moved forward in faith! God directed us to a street
that looked completely dead. No lights, no people. As we walked down
the street, we saw a light on inside the home of the Bumgarners home,
an elderly couple in the ward, and felt a prompting to go inside and
talk with them. When we went in, Bob and Carson Selzler were there!
Bob is their son-in-law and Carson is their grandson. Bob is a member
but has not attended regularly for quite a while, and Carson is a
recent convert. It was so good to see them again! We shared a
spiritual thought and then left, but I know God led us there for a
reason. Hopefully we can help Bob come back to church.

After church on Sunday we taught Kennedy Gold again. Both of her
parents were there this time and they are very supportive of her
decision to take the discussions. They are also a good support during
the lessons, though sometimes they get sidetracked on some weird deep
doctrine theory. Our focus with Kennedy is simplicity, and how
everything ties into the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We feel, and the
spirit seems to accord, that a focus on Christ will keep her from
being distracted by theories of man and social pressures all around
her. She is a very strong young woman.

At this point on Sunday, we learned our transfer news. I had pretty
much accepted the fact that I was going to be transferred, because
I've been here for six months. Nope. Elder Peterson is headed to
Wright Wyoming to finish an elders training, and I am staying here to
begin another missionaries training! I might be here for 9 months!
Crazy. I never want to leave.

That night we taught Will and Kara for their first new member lesson!
It was so cool. Everybody in the room bore beautiful and sacred
testimony of the gospel and it's truthfulness. I love Will and Kara. I
love seeing their progress and desire to grow. This last lesson Kara
expressed that they feel filled every time they go to church, and that
she wasn't used to that. What joy the restored gospel brings! What
peace and fulfillment and strength! How God must love us to give us
this gift. Y'all better be sharing it haha. Elder Peterson is sad to
say bye to them, and we are sad to see him go.

Our last lesson was with Jacey! We taught the Plan of Salvation, which
is my favorite lesson to teach. We focused a lot on the atonement and
why it is so important. Jacey is really working hard to grasp the
concept of God and what Christ did for us and she says she feels the
spirit more and more. We are very excited for her!

I love you all! Be safe this Halloween!

Love,
Elder Thomas

Foggy week