We'll Harvest this Field from Sunrise to Sunset!

Monday, July 17, 2017

The Trio

I can't handle my companions! They're crazy! I love them to death :)
-Written by Elder Chamberlain while I was away from the iPad. It's
accurate, so I left it!

Dear Family and Friends!

This week was AMAZING. Transfers this week were insane. Here in
Billings, the assistants have enough on their plates already so they
have asked us to help out as much as possible with transfers. We have
people driving about 9 hours from the north and others driving 4 hours
from the south. Along the way they have to pick up and drop off other
missionaries and somehow not lose their luggage by putting it on the
wrong trailer or getting on the wrong van themselves. They tell me
that in other missions, they all just meet up in a building and go
their separate ways... WHAT?? Crazy. Anyways, on Tuesday and
Wednesday, when Elder Chamberlain and I weren't answering questions
and shouting instructions, we were taking care of other administrative
things that needed to be done. We were sweaty, tired and hungry when
it was finally all over.

Elder Emms is with us now! He is AWESOME. I never knew that three
different people could get along so well. We have a hard time sleeping
at night because we can't stop talking at all haha. It was bad enough
with just Elder Chamberlain and me. In every teaching lesson, we have
each contributed and relied on each other, and our love for each other
has grown. I love these elders and will be forever grateful for their
help!

Thursday was Elder Emms' first day in the area, and it was nuts. We
wanted to get some weekly planning done but thing after thing came up
and we were unable to finish any of it. The things that took our time
included a very spiritual lesson with a returning less-active named
Vickie. The lesson was amazing and was our only opportunity to really
teach that day. That night we went to another missionaries' baptism in
Laurel. It's always so good to see a baptism.

On Friday we spent a few hours assisting at another big organized
service project for something called the Big Sky State Games. We
mostly hauled large buckets of water and folded stuff. Nothing crazy.

We finally got some planning done on Friday and Saturday and were
still able to have some incredible lessons. On Saturday we got to have
a lesson with the Morrison family. They are a less-active family but
we just barely found out that their 9 year old daughter is actually
unbaptized and that she wants to be baptized! We explained to them
that they will need to come back to church and hear the missionary
lessons and they all seem quite excited! Please pray for the
Morrisons.

On Saturday we also got to see one of the coolest miracles of my life.
I can not share all of the details because of the complex legal issues
involved in this, but of all the incredible experiences that have
touched my heart, this is right up there at the top. The basics are
this: we went to contact a less-active member around 8:50, who ended
up not being home. On the way up to his door we greeted two women
outside their house who just stared at us as if we weren't speaking
English. When we found out he wasn't home, we decided to ignore Satan,
who was trying to tell us the two women would just be mean if we tried
talking to them, and go talk to them anyways. They were mean at first
but we persisted. Soon the younger of the two expressed gratitude at
our sense of humor and lightened up significantly. I cannot say how it
happened or what we said, but soon we were talking about a great hurt
she had incurred. Deep sorrow she felt could never be healed. The Plan
of Salvation and the atonement of Jesus Christ. We were there for an
hour (yes, we did get in late). We got the INCREDIBLE opportunity to
see someone who was in one of the darkest places I had ever seen be
filled with the light of hope. When we got there she didn't believe in
God, she didn't believe Christ and she had pretty much given up. When
we left, she believed in God, she wanted to use the power of Jesus
Christ's atoning sacrifice and she had hope. We should not know her
name, where she lives or where she is going, what terrible events she
had to endure, and we will never see her again... but we have made an
eternal friend and we are so grateful we followed the spirit.

I love you all, though I am out of time. Remember," the worth of every
soul is great in the sight of God."

Quote of the week, "Y'all are like gangsters for Jesus." -Our dear
friend that we cannot name.

Love,
Elder Thomas


Puppy.
MT SUNSET
Elder Epperson (he was with us till his companion got here) getting
mauled by a vicious animal
TRIPANIONSHIP
Oh! Elder Tenney visited :)
Always remember HIM
The "Chamberlain" selfie
More of the Trio
Sunset round TWO!


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