week 39: and now we wait

Hey guys, sorry this is coming a day late. I feel like I don't need to say it's been a crazy week, but I enjoy being mildly redundant, so here it comes. It's been a crazy week.

Last Monday, as you all know, I got the bad news that I would be coming home. After that, the rest of our day was spent cleaning, packing, and more cleaning. The mission wanted our houses in great shape, and we couldn't leave anything behind that was from missionaries. That meant we were throwing out the junk from who knows how many missionaries. We left to take pics and visit a family for one last dinner. We didn't know when we would leave, so in the morning we finished fast, and then said goodbye to a few more people. In the afternoon, we left to another area which was closer to the bus station. We got there and got word that me and one other Elder in the district would be leaving for the offices that night. 

We left the bus station late, and arrived at the offices even later. We got to stay in a hotel and then in the morning, the majority of the missionaries in the offices left. I stayed because I was leaving Thursday. Wednesday was a very strange day, because I was going home. It felt so wrong. That night we had a meeting with President Palmer. It was amazing. It was all focused on the Love that Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father have for us. It was a great meeting. I left early the next morning for the Veracruz Airport. There we took a plane to Mexico City, and I got business class. The 30 most luxurious minutes of my life. Then we waited for a while, until we left for home. 

I got home feeling sad. It really sucked. I went through customs and then got to go out to where my parents were waiting. I'm home now and I'm trying to figure out how to be a missionary while chilling in my house. It's definitely a big change.

--Elder Thompson

week 38.5: mission halftime

This week in Elder Thompson's mission:
-packing everything up in one day
-cleaning the apartment
-saying goodbye to members and friends
-taking a bus to the mission home
-waiting for flights
-seeing old mission buddies
-saying goodbye to companions and President Palmer
-saying hello to family and friends (at a socially acceptable distance)
-unpacking (sort of)
-learning to study and prepare from home
-having faith that everything will work out as the Lord intends

Saying goodbye to Jorge

last area in Mexico before COVID-19

random train we came across

The Castro Gonzales family

Hermana Violeta

all the American missionaries coming home with Elder Thompson

Goodbyes with President Palmer

For all the beloved missionaries who have been such an important part of la Misión México Veracruz

When you get bumped to business class on your final flight home!

intermission hug from the mama...

lots of tears...

happy tears, sad tears, disappointed tears, relief tears

after spraying his luggage with disinfectant,

a quick picture!

driving home, he says "Hey mom! look!"

We invited family and a few neighbors to line the corner and

cheer for Elder Thompson as we pulled up to our house.

As a family, we're all quarantining together,

so yes...hugs all around!

truer words have never been written

glad to see he didn't lose his sense of humor!

He picked these up for all the men in the family!

Elder Thompson's first social media post after arriving home.

week 38: mission intermission

In the words of Michael Scott and Dwight Schrute;

''The stress of coming home early has caused me to go into a depression.''

''Depression? Isn't that just a fancy word for feeling 'bummed out?''

I'm kidding, I'm not depressed, but I am coming home, so that is rough. More about that later.

This week was really strange. We had a zone conference planned for this last Wednesday and we had to stay the night with 4 other elders in another area called Cosamaloapan. We stayed over and then the conference got moved to Friday. We decided to do a battalion in another area, which is when a group of Elders go to another area and work there for a few hours. It was fun and then we stayed the night again in Cosamaloapan. Thursday we came back to our area and worked there. We had a member invite us over to do a Noche de Hogar (family home evening) and we got 5 new people there. The member just had her son leave on his mission and is getting really into missionary work. After that we went back to Cosamaloapan, this time with the secretaries of the mission so we were 8 elders in one tiny room. 

Friday was our conference but because of Coronavirus we weren't able to get together as a zone, just two districts. It was weird, but really great. We had trainings on teaching with love and on the first vision. We got back with money from president and went to a restaurant with good hamburgers. While we were waiting, a waiter gave us a remote for a tv next to our table and said we could watch what we wanted. Well as missionaries we can't exactly open up Netflix and enjoy a movie, so we went to youtube and watched the Book of Mormon videos. There was a new one with Abinadi and it was amazing! Saturday and Sunday were pretty normal, and then today we got the bad news.

It's a strange feeling. There's been so much uncertainty in these past 2 or 3 weeks and it's been tough. I just can't believe it's happening. I feel like I'm just now coming to realize how much I love the culture, the mission, and above all, the people here. Honestly I don't know what's coming next. 

I will never forget all that has happened here and I hope with all my heart that one day I will return and finish, but whatever the Lord has in store for me, I know will be for my good. 

Good luck, try not to die, and always remember " the best things, the...richest things, aren't supposed to come easily, and that sometimes the moments that make the most sense happen when everything else doesn't". With all that is going on, the world doesn't make much sense right now, and nothing feels easy, but the Gospel of Jesus Christ makes sense. It makes sense because He lived. He still lives. He descended below all and rose up again, bringing us up too. We can all follow this Gospel, this plan for us. I know this all this is true. I know God lives and is our Father. He loves us, and sent his Son. The Book of Mormon is true and Joseph Smith was a prophet. We are the only true church and this is the way to follow to return to God. This path is not easy, it is much easier to succumb to Satan, to evil, but in the end, it is a path to destruction. We walk a hard path, but we do not walk alone. Christ is walking with us, he is our guide through a broken world. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

--Elder Thompson

bits and pieces from family phone calls:

I am packing today and cleaning my apartment. We will be ready to hop on a bus as soon as the call comes. We are thinking we'll be heading back possible Wednesday. 

I'm already planning on Chick-Fil-A as soon as possible.

There were some tears today when the news we were leaving came, but I doing alright. 

My mom said a package just arrived for me at the mission home, so I'll share my snacks with the other elders waiting there with me. 

I know that everything will be ok and I will take whatever path I'm supposed to.

Here's a copy of the letter from Carter's mission president and the copy of his travel plans.

Bittersweet.

LA IGLESIA DE JESUCRISTO DE LOS SANTOS DE LOS ÚLTIMOS DÍAS PRESIDENCIA DE ÁREA MÉXICO

AV. FUENTE DE PIRÁMIDES NO.1 PISOS 9,10 Y 11 NAUCALPAN DE JUAREZ, ESTADO DE MÉXICO

March 22, 2020

To: Parents of foreign missionaries serving in México

Subject: Missionaries serving in the México Area and are returning to their home country for threat imposed by COVID-19.

Dear parents:

With the continuing threat imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic and in conjunction with the guidance of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, we regret to inform you that all foreign missionaries serving in Mexico will be returned to their country of origin. This transition will begin immediately.

Travel priority will be given to missionaries with chronic health conditions and to senior missionaries. Soon thereafter, travel for all remaining foreign missionaries will be arranged. Due to the large number of foreign missionaries serving in Mexico and with current travel restrictions, we anticipate this process may take a few weeks to complete. Be assured that travel for all foreign missionaries will be made as soon as possible. When specific travel plans for your missionary have been made, you will be contacted immediately by your stake president.

In the meantime, the health and safety of all missionaries in Mexico is of highest priority. Each missionary has been instructed to follow strict preventative health and safety guidelines, including hygiene, social distancing, and increased self-isolation. In addition, every missionary has been provided food storage should home quarantine be required.

Missionaries returning to their country of origin will go through a 14-day period of self-isolation and then may be assigned to serve within their home country, based on local conditions. The term of service for missionaries returning to the United States will likely be reduced to accommodate the large number of missionaries returning from around the world.

We understand that you may have questions concerning what will happen when your missionary returns home. At this point, we do not have all the answers and ask for your patience. Additional guidance will be forthcoming as it is available.

We are grateful for the faithful service of your missionary and the sacrifices you have made for them to serve in Mexico.

Sincerely,

LA IGLESIA DE JESUCRISTO DE LOS SANTOS DE LOS ÚLTIMOS DÍAS PRESIDENCIA DE ÁREA MÉXICO

AV. FUENTE DE PIRÁMIDES NO.1 PISOS 9,10 Y 11 NAUCALPAN DE JUAREZ, ESTADO DE MÉXICO

México Area Presidency

Arnulfo Valenzuela R.

Rafael E. Pino

John C. Pingree Jr.

And a message from Elder Thompson's mission president:

week 37: coronavirus

Well, I don't have Coronavirus, so that's a relief. 

This week was a little tough and really strange. So far there is no coronavirus in Veracruz, and since I'm just about in the middle of nowhere, it won't show up here for a long while. The week started out normal and it was all good, we found a less active member with a girl that's old enough to be baptized. We got word Thursday night that there are no more church meetings and that was it. We only got the text message. We ended up very confused. So that made it difficult to work, because we can't invite people to church. We got permission to baptize anyone who was going to be baptized this month right now. So we started working on inviting two of our investigators, and one of them just moved away so that sucked. 

We also found out that these 2 drunk guys we invited to church a couple weeks ago actually came. They found us in the street the following week and one of them came up and said ''hey I'm really mad at you guys, we came to church this week and they didn't let me come in.''(but in Spanish). We asked him ''Did you go Sunday at 9?''(Still in Spanish). Then he said ''Yeah, I went and I was really drunk''(You've all probably guessed by now this all happened in Spanish). Apparently they showed up very drunk to church before we had arrived. Someone (we have no idea who) turned them away because they were so intoxicated. We never imagined they'd even remember the invitation since they were drunk then too!

Something cool that happened this week was that my dad and my mom had their birthdays and I got to call home for both of their birthdays. Something my dad told me when I told him I was struggling with feeling like the work was slowing...He talked to me about the Lord and how he always has a plan. He brought up the star appearing at Christ's birth and how God put it together years and years before the night of Christ's birth so the light would start to travel and arrive when Christ was born. It was something that helped me realize Heavenly Father always has a plan and that he's always known this coronavirus would come and it's all part of his plan.

I hope none of you have coronavirus...

--Elder Thompson

week 36: two headed dragon

My new companion is Elder Urquia!

This week was a little crazy, we had transfers and I'm now in Carlos A. Carrillo. 

So this Tuesday we had our transfers meeting and since the meeting was at 9:00 and our bus got to the city at 9.20, me and all the other missionaries from Los Tuxtlas strolled in about 9:30. It was fun and I found out I was leaving for Carlos A Carrillo. All I know is that my trainer started his mission there. I got there and literally it is almost in the middle of nowhere. It's pretty cool though.I just realized My new companion is Elder Urquia, he's from Argentina. There are about 80 members and they're all pretty great. We had a few really great investigators but one moved away so that was sad. We are working with the others still and trying to find more right now. Not much really happened until Thursday night. We visited a member for dinner I didn't really eat because I felt sick. We got to our house and I threw up. The next day we stayed home and I mainly slept and made frequent trips to our bathroom, but now I'm all good. We call what I experienced the two headed dragon...I'll let you figure that out.

One of our investigators asked God if the BoM is true and had a dream that was really cool. She saw her brother reading a bible, and when she saw what he was reading she woke up. She shared the scripture her brother was reading and my companion researched it to figure out what it means and we're  going back this week to answer her questions.

I don't really think anything else happened.

--Elder Thompson

Bits and pieces from phone calls:

It was hard saying goodbye to all the people in my old area. I will miss them all so much.

The ward is small but so nice...they feed us lunches, and one family has invited us to dinner whenever we want.

It's always a challenge starting in a new place, but it's going to be good.

Today we had district meetings...to get to a place even more in the middle of nowhere we had to take two different taxi rides, and hop on a ferry...wishing we had travel reimbursement!

We get to go the church house in our area on pday for emailing and phone calls...awesome because we have air conditioning! 

My new area is hot...it was 107 a day last week, so yeah, gonna get good use of that sweat towel.

My old apartment just before I moved out...

cleanest it's ever been.

back at the mission home getting my new assignment

just me clapping in the background

week 35: butter candle

Lunch with members...eating at their preschool tables!

Hey everyone, so this week was a great last week in Lerdo because I have transfers. 

This week was a little tough because we struggled finding new people. A lot of the people we've been teaching aren't progressing so we've left them. It's been rough. There is one family we're teaching and it's going really well with them. The wife and the son that's old enough to be baptized are accepting, but the husband is a little tougher, he'll come around. I was with the other Elders for a day because my comp had a meeting in port. The other Elders also had a baptism. It was a guy named Juan Carlos. I got to help and give a little talk on the Holy Ghost. It was all great.

This week I guessed I would be leaving so I said goodbye to a lot of members. I really came to love the members here, and will miss them a lot. Next week I'll let you all know where I got sent in transfers.

Quick Story:

This Tuesday we lost our power for no reason whatsoever. I had a flashlight, but it was almost dead. So I really tried to think of a way to make light, when it hit me. A butter candle! I remembered seeing it in a youtube video before I left so I tried it. I got a stick of butter, made a hole, put some toilet paper in the hole and lit it. It worked! 

The whole thing was pretty funny and it reminded me of a scripture.

 

15 Behold, do men light a candle and put it under a bushel? Nay, but on a candlestick, and it giveth light to all that are in the house;

16 Therefore let your light so shine before this people, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

Sometimes in life we don't have much of a candle, we feel like it isn't worth much, but the smallest light is still light and we should use every bit of light we can in a world of darkness. 

--Elder Thompson

 Bits and pieces from family phone calls:
Kenzie, Lady, and Jace were all home today when I called and it was fun laughing with them and teasing my mom.
You probably really don't have great enough admiration for my butter candle, but it's one of my proudest moments.
I'm excited for transfers. I'll go to the mission home tomorrow and find out where I'm going and who my new comp is!
We had a member bear his testimony Sunday about the power of the priesthood, and giving himself a blessing because he was sick...still need to do more training on how to properly use the priesthood...haha!

BUTTER CANDLE!

Never again will the darkness beat me.

La Familia Lopez Palagot

I love these awesome members!

More friends--

Veronica, Brisa and Jimmy