week 61: a wedding and a baptism

 

Efrain's baptism

This week was amazing! We had a massive miracle. 

So this week has gone by really fast. We've been super busy, especially with our friend Efraín, more about him later. We starting teaching this little girl named Melanie. Her family was inactive and she said she wants to be baptized. We asked why and she said it has been her dream since she was 5. She is so prepared and we're hoping all goes well for her. We also started working with another part member family. 

Things with Efraín went amazing. This last Wednesday him and his girlfriend got married at the church by the Bishop. Elder Powell and I got to be the witnesses. Then Saturday he got baptized and confirmed. It was so cool. He got confirmed right after the baptism, before he got changed or anything. Then the bishop talked to him about getting the priesthood so Sunday we got to help him receive the Aaronic Priesthood and ordained him a priest. It was the coolest and then that night we got to bless the sacrament with him. 

--Elder Thompson

Bits and pieces from family phone calls:

FYI...I helped plan a wedding for $0 sooooo that's a skill I'm willing to share!

We played volleyball at a park today for pday and it was so good to be outside.

Our air quality one day last week was ranked the worst in the WORLD. Thank goodness it's clearing out.

 

Efrain's wedding!

Since we aren't allowed to use the church buildings, we also can't use the fonts.

So we set it up to use a pool in the ward for the baptism.

smoky smoky skies

week 60: transferring to Wasco.....or Bakersfield

 

Last day with Elder Robison

First day with Elder Powell

I guess I was supposed to go to Wasco, but there was a change of plans and I'm staying in Bakersfield. 

So I still ended up switching wards and zones, so now I'm in the south part of Bakersfield. I'm in an area called Buena Vista. There is so much smoke here! The sunsets and sunrises are always red, and at the beginning of the week it was so bad you couldn't see any blue in the sky. It's getting better so that's amazing. Also when I showed up there was a lady on date for baptism named Liz. She is really cool and is going to get baptized on September 12th if all goes well. 

The coolest thing that happened this week was with our friend Efraín. He was invited to be baptized before I got here and wasn't sure. The missionaries invited him to be baptized September 12th, and he wasn't sure so they invited him to pray about it. We called Tuesday night to see if he had prayed and he hadn't yet. We told him to do it that night and the next day during dinner we got a call from him. He said he wanted to be baptized that Saturday! It was insane. We put the date for the 29th and he is so prepared. He also wants to get married this week to his fiancee who just got baptized herself. We taught about the temple and they really want to get sealed. 

It's been an absolutely amazing week!

--Elder Thompson 

Bits and pieces from family phone calls:

The reason I ended up staying in Bakersfield is because a couple of elders in our mission are returning to Puerto Rico next week, so they had to change up a few things. But good news that they are going back!

I'm in a really big ward, and we have 9 missionaries assigned to the ward...4 total companionships.

We share a little house with 2 other elders...everyone is great and getting along well!

The smoke has been so bad, we can't go out for exercise, in fact, we have particle masks that we have to wear if we are needing to be outside for a bit,

We met up at the church today with our zone and played chair soccer. It was a good time!

my first apartment in Bakersfield

sunsets and sunrises have been really cool with all the smoke,

but the smoke is not so cool

looks like a foggy day, but no, just more smoke

week 59: last one in Bakersfield

Member in our ward, Michael, that we've been working with!

Well, this week was my last one in La Cresta and I'm sad to be leaving, but I'm sure the Lord has plans for me in my new area.

So this week started pretty chill. We had exchanges and I was with Elder Romriell. He's a cool guy and we really had a good time. We ended up getting chick-fil-a for dinner which was a big plus. Thursday was really busy. Elder Robison is becoming a zone leader so he had a meeting all morning. I was with some other elders and then in the afternoon we had service. We were super busy and then Friday we got the news we both have transfers. That was a little sad cause we thought one of us would stay here. We spent most of Saturday and Sunday getting everything ready because three other areas are splitting ours. We said a lot of good byes and will finish the last of them tonight. 

Quick spiritual thought. 

There's a cool scripture in D&C 51 that says

"16 And I consecrate unto them this land for a little season, until I, the Lord, shall provide for them otherwise, and command them to go hence;

17 And the hour and the day is not given unto them, wherefore let them act upon this land as for years, and this shall turn unto them for their good."

I have been sent here to Bakersfield for who knows how long. I could return to Mexico next month, in three months, next year, or finish my mission here. None of that matters as long as I focus on here and now. It's the same for all of you. Focus on what you can do, not what you can't, and you will be happy. 

--Elder Thompson 

Bits and pieces from family phone calls:

I'm excited for a new place and new people, although I'll miss everyone in Bakersfield. I'll be moving north to Wasco and I'll be in a threesome.

I sent this thought to my family tonight. My sister just found out she is positive for Covid, so everyone is quarantining for 2 weeks, which means they don't get to start school tomorrow or go to work and everyone is having a hard time.

The Lord has promised us that as we “search diligently, pray always, and be believing, … all things [will] work together for [our] good” (D&C 90:24; emphasis added). That doesn’t mean that everything will be perfect or that we will not have any trials, but it does mean that everything will be okay if we just “hang in there.”

This is from a talk called "Believe!" By Elaine s Dalton

I know it's a tough time for you and the rest of the family, but just keep believing and hang in there. Everything will be okay.

I love you all! Hasta Luego

La Cresta District

I've eaten half...sooo good...just gonna keep at it!

week 58: prayers at 9:55

 

pday last week

It's been a pretty slow week. 

We've been struggling to get in contact with a few of the people we're teaching so that's been a little tough. We did have exchanges with the zone leaders on Tuesday and then with some other Elders on Wednesday so I was a little out of the loop because I missed those days. Nothing really happened during exchanges. Then Thursday we had a really awesome lesson with an inactive member. We've been texting him to see how he's doing, and stuff like that. Then all of the sudden he reached out to us and wanted to take the lessons again. He has been inactive for the past few years and it was super cool. We ended up passing him off to the YSA missionaries because they can help him a lot more and we're supposed to work more with Spanish speaking friends. It was super awesome to see someone come to us like that.

Sorry it's so short, not too much is happening. 

--Elder Thompson 

bits & pieces from family phone calls:

I'm an expert at facebook filters...if you were wondering.

We've had a couple of investigators drop this week, but we are working hard and hoping for miracles.

Every day at 9:55 a.m., our entire mission prays...that is usually the time we are all finishing companion study. So, throughout the Bakersfield mission, we all pray for miracles and people who are prepared to hear the gospel message. My family always ask what they can pray for, so they'll be joining us this week, every day, at 9:55!

Transfers are next week, so we'll see what changes come.

my wanted a picture with my face...I gave her half of what she asked for

bagel bites still are the best food

week 57: officially not a teen pregnancy statistic

Birthday cake! My mom sent the mix, candles, and frosting...

I think I did a pretty good job!

Well I'm officially no longer a teenager, so that's cool I guess. 

This week has been pretty chill. We came really close to setting a baptismal date with someone we're teaching, but she isn't feeling quite ready. We'll keep working with her. We also had a really cool lesson with a member named Michael. He opened up about his past and talked about how we've helped him really feel God's love for him. It was really cool to see how much we've helped him. Saturday I became 20. There was an awesome member that made a cake for us since Elder Robinson's birthday was a few weeks ago. That cake was definitely better than the cake we made. Today we have an appointment with this guy named Alexis that sounds like he wants to be baptized. 

Other than that not too much has gone on. 

--Elder Thompson 

bits and pieces from family phone calls:

Our district played games at the park today which is always a good change.

It's sounding highly unlikely that any of us will return to our original mission assignments, but I'm actually just fine with that. I gotta say having washers/dryers for clothes is pretty great! But one thing I really love about the Bakersfield mission is the focus we have on being obedient, and how hard the missionaries try to follow the rules, even the ones they don't like. I feel like it's helped me gain a greater testimony of blessings that come through obedience. 

Our mission president talked a lot this week about having high expectations but also high love.

Wendy's 4 for $4...best meal for the best price!

Taco Bell for lunch today!

This dude was on our windshield this week

Morningside with the whole mission