Hi everyone,
It was a pretty good week here in Bakersfield. The weather has been nice and cool and we found a couple of new Spanish speaking people to teach. I really love teaching people and speaking Spanish. I don't know why, I just feel so much more comfortable teaching and being a missionary when I get to talk to people in Spanish. I'm not even that good at it, but I am getting really comfortable with it. This week was pretty big for Mario. We have been teaching since I arrived in this area, way back at the beginning of July. He has had a really strong desire to learn about the Gospel and to be baptized. The thing that has been holding him back has been problems he has been having with his girlfriend Yasira. They have some serious relationship problems and aren't planning on getting married. So this past Tuesday we were going to have a talk with them about the steps to baptism. About an hour before we were supposed to go over, we got a call from Mario and he told us that something happened with Yasira and he left. So we met him at a Rite Aid and talked with him for about an hour. I won't get into the details of what happened between him and Yasira (its a crazy story). Mario knew he had to leave, he had to move out. It was sad because he had nowhere to go and at the time he was out of a job. I was amazed though, because one of the first things he told was that he really wanted to be baptized. He didn't have anywhere to live, he had no idea where he was going to sleep that night but he wanted to talk about being baptized. That guy has amazing faith and I have learned so much from him. He went back to Los Angeles for the week. He has a job lined up here in Bakersfield and he will be back later this week. He called us the other night asking us to send missionaries so he could go to church in LA. Mario let us know that the missionaries came and that he was going to church with them. It is so cool to see how strong of a desire he has to do what he knows his Heavenly Father wants him to do. Mario has had a crazy life, he has been through a lot. I am amazed at how willing he is to put his life in the Lord's hands and have complete and total trust in Him.
I know that life is pretty hard sometimes, but I also know that when we trust our Father in Heaven and seek to do His will, we will be blessed. He will be there to help us find our way. I am so happy that Mario understands that. I know that he is trusting God to help him through these uncertain times. I'm happy Mario doesn't have to struggle alone.
So, it was a great week. I am pretty pumped, this Wednesday the ward is having it's Halloween Party. There is going to be a chili cook off and us missionaries get to be the judges. It has been forever since I have had chili. I'm excited, but I am pretty sure nothing will be as good as my Mama's white bean chicken chili! It should be a good time. I hope you all have a great week and a safe Halloween. Take good care.
Much Love,
Elder Chad Thompson
It was a pretty good week here in Bakersfield. The weather has been nice and cool and we found a couple of new Spanish speaking people to teach. I really love teaching people and speaking Spanish. I don't know why, I just feel so much more comfortable teaching and being a missionary when I get to talk to people in Spanish. I'm not even that good at it, but I am getting really comfortable with it. This week was pretty big for Mario. We have been teaching since I arrived in this area, way back at the beginning of July. He has had a really strong desire to learn about the Gospel and to be baptized. The thing that has been holding him back has been problems he has been having with his girlfriend Yasira. They have some serious relationship problems and aren't planning on getting married. So this past Tuesday we were going to have a talk with them about the steps to baptism. About an hour before we were supposed to go over, we got a call from Mario and he told us that something happened with Yasira and he left. So we met him at a Rite Aid and talked with him for about an hour. I won't get into the details of what happened between him and Yasira (its a crazy story). Mario knew he had to leave, he had to move out. It was sad because he had nowhere to go and at the time he was out of a job. I was amazed though, because one of the first things he told was that he really wanted to be baptized. He didn't have anywhere to live, he had no idea where he was going to sleep that night but he wanted to talk about being baptized. That guy has amazing faith and I have learned so much from him. He went back to Los Angeles for the week. He has a job lined up here in Bakersfield and he will be back later this week. He called us the other night asking us to send missionaries so he could go to church in LA. Mario let us know that the missionaries came and that he was going to church with them. It is so cool to see how strong of a desire he has to do what he knows his Heavenly Father wants him to do. Mario has had a crazy life, he has been through a lot. I am amazed at how willing he is to put his life in the Lord's hands and have complete and total trust in Him.
I know that life is pretty hard sometimes, but I also know that when we trust our Father in Heaven and seek to do His will, we will be blessed. He will be there to help us find our way. I am so happy that Mario understands that. I know that he is trusting God to help him through these uncertain times. I'm happy Mario doesn't have to struggle alone.
So, it was a great week. I am pretty pumped, this Wednesday the ward is having it's Halloween Party. There is going to be a chili cook off and us missionaries get to be the judges. It has been forever since I have had chili. I'm excited, but I am pretty sure nothing will be as good as my Mama's white bean chicken chili! It should be a good time. I hope you all have a great week and a safe Halloween. Take good care.
Much Love,
Elder Chad Thompson