Hi,
Well this week has been pretty good, we have definitely met some cool people. One night, we were trying to visit an investigator. She lives in a pretty bad part of Shafter. Anyways, I knocked on the door one time and this lady came from around the corner and said, "Are you guys the Mormons?" We said that we were and she asked us to come with her. She said that she really needed a prayer right then so we stopped and said a prayer with her right then and there. It was a little weird at first, but we could tell that she was really upset. She told us about how her Dad died of cancer a few years ago and that was really hard for her. And then, she told us that her husband recently died of cancer. I think it was about a month ago... At that point she was crying a lot. She told us how once her husband died she lost control, kind of just turned off and stopped being a mother to her kids. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention, she has thirteen kids! I remember what a hard time Drew, Luke and I gave my Mom at times. I can't imagine thirteen. But she said that her twenty year old daughter has stepped up and done all of the Mom stuff for her kids. That girl is also going to school and so she doesn't have much of a life other than going to school and being the Mom. The lady's name is Iris and she said she really wants help getting back to being a good Mom. She said that she remembers going to church with her family when she was a little kid and things were much happier and simpler. We walked her back to her house and she introduced us to her kids. She has kids from age twenty to a few months old. I really hope that we can help her. Iris really wants to get back on the right track. It is cool that she already knows that turning to God will help her do that. I am really excited to visit with Iris. She is a sweet lady, who just needs a little help getting her life back on track.
This week has been pretty fun too. My roommates and I always do pranks. When I first got to the mission, they definitely had the upper hand. They had more experience in the mission, but I am definitely learning and getting the hang of it. So there is this bed in the apartment that everyone hates, it is really hard and uncomfortable. Elder Bennett was stuck with it last time. After transfers, we let the new guy to the area have it. His name is Elder Ruelas. So we were all talking one night in my room, after planning. I left the room and was making a smoothie and I heard them moving the mattresses. I knew that they were trying to give me the hard bed so I ran upstairs and grabbed Elder Martinez's bed and ran back down the stairs. They had put the hard mattress on my bed and put all my sheets on and tried to make everything look nice. They were hoping I wouldn't notice. It was hilarious! So, after a little bit of wrestling with the bed and Elder Martinez, he ended up with the rock hard bed, and I got a nice new bed. It is really fun living with three other guys. I'm learning to stand up for myself too.
This transfer is almost over though. On Saturday, we get the phone calls, letting us know if we are staying or going. I am a little nervous, because I want to stay. I really like the other missionaries here, I love the members, and I don't want to leave the investigators that we have yet. They are all cool people that I care about. Wasco and Shafter are awesome. I love serving here, but I am sure I will end up where I am supposed to be. Well, I should get going. I hope you all have a super awesome week!
Much Love,
Elder Thompson
Well this week has been pretty good, we have definitely met some cool people. One night, we were trying to visit an investigator. She lives in a pretty bad part of Shafter. Anyways, I knocked on the door one time and this lady came from around the corner and said, "Are you guys the Mormons?" We said that we were and she asked us to come with her. She said that she really needed a prayer right then so we stopped and said a prayer with her right then and there. It was a little weird at first, but we could tell that she was really upset. She told us about how her Dad died of cancer a few years ago and that was really hard for her. And then, she told us that her husband recently died of cancer. I think it was about a month ago... At that point she was crying a lot. She told us how once her husband died she lost control, kind of just turned off and stopped being a mother to her kids. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention, she has thirteen kids! I remember what a hard time Drew, Luke and I gave my Mom at times. I can't imagine thirteen. But she said that her twenty year old daughter has stepped up and done all of the Mom stuff for her kids. That girl is also going to school and so she doesn't have much of a life other than going to school and being the Mom. The lady's name is Iris and she said she really wants help getting back to being a good Mom. She said that she remembers going to church with her family when she was a little kid and things were much happier and simpler. We walked her back to her house and she introduced us to her kids. She has kids from age twenty to a few months old. I really hope that we can help her. Iris really wants to get back on the right track. It is cool that she already knows that turning to God will help her do that. I am really excited to visit with Iris. She is a sweet lady, who just needs a little help getting her life back on track.
This week has been pretty fun too. My roommates and I always do pranks. When I first got to the mission, they definitely had the upper hand. They had more experience in the mission, but I am definitely learning and getting the hang of it. So there is this bed in the apartment that everyone hates, it is really hard and uncomfortable. Elder Bennett was stuck with it last time. After transfers, we let the new guy to the area have it. His name is Elder Ruelas. So we were all talking one night in my room, after planning. I left the room and was making a smoothie and I heard them moving the mattresses. I knew that they were trying to give me the hard bed so I ran upstairs and grabbed Elder Martinez's bed and ran back down the stairs. They had put the hard mattress on my bed and put all my sheets on and tried to make everything look nice. They were hoping I wouldn't notice. It was hilarious! So, after a little bit of wrestling with the bed and Elder Martinez, he ended up with the rock hard bed, and I got a nice new bed. It is really fun living with three other guys. I'm learning to stand up for myself too.
This transfer is almost over though. On Saturday, we get the phone calls, letting us know if we are staying or going. I am a little nervous, because I want to stay. I really like the other missionaries here, I love the members, and I don't want to leave the investigators that we have yet. They are all cool people that I care about. Wasco and Shafter are awesome. I love serving here, but I am sure I will end up where I am supposed to be. Well, I should get going. I hope you all have a super awesome week!
Much Love,
Elder Thompson