Elder Henry H. Thompson: "Go To and Labor in the Vineyard, With Your Might..." Jacob 5:71-72

Happy Thanksgiving week everyone!
I hope everyone enjoys it and gets to eat some good food on Thursday!

- The smoke is still bad. We had to get masks on Friday because it is so bad. Everyone we talk to is like "what are you guys still doing out here?!" it's pretty funny. The mask is so annoying but hey it's for my own good I guess. People think we are hardcore for wearing them around. I guess there is some sort of scale for air quality levels and at 200 it's dangerously unhealthy and right now in Rohnert Park we are at 174, so dang. Other places yesterday it was like 270, so I'm glad I wasn't there. Keep praying that they can get those fires put out soon.

I'm kinda tired of nobody being outside and having to wear a mask for hours on end, but my problems right now are very miniscule compared to the thousands who have been affected, the people who are missing and people who have lost their homes and everything in them.

Hate the masks love our lungs

- I scared the literal pee out of a big dog this week. We were knocking doors out in the country and this big dog came barking at the door, I guess it was pretty scared because when I knocked for the second time, It ran away peeing everywhere. I felt bad for the owner but Elder Pearson and I had a good laugh over that.

- We had interviews with President Meservy this week, which is always great. He is a great man with some wise counsel. We got some Wendy's afterward in Petaluma where I got my first Baconator; not all that it is hyped up to be but it was still good.

-We had a great lesson with Branden and Anissa this past Saturday. We shared with them the Plan Of Salvation and they enjoyed it! They feel like the Book of Mormon is true (because it is!) But it's just a big step for them which means that they would have to stop attending their current church which they love. I know that God will provide a way.

- We were knocking an apartment complex, and a woman told us that we couldnt solicit there and that we had to leave. I thanked her for her warning, nicely, and then kept going after she closed the door. A few doors down, we met Obadiah, who let us right into his house to share a message about Jesus Christ and we taught him about the Book of Mormon. He was a little apprehensive because he is very big Bible reader, but we helped some of his uneasiness. If we would have listened to the woman a few doors before, we would have been robbed of the opportunity to meet Obadiah! I think that opposition means that you are going the right way. Henry B. Eyring said, "If you're going the right way, it will always be uphill."

-We also had a great lesson with Barbara, who continues to read the Book of Mormon and enjoys it! She loves having us over, which is always good. We taught her about the Plan Of Salvation as well and most of it was about how the Fall of Adam and Eve was a good step forward and not a bad thing. It was a hard thing for her to get, because she has been taught her whole life that The Fall was a bad thing, but I think she gets it now! That God has had the same plan since the beginning and he knew that The Fall was going to happen!

-Ethan continues to meet with us and we read from the Book of Mormon with him. He says he likes it and will put Moroni's promise to the test! He quit his job this week so he says he has a lot more time to meet up!

-Kenya and Steve are also great, we are going to set a goal date for them to go to the temple together! They can't wait. I will definitely be coming back for their sealing next October!

A huge shoutout to Operation Ashabadi for 2 years since we left for India!! Man, I miss all of you guys and love all of the memories I have from that trip. I still think about those kids all the time and miss them too. One day I'll go back! It's crazy how fast 2 years goes by, so we need to make every day count!

The Song of the Week is Come Together by the Beatles. You can also check out the cover that Michael Jackson did of it, that one is a cool 80's rendition.

Missions are amazing! I've seen myself change in a lot of ways. I'm sure a lot of people from high school would be surprised haha. The Book of Mormon is true and a divine book and that is my favorite thing to be sharing with people every day. It's made me really happy and so I get to share that happiness with others. I know that we have a loving Father in Heaven who has a plan for each of us individually and that if we follow His son, and do our best, then everything will work out the way it's supposed to. Sorry this is long, I guess I have a lot to say.

Have a great week everyone! I'm thankful for you all.

Much love,

Elder Thompson