Elder Henry H. Thompson: On My Way

My last Crescent City sunset for a while

Friends and Family -

Well, my time in beautiful Northern California is just about up. I want to thank all of you and share with you some of my final thoughts about my mission.

My mission has meant the world to me. It is where I solidified my testimony of Jesus Christ and in His gospel, it has allowed me to see and meet all sorts of people and learn more about a different part of the world, and it has helped me to grow in countless ways. I've learned people skills, picked up good study habits and time management skills, and gotten to know even more what exactly hard work is. But most importantly, I've gotten to see people change their lives for the gospel of Jesus Christ as we have taught it to them and I have seen my own life change because of their example. I can't tell you the joy it is to see someone willing to change to follow Christ.

There is so much I could write about these last 2 years here but I want to highlight just a few experiences. For more about it, you'll have to come to my homecoming ;)

Very early on in my mission, one of the worst fires in California history swept through Santa Rosa, taking out entire neighborhoods and leaving only chimneys and the frames of cars. The thick smoke in the air lasted for weeks and missionaries and even our Mission President was evacuated. Even myself, being a ways away from the big fires, had to keep a suitcase ready by the door in case we were evacuated. Over the next couple of weeks, I got to witness people coming together like I've never seen before. People opened up their homes to total strangers who lost everything. The community came together with big signs and slogans such as, "Sonoma Strong" and "Rise From The Ashes." The bishop of one of the wards up there spent a whole night evacuating people and making sure they were okay, without knowing if his house was safe and sadly, it was also lost in the fire. But these people did "rise from the ashes," and even now, almost 2 years later, houses are still under construction and people are starting to move back in to their old lots. But in those moments, it didn't matter who you were or what you believed in, everyone was a brother or a sister to each other in the Fall of 2017.

I was over the moon excited when I got sent up to Fortuna, a town just a few minutes south of Eureka, California. As it sits in the middle of the Redwood National Forest and The Avenue of Giants, it overlooks the coast of Norcal. I couldn't have asked to get sent to a more beautiful place. It was here that I truly experienced the value of obedience.

In Fortuna, I got to see the first person on my mission accept the gospel and be baptized into the church. Cinthya and Jody will always have a special place in my heart. They are some of the kindest people I've ever met and true examples of treating others as Christ would. Teaching Cinthya was a great experience. She had such a desire to learn and we even committed her to a baptismal date during the first lesson I had with her. Her husband, who had been a member already but just not active for a while, was able to receive the priesthood and baptize his wife. Now over 18 months later, Cinthya and Jody are now sealed to each other for eternity. Very few things bring me as much joy as knowing that they are still strong in the gospel. It was definitely inspiration for me to come to the California, Santa Rosa Mission because I needed to meet them and others in the Norcal area.

Like Brodee, who I consider my long lost brother and someone I knew personally in the premortal life. He lives in a fun place called Redway, California, just a few minutes north of Garberville California, where the most people in the United States go missing every year. Needless to say it was very interesting knocking some doors down there. Brodee accepted the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ without hesitation. He knew it was true as soon as we showed up and started talking to him. I had the privilege of baptizing him about 3 weeks later. Brodee helps out the staggering now 13 members of the Miranda California Branch. He serves like no other and has very generous heart. Even though his own circumstances and being paralyzed from the waist down for the last 10 years hasn't stopped him from thinking of others more than he thinks of himself. I find it crazy to think that if we had been 2 minutes early or 2 minutes late the first time we met Brodee in his truck, we might not have gotten to teach him the gospel. I'm grateful for God's perfect timing, I've seen it time and time again every day of my mission.

Rohnert Park is almost like a home to me. I spent 9 months of my mission there and became close with the ward members and people there. I was very overwhelmed to be sent there with more responsibilities for someone pretty young in the mission, I had only been out for 9 months up until that point. Our zone covered everything from the south border of Santa Rosa to the Golden Gate Bridge and every single missionary in the zone except for 2 brand new missionaries were quite a bit older than me in the mission. But the good news is I got to be reunited with my trainer and that was one of the best things that has happened on my mission. He taught me how to be a missionary so who else would be better to teach me how to be an effective leader?? I'm grateful to have learned more about being a good leader and example. Not to mention getting to see the vineyards of Sonoma County and the beauty of Marin County, including all of its BMW's and Teslas, not mention the Bay of California. It's difficult sometimes in Marin and Sonoma because most of the people are very wealthy but it just makes it even cooler when someone accepts the gospel there, you know they have been prepared.

Like Yanping, she is a convert who moved from China about 8 years ago. She is one of the smartest people I know. She uses quantum physics to understand the gospel. It's so cool to listen to her. She moved from China because China wouldn't allow her to learn about God, so she gave up her VERY well paying job and she and her husband moved to the United States in search of the truth. It was there that the missionaries knocked on her door and started to teach her. Then it was my opportunity to get transferred down there and meet her and finish teaching her and watch her get baptized.

In Lakeport, I saw the complete opposite end of what I saw in San Rafael and Santa Rosa. It's a very poor area with a lot of crime. I'm grateful I went there because we got to find, teach, and baptize Cari. She was so prepared. Every time we brought up a new principle she would say something like: "that answers a question I've had my whole life!" She accepted the gospel quickly and has become a very important person to me. We attended the Oakland temple open house with her and it was a special experience! She loved every bit of the temple and was excited to go back after her baptism. It's amazing the results that can come from simply knocking on someone's door.

Now here in Crescent City, even more north than Eureka, believe it or not, I've been very lucky to have met our friends Chris and Jenna. Chris is a member but Jenna was not. When we first got up here, she was very sure that she would not be able to make a lifestyle change needed to be part of the church and she just didn't think she was ready. But as we kept teaching her and being her friend, we saw her change and her confidence in Heavenly Father's plan for her grow. She has a lot more faith in Him now. Within a few weeks, she has been able to recognize the spirit so much better than I ever have. We felt that she was ready and we extended the trusty baptismal invitation. She accepted and said she was ready! We committed her to August 10th, the last Saturday of my mission. The day I came up to Crescent City, my Mission President pulled me aside at transfers and told me I was coming up here for a reason. I think Chris and Jenna are a huge part of why I was here. I'm so excited for both of them and I'm grateful that I got to be a part of their experience.

Jenna and Chris

There's so much more I could say about these last two years, too many memories to count, and too many experiences to speak of. I've really loved my mission. It's definitely the hardest thing I've ever done but it's also the most worthwhile thing I've ever done.

I'm grateful for the opportunity I had to come here and serve the people of Northern California.

I know God lives and answers prayers. I know His son, Jesus Christ, came to earth, lived a perfect life, suffered for not only our sins but for our sicknesses and our weakness and infirmities, died, and lives again today. I know that He loves us all. I know that if we follow Him and the plan that his Father and our Father made for us, we can have joy forever. I know that Joseph Smith was the tool God used to restore His church to the earth for the eternal benefit of all of us. I know how much happiness the Book of Mormon can bring. I've read it and received a witness for myself that it is the word of God. I know I was meant to be in the California, Santa Rosa Mission. There were specific people waiting here for me to meet, and I'm grateful Heavenly Father allowed me to cross paths with these people. His plan is perfect.

I'm grateful for all I've learned on my mission. It has been the greatest experience of my life so far. Despite trials and discouragement and disappointment, all of which are a part of life, I've had a lot of joy out here. I've been able to learn how to go through trials with the help of Christ and His Atonement. With that, I can do all things. Thank you all for your support it has meant a great deal to me.

I'm excited to see you all very soon. I get home on Wednesday evening and then if you want to hear more about my experiences in Norcal, I'll be speaking in my church on August 25th at 11:30am (2215 E. Roosevelt Ave).

For the very last Song Of The Week, I'm giving you 2 for the price of 1.
They are On My Way by Phil Collins, and Hymn #152 - God be With You Til we Meet Again.

May God be with you all until we meet again and may God continue to bless my people of Norcal until the wonderful day I get to see them again. This place is sacred to me now.

Much love to you all and for the last time,

Elder Henry Thompson

California, Santa Rosa Mission