Epic Conference!

4.2.18

Hey everyone! 

First of all, big congrats to my cousin, Nathan Fetzer on his mission call!!  Super excited for him, headed to Lima Peru West in June!!
Not a ton happened this week because my comp was sick for a lot of it but man, what a heck of a General Conference huh? A few cool things from this week: 

We picked up an investigator this week who also watched Conference with us and was even taking down notes! How awesome is that?! I'll update you guys some more on her next week. 

Also, our recent convert and her husband watched all of the sessions of Conference and also had us over for one of them. They absolutely loved them. I was so happy. And to add onto that, they got their temple recommends this week and were interviewed for their Patriarchal Blessings! That is such a success! 

Some of my favorite talks from Conference include those of Elder Bednar, President Oaks, Elder Holland, and President Nelson. I know they are all men called of God as prophets.  I loved how much President Nelson spoke.  The Spirit was so strong for me when they were speaking.   I'm super happy about the new temples announced! India needs one for sure. I'm so happy for them. 

The song of the week this week is: It Feels Like We Only Go Backwards by Tame Impala. Solid song. 

Remember to read the BOM every day and listen to a Conference talk that you liked. Share one with a friend. 

Have a great week! 

Elder Thompson 

Here's me blowing some bubbles for dogs. They liked it. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wycjnCCgUes  Feels Like We Only Go Backwards

Earthquake! Now that I have your attention, watch General Conference!

3.26.18

Hey all it's been a week for sure! Some highlights include: teaching a great lesson; singing at a baptism; and also experiencing my first earthquake!  So you could say it was a pretty good week. Elder Kelly and I will be staying together in Fortuna for another transfer, I'm pretty stoked about that.

We taught the Restoration to our investigator Starla. It was going really well and then before we were about to teach her about the Book of Mormon, she asked for one! It was quite amazing! We invited her to the small branch down in Miranda . Pretty successful! 

On Friday, a group of 2 sisters and one other elder and I sang, "Lord I Will Follow Thee" at the baptism of someone that the Eureka sisters taught. I'd say it turned out well and it brought the Spirit so that's all that matters! 

We had a small earthquake which was cool. We were just sitting at the church about to play basketball and it just started shaking for a few seconds. It was kinda neat actually. Everyone up here just shakes them off, no pun intended.

General Conference is this week! I'm very excited. We might go watch a little with our recent convert.  I would highly suggest watching it for sure! Hearing the words of these prophets, apostles, and leaders is such a great thing. Invite a friend to watch with you or send them a quote that really jumps out at you, there will be several.

Song of the week: The Nights by Avicii.  It's a good one.

Much love,

Elder Thompson 

Eureka Zone

Pre-transfer basketball

sticker on the back of this Slow A** Bus 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtF6Jej8yb4  THE NIGHTS  Avicii

Nerf Wars, Star Wars, and Exchanges

3.19.18

I hope everyone had a fun St. Paddy's Day! I was able to celebrate by wearing my green tie and my leprechaun hat! We also had corned beef and cabbage that night. 

Also, Happy Birthday to Molly! 14!!
We had a great week this week! Not too many super solid investigators but we are working our way up there! Also trying to help a recent convert get to the temple.  Medford, Oregon is the closest temple.  

 I went on exchanges to Arcata with my District Leader and we found 6 new investigators. It was crazy! We also extended a baptismal date. It was a good productive day, those are always good. We also had a nerf war with the Elders Quorum so that was interesting... and had crab for dinner, benefits of being on the coast.  I  burned a tie to commemorate my 6 month mark.

I was also able to attend the baptism of someone that my trainee, Elder Jones, had taught. The Spirit was strong that what these people are doing is right. If there is a baptism near where you are, I recommend you go to it! You won't regret it. 

We went to Sequoia Park which is in the middle of Eureka.  It's beautiful and where they filmed part of Star Wars: Return of The Jedi, the Endor scene.

I'm getting excited for Conference coming up soon! I have a new-found love for hearing the words of these apostles, prophets, and leaders.  Please watch Conference and feel the truthfulness of what these great men and women are saying. It's a really great time of year with Easter and Conference coming up, so please take advantage of it. 

The song for this week is "Higher Ground" by my man, Stevie Wonder. A classic!

Shout out to East High Lax, by the way. Wish I could be at the Coach Hearn Memorial Game.  Keep putting in work so you can wreck people in the playoffs this year. I'd love to hear from some of you as well! 

Much love everyone, 

Elder Thompson 

burning a tie

Sequoia Park

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wZ3ZG_Wams  Higher Ground/Stevie Wonder

Six Months in the CASRM!

3.13.18

Hey everyone! I feel like my group emails are getting progressively less entertaining, so I'm sorry about that. We had a good but uneventful week. Lucky for yout it means this is going to be a short email. 
March is a big family birthday month... shouts out this week to Sophie, Grandpa Mick, Murphy, Jack, and Tanner!  It's also my 6 month mark in the mission so that's cool.

We had the opportunity to get 2 new investigators this week! I'm telling you, potential investigators and part member families are where it's at. That's where we find most of our investigators. Hopefully we can get them to church soon. We have also had some good lessons with 2 recent converts who are already super strong. So that is a sure way of making this missionary happy. We also had a lesson down in Garberville (sketch town) with two investigators who soaked up the Plan of Happiness! The hardest part might be getting them into the branch in Miranda which has 9 members. 

We actually didn't have to speak yesterday since we don't have the miles to go to Miranda two Sundays in a row so they understood. We did have to teach a class yesterday and it went well! 

We went to a dinner with a younger family and it turned out to be the birthday party for their 5 year old son..... their extended family was there and all of their neighbors were there too haha. It was pretty awkward. Giving the spiritual thought at the end was a task too because it was a bunch of 5 year olds and 2 families that don't even speak English so needless to say it was fun. 

I continue to read the Book of Mormon every day and I can see the change that it has made in my life. I'd like to also challenge all of you to read it every day! Even if it's just a verse! It will help you out with anything you need. 

Song of the week is Good Times Bad Times by led zeppelin

Love, Elder Hank

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsZG7n7ries Good Times Bad Times led zeppelin

Like a Really Small Seminary With Old People

3.5.18

I think I experienced one of the most "missionary" things that could happen to someone this week: because it is the #PacificNorthWest, it rains hard a lot in the winter.  It just so happened to be raining a lot this week when Elder Kelly and I found, after a great lesson, that we had a flat tire and our wheel was touching the ground pretty much. So we had to change that tire real quick so that we didn't get completely soaked but yeah, a very missionary thing to happen. 

Other than that, we did a lot of work down in southern Humboldt this week, Miranda, Weott, Myers Flat, and Garberville. Somehow we made it out alive... and with 2 new investigators! That was a good feeling! Also on Sunday we went to a branch that we cover down in Miranda and there were 9 people there.  It was like a really small Seminary with old people.  We blessed the sacrament, gave both prayers and bore our testimonies.  I thought "man, that's real dedication there" because it would be very hard to go with so few people attending. They really appreciated us coming down for sure. So appreciative that we got asked to speak next week.... 

Today, we went to the beach more northward called "Trinidad." We went on a hike and walked the beach a while. It was cool looking out there to think that Bryce is just on the other side. (I yelled "hey Bryce" if you heard it, Bryce.) It was a beautiful hike and a wonderful beach. I'll attach pictures. We also found a cool cross that we took pictures by as well.

 

Things are great here! Just trying to find more people to teach so that will be our main focus for this upcoming week. Wish me luck! 

The Song Of The Week this week is "She" by Green Day because it's a classic and I learned this week that Green Day came out with a greatest hits album and the best part is the name of it: "God's Favorite Band" I love it! 

Have a great week everyone! 

Elder T

With Elder Kelly

Hey Bryce, can you hear me?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnF0pkWD2Tc   "She"  Green Day

Don't Stop Believing: Finding Jesus in Fortuna

2.26.18

Hey all, 
First off, shout out to Josh Ford for getting his mission call this week! The Philippines is about to get a good one! 
Had some pretty cool experiences this week but I'll save that for a little later. 

Thursday we went down to a place called Garberville and it's pretty sketchy - like you might get stabbed by a homeless guy but it's fun too. We found a new investigator there and we also went to a questionable place called "murder mountain"...  there was snow up there so you know we had to go! We took some pictures and tried to visit a member but they probably just thought we were the authorities and wouldn't answer the door. This happens to be that place I was talking about where the most disappearances happen each year. We started getting weird looks like we weren't supposed to be there so we left but I got to see some neat greenhouses! I'll attach some pictures from there.

Saturday was the real day:  BAPTISM. That's right, Cinthya got baptized this week and I couldn't be more stoked to have been a part of it. She is super solid in the church already, along with her husband so that makes things a ton better! The Spirit was so strong watching her come up out of the water... practically a new person. It makes me feel good to have been a positive influence in someone's life and help them out. I'm grateful for the opportunities I have every day as a missionary to help others. I know that as we look for those times to help others, our own lives will be blessed because of it. 

Keep reading the Book of Mormon every day. It will change your life, I promise! 

The Song Of The Week is "Dont Stop Believin" by Journey.

 Don't stop believin' everyone! 

Elder Thompson 

Cinthya's baptism

Finding Jesus

Garberville

Eel River

Mission Conference with Elder Holland

Snow on Murder Mountain

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1k8craCGpgs  "Don't Stop Believin'" Journey

First Snow and First Baptism in Fortuna

2.19.18

New address: 
840 6th Street
Fortuna, CA 95540
thompson.henry@myldsmail.net

Hello friends. Here is an update of things that I did this past week in my mission, as is customary for a missionary. 

This week was a good one.  We spent some of it getting ready for the baptism this Saturday. This will be the first person that I'll baptize!  We were able to give her husband the priesthood so that he can perform the actual ordinance! It was a very great experience. 

Other than that, we found some new investigators and we got some solid return appointments for this week so I'm pretty stoked. It'll be good. 

I was at a members house this past week eating dinner and she fed us this cake and gave us whipped cream.  I ate all of it, but then realized that the whipped cream had expired last October! It did kind of taste funny.... but I'm alright everyone, don't worry. 

We also got the chance to use our guesthouse dogs to our advantage! We took them for a walk to try to get people to talk to us. It worked pretty well, they're a great conversation starter.  We will have to do it again! 

Also it snowed in Fortuna this morning!!!! It was awesome. It was actually like sleet but close enough!   We had breakfast at the Jutila's house this morning.  They are an older couple and when people need help, they just invite them to live with them! They have a ton of people living there and we get to teach everyone!  They're very nice. We've eaten there a lot.  

Song of the week is The Magnificent Seven by The Clash.

Have a great week everyone! Read a few verses from the Book of Mormon every day. I promise it will bless your life and you'll see a difference! 

Elder Thompson 

Snowy Monday morning

Ferndale Cemetary

Ferndale looking out on the coast

Fog on the coastline

Mystic the guesthouse dog stopped in to visit

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcHL8efKKPE  The Magnificent Seven/The Clash