Hello! Elder Thomas here, coming to you from Witney! I want to thank you all so much for your letters, emails, and packages. I really am so blessed to have so much support and love from you all and I've definitely felt the strength from your prayers, especially during the last couple weeks and with all the changes going on. I continue to learn every single day, both from others and from the Holy Ghost, and in this case from the Brethren!
This week has been really great and really interesting! Definitely a bit different with two less elders in the district, but we are getting used to the change. We've got such solid missionaries here in Oxford, good things are happening and more good things are yet to come! Now that all the Americans are gone, I'm around British people 24/7. I don't mind it though, as long as they don't "take the mick" out of me for not understanding everything they say! Anyways, more baptisms will be happening here shortly.
Did a lot of effective work this week! We focused a lot on teaching our potential and former investigators and trying to bring the members with us to teach them. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. You remember Bob from last week's email? We got to teach him the Restoration last Wednesday and it went pretty well. We had high hopes for him, but unfortunately he dropped us! That's the bad news. The good news is, we found some more Polish people to teach and we are continuing to teach the Portuguese family! They are total stars. They're familiar with the gospel because they knew the missionaries back in Portugal, but now their hearts are being softened and they are receptive to the Spirit. We got to teach a bit with Brother Sutton last week and they invited us back, so we'll see how it goes! Aside from baptisms, my favorite part of missionary work is definitely teaching, hands down. The Spirit never fails to touch the hearts of all who hear the message of the Restoration.
As you know, Didcot is back in our area! I never thought I'd go back there, but we spent some time there this week. The familiar sights and smells of Didcot hit me as we arrived and walked into the old flat where I spent the first days of my mission sleeping on the floor. Luckily I had a bed this time! We were able to get some work done and watch conference with some members out there. And of course we went to Caprinos Pizza (best pizza in the UK).
Sunday was a great day. We got to watch conference with the Rathbones, who are ecstatic to go to the temple this coming Saturday! I loved conference and I appreciate it so much more than I did back home. Now it's not just a reason not to do anything, but a reason to apply the words of the prophets into my own life and then act on it. I'm so grateful for our prophet, Thomas S. Monson, and I sustain him and know that he is called of God. God has been so generous to bless us with His words!
I also got to talk to my old companion, Elder Raveneau, yesterday. The Rathbones Skyped him while I was over there and I got to chat with him for a bit! Even though he is now Brother Raveneau and has a mustache, he'll always be my buddy. I must apologise for not taking a picture of myself standing next to my 2 companions during the Skype, I totally forgot!
I love you all so much and I want you to know that I know that God lives. He wants us to be happy and wants to communicate with us. He's blessed us with the Gift of the Holy Ghost, which will always guide us as we stay worthy of it. I know the Church and the Book of Mormon is true. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
That's all for this week, more to come! Have a great week :)
Je t'aime au revoir!
Love, Elder Thomas
ELSM
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| Caprinos Pizza in Didcot |
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| Back in Didcot |
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| Stay classy Didcot |
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| Elder Reynolds and Spike, the Rathbone's cat |
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