July 24,
2017
Hello from
Longview!
The most
exciting news of the week is Cindys baptism! As usual, it was not without
opposition. She got bit by a spider the night before that made her throw up
constantly up to an hour before her baptism. But we had so many people praying
for her and after she got baptized she relaxed a ton and said she had never
felt peace like that before. So cool!
I'm writing
this email while driving down to Vancouver to have our departing testimony and
departing dinner. (No mom I'm not in the drivers seat) and it has got me in
quite the reflective mood. One story really sticks out:
When I was
training for the first time in Longview Elder Davenport and I fell into an
anti-Mormon ambush. We had set up an appointment with some people and were
coming back for the return appointment. When we arrived there were 5 different
editions of the Book of Mormon spread out on the table and a pearl of great
price, and of course a bible. The couple sat us down and proceeded to unload
their bazooka of theological warfare. I had been out 8 weeks and didn't have
any answers to their questions. I left that house with a really discouraged
spirit.
As we drove
home I remembered a quote from Joseph Smith that brought me right back. He
said, "I see no faults in the church, therefore let me be resurrected with
the saints. Whether I ascend to heaven or descend to Hell, or go to any other
place. And if we go to Hell we will turn the devil out of doors and make a
heaven out of it. Where this people are, there is good society."
It made me
realize that more than anything I want to be with my parents. I want to be with
my friends that are also serving missions, I want to be with President Taylor
and Moroni and President Uchtdorf. Wherever they go, I want to be with them.
And most of all I want to be with the Jesus Christ I learned about in the Bible
AND Book of Mormon.
96 weeks
later that quote still means a lot to me, mostly because I
really have seen how good members of the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints really are. I have seen members wipe out all
the flowers from their garden just to give an investigator that they don't know
a great wedding. I've seen Bishops give up work time to help a new family move
into the ward. I've seen missionaries fast weekly for less-active members who
have no idea of the sacrifice.
So much, if
not all of this goodness, comes from the reality of a Savior Jesus Christ and
his infinite Atonement that reaches out endlessly. I know that Jesus is the
anointed one. I love him 100%. It is unreal what can happen when people develop
a relationship with Him. It's changed me, changed my companions, changed
members ....and yes even changed the populations of Longview, Gresham, and
Astoria that will accept it!
Love it!
Love my mission! See you tomorrow!
Elder Paul
Thomas
Elder Paul Thomas