In-Field Week 5 - Lights, Spirit, Baptism!

Cómo está? Que pasó? Buckle up for this weeks email. We had lots happen so hang on for this.

Tuesday we had some awesome plans for the day, everything was going great...then my other foot (the one not booted, remember that) decided it wanted some attention and reared its ugly, painful monster for about two hours. We got put under house arrest for the day by the medical advisor because of it.

Wednesday my foot was better so we...traveled up to Kingwood in our car! We got a car for now while my foot attempts to heal. Don't worry, it wasn't for a medical purpose...yet. It was actually for new missionary training where new missionaries become certified to drive mission vehicles along with a few other things. We roasted our companions to President Hewlett. Not really, but we tell President how we're feeling about them as trainers and if we have any concerns.
Then we went to the doctor for xrays! Not for my foot, but for my arm. See, about two years ago, I bruised my right forearm really bad and never had an xray to see if there was a fracture or anything. So when my bike tipped past its center of gravity and my ankle decided not to work, I smacked it on the concrete. And I couldn't put too much pressure on it for a few days after. So we had some xrays taken just to be sure it wasn't anything severe. I haven't gotten the results back yet so who knows what's up with my body!
After that, we got ready to head back to our area and Elder Blackburn asked if I wanted to drive. I said yes so I hopped in the driver's seat. Before I continue, let me describe something. Mission vehicles have a computer in them that allows the mission office to see where the car is, how it's running, how fast it's going, stuff like that. This computer is known as a Tiwi and you have to use a card assigned to you tp drive. Well, that night, Tiwi was not happy with me and wouldn't let my card work. :( So I had to postpone my driving for a day.

Thursday my Tiwi card worked! So I drove like five miles max because we went to the temple! The temple is amazing. Highly recommended.
Also, we visited a less active member and I shared a scripture just out of the blue and she said that was exactly what she needed right then. Talk about inspiration!

Friday we went to Kingwood again! But I drove this time! (I take the boot off and put on my other regular shoe to drive. It actually works quite well.) We also got switched out of our Toyota Corolla to a RAV4. It's my favorite vehicle right now. Oh, I had to get blood drawn as well. There's apparently an enzyme in the bloodstream that will help the doctors determine if my tendons are healing so they took a blood sample to see if that's what was happening. Then I was lightheaded and did not drive home.
However, we did have an awesome dinner with the same less active and she is just amazing. She is going to try to make it on Sunday.

Saturday, not much happened. Oh wait, that's a lie. Something very big did happen. So we've been teaching this family where the mom is a very inactive member and she has two sons who are not members. Their names are Benjamin and Dylan. We've been teaching them a bit the last two weeks and so we went again for an appointment. We talked about 3 Nephi 11 and asked them what they were feeling about the chapter. We expected a response like "good, because Jesus is here talking to the people." They gave us the answer of "we feel like we need to be baptized". So we extended the date of March 7 for them! We're so excited for them!

Sunday we absolutely packed our schedule for the week with dinner appointments with less active members, those we're teaching, and investigators! That usually doesn't happen for us so we were super stoked it did. Miracles all around!
Also, our less active and her three kids showed up!

This week was kind of a fast week and I've been told it just gets faster as you go.

My message for the week is that even if you or someone you know has drifted away from the gospel, hope is not lost. Even if terrible sins have been committed, hope is not lost.

"Now, what of you who have already made mistakes or have lost yourselves to an immoral lifestyle? What hope do you have? Are you cast off and lost forever? These are not unforgivable sins. However unworthy or unnatural or immoral these transgressions may be, they are not unforgivable (see D&C 42:25). When completely forsaken and fully repented of, there can open the purifying gift of forgiveness, and the burden of guilt will be erased. There is a way back—long, perhaps; hard, certainly; possible, of course!"
Boyd K. Packer, October 2000 General Conference, "Ye Are the Temple of God"

"If we sin, we are less worthy, but we are never worth less! We continue to repent and strive to be like Jesus with our worth intact. As President Brigham Young taught: “The least, the most inferior spirit now upon the earth … is worth worlds.” No matter what, we always have worth in the eyes of our Heavenly Father."
Joy D. Jones, October 2017 General Conference, "Value Beyond Measure"

Here is another talk that I truly love.
Jeffrey R. Holland, April 2017 General Conference, "Songs Sung and Unsung"

I love you all and hope you all have a great week. While we all go through trials, no matter the circumstances, God is always there ready to help. All we have to do is ask and then act. I testify that is true. Nos vemos pronto!

--
Elder Thacker