Don't Quit

Again, this keyboard is hard.... okay so here we go! the first night i got here was crazy. i had no idea what was going on, supposedly my companions name was hermana gonzalez but i had no idea where she was, and i had to help this poor girl who also had no idea what was going on. i finally found hermana gonzalez and i said asked her if she speaks english, and she shook her head no, and she could barely understand my spanish. and then, she walked away! hahahah!!!! it was so awkward and awful. that night i was helping hermana brown because she had no roommates and was very lost and also had no companion. we went to reception and found her companion, who happened to have GIANT suitcases with no wheels. for those of you who think im not strong, i am! because the hermana was very tired and almost in tears so i carried both of her almost 50 pound suitcases to her room. it was so fun haha!

so i am the only gringa in my district. there is one girl who can speak english about as well as i speak spanish. other than that no english, except for what i have taught them! but its so fun and they are SO NICE! i had a difficult time adjusting to their culture at first because they are late to everything and dont like to plan, but we get along super super super well now. me and my companion knuckle bump under the table when we do something good because my teacher told me missionaries shouldnt knuckle bump and so my companion started doing it under the table haha its pretty funny.

im kinda famous for being in a spanish district cuz i guess its pretty unheard of. there is one girl in my zone who is in a spanish district but she was in an english district for her first three weeks. so i see her every once in a while and i see americans in the lunchroom and speak english occassionally.

my district leader is JUST LIKE my grandpa zayas. hahaha. the first thing he asked me was what is your problem just like grandpa in his accent haha. he was somewhat offended when i told him he reminded me of my 80 year old grandpa though.

i have newfound respect for everyone i know who served a mission because it isnt easy, like not at all. and im not even in the field yet! but its also so cool because im doing things i had no idea i can do. my schedule each day is jampacked with everything i have to do with my spanish district, and on top of that i have to do language study during my meals and in the morning and the afternoon. so i have no time to breathe. hermana guerrerro, the girl who speaks english, is so sweet and told me she thinks im the best in the district and that i work 3 times as hard and it made me feel really good. another girl in the ccm thanked me for my smile and it was so cute! she started crying and told me when she sees my positivity it encourages her to be the same way. its amazing because i dont feel positive half the time but heavenly father helps me to look it.

my subject like is be a force in the world. in one of my favorite devotionals they told us to be a force in the world, not a mere presence. wake up every day and go do the work. show your faith with your feet. im not a morning person but amazingly every day i have rolled out of bed right when the alarm clock goes off to pray and start my language study. its so awesome to feel like im improving so much, but i know its all because of my lord and savior jesus christ. i can do all things through him and i have already done a lot through him and i am so grateful he has strengthened me in my capacity. In another devotional we watched this video from a moving called facing the giants... i think. its about football. but in the scene the football player crawls across the field with another player on his back, all the while his coach is yelling at him not to quit and keep going. the player is blindfolded and things he is going 20 yards but actually goes the whole field. its really inspirational and beautiful and when i miss my family, or my companion cant understand what im saying, or when i feel entirely inadequte, i hear my heavenly father whispering to me dont quit. keep going, you can do this. and I CAN AND I WILL. the gathering of israel is the most important thing taking place on this earth at this time and i am so grateful to be a part of something so huge and to be an instrument in gods hands.

im going to try to send pictures i promise but uh my camera kinda broke. im a hot mess. but hermana guajardo took a few pictures and if she has time she will send them to me to send to you all. I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS AND SUPPORT.

I LOVE YOU AND THANKS FOR YOUR EMAILS I WILL TRY TO ANSWER THEM ALL!

Hermana Thomas*