You Keep on Walking

Hey all!!!

This week.... went!! and i improved. my panic attacks are fewer and farther in between and i was able to work a lot more. we even had an investigator in church!!! his name is luis. he is really awesome and trying so hard to learn as much as he can.

so today SUCKED hahahahahaha so viste que [you see] i dont really know my way around all of paraguay and with this obra de teatro [theater performance] they have been asking me to travel to a lot of different churches and people are giving me directions like "uh get off the collectivo [taxi] 3 cuadras [blocks] past the mango tree" just doesn't really cut it sometimes. so today i had to find my way to this capilla [church] and it took us like 2 and a half hours and then i had to make my way to the offices.

AND NOW IS WHERE THE REAL ADVENTURE STARTS

i am leaving the offices and im like "fetch i have been to the offices a million times i know where to get on the colectivo [taxi] its just kind of a long walk" so i confidently start leading my companion to the bus stop just like the smarty pants i am and we walk about 10 blocks and i start thinking "this doesn't look familiar" and then start the tears and the ahhh what do i do. so i sit down and i call my district leader to make sure i was almost there and he goes "you turned left when you left the offices, right?"

uh. no.

SO I STARTED CRYING LOTS CUZ WE HAD WALKED FOR SO LONG AND IT WAS SO HOT AND MY WHOLE P DAY WAS OVER AND THE LIFE OF HERMANA THOMAS IS JUST SO HARD OKAY.

but then as we are walking the seemingly long blocks back to where we needed to be, a voice comes into my head, the voice of Jeffrey r holland, with an image of him walking down a long dirt road to find help for his young family. and i heard his voice say "dont you quit. you keep on walking. dont you quit."

Recently on my division with an hermana leader, i learned that jeffrey r holland also struggled with anxiety and depression. i have never felt more confidence than to hear his voice entering my head telling me that i can keep going. and he wasn't just talking about the long blocks to the bus stop, but he was telling me to keep going. to keep fighting the hard times.

So i testify to all of you now, to NOT QUIT. don't you quit. you keep on walking.

with that, this week was better. it wasn't good, it wasn't perfect, but it was better. And God is there.

Spread some Christmas cheer and play in the snow. i love you all so much!!

hermana thomas

Line Upon Line

Hey everyone,

Things are going here in Paraguay. with everything going on with my anxiety, we haven't been able to work a ton, but we have spent lots of time with very loving and patient members and missionaries.

Things are improving little by little! One member told me that I need to stop asking why this is happening to me, but ask for what purpose this is happening to me. So thats what i am doing!! and i may not get my answer soon, but i know i will soon, because God ALWAYS pulls through.

God keeps putting people in my path to help me, and is giving me small opportunities to serve. i am grateful for my talent with music, because singing NEVER stresses me out.

I love you all, and thank you for your prayers!!!

Hermana Thomas

Hey All

hey everyone!!

bad news my camera is broken again so no cute pictures.

things are going well in laurelty!!! we have some cute investigators and i have taught a lot these past two weeks!! now we just ogtta get these people to church ahahahaha!!!

i want to get a little personal for a minute. during my whole mission, i have struggled with anxiety and a little bit of depression. i mean who wouldnt amiright its STRESSFUL and its HARD. hahahahaha. But you guys, God is real. we dont always know his plan for us, and sometimes he only lights one footstep ahead of us, but we keep holding to that rod and pressing forward. i want to testify that this church is true, and that the atonement is real. no matter how far down you feel, Christs hand will reach down low enough to you, all you have to do is reach up and grab it. So, as I keep going here day by day, i just try and grab his hand and let him guide me.

I am not sure whats going to happen tomorrow, or the next day or the next day, but God is lighting the way for me one step at a time, and I am going to trust that for now.

Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but Today is a gift from God. my dad told me that and I am not really sure who orignally said it so we are just gonna say my dad is super wise.

i am grateful for a very loving and supporting family who has always got my back, as well as members and missionaries who help me out every day!!

LOVE YOU ALL!!!
HERMANA THOMAS

New Companion

HOLA!!

yes i am still in paraguay but i am now serving in a much more asian culture!!! lol!! my cute new companion is from the PHILLIPINES!! i love her so much you guys!!! hahaha my subject line is because she moved everything around in the apartment and i asked her if she believed in feng shui and she was like "what, no, thats chinese people, i just thought the oven made more sense over here." lol so thats how cultured i am. good thing it makes her laugh lol.

this week was really hard and really good. a sweet moment for every bitter. after being constrained the house for about 2 weeks i realized that we kind of didnt have many people to see with my new companion. she was very patient and loving as we contacted and i cried and then we contacted more and i cried lol. BUT THINGS ARE COMING BACK TOGETHER POR SUERTE [luckily]. god always always always pulls through if we put our trust in him.

we were supposed to have a capilla abierta [open house] this weekend and then it rained a foooooool!!! so they canceled it. but we are gonna try again this weekend. but we got to clean the font for a little talk thing they do about baptism!!

our ward is so cute!!! at noche de barrio they had my comp take a penalty shot because she has never played soccer before and everyone was cheering her on and it was so cute i had ganas [the urge] to cry, en serio [seriously].

things are going uphill always. God only wants to bless, and when he doesnt its because hes going to soon. I promise.

i testify that Jesus Christ is my savior, and in my time here on earth i want to do what he would do if he were here. do my best to focus on what i have to give, not what i have yet to receive. its fetching hard but its really cool when i can do it hahaha.

remember no matter how low you are, how far you have gone, God STILL loves you. your worth does not depend on your circumstances or choices. you are always worth so much, and dont forget it!!!

i love you all SO MUCH!!!!!!!

HERMANA THOMAS