Happy Halloween

Hey everyone!  How are you doing?  It looks like things are finally covered in snow.  Just in time for Halloween.  I am not going to lie, I am a little sad that I can't be there to go Trick-or-Treating, but I am sure that we will probably scare just as many people as those trick-or-treating.  Ha!  Hopefully, we can just have an appointment or something, because dooring that night may be a little less than ideal.  Haha!

Sounds like the Calgary Temple Dedication was also a lot of fun.  I watched the Highlight reel from the Cultural Celebration on the Church Website.  It made me laugh that they had Mounties and Hockey, although that is really a given. 

Things this week were okay.  They were pretty slow with investigators to be totally honest.  How slow you ask? Slow enough, that I had 0 lessons.  Yeah... It didn't help that quite a couple were sick, and then we were gone on Friday because of interviews.  But, our lack of appointments meant that we had time to do quite a bit of contacting. 

This week we did actually manage to find a couple people who are interested.  And we actually got 2 referrals this week.  Which never happens!  It was pretty insane!  Both of them seem like they have quite a bit of potential, so we will hopefully see something this week with that.  

We also had interviews this week which was so good.  I love President and Sister Miles so much.  It was really good.  We talked about things that I can be doing to become the missionary I want to be.

Sorry this letter is so lame.  Not really a whole lot happened this week.  I love you all a lot!  Have a good Halloween. 

--
Sincerely,

Elder Thompson

October 22, 2012

This week was pretty good.  For P-Day last week we went to Singen to go on a hike to Hohentwiel again.  It was really nice because all the leaves were changing colours, but it was a little colder than I would have enjoyed.  Haha!  But it was still really fun.  I am getting worried that I am taking all of the things here for granted, and then when I come home I will really regret not doing more, and taking it all in.  I already regret not taking more pictures, so I am trying to do that more.  Which doesn't really work so well.  But oh well.  

.  

On Tuesday, we had a District Meeting which was good.  We really have so many times where we can just learn and feel of the spirit.  I know that I learn so much from other missionaries, and there is something different about learning with them.  I remember that when we all went to Seminary, that all my friends and I had such a strong friendship because of that.  It's the same here.  I think I am really going to miss a lot of people since EVERYONE and their dog will be going to BYU, and the few who aren't are going to to BYU-Idaho or U of U.  Then there is me at U of A!  Woohoo!!  Haha!  But I am okay with it.  It just means I will have that many more friends in Utah who I can stay with when I go to Conference.  On Tuesday, we also went by on a member family, the H'.  They are way cool. 

It will also be nice to have appointments.  I got the letter from everyone and noticed that Brodie said something along the lines of ''This week was a really tough week, but then I remember how Connor said he had a week with no lessons... Ouch...''  Glad to hear that I am now the person who makes you feel good about yourself.  Haha!  But I have to remind myself that every mission will have different challenges.  Things that are good here, are things that people wish for their.  I just have to try to remember what those are... Haha!  (Indoor Plumbing, Clean Hospitals, no huge spiders, German Chocolate.  Just to name a few.  Hah!)  

Not a whole lot happened through the week. 

On Friday, we went to Singen to have a big Finding Day.  We all got together and then as a District we went contacting together.  Sort of.  It was mostly, that we all went to Singen and went contacting there to find them investigators.  So Elder H and I went to one part of town, and the other elders went to another, and the others to another part.  It was a good idea, and is something that we are going to be doing every week.  So hopefully we can figure out a way to make it even more effective.  And then find tons of investigators for us here in Bad Säckingen.  We will have one here in November (we rotate in our district every week).

On Sunday, we were very blessed to heard from President Monson.  He was in Germany to visit people here and on Sunday was in Frankfurt, and the meeting was broadcast all over Germany.  It was really neat.  Especially to hear him just after General Conference. He talked about how we need to be better at doing small and simple things for people, and how we need to continue to reach out to those who have lost their way, and help those who don't know the way.  It was really good.  I know that he is a true Prophet of God.  

Things in general are going pretty good.  The members are sweet.  We went bowling with the Priesthood and had a lot of fun with them.  

 I love you a lot!  I know the church is true.  And that it is the one thing that will bring us the most happiness in our lives.  Thanks for your support.  I love you so much!

--
Sincerely,

Elder Thompson

Another Month is Gone!

Hey everyone! How are you all doing?  Sounds like everyone is doing good.  I'm happy to hear that Thanksgiving was good.  The German equivalent, Ernterdankfest (Ernte = Harvest, Dank = Thank, Fest = Fest(?) ) is not really that popular here.  Plus Germans don't even like Pumpkin pie.  But that's okay.  I will have enough of it next year to make up for the loss.  Haha!
Things this week were pretty good.  After Conference, we stayed in Schwenningen and had a P-Day where we went on a hike.   It was a lot of fun and was really cool.  We are actually going on a hike again today (to Hohentwiel again) but it should look really nice with the leaves all cool.  Hopefully. 
On Tuesday, we drove to Zurich to have a Zone Meeting.  It was good.  We talked about goals and what not, and how we can be better missionaries.  The usual.  It was really good though.  At Conference one of the 70's talked about getting into a movie for cheaper by saying he was 11 (reminded me of some aspects of childhood...) so that he could buy more candy bars.  When he told his dad, his dad said to him 'Would you sell your soul for a nickel?'.  We talked about the nickels that we have on our missions, and the things that hold us back from being the best we can be.  After that we had to race back to Bad Säckingen (we drove to Zurich) because we had an appointment with J. 
  Not a whole lot special happened with our investigators this week other than them.  Mostly because we went to Munich on Friday to talk to President Miles (Which is about 5 hours to get there, and 5 to get back). 

  I love you guys a lot!  Glad to hear you are all doing good.  Congrats to Grandma Pat!  I will probably even be back for the wedding.  Strange to think how fast time goes.  Love you!!!


--
Sincerely,

General Conference!

Woohoo!!! General Conference!  It was really an amazing end to probably one of the craziest weeks of my mission so far.  Where to start?
I guess with transfer calls.  It is strange and I felt like the last calls were just a little bit ago, time just goes faster and faster on my mission.  It's insane.  So despite what we both may have wanted, Elder H and I are staying together.  It was a little funny in all honesty.  Elder H was convinced that one of us was leaving.  Heh... So young...
 So on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday we were in Singen to help out with the Open House of their new chapel there.  Which I am assuming that in comparison to the temple in Calgary it was a pretty lame.  Open House.  Haha!  How was that?   And that is sweet you guys got to go with some investigators.  And got to meet the Mission President.  That doesn't happen too often.  Haha!  Which is strange.  President Miles only has 7 Stakes, and the members complain that is too much here (Mostly because about 5 years ago before the missions combined, there was an Austrian Mission (with 2 stakes), the Swiss Mission (With 4 Stakes), and the Munich Mission (With 4 Stakes), and apparently they saw the Mission President much more often.  Now they can't too much because the mission is from Vienna to Bern.  Which is pretty big).   So on Monday, there were hardly any people there and we decided we needed to change our battle plan.  (Which was that 2 people stayed there, and the other 6 missionaries would just go contacting and try and get some people to go to the church.  It did not work.)  So what we did on Tuesday in order to try and show people that more things were going on, was set up a ping pong table outside, and then played there and on the basketball hoop.  And it actually worked.  Quite a few more people came out and it was good.  We tried it out again on Wednesday, but it didn't really work so well.   But as a missionary, we just do what we are told.  It was a little tough, but a lot of fun to be with the other missionaries.  Especially right before transfers. 
 Our Joint Teach also offered to help Elder Hansen (and I suppose I would benefit too by virtue of being his companion and having to be there with him) by teaching him German throughout the week.  So we will see what happens with that.  But I think it will be good. 
Then of course, this weekend we had General Conference.  It was so good.  If that doesn't convince a person that the church is true, I don't know what would.  I loved it.  I loved Elder Holland's talk, and President Uchtdorf's.  I am really excited for the Sunday Afternoon (We watch that in Sacrament meeting on the 28th).  We also have a really cool chance to hear again from President Monson because he is coming to Germany in 2 weeks.  He is stopping in Berlin, Hamburg, Frankfurt, and Munich.  And although we don't get to go there, we get to watch a broadcast of it on the 21st instead of church, so that will sweet. 
We are actually in Schwenningen right now and are going to go on a cool hike for P-Day.  (I also went running this morning for Sport.  First time since December.  That was a mistake... Haha!  I have a lot to improve on before we are in Hawaii). 
I love you guys a lot! 

--
Sincerely,

Elder Thompson

October Already!

So, sounds like everyone had a big week.  Glad to hear that things are going good at home.  Good to hear the boys are getting settled as well.  I still really cannot believe it that they are in school.  Where does the time go?  Hopefully they will learn to write soon.  I know someone who loves mail.  Haha!  Except, I really can't complain too much about it.  I got three letters on one day this past week.  One from mom, with the missionary stuff, one from Bishop Hill, and one from Grandma Pat.  And I even got a postcard from a friend in Montreal.  Not too shabby.
So this week was a pretty good week.  Like I mentioned on Sunday, life with a GML (Ward Mission Leader) is nice.  We had 5 appointments this week (which is quite a few.  As of late things have been really slow, and so 5 is awesome), and we had members come to all of them.  Which is so sweet.  The ward here is really warming up to the missionaries, and is getting more excited about missionary work. 
I will just go through the week and tell about our appointments.  For the rest of the time that we weren't in appointments we were trying to find, which wasn't too successful this week, but hopefully this week will be better.  So Wednesday, we had an appointment with F and R.    Later that day we had an appointment with Sister E and A.  Brother T was there and is a super Joint Teach.  After that we had Young Men's and Young Women's.  Which is so different here.  It's crazy.  There was one young woman, and A was the only young man.  Then we were there, and then there were 3 leaders.  It's really so different than at home.  And things are so hard for the kids here.  I thought it was bad at home to be a member in comparison to everyone else.  Boy was I wrong.
On Thursday, we had a good appointment with T, We talked about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and how it can help us.   It was funny.  She talked about how because we hadn't seen her that often so every other time we met there was a new missionary because of either exchanges or transfers.  Which is true actually.  And then it probably will happen again since transfers are next week.  Haha! 
On Saturday we came to Singen (Where we will be again this week Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.  Then we come back to Bad Säckingen for Thursday and Friday, and then Saturday afternoon leave again so we can watch Conference.  Then we will come back on Monday.  Have District Meeting on Tuesday, and then we have Wednesday to pack and say good bye because (hopefully) someone will be transferred maybe.  It's going to be so crazy!!!) 
 Anyways, I should probably go.  We are already in Singen.  And everyone is just here sitting here while I type.  So I should probably just go.  I love you guys a lot! I will write a better letter next week, I promise!!!
Love you!!!

--
Sincerely,

Elder Thompson