Jessica.Thompson@myldsmail.net

Hola!!!! 

Bug bites scarrrrrrrr

Our landlord Mom and dog...I think her name should be Lassie

Water Balloon P DAY... 

One of our small families.  lol

His hugs remind me of Jacobs!

I've decided that being known as the giant Hermana is OK.

Well i forgot ot mention that last week our zone had a water balloon fight and it was great! Loving those water balloons. 

On martes we got a call from Maria and she told us she is going to assist a different church and pretty much dropped us. they were soooo pilas and had sooooo much potential! they believed in joseph smith and the book of mormon, but they dont want to do anything about it. thats how a lot of people are here. That day was a day of rejection. everything fell through and it was just hard. Miercoles was still a day of rejection, but i have quite the story. 

We knocked on an 80 year olds door and she cant hear or anything. she invited us in and had us sit right up close to her. she went on and told us that jesus gave her her sickness and that one day she is going to have more power than him because he will save her. she told us wwe needed to go home get married and have ten kids. five girls and five boys. she said when she is saved everyone will be ten years old and then she will find a  husband and will have 12 kids. she told us she will look so beautiful and ahve white skin and blue eyes...aka a gringa...it was just interesting. She lived alone all her life and we just feel really bad for her. she told us a very long story for about an hour but we couldnt talk because she couldnt hear us. 

Then we met with a man who started reading an anti mormon book to us. his name was freddy and weeks past we were talking to a man also named freddy who just wanted to argue as well. we arent here to argue we are here to help people come closer to christ. its just a little hard. 

We decided to go back to Elizabeth, the lady who lives with the korean who offered us jello, because she wasnt there when we had set the appointment for before. so it had been a week and we went back .she was so excited and said she had been waiting for us! She has had a lot a lot of hardships in her life and has realized she is misssing god in her life. she has truly been humbeled. in 3 nephi 11 it talks about how we need to be humble before accepting the lord and having faith, and i know that is true. I have a lto more humbling to do on the mission thats for sure. We had a lesson with Maria and her little girls and they all danced for us and sang for us! then they came to church!!!!!!!!!!! ahh it was so great! hopefully they will be an example for their parents. 

On friday we met a lady who told us her whole life story and her police record, its crazy how much info people trust us with. so many people have many many trials, and it makes me very grateful for the blessings i ahve had in my life. 

We were teaching a recent convert and i wanted to say something but something totally different came out! I love when that happens because I know the spirit is speaking through me and it really shows we are instruments in gods hands. 

On sabado everything fell through again, but we had a bday party for Elainas little two year old girl because she didn't have enough money to buy her a cake so we decided to throw a party with some members! it was so great! i love them so much!!! i hope she decided to get baptized one day. Elaina said a prayer at the end of one of our lessons and it was so beautiful and from her heart. it was so great. 

Well thats all for the week!! 

Love ya all!! I love love hearing from all of you! 

love 

Hermana Thompson

I lived in the movie Tangeled for a split second.

Hola!!! 

So today is Independence day for Guatemala, aka they partied all weekend. we had to return to our houses at 6 on Friday and Saturday for our safety of course, we arent allowed to party haha. But on Friday we were on our way home and looked in the sky and saw tangeled lanterns!!! no joke! like the paper lanterns in the sky! hundreds!! it was amazing!! It has always been something on my bucket list to see so it made me sooo happy!! 

Also, I would like to point out that the people here eat mayo and ketchup with EVERYTHING. even pizza. vegetables. spaghetti. you name it, they eat it with it. 

On monday we had family home evening with the Lopez family and Denny came who is an old investigator that may be baptized but we have a pñroblem getting him permission for it. He attends everything and was the investigator who called us to go to church. 

So where we live is owned by a member so all of our neighbors are members. Its the mom, all her kids who are married and have their own kids, and so on. they all live close by and its sooo much fun!!! so grateful for such amazing members. 

On martes we did a little service for this family and carried in some cement blocks. i have photos of all this but i cant send them on this computer so next week!! promise!! One of the Lopez families makes us get up at 6 and go read the book of mormon in spanish with them. Its been a struggle but it will help in the end! haha they just want to help us! 

Miercoles started out as any other day. Then we get to this house and a Korean man opened the door, called us elders, then offered us jello. I still dont understand what was going on because he literally was speaking korean, english, and spanish, we were very confused. There was also a nice worm on my comps jello bowl and it was dancing so that just added to it. He was very confused why there were so many mormons in utah too. 

Now its been raining like crazy here, but when ever we are prepared and have our rainboots, well it doesn't rain and we just look like two dumb gringas who wore rainboots. People comment. but what's new haha. Also literally a lightening bolt almost struck us and it was crazy!! The power went out three times this week but luckily every time we were near a members house or our house because our citas just happened to fall through. 

During district meeting our zone leader was telling us how when a cita falls through it was supposed to because the lord has other plans for us in that area. We had that happen all week so we are just tryinhg to figure out these other plans. 

Also, one of my favorite members, Aura Lopez, has decided that I'm one to take pictures with because im a giant. Seriously people take pictures with me because they think I'm a disney character or something. Its pretty funny. 

We also helped paint a members house this week which is fun!! >I love when we have a week full of service projects its my favorite!! We are hear to serve the lord in many ways, not just sharing his gospel. Also, the bishopric here wears leather jackets on the stand because EVERYONE drives little mopeds or motorcycles. literally EVERYONE. and im talking whole families go on these things!! 

We had an awesome experience with Maria this week. She was reading revelations chapter 1 the first three verses and then was reading the testimony of joseph smith in the book of mormon. Wedidnt tell her to read any of this, it was all the Lord. She realized they were the same thing and knew right then it was the word of God. We are working and praying for that family sooo much!!! 

This week we made chocolate chip cookies in a frying pan, and it worked. haah  This week I also realized that yes, we need the Lord to help, but the Lord needs us to help lift each other. So go out and lift some people up!! Thats why we are here!! 

love ya all!!! 

Hermana Thompson

Hola Hola Hola!! 

Well this week was good and nice and rainy!! On monday we had family home evening with a member and they made us hamburgers because you know we are gringas and all!! I tell them they can be just like me if they eat them too! Martes was a crazy day! We left the house and it was nice and sunny and around 5 we are out looking for some people and it started pouring rain like no other, lightening, wind, the whole shabam! So we sprinted through the rain still receiving our usual cat calls, they dont take a break, and ran to a members house. 

We decided to share a message with them but we had nothing prepared so I had the impression to open up to Ether 12 about faith and then we invited them to read the book of mormon every day as a family. The Dad said that his family has been having problems and that in the morning of that day they met together to try and figure out how to fix these things. He said that he forget about the Book of Mormon and said that it was clear that God sent us there to remind them that there answers are right there in the book of mormon! I love this work! Missionaries are here to preach the 

gospel and to strengthen the members.The lord just works through us so its great!

 

We also had our 6 week meeting this week where we took our lovely squished 3 hour bus ride to Xela where there was also a cotton candy man, yes I bought some and it tasted like captain crunch (see pix). I got to see all my CCM friends and it was so great! On our bus ride back there was a crazy preacher man who decided to sit between my companionship and another. he was sitting in like the crack between two of the seats and just wanted to argue with us. I pretended like I couldnt understand because I hate contention! So many people just want to argue with us but thats not why we are here. But later that night one of our cutest investigators, Elaina who has 3 cute kids, accepted baptism! its so sad her and her kids live in a tiny little room with no kitchen or bathroom and she just makes tortillas to support her family. she is such an inspiration to me that less is more! 

Big news is my appetite has converted to Guatemala! I have beencraving beans and eggs, so life is starting to role.

We taught Maria and Thomas on friday and they thought we could only drink water in our religion and that we didnt eat anything, it was pretty funny, not gonna lie. On saturday was another rainy rainy day and my comp went to a paca to grab a cheap sweater, well she was using it all day and when we got home we realized it said dirt bag on it in english(see pix). Luckily no one can read english but it was pretty funny! 

On sunday, our investigator danny called us to come to church. let me tell you this never happens and it was like I was in a dream! crazy crazy!

For pday we played volleyball and ping pong with our zone and it was great! We have lots of newbies this week because official changes were last week! 

This week I have truly realized that I am an instrument in the Lords hand. He works through me and I love it! Just like it says in Alma 29:9! This week I have officially realized why our church is called the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. its because this is the chruch that Christ established when he was on the earth. 

Love this work and this church! 

Love

Hermana Thompson

My Zone sisters!

Her Mom is getting baptized!

Gotta have some creative time.

Home sweet home!

Hermanas' forever!

                                                                    Enough said.

Zone meeting

She was cold and bought this sweater not realizing what it said until later that night.

3 hr chicken bus ride but they sold cotton candy!

AND IT RAINS A LOT!

AND IT RAINS EVEN MORE...

LOVE HOW GREEN IT IS.

WE ATE TOO MUCH!

LOVE THE KIDS HERE!

A REAL SMOOTHY

LOVE THIS FAMILY

IT DOESN'T GET MUCH BETTER!

Hola Hola Hola!

Well the rain has officially begun! And when it rains, it pourss! Having dirt roads is a struggle but I feel indestructible in my rain boots!! I can walk through anything. Well this week we continued to teach a lovely lady named Catolina. The elders met with her before and she has her book of mormon on her night stand! How crazy is that! The elderswere transfered and stopped teaching her so Id like to think she was just waiting for us.She is so pilas its insane! I also taught an english class with the other gringas Hermanas and its so funny because we speak english and they have no idea what we are saying! Now i know how the chinese ladies at the nail salons feel when they speak in chinese around us. We have the power haha. anyways, our biggest struggle is with anna and marvin because they wont take the timeto go to church and honestly thats one of the most important things! But im just gonna keep praying for them! 

Our whole district came and helped contact in our area so we can get the work movin. Some elders found a guy named Elder because his parents met with the missionaries mil anos ago and named him elder because of that, so Im excited to teach him! My first six weeks in the field are officially over and transfers are happening. I am so thankful for my last zone and how great they were! I've officially been on my mission for 12 weeks...que loco!

 

On Saturday we ate pizza! it was a party in my stomach!! But I did break my stomach this week. It blew up pretty muich and I had a chronic burping problem for about two days. whoops!!! I also ate crepes with nutella this week, literally I am a happy Jesse! and for pday we watched Charly and ate at this restaurant that I swear is in america haha.

Funny moment of the week is when we were teaching a lesson on a balcony and the little boy started peeing off of the balcony during the lesson! it was pretty funny hopefully the spirit was still there haha. 

Every day I am humbled! I have sooo much to learn, but I know that what I have learned is only because of my father in heaven. In Job 23 10 it talks about how He knows our trials and gives us them to strengthen us. So to that I say bring it on world!! Im ready to grow!!! Love these people more and more every single day!! 

Love you all!!!

Hermana Thompson

Hermana Jesse Thompson's contact info:

Jessica.thompson@myldsmail.net

Hermana Jessica Christina Thompson

Guatemala Quetzaltenango Mission

5A Calle 14-35 Zona 3  Aparto Postal 206

09001 Quetzaltenango

Guatemala