Stand In Holy Places

This week was great. We just got done with a successful double zone unity activity, and things seem to be looking a lot better.  We just challenged a bunch of kids randomly to a game of soccer on the beach.  We played six on six, and just barely beat them.  Yeah!  It was super fun, and I almost died of heat stroke.  I actually had to dunk my head in the beach to not pass out.  I ran a bit too much, but so worth it.  And it was nice to get the exercise in.

This week we watched a movie in the church with Moncha´s family, that came to church! They really enjoyed it, and the Spirit was strong. (It was the Testaments). Afterwards, Franklin got up and said the closing prayer. He expressed feelings of joy for being in the church, and asked God to give them all signs so that they could know that the Book of Mormon was true. Then he said something a little interesting along the lines of, "and hopefully so that it is," then closed the prayer. I was filled with a sweet feeling of great, great joy afterwards. I´m really not sure why, but it was one of the happiest moments of my mission. I´m so excited for this family!

Salamaleco is still progressing great!  He hasn´t given us the good to go yet, but says that he very possibly he´ll get baptized this weekend.  But he´s getting along really well with the members, and is reading and praying like a machine.  We love him so much.  Something funny, but not too doctrinal...  We always start every lesson with him by getting his questions out of the way (because he always has super good ones).  One of his questions was, "do you believe there is life on other planets?"  My companion and I answered in unity with a sure, "yes."

"Salamaleco!" he said.  I hate to say you had to be there, but it was really really funny.  My companion and I just died laughing.  This guy is our best friend.  (one of many.  We get along way too well with our investigators).

We had to climb a mountain in the sisters´ area to do an interview of sorts... it was kinda of pointless, but I won´t bore you all with the details.  We climbed way up.  the neighbors sent us looking for the house way back down the mountain.  the land lord sent us back up the mountain!!! ugh... and it was really really hot... But yeah.  It was memorable.

Story time; The neck tie of salvation!

We were entering our house on Friday night at the end of the day.  A boy name Michael stopped us and asked if we had a pure black tie.  We both answered negative, but promised him after a few minutes of his explaining why he needed it, that we would get him one the next morning before 8am.  Without even inviting him, he asked, "what time is church Sunday?"  "uhhh... nine o´clock in the morning."  We answered.  "Okay, I´m going to go."  Awesome!  We were pretty happy.  We got him the tie the next morning, but before sleeping that night, we were already making plans for the movie titled, "The tie of Salvation."  haha.

Michael, his brother and his mother were at church the very next Sunday, and stayed all three hours!  So awesome.  We´re excited to see if they progress in the long run.

The ward mission plan seems to be taking hold, and members are visiting the investigators without us to offer friendship. It´s great and is bearing fruits already. I love the mission!

Keep it up out there with your own personal missionary efforts!  If anyone has missionary moments during the week, please please send them to me!  I´d love to hear about them!  And for those that always write me anyway, that´s your homework this week. haha.

Love,

Elder Thalman