Refining

Alright this week is going to be really short, sweet, and simple!  I've got one cool thing, one funny thing, and one true thing:

Let's start with the cool:  I had the opportunity to go on exchanges with our Zone Leaders for a day and work in their area. Their area consists of the most central southern part of Singapore. This is where stuff happens. We call it the BD. (Business District) This is where the buildings are tall, the cars are NICE, and the people are not so nice.... but they're rich, so it's fine right??  I had the opportunity to work within their area and experience missionary work to the rich, and the very wise and educated. It's nerve racking but very fun at the same time because you have great conversations with a lot of people.  Singapore money, man it's crazy.

Funny thing for the week: As we were jogging very early one morning we entered into a park to make a loop. In the park we passed by an army of old Chinese "Aunties" doing their morning Zumba/Ti Chi hybrid thing. There were literally like over 100 of them all doing it.  I didn't have time to take it all in. It is literally 6 am in the morning?! What?  Not to mention how awkward it is seeing 100+ Aunties doing zumba in spandex....yeah....awesome.

I want to take this last part to talk about some truth:  The Refiner's Fire is real. For those who haven't seen this Mormon Message it is a good one. Watch it! The epitome of this week was literally the Refiner's Fire. The metal that needs to be shaped is literally pounded, repeatedly until its breaking point. It is put through intense heat and movements. It is uncomfortable. It is not ideal. The end result though, is a beautiful work of art made out of metal. This is how the mission is here sometimes. I mean, this is life! It is so hard to take it during the week and to be shaped in a way we don't want to be shaped. I felt like I was being repeatedly pounded and heated up and bent and broken all week long. The truth is, there is an end in sight, and it is good. I learned that this week for sure, and on my mission in general. SEE THE END GOAL. What are you going to be made into?

That is all for Elder Thompson for this week! Love you all!

Family we Love! :

Refiner's Fire:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DIIgm6xABQ

Draper, Utah Missionary Letters May 29-2016

Temptation and Rejection

Hey Everyone!

This week was a good one...sorta...well, not really, BUT guess who still loved it?...This guy!  This will be a fairly short email so I apologize in advance but here are some things this week:

Last P-day went to the Singapore Zoo. The Singapore is either the #1 Zoo in all of Asia or in the top 3 of the entire world. I can't remember if that statistic is correct or not or if it is even valid, so don't quote me on that! Anyways, this zoo has just about everything, except cages! They literally did not have cages or boundaries, or at least that's how it seemed.  It was so open and there were just animals everywhere, it was nuts but so safe at the same time. Possible? Only in Singapore. 

 

In relation to the title of this email, I'll start with temptation. We were in the middle of a brutal day trying to talk to people. We literally had no one to talk to, and no one wanted to talk to us. The spirits were down and we finally made it to the halfway point in the day (3pm).  It was one of those days that feels like a week, in and of itself.  But we went to do some calling at our church and we found some Filipino members there. YES!  Happy and awesome people, haha. They were playing basketball too, Filipinos LOVE basketball. So...somehow...I tempted into a game. They threw me the ball, what was I supposed to do?!  I threw down my bag and we played a quick game to 11...in my shirt and tie. It was so much fun and a great stress release.

We got rejected all week long by everyone. No one wanted to talk. It was hard and sometimes you just look at each other as companions and wonder. 'what the heck is going on?!'  Then when Sunday comes and just about every single one of your investigators come to church, you start smiling again! But yeah, Highs and Lows.... What a mission.

Love you all!

Elder Thompson

 Draper, Utah Missionary Letters May 21-2016

Laughing in the Rain

This week was a rough one, not the best way to a start your a next transfer in the mission but it ended up pretty good!  Here's the run down from cool experiences to highlights:

Last P-day after emailing we walked around Chinatown which was cool! It's kinda hard to imagine Singapore even having a 'Chinatown' but they do! Even though over half the people here are already Chinese. Aside from the all the other 'towns' they have here it's always cool to see the culture there!

 

This week, about halfway through the week, Wednesday, was a rough day. It was bad. EVERYTHING went south. We had nothing to do, we forgot a ton of stuff, we were late, we had no success, we were done. It wasn't even 4 pm yet. We were trying to get to a member's house and the phone directed us in the wrong direction. We had to get off the bus in a crazy down pour of rain. We are talking like, Southeast Asia crazy downpour. So crazy. We were so done with everything. We just started walking the miles we had left to get to the house. We stopped trying to stay dry and just walked through every puddle there was. (There wasn't really an option)  We were soaked,  every single part of us and everything we had. We were furious and beat down. Then I looked up and I started to realize where I was, and what I was doing....and I just smiled. That smile turned into a laugh, and I just laughed at myself while we kept walking through the rain.  Good times on the mission! You can't do anything but love the days you may hate! 

Another cool/funny thing. We contacted a couple through a window at a burger shop using our receipts and writing messages on them. They thought it was funny as so did we. Turns out he is the owner of the joint! So we talked to him and he gave us FREE food! 

Lastly. In sacrament this week I was listening to the blessing on the sacrament bread. It was an old man I could tell. After the prayer was over, it took him like 5 minutes to get up off his knees. Then I realized it was Bro. Philip!! He is a less active member that we brought back the first weeks we were here. He is stroke ridden, needs a cane, way smart, and way funny! He was blessing the sacrament with a way younger priest aged young man, and he could not stop smiling.  It was the coolest. Two priesthood holders, as far in age possible, using it worthily and loving it. This church man....

Well, that's all! Love you all!

Elder Thompson

 Draper, Utah Missionary Letters May 15-2016

Anxious 'Beginnings' 

Hey everyone! Well, I'll get the most recent news out of the way first, we had transfers today and I got a call and will staying in Singapore with the same companion (Elder Cocq), but I will be the District Leader! I am pretty shocked and you could say I feel just a bit anxious.... nervous, excited, inadequate, all of the above! This transfer will be another one for learning a lot, that's for sure!

In lighter news, this week had some fun times and so good memories! Last P-Day we got to go to three different BBQ's among wards and members. We were so full but it was awesome to hang out with members all day! Labor day here was honestly full of labor from the missionaries. Eating was so much work, haha.  (Picture of our Building with both our Church and our Apartment we live in)

Let me give everyone some insight as to how a single day goes here in Singapore talking to everyone in the streets and trains. In one day we've talked to Mexicans, Russians, Filipinos, Indians, Nepalis, Singaporeans, Chinese, Bangladesh, English, French, Malaysian, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, and Germans, all from their respective countries. Every day I find out about some other people or language that I never knew before. It is crazy here. Awesome!

This week finished up with the highlight of be able to talk to my family via Skype! Good to see everyone and talk for bit! Happy Mother's Day! I love you Mom!

  

A lot of changes coming for Elder Thompson. A lot of necessary changes needing to be made for myself! It's all about becoming the best missionary YOU can be.

Love you all!

Elder Thompson



Draper, Utah Missionary Letters May 7-2016

 

 

"Alive" Areas

 

This weeks gonna be a short one, but that doesn't mean I didn't have a great week, because I did! :

Last 'P-Day' we got to go to a place called 'Sentosa' here. It is one of the surrounding islands of Singapore. That place is the promised land, I am convinced, Already decided. You think Singapore is clean and beautiful?!? Think again. This place is cleaner, richer, more beautiful It!  It also has EVERYTHING I didn't expect. We got KRISPY KREME DOUGHNUTS?!. There is a Universal Studious, Hard Rock Cafe, Chili's, Everything...it's insane. Needless to say, Monday P-day was a good one.

  

The buildings and the architecture seen here come off as wealthy lifestyle....and, it's true. The members follow suit. At least in comparison to the East Malaysian life I once knew. The members here are way cool! They do a have a little bit of money too....which means that dinner appointments are sweet. Yep. Members are the best here.  The area is 'Alive.'  We have people who want to learn and we have people who want to be baptized. We have members who want to work and we have relationships grown strong! It's amazing what you can do when you just go out and get work done every day. WORK HARD, PRAY HARD.

That's all for the week! Transfers are coming next week so we'll see what happens! Love you all!

Elder Thompson

 

 

 

 

Draper, Utah Missionary Letters April 30-2016