small miracles

We have had a great week here with many small miracles. I have been having great studies and am always a little disappointed when I have to stop reading the Book of Mormon. I love the simplicity of that wonderful book of scripture. It reminds me of otello "a minute to learn, a lifetime to master" I know that the prophets were speaking to us now. So, for the miracles. On Monday someone called us asking for a book of mormon...that never happens. Someone with whom we had left a pass along card actually was interested and requested her free copy with we ran over as soon as possible. She had two days off and planned on spending them reading--what a great idea. Anyway, then we have been having some really great lessons and as I struggle to keep myself humble I am able to teach with the Spirit, and He speaks perfect portuguese, or at least well enough that no one is focusing on the language, but on the message. It is amazing what the Lord can do with us if we let him. I have been reading in Alma 40-42 which explains yet again the plan of salvation and really it is all about our desires, I am trying to modify my desires so I can say that like the people of King Benjamin in Mosiah 5 that I have no desires to do evil but to do good continually.

Thanks for the pictures Deann! They are really beautiful girls and they´re growing up so fast. Nephi, thanks for posting those pictures and my very witty remarks about them. (or not so witty) I have an awesome family for sure. Mom, my favorite scriptures for the first lesson are James 1:5, Jacob 4:4, JSH 16-17, Mosiah 4:9, and Moses 1:39, 2Cor 1:13, Amos 3:7, and 2 Thes 2:3. They are all pretty short and yet powerful.

Oh, our challenge for this week was fleas. I have a sad flea-bitten companion. The other day the count was about 50, but I´m sure it has exceeded that. We enter just about every house that will let us in and talk to every one, so it is not too surprising that we come in contact with little bugs that plague the human race. Fortunately for me, I must not be very sweet, but I only got one or two bites. Maybe my blood is like the goo in bike tires that just fills in the holes and they go away quickly. Anyway, for whatever reason, here, like in Matosinhos when Sister Landro was afflicted by mosquito bites, I have not been affected to horribly by Sister Schneiber´s fleas, although I surely have been doing my best to help her combat them. It´s fun.~

Oh, I almost forgot about our crazy day this week. There has to be at least one day of crazies every transfer. We taught this one yound man named Miguel Angelo and marked him for baptism. That doesn´t sound overly strange, the thing that was crazy is that his mom was present. Still doesn´t sound too out of the ordinary??? Well, she happened to be absolutely dripping... when she gave us bejinhos (kisses on both cheeks) she gave us raspberries unintentionally(the sound that you make when you blow on a baby´s belly). I smelled like table wine for the rest of the night. Every once in a while I would get a whiff of myself and feel a little tipsy. Oh, but it never stops with just one incident. Next, we went to an appointment we had made with a contact, but she couldn´t entertain us in her house because of her husband and so we taught her in a cafe nearby. The only problem is that the cafe was filled to the brim, but this isn´t all...there was a soccer game playing, and in Portugal soccer isn´t just a game, it is a religion. For a person not to support a team is like being unfaithful to the country. Many people have died over the results of games (and during them). We did however manage to teach a pretty good lesson and have made a return appointment for a different local. To add to this excitement (and fear for our safety during the drunken cheering for the game) Sister Schneiber found a flea in her hair, which is very thick and very curly. We then made an emergency trip to the pharmacy and bought lice shampoo which hopefully kills fleas too.

So, exciting week--and our fight with the fleas marches on, or jumps on. The number of bites per night has decreased, but there are still new ones that arise with the morning light. Hopefully we´ll conquer before the week is up.

The week to come: tomorrow we´ll have mission conference with Elder Baxter of the Area Presidency. Random fun fact: our new Area President is none other than the writer of the Work and the Glory books, Gerald Lund. Just thought you all might enjoy knowing that. Thanks so much for your love and prayers (for me and my flea-bitten best friend) I know we are involved in the work of God. That this is the final gathering, the Lord is hastening His work and I´m so thankful to be part of it. This is the Lord´s church and Kingdom on the earth. Love you all!
ellen

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Pictures from Portugal

My trainer Sister Landro and I in front of the chapel in Matosinhos. One of the only signs in Portugal that says: Visitors Welcome


The rooftops of Porto -- pretty aren't they?


Some pretty gardens in Porto (at the end of the season so the flowers aren't at their best)


Bridge linking Porto and Gaia across the Douro River (River of Gold) -- look closely to see the helicopter


Looking across the river to Gaia


A cool Catholic church in Porto complete with "dead men's bones" in the basement


Knocking every door -- even the doors of "saints" who have already gone on -- And behind door #7, bones.


Outside of the police station in Matosinhos where I was arrested twice. Very inauspicious, não é?


In Matosinhos are a lot of fishermen. This statue is right outside of the chapel and I fear I may have found my fisherman. Ahhhh.

Conferência geral!!!

So, got to love that we have prophets here on earth and that we have the blessed opportunity to hear from them every six months. We got to attend most of the sessions which was truly magnificent. I really loved the spirit that I felt there, and the knowledge that I have. I am so thankful for the Book of Mormon and for living prophets.

Other exciting news... we have marked two investigators for baptism on the 29th of this month. Joaquina e Rui are excellent, and they really have a thirst to read and know and do the things of the Lord. Joaquina is in her 30´s and Rui is her 12 year-old son. They are really excellent. We had an amazing visit with them on Tuesday with a couple of members. Working with the members is the way to go. We just have to teach a little bit and control the conversation and the members bear testimony and help to teach them in perfect portuguese. The Spirit is able to bear testimony of truth in a manner more complete than is attainable with just two little missionaries.

I thought of Aaron yesterday as someone in one of the apartment buildings we were in was practicing Yesterday on the violin. It made me smile.

Congratulations on the nearing completion of the house! It is exciting to be nearing the end of such a big project. I have no doubts that you will not let any time go by before plunging headlong into another of even grander proportions, but that is the way life goes.

We have been teaching a lot this week and we really have some good investigators. The thing that is most noteable about them is their hunger for the scriptures. They just can´t get enough and during our lessons--they want to read the whole time and more verses even than we are teaching from. It is great to watch the light in their eyes as the eternal truths make connection with their immortal spirits and they remember. Our work is like that of a doctor helping someone with amnesia in place of teaching, we are reminding.

The Book of Mormon is the word of God. From the time of my mission call until the end of this month I will have read that marvelous book of scripture four times. 3 in english and once in portuguese. Every time I read it I feel better. When I don´t think I can do any more I can open it up and read even a few verses and the spirit and energy that come from that exercise give me the strength that I need to keep going. I have a little english pocket sized version that I keep in my bag all of the time and I think I´ll have to do it for the rest of my life. It is fun to have 5 extra seconds and fill it with words of love and counsel from my Heavenly Father to me.

Speaking of letters, I´m having "mail depression" because all of the letters and things from Matosinhos have not made it to me yet, and I haven´t been to Porto in a while so I haven´t gotten the ones from the office either, but we are having a conference next week, so hopefully I be swamped in letters, or at least have one or two. It does make a difference. Por esta razão meu querido irmão eu mandei quatro cartas esta semana em só um envelope com muito amor. Obrigada pelas muitas cartas que já mandaste para mim e não te preocupes sobre so mandando uma carta cada mes. É suficiente. Es um élder espectacular! Eu sou tão grata que tenho um exemplo tão forte.

Well, that´s about it. Love you all! If you want to know anything specific drop me a line and I´ll do my best to respond. Give all of those cute munchkins my love and kisses!

ellen

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Down to Two

So, our tripla is now a dupla. Sister Schneiber and I are staying in São João da Madeira and Sister Medeiros is off to Gaia. So for all of you who wanted to send letters, packages, ect and didn´t know where to send them:
Avenida Dr. Renato Araujo Nº369-3ºfte
3700-244 S. João da Madeira
I´ll try to stay out of trouble so I will be at this address for the next 6 weeks at least (hopefully) We´ll have to see.

PARABENS to the entire crew there in Kaysville! I´m so excited for our little Charles Nathan. Thank you so much for the pictures. I am struck by how much he looks like his sisters. Great looking family for sure! I also like that he came in the middle of the afternoon and a nice big healthy baby too. Congratulations and all of my love!

Mom, I think the key to prioritization is found in yourr recent study of Preach My Gospel. It´s all about following the Spirit. Also when doing one thing, devote all of your thoughts to that one thing and accomplish it in the scheduled time (or if it doesn´t get done, plan to schedule more time the next day) and then move on. It also helps here in the mission field to schedule every activity and then to have a backup plan in case the original doesn´t work. Then use the Spirit to help you decide in the moment and at the end of the day make plans for the next day. It helps to make the day run more smoothly and to help you feel more satisfied with the work you accomplished in the day. Communication between the people with which you are working is also essential.

So, I´m having a great time here in Portugal, we have been teaching some great investigators and are trying to help them through the trials that they have in their lives. The more I see of life, the more I am sure that it is only through the Atonement of Jesus Christ that we can find happiness and peace. I am so grateful for my Savior´s love for me. I am also so greatful for the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ and it´s application in the day-to-day. I know this is true gospel because it is true with the laws of nature, physics, mathematics, history, music, and every aspect of life. Everyone can gain a testimony of Jesus Christ in Book of Mormon according to their passion in life. Those who love language will gain a testimony through it´s syntax. Those who have a love for history will recognize trends alike in all civilizations. Those with an eye for numbers will find that it all adds up. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God through His holy prophets.

Love all of you and give all of those darling children kisses for me. That is probably the hardest thing for me, not being able to run around and visit you all and spoil all of your beautiful children. Keep on keeping on down there in the opposite side of the world Samuel. You´re a great example for me. Love and my prayers.

ellen

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Great week!

Well, got to tell you there is power in a tripla. We teach so well together and we´re having a great time. At times it is hard, but we get along very well together. I have advanced in my language skills. I am only corrected every 5 words instead of every other, so that is improvement. We are kind of anxious for next week to find out who will go where for this transfer. At least one of us will be leaving for sure.
This week we have been practicing to be senior companions because both Sister Medieros and I are of that "age" where we could be training someone or at least be seniors. I complete my "training" at the end of this transfer, although the last three weeks haven´t been very much training. I really had a good day of leading yesterday. We had a very productive day and my very first contact of the day was absolutely golden. She really was searching and when she heard the truth it all made sense to her. The only bad thing is that she is in the Elders area and so we don´t get to teach her. I really like her and she has a lot of potential. We have had a really great week as far as numbers and quality of numbers are concerned. On Monday we only taught 4 lessons, but they were strong and we have 4 new investigators who have mounds of promise. It is really exciting. The end of the summer vaction is a welcome friend. We also got to brighten an investigators day yesterday. He is a man who lives alone with his 16 year-old daughter and he struggles with depression. We had bought a sunflower to give to his daughter, but she wasn´t home, and it really must have been meant for him in the first place. I love that I was able to hear the Spirit and follow it´s promptings. We really made his day and were able to teach a great lesson with the flower and it´s following of the SON. Anyway, it was good.

Sister Schneiber and I have decided that we are going to be really good for each other. We get along famously. Sister Medieros is also growing a lot. She struggles with self-esteem at times, but is improving amazingly on a daily basis. It is amazing the progress that we can have here on a mission when the Spirit is able to magnify our efforts 24/7.

Oh, I almost forgot our fun experience of the week.... I got to practice my nursing skills on Sister Medieros. She was doing chin-ups on a bar that was wedged between the doorposts when it ceased to be suspended. She fell and sprained her thumb and broke open her chin. The hospitals here aren´t especially adept at doing things in a rapid fashion, and seeing as we didn´t want to lose time working I played doctor, doing surgery on her chin and thumb. The cut on her chin was about 3cm wide and at least 1cm deep and bled sufficiently. It was nearly impossible for her refrain from talking so we eventually cleaned it up really well and superglued it shut (NOTE: don´t do this at home) Anyway, now it looks beautiful and isn´t bothering her at all. The thumb we splinted a bit and now we´re icing it daily and she does exercises in warm water at night to make sure it retains it´s movement. Then we wrap it to take down the swelling and it is healing beautifully. Sometimes it´s fun to be a nurse, but it is a bit stressful to have President and Sister Greene trust me with the health of another of my fellow servants. It is quite a responsibility.

Anyhow, I think that is about all that is happining here. I do want to thank Bethany for the cute picture of our little Ethan. Anyone who feels the urge to follow her example and send pictures would be welcome. I have been feeling a bit cut off from the world because I wasn´t sure how long I´d be here in São João and I´m a little farther away from the office so I don´t get my mail from the mission office as often as I did in Matosinhos. Anyway, that picture was just what I needed to feel part of the world again.

Also, I´m so glad that everywhere in the world my family is helping to make it a better place. Thanks for your example Aaron in helping the people affected from the hurricane. It´s a good feeling to help brighten someone´s life.

So, the Book of Mormon is great. We gave a couple of lessons this week in enjoying the Book of Mormon. It really feels like it was written for me in my life from day to day. When ever I start feeling overdramatic I like to read the dramatic words of Jacob and Lehi as they are about to "lay down in the cold and silent grave from whence no traveller can return" and I have to laugh at myself. It´s the best literature I have ever read. It makes you laugh, makes you cry, and changes your life for the better. I can´t think of any book I´d rather read every day for the rest of my life. For a taste of it´s literary power read Mosiah 25:7-10. Try and tell me that these aren´t truly the words of God and I´ll bear my testimony of the happiness and consolation that I´ve found on a daily basis that helps me continue to do my best. I know that the Book of Mormon is a true book of scripture. I know that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God and I´m where the Lord wants me to be, as much as the advesary would like to dissuade me, and maybe especially because of it.

Love you all! Next week I´ll let you know where I´ll be for the next 6 weeks, unless something unpresedented happens, which isn´t unpresedented. Stay tuned to the drama of.....Portugal--a mission-- impossible??? Never!

ellen

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Where in the world is Sister Thompson???

Mom had a very good question in her last letter. (Ellen--where are you?) My companions and I got a good laugh. Yes, you heard right, my companions. They needed two sisters to keep track of me because obviously one wasn´t enough to keep me out of trouble. I am now in São João da Madeira, a cute little city in the middle of the hills about an hour and a half south of Porto. We were transfered on Saturday from Matosinhos, just to be safe and to make sure we could work without the police looking twice at us whenever we walk down the street. At first I was really worried about all of our people and how they would progress, but then I realized that really the Lord is more worried about them than I am and that helps a lot. I do have some great stories to tell my grandchildren.

So, my companions are: Sister Medieros from Angola (yep! a native speaker who speaks in Portuguese all the time) and Sister Schneiber from Connecticut who speaks probably the best Portuguese of the sisters, having spoken French fluently before learning Portuguese. I feel really blessed to have the opportunity to learn correctly this language so early on. This time with them will be short, but we do speak 24/7, and that helps. I really like being in a tripla, it´s really fun and we can enter anywhere. The very first door we knocked on Saturday was the house of two young men of about 20 years and the marvelous thing is, with three sisters, we can enter, which we did, and teach, which we also did, with power and it was great. We do teach very well together and we get along smashingly. Sister Schnieber is fun, we joke around a lot, and another cool thing is that she wants to learn how to quilt by hand, having loved machine quilting. She is also a great teacher and I love that every door that is opened to us, we teach. We end up teaching a lot of people who don´t want to hear, but they at least have a little idea about what they are rejecting. I am excited to learn all that I can from her. Sister Medieros is very good at teaching simply and at keeping me humble, which I always need. She also will have my language perfected if it kills me, but I really am enjoying our companionship.

On Tuesday we had a zone conference and got all pumped up again. Our new goal is to do even 10 contacts more per person than we would have otherwise so that we can really talk to everyone and teach at every single opportunity. Yesterday we contacted this girl Carla in the city center. She was just sitting on the park bench and we went and talked to her and the message of hope and faith that we shared with her made her cry and really was an answer to her prayers and to ours. It was yet another testimony to me that this is the Lord´s work, that He is really gathering His sheep here in the last days and those who are really seeking with hear His voice.

This area is one of the only ones in the mission that only has a branch. I get to play the piano for sacrament meeting on Sunday and that is always fun. We will be spending a lot of time with the members helping to strenghen and fortify their testimonies and knowledge of the gospel as well as working with our great investigators, of which there are many. I´m not sure if I will still be here in three weeks, but I really do love it here and am so thankful for the opportunity to be here, even if it did mean that I had to be arrested twice to get here. This really is the Lord´s work and His kingdom on the earth. I am so thankful for the knowledge that I have and for my testimony. I know that God is really my Father and that He loves us in the same way that He loved His children in the past and for this reason has blessed us again in these the last days with a prophet, as was profecied by Christ and all of the other prophets of ancient times. A prophet always receives the gospel by revelation and then teaches this gospel to others and also bears testimony that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. I am so thankful for the opportunity to serve the Lord in this manner, to be part of the gathering of Israel for this the last time. There is a great work going on here in Portugal, it will go on with or without me, but I am trying to be better every day so that I can help it go forward.

Happy Birthday little Ethan! Parabens to Emily Palmer and also minha sogra LeAnn Halgren (I think this makes 50--chuckle--) Love you all, thanks for your support, and Samuel, thanks so much for your testimony, it really helps in those hard days.

Oh, my address is: Avenida Dr. Renato Arujo Nº 369-3º Fte
3700-244 São João da Madeira
ellen

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guess what...

So, my life is like a comedy show sometimes I think. Sister Landro and I were doing contacts in an apartment building. We have had a hard time of it lately and were finally seeing little glimmers of hope and we finally contacted people for the second time after teaching them a first lesson and then they went away on ferias. So, we finally had some teaching appointments and it looked like things were really turning around (and probably still are) So, we are here talking to a woman in the door who is really excited about us returning and bringing her a Book of Mormon and she can´t believe that we´re giving them away for free when all of a sudden... Her neighbors come home and find out that they were robbed. Not wanting to bring suspicion to ourselves by running away from the scene (which is precisely what we wanted to do) we stayed for a bit to se if there was anything we could do to help. As we were backing out slowly..the police arrived and we took yet another trip to the esquadro where they took copies of our passport copies and let us go. They really don´t think we are the ones that are robbing people, but they are starting to think that maybe we might be in a ring or something. Anyway, I am certain that we´re doing a lot of good in this area or we wouldn´t have so much opposition. I love the scripture in 2 Nephi 31:20 where it uses the word press. That means to me that there will be opposition and as is says in 2 ne 2 there must be opposition in all things, it is a law of nature, of science, and of God. Anyway, it is a sure sign that you´re doing something right if you have opposition. The other road is much slicker and easier. I also really like the next verse that talkes about the only way and name that is given to Eternal Life in the presence of our Father. There are a lot of people here that are very confused and disillusioned about religion because when this country opened to other religions 30 years ago, there were a lot that took advantage of the neitivity (spelling) and did wrong in the sight of the Lord. I am so glad that I have the unshakable knowledge that it is through Jesus Christ and only through Him and His proper ordinances and convenents that we can gain this reward.

Anyway, I might be transfered from this area...we´ll have to see. President Greene is working on it with prayer and fasting and he should be talking to Sister Landro today, we have to be down in Porto to renew her visa.. So, I don´t exactly know what I´ll be doing in the next little bit, but I have no doubts that it will be according to the will of the Lord. Thank goodness for revelation over stewardships! So.. that´s my funny story for this week. A funny thing about this time at the police station, we preached to the guards. Well, the officers asked us about what our function was here in Portugal and we basically shared the sacrifices that we make to be here and threw in what our beliefs were and the restoration of the Church that Jesus Christ organized on the earth through the prophet Joseph Smith, and that we have a prophet today. Oh, for a step by step analysis of the role of a prophet...Jacob 1:5-7, 17-19 great stuff. I love the Book of Mormon!!

I´m so glad that everyone is doing well there. It is great to see the spiritual growth of my great little missionary example and my parents. I will send pictures to Nephi soon that he can post on the blog for anyone who care to see them. Love you all! Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer and my friend more and more each day.

ellen

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September

So, it´s already September, hard to believe isn´t it? It´s been a quick little month August has, and a hard one. We got to go back to work on the streets again on Tuesday, and it´s kind of like opening a new area. It´s going to take a little bit of time to get it going again, but I feel good about the work we´re doing here.

So, in response to Mom´s question: My companion is Sister Landro from unincorporated Salt Lake. She is great for me. She and I both like to sing and we know many of the same musicals which can be good and bad at the same time. We have similar tastes in music and movies and similar desires for the future. She is going into speech therapy. It seems wierd to me, but I´m older than her and she is my trainer. I am older than her in some ways, but not in others. She will go home in December. We have already made plans to hang out after I get home. She´s great!

The town I´m in is Matosinhos. It is right next to the ocean and just a smidgen north of Porto. It is and has been a fishing town for a long long time, but is a fairly modern city compared to Porto. The downtown is only about 10 blocks by 3 and this is our principle area to work. At the moment we don´t have tons of investigators, but we have some great contacts that have a lot of potential. Our little ward has a goal to separate in December, so we are working on strengthening the ward in addition to adding new members. The cities of Senhora da Hora and Matosinhos split this ward, and most of the leadership lives in Senhora da Hora, so it is our job to help reactivate and bring souls to Christ in our area that can help to strengthen the ward when it splits.

Fun things that happened this week include:
Our water was almost turned off this morning, but through a series of little miracles and tender mercies, we were able to get it all worked out and we still get to take showers. Yipee! ( you should see me after our half hour of exercise in the morning...we run for most of it and I am dripping afterward) Anyhow, I am getting quite the calves with our runs and 12 hours on my feet on cobblestones. Truly a sight to see underneath my skirt and nylons!

Monday was zone conference which kind of boosts your spirits everytime. We set some great goals and received strength from one another. Anyone who says you don´t need a church to worship the Lord is missing out. Daily life is a battle and gets tiring, it is so nice to get reinforcements as often as possible. Scripture study and prayers are great, but sometimes it is just wonderful to have someone share new insight. Anyhow, it was a great meeting.

Also, I got 15 letters which was very nice (4 from Samuel, what a great brother I´ve got!) Thanks so very much. I know that Heavenly Father answers our prayers through other people and He knew that it would be a little hard to go back to a clean slate and so sent some reinforcements. Thank you thank you thank you!! It really meant a lot. Oh, Samuel, Janie says hello and the Halgrens really liked your letter and are sending one in return. Bejinhos to all! Tchau!

ellen

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IMPRISIONED!!!

how do you like that blaring title???

So, not really, but Sister Landro and I felt a little bit imprisioned this week. Just to be on the safe side, our mission president had us stay inside unless we were with members or had set appointments with investigators. He just wanted to make sure that the people who gave our description to the police were not doing it out of dislike for missionaries or Americans, or anything like that. It turns out that we just happened to be in that area and, as we stick out like a sore thumb, they gave our discription. However, we did find things to do with the members this week and that was good. We didn´t really spend too much time in the apartment at all. The time that we did spend was very productive and we are implementing a new program to help the members give references in our area. It is a program of revelation, where the members have a sheet with 10 names of people/families that would like to hear the gospel and pray about which one the Lord is preparing. We coupled this program with my favorite four indicators that the Lord really has some people prepared: Birth/death, marriage, recently moved, rebellious children. Then, this week when we have a bit more time to spend with members, we presented basically the restoration section of the first lesson to invite the Spirit and then extended the invitation to make a goal when they will invite one of these people to their home for us to teach. It was really neat to watch the results. One family, we had only a short amount of time and the part about the restoration was cut short. The difference in the Spirit was apparent when they were reluctant to share. We are going back to follow-up with that family next week and will strengthen their efforts with the Spirit. It was a testimony to me that it really isn´t me that is doing the teaching, even with members. I don´t have any skills of my own. Even the few little statistics that we included on the sheet did nothing to convince them. Goes to show that we cannot even convince the members. The only thing we can do is invite the Spirit and that will have more influence than we ever can. I am just so greatful for the opportunity we have had to really put this plan into action. We also with some of the families tied it to the war chapters in Alma. (62: 3-5,14,33,38) and the influence Moroni (missionaries) and Pahoran (members) had when they joined forces. We´re really excited about it, and already we have teaching dates with three families (each with specific friends in mind). It really is neat.

Mom, I don´t really need anything, I´m just fishing for mail. It was a ploy, but if anyone would like to send anything, I wóuldn´t be sad, I promise. No, I´m really doing well and I love my time to study each morning. I´m also going to be done with the Book of Mormon again this week and that is always fun. Then I get to start over!!! I start getting anxious to read it some mornings and sometimes make a few minutes to read during lunch and dinner. What a great blessing we have in a textbook for life that is so small and compact, but so packed with counsel and wisdom from our Heavenly Father. I´m thankful that the prophets wrote down their revelations for my benefit.

Oh, happy birthday last week Nephi... I will sing you your song:
parabens a você, esta data quierida
muitas felicidades, muitos anos a vida
hoje é o dia de festa, canta as nossas almas
para menino o Néfi, uma salva das palmas

Also, happy anniversary Aaron and Bethany two weeks ago (time flies when you´re working hard). We are all amazed that one person could put up with him for that long. No, he´s nice, really, don´t know how we could live without him...

Love you all, keep up the great work Samuel. I couldn´t be prouder of a little brother.

ellen

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a tough week

We had a really tough week this week. Our great investigators, actually our only investigators, Vasyl Paula e Cleber stopped taking the lessons this week and asked that we don´t return. This just after finally making a goal for baptism. I won´t tell you that I didn´t cry and I won´t say that it didn´t rip our hearts out. They said that they felt a difference in the spirit of their home as a result of the message that we brought, and yet Vasyl is fighting the urge to believe. It is almost like he is scared to have faith. We still pray for them every day that they will choose the road with more light and hope. Paula really wants an eternal family and all of the blessings that the gospel brings, but doesn´t want to do it without Vasyl, so we´ll see. We still have hope that when their home returns to the place it was with all of the fighting and unhappiness that was in it before we started teaching them the lessons, they will see the difference that the gosple can make in their lives and return. I think the Lord just has a different time table than we had and maybe Vasyl isn´t quite ready. Anyway, we still hope and pray, at least there is a seed there if nothing else, and all of them have expressed at one time or another their little baby testimonies.

The Lord really is merciful unto His missionaries. We lost our only investigators, but He didn´t leave us without hope. We encontered another investigator Elisabete that we hadn´t been able to get a hold of that same night and we are now teaching her and her friend. Funny little story about her friend. A couple of years ago were really hard for her and who should show up to her door, but two young elders from the church of Jesus Christ of latter-day saints. She didn´t have time to listen to their message, or didn´t have the disposition, but they left a pass-along card with a picture of the Savior on it and this started her search for God. She has been studying the Bible with different faiths and I think being prepared for the fullness. She was excited about having a Book of Mormon of her own, having read the parts that we marked for Elisabete. We have a lot of hope for these two. Elisabete reminds me of you Martha in a lot of ways. She´s cool. Anyway, we have a lot of hope for these two.

Oh, another big happening this week, this one a bit strange, and kind of funny. We got arrested yesterday. Actually we weren´t really arrested, but apparently someone gave our discriptions to the police as people that were in or near a predio that had been robbed. We, only just arriving to our area to proselyte, were asked by a couple of officers to accompany them to their car, and from thence to the police station to be searched. To our relief, and surprise ;) we didn´t have anything of earthly value on our persons, although we did have a bible, triple combination, and two copies of the book of mormon in our bags. They then took us back to where they had picked us up with apologies and everything. We had sent a message to our mission president when these things began to happen (he was in a zone conference with the general authorities in London) and we got all sorts of calls from his counsellors and the assistants to the president that afternoon, as well as one from him and his wife as soon as they got out of their meeting with Elder Uchtdorf. The bishop of the ward here was outraged for us and basically I´m very sure that we will not have to worry about anything as the Lord, through His servants will fight our battles for us. They said that there would not be anything to worry about and I´m excited to be able to tell my children in the future that I am in the same class of missionaries as those greats: Paul, Ammon, Aaron, Alma, Amuleque, Omner, Himni, etc. No prison could hold us.

Actually, this week has been good despite all of the hard things that have happened. It was really great, my testimony has grown in leaps and bounds. I know for sure that I can really trust in my Savior with my all and He will direct me for good in every aspect of my life. I know with all of my heart and soul that the gospel of Jesus Christ brings happiness and joy into the lives of ANY person who will let it, and the sorrow that comes from watching others choices is just a small taste of Gethsemane that enables us to love even deeper, to feel even more the love of Christ in our lives. I am so greatful for the prophet that we have here on the earth today, for that link with God here on the earth to help guide and direct us in our day-to-day.

Now, on a different note. We saw some pretty gardens in porto today during our quick preparation day trip. I also love the tiling on all the buildings here. It is absolutely gorgeous! There are also quaint little chaples everywhere with beautiful tiles and beautiful statues and artwork all around. The human mind can come up with the most beautiful things and has the capacity to tame and interact with nature in amazing ways. I can´t wait to show you all these pictures that I have taken, of course many of them will bore you, but trust me, you will get to see each and every one of them, like it or not. So, it would be better to like it and be excited about it.

Oh, Mom, thanks for the programs for Grandpa´s funeral and Keturah´s baptism. I really enjoyed them, I got them today.

Oh, another note, just in case anyone would like to send a letter... which I´m sure is just about everyone in the world... We just had transfers and apparently I´m going to be in this area for at least another 6 weeks, so, now would be a great time to send that package or letter that you´ve been thinking about:

Rua Teixeira de Pascoais Nº139-5
4450 Matosinhos PORTUGAL

Love you all, and especially you Samuel, I couldn´t ask for a better little brother. You´re my favorite little brother, and my favorite missionary in Brasil. Tchau!
ellen

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yahoo

Thanks for the transcript of the funeral. It was awesome to be able to read. I´ve got a great family for sure. I´m glad it was a good service and that many people were able to attend.

Congratulations Keturah on your baptism. I´m so excited that you are starting out on the road. I know that this is the road that leads to happiness here and forever. I have seen first hand the happiness that the gospel of Jesus Christ brings to everyone it touches.

Congratulations Naomi on being able to go to school. I know how excited you have been, and congratulations Bethany on keeping it together. I´m so excited to hear how big all of my kids are getting. I think of them often. Oh, and I think of their dad whenever I´m at the grocery store. For some reason they really like to play Beatles songs without the lyrics in the Pingo Doce and it always makes me smile. We are usually there for a couple of minutes each day to buy yogurt and fruit for a small dinner on the run. It´s much cheaper and faster and more heathy than trying to find some restaurant or going all the way back to the apartment. So I think of Aaron and just laugh every day.

I also think a lot about Dad because the wiring in my apartment is bordering on scary. Knowing what little I know about wiring I am amazed that the missionaries before me haven´t burnt the place down with the little things they´ve rigged up. I have been doing my part to make it a more safe environment. Oh, the joys of living in an apartment that has held elders.

So, this week has flown by, and has been hard at the same time. We have been doing a lot of knocking and not so much teaching, but we must find the people before we can teach them. Sometimes the knocking serves as a reminder to me that this is the Lord´s work and will work on His timing and not mine. Also, I´m always struck with the Lord´s grace in enabling me to keep going when I feel like I can´t even get out of bed in the morning, and not only to keep going, but with a smile and everything. It is true as it says in Mosiah about the people of Alma that their burdens weren´t lifted, but the Lord strengthened them to be able to bear their burdens. I am an unworthy vessel, but the Lord can even work through me to help His work go forward. I love this gospel, and I love the amazing plan that He has for each of us His children. I am so greatful for the power of the priesthood, the true authority of God on the earth that enables families to be sealed for eternity. I love teaching that to those who are aching. The power of the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ has the power to heal all wounds and dry all tears. I am so greatful for the Lord´s power in my life.

Mom, I´m so glad you and Dad have been reading Preach My Gospel. It is so amazing, it is truly the work of apostles and prophets in our day. It is exciting to read that and the Book of Mormon on a daily basis. It just makes you excited to be alive and to be even better than you were the day before. I´m also glad that Dad enjoyed the tractor pull. It made my day to read about that. Oh, and thanks for the pictures of Priscilla and the random squirrel. I must have the greatest family ever from beautiful Madison to Grandpa Thompson, I´m not sure what I did right to be part of this family, but I try to live my life in a way that will bring more honor to an already great family name.

Love you all, thanks Samuel for the address and for the exciting missionary spirit. It´s wonderful to be a part of the pioneers of another country is it not.

ellen

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suçesso!

olá família!

First of all, I´m greatful to hear that Grandpa can finally rest for a time. He´s a funny guy! I really do love that set of pants that looked "like a mexican family moved out the back end" and his excited smile whenever we slipped him a tasty treat. I really loved the look on his face when we all were there for his birthday. He was so thankful I think to be praised in such a manner. I couldn´t have asked for a better grandpa.

Now, for my week... We finally had some success after such a long time of not seeing any fruits beside Cleber, vasyl e Paula. By Tuesday night, we already had taught four new lessons to new investigators. It was so exciting to see the fruits of our almost 4 weeks of knocking without seeing any. We have Elisabete, Giorgina, Sophia, and Veronica that we left books of mormon with and unlike some other times when the first lesson was taught, these ladies really have been searching. They are intelligent women with a desire to know. The thing that makes the work here in Portugal different than in some other places is that we are finding the pioneers of Portugal. The church has only been here for less than 30 years and so we are not just looking for converts, but for leaders. We therefore have an area of esforças that is in more of the well-to-do area and the going is tougher, but I think it is so worth it because we are building the strong foundation of leaders that this country needs for it´s prophecied future. It is to be the lighthouse of Europe. It needs leaders like Vasyl. He has been really investigating, searching until 3am sometimes on the good and bad of the church. He has said that once he knows that the book of mormon is true then he will know that everything else is true, that Joseph Smith was God´s prophet of the restoration, and that this church is the Kingdom of God on the earth. It is so exciting to see his progress. He and Paula are so good. We were there last night and taught them the importance of families and unity. Then we helped to clear up some of his doubts about different things he had read. He afterward said a prayer so humble that he would know that the Book of Mormon was true, and to know the will of God for him in his life. I know he will get a response. It was beautiful. Oh, and cute little Cleber, he is going to make an awesome missionary in about ten years. (he´s 10) He is probably the most reverent child in the ward already, and it was so great on Sunday he came up to us and was so excited that he had seen us on the street one day this week. Paula is one of those quiet observers and has been taking notes in the meetings and also she watches things all the time and then applies them. Their family has been listening to the Children´s Songbook CDs in their home at nights. I think they might memorize them before I do, but then again they already speak Portuguese.

Another awesome thing this week was our new missionary meeting that we had yesterday. President said just what I needed to hear and also some things to help me with the doubts that our new investigators will have. At the very end of the meeting we watched Ensign to the Nations, a must see for all who wish to have the fire for missionary work rekindled in their soul. All of us left just about bursting ready to go gung-ho de novo.

Oh, and I got three letters from Samuel yesterday when I went by the office for the meeting. It was kind of fun to read and I´ve decided that I´ve got an awesome missionary for a brother. It inspires me to work harder to read his letters, what a good Elder he is already, and what an amazing Elder he will become.

Don´t despair because you´re companion isn´t native, you´ve still got an apostolic promise from Elder Scott that if you try you´re hardest every day to continue to learn, you will be able to teach clearly and convincingly in Portuguese. He should know, he already knows Spanish and is learning Portuguese right now so as to be better able to communicate with the saints in those areas. Isn´t that awesome. Also, it is awesome to be selecting and cutting foundation stones. They are harder to find, but oh, so worth it, Sabe. É verdade. The church is for everyone of every culture, of every age, of every economic background. I love that we are in the final gathering of the elect, and we get to hunt for them as well as fish. Here at times I´m more of a hunter for the big game. We need both in the kingdom of God. Oh, do you have a different address than the one you gave me at first?

Hope things aren´t too busy for you all, and especially hope that all of you are spreading the gospel and the happiness and peace that it brings to everyone around you, regardless of if they are already baptized or not. The kingdom of God is again on the earth and I am a part of helping it grow!!

Love you all, bejinhos para todos! (kisses on both cheeks) (she has dimples on her cheeks--she´s nice)

ellen

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milagres

so this week was a good one, I asked to see the miracles that occur with regular frequency and I saw them. It was great. We did lose our new investigator Jenea, but we got another one in the same predio. Anabela is a cute girl. She is a doctor and has a new baby (anyone recognize the key indicator here) anyhow, before we started the lesson she was telling us her beliefs about God and basically taught the first part of the lesson to us. It is miraculous to see people quoting scripture that they have never read. Anyhow, our other investigators Vasyl e Paula e Cleber are also doing very well. Last week they gave up going to a concert Saturday night so that they could get up in time to go to church. Also they walked all the way to church in the rain. Vasyl is almost constantly on the internet looking for things about the church. It is pretty neat. We also found some new contacts this week that have promise, so we´ll see if they pan out. Yesterday was a very wierd day in my otherwise good week. I think we found about every wierd person in the city. There were some doozies, and there was this one homen that came up and was blatently hitting on us, it was really annoying and uncomfortable. There was this one very intelligent guy who was telling us that really God was just a way to describe how aliens were the ones who brought us to this planet, and stuff, he was citing all kinds of studies done at oxford and stuff and it was so funny, but also crazy because in all of his proofs for his theory, I found in my mind proofs for the Book of Mormon. It was crazy. Then we found a couple of other people that believed in something akin to the movie Matrix. It´s really hard not to laugh out loud when they tell you in all seriousness that they really believe these things.

The weather is good. Sometimes hot, sometimes cold, rains and then is hot and then cold. I just think I need to go and buy a couple more things one of these Thursdays so that I don´t have to wash and iron them quite so much. No one here has dryers here, and the washers are smaller, so things do get quite wrinkled. I love it here though, I think I love all types of weather, so this is just fine. The Lord is really blessing me here.

Tell Sister Simler and Sister Hinchman of my love and also give my best to Grandma Jex, and Grandpa Jex and Grandma & Grandpa Thompson as well. Good luck on the house and all. I´m sure it will work out exactly as it is supposed to. Sure do love all of you.

Oh, Martha, I realized that I never said anything about Keturah and Alaina´s birthdays. I thought about them each on their day and told my companion, but forgot to write anything to them. Make sure they know that their favorite aunt still thinks about them, even though I can´t write as often as I´d like. One of these weeks I´ll have time enough to write a letter I hope, but we´ll have to see.

On that note, in case I forget. Happy Birthday on the 5th Gina! Another year older and wiser, yes?

Oh, one of my favorite scriptures this week is in 2 Nephi 1 when Lehi breaks down repentance into smaller steps for Lama e Lemuel: Awake (acknowelge) shake off the chains (get rid of the sin) (do something about it) arise from the dust(get rid of the habit and leave it behind you, don´t do it again, ect) and rebel no more against Nephi (listen to the words of the prophet and replace the sin with something good) that´s just a llittle overview, but that is cool. We had a mission conference this last week which was awesome! President talked to us about the importance of the book of mormon in our teaching and challenged us to use it more. Also he gave us an extra half hour each week to study the book of mormon as well as a clean copy to mark the references to Jesus Christ in one color and the references to the first principles of the gospel in another. I have found a new unsatiable hunger for reading the book of mormon. I could do it all day. I love that book! Thanks for the cards Mom. The ones to the mission office arrived a little bit after one week, so I´ll have something good to look forward to this week.

So, love you all! The book of mormon is really the most correct book on the face of the planet. I think it might be one of the very few that gets better and better with each reading, which in itself is a testimony of it´s truthfullness. hope all is well.

ellen

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to the fam

So it was a pretty hard week this week, although we did have some good times. We had another week of knocking doors and getting them shut in our faces. My feet are getting tired of that. Anyway, finally yesterday we got in and taught a first lesson, it was so exciting after so much time of being rejected. Jinea is a cute Brasilaira who just moved with her husband to Portugal and they have a cute 7 month old son. We have invited them to church, to our "Actividade Espectacular" we´re having tonight, and to read the book of mormon. I really think that she might do all of those. We also have a couple that we have been teaching Vazil from the Ukraine and Paula from Mozambique and her son Cleber who all came to church on Sunday and other than feeling like it was very long, really liked it. Hopefully they´ll be there tonight also. It was just really exciting to get a new investigator so that we can teach a lesson more than a couple of times a week. I´m getting very good at negative responses at the door in portuguese and could probably give you every excuse in the book, however, I personally would rather learn more words about the lessons and how to teach better. Anyway, Sister Landro and I usually practice our portuguese by telling each other stories between rejections. it is kind of fun.
Sorry about the famine of letters Mom, it is just that preparation days are so short and action packed for me. We have studies until 11:30 and then have to clean the house, get groceries, do any other shopping we need, lunch, e-mail, and then any site seeing we want to do before 6:30 when we go back to proselyting, but I will do better. Oh, so if ever anyone wants to send a package, which is expensive, the advice is to make it kind of small so it will come directly to me and I don´t have to go get it from customs, ect. As for the pouch address, I don´t really know, also, I don´t really care if I get them, but if Sister Couey really wants to, more power to her. Thanks for all the news of Relief Society. It is nice in this ward because there is really a strong ward here so that for instance on Sunday when we brought our investigators to church they were already integrated. It was nice. Also it is good to hear that Grandpa and Grandma are doing better. It´s probably good for Grandma to be a bit more independant and for Grandpa to get a little TLC and attention.
So, a plug for missionary work. If any of you know people that have 1. lost a family member recently 2. had a new baby recently 3. moved recently or 4. had teenagers who are rebellious, offer to have them over to a family home evening or something and then offer to have the missionaries teach them in your home. it is really the ultimate way. For instance, our cute little Jinea has two of these indicators and I am certain that they made her more receptive to our message. The Lord will prepare people to teach if we will just do our part and open our mouths, taking that step of faith into the darkness.
I really love this opportunity that I have to exercise and increase my faith on a daily basis. The scriptures are truly amazing and really the more I study the more I find that they really do answer every single question that we have. The trick is to always be immersed in them and then we will encounter answers to questions that we either had the day before or that we will have. It is so awesome to be able to help teach other people to use them in this same way. An awesome chapter to read which could take years to fully understand all that is contained is moroni chapter 8. At first glance it is only about infant baptism, but there are so many other basic principles of the gospel in there. I am working on my own topical guide and I think I added about 10 new topics today during my study of this chapter and added a lot to topics I already had cateloged. I really love the book of mormon, and it is funny how I learn different things reading it in english than I do in portuguese, but it is all true. Love it!
Sorry also to Samuel, i have been a bit remiss in my letters to you as well, but I will repent and hopefully find a better way to buy international stamps here. The lines in the post office take hours (eek) It is also great to feel of your fire and testimony. Sometimes by the end of the day my flame gets a little dampened, but I try to remain ever vigilant and ever hopeful. I don´t even have time to think about money here in Europe, I really do appreciate the filling up of my cup that occured in the MTC because it gives me strength to endure the hard days out here. Sometimes the CTM was a little annoying because you are around so many people who have a little bit different view than you, but it is great to see how much you can learn from everyone.
Well, time´s up. Off to Porto to see the sites. Love you all!! The church is true. ellen

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hello from portugal

So, obviously I am alive and everything. I love Portugal. i love the way people stand and look out of their windows and sit in the streets during the afternoon. I love the way the buildings do not match and the streets have no order to them whatsoever. I love the crazy way they drive. I love the way they aren´t very much different from Americans, but are because they have such a long tradition. It is an awesome country.

The work...is work, but I love it as well. My feet are sore and tired all of the time, but that will pass. I am thankful for these good shoes. A lot of the sisters here have the dansco shoes and they have lasted them well. I am also thankful that I can change each day and I think that has helped because I have not yet gotten blisters although I´ve been on my feet for about 10 hours each day straight (this is a bit harder than in nursing where you do get to sit down once in a while. During the work there is no time and not very many good places to sit down) So, at the moment it is a bit hard, there are only two investigators that we are teaching right now, so we spend a lot of the day finding, bating doors and such. It makes you really think about how much the missionaries appreciate member referrals (especially those that are actually home and when the member is willing to go with you to the visit or have it in their home-the optimal place to learn) yes, so that is my little plug for missionary work. It is a bit frustrating sometimes because people just won´t listen to you. You do have to love them and their rigid politeness, even though they won´t let you get a word in, they still try to be polite. I have learned that aspect of portuguese very well...com licença, obrigada, nao estou interesada, mas brigada, desculpa-la, com licença...as they shut the door. We did find a couple of people this week after about 40 hours of bating doors that seem promising, hopefully they will guard their compromisso(appointment).

So, yeah, um, I have an awesome trainer Sister Landro is from Salt Lake and she is awesome. We get along very well and I´m learning a lot. We also have a great ward here. They have a contest between the women and the men to see who can get the visiting\home teaching done first. Otherwise, I have eaten all sorts of fish already including squid, still don´t really like fish, but maybe that will change.

other than that, I don´t know what you all want to know. I would like to know good things that are happening in your families with your beautiful children and such, if the folks are homeless yet and the like.

Nephi, thanks so much for the e-mail addresses and keeping everything in line for me. If anyone has an address that they would rather me send this to, let me know. I probably will just write one e-mail a week because of time constraints and I´ll post them all to the blog as well so it is also there for your viewing pleasure.

Oh, Mom, I did really like that little tidbit by the way, it was really cute. Oh, and if you do want to send cards which I also love very much I will probably be in this area for the next 6 weeks and packages can come here as well: Rua Teixeira Pascois
N. 139 ´5
4450 Matosinhos
PORTUGAL (but you could have guessed that)

The ones sent to the mission home don´t get to me for a while. Actually it isn´t too bad because we are only an hour from the mission office by metro and so somedays on preparation days we will go down to porto to play with the sisters that serve there.

So, let me know what you would like to know more about, the weather (hot), the people (cold until you warm them up-which does not take very much), ect

Love you all!

ellen (sister thompson)

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Going, going, gone

This will be the last blog for some time as I have less than a week before I am a missionary. My brother Nephi has agreed to be my webmaster for pictures and blogs when I am unable to post them. To write to me from May-June use:

sister ellen thompson
Portugal Porto Mission
Provo Missionary Training Center
2005 N 900 E
Provo, UT 84604

From July to November 2006 use:

sister ellen thompson
Portugal Porto Mission
Rua de Amalia Luazes
No 23 Sala 1
4200-052 Porto
Portugal

Hopefully before too long there will be updates for you to see how I'm doing in the Lord's service. I'm so excited to go share what I have with others!

I'm done working!

Yahoo! I'm all done with work, no more silly paperwork and crazy sick people for me. Unfortunately I might miss the people I work with and the nice patients, but it is still kind of fun to not have to go back. It was a very liberating feeling that last time to think,"Hey if you don't like my work, why don't you fire me!" I did the best job that I could, but it is freeing to not care what others think of your work and how it might affect your future career. Anyway, there are only about two more boxes to pack and a couple of things to put into the already packed boxes. Samuel is here for the next week. He is going to work for the week and get some money in. The next week I get to just play around with my friends, go to lunch every afternoon and tie up loose ends here in Denver. I'm getting so excited, but also numbed. Having never gone on a mission before, it is just an odd feeling and I feel like it is not even real. It's a crazy feeling.

Shopping with Mom

So this past couple of days I've spent more money in one blow than at any other time (except when I had to pay tuition, but that doesn't really count). It was kind of fun and stressful at the same time. I felt really bad about having that much money spent on me, being the independant creature that I am. However, Mom convinced me that I was worth all of it and more, so that helped ease my burden. It is funny how answers to prayer come at times when you least expect it, and they always come just in time. They seldom come early, but right when you need it they appear. I have lead such a blessed life that it is hard to adequately express it. For instance, this last trip provided me with strength, purpose and fortitude that I will need on my mission in such a way that I could not have received it before, but that I am ready for now. I felt so much love, joy, and hope as a result of several different experiences and will use those memories to sustain me when it gets hard later on, which it will. Anyway, it has been a lovely weekend and promises to be a lovely week. I get to spend the next four days with my parents and friends here in western Colorado and I know it will be just what I need to prepare me.

Standing Ovation

The overuse of the standing ovation has always been a sore spot with me, probably as a result of my father's influence. For instance I went to a musical Thursday night which was good, but not deserving of the extreme mark of satisfaction and enjoyment. I stood and clapped because everyone around me had. I really did enjoy the acting, the dancing, and the singing, but there is kind of a mark where the performance does more than entertains and pulls your whole heart and soul into the work. This was the case with the BYU Singers concert that I attended Friday. I had the feeling that I could stay forever and soak up the excellence in their singing. You wanted to cry just because they were so dang good. In addition their selections were very entertaining and soul stirring. This is the kind of performance that deserves a standing ovation and I stood with all my heart and soul in the clapping. It was very fulfilling to use this mark of supreme approval in its rightful place.

Rendezvous

I'm getting very excited for the family rendezvous in Provo scheduled for this weekend. My brother Samuel called me this afternoon expressing the same excitement and anticipation. It is hard to imagine that in a little less than 4 weeks, I will be set apart as a full-time missionary and will be devoting the next 18 months of my life to the Lord. I have so many feelings vying for my attention that it is hard to express which one is most prevalent at any given moment. It is pretty much a conglomeration of all of them felt at the same time. There is excitement, nervousness, fear, excitement, wonder, awe, curiosity, longing, sorrow, and a multitude of other feelings that have as of yet eluded titles. It is a weird time of my life where I feel so unsettled and almost numb, like this can not be really happening, it must be something I am only imagining. It is strange to think that I will not be doing the same things that I am doing now and I will not see the people who are such an integral part of my life now. It is like all rendezvous with destiny: you are never quite sure what to expect and never feel quite ready. However, they will come and the time will be past before you know it and you will be readying for still another rendezvous.

Catalog of April Fools Pranks

Yesterday was a very entertaining day for me. I started out my morning by printing off 40+ pages of one liners and short jokes and cutting them into little pieces. Then we taped them onto a friend's door because it was her birthday. While we were there, and she was still asleep, her husband left for work and gave us the key to the house and let us know when she would not be inhabiting it. We came back at the appointed time of vacancy and fixed her toilets, her sheets, and put Kool-aid in her shower head. We also hid chocolate eggs in various spots around the house. I called her later and she commented on the beautiful door of jokes she had been given as a birthday card, not even suspecting what greater fun was in store for her later. (evil chuckle inserted here) I then returned to my own house and did the same Kool-aid trick to Ian's shower. I was concerned that he had already taken his shower for the day and would not take one again until the next, but decided that if the trick was planted on April Fools Day, it counted. Much to my surprise and enjoyment I heard him turning on the shower as I was napping on the couch later that evening. He emerged from his bathroom shouting, "All I can say is not funny." At this remark I began to chuckle and continued doing so all night. In total I fixed about 7 toilets with ceran wrap and did various small pranks like salt on chosen morsels and the like, but all in all, this was one of the most fruitful and enjoyable April Fools Days that I have experienced.
I emerged almost totally unscathed from this event. While playing cards we had cheesecake for desert and mine was touched up with a little bit of salt. Actually it might have improved the taste a bit had it not been for the large accumulation of it in one spot. I calmly brushed it off and continued to eat the cheesecake. That being the sum total of the world's retaliation, I feel I came out more than a little ahead in this wonderful holiday of pranks and practical jokes.

April Fools Day

Unlike most of the other nonfoolish holidays, the history of April Fool's Day, sometimes called All Fool's Day, is not totally clear. There really wasn't a "first April Fool's Day" that can be pinpointed on the calendar. Some believe it sort of evolved simultaneously in several cultures at the same time, from celebrations involving the first day of spring.

The closest point in time that can be identified as the beginning of this tradition was in 1582, in France. Prior to that year, the new year was celebrated for eight days, beginning on March 25. The celebration culminated on April 1. With the reform of the calendar under Charles IX, the Gregorian Calendar was introduced, and New Year's Day was moved to January 1.

However, communications being what they were in the days when news traveled by foot, many people did not receive the news for several years. Others, the more obstinate crowd, refused to accept the new calendar and continued to celebrate the new year on April 1. These backward folk were labeled as "fools" by the general populace. They were subject to some ridicule, and were often sent on "fools errands" or were made the butt of other practical jokes.

This harassment evolved, over time, into a tradition of prank-playing on the first day of April. The tradition eventually spread to England and Scotland in the eighteenth century. It was later introduced to the American colonies of both the English and French. April Fool's Day thus developed into an international fun fest, so to speak, with different nationalities specializing in their own brand of humor at the expense of their friends and families.

In Scotland, for example, April Fool's Day is actually celebrated for two days. The second day is devoted to pranks involving the posterior region of the body. It is called Taily Day. The origin of the "kick me" sign can be traced to this observance.

Mexico's counterpart of April Fool's Day is actually observed on December 28. Originally, the day was a sad remembrance of the slaughter of the innocent children by King Herod. It eventually evolved into a lighter commemoration involving pranks and trickery.

Pranks performed on April Fool's Day range from the simple, (such as saying, "Your shoe's untied!), to the elaborate. Setting a roommate's alarm clock back an hour is a common gag. Whatever the prank, the trickster usually ends it by yelling to his victim, "April Fool!"

Practical jokes are a common practice on April Fool's Day. Sometimes, elaborate practical jokes are played on friends or relatives that last the entire day. The news media even gets involved. For instance, a British short film once shown on April Fool's Day was a fairly detailed documentary about "spaghetti farmers" and how they harvest their crop from the spaghetti trees.

April Fool's Day is a "for-fun-only" observance. Nobody is expected to buy gifts or to take their "significant other" out to eat in a fancy restaurant. Nobody gets off work or school. It's simply a fun little holiday, but a holiday on which one must remain forever vigilant, for he may be the next April Fool!

Why do I put myself through this?

Nursing is an amazing profession. We are always getting crapped on, in more ways than one. There will be days and days where no one will appreciate anything we try to do. We are constantly running around trying to get everything done, and the mountains of paperwork completed before JAHCO or the state come and take away our licenses. Then there is the agency nurse who you are working with who you wonder if she really went to nursing school at all and what is going on in her brain. ER is constantly yelling at you to take patients and they bring ones that should have gone to the unit in the first place, especially when they roll onto the floor at 6:30 during report. Then you have someone climbing out of bed, pulling out their Foley and IV and throwing up at the same time while the family is sleeping or reading a book at the bedside, or better still, the sitter hired to watch the patient is sleeping or reading a book at the bedside. You don't sit down or get to pee for about 13 hours (yeah right only twelve, like you can get out on time) and the family from down the hall is shouting at you because they want to hear a play by play of the last 3 days on a patient you're watching for another nurse as she takes a lackadaisical hour lunch. Also, you'll note that the doctor has just written new orders that contradict all of the other orders that were given a half hour ago, and you can't even read a single line because of the pitifully awful scrawl that they write in. Most of us like to include the letters, or at least the vowels.
Somehow, even through all of this, I find myself pulled back to work every time. I can't seem to say no when they ask someone to work extra. I really can't wait, I'm glad to leave every morning, and complain when I arrive in the evening. However, some sick, twisted, demented part of me really loves it. I couldn't even say why. I'm convinced that no one should ever put themselves through all of that torture, and yet find myself seeking it out. I can't really think of why I continue day after day, but I absolutely love my job even when I hate it. Wow, I really am nutty.

Maybe I'm laughing because I haven't yet gone to bed, but the title of this picture is "Real Nuts", I like to think of this as my own privately commissioned portrait.

Memorial

When talking to my mom this morning I found out that a good friend of the family Clinton Young died on Tuesday. This sad news for me is a blessed event for him. His wife of many years died a few years back and he has been missing her terribly for quite some time. He, like his wife, was not sick for a long duration. He had a heart attack while driving and didn't even make it to the hospital. I am truly happy for him that he is reunited with his wonderful wife, however I will miss all of the stories about the fire department and life in California. I do so love the Youngs and their sense of humor. I have carried on their legacy by teaching every youth I know how to say "boring" in sign language. Then when one of their compatriots is sitting on the stand in sacrament meeting, they can make them squirm to keep in the giggles that rise. Man I've been so blessed in my life to have known so many gems. The Wards are another couple who will always have a place in my heart and have helped to shape my life and character. What a joy it will be to greet them and hopefully I'll be able to say with clear conscience that I've taken the knowledge that I've gleaned through my association with them and used it to better the world and further the Lord's work.

I can see the bed!

In my ever present struggle to clean my room I have reached a new marker. I can now see the bed again. It is pretty exciting. I also can see sections of the floor and the closets are pretty much empty. Maybe someday I'll actually be finished with this job. Probably pretty close to May 1st doncha know. Other exciting things in my life include the March snow. I love it! We didn't get any in January and now here it comes. It is beautiful. I love weather wherever it is, it is such an amazing cycle. It is also a constant reminder of who is in charge. My only wish is that everyone could understand the plan as well or better than I do. It makes me really sad when I think of all of the things that are overlooked in the scriptures and what is inserted in their stead. Sometimes I really echo Alma's statement that he wishes he were an angel and could proclaim the gospel with a voice of thunder to show all of the earth the truth. However, I must also be content with my lot and the opportunities that I have on a daily basis. I also am going to have about 18 months of pure opportunity coming up here quickly, pretty exciting.

I'm back and unbroken...barely

So this weekend was very fun, and consequently, I'm very sore. On Saturday we went on a 16 mile bike ride on the Slick Rock trail. Word to the wise: don't go without conditioning yourself a little first. I went from absolutely no exercise to this and I felt it in my lungs and basically am still feeling it everywhere else in my body. It was kind of scary sometimes, but it was really fun, even when I was miserable. It was also fun to spend time with all of the others who were there, most notably my brother Samuel who managed to pull himself away from his homework for this fun weekend. Also there were the Halgrens: David, Kyle, Lexie, LeAnn, and John; many Howells, the Spencers, and random people from Provo who added to the fun. It really was a blast and now I am going to work today to rest from my vacation.

Madison Elizabeth Ballard

March 16th my sister Deann and her husband Zak had another beautiful baby girl at 11:06pm. They named her Madison Elizabeth Ballard. She weighed in at 7 lbs 15 oz and was 20 inches long. She joins older sisters Michela (5) and Mekenzie (2) and has auburn hair like her Grandma Jan. We're so happy to have another baby in the family. Congratulations Deann and Family!

Vacation time!

Yipee! I'm done with work for five days! I even worked an extra shift this week. It feels so nice to be off. You may ask, what am I going to do with five days off? Well, I'll tell you. I'm going to go to Moab for the annual Halgren/Spencer spring break weekend. I'll get to kill myself biking over the Slick Rock trails. You might ask why I would do such a thing and call it vacation? I'll tell you...I don't really know, except that it sounds vaguely fun to some diseased part of my brain. Hopefully Samuel will also be able to attend, if Kyle and David can drag him away from his studies for a much needed break. Anyway, that is the plan. It also would be nice if I did not totally die so that I can go to Portugal, but whatever happens happens I suppose.

This is me wondering where the trail went all of a sudden.

It's growing!

Not that anyone else in the world really cares, but my hair is getting longer. The last time I cut more than 2 inches off of my hair was about 7 years ago, and for all of that time, my hair has not really grown any considerable amount. It is kind of depressing actually to think of all the time it's been. Anyway, I've been getting it trimmed more often recently and it is getting fuller and thicker and... longer. Anyway, it is the little things in life that really make a difference to me I think.

Nature in its strange beauty

Yesterday was the oddest storm that I've seen in a while. I was out shopping at Office Depot and when I entered the store it was cloudy, but just that. I exited the store ten minutes later and everything had turned a pale state of grey and the wind was blowing so hard I had to place each step carefully to ensure my staying upright. Just as I got into my car it started to snow big flakes and a shopping cart with no one inside it went racing across the parking lot at about ten miles per hour. It was like a car commercial I had seen once where the shopping cart is out to get the truck or whatever they were trying to sale. It was really quite funny and amazing that the wind could push it so fast. Anyway, I went over to a friend's house to deliver a package and struggled to keep my car in the same lane due to the wind. For about an hour while I was there the snow continued to fall and there was accompanying thunder. The road looked like it was made of water because of the way the snow danced over it in the arms of the wind. It was really quite pretty. When I left her house it was over. The roads were slightly wet and that was the only sign of the storm that had been. Also her neighbor's storage shed had been blown up about two feet from one side of its foundation. Crazy what nature can do and not even break a sweat.

Wierded out!

The life of a nurse in the hospital can be very very strange sometimes. Oh the stories I could tell if it weren't for laws like HIPPA... The more I see of people the more normal I become (which in itself is a scary thought). Conversations between the nurses at 4:00 in the morning are of course a little odd, usually very funny, but the things patients say and do at that hour under the influence of their medications is absolutely bizarre. Last night I really felt like I was in the twilight zone with all of the crazy things happening. Then to top it all off there was a non-regular staff who must have been shooting up or smoking something really good because she was erratic and flighty and totally off the wall. At one point the rest of us were all so tired of her and because of little sleep and we looked at each other and laughed for a good five minutes. The kind of humor bred in the hospital on nights is unparallelled for just that reason. I guess you have to be a little crazy to have a job like mine or else have a hankering for the crazy. I'm not sure which I've got (no comments from the peanut gallery on this one) but it keeps me on my toes.

Packing my life in boxes

I am in the process of putting everything that I own into boxes. I will be storing them in my parents' storage unit (they saved me a couple of seats on the school bus) for the next 18 months. It is really funny to see what things I have saved. Some things are absolutely useless and others have value still. It is quite a chore to organize it all, especially all of the papers that I have accumulated through the last four years of school. It is however kind of fun to relive certain moments and remember people and things that happened. I would however hate to have accumulated more than I have. It is going to take me a while to get everything sorted out and I have already thrown away trash bags full of papers and things that I once thought I would want to save forever. It is funny how one's perspective changes over time. I suspect that I'm going to throw away many more things when I get home and go through the boxes again. Fun stuff.

Just a cute picture of my brother Nephi and his family in California. Joseph kissing little Caleb just as he likes to do. For more of Gina's musings: ginaandnephi.blogspot.com

Now all is right with the world

My arch-nemesis in high school would use this phrase when he had gotten the better of someone else because he was pretty much self-centered and rude. It used to drive me nuts, but I find that it now fits my present state of affairs. I have been really and truly happy, sirenely happy lately. The kind of happy that is found in sickeningly sweet storybooks after which the reader wants to regurgitate. It is not that my life is perfect. I have had my little bumps: a dry-socket had to be packed, a med error that I caught caused me loads of paperwork, a phone call just when I fell asleep, something I forgot to do. I have found however, that happiness is able to transend small bumps, or continue on in spite of them. Actually the bumps help to ascertain the reality of life and the blessedness of it. I might not really realize how blessed I was if I didn't get a little dose of life. Maybe I'm doing something right, or more likely it's not my doing, but Someone more than me. Whatever the cause, it is awesome to know that all is right with the world and I can continue on irrespective of the bumps in store. Anyway, a little random thought from ellen after a long night of work on little sleep plus Aleve.

Just ducky.

Warp drive!

So, things are moving pretty fast around here for little me. I wonder when I'll be able to get everything done. I have to work to pay off the bills, but then I need to get myself ready for the mission with proper clothing, shots, papers, and spiritual preparation. I also have to get my whole life packed away and moved back to Mom and Dad's. (Anyone who has ever seen my room will realize what a feat that will be in itself.) It'll be an amazing thing if I can get it all done. I'm going to have a very packed couple of months. I go on a fun excursion to Moab in March and then April will be jam-packed every week going to Utah, going home, having family here in Arvada...then I'll go into the mission home May 4th! It's hard to believe that my long awaited mission is only two months away!

stoopid stoopid ellen

Here I am, little ellen devoid of all wisdom. (sniff) It was cruelly cut out, extracted from me and replaced by gauze plugs, as if I wouldn't notice. Truthfully I didn't notice, except for the dull pain which sometimes throbs in my head, but I've got a cure for that too. Actually getting my wisdom teeth pulled was not the huge trauma everyone said it would be. I had worked the night shift before my mom picked me up and took me to the oral surgeons office, so I'm sure putting me under wasn't very hard at all. I just remember them putting in the IV and then telling me to wake up. I didn't really want to. Then I walked around like a drunk woman getting to the car. Luckily I had my own private duty nurse (Thanks a million Mom!) who took excellent care of me. I can see where I get my intuitive nursing skills. Anyway, the teeth are out, and I'm hardly a chipmunk at all it's very exciting. I could almost even go back to work if I wanted to, but I'm not scheduled until Sunday night, so I'll laze around a bit. Thanks to Mom again for making the drive out and back to be here for me as I slobbered and drooled in newfound stupidity (ie without wisdom). It made all the difference in the world that I didn't have to worry about my sorry state because I had someone else there to do it.

Samuel's mission call

My little brother Samuel just received his mission call. He gets to speak Portuguese as well. He will be serving in the Brazil Sao Paulo East Mission. He reports to the MTC in Brazil June 1st. I am so excited to be serving in the same language at the same time as my brother. It will also be fun once we both return to be able to have our own private conversations in Portuguese. He is a good kid, maybe even better than I am. He puts me to shame all the time. How I love the little bugger (although he is over six feet now, but he will always be little brother to me).
Congratulations Samuel!!

Work work work

I have decided that although I love nights and I do love working, I don't think I could work a full time night position when I have children. I don't know how some of my coworkers do it. I can get away with this night business because I can postpone my boring life until my days off. I could probably work once a week or something with my little kiddies, but none of this three, four, five nights in a row business. However, it will all depend on my love, my darling and what he needs.

It will be interesting to see what turns out, after I get back from my mission. It is nice right now to be getting that pretty paycheck every two weeks. Can't complain too much about that one.

Crazy staffing

Staffing at the hospital where I work has been a nightmare lately. For instance, last night I started out with 7 patients with the promise of 10 at 2300. Normally I am only supposed to have 5 patients, 6 maximum. Luckily, someone did some fancy finagling and we got a day nurse to do a night shift from 11-7. I was so grateful that I didn't have to take all 10 as that would have been very unhealthy for them and me. As a result, I had kind of a quiet night, truly a blessing. Last week wasn't much better from a staffing standpoint and I could have worked every night if I had allowed them to convince me. Crazy stuff this shortage of nurses, or shortage of healthy nurses anyway. Can't wait to see my mom next week. I'm getting my wisdom teeth out and she's coming to nurse me. Luckily her staffing ratio will be 1:1 and I'm probably an acuity 1, so she should be fine.

Miraculous week

This last week has been one of miraculous happenings. Every single day there was something else to be thankful and amazed about. For example: On Monday afternoon I sent out for my passport. On Friday at 11:00 I got my passport back. Saturday I happened upon a passage of scripture just meant for me in Alma 29while searching for some other scripture. In addition, I received answers to prayers daily and immediately. It was really a wonderful week.

Eureeeka!

My good friend Jackie and I went out to lunch today to celebrate my upcoming mission and then stopped by the local goodwill for a look-see at women's dress suits. What we found there far outstripped my expectations. There was a huge selection of just what I wanted. Every time I looked around I found something that fulfilled the list of missionary clothing that I had been supplied. It was truly amazing. Jackie and I were commenting that it is a testament to paying tithing and going on missions. It was truly amazing. I commented that we still needed a certain item, but probably wouldn't be able to find it there. Voila! I turned around to looked on the next rack and there it was. There were some items even hidden away in the wrong rack, like a brand new robe in with the dress suits. It was just really cool. I didn't think it was possible, but I am more excited about my mission than I was a week ago. Yipee!

Ahhh drugs!

So recently I got a sinus infection which kind of worked its way down to my throat. Most notably it was felt last Friday night when I could not stop coughing all night. In desperation I was found Saturday morning at 11:00 at the doctors office. After about two minutes of assessment, which I payed $130 for, he prescribed some cough medicine with codiene. Normally I don't even like to take tylenol for a headache and instead try to sleep it off. However, there comes a time when you cannot sleep because of the coughing fits and somewhere around 4:00 in the morning, a decision was made. Now, half conscious for the last couple of days/nights (they run together) I take pause to write an ode to the wonders of medicines when they are needed.

MISSION CALL!!!

Yesterday, Thursday, February 3rd, I calmly drove back to Denver with nary a thought in my mind but getting to my bed and taking a nice long nap. When I turned off I-70 and turned my cell phone on there was a message from Connie Spencer, who I live with: "Ellen, give me a call, we have some news here for you." The rest of the drive home, which was unintentional driven in excess of the speed limit, was very thick with anticipation. My missionary papers were only sent in on the 24th of January and could not have produced results so soon could they?!? I ran into the house in disbelief. "No way could they be here!!" They handed me "the envelope" and I quickly raced downstairs to my room and dialed up my mother at work. She was just beginning a class, but I told her assistant that this was her daughter and that I needed to talk to her. I told her I had arrived home safely to quell any fears she might have in that department and ecstatically informed her that my call had arrived. I then ripped open the envelope and read.....(drumroll please)

Dear Sister Thompson:

You are hereby called to serve as a missionary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. You are assigned to labor in the Portugal Porto Mission. It is anticipated that you will serve for a period of 18 months.

You should report to the Missionary Training Center at Provo, Utah on Wednesday, 4 May 2005. You will prepare to preach the gospel in the Portuguese language. Your mission president may modify your specific assignment according to the needs of the mission.

fell off the face of the earth

For all of you who are wondering why I haven't edited my blog for some time, I want to assure you that I am not dead, I just fell off the face of the earth. This little spot is named Austin, CO. If you have not heard of it, do not be alarmed, not many people have. This little town is my place of birth (in the same house in which my parents still reside) as well as the location that my grandparents Mabell and Nathan Thompson seldom stray from. I was there for a week to celebrate, on two different occasions, my grandfather's 100th birthday.
I also enjoyed time with some of my exceedingly cute nieces and nephews and their parents. The ones old enough to enjoy the park are pictured here. Caleb and Ethan were sleeping peacefully at home with Grandma.

We blessed my nephew Caleb Nathan on Sunday and my Grandpa was able to attend.

In addition to my Grandpa's birthday, we also celebrated Mom's on the 29th, my brother-in-law Blair's on the 30th, and my friend Janie's on the 31st. I also went with my Uncle Duke to the driving range where he taught me how to hit a golf ball. It was a very enjoyable time for all.