Elder Justin Thiel

Family:

So we have every restaurant here that we have at home, and that does include a Little Caesars.  We drive and bike in our mission and we live in an apartment building.

Things that are new in the mission are that we have some new potential investigators and we taught Johnnie all the lessons and he came to church on Sunday, so now all we have to do is get him to church one more time and then he can be baptized. Roy ( the minister) is going to be a problem.  It's not him but his brother who is a self proclaimed apostle.  They are penicastals..  Roy had a stroke some years back and now his brother thinks that he can't think for himself.  So Roy wants to be baptized but his brother is the mountain we have to climb to get there.

I'm starting to have more fun and the home sickness isn't as bad anymore but it still has its ups and downs.  One thing that is interesting is that I've found out more about myself in these past three weeks than I have the past 18 years.  The scripture about how if you aren't looking for yourself then you find your self is so true.  The less you think about yourself out here the more you learn and the better you become as a person.

Well I love you all and love how much I'm learning about the gospel and about myself out here.  I'm going to come back a completely different person I think but I'll retain all the good quality's that I had before and I'll probably come back talking like a black guy. 
Tell Matt that mission prep is really important and to read through Preach My Gospel!  Don't make the same mistake that I did by not prepping for this.

I'll keep you all in my prayers

Love, to everyone but Matt

Justin 

      

Mom,

The work is slowly but surely moving along.  Johnnie is still progressing towards baptism on the 12th of October.  We have some other investigators and if they progress then I will mention their names.  I would also like to thank Dad for letting me take his bible with me out here.  The passage he wrote in the back with his references to scriptures about various topics is very helpful.  I plan on adding a few of my own to the list and then passing it down to Matthew when I return for time to take on his mission as well and I want to make that a tradition of doing that because of the wealth of knowledge that it contains.  I plan on also starting the same thing in the back of my quad.  Tell matt happy birthday for me.

I continue to learn more and more everyday.  I'm also starting to see the wisdom behind all the teachings of the prophets of the scriptures and also the character of Christ.  As I find them, I apply them into my life and see that fruit of which is sweet to the taste.  Also I'm learning secrets of the gospel that I didn't dream about knowing before hand contained in the scriptures and also by revelation that I can't write down at this time because there is too much.  I have only gained them in the purpose of helping other people, pure selfless desire, and that is the only way by which you can find these things.  If you think about it, everything in the gospel comes back to that...helping others and turning outward is the key to finding righteousness and everlasting life.

My time has now ran short but know this.  I love all of you with all the deepest respects of my heart.  And knowing  what i just told you, how can you now best serve one another as a family and the people around you?  Think about it and tell me what you find and after I shall convey more of the things that have been revealed to me.

I will continue the work in the hopes of fulfilling all righteousness with faith until the great Jehovah shall say " the work is done".  Give thanks for the things that you have and always remember who gave you those things.

Love, your humble missionary,

-Elder Thiel