Thanksgiving was this week, and it was definetly different than any in the past, but still really good. We went over to the Barrett’s, and they also had there family over. It was a lot of fun to be in a big family setting, but a little sad that is wasn’t my own.
This week we had pretty decent success in finding some new people. There was one girl we met who we think can be a really solid person to teach. She lately has been questioning if she really believes the things that her parents do and if she really believes in God. We shared a couple of our thoughts on her concerns and talked about the Plan of Salvation and then left her with a Book of Mormon which she said she “would read right now as she had nothing better to do.” We’ll see how that goes, but I’m pretty excited for the people we have found lately. Also, we are two weeks from the Chaj’s daughter’s baptism! Everything is going great with her and her cousin has also been sitting in on the lessons and has been coming to church, which is awesome. Other than that not much to report on this week.
Questions-Are you enjoying being able to drive or is it more stressful?- I like it; it gives me control over something when sometimes it feels like I can not control that much.
What is your most effective way to do language study?- Read the Book of Mormon and try to speak spanish as much as possible between the two of us.
So, this is Elder Holloway(District Leader) now. Don’t ask about it. All you need to know is that Elder Tonkinson left his phone unattended and so I had to say hi to his family real quick. Just so you know, he really is doing great, we really appreciate him up here. To his family, especially his parents, thanks for lending him to us! And now, back to his message…
Okay so yeah. Mostly just reading things out loud and talking to Elder Durbano in Spanish when we remember. Our goal is if we do not, and we get called out be each other 5 times, the other person has to take a cold shower the next morning.
What are you doing for exercise right now?- Resistance bands, sit ups, push ups, stuff like.
How has the mission changed you?- That’s a question I feel like I cannot answer. I feel like you all from an outside perspective would have a better idea than I. Probably mostly, how personally responsible I have to be and how much I have to actually act like an adult.
Share a favorite teaching moment or tender mercy that you have experienced recently.- Um teaching moment was probably teaching the Chaj’s because they are just such a humble group of people.
Spiritual- Well so dad sends me daily emails about his scripture study. One thing that stuck out for me was the fact that when Nephi has his vision it says he sees the “Spirit of the Lord” which I always thought as being the personage of the Holy Ghost where as Dad sights evidence that it might the Spirit of Jesus Christ. I just thought that was an intersting difference so I was just wondering what everyone else thought. To read it please see 1 Nephi 11 I believe, but Dad please correct me if I’m wrong.
Love you all and have a good week. So thankful for all of you.
Elder Tonkinson
https://eldertonkinson.home.blog/
P.S. Elder Harris is gone to the mall so the P.S. is from Elder Hart this week: Elder Tonkinson is the GOAT volleyball player in the history of missionaries everywhere! Everyone cheers his name when he is up to serve! He is so good!
Elder Gideon Tonkinson, Washington Everett Mission 