Lesson in perserverance

Hey Everyone,

Ok so i hope no one thinks i'm chastising or anything cause i'm not. it's just that we learn so much stuff here and its a huge testimony builder. like my faith has grown a lot and its true - faith leads to action, but yeah, any ways.

i wanted to let you know that you guys are always on my mind and a lot of the things i experience here, i just wish you were right here with me kus it helps me so much and i know it would help you too. So yeah, i just wanted to let you know that and that i love you guys a lot. Mom and Dad i wanted to really thank you because you really helped me be the person i am today. i dont know what i would be like without your examples and all the things i have learned from you.

A quick story.. here at the MTC it is tough, it drains you so much and some nights we head back to our rooms and i am like dead beat. but i keep studying and keep trying and the thoughts that go on in my mind are like: "you better not give up," and "you better not let a second go by," and i think about that a lot and that's why i am always studying, but it was cool - someone said that through our actions we can show our love for Christ. i really believe that. you guys know i have made a ton of mistakes that i'm not happy about, but it's really comforting to have the knowledge that i'm working as hard as i can and that the Savior sees that and knows that i love him (ok, brief explanation for these emails, i don't know what to write, i just write what goes on in my mind - so hopefully this helps you know how i'm doing and stuff and maybe it helps you too). Oh, another cool thing is that in my scripture studies, i found in Jacob 6:5 this morning that the Lord always helps us. like that is my big concern for me right now. it's really comforting knowledge.

Oh ok, another story, so one time in class we were about to teach a certain part of a lesson in front of the whole class. and right before that i prayed for the help of the Spirit and its power to be able to speak the words of God through my mouth and to be able to say what God wants me to say. while teaching i really was thinking how i can help the class. then i thought of something and i thought it was really good. mid way through my explanation i lost it and couldnt remember anything. i was like what? God - you got to be kidding me...it was silent for like 20 seconds, then the teacher said "time." we stopped and then the first thing he said was bear your testimony. and i was like wow, okay, shoot i'm an idiot. but God answered my prayer and i wasn't suppose to say it and instead i was suppose to bear my testimony. so sometimes we need to just do that instead and yeah. um, oh this past week too, i fasted one day for hope and to be able to push through no matter what, so that i can forget about myself, because really, i don't care about me, i could care less, i just want to be able to get out and serve others and share with them what i have and know, and to just love them with all my heart because i know how much God cares about them. so yeah, really, all that i have been doing here is straight reading the scriptures in the book of mormon and preach my gospel and learning spanish every single minute till i go to sleep. And its amazing because i wake up and even though i'm tired i know that the lord blesses me with strength to do what i need to do. its way cool. haha, but yeah this place is sweet, i love it here, its been going by way fast - its crazy, and yeah its just way good. hope everyone and everything is good back home oh shoot, i heard about the tsunami from my teacher kus she's hawaiian and in my mind i was thinking, "crud - from chile, thats south - that means there's gonna be a south swell! haha, i wanted to surf so bad. your probab ly right dad i would probably be in the water like that one guy... haha. but yeah it sounded pretty cool though. Praying for you guys. no worry, be happy.

Love, Elder Thomas

oh remember to not respond kus i no can respond to you on this one kus i get only limited time on um. so yeah take it easy.. dear elders are better. thanks for everything again