The Best 2 Years: Elder Jace Thompson in Omaha/Japan: the one with a gas spiritual thought

"Boom, you looking for this?"

Monday, we met up with some other missionaries and went to a pub (don't worry not of all us had alcohol). They had a bunch of fun things to do so we started with toppling some pins (bowling) and then endulged in the classic game of billiards (pool) and then finally entertained ourselves with some micro archery (darts) 🧐

Tuesday was our last district council this transfer! It was a lot of fun and we went to a really good tonkatsu place together!

Wednesday we ate lunch with one of our friends and then went on exchanges! I was with Elder Carlson, who is 6'8" and an absolute stud! It was a really fun day, and I learned a lot about him and missionary work!

Sunday, we ate dinner at a member's house with Makoto and lots of other ward members! It was a lot of fun and they had so much food! It was good because it was fast Sunday and my comps and I ate A LOT of food 😋

Miracle Monday, we streeted for like 4 hours and talked to tons of people! Not too much happened, but it wasn't a P day because transfers are really weird and crazy this time around.

Spiritual thought:

Ether 15:24-30

24 And it came to pass that they slept upon their swords that night, and on the morrow they fought again, and they contended in their might with their swords and with their shields, all that day.

25 And when the night came there were thirty and two of the people of Shiz, and twenty and seven of the people of Coriantumr.

26 And it came to pass that they ate and slept, and prepared for death on the morrow. And they were large and mighty men as to the strength of men.

27 And it came to pass that they fought for the space of three hours, and they fainted with the loss of blood.

28 And it came to pass that when the men of Coriantumr had received sufficient strength that they could walk, they were about to flee for their lives; but behold, Shiz arose, and also his men, and he swore in his wrath that he would slay Coriantumr or he would perish by the sword.

29 Wherefore, he did pursue them, and on the morrow he did overtake them; and they fought again with the sword. And it came to pass that when they had all fallen by the sword, save it were Coriantumr and Shiz, behold Shiz had fainted with the loss of blood.

30 And it came to pass that when Coriantumr had leaned upon his sword, that he rested a little, he smote off the head of Shiz.

"If your eyes are always on your shoelaces, if all you can see is this class or that test, this date or that roommate, this disappointment or that dilemma, then it really is quite easy to throw in the towel and stop the fight. But what if it is the fight of your life? Or more precisely if it is the fight for your life, your eternal life at that? What if beyond this class or that test, this date or that roommate, this disappointment or that dilemma, you really can see and can hope for all the best and right things that God has to offer? Oh, it may be blurred a bit by the perspiration running into your eyes, and in a really difficult fight one of the eyes might even be closing a bit, but faintly, dimly, and ever so far away you can see the object of it all. And you say it is worth it, you do want it, you will fight on. Like Coriantumr, you will lean upon your sword to rest a while, then rise to fight again."

— Jeffrey R Holland

FRODO: I can’t do this, Sam.

SAM: I know. It’s all wrong. By rights we shouldn’t even be here. But we are. It’s like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger they were. And sometimes you didn’t want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy. How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened.

But in the end, it’s only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something. Even if you were too small to understand why. But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back only they didn’t. Because they were holding on to something.

FRODO: What are we holding on to, Sam?

SAM: That there’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo. And it’s worth fighting for.

Sorry, there was a LOT to read, so I'll keep my thoughts short... Sometimes life is gonna be REALLY hard. But that's what makes it a good story. We need to have the hard times to fully enjoy the good times. Sometimes, it might not feel like it's worth continuing on, but we in the Church of Jesus Christ know that "it's worth fighting for." So for all of you that are struggling, hurting, or if you "have slipped or stepped from the covenant path, or can’t even see the path from where you are now," (2019–A:67, Russell M. Nelson, We Can Do Better and Be Better) " Keep loving. Keep trying. Keep trusting. Keep believing. Keep growing. Heaven is cheering you on today, tomorrow, and forever." (2016–A:124, Jeffrey R. Holland, Tomorrow the Lord Will Do Wonders among You)

Well, that's all I got this week! Feel free to email me! :)