Missionary Work Can Be Funny!

Kissing the ground because i didn't get transferred welcome to the email shop

Our 2 RC's who both passed their interview to receive the Aaronic priesthood. shout out to worthy future priesthood holders:) 

Esnerli!

September 28, 2015
hello banja langa! goodness this week was funny! I'm pretty stoked to tell you about some good stories. HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOTHER DEAREST YOU ARE WONDERFUL. 

1. okay so I don't think I have told you about my stalker... (mom, dad don't be scared) I have no idea what his name was but our relationship stems back way back to my first week in Blantyre. So i'm 99% positive he is homeless and he wears the same clothes every single day. one of my first days here he came up to me and started ranting about how hard it is to get a job in malawi (true fact) and then after that time he would just magically appear wherever I was... whether it was at the mini bus station or at the grocery store he would randomly come up  to me. So one time he told me he needed help and so of course I hand him a Plan of Salvation pamphlet (it's the answer to everything!!) and then he found me in the internet cafe about a week later and told me that he was like Adam and I was his Ëve" hahahahhaha WHAT? and then the next week he found me while I was sitting in a mini bus and he asked me when our wedding was... and I told him that I had to finish my mission and then I was going back to America... and then he answered that I could just come back to Malawi for him after I finish my mission... like how did i not think of that? and then this week he yelled "my groomsmaid my groomsmaid"" across the shoprite parking lot. so surprise mom and dad.... I FOUND MY HUSBAND. 

2. Last sunday in Young Womans (we go to young womans because they don't have a presidency so we help out) and Nora the teacher was quoting the apostle paul and wrote ""I DIE DIARY" on the board... Sister Solomone and I were so confused.. she definitely meant to put ""I DIE DAILY"" malawians really struggle with switching their R's and L's hahaha they kill me. i love them so much. 

3. So I bet you never thought that you would teach tithing/fasting and how Mary got pregnant with Jesus in the same lesson... well I did that this week. and you are probably confused how that happened... well let me explain. We were teaching Mandela... and Mandela you just never know what's coming with him.. but we were teaching tithing and fasting and Mandela asked why we were only commanded to fast for 24 hours when Jesus fasted for 40 days and 40 nights. and we had to explain that Jesus was physically able to do that when us average humans aren't able to do that. and then he wanted a further explanation so then we whipped out the story in Luke about how Mary got pregnant as a virgin. GOOD STUFF MY FRIENDS.... MISSIONARY WORK IS AN ADVENTURE. 

4. WE took Khumbo to teach the Nyrienda family with us hoping that it would get them to come to church... (it didn't work :( :( :( ) and khumbo explained how we found him, and taught him and how he got baptized and abambo (the father) asked Khumbo how much we paid him to get baptized..... yep missionary fail haha. 

5. SAD STORY: one of our less-actives came up to us in the market sooooo drunk. and he just kept telling us how he would come to church sober and asked us to forget that we saw him drunk. (he still didn't come to church:( ) 

6. back to funny stories: teaching Mandela the law of chastity. all I need to say is that I truly need to filter what I say about this lesson. Let's just say he was asking me for advice for his wedding night... uhhhhhhh what? hahahah my companion and I were seriously speechless. we went and got ice cream after to reward ourselves. 

7. yesterday Sister Thueson wasn't the smartest person in the world and was walking through the market with the phone in the side pocket... and guess what? it got stolen yaaaayyyyyy. and so we lost almost all of our investigators numbers... but I think we wrote most down in the area book... cross our fingers. 

8. so we're not allowed to give money to beggars and so I had to run away from these 2 little boys because it made me too sad to say no to them. 

Okay NOW INTO STORIES ABOUT THE SPIRIT WAHOOO

HEAVENLY FATHER CONTINUES TO AMAZE ME WITH HOW HE PREPARES HIS CHILDREN TO HEAR HIS GOSPEL. 

1. Fischer. So last week he just randomly showed up to church... no one knew who he was and so we started talking to him and he said this was his first time.. so we got his number and we went and visited him on Friday. turns out he has a wife and a 3 month old son:) A FAMILY <3 and he used to be a Jehovah's witness... but his wife never felt good about it so she never got baptized into that church, and so he dropped Jehovah's witness so that him and his wife could find a church together (good man) and he walked by our church one day and he told his wife that he would go check it out. and he did... and so we are going to start teaching them.. they didn't make it to church this week but hopefully after we teach them a lesson they will come:)

2. Daniel. aka THE SASSIEST 13 YEAR OLD ON THE PLANET. we were 15 minutes late to his lesson and the first thing he does when he sees us is hold up his finger and was like ""first thing.. you said you would be here at 3... and what time is it now?"" goodness he kills me. and then he asks the deepest questions about the BOM. we gave him the kids/picture version for him to read and he promised to finish it before we saw him next. like his question this week was why did the Lamanites and Nephites start fighting again after they lived in peace once Christ came? seriously people this is not a normal 13 year old boy. 

3. The Limasi family (the Muslim family) they are still so sweet. We found out this week that the mother used to be Catholic but just switched religions when she got married (that's the culture down here.. is the wife always goes where the husband is going when they get married) so that adds some serious potential. Their kids are just the sweetest... but it's going to be slow and steady with them. 

BIG NEWS: okay not that big of news... but I made the bold decision to start reading Jesus The Christ and mannnnnnnn is it powerful. seriously my mind is blown every page I read. I can't get enough of it. Jesus is seriously the Christ... and seriously our Savior and Redeemer. 

OKay... that's about all I can think of for this week. I LOVE YOU ALL AND I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY. 

Kubwezeletsedwa kwa uthenga was Yesu Khristu

September 21, 2015

You guessed it.... "The Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ" or you probably didn't guess it. But this week my companion and I are trying to learn how to teach the first lesson in Chichewa!! fun stuff! 

Fun Facts: 

1. Blantyre's weather is almost as Bipolar as utah. seriously i was in a coat earlier this week and then sweating buckets the next day. But the rumors are true... AFRICA IS HOT MAN. 

2. ONe of our investigators cousin is in Book of Mormon musical.... let's just say we have tried to find multiple ways to use it to our advantage. haha

3. I have decided to compare the zillions of cockroaches in our flat to deer in Btown. They were scared at first... but now they are confident little creatures and they aren't even scared of humans. 

4. I heard the "you're the reason for my life.. you're the inspiration" song so that was cool. Throwback to the Thueson household. 

5. sooooo there is this Nigerian prophet named TB Joshua... and he is a problem. he like heals people through the tv and "delivers" people from their sins and such. look him up... it's pretty interesting to watch. But during gospel principles class the teacher asked the class to start naming off prophets and on of our invesitgators said TB JOSHUA... (missionary fail) so this week we are going to re teach him about the priesthood power haha. 

6. YOu'll never ever believe me... but my Utah accent is gone. I say my "t" in mountain... like it's weird. Malawian accent BO

7. I LOVE TO BAKE. SERIOUSLY BROWNIES MUFFINS YOU NAME IT.

Spiritual thoughts: 

1. 1 NEPHI 13 IS THE COOLEST CHAPTER EVER. IT PREDICTS EVERYTHING THAT YOU LEARN IN US HISTORY CLASS. Seriously the American Heritage professors should make their students study it because it is super cool. The church is true. 

2. I just like this verse.

 33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation:but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

Monday: Sister Browning left to the copperbelt... so quote from Lion King... "our threesome is down to two" 

Tuesday: In district meeting we talked about how we need to be BOLD and LOVING... like i'm pretty good at the loving part.. but the Bold... not so much. We all know Sister Thueson isn't a bold person. but MORONI 8:16 is an mponvu verse. so i'm going to get better at it. 

We always meet with Frasier on Tuesday and we taught him about temples. and he kept telling us how in his other churches he never learned anyything like this and he told us how grateful he was for us and the Beals for teaching it so that he could understand. He told us that he won't ever leave the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints<3 I love this guy. 

so we walk through these fields to get to the church and... A BABY BLACK MAMBA SLITHERED IN FRONT OF ME. death was right in front of eyes. hahah just kidding i'm being dramatic. but not really. 

The Nyirenda family fed us Coosipa which are these little fish that you eat whole. like the head and everything. it took me probably 5 minutes to bite into it hahahahah greenie probs. 

Wednesday: We taught Yamikani and man was he prepared. he has come to church the past 3 sundays and he is always early. He told us that what made him come the first time was the he was supposed to meet someone in town but they weren't there and so he walked past the church and saw the "Visitors Welcome" sign and he liked that it said that and so he came:) wahooooooo so so happy.

Then a recent convert named Naledi in the branch is convinced that we don't know how to cook and she is afraid we are missing our mom's cooking and so she had us over and we learned how to cook and then she made us dinner to take home! and then she gave us cheese sauce, dressing, and tomatoe puree... and then on sunday she brought us soup and cherry tomatoes. hahahah #BLESSED

Friday:: So I think last week i mentioned how we met a little boy who said his family used to investigate the church... his name is Daniel and we went to teach him this week and MAN HE IS THE SMARTEST 13 YEAR OLD ON THE PLANET. he pretty much recited the whole first vision for us and then summarized the whole Book of Mormon and he was asking deep questions about the Tower of Babel and why the Nephites and Lamanites separated. but COOL EXPERIENCE: he asked why the Nephites and Lamanites separated and i could not remember for the life of me... but I just opened my mouth and it came out. HOLLA. D&C 84:85 BO.  #missionarymiracles 

Saturday = the day that nothing goes right hahaha. The day that all our plans fell through... all our back up plans... and all of our back up plans to those back up plans. and my poor companion was sick and it was deathly hot. but I'M STILL HAPPY NO WORRIES. 

Sunday: Good day!! We got a new branch president!!! So that is always exciting... you could tell he is super nervous becuase he has a big task ahead of him. The branch has a lot of work to do but it is improving every week! I love being able to see the progression of the branch!! and especially of less-active members:) 

We are teaching our Elder quorums president's brother.. his name is Junior and we are teaching his 2 friends Takondwa and Peterson. and all 3 are SDA..*** and they started saying that our purpose as missionaries was just to increase the number of our church and MAN I GOT HEATED. I seriously just bore the strongest testimony a young 19 year old has about how all I wanted to do was help people have access to the Atonement and live with their Heavenly Father again... I think they could tell how serious I was so they stopped talking about it. 

And then we taught a Muslim family!! ***they pretty much just asked questions about our church and we just answered. HOpefully we have an actual lesson with them soon... I will keep you updated. But they are seriously the nicest family ever. 

Well family that was my wonderful week!! We have 3 wonderful investigators on date for October 11th!! Mandela, Frasier, and Tenson! Keep them in your prayers that they stay strong!!! Khumbo hopefully will get the priesthood in the next couple weeks and then he'll start passing the sacrament:) 

FAMILY I LOVE YOU SO MUCH AND I LOVE MALAWI. SO EXCITED THAT I GET AT LEAST 5 MORE WEEKS IN THIS AREA. 

nima ku konda kwan bili! 

Sister Thuey

Last day with Sister Browning

Rise and Shout!

September 14, 2015

Hello!! this week was a slightly slower week I would say... we weren't able to teach as many lessons this week and that makes it go by a little slower. but still good as always and i'm still happy as always:)

LET'S GO BYU FOOTBALL.... RISE AND SHOUT THE COUGARS ARE OUT. I still bleed blue down here in Malawi. 

So we got official transfer calls this week and Sis. Solomone and I are staying together in Blantyre (woot woot) and Sis. Browning is making the long trip up to the Copperbelt... right in time for hot season! haha (so the Copperbelt is brutal during the hot season i've heard) I'm really happy that I get to stay in this area at least one more transfer!! I just feel like I have more to accomplish here!

Random Facts: 

1. I'm excited for the day where I can open the fridge without 5 cockroaches crawling out. 

2. I rubbed my fingers raw from hand washing this week. HOLLA. 

3. I finished the Book of Mormon this morning:) 

4. One of our investigators bought us chocolate.

Tuesday we had zone meeting!! and it was crazy because it was the last day in the field for 3 of the elders in our zone!! They are now officially back with their families! But then after we went and saw one of my favorite investigators... FRASIER. I promise to take a picture of him this week so you can see him. This man... I love him. We taught him lesson #3 and he had his little notebook out taking notes. Elder Beal was able to help us out during the lesson and Elder Beal pretty much told him straight that he can't procrastinate baptism anymore... he has been investigating for 10 years and it is time for him to commit (Frasier investigated with his wife 10 years ago, and then his wife died and he stopped) And then he asked the question if he could be baptized even without his wife. So we're gonna teach him about temples next... but you better believe that one day my husband and I are going to get sealed for Frasier and his wife. it's pretty much my only life goal. (and many more) But after Elder Beal told him that he can get baptized without his wife he told us that he is ready to commit. so he should be getting baptized October 11th:)

Some funny things that Frasier says all the time: "we were exchanging word" "let me borrow his words" "Mr. and Mrs. Elder and Sister Beal" and many others that I wish I could remember.

Wednesday: So we met this family!!!! And they are so sweet... the father's name is Bakili and he is super enthusiastic. They invited us into their home, bought us some Fanta, and then got to know them. They are a Muslim family who is new to Blantyre... we weren't able to teach them a lesson because it was getting late, but I really hope that we'll be able to teach them.

Nyirenda Family: So I talk about these people a lot. Because they're great! We taught them on Saturday and we had felt prompted to show them the Restoration DVD. and the son (blessings) was really enjoying it but the father was still fighting it... we seriously feel like we exert all of our energy testifying during their lessons. We are at a loss of what to do with them... they all have the desire to know and they even have small testimonies... they just won't keep their commitments. it's killing us. But we're just going to keep praying... and we're going to get them a fellowshipper and we think that will help. EVERY MEMBER A MISSIONARY.

tender mercy: as we were walking to the Nyirenda house this little boy stoppped us and told us that his family had been taught before but they never got baptized. We are always trying to look for families to teach so this was a blessing... hopefully we can see them this week! 

Sunday: LONG LONG LONG. We had PEC before church and Branch Council after chuch.

 It's always fun to see who will sacrifice to come to church:) this week we had Henry, Vivian, Frasier, Esnerpe, and Mendela. But okay so last week we had this random guy show up... no idea who he is okay and his name is Yamikani and he wears his sunglasses in church. We get his number but we never saw him... then this week he shows up again.. but in a white shirt and tie. like can you say cute? Yeah we need to see him this week. He must be prepared if he is just showing up to church on his own!!

That was a summary of my week!!! I am constantly learning and i'm so grateful to be here. Thank you for the constant support and prayers. I love you all so much!!

NIMA KU KONDA KWAN BILI

Mulongo Napili

YOMO

          

September 7, 2015

Happy Labor Day!!! What is labor day anyways??? anywho I hope you all had an amazing week!!! I forgot my journal today... so this might be a struggle to remember everything! But seriously p-days come so fast... weeks are flying.

BIG NEWS: SISTER THUESON IS ON HER LAST WEEK OF TRAINING... I REPEAT THIS IS MY LAST WEEK OF THE 12 WEEK TRAINING PROGRAM. Both me and my trainer are pretty stoked about it haha... but I will say that I do have a testimony of the training program... it truly does help the new and old missionary focus on the basics (or fundamentals... that one is for all you greenies out there) of missionary work!! So next time I talk to you... I won't be a greenie any more! But at the same time I don't like how fast time is flying... like i'm already 1/6 done with my mission SAY WHAT? oh yeah I hit the big 3 months on friday!!

FUN FACTS: 

1. so I found a tuck shop in Naperi that sells coca cola light... seriously the only tuck shop in all of Malawi (tuck shop = a shack that sells soda/bread/sugar/other random things... they are everywhere.) .... and i'm the only person who buys them. So i'm going to tell the lady that owns the shop that i'll continue to come back and buy if she keeps supplying them. 

2. So my companion Sis. Browning LOVES deep doctrine... and somehow during companion study we always end up discussing some crazy eternal principle... and I have quickly learned that I don't like deep doctrine... I just like to keep it simple... so I have a new motto and I hung it up in my flat and it's the key to salvation...

"SERVE AND LOVE EVERYONE AND KEEP YOUR COVENANTS"

it's a pretty simple recipe... no need to throw in crazy knowledge about Kolob or anything hahaha.

3. We contacted a drunk guy and we told him to throw his alcohol in a river... and guess what? HE DID IT HAHAHAHA. and then he proceeded by pulling out a cigarette... but it's pangano pangano (little by little) 

4. an invesigator asked if he could hug my finger.... no one knows what he meant. 

5. YOMO = YOU ONLY MISSION ONCE. DON'T TAKE ANY DAY FOR GRANTED.

Okay so the week: 

so this was our last week serving in Sis. Browning's old area Chilimoni!! even though I wasn't as attached to that area.. it was still sad to leave some of the people. But I trust the elders to take good care of it!!

The Nyirenda Family: okay so we had a really really good lesson with them this week. It was the last lesson with the whole family together because Edwin moved up to Lilongwe for school and Bright went off to boarding school about 1500 kwacha away (yes kwacha is money.... how distance is measured here is based off of how much the mini bus cost is) But we were teaching them the plan of salvation... and Abambo's (the father) mother just passed away... and we were able to explain that she was being taught the exact same thing that we were teaching him. and he just kept looking at me and kept saying "Thueson... Thueson... is this true?? Thueson... you're not lying to me are you?" and 1. it just made me so grateful for my knowledge of the plan of salvation and 2. it was a very cool experience to be able to bear testimony that it was true. I was even able to tell him that even my grandmother who just recently passed away could be teaching his mother right now in the spirit world.

ps. learned in my personal study that Christ didn't go to spirit prison like it says in 1 Peter.. he went to spirit paradise to teach the prophets that they needed to teach the spirits in spirit prison. fascinating.... but I'm still going to continue to use the scripture in 1 Peter to teach investigators about the spirit world. D&C 138 = MPONVU (powerful)

Then we had a kneeling prayer with them... and we asked the father to say teh prayer and then we told them all that we were going to sit in silence for a little while and listen for the spirit. and when the father said "Is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints the true church?" wow i was just sooooo overwhelmed with the spirit... I felt it so strong. and the whole prayer I was just praying that the family was feeling the same way... after the prayer they all said they felt good but they weren't sure if that was the answer or not... so i'm just praying that they'll soon get their answer!!! because the day they get sealed in the temple... i'm flying down to JOBERG.

Agnus:

So I think i told you about her last week.... but we were able to visit her again this week and teach her. And then she called us later and told us that she didn't have money for transport and it would be too hard to make her 7 and 2 year old walk to church... we were devastated that she wouldn't be able to come.. but there is a member who stays near her named Sister Banda... and she told us that if Agnus was serious that she would pay for the transport. So then we told Agnus that and at church on Sunday Sister Banda told us that Agnus had come over to her house and bore her testimony to her telling her that she knew the church was true. and so Sister Banda told her that starting next week she will help her with her transport....

BUT THEN....

AGNUS AND HER 3 KIDS SHOWED UP TO CHURCH. and they had walked.... the 12 year old carried the 2 year old and they came to church. I seriously almost cried when I saw them. it is probably a 45 minute walk... goodness such a blessing.

Also... it was gertrudes (the 12 year old) birthday on Saturday and all she wanted was a cake.. but they couldn't afford one. So luckily I was able to find a recipe in our flat for chocolate cake and I whipped one up. I"m never taking cake for granted again...

Well those were my tender mercies for the week... oh and Khumbo was able to be confirmed a member of the church. such a happy day!!! Even though I was fasting... I didn't turn Hangry like us thueson girls do haha I stayed happy because we were seriously blessed through the whole day:)

Also.... I seriously kept being overwhelmed with how true the church is. and how real the Atonement is. I dunno.... it's just so amazing to be able to teach people about Jesus Christ's church. I'm so grateful for this opportunity to be a missionary... and as I said earlier... time needs to slow down.

I'M SO HAPPY AND SO GRATEFUL FOR EVERYTHING THAT I HAVE BEEN BLESSED WITH... BUT ESPECIALLY FOR MY KNOWLEDGE OF THE GOSPEL AND OF JESUS CHRIST.

I LOVE ALL OF YOU. 

Happy Birthday song for Mae!

Khumbo's Baptism

 Matchy-Matchy

Maren and Khumbo

August 31, 2015

HI FAMILY!! I hope your week was wonderful:) HAPPY BIRTHDAY TOMORROW STEVE!!!! THE BIG 26! 

This week was wonderful as almost always!!!! We might as well start off with the big news first...

KHUMBO GOT BAPTIZED!! and it was the best best best. BRENDA GOT CONFIRMED!!!  and...... 

I'M NOT GETTING TRANSFERRED... I GET TO STAY IN THE BEST AREA EVER:) AND I GET TO STAY WITH SISTER SOLOMONE... but sadly Sister Browning is leaving to Lusaka next week... 

Fun facts: 

1. in malawi it's part of the culture to escort someone out... but you don't just escort them to the door... you escort them all the way down the road. i like it. 

2. Helaman 13:7 "And behold, an angel of the Lord hath declared it unto me, and he did bring glad tidings to my soul. And behold, I was sent unto you to declare it unto you also, that ye might have glad tidings;" soooo pretty much we need to preach the gospel so that other people can have the same glad tidings that we have felt. I dunno... I just really liked it. And it is Samuel the Lamanite talking and he rocks. 

3. I HAVE A GREAT NEW IDEA. so i'm on track to finish the BOM in the next 2 weeks... which means that I have the capability to read it in 3 months. So I'll be able to read it 5 more times on mission... so each time i'm going to focus on a different part of our missionary purpose. 

FAITH

REPENTANCE

BAPTISM

HOLY GHOST

ENDURING TO THE END

sorry i'm just really excited about it so i just thought i would tell you. 

Tuesday: Lucky Sister Thueson got to present at district meeting... first time woot woot!!! and the good news is... I didn't slaughter it. haha it was only a short 15 minute presentation about inviting members to teach with us.... and then looking at our key indicators at the end of the week we only had 2 member present lessons..... OOPS MY BAD. 

Wednesday: First exchanges with the STL's!!!!!!! Sister Frimpong came with me into my area and then my companions went with Sister Dlamini into their area. one of the best parts... sister Frimpong is an stl and so she is the driver and so we got the car for the day! HOLLA. But I really really enjoyed teaching with her, she is a very powerful teacher and I want to apply a lot of things that she uses in lessons. 

We saw khumbo and of course he brought 2 new friends to listen to the lesson. but after his lesson he told me that he walked all the way to Limbe to buy a white shirt for his baptism... come on people isn't he just the best??? Heavenly Father truly blessed us with this one. 

Thursday: we matched as a companionship.... i'll send a picture. it was adorable. 

Friday: We got a new investigator!! her name is agnus and she has 3 kids and her husband wasn't there but he gets home this week.... so i'm really hoping we can teach them as a family! The kids are 12, 7 and 2!! They are adorable.... except the whole lesson I was being swarmed by flies and they just kept landing on my face haha.... it was one moment where I wished to be back in America i'll be honest. but it's alright because I LOVE MALAWI. 

Sunday: KHUMBO'S BAPTISM. okay succchhhh a good day. it started off with khumbo walking into sacrament with his white shirt and bow tie on. So he had asked Sis Browning to talk on Baptism and then he asked me to give a talk on the Holy Ghost!! And us sister missionaries did a musical number. (don't worry i didn't sing....) I played the piano... and seriously I had prayed so hard that I would be able to play without making mistakes so that I wouldn't ruin the spirit because I only had 1 day to learn it... and once again HEAVENLY FATHER ANSWERS PRAYERS. and i made it through without making a mistake:) my companions sang "I know that my redeemer lives" beautifully. Then he was baptized by Mike (our EQ president) and when he bore his testimony he just couldn't stop talking about how much joy he was filling. 

oh and our branch president's wife had her baby on sunday... you should have seen the joy on that man's face as he was running out of the chapel to go meet his baby. He is such a great man. 

Well family that is about it. Another fantastic week in the Zambia Lusaka Mission!! and next week i finish my training:) which means i won't be a baby anymore wahoooo!! I love it here and time is flying waayyyy too fast! 

ps I don't know why that quote is my subject... I just liked it! 

NIMA KU KONDA KWAN BILI

SISTA THUEY

Khumbu and Mendela singing Ï know that my Redeemer lives"

At the baptism