Hi!!! Happy Easter!!
It has been a great Easter in Ohio. Thanks mom for the cute Easter dress! I felt like a beautiful tropical fish with the color and I love it. The Griffith family invited us for Easter dinner. They are the most awesome members and I love them. They are an older couple and they remind me of you and Dad (not just because they are old LOL). Sister Griffith made Sister Asay's favorite dessert and she also made my favorite dessert. That was so nice of her. The Griffiths are so great to help teach and they are always giving us referrals. I love this ward!!
This week was pretty boring. We did lots of driving because we had to travel to zone conference and my companion has been sicky, so we had to drive all the way to London (Ohio, not England) for her medical appointment. It's all good though. Zone conference was really awesome. My companion and I had to teach the Restoration in front of the whole zone conference 
I wanted to die. I had to teach all the missionaries in our zone. I had a never ending prayer in my heart to help me be calm and not sound like an idiot missionary in front of everyone. Because God loves me, He helped me and I didn't do too bad. I think President and Sister Daines could tell I was nervous because afterwards they were so nice and were like, "You did so great!!" Much stress. Much anxiety. But Sister Asay and I did it and we are still alive to tell about it.
I had a really awesome experience with Thomas this week! My companion and I have been praying lots to find out what Thomas needs and how we can best help him understand and feel the spirit. We decided we needed to teach him more about Christ. I had a thought and I shared it with Sister Asay, "Thomas is so left-brained that I think he might not understand the Atonement. I said, "He's not going to understand how Christ dying thousands of years ago applies to him and his own personal sins today." I don't know why I said that, I just had this thought and well, I kind of understand Thomas. My companion just kind of brushed off the comment and I just thought I was over thinking things so we went on with our day. We arrived at Thomas' house. He is awesome, by the way. He had finished all the reading we had asked him to do. We shared the gospel of Jesus Christ with Thomas and while we were talking about the Atonement, Thomas stopped us. He said, "I just don't understand how Christ dying thousands of years ago applies to me or my sins and mistakes. It doesn't make sense." My companion and I just sat there for a second, speechless but with our mouths wide open. He said the exact thing I had thought just hours before. Luckily, we had both studied and prepared lots to teach him. The spirit was directing and guiding me to help Thomas. It was such a special experience. I could understand the influence of the spirit. We then told Thomas that he needs to try using the Atonement of Christ in his life before he can fully comprehend how it works. He wants to know and understand, so he said he would try. I also explained to Him that Jesus knows him personally and knows of his trials and mistakes. We issued him some challenges that I think will help him better understand the power of the Atonement. We also extended a baptism invitation to him. He said "that when the Holy Ghost tells him it's right, he would get baptized." He just wants to know and better understand first. I kind of get super frustrated when people say that, but that is a huge step for Thomas! We now just need to get him to church!!! He really is receptive and he feels the spirit. He always mentions how he feels so good when we are teaching him and how he wants to feel that way all the time. I love how the spirit works! This work is miraculous.
I studied alot in Matthew this week about Christ's Ministry and his last week on Earth. Powerful stuff. Jesus Christ is the LIVING son of God. And because he atoned for our sins, died on the cross, and was resurrected, we all have the ability to repent and be made clean, and then eventually be resurrected and perfected. But this only comes through Jesus Christ and his selfless acts of love for all of us. God knows us. Jesus Christ knows us. And because of that I feel so much comfort. I know that the Atonement has great healing power and I know that the Savior lives.
I hope ya'll have a good week! Pray it stops down pouring here! I'm sick of the rain!!! Be good!! Or dont!! Whatever!! The Church is true. It's weird how my thoughts are consumed by the Savior, those that we are serving, and my family. Sometimes I think about Harry Styles but then I repent!
Much love!
--Sister Hannah Thomas
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