Hey fam!!!
So I did get an opportunity to email you guys! It's not technically p-day but we had some laundry time and our teachers said we could email during that time if we did it wisely. I just wanted to take a second and update you guys on life! I'm assuming you got my letter by now, hopefully. :P That tells you a lot of my adventures from the first day. The second day, Thursday, was really difficult. It was our first full day and being up and working from 6 in the morning to 10:30 at night is completely exhausting. By the end of the day I felt really heavy and down. I was sitting in my bed wondering how I could fix this because I couldn't let this happen for the rest of my mission, that's now what this is about. I have so many reasons to be happy! I just needed to figure out how to get more optimism and energy so I could last. As I was sitting thinking through this I suddenly had a duh moment. I nearly slapped my forehead. I KNEW without a shadow of a doubt that this feeling was Satan trying to take away my ability to feel the spirit. This was his only way to try and dampen my time at the MTC. He was using his very last tool. I know this because it is so easy to feel the spirit here. It is literally here 24/7. Not only that, we have been promised that there are angels guarding us and every window and wall of the MTC. I know that Grammy is here. I have felt her many times. I was being so well protected that Satan was SO frustrated and he was using a last ditch attempt to get at me and so far, he was succeeding. That was unacceptable. I immediately got down on my knees and prayed. The best word I can use to describe it is fervently. I apologized to my Heavenly Father for letting Satan get to me and for taking so long to kneel down and come to him. I promised that it wouldn't take that long again. I felt a feeling of peace and love. It was so strong. Satan's power was suddenly washed away. I know that we can do this at any point in our day or lives. If we are ever feeling heavy or not as happy as we could be, turn to him IMMEDIATELY. He wants to here from you and He wants to help you, but you must exhibit that act of faith.
After that, I have prayed any time I feel tired, down, sad, lonely, or anything else. And He has come for me every single time. Always.
The next thing I want to tell you about is Sister Baldwin and mine's Progressive Investigator. His name is Qian (pronounced Chin) and he is actually our teacher Brother Lyon (pronounce lion) but it isn't him at the same time. He becomes Qian. He acts as our investigator and we teach him. Qian is from China and he is on a student exchange for school in America right now. He has been here for 6 months and left the rest of his family in China. He's never had religion in his life and has heard of God but doesn't really believe there is one. Sister Baldwin and I taught him for the first time yesterday. It was really difficult. We both strongly felt that we needed to completely change our lesson plan about 20-30 minutes before the lesson. So we weren't extremely prepared and the spirit wasn't really there. But we did do okay and we set a foundation. Today was our second time teaching him. We did 300% better. Our lesson focused on him knowing that there was a god and not only that that He was Qian's Heavenly Father and that Qian could pray to him at any time and that his Father in Heaven would listen and answer him. We were also challenged by our teacher to have the courage to challenge our progressive investigator to baptism by the end of it. We said a prayer together before we knocked on his door and immediately the spirit was stronger. We talked to him about prayer and he then agreed to kneel down and pray with us and to ask if God was there and if He was listening to Qian. That prayer was literally the strongest time I have ever felt the spirit. I was moved to tears by Qian's simply prayer. It was not complicated nor was it long. He just asked what we told him to. Then he got quiet and got chocked up. The Holy Ghost was testifying to his soul that he had a Heavenly Father who loved him. We finished and got back up and asked him about what he was feeling. He said peace. We then asked him if he would like to be able to feel that peace all the time. He said yes. We then extended the invitation to be baptized and explained that by taking this step he would be following his Savior's example and would be blessed with this peace and happiness whenever he wanted it. HE SAID YES!!!!!!! Sister Baldwin and I calmly expressed our gratitude of him for making this decision and then committed him to going to church this Sunday, reading from the Book of Mormon (Alma 18 and 19) and then praying to his Father more. He said yes to them all. We then left him and immediately got outside and we both did a little happy dance. We couldn't even contain our joy! I have never been so happy!
So that is my little stories for now. I am doing wonderfully and I hope the same for all of you. I know that this church is true. I know that Heavenly Father will answer your prayers. He is always there for you. You just need to learn how to recognize His answer. I know that hope can always be found in him. He is the living water, the spring of hope. I know that this is where I am supposed to be and I couldn't be happier. :)
Oh! and real quick. My companion is Sister (Lauren) Baldwin, I told you a little about her in the letter. I was going to send pics but I left my camera up in our classroom so I will send them with my email next week. Promise.
I love you all! Be good! Write me soon!!! I love every single letter I can get!
Eternally yours,
Sister Thorne
So I did get an opportunity to email you guys! It's not technically p-day but we had some laundry time and our teachers said we could email during that time if we did it wisely. I just wanted to take a second and update you guys on life! I'm assuming you got my letter by now, hopefully. :P That tells you a lot of my adventures from the first day. The second day, Thursday, was really difficult. It was our first full day and being up and working from 6 in the morning to 10:30 at night is completely exhausting. By the end of the day I felt really heavy and down. I was sitting in my bed wondering how I could fix this because I couldn't let this happen for the rest of my mission, that's now what this is about. I have so many reasons to be happy! I just needed to figure out how to get more optimism and energy so I could last. As I was sitting thinking through this I suddenly had a duh moment. I nearly slapped my forehead. I KNEW without a shadow of a doubt that this feeling was Satan trying to take away my ability to feel the spirit. This was his only way to try and dampen my time at the MTC. He was using his very last tool. I know this because it is so easy to feel the spirit here. It is literally here 24/7. Not only that, we have been promised that there are angels guarding us and every window and wall of the MTC. I know that Grammy is here. I have felt her many times. I was being so well protected that Satan was SO frustrated and he was using a last ditch attempt to get at me and so far, he was succeeding. That was unacceptable. I immediately got down on my knees and prayed. The best word I can use to describe it is fervently. I apologized to my Heavenly Father for letting Satan get to me and for taking so long to kneel down and come to him. I promised that it wouldn't take that long again. I felt a feeling of peace and love. It was so strong. Satan's power was suddenly washed away. I know that we can do this at any point in our day or lives. If we are ever feeling heavy or not as happy as we could be, turn to him IMMEDIATELY. He wants to here from you and He wants to help you, but you must exhibit that act of faith.
After that, I have prayed any time I feel tired, down, sad, lonely, or anything else. And He has come for me every single time. Always.
The next thing I want to tell you about is Sister Baldwin and mine's Progressive Investigator. His name is Qian (pronounced Chin) and he is actually our teacher Brother Lyon (pronounce lion) but it isn't him at the same time. He becomes Qian. He acts as our investigator and we teach him. Qian is from China and he is on a student exchange for school in America right now. He has been here for 6 months and left the rest of his family in China. He's never had religion in his life and has heard of God but doesn't really believe there is one. Sister Baldwin and I taught him for the first time yesterday. It was really difficult. We both strongly felt that we needed to completely change our lesson plan about 20-30 minutes before the lesson. So we weren't extremely prepared and the spirit wasn't really there. But we did do okay and we set a foundation. Today was our second time teaching him. We did 300% better. Our lesson focused on him knowing that there was a god and not only that that He was Qian's Heavenly Father and that Qian could pray to him at any time and that his Father in Heaven would listen and answer him. We were also challenged by our teacher to have the courage to challenge our progressive investigator to baptism by the end of it. We said a prayer together before we knocked on his door and immediately the spirit was stronger. We talked to him about prayer and he then agreed to kneel down and pray with us and to ask if God was there and if He was listening to Qian. That prayer was literally the strongest time I have ever felt the spirit. I was moved to tears by Qian's simply prayer. It was not complicated nor was it long. He just asked what we told him to. Then he got quiet and got chocked up. The Holy Ghost was testifying to his soul that he had a Heavenly Father who loved him. We finished and got back up and asked him about what he was feeling. He said peace. We then asked him if he would like to be able to feel that peace all the time. He said yes. We then extended the invitation to be baptized and explained that by taking this step he would be following his Savior's example and would be blessed with this peace and happiness whenever he wanted it. HE SAID YES!!!!!!! Sister Baldwin and I calmly expressed our gratitude of him for making this decision and then committed him to going to church this Sunday, reading from the Book of Mormon (Alma 18 and 19) and then praying to his Father more. He said yes to them all. We then left him and immediately got outside and we both did a little happy dance. We couldn't even contain our joy! I have never been so happy!
So that is my little stories for now. I am doing wonderfully and I hope the same for all of you. I know that this church is true. I know that Heavenly Father will answer your prayers. He is always there for you. You just need to learn how to recognize His answer. I know that hope can always be found in him. He is the living water, the spring of hope. I know that this is where I am supposed to be and I couldn't be happier. :)
Oh! and real quick. My companion is Sister (Lauren) Baldwin, I told you a little about her in the letter. I was going to send pics but I left my camera up in our classroom so I will send them with my email next week. Promise.
I love you all! Be good! Write me soon!!! I love every single letter I can get!
Eternally yours,
Sister Thorne
P.S. Real quick! My black watch shattered. Like literally. So I don't have really any hope for this white watch for lasting long. If you could send me a new watch or two (maybe better quality) that would be a life saver!!! Please as soon as possible!!! Like seriously soon. I will die without a watch.
P.P.S. We are watching Music and the Spoken Word tomorrow morning so I'll get to see Dad! I look forward to it more than anything! I'll see you then Daddy! Sing well! Be good kids! I think that's all. Loves!
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