June 17, 2013

Hello Thorne Family! 

Week already finished eh (that's just for you Justin Hill!)? It has been a really long week. I have completely exhausted myself every single day and it has been really difficult. I go to bed tired and wake up tired. Maybe I need to start taking some Iron supplements..... It's hot as heck itself and it's going to get worse, but I honestly love humidity! It makes my skin so soft and I love the taste of it. That sounds weird, but the air really does taste like water! It's awesome!

As for Sister Pack, she's doing really well. She does excellently in role plays and she really does talk to EVERYONE already. She says hi to everyone and just loves to get to know everyone she can. She is very bold and she already knows all the lessons forward and backward and can apply them to people and teach to their needs very well. She has the gift of the discernment of spirits and she follows what the spirit tells her. She teaches with power and authority and is basically just amazing.

As for our investigators: we only have 3 progressing right now. I think that we are going to have to drop most of our current investigators this next week and go on a finding scavenger hunt. They don't make meeting with us a priority and they just don't keep commitments. It's been really stressful for me right now, but I think that that is the direction we need to be going. We will shoot for our 20 contacts a day and 5 hours of tracting and work on finding this week to enlarge our investigator pool.

For progressing: we first have Tammy. She is doing SO well! We had an incredible lesson with her and her two girls today. She is down to just 5 cigarettes a day (from 15/day) and we set a new baptismal date for July 27. We really think she'll be able to keep this one this time. Her daughter Dara wants to get baptized as well but Tammy doesn't have guardianship, the grandpa does and he doesn't like Mormons at all and won't let them come to church. It's a sticky situation.

Next is Emma and Joanna. They are still reading from the Book of Mormon, well at least Emma is. Joanna is very floaty, as expected of an 11 year old. But Emma is very serious about this and knows the church is true. She has been reading and praying with real intent. The only obstacle now is getting a member into the home who speaks Spanish so we can try and meet with their Mom (who doesn't speak English). We will make that a goal this week.

Finally is Kent. We met him last week and he is prime! We had an awesome member present lesson with him this week and he has been searching for the truth for many years. He is already asking about the requirements to get baptized and wants to go on a mission. I am excited to see where he goes.

As for your letter:

Wow! Sounds like you all have had an insane week! So many adventures!

Apartment: WE GOT A NEW APARTMENT!!!!!!!!! The new address is 550 Kirkwood Dr #507, Jasper, IN, 47546. It is absolutely stunning. There are no bugs whatsoever. It's all white and clean and we scrubbed everything today so it's all sparkly. I just love the place. It's already starting to feel like home. We moved in Friday night. We've got everything moved and up on the walls. I'll try and take pictures this week and send them. You can google it though. It's the Geoplex Apartments in Jasper, Indiana. They are super nice.

Package: Yes, I got it! Thank you so much! I loved the candy and especially the letter from Dad and the rose from Brit. I also got Brit's graduation announcement, Hillary's letter, a letter from Ryan and a letter from President Spackman. I started recording on the tape today. It will be a Father's day tape and I will get it to y'all as soon as I finish it. Probably next Monday.

Brit: Happy birthday my love! I sent your b-day present today! Sorry it's late.... please forgive me? I really think you'll like it. I also have some other things in the package as well as letters for everyone but Daddy because he got his special letter this week. Also congrats on the pageant! I won most tickets too! I think I gave my piggy bank to Kadi for her birthday though... hmm.... I don't really know where it is... oops. :) But that must have been so fun! I expect a letter with all the deets soon okay?

Dad was in Indianapolis on Friday right? I was thinking about him all day! My Daddy was only 2 hours away! It's crazy to think that he was so close and was even in the same time zone! I miss him so much. I miss you all so much.

I'm glad Pop got my Father's Day letter. Did he show it to you? I saw that card at walmart and I simply could not pass it by. I knew I had to send it to him. I didn't mean to make him cry. Tell him I'm sorry please? But I would love to get a letter from him sometime. I get some from Nancy lots and I love them to death! They make my week! But I'd love to hear from my Grandpa too. Same goes for all my Grandpa's. :)

I'm glad you are going to Hillary's farewell. You can go proxy for me. I wish I could be there. Please tell her that I will be thinking of her and that I love her to death. I also told Cam to look out for her at the MTC so she'll have someone looking over her there. Just look for some Argentina missionaries and they might know him. I think he leaves the MTC July 6...

I think that's all for today! I love and miss you all so much! Be good okay? Make good choices! Also, if you get a fb invite from a Joshua Nielson, accept it. He was my zone leader who just went home this last Wednesday. He's awesome. :)

LOVE YOU!!! HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!! 

Love eternally,

Sister Thorne

Sister Pack and I